Carolers may chant, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” at Christmastime, but for hardcore skincare fans, we know that the most wonderful time of the year is Sephora VIB Time! (Woot!)
Twice a year (in Spring and Fall), Sephora holds their VIB sale. Rouge members get 20% off the entire store, while Insiders and VIB’s get 15% off. This may not seem like a lot, but considering the fact that Sephora seldom has popular items on sale otherwise, it’s a pretty big deal.
In 2019, Rouge members can start using their discount on April 26th while everyone else can start May 2nd- 6th. If you’re looking to add some items to your skincare routine, this is the perfect time to do it! I put together a quick list of what you should add to your cart, and what you should skip.
What to Buy
Drunk Elephant Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser
Drunk Elephant has a win on their hands with their new Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser. It contains a number of cleansing ingredients capable of removing both oil- and water-soluble ingredients, which is always a plus, given that some of us now wear sunscreen-primer-concealer-foundation-powder-contour-blush on the regular. (No judgment, I do it too when I have the time!)
While I’m not crazy about all of the fruit extracts in a cleanser (why, you’re just going to rinse them off!), I do love Sunflower Seed Oil, which contains about 60% linoleic Acid, an oil that is naturally incorporated into skin lipids and prevents water loss.
In true Drunk Elephant fashion, it comes in unique and innovative packaging, with a magnetic cover that a small spatula sticks to. You use this spatula to scoop the product out making it much more hygienic. It is gentle enough to be used around the eye area, and it quickly transforms from oil to milk upon contact with water. If you’re looking for a product that melts away makeup and sunscreen, I recommend picking this one up!
Ingredients: Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Lauryl Laurate, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract, Fragaria Ananassa (Strawberry) Seed Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Ximenia Americana Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Glycerin.
Dr. Dennis Gross Clinical Grade IPL Dark Spot Correcting Serum
In doing research for this post, I found that Dr. Dennis Gross Clinical Grade IPL Dark Spot Correcting Serum may actually be more effective than 2-4% hydroquinone products. In at least one study, kojic acid combined with glycolic acid was more effective than 10% glycolic acid or 4% hydroquinone alone for the treatment of hyperpigmentation. Another study by Lim et. al. found that 2% kojic acid in combination with 10% glycolic acid and 2% hydroquinone further improved melasma symptoms over a mixture of 10% glycolic acid and 2% hydroquinone alone.
While I’m not sure Dr. Dennis Gross Clinical Grade IPL Dark Spot Correcting Serum has 10% glycolic acid (in fact, I’m pretty sure it doesn’t, since it has 10% ascorbic acid and glycolic acid is considerably further down the list), it does have the kojic acid + glycolic acid concentrations mentioned in the first study (I’m pretty sure, at least, I can’t tell without knowing the exact formulation).
After about 6-8 weeks of nightly use, this product should significantly reduce the appearance of dark spots. I’m a fan.
Ingredients: Water, Ethoxydiglycol, Ascorbic Acid, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Kojic Acid, Dimethyl Isosorbide, PVM/MA Decadiene Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Mandelic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Arbutin, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Azelaic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Quercetin, Phospholipids, Soy Isoflavones, Ergocalciferol, Panthenol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 80, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol.
Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment
Part of what makes Good Genes so effective is it contains both lactic acid and licorice. A popular alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), lactic acid has smoothing abilities similar to that of glycolic acid. However, the advantage to lactic acid is that it does not temporarily thin the skin like glycolic acid does, according to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. This is particularly useful as we’re heading into the summer months, when UV rays are the strongest.
Licorice root extract, scientifically known as Glycyrrhiza glabra L., is primarily used to help to prevent and treat age spots in skin care. It’s also been used to treat eczema, dermatitis, cysts, and pruritis. A study in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment showed it to be an effective agent for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Licorice root extract has also been used in skincare as a method of improving moisture retention and as a histamine and vasodilator. It’s used as an anti-inflammatory for subacute and chronic dermatoses and to treat other chronic conditions like contact dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis.
In other words, this stuff WORKS and you should definitely add it to your cart!
Ingredients: Extract Blend [Water/ Eau/ Aqua, Opuntia Tuna Fruit (Prickly Pear) Extract, Agave Tequilana Leaf (Blue Agave) Extract, Cypripedium Pubescens (Lady’s Slipper Orchid) Extract, Opuntia Vulgaris (Cactus) Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract & Saccharomyses Cerevisiae (Yeast) Extract] Lactic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Squalane, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, Ppg-12/ Smdi Copolymer, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth 20, Glyceryl Stearate,Peg-100 Stearate, Arnica Montana (Flower) Extract, Peg-75 Meadowfoam Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus (Lemongrass) Oil, Triethanolamine, Xantham Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Steareth-20, Dmdm Hydantoin.
Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47
Argan oil has three times the amount of antioxidant vitamin E found in olive oil and is rich in linoleic acid and oleic acid. An omega-6 unsaturated (i.e., contains double bonds) essential fatty acid, linoleic acid has been shown in several research studies to be capable of reducing inflammation and acne and increasing skin’s moisturization levels. Linoleic and oleic fatty acids may both help protect and maintain skin elasticity, smoothness, and radiance.
According to a competitor’s in-house clinical tests, subjects showed a 38 percent improvement in lines after eight weeks of using their upcoming argan oil-rich firming face cream. If you’re looking for an effective, natural SPF you can’t go wrong with this one!
Ingredients: Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polysilicone-11, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Glycerin, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Methicone, Alumina, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Chloride, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Fragrance, Bisabolol, Dimethicone, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Laureth-12, Ethylhexylglycerin, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate.
What to Pass By
Herbivore Jade Facial Roller
People who love Jade rollers swear that the stone and its massaging properties helps to fight wrinkles, aid with blood circulation to the face, assist in detoxification, decrease puffiness under eyes and around face, tighten the skin, and help to absorb moisturizers more fully. But there isn’t a ton of science that backs this up. They’re really only good for their massaging properties. And even then, the friction coefficient of a lot of gemstones is lower than that for a lot of other materials, indicating that there would be less frictional force rubbing against your skin than with, say, a plastic or rubber dermaroller.
Further, a lot of the benefits come exclusively from massage, which “may help to fight wrinkles, aid blood circulation, assist in detoxification, decrease puffiness, tighten the skin, and help to absorb moisturizers.” Better to massage your face with your fingers, so save your money!
Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum
I like a lot of Drunk Elephant products but this one just doesn’t really do it for me. This vitamin B serum feels like a rip off of Skinceuticals Hydrating B5 Gel, except the Skinceuticals product also contains a ton of hydrating hyaluronic acid. This DE product instead has a bunch of fruit acids, which seems odd in a hydrating product.
First Aid Beauty Hello FAB Coconut Skin Smoothie Priming Moisturizer
Save the coconut water and quinoa for your smoothie. Yes, these ingredients are fantastic when ingested, but when topically applied to the skin, your skin cells don’t have the machinery necessary to break down these ingredients into their component vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and amino acids. Best to pass by.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Rich Hydration Cream
The percentage of vitamin C as tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate — somewhere in the realm of 5% — is way too low for me to get behind this. That said, it glides on the skin well and absorbs alright, but it might be a better product for someone with normal to dry skin than those with oily skin.
Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb
Even though it contains some ingredients I really enjoy (panthenol, oat extract, and ceramide) I’m not a fan of belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb for anything other than mild to moderate moisturization. It’s not going to result in the same wrinkle and fine line-reducing activity as, say, an eye cream with retinoids or AHAs, peptides, or high levels of vitamin C might, nor is it going to brighten up under eye skin as well as a cream with, say, vitamin C, kojic acid, azelaic acid, or any of those heavy-hitters. But, at the same time, if you’re young and looking for an eye cream to help treat mild to moderate dryness, this is OK — just not sensational, so maybe save your money and splurge on something else!
Bottom Line
There are a ton of great skincare products at the Sephora VIB Sale this year, but a few I also wouldn’t recommend. I hope this guide helps you get the most of your % off!
The post Sephora VIB Spring 2019 Sale Guide: What to Buy, and What to Pass By appeared first on FutureDerm.
