Because I’m not able to go to a Sephora store to shop in-person, I’ve placed an online order one more time before the end of the year, especially because December is my birthday month. And as you Beauty Insiders know, Sephora always offers a travel size product sample as your birthday gift (with or without a purchase). Normally, I’d pop in and treat myself to some new skincare goodies, but running in to grab my birthday gift is also an option. Here’s a review of some of my new Sephora finds (old and new).

Bio Ionic GrapheneMX™ Boar Styling Brush

First up on the list is a new styling brush because I just got my hair cut kinda short (shoulder length) and all my other hair styling brushes are too large. So I snagged the Bio Ionic GrapheneMX™ Boar Styling Brush, specifically the medium-sized barrel (45MM), for $42. It seems kinda pricey just for a hair brush, but the Bio Ionic brushes last me several months or so, which is probably longer than the allotted time that you’re supposed to use them for. This brush has amazing grip and uses natural minerals like graphene to give a smooth polished blowout. FYI… Graphene is a natural heat conductor, which gives great styling power while you blow dry.

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Summer Fridays R + R Mask

And next up on the list is a self-care item… The Summer Fridays R + R Mask! One tube of this antioxidant-rich face mask is $52, which is costly. But I found that a little bit goes a long way, so it should last several months. In my case, I have so many facial masking products that this Summer Fridays product should last me about a year. For the clean beauty conscious… Yes, this product is vegan, cruelty and gluten-free, and comes in eco-friendly packaging that is recyclable. The exfoliant, aka the hard stuff that scrubs your skin, uses ground up wild rose flower powder to polish your skin and get rid of dead skin cells. Some notable ingredients include: argan, safflower, sesame, avocado, and grape seed oils, as well as other fatty acids to soothe skin irritation. And the tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, a stable form of Vitamin C, works to brighten skin and supports natural collagen production.

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My favorite sample from the Sephora order

I always add samples to my cart, especially when I meet the minimum spend requirement for the additional larger sized samples. My favorite sample from this order in particular has been the Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate which has 12.5% Vitamin C. If you’ve read other recent blog posts, you’d know I’ve been obsessed with Vitamin C in my skincare products lately. I have tried this product before from an actual Kiehl’s store, but I think the sample packets don’t help keep the consistency of the product for a week once it’s opened, so I like the tube sample from Sephora a lot better.

This year’s birthday gift for Beauty Insiders

Sephora deemed Sol de Janeiro’s Bum Bum Cream & Coco Cabana Cream Set as the 2020 Birthday Gift and I absolutely loved it. Both creams in the duo were very moisturizing and smelled amazing. However, during these cold harsh Winter days, my skin needs some serious moisture. That being said, I might buy the full-sized versions of these Sol de Janeiro products come Summer 2021.