The Sale That S*phora Doesn’t Want You To Know About
And a mascara that will last through your mental breakdown
Shitters! If there’s one thing we all love around here, it’s a sale, and I consider it my personal responsibility to clue you all in when a really good one rolls around!
It can feel like the Sephora sale is the end all/be all for beauty, but there are oftentimes better discounts to be found elsewhere on so many of the same brands. One example is Credo, a clean beauty retailer that stocks so many of my favorites, from Westman Atelier to RŌZ to OSEA. During their sale (starting today!), they mark everything online and in-stores down by 20% whether you’re a dedicated Credo shopper or are browsing for the very first time—you-know-where would never!!! (And as I’ve said before, the in-person experience at Credo is a total 180—not a single teen getting their grubby little fingers into every tester to be found.)
In honor of their sale, I wanted to spotlight this particular face mask—I’ve mentioned it before, but I decided it deserved its own newsletter after getting this text from my sister a few weeks ago:
Over the years, I’ve been burned by more than one “instant peel” product that claimed to reveal soft, glowing skin, but left me red and blotchy and irritated within the first minute and a half. It sucks because you a) feel silly for being duped by something claiming “instant results,” b) are out a probably non-insignificant amount of cash and c) the skin you were trying to make look brighter/ smoother/ better now looks and feels 10x worse than when you started. I’ve been there—painful in more ways than one.
But this mask is different. It’s a mix of BHAs and enzymes that gently exfoliate and leave your skin feeling smoother, brighter, and clearer without any redness, discomfort, or irritation (HARD to find!). You put on a light layer for 20 minutes as you do your thing (towel time, TikTok time, speed clean your apartment time), and after washing it off, you can follow with moisturizer and makeup for a day or night out, or just go barefaced for the rest of the night at home. I forgot about this in my medicine cabinet for a minute, but after breaking it out a few months ago, it’s been back in the regular weekly rotation. It really does make a noticeable difference (hence the above text!), and works wonders for more sensitive skin.
To me, this is one of those underrated gems that I restock the minute I run low. As my sister said, more people really should be talking about it, but I will gladly carry the torch!! The 20% off puts it around the $50 mark, making now a great time to try if you’re curious!
Here are a few other favorites worth trying/restocking:
Goop Shower Products: Goop’s hair/body products are out of this world. This whipped salt scalp scrub (now $44) has been a longtime SIBAL favorite (see our Best of 2024 list if you need more info). This microderm scrub is the body equivalent (if you loved the feel of St. Ives back in the day, you’ll find the gritty texture VERY satisfying). And their lip balm sets make a great gift for a birthday or Mother’s Day—I got them for my own mom a few years back!
Westman Everything: Listen, you already know I love their foundation stick (I wear shade X), this bronzer/highlight combo (shimmery with zero glitter), and their new bronzing drops (the most natural looking tan I’ve ever seen, and available in all shades here—I wear shade 2). But I tried their mascara for the first time just hours before a non-insignificant mental breakdown, and despite not technically being waterproof, my eyelashes still looked pretty great afterwards??? I resisted trying it for years because I figured it couldn’t be that great, but tbh it’s really impressing me!
OSEA Body Oil/Body Butter: I’ve loved this stuff for years, but don’t just take my word for it. The number of friends who mentioned this oil BY NAME in our new mom gift guide should be all the convincing you need! It feels incredible on the skin, smells like the ocean, and is made with ingredients you can feel good about. At 20% off, this is worth stocking up on now (or sending directly to your expecting/ postpartum friends!!). They also have a set with all of their hero products that’s available for $40ish during the sale—feels like a great gift to me!!
Josh Rosebrook: These are also very underrated, IMO. Their SPF day cream has been a longtime favorite (they make a tinted version too), but I recently tried their face balm and really like it. It’s more of a fall/winter product for my skin type, but if you have very dry skin or live in a dry climate, this is worth looking into. It has a mousse-like texture and balmy finish, and is full of soothing ingredients like sea buckthorn oil and blue tansy (which has the best scent). To me, it’s a heavy duty moisturizer, and it keeps my skin feeling hydrated until the next morning.
Roz Root Lift: If you’ve been here a minute, you know how I feel about Roz’s shampoo and conditioner, but the real highlight to me is their root lift spray. If you blow your hair out at home, you need this. It gives your roots that lifted look and lightweight feel that you can usually only get from a professional. I’ve tried so many styling products over the years that promised results, but left my hair the same frizzy mess, but this line has been the complete opposite. Their treatment oil is next on my list in case anyone needs a gift idea for me!!
Everything else worth checking out: The cool girl fragrance of the moment. This body serum in Ischia Sunset (manifesting an Ischia sunset IRL!). This lovely rose body wash. The only eyebrow pencil that won’t make you look like a cartoon. A foolproof little glow.
P.S. All of our discount codes live here, so you never have to wait for a sale to save! You can find it under the “Discount Codes” tab on our homepage, ShitIBoughtAndLiked.com
Other things I’m loving lately: If you’re looking to upgrade your underwear drawer, this set from Fleur du Mal is as sexy as it is comfortable! We have a discount: PRIYANKA15. OBSESSED with this retinol repair hand cream—the scent is incredible and the packaging is surprisingly multi-functional (I prefer the pink to their classic yellow). Newest addition to the bedside table! Definitely the wrong season to be coveting this jacket but I still am. Absolutely the right season to be drinking nothing but Vermentino! Eyeing these affordable luggage tags ahead of summer travel.
Related Reading:
Mother’s Day is coming up! This guide has something for every mom in your life (not just the new ones!):
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