Rio Viera Newton On The Best Sephora, Ulta Makeup Sales 2021
Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers
While doing my regular internet sleuthing, I noticed that right now, there is a lot of makeup on deep sale. While I might not be wearing half as much makeup in quarantine as I did pre-pandemic, these bargain-basement deals are the moment to do what I like to call “tactical shopping” — or stocking up on products I’m going to want to have in my arsenal, even if I won’t really use them until we’re allowed back out into the world. Below, I’ve rounded up the ten best products I found on deep sale. All are things I love or have long wanted, all are more than 50 percent off, and although the retailers don’t advertise how long the discounts will last, the fact that I’ve never seen them priced this low is enough to assume it won’t be for long.
Natasha Denona’s makeup is extremely well-loved (by regulars, and celebrities like Gal Gadot) for its easy-to-apply, blendable formulas that give the skin a gorgeous lit-from-within glow. This palette, in my opinion, is really one of her star products. It’s includes cream and powder highlighters and blushes that deliver a range of finishes (some dewy, some fresh, some bold and glow-y). There is something for every day in this palette, and not to pick favorites, but this may be the best deal in this post.
Pat McGrath is well-known for her supremely pigmented, ultra creamy eyeshadow formulas. This half-off, now-under-$20 petite palette includes a collection of shimmery golds, browns, and rose shades that are very easy to buff or blend into your lids.
These metallic dual-shade palettes are ultracreamy and pigmented — perfect for adding a quick pop of color to your lids. These little palettes come in a few shades, all of which are special and vibrant. If you’re into frosty, twinkly palettes, you’ll prefer the mint and light-gold palette “Sand Castle/Mint’d Mojito.” If you like warm, bright tones, you’ll love this Popsicle-esque duo “Mimosa Sunrise/Sangria Sunset.”
This lipstick is a gorgeous mauvy color, with dusty rose undertones — making it the perfect candidate for when you want a rich nude with a little kick. The superlight formula feels weightless, and despite going on incredibly matte, it never dries my lips out.
This pen from Milk Makeup has a triple felt tip, so it creates multiple realistic, hairlike strokes for a quick brow fix.
Uoma Beauty’s contour and highlight stick is one of my go-tos for sculpting or adding a little warmth to my tired, dull winter complexion. It has a nice oily-ish formula, which makes for incredibly easy buffing and blending for a seamless finish.
This cream-to-liquid eyeshadow from Natasha Denona is perfect for anyone who likes adding a twinkly bronzy glow to their eyes. The description says it’s “metallic,” but in reality it’s a lot softer and more wearable. I love that you can just pat some one, dab it with your finger, and viola — a wonderfully shimmery eye that wakes your entire complexion us.
The Kylie Cosmetics concealers are actually a lot better than I had expected them to be. For some reason, I had pictured that they would be matte and super full coverage, but they’re actually creamy and easy to blend that leaves a nice dewy finish behind. It’s great for everyday wear or touching up blemishes.
Fenty Beauty’s matte liquid lipsticks are some of the best no-transfer ones on the market. (Rihanna made them kissproof on purpose.) The red “Unmatched” is a cool deep shade that’s perfect for when you don’t that that ultra-bright ruby woo look. And the other shade, “Underrated,” is a mauvey berry that’s great for spring.
These highlighters from Kylie Cosmetics are certainly for those who like a more blinding strobe — they’re definitely more glittery than, say, Hourglass Ambient Light. However, the powder is super-fine (it doesn’t get patchy) and easy to apply (it glides onto the skin and can be easily blended), and a little goes a long way (it lasts ages).
I’ve written before about how I was pleasantly surprised by the Kylie blushes after trusted industry-professional pals raved about how good they are. If you’ve wanted to try them but couldn’t bear to do it at full price, now might just be the perfect opportunity! I’ve heard excellent things about all the shades, but my favorite is Kitten Baby, a subtle apricot that’s perfect for summery, sun-kissed skin.
Much like the Kylie Cosmetics blush, this bronzer has received pretty good reviews from the beauty community. There are six shades to choose from, which is great for selecting a color that works on your skin tone and won’t leave you looking orange. It’s also incredibly buildable—one sweep will give you a soft, bronzey wash of color, and a few more layers will provide a more dramatic chisel.
This is why the Rare Beauty Sponge originally piqued my interest: Selena Gomez’s makeup artist, the incredibly talented Hung Vanngo, famously uses a big body sponge that looks kind of similar to this one on his clients. I love Hung’s work, so I bought it in the hope that it could help me achieve that really nice, light, even coverage he always manages to. And so far, I really like it! It does a great job at blending out my daily under-eye concealer evenly and seamlessly — and it works really well for powder too!
If you’re someone who switches back and forth between a liquid and a kohl liner depending on your mood or look, you’ll love this double-ended liner from Huda. That’s right — one end is a liquid black shiny liner for a perfect cat eye, and the other is your classic kohl for a smokier effect.
This silvery lavender shade from Fenty is one of my very favorites — I’ve posted about it on Instagram a ton. It’s my preferred way to give my eyelids a nice wash of spring-friendly lavender and a subtle twinkle. The best thing about Fenty Match Stix is that the formula goes on as a cream but dries as a powder — so you can apply it with your fingers, but it has that all-day longevity.
This trio from Pat McGrath features some of her very best products — her bronzey gloss (for a perfect, runway-ready dewy highlight), her long-lasting matte lipstick (in a perfect rosewater shade), and her creamy lipliner (for the perfect pout, a favorite of Euphoria’s Alexa Demie).
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
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