Sephora frequently releases new favorites kits, which I always think are so fun. This one is a collection of their "Makeup Must-Haves."
Explore must-have beauty brands and trends with this eight-piece set, which features a full-size, bestselling blush, brow pencil, lipstick, and mascara.
FYI - this Sephora Favorites kit is still available for purchase.
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My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About this Favorites Kit
The Box: Sephora Favorites Makeup Must-Haves
The Cost: $48
The Products:
– 0.32 oz/ 9 g Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir
– 0.1 oz/ 3 g HUDA BEAUTY Power Matte Lipstick – First Kiss
– 0.12 oz/ 3.5 g Too Faced Peach Perfect Mattifying Setting Powder
– 0.5 fl oz/ 15 mL Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
– 0.16 oz/ 4.8 g NARS Orgasm Blush
– 0.41 oz/ 12 mL Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Mini
– 0.007 oz/ 0.20 mL KVD Vegan Beauty Tattoo Liner
– 0.003 oz/ 0.085 g Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz – Medium Brown
Shipping: $5.95 if your purchase is under $50, free if you are VIB Rouge.
Sephora Favorites: Makeup Must-Haves Review
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HUDA BEAUTY Power Matte Lipstick in First Kiss, .1 oz (Full size) - Retail value $25
I have not actually tried any HUDA lipsticks before, but I am impressed with this! It's a matte finish (as the name suggests) but felt comfortable on my lips, not drying. It felt easy to control when applying. Also, it has good, opaque pigmentation and this color is a warm pinky brick shade that will flatter lots of complexions. It's a great shade for Autumn!
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NARS Orgasm Blush, .16 oz (Full size) - Retail value $30
Ah, the cult classic NARS Orgasm blush. This blush has been featured in magazines and the like for years and years as a holy grail product. It is named such because it's meant to make every woman feel flushed and glowy! The color is a peachy pink with a gold shimmer (though not glittery!). The formula is very fine, and I suggest always applying with a light hand because you can always build it up to be bolder if you need to.
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Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper Black, .2 ml - Estimated value $7.64 (Buy a .55ml full-size for $21)
This liquid liner is one which I am always excited to get extras and backups of in boxes or samples! This has been my long-time ride-or-die liquid liner. Kat Von D is known for intense pigmentation across the whole line of products and this liner is no exception. It is a solid, opaque black that doesn't smudge a bit once dry. The brush tip and pen-like design allows for a high level of control and precision, like you're just drawing.
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Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in medium brown, .003 oz (Full size) - Retail value $23
Anastasia Beverly Hills is a brand known for offering brow products in lots of formulas and shades. Their Brow Wiz brow pencil is one of their best sellers, because it's easy to use. The pencil is ultra-fine so you can fill in and shape your brows with hair-like strokes. The spoolie brush is very helpful too - use it before you start filling to get your brow hairs all smoothed out and then use it after filling to blend and make things look more natural.
Here are swatches of everything so far: The brow pencil on top, the liquid liner, the blush, and the lipstick. You'll see these demonstrated on my actual face at the end of the article.
Too Faced Peach Perfect Mattifying Setting Powder in Translucent Peach Whisper, .12 oz - Estimated value $3.32 (Buy a 1.23 oz full size for $34)
This is a relatively new product from Too Faced and is a matte-finish setting powder. This shade is meant to be pretty much invisible and, if applied correctly, shouldn't leave any visible patches or any real color on your skin. (Remove the sticker to get the powder in the top, dip or swirl a full/fluffy brush in, tap the handle of the brush on the edge of the container to make excess powder fall off, and then apply lightly over your makeup - don't use a heavy hand.) I am happy with the performance of this setting powder! It definitely mattified my face and I had no issues with makeup wearing off or smearing by the end of the day. Setting powders usually also really help your skin look more smooth and even in pictures!
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Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Smooth & Blur, .41 fl oz - Estimated value $15.17 (Buy a 1 oz full-size for $37)
Primers are important because they help smooth your skin so your foundation looks better and it also creates a barrier so that your skin doesn't absorb your foundation as much, allowing you to use less product and make your foundation last longer. Smashbox is known for their primers because they work well and offer a primer for just about any skin type (dry/oily, etc.) and complexion concerns like redness or largely visible pores. I like this primer - I think it's effective and does exactly what I need a primer to do!
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Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray, .5 fl oz - Estimated value $4.13 (Buy a 4 z full-size for $33)
This setting spray is what I always finished with for my clients at Sephora who were headed to prom or a wedding. Thanks to the power of science, its formula actually helps to lower the temperature of your makeup enough to keep it locked in and prevent it from melting and wearing off. Make sure to hold this a good distance from your face when applying to get the finest mist and most even application. I was trained to spray it twice while moving your hand in front of your face in the shape of an X (start with the spray aimed at about your right temple and spray moving your hand towards the left side of your chin. Then mirror that, starting at about your left temple and spray moving to the right side of your chin).
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Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir Mascara, .32 oz (Full size) - Retail value $27
I've never used Marc Jacobs' mascara before, so I was excited to see a full size of it in this kit! Turns out I really, really like it. The geometric shape of the tube makes it easy to hold, and the brush is made with soft bristles that have a slight curve to fit against your lashes well. The formula was a deep black, didn't clump even with a second coat, and I had no issues with it smearing or coming off onto the skin around my eye like I sometimes do with other mascaras.
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Here's the finished look! I used everything: primer, blush, brow pencil, mascara, setting powder, setting spray, and the lipstick (note: you don't usually need to use both a setting powder and spray together unless you're headed to a long and active outing like a wedding, club, or prom or something like that. Day to day, one or the other is probably enough for most complexions - play around and see what works for you!).
The Verdict: I'm sure it's pretty obvious, but I loved this Sephora Favorites: Makeup Must-Haves set! The items featured are good representations of what each brand is known for and makes well. Most of these are products I frequently reached for to sell or use on clients in my time at Sephora. That is a good thing, but can also be seen by some as a weakness of this kit: most people will probably already be quite familiar with most of the items in here. This is a pretty "safely" curated kit, but I am fine with that because of the reliability of these products and because this kit is labeled as "Makeup Must Haves" and is not necessarily marketed to introduce people to new, trendy, or niche products. If you're looking for reliable makeup staples, I think you'll be happy with this set. The fact that half of these items are full-size is fantastic and makes this a stellar deal! It costs $48 and offers $135.26 in value. It's good to note that Sephora promises $146 in value, so by my calculations, it's just under but it's still a really good value for what you pay.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you order today? Yes, this kit is still available for purchase.
Value Breakdown: This box cost $48 and had a total value of $135.26, which means you are paying approximately the following per item:
- Lipstick: $8.87
- Blush:$10.65
- Eyeliner: $2.71
- Brow Pencil: $8.16
- Powder: $1.18
- Primer: $5.38
- Setting Spray: $1.47
- Mascara: $9.58
Want more Sephora goodness? Check out all of our PLAY! by Sephora reviews plus our best beauty boxes of 2020!
What do you think of the Sephora Favorites Makeup Must-Haves?
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