Sephora Girls: Learnings from my Cousin on Skincare
Before this summer, I’d only vaguely heard of Sephora girls on TikTok. Usually, I associated them with Drunk Elephant hauls, carrying Stanley cups, wearing head-to-toe Lululemon, and overusing the word “preppy”. But, in all honesty, Sephora still felt like MY territory for Olaplex shampoo, Supergoop sunscreen, and Chanel perfume. That is, until I visited my cousin: a true Sephora girl. She generously let me try out some of her skincare collection, and at the end of my weekend visit, gifted me a bag of her favorites.
Courtesy of ABC News
I diligently tried out all her picks, since my skincare routine probably did need a refresh, and while I haven’t adopted everything, I do see some of them becoming regulars.
My skincare routine before was pretty simple. For cleansers, I used La Roche Posay’s Toleriane Face Wash, or otherwise Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser. For activities, I used Clinique Clarifying Lotion, Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Toner, and the occasional benzoyl peroxide spot cream and salicylic acid wipe if I felt a breakout coming on. Finally, for moisturizers I would mix it up more, but my usuals were Clinique Moisture Surge or for an SPF option La Roche Posay’s Toleriane Double Repair with SPF. And occasionally I’d use sheet or clay masks, but nothing in that realm all that regularly.
But apparently these brands are for old people, per my cousin. And not wanting my youth to be called into question while I’m still only 20, I had to at least try her side.
Here’s what was in her package to me:
(contains Creamy Jelly Cleanser, Moisturizing Gel Cream, and Hydrating Serum)
And of course, I tried Drunk Elephant’s Lala Retro Cream at her house.
Here’s how the cleansers stacked up:
La Roche Posay: 8.5/10
This has been my go-to since it always leaves my face feeling clean. It has no fragrance and so is sensitive while still cleansing, though sometimes it can feel drying especially in the winter.
Kiehl’s: 7/10
I like Kiehl’s because it isn’t too drying and has a mild almond scent. However, it can leave a residue and needs to be rinsed extra well.
Glow Recipe: 8/10
Glow Recipe’s cleanser felt very similar to La Roche Posay’s in that it was very lightweight but cleaned very well. It had a pleasing mild blueberry scent, but I found myself using a lot more of it than La Roche Posay and ran out quickly, which is the main reason La Roche Posay won.
Byoma: 9/10
This might be one of my new favorites because of how well it cleans and rinses off. It feels more heavy like the Kiehl’s formula when applied, but rinses off way better. Ultimately, this was an awesome recommendation.
Winner: Byoma
Courtesy of Amazon
Although I’m still working my way through a Kiehl’s kit, I think Byoma’s cleanser will definitely be a part of my new rotation.
Now onto the actives:
Clinique: 5/10
This used to be a favorite of mine, until they changed the formulation. I recently ordered directly from the website, but got a bottle that smelled super strongly of alcohol and ended up tossing it as it left my face sticky. I ordered again and while it wasn’t as bad, it was clear there had been a formula change.
Kiehl’s: 8/10
I love Kiehl’s for how gentle their products are, and the toner is no exception. My only problem is that I don’t know how effective it is as it doesn’t address any specific concerns, although I do like the simplicity.
Glow Recipe: 10/10
As soon as I tried this, I knew it was going to be my new favorite. This toner works better at keeping skin clear and glowy than any other product I’ve tried. It has a mild watermelon smell, and does leave your skin a bit sticky at first, but it is meant to pair with a moisturizer in which case it’s unnoticeable. I liked it so much, I even bought the matching niacinamide drops!
Byoma: 7/10
This hydrating serum was good as a source for niacinamide. I didn’t love it because it made my skin too hydrated and it would feel greasy after I applied it, even in small quantities.
Winner: Glow Recipe.
Courtesy of Amazon
This is absolutely a new staple in my routine!
Finally, the moisturizers:
Clinique: 8/10
This is the most moisturizing moisturizer. The texture is like jelly, but it melts in almost immediately and feels so light, though it is very heavyweight. I like it for the winter, though it can be a lot in the summer.
Kiehl’s: 9/10
This moisturizer is so simple and versatile, but that’s why I love it. It feels like a lotion, and works in the summer or the winter.
Byoma: 6/10
This moisturizer felt like a lotion, but made my skin really greasy. By the time I had it on for an hour, I felt like I needed to wash my face. I think Byoma’s products are super hydrating which is great if you have ultra-dry skin or live in a dry climate.
La Roche Posay with SPF: 5/10
I used the Toleriane moisturizer which I liked a lot, but the SPF one can sometimes lead to breakouts if it’s worn at night, despite the label saying that it can be worn at night too. I’d be careful with this. The other downside is that to apply enough to work as SPF, it can get greasy rather easily.
Drunk Elephant: 7/10
The packaging was super fun on this one. I see why everyone loves pushing the top, and the moisturizer was super effective. It was definitely more heavyweight, but there was a nice scent and it was cute.
Winner: Kiehl’s
Courtesy of Amazon
It’s classic for a reason.
Overall, my cousin introduced me to a lot of my new favorites! The Sephora girls are onto something with the Glow Recipe brand, and Byoma seemed like it was high quality especially given that it was relatively affordable and widely available, having a place in even some Target stores. Drunk Elephant has faced controversy for selling products tailored to adult skin to children, but the product I tried didn’t have any of the more powerful active ingredients and was a fun moisturizer, so I see why the Sephora girls like it.
While I don’t see myself doing any skincare hauls anytime soon, I’d recommend giving some of these products a try. Especially as the seasons are changing here at Penn, it may be time to whip out some of the more moisturizing products - your skin needs some protection from the high-rise wind tunnel!
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