ICYMI, the Sephora Savings Event is on now. During it, you can save serious dollars on some of the best beauty-editor-recommended items. Here are the details: Rouge members save 20%, VIB members save 15%, and Beauty Insiders save 10%. All Sephora shoppers can score 30% off all Sephora Collection products. The sale ends on Monday, November 9, so if you want in on the savings, I suggest you act fast. After all, your favorite products aren’t guaranteed to stay in stock until then…
While I’ve been known to obsess over budget-friendly beauty products (I don’t run a monthly series called Drugstore Heroes for nothing), I also appreciate the odd designer item now and then. That’s only if—and it’s a big “if”—it’s *actually* worth the investment. And there are quite a few that meet my strict criteria. Ahead, see the 17 designer products I recommend investing in, especially during the Sephora Savings Event. These have been tried, tested, and approved by yours truly.
I was dying to try this blush ever since I saw celebrity makeup artist Kelli Anne Sewell talk about it on Instagram. I’ll trust anything Sewell recommends, so while I knew they would be good, I didn’t know they’d become my new obsession. The matte, cream-to-powder formula is soft and velvety, delivering a dreamy bloom of color on my skin. It’s blurred, yet saturated, which is why I describe it as a “Renaissance-painting effect.” I’m currently trying to collect every shade.
I’ve hit pan on too many of Dior’s Backstage Glow Maximizer Palettes to count. Recently, the brand released three limited-edition colorways: Icy Rosy Glow, Iced Honey Glow, and Sparkly Plum Glow. Each one houses four distinct frosty, shimmery shades. I use them every day, whether as an all-over highlighter, eyeshadow, or to add an icy gleam to the inner corners of my eyes (my favorite way to use them). They’re stunning and well worth the investment.
Speaking of sparkly Dior products, the brand also released three new, limited-edition Lip Glow Oils to accompany the Backstage Glow Maximizer Face Palettes. The one I can’t stop wearing? 113 Icy Rosy. It’s a glittery, frosty pink that gives Y2K vibes in the best way.
Beauty editors cherish this foundation more than most (if not all) others. Armani’s Luminous Silk is the flawless, foolproof formula that every makeup bag deserves. It blurs, smooths, provides 24-hour wear, boosts hydration, and offers a natural-glow finish. Trust me, if you want seamless winter radiance, this is your ticket.
I’ve been wearing Valentino’s Donna Born in Roma Eau de Parfum ($110)($88) for years. It’s one of my all-time favorite designer perfumes, so I’m just as shocked as you are to admit that the new Vendetta Donna Eau de Parfum just ousted it as my #1. With notes of orange nectar, white flowers, and sandalwood—plus my most beloved fragrance note, tuberose—it’s a warm, elegant, and timeless scent I can’t stop spritzing. I’ve already gotten so many compliments.
Armani’s Eye Tints really are *that girl.* They’re long-lasting, crease-proof, and so creamy that I don’t even have to use a makeup brush to apply them. There are so many chic shades to choose from, but I tend to wear Cedar, a cool matte taupe, the most. It’s my one-and-done product for an easy eye makeup look.
Transfer-resistant! Waterproof! Long-wearing! Prada’s Pradalines Smudge Proof Eye Pencils exceeded all of my expectations and then some. Lately, I’ve been wearing 02 Wood the most. It’s the perfect neutral brown to complement all kinds of fall and winter makeup looks.
For “fun” eyeliner colors, I immediately turn to Marc Jacobs Beauty. The formula checks all the boxes (waterproof, smudge-proof, and transfer-resistant), and the shades are straight out of my beauty-editor daydreams. I suggest starting with 290 Delulu, a lilac duochrome.
Speaking of Marc Jacobs Beauty, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this eyeshadow. It’s buildable, long-lasting, waterproof, and delivers high-pigment, cream-to-powder color. The shades are stunning (duh), but I love 180 Zero Chill. The metallic silver is so relevant to the “icy accent” trend that Fashion Month set in motion.
This lipstick is rich, deep, and velvety, AKA pure luxury. If you want your lips to look like a crimson rose petal, I highly suggest adding the shade 509 Rosso Ancora to your cart. I plan on wearing it all winter.
This concealer is so seamless that it made my colleague and Who What Wear’s associate beauty editor Alyssa forget foundation for a month. Enough said.
I know what you’re thinking. Is this lip balm really worth $50? In my opinion, the answer is yes, especially because it’s on sale right now. It’s spiked with jojoba oil and bifidus extract to soothe, hydrate, and strengthen the lip barrier, but what really sets it apart is the pH-reactive formula. Prada’s “Micro-Blushing” technology creates a unique-to-you rosy glow. When I wear it, I skip lipstick entirely.
Prada’s setting powder is one of the best in the game. It’s infused with plant-derived squalane, so it’s as hydrating as it is mattifying (a tough balance to strike). The universal green shade applies sheer on the skin and doesn’t leave a white or grey cast. It does, however, slightly minimize the chronic redness on my nose and cheeks. Most importantly, it sets my makeup for a stunning soft-focus finish.
The original Miutine Eau de Parfum ($110)($88) centers on sweet and mischievous notes of strawberry, vanilla, and brown sugar. It’s chic in a cheeky way. This autumn, though, I’m happy to swap it with Miutine Intense—the original’s cool older sister. With a new blackberry liquor note, it has a dark, rich, and slightly boozy quality that the original lacks. Yet it’s still related, thanks to shared notes of fresh gardenia and warm vanilla. The jammy scent is so seductive. As the brand puts it, it’s “more berry” and “more Miu Miu.” Who doesn’t want to be more Miu Miu?
It can be surprisingly difficult to find a mascara that volumizes, lengthens, and defines, without adding a chunky, spidery look to my lashes. YSL’s Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara is one of the few I keep in my makeup bag at all times. It delivers up to 200%(!) more volume and offers 24-hour, smudge-proof wear.
I’ll never stop wearing this blush. Dior’s iconic 001 Pink is so pretty; it makes me look like I just stepped in from the cold (and I mean that in the best way). Maybe it’s thanks to its pH-activating technology, but it looks so natural on my skin.
A plumping lip gloss that actually works without excess stinging and burning? It does exist. Valentino’s Puffer Complex Lip Plumper Gloss is the main character of all my fall and winter lip combos. I love this rosy-nude shade so much.
