Recent(ish) highlights ✨☀️✈️💼👩🏼 Recent(ish) highlights ✨☀️✈️💼👩🏼‍💻💅🏻
Slightly last minute but long overdue London visit Slightly last minute but long overdue London visit. Already looking forward to the next one 💕
There’s a certain recharge you get when you get There’s a certain recharge you get when you get to spend a few magical days with friends, watching the stars from the jacuzzi, soaking up the winter desert sun next to the fire pit, and generally not looking at your phone except to take a photo here and there. ✨ 🍾🍾

& Bonus photo of Wesley pouting that he didn’t get to go hang out with the girls at @desertdecohouse 😂

#passthebollydahling #girlsweekend #joshuatree #desertdecohouse
Dream aesthetic ✨ Absolutely loved getting to s Dream aesthetic ✨

Absolutely loved getting to spend the day at @mbeautyclinic’s dreamy Beverly Hills set up! Thank you @drtessmauricio for helping us spread the @alumiermdusa love! Can’t wait to do it again💕✨
Current gloss rotation 💋 Current gloss rotation 💋
Sucker for jewel tones always ✨ Especial these @ Sucker for jewel tones always ✨
Especial these @ctilburymakeup jewel pots in walk of no shame and pillow talk 💕 just the right amount of pigment payoff and shimmer

#ctilburymakeup #ctpillowtalk #whatsinmymakeupbag
Current retinol line up ✨ #pmskincare #retinolr Current retinol line up ✨

#pmskincare #retinolreform #retinoleyegel #shanidardenskincare #alumiermd
As the target of roll on body glitter ads in my yo As the target of roll on body glitter ads in my youth, you can definitely say it wasn’t a phase. Gimme all the body shimmer dry oils please thank you 😂
I feel like each chapter in my life has had its ow I feel like each chapter in my life has had its own collection of signature scents, and every time I smell them it takes me back. High school was all Lucky You, college was Lovely, start of my career was Black Opium, then Givenchy and Flower Bomb, now on the hunt for this next chapter’s signature scent - Whisky is a key contender but would love to hear some of your favorites so I can check them out 🥰
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Oui Emmy

Beauty Store Brand Showdown: Sephora Vs Ulta

Even in the midst of my #ProjectHitPan experiment (I bought these prior to the spending freeze I promise), I still have ridiculous status in the rewards programs at both Sephora and Ulta. I guess some people buy video games, movies, or figurines – I collect makeup. Despite how much I seem to spend, I still like to get the best bang for my buck. While standing in an aisle in Ulta the other day, I wondered if their eyeshadow was any better than Sephora’s. A showdown was needed.

Beauty Store Showdowns: Sephora Vs. Ulta. Who has the best products overall?

So I decided to pick a couple product categories and pit the Sephora Collection version against the Ulta Collection. Seeing as I had just tested the Sephora Collection Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer as a dupe for the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, I knew I had to pick up Ulta’s option. Other contenders include matte lip creams (mostly just an excuse to stock up on berry colors for Fall), eyeshadows, and brow products.

Concealer

Beauty Store Brand Showdown: Sephora Vs Ulta Concealers

So even if you’ve only been reading the blog for a week or so, you’ll know how much I loved the Sephora Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer (seen here in 05 Parfait). Shade match, longevity, consistency, creaminess, all amazing. Maybe I had too high of expectations with the Ulta Fabulous Face (seen in light), but it didn’t blend as well, didn’t conceal as well, was just a little too off with the undertone shades. It seemed to crease / cake a lot by the end of the day.

Winner: Sephora. Hands down.

Matte Lip Creams

Beauty Store Brand Showdown: Sephora Vs Ulta Matte Lip Creams

After falling in love with NYX‘s Soft Matte Lip Creams, I gravitate more towards matte finishes than satin or glossy. So I indulged my matte bold lip love and picked up Ulta‘s Matte Lip Cream in Striking, and Sephora‘s Cream Lip Stain in Blackberry Sorbet. Both Ulta and Sephora have a great range of colors to choose from. And despite having different shaped applicators, both are easy to get a sharp cupid’s bow with. Pigmentation is great in both of them. Price and packaging are also fairly similar. Honestly, it was pretty much a draw until it came to longevity. After wearing the Sephora one out for Happy Hour, my mom and I decided to end the day with a glass of wine while hanging out in the hot tub and contemplating life. So not only did it not budge through multiple glasses of wine and appetizers, it held up to the humidity and steam of the hot tub. It didn’t budge, except for when I went to wash my face and the cleanser loosened it up just enough to smear all over the lower half of my face. I looked like a clown (thankfully not Twisty – as much as I love watching AHS). So take note, you’ll benefit from using makeup remover with this one.

Winner: Sephora (but it was a close one).

Eyeshadows

Beauty Store Brand Showdown Sephora Collection Eyeshadow VS Ulta Eyeshadow

In the swatch photo above, we have the Sephora Colorful Sequin Glitter in All That Glitters on top, with the Ulta Eyeshadow in Copper Bronze below. Amount of product wise, these babies weigh in pretty evenly with only a gram difference, however the Sephora one is twice the price ($12 vs $6 respectively). That being said, after testing them out it seems you get what you pay for. The Ulta brand eyeshadow, despite having an absolutely stunning shade had crazy fall out, wasn’t as pigmented, and seemed to disappear on me before I’d finished my second cup of coffee at work. Maybe it works better with a primer. Though I also tested the Sephora collection one without a primer and it lasted me until the end of day with no problem at all.

Winner: Sephora.

Eyebrow Pencils

Beauty Store Brand Showdown: Sephora VS Ulta Eyebrow pencils

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year, you’ll know how important brows are. My staples to address before leaving the house: base, brows, liner. I picked up the Ulta Ultimate Brow in Golden Ash and Sephora Tinted Brow Freeze in Light. Not too many shade choices, so I apologize to any of you redheads. Also, how does Ulta have the chance to name their product ULTAmate Brow and not take it? Seriously. I wasn’t that impressed with either of them to be honest. The pigment wasn’t that great, it was hard to find a shade that worked, and overall the products were too heavy/waxy. But at least the Ulta product came with a comb and had a bit more staying power. Overall though I’d recommend a brow pomade (see Anastasia Dipbrow vs NYX Tame & Frame).

Winner: Ulta.

Shop this post: Ulta Fabulous Face Liquid Concealer, Sephora Future Bright Gel Serum Concealer, Ulta Matte Lip Cream, Sephora Cream Lip Stain, Sephora Eyeshadow (glitter one here), Ulta Eyeshadow, Ulta Ultimate Brow Pencil, and Sephora Brow Freeze Pencil.

What are your favorite store brands?

♡Em

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Recent(ish) highlights ✨☀️✈️💼👩🏼 Recent(ish) highlights ✨☀️✈️💼👩🏼‍💻💅🏻
Slightly last minute but long overdue London visit Slightly last minute but long overdue London visit. Already looking forward to the next one 💕
There’s a certain recharge you get when you get There’s a certain recharge you get when you get to spend a few magical days with friends, watching the stars from the jacuzzi, soaking up the winter desert sun next to the fire pit, and generally not looking at your phone except to take a photo here and there. ✨ 🍾🍾

& Bonus photo of Wesley pouting that he didn’t get to go hang out with the girls at @desertdecohouse 😂

#passthebollydahling #girlsweekend #joshuatree #desertdecohouse
Dream aesthetic ✨ Absolutely loved getting to s Dream aesthetic ✨

Absolutely loved getting to spend the day at @mbeautyclinic’s dreamy Beverly Hills set up! Thank you @drtessmauricio for helping us spread the @alumiermdusa love! Can’t wait to do it again💕✨
Current gloss rotation 💋 Current gloss rotation 💋
Sucker for jewel tones always ✨ Especial these @ Sucker for jewel tones always ✨
Especial these @ctilburymakeup jewel pots in walk of no shame and pillow talk 💕 just the right amount of pigment payoff and shimmer

#ctilburymakeup #ctpillowtalk #whatsinmymakeupbag
Current retinol line up ✨ #pmskincare #retinolr Current retinol line up ✨

#pmskincare #retinolreform #retinoleyegel #shanidardenskincare #alumiermd
As the target of roll on body glitter ads in my yo As the target of roll on body glitter ads in my youth, you can definitely say it wasn’t a phase. Gimme all the body shimmer dry oils please thank you 😂
I feel like each chapter in my life has had its ow I feel like each chapter in my life has had its own collection of signature scents, and every time I smell them it takes me back. High school was all Lucky You, college was Lovely, start of my career was Black Opium, then Givenchy and Flower Bomb, now on the hunt for this next chapter’s signature scent - Whisky is a key contender but would love to hear some of your favorites so I can check them out 🥰
So exhausted from moving over the weekend, but it’s been fun unpacking all of my skincare and rediscovering a few favorites. The moisturizer is super rich and nourishing - just what my tired skin needs💕

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