19 Sephora Beauty Buys Tried, Tested And Loved By BuzzFeed Staff

Hot girl summer has nothing on hot girl autumn.

Summer tends to hang around longer in Australia, but now that autumn has well and truly arrived, so, too, has the need for a revamped beauty routine.

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My summer-oriented products are no longer hydrating as they should, so my skin is dry and dull. I hate it.

So, for your consideration, a bunch of tried and trusted Sephora beauty products by BuzzFeed staff (and yours truly) for your hydrating, brightening and soothing needs this autumn:

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1. This multi-tasking hair oil that will smooth frizz, seal split ends and leave a healthy, shiny gloss to your dehydrated hair.

Alice Prendergast/BuzzFeed

This nutrient-packed, quick-absorbing hair oil is a one-stop, does-it-all product that promises to tame frizz, add gloss, and protect from heat damage and colour fading. Infused with a blend of African galanga, ama and Asian borage oils, the masses love that a little goes a long way too.

Promising review: "Unsurprisingly, hydration has been a challenge since chopping off, like, half my hair and getting it back to its natural colour (I had been bleaching it blonde for a few years). Luckily, I found this stuff. It's lighter than any hair serum I've ever used and smells like a floral dream. Plus, it only takes a few pumps to get top-notch results, so a bottle will last you a while. If you have fine hair like me, I suggest applying less than you think you'd need or things can get greasy real quick."

  —Alice Prendergast

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $50

2. This super-handy stick blush, perfect for applying ultra-lightweight creamy colour to dull cheeks on-the-go.

Mariela Summerhays/BuzzFeed

Featuring a creamy formula — ideal for building and blending seamlessly — this stick blush allows users to take colour from a sheer wash to a vivid pop, depending on mood. Its soft bristle brush is ideal for blurring and diffusing, making it easy to apply on the go (no messy fingers!).

Promising review: "This blush stick is really the most convenient and pigmented blush I've ever owned, and I recommend it to everyone. The creamy formula is long-staying, and if you are not a talented makeup artist (certainly the case with me!), mistakes are easily blurred out with the handy applicator brush. I love the "Peach Caramel" hue for a subtle, natural flush to cheeks."

—Mariela Summerhays

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $51

3. Or this easy-application, seamless finish, long-lasting liquid blush to bring life back into colourless, frost-bitten skin.

Brittany Barber/BuzzFeed

Weightless and uber-pigmented, you need only a couple of dabs on each cheek of this buildable and blendable liquid blush for a soft, healthy flush (expect this product to last for ages). Forumlated with a botanical blend of lotus, gardenia and white water lily, its formula is vegan and suitable for sensitive skin!

Promising review:  "I love a product that doesn't require me to use a tonne of it for it to work. This blush is so pigmented, all you need to do is blend out a tiny dab on each cheek. I got it in the shade "Happy," which has a radiant finish that actually brings life back into my face! It's officially my new favourite blush. I couldn't recommend it more."  

—Brittany Barber

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $39

4. This 24-karat gold-flecked, ultra-luxurious liquid foundation, which will not only colour-correct, but improve the appearance of your skin over time.

Mariela Summerhays/BuzzFeed, Guerlain

Half skincare, half makeup, this absolutely brilliant, buildable liquid foundation not only offers day-long coverage, but promises to even complexion, refine skin texture and improve skin quality over the weeks. The formula includes barrier-strengthening white peony, SPF 15 sun protection, and yes, 24-karat gold for the ultimate in radiance.

Promising review: "I've long shied away from foundation because of my ultra-dry skin; no matter the cream or primer I applied under, the foundation would always exaggerate flakiness or uneven texture. This foundation, however, has been the answer to my prayers. Ultra-hydrating and buildable (I love my freckles, so I love that I don't have to sacrifice them in the pursuit of a more even complexion), it feels silky and hydrating, and looks beautiful. A splurge, for sure, but worth it if you have woefully dry skin like me."

—Mariela Summerhays

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $146. Available in 21 shades.

5. Or this lightweight liquid foundation with applicator, which promises coverage for the whole face with only a tiny dab.

Alice Prendergast/BuzzFeed

Uber-pigmented and weightless, this serum-like formula dries to a skin-like finish so it appears that you aren't wearing makeup at all. Buildable and blendable, a mere dab is often enough to even out skin tone across your entire face (no clogging or caking either!).

Promising review: "I do not have perfect skin, so I love a good foundation. This one is super lightweight and feels more like skincare than it does makeup. It has a serum-like texture that glides on and doesn't dry before I have time to blend it out. It's also super buildable, so I can go for light coverage on a good skin day or heavy coverage when my pores look like angry volcanos."

—Alice Prendergast

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $49. Available in 48 shades.

6. This obscenely affordable, lightweight and hydrating serum for the smoothest, most radiant skin of your life.

Zeta Morgan/BuzzFeed

This BuzzFeed office favourite uses a high 10% concentration of niacinamide — with a 1% concentration of zinc — to reduce irregularities of texture, enlarged pores and visible shine. And at dirt cheap prices to boot.

Promising review: "This is a recent addition to my skincare routine, but one I am obsessed with and will be keeping around for years to come. This formula is super affordable (like the whole The Ordinary range) and is really easy to incorporate into your daily regime. I have noticed a visible difference in the pores on my face and how clear and balanced my skin is. If you have been wanting to try The Ordinary but don’t know what to buy first, would highly recommend giving this a whirl."

—Zeta Morgan

Buy it now from Sephora Australia for $19

7. This silk-like powder highlighter for the appearance of dewy, smooth, reflective skin in the convenience of a compact.

Alice Prendergast/BuzzFeed

Transfer-poof, smudgeproof and water-resistant, this weightless highlighter melts onto skin under the warmth of your fingers. Plus, its formula is vegan and suitable for sensitive skin!

Promising review: "When I say these are the best highlighters I've ever used, I mean it. They go on so smooth and they don't cost a million dollars, which I (obviously) love. Just know that a little goes a long way, so if you use a heavy hand, you really will be glowing with the light of a thousand suns." 

—Alice Prendergast  

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $44. Available in four shades.

8. Or, if you prefer to apply your highlighter with an applicator, this buildable, radiant liquid formula.

Bianca Guzo/BuzzFeed, Brittany Barber/BuzzFeed

Promising review for bronze shade "Captivate": "I have this highlight in a few shades, but this one is by far my favourite. I bought it on a whim after seeing a makeup artist use it on TikTok and it has become my go-to glowy product. The deep rust colour diffuses into a subtle shimmer you can blend all over your cheeks, too. That’s right… it DOUBLES AS BLUSH. It’ll give you a rosy glow that’ll blend seamlessly with the rest of your makeup."

—Bianca Guzzo

Promising review for golden shade "Outshine": "I just love that this product is both blendable and buildable, allowing me to be as subtle or shimmery as I want. It goes on super smooth, which makes it perfect for applying underneath my foundation if I want a soft, all-over glow. It also comes in a pretty hefty-sized tube, so I feel okay about using a generous amount when I want my shoulders to shine, too."

—Brittany Barber

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $44. Available in eight shades.

9. This antioxidant-rich, budget-friendly jelly cream for a deeply moisturising-yet-lightweight conclusion to your skincare routine.

Kaysey Davis/BuzzFeed, Sephora

Formulated with brightening jeju cherry blossom leaf extract and niacinamide, and uber-moisturising betaine, this jelly cream is fast-absorbing and moisturising without feeling heavy. The perfect autumn moisturiser for those who prefer a water or jelly-based cream.

Promising review: " When I say it's so light that it melts into the skin, I mean like butter on toast. I can slather three layers of this moisturiser on my skin (and often do), because it's absolutely weightless.

I love using it in the morning before makeup because it leaves my skin looking and feeling so good that I never really have to use primer afterward. This will definitely be my go-to during the warmer months."

—Kaysey Davis

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $39

10. This highly-pigmented Armani Beauty liquid lipstick, in the most autumnal red to ever exist.

Mariela Summerhays/BuzzFeed, Armani Beauty

A buildable, creamy formula that lasts for eight hours without reapplication(!), this luxurious liquid lipstick is available in every which red you could dream of, and won't dry your lips out unlike many other matte formulations.

Promising review: "I fancy a velvet finish to my lipsticks — gloss is too shiny, matte is too drying — and this satin-like liquid lipstick is a dream. I love how rich and sophisticated the colour is ("Redwood", the perfect autumnal red), and that it lasts for hours and hours without causing my lips to flake."

—Mariela Summerhays

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $63

11. This much-raved about lip mask for reducing flakiness and hydrating wind-bitten lips over night.

Sohan Judge/BuzzFeed

A mix of antioxidant-rich strawberries, cranberries, goji berries and blueberries to soften and soothe; vitamin C to protect again external aggressors; and coconut oil, shea butter and murumuru seed butter to hydrate and moisturise, it's no wonder this lip sleeping mask is the favourite of beauty enthusiasts everywhere.

Promising review: "This sleeping mask was a gift, but I’ve used it every day since I got it a year ago. Not only does it smell so damn good, but it keeps your lips feeling hydrated all night long. The best part about it is that it lasts FOREVER. I’ve had it for longer than a year now and there’s still so much product left in the pot. Also, it looks super cute sitting on my bed side table." 

—Sohan Judge  

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $31. Available in five flavours.

12. Or this all-natural multi-purpose superbalm, which soothes and hydrates lips, elbows, hands etc etc by holding 400% of its weight in moisture(!)

Mariela Summerhays/BuzzFeed

This all-natural, Aussie lanolin-formulated superbalm is super-dense, and locks in moisture wherever applied. Flaky lips? Sorted. Dry elbows? No problem.

Promising review: "My skin is naturally very dry, so my desk, bedside table and bathroom vanity are all littered with creams, lotions and lip balms, so I can moisturise my skin whenever its at its noticeable worst. When out and about though, I carry Lanolips' multipurpose balm to do the work of many products  — plus, a tiny dab goes such a long way that a tube lasts ages. Well worth the money."

—Mariela Summerhays  

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $19

13. This citrus fruit-packed face cream, which will ensure your skin is flake-free and ready for makeup in less than a day.

Rich with not just vitamin C (courtesy of zesty lemon and orange extracts), but E and B5 too, this weightless cream is beloved for its ability to awaken and energise dull-looking, running-on-no-sleep skin.

Promising review: "After hearing a lot of people rave abut the Fresh Vitamin Nectar Moisture Glow Face Cream, I decided to try it — and within one day my face was feeling baby-soft and looking hydrated and flake-free. It also smells really good! I originally used it in the mornings and at night, but thanks to this product's effectiveness, my skin has been so moisturised that I only need to apply it in the a.m. now. A little goes a long way, so it'll last me a very long time.

Since I'd been using a very matte foundation, my skin had to adjust to this new amount of moisture — I didn't break out, but my makeup needed some reapplying throughout the day. However, now that my skin's gotten used to the moisturiser, my foundation goes on a lot more smoothly and even lasts longer. And without makeup, this product keeps my face feeling soft and hydrated, and it reduces redness. I'd say it's definitely worth the hype."

—Angela Krasnick

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $95

14. This instant setting and blotting powder to manage any unexpected heat during temperamental autumn weather.

Brittany Barber/BuzzFeed

Should you care to know exactly what it was that Rihanna brought on stage with her during her Superbowl Halftime show, it was this brilliant mattifier and finishing powder. Perfect for absorbing shine and making makeup last longer, it's a universal shade to suit all skin tones.

Promising review: "First of all, no shade toward loose powders, but I like that this particular product is pressed. I find it's way less of a hassle to apply when I'm out and about, not to mention less messy. I'll admit, this it is definitely a bit of a splurge, but it packs some serious absorption power — so I don't actually have to use very much of it to see great results (it truly is the one-swipe wonder of all setting/blotting powders, IMO). It goes on smoothly, doesn't look cake-y, and slurps up oiliness instantly." 

—Brittany Barber

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $49

15. This potent 20% acid blend serum that will help your skin rest and restore from seasonal changes while you sleep.

Julia Willing/BuzzFeed

Did you know that at night, your skin switches into 'recovery mode' and is a lot more receptive to the skincare products you apply? This 20% acid blend (10% AHAs and 10% PHAs) is Ole Henriksen’s most potent formula in the collection to date and works hard to overhaul uneven skin texture, revealing a significantly smoother, renewed and brighter complexion. The Dewtopia 20% Acid Night Treatment also helps to replenish and soothe your skin thanks to the addition of aloe juice, birch sap and cotton water.

Promising review: "My skin has been absolutely manic the last six weeks — hormonal breakouts, forehead congestion, cysts on my cheeks. It's been...a lot. But I've now been using this serum nightly for about 10 days and it is a GAME CHANGER. My skin is hydrated, more supple and acne pigmentation is at last starting to fade. This is worth every penny and is going to be a staple in my nighttime routine from now on."

—Julia Willing

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $90

16. This bestselling complexion-balancing toner to minimise the appearance of pores and freshen the skin without dehydrating.

Alice Prendergast/BuzzFeed

Formulated with a blend of potent active botanicals  — including green tea, eucalyptus, algae and Irish moss extracts  — this toner will remove excess oil and refine pores without drying, unlike many other toner formulas.

Promising review:  "I used to have a real love/hate relationship with toners, but when I stumbled upon this gem, a moved fully into the 'love' camp. It does exactly what it claims to do: control oil. Even around my time of the month (which is when it tends to be at its worst), my skin stays pretty balanced. Other pluses? It doesn't have that alcohol-y smell like a lot of toners do and feels a little more moisturising. My skin also doesn't have that uncomfortable tight feeling after I use it either, which is great." 

—Alice Prendergast  

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $45

17. This Aussie native-rich cleaner that is both skincare and self-care (try to find a skincare product that smells better, I dare you).

Mariela Summerhays/BuzzFeed

Rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and AHA’s, the Australian wild limes in this cleanser gently exfoliate; lactic acid, papaya and pomegranate extract helps to brighten dull complexions, while antibacterial properties heal blemish prone skin. Lastly, aloe vera soothes and hydrates, leaving skin feeling and looking healthy, soft and supple.

Promising review: “This latest must-have skincare brand is divine, absolutely bursting with Aussie natives goodness. I adore their Balancing Cleanser, which feels soothing and uber-hydrating when lathering on. The clincher though? That citrus-y, Australian native scent that instantly relaxes at the end of the day. Worth every dollar."

—Mariela Summerhays

Buy it now from Sephora Australia for $70

18. And the super-hydrating moisturiser, which leaves wind-bitten skin feeling and looking soft and dewy.

Mariela Summerhays/BuzzFeed

The Australian-made, cruelty-free moisturiser is formulated with wild rosella (high in betaine for barrier protection against dehydration), shea butter, niacinamide, squalane and more, leaving skin with lasting hydration, firmness and suppleness (and unsurprisingly, the cream smells magical).

Promising review: "I adore everything that Habitual Beauty produce (when it comes to skincare, food, you name it; if it has Australian native ingredients in it, I'm sold) but the Nourishing Moisturiser has to be one of my favourites. The cream is such a beautiful texture, and my skin feels soft and hydrated hours later."

 —Mariela Summerhays

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $100

19. And lastly, this famed weightless hair oil for repairing damaged hair, minimising frizz and increasing shine.

Brittany Barber/BuzzFeed

Suitable for hair types — and especially intended for those of us who style with heat tools every day — this vegan hair oil will restore and strengthen hair with a mere drop or two.

Promising review: "I am super happy with this little bottle of magic. It actually feels like it's penetrating through my hair cuticle to repair my hair, instead of just sitting on top of it. It's lightweight, so it doesn't make my hair heavy or greasy whatsoever, yet it still tames my wavy hair's excessive frizz. It's a thinner consistency, but packs a punch in every drop. You only need to rub a few drops between your palms every time you use it, so it'll last you a while."

—Brittany Barber

Buy it from Sephora Australia for $54

Us, ready to take on the new season:

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