A Sephora Marketer's Master Beauty Routine

Rosacea fixes, Olsen hair, memorable fragrances... PR packages that turned into repeat purchases.

It seems like I’m running down the line of finding ways to exploit my resume on here, but I just love what I do and it has resulted in learning some wonderful things. Ex-TRR shopping edit one day, ex-Sephora marketing beauty routine the next… too bad you’ll never get the in-house fashion PR juice out of me via public platform because I would like to be employed again xo ❤️🙏

How To Beat The RealReal (From A Former Employee)

My most recent corporate job (have been laid off, send leads ((earnest)) was at an influencer marketing agency, where I spent the first two of three years strategizing and executing campaigns for one of the most robust long-term influencer programs ever created, called Sephora Squad.

I worked with Sephora’s internal marketing team and directly with brands like Dr.Jart+, Charlotte Tilbury, Maison Margiela Fragrances, Dermalogica, Oribe, and more (I am highlighting these brands specifically because they have made the biggest impact on my beauty routine by way of campaign product gifting and being wonderful to work with x). I eventually moved into a Creative Strategist role, but the time spent in the executional weeds continues to ground how I approach brand voice, narrative structure, and the subtleties of what drives engagement.

My medicine cabinet in 2023, product testing rat 🧘

Through hundreds of campaigns with so many products, many brands were generous enough to send us the campaign products to try out. This has led me to testing an impressionable collection of gifted products that I am (gratefully) still working through (do we all actually follow expiration dates? I know you’re also still using an eyeshadow palette that’s 5+ years old). Between my Rouge status and testing nearly every new launch and best-seller at Sephora over the past three years, I’ve put together a list of the absolute best of the best.

I’ve pulled together a master list of my favorite products and a few things I’m dying to try. If you’ve tried any, I’d love to hear what you think. I’m always open to discovering new favorites and swapping recommendations.

BTW: While the next Sephora sale isn’t until the fall, I’ve noticed they typically offer promotions during Prime Week, which is coming up July 8-11.

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Driving Shoes Favorite: Beauty Products

Skincare

I have sensitive, combo, acne-rosacea skin that is always red and easily irritated. I have been in and out of dermatologists for over a decade and tried what feels like a million products. Since the below are more easily avail (I’m not even on a derm-prescribed rosacea treatment anymore… is that bad? If you have suggestions for NY Derms, please weigh in), I’m hoping to help broaden the solution here for my other red-faced girlies.

• Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil Makeup Remover and Gentle Cleansing Foam: As someone with larger pores on her nose, who wears SPF and makeup daily, and lives in a heavily polluted city, I have been strongly advised by facialists and dermatologists to double cleanse. Almost every time I have a house guest who uses my shower, I get a compliment about how incredible this duo is. Your skin feels so clean after, and it’s not irritating at all.

• Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré, Multifunction Daily Moisturizer: Some people say Americans over-romanticize French beauty, but this product is legit and lives up to the hype. Not only does the tube restructure in a very gorgeous way as you use it (aluminum tubes yessss), but the formula makes my skin feel as soft as a baby’s. This is famously in many makeup artists’ kits as a go-to makeup primer. It layers well with my morning skincare and SPF, and never pills. Though my rosacea plays well with the OG, they also offer a sensitive formula. I linked it to Amazon (🫩), but I recommend finding it in person if you can to support a local pharmacy. If you’re in New York, you can find it at Thompson Chemists in SoHo and Eisler’s Chemist in UES.

• Dermalogica Stabilizing Repair Cream Moisturizer: Redness calming LEGEND! The Dermalogica team recommended this to me after we met at SEPHORiA, and it was so good that I asked for another one when I saw them again a few months later at a beauty event in LA. I really should keep a few of these on hand at all times—I go through them fast.

• Charlotte Tilbury Cryo-Recovery Depuffing Eye Serum: I genuinely think this might be magic. I only really get under-eye bags or puffiness after a night out, and within a minute of applying this, they disappear. The applicator feels like ice in the best way. The price point is on the higher end, but since I only use it as needed, it has lasted me over two years.

• Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment with SPF 30: When using treatment-focused skincare to keep my rosacea calm (plus avoiding spicy food and alcohol—tragic), I can skip foundation entirely with a thin swipe of this all over the face. A touch of concealer on top, and my skin tone looks even and calm. On its own, it’s the perfect solution for no-makeup makeup during workouts.

• Clarins Double Serum: I’ve had a hard time finding serums that aren’t just geared toward redness and don’t break me out in the process. This one is special. The brand calls out firming, radiance, and pore refinement. Confirmed! I use it at night under a heavier moisturizer… see below.

• iNNBEAUTY PROJECT Extreme Cream: People often compare this formula to La Mer, and while I haven’t tried LM myself, I can say the Extreme Cream is entering Holy Grail territory for me. It’s one of those moisturizers you can still feel working when you wake up, but in a deeply hydrated, never-gross way. My skin has never looked so PLUMP!!!

Makeup

• Chanel Stylo Ombre et Contour Eyeshadow Stick, Nude Éclat: First off, I MISS THE CHANEL BEAUTÉ ATELIER IN SOHO!!!! Gone are the days when you could pay a Chanel makeup artist $130 for a personalized makeup lesson and have the whole fee of the lesson put towards purchasing product at the end of it. My Chanel MUA, Carlos Olmeda, introduced me to this eyeshadow stick. It is the perrrrfect creamy, layering eye stick and is the solution to subtle blended creases and effortlessly blurred eyeliners. I get compliments every time I wear it.

• Chanel Les Beiges Bronzer: I honestly did not crack the code on this at first. I bought this from the Chanel counter at Bergdorf’s and was recommended a foundation brush to apply it… It looked far too harsh on me. Only a year later did I find it in my makeup drawer and try it again, basically untouched, and gave it a go with a damp beauty blender… omg!!!! Amazing. One swipe across the forehead looks like the most natural tan ever fabricated.

• Chanel Baume Essential, Transparent: If you want to look like you have the most hydrated skin on the planet, swipe some of this on the high points of your face (cheekbones, under the brow bone, down the nose, just above your cupid’s bow) and blend out with your fingers. It’s a subtle, skin-like glow that reads as naturally dewy, effortless, and elegant.

• Glossier Futuredew Solid: This applies the same as the above, but in a much more dramatic way. I use this religiously in the summer when I need a clearer differentiation between dewy skin and just straight up sweat. It’s also a perfect layer over your lips after applying a lip stain.

• Wonderskin Lip Stain, Whimsical: I’ve tested a lot of viral lip stains (Sacheu, Benetint, rom&nd), and this one is easily the best in terms of application, color, and staying power. Sacheu is tough to work with: it dries too quickly to apply evenly, needs to sit for several minutes, doesn’t always peel off cleanly, and tends to lift if you try to correct it. The Wonderskin though…! It applies easily, gives you clean edges, and after 60 seconds, wipes away with a damp cloth. The shade is perfect for my skin tone and lasts into the next morning.

• Dr. Jart+ Premium BB Tinted Moisturizer: I led an influencer campaign for Dr.Jart+ during the launch of their Vital Hydra Solution Moisturizer, and part of the marketing strategy was something called the “Jelly Glass Glow”, achieved by layering the VHS with their Tinted BB Moisturizer. I swear, during the few weeks I was using the two together, my skin looked the best it ever has. The BB tint alone is an underrated grail: it gives even, natural-looking coverage with a gorgeous finish, no extra steps needed. It’s super lightweight and the perfect alternative to a foundation that will still hide any red.

• Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer: Legendary for a reason. Blends out gorgeously. Sometimes I just want to put this over my entire face. It does genuinely make you look airbrushed.

• Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter: I got compliments on my skin at least once a day (and sometimes more than four times) whenever I wore this to the office. To see if it was the Flawless Filter or if I genuinely looked like I was finally drinking enough water, I skipped it for a week, and the compliments noticeably dropped. I’m not actually keeping a tally on compliments received, but it speaks for itself. Plus, working with the Charlotte Tilbury team was a total dream. They were incredibly generous with the gifting (literally sent each of us their entire skincare collection, PLUS makeup) and were so kind. Love you, Team CT!!!

Hair

• Oribe Gold Lust: If you want a wash routine at home that mimics your salon chair result, Oribe is THE BEST. I jumped at the opportunity to work on the Gold Lust campaign with them because, like most beauty-obsessed people, I worship Oribe. My ex-coworker and resident Cool Girl

  Sophie Wood
  (who I should mention has an excellent new Substack!
  Third Drawer by Sophie Wood
  ) and I had a field day opening the generous gifting package from the Oribe team, of which I have slowlllllly been working my way through over the last year. Shampoo and conditioner are a foundational part of hair health, and in my opinion, are the products most worth splurging on if you're going to invest anywhere.

  • Oribe Gold Lust Shampoo

  • Oribe Gold Lust Conditioner

  • Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil

  • Oribe Gold Lust Dry Heat Protection Spray

• Dyson Airstrait: I think I use this tool more than my Airwrap at this point. Dyson explains it best: it “dries and straightens hair simultaneously so you can take hair from wet to finished look—with one machine, no hot plates, and no heat damage.” I start with the Wet setting for my initial pass, then go back over everything on the Dry setting to add extra shine and smooth everything out. My hair goes from wet to straight styled in ten minutes with no concern for heat damage.

• K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask: My hair routine shifts with the seasons: fall and winter Me has weekly blowouts, while spring and summer Me leans into an Olsen air-dry with more frequent washes (it’s simply too hot to style and looks better to be “effortless”, anyway). This mask works perfectly for both. In the colder months, when I’m heat-styling twice weekly, it’s key to keeping my hair healthy. When I’m air drying, it helps enhance my natural texture. I will say, even though the product says you don’t need conditioner with it, I still use one.

• Crown Affair The Comb No. 002: Aesthetically beautiful, fits in a going-out purse, comes in a cute branded pouch, and is safe for detangling without ruining your curls. When I’m pushing a wavy air dry to last longer, it’s a lifeline.

• Bread T-Shirt Hair Towel: This is something I genuinely would have never bought if I wasn’t gifted it, but after having used it religiously for three years, it’s hard to imagine a hair routine without it. It “gently dries hair and plops curls—for damage/breakage reduction and smoother hair.” My hair dries significantly softer and smoother when it’s wrapped in this for 10 min straight out of the shower VS a full-on air dry.

• JVN Air Dry Styling Cream: Another ex-coworker and Cool Girl,

  Kelly Mittendorf
  (brides and wedding-obsessed should check her Substack
  Getting Married
  ), mentioned loving this product before we ever got the chance to work on the campaign. I ended up buying it pre-campaign gifting for an upcoming summer lake trip, of which on my return flight I had to throw it out by way of TSA (I flew there with it in my carry on… never understand how that happens 🤡), which was the only real crime that was committed! It was so good I immediately bought another one when I got home. It is THE KEY to an Olsen air-dry. It helps support beautiful texture while keeping things smooth and silky. It’s sold out at Sephora and JVN Hair’s website, so I’ve linked to Bloomingdale’s.

My Olsen air-dry routine:

1. Wash with Oribe Gold Lust shampoo and conditioner.

2. Wrap in the Bread t-shirt towel straight out of the shower for 10m while you put on lotion and skincare.

3. Brush through with the Crown Affair comb.

4. Massage the K18 Leave-In through the hair, focusing on the ends and middle of the hair. Wait four minutes, leaving the hair untouched.

5. Roughly blow-dry your roots.

6. Take a buildable amount of the JVN Air Dry Cream and Oribe Gold Lust Hair Oil and combine in the hands, work through the hair, focusing on the ends and middle.

7. Comb through one last time to detangle with the Crown Affair comb. Scrunch your natural texture.

8. IMPORTANT! Tuck the front pieces of your hair behind your ears, keep the rest of your hair down your back, and do not touch it again until it’s dry. This is a crucial tip I learned from (effortless hair legend) Travis of Treehouse Hair: see here for more air-dry tips from him!!

Fragrance

• BVLGARI Eau Perfumée Au Thé Vert: This is BVLGARI's signature scent, which I’m sure you haven’t forgotten if you’ve been in one of their stores. It smells INCREDIBLE. Elegant, subtle, and intimate. It doesn’t have strong sillage, but I think that’s what makes it quite romantic. It’s a really beautiful (and, from what I’ve noticed, uncommon) fragrance.

  • Top notes: Bergamot, Cardamom, Lemon, Coriander, Orange Blossom, and Mandarin Orange

  • Middle notes: Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley, and Bulgarian Rose

  • Base notes: Green Tea, Musk, Cedar, Sandalwood, Precious Woods, and Amber

• Maison Margiela REPLICA Under the Stars: Every time I wear this, I get a compliment. Multiple friends of mine have moved it to their Sephora cart because it’s so good. It has very strong projection, making it a sexy, forward move for a night out.

  • Top note: Black Pepper

  • Middle note: Leather

  • Base notes: Agarwood (Oud) and Labdanum.

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Driving Shoes Curious: Products

As always, I value your input. I haven’t tried these yet, but they’ve been on the list. If you have input, please tell me!!!

• I am open to a new lengthening mascara recco from the Driving Shoes community… thinking the Westman Atelier? Pleaseeeee tell moi!

• VIOLETTE_FR BISOU BALM Sheer Matte Lipstick

• Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream

• Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare DRx SpectraLite™ FaceWare Pro

• SOFIE PAVITT FACE Mandelic Acid Exfoliating & Clearing Serum

• ROZ Hair The Everyday Essentials Kit

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This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase—no extra cost to you, just a way to help support Driving Shoes and the time spent down rabbit holes.

This post also mentions items that were generously gifted to me by the brand. As always, I only feature products I genuinely stand behind and would purchase regardless.

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