Sephora In the Glow Set

Hello Lovely Ladies,

It is the most wonderful time of the year!  I love love love all the makeup palettes and gifts sets that come out during the holiday season.  I am trying a few different things this year, and I will be sharing my thoughts with all of you.

I recently purchased the Sephora In the Glow set.  It retails for $45 at Sephora and Sephora.com.  The kit includes three highlights, three blushes and three bronzers. 

Pic from Sephora

Please note: These are NOT full-size products.
Check it out here for full details: http://www.sephora.com/in-the-glow-set-P376730?skuId=1453935

First Up: Highlights

L to R: Benefit, Lorac, Bare Minerals

Benefit High Beam
I have tried Benefit High Beam many times before, so I wasn't super excited that it was included in this kit.  It is a nice highlight, pinkish in color and very shimmery.  It gives the skin a nice, dewy finish, so I find it is ideal for highlighting my cheeks in the winter months when I want a little extra glow.

Lorac Perfectly Lit Oil-Free Luminizing Powder in Spotlight
This was the highlight I was most excited about because I had heard rave reviews on beauty blogs and YouTube.  I felt it lived up to the hype.  Spotlight is yellow toned and far less shimmery than Highbeam.  I like that it warms up my face without making me too shiny.

bareMinerals All Over Face Color in Pure Radiance
This was the biggest surprise of the bunch for me.  I am not the hugest fan of Bare Minerals All Over Face Colors because my only previous experience was with Warmth.  It was much too dark for my skin and was difficult to blend.  However, Pure Radiance is wonderful!  The finish is so gorgeous, almost iridescent and lovely on the skin.  I wasn't expecting to like this one, but I really, really do.

From L to R: Benefit, Lorac, Bare Minerals

Next: Bronzers

L to R: Too Faced, Laura Mercier, NARS

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder
Again, I was super excited for this one because of positive reviews on YouTube.  It smells like chocolate, which is kind of cool, and it has a nice, matte finish to it that I really like in a bronzer.  Overall, I was underwhelmed by this product.  It is functional, but it doesn't blow away other (and often less expensive) bronzers that I have tried.

Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc in Golden Mosaic
As mentioned above, I tent to gravitate toward matte bronzers, so I was leery of this one.  The colors are gorgeous!  I have actually been using them as eyeshadows, and the staying power is really good.  As a bronzer, this one would be nice for summer, as it gives more of a summer glow. 

Nars Bronzing Powder in Laguna
Matte bronzer that lives up to the hype.  It looks dark in the pan but blends well on the skin.  My biggest gripe is that this sample is teeny-tiny.

From L to R: Too Faced, Laura Mercier, NARS

Finally: Blushes

From L to R: Stila, Tarte Amazonian Clay, Tarte Cheek Stain

Stila Convertible Color in Peony
This multi-purpose product can be used on cheeks or lips.  While I found it was okay as a cream blush, I really liked it as a lip color.  I haven't really found a product from Stila that is a must-have, and I wouldn't consider this blush to be one either.  It was nice to try though, and it did have good staying power.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Splendor
Glitter bomb!  That being said, I do really like it.  It is a gorgeous bright pink that gives the cheeks a nice rosy finish.  It does have some glitter to it, but it didn't leave glitter chunks on my face.

Tarte Natural Cheek Stain in Flush
This was my favorite of the blushes.  It looks really dark but blends well and is surprisingly wearable.  This is also a shade that would look good on a variety of skin tones.  It smells sort of lemon-y, which I thought was a pleasant surprise.

From L to R: Stila, Tarte Amazonian Clay, Tarte Cheek Stain

Overall Thoughts:  It is a great little kit!  If you break it down, you are spending about $5 per product.  Since the full-sizes of these products are big bucks, this gives you a good opportunity to try them out and see which ones really work for you.  It is also great that you can mix and match the products to achieve your own perfect look.  I highly recommend this product as a gift (for yourself or a friend)!

Talk Soon,

T.