When I recommend a highend beauty product, you can be confident that I think you will love it as much as I already do. Today, I’m sharing 14 skincare and makeup splurges that I consistenly reach for and would without-a-doubt repurchase. I always research a product before purchasing it and I always test a product before reviewing it, so you don’t have to. These items are also my top picks for tbe biannual Sephora sale!

An iconic product and one of my most reached-for skincare items, the Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask is an amazing overnight mask before bed and primer before makeup. It deeply hydrates for soft, bright skin. It features hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and glycerin.

The Volition Beauty Celery Green Cream is a lightweight yet hydrating gel moisturizer that works on any skin type. I haven’t found a primer I love, so I use this as a skincare and primer hybrid before my makeup because it makes my skin — especially my pores — look and feel incredibly smooth. It has celery seed extract, hyaluronic acid, and peptides.

So many people rave about the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter, and now that I’ve tried it, I completely understand why. It offers sheer, tinted coverage with a lit-from-within glow that is 100% worth the price. I can wear it all over my face without foundation, under my foundation, mixed in with my foundation, and top of my foundation as a highlighter. 

The Dior Beauty Backstage Face & Body Foundation quickly became one of my all-time favorites. I think it would work for almost all skin types and occasions because it has a natural, skin-like finish — not matte but not dewy — with medium coverage.

The Nars Light Reflecting Advanced Skincare Foundation immediately became one of my all-time favorite foundations. It is lightweight and has medium but buiildable coverage with a radiant finish. It blurs the appearance of pores, texture, and other imperfections and makes me feel extra confident.

With so many amazing drugstore concealers, I typically don’t splurge in this category, but I have loved using the Dior Forever Skin Correct Concealer. It is medium-to-full coverage with a natural finish. Unlike other more full-coverage concealers, this looks and feels hydrating under my eyes, which I love.

The Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blushes are pigmented, long-lasting, and easy to blend. What more could you ask for? My favorite shade is ‘Hope,’ a nude mauve, but there are so many beautiful options.

The Patrick Ta Double-Take Crème and Powder Blush is such an iconic product. The sheer, glossy cream is intended to layer on top of the silky powder, and it applies so beautifully. I have ‘She’s So LA, a warm-toned bronzey nude, but want all of the shades.

If you want to look radiant and sunkissed without having chunky shimmer all over your cheeks, the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer is worth the splurge. The baked powder is so smooth and has a more natural color payoff that never looks overdone. I wear ‘Radiant Bronze Light.’

My only regret with the Too Faced Born This Way The Natural Nudes Eyeshadow Palette* is that I did not try it sooner. If you know me, then you know this color story was meant for me. I love that is has cool tones and warm tones, shimmers and mattes, and rosy shades and nude shades.

I’ve never been drawn to an all matte eyeshadow palette before the Makeup By Mario Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette, but it was an amazing addition to my collection. The shadows are semi-opaque but buildable, and they blend out so easily, meaning they are beginner friendly. The range of timeless neutrals are great for both everyday and dramatic looks, and think it is a staple in every collection!

The Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheap Lip Liner is one of my most reached for lip products. I initially tried the shade ‘Pillow Talk,’ but I couldn’t appreciate the formula because the shade didn’t show up on my lips. When I purchased, ‘Iconic Nude,’ however, I instantly fell in love not only with the neutral-toned beige but also with the lasting power. This stays on my lips for the entirety of my work day even after eating and drinking, making it worth every penny.

I received the Matte Revolution Lipstick in ‘Pillow Talk’ as a gift, and I finally understand what all of the hype is about. I don’t typically invest in lipsticks, but this is the most creamy, luxurious formula ever. The neutral pink is universally flattering, and I love the way it looks with more dark, brown lip liners.

I honestly didn’t realize just how much I loved the Fenty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer until I lost mine. It is perfectly pigmented, is great for layering with other lip products, lasts a decently long time, and it isn’t too sticky. I have the shade ‘Fussy,’ a shimmering pink, but they all look stunning.

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Disclaimer: This post contains one or more beauty products that companies have been kind enough to send me free of charge for review purposes. PR samples will always be indicated by an asterisk (*). I only recommend products that I genuinely use and love, and I only collaborate with brands about which I feel passionate and whose values align with those of my blog and myself. As a result, all opinions expressed on Makeup By Makena are always honest and are never influenced by an outside source.