Sephora Fresh Face Makeup Set review; sharing my honest thoughts on whether these products are worth the splurge for the everyday minimalist.
Last month I treated myself to the Sephora Fresh Face Makeup Set, a limited edition nine-piece set of trending makeup products marketed for a glowing, effortless no-makeup look for $45 plus tax.
The set included full-size items from Patrick Ta, Benefit Cosmetics and Iconic London.
This particular set caught my attention for three reasons:
- For achieving that “I woke up like this” makeup glow and
- I’ve been wanting to try the “soap brow trend” so the brow wax appealed to me the most, followed by the samples of the Charlotte Tilbury spray, Tarte cream blush and ILIA Balmy Gloss.
- This set allows me to try other products I probably wouldn’t purchase at full-price.
Before I dive into my review, here’s a recap of what the set contains:
- Rare Beauty Illuminating Primer
- Patrick Ta Major Brow Shaping Wax in Clear (full size)
- Patrick Ta Brow Spoolie (Full Size)
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Brag Volumizing Mascara in Black
- Benefit Cosmetics Roller Liner Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Brown (full size)
- Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray
- Iconic London Sheer Bronze Liquid Bronzer in Caramel Glow (full size)
- Tarte Sea Breezy Cream Blush in Peach Sunset
- ILIA Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil in Tahiti (burnt coral)
Everything comes inside a blue-tinted reusable travel bag as well – a nice bonus.
If you love a minimal makeup look or want to try out other products without committing to the full-size version, the set seems like the most cost-effective solution.
Just by looking at the set you can tell this doesn’t cater to deeper skin tones. This set will only work for light to medium skin tones and that alone is disappointing. It would be ideal if they allowed folks to customize the makeup in the set (in this instance it would be the blush, the lip color and the bronzer).
Sephora Fresh Face Makeup Set Review and Beauty Look
I wanted to create a makeup look using only these products but I had to make a couple of tweaks to my routine.
First, you probably noticed this set didn’t come with a foundation or concealer, just an illuminating primer (which I already own the mini version of). I decided to do my usual complexion routine which is right now my ILIA Skin Tint and Glossier Stretch Concealer for a base. I ended up using the Rare Beauty primer as a highlighter, which ended up looking really nice and natural.
Iconic London Liquid Bronzer:
This ended up being my favorite product from the set and why I’m listing it first. Initially I was worried the bronzer would be too dark for my fair complexion since it’s targeted for medium skin tones; however, I only applied a small amount for a sheer sun-kissed look (it has a matte finish). It didn’t pull orange on me either and I have a neutral leaning cool undertone. I also blended a tiny bit to contour my eyes since this set didn’t come with any eyeshadow.
ILIA Balmy Gloss shade in Tahiti:
This is my second favorite product in the set. I like that is has a plumping hyaluronic acid and moisturizing properties to lean more like a balm and less like a sticky lip gloss. The burnt coral shade is very flattering on me. The texture is very lightweight and it dries down really nicely. I’m even more pleased that I don’t currently own a coral lip tint either. This was a solid addition to my lip wardrobe for summer.
Benefit Cosmetics Roller Liner Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Brown:
I’ve been using a dark brown liquid eyeliner from Sephora Collection and I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to use this waterproof liquid liner. It glides along my lash line without issue and I like that it’s a traditional rich brown. This shade seems to compliment me better than the Sephora liner, honestly.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray:
This is my first time trying a different setting spray other than my long-time trusted Urban Decay All Nighter. What I like about this setting spray is the subtle scent and preventing my makeup from moving on a hot and humid day.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Volumizing Mascara in Black:
This wasn’t bad but I prefer lash lengthening formulas over volumizing ones. It was difficult to apply this without having to worry about smearing across my lid (the brush is big) and it doesn’t separate my lashes very well, albeit it definitely made them more glam.
Tarte Sea Breezy Cream Blush in Peach Sunset:
This cream blush is emollient, lightweight and easy to blend with just your fingers; however, it looks identical in color to my Tower 28 Tinted Balm in Magic Hour. I still prefer Magic Hour despite the formula feels slightly heavier in consistency.
Rare Beauty Illuminating Primer:
I already own the mini version of this primer and it’s a great radiant primer if you like an ultra dewy, glowy look. It feels cool and hydrating. That said, I didn’t use it as a primer for the look I posted but I took a little bit and applied to my cheek bones and cupid’s bow for a highlight.
Patrick Ta Brow Spoolie:
For the sake of the set, I appreciate that it was included to use with the Brow Shaping Wax. Simply put, it’s like any other brow spoolie in my brush collection. There’s nothing wrong with it, just not a must-have.
Patrick Ta Major Brow Shaping Wax in Clear:
The first time I tried out the Patrick Ta Brow Spoolie with the Brow Shaping Wax it ended up being a complete fail. Turns out, I just didn’t read the directions. I have to wet the formula with setting spray or water to activate the wax and then use the spoolie brush to apply. The second time around it worked much better; however, I don’t love how stiff my brows feel after using it. I also don’t think it made any difference compared to my Glossier Boy Brow. Again, I didn’t love this product but if you really like thick, laminated brows, this is an easy shortcut.
This was my first time purchasing a Sephora Favorites set for myself and all in all I’m pretty happy with the kit. There was nothing in the set that made me utterly disappointed either. I think it’s a great value set. For reference, my favorite product in the set retails for $25. I got a full-size bronzer and eight other products for an additional $20. You can definitely create a complete ‘no makeup’ makeup look if you like a glowy complexion.
The Sephora Fresh Face Makeup Set is currently sold out online but you can get notified if it comes back in stock here. Since it is currently sold out, I still thought it would be worth posting my review here in case you’re thinking about purchasing any of the full-size or mini versions of these products.
Less is more, always!😍