Sephora Favorites are exclusive, limited edition sets filled with Sephora's top-selling and highly coveted beauty and skincare products. Sephora Favorites kits are released several times a year and the curated collections sell out quickly. I'm not going to lie: Sephora Favorites kits are like bubble tea to me. I can't have just one, so I eagerly look forward to each launch and will usually purchase them even if I won't be reviewing it for MSA.
They recently released their Sephora Favorites: Plump and Hydrate Lip Kit featuring two full-sized and three travel-sized lip products promising to (you guessed it) plump and hydrate your lips
FYI – this is still available for purchase.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
First Impressions
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This set doesn't come with an info-sheet the way some sets do- if you're looking for size information or more details on the ingredients list, that's on the back of the packaging. Everything came tucked inside the cute reusable Sephora-branded makeup bag, which I prefer over the box packaging Sephora will also use for these sets.
The Breakdown - What's Inside The Box
NARS Afterglow Lip Balm in Dolce Vita, 3 g - Retail Value $28
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Once I saw that this kit came with a full-size NARS Afterglow balm, I knew this set would be a must-purchase for me. I've tried samples of the afterglow balm formula before and love the tint of color and boost of balmy hydration this gives my lips, and the sheer dusty rose shade of Dolce Vita has a glossy finish that is still very comfortable to wear. This is the kind of tinted lip balm I love because I can just swipe it on and head out the door, or I could pair it with a lip liner for a more polished look. This isn't the most hydrating lip balm I have ever tried, but it is one of the best ones I've liked when it comes to combining color payoff with a balm texture. As a side note, I've swatched all of the lip products in this set, and if you swipe through the photos you can see how each individual product looks.
ROSE INC Lip Sculpt Amplifying Lipstick in Beams, 3 g - Retail Value $26
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I was surprised by how much I adored this lipstick. Rose Inc is a new brand to me, but so far everything I have tried from them has been really lovely. The shade Beams is described as a plum, but I would definitely classify this as a mauve lipstick. The crayon design makes it easy to line my lips and then fill them in, and the formula is creamy and non-drying. This is a matte formula without the harsh dryness a matte lipstick can give, and while it doesn't have all-day staying power I was happy with how long it lasted when I wore it.
Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Lip Plumper in Clear, 0.05 oz - Estimated Value $8 (buy the 0.10 oz version for $16)
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Many people love this lip-plumping gloss from Too Faced. I am not one of them. I have never been a big believer in the "beauty is pain" mantra, and pain is definitely what this lip gloss brings me. Within a few minutes of applying this always causes my lips to burn, and I just would rather have less plump lips than full lips that hurt. This is a lip gloss that absolutely gives results and my lips do look plumper after I apply it, I just do not personally find the discomfort worth it.
fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Treatment Lip Balm, 2.2 g - Estimated Value $13.30 (buy the 4.3 g version for $26)
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I love fresh as a brand, but this lip balm from them doesn't do much for me. It claims to be an "intensive lip treatment that moisturizes extra-dry lips for up to 24 hours," but this truly never leaves my lips feeling hydrated for more than an hour or two. I will say that I have chronic issues with lip dryness so maybe I am an unintentionally harsh critic, but for $26 a tube I need a lip balm to drench my lips in moisture and keep it that way, and this doesn't deliver.
LAWLESS Forget The Filler Lip Plumper Line Smoothing Gloss in Velvet, 0.05 oz - Estimated Value $15 (linked to the same size product in a different shade)
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Where the Too Faced plumping gloss burns, this one by Lawless never goes beyond a zesty tingle. It's formulated with rosehip oil and shea butter along with capsicum from dried cayenne peppers. I feel like it did make my lips look poutier, especially the bottom lip which naturally has more surface area for the gloss to cover and plump. I liked the rosy mauve shade of this gloss on its own, but it was also really pretty when I used this on top of the Rose Inc lip crayon.
Value - Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $30
Value Breakdown:
- Nars: $28
- Rose Inc: $26
- Too Faced: $8
- fresh: $13.30
- Lawless: $15
Sephora promised a value of $87 with this kit, and my math adds up to $90.30. That means you're saving 67% off of the retail price or estimated value for each lip product!
Key Takeaways
Sephora releases about two or three of these lip kits a year, and I adore them. Even though this set included two products I've tried before and didn't love in the Too Faced and fresh products, I still consider this a winner because both full-size lip products in the set were absolutely lovely. I also appreciate that the Lawless lip gloss didn't hurt- maybe I can slowly start adventuring into the world of plumping lip glosses now that I know there are alternatives to the sting and burn I've experienced prior. If you like tinted lip balms or lip glosses, this is definitely a set that's worth the money.
Other Things You Should Know
When is this box available? Yes, this curated set is still available for purchase!
Keep track of your subscriptions by adding this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What do you think of this Plump and Hydrate Lip Kit from Sephora? Are any of these lip products must-haves for your makeup collection?
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