Everyone knows Sephora is a beauty store where you can find almost anything and everything related to makeup, skincare, body care, hair care, and self-care, but they also released curated sets under their Sephora Favorites brand. A few times a year you can count on them to release a new set curated around haircare at a discounted price- just like their Hottest in Haircare set that was just released.
FYI – this set is still available, while supplies last.
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First Impressions
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This set comes with everything securely packaged inside a purple box with a lavender and pink wavy design, with the products safely nestled inside on a bed of sizzle and additional information printed on the back. Every Sephora purchase lets you use choose two free samples when you check out. When you make a purchase over $25 you're also eligible to add on a gift with purchase, so make sure you take a peek at their available codes!
The Breakdown – What’s Inside This Limited Edition Box From Sephora
adwoa beauty Blue Tansy Reparative Mask, 3.3 oz - Estimated Value $8.25 (buy the 16 oz version for $40)
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I really like the adwoa blue tansy line over their bao mint line- I find it to be much more nourishing and that my hair seems to actually absorb the formulas (for both this deep conditioning mask but their leave-in conditioner too). This mask has a very thick texture that you almost worry won’t apply well in your hair, but when you rub it between your hands it spreads out beautifully and disperses through your strands with ease. I don’t feel like my hair is weighed down when I rinse this out, and I like that it helps me with detangling my hair (I need all of the help I can get).
Ceremonia Guava Leave-in Conditioner, 2 oz - Estimated Value $7.16 (buy the 6.7 oz version for $24)
This is only the second product from Ceremonia I’ve tried, but the brand is 2 for 2 for me so far. This wasn't a heavy leave-in conditioner, but it still was very nourishing to my hair. The smell was really nice too- it wasn't a fruity guava scent like the name would leave you to believe but rather the brand's signature scent that includes notes of lemon zest, tonka bean, brown sugar, and violet.
Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray, 1.7 oz - Retail Value $12
I rarely (never) heat style my hair and you use a blow dryer on damp hair to activate the super shine, frizz-free properties of this spray (it's described as a mini keratin treatment!). In the past when I have tried this out I did notice an increase in shine and a slight decrease in frizz, so I think this product does what it says it will do- which sounds awesome if you regularly blow dry your hair (and I can’t lie- it’s really satisfying to watch it in action on Tiktok).
Crown Affair The Hair Oil, 0.13 oz - Estimated Value $5.20 (buy the 1 oz version for $40)
I didn’t dislike this hair oil, but I thought it was kind of boring compared to the other products in this set (and I’m saying that as someone who likes hair oils and uses them almost every day). Maybe it’s the minimalist packaging with clear glass and simple black lettering that fails to spark joy? This oil only has five ingredients, but the first one is a silicone which I don’t love for my curls. For my friends who heat style, the meadow foam seed oil acts as a heat protectant while also giving a boost of softness and shine while the Tsubaki oil brings the moisture. This wasn’t the most lightweight oil I’ve tried, but it definitely left my curls looking glossy.
dae Moonsoon Moisture Mask, 2 oz - Estimated Value $7 (buy the 8 oz version for $28)
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I usually try to test out new-to-me hair masks when my hair isn’t *too* tangled, but this monsoon moisture mask didn’t have that luxury- and I’m happy to say it rose up and met the challenge. I was actually really happy with how hydrating this was to my hair because I had thrown it in my travel bag and found myself showering in a hotel shower with an incompetent water heater. This gave me great slip to detangle my curls without too much yanking and left my hair feeling super soft. I love the way all of the dae hair products smell, too- it’s described as the “fresh, earthy scent of the desert after the rain” which is a smell I grew up with and know well!
Fable & Mane HoliRoots™ Pre-wash Hair Treatment Oil, 0.16 oz - Estimated Value $5.33 (buy the 0.48 oz version for $16)
This is designed to strengthen your hair, hydrate your scalp, and treat damaged hair, and it uses ingredients like ashwagandha and castor oil to do so. The star of the formula is called dash mill, and it’s a holistic blend of 10 different roots that works overtime to improve the health of your hair. The third ingredient on the list is fragrance, and whatever that fragrance is worked well because even my fiancé noticed the difference and said it made my hair smell good. Even though this is a treatment oil, it was really lightweight and absorbed quickly into my hair and scalp without leaving a greasy residue on my pillow. This is my second or third bottle of this treatment oil, and I’m happy to keep using it.
JVN Complete Hydrating Air Dry Cream, 5 oz - Retail Value $26
I never watched Queer Eye, but I still know that Jonathan Van Ness has an iconic mane of shiny locks. This air dry cream seems to the signature item from his brand new hair care line, and I’ve been really pleased with it- it’s sufficiently hydrating for my curly hair in a way many other air dry creams aren’t (especially ones not specifically for curly hair), but it’s not heavy and didn’t weigh my curls down. I didn’t need a lot of it, so the full-size tube will last me a while. I love that it comes in a recyclable aluminum tube, and the cream itself is fragranced with notes of grapefruit, tangerine, violet, and honey.
K18 Biomimetic Hairscience Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask, 0.17 oz - Estimated Value $9.86 (buy the 0.5 oz version for $29)
I was very anti trying this this hair treatment- I even got a full-size in a Glam Bag X and actually swapped it away (RIP swaps) last year. But a friend convinced that the hype surrounding it was real and I actually needed to try it. Begrudgingly, I admit she was right. I followed the instructions and didn’t condition after shampooing (but to make sure my hair was tangle free I actually did a pre-shampoo treatment that was like a conditioner; it was this one from Color Wow), and then once I was out of the shower and my hair was towel dried I applied it. I’ve used this a handful of times, and each time I do feel like my hair just feels healthier once I’ve used it. I typically apply it and then either put my hair in pigtail braids or up in a bun to finish air drying but you can style your hair as usual as long as you wait at least four minutes after applying.
Vegamour GRO Revitalizing Shampoo, 0.5 oz and Vegamour GRO Revitalizing Conditioner 0.5 oz - Estimated Value $4.12 each (buy the 1.7 oz versions for $14 each)
Shampoo and conditioners are probably my least favorite thing to try out just because I feel like one use isn’t going to tell you much- does it dry out your hair? Did it help detangle? Even if it can check those boxes, you have to use the full-size bottles for weeks to actually notice benefits like an increase in hair thickness and decrease in shedding. That being said, I did appreciate that the shampoo wasn’t too drying the way plenty of shampoos are and that the conditioner gave hydration back into my curls and slip to help me comb out any tangles. According to Vegamour, you can see visible results in as little as ~three months~.
Value – Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $35
Cost Breakdown:
- Adwoa: $8.25
- Ceremonia: $7.16
- Color Wow: $12
- Crown Affair: $5.20
- dae: $7
- Fable & Mane: $5.33
- JVN: $26
- K18: $9.86
- Vegamour Shampoo: $4.12
- Vegamour Conditioner: $4.12
This set promises a $91 value, and my math adds up to $89.04.
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Key Takeaways
I don't think anyone can deny that Sephora knows how to curate a good set, and this Hottest in Haircare set was another winner. I liked that we received a full-size product from the newly launched brand from Jonathan Van Ness, and most of the samples in here were ones I have never tried before. I would say two of the samples really felt on the small side- one was the K18 mask, and that's just how it is; even if you pay $75 for their full-size bottle you're going to feel like you should be holding a substantially bigger bottle in your hand. The Crown Affair oil, on the other hand, was just small. That's also one of the products you need the least amount of when you're using it, so at least it was proportional. The hair masks from dae and adwoa beauty, on the other hand, felt generous in size and I will get plenty of use out of them. As a whole I definitely think this set is worth $35, even if my math has it come $2 shy of the promised $91 value.
Other Things You Should Know
Can you still get this box if you order today? Yes, this is still available.
What do you think of the Sephora Favorites: Hottest in Haircare Set? Which product would you be most excited to try?
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