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Samantha Chown Johnston

Inspiring you to love & wear your wardrobe

October 31, 2023

The clean beauty products at Sephora worth trying during its sale 

I’m not a proponent of “stocking up” on beauty products — or really anything for that matter. To me, stocking up is the equivalent of the clothing haul and usually pushes us to needlessly buy items. I am overwhelmed when I see cabinets full of products! How can one possibly see results when they are constantly switching between serums, moisturizers and creams? Like developing your personal style, seeing what works for you cosmetically takes time and intention. 

Cosmetics have such a short shelf life that it’s entirely possible you won’t finish your current tube of lipstick before the backup expires. Instead, I prefer to use sales as an intentional time to buy. Purchasing clean beauty products at Sephora during its biannual sale is an opportunity to refill products I have in my usual rotation that are running low or to try a new shade of a product I already know works. 

Sephora’s annual fall sale is an excellent time to integrate more clean beauty products into your regimen. The sale is currently running until November 6, 2023 and is open to everyone in their free loyalty program, Beauty Insider. This program offers different levels of discounts based on your status. If you’re not yet a Beauty Insider member, you can sign up and enjoy a 10% discount during the sale.

Below are the products I’ll be refilling during the biannual Sephora sale. 

The clean beauty products to try from the Sephora Sale 

MERIT — The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick

If you’re grabbing just one item, make it this. The Minimalist is your versatile, lightweight stick for a flawless complexion on the go. It’s got you covered whether you need foundation or a quick concealer fix. During the work-from-home era of the pandemic, this little wonder was my go-to for looking put together in virtual meetings or at the grocery store.

Supergoop! — Glowscreen SPF 40 PA+++

For that extra touch of radiance, swap out Unseen Sunscreen for Glowscreen. It leaves your skin with a pearlescent finish, giving you a luminous glow. Sometimes, I skip makeup altogether and just wear this for an instant radiance boost. Perfect for days spent working from home or lounging. 

MERIT —  Day Glow Dewy Highlighting Balm

The only highlighter I will ever purchase as it’s absolutely foolproof to use and gives me a luminous complexion. While wearing it at Thanksgiving dinner, my Gen Z cousin could not stop staring and needed to know what brand it was so she could also buy it. I use Citrine. 

Summer Fridays — Lip Butter Balm

Now that winter is right around the corner and the heaters are turned up, my lips need some extra attention. This balm is a savior – vegan, gluten-free, and eco-friendly in its packaging. I have an obsession with all things Vanilla and this is no exception. The Vanilla shade gives my lips a sheer, shiny look with a subtle hint of natural vanilla goodness.

MERIT — Flush Balm Cream Blush

To finish off the look, sweep on Merit’s cream blush. Yes, I am obsessed with MERIT. Their products help me look incredible and are so easy to use! Whether you want a rosy glow on your cheeks or lips, it does the trick and makes me look fresh and glowing. I wear it in Cheeky.


←Minimal fall outfit ideas
What to wear for Thanksgiving 2023→

Posted In: Beauty, Lifestyle · Tagged: Beauty, Clean Beauty, Sephora, Travel

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Welcome!

Welcome! I’m Sam, a sustainable fashion creator based in Austin, TX. I share sustainable fashion news, secondhand style tips, and ideas for living with intention.

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If you followed my now defunct newsletter (oops!!), you’ll know I waited *two years* for this spectacular @_aje_ dress to hit the resale market in my size. 

Had to pull it out for another important event; this time for my oldest friend’s wedding in Nova Scotia. 🥂🥰

What do we think?! Worth it, I’d say. 😌

#rewearthat #weddingguestdress
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I’ve never been outdoorsy. I’ve never owned hiking boots. I don’t want to pack anything more than a water bottle, granola bar, and sunscreen.

So, this was the perfect way to see and experience parts of Banff (and Canmore) with my sister.

• Rent a car to drive to Banff and plan to park it at the hotel. Finding parking elsewhere is a bit of a nightmare. 

• Travel to @banff_lakelouise & Lake Moraine using Parks Canada transit. Plan to go in the late afternoon to avoid most of the crowds. 

• Golf at @silvertipresort; we rented clubs to make travel easier.

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After 5+ years of focusing on secondhand shopping, I now throw on outfits & realize everything is preloved. Plus, I spent less on the whole outfit than this @ullajohnson dress originally retailed for. The bank account loves that. ❤️🙂‍↕️

Your sign that everything you want, you can find secondhand.🫶🏼

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I’ve curated a wardrobe of my dream items for half (or less) of what they’d sell for off the rack.

Here are my go-to tools and resale sites for sourcing the pricey items I want at more affordable prices: 

@gem.search 
@join_beni 
@poshmark 
@2ndstreetusa 
@thredup 
@therealreal 

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• January: a light snowfall, exploring Austin
• February: first time skiing in 20 years!
• February II: I got greedy because the month was too good; home in Austin, golfing, tennis @atxopen 
• March: my twin @tchown in town, our first @sxsw and new Round Top addiction 
• April: spring in New York; SIL’s wedding 
• May: more New York, MCing my first wedding, Toronto
• June: still Toronto, cottage country, lots of golf
• July: back home to Nova Scotia, days on the coast, a special wedding
• August: back to New York, working on my Texas tan
• September: more sun, @ottine_mineral_springs trips, seeing @laineywilson live 
• October: first @f1, reunited at @aclfestival, another special wedding, back to Toronto for fall
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• December: early Christmas celebrations and nanny time in Nova Scotia 

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Shopping secondhand first is still not the norm but it should be! 

I’ve scored some of my dream items for half (or less) of the retail price. There’s no way I could build the wardrobe I want by shopping exclusively from the primary market. 🙂‍↔️

Here are my go-to tools and resale sites for sourcing the pricey items I want at more affordable prices: 

@gem.search 
@join_beni 
@poshmark 
@2ndstreetusa 
@thredup 
@therealreal 

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———
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Circular fashion starts small with what’s already in your closet. Like re-wearing an old dress to its third wedding (and counting!!!). 💖💒💍

Instead, you can:

• Rewear things you love
• Learn how to care for your clothes
• Be curious about materials

And when you do shop:

→ Choose natural fibers
→ Look for recycled content
→ Ask brands what happens at the end of a garment’s life

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Just shopping for occasions? It creates costumes.

And the stats confirm it:

🛍️ 42% of people buy a brand new outfit just for one festival.
🗑️ 2 in 3 of those outfits are never worn again.
♻️ Every rewear or swap extends a garment’s life by ~9 months.

So before your next big event - wedding, concert, vacation, job interview, whatever - ask yourself: “What do I already own that could work?”

I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what you’re able to put together.🤍

——
🏷️
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• No panic-shopping or “nothing to wear” meltdown
• No $$ money spent for one day
• You actually recognize yourself in the photos later

If you’re planning for your next event, try starting in your closet!

———
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The most fun part of these monthly recaps is noticing how much of my wardrobe is secondhand or from independent brands. It didn’t happen overnight, but through years of curation since swapping fast fashion for a slower mindset. 

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92 million tons of textiles head to landfill every 92 million tons of textiles head to landfill every year 🤯 Most of it fast fashion. 

That’s why I choose small brands and secondhand finds over quick hauls. 

Thrifting and supporting indie designers means fewer clothes wasted, better quality pieces that last, and a wardrobe with personality instead of being a carbon copy of everyone else. 

Every outfit in the video features secondhand pieces and indie brands mixed with old faves. 🫶🏼

Next time you have the itch to shop, think secondhand or independent brands first! ❤️✨♻️

#secondhandseptember #thrifting #sustainablefashion
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