My Favorite Luxury Beauty Brands Rarely Go on Sale—Except for Right Now
I've said it before and I'll say it again: As someone who pretty much gets paid for my beauty fanaticism (I was definitely born to be a beauty editor), there's nothing quite as butterfly inducing as a truly incredible beauty sale. Especially, when said sale involves one of our absolute favorite beauty retailers: Dermstore.
The retailer's annual Anniversary Event is officially here, and from August 9 to 17, you can receive up to 25% site-wide on tons of the most wanted, expensive, cult-loved brands and products in history. (That sounds dramatic, but I did warn you, sales do crazy things to my blood pressure!) At checkout, simply use the promo code CELEBRATE, and if you're part of the retailers' loyalty program, you can even earn double points on select brands while you stock up.
To provide you with some shopping guidance and because I'm feeling rather celebratory myself, I combed through the retailer's sale offerings and came up with a list of my favorite 20 (expensive) brands that are majorly discounted right now. Keep scrolling to check out the specific products I recommend snapping up first.
111SKIN—20% Off
This cutting-edge eye gel formula is one of those products where even thinking about running out sends me into a hot sweat. It's expensive, but it truly is the closet thing to a bottled eye lift I've found. I appreciate the incredibly lightweight gel-serum texture, and it's been my saving grace whenever the sleep gods haven't been kind to me. Plus, the tiniest bit goes such a long way so one bottle lasts a long time which makes the splurge feel worth it.
Bioderma—20% Off
Is there a more iconic French beauty staple? I buy this skin-cleansing micellar water in bulk whenever it goes on sale. It's a great way to quickly remove makeup and clean your skin without stripping your skin of nutrients and moisture.
Caudalíe—20% Off
I love beauty products that are formulated to work while I sleep to make my skin look brighter and healthier by the time my alarm clock goes off the next morning. This lush cream features exfoliating glycolic acid to reveal a smoother, more even, and all-around dewier complexion come morning.
Colorescience—25% Off
Colorecience makes some of my favorite sunscreen formulas, but since they're on the expensive end of the spectrum, Dermstore's sale is the perfect time to stock up on my favorite staples like this glow-enhancing body formula.
Dermalogica—20% Off
I haven't tried this daily exfoliant powder yet, but I've heard so many celebrities and professional skin experts say amazing things, so I'm officially adding it to my shopping cart.
Goldfaden MD—25% Off
Whenever people compliment on how good or radiant my skin looks, it's usually because I've used this ruby crystal-studded scrub from Goldfaden MD the night prior.
Joanna Vargas—20% Off
Developed by celebrity facialist Joanna Vargas, this is an amazing serum to address (or prevent) signs of aging like loss of elasticity, fine lines, wrinkles, or hyperpigmentation.
Kayo—20% Off
Bodycare enthusiasts know—Kayo makes some of the dreamiest formulas in the game. For new members of the fan club, I always recommend this mask to scrub number. It sometimes gets my goat when people say products are "life-changing," but this one might actually be.
Kevyn Aucoin—25% Off
Small but mighty, this multi-tasking pick is one of my favorite all-time makeup products. It blends beautifully and the perfect creamy consistency works as both a foundation or a concealer.
Nurse Jamie—15% Off
It might not look like much, but I join the ranks of pretty much every celebrity on IG by agreeing this lifting facial tool is an absolute beauty must. Not only does it massage your face and help relieve tension, puffiness, and dullness, it's also amazing to roll the smooth side over your eye gels or sheet masks. (It helps the ingredients penetrate even deeper!)
PCA Skin—25% Off
PCA Skin is a beloved skincare brand amongst both dermatologists and facialists. This moisturizer, in particular, is one of the best options I've tried to help keep congestion and acne at bay.
Philip B.—25% Off
I have to talk about this very expensive mask. (And for what it's worth, a little goes such a long way, so it makes the splurge a little less painful!) Simply put, this is one of the best hair masks I've ever treated my hair to. And now having tried it, my strands would be so, so sad without it. It's enhanced with breakage-reducing, hair-growth-enhancing additions like Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes (which make over the body, strength, and softness of the hair), pea peptides to stimulate the hair follicle for increased hair growth, and glycerin to help strengthen and prevent ragged ends.
Sunday Riley—20% Off
There's no better time to spring for Sunday Riley's all-time bestseller, Good Genes. It's laced with lactic acid to gently resurface the skin and give your skin a soft, smooth, lit-from-within gleam.
Christophe Robin—25% Off
There's a reason this regenerating mask is so famous. It does magical, transformative things to damaged or lifeless hair. It's one of the few hair masks that truly caters to all hair types, and the exotic mix of prickly pear seed oil and plant ceramides lend protection, repair, shine, and lots and lots of nourishment.
Slip—20% Off
Call me obsessed, but I can never seem to accrue enough of Slip's beloved silk pillowcases. They keep my face free of pillow-lines and less likely to breakout, and my hair even retains its style, shine, and texture for longer.
Skyn Iceland—20% Off
I was obsessed with these super-cooling eye gels even before I became a beauty editor and discovered they're a stealthy trade secret within the make artist community. A must for A-list clients pre-red carpet, I've yet to try a better eye gel to help immediately shrink eye puff, tighten fine lines or pillow-induced wrinkles, and pretty much re-contouring my entire eye area in less than 15 minutes. The effective recipe includes elastin, Ginkgo Biloba, and Co-Q10.
SkinMedica—10% Off
Hailey Bieber (and so many other celebs, facialists, and dermatologists we chat with) are big, big fans of SkinMedica. It's hard to go wrong in terms of your formula options, but this hyaluronic acid elixir is Bieber's fave for infusing her skin with hydration.
NeuLash—10% Off
More out of boredom than anything else, I started using this brow-growth serum at the beginning of quarantine to try to help my brows live their best life until the next time I'd be able to see a professional. I'm usually a skeptic about these types of products (plus, many are irritating!), but this serum works. I've had so much new growth where hairs refused to grow before, and I also love that it's double-ended, so it works double-duty as kind of a clear brow gel and setting situation. I have to use it every morning now and am probably hooked for life.
GlamGlow—25% Off
I've yet to meet face mask that's even a tenth as satisfying as this OG favorite from GlamGlow. It's always at the top of my list when it comes to the most instantaneously effective acne-fighting skincare products, and I always marvel how easily it vacuums out clogged pores.
African Botanics—20% Off
Ever since my co-beauty editor Courtney Higgs sang this firming body oil's praises recently, I've been itching to try it. $90 is pretty steep, but the luxurious mix of oils seems worth the treat.
Next: How to Treat 10 Common Skin Concerns That Need to Be Normalized
Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content for Who What Wear for over four years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie and Who What Wear family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor. She considers her day-to-day beauty aesthetic very low-maintenance and relies on staples like clear brow serum (from Kimiko!), Lawless's Lip Plumping Mask in Cherry Vanilla, and an eyelash curler. For special occasions or days when she's taking more meetings or has an event, she'll wear anything and everything from Charlotte Tilbury (the foundations are game-changing), some shimmer on her lids (Stila and Róen do it best), and a few coats of the best mascara-type product on earth, Surratt's Noir Lash Tint.