What Editors Would Buy With a $50 Sephora Gift Card

Gift cards are great — until you can’t figure out what to do with them. They’re particularly helpful when you want to experiment with a trendy makeup product or stock up on your holy grail beauty buys. But here’s where it gets tricky: What if you have no clue where to start? That’s where we come in. We gave each makeup.com beauty editor an imaginary $50 to shop at Sephora until she drops (and the money runs out). See our picks, ahead:

Marisa

Sephora Collection Glitter O’Clock Vanity, $36

OK, this isn't makeup, but I'm too obsessed with this vanity tray to not include it. I have a vision of all of my prettiest products in it, and I high-key think I have to make this one happen.

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Love Drunk, $17

I'm well aware that I'm an active lipstick hoarder, and truth is, I don't think I'll ever feel like I own enough Urban Decay Vice Lipstick. This one called Love Drunk (a deep red with tonal shimmer) is one of my personal fave red shades that I'm hoping to stock up on for life.

Alanna

YSL Shine-In-Oil Lipstick in Rouge Tuxedo, $37

Every time I get my hands on a Sephora gift card, I always go for a luxe YSL lipstick. They're super creamy, rich and pigmented — not to mention the packaging looks killer on your vanity (and even better on your Instagram).

Dr. Jart Shake & Shot, $12

I would also definitely get a Dr. Jart Shake + Shot, aka the newest, coolest rubber mask that is perfect for makeup prep. Even cooler, there's a DIY element where you have to mix the mask together, and it comes in the trippiest packaging.

Tembe

Urban Decay x Kristen Leanne Daydreamer Palette, $26

As an eyeshadow palette collector, I can’t resist anything matte, pigmented and neutral. This limited edition palette has five soft, blendable shadows that are perfect for an everyday eye look. The gorgeous pink packaging doesn’t hurt either.

Sephora Collection Lip Stain in 01, $14

I was wary about red lipstick before discovering this gorgeous red shade. It looks amazing on me — and on pretty much everyone else, as well. The formula is also one of my favorites — it dries matte but also wears comfortably throughout the day. Definitely my new fave.

CoverFX Perfect Light Mini Highlighter, $10

I can’t resist a good highlighter, especially a mini one that can fit in pretty much every bag I own. This one is a champagne shade and gives me just the right amount of glow. I’m obsessed!

Dawn

YSL Couture Brow in Glazed Brown, $35

Gift cards are for splurging, IMHO, and what’s more of a splurge than a wildly chic brow gel? This one fills and holds my brows all in one quick step, and the glam packaging makes me feel like a fancy French lady.

Living Proof Perfect Hair Dry Shampoo Mini, $13

I love to travel, and I hate to wash my hair. Enter: This mini dry shampoo. It’s tiny enough for any overnight bag and refreshes hair so instantly and thoroughly, it’s like you’ve washed and blow dried.