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The 22 absolute best beauty products to buy with a $50 Sephora gift card
The holy grail holiday gift for any beauty lover is the coveted $50 Sephora gift card. The beloved plastic rectangle allows you the freedom to choose your own present and refill on empty beauty favorites for the new year.
Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask + Moisturizer
Urban Decay NAKED Wild West Eyeshadow Palette
SEPHORA COLLECTION Complete Brush Set
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
Sephora Favorites Mini Luxe Vibes Beauty Set
But beauty products can be expensive, and $50 might not stretch as far as you think. Deciding how to spend the generous gift is an all-important task for any beauty collector. With Sephora’s honestly overwhelming lineup of beauty goodness, navigating it all with $50 in tow is pretty daunting.
If you have a $50 Sephora gift card at your disposal, there are several ways to make sure your money is well-spent. Here are five curated carts that add up to exactly $50 — as well as a handful of actually-worth-it splurges. All you’ll have to do is pay tax and enjoy your beauty spoils.
Cart #1: TikTok-Approved Staples
It’s totally fair to be skeptical of the zillion and one TikTok viral beauty products on your FYP. Luckily, you have a gift card to spend, so your bank account doesn’t have to take the hit. Still, you’re going to want to buy something that’s actually worth it — and that’s this little haul below.
Cart #2: Beloved Beauty Icons
Look, everyone should have at least two beauty icons in their arsenal. And not all popular iconic beauty products cost $200 (ahem, La Mer). Beauty experts and non-experts alike have bought the CLINIQUE Almost Lipstick in Black Honey and the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz over and over again for years because they’re that good.
Cart #3: Indie Beauty Finds
Quick rundown: An “indie” brand is an independently-owned brand, aka no major corporate parent overlords. Basically, it’s new and does things differently than what we’ve come to expect from corporate-owned brands. We’re obsessed with both the pigmented and long-lasting Kulfi eyeliner and deeply nourishing Topicals body mist.
Kulfi Underlined Kajal Clean Waterproof Long-Wear Eyeliner, $20
Topicals Like Butter Body Hydrating and Soothing Mist for Dry, Sensitive & Eczema-Prone Skin, $30
Cart #4: TSA-Approved Mini Madness
Honestly, shopping the Sephora mini section is one of life’s greatest joys — and using a gift card to buy some minis is a brilliant hack. It’s great if you’re in need of some TSA-approved travel staples or want to try something without committing upwards of $35. This tight haul features sunscreen, Hailey Bieber’s favorite calming toner, a viral body wash and the perfect mascara.
Cart #5: SEPHORA COLLECTION Goodness
The SEPHORA COLLECTION is the most inexpensive and underrated brand at the retailer, with high-quality budget buys. If you want a really thick haul for $50, stock up here.
Clean Eye Mask, $4
Lip Liner To Go, $6
Full-Budget $50 Favorites
Sometimes, a $50 gift card can only get you one product — or just put a dent in a particularly luxe purchase. If you want to spend your budget on one really worthwhile item, peep our favorites below. You’re welcome.
There are so many reasons to love the thick and intensely moisturizing Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask, the cute packaging being one of them!
An Urban Decay NAKED eyeshadow palette is one of the most versatile makeup products you can add to your collection.
When is the last time you've cleaned your makeup brushes? Um, highly recommend getting this high-quality set from Sephora if yours are moldy and grimy beyond repair.
The unreal-smelling Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum cream is a must-buy with your gift card.
There are so many excellent Sephora Favorites sets available right now, but this fancy one is truly top-tier if you want to get a handful of luxury goods for the price of one or two. This curated collection features mini-sized luxury holy grails that include TOM FORD, Hourglass, Kérastase, and La Mer.
If you liked this story, check out the best TikTok-approved gifts to buy for everyone on your list.
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