Sandra‘s Closet

Sephora is one of the best places to find amazing gifts to spoil all of your beauty-loving friends. When I went to the Sephora press day, I narrowed down the best skin-care, makeup, hair, and fragrance sets, so you can cross all of your beauty-obsessed friends and relatives off your list in the last minute.

In fact, there’s so much holiday goodness that it can be a little overwhelming to start from scratch. So I did the hard work for you and compiled the most affordable and breathtaking options.

Happy Holidays!

LoL, Sandra

Sephora Collection Palette Blockbuster – CHF 39.90
88 shades: 60 eyeshadows, 6 face powders (2 highlighters, 2 blushs and 2 bronzer), 16 lip glosses, 3 eyebrow powders and 3 cream eyeliners.

Nars Explicit Content Climax – Duo De Mascaras – CHF 45.90
A makeup set featuring two full-sized Climax Mascaras in attractive packaging.

Drunk Elephant Drunk Break Weekend Edition Holiday Kit – CHF 88.90
This is a complete facial routine featuring a pro-quality AHA/BHA mask.

Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Jet Set – CHF 50.90
Featuring the award-winning, cult favorite Brazilian Bum Bum Cream that is a must for all beauty lovers.

Fresh Cleanse & Moisturize Set – CHF 28.90
Your skin care prep essentials in one set.

Too Faced Better Than Sex – Ornament – CHF 19.90
Trim your tree with a limited-edition holiday ornament with a travel size version of the #1-selling prestige mascara in America! Makes the perfect gift!

Pumpkin Spice Second Slice Eye Palette – CHF 57.90
Capture all the sexy colors of fall with our phis palette, made of 18 fragrant, warm and spicy shades.

Kenzoki Youth Flow Set – CHF 49.90
The perfect mix of global anti-ageing action and feel-good formula.​

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored. We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise!

You can never have enough lipsticks… therefore meet GIVENCHY‘s new LE ROUGE INTERDIT INTENSE SILK. Housed in a rechargeable leather case, this timeless and elegant fashion accessory comes with a modern texture that glides effortlessly over the lips like silk, while delivering a luminous, semi-matte finish. And, thanks to its formula enriched in hyaluronic acid spheres and Acmella Oleracea extract, lips are instantly smoothed and the inner water is locked for up to 24 hours, for absolute comfort. The intense color is impressively long-lasting, staying vibrant for up to 12 hours.

A lipstick inspired by Givenchy’s iconic scent L’Interdit. 

«There is a power of just wearing a red lipstick, it always suits everybody, always looks amazing and GIVENCHY offers a red for everyone. With red lipstick you can also use it on the cheeks, it’s the perfect weapon.» – Thom Walker, Creative Director of Givenchy Makeup

THE MASTER OF REDS
Available in 25 silky shades (all refillable), Le Rouge Interdit Intense Silk’s highly-pigmented color palette includes the most iconic and the most fashionable reds. Discover Givenchy’s signature brown-toned red Rouge Graine (N°37), the ultimate suits-all neutral red L’Interdit (N°333), and the most luminous red with a hint of yellow Carmin Escarpin (N°306).

In Switzerland available at SEPHORA at Manor Geneva, Vevey, Chavannes, Lausanne, Vésenaz, Basel, Lugano, Zurich main station, Bern, and Sihlcity as well as online at manor.ch.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: #LeRougeInterdit @givenchybeauty
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise!

One of the best press happenings of the year is always the famous Sephora Christmas event to discover the most exciting beauty novelties for this holiday season.

I discovered exclusive holiday collections, limited-edition beauty sets and the bestselling products of the year. In this post, you will find a lot of fun products to show you care or just indulge yourself. Get ready for the holidays with beauty advent calendars and some amazing gift ideas.

One of my favorites. The famous «Holiday Vibes» advent calendar is a must for every beauty lover. 24 surprises for only CHF 49.90.

The «All Beauty Stars» advent calendar in gold and pink contains 12 new beauty brands that Sephora specifically casted for the holiday event. 7 original sized products along with 2 surprises, once the box is empty, you can reuse it every year. Available for CHF 159.90 (worth around CHF 450 if you bought the products alone).

The «Holiday Vibes»  Sephora collection includes many amazing gift ideas, such as the set of 8 face and body masks to pamper your skin from head to toe.

The Too Faced Cinnamon Swirl Holiday 2021 collection offers so many amazing products in warm brown shades.

Prepare yourself for New Year’s Eve with the Too Face Hangover Collection. I love the Replenishing Face Primer that can repair a beauty hangover. The replenishing skin booster hydrates, smooths and brightens for a dewy, refreshed, and revitalized complexion.

In the mood to try a new mascara? I can recommend this mudge-proof, easy to apply and intensely black, award-winning Volume Disturbia Mascara by Givenchy.

Completely obsessed with the Naughty Nude Eyeshadow Palette by Huda Beauty. A versatile palette with 18 shades in five ultra-wearable textures to create dramatic smoky eyes, as well as a variety of natural and sultry looks.

3 Little Wonders® by OLEHENRIKSEN promises to transform your skin in 7 days: The signature professional-strength age-defying regimen brightens, firms, evens skin tone, smoothes skin texture and reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles.

The cutest Christmas decoration… get a mini ornament for maximum effect under the tree.

All these products are available now at Sephora. Hurry up, as they will be selling out fast.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and Andrea Monica Hug for Sephora
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

Great news for my Swiss readers: from now on you can discover Givenchy‘s range of perfumes, fragrances, makeup and skincare products at Sephora Switzerland. Givenchy has been synonymous with avant-garde elegance since its conception. From couture collections to bold beauty products, discover how the house continually defies conventions.

Ever-changing, the signature scents reflect unique style and grace. And don’t miss the three bestsellers of the brand, created by Nicolas Degennes, the Artistic Director for Makeup and Colors at Givenchy, during your next shopping spree:

– the Lipsticks of the Le Rouge collection
From powerful rouge to delicate nude, our cutting-edge lipsticks are made for every shade of you.
CHF 49.00

– the Mascara Volume Disturbia
Application as innovative as the formula. Maximize your lashes for immediate sophistication.
CHF 39.00

– the foundation Teint Couture City Balm
Perfect your skin with the feel and finish you desire. This is covert coverage designed for comfort.
CHF 61.00

Last week, I was invited to try the products and indulge in the world of Givenchy Beauty at Folium in Zurich. Nicolas Degennes, who has been at the forefront of technical innovation and design since the launch of the Givenchy beauty line, is the man responsible for some of the Maison’s most iconic products. Unfortunately, he couldn’t join us personally that night as he was not allowed to travel due to the corona virus situation. Nevertheless, I got a great interview with him via mail that you can enjoy reading below.

Nicolas Degennes, Artistic Director for Makeup and Colors at Givenchy

You are at the helmet of Givenchy Beauty since 99… what has changed during the years?
Everything has changed. Competitors, research evolve all the time. There are more new propositions on raw materials. It has changed and is going to change again.

Make-up now and twenty years ago – what are the biggest differences?
Competition, many brands are on the market today comparing to 20 years ago.
This give to the consumer more choice but it can also give confusion. So we need to be more and more straight to the point, especially for a couture brand like ours, it is fundamental to keep our promises.

Got my Givenchy lipstick engraved with my name that night.

5 minutes of make-up … what is a must?
If you had to choose…Eyes or lips?
Always the lips. Complexion in 3 minutes because in 5 we have time to do complexion, lips, and mascara.
But the more important is to apply a mascara and a lipstick.
If we have no time to apply some mascara, I would recommend just clean lashes with water to give them more density but anyway apply a red lipstick. This will give power and strength.

What are the biggest make-up trends at the moment?
The red lipstick is making a strong coming back. It has been always present in the makeup world but it is becoming more and more powerful.

What will be next?
New textures! These textures will make the colors and I know what I am talking about.

How much do fashion and beauty influence each other?
We constantly observe the fashion trends but in the beauty world, we work 3 years in advance so, obviously we have to look upon fashion and let ourselves influenced.
However, we also have to take our own decisions. However, you will notice that the beauty around the skin and the texture have a real influence on fashion.

The biggest faux pas in make-up?
Not to wear any make up at all. This is a big mistake.

Your icon?
Women, all the women!

Best trick you have ever learnt?
Patience.

Thank you, Nicolas, for your insight into the world of Givenchy Beauty!
Sephora loves Givenchy and we love it, too…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht – © Debora Zeyrek for Sephora
#sephoraswitzerland #sephoralovesgivenchy #givenchybeauty @sephoraswitzerlandPhoto of Nicolas Degennes: © PR, Robert Jaso for PARFUMS GIVENCHY

Recently, I was invited by SEPHORA to explore their FROSTED CHRISTMAS specials at Kaufleuten in Zurich within a festive atmosphere. The event was a beauty addict’s winter wonderland. Have a sneak peek below into this beautiful universe, get inspired and make your beauty wishes come true!

I included my favorite products but there is so much more to discover…

Glossy Posse Mini Gloss Collector’s Set by Fenty Beauty by Rihanna – CHF 49.90
A limited- edition collection of five mini Gloss Bomb shades.

«Winter Wonderglam» Eye Shadow Palette by Tarte – CHF 71.90
Includes 24 eye shadows, a liquid eye liner, a mascara and a double-sided applicator.

«Brow Superstars» in a hat by Benefit – CHF 89.90
Everything you need for the perfect eyebrows.

«GingerbreadBronzed & Kissed» Set by Too Faced – CHF 49.90
Includes a Gingerbread Tan Bronzer and a Matte Lipstick in Peach Kiss plus a limited edition pouch.

Life Liner Duo Pencil by Huda Beauty –  CHF 32.50
The ultimate lifeproof, dual-ended eyeliner with a liquid tip one side and pencil on the other.

Christmas Set «Holiday Heroes» by Mario Badescu – CHF 59.90
Everything you need to perfectly clean your skin.

Igloo Box of Masks by Sephora – CHF 29.90
7 masks for every occasion.

Set «Carnaval Dreams» by Sol Janeiro – CHF 49.90
Including Lip Balm «Brazilian Kiss», Facial Cream «Brazilian Bum Bum», Shower Gel «Brauzilian 4 Play» and Cream «Coco Cabana».

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Debora Zeyrek for Sephora
#sephoraswitzerland #SephoraFrostedChristmas @sephoraswitzerland

Yesterday evening, I attended the long awaited opening of SEPHORA in Zurich as a shop-in-shop concept at Manor located at Bahnofstrasse 75.

Craziness a few seconds after the doors opened at Sephora Zurich.

Here are some facts:
Selling Space: 65 m² (small, but filled with great stuff)

Staff: 10 sales associates and one shop manager

Question: which Becca highlighter should I get…

Exclusive brands: Made In Sephora, Too Faced, Make Up For Ever, Marc Jacobs,
Becca, Dr.Jart+, Tony Moly, Caolion, Skinfood, Too Cool for School

Other brands available: Nars, Benefit Make Up and Benefit Skincare

Services: Sephora Make Up Bar and Benefit Brow Bar
Thanks to Click & Collect at manor.ch/sephora customers can order all their favorite products online and get them delivered to their preferred  Manor department store in Switzerland.

A goody bag filled with so many amazing products… thank you, Sephora!

Founded in 1969, Sephora is today part of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and present in 32 countries worldwide.

LoL, Sandra

With lovely Myriam Françoise at the opening yesterday.

Photos: © David Biedert Photography, © Andrea Monica Hug and © Sandra Bauknecht

As you know, I was recently in Los Angeles and one spot I always like to visit is Sephora to browse through the latest beauty must-haves. My most inspiring buy comes this time from Ciaté, known for innovative nail trends.

This season, their newest hype are cuticle tattoos, a faux embellishment for the skin around your nail. These super simple transfers make a cute fashion statement and a tattooed look without the needle. They are easily washed away when required. Very important to know: Don’t use any oils to minimize damage to your design.

The Ciaté Cuticle Tattoos set includes 10 sheets in 5 different designs and it sells for $12 at Sephora.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Ciaté and © Sandra Bauknecht

This revolutionary magnetic nail lacquer by nails inc. London used to create stunning 3D nail art designs in chic metallic shades is a lovely gift for a nail polish devotee or for yourself to wow during X-mas time.

Choose from three magnetic polishes named after iconic London attractions: Trafalgar Square (chrome), Houses of Parliament (purple), and Whitehall Teal (teal). I am using Houses of Parliament in the pictures.

This unique formula has been specially developed with metallic particles to create a pattern on the nail using magnetic forces. As the magnet is held over the nail, the iron powder in the formulation gravitates toward the magnet forming the pattern secretly hidden in the magnet for an astonishing finish. The magnet is included in the cap of the nail polish.

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Those nail polishes are available at  Sephora. For a tutorial, I recommend this video:

Now it is time to marvel about the amazing nail designs that you have created!

LoL, Sandra

While beeing in Los Angeles, I met with the Queen of the Eyebrows, Anastasia Soare, herself.  Being widely referred to as the Beauty Innovator and The Definitive Brow and Eye Expert, the charming lady of Romanian origin developed over the years her own Golden Ratio technique to shape eyebrows and to enhance the overall eye area. Today, she is the CEO of a beauty empire, including two full service beauty salons and exclusive brow, skincare and colour products that are sold at select Nordstrom, Sephora and International locations.

Her success has no end. While I was with Anastasia, Kim Kardashian texted her and David Beckham was scheduled later. Celebrities like Oprah, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Sharon Stone, line up to get their eyebrows done by her.
So you can imagine how happy I was when she did mine. She told me that I was tweezing too much and that my shape is the so-called high-arch. After explaining her technique to me and giving me the gorgeous brow kit, I can perfectly do it by myself now. I have been receiving so many compliments since then. The right shape of the eyebrow makes such a big difference to the whole face. It can even make you look so much younger.
Above you will find the most important steps.

I truly recommend her products to you. The brow kit makes the shaping so much easier.

The stencils are included in the kit to find the best eyebrow shape for you.

In case that you are in the L.A. area, here are some insider tips. Try to book a long time in advance. Her technicians are also doing a great job. You will lay flat during the treatment, it is very relaxing, not painful at all.

If you are dreaming of seeing Anastasia herself, she takes walk-ins from 9-10am. On Tuesday, she is in her Brentwood store (11933 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025) and from Wednesday to Saturdays, she works in her famous Beverly Hills location on 438 North Bedford Drive. But please call the store first, as she is travelling a lot.
The beauty salons offer full service from eyebrows to hair styling to make-up and waxing. See the price list for the complete services.

The walls of her store are plastered with thank you notes of celebrities.

Anastasia with me.

Thank you, Anastasia, for giving my brows the perfect arch! I am loving them!

LoL, Sandra