Mail from America - Sephora Superstars 2013

We all know about a huge gap between beauty industry when it comes to American and European markets. How many times have we heard bloggers and vloggers complain about all the lovely products that are not available in Europe or about the limited releases that some brands offer only across the pond? The differences are also in prices - beauty products in North America are significantly cheaper, not to mention that their drugstores and Sephora- my favourite shop of all time - are far better stocked.
Especially when it comes to Christmas, every European beauty addict gets her mouth watery seeing all the amazing box sets, limited edition collections and saver deals. I usually try to keep it calm and wait for my chance to get my hands on a product but when I saw a video of Tati from GlamLifeGuru showing Sephora Super Stars Beauty Must Haves - I had to have it! Luckily, my friends living in America helped me with the purchase and I can share it with you.

 
This beautiful rose gold box holds 13 products of which 9 are full-size. The value of the box is $290 while the selling price is $75. This is probably the best Christmas gift set Sephora has released this year. The idea behind the collection was to gather Sephora's best-selling products across all the brands. For a blogger living in Sweden- like myself - this meant getting my hands on the most-wanted American goodies (some of them not even available here) and for significantly less money.

I still haven't properly tested these products so I can only share a few words about my first impressions.

Josie Maran 100% Argan Oil and Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream

The box contains two skincare products: Origns GinZing Eye Cream and Josie Maran 100% Argan Oil. Both of them popular in the blogging world, they are meant to be used on all skin-types. The eye cream is something I have been dying to try for ages. I love Origins products but the price tag in Sweden is almost SEK 400 (while the whole box was a cost of around SEK 500 -now you do the math). It has peachy colour and it is supposed to brighten up your under-eye area. I can't wait to try it.
Josie Maran Argan Oil is a multi-tasker. Can be used on your face as a serum, on your body as a body oil or on your hair as a treatment for dry, split ends. I am going to try it on my face first although I fear that it may break me out and I will definitely give it a go on my hair.

Bumble and bumble Surf Spray and Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb

Bumble and bumble Surf Spray is another non-make-up item in the box. Its role is to texturize your hair and give it a natural, wavy, just-came-back-from-the-beach look. I have tried it a few times and so far so good.  
Flowerbomb is Sephora's bestselling perfume and I do love the roller-ball form. Perfect for popping into a handbag. I do like the scent as well although it's not something I would normally go for.

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream in Light

 Now for the make-up. To my surprise, the box contains a full-size tube of Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream which is a thick, light-to-medium coverage moisturizing foundation. The only available colour is Light which is a decent match for my skin tone but, unfortunately, won't be suitable for everyone. That's the only product I have any doubts about - why would you include a foundation in a box set aimed for every skin type?

Urban Decay Duo Eyeshadow in Sin/Mushroom and NARS Duo Blush/Bronzer Compact in Orgasm/Laguna

Sephora's two top brands are represented by those cute duos. Firstly, UD Eyeshadow Duo contains two of their best-selling colours: Sin (can be found in the Naked palette) and Mushroom  (also included in the Smoked palette). I love this combination as it allows you to create a natural daily look appropriate for school or work. Great for travelling too as I don't have to carry two large palettes. This is a full-size product. 
A miniature blush/bronzer set from NARS is a another great travel-friendly product although I heard many bloggers complain about the fact tha Sephora chose again the same "popular" colours rather then going for something new. I personally have both the blush (Orgasm) and the bronzer (Laguna) in a regular size so I will definitely be passing this duo on to someone who hasn't tried NARS products yet.

Too Face Better Then False Lashes Set and Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel

The box contains also a full- size Too Faced Better then False Lashes Mascara Set which is basically a 2-step mascara who claims to give your lashes unbelievable length and volume. So far I've heard pretty negative reviews about this product but we all have different eyelashes so I am open to try it. Anastasia Clear Brow Gel is one of my favourite products and I am excited to get a miniature to take with me when travelling. 

Back: NARS lipstick in Dolce Vita, Deborah Lippmann Nail Polish in Cleopatra in New York and Stila Eyeliner in Intense Black.

Last but not least, my absolute faves from the box. All full-size and all AMAZING!. Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner is a product that made me re-think my dislike for liquid eyeliners. It is true black liner, with a thin tip and beautiful formula - not too dry and not too wet. It requires a bit of skill to make the line perfect but I found it very easy to apply corrections without smudging the eyeliner all over my eyelid. It is the only eyeliner that does not end up around my eyebrows after 2-3 hours as it stays put where it should be. Finally, despite being waterproof, it is easy to remove with Bioderma or any oil-based face wash. 
NARS lipstick in Dolce Vita is my first NARS lipstick but definitely not my last one. This particular colour is on the sheer side but the colour pay-off is pretty good and it just makes lips look naturally beautiful. I love the delicate scent as well. 
Finally, Deborah Lippmann Cleopatra in New York is a gold-glitter nail polish with a black base. I never went for Deborah Lippmann range before as I find the polishes extremely expensive but this product proves they are worth all the hype. The glitter distributes so evenly and looks absolutely stunning. This particular colour is not very subtle if worn on all fingers (although I do love it this way) but if you feel a bit shy - it can just be a pretty feature on just one nail. 

To sum up, I love the box and I'm so happy I got the chance to try it. Definitely a good deal.