
She pointed us to the Peter Thomas Roth Instant FirmX Eye Temporary Eye Tightener as an example.

“I’ve seen so many people buy products that they saw on TikTok even though it definitely isn’t right for their skin,” said one beauty adviser. Just because it went viral doesn’t mean it’s good. In exchange, we got their insider wisdom on the cultish hair tool that keeps getting returned, the TikTok-recommended products that are actually worth it, and what happens to the items you return.

But if you consult actual Sephora employees - or “beauty advisers,” as they’re called by the company - they’ll tell you that plenty of their favorite products aren’t the most expensive ones or even the ones that have gone most viral.įor this story, we talked to nine Sephora employees, many of whom are trained and licensed makeup artists or skin-care experts and all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity. You also don’t want to miss out on that trendy new thing you saw on TikTok. There are thousands of products to sort through, and you want to make sure you’re buying the exfoliator or mascara or foundation that makes you look and feel your best, especially when each thing costs $50. The whole experience of shopping at Sephora can feel relatively high stakes even with the generous return policy.

Photo-Illustration: The Strategist Photos: Retailers, Getty Images
