BEAUTY: Sephora Birthday Gift 2016

Awww yeah - it's that time once again! New year, new free Sephora Beauty Insider birthday gift!

This year, Sephora gives you a choice for your birthday freebie: a skincare set including Fresh Soy Face Cleanser and Rose Face Mask, or a cute little Marc Jacobs cosmetics set. 

Decisions, decisions...

I went the makeup route, because duh, and the set includes a black eyeliner pencil and a rosy nude lipstick. Specifically, you'll receive the Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Eye Crayon in Blacquer and the Le Marc Lip Creme in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. The eyeliner is 0.01 oz and the lipstick is 0.03 oz.

I'm pretty happy with this set overall (I mean, it was free so I'd be kind of a jerk to complain), and I'll actually use up both products, which is nice. I have many black eyeliner pencils in my life, but I can see a spot for this lil' guy to work his way in. The formula is very creamy and smooth, and it glided easily on my waterline without hesitation or the pigment weakening. The darkness you see in the swatch (below) is what you'll see on your eye. 

I'd compare the velvety feel of the pencil to Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Perversion, as both are incredibly black and almost shockingly smooth. Yes, shockingly. I guess I'm easily shocked?

One note - you CAN sharpen this eyeliner, despite its plastic/metal packaging. Some people assume these can't be sharpened (like NARS lip pencils or NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils), but they can if your sharpener is sturdy enough. I use the NARS sharpener, which is only $6 and honestly life-changing, assuming your life only needs changing in sharpening-related matters.

This lipstick is a sleeper hit; at first, I was like, 'oh cool, another pinky-nude, whatever' (side note: when did I get so spoiled and jaded about free designer lipstick?), but once I applied it I was surprised how much I loved it. The color is more pink on my lips and reads as more of a standout shade than you might assume by looking at the tube. It's just really good! It would also work nicely on a large spectrum of skin tones, I think.

The tube if small, but not flimsy so it's perfect to throw in your purse. It also has a satisfying 'click' when you close it, and I love nothing more than a satisfying click, lipstick or otherwise.

It goes on opaque in one creamy swipe, with a satin finish that lasts for hours, provided you don't eat or drink anything, making it the perfect lipstick for both fictional characters and ghosts. Humans will probably have to reapply every few hours.

Swatches: Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Creme in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (top) and Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Eye Crayon in Blacquer

Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Creme in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang on my lips

Are you looking forward to the Sephora Beauty Insider birthday gift this year? Any other awesome birthday freebies you'd like to share with the class?