There are some good sales going on at the moment, so I wanted to put together a post to summarize what the good deals are.

In reviewing their long list of sales, my baseline for excitement, if you will, was that it had to be a better deal than normal (because Skinstore truly always has sales going on). So I took into consideration all of the brands that you can get for 25% off with my affiliate code VANESSA. So I only am listing deals for brands that either are not included in my permanent 25% off code (like Sunday Riley, Chantecaille, Medik8, or Estée Lauder) OR brands where there is a discount that is greater than 25% off.

Random Tips:

• For any product that has an automatic discount, try adding the code 10VANESSA to see if it gives you additional percentage off.
• Skinstore doesn’t accept returns on used products (unless you have a skin reaction). So I tend to focus on buying products that I already know I like, or that I have tried a sample of, or that I am willing to take a chance on and I won’t be too upset if it doesn’t work out.
• Check out Rakuten to get additional cash back on top of sale prices. If you need a referral, here is my link that will give you $30 in your cash back account after your first purchase of $30 or more.

I have included affiliate links below. I really appreciate when you shop through my links because any commission I make goes right back into testing new products for you all.

First up are brands that are not included in my 25% code VANESSA so I see these as being more of deal.

1. Medik8 (35% off — which is a huge discount!)
   • Top products I like from them (I have only tried these two products and I like them both!) Both are a retinoid at varying strengths. What I love about this line is that it uses an  encapsulated crystal formula that releases the retinal gradually throughout the night so it helps reduce irritation. The line also has antioxidants and skin brightening and moisturizing ingredients. Oh and they smell like brown sugar. I mention this because my husband hates the smell of traditional retinol and retinal. But he loves the smell of this and that is a win for me. If you want a primer on how retinal is different from retinol, check out this older post of mine here.
     • Crystal Retinal 3 (0.03% strength) – I started with this one and it is super gentle. I can use it many nights a week with no sensitivity or issues. It reminds me of a slightly gentler Allies of Skin Retinal (which has 0.05% retinal so its a bit closer to the Crystal Retinal 6 than 3 in terms of strength). I am going to have my husband keep using this one (or the 6) but when I finished this tube I opted to try the 10 next (truth be told I was going to do the 6 but it was out of stock but the 10 is working out great for me).
     • Crystal Retinal 10 (0.1% strength) – Definitely feels stronger than the 3, so now I rotate this with my even stronger prescription option and my very gentle Allies of Skin retinal. (normal people don’t need 3 strengths, but I really like to rotate strengths of retinoids based on what my skin is feeling like that day).
2. Chantecaille (25% off until July 3rd, no code needed) – every so often I see 20% off Chantecaille deals but 25% off is more rare. To see more thoughts on Chantecaille check out my IG story highlights here.
   • Top products I like from them:
     • Blurring powder (which is sadly sold out)
     • Bio Lifting Mask – This mask is annoyingly expensive (like all Chantecaille products). The first time I used it I didn’t use it on my forehead because everyone always says this is “lifting” and since I don’t need lifting on my forehead I didn’t apply it there to conserve the expensive mask. After my first use I was underwhelmed and annoyed I spent the money on this. BUT then someone messaged me to say that they find this really plumping. So then I applied this on a stubborn forehead wrinkle line (that goes away when I have Botox, so it isn’t a super deep line but since I hadn’t had botox for almost a year when I used this, the line was there). After 30 min the line was plumped and I couldn’t find it in the after photos. So for me, this is great for temporary plumping of fine line. For others, they say it helps them look refreshed and lifted.
     • Jasmine and Lily Healing Mask – Super soothing and gentle and just a joy to use. It isn’t earth shattering, but when my skin is feeling angry or irritated I love to apply a thick layer of this on and it feels cooling and when I remove it my skin is calmed (*I received my jar in PR from skinstore)
3. Sunday Riley (25% off now until July 6th, no code needed)
   • Top products I like from them:
     • Good Genes (lactic acid exfoliator) – I love to use this as a primer on days I have “Events” because I feel like it plumps up smile lines and gives my skin a glow. They also have a 1.7 oz which is an even better deal.
     • A+ Retinoid – This is a great retinoid that I would put in the moderate strength category. Thanks to Caroline Hirons, we know that this contains 5% retinoid ester blend (HPR) and 1% liposomal-encapsulated retinol blend giving around 0.5-0.6% once on the skin (so don’t be scared by their “high potency” claims).  really like that it has CoQ10 and some soothing ingredients like honey & bisabolol.
     • Saturn Sulfur Spot Treatment – I like this a lot but it isn’t my favorite sulfur spot treatment because this will actually leave a red mark if I leave this on for more than an hour. But I like it for when I travel and I don’t want to bring my favorite powder sulfur mask that requires mixing. (here is my favorite that requires mixing--I mix in with my PTR acne clearing gel or a hydrating serum or I’m From honey mask). This works great for helping to flatten big angry cysts that I can feel growing under the surface but that haven’t come to a head yet.
4. Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair (25% off, no code needed) – I liked this, but in the end this didn’t Wow me, BUT I know lots of folks love it so I wanted to share that it is on sale.
5. Slip (25% off, no code needed) – I want to try some of their scrunchies that people rave about and their pillow cases really are amazing and hold up so well (better than the cheaper Amazon ones I have bought in an effort to save money)
6. Peter Thomas Roth (20% off, no code needed PLUS an additional 11% off with code 10VANESSA)
   • Top products I like from them
     • Acne Clearing Gel – If you’ve followed me for awhile you probably know that this is holy grail for me. I have used it for years and years and would tell anyone that would listen that I love it. I’ve found that my skin does best with a combo of < 2% Salicylic acid PLUS Glycolic acid for spot treating hormonal or inflamed blemishes. I used to layer a 2%BHA then an AHA, but that often left my skin red, & flakey (covering up a flakey pimple w/ concealer is hard!!). The PTR combines those 2 ingredients AND, importantly, has hydrating ingredients to prevent cracked, flaky skin around a blemish AND it has aloe, arnica, & licorice root to help fade redness from the spot & soothe inflammation. Truly my ideal INCI. This is particularly effective (for me) at hormonal acne along the jawline & deep painful bumps that form under the surface. I apply it the week before my period along my jaw to prevent cysts from forming. Once a pimple appears, I will apply it a couple times a day (just dabbing on top of makeup if I need to). If I catch a bump early, this will usually flatten it, or it will help it quickly come to a head & then go away. It is also great at helping get rid of stubborn texture (i.e., those hard, little bumps that sit under the surface & never turn into whiteheads). It is clear & absorbs w/o any weird film so it works great under makeup.The bottle is HUGE (3.4 oz) w/ a 2-year shelf life. It is expensive but it lasts forever and you can often find it on sale. Since it is so big I don’t feel bad using this on my back and chest and this is also great for preventing/treating ingrown hairs along bikini line). 
     • VITAL-E Microbiome Age Defense eye cream – This is my mom’s favorite daily eye cream. The reason she loves it is because she had a constant dry patch of skin on her eye lids and this was the only eye cream (out of the many I gave her to try) that actually soothed and moisturized that skin and actually got rid of the eye patch. She has bought multiple jars now.
7. Erno Laszlo (30% off, no code needed PLUS an additional 11% off with code 10VANESSA)
   • The only product I like of theirs are the Multi-task eye serum mask. I got these eye masks in a Skinstore holiday kit and I think they do a good job specifically at helping to reduce darkness under the eyes. I show before and afters in this Skinstore story highlights.
8. EltaMD (20% off, no code needed PLUS an additional 11% off with code 10VANESSA)
   • Top Products I like from them.
     • I am in the huge minority here because I don’t love a lot of the sunscreens I have tried from EltaMD because many of them have made me greasy. But I haven’t tried them all (and TBH I have a hard time remembering which ones I have tried because all of the names are so similar). BUT I do know that my favorite from EltaMD is the UV Shield which is for face and body. They sell a jumbo size that works out to be a really great price per ounce when you compare it to other EltaMD sunscreens. I like that it feels light and doesn’t make me greasy. One thing to note is that it says it is transparent but I am not sure I agree that it is on deeper skin tones.

Now for brands that are always 25% off using my code VANESSA, but during the sale they are discounted with no code required and for some you can save an additional percentage off with the code 10VANESSA.

1. Raincry products (25% off, no code needed PLUS an additional 11% off with code 10VANESSA)
   • Top products I like from them
     • Regenerating Shampoo – I feel like I found a hidden gem when I first decided to buy this shampoo on a whim a year ago. I had just finished a bottle of Pura D’Or shampoo and while I thought it did help reduce hair shedding, I found it so drying and I hated the smell. Then I tried Navy Shampoo and I didn’t like how it didn’t lather nicely and I didn’t see any reduction in shedding. So when I saw this on a flash sale at Lookfantastic I did some digging to learn about the brand and the ingredients and then bought it and I have gone through countless tubes of it now. What I like about it is that it makes my hair and scalp feel healthy and balanced and in turn I have noticed less hair shedding. It lathers nicely, smells good, and doesn’t dry out or strip my hair. I love it. You can read more about why I love it in my Raincry story highlights.
     • Repairing conditioner – truly an outstanding, nourishing conditioner. Feels almost like I’ve used a light hair mask rather than a conditioner. It leaves my hair so soft without feeling weighed down. @my.sister.made.me.buy.it is obsessed with it too (along with the shampoo!) and it is frequently sold out.
     • Polishing wash – out of stock at the moment but I recently bought this to use before K18 before the brand suggests using a clarifying shampoo and that’s what this is. I really like it so far! (P.S. K18 is still 25% off –the most I’ve seen it discounted– at lovelyskin, one nice thing about lovelyskin is that you can also earn points on your purchases that eventually give you cash back discounts on future purchases. I also buy my Defenage bioserum here.. but I am getting off topic now)
     • Daily Densifying treatment – I like this but I honestly forget to use it to say how effective it really is. But when I don’t forget, how I use this is I spray in two sprays right at my hairline and massage it in when I get out of the shower and my hair is wet. It has ingredients to help support new hair growth. It doesn’t make my hair greasy, which I love.

2. IMAGE skincare (25% off, no code needed PLUS an additional 6% off with code 10VANESSA) – this is always included in my 25% off code –> VANESSA BUT these two products have been out of stock for awhile. So now is a good time to grab them since you can save 6% more than normal.
   • Top products I like from them:
     • Prevention + SPF32 Daily Matte Moisturizer: This is a great SPF (I just wish it was SPF50). It has a super creamy texture and doesn’t leave a white cast on me or on some deeper skintones that I have seen use this. It has a banana tropical scent I could do without but it grew on me. While this doesn’t make me greasy, I wouldn’t say it gives a matte finish. Instead it gives a really juicy-natural finish IMHO–it’s really nice. (*received in PR from brand)
     • VITAL C Hydrating Enzyme Mask: Whenever I have posted about this I always get lots of messages from people that love it. It is a multi-purpose mask that gently exfoliates (via fruit enzymes) and hydrates the skin. It has a nice orange scent and is enjoyable to use.

3. Lumene (25% off, no code needed PLUS an additional 10% off with code 10VANESSA)
   • Top Products I like from them:
     • Lumene Nordic-C [VALO] Pure Glow Cleansing Balm – this is a really nice and very affordable oil-based cleanser that does a great job at taking off makeup and sunscreen at the end of the day. See it in this post here
     • Nordic-C Artic Berry Cocktail Brightening Hydra-Oil – I picked this up using a Skinstore credit because I had recently bought the Clarins Double serum and felt like this serum might give similar results.. lo and behold, it does give me very similar results and a similar experience to using the much more expensive Clarins product. You shake this up (that is critical) and then I apply a pump to my palms, rub my palms together and then press it on my face (just like how I apply the Clarins product). Another way to get a similar result is just to mix a hyaluronic acid serum with a facial oil. But this and the Clarins bring the convenience of having both of those things in one bottle. You can see more in depth thoughts in my Clarins story highlight here.
4. Algenist (25% off, no code needed PLUS an additional 10% off with code 10VANESSA)
   • Top Products I like from them:
     • Algenist Genius Liquid Collagen – super hydrating serum. Here is my old review and my mom also gives this her stamp of approval.
     • Complete Renewal Eye Balm – I think this is a great multi-purpose eye cream. I like to use this on top of my heavy lifter (bioeffect egf eye serum).
     • Ultimate Anti-Aging Melting Cleanser – this cleanser smells sooooo good. It doesn’t rinse off totally clean so it needs a second cleanse or a wash cloth, but it is moisturizing and so enjoyable to use.
     • Sublime Defense Ultra Lightweight Defense – if you can get over the initial odd scent that lasts a total of 5-10 seconds, this is a really nice sunscreen in terms of the finish and how it doesn’t make me overly shiny throughout the day. (*I picked this up using a Skinstore credit)
5. Kneipp (25% off, no code needed PLUS an additional 11% off with code 10VANESSA)
   • Top products I like from them:
     • Kneipp makes the best bath products. I love them and want to try so many more things from the brand. One theme you will see is that I love everything with Arnica in it 🙂
       • Kneipp Arnica Bath Salts and the Arnica Bath Oil
       • Goodbye Stress Bubble Bath (*I tried this using a Skinstore credit)
       • I bought a mini version (of 4 samples) of the bath oil set in the past and loved it, so now I want to try this larger set. This would also make for a great gift.
6. Illamasqua (25% off select products, no code needed PLUS an additional 10% off)
   • Top products I like from them: (check out my Illamasaqua story highlight for all my thoughts and to see swatches and application: here)
     • Colour Veil blushes: LOVE the shade tonic, second favorite is a tie between Frisson (cool tone mauve) and Entice (warm, sunburn-esc look). Long wearing, transfer resistant bouncy gel blush.
     • Iconic chrome eye shadow in Alluring – STUNNING rose gold/champagne shadow. I can’t stop wearing it. Doesn’t crumble all over while applying. So pigmented and gorgeous. Long wearing. (*I tried this, the bronzer and one of blush shade using a Skinstore credit)
     • Color Correcting Bronzer – I would wait to buy the bronzer, because it isn’t automatically 25% off like the other products. You can save 25% with code VANESSA but then you can’t use any other codes. SUCH a good tone –not too warm or too cool. Doesn’t look muddy or orange. I adore it.
7. Christophe Robin (25% off, no code needed PLUS an additional 11% off)
   • Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt – one of my favorite salt scrubs because it lathers up when you massage it on which makes it really easy to distribute AND it rinses out easily and you don’t find random salt chunks in your hair later in the day.
   • Volumizing Paste – This is such a weird but cool product. You massage it in your hair and it foams/fluffs up and then I let it sit a bit and rinse it out and it really does give the hair some lift at roots.
8. Babor (20% off, no code needed PLUS an additional 11% off with code 10VANESSA)
   • Top Products I like from them
     • LOVE their ampoules. Their ampoules always surprise me because of how well they absorb. You break the vial and you are supposed to use the entire thing (which seems like it is too much or that it will leave the skin greasy). But with all the different ampoules I’ve tried they always absorb so quickly and leave a healthy, bouncy, natural skin finish.
       • Perfect glow – this one is super hydrating and gives the skin a beautiful glow and radiance (thanks to some mica in the formula)

Here are the products that are always 25% off using my affiliate code VANESSA (whenever there is sale, I always review the list of products against this list to focus on brands that are normally excluded from sales or that have discounts above 25%).