A Sephora Love Affair

So I did a purge recently, and removed all the items which were past their use-by dates, and the remaining items are below.

This Christmas, EVERYONE will be receiving either skincare or beauty products from me. Because when I enter Sephora, it feels like a Candy Shop. Without the calories.
It's just so fun to shop for beauty products! When faced with marketing boring sticks of wax and powders in every shade of beige and pink possible, marketers get creative and head straight in the other direction - with beautiful gift sets that call to mind Morrocan Bazaars (See below! Josie Maran, anyone?) or Sunkissed Beaches (Benefit!)

XY's really impressed by how I can keep going into Sephora, and never be bored. Apparently this is a first, because I can't even sit through a movie. I can't really explain it. I believe it has something to do with how in all that chaos, women can lose themselves and become little girls, and not be bothered by commission driven Sales Assistants who couldn't care less about your skin, as long as you buy that overpriced cream NAO.

But I'd like to stress that in spite of the comments I keep getting about my skin of alabaster,I've never really been a beauty junkie. I still remember telling XL that she was crazy for wanting to purchase Urban Decay's eyeshadow primer. However, I do have the great honour of having crazy friends and siblings who enjoy buying me makeup. Maybe it's because they're frequent travellers (the one thing I'm not), and hence Duty-Free makeup is the most cost-efficient gift from them (it takes little time to buy, it's worth the most, and costs.. the least). BUT I'M NOT COMPLAINING :)

BEHOLD my Birthday presents for this year :')

Do you use things like these as well? :) Would you use drugstore brands...?