When Sean Kolar saw his wife was out of makeup, he turned a chore into a secret mission that won over the internet.
A video documenting Kolar's effort to replace his wife's favorite makeup products has gone viral on TikTok with 24.3 million views and 2.4 million likes. Kolar, 31, and his wife Lilianna Wilde, 35, spoke to Newsweek about the surprise and how it reflects their commitment to each other's wellbeing in the relationship.
"My wife is running low on these three products...she's been saying how she needs to replace them, so I'm going to go to Sephora and try to find these," Kolar said in the video. "I just want to take something off her plate."
What followed was a multi-store adventure involving Kolar's deduction skills, generous store staff and a bit of brand knowledge. With a vague memory of Lilianna mentioning the brand Charlotte Tilbury, Kolar first stopped at Sephora before heading to a Charlotte Tilbury store to complete the mission. There, a staff member even gave him extra samples for his wife.
"I was telling the woman at Charlotte Tilbury about what I was looking for and why, and she was so generous," Kolar said.
The gesture was a welcome relief during a hectic time.
"We were getting ready for a big vacation to Italy and France, and we haven't had a big trip since our honeymoon in 2019, so we were really excited and there was so much to do," Kolar said. "Lili was running around a bunch...I figured I could check something off for her while she was at work."
How Did She React?
For Wilde, Kolar's effort meant she could go on the trip having something done that might have fallen by the wayside. That, and she can now trust his expertise with makeup brands and shades.
"He often does a lot of sweet gestures, but I'm genuinely surprised and grateful every time," she said. "The fact that he not only got the products, but ensured the brand and color were correct—and even went to a second store—shows his attentiveness and genuine desire to help me."
The couple, based in Los Angeles, said Kolar's thoughtfulness is emblematic of their relationship—where small, caring gestures are a regular feature.
"I think we've always tried to make life easier for each other in whatever way we can, we both love taking care of each other and listening to each other," Wilde said. "It makes us both happy to see the other person happy, so we do our best to pay attention."
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