It’s been a while since I took a peek of the Holt Renfrew Beauty Bag ($35, Holt Renfrew Stores) – The last one I purchased was in 2013. I’ll be honest here, since then, it seems that the price of the bag has been increasing exponentially while the offerings have gotten smaller. The most recent bag costed $75 merely because the bag was a designer collaboration (Rebecca Minkoff). Paying $75 for a bag of samples is not really that much of a deal so I’ve largely ignored those Holt Renfrew newsletter.
A couple of weeks into January, the Holt Renfrew email hit my inbox which showcased a much more reasonably-priced bag ($35). I quickly made my way to the flagship store, only to discover it had sold out. A few phone calls later, I was able to secure my bag at Yorkdale’s Holt Renfrew.
The first thing that got me was the brands that were included in the bag. Darphin, Guerlain, Clé de Peau are to name a few – who wouldn’t grab one or two of these? Since the price was much more reasonable ($35), I thought it was a great treat to pick up for myself. I’ve raved quite a bit with the 2013 bag, so I’ll recap quickly why I think these beauty bags are worth the price!
- Size of the “samples”: The size of the samples really make this beauty bag worth it – the size of these samples are larger than the ones that you get at Sephora. I sat down and compared the size of the samples and the full-sized version, and I was truly surprised that a lot of these contain more than 50% of the full-sized amount. Many of these samples are enough for at least two week’s worth of use.
- Focus on skincare: If you are a skincare junkie, you will want to get this bag! There are several really great high-end skincare samples that you can try, including one from Chantecaille, Guerlain, and Darphin.
- High-end samples which aren’t available at Sephora: A lot of these brands (except for Clinique, and Estee Lauder) are not available at Sephora, so you will get the opportunity to really try out a new product that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to try.
- $10 Gift Card with purchase: Each of these beauty bags include a $10 gift card good towards future purchases at Holts of at least $25. This is super awesome because the minimum for the gift card isn’t sky-high which could disincentives someone from using it. Most retailers that offer this kind of incentives to spend money require you to spend at least $75-$100 minimum; it is definitely not a challenge to purchase something from Holt Renfrew for $25.
The focus of this bag was entirely skincare, so if you are interested in trying out some new skincare brands, or thinking of gifting mom or a skincare junkie with something that is quite reasonably priced, this should be on your radar. Being the thoughtful daughter that I am, I bought one of these for Mother’s Day (Yes, I am aware that it is 4-5 months away)… and used the $10 for myself ????
So what do you actually get with the $35? Here is a look at what’s included.
- Oribe Gold Lust Transformative Masque 9ml
- Guerlain Orchidée Impériale The Eye and Lip Cream 2ml
- Darphin Age-Defying Microdermabrasion 15ml
- Chantecaille Flower Infused Cleansing Milk 8ml
- Estée Lauder Global Anti-Aging Creme 5ml
- Clé de Peau Intensive Eye Contour Cream 2ml
- Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum 10ml
- Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser 50ml
- Deborah Lippmann 2 Second Nail Primer 8ml
- $10 Gift Card towards beauty/fragrance purchases over $25 to be used by Feb 9
I’m not really crazy about high end skincare at the moment as my skin is okay using the budget-friendly alternatives while I build up my life’s savings. However if there was anything that really made the beauty bag worthwhile for me is the actual bag itself! This is one of those Travel Makeup Organizer bags that folds and has plenty of space to fit all your beauty needs for when you’re traveling. You all know how much I travel whether it be for personal or work-related, and this makes for the best toiletry/makeup container for when you’re on the go!
Overall, I think this is an amazing bag if you are a skincare fan and want to try a number of high end concoctions at a budget. The $10 is a great way to save on high end beauty products and brands. I typically purchase a product from a brand that I would not otherwise be able to get on sale such as CHANEL or Clé de Peau. Although the variety of product offering is not the most spectacular, the focus on skincare makes it every skincare junkie’s dream. Personally, I love the variety of products offered, but the bag is what really makes this bag a true stand out for me.
Now it’s your turn! Have you seen the new Holt Renfrew Beauty Bag? Will you be purchasing one of these? As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Share with me comment section or through Twitter or Instagram!