It’s been a minute since I’ve reviewed anything beauty related on here. While up and coming beauty trends are always on my mind, I’ve been trying to find brands that are more non-toxic and affordable. And yes, this box is from April and now it’s May . . . but because of my procrastination, the price has now dropped from $7 to $5, so what was a decent deal is now a good deal. You’re welcome.
I really had no idea that so many of the products I’ve used/still use have ingredients that can be harmful (e.g. hormone disruptors, potentially carcinogenic, pore-clogging, etc.). That being said, I’m trying to be more mindful about the products that I review . . . so when I saw this Target Beauty Box, I was intrigued.
Unlike previous Target beauty boxes I’ve reviewed on here, this box does not include a coupon towards the purchase of a full-sized version of any item in the box. Instead, there is a $2 off select Garnier products, which isn’t a great deal if you don’t plan on purchasing a full-sized Garnier item. Another tangential observation about these beauty boxes: Target used to only release one box per month, now there are six currently available on their website.
This product includes free shipping and returns, and if you’re not much of an online shopper, many Target stores carry it in-person. Also, if you bought this box at the $7 price tag like me, you have two weeks from the date of purchase for a price adjustment (not the best deal in town, but hey, it’s better than nothing). Most stores I shop at give at least 30 days, but that’s Target for ya!
That being said, the packaging is pretty cute and the flower/rose theme is indicative of the scent of the products inside. As far as an initial first impression, I was pretty disappointed by this box. There are no full-sized (or even close to full-sized) products included. In fact, two of the items are reeeeally small samples (ironically enough given the coupon, they’re the Garnier ones).
INSIDE THE BOX
Inside, there are five items. Three are travel-sized and the other two are microscopic, or in industry terms, “single-use samples.”
–Pixi Rose Tonic: a great little toner made with rose and elderflower. This product is alcohol-free, so it doesn’t have the astringent smell other toners can have. I also like the fact that this brand is cruelty and paraben-free (another harmful ingredient that you don’t want in your makeup and/or skincare).
Full-sized this toner comes in a 3.4 fl oz bottle and retails for $15. That means this .5 fl oz sample is worth an estimated retail value of $2.21.
–Native Lavender & Rose Deodorant: Native is a great brand to check out if you’re looking to switch to an aluminum-free deodorant. This is a mini version of their full-sized products, and in my opinion, one of their best scents; it’s more lavender than rose, which I like, because rose products can be super overpowering.
Full-sized this deodorant is 2.65 oz and retails for $11.99. This sample is .35 oz, so it’s worth an estimated retail value of $1.58.
–Method Body Pure Peace Body Wash: I first tried this body wash at Sephoria last year and fell in love with the simplicity of its ingredients. Well, okay, the ingredient list in’t just the “peony, rose water, and pink sea salt,” but I do like the packaging (super easy to use in the shower) and the fact it’s paraben and phthalate-free. The bottle is also made with 65% recycled plastic; why it’s not more, I don’t know, but still better than 0%!
Full-sized this body wash comes in an 18 fl oz bottle and retails for $6.99. This sample is 3.4 fl oz (aka TSA-approved for a carry-on), so it has an estimated retail value of $1.32.
The next two samples are from Garnier, and I wanted to love them, but they’re just so dang small, it’s hard to know if you want to invest in a full-size product after a single use.
–Garnier SkinActive Rose Water 3-in-1 Moisturizer Packet: This has a subtle rose scent, but glides on smoothly and it actually does keep skin hydrated all day. I like that this product is made without mineral oil, parabens, silicones, and dyes. I don’t like that it’s such an itty bitty sample.
Full-sized this moisturizer comes in a 6.75 fl oz tub and retails for $7.29 (so not much more expensive than the body wash, but the sample is a fraction of the size). At .169 fl oz, this sample is worth an estimated retail value of 18 cents (boo!).
–Garnier SkinActive Rose Mist Spray: Again, another disappointing sample that I’ve actually received in other beauty boxes recently. This sample is so miniscule, the packaging doesn’t even say Garnier on it . . . so when it gets mixed in with my other beauty products, it looks like a perfume sample (approximate size of the packaging). I like this mist as a skin refresher, or even a setting spray, but I think more could’ve been done to make the sample look a bit better, especially because the price point of this product isn’t crazy expensive.
Full-sized this spray comes in a 4.4 fl oz bottle and retails for $6.49. This sample is .061 fl oz, so it is worth an estimated retail value of 9 cents (why was this even included?).
In total, the estimated retail value of the samples included in this beauty box is: $5.38. So at the $7 price tag, this box is barely worth it if you use the $2 coupon. At $5 it’s a much better deal, especially if you use the coupon.
Overall, not crazy impressed with this box . . . but I will say, being able to see what’s inside the box before you purchase it is a nice feature that isn’t available for all beauty boxes. I’d say this would be a good box to get if you’re looking for some travel-sized beauty samples; Target sells the mini version of the Native deodorant (so the exact same one included in this box), and that retails for $2.99. I didn’t include this in my estimates because travel-sized samples are always more expensive than purchasing the larger version and putting it in a travel container (that might be harder to do with deodorant, but still). Similarly, Target does sell some of the Method body washes in “trial size” aka the same size as the one included in this box at $2.99 a piece (but most of the scents available aren’t the floral ones like the peony).
I’d say this would make a great gift, especially at $5, because it’s a curated box that you don’t have to put together (last minute Mother’s Day gifts, anyone?). This isn’t a crazy bargain, but it’s not overpriced, so that’s a plus.
If you get these beauty boxes, what’d you think of this one? Anyone else trying to switch to more non-toxic beauty products? Let me know!
