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HauteLook Nordstrom Beauty Bag Review

Liz Cadman
ByLiz CadmanJul 30, 2014 | 53 comments

HauteLook Nordstrom Beauty Bag

HauteLook is a flash sale site (my personal favorite), and about every quarter they release a new one-time-purchase beauty bag full of deluxe and full size beauty products. It's always a hit, but this most recent bag sold out in record time - I think in less than 15 minutes?

Hopefully HauteLook makes sure to get enough stock before the next Beauty Bag launch! (We do not need another Allure Beauty Box situation!)

HauteLook Nordstrom Beauty Bag Review Items

The Box: HauteLook Nordstrom Beauty Bag

The Cost: $25 plus $5.95 shipping (free shipping on orders over $100)

The Products: A beauty bag full of makeup and beauty samples

Check out my reviews of past HauteLook Beauty Bags and the Beauty Subscription Box Directory!

Looking to swap for any item in this review? Check out the HauteLook Beauty Bag Swap Page!

HauteLook Nordstrom Beauty Bag Review Stila

Jouer Lip Gloss in Peony - .08 oz Value $9.40

LORAC Lip Lustre Gloss in Peach Lustre - .07 oz Value $9.50

Stila Lip Glaze in Mango Berry - .05 oz Value $13.75

I've sampled all these lip glosses before so I already knew I'd like the forumlas, and I'm loving all these new shades! (Plus the mini version are so cute!)

HauteLook Nordstrom Beauty Bag Review Lotion

Whish Body Buter in Pomegranate - .75 oz Value $3.50

Mario Badescu Kiwi Face Scrub - .5 oz Value $2

Fresh Rose Face Mask - 20 ml Value $12

The pomegranate scent of this body butter isn't for me, but I do really like the Whish brand -  all their products are free of parabens and sulfates.

This kiwi scrub is lovely - it's not like a typical facial scrub with lots of scrubbing particles, (really just kiwi seeds), but it left my skin really soft and smooth! And I'm excited to try the Fresh mask next - it gets great reviews!

HauteLook Nordstrom Beauty Bag Review Purity

Purity 3-in-1 Cleanser for Face and Eyes - 1 oz Value $3

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer - .25 oz Value $7.50

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment - 1 oz Value $6.50

Primer is one of those makeup items I never buy thanks to subscription boxes, but I really like the Smashbox one, so while I don't buy it, I'm happy to get another one in this bag! And I've really liked every Living Proof hair item I've sampled so far, and this one is another win for me. I love that it is paraben, sulfate and phthalate free, the scent is wonderful, and it adds a nice amount of volume without making my hair feel weird and sticky. I will definitely be buying this item in the full-size version once I use this sample up!

HauteLook Nordstrom Beauty Bag Review Perfume

Rosabotanica Balenciaga Perfume - .25 oz $16

Bottega Veneta Essence Aromatique - .25 oz Value $14

I'm pretty particular when it comes to perfume, so I was pleasantly surprised to find I like both of these scents. I think think as far as perfumes go, they are both on the lighter side, which works for me - I don't wear strong scents. Plus the Rosabotanica Balenciaga bottle design is gorgeous!

HauteLook Nordstrom Beauty Bag Review

Molton Brown London Pink Pepperpod Body Wash - 1 oz Value $3

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Infinite Mascara - Deluxe Sample Value $13

Ciate Mini Nail Polish in Pool Party - 5 ml Value $5

(FYI - Molton Brown is on sale today at HauteLook... I wonder if we'll see more of the brands included in this bag in future sales!)

I thought this mascara provided really good length, not as much volume as I would have liked though. It does not earn a place in the mascara rotation pile! And I think this nail polish mini is a little too bold for me - it will be swapped!

HauteLook Nordstrom Beauty Bag Review Clinique

Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief - 7 ml Value $5

Lancome Renergie Lift Multi-Action Sunscreen SPF 15 - Value $28

I'm so happy that they included relatively large skincare sample sizes - I will actually get to try these products for a long enough time to see if they work for me!

Verdict: I paid $25 for this bag and received over $150 worth of beauty product - in my opinion this was the best HauteLook Beauty Bag to date! I'm happy with the sample sizes of every item, I think the variety of product categories was well-done, and all the brands featured are high-end established beauty brands. (And the makeup bag itself is pretty cute too!) Now I can't wait until it is Fall Beauty Bag time!

Were you lucky enough to grab a Beauty Bag before they sold out? What do you think of it?

 

 

Liz Cadman
Liz Cadman
Liz is the founder of My Subscription Addiction. She's been hooked on subscription boxes since 2011 thanks to Birchbox, and she now subscribes to over 100 boxes. Her favorites include POPSUGAR Must Have, FabFitFun, and any box that features natural beauty products!

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53 comments

Teresa

How often does this come out? I would love to get in on the next one.

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DQ

I was getting upset that I missed up, then noticed that this review is really old???? It looks like they did them in July of 2014 and July of 2015?
Does that sound right?
I want in.

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Lisa

If this video shows the actual bag for $29, I’m not impressed at all!
https://youtu.be/8myjDJXzhss

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Christine

I know I’m digging up a post that is nearly 11 months old but I was wondering if Hautelook/Nordstrom had stopped doing these or if there was a chance that one would pop up this summer. I signed up for Hautelook last year just for this bag (used your link Liz) and I purchased 2 of them on July 18th according to my order history – so we are almost a year out from when we heard about these. I ended up spending another few hundred dollars with Hautelook over the last year and constantly am looking through it (far far far more than Zulilly and Rue La La). This bag was so great last year. My favorite ‘find’ from this bag was Living Proof. I also got a lot of swaps for the items that I wasn’t interested in, and was able to create nice gift bags out of some of the duplicates that I wasn’t needing. Fingers crossed that they do this again. One thing of note, it feels like Crown Brush is on Hautelook ever single week yet they weren’t represented in this bag.. hmm maybe this year. I like to buy my Macadamia Cleansing Conditioner from them, Mirenesse Mascara and I just bought some Skinn Olive and Enzyme cleanser from them last week that I first sampled via Ipsy (smells like the icing you put on breakfast rolls – the orange vanilla kind) so I hope that if they do it this year they get a sampling of those other brands.

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Jeanine

I have been not so patiently waiting as well…never gotten one!

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Can someone tell me if a summer box has come out yet?

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Kelli

As far as I know, they haven’t done one of these bags since last summer. There was supposed to be a new bag every season, but that hasn’t happened. Super disappointing.

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Thank you for letting me know. Let’s hope another comes out soon!!!

Machele

When is the next bag I’m so anxiously waiting

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Cindy

Would really like to know if these are still happening.

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Jeanine McAuliffe

Thanks sooo much for the 411 !!! I REALLY want one of those subs, I bet it’s the best!!!!

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Jeanine

You finally stumped me on sub boxes..never knew about this one!!! So I’m assuming they already did the winter box..any idea when the next one will come out?? I really hope I get to it in time!! TIA!!

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Naimah

I can never find a link to purchase this box. Help! lol

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Liz Cadman

This box is only available for a few days every season, so there is no link to purchase now. I’ll post when the fall box is coming up though!

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Kelli

Any word yet on when the fall beauty bag will be available? I feel like we are heading into “winter bag” territory now that we are in December. ;-D

Rebecca F.

Received mine several days ago but just opened it last night. The Molton Brown body wash had cracked open and leaked everywhere. I contacted them tonight in hopes of at least getting a credit issued. I love these bags and it is the first time I’ve ever had an issue. I’ll definitely purchase the next one!

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Goldie007

Thanks for showing the bag. It looked like a great purchase. However, I am done with these types of sales. Twice burned and nothing to show for it but “encouragement” from Nordstrom’s to go buy the full size versions of the samples. That was a goofy response indeed. So, I’m out for these types of sales. My time and money is too valuable. I did give them an earful concerning folks being able to buy multiple bags during these sales. Unfair situation all around.

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Michelle

I didn’t get lucky enough to get one. I was trying so hard to get one. Kept refreshing the page. I was stuck on my phone at work trying to get it and it never worked out. I hope they make more bags for the next sale. 🙁

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Shirly

I was one of those people that waited for an hour or so in front of the computer for the bag to go on sale. When I received it, my Ciate Mini nail polish was missing. So sad… I have never tried that brand and was looking forward to using it.

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S

I LOVE the color (I got the coral-ish one) and the matte finish and the quick dry – but the polish chips like no polish I’ve ever used in my life. It’s a shame because it is so lovely but I’m not kidding, my manicure lasted about 25 minutes before it all chipped off. 🙁

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Sneaky Burrito

I’m not having that problem at all. Although I put it on my toes and they usually last longer than my fingers. I used Seche Vite quick dry topcoat and no base coat.

Sneaky Burrito

They won’t send you another one, but they’ll probably give you a partial refund if you contact them. It might only be $2 or $3. But it’s better than nothing. (Ciate will be in Sample Society in August if you sign up now, or you can use the CIATE code for a Glossybox subscription and get one that way.)

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Shirly

Thank you! I contacted Hautelook and they credited $3.75 back to my credit card. I still wish I had the polish, but I guess it is better than nothing. 🙂

Sara

Thanks for your review! I always enjoy everything you blog about.
I managed to purchase two bags for me and a friend about ten minutes after the bags were offered. My main attraction was the Lancome products since they are so expensive in general. Overall it’s a great bag for the price and larger sized samples. I’m excited to try everything and am hoping nothing breaks me out! I just wish three items were not missing from the bags!

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Alyssa

If anyone likes whish and is interested, the whish body butter sets are sold at Costco right now. They also have whish shave gel sets, and the honest company baby washes.

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cheryl

Oh I hope they find “extras” and run a sale!

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Une parisienne

Hey, how do you know when these are up? Hautelook’s newsletter didn’t mention it and I was really looking forward to it……sooooo saaaaad

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sheila

I look at hautelook frequently and click on the top tool bar on “beauty” and it shows me whats coming up for the next 3 days, so I can prepare to go on the site at 10:00 a.m. to get the Nordstrom beauty bag:)

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Melissa H.

Liz posted here about the Hautelook Beauty Bag sale about a week before it went off and then a few times throughout the week leading up to the sale kickoff. If she hadn’t, I honestly would not have known about it. I am still new to this subscription box game.

If you haven’t already, sign up for the newsletter to get updates sent to your email address.

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Une parisienne

How do you know when to log in? I get Hautelook newsletter and there was nothing in it! I’m new to the american way of subs and I find it pretty annoying when things aren’t stocked as they should….

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Jenny

I had planned on buying this bag the night before. That morning I was like naahhh I’ll skip it.

Now I’m filled with regret D:

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Nicole M.

Did anyone else’s Kiwi Scrub smell odd? I thought it would smell fruity or like a Kiwi but it doesn’t at all.

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Sara

Mine smells earthy and fresh, really a ‘green’ smell and I love it.

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Melissa H.

I think the only thing “fruity” in that scrub is the kiwi seeds. I will finish up the sample jar, but the smell is one reason I won’t actually buy the full size.

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Nicole M.

I won’t be buying the full size either! It works great but I can’t get over the smell of it!

Emily

I loved most everything from this bag with the exception of the Bottega Veneta fragrance which I will definitely be swapping. But I absolutely love the Rosabotanica so at least I found one new perfume I love.

When I first opened my bag I was disappointed to find that they forgot my Fresh Rose Face Mask. I emailed Hautelook about this and they said that while they would not be able to replace the product they are going to refund me for 20% of the cost of the bag.

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Sara

I was missing two items from one bag and one item from the other bag. I didn’t even realize it until I saw another blog post listing the full contents of what I should have received! Haute Look gave me a $10 credit and that was all they could do about it they said. They purchase the items after all the orders come in and can’t control what the other company does they say…. So yeah, it was a big disappointment!

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Jill

Do you or anyone have a secret for shipping perfume? I swapped the other fragrance, and one Post Office gave me a flat “no” when I said it was perfume and knew it had to be shipped ground. She just handed it back to me. I tried a smaller Post Office the other day, and that clerk seemed very jumpy about it. She confirmed that it was a “very small” amount, then went to check with someone in the back. That person was on break, so she said she guessed it was OK and hoped it wouldn’t be a problem. So I took my other perfume off the swap list because I didn’t want to deal with it again!

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Melissa H.

Actually, a lot of the stuff we swap- perfume, nail polish, pressurized hair products- are a no-no for air travel according to Post Office regulations. That said, the amounts are so small, I doubt one of them would cause a serious issue if it leaked or burst. Full size hair sprays and perfumes are another story. Those should usually always be shipped UPS or Fed Ex Ground. (My father once tried to ship several large cans of paint to a job site via UPS Overnight Air and it leaked. UPS came thisclose to banning him as a customer for life!!)

Alyssa

They told me it was an issue because they use planes, so I’m not sure why ground was an issue. Perhaps try ups or fedex?

Jamie

You could use a flat rate shipping box and go to a post office with a do it yourself kiosk. You don’t have to interact with anyone that way 🙂

Sneaky Burrito

Do you have a post office with a self-serve kiosk?

Stacey

I just realized looking at this that they forgot my Stila! Now I’m bummed because I was really looking forward to it…

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Sneaky Burrito

Also, contact them. I had a bad product in my “all lips” bag from a few months back and they gave me a partial refund.

Melissa H.

Try the swap site. A lot of ladies (including myself) are looking to swap the Stila lip gloss for something else.

Sheila

Did anyone else’s Lancôme have an expiration date of 11/14? I usually expect at least a year on sunscreen.

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Sara

Both of the jars I have expire on 11/15. I would let Haute Look know because that does not seem fair. But remember that even if it’s expired, the product doesn’t know that of course so it’s probably still fine to use for several months afterwards.

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Angela

I was so excited to receive this box and it was definitely not a disappointment!

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kiwimango

I squee’d a bit seeing the Molton Brown in your bag. That would have made me giddy if I had bought this. The rest looks like a decent haul! I don’t care for that bag though.

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Melissa H.

Most of the items ended up on the swap site with the exception of the rose mask, kiwi scrub, and the Bottega Veneta Essence- my favorite item. I absolutely love this scent and I’ll most likely buy the full size once the mini bottle is used up.

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Angela

I was in the site within 6 minutes of it going on sale, and it was already sold out… I think it lasted a little longer if you purchased it using the app, though…

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