Avène recently released a Lunar New Year Mystery Bag for $45.00.
Celebrate the Year of the Rat - bring in wealth and surplus with 8 lucky gifts from the brand dedicated to sensitive skin.
FYI: This bag is still currently available for purchase!
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About this Skincare Mystery Bag
The Box: Avène Lunar New Year Mystery Bag
The Cost: $45
The Products: This bag includes 4 full-sized products, 1 travel size, and 1 sample with a total value of $100
Ships to: The US for free
Avene Lunar New Year Mystery Bag Review
I am pretty new to Avène's products; I owned a travel size of their Thermal Spring Water and loved it, but that is about the extent of my experience with them. I love that they cater to sensitive skin, which mine tends to be on occasion, and I also love that they indicate whether a product is safe for children on each product which is convenient for a mama of three like me! So let's dive in and see what we received!
You may be wondering why they mentioned "8 lucky gifts" when 4 full sizes, 1 travel, and 1 sample only add up to 6 - I am assuming this is because they are also including the two samples that you get to choose at check out which makes for a total of 8 products that I received. While I was happy to receive some extra samples, I don't think they should count towards the total value since this is something that seems to be offered with every order and not this bag in particular.
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Bonus Sample: Hydrance Light Hydrating Emulsion, 0.06 oz - Estimated Value $4.25 (Buy a 1.35 oz full size for $32.00)
The first sample I chose was the Hydrance Light. This was actually my favorite product that I tried from Avène. It felt cooling as it absorbed into my skin and gave my skin a dewy look that was totally dry to the touch since it absorbed so nicely. I definitely noticed a tightening effect and even felt like there was some minimizing of lines on my face! I wish this was a bigger sample because I'd love to see how it works for me after consistent use!
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Bonus Sample: PhysioLift Day Smoothing Emulsion, 0.1 oz – Estimated Value $4.75 (Buy a 1.01 oz. full size for $48.00)
The next sample I chose was the PhysioLift. This one left my skin soft and smooth, it was very light and again it absorbed well. I didn't notice any huge improvements in my skin as I did with the Hydrance even though this is the one that is supposed to minimize fine lines and restore skin's luminosity.
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Cicalfate Restorative Skin Cream, 0.06 oz – Estimated Value $1.29 (Buy a full size 1.3 oz for $28.00)
This is the first item from my actual mystery bag, a sample of their Cicalfate cream which is one of their family-friendly options that can be used to restore skin and reduce scarring. It contains a copper-zinc sulfate complex that is meant to promote a healthy skin environment so that skin can recover. I had a dry area on my face that I used this on, and I was pleased with the results! While it didn't take away any of the redness from the area, it definitely healed my skin. It was a nice thick cream that took a while to absorb since it is a zinc formula, but I could see keeping this on hand for myself and the kids for future use!
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Cleanance Cleansing Gel, 1.6 oz – Estimated Value $7.15 (Buy a 6.7 oz for $30.00)
The travel size sample I received was of their Cleanance cleansing gel for face and body and it's a great size to test out its compatibility with your skin. This seems like a well-loved product and I can see why. This cleanser is soap-free and provides a deep clean to help restore natural balance to your skin. I found it to be gentle and it left my skin feeling clean but not too dry. It seems like it is a great choice for those who have oily skin, but since my skin is on the drier side, this one wasn't ideal for me. While it didn't dry me out, I need a bit more hydration from my cleanser.
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Trixera Nutrition Nutri-Fluid Lotion, 13.5 oz FULL SIZE – Retail Value $42.00
The first full-size product I received was this bottle of lotion which is meant for dry, sensitive skin. This is a pretty generous sized lotion at 13.5 oz and the cost is almost equivalent to what we paid for this bag. It contains ceramides and other ingredients that can replenish lipids, calm discomfort, and hydrate your skin for 48 hours. I like that I can use it on almost the whole family since it is safe for ages 3 and up. I thought it was pretty light and left my skin feeling soft, but it has a fairly strong fragrance that I didn't care for. It reminded me of the oil from Avon that my granny used to use. I think the scent will deter me from using this one, unfortunately, but hopefully, I can find someone to pass it along to!
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Cold Cream Lip Butter, 0.02 oz FULL SIZE- Retail Value $16.00
I was a little thrown off when I opened this little jar because it was called Cold Cream. I only glanced at it, so it took me a minute to realize this was a lip butter. I can always use a little extra love for my dry lips this time of year and this stuff provided instant relief for my lips. It left a clear shiny finish that I actually liked and while it didn't clear up my dry lips when I wore it overnight, I could see this being a great product to protect my lips from wind and cold. This contains jojoba oil, shea butter, and alpha-bisabolol which is what provides that instant relief.
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Pamper and Refresh Set – Listed Value $44.00
My last two full-size items came in a set, and because this is how they were packaged and sold, I'm going to use the suggested retail price instead of their individual costs towards the total, but I will list their retail values below. As a set, we received the body scrub and body melt along with a nice loofah. I thought it was nice to receive a set like this with the loofah being a great little bonus.
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Gentle Scrub, 6.7 oz FULL SIZE – Retail Value $24.00
This body scrub was very gentle with super fine particles made from biodegradable cellulose and jojoba wax suspended in a light gel. I didn't notice any immediate radiance like the box statistics showed (96% felt skin texture was refined and radiance restored after the first use), but I'm not sure if I would notice it if my body did look more radiant? The scrub had a very light scent and left my skin feeling clean. While I will enjoy the rest of this tube of scrub, I didn't find it to be anything that I will be switching to for regular use.
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Moisturizing Melt-In Balm, 8.4 oz FULL SIZE - Retail Value $30
This body melt lotion was a bit lighter in texture than I expected and again, it is a pretty generous size at 8.4 oz. It had a faint scent of rose, jasmine, and bergamot that I liked and it left my skin feeling moisturized and smooth. This has shea oil, camelina oil, safflower oil, and glycerin to nourish and restore your skin. I did agree with the claims that it was non-greasy and not sticky and it definitely left my skin feeling hydrated the next morning when using it the night before.
The Verdict: I think that my Mystery Bag from Avène delivered value-wise with my estimate coming in at around $110.44, which is over their promised value of $100 and doesn't take into account the two free samples I received! That being said, I was really looking forward to trying some products from their facial skincare line and aside from the two samples I chose, I really only received one true facial skincare item which was the travel size Cleanance gel (which was a great one, if there only had to be one). The lip butter (which I guess falls under facial skincare, technically) and the Cicalfate are both great and I am happy with those, but I was pretty disappointed that the other three full-size items were all body products and two lotions at that. While it's great the lotions were such generous sizes, it feels like a waste because it's so much product to get through. I think it was still a decent haul overall, but it didn't satisfy my curiosity as to how their products might work for my face!
To Wrap Up:
Can you get this box if you order today? Yes, as of publication, this mystery bag is still available for purchase!
Value Breakdown: This kit costs $45.00 with free shipping. I estimated the total value to be about $110.44 (not counting the two chosen samples). That means you’re paying approximately the following per item:
- Cicalfate Sample: $0.53
- Cleanance: $2.91
- Trixera Lotion: $17.11
- Lip Butter: $6.52
- Scrub & Balm Set: $17.93
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What do you think of this Avène Lunar New Year Mystery Bag?
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