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Target “Best of Skincare” Beauty Box Review – December 2020

Jessica Hapak
ByJessica HapakDec 2, 2020 | 5 comments

While Target no longer launches a beauty box every month, they still release curated sets from time to time.

This is a review of the "Best of Skincare" Target Beauty Box which is still available for purchase!

My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).

About Target Beauty Box

The Box: Target Best of Box – Skincare Edition

Cost: $14.99

The Products:

  • La Roche-Posay Retinol Face Serum with Vitamin B3 – 0.10 oz
  • Cetaphil Normal to Oily Skin Daily Facial Cleanser – 1 oz
  • Vichy LiftActiv Anti-Aging Ampoules with Peptide-C – 10ct/0.06 oz each
  • Aquaphor Ointment Body Spray & Dry Skin Relief – 0.86 oz
  • SLMD Skincare Salicylic Acid Cleanser – 1 oz
  • Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion for Dry Skin – 1 oz
  • CeraVe Cream-to-Foam Cleanser – 0.5 oz
  • CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion with Sunscreen – 0.17 oz
  • CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion – 0.17 oz

Ships to: The U.S.

Good to know: Target has a 14-day price match policy! If you purchase this for full-price and it goes on sale within 14 days, a quick chat with customer service can get you a refund for the price difference.

Check out all of the Target Beauty Box reviews and all of our reviews of Cheap Subscription Boxes!

December 2020 Target Beauty Box "Best of Skincare" Review

The back of the bag detailed with the products included and their size.

 

I love the blue silicone bag everything came packaged in – the color is fun and the bag is a nice size. I'll definitely be reusing this!

 

La Roche-Posay Retinol Face Serum with Vitamin B3, 0.10 oz - Estimated Value $4 (buy the 1 oz version for $39.99).

Retinol (the star ingredient of this serum) literally takes months for you to see its effects, so this sample is really just to make sure your skin doesn’t react to the retinol, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide formula that is designed to fight the signs of aging and brighten your complexion. This product has two ingredients I don’t love (added fragrance and denatured alcohol), so while this may not be the retinol for me it could still be the retinol for you. 

 

Cetaphil Normal to Oily Skin Daily Facial Cleanser, 1 oz - Estimated Value $1.50 (buy the 2 oz version for $2.99)

Cetaphil is a drugstore brand frequently recommended by dermatologists. This formula is gentle enough for daily use, but I personally would reach for something more moisturizing for my dry skin since this is marketed towards those with normal or oily skin. Texture-wise, this cleanser has a thinner formula that glides across my skin with ease, so I don’t have to use any elbow grease to rub it into my skin when I cleanse. 

 

Vichy LiftActiv Anti-Aging Ampoules with Peptide-C, 1 ct - Estimated Value $2.95 (buy a set of 10 for $29.50)

I love vials like these – I feel so fancy when I break them open to use them. The formula in this ampoule contains vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and Phyto-peptide, while also being fragrance-free. I like using concentrated treatments like these before a sheet mask, in my mind, they help my skin absorb it all, but there is no science whatsoever to back this theory up. That being said, I enjoyed it and it was a nice way to add some extra pampering to my routine. 

 

Aquaphor Ointment Body Spray & Dry Skin Relief, 0.86 oz - Estimated Value $2.09 (buy the 3.7 oz version for $8.99)

I’m excited about this concept, while Aquaphor can be great at healing dry skin and other ailments, the thickness of the texture can sometimes make it hard to apply and rub in. This spray formula makes this so much easier! I left it on my vanity and have found myself reaching for it in random moments when I had a patch of irritated skin or dryness that I wanted to address and move on. This is a product I could see myself re-purchasing!

 

SLMD Skincare Salicylic Acid Cleanser, 1 oz - Estimated Value $5.95 (buy the 4.2 oz version for $24.99)

This skincare line was created by Dr. Sandra Lee, who is better known as “Dr. Pimple Popper.” This cleanser is designed to keep acne and blackheads at bay, and it features salicylic acid along with allantoin and oat, ginger, and green tea extract. This was a gentle acne cleanser that didn’t feel too drying on my skin, but I don’t think it would be a good everyday cleanser for me. 

 

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion for Dry Skin, 1 oz - Estimated Value $0.68 (buy the 8 oz version for $5.49)

This is a classic body lotion I’m happy to have a small sample of. I can toss it in my purse for when I feel like my skin is dry when I’m out and about. This is made with oatmeal, dimethicone, glycerin, and petrolatum, so it is soothing to sensitive skin or any skin that’s been chapped from cold or wind. I appreciate that there is no added fragrance, too, when my skin is sensitive, I like staying away from additional fragrance in case it causes irritation. 

 

CeraVe Cream-to-Foam Cleanser, 0.5 oz - Estimated Value $0.47 (buy the 16 oz version for $14.99)

This cleanser is made with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and amino acids while being fragrance-free. The texture starts off creamy and becomes slightly foamy once water is added, and the texture was pleasant on my dry skin. Once this was rinsed away my skin didn’t feel like it was stripped, and I don’t really have anything negative to say about the gentle, slightly boring cleanse this gave me. 

 

CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion with Sunscreen, 0.17 oz - Estimated Value $1.14 (buy the 2 oz version for $13.49)

I am a big, big proponent of daily sunscreen use, so I don’t usually reach for SPF moisturizers because I worry I’m not applying enough for full protection. That being said, this formula is made with three different ceramides and hyaluronic acid, and it was lightweight on my skin. If you struggle with wearing sunscreen every day, this could be a good option to replace your moisturizer and get some protection from the sun. 

CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion, 0.17 oz - Estimated Value $0.93 (buy the 2 oz version for $10.99)

This moisturizer was a lot more lightweight than what I expecting for a product targeted for nighttime use. If you have oily skin you may enjoy this, but for my dry skin, I would really only use it as a morning moisturizer underneath a hydrating sunscreen. Once this was applied I noticed that it left a slightly sticky finish, which was unexpected. 

Verdict: Wow, this box had a lot of cleansers. That, combined with three different Cerave products, makes this feel less like the “Best of Skincare” and more like “here’s what we could scrounge up.” Cleansers are usually also the cheapest product a brand offers, so I wish more moisturizers, serums, or sunscreens were featured instead. That being said, if this set features products you’ve been wanting to try, or that you already enjoy and would like to have minis of, this could still be worth it. Value-wise, everything in this box adds up to $19.71. Target promised a value of $33 for this kit, and I have no idea where they found that extra $14 in value. Target usually curates great sets, but as a skincare lover, I was disappointed with this one. 

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you order today? Yes, as of publication, this box is still available for purchase.

Make sure to sign up for the My Subscription Addiction daily newsletter so you don’t miss the next one!

Value Breakdown: This box cost $14.99 and has an estimated value of $19.71; here’s what you are paying approximately per item: 

  • La-Roche Posay: $3.04
  • Cetaphil: $1.14
  • Vichy: $2.24
  • Aquaphor: $1.59
  • SLMD: $4.52
  • Aveeno: $.52
  • Cerave Cleanser: $.36
  • Cerave AM: $0.87
  • Cerave PM: $0.71

Check out all of our Target Beauty Box reviews to learn more about this beauty box, along with more cheap subscription boxes!

Keep Track of the Target Beauty Box in your subscription list or wishlist!

What do you think of the Target Best of Skincare Box?

Jessica Hapak
Jessica Hapak
I am a staunch believer that pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza and when I’m not working as a family law attorney I enjoy hiking the Louisiana trails (alligator sightings are a favorite!) or relaxing with Duchess, my cat. I’m a sucker for anything labeled a mystery box and I’ve never met a bath bomb I didn’t like.

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5 comments

Sarah

For people who like the bag but were less than thrilled with this contents, there is another kit that looks like it has the same bag, the “clean beauty edition.” I picked that one up but it hasn’t arrived yet. I hope it’s reviewed on MSA!

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Jessica Hapak

Hi Sarah!
I’m finishing up the review of that set soon. Thanks for reading 🙂

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Tolin

Thanks, this was a very helpful review; I was going to order this set but now I’m not going to bother. I bet they’d say the bag was worth $14.

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Amy in KC

Thanks for the honest review. I almost purchased this box, because I love skincare and also fell in love with the mint green bag, but I was able to resist. Now I’m glad I did. If it were under $10, I’d snatch it up.

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Snow

Bring back the $7 monthly beauty boxes!! A lot of these new Target kits barely break even with the actual cost. Just nothing to get real excited for ho-hum.

Doesn’t Cetaphil have a bunch of parabens and alcohol in it? I could be wrong, but thought I read that in a book recently.

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