Beautylish is an online retailer for prestige skincare and beauty brands. Once a year, they offer a "Lucky Bag" for sale, which will contain a mystery assortment of products they currently sell. This year they offered the original Lucky Bag ( $75 for $150+ worth of products), the Lucky Bag XL ($150 for $300+ worth of products), as well as Lucky Bags featuring exclusively Jeffree Star Cosmetics.
FYI - Unfortunately, this box sold out quickly, and before we could announce it with a dedicated post.
This is a review of the original Lucky Bag, which is no longer available for purchase. Click here to get on the waitlist for next year!
These Lucky Bags were inspired by the Japanese tradition of Fukubukuro!
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
About this Bag from Beautylish
The Box: Beautylish Original Lucky Bag
The Cost: $75 +$10 U.S. shipping
The Products: A mystery assortment worth at least $150
Ships to: The U.S. for $10, worldwide for $15-$20
Beautylish Lucky Bag January 2021 Review
Riki Loves Riki Riki Skinny Mirror – Retail Value $195
Oh my gosh, this mirror. We must talk about this mirror. First, I know it may be hard to believe, but when I purchased this box I did it from a personal account that had no affiliation to MySubscriptionAddiction – they didn’t have a way of knowing this box would be reviewed and then try to send me an extra Lucky Lag. I just wanted to state that clearly, because I know some readers have had concerns with other boxes in the past that MSA would get a better version than what most people received. Ever since last year when I was browsing spoilers on Reddit and saw that two people received a Riki mirror, I always imagined how cool it would be to get one in mine. I thought that back in early 2020, and in the summer when the box randomly crossed my mind, and then again when I set an alarm to make sure I could purchase this box as soon as it went live. When I received my tracking information from FedEx I figured there was no way my box contained a Riki, because the package information had the weight listed at 0.8 pounds (when I would browse Reddit searching for spoilers, it was common to see people sharing the weight of their packages as if that might give any insight into what could be inside). Needless to say, my box weighed a bit more than that. Once it was delivered and I got home and saw the package, I thought to myself “wow, this box is big. I wonder if there is a Riki mirror inside” not actually believing I could be that lucky. Yes, my jaw hit the floor when I actually opened the box.
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Now that I have waxed poetic about this mirror, let’s talk about the actual performance. The parent company of Riki is Glamcor, which (according to their website) is the #1 lighting brand in the industry. Whether or not that's accurate, they definitely know their stuff. $195 is a steep price to pay for a vanity mirror, but boy is it worth it. How do I know? I actually purchased this exact mirror three years ago during a Black Friday sale. Yes, this is in fact my second Riki mirror. But the Jessica of three years ago was so much younger and messier, and the combination of moving and just being less than responsible has left the original mirror pretty beat up, and I’ve lost many of the components it came with. The lights, however, still work perfectly.
This mirror is slightly bigger than the size of an iPad, and it has five different light settings that you can dim or brighten to your preferred light level. The lights have a Color Rendering Index of +90, which means it's powered to be able to show the colors of an object realistically and naturally compared to if you were standing in broad daylight. Compared to all other lighting sources I have tried (a few other mirrors, standing really close to random lamps), this is the best for replicating natural light. Even on its lowest setting, the lighting on this mirror still shows me details about my face I had no idea about, like random hairs, small capillary veins, and clogged pores. The mirror has Bluetooth capabilities and comes with a magnetic clip to hold your phone in the center of the mirror, so it works great for recording makeup and skincare tutorials or doing a live stream GRWM. There is also a button you can press on the mirror that will have your phone snap a selfie, which is super convenient. I’ve used this mirror to do my makeup on Instagram Live back in pre-Covid times when I was going out every weekend and doing my best to look fabulous while I did it. Along with the phone holder, this also comes with a round 3x magnifying mirror that can magnetically attach to the Riki, and the charging accessories (it can be charged by any standard USB-C cord, which is what I’ve used on my old mirror since losing the original cord). I wouldn’t tell you to buy a Lucky Bag in the hopes of getting a Riki Mirror, but I absolutely will tell you to buy this mirror if you’re looking for a truly amazing light source. And yes, I will be springing for the $50 case to keep this mirror safe and sound and all of the accessories secure.
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Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Eyeshadow Palette in Walk of No Shame – Retail Value $53
Every time I purchase a Lucky Bag I hope for a product from Charlotte Tilbury but this is the first time I have actually had it happen! I could tell this was slightly older stock because my box had the palette labeled as “Walk of Shame,” which is the same exact product as the "Walk of No Shame" palette. Last year Charlotte Tilbury rebranded her Walk of Shame collection to reflect more sex-positivity by calling it the Walk of No Shame, and I appreciate the name change. The products and colors are exactly the same, though. This eyeshadow quad features a berry-rose color palette that includes a peach champagne color with a metallic finish (the upper left shade), a sunset pink shimmer (upper right), a berry-hued crimson shimmer (lower right), and a rose gold sparkle with a foil finish (lower left). All of the shadows are soft and blend easily, and the shimmer finishes add dimension without being too glittery. This palette looked more peachy than red on my eyes (which is how I prefer it), and within ten minutes of leaving my apartment wearing this eyeshadow, I received a compliment from a stranger.
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Danessa Myricks Beauty Dew Wet Balm in Clear, 0.125 oz – Retail Value $22
I was so confused on this stuff. While that silver layer looks like a fogged-up mirror, it actually is the highlighting balm. It goes on clear and while at first use I wasn’t the most impressed, once I stepped out into the real world and caught sight of my cheekbones in a selfie, I was able to appreciate the natural-looking luminosity this balm gave me. I really felt like this had me looking like my skin was naturally glowing, and on me, it didn’t feel too heavy or leave me looking too shiny. I will say my skin is dry, though, so I don’t know if those with oily skin will feel the same way.
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Anastasia Beverly Hills Matte Lipstick in Hollywood, 0.12 oz – Retail Value $18
If there was a dud in this box I would say this is it. I really like this brand, but I don’t feel like the shade is my color (my sister disagrees. However, I rarely listen to that woman). The matte formula was also a bit drying on my lips and tugged on my lips when I applied it. This is in my makeup drawer but I don’t actually know if I’ll reach for it again.
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Wayne Goss Brush 20 Eyeshadow Smudging Brush – Retail Value $22
This brush is hand-made in Kumano Japan by more than 20 artisans who use traditional brush-making techniques. I don’t know what those techniques are, but I love this brush. I had been hoping to get a Wayne Goss brush or Sonia G brush in my Lucky Bag because I have heard great things about the performance, but the price of the brushes makes me hesitant to purchase them outright. This is made with silky goat hair (no goats were harmed – this brand is cruelty-free!) and has a smaller tuft that picks up pigment beautifully and allows me to pack on the color wherever I want it on my eye. This is one of those products where, with one use, I could feel and see the quality compared to the eye shadow brushes I have been using, and even though this is labeled as a smudging brush I definitely use it as more of a multipurpose eyeshadow brush.
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Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wake Up Eye Gel, 0.5 oz – Retail Value $6
If you haven’t heard of Good Molecules before, think of them as the Beautylish in-house alternative to The Ordinary. This eye gel is made with sustainably- and ethically-sourced yerba mate (a natural source of antioxidants to fight oxidative damage) from Brazilian farms that are committed to zero deforestation, pesticide-free farming, and traceability. It has a slight cooling sensation when applied, and it has a really lightweight texture that glides across the skin. Along with the yerba mate, this formula contains caffeine, peptides, and three different types of hyaluronic acid designed to reduce puffiness, add hydration, and make the skin around your eyes look more energized. For how affordable this product is, I definitely say give it a shot if you’re looking for a new eye cream (might I suggest this bundle, which pairs the eye cream with their hydrogel eye patches that I also love).
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Here I am wearing all four shades of the Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadow palette, the Dew Wet Balm, and the ABH lipstick. This photo was taken with my phone attached to the mirror using the magnetic holder with the lights on. Even though there was barely any daylight outside, the mirror still helped me take a great selfie.
Here’s a shot that was taken when I was outside. I feel like the Dew Wet Balm is really shining through here.
The Verdict: I genuinely look forward to my Lucky Bag months before Beautylish even makes them available for sale. The element of surprise combined with the great assortment of brands featured means almost endless possibilities. I think it’s pretty clear my bag this year was extra lucky with the total value coming in at $316, and I am thankful for that. My biggest tip if you’re going to join the Lucky Bag hype next year is to not look at all of the bag spoilers. I know firsthand that can be part of the fun, but I actually think it can make you less happy with what you get in your box because you’re so busy comparing it to what other people received (and there’s such a wide variety of products included, you can start to get set in what products would actually make you happy). I’m not saying spoilers and unboxings aren’t fun, I just recommend taking a peek at the products other people received after you already receive your box.
To Wrap Up:
Can you get this box if you sign up today? No, this is only offered once a year on December 26.
Value Breakdown: This box cost $85 ($75 + $10 shipping) and I calculated a total value of $316. That means you're paying approximately the following per item:
- Riki: $52.45
- Charlotte Tilbury: $14.25
- Danessa Myricks: $5.92
- ABH: $4.84
- Wayne Goss: $5.92
- Good Molecules: $1.61
For more makeup fun, check out our reader-voted list of the top makeup subscriptions for 2020!
Are you going to get a Lucky Bag next year? If you got one this time around, share your box contents below!
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