Everyone knows Sephora is a beauty store where you can find almost anything and everything related to makeup, skincare, body care, hair care, and self-care, but they also released curated sets under their Sephora Favorites brand. A few times a year you can count on them to release a new makeup set that includes a few full-size makeup products and other goodies for a discounted price, and one of the newer sets they released is this Mini Holiday Must Haves Set.
FYI – this set is still available, while supplies last.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
First Impressions
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This set comes with everything securely packaged inside a blue box, with the products safely nestled inside and additional information printed on the back. Every Sephora purchase lets you use choose two free samples when you check out. When you make a purchase over $25, you're also eligible to add on a gift with purchase- or, you can use a discount code to save up to 20% during their holiday savings event!
The Breakdown – What’s Inside This Limited Edition Box From Sephora
Benefit Cosmetics Roller Lash Curling & Lifting Mascara in Black, 0.14 oz – Retail Value $14
I’ve been using this mascara on and off for years since it launched while I was in undergrad. It does a really good job of curling and lengthening my lashes without clumping, and I don’t have issues with this causing raccoon eyes or smearing down my cheeks. I enjoy this mascara on its own, but when I’m craving a dramatic eye I will pair this with a more volumizing formula and end up with big lashes that are still defined.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, 1.1 oz – Retail Value $21
If you’ve been wanting to try the new Charlotte Tilbury setting spray, it being included in this set practically makes the box- especially since the cost of just the spray is two-thirds the cost of the entire box. I am a big Charlotte Tilbury fan, but I have been in a steady relationship with my Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray for years with occasional trysts with the Milk Makeup Hydrogrip Setting Spray. If it ain’t broke, why try to fix it? That being said, trying new makeup products brings me joy and it’s Charlotte, so I was excited. This is an alcohol-free and oil-free setting spray, and it’s made with Japanese green tea and has some sort of science with polymers that allegedly has this setting spray form a film over your skin that keeps your makeup in place. I don’t know about that last part, but I did like the way this setting spray looked on my skin. I feel like I would need a hot Louisiana day to really put this setting spray to the test, but so far so good!
Living Proof Perfect hair Day (PhD) Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo, 2.4 oz – Retail Value $18
This dry shampoo is not a good fit for me, but it is really going to make those with oily scalps happy. Because of my curly hair, my scalp rarely gets oily- and it is also a very rare occasion that I take a brush through my hair when it is dry, unless I have heat styled it to make it straight. This dry shampoo is an even more powerful version of their Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo, and they claim this will clean your scalp just like a rinse-out shampoo. That’s the opposite of what I personally need for my hair, but curly hair is its own beast to maintain- I know someone like my sister, who will use her Dyson to blowout her hair and try to leave it smooth for days at a time would get a ton of use out of this.
Saie Glowy Supergel Highlighter in Starglow, 0.5 oz – Retail Value $16
This dewy highlighter meant what they said when this was named a glowy super gel. It has a lightweight texture gel that is different from any other highlighter I have tried, and it blends nicely onto my skin thanks to ingredients like glycerin and rosehip seed oil. The shade Starglow is a universal champagne, and the sparkle is incredibly fine. Because of the texture and the way the product is formulated, this works for me as a luminizing highlighter that looks beautiful once mixed into my foundation and applied all over my face (as opposed to only being applied to the high points of my face). It gives me such a radiant finish without any heaviness!
Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask, 0.35 oz – Estimated Value $9.10 (buy the 1 oz version for $26)
The very first time I tried this mask it left my skin very unhappy and with a bright red allergic reaction to something in the formula. I was bummed, because this was the IT GIRL mask on Instagram at the time. It turns out I wasn’t the only one who experienced issues with it though, because Summer Fridays actually reformulated their Jet Lag mask over a year ago and took out all essential oils and fragrances (I think the original formula had peppermint essential oil in it, but that wasn’t the only one). This new formulation is good stuff- my sensitive skin loves it. I can reach for this as a soothing treatment when I am dealing with a rosacea flare, rather than having it cause a rosacea flare. It really shines when it you have parched skin that needs a hydrating treatment- you can apply a thick layer as a wash-off mask, or you can also use this as a sleeping mask overnight or even as a moisturizing treatment to wear while flying (because flying at high altitudes sucks the moisture from your skin). I own the full-size version of this mask and it is a treat, and this smaller sample is adorable (and going straight into my travel skincare bag).
Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Body Cream, 25 mL – Estimated Value $7.33 (buy the 75 mL version for $22)
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If you have lived your life without smelling the iconic Bum Bum cream scent from Sol De Janeiro, I am honestly impressed. People usually either love it or hate it the gourmand smell of salted caramel, pistachio, and vanilla, and I fall into the "love it" category- and this is also my fiance’s favorite body lotion that I use. The smell is definitely strong though, so be warned if you are sensitive to fragrance- I lean into it and wear pair this body lotion with their perfume with the same scent notes. Along with leaving me smelling like a literal snack, this leaves my skin incredibly soft, too, thanks to nourishing ingredients like coconut oil and Cupuaçu butter in the formula.
Value – Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $30
Cost Breakdown:
- Benefit Cosmetics: $14 → $4.92
- Charlotte Tilbury: $21 → $7.37
- Living Proof: $18 → $6.32
- Saie: $16 → $5.62
- Summer Fridays: $9.10 → $3.19
- Sol De Janeiro: $7.33 → $2.57
This set promises a $86 value, and my math adds up to $85.43.
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Key Takeaways
I always look forward to the Sephora holidays sets, and I thought this one was rather fantastic. I really like that it includes such well-known brands like Charlotte Tilbury, Summer Fridays, and Sol De Janeiro. While none of these products are "full-size" (though some are available for sale at these smaller sizes), none of the samples received felt especially tiny. My math adds up to a value that's a few quarters of what the promised value was, but I personally feel like the difference is negligible- especially because you can see exactly what you're getting in this set before you make the purchase. If you have a lot of holiday travel coming up or just want to try out the new setting spray from Charlotte Tilbury, I think this is a set worth checking out (especially if you get it at a discount during the Sephora holiday savings event).
Other Things You Should Know
Can you still get this box if you order today? Yes, this is still available.
What do you think of the Sephora Favorites: Mini Holiday Must Haves Set? Which product would you be most excited to try?
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