Yesterday I went on a mission. A mission to spend $69 on anything skincare just to get the goodie bag worth $400… Yes, I forced myself to spent money just so I could get free stuff… So technically not free, right?

Priceline, an Australian drugstore – nay, THE Australian drugstore, holds a few of these gift bag “sales” every year – Hair Care (I’m pretty sure but may be mistaken), Make Up and Skin Care – and people go absolute cray cray over them. This is the first time I have ever been caught up in this hype because I truly believe it is WORTH IT this year!

My learnings:

• I have decided that I am going to buy skin care products once a year in bulk (at the time of gift bags) and then whenever necessary just so I can make use of the offer. Skin care products last anywhere from 6 months to 12 months to even longer, so I figure it should be fine!
• Not everything in skin care counts towards the $69 total so make sure you have the list of brands in hand! (I went to the counter and was about to pay – my card literally hovering over the paypass pad – when I asked about the bag, only to be told that $30 worth of things I had brought to the counter weren’t valid… Hmm…) To help y’all out, these are included: Antipodes, Biore, Burts Bees, Avene, Bondi Sands, Dr. Lewinns, Innoxa, Pure Paw Paw, Lanolips, Model Co, Jergens, Laboratoire Pharmaceutique, Le Tan, Montagne Jeunesse, Nuxe, Physiogel, Rosken, Swisspers, Palmers, Essano, Sukin, Thursday Plantation, Formula 10.0.6, Key Sun, lOreal, Neutrogena, Oxa, Bioderma, Nivea, Garnier.

Alright, it’s a bit of a long one, but let’s start!

To qualify for the bag, here is what I ended up purchasing:

Essano Rosehip Oil (RRP $27.99)
Rosehip Oil works wonders for your skin (especially face). This particular brand, Essano, is reasonably affordable compared to others on the market and is available in a couple of different sizes, as well as in a travel kit with a few other “essentials” and is readily available. Enriched with Acai Berry Antioxidant Oil, this Rosehip is “clinically proven to minimise the appearance of fine lines, scars, stretch marks and sun damage”. As you may know from my April Faves, I’ve been using Bio Oil for a few months now reduce some scars on my face and stretch marks. I’ll be comparing the two after using the Rosehip for a while!

Sukin Cleansing Gel (Sensitive) (RRP:$9.95)
A soap-free gel free from all chemicals! I have extremely sensitive skin that sometimes breaks out into bumps if I use certain soaps, so I thought I’d give a chemical-free (incl sulphate and paraben free) wash a go!

Bioré Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips with Witch Hazel and Tea Tree Oil (RRP:$7.29)
PSA: Witch Hazel!??!: Witch Hazel is actually a shrub with yellow flowers. The bark and leaves are used to create oils and tonics – seriously, just google Witch Hazel and you’ll get a list of many uses!
The pore strips are actually a repurchase but I still havent made up my mind about them. For me, sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. Not in terms of effectiveness but the product itself. For example, the strip doesn’t harden onto my skin and just slips off after 10-15 mins. So I’m going to give it another go because when it does harden, it does work! It’s a weirdly satisfying feeling seeing whats on the strip (soz, tad gross).

Bioré Self-Heating One Minute Mask (with natural charcoal) (RRP:$7.99)
An alternative to strips? I’m going to find out!

aaaand the most exciting one of all;
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse OR (RRP:$29.99)
Saaaaah shiiiinyyyyyyy. This is literally liquid gold. It can be used to nourish hair, soften skin, reduce scarring etc – ENDLESS POSIBILITIES! My favourite? Mixing it with foundation around my designated bronzing area!

 What was in the bag – by “category” with RRPs rounded:

Self-Tanning

Bondi Sands Mitts (RRP $10)
Le Tan Instant Tan in Dark Bronze 110ml (RRP $14)
Unfortunately, I have no use for either of these…

Cleaning

Swisspers Original Unscented Facial Cleansing Wipes (25 wipes) (RRP $6)
Formula 10.0.6 Keep Me Clean Make-up Removing Facial Wipes with Cucumber and Witch Hazel (25 wipes) (RRP $7)
Yaaaay face wipes that don’t sting my eyes!
* Swisspers 80 MakeUp Pads (RRP $3.90)
Other bags contained Cotton Tips as an alternative.

Facial Cleansing/Detoxing

Sukin Detoxifying Clay Masque 100ml (RRP $16)
(Yay – I was going to buy this! So glad it’s in the bag!)
Neutrogena Deep Clean Facial Cleanser 200ml (RRP $14)
Biore Pore Unclogging Scrub 135ml (RRP $10)
Montagne Jeunesse Blemish Mud Mask (RRP $4)

Moisturisers

Dr Lewinn’s Multi-Moisture Balm 50g (RRP. $30)
Jergens Daily Moisture 250ml (RRP $6) 
Palmer’s Hydrating Aloe Vera Lotion 250ml (RRP. $8)
Antipodes Vanilla  Pod Hydrating Day Cream (sample sachet)
*Bioderma Hydrabio Sèrum (sample)
Other bags contained the Nuxe Oil sample.

Other Facial Products
 
*Thursday Plantation Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Toner (RRP $10)
Other bags contained Nurture Oil (RRP $13.49)
Avene Eau Thermale Spring Water Mist 50ml (RRP $10)
Innoxa Organic Brightening Eye Creme 15ml (RRP $20)
Antipodes Apostle Skin-Brightening & Tone-Correcting Serum 30ml (RRP $60)

L’oreal Paris Revitalift Magic Blur Instant Skin Smoother Finishing Cream 30ml (RRP $25)
Garnier Miracle Skin Cream (sample)

Hand Cream
 
Essano Rosehip Nourishing Hand Creme in Wild Rose and Jojoba 120ml (RRP $15)
 Rosken Intensive Moisture Hand Cream 75ml (RRP $4)

Lips

(Forgot to include this one in the main photo- oops!)
Pure Paw Paw Ointment in Strawberry 25g (RRP $6)
Lanolips 101 Ointment in Rose SPF15 12.5ml(RRP $16)
Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm (RRP $15)
Key Sunn Zinke SPF50+ in Pink 12g (RRP $4)
Nivea Lip Butter Unscented 16.7g (RRP $6)
Key Sunn Zinke SPF50+ in Pink 12g (RRP $4)
La Roche Posay Cicaplast Soothing Repairing Balm (RRP $16)
I believe not all bags came with the Burt’s Bees and I have to say I am so happy I got one! It’s one of my favourite items in this bag! I’m really happy with the number of lip products. It may seem like a lot but I like to have multiple lip balms on rotation at the same time and go through them very quickly – yay!

Vouchers
  
ModelCo Cleanser – Gel Cleanser, Cream Cleanser or Cleansing Foam (RRP $15)
Garnier Miracle Skin Cream 50ml (RRP $20)
Physiogel Calming Relief Cream 50ml sample (RRP. $13 for 100ml full size but sample received)
Innoxa Cleanser – choose from Innoxa’s Renew Triple Action Gel Wash, Renew Anti-Ageing Exfoliator, or Super Sensitive Creme Cleansing Milk (RRP $18)

And that’s everything! I thought I’d make a detailed post as I received different things to what I’ve seen on social media. Overall, I am pleased with the products the bag contains and will use all of them – bar the fake tan. The bag itself is dodgy quality but I can see myself using it as a beach bag or something like that – so it has a use too!

Thank you (and good job) if you made it this far! Let me know if you’ve bought one!