So one of my favorite bloggers, Robin at Brightest Bulb in the Box, loves picking apart palettes and gift sets and comparing them to their full-sized counterparts to see if they're really worth it. I decided to steal this idea and use it to analyze Sephora's Super Stars gift set. There are a lot of great things in this set, but the question is: is it really worth the $75 my parents paid for it?
In order to analyze it, I first looked up all the products' full sizes and the price of them. The good news about this set is that many of the products are full-sized, so it makes my quest easier as well as come out to be a good value. I found based on a full size of the product the cost per ounce, and then calculated the price of the sample based on that. Simple enough? It should be - I can't math, and I was able to do this pretty easily.
I also put the ratings next to the products in order to see how good of quality these products are, as reviewed by actual buyers.
- 0.085 oz Anastasia Clear Brow Gel
Reg. .28 oz - $22
New price: $6.68
Review: This is my first brow gel, and it was a good first brow gel to use. However, it's a brow gel, and most brow gels are created equal, so I probably won't bother buying this product myself.
- 1.7 oz Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray
Small - $15
Review: This didn't really do much for me. It kind of gave my hair a wave, but it wasn't anything extraordinary.
- 0.50 oz Deborah Lippmann Treatment-infused
Nail Color in Cleopatra in New York
Full - $19
Review: I love this polish! It's a little hard putting on because the black is sheer and the gold has to be rearranged so it doesn't clump in one spot, but with some TLC, it looks really great. My roommate actually used this before I did and she loved it too.
- 0.50 oz Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil
Small - $15
Review: Funny story...I actually put this in my hair before I figured out it's supposed to be for your face. Have you seen those "What kind of nut puts oil on her face? This nut!" ads in magazines lately? It's this stuff. I suggest putting it on OVER makeup for a nice dewy glow.
- 0.17 oz Nars Blush & Bronzing Powder Duo
in Orgasm & Laguna
Mini - $24
Review: Soooooooo I only use the blush in this. The problem with the duo is that the squares are too small! I can't get my bronzer brush in this well. And I love Orgasm, so I'll definitely be getting it by itself eventually.
- 0.12 oz Nars Lipstick in Dolce Vita
Full - $26
Review: This is the perfect natural looking color. I could totally wear this to class and not wonder if people are staring. It looks amazing with my skin tone and is very classy.
- 0.50 oz Origins GinZing™ Refreshing Eye Cream
to Brighten and Depuff
Full - $30
Review: I don't usually have bags under my eyes that need depuffing, but it's very refreshing to put it on my weary eyes after a long day.
- 1.0 oz Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream Broad
Spectrum SPF 35 in Light
Full - $39
Review: I. Love. This. BB Cream. I've tried a bunch, but this is by far my favorite. It blends really well and is a good color for my face. LOVE.
- 0.016 oz Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner
Full - $20
Review: This is a great liquid eyeliner pen. It's easy to apply without ending up with panda eyes. I even got my mom hooked on it!
- 0.30 oz Too Faced Better Than False Lashes
Mascara Base & Top Coat
- 0.02 oz Too Faced Flexistretch™ Nylon
Fibers
Full - $35 (set of both)
Review: Ok, so the reviews on Sephora are correct - this stuff is weird. The nylon fibers are kind of like putting cotton on your eyelashes. And the mascara is super tacky after you apply it. Good at making your lashes long, though.
- 0.05 Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Sin &
Mushroom
Reg. .05 oz per 1 eyeshadow ($18)
New price: $18
Review: I'm in love with Naked palettes, which Sin is in, and it looks really good with Mushroom. It's a good combo for an on-the-go smoky eye. But it's not Naked, so...
- 0.33 oz Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb
Rollerball
Rollerball - $29
Review: This perfume smells amazing. It's sexy without being too musky, and my best guy friend has told me it smells great. It's also nice that it's in a rollerball for convenient travel and storage.
Total: $276.68 ($280 value)
So my calculations are correct - the set really is worth that much, price wise. As far as quality of the products, most of the products got really high ratings from buyers. The two lowest were the Surf Spray and the mascara. After looking at low reviews, I concluded that most people didn't like the spray because it simply didn't work for their hair's texture (also, sticky, smells bad, crunchy hair), and the biggest complaints for the mascara set were that the Flexistretch primer "feels like putting cotton on your lashes" (also, glue), and the mascara itself was sticky and made lashes clump. I found similar things myself in these two.
Otherwise, I like all the other products. It was a really great birthday gift, and, unfortunately, I'm now addicted to some of the products.This is unfortunate because I'm a broke college student. Maybe I should start wearing a sign that says, "Need change for makeup fund."
What do y'all think of this gift set? Think it's worth it?
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