Macy's recently released their Mother's Day Gift Set, with plenty of time for you to grab it before Mother's Day on May 9th. The set features both skincare and makeup and comes packaged in a (very) roomy makeup bag.
FYI- This set 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 This Set
The Box: Macy’s Mother’s Day Gift Set
The Cost: $49.50+ free shipping on orders over $24.99 ($132.00 value)
The Products:
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Full Size Lash Brag Volumizing Mascara, 0.34-oz.
- Laura Mercier Deluxe Size Lip Glace – Baby Doll, 0.05-oz.
- Clinique All About Eyes, 5 ml
- Mario Badescu Brightening Mask With Vitamin C, 0.5-oz.
- Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus+, 0.25-oz.
- StriVectin Moisture Rich Cream, 0.25-oz.
- Shiseido Essentialist Eye Palette – Hanatsubaki Street Nightlife, 0.18-oz.
- Dermablend Illuminating Banana Powder, 1 g
Ships to: the U.S.
Macy's Mother's Day Gift Set March 2021 Review
Everything came packaged in this large makeup bag- it's the biggest one I have ever received since I started reviewing for MSA, and honestly, I could use it as a lunch box if I wanted to.
On the back of the packaging was more details about the products included.
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Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Brag Volumizing Mascara, 0.34-oz - Retail Value $25.00
I have tried minis of this mascara before, but I never was impressed enough to seek out the full-size. That being said, I do think the full-size version performs better than the mini I have tried. There's something about the longer wand on the brush- it had given me better control over the application, and allowed me to get closer to the roots of my lashes. This definitely offers volume and curl, but the downside is that this formula does smudge on my face. It has smudged every time I've tried this mascara, so I can safely say it's the formula, and not from me using a certain type of skincare or eyeshadow that would affect the performance. That being said, I have seen more than a few positive reviews for this mascara, so it may be a case of "your mileage may vary."
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Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Baby Doll, 0.05-oz - Estimated Value $9.33 (buy the 0.15 oz version for $28.00)
This is a shimmery pale pink lip gloss with a high shine finish. It was a little sticky, but I really liked the finish on this and how it looked once I applied it. Plus, the sample doesn't look like much but it's actually 1/3 the size of the full-size- if I don't lose it, this will last for a long time.
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Clinique All About Eyes, 5 ml - Estimated Value $11.90 (buy the 15 ml version for $35.00)
This eye cream had a really nice texture. It was creamy with a touch of a gel-cream feel to it, so it was really nourishing without being heavy. This absorbed really quickly into my skin, and I think it would work nicely for most skin types. The formula is made with caffeine, green tea, and mulberry extract, and it is designed to fight common eye concerns like dryness, puffiness, and dark circles. Something else I appreciate is what this is formulated without- no fragrance, no denatured alcohol, and no parabens or phthalates. Like the Laura Mercier lip gloss above, this eye cream is also 1/3 the size of the full-size jar, so this generous sample will last a while.
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Mario Badescu Brightening Mask With Vitamin C, 0.5-oz - Estimated Value $5.50 (buy the 2 oz version for $22.00)
This is the one item in the box that I wish wasn't- I just really don't love this brand, and when I think of something I would give to my mom, this brand wouldn't be my go-to. That being said, the mask did what it was supposed to do. The formula has a vitamin C derivative in Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, and that is paired with oat kernel flour and kaolin clay. When I applied this mask, I took it down to my neck and chest in an effort to use more product, but that is actually where I saw more noticeable results. After I rinsed this mask away, my skin did feel softer, had a bit more luminosity, and it wasn't irritating to my skin either. I'm not going to become a Mario Badescu fan from this experience alone per se, but this mask did perform well and I appreciate that.
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Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus+, 0.25-oz - Estimated Value $16.88 (buy the 2 oz version for $135.00)
This face and neck cream is actually made with the same vitamin C derivative as the Mario Badescu mask, paired with four different peptides, amino acids, glycolic acid, and hyaluronic acid. The goal is for it to help with skin firmness and wrinkles- think of this as Perricone MD's answer to "tech neck" or sagging skin in your neck and jawline. Unfortunately, I just could not get past the scent- to me it smells a lot like Elmer's glue, which I do not love. At first, I wondered if I had received a bad sample, but a lot of the reviews here talk about their experience with an unpleasant smell too. Honestly, if a cream has the audacity to cost $135.00 for the full-size, there is no reason for it to smell this bad. That's my story, and I am sticking to it.
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StriVectin Moisture Rich Cream, 0.25-oz - Estimated Value $17.50 (buy the 1.7 oz version for $119.00)
Here's another cream hitting over the $100.00 mark for the full-size, but at least it smelled nice (it actually smelled faintly of peppermint to me, but I am not sure which ingredient on the list is the reason for that). This has a heavyyyy texture- it's like a mix between a cream and a balm, and that lets this moisturizer live up to the "moisture rich" name. I could see my mom really enjoying this moisturizer, and then scold me for getting her hooked on such an expensive cream. I enjoyed this, and I liked that the formula has five different types of ceramides, multiple forms of peptides, botanical extracts, niacinamide, and extra-nourishing ingredients like squalane, shea butter, and aloe.
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Shiseido Essentialist Eye Palette in Hanatsubaki Street Nightlife, 0.18-oz - Retail Value $35.00
I really like the sleek packaging of this palette- it feels more aerodynamic than the bulkier palettes I am used to, and I liked flipping it open. This palette features four shades- a matte mauve, a shimmery taupe, a matte plum, and a matte chocolate brown. Drawing back on my mom, this would be a good color story for her and what she normally uses (only with an upgraded brand). These shades pack a lot more pigment than I first thought they would- when I started to apply the eyeshadow I panicked a bit because everything was looking too dark for a morning work makeup look. Luckily, all of these shadows blended like a dream, so I was able to buff out some color and get more of the look I was going for. I do wish the taupe shade had more shimmer- it definitely was more subtle than what I thought it would be. These shadows also absolutely need to be used with a primer- I wore these sans primer, and they creased and faded pretty fast in only a morning of work.
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Dermablend Illuminating Banana Powder, 1 g - Estimated Value $1.61 (buy the 18 g version for $29.00)
This setting powder has a light yellow tinge to it, and it is designed to give your skin a bit of a glow while also setting your makeup. I'll be honest and say that I don't love when setting powder samples are packaged this way- it is so hard to get the product on my brush and then onto my face, and then if I just turn it upside down I end up being wasteful. All of that aside, I did like the performance of this. The brightness it gives isn't super noticeable on my complexion, but I think that's how I prefer it (it's easier to not mess up when I use it).
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Here was my face about four and a half hours later. My mascara did smudge a bit (and I wiped it away as I noticed it), but by lunchtime, my lashes still looked nice even though the eyeshadow had done.... this.
Verdict: Macy's can curate some fun sets, and I think this was a decent attempt at a gift a lot of mothers would enjoy. If your mom is a makeup expert and skincare connoisseur this may not be the gift for them, but I think it would be lovely for the moms (or any human!) who won't treat themselves to beauty products unless they are given them. I think it would have rounded this box out nicely if a brush for the eyeshadow or setting powder had been included, but it is still a nice set. I also do appreciate that most of the samples came packaged in boxes- it makes for a more pleasant experience, in my opinion than seeing the samples not in the boxes (even if the sample sizes don't change). Value-wise, everything added up to $123.72, which is about $9.00 shy of the promised $132.00 value but still more than double the cost of the box (keep an eye out for discounts, too- Macy's offers them frequently).
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you order today? Yes, this set is still available for purchase.
Value Breakdown: This box cost $49.50 with free shipping and I calculated a total value of $123.72. That means you're paying approximately the following per item:
- ABH: $10.00
- Laura Mercier: $3.73
- Clinique: $4.76
- Mario Badescu: $2.20
- Perricone MD: $6.75
- Strivectin: $7.40
- Shiseido: $14.00
- Dermablend: $0.64
Check out the best beauty subscription boxes of 2021, as recommended by our readers!
What do you think of the Macy's Mother's Day Gift Set? What are you getting your mom this year?
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