The Bay's $39 Beauty Tote Has Over $300 Worth Of Products & I Fell In Love With One Item

Talk about bang for your buck!

Products from The Bay's Beauty Tote for Beauty Week. Right: Hudson's Bay's 2023 Beauty Tote.

Beauty Week at Hudson's Bay is back and Narcity got a sneak peek at what's in this year's Beauty Tote to give you the lowdown on some of the products.

For 2023, The Bay is offering an exclusive and limited edition bag that's filled with "a meticulously-curated selection" of fragrance, skincare and makeup goodies from high-end brands like Tom Ford, Shisheido, Lancôme and more.

It only costs $39, and according to the iconic Canadian company, it's filled with over $300 worth of products, which is kind of a wild deal.

Everything that comes in the tote is sample-sized, which I absolutely love. I'm a big fan of testers because something that looks great on you in the bright lights of a store might not be as flattering as you thought when you're getting ready for date night, so it's always a good idea to try it out a few times before committing to a full-sized product.

From what was in the tote to my thoughts on if it's worth it, read on!

Products from The Bay's Beauty Tote for Beauty Week. Right: Hudson's Bay's 2023 Beauty Tote.

Sarah Rohoman | Narcity

The tote itself is a bit on the smaller side and feels very sturdy. I'd trust it to hold two bottles of my favourite wine, which is saying a lot. It comes in two colours, and the one I got is primarily a cream colour with black and pink striped details.

As for what's in it, brace yourself, it's a long list!

Skincare products:

Fragrance products:

Makeup products:

The beauty products I used for date night.

Sarah Rohoman | Narcity

The tote had some brands I already knew and loved and a few I was less familiar with, which was exciting.

I was actually heading out for date night with my boyfriend shortly after I got the tote so I took it as a chance to test out some new things. (If they looked great, perfect! If they didn't... well, he loves me anyways).

I tried out the Jack Black body wash in the shower which had a pretty strong musky scent — it kind of reminds me of pine trees and tea, which is delightful, but it might be too much for those who aren't into scent products.

For my hair I used the Voir shampoo, a brand which I'd never heard of. I have curly hair and it gets mad pretty easily, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that it didn't flatten my coils or make my roots greasy. It doesn't have much of a smell, and I think I'll be throwing it in my travel bag due to its convenient size.

I used the Shishedo moisturizer before getting to my makeup, and while I like how the product sat on my skin, I think it'll be one I reach for more in winter as I found it to be quite hydrating and Toronto is currently muggy AF.

Next up was the Rodial primer and oh boy, I'm in love. I'd never heard of the brand and I generally don't even like primer so this one really took me by surprise.

On my bare skin, it gave me a pleasantly dewy, Hailey Bieber-esque glow and I can see myself reaching for it on the days I decide to go sans makeup. Under my foundation, which I pack on quite heavily due to confidence issues with my skin, it still managed to give me a subtle glow under the matte full-coverage format of the other product.

I used the Sigma eyeliner brush to achieve a winged tip and while I can't say it gave me more or less control over the cat eye than my liquid pen liner, I can see myself using it if I want to smudge that line a bit for a softer look.

I finished the look with my own blush, bronzer and lipstick and then topped it off with the M.A.C setting spray. I had a small anxiety attack after my makeup was finished which generally makes me sweaty, and I'm happy to say my makeup mainly stayed put — thanks M.A.C.!

And lastly, of the three perfumes I received, I was into the Cartier scent the most, though it's actually a cologne.

"Unexpected, bold and mysterious: a charismatic fragrance for a successful man," says the product description, which is hilarious as it's just a woodsy and sweet-smelling product. Guess I'm going to smell like a "successful man" for the foreseeable future, 'cause I'm into it!

In short, I think The Bay's Beauty Tote is absolutely worth it, and that's just based on the handful of products I had time to try.

As a woman in my 30s, I'm starting to notice the signs of aging (not that it bothers me) but I'm interested to see how the Clinque wrinkle serum works on my laugh lines and if the Algenist toner helps with the self-confidence issues I face due to my skin's congestion and unevenness. We shall see!

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The Bay Beauty Week is taking place from August 18 to 27 and will feature "amazing offers, limited-time gifts and activations from more than 195 skin and make-up brands."

For this year, some of the deals include 20% off all cleansers and masks, 15% off Revlon, 20% off Sigma Beauty, 20% off Blissy and 50% off LUNA 3 and LUNA mini 3.

In terms of freebies, you can score a free 5-piece gift on a Kiehl's purchase of $85 or more, a four-piece Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb trial kit with any fragrance purchase as well as other promos.