Play! by Sephora May 2016 Review


Before I begin, I know I'm putting this review out super late. Between school, job hunting, and just *life in general*, I haven't had much time to do much of anything, let alone blog. I'm sure most of you who come across this review will have already seen what's inside, but I do want to talk a little bit about it and show you what I received!

Play! by Sephora is a monthly skincare and makeup subscription that costs $10/month. Inside every box, you'll receive 6 samples, a Play! Book of tips and tricks, and a Play! Pass for free one-on-one tutorials and subscriber meetups at your local store. I absolutely love Sephora (despite it's bank-breaking prices), so of course I couldn't resist signing up for the subscription! Currently, Play! by Sephora is in waitlist mode, so the sooner you join the waitlist, the sooner you'll receive your first box! Shipping is only available to the 48 contiguous United States.



Sephora sent out all of the samples this month in an adorable drawstring bag (which I'm totally repurposing)!



This month had a theme - "The Forces of Nature", so all the samples were centered around earth-friendly products that are good for the skin. The info card included is adorable and incredibly detailed and informative!


Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask (Full Size: $9) - This weekly deep conditioning mask works to restore hydration and natural vibrancy to dry, brittle, over-processed, and otherwise lackluster hair. Yay for hair products! I generally don't get too excited about receiving hair products in subscription boxes, but I color treated my hair recently and it's pretty dry at the ends, so I'm excited to use this. It contains no parabens, silicones, or phthalates. 


Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine (Full Size: $120 ) - Orange Sanguine is a zesty, energizing burst of crushed ripe fruit. It contains hints of sweet blood orange juice and bitter orange peel, as well as sensual notes of geranium and sandalwood. I really like the scent of this, it's fruity in a sophisticated way, sensual, and perfect for summer. Unlike most people, I enjoy getting fragrances in subscription boxes (as long as it's an extra and not in place of another product). I don't have a "signature scent", so I enjoy having a ton of perfume samples to mix up throughout the week. Not to mention, I almost never have to buy high end perfume. ;) Sephora will send a fragrance sample in every Play! box, in addition to the other 5 samples. 


KORRES Wild Rose + Vitamin C Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial (Full Size: $48) - An overnight facial-in-a-jar to address uneven skin tone while improving skin texture for a brighter, more luminous complexion. Overnight treatments are a favorite when it comes to my skincare routine, and though I already own so many, I'm excited to try this one as well, since one of my major skincare goals is brightening and improving texture. 


Origins Maskimizer Skin-Optimizing Mask Primer (Full Size: $22) - A skin optimizing pre-treatment for masking. It's suppose to prep and prime your skin before masking to improve spreadability and make it easier to rinse off while softening skin and boosting hydration levels. Included were some mini samples of the Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask and the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask. I'm very curious about the efficacy of the mask primer, I would think that masks are pretty effective on their own, but I'm still excited to try it out. If it doesn't work, I'm sure it would make a great facial mist nonetheless. Plus, I'm glad I get to try more Origins masks either way!


Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick sample in "Kimchi" (Full Size: $26) - Bite Beauty is a company that specializes in lip wear made with food grade ingredients that (when you inevitable ingest) aren't harmful in any way. Made with 12 edible oils and triple milled pigments, the lipstick provides saturated lip color with weightless coverage and a citrus flavor made from fresh pressed fruit. "Kimchi" is described as a "shocking pink", which I'd say is an understatement! This is a super bright, creamy fuchsia. While it is a very pretty color, I think Sephora would have done better by sending out a more universal color, although I'm just glad I didn't receive yet *another* red lipstick. 


Tarte Tarteist Lip Crayon in "Latergram" (Full Size: $18) - This is a 2-in-1 lip liner that helps line and prime lips for a perfectly contoured look. This is a gorgeous, creamy, neutral mauve color that I think would be flattering for a range of skin tones. I love Tarte products; the quality is always so good for the price, and they're vegan too!


Final Verdict - I enjoyed May's Play! by Sephora box. As a first box, it wasn't too bad; I like/am familiar with most of the brands present, and I'll be using every single sample (which is always a win in my book when it comes to subscription boxes). I think I expected a little more from Sephora, perhaps in terms of sample size/quantity, but it comparison to other makeup/skincare subscription boxes in the same price range (Birchbox or Ipsy, for example), I enjoy Play! much more. Birchbox and Ipsy tend to send a lot of the same samples over and over, and the brands seem to be repeated a little too often for my liking. If you're stuck between signing up for Play! by Sephora and Birchbox or Ipsy, I would say to give Play! a try. The packaging and presentation is adorable, and the brands they sampled are pretty great.

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