Play! by Sephora: May 2016

Welcome to the May Play! by Sephora review! While this subscription is only just now opening up to a wider audience, I’ve been a subscriber since day one. (I’m kind of a big deal.) It looks like Sephora has made a few changes in the subscription since I started, so I’ll outline those as we go through.

Some of the benefits of joining PLAY! by Sephora:

• The awesome products, of course.
• The $10 you spend earns you Beauty Insider points if you are already part of their rewards program. (I’m VIB Rouge because I clearly have A Problem buying makeup.)
• Each month you will also receive a card that you can bring into Sephora that will earn you 50 additional bonus points on your purchase!
• The PLAY! BOOK rivals the Allure Beauty Box Mini Mag. It’s that good. (Well… it used to. More on that in a bit.)

One of the most notable differences I noticed this month is that they included a cute little canvas bag! I’m not sure if this will be a regular thing or not, but the presentation is really nice!

I mentioned that the Play! by Sephora book used to rival Allure’s Mini Mag (which I love.) In previous months, the Sephora booklet was more like a little magazine. This month, it still has a ton of information but instead of a booklet, it’s more like a fold out poster. 

I think I preferred the little magazine to this, since it’s a little unwieldy, but that’s super minor. There is still a ton of great info here.

Here’s a closer look at the little bag! I don’t usually love getting makeup bags in subscription boxes but the canvas is cuter than a cheap vinyl version. I can definitely use this when I travel.

Here’s everything we got! (Minus the perfume, but I took a pic of that separately!)

Korres Wild Rose Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial ($48/full-size): This is one of my all time favorite products. I have gone through two full-size jars of this and when I received this in my box, it reminded me how much I have missed it! I have always thought that my skin looks its best when I am using it: brighter and healthier. I also think that the Vitamin C in it helps fade spots leftover from acne issues. This definitely smells like roses so if you are sensitive to smells, that’s something to note. However, I LOVE roses, so this is a really nice way to end the day.

Tarte Tarteist Lip Crayon in Latergram ($18/full-side): This is a nice little nude-ish lip liner from Tarte! I love Tarte products and I hadn’t tried a lip liner from them before. I don’t wear lip liner regularly because I’m more of a lip gloss girl and I don’t really need it. That said, it’s always a good idea to have this color around, so I’m sure it will come in handy!

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche in Kimchi ($26/full-size): OK, this color is seriously hilarious. I’m trying to imagine Jill’s reaction also, and I’m pretty sure I can hear her laughing all the way from Baltimore. If there ever was a Barbie pink lipstick, THIS IS IT. However, I put it on and wore it around the house for awhile. FOR SCIENCE. While I could never take myself seriously wearing this color, the formula is incredibly creamy and moisturizing. The Amuse Bouche line comes in every color under the sun, all shades of reds and pinks and even non-traditional colors like black, blue, green, etc. Just be careful when you wear it, it’s so creamy that it could get everywhere during dinner. (You’ve been warned.)

Here are the swatches of the Tarte liner and BITE lipstick!

Origins Maskimizer ($22), Drink Up Intensive Overnight ($26) and Clear Improvement ($26) Masks: So… the Origins Maskimizer spray… I have to admit, this sounds like a nonsense product. Something you spray on your skin before you put a mask on for better results? I’ll be real with you, I still don’t think that is necessary. However, I’m interested in trying out the other two masks because I generally like Origins skincare. So I’ll let you know if there is something that y’all are going to want to get.

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! ($9-$36): I always complain about Birchbox sending me heavy conditioners and hair masks but in this case, I can’t complain too much, because everyone gets the same box, regardless of beauty preferences. I may use this or give it to a gal with coarser hair.

Perfume of the month: Atelier Cologne in Orange Sanguine ($25-$199): Most of us in Subscription Box World don’t care for perfume samples because they are kind of a throwaway sample and also SO subjective. But the Play! by Sephora boxes will always contain a perfume sample but it won’t count as one of the “regular” monthly samples, so that’s good. In terms of this month’s sample, here’s a better description than anything I could give:

Orange Sanguine, a zesty and energizing burst of crushed ripe fruit, plays off sweet blood orange juice against bitter orange peel and sensual notes of geranium. Complete with a handcrafted leather cap and a removable pump that allows for splash or spray use, this cologne brings to mind relaxed mornings, sunrises, and soft sea breezes.

I liked this OK– a little citrusy but I’m definitely not giving up my Kate Spade Live Colorfully anytime soon. 🙂

Final Grade: B

This was a decent Play! by Sephora box but I’ve also received boxes I liked more. This was kind of middle of the road because I wasn’t super fired up about anything but I didn’t HATE anything either. However, if you are interested in trying to get in on this subscription, click here!

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laurenelectro

A self-proclaimed beauty junkie/hoarder with a serious Sephora problem. This blog is a total rationalization of that problem. Everything is TOTALLY fine. Her free time is a mixed combination of making fun of reality TV with her husband, hanging out with cats and finally trying to figure out how to do her hair.