As you have noticed, it is 2018 and I am just now posting about my December 2017 Play! by Sephora box. Since we took a bit of time off, I got a little behind in my December boxes, so forgive me!
Price: $10/month
Box Type: This is a beauty box that contains deluxe samples (and occasionally full-sized) products that can be found at Sephora.
Why you’ll love it: Ummmm, did you see it’s all fun products that come from Sephora? Some boxes will send you random products from brands you’ve never heard of before but Play! by Sephora will only send you brands from their own store – basically all high end fun things you are excited to try! Here’s a breakdown of the benefits:
- 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!
How to Subscribe: Click here!
Each month, we receive a little fold-out sheet that describes all of the products. This month, they included a bunch of facts about the box from 2017, like number of times photos have been shared with the #SephoraPlay hashtag, how many people from each state subscribe to the box, a breakdown of what percentage of shades/finishes they’ve sent, etc. I don’t always read this whole thing but this was kind of interesting.
And here’s everything we got! Keep reading for all the deets!
Clinique Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen in Black ($21): I don’t wear a ton of liquid liner. I have hooded eyes so a beautiful cat eye wing is just not really in the cards for me. (Sure, it can be done. But easily? No.) However, I do wear some when I’m trying to blend in false lashes. I don’t think this is the blackest formula of all time but this seems like a decent-sized sample, so I won’t have to buy new liquid liner for awhile, which is nice.
Smashbox Cover Shot Eyeshadow Duo in Golden Hour ($29/full palette): I don’t think about Smashbox too often, which is a shame! I know they have good products — everyone has raved about their liquid lipsticks so I recently decided to try one. I’ll blog about my Sephora haul in a future blog, so stay tuned for that. I have also heard such amazing things about their brushes, but annoyingly, they are not available at Sephora OR Ulta – only their website. Like, don’t they want us to BUY them? Why not put them at Sephora? Makes no sense. Last year, they released a bunch of eyeshadow palettes and I gave them no mind — but after testing this little duo, I’m interested to possibly try more. The formula is very creamy, pigmented and blendable– all things you want in a good shadow. And the Ablaze palette (I think that’s the one these colors came from) along with all of their other palettes in this line are all $29, which is relatively affordable for a high-end brand. Hell, NYX came out with a $30 palette last year. So if you are in the market for a beautiful warm-toned palette, I think you’d be really happy with this!
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Au Naturel ($29): I’ve received a few Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks through the years but most have been shimmery, whereas this one is very matte. It is just a little darker than my skin tone so it might be good for a no-makeup makeup kind of day? But for me, I like to put a little sheen on my lids for no-makeup makeup, so I’m honestly a little puzzled about how I will use it. But the formula is really nice, as it does not budge til you take it off. I’m wondering how it would work as an eye makeup base?
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Au Naturel, Smashbox Covershot Eyeshadow Duo
in Golden Hour and Clinique Pretty Easy Eyelining Pen
Dior Miss Dior – The New Eau de Parfum ($100): This perfume was really nice! I actually moved this sample into my bathroom so I can wear it more regularly. This isn’t a typical “Lauren” scent, but I do really like it. Will I buy the full-size? Probably not. But I’ll definitely use this whole sample! Here’s how it’s described on the Sephora site:
Each note of Miss Dior Eau de Parfum is a declaration of love, the top is a citrus burst of Calabrian bergamot that melts into a sensual Grasse rose absolute—the beating feminine heart of the new Miss Dior. In the base, vivid Guyana rosewood and pink peppercorn notes leave a warm and enticing trail.
IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream Transforming Moisturizing Super Cream ($48): I have heard mixed reviews on this moisturizer but I’m looking forward to trying it! My skin is both so dry and so oily right now, it’s sort of hard to figure out how to deal with it. Like, my nose is the oiliest part of my face. Yet regardless, I use a lot of moisturizer on it because it is also simultaneously has dry patches on the side. Like, how does that work? Anyway, that was a sidebar. I’ve tried so many different brands of moisturizer, but I am willing to give this one a try! I honestly don’t think I’ve ever tried a facial product from IT Cosmetics, so I’m intrigued. I know people swear by their CC Cream but that looks so heavy to me that I haven’t pulled the trigger. Are there any IT Cosmetics products you swear by? Do you like the CC Cream? Let me know in the comments!
Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1 ($26): I have finally had to call it with Drybar. Their branding and marketing appeals to me so much! I have gone to their salon on three separate occasions and gotten my hair done and just an hour or so later, my hair will be limp and will have lost whatever style they had attempted to put in it. And I honestly think it’s because of the Drybar products they use, not that the stylists don’t know what they are doing. I have had stylists at other salons do very similar hairstyles on me with no issues. This makes me sad because the salons are GORGEOUS and the experience there is always so lovely. I love their whole vibe but the products just do not work for me. Womp, womp.
Final Grade: B+
The December Play! by Sephora box was pretty great! There were some products that may not work for me but I still think the mix of products and brands made the box a great value, so it’s def my fave $10 beauty box.
If you are interested in subscribing for yourself, click here!
Purchased; all opinions are my own
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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.