I’ve really been enjoying my Sephora Play boxes lately. I didn’t share my personal box last month because Jill blogged about hers and it seemed like overkill, but I did get the special edition “Play Smarts” box, and I really enjoyed that as well. (It’s still on sale if you wanted to pick it up!)
Price: $10/month
Box Type: Beauty products, 5-6 deluxe samples
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!
Check out what was in the Play! by Sephora box this month:
This was the July insert which tells us about the products and comes with the little card that gives you 50 bonus points both in-store and now online! I’ve been waiting for this to happen because I tend to shop primarily online and I always would forget to put this card in my purse and so I never got the use out of this benefit. I’m very glad you can get your bonus online now!
And here’s every thing we got this month!
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Paaarty ($29): Y’all know how I feel about Tarte, so I’m not going to beat a dead horse here. However, I kind of think of Tarte like I do Chick-Fil-A – I won’t go there and spend my money, but if someone at work buys Chick-Fil-A breakfast sandwiches for the team, hell yeah I am going to eat one. So while I’m not directly buying Tarte products right now, this looks like a beautiful neutral shade of blush which I actually kind of needed, so I am definitely going to use this. I honestly haven’t noticed much improvement with Tarte since their foundation fiasco. Many of the eyeshadow palettes they have put out since then have been very light in tone, where I can’t imagine people of color being able to use them at all. So my boycott continues. I do hope they start to do better in the future because I am totally open to brands learning and growing, but I just haven’t seen much of that yet.
Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Natural ($26): I have wanted to try this product for a long time because so many beauty influencers always rave about how great this stuff is. This is definitely more of a lip treatment than a regular lip balm because it’s INCREDIBLY THICK in texture. This isn’t a product you can really put on underneath lipstick unless you really thin it out. However, it lasts on my lips an incredibly long time and is very, very moisturizing. I think it’s probably best to wear at night. Will I actually re-purchase? Probably not – I really like the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask ($20) which is less expensive for a lot more product and also a bit more pleasant to use. It has a nice scent, and the texture is still very moisturizing but a bit more pleasant to use as it’s a bit less thick.
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream ($68): In texture, this feels like a bit more of a lightweight moisturizer than the Lala Retro Whipped Cream ($60). The Protini Polypeptide Cream almost has a gel creme feel to it, but I think it’s just more of a cream. I keep describing it as light weight, but it’s only lightweight in comparison to the Lala Retro – this is definitely a great moisturizer! I would almost say the Lala Retro is better for dry winter skin, where the Protini is great for super moisturized, healthy summer skin. It made my skin look much more radiant and I look forward to using this more!
Caudalie Vinoperfect Concentrated Brightening Essence ($42): I am still pretty much a beginner when it comes to Essences and I have to be honest, I haven’t been using them lately. I do look forward to trying this one in particular because I tend to like most products described as “brightening,” and the main ingredient in this one is glycolic acid which helps exfoliate dead skin cells away. The glycolic acid is combined with Caudalie’s signature grape water which helps to hydrate skin. I haven’t used this yet so I can’t speak on the results but I will include this in my next Empties blog so I’ll share my thoughts there.
REN Evercalm Ultra Comforting Rescue Mask ($38): This is a very thick moisturizing mask. It reminds me a bit of the ol’ Ponds Cold Cream. You know that texture? A very heavy moisturizer, but obviously, this is a mask so it’s not meant to stay on your face overnight – just about 10-15 minutes. Since I am a bit more oily in the summer, this is not a product I am going to be reaching for in the near-term, but I am going to hold onto it for the winter, when my skin needs a bit more moisture.
Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Volumizing Shampoo ($24): I really like Briogeo products for my hair, as they don’t contain sulfates and a bunch of other “bad” stuff. However, my hair is so light, and I’ll be going even lighter in a few weeks that my hair has special needs. (I have Special Hair.) I currently alternate between my Joico purple shampoo (the big size is on sale for $15!) and the DevaCurl No-Poo ($22), which is a cleansing conditioner. My lifestyle of going to spin a lot does not really go with my goals of having super light/silvery grey hair so I do my best to not wash it as often as possible. I may save this sample and use it in the future when my hair has fewer Special Needs.
Final Grade: A+
All in all, I think that this was a great Play! by Sephora box, and I am looking forward to using literally everything in here. How awesome is that? If you are interested in subscribing for yourself, click here!
xo,
Lauren
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.