Sephora is really killing it with these PLAY! SMARTS boxes. They seem to be coming out monthly now, which is pretty cool. These are boxes you can buy without a subscription, but they are more expensive than the regular boxes as they tend to include bigger and higher-priced products.
This month, they came out with a bunch of different boxes focusing on skincare by age. There was a box for 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s. I decided to grab the 40s box because at this point, I’m closer to 40 than I am 30 (that’s kind of terrifying) and I thought the products would be a bit more anti-aging, and I was correct.
Price: $20/box but not a recurring subscription
Box Type: This special-edition trio of PLAY! SMARTS boxes will help you master a skincare routine specific to your stage in life. You’ll get access to an in-depth, live-streamed class with your one-time delivery of six trial-size skincare products inside a special-edition beauty bag. Get to know your samples, stream your CRASH COURSE at the date and time specified in your box, and ask our experts any questions you might have.
Why you’ll love it: Ummmm, did you see it’s all high-end products that come from Sephora? Plus, you get to watch a special live-stream if you want, as mentioned above.
How to Subscribe: Click here to buy this box. Click here to buy the 30s box. Click here to buy the 50s box. Click here to subscribe to the regular monthly box!And click here to view all of our Play! by Sephora box reviews.
I thought this little bag was actually really nice, which is part of the reason I bought the box this month. I got a similar box back in November, and I use it all the time when I travel, so I thought this box might come in handy as well.
And here are all the products we got this month! I’ll describe them in more detail below, as per usual.
The little “booklet” was substituted with these little cards for each product in the box, which I’ll detail below. On the back of each card, there was information about each of the products. There is also a special card that allows you to get 50 bonus Beauty Insider Points either in-store or online.
Like the last Play Smarts box, there is an invitation to another streaming “crash course,” but this time the subject is “Skincare by Age: 40s” on Sept. 17, at 7pm Central. I really think anyone could watch the course if you are interested. Just go to Youtube.com/Sephora on Sept. 17 to watch live!
Volition Beauty Detoxifying Silt Gelée Mask ($60): I was really curious about this mask because I’ve never in my life used a mask with silt in it, as far as I know. They said it was a gelée mask but it sort of just felt like putting mud on my face as usual? Except the consistency was thinner than a typical mud mask, I guess. It’s marketed as “detoxifying” and “super-moisturizing” which sort of seem like opposites to me, but what do I know. My skin did feel really soft afterwards, but I doubt I will ever buy the full-size.
Tatcha The Water Cream ($68): I’m a big fan of this moisturizer, but weirdly enough, I’ve never actually shelled out for the full-size. I’ve gotten several deluxe-size samples of this and I really, really love it. At some point, I may actually buy the full-size version of this. But I wrote more about this and my love of water creams in my round up of fave moisturizers.
Caudalie Premier Cru Eye Cream ($99): I had never tried this eye cream before and so far, I really like it. The consistency is pretty thick, but not TOO thick, which is nice. This is definitely something I would wear at night tho, versus under makeup during the day. It moisturized my eyes nicely. I’ve only used it a few days so I can’t speak to its claims of getting rid of dark circles and minimizing fine lines, but the reviews are really good. The only thing that gives me pause about wanting to purchase a full-size version of this is that many of the reviews say that the packaging is really terrible. If it was just in a squeeze tube like this, I think people would be much happier, tho then people would probably complain that it doesn’t feel luxe enough.
Kiehl’s Glow Formula Skin Hydrator ($38): I normally like Kiehl’s products but I didn’t really care for this moisturizer. It has the slightest bit of shimmer in it, which did not bother me, but because of that, I would prefer to wear it during the day to give my skin a bit of a glow. However, it made my skin feel kind of oily and greasy, so I just don’t think this one is for me. If you have dry skin, this might work for you, but with my combo skin, it was a no-go.
Sunday Riley Good Genes All-in-One Lactic Acid Treatment ($105-$158): I just bought the full-size of this a couple weeks ago, so I’m only a few weeks in but I really enjoy it so far. Good Genes uses a high-potency lactic acid that helps exfoliate skin to reveal smoother, younger looking skin. With continued use, stubborn hyper-pigmentation and visible signs of aging are reduced. I can’t speak to most of these claims yet because I think I need to use it a little longer to be able to see some of the results they claim, but as of now, it’s not affecting my skin in any sort of negative way. My skin looks clear and bright, which is what I’m going for. I will say this… it STINKS. Like every time I use it, I’m like, “Whoa, this smells terrible.” I’m trying to think of how to describe it but “moldy dirt” comes to mind. But the smell dissipates quickly, so it doesn’t really bother me.
Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil ($55- $105): Y’all already know I love the Luna Sleeping Night Oil. I got a deluxe sample of this in an Allure Beauty Box which made me go ahead and buy the full-size. I wrote about this at length in my recent favorites blog, but to summarize: I love this. After I started incorporating this into my nighttime routine, I feel like my skin looked really great. Just really clear and bright. Almost glow-y, which is always the goal. I was using this every night but I pulled back a little because the retinol was starting to make me a little dry. Now I use about every other night. I’m glad I got another little sample to pack for my next trip!
Final Grade: A
I really enjoyed trying all of the products in this month’s PLAY! SMARTS box. I use about half of the products already, so I’m happy to have even more of them (because they aren’t cheap!) and I liked trying the other products. I’m definitely interested in using the eye cream for a bit to see if I see any visible results.
These boxes are still for sale, so click here if you are interested in buying one for yourself!
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.