Play! by Sephora is a monthly subscription box that brings only the best and exclusive Sephora beauty and makeup samples. The subscription costs $10 per month, and you’ll get 5 deluxe beauty products, a fragrance item, playlists, plus coupons you can use when you visit in-store.
Everything arrives packed in a bag, preventing items from rolling around in the box. OMG, can we talk about how adorable this bag design is?!? I’ve always been a bit of a nerd, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t like my girly things. Love that the chemist is still rocking a manicure and full face with lipstick while working in the lab.
Don’t forget about your PLAY! Pass. It gets you 50 extra Beauty Insider points with a purchase from the box (in-store only). Your subscription also entitles you to PLAY! Date meetups, if your store participates.
The theme for August is The Innovators – Elements of Beauty. I love that the cosmetic ingredients are laid out like a giant periodic table. General products and uses for each ingredient, or element, are shown in the squares.
The fold out poster shows a list of all the items included in this box plus product/brand trivia and beauty tips. You can access all of the information and also watch the videos right on the Sephora site or use the app to scan the sheet for more info!
Everything in my box! My variation was box 221. Click here to see variant items in other boxes!
beautyblender | micro.mini ($9.00): So, I was super excited to get a beautyblender in my box, even if it is 1/4 the size of the original. You might be surprised to learn that I don’t own any beautyblender products. It’s really because I’m a bit cheap – don’t groan. This micro-sized blender is designed to help you get into tight/small areas on your face. I really wanted to like this, but I had such a hard time using it due to the size. Or maybe I just have really big hands?!?
Just like the original, this doubles in size when wet (left – dry and right – wet).
Kat Von D | Lock It Concealer – Deep 33 ($7.40): I wasn’t sure what to expect from this concealer, but I am so glad that it came in my box! Like other Kat Von D products, this is richly pigmented and a little bit does go a long way. However, the formula isn’t heavy or cakey. It goes on nicely and is very easy to blend. What’s more, the color is very close to my skin tone. Yay! The shade is described as deep cider with warm undertones.
Hourglass | Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick – Golden Almond ($7.36): This long-wear full coverage foundation stick claims 3-in-1 benefits: concealer-like coverage, blendability of a liquid, and the weightlessness of a powder. I was a little skeptical that it could deliver on all three, but it did. The formula glides over skin and is very easy to work with. It also gave me the matte finish that I prefer. Plus, the tube is so much more convenient to travel with than my liquid foundation. Golden Almond is described as a medium tan with golden undertones – it was a perfect match to my skin tone.
Clarins | Body Fit Anti-Cellulite Contouring Expert ($10.50): I didn’t know whether to laugh or be offended when I saw this in my box. Yes, I have cellulite (like most women), but I didn’t need Sephora to remind me of it. ? Formulated with a blend of eight different plant extracts, this cream-gel improves the appearance of cellulite by lifting, firming, and smoothing. Don’t think that you can just slap this on and see results. Oh no, there is a whole mini workout/massage session that goes into applying this. That might also have a slight effect on the results. While I really like Clarins products, I’m not on board with this one. Click on the product link to watch the video on how to apply this.
Qhemet | Biologics Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee ($2.59): If you are unfamiliar with ghee, it is a type of clarified butter associated with India. So, with ghee in the name of this product, I knew that I could expect something with a rich formula to condition my hair. This leave in conditioner is free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates. The cocoa butter base contains a blend of extracts which improve scalp and hair quality – nettle leaf (conditions scalp and hair), horsetail (provides natural silica to strengthen hair), and barley (improve elasticity and fight hair loss). The conditioner worked really well in my hair. It left it shiny and full of bounce. I didn’t need to use any of my styling products with this and was still frizz free at the end of the day. The following day, I dampened my hair and was able to revive the curls. The cocoa butter gives your hair a chocolate scent, which makes me hungry until it dissipates.
DOLCE & GABBANA | Light Blue ($1.47): Light Blue is one of my favorite fragrances of all time! Finally, Sephora nailed my scent profile on the head. This fragrance contains notes of “Sicilian Citron, Bluebell, Granny Smith Apple, Jasmine Sambac, Bamboo, White Rose, Cedarwood, Amber, and Musk.” I don’t really know how to describe this. I like it because it is fresh, earthy, and feminine all at the same time. I just makes me happy.
I wanted to show how well the Kat Von D concealer and Hourglass foundation work with my skin tone. On the left, the concealer is on top and foundation on the bottom. The picture on the right shows them blended up to the darker (normal) coloring on my arm.
I am totally over the moon with the actual cosmetics, haircare, and fragrance items in my August Sephora Play box. While I was disappointed that I had such a hard time with the micro.mini beautyblender and not thrilled with Clarins’ cellulite cream, the products that I liked more than made up for the box which had a $38 value overall. The Qhemet detangling ghee was a great find and reasonably priced – so, I think I’ll use my Play! Pass to pick up the full-sized tub.
Are you a Sephora Play subscriber? What did you think of the box this month?
Comments