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Play! by Sephora Review – November 2016 – Box #985

Liz Cadman
ByLiz CadmanNov 27, 2016 | 20 comments

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Play! by Sephora
3.8 overall rating
564 Ratings | 55 Reviews

Play! by Sephora is a monthly beauty and makeup subscription. Each month they send you six samples, a PLAY! BOOK of tips and tricks, and a PLAY! PASS for in-store learning.

My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

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Every month they included all of the samples a drawstring bag with a different design.

FYI – There were four variations of this box. You can see all the variations in our post about it here.

This review is for the box # ending in 985:

To find out which box you’re receiving at the beginning of each month, follow these instructions:

If you log in through a browser, not the app, and go to my account > account details > online orders and open the play! Order Details (it was dated 11/1 for me), you can see the “item number” next to the image.

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The Subscription Box: Play! by Sephora

The Cost: $10

The Products: Five deluxe samples plus a fragrance sample, a PLAY! BOOK of tips and tricks, and a PLAY! PASS for in-store learning.

Ships to: US

Check out all of our Play! by Sephora reviews and all of our reviews of Cheap Subscription Boxes for other similarly priced boxes!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

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Each box comes with a Play! Pass, which is a card you can use at Sephora (in-store) to get 50 extra rewards points, and you can also get one-on-one tutorials and tips of products from a Sephora consultant.

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This month’s theme is “Best in Glow,”

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On the very inside of the folded info sheet is thorough details and tips about each featured product. 

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GlamGlow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment Mask - 0.5 oz, Value $22

GlamGlow is one of my favorite brands, and their products are pricey, so it's always great to get samples in subscription boxes! This month, subscribers received one of four different GlamGlow variations. This Youthmud dries in about 10 minutes, and it tingles while it's on! (I'm one of those people who love a beauty product that lets you know it's working, so this mask is perfect for me.) It will dry completely when it's time to remove it, too.

This mask does a great job of exfoliating, clearing my pores and making my skin feel soft - such a treat!

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Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet - 10 ml Value $9.75

I LOVE this moisturizer - I just wish the sample was larger! I applied this right after I removed the Glamglow mask, and it was so gentle on my skin. The formula is lightweight but super moisturizing, too. This is definitely a product I will consider buying in full-size.

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Cover FX Illuminating Primer - 0.16 fl oz, Value $6.08

I use a full-coverage foundation, so any illuminating effects of a primer are lost behind the makeup for me. That being said, I still really liked this primer as a base. It gave my skin a perfect, smooth finish for makeup application, and it's also great for an eyelid primer, too.

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Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Color in Rose Gold - 0.03 oz, Value $17.40

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This eye color crayon glides on smoothly and is so easy to blend. I love that you can use this for a subtle or more dramatic look depending on blending, too. And the pigment and shimmer are excellent! (Swatched in lower photo.)

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Sephora Collection Ultra Shine Lip Gel in Pin Up Pink - 0.1 oz, Value $10.90

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This formula lives up to the name "ultra shine" - it is so glossy! The pink color is sheer, so it still has a natural look (no shimmer), and it isn't too sticky, either.

Here it is swatched below the eye crayon:

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Stella McCartney POP Eau de Parfum Sample - 0.05 fl oz vial

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Each Play by Sephora bag also includes a perfume vial in addition to 5 beauty samples. This scent has top notes include tomato leaf, violet leaf, and green mandarin, middle notes are frangipani, tuberose, and violet, and base notes of sandalwood, musk, and cedar.

I'm not a huge fan of this scent, but I'm also not much of a perfume person - so it's tough to wow me in this category.

Verdict: This box has a value of about $66. I think that's incredible for a $10 beauty box, especially since the box will always include highend brands. The sample sizes were all decent this month, too - everything has multiple uses.

(And as a GlamGlow fan, I'm happy to see that there was a GlamGlow product in every box variation!)

What do you think about the November Play! by Sephora? What variation did you get?

(And check out the spoiler theme for the December 2016 Play! By Sephora box!)

Starting at $10.00
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PLAY! by Sephora is a monthly beauty and makeup subscription box. Each month, Sephora sends you a mix of six samples (including cosmetics, haircare, skincare, fragrances, and other beauty products) personalized to match your preferences and a PLAY! BOOK of tips and tricks.
Liz Cadman
Liz Cadman
Liz is the founder of My Subscription Addiction. She's been hooked on subscription boxes since 2011 thanks to Birchbox, and she now subscribes to over 100 boxes. Her favorites include POPSUGAR Must Have, FabFitFun, and any box that features natural beauty products!

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20 comments

Samantha

I was pleasantly surprised with the Cover FX illuminating primer, and I think the timing was spot on. I’m used to having very oily skin, but Chicago winter came in full force very quickly and my skin hasn’t caught up with the weather change! My skin is flaking and peeling in some areas, so these more moisturizing items are much more appreciated right now than they would have been a few months ago.

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Dianne

Just resubcribed today. I don’t know if I get Decembers. I like the bonus points. Samples are a little better than Birchbox. I like to change up my subscriptions just for something different. I like subscriptions with bonus points. That’s why am just not into Birchbox amymore. Its not fun.

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Kristi

I was wondering about the sorbet moisturizer as well. Was it supposed to have a foil seal? I held the tube up to a bright light and there was so little product I wondered if I got a used sample in error. I was planning to put it in a gift bag of samples for my sister, but I’d be embarrassed since it looks like I used most of it already and it’s not sealed.
I guess the only good thing is that I’ve been receiving the Play box for about 6 months and this is my first complaint.

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nana

A little warning in case anyone looks back at this review. My daughter used the Laura Mercier eye color today and she got an allergic reaction. Alas, it wasn’t immediate, but her eyes started to hurt after a few hours of wearing it. If you try it for the first time, you may want to try it somewhere other than your eyes.

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Jeniferlyn

I am cutting out most of my subs-I just can’t justify what I am receiving vs. the price. When I looked over Play! I realized I am using almost Everything they send!! This has turned into something I am not excited to receive (I get this in the mail very late each month and am not close enough to ever use the in store promotions) but it Is now full of items I use to switch up my makeup! Allure is history while Play is proving useful.

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Kourtney

your play pass is good until the end of the following month. If you received November’s box towards the end of November, you can actually use the play pass through the end of December.

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Lola EB

I have to drive a half hour each way to go to sephora so I time my visits, make two separate purchases and use the play cards, one for each purchase at the same time, for the exta 50 points each. My sephora store is fine with that. Bummer they can’t be used online.

Bonnie

I loved the eyeshadow stick! Awesome color, and it did last and on crease.

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Taylor

That mask…idk I dont have sensitive skin but it literally burned like my face was melting off. It was horrific.

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Katy

I got this variation as well and enjoyed all of the products, even the perfume. That primer works some magic on my fine lines between my eyes and around my mouth. I’ve been so excited to try a Glamglow. It was kind of an odd mask but I saw results after one use and have a few more left. The eye stick is a really pretty shade. I’ve been consistently happy with Play since I subbed three months ago.

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AmyM

I’m really enjoying everything this month. Trying to swap for multiples of the Caudalie, Laura Mercier and Cover FX.

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Anna C.

Love the review of the Caudelie sorbet moisturizer, I decided to give it a try and love it too! I will be purchasing a full size of this one!

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Samantha

I had box 314. I haven’t tried the GlamGlow or primer yet, but I am looking forward to trying them. I also love the Caudelie sorbet and the Laura Mercier caviar stick, and I was pleasantly surprised with the lip gloss. Overall, great box! The little pouch wasn’t nearly as cute as “Lipstix and Chill” though, lol.

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Lump

Did anyone else find it there sorbet moisturizer was practically empty ? I know it’s not the end of the world but it’s kind of annoying.

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Jaclyn

Mine is full.

Jann

I think these products may actually contain the amount of product they say, but the packaging is oversized to make it look like you are getting much more. Which is such a waste of packaging and bad for the environment. I have been going to squeeze out a sample and see how much is actually in a tube. I also wonder if some subscription companies buy or get free, ones that might not have been filled correctly.

Melody

Mine was only about 1/3 full. It’s a shame because I really like the product.

Angel

Yes! I am annoyed because this happens all the time. It’s straight up false advertising with the weight never really matching the amount of product. If they want to provide smaller portions they can, other companies do..with appropriate sized packaging so it’s at least full. It’s ridiculous sometimes. This particular one was less than half full for me. I know they are just samples , but these companies are designed around providing them so they shouldn’t be skimping this much in larger bottles they can’t fill. As someone who buys full sizes of about 35% of my sub finds I’m becoming insaulted.