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.
I used to work at Sephora so I naturally couldn’t resist this subscription!
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
Every month they include all of the samples in a mini bag with a different design.
FYI - The box variation I received this month is box ending in #677. 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.
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: U.S.
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!
This month’s theme is “Complexion Companions.”
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.
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Skin Booster - .15 fl oz, Estimated Value $15.38
This is a new skin serum from one of my favorite brands! It’s designed to “deliver a plump look, prep skin for makeup, and hydrate to smooth the appearance of fine lines.” I think of this more as a super performing primer than a hydrating serum/skincare because, for me, it’s not hydrating enough on its own and I still need a moisturizer. That being said, I meant it when I said this thing performs really well. I noticed a brighter complexion and my foundation applied much more smoothly, plus it didn’t settle into any fine lines throughout the day. I have to follow that up by saying I don’t have any severe lines or a major problem with numerous fine lines, but what I do experience issues with this helped.
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder - .12 oz, Estimated Value $4.56
I’ve tried this setting powder before thanks to a few different subscription boxes, so I know I like it alright. It has a matte finish, which isn’t my preference, but it does keep my makeup locked in place. (I currently use Make Up Forever’s HD Microfinishing Powder and probably always will… One jar has lasted me 2.5 years so far!) This is a useful sample, though not particularly exciting to me.
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation – 5 ml, Estimated Value $7.17
I was really excited when I saw that every Play! by Sephora box this month would feature some classic MUFE foundation! I love this stuff – it’s what I always use on bridal clients for wedding makeup because it photographs so well. The “Ultra HD” in the name isn’t made to be just catchy buzz words; this stuff is really made for HD photography or film.
That being said, this shade was definitely not right for me. They sent me a shade beginning with R (instead of Y) which is meant for pink undertones/cool complexions and I have a very neutral complexion, leaning warm (so I err on the side of yellow toned). I understand that they can’t match everyone with a sample in their Play! box perfectly, but they emphasize your Beauty Insider customization so much that I thought they’d at least get my undertone right. I even have my Color IQ number saved to my account so they know my exact tone.
If you’re not familiar, COLOR IQ is a tool Sephora employees have to match you to foundations in the store without swatching on your face. It’s a handheld scanner, and they scan 3 points on your face and neck. The scanner then gives them a 4-digit code (1Y01, for example) that they can type into a tablet that has their Color IQ database in it to pull up all your matches in the store/across all brands. Note that not every brand will have a match, just because they may not make a color that matches well enough. If you get your Color IQ done (which is FREE and we always offered/told clients about it when I worked there, though I find many locations don’t bring it up so you may have to ask for it), you can have the code saved to your Beauty Insider profile. You can even just have it written down for you to add yourself – you can search Sephora’s website with these Color IQ codes! For example, if you type in 1Y01 to the search bar on Sephora.com it’ll also pull up all the complexion products that match for you! This is super helpful when shopping online for complexion items.
Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops in Moonlight – 2.8 ml, Estimated Value $7.98
These highlighting drops are relatively new! They pack a punch, too. They’re ultra-concentrated pearlescent pigment that you can use as an intense strobe effect or use lightly/blend for subtler highlighting.
The formula is gorgeous, and I can tell a little will last a long time too.
BECCA First Light Priming Filter – 6 ml, Estimated Value $7.60
My favorite primers don’t include silicone (silicone primers have that silky, slippery feeling), so I will definitely use this. I also love the subtle glow it gives my skin, especially since I have a dry complexion.
Gabrielle Chanel eau de parfum – 1.5 ml, Estimated Value $3.15
This is a classic floral fragrance, with notes of jasmine, orange blossom, grasse tuberose, and ylang-ylang. It’s inspired by being passionate, free, and a little rebellious.
Here are swatches of the foundation (too dark for me), the Cover FX Enhancer drops, and the Becca primer which I’m showing you because it’s a little glowy and tinted slightly purple for illuminous color correction.
Verdict: My October Play! by Sephora box adds up to $45.84 (the MUFE serum was a pretty high-value sample at $15.38!), which I’m definitely happy with for a $10 box. I feel like this month had nice sizes of brands I’m always happy to see (Cover FX and Make Up Forever), plus it was pretty fun for it to contain everything you need for a solid makeup base and exploring some new products! I wish the foundation had worked out for me, though!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you will receive next month's samples, curated based on your Play! Profile. Get email alerts for monthly spoilers!
Value Breakdown: At $10 for this box, here’s what you are paying approximately per item:
- Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Skin Booster: $3.36
- Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder: $0.99
- Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation: $1.56
- Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops in Moonlight: $1.74
- BECCA First Light Priming Filter: $1.66
- Gabrielle Chanel eau de parfum: $0.69
What did you get in your Play! by Sephora box?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.