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!
FYI - The box variation I received this month is box ending in #361. 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, you can see the “item number” next to the image.
Every month they include all of the samples in a mini bag with a different design.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Play! by Sephora
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.
Play! by Sephora August 2018 #361 Review
Each box comes with a foldable info sheet. The front always has a design related to the theme (all about treating your skin well with skincare and natural ingredients), and the Play! Pass.
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.
The opposite side of the info sheet has pictures of each item and details about what they are, how to use them, and why they think you’ll love them.
Amika Velveteen Dream Smoothing Shampoo, 10 ml each - Estimated Value $0.67 (buy a 10 oz bottle for $20)
Amika Velveteen Dream Smoothing Conditioner, 10 ml each - Estimated Value $0.67 (buy a 10 oz bottle for $20)
I've tried Amika hair products, but mostly just styling products; I've never tried any shampoo & conditioner from them. These samples worked well, and my hair was definitely soft, smooth, and it smelled amazing. I have very straight, fine hair, so I don't generally have issues with frizz or a real need for smoothing products, but I enjoyed using these regardless.
Moroccanoil Dry Texture Spray, .7 oz - Estimated Value $4.81 (Buy 1.6 oz for $11 or 5.4 oz for $28)
I use dry shampoo all the time, so I'm always happy to get more in subscription boxes. This one is fantastic! It gives my hair a great amount of grip and volume. That says a LOT because my hair is so straight and fine that, without product (and especially when I let it air dry) it's so silky that clips and hair ties often just slip out. I'm a big fan of this new discovery!
Laneige Water Sleeping Mask, .3 fl oz - Estimated Value $3.26 (buy 2.3 oz for $25)
This mask is meant to work for all skin types, and since my skin is dry I definitely am glad to try a hydrating sleeping mask! It definitely did the trick and I woke up feeling fresh-faced and moisturized.
(Fun Fact: Did you know that oily skin can also just be dry skin in disguise? If your skin is parched from lack of moisturizing or from over washing, your skin is being dried out and is trying to create more oil to hydrate itself. If you have oily skin and wash multiple times a day, or avoid moisturizing because you're worried about adding moisture to oily skin, try cutting back washing to just night time, or morning and night, and always moisturize afterward. It may take a day or two for adjustment, but your skin might even out to being less oily!)
Ciate Glow-To Highlighter in Moondust, 1.5g - Estimated Value $9.60 (buy 5g for $32)
I'm familiar with Ciate but I've only ever used their nail polish and a lip product or two, so a complexion item is new to me. All in all, I'm happy with it. It didn't blow me away, and at times it seemed like it was almost glittery instead of just shimmery, but it does work very well. I also appreciate that the shade is one that works on my fair skin. You can see this on my face later in the review.
NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, .09 oz - Estimated Value $9 (buy .26 oz for $26)
This is my favorite eyeshadow primer! I find this primer works really well, and I like the application better than squeezing it from a tube and getting the product on my fingers before applying to my lids. Love!
Grande Cosmetics GrandeLIPS Hydrating Lip Plumper, .05 oz - Estimated Value $16.07 (Buy a .084 oz for $27. The full-size is listed as .05 oz. on Sephora's site, but this is a website error that they are fixing)
I'm really not the target audience for lip plumping products, because it's not something I have personal concerns with myself. That being said, this product was comfortable on my lips and I actually liked how it looked as just a gloss. After leaving it on for several minutes, I didn't notice a big difference, but it also claims to have long-term effects, and that would obviously take time.
Here, I'm wearing the highlighter, eyeshadow primer (which you can't see, obviously,) and I had used the lip plumper while I was doing my face before applying lip color.
Verdict: This month's Play! by Sephora box has an estimated value of $44.08. I think that’s great for a $10 beauty box! Especially because the box will always include high-end brands. I love trying new things from brands I love and I trust Sephora’s curation of brands and products, as well. I'm also happy to have received 6 samples and no perfume this month.
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:
- Amika: $.30
- Moroccanoil: $1.09
- Laneige: $.74
- Ciate: $2.18
- NARS: $2.04
- Grande Lips: $3.65
Check out all of our Play! by Sephora reviews and all of our reviews of Cheap Subscription Boxes for other similarly priced boxes!
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What do you think about my Play! by Sephora box? Which variation did you get?
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