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My Favorite Play! by Sephora Discoveries of All Time!

Liz Cadman
ByLiz CadmanDec 10, 2018 | 24 comments

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

Remember all the FOMO Play! by Sephora caused when they first launched to a few select cities? Thankfully, they are out of waitlist mode now, and I've been subscribing since 2016!

Here are a few of my favorite Play! by Sephora discoveries:

Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara

If you've read enough of my beauty box reviews, you may know that I compare every mascara I sample to my holy grail: Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara. Well, this is the one mascara I sampled this year that is a true rival!  It gives my lashes incredible volume, length, and I had no clumping issues.

P.S. Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara is being sampled in the December Play! by Sephora box! You have until 12/11 to sign up and get the December box as your first box!

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

This is a cult-classic makeup item for a reason. In fact, I liked it so much, I bought the full-size version! I use my beauty blender to set my foundation and undereye concealer with this powder and it prevents creases for the entire day!

Make Up For Ever Artist Matte Lipstick in Rosewood

I'm always on the hunt for a new matte long-lasting liquid lipstick, and this is a perfect "nude" pink shade for my skin tone. It doesn't dry your lips, and it really lasts long, too.

Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm

This balm melts into your skin, removes ALL makeup, feels fantastic, and the formula is ingredient-conscious, too. Plus, when you remove it, your skin is moisturized and softer! (It’s the best makeup remover balm I’ve ever sampled!)

What's one (or more) of your favorite Play! by Sephora discoveries? We'll be selecting a few comments for a new Reader Recommendation post, and if we use your comment, we'll send you a gift!


If you haven't signed up for Play! by Sephora yet, you have until 12/11 to sign up and get the December box as your first box! (Play! by Sephora is $10 a month.)

Check out our Play! by Sephora reviews and Play! by Sephora spoilers to learn more about this beauty subscription 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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24 comments

Leni

My favorite Play discoveries are hair products and primers.
I wasn’t using any other hair products than shampoo and conditioner before. Now I always use some hair product from my Play collection. I got Alterna Caviar CC cream, Briogeo Blossom & Bloom, Living Proof TBD and Bumble and bumble thickening spray. I love them all 💛
Regarding primers I got Benefit Porefessional, Smashbox photo finish primer and Peter Thomas Roth Skin to die for. All are amazing 🧡

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Morgan

So many to chose from…I’ve found some of my “holy grail” products from this box. Replica Beachwalk perfume, Flowerbomb by Viktor&Rolf.. Drybar dryshampoo which turned me onto all of their products, I LOVE them! Belief Aqua bomb moisturizer- perfect for my combo skin. makeup forever Skin perfector, great for hot weather. Algenist products. And the endless amounts of perfect travel size products. Love love love Sephora play!

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Tanya

I love the perfume, Calvin Klein Euphoria, that I received. I have since purchased the full-sized version.

I also love the Bobbi Brown cream eyeshadow. I have quite the cream eyeshadow collection since then! Who knew I’d enjoy cream eyeshadow sticks as much as I did?

I loved the benefit lip tint so much that I purchased it in THREE shades!

I also enjoyed some of the cream highlighters, like Watt’s up and Trestique (for a more natural glow), and a number of face and hair products. But none that I have repurchased. I’m still a bit of a novice in the hair/skincare department.

I discovered more favorites and had more repurchases through Sephora Play more so than any other box. I love that they send cult favorites, like the Hoola bronzer, Benefit Porefessional (fave primer now!), etc. unlike other boxes that may send a full-size of a mediocre product.

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Jessica

I think the best items I’ve recieved in Sephora Play is skincare and perfume. My favorite skincare that I found in Play is Peter Thomas Roth. This is now my go to skincare brand. I am allergic to a lot of perfume so being able to sample a lot has really helped. I received a Juicy Cotour perfume and I love it! I even got compliments the first day I wore it about the beautiful fruit scent. I can’t wait for another year and more amazing finds.

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Jess

I have several favorites that I discovered in the Sephora Play box even though it’s not my favorite box. All of these are items I’ve re-purchased since (a few more than once).

1. Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream Moisturizer. So moisturizing and leaves my skin so soft.
2. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Concealer. Definitely my go to undereye concealer. By far the best I’ve tried!
3. Sephora Cream Lip Stain. I actually like the wear-ability of this liquid matte lip a lot and they have SO MANY colors.
4. Glam Glow GravityMud firming mask. Definitely my favorite peel off mask. Feels like it really tightens as it drys better than others I’ve tried.
5. Glam Glow SuperCleanse Cleanser. I’m one of those rare people who love black licorice and this has that scent and makes me SO HAPPY when I use it. Plus it’s a great cleanser.

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Teresa

I fell in love with the Living Proof TBD Multi-Tasking Styler, so much so that I got 3 more tubes from the recent FabFitFun add-on sale. I went from using multiple products on my fine, thin hair to just this one. Living Proof has always been hit or miss for me, but this was definitely a hit!

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Sheri

Here are my favorite discoveries:

Hair – Christophe Robin Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt – I love this scrub and how clean it makes my hair feel. The scrub is not something that I’d use on a daily basis because it can be a bit drying (it strips out all the gunk and oils from your hair). However, when I feel like I need a deep clean or my roots are too oily, I use it! I like the smell of it too.

Lips – Laneige Lip Mask – I swear this stuff is magic! I use it at night to keep my lips moisturized because they always get chapped during the winter. Another tip is to put a thin layer as a primer for matte lipsticks/lip glosses. It helps keep my lips from looking like a dried prune!

Skin – DR. JART+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Cream – My skin is sensitive and I sometimes get dry patches on my cheeks when I try out new products. This Tiger Grass cream came to my rescue after using a particularly strong chemical peel. It helped calm my skin down and it was soothing. I use this whenever I have those dry patches or the occasional pimple!

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Denise

My favorite makeup remover is Farmacy’s Green Clean cleansing Balm!! The Farmacy Cleansing balm removes my makeup like no other, it’s AMAZING like magic in a container LOVE it!! I have to say Ofra has become my new bestie, from there highlighter in Rodeo Drive, there liquid lip stick in Mocha it’s a matte brownish mauve dries down w/out drying out my lips and lasts all day it’s a perfect shade for my skin tone, I actually think it would be perfect for any skin tone it’s that universal!! I’m in LOVE with it that’s my new lip bestie!! The Sol De Genero Bum Bum cream became my new favorite all over moisturizer!! The year 2018 has been very productive for me finding all these new products that I fell in love with!! Looking forward to seeing what 2019 has to bring!! Bring it on 2019 I can’t wait!!

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Ariel

1. black opium Yves St. Laurant parfum
2. Laura Mercier setting powder
3. living proof no frizz styling cream
4. makeup forever ultra HD Foundation
5. Clinique take the day off make up remover

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Cyndi

Maison Margiela Replica Music Festival – I love this fragrance so much, I could drown myself in it everyday!
Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate – until this, Sunday Riley Good Genes was my go to serum
Hourglass Caution Extreme Mascara – I agree with you Liz, this is my new favorite mascara

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Bonnie

1. All things Briogeo, especially the Rosarco line
2. Nirvana Bourbon
3. Stellar setting powder
4. Sephora Cream Lip Stain

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AmyM

Alterna Caviar Volumizing Spray. Purchased the full size!

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Melanie

Drunk Elephant and Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream have been my 2 favorite discoveries so far.

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Kris

I discovered the Living Proof haircare line through my Sephora Play box and their products have completely transformed my frizzy and unruly curls!

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Elizabeth

I’ve found so many favorites through Play! by Sephora!
Korres Greek Yoghurt Foaming Cream Cleanser- this was perfect for dry skin last winter and has been great throughout the year. I’ve tried a lot of new cleansers in the past couple years and this is by far my favorite.
Amika Soulfood Nourishing Mask was the first hair mask I used and it smelled great and made my hair so smooth!
Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Rescue Mask and Ren Evercalm Ultra Comforting Rescue Mask – these are two of my go to masks now! The lotus is one of my favorite Fresh masks and the Ren is so calming when my face gets irritated.

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Natasha

This is the reason I keep this box, bcuz when i look back on the products, I end up telling myself those are some of my all time favorites.

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WB

Clinique Pep-Start exfoliating cleanser. I received it in my first Play box, which I believe was July 2017, and it was the first sub box product I purchased a full size of on my own. It makes my skin feel amazing.

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Jody

Great question as I am snowed in here in the south. I do love two of your picks. The Farmacy cleaner is something I would have never guessed I would like let alone love! I also like the lip color and it is not very drying.
My picks would have to be Buxom full on lip polishes. I love the slight tingling and have bought many shades of those.
I also can’t get enough of the IGK Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm. Wonderful scent with coconut and helps keep frizz to a minimum.
My favorite Sephora item is the Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick in Bohemian Purple. This is the only matte brand for me to be less drying on my lips. I would have never thought to pick this color on my own but it totally works for me.
Lastly this subscription box is just awesome for trying out new items and they pack a wonderful insert explaining the items.
Thanks for reading.

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Tamra Shields

Fresh soy face cleanser was my first time with a cleanser that was gentle and worked on my sensitive skin and I deal with side affects of radiation treatments from skin cancer! Love it and purchased a full size.

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Marion

– Ouai Rose Hair and Body Oil, from July 2017. I am not a fan of rose scents, so I never would have purchased this for myself! It’s great for keeping in the post-shower moisture on my dry skin.

– GrandeLash MD Lash Enhancing Serum, from Play Smarts Glitter Eyes Box. This I never would have purchased for myself because it is so pricey, & frankly, I never thought that type of product would work! To my astonishment, I saw a major difference in my lash length, first at the inner corner, and then along the rest of my upper lash line. The sample also lasted way longer than the projected 6 weeks, & I am still seeing the effects. My mom even noticed the change in my lashes, & ended up buying one of the Play Smarts boxes herself in order to give the serum a try.

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Azraa

I have a few actually, but the one that stands out to me is the IT Cosmetics CC Cream. I loved it so much I bought the full size! It offers just enough coverage to perfect the Skin, and the spf protection!

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Azraa

I have a few actually, but the one that stands out to me is the IT Cosmetics CC Cream. I loved it so much I bought the full size!

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Natalie

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian bum bum cream, korres wild rose + vitamin C brightening sleeping facial, glamglow glow starter mega illuminating moisturizer

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Debbie

Glam glow supermud! Love it!

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