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, a PLAY! BOOK of tips and tricks, and a PLAY! PASS to redeem in-store or online for 50 Beauty Insider points for just $10 + FREE shipping.
Sephora curates several variations of their PLAY! boxes each month and matches you with the version that best fits the preferences you set in your profile. (You'll fill out your profile when you signing up—you can also update your profile at any time). The variation I received this month is the box ending in #949. 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.
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 + FREE shipping
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
June 2019 PLAY! by Sephora #949 "Destination Beauty" Review
Each PLAY! box comes with an info sheet that provides the theme of the box and detailed product info. It also includes your PLAY! PASS, which gives you 50 extra reward points if you use it in-store or online. You can also bring your PLAY! PASS to any store and redeem it for tutorials and tips from a Sephora consultant.
Each month, your samples are tucked inside a recyclable pouch. This one is incredible for travel—it's so much more chic than a kitchen zipper bag!
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tarte Rainforest Of The Sea Quench Hydrating Primer, 0.10 fl oz - Estimated Value $1.78 (Buy a full-size 1.8 oz version for $32.00 here)
This vegan primer has a cooling gel formula and a tropical scent. It is a little coco-nutty, which is a scent I don't love, but fits the season perfectly. (For a girl who doesn't love coconut scented products, it is going to be a long, long summer!) It smoothes onto skin effortlessly and leaves a nice finish that was semi-matte on my skin. Did I feel like it prolonged the life of my makeup? Eh, no, not really. Did it feel cooling and hydrating? Sure!
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LANEIGE Vanilla Lip Sleeping Mask, 0.08 oz - Estimated Value $2.29 (Buy a full-size 0.7 oz version for $20.00 here)
I really love this brand because the formulas are high-quality and effective, and as a general rule, the whole product line is super affordable. I really love lip sleeping masks, though I tend to treat them as lip lipgloss and wear them all the time. This little pot is super effective! I did sleep in it the first night of trying it and my lips were soft and very hydrated in the morning. This will probably become something I reach for quite often, though my heart will always belong to my beloved Agave Lip Mask in Lavender (it HAS to be the lavender).
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SEPHORA COLLECTION All Day Hydrator Hydrate & Glow, 10 ml - Estimated Value $3.20 (Buy a full-size 50 ml version for $16.00 here)
I have never really tried any of the Sephora Collection brand skincare, though I have heard good things and no one can argue that the prices aren't great! I was really surprised to see that this product is also made in France, which seems extra fancy for an in-house brand. This hydrator is on the watery side, but still creamy. It does have a stronger scent so if you are fragrance sensitive this might be a no-go. I personally liked the clean and just slightly floral scent. The most important ingredients in this formula are hyaluronic acid, vitamins C and E, and glycerine. It left my skin feeling really dewy, but not greasy. For the price, this is a great summer moisturizer.
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First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair BarriAIR Cream, 9 ml - Estimated Value $6.14 (Buy a full-size 44 ml version for $30.00 here)
This stuff has a pretty interesting texture. It is kind of like a heavy, creamy foam feeling on my face, but it absorbs and is so lightweight it feels like nothing. Though I need more moisture from a cream, this could be a great choice for someone with oilier skin, especially those with super sensitive skin because it is hypoallergenic and fragrance-free.
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Milk Makeup KUSH High Volume Mascara in Blackest Black, 3ml - Estimated Value $7.20 (Buy a full-size 10 ml version for $24.00 here)
This was the item I was most excited about this month. Do I need mascara? Nope. But I love most Milk products and this one has some hype attached, so it was catnip to someone like me. I am happy to say that I really loved it. Let me be clear, this mascara is not going to make you look like you have a set of false lashes on. If you love that look, you will likely be disappointed. It did give my lashes great length and a nice amount of very natural-looking volume. Unlike some other mascaras, I found this formula was totally buildable, letting me do 2-3 coats without those dreaded lumps on my lashes. I am excited to see if the CBD oil in the formula helps improve my lash health over time.
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Briogeo Be Gentle Be Kind Matcha + Apple Replenishing Superfood Shampoo, 9.7 ml - Estimated Value $0.74 (Buy a full-size 369 ml version for $28.00 here)
Be Gentle Be Kind Kale + Apple Replenishing Superfood Conditioner, 9.7 ml - Estimated Value $0.74 (Buy a full-size 369 ml version for $28.00 here)
Our bonus sample this month is from beloved brand Briogeo. While I have tried their leave-in conditioner (and maybe some sort of cream??) I have never tried this shampoo or conditioner! Both smelled overwhelmingly like fresh apples, and like most products from this brand I have tried, both worked well, leaving my hair clean and soft.
Verdict: This month's PLAY! by Sephora box has an estimated value of $22.09, which is a lot lower than last month ($37.93). I have def. experienced more exciting boxes, but this was still a solid assortment of items. The KUSH mascara was by far the highlight for me. I also loved the lip mask and both of the hydration creams were new to me, and fun to experiment with. It was a great mix of brands and though there wasn't really anything groundbreaking this month, I still think this was a decent box.
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:
- tarte Primer $0.81
- Laneige Lip Mask $1.04
- Sephora Collection Hydrator $1.45
- First Aid Beauty Cream $2.78
- Milk Makeup KUSH Mascara $3.26
- Briogeo Shampoo & Conditioner $0.67
Alternatively, each of the 6 samples has an average cost of $1.67.
Check out all of our PLAY! by Sephora reviews, our best beauty boxes, 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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