Play! by Sephora Review – May 2017 – Box #306

ByLiz CadmanJun 26, 2017 | 29 comments

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.)

Every month they ship all of the samples a drawstring bag with a different design. But, this month they sent a reusable plastic envelope instead. (This is great for travel, so I like the change!)

FYI – There are variations of this box. This review is for the box # ending in 306.

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: 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!

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.

This month’s theme is “The Rising Stars.”

Now, onto the items!

Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask –7.5 ml Value $14.50

This mask is a gel that dries and tightens as you wear it for 20 minutes. I didn’t think I noticed a difference at first after removing the mask – but then I touched my face. My skin has NEVER been smoother!

It gets great reviews for helping with acne, too. (And smells so natural and lovely!)

Rahua Omega 9 Hair Mask - 22 ml Value $6.40

Another high-end, ingredient conscious beauty brand!

This product gets really mixed reviews on Sephora, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I like the scent, (it's natural, citrusy, and clean), and added moisture to my hair without weighing it down.

It was easy enough to use, too (just leave in for 10 minutes).

The issue I have with this product is the same I have with all Rahua products - the formula is great, but I can't tell a huge difference between this product, and a similar hair product that would cost me less than half of the cost. (The full-size version of this hair mask is $58.)

So for now, I'll just enjoy the samples when I get them!

TreStique Highlight & Perfect Multipurpose Stick – .05 oz?, Value $8?

I'm used to seeing this brand in Ipsy glam bags, so it was a bit surprising to see it from Sephora! (I didn't realize they carried this brand.)

The formula glides on smoothly, and the crayon has a beautiful champagne shimmer. It's easy to blend, too.

Here it is swatched:

Milk Makeup Blur Stick - .1 oz Value $3.60

I've been pretty impressed with MILK makeup, so I was excited to try this. (Plus, I love their minimalist packaging design.)

This blurring stick is pretty great. I could literally see it wipe away shine on my face as I applied it. The "blurring" part is debatable for me. (I could still see more pores.) But this is a great way to apply primer before foundation or just to give your skin a matte finish. (It didn't have any pigment on my skin tone.)

Grande Cosmetics GrandeLIPS Hydrating Lip Plumper – sample size, Value $4?

This is another product that seems to get mixed reviews on Sephora. (Works great for some, no noticeable difference for others.)

I fall into the category of no noticeable difference. To me, it's just a high-shine lip gloss.

Clean Reserve San Santal - 1.5 ml Value $1.40

(All Sephora boxes include 5 beauty products plus an extra perfume sample.)

This is an oriental green scent with notes Mandarin Leaves, Bergamot, Nutmeg Tonic, Iris, Salted Fig, Violet, Hazelnut Cream, Sandalwood, Decadent Amber, Styrax, Rose Musk.

I'm not a perfume wearer, so I usually assume I won't care for the perfume sample, but I'm liking this one! I really love the mandarin scent.

Verdict: This box has a value of about $38. I think that's great for a $10 beauty box, especially since the box will always include high-end brands. I'm happy with almost all the products in this box, but the standouts were the Tata Harper mask and the MILK blurring stick.

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

Starting at $10.00

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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 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.

Read customer reviews >

Posted in Beauty Subscription Boxes, Cheap Subscription Boxes, Makeup Subscription Boxes, Subscription Box Reviews, Subscription Boxes for Women

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!

Read More By Liz Cadman >

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29 comments

Korey

This was my box. I tried the Tata Harper mask and I didn’t really notice any difference. I think there’s only enough in the sample for 2 1/2 applications so I’m not sure if I’ll be able to really test it out. Can I tell you how much I LOVE the perfume though? To the point I was actually contemplating spending $95 for perfume and I’m an at home caregiver who rarely goes anywhere but the grocery store, lol. I am starting to worry about using the hair mack as my hair is really dry on the ends because of hard water and I don’t really care about the highlighter or the lip plumper. I don’t really wear highlighter and the lip plumper did nothing for me but it’s a nice gloss. I was going to cancel just because the tiny sample sizes, but Ill give it another month just because the perfume was a big win for me 😀

[email protected]

I lost my card for the extra points! Need to get foundation and powder and don’t want to wait until next month. Is the code universal? Do you th No Sephora will give me the code if I prove I have a sub to Play? 😬

Judith Valenzuela

I sent an email to customer service my card had wrong expiration date & they added my points for me. You can try emailing them. It worked for me

Christine

Oh, they can’t do anything. I left mine at home once and bought something and I told them I didn’t have my play card on me but asked if they could confirm in their system and I was told there was nothing they could do as they have to scan the actual barcode on the Play card. So now I put the card in my wallet as soon as I get in the mail.

Jacki

This was my box and I’m pretty happy with it. I’ve wanted to try the Milk and this will be enough to decide if I want a FS. The highlighter had mixed reviews, but it’s a great color for me so I will use it all. The mask will definitely be used. I found the hair mask to have a strong medicinal smell, but I’ll probably get through it quickly with my long hair. The applicator broke on the lip plumper

Jennifer S

This was my first box and I gotta tell you I am really underwhelmed. Brown metallic lipstick (I’m super fair with red hair), overpriced hair mask, oil cleanser and a serum for dry skin for my OILY skin, highlighter despite saying I HATE highlighters and never use them, a perfume I l already own. There is not one single thing in the box that I will use. Not even the cheap bag it came in.
I will give it one more shot and then then probably cancel.

Debi

Canceled mine today. Just cant get into the things they send. My Sephora is over a hour away. So if I do go in to a store I just get samples there. I’m not in to hair mask, highlighters etc. The bags are not something I use . I signed up for FitFabFun. and really did enjoy the items I got. Good bye Sephora.

Kristi

She’s referring to the Nudestix metallic matte matte lip color, which, according to Sephora, is supposed to be a collection of nude lip colors for all skin tones. They send the very darkest shade to a number of us pale ladies for some unknown reason.

Lisa

I’m confused about the brown metallic lipstick too, hmph?

Nicole

Brown metallic lipstick? I didn’t see one of those in any of the spoilers listed—what lipstick are you talking about?

Allie

This is the version I got-I HATED the hair mask-it left my hair feeling heavy and dry-no moisturizing properties at all. I love the highlighter stick, and the Tata Harper mask was great. The lip plumper did nothing, but I didn’t expect it to. This is the version I’d hoped to get so I’m very pleased-nice job, Sephora.

Christine

Your highlighter looks so clean. Mine came melted and broken. :/

Lunasol

You can email the, and they may refund you the price of the box or send you a new one. This hppened to me once and they gave me a credit and my first box was missing an item and refunded my money. They have exceptional customer service.

Tracy

I got a different box and for the first time there is absolutely nothing I will use. The magnetic matte lip color is hideous. Fair skinned blondes do not look good in brown lipstick and I mean it is brown. The clay cleanser smells horrible. I have full lips so I do not need a plumper. The Trestique glow stick makes me look like a shiny mess. I have dry hair so the Christophe Brown shampoo for oily hair and dandruff is of no use and the Sea toIt perfume makes me smell like a coconut. So disappointed in this box.

Jessie K.

Tomorrow will be better 🙂

I received a chubby lipstick in a dark brown color. I’m fair skinned with dark hair so I don’t know how much they customize our profiles because I would look like a corpse.

Maribeth

When I signed up for it I was shocked to see that you couldn’t select dyed hair colors, my hair is constantly changing. I have had brown, blue, green, blue and purple, teal, and now a very bright red, I selected natural red but I fear that products they send me will do nothing for my actual hair color. Also, I am very pale as well so pastels look so weird on me and I’m hoping that I do not get any really light lipsticks.

Kristi

I also got the dark brown lipstick and I am super-pale, which Sephora knows because of my profile. I got box 280 and I am baffled that they send a lip shade to so many pale gals when it is clearly intended to be a nude shade for darker skin tones. I can’t help but wonder if there was a mistake because I’m sure there are lots of ladies with deeper skin tones that would have loved a dark nude created with them in mind.
I am normally pretty happy with my box but they just had a “highlighter” theme a few months ago and now another highlighter and dark lip colors for spring? And now I discover that other boxes had Tata Harper, Sunday Riley and Christophe Robin products? Kinda feels like I got the short end of the stick-everyone should have received at least one of those higher end brands.
Overall, feels like a really mismatched “leftover” assortment of products in a weird vinyl envelope. I actually liked the drawstring bags-found lots of uses for them.

Lethe

Ugh. Another pale girl, here, with a freaking ugly-as-hell brown lip stick. ;D

If any of you are, at all, interested in making it work, I’ve found it can make a nice liner/foundation color to lengthen wear and warm/tone-down/nudify pink lip colors that are too cool-toned (or,eh, pink) for me.

I also learned through Reddit (the fountain of all knowledge ;P) that it is eye-safe and can make a decent cream eye shadow or base.

Anyone know if the “Highlighter” is eye-safe?
As expected, it shows up as a metallic champagne smear on my pale cheek. (^_^) Really not into that.

Shelly

I tried it and looked awful ugggg

Gillian Labe

The Grande Lips totally reminds me of LipFusion XL but far less expensive.

Michelle

I have everything listed for swap but the Tata Harper.

Tamara

I would have liked to get the Tata Harper but the rest of this box would have been a bust for me. I’ve never been impressed with Milk products – and to top it off they seem to be following in Benefit’s footsteps in sending out teeny tiny samples.

Kelly

I was actually thinking that the blur looked very stingy. BB sent me a MILK blush last year and I am still using it. The sample was half of a full size. Now it looks like you get two swipes.

Tamara

I remember the itty bitty milk lipstick samples BB sent out last year. They were ridiculous.

Angie

I thought it looked small too. But after trying it, it is quite hard and will last a long time. I’m not a fan of it because of how hard you have to press to get the product off.

Meg

Apparently a lot of the grand lips had broken applicators Sephora will send 2 new samples (your choice from a short list) as a replacement for free if you let them know !

Nina

How do you let them know?

AmyM

Jealous!! This was the box variation I wanted the most. That Tata Harper mask is amazing and I love the Blur Stick.

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Play! by Sephora Review – May 2017 – Box #306

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