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. (I'm loving the pink satin this month!)
FYI – There are variations of this box. This review is for the box # ending in 870.
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 “Fall into Beauty.” Now, on to the items!
Ciaté London Liquid Velvet Moisturizing Matte Liquid Lipstick in Pin Up - 2 ml Value $5.85
The "Liquid Velvet" name definitely held up - this felt like a whipped mousse with no drying issues.
The Pin Up shade is perfect for me, too! It's a red berry that's a little deeper than my regular lip color, but I liked the change. Compared to other long-lasting liquid lipsticks, this didn't last as long, but it still holds up well.
(Swatched in lower photo.)
Touch In Sol Metallist Liquid Foil & Glitter Eye Shadow Duo in Talia - Size? Value $8.35
(There is no size listed, so I'm estimating this sample size is about 1/3 of the full-sized version.)
How cool is this sample? You get both the liquid eyeshadow and the glitter eyeshadow:
The pigment and shimmer are great in both. (And the glitter is super glittery!) Just make sure to use a glitter primer like Glitter Glue to help prevent fallout.
(And props to Sephora for including a brand that I haven't seen in a subscription box before!)
Swatched in lower photo.
Sephora Contour Eye Pencil 12 Hour (black) - .48 g Value $4
If you are a beauty box addict, getting a black eyeliner in a subscription box just isn't that exciting, but this eyeliner formula is about as good as it gets.
It glides on, the pigment is fantastic, and it is instantly smudge-proof!
Here it is swatched beneath the liquid lip, liquid eyeshadow, and glitter eyeshadow:
I'm really loving all the makeup colors this month!
Belif True Cream Moisturizing Bomb - 10 ml Value $8.80
I've sampled the Aqua Bomb before (love it), but this moisturizer is new to me!
This cream promises to deliver "intense, soothing hydration," and I'd say they nailed it! It's a richer cream than the Aqua Bomb gel, so it takes a little bit of time to absorb, but it felt fantastic on my skin and it also provided lots of moisture.
Herbivore Blue Tansy AHA + BHA Resurfacing Clarity Mask - 14 ml Value $9.60
I believe this the first time Sephora has sampled Herbivore, and I'm thrilled to see it in my box this month!
This is a light gel mask designed to help soothe skin, reduce redness, exfoliate skin, and unclog pores. You leave it on for 10-20 minutes, then wash off with warm water.
You can definitely feel it when it's on. It is tingly and a bit cooling. I was worried it might be irritating my skin, but when I removed it after 15 minutes, all was good! And my skin felt SO much smoother!
Ouai Repair Shampoo - 7 ml Value $.65
Ouai Repair Conditioner - 7 ml Value $.75
This haircare set is color safe and free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates. In general, I like the Ouai brand, but sometimes the scent is stronger than I'd like for my hair. Since most of the scent washes out with this, it's pretty much perfect for me. I didn't notice any major differences in my hair's hydration to justify buying the full-size versions, but it was a nice sample to try.
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. And I loved getting the brands Herbivore and Touch In Sol in this box! (And no perfume this month! Yay!)
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? You have to sign up by the 15th to receive that month's box, so as of today (9/18), your first box will be the October box.
Coupon – No coupons available for this subscription.
Value Breakdown: At $10 for this box, here’s what you are paying approximately per item:
- Liquid Lipstick: $1.54
- Touch In Sol: $2.20
- Eyeliner: $1.05
- Moisturizing Bomb: $2.32
- Blue Tansy Mask: $2.53
- Shampoo + Conditioner: $.36
What do you think about the September Play! by Sephora box? What variation did you get?
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