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I've been subscribing to Sephora Play for a year and a half now, but I'm still very excited when the box shows up in my mailbox every month! Who wants to see what I got this time?
What is Sephora Play! ?
By now, I'm sure most of you already know. If you don't, here's the deal: Sephora Play! is a beauty subscription box that comes to members' mailboxes every month and costs $10 (+ tax), charged automatically to the credit card on file. For this price, we receive 5 samples, deluxe or travel sizes of makeup, skincare, haircare products and one fragrance sample. You cannot pick your samples - you just get what you get and there's no exchanging samples you don't like. I don't remember filling a survey asking for my preferences when I signed up, but the subscription is linked to your Sephora BI/VIB/Rouge account so you might want to complete your profile just in case. Different subscribers may receive different samples every month, so what you see in my box might not be what someone else got.
The Sephora Play! program was launched in 2015 in a bunch of test markets in the US and opened nationwide in April 2016. Subscribers are charged at the beginning of each month and the box is supposed to be shipped in the 3rd week of the month: I was charged on October 3. The box was sent on October 13 through UPS Mail Innovations as usual, which is a mix of UPS and USPS, where UPS brings the box to your city and USPS does the final delivery to your mailbox. I got it on October 17.
Let's unbox this month's goodies!
The theme this month is Complexion Companions. I've often complained that the Sephora Play boxes didn't have a strong theme and that products were thrown in that had nothing to do with the subject. It almost feels like Sephora heard me! This time every single product in the box is closely related to the topic, helping to create a perfect makeup base. I have an exfoliator, a serum, a primer, a foundation and a setting mist, basically everything I need (minus a moisturizer with SPF) for flawless looking skin!
What's in the October box?
- Urban Decay Optical Illusion Complexion Primer: I don't remember ever trying a primer from Urban Decay. This one is a fairly recent launch that got very mixed reviews, so I'll be curious to test it. I'm usually all for smoothing, pore blurring primers. Tried on the back of my hand it makes my skin look matte and silky smooth.
- Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation: this is a best-seller and although I never purchased it, I tried multiple samples and really enjoyed it. When I was last on the market for a new foundation, I hesitated between this one and the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea. I ended up buying the Tarte, but I might switch to this one when I finish it. I think they're both great, providing good coverage while still looking very natural. I received this deluxe sample in shade Y245 which is a bit dark for me. When I got matched my best shade was Y235, so one shade lighter. I'm not sure what Sephora based their shade selection on, but if it's their ColorIQ system I'm not surprised it's off. Whenever I get "analyzed" it finds my skin being 2-3 shades darker than it really is (because of my freckles and sun spots?)
- Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Setting Mist: I like a good setting spray and refreshing mist, but this one has alcohol as its first ingredient and orange peel oil as its third, plus lavender and peppermint a little further down the ingredients list. So yeah, it feels fresh and smells good but it's really bad for your skin! I may use it as a body mist but there's no way I would spray this on my face. Boo Tarte.
- Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Skin Booster: huh, I'm getting two products from the same brand in one box... Okay, this serum was on my radar anyways, I actually got a sample of it with a recent purchase (one of the rare times I got the sample I selected with an online order at Sephora!). The serum has a very lightweight texture and the deluxe sample comes in an adorable tiny glass dropper. MUFE gets points for great packaging even for a sample! There is no ingredients list on Sephora's website, but the brand mentions hyaluronic acid and argan.
- Dr Brandt PoreDermabrasion Pore Perfecting Scrub: I don't use scrubs, I wish I could check a box somewhere on my Sephora profile to say "don't send me scrubs!". Very occasionally I'll use a gentle one on and around my nose, but that's it. I rely on chemical exfoliants and twice weekly Clarisonic cleanse to keep my pores clean and my skin smooth. The interesting thing is that this product combines physical and chemical exfoliants (basically it's a scrub with BHA), so I might give it a try on my problem areas. If the particles are too harsh I'll give it to my husband!
- the fragrance sample this month is Tory Burch Azur Wish: I don't usually care much for aquatic scents but I like the bergamot top note in this one. The vetiver, not so much!
Overall
All in all, I think this is a pretty good box for me. I appreciate Sephora's effort to create a box with almost everything you need for a flawless complexion. I would have preferred newer products (a Fenty foundation or primer maybe?) and more variety in the brands included, but I like that everything ties together nicely with the theme.
Number of products: 6
Makeup products: 3
Products I'm really excited about: 2
Products I know I won't use: 1
My grade: B+
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The subscription box featured in this review was purchased by me. I received no compensation to write this post, which only reflects my personal opinion. This post contains affiliate links. I receive a very small commission when you click on those links, and the money generated covers a small portion of my expenses to purchase products for review. Clicking on those links helps ensure that Beaumiroir continues to publish reviews of new and exciting high end French products - at no cost to you!
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