Unboxing: Sephora Play July 2018

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So.... why am I still subscribed to the Sephora Play monthly box again? Hmm I'm not sure I have a good answer, considering how bitterly disappointing it's been since the beginning of 2018. FOMO maybe? The irrational fear that if I quit, it's gonna get better? Well, last month wasn't THAT bad. What about July then? Let's take a look!

If you want more info about how the Sephora Play subscription works, take a look at one of my older posts, like this one. In a few words: the subscription costs $10 a month plus tax, and there are 6 beauty products in each box (one is supposed to be a "bonus", usually a fragrance sample). I also do a video unboxing of my Sephora Play every month in my Instagram stories, follow me and keep an eye on my stories if you want to watch the next one!


The theme for this month's box is More Of The Good Stuff. When I saw that phrase on the leaflet I immediately thought "so they're warning me that I've already received these products before??". But no, a least that's not the idea. I think they tried to make a "green" box, containing products that could be categorized as "natural beauty". But... well you'll see what the big BUT is in a minute. The concept itself is pretty cool, and it makes sense since Sephora has started showing a Clean At Sephora seal on products that meet certain standards on their website: formulated without sulfates, parabens, mineral oil, etc. I think the list of ingredients that need to be excluded is very debatable, but it answers the demands of a growing segment of beauty consumers.

The bag this month is the plain, white canvas bag with red ribbon drawstrings. No fun illustration, nothing. Hmmm, I feel like "clean beauty" was the perfect theme to create cute floral/vegetal patterns, or maybe use an unbleached cotton bag? Missed opportunity here.

Here's what I got in my Sephora Play July box:

tarte boscia drunk elephant briogeo

- Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Paaarty: I like travel-sizes for blush because I've never, ever hit pan on a cheek product. But as soon as I found this blush in my bag I had a feeling of déjà vu... and yep, Paaarty is the shade we got in the Beauty Insider birthday kit last year! Same exact mini-blush. Why Sephora? You KNOW I already got this shade since you track everything I get, and the vast majority of loyal Sephora customers did too. Why didn't you send us another shade? Oh of course, because you had a bunch left from last year's b-day gift you needed to get rid of! I expect we'll get the liquid lipstick that came with it next month?

- Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Color Splash Lipstick in Salt Lyfe: hmm okay, second Tarte product in this box... Well at least I haven't tried this formula, but I've heard good reviews about it. This mini lipstick is quite tiny and the color a bit too pink for my taste as far as nudes go, but I'll give it a try.

- Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Deep Dive Cleansing Gel: what the??? What is going on? Is this supposed to be a Tarte box? Nobody warned me we'd get brand exclusive boxes! The Rainforest of the Sea collection is at least 2 years old too, so what's with the sudden obsession? And what does Tarte have to do with a natural beauty box? Tarte products don't even get the Clean At Sephora seal online, so why did I get THREE of them in this "good stuff" box? I really don't get it....

- Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream: wow, something that's not by Tarte, hallelujah! Now this is a product that has its place in a natural beauty box, since Drunk Elephant makes very carefully formulated skincare with as much natural ingredients as they can. Besides, althought not brand new, it's one of the latest additions to the brand's skincare line. It's probably a bit too heavy for me in the summer heat, but I'll be trying it out when it gets a little cooler and my skin needs a richer moisturizer.

- Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Volumizing Spray: I just threw up in my mouth a little. That's the effect finding yet another Briogeo product in my Sephora Play has on me now. I think I've received at least a dozen products from the brand over the past 2 years... including this exact mini volumizing spray that I got in my Play box in MARCH. Yeah that was just 4 months ago. I can't even look at Briogeo anymore. Get out of my life, or at least out of my Play boxes!

- The bonus product: a packette sample of the new Boscia Matcha Magic Super Antioxidant Mask. Ironically, this is the one thing in my July box I'm the most excited to try. Yep, a packette sample...


swatches tarte amazonian clay 12-hour blush in paaarty and rainforest of the sea lipstick in salt lyfe
Swatches of Tarte blush in Paaarty and lipstick in Salt Lyfe


OVERALL

This July box has me really puzzled. Why on earth would Sephora send me 3 products by Tarte, a brand that doesn't even fit the green beauty theme? And then a hair product by their beloved Briogeo I already received just 4 months ago? I've said that a few times, but this month confirms my suspicions: I think Sephora has given up on the Play box as a cool and exciting way to engage their loyal customers, and is now using it only as a cash cow to get more money out of brands who want to be featured. They don't give a shit about user experience anymore, so there is zero thought put into curating the boxes. Thanks but no thanks. I think I've reached the end of the road you guys. I want to cancel my subscription. I just need to click that button once and for all!


Number of products: 5 + packette
Makeup products: 2
Products I'm really excited about: 1
Products I know I won't use: 2
Repeats: 2
MY GRADE: D-


SHOP THE BOX


Bla

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