Sometimes I believe I have zero willpower and then I order something awesome that I intend to blog about, wait eagerly for it to arrive, open my door to find it delivered and then let it sit in my room for days or even weeks on end, not so much as breaking a seal until I’m ready to properly photograph it proving that perhaps I possess a little willpower after all. Now if I could only apply that same stubborn enthusiasm to a diet and exercise plan, I’d be in good shape – literally. The subject of today’s post, which sat untouched for multiple weeks before I finally emptied out its contents to take the photos above, is my first ever beauty subscription box from (as you can probably already tell) Play by Sephora! Naturally, I wanted to write about all it and share with you guys what was inside this August’s box as well as a few thoughts I’ve had so far. Let’s do this!
Although the pretty modest price tag of $10 adds up over time, I think the value lies in being able to try different brands on a monthly basis and get a feel for a variety of products before making any full-size, full-price purchases. Or, ya know, if you’re a blogger on a budget who wants to test out all the beauty things she can get her hands on #fortheblog. If you’re not familiar with the Play by Sephora box, it offers five products plus a bonus product inside a themed box (August’s theme was “Beauty Schooled”) along with a pamphlet that tells you all about each box’s contents, a card that’s good for 50 extra Beauty Insider points when you make a purchase in-store at Sephora PLUS access to their monthly Play Dates where you can test out products and get advice from Sephora’s pros. I’m not sure when I’ll be taking advantage of that last perk but I know I’ll be getting good use out of the cute drawstring bag-of-the-month in which all the products come – unless Ella steals it from me first!
The only thing I’m not in love with is the fact that the monthly boxes arrive during the third week of the month – i.e. my “September” box will be making its appearance when September is already half to three-fourths of the way over. It’s definitely not a huge deal or a deal breaker however and it may just be the blogger in me that wants to be able to talk about a monthly something before or right as the month begins. Other than that, I’m happy with this subscription so far and I’m so excited to see how it goes in the months to come. I have heard/read a few complaints about the repetition of products at times so I’ll keep you updated on that as I receive more boxes in the future.
For now, let’s take a look at what was in Sephora’s back to school-themed box…
NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
I never worry about dedicated eyeshadow bases/primers because I always add whatever primer and foundation I’m currently using to my eyelids before shadows anyway but it’ll be fun to give this a try and see if it makes a difference in how my eye makeup wears throughout the day. I haven’t tried it yet as I keep completely forgetting but I’ll keep you posted via Instagram or a future Monthly Hits + Misses post.
Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Matte Bronzer
I’ve heard SO many people raving about this bronzer so I was super excited to finally try it out. It’s highly pigmented and it blends beautifully so I’ve really enjoyed using it. Although this sample size is pretty mini, I think it’s a great amount to give it a good test drive.
Make Up For Ever Artist Rouge Lipstick in C211
I already have this exact lipstick in this exact shade from the Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Nude Lip kit (see the whole thing in this post!) but I’m not mad at all about getting it again because it really is a beautiful color!
Dr. Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Deep Cream
I’ve been using this as a night cream lately and I’m loving how moisturized my skin feels in the morning as well as the consistency of this cream which is wonderfully thick, allowing a little to go a long way. I may not be purchasing the full-size version at $72 anytime soon but I’m seriously enjoying this sample.
Despite being a California Girl, I’ve been completely obsessed with big southern hair recently so this trial-sized spray is just what I needed. It adds a good amount of volume/texture (think dry shampoo but bigger) and I also LOVE the way it smells!
And the Monthly Bonus…
Drybar Southern Belle Volume Boosting Shampoo and Conditioner
I haven’t used this sample set yet but yay (in advance) for even more volume! I probably won’t replace my current shampoo/conditioner combo but if these work well I wouldn’t mind giving Drybar’s Southern Belle Root Lifter or Mousse a try.
As I was writing this post, I noticed that Sephora has added two more types of beauty boxes to its Play by Sephora collection that aren’t subscription based but instead can be purchased as long as supplies last. You can check them out along with the original Play! by Sephora box here. I’d really love to try the FitFabFun box in the future because I think it’s an amazing value for its $50-per-quarter cost but for now I’m having lots of fun playing with Sephora’s sampling of trial-sized products from top beauty brands.
Do you subscribe to any beauty boxes? Do you want to? Let me know!
Quick Update: I wrote this post in mid-September and received my September box a few days later. I’m really happy with all the products I received in it but I wanted to let you guys know that Sephora has replaced the cloth drawstring bags with recyclable plastic bags. I don’t mind them (other than the fact that they’re basically glorified sandwich baggies) but I’m guessing the powers that be at Sephora may have been more focused on cutting costs to make way for their new boxes than “going green” when they made this decision and I think I’d prefer the cloth collectible bags that they still for some reason list in the description box of the monthly subscription box. Anyway, I’ll keep you posted as I receive more Play by Sephora boxes… xx
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