Play! By Sephora Deceber 2016

lay! By Sephora is a monthly subscription box by Sephora. It costs $10 a month and you received 5 beauty and skincare samples plus a perfume sample each month. Previously, you needed to put yourself onto a wait-list and wait to receive an email before you could subscribe, as they were rolling it out to limited quantities.

In addition to the products, Sephora includes a booklet that includes information about the product, the brand, and then tips of how to use the products. Also at the back of the book is a Play! PASS. This Pass gives you a complimentary one-on-one session with a Sephora artist as well as an extra 50 Beauty Insider points when you scan the pass at the register with any purchase. If you have the Sephora app, you can also scan the images of the products to learn more about them.

Previously, everyone received the same exact box. Lately it seems like they offer two or more varieties based on the preferences that you select for your profile. This month’s theme is (fittingly) The Partygoers.

As a heads up, the boxes are a little bit larger and will not fit into a small apartment sized mailbox. For reference, a Birchbox box is able to fit almost perfectly into my mailbox, but this one has no chance. Therefore, I’ve had to go to the post office both months to pick up my box.

This month the products I received were as follows:

Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara (Full-size $30)
Bobbi Brown is a great brand and I was excited to see this in my box. I haven’t purchased a mascara in a long time because of samples that I’ve received, so I always welcome new ones. This mascara claims to deliver both volume and length. The brush doesn’t look revolutionary, but I’m sure this will be a great standard mascara.

Make Up Forever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Smoothing Primer (Full-size $37)
I’m not a primer girl, so I don’t know how much use I’ll get out of this product, but I’m always up for trying it. Especially around the holidays when I’m out and about and need my makeup to last. The interesting thing about this primer is that it comes in different shades to address specific problems. I believe the color that I got is to make a natural finish. I think it’s interesting that there are different colors to address different skin tones and skin issues. I’m curious to see how this works with makeup!

Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Always Red (Full-size $14)
Sephora has given a few of their lip products in previous boxes and I have enjoyed them. I haven’t had a chance to try their stain and a blue based red will be perfect for the holidays! Stains are always great because with all of the eating and drinking regular lipstick comes off way too easily. Only bummer is that the sample is so tiny. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a lip sample this small!

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray (Full-Size $31)
I actually own the full size of this spray and love using it in the summer. It helps to keep my makeup from sliding too much when I’m sweaty. The mist is nice and light and there’s no odd scent. It really does help to make my makeup set and I enjoy the product. It’ll be nice to have a travel size for when I go on trips and it will last me a long time.

Drybar Detox Dry Shampoo (Full-size $23)
Dry shampoos are meant to remove oils and odors from your hair on days when you just can’t wash your hair. They are also often used to add some volume and texture to hair for styling. However, it’s been tricky for me to find a way to work dry shampoo with my hair. I don’t wear my hair down often and with my curls I definitely don’t need extra volume. I will probably pass this one on as I do with most dry shampoos.

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Bourbon (Full-Size $85)
As a young girl, I was obsessed with Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen. As they’ve aged, I have always had an interest in their fragrances and clothing lines. I was honestly a bit disappointed in their Black and White fragrances as I wasn’t really drawn to either of them. When I did get a sample of the black (which I preferred over the white) my husband didn’t like it at all. I’m excited to try this new fragrance! Bourbon has notes of vanilla bourbon, oakwood, and tuberose. It’s a spicier scent which I tend to enjoy in the cold winter months. I have a bit of a cold so I can’t give an honest opinion of the scent, but I’m looking forward to trying it and seeing what my husband thinks.