This is not a sponsored post (my blog doesn’t have any). After 7 Play! Sephora beauty boxes this is my honest opinion. It’s a very high demand box and new subscribers are being added every month (check your spot here). This post will help you decide if the $120 per year will be well spent, or if you’d be better buying your favorites directly and getting samples.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure.
Sephora is offering up Play! by Sephora subscription box since late 2015. Since July, the products mailed to us are chosen based on our beauty profile. Below is my November 2016 Play! by Sephora beauty box – the “no profile” box.
The image above is the packaging and the little booklet called PLAY! BOOK with tips, tricks, how-tos and beauty advice. The little card is PLAY! PASS – to redeem in store for a free one-on-one tutorial and 50 points with any purchase. What I’ve learned from PLAY! DATE (See more details here) is that you must be a subscriber to be able to use this card – no gifting!
This is the Play! By Sephora November 2016 contents on their official page. I’ve never given them any information about me on my regular account or on the day I subscribed. This is the “no profile” box I received. My Play! by Sephora Best in Glow box contains
- Stella McCartney POP $72
- COVER FX Illuminating Primer $38
- SEPHORA COLLECTION Ultra Shine Lip Gel $12
- Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour $29
- Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet $39
- GLAMGLOW YOUTHMUD™ Tinglexfoliate Treatment $69
The first four items are included in their default box and the last two items are different. Next up, a close up of each item.
Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet $39
A bestselling gel cream that’s suitable for all skin types, even the most sensitive, to intensely moisturize and calm dehydrated, irritated skin.
This cult classic gel cream deeply hydrates, soothes, and softens all skin types, even the hypersensitive ones. Powered by Caudalie’s organic grape water and patented grape-seed polyphenols, this superfood-infused cream not only provides deep hydration, but it also protects the skin from free-radicals. It’s rich in Vinolevure® to strengthen skin to become less sensitive and more resilient over time, and chamomile to calm redness or irritation.
COVER FX Illuminating Primer $38
A silicone-free primer that gives the face a luminous glow while it helps to eliminate dull skin for a brighter, more radiant appearance.
Illuminating Primer from Cover FX preps the face for makeup while it assists in giving the skin a more radiant appearance. Its mineral complex works bounces light off the skin, creating the appearance of a natural-looking, luminous glow. Gatuline® Radiance Illuminate and Refine is a natural, preservative-free ingredient that improves the look of dull looking skin and supports microcirculation, Hylasome EG10, a Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, helps to moisturize and leave skin hydrated, and Panthenol, Provitamn B5, gives skin a smoother, supple appearance. Improve skin tone and give skin a glowing appearance with this multitasking formula.
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour $29
A long-lasting, creamy eye shadow stick that can also line, highlight, and create smoky looks.
This multitasking eye shadow stick delivers both easy application and high-definition, long-lasting color. Long-wearing, transfer-proof, and crease-resistant, the color glides seamlessly onto lids and blends and layers beautifully with a rich pigment-payoff. It features a myriad of shades and finishes to deliver endless options for an effortlessly beautiful eyes that stand out both day and night.
GLAMGLOW YOUTHMUD™ Tinglexfoliate Treatment $69
A professional-quality facial in a jar that softens and brightens in as little as 10 minutes.
The YOUTHMUD™ Tinglexfoliate Treatment moisturizes, exfoliates, and lifts away impurities without disturbing skin’s essential oils. Antiaging ingredients brighten and smooth while delivering a tighter, more youthful appearance with visibly minimized pores.
SEPHORA COLLECTION Ultra Shine Lip Gel $12
A lip gloss with a light-reflecting plumped shine inspired by gel nail polishes.
Ultra Shine Lip Gel transforms lips with a gel-effect formula for a light-reflecting, plumped shine. Its ultra-light, sensorial texture is also hydrating.
Stella McCartney POP is a floral woody fragrance that is bright, contemporary, and positive. The fragrance opens with initial notes of tomato leaves, violet leaves, and green mandarin. Heart notes of violet, tuberose, and plumeria and lasting notes of sandalwood, cedarwood, and musks add to the impression.
Stella McCartney POP is a bold, authentic, and irreverent fragrance. It creates an authentic circle where women can inspire, create, and be themselves while not fearing social norms or losing sophistication. It is the perfect scent for empowered young women.
Notes: Tomato Leaves, Violet Leaves, And Green Mandarin, Violet, Tuberose, Plumeria, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Musks.
Style: Bright. Contemporary. Positive.
The official Sephora Play December sneak peek and theme spoiler page from Sephora is here and the theme is The Partygoers!
My (Long) Thoughts:
My November Play Box – I like the CoverFX sample and I just used my Sephora reward gift card to get it. Laura Mercier is always a good makeup item to add to your vanity. The two skincare items are awesome (I prefer Glamglow Flashmud, and you?). Sephora’s lip item is not exciting but we either get this or a haircare sample. They’re lower price samples, I guess it’s necessary for this price of box.
Sephora Play Beauty Box Subscription Strengths
Unlike the well-known Birchbox or BeautifiedYou beauty Box which is also $5 – $10. Sephora is using their strongest strength of having their brick and mortar stores nationwide in two different ways.
(1) Sephora Play Date event is totally free for any PLAY! by Sephora Beauty Box Subscriber (RSVP here). See more details here. I have attended my very first Sephora Play Date at my local Sephora store, see my experience and free sample bag in the post here. You can bring one friend with you too.
(2) You can take your PLAY! PASS each month to your local Sephora for a free one-on-one tutorial that’s all about you with one of their beauty experts. You can also redeem your PLAY! PASS for 50 bonus Beauty Insider points with any in-store purchase during the same store visit. Just remember that each ticket may only be used once and expires after 30 days.
With any in-store purchase (no minimum), you will be granted an extra 50 points. The barcode is on the back of the card. I tested it out and received the regular points + 50 more points on my account (I checked 24 hours later).
Your Profile on Sephora
Sephora sent out many different types of Sephora Play Beauty Boxes to us. There was the Oily skin box, Dry skin box and what I would call a no profile box for those without a Sephora profile (like me).
At my recent Play! Date we discussed these box variations. I think the boxes will vary,
- Based on your profile, but also,
- Based on where you live (or what distribution center is near you).
Samples from Play! by Sephora Vs. Sephora Free Samples
We think that Play! by Sephora will contain house brands like Sephora Collection. Actually, we’ve only gotten 3 Sephora Collection samples from 7 boxes. The free samples redeemable with a coupon at checkout seem to be new beauty products that the brands want us to try. Whereas the samples in the subscription box seem to be classic or best-selling items that the brands know we will love.
It also seems like there is more variety of brands that offer free samples at checkout. That may be because some high-end brands like Chanel or Amorepacific wouldn’t place their products in any subscription box, but rather give it away.
Three Sephora sample bags 2015 were available until 12/20 or so but they are all out of stock this year. There are more online customers! See all current coupon codes and deals at Sephora deal page here.
I will show you my recent Sephora free sample bags below for a fun comparison.
Cyber Monday Bag (my post)
Partyon (my post)
VIBTRYME (my post)
You can see all 15 Play! by Sephora box contents at their official page here. Below, my Play! by Sephora beauty boxes from May 2016 – Nov 2016.
Play! by Sephora beauty box May 2016 (my post)
Play! by Sephora beauty box June 2016 (my post)
Play! by Sephora beauty box July 2016 (my post)
Play! by Sephora beauty box August 2016 (my post)
Play! by Sephora beauty box September 2016 (my post)
Play! by Sephora beauty box October 2016 (my post)
Play! by Sephora beauty box November 2016
Will you hop on the bandwagon and sign up for that waitlist? Tell me what you get! What do you think – is it worth $120 a year?
Sephora.ca? There is no subscription offers for Canada site yet.
See all current coupon codes and deals at Sephora deal page here. Look at free sample choice at checkout they are offering here. See more coupons and samples in my coupon page here (top menu). More details about Play! By Sephora in my post here.
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I love Sephora Play boxes. In every box I have received I have discovered at least new product that I really like. The value of every box far exceeds the $10 price tag. I find the Sephora Play classes to be extremely helpful. They are very casual, interactive and informative. Not only do you learn how the benefits and how to use the products in your box, you also learn new ways to use products and lines. With the bonus 50 points in each box you earn free samples crazy fast. So for me, the box is the best of all worlds – new things to try, detailed information and lots of bonus freebies.
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Wow… Amanda, Sephora will be so proud! I agree – value, classes, products and points. Sephora is outperformed other subscription beauty boxes! I also like that they have nice variations. I am feeling lucky to be able to joined this subscription! Thanks a lot for your thoughts! xoxo, Katie!
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