Okay, so I haven’t been dead or on some awesome vacation or anything. My day job has been insanely busy and as glamorous as filling out government forms and doing word problems in a windowless basement is, I’d much rather be chatting with all of you. So I’m glad to be back with some overdue reviews plus fun new boxes. I now post sneak peeks of all my boxes on Instagram so you can follow suscriptiontherapy to see box spoilers in advance.
So it’s time to discuss one of my newest monthly subs: Play by Sephora. This box is Birchbox’s direct competition in the $10 beauty box slot.
Let’s check out what showed up in July.
July’s theme was “Effortless” – Some Like it Haute. Sephora described this as “Calling all warm-weather essentials and sunny standouts: this month we’re taking on the long days and haute nights with a sultry selection that will keep you chic all summer long. Soak up the best of the season with an innovative blotting sponge, a shine-boosting hair treatment, and more beach-worthy finds.”
OUAI Wave Spray (5 oz: $12.00)
Description: “Weightless texture mist gives hair an effortless, undone look while adding volume and shine.”
Verdict: Hello Old Friend!
This product may look familiar because it popped up in my Summer 2016 Rachel Zoe Box of Style. My go to style is to air dry my hair and let it be wavy so I really love this product. Even though I got this in another box, I’m still quite happy to have another.
Beautyblender Blotterazzi (Full Size: $20.00)
Description: “Washable and reusable, this revolutionary cushion blotter is designed to fit into facial controls to remove shine and absorb oil without disturbing makeup.”
Verdict: Confusing
I don’t really get this product. It sounds like it replaces facial blotting sheets except you carry it around and reuse it and wash it. Is that right? I don’t really see how this is an improvement over the regular old oil blotting sheets that don’t require much effort. I just can’t see myself using this.
First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser (2 oz $10.00)
Description: “Rich in botanicals and antioxidants, this gentle cleanser transforms from a light, whipped texture to a lush, creamy lather.”
Verdict: Like/Gift
First Aid Beauty is a wonderful brand and I am a huge fan of their moisturizer. Their products are great for folks with sensitive skin and are fragrance free. I have a friend who adores their stuff and since I’ve got a cabinet full of cleansers, I’m going to past this along to her.
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer (1 oz: $36.00)
Description: “Silky and lightweight, this iconic primer for normal to dry skin keeps makeup in place while helping to create a flawless finish..”
Verdict: Have we met before?
I swear over the years I’ve gotten like 50 samples of this. It just pops up everywhere. It’s a solid brand and a popular item, but I would have liked to see a new brand or product take this slot instead.
Benefit Cosmetics Dew the Hoola Soft Matte Liquid Bronzer (1 oz: $28.00)
Description: “Lightweight and shimmer-free, this soft-matte liquid bronzer creates a warm, radiant look that is sheer and seamless..”
Verdict: Enough with the bronzers
Look, I’m pale–like ghostly, blood drinking, powder pale. And I’m totally cool with that. All these bronzers in boxes are so warm and orange they don’t make me look “radiant” or “seamless”. They make me look like a reject from the Willy Wonka set.
This Month’s Perfume Pick:
Nest Fragrances Citrine (1.7 oz Size: $68.00)
Description: “Layers of fresh lotus flower and freesia mingle with birth citrus and a base of previous woods.”
Verdict: Disappointing
Even though perfume is my beauty box nemesis, I had high hopes for this product because it highlighted citrus and I’ve had some luck with Nest perfumes in the past. Sadly this was too strong for me, and the citrus wasn’t really as prominent as I would have expected. I’ll have to pass it along to a friend.
OVERALL
Verdict: Not for me
With tax, I paid $10.70 for this box and while I think it had good products they weren’t quite the right fit for me. The only item I will really use out of this grouping is the wave spray, so this box was a bit of a miss. Hopefully the next will have more items that appeal to pale redheads with aversions to strong perfume.
What did you think of the July box?
Would you have liked these products or found them to be disappointing like I did?
THE BACKSTORY
Each month Play by Sephora, will send you 5 deluxe samples handpicked from their shelves (plus a fragrance bonus) – all in a collectible bag.
Cost: $10 per month (plus any applicable tax)
Bonus: Each month you’ll get an included card that you can bring to Sephora for an extra 50 bonus points for any Purchase. These points are part of Sephora’s VIB program and can be traded in for an assortment of samples.
Lisa Preziosi 