This is now my third month being subscribed to Play! by Sephora, and I’m hooked – each and every box has been amazing so far!
New to Play! by Sephora? It’s a monthly subscription box that includes 5 deluxe beauty samples and a bonus fragrance item, plus extra tips and in-store bonuses. The subscription costs $10/month and is currently available to the US only.
The theme for the September 2016 Play! by Sephora box is ‘The Unbasic Basics”. It includes makeup, skincare, hair care must-haves – products to help upgrade our beauty routine as we transition into Fall.
The items arrive inside a bag to keep everything secure (featuring a super cute design, as usual!). Here’s a rundown of all the samples in my box.
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Night Cap Overnight Protector (Value: $7) – I typically do olive oil and/or coconut oil masks on my hair overnight every few weeks, but they can be a bit time consuming and messy to work with (especially when it comes to protecting your pillow!). However, this product caught my eye as a great ‘lazy-day’ treatment for when I need a quick fix and don’t feel like mixing a mask, plus it’s pillow-safe!
Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation Facial Creme (Value: $5.59) – I actually already own a sample of this, but am more than happy to have a back-up! Ole makes some amazing products (love their eye creams and Truth serum), all of which use high quality ingredients, feel lightweight yet hydrating on the skin, and even smell good! (Other boxes received the Dr. Jart+ WaterDrop Hydrating Moisturizer.)
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper (Value: $5.71) – This is one of my favorite liquid liners – I got a sample several years back and use it whenever I want to do a quick and easy cat-eye look. I love it because it provides amazing precision and control (making it especially great if you’re a newbie at doing the cat-eye look).
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Gel (Value: $6.47) – Another welcome repeat (from other subscription boxes). I now have three of these, but I’m happy for the extras! This gel does a great job at holding my brows in place without the sticky or stiff feeling other gels can cause. 
Sephora Collection Rouge Shine Lipstick in Love Spell (Value: $3.37) – Smooth and hydrating is how I’d describe this. It doesn’t provide too much pigmentation – it’s more of a gloss/lip tint but looks pretty none-the-less. The shade “Love Spell” is a light pink that doesn’t work particularly well with my complexion, but I’m thinking it might look nice layered over a darker lip color.
Wearing the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner and Sephora Collection Rouge Shine Lipstick
Atelier Cologne in Sud Magnolia (Value: ~$2.50) – I don’t know why Atelier Cologne is always the choice brand for these subscription boxes – I must have 4-5 of their fragrances by now between Glossybox, Birchbox, and the Play! box. Their scents aren’t anything ‘unique’ in my opinion, and smell flat and generic to me, but again, maybe this will work well layered with another perfume. They also sadly don’t last that long on my skin. (Other boxes received Tory Burch Jolie Fleur Verte – I kind of wish I got that one!).
Each box also comes with a fold out poster that shows all the items in this box, along with some extra tips. Additional extras include the PLAY! Pass that can be used at your nearest Sephora to get a one-on-one tutorial on how to use the items in this month’s box. Plus, you’ll get 50 extra Beauty Insider points in-store with any purchase (I don’t believe it has to be a product from the box either – the website and card both say ‘any purchase’).
Final Thoughts
Overall, although many of these products weren’t all necessarily new to me, I still loved getting some back-ups, especially the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner. One interesting and new product that I was excited to be introduced to this month is the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Overnight Perfector. I love that it’s ‘pillow safe’ and also quick and easy to apply. The total value of the box was 3x the cost, coming in at $30.64!
What did you think of the September 2016 Play! by Sephora? If you are interested in subscribing or learning more about the box, you can check them out here!
