Play! by Sephora August 2017 Unboxing and First Impressions

Hiii, everyone!  I hope you’re all enjoying your weekend so far.  Today, we are reviewing my Sephora Play! sample box for August 2017.  You can find my review of last month’s Play! box here.  Play! is Sephora’s subscription service that provides 5 beauty samples plus 1 fragrance sample for $10/month (plus local taxes).

August’s theme is The Innovators and the Play! Bag comes with 6 products in the standard white, cloth pouch.As usual, it includes an insert with product descriptions/ directions and a Play! Pass, redeemable in Sephora stores for 50 extra Beauty Insider points with any purchase.

1. Lancer The Method: Polish – Deluxe Sized (0.5 fl oz)

Effective skin-resurfacing treatment uses natural plant enzymes and microdermabrasion crystals to reveal radiant skin (insert).  This skin polish has a very strong herbal scent, like lavender (I think).  The very fine microbeads do a great job of deep exfoliation, revealing a brighter complexion.  I like to use this every 2-3 days to prevent irritation.

2. Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick in Beige  – Deluxe Sample Sized (0.04 oz)

Highly pigmented foundation with the coverage of a concealer, smoothness of a liquid, and weightlessness of a powder (insert).  I’ve heard rave reviews about this stick foundation and I’m happy to report this actually lived up to the hype.  I was very impressed with how creamy and blendable the formula is.  It provides medium coverage with a gorgeously natural, satin finish.  The Beige shade is about 3 shades too light for me, but I would definitely give this foundation another try in my matching shade.

3. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo – Travel Sized (1.8 oz)

Powered by a new, patented molecule, this effective dry shampoo absorbs excess oil and makes hair look and feel refreshed (insert).  This dry shampoo has a light, fresh scent that refreshes unwashed hair.  The powder absorbed greasiness and brought volume back into my hair without leaving a white overcast.  I will be packing this along with me on my next travels.

4. BeautyBlender Micro Mini – Full Sized – Retail Price $18 for 2 Minis

Revolutionary mini makeup applicator sponge for highlighting, contouring, and concealing.  Perfectly shaped to reach the smallest parts of your face (insert).  This has the same soft, bouncy material as the original Beauty Blender so it performs just as well, blending in cream products seamlessly after it has been dampened with water.  However, being impatient, this micro-sized sponge is too small to quickly blend out my undereye concealer.  I still prefer just using the pointed edge of the OG Beauty Blender to apply product in smaller areas of the face.

5. Clinique High Impact Mascara and Lash Building Primer – Deluxe Sized (0.08 oz)

Two-sided lash primer and mascara for longer-lasting eye looks and full, soft, lustrous lashes (insert).  The formula of this mascara is too wet to hold a curl on my short, straight lashes, but if you have non-problematic lashes and prefer a natural look, you would love this.  The combination of the High Impact Mascara over the Lash Building Primer gives the most natural, but defined lashes.  The thin brush reaches all the smaller lashes, giving more length than thickening volume, but without a clump in sight.

6. Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Perfume – Sample Sized (0.05 fl oz) 

This fresh, citrusy scent channels the sunshine-filled Mediterranean Sea with notes of bluebell, white rose, and amber (insert).  This is a fresh and lightweight summer scent that is perfect for the office or daytime.

Overall Rating:  I was rather let down by August’s Sephora Play! Bag so I award it a rating of 6/10 stars based on my first impressions.  I was initially excited about the product selection such as the BeautyBlender Micro.Mini and Clinique Mascara, but was disappointed that they just did not work for me, personally.  My favorite picks of the batch are the Hourglass Foundation Stick and Living Proof Dry Shampoo.

What are your thoughts on the Sephora Play! Bag?  Which products are you most excited to test out?

XO,

Mary Dee

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