Play! by Sephora July 2017 Unboxing and First Impressions

Hiii, everyone! Greetings from Katy, Texas! ? I tagged along with the hubby on his business trip so I’m here in The Lone Ranger State until the end of the week. I love traveling so any chance to explore a new place, I’m there 😉 Today, we are reviewing my Sephora Play! sample box for July 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).

July’s theme is Beauty Staycation and the Play! Bag comes with 6 products in a cute, pink-striped satin pouch. It is totally giving me Victoria Secret vibes.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.

Boscia Charcoal Pore Pudding Intensive Wash-Off Treatment – Deluxe Sized (0.84 fl oz)

Swirled black and white charcoal mask balances skin’s moisture, absorbs impurities, and minimizes the appearance of pores (insert). This has a very strong earthy scent that gave me vague hints of…paint ? I dug into the jar to create a grey mixture and applied a thin layer all over my face. It didn’t completely harden like I’d expect from a clay mask, but stayed slightly tacky until I washed it off. I didn’t see or expect a huge difference in pore minimization after only one use, but it did not irritate my skin whatsoever, and I was impressed with how soft and bright my skin was afterwards. A little bit goes a long way so this jar will last me forever. This is good stuff ?

Milk Makeup Cooling Water – Deluxe Sample Sized (0.1 oz)

Hydrating gel stick refreshes and soothes skin for a quick boost of moisture when you’re on the go (insert). I was so excited to try this Milk Makeup Moisture Stick. Something about that Push-Pop packaging draws me in every time, but sadly, I was disappointed once again 🙁 I appreciate the convenience of a moisturizer in a solid stick form and it did provide a level of moisture upon application. However, it stayed very tacky and felt rather heavy on my skin. I also felt my BB Cream didn’t settle well on top. Unfortunately, this was a total dud for me, personally.

Briogeo Rosarco Milk Reparative Leave-In Conditioning Spray – Deluxe Sample Sized (0.75 fl oz)

Ultra-light leave-in conditioning spray delivers non-greasy moisture without weighing down hair (insert). This has a light, fresh scent and felt very lightweight on, but I didn’t see much of a difference in my hair after use. I spritzed this on freshly washed hair and didn’t see much detangling properties or improvements in hair manageability. I typically love Brigeo hair products, but this was another pass for me 🙁

BareMinerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipcolor in Swag – Deluxe Sized (0.06 fl oz)

Cream-to-matte liquid lipstick pairs a blushing mauve shade with a stays-all-day formula that is lightweight yet full coverage (insert). Can you ever have enough liquid lipsticks? I think not 😉 This has a very lightweight, mousse-like texture that applied smoothly, coating the lips evenly with one coat. It lasted comfortably on the lips, but will transfer if you eat or drink. Swag is a lovely pinky nude that is flattering and very daytime or workplace appropriate.

It Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara – Deluxe Sample Sized

Innovative lengthening mascara gives lashes volume, reach, and lift with just one inky-black coat (insert). I’ve tried a sample of this mascara before and quite enjoyed the pitch-black formula. The medium-sized brush reaches the small lashes in the inner corners and quickly builds length and volume with each coat. I’m happy to add another refill of this mascara.

Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine – Sample Sized (0.05 fl oz)

Inspired by the scent of a relaxed summer morning, this crisp blend of sweet blood orange and bitter orange peel is complemented by notes of geranium (insert). I LOVE this citrus scent. It smells like a freshly peeled orange and instantly perks me up. This is the perfect crisp, lightweight summer scent.

Overall Rating: I was fairly satisfied with July’s Sephora Play! Bag so I award it a rating of 7/10 stars based on my first impressions. I was pleased with the product selection, but was disappointed in some of the products’ performance. Unfortunately, they just did not work for me, personally. My favorite picks of the batch are the Boscia Charcoal Mask and Bare Minerals Liquid Lipstick.

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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