Why I cancelled my Sephora Play??

I subscribed to “Play! By Sephora” in April, last year! But soon thereafter, I started to ponder if it is really worth 10 bucks for me! In December, as soon as I got the shipping email from Sephora, I went ahead and cancelled the box. I was contemplating for months after all; December box just made it easier for me to pull the plug and cancel the subscription.   

In this last year, I had 8 boxes and only 2 or 3 of them has been “TRULY EXCITING” for me! It is 10$ per month and it typically comes with 5 sample sized products and a tiny vial of perfume. They send relatively new chic fragrances and I enjoy that! All the brands in these boxes are some very coveted brands found in Sephora. That is the most satisfactory part for me. However, I often find the samples to be too small! I would have appreciated a generous or full-size products once in a while. When I look at all the items I have got so far, only a VERY FEW stand out. I was also disappointed in the fact that Sephora includes some samples that they always offer as rewards or in Sephora Favorites set or even as Gift with Purchases. If you are beauty hoarder like me, you may already have collected a lot of these samples. I am talking about products like Kat Von D Tattoo Liner, Smashbox Primers, Benefit They’re Real Mascara etc. etc.! Also, I have noticed that they have been including lip-glosses/lipsticks that in very pale, pink shades; not every skin-tone can pull off that kind of color.

The only think I liked about these boxes were the brands. Unlike other subscription boxes that seem to send smaller, unknown brands, I loved that I could be assured that these products would come from reputed brands.

Overall, it was not giving me enough joy to keep pursuing it. I don’t think it’s a good fit for me, personally! Past few weeks, I have been trying hard to bring some sort of order to my collection. It has become quite overwhelming! I have realized that I am not enjoing even 50% of the products, so there is no point hoarding all these products from a subscription box! I already have a huge stash of sample and I need to finish them up rather than hoarding some more samples!

But here is where I think it will be an excellent box for you. If you are just starting out with makeup or you have been just recently introduced to the wonders of Sephora, this is the PERFECT SUBSCRIPTION BOX for you. You would not have as many products as a beauty hoarder like me :-) and you will actually have a chance to enjoy all the products you get! It is just 10$ and you actually get Beauty Insider points along with 50 points additional points that you can redeem at a Sephora Store with a purchase.

It has been 4 months since I cancelled the box and looking at the Instagram pictures I see for these 4 months, not one box has made me regret my decision to cancel the box! All the boxes are so lackluster in content; as an avid beauty fan these are products that I have seen or have had in my collection!

I hope this helped you understand this box a bit better. Here are my boxes and the contents; I have mentioned the size of all the products for which I was able to find. You can see how tiny are these samples! I have also highlighted the products that has been my favorites!

December 2016 (Full review here):

Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Smoothing Primer (0.16 fl oz.)

Lancôme Hypnose Drama Instant Full Body Volume Mascara
Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in 01 Always Red (0.04 fl oz.)
Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray
Drybar Detox Dry Shampoo (0.8 oz)
Elizabeth and James Nirvana Rose

November 2016 (Full review here):

Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment (0.3 oz.)
Cover FX Illuminating Primer (0.16 oz.)
*FAV*The Estee Edit by ESTEE LAUDER Dissolve the Drama (0.5 oz.)
Sephora Collection Ultra Shiner Lip Gel in “Pin Up Pink” (0.1 oz.)
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Color in “Rose Gold” (0.03 oz.)
Stella McCartney POP 

October 2016 (Full review here):

Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick in “Driver’s Seat”

*FAV* The Estee Edit Flash Photo Gloss

Erborian Bamboo Crepe Frappe (0.17 oz.)

Farmacy Skin Dew Mist (0.68 fl oz.)

Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask (1.7 fl oz.)

Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris

September 2016 (Full review here):

*FAV*Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel (0.085 fl oz.)
*FAV*Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper (0.007 fl oz.)
Dr Jart Water Drop Hydrating Moisturizer (1 fl oz.)
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Night Cap Overnight Protector (1 fl oz.)
Sephora Collection Rouge Shine Lipstick in Love Spell (0.035 oz.)
Tory Burch Jolie Fleur Verte

August 2016 (Full review here):

Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow in I-544 (0.02 oz.)

Sephora Collection Contour Eye Pencil 12hr Wear Waterproof in Love Affair (0.017 oz.) 
*FAV*Urban Decay Perversion Mascara (0.1 fl oz.)
Algenist Eye Renewal Balm (0.23 fl oz.)
Lancome Energie De Vie Smoothing & Glowing Liquid Care Moisturizer
Clean Reserve Warm Cotton

July 2016 (Full review here):

BeautyBlender Blotterazzi

Ouai Wave Spray (1.7 fl oz.)
Benefit Cosmetics “Dew the Hoola” Soft Matte Liquid Bronzer (0.16 fl oz.)
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer (0.25 fl oz.)
First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser
Nest Fragrances “Citrine”

June 2016 (Full review here):

*FAV* Tarte Tarteguard 30 Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 30
*FAV* Becca Backlight Priming Filter (0.20 fl oz.)
Bare Minerals bareSkin Sheer Sun Bronzer (0.10 fl oz.)
Bumble and Bumble Don’t blow it
Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real!  Mascara
Tocca Beauty Beauty Florence

May 2016 (Full review here):

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche in Kimchi
Tarte Tarteist Lip Crayon in Latergram
Origins Maskimizer + Drink Up & Clear Improvement Masks
Korres Wild Rose Sleeping Facial (0.34 fl oz.)
Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask
Atelier Cologne orange sanguine

Play! by Sephora ::: August 2016

When I opened my blog today, I realized my last post was published on Monday, Aug 8th. I have not posted anything in two weeks and for some reason my subconscious mind chose to completely ignore this fact! I really apologize for that :-(

Today, I have the Play by Sephora Subscription Box for August to discuss. This is my fourth month getting this box and honestly, it has not been as great I had hoped for. I was not at all thrilled by this month's box and hence I did not even have the enthusiasm to take better picture in better light. This months theme was "Eyes" and I like that I did not get another hair product. But I am a little disappointed as I was really waiting in anticipation for some great playful products for the eyes :-)

MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Shadow in I-544: I love this brand. It is a very professional and very artistic brand. I have a palette from them (reviewed here). Although, I don't reach for that palette often, I know that they are some great shadows. This is a nice cool pewter shade and I think every skin-tone will be able to pull it off. I like to apply this with my finger tips. These are very costly individually and this will surely last you for quite some time.

SEPHORA COLLECTION Contour Eye Pencil 12hr Wear Waterproof in Love Affair: It is a very deep plum shade; very nice alternative for black eyeliner shade. It is an average eyeliner, nothing that makes me super happy. It is waterproof but I have not really tested thatt out.

URBAN DECAY Perversion Mascara: This comes with a nice fluffy wand and it gave me a natural fluttery look. It is supposed to be lengthening and volumizing but quite honestly I don't really see much of either. I do like natural eyelashes so I am not really disappointed. However it is not something that I would go out and buy in full size.

ALGENIST Eye Renewal Balm: I have tried a very few of Algenist products in sample sizes and in general, I never had great luck. I have not tried this balm yet, but it is a very decent size jar so that is good! I will update my experience here when I use it.

LANCOME Energie De Vie Smoothing & Glowing Liquid Care Moisturizer: Now, this sounds promising. It's from Lancome so definitely a costly product. Plus, it is a lightweight moisturizer. The consistency of it is described to be thinner than moisturizer but thicker than an essence. That sounds really good especially for summer. But it is such a tiny size. That kind of irritates me a little bit.

CLEAN Reserve Warm Cotton: I typically love Clean perfumes. I try to buy the smaller gift set for emergency gifting purpose. :-) This one is not really great for my taste, It has a typical "Clean" scent however it is very powdery and it does not really last as long as my other perfumes from Clean.

As you can see, it is a decent box. But in my mind it is not up to Sephora standard. When I browse Social Media and come across other 10$ boxes like Ipsy and Birchbox, I don't see anything superb about the Sephora Box. I will keep continue getting this till the end of this year but if I still am not happy I will stop my subscription.

Are you liking your Play boxes?

By the way, I am not really for another Monday :-(

Love,

~Arrru