Sephora Play! July 2018 Subscription Box Review

Sephora Play!

Cost: $10.00 monthly + tax

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: Every month our favorite money sucking store Sephora sends out a curated box of higher end samples to try out.  Every month you receive 5 samples and a perfume sample.  The boxes are customized with a few different variations being sent out each month.

There is a small survey that Sephora has you take that helps Sephora curate a box to your needs. There is also a card included in the box for a complimentary mini makeover (which are complimentary any way so I don’t really get that) and 50 extra points if you purchase something in store.


Everything about this post is going to be kinda shitty and subdued. It is not a good day for me.

Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Face Butter

Full Size: 50 ml

Full Size Cost: $40

Sample Size: 5 ml

Value: $4

This does not smell good for starters. I don’t really love Josie Maran products.  This actually sunk into my skin really nicely and didn’t leave me feeling greasy. To be honest though I have so many face creams that this one is just pulling me to use it as hand cream because I like how it made my hands feel after I applied it so that is what I am going to do with it because I make my own rules.

Rahua Freestyle Texturizer

Full Size: 105 ml

Full Size Cost: $34

Sample Size: 5 ml

Value: $1.62

I rarely use texturizers and when I do I only use sprays so this cream one I’ll never use.

Caudalíe Vinoperfect Essence

Full Size: 150 ml

Full Size Cost: $42

Sample Size: 5 ml

Value: $1.40

I have the matching serum to this so I am going to pair these and see what kind of results I can get from them using a matching “system”.

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Deep Dive Makeup Removing Gel Cleanser

Full Size: 150 ml

Full Size Cost: $25

Sample Size: 7.5 ml

Value: $1.25

This smells just like the mist which I love it smells so good and spa like and really makes me happy. I have to go away for the week for a funeral so I am going to take this cleanser so I can have a little happy scent boost at the end of the day.

Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy in Dream

Full Size: 4.3 g

Full Size Cost: $26

Sample Size: 2.2 g

Value: $13.30

I only like the advanced therapy line of their balms because the other ones are super messy on the lips but this is nice and sheer pink so it should work out fine. I also always love the packaging because it feels like metal and the cap screws on. This is also a great size compared to everything else so far. Swatched Below.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in Paaarty

Full Size: 5.6 g

Full Size Cost: $29

Sample Size: 1.5 g

Value: $7.77

Two Tarte products that it kinda interesting. I don’t use blush but this is a pretty light pink. Swatched Below.

You can barely see either of these shades on me sorry. These colors are just very light.


I feel like the sizes and value really sucked this month. I’m not unhappy with the products just the sizes they are extra tiny this month.

Total Value: $29.34

Skincare: 3

Makeup: 2

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 1

Perfume: 0

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 0

Deluxe Sample: 1

Sample: 5

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

Fortune Cookie Soap of the Month Club July 2018 Subscription Box Review

Fortune Cookie Soap of the Month Club

Cost: $28 monthly + $6.95 shipping ($34.95)

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: Well anyone that has been here for any amount of time knows I love this company and use their products all the time (#notsponsered lol but for real no I’m way to small time for that shit).  Fortune Cookie Soap Company (FCS) makes bath and body products with all different themes and scents. Usually inspired by movies, or tv shows or other pop culture things. It is seriously really fun they stuff. I could go on and on about it but I’ll save my gushing the products are always great quality and have that homemade, made with love touch with out feeling DIY. Also for a bonus alot of their products are vegan.

The FCS of the Month Club every month will send a mix of full sized and deluxe sized products, saving you 50% off retail.  Every month is a different theme and you can skip a month if you aren’t feeling that month’s theme as long as you skip it before the 10th of the month. You will also earn points for what you spend on the box and purchases each month that you can redeem for reward certificates basically to shop on the site which is a great plus.


The theme this month is The Park is Open theme after Jurassic Park, which I love so much. The packaging is so perfect to the bottles are all like a nice dark amber so cute.

Perfume Oil Clever Girl

Full Size: 10 ml

Full Size Cost: $12.99

This is a strawberry, apple, rose, vanilla perfume.  I obviously can’t use this and it smells very strongly of roses. I would have imagined a different scent to describe Blue, for anyone that has seen the move so this kinda missed the mark for me.

Body Milk Spare No Expense

Full Size: 8.6 oz

Full Size Cost: $13.99

This is back to the pricing I am used to seeing from FCS.  This is a new product it is super moisturizing and does sink in to my skin incredibly quickly it is a bit tacky and really messy since it is the consistency of milk. I love the scent on this it is bergamont and lemon and a neroli type scent.

Exfoliating Body Wash in Perserved in Amber

Full Size: 4.65 oz

Full Size Cost: $7.99

I some how neglected to take a picture of this one.  This is amber, jasmine, mandarin and cassis berries and smells rather masculine. I am going to probably pass this one on to my gf since I don’t love the scent.

Toilet Bombs in Water Ripples

Full Size: 3 oz

Full Size Cost: $8.49

This is such a funny name for it I love it. You can’t really smell these to you use them.  So these are almost impossible to break apart and FCS has said that there were some packaging issues that have cause this problem.

Shaving Cream in Cryo Can

Full Size: 3.1 oz

Full Size Cost: $12.99

I love shaving creams so this was a yay. This gave me a super close shave and didn’t take much product. Summer Squash and earth is the scent descriptors and you can smell it but I would have hoped for a minter scent as more of a nod to the Barbasol cans in the movie.

Car Freshener in Must Go Faster

Full Size: 2.25 oz

Full Size Cost: $7.99

This is orange, lemongrass, thyme and avocado and this is my favorite scent in the box it smells so damn good. I am obsessed with room and car sprays so this is like such a perfect product for me.

Moroccan Oil Hair Detangler in Life Finds a Way

Full Size: 5.3 oz

Full Size Cost: $10.99

This is nectarine, apricot, oak and sandalwood. I like having detanglers on hand and I really like FCS detanglers.


Total: $75.43

Percentage Savings: 53.7%

This was such cute good theme and great products the scents weren’t all great but I was pretty pleased with it over all. Most especially the car spray.

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

 

 

Ipsy July 2018 Subscription Box Review

Ipsy Bag

Cost: $10 monthly, $110 annual

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: Every month Ipsy sends out a cute makeup bag of samples and full size items. you can review your bag for points that you can trade in for reward items. The rewards change often and the range between 100 points and 1000 points. You can get up to 95 points every month.

If you want to subscribe you can subscribe HERE and skip the waitlist. That is my referral link so I do get points to spend but I’m not an affiliate I don’t make any money or anything it’s just one beauty junkie to another.


We got this really shiny holographic blue bag it is really pretty and has a white zipper with a rubber pull.

Wander Beauty Glowtion

Full Size: 32.2 ml

Full Size Cost: $34

Sample Size: 5 ml

Value: $5.28

Considering how small this sample is it is worth more then I would have guessed. Now the full size comes with a highlighter as well but the sample does not. There was not alot in this tube I have used it twice and I think I have 1 maybe 2 more uses left in the tube.  As far as glowy lotions go this is not that great it does make my skin look healthy but it is pretty tacky and not overly glowy.  My skin also doesn’t feel clogged or gross after but I prefer my Glamglow lotion to this by far.

Mellow Matte Lipstick in Candy Floss

Full Size: 3.8 g

Full Size Cost: $15

Sample Size: 3.8 g

Value: $15

I am not even taking the plastic off this I know I won’t use it.  This is a Barbie neon pink lipstick like the label color. I hear good things about these lipsticks but I have never been sent a color I would ever wear.

Ofra Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Exquisite

Full Size: 4 g

Full Size Cost: $12

Sample Size: 4 g

Value: $12

This is not super pigmented it really needs to be build up and I like more strong black shade. I haven’t had huge luck with Ofra shadows they aren’t bad but they are not my favorite either. I find them to have too much fall out through out the day. Swatched Below.

Sugar Stroke of Genius Heavy-Duty Khol Eyeliner in 03 Green Light

Full Size: 1.2 g

Full Size Cost: $13.99

Sample Size: 1.2 g

Value: $13.99

This seems to be out of stock and I can only find it in black which really sucks because I really liked this alot. I love khol eyeliners and this went on so smooth and creamy but stayed pigmented and didn’t smudge in my waterline. I hope I can find more because I really liked this alot. Swatched Below.

You can really see the lack of pigment in the eyeshadow.

Z Skin Acne Spot Treatment

Full Size: 30 ml

Full Size Cost: $17

Sample Size: 10 ml

Value: $5.67

I have been really on the hunt for a new spot treatment and have been really curious about Z skin for awhile so I am super happy with this sample. Can’t wait to see what kind of results I can get.  Z Skin is a herbal and organic skincare company with a few different lines  for acne, anti aging and so on.


I was really happy with this month’s bag more happy then I was with this month’s Boxycharm, which is double the cost.  I am so happy with the eyeliner and getting 3 full size products.

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $51.94

Skincare: 1

Makeup: 4

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 0

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 3

Deluxe Sample: 0

Sample: 2

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup