Sephora Play! September 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.


I don’t understand the bag choice this month it is like a legit sandwich bag but really thick. I don’t get it and I don’t like it its odd. Also two moisturizers in one bag is not cool in my opinion.

Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb

Full Size: 50 ml

Full Size Cost: $38

Sample Size: 3 ml

Value: $2.28

Belif true cream

I don’t like this cream it is way thick and doesn’t sink into my skin at all. Not a fan.

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly

Full Size: 15 ml

Full Size Cost: $5

Sample Size: 15 ml

Value: $5

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly

Woohoo a full travel size of a product I have been so curious to try. they whole clear gel see thru packaging thing is so up my alley I think it looks so pretty. It is a really light fast absorbing gel and I am all about that.

Too Faced Hangover Rx Face Primer

Full Size: 40 ml

Full Size Cost: $34

Sample Size: 5 ml

Value: $4.25

Too Faced Hangover RX Primer

I have tried this before but I don’t remember how I felt about it so I’m glad to be able to try it again.

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum

Full Size: 50 ml

Full Size Cost: $72

Sample Size: 7 ml

Value: $10.08

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum

I just tried a one time use sample of this and it obviously did nothing so its good that I can try this on a bit of a longer term. I like the truth line alot so I have high hopes for this.

Sephora Lashcraft Big Volume Mascara

Full Size: 12.5 g

Full Size Cost: $14

Sample Size: 5 g

Value: $5.60

Sephora Lashcraft

I will not be trying this the regular Lashcraft made my eyes super itchy so I am not taking a chance on this one at all. It was also very hard to remove so this is a mascara that I recommend staying far far away from.

Marc Jacobs Highliner in Earthquake

Full Size: 0.5 g

Full Size Cost: $25

Sample Size: 0.34 g

Value: $17

This is a warm chocolately brown shade. I love how these liners feel they are so creamy and stay put really well. I just don’t love a brown liner I have brown eyes so it does nothing for me.


This was a decent bag somethings I am pretty happy to try but not overly wowed.

Total Value: $44.21

Skincare: 3

Makeup: 3

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 0

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 1

Deluxe Sample: 2

Sample: 3

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

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

What’s In My Trash? June 2018

Happy July 4th, to any one here in the US. Another jam packed empties post.

Skincare (18)

Skinceuticals Gentle Cleanser this is a cream cleanser it was nice perfectly average nice cleanser lol.

Repurchase: No

 

Sunday Riley Martian Mattifying Melting Water-Gel Toner I really didn’t like this it didn’t feel like it did that much for my skin.

Repurchase: No

 

Skinceuticals Replenishing Cleanser this was a really thick creamy cleanser which I don’t like at all if you have dry skin you might like this. It has ceramides in it to help restore skin.

Repurchase: No

 

Korres Pomegranate AHAs and Enzymes Resurfacing Mask this has physical and chemical exfoliators it was pretty intense exfoliation. Also I tried it twice, there were only 2 uses in the little tube, and it broke me out really bad both times.

Repurchase: No

 

Peter Thomas Roth Acne Clear Invisible Dots I love these for putting on really bad painful pimples to help draw them out and heal them.

Repurchase: Yes

 

Sunday Riley U.F.O. Ultra- Clarifying Oil I really didn’t want to like this because it is so pricey. This is a acne treatment oil that I decided to try because I felt like just spot treatements weren’t working and my skin was getting worse and it was getting dry and oily and broken out and it was a mess.  This really did help clear up my skin and really made my skin look better after I got through like a purge phase that was pretty bad and painful a lot of cystic like type of stuff it brought out but after that I found it to really clear things up and oddly enough the parts of my skin that aren’t oily this oil actually made me break out I could only use it on my trouble areas so it did last awhile like 9 months which isn’t bad. I think since it is a heavier product I am going to see how I fair with out it in the summer and then probably repurchase in the fall when the Sephora sale comes around and use it in the winter. I have a treatment pad from Peter Thomas Roth I am dying to try out that seems better suited for my summer skin any way.

Repurchase: Yes

 

Sephora Pomegranate Sleeping Mask this lasted for quite a few uses. This just was refreshing and brought a lot of life back to my skin when I was worn out and tired.

Repurchase: Yes

 

Derma-e Very Clear Acne Spot Treatment this wasn’t any better then a spot treatment I would buy at the drug store.

Repurchase: No

 

Ole Hendriksen Grease Relief Cleansing Cloths I have definitely talked about these before I really like them for wiping of any oily grossness after sleeping or being outside doing stuff or what every when I don’t have makeup on.

Repurchase: Yes

 

Simple Pleasures Sugar Frosting Face Wipes I used these for swatch removal mostly but the sugar sweet smell is nice and they get swatches off pretty good.

Repurchase: Yes

 

First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser I did not like this at all it is super messy and leaves read marks in the skin as well as being really sticky. It felt like washing my face with honey or glue. Since it was so sticky it would not rinse off either.

Repurchase: No

 

Estee Lauder Dark Spot Correcting Night Serum I don’t feel like this did anything at all.

Repurchase: No

 

Pearlessence Mint + Bamboo Tonic Water face mist this smelled like bathroom cleaner and the mint stung my eyes.

Repurchase: No

 

BioBelle #Unicornglow sheet mask for starters omg the packaging, all their packaging though, is so freaking cute and magical and just aesthetically pleasing. Who wouldn’t want this sheet mask with the magic unicorn hot chocolate on it? But it is what is on the inside that counts and this is not heavy on the actual skincare really the chocolate and honey are super far down the ingredients list.  This felt nice on the skin and my skin felt bright and soft after but almost in a highlighter way rather than a skincare way if that makes any sense. This is definitely a pre night out type of mask I would do this like an hour or two before makeup when I wanted to look really nice. This mask happened to be made on my birthday this year which is kinda cool lol.

Repurchase: No

 

Cera Ve Eye Repair Cream this did not do anything and the hole was too big so to much product came out which was super annoying.

Repurchase: No

 

Clinique Moisture Surge I rarely use this for my face. I have to be rally dry or had like a really really long cry where my face is just raw because this is too much moisture for my face but they light gel texture is so nice I like to use this on random dry or itchy spots on my hands and arms and as a hand cream when my hands feel chapped which happens way more often.

Repurchase: Maybe, I have a few samples still I think

 

Glamglow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treament I don’t really like Glamglow any more I feel like the quality has gone down and the texture of the products has changed. This is a really chunky gross feeling mask on the skin it is exfoliating but I just don’t like it, it doesn’t feel good on the skin and I am really just trying to use up and get rid of the Glamglow products I have and honestly if I have any left next time I do a clean out they will all be getting decluttered.

Repurchase: No

 

Dermadoctor Kakadu C Amethyst Clay Detox Mask I have used this before I like it a lot it is a fun purple color not that that is important lol. It makes my skin feel really soft after but I don’t know if it is doing a whole lot of detoxifying.  It does smell like grape soda though and it is strong you can smell it the whole time it is on your face that doesn’t bother me but it is good to know if you are sensitive this wouldn’t be for you.

Repurchase: Maybe

Random (7)

Crown Brushes Brow Blade this is one of those microderming face razor type things I love these they work great for peach fuzz and exfoliating off dead skin but make sure you know what you’re doing when you are using them or you can really hurt yourself.  So make sure you read instructions or watch some tutorials. I bought some cheaper ones from Amazon to try and see how they compare but I like how these fold up so you have two handle lengths to work with depending on where on your face you are working.

Repurchase: Yes

 

Nad’s wax if forgot what it was exactly called the packaging on this is terrible but the product itsn’t awful. It is a twist up pen with wax to wax your eyebrows you have to run it under hot water or it doesn’t work but beside that it works decent and is convenient for waxing. The twist up stops with at least an entire brow wax worth of wax left in the tube ad I could not get it out to use which is annoying because this is still like 7 or 8 dollars. And you need to buy the waxing strips if you don’t already have them because they do not give you enough in the box. I liked the convenience but it wasn’t the best product I have ever tried.

Repurchase: Maybe

 

Dove Advanced Care Cool Essentials Deodorant I don’t like these scented Dove Deodorants they don’t really work well at all.

Repurchase: No

 

Fortune Cookie Soap Company OCD Hand Sanitizer Totally Grool I don’t love the ones that have glitter in it like these do also I never have to actually buy hand sanitizer I don’t go through it very fast and I have plenty that just make their way into my life lol this is a hand sanitizer.

Repurchase: No, Only because I don’t need this

 

Mauloa Paper n Planning swatch stencils I don’t like this particular style because they I have to space them out myself but the larger stencils she makes That I don’t have to space out I do like.

Repurchase: No

 

Shiseido Facial Cottons I don’t know that these are as life changing as every review says. They are super soft but they are not seemed so that annoys me and cutting them up is annoying because in half they are a touch to small but whole they are way too big.

Repurchase: Maybe

 

Degree Motion Sense Tropical Touch I like these deodorants feel like they work really well, they do leave white marks on your clothes even though they say they won’t.

Repurchase: Yes

Home Scents (8)

Fortune Cookie Soap Company You Had Me At Holo Scoopable Wax this was super fun I had been really interested in trying wax melts instead of candles and this pushed me into it. It was fun watching it melt and it smelled nice I liked it I would get more.

Repurchase: Yes

 

Bath and Body Works Hot Cocoa & Cream Candle I love this scent so much it has a great throw and smells like a Hershey’s bar I will forever and ever have these around.

 

Repurchase: Yes

 

Bath and Body Works My Spirit Animal is a Unicorn (Lavender Macaroon) I was hoping this would smell like the Lavender Marshmallow candle but it did not this smelled more like straight lavender and I hated it so of course it burned forever.

Repurchase: No

 

Victoria Secret Coconut & Palm Candle I honestly bought this for the jar. I found it online there was a sale I had a gift card I had no idea if I would like it or not but I knew I wanted the jar. The candle burned really crappy it left a lot of unburned wax and the scent gave me a huge headache it ended up being very floral which I did not expect. Now I have a pretty jar though.

Repurchase: No

 

Bath and Body Works Coconut Scentportable I liked the coconut scent it didn’t last that long I don’t feel like the Scentportables ever really do. I don’t know if I will buy more scents I have a bunch I am working through.

Repurchase: Maybe

 

Bath and Body Aromatherapy Energy Candle omg I loved this so much more than I thought I would. It was so bright and orangey and citrusy I loved it so much and it had a really great scent throw.

Repurchase: YES

 

Bath and Body Works Wallflower in Champagne Toast this had like no scent you could not smell it at all.

Repurchase: No

 

Bath and Body Works Strawberry Sorbet Candle this was really sweet and strawberry smelling I liked the artificial strawberry scent it smelled like candy. The throw wasn’t the best though.

Repurchase: Maybe

Lip (3)

Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment in Bloom I don’t like these they leave a really messy line on your mouth no matter how careful you are. This one was also really thick and gummy and was really patchy on.

Repurchase: No

 

Softlips Vanilla lip balm I didn’t love this it is more vanilla mint then just vailla and that is fine but the texture was just too waxy.

Repurchase: No

 

Chapstick Sugar Cookie lip balm I liked this, this was a little thicker and waxier then I usually go for but the sugar cookie scent/flavor was great.

Repurchase: Yes

Declutter (6)

Swan Creek Candle Co. Break Apart Herbal Melts in Olive Verbena this was just a poor scent choice on my part. The wax itself was really good so I’m sure the other flavors I have are going to be bomb. This is an Olive Verbena and in the package it smells so much like verbena which I love. At first as it melts it only smells of verbena but as it warms up and melts down more it smells like olive oil and I just do not like the scent of olive oil at all.  This had an amazing throw so the more sweet scents I picked out I am super excited to try.  This scent just was a no for me.

 

(2) Bobbi Brown Illuminating Moisture Balm this is more like a sticky primer and I tried it a few times but I just didn’t like the feeling on my skin at all.

 

Proactiv Renewing Cleanser this is a gritty cleanser I just could not stand the way it smelled.

 

Soap and Glory Vitamin C Facial Wash this has those like plastic beads in it and I hate them because they never break up and I feel like they just stick to my skin and once my skins dry there is always one left some where that scratches and irritates my skin.

 

Nip + Fab Bee Sting Fix Toning Pads these do nothing I am officially giving up on Nip + Fab I want to like them but everything I have tried from them has just done nothing and been totally pointless for me. These are starting to dry up they take up too much space on my counter and I am just ready to give up and let go of them.

Makeup (3)

Pop Beauty Ink Outliner I am not a huge fan of these thick sharpie style eyeliner pens they were my favorite in highschool but I just find them too difficult to work with now and they are not as black as I know I can get with other products to be this in particular was a very grey formula for me.

Repurchase: No

 

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray I really like this setting spray it definitely makes my makeup last and doesn’t make my skin feel sticky and gross.

Repurchase: Yes

 

Boscia BB Cream this has super super light coverage like there was almost no point to wearing it. It also has like glitter particles in it that I just don’t understand why you would want.

Repurchase: No

Lotion (2)

Peace Love Juicy Couture Body Lotion I love the Peace Love Juicy scent and I used up this little travel sized lotion.

Repurchase: Yes, if I could find it this scent is discontinued

 

Cake Beauty Delectable Ultra Nourishing Hand Cream in Sweet Mint and Cream this is a nice sweet vanilla mint scent I loved it and I love their hand creams (not the heavy cream that is awful). I want to get one of the multi scent packs but I just have too much lotion so eventually I will buy this but not in the near future.

Repurchase: Yes

Bodycare (4)

Scutellaria Firming Body Wash this I got in a Beautyque box way back and I used it up it smelled nice but even if I new where to get it I would not repurchase it was a really thick gel and not a sweet or fruit scent that I would typically go for.

Repurchase: No

 

Kneipp Safflower & Olive Body Oil this was a really nice oil it was just too thick for me it took about two hours to sink into my skin and I don’t have two hours to wait around being oily.

Repurchase: No

 

Organic Feelings The Coffee Scrub in Coconut this was a great scrub it was super gritty with out tearing my skin apart it smelled great too but it was so super messy I had to wash my whole shower every time I used it, it looked like I painted my shower with coffee grounds. I am so on the fence with this one I liked it but it was also a lot of effort and the paper bag packaging for a product you use in the shower sucks so I don’t know.

Repurchase: Probably not

 

Fortune Cookie Soap Company You’re My Favorite Deputy Solid Sugar scrub. This was much better then the other solid sugar scrub I used from them it was not as abrasive and did not leave a weird residue on my skin. I prefer a not solid scrub so I wouldn’t buy this.

Repurchase: No

Perfume (1)

Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris this was just eh didn’t smell super strong or last very long on my skin

Repurchase: No

Haircare (6)

Medusa’s Makeup 100% Maracuja Oil this felt almost synthetic in the thickness of it I found it weird and it didn’t add the kind of moisture and shine I wanted it to add to my hair

Repurchase: No

 

Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt I love this it does seriously dry my hair out but this is a product with a purpose not something to use all the time so I can deal with the side effect that I know I have to use a really good hair mask anytime I use this. This is a salt scrub for your scalp and hair, I only use it for my scalp.  Whenever I have massive product build up on my scalp or my scalp just feels itchy and dry and just like it needs some help I’ll scrub it with this that works out for me to be like once every 3 or 4 months this tiny jar lasted me for like 2 years of uses and my gf used it a couple of times too. A tiny bit is enough for my whole scalp it scrubs up all the buildup and dead skin and then lathers and foams like a shampoo so you can rinse it out really easy I love it I have another sample size of it but it is something that in like another 2 years when I run out I would buy again.

Repurchase: Yes

 

Marc Anthony Haircare Coconut Oil Deep Nourishing Conditioning Treatment. This is my all-time favorite hair mask I love it so much my hair always feels so so soft and hydrated after I use it I love it so much. I have the foil packets it comes in I prefer the little sample bottles you get in like Ipsy which are the same size as the packets that you but but so much better packaging.

Repurchase: Yes

 

Punky Colors Hair Dye Mermaid Blue I used this to do a green blue mermaid ombre lol I like that these dyes because they smell fruity rather than chemically which is nice. I don’t love the narrow jar these come in because when you are all covered in dye it is really hard to get it out as you need it.  The blue was also not that blue and didn’t take to my hair really well the green did but the blue didn’t take as well which was odd. This was enough to dye about 6 inches of hair 2 times. I touched it up this month which is how I used it up haven’t had to touch up the green yet.

Repurchase: Maybe, I like Manic Panic more

 

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Omega Anti Frizz Dry Oil Mist this was alright for me in the winter it add the softness and moisture I need but it did not do anything for frizz. Being a dry oil it is not enough for me in the summer as my hair gets drier now.

Repurchase: Maybe

 

Fortune Cookie Soap Company Tame the Beast Detangler this absolutely helped work out knots in my hair but it also left my hair feeling really coated and like I needed to wash it which I don’t like.

Repurchase: No


Total This Month: 58

Total: 347

Average per Day: 1.9 items

Category Totals:

Skincare: 74

Makeup: 19

Declutter: 109

Home Scents: 37

Lip: 16

Lotion: 9

Bodycare: 24

Perfume: 14

Random: 28

Haircare: 17

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup