Unboxing Beauty

There are some months were I just am numb with mediocre when I receive one of my subscription boxes  I am so meh about it and unexcited, that it is a major chore to write up an unboxing, which includes taking photos, editing photos and having to talk about these products that are so uninspiring to me.   This months Sephora Play! box was one of those boxes.  The only bright side of getting this box is that there were no repeats from past boxes.  What is Sephora Play!?  Play! is a monthly subscription box that is $10.00 a month + any taxes and it looks like your subscription will be counted towards your Beauty Insider points as well

What will be in Play!  A monthly box of deluxe samples, along with an exclusive PLAY! BOOK — packed with helpful advice — and a PLAY! PASS to redeem in store for a free one-on-one learning session with a beauty expert. The six product samples in your PLAY! by SEPHORA box are from the same prestige brands we carry in store and online, and they are sized to use multiple times.  For a limited time, show your current PLAY! PASS when purchasing items in store to receive 50 bonus points each month.

Click here to sign up now

November 2016: Best in Glow

This month’s Sephora Play! theme is “Best in Glow“, focusing on products that will leave oily skin looking more greasy and shiny with huge pores that fit the theme of  “Meet Your Partners in Shine:  It’s love at first bright; bypass winter dullness and wake your skin up with this month’s lustrous lineup of gleam-getting, radiance-ready beauty.  We’re hitting the highlights with an ultra-shiny lip gel, refreshing face mask and other illuminating makeup and skincare essentials.”

Box Revealed!

Informational Card

You still get a card for 50 extra points the next time you shop at a Sephora store (not online ~ I wish they would change that)   Sephora did 4 different box variations and I have no clue on they selected who got what.  Since these products are all cream or liquid based, it is hell for oily skinned folks.

This month’s bag design is really cute

The Estée Edit Dissolve the Drama 2-in-1 Makeup Remover + Cleanser  I am starting out with the two products that I will use.  The Estee is part of Estee Lauder, and I guess it is marketing with a more hip, trending vibe. This makeup up removing oil is made with aloe and cucumber to help soothe along with jojoba and wheat germ oil, to condition and dissolve makeup.   This oil will turn into a milky emulsion cleanser once you add water ~ you first take a cotton pad and remove makeup with this product and then add water to actually cleanse.   It will work on long wear and high pigment makeup.  Sample Size .5 oz RV $2.50

Ingredients: Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Triethylhexanoin, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Polybutene, PEG-8 Diisostearate, PEG-12 Diisostearate, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glyceryl Laurate, Tocopheryl Acetate,Butylene Glycol, Water cosDNA analysis

Stella McCartney POP perfume  I love the description of this scent ~ “ floral woody fragrance that is bright, contemporary, and positive. The fragrance opens with initial notes of tomato leaves, violet leaves, and green mandarin. Heart notes of violet, tuberose, and plumeria and lasting notes of sandalwood, cedarwood, and musks add to the impression“  However, I don’t smell any tomato leaves or green mandarins.. The initial notes are generic and floral. However, when this dries down, I can smell a more sweet wood note and bright florals.  It isn’t bad, just not want I expected.  I would not purchase a full size of this, but for a sample, its all good. Sample .05 oz RV $2.25

Sephora Collection Ultra Shine Lip Gel in Pin Up Pink  I am not a fan of pink lip products and I certainly am not a fan of high glosses either ~  I am more of a matte girl.  If I am to be tempted by a high gloss, I am looking for a deeper shade of wine or reddish-browns, such as Plum Fiction, Pomegranate Delirium, Lady Luck or Nude Alert.  But not bubble gum pink.  Sorry, but not sorry ~ it is November and I would have thought that Sephora would give us a darker shade or at least a red, such as Indian Sari ~ I am not a fan of bright red either, but at least that would fit with the season!  This color is more appropriate for summer.  Not swatching any of my products in this month’s bag, btw, because I plan to put them in giveaways.  This isn’t a horrible concept for a product, I just feel that Sephora is force-feeding us pink lip colors.  This is almost full size ~ full size is .11 oz Sample .1 oz  RV $10.90

Description: A lip gloss with a light-reflecting plumped shine inspired by gel nail polishes. Ultra Shine Lip Gel transforms lips with a gel-effect formula for a light-reflecting, plumped shine. Its ultra-light, sensorial texture is also hydrating.

Ingredients: Polybutene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Triisodecyl Trimellitate, Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax), Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Dextrin Palmitate, Octyldodecanol, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Fragrance, CI 45410 (Red 28 Lake), Ethylhexyl MethoxyCInnamate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl HydroxyhydroCInnamate, CI 73360 (Red 30 Lake), Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Saccharin, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, CI 15850 (Red 7 Lake), BHT

 

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Rose Gold  Since I know that only Korean brands make cream eye sticks really budge proof, I am not into this one by Laura Mercier.  I have oily eyelids, so any cream products on my lids must be really long wearing and I have used this product before from LM.  It creases horribly on me.  Plus rose gold?  That is so 2015 (haha)  No, actually rose gold is a lovely color, but based on other reviews, this is so light, that isn’t rose gold to me at all.  Rose gold should be a rich shade ~ not copper, but certainly not this pale pink-yellow color.   If I want a highlighter for my eyes, I like loose powder as I can foil that with water and it will stay on forever.  Sample Size 1 g RV $17.68

Description: A long-lasting, creamy eye shadow stick that can also line, highlight, and create smoky looks. This multitasking eye shadow stick delivers both easy application and high-definition, long-lasting color. Long-wearing, transfer-proof, and crease-resistant, the color glides seamlessly onto lids and blends and layers beautifully with a rich pigment-payoff. It features a myriad of shades and finishes to deliver endless options for an effortlessly beautiful eyes that stand out both day and night.

GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Treatment  So, it isn’t as if I don’t find some GlamGlow products to be worth the money ~ their mud to foam cleanser is really wonderful!  However, for the most part, I find GlamGlow to be way overrated and overpriced.  I do know that a lot of people love GlamGlow, so I will add this item in a giveaway, as I am not going to appreciate it.  I love masks, but I don’t care for their mask products ~ they make my skin itch something awful.   This product contains

• ACNECIDIC-6™ 4.4%: A proprietary six-acid blend of AHA and BHA acids perfectly PH balanced to deal with damaged skin, de-clog, and minimize pores, pigmentation, scaring, and breakouts
• Activated-X Charcoal: An extreme absorption carbon, attracting toxic substances into its mass up to 500 times its volume from all skin types.
• K17-Clay™: Extracts and encapsulates excess sebum oils, bacteria, and toxins in a controlled stasis state.
• TEAOXI™: Delivers daily fresh natural eucalyptol, natural-linalool oil, and powerful flavonoids direct into the formula from real pieces of eucalyptus leaf. 

You can use this as a full mask treatment or a spot treatment.  Deluxe Size .3 oz Value $17.25

Description: This formula was clinically developed by GLAMGLOW dermatological chemists to help fight all common skin concerns including breakouts, discoloration, black and white heads, razor bumps, and in-grown hair. Powerful, skin-clearing mud visibly draws out dirt and congestion while a proprietary six-acid blend dramatically brightens and softens skin. It works to draw out dirt and pores with activated-X charcoal, leaving skin smooth and healthy-looking.

Ingredients: Water, Kaolin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sodium Hydroxide, Eucalyptus Globulus, Mandelic Acid, Charcoal, Parfum [Benzyl Benzoate, Linalool], Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Pyruvic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Maltodextrin, Iron Oxides, Peppermint Oil, Butylene Glycol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Glycerin, Chamoilla Recutita Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Hendera Helix Extract, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Tartaric Acid. cosDNA analysis

 

Cover FX Illuminating Primer  And to add more insult to this bag, an illuminating facial primer and I have oily skin! NO.  I have pores too.. Will Sephora come out with a MATTE Theme, please?  I don’t understand this primer with a glow trend.  You put on a primer to help smooth and blur pores and fine lines, while helping to prep your skin for foundation, BB creams, tints.  An illuminating facial primer will get lost  under all of that, as it won’t break thru the other products.  I take it they don’t want you to use anything else except this ~ but then it isn’t a primer but base makeup.  I am so confused.  At any rate, this will be worthless for my skin type ~ I not only want a matte look, I also use base makeup to cover up my discolorations.  This item is better suited for those whose skin is a lot better than mine!  Sample Size .16 oz RV $6.08

Description: A silicone-free primer that gives the face a luminous glow while it helps to eliminate dull skin for a brighter, more radiant appearance. Illuminating Primer from Cover FX preps the face for makeup while it assists in giving the skin a more radiant appearance. Its mineral complex works bounces light off the skin, creating the appearance of a natural-looking, luminous glow. Gatuline® Radiance Illuminate and Refine is a natural, preservative-free ingredient that improves the look of dull looking skin and supports microcirculation, Hylasome EG10, a Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, helps to moisturize and leave skin hydrated, and Panthenol, Provitamn B5, gives skin a smoother, supple appearance. Improve skin tone and give skin a glowing appearance with this multitasking formula

Ingredients: Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mica, Polysorbate 80, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Propanediol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract, Panthenol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides (CI 77491)  cosDNA analysis   

 

This box was complete and horrible failure. The only item of interest (and it is lukewarm interest at that) is the makeup remover.  The rest of this box is just so not me ~ I love trying new things, but I also know that these dewy cream/liquid highlighters do nothing for me other than make me look like I didn’t wash my face for 7 days.  This box is great for those with normal or dry skin, or youthful skin with hardly any imperfections ~ which I am none of the above!  Sigh, I hope next month is better.  I gave up Birthbox (which still looks horrible right now) and Ipsy never gets it right with my profile, so Sephora is one of my last chances here, unless Macy’s decides to get into the game.  I paid $10.00 + sales tax (so it was still under $10.50 or something like that) and I received a RV of almost $57.00 which is over 5 times what I paid for it.  Which just goes to show that a high priced box doesn’t mean it is a good box.  These boxes do contribute to Sephora’s points system, so every month, an additional 10 points, plus there is always a 50 point card in each box ~ just go down to a Sephora store and redeem.

Did you get this month’s Sephora Play! Box?  What did you think of it and what was your favorite item?  I feel like I must go to Sephora and get something I WANT just to make up for this box!! lol

 [ descriptions in italics from sephora’s product page ]

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