August Play! by Sephora Review

I took my time posting this review because this month's Play! by Sephora box wasn't that exciting. I knew when I saw the theme spoiler, "The Eye Openers," that this probably wouldn't be my favorite box. It wasn't completely terrible, I just wasn't that into most of the samples.

*Disclaimer: This box was purchased by See, Shop, Love!

Play! costs $10 per month and there's 80 cents in sales tax for me in New York. Shipping is free. I think there's still a wait list to join, but it seems like they've been opening up spots more frequently, so hopefully you won't have to wait too long to get a subscription.

Each box comes with deluxe samples of products you can purchase at Sephora, and there's also a Play! Pass. This pass gets you a free tutorial at a Sephora store using the items in the box, and you'll get 50 extra Beauty Insider points if you make a purchase (can be used towards any purchase, you don't have to buy the items sampled).

So, as one can infer from the theme, this month's box was all about eyes. I actually love eyeshadows and doing eye makeup, but this box fell flat for me. Maybe it's because I already have so many eye products.

• Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow in I-544 - This is a really pretty "iridescent pink granite" shadow according to the info card, but I call it mauve. It doesn't have a lot of shimmer once applied, so it's appropriate for the office. I like adding it on the week days for just a touch of color.
• Lancome Energie De Vie Smoothing & Glowing Liquid Care Moisturizer - This is a really interesting little moisturizer. The info card says that it's a mix between a serum and an essence, which is pretty accurate. It has a low viscosity (it's really liquidy) and basically feels like water. It's supposed to relieve dullness, diminish signs of fatigue, and promote a healthy-looking glow. It absorbed quickly into my skin and didn't feel heavy at all, which was much appreciated during the hot days we had here last month.
• Algenist Eye Renewal Balm - This is a nice creamy eye cream that reduces dark circles, puffiness, and wrinkles with anti-aging alguronic acid. It's a pretty standard eye cream, but I like to use them for preventive care.
• CLEAN Reserve Warm Cotton - I had never met a CLEAN perfume that I didn't like until I tried this one. I was willing to give it a try because it was described as a blend of floral and musk (and I love musk), but it just smells like laundry. It certainly smells the way it should based on the name, but I don't really want to walk around smelling like laundry.
• Sephora Collection Contour Eye Pencil 12hr Wear Waterproof in Love Affair - This is a plum eyeliner that's really easy to apply. I'll use this for when I want to add a little something to my look without it being as dramatic as a black eyeliner.
• Urban Decay Perversion Mascara - I've gotten this as a sample before so I posted it for trade. It's supposed to be lengthening and volumizing, but it did neither of those things for me. It's just a pretty standard mascara in my opinion.

Bottom Line: Like I said, this box was just okay. I didn't love any of the products and won't purchase any full-sized versions of them. They can't all be winners, though, and hopefully I'll like next month's box better,