Sephora Play! September 2017

Sephora Play! September 2017
Box Variant #498

The theme this month is A Change of Face. I would have loved just a straight up Fall-themed box and that seems like an easy softball right down the middle for their marketing department. But here we are. And the marketing material this month was too boring to warrant posting, in case you're wondering.

Urban Decay
Vice Liquid Lipstick | $18

I generally love Urban Decay’s products, so I’m always happy to give their new stuff a test drive. This is a liquid lipstick in a lovely Fall-appropriate shade called Amulet. It's a muted plum that has a subtle shimmer when you hold the tube up to the light. The formula is very thick and I found applying it tricky because I really had to push the applicator around to spread the formula out. It seemed to dry quickly before I could smooth it out.

And the application was patchy. One layer gave me a very uneven color, opaque in some areas and semi-sheer in others. So I did a second pass over my lips and that improved. However, with the second coat, it felt very heavy on my lips. Not dry, just heavy. Thick. Like my lips wore a mask. It wasn't tacky or sticky to the touch. It dried down perfectly matte, losing the shimmer in the process. But it just didn't feel comfortable? On the upside, it was fairly transfer proof. It didn't budge, smear, or feather out at all.

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So, ultimately this was a pass for me. The color is nice and wearable but the formula is less than spectacular. There are far superior formulas out there. Kat Von D and Stila being my favorites in the mid-range price, and Milani killing it with their Amore Matte Lip Cremes at the drugstore.

Belief
The True Cream Aqua Bomb | $38

Every time I add those three free samples to my cart on Sephora’s website, no matter what I select, they just send me a foil packet of this cream. It’s like they think if they just keep pushing it on me I’ll cave eventually and buy it. I’ve tried it so many times. Aqua Bomb is a gel cream, which means it’s more watery and thin that a traditional cream moisturizer. It has a weird faint blue color for some reason I have yet to determine. There’s a strong chemical smell to it as well, which might be the actual chemicals or the “blend of apothecary herbs” listed on the marketing blurb. Apothecary herbs? IDK.

Anyway, it goes on slippery and spreads out a lot, so the smallest of dabs will go a long, long way. I put on dot of it on the back of my hand and had enough to spread over my entire hand, fingers and all, front to back, to give you an idea. And boy is it moisturizing, I’ll give it that. But the one major drawback I immediately noticed was that it’s shiny as hell. You rub it on and it just sits there, refusing to sink in or dry down. It glistens on your skin and makes you look like you’re fresh out the sauna. For like, an HOUR.

Around the 45-minute mark is when the sheen finally began to fade a little. After about an hour or so, it my hand started to look normal again. What is this stuff? I can’t imagine putting it on my face and then walking around like a hot glazed Krispy Kreme donut fresh off the rollers. How is that a good look? To add to this, it’s packed with silicones and fragrance, which makes it a firm no for me (but could be a yes for others). People seem to love it, going by reviews. Maybe I’ll try it on my hands this winter when it gets super dry and see if it helps for that.

Algenist
POWER Recharging Night Pressed Serum | $95

Okay, so we’re calling balms “pressed serums” now. Because it sounds exciting and new? Because it has a faux scientific vibe? Because the marketing team was drunk? Who knows. Anyway, this is a solid balm. It smells faintly of vanilla bean ice cream. I scooped it out with a finger and massaged it over my hand. Like coconut oil, it melts upon contact with a little body heat. The texture is slick and very silky. There’s abundant silicones in here. Unlike the Belief cream, this stuff absorbs in 2-3 minutes flat.

So, after spreading it on my hand, I decide to go for a larger test patch area. It’s supposed to regenerate, smooth, and recharge skin, so why not test a location I frequently forget to coat with sunscreen? I scooped out a hunk of the “pressed serum” and massaged it across my neck and décolletage. Then I started in on a Netflix show. About an hour or so later, I’m casually scratching at my chest. And scratching my neck. Everything is itchy and dry. I find a mirror and what do you know, my chest is slightly pink with inflammation. I scrubbed the serum off with a warm cloth and spread my regular moisturizer over everything. No more itching.

So, that’s a big no for me. Maybe it does regenerate and recharge skin, but I didn’t leave it on long enough to find out. PATCH TEST EVERYTHING Y’ALL. Allergic reactions are no fun.

Sephora Collection
Contour Eye Pencil 12hr Wear Waterproof | $10

Well. It’s eyeliner, folks. Just a straight up, no frills, classic black crayon eyeliner. It goes on smoothly. No pulling or tugging. Creamy soft and super matte. No gloss or shine whatsoever. From application, you get about ten seconds of play to smudge it or smoke it out, if you want. But after that, it’s set and it’s not going anywhere. So be fast! It also claims to be waterproof, and it’s nearly that. A bit of water and some rubbing seemed to fade the product and give a slight patchiness to the pigment, but the actual line stayed perfectly in place. No smearing though. I did another test where I wore it for 12 hours to see how it stood up to a full day's wear. It began to show degradation around the 8 hour mark, so not quite up to the claims but pretty damn long.

I’d say this is an easy yes if you’re looking for a crayon eyeliner with staying power and don’t want to spend a ton of money. It’s ten bucks and it does the job nicely. And if you need it in other colors or finishes, there are four mattes, twelve shimmers, and nine glitters to choose from. The only downside (which may not bother you) is that it’s a crayon that requires sharpening with a pencil sharpener. I personally prefer to buy something I can just twist up instead of putting the tip into the sharpener and hoping it doesn’t break off or get stuck and result in a loss of product. I want immediate use, grab and go, instant gratification. But if you’re the patient type, this is a great buy.

Benefit Cosmetics
Gimme Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel | $24

My first impression of a getting brow product was to groan because 99% of the ones on the market are not even close to being dark enough for my brows and even when they are, they’re warm brown and my brows are cool brown (nearly black). So far I’ve only ever found one brand that nailed my actual shade and that’s Anastasia Beverly Hills. Their brow pencils and dips in Granite are an exact match for me and I will forever repurchase.

But in the interest of trying everything in my box on, I decided to test Benefit’s brow gel and give it a go. Whipped out the wand and awkwardly combed my brows with the teensy spoolie (could it be any smaller?) then I took the tip (as per the box instructions) and used it to draw in any places that needed filling. And it worked! It actually matched! Holy shit!

(The lip swatch photo above shows my brows with this applied. Also the eyeliner.)

The shade Deep (05) is a nice, cool-toned charcoal brown. I was pleasantly surprised. And yes, the product did add noticeable volume. Not that I needed it, but sometimes you do want a power brow, you know. This will certainly do it and the results are extremely natural looking. It blended beautifully with my actual brows and stayed put without smearing throughout a very long evening spent in a hot, sweaty rock club. So, it’s actually pretty damn good. My only critique is that it’s not a holding gel, that keeps the brows combed into place. But other than that, it’s a winner. I will absolutely use the sample up and consider purchasing a full-sized tube. Even if the package design looks like a hideous accident.

IGK
Hot Girls Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner | $25 each

Sephora Play switched things up this month by swapping the standard perfume sample out for a shampoo and conditioner sample. This was a welcome change to me. The shampoo is nice. Smells nice. Lathers up wells. Cleans adequately. Rinses clear. The conditioner is appropriately thick, smells nice, and also conditions adequately. After towel drying and blow drying, I had perfectly clean, soft, shiny hair! Awesome. I rate this product as very good. Now, will I actually buy it? Probably not.

IGK’s brand, for me, is a major turn off. Their marketing primarily revolves around selling me on a Coachella-loving, trend-following “it girl” of about 24 years of age who spends all of daddy’s money, jet sets around the world, instagrams her carefree adventures aboard other rich people’s yachts, and has probably dated a married man briefly until his wife snooped on his phone and demanded couples counseling under threat of divorce. If you think I'm reading into things, peruse their product names: Rich Kid, Prenup, Mistress, Trust Fund, 30,000 Feet.

My particular samples were named Hot Girls. The shampoo featured a male-gaze top down view of a bikini clad woman in a pool which felt more than a little objectifying. The conditioner featured some faceless blonde out in the desert, like a runaway from Burning Man. I am not her and I do not aspire to be her.

My feelings are bolstered further after a visit to the IGK website, littered with model-perfect college girls with plump, pouty mouths hanging open for the fedora-wearing male model stylists with greasy locks and questionable facial hair choices. Which is all rather distasteful and a true shame, as the product is actually quite good. Make your own informed decisions, kids.