Sephora Play! May 2018

Sephora Play May 2018
Box #693

Kat Von D
Tattoo Liner in Trooper | $20

I received this in March of 2016 and again in September 2016 (reviewed on my old, defunct blog). This is my third sample of this exact eye liner. I’m torn on this. One one hand, this is the best liquid eyeliner in existence. It glides on smooth thanks to a super fine brush tip (not felt), dries instantly, and stays put for damn near twelve hours. It would survive the apocalypse. So, I’m thankful to have a seemingly endless free supply of my favorite eyeliner. But on the other hand, I’d really appreciate trying some new things instead. I’d even be fine with a different eyeliner from the same Kat Von D brand. Her Ink liner has so many different colors! Why can’t we get a blue or green or periwinkle? I’d even be fine with hot pink if it were an option. Just something to break up the monotony and avoid duplicates. Because honestly, this is becoming a bit of a drag now.

Becca
Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in Champagne Pop | $38

As far as powder-based highlighters go, Becca is the reigning champ in my experience. They are velvety soft and apply effortlessly. They are the perfect balance of shimmer and shine. And they shade range is exceptional. There is a color for every skin tone and every occasion. I already have a sample of Opal, which is a lovely warm gold. It’s actually a little too yellow-leaning for highlighting my skin, so I was super excited to get a sample of Champagne Pop.

Champagne is a neutral peach with hints of pink. It’s absolutely stunning and perfectly suits my undertones. My sample was a little banged up, so that was a bummer. Sephora customer service was awesome about it and gave me a $5 store credit. Since I love the shade and I’ve been wearing it all week to the office, I might take that credit and buy the full sized highlighter. It's that beautiful.

Bumble and Bumble
Thickening Hairspray | $11–$30

Well it certainly does thicken as advertised! I washed and towel-dried my hair, gave it a generous all-over coating with the spray, and then blow dried it all. My hair is super fine and will typically lay flat, but this gave it noticeable improvement. Post-blowout, it’s much thicker, softer, and more voluminous. I can’t speak to the other claims of controlling or finishing, I didn’t see any of that. But for adding more oomph to fine hair, this absolutely makes the magic happen. The sample bottle has earned a place on my vanity and will be incorporated into my morning routine going forward. And since I can grab a small bottle for $11, it’s cheap enough to warrant a purchase whenever I run out.

Benefit
The POREfessional Face Primer | $31

I received a sample of this in June of 2017. Previous review is here. I’ve also received it one other time but can’t recall the date. So, again, this is my third sample of POREfessional. It will get donated just like the ones that came before.

Viktor & Rolf
Flowerbomb | $30–$215
This is my third sample of Flowerbomb. I received one in December 2015 and again in September 2017 (as part of the limited All Stars Edition box). Review here if you're one of the few people left on this planet who's never smelled the single most commercially popular perfume on the market as of this moment.

Sephora Collection
Mud Mask | $10–$20

Sephora’s theme this month was “beauty products that have stood the test of time with their incredible formulas and cult followings.” I’ve never heard of their mud mask before and highly doubt it has a cult following. I’m well aware they add one Sephora-branded item per box, but surely they would have picked their cream lip stain? Anyway. This mud mask has fragrance and orange peel powder, both of which are on my no-fly list for skincare. So it’s getting passed on to friends. If your skin is more tolerant of those things, it’s cheap enough to give a try. It does smell very nice and spa-like.

Yeah, so a box full of duplicates. I love the hair spray and highlighter (even though it was broken). But I'm overall disappointed in the sheer amount of repeat items. I'm officially putting Sephora Play on notice. Which is sad, I usually looked forward to my box arriving every month. But ultimately, I have to let go of what doesn’t serve me anymore. Hope you enjoyed the beauty reviews. And if not, look forward to new and more diverse posts in the future!