Sephora Play Review

Mommylicious

So I finally got off the Sephora Play waitlist and received my first box this month. Every person who was on the Sephora Play waitlist seems to have got the box in May, so I am guessing Sephora just made Play available nationwide. And thank god for that! I have been waiting for Sephora Play since I first heard about it. Who wasn't? When Sephora decided to jump on the monthly subscription box bandwagon, everybody went cray cray (crazy, silly!). And it is just for $10. My expectations sky-rocketed and I could not wait to get it. When I got the mail saying I was off the waitlist I was beyond happy.

You can go to Sephora's website and register for Play. No bonus points for referral. It costs $10 plus tax each month. The box usually ships around the third week of the month. If you are too curious to wait that long to see the contents of the Sephora Play box, you can keep an eye on Sephora's social media accounts. Sephora keeps releasing little sneak peaks about the current month's box. I like to keep it a surprise and be awed when I open the box. 

Sephora Play has a few pros and cons. 

There are reasons why I love Sephora Play. Firstly, Sephora, being an already established brand, does not need further promotion. So they do not play dirty in getting attention from it's subscribers. Like a few other monthly subscription services you will not have to sell your social media soul and promote the brands or Sephora on your social media accounts. Or worse still, give access to your social media accounts for getting off the waitlist. Yes, that's exactly what Ipsy did. 

Secondly, Sephora Play always sends out products with a brand value. You will know almost all the brands that you will get through Play. It is not like Ipsy or Birchbox or Lip Monthly where they try to promote upcoming brands and let subscribers sample something completely new. Brand recognition matters to me. Sephora Play will give you high-end brands to sample. While Ipsy or Birchbox might include one high-end brand if you are lucky that month. 

Thirdly, every subscriber gets the same box with the same contents. Yes, Sephora has a quiz wherein you tell then your shade preferences and all that. But they do not customize the box, which I love. I get kind of jealous when I find out that other subscribers got stuff that I would have liked in my Ipsy bag. 

Lastly, what makes me happy is that if I like a product from Sephora Play then I can walk into the store and purchase that immediately. I can even test out the other shades before purchasing. With Ipsy and Birchbox you have order the products online from their store and not all the products are available all the time. Like if I want to purchase a product that I received 2 months back, I will not find it on the Ipsy website anymore. Very frustrating I have to say. 

What I dislike about Sephora Play is their point system. Like the other subscription services where you can review a product and get points for it, Play has no such opportunity. I have redeemeed points from my Ipsy and Birchbox for products from their online store. I mean it is great because it is practically free. But with Sephora Play they include a card where you can get an additional 50 Beauty Insider points with any purchase. Which means you will have to purchase something in order to get those points and it is just spending extra money when you really do not need to. I only wish that Sephora works out a better system eventually. 

The other little complaint I have with Sephora Play is that it comes in a box, like a cardboard box. Of course you can use it for storing stuffs and home decor, but it is just a cardboard box at the end of the day. With Ipsy, you get an actual bag which you can use to carry makeup or even gift others. I have all my bags and find them super useful. The bags are actually of pretty good quality and lasts for ages. So, for $10 it is like an additional product, if I may say so. But the little satchel that Sephora Play gave in the box is a little useless. 

Anyway, overall I am happy with Sephora and the products they have been sending out. 

Stay tuned for my May Sephora Play unboxing.