Just a Canadian girl trying to get her hands on US only subscription boxes sooooo HERE THEY ARE FINALLY. My Sephora Play! boxes from the last 2 months! December 2017’s box’s theme was Glam Straight. Super excited that I finally have the box in my hands. February 1. Yup. I’ve been waiting for this one for a while.

January 2018’s theme was Happy You Year. Lots of skincare items and I was just mentioning to my friends how much I love skincare items. And all these items can be shared with straight dude friends! (Um, they can totally use the Lancome lash primer as an overnight lash mask!)

And the first thing I always want to know about my box is WHAT’S THE RETAIL VALUE?! Each month’s box is $10 USD so all the math I have done is based on US retail prices.

Past boxes:

Sephora Play! September Box

Sephora Play! August Box

DEFINITIONS: 🤓

Full size: Whatever is on Sephora’s website

Retail value: The $ value based on full size pricing

Price paid: How much the individual item contributes to the set’s price

All prices are in USD and measurements are metric.

DECEMBER 2017 Box #577

Smashbox: Cover Shot Eye Shadow Duo in Golden Hour

Full size: $29 for 7.6g

Retail value: $6.49 for 1.7g

Price paid: $1.39

Thoughts:

Seriously great formulation. I’m really not into pressed powder shadows but this stuff is so smmoooottthhh. Also, came in a solid plastic container. For some reason I was expected paper.

Anastasia lipgloss in Vintage

Full size: $16 for 4.73ml

Retail value: $6.76 for 2ml

Price paid: $1.45

Thoughts:

Awesome size for keeping in your pocket. I have lip products hidden EVERYWHERE in pockets…I can never find a specific one, but I always have something on me. Great MLBB shade.

Drybar’s Trip Sec

Full size: $26 for 118g

Retail value: $2.20 for 10g

Price paid: $0.47

Thoughts:

Ummmm what a deal!! SUPER cute package. I love when I get aerosols in my subscription boxes, but they do make me feel guilty because of their environmental impact… So much packaging for only 1 or 2 uses.

Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Wheat

Full size: $28 for 5g

Retail value: $15.68 for 2.8g

Price paid: $3.37

Thoughts:

This is more than half of the full-size product! Score! This is also my first time trying Laura Mercier and using an eyelid primer. I’m glad that this box was able to introduce me to something totally new!

Peter Thomas Roth 24K Prism Cream

Full size: $42 for 50ml

Retail value: $11.76 for 14ml

Price paid: $3.37

Thoughts:

Because of Play! I’ve discovered Peter Thomas Roth and have really enjoyed their products thus far. Love the generous size and shiny packaging of this one.

Tom Ford Black Orchid

Full size: $122 for 50ml

Retail value: $3.69 for 1.5ml

Price paid: $0.79

Thoughts:

This is the first fragrance sample that I’ve truly hated.

Value of this box: $46.58

Wahoo!! Very happy with this result. Lots of great products and generous sample sizes in the December box.

January 2018 Box #028

GlamGlow Supercleanse Clearing Cream-to-Foam Cleanser

Full size: $32 for 150g

Retail value: $3.20 for 15ml

Price paid: $0.97

Thoughts:

Don’t love soaps that foam too much because it’s more of a psychological “clean” texture and super harsh on my skin.

Lancôme CLIS BOOSTER XL Mascara Base

Full size: $25.50 for 5.6ml

Retail value: $9.44 for 2.07ml

Price paid: $2.87

Thoughts:

TBH, I’m too lazy for a product like this…

Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer

Full size: $42 for 30ml

Retail value: $5.6 for 4ml

Price paid: $1.71

Thoughts:

You know what? This surprised me. This really can be a moisturizer and primer. I could see myself using this in summer months because in winter my skin definitely needs a lot more hydration than this. The one thing that bothers me about this sample is that the applicator/dispenser is very different from the full-size. The full-size is a spray and this is just a apply with fingers situation. You can spray the product into your hands but I feel like the experience would be different.

Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream

Full size: $26.50 for 15ml

Retail value: $5.30 for 3ml

Price paid: $1.61

Thoughts:

In general this line hasn’t impressed me. But this one was a Allure Best of Beauty winner, so who knows? It smells terrible to me though. I think the applicator is kind of weird – massaging it in with the plastic tip thing? Hmm…

Fresh Rose Floral Toner

Full size: $40 for 250ml

Retail value: $6.40 for 20ml

Price paid: $1.95

Thoughts:

I doubt this will impress me because I have a Burt’s Bee’s rose toner that has been undepletable for YEARS. However, I like trying expensive things I’ll never buy. :p

Alterna Haircare Shampoo + Conditioner

Full size: $52 for 250ml

Retail value: $2.90 for 14ml

Price paid: $0.88

Thoughts:

Mine came punctured… 🙁

Value of this box: $32.84

Meh. It’s okay value for Sephora Play! However, I do really love the products so, it doesn’t matter so much to me. I just love trying on all the stuff each month. I put all the minis on display so I use them throughout the month. This is actually going to be the first box in LONG time where I won’t give anything away.