First Beauty Samples of 2019
My January Play! by Sephora box arrived last week but it’s taken me awhile to sit down and write a post because we moved into our new home on Tuesday! This post may feel a little scattered…if so, it’s because my life is literally scattered all around the new house right now. I did manage to film an unboxing video before our move, which you can take a gander at here:
Your Beauty Future
The Zodiac is very trendy right now, so Sephora hopped on that train with this month’s theme. The brochure came with a beauty horoscope for each astrological sign. I’m a Gemini, and though I don’t 100% believe in this stuff, I have many traits associated with my sign. Nervous temperament, anyone?
This month’s box included two skin care samples, two lip care samples, a beauty tool, and the first supplement I’ve received in a box.
The Skin Care
The first skin care sample is an exciting one: Sunday Riley C.E.O.Rapid Flash Brightening Serum (full-size, $85). I’ve heard good things about this vitamin C serum, but I’m not in the market for one because I started using Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum early this month. Vitamin C is supposed to be great for combatting hyperpigmentation; as you may remember, I’m trying hard to fade my dark spots. Although switching serums will mess up the scientific integrity of my experiment (LOL), I decided to try this sample twice a day until I run out.
The sample is small so I doubt I’ll be able to use it for long enough to see any real results. I’ve been using it for about a week so far, and I can say that it absorbs very quickly and smells just like oranges. It’s very expensive, so I’d probably only buy it full sized if it magically faded my spots within two weeks. Which I seriously doubt will happen.
The other January skin care sample is the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask (full-size, $25). I always see people raving about Laneige on Instagram so I bought their Lip Sleeping Mask, which I was kind of disappointed with. In my unboxing video I was a little confused about what constitutes a sleeping mask versus a moisturizer. Turns out you’re supposed to use this product once or twice a week; it’s not meant to take the place of a regularly nightly moisturizer. Laneige says that this sleeping mask provides skin with deep hydration while you sleep, for a refreshed and radiant complexion.
I’ve only tried this sleeping mask once so far and when I woke up, my skin felt tight and dry. However! Just now I looked at the “how to use” section on Sephora’s website and it says to apply after face cream. I used this in place of moisturizer, so no wonder I woke up feeling dry. I’ll try this on top of my moisturizer next time and see how it goes. At $25, the price is great, so if it actually works when layered over moisturizer I’d consider buying it.
The Lip Care
The first lip sample this month is Bite Beauty Matte Crème Lip Crayon in Glacé (full-size, $24). I received this exact product in the Sephora birthday gift last year and I absolutely love the color and nondrying matte formula. However, it feels like Sephora just took their leftover birthday gifts and tossed them into this month’s box. So that’s not super exciting. I may save this sample for a future Instagram giveaway.
Here’s a swatch of the lip color (I used my birthday gift crayon, not the fresh sample from this box):
The bonus sample this month is a lip care duo: Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask (full-size, $26) and Agave Sugar Lip Scrub (full-size, $18). This also came in the 2018 birthday gift set, so it feels like another afterthought. I had to throw this duo away from my birthday gift because the blister packs had leaked. This time I’ll actually get to use them. The Agave Lip Mask is my current holy grail nighttime lip product, so at least I know I love that one!
The Others
I’ve never received any type of supplement in a Play! box…until now. This month, Sephora sent me threee packets of Four Sigmatic Golden Latte Mushroom Mix with Shiitake & Turmeric (full-size, $20 for 10 packets). Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties so I try to drink turmeric tea at least a couple times a week. I have inflammation in my feet and my gut and probably many other places in my body, haha. I’ve also tried and enjoyed store-bought golden milk (a creamy drink with turmeric and other spices), and I’ve even made it at home a couple times. These packets also contain shiitake mushrooms, tulsi, ginger, and black pepper. The base is coconut powder, so if you’re allergic to or just don’t like coconut, this drink is not for you. This ingredient combination is intended to make your skin glow from within.
The mix is simple to use. All you do is add the powder to seven ounces of hot water (such a specific number) and stir. I’ve tried one packet so far and it tasted great! The main flavors are coconut and turmeric, and there’s maybe only a hint of mushroom. I’m looking forward to drinking the others. I’m sure three packets aren’t enough to see a real difference, but I’d consider buying a box of these from time to time. At $2 a packet they’re not cheap, but they’re definitely more affordable than pre-made bottles of golden milk. I’m sure it’s most affordable to make on your own, though.
The final sample this month is Beautyblender blendercleanser solid pro (full-size, $45). I do have a beautyblender but I haven’t used it lately due to the move. But this mini bar of soap will be great for cleaning it! They have a regular cleanser, but this “pro” version contains charcoal to really help suck up excess dirt and oil from beautyblenders and makeup brushes alike. The full sized price is quite high for what amounts to a bar of soap, so I don’t see myself buying this.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m quite happy with my January Play! by Sephora box. The Bite afterthought samples were slightly disappointing. But I do love those products so I can’t be too mad about it. I’m most excited about the Golden Latte packets because they were a really nice surprise. I’m also happy about the skin care samples because they’re products that people talk about on Instagram all the time. It’s nice to have the chance to try them!
How did you like your January Play! by Sephora samples?
Read my previous Play! by Sephora posts here.
What is Play! by Sephora?
Play! by Sephora is a $10 per month beauty subscription that includes five deluxe samples. The product samples are curated based on your Sephora beauty profile (hair color, eye color, skin tone, skin type, skin and hair concerns, etc.). And of course, you can purchase full-sized versions of any samples from Sephora and earn VIB points if you’re a part of the Beauty Insider program—which I highly recommend signing up for. This subscription also offers a “Play! Date” each month, which allows you and a friend to attend an in-store event to learn how to use the products in that month’s box (RSVP is required). Click here for more information on the subscription.
