July 2016 Play! by Sephora Review

We're deep in the dog days of summer, and this month's box was all about an Effortless theme, featuring warm-weather essentials and other summer standouts.

Nest Fragrances Citrine, $1.60 [$68.00 for 1.7 oz; sample size: 0.04 oz]
This fragrance was a floral-citrus blend. Kind of refreshing for the summer time, but I wasn't the hugest fan.

Ouai Wave Spray, $8.84 [$26.00 for 5 oz; sample size: 1.7 oz]
This hair spray has a heavy perfume smell, and it left my hair a bit stiff and tacky. Not something I really enjoyed.

beautyblender blotterazzi by beautyblender, ~$10.00 [$20.00 for mirrored compact with two blotting sponges]
While this sponge does help absorb oil, I found that it didn't work as well as traditional blotting paper. Plus, it feels a little unsanitary to reuse a blotting sponge on your oily face.  If you have dry or normal skin, I think you will find this sponge more effective.

First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay, $5.11 [$24.00 for 4.7 oz; sample size: 1 oz]
This cleanser has a lightly herbal, almost menthol-like fragrance. It's an orange-tinted gel cleanser with a slight luminescence. I found it to be an effective cleanser.

Smashbox Photo Finish Pore Minimizing Primer, $9.75 [$39.00 for 1 oz; sample size: 0.25 oz]
This primer dispenses in a light beige color, and it does mattify on initial application. However, I did not find it to be long-lasting. Just a couple hours later, I felt like I was shiny all over.  This is another product that probably works better if you have dry or normal skin that perhaps gets a bit more oily in the summer months.

Too Faced Soleil Matte Bronzer in Chocolate, $6.86 [$30.00 for 0.35 oz; sample size: 0.08 oz]
This warm brown bronzer has a light cocoa smell, and this shade shows up clearly and blends in easily.

Total Value: ~$42.16
Unfortunately, the highest valued items didn't really work out well for me personally - but the box value was really high this month!

Details: Play! by Sephora is a beauty subscription box that features a curation of five deluxe samples plus a bonus fragrance in a collectible bag. The monthly cost is $10.00 + tax. Each box also includes a Play! Pass that you can use to receive 50 extra Beauty Insider points with any in-store purchase.