Play! by SEPHORA (May 2017)

For $10 a month, uncover the most sought-after products around with a monthly subscription box of prestige, trial-size samples curated by Sephora experts. Each month you'll get five deluxe beauty samples, plus a beauty bonus, all in a collectible bag! Inside every beauty box you'll receive a Play! PASS you can bring in store and redeem for 50 bonus Beauty Insider points, plus a free one-on-one tutorial that is all about you. With PLAY! by Sephora, you'll also be eligible to attend Play! DATES, which are subscriber-only events that give you and a friend the opportunity to come in store and play with products that complement the ones you got in your subscription box. Lastly, up your beauty game with exclusive video how-to's, tutorials and tons of tips on how to use the products you get in new and fun ways.

What It Is:
At Sephora, they love that feeling when you find a new beauty product, give it a try, and wonder how you ever lived without it. That’s why they created PLAY! by SEPHORA, a beauty box filled with five stellar samples, delivered right to your door.

Here’s how it works:
Each month they curate a selection of new and best-selling products they’re most excited about, from makeup to hair care to skincare to fragrance. Then, using the answers in your PLAY! Profile, they determine which version is best for you. Next stop, your place, where you can experiment, play, and find your personal favorites.

Every month Sephora also includes a flyer that offers important details and informative tips and tidbits about the products included.

May 2017's theme is The Rising Stars. Here's what's in this month's box:

GRANDELIPS Hydrating Lip Plumper in Clear (~0.025oz, ~$13.50) - Clear gloss uses a patented hyaluronic acid-infused formula to visibly plump lips while also softening over time.

WHY IT MADE THE CUT: Founder and beauty industry veteran Alicia Grande began her career with a revolutionary lash formula, and has now applied that insider expertise to crafting highly effective products that give lips a full, lush appearance.

TRÈSTIQUE Highlight + Perfect Multipurpose Stick in Maldives Luminescent (0.04oz, $14.00) - This smooth gel highlighter stick pairs a barely-there, lightweight texture with a luminous champagne pink shimmer.

WHY IT MADE THE CUT: treStiQue's up-and-coming line of double-duty multitaskers are ideal for simplifying your beauty routine. Keep this one in your purse and swipe it on for a quick midday glow and a boost of vitamins thanks to its coconut oil-enhanced formula.

MILK MAKEUP Blur Stick (0.1oz, ~$7.37) - Matte-coverage blurring stick smooths and primes all skin tones for makeup by minimizing pores and fine lines.

WHY IT MADE THE CUT: We love Milk Makeup's breakthrough collection of hardworking skincare and makeup. Each product is designed for multi-functional, one-hand application that is perfect for getting effortless, cool looks.

NEST FRAGRANCES Black Tulip EDP (0.04oz, ~$1.69) - Warm, sweet notes of black amber plum are enhanced by hints of Japanese violet and patchouli in this new scent. Top note is Japanese violet. Middle notes are pink pepper and patchouli. Base note is black amber plum.

ABOUT THE BRAND: The alluring scents and elegant packaging of NEST are inspired by the botanical artwork of Mary Delany, an eighteenth century mixed-media artist.

CHRISTOPHE ROBIN Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt (1.35oz, $9.50) - Cleanse, purify and re-balance a sensitive or oily scalp with this soothing sea salt scrub that leaves hair soft and refreshed.

HOW TO USE: This formula can be a daily shampoo, a weekly detox treatment for oily hair and dandruff, or a post-coloring treatment to soothe itchiness. Simply apply a tablespoon amount like you would a regular shampoo, and pay particular attention to massaging the scalp. Add water to lather and rinse. Follow with conditioner.

TATA HARPER Resurfacing Mask (0.25oz, $14.50) - Non-irritating mask works like a peel treatment to purify and revitalize skin with a proprietary blend of potent botanicals.

WHY IT MADE THE CUT: Handmade in small batches by engineer-turned-founder Tata Harper and a team of world-class chemists, this feel-good mask is powered by eleven highly effective natural ingredients, like pomegranate enzymes and French pink clay.
                                                                                                                                                  

The Verdicts:

I've tried the GrandeLIPS lip plumper in the past, but it's been a minute so I'm back on the case. First, delicious... a little bit vanilla with a touch of menthol. Does it burn? I don't think that's the term I would use. It tingles. No more than Burt's Bees' original beeswax lip balm (my go-to). It's actually one of the best moisturizing products I've used on my lips in a long time, and I don't remember seeing for-real plumping the last time, but maybe I just didn't leave it on long enough. I like it. I like it almost as much as Burt's Bees.

Nothing makes me feel so much like a makeup dummy as highlighters and contouring. I'm so sorry to trèStique. I wish I could provide an informed review. I just don't know how to use it. I can say though from the swatches, it has some serious sparkles and texture-wise is as fantastic as all the other highlighters I've not been able to use properly.

Did I just say, 'makeup dummy?' This Milk Makeup blur stick is nearly invisible but feels great, and if I could figure out blurring, well, I bet it does that great too.

I could clearly smell every single note of NEST's 'Black Tulip' eau de parfum. My very first thought was blackberry, but it was quickly replaced by plum. The combination of fruit and floral might have you assuming it's immature. This is a grown-up scent though, and NOT an old lady scent. Once it sets in, the patchouli is a little strong. That would be my only complaint.

Ignore my grays!
I'm growing it out
to go a lighter color
than my usual.
Stop judging me!

I'm won't be able to try the Christophe Robin scalp shampoo before post time, but I'm thrilled at the opportunity. It's on my next "pamper day" list.

The Tata Harper face mask is AH-mazing! I knew it would be! It goes on thick and you can feel it tugging on your pores almost immediately. The picture on the right is just a silly thing showing my normally wrinkle-free forehead once the mask dried, before I removed it. After 15 minutes, I rinsed it off and my face felt more tout and cleaner than it ever could with just a cleanser. The smell was antiseptic-y (not bad though).

This May 2017 box has a total value of $60.56. Additionally, these are incredible brands and some of their most popular products. Seriously, Sephora really covered all of the bases with this box and there are several products that I'll buy now thanks to getting to test them. Looking forward to June!