I purchase more than half of my beauty products from Sephora. It has always been my go-to store, and so when they came out with a monthly beauty box subscription, I jumped at the opportunity.  After a few months on their waiting list, I finally received my first Sephora Play! Beauty box.  Well, more like a beauty bag since that is what I received and definitely appreciated.  The bags can easily be reused and easily stored, unlike my Birchbox boxes.  A lovely pamphlet was included in May’s products, which broke down their ingredients. These included helpful tips such as “improve the benefits of your masking sessions” and “two ways to wear this month’s lip products”.  This Sephora Play! consisted of the following products:

1. Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine ($35 for duo)
2. Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche in Kimchi ($26)
3. Tarte Tarteist Lip Crayon in Latergram ($18)
4. Origins Maskimizer + Drink Up & Clear Improvement Masks
5. Korres Wild Rose Sleeping Facial ($34 for collection)
6. Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask ($9)

1. Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine:  For those looking for a shot of citrus zest on the skin, the Atelier Cologne in Orange Sanguine is a perfect option.  The orange scent is strong and could be overpowering for those with sensitive noses, but I do appreciate a perfume like this for the summer.

2. Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche in Kimchi:  Every Bite Beauty lipstick I’ve ever tried is a winner in my book.  It goes on smooth and is highly moisturizing (contains coconut and pomegranate oil).  The shade, Kimchi, included in this month’s Sephora Play! bag is beyond stunning. The bright pink/magenta will look amazing on any skin tone and fits in perfectly for the summer months.  This product will make for a happy departure from heavy matte lipsticks and liquid lipsticks.

3. Tarte Tarteist Lip Crayon in Latergram:  I’m a lover of almost all things Tarte whether it be their Amazonian Clay Foundation ($39) or their eyeshadow palettes.  I figured my love affair with the brand would translate with the Tarte Tarteist Lip Crayon, but I was wrong.  It’s not that the lip crayon was terrible, but it was just too stiff and drying for my liking.  Over the years, I’ve strayed away from harder denser pencils in favor of more creamy versions (i.e. Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat Lip Liners).  Another issue I had with the Tarte Tarteist Lip Crayon was the color.  Latergram is supposed to be a nude color, but appeared more peach on my lips.  Sadly, the Tarte Tarteist Lip Crayon will not be on my to-buy list.

4. Origins Maskimizer + Drink Up & Clear Improvement Masks:  This product was more of a 3-in-1 because it included a priming mist, a charcoal mask, and an overnight mask.  I readily indulge in weekly masks and at-home-peels so I looked forward to trying these out.  The charcoal mask applied smoothly, dried quickly and was easy to remove after the recommended ten minutes.  Before removal, I had a feeling it was going to work like a charm because it felt like I had received a mini face lift; that was how tight the mask dried.  When all was said and done, my skin felt and looked refreshed and youthful.  As for the overnight mask, it worked just as well.  The priming mist is no different than a MAC Fix + and would also recommend.

5. Korres Wild Rose Sleeping Facial:  Just like the Origins Drink Up overnight mask, the Korres worked wonderfully in bringing in more moisture to my skin.  I could see myself using these products interchangeably because the difference was inconsequential.  However, I would recommend these for anyone who suffers from an oily skin complexion even though both the Origins and Korres overnight masks are lightweight.

6. Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask:  This was a treat for me as I’m not well versed in the world of hair conditioning masks.  Given my limited experience with them, I only have good things to say about the Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair!  It went on not too thick and certainly did not feel slippery like normal hair conditioners.  I left it in for the recommended five minutes and found that it left my hair soft and the tips well-conditioned.  The only negative is that it does not work like a normal conditioner in the detangle department.

Bonus:

One of the biggest perks to the Sephora Play! beauty box is that it included an in-store card to receive expert advice and 50 Sephora Beauty Insider points with any purchase.  I consider that a win-win because I love racking up my Sephora Beauty Insider points in order to receive free samples.

Final Verdict: Merge

Makeup Deconstructed Rating System:

1 Kiss = Purge: Only one of the products in the box/bag is worth keeping.

2 Kisses = Merge: Two to four products make this box/bag worth merging into your makeup collection.

3 Kisses = Splurge: All five products are amazing and worth splurging on!