Play! by Sephora Box April 2016

The theme for this month was fairly self explanatory.  Between the new cosmetic line being stocked at Sephora (Milk Makeup) and an "innovative" gel blush, the April Play! by Sephora box tried to highlight the popular trends in skincare and makeup.  I prefer to receive makeup products in my boxes so this month's box left something to be desired.  I'm glad they included Milk Makeup, but I would've liked to try something more traditional (hint hint, Sephora).


1) Milk Makeup Sunshine Oil


I was really excited when I heard that there was going to be a Milk item in the April box.  Sephora just recently started carrying the line and I have been curious as to how it is.  The brand's whole idea is to make beauty products quick and easy to use, with simple packaging (which I love) instead of the elaborate designs we usually see.

The "sunshine oil" was...yellow (clever) and smelled pretty good (citrusy) but I honestly didn't know what I was supposed to do with it. Was it supposed to be applied to areas I wanted a "glow"? Was I supposed to only use it on my face? Sephora sends a little booklet with details on each product, but their directions for what to do with the oil weren't very helpful. In any case, I applied it to my face and elbows after I showered and...yep, I stand by what I said before about oils- I'm not a fan.  I don't like the way oils make my skin feel and though this wasn't the worst (by far), it was just an unpleasant sensation.  I don't think I'll be using this again. Also, for those wondering, this dried clear and didn't add any color.

2) Sunday Riley Good Genes Treatment




This basically makes the same claims as other anti-aging products.  And if you thought the $85 DDF Wrinkle Resist Serum I reviewed in my Allure April box here was expensive, just stop reading about this right now. It's nice to try out this cream for $10 but I highly doubt I will ever see enough of a change to justify dropping $105 on this. At least not right now. If you're looking for recommendations on moisturizers and products to help with hyper-pigmentation (that are easier on your wallet), feel free to go back to my Allure April box review.

3) Clinique Pep Start Eye Cream



I was a loyal Clinique fan for many years of undergrad before they changed up their makeup formula and I no longer could find the correct foundation match with my skin tone.  Since then, I've mostly given up on them so this is one of the only Clinique products I own--besides the sample lipgloss in "Black Honey" I received in a Sephora purchase (lipstick version--which I am a huge fan of--here).

Like the whole "anti-wrinkle" serum stuff, I don't really understand the deal with eye creams. In the rare occasions that I've actually tried them, they've done nothing that a good facial moisturizer doesn't do and I still have to apply under-eye concealer regardless.  The Clinique eye cream was no different. It comes in a cute little orange tube and applies fairly easily but I didn't notice any change the times I used it.

4) Nars Satin Lip Pencil in "Rikugien"



As soon as I pulled this out of the box, I knew it looked familiar. This was part of the Sephora birthday gift for Beauty Insiders a couple of years back so I'm not sure why they sent out the exact same shade again.  Regardless, it's a nice, very neutral color which is perfect for clinic days (and a good change from my usual, darker lips I've been doing recently).

As far as consistency, it doesn't dry down completely.  It has a sheen (but not super sticky, because that's a deal breaker for me with lip colors) but doesn't look like you slathered on lip-gloss.  The main negative with this is that the color transfers pretty rapidly and I basically had nothing left on my lips after a couple of hours.  If you're not a fan of reapplying lipsticks (like me) then this may not be the best choice for you.

5) Sephora Collection Colorful Cheek Ink Blush Gel in "Peony"


Gel...blush. I didn't know how I felt about this when I received it and, honestly, I'm still on the fence. Initially, I think I didn't apply enough and I noticed nothing.  Then the second time, I think I over-applied and I could clearly see streaks of pink (ugh). Finally, I tried applying a little bit with a Sephora Collection Airbrush Sponge and then slowly layered and...it worked!

The color is definitely on the brighter side and it's easy to overdo it (tip: just continue to blend it with a sponge and eventually it'll soften the color a bit).  I'm also not a fan of the texture because, as opposed to regular powdered blushes, I could definitely feel it on my face for a while. It stayed put for a few hours so that was great, but I really didn't like how I was aware it was on for most of the day.  Lesson learned: blush gel + southern humidity are not a good mix.



If you like this color but want a more traditional blush, my favorite is: Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 hour Blush in "Doll Face".

6) Derek Lam 10 Crosby "2am Kiss"