PLAY! By SEPHORA Box Versions: Your Questions Answered

[sephoraadmin2]

Hi PLAY! by SEPHORA subscribers,

Some of you have been wondering how we curate each of our boxes, so we wanted to let you know how it works!

Every month, our team of beauty experts determine a selection of products around a theme or trend. We then take these products and create different box versions. Because we want you to love all of the deluxe samples you receive, we then choose which version would work best for you based on the answers you provided in your PLAY! PROFILE. This way, the products you receive are appropriate for your beauty needs.

Still have questions about how we determine what goes into your PLAY! by SEPHORA box? We want to hear from you! Check out the FAQs and chat with us below.

Q: How does PLAY! by Sephora decide which products to send to subscribers each month?

A: PLAY! By Sephora curates a selection of products every month that align with a particular beauty theme or trend we’re loving. From here, we develop box versions – which vary based on different beauty preferences like skin tone and hair. Then, we target these box versions to each subscriber based on his/her PLAY! PROFILE. We always try and send you the box that we believe is best for you.

Q: What if I don’t like the products I received in my box?

A: If you’re not sure about why you received a certain product in your box, we encourage you to take your PLAY! PASS to your local Sephora and ask for a personal, one-on-one consultation with one of our Beauty Advisors. This is one of the many perks you get with PLAY!. In-store, a Beauty Advisor can help you find a similar or complimentary products. They will even make you a custom sample so you can try it out at home.

OR, if you can’t make it to a store, you can always call or shoot us an email us: 1-844-PLAY-HLP or playhelp@sephora.com.

Q: What is the PLAY! PROFILE and how do I update my information?

A: The PLAY! PROFILE captures your beauty preferences and concerns. We use your PROFILE answers to determine which box version is best for you each month. To update your PLAY! PROFILE, first go to My Account and then click on the My Information in left navigation. From here, you can your PROFILE information like hair type, skin concern, and skin tone.

Q: What if one of the products in my box is broken, damaged or missing?

A: If you have a problem with your box, you can always call our PLAY! phone extension at 1-844-PLAY-HLP or email us at playhelp@sephora.com. We’re here to help!

[Angied014]

For three past few months I've been getting foundation and moisturizer.  The foundation I'm getting for February I've already received.  I don't wear a lot of foundation and have to be careful about switching my moisturizer and or foundation because it makes me break out. 

[Kimberlee13]

If you were honest about tracking - the estimated delivery date and email about shipping is false as you send to a UPS service that goes to US postal that makes tracking impossible despite your links on site and app. We give you complexion etc information that’s ignored. I’m sorry it’s not that hard to have “never” button that allows you to opt out of fragrances or sunscreens both of which can have serious problems and allergies for a large swath of people. Adding the same product over and over again. I have gotten a dupe of the lipstick in my bday gift and two mascaras in three months. Responding to every single complaint on this board with “I will forward your suggestions to the appropriate team” means to me that they’ve ignored it before why would this time be different. I was excited about this. I’m exploring beauty and skincare as an adult and this seemed like a perfect way to try new things. But I only need so much eyeliner and mascara. I unsubscribed. Trying a different beauty box. You are the leader in store beauty. Not being able to be the leader in a beauty subscription box is deeply disappointing.

[goddess1310]

I did not receive the products which were mentioned I would receive in my profile. Only the Bite lipstick and the Marajo hair sample were the same. I was expecting Sunday Riley, Drunk Elephant and BeautyBlender and I was instead given Origins, Smashbox and Hum. I’m happy to return the products and get the ones I was promised instead please! I really do love Sephora Play and don’t want to end up cancelling. 

[Ellieonsharpies]

Same

[Pamzz]

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@goddess1310 wrote:

I did not receive the products which were mentioned I would receive in my profile. Only the Bite lipstick and the Marajo hair sample were the same. I was expecting Sunday Riley, Drunk Elephant and BeautyBlender and I was instead given Origins, Smashbox and Hum. I’m happy to return the products and get the ones I was promised instead please! I really do love Sephora Play and don’t want to end up cancelling. 

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The same thing happened to me! I was super excited about getting the box with sunday riley and drunken elephant in it but I ended up getting the same box as you 😞 This was my first play box and if they keep on teasing me like this i might end up cancelling too.

[melissabt]

@goddess1310,

I am truly sorry to hear about the items that you received in your PLAY box. I will be sure to share this as feedback with the appropriate department within our company. Thank you for your patience throughout this process.

[julz1025]

Dark Red broken lipstick. I filled out my beauty profile when I signed up for Play. I stressed I wasn't that into skin care except acne and pore products. I am very interested in primers, foundations and wear neutral colors mostly nudes. also hair is a very big concetn for me. i had to have my thyroid removed 3 years ago and lose quite a bit of hair and it looks very thin and flat. Every month i get a ton of skin care samples and a red lipstick. I honestly had very high hopes for the December box, but was immediately dissapointed as I am every month. My bonus gift was a dark red lipstick that was broken. Seeing everyone elses boxes just makes me more upset. WHY would you send someone who stated they wear nudes a dark red lipstick? and when i see the boxes for sale and see the samples of Marc Jacobs foundation and Sephora foundation it really makes me wonder if you even read the profiles. I think the whole year I've I've been a suscriber I've gotten 2 foundations but i have enough skincare items to fill a bath tub. I am canceling my subscription and staying with birchbox and Ipsy, they actually send eyeshadows, light colored lipglosses and hair care and I've never gotten a red lipstick from either. All Play is a chance for my friends to raid makeup drawers.

[kiaradiva]

I’ve been subscribed since the beginning and have been underwhelmed. I’m on the verge of canceling but keep hoping that the boxes will get better. Usually there is 1 or 2 products I like but most of the time I end up getting products I can’t use. I’ve checked my play profile multiple times to make sure it’s fully filled out. But I get products for oily skin even though my profile says I have dry skin. Colors are too dark for me. I basically get the opposite of what my profile indicates. One thing that would be extremely helpful is if there was a way to indicate any brands you might be allergic to. For instance, there is a shampoo/conditioner I’ve gotten a few times but can’t use because I’m allergic to it. I’m also allergic to Bite Beauty products. Even if there was a way to indicate whether a product worked for you or not.

[julz1025]

same here

[melissabt]

@kiaradiva,

Thank you for taking the time to leave all of your feedback and suggestions about the PLAY box. I will be sure to share this with our PLAY team, thank you.

[kiaradiva]

As a follow up to my original message, I just got my December box and "underwhelmed" is an understatement.  This is the worst box yet.  There isn't one product in here I want to use - either because I've already tried them and don't like them, or because I know the ingredients will irritate my skin, or because I'm just not interested in the product.  And the really crappy part is that a friend of mine got a great box that I would have been really happy with.  I cancelled my subscription.  There have been too many months where I've given the majority of products away because they don't work for me or I don't like them or can't use them.  It would be great if there was some way to indicate whether a product worked for you during a month so that if it didn't, it could be excluded in future months.  And I know that's possible because other subscription boxes have that feature.

[SGC47]

The same thing continues to happen to me. I've checked my PLAY profile multiple times yet i get shampoos formulated for straight to wavy hair even though I have indicated that my hair is coarse and curly. I get lipstick colors that I cannot wear, face powders in the wrong shade etc.

I try to give the benefit of the doubt and look up reviews on the products that I don't think would work for me but 9 times out of 10 there are no reviewers who share my beauty matches (probably because they shouldnt have been sent to me)

What options do we have when the products are completely wrong? I have taken a lipstick AND a bronzer into the Sephora store to see if staff could help. Both times I was told flat out that the products I'd received wouldn't work for me and that there were color options available that would have been more suitable.

I think about cancelling every month but its only $10. I just wish the products I receive corresponded to my beauty profile

[RebeccaBT]

Hi @SGC47,

I am so sorry to hear this. We try to send items as close to your profile as possible. However, there is no guarantee we can send an exact match each month. I recommend trying the products to see if the formula is to your liking then we can shade match you or try different colors of products in store when you go in to redeem your Play! Pass. I will also share your feedback with the Play! Team.

Best,
Rebecca 

[Anonymous]

I do not like the new bags. 😞 I was planning on making a quilt or something out of my fabric bags and now... meh. These plastic bags suck. 

[MamaMcNaughty]

I agree! The cloth bags were cute and reusable for all kinds of things. The plastic ones are just that, plastic. Boring. I guess they are biodegradable so that's a plus, I guess. 

[Annaapple11]

So, I am not underwhelmed by the box... kinda excited about all the products... but it is disappointing that the foundation shade came SUPER dark... so it's something I cant even try to see if I like the brand... it's about 5 shades darker... I filled out the profile... is that normal? I mean its way off like I'm pale as pale can be and it came a dark tan

[KVFo]

Any idea why I would receive a tan yellow based Marc Jacobs foundation sample when that’s the opposite end of the spectrum from what I filled out on my profile? A disappointing start.

[Annaapple11]

I recieved one too that's tan yellow and I'm super pale... its disappointing because like..why recieve a sample if you cant even sample it?

[gladannie]

Same here! It’s my first box and I’m underwhelmed. Why fill out a profile if they don’t use it?

[divaknits]

I’ve been ok wit some of my PLAY! boxes, but my question is why do you never send makeup samples that look good on people of color. It’s irritating when I get colors that don’t work for my skin tone.