Julep Maven review (ft. May Modern Beauty box)

      My Julep Maven box came in the mail really quickly this month and I was so excited to receive this particular box. The May nail colors were all pretty, but what really convinced me to get this box this month was the additional products, a new trio of lipsticks and a lip scrub. Plus, I just added on the nail colors that I liked. 

     The theme for this month was "Set the Stage" and featured elegant colors inspired by the music, style, and spirit of the Roaring Twenties. The nail colors for this month were mainly cremes and a couple shimmers, metallics, and a glitter. The theme definitely seemed glamorous and 1920's inspired, especially because of the special product this month: the two Jazz Collection lip trio sets.

     Once again, the packaging was really beautiful with the products all nestled down in gold sparkly tissue paper and burgundy paper crinkles. The products were all packaged great too in shiny black and gold boxes. The containers themselves were shiny gold and really glitzy looking. 

      This month, I chose the Modern Beauty box for the first time. This is actually a newer style profile and the only one that does not include nail polish and instead has several beauty products. Three of the other profiles (Boho Glam, Bombshell, and Classic with a Twist) include different assortments of two polishes and one product. And It Girl still includes just three polishes (I was really tempted by the colors in this box this month, but decided against it because it didn't have the lip colors). But the great thing about Julep is that you don't have to stick with your style profile each month and can change up your mind (and style) anytime you want. 

  The products that came in my box were:

• American Beauty Volumizing Mascara: Jet black. This mascara debuted in September last year and contains peptides to stimulate lash growth. I really like this mascara and was happy to receive another one. 
• New York Jazz Trio lip colors: Satin doll (poppy lip sheer), Tea for Two (nude shimmer lip sheer), and Lady in Red (matte crimson lip color). These lip colors all look really great, but came in a smaller size than I expected. I assumed that they were full sized, but I'm still happy with them. I'm just glad that I got a box that they came in and didn't pay the add-on price of $19.99. 

From left to right, Tea for Two, Lady in Red, and Satin Doll.

• Sugar Smooch Lip Scrub: Brown sugar and molasses scent. This lip scrub features brown sugar, molasses, conditioning oils, vitamin E, and shea butter. I love the scent of this lip scrub. It smells so delicious. And the container it comes in is really pretty too. I just want to leave it out on my counter so I can see it all the time. The scrub is maybe a little rougher than I expected, but it also had moisturizers that felt really good on my lips after I rinsed off the scrub.   

• Bonus product: Four floral hairpins. This was a bonus item added to the boxes this month. They aren't really my style, but they are pretty cute. I was really hoping for tickets to go see The Great Gatsby in theaters. Oh well! 

      Because I liked so many of the nail polishes, but not really any that came in the same box together, I added on two nail colors: Myrtle (flapper red creme) and Zelda (pink champagne metallic). They haven't come in the mail yet. 

     Want to join in on the fun of receiving nail polishes and products in the mail each month? Joining the Julep Maven program is the best way to get Julep products at a discount on everything and access to new colors before everyone else! You just take a style quiz and they will send you products that match your style (don't worry though because you won't be stuck with that style forever). Plus you can join now for a free box and just pay shipping. Here are some other benefits of the Julep Maven program:

• $40-$60 worth of nail and beauty products delivered to your door each month for $19.99.
• You get to preview the nail colors you will receive each month.
• You can add on up to three additional nail colors or products at a discounted price.
• You can pay an additional $30-$35 and receive the entire collection for that month, which is often a really great deal worth more than $200. 
• You can skip receiving a box (and the bill) if you're not interested in that month's products and colors. I have done this the past two months. 
• You can switch to one of four other style profiles if you don't like the colors in your style profile.
• You can chose to send your box to a friend. 
• One Maven will win a super special box that includes all sorts of things depending on the month's theme. There are also typically bonus items in all the boxes too. 
• Twenty percent off purchases at julep.com and free shipping for Mavens. 
• You can earn a free month by referring two friends to the program using your referral link. (Mine is below and I'd be so happy if you used it)
• You can earn jules (rewards points) to be used toward monthly boxes when you purchase a box or add-ons. You also get reward points on your anniversary as a Maven and on your birthday. 
• You can cancel anytime by giving Julep a call.

Sound good? Then fill out a style quiz HERE and use the code FREEBOX to receive your first box for free (just pay shipping!)

January Julep Maven review (ft. Bombshell box)

    The theme of the January Julep Maven boxes was "Escape & Unwind." All of the colors this month were neons or neutrals and are part of the Julep Resort Collection. The theme was further carried out with the products all nestled in a neon peach tissue paper and tied with a hot pink ribbon. 

     Tucked in the box along with the nail products were three neon hair ties. I am so excited to try them because I've been wanting some like this because they are gentler on your hair and don't cause as much breakage. I thought these were such cute extras! The box also included new swatch labeling stickers that you can attach to the lids of your nail polish bottles with a swipe of the color on them so you can identify your polishes from the top. 

    While I'm not really a neon polish fan, I really love the combinations in this month's boxes because each one came with a neon and a neutral. I typically wear a more neutral color on my fingernails, but I'm up for anything on my toes. This month I chose the Bombshell box for the first time. 

The products that came in my box were:

• Bette nail polish - Electric neon purple creme. I am currently sporting this color on my toes. I really like the color. I would not call it a "neon" exactly, but it is bright. I had trouble applying the color because the polish dripped down the brush and 
• Ava nail polish - Ballet slipper pink frost. I used this recently for my manicure and I really liked it. It's pretty opaque after two coats and is a nice just barely pink color. I was really happy to get a neutral not too in-your-face color this month since Julep's selections recently have been pretty bright and glittery. I would love a month where they offered more neutral colors.
• Hand and cuticle stick with shea butter and peptides - Moisturize and protect in one easy step. Restore the youthful appearance of your hands with a peptide punch to strengthen and repair your skin. Vitamins C and E nourish and soothe. No parabens or sulfates. Retails for $22. 

      Want to join in the fun of receiving nail polish and other beauty products in the mail each month? Joining the Julep Maven program is the best (and cheapest) way to buy Julep products because you get discounts on everything and access to colors before everyone else! Plus, you can join now for just a penny (see the code below). Here are some others benefits of the Julep Maven program. 

• $40-$60 worth of nail products delivered to your door each month for only $19.99.
• You get to preview the colors you will receive each month.
• You can skip receiving a box if nail polish isn't in your budget for the month or you dislike all the colors. 
• You can switch to one of four other styles if you like them better than those in your style profile.
• You can choose to send your box to a friend.
• Free shipping.
• 20 percent off your purchases on julep.com.
• You can earn a free month by referring two friends to the program using your referral link. (Mine is below and I'd be so happy if you used it!)
• You can cancel at anytime simply by giving Julep a call.

     Sound good? Then fill out a style quiz HERE so Julep can tailor your boxes to your personal style (one of five different style profiles) and use the code JULEPVIP or PENNY to receive your introductory box for just a $0.01. 

December Julep Maven review (ft. It Girl box)

   I received my December Julep Maven box in the mail at the beginning of December and have finally gotten around to reviewing the products. Once again, I had trouble deciding which box to choose this month, but I ultimately decided to switch from my style profile Classic with a Twist (which I've honestly never requested) to It Girl for the second month in a row. I was also tempted by the Classic with a Twist box, but I decided that I really wanted to have two of the colors in the It Girl box and I didn't really care about getting the cucumber foot scrub that was the new product of the month. And once again, even though I knew what was coming because I selected it online, Julep still surprised me with several extras this month.   

    

      The theme of this month's boxes was "Glitter and Glow." All of the colors this month were glitters, either chunky glitters or microglitters. The holiday theme was further carried out with the products all nestled in white paper crinkles and the polishes wrapped in white tissue paper with silver snowflakes and tied with gold ribbon. Tucked in the box along with the nail products was a black velvet bag with a cabochon ring with instructions on how to use nail polish to color the glass in the ring to make a personalized statement ring. There was also a peppermint in the box. Such cute extras! I was once again really impressed with the packaging and the bonus contents, which I think sets Julep apart from other subscription box companies. 

The products that came in my box were:

• Harper nail polish - Full coverage opalescent mermaid blue multi-dimensional glitter. This color is such a gorgeous turquoise glitter and great for winter parties. Three coats gave me full coverage on my fingernails. The 3-year-old daughter of a couple from our parents class told us that she loved my nail polish when I wore it the other week. 
• Ivy nail polish - Dynamic sapphire micro-glitter metallic. Love this color. It's actually the dark horse color from the box because I chose It Girl specifically for Harper and Vivien but Ivy turned out to be my favorite. It's blue with a purplish hue depending on how the light hits it. My swatch photo below doesn't do it justice. 
• Vivien nail polish - Full coverage multi-dimensional gold glitter. I haven't tried this color yet, but it is beautiful and very good for the hoidays. I think it will be perfect for New Year's Eve because it looks like champagne bubbles.

Ivy on my toes. Love!

      Want to join in the fun of receiving nail polish and other beauty products in the mail each month? Joining the Julep Maven program is the best (and cheapest) way to buy Julep products because you get discounts on everything and access to colors before everyone else! Plus, you can join now for just a penny (see the code below). Here are some others benefits of the Julep Maven program. 

• $40-$60 worth of nail products delivered to your door each month for only $19.99.
• You get to preview the colors you will receive each month.
• You can skip receiving a box if nail polish isn't in your budget for the month or you dislike all the colors. 
• You can switch to one of four other styles if you like them better than those in your style profile.
• You can choose to send your box to a friend.
• Free shipping.
• 20 percent off your purchases on julep.com.
• You can earn a free month by referring two friends to the program using your referral link. (Mine is below and I'd be so happy if you used it!)
• You can cancel at anytime simply by giving Julep a call.

     Sound good? Then fill out a style quiz HERE so Julep can tailor your boxes to your personal style (one of five different style profiles) and use the code COLOR2012 or PENNY to receive your introductory box for just a $0.01. Also, if you join within the next few days, you will receive an e-mail with the choices for the January boxes on December 20. 

October Julep Maven review (Ft. October American Beauty box)

It's so much fun to see what's inside this box each month.

     I received my October Julep Maven box in the mail recently and have finally gotten around to using my new products. Once again, I had trouble deciding which box to choose this month, but I ultimately decided to switch from my style profile Classic with a Twist (which I've honestly never requested) to American Beauty. I was also tempted by the Bombshell box and the It Girl box, but I decided that I really wanted to try the nail product this month and I loved the blue nail polish color. And even though I knew what was coming because I selected it online, Julep still surprised me with several extras this month.   

The insert and quote of the month were both pretty awesome.

     The theme of this month's boxes was "Simply Bewitching." Many of the colors this month were lovely fall colors matched with a complementing crackle nail polish for a Halloween-themed look. The Halloween theme was further carried out with the products all nestled in orange paper crinkles and the polishes wrapped in black tissue paper and tied with silver ribbon. Tucked in the box along with the nail products was a small bag of candy corn to continue the theme. Such a cute extra! I was once again really impressed with the packaging. 

As usual, the insert explains the contents of the box and features a nail tutorial.

      My card insert this month detailed the items in my box on one side and a tutorial for how to use both polishes for a crackle effect on the opposite side. The directions were easy to follow and the results turned out great.

My nail polishes and product are wrapped in that black bag, but you can also see the extras I received this month: candy corn and two glitter pots.

Once again, Julep went all out with their theme this month.

Here are all the products that came in my box.

The products that came in my box were:

• Eloise nail polish - Smokey indigo blue creme. This color is such a gorgeous blue and great for fall. I did have a little bit of a problem applying it because it was pretty thin and it was hard for me to get a nice thin coat without flooding my nails and cuticles with polish when it inevitably dripped down the brush. Still, with a little bit of patience and a Q-tip or two dipped in polish remover, I was able to clean things up some. 
• Sabrina nail polish - Zesty orange shimmer crackle. Love this color. It is such a beautiful shade of orange and it looks surprisingly really chic over the blue polish. It's such a fresh color combination and very fall. I plan on using it again for Halloween over black to see how that looks. 
• Julep Quick Dry Polish Drops - These lavender-scented quick-dry polish drips will leave your manicure touchably smudge-free much soon. Includes conditioning ingredients such as Vitamin E and Sweet Almond Oil to nourish and hydrate nails. These drops are hardcore amazing. They really work. Whereas I typically wait about thirty minutes to make sure my polish is dry, this time I just waited a few minutes after using the polish drops and then I was ready to go.
• Two bonus glitter pots - These glitters, in orange and black, can be lightly dusted over nail polish and then set with a top coat for a fun glittery look. These were a surprise extra this month. 

I received, from top to bottom: Sabrina and Eloise.

These make the entire box worth it just by themselves.

I am excited to try these glitter pots for Halloween.

    I also added on two additional nail colors this month, which I have yet to receive in the mail. Julep ships their add-ons separately so that they can get the monthly boxes out faster. As soon as I get them, I'm planning to paint my toes with the burgundy color. 

• Keira nail polish -  Deep burgundy creme. This seems like a really beautiful fall color and I don't have any other colors that are similar. 
• Sofia nail polish - Sheer spring green with a flash of aqua iridescent glitter. This sheer glittery polish looks really pretty layered over other colors. And it has the surprise of being glow in the dark too! Perfect for Halloween. 

      

    I tried out my new colors and was really happy with both of them. And the Quick-Dry Drops are amazing too. Here are the swatches:

Eloise is a super pretty sort-of gray navy color. 

 Applying the crackle polish over top was really easy. Just two quick thin coats and it starts to separate and crack immediately. 

       Want to join in the fun of receiving nail polish and other beauty products in the mail each month? Joining the Julep Maven program is the best (and cheapest) way to buy Julep products because you get discounts on everything and access to colors before everyone else! Plus, you can join now for just a penny (see the code below). Here are some others benefits of the Julep Maven program. 

• $40-$60 worth of nail products delivered to your door each month for only $19.99.
• You get to preview the colors you will receive each month.
• You can skip receiving a box if nail polish isn't in your budget for the month or you dislike all the colors. 
• You can switch to one of four other styles if you like them better than those in your style profile.
• You can choose to send your box to a friend.
• Free shipping.
• 20 percent off your purchases on julep.com.
• You can earn a free month by referring two friends to the program using your referral link. (Mine is below and I'd be so happy if you used it!)
• You can cancel at anytime simply by giving Julep a call.

     Sound good? Then fill out a style quiz HERE so Julep can tailor your boxes to your personal style and use the code COLOR2012 or PENNY to receive your introductory box for just a $0.01. 

Julep review (ft. September Trina Turk collection)

  I finally received my September Julep Maven box yesterday and I am so excited about the colors. I bought the entire nail wardrobe this month because they offered a special deal where I could add the additional colors to my box for a discounted price. The colors in the boxes this month were created in a collaboration with fashion designer Trina Turk. 

      The colors compliment Trina Turk's fall line of clothing, "Modernist Maverick," based on the German Bauhaus art movement. An insert in the box described the line: "For her fall collection, designer Trina Turk was inspired by the German Bauhaus movement and the colors, shapes, and life of avant-garde artist Sonia Delanay (the red color is named after her). Trina created and named each shade in our September Maven lineup after a trailblazing female Bauhaus artist who used that color in her work." The colors are all very modern and saturated and lovely. And they only need one or two coats for an opaque finish.

      Once again, the packaging of my products was top notch. The nail polishes all arrived wrapped in bubble wrap and placed inside black and white polka-dotted paper bags all nestled in green crinkly paper. The box came with an insert describing the theme of the month, a quote from designer Yves Saint Laurent, and even a fridge magnet featuring a fashion design sketch from Trina Turk. 

     The products that came in my box were:

• Eileen nail polish - antique bright white creme. This color is a really perfect white color for nail art or maybe a French manicures. I'm not sure I would wear it solely by itself because it's a little bit bright and doesn't have any shimmer to it to make it a little more muted. It didn't apply as easily as some of the others. 
• Hoch nail polish - mod emerald green creme. I really love this darker green color. It is such a lovely fall color. It applied a little streaky and not as creamy as some of the others. 

• Gunta nail polish - elevated royal blue creme. This is one of my favorite colors from this box. The blue color is so saturated and beautiful. Don't mind the bleedy edges around my cuticles in the swatch photo. 
• Popova nail polish - youthful kelly green creme. This polish was one of the easiest to apply and also one of the most pretty colors. Green is my favorite color and I can't wait to wear a full manicure of this.

• Sophie nail polish - chic truffle mushroom creme. I really like this color in a weird way. It's not a color that I would ever pick out for myself from a store, but I think it is a really neat neutral color. 
• Brandt nail polish - opaque off-black creme. This is probably my least favorite color of the entire set. I am not a black nail polish wearer, but I figure I can use it for nail art. Maybe I will do a University of Georgia Bulldog manicure this fall for football season.

• Annie nail polish - electric blue topaz creme. This is another color that really wowed me this month. It is such a beautiful color and I think it can be one that I wear all year round, fall and winter through summer. 
• Alma nail polish - retro dijon yellow creme. I am a little disappointed with this color. I was excited to have a yellow polish, but this one does not look as bright yellow as the swatches online. It is a little more limey-green than I expected it to be and not so much dijon mustard colored. It doesn't really show in the swatch photo. 

• Otte nail polish - rich camel neutral creme. I also really like this neutral tan color. It applies really well too. And again, it's not a color that I would normally pick out for myself. 
• Delaunay nail polish - chili pepper red creme. This red color is fantastic. I don't have any true reds from Julep and this one is truly lovely. It is very bright and saturated.

• American Beauty Volumizing Mascara in Jet Black - Lash growth enhancement ingredients and micro-fiber applicator separates, conditions, and plumps individual lashes for a thick and gorgeous finish.
• Boho Glam Lengthening Mascara in Expresso Brown - Lash growth enhancement ingredients and micro-fiber applicator separates, lengthens, and conditions individual lashes to lock in moisture and protect from breakage.

     Are you loving these colors? Want to join in the fun of receiving nail polish and other beauty products in the mail each month? Joining the Julep Maven program is the best (and cheapest) way to buy Julep products because you get discounts on everything and access to colors before everyone else! Plus, you can join now for just a penny (see the code below). Here are some others benefits of the Julep Maven program. 

• $40-$60 worth of nail products delivered to your door each month for only $19.99.
• You get to preview the colors you will receive each month.
• You can skip receiving a box if nail polish isn't in your budget for the month or you dislike all the colors. 
• You can switch to one of four other styles if you like them better.
• You can choose to send your box to a friend.
• Free shipping.
• 20 percent off your purchases on julep.com.
• You can earn a free month by referring two friends to the program using your referral link. (Mine is below and I'd be so happy if you used it!)
• You can cancel at anytime simply by giving Julep a call.

     Sound good? Then fill out a style quiz HERE so Julep can tailor your boxes to your personal style and use the code COLOR2012 or PENNY to receive your introductory box for just a $0.01. Or you can use the code 2FREE to get your introductory box for $19.99 and receive an additional two polishes in your box (for a total of four polishes and a nail product or five polishes.)