Maven Madness: Julep It Girl Box + Blakely and Fireworks Add-Ons July 2013

Hi everyone!

I hope all of my fellow American lovelies had an exciting July 4th holiday.

I'm boxes deep into my move, but things have been slow trying to move things in between rainstorms.

Everything polish related is still packed and ready to be moved over, so hang in there with me and I'll be up and running again within the next day or two.

Luckily I was able to photograph my Julep box before packing everything away, and I finally had some time to sit down and share it with you!

The Box

This month's selection was inspired by the California Coast. 

I live in Georgia on the completely other side of the country, so I have no idea how these shades specifically correlate with California beaches, haha.

With no interest in the featured hair products this month, I went with the It-Girl option which includes three polishes instead of two plus the beauty item.

Julep Maven boxes are delivered right to your door every month for $19.99 and usually include two polishes, a beauty item, and one or two random extra gifts.

For a more details on all aspects of the Julep Maven program, read my in-depth review here.

The Colors

Nadia is a pale, banana yellow frost with the ever slightest orange undertones, and silver microshimmer.

I wanted to like it, I really did...but I just couldn't.

The formula is on the thicker side, which is becoming more and more consistent with Julep polishes.
This can cause a problem with application due to the frosty finish. If applied too thick the stroke lines will be wonky and crooked. While it can be opaque in one coat, I recommend two thinner layers for best coverage.

If I could ignore the formula, I would love this color. 

It's an interesting pearly yellow, but at the end of the day the overall finish looks dated and formula isn't top Julep quality.

Angela is a black-based, shimmery teal with a slightly frosty finish and subtle color shift.

Once again, the formula is thick, so careful not to apply too thick. 

However, this one can provide nice, full coverage in just one coat.

The finish can be slightly frosty, but not quite enough to bother me. 

It's also a duo-chrome wannabe, shifting from deep blue to teal.

As much as I think this color is stunning, I think I have a dupe that'll cost you less than a dollar.
Remember my Polish4Pennies post back in May? If not, click over here and scroll down to Sinful Colors "See You Soon." Close enough?

In short, it's higher priced slightly frostier version of SYS or Essie's "Dive Bar."
Angela may have a smidgen more of turquoise tint, but not enough for most polishers to care.

Tracy is a shimmery denim blue textured polish - the newest addition to Julep's Sea Salt line.

This was the whole reason I chose the It Girl box.

I love the other three Sea Salts, mainly for the sophisticated neutral colors.

I was very excited to see Julep add a bolder color to the line, and at first I thought the color was totally unique to my entire textured collection. 

In truth, it's actually pretty close to JulieG's "Blueberry Fizz" from the Frosted Gumdrop Collection. 

There are two minor differences between the two. 

Both the glitter and texture are much finer in the Julep version, as opposed to the JulieG shade which contains slightly larger glitter pieces. Julep's version is also deeper while the JulieG shade is a lighter and icier.

I am also aware that there is a Nicole by OPI shade "Blue-berry Sweet on You" that might be even  more similar, but I don't own the shade to compare.

Which you choose is a matter or price or preference, but I love this one. 

The only complaint I have is that the texture took FOREVER to develop, which is a problem I didn't experience with any other of the Sea Salts...or any of my other brand's textures either. 

It also applies thinner than any other texture I own, so I recommend two god coats for full coverage.

The Extra

Included in every box this month was a new item, Green Tea Facial Blotting Papers.

This is another one of the items I prefer to save for when I actually need it, so unfortunately I don't have an personal comments on how well these work.

Other bloggers seemed to be more excited for these than the actual polishes this month.
Overall feedback notes that the green tea smell is extremely pleasant and that they are truly effective at removing oil during touch touch-ups throughout the day.

The Add-Ons

There weren't many other colors in the whole selection this month that caught my eyes, but the announcement of a true duochrome in the Bombshell box was something I just couldn't ignore.

Blakely is an oil slick reminiscent, purple-to-jade duochrome with a hint of frosty shimmer.

The formula is identical to Angela, except the frostiness is a bit more prominent.

In short, I wish it wasn't.

I was really excited for this shade, but once again the formula and finish brings the excitement down a few notches.

I can't deny how gorgeous the color shift is, and if nothing else it'll make an intense stamping color!

In addition to Blakely I picked up this year's 4th of July inspired glitter topper.

Fireworks is a patriotic mix of red, white, and blue fine and small hexes.

Now I deserve a slap on the wrist for forgetting to individually swatch this shade before packing up my stash for the move, but you did get a good glimpse of it in my Independence Day Nail Art look.
(Click on the photo below to see more of this design!)

It's not as full coverage as most of Julep's glitter selection, and I like it this way. 

It's much more buildable and is absolutely beautiful on it's own, built up as a full accent in three coats, or gradated as I did above.

What was your favorite shade from this month's box?

Let me know in the comments below or give me a shout on Facebook or Twitter.

Overall

In the end, I think Mavens appreciated the variety of finishes Julep had to offer this month.
Personally it wasn't my favorite box with my well-known bias against frosty polishes.
I do love the summer-inspired shades but the fact that I already had them  in better-priced, better formulated versions left something to be desired.

Lately, Julep's formula is become less and less consistent.

Sometimes the formula is a dream, and something the quality reminds me of polishes that have been sitting in a hot mailbox for quite some time.

I'm also catching word of other bloggers and Mavens alike become increasingly disappointed with Julep's customer service and overall value of the products. 

Cynthia from Of Life and Lacquer provided some important insight as a blogger affiliate in a comment left on my detailed review page which I really appreciated. 

Check her out by the way, she's always been one I've looked up to.

I don't share the same horror stories as her and others (except for DD creme debacle), so it's only fair that I not provide any insight into the matter.
It is something I'm keeping my eye on, but I'm not giving up on Julep just yet.

-- 

Interested in becoming a Julep Maven?

The selection window for this month opens in two weeks, so join now with my referral link below and get your first box free!

 I think you have to pay shipping now, but it's still worth it!

http://www.julep.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/45305/

If the link has not already filled it in for you, enter my referral ID# 3488485 and then enter promo code "FREEBOX" at checkout. It's that easy!

Thanks for reading!

-Melody

Maven Madness Boho Glam Box + Nan Add-On June 2013

Hi Everyone!

A new month means a new Julep Maven box, and this month is all about preppy-chic summer style.
This time around I went with the Boho Glam option with an It-Girl add-on.


The Box

Julep Maven boxes are delivered right to your door every month for $19.99 and usually include two polishes, a beauty item, and one or two random extra gifts.

For a more details on all aspects of the Julep Maven program, read my in-depth review here.

The Colors

The Boho Glam box included two shades in "Dianna" and "Lexi."

Dianna is a light, seafoam green creme.

Childhood on my nails.
When I was younger, my mother had my walls painted this exact color with all white wicker furniture.
Oh the 90's southern cottage style.

Not only am I partial to this shade from a nostalgic perspective, but it's just gorgeous.

It's rich  and creamy and the formula is great.
It's thicker than the other two, but just thick enough to apply smooth and opaque in just one coat.

This is a true seafoam green without being muted or leaning towards a more minty hue. Love it!

Lexi is a bright yellow creme.

I think we have a winner for best true yellow ever, at least in my collection thus far.

Let me make my broken record statement in saying that all bright yellows have a streaky formula to some extent.

However, this one had the least amount of streaks, and what streaks it had evened themselves out during the drying process. 

Just to make sure  it was completely even, I used two coats.

It's super bright without being super  pastel or super green.
This is seriously the yellow you need.

The Beauty Item

This month Julep debuted their first face makeup product, the DD Creme.

The DD Creme is available for the retail price of $28.80 and is available in four tones:

Light
Medium
Medium-Dark
Dark

Being the Casper face that I am, I received mine in "light."

The product is advertised to be "dynamic do-all" solution to help prime, perfect and protect the face with a lightweight formula with buildable coverage.

Ugh.

There's been a huge amount of drama revolving around this product since it's release.
Julep has been flooded with criticism by the majority of Mavens.

Not in the know? Let me sum up:

1. There is little to no product in the package.
2. The "light" version is way too dark and way too orange.

Some Mavens even resorted to cutting open the tube at the top to prove how empty the package was.
I didn't go that far, but the shot below hopefully conveys how much the bottle had to be squeezed to release the product upon my second "use."

Yup, it's almost gone.

But is it as dark and orange as other Mavens claim?
Let take a look.

Below shows the product swatched on the under side of my arm, the area that most closely resembles the lightness of my face.

(Pasty skin for the win...not)

Looking at that photo alone will turn people away.

So what happened when I blended it?

 I mean, the amount of orange is tame compared to any cast member of the Jersey Shore,

but it's definitely too dark and too wrong.

The color is actually not my main concern. 

Even mismatched face products can be minimized with the right powder, highlighter, etc.

My dismay for the product lies is how awfully oily it was.

So much so, that I could not bare to have it on my face long enough to take a  full face picture for you all.

In all fairness I have combination skin but GURLPLZ, this was ridiculous.

Had I left it on any longer I would have surely broken out, and that is far from "perfect" as the product was advertised.

The debate continues on, as customers with darker skin tones seemed to have been more satisfied than us lighter skinned ladies who apparently are SOL (excuse my rude abbreviation).

In the end, the mass of Mavens are displeased with the miscommunication and possibly misleading advertising about this creme. Although Julep clearly marked the tube to contain 1oz of product, for the price point it either needed more product  or a second thought on the package design.

I am not in a completely state of disappointment because I never fell victim to the hype of CC, BB, or any other alphabet creme.

Apply sunscreen, apply foundation lightly, and save your money. It's the same thing.

The Extra

To fit in with the beachy theme, this month's little extra was a few bits of Salt Water Taffy.

(All consumables included in Maven boxes are accompanied with an ingredient list and allergen warning.)

 They look sweet, but I'm not a taffy person myself.

My roommate on the other hand is a sucker for salted candy anything, so I was happy to pass them along.

His review? "The strawberry is where it's at." Haha, men.

The Add-On

Interesting enough, this was the color I was most excited about.
The rest of It Girl option wasn't calling my name, but I just couldn't pass up the chance to add-on "Nan."

Nan is described as a "Nantucket red."
Basically, it's a shade of red that looks faded, almost to a dusty rose.

If you're rocking shorties, you could probably get away with one coat, but in most cases the nail line will peek through. 

I recommend two layers as shown in the photo.

I am simply smitten over this color and is possibly one of my favorites Julep has released this year!

Overall

When it comes down to it, the colors popped and the DD creme flopped.

I applaud Julep for trying something new, and in their favor their hand cremes and other beauty items are fabulous. Unfortunately the DD Creme just couldn't live up to the hype.

Matters aside, I'm in it for the polish as most of us Mavens are.
The colors I received were great quality and complimented the theme well.
The yellow is astounding, the seafoam is dreamy and the red is unique.

If you're still on the fence about joining the Julep Maven program, don't let the DD debacle deter you from becoming a member. 

I've been a Maven for over a year and it's been worth ever penny.

What was your favorite shade from this month's box?
What  are you thoughts on the coveted cremes of the alphabet?

Let me know in the comments below or give me a shout on Facebook or Twitter.

If you're not currently a Maven, now is the time!
The selection window for this month opens in 11 days, so join now with my referral link below and get your first box free!

 I think you have to pay shipping now, but it's still worth it!

http://www.julep.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/45305/

If the link has not already filled it in for you, enter my referral ID# 3488485 and then enter promo code "FREEBOX" at checkout. It's that easy!

---

Speaking of free, I'm having a GIVEAWAY!

Once I get to 500 likes on Facebook, I'll be giving out prizes to a couple of lucky readers.

More details to come closer to when the goal is reached.

You don't want to miss out, so if you're not already, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Bloglovin' for all the happenings here at The Manicured Amateur.

Thanks for reading!

-Melody

Maven Madness: Julep Boho Glam Box + Gabrielle Add-On May 2013

Hi everyone!

It's that time of the month again, and no, it has nothing to do with your Aunt Flo coming to visit. :P
It time for me to share with you this month's Julep Maven box!

This month's 20s inspired collection was too tempting to not upgrade, but alas my bank account just wouldn't allow it. 

In the end I chose the Boho Glam option.

The Box

Julep Maven boxes are delivered right to your door every month for $19.99 and usually include two polishes, a beauty item, and one or two random extra gifts.

For a more details on all aspects of the Julep Maven program, read my in-depth review here.

The Colors

Alice is a very pale, lavender pearly-frost with golden shimmer.

Julep "Alice"

It really skirts the line between a pearl and a frost finish, but either way it's glamorous. In some lighting situations the shimmer will come across silver instead of gold, but I promise it's the latter of the two! There's also the slightest hint of magenta microglitter, but I really only caught a glimpse of it the bottle under a lamp. It never showed up on the nail or even in my bottle shots.

 The formula and application was flawless and opaque in one coat.

Millie is a deep indigo creme.

Once again, application just could not be any better. One glossy coat and you're good to go.

 It's such a sophisticated and mysterious color, much like the starlets of the time.

The Extras

To fit with the 20s theme, each Maven box  included an adorable vintage lipstick trio.
The Boho Glam box included the "New York" trio which included the following three shades:

Lady in Red - matte crimson red

Satin Doll - sheer poppy red
Tea for Two - very sheer shimmery. nude

I can't get over the cute Art Deco style packaging!

Also included were a set of "vintage finish" gold hair pins with white and coral acrylic roses.
I'm such a sucker for cute hair accessories and these are just my style!

The Add-On

Gabrielle is deep, dusty purple creme.

Julep "Gabrielle"

The formula is an exact match for Millie, and the shade is quite similiar as well.

The only difference is that Gabrielle is more of a pure purple and shows up a tinge lighter in direct sunlight. Indoors it's hard to tell them apart.

Overall

I haven't been this excited over a Maven box in a while. 

Although the boxes have yet to really disappoint me, there was just something about this box I just really loved.

Which your favorite from the Boho Glam Box? 

Do you like the old 1920s Hollywood style?
Let me know in the comments below and share your thoughts on my Facebook and Twitter!

And if you want to become a Julep Maven yourself you can get your first FREE! That's right! 

Juster enter my referral code "3488485" when you sign up on Julep's website, take your style quiz and then enter promo code "FREEBOX" at checkout!
You can cancel anytime, so what do you have to lose?!

Thanks for reading!

-Melody

Maven Madness: Julep Sea Salt Mystery Box Version 1 (Swatches and Review)

Hi everyone!

I know I've gone missing for a day or two. 

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter then you already know that I am preparing for a third roommate. A good bit of my time this week has been dedicated to clearing out the guestroom, combining my boyfriend and I's closet (which was a daunting task) and moving furniture in just about every room.

So I'm back outside for pictures until I get a new lightbox. My current one didn't survive the room shifting. :(

Anyways...

With the warm weather rolling in, you're probably ready to dip your feet in the ocean. 

Once again, Julep's got you covered with the most recent mystery box debuting the brand's first textured polishes, the "Sea Salt Finish," a matte sandy finish that's beachside beautiful.

The Box

Every month Julep offers a Mystery Box for $24.99 which includes $70-$200 worth of Julep polishes and beauty products. There are multiple versions of the mystery box, and from time to time Julep will include a special price for a few lucky Mavens including gift cards, jewelry and more.

You do not have to be a Julep Maven to purchase a mystery box, but Mavens will receive the benefit of free shipping.

To learn more about the Julep Maven Program, you can read my in-depth review of the entire program here.

The Polishes

Version One of the mystery box contained four colors: Barbara, Joy, Madeline, and Otte.

Barbara is a full coverage mix of purple glitter that shifts magenta.

(Retail Price: $14.00, Maven Price: $11.20)

Julep "Barbara"

This full dimension of this glitter was camera shy in the overcast weather. Unfortunately with my house currently torn apart, there is currently no way to take pictures inside.

The formula was actually kinda chunky. Not thick, but after the first layer I noticed little globs coming out of the bottle that had to be worked through. In the end it doesn't affect the finished look, but it's something to mention. You only need two coats to completely cover the nail.

It's not my favorite Julep glitter just because I have a few others like it, but it's still pretty!

Julep "Barbara"

Joy is a dusty mauve creme.

(Retail Price: $14.00, Maven Price: $11.20)

Julep "Joy"

 Joy is actually a dupe for me. It came in the March It-Girl Maven Box which I reviewed here. 

If you read my original review of this shade you know that I loved it and the formula was flawless. I applied it in thicker layers this time and reached full opacity in two coats as opposed to three.

Julep "Joy"

Otte is a light, milk chocolate brown creme from the Fall 2012 Trina Turk Collection.

(Retail Price: $14.00, Maven Price: $11.20)

Julep "Otte"

The formula is identical to Joy, gliding on perfectly even. It will require three coats to eliminate the nail line completely.

Despite the warm undertones, this shade  is extremely flattering even on pale skin tones like myself.

Julep "Otte"

Madeline is the star of the show in this box: the pale, baby pink with a "sea salt" finish.
(Retail Price: I assume they will be $14.00, Maven Price: $11.20)

Julep "Madeline"

I fell in love with Madeline on the first coat. It went on like a creme and you actually see little speckles as it applies. It was almost opaque on the first layer, but if your nails are really white you'll notice the tips shining through. Some may prefer that look and leave it at one coat, but I added a second coat to full cover the nail and bring out the color.

If you are nervous about diving into the textured trend, start with this one and you won't regret it. The delicate color is sophisticated enough for any woman, but the sandy texture gives it a subtle edge. 

Wedding season is already here, and I immediately saw this as the prefect beach wedding mani or for any bride who wants something different than the normal french tips.

Julep "Madeline"

Beauty Item

Version one of the mystery box included the Glow On Age Defying Hand Brightener.
(Retail Price: $32.00, Maven Price: $25.60)

I immediately noticed that this smelled like the cream version of the Hand and Cuticle Stick from the January Maven Box, which is also available on Julep's website for $22.00 ($17.60 for Mavens).

The scent is very fresh but not overpowering. I can't say much about the "brightening" aspect as I have only owned it for a day, but it is very moisturizing.

It's not an extremely thick lotion making it ideal for the hands, but I wouldn't use it as all over body lotion, which it's not made for anyway. It's a bit sticky for just a second after application, then fully absorbs leaving the hands soft and smooth.

The Extras

Julep will always include a couple of extra goodies in version of the box, and version one included a basic standard Emory board and a pair of tow separators. I have quite a few of these at this point, but they are always good to have around...

...especially when the cats get a hold of the toe separators and absolutely destroy them. Gotta love 'em.

Overall

Approximate Final Retail Value: $88.00 (not including file and separators)
Approximate Final Maven Value: $70.40 (not including file and separators)

I'm extremely pleased with this mystery box. The Seal Salt polish is divine and I will most certainly be picking up the other shades when they become available.  Version one knocked off a couple of shades from my wishlist I had overlooked when they were first released, and for a better price. 

Even though I already owned Joy, it is a shade I absolutely love. As much as I would love to keep it as a backup, my mother has yet to own a Julep polish and I know she would love this shade for Mother's Day.
Hope she doesn't read this!

The best part about this Mystery Box is that it is still available! It will gone soon, so grab it now by clicking here!

**Also, Maven selection will be open in just two days so if you're not already a Maven, you can sign up at Julep's website here and get your first box for free! Just enter "FREEBOX" at checkout.

Which polish/product was your favorite from the Julep Mystery Box?
Are you thinking of becoming a Julep Maven?

Let me know in the comments below and share your thoughts about the Julep brand.

And don't forget to stay updated with the Manicured Amateur on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks by clicking the icons in the top right hand corner.

Wish me luck as a tackle life with not one, not two, but three 20-something year old men and all the mess that comes with them. Ha!

Thanks for reading!

-Melody