Julep Maven: October Sneak Peek Box!

 Happy Tuesday!  It's October, a new day, a new month... and a new Julep Maven sneak peak box!  Once again I was not feeling the polishes picked for my Maven profile, "Classic With a Twist", so I completely skipped out on it to go for another Maven profile - "It Girl":

Edgy and bold, your statement-making look exemplifies the modern rock n' roll chic. You love bright, bold, fun, and innovative cuts and hues for your wardrobe. Inspired by colors and accessories that exclaim anything but ordinary, you're not afraid to stand out

Sounds fun, right?  This month's sneak peek box included 2 Julep polishes, Jaime and Leighton, as well as the Julep Age Glow On Age-Defying Hand Brightener.  

 
 
I immediately loved these polishes when I saw the email from Julep back in September.  I had just bought a similar combination of a blue and silver Butter London polish days before, so of course I had to snatch this one up too!  Julep Jaime is described as an “ultra-saturated dark turquoise” creme that dries to a slight satin finish.  To my eyes it’s much more blue than a traditional turquoise, but there is a tint of green that shines through.  Leighton will be released later this month as a part of the Julep 2011 holiday collection.  It’s a bold silver polish with a frost finish.  Here’s a look at both polishes!

There were some side issues with my order, but otherwise this is another winner for Julep!  The company has been having a lot of issues with the launch of the maven program for the first few months, but it looks like they’re finally making a turn for the good and getting the program on track.  I’m so excited, and can’t wait to see what they come up with for next month!

If you haven’t signed up yet to be a Julep Maven and you’re interested, I’d appreciate you clicking through my personal referral link to join!  To check out past Julep Maven sneak peek boxes, click here.

Julep Maven: September Sneak Peek Box!

Happy Monday!  How was everyone's weekend?  I had an awesome weekend, filled with both unpacking the new apartment and lots of movies and girl time!  My friends and I saw Contagion on Friday, and then a sneak preview of I Don't Know How She Does It, starring the always beautiful and fashionable SJP.  Contagion left me unsatisfied - it has so much unused potential to be great! - but IDKHSDI was totally fun with a great cast.  Definitely see it next weekend when it releases nationwide!

So it's September, which means I received an all new Julep Maven Sneak Peek Box!  As you may recall, I took the Julep Maven quiz and my sneak peek box is Classic With A Twist.  This month, the sneak peek box included the Julep Everyday Hand Cream with SPF 30, Julep Essential Cuticle Oil, and Julep nail color in Toni.  Last week I mentioned that I prefer cuticle balms over cuticle oil, and since I already had a Julep Essential Cuticle Oil from a previous purchase, I decided to use the shelf pull option and get something else instead of the Essential Cuticle Oil.  What did I receive instead?  Julep nail color in Ellen.

Here's a look at everything in the Classic With A Twist Sneak Peek Box!

Another bottle shot of Ellen and Toni:

I am okay with everything that was in this month's box.  Nothing really knocked my socks off, but still good nonetheless.  This morning I decided to try on Julep Toni.  Toni is a purple-tinted taupe creme.  The formula could definitely benefit from  few drops of nail lacquer thinner - it was soooo thick!  This is 2 coats of Toni:

Julep Toni, in direct sunlight

Julep Toni, in shade

I went through my stash to see if I had any similar colors to compare to Toni.  I came up with 2 polishes that seemed to be very close in color:  Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Commander In Chic, and China Glaze Below Deck.  Commander In Chic is missing the purple hue, and stands on its own as a true taupe.  Below Deck was very close to Toni, but Toni seems to be a warmer version, while Below Deck is noticeably cooler.   Most polish lovers probably don't need both.

L-to-R: SH CSM Commander in Chic; Julep Toni; CG Below Deck

For some reason, I just love mushroom taupe colors like these so much in the bottle, but I feel like they do nothing for me on my nail.  [Note to self: stop buying polish in this color!]  Yes, they're fantastic and work appropriate, but I luckily have a job where my coworkers like my eccentric nail polish, so I don't have to play it safe.  Given the issues with the thicker formula, Julep Toni is likely going to find herself in my share/stash drawer.

Julep Toni is available online at julep.com.  It retails for $14 for a 0.27fl oz bottle.  If you haven't already, go and check out the Julep Maven program - it's such a great deal for only $19.99/month!

Julep Maven: August Sneak Peek Box!

Good Morning!

Remember a little over a week ago I had mentioned the launch of the Julep Maven program? To follow-up, today we're going to take a look at all the goodies that arrived for me in this month's Sneak Peek Box! (Click on any of the photos to see a larger image!)

The unassuming package...


Everything was packed very nicely inside. There was a card with information on my 'Classic With A Twist' Sneak Peek Box and all of the goodies inside, as well as a warm welcome letter and thank you for being one of the first 100 Mavens! Woo hoo! Maven is such a great program that I'm going to keep the letter so I can say I knew her when!




The first goodies: Julep Glycolic Hand Scrub, and samples of the hand scrub as well as their hand lotion. Squee! I do not take enough time in my routine to regularly exfoliate my hands, so I'm so happy to have the Glycolic Hand Scrub to get me in the habit!




Then, the coup d'etat of the package: Carrie, a "classic, cotton candy pink," and Alfre, a "royal metropolitan purple." Carrie is currently available on the Julep site, but Alfre will be released in September/October as a part of Julep's Fall 2011 Collection. How awesome is it to get Alfre ahead of her release? I love it! Julep Nail Therapy, a base coat, was also included with the 2 polishes.



I swatched Carrie and Alfre on a nail wheel, to give you a better idea of what the polishes look like:

(Julep Carrie, left; Alfre, right; with flash)


(Julep Carrie, left; Alfre, right; without flash)

And here's one more look at all of my Julep goodies.




Overall, I am ecstatic about everything I received in my Sneak Peak Box for August! Both Carrie and Alfre are colors I love, the hand scrub is a perfect addition to my beauty regimen, and I can always use basecoat that helps strengthen my soft, peeling nails. Julep gets an A+ in packaging and presentation, too. Can't wait to see what they have in store next month!

Don't forget - you can join Julep Maven for $19.99/month and receive over $40 worth of Julep goodies! This month's Sneak Peek Box included products valued at over $70, which was amazing!


What do you think? Did anything in this month's Sneak Peak Box pique your interest? And have you joined Julep Maven yet? If not, get thee to Julep's site now!