I'm FINALLY catching up on the last of my July subscription boxes (right as my August ones start to roll in). I picked out a few goodies from Julep last month that I ended up being really happy with. I found myself what I think may be the Holy Grail of base coats, a pretty apricot colored polish, and a cleansing oil to use in the shower. Come take a closer look!
The skinny on Julep Maven.
Julep Maven is a beauty subscription service that sends $40 worth of nail polish and beauty goodies to your doorstep every month.
What it costs. $24.99 per month, or $19.99 per month if you pay for three months at a time.
Why it's special. Your Maven box is fully customizable. Towards the end of the month you'll get notification that the monthly reveal page is open, and you can choose exactly which products you'll receive in your next box. Depending on the value of the items you choose, each box contains 2-3 full sized Julep products. You can also add on additional products at a special discount, and for every three add-ons you purchase, Julep will send you a free gift! Anytime you need a break, you can also opt out during the reveal and skip that month's box. Any prepaid boxes will remain on your account until you're ready to redeem them.
What you get back. Every time you opt to get sent your monthly box, you'll earn 350 Jules. You can redeem 2000 Jules for a free Maven box, or use your Jules to add products on your monthly box for free during the reveal.
Join Maven today with my referral link and you'll get a code for a free welcome box!
Want to see more? Browse through all of my previous Julep Maven Box reviews.
As you can see I didn't go for any upgrades or add ons this month. I figured with all the birthday shopping I'd be doing I would be up to my ears in beauty products, and might as well save my Jules for another less festive time of the year. I was able to choose three products, the Rethink Your Shower Hydrating Body Cleansing Oil, the Oxygen Smoothing Base Coat, and the Brittany polish. Getting to choose exactly what products you get definitely increases your chances that you'll love everything in your box, but every once in a while a product that sounds great ends up being a dud. Fortunately this was not one of those months!
Our ultra-hydrating, lightweight body cleansing oil that reaches deep to dissolve impurities and prep skin for exfoliation, then rinses away to reveal silky, nourished skin.
$38
After falling completely in love with the Julep Bare Faced Cleansing Oil, I couldn't resist trying this brand new oil based body cleanser. It's packed full of beautiful ingredients like grape seed oil, coconut oil, kukui nut seed oil, and grapefruit peel oil to nourish, hydrate, and soothe the skin. It's also free of parabens and SLS, which means that it won't strip your skin while trying to get it clean. It's got a bright, citrusy fragrance, and seems like it will be super yummy to use in the shower. As of right now I haven't actually used this yet, as I am super close to finishing a few shower gels and want that last little push of motivation. But if it's great you'll be sure to hear about it again!
A perfecting, hydrating base coat powered by breakthrough Oxygen Technology and smoothing silica minerals.
$18
HOLY. WOW. This stuff is the base coat to end all base coats. I seriously don't know what I was doing with my life before this came along, but I can't imagine going back to any of my old base coats and being remotely satisfied with any of them. I have been eyeing this product for such a long time, because I wanted to have a complete manicure system from Julep, but ended up trying their new bonding base coat instead. BIGGEST. MISTAKE. EVER.
Really though, I didn't love the bonding base coat, and it made me a little iffy about whether or not this one would be anything to write home about. I'm really glad I decided to give it a try because this stuff is flippin' great. First of all, it dries down to a matte finish. Why does this matter? Two reasons. One is that you can visibly see that it's completely dry and ready for polish, and two, because it's not at all glossy or sticky, your polish will just glide right on top and go on beautifully. Maybe this doesn't seem like a big deal to you, but I've noticed that polishes I've previously struggled with (flashback to my Butter London Patent Shine 10x review) go on perfectly when I use this underneath (and now I feel like I need to amend my previous review. I'm sorry Butter London, it wasn't you that sucked, it was my sub par base coat). It also dries insanely fast, so that by the time you're done applying to both hands the first one is already dry and ready to go. It also protects and strengthens your nails in addition to keeping your polish chip free and looking great. Seriously, what more could you ask for?!
Classic With a Twist
Finish: Créme
Color Description: Bleached Apricot Ghost Shimmer Créme
$14
I have never seen such a lengthy color description of a nail polish before, but I suppose it is pretty darn accurate. This bleached apricot color is beautifully opaque, and has a hint of shimmer throughout that is barely detectable unless you are looking in the right light (hence "ghost shimmer"). I think this is a perfect alternative to nude nails, which can sometimes make your fingers look a little dead. While it's still a very soft and neutral color, it's got just enough of that peach warmth to bring a little life and brightness.
While this box was perhaps not as huge and exciting as last month's, I think I definitely got some excellent products. The total value of everything came to $70, which is pretty darn sweet considering I only paid $20. Generally I've been really impressed with the quality of the majority of the products I've received from Julep, and I'm glad I decided to become a Maven. My August box was no let down either (I've already had it for a week because Julep is seriously on their A game with shipping), and I promise this time I won't wait a month to share my review!
Are you a Julep Maven? What did you choose for your box this month?
