julep may 2014 box review

hi everyone.  i hope you all had an excellent weekend!  mine was a little rainy and gloomy -- pretty typical around here for this time of the year -- but it was still a nice one.

today i have the julep may box to share with you all!  i was looking forward to this box because it is the one where they introduced their plie wand, a new nail brush technology they have been talking about for a few months now with us mavens, and this is the month they are introducing it to everyone!  i always love to try out new products and improve the way i do things, so i was looking forward to giving this sucker a try.

for those of you that don't know, julep is a monthly nail polish subscription box for $19.99 that ships to both the US and canada.  you get to pick your polishes every month, in addition to having access to special sales and discounted prices all month long.  you can learn more about it here and can use coupon code FREEBOX to get your first box for free (plus $2.99 shipping).  on to the review!

this month i chose to go with the boho glam option, which included two polishes and the plie wand.  i also added on a color from one of the other profiles, and i added two sets of plie brushes/tops.  i wanted to add the striping brush and dotting tool set, but they were sold out by the time i made my polish choice, which i was pretty disappointed about.  i made my selections on the very first day of the maven selection window and they were already all sold out by the time i picked my collection.  i do a lot of nail art so i was really looking forward to getting the dotting tool & striping brush, so i am hoping they include them as add-ons for the next few boxes so i can get them that way.

the colors this month were pretty, but a lot of them seemed similar to ones in other collections recently, and there were a lot of pinks (over half the collection).

the first boho glam polish i got is jeanne, a "jet-set blue creme".  this is an absolutely gorgeous color!  i love all of the pastels this season.  i recently got a bright robin's egg blue from julep, but this is a more muted version of it, more of a baby blue.  it is very creamy and the formula is wonderful.  it's opaque in one coat.

the next boho glam polish i got is paulette, a "golden lilac tulle shimmer".  the golden shimmer in this is what really convinced me to get this set of polishes this month, because as soon as i saw it, i knew i had to have it!  i'm a sucker for purples in general -- i probably have 20 different shades -- but nothing quite like this.  the gold is absolutely stellar in person, and it really translates well onto the nail, unlike some of the other shimmers recently that looked beautiful in the bottle and not as well on the nail.  application was a dream, very smooth and even.  it was pretty opaque in one coat, but i added another just to really bring out the gold shimmer.  i think this will be a great color to last through until fall as well, a great transitional color to go with the golds and browns of the season.  really loving this one!

from the bombshell options, i also added on laree, a stunning "golden pink taffeta shimmer".  i just had to add this color on -- doesn't this just scream summer!?  i put it on as soon as i got my box, and it makes me happy just having it on my nails!  it's so bright and fun, and the gold really shines on the nails with this polish, too, especially in the sunlight.  i had a little bit of a problem with application -- i had to use three coats to get it completely opaque and if i wasn't very careful, the precision brush would pull up the coat beneath it.  i don't know if that is the formula or if the new brush has a different type of bristles than the typical ones.  either way, it's totally gorgeous and worth all three coats!

here is how the wand came in the julep box this month.  it's nice to have it in a little storage-type box with the foam protection to keep it in when you're not using it.  i wouldn't say it's fragile -- it's made of durable plastic for polishing your nails, after all -- but it is small and has moving parts, and if you have devious dogs like i do or other small creatures that like to pretend like they're starving, it's a good idea to keep the box around to store it in while you're not using it.

i was skeptical about using the plie wand because i don't usually have that many problems polishing my nails anyway, since i do it so often.  the box came with a little direction pamphlet this month showing how to attach the plie caps to other julep polishes, so you can use the wand with any julep polish.  it also says in the instruction packet to make sure to wipe off the precision brush with nail polish remover before you use it to remove the protective coating on it.  it mentions this twice in the little packet, so i figured it was pretty important.  i don't use regular nail polish remover because i hate the smell, so i wasn't positive if it would be an issue or not (i use la fresh eco-beauty acetone free remover pads), but i just rubbed the brush with one of my pads and i could feel the bristles of the brush softening and becoming less plastic feeling, so i knew it was working.  i rinsed it with some hot water, dried it on a towel, and that was that!  it didn't affect color application at all.

i wanted to use the coral color first, so i took the regular cap off like the instructions said and put the plie cap on.  i pressed down firmly but not too hard, and i painted my nails.  i didn't notice much difference when i used the wand and shorter precision brush with my dominant hand, but i did notice quite a bit of difference when i bent the wand and polished using my non-dominant hand (my left hand).  it was easier to use, and the wand fit nicely in the crook of my hand.  the bend in the wand gave it a slight weight that tilted it back just enough to keep it in place in my hand and balance it so that the polish was easier to apply and went on more smoothly.  the shorter, precision brush was much more helpful when applying the polish as well -- i had a lot less clean up to do around my nails, and i like how the brush was the same width and length as the normal julep brush, not fatter like some shorter stemmed brushes end up being.

this is how it looks when you bend the plie wand in the reverse position, which is for when you are polishing your non-dominant hand.  i also found it useful when polishing my toenails.

i also used the wand to polish my toe nails, and it was quite helpful then as well, with the movement of the wand syncing with my hand movements so that application was cleaner and and less of a struggle.  this is where the shorter brush really shined in my opinion, because it allowed more precise brush strokes, less pooling of color on small toe nails, and less polish ending up on the skin around the nails.  even if i don't always use the wands for my fingernails, i will definitely always be using it for my toes!

i did have a problem when i tried to remove the cap from the bottle of polish, however.  even though i did not press it on very hard when i put the cap on, it would not come off.  at all.  i pulled and pulled and nothing.  so i guess it's a good thing i ordered extra brushes and tops, because my coral polish is now permanently stuck with a plie top.  it's not really a big deal since the shorter brush is good even without the wand, but i didn't want to waste all of my extra brushes on my first day.  this happened when i used another cap with the purple polish as well, so just be really careful with how firmly you press the top onto the bottom.  it doesn't click or anything to let you know it's in place and i was worried it might come off, but just one quick press down seems to be enough to keep the cap on while not being too tight later so that you can't get it off.

i am interested to know how easy it would be to use the dotting tool and striping brush with the wand, since it was so much easier to apply polish with it.  i'm still disappointed i couldn't get a set, but i hope that i will be able to next month.  were any of you able to get the extra tools?

three coats of laree with one coat of seche vite as a topcoat.  this is in artificial light.

same swatch, but this is laree in natural light.  the gold shimmer really comes out and it's beautiful!  it's even more gorgeous in person -- none of the photos really do it justice.

base coat of paulette (two coats), with jeanne used for polka dots.  i used my own dotting tools for the dots.  no topcoat.

which polishes did you pick this month?  do you like your plie wand and were you able to get the extra dotting tool & striping brush?  what do you think?  i would love to hear from you!  leave a comment down below  :)

julep april 2014 maven box review

hi everyone!

i am so excited to share with you today my review of the april julep maven box!  their new products this month were a blush and bronzer, but i chose to get just the entire nail polish collection and boy, am i glad i did.  this collection has to be their most beautiful collection yet!!  it is absolutely stunning, and i was so thrilled when i pulled them out of the box.

for those of you that aren't familiar, julep is a 4-free nail polish & beauty box that lets you pick what you receive each month based on a quiz you take when you sign up.  there are four different options that you can pick from, with the three of the options including 2 nail polishes and one beauty product (ie. this month was the blush), and one option being 3 nail polishes, all for $19.99 per month (free shipping, score!).  you always have the option of upgrading to the entire nail polish collection, or various other upgrade options, and each month a secret store is available where select nail colors are available at super discounted prices (usually starting at $3).  you also rack up points to use towards purchases, and always get discounted pricing on products when you are a maven.  check it out here if you're interested in more info!

onto the review...

this month they introduced the vivid collection.  when i got the options for my box, i just couldn't decide on which polish to pick because i thought they were all so gorgeous, so i upgraded to the full collection and got them all, nine polishes in total, and didn't get the blush because i have a lot of blushes anyway.

i love that they always include a little card with an inspirational message! it always makes me smile :)

even pulling them out of the box, i was stunned by the vibrant colors!

first up is bailey.  this is described as a 'hyped cobalt sheer'.  this is a very vibrant dark, bright blue (if that makes sense).  it is always hard to find a good blue that is both dark but also maintains the brightness on the nail that it shows in the bottle.  this does that.  it is a lot more sheer than i expected, but the buildable color allows it be dark without it losing its brightness.  application was easy and it is actually really cool looking with just one thin coat -- the spotty, sheer color looks marbled.  this color is so pretty!

next is flora, an 'exotic dragonfruit with blue shimmer.'  this is the polish i was most excited about in the box, and the most disappointed with on the nail.  in the box, it is gorgeous.  as you can see, it does have quite a blue shimmer, and the picture doesn't even do it justice with how strong the shimmer is.  it is beautiful.  i was so excited to get it on, but when i did, the shimmer all but disappeared.  :(  i painted all my nails with a white base coat in order to let the neons really pop, and this color took a good four coats to get mostly solid, and even then, some spots were still patchy and a little see-through.  

this is caitlin, a 'shocking hibiscus with gold shimmer.'  this is the typical hot pink neon in most summer collections, and it definitely holds its own.  it's difficult to spot much of the gold shimmer unless you really squint for it, and out of the bottle, it's even less visible.  in my opinion, neon pinks have a tendency to be pretty watery and hard to get opaque, even over a white base, but this was opaque after one thick coat.  very pretty, even without the shimmer.

next up is mariska, a 'juicy tangerine shimmer.'  this looks more like a creme to me in the bottle, even though the description says shimmer.  i didn't see much shimmer on the nail, either, but it had a flawless application.  one easy coat and it dried beautifully.  it seemed to dry into a matte finish, which i actually really liked for the look i was working with, but it usually indicates that it's a matte finish and i didn't see anything about that.  either way, this color is flawless.  another great one in the collection!

this stunner is kayla, an 'electric iris sheer with violet sheen.'  ah, the inevitable color-shifting blurple.  i adore this color!!  it is unbelievably stunning in the bottle and just as gorgeous on the nail.  it took about four coats to get to the color shown in the bottle (it started off as a hazy periwinkle with one coat over my white base) but it is simply beautiful.  the middle picture shows the pinkish purple tilt to it, and the bottom shows the more bluish tint it takes on, depending on the angle.  this might be my favorite polish from the collection.  it's such a great shade for spring, and i love how it changes colors in the light and is so versatile.  i will definitely be using this one a lot.

this bad boy is tatum (fitting name, eh?), a 'neon chartreuse chrome.'  this color is actually more bright on the nail than it photographed in the bottle, but the shade is still the same, and i really like it.  i'm not big on green polish in general, but the chrome makes it spring-y and cool.  one thick coat and it was opaque.  i'm still not sold on this green because i don't really like green polishes much in general (they remind me of gangrene haha) but i really like it under the emerald in the saran wrap design i made.  i can see myself using it in a lot of designs, but i'm not sure that i will wear it on its own.  either way, it's a really pretty color and i didn't have any problems with it.

this bright, lovely hue is sunny, an 'overexposed yellow chrome.'  i am very picky on yellow polishes, but this is definitely going down as my favorite yellow polish.  it's not too dainty, and not too chalky or milky, either.  the overexposed chrome part of it refers to an almost frosted look that is really cool and make application a dream.  one coat and i was done.  i did a second coat to make it even more saturated, but it didn't even change the hue that much.  i'm pretty pale but it doesn't look bad with my complexion, so it seems like a good tone to complement many skin tones as well.  this will definitely be a re-purchase for me, and one i will be wearing a lot this summer!

this is phoebe, a 'vibrant jungle metallic,' and the most pain in the ass polish to photograph!! even these pictures don't do the color justice.  the ones on the julep website don't even reflect the color i got in my box, so i don't know.  the color i got is an emerald teal color, super gorgeously pretty.  i just could not get the color translated to the picture, no matter how many pictures i took.  very frustrating. however, on the nail it was gooooorrgeous, just like in the bottom!  the jungle description is so accurate -- it reminds me of the amazon or something like that.  this will definitely be gracing my nails and toes frequently this summer.  i am so in love with this color!!

and last but not least, we've got maren, an 'electric bubblegum sheer with blue sheen.'  this was a color i ended up liking a lot that i didn't think i would.  however, it was not what i expected.  it was definitely not as sheer as i had thought, or maybe it was because i had a white base on.  one thick coat made it fairly opaque.  the bubblegum description is spot-on, it's very girly and neon, perfect for summer.  unfortunately, this one also lost a lot of the blue sheen it had in the bottle once it got on the nail.  i am hoping that maybe a full set of nails of the polish will look differently, but with the design i did, the sheens were all but gone.  bummer.  :(  it was still gorgeous and another color that will be in heavy rotation this spring and summer!

instead of doing complete swatches for each color, i decided to do a fun manicure including all the colors.  there were so many great combinations that instead of only five designs for both hands,  i wanted to do one design for each finger.  i chose fun geometric and dotted designs that were fun and bright for summer.  nothing fancy, but i think they are fun and colorful.  i really love how the starburst, saran wrapped nail, and the blue and purple dotted nails came out.

what do you think?  which style did you pick this month, or did you get the full collection?  which polish is your favorite?  i would love to hear from you!  leave a comment letting me know what you think!  if you're interested in signing up to receive a julep box every month, check it out here.