Thursday, April 3, 2014

Julep Review: April 2014 Maven Box, Classic with a Twist

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My very first box from Julep as a Maven subscriber arrived on Monday!  I was so very excited because it was awesome how quickly it came, April's box actually arrived on the very last day of March.  New nail color is a fantastic way to start off the month.  This month the colors are all a part of The Vivid Collection and I opted to stay with my default style, Classic with a Twist.


My goodies came all nestled in teal shredded paper that contrasted nicely with the yellow tissue and purple box.  It was not only a vivid collection of colors but a colorful presentation.  Inside were the two polishes, a blush, two candies, and the polish I added on for an extra charge, about $5.  Since a nail polish and a subscription service especially is a bit of a luxury purchase, I am glad they take the time to make it a nice experience with their presentation.


This month's colors were all gorgeous but I had to go with my favorite color, pink and pink.  Yeah, I guess no one is surprised by that!  I wasn't too sure about the orange.  I'm still not as it is indeed, quite vivid, and I think orange is something I'm more comfortable sticking with as a pastel.  I don't think it will look super fabulous against my skin but my sidekick and I will totally be rockin' it when we go cheer on our beloved Detroit Tigers!


Caitlin is THE reason I didn't jump ship from the Classic with a Twist box.  It's described as a "Shocking hibiscus with gold shimmer" and it's hot pink.  I'm very excited to wear more it, besides the little swatch I did on my toe.  It's super pretty, went on smoothly, and completely opaque in two coats. The shimmer is subtle in the bottle and on the nail.  It's bright but still classic.


So like I said before, Mariska is very vivid and full of bold color, with a lovely hint of shimmer.  I may not love it on my fingers but I am all about it for a pedicure.  It really is the perfect bright hot orange.  While this one has a shimmer finish like Caitlin, I thought it dried with a more matte finish.  You will need a top coat to get a really shiny look.

I actually think it was a smart move on Julep to make it that way.  This finish makes the orange a little less of a shocking bold color and better for those, like me, who might want to try out a true orange as opposed to a safer peach tone, without being over the top. It will look fabulous with sandals this summer and I think I will get a lot of wear out of it on my tootsies.  I was pleasantly surprised by how much I like this Mariska, especially since I thought it was going to be a dud for me.


Described as an electric bubblegum sheer with blue sheen, Maren was so pretty in the preview of the month that I thought it would be my favorite from the whole collection so I just HAD to add it on.    Yes, I ended up with yet more pinks but they are actually quite different.

This is a much more subdued bright pink because of the sheerness.  Three thin coats and it was not quite opaque, but I didn't really want it to be.  Sometimes I like the less done but still a lot of color look, if that makes any sense at all.  It's quite pretty with just two light coats, you get quite a bit of sheer pink color and shimmer but it's just more subtle.  I would feel comfortable wearing this to Easter mass, as a bright versus a pastel and not feel it was perhaps a bit too loud for the situation.

Since I had just done my nails the day before my box arrived, I did the swatches on my toes.  This way I could see how the formula applied and looked.  I will spare you all from having to see my feet, they are not camera ready! If anyone is just dying to see the polish on the nails, let me know and I will Instragram each one, as I wear them :)


I believe this is the debut of their new line of Glow Pore Minimizing Blushes and Bronzers.  I was a lot more interested in a bronzer as I almost never wear blush but I've also never had one in such a pretty peach shade either.  Unfortunately for me, a bronzer was not an option in my box.  I had hoped it would be a choice between blush or bronzer and then shades.  Okay, that's just my two cents...I am actually quite happy with my blush but that's how I felt going in.


I could not capture the color of this Peach Bellini shade very well at all.  It's much prettier in person and less pinky.  It has a subtle shimmer that the camera didn't pick up, which must be the white diamond powder it contains and that give cheeks a luminous glow.  It's also supposed to diffuse the appearance of pores, I think that is code for minimizes, and has age-defying Power Cell Complex that will over time promote softer, smoother skin.  That seems like a lot for a blush to do!


Whether or not it lives up to all the things it's supposed to do, it is so so pretty, that I kinda want to rub it all over, it's that gorgeous.  I did manage to restrain myself, but I'm really excited about the subtle flush of color it gives my cheeks.  I felt it was very wearable and such a good color that it would be hard to mess up the application and come off looking like a peach colored clown.  Yes, I kinda sorta worried that might happen!  I've always gone for pink blushes before and never liked them, now that I have this one and like it so much I'm wondering if previously having the wrong color was the reason I never "got" the whole idea of blush in the first place.

Final Verdict: Very happy with my first official Julep Maven box!  Click here if you'd like to check it out for yourself!

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PS: I am wearing the nail color Monica, also by Julep, in all of the photos in this post.  I bought it during the end of season sale, but I do not recommend it.  It was unbelievably hard to work with, very very thick :(  The color and glitter is amazing so worth the hassle it took for me to get it on, since I already have it but not worth the frustration if you don't.  This one application took a shocking amount of polish to achieve and there is a noticeable dip in the amount in my bottle.

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