Julep Maven Box: November 2013

Julep’s November boxes feature their new Right at Home Collection.  Since last month’s was an edgy “rebel set”, this comfy, warm collection seems a suitable counterpoint.    Each month along with the new polishes, they include beauty items.  November brought a whole selection of lip glosses and a lip plumper.

If you want more info on Julep’s maven subscription service and a coupon code, skip down below.  Now to the main event!

Now Julep gives you a nifty little quiz to select your style profile.  Maybe I’m just fickle but I tend to jump around a lot.  This month I actually chose the box that my profile results suggested, the “Boho Glam”.  Julep also allows you to select up to 3 add-ons at a discount, so I grabbed a few of those as well.

Open

THE BOHO BOX:

Charming Gloss
Julep Lip Gloss in Charming: (Retail $22.00/Maven Price: $17.60)
Description: Unstoppable shine, luscious hydration. Our Julep Lip Gloss comes in five subtle sheers that feel as good as they look.
Verdict:  Love!
This lip gloss was the big reason I chose the Boho Glam box.  I really liked the sheer mauve shade.  This gloss really does lean toward the sheer side so if you’re looking for something hyper pigmented you may want to try something else.  But if you like something really soft and natural, you’ll probably love this one.

Aisha & Alexandra

Aisha:  (Retail $14.00/Maven Price: $11.20)
Description:  Wildberry purple crème
Verdict:  Hit!
I wasn’t sold on this color when I chose the box, but once I received it I really liked the shade.  It’s a really pretty mulberry color and has more red in it than you’d expect.  It’s definitely more of a berry than a straight purple.

Alexandra:  (Retail $14.00/Maven Price: $7.99)
Description:  Blonde crème
Verdict:  Hit!
This is something I probably wouldn’t pick up on my own, but the color complements my uber pale skin surprisingly well.  I think this color will look amazing layered under Beatrix from last month’s collection.

Add-ons

THE ADD-ONS:
Nic:  (Retail $14.00/Maven Price: $11.20)
Description:  Black crimson crème
Verdict:  Hit!
No matter how much I adore sparkly or funky shades, super dark red is always my favorite so I couldn’t resist picking this up.  If you’re someone who doesn’t go for the super trendy, picking this up might be a great way to edge up your regular red or pink selection.

Swatch Stickers:  (Sale Price: $3.99)
Description:  Set of 3 Swatch Me Sticker Sheets
Verdict:  Hit!
Julep has some really unique packaging which is one of the things I love about the product.  They offer these little swatch stickers you can put on the cap.  Their caps pull apart in two pieces and you can easily swatch a little drop on the lid, so when you store them in drawers or boxes you can see all the colors without pulling them out.  Rows and rows of neat polishes with identical swatched stickers?  I can’t tell you how much this appealed to the little Martha Stewart demon that lives inside me and wants everything to match.

Lip Plumper
Blank Canvas Lip Pumping Primer: (Retail $22.00/Maven Price: $17.60)
Description: A multi-tasking marvel that plumps, moisturizes, and preps lips for flawless color application. The tingle tells you it’s working. The ongoing hydration and smoothing tell you it’s still working.  This pale pink primer works well on its own, too.
Verdict:  On the Fence
Since I currently don’t have any lip plumpers or primers I thought I’d give this one a try.  It does sting a little, but that’s the norm for this kind of product.  I did find it a touch drying, so I layered a moisturizing lip balm over it.  It seemed to plump my lips a little but I’m not sure if I’d be able to wear it with lip products that aren’t hydrating.  I’ll have to experiment a bit before I can decide on this one.

Bonus

Freebie: Luxe Repair Serum Sample
I love that Julep included a free sample of a beauty product.  I’d love to see more of this, that way Mavens could try some of the items out before committing to purchasing a full size.

Full BoxOverall:
The retail value of my items was $89.99 and the maven value was $72.79.  Julep offers “jules” which can be put toward Maven boxes or add-ons.  You accumulate these through referrals, purchasing maven boxes and on your birthday.  I accumulated enough jules to get my boho box for free so I ended up paying only $25.65 for my three add-ons.

While I originally chose my box solely for the lip gloss, I ended up liking my polish choices much more than I expected. I’m excited to play around with Julep’s new lip products and I think they are a great addition to their beauty line.

What did you think of the “right at home” collection?  Did you find it’s warmth and comfort appealing or was it too familiar and boring?

If you love Julep’s products, you can try out a box for free just use the code FREEBOX
Just remember this signs you up for a subscription that you will need to cancel or opt out of each month.

 

THE BACKSTORY

Julep specializes in toxin-free nail color but also features beauty products.  They are a small company based in Seattle and have been featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things List.

They have a monthly maven box that costs $19.99.  You simply take their beauty quiz and it will match you up with a specific style.

The options:

Modern Beauty – (For those who prefer beauty items over nail color) – “You’re a savvy tastemaker obsessed with the art and science of beauty.” Get two full-size beauty products in every box.

Boho Glam – “You’re a dynamic free spirit with a creative eye.” Get two limited-edition nail colors and one full-size beauty product in every box.

Bombshell – “You’re a confident frill-seeker with magnetic appeal.” Get two limited-edition nail colors and one full-size beauty product in every box.

Classic With a Twist – “You’re an iconic beauty with a timeless aesthetic.” Get two limited-edition nail colors and one full-size beauty product in every box.

It Girl – (For those who want polish only) “You’re a colorful trendsetter who’s not afraid to be bold.” Get three limited-edition nail colors in every box.

The real beauty of a maven box is that you only get what you want.  You can change profiles each month or simply opt out of a box.   Julep will email you your monthly box selection, at that time you can choose a different box than your regular beauty profile or opt out entirely.  Every time you purchase a box you get the option of add-ons at a huge discount along access to their “Secret Store” that lets you get other products at great prices.   Another perk is that when you’re a maven you get 20% off anything you purchase from their store along with free Shipping.  Julep polishes retail at $14.00 each, so a Maven box of two to three brand new polishes for under $20.00 is a great steal.

Coupon: To try out a box for free, use the code FREEBOX
(you’ll just have to pay for shipping this time).  Just remember this is a subscription service so your free box will sign you up to get a box every month.  Either opt out each month when you don’t want a box, or cancel by calling Julep’s customer service.

Author: Writer Preziosi

Once upon a time, long, long ago, Lisa attended Syracuse University where she studied singing in a giant castle surrounded by ice and snow. After she earned her music degree, she headed to the island of Manhattan, down to the West Village, to a place called the New School. There, she earned another degree in the great art of writing stories for children. She currently works on that same island trying to help real people, while making up stories about imaginary ones. Her first book, “The Ice Maiden’s Tale,” a fairy tale adventure, was released on May 30, 2017 and is up for sale on Amazon.

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