Julep Maven Luxe: October 2015 – New York Never Sleeps Collection

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m playing catch up with reviews of some of my tried and true subscriptions. In October, Julep introduced their New York Never Sleeps Collection featuring new eyeshadow sticks. Since there was some other Julep makeup I was interested in as well, I opted to try out Julep’s higher tier subscription option, Maven Luxe. I had been hoarding jules, so I was able to snag this 39.99 box for free.

MAVEN LUXE
Maven Luxe is a customizable sub with tons of options so it’s a great choice for folks that use Julep products regularly as you can stock up on the things that are running low. I opted to try a couple new things and stock up on some items I’ve been wanting.

Don’t Leave Your Brows At Home in Warm Brown: (Retail $24.00/Maven Price: $19.20)
Verdict: Hit!
Description: Everything you need to fill in and define your brows. This two-in-one tool includes brow powder and an angled brush.
This is a restock item for me. The only reason this product isn’t a “love” is just because the shade is slightly off for me and Julep doesn’t really offer a real red/auburn option. The brush is also a bit oddly sized for the product tube, but its super easy to apply once on the brush and stays all day. I was new to doing my brows and this product was a breeze to work with. I highly recommend it.

Skip the Brush in Moonlit Sand (Retail $24.00/Maven Price: $19.20)
Verdict: Hit!
Description: A one stick wonder made for luminous, dewy cheeks, but versatile on eyes and lips, too. This soft-focus powder has ultrafine color pearls that go on creamy then set to a long-lasting powder finish.
I liked the consistency of the Guava Julep blush stick I got so I wanted to experiment with Moonlit Sand as a highlighter and Desert Rose as a blush/bronzer. Unfortunately Julep sent me to Moonlit Sands. I called them and they sent a replacement Desert Rose and let me keep the extra item, so really great customer service. As to the product itself this gives a lovely highlight and has a touch of glitter (but not too much). It’s easy to apply and goes on smoothly. It’s also great to use on your eyes – just add it to right below your eyebrow or the corner of your eye for a touch of shimmer.

Skip the Brush in Desert Rose (Retail $24.00/Maven Price: $19.20)
Verdict: Hit!
Description: A one stick wonder made for luminous, dewy cheeks, but versatile on eyes and lips, too. This soft-focus powder has ultrafine color pearls that go on creamy then set to a long-lasting powder finish.
This one arrived later in its own box. This brownish pink looks super natural on me as a blush and I love the easy application. I can use it on my eyes as well, but it reads a little too warm as a lip color.

Eyeshadow 101 in Stone (Retail $18.00/Maven Price: $14.40)
Eyeshadow 101 in Taupe Shimmer (Retail $18.00/Maven Price: $14.40)
Verdict: On the Fence
Description: A crème-to-powder shadow stick on top with a smudger on the other end. Expect huge color payoff and crease-proof, stay-all-day power.
This is the new featured makeup product for this collection so I opted to try out two different shades. I really wanted matte colors but there was only one to choose from. I was hoping these would be similar to the Laura Mercier eyeshadow sticks that I have but to me they were a little difficult to work with. There are smudgers on one side but I didn’t really have much luck getting them to smudge and I felt like I had to layer on a lot of the product to get the color I wanted. I do think these probably have a learning curve so I’m looking forward to playing with them more. I’d also love to see Julep introduce more matte options in this product.

OCTOBER FREEBIE!

While I hate candy corn, free is free and I’ll be passing this along to my niece and nephew who for some reason love the stuff.

OVERALL:

Verdict: Hit!

The picture above is the box minus the cheek product that was missing and came later.  The retail value on this box was a whopping $108.00 and the maven value was $86.40. I got this for free with my jules, but it would still be a great deal at $39.99. I think I’m going to be trying out the maven luxe for a bit since I’m running low on a lot of my Julep faves. If you really like Julep’s makeup and skincare products, it’s very cost effective to sign up for maven luxe and grab what you need once a month.

I’ve got two more Julep boxes for you this year, including the December one which only showed up yesterday so be sure to check back.

Have you ever tried an eyeshadow stick? If so, what did you think?

JULEP NEWS
Julep is featuring lots of holiday specials during their “12 days of deals” plus free shipping on all of their 2015 Holiday Collection, so be sure to check out their site.

THE BACKSTORY

COUPON CODES & LINKS:

Subscription Box Offers & Discounts:
(Just remember this signs you up for a monthly subscription. If you don’t wish to receive boxes you will need to call Julep to cancel. You can also opt to skip a month and you will not be billed.)
Jingle Bells Welcome Box
Join Julep and get the 4-piece Jingle Bells Welcome Box FREE ($50+ value) – just pay $2.99 shipping
Winter Ice Beauty Welcome Box:
Join Julep and get a FREE Winter Ice Beauty Box (just pay shipping)
Bridal Welcome Box
Join Maven now and get the Bridal Welcome Box FREE. ($58 value – just pay $2.99 shipping)

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.

Monthly Maven Options:
My Maven Subscription: $24.99 per month – Allows you to customize your box
3 Month Prepaid: $19.99/month

Maven Luxe: $39.99 per month – Gives you access to add on more expensive items
3 Month Prepaid: $34.99/month

The options (Take the quiz here):
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.”
Bombshell – “You’re a confident frill-seeker with magnetic appeal.”
Classic With a Twist – “You’re an iconic beauty with a timeless aesthetic.”
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.

Julep will email you with the contents of your regular box selection, and at that time you can opt to keep it as is, change it, or skip. Every time you purchase a box you get the option of add-ons along with access to Julep’s “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 Julep’s website along with free Shipping.

Julep also has a rewards program that gives you “jules” for taking your monthly boxes and on your birthday. You can use jules to pay for monthly boxes and some other items chosen by Julep.

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. View all posts by Writer Preziosi