Tag: claudette

My February Julep Maven Box!

After a disappointing January box, Julep more than made up for it this month! With a few added bonuses, I was so happy that I didn’t end up skipping my box. While I do have a few gripes with the extra products, I loved the two nail polishes I got. I’m sure you will agree that I got my money’s worth this month! Let me show you my February Julep Maven Box.

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Look at all of those goodies in one box! This month I got my style profile box — Classic With a Twist. Inside were two nail polishes, the Oxygen Nail Treatment, the Freedom Polymer Top Coat, an eyelash curler, and two chocolate hearts. For all of these products, minus the curler and candy, the total retail value is $64! As a Maven, I only paid $19.95. How awesome is that?! I even love the two polishes I got!

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Up first is Helen, what Julep calls a smokey pastel lavender. Helen has that fabulous Julep formula that is opaque in two coats. Helen has a beautiful creme finish, and leans toward a feminine dusty rose color. It is perfect for a professional and chic look! I love Helen — it’s different than any other polish in my collection!

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Julep Claudette is the other polish in my February box. This red brick color is a one coat polish! That’s right — what you see in the photos is opacity with just one coat. I was blown away with the quality of Claudette’s formula. I love that the red tone is not as bright as a true red polish, but it’s still perfect for awards season. If you aren’t a red girl like me, this is the one you want to actually keep in your collection! As a one-coater there is no reason to not own it! It’s perfect for when you need a red.

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The next item in this month’s box is the Oxygen Nail Treatment. This product baffles me a bit. Why? Well, it is supposed to be worn 1-2 times per week, but without any other nail polish. Since most nail polish aficionados have polish on every day, it’s difficult to find the time to put on this treatment up to twice per week. The directions also don’t say how long you’re supposed to wear the treatment. I wore mine overnight and into the next day for about thirteen hours. Above you can see my nail before (left), during (middle), and after (right). I think the treatment did help to whiten my nails, but I’m not sure that I saw much of a difference. Maybe if I did wear this treatment for an extended period of time I will see more results.

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Last but not least, the Freedom Polymer Top Coat was one of this month’s extra items in the box. This top coat is advertised to dry in five minutes in natural light, and in two minutes under a 60-watt light bulb. The finish is supposed to look like a gel manicure, and it to be long-lasting. I included a photo above of Shimmer Polish Karina layered over Claudette. I used the Freedom top coat for that manicure, and as you can see, the finish is great! Plus, the top coat did dry extremely quickly. However, this top coat chips off in a day! I almost never see chipping on my nails, but I used this top coat 3-4 times and my polish chipped like crazy! You also have to make sure your nails are completely dry before you apply this top coat, or your nail art will smudge. I only plan on using Freedom when I am in a rush.

All in all, February was a great month as a Julep Maven! I loved both of the polishes I got, and it was fun trying the nail treatment and top coat. While I am a bit disappointed with the top coat, I still see myself using it in some occasions. I will even try the nail treatment a bit more, too! If you would like to become a Julep Maven, sign up HERE and use code FREEBOX at checkout! Your first month will be free — just pay for shipping! Julep is a fabulous program for just $19.95 per month, and you can skip any month you don’t want or cancel at any time.

Tell me what you love about Julep in the comments, and don’t forget to enter my Baby Lips Giveaway HERE!

Indie Spotlight: Shimmer Polish Part III

Happy Tuesday! Today I have Part III of my Shimmer Polish review! In Part I and Part II, I wore each polish on its own. In this entry, you will see the polishes layered over another color. I used one very thin coat of each Shimmer to create the looks you see here. I love that these polishes are so versatile! Let me show you these gorgeous glitters.

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First up is Jennifer, a mix of multi-colored pastel glitters with pops of orange and turquoise. I layered one coat over Zoya Blu. The pastel blue base really highlighted all of the glitters in Jennifer, and I think the two are a perfect combination. This manicure is perfect for springtime with an extra sparkle!

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Up next is Karen, a mix of pink and purple glitters with flashes of holo hexagons. I layered one coat over Pronto Purple. Karen’s formula was a bit on the thick side, but I didn’t have problems with application. I thought a purple base color would be very complimenting. In the first two photos, you see my manicure with a regular, glossy top coat. On day two, I wanted to change things up a bit, and added my Butter London Matte Finish on top. I just love the matte result! It makes the glitters stand out even more.

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Karina is a red and black glitter mix, with sprinkles of purple and holographic grains. I layered this polish over Julep Claudette, and it is the perfect combination! I think it looks like one complete polish. It’s a great manicure for Valentine’s Day, and for those of you who like darker colors. The black glitters really make this red color unique and edgy.

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Last but not least is Linna, a gorgeous mix of green, red, blue, gold, and silver glitters. I layered Linna over Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Chlorophyll. The application was great! This is my favorite manicure from this post. I think these polishes are perfect together, and I have been loving green nails lately. I would definitely wear this look again in the future!

All in all, I love how versatile Shimmer Polish is! Each color can be worn alone as an opaque glitter in just 2-3 coats, or you can layer one coat over another polish for a unique look. Shimmer Polish sells on Etsy for $12 per bottle HERE. You can also like the brand on Facebook HERE.

Stay tuned for Part IV, the final post in the Shimmer Polish series!

 

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.