Tag: julep

My October Julep Maven Box!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy October! Today I will be reviewing my Julep Maven Box, and I am excited to tell you about the three new polishes I got. Let me begin by telling you about the special box that was offered in October. On the 20th of each month, Julep releases the five boxes that will be available to choose from. When September 20th rolled around, I was quite disappointed. The October Julep boxes were to feature crackle nail polishes, along with a line of gorgeous cream finishes in fall shades. While I do enjoy crackle nail polish, I couldn’t believe that was the product Julep was featuring. Crackle is no longer on trend, and Julep usually keeps up with the times. I, along with many other Mavens, took to the Julep Facebook page to let the company know how much I love their products, but how disappointed I was with the October offerings. Guess what? Julep listened! They created a special box called Maven’s Choice, which included three cream polishes and excluded the crackles. I could not have been more pleased. Julep really listens to its customers! Let me show you what I got in my Maven’s Choice box.

 

At first I was surprised to see how small the Julep box was this month, but don’t judge a book by its cover! Not only did I get three beautiful polishes this month, but Julep threw in some extras! The polishes (from top to bottom) are Lisa, Eloise, and Keira. The little pots you see are glitter pots in the colors orange and black to keep it Halloween themed! Finally, Mavens got some candy corn as an added Halloween treat. For some reason my box was missing the paperwork that usually comes with each Julep Maven box to highlight that month’s colors and trends. I guess that was the trick to my treat! I couldn’t wait to try out these gorgeous polishes!

 

 

First up is Keira, a beautiful deep burgundy polish. I am not usually a big fan of dark colors, but Keira is really nice. I used two coats of this polish, and as usual the Julep formula was amazing. I did experience some trouble with linen marks on my nails hours after applying the polish, but I am going to attribute this to high humidity. To be safe, give yourself a little extra drying time if you use Keira. This polish is quite pigmented, and leaned towards brown on the nail. This color is perfect for fall, and is work appropriate. Also, did you notice how short my nails are?! I needed to try something new!

 

 

Next up is Eloise, what Julep calls a “smokey indigo blue.” Let me begin by saying that I took these photos on day three of my manicure. As you can see, there is very little wear! I used two coats of Eloise without topcoat. I absolutely love this polish! I was most excited for this one to come, and it does not disappoint. The blue shade is really unique from anything else I own, and I love that it is deep, but not dark. Eloise is one of my favorite blue polishes, and I plan on wearing it quite often!

 

 

The last polish in my October box is Lisa, a grey that leans towards brown. I was least excited to try out Lisa, and to be honest I am not a huge fan of the color on me. The polish, however, is really nice. You can get away with one coat of Lisa for full coverage, though I still applied two in the photos above. The formula was amazing, and dried almost instantaneously! This is a great neutral shade if you are looking to stay away from beiges and tans. It is definitely work appropriate, and good for those of you who don’t like bold colors.

All in all, I loved my Maven’s Choice box! Julep always manages to impress me every month, and their customer service is right on. If you are looking to try out Julep polishes, I definitely suggest the Maven program. Not only do you get great discounts on their polishes every month, but you get your first box for one penny! Just click HERE and enter code COLOR2012 at checkout! Here is some more info about the Maven program if you’ve never heard of it before:

  • Julep is a monthly subscription program for $19.99 each month
  • You begin with a style quiz so Julep knows what polishes you may like, but you have the option to choose any box you want each month
  • Don’t have the cash? Don’t like your box? You have the option to skip your box each month and you will not be charged!
  • Mavens get access to special discounts on Julep products, and added freebies throughout the year
  • You have the chance to win the Golden Box each month — the complete Julep collection for that month!
  • You can cancel at any time if you decide you don’t like Julep
  • Your first box is a penny… who can pass that up?!

I hope if you join Julep you love it just as much as I do!

Saran Wrap Nail Art

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Have you heard of the nail art technique that uses saran wrap to get a funky design? I saw THIS pin on Pinterest, and just had to try it out! Since I am not great at nail art, I was thrilled with how easy this technique is. Plus, we all have some saran wrap in the kitchen. Let me show you how my saran wrap manicure turned out. Please note that the photos in this post were taken with flash to showcase the design.

To get this look, first paint your nails in any color you want. I chose Julep Brandt. Make sure your polish is completely dry before moving onto the second step. Next, get out your saran wrap and your second polish color. It is easier to work with smaller pieces of saran wrap. Take your second polish (I chose Julep Sophie) and paint one coat directly over your original manicure. Then, bunch up the saran wrap and lightly dab all over your nail while the polish is still wet. Continue these steps on each nail and finish up with a top coat. Voila! You now have a super cool manicure!

The design reminds me of acid wash jeans! I definitely can’t wait to try out this technique with other colors and finishes. I think it would look great with glitter polish! Be warned that this technique can get a little messy when you’re dabbing with the saran wrap. A little clean-up is needed, but it’s definitely worth it. Be sure to try it out!

Don’t forget, you can get your first month of Julep for just one penny with code MAVENINTRO at checkout! I heard a rumor that they are also throwing in two bonus polishes at the moment. Sign up HERE!

My September Julep Maven Box

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

By now you all must know how much I love the Julep Maven program! I can’t wait to show you what I got this month. Julep teamed up with fashion designer Tina Turk to create a nail polish line that coordinates with her fall clothing line. For the first time since I’ve joined Julep, I actually stayed with the style that I got by answering the quiz — Classic with a Twist. I had a little surprise when by box came in the mail, too. A bit of the packaging was coming out! Luckily everything was safe inside, and the packaging was adorable as usual.

 

This month each Julep Maven member got a magnet of a girl wearing clothing inspired by Trina Turk’s new line. It was a nice little surprise! Of course, I also got two nail polishes and a mascara. Both of my polishes this month were neutral shades, but are gorgeously pigmented and creamy. I can’t wait to use them over and over this fall! Let me show you both of them.

 

 

First up is Brandt, what Julep calls “off-black.” And it’s true! I wasn’t sure how good Brandt would look with my fair skin tone, but since it wasn’t a true black it looked great. The formula on this polish was a dream, and it was opaque in two coats. As with all Juleps, it also dried really quickly. I really liked that Brandt is not a harsh color, but is still considered to be in the black color family. I plan on using this on a regular basis!

 

 

Sophie is a neutral color that Julep calls “truffle mushroom.” I would describe it as a greenish brown color, but it is so pretty! Just like Brandt, Sophie has an amazing formula and was opaque in two coats. It is a perfect neutral for fall! I can also see it teamed up with a fun neon color for a nice contrast.

All in all, I really loved my September box! I got two nail polish colors that are great to have in any stash, and can be used often. I’m never disappointed with Julep! Don’t forget that you can join Julep Maven and get your first box for just one penny when you use code MAVENINTRO at checkout. Just click HERE and start shopping! Enjoy!

Favorite Friday: Cloud Manicure with Julep Polish

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

It’s Favorite Friday! That’s when I use one of my favorite nail polishes, or recreate one of my favorite manicures! I’ve been wanting to do something fun with my nails, but I am not very good at nail art. I decided that this week I would recreate the cloud manicure I did a couple months ago. My nails were already painted with Julep’s Claire, so I used two other Julep polishes to upgrade my mani.

 

Not only do cloud manicures look really cool, but they are easy to achieve! All you need is three colors of nail polish, and some patience. With a steady hand you can easily master this technique. The best part is, people will be so impressed with your nails! You can get full instructions from my original cloud mani post HERE.

 

For this mani, I began with Julep’s Claire (blue) and then added on Morgan (purple) and Blake (yellow). Too be honest I’m not so sure how I feel about this color combination together. I think the clouds look great, but the yellow on the tips was a bit off for me. I will definitely do this manicure again with different colors!

What do you think of my cloud manicure? Have you tried this technique?

Julep Maven Intro Box Review & Giveaway!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

If you are a blog follower of mine, you know how much I love Julep nail polish and being a Julep Maven member. Though the nail polish retails at $14 a bottle, the Maven program is a great way to get their polish at discounted prices. In order to let my readers try this great product at no cost, I wrote to Julep. They sent me an intro box to review for all of you, and they are giving one away for free! First, let me show you what comes in a Julep Maven intro box.

The packaging is always so cute!
My new polishes!

Each month Julep offers five different Maven boxes, and you choose the one you like the most based on your own personal style. The “It Girl” box always has three nail polishes in it, while the other styles have two polishes and another product (such as lotion, nail polish remover, lip gloss, etc.). I decided to pick the It Girl style to show you! The polishes I got were Morgan, Claire, and Blake.

Morgan is a beautiful deep purple polish with a hint of blue and red shimmer. None of my photographs could capture how stunning it is in person! I used two coats of this polish. The formula was perfect! I love the frosted look it has, and the shimmer adds a lot of dimension. I love purples, so Morgan will be used frequently I’m sure.

Claire is a gorgeous sky blue cream polish. I also used two coats, and again had not problems with the formula. I love cream polishes, and this one is no exception. This polish is great for people who aren’t sure if blue nails are right for them, because the color isn’t bright, but a nice pastel. This is the perfect color for spring!

Last but not least is Blake, a yellow cream polish. I loved the color of Blake, but I did have some formula issues, which is very unusual for Julep polish. My first coat was very uneven, but a second coat helped to even it out. If I did add a third coat it would have probably cleaned up the manicure, but with two coats I could still see brush strokes on some nails. Other than that small issue with the formula, the polish was really pretty. Yellow is actually a great color for nails!

Now that you’ve seen my It Girl intro box, it is time to win one of your own! To enter, you must click HERE. It will bring you directly to the Rafflecopter site. Julep is running the giveaway for me, but if you have any problems entering, don’t hesitate to contact me. The giveaway is live until September 7th. If you want to join Julep right away, you can get your first box for just one penny by entering the code MAVENINTRO at checkout. Go HERE to sign up!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

My August Julep Maven Box!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

I’ll be honest with you. When I first saw the Julep boxes online for August, I wasn’t thrilled with the options. I went ahead and chose the Boho Glam style anyway, as I had a free credit to use. I can’t pass up free polish! Now that I’ve had the chance to use the polishes I received, I am thrilled with my August box! Let me show you what was inside.

A pink box to celebrate Julep’s one year anniversary!

All August boxes came with a reusable tote bag.
From left to right, Isla, Piper, and nail polish remover.

I haven’t tried out the nail polish remover yet, but I did get the chance to use the new polish. I thought Piper and Isla would look perfect together, so I decided to a “Carly” manicure inspired by LacqueredLover.com! This style combines at least two different nail polishes in a unified look. I used two coats of each polish. One coat was very sheer, but a second coat achieved opacity. Piper is a metallic green, which I love. It is almost the metallic version of a mint, but a bit darker. Isla is a metallic white. I love the way they are both shiny and frosty. I never thought I’d be so impressed with these polishes! Here’s a cool Instagram photo of my manicure:

 

I love Julep products, and being a Maven member. If you’d like to join this monthly subscription, click HERE. Be sure to enter code COLOR2012 at checkout to get your first month for a penny!

Monthly Nail Polish Haul: July Edition

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Adventures in Polishland is dedicated to fabulous and affordable nails.  At the end of each month, I show you the polishes I purchased, and the good deals I got on them. I rarely pay full price for anything, and that includes nail polish. Although I did go a bit overboard in July (33 new bottles!), I only paid a fraction of the retail value for all my new polishes. Get ready to see this awesome haul!

Polishes I bought at retail stores in person, left to right:

  • Anise in Miss Inspector and Bronzed Babe. You can purchase Anise polishes at DSW stores for $6 each. Typically they are on sale for buy one get one half off, so these polishes came to $9. I had some money left on a gift card, so I only paid $6.96 for these two polishes! You can read my review of these two colors HERE.
  • China Glaze in Hook and Line and Mahogany Magic from the Hunger Games Collection. I bought these two polishes at my local Sally Beauty Supply store on clearance. I paid a total of $6.58 for both, but they retailed at $8.99 a piece when they came out! Sometimes patience is the key to getting the colors you want.
  • Elle in Surfer Babe. I scored this beautiful blue at Kohls for FREE when my mom let me use her Kohls Cash. Usually Elle retails for $10. If you go to Kohls, keep an eye out for coupons near the display. When I went there were $1 off coupons available! See my post highlighting this polish HERE.
  • NYC in High Lime Green. I bought this polish at CVS and used a coupon for $0.50 cents off any NYC purchase of $1.79. Lucky for me this polish was exactly $1.79, so I only paid $1.29 for it! I found this coupon on a store display also, so be sure to keep an eye out for those at CVS, too.

Polishes I bought through Blog Sales or Swap Groups, left to right:

  • I purchased Deborah Lippmann in Pearly Queen and Oh! You Pretty Things from Diana over at Polish Monster. As a special surprise, she threw in Miami Spirit from the new Wet ‘n Wild Fergie Collection! I paid a total of $15 including shipping for all three of these polishes. What a bargain!
  • I purchased all three Jesse’s Girl polishes (in Center Stage, Cupcake Frosting, and Confetti) from a special Blog Sale. A few months ago, a member of the nail blogging community passed away. As a benefit to support her family, her daughter was selling her polishes. I sent her a total of $22 including shipping, and asked her to throw in a few mini polishes that hadn’t been sold yet with the three Jesse’s Girls. I was completely surprised when I got the OPI Spiderman mini collection! From left to right is Into the Night, Number One Nemesis, Just Spotted the Lizard, and Your Web or Mine? Not only did I save a few dollars off the retail price, but I helped a family in need. See my post featuring Your Web or Mine? HERE.
  • The mini on the far right is Sephora by OPI in I Don’t Bite. I purchased it from a Swap Group on Facebook. A mini from this brand typically retails at about $5, but I paid only $3 including shipping.

Polishes I bought on Copious using credits first, left to right:

  • e.l.f. in Royal Purple. I paid only $0.54 for this gorgeous polish that retails at $2. See my blog post featuring it HERE.
  • Matte.n.a in Film Noir. My first matte polish! I got it for just $0.01 with my credits, though they typically sell for $2.25.
  • piCture pOlish in Citrus. I got this beautiful orange for a mere $0.13 even though they retail at $9.50. I’ve heard great things about this brand and I can’t wait to use it.
  • Pretty & Polished in Forest Phire. My first indie purchase, and I only spent $0.30!  Minis from this brand usually sell for $5.25, so I got a great deal.

Polishes I bought online, left to right:

  • Julep in Yumi, Lynn, America, and Alfre. I got all of these polishes for FREE! The first three were in my July Julep Maven Box, which I had a free credit for. In that box I received a voucher for another free polish, and I picked Alfre! I love the Julep Maven program. Did you know that you can get your first box for one penny with the promo code COLOR2012? Join HERE and read about my July box HERE.
  • Orly in Rock Solid. I purchased my first Orly during a sale on HauteLook. I had credits to use, so I only ended up spending $0.45! HauteLook has all sorts of sales, but there is often nail polish from all different brands. Join the site for free HERE.
  • Zoya in Rea and America. I originally purchased Zoya’s Trixie to get America free during the Fourth of July sale, but when it arrived I realized it was a dupe of a polish I already had. Lucky for me I was able to swap Trixie for Rea in a Swap Group! I did have to spend a little extra for the shipping, but I ended up with both of these Zoyas for just $9.95 instead of the full $16. You can purchase Zoya polish HERE and read my entry about America HERE.

Whew! Did you make it through all that with me? If so, here is the most exciting part! While I did spend $66.21 this month, if I did not use credits, buy sale items, and coupon, the retail value of all these items would be $205.24! That’s right– I saved $139.03! How is that for fabulous and affordable?! For all of these 28 bottles listed above, on average I paid $2.36 per polish. Woo-hoo!

Before I close out this post, I wanted to add in some “bonus” polishes that I purchased through Little Black Bag. I can’t really estimate how much I saved on these polishes, since they came along with other items in a monthly subscription, but I definitely got a good deal on them. Retail value of these five polishes is $77. Left to right, the colors are: ncLA in Hollywood Hills Hot Number & Miss Sunset Strip, and Michael Marcus in Brilliant Sand, Fuchsia Have a Good Time, and Paradise Pink. You can join Little Black Bag HERE.

Please note that this post does not include polishes I received as a gift, as a giveaway win, or as a product to review for my blog. My purpose is to show you how to get great savings on nail polish.

In a Rush? Try This Quick Mani Upgrade!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

One of my personal nail polish rules is to never paint your nails when you’re in a hurry. I just don’t want to deal with the stress that comes with smudging wet nails! But let’s face it. There are often times when we at least want to add a little something to our manicures before we head out the door for the day. I found myself in that position just the other day. Even though I loved Your Web or Mine? from the OPI Spiderman Collection (see post HERE), it needed to be revamped a little.

Because I didn’t have much time, I grabbed a glitter polish from my stash and added an accent nail. With two coats of Julep Yumi, my manicure was instantly upgraded! Just a flash of sparkle changed the entire look of my mani, and made my three-day-old polish shine. Since I was using Yumi as an addition, I didn’t even need to use topcoat. Plus, Julep polish dries really quickly, so I was ready to go in no time. Looks great, right?!

It gives it a little something extra, don’t you think?

 

You can really see the sparkle in the bottle here!

Mani Upgrade with Geometric Glitter

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Remember my manicure from my last post? It was a beautiful nude color from Julep called Lynne. I loved it, but it was time for some sparkle. I knew I wanted to use another color from my July Julep Maven Box called Yumi, so I ran a short poll on my Facebook page to determine what style I should do. The winning trend was geometric glitter, and I was excited to try it out. I’ve done a few other geometric styles, but I hadn’t tried it out with glitter before. It turns out to be just as easy, and it looks super fun!

 To get a geometric look, all you need is scotch tape and scissors! Simply cut small strips of scotch tape in any shape you want and place it on a completely dry manicure. You can do any design you want- stripes, diagonal lines, chevrons, etc. I like to do a different shape on each nail. Once the tape is on your nail, make sure it is pressed down so that no polish will leak through. Then, paint right over the tape with your new color. Make sure to take off the tape before the polish dries! For my mani, I used three coats of Julep’s Yumi. It is a beautiful, multi-dimensional glitter in a light pink base. It is very sheer so it is perfect for layering. It is also opalescent, so the colors shine in the light. It looks perfect with Lynne!

Above is a photo of my finished product! Notice how I used all different geometric shapes. I love this look! It is perfect for a mani upgrade because your nails will be already dry, plus you can cover up any imperfections with the new color. People will also be impressed with your nails, even though you know all you used was scotch tape. Have you tried out this trick yet? What colors did you use?

Macro shot of my thumb. Don’t you love this design & color combo?

P.S. Don’t forget you can join Julep Maven HERE! Enter code COLOR2012 to get your first box for one penny.