Update:
I am very sad to report that Julep is not an all-vegan company, as they have previously claimed. I support many companies that aren't fully vegan, but Julep has repeatedly told those who asked that all their products were vegan. I will no longer be purchasing from this company and I urge you to do the same. Watch this video for more information on Julep's dishonesty and inconsistency regarding their products.
Happy Mani Monday!
Today I'll be reviewing the Julep Maven subscription program. Today I'm linking up with Mani Monday at Glitter and Gloss, too!
I'd heard of Julep Maven a while back, thanks to some of my favorite style bloggers and their always-on-point nails. The Maven program is a monthly subscription box that is primarily focused on nail polish and similar nail and hand care products. You can pick from different "style profiles," like Boho Glam or Classic with a Twist, and receive colors and products that fit that profile. And, thankfully, Julep's products are all cruelty-free and vegan, good for people like me who avoid animal products and testing.
Julep Maven also offers a lot of flexibility with its program. You get the opportunity to preview your box before you receive it, and you can cancel, send it to a friend, or accept it. It's nice to know you won't have to throw down cash for products you aren't really interested in, but it's enough of a surprise to get excited about.
So when Lexi linked to her friend's review of the Maven box she got, I noticed a great deal -- with the code FREEBOX, you only pay shipping to try out the program! (As far as I know, the code still works -- go go go!) For $3.99, was it worth the two polishes, cuticle oil, and bonus hand creme? Let's find out!
The Packaging
To start, I absolutely ADORE the packaging. The box itself isn't too big, but it's easy to open and inside, it is filled with decorative crinkled paper shreds and a bright pink package tied with a black bow containing the products. My box also arrived very quickly, less than a week after I ordered it! It's like receiving a gift from yourself.
The Polish
I wound up choosing the Boho Glam starter box, which comes with two polishes, Gabrielle and Clara.
Gabrielle is described by Julep as a "smoky mulberry creme" polish, and I definitely agree. It was a little thinner than I was expecting, but the color is wonderful. In the bottle, it's hard to see the purple shade, but when worn, it's decidedly purple. It's definitely darker than I am used to personally. I can see this being a great winter or fall nail polish shade. For now, Gabrielle lives on my toes.
Clara, described as an "opaque peach creme," was my favorite of the two, but I expected that since I love sweet pastel colors. I have never painted my nails peach before, and while it was a completely new shade to me, I found myself loving it quickly! The only downside is that the polish took an extremely long time to dry. I have never had this issue before with my topcoat, so I assume it was Clara. I'll definitely try again, but despite painting my nails several hours before my yoga class, I still got smudges from my asanas. I have a hunch the polish was just a little thick and will try thinning it with some nail polish remover next time.
It's also worth noting that both polishes have had impressive lasting time and were true to the colors posted on the site.
Essential Cuticle Oil & Rock Star Hand Creme
This Essential Cuticle Oil has a roll-on application, which is perfect for someone like me who admittedly doesn't take great care of her cuticles. It's a quick, easy application, just the right amount of product, and the bottle is small enough to fit in my purse every day. I love it and I can see myself using it every day from now on!
I only got a single sample size of Julep's Rock Star Hand Creme, but it was excellent! My hands felt silky smooth, smelled great, and the lotion absorbed quickly. I'm actually planning on buying the full size of this product, since it didn't leave my hands feeling greasy after.
Conclusion
Overall, I really enjoyed my first box of the Maven program! For about $20 a pop for a box easily worth twice that, it is definitely a great value. Will I be buying it myself? It depends. I loved every product I got, but I'm not sure I need that many nail-specific products monthly. But I probably will opt in on occasion. For the manicure lover, this is a great beauty box, and would make a great gift, too!
Do you subscribe to any beauty boxes? Any good deals to share?
I'd love to review more beauty boxes, it's so fun and exciting!
Disclaimer: Links in this post use the Julep Maven referral program. You are by no means obligated to sign up under my referral code, though I would be appreciative!
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