Julep Maven is a monthly nail polish and beauty subscription box. They make all their own products, so subscribers get a good value each month – over $40 retail worth of product for $24.99 a month.
And, if you sign up for 3-months up front, you get the $19.99 rate.
Each month Julep releases a new collection on the 20th, and you can decide which box you want, you can upgrade to the entire collection, or you can skip that month.
My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
The Subscription Box: Julep Maven
The Cost: $24.99 a month ($19.99 a month with a 3-month subscription)
COUPON: Use this link to get a free box when you sign up for a 3-month subscription!
Limited Time Deal: Get one of these two free box offers!
The Products: Nail polish plus beauty items.
Ships to: US and Canada
Check out all of our Julep Maven reviews and the Beauty Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your Wish List or Subscription List!
Brights! Definitely spring-like.
I like this quote.
Looks good to me!
Lately I have noticed a fair amount of questions and comments about Julep’s customization options which are awesome and one of the best parts of this subscription box in my opinion. Next month, I will show a lot of the options in my review so you can see what these look like if you are not a current subscriber.
Here are the options I went with to get the box in this review. Julep somewhat regularly throws in a free polish or topcoat. Sometimes you have to sign up for this, sometimes you don’t. My Subscription Addiction always posts about these so make sure you sign up for the newsletter if you don’t already receive it. In this particular case, you did not have to sign up to receive the free bonus white polish, it came along with any box that included one of the bright polishes.
First, let’s talk about the beauty products.
Love Your Bare Face Detoxifying Cleansing Balm Stick – Retail Value $28
Julep describes this as “a blend of natural oils and fruit enzymes that remove dirt, oil, and impurities while gently exfoliating for a deep-down clean. Rice bran oil dives deep to purge impurities. Grapefuit peel oil evens skin tone. Camellia seed oil hydrates and clarifies skin. Pomegranate fruit enzyme exfoliates gently.”
I think that is an accurate description. I have used this product almost exclusively for the last week on my face and I agree with this. My skin does look smooth and feels soft. Julep recommends applying this product to your face with your wet, bare hands or with a konjac cleansing sponge. I do think it works best if you use a separate makeup remover first, though, if you are wearing a lot of makeup especially around your eyes since it does sting a little if it gets in them. I also think this cleansing balm works best applied with a konjac sponge like the one in this subscription box, or with a damp washcloth. I have never used a cleanser in a stick form before, but found it easy to use. It produces a small amount of lather. I also liked this item more as the week progressed so I think it takes a little time for the effects to appear.
Kaolin Clay Konjac Sponge – Retail Value $12
Julep describes this as “a gentle exfoliator made from the fibrous root of the Konjac plant and enriched with detoxifying kaolin clay that draws impurities from deep within skin. Gentle enough for everyday use. Recommended for all skin types.”
Again, I think that is an accurate description. This is the first time I have ever tried a konjac sponge so I can’t tell you whether it is different than the Charcoal Konjac Sponge or the Green Tea Konjac Sponge Julep also carries. But I can tell you it works well with the Cleansing Balm Stick so I am a happy camper. The sponge is wet inside the package and comes with a small suction cup hook which is convenient.
Here is the polish color I chose this month and the white polish Julep threw in for free.
Julep Nail Color in Kimball – Retail Value $14 (high-voltage watermelon vivid sheer)
Julep Nail Color in Brigitte – Retail Value $14 (bright white crème)
From left to right in outside light, here is Brigitte by itself, then Kimball layered over Brigitte, then Kimball by itself. (Please forgive the less-then-perfect application technique. I am working on it!)
I don’t see a huge amount of contrast here. Julep showed this a little better in their swatch:
On my daughters:
Kimball only.
Kimball layered over Brigitte.
Kimball (left). Kimball layered over Brigitte (right).
Finally, swatched on the nail polish bottles themselves:
The white swatch is practically invisible on the white label.
This box also came with bonus candy and a promo code for a 30% off your next purchase from Julep. (Expires May 31, 2016.)
Value: This subscription box costs $24.99 and, based on my selected options, includes $68 worth of beauty items and polish at retail value (or $54.40 if you are a Julep Maven and can enjoy the pricing discount) + the candy. Either way, I think this is a great value!
Verdict: I’m happy with my selections this month. What do you think of the April 2016 Julep Maven box? Which items did you pick?
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