Julep Maven Review & Free Box Code – February 2015
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.
This month I decided to go with the Classic with A Twist box.
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: Get your first Julep Maven box for free with this link. (Pay $2.99 shipping)
The Products: Nail polish plus beauty items.
Ships to: US and Canada
Check out all of my Julep Maven reviews and the Beauty Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your Wish List or Subscription List!
Julep Lip Gloss in Lively – Retail Value $20
Julep Nail Color in London – Retail Value $14
I’ve tried their lip gloss before and I like it. The formula is a tad sticky, but that wears off after a few minutes, and it gives a good amount of sheer color.
I’m happy with my nail polish color choice this month too – it’s a nice Spring shade.
Julep Nail Color in Hartleigh – Retail Value $14
This was a bonus glitter top coat included for all subscribers for Valentine’s Day.
Julep Glow Highlighting Powder in Champagne – Retail Value $28
I found this highlighting powder to be very subtle. Basically it is impossible to accidentally overdo it with application. I like it as an all over powder, but it isn’t as shimmery as I was expecting.
This box also came with a coupon for $10 off orders of $20 ore more with coupon code TAKE10.
Verdict: This was a good Julep Maven box for me. The highlighter wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but it is still useful, and every other item will go to use too. Plus I love that they included a bonus nail polish for every subscriber this month – it makes the February box a great value for the $19.99 cost.
What did you think of the February Julep Maven box? Which colors/items did you pick?
Written by Liz Cadman
I received the 5 extra polishes, too. I was very happy with this box.
I’m so bummed! My original box was lost in the mail. The replacement came but I didn’t get the Valentine’s Day glitter. That’s what I was most looking forward to.
Did anyone else have shipping issues? I was supposed to get my box on Friday. I called on Saturday and the rep mentioned something about label issues and she resent it. I hope they remember to include the Valentines color (that I wanted to wear this week!) and the free metamorphic top coat (since February was my first box).
I got the same box as Liz but added on the fan brush. I really like the Julep blush brush that I have from last year and liked this one as well. I think their brushes are overlooked and are very good quality. I like the highlighter from swatching it… I am black so I like a more subtle highlight or it will look to noticable. I think the highlighter will work for a variety of skin tones but it does put me more in the mind of a hourglass lighting powder versus say a becca highlighting powder.
Did anyone get candy in their box this month? I got Queen Anne and Tatiana as extras…would have so much rather had 5 Hartleighs to share with friends! I’m going to put Tatiana up for trade…just not my color. I also got the highlighter and fan brush, but haven’t tried it yet, Vivien, Ada, Becky, Carla, and Elise. Thanks for the warning on Elise, btw! I went so overboard this month – I didn’t really like January at all, so I was excited to see this collection (maybe too excited!)
I love the Queen Anne! It’s a lavender glitter which I just adore.
Oh I’m excited for Queen Anne…not something I would have bought myself bc of the poor reviews on the site but since it’s a freebie – I’m stoked! I’m also lad to hear I’m not the only one who got this as their bonus 🙂
I received Queen Anne and Tatiana as extras as well.
I didn’t get any extras or candy. I ordered the same box as Liz and added the fan brush.
Just want to post a warning again about Elise. It is not purple put VERY pigmented blue and it is extremely difficult to remove and left my fingers extremely stained no matter what solvent I used. So maybe this one is best just for accents or toes or when you plan on wearing gloves for a while after removing it. Just a heads up. I love Julep’s polishes and have had staining with blues before but this is pretty extreme.
Their dark greens are exactly the same. I wish I’d seen this earlier since I just used the not purple but blue 20 minutes ago. I thought I was going to have to amputate my fingers with the green last spring. Sounds like I’m in for more of the same. Thankfully my Julep stockpile is straying to shrink, though not from use, mostly from the polishes going bad (gummy, like painting nails with Elmer’s glue).
That bums me out to hear as I have many bottles unopened, I think it’s time to cut back.
Did I mention it’s extreme? lol
EC,
Have you tried adding a bit of nail polish thinner to the bottles? Luckily I haven’t had this problem yet. Good luck!
I tried the remover trick hoping to rescue a few bottles but it just made them worse if that’s possible. They turned into watery glue. None of the bottles were more than 10 months old either. I change polish daily and even I can’t go through them as fast as they arrive with the monthly sub. Luckily I’ve been a maven for almost 2 years and have unlimited monthly skips. I hadn’t taken a box since Aug until this month (and I skipped this one but they sent it anyway). If it wasn’t for the unlimited skips I would have broken up with Julep a long time ago. I always love the colors but if the polish doesn’t last long enough to use it then it’s not worth the expense to me. I’m loving Spa Ritual more and more and haven’t had any problems even after a few bottles passed the year mark.
You mentioned that “None of the bottles were more than 10 months old either. ”
You made me think about this. I wonder if this was around the time they switched to the Color Treat/5 free or whatever change they made? Maybe the older polish had something else in it that made it last longer that they have since removed…. Hmmm.. I believe when I first joined Julep (about 1.5 years ago) these were 4 free…
A decent amount of my Julep polish is older than this and I haven’t had this problem at all (yet).
Ok. I researched this a little. Per Julep’s blog post of Aug 16, 2013: http://www.julep.com/blog/say-hello-to-color-treat/
“Julep nail color has a new look —and a new name. And we hope you like them as much as much as we do. … 4-FREE. None of our nail colors contain formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, DBP, or toluene. (Technically we’re 5-free because we don’t use camphor either—but who’s counting?) …”
They did not say this was a new formula but I am wondering if it was 3 free or something prior to this time that would make a difference in how long the polish lasts. Something HAS
Sorry, sent the last comment prematurely…
They did not say this was a new formula but I am wondering if it was 3 free or something prior to this time that would make a difference in how long the polish lasts. Something HAS to be different.
You should store your nail polish in the fridge…sounds weird but ot works and they last longer
Have you tried a polish thinner? Seche Vite supposedly makes are really good one, as their famous top coat thickens up with every use. I have one on order from Amazon right now for some polish I have, it is very reasonably priced – less than a Julep polish at the Maven discount! And I read that using polish remover is not good for your polishes, but I can’t remember why!! Lol I know it degrades them somehow bc of an ingredient in the remover…Good luck, I hope you save all your lovely polishes!!!
Thanks for the tip! I’m going to give it a try!
It’s odd that I’ve only ever had this issue with Julep polishes (I have had it with others but they were much, much older bottles). After more than 2 years as a maven I’m seeing tons of repeats too. It’s certainly not their fault since there are only so many colors in the rainbow as it were. I’ve also heard it’s a bad idea to thin polish with remover, regardless if it’s acetone or non acetone (tried both this go round and neither worked). Thanks for the tip, I’ll def check it out.
I’ve been a maven for quite some time too. I have 20 spots left in my nail polish storage container and after that I’m breaking up with Julep for good. It’s time to step back in the pool and try out some new lacquers . 😉
I picked the same box! I couldn’t pass on the London polish because it is a great shade for spring.
I went with the polishes only selection. When I received the box, Julep sent me 5 extra Hartleigh polishes to give to friends! That was pretty cool!
Yeah I got the five extra polishes also….. Thought it was pretty awesome!