NOTD: Julep Joy

While looking through posts that I started a long time ago, I found a few draft NOTDs started in a folder. While I work towards getting new content for the blog, why not bring them back?

Let me to try to decipher my notes about Joy. It's a lovely pinky mauvey purple with sheer tendencies; this photo is at least 3 coats. I have a hard time with Julep's polishes- this probably lasted about 24 hours without chipping if I'm lucky.

I'm not sure when this was taken, but there's certainly no green in my shots these days!

A bit of an update: I'm looking to upgrade my camera and lighting options, so any new pictures might be a little lesser quality. I'm working on it, though. I have some Spring 2016 items to shoot (including key pieces of the YSL, Dior, Chanel, and Lancome collections) and I can't wait to play with them. So readers, please forgive me if you get photographs of used items if my patience runs out.

Julep Freedom Polymer Top Coat

It turns out that I had quite the range of photos edited and stored!  Today I'm happy to share with you one of my favorite topcoats: Julep Freedom Polymer Top Coat ($18, 0.27oz)

Julep touts their Freedom Polymer Top Coat as innovative and gel-like, providing a smudge-proof mani in 5 minutes. When one compares the ingredients to other topcoats, there appears to be additional polymers present.

I happen to enjoy this topcoat because it delivers in terms of shine and strength. I've never had a gel manicure, but prefer a super-shiny finish.  I frequently discard topcoats for not being shiny enough. This passes the test with flying colors.

I also find Julep's Freedom Polymer topcoat to be thicker and stronger than most. It certainly protects my nails and provides a tough layer that stands up to typing.

Overall, I highly recommend this.  Julep Mavens get 20% off, putting this topcoat into the affordable range.

NOTD: Julep Faye

Today's NOTD is Julep Faye, described as "liquid bronze shimmer."  It's one of my favorites in this color family, especially since it's a one-coater!

Swatches are with one coat, no top coat.

NOTD: Julep Nan

Today's NOTD is Julep Nan, a shade described as "Nantucket Red." This is one of the lovely and surprising shades I've received over time from Julep. I thought it would be awful, but Nan was one of my go-tos all of last summer. There's something lovely and summery about a burnt coppery red creme.

There are three thin coats plus Butter London Hardware on my nails here. This is one of only a few bottles that I actually bought a backup for myself.

NOTD: Lancome I Do, Blue and Julep Coretta

Today's NOTD is something different- one of the few times that I've actually worn an accent nail.  Today I have Lancome I Do, Blue on all fingers, with one coat of Julep Coretta (April's birthstone polish) as an accent on my ring finger.

I normally don't do accent nails, but I adore how this looks together. It's subtle but pretty.  By day #3, however, Coretta had lost shine. It's soft and subtle enough to wear even in the office for me- which is saying a lot.

There are three thin coats of I Do, Blue on my nails, one coat of Julep Coretta on my ring finger. It's all topped with one coat of Butter London Hardware.

Today's posts are accidentally wedding-themed- I swear there's no subtext!

NOTD: Julep Noelle

Today's NOTD is Julep Noelle, from the January 2014 Boudoir Collection.  It's the other Silk Finish polish.  According to Julep, this is "sandy beach silk."  it's a little darker than I think of when I hear the word beach, but it's such a lovely shade. By far and away, I find Julep's Silk Finish polishes the best of the special finish formulas I've tried (as a traditionalist).

That's three coats, no top coat on my nails.

NOTD: Julep Maren

Today's NOTD is Julep Maren, one of the shades from the April 2014 Vivids Collection.  Maren is the lightest shade from that collection and a beautiful pink.

There are three coats on my nails here with Butter London Hardware topcoat.

NOTD: Julep Nadia

Today's NOTD is a beautiful yellow shimmer from Julep.  Nadia was released late summer (July or August, if my memory serves), but I think it's appropriate year-round.

Swatches are two coats, no top coat.

NOTD: Julep Amity

It's time to lighten up after all the darker, moodier nails as of late.  Today's NOTD is part of Julep's Celebration Trio released in August 2013: Julep Amity.

Amity is a light, pure silver.  It's metallic but not a foil.  I love it as a palette cleanser.

NOTD: Julep Paulette

Today's NOTD is my final selection from Julep's May 2014 collection.  Paulette is a soft orchid with distinct gold undertones.  This is the shade that made me switch boxes in order to secure it.

It's soft and lovely.  Like the others, I am pleasantly surprised by the formula.  This is two coats plus Butter London Hardware.

NOTD: Julep Kam

Today's NOTD is another selection from the current Julep Maven collection.

Kam is a muted sea foam green which is both classy and stands out from a crowd. I've got two coats plus Butter London Hardware on my nails, and found the formula to be above-average.

NOTD: Julep Jeanne

Today's NOTD is straight out of the May 2014 Julep Maven box.  I know, a bit of a surprise for me.

Jeanne is a lovely mid-toned baby blue.  I have two coats plus Butter London Hardware on my nails.  For a pastel and for Julep, this formula was well above average.

NOTD: Julep Lizanne

Why yes, I've got a green mani for the NOTD for St. Patrick's Day.  Julep's Lizanne was one of ht polishes in my March 2014 Julep Maven box.

Lizanne appears to be a green creme at first glance, but there's a lot of shimmer visible in the bottle, and if you look very closely at my nails in person (I'm talking within a foot).

This had great coverage- it's almost a one-coater.

I've got 2 coats and Formula X topcoat on my nails here:

Julep Neutrals Sweep Eyeshadow Palette

Although I purchased this item with my December 2013 Julep Maven box, it has been sitting unopened and unused in my bag for months. I guess that shows you all how much I use a neutral eyeshadow palette!

The Julep Neutrals Sweep Eyeshadow Palette is available exclusively at Julep.com, where it's priced at $24 (public)/ $19.20 (Mavens).  It has 5 shades at 0.02oz each.

The palette itself is embossed cardboard. It reminds me of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Bold & Beautiful Kit in terms of the actual palette.

One feature I do like is that the five shades are labeled on the bottom.

However, I'm not impressed by the compact itself.  There is no real closure (it's magnetic), so it's easy for it to open in a handbag.  It doesn't feel expensive, either.
OK, let's take a good look at the shades.

A look with flash:

Now, let's talk colors, from left to right:

Tiramisu is a very yellow-based light shade.  This is the type of shade that normally I would look to as an accent, but it's far too yellow for my pink undertones.

Glow is an old-gold shimmer that applies quite sheer. Again, it's too yellow for me to work well with- but ladies with medium to dark complexions and pronounced yellow undertones are going to work this palette.

Dusk is a red brown sheer shadow. In the pan, it looks to be the mid-tone shade and a rather basic neutral. Swatched, I found it to be one of the more interesting

Toffee is bronzey brown shimmer that is surprisingly sheer.

Cocoa has the most obvious glitter of all eyeshadows.  It's a rich red brown with pronounced gold glitter in the pan. Swatched and on the eye, it read flat and muddy.


Here are a few swatches so you can see the shades I'm struggling to describe.

Outside, without flash:

Outside, with flash:

Inside, without flash:

Inside, with flash:

Overall, I wasn't impressed by the palette. I picked it up just because I purchased the full December 2013 Maven collection.  This palette isn't designed for someone with my skintone; this would work best on someone with medium-to-dark complexion and pronounced yellow undertones. If you don't have yellow undertones, pass on this.

NOTD: Julep Abigail

Today's NOTD is Julep Abigail, from the January 2014 Boudoir Collection.  It's one of two "Silk Finish" polishes released at the same time. Shockingly enough, I really dig the soft, metallic finish of "silk finish"; I normally dislike the special finishes and prefer traditional nails. Per Julep, this is "light peony pink silk", but I think it looks peachy on my hands.

I've got three coats on my nails, but no topcoat (since it's a special finish).  It's exclusively at Julep's website right now.

Quick Look: Julep March 2014

Although I'll inevitably post full manis/NOTDs of all of these polishes, I received my Julep box on Monday and wanted to share it with you.

Unlike prior months, I essentially stuck to my It Girl box this month.  Here are my choices from the March 2014 Riviera Collection:

L-R:

Princess Grace (It Girl), Lizanne (It Girl), Margaret (It Girl), Tania (Bombshell). 

I wanted Rae, the color of the year, as my other add-on, but it sold out too early in the day for someone with a job like me.

I did a quick swatch on a nail wheel with three coats each:

Quick impressions:

Princess Grace- most dupeable, and the color I was least excited about. It's your standard light peachy creme.
Lizanne- beautiful shimmery emerald gree.  Will be perfect for St. Patrick's Day.
Margaret- Blue with a touch of grey creme- my favorite of the bunch.  I'll probably put this on my nails first.
Tania- Beautiful glitter topcoat that I'll play with.

As I mentioned, I'll be doing full manis sometime this month, but I wanted to give you a quick peek at my selections.

Julep Posh Lip Gloss

I'm a bit behind in this review since this came with my November 2013 Julep box. Julep re-launched their lip glosses with November's collection, and I upgraded just to get this gloss.

Today I'll be looking at "Posh," described by Julep as "sheer black honey gloss."  Readers of this blog will know exactly why I was drawn to it with that description.

Julep's gloss has a typical wand:

Now, is it really black honey as I know it?  Only the swatches will tell. The color in the tube is promising.

Inside, no flash

Inside, with flash

Outside

Outside, on my lips

It's a beautiful but sheer gloss. But how does it compare to Clinique's black honey?

Left: Clinique Supergloss in Black Honey
Middle: Julep Posh Gloss
Right: Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

The colors aren't even close- Posh looks very berry compared to the original.

I can't speak to the longevity of Julep's new glosses, but I found Posh to be non-sticky, and could see it wearing for a few hours on me.

Pricing/Availability: $22, via Julep.

NOTD: Julep Autumn

Today is the final NOTD from Julep's November 2013 collection.  Hooray!

Julep Autumn is a glitter topcoat in a shade that I don't have in my collection.

I tried something different on each nail:

Index: 2 coats of Autumn
Middle: 1 coat of Autumn
Ring: 1 coat of Brielle, 1 coat of Autumn (it got lost! I figured it would be a lovely combo)
Pinky: 1 coat Julep Faye, 1 coat Autumn

NOTD: Julep Nic

Today's NOTD is (you guessed it) still from Julep's November 2013 collection.

Nic is described as "black crimson creme."  It's difficult to see the depths of this color.  It's very nice, but I've got many similar shades.

Two coats, no top coat.

NOTD: Julep Lola

Today's NOTD is (you guessed it) part of Julep's November 2013 collection.  Lola is one of the outliers of the collection.  Last month, the outlier was Cleopatra, a latex finish.  This month features Lola, a navy polish with satin finish.

I like it- but I'd have to get used to not wearing a top coat (I'd likely destroy it in one day!).  Swatches are with two coats.