Tag: Julep

 
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Go Seahawks!

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It’s not that I give a shit about the Super Bowl. I don’t. I don’t give a shit who wins – the Seahawks just have better team colors! Oh, and Tom Brady is a douche.

I started with Revlon Quick Dry Base Coat (trying to finish the bottle). On my thumb, I did two coats of Julep “Michelle”. Can you see the bubbles? Someday I will find a quick dry top coat that doesn’t make Julep polishes bubble. On my index finger, I did a coat of Zoya “Remy” and a coat of Sally Hansen Crackle “Sage Smash”. On my middle finger, I did two coats of Julep “Serena” – Sapphire for September. On my ring finger, I did a coat of Julep “Michelle” and a coat of Sally Hansen Crackle “Sage Smash”. On my pinky, I did two coats of Butter London “Dosh”. I finished them all with a coat of Sally Hansen Diamond Flash.

Looking forward to eating junk food and watching commercials. Hopefully, Katy Perry will have a wardrobe malfunction and my son will run out of the room screaming. He doesn’t like boobies yet.

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Déjà vu

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Imagine that – wearing a birthstone polish in the correct month!

With all the polishes I have, I guess I shouldn’t repeat – but I just had to break out Julep “Betty” – Garnet for January again. Here’s what it looked like the first time…

This time, I used Revlon Quick Dry Base Coat – gotta have my nails last longer than 24 hours. I can’t believe how far I’ve come in the last year – base coats, top coats, nail art. I never would have tried that stuff before I started this site!

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Neither Fast, Nor Furious

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So I decided to humor my husband and do the muscle car manicure that he asked me for. He wanted me to do one in green, with matte black racing stripes.

I decided to have little fun with different designs. I started with Revlon Quick Dry Base Coat. On my thumb, I did two coats of Julep “Tatum”, one coat of Sally Hansen Diamond Flash (to make it dry quicker), then two strips of nail striping tape and then a single coat of Zoya “Dovima”. This wasn’t the best idea – it crinkled a little bit. On my other thumb, I did a single coat of “Tatum”, then “Dovima” and it worked a lot better. On my index finger, I just did two coats of “Tatum” and a coat of Diamond Flash. On my middle finger, I did two coats of “Dovima” and a single coat of Sally Hansen Crackle “Sage Smash” – no top coat. On my ring finger, I did two coats of “Dovima”, striping tape and a single coat of “Tatum” – no top coat. On my pinky, I did two coats of “Tatum” and a single coat of Butter London “Dosh” – no top coat.

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This is not my husband’s car – but this is about what it should look like when it’s done. Right now, it’s a sickly shade of piss test yellow.

It’s a 1975 Dodge Dart Swinger. He originally said neon green, but I am pushing him towards this more sparkly Kermit green. There’s no way I’ll get another pink car, but Kermit green is the next best thing!

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Big Citrine Taxi

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I’m not a big fan of Joni Mitchell…but I sure am a fan of Julep “Joni” – Citrine for November!

The picture (hastily taken earlier today, in the last dying light filtering into my office parking garage) doesn’t do it justice. Along with the gold flecks in the citrine shimmer, there are also flashes of pink. PINK!

I used Revlon Quick Dry Base Coat, but I didn’t use a top coat – I wanted to feel the texture. I was expecting a sandy texture like “Claudia”, but it was smoothly pebbled.

Coincidentally, “Joni” is what I expected NYC “Fashion Queen” to look like.

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I’m a Pepper!

Don’t you want to be a Pepper, too?

Julep “Maryam” (from this month’s “Chrysalis Collection”) looks like a Dr. Pepper Can. Julep may say its dark merlot shimmer, but I don’t drink merlot. Actually, I don’t drink Dr. Pepper either – it’s too sickly sweet for me. I actually steer clear of any dark maroon liquids. Ever since that incident with the Grape Mad Dog 20/20 in High School…blech.

You’ll notice that my thumb and ring finger are more mauve – I used Julep “Tilda” Metamorphic Top Coat on those nails. The result was very subtle – just a little lighter and more purpley. I’m thinking it will look good over blues.

Someday, I’ll actually find a quick dry top coat that plays nice with Julep polishes. Orly Bonder works with no issues, but Sally Diamond Flash seems to create bubbles no matter what. Grrrr…

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January Julep Maven Box – The Chrysalis Collection

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If Julep hadn’t given us the option of customizing our boxes, I probably would have quit by now. This last month, they added even more options to the boxes – they offer items from previous months now!

January starts anew with “The Chrysalis Collection”. Julep Luxe Lip Treatment is new this month – it’s a sheer, cooling lip tint. I chose “Sheer Fig”. I also chose one of their new shades of Gel Eye Glider – “Olive”. I picked one polish – Classic with a Twist “Maryam”dark merlot shimmer. As a bonus, I received “Tyra” Metamorphic Top Coat – every one got one of the their three new top coats…the others are “Tilda” and “Bjork”. There was also a little box of Junior Mints…I already ate them. My mom loved Junior Mints. I can’t eat them without thinking of how that’s what she would always buy when we went to the movies…

This is one of the best boxes so far!

Not a Julep Maven? CLICK HERE to join! Get a FREE Snow Day Welcome Box with code HIFRIEND!

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Can’t…Stop…Looking

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I can’t stop looking at this polish. It’s just so shiny.

I’m a few months late – this is Julep “Julie” – Pink Tourmaline for October. It’s named for Mary Poppins herself – Julie Andrews. It wasn’t the consistency I expected. It’s textured, but not the fine texture of Julep’s other microglitters. “Julie” has a thicker, metallic base. It also has huge pink shards and tiny holographic rainbow glitters. I can’t stop looking…

I used Orly Bonder for the base coat and no top coat – I wanted to feel the magic.

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New Year’s Eve Fireworks

My son demanded that I do fireworks on my nails for New Year’s Eve. I couldn’t leave him disappointed.

After Sinful Colors Base Coat, I started with 2 coats of Sinful Colors “Starry Night” for the night sky. I made the fireworks with a few quick swipes with one of my dotting tools. I chose my shimmeriest shimmer polishes for the fireworks: Nicole by OPI “On A Gilt Trip” (this one has been seeing a lot of action lately), Zoya “Bobbi”, Julep “Dahlia”, Zoya “Cassedy” and Julep “Tin Man”. Sally Hansen Diamond Flash made my nails super shiny.

Logan was very proud of my nails and was sure to tell everyone last night that he was my inspiration. Love that kid!

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Xmas Tree Nail Art

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Finally! I finally ventured into the world of nail art…

I decided to start with simple Xmas trees. After Orly Bonder, I started with one coat of Nicole by OPI “On a Gilt Trip”. I then used my largest dotting tool to create trees with Julep “Priscilla” – Emerald for May. I used a smaller dotting tool to create ornaments with Julep “Oscar” and Funky Fingers “Red Ryder”. I painted a thin layer of Sally Hansen Diamond Flash over JUST the trees to maintain the matte finish of “On a Gilt Trip”.

It didn’t take nearly as long as I thought it would…just 30 minutes or so. They’re not perfect, but they’re pretty darn cute if I do say so myself.

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A Julep Gift…for Myself

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A few weeks ago, Julep was doing daily specials and one day, they had a gift box with any three polishes for $19.99. That’s a great deal…but the 30% off coupon code in my last Julep Box made it even better – $13.99 for 3 polishes.

I got “Serena” – Sapphire for September, “Julie” – Pink Tourmaline for October, and “Joni” – Citrine for November.

I am trying to finish off the Birthstone Collection, but the site is totally sold out of “Savannah” – Topaz for December. I hope it comes back soon…