Tag: Julep
Vivid Sheers
I couldn’t wait to dig into my new Julep polishes this month’s “Brights + White” Collection.
I decided to experiment…after busting open my new Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat, I did two coats of Julep “Brigitte” on my thumbs and pinkies. I used my dotting tool to dot “Brigitte” on my index and pointer fingers. I left my middle finger as is. I then layered Julep “Ari” and “Delaney”, overlapping to create purple in the middle. After the first coats, I did more dots on my index and ring fingers, also adding some on my pinkie. Then another coat of “Ari” and “Delaney”. I finished with “HK Girl”.
The white did make the sheers pop, but that was just too much polish for my my nails. It was so thick that is became like dried acrylic paint – peeling up at the edges, as you can see on my pinky. I also didn’t paint my nails very neatly, which exacerbated the peeling. Lessons learned.
I couldn’t stand it anymore – I had to take it off and try something else.
This time, I decided to do a simple pond mani with Julep “Gigi”. I didn’t start with white base, just Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat. I did “Brigitte” dots, then “Gigi”, then dots, then “Gigi”. In retrospect, I might have done one more set – the dots on my thumb and middle finger are bit too aligned and should be more random. Again, I finished with “HK Girl”.
I really like the way these turned out – nice and summery.
I am craving a dreamsicle SO BAD right now!
April Julep Maven Box – Brights + White
Julep’s April collection is very, very interesting – “Brights + White”, a collection of vivid sheer polishes, meant to be layered.
This month’s beauty product is Love Your Bare Face Cleansing Stick. It’s like a stick of deodorant, but oils and enzymes to clean your face. I also got the Kaolin Clay Konjac Sponge (it even came with a little suction hook to hang it to dry – LOVE that) to go with it. I tried it last night – it was weird, but my face felt very clean and impossibly smooth after using them.
I couldn’t pick just one of the vivd sheer polishes, so in addition to It Girl “Ari” – extreme fuchsia vivid sheer, I got It Girl “Delaney” – blue atoll vivid sheer – and Boho Glam “Gigi” – zesty mandarin vivid sheer. The collection came with Classic with a Twist “Brigitte” – bright white creme – to use under the sheers to make them pop. I used more jules and also added Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat – I was out! Since I added three products, I got a free bonus – Classic with a Twist “Lulu” – wisteria mist soft focus (demi-matte).
My only complaint was the candy in the box. Sour Apple Air Heads. I HATE Sour Apple ANYTHING and Air Heads are asking for a visit to the dentist.
Not a Julep Maven? Click HERE to join – I’ll get a $15 credit and you’ll get your first box free!
Rhymes with Delores
I am so in love with Julep “Delores”.
“Delores” – iris linear liquid holographic – is the perfect cool purple. I cannot believe how smoothly the formula went over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat. It was full coverage in one coat, but I did two to make sure the color popped. It dried somewhat matte, to my surprise. I finished with “HK Girl” and WOW! It is ridiculously shiny.
You got any more of those holographic polishes? More, more, more!
Model Perfect
Oh yassss…this is so much better!
Julep “Abby” – honey almond sheer creme – is model perfect. Seriously – I feel like a Victoria’s Secret model. It’s a barely there polish – almost like nothing at all. This is two coats over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat. It was very subtle at one coat, but I did two to cover up any discoloration. It’s shiny by itself, but I added “HK Girl” for more.
Can you tell that I managed to get a cat hair sealed into the polish on my middle finger. Our new kitten, Merkin, leaves her little black hairs EVERYWHERE. I managed to pry it out and repair it….phew!
Green Week!
It’s green week! Not like saving the earth or hugging trees…St. Patrick’s Day!
I started with Julep “Cecile”, Caribbean breeze holographic jelly. It’s more of a teal than green, but whatever. It went on like a dream over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat. This is two thin coats with “HK Girl”.
Now, it did wear around the edges – like immediately. Actually, I think it was shrinkage first – it pulled away from the sides of my nails, too. And it didn’t drag or dent…but I managed to gouge it pretty seriously within 24 hours – switching around ethernet cables to fix my TV stuff after a lightning strike. Yeah, l like to walk on the wild side…
Take to the Sky
I’ve done pink and green within the last week, so I decided to try my new blue – Julep “Skylar” – first.
My husband says it’s silver, but it’s clearly blue, right? RIGHT?
“Skylar”, harbor blue chrome, is one of the smoothest chromes I’ve ever applied. Of course, there were streaks and lines in the polish, but not nearly as bad as the others I’ve used. Even though I started with Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat, there were a few pinprick bubbles – I don’t think there’s any way to avoid those bubbles in a chrome. I finished with “HK Girl” for extra shine and protection.
March Julep Maven Box – Lighten Up
March’s theme is “Lighten Up” – I’m guessing a nod to switching to spring pastels and not a demand to lighten one’s mood?
I didn’t feel like yet more blue eyeliner, so I chose all polish this month. I immediately grabbed one of their new holographic jellies – It Girl “Cecile”, Caribbean breeze holographic jelly. Then I grabbed It Girl “Skylar”, harbor blue chrome. I had a hard time picking the last one…but finally settled on Classic with a Twist “Abby”, honey almond sheer creme – it *might* be the perfect pinky nude? We shall see…
I wonder if I have a friend with a daughter named “Cecile”? I’ve got friends with an “Abby” and a “Skylar”…Which one will I try out first?
Oh…and a cherry Blow Pop. Ick.
Not a Julep Maven? Click HERE to join – I’ll get a $15 credit and you’ll get your first box free!
She’s Gonna Kill Me, Oh Celeste
Julep “Celeste” lives up to it’s name – it’s a real Timebomb. She’s gonna kill me and I don’t mean softly.
Julep describes “Celeste” as cosmic gray iridescent glitter, but it comes across as really dense purple/green flakies. It’s absolutely celestial., like looking into a faraway galaxy.
After starting with Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat, I did two coats of “Celeste”, which was tricky – it’s super goopy. As long as you keep the brush from getting gooped up, it applies smoothly. “HK Girl” finished the job.
Go Broncos?
Obviously, the Broncos won because of my nails. Obviously.
I was happy to have a reason to use my “Horses” Jamberry Wraps – so I chose orange and blue to go with them. The orange is Julep “Mariska” and the blue is Sinful Colors “Endless Blue”. To jazz them up, I used essie Luxeffects “Set in Stones” and “Summit of Style” – but honestly, I can’t tell which is which. I used Sinful Colors Base Coat and “HK Girl” to start and finish my nails.
Birthday Nails
I was agonizing over what polish I should pick for my [40th!] birthday nails…until I got this month’s Julep box…then I knew.
Julep “Rosie” is charcoal grey with magenta glitter…and I LOVE it. It’s reminiscent of Zoya “Noir”, but in a smooth glitter formula. After Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat, I laid down two coats of “Rosie”. On the first coat, I noticed immediate shrinkage around the edges of my nails. Sigh. I made sure and coated the tips well on the second coat, but the polish still drew away from the edges of my fingernails, leaving a sliver of white fingernail at each tip. Le sigh. I sealed it with “HK Girl” and hoped for the best.
I had a very pleasant [40th!] birthday…work was low key, got my Tieks, had a lovely raw ribeye with the family, and didn’t find any new wrinkles or have hot flashes. Life is rosy…er, Rosie.