Tag: Julep
Blue Steel
I call this look…Blue Steel.
Julep “Ida” is described as blue heron matte shimmer, but to me, it’s Blue Steel. This is quite a unique polish. I have load of steel, gunmetal, stone – all sorts of metallic gray polishes – but nothing like this blue/gray metallic polish.
Matte polishes can be pretty hit or miss and Matte Metallic polishes are difficult to work with, but “Ida” was a breeze to apply. This is just two coats over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat.
I feel like I need to find Magnum and Le Tigre polishes, too.
They’re After Me Lucky Charms!
I couldn’t let St. Paddy’s Day pass without a pretty green mani…
I pulled out an oldie, but goody – Julep “Tatum”, neon chartreuse chrome. This is two coats over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat.
I had intended to use the gold clover decals in this month’s Julep box, but I couldn’t figure out how that was supposed to work. The label said ‘nail decals’, but they were on a white card like skin decals…and the instructions said to apply to clean, dry skin. Go home, Julep – you’re drunk!
Instead of the gold clovers, I decided to try out Julep “Desiree”, a high-gloss holographic top coat. I only used it on my ring finger, but you can’t even tell – the chrome effect is too reflective. I need to try it again on a creme polish. I topped with Glisten & Glow Top Coat, but the bottle is getting too old – it is getting to thick to cover smoothly and I got SO many weird bubbles. Good thing I have a fresh bottles stashed…
March 2018 Julep Maven Box – Press Forward
I’ve held back on writing about this box for several days, as I wanted to test out the products for a few days.
March’s “Press Forward” box features a totally new type of product – Pressed Serums. For my box, I chose both the morning serum – you got this Pressed Serum Daily Moisturizer – and the nightly product – dream big Nightly Renewal Pressed Serum with BHA. (In a genius bit of product design, the identical tube tops are marked with a sun and a moon to tell you when to use them.) I’ve been using both serums, in addition to washing my face with love your bare face Detoxifying Cleansing Stick. I have noticed a difference in my skin – softer and smoother after just a few days. I’m having a hard time getting used to applying the products, which is not unlike covering one’s face with a Lady Speedstick.
I couldn’t go polish-less, so I used Jules for one of this month’s polishes – Boho Glam “Ida”, blue heron matte shimmer. I also got a special treat – gold four-leaf clover decals for St. Paddy’s Day. I hope they fare better than the roses!
Not a Julep Maven? Click HERE to join – I’ll get a $15 credit and you’ll get your first box free!
So Fancy
I’m so fancy…but you already know.
I don’t know that my nails have ever grown this long and strong. Prescription vitamins is a helluva drug. (I was prescribed Multigen before my surgery.) I’m starting to get paranoid about how long they are – am I gonna end up in the hospital after wiping my ass?
These golden rose decals did not work out like the other Julep decals I’ve received. Sure, they look amazing from afar, but They decided not to stay flat – they lifted up, even after a thick layer of Glisten & Glow Top Coat. The decal edges became sharp discs of death. One of them flaked off while I was transplanting an Oregano plant, leaving an impression not unlike a wax seal.
Let’s talk about the color though – I used Julep “Norah”, a rusty red shimmer. I am loving this color. This is two coats over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat, then decals and then the top coat.
I’m willing to try the decals again though – maybe over a bright red…for Chinese New Year?
A Martini Built for Two
Julep “Emmy” is an odd polish. Julep describes it as an olive ghost shimmer. (I think ghost shimmer means that you can see it in the bottle, but it disappears on the nails.) This color seems very limiting, but I had some many ideas about the personality it portrays:
- A ‘country girl’, a lady that wants her nails to look their best as she fixes a fence or rounds up the chickens.
- A 90s grunge girl, the olive tone perfectly complementing her flannel shirt.
- A girl who appreciates Military chic.
- One of those girls that gets married in a camouflage wedding dress.
- A city sophisticate that likes her polish like she likes her Martini – smooth and dry.
I am not sure I fall into any of those categories…OK, long ago, maybe the second one. My point is that this polish has multiple personalities and while I thought it annoyed me, it grew on me the longer I wore it – nearly a week. Next time, I’ll add glitter.
This is two coats of “Emmy” over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
BBQ Sauce
Maybe because I’ve lived in Texas so long, but when I look at my nails – all I see is BBQ sauce. Spicy, sparkly, BBQ sauce.
Or maybe I’m just hungry for ribs. Right now, my favorite is the Whataburger Honey BBQ, but my husband just picked up The Jank and it’s a contender.
This is Julep “Pia”, from this month’s Maven box. Julep says it’s a spiced burgundy iridescent shimmer, but I see more of a mahogany.
I started with Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat and then two coats of “Pia”. I admit, it was late when I painted them and my coats were heavy around the edges of my nails. Unfortunately, this led to even heavier edges with Glisten & Glow Top Coat. It was difficult to get clean edges and my nails resemble well-done ribs, with those crispy delicious edges…
February 2018 Julep Maven Box – Eyes For You
Even thought it was just days before my surgery, I got in there and chose my polishes for February.
The new beauty product for February was an eye cream, but I don’t really fuck with eye creams, so I went for all polishes instead. I chose It Girl “Norah” – oxide red shimmer (I thought it was “Laurie” when I saw it in the box – it seems very similar); Wonder Maven “Pia” – spiced burgundy iridescent shimmer (whoa dude); and Boho Glam “Emmy” – olive ghost shimmer (it looks like rose leaves to me). I also got TWO sheets of gold rose decals – TWO! I’m really looking forward to trying all these polishes.
The candy is also back – I got a single milk chocolate heart.
Not a Julep Maven? Click HERE to join – I’ll get a $15 credit and you’ll get your first box free!
Geri
Julep “Geri” is absolutely depressing. I didn’t even know that nail polish could be depressing…but yeah, it sure as fuck can. It’s not ugly depressing, it’s quite beautiful…but it feel like I’m getting ready for a funeral, or even worse – a job interview.
“Geri” is one of the Wonder Maven polishes, named for an inspiring woman…but I couldn’t find anything on Julep’s Blog about a “Geri.” Weird.
“Geri” was thicker than I like in a creme polish – this is two coats over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat and under Glisten Glow Base Coat. I’m gonna try it with glitter next time. Glitter is never depressing.
Milk Chocolate
Even though I know I have to take off all my nail polish and toenail polish tomorrow – for surgery – I had to freshen up my nails last night. I can’t not paint my nails on Friday night. It’s like I have some sort of psychosis.
Julep “Jenn” is a creamy milk chocolate polish. It’s like Willy Wonka’s chocolate river!
This is two coats of “Jenn” over Julep Oxygen Bonding Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Dorothy, DUH
If I was one of the Golden Girls, I would OBVIOUSLY be Dorothy. I have the fierce wit and I have the height. The only thing I don’t have is a sketchy ex-husband with a dumb mustache. (Don’t worry, honey – that’s isn’t a hint.)
Fresh Paint “Dorothy” is a fierce metallic pink. At first, I thought it was a dupe of Zoya “Bobbi”, but “Bobbie” is darker and brighter. Phew, I didn’t end up with a dupe. I’d almost call “Dorothy” a rose gold, but it’s more like a rose silver. Is rose silver even a real thing?
I started with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat, then painted two coats of “Dorothy”. I topped with Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
I fixed the cuticles on my thumb and index finger with Julep Vanish! They look so much better now – color me relieved.