Julep Speckled For Spring Mystery Box - Emerson
I hadn't ordered a Julep Mystery Box in a while after having been disappointed with a couple that I got last summer. However, this month with a coupon code that actually worked for me, I only ended up paying $14.99 and I really loved the speckled polishes that came with the boxes, so I went for it and I have to say I'm pretty happy with what I received. I'm feeling pretty lucky when I look at my account and see that they didn't charge the extra $10 to my credit card like they did with some other people. While I definitely didn't get one of the coveted high value boxes, I would definitely say that I definitely got a good box full of products that I'll use. However, I will get to one issue that I have with these boxes at the end.
Keep reading for a closer look.
Glycolic Hand Scrub - 3oz Full Size - Whisk away dirt and oil and reveal noticeably softer and younger looking hands after just one use. You'll be surprised that something so effective smells so good!
I'm actually really glad that I got this product because I do really like it. Whenever I finish taking my nail polish off to do a new manicure, I like to start out by giving my hands a good scrub to get it started. I have a smaller trial size of this and I've really enjoyed using it so this will definitely go to good use.
Luxe Repair Serum - .07oz foil sample - This rejuvenating serum delivers deep hydration and essential nutrients to help rebuild skin structure from the inside out—for a noticeable difference in the way your skin looks and feels.
I am undoubtedly in the minority, but I actually like foil packet samples. Maybe it's my inner hoarder coming out, but I like to have a little collection of things that I can try out when the whim strikes. This will go in the pile and I'm sure I'll eventually try it. I don't feel any kind of urgency about it, but it'll happen. Can I just say, though, that it would have made me SO much happier if Julep had gone hard with this and sent out some full sizes? That would have impressed the hell out of me.
Lip Vernis in Peony - .25oz Full Size - Nude blush creme lip vernis.
I've never tried any of the lip products from Julep, so this was kind of a cool try. It smells really good, I can definitely say that straight away, and I do like the colour. I think this could end up getting tossed in my purse just like other nude glosses for those moments when I'm about to walk in somewhere and I need a quick touchup in the rearview. Also, can I just say that I so really love the packaging on this? It looks very sleek and pretty even though it's just simple plastic.
Forget-Me-Not Seeds
This is literally the most random thing in here... and I gotta admit I kinda love it. I'm actually about to take my black thumb to Youtube and try to learn how to pot these so that maybe I can have some pretty potted flowers in the windowsill. And yes, I really am a nerd.
Now, onto the nail polish...
left to right: Max, Yumi, Emerson, Josephine, Tatiana
Max (IT Girl) - Finish: Special Effect - Black and white graffiti top coat
Okay, truth time... I have three different black and white speckled polishes at home. And I was still excited to get this one. For someone like me who really prefers to wear polishes with a cream finish, something like this is great to just give it a little something on the accent nail or even the whole manicure. So this one is definitely a win.
Yumi (IT Girl or Classic With a Twist) - Finish: Glitter - Pink, silver and holographic glitter.
First of all... The bottle says IT Girl and the website says CWAT, but as far as I'm concerned this one is IT Girl all the way, so we're going to leave it at that. This isn't something that I really feel I'll get much use out of. It's really pretty, don't get me wrong, and could really amp some polishes up, but I'm not sure how often I'll be reaching for it. In fact, will probably give it away.
Emerson (Classic With A Twist) - a spring-inspired powder blue crème with black speckles.
This one I actually kind of want to put on right now. At work. But I won't, because I have to do renovation type things tonight that will involve tearing out drywall and there is no excuse for a brand spanking manicure today. That said, I'm really excited about this and can't wait to try it. It's actually the only thing that convinced me to try this Mystery Box.
Josephine (IT Girl) - Finish: Créme - Deep teal grey crème
I do like this colour, I really do, and I have no doubt that I'll get a lot of wear out of it.... next fall/winter. This is where my problem with this box really begins. This is very specifically a spring themed box - it literally says Spring in the name of it - and this is absolutely not a spring polish. Granted, you absolutely don't have to match your polish to the seasons and some people might think I'm a little crazy for even doing that. But really. This is a SPRING box. Gimme Spring Things!
Again we have the same problem with this one as the last. This is a really, really gorgeous colour for October/November. It is absolutely perfect for fall, but I am 100% certain that I will not be picking this up at all until at least September because even just to look at it, it feels like fall.
Final Thoughts...
Total Value: $114.25 Maven Price $95.00
Considering that this cost me $14.99 with that coupon code, I'd say that I definitely got a good value for my money and, for the most part, I like what I ended up with. From what I can tell online, it seems like a lot of people got this exact same box as I did, which makes me even more vehemently think that they should have rethought those last two colours, but I still can't say that I won't use them next fall/winter when the cold weather returns. All in all, I'll consider doing a mystery box again, for sure.
While we're at it...
With the Julep Maven rules changing come June, I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to stick with it. Granted, I do love the quality of their polishes (for the most part) and I shamefully love how they look on my nail polish shelf above my vanity, I'm just not sure I can justify the expense. So we'll see when the time comes. For now, I'm actually really looking forward to the May box with the much hyped Plié Wand and the super pretty colours I picked from the May Reveal.
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