May 2014 Julep Maven Review – “Fresh Twist” + Free Box Code

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Julep
Cost: $24.99/month (My Maven) / $39.99 (Maven Luxe)
Ships To: United States, United States Minor Outlying Islands, and Canada.
May 2014 Julep Maven Review
May 2014 Julep Maven Review

Ahh, my May 2014 Julep Maven box is here!  This month’s box was a bit delayed for me and, of course, it was one of the boxes I was most anticipating!

If you aren’t familiar, Julep is a monthly nail polish subscription service.  They have recently switched a few things up and are now offering a “My Maven” box for $24.99/month which contains $40+ worth of product and polish or “Maven Luxe” for $39.99/month which contains $60+ of prestige products.  Both boxes are fully customizable and you have the option to switch between tiers.  Subscribers prior to 4/29/14 are grandfathered in at the $19.99/month rate, however, they will need to upgrade if they want to customize their boxes.

May 2014 Julep Maven Review
The Box

Julep ships via USPS First Class Mail.  As I mentioned earlier, my box was a little later than normal this month.   I got an e-mail about it last week, but it didn’t say why it was delayed.  I ordered some add-ons this month as well, but they weren’t in here so I can only assume they are shipping separate?

May 2014 Julep Maven Review
First Look

I had no idea what style profile I had selected this month, so I didn’t know what colors I had coming.   All I knew was that I was getting the Plié Wand!

May 2014 Julep Maven Review
The Information Card

The May 2014 Julep Maven Collection was called “Fresh Twist”.  It featured nine new polish colors , the much anticipated Plié Wand and a hand scrub. I opted for the “Bombshell” collection this month which included the following:

~Julep Laree ($11.20 / $14): Laree is a golden pink taffeta shimmer and is totally gorgeous. It could be my favorite pink ever from Julep? It’s shimmery and not just pink, but it has an orangish look to it as well. I always do two coats, but I could probably get away with one with this. However, things look smoother if I do two.

May 2014 Julep Maven Review
Julep Laree (Bombshell)

~Julep Saaya ($11.20 / $14): Saaya is a golden apricot shimmer. It reminds me of a shimmery creamsicle.  In a good way.

May 2014 Julep Maven Review
Julep Saaya (Bombshell)

~Julep Plié Wand ($20 / $25):  Ahh, the Plié Wand (which until yesterday I thought was the “Pile” Wand)!  The box has everything you need to paint your nails with a Julep (or whatever kind I guess) polish, while the other package has a precision brush.  I was so clueless on how this thing worked until I actually got my hands on it.  I think it was because it has a brush and all the polishes already have a brush.  Not too sure, but I was confused. So anyway, you don’t need to use the brush (the one in the box) if you don’t want too.  You can take that outer cap off your polish (pull it straight up) leaving just that small round cap on. Them you take the brush part off the Plié Wand (it’s all magnetic) and stick the and on top of that small cap on your polish.  Unscrew your cap like normal and boom, you are using it!  And it totally works.  My nails didn’t look like a professional did them, but they looked like a professional version of me did them! I didn’t have time to let them dry (which is my entire nail polish problem) so I took the polish off after I tested it, but I am so going to pain them again with the wand when I have a few more minutes!

May 2014 Julep Maven Review
Julep Plié Wand

As I mentioned, the Plié Wand also includes an a brush so you can use it with another type (types) of polish if you want.  I didn’t try this yet because I didn’t feel like cleaning the brush when I was done.  I will probably use it with a different polish for special events or something, but not on a regular basis just for the cleaning reason!

May 2014 Julep Maven Review
All put together.

All totaled I came up with a value of $42.40 (or $53 using non-Maven pricing) for the May “Bombshell” Julep Maven collection.  I couldn’t have been happier with this month and I think that now that I actually have the Plié Wand and “get it”, I am much much happier with it than I thought I would be.  It just sounded so confusing (and it is at first), but once you can play around with the caps your self I think it really helps.

Did you get Julep this month?  What collection did you get? And what did you think of the Pile Wand???? As always, if you are interested in subscribing to Julep, click here and use the coupon code “FREEBOX” to get your first box for $4.99 (you pay only the shipping).

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Jennifer

Jennifer is the author and founder of Subscription Box Ramblings. She first discovered subscription boxes in 2012 and has been addicted since. Current favorites include CAUSEBOX, Boxycharm and Beachly!

This Post Has 38 Comments

  1. Elizabeth

    I went with the Core Classics box this month – Freedom top coat, quick dry drops, cuticle remover and cuticle oil. I’m so excited to try the quick dry drops!

  2. Beth

    I got bohemian, then quit my subscription since I was only going to get the free box last month, and accidentally forgot to unsubscribe. However, I was happy to get the new wand, but I still need to try it sometime.

    1. Jennifer

      Oh it was probably better you didn’t cancel!

  3. Jenny

    I got the same box. I’m ready to do my nails but just haven’t had the time yet. I loved the colors this month and I want to try the new wand.

    1. Jennifer

      I just need more time for them to dry!

  4. lisa D

    Yeah mad my box shipped April 28 and we still have no movement ugh!!!!!!

    1. Jennifer

      Surry up!!!

  5. Malia

    So cool! I’m dying to get mine, but it’s delayed for some reason. I got my add-ons separately last week and I’m still waiting for my box. I got a shipping code but it’s like stalled in WA. Anyways, yours looks awesome. Will you post pics of your manicure or your thoughts after having used it a few times? I didn’t know you could try it with other polishes too, that would be handy!

    1. Jennifer

      Yeah, once I do them and dry them I will post. I should do without the wand first and then with the wand so you can see the difference. I’d be curious to see that too.

  6. Cheryl

    I forget which style I chose this month because I added-on polishes too, but I also got Laree. Such a pretty pink and unlike anything else I own!

    1. Jennifer

      It is SUCH a pretty color!

  7. Cheryl D.

    Hi. I got the pile wand too. It worked really well while painting with the dominant hand. Like Jennifer, it was a more professional version of me but still not as good as if it was done at a salon. I don’t think I had the right bend on the wand for my non-dominant hand. I think I may just buy more overcaps because I feel funny throwing out all my old brushes!

    1. Cheryl D.

      Plie wand! Silly autocorrect! 🙂

    2. Jennifer

      Yeah, I bet the more I used it, the better it will look!

  8. Shawn

    I’m drowning in polish here, and frankly couldn’t imagine how that wand thingy was going to work. I ended up going with the core box with Rock Star hand cream and the Brilliance Glycolic hand scrub. Have you tried the hand scrub before? It is pretty amazing stuff!

    1. Jennifer

      No, I seriously could not figure that wand thing out when they talked about it. I was like why is this so confusing!

      I believe I have tried that!

  9. Chris

    I got the same box! I also got extras this month and got my box and was like “uhhh, last time my extras came with my box.” Luckily before I contact customer support I had another tracking number in my box–which I assumed correctly to be my extras. I got some items I wasn’t expecting though…not sure what to do about that o_O I’m going to login to my account and see if they charged me for them…*sigh*

    1. Jennifer

      My add-ons usually come in it as well! I got a tracking for those today though. What did you get that you weren’t expecting?

      1. Chris

        I got two Bare Face Cleaning oils. I never selected them, and I checked–they didn’t charge me for them. O_o; Not really sure what to do. ALSO. My Birchbox sweeps FINALLY arrives today. I changed my address the day it shipped so I had to wait 2 extra days for it to be re-routed—sooo stoked!!

        1. Jennifer

          That is so odd! They will probably tell you to keep them!

  10. Elyse

    I am disappointed that they aren’t just converting to the magnetic caps for all future polishes. The switching/cleaning the brushes is kind of a hassle.

    1. Jennifer

      Do you think it’s because they want to keep the swatch me? Or maybe those caps just cost a lot more to produce? It would be a total paint if you wanted to use two colors and only had one wand.

      1. Elyse

        Duh! The extra cap lets you pull off the swatch me and pop the magnetic one on! I retract my previous complaint lol

  11. Shannon

    No fun little surprise this month? No taffy or hair clips? Boo…

    1. Jennifer

      Nope! Not in mine. I was wondering if anyone else got anything and it was just missing in mine??

  12. terri s

    I wanted to tell you I used the same ombre hairkit you tried and it worked for me. Did you buy the same color kit the second time you tried it?

    1. Jennifer

      Yep. Do you think I should have bought a different kind? How did you like your??

  13. Cristina

    I tried the plie wand out last night! I painted base coat of Ramona and then put polka dots of pink, blue, yellow, and purple with the dotting tool! I just can’t seem to get Julep polish to go on very smoothly. What am I doing wrong!! (and weirdly, using the wand my right hand looks better then my left, and I’m right handed!)

    1. Jennifer

      It might be the formula of that color?? Sometimes I get one that’s too thick!

  14. Lana

    Still haven’t heard anything about shipping on my box. Sigh. I’m excited to see mine!

    1. Jennifer

      Did you get the e-mail that it would be delayed?

  15. Lana

    I did not 🙁 I emailed them twice, but received no response. I feel like I have the worst luck with julep customer service.

    1. Jennifer

      That is so weird! I had to call them about something once. It took a minute, but they helped me.

  16. Kendra

    Just a heads up keep nail polish remover away from the wand and caps! I made this mistake and the acetone free nail polish remover ate through the wand and it now smells like horrible toxic plastic and it’s bumpy :/

    1. Jennifer

      Thank you for the warning! That sucks!

  17. Angelica

    I feel a bit better knowing that I am not the only one who hasn’t gotten there box yet. The money was taken out but I havent even gotten a shipped email.

    1. Jennifer

      Your julep hasn’t come yet??

    2. Amber

      I still haven’t received my box either! It’s been stalled in St. Paul for 7 days. Neither USPS or Julep can explain this, or help me.

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