May Julep Unboxing ♡

Julep recently released brow products and I felt obligated to try one out since I'm a brows girl now. I bought the "lock down your brows" Iconic Brow Gel and two nail polishes: Becca and Denise.

| Boho Glam- Becca | $14.00, $11.20 Maven
I picked Becca since I don't own a whole lot of green-based nail polishes. I own more than enough mint/teal colors, but I only have one true green, Essie First Timer, which turns too yellow with my Seche Vite top coat. This color isn't necessarily a "true" green; it does have very small blue shimmer. It kind of reminds me of Ariel's fin which is absolutely exciting for me.

| Bombshell- Denise | $14.00, $11.20 Maven
I don't have a color even close to this electric purple. It's so gorgeous and bright! The swatch picture at the top of this post demonstrates that it turns matte when dry which makes it easy to see when I can apply the next coat.

| Lock Down Your Brows Iconic Brow Gel | $22.00, $17.60 Maven
I've been using my It Cosmetics Brow Power pencil for months now and I'm so in love with it! I, however, have pretty long brow hairs that are necessary for any kind of shape so I have to hold them down. For years I've just used a clear mascara but it wears off quickly so I hoped an actual brow gel would do a better job. I've used this several times and I really like it so far! The brush is very small (think Benefit's Gimme Brow) and is great for accuracy.

Totals:
Full-price: $50
Maven: $40

And there's my little unboxing! Unfortunately I couldn't find Becca and Denise on Julep's website but I'm sure they'll be available soon! I'm sorry this post is a bit late; I've been so busy getting ready to graduate high school! If you want more unboxings, I've written a post on April, March, February, January, December, October, August, and July.

April Julep Maven Unboxing ♡

It feels like it's been years since I've written a blog post! I know it's been less than a month, but April has felt like it's several months long itself. I'm graduating from high school in June and my advanced classes are kickin' my booty right now. 

Complaining aside, I am so excited to be unboxing my April Julep box!

| Addison- It Girl | $14.00, $11.20 Maven

I picked out this babe because I only have one other bright yellow polish and it's a China Glaze color that isn't very opaque. Little did I know, this would only be a little more opaque than Sun Upon My Skin, but it's cooler toned, brighter, and I love the way it looks even though it is a bit more neon than I expected from the pictures.

| Brigitte- Classic with a Twist | $14.00, $11.20 Maven

I don't personally own any good quality solid white cremes so when I saw Brigitte during the Maven reveal, I immediately added her to my box. If you remember Dana from my October unboxing (one of my go-to Julep colors) I've tried out a white Julep polish before and been really impressed and this isn't any different! It's definitely opaque and cool toned, makin' me look tan and springy.

| Oxygen Bonding Base Coat | $18.00, $14.40 Maven

The Orly Bonder Rubberized Base Coat (Sally's is a good deal) is my go-to whenever I paint my nails, which is about twice a week. I've noticed recently, however, that the tips of my nails look a little orange-y yellow tinted and I'm not sure what else it could be besides my trusty Orly Bonder. :( I decided to grab this guy for April since it's almost never available and it's a little spendy for me to try on a whim! I've tested it out once and I think its wear time isn't quite as good as Bonder's but I do like it so far!

Totals:

Full-price: $46.00

Maven: $36.80

If you're hooked on unboxings, I've also posted about my March, February, January, December, October, August, and July boxes!

If you want to sign up for Julep, use this link to get a free $62 value welcome box with a lip gloss and three gorgeous polishes! The link also hooks me up with a $15 credit if you sign up so it's really a win-win. ;)

Thanks for reading! What did you guys get in your April boxes?

xo

March Julep Maven Unboxing ♡

It's Julep unboxing time again! These are some of my favorite posts to write especially since I love me some nail polish. This month I picked out Ali (Boho Glam) and Janet (It Girl) as my main box additions and Harmony (It Girl) as my add-on since I couldn't pass up anything holographic.

| Ali- Boho Glam | $14 ($11.20 Maven)
Ali is a light pastel mint/seafoam with a semi-silk finish. The finish doesn't mean much to me since I always use my Seche Vite top coat, but it does dry to a really nice texture. It looks more minty when it's alone, however it's brighter and more green than any of the other mints I own. The swatch color is the most accurate, however it makes Shelly look almost grey. True-to-color swatches for it are in my January unboxing.

| Janet- It Girl | $14 ($11.20 Maven)

This was the first polish I added to my box for March because who doesn't love peach everything?? I don't have any peach nail polishes, which I'm slightly alarmed with now, and this color is perfect. It's a very soft peach that also has the "soft focus" effect when it's dry. It's a lot lighter than Phyllis, another color from January, that I would've also put in the soft pink family. The difference between the two isn't quite as noticeable, I think the swatch is a little too dramatic. Does "Janet" automatically remind anyone else of the Rocky Horror Picture Show? That's probably part of the reason I love this polish so much.

| Harmony- It Girl | $14 ($11.20 Maven)

I almost didn't pick this one up since I already have Sally Hansen's Pearly Whites, which I thought was similar, but I'm so glad I went for Harmony. It's described as "holographic jagged-cut glitter" which is accurate. One of the main differences between Harmony and Pearly Whites is the color of the glitter. The latter's seems to have some pigmentation and small, circular flecks while Harmony's glitter is completely transparent. I love the way it looks over both Janet and Ali.

Totals:

Non-Maven: $42 

Maven: $33.60 

Those are my three beauts from the Pop collection! I'm slightly disappointed, however. I just noticed Ming was also available for March and it's a jelly so I'm hoping I can add it on for April!

If you'd like to take a shot with Julep's customizable nail polish and makeup subscription, use this link and the promo code "SPRING" to get a metallic, coral, and light pink nail polish with a bonus lip gloss all for free! You can cancel any time so there's no risk of being trapped. 

If you want to read any of my other unboxings, I've also written one for July, August, October, December, January, and February! 

Thanks for reading! xo Hannah

February Julep Maven Unboxing ♡

I'm always thrilled about picking nail polishes and products for my Julep box and I was specifically excited this month. Back in January, Julep posted an Instagram picture (@julepmaven) of a nail polish all Mavens would be receiving in their box and it was gorgeous. I'm all about seasonal nails and free things so I was even more impatient for my box. In addition to the secret surprise nail polish, Hartleigh, I also grabbed Becky, Ada, and the Illume Eye Brightener in Champagne.

| It Girl- Ada | $14.00 ($11.20 with Maven)

It was really more of the description for this that grabbed my attention. "Rhubarb fizzy." How cute is that? It's a very deep pink or fuchsia with white flecks in different sizes, which is obvious in the bottle. From the pictures online I thought it had baby pink flecks but, as the swatches show, it only appears that way since the pink polish lightly covers them. I love the dimension with two coats, it turns into a really deep berry that is so pretty. I hope they release a million more polishes with this "fizzy" effect-- it's gorgeous!

| It Girl- Becky | $14.00 ($11.20 with Maven)

If anything is described as "oil slick" I will almost always buy it. I love this color. It's a deep charcoal-y base with purple and green shimmer, but not the early 2000's frosty way that looks miserable on me. I noticed when I was painting the swatches that it doesn't get streaky and it settles out so there aren't any brush strokes. It's a silk effect polish, which doesn't mean much to me since I always top coat, but the oil slick effect seems less noticeable with the nail polish alone. I tried to show in the swatches that from some angles it looks purple and in others it looks dominantly green.

| Classic with a Twist- Hartleigh | $14.00 ($11.20 with Maven)
I first saw this beauty on Julep's Instagram (@julepmaven) and I was head over heels when I found out it was a free addition to every Julep box in February. I adore when Julep adds free things to their boxes, especially since these gifts are actually pretty common. Online they describe Hartleigh as "holographic heart glitter," which I personally think downplays it a little. Not only does it have red glitter hearts, its base also has holographic microglitter (similar to Nell from my December unboxing) and similar white flecks as in Ada but larger and more hexagonal. I know I'm going to be wearing this year round because I'm obsessed.

| Illume Eye Brightener- Chapagne | $22.00 ($17.60 with Maven)

I don't usually go for Julep's beauty products (even though I know they're amazing) but I saw the before and after pictures on their website and was really impressed! I genetically have darker under eyes and it doesn't really bother me but when I cover them a little, my whole face looks much more awake. I haven't avidly tried to cover them in the past since I also naturally have two or three tiny lines under each of my eyes that easily accentuate with makeup. I picked up the Under Eye Setting Powder from E.l.f. at Target the other day and I'm excited to test these out together!

 
| Heart Decals |
I'm a sucker for decals and I grab them up almost every time they're available. Even though I knew I was getting a heart top coat, I couldn't resist these cuties. They're very small: only about 3mm wide and I love them. I like that both red and white came together since it gives me more options and also just because they're adorable.

| Totals | not including decals
Maven Total: $33.60
Full-Price Total: $42.00

That's my February loot! If you want to see these nail fancies in action, you can follow my Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest which are all @hannahvanhoozle. And, if you wanted to check out my other Julep unboxings, I've done July, August, October, December, and January!
If you want to join julep, sign up here. Use the friend promo code provided for a free red carpet box with three polishes and a liner!
Thanks so much for reading!
xo Hannah
 

January Julep Maven Unboxing ♡

I was very excited about this month's box when I found out that I could get a free "metamorphic top coat." I didn't know what the heck it was but I wanted it. I also picked out the It Girl nail polish "Shelly," Classic With a Twist polish "Phyllis," the Bare Face Cleansing Oil, and the Orbital eyeshadow "Borealis" as an add-on.This post is quite picture heavy (especially of Bjork) so let me know if it's overkill or if you wrists get tired from scrolling.

| Shelly | $11.20 Maven ($14 full price)

Described as a "wintermint creme," this is a slightly dusty mint, especially in comparison to Essie's Mint Candy Apple. I love that it's a little more muted but still bright. Unfortunately that was very hard to photograph, but the side-by-side bottle comparison is most accurate. This was actually a birthday present for my best friend's mom, Shelly, and she was very excited. I have to admit, however, that I'm a little sad that I'm not keeping it for myself!

| Phyllis | $11.20 Maven ($14 full price)

Julep calls this a "soft petal pink creme." It's definitely a soft pink, and, similar to Shelly, it's a little dustier than most of my pink nail polishes which the pictures don't particularly express. The color in the bottle is the most accurate! It's sort of a vintage-y color to me, which I love.

| Bare Face Cleansing Oil | $22.40 Maven ($28.00 full price)

I went a little out of the box with this pick (pun intended) but I tried this once at my sister's and I was totally hooked. First of all, the packaging is perfect as usual. I don't know who designs Julep's packaging, but they know how to do it. I love the pump since it's adorable but specifically because it feels very high quality. The plastic of the pump (and bottle) aren't thin whatsoever and the pump has resistance and isn't chintzy. Although this leaked during shipping, the lid is airtight so it all stayed contained. The smell has an ever-so-slight hint of citrus. I'm anticipating doing a full review of this later!

| Bjork Metamorphic Top Coat | not on the site yet, but likely $11.20 Maven and $14 full price!

This was actually a free bonus! Amelia texted me last month and told me about a magical offer for a free top coat. Obviously I snatched it up immediately, no questions asked. Bjork is a frosty top coat (similar to the Silk Effect top coat from my December unboxing) but shimmers blue, teal, hot pink, orange, and purple. So dang pretty! I'm hoping it's shown accurately in the million pictures I took of it.

| Borealis Orbital Eyeshadow | $14.40 Maven ($18 full price)

My mom picked this eyeshadow out for herself as an add-on and it is so gorgeous. The base is a deep, warm grey but it has a purple, green, and blue microshimmer. The site says it's a "charcoal with peacock pearlescence" which is absolutely spot on.

Totals: (excluding Borealis)

Maven total: $56

Full-price total: $70

That's everything I picked out! I've already worn Bjork twice and Phyllis once.

Do you like the totals at the bottom? I always see people do them with Birchbox (which I previously subscribed to) and I think they're interesting!
Here are my unboxings for December, October, August, and July.

If you want to sign up for Julep, here's a link. Use the friend code provided to get a free red carpet box with three polishes and a liner!

Thank for reading!

xo