April Julep Maven Intro Box

I am SO weak!  I signed up for Julep Maven.  SIGH.  Actually, I can't complain because I only paid $0.01 for this first box (thank goodness for coupon codes!).  

Julep Maven is another subscription box that is available to Canadians but based out of the United States.  For those interested, it looks like they ship out of Seattle, Washington.  For $19.99 a month, which includes shipping and handling charges, you will get anywhere between 4-5 manicure and pedicure items.  You will be able to preview your box and change your style (and box) and add on extras the 20th of every month and boxes ship on the 27th of each month.  You can also skip a month for free.  Julep products are also supposed to be formaldehyde, DBP, toluene, paraben and sodium laurel sulfate free.

After taking the style quiz, I'm Classic with a Twist.  BUT, you can change your boxes if you don't like what is included with that box.  To make things even more tempting, you can also purchase the previous month's box of whatever style that interests you.  For example, for the month March, say I decided that I really liked the Classic with a Twist box, but I also really liked the Boho Glam.  Well, I can keep my Classic with a Twist and when all the boxes have shipped, I can purchase the Boho Glam box approximately a week after from the Maven Boutique.  These boxes are only available for about two weeks after they are released.  Alternatively, you can "add on" to your current box.  Julep will have the individual items in the other boxes available for add on around the same time you are picking your box for the month.  The only limitation is that you are restricted to only adding on two items.  The item prices range from $4.99 - $9.99, though I'm guessing it really depends on the product, it could be more expensive.  I really like this concept and the ability to preview the products in your box.  Once in a while, they also offer mystery boxes.  I think that these boxes are released per season or special holiday.  These are pricier - weighing in at $60 for the box and is available in limited quantities.  You are supposed to receive approximately $200 worth of goodies.

In my intro box (this looks like a standard box that everyone of that particular style receives) contained two polishes, nail file and "great big thing of hand treatment".  I'm not a big fan of doing hand treatments, but I guess that I'm going to have to start (or keep it for a giveaway when I hit 50 followers!).  I received a full sized "facial for hands" - glycolic hand scrub.  It has an unique double-exfoliating action of glycol acid and apricot seeds that leaves you with noticeably softer and younger looking hands after just one use.

 

The two nail colours that I received were "Kelly" and "Anne". "Kelly" is a light blushed white creme polish that goes on quite sheer and a little too pale for me.  I like it, but just not suitable.  Either be white or be light pink!  "Anne" on the other hand is a bombshell.  Unfortunately, my camera does not capture how beautiful this shade is.  Julep describes it as an ultra saturated violet.  Yes. Yes, it is.  It's gorgeous and opaque but you'll still need two coats.  Without a top coat, it dries to a matte finish and once you add the top coat, it takes on this vibrant shine that just adds that much more to the shade. 

One thing that I do have to say is that the shipping kind of sucked.  No, really, it sucked for me.  It shipped via USPS and there was a tracking number, but it stopped working once the item crossed the border.  Well, no, that's a lie. It just didn't work.  It was stuck at "pre-shipment information received". So I never knew where my package was at (it also took about two weeks to reach me)...which really worried me because my shipping email was strange - it had Chinese characters!  Even though I'm Chinese, it doesn't mean I can read it!  And there was definitely NO WAY that Julep knew I was Chinese!  :P I seriously thought that it was a virus!  I'm hoping that my next box will be different. 


Intro Box Rating : 3 out of 5 stars.


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