The Pros and Cons of the Julelp Maven Program

This is a post that I've been wanting to write for a while. Recently I talked to some people on twitter about Julep and their Julep Maven program. After having these conversations, @JulepMaven unfollowed me. Do you think they were offended? Probably. Best way to stay popular on twitter? Don't talk bad about the people who follow you. But as a blogger, I'm not here to be popular. I'm here to speak my mind.

  

What prompted me to write this? Well, I forgot to skip my box last month...and the month before. You would think that I would learn. I'm just so busy with school and life. It's no excuse but it was still frustrating. I immediately called up Julep and cancelled my subscription after having a discussion with the customer service representative. I realized it was the best decision for me. I might sign up again when money is not so tight but for now I'm content to look at what others are receiving in their boxes. I think it's an amazing program. I'm rooting for this brand because I do believe that they have amazing products. I just can't afford them at the moment every month.

       PROS

• It is a company based locally here in Seattle! [this might be a pro to only me and other Seattleites]


• It is exciting to get a package of goodies each month! This is why monthly subscription programs are so popular.


• Most of the colors are truly beautiful. I have only had two polishes that I found disappointing. In case you were wondering those polishes were Sofia [don't buy this one!] and Gayle [the color was lovely but a bit thick and gloopy].


• Shipping is included in the price of the box.


• If you don't like the box recommended, you can simply switch to whichever box you feel fits your style online before they ship. This also means that the element of surprise is taken away. You know what you are getting, so, in theory, you are less likely to be disappointed.


• The shipping is quick and the boxes are packaged beautifully. I especially appreciated the recent Easter themed box I received. So cute!


• The packaging of the polishes is sleek, polished, and timeless.


• One dollar from every nail polish sold is donated to "organizations that empower women". That quote was taken from the Julep website. It is a bit vague. It would be cooler to know what these organizations are. Plus, I'm not certain if this policy applies to Maven Boxes.


• It is a small business trying to compete with much larger brands.  

        CONS

• You can't cancel online. You have to call a number to cancel your account.


• 
  To skip a month, the skipping period is only a few days long. From the 20th to the 24th, if you do not wish to be charged. It is an odd time in the month and I wish it were for a longer period. Or like Birchbox where you can buy months without having to skip them. It is just a hassle.
  
  


• 
  If you wish to return your Julep Maven box [either you weren't pleased with the products or you forgot to skip the month] you have to pay a $4.95 re-stocking fee. The other option is to receive store credit and no re-stocking fee will be charged. Can't I just get my money back? Especially since the skipping month process seems to be set up in hopes that people will forget.
  
  


• 
  It is difficult [possibly impossible] to see the monthly boxes without an account.
  
  


• 
  The website can be a bit glitchy.
  
  


• 
  As of right now, Julep polishes are only available online or in Julep parlors. This makes it difficult to accurately judge the colors in person. But they will soon become available in certain Sephora stores.
  
  


• 
  It is a small business trying to compete with much larger brands.
     
  
  

And that is the end of my pros and cons list. I know that there have been a bit of talk on the Internet about problems with the referral program but none of that was relevant to me. I also know that Julep is a growing company and I am rooting for this underdog. I cannot, with good conscious, blindly recommend this program to everyone. It isn't for everyone. But I think it is important to present my readers with the pros and cons, thus allowing them to make their own decisions. I will continue to add pros and cons as I discover them in the future. 

   

I think in the end that Julep is a small business and there are bound to be problems. Most of my frustration with Julep stems from my forgetfulness with skipping boxes. But I feel that the system is set up to capitalize on my forgetfulness and others like me. It seems a little shady. That is my biggest frustration. Are you a Julep Maven? Do you think the pros outweigh the cons? Tell me below!

Julep "Brooke" Swatch + Review

three coats, natural light 

I got this color courtesy of Julep in my March It Girl Maven Box. I think this color is stunning. It is a top coat and I think it would be almost impossible to get a completely opaque coat with this polish. I tried to take pictures that captured how truly beautiful this color is in person. If you look at the polish in the bottle, I think it can give you a better idea of what the color looks like.

  

I was a bit sceptical of this polish because I really disliked Sofia--a shimmery, green top coat. Sofia was thick and goopy. It dried with a matte finished and didn't very apply evenly. I was apprehensive but this polish impressed me. I think that this is my favorite Julep color for spring or summer. It adds a subtle twinkle to any nail polish. I know the photo above is a little out of focus but I was finding it difficult to take a picture that captured the shimmer and sparkle. Also, in case you are worried about difficult removal--I found that it was relatively easy to remove. For a shimmer polish. Sigh. It is so pretty. I can't say that enough.


     

FTC: This product was sent to me for review

Julep "Catherine" Swatch + Review

two coats, natural light

This was my first time ever wearing a Julep polish and I have to say that I'm impressed. In my opinion this is a fantastic, winter red. The consistency was great. Not gloopy or hard to work with. The only problem I had with this polish was because the brush is so long [it is very similar to a lip gloss wand] the polish would run down the stem of the brush and make it difficult to paint my nails. It was a bit of a hassle but I just had to take the time to wipe off and carefully wipe off any and all excess polish on the brush. After I did that I didn't have any problems. I received this polish in my December Julep Maven box but due the insanity that was my winter quarter, I'm only now getting around to posting about it. But it was a great winter/fall red. Alongside the ranks of OPI's Bogatta Blackberry. Now that it is spring, I find myself no reaching for it as often but it will still be there in my collection once the weather begins to cool.
  

One thing I must say, I adore Julep packaging. I think it is timeless and classic. But I do hate that it comes with so much less product than an OPI or Essie polish but it is more expensive. I sometimes find it hard to justify buying Julep polishes. They are definitely a splurge.

 

Here's a closer look at the color of the polish. I have no complaints about this polish at all. It has a glossy finish and even my father--who hates nail polish--complimented this color. And that's saying a lot. Currently Julep is available online but I have heard rumors that it will soon be available in Sephora. I'm going to cross my fingers. I mentioned the Julep Maven program earlier in this post. If you are more curious about that I've done a more in depth blog about that here. Also, here is a link to purchase Catherine on the Julep site.

   

Have you ever tried any Julep products? Please tell me about your experience below!

Julep Maven March Bombshell Box

 I just recieved my second Julep Maven Box in the mail two days ago. Julep Maven is a monthly subscription box, in a similar vein of Jewelmint. Each month Julep will create a box of at least two nail polishes that they believe will fit your style. If you don't like the colors than you can pick another box or skip a month. Julep is a company based right here in Seattle! Whoot.

The box came with two shades. Sofia [described as  a sheer spring green with a flash of aqua sparkle glitter] and Natasha [a vibrant orange creme]. The green color is really, really, really sheer. It would take five or six coats to make it opaque. It is more of a top coat than an actual polish color. It also came with a bottle of Moroccan oil. I've never tried Moroccan oil before but I've heard so many people rave about this stuff.

Here is a comparison of the size of the Julep nail polish with an OPI and Essie polish. A Julep polish holds 8 ml or 0.27 FL oz. In comparison an OPI holds 15 ml/0.5 FL oz and an Essie contains 13.5 ml/0.46 FL oz.  

Now onto the review. I think that these polishes are very expensive. They range from fourteen-twelve dollars and from my experience with this box and the previous box, the polishes can be hit or miss because it is hard to accurately judge a color from a picture online. And that's a lot of money to pay for a color you necessariily won't like. But, that is always the problem with buying anything online. The price is what prevents me from purchasing a box each month. I know that it might not make economic sense but I wish that boxes were a little bit cheaper.

The part of these boxes isn't the nail polish but the exttra full-size goodie. This month it was morrocan oil and last time it was a hand scrub.  This is what will set Julep apart from other monthly subscripton boxes. This month I was disappointed with Sofia because in the bottle it looks beautiful but it failed to live up to my expectations. It was really difficult for me to sign up for the website back in mid December and I hope that things have imporved since then. Swatches of both polishes will be up soon.

In the comments below tell me if you've heard of Julep and tell me about your experience if you've ever purcahsed anything!