Girly Things: Julep Monthly Subscription

Sometimes, when the days are dreary and you feel like you've been wearing nothing but thick sweaters, over sized parkas and heavy boots, you just need a good pick-me-up and to make yourself pretty. Being as there aren't any drug stores or makeup counters around, it's hard to just run out and pick up a little something to cheer yourself up, you know?

I stumbled across a solution that not only caters to my need for pretty things in my life, but it also couples it with a surprise in the mailbox every few weeks...all at a fairly low cost. It makes me happy and it doesn't break the bank. Win-win, I'd say!

Julep is a cosmetic company that deals mainly with nail polish, but has a wide range of other products as well (make up, body oils, hair products, etc.). I don't wear much make-up myself, but I'm a sucker for pretty nail polish. So when I found out about Julep and found a code to give me the first intro box free with no obligation to spend any more money if I didn't like it, I figured I couldn't go wrong.

You start by signing up and taking a short quiz to find out what your style is - once they figure out your style, your box offerings center around that style, but you're free to choose from any of the 4 available at any given time. When I did the quiz, it said I was a "classic with a twist" which for the most part is true since I'm pretty tame in my style choices, but I liked the Boho intro box better so I opted for that. Since I used the free code, I paid $3.99 for shipping (usually it's free if if you don't use a promo code) and I added on some quick-dry drops for $4.99. After the conversion fee (they're based out of the US), it came to just under $10 and took about 3 weeks to arrive to our post office.

It was wrapped pretty well with each of the liquid items in its own bubble wrap. I received 2 nail polishes and a hand scrub, plus an emery board and a nail polish remover pad as part of the intro box itself. I had ordered the quick dry drops and it was also in there, and it made the whole box smell like lavender even though it wasn't leaking. Pretty!

Reviews I had read had some people complaining about the long, skinny bottles being awkward for nail polish since they tend to tip, but I didn't have a problem with it. I used the grey on my toes and the teal on my hands without any issues. They both were opaque in one coat, but I did 2 coats to be safe and used the drops on top. My verdict: the nail polish isn't blow-me-away amazing, but I did like them. I'd say they are comparable to OPI or Essey. My nails chipped after normal wear-and-tear after about a week, but my pedicure lasted much longer. The teal was a pain to take off and even after lots of scrubbing and using good remover, it still left a blue-green tinge to my nails that made me look like a frostbite victim for a day or two afterwards.

The best part about Julep is that you don't have to buy each monthly box if you don't want to (you could technically get their free box and cancel your subscription if you wanted). Each month, they email you on the 20th with what the upcoming month's box will include. You have until the 24th to log into your account and you have the option to: 1) skip that month's box, 2) send it to someone else instead, 3) add more options to your selection or 4) change the box to another one. I skipped June's box since it didn't interest me, but am waiting for July's - so I'll be able to post another review once I receive that one!

If you do decide to try it, use the code "FREEBOX" so all you'll pay is shipping for the first one you choose. If you wouldn't mind using my referral link or invitation code (15624532) when you sign up, I'd appreciate it!

It's a small thing, but it's always fun to get a pretty present in the mail every month. :)
-L