This month's box from Julep wowed me big time. I was happy to see a designer collaboration this time, and some really good shades. Some in the collection looked dupeable to me, but the ones I got were exceptional, and pretty unique. I went for the Bombshell box this time which included Alma (the greeny yellow) and Annie (the creamy electric blue) as well as a volumizing mascara which is a new product for Julep and which I will review seperately, though I will tell you now it's better than decent, but not anything heart-stopping. I also added on Otte, which is a weird-cool camel color. This month there was the opportunity to buy the whole collection (every box) for $50 as opposed to $20 for just one, which is a really good deal if you were interested in all the colors. I passed on this option as I have shades that look comparable to the rest that were available, but they all did look pretty solid and nice. 

Before I go on to the swatches, so you know, you can join Julep Maven and get a pretty sizable discount off their website/Sephora price by opting for the monthly subscription box. I have been a member for several months now and I like it a lot, myself. You can read my review on the service here, or you can view all my Julep swatches so far here. And if you're interested in joining, you can click this link which is my referral link, and I will get credit towards my subscription if you join (or just click to join at Julep.com if you'd rather.) Don't forget you can get your first box for one penny plus free shipping with the code COLOR 2012 or PENNY. Either one I believe works. 

Click to view the swatches...

For August's box, I went with American Beauty. Mainly this is because I was really curious about the "Rose Gold Metallic Chrome." I already have tried and loved a few other coppery/rose gold metallics like Essie Penny Talk, CND Copper Chrome and even (more on the copper side) SH Haute Chocolate, but why not try them all! *evil laugh* The truth is that there aren't many of that type of shade, so it was worth a try. Also, in this month's box was a really pretty gunmetal with some golden shards, and an acetone-free remover pump which actually turned out to be pretty awesome, and a reusable tote. If you're interested in trying Julep Maven, you can read about it here. If you want to join, you can do so on the Julep website. You can also use my referral link which will give me credit toward future purchases, and it would  make my day as I love these boxes. If you order, please don't forget to use the code COLOR2012 and you can get your first box for a PENNY, $.01, with free shipping.

Click to read more and see the swatches!

Julep Sienna - www.julep.com

Julep Sienna has been out for a while, but since the August Maven box's theme is Metallics & Chromes, Sienna was offered in one of the boxes alongside some of the new polishes released this month. It wasn't in the box I chose this month, but I added it on for $4.99 and it shipped seperately. I have all sorts of gold metallics, foils, chromes... You name it, but the photos I've seen of this intrigued me. It seemed almost like a silver/gold hybrid. It's a foil finish, but it's a very fine foil, so it's got great reflective qualities and is a real eye-catcher, so I'm happy I got it. Especially considering I didn't have to pay the $14 I'd have paid at Sephora. Honestly, I probably just wouldn't have bought it at all if I couldn't have gotten it at the price I did. However, for the price it's a great polish. It's got a nice texture and I had perfect coverage at two coats. 

My August Maven box, as I said, shipped seperately, but I will post about it when it arrives. I ordered the American Beauty this time which had a rose gold chrome and a gunmetal chrome with gold shimmer, so we'll see how that goes. 

If you're interested in reading more about the Julep Maven program, you can do that here. 

If you'd like to join the Maven program and get your intro box for one penny (free shipping included!) Click here and don't forget to use code COLOR2012! (this is a referral link. Referrals help you to earn free months of the Maven service. If you click, thank you! And be sure to share your own referral link with your friends and you'll earn credits too)

Click for more photos...

You may have heard of Julep Nail Vernis at some point recently, be it on the Sephora site or one of their stores where the polishes are $14 a pop (for a .27oz bottle, whoa). Or you may have seen the name on Twitter, or Facebook, or Pinterest, jeez man that name is everywhere. I watched the Julep Mania for a few months with a jaded eye until I finally gave in. If you haven't heard the name Julep, well, it started with a salon in Seattle, then grew to include a nail polish line, and now there is a monthly subscription box where you can have a selection of these polishes delivered to your door at a much lower price than their retail stickers. 

If you'd like to join, here's a referral link if you click it, thanks in advance, that's awfully nice of you:)  (if you refer people, it counts toward getting a free month, pretty nice) Don't forget to enter your code COLOR2012 to get the intro box for a penny. There are other codes to only pay $5 and $10 but I used the penny one and it worked just fine.

You can get the gist of what's going on here on their site, or on their freakishly busy Facebook page, but here's basically what happens:

• Take a quiz about your favorite things and Julep will magick up your perfect style profile (you don't have to buy the one they choose for you)
• You pay $19.99 (or a penny if you use the code COLOR 2012, duh which one would you rather pay?) and they send you your intro box. This box at this point comes with your two colors and a fairly amazing pedi creme, or three polishes and no creme if you choose the It Girl style profile).
• If you like it, every month afterward you will have a four day period, between the 20th and 24th of each month to decide if you want to skip that month's box, or if you'd like to choose another style profile.
• If you continue past the intro box, you get billed your $19.99 for your first monthly on the 27th of the month, which is the day the box is sent out. 

Here are some interesting things to add:

• Each month has a new theme, and there are several new polishes added to the line each month, so there's nearly always something new.
• Recently they have been doing a thing where you can add on two (sometimes more) items to your box for $4.99 each (which is way cheaper than you pay at Sephora). 
• You get a 20% discount on anything that's not "new" that month in the Maven Boutique. (In my opinion the price on these items is still pretty steep, though I did purchase Taylor at retail price so who's stupid now, lol).
• Each month in addition to polish there is another product. Last month it was a lip gloss (which I really liked) and this month it is a tote bag and a polish remover in a pump.
• They always send little extras which range from files, cuticle oil, creams, to free polish vouchers, to candy, so it's sort of fun to open each month. 
• Each month tons of "Golden Boxes" get sent out randomly to subscribers and they include the polishes from every style profile box that month which is actually a pretty rad idea. 
• The customer service is very fast, very nice and very effective. 

Click to read more and see the swatches...