Have you heard about Julep? They have a monthly subscription service where for $19.99, you will be sent a monthly box filled with $60+ worth of nail polish, pedicure or manicure items. It is different from most beauty subscription boxes in that you get to see what is coming in your box before it is sent out, and if you don't like the things, you can pick another Maven box or have the option of skipping a month.
I have refrained from subscribing to the Julep Maven subscription program because I like nail polish, but not enough to dedicate $20.00/month to it. However, Julep occasionally offers 'mystery box' deals that are open to everyone, and you do not need to be a Julep Maven to order one! Julep ships out of the USA, but they do not charge extra in shipping for Canadians. I ordered my second Julep Mystery Box this month for $19.99 all in. You can read about my May Mystery Box by clicking here.
My first mystery box came in a bigger box, so I immediately knew that this one wouldn't be as jammed packed with goodies. I was right, I got less products this time around. Oh well, that is the gamble you take when you order a mystery box!
My June Mystery Box |
Julep's Drew -- fuchsia creme |
Julep's Emilie -- forest green creme |
Julep's Sienna -- shimmery gold |
On top of the three polishes, I got a lip chap and another top coat ($14.00). The top coat by Julep is nice and I will absolutely use it. I am not sure what I will do with the lip chap ($6.00) because I have so many at the moment, but I am happy to see it is made with organic ingredients! It is vanilla mint which sounds delightful. However, I think Julep should put a little more time into their packaging- the design on the lip chap makes it look like a cheap brand.
The total worth of this box is $62.00 and I paid $19.99 for it. That is a very good deal. However, I think this may be my last Mystery Box for a little while, because I didn't get colours that I would pick out personally in this box and the same thing happened with my last Mystery Box. I am a little too picky for this service, I think?
Did you order a Julep Mystery Box? Share what you got with me!!
--S
I just realized I never officially announced the winner of my 150 follower giveaway! It was Jamie A. ! I sent her the package on Monday. Enjoy Jamie <3
Sienna is such a beautiful color! But you're right, the pink isn't very unique and I'm not one for matte deep greens either xoxo
ReplyDeleteI like the concept of this! Wish we had something similar in the UK, the polishes look great :) x
ReplyDeletehttp://wewereraisedbywolves.blogspot.co.uk/
I'm with you, I'm a bit too picky to purchase something like this for $19.99 especially when the bulk of the items are for nails. I'm not too fond of spending more than a few dollars for a bottle of polish. But I do love the fuchsia polish and gold foil polish you got!
ReplyDeleteGood review! I agree with you, for mystery boxes I've only bought the St. Patrick's Day box and I'm not really sure why I did that because I'm already a Maven and I like to see the colours beforehand. Also, green polish is one of my least used colours so I don't know what I was thinking, that they *wouldn't* send green polish on St. Paddy's Day? Call it temporary insanity, or just getting caught up in all of these monthly boxes :)
ReplyDeleteI do the mystery boxes anticipating that I'll get polishes I already own or colors that aren't my style. I'm saving those kinds of polishes for my girlfriends' birthday and Christmas gifts because they all have different tastes. I did get Gayle for the second time in this mystery box and already had a bottle I was saving for a friend. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteDrew is sooo pretty!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you - Your review is on spot. Drew does seem rather "generic" while Sienna is oh, so glamorous! I haven't done any mystery boxes, but then again, I haven't bought any polishes in some time now.
ReplyDeleteBtw, I found you on BlogLoveTherapy.
Happiness,
Corrinne
PS - I have lots of prizes at my blog via a blog hop & challenge. Join the fun here:
http://pinandtack.blogspot.com/2012/06/tuesday-alchemys-tips-tutorials.html
It's unfortunately that this is the last mystery box that you're gonna purchase! I do like the nail polishes you received though!
ReplyDeleteStop by and check out my blog giveaway! :)
http://dawndugong.blogspot.com
Aww it is too bad you didn't adore all your colours. I have never gotten a mystery box before.. just because for $20 I would like to see what I am getting but I know sometimes you score majorly with those mystery boxes!
ReplyDeletexo
eh, I don't think you're being too picky. I'm never really a fan of the mystery boxes either.
ReplyDeleteHey! Congrats on being the Topbox guest blogger! Saw it on facebook!
ReplyDeleteI am definitely too picky for this kind of surprise box especially for $20. I do really love Sienna though. And Dew, I suppose. But like you said, it's very dupable x
ReplyDeleteOh Drew is pretty! I was just going to wait until Christmas to get another Mystery Box! I figure the goodies will be better then! The chapstick sounds yummy! I love anything mint on my lips. Too bad you weren't as thrilled with this box :-( Oh well, that's the fun of the Mystery Box!
ReplyDeleteI love the fuchsia!! You got some really cool colors! I'm kinda sad I didn't get the Elixir that some people were getting.
ReplyDeleteSienna is really nice. I was looking at getting a Mystery box too. How much was shipping?
ReplyDeleteSienna is gorgeous! I know it's nothing groundbreaking but I like the fuchsia too. Great box :)
ReplyDeleteoh wow this is pretty neat i didn't know you could sign up for mystery boxes if you weren't a member!! i like the fuschia but i agree i think i have like 3 different bottles of that lying around my house haha.. but i do that gold!! so pretty it'll look fantastic during the summer!
ReplyDeleteSuper disappointed with my June mystery box...I think I got that same fuchsia, a bland matte brown, and a bright red, along with a base coat instead of a top coat. The whole thing just felt super underwhelming. If I'd paid full price I would've been livid!
ReplyDeleteThat's cool that you got it at such a good discount - I don't sign up for these because I like to know what I'm getting ha, but it's a nice gift every month!
ReplyDeleteSIDEWALKCATWALKS.com
Awesome mystery box! Love these things!! Didn't pick this one up and now i regret it heh ! Next time ^_^
ReplyDeleteAshley
Romanianbutterfly206.blogspot.ca (Come check out my Sappho Cosmetics and Lancome Giveaway!)
Oh this is so nice. I wish we had something like a mystery box here in Belgium.
ReplyDeletex
http://candylovecity.blogspot.com
I like the concept of the mystery boxes but never had reached out and purchased one because I thought $20 was too much. But if you're getting 4 polishes that averages to be about $5 per polish, so I'm thinking of definitely trying out the next one!
ReplyDeleteBoston Princess
Very nice, visit my blog:) we can follow each others.
ReplyDeleteMiss
http://www.armocromia.com/2012/06/special-alert-dior-summer-mix-now-15.html
As you know I'm really in to my polish lately so I would love it if they had something like that here in the UK x :-)
ReplyDeleteHey! I gave you an award on my blog! Check out my post for more info...
ReplyDeletekassicalife.blogspot.com
I really like Emilie! I cannot wait until my mystery box arrives!!
ReplyDeleteAlso, wearing those appliques right now, so should be doing a post with photos very soon :D
I just got my box and it was the first thing I have ever ordered from Julep. Gotta say, I was disappointed. I certainly did not feel like my box had the $60+ value they promised, but like you, I only paid $20 for it at least. I also got the green Emilie, which I will never use. I thought maybe at Christmas, but no, probably not even then. I got another polish in Natalie which appears to be a usable pink at least. Those were the only 2 polishes I got. Sad. I think 4 should be a minimum for these boxes. Besides that, I got a lip plumping gloss in Ultra Violet. I love the color and the way it looks on me, but it really stings. I don't usually do plumpers. Not sure how much I will use it due to the sting. Then, I got something called Top Coat for Hair. I'll give it a try, but honestly, it isn't something I wanted to receive from Julep. I do have long hair so my pony tail part is dry while the hair on my head is pretty normal. Still, I try to air dry and go natural. I don't like to spend much time on my hair. If I do a treatment, it is going to be in the shower trying to put moisture into the pony tail. So that was a big bust for me. Other than that, I got a set of toe spreaders (is there a word for it???) that you put on when you polish your toe nails. Wow! How impressive. A cheap piece of foam that costs practically nothing. I hate to complain a lot, but I find myself doing it more often now that I'm getting all these grab bag boxes. Like you, perhaps I am too picky. Of course I was hoping for the jackpot box like the ones I've seen on so many youtube videos. But I wasn't EXPECTING the jackpot. What I was expecting was at least, as I said, 4 polishes at a bare minimum and enough stuff to make it feel like a $60 box. This really didn't feel like I even got my $20 out of it. Technically, I'm sure for retail they charge $60 for these items, but they aren't worth it. Their polishes are way overpriced to begin with and should cost less than half of what they do. $5 at the most, though $3 would be about right considering the amount of product you get. So, if I give them $5 for the 1 polish in a pink color, $2 for the hair product I didn't want anyway, nothing for the ugly green polish, $5 for the pretty gloss that stings so much I won't use it often, and 25 cents for the cheap toe foam, that comes to $12.25. Meaning, I felt like I overpaid by at least $7.74. Thank goodness I did NOT pay the full $60 for this thing. I would have been hopping mad then! But still, I think this may be my last box with Julep. I'd rather order color spoons from Zoya at 50 cents each and get a coupon code for however much I pay for the spoons. I got $10 worth so I now have a $10 credit with Zoya--yah! And, I know I'll get a color I'll like.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I should say thank you for posting your disappointment in a blog. It seems so many beauty bloggers just rave about products all the time. Most likely, they are angling for free stuff or some kind of benefit from their blogs. So their words ring hollow. At most, they will give a product a B- or something. Geez! It is nice to hear an honest opinion. If I ever get my computer fixed (thinking it is a lemon) I may do a youtube video to show the other side of Julep mystery boxes. It is only fair that people see disappointing boxes before deciding to place their order, after all.
What is with you and I always getting the same Mystery boxes hahah this is the second time in a row!!!
ReplyDeleteI am thinking I may stop my monthly box too.. I find they need to pay better attention to what people like.. I guess you can't please everyone but really I've only had 1 box that I can say I liked! I may try the odd mystery box though. I am starting to like zoya polishes alot now too and they are so much cheaper.
ReplyDelete