Julep Maven Box: April 2012

This month, Julep had a deal to add up to two items to your box for $4.99 each... and you know I had to take advantage of this. I actually received my April Julep Maven box a few weeks ago, but I didn't want to make the post until I received the add-on items as well, which were shipped separately. I didn't get the package until last week, so I just didn't have time to post about it until I came back from New York. Anyway, better late than never. I actually opted for the "Classic with a Twist" style this month instead of my usual "It Girl" box, and then got two other shades of nail polish as my add-on items. So, in total, my box this month included a tube of Julep's The Best Pedi Créme Ever! and four shades of nail polish:

Susie, Jessica, Renee, and Mandy

Susie, Jessica, Renee, and Mandy

Susie is a very pale cool-toned mint green in a cream finish. I found this polish to apply rather streaky and unevenly, and because of its thicker consistency, it is also prone to pulling. It's really quite disappointing considering how well Julep's formula usually performs. You can get this opaque in two coats, but three will help cover up any streaks. Butter London's Bossy Boots is darker and much warmer in comparison, Essie's Mint Candy Apple is darker and more green, and Revlon's Minted is darker and more aqua.

Jessica is a light baby blue in a cream finish. It goes on smoothly and evenly, with no streaking, bubbling, or pulling. It has very high pigmentation and goes opaque in one medium coat. Essie's Borrowed & Blue is much paler, Chanel's Coco Boy is darker, and Joe Fresh's Lagoon is more aqua. Though I don't own it, Chanel's Riva seems like it would be similar.

Renee is a light lavender with slight grey undertones in a cream finish. It goes on smoothly and evenly, with no streaking, bubbling, or pulling. It has very high pigmentation and goes opaque in one medium coat. Butter London's Muggins is very similar, perhaps slightly more grey.

Mandy is a medium bright coral red in a cream finish. It goes on smoothly and evenly, with no streaking, bubbling, or pulling. It has high pigmentation and goes opaque in one thick coat, though two will make it perfect. MAC's Vivid Effect is extremely similar, MAC's Kid Orange is slightly less pink, Essie's Watermelon is slightly darker and much more pink, and OPI's Cajun Shrimp is more orange.

Of the four shades, Susie was definitely the biggest disappointment in terms of formula, and is probably the worst Julep polish I've tried to date. But the colour is really pretty and more unique than I thought given how many mint polishes are out there. The other three shades applied like a dream — definitely true to the formula that Julep is known for. All four shades are gorgeous and on trend for Spring and Summer. The tube of The Best Pedi Crème Ever! is also really nice; it smells like mint and cucumbers with a hint of melon and it really softens feet like crazy. I don't use a lot of foot creams in general because I tend to forget to use it, but this one is a really nice option and smells great to boot. Pretty steep for a retail price of $22, but totally worth it in this box. In total, this box cost me $29.97 with add-ons, and is worth $78. For me, it was completely worth the price, despite Susie's tricky formula.