Julep Spring Mystery Box!

Julep Spring Mystery Box
(Top down) Nail file, January, Hayden, Melissa,  Pippa, and Cuticle Oil

Nothing fancy with the pictures for this post readers. I'm feeling all sorts of lazy today when it comes to pictures. Plus, if I don't do all the picture-y stuff right off the bat, I rarely have the energy or time to do it later.

Either way, here is my Julep Spring Mystery Box!... And I'm going to be honest, it is not as good as the first one I got. I guess because I got a pretty awesome first box, it's hard to keep the hopes down from getting an awesome second box. And even more so when they said that some of the boxes were going to have $50 gift certificates in them. I never seem to have luck with getting something like that.

The colors are all very nice. I tried them all out on my nails [along with a lot of other colors I hadn't swatched yet]. Below is a picture and ignore my ring finger, which I believe has Zoya Kristen.

Thumb - Melissa
Index - Pippa
Middle - January
Pinky - Hayden

I'll just give you a brief run-through of the colors and what I thought of them.

Pippa
Every time I read that name or see this color, I think of Pippa Middleton. I simply cannot help it. Either way, it is a nice neutral shade. A classic color but I don't know if I'll wear it much. Looking at this picture makes me feel like it doesn't really flatter my nail. I'd probably have to try it out again before making a final judgment call.

January
If ever there was a fire-engine red. January is that blast of red that makes your nails say "Look at me!" Which is sometimes a statement I want to make with my nails. All depends on my mood, I especially with red. I rarely ever pick out red clothing and probably would have never picked a red polish if it wasn't for Julep.

Hayden
It's a very lovely shade of orange. Good for a pastel feeling spring. Honestly, I would consider this to be far more creamy in color than Parker, which I got in my last Julep Maven box (which you can read about here). Parker has a bit more of a brightness kick to it, while Hayden is a bit more subdued. Either way, I'm ready for the it color of the year!

Melissa
If you just want some shine on your nail, this is it for you. It's not heavy glittery but leaves a nice sheen on the nails that is noticeable but not overtly in your face. However, myself [and probably many others] will use this as a top coat on other colors. If I'm not feeling too creative with my nails, I'll probably just pop this color over top my ring fingers to change it up a little.

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Nails: Still nothing. Gonna put something on after this post.

Birchbox Update!

I'm sure you are wondering why the heck I'm updating so soon after getting my Birchbox about Birchbox yet again. However, I had been informed via Pinterest that there was a possibility that my Befine moisturizer could be expired.

And yes, lotion does expire, especially when it is labeled as an SPF because that means it may not be as effective after said date. Of course, I personally don't care. I didn't really use SPF lotion on my face before. And I don't spend much time in the sun... I am not a vampire! 

Either way, I found out from someone commenting on my pinterest picture about my blog post. Then I went and checked my e-mail and found this:

Dear Birchbox Customer,

It has come to our attention that a small number of the Befine Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15 samples included in our April boxes may have passed their expiration dates. Please check the stamp on the outside of your packet of Befine Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15. If your sample has expired, we advise you not to use the product, as the SPF is not guaranteed to be effective after the stated expiration date.

If you received an expired sample of the moisturizer, we would like to deposit 100 Birchbox Points in your account. Please complete this survey by April 27 to request the points award; your account will be updated by May 1.

We take pride in sending you high-quality products from great brands, typically their newest and best selling products. This situation is unacceptable and not representative of the Birchbox standard for product quality. We are working with Befine to determine the root cause of the error, and we deeply apologize for this experience.

All the best,
Hayley and Katia
Co-founders of Birchbox

And I guess this is nice but at the same time, they didn't use any of their social media to try and get word out about the problem. Which is kind of disappointing. I feel like if they had posted this letter on their facebook or twitter accounts, word would have gotten around better. And it would have shown that while they are not perfect, they are working to correct wrongs.

Maybe it's just me. I don't really check the e-mail to which my Birchbox account is connected all that often.

That's kind of it. Yeah...

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Edit


I took the survey the same day I posted this and just got my Birchbox points! That was rather quick and makes up a lot for the way I got the news.

Birchbox April 2012

I... am super surprised that Birchbox seems to have completely turned it around for me. The Teen Vogue Birchbox was completely amazing. And they have done it once again with the natural wonders themed box. I really be getting my hopes up though. I expect boxes to be hit and miss.

A nice little touch they added was by providing the Birchbox environmental policy. It's something I feel other eco-friendly companies wouldn't think to add. It really shows us [the subscribers] what Birchbox is trying to do about the environment as a rapidly expanding business. 

Birchbox April 2012

This is... Just such a good box, despite the fact that one of the products is something of which I already have a sample [though not through BB]. It is just such a good box and I was pretty psyched for everything I've gotten.

Befine - Exfoliating Cleanser

Befine - Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15
Easy does it. This exfoliator and moisturizer duo uses gentle ingredients like rice and
brown sugar to keep skin supple and healthy

Another brand that I have been wanting to try for a while. I've seen so many other people get samples from Befine and have always been a bit sad when I didn't.

The exfoliating cleanser... is amazing. I could easily see myself using this very frequently if not every day. My skin didn't have that usual dry and flaky feeling that I have gotten with other scrubs. This is usually a big problem with my nose, which is usually in some state of peeling.

As for the moisturizer, I'll need to do a bit more testing. Outside of the exfoliating cleanser [which I used a day before], I have not changed anything else in my face routine. However, I have been breaking out a bit. So I am not sure if this is what is really breaking my face out or what. It is a fairly mild breakout and I think it may be the SPF aspect of this moisturizer than may be making my skin protest.

A side note: even though each package says single serving [which I take to mean each whole packet gives you one use], I have managed to get several uses out of each one. You really don't need much of either product in order to get the job done.

What's a little strange is that I got 2 moisturizers and 3 exfoliating cleansers. I don't know if 5 sample sizes are just standard for the Befine skincare sampler or what. It could just be my own OCD-like tendencies for even numbers.

Wonderstruck Taylor Swift
The pop-country songstress' scent is as catchy as her lyrics. We think it's worthy of a
standing gig on our vanity

It's as if Birchbox has been reading my secret thoughts... Because I've wanted to take a wiff of the T-Swift perfume. Mostly because it was suppose to be really fruity and not like your typical perfume. And it really is probably the fruitiest perfume I've ever smelt. It does come off as a bit on the strong side and still has that light musky smell to it. Overall, I'd use this sample up but probably will not buy it.

My only tiny gripe with this product is the fact that I don't think it really fits with the theme. Harvey Prince would have been a better selection [but I could also be extremely biased on that].

Lulu Organics - Lavender + Clary Sage Hair Powder
Laced with organic lavender and sage, this sweet-smelling
dry shampoo revives flat or second day hair

This is the product that I already have a sample. I happen to be lucky enough to share an office with a company that sells [mostly] hair care products. They happen to have a ton of samples that they don't know what to do with. So they let us [the other people in the office] take some home to use.  At some point, I'll go through all the samples I've gotten for free.

But back to the hair powder. I haven't really tried any other powder dry shampoos, aside from baby shampoo. So there isn't much for me to compare. It is ok for second day hair. I wouldn't say that it absorbs the oil and stuff. My hair just has a not-so-oily look to it. However, not particularly good for 3rd day and beyond hair [yes, sometimes I don't wash my hair for 3 days]. It does kind of build up in a noticeable way in feeling. Either way, it does smell very nice.

Zoya in Bevin - TRUE  Spring Collection
Lighten up for spring with this fresh shade. The non-toxic formula goes
on opaque and lasts 50% longer than traditional polishes

I probably shouldn't be so happy about getting a polish in my Birchbox. I mean, I get at least 2 polishes from Julep a month... And this month was more because I did get a spring mystery box... But I'm still happy with this little gift. And it is definitely a nice spring color for which I currently don't have a dupe. I think I'll use this color on my toes next.

Yes To Blueberries - Brightening Facial Towelettes
These nifty wipes remove all signs of makeup and grime. Plus, they refresh skin
with fruity blend of apples, blueberry, and lemon peel extracts

I have actually been looking at this brand for a while now. I had not tried any of their products prior to this box and was happy to see these face wipes in there. With all the face wipes I've tried so far, I get that gross feeling  and need to wash my face right afterwards. I took what I thought was a risk the other day when I had no time to wash my face and used one of these.

And I was far from that. I felt nice on my skin and didn't really leave any yucky feeling of something being left on my skin. It smelled really good without really leaving that smell on my skin. Though I can't really speak on behalf of those who want to use these for getting makeup off. I don't wear much makeup ever, so I doubt I'll be getting to test these out anytime soon.

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Nails: Nothing
I need to do something nice with my nails for a professional event I have coming up. Thinking neutral.

Julep Maven - April 2012

Sometimes, it astonishes me how fast my Julep Maven box gets to me. The box ships out from Seattle and I live in the Greater Philadelphia area. I usually get it about 2-3 days after I get the confirmation it was sent. It makes me ridiculously happy.

And of course, what I get in my Julep boxes also makes me ridiculously happy. I keep toying with the idea of skipping a month and putting it towards my Disney fund. But they keep putting things in the boxes that I want and so... I keep getting them.

Julep Maven Bombshell April 2012

And once again, I opted out of getting the Boho Glam box this month. In it's place, I got the Bombshell box... And what really lured me into this one is Parker but I'll get into that when I get there.

Julep The Best Pedi Créme Ever!
Exfoliates with alpha hydroxy acids, hydates with shea butter and coconut oil, nourishes
with vitamin E. Apply nightly for noticeable results in just one to two uses.

Yes, that is indeed the name of this creme... A little long for my tastes but it is pretty awesome. I have tried it out a few nights by applying it to my feet and then throwing fluffy moisture-holding socks on for the night. Now, I should note that my feet aren't really bad. They are pretty soft save for around my cuticles. Which amazes me because my job consists of me stand for hours at a time. Either way, my feet feel pretty good the next morning. I think the true test will be when we try this product on my mom's feet. Her feet are tough on the bottom and her toes are a mess most of the year [except after she has a pedicure].

Annette
Subtle, dove grey créme

Super cute neutral color if there ever was one. It comes off as a very light [almost white] grey in the bottle. However, on my finger nails, it is very opaque and a bit of a dirtier look. This was the best picture I could get of the bottle. Either way, definitely would be a good color for an interview of a business office. Lovely but subtle without being completely typical.

Parker
Golden tangerine créme

The true reason I picked this box out of all the others. I have been wanting an orange for months now. Basically since Halloween because I wanted to have the colors to do a candy corn look but didn't have the time/money to go and get all the colors. Now that I have Parker and Blake, all I need is a good white for the look this year. Also, I have been kind of loving super bright, in-your-face colors. And that's what this is. Overall, in the bottle it looks like Crayola's macaroni and cheese crayon.

And with almost every other Julep Maven box, some little extras were thrown in. I got toe separators [which I don't really use but may try out] and chocolate! It's always a fun little surprise. <3

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Nails:
8 different colored Julep polishes, 2 different colored Zoya polishes
[Yes, I'm too lazy to list them all]

Update!

I... Am getting lazy as usual. But I swear I'm working on some posts! Just a bit of an update to some posts I'm currently working on:

- Julep April Box
Mostly needs the pictures at this point, but I'm sure there is still some writing to be done. Expect that in the next 2-3 days.

- Julep Spring Mystery Box
I'm actually hoping to swatch all the colors I got in this box! I'm hoping to get some fake nails to do that on and then label them via attached popcicle stick. If that doesn't pan out right now, then I'll do it on my own hand.

- Birchbox April [when I get the box either today or tomorrow]
I already know what I got in the box, since Birchbox is a bit spoiler-ish with the way their system is set up. Either way, definitely happy with most of it [one thing I have already but that is my own accord and not Birchbox's fault].

- dry shampoo testing
So many dry shampoos! It's crazy testing all these products. And my scalp doesn't like them all.

- Beauty Subscriptions
This is a massive post that may need to be broken down into 2 parts. I'm going through as many online beauty subscriptions as I can and kind of putting them in a list in one place. Cause I can't seem to really find a comprehensive list...

- How to get free samples
Whether beauty or random things, I'm going to work on a post about all the free samples I get and how I go about getting them.

- Best lip balm
Kind of a lip balm junkie... It's really crazy how many I have.

- Beauty Influenster VoxBox
Just got notified that I'll be getting a beauty voxbox via Influenster in May! So I'm definitely really psyched about that! Yay free stuff! <3

So, that is what I have planned in the near future.