Julep - Dendrie

I've got a thing for grey nails. As much as I like to switch my nail color up on the regular, I think I'd be perfectly content if my nails were grey for life. Grey is chic and classy and it looks good on pretty much anyone. My nails were grey the day my husband proposed to me... maybe that has something to do with my love for the color. Whatever it is - it's a constant for me and Julep's Dendrie just made my list as one of the best grey polishes. 

Julep's Dendrie is described as a "dove grey creme". It is, in fact, a true creme polish that is a very light grey - it almost leans lavender but I didn't really notice that until I took thse photos.  I got really good wear out of this polish. It lasted a solid 4-5 days, with minimal chipping and nail wear. This is true to most every Julep polish I've tried... they just make solid polishes. Period!

In these photos I'm wearing 2 coats of Dendrie, followed by Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat. 


What's your favorite nail color to wear? Let me know!

Empties #5

There is something so satisfying about finishing products, and I especially feel sated when I've filled my bag and I've got enough stuff worthy of a blog post. That time is here... let's dig through my trash.

• Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous foundation - You already know, this is my holy grail foundation. This is the third or fourth bottle I've gone through and believe me, I've got back ups on hand. See my full review here. Would I repurchase? Yes, already have.
• Rimmel Stay Matte Powder - Another holy grail product. I've been using this powder for years and there's just nothing like it for the same price. Would I repurchase? Yes, already have.
• Julep Boho Glam Lengthening Mascara - I received this way back in a Julep mystery box, but I absolutely hated this. It was feathery and hard to apply and there was no way it lengthened my lashes. I used this for my bottom lashes for a bit, but had to throw it out without using it up. Would I repurchase? No.

• OPI Start to Finish Base Coat, Top Coat & Strengthener - I didn't care for this multi-coat polish. It dried slow and didn't strengthen my nails at all. Would I repurchase? No.
• Ralph Lauren Big Pony #4 Perfume - This perfume smells amazing. It's fruity and floral with top notes of cherry and amber. I really like this, but I don't need another perfume in my collection at this moment. Would I repurchase? Yes.
• Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline Perfume - This smelled alright, but it wasn't something I couldn't live without. Would I repurchase? No.
• Urban Decay Eden Eyeshadow Primer Potion - This sample came with my Naked 3 palette. The packaging claims this packet had a week's worth of product, but I got much more than that. Eden is a creamy nude base that holds eyeshadow on all day. I didn't love this primer, but I didn't hate it. My makeup stayed on using this, but I didn't care for the consistency. Would I repurchase? No.

• Neutrogena Oil-Free Cleansing Wipes in Pink Grapefruit - I really liked these wipes. They're formulated for acne-prone skin and I really do think they helped keep my skin clear. I use these wipes as a makeup remover, and follow up with a facial cleanser. I would never use this type of makeup wipe as my sole cleanser. Would I repurchase? Yes, already have. 
• Yes to Cucumbers Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes - I love these towelettes, and I've repurchased them a few times now. They're soothing and smell nice and do a good job of cleansing my face of all makeup. Would I repurchase? Yes, already have. 

• Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray - This is the first heat tamer spray I can ever remember purchasing. It does an okay job, but it's not my favorite. I was happy to get through this. Would I repurchase? No. 
• Yes to Carrots Pampering Conditioner - I LOVED this! It made my hair so soft, and it smelled sort of powdery and clean. I love that it's a natural conditioner and it performed really well! Would I repurchase? Yes, already have.
• HerStyler Argan Oil Hair Mask - I won't go on about this, as I've done a full review here, but this was a really nice mask. I enjoyed it, but am sad how fast it went. Would I repurchase? Yes.

• Pecksniff's England Luxury Salt Scrub in Ginger Flower & Patchouli - Ouch, my first salt scrub. I'd never realized I had so many cuts in my fingers until using this scrub. It was painful and made my skin burn. The scent became overbearing, and I couldn't wait to use it up. The only good thing was that this scrub had oil in it so it left my skin silky smooth. Would I repurchase? No. 
• Lush Buche De Noel Facial Cleanser - You can read more about this cleanser here, but I will say that I really enjoyed using this. It smelled so delicious I could have taken a bite, but I refrained. Would I repurchase? Yes.
• Almay Lash Care Gentle Eye Makeup Remover Pads - I got these for a couponing deal at Walgreens and paid under $2 for them. I didn't have high hopes, but they were okay. I had to use one pad per eye but they still left residue around my eyes so I had to use another makeup wipe to remove all of my makeup. I didn't notice anything fantastic happening to my lashes as this product would seem to suggest. Would I repurchase? No. 

• Clarisonic Acne Brush Heads - I really like these acne brush heads. They scrub deep without irritating my skin and my face feels refreshed and smooth after using these.Would I repurchase? Yes.
• Reach Soft Woven Mint Floss - This is my absolute favorite kind of floss. The braided texture gets all the ickyness out of my teeth in a way that regular floss just can't compete with. Would I repurchase? Yes, already have.
• Better Homes & Gardens Wax Cubes in Warm Vanilla Creme - These wax cubes make my house smell so delicious. I loved the scent of vanilla floating through my home, especially in the fall. I was sad to see these go! Would I repurchase? Yes.

• Dove ClearTone deodorant - FINALLY, I've used up the last of this three pack I bought. (I don't know what I was thinking - I just can't make that kind of commitment to one type of product!) I liked this, it was soothing and gentle on my pits, but I certainly didn't notice it "evening out" my skin tone in my armpits, and I'm not quite sure why I'd care if it did! Would I repurchase? Yes.
• B&BW PocketBacs in Pink Berry Citrus and Lucky - Both of these smelled nice. I use them prior to applying my makeup to make sure my hands are free of any nasty bacteria. Would I repurchase? Yes.

• Yankee Candle in Green Tea - This smelled really great, and actually the "green tea" scent was quite on point. The scent filled the room, and I enjoyed using it up. Would I repurchase? Yes.
• Sugar Blossom candle - Sadly, this didn't have the greatest scent throw. It smelled great if you stuck your face in the candle, but it just didn't fill up the room. Would I repurchase? No.
• B&BW Candle in Party Dress - This had a nice, musky perfume scent and I believe it was part of Bath & Body Works Christmas/New Year's collection. I got it for Christmas and really liked it! Would I repurchase? Yes.

Have you tried any of these products? Let me know!

Julep - Evangeline

Have I got a beauty of a fall polish for you today, or what?! Digging through my "untrieds" pile, I stumbled upon a polish I got in my Julep 2013 Cupid's Mystery Box back in February and decided it was about time I gave it a try. What you see on my nails here is Julep's Evangeline. 

This is definitely an autumnal color, so I'm not entirely sure why it was in the Valentine's box from Julep, but I could care less because this is one of my most favorite colors. Evangeline is a coppery orange that is packed to the brim with holographic goodness (another of my favorite things!) 

I'm wearing two coats, however it was entirely opaque with just one. I topped it off with Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat and called it good. Julep polishes are really hit or miss for me. I've tried some I love, and others I absolutely hate, but this goes on to my love list. It's a really easy formula to apply and it's so gorgeous. My only complaint is I've already started to notice some tip-wear in under 24 hours, but this can be pretty typical of holographic polishes and it's just due to the formulation they have.

I might be wrong, but I do believe this polish was limited edition. I'm sorry for being such a tease!! However, I do know you can find it online on eBay and other sites. 

What fall color are you wearing today?

Julep - Cupid's Mystery Box

I mentioned in my previous post that I ordered the Cupid's Mystery Box from Julep and had been anxiously anticipating adding more Julep polishes to my ever-growing stash. The ad for the Cupid's Mystery Box said that you would definitely get: 4 Valentine's Day colors, a mystery holographic polish (or a code to pick one online), and different colors in each box purchased (which doesn't really apply here since I only ordered one). There was also a chance to receive a box with a $1,000 Visa gift card, or jewelry from Baublebar. These mystery boxes were valued between $70-$2,000. 

And here is my Cupid's Mystery Box:

This definitely was not as good as the New Year's mystery box I got, which included a pedicure cream and some lotion samples, along with 3-4 polishes - but I'm definitely not disappointed with this box either. So let's take a closer look...

Julep - Evangeline

The holographic polish I got is Evangeline, which is sort of a coppery orange holographic. From the swatches I've seen, it looks gorgeous, but maybe more for fall than Valentine's Day. I'm excited to try it out because holographic polishes are my weakness!

Julep - Lynn

Lynn is a pearly nude shade which looks so pretty in the pictures I've seen. I love a good nude polish - it's a simple way to feel elegant and classy, especially after lots of bright, crazy manicures! I'm positive I'll get lots of use out of this polish.

Julep - Lucy

Lucy is a fun, vampy burgundy creme polish. It's not often I feel like I can sport these kind of colors and pull them off, but every now and then I feel sort of vampy. When that time comes, I'm definitely going to reach for Lucy!

Julep - Demi

Demi is probably the most Valentine-y color in this box, being it's a dark red creme polish. I really don't have anything like this color, and I can't wait to try it out. It's different and fun, but still professional enough for work. I like!

Julep - Maya

Maya is probably my least favorite polish in this box. This is a nude pink pearly polish. I don't like my nude polishes to have a sheen to them like this, but I know I'll still give it a shot anyway. 

Julep - Camellia Lip Gloss

This was a pleasant surprise to find in my mystery box, as I am a lover of lip products. It doesn't have much color, but it will work great over a lip stick or even alone for a bit of shine. It smells amazing, and isn't sticky at ALL which is awesome! This might just be my favorite product from the Cupid's Mystery Box!

Did any of you get a Cupid's Mystery Box? How does yours compare?

Julep - Lauren

Today I have my very FIRST Julep polish to show you! I've long ogled these polishes, seen them in Sephora, and watched videos of people showing off their Maven boxes, but I haven't ever tried them. The hefty $14 price tag for this polish was a pretty good deterrent. However, back in December I got an e-mail from Julep about their New Year's Mystery Box which cost only $20, which really caught my eye since they were guaranteed to come with at least $100 worth of products. And this beauty, named Lauren, came in my Mystery Box!

First of all, let me just say - I am now a Julep convert. The formula was just amazing. It went on super smooth, dried nicely, and has great coverage. Lauren is described by Julep as a hot tropical pink creme - I actually thought it was sort of a jelly, but I guess not. I'm wearing two coats, and I'm in love! A perfect color for Valentine's Day, don't you think?

This polish actually reminds me of the Zoya Blogger series (which you can see one of my swatches from, HERE) especially with only one coat of the polish, however that line is strictly made up of jellies. Overall, I really like this! I'm excited to try the others I got in my New Year's Mystery Box, and I just ordered the Valentine's Mystery box from Julep so you're going to see a lot more where this came from!