Pick-Ups & Deliveries: Winter 2016

It has been a serious minute since I did my last haul post, hasn't it? I didn't buy a whole lot in December and January, just a few bits and bobs here and there, so I thought I'd wait and do a cumulative winter haul... and I ended up shopping way more than expected in the last month. (And this is on top of all the new releases I've reviewed over the past two months, including the Urban Decay and Gwen Stefani collaboration, MAC Flamingo Park, and MAC Zac Posen.) As usual, it was Sephora that lured me in first.

Dior Diorskin Nude Air Glowing Gardens Illuminating Powder in 002 Glowing Nude, Dior Addict Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm in 005 Lilac, and Dior Vernis Couture Colour Nail Lacquer in 301 Bleuette
Both my friends Chelsea and Marina decided to quit their jobs at Sephora to pursue other opportunities, and asked me if I wanted to get anything with their discount while they could still get it. So I made them both lists, and ended up with quite a lot of goodies. I mean, it was like an early VIB sale. I couldn't resist. It started with Dior's new Spring collection, arguably one of their most coveted releases over the last two years. Of course, the first thing on my radar was the new highlighting powders. The pink one was super hyped-up by beauty bloggers and YouTubers alike, but it was the nude one that I really had my eye on. Though the pink one is pretty, I just knew I wouldn't use it as much as the gold one, and at $63 a pop, I really needed to take cost per use into consideration, discounted or not. So I got the highlighter in Glowing Nude; the Lip Glow in the new Lilac shade for spring, which feels amazing on the lips and imparts the most lovely soft petal pink flush; and a nail polish in the new and limited edition light aqua blue shade, which is everything I wanted Chanel Riva (e.g. one of the most hyped up and disappointing Chanel polishes to date) to be.

Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Brilliant Strobe Light and Euphoric Strobe Light
Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer in Medium Neutral, NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, and Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment
Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara (x 2)
I decided to get two of the new Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders, which I was totally going to ignore until I swatched them in person. These are squarely in the highlighter category, whereas the original Ambient Lighting Powders are considered soft focus face powders (and are generally not as interesting to me). Basically, this finish is what I was looking for when I got my Ambient Lighting Palette; the shade I use the most in that palette is Incandescent, which is now a solo shade in the Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder range. Since Incandescent is in the palette and Iridescent seemed way too similar to Incandescent to be worth buying, I snatched up Brilliant (a gorgeous champagne gold) and Euphoric (a pearlized peachy beige). I also got a few of my staple holy grail products, including Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer, and NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, plus two tubes of Marc Jacobs' new Velvet Noir Mascara which I tried a sample of and totally fell in love with (we'll see if it overtakes UD's Perversion as my holy grail). And because she's super sweet, Chelsea gave me a brand new tube of Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment that she got as gratis 'cause she knew I wanted to try it but also didn't want to shell out $31 for it.

Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Cleanser Daily Foaming Wash, Kate Somerville Quench Oil Free Hydrating Face Serum, Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cream, and Philosophy Renewed Hope in a Jar Refreshing & Refining Moisturizer
Verb Hydrating Shampoo (x 2) and Hydrating Conditioner
Of course, having two friends offering me their discount just wasn't enough because I have a serious Sephora addiction. During a late-night online shopping session, I saw that Ebates was having a one-day 12% cash back promotion for Sephora. There was also a 10% off promo code for VIB Rouge members. So I obviously had to use them together, and bought myself a whole slew of skincare. One of my colleagues raved about Kate Somerville's new ExfoliKate Cleanser for two weeks straight saying that her skin has never looked better since using it, so I finally decided to get it. I've been curious about Kate Somerville's skincare for a few years now, so as my current skincare is dwindling, I took the plunge and got her Quench Oil Free Hydrating Serum, plus her Goat Milk Cream to use as my night cream (my skin has been acting a bit funny this winter and despite having an oil slick of a T-zone, I was getting flaky patches and tightness on my cheeks so I needed to change up my skincare, which had always been geared towards oily skin). I also got a jar of Philosophy's new Renewed Hope in a Jar as my day cream since the original Hope in a Jar worked wonders for my skin years ago (I didn't re-purchase it because it felt too thick and smelled horrible, but the new version is more whipped and seems to absorb better and smells delightful). And though I don't usually buy a lot of haircare from Sephora, I just heard so many great things about Verb (arguably the most affordable salon brand out there) that I picked up two bottles of their Hydrating Shampoo and the massive super-size bottle of their Hydrating Conditioner as well.

Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey Cologne
My friend Austin had given me a Holt Renfrew gift card for my birthday last year that I had yet to use. I don't live anywhere near a Holt Renfrew, so when I perused their website and discovered that they sell cosmetics online, I decided that I would finally splurge on Jo Malone's Nectarine Blossom & Honey Cologne, which I had received a sample of when I bought Blackberry & Bay last year in NYC. I've actually been layering the two scents together for the past couple weeks which creates a lovely fresh, sweet, and slightly tart scent. I think this combo is gonna be my go-to spring fragrance. 
Urban Decay Matte Revolution Lipstick in Carnal and Backtalk, Revolution Lipstick in Strip and Protest, and Sheer Revolution Lipstick in Sheer Beso and Sheer Bittersweet
Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Singles
Top: Amber, Intense Gaze, Henna, and Cognac
Bottom: Belize, Plum Smoke, Labyrinth, and Aubergine
Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Singles
Top: Chiffon, Brownie, Peacock, and Prussian Blue
Bottom: Belize, Chocolate Crumble, Not Today, and Star Cobalt
When I was ordering all my Urban Decay & Gwen Stefani goodies from UD's website, I also decided to get some of their online-exclusive lipsticks — which, in my opinion, are some of the nicest, most flattering shades in their range. They're an assortment of nudes and MLBBs in various finishes (matte, cream, shine), and it's a shame that you can't get them in stores because I honestly think they'd become bestsellers (especially Backtalk and Strip). Their Revolution and Matte Revolution are two of my favourite lipstick formulas of all time, and I'm a total sucker for nudes, so I knew I was gonna like them without having to try them on (also, thank god for online lip swatches, am I right?). I hadn't tried the Sheer Revolution yet, but I figured if I was gonna make an online order, anyway, I might as well pick up the online exclusive shades in that formula as well (I'll have a review up on these soon). My brother also finally shipped out my Anastasia Beverly Hills eyeshadows that I had ordered last December. I had ordered 16 shades because ABH finally brought back their bundle deals (get eight shadows for $70 USD and get a free eight-pan eyeshadow palette). I shipped them to his apartment in NYC knowing that he was coming back to Toronto for Christmas so he could just bring them up with him and I wouldn't have to pay duties. Except that he forgot to bring them with him. So he had them shipped to me two months later. 
Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly Eyeshadow Collection
MAC Mellow Moderns Eyeshadow x 15 Palette
Too Faced released their Peanut Butter and Jelly eyeshadow palette a couple weeks ago on their website after previously only being available on Ulta, and Chelsea and I were hellbent on getting it because it is too fucking cute to resist, the colours are totally up our alley, and it smells like peanut butter, so I ordered two for us (Ulta doesn't ship to Canada). What pisses me off, however, is that Too Faced's Canadian site isn't really Canadian; they list their prices in Canadian dollars but they are still shipping out of California, so you have to pay taxes and duties (Too Faced uses Borderfree, though, so you know exactly how much you're paying before you receive it — no surprise fees upon arrival). Basically, this $52 palette ended up costing $78. I really, truly love the palette so I don't really regret buying it (also because it's not otherwise available in Canada so I really had no other choice), but I won't be ordering from Too Faced's website again. On another note, I did pick up the new Mellow Moderns 15-pan eyeshadow palette from MAC (which was previously a Nordstrom exclusive), and — best news! — all PRO discounts are applicable. MAC previously didn't allow discounts on their pre-made 15-pan palettes because they were already at a value price, but not only did they lower the retail prices on them from $99 to $85, they've also allowed discounts to be applied. Basically, I got this palette for dirt fucking cheap and it's beautiful.

Julep Nail Color in Janie, Tali, and Celeste
Julep Nail Color in Calla, Cora, Shayla, Kirby, Joelle, and Jamie
Julep Nail Color in Andrea, Dawnelle, Yumi, Sylvie, Everly, and Aviva
Hello Kitty by OPI Nail Lacquer in Starry-Eyed for Dear Daniel, Super Cute in Pink, My Pal Joey, and Never Have Too Many Friends!
I got a shit ton of nail polish. Long time followers of this blog will know that I was heavily into Julep's Maven program, which is the only beauty box program that I am still subscribed to, and I kept ordering for a few years until I got bored and then I started skipping months at a time. I had skipped for over a year until this past January, when I realized that I had enough Maven points to get a free monthly box. So I redeemed my points for the January Box (which included three nail polishes), and then noticed that they were offering their "Jem Collection" (a total of 12 glitter polishes) for $40. And as you know, glitter's my kryptonite. So I got those, too. And then I also got four shades from the Hello Kitty by OPI collection. I thought the pink shades would be cute for spring. And the blue and black creams are staples (also I realized I didn't actually own a black cream nail polish, which is just unacceptable). And, hi, it's Hello Kitty! I couldn't resist.
Bath & Body Works Ultra Shea Body Cream in Moonlight Path and Japanese Cherry Blossom, and Fine Fragrance Mist in Japanese Cherry Blossom
White Barn 3-Wick Candles in Lavender Vanilla and Bergamot Waters and Medium Candle in Eucalyptus Mint
Bath & Body Works Shea Infused Lounge Socks in It's a Shore Thing and You're One in a Melon
Do you know about Bath & Body Works' "Love It or Bring It Back" guarantee? Essentially, if you don't like a B&BW product, you can bring it back at any time, regardless of how old it is or whether you have a receipt. Before, this policy meant that you could exchange a product for the lowest selling price at the time of the exchange. So if you decided you didn't want a candle from two years ago, and it showed up as being $2.99 in their system, you could deduct that amount on another product. Now, their policy is a one-to-one exchange, so you can exchange any product for another of the same type of product. So if you brought back an old 3-wick candle, you could exchange it for a new 3-wick candle, regardless of price. I didn't know this until I was seeing if I could exchange some items I received in a Secret Santa at work this past Christmas. When I found out about their new exchange policy, I brought back a bunch of older products from up to two years ago that I had never used and never intended on using. Hence, I got two new body creams, a new body spray, and three new candles just by exchanging old unused products. But because I'm not a total asshole like that, I also added a few hand sanitizers and a couple pairs of my favourite shea infused lounge socks.

It's Skin Mini Bebe Hand Cream in Fresh Lime, and Classic Hand Cream in Intense & Rich and Soft & Fresh
It's Skin Citron Cleansing Foam and The Face Shop Chia Seed Fresh Cleansing Foam
Bliss Grapefruit + Aloe Body Butter Maximum Moisture Cream and Dr. Bronner's 15-in-1 Pure Castile Soap in Citrus
NYX Powder Blush in Intuition, Summer, and Beach Babe
On a trip to Pacific Mall with Chelsea, I picked up some newhandcreams and a tube of Citron Cleansing Foam (to clarify, exfoliate, and relieve inflammation) from Korean beauty brand It's Skin, plus a tube of Chia Seed Fresh Cleansing Foam (to absorb excessive sebum and deep cleanse pores) from The Face Shop, along with some Japanese candy and some cute pens and a Sonix pineapple phone case. Chelsea also gave me a tube of the Bliss Grapefruit + Aloe Body Butter that she had gotten for gratis from Sephora because she knows I love all the Bliss Body Butters, and then on a trip to Whole Foods, we each picked up some Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap (I like using it as hand soap, body wash, and brush cleanser). On a trip to Shoppers Drug Mart, I saw that they were finally carrying NYX, and decided to look through some of the products. NYX was previously only available at indie retailers and Rexall, so I'm glad SDM finally got the rights to carry the whole range because they're just a lot more accessible (SDM carried a few NYX products about a decade ago, but they weren't successful so I guess they were relegated to Rexall and, later, Target). I only bought three blushes while I was there, but it's good to know that I can get my NYX fix closer to home now. 
What have you splurged on lately? Any good deals or sales? What spring collections are you most looking forward to? Have you needed to change your skincare this winter, and if so, what's been your favourite products?

Pick-Ups & Deliveries: July 2014

It all started with killing time at the mall. 
The Face Shop Green Tea Mild Body Wash and Honey Citron Tea Moisture Body Lotion
The Face Shop Lovely Me:Ex Pastel Cushion Blusher in Coral Cushion and Rose Cushion
The Face Shop Silky & Soft Cotton Pads
I was waiting to meet up with my friend for dinner and ended up having 20 minutes to myself, so I walked over to The Face Shop. I originally went in just to get their Green Tea Mild Body Wash (which smells exactly like Elizabeth Arden's Green Tea scent) and my favourite Honey Citron Tea Moisture Body Lotion, but then noticed that they had a huge "20% off make-up" sign, so I (obviously) took the opportunity to take a look. I've always been intrigued by the make-up offerings there because the packaging is so freakin' cute, but never actually ended up getting anything. So, like any good blush fiend, I decided to get two shades of their Lovely Me:Ex Pastel Cushion Blusher. As it turns out, the blushes actually weren't on sale (the sign was meant for the eye products only), but the manager ended up giving me 20% off, anyway, when I hesitated buying them for full price (so they ended up being $7.20 each). I also randomly bought a box of their Silky & Soft Cotton Pads, which I thought might be a good and significantly cheaper alternative to my favourite Shiseido Facial Cotton. This ended up being kind of pointless because my friend Cynthia ended up gifting me four packs of Facial Cotton from the Shiseido warehouse sale, but actually, The Face Shop's cotton pads are surprisingly really good, and really cheap at $3 for a box of 80. Will definitely get more of these when my Shiseido supply runs out.
Julep Maven July Bombshell Box: Nail Color in Lissa and Beverly and Bare Body Milk
I've been a Julep Maven member for a couple years now, but I've been skipping most of my boxes this year (and I've stopped doing reviews on them altogether), partially to save money but mostly because I acquire nail polish at such a ridiculously rapid rate (as you will see in this post) and I need the drawer space for other brands. But I decided to treat myself last month and got the Bombshell Box for July, which included two nail polishes in a bright turquoise cream and a deep boysenberry cream, and a tube of their new Bare Body Milk, which is actually the main reason I was interested in this box. Julep describes it as "an ultra hydrating body lotion for thirsty skin. The lightweight, fast-absorbing formula leaves a soft, silky finish that's not heavy or greasy, and our signature Beach Tonic fragrance lets you smell like summer all year long." It just sounded ridiculously appealing to me for summer, and I quite like their Beach Tonic scent. Plus, it retails for $24 on its own, so it's like I got the nail polishes for free.
Rainbow Honey The Summer Mixtape (the non-glitters): Fall in Love, Control, Work It Out, One Minute More, Stolen Dance, and Waves
Rainbow Honey The Summer Mixtape (the glitters): Shark Attack, Lanterns, Night Sky, Best Friend, and Elevate
Rainbow Honey Limited Editions Nail Lacquer in Sea Star and Neon Blossom
Rainbow Honey July Mystery Bag: Nail Lacquer in Chemical Plant, Viridis, and Deep Heart Sea
Rainbow Honey July Mystery Bag: Midori Cooling Gel, Eau de Parfum Rollerball, and Scented Cuticle Balm
And then I proceeded to give Rainbow Honey all my money. It started with the release of their Summer Mixtape collection, of which I loved so much that I bought the entire full-size set. I honestly think this is my favourite Rainbow Honey collection to date; they consistently find a way to make their shades new and exciting (e.g. lemon yellow with pale pink iridescent shimmer), and Summer Mixtape incorporates such a beautiful variety of glitters, shimmers, and creams that are bright, fun, and unique. I also got a bottle of Sea Star, which was their June Limited Edition Nail Lacquer (they were sold out of it last month), and got a bottle of their July Limited Edition shade, Neon Blossom, for free because my order was over $50. I also got their July Mystery Bag for free because my order was over $65, and it included three new, unreleased shades of nail polish, as well as three items in their new Midori scent. I've learned to really love Rainbow Honey's Mystery Bags because they allow you to try their products without committing to their full sizes (you can buy them separately for $10). And I got 20% off my whole order using a promo code, too. This is how they get you.
MAC Studio Nail Lacquer in Silver Dew, Quick Million, and Tropical
MAC Mineralize Rich Lipsticks (new shades)
MAC Pro Palette Eyeshadow Refill Pans in Twinks, Shale, Orb, Girlie, All That Glitters, Expensive Pink, and Steamy
MAC Pro Palette Blush Refill Pans in Dollymix, Dame, and Well Dressed
MAC Wipes, Lightful Marine-Bright Formula Essence (x2), and Prep + Prime Face Protect SPF 50
Then I went to the MAC Store to check out some of the new things that came out last month. MAC recently revamped all their nail polishes and lowered their price to $14 a bottle (because let's be real, no one was gonna buy a MAC polish for $19), and I was immediately attracted to three brand new glitter shades that was released with the revamp ('cause I really needed more nail polish...). MAC also released their annual Mineralize update along with nine new shades of Mineralize Rich Lipstick, so I got those, too. And I also took the opportunity to stock up on some new eyeshadow refill pans (replacing staple shades that I'm nearly finished like Orb and All That Glitters, but also adding new ones like Steamy and Shale that I don't have in pan-form because I want to eventually get all my permanent MAC eyeshadows into palettes instead of having singles), blush refill pans (ditto), as well as my skincare essentials.
Boscia Black Charcoal Blotting Linens and Fresh Sugar Lychee Eau de Parfum
Finally, I could not resist the allure of Sephora. But I managed not to pick up any make-up items, and stuck to what I went in there for: a new pack of Boscia Blotting Linens (I thought I'd try the new black charcoal ones which apparently "actively purify pores") and a travel-size bottle of my favourite Fresh Sugar Lychee Eau de Parfum because I am pretty much using my Rebecca Minkoff bag exclusively these days and there's no way I can fit a 100 ml bottle of anything in there (yep, I used to lug around a full-size bottle of perfume with me everywhere). As a smoker, I always like to carry some perfume with me, and Sugar Lychee still remains my favourite; it's non-cloying, fresh, light, and kills the smell of smoke. 
Aldo Spelonca Wedges
In non-beauty news, I also bought a pair of wedges from Aldo. I needed to buy a pair of shoes that I could dress up and down and that wasn't (gasp) flat for some upcoming events I have to go to that require something classier and more elegant. I wanted something that I could stand and/or walk in for long periods of time that wouldn't hurt like hell (basically, stilettos were not an option). And no one was more surprised than me that I found them at Aldo, which are notorious for having shoes that hurt no matter the height and material. Seriously, my feet have bled from wearing their flats. These wedges manage to be comfortable for my wide feet while standing and walking, so I didn't even care that they weren't on sale. What really won me over with these, though, is that gold zipper detailing in the back. It doesn't serve any purpose other than aesthetics, but I love it. Makes the shoes just a little more badass. 

Julep Maven Box: September 2013

I was so distracted with all the new MAC collections being launched that I totally forgot to review last month's Julep Maven box, even though it was personally one of my favourites. September saw the release of Julep's Cityscape collection, which was inspired by the 'Big Four' cities' fashion weeks. In this collection, they "pay homage to the cities themselves," which, of course, refers to New York, London, Paris, and Milan. So, for September, I opted for the Boho Glam style box, which included a bottle of their new Bare Face Cleansing Oil and two shades of nail polish, to which I added two more shades for $4.99 each. The shades I received this month are:
Kristy, Tatiana, Karmen, and Candace
Kristy, Tatiana, Karmen, and Candace

Kristy is a deep dark navy blue in a cream finish. It has a fluid consistency without being too thick or too runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation and will reach opacity in one medium coat. It is similar to Chanel's Blue Satin, Essie's After School Boy Blazer, and OPI's Incognito in Sausalito; darker than Butter London's Royal Navy, more blackened than MAC's Spirit of Truth.
Tatiana is a medium-dark burnt orange with gold and red micro-glitter in a shimmer finish. It has a fluid consistency without being too thick or too runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation and will reach opacity in two medium coats. It is more golden and more glittery than Butter London's Sunbaker and Zoya's Amy, and darker and more orange than OPI's Goldeneye.
Karmen is a medium-dark warm-toned crimson red with gold and red micro-glitter in a shimmer finish. It has a fluid consistency without being too thick or too runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation and will reach opacity in two medium coats. It is warmer and has smaller glitter particles than Models Own Scarlet Sparkle, and more golden and more glittery than Butter London's Chancer.

Candace is a dark gilded olive-brown with gold and olive micro-glitter in a shimmer finish. It has a fluid consistency without being too thick or too runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation and will reach opacity in two medium coats. It is darker and more brown than Butter London's Wallis, and more olive than Cirque's French Roast.

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! Despite there being about a million dupes for Kristy (like, who doesn't make a good, solid navy blue cream polish these days?), it has a phenomenal formula, applying incredibly smooth and going opaque in one single coat. It's actually a really good dupe for Chanel's Blue Satin; I prefer Chanel's brush, but at nearly half the price, you can't really complain. The stars of this box, of course, are the other three shades — Karmen being inspired by London's red double-decker buses, Tatiana paying tribute to Milan's Quadriletero d'Oro ('Rectangle of Gold') fashion district, and Candace mimicking Paris' sparkling Eiffel Tower after dark. Despite their city inspirations, these three shades make me think of autumn more than anything else, like leaves and pumpkins. But Julep steps it up by adding micro-glitter to add dimension and interest, which is what makes me appreciate these even more.
As for the cleansing oil? Surprisingly effective. I would say that it's make-up removing abilities are on par with MAC's Cleanse Off Oil. The packaging is sleek and minimalistic, which I like, but the pump doesn't dispense a good amount of product like many of its competitors, and I found that I needed to pump out more product to do the same job. Moreover, at a retail price of $28 for 104ml, it does end up being one of the more expensive cleansing oils on the market (Julep's $0.27/ml vs. MAC's $0.24/ml vs. Shu Uemura's $0.18/ml), and with Julep being way less accessible (you can find the nail polishes at Sephora now, but not the rest of their products), I would go for one of the many other cleansing oils over this one any day. Still, September's Julep Maven box as a whole really impressed me and I thought they were spot-on with the shades reflecting the month as well as the theme.

Julep Maven Box: August 2013

I'm not gonna lie, I was decidedly uninterested with August's Julep Maven box. So much so, that I wasn't even going to review it, but last minute, I was all, "Oh, what the hell, I already took the photos." (Which is why I'm doing this post in September, 'cause I was procrastinating on it.) August's Julep Maven box features their new Garden Party collection, and their whole inspiration behind it was: "Keep it fresh. Summer is in full bloom, and so are August's colours." And I was all, "Yawn." Because, really? Flowers? We are heading towards the end of Summer, not the beginning of Spring, people! Regardless, none of the shades really caught my eye, but I ended up choosing the Boho Glam style box 'cause it seemed like the best option of the four. So, the shades I received for August were:
Francis, Bea, and Lois
Francis, Bea, and Lois

Francis is a light-medium dusty pistachio green with yellow undertones in a cream finish. It has a fluid consistency without being too thick or too runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation and will reach opacity in two medium coats. It is warmer and less bright than Julep's Courteney, darker and more muted than OPI's Gargantuan Green Grape, and darker and warmer than Illamasqua's Milf.
Bea is a light cool-toned lemon sorbet yellow in a cream finish. It has a fluid consistency without being too thick or too runny. It found that it was prone to streaking and some minor pulling. It has medium pigmentation and will reach opacity in three medium coats. It is lighter and cooler than Butter London's Jasper, slightly lighter and more pigmented than Rescue Beauty Lounge's Square Pants, and lighter and less golden than SpaRitual's Enlightened Soul.
Lois is a light dusty rose pink in a frost finish. It has a fluid consistency without being too thick or too runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation and will reach opacity in one medium-thick coat. It is cooler and more pink than Julep's Maya, much lighter and much cooler than Essie's Pink Diamond, and lighter and dustier than Zoya's Gie Gie.

Hands down, my favourite of the three is Francis (to absolutely no one's surprise). There's a depth and dustiness to it that keeps it from being too "springtime pastel," but it's vibrant enough to keep it fresh for fall. Bea is a more unique shade, being both a pale and cool-toned yellow (sounds almost like an oxymoron, doesn't it?) that's more akin to lemon sorbet than a lemon. However, it also had the worst formula of the three, being more sheer and streaky and also prone to pulling, which made it more of a pain to use. Lois had the best formula, going on super-smooth and evenly with full opacity in one coat. But the shade itself reminds me of something a 90-year-old woman would wear. I've never been a huge fan of frosted nail polishes for the same reason I don't like frosted lipsticks — it just looks really dated. August's Julep Maven box also came with their new Doublestep Foot Treatment and Friction Stick, but I put that aside as soon as I opened the box up because I knew I wouldn't use it. I just don't wear shoes that would ever require me to need protection against blisters... and let's be honest, I just can't be bothered with foot treatments, period. I almost skipped this box, actually, but the nail polish fiend in me was like, "But there's new shades!" But I sincerely hope that September's box will be more exciting (though judging from the previews I got, it looks extremely promising). 

Julep Maven Box: July 2013

I wasn't into any of the nail colour combos that came with any of the July Julep Maven boxes, so I did something very out of character and actually chose the box that didn't come with any nail polishes — a new style option from Julep called "Modern Beauty," which focuses on non-nail products. Now, anyone that follows my Julep Maven reviews will know that I generally hate any of Julep's non-nail products. Their foray into make-up has seriously left me disappointed and disheartened. But this month, they came out with two new products that really piqued my interest — the Sea Salt Texture Spray for hair and the Beach Tonic Dry Body Oil — both of which came with the "Modern Beauty" box. Now, the "Modern Beauty" box doesn't come with nail polish, but that doesn't mean I didn't get any nail polish. I didn't like any of the combos that Julep put together in the other boxes this month, but it doesn't mean that I didn't like any of the shades. Julep came out with their California Coast collection for July, a range of ten shades inspired by "the natural beauty of the California coastline," so I decided to get the two shades I was most interested in as add-ons for $4.99 each.
Blakely (top) and Alaina (bottom)
Blakely and Alaina

Blakely is a dark purple-burgundy with iridescent micro-shimmer in a metallic-chrome finish. It will flash bronze, brown, plum, indigo, and teal depending on the angle and the lighting. It has a fluid consistency without being too thick or too runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation and will reach opacity in two thin-medium coats. I couldn't think of a dupe for this; it is darker and has more of a plum-teal duochrome than Chanel's Black Pearl, and is lighter and has more of brown-plum duochrome than Deborah Lippmann's Don't Tell Mama. 

Alaina is a medium warm taupe in a cream finish. It has a fluid consistency without being too thick or too runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation and will reach opacity in one thick coat or two thin coats. It is slightly more grey than Essie's Chinchilly, lighter and warmer than SpaRitual's Pebble, and lighter and much more grey than Chanel's Particulière.

Even though these two shades are more autumnal, I totally see the oceanic inspiration behind them. Blakely captures the complex dimensional colours of a mussel shell, and Alaina looks like driftwood that's been cleaned and washed smooth from ocean water. Gorgeous. And with beautiful formulas to boot. Definitely pleased with this month's colours. As for the other two products... I recently cut off six inches of hair and had a ton of layers added to create a more choppy "long bob," so I was quite excited to try out the Sea Salt Texture Spray. Julep promises that it "creates soft, natural looking texture without getting crunchy or greasy" and "adds texture and volume with a slight matte finish." I'm happy to report that it does exactly what says it'll do. I have straight, coarse, East Asian hair, and while it didn't add as much grit or make my hair look as "tousled" as some other sea salt sprays out there, it made my hair look more piece-y and and "rockstar bedhead," if you will. I wash my hair everyday, so this is a great way to get that "second-day hair" texture without actually feeling dirty. I like that it has a light marine scent and doesn't make my hair feel stripped or dry, either (unlike, say, Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray). I'm not huge into sea salt sprays in general, but I really like this option.
And as some of you will know, I've been really quite into body oils recently, so I was also excited to try the Beach Tonic Dry Body Oil. Judging from the name, I assume they made this specifically for beach-goers, which I equate to "hot weather." It is lightweight and smells fresh and citrusy. I like the easy spray application (as opposed to something like Bobbi Brown Beach Body Oil, which you have to pour out and can get pretty damn messy, as in, everywhere), and I like that it doesn't feel heavy or greasy. It definitely isn't enough hydration for me in colder, drier months, but for humid days (like during that insane heat wave we had a few weeks ago), it's just perfect. It leaves a nice sheen, too, and smells light and fresh. I imagine it would be a great option to bring to the beach to get some hydration after tanning or frolicking in ocean water... you know, if I actually did those things. 

Julep Maven Box: June 2013

This month's Julep Maven box features shades from Julep's new Nantucket Nostalgia collection, which was inspired by the "preppy, playful colours... of beaches and boardwalks." Nothing groundbreaking this time of year, but I do like the East Coast, New England-y feel of the collection — these are the beach colours of yachts and yuppies rather than of exotic, balmy locales, which I actually think makes it slightly more unique than many other brands' summer collections. I decided to get the "Boho Glam" style box this month, which included two nail polishes from the Nantucket Nostalgia collection, plus a tube of their new DD Crème. I decided to add a third nail colour for $4.99 as well. So, the polishes I got this month are:

Dianna, Lexie, and Payton
Dianna, Lexie, and Payton

Dianna is a light seafoam green with aqua undertones in a cream finish.  It has a fluid consistency without being too thick or too runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation and will reach opacity in two medium coats. It is similar to Butter London's Poole, darker and more green than OCC's Pool Boy, and less blue than Essie's In the Cab-ana.

Lexie is a light bright dandelion yellow in a cream finish. It has a fluid consistency, but is on the thicker side. Due to the thicker flow, there was some streaking and unevenness. It has high pigmentation, but due to the streakiness, three medium coats are needed for evenness. It is lighter and less golden than Julep's Daisy, brighter than Butter London's Cheeky Chops, and quite similar to Clinique's 70° and Sunny.

Payton is a medium brightened kelly green in a cream finish. It has a fluid consistency without being too thick or too runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation and will reach opacity in two medium coats. It is lighter and brighter than Julep's Popova, brighter than Essie's Mojito Madness, and more muted than Essie's Shake Your $$ Maker.

Dianna and Payton had great formulas that are smooth and pigmented and self-levelling, but Lexie left something to be desired. For some reason, it's really common with these bright yellow shades to be thick and streaky, so it was kind of to be expected, but I was hoping that Julep would somehow work their magic on it and make it beautifully flowing like so many of their other shades. Alas, no such luck. On that note, I do love shades like this for summer, and I think these three represented the theme of the collection quite well. They're fresh and clean and preppy, and remind me of sailing and sweaters wrapped around polos and lunching at golf clubs.

DD Crème
DD Crème swatches — unblended and blended

Okay, I have never been on board with the whole BB cream thing (or CC creams or whatever-other-letter creams). I understand the appeal of them — the multi-tasking, money-saving, efficiency-promoting aspect of them — but people, they are just glorified tinted moisturizers. Apparently, Julep has made the first DD cream, "a dynamic do-all make-up that goes beyond BB cream to moisturize, prime, perfect, and protect — both instantly and over time." It has SPF 25, "two patented anti-aging ingredients [that] decrease the appearance of pores and fine lines," hibiscus and olive extracts to hydrate, and "lightweight, buildable coverage with an ultra-smoothing finish." Not that this product doesn't do or have all those things, but there are separate products that do them better. 2-in-1 products? Yes. 3-in-1? Getting a little ambitious. 4-or-more-in-1? Marketing scam. I get that multi-tasking means time-saving, and time is money, but I really, genuinely think that people are just getting lazier.

It must be noted that I have never been of fan of the marriage of skincare and make-up. There are much more effective serums and moisturizers that hydrate and help with the appearance of pores and fine lines (and, honestly, if these were genuine concerns of yours, you probably should be looking into a better skincare routine, not some goddamn BB/CC/DD cream). And the coverage on this is light-medium at best, so if you want anything actually covered, you'd better be prepared to layer on concealer after this. Also, if you have skin that is anywhere on the oilier side of normal, this is going to look dewy at best and greasy at worst. (Also, this shade, medium, which you would think works for my NC35 complexion, makes me look kind of like a pumpkin. Just sayin'.) This is a product for people who genuinely have about two minutes to get ready in the morning, like new moms. Or for people who already have perfect skin but feel the need to put something on to feel more "done." Conclusion: DD cream is no better than CC cream which is no better than BB cream, which is kind of crap to begin with (you know, in my humble, unbiased opinion). Also, Julep, please stop trying to foray into make-up.