Julep May Maven Bombshell Box Review

Hello all!  Today I will be reviewing my May Maven Bombshell Box from Julep.  The Maven box is a monthly subscription, and for $19.99 a month, you get a box of either two full-sized nail polishes and another full-size cosmetic item of their choice, or you can opt for just three full-sized nail polishes, or you can just get the cosmetic items.  They're also letting customers customize their own boxes now, and I believe that costs $24.99 a month.  For each box you purchase, you earn reward points, which you can use to purchase other Julep products or the next Maven box.  I paid $19.99 for my box, so this review isn't a paid review.  I dished out money for this.

This is what came inside my box:

The feature item of the month was their Plié Wand.  According to the Julep website, this wand is supposed to help you paint your dominant hand by giving you more accuracy and more control.  The longer handle improves leverage, comfort, and control, and leaves the user with a better manicure.  It also twists and turns to accommodate the user's grip and angle.

I attached the Plié Wand to my nail polish bottle, and you can either have the handle stick straight out like so:

Or you can have the handle bent, like so:

It really depends on the way you prefer to hold your brushes.  I painted my dominant hand using the straightened Plié Wand.  I must say though, this Plié Wand is really something.  Normally, even I hesitate for a little bit when I paint my dominant hand, but since the Plié Wand is so freaking long, it really lets your entire non-dominant hand grip around the handle, which does lead to increased stability and control.  I painted my dominant hand and did even less clean up than I would normally have to!  I would definitely recommend you trying this new Plié Wand, but only if you own Julep polishes...because at the moment, they're only Julep-polish compatible.  But if you're sick and tired of having a really awesome non-dominant hand and an okay-ish dominant hand, give this wand a go.  You'll see big improvements in your manicure :)

And this is what my dominant hand looks like:

Even I'm not the best at painting my dominant hand, but I'd say this was a pretty good job.  Read on to find out more about these lovely polishes! :)

Both of these polishes have a peachy coral shimmer to them.  If you hold them up to the light, it's truly a beautiful sight to behold :) for all of my nails, I started with a coat of Double Duty Strengthening Base & Top Coat by Sally Hansen, and then I finished with a coat of Double Duty Strengthening Base & Top Coat by Sally Hansen.  I did very little clean up with my Winstonia square brush and pure acetone.

On my thumb, pointer, and pinky fingers, I have painted on two coats of Saaya by Julep.  According to Julep, this is a "golden apricot shimmer".  I'm not sure I quite pick up on the golden part, but the rest of the color description is correct.  The polish is very true to its color in the bottle, and it does require two coats for full opacity.

On my middle and ring fingers, I have painted on two coats of Laree by Julep.  According to Julep, this is a "golden pink taffeta shimmer".  I have no idea what taffeta means, and the only taffeta reference I know is that little punk from the movie Wreck-It Ralph.  This photo isn't taken in the best light, but it's the best one that reflects the golden aspect of this pink polish :) This polish is definitely opaque in one coat, if you applied a thicker coat.  Unfortunately, the golden shimmer on my fingers isn't as visible as it is in the bottle.

Both of these polishes are super summery!  Looking at the bottles makes me want to go to Hawaii and just relax in the light of the setting sun...that would be the dream.  They're perfect for anyone wanting to add a pop of summer to their nails with minimal effort :)

I really love Julep polishes.  The quality of the polishes is excellent and the company has high moral values.  Both are good things to have.  Even though I'm subscribed as a Julep Maven, I don't get a box every month - I've been choosing to skip a lot of the months because I'm a college student.  Or sometimes, it's just because for a given box, only one of the two or three polishes really intrigues me.  The other polishes in the box aren't bad, but just not as fascinating.  And if that's the case for all of the choices of boxes, I just choose to opt out of the box for the month.

But let me know if I should continue doing swatches and reviews like this!  It gives me a nice break from my regular nail art jamming sessions, which is nice, and it also forces me to wear my nail polish colors on my hand, instead of me just blindly purchasing polishes and rarely wearing them :) and as always, stay awesome out there! :D