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July 2014 Julep Maven Box

I received the Classic with a Twist version of the Poolside Collection for July which includes two bright creme polishes and the Bare Body Milk. 

The two Classic with a Twist polishes in my box are Kelsey, a "powder peach creme," and Vicki, a "pink flamingo creme."  Both polished are beautiful midsummer shades!  The box also came with Bare Body Milk, a lightweight moisturizer with a beautiful summery scent.  I like the combination of products in this month's box!

Each Maven box comes with a quote.  This month’s quote is:

Summer's not a season it's a state of mind.

If you’d like to learn more about the Julep Maven program, I recommend checking out their website (click here). 

*The products shown are part of the Julep Maven subscription service, which I pay for myself.  Post contains affiliate & referral links. All opinions are genuinely my own.*

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#POTM (Tootsies Edition) - Too Taboo by Essie

There's something about fuchsia that just screams pedicure to me.  Essie describes Too Taboo as a "vivid Intense" shade that glows on the nail.  While in actuality I find this to be much more subdued than that description, I am still very much enjoying this gorgeous shade.  The formula is smooth and easy to polish with a nice shiny finish after two coats.

* Post contains affiliate links. This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own. *

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#POTM - Macaroon Me Madly by L'Oreal with Pikake by Rainbow Honey

I'm having so much fun with the glitters that come in my Rainbow Honey Mystery Bag subscription!  This fun pink-themed glitter top coat with different sizes, shapes, and shades of glitter pairs beautifully with a favorite of mine from last spring. Macaroon Me Madly is a sweet pale peach/coral creme that is the perfect stand alone shade for warmer weather or base for a fun topcoat like Pikake. I find the combination to be bubbly and cheery!

* This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own. *

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#POTM - Giddy Kipper by Butter London

I've been doing my best not to buy polish lately as a) I have enough to stock a salon and b) I get quite a bit coming in every month between my Julep Maven Box and Rainbow Honey Mystery Bag subscriptions.  There are some polishes that I just cannot pass up on, however, and Giddy Kipper is definitely one of those.  This gorgeous indigo blue is such a stunner!  It  has a very subtle shimmer to it which is not so noticeable but rather creates a beautiful shine effect on the nail. I love the smaller brush of the Butter London polishes and the creamy, smooth formula.  Two coats for opaque blue perfection!  

* Post contains affiliate and referral links. This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own. *

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July 2014 Rainbow Honey Cosmetics Mystery Bag

I love my RH monthly subscription! The Mystery Bag is offered either as a one time purchase for $10 (plus shipping) for the mini version, $25 for the full size polish version, or as a monthly subscription with the same prices.  It includes “sneak peeks and previews of new lacquers, unreleased samples of future collections and exciting new products made by the Rainbow Honey Lab.”  You also get the current month’s mystery bag for free with a Rainbow Cosmetics purchase of $65 or more.  

The July Mystery Bag included three polishes.  Deep Heart Sea  is a super fun, aquatic themed glitter polish with "white hearts and neon glitters suspended in a sheer blue base with purple shimmer."  Viridis is another super fun one with neon green stars and pastel glitter in a shimmery base.  Chemical Plant is "a gorgeous sparkling magenta/violet with sparks of blue and gold shimmer."  The bag also came with three beauty products in Midori, a summery fruity scent, including an Eau de Parfum rollerball, cuticle balm, and cooling gel.   This is such a fun little grab bag!

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#POTM (Tootsies Edition) - X♥Rouge by Formula X

I got this polish for free when I became a VIB Rouge at Sephora (yes, that means I buy too much makeup LOL) earlier this year.  I thought it was a really nice gift, as I am a big fan of the Formula X polishes.  I don't use red all that often, but decided to go for it on my toes for a change.  I love it!  It's a nice bright red that's neither too blue nor too pink in tone.  The formula is gorgeous and applied like a dream in two coats. 

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#POTM - Petit Four by Rainbow Honey

I received this fun polish in my May Rainbow Honey Mystery Bag.  It's a lovely pale yellow creme with pastel glitters in different shapes. What an unusual polish!  I was afraid it would not be opaque enough, but sure enough two coats did the trick.  It is always at least a little more difficult to work with larger pieces of glitter, but I didn't have a problem with this one.  All in all, a fun mani perfect for summer!

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June 2014 Rainbow Honey Cosmetics Mystery Bag

I've officially subscribed! The Mystery Bag is offered either as a one time purchase for $10 (plus shipping) for the mini version, $25 for the full size polish version, or as a monthly subscription with the same prices.  It includes “sneak peeks and previews of new lacquers, unreleased samples of future collections and exciting new products made by the Rainbow Honey Lab.”  You also get the current month’s mystery bag for free with a Rainbow Cosmetics purchase of $65 or more.  

The June Mystery Bag included three polishes.  Pikake is a fun pink themed glitter top coat with different sizes, shapes, and shades of glitter.  Rose Macaron is a "sweet treat" baby pink polish flecked with fuscia and gold glitters in various sizes. Ichigo is a "bright fuchsia jelly [that] glows with blue and purple iridescent flakes." The bag also comes with a package of 10 nail art pearls and 5 mini orange sticks, a Tea Biscuit cuticle balm and mini exfoliating soap (smells like cookies, yum!), and a rollerball in the Nucifera scent.  This is such a fun little grab bag!

*The products shown are part of the Rainbow Honey subscription service, which I pay for myself.  All opinions are genuinely my own.*

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#POTM - Savoy by Julep

I was very interested in trying out this "antique gold chrome" from the June 2014 Julep Maven Box.  It is by far the thinnest formula from Julep I have ever tried.  That's not to say it isn't pigmented, but I have grown so accustomed to the thicker Julep formula that this one definitely stood out.  For a chrome, I found it applied fairly well with minor streaking.  I love the more bronze-like gold color for a chic year-round look.

*The product shown is part of the Julep Maven subscription service, which I pay for myself.  Post contains affiliate & referral links. All opinions are genuinely my own.*

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June 2014 Julep Maven Box

I received the It Girl version of the Three Wishes Collection for June which includes three jewel-toned polishes. I also opted to add on a couple of the extras offered that month.

The three It Girl polishes in my box are Savoy, an "antique gold chrome,"  Phia, a gorgeous iridescent purple metallic, and Jennine, a deep turquoise "stardust finish" which Julep defines as a "matte glitter."

One of the extras I added onto my box is the Creativity Kit that pairs with Julep's innovative Plié Wand. This includes a nail striper and dotting tool for nail art. The other extras I opted for are the Oxygen Smoothing Base Coat and Performance Top Coat.

Each Maven box comes with a quote.  This month’s quote is:

"Promise me you'll never stop dreaming." - Melina Marchetta

If you’d like to learn more about the Julep Maven program, I recommend checking out their website (click here). 

*The products shown are part of the Julep Maven subscription service, which I pay for myself.  Post contains affiliate & referral links. All opinions are genuinely my own.*

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#POTM - La Vie En Rose by Deborah Lippmann

I actually purchased this polish when I went to Miraval in Arizona earlier this year.  I'm always a bit on the fence about Deborah Lippmann polishes as they are quite pricey and I don't find the formula is consistent across the brand at least with the shades I have tried.  This one was so-so.  I didn't realize it was such a sheer shimmer and was hoping for a more opaque effect.  I ended up painting three coats but had trouble getting an even finish.  I love the pail pink color with the micro gold shimmer.  I just wish it was a bit more opaque.

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#POTM - Kam by Julep

Another subscription box acquisition, I got this pretty sage green creme in my May Julep Maven Box.  While I usually go for shimmery shades in the summer months, I really enjoyed this beauty for a change.  Julep describes it as "vintage spearmint."  The formula was the same thicker one I am accustomed to with Julep polishes.  It applied evenly and opaque after two coats.  

If you’d like to learn more about the Julep Maven program, I recommend checking out their website (click here). 

*Post contains referral and affiliate links. All opinions are genuinely my own.*

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#POTM - Pool Boy by OCC with Neon Blossom by Rainbow Honey

I spruced up my last mani by adding the awesome Rainbow Honey glitter topcoat that came in my May Mystery Bag.  I was pleasantly surpassed top find it relatively easy to work with this polish despite the big hot pink and bright yellow heart and flower shaped glitters suspended in it.  What a fun addition to a summer mani!

* Post contains affiliate links. This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own. *

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May 2014 Rainbow Honey Cosmetics Mystery Bag

I liked the April Mystery Bag so much, I decided to try out May as a one time purchase to see if I wanted to subscribe to the monthly service. The Mystery Bag is offered either as a one time purchase for $10 (plus shipping) for the mini version, $25 for the full size polish version, or as a monthly subscription with the same prices.  It includes “sneak peeks and previews of new lacquers, unreleased samples of future collections and exciting new products made by the Rainbow Honey Lab.”  You also get the current month’s mystery bag for free with a Rainbow Cosmetics purchase of $65 or more.  

The May Mystery Bag included three polishes.  Petit Four is a beautiful pale yellow creme with pastel glitters in different shapes.  Waves is a "glass-flecked shimmer" that "sparkles in turquoise and gold."  Neon Blossom is a fun glitter topcoat that includes flower and heart shapes as well as mini glitters in hot pink and bright yellow.  The bag also came with a package of 10 nail art studs and 2 sponge applicators, a Honeymint lip balm, and a mini shea butter soap and rollerball in the Summer Juice scent.  This is such a fun little grab bag!

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#POTM - Pool Boy by Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics

Having never tried anything from OCC before, I was especially excited to see this bright blue beauty in my May PopSugar Must Have Box.  It's not only the perfect summery blue shade, but it polishes like a dream!  Two coats was perfect.  This is a high-end quality polish in mid-range prices.  I'd love to pick up another one at some point to see if the quality is consistent. I got so many compliments on this color!

Click here to learn more about the PopSugar Must Have Box.  Use code REFER5 to save $5 off your first box!

* All products mentioned are part of the PopSugar Must Have monthly subscription program, for which I pay for my own membership.  The PopSugar Must Have link I provide is a referral link, which means if you decide to become a PopSugar Must Have subscriber when using that link, I get credit towards future PopSugar Must Have boxes.  Post contains affiliate links. This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are genuinely my own. *

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#POTM - Jules by Julep with Poffin Party by Rainbow Honey

I had only minimal tip wear after wearing Jules all weekend and decided to extend my mani by adding on one of the fun new topcoats I recently hauled from Rainbow Honey Cosmetics.  Poffin Party has clear pink micro shimmer suspended in a clear base with pastel dots and square glitters in various shapes and colors. It is so fun on the nail, especially over such a neutral color where it really does pop. Unlike other larger glitter topcoats I've tried, this one was relatively easy to polish and get a nice distribution of glitters. I love how it extended my manicure and turned it into a little party on my nails.

* Post contains affiliate links.  All opinions are genuinely my own. *

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#POTM - Jules by Julep

Such a classy shade!  I love this "warm powder pink crème" that came in my May Julep Maven Box.  I always seem to have trouble polishing light creamy polishes like this, but I was surprised at how even this one turned out after three coats.  It was the perfect polish to wear last weekend between an outing with friends, an afternoon at the theater, and a fancy dinner date out with my hubby.  Nothing like a pale pink to go with absolutely everything!

If you’d like to learn more about the Julep Maven program, I recommend checking out their website (click here). 

*The product shown is part of the Julep Maven subscription service, which I pay for myself.  The Julep link I provided is a referral link, which means if you decide to become a Maven subscriber when using that link, I get credit towards future Julep Maven Box purchases.  All opinions are genuinely my own.*