June Julep Reveal + Penny Intro Box Offer

***I am a paid subscriber to Julep Maven monthly subscription boxes. No sponsorship was provided. All images and content is original and copyright Momma Told Me 2013. Update: Get your first month's Julep Maven box for 1 PENNY, SHIPPED! Go here, do the style quiz and sign up with code PENNY (Choose 'FREE SHIPPING')!

Momma Told Me: Good things are worth the wait.

Somewhere halfway through the month I begin to get a little antsy. This feeling reminds me of being a young girl, anxiously running down the smoldering gravel fire escape path to our mailbox at the back of the condominium complex. Momma and I would hold 'contests' to see who could endure the heat, barefoot, longest. While running helped keep my feet off the hot gravel for too long, it was merely a way to get that golden key into the dull silver latch just a little bit faster. During Summers Momma and I would comb through 'send away' books; books with hundreds of addresses and contacts for free samples and send away gifts for kids. Then I would proceed to spend the remaining 2 months throwing that mailbox hatch open with the anticipation of Christmas morning. That's the feeling I get merely logging into my email on the 20th morning of each month. Without fail, there will be an email from Julep waiting for me with this month's selections. And, perhaps even better than those gifts on Christmas morn, I will have the chance to handpick the perfect collection to be sent directly to my door.

Last month we saw a beautifully vibrant brights collection unveiled, reminiscent of Miami beaches and Hollywood's young starlets. This month the vibrant hues carry over into a classical collection inspired by Eastern shores; Nantucket Nostalgia. While my default 'style profile' is set to Classic With a Twist (often less flashy renditions of classical hues and textures), I opted to go for the Bombshell box this month. One of the things I especially love about Julep Maven subscriptions is the option to change between style profiles each month, or skip a month entirely. Unlike other programs where users have to bid for boxes, or are sent the same generic collection of items as all the other subscribers, Julep offers options. Nearly all of this month's choices featured the brand's innovate new DD Cream (more on that in a second), but there were a few exclusively with polish for those with picky skin, or an aversion to facial cosmetics.

My two hues this month were Payton (a sassy bright Green) and Raegan (a beautiful deep Pink), and came alongside a full size DD cream in my chosen skin tone and a few pieces of Saltwater Taffy. Julep does a wonderful job of crafting fun and creative inspiring boxes; usually with a 'sweet' little twist to indulge in. When I had logged into Julep on May 20th I had been prompted to complete a new, extensive, beauty profile. Inside were fun graphic filled questions about my preferred cosmetics, shades, and style. This was a great indication that the brand will be working more cosmetics, and even haircare, into their future boxes. Don't worry, those of you who crush exclusively on the brand's premium lacquers will still have the option to choose classic boxes each month! Best of all, there is no charge for the 'extra' cosmetic; simply choose 3 nail care or color collections from this months picks, or one of the beauty enhanced boxes.

The DD Creme, also available in Concealer, comes in 4 shades and stands for 'Dynamic Do-All.' It features an SPF 25 base, 2 patented anti-aging compounds, hibiscus and olive oil extracts to hydrate skin, and wears very light for layering. Unlike some BB creams I have tried, and don't mistake this as one (it is missing a primer), this formula is very light and does not cake on skin or leave my complexion feeling greasy. I'd consider it moderate coverage, best for naturally clear skin, and suggest it works well with a mineral top coat when used as a foundation.

As for our lacquers this month, Sabrina (10) and I instantly new we wanted to play with the contrast of the two bright colors. For me, I went half and half and striped down the middle with Sally Hansen Instant Nail Strips in Kitty Kitty (leopard). I felt the animal print was very bold against the brights so I chose to only accent a few fingers on each hand. Sabrina wanted something more geometrical, but we found that Payton (green) went on much thinner and translucent than the Pink color. We ended up using 3 layers of Payton as the base, and only 1 layer of Raegan on the other hand. I finished off the look with a simple dot pattern using a few droplets of lacquer on a plate, with the back of a cotton swap stick. When we were done we finished with a drop of Julep's Quick Dry Polish Drops (a true marvel), we'd received in our October box. This is the perfect way to end a mani with the natural oils and aromatic experience that is quite calming.

What Daughter Says: Give yourself something to look forward to this Summer, give Julep Maven a try today.

Update: Get your first month's Julep Maven box for 1 PENNY, SHIPPED! Go here, do the style quiz and sign up with code PENNY (Choose 'FREE SHIPPING')!