Julep should really hire Lauren and I to promote them because we do it all the time, whether anyone is listening or not. We both love this brand and both of us discuss our monthly selections/options in depth as soon as they are released (no joke, I always wake up at some ungodly hour when Lauren starts texting me about the Maven options each month – she is an effective alarm clock).
For the unfamiliar, Julep Mavens receive a customizable box of nail polish and beauty products for $24.99/month (or less if you pre-pay like me). They are technically a nail polish company, but increasingly I’ve come to associate them with beauty products more than that. I’ve been falling head over heels for Julep’s cosmetics and skincare line lately because they offer some seriously quality products.
This month Julep introduced us to a line of blush sticks called Skip the Brush, because Julep has decided to start naming all of their products stupid things for reasons that are unclear. Ridiculous name aside, I am all about them. These sticks apply like a balm, blend like a cream, and dry to a powder. In a word, they are perfect.
I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the polish options this month, so I got 3 blush sticks – Golden Guava, Moonlit Sand, and Desert Rose. Holy crap, I am in love. 
Golden Guava – Peach-toned blush does magical things to my skin tone during the summer. I have light skin that can’t tan (just burn), so getting some summer color is just something I cannot achieve. Enter peach blush and bronzer, the pale girl secret to a sun-kissed glow. I have Julep’s regular blush in peach, so I knew this color would be great. Surprising no one, it is.
Moonlit Sand – I have been searching for The Perfect Taupe Blush, and I had high hopes that Moonlit Sand would be the perfect taupe for me. The blush sticks are super buildable, so if you want deeper color it’s very easy to achieve that, but I don’t care for the feeling of a lot of makeup, so I found this shade to actually be a little too light for me. As a highlighter it is great – it has some shimmer and warmth to it that I have yet to achieve with any other highlighter, and in a pinch it will do as a taupe blush. The picture above is super misleading, as it turns out (dammit, Julep).
Desert Rose – I assumed this would be more like a bronzer, but these sticks apply very light, so I’m able to get The Perfect Taupe color with it! YESSSSSSSS. Again, the picture above is super misleading because it is not pink at all. It is really easy to dab a bit on and blend it into your skin with your fingers, so layering it to be darker is doable. I can see this being my go-to blush stick for traveling, especially for a wedding or something that I would need to go from pretty day makeup to partying all night in the dark. Love it.
When Pencil Met Gel in Deep Raisin – I am really confused about why they changed the Gel Glider eyeliner line to When Pencil Met Gel, because that is the stupidest name I’ve ever heard. Anyway, the formula for Julep’s gel eyeliners are second to none. They apply super smoothly, blend like a dream, and stay exactly like that until the next time you wash your face. I own literally every single one of the gel liners (and there are a lot) because they are magic. Deep Raisin is really beautiful on my brown eyes, they really make them pop – not the easiest thing to do with brown eyes.
Final Rating: A+
I am really in love with Julep’s beauty products. I haven’t opted for polish in several months when the Maven selections begin because they have really proven themselves as a key player in the cosmetic game. I’m really excited to see what they come out with next month, but these blush sticks are going to be hard to top.
Click my referral link here to become a Julep Maven and get an awesome welcome box for free!
xo,
Jill