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It has been a while since I ordered a Julep Maven Box. None of the past boxes really excited me, but then I saw that December's box would include a little eyeshadow palette and I couldn't resist.

The theme this month was Glitterati -- lots of shimmer and glitter. I went with the Bombshell box instead of my preordained Classic with a Twist box, but both boxes had great colours, though.

Let's start with the polishes included in the box. First, the polishes came neatly boxed in thin cardboard packaging. I love that the bottles now come with "swatch" stickers on the lids -- it's a great way to see the colours when they're stored away.

Both polishes applied beautifully. There's Cara a frosted cranberry and Andrea a sparkling full-coverage gold glitter. I only used one coat in the swatches below, great pigmentation & opacity.

Cara

Andrea

Moving onto the bonus product inside this box: the Sweep Eyeshadow Palette in Neutrals. I love when Julep includes beauty products in their boxes (although, I didn't have much luck with their DD Cream).

While the packaging leaves something to be desired (it's in a simple, albeit flimsy, cardboard case), but eyeshadows are actually quite nice. They are pigmented, easy to apply, and smooth to blend.

There are five great neutral shades:

Tiramisu—nude satin
Glow—golden shimmer
Dusk—mauve satin
Toffee—bronze shimmer
Cocoa—chocolate brown with gold shimmer

While I do like the colours and the quality, at $24.00 (or $19.20 for Maven members), I wouldn't recommend you run out to get it. Each shadow is fairly small (only about 1.2g per shade), and like I said, the packaging is basically glorified cardboard. There are some great drugstore palettes at a more affordable price, but if this palette comes around in a box again, don't hesitate to get it! :)

l-r: Tiramisu, Glow, Dusk, Toffee, Cocoa

Did you receive a Julep box this month? What did you think? x

Top coats are changing. They're not just clear coats to protect your polish and add shine, they're now mattifying, bedazzling, and holographic.

L'Oréal recently launched their own collection of Magic Top Coats. There are six different effects: the matte velvet, the shift me, the true diamond, the true gold, the sparklicious, and the holographic.

I have all except the holo. While I love that holographic look, I already have two similar polishes (Essie Shine of the Times & Avon Opal top coat, so I passed on it. The other top coats intrigued me, though.

The Matte Velvet

Matte nails is one of the biggest nail trends for fall. This top coat will turn any polish into a smooth velvety finish for an understated elegant look. It offers a posh flat finish. This will definitely on par with my other matte favourite, Essie Matte About You.

The Shift Me

This polish adds a sheer iridescence to your nail colour. It has a pink hue in the bottle, but when applied it turns to a luminous blue tint. It is a very shifty effect.

The True Diamond

A clear base infused with silver micro glitter to add a frosted effect to any nail colour. This top coat definitely allows your polish to shine bright like a diamond.

The True Gold

A clear polish packed with tons of gold particles. Like all the other top coats, it is easy to apply. You can apply one coat for a smooth and even distribution of glitter that still allows your base colour to peek through.

The Sparklicious

A confetti of black and silver bars and hexagons. The chunky glitter gives you a different look every time. Best applied in thin layers and you may have to apply two coats to get your desired sparkle.

There are infinite possibilities with these top coats. Layer them over a multitude of colours, or even layer them over each other. Here's a look at how each top coat looks over three different base coats.

#1 - Over Essie Licorice

Thumb to Pinkie: Matte Velvet, Shift Me, True Diamond, True Gold, Sparklicious

#2 - Over Essie Sand Tropez

Thumb to Pinkie: Matte Velvet, Shift Me, True Diamond, True Gold, Sparklicious

#3 - Over Avon Royal Vendetta

Thumb to Pinkie: Matte Velvet, Shift Me, True Diamond, True Gold, Sparklicious

L-R: Matte Velvet, Shift Me, True Diamond, True Gold, Sparklicious

Pricing & Availability:

$6.99 each | 11.7 ml | Mass retailers

Have you tried any of these new top coats? x

I was trolling the aisles at Target and spotted this jar of Up & Up 100% acetone polish remover. I had to pick it up, who doesn't love the convenience of jar nail polish removers? I know I always have.This one is a little different than most, though.

What do I love about this? Well, it's incredibly easy to use. It's a jar of acetone with built-in bristles (yes -- bristles... I'll come back to that in a second) that easily remove nail polish (gel, glitter, regular and otherwise).

Typically this type of remover has a sponge inside the jar to scuff off the polish, but the Up & Up version actually has rubberized bristles instead. This has got to be the best part because a) it won't degrade as easily as a sponge (especially when removing gritty glitter polishes), and b) I find that it removes polishes a bit easier.

So, it's as easy as dipping your finger in the acetone and squiggling it around until your nails are clean. It's especially useful for glitter polish removal. You don't have to worry about finding cotton balls, cutting up tinfoil, or any clean up afterwards.

Now, I've always been a bit scared of 100% acetone, but it's not as harmful to the nails as I thought. It can be extremely drying to the skin though, so I often have a cuticle oil / hand lotion nearby for immediate application.

The jar comes air-tight sealed, so when you go to remove the seal, keep it far away from your face! Not only are the fumes noxious, but there's a chance that a bit of acetone could splash up when you puncture the seal. I know it goes without saying, but I'd suggest using this product in a well-ventilated area. Oh, and be sure to keep the lid on tight when not in use. I've found that a bit of acetone can sneak out through a loosely tightened cap.

You know, the jar is easily refillable, too! Since the rubber bristles don't degrade as quickly, once you've used up the acetone, you can refill it for continued use :).

Definitely something I'll be keeping stocked in the beauty closet.

Have you ever used these acetone jars before? I hear Bourjois makes a clever one, too. It's supposed to have nourishing ingredients for the nail & a pleasant fragrance. That's probably my only con with the Up & Up version -- the acetone scent is palpable.

Pricing & Availability:

$2.29 | 266 mL | Exclusively at Target

Is deep blue the new black this fall? Obviously dark polishes are always a big hit this season, but I've been especially loving colour family lately. I'm drawn to the air of mystery and sophistication around midnight blues.

At any rate, I've been loving the Avon Speed Dry in Twilight Blue*. I received it a few weeks ago & I knew immediately that I would love the colour on (and I do). I have not tried many Avon polishes in the past -- come to think of it, I've only tried one other.

I really like the formulation of this Speed Dry polish. It's just the way I like my nail polishes -- not too fluid, but also not goopy. I'm sure the saturated colour was a factor, but I was able to apply one coat for opacity. No bubbles, no streaks. In the bottle there's a soft shimmer, but I don't notice it on the nail. It also tried very quick. As the name suggests, it dried to the touch within 30 seconds. It's definitely a polish that I would pull out for a no-fuss mani.

As for the accent nail, I used the Avon Opal Top Coat in Opalescence*. This reminds me a lot Essie Shine of the Times, but there is a suble difference. The Avon Opal Top Coat's flakes are a bit more jagged and chunky. There's also a hint of blue to the flakes (they almost remind me of the iridescence you'd find in fish scales -- you know, the pretty ones ;). I love how the Opal Top Coat looks over the dark base. It really brings out the blue in the polish.

I haven't tried to take off the polish yet, so I don't know if it stains the nails or not. Hopefully it doesn't. That's my only pet peeve about navy polishes, like Essie Midnight Cami, they always seem to stain.