JULEP Blush Stick, Eyeshadow 101 and When Pencil Met Gel Eyeliner

So, I just discovered Julep even though I have seen their nail polishes, and nail parlors in the Seattle area, for years. I was delighted to find that Ulta just started selling their products. After purchasing one of their Creme-to-Powder Blush Sticks, I had to have more. Here is my small collection of Julep face color sticks, so far:

You may have seen sets of the colorful mini Julep nail polishes that were sold over the holidays at Costco. After initially opening 4 nail parlors near Seattle, WA in 2007, the company launched its website in 2008 followed with a subscription box service in 2011.

Julep carries some lovely shades of nail polish—over 200 colors to choose from! Their products are all free of fumes and toxins as well as cruelty-free. More recently though, they are offering a range of cosmetics too!

Skip the Brush is their creme-to-powder blush stick that is offered in 8 colors (including a bronze color and a highlighting color). The shades I chose are: Desert Rose (a soft, warm coral rose), Passion Fruit (a deep sheer plum) and Sheer Glow (a very sheer champagne highlight).

These blush sticks glide on effortlessly and can blended out almost entirely if desired. They give cheeks a dewy hint of color. The formula is VERY silky and feels feather-light on skin, non-drying (even though it says creme to powder) with a slightly sweet smell.

I usually pair any of the these with another of my blushes, to make sure that I get enough color on my cheeks. I use the Sheer Glow to highlight all the high parts of my face, with a line down the center of my nose blended out, and just a dab at the cupid’s bow of my lip – this color is very versatile.

The best way to apply these is draw a line or a few short lines where you want it to be concentrated and then blend it out with your finger tips. This helps keep most of the color on your face (instead of transferring it to a brush or applicator sponge). Because they blend so effortlessly, the pigment blends out with just a little light sweeps of fingertips (no tugging at your skin necessary or uneven color results).

The Eyeshadow 101 product is a creme-to-powder eyeshadow stick. I have these colors: Orchid Shimmer (violet mauve) and Plum Shimmer (dark purple). Both of these are very lovely shades. I like to use them on both my upper and lower lash lines, and blend them out a bit at the corner of my eyelid. One end of the product contains the eyeshadow stick that rolls up and the other end has a rounded black sponge for blending, although I usually prefer to use my fingertip for blending.

Both are crease proof, waterproof and last all day (with a primer). They look matte in the tube but go on with a slight shimmer (no glitter). I like that they contain some ingredients that really care for skin: vitamin E to protect from free radicals and dehydration, vitamin C to guard against environmental damage as well as improve skin tone, and aloe leaf juice for its anti-inflamitory properties.

The final Julep item that I decided to get is a When Pencil Met Gel long-lasting eyeliner pencil in
smoky taupe shimmer. This one I have used by wiggling the color in between lashes actually in the lash line. The pencil’s fine point lends itself well to this.

The smoky taupe is a very pretty grey/brown with shimmer. It could easily be worn in combination with a champagne eyeshadow for a toned-down day look.

The eyeliner also has a smooth and creamy formula that glides on. It sets in 30 seconds, is waterproof and good for 10+ hours of wear.

Overall – I am very pleased with all of these items. Julep distributes all of its products from Seattle, WA. Skip the Brush is made in Italy and runs about $24.00 USD, When Pencil Met Gel is made in Germany and is sold for $16.00 USD, and the Eyeshadow 101 is made in Korea and currently sells for $18.00 USD.

Let me know if you have any Julep products that you love using!

Give me gorgeous!

Love, Jen

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