ProcrastiNails: Review: Julep’s One-Step Polish Remover Pad

 

So I wasn’t planning on even reviewing these pads, but I was so disappointed in the product that I felt like I had to say something about it. Looking at the result in my before and after pics blows my mind, and not in a good way. (Note that this is just my experience with these pads, so if anyone tried them and they worked great please let me know… ‘Cause seriously! Grrr! So disappointed!)

So this is the pad I got in my Julep Maven It Girl Starter Box in June:

When I got it I remember thinking to myself “Oh Awesome! The pads I used to use aren’t carried at PharmaPlus anymore and I’m in the market for a new one, so this is perfect timing!” I put it aside with the intention of using it when I was in a rush to leave the house and wouldn’t have time to sit down and do a full polish-removal-and-care routine.

The Julep website sells these pads in packs of 10 for $9.99 regular and $7.99 Maven price. The ingredients are Acetone, Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, and PEG-75 Lanolin. The description says: “Each no-mess, lint-free pad is infused with aloe vera to moisturize and condition your nails. A great on-the-go solution for polish removal.”

So today as I caught myself running out of the house to get to the dentist and looking in dismay at the chipped black nail polish I was sporting from my Joe Fresh Nail Polish review on Sunday (three coats of polish, no topcoat) I decided “YES! Today is the perfect day to use this! I can bring it with me and use it as I walk the two blocks to the dentist and no one there will ever know of my shamefully chipped mani!” Yes, it seemed like the perfect solution. But instead, this is what happened:

Before using the remover pad (taken from the swatch post)

After using the remover pad

That’s right. It cleaned three nails. And not even all of those three nails. The first nail cleaned up wonderfully and quickly, and at that time I was thinking to myself “Yessss this was a perfect decision.” The second nail was a bit more difficult but I was still optimistic. The third nail made me notice that no matter how much I scrubbed, the pad was no longer getting rid of all the flakies. “That’s okay,” I thought to myself, “the black is coming off and that’s really all I need so it’s not super obvious.” But then. Then I got to the fourth nail. Readers, I swear that I swiped and rubbed at this nail for a solid 60 seconds as I walked down the hill. And this is all I have to show for it. At that point I gave up, and left the rest of my nails as a lost cause. So. Disappointing.

I wish I had the pad itself to show you. When I threw it out it had a few smudges of black on both sides, but that was it. It wasn’t saturated in colour.

The pad itself was a medium thickness white felt cloth with what felt like a good amount of product on it. In fact, at first it was really hard to use because it had so much product on it that it was super slippery and I couldn’t get a good grasp of my finger with it as I was walking.

Things that could have contributed to it the remover not working properly:

 1) I was using it while walking (though it wasn’t at all windy at the time) so I guess that might have dried it out a bit? Maybe? Benefit of the doubt? Even so, something that’s marketed as “a great on-the-go solution” should be able to work in an environment that isn’t a temperature controlled apartment. 

2) It could be that it was an older pad, since who knows how long they keep these single packs in storage for use in the Starter Boxes. But again, I don’t feel it should reduce in quality THIS MUCH over time.

3) Perhaps this is only meant to be used with double-coated base colours, so it only takes a couple of swipes for each nail. But I expect more than that from my polish remover. It should have at least gotten the majority of the black polish off of my nails, even if it left the flakies. And this is an acetone remover!

So that’s my experience. Sad. Guess I’m in the market again for new nail polish remover pads. 🙁 The only good thing was that when I got to the dentist I got a free paraffin wax hand treatment which made my hands super soft and nice, because that’s how my dentist rolls. (Seriously. It’s free, and I get one everytime I have an appointment. It’s awesome.)

Has anyone else tried these pads? Different experiences? Same experiences? I’d love to know.

Thanks for visiting!! xx

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