The Fresh Twist Collection as pictured on Julep.com

The May Maven Selection window opened up yesterday! This is the month a lot of people were waiting for, since it brought with it the premier of the Julep Plié Wand. I won’t go into it too much, but basically Julep has created a new ergonomic polishing brush. (You can find out more about it on their blog if you want.)

The wand comes in all of the normal polish boxes, and to make sure everyone finds a box they want there are 7 boxes to choose from this month. SEVEN. That’s ridiculous, but awesome.

Julep also announced that as of June you will be able to upgrade to a fully customizable box (for more $$ of course) – this will be called Maven Luxe and you can find out more about it here.

Now, let’s take a look at the May boxes!

May Boho Glam Box as pictured on Julep.com

• Jeanne: Jet-set blue crème
• Paulette: Golden lilac tulle shimmer
• Julep Plié Wand™: Ergonomically designed to bring more control, accuracy, and fun to every polishing experience. Comes with a Plié overcap & precision brush.

May Bombshell Box as pictured on Julep.com

• Laree: Golden pink taffeta shimmer
• Saaya: Golden apricot shimmer
• Julep Plié Wand™: Ergonomically designed to bring more control, accuracy, and fun to every polishing experience. Comes with a Plié overcap & precision brush.

May Classic With a Twist Box as pictured on Julep.com

• Maddy: Raspberry sorbet shimmer
• Ramona: Muted lavender rose crème
• Julep Plié Wand™: Ergonomically designed to bring more control, accuracy, and fun to every polishing experience. Comes with a Plié overcap & precision brush.

May It Girl Box as pictured on Julep.com

• Kam: Vintage spearmint crème
• Jules: Warm powder pink crème
• Julep Plié Wand™: Ergonomically designed to bring more control, accuracy, and fun to every polishing experience. Comes with a Plié overcap & precision brush.

May Color Crush Box as pictured on Julep.com

• Iona: Hydrangea blue crème
• Jules (It Girl): Warm powder pink crème
• Paulette (Boho Glam): Golden lilac tulle shimmer

May Modern Beauty Box as pictured on Julep.com

• Brilliance Glycolic Scrub: Our best-selling five-star scrub has a brilliant new name. Gentle enough to use every day, this dual-action exfoliating scrub instantly reveals brighter, smoother skin—like a facial for your hands! Natural apricot seeds whisk away dirt, oil, and dead skin cells while a potent concentration of glycolic acid works to fight signs of aging. 90% of users noticed softer, younger-looking skin after just one treatment.
• Rock Star Hand Crème: This anti-aging blend of shea butter, glycerin, coconut oil, and vitamin E keeps hands hydrated, even after washing. The non-greasy, fast-absorbing formula will leave you cheering for an encore. Rock on.

May Core Classics Box as pictured on Julep.com

*This box is not shown in the official blog post, but it is available on the selection page

• Ta-Da Quick Dry Drops
• Vanish Cuticle Remover
• Freedom Polymer Top Coat
• Julep Essential Cuticle Oil

Featured Add-Ons

The Creativity Kit as pictured on Julep.com

• Striping Brush: Features superfine bristles for French manis, swirls, and stripes
• Dotting Tool: Features a rounded tip for dots and hearts

*Priced at $10.99 regular

The Mod Art Kit as pictured on Julep.com

• Brigitte (Classic with a Twist): Bright white crème
• Jet (It Girl): Jet black crème
• Sienna (Classic with a Twist): Sophisticated, shimmer gold
• Madison (Classic with a Twist): Electric neon hot pink crème
• Bette (Bombshell): Electric neon purple crème
• Plié Striping Brush: Features superfine bristles for French manis, swirls, and stripes
• Plié Dotting Tool: Features a rounded tip for dots and hearts

*Priced at $80 regular – note these are all full-size bottles

I’m excited to try the new Plié Wand, though I also think the Core Classics Box for this month is a steal. For now I’ve settled on the It Girl box (changed my mind!) Bombshell Box with the Creativity Kit add-on (I’m on the hunt for a good striping brush). If I didn’t have the majority of the shades in the Mod Art Kit already then I would totally be picking that up instead; five full-sized polishes and the Creativity Kit? That’s an amazingly good deal.

May is also a double points month, so where you would usually get 300 Jules for taking your monthly box instead you get 600! (Same goes for upgrades – where the polish lovers upgrade normally gets you 650 points now you get 1300, etc.) This is for one month only, so get on it.

The monthly box program is $19.99 US (they ship to Canada and the US), and as a Maven you get free shipping. If you’re interested in signing up for the Julep Maven program you’re welcome to use my referral link, and remember to use the code FREEBOX at the checkout to get your first month free!

Let me know what you think, and which box you’re thinking about picking up this month!

Thanks for visiting!! xx

January is thyroid disease awareness month and several nail artists (including myself) have collaborated in order to spread awareness. I didn’t know much about thyroid disease before particpating in this collaboration, so when citruseyes contacted me about participating and learning a bit more I jumped at the chance.

The collaboration is still open, and if you’re interested in particpating you can check out he hashtag #TDAMani on instagram. Symbols for thyroid disease awareness are: blue, paisley design, and the butterfly. You can also check out #TDAMani to see the beautiful works above up close.

Check below the cut for a closer look at the design I put together (can you guess which one it is in the graphic above?) and for a lot more useful info about thyroid disease.

Did you guess which one was mine? When I saw that one of the symbols was the butterfly I knew it was the perfect time to try out my new butterfly shaped puncher.

I started with a base of Essie Blanc and then added some shifting pink shimmer with China Glaze Travel in Color, and then I made my butterfly decals with China Glaze Man Hunt and China Glaze Fairy Dust. I sealed my butterflies in with some Seche Vite and then placed some individual pink and blue hex glitters to pull the whole look together.

As I mentioned above I made the decals myself with nail polish and a shaped puncher. To make them I put two layers of Man Hunt on a piece of wax paper, and then put a thin coat of Fairy Dust on top. When it was dry I used my butterfly shaped puncher to cut out some shapes, peeled off the wax paper, and then stuck them on my nails. When you apply the top coat all the polish sinks together so you can’t even tell they were decals. It’s pretty easy, but if anyone is interested I’d be happy to put a quick tutorial together.

See, no raised edges around my decals! It merged seamlessly with my base. And no colour bleeding! This is also the best picture to see the shimmer from Travel In Color – the pink shimmer didn’t translate too well with my lighting so it’s really subtle.

Overall I’m super happy with how this turned out, and I’m proud to include it in the collaboration with the rest of the lovely looks. Hopefully by sharing these designs we can raise some awareness of thyroid diseases.

If you’re interested in learning more, the text below was put together by citruseyes to help spread information:

The thyroid is the butterfly shaped gland located in the neck that is responsible for releasing hormones that regulate growth and metabolism. Some examples of thyroid diseases include: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Graves’ disease, thyroid cancer, and postpartum thyroiditis (but there are more); thyroid conditions related to these disease are hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.

There are no cures for most thyroid diseases but there are various treatments available such as surgery, medication, hormone replacement, and lifestyle modifications. Often times, patients may not “look” physically sick but are still in pain and suffer regularly.

Hypothyroidism is a condition when thyroid hormone levels are low and can be caused by the autoimmune disease Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, radiation therapy, or thyroid removal due to cancer or hyperthyroidism. Symptoms may include: fatigue, lethargy, puffy face, constipation, weight gain despite poor appetite, cold insensitivity, dry skin, slower heartbeat, and more. It can lead to a fatal condition known as myxedema coma if hypothyroidism is not treated and becomes long standing. Babies born with congenital hypothyroidism risk mental retardation and growth delays.

Hyperthyroidism is the opposite: it is when thyroid hormone levels are high. It is oftentimes caused by the autoimmune disorder Graves’ disease but can also result from toxic multinodular goiter or thyroid adenoma. Symptoms may include: anxiety, increased irritability, diarrhea, weight loss despite increased appetite, heat insensitivity, hand tremors, insomnia, rapid heartbeat, and more. It can lead to a fatal condition known as thyroid storm if hyperthyroidism is not treated properly. Thyroid storm can lead to heart failure, irregular heartbeats, and death.

Thyroid cancer, like other forms of cancer, needs to be detected early in order for early treatments to increase the chances of survival and decrease the chances of complications. Symptoms may include: a swollen throat, pain, difficulties swallowing, hoarse voice, and feeling a lump present on the throat.

Some thyroid issues can also occur post pregnancy. Postpartum thyroiditis is when the thyroid becomes inflamed after childbirth. Symptoms can either be hypothyroid-related or hyperthyroid-related symptoms. In mild cases, treatment may not be necessary, but in some cases, patients can develop chronic hypothyroidism.

The gorgeous nails included in the collaboration came from: @fervnails @nailsbymercedes @miaonoirnails @krbnails @nailkazam @nails_by_xoch @vickylovesnails @pinkannelie @isaisis97 @_nailsbymeg @tinseltownnails @amina2inspire @nanazcheekz @bittysweens @pinkyboonails @polishisthenewblack @journailism @mvargas_nails @procrastinailart @nailingthatpolish @thegirlyengineer @hashtagnailpolish @astoldbyannalisa @caribbeancuticles @ilysespieces @prestonails @mypolishedtips13 @littlepandapit @clairelofthouse @thepolishedphd @marshinis.nails @bostonmerlin10 @handtasticintentions @xiii_lacquer @emismanis @courtneydoeshernails @cmlovesnails @npadd1 @anonymouspolish @pikapolish @b_jessica_3 @citruseyes

Thanks for visiting.

I have a bright and bold look to share with you today that is way out of my comfort zone! Orange and purple… Who would’ve thought?! But they really do work well together, and I’m glad I tried it!

I started with a base of Essie Taj-Ma-Haul (originally swatched here) and then added some stamping with a slightly brighter shade (Mundo de Unas Sunflower) and a Born Pretty Store plate. I couldn’t find the plate when I came to write this post up so I can’t tell you which one it was, unfortunately.

To finish it all off I added some neon purple studs to each nail, also from Born Pretty Store. I really think the splash of purple makes the mani!

Being more adventurous with my colour combo choices wasn’t nearly as difficult as I had convinced myself it would be. And I was super pleased with what I ended up with ultimately! So I think the positive result will really push me to keep trying new things and new colours in the future… And I know I know, you’re probably thinking “Katherine, it’s really not this serious or this difficult” but shhh! It is for me! Haha.

So what do you think of purple and orange? Is it a colour combo you’d wear? Do you have colours I should try together next? Let me know! 

Thanks for visiting! xx

Hello hello! Today I’m sharing a look that I mentioned wanting to try back when I swatched the full Color Club Nailmoji Neons Collection. I’ve used just the ghost emojis along with some of the coloured glitter to create a spooky (lol) Halloween gradient look. And just for fun I decided to do a tutorial as well, so you can rock these nails all October too!

What to know how to do it? Check under the cut for full tutorial and more pics!

So this is the look we’re going for… A rough gradient base that is scattered with seasonal glitter! I applied the glitter using the same technique I used in my popular precision glitter placement technique tutorial but I just used different tools to place the glitter.

Theoretically you could use ANY of the emoji shapes in these polishes… Use just the hearts and kisses for Valentine’s Day, use the smiley faces for a celebration, use the poo emojis for….. a doctor’s appointment? Hahah. The point is these polishes have a lot of different uses!

Hello hello! Today the theme of The 31 Day Challenge was Flowers, and I decided to go with something bright and bold and fun. I call these flowers childlike not to insult them, but because as a child I think I would’ve thought these candy-bright flowers were the BEST. I wanted something a bit different for the base so I did them over a some white colour blocking and negative space. Let’s take a closer look!

The base here is Julep Hope and when I laid it down I remembered how much I love white matte polish, so in that moment I decided the whole thing would have a layer of matte when it was done. The flowers are random variety of Julep Nellie, Essie Avenue Maintain and Julep Gloria. The matte I used was New York Color Matte Me Crazy.

This kind of reminds me of roses growing up a wall or trellis, now that I’m looking at it again. Let’s pretend that was my plan all along, okay?

Make sure to check out the other lovely flower designs below!

Flowers are done, next up is going to be Delicate Print. For that fill I’m thinking… Stamping! Yes, definitely stamping.

Thanks for visiting!!

Day 3 of the 30 Days of Colour Challenge is ‘Yellow’! I’m extra happy about today’s post because not only do I love this polish but I also got my camera and lighting to cooperate again! Can you believe these pics were literally just cropped? No colour editing needed to make my skin not look like a lobster or ghost! Woohoo! On that positive note let’s jump in to it!

This is Kiko Cupcake Nail Lacquer 648 Pineapple which my lovely friend Inés from Càrritx i Roses sent me ages ago. She’s in Spain and I’m in Canada and periodically we send each other lovely little packages, and some of the Kiko Cupcake polishes were sent to me because she knows of my love of textured polishes and pastels!

This lovely polish has a slightly crelly yellow base packed with yellow, orange and brown textured bits. I used three coats to build it up but you would probably be good with two as long as they’re moderately thick. As with a lot of textured polishes this is one you have to be careful with after the first layer – you need a good dollop to spread subsequent layers because it will catch and build up in certain places otherwise.

This polish really reminds me of eggs for some reason… (In a good way!) Maybe it’s the influence of Easter being here?

I really like this polish, and pulling it out for this challenge reminds me of all the lovelies Inés has sent me that I have yet to use much. I also have a pink and blue from this same line and I think they’re begging to be used in a last minute Easter mani!

Check out the other looks done for today’s ‘Yellow’ theme below:

And here’s the rest of the themes for the month:

I really feel like I’ve got my groove back with this post, you guys. And I’m really happy about it. Here’s to oodles and oodles more lovely posts coming up in the future! Woo!

Thanks for visiting! xx

Some days you just gotta be girly, and in my opinion this mani is just perfect for fulfilling that need. You may have seen this look on instagram a few months ago but if not you're in luck because I'm sharing it over here today in all it's glory! Check under the cut for more pics and a breakdown of what I used to put this look together.

Today you have a look I made playing around with two of the colours that came in the Julep Gem Collection: Echo and Jasmine! I don’t know what’s up these days, but I can’t seem to sit down and make a “normal” looking mani design these days… Everything is tacky and glittery and wonderful. I actually made a design the other day that I labelled “The Tackiest Mani In The World. Legit.” Maybe it will see the light of day eventually, maybe not.

This whole thing started off with a base of Essie Blanc, and when that dried I used some tape to block off sections for most of my nails, and made a laser pattern for full coverage on my accent nail. The lovely purple/blue shade is Julep Jasmine, and the pink is Julep Echo. Echo didn’t turn out AT ALL like what I expected, but that’s probably because the base was white. (We’ll see what it looks like without undies in my upcoming Gem Collection swatches!) The black lines were then free-handed with Quo by ORLY Instant Artist in Black.

The finished look is kind of tacky, but I still kind of love it! You can’t go wrong with some basic colour blocking.

Let me know what you think!! Thanks for visiting. xx

Hello lovelies, and good bye! I’m taking some time to venture off with a friend for a week. But don’t worry – I have some lovely guest posters coming up that you can look forward to while I’m gone! (Also, apparently guest posts are a thing I do now! I only asked in a facebook polish group I’m active on for now, but if anyone is interested in doing a guest post for me in the future please let me know. I’d love to host you. *cough*Inés*cough*)

Above is a picture from my last trip, so who knows what I’m going to get to see and do this time. I can’t wait. And I mayyyy have brought some resort-appropriate polishes with me to work with while I’m there. Exciting all around! Can you tell I’m excited?! Haha.

See you soon dolls! xx