Month: September 2015

September Julep Maven Box {Unboxing & Swatches}

~ Taylor Justine ~ 2 Comments

Ready for some of the prettiest colors you’ve seen in a while? Well here they are!

When I first saw the full September Julep collection, I almost died. I needed the polishes, and I needed them now. They are rich, delicate and feminine shades that are so inspiring. And on top of that, Julep threw in their signature purple shade for free! Best month ever!

I’ve swatched out the five colors & added in some additional thoughts/details about each polish:

September Julep Maven Unboxing // Novels and Nail Polish

Julep Zoey – I adore this shade. It’s a dusty blue/green/grey that will transition between summer and winter so well. The formula was a bit thick, but nothing I couldn’t handle (which I will gladly do for the perfection of the color). It’s a little bit reminiscent of Julep Shelly, which is another of my favorites, but different enough to fit a fall color palette!

September Julep Maven Unboxing // Novels and Nail Polish

Julep Delores – Holo obsession, part 1 of 2. YAS. It’s a beauty, and I’m in love. I don’t have anything like it, which is rare to find since I own WAY too much nail polish. Two coats + top coat = heaven.

September Julep Maven Unboxing // Novels and Nail Polish

Julep Aubrey – Like I mentioned in the video, I had really high hopes for this polish before putting it on. Plum/burgundy during fall is everything, but this guy just fell flat on my nails. I suppose it’s pretty enough, but it really isn’t doing anything for me right now. I’ll try it again later in fall, and hopefully it’ll grow on me!

September Julep Maven Unboxing // Novels and Nail Polish

Special Edition Julep – WOO! Every maven is probably rejoicing at this freebie! It’s Julep’s signature color, and one of the main reasons for getting this box. Radiant Orchid {à la Pantone 2014 color of the year} returns in full force, and this is going to be the perfect color for spring and summer next year!

September Julep Maven Unboxing // Novels and Nail Polish

Julep Ellis – Holo obsession, part 2 of 2. Double YAS! If it’s possible to outdo holo number 1, than Ellis is the polish to do the job. This pale pink holographic shimmer and Zoey are my two stand-outs from this month. Is it weird that I can’t stop staring… ooh shiny!

Did you get a September Julep box? What were your favorite polishes? Happy Reading!

White After Labor Day {Nail Polish Edition}

~ Taylor Justine ~ 1 Comment

“Never wear white after Labor Day.”

White Negative Space Manicure // Novels and Nail Polish

While I definitely take cues from fashion rules, this one is a little bit harder to follow. Especially living in Southern California, where the weather is as hot as your Venti PSL through the end of November. With Labor Day coming up tomorrow, I decided to shine a spotlight on white polishes – my favorite brands and a fun negative space mani!

White Nail Polish Showdown – Top White Nail Polish Picks

Essie Blanc + OPI Alpine Snow + Ulta Snow White + Sally Hansen White On
Essie Blanc + OPI Alpine Snow + Ulta Snow White + Sally Hansen Let’s Snow

I tested out four white polishes: Essie, OPI, Ulta and Sally Hansen. I’ve been a religious Blanc user for years, but it was never the perfect white. It turns out that it’s actually not even in my top two from this test!

Best White Nail Polishes // Novels and Nail Polilsh

First thing I learned from trying out the polishes is that it’s really hard to photograph white nail polish and make it look true to life. Above are the four bottles and their corresponding swatches. You probably can’t tell, but the winner is…

Best White Nail Polishes // Novels and Nail Polilsh

OPI’s Alpine Snow (shown on pointer finger). A close second was Ulta’s Snow White (ring finger). Sally Hansen came in dead last. It was streaky and not opaque at all in two coats. Sadly, Essie Blanc wasn’t much better – still streaky and not very user friendly compared to the wide OPI brush or creamy consistency of Ulta’s Snow White.

White Negative Space Manicure // Novels and Nail Polish

Now that we’ve figured out which white does the job best, let’s chat about negative space manicures. First, make sure you have a good base coat that won’t peel off with striping tape, which can leave the unpolished area uneven. Next, tape off your negative space design and paint finger by finger, peeling off the tape before the polish dries. It’s the perfect subtle mani for Labor Day… and every day after that!

Happy Reading!

Novels and Nail Polish {YouTube Channel Announcement}

~ Taylor Justine ~ 1 Comment

Guys, I did a thing! I’ve been thinking about starting a YouTube channel for a while now – somewhere to talk everything books & nails. I also really wanted to try my hand at filming nail art tutorials. Growing up in theatre made it always seem possible, but it’s hard to actually push your insecurities aside and take the plunge!

So this week I’ve decided to try my hand at it, and I’m really happy with where I’m starting. Check it out and subscribe so you don’t miss any of the fun!

Happy Reading!