Julep Maven: October 2013 Modern Beauty Box

I Bought This

Happy Friday!  Today I'm sharing with you the contents of my October Maven box!  Sorry about the washed out tube. :/  It says "Mask Noir" on it, which I'll talk about later.  There was also a packet of candy corn in here, but it was promptly gobbled up by my siblings.  I actually don't like the taste of candy corn.  Am I weird?  Haha.

I actually liked this month's selection of items in the beauty box.  Usually, there's only one product I really want to try, but this time I was excited about both products.  I adore masks and eyeliners, so this was perfect for me.

First, a closer look at the sharpener, included with the eyeliner.  You can pull both ends of the plastic cap off the sharpener, which I imagine would make it easy to clean.  The sharpener also comes with a little pick.  I haven't tried this sharpener yet, so I can't really comment on it.  Because I already have a good sharpener, I wasn't inclined to try it. ^^;  But I did try everything else in the box, so read on! :)

Kajal Eye Glider

Above is the new dual ended eyeliner from Julep.  Here is Julep's little blurb on it:

Two intensely pigmented colors—carbon black and brown shimmer—that glide on smoothly and blend like a dream. 

Features & Benefits of Kajal Eye Glider: Two colors Ideal for inner rims, tightlining, and smoky eyes. Blends like a dream—won’t drag or pull on delicate skin.

See below for swatches and comparison!

 1. Urban Decay Perversion / 2. Julep Kajal Carbon Black / 3. Julep Kajal Brown Shimmer

So the uppermost black is Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil in Perversion.  I believe it's one of the blackest black eyeliners out there, so I swatched it next to the Julep's Carbon Black for comparison.  I found that one swipe with Carbon Black was softer and less pigmented than Perversion, but still fairly pigmented.  The brown was a bit lacking however.  Several swipes later, Carbon Black came pretty darn close to Perversion.  The brown, on the other hand, reached about moderate pigmentation.

Formula-wise, the pencil is very soft and does not drag or pull as advertised.  I haven't worn the black on my eyes yet, but I have worn the brown.  While both the black and brown are very easy to blend, my main gripe with them is that they don't really set.  I did a rub test 5 minutes later (shown above), and as you can see, both pencils have easily smudged.  In stark comparison, UD's Perversion hasn't budged.  Granted Julep didn't make any long-wearing claims, but they did say that it would be great for tightlining and inner rims.  As the formula never really sets, this doesn't seem plausible (at least for my eyes).

So the great thing about my eyes is that they are mismatched. T__T  Sadness.  My left eye has a thick double crease, while my right eye has a thinner one that folds all the way in.  So while the brown liner wore well on my left eye (all eyeliners do), half of it smeared right off my right eye after a mere 5 minutes.  It also did not stay well on the waterline.

In the end, I would recommend this liner only if you have thick double-creased eyelids.  If you have eyelids that crease all the way in or monolids, I would stay clear.  People with oily lids may run into some trouble as well.

Mask Noir

Now the mask, which in my opinion is the highlight of this box.  Mask Noir is a "peel-off mask of gentle kaolin clay and black volcanic ash."  The features and benefits according to Julep: 

Black volcanic ash boasts anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial peptides. Kaolin Clay is as gentle as it is deep-cleaning. 

Incredibly clean, visibly brightened skin upon removal Enriched with Julep’s proprietary Power Cell Complex™, a trio of skin-boosting superstars: 

• Rosehip seed oil – a nourishing oil (and natural source of vitamins A and C) that helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and post-acne marks. 
• Contains natural fatty acids that bond moisture to skin Malvaceae Lipid Extract™ – a lipid complex that provides immediate and long-lasting hydration and works to rebuild skin structure from the inside out. 
• Green coffee bean oil – a natural anti-inflammatory that promotes cell turnover.

First off, no packaging worries with the mask.  It was completely full and there is a good amount in it.  When you squeeze it out, the mask is thick and has the consistency of, well, sludge.  However, it can be thinned out if you work with it.  Since it starts drying right away, I recommend working it onto your face in small sections.  Also, make sure to clean your hands by wiping the excess off onto a paper towel.  Then wash your hands.  It will be a lot easier to clean.

Once it's on your face, you'll feel it tighten as it dries.  There is a slight fragrance to it, but it just smells like clay.  I think I left mine on for about 30 minutes before taking it off.  This mask is super easy to peel off.  Even the thinner sections will peel right off in one piece.  Whatever's left is easily washed off with warm water, so you don't have to worry about making a mess.

The results for me were pretty good.  My skin felt softer and smoother.  Not necessarily more hydrated, but definitely not dry.  Also, this may be a bit gross, but I was touching my nose after washing my face, and felt a few tiny beads come off it.  Looking at it closer, I realized that the mask had pulled free some of the gunk in my pores.  I know, gross, but it made me like the mask even more.  However, it doesn't do much for blackheads.

Overall, I would totally recommend this!  Especially if you love masks like me.  The only downside is that it is a bit pricey for the amount you're getting.  If you use this over your entire face, you may not get too many uses out of it.  I think mine will last me 1 or 2 months, since I only use it on my T-zone.

Phew, so much writing in this post.  If you read all of it, props to you! :D

Mavens, did you get your October box?  If you did, let me know what your favorite item from your box was!  Also, if you're not a Maven but want to be one, you can get your first box free through my referral link!  Sign up here. :)

♥ Liz