MOTHER SHUCKER TAKES A BOW

November 28, 2022

Amai Anthony.

The dabob has come for you to shigoku. We knew we couldn’t hog island your time forever. You have eagle rocked this oyster program and loaded our golden mantle with fans, followers, awards, and baywater sweet love from oyster people near and effingham far. Thank you for your integrity, for building a system strong as a sea cow so that we aren’t up snow creek without you.

But don’t think your penn is coved when you clock out tonight. Your fellow Walri plan to drag your fanny bay down Old Ballard Ave until you’re so hama hama you can’t tell which way the barron points. Don’t worry, we’ll all be hammersley together, treasuring coves and totten about virginicas until it’s time to olympia home. We’re sure your pillow will feel extra kusshi tonight and we hope that tomorrow the sun is indeed hollow.

Blue pools, Anthony. Blue pools.

Your malispinas and sister points forever,

Renee, Jeremy, Eli, Cody, Taylor, Tyler, BJ, Jose, Anna, Joe, Kiki, Lolo, Keara, Anna, Shawn, Sarah, Kat, Melissa, Craig, Chad, and Emily.

Crisis management — TURNING INTERNET RAGE INTO POSITIVE BRAND AFFINITY.

January 23, 2016

ON BEAUTY AND TRUTH

OUR DECISION TO PHOTOSHOP SKIN TONES

Hi Mavens,

The subject of photoshopping skin tones on our nail polish swatches has a lot of you talking lately, and we want to be an active part of that conversation. It’s a juicy topic.

First, we’re lucky to have such a cool, in-it-with-us fan base. One that pays close attention to what we’re doing, and tells us when we’re heading in a right or wrong direction. It’s hard to express how appreciative we are! You’re seriously the best.

Yes we are photoshopping skin tones to show each color’s range of potential. We’d never think to sneak that decision by you, which is why we made it as obvious as possible by using the exact same photo, adjusting only the skin color.

So, what’s up with photoshopping skin?

You want to see colors on skin tones. So do we. Like the world-at-large, Julep HQ is not just one color.
Time is of the essence. Each month we roll out up to 13 new colors. 13 colors times three (or more) skin tones takes way more days than we currently have in the photo studio and the editing suite.
We don’t hire models for swatches. We do it ourselves! Pulling a handful (zing!) of coworkers out of their jobs on a regular basis wasn’t sustainable for any of us, so we’re trying the new approach of only pulling one person away from her desk all day. The decision of “who?” is not guided by skin tone, but by bandwidth. As a result, sometimes we photoshop darker skin lighter or lighter skin darker.
Photoshop is amazing. We chose some real-life skin tones we wanted to see, and color-matched them perfectly. A group of us gathered around a computer screen to compare the altered skin tones to real ones. The verdict? Photoshop is crazy impressive.
It’s standard practice across the beauty biz. We aren’t breaking new ground with our altered skin tones. The only renegade thing we’re doing is being so open about it.

We’re genuinely sorry to learn that some are upset by our decision. We love that you’re voicing your concerns, and we hope this letter of transparency will help put some light on the subject.

Finally, please let us assure you (because it can’t be said enough): We will never subscribe to the unhealthy & unrealistic photoshopping that idealizes unattainable perfection and puts enormous pressure on women who simply want to feel beautiful, every day.

Here’s to all the world’s colors,

Julep

TAGGED: JULEP MAVEN SWATCHES PHOTOSHOP SKIN TONES

THE ASK: CREATE A FUN STORY WITH A YEAR'S WORTH OF DATA. (the color data is real. i made UP THE REST.)

January 15, 2016

The Color Report Year-in-Review

We compiled a month-by-month dispatch on the findings from each Maven Reveal, the monthly unveiling event of our next month’s Maven collection. We call it The Color Report. Below is a list of key learnings (or ehhh… our favorite learnings, at least) compiled seasonally, starting in spring.

SPRING FORTH

HEY LOOK! ALASKA AND HAWAII ARE NEVER THE SAME. — *HEY LOOK!* ALASKA AND HAWAII ARE NEVER THE SAME.

1. Everyone Loves Customization. You see how March and April up there are shaped like kids’ puzzles before the jagged jigsaw of May? May was the first time Mavens could fully customize their Maven Box selections. It was a moment to remember for all of us, especially the ladies & gents from our Seattle-based shipping warehouse who worked like crrrazy customizing our boxes—and all got paid overtime. Woot! (Miss you guys & gals. Respect.)

2. It Ain’t Easy Being Green. In 2014 the color green got very little love from Mavens. With the exception of neon Tatum in April, and the spearmint créme of May’s Kam, the United States was not feeling grassy, jungle, army, or sage this year except for the couple of times New Mexico was spotted breaking bad (zing!).

p.s. We love green nails at Julep HQ. You see them around here regularly. We’re peaked by green’s poor reception out in the world-at-large. Ladies, try green! Seriously we think you’ll like it.

SUMMER LOVIN'

ALASKA & HAWAII—TOTALLY DIFFERENT. ALWAYS.

3. You Really Really Like Jane. Welcome to the club. Our fierce leader Jane Park is funny, cool, gorgeous, brillz, and…not great at keeping each month’s new collection a secret.

Back in the first half of 2014 (before she was officially sneak peeking the new collection on Google Hangouts) she’d drop rogue comments in interviews or on social media.

Like just before May when she was tagged in a Facebook pic with nails done in then-unreleased Ariana (see that huge color dominating June?) Or later that month when she says on social “I canNOT stop wearing Lissa from the July collection”. Then Lissa, a turquoise créme juuuuust this side of green (see point #2 above) sells out in record time, thanks to a behemoth effort on behalf of most of the country. WOW, YOU GUYS.

P.S. You’ve got a great eye. Jane’s style is wicked sharp.

FALL UP

ALASKA & HAWAII. NOT EVEN CLOSE TO EACH OTHER.

4. Mavens Predict Trends. Pantone announced the 2015 Color of the Year in December: Marsala—a versatile, sophisticated, rustic, earthy red. Hmmmm… See anything from this Fall Color Report above that fits the description? (Hint: Mary Lee, Lupita, Marla, DeAnn, and Fazia, respectively.) #nailedit #julepmaven

WINTER WONDERHANDS

THE 2014 PUSH/PULL OF COLOR BETWEEN HAWAII AND ALASKA READS LIKE A JUICY SAGA WITH ROMANCE, CONFLICT, HUMOR, SMARTS, AND A HAPPY ENDING. THANK YOU, NON-CONTIGUOUS TWO!

5. Every Winter Month has a Mitten-Shaped Color Trend. Coincidence? Or Big Data cooly reminding each of us to button up? That’s really hard to answer, actually. If you don’t see many mittens right away in the .gif above, keep staring until you do. Keep staring.

Final Wrap-Up. Mavens are bold and smart and light-hearted. Color on your fingertips is absolutely about fun. If you have any thoughts on why Mavens do or don’t love green polish we’d really love to hear them in the comments!

See you in the new year, gorgeous gals & guys! XO