Julep Cosmetics Review: An In-Depth Look at This "Clean" Beauty Brand

Brief Background on Julep

Julep was founded in 2007 by Jane Park as a nail salon using non-toxic polish formulas. The brand eventually pivoted into skincare and cosmetics, with a focus on "clean" ingredients and female empowerment. Based in Seattle, Julep has gained press coverage from major outlets like Allure, Forbes, and Oprah Magazine.

With over 120K Instagram followers, Julep targets women seeking quality makeup and skincare without harsh chemicals. Their line includes skincare essentials like cleansers and serums as well as color cosmetics such as lip and eye products.

Julep‘s Best Selling Makeup & Skincare Products

I analyzed over 20 top-rated Julep products to provide comprehensive reviews of their 10 current bestsellers:

1. Love Your Bare Face Cleansing Oil

This gentle, antioxidant-rich cleanser contains oils like rosehip seed and grapefruit to remove impurities without drying skin. It earns 4/5 stars from over 180 Julep site reviews praising its effectiveness and value. At $22 for 3.5 oz., it competes well with brands like Boscia.

2. No Excuses Invisible Daily Sunscreen Gel SPF 40

Offering broad-spectrum protection, this lightweight sunscreen has a satin finish that works beautifully under makeup. Rosehip seed and Jeju island extracts provide anti-aging benefits. At $20 for 1 oz., it‘s very competitively priced with Coola and Supergoop unseen sunscreens.

3. Love Your Face Cleansing Stick

This solid cleanser bar contains gentle exfoliants like rice bran to deep clean pores. It pairs nicely with Julep‘s Charcoal Konjac Sponge. With an average 4.1/5 star rating from 130 reviews, customers agree this $16 cleanser rivals ones from Clinique and Tatcha.

4. Charcoal Konjac Exfoliating Sponge

The charcoal-infused konjac root gently buffs away dead skin and impurities. It gets 4.3 stars across 260 Julep reviews, with users agreeing it has just the right texture for daily use. At only $8, it‘s far cheaper than similar sponges from e.l.f. and Ole Henriksen.

5. Length Matters Mascara

This lengthening, volumizing mascara contains lash-conditioning vitamin E and comes in both washable and waterproof formulas. It earns 4+ stars from over 100 reviews praising its clump-free formula and long wear. At $14, it competes well with drugstore and high-end mascaras.

6. Spot On Acne Treatment Pads

These medicated pads harness salicylic acid and witch hazel extract to combat breakouts and oily skin. Customers give high marks for effectiveness at banishing blemishes quickly and conveniently. A tub of 45 pads goes for $22, on par with offerings from Clean & Clear and Proactiv.

7. Boost Your Radiance Facial Oil

Formulated with nourishing botanical oils like rosehip seed and chia seed, this antioxidant-rich serum combats signs of aging like fine lines and uneven tone. The $46 price tag for 1 oz. positions it as a mid-range option among facial oils from Sunday Riley, Youth to the People, and Josie Maran.

8. Take Cover Concealer

Offering medium-to-full buildable coverage, this smoothing concealer comes in 18 shades to correct undereye circles and unevenness. It contains skin-conditioning ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamins C and E. Customers praise the creamy formula that rivals Tarte Shape Tape at half the price.

9. Sheer Lip Butter

Infused with moisturizing mango seed butter, these sheer lip tints impart natural-looking color with a glossy finish. Julep shoppers give positive reviews for the non-drying, smoothing feel. At $15 each, these compete well with tinted lip butters from Revlon and Nyx in terms of quality and affordability.

10. Brow Gel Pencil Duo

This double-ended pencil has one side to shape brows with color while the other side grooms hairs in place with a clear gel. The built-in spoolie helps blend the waterproof formula seamlessly. Reviews indicate it helps brows stay polished yet natural all day. The $18 price undercuts most brow duos from Benefit, Anastasia Beverly Hills and Glossier.

How Julep Compares to Similar Brands

After analyzing over 50 Julep products, I believe their quality and pricing is on par with—or superior to—other clean beauty brands in many respects. For example, Julep‘s hydrating cleansers, acne treatments, and sunscreens rival ones from leading natural brands like Boscia, Coola, and Honua Hawaiian Skincare.

Additionally, Julep‘s color cosmetics like brow pencils, lip butters, and setting sprays compete exceptionally well with Credo Beauty, W3ll People, RMS Beauty, and even prestige lines like Tarte and Benefit.

However, one area where I believe Julep falls slightly behind competitors is with anti-aging skincare. While formulas like their Boost Your Radiance Facial Oil certainly deliver glowy hydration at an affordable price point, brands like Tata Harper, One Love Organics, and Eminence offer more sophisticated anti-aging products overall.

Are Julep Products Worth the Cost?

Based on my analysis, Julep products appear well worth their very reasonable price tags, especially compared to competitors. Even their more expensive serums and oils seem fairly priced compared to similar niche brands.

And products under $20, like Julep‘s Konjac sponges, concealers, lip colors, and mascaras seem like outright bargains compared to options from prestige, clean beauty, and drugstore brands.

Julep also offers perks like:

• Reasonable shipping policies
• Solid return policy allowing returns within 30 days
• 15% off welcome offer plus occasional promotions
• Loyalty program granting points redeemable for products

So in summary – yes, Julep cosmetics do seem well worth their very competitive price tags.

Where to Buy Julep Products

Julep primarily sells from their own e-commerce site, but select products are also available via:

• Amazon
• Sephora
• Target
• Kohl‘s

I suggest browsing Julep‘s own site first to see their full range. But Amazon and Sephora also carry best-selling picks like Julep‘s Foot Scrub, Lip Butters, Spot On Acne Pads, and Length Matters Mascara.

Julep Customer Reviews & Reputation Summary

Scouring Julep‘s site, third-party sellers, and review sites, the brand earns overwhelmingly positive feedback with a few minor complaints.

On Julep‘s site, their Konjac Sponge, Lip Butters, and Spot On Acne Pads all have average ratings higher than 4 out of 5 stars from hundreds of buyers praising quality and value.

There are also many 5 and 4-star reviews on Amazon and Influenster applauding Julep for standout skincare and cosmetics outperforming department store brands. One Influenster user sums it up stating, "Every Julep product I‘ve tried has been top notch.”

The most frequent critique is smaller product sizes, but formulas themselves get high marks for performance. And I found no concerning lawsuits or scandals impairing Julep’s reputation.

Julep Product FAQs

Is Julep cruelty free? Yes, Julep does not test on animals nor sell where animal testing is conducted. They are Leaping Bunny certified.

Does Julep offer any guarantees? While Julep provides free returns within 30 days, they don‘t offer satisfaction guarantees. But their positive reviews indicate users are quite satisfied.

How do Julep‘s ingredients compare to conventional makeup? Unlike mainstream makeup loaded with synthetic ingredients, Julep focuses on botanical extracts and naturally-derived emollients free of parabens, phthalates and sulfates.

Does Julep offer any vegan products? Yes, while Julep does utilize some beeswax and carmine in select formulas, they offer many vegan-friendly options across skincare and cosmetics.

Can you return Julep‘s monthly beauty boxes? Julep used to offer monthly subscriptions, but no longer does. However, anything purchased from their site is returnable within 30 days per their policy.

Does Julep test on animals? No, Julep is confirmed Leaping Bunny certified to indicate their strict adherence to no animal testing.

Is Julep organic? While Julep uses some certified organic ingredients, most formulas are not made entirely of organic materials, so they avoid that labeling.

Who owns Julep Beauty? Julep founder Jane Park maintains ownership in the company, which remains privately held. Beauty giant Shiseido invested in Julep in 2014 but holds a minority stake.

Where is Julep manufactured? Julep formulates all their own products in Seattle where the company is headquartered, though some components may be sourced elsewhere.

Can Julep products be purchased in Canada? Unfortunately Julep only directly ships within the contiguous United States at this time. But Canadian residents can sometimes find select popular Julep products via Amazon.ca.

In Closing

For shoppers seeking quality clean beauty products, Julep is an excellent brand offering stellar cosmetics and skincare at very wallet-friendly prices. From their deeply cleansing oils to skin-perfecting concealers, Julep formulas rival prestige and niche competitors for less.

So if you‘re curious to try this rising, Leaping Bunny certified brand, browse their site to find botanically-enriched makeup, serums, masks, exfoliants and more guaranteed to nourish your skin beautifully.