Julep (company)

In 2007 Julep opened four nail parlors in the Seattle area that offered manicures, pedicures, facials, and waxing.[1][2] Park sold Julep nail care products at the parlors— which was used as a testing ground for Julep product.[3][4][5]

Julep moved into e-commerce in 2008.[6] By 2013, Julep products were also available through retailers such as Sephora, and on TV though QVC.[5][7] Also in 2013, Julep opened its first pop-up store in New York City.[8] Julep reported it had tripled its e-commerce revenue in 2013.[9] In March 2015, Julep announced that they were laying off 8% of their staff.[10]

In December 2018, Julep's parent company, Glansaol, filed for bankruptcy.[11] As a result, Julep announced plans to close their two retail locations, lay-off over 100 employees, and relocate to its parent company's New York office.[12] Glansaol sold to AS Beauty for $18 million.[13]

Julep introduced its monthly subscription service, Julep Maven, in 2011. Subscribers or “Mavens” pay a monthly fee to receive custom boxes of nail polish and makeup.[7] Subscribers may also act as beta-testers in the company's Idea Lab, answering surveys and posting on social media, allowing Julep to see how their products in development are being received.[14][15] In 2014, Julep's subscription service the company received an "F" rating from the Better Business Bureau. The BBB's David Quinlan said about the 173 total complaints made during that period.[16] Julep responded with a statement blaming the influx of complaints on a surge in business and shipping errors. The program relaunched in 2020.[17]

In 2013, Julep received funding from venture capital firms Andreessen Horowitz, Maveron, Troy Carter, as well as Precedent Investments, backed by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, and Jay Z and Beyoncé’s Roc Nation.[5] The following year, Altimeter Capital, Azure Capital Partners and Madrona Venture Group also invested in Julep.[18] By April 2014, Julep had raised $56M in venture capital financing.[19]

Julep designs, produces and sells its own products.[20] The company sells in excess of 200 shades of nail polish,[21] each of which is given a woman's name. It also has a line of makeup and skin care products.[1] These have included both sun screens and moisturizers.[22] In 2014, Julep produced the Plié Wand, an ergonomic nail polishing brush that attaches to the top of nail polish caps.[23] The wand was first tested through a crowdfunding campaign.[9][24] In 2021 the company released the Julep Beauty's Eyeshadow 101 Crème-to-Powder Eyeshadow Stick, which became the bestseller on Amazon.[25] The company promotes its products as free of fumes and toxins.[26]