How to: Maximize Your Lunch Break
Your lunch hour is precious—think of it as a 60-minute breather in the middle of the frantic workday. But just because it’s called lunchtime doesn’t mean you should be spending all of those scant minutes chowing down on grub.
The brilliant gents of Birchbox Man have come up with five alternative ways to use your lunch break. (We still want you to eat, but you can do that at your desk.) One of them gets your heart rate up, one of them is a feast for your eyes, and another is maybe the best way to meet someone new that we’ve ever heard.
Need more excellent lifestyle tips? Check out even more from the Birchbox Man Guide.
In just a few short days, I’ll be heading to Manzanillo in the Mexican Riviera for a much-needed vacation with my boyfriend and his family. I plan on staying on the beach from sunrise to sunset, eating incredible food, drinking delicious wine, spending quality time with people I love, and unplugging—save for a few too-pretty-not-to-Instagram moments. Here’s what I’m packing for a week of carefree beach vacationing:
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We’ve been planning our dream weddings since we were five years old. So it’s no surprise that we can’t get enough of Lover.ly, a wedding inspiration site that lets you search through pics of swoon-worthy gowns, bouquets, and everything else you need for the big day. Once a week, the ladies behind Lover.ly will be sharing their best tips for getting through the craziness of the season—whether you’re standing at the altar or enjoying a view of it from the audience.
(Photo by: Scott Lawrence Photography on Inspired By This via Lover.ly)
As soon as you get engaged, people start asking you two questions: “Have you set a date?” and “What are your colors?” While figuring out the the answer to the latter question seems like it would be easy enough, it can be more challenging that one might think! First, if you love fashion, design, and beauty, choosing just a few colors can be tough, and it’s often surprising to find out that the colors you love wearing don’t always work well in wedding decor. Then there’s the tough reality that the colors you love might not be your future bride or groom’s favorite shades. If you’re struggling to pick your palette, here are our tips for choosing your wedding’s color story.
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Easy Waterfall Braid Tutorial
You’ve mastered the French braid and aced the fishtail—It’s time to become a true braid maven and master the newest hair trend: the waterfall braid.
We asked Davines stylist Christine Zilinski, to show us how to create this sweet look at home. It might take a bit of practice but once you get the hang of it you’ll be braiding up a storm.
Even better? If you’ve still got more questions about all things braids and hair, you can join us for a Twitter chat with Zilinski and Davines at 3pm ET on Thursday 6/20! She’ll be answering all of your burning questions about your strands—from what foods to eat to score healthy hair to what ingredients you should look for in your products! Just use #AskDavines when you tweet a question, and follow @birchbox and @davinesofficial to keep up with the whole conversation.
PLUS, five lucky participants will have the chance to win their own set of Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo & Conditioner! So don’t be shy—jump in on Thursday with any and all of your questions.
If you’re all about the braids right now, you have to see this ridiculously easy braided updo tutorial.
Of all the staffers we highlight on the Birchbox Blog, we’re most in awe of the amazing ladies on our Ops team. These problem-solving wizards handle all of your customer service issues, from misplaced samples to last-minute gifting needs. Today they’re lending their expert intel to help you get the most out of your Birchbox experience.
Okay, so it’s not the most glamorous part of Birchbox (unlike this or this) but the Account Settings of your subscription are an integral part of your experience. Think of them like what’s under the hood of your car—the engine that keeps your account running like a finely oiled machine. From tracking information to your points history, you’ll find tons of crucial information in your Account Settings. Heres’s a quick primer to help you make the most of your membership.
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Don’t Leave Home Without These 5 Unexpected Travel Essentials
Everyone knows to pack a tube of SPF and your favorite sneakers when you’re getting ready for a vacay. But after polling our globe-trotting editorial team, we realized that we bring a selection of oft-overlooked trip enhancers to rectify even the worst travel disasters.
From the two-in-one power player that immediately freshens up a hotel room to the stain-fighting product you should always keep with you, here are our five travel items that you have to bring with you on your next trip.
Looking for more travel tricks? Check out Birchbox’s June 2013 Magazine for even more ideas.
While we adore video tutorials, sometimes we need a quick step-by-step that we can move through at our own pace. Enter: gif tutorials. Like videos, they make it easy for us to imitate the motions, but we don’t have to press pause every time we need to see a difficult step again. Plus, aren’t they just more fun to watch? We’re introducing a new series of beauty gif tutorials that teach you how to get our favorite looks—from braids to cat eyes—in simple, animated ways.
For our first tutorial, editor Meredith shows you how to do an adorable and oh-so-simple milkmaid braid. (Trust us—it’s easier than you think!) Read on to see what products you’ll need and learn how to get this chic summer look in just eight steps.
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Makeup Tips for Looking Fabulous Straight off a Plane
Over the next few weeks it seems like everyone in the Birchbox office is jetting off somewhere fun. Ally is in Equador right now (lucky!), editor Candice has been working from San Francisco this weekend, and even I’m heading off to Denver in a few days for a friend’s wedding. Summer really is our favorite time to get out of the office and enjoy some sun.
Unfortunately I usually step off the plane looking like death warmed over (especially if it’s more than a few hours long flight) and I know I’m not alone. The last thing I want to do while traveling is worry about a full makeup routine, so this month we asked makeup artist Nam Vo to share a few really easy tricks for looking downright amazing when you step off the plane. Throw these products (all under TSA’s 3.4 FL OZ limit) in your carry-on and you’ll be fresher and more polished when you step off the plan than when you stepped on. Happy traveling!
—Lorelei
Find more beauty tips and expert advice on the Birchbox YouTube channel.
![Backstreet Boys are Back (Again), Kim and Kanye’s Maybe Baby Name, and More
Oh, Backstreet Boys. Le sigh. Our favorite ’90s boy band is back with a brand new single: “In a World like This.” Let the nostalgia commence. [Buzzfeed]
Kim Kardashian and Kanye’s baby name may have been revealed—and it starts with a K. [Refinery 29]
Former beauty director of Teen Vogue, Eva Chen, has been named Editor-in-Chief of Lucky. Here’s why she’s the best person for the job. [Fashionista]
Applying lipstick is simple in theory, but bold lip colors can be tough to pull off. Use these five easy steps to score a seriously perfect pout. [She Finds]
Don’t tell A, but Pretty Little Liars hair stylist Kim Ferry is revealing the secrets to the show’s coveted beachy waves and more. [Beauty High]
—Geraldine
Getting a gorgeous bold lip requires the perfect shade. Customize your very own color at Bite Beauty’s Lip Lab.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/cbd77635700870cbdcad40e67e4d57ce/tumblr_monbegp98V1qbz3xno1_500.jpg)
