June 2013
Packing List: Mexican Riviera
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:
How to Pick Your Wedding Colors: Lover.ly
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.
Play
You and Your Account Settings: Special Ops
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.
How to Milkmaid Braids: GIF Tutorial
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.
An Insider's Guide to London: Birchbox City Guides
Our subscribers received adorable postcards in their June boxes illustrating the four cities that Birchbox calls home: New York, Paris, London, and Barcelona. But since we could only fit so much information on each card, we decided to provide even more insider intel on our blog—straight from Birchbox staffers around the world. Get your passport ready and check back each week for a new installment of Birchbox City Guides.
Eating
For the best burger in town, head to MEATliquor behind Oxford Street or sister restaurant MEATmarket in Covent Garden and order the Dead Hippie—pair it with a delish cocktail. Borough Market on the South Bank has all the food stalls you can imagine, from cheese and meats to cider and sweet treats. Insider’s tip: Don’t leave without a visit to Monmouth for coffee—the queue is worth the wait.
Around the World in Birchbox Instagrams: Flower Crowns, Chili and Lychee Martinis, and More
Even when we can’t hop across the pond, our Birchbox counterparts in Europe keep us in the know with insider deets on the coolest goings-on. (Case in point: French pharmacy skincare must-haves). Every week, we’ll be sharing our favorite Instagrams from each of the four Birchbox teams so that you can travel the world without getting on a plane.
In France, our team was excited to wear these flower crowns by Noeud me quitte pas on Sunday at the Prix de Diane horse races near Paris.
Do You Have A Signature Lipstick?: Guest Blogger
As soon as we came across Rachel Phipps’ lifestyle, foodie, and travel blog, we knew we were hooked. It sent us down the rabbit hole to The Glossy Guide, a beauty blog created by the British style maven and her best friend. From secret steals to haute products, she’s sharing some of her best insights here with us this week!
Everyone is always going on and on about how you should identify your signature scent, but it’s really more important to find your perfect lipstick. I discovered mine when I was 17 and while I love playing around with bright retro reds, deep vampy burgundies, and pretty pinks, I always go back to my signature shade: MAC’s Satin lipstick in Brave.
Summer Shrimp Salsa: Guest Blogger
As soon as we came across Rachel Phipps’ lifestyle, foodie, and travel blog, we knew we were hooked. It sent us down the rabbit hole to The Glossy Guide, a beauty blog created by the British style maven and her best friend. From secret steals to haute products, she’s sharing some of her best insights here with us this week!
Salsa in England is something that comes thick and red in a jar, and you don’t find it in the refrigerator section. After moving to the West Coast and discovering delicious tubs of fresh and traditional salsa to scoop up with tortilla chips, I soon set out to make my own variations. This version was inspired by some shrimp tacos I had in Santa Monica.
Dew-ing It Up with MAKE's New Face Gloss
For most of my life, shine has been my nemesis. Urged by magazines—and concerned dermatologists—to nix the grease that regularly coats my T-zone, I’ve viewed it as the aggressor. Much of my beauty regimen has consisted of waging an endless war against the ever-encroaching sheen. Which is why I had my doubts about the concept of a Face Gloss.
But I got the chance to test out a newly-released version from cult beauty brand MAKE earlier this week at Michael Angelo’s Wonderland Beauty Salon, a whimsical hub of dabbing, spritzing, and styling in Manhattan’s West Village. It’s also the only brick-and-mortar shop where you can get your hands on the lion’s share of MAKE’s products.
Packing List: Ecuador!
1. Oscar de la Renta Something Blue
According to our friends at The Knot, it’s a faux pas to attend a wedding empty handed. With that in mind, I’m packing this timeless scent to hand over to the bride-to-be on the big day. Inspired by the iconic designer’s silk and lace wedding gowns, the refined blend has sparkling notes of mandarin, linden blossom, and bourbon vanilla.
