October 2011
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This Just In: Allure's 2011 Best of Beauty Awards
Photo: Allure
In the beauty realm, the Allure Best of Beauty Awards are the magazine equivalent of the Miss Universe Pageant. Across all categories, the winners must possess looks, talents, and brains (translation: pretty packaging, potent ingredients, and smart delivery systems). Allure just announced their 2011 picks, and we were stoked to see some of our favorite tried-and-true products on...
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Go For Glitter This Halloween: Guest Blogger
Don’t let the name fool you. Jessica Chu’s Tumblr Of Vice and Men doesn’t have anything to do with hot male model eye candy — but it does cover in great detail the best kind of vice: lusting after pretty things. This week she’s sharing her expert eye with us and dishing on everything from the best winter skin savers to the YouTube beauty gurus you should be following.
...
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Beauty in 60 Seconds: Exfoliation
There seems to be a lot of confusion around exfoliating. How often should we do it and are we doing it correctly? Birchbox’s resident skincare expert, Rachel Liverman, answers these questions and more in just 60 seconds.
Find all our favorite exfoliators, and detailed information about each, in the Birchbox Shop.
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Korres & Birchbox Sweepstakes! Win One of Five...
Tis’ the season for harsh winter weather. We’re pulling out our sweaters in preparation but what about our skin? This year we’re overhauling our bodycare routine with Korres’ indulgent collection of cleansers and moisturizers. And, because we like to share, we’re giving away five gift sets worth $70. Each includes a Korres Body Butter, Shower Gel, travel-size Body Butter, and Lip Butter in our...
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Nail Polish For Dudes?
Nail paint and varnish, $14, evolution-man.com starting November
I am all for guys getting pedicures. Even the occasional manicure. I am not sure, however, that I can fully support guys wearing polish. Or metallic purple polish anyway.
But EvolutionMan, a men’s grooming brand, feels differently. They’re about to launch a full line of ‘male polish’ ranging in colors from...
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Team Intros: Meet Leah!
Happy Monday! How about another Birchbox Team intro to brighten up your morning? Meet Leah, a former Bain consultant and private equity investor who graduated from Harvard Business School in 2011. We’re excited that she ignored all those other sexy startups to join our team. She’s tiny but mighty, a strategic force with reeeediculous PowerPoint and Excel skills. Did we mention...
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Ingredient Decoder: Argan Oil
Photo: Urban Bush Babes
Most girls identify their hair as straight, curly, thick, or thin, but I can only think of one word to describe my hair: hard. I was born with abundant black locks that feel like strands of al dente spaghetti to the touch. Even gallons of conditioner can only soften it so much — by day two, it’s back to its original resistant state. But I’ve finally found...
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Pink Alert: Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk
It’s the last day of October, but that doesn’t mean our awareness of Breast Cancer should stop today. There are simple lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk all year round. Read More.
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Team Intros: Meet Nicole!
Rarely a day goes by without a Birchbox staffer uttering the words, “Nicole is amazing.” And she is. Really freaking amazing. From keeping our kitchen stocked with fresh fruit and almond milk to making sure we have recycling bins and dental insurance, she really is the cat’s pajamas. Case in point: Today she’s orchestrated an early Halloween party complete with kegerator,...
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The Best Looks From Fashion Week Tokyo
Photos via Elle.
I’ve always admired Japanese street style, from the gothic Lolitas who rock their parasols to the cyber punks with their neon mohawks. But would I dare to don one of those outfits myself? Maybe on Halloween. But I’ve realized that although Japanese fashion is known for being bold and experimental, it can also be subtle and versatile (think Comme des Garçons)....
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Reading List: Happy Halloween!
Photos: TheGloss
Are you all ready for Halloween festivities this weekend? If not, you still have a few days to get your costume in order before Monday. Before you run out to Rickys NYC, click through our links of the week to see Heidi Klum’s Halloween costume, the new print version of Style.com, our favorite new blog, and more.
Heidi Klum always has the best Halloween costumes. She goes...
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Tory Burch Enters Beauty, First Fragrance On The...
Veronique Gabai-Pinsky, Tory Burch and William Lauder. Photo: Kyle Ericksen wwd.com
WWD reported last night that Tory Burch has partnered with Estee Lauder’s Aramis fragrance division to release her first women’s fragrance in 2013. Burch says, “For me, beauty was part of the plan since the beginning, especially fragrance.” But Burch won’t stop at fragrance: the...
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Happy Halloween!: Mood Board
Our creative team is pretty, well, creative and they come across beautiful imagery all the time. Why not share the inspiration? Keep an eye out each Friday for their Mood Board, a collection of images they’re loving.
We absolutely love Halloween and couldn’t resist dedicating this week’s post to the color orange. Of course, we had to throw in some sequins and glitter — they are...
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Street Style Inspiration: Bright Lips and Cutoffs
Photo: StreetPeeper
Along with everyone else, we’re suckers for a great street style snap. We love this bright lip paired with a casual cardigan and light denim cutoffs. (The Mulberry Alexa bag doesn’t hurt either!) She looks casual but very chic.
To Get the Look:
Lips — Beauty is Life Lipstick in Kingdom; $28
Cardigan — Stripe Angora Mix Cardigan; $80
Jean Shorts — Hudson...
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Karlie Kloss' Top 5 Lipstick Looks From Spring...
We’re suckers for a bright red pout, but this week’s guest blogger, Julianne Carell, is even more addicted to bold lips than we are. In fact, her blog, PeaceLoveLipstick.com, is an ongoing ode to her favorite makeup category, covering everything from news to helpful application tips. This week, the lipstick-lover is showcasing her obsession on our site — check back each day for a new...
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Five Questions For...Vincent Longo, Makeup Artist
Photo: Bellasugar
The first thing you notice about Vincent Longo is his meticulous personal style. This afternoon, the makeup artist and founder of Vincent Longo Cosmetics met me at The Palm Court restaurant inside The Plaza dressed in a crease-free suit, skinny tie, and purple button-down. This is clearly a man who pays attention to detail, and it shows in his cult line: bold shadows,...
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How to Recreate Your Favorite Discontinued Makeup
Photo via Fashionista.
It’s every beauty lover’s worst nightmare: you go to the department store to repurchase your favorite product, only to find out it’s been discontinued. Cue the tears, the irrational anger at the salesperson who broke the news, and the conviction that the whole world has turned against you. For me, this happened when I ran out of my favorite MAC...
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Worth the Splurge?: You’ve Got Male
Once a week, Birchbox’s resident Yoga and men’s product expert, Eric, will gives us girls some insight into his world in You’ve Got Male. Whether he’s giving his expertise on skincare (boys need advice, too!) or highlighting his new favorite grooming trend, this guy has got taste—so we’re lucky he’s on staff and willing to share.
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about where to draw the...
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Look of the Day: Mai's Waterproof Duo
It’s easy to let the rain get you down. But we love Mai’s unfussy approach to grey day chic: pair a twisty topknot with budge-proof black winged liner and a crimson lip stain. She’s wearing Stila’s Stay All Day Liner in Black (bonus: waterproof!) and MAC’s Pro Longwear Lipcolour in Lasting Lust.
Get the matte lips look with our easy video tutorial.
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Getting The Perfect Dark Mani Without The Mess:...
Operations associate, Loren, has a thing for nails- and we can’t blame her. We love reading about new finishes and fun techniques, so we thought we’d give her a weekly slot on our blog to wax poetic about all things manicure (and pedicure!) related. Check back every Thursday for Nailing It, Birchbox’s dedicated polish series.
Now that we’re getting closer and closer to winter, it’s only...
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Beauty Insiders Share Their Morning Secrets
It’s no surprise that our favorite brands happen to have rock star founders. This month, we asked the beauty insiders behind Anthony Logistics, Carol’s Daughter, and FAUX lashes to tell us a little bit about themselves — and their morning routines, to be more specific. What exactly are they up to before they get to the hard work of formulating products? Read on for all their answers.
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Find Your Perfect Nude (Lip): Guest Blogger
Sometimes less is more. Case in point: The Daily Obsession, a longtime favorite blog, which posts a single covetable product each day. Today we’re lucky to have Carolyn Hsu, the site’s lovely managing editor and style blogger, guest posting about her latest beauty obsession. Surprise: it’s not color.
The nude lip is universally flattering — after all it’s designed to mimic the...
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Matchy Matchy: Guest Blogger
We’re suckers for a bright red pout, but this week’s guest blogger, Julianne Carell, is even more addicted to bold lips than we are. In fact, her blog, PeaceLoveLipstick.com, is an ongoing ode to her favorite makeup category, covering everything from news to helpful application tips. This week, the lipstick-lover is showcasing her obsession on our site — check back each day for a new...
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Smudgy Color Liner Inspiration From Nam Vo
We have always known that makeup artist Nam Vo is exceptionally talented, and she continues to wow us. Behold Vo’s genius work above for the cover of ELLE Vietnam. No one does eye makeup quite like she does and we especially like how she made the look extra smokey by smudging a lot of color under the eye. Gorgeous!
Not familiar with Nam Vo? Get to know the artist in this exclusive...
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Celebrate Halloween Without A Costume
I’m a huge fan of Halloween festivities but it’s never easy finding a costume. In fact, it’s downright impossible. This year, I’m just going to settle for looking Halloween festive instead of wearing a costume. Here are a few ideas for getting in the spirit with minimal effort. Hopefully these will stave off questions about what you’re supposed to be.
photo: eyes
1. Your...
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Win $250 In Customized Laura Geller Makeup!
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Primers really are the unsung heroes of a woman’s makeup routine. Practically invisible but oh-so helpful, these handy helpers make your skin look perfect by smoothing out any fine lines or imperfections and keeping your makeup put all day (and night!).
One of our favorite formulas is Laura Geller’s Spackle®, which comes in a...
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Team Intros: We Like Mike!
Despite being a pretty girly office (pink desks, beauty products everywhere), we’re lucky to work with some great guys. Case in point: Mike came on board a few weeks ago to lead our financial department and we’re lucky to have him. He joined us from Yahoo! by way of Associated Content but he fit in with the beauty products right away. On his first day we happened to be celebrating...
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Brush It On: Guest Blogger
We’re suckers for a bright red pout, but this week’s guest blogger, Julianne Carell, is even more addicted to bold lips than we are. In fact, her blog, PeaceLoveLipstick.com, is an ongoing ode to her favorite makeup category, covering everything from news to helpful application tips. This week, the lipstick-lover is showcasing her obsession on our site — check back each day for a new...
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Of a Kind Designer Lia Cinquegrano On What it...
This week’s Of a Kind designer, Lia Cinquegrano of Thomas IV, is a woman after our own heart. She’s a mascara fanatic, a prints fiend, and — as evidenced by the cute snap below — a hat aficionado. Check out her Marilynn Mini Duffel (only 15 editions!) and find out her makeup remover must.
Designer Lia Cinquegrano of Thomas IV On What it Takes to Get her Skin Really Clean
Sometimes...
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Karl Lagerfeld's Stunning Photo Shoot With...
TheGloss is one daily must-reads (right up there with the NY Times). We love the site’s witty approach to style and its smart and irreverent voice. We like the writing so much, in fact, that we’ll be featuring one of their posts each week here on the Birchbox blog.
In addition to putting on fashion shows under the sea, creating wine bottles, and designing for Chanel and Fendi, Karl...
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Transition to Winter Beauty With Tarte
Photo: tartecosmetics.com
I just spent the morning getting pampered at Ulta Beauty at Rego Park in Queens (surprisingly close to the city!). In between a brow shaping and a blow out, I got a chance to chat with Maureen Kelly, the CEO and Founder of Tarte Cosmetics. In addition to showing me some of the holiday gift sets they’re launching this year (look for “Puttin’ On The Glitz,” a clutch...
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And The Red Lipstick Winner Is....
Yesterday, we made a big announcement: We will soon be selling our very first red lipstick on the site! We held off for a long time because we are ever so picky, but we’re thrilled to say that our debut shade will be from one of the chicest brands out there, Beauty is Life. To ensure that our first crimson foray was a smashing success, we sent three staffers on a mission to find a universal...
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Engaged? Here's A Crash Course In Bridal Beauty...
Over the past year, it seems like all of our friends have gone and gotten engaged. And even though their weddings are way in the future, a lot has to happen in between now and then (save the dates, party planning, cake testing). We created our limited edition Here Comes the Bride box for all our betrothed friends — it’s filled with beauty and lifestyle treats to use right up until the big...
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Color Theory: Dark Taupe and Deep Purple
Anthropologie is one of my favorite places to look for inspiration, whether it’s browsing the racks in person or online. Currently, I’m loving this room from their online shop. It’s full of drama, and the dark taupe walls and deep purple accents feel all grown up. Accordingly, I’m layering a nude taupe polish with a light grey on my nails, lining my upper lashes with...
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Fall's Hottest Hue: Guest Blogger
We are a sucker for a bright red pout, but this week’s guest blogger, Julianne Carell, is even more addicted to bold lips than we are. In fact, her blog, PeaceLoveLipstick.com, is an ongoing ode to her favorite makeup category, covering everything from news to helpful application tips. This week, the lipstick-lover is showcasing her obsession on our site — check back each day for a new dose...
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Choose Your Own Skincare Adventure
When it comes to designing a proper skincare routine, there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all. Our Choose Your Own Skincare Adventure series breaks down the products you should be using based on your top skin concerns. We went straight to leading dermatologists to find the best ingredients for your skin and to learn the science behind why they work. Whether you’re battling...
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The 3 Lipsticks I Want Right Now: Guest Blogger
We are a sucker for a bright red pout, but this week’s guest blogger, Julianne Carell, is even more addicted to bold lips than we are. In fact, her blog, PeaceLoveLipstick.com, is an ongoing ode to her favorite makeup category, covering everything from news to helpful application tips. This week, the lipstick-lover is showcasing her obsession on our site — check back each day for a new dose...
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Lightning Round With Teen Vogue's Eva Chen
Forget the penetrating, hard-hitting questions — Lightning Round is a fun (and informative!) on-the-spot questionnaire series featuring someone we find particularly compelling.
If you’re not a beauty aficionado, you might not have heard of Eva Chen, but we think she’s a pretty big deal. As the beauty director of Teen Vogue, she’s in charge of everything and anything...
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Which Red Lipstick Would You Buy?
Calling all Birchbox fanatics: we need your help! We’re trying to decide which is the perfect shade of red to add to our catalog (just in time for the holidays!) and we want your input. We sent three staffers (Mai, Meredith, Charlie) with varying complexions to try on shades from our new favorite line, Beauty is Life. Check out the pics below and tell us which is your favorite. We’ll...
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Fall's Hottest Hats and How to Wear Them
We’re dying to wear fall’s trendy new hats but these accessories have always been a bit intimidating. Our favorite stylist, Jeff Chastain, along with the always chic milliner Satya Twena, shows us a few easy styles to complement any hat. Are you a total hat lover or a bit hesitant? Let us know in the comments!
Find out more about Satya Twena, her beauty favorites and why she says...
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Bathtime Challenge: Best Feet Forward
We don’t have much time for lounging in the tub, and we’re betting that you don’t either. But there’s something to be said for stopping to smell the bath salts. Which is why we sampled AHAVA’s bath salts in some of this month’s Birchbox deliveries — just a gentle reminder to take the time to relax! To get you excited, we’re bringing back the Bathtime...
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Power of Three: Drawing Outside the Lines
Amp up your look with some striking liner and very little else
As much as we’re suckers for over-the-top lip colors and theatrical eye makeup, most days we just want a look that’s subtly sexy. The easiest way to spice things up? Accentuate your eyes with some sultry liner and leave everything else au natural. The result is a bold gaze that’s assertive, not aggressive.
Read More
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Bathtime Challenge: Simple Soak
We don’t have much time for lounging in the tub, and we’re betting that you don’t either. But there’s something to be said for stopping to smell the bath salts. Which is why we sampled AHAVA’s bath salts in some of this month’s Birchbox deliveries — just a gentle reminder to take the time to relax! To get you excited, we’re bringing back the Bathtime...
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Ingredient Decoder: Coconut Oil
Photo: Dermstore
I don’t believe every piece of beauty hype I read, but it’s hard not to pay attention when you keep coming across rave reviews of a certain ingredient. Over the past few years, every magazine has extolled the virtues of coconut oil. Caribbean women coat themselves in it from head to toe, and more and more of us are adopting it as a staple in our beauty routines (not...
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Bathtime Challenge: Face Time
We don’t have much time for lounging in the tub, and we’re betting that you don’t either. But there’s something to be said for stopping to smell the bath salts. Which is why we sampled AHAVA’s bath salts in some of this month’s Birchbox deliveries — just a gentle reminder to take the time to relax! To get you excited, we’re bringing back the Bathtime...
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Reading List: Kate Moss Creates Lipstick, New...
Photo: WWD
Happy Friday, Birchboxers! The cool weather has finally taken hold of the Northeast, but before you head to the orchard for apple picking (or, more importantly, to the store to find your Halloween costume), catch up on this week’s beauty news.
Peeking into a model’s makeup collection is a dream come true. This ITG feature on Coco Rocha, model extraordinaire, is an illuminating...
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3 Easy Halloween Manicure Ideas: Nailing It
Operations associate, Loren, has a thing for nails- and we can’t blame her. We love reading about new finishes and fun techniques, so we thought we’d give her a weekly slot on our blog to wax poetic about all things manicure (and pedicure!) related. Check back every Thursday for Nailing It, Birchbox’s dedicated polish series.
Halloween is by far my favorite holiday and what better way to...
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$1350 Diamond Lashes vs FAUX Black Diamond Lashes
Mollie just alerted me to these crazy 18-karat gold and diamond-encrusted Kre-at Beauty lashes from SheFinds. They’re available by request at Barneys New York and yes, they look awesome BUT but they cost $1350. I’ll probably never be willing or — let’s be real — able to drop that much cash on something just to make my eyes sparkle. Luckily I don’t have to because...
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Halloween Inspiration with FAUX: Holly Golightly
FAUX is hands down our go-to resource for false lashes for any occasion. Their lashes range from first date wearable to costume party-ready…which is perfect since we’ve yet to nail down a Halloween costume. Luckily, the lovely ladies from FAUX — founder Sterling, COO Miranda, and chief of marketing and PR Alexia — have some fabulous costume ideas. We’ve already seen their amazing Black Swan and...
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Blue Note: Mood Board
Our creative team is pretty, well, creative and they come across beautiful imagery all the time. Why not share the inspiration? Keep an eye out each Friday for their Mood Board, a collection of images they’re loving.
We’ve been watching the nights get shorter every week and we love the moment right after the sun sets when the sky turns that beautiful navy blue color. It’s that...
