Birchbox

Our Top 5 Fashion Week Manicures

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:30:35 -0500

New York Fashion Week might have come to an end, but we’re still gushing over our favorite manicures from the fall 2012 shows. We wanted to round up the highlights, so we came up with the five standouts that have inspired us to test out new designs.

Show: threeASFOUR

The Look: Gorgeous lacey, spider web nails by Color Club that were created to match the laser-cut pieces. Lead manicurist Alicia Torello used a specially made dove gray nail art pen to draw tiny stripes back and forth free-hand over the nail, mimicking the unique, romantic feel of lace.

Show: Rachel Antonoff

The Look: Bright red nails with floral designs that matched the fern pattern found throughout the collection. CND artist Candice Manacchio used Flashpoint to create a red base and then took a nail art brush, dipped in Brilliant White and Anchor Blue, to design the flowers.

Show: Katie Gallagher

The Look: Using a shade of green custom made for Gallagher, Color Club lead manicurist Fleury Rose painted 350 decals with the hue, followed by a matte top coat in advance of the show. On the day of, she furiously glued them to models’ hands and then finished the look by adding a gold border around the nails, a technique that she called “picture framing.”

Show: Charlotte Ronson

The Look: Color Club created a custom purple shade base color for Ronson, which closely matched several pieces in the collection. Nail techs then added black French tips to give the manicure an edge.

Show: Kate Spade

The Look: Celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann painted hundreds of press-on almond-shape nails in advance of the presentation using Fade to Black and then “hap-haphazardly” applied dots with I’m Not Innocent, an opaque peach shade.

Miss fashion week? Don’t worry. You can catch up by checking out all of our fall 2012 coverage here.

Hair Inspiration Courtesy of Fashion Week Street Style

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:59:00 -0500

We fell hard for Natalie Alcala last fall, when the L.A.-based writer and blogger spent a week guest blogging for us. In fact, we loved her posts so much that we asked her to be a contributing editor. In addition to blogging for us once a week, she’ll also be writing for the Birchbox Magazine and keeping us up to speed on all things fashion, beauty, and fun.

Ever since photographers, bloggers, and devastatingly cool fashion editors joined forces to increase the sartorial eye candy outside of runway shows, the streets of fashion week have become just as inspirational as the catwalks themselves. One originator of this phenomenon is photographer Tommy Ton; founder of the wildly popular street style blog, Jak & Jil.
While Mr. Ton is primarily known for capturing striking outfits on fashion insiders, he also has a knack for spotting emerging beauty trends, which is why scanning his fashion week photos for hair and makeup inspiration is a must. Here’s a roundup of well-coiffed looks that the photographer recently snapped for Style.com. Warning: You may want to dye, cut, or boldly style your hair after viewing this.

Lana Del Rey, eat your heart out: Tween blogger Tavi Gevinson has the floral headdress and strawberry blonde hair combo down pat.

Former Harper’s Bazaar Russia editor Miroslav Duma looks sleek and chic in this middle-parted low ponytail.

Speaking of chic, Elle style director (and street style hero) Kate Lanphear’s edgy razor cut ‘do is beyond cool.

Blogger Susie Bubble rocks a top bun and bangs like a pro, and her Opening Ceremony x Glamour cat sweater is pretty cute, too.

From Grace Coddington to Karen Elson to Florence Welch to Taylor Tomasi Hill (pictured), fiery red locks have never looked so fierce.

Check out the rest of Natalie’s posts here.

Bare Naked Nails: The Nude Brigade

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:01:00 -0500

Photo left to right: Marc by Marc Jacobs; 3.1 Phillip Lim; Giorgio Armani, all Style.com

Even though I love colorful nails all year round, I’m taking a break this spring to wear more subdued nude shades on my digits. The barely-there polish look was huge on spring 2012 runways. Case in point: models at Marc by Marc Jacobs, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and Giorgio Armani all wore shades of nude. Lucky for me a new polish just landed on my desk and it’s perfect for going bare.

USLU Airlines is a German line of polishes, newly launched in the U.S., and named entirely after airports from around the world. Although some of the colors are named after well-known locations (JFK, CDG, etc), many are from far-flung destinations, including my new nude, ROR. (It stands for Roman Tmetuchl International Airport in Palau, which is a Pacific island nation located 500 miles east of the Philippines!)

The ROR hue is slightly darker than the neutrals shown on the runway, which works for me since I find that shades which are too pale wash me out. Not only do these polishes have me craving a little vacation time, they’re keeping my nails trendy and chip free. You can find the USLU collection here or a special edition polish in minibars at the Ace Hotel, conveniently called ACE.

—Lorelei

Find more of our favorite nail polishes in the Birchbox Shop.

What We're Loving: A Unisex Scent By BLK DNM

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:06:01 -0500

Photo: Kanon

Lately, I’ve been dying to take a break from the standard floral perfumes that populate the fragrance world and spritz on something a little different. Since Birchbox HQ is full of discerning noses, I asked my co-workers to recommend a non-sweet, non-cloying scent, and they had one suggestion across the board: BLK DNM’s Perfume 11. This spicy blend of musk, incense, and black pepper smells equally great on guys and girls, and it doesn’t come across as too cologne-y. It also has plenty of cosmopolitan street cred. The line is the brainchild of Johan Lindeberg, the Swedish fashion designer whose hip-hugging denim line is beloved by hip kids from New York to Stockholm, and launched at Art Basel Miami last December to much fanfare.

Armed with my new unisex scent, I was inspired to make a wardrobe modification and adopt new outfits that veer on the androgynous side. Out went the floral blouses and pencil skirts. In came a worn lambskin leather jacket, tight jeans, and my trusty pair of Wayfarers (hey, New Yorkers are totally allowed to wear sunglasses in the wintertime). Now I’m ready to stomp down the Bowery looking (and smelling) way cooler than I really am.

What do you think: would you wear a perfume that’s designed with both genders in mind?

—Mai

From spicy musks to fruity florals, check out all of our top fragrance picks in the Birchbox Shop.

3 Headbands, 3 Styles: Guest Blogger

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:43:17 -0500

We have a deep, abiding love for all things fashion, which is why we often turn to stylish online boutique ModCloth to snag everything from chunky, bold bracelets to fancy frocks. This week, we asked the ModCloth fashion mavens to impart some of their style wisdom to us—and therefore you.

With warm weather (hopefully) just around the corner, it’s time to break out those spring dresses and let your hair down. Headbands are the ideal accessory for springtime looks, offering an easy way to dress up undone styles whether your hair is long or short. Here, I’ve styled three easy-to-achieve looks that can be finished in minutes!

This Hairdo The Twist Headband is easy to throw on over loosely curled locks, and lends a casual vibe to any outfit. Simply twist sections of hair around the barrel of a curling iron, and mist with hairspray to set before placing the band over your hair.

If you’re seeking a more elaborate style, try a topper like the Plume and Aplomb Headband, paired with a low chignon. Twist the front of your hair back, gathering it into a low side ponytail, curl it into a bun, and secure with bobby-pins. Spritz with hairspray to set before adding the band.

For something more polished, try the Make a State-Mint Headband paired with a braided topknot. Just brush your hair back into a high pony securing with an elastic, then braid the ponytail. Next, wrap your braid around the ponytail base creating a bun, secure with bobby-pins and set with hairspray before sliding on your headband.

—Julie O’Boyle, Modcloth

Looking for more hair inspiration? Take a peek at our column, Hairistocracy.

WIN Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Solution Just by Twitter Chatting!

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:02:54 -0500

Chris Salgardo, President of Kiehl’s
Photo: Adweek.com

Have you tried Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution? The Birchbox community is raving. Some of our members have even written to us to say that the product has helped to fade dark spots and scars they thought would be with them forever. Given all the praise, we thought we should host a live Twitter chat with Kiehl’s president, Chris Salgardo. This will be your chance to ask any and all questions about Clearly Corrective and Kiehl’s. Plus, participating will enter you to win a bottle of the solution!

Find out how after the jump.

Join us this Thursday, February 23rd, at 12EST for our live Twitter chat with Chris Salgardo (@ChrisAtKiehls) and Kiehl’s assistant vice president of education and customer experience, Christina Gabriel.

To join the chat, simply follow @Birchbox and the hashtags #AskKiehls and #BBchats. We’ll choose five winners from participants who pose questions using those hashtags—and who are following both @Birchbox and @ChrisAtKiehls—to win a bottle of Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective.

New to Twitter or haven’t participated in a Twitter chat before? We’re here to help! Ask us in the comments below or by emailing us at Community@birchbox.com and we’ll give you all the info you need to participate.

Sex Symbol Monica Bellucci Creates Limited Edition Dolce & Gabbana Lipsticks

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:24:15 -0500

Photo: WWD.com

Beloved Italian design house Dolce & Gabbana has announced that they have a new face for their beauty line—actress and model Monica Bellucci.

Best known for her roles in films like Passion of the Christ and her appearance as the lithe Persephone in the Matrix trilogy, Bellucci has long been considered a sex symbol and leading lady in Italy. (I was a teenager when Matrix was released, and I cannot tell you how many times I heard “Monica Bellucci is the hottest thing ever,” from male friends). Aside from her sex appeal though, Bellucci has also been a long-time friend to both designers and in an interview with WWD, Stefano Gabbana said “[Monica]’s our icon, she’s the emblem of Dolce & Gabbana.” It’s only fitting, then, that she’s now joining the ranks of screen sirens like Scarlett Johansson and Felicity Jones as the face of the D&G cosmetics line.

Even more exciting news though is that D&G and Bellucci will release a set of limited edition lipsticks, too. WWD reports that Bellucci will also be the face the new Monica Lipstick Collection, set to be released May 12 with six shades, each selling for $32.

Bellucci told WWD that “the idea for the collection was to create different shades, different colors depending on your mood of the day, your state of mind.”

—Candice

When we’re in the mood for a new shade of lipstick, we love these innovative options from Exude.

Olivia Palermo Gushes About Her New Rochas Gig: Notable Quotables

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:11:21 -0500

Notable Quotables is a weekly series featuring a great quote. Whether it’s the founder of a beloved beauty brand, an eccentric makeup artist making headlines, or even a super-stylish celebrity, our favorite tastemakers always have something worth sharing. Last week, Rochas announced that Olivia Palermo will be the face of their new fragrance. Palermo gushed to WWD about her new gig, which we think she’s perfect for.

“While Rochas has ingrained French roots, I think every woman can get the sense of joie de vivre and confidence in their style that the Parisians emanate. I always like to be a bit more fashion-forward and playful in my style choices when I visit Paris.”

-Olivia Palermo to WWD

Find our favorite fragrances in the Birchbox Shop.

Currently Obsessed With...Oils!

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:59:01 -0500

You may have noticed lots of your favorite brands coming out with oil-based products in the last year, and for good reason. These products are a far cry from the greasy, dirty kind of oil that clogs your pores and weighs down your hair. In fact, these oils are all about working with your skin and hair type to either cleanse or hydrate. My favorite cleansing oils fit the old adage “like attracts like” by pulling out the bad oils and leaving skin with plenty of moisture, not stripped. My must-have hydrating oils sink in immediately and are much longer-lasting than moisturizers. Check out a few of my all-time faves below.

1. John Masters Organics Argan Oil: I use argan oil for everything, from facial moisturizer to hair serum. Harvested in Morocco and USDA Certified Organic, you can’t go wrong with it. Counterintuitively, this wonder oil clears up blemishes and even minimizes fine lines and wrinkles.

2. Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Shampoo: Even though I have dry hair, the last thing I want is an oily scalp. Luckily, that’s not what you get with this clarifying oil, which lathers up and removes buildup without stripping moisture.

3. Olie Biologique Huile Moderne: If you prefer your skincare to be multitasking, you can get all your moisturizing, anti-aging, blemish control, and smoothing action with just a few drops of this organic face and body oil. It’s packed with argan, rosehip, ergamot, neroli, and frankincense oils and infused with antioxidant-rich vitamin E.

4. Orofluido Elixir: A few drops of this lightweight, lightly fragrant elixir on fried ends transforms a bad hair day into shampoo-ad-worthy hair. What in it? Argan oil (of course), linseed oil to smooth cuticles, and cyperus oil to make strands more manageable.

5. Sunday Riley Juno Transformative Body Lipid Serum: Too often, I neglect the skin on my arms and legs in favor of my face. Sunday Riley’s blend of dry oils helps get me back on track with watermelon seed oil, camilla seed oil, and black cumin seed oil.

6. Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil: This gentle cleansing oil lathers to a rich milk and easily removes makeup and debris, leaving skin soft and moisturized—not oily.

—Lorelei

Find more of our favorite skin and hair-saving products in the Birchbox Shop.

Our Favorite Films for Beauty and Fashion Inspiration: Guest Blogger

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:01:00 -0500

Every so often, all we crave is an old-fashioned movie night. Sometimes, things go wonderfully (like when we watched the German silent film Metropolis). And sometimes they go terribly (such as when we discovered Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez’s Holiday in Handcuffs). So we thought we’d share a few of our go-to films for fashion and beauty inspiration for the next time you indulge in an impromptu movie night. These flicks feature femmes with expertly coiffed ‘dos, killer eyeliner, and, of course, obsession-worthy outfits.

Photo: eweaver.umwblogs.org

Bonnie & Clyde (1967) — Looking bad never looked as good as it did in this 1967 classic, which starred Faye Dunaway as Bonnie and Warren Beatty as Clyde. Bonnie’s swooping haircut, swipe of black eyeliner, and chic hat-and-scarf pairings have become as iconic as the duo itself.

Photo: leavemeinthewhite.com

Grease (1978) — How could we not include Grease? It has, after all, a song called “Beauty School Dropout.” From Sandy’s transformation from good girl to rebel chick to Frenchie’s candy-colored hair, this movie musical is truly a study of ’50s fashion and beauty.

Photo: leavemeinthewhite.com

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) — Margot Tenenbaum’s simple, slightly severe look is one of our favorite details about this quirky Wes Anderson movie. The sullen sister’s kohl-rimmed eyes, blunt bob, and girlish barrette are instantly memorable, and remind us that with the right attitude (even if it is a frowny one), it doesn’t take a lot to make an impression.

Photo: cheapreward.blogspot.com

Une Femme est une femme (1961) — Blue eyeshadow, cat-eye liner, and buoyant hairdos accompany the cheeky, chic, and enviable outfits of main character Angéla—played by Anna Karina—in this French New Wave film.

Photo: fanpop.com

Marie Antoinette (2006) — If you’re in a decadent mood, then Sofia Coppola’s take on the reign of French queen Marie Antoinette is just the treat. The film, which won an Academy Award for Best Costume Design, has all the powdered faces, rouged cheeks, and towering hairstyles a maximalist could ask for.

Photo: imdb.com

The Women (1939) — This comedy-drama featuring Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, and Rosalind Russell is 133 minutes of style inspiration. Revolving around high society Manhattanites, the film follows the privileged lives of wealthy, gossipy, bored women, and their interactions with others.

—Jenn Chen, Modcloth

For more style tips and how-to-get-the-look ideas, check out our Street Style series.

Blogger Spotlight: Fashion Week Favorites

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:27:00 -0500

On Friday we showed you some of the hair and makeup styles from New York Fashion week that we plan to translate and wear off the runway. We asked our community of bloggers to tell us the runway looks that are inspiring their real world fashion and beauty style. Here’s what three of them had to say:

Aling Z, What’s Last Call?
This week on NPotW (Nail Polish of the Week), I’ve decided to take some inspiration from the always fabulous New York Fashion Week. I came across this manicure on Nylon Magazine’s blog and just had to try it out. Learn how Aling mastered this mani on her blog: What’s Last Call?

Maddy, Beauty Banter
“I found this look from Zac Posen’s fashion show and thought it would be a fun one to try!” See the rest of Maddy’s tutorial on her blog: BeautyBanter.

Raji, Pretty Please
“We’ve been gawking at our laptop screens as the photos from New York Fashion Week 2012 make their way on to the Internet. We’ve taken good notes and after much deliberation, we present the top three trends that we’re dying to incorporate into our daily style.” See the looks that inspired Raji on her blog: Pretty Please.

Thanks again to all of the fabulous bloggers who sent us their fashion week favorites! Don’t forget to check back on Friday for our next Blogger Call and your chance to be featured on the Birchbox Blog.

— Rachel

For more fashion week inspiration check out our Pinterest board: Backstage at New York Fashion Week.

Want to be in the know about upcoming opportunities for our blogger community? Join our Birchbloggers email list!

The Secret to Make Hair Grow Faster: Hairistocracy

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:00:00 -0500

We’re guilty of sticking with the same hair cut for years — if it’s not broke, why fix it? — but that can be a little boring. But not everyone has our issue. Paulina, one of our amazing operations associates, is always eyeing new cuts and styles. She’ll be sharing her tress inspiration and tips every other week here via her feature Hairistocracy.

Image: thehairfiles.com

I have a secret hair growth confession.

When I went for my last trim 6 months ago—which to my dismay ended up being a major chop—I begged my SoHo hairdresser with teary eyes for a hush-hush growth product that only stylists know about.

To my surprise, she didn’t take a second to think before she recommended Deity of Hair Plant Shampoo for Hair Loss. She swore that the unique herbal formula cleans pores and strengthens hair follicles using an age-old Tibetan mixture. Needless to say, I haven’t stopped using it since!

Two days ago I crossed paths with Katia in the kitchen, and she commented on how quickly my hair was growing and how the texture had done a complete 180. I took a second to reflect and realized my ponytail really was thicker, with each strand of hair much bolder and full of elasticity.

Now we’ve been discussing hair growth secrets all around Birchbox HQ! Is this just a bunch of beauty make believe? Or are we really onto something? Charlie told us that she once used Horse Shampoo and Rachel pointed immediately to hair, skin and nail supplements. Everyone seems to have their own go-to savior product!

What’s your secret hair-growth weapon?

—Paulina

When our hair needs some serious moisture and breakage-mending, we love using this repairing conditioner by Carol’s Daughter.

The Future of Breakups: Guest Blogger

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:30:05 -0500

This week brought one of the most dreaded, or loved, holidays of the year: Valentine’s Day. No matter if you’re smitten or single, you’ll find nuggets of truth and hilarity in this week’s guest blogger posts from Annabel Acton, the Australian founder of Never Liked It Anyway. The genius site lets users buy and sell unwanted items from past relationships. Even better, though, it has a manual filled with “getting over it” tips, along with a forum with tell-all stories about the worst relationships ever. We’re huge fans, and know you will be, too! Read on for some great tips on living and loving.

It seems strange to me that there are so many sites to help you find love, but none to really help you when it falls apart. Think about it—there are sites for any kind of dating situation: dating right this minute, dating for married people, dating for swingers, and so on. You can even pay to have your profile written for you!

But when it comes to breakups there’s a big fat zero out there. So when they do happen, you feel doubly alone. Like you’re the only person in the world going through it, which obviously isn’t true. In the time it’s taken me to jam out these lines, someone, somewhere has just broken up.

Imagine a future full of things that would actually help you move on, and move on fast. What about a ‘Cleanse Kit’ delivered to your door that came complete with scissors to cut photos or your hair, sexy new makeup, lingerie, perfume and some Pat Benatar records? What about a crowd you could rent to follow you around so you always felt like a superstar? Or a rent-a-best-friend service to help get your self-esteem and groove back in a hurry? Or a Men-In-Black Memory-Erase Wand? Or a Never Liked It Anyway Personal Assistant who came into your home, redecorated and got rid of all that junk that reminded you of your ex?

While some of this might be far-fetched, it’s certainly more appealing that sitting in a pile of tissues watching Meg Ryan movies. Anything that can get you to the ‘What was I thinking?’ place a little faster is surely a good thing. Which brings me to this idea (which is actually possible): imagine if you’d been using Never Liked It Anyway for 5 years; you come online after your most recent break-up, see the exes that made you cry once upon a time (but upon reflection, make you semi-cringe) and realize you will in fact, be ok. Then off you march, back into the fun land of falling in love. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Valentine’s day is over, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still be giving great gifts to yourself. Check out our gift guide here.

Reading List: Beauty Routines, NYFW Roundups, Love Notes, and More

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:47:05 -0500

New York Fashion Week may be over but the roundups are still in full effect. We’ll be clicking through them all weekend. Catch a few of our favorites below, as well as a poll about your at-home beauty routine and a fun new way to send a note.

If you’re like us, you probably attempt at-home beauty treatments fairly frequently. But, like us, you might not be trying them at the best times. Whether it’s after one too many cocktails or before an important event at work, we’re sure there are more responsible ways to get pretty quickly. Take the poll to find out when most of us decide to tackle beauty treatments. [The Gloss]

After an exhausting New York Fashion Week, we’re ready to get back to our regular schedule for the next six months or so. But, we couldn’t close the week without at least a few more roundups. We love this one of the prettiest pictures from the week. [Refinery 29]

On the same note, this roundup of the most outrageous moments of the week has us wondering how we could have missed all these happenings! [Stylelist]

Chanel’s awesome blog, Chanel Makeup Confidential debuted a new feature this week called Love Letters. Visit the site to create your own notes, built with Chanel makeup of course, and share them with anyone you like via email. [Chanel Makeup Confidential]

London Fashion Week is taking a stand against tanning. There are 11 UK model agencies supporting a No Sunbed Policy for their models this fashion week. [Daily Mail]

Trendy new content + commerce site Lifestyle Mirror finally launched this week. We’re swooning over all the amazing content. [Lifestyle Mirror]

—Lorelei

Pick up a pick-me-up from the Birchbox Shop over this long weekend.

Coolness Overload at Capsule: You’ve Got Male

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:11:43 -0500

birchboxman:

Some guys use whatever soap is in the shower. Others carefully consider the field and select the best option. Eric, our resident grooming god, falls in the latter camp. Once a week, he’ll be sharing his product findings and lifestyle tips.

This week, I had the incredible opportunity to visit the Capsule trade show in Las Vegas. This uber cool show has a collection of Men’s grooming, lifestyle, and apparel brands and is like the holy grail for someone like me who’s always searching for the newest and most fabulous thing.

Read More

Spikes: Mood Board

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:31:00 -0500

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.

Fashion week just ended here in New York, and we found ourselves thinking about all the giant, stiletto heels that were featured on the runways this season. It’s probably no surprise then, that we ran with the theme of sharp and pointy hardware for this week’s mood board. We’ve been loving how spikes are edgy yet glamorous, and how they add a touch of attitude in unexpected places.

1. My Little Fishy Eye Shop 2. Noir Jewelry 3. Image Shack 4. Patagonia Gifts 5. Drowning in Pearls

Calling All Bloggers: Send Us Your Fashion Week Favorites!

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:30:50 -0500

We don’t know about you but we love fashion week! It’s like Christmas for style and beauty junkies. Our favorite part, though, is seeing inspiring looks and thinking about how we’ll personalize them on ourselves next season. This fashion week we really fell for:

Wine stained lips at Nicholas K.

Pretty ponytails at Lauren Moffatt.

Color Club nails at Imitation of Christ by Tara Subkoff.

We’re planning to tone down these looks for a real life style with products like Lipstick Queen Medieval Tinted Lipstick Treatment for deep lips, Deborah Lippmann My Old Flame Nail Lacquer for a fierce mani, and Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray for tousled hair.

We want to know what you think: what runway or magazine looks have you seen that are inspiring your personal beauty and fashion style this season? Send us your blog posts and videos about how runway fashion and beauty trends are influencing you, and we’ll select our favorites to highlight on the blog next Monday!

Send all submissions to birchbloggers@birchbox.com

—Rachel

For even more fashion week looks that we are loving check out our Pinterest board featuring our behind the scenes coverage of New York Fashion Week!

Downtown Girls at Sachin + Babi Fall 2012

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:04:06 -0500

The Show: Sachin + Babi

Hair: Martin-Christopher Harper for Cutler/Redken

Makeup: Bobbi Brown

The Vibe: The perennial downtown girl. Lead stylist for Cutler/Redken, Martin-Christopher Harper, said the look was “all about a cool young downtown girl. We kept going back to this girl on 34th street that can’t decide if she wants to go uptown or stay downtown.” To achieve that unstudied coolness, Harper used Redken Full Frame 07 Protective Volumizing Mousse, working it into models’ hair with his hands to “encourage the texture and then break it down with the Cutler shine spray.”

Of the muted, wearable makeup Tia Lebron, Global Education Executive for Bobbi Brown said, “the inspiration is really a clean, fresh look. The makeup really compliments the clothing, it doesn’t distract from the clothing. The lips are very muted—a little bright but yet not bright. It’s not necessarily pink, not necessarily coral—just that brightness. There’s a soft wash of color, very clean and natural through the cheek. And the eye is not very smoky, but yet a smoldering look.” To get the smoldering, not-smoky eye, makeup artists used Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow in Malted, and smudged in Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner.

—Lorelei

NYFW may be over but you can catch up on all our coverage here!

Behind the Scenes: March Video Shoot and Miss Ladyfinger

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:14:00 -0500

Yesterday, the Birchbox team was busy prepping our videos for March. As always, we’re so excited to bring you tips and tricks on all things beauty, but we just couldn’t wait till the videos are all finished to share some fun information. One of our favorite nail art bloggers, Miss Ladyfinger, stopped by the shoot to help educate us on all things polish related. We snuck a peek into her makeup bag and found this product inside, which is one of her all-time favorites. Find out why below!

“The Seche Vite dry fast top coat is the perfect seal for your manicure. If you’re getting adventurous or have lots of layers or it’s a little thick, just a coat of this seals it all in. Plus, it only takes five minutes to dry—once it’s set, you know that you’ll have a salon quality manicure that lasts at least a week. It’s so great because it doesn’t chip. I go through bottles of these quicker than I go through shampoo.”

—Candice

Check out the Birchbox Shop for more great polishes!

How Magnetic Polish Works: Nailing It

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:10:00 -0500

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.

Many nail-lovers rejoiced last week when Deborah Lippmann announced that she’ll soon be launching a line of magnetic polishes. With so many great options coming out, from China Glaze to Color Club, it only makes sense that this beloved nail guru would put her own spin on the innovative trend. But all the excitement got me thinking — how does it actually work?

Magnetic polishes are applied like any other lacquer, but what sets them apart is that after you’ve painted on the color, you can use a magnet to create unique designs. I wanted to know exactly how this happens, so I did a little research and this is what I found:

According to nails inc., their House of Parliament Magnetic Polishes are made with metallic particles that move when you use magnetic force. By holding a magnet to the nail’s surface, the iron powder in the polish’s formula drifts to the surface showing the hidden pattern in the magnet (stripes, stars, etc). For a clean, sleek design make sure to hold the magnet as still as possible.

I don’t know if you’ve ever tried the magnet and kids’ cereal trick, but I think this is way cooler. Even though I know how the polishes work now, the concept still amazes me. I can’t wait to try Deborah Lippmann’s new line!

What do you think of the new magnetic polish trend?

—Loren

Excited to try a new look? Pick up other fabulous polishes in our Birchbox Shop and get painting.