Photo: justjared.com
Kristen Wiig is one of our favorite comediennes. The SNL star is smart, sassy, and gorgeous—but what’s best about her is that she can go be ladylike and feminine one minute, and then let loose and be completely ridiculous the next. (For reference, please see Bridesmaids.) It’s a skill that we all wish we could master.
At this weekend’s Tribeca Film Festival in New York, Wiig debuted a drop dead red carpet look at the premiere of her new movie, Revenge for Jolly! Her tousled waves and muted makeup were a perfect sophisticated style for spring. Here’s how to get the look:
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We’ve got plenty of personalities on the Birchbox staff, but Rachel L. may top them all. Today, the fab brand team manager rolled into the office with perfectly filled in, shaded brows and announced, “Bold brows for a bold day!” We agree. She used her trusty Anastasia Brow Wiz pencil to get the look.
Watch our brow pencil video tutorial to learn how to shape your brows like a pro.
Birchbox staffers have been known to play the beauty field. With so many fun samples floating around, can you blame us for having a hard time committing? Then again, when we find something we love, we stick to it. In this new feature, we’ll be asking Birchbox staffers to share the products they just can’t quit. First up, co-founder and braid guru, Katia.
Katia, Birchbox Co-founder
Beauty profile: Combination skin, thick and dry hair, adventurous/trendy.
Products I can’t quit:
- Benefit They’re Real: Seriously obsessed. It is a magical mascara. Gives you drama without creating clumps, and doesn’t move all day. I love that it’s dark black, but still looks pretty and natural.
- Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Shampoo: This smells amazing and deeply cleans without drying out my hair. I think I am producing less oil in my hair since starting to use it months ago.
- Boscia Luminizing Black Mask: This peel-off treatment is so gratifying! Black is genius because you can see everything that happens (or comes off). It clears pores without the unwelcome drama of home extractions.
- Anastasia Brow Wiz: I won’t leave home without this. It makes a huge difference and you can easily control how much of an impact (or lack of impact) you want to make.
Bonus! Latest discoveries:
Meet some of the newest members of the Birchbox team here!
Dedicated to “what’s in your closet and on your vanity,” Samantha Fodrowski’s blog, Closet Vanity, couldn’t be more perfectly suited to our interests. This week, the busy blogger is lending us her talents and musing on some of our favorite topics like the fashion-forward red lip and au naturel makeup.
When it comes to skincare and makeup, women are constantly inundated with promises and marketing jargon (Smaller pores! Longer lashes! Lasts all day!). But nothing sells me on a product quite like a positive word-of-mouth. I’m always so curious about what products other people use and I usually scan friends’ vanities to check out their goods. I’d venture to guess I’m not the only one who loves IntoTheGloss’ Top Shelf feature because it gives a refreshing look at what the most influential people in the industry actually use and like.
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Today’s Birchbox beauty role model: Ally, one of our Operations all-stars. The minute she walked in this morning, we knew something was different but we couldn’t figure it out until she clued us in: she’d penciled in her normally light brows with Anastasia’s Brow Wiz in Brunette. That simple step made her look gorgeously polished. It didn’t hurt that she’s also rocking Laura Geller’s Spackle Primer and Stila’s Custom Color Blush.
Learn how to get face-framing brows with our video.
Blame it on the West Wing, but for a short period of time we were convinced we wanted to be White House staffers. That whim has long past, but we’re still excited to welcome this week’s blogger, Belle of Capitol Hill Style. The DC-based blogger is out to dispel the myth that you can’t be a serious Capitol Hill staffer and also love fashion. We love her sharp, funny style observations and practical advice (to wit: three ways to wear this season’s cropped sweater). This week, she’ll be sharing her best beauty tips, starting with a very relevant topic: How to look awake.
Working on Capitol Hill, sleep is a luxury that many staffers, lobbyists, and politicos cannot often afford. But if you know what you’re doing, you can fake a good night’s sleep with a few good products and a bit of sly trickery. Here’s how to look well rested, even when you’re clinging to caffeine for dear life.
Conceal: A total miracle product, Benefit Erase Paste banishes even the darkest under-eye circles. To apply, warm a bit of the product on the back of your hand and then, using a small concealer brush, dot it onto the dark spots. Many women make the mistake of applying concealer to the entire under eye area but it only needs to be applied to the areas that are dark.
Once you have dotted on the concealer, use your ring finger to gently blend it. Your ring finger is the weakest of all of your fingers, so you won’t damage the delicate tissues under your eye. Remember to dab, not wipe, which will ensure even coverage. Set with a dusting of powder.
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We’ve got the ’60s on the brain here in the office lately. Not only are many Birchbox staffers die-hard Mad Men fans (just look at graphic designer Charlie), but now we’re also hearing a lot of good things about the new shows Pan Am and The Playboy Club. Given that we adore everything about this super-chic decade (especially the fashion!), it was only natural that we flipped over this picture of Twiggy from a Gloss Daily post yesterday. Truly, it was only a matter of time before we decided to try the iconic look ourselves. Here’s our game plan:
Step 1: Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner. Use a small liner brush to paint a thick curved line along your crease and across your top lash line. Also use this brush to create an exaggerated spiky lower lashline.
Step 2: FAUX Estelle Lashes. Apply false lashes for oodles of volume and wide open eyes.
Step 3: Anastasia Lash Lifting Mascara. Coat lashes with mascara and direct wand through bottom lashes.
-Lorelei
Shop all of our favorite fall trends in the Birchbox Shop.
We’re always looking for good sartorial inspiration, which is why we regularly turn to PR exec Jaimen Sfetko’s Tumblr, Jaimen Lee. Documenting her own stellar (and quirky cool) style, Sfetko gives us a daily dose of outfit envy — and has us wishing she did costume changes throughout the day. Naturally, we’re curious about the savvy New Yorker’s product picks, too. This week, Sfetko is guest blogging about her beauty musts and today she’s discussing her New York Fashion Week essentials.
New York Fashion Week is in full swing and it’s a busy, jam-packed schedule for fashion and beauty bloggers alike. Rushing from show to show leaves little time for touch-ups, so you need products that will last. Here are my must-haves for New York Fashion Week that help to keep me fresh all day long.
- Something that Does It All: I received Nuxe’s Huile Prodigieuse® / Multi-Usage Dry Oil in last month’s Birchbox and like the product description says, it really can be used for everything. Not only does it moisturize my cuticles and minimize my frizz, I also love adding it to a matte shadow to take my lids from day to night.
- Control Your Hair: Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there wasn’t such an awful combination of heat, humidity, and rain in the city this week? Unfortunately, there is, so coating hair in Ouidad Climate Control Heat and Humidity Gel is a must first thing in the morning.
- Keep Your Eyes Open: Yes, it’s true: NYFW means no sleep. But why let everyone else know how much you’re suffering? Anastasia Lash Lifting Mascara perks up your lashes making your eyes seem bigger and giving you the appearance of looking wide awake.
- Neutral Nails Are A Must: We all want to make a statement by looking fabulous at shows and it’s always tempting to try the latest nail trend at the salon before fashion week starts. But the reality is that between snapping photos, blogging all night long, and the general insanity of a packed schedule, a neutral shimmery color is your best bet. Zoya’s polishes last forever and a chip with one these beige shades doesn’t equate to the end of the world!
Good luck all you fashionistas! Read the rest of our NYFW coverage here.
While it was nice being stuck in LA all week, I’m extremely happy to be back. I missed my team! The one bummer: I took a red-eye last night, which means I’m feeling pretty rough today. I’m trying not to look it, though. Here’s what I’m using:
Dr. Jart Beauty Balm: It’s safe to say that I’m pretty obsessed with this stuff. I used it daily in LA in lieu of tinted moisturizer and loved the way it gave my skin a soft finish. Today, I’m wearing it underneath copious amounts of Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint.
Laura Geller Blush-n-Brighten in Apricot Berry: When I feel blah, I apply blush. Lots of blush. Extra points for shimmer. This warm peach shade counteracts any plane-induced sallowness and makes me feel more alive.
Anastasia Lash Lifting Mascara: Sleepy eyes need a little help. Curl lashes, apply mascara. Apply more mascara.
Smashbox Photo Op Undereye Brightener: Instead of concealer, I use this pearly pink-toned highlighter to brighten dark circles. It blends in nicely and I can layer on the concealer if necessary.
Visine: Lots and lots of Visine.
—Mollie
Happy early Labor Day weekend! Don’t forget the SPF - I vote for TOCCA Beauty’s SPF 30 Wipes with Stella Scent.
