—Hallie
Be sure to take a look at our Birchbox videos made especially for you!
Olivia Palermo. (Photo: aahairstyle.com)
So here’s a major beauty confession: I am actually really bad at curling my hair. It’s funny because I’ve actually gotten quite good at updos and fancy braids, which definitely require a lot more skill and patience. But the simple Olivia Palermo wave (she’s one of my ultimate hair crushes, just in case you were curious) has always eluded me. Not a ringlet, but definitely not something you get from just using salt spray and air drying—I’ve never been able to get the look quite right. For the longest time, I thought maybe I could get this effortless tousle with a flat iron, and many women do, but I’m just not that good at it. For me, the answer is a clipless curling iron.
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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.
Photos: WWD, PeopleStyleWatch
This week, we’re in a mood to try new things: adventurous eye ornamentation, ’40s style hair, and nail art galore. We’ve also got big pieces of news from two style icons — one of which signals the end of an era and another that hopefully marks the start of a new one. Happy Last Day of September!
- Can’t get enough of fashion week manicures? This slide show has 60 photos of manicures from shows all over New York, London, and Milan. Click through for some inspiration. [Bella Sugar]
- Whether you’re getting ready for Halloween or feeling especially retro, the 1940s are all the rage. Try out a cute hairstyle called the Victory Roll with this tutorial. [The Glitter Guide]
- Izaac Mizrahi has had quite a few highlights throughout his long career, from Unzipped, the documentary about his fall 1994 runway collection, to his hugely successful diffusion line for Target. But this morning when WWD announced that Mizrahi had sold his business to Xcel Brands for $31.5 million, we felt a bit sad. He’s making a bundle, but his high-end line will likely be phased out very soon. [Fashionista]
- Do you like experimenting with crazy beauty trends but are concerned that people might look at you strangely? This writer tried wearing gold leaf as eyeshadow and documented her experience, which includes a trip to the mall. (She survived — and you will too!) [xojane]
- We can hardly wait for next week — no, not because it’s October — because one of our favorite style icons, Olivia Palermo, is launching a website, OliviaPalermo.com! Apparently, it will be a mix of Lauren Conrad’s TheBeautyDepartment and Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP, so we’re envisioning something amazing. [People Style Watch]
-Lorelei
For more inspiring nail products, visit the Birchbox Shop.
NARS Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in Palladium, $24, narscosmetics.com; Valentino cat eye sunglasses, $275, solsticesunglasses.com; Deborah Lippmann Between the Sheets Polish, $16, birchbox.com (temporarily sold out, more in stock soon); Madewell Floral Croquet Dress, $79.99, madewell.com; Stila Eyeshadow in Mambo, $18, birchbox.com
Olivia Palermo is truly a style icon. The New York socialite has been out and about in Paris this past week for the couture fall/winter 2011 shows.Throughout all the elegant events that coincide with the four-day affair, the trendsetter has been on a major sartorial roll. From Giambattista Valli to Valentino to Armani Prive and even the White Fairy Tale Love Ball, Palermo has stepped out in one covet-worthy ensemble after another. (I wonder how many suitcases she had to pack?) While I’ve adored her every fashion moment, I am particularly smitten with the outfit she wore front row at Stephane Rolland. The vibrant watercolor dress and dramatic purple accessories have me just itching to go on a shopping spree and incorporate some more color into my summer wardrobe. Inspired by her look, these are the items I’d love to buy.
—Meredith
For other bright product to make your look pop, visit the Birchbox Shop.
Photo: La Dolce Vita
Whether you love her or hate her, no one can deny that Olivia Palermo is beautiful. Oh, and she has the best style—without the help of a stylist! (Don’t even get me started on her hair. It’s perfection.)
As a drop-dead gorgeous NYC socialite, with tons of dollars to spend on a top-notch beauty arsenal and a Rolodex chock-full of the best people in every business, it was no surprise to learn that Palermo trusts one of our favorite skincare gurus above anyone else: Dr. Dennis Gross. Telling Stylecaster, “I’ve been using him since I was, like, eighteen,” Palermo listed the M.D. as one of her top four best beauty secrets. We can’t agree more! Not only are we avid fans of the dermatologist (he kindly just partnered with us on a sweepstakes and answered several questions from our Facebook fans), but we also love his luxe line of products.
—Meredith
Fun fact: Birchbox founder Katia said earlier today, “I need to buy more Alpha Beta Peel.”
![The Coolest New App, Barney’s Warehouse Now Online, and More
Point, shoot, and create GIFs! Here’s why we love the new social media app, Vine. [Wired.com]
We’ve never braved the actual Barney’s Warehouse sale—and now we don’t have to! Barney’s launches a Warehouse Sale website. [Refinery29]
Bon Appétit does Valentine’s Day with food, friends, and photos, featuring our very own, Mollie Chen. [Bon Appétit]
The latest collab between Banana Republic and hit show Mad Men will debut in April. [InStyle]
We love Olivia Palermo and we love Oscar de la Renta, so naturally we were pretty thrilled when we heard that the stylish socialite will be the face of the designer’s new collection for the Outnet. [The Cut]
Allison Williams of Girls has landed her first beauty campaign as the spokesperson for Simple Skincare. [BellaSugar]
-Charisse
We know you’ll be obsessed with Vine too. Join and follow Birchbox now! (Video: Birchbox on Vine)](http://25.media.tumblr.com/805e7555e5904543d6972d87d8d9fb6e/tumblr_mhrmtgOKjA1qbz3xno1_500.gif)
