We fell hard for Natalie Alcala last fall, when the LA-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.
Spring officially starts next week! Besides cleaning out my closet to make room for brighter hues and lighter fabrics, it’s time to reevaluate my beauty sitch. While I can never resist a red lip, this might be the perfect time to get adventurous and experiment with new hues. With that said, here’s a roundup of four additional spring campaigns that shine a light on perfect pouts.
Photo: Fashion Gone Rogue
Rouge: Okay, this one isn’t exactly “adventurous” as it’s still a red lip, but this story really wouldn’t be complete without a Cara Delevingne cameo. Polish fashion label, Reserved, was inspired by ’80s and ’90s beauty for this campaign, hence the Robert Palmer pucker. Make’s Silk Cream Lipstick and this handy how-to are all you need to channel the look.
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We fell hard for Natalie Alcala last fall, when the LA-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.
Kurt Reiger’s spring campaign. (Photo: Elle)
Besides it being awards season, there’s another reason why this is my favorite time of year: It’s the release of spring ad campaigns! Although I love the bundled up looks for fall, spring collections are always fresh, fun and bursting with brilliance. Plus, I get particularly hyped for the latest ads since the beauty is more experimental as well. From the slick hair and dark lip at Kurt Reiger to the peach lid and nude pout at Max Mara, here are the looks that I’m really feeling for spring.
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Totally Crushing On: Tom Ford’s Holiday Lipsticks
These gorgeous crimson lipsticks just hit our desks and we couldn’t be more smitten. The Jasmin Rouge collection, inspired by Tom Ford’s spiced-floral fragrance of the same name, features two cherry-reds (Slander and Narcotic Rouge) and two crimson-reds (Reckless and Diabolique).
My personal favorite is Narcotic Rouge, a matte finish cherry, that’s the ideal mix of berry and bold red and will be great for all those upcoming holiday soirees. Keep an eye out for these pretty shades at Neiman Marcus this month!
We know these lipsticks are super-luxe, so we picked our favorite rouge hues that won’t break the bank. Here are our top three:
—Candice
Have the lipstick but don’t know how to wear it? Here’s how to apply a flawless red lip.
Girl Around Town co-founders, Leigh Evans and Mary Cunningham, created an online community for women to talk about the latest in fashion, beauty, food, and more. The site boasts jet-setting writers who are based in Los Angeles, Houston, and New York, all of whom have the insider deets on the hottest things to do and see all over the globe.
I’m pretty diligent about my makeup application in the mornings. But no matter how much time I spend first thing, by mid-day I look like a sad circus clown: I’ll have mascara rings underneath my eyes, my lipstick will be smeared, my cheeks will be pale, and the list goes on. So, I have learned to be prepared for the mid-day makeup battle by carrying a couple essentials with me at all times. Here’s what’s I regularly tote around with me:
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Photo: buzzsugar.com
Last night’s Academy Awards were a little snore-inducing, but it’s always fun to watch, and judge, the red carpet. Herewith, this year’s completely arbitrary, totally subjective picks and pans.
Knock It Off — We’re a little tired of the same, played-out looks from Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lopez. We’ve seen Angie’s all-black, high slit too many times to count, and her leg posing last night had us rolling our eyes. J.Lo’s plunging neckline and its maybe-maybe-not wardrobe malfunction moment, which recalled her famous Versace gown from the Grammy’s in 2000, made us want to throw a sheet over the whole look.
Photo: glamour.com
Fullest Fringe — Rooney Mara’s got the ’20s style flapper bangs down to an art now (she’s been sporting the look since last fall), and when paired with her beautiful Givenchy gown, it was a win by far.
Photo: people.com
Evening Superhero — We swooned as soon as Gwyneth Paltrow stepped onto the red carpet. Wearing a gorgeous, caped Tom Ford look paired with a low, deconstructed ponytail, we couldn’t take our eyes off the actress’ stunning style all night long.
Photo: people.com
Role Model — There’s no doubt that Meryl Streep is one of the most talented ladies out there (17 Oscar nominations!), but she’s also one of the classiest, most gracious winners, too. When she accepted her Best Actress award last night, we were taking notes on how to seem lovely, poised, and witty all at the same time.
Prettiest Peplums — Michelle Williams and Tina Fey were stand-outs on the carpet showing off this ladylike trend. We give them both an A+ for style.
Photo: hollywoodlife.com
Best Feel Good Moment — As fans of the original 1965 version of The Sound of Music, we were so happy to see Christopher Plummer (a.k.a. Captain von Trapp) nominated for his role in this year’s Beginners. But we were even more ecstatic when the 82-year-old won the award, making his mark as the oldest actor ever to win an Oscar.
—Candice
Need more Oscars? Check out our Pinterest board with our favorite looks from last night here.
Happy November! The holiday season has barely started and already we’re well on the way to being overwhelmed. That’s why we’re taking the next couple days to relax and read up on some of the stories we missed this week. Here are a few to start with. Have a great weekend!
- Mom really does know best. We love this cute slideshow of chic women and the beauty advice their moms gave them. No surprise — they’re all beautiful! [Refinery29]
- Tom Ford’s new cosmetics collection is doing amazingly well. We can’t say we’re surprised but his event at Bergdorf Goodman on Wednesday sold $52K worth of products and was one of the biggest events in the retailers history. [WWD]
- Madonna is launching a new fragrance called Truth or Dare. And it’s not just another celebrity fragrance; It’s the first in a series of lifestyle products. [TheGloss]
- Do you need a good stretch? Find out a few secrets for getting the most out of your pre-workout routine. [Equinox Q Blog]
- You know nail art is serious business but now it’s getting some real attention for its educational powers as well. A Rabbi outside of NYC is using nail art as a device to teach students about the Torah. [Fashionista]
— Lorelei
Snowstorms will be here before you know it. Stock up now on your winter skin must-haves.
A style force to be reckoned with, Sara Zucker is well known for providing daily outfit inspiration and scoping out incredible finds via her Tumblr, Farpitzs (which is the Yiddish word for ‘all dressed up,’ just in case you were curious). As if being one of the most popular fashion voices in the blogosphere wasn’t time consuming enough, the well-heeled trendsetter also happens to be Glamour Magazine’s community manager. Lucky for us, she was able to make some time in her busy schedule to guest blog for us this week. Check back daily as Zucker shares everything from her favorite fall trends to what’s in her cosmetics bag.
1.Tom Ford Lip Color in Black Orchid, $45, amazon.com; 2. philosophy purity made simple one-step facial cleanser, $32, birchbox.com; 3. Miss Jessie’s Quick Curls, $32, amazon.com; 4.Nars Orgasm Illuminator, $29, birchbox.com; 5.Sephora Collection Brow Tint, $3, amazon.com
Being a fashion and beauty blogger, I am constantly being asked what cosmetics I always have on hand. It’s a hard question to answer because I love to experiment and I’m pretty non-committal, so there isn’t one particular product that I’ve used for more than a couple years. Nevertheless, my makeup bag is home to multiple curl-enhancing hair cremes — I loathe the crunchiness that gel creates — and dark lip colors. I also like to accentuate my eyebrows with a tint or brow powder.
To add some more great items to your makeup bag, check out our Birchbox Shop.
This summer, Birchbox’s content team is extremely lucky to have awesome intern Shana in the office. She’s a student at Syracuse University (the smarty pants is a dual major in magazine journalism and psychology) and she’ll be helping with researching, writing, product testing and, of course, blogging. In addition to daily beauty news posts, she’ll be writing a weekly column called College Girl.
Accessories can jazz up even the most boring of outfits and in the summer, no one should be without a great pair of sunglasses. From retro to open temple, I’ve noticed that almost every major designer has developed some glorious new styles—but they all come with sky-high prices. So I decided to round up some affordable alternatives—here are four pairs that will help you keep up with the trends without maxing out your credit card.
Oversize Flat Top: Top: Celine Extra Large Sunglasses Havana, $375, Bergdorf Goodman in stores only, 212.872.8700; Bottom: Lisa’s Leopard Flat Tops, $14, urbanoutfitters.com
Retro: Top: Tom Ford Astrid, $255, iloveglasses.com; Bottom: Cheap Monday Cryokinesis Shades, $30, shopnastygal.com
Cat Eye: Top: Marc Jacobs Extreme Cat Eye Sunglasses, $275, bloomingdales.com; Extreme Cat Eye Sunglasses, $16, urbanoutfitters.com
Open Temple: Top: Roberto Cavalli Open Temple Sunglasses, $350, nordstom.com; Bottom: Forever 21 F7121 Sunglasses, $5.80, forever21.com
—Shana
Store your new shades in our Birchbox Travel Pouch, free with your next $50 purchase.
![Marchesa’s Braided Crown, Anne Hathaway’s Custom Vegan Boots, and More
A step-by-step guide to recreate the braided crown updo from the Marchesa spring 2013 runway. [Refinery29]
The crazy Tom Ford bondage boots Anne Hathaway wore to the Les Miserables New York City premiere were custom-made and vegan. [Fashionista]
A look at the indiscriminate use of the term “curvy” to describe women of all sizes from 2 to 22. [The Cut]
Learn how to do a jewel-toned smoky eye—just in time for all of your holiday parties. [Beauty High]
Is copper the hot new anti-aging ingredient? Check out this list of products that contain the metal and learn how it can help skin retain its youthfulness. [NYTimes]
Accidentally doused yourself with one spritz too many of perfume? Here are a couple of tips on how to remove unwanted fragrance. [The Cut]
(Photo: refinery29.com)
—Hallie
Have you checked out our awesome holiday gift sets yet? See what we’re eyeing for our friends and families (and ourselves)!](http://24.media.tumblr.com/0987dd82247c5ec8fa06d1f129a6e88f/tumblr_mewna9oIxt1qbz3xno1_500.jpg)
