Photo: usweekly.com
We’ll admit it—there’s a contingent of Birchboxers in the office who are Lauren Conrad fangirls. Her antics in The Hills and Laguna Beach aside, it’s hard not to be a supporter of her when she has winged liquid liner down to such an art and has done a stellar job with her website, The Beauty Department. Her new book, Lauren Conrad Beauty, is set to be released in October and we’re already itching to get our hands on it.
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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.
Photos via Stop It Right Now, Eva Chen, Nasty Gal
As we’ve said before, Instagram is a beautiful thing. There’s something about those fantastic filters that just make everything look so magical—it really is like looking at life through rose-colored glasses! When I’m not stalking Birchbox’s amazing Instagram (are you following yet?), here are the accounts I turn to for mega beauty inspiration.
1. Stop It Right Now: This girl is so darn cool. Jayne Min’s Instagram is a condensed version of her cult-favorite blog and features a mix of fashion, beauty, and lifestyle moments from her charmed life. I’m particularly fond of her crazy-amazing manicures (exhibit A, above).
2. Eva Chen: Teen Vogue’s beauty director (and friend of Birchbox) is somewhat of a digital darling for her fantastic participation in various social media platforms, such as Twitter, Tumblr and, of course, Instagram. In addition to providing major beauty product envy, I love seeing what she does next to her super cute, short hair.
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Based in Washington D.C., Ayren Jackson-Cannady is so savvy that we wished she lived closer to NYC so that we could swap products with her. This beauty writer knows what’s up (she’s written for Fitness, Glamour, and Gloss Daily) and we’re excited to have her sharing her know-how and multi-culti beauty expertise as a contributing editor.
Ayren’s left and right side respectively.
Ever since my little brother accidentally threw his football into my right cheek when I was in the sixth grade, I’ve preferred having my photo taken on my left side. I guess I subconsciously always envision a swollen, black-and-blue right cheekbone and eye socket. But, it seems there’s more to my predisposition than meets the eye (er, football). A Wake Forest University study recently published in the journal Experimental Brain Research found that people view the left side of a face to be more pleasant. I decided to test out the study’s findings on some of my family and friends. First up my husband…
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Photo: girlgetstrong.com
A recent study done by Dove Skincare has revealed some fascinating insights into how women perceive themselves and their own beauty. Here’s the good news: 78 percent of ladies surveyed want to see “real women” in beauty ads instead of celebrities and adolescent girls. Win! But here’s the bad news: the study also found that only one in eight British women polled do consider themselves attractive.
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“Gossip Girl” stylist Amy Tagliamonti and actress Amanda Setton (aka Penelope Shafai)
As you might should know, we’ve teamed up with “Gossip Girl” for our May Birchbox. You can expect all sorts of glamorous products, plus tons of exclusive content. Today, our editorial team is shooting video tutorials with the show’s lead hair and makeup stylists. We’re picking up plenty of tips, including this one from makeup artist Amy Tagliamonti:
A lot of the times when you put mascara on, you don’t get mascara on the base of the lashes, and people can see the difference between light lashes and darker mascara. If I don’t get all the areas or coverage that I want with a wand, I’ll put some mascara on a flat makeup brush and coat the lashes that way as well.
If you’re not a Birchbox subscriber yet, you still have time to join! Go here to reserve your “Gossip Girl” Birchbox.
For years, I’ve been a dedicated early AM gym buff. I love my morning endorphin boosts, but I hate schlepping all my stuff to the gym and getting ready in the locker room. As a result, I’ve pared my post-workout beauty routine down to a minimum.
Beyond the fact that I don’t dry my hair (cheating, I know), my trick is to bring multi-use products that save space and time. My latest love is Revolution Organics Freedom Glow, an all-in-one color that works on cheeks, lips, and eyes. (Spoiler! some lucky members will be receiving a Freedom Glow in this month’s Birchbox). Like all Revolution Organics products, the Freedom Glow is totally natural and loaded with healthy ingredients like jojoba, olive oil, and shea butter. Thanks to all those hydrators, it has a super-creamy consistency and gives skin a velvety finish.
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We’re already fans of actress Cate Blanchett for her blockbuster talent and unfailingly elegant style. Now we have another reason to love her: the 42-year-old star recently appeared on the cover of Intelligent Life magazine without any photo retouching. If you’ve been following our blog, you’re familiar with all the crazy Photoshopping that goes into magazine photos and advertisements, so you know that this is a big deal. The Wall Street Journal blog has already weighed in, as have Beauty High and other beauty sites. Our take? Blanchett looks gorgeous. We’d love to see more covers like this.
What do you think? Tell us in the comments!
If you haven’t already noticed, the Birchbox team is pretty obsessed with the products we sample. We just can’t help ourselves! Not only that—we’re also guilty of toting around our favorite BB samples in our Birchbox makeup bags. Dorky, we know. Here’s a peek at what we consider daily essentials.
MEREDITH STEBBINS
I own lots of products, but I only take my faves with me to get ready after my morning workouts. My daily musts: Oscar Blandi’s Pronto Invisible, which allows me to go longer between washes, and of course Jouer’s Luminizing Moisture Tint, which I go through like it’s water. Josie Maran’s Magic Marker Lip & Cheek Stain is my newest obsession and I never go more than three days without exfoliating with Kate Sommerville’s brilliant ExfoliKate.
MAI WANG
Currently in my makeup bag: Harvey Prince Eau Flirt. I love this fresh scent. The dual notes of lavender and pumpkin are calibrated to make you irresistible to men. I also have Jurlique Lavender Hand Cream, a botanical balm that keeps my hands moisturized.
NICOLE RIVERA
MOLLIE CHEN
I have not one, but two, Birchbox makeup bags! I keep my gym “essentials” in the ikat one and my everyday products in the canvas one. A few highlights: Nuxe Multi-Use Oil: I apply this to my face every morning. I love the light texture and pretty scent. ByTerry Hyaluronic Face Glow: Adore the fluffy, souffle-like texture and the fact that it gives my skin an even look—even before makeup. Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint: You guys are probably bored of me telling you how much I love this product. Origins Checks and Balances Cleanser: I got this super foamy wash in my Jan Birchbox and it’s a new favorite. GUM Teeth Cleaners: A must for someone who snacks as much as I do. MCMC Fragrances in Maine: My absolute favorite.
KATIA BEAUCHAMP
I’m so happy with the new Birchbox makeup bags because they can hold so much! Currently I’m carrying Jouer Lip Enhancer, which I’m totally addicted to. It’s such a step up from typical lip balm. I also always have Deborah Lippmann Stripper To Go nail laquer remover because you just never know when you’ll be inspired to change your polish on the spot!
—Rachel
We’d love to see what your favorite products are that you keep in your makeup bag! Send us a photo reply!
Welcome back to another edition of our reading list! This first week of January was an exciting one, what with all the new celebrity haircuts and designer fragrances. Click through to find out what the perfect woman looks like, and what you should be putting on your face this winter.
- Olivia Wilde debuted a new shorter, blonder cut this week to correspond with a new boyfriend, SNL star, Jason Sudeikis. The new look is cute but have to say we prefer her with long brown hair. [US Magazine]
- A UK website recently conducted a poll of the most attractive female features and put together an image of the “perfect woman.” Not surprisingly, Angelina Jolie’s Lips, Keira Knightly’s cheekbones, and Kate Middleton’s hair all made the list. [The Gloss]
- We’re big fans of vitamin D for our skin and overall mood but is it really necessary? This interview with Dr. Dennis Gross may help you decide for yourself. [Refinery29]
- Fashionista examines the value of face oils for many different skin types. Plus, see their favorite product picks. [Fashionista]
— Lorelei
Our latest fragrance crush? Atelier Cologne’s Ambre Nue. Yum.
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