Public service announcement: Next Tuesday and Wednesday we’ll be throwing a few awesome events with Benefit—and we want to meet you! If you’re in LA or Connecticut, swing by the locations listed below for some serious treats including a complimentary brow shaping courtesy of Benefit’s experts, delicious libations, and a special Benefit + Birchbox gift box. Click the links below to RSVP for the events and come say hi!
Los Angeles
Connecticut
Don’t worry! Even if you can’t make it to the events, you can still score your very own Fakeup in the Birchbox Shop.
We know you don’t have oodles of time to browse through everything on the Birchbox blog and in the magazine each week. Here’s a short list of the top blog posts, articles, videos, and news you need to read this weekend.
- The 4 Greatest Beauty Matchups of All Time: There’s no better March matchup than a classic rivalry: Kansas vs. Kansas State, Georgetown vs. Syracuse, Duke vs. North Carolina—the list goes on. In the spirit of college ball’s most memorable face-offs, we bring you four of the greatest beauty showdowns ever.
- The 36-Hour Spa Weekend: Need to recharge? Try Brooklyn. Birchbox Man shows you how to spend a day and a half shopping, eating, and grooming like a true monarch in the county of kings.
- How to Find the Right Concealer for You: We’ve all suffered from the various face problems that require a bit of cover-up — acne, scars, blemishes, undereye circles, etc — so here’s a mini-guide to find the perfect concealer for you.
- Our Latest BB Cream Obsession: Marcelle: If there’s been one game-changing product from the last year, it’s BB Cream (and CC Cream), and we’re head over heels for this one from Marcelle that comes in three very different shades for all skin tones.
—Bre
This weekend is the perfect time to catch up on our March magazine issue. Browse all our articles and videos here.
Last week my aunt shot me a semi-despairing email that plaintively asked, “Candice, what’s a concealer that really covers dark circles?” She had unsuccessfully tried several formulas that wouldn’t even last through a normal workday, and was in need of some serious help. Her note reminded me that in the wide world of concealers, it’s important to know which formulas are best suited to your particular concerns so you choose the best product.
Since I’ve suffered from every face malady requiring a concealer—acne, scars, blemishes, undereye circles, the list goes on—and my combination skin poses its own set of challenges, I decided to come up with a mini-guide on how to find the perfect concealer for you.
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I’ve always struggled to find a foundation that matches my skin tone. I’m Indian and I have yellow undertones, and I’ve tested virtually every brand on the market. While many brands come close, I always feel like shades show up a little grey on my skin or a little too dark. Plus, when you’re not really a foundation girl, it’s hard to find a product you feel comfortable using day-to-day, especially when it doesn’t match well.
But recently, I stumbled upon what just might be my foundation Prince Charming. Vasanti’s two-in-one foundation/concealer,
Liquid Cover up, landed on my desk last week and I’ve been using it ever since. What I love about this product is that it doesn’t feel heavy because it’s formulated with silicone in water emulsion—translation: I don’t even feel like I’m wearing a foundation! The applicator is unique (I feel like you either love or hate it)—It’s a small wand that allows you to place the foundation on whatever part of your face you need it. It allows me to decide exactly how much coverage I want and is perfect for small blemishes. I usually put the Liquid Cover up on before applying my powder. Not only do I feel as though my skin tone is more even, I also notice a difference in pictures! It gives my skin a glow that I didn’t have when I just used my powder, and who can complain about a little glow?
Just to make sure Vasanti worked for other skin tones, I gave it to two of my colleagues. Click through to see how it looks on pale and dark skin!
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Photo: yahoo.com
As someone with a dry complexion, I’m usually a fan of concealers that have a creamy texture. In the past, I’ve always avoided buying ones that are chalky or tacky for fear that the formula would accentuate my parched skin.
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You’ve probably heard by now that we’re teaming up with Glamour for our July Birchbox. To help celebrate this awesome partnership, the gracious Girls in the Beauty Department will be sharing their beauty expertise with us for an entire month. Lucky us!
Summer (a.k.a. patio drinking season) is upon us, which means that the likelihood that you’ll be staying up past your bedtime on school nights ranges from 30% (Tuesdays) to 70% (Thursdays). If you’ve suddenly found yourself in the market for a stellar under-eye circle zapper, a magic eye de-puffing product or even just some miraculous concealer that makes you look as though you spent a quiet evening at home, drinking water and watching French documentaries (as opposed to, say, watching the clock strike twelve while enjoying some al fresco libations with some rowdy friends), you’ve come to the right place.
As both the weather and my social calendar have warmed up, Estee Lauder’s Idealist Cooling Eye Illuminator has become my newest makeup bag bestie. Slightly tinted and totally soothing, it brightens up my eyes without making them look sparkly or heavy with product. And every morning I dab some on, I think:
A) Oh man, this makes my skin feel like butter. Like fancy French butter. I’m hungry.
B) I did not need that last glass of chardonnay.
C) I wonder if it’s possible to bathe in this. As in take a bath. In a pool of Eye Illuminator. Never mind, that’s a gross idea. I need coffee.
D) I’ve gotta tell the blog ladies about this. It’s like the real deal. Is anyone else using this? Jeez, it’s fantastic.
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This week’s guest blogger, the lovely Alissa Kelly, offers up fun fashion and beauty advice on her blog, Feeling Good. (Our favorite feature? Kelly’s fun nail posts!) We love her optimistic attitude and useful tips. Today, she’s showing us the must-have items that she can’t leave home without.
There are just some things women cannot live without. I’m a purse fanatic so I’m always switching my bag to match the day’s outfit. Every time I do, there are 5 items that always make the switch with me.
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We’re in the process of shooting February videos today, and we were lucky enough to score Neil Scibelli, a Jouer national makeup artist, to help us with a smoky eye tutorial. Obviously, good concealer is essential to making anyone look camera-ready. While we were prepping, we got a great tip from Neil: always pat your concealer in place. “I see so many people drag their finger under their eyes and it just pulls the concealer off,” say Scibelli. Good to know, we’ll be dabbing from now on—we want our concealer to stay put!
—Meredith
Our all-time favorite product from Jouer: Luminizing Moisture Tint.
![The Window Thigh Dress, Red Lipstick as Concealer, and More
Georgia May Jagger introduces a brand new window dress trend. [Huffington Post]
Makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff shares a must-try red lipstick trick for deep skin tones. [Huffington Post]
Throwing a Cinco de Mayo party this weekend? Try one of these 10 recipes for a healthy entreé option. [Greatist]
Estée Lauder launches its first new scent in a decade. [BellaSugar]
Introducing a new skincare system to your face? Try this “moisture sandwich” trick to help ease the process. [Glamour]
—Charisse
Have you seen our Birchbox Man channel? Check it out to learn a ton of cool grooming tips and much more.
(Photo: © Harry Pluviose ./Retna Ltd./Corbis)](http://25.media.tumblr.com/615579024287d7ddd7253144b775e33b/tumblr_mm6yzyFacG1qbz3xno1_r1_500.jpg)
![(Photo: beautyhigh.com)
Sky-high Hair at Chanel Pre-Fall 2013, Pizza Hut’s Fragrance, And More
For pre-fall 2013, models at Chanel got tall, teased, Elizabethan-style ‘dos and crazy-cool graphic black liner. [Beauty High]
How to choose the right concealer for your skin tone. [Beautylish]
Nails Inc. is bringing leather-textured manis stateside with their Bling It On Black Leather & Skulls nail set. [SheFinds]
Thanks to enthusiasm from social media, Pizza Hut is launching its own pizza-scented perfume. [Fashionista]
Gold leaf nails are a major trend right now. Here’s how to create your own gilded mani with foil from a craft store. [BellaSugar]
—Hallie
Once you’ve found the perfect concealer, be sure to use the right technique! Here’s how to use Benefit Cosmetic’s concealers to hide all your skin woes.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_melkq11oGu1qbz3xno1_1280.jpg)
