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.
As another awesome year in beauty comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on all the inspiring and, at times, interesting trends that hit the scene. Since I’m having a difficult time narrowing down my favorites and least favorites, I’ve called on a few of my mega stylish, wildly talented friends to do the choosing for me. (Keep in mind that not all “Nays” are created equal and one girl’s beauty blunder can certainly be another girl’s beauty brilliance, so please take this list with a grain of salt.) Cheers!
(Photo: Facebook/louise-roe-official)
1. Louise Roe, Fashion Star host and Glamour’s fashion editor-at-large
Yay: “Oxblood-hued lips. So hot!”
Nay: “I didn’t care for red or pink eyeshadow. It looks like you’ve got an eye infection.”
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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.
Thanks to brilliant nail art gurus like Elizabeth Monson, we know that beauty can certainly be inspired by fashion. But can fashion be inspired by beauty? According to a handful of game-changing designers, the answer is a resounding yes. To prove it, here’s a roundup of some quirky-cool pieces to help us all wave our beautification flags high.
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Happy 11/11/11 and Veterans Day! Yesterday also marked two weeks until Thanksgiving so you could say we’re really starting to get in the holiday mood! Luckily we’ve got festive polishes and a new ‘zine to get us through the season. Read on.
- We’ve always wanted to try the old “beer in the hair” trick but never got around to it. Luckily, TheGloss tested it out for us and our curiosity is sufficiently satisfied! Read about their writer’s experience before you try this yourself. [The Gloss]
- Holiday nail polishes are here and they’re all kinds of sparkly and pretty! Here’s a roundup of the best of the season, including our favorites from Zoya. [Fashionista]
- Uh oh! Marc Jacobs might be in trouble. British Advertising Standards Authority has banned the ad for his Oh Lola! Fragrance, featuring Dakota Fanning in the UK. The organization felt it sexualized the teenager. [FashionEtc]
- Allure, just like us, is obsessed with The Hunger Games. They pulled together a list of all the futuristic beauty inventions from the book that they want to make a reality. We don’t blame them, can’t wait to get our hands on these! [Allure]
- We love a great print magazine as much as the next girl so we were pleasantly surprised to read that a Birchbox Crush, the sisters behind jewelry brand Dannijo, will release a biannual zine. The newspaper-style mag will coincidentally also feature our current Birchbox Crush, Timo Weiland. [Style.com]
— Lorelei
New products are available in the Birchbox Shop!
This week’s guest blogger is Natalie Alcala, a Cali girl with a penchant for all things style and fashion. When she’s not soaking up the sun or rocking dangerously high heels, you can catch her feeding her insatiable sartorial appetite on her blog, Natalie’s Menagerie. She also pens a daily fashion column for BlackBook Magazine and is an assistant editor at FashionStake.
Danielle and Jodie Snyder, Designers of DANNIJO; Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm, Giorgio Armani Face Fabric Second Skin, Eyelash curler
Jessica Moss and Lisa Guajardo, Designers of Leyendecker
Yesterday I posted the first installment of beauty secrets from talented tastemakers and today I’m excited to share part two.
Danielle and Jodi Snyder, designers of DANNIJO: “I carry chapstick on me at all times—I’m so Napoleon Dynamite! There’s nothing unsexier than chapped lips. I’m addicted to Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm. In the summer when my skin color looks a bit uneven from the sun, I use Giorgio Armani Face Fabric Second Skin on top of my SPF face lotion to give it an even glow. And dry shampoo is the best-kept secret ever. When my hair looks flat, I give my roots a spray, flip my head over, and voilà—instant volume!” —Danielle
“I was told that lining my entire eye would make my eyes look small, so I always begin at the middle of my eye and line to the outer corner. I also always use a blow dryer to heat my eyelash curler before using it on my eyelashes— it’s the best trick ever! My mom also taught me to dab a bright lipstick on my cheekbones when I need a pick-me-up at the end of the day.” —Jodie
Jessica Moss and Lisa Guajardo, designers of Leyendecker: “I swear by glycolic toners (my favorite is by Mario Badescu) to wipe away any dead skin and to maintain a fresh, bright look. Laura Mercier makes the most amazing brightening powder, which I brush under my eyes through to the apple of the cheek and temple every morning to disguise any dark circles or puffiness. And here’s my biggest secret: I’m a natural redhead, but to punch up my color between salon visits, I use Tressa WaterColors Liquid Copper Shampoo. It prevents my red from looking dull.” —Jessica
“In desperate times, Preparation H is magical for under-eye puffiness. I also swear by dry shampoo. Rene Furterer is my go-to brand, but if you’re on a budget, I recommend Psssssst Instant Spray Shampoo. Even after three days, my bangs look fresh and clean! Also, every morning I apply moisturizer to my face, neck, décolleté, and chest—it keeps everything looking youthful and perky!” —Lisa
To find some new favorites of your own, check out our Birchbox Shop.
This week’s guest blogger is Natalie Alcala, a Cali girl with a penchant for all things style and fashion. When she’s not soaking up the sun or rocking dangerously high heels, you can catch her feeding her insatiable sartorial appetite on her blog, Natalie’s Menagerie. She also pens a daily fashion column for BlackBook Magazine and is an assistant editor at FashionStake.
Left: Stylist and Tales of Endearment founder Natalie Joos. Right: Clinique products
Jewelry designer Pamela Love
My late grandmother had a wealth of knowledge and as a little girl, my ears always perked up when she would reveal her clever beauty secrets. From moisturizing hands with Vaseline at night to adding a touch of lipstick to cheeks for a dewy finish, some of her tricks are forever engrained in my own routine. Whenever I’m at a shoot or fashion event, I love asking insiders what their own makeup or skincare pointers are—either passed on to them or self-discovered—and I’m always amazed at the variety of answers. Exclusively for Birchbox, I’ve checked in with some stellar tastemakers to share their trusty beauty advice. Enjoy!
Natalie Joos, Stylist and Founder of Tales of Endearment: “I learned from my mom to wash my face every night before going to bed and not to wear too much makeup. I never wear foundation—it dries my skin. I spend a lot of time in the sun, so I wear SPF 15 or 30 on my face every day. I live for the sun—it makes me happy and I think I look better with a tan anyway! And I love wearing a red lip to really make my blue eyes stand out. I also learned a few tricks from my girls in Belgium, which is where I was born and raised. They not only taught me how to shave, but they also introduced me to Clinique’s 3-Step Skincare Routine. Oh, and this is no secret, but I try to drink as much water as possible.”
Pamela Love, Jewelry Designer: “The only real beauty tip my mother ever gave me was to stay out of the sun, pile on the sunscreen, and wear hats. I didn’t really listen—I love going in the sun and getting a tan! I do try to wear sunscreen, though.”
Check back tomorrow as Natalie reveals the best beauty secrets from Danielle and Jodie Snyder of Dannijo and Jessica Moss and Lisa Guajardo of Leyendecker.
We’re hosting an awesome sweepstakes on Facebook right now with our February Birchbox Crush, Dannijo. Designers, sisters, and all around trendsetters, Danielle and Jodie Snyder make the most amazing jewelry, from chain-laden statement necklaces to jewel-encrusted oversize rings. Lucky for us, we were lucky enough to snag one of their fabulous pieces, a Salina gold-plated bracelets worth $263, for our giveaway. Click here to enter now and be sure to share with your friends!
This month we’re spotlighting sisters Danielle and Jodie Snyder, the cool co-founders of It jewelry line Dannijo, as our latest Birchbox Crush. I remember when the duo was just getting their start back in 2007 (I was at the event where the released their very first capsule collection), and they have been blowing up ever since. Seriously, you can’t read through any major magazine without coming across at least one of their stunning pieces. And two nights ago, the duo took their next major step towards designer stardom: Their very first presentation during New York Fashion Week.
Of course, the baubles were lovely (big congrats to both ladies!), but the beauty looks were equally as enticing. The collection’s theme, the pastoral frontier of the Wild West fused with the shameless opulence of the Roaring 20s, largely dictated the models’ hair and makeup. The lead hair stylist on the scene was James Vides, of Sally Hershberger’s salon, who prepped a model as I chatted with him. “It’s all about getting texture in there: using a double barrel curling iron for wave, then brushing it out, and teasing it,” said Vides of the technique he was using to achieve the poofy, voluminous coifs. (Side note: Love those messy braids!)
Similarly, the makeup was all about bohemian-chic simplicity. Artist Kim Do of Jouer, one of our fave brands here at Birchbox, was on hand to give models their fresh, dewy looks. “We want the girls to have really luminous skin, so we’re using our luminizing moisture tint,” explained Do. “We want everything to be really sheer and pretty, so warm colors on the cheeks, no eyeliner, and just keep the eyes really open with mascara.”
Click through to see more photos and for more fun beauty tips.
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![Zooey Deschanel’s Beauty Routine, Get the Jason Wu Cat Eye, and More
Find out how Zooey Deschanel gets her adorkable look. Who What Wear has her beauty routine. [Who What Wear]
Turns out we’re not the only ones addicted to Dannijo’s envy-inducing Instagram feed. NYT shows how the powerhouse duo sells their brand (and lots of bibs) through social media. [New York Times]
Jason Wu and Lancome charm editors with a bold matte cat eye. Find out how to recreate it at home. [Beauty High]
Going to the gym together is now considered a date? Couples workouts go beyond just Valentine’s Day. [Well + Good NYC]
Paper by Fifty Three artists capture NYFW 2013 in stunningly evocative sketches. No filter necessary. [WWD on Paper]
-Charisse
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(Photo: Jeff Vespa)](http://24.media.tumblr.com/074a2085950ed1cfe1c77eeb722cc8dc/tumblr_mi0yjfOznk1qbz3xno1_r1_500.jpg)
