I do a fair amount of traveling on the weekends. Not to exotic places, but nonetheless, I make frequent trips up to Boston, or home to Chicago, or down to see friends in D.C. But no matter where I go, I never leave home without packing my cosmetic bag full of wipes. These ultra-portable towelettes magically improve my travel routine by leaps and bounds. How so? They’re far more convenient than their full size counterparts, they minimize bulk, and they’re completely spill-proof. Here, the three wipes I always have in my carry-on.
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Photo: Wei
I turned 24 a week ago and experienced a minor freakout moment. Before you roll your eyes, let me explain. While 24 is still young, I’m now officially in my mid-twenties, which means it’s time to start being a real adult. One requirement of adulthood: a skincare routine that goes beyond splashing my face with cold water. As I realized from looking at old Facebook photos, my skin just doesn’t look as fresh as it once did. My solution? Products infused with hyaluronic acid.
In case you haven’t heard the buzz, this ingredient is famed for its holding up to a thousand times its weight in water. But what does that mean? Brief chemistry lesson: hyaluronic acid may sound like a lab scientist’s invention, but it actually occurs naturally inside your skin. Located beneath the dermis (translation: outer layer), it helps your tissues stay hydrated. When you apply the ingredient to your skin’s surface, it plumps up your face by forming an elastic film of moisture and instantly smoothes rough surfaces.
In addition to giving skin a dewy glow, hyaluronic acid is a lifesaver for those with super dry skin because it boosts the hydrating properties of your moisturizer. Try layering it under your favorite face cream in the winter months. Product picks after the jump!
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Eep! Our fonts are shivering in their sans serif boots because our creative director, Jess, is going to be gone for two whole weeks. She’s headed to Greece for a much-deserved vacation (hopefully she’ll score some Korres products while she’s there). Here’s what she’s bringing.
I’m leaving the Birchbox pink behind for the blue water of Greece to celebrate my anniversary and take a vacation! I’ll be island hopping, eating, drinking, and getting in as much beach time in as possible. My packing list includes a little of everything, but with zero plans of dolling up: I’m on vacation, which means it’s time to leave the hair dryer at home :)
1. A last-minute swimwear find, an easy mix-and-match raspberry bikini from Topshop.
2. I’ll be adding to my Greek glow with Laura Geller Bronze & Brighten (I got it in my June Birchbox and have been obsessed ever since).
3. Marvis Classic Mint toothpaste is the perfect mint and beats any travel-size toothpaste from the drugstore.
4. I am, and will always be, obsessed with Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Glow Pads and will pack a few just in case it rains.
5. Bobbi Brown’s Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner for day-to-night.
6. YSL Touche Eclat for any quick brightening needs.
7. A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan.
8. No map, we’re going with no agenda and no guide!
While Jess is lolling about on a white sand beach, we’ll be hanging at Birchbox HQ. Find out what four different staffers consider daily essentials.
Clockwise from left: Herban Essentials Towelettes in Lemon, $15, birchbox.com; myfaceworks Sheet Mask ‘the starter kit’, $45, birchbox.com; Anthony Logistics for Men® Glycolic Facial Cleanser, $21, birchbox.com; Perricone MD Cold Plasma Face Cream, $150, birchbox.com; Dr. Gross Extra Strength Alpha Beta® Peel 30 Pack, $85, birchbox.com; Befine Night Cream, $30, birchbox.com; Pomega5 Daily Revitalizing Concentrate, $48, birchbox.com; Kiehl’s Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50+, $34, birchbox.com; Erno Laszlo TranspHuse Night Serum, $190, birchbox.com; Zoya Nail Polishes, $8, birchbox.com; Pomega5 Healing Cream, $70, birchbox.com; NARS Orgasm Illuminator, $29, birchbox.com; Zoya Remove Plus Nail Polish Remover, $9.99, birchbox.com; Marvis Classic Mint Toothpaste, $10.50, birchbox.com; LATHER AHA Hand Crème With Evening Primrose, $18, birchbox.com; Lipstick Queen Jean Queen Gloss, $18, birchbox.com; Jouer Crème Eyeshadow, $20, birchbox.com
We love Birchbox moms more than anything. They send us baked goods, give us profound words of encouragement, and they keep their vanities well-stocked with goodies from our Shop. One such mom that almost single-handedly keeps us in business is Sally, mom of our lead brand relationship manager, Alta (or as I call her, Altista). Sally’s bathroom counter is proof of her continued support, which of course means the world to us. We love this photo and just for kicks, we’ve listed out everything pictured above. Thanks so much for your purchases, Sally. Keep ‘em coming!
—Meredith
Well, it’s finally here guys: Summer! Today, June 21st, marks the Summer Solstice, or the longest day of the year. Before you get all excited, keep in mind that today is really only about two seconds longer than yesterday. With that said, there are TONS of things you can accomplish in those two seconds. Don’t believe me? Read it and weep (with happiness):
1. Dismiss Oily Skin: TATCHA Aburatorigami blotting papers soak up excess oil from your face instantly.
2. Hydrate Dry Skin: On the other hand, you can also hydrate your cakey, dehydrated skin and keep makeup in place with a single spritz of Sircuit Molecular Mist.
3. Glossify Your Lips: Jouer Moisturizing Lip Gloss comes in five shimmery shades, all subtle enough to apply without a mirror.
4. Get a Tan: Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Glow Pads are a tan and exfoliator in a towelette. Swipe these on in two seconds (making sure you get all areas of your face and décolletage evenly) and your tan will develop over the next three hours.
5. Get Shiny, Shiny Hair: Shu Uemura Essence Absolue delivers perfect hair with one pump. Work it from mid-lengths through the ends (one Miss-iss-ipp-i) for a high gloss effect.
-Lorelei
Want more summer beauty tips? Check out our Survival Kit: Summer Travel Edition for starters!
Opa! Katia’s wedding in Greece last summer.
Once you hit a certain age, summers cease to be about barbeques and pool parties and instead turn into an endless string of weddings. It seems like every week, at least one person on the Birchbox team is headed off to a weekend wedding. Beach weddings, urban weddings, Vineyard weddings — no matter what kind of wedding, you’ll want your skin looking extra great (after all, there are all those photo ops!).
Here’s my foolproof plan to getting a glowing complexion by the day of the event.
Two weeks before: Deep pore cleansing facial — if you’re in NYC go to Mario Badescu. Make sure you stick to your skincare regimen for the next two weeks religiously.
One week before: Give yourself an at-home peel — I like Juice’s Green Apple Peel.
Three days before: At night, exfoliate skin and apply a self tanner like Dr. Dennis Gross’s Glow Pad to face and decollete (bonus - it has built in exfoliators!). Use eye cream religiously for next three days and nights, and drink lots of water.
Night before: Exfoliate and re-Glow Pad. Make sure to drink tons of water and eat a low sodium dinner. Use a a great moisturizer before you go to bed - face and body!
Day of: Again, keep up with the water and low sodium diet! Make sure to moisturize (even if it’s hot!) to avoid dull looking skin. If it’s an outdoor wedding, don’t forget your sunscreen. Nobody wants to be burnt in those pictures!
—Rachel
Catch up on your Skin Rx posts here, and shop all our favorite skincare products in our Shop.
All in all, it was a pretty lackluster spring in NYC—and if you don’t live here, then you know this simply because we’ve complained so much. Fingers crossed, the next season will yield better weather and as far as we’re concerned, this holiday weekend is the unofficial beginning of summer. By now you know to load on the SPF (here are some tips for how), but to adequately prepare for skin-barring temps, you should definitely prep with some self-tanner. Dr. Dennis Gross’ Alpha Beta Glow Pads are incredible at bringing a natural faux-glow to your visage (with the added benefit of anti-aging ingredients), but we also want our skin to look fresh and dewy. Enter our new fave find, gloMinerals’ Body Glisten. Makeup artist Nam Vo introduced us to this gilded lotion at a recent photo shoot where she applied a handful to the model to give her some sparkle. We imagine that this is the perfect way make our legs look a little extra special after months of no sun, so we can’t wait for the weather to turn nice enough for us to actually test out our theory.
—Meredith
Dr. Dennis Gross also makes Alpha Beta Peel towelettes without any tanner. Pick them up in our Birchbox Shop!
Founded in 2005 by beauty junkie Carla Maganinho, Product Girl is an outlet for her to discuss her favorite finds. Over the years, the site has gained a loyal following — and even another staffer, Laurie Leopold. Together the blogging duo cover everything from the latest launches to their recent splurges. This week, these ladies-in-the-know are guest blogging for us about all things summer!
At Product Girl, we’re constantly searching for stand-out beauty products. The ones that solve our skin woes, brighten up our faces, and permanently occupy space on our vanity. We call them the Beauty VIPs. With warm weather fast approaching, we’re carefully choosing the crème de la crème of summer beauty. All week, we’ll be sharing our VIPs to help beat the summer heat. Get ready for loads of SPF, bronzer, and colors galore.
First up: sun protection and sunless tanner. The yin and yang of our summer beauty world. One cannot be present without the other. We love the sun, but prefer our bronze to come from another source—one that doesn’t come with a high risk for skin cancer and wrinkles!
Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Glow Pads are one of those products we can’t imagine life without. For use on the face, neck, and décolletage, this tiny square sheet not only gives you a natural, believable tan it, but also has active Vitamin D and anti-aging skincare ingredients. This needs to be everyone’s VIP.
St. Tropez has corned the market on self-tanning, and for good reason—they have something for everyone. Commitment-phobes will love the Instant Wash-Off line, but we are huge fans of the Gradual Tan Everyday for face and body to build up our summer glow at a believable pace.
SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 is incredible. Not only does it contain Zinc Oxide—the only UV filter that spans the full UVA/B spectrum—it contains a light tint that melds to all skin tones. And it’s so lightweight that you won’t even know it’s there.
And remember the rest of your body! It’s easy to forget about SPF when you’re going about your everyday business, which is why we love Josie Maran’s Argan Sun Protection For Body SPF 30 so much. It’s scent-free and can also fill in as your body moisturizer.
For more summer must-haves, visit our Birchbox Shop.
Once a week, Birchbox’s resident yoga and men’s product expert, Eric, gives us girls some insight into his world in You’ve Got Male. Whether he’s giving his expertise on skincare (boys need advice, too!) or highlighting his new favorite grooming trend, this guy has got taste—so we’re lucky he’s on staff and willing to share.
I must confess that I hadn’t dabbled too much in the world of doctor skincare lines before my time at Birchbox. There is a host of brands that offer products developed by dermatologists — and all claim to be most potent and most effective. I have to say that I was unjustly afraid that MD-developed products might be too harsh for my skin. However, I have recently tried two derm products that I absolutely LOVE. (Both are just what the doctor ordered, so to speak.)
Dr. Dennis Gross Extra Strength Alpha Beta Peel
Dr. Dennis Gross is quickly taking the lead in the dermatologist brand category. I only use this product once or twice a week, but that has been enough to see amazing results. The two-step process is quick and easy and is an amazing cure all for skin issues. After the first time I used it, I was thrilled with how smooth and bright my skin looked. My pores were clear and my face felt incredibly clean without seeming stripped or raw. Consistent use of this product will definitely lead to an overall improvement in your skin and smaller pores.
Fix Malibu Wish Wash Exfoliating Powder Wash
If you read beauty and fashion magazines, you’ve probably heard of Dr. Rebecca Giles (who has been a leading Malibu cosmetic dermatologist for many years) and her emerging line, Fix Malibu. Her star product is Wish Wash, a powder cleanser and exfoliant that foams with water. Dr. Giles says you can use this product up to twice a day and it truly leaves your skin squeaky clean and glowing. I use a dime-sized amount of the powder, mix with water, and lather all over my face. It is just as gentle as it is effective and I promise it will be the next big thing.
—Eric
Be sure to check out more skin care products in our Birchbox Shop!
