These babies would make the perfect stocking stuffers! From left to right, you’re looking at Hampstead Heath, Abso-bloody-lutely, and Bread & Butter Pudding. (Photo: racked.com)
—Hallie
Want to learn more about the mysterious sea buckthorn berry? Read our take on the antioxidant-rich ingredient.
My trusty steed: an adorable (and rugged?) blue Bilenky bike.
Many moons ago, in my pre-Birchbox days, I took a two week bike trip through Virginia with my good friend Geraldine. We called our epic journey Bikes and Biscuits, alluding to both our mode of transportation and the reward we expected to find at the end of each arduous climb. (Virginia is hilly. Very hilly.)
Now, I’m a snacker on a normal day, but when I’m biking between 35 and 60 miles in one go, I turn into an absolute snack machine. While Geraldine focused on planning our routes and booking hotels, I did what I do best: provisioned. We needed snacks that were portable, energy-filled, and delicious without being sugary. So after careful consideration of all the options, I filled our panniers with lots and lots of Luna Bars. (And emergency chocolate, but that’s another story.)
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We’re thrilled to be partnering with the online lifestyle brand on an exclusive goop Birchbox this month. As far as e-newsletters are concerned, goop sets itself apart from the rest of the digital pack. We’ve been devotees since the brand launched in 2009, and look forward to the weekly newsletters filled with fun things to make, go to, get, do, be, or see. For this month’s Birchbox Crush, we tapped goop’s savvy editors for their top fall picks. Find out what books they’re reading, the sweater they’re living in, their dream travel list, and much more.
—Meredith
Need Halloween inspiration? Check out these three chic costume ideas!
We’ve told you before about our deep admiration for natural beauty brand Chantecaille. The posh makeup, skincare and fragrance line is always at the top of our lists when we need an instant dose of elegance. Founded in New York by lovely French émigré Sophie Chantecaille, the line uses a mixture of scientific innovations from traditional Chinese medicine to biotechnology to amp up their products. Case in point, their Faux Cils mascara, it’s our newest go-to when we want to give eyes some serious pop—and that’s why some lucky subscribers who opted into this month’s goop box may find the pretty sample nestled in with your other beauty finds.
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Historically, I have not been a big GOOP fan. I snicker when I see blog post titles like This Week’s Pile of GOOP and I cheer when ABC points how how much it actually costs to live like Gwyneth (answer: $3606.50 a day). But ever since her amazing and surprising Glee appearance (actually, lets take a minute and revisit that phenomenal Cee Lo performance), I’ve been feeling slightly more charitable toward her. And then there was this morning’s GOOP, which has a great roundup of the best French drugstore beauty finds. Makeup artists have long been obsessed with these products, which are relatively inexpensive and available at any French drugstore. My friend Diane da Silva, a fabulous and fabulously talented makeup artist, turned me on to Embryolisse moisturizer, which is rich without being heavy, Bioderma makeup remover, and Homeoplasmine, which looks like hemorrhoid cream but is actually a magical skin soother. The last time she was in Paris Diane picked up all three products for me, and I have been obsessed ever since. As my supply dwindles, I am already thinking about how I am going to restock. Maybe my new friend Gwyneth will send me some?
—Mollie
For stellar domestic beauty finds, check out the Birchbox Shop.
