A recent, and welcome, trend in nail polish has been to create formulas without a trio of chemicals known to cause birth defects and chronic health conditions (these lacquers are often referred to as being “3-free.”) But now, a California state regulator has found that a number of brands that claim to be 3-free are actually mislabeled, and could be harming people who have been exposed to them.
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 how to combine tow of our favorite spring trends: pastels and florals.
Pastels and floral prints are huge this season, so why not bring them together in one fun nail design? I’ve seen (and worn) a lot of neon already, but I’m itching for something different. Floral pastel prints are just the change I need.
We’re excited to share the second video in our new Beauty Confessional series.
This week, we turned the camera on Operations Associate Paulina to find out the nail color she’s loving for spring. Check out what Paulina has to say about Color Club’s ‘Almost Famous’ and let us know: What color are you rocking this spring? Tell us in the video comments or send us your video response!
Want to find out more about our awesome Birchbox subscribers? Take a look at some of our community spotlights.
Nail art is a Birchbox obsession. One of the first places we look for inspiration is Glitter, She Wrote, Anna Norman’s cheery, imaginative blog, where she shares her gorgeous designs and muses about life in the Big Apple. This week, Anna takes us inside her nail guru world, and will show us how to get gorgeous, DIY art on our fingertips.
You tweeted your most pressing nail-related questions to #BBAskAnna, and I’m here to help!
Q: How do you get an even line of nail polish at the cuticle? @SarahAshley26
A: One of the most common nail painting “mistakes” I see is polish that pools over the cuticle line up onto the skin. Don’t despair—there’s an easy fix! After painting my nails, I dip an angled eyeliner brush in nail polish remover and carefully run it around my nail along the cuticle line. This cleans up any jagged brushstrokes and creates a clean, smooth line around the entire nail.
Operations associate, Loren, has a thing for nails- and we can’t blame her. We love reading about new finishes and fun techniques, so we thought we’d give her a weekly slot on our blog to wax poetic about all things manicure (and pedicure!) related. Check back every week for Nailing It, Birchbox’s dedicated polish series.
April, and spring, are finally here! In the spirit of the season, this month I’ll be polishing my nails with a stunning green hue from Deborah Lippman.
Mermaid’s Dream is a seafoam-colored shimmer with circular blue glitter flecks and gold microglitter—a combination that creates a gorgeous lacquer with a ton of depth and texture. It’s one of the most unique polishes I’ve come across in a while, and I know it’ll be in my personal collection for a long time to come.
Nail art is a Birchbox obsession. One of the first places we look for inspiration is Glitter, She Wrote, Anna Norman’s cheery, imaginative blog, where she shares her gorgeous designs and muses about life in the Big Apple. This week, Anna takes us inside her nail guru world, and will show us how to get gorgeous, DIY art on our fingertips.
They may be small, but that doesn’t mean your nails can’t make a wow-inducing fashion statement. Try one of these fresh, on-trend ideas to add some serious pizzazz on prom night.
The caviar manicure is becoming one of the hottest new nail trends, so it’s a perfect choice for prom-bound fashionistas. Tiny “pearls” stick to wet nail polish to create a fashion-forward 3D effect. UK brand Ciaté will begin selling its Caviar Manicure Kit in three colors (rainbow, black pearls, and mother of pearl) at Sephora next month. For an inexpensive D.I.Y. version, pick up some microbeads at your local craft store and sprinkle them over wet polish. You wouldn’t wait until prom day to try on your dress for the first time, so I suggest giving these nails a trial run before the big day, too.
Nail art is a Birchbox obsession. One of the first places we look for inspiration is Glitter, She Wrote, Anna Norman’s cheery, imaginative blog, where she shares her gorgeous designs and muses about life in the Big Apple. This week, Anna takes us inside her nail guru world, and will show us how to get gorgeous, DIY art on our fingertips.
The Beatles said all you need is love. But if we’re talking nails, I say all you need is Scotch Tape.
For geometric nail designs like stripes, triangles, or zig-zags, Scotch tape is a girl’s best friend. With the help of a simple roll of tape, even the shakiest of hands can create clean, crisp designs.
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.
Since Birchbox is always on the cutting edge of beauty, I thought it would be fun (and funny) to switch it up and go back, way back, to salute some of the beauty products that we’re all guilty of experimenting with during the Saved by the Bell era.
I may be dating myself here, but these products were absolutely essential to my tween and teen days in the ’90s. Here are my personal (yes, cringe-worthy) memories with each; drop me a line in the comments if you have a story, too!
Herbal Essences in Rose Hips: Ah…I can still smell the magical fragrance of this conditioner and shampoo. I remember when Herbal Essences were all the rage and that “Yes! Yes! Yes!” commercial would play before TGIF on ABC (talk about a throwback). I was so sad to learn that this scent was discontinued a few years later—and it looks like I’m not alone, because the product is going for a pretty penny on eBay right now.
Bonne Bell Lip Smackers: Okay, who doesn’t remember these? The watermelon, raspberry, and Dr. Pepper-flavored Lip Smackers were my absolute jam. I remember slathering this on when I was around my crush in school, convinced that the scent of my soda-flavored lips would surely reel him in. As if!
Nail art is a Birchbox obsession. One of the first places we look for inspiration is Glitter, She Wrote, Anna Norman’s cheery, imaginative blog, where she shares her gorgeous designs and muses about life in the Big Apple. This week, Anna takes us inside her nail guru world, and will show us how to get gorgeous, DIY art on our fingertips.
Always looking to satisfy my sweet tooth, I recently paid a visit to New York City’s sugary paradise, Dylan’s Candy Bar. I love finding nail art inspiration in unconventional places, and I couldn’t wait to recreate these classic sweet treats on my nails. You can have your candy and wear it, too!
JAWBREAKERS
For this jawbreaker-inspired look, prepare to get a little messy. Begin by applying a solid white polish. Dip a small makeup brush or old toothbrush in colored polish, and then quickly dip the polish-covered brush in nail polish remover to thin it out a bit. Now it’s time to channel your inner preschooler. Splatter polish from the brush across your nails, changing colors as desired. Use nail polish remover to clean up the polish that splattered outside the lines, and finish with a good top coat!
Nail art is a Birchbox obsession. One of the first places we look for inspiration is Glitter, She Wrote, Anna Norman’s cheery, imaginative blog, where she shares her gorgeous designs and muses about life in the Big Apple. This week, Anna takes us inside her nail guru world, and will show us how to get gorgeous, DIY art on our fingertips.
I often tell people that the top two things you need for nail art are creativity and patience—but having the right products and tools certainly helps, too. Here’s a peek at the items I keep on hand, so I’m ready to rock whenever nail inspiration strikes.
1. I love the look of short, well-groomed nails, so nail care basics like clippers, buffers, and files (including this adorable heart-shaped file from Birchbox) are essential.
2. A good top coat adds shine, smooths brushstrokes, and keeps chipping at bay. All year I’ve been using and loving Wicked Fast from the up-and-coming polish brand Cult Nails. Sally Hansen Hard as Nails is also a great, easier-to-find choice.
