We’re totally obsessed with Joie clothing. The SoCal-based Parisian-inspired label epitomizes the phrase effortlessly chic, which is exactly how we want to dress—especially in the summer. We’re thrilled that we’re now carrying the brand’s delightful-smelling perfume and hand cream, and in honor of their debut in our Shop, we threw a small shopping soiree at Joie’s Soho boutique for our local customers. Guests were treated to macarons, champagne, and best of all, a 20 percent off discount. We even hosted an Instagram contest and the very lucky @kt_hilton scored a $500 Joie gift card, plus the luxe fragrance and hand cream! Scroll through to see her winning look and for even more fun photos from the evening.
Send Us Your Questions and We’ll Answer With a Personalized Video!: Special Ops
We’re always looking for ways to improve your Birchbox experience—which is why we’re happy to say that we have another great way to help you learn about your products!
If you’re on Twitter, from now on when you have questions about a product, just send a tweet to @BirchboxOps using the hashtag #SpecialOps. An Ops team member will send you a video made especially for you with all the answers you need to know.
Ask us every question from how big a product is, to what is looks like on your skin, to the texture, to the smell, and more. We’ve got the answers and we’re here to help!
You can also check out the Birchbox Ops YouTube channel, where you’ll find all of our videos answering everyone’s questions. We can’t wait to hear from you!
—Sarah
To find out even more insider details on how to get around the Birchbox universe, check out the Ops team’s column: Special Ops.
At Birchbox HQ, we spend a lot of time discussing all the celebs we *know* would be our BFFs if they could only meet us. I mean, come on—we are so fun! While the list of our make-believe star friends is long (we’ve got everyone from Michelle Obama to Rachel Roy on there) the two always at the top are Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. We can’t get enough of these wickedly smart, funny, beautiful women. Naturally, we are pretty psyched about watching the duo lead the Golden Globes tonight. We’ll be chattering about the looks we love (and don’t love so much) on Twitter so make sure you’re following @birchbox!
Plus, this award season we’re trying something new! At 6:30pm EST, when the red carpet coverage begins, we’ll launch a Facebook poll where you can nominate and vote for your favorite looks of the night. Then Monday morning we’ll share a tutorial here on the blog to help you get the look using products you can find in the Birchbox Shop.
See you tonight!
—Rachel
Make sure you are following us on Facebook and Twitter so you don’t miss out on any of Amy, Tina, and red carpet fun.
Remember life before these little devices were in everyone’s hands?
A few months ago, I did what no other self-respecting twenty-something NYC blogger would do voluntarily: I took myself off Twitter. And Instagram. And Facebook. My decision to kill off my online avatars was driven by one simple reason: I realized I was spending more time checking my social media feeds than actually hanging out with my friends. The first post-account-deletion days were tough—suddenly, fiddling with my iPhone was a lot less fun. After a while, though, the urge to hit the refresh button died down. I started making more dinner plans and feeling less distracted. Now I’m contemplating making a New Year’s Resolution to impose even more limits on how I use my iPhone: I want to go completely phone-less at least one day a week.
Apparently I’m not alone. As The New York Times reports, there’s a growing movement organized around unplugging from your smartphone, if only for the duration of a happy hour.
We’ve always had a bit of a girl crush on MCMC Fragrances founder Anne McClain. Not only is she a DIY perfume blending master, she’s also a hip Brooklynite with impeccable style. We sat down with Anne last month to hear about her experience starting her own boutique fragrance brand, her recent travel destinations (Cambodia to volunteer at an orphanage for a week), and why she thinks making perfume is similar to cooking (it’s a craft you can learn). To find out more about Anne and her whimsical, unforgettable scents, check out the video below:
But even better—don’t miss Anne today on Twitter! She’ll be joining us this afternoon at 3pm to answer your questions about MCMC Fragrances, picking the right scent for you, how she creates unique blends and more. Participants will have a chance to win a delicious smelling, hand-poured Dude No. 1 candle (pictured below), which is part of MCMC’s first ever candle line. For a chance to win, follow @Birchbox and @MCMCFragrances, and tweet any questions for Anne using #MCMCchat!
—Candice
Don’t miss the Twitter chat! Follow @Birchbox to join in the conversation.
We were ecstatic to learn that Erin Wasson shares some of our own personal favorites! Do like the supermodel and use RMS “Un” Cover-Up as an alternative to conventional foundation.
![Lady Gaga’s Sister Models, Vodka Beauty Treatments, And More
Lady Gaga’s younger sister is a model? [Huffington Post]
Nothing is more classic and timeless than red nails—see which hues are the very best of the best. [Beauty High]
Seven ways to get a healthy glow even during the dark dreary months of winter. [Her Campus]
Check out side-by-side comparisons between Twitter’s new photo filters and Instagram’s filters. [Buzzfeed]
On a green juice kick? Use this handy map of all the juice bars in Manhattan to help you get your fix. [Well+Good NYC]
A look at the different ways in which vodka can be used for various DIY beauty treatments. [BellaSugar]
Alexander McQueen’s creative director, Sarah Burton, hopes to design maternity wear for Kate Middleton. [Styleite]
(Photo: huffingtonpost.com)
—Hallie
Speaking of Kate Middleton, learn how to get her rolled chignon!](http://24.media.tumblr.com/7a5e4e61837313336488f019276d65f0/tumblr_mf0c6cU1td1qbz3xno1_1280.jpg)
![Beyonce and Pepsi, Les Miserablés Makeup Transformations, and More
Beyoncé just signed a $50 million partnership with Pepsi. That’s quite the paycheck! [USA Today]
Chloé is expanding its collection of fragrances to include a perfume for its diffusion line, See by Chloé. [WWD]
A remarkable behind-the-scenes look at the hair and makeup transformations for Les Miserablés. [The Cut]
Twitter and Instagram officially part ways—and Twitter is releasing its own set of photo filters before the end of the month. [Fast Company]
Did you know that hair-saving argan oil can actually be damaging to your strands if used incorrectly? Learn how to make it work for you. [BellaSugar]
Gilt’s $450 steel Starbucks gift cards sold out in a matter of minutes and now the cards are listed on eBay for more than double the original price. [Racked]
(Photo: nytimes.com)
—Hallie
Have you taken a look at our latest Birchbox Beauty Pulse Survey, the Holiday Edition? If not, check it out now!](http://25.media.tumblr.com/fcb2a3698a72fe776c05c488545c7e01/tumblr_meua7dKzim1qbz3xno1_1280.jpg)
