Ever since the Kardashians came into my life, I’ve been an advocate for the nude lip and smoky eyes look (sad, but true). It became my go-to going out look for a long time. I mean, what’s not to like about it? It dresses up any outfit and makes for fabulous pictures (that and Instagram).
The dynamic duo behind Beauty Bender, Kathryn Romeyn and Alexis Johnson, have an impeccable eye for deciphering up-and-coming cosmetics trends and finding experts to give the lowdown on how to wear them. (It must be the decade’s worth of magazine curating experience they have between them.) We can’t get enough of their gorgeous site, and happily, for a whole week they’re sharing all of their beauty insight on our blog!
Still produced with the same formula as in 1899, when the company started, Bag Balm is our hands-down secret weapon. The emollient, antiseptic ointment is unparalleled for softening hands, feet, and most especially lips.
It’s hard to find a lip product that doesn’t just moisturize and plump, but adds the perfect tinge of color, includes SPF, and smells incredible—but doesn’t taste like anything. This balm contains technology that tints everyone’s lips differently, in concert with their distinct chemistry. Turns out, it’s addictive.
Brands are always looking for ways to capitalize on New York Fashion Week, which begins this Thursday. This season, Glamour will be vying for tastemakers’ attention from the backseat of cabs. The magazine teamed up with L’Oreal to outfit 50 Taxishops with special technology that allows passengers to purchase luxury L’Oreal beauty items (think Lancôme and YSL) by using his/her smart phone. Attendees will be able to hail these mobile shops at various fashion week locations around the city. The coolest part? The rides are completely free.
Courtne Smith, a.k.a Queen Shmink, is a world traveler with extraordinary fashion and beauty sense. The Toronto-based blogger is one of our favorite ladies to follow on the Interwebz because she makes her impeccable style (fancy fur is her specialty) feel so accessible and easy to recreate. Plus, she always has a killer manicure. This week, she teaches us her secrets that keep her perfectly primped when she’s both at home or on the road with her bff, Drake.
When it comes to my everyday makeup, I tend to keep things pretty simple. If my skin isn’t having ‘a moment,’ I can skip foundation and get away with just dabbing on some concealer and bronzer. But I always make sure to fill my brows and apply a coat of mascara—I definitely feel naked without those. These are the products I use on a daily basis:
Happy Monday! How about another Birchbox Team intro to brighten up your morning? Meet Leah, a former Bain consultant and private equity investor who graduated from Harvard Business School in 2011. We’re excited that she ignored all those other sexy startups to join our team. She’s tiny but mighty, a strategic force with reeeediculous PowerPoint and Excel skills. Did we mention she’s also a dream to work with?
Worth the splurge: YSL Matt Touch Primer — I’ve never used a mattifer that was so smooth and perfect under makeup or on its own!
Beauty trick: Cocoa butter mixed with shea butter is absolutely the best heavy duty body moisturizer for the winter months, plus it’s great for making skin tone more even.
Beauty confession: I love the look of dark lipstick but haven’t found the perfect one yet. Still looking…
When we’re feeling blah, we have two surefire ways to perk up: a fanciful patterned scarf and/or bright look-at-me lipstick. Which is why it’s no surprise that we’re smitten with this week’s Of a Kind designer. Louisa Parris creates covetable fashions and accessories, and recently created a limited edition scarf for Of a Kind (buy it here). She’s also got excellent taste in lipstick — read on for her pick.
Designer Louisa Parris On the Bold Lipstick That Doesn’t Dry You Out
Louisa Parris knows a lot about dressing up: She designs the type of gowns that call for special-occasion perfume and just recently unveiled a line of silk hats and scarves (that, lucky for us, look just as good with well-loved denim as with a LBD). The San Francisco-based Brit also recently unearthed the perfect finishing touch, Yves Saint-Laurent Rouge Volupte. “I can’t get enough of the pure color pigments and smell of them. I discovered them about six months ago after finding so many other lipsticks to be drying,” she explains. “This is a such a pleasure to put on, and, to top it off, I love the decadent packaging—there is even a little mirror at the top of the case.” If you’re lucky, that little add-on could even save you a trip to the bathroom.
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 :)
Every week, Of a Kind brings you a new limited edition piece from a genius designer. This week, meet Susan Domelsmith, a jewelry phenom with excellent taste in products. Read on for her secrets, and pick up her Votan necklace now!
The Jewelry Phenom Behind Dirty Library Chains on the Three Components of her Clean Look
Susan Domelsmith is one of those unbelievably cool girls who you wanted to be in seventh grade (and, er, probably still want to SWF today): She launched a line of loud but easy-to-wear jewelry Dirty Librarian Chains when she was just 23, she’s in a band, she dates a photographer, and she even has really good hair. While we can’t promise you all that, the talented Brooklynite was willing to share the beauty trifecta she relies upon to achieve her soft, glow-y look: “My parents gave me a gift card to Whole Foods, and I went on a spree that included Almond Glow Lotion in rose. I’m so glad I tried it! I use a bit on my face. Added bonus: Dogs love it, so you get a lot of puppy kisses,” she says. “I’ve been using YSL Teint Resist foundation for about two years—the old drummer in my band, Eviana [Hartman, the designer behind Bodkin], told me about it. And I love Blinc mascara. It coats your lashes in tiny tubes and never smudges—genius!”
Beauty + fashion? What could be better. Read all Of a Kind’s guest posts here.
Mondays are tough for everyone, but it’s doubly hard if you are a sleep-deprived mom. This morning, our ridiculously awesome VP of Marketing, Deena, came by my desk looking for a little makeup magic to cover up her tiredness. Now Deena looks pretty amazing every day (she’s a yogi, obvi) but I know the feeling of sleepwalking through the day. I gave her my foolproof pick-me-up trio: YSL Touche Eclat to camouflage undereye circles; Stila Prime Pot to even out and brighten eyes; and major mascara (in this case, our new Anastasia Lash Lifting Mascara). That, you know, and coffee.
Certainly not all style blogs are worth reading, but we’re absolutely smitten with Sonia Evers’ Runway Hippie and we think it should be on your radar. Aside from her daily dose of inspiration, great finds, or personal pics, Evers also finds time to contribute to Refinery29.com, Modelina.com, and Glamour.com. Check back here all week as she muses on all things summer fun, from self-tanner to beachy waves.
Clockwise from left: American Apparel Nail Lacquer in Office, $6, americanapparel.com; Essie in Turquoise & Caicos, $4, amazon.com; DESTINED Nail Color in Sky Blue, $3, tillys.com; Butter London in Artful Dodger, $14, amazon.com; Love & Beauty in Clear Skies, $3, forever21.com; YSL in Summer Color, $20, nordstrom.com; Deborah Lippmann in I Know What Boys Like, $16, barneys.com; OPI in Yoga-ta Get This Blue, $6, amazon.com
I used to be the type of girl who liked to keep her nails clean and simple, sticking to basic reds and pinks when getting a mani or pedi. That all changed a few years ago when Chanel introduced its infamous Jade green nail polish; I suddenly found myself wanting candy-colored fingers day in and day out. Adios ballerina pink and hellocanary yellow!
Last summer I was all about the neons: neon pink, green, orange, yellow — you name it and it was probably on my fingers and toes at some point. This summer, however, I can’t get enough of tropical blues that remind me of placid turquoise Caribbean waters and white sandy beaches. From electric blues to sea foam green hues, I plan on keeping my fingers looking like they’ve been painted by the ocean all summer long.
Since I can never seem to bring myself to pick just one color, I’ve narrowed down my eight favorite shades (see above), all by different brands, in the hopes of making your lives a bit easier.
For more great nail colors, check out our Birchbox Shop.
