Blog Posts by Birchbox

by Lorelei Orfeo, Birchbox

Side-twist in 4 steps

The last few seasons have been all about braids: French braids, Dutch braids, fishtail braids, and on and on. While we love a good braid, isn't it about time we shook things up a bit? Meet the new braid, a side twist that you'll be wearing all fall. We enlisted hairstylist Anna Schneider to give us a step-by-step guide.

STEP 1
Step 1
This style works best if your hair has a little texture. Use second day hair, or apply a texturizing spray like Oscar Blandi Pronto Texture & Volume Spray to clean hair. Brush hair back and sweep to one side, smoothing any bumps with your brush. Separate it into two equal sections and hold both sections low, behind your ear.

STEP 2
Step 2
Twist the front section towards your face. Cross the front twisted section over the back section--you may need to switch hands at this point. Start twisting the new front section (formerly the back section) toward your face.



Related: How To: Pretty 5-Piece Braid

STEP 3
Step 3
Cross the new front section over

by Anna Norman, Birchbox

An easy fix for chipped manis
Even if you use top-of-the-line polish and take the utmost care with your nails, the final day of a manicure isn't always pretty. But just because you have a chip or two doesn't mean you need to start from scratch.

Related: Our Top 10 New York Fashion Week Manicures

On days when I'm running out of the house or don't feel like taking off all of my polish (especially dark polish or glitter, which can be labor-intensive), I turn to nail art for a quick cure. Today I brought life back to my chipped nails with a simple technique-reinforcement sticker half moons. Here's how to get the look:

Use binder reinforcement stickers to help repair nail tips

Step 1: Apply a round binder hole reinforcement sticker to the bottom of each nail-you'll find these in the office supply aisle of the drugstore. I applied them on top of a days-old manicure, but if you are starting fresh, make sure to let your base polish dry completely before applying the stickers. I'm wearing China Glaze Smoke and Ashes, a nearly-black polish with green

by Candice Chan, Birchbox

The REAL reasons why you should change your shampoo

While we were growing up, we kept hearing the same shampoo myth: rumor had it that if you used the same formula day after day, your hair would eventually lose its luster and bounce. The solution was regularly changing bottles and brands to keep your strands guessing. Now that we're older and wiser, we wanted to find out truth-how often do we really have to switch our shampoo? That's why we asked Doug Bielanski, the national director of education at Frederic Fekkai, to give us the inside scoop.

"I want to put a kebash on the misnomer that your hair builds a tolerance to a specific shampoo and conditioner," Bielanski says. "That's a myth." What is true, however, is that like any other beauty regimen, your hair products should change based on several factors. Here, Bielanski told us the key times that you should be swapping your formulas.

Related: Finding the Right Shampoo For Your Hair Type

Seasonal Shifts
"Hair is a dynamic and diverse part of the body

by Candice Chan, Birchbox

Lauren Conrad has come a long way since

In the few years since Lauren Conrad left reality series "The Hills", she's launched two clothing lines (plus an eco-friendly accessories line), created one of our favorite beauty websites--The Beauty Department--and written a handful of fiction and style books. We're dizzy just thinking about it all! On October 16th, Lauren releases Lauren Conrad Beauty, a "how to guide on finding your ultimate beauty potential" with tips on hair and skincare, diet, exercise, and of course, copying her signature cat-eye. We caught up with the busy author to chat product must-haves, beauty quick-fixes, and upcoming projects.

"It was snowing and the heat broke at the offices, so I literally sat writing with gloves and a hat on."

WHAT'S YOUR DAILY BEAUTY REGIMEN?
I wash with a mild cleanser but use a Clarisonic brush. I love the way it cleans my skin gently yet effectively, and even use one on my body in the shower. I also make sure to apply sunscreen daily--I really love Josie

by Meredith Stebbins, Birchbox

No other season makes us want to revamp our closet quite like fall. As much as we'd love to spend our entire paychecks on new pieces, silly things like rent and bills get in the way. That's why we called on Madewell's lead designer, Kin Ying Lee, to help us decide what we should invest in. Here's what she had to say about the items (and products!) you need to own this season.

Madewell's Head Designer Kin Ying Lee
Madewell lead designer Kin Ying Lee keeps her look cute and casual.

Birchbox: What's the one fall fashion trend everyone should try?

Lee: An animal print sweater is pretty irresistible, and so perfect for chilly fall days. Ours has a pyramid of sheep on it (and they're wearing socks, too!).

Related: Top 10 Beauty and Style Trends for Fall

BB: What jeans will you be living in this fall?

Lee: I can't wait to wear our Skinny Skinny High Riser Jeans in black. You can wear them with everything and they're so, so slimming, which is a bonus.

BB: What

by Candice Chan, Birchbox

CC creams, the newest skincare savior.
Buh-bye BB-CC cream is the new skincare savior that offers even more benefits.

Last season, the must-have product on every beauty editor's desk was BB cream--a high-octane tinted moisturizer with primer and anti-aging serum as part of its formula. Now, we've gotten word that CC Cream (a.k.a. color or complexion correction cream), is the latest beauty wonderkid, with brands like Chanel and Olay releasing their own versions of the product. Like its predecessor, CC cream was popularized in Asia and is an all-in-one makeup and skincare formula packed with SPF, moisturizer, and anti-aging properties.

We sent two of our most intrepid reporters--err, my mom and a friend on vacation--to Hong Kong and Seoul to get the lowdown. But after visiting Chanel counters and beauty boutiques, both were told that CC creams are still an elusive find. That's why we went straight to the source. We asked two skincare pros with insider access in Asia to tell us what makes CC cream

by Natalie Alcala, Birchbox

We asked three pros for their best advice on making this your healthiest and happiest summer ever—here's what they had to say.

For us, summer means margaritas and hammocks. But for experts in the health and wellness industry, it's the time of year to focus on toning down, shaping up, and eating right. We asked four pros for their best advice on making this your healthiest and happiest summer ever-here's what they had to say.

EXPERT: CELEBRITY NUTRITIONIST DR. LINDSEY DUNCAN
Claim to Fame: Transformed fashion designer Marc Jacobs into the super-toned health nut he is today.
Tip: Forget starting your day with oatmeal, suggests Duncan. "For a deliciously filling grab-and-go breakfast, make a protein-fruit smoothie by blending six to eight ounces of unsweetened almond milk, a half cup of rolled oats, three fresh or frozen strawberries, a half banana, and six ice cubes." When it comes to snacking, be smart. Wholesome, non-processed Larabars which are great on-the-go options. If you've just finished a workout, Duncan says to "look for carbs and protein to help the recovery and repair

by Anna Norman, Birchbox

As much as we love nail art, we're better at admiring designs than coming up with them ourselves. That's why we've enlisted Anna Norman, the smarty pants behind Glitter, She Wrote, to be a regular contributor. Every Monday, she'll be sharing her latest lacquer inspiration-you won't be satisfied with plain ol' polish again.

The final product!

Do you want fool-proof marble nails in just a few minutes? Get thee to the kitchen, because that roll of plastic wrap is about to become your new best friend. This mani is hard to mess up, and you probably have everything you need on hand so you can try it today!

Related: Create Ombre Nails With Just One Polish

What you'll need:

-Two nail polishes. Try experimenting with similar shades, contrasting colors, or different finishes to see which look you like best. I'm using light grey Zoya Dove with a dark blue polish, China Glaze First Mate, on top.

-A glossy top coat. I'm using Sally Hansen Hard as Nails.

-Plastic wrap-the roll in your