Blog Posts by Birchbox

By Lorelei Orfeo, Birchbox

Spring Haircuts
Spring is a great time to break out of your hair rut and try out a bouncy new cut. Caile Noble, master stylist for Serge Normant at John Frieda Salon in Los Angeles, says it's easy to get a fresh style without making drastic changes. "The most commonly asked thing is can we add more layers to create additional movement," he says, "or some bangs to create a new look without losing all the length." Before you go chopping off all your hair, consider what style would be the most flattering for your face shape. Noble and stylist Jeff Chastain give us their take.

Heart-Shaped: Long Bob with Layers
Heart-Shaped
Noble says, "You're in luck: most cuts and styles look good on this face shape. The only thing you want to watch out for is bangs. If you have a low hairline then bangs may not be the best for you." Lucky you, indeed! Victoria Beckham's latest cut is the perfect option for spring. As Noble says, "By removing more weight in the hair with more aggressive layering, it

By Mollie Chen, Birchbox

Mascara Tip
"Gossip Girl" head makeup artist Amy Tagliamonti and actress Amanda Setton (aka Penelope Shafai)

As you might know, we've teamed up with "Gossip Girl" for our May Birchbox. You can expect all sorts of glamorous products, plus tons of exclusive content. Today, our editorial team is shooting video tutorials with the show's lead hair and makeup stylists. We're picking up plenty of tips, including this one from makeup artist Amy Tagliamonti:

"A lot of the times when you put mascara on, you don't get mascara on the base of the lashes, and people can see the difference between light lashes and darker mascara. If I don't get all the areas or coverage that I want with a wand, I'll put some mascara on a flat makeup brush and coat the lashes that way as well."

If you're not a Birchbox subscriber yet, you still have time to join! Go here to reserve your "Gossip Girl" Birchbox.

See more from Birchbox:

Would You Wear Bright Blue Mascara?

Should You Get Lash Extensions?

By Meredith Stebbins, Birchbox

Eco Chic Makeup

It's an outdated myth that natural makeup products can't match traditional formulations for impact and performance. We've swatched the shades and blended the shadows and can confidently say that there are plenty of natural formulas that deliver vibrant, sexy color. Here are five of our favorite eco-chic beauty brands and their must-try creations.

RMS
Launched by celebrity makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift, RMS Beauty is a favorite of models and beauty editors. All the products are formulated with food-quality, organic ingredients--as in, they're good enough to eat. Because their manufacturing process avoids heat, the ingredients remain raw and more beneficial for your skin.

Known For: Their intense metallic cream shadows are incredibly pigmented and keep the eye area hydrated with coconut oil, beeswax, jojoba seed oil, and coco seed butter. Models and celebs are gaga for their Living Luminizer, which uses light-reflecting minerals to give skin an

By Meredith Stebbins, Birchbox

Spring Lipstick

BEAUTY IS LIFE IN ORANGE
BEAUTY IS LIFE IN ORANGE
Bright tangerine shades have been popular for some time and with good reason-they are more unexpected than pink and look good on a range of skin tones. We say, go big or go home, which is why this quintessential orange is right up our alley. Bonus: A bright lipstick needs very little other makeup, so pair this with a neutral face and call it a day.


BY TERRY ROUGE TERRYBLY FRENETIC VERMILLION
BY TERRY ROUGE TERRYBLY FRENETIC VERMILLION

If you are hesitant to do a full-on mandarin lip, try a crimson hue with warm undertones. By Terry's red-orange Frenetic Vermillion feels fresh and retro at the same time. The chicest way to wear this shade is matte, so skip the gloss.



YSL ROUGE PUR COUTURE IN LE FUCHSIA
YSL ROUGE PUR COUTURE IN LE FUCHSIA
When you're looking to have fun, magenta lipstick is the way to go. Because we feel so partial to this color (it is our signature, after all), it's hard for us to settle on just one, but YSL's Le Fuchsia is a total standout. Feminine and cheery, you'll have all eyes on you

By Natalie Alcala, Birchbox

LOL Beauty Products

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

By Meredith Stebbins, Birchbox

ScarJo at The Avengers premiere

At the L.A. premiere of The Avengers on Wednesday, Scarlett Johansson kept with the superhero theme of the evening and rocked some seriously booty-kicking hair.

I absolutely adore big hair like this--teasing brushes and texturizing spray are good friends of mine! In fact, I think we should all feel comfortable adding serious volume, particularly when it's a special occasion. I also love slightly messy looks. I'm not a perfectionist and tend to think that there's something far more romantic about a slightly undone, imperfect 'do.

All that being said though, I'm not sure that I'm feeling ScarJo's red carpet choice. It has all the qualities I adore, but somehow the look just isn't quite working for me.

What do you think of her hair? Would you ever rock a similar style?

Have you seen Anne Hathaway's dramatic new cut? We can't stop looking at it.

See more from Birchbox:

Ashley Judd Critiques the Media

The Best Spring Cuts For Your Face Shape

Gossip Girl

By Meredith Stebbins, Birchbox

SANDALS
SANDALS
Top: Woven Sandal in Blush, $88, maraisusa.com; Color Club Polish in Peace Out Purple, $8, birchbox.com. Bottom: Espadrille Wedge in Denim, $110, maraisusa.com; Zoya Polish in Sooki, $8, birchbox.com.

WEDGES
WEDGES
Top: Oxford Espadrille in Navy, $125, maraisusa.com; RGB Polish in Dove, $16, birchbox.com. Bottom: T-Bar Wedge in Clay, $160, maraisusa.com; Deborah Lippmann Polish in Naked, $16, birchbox.com.

I am really picky about shoes. Like hyper picky. In my opinion, someone can be wearing a super-cute outfit and if their shoes aren't that great, it ruins the whole thing. Not to mention, I believe you can easily distinguish between the trendy and the truly stylish by their footwear.

Now I am partially biased because I went to high school with the very talented co-founder of shoe brand Marais USA, Haley Boyd, but even if I didn't, I would still covet everything she and co-founder Catherine Chen create. Truth be told, their brand is a dangerous one to

By Natalie Alcala, Birchbox

Spring Beauty Trends

Spring is finally here, which means that parties, formals (including prom!) and weddings are quickly filling up your calendar. What better time to try out this season's hottest looks? We asked our friend and runway makeup artist Erica Whelan for the swooniest beauty trends she spotted during Fashion Week this spring.

SWEET SKIN
"One of the biggest trends at both the BCBG and Michael Kors spring shows was fresh, dewy skin. Put down that heavy foundation and powder and opt for a light tinted moisturizer instead," Whelan says. Use concealer to mask any blemishes or unevenness and use blotting papers, not pressed powder, to freshen up throughout the night. Watch our tutorial to learn how to mimic that model-y glow.

PRETTY POUTS
"This spring marks the return of soft lip colors," Whelan says. Look for a color that mimics the natural shade of your pout. "Fresh Sugar Rose Lip Treatment is a great 2-in-1 product because it keeps your lips moisturized and comes in a