Madewell's Kin Ying Lee on Fall's Biggest Trends and How to Wear Them

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 lead designer Kin Ying Lee keeps her look cute and casual. ...

Summer Beauty Tips from Glamour's Girls in the Beauty Department

Candice Chan, BirchboxThere are few things we love more than getting insidery tips-especially when they come from the brilliant ladies of Glamour's beauty department. These savvy editors gave us the lowdown all things summer beauty: from tricks to help you beat the heat and the trends that they're loving right now to the products they can't quit.WARM WEATHER ROUTINE"To keep naturally wavy hair from turning into a frizzed-out helmet, I highly recommend this product/styling combo. Use a wide-tooth comb on towel-tried hair. Run a pump or two of Moroccanoil Intense Curl Cream through damp hair. ...

5 Ways to Get the Glow

by Natalie Higdon, BirchboxCelebrities would have us think that their luminous complexions and supple gams are the result of a strict vegan diet and daily meditation sessions. But we know the truth: it's products. Makeup artists have all sorts of tricks for making stars look radiant, even when they've been filming 24/7 (or partying). We tapped two of our favorite pros, Nam Vo and Neil Scibelli, to find out how to get the glow.BRONZERA great bronzer is your ticket to healthy, fresh skin. ...

A Wine Lover's Guide to Fragrance

by Candice Chan, BirchboxWe're no wine experts, but we've sipped enough varieties to know that the aroma is a key part of the tasting experience. Is it any surprise, then, that the same tricks you use to choose a wine are the same ones you should be using to select a scent? We enlisted master sommelier Laura Maniec, owner of New York's Corkbuzz Wine Bar, to tell us how to use our oenophile skills to sniff out the perfect fragrance.GIVE YOUR PERFUME SOME AIREvery wine lover knows you need to give a good vintage some time to breathe before taking the first sip. ...

Create Ombré Nails with Just One Polish

By Anna Norman, Birchbox After progressing from hair to fashion, the ombré trend has made its way to your manicure. The look is simple to recreate at home, and you don't even have to track down five sequential shades. The secret: you only need color. To get a gorgeous gradient, just pick a single pretty hue and then create your own lighter and darker shades using white or black polishes. Here's how to get the effect: STEP 1 Select your base polish. For this technique, a standard crème finish works best, so stay away from sheers, metallics, or jelly finishes. ...

The Perfect Pedicure Colors to Compliment Marais USA’s Spring Line

By Meredith Stebbins, BirchboxSANDALSTop: 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.WEDGESTop: 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. ...

3 Spring Beauty Trends for Special Events

By Natalie Alcala, BirchboxSpring 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. ...

How To: Special Occasion Makeup Video

By BirchboxThis easy, flirty look is perfect for special events or whenever you feel like dressing up. Find out how to recreate it at home.See more from Birchbox:Five Ways to Make Your Makeup Last3 Unexpected Smoky Eye LooksAnne Hathaway Chopped Off Her Hair for Les Miserables

Easy Bathroom Makeover Tricks

By Mai Wang, BirchboxRevamp your sink and shower with these classy productsIt's time to retire the boring bar soap and generic toothpaste. Give your bathroom a whole new vibe with our glamorous picks -- you'll want to show off your spiffy new space to all your guests.SINKGrandma Stelle's Hand SoapYou wash your hands countless times a day, so why not make it something to anticipate? This moisturizing hand wash has a zesty verbena thyme scent, and the clean bottle would pass Martha Stewart's design standards. ...

How To: Braided Updo Video

Survival Kit: Date Night

By Mai Wang, BirchboxBeauty musts for three different romantic scenariosTHE FIRST DATEBattling the jitters is hard enough without worrying about your looks. Whether you're meeting up with a blind date or an OKCupid crush, take these fail-proof products along for the ride.-- Boscia® Green Tea Blotting Linens: These antioxidant-infused sheets absorb oil and shine without ruining your carefully applied makeup.-- colorescience pro® Pressed Mineral Foundation: Keep this mattifying powder compact on hand just in case you need an excuse to go powder your nose. ...

Burger King: An Unlikely Source of Beauty Inspiration

By Lorelei Orfeo, BirchboxThanks to Buzzfeed for alerting us to this "tasty" treat last week. It's apparently a real ad from Burger King Netherlands and, as you can see, features some amazing eye makeup. It doesn't exactly make us want a burger, but can we get the name of the makeup artist, please?Our favorite eye makeup won't transform your eye into a burger, but we love it anyway.See more from Birchbox:Vera Wang Makeup Line Coming This April!The New Spa Cuisine30 Years Pass, Claudia Schiffer Doesn't Age

Chloë Sevigny’s Sexy New Haircut

By Candice Chan, BirchboxBack in December, Chloë Sevigny was sporting a brand new look -- a short bob and extra-blunt bangs, plus some seriously copper color. We weren't totally sold on the style, we love her much more as a blonde (though we do applaud experimentation).Which is why we were so excited when, last Monday night, she debuted a more choppy blonde version of her bob at the Jeffrey Fashion Cares fundraiser to benefit AIDS and LBGT charities.We're loving the beachy, more tousled look, especially with her longer bangs and brighter color. ...

The Best Smelling Hair Products Ever

By Paulina Anderson, BirchboxAlmost as important as how well a hair product works is how it smells. Of all the products I've ever tried, here are my five absolute favorites:1. Oscar Blandi Olio Di Jasmine: This lightweight serum is incredibly fragrant and instantly transports you to some distant Mediterranean garden. My mother's favorite scent is jasmine, and I can't help but think of an exotic place with a sea breeze that is reminiscent of both childhood and romance when I put this in my hair. ...

How to Protect Your Nails from the Sun

By Loren de la Cruz, BirchboxEspecially in the spring and summer, it's important to apply SPF on any exposed areas like arms and legs. But we often forget about the smaller spots like our toes and ears--and even our nails! Since nails are made of protein, keratin to be exact, they need protection just like skin does. In fact, a Birchbox staffer went on vacation with her nails bare and came back with sunburnt, purple nails. She described the pain as "feeling like her fingers had been slammed in a car door. ...

Apply Foundation Better with These Tools

By Lorelei Orfeo, BirchboxFrom sponges to brushes, fingertips to puffs, there's a world of foundation tools out there. When it comes to choosing the right one, makeup artists agree on one thing: there's no right or wrong way. We asked Emma Willis, Director of Artistry for Blushington, and Neil Scibelli, National Makeup Artist for Jouer, to break things down for us. Read on and start experimenting!HANDS (Coverage Level 1)For when you're rushing to get to work in the morning or just want a tiny bit of coverage. ...

How To: Polka Dot Manicure

Watch Birchbox's favorite nail blogger, Miss Ladyfinger, demonstrate how to get a girly manicure that's perfect for spring.

How To: Hollywood Waves

By BirchboxGlamorous Hollywood waves are a classic style that looks just as good at your dinner parties as it does on the red carpet. The best part? They're surprisingly easy to recreate. Stylist Jeff Chastain shows us how to get the look.See more from Birchbox:How To: Modern Topsy Tail UpdoFast Fixes for Major Hair DownersCreate Custom Makeup With This Wonder Balm!

As If: Topshop Creates a Clueless Lipstick

By Meredith Stebbins, BirchboxWhen Clueless debuted in theaters in 1995, I went to see it five times. Five times! I've re-watched it a countless number more since then, and it never gets old. Needless to say, when I read earlier this week that Topshop debuted a Clueless-inspired lipstick, I just had to investigate.A matte chubby lip pencil, Topshop's Listick in Clueless retails for $15. The perfect bright shade of bubblegum pink, it's the sort of ultra-girly color that Cher, Dionne, or Tai would have kept stashed in their handbags. ...

3 Unexpected Smoky Eye Looks

By Candice Chan, BirchboxThe smoky eye is our go-to look, but the tried-and-true grey and black combo can get old. Jouer national makeup artist Neil Scibelli gave us his tips for updating the familiar style using bold, unexpected colors so we could rock one of spring's hottest new trends.TAUPE FOR DAY"Lots of women don't think they can pull of a day smoky, but it's a lot easier to wear than most things," says Scibelli. Start with a cream-colored base to neutralize any redness and clean up the lower eyelid. (We like Jouer's Chiffon. ...