• Leonardo DiCaprio and Matthew McConaughey star in Scorsese’s wildly fun take on Wall St in his latest film The Wolf Of Wall Street. Now that’s how you do a trailer. | YouTube

• We’re rummaging through our polish stash tonight after finding this super-cool geometric nail art design. | Fashion Squad

• ‘What do I wear with this’, you ask? Refinery answers 12 commonly-asked shopping questions. | Refinery 29

• The new beauty buys the editors over at InStyle will be stocking up on. Including some of our faves! | InStyle

– Grace

The minis in our Birchbox + Color Club Wanderlust collection take inspiration from our international headquarters: there’s the gorgeous off-white Mod In Manhattan, the bright mint green London Calling, neon orange Reign In Spain and standout lavender Pardon My French.

Our American colleagues journeyed to the Color Club factory and spent an entire day with the brand’s chemist mixing up samples and perfecting the formulas to create these fab eye-catching polishes. Now, we’re finally ready to debut our shades and give you the chance to win 100 gorgeous Color Club nail polishes.

We can’t wait to see how you’re wearing YOUR sample, which means: We want photos! Here’s how to enter to win our huge batch of gorgeous nail polishes:

1. Watch this fun video (above) of our staffers from all four of our offices rocking these summer shades.

2. Upload a photo of YOUR mani here OR use the hashtag #BBWanderlust when you post your pic on Instagram or Twitter.

It’s that easy – just snap your pics and share them with us ASAP! We can’t wait to see them…

• I’ve been relying on the wonderful Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Body Butter to moisturise my limbs ahead of summer exposure, along with the deeply moisturising Weleda Skin Food on the driest areas – feet, knees and elbows! Lighter than regular Creme de Corps, this ‘whipped’ texture sinks easily into skin and is perfect for everyday use. 

• My hair’s been feeling really fine lately, so I’ve been using the triple threat of Nick Chavez Beverly Hills Plump ‘N Thick® Thickening shampoo, creme conditioner and mist to keep my tresses looking voluminous and healthy. Plus, I love the scent!

• Nourishing products I can really feel working get my vote, and Avene’s Cleanance Masque – specifically for blemish-prone skin – is a gentle but effective mask to deep clean pores, regulate sebum production and exfoliate away dead skin cells. The inclusion of white clay mattifies the skin and this mask always leaves my face feeling soothed and treated. It’s a weekly treat.

• Murad Hydro-Dynamic® Ultimate Moisture For Eyes is the eye cream I’ve been searching for. So many eye products feel too heavy for my skin and lighter formulas often don’t have strong effects… but this light formula packs a heavyweight punch. Since our Brand Director Antony handed it over I’ve been using it morning and night every day and it’s really working to smooth the appearance of the fine lines that have started appearing around my eyes, as well as helping to boost skin resilience to new ones forming. Must-have.

• I never thought a cleanser would brighten up my bathroom, but the gorgeous design on Shu Uemura’s Ob Collection Cleansing Oil Fresh makes me smile no matter how early I have to get up. I have combination skin – dry cheeks with a pretty oily T-zone – and this cleanser has worked wonders for my skin. It doesn’t make my skin feel tight after emulsifying and I love the fresh scent.

I’d love to know what your skin concerns are so we can tackle them here on the blog and make some suggestions for you! Comment below and let us know.

– Beth

• Name/Title:  Aleks Mikolajczyk, Marketing Intern

• Unofficial Role: Tina Fey wannabe/ Denim know-all

• Hometown: Poland-born. Chicago, Illinois-raised.

• Office Catchphrase: ”Am I fired?”

• Fun Fact: I only moved to the UK in September, but already my favourite TV show is Come Dine With Me – the cooking, the personalities, the cattiness! It’s a great “Welcome to England” primer. I have to watch a TV show when I get ready in the morning. Otherwise, my day is ruined.

• Beauty Confession: My beauty goal is to have great skin, which I know takes effort. I have to admit that I’m awful at making myself wash my face before bed.  Of course, I always do in the shower and use La Roche Posay’s Physiological Cleansing Gel. Also, because I’m quite cruel to my hair, I try to wash it twice a week MAX. Dry shampoo is my best friend.

• Currently Loving: For haircare, I love the biOrganics Salon Secret Elixir to help protect my dry and coloured hair from the harsh heat. For skincare, I really love Australian brand Aesop, especially their Camellia Nut Facial Hydrating Cream. For make-up, I love Laura Geller Beauty’s Spackle® Under Make-up Primer which I wear alone to give my skin a clean and silky look.

• For food, the Chef’s Italian Chicken Salad from Pret a Manger is my go-to favourite lunch – the dressing is amazing!

• Worth The Splurge: When your base is solid, everything looks better. That’s why I invest in really great skincare (again, I love Aesop). Otherwise, food.

• Go-to Make-Up Look: Because I have such a young face, I try to keep my make-up pretty minimal to keep me from looking like a toddler who broke into their mum’s make-up bag. Mostly just mascara, light blush and, if I’m feeling like I need to get it together, some lipstick (love this red by Lancome I’m wearing in the picture!)

• Favourite Food: All. The only things I don’t like are aubergines and okra. My insatiable hunger is well documented by almost everyone who knows me.

• Favourite Film: Midnight In Paris – funny, fun and romantic. Plus, it makes you appreciate the “now”. Otherwise, I’m way more into television shows. From Arrested Development to Breaking Bad, I cannot get enough.

– Grace

• Malvina starts with a good base coat. We love OPI’s worthy cult-classic Nail Envy – an amazing nail strengthener that works as a great base for colour to follow.

• Révérence de Bastien’s Unguent for nails and cuticles is a favourite with our subscribers. Apply this hyper-nourishing balm to heal dry, flaky cuticles and nails.

• To get those chic white dots, OPI’s My Boyfiend Scales Walls is a fab long-wearing formula.

• This design would also look cute in red or navy with white!

• Watch the video here!

– Grace

What Is “Normal” Skin?

It’s natural for your skin to adapt to your given environment, hormones and diet – if your skin is pretty balanced for the most part with oily or drier areas, and the occasional spot – you have “normal” skin. Yes, combination and normal skin are pretty much one and the same.

Learning To Listen To Your Skin

The best way to care for normal-combination skin is to pay attention to how it feels and cater to it depending on what it needs at that particular time. Does your T-zone feel greasier in the summer? Do you have dry patches? Does it feel dehydrated? (More on the difference between these here). Whether your skin needs a hydration boost or a thorough decongest, let ‘em have it!

Our Go-To Guidelines: 

• Cleanse your skin every night without fail. If you’re skin is feeling particularly congested – or you’re wearing a lot of make-up – go for a double cleanse. Use a muslin cloth or flannel to buff away dead skin cells and make sure every nook and cranny is squeaky clean. Opt for nourishing cleansing milks, lotions or balms as they don’t mess with your skin’s natural PH levels like super-foaming “clarifying” ones do (learn more here). RMK’s Rose Cleansing Balm is a favourite in the office and works well with a hot cloth method. Doctor Duve’s Calming Cleansing & Hydrating Cleansing Milk will give you a gentle but thorough cleanse. That’s the key here; gentle but effective cleansing.

• Exfoliating treatments. If you’re doing a good hot cloth cleanse every night this will be buffing away dead skin for you already, but it’s good practice to introduce exfoliating treatments, toners or (natural) acids one or twice a week. Murad®’s AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser is packed with exfoliating salicylic, lactic and glycolic acids to turnover clarify and promote cell turnover. Use this one or twice a week.

• Serums are one aspect of your routine where a significant difference can be made. They contain high tech, active ingredients to pinpoint your particular concern, whether it’s fading pigmentation marks, managing excess oil or plumping up lines. If you’re going to splash the cash on any skincare product, a good quality serum is a major investment. Elemental Herbology’s Cell Food Serum is a great all-in-one – it boosts radiance, stimulates cell renewal, protects from environmental damage and improves overall vitality. Apply your serum of choice immediately after cleansing and before moisturiser, they’re light in texture so you want it to absorb into the skin cells without any barriers.

Remember that above all: whether you have the driest skin or are struggling with spots, you only get one face – so do your best to protect, nurture and love your skin.

That’s my final post in the back to basics skincare series! I hope this has been useful – I could talk about this forever so feel free to ask me any questions you may have in the comments below!

– Grace