Birchbox: One of the original beauty-of-the-month clubs, Birchbox set the tone for adventurous makeup addicts. Four to five product samples—all tested and “endorsed” by the company’s team of experts—are shipped to members monthly. Although brands skew mainstream (among them are Benefit, Dermalogica, and NARS), nascent lines sometimes enter the mix. In addition to The Haute Box, an online magazine that offers how-to tips for each month’s haul, Birchbox also has a dedicated shop where satisfied customers can order full-size versions of their samples. Each purchase earns points which can be redeemed towards future orders, ensuring that there’s always a way to keep the mailbox full.

Eco-Emi: With the recent organic boom, it was only a matter of time before the beauty membership concept went green. Eco-Emi serves environmentally conscious consumers with its monthly all-natural offerings. For $15, members receive at least five samples of eco-friendly products, which can range from Revolution Organics lip gloss to Dr. Robin sunscreen to items outside of the beauty category, such as vegan chocolate or chemical-free laundry detergent. Even the packaging—a reusable bag—aligns with the company’s philosophy. What customers seem to appreciate most, however, is Eco-Emi’s personal touch, as each month’s selection is themed and comes with a warm note from the company’s founder explaining the contents.

Beauty Army: Many people sign up for subscription services for the surprise factor, but others don’t want to spend money on items they may not want. Beauty Army removes the guesswork by allowing subscribers to select the six products that will be delivered every 30 days. The $12/month program invites users to fill out a questionnaire in order to determine recommended products that best fit their needs—be it curly hair, sensitive skin, or a love for all things glittery. Whether they heed the advice of Beauty Army’s experts is up to them. Featured brands are mostly smaller and harder-to-find, making it unlikely that one will find a suggested sample at the drugstore.

Bloom.com: For women who are turned off by pushy salespeople who don’t know a blusher from a bronzer, Bloom.com is their haven. The new website combines the best of online retail and social networking. After completing a survey to make a personal profile, shoppers are connected with relevant product reviews from like-minded members. Also, they can search top products among friends and across Bloom.com users as a whole. Although the site is always adding new brands, the roster is already impressive: The 100-plus options range from Neutrogena to Yves Saint Laurent. And if it turns out that one’s online friends aren’t all that helpful, there’s a 365-day return policy.

Book Ur Look: Joining the ranks of Farmville and Words With Friends on Facebook is Book Ur Look, a new, free application that helps New Yorkers find a salon, choose a stylist or colorist, and book an appointment with just the click of a mouse. One can search either by salon—there are currently nine in the database, including local favorites Ricardo Rojas Salon and Red Market Salon—or by date. From there, users can review each stylist’s profile, which lists their services, how long they take, and their rates. The app also lets users go through stylists’ portfolios, message them with questions, and then, for happy customers, upload post-visit photos.

The Formula: It’s not the first blog to peer inside the apartments—and bathroom counters—of fashion fixtures and creative types, but The Formula has quickly established itself as a more inclusive alternative to the insider-heavy sites that have been dominating the web. That may have something to do with its founder, Aimee Blaut, a former gallerista who started the site only after realizing that her true passion was beauty, not art. The Formula’s regular features fall under categories including Love Affairs (first-person product breakdowns), The Expert (q-and-a’s with makeup artists and magazine editors), and You Are A Babe (profiles of a girl—or boy—about town and her makeup must-haves).

Wet Hot American Spring: While many hair fads have returned for another season—candy-colored tresses, ’60s beehives—one new trend emerged: damp locks. Stylists claimed a range of inspirations (Barbara Bach in The Spy Who Loved Me at BCBG Max Azria, beach babes at Vera Wang, gym rats at Alexander Wang), but the result often looked the same, with hair combed back and coated with enough product to make the models look like they skipped a blow-dry. It wasn’t all just wash-and-go; among the wet-haired rebels were the models at Marc Jacobs, where the Sweet Charity-inspired coifs included shiny wisps poking out from bandanas, and at Helmut Lang, where the knotted ponytails were damp-tipped.

Nude Awakening: Just as faces were left faux-natural, nails were often painted in barely-there nudes and milky beiges. Tommy Hilfiger, Tory Burch, Narciso Rodriguez, and VPL all featured fingertips clear of the nail art, rhinestones, and reverse-manicures that have become recent mainstays. Lacquer brands, such as Rococo Nail Apparel at Burberry, took note, introducing Nude Wardrobe, a series of skin tone-matching polishes. Occasionally, models were sent out polish-free altogether. At Christopher Kane, nail artist Sophy Robson just buffed fingertips, while Band of Outsiders didn’t even bother with a manicurist. Then again, CND’s Candice Manacchio showcased Lucite tips at both Joy Cioci and Joanna Mastroianni for those who can’t bear going so basic.

Brow Down: With understated makeup the anti-trend at many shows (makeup artist Pat McGrath went so far as to put on foundation and then blot it out with her fingers at Prada), eyebrows took center stage. In New York, there were strong brows at Altuzarra (described as “Elizabeth Taylor at the gym”), Derek Lam, Thakoon, and Michael Kors. During London Fashion Week, Meadham Kirchhoff took eye-framers to the next level, with bright colors that recalled Andy Warhol’s portraits. Meanwhile, in Milan, brows were bare (Prada, Gucci) or gilded—Peter Philips applied gold and silver leaf that stretched from the lash line to the forehead at Fendi…the ultimate cover-up for over-plucking.