October 17, 2018 at 10:10AM Last week the fashion industry took two major steps toward size inclusivity. Stuart Weitzman announced extended sizing for its immensely popular boots. And Universal Standard increased its range to become the first clothing line to carry women’s sizes 00–40 in the world. Both developments were newsworthy, sure. But the truth is, size-inclusive moments like these make news because they don’t happen that often. Most designers still top out at a size 12 or 14 (while the average American woman is a size 16–18). So why aren’t more fashion brands making clothes that fit consumers? I mean, from an equality standpoint, the idea of size inclusivity—the practice of representing a wide variety of body shapes and sizes—sounds obvious. But extending sizes isn’t just about doing the right thing. It also makes economic sense—at least from the outside looking in on the issue. Why limit your potential profits to 33 percent of the population and ignore the buying potential of the other 67 percent? In reality, though, it’s a lot more complex. The current state of size inclusivity in fashion To see what inclusivity could look like, look to Chromat, a clothing collection designed by Becca McCharen-Tran. Its fashion-week shows are among the world’s most diverse—with people of different sizes, ethnicities, body shapes, and abilities—and its sizing goes from XS to 3X, with 4X coming next month. “Size inclusivity means celebrating bodies of all different shapes and sizes both in our runway and campaigns and producing a
Year: 2018
Get a energizing splash of an Asian superfruit in Trader Joe’s new sparkling coconut water
October 17, 2018 at 09:19AM Trader Joe’s is always coming through with unique sparkling water choices that give your love for La Croix a run for its bubbles. In the past, the healthy grocer has released niche flavors like rhubarb and elderflower, but the latest mix might just be the most impressive yet: It does contain a hard-to-find Japanese superfood, after all. According to a press release, you can now find Sparkling Coconut Water with Yuzu on store shelves, which features an exotic citrus fruit that’s essentially a combination of a lime, mandarin orange, and grapefruit. Mostly grown in East Asia, yuzu’s tart and bright flavor instantly makes you feel energized and refreshed when you taste it, which is why it’s often found in recipes for dressings and sauces. But this time, it’s combined with coconut water that’s free of any added sugars. The new sparkling water features yuzu, an exotic citrus fruit that’s essentially a combination of a lime, mandarin orange, and grapefruit. Aside from the drink’s hint of sour tang helping you feel a little more alert and awake, yuzu has some other notable benefits: Because of its super-high level of vitamin C, it could help boost your immune system and stave off illness and disease. And in a small study, the fruit was found to up mental health as well by lifting the moods of folks with PMS symptoms. Another study found the compound limonene—which is found in yuzu’s peel—could potentially help reduce inflammation. Basically, if you’re going to sip on some sparkling water, it might
How to decipher workplace harassment from just having a tough boss
October 17, 2018 at 08:36AM It’s common that the nine-to-five (or longer) workweek cycle gets sprinkled with a few tense emails from a manager. And those messages are bound to just get to you. But, receiving tough feedback from time to time and chronic unhappiness at work are hardly the same scenario—kind of like having one sleepless night compared to a full-on bout of insomnia. In fact, dreading your workplace is linked to a whole bunch of negative implications. Studies show that hating your job is correlated with weight gain, a compromised sense of well-being, a higher risk of diabetes, and more. Since research finds that workplace culture is actually a higher indicator of employee happiness than salary, it stands to reason that cultivating a solid, healthy relationship with your boss is a cause that’ll pay dividends in terms of mental health. But what’s the difference between a boss who simply harbors a no-nonsense approach to helping you improve your skills and get you to the next step in your career and one who’s flat-out harassing you, verbally or otherwise? Let’s take a closer look, so you can deal, no matter what the answer is. A tough boss is still on your side The simplest way to decode whether your boss is hard ass rather than an asshole? Decide whether they have your best interest at heart. Perhaps the underlying reason for their demeanor toward you is having high expectations. Maybe they just want you to reach your full potential. Stern and
Side stitches can wreck a workout (and quick)—here’s how to ditch them on the fly
October 17, 2018 at 08:24AM You’ve put in the work to get out and tackle a run: the Spandex is on, the sneakers are laced, and you even remembered to take your favorite fitness tracker along for the trip. But seven minutes into your morning miles, it hits you: the dreaded side stitch. Right up there with uncomfortable chafing (don’t worry: we’ve got a solution for you here) and getting lost, side stitches—commonly described as a sharp, nagging, cramping sensation in the right or left mid-torso—are a frequent annoyance for runners everywhere. Moreover, they’re an annoyance that a reported 60 percent of runners experience annually, 42 percent of whom say affects their performance, according to the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Formally known in the medical world as exercise-related transient abdominal pain (ETAP), side stitches are most prevalent in runners, swimmers, and horseback riders, according to William Oswald, DPT, physical therapist at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation. Generally, the pain runners experience is an irritation of the abdominal lining. And the cause? Well, that varies. “Repetitive rotational movements—especially when the torso is extended—appear to aggravate the symptoms,” he says. “It occurs more frequently during competition and at higher intensities.” Not exactly ideal when you’re trying to crank up the volume on the regular. Still, there are some things within your control that you can do to avoid the discomfort. Skip out on high sugar drinks or fatty foods prior to activity, suggests Oswald, and make sure to take the time to
Let’s hear it for the drugstore mascara, which is having a *major* moment
October 17, 2018 at 07:28AM A little known (but important) fact about me, is that prior to becoming a beauty editor, I worked at Ulta in my hometown of Minnetonka, Minnesota. For a few hours each week—after school and on the weekends—my main job was to sell women in the Midwest all the latest cosmetics. But the best part? My discount. Which meant half of my paycheck was dedicated to purchasing whatever my heart desired. Back then, it was mostly nail polish, hair accessories, lip gloss, and, of course, mascara. It’s the one product I never leave my house without because it has so many benefits: It’s easy-to-apply, it travels well, and it adds an instant glam factor even if you’re rocking sweatpants. The best part, however? It’s a drugstore diamond. So amazing, so wonderful that Kristopher Buckle told Allure that he uses Covergirl Lash Blast Volume Waterproof ($9) on the queen of pop herself, Mariah Carey. Let’s here it for the best of the best drugstore mascaras. What I learned back then at Ulta has since been confirmed in my time as a beauty editor: Mascaras that you find in the aisles of CVS and Target are so good they can rival any pricier tube at the department store or Sephora. But why is that? I wanted to hear from cosmetic chemists and celebrity makeup artists alike on exactly why, with a kit full of options, drugstore mascaras still have a special place in their hearts—and counter space. Keep scrolling to read more. Photo: Getty
Dr. Pimple Popper says this is the least talked about (but very common) type of acne
October 17, 2018 at 07:17AM When your skin’s upset, it can manifest its anger in various ways (much to our detriment). There are cysts, whiteheads, blackheads, and a slew of other forms of inflammation. One that doesn’t get talked about as much, though? Milia. You may be familiar with the skin condition—it basically looks like teeny tiny bumps that are just below the surface. The thing is, your typical acne spot treatment doesn’t necessarily work for milia, which can make it even more mysterious. That’s exactly why I spoke with Sandra Lee, MD—AKA Dr. Pimple Popper—for some pro insight. (Yes, she’s popped plenty of milia before—enjoy if you so please.) “Milia, or called milium if there’s only one, are very small superficial cysts that form just underneath the skin, most commonly around the eyes, which is the thinnest skin we have on the body,” says Dr. Lee, who has her own skin-care line SLMD Skincare. “They can form for a variety of reasons. They’re very common and some people are simply more prone than others—we even see some newborn babies born with milia.” The bad news? “You can’t really treat milia at home or get rid of them yourself—they can’t be easily extracted without usually a small incision or nick in the skin. They’re completely harmless though, and don’t cause any irritation or pain, and usually they’ll go away on their own after some time.” “Milia are very small superficial cysts that form just underneath the skin, most commonly around the eyes.”
TIL that I’ve been using a cheese grater the wrong way my entire life
October 17, 2018 at 06:51AM Cheese graters seem pretty self-explanatory, right? Whenever it comes time to do some shredding—whether you’re making mac and cheese from scratch or need a tea topper (because yes, that’s evidently a thing)—you probably grab a block of your go-to variety, position your box grater handle-side up, and go to town. Hate to break it to you, but if you’ve been living by these rules, you might have been doing it wrong your entire life. While using a grater vertically is sure to give you a nice arm workout while you’re making your keto dinner, it doesn’t seem to be the most effective way to get the job done. A video recently posted on the Tastemade UK Instagram account showed an alternate option: the horizontal method, in which you lie it down on on your cutting board and grate side to side versus up and down. Evidently it makes the process a easy breezy…or, uhh, cheesy? View this post on Instagram Horizontal or Vertical: how do YOU grate your cheese? A post shared by Tastemade UK (@tastemadeuk) on Oct 16, 2018 at 7:06am PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js Not only does this simple hack prevent the grater from sliding around (and causing a potential injury!), but it also doesn’t require Hulk-like muscles to get the job done. And as an extra bonus, it’s also pretty mess-free: The cheese collects neatly in the canister and once you’re finished, you simply dump it into your bowl and call it a day. Yep, cauliflower pizza night
Combat ultra-tight legs with this yoga flow for runners
October 17, 2018 at 06:27AM For so many people, running is movement gold. It’s a way to clear the mind, amp up the endorphins, and cross off a sweat sesh all in one go; yet, as weekly mileage creeps upwards, and muscles get tighter, however, incorporating a stretch day or two into your routine is just the ticket. Or in other words, yoga for runners is good way to balance out that trendy treadmill class to be able to run farther, go faster, and all around kick more booty. As someone who runs about five times a week, I can sympathize. Real talk: My gams can feel as heavy as cement, feet can feel the pain, and the various muscles throughout them can easily become tight—all making it decidedly difficult to get back out there. While a simple stretch is always helpful, yoga in particular can really open up your body so that you feel relaxed and ready to jog it out again. At the Well+Good Cedar Lakes Retreat a few months ago, yoga instructor superstar Beth Cooke—who teaches at New York’s Sky Ting studio as well as private clients like Lena Dunham—revealed a yoga sequence that’s particularly magical for runners. The secret? It’s all about opening up the legs, stretching out the hips, and—one that people often forget about—tending to the feet. While the flow definitely gets you warmed up in all the right spots for a kickass run, it’s also equally beneficial for cooling you down after you log your miles. So namaste
How to create long-lasting happiness (without even trying)
October 17, 2018 at 03:30AM The world of wellness is a big one—as Susie Ellis, the chairwoman and CEO of Global Wellness Institute, knows full well. Through her work with some of the field’s leading experts, she retains a bird’s-eye view on emerging ideas and trends. Here, the member of the Well+Good Council, explores the latest research in happiness. The good news? Putting yourself in a near-permanent good mood is easier than you might imagine. Many people interested in wellness are now aware of Dan Buettner’s work on the Blue Zones, those rare longevity hotspots around the world. In his first book, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who Have Lived the Longest, he and a team of medical researchers and anthropologists pinpointed five places that have a remarkable number of centenarians: people living healthily, and seemingly effortlessly, into their hundreds. The Blue Zone Five are the island of Sardinia in Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Ikaria, Greece; the Nikoya region in Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, CA. What a brilliant idea it was to analyze these populations to un-riddle what behaviors actually keep people thriving to 100. After exploring where people live the longest, Dan turned his attention to those world hotspots where people report being the very happiest. In his latest book, The Blue Zones of Happiness: Lessons from the World’s Happiest People, he traveled to happiness havens like Denmark, Costa Rica, Singapore, and Boulder, CO. Photo: Lauren Naefe/Stocksy Again he distilled their happiness secrets down
Essential Herbs For Autumn Wellness
October 17, 2018 at 12:30AM Ayurvedic teachings remind us to shift our diets with the changing seasons; here are some immune-boosting roots and mushrooms to try this fall. Continue Reading… Author Aviva Romm, M.D. | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue