Month: January 2019

January 31, 2019 at 09:11AM by CWC In the wake of my most recent breakup, I slogged through the typical motions (you know—tears, chocolate, more tears), but there was also a decidedly happy narrative flanking my sadness: My relationship with my dad, which was never bad, per se, but we’ve never actually been close. Until now. Our four-times-a-week phone calls had always consisted of a few minutes of small talk about how much better the weather is where he lives in Florida than it is in my New York, or about the meals we’ve each eaten in the last day. With us, big life events—my promotion and move from Brooklyn to Manhattan, his recent retirement and engagement—just weren’t on the table as topics of discussion. Even in the weeks leading up to my older sister’s wedding, we talked exclusively about the weather forecast in Atlanta, where the ceremony would be held (instead of, ya know, how happy we were for her and our soon-to-be new family member). So imagine his surprise—and, TBH, my own—when he one day said, “Goobey” (what he calls me) “do you think these knucklehead weathermen are right?” And then I promptly began blubbering about being heartbroken. To put this in context: My ex and I were together for close to 18 months, and my dad had no idea he even existed—I had never even said his name to my dad. Not once. Remember, the two of us never spoke about the real stuff. Yet, here I was, confiding

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January 31, 2019 at 08:36AM by CWC As you may have discovered on the morning of your high school prom or moments before your first big presentation at work, the relationship between stress and acne is the real deal. It’s why those big, honkin’ zits tend to park themselves on your face ahead of major life moments, and seem to so generously stick around for all the photo opps. While it’s easy to look at these frustratingly common scenarios as proof that “stress causes acne,” the real impetus behind your big day breakouts is a bit more complicated than that. It’s actually the stress hormone, otherwise known as cortisol, that’s giving your complexion grief, and there are a whole lot of things—in addition to run-of-the-mill life stressors—that can cause it to spike. First, it’s important to understand how stress actually impacts your system, and why that tends to show up on your skin. “Stress causes a complex series of changes to our bodies.  As part of the stress response, cortisol and related hormone levels rise to prepare the body for a stressful experience,” explains New York City-based dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD. “As a side effect, these hormones lead to an increase in oil production in our skin promoting breakouts. They can also interfere with wound healing, prevent the skin from repairing itself, and could potentially be associated with premature aging.” What causes cortisol to spike? As we’ve already established, when you’re feeling mentally, physically, or emotionally stressed, cortisol spikes and ultimately

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January 31, 2019 at 05:30AM by CWC Anyone who has ever dated online knows the cold, hard truth about what a time-consuming black hole the undertaking can be. With so many options on your apps, scheduling dates can become more difficult (and less enjoyable) than scheduling an in-network dentist appointment. So it should come as no surprise that from time to time, some people decide to double-book, dating two people in one night. This means meeting potential suitor number one for an early cocktail or matcha followed by a dinner with potential suitor number two. As someone who’s done it and lived to tell the tale, I can say with certainty that people have got feelings about this course of romantic pursuit. When I talk about my double-booking experiences, a good number respond with shock, some say its sounds exhausting, others say it’s unfair to the dates in questions, and a confident few admit to having done it themselves. Since the verdict is clearly out on what’s acceptable here, I chatted with national etiquette expert Diane Gottsman about whether or not I was breaking any kind of decency rules by setting two dates in a day. Here answer, not shockingly, was complicated. “When you double-book, it’s because you’re hedging your bets,” she says. “You may not be giving each person your full attention because you’re busy worrying about the other date of the day.” If the date in question is only a first or second date, then that’s not necessarily a

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January 31, 2019 at 04:54AM by CWC Starting the day off with a stick-to-your-ribs breakfast is practically mandatory during a polar vortex (which seem to happen basically every other day). The catch: No matter how many ways you reinvent your oatmeal bowl—whether you’re adding eggs or trying a different savory twist—it can still feel a little tired if you’re eating it every single day. But have you considered switching up the grain itself? Look, oats are great. Fabulous, in fact. They’re full of fiber and protein. But there are some definite nutritional benefits to switching it out for buckwheat from time to time. The gluten-free pseudograin (it’s a seed, actually) has its own health benefits to brag about. Buckwheat is good for your heart and can help lower cholesterol. It also helps stabilize blood sugar levels. Taste-wise, it’s a bit earthier than oats, so not only does switching up your morning bowl provide a variety of health benefits, but you also get a whole new breakfast flavor to enjoy. If you want to give it a try, check out the five buckwheat porridge recipes below. Photo: Oh She Glows 1. Chia vanilla buckwheat breakfast porridge  Oh She Glows blogger Angela Liddon’s trick to making her buckwheat porridge taste rich and flavorful: soaking them overnight in water, then blending them with almond milk in the morning until they’re nice and smooth. She also adds in a couple tablespoons of chia seeds for added protein, and a hint of vanilla for sweetness. Last, she tops her

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January 31, 2019 at 03:30AM by CWC Everyone and my dad will tell you that dry winter hands happen when you expose your paws to the elements (and also just wash them with water—who knew?!). Alas, I stopped wearing the seriously aggressive gloves (dusty rose, bedazzled with pink crystals and pearls) my aunt gifted me for Christmas. And two weeks ago, I had the searingly painful dusty-red hands to show for it. A few simple Google searches taught me that my poor skin was screaming for moisture, but as someone too lazy to even slip on some gloves, I certainly wasn’t up for trial-and-erroring my way through fancy, pricey (and, yes, cult-beloved) moisturizers. I’ve had back luck with products irritating my skin in the past, and I didn’t want to take any chances, so with not much to lose, I went back to DIY basics—and, no joke, it worked. For a dry-hand treatment that’s simple, cheap, and natural-leaning, grab some aloe vera, coconut oil, and scroll your way to hydrated mitts. Step 1: Before bedtime, coat your hands in coconut oil Regardless of whether you cook with controversial-to-consume coconut oil, the hydrating beauty benefits of the ingredient are worth keeping it in your shelfie. To get started, scoop up some oil (in liquid form), and give yourself a mini hand massage. Work it down your wrists, and saturate your skin to the point that it feels dewey. You don’t want to be entirely greased up—that’s an easy way to ruin your new eco-friendly bedding.

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