June 17, 2019 at 01:13PM by CWC Several months ago, a booking error landed me in first class for the very first time in my life. As we soared over the clouds, the flight attendant served me a warm bowl of assorted nuts, refilled my coffee on the five-minute mark (bless her soul), and read the mile-high dinner menu with the enthusiasm of a French sommelier describing the fermentation process of a fine Cabernet Sauvignon. All my stress melted away as I drifted off to sleep in deeply reclined leather seat. I landed relaxed and ready to explore my destination. Now that a coworker has let slip her inside secret for upgrading on the cheap, I know how to fly first class without giving an arm and a leg. If you, too, would like to inch ever-closer to the front of the plane, get bidding. More than 50 airlines—including Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, Air Canada, and Swiss—send follow-up emails after fliers book their travel itineraries inviting them to upgrade to first or business class for a fraction of the price, reports Forbes. Simply click on a link they send you, enter the amount you’re willing to pay, and they’ll notify you if you’re the lucky winner. In the case of my colleague, she bumped herself to the premium class of a Norwegian flight from Amsterdam to New York City for a mere $150. ad_intervals[‘401558_div-gpt-ad-6934292-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘401558_div-gpt-ad-6934292-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-6934292-3’);}); } }, 100); Not sure what to bid?
Day: June 17, 2019
This 5-minute stretch sequence will have you doing a split in no time
June 17, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC Some people dream of finishing a marathon or executing a pull-up—but I’ve always been fascinated with mastering a full split. As a long-time yogi, former figure skater, and Bring It On superfan, I’ve attempted to stretch my way to a split in the past, but never quite mastered it. Eventually, I figured my lower body just wasn’t naturally flexible enough to execute this cheer-squad staple and gave up. But according to one expert, pretty much anyone can do a split with a little time, patience, and the right conditioning. Not only is a split more accessible than you might think, but it’s a super healthy milestone to aim for, says Kristina Nekyia, founder of Los Angeles flexibility training studio Fit & Bendy. “There are so many benefits to flexibility, because flexibility is all about increasing our ability to move in the world,” says Nekyia, who has a background as a dancer, Pilates instructor, and contortionist. “It requires a very deep knowledge and understanding of your body—you learn something abut yourself through the process.” She adds that flexibility can help make you stronger in pretty much any other fitness endeavor, from running and cycling to surfing and dancing. (And let’s not forget that splits just look fun.) ad_intervals[‘391887_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘391887_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); If you’re new to flexibility training, Nekyia recommends starting with a front split, where one leg is coming out in front of you and
Sun’s out, buns out: Here’s why you’re suddenly dealing with butt acne (and what you can do to fix it)
June 17, 2019 at 12:27PM by CWC It’s an all-too-common summer scenario: We slip into a cute bikini or one piece, turn around to check out that peach, and suddenly see a big, honkin’, zit obstruction. It’s butt acne, and it’s annoying AF. (Or so my, uh, friends tell me.) Sure, pimples can sprout up on our face, but it can be especially frustrating when they show up on your butt. You’d think that area—which never, ever gets to see the light of day and just sits innocently in your underwear 24/7—would be perhaps the only part of your bod that’s exempt from acne. But(t) that just isn’t the case. One of the main culprits? A healthy—aka sweaty—lifestyle. “In our active culture where staying in our yoga pants all day is the norm, we have a high risk of developing butt acne,” says Janelle Vega, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of BIA Life. “I’d recommend showering and changing as soon as you’re done working out to prevent triggering the condition. If you suffer from it commonly, I’d also try to wear loose-fitting clothes and breathable fabrics so that the hair can exit the follicle without getting disturbed.” Bring on the cotton. ad_intervals[‘401520_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘401520_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); You read that right—Dr. Vega explains that butt acne (or “buttne,” if you wanna be cute) is actually a case of plugged-up follicles. “Butt acne is usually what we call folliculitis,” she tells me. “This
Two hairstylists spill the tea on how to get rid of frizz once and for all
June 17, 2019 at 12:01PM by CWC The weather forecast in New York City this week consists of a mix of rain, thunderstorms, and temperatures teetering between 75 and 80 degrees. It’s the type of weather that will leave you feeling sweaty and sticky before you even walk out of the house, and your hair simply doesn’t stand a chance. Humidity and frizz go together like Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen—you just can’t have one without the other. As I type this, my own hair seems to be poofing out by the minute, and what started as a straight, sleek blowout now looks like a weird, dry static-y mess. Needless to say, it ain’t cute. And since the “June Gloom” that’s currently hitting the atmosphere right now doesn’t seem to be going anywhere any time soon, I turned to the pros to find out what I could do to help the cause. “Moisture brings out natural texture,” says Melissa D’Avenio, a stylist at Antonio Prieto Salon, adding that the curlier your hair is, the more likely it’s going to frizz out. “A lot of people don’t know how to control their texture, and uncontrolled texture leads to frizz.” ad_intervals[‘401548_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘401548_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); She suggests turning to anti-humectant products, like Kerastase Fluidiste Bain Fluidealiste Shampoo ($33) and Fondant Fluidealiste Conditioner ($44), to help combat that pesky puffiness. “Preventing your hair from freaking out in this kind of weather starts in the shower,” adds
Study Reveals Why Many Lyme Patients Still Have Joint Pain After Treatment
June 17, 2019 at 11:00AM This might be the reason you can’t seem to get better. Continue Reading… Author Stephanie Eckelkamp | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
The ‘5-5-5 method’ for perfect hard-boiled eggs in an Instant Pot
June 17, 2019 at 11:07AM by CWC Fact: Eggs are incredibly versatile. You can eat ’em over-easy, poached, hard-boiled, soft-boiled, scrambled, shirred, sunny-side up—you name it. People will tell you that poaching is the most difficult technique to master, but those people are wrong. Perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs are rare indeed. While plenty of methods claim to be “the best” for making hard-boiled eggs, there’s a handy little hack that removes the guesswork and gets the job done in record time using your Instant Pot. The blog One Happy Housewife calls the tried-and-true method using an Instant Pot to make perfect hard-boiled eggs the “5-5-5 method,” which gets it’s name from the five-minute cook time, five-minute natural pressure release, and five-minute ice bath. The ‘5-5-5 method’ for hard boiled eggs in your Instant Pot Add water to your Instant Pot and arrange the eggs using an egg rack, which Valerie says is crucial to keeping the yolks centered. Then, cook on high for five minutes before allowing the five-minute pressure release. Carefully remove the eggs from the Instant Pot and give them a little ice bath, which prevents overcooking. And that’s it! Done. ad_intervals[‘401446_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘401446_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); The 5-5-5 method is especially handy if you want to boil a lot of eggs at once for an egg salad or as part of meal prep for the week. Fifteen minutes to cook a week’s worth of eggs for breakfast? Go ahead and
Mentally writing wedding vows on a first date? You, my friend, are ’emotionally masturbating’
June 17, 2019 at 09:29AM by CWC Warning: Embarrassing content ahead. Before striking out on any first date, I always (without fail) betray my better judgement and mash up my first name with the guy’s surname to see what my “married name” might be. The rational part of my brain knows that I have no desire to take my future husband’s last name. And yet, as we shake hands and sit down to drinks, I find myself planning our honeymoon and picking out drapes to frame the windows in our harbor-facing home library. The tendency to imagine far into the future of a brand spanking new relationship is what Betches co-founder Jordana Abraham calls “emotional masturbation” in her book I Had A Nice Time And Other Lies. If there’s a more appropriate name for the nonsense fantasizing that parades through my head on first dates, I certainly haven’t found it. But what to do? Is it okay to indulge my reverie? Or should I ignore my heart-eyed inner monologue? ad_intervals[‘400839_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘400839_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Abraham believes that contemplating someone new in the future tense is always, always a no-no. “I think it’s dangerous to linger in [the future] for too long because the more you let yourself fantasize about what this person could be like, or what your life could be like together, that takes you away from the reality of the situation,” she tells me. “It makes you put that person
How boxing changed my life after a Parkinson’s diagnosis at age 32
June 17, 2019 at 07:56AM by CWC Jennifer Parkinson was only 32 years old when she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a nervous system disorder that affects movement for which there is no cure. In just a few years, it became so debilitating that she could no longer perform her job as a nurse, or be there for her young kids in the way she wanted to be. After hitting a low point, Parkinson started looking for ways to take back control of her life—and boxing became her outlet. She shares her story in her own words below. I distinctly remember the very first sign that something was wrong. It was at a postpartum appointment for my son, who was six weeks old. I couldn’t stop my hand from shaking—I even tried sitting on it. At the time, I didn’t think it was an issue. After all, I was a new mom and completely sleep-deprived. (In addition to having a new baby, I also had a 3-year-old.) It was 2003, I was 30 years old, and in great health. ad_intervals[‘382302_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘382302_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); In the following months, the tremor kept coming back, off and on. I always prided myself on having nice, neat handwriting, but the tremor made my hands so shaky that I couldn’t even read my own writing. Other strange symptoms started happening, too: I started having trouble walking, having to put my hands on the walls as I
How to make applying makeup a cinch? Brush up on your brush knowledge
June 17, 2019 at 07:00AM by CWC Even though I’ve been a beauty editor for years now, I’ve gotta admit a personal weakness: I have no idea how to use makeup brushes. To me, using a makeup brush is like using a paintbrush—sure, I know how to hold one, but I have no clue how to wield it the way that makeup artists do when I watch them on YouTube. “Makeup brushes are meant to work as tools to enhance the product you’re using and make application easier,” says Chanel Temple, global makeup artist of Hourglass Cosmetics. “A great brush can make any product better and help you get the most out of it. As an artist, these tools are of vital importance.” Makeup artist and author of Lazy Perfection Jenny Patinkin agrees, noting that makeup brushes are “the same as art brushes—they give you control in how the product moves on the canvas, which in this instance is your face,” she tells me. “A great brush can make any product better and help you get the most out of it.” —Chanel Temple While your fingers are perfectly fine—I’ve survived doing my own makeup with my digits for decades—brushes can work in a different, more precise way. “There are some products I like to apply with my fingers, such as a primer or tinted moisturizer, but brushes are necessary for creating a beautifully blown-out smokey eye, or a perfectly blended contour,” says Temple. And what’s more, there might be some downsides to
This 6-minute, no-equipment upper body workout will light your arms, abs, and shoulders on fire
June 17, 2019 at 06:50AM by CWC Welcome to Trainer of the Month Club, our brand-new fitness series, where we tap the coolest most in-the-know fitness leaders to create a month-long fitness challenge. On Mondays, we have our “sweat drops” where you’ll get access to the week’s workout that you can follow along at home. In June, Meg Takacs is bringing your her strength-building series, starting with building a strong core. When someone says “upper body workout,” the first things that come to mind are moves like bicep curls and tricep kickbacks—aka things that require weights. But as trainer Meg Takacs proves with her at-home upper body workout, you can work your chest, arms, and shoulders with nothing more than your body weight. With moves like planks, push-ups, and glute bridges, you’ll be able to light up your upper body while also giving some love to your core and butt—so basically, it’s a full-body workout masking as an upper body one. And the best part? You can do it in your living room in six minutes flat… all you need is a mat, a timer, and an A++ playlist. ad_intervals[‘401395_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘401395_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); Check out the series below, and be sure to check back next week for Takac’s final workout as our June Trainer of the Month! [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNz2FNWzCvs] Do each movement for 30 seconds each, and cycle through the series twice. Pause push-up: Start in a high plank, lower down