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Month: September 2019

You and your body

This drugstore moisturizer-cleanser hybrid is the secret to baby-soft skin

2 min read

September 15, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC I’d bet that if you paused your TV at any scene in which a leading lady in a 1950s-era show is primping herself or doing her skin-care routine, you could zoom in to see a cold cream on her vanity shelf. If you’ve never heard of such a beauty product, I feel you. It was a staple of women’s regimens half a century ago, used to remove gobs of makeup and soften the skin. But if you take a look at a cold cream, it appears to just be a fluffy moisturizer. And then the name indicates that it’s some sort of sickness remedy, or a skin-care concoction that’s meant to lower the temperature of your complexion. But here’s the deal: A cold cream is essentially a moisturizing makeup remover. “Cold creams are designed to remove makeup and smooth the skin,” explains Shari Sperling, DO, a board-certified dermatologist. “They are simple emulsions of water, mineral oil, and wax, and are best used for removing makeup.” Her take on the old school beauty product? “They don’t contain ingredients that are amazing for your skin, like hyaluronic acid, so just don’t expect cold cream to be a skin-care savior. Be cautious of using too much as the high concentrations of mineral oil and soap can dry out the skin,” says Dr. Sperling. That said, they certainly can feel like a luxurious way to wash your face at night—I’d imagine it feels like you’re rocking the famous

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Vegetarians You and your body

Ever notice that garlic and onions are in just about everything? There’s a nutritional reason for that

3 min read

September 15, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC When it comes to savory dishes, you’ll be hard up to find a recipe that doesn’t call for garlic and onions. Seasonings have salt and pepper; vegetables have garlic and onion. The duo works in virtually any dish to punch up the flavor. You don’t need to be a Cooking Channel devotee to know that if something tastes bland, it’s because it needs more garlic and onions. But as it turns out, the reason why garlic and onions are in seemingly everything isn’t just about taste. One study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that alliums—bulbous plants such as chives, leeks, and yes garlic and onions—enhanced the bioavailability of zinc and iron in foods. The researchers found that when alliums were added to foods made with grains or pulses, they helped make the two nutrients more readily available in the body. Zinc is an important nutrient for keeping the immune system functioning and iron is essential for the production of hemoglobin in blood, which transfers oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. So ensuring they are bioavailable is a pretty big deal. Want to reap the benefits in a big way? Try one of the recipes below, all of which are bursting with garlic and onions Photo: Hummusapien 1. Healthy salmon corn chowder This twist on a classic corn chowder is a Mediterranean diet win. Besides garlic and onions, it’s full of other antioxidant-rich veggies, and the salmon is

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You and your body

Here’s exactly what to do if your plant’s leaves turn yellow, according to professional plant moms

6 min read

September 15, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC Whether you’re a bonafide plant lady or a known succulent killer, you know that caring for your plant babies is not an easy feat. You can do all the right things—feed them water, put them near a window, incorporate them into your self-care routine, give them names and tell them how beautiful they are every morning (just me?)—and yet, sometimes your plant’s leaves start turning yellow.  To help solve our plant conundrum, we turned to a couple of green-thumbed pros to find out why (dear God, why?)  those plant leaves are turning yellow (there are seven common reasons) and what you can do to keep your potted pals looking lush and oh so green.  Here are 7 reasons that could explain why your plant leaves are turning yellow 1. The plant needs more water One of the things that can cause plant leaves to turn yellow is that the plant’s roots aren’t getting enough water. This can happen if you’re just watering the top of the soil. To fix this, Joyce Mast, Bloomscape’s “plant mom,” recommends soaking the bottom of the plant by filling up your sink with 2-4 inches of water and setting the plant in there for 30 minutes. This will allow it to soak up the water from the bottom. Next, drain the sink and let the plant rest there for a bit to let excess water trickle down. Repeat every four weeks.  2. The plant is overwatered The color

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You and your body

A dermatologist says it’s “mandatory” to do one thing before your brow wax

3 min read

September 15, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC Going to get your eyebrows waxed is a fairly mindless experience. All you’ve gotta do is tell your waxer what you want, then sit back, relax, and muscle through the pain for like, six minutes, before the entire thing is over and you’re on your merry way.  There’s literally nothing to think about except whether you want to opt for an additional lip wax, and what kind of snack you’re going to treat yourself to after the appointment…right? Well, not exactly. There is actually one thing that should be top of mind that you probably haven’t considered, and that’s your skin-care routine. “Many people make the mistake of not thinking about how their skin type and skin-care regimen can affect their brow shaping experience,” says celebrity eyebrow artist Robin Evans. Some ingredients that raise a red flag? Retinoids and alpha hydroxy acids, which can make skin more sensitive and change the way it reacts to the wax. “I do a verbal consultation with my new clients, to see if they’re using Retin-A or Differin (both are retinoids), AHAs, or have recently had peels, so I can decide if I need to be more careful with the waxing—or not wax at all,” says Evans. These products make skin more sensitive, which means that, in addition to ripping out your brow hair, the wax could also take off some skin. “Retinoids decrease the thickness of the stratum corneum which is the outermost layer of the skin,”

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Yoga You and your body

Boost your balance *and* lower body strength with the pendulum lunge

2 min read

September 15, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC When it comes to building up your lower body, lunges are all-stars. You only have to do a handful of them to start feeling the burn. But amping things up with a variation of the move could help increase your strength and boost your balancing skills in the process. Unlike a regular lunge, the pendulum lunge involves one foot staying on the ground as the opposite leg alternates between a forward and reverse lunge—the ultimate test of balance as you’re trying your hardest not to fall over. “This movement is effective as it trains strength, balance, and control—muscle acceleration and deceleration—in multiple directions,” says Gideon Akande, personal trainer and founding instructor at Shadowbox Chicago. “The more you perform and perfect this movement, the better your proprioception, spacial awareness, and overall athletic ability will be.” At first, the pendulum lunge can be hard to nail down. Once you do, you’ll be reaping benefits far beyond a tighter toosh and super-toned legs. Here’s exactly how to do one at home, according to Akande. How to perform a pendulum lunge Start with your feet side by side. Step into a forward lunge, bringing your back knee toward the ground. Be sure that your forward knee stays stacked above the same-side ankle. Without lifting your back foot, explode into a reverse lunge with your forward leg. The legs have now switched between forward and back in the transition. Repeat the pendulum motion for 8 to 12 reps per side

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