October 30, 2019 at 11:12PM You can still have a super-fun holiday—without feeling terrible after. Continue Reading… Author Liz Moody | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
Day: October 30, 2019
How to use your playlist to turn your bad mood around in 3 minutes flat
October 30, 2019 at 11:00PM by CWC Gloria Estefan is my bad mood hero. Allow me to explain: There are occasions where, when I’m left all alone, I can find myself getting a little too lost in my thoughts (a staple Aquarius trait, BTW). Overthinking plus a gloomy gray day and a mellow soundtrack—Frank Ocean, to be specific—and it becomes the perfect storm for an existential crisis. On a recent occasion like this, I texted my boyfriend about how I was spiraling into a really sad mood. “Turn on Miami Sound Machine! Flip it, flip it!” he wrote back. Three seconds into “Conga” and I was back to my normal, chipper self. It’s been a recent discovery that Gloria Estefan—of Miami Sound Machine fame, if you’re not familiar—music has the utmost power of putting me into a good mood no matter how sad or angry I might have felt just moments before. It’s actually not surprising though, once you think about how much research backs the powerful influence of music on your psyche. What you’re listening to, music-wise, has been proven to help with mood regulation, and with making you feel good, so something more upbeat boosts how you’re feeling on a psychological level. Hence the power of Gloria Estefan, whose voice infiltrates my body its core and sends actual dopamine to my brain to quite literally turn my frown upside down “Even just listening to a song is one of the most direct routes to emotional control, because music makes
7 cruelty-free drugstore cosmetics your face (and wallet) will thank you for
October 30, 2019 at 11:00PM by CWC I’m a stickler for cruelty-free makeup. I simply won’t purchase or use any cosmetics that have been tested on animals. While I’m really not particular about a lot of things, if I can’t find a seal of approval from an animal welfare organization, I’m not buying your lipstick or eyeliner. As I’m trying to be a more conscientious consumer, I’ve noticed that there’s a common misconception that cruelty-free cosmetics are expensive and really hard to find. That, unless you’re willing to shell out a ton of money at the beauty counter on luxe, independent brands— sorry!—you’re out of luck. Plot twist, my friends: you can buy quality cruelty-free makeup at just about any drugstore. Walgreens, CVS, Rite-Aid—you name it. At your local drugstore, you’ll find cruelty-free brands that won’t break the bank, like Burt’s Bees and e.l.f. Cosmetics, which particularly dedicated to the cause. (According to PETA, “the company has never conducted, commissioned, or paid for tests on animals anywhere in the world.”) NYX Cosmetics, though owned by L’Oreal, remains 100 percent cruelty-free and “does not conduct, commission, or pay for tests on animals for its ingredients, formulations, or finished products.” With most products under $35 (and some as cheap as $2), there’s something for every budget at the drugstore. If you’re willing to pay a little more, Milani and Physician’s Formula not only avoid animal testing, they’re also vegan can completely avoid animal by-products in development. Look no futher. These are some
Sarah Michelle Gellar shares her two-word mantra to get you through any tough time
October 30, 2019 at 09:30PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUCn7BbXgwA] Want to know what Sarah Michelle Gellar is reading? Watch the full video here. Nobody has been waiting for the Sarah Michelle Gellar renaissance like I have. Her Instagram is my self care; every time I need a burst of wholesome, glowing energy, she rises to the top of my newsfeed. Clearly I’m up to speed with the goings on of her world she feels compelled to share, but those who don’t follow as diligently usually associate Gellar with her status as a ’90s icon, half of #couplesgoals with Freddie Prinze Jr., and, yes, Buffy Summers. But, she’s so much more. In the latest episode of The Avocado Show, Well+Good’s YouTube series where our favorite celebs sit down with our favorite fruit, Gellar reminds us that she’s an entrepreneur, a mom, and—AHHH!!!—returning to TV. In fact, Gellar is cast in not one but two upcoming shows: Other People’s Houses and the Ellen Degeneres-produced limited series Sometimes I Lie. While sitting down with beauty and fitness editor Zoë Weiner over tuna tartare with avocado and caviar, Gellar divulges what she missed most about television: “I missed my trailer,” she says. “No, I’m just kidding. I miss telling stories, I’m a storyteller. And the beauty of my life now is I get to be both; I get to be an entrepreneur and have a company, and I also get to be a storyteller.” ICYMI, Gellar is a co-founder of Foodstirs, an organic and non-GMO
Beauty Horror Story: I dyed my blonde hair plum, and it never was the same
October 30, 2019 at 07:57PM by CWC I wanted to be the Princess of Darkness, and that’s my fault. I was 14 and eager to amp my goth street cred by dyeing my hair purple. I had taken enough “Are you gothic?” Quizilla quizzes to know that blonde hair was for “preps only,” and my mom had little sympathy towards this plight. Finally, the summer before my freshmen year, she caved with a compromise: She would dye my hair a semi-permanent, wash-out plum color with the expectation that it wouldn’t do any irreparable damage. Oh, but it did. I’m not a colorist, but here’s some “Home Dye for Rebellious Teens 101”: To get that really vibrant hue, you’re supposed to bleach your whole head and Manic Panic the hell out of it. I was not allowed to do this, because my mother was afraid the peroxide would make my hair fall out in clumps. And so, we slathered the dye over my dark blonde strands late one summer. When I leaned back in the sink I could feel the magenta foam seep into them, guaranteeing I would be a true Lord of the Underworld. When I looked in the mirror, though, all I could see was a monster. Spoiler alert: The demi-gloss that sat over my dusty, not-bleached blonde hair and created a sort of shadowy plum tinge that was not at all what I was going for. My olive skin gets a pretty Trumpian glow in the summer, so
A ranking of sustainable food that’s best for your health *and* the planet
October 30, 2019 at 07:39PM by CWC Sustainability is more than a buzzword. It’s a win all around when the sustainable food on your plate benefits your body as well as the environment. Fostering our personal relationship with Earth—and the global community of food sourcing—connects us to a greater responsibility as inhabitants of this planet. A new large-scale analysis published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences examines the environmental impact and healthfulness of 15 different foods. Researchers considered which foods have been scientifically linked to decreasing the risk of disease in combination with the resources required to produce them. Not all foods are created equal when it comes to nutrition, water consumption, pollution, deforestation, and soil erosion. Unsurprisingly, processed foods and red meat negatively impact the environment 40 times more than vegetables and raise the risk of cardiovascular disease. Fortunately, Many of the foods you already eat are good sustainable food choices. This is the sustainable food that’s best for you and the planet 1. Vegetables You’ve known since you wouldn’t eat them as a child that vegetables are good for you. And now you know they’re the best food you can eat as far as the environment is concerned. Researchers found that vegetables have the most minimal impact on the Earth. There are 12 vegetable you need to buy organic—and 15 you don’t: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncHSaA0-Chg] 2. fruit After vegetables, fruit ranked high both in terms of health and sustainability. Like vegetables, fruits don’t require an
2 Tarot Spreads That Are Just Spooky Enough For Halloween
October 30, 2019 at 06:03PM Drop the candy and grab your deck. Continue Reading… Author Emma Loewe | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
How e-commerce became the best thing to happen to female pleasure
October 30, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC Few acts of self-love are quite as giving (and giving, and giving) as purchasing a vibrator with which you can really see a future. How do I know? Well, when I (and a loud-and-proud comments section on Amazon) sang the praises of the Tracy’s Dog Clitoral Sucking Vibrator not so long ago, you, reader, listened—over 2,000 of you clicked our link to the retailer to see about procuring the device. It serves as a reminder that when it comes to buying sex toys online and owning our pleasure, the internet generously giveth. And, really, it’s remarkable how far we’ve come, (so to speak). ICYMI, the vibrator was not invented as the purple silicone symbol of sexual liberation that so many of us have gloriously grown to know. Originally, it was a handy-dandy Victorian device used to cure women of hysteria, the long-dismissed catchall diagnosis for symptoms like fainting, nervousness, sexual forwardness (deeply ironic), and then some. (The device was invented by a man, Dr. Joseph Mortimer Granville, in 1883 for the original purpose of alleviating muscle soreness, and he was none-to-pleased by its “mis-use.”) Anyway, women eventually figured out that the hysteria-treating “pelvic massages” could do oh, oh, oh, oh, oh so many things for them, but throughout most of history, we’ve kept our love of the vibe on the DL. Until relatively recently. In the late ’90s, a few pop-culture moments brought certain vibrators to the spotlight (lord knows the Rabbit popped out
How emergency shelters rebuild community for thousands of Californians displaced by wildfires
October 30, 2019 at 05:30PM by CWC As 12 active wildfires burn throughout California, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate their homes to temporary shelters. Churches, fairgrounds, community centers, and other spaces have been converted quickly into safe havens. These shelters are outfitted to provide comfort and a sense of community after catastrophe tears through routine, says American Red Cross director of disaster public affairs Nigel Holderby. “The Red Cross works closely with emergency management officials to develop plans before disasters and during emergencies, all while continuously coordinating relief services with local emergency operations centers,” Holderby tells Well+Good. “Regardless of who takes the lead for sheltering in a particular community, the Red Cross is there to support in a number of ways. For example, we can provide food, as well as supplies like cots and blankets.” The efforts of the Red Cross don’t end with physical safety. The organization also staffs shelters with caretakers ready to help carry the emotional weight of evacuation. “We also offer other services, such as health and emotional support, spiritual care, family reunification, relief supplies, and recovery assistance,” she says. “A nationwide network of thousands of Red Cross disaster mental health workers are trained to work collaboratively with local mental health resources to provide emotional support to disaster victims and responders.” Support means different things to different people—and volunteers at evacuation centers do their best to cater to as many definitions of a home away from home as possible. Volunteers do
Apple is paying attention to the noise around you—here’s why you should, too
October 30, 2019 at 04:33PM by CWC Apple AirPods are the best-selling wireless headphone in the world. Whether you love ’em for making your time at the gym more seamless, for sharing a bud with a friend, or for getting in the zone at work, they’ve pushed the boundaries of audio-enhanced experiences. With the Wednesday release of the AirPods Pro ($250), Apple introduces noise cancelling into the already advanced technology of the buds. The latest AirPods allow the user to toggle between three listening modes: “off” (which doesn’t manipulate the sounds around you), “transparency” (which allows you to tune in to your music and the world simultaneously), and—the standout feature of Apple’s new product—noise cancellation (which dismisses any sound not found on your playlist). Like a technological magic trick, the noise-cancelling ear buds take in the sound around you and adjust it for a crisp, uninterrupted listening experience. “An outward-facing microphone detects external sound, and AirPods Pro then counter it with equal anti-noise, canceling outside noise before you hear it. An inward-facing microphone listens inside your ear, enabling AirPods Pro to also eliminate unwanted internal sound with anti-noise,” explained Apple in a press release. And get this: the noise cancellation adjusts sound 200 times per second. The AirPods Pro are an appropriate follow-up for the new Apple Watch Series 5, which introduced a feature designed to keep you aware of harmful levels of noise. When your watch alerts you to an unsafe decibel of noise, you can now put in