Month: October 2019

October 12, 2019 at 03:00AM by CWC You know that moment where you cannot get over how profoundly you effed up? How you shoulda-woulda-coulda done something differently? We all make mistakes. What if I told you there’s a few ways that you can build up your embarrassment tolerance against them? Oh, yes, a mindset shift against mistakes is more or less possible. Psychology Today  recently outlined the fives things it takes to build up our mistake tolerance: embracing trial and error, owning our mistakes and being mindful that perfectionism can get in the way, turning mistakes into life lessons, labeling mistakes and not ourselves, and being open to screwing up. All of this falls under the gigantic umbrella of Good Advice, and might make you feel less afraid of messing up and taking those big risks. However, when you’ve already done yourself dirty and you still can’t help identifying as a loser, baby, there’s one rebrand you should try. That is, seeing mistakes as an element of growth. “It’s so easy to get into the habit of believing that we are our mistakes, yet the truth of the matter is that we are an amalgamation of ALL that we learn in life,” says Carla Marie Manly, PhD, author of Joy From Fear. “Thus, if we make a mistake and embrace it as a growth opportunity, it is the lesson learned—the growth factor—that becomes part of the psyche. If, however, we see the mistake as a failure of the self—rather than

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October 12, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC It’s estimated that every pimple has a 6 percent chance of turning into a permanent scar, according to New York-based dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD. That’s not super high—what’s more common is actually hyperpigmentation. “Think of these dark spots like stains in the skin from where there used to be inflammation,” he says. Hyperpigmentation and acne can go hand in hand, but which one should you focus your skin-care efforts on first? “Unfortunately, the dark spots tend to stick around for much longer than the original pimple and can take several months to fade,” says Dr. Zeichner. While there are some treatments that can tackle acne and hyperpigmentation at the same time, like retinoids, he says that out of the two problems, dealing with the acne should take priority. Think of it when a guy says he’s just got too much going on, like his volleyball league, to commit to you, but he’s still down to come over at 1 a.m. Acne is the volleyball league, you’re the hyperpigmentation. This is not a perfect analogy, but it’s the one the internet generally deserves. “Unless you treat the acne, you will be fighting a vicious cycle of new pimples leaving new dark spots,” says Dr. Zeichner. “Generally speaking I tackle the acne first. Once that is under control, then I address the hyperpigmentation.” Some ingredients that can be used to treat dark spots, like rose hip oil, will not help with acne. So leave those

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October 12, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC Gather around and I’ll tell you one of life’s simple truths: Some days, your workouts will make you feel like Simone Biles. Others, you’ll feel like Danny Zuko trying to dribble a basket ball. It’s not exactly clear why you might “kill it one day and it kills you the next,” but Mike Fantigrassi, NASM CPT, CNC, a certified personal trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine, has some ideas. Before unpacking the causes behind a not-so-great workout, Fantigrassi says that you first need to know the magic formula for creating a great one. “When you have a really good workout, it’s likely because you ate really well and you slept well,” says the trainer. On top of that, he says that the best exercises happen when your nervous system is functioning well. Meaning, your mind is just as on board with the spin class ahead as, say, your legs. When these three factors align, you’re set up to crush your sweat goals. When you have a bad workout 24 hours after an amazing one, Fantigrassi says that you’re likely falling short on one or more of these factors. Let’s say you ace an epic treadmill workout, skip a refueling breakfast, have a stressful day at work, and burn the midnight oil trying to get ahead of your to-do list. All those factors are stacked up against you, and the straw that breaks the camels back—according to Fantigrassi —is muscle soreness. When you go

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October 11, 2019 at 11:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIrOT6TMm_8&w=560&h=315] Do you use dry shampoo? Or texturizing hair products? (Same.) Well then, your scalp might just look like it’s covered in anthills of… gunk. At least, that’s what our video producer Ella Dove discovered about her own head when a scalp facialist took a very, extremely close-up (and personal!) look at it in our latest episode of What the Wellness, Well+Good’s video series that explores whether the most out-there health practices are weird or worth it. This magnified head selfie is just the normal first step of getting a scalp detoxifying treatment, which Dove goes on to experience at Blow Me Away salon in Los Angeles. These facials for your scalp are just what they sound like—a treatment meant to address buildup at the roots—and they’re popping up all over the U.S. as we realize just how important having a healthy scalp is in order to have healthy (and pretty and shiny) hair. Head spas that provide treatments for your scalp have actually been popular in Japan for a long time, but we’re just now becoming keen to the trend here. During the 60-minute treatment, Dove’s head gets cleansed, massaged, given its very own aromatherapy sesh, and then steamed and exfoliated. It’s honestly a lot like what would happen in a facial for your face. As her scalp gets the TLC it deserves, we learn some pretty fascinating stuff about what it takes to have good hair. Watch the whole thing

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October 11, 2019 at 10:39PM by CWC Even though all of my friends and colleagues have different skin types, we all have (at least) one single common denominator in our skin-care routines: micellar water. It’s one of the few beauty products that can work for e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e, with zero irritation or inflammation involved, since it’s as gentle as a butterfly as it removes gunk and makeup from your face. Besides being a fan-fave for its gentleness, people have heart eyes for micellar water because it’s easy AF to use. Typically, you just soak a cotton ball or cotton pad, or even just pour it on your hands, and swipe it all over your face before going on with the rest of your regimen. But… nope. Dermatologists actually say that some people should be rinsing it off, not just leaving it on their skin. … Cue the record scratch. “Micellar water contains surfactants, which can disrupt the structure of the skin,” says Shari Sperling, DO, a board-certified dermatologist. Surfactants are the part of the micellar water’s formula that work to attract the oil on your face, which is what removes debris. “These can be irritating and should be rinsed off your face, not left on.” While some people can tolerate leaving it on without a problem, those with reactive skin need to be more careful, says Shirley Chi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in California. “There are a few people out there that can’t leave anything on their skin because they’re so reactive, so

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