December 26, 2019 at 06:30PM by CWC Whether you’re buying for yourself or your besties, this is truly the season of giving—so it’s no wonder Amazon had record-breaking numbers this year with billions of items delivered around the globe. While that included everything from home tech to kitchen goods (hello, Instant Pot!), some of the top beauty items really stood out. Customers went wild in the makeup, skincare, and personal hygiene departments. And out of all the items they scored, there were five in particular that were purchased more than anything else. These are the best-selling beauty products on Amazon. Makeup Haus Laboratories by Lady Gaga Glam Room Palette No.1: FAME, $34 This shimmery liquid powder eye shadow is super pigmented, long-wearing, and buildable, allowing you to swipe it on for work or build it up for a night out. Skincare Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, $17 This drying lotion should be in everyone’s acne-fighting arsenal. All you need to do is apply a small dab on your whitehead and leave it on overnight for clearer skin in the morning. EltaMD UV Clear Facial Sunscreen Broad-Spectrum SPF 46, $33 If you have sensitive or acne-prone skin, this oil-free sunscreen is for you. The mineral-based option calms your skin while protecting it, giving you a two-for-one skincare win. Personal hygiene Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Classic Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush, $140 This high-tech toothbrush has five different brushing modes and a timer, and it works so good that it removes seven times more plaque than
Year: 2019
12 muscle-melting stretches that will have your whole body saying “ahhh”
December 26, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC In 2019, recovery was the fitness trend that reigned supreme, and because of this, we’ve spent the last 365 on the hunt to find the best ways to have our muscles saying ahhh! While the Theragun and the foam roller certainly found a place in our routines, in the past year, we also couldn’t get enough good old fashioned stretching to warm up and cool down the body. As the clock ticks into a new decade, we’re taking a moment to revisit the top stretches we’ve learned this past year. Whether they’ve been recommended by physical therapists, fitness trainers, or yogis, these are our fave mobility and flexibility-boosting stretches for every inch of the body. We’re talking hip flexor stretches, yoga poses that open your back right up, jaw stretches (because these are important too!), and everything else you can dream of. Keep scrolling for 2019’s best stretches to memorize—and consider bookmarking ’em for easy reference in all future workouts. Your body will thank you. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMfTHG6QeVE] 1. For your hip flexors: fire log pose It’s tough to get into, but once your legs are set up into the fire log pose (also known as the “double pigeon”), your hip tightness will dissolve into thin air. Be sure to keep your feet flexed in the position with your shins stacked on top of each other. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQMEX_nHFR0] 2. For your hips and hammies: figure-four stretch When we asked a trainer who stretches people for a living what
The weirdest wellness things we tried this year (and the verdicts)
December 26, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC If there’s one thing to be said about life as a wellness reporter, it’s that boredom is not part of the job description. Team Well+Good spends hours each month trying new fitness trends, testing new technology, and vetting woo-woo wellness practitioners—and as you can imagine, some of the opportunities that cross our desks are more out-there than others. As 2019 winds down, we’re looking back on some of the most out-there products, experiences, and fitness trends we tried this year. Not all of them got our seal of approval—let’s just say that you can probably take “get busy at a sex resort” off your bucket list—but we did take something away from every oddball experience. Keep reading to find out which weird wellness activities you might want to add to your 2020 itinerary, and which ones you can confidently skip. 1. I worked out in CBD-laced leggings—and boy, do I have some feels Beauty and fitness editor Rachel Lapidos braved a HIIT class wearing Acabada’s CBD-infused leggings and sports bra, in hopes that they’d help ward off post-workout soreness. While one osteopathic doctor claims the concept may not be as bonkers as it sounds, our intrepid reporter says she didn’t notice much of a difference in her recovery. 2. Here’s what happened when i tried “vabbing” and wore my vaginal secretions as perfume for a week When she heard that dabbing one’s own vaginal secretions behind their ears may help make them more
This blow dryer is the best thing I bought this year, and it has rendered my straightening iron useless
December 26, 2019 at 04:02PM by CWC Let’s get this out of the way right here at the beginning: I know how absurd it is to spend $400 on a blow dryer. Which is why for two years, I resisted the urge to try the Dyson Supersonic, rolling my eyes at the people who told me it changed their lives thinking, “It’s a blow dryer—how great can it really be?” Welp, I’m here to (reluctantly) tell you: It really is that great, and worth the $400 price tag. I tried the Dyson Supersonic ($400) for the first time this year at the behest of famed celebrity hairstylist Jon Reyman, who (like so many other people) told me the dryer would change my life. Turns out, he was right. The dryer, equipped with its new wide-tooth comb attachment, is honestly the best thing I’ve ever done for my hair. Photo: Amazon Shop Now: Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer The Dyson Supersonic has become a sort of unicorn in the beauty world—even if you haven’t tried one for yourself, you’ve likely heard someone bragging about how magical it is. When it came out in 2016, its technology was touted as above and beyond anything the haircare world had ever seen before, and it wasn’t an exaggeration. There are a number of features that set the Dyson apart from every other dryer on the market: The motor is teeny-tiny, and located in the handle of the dryer to help you avoid mid-styling shoulder soreness; it’s
Dame’s co-founders made your sex toys objectively chic, and the duo is just getting started
December 26, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC In 2014, sexologist Alexandra Fine and engineer Janet Lieberman joined forces with a then-lofty goal in mind: to close the pleasure gap. But as the decade waned, the public discourse about sexual wellness as it pertains to vulva-owners expanded, and Dame Products continued setting records with launch after launch of sleek-looking sex toys. These innovative products have developed a cult following for solving problems many consumers may not have realized they had in the first place—and even if they did realize, they likely wouldn’t have voiced concern. In large part thanks to the thoughtful engineering of each item in Dame’s catalog, plus chic design elements that strongly make the case for displaying the products in plain sight atop nightstands rather than hidden deep within drawers, Fine and Lieberman can be credited for cultivating an audience of loud, proud aficionados of sexual wellness. Below, the co-founders (who are on Well+Good’s list of 2020 Changemakers) share how they got to this place and what’s next for both Dame Products and pleasure for all. Well+Good: Can you fill in the blanks that led you two to start Dame? Alex’s background is in human sexuality and Janet’s is in engineering, which seems like the perfect equation for the foundation of a sex-toy company. Alexandra Fine, co-founder and CEO (pictured above, left): I’ve truly always been interested in sex. As far back as I can remember, it seemed like a really natural thing to be curious about. Originally,
An underwater yoga class in Dubai helped me find inner peace after a breakup
December 26, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC I’m an active, exercise-loving person—but my favorite workouts are sweaty, high-intensity sessions, à la Rumble and SoulCycle. I prefer to be so busy that I’m more focused on the struggle to catch my breath than on mindfulness about my breath’s very existence. I generally use my workouts as a means to distract me from how I’m feeling (whether that’s good or bad), so I can clear my mind and think about nothing at all. However, a recent breakup, which heightened my anxious thoughts, changed all of that. I tried calming yoga for anxiety, and it worked. In the weeks following the rough breakup, I couldn’t eat, I barely slept, and my mind was running amok in circles. Traveling generally would have been a great, Eat, Pray, Love-approved way to escape these emotions, but unfortunately, my ex was slated to join me on a work trip I was taking to Dubai only a few weeks after our breakup. Clearly, that plan was no longer in tact. And even the trip itself, which I had be excited to take, became an emotional trigger. So, when I found myself newly single and sad about it in the UAE, I searched for HIIT-style workouts to help take my mind off the anxious thoughts that wouldn’t stop buzzing: What’s he doing right now? Is he seeing other women? What could I have done differently? When will I be able to think about something else? And while I did
Checks+Balanced: How to budget for early retirement while maintaining healthy habits
December 26, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC Do you know how much money your friends make? What about how much their rent is or how much is in their bank accounts right now? I’m guessing no. Even in a world where questions about menstrual cups and the ins and outs of sex are completely (and blessedly) normal to ask, somehow the ever-ubiquitous use of money remains a touchy subject for many. People want to live their healthiest life ever, but—#realtalk—it can add up. Have you ever wondered how your colleague who makes less than you do (or so you think) can afford to buy a $5 matcha and a $12 chopped salad every day? Or how your friend is able to hit up $34 fitness classes three times a week? It’s enough to make anyone want to ask, “Ummm, excuse me. How can you afford that?!?” That’s where Well+Good’s monthly series Checks+Balanced comes in. By lifting the thick, tightly drawn curtain to expose how much women of varying income brackets spend on wellness, we’re spreading transparency and hopefully providing some inspo that’s possible to copy. Because no matter how much you make, it’s possible to cultivate healthy habits that work within your budget. This month, meet *Leslie, a 37-year-old living in Hawaii with her husband and two kids. Leslie and her husband have a shared goal of early retirement, in 10 years. Leslie loves to eat healthy and work out, but because saving is her family’s main goal, she’s prioritized living simply. Keep reading to see how
5 plant-based proteins that won’t mess with your digestion
December 26, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC In the healthy food space, 2019 was dominated by all things plant-based. Alt-meat brands like Beyond Meat and Impossible spawned countless imitators from other companies as more and more people became interested in cutting back on their consumption of animal products for better health and the environment. But there’s one surprising, occasional hazard when consuming plant-based protein options. “Unfortunately, when introducing more plant-based protein sources, our digestion can take a hit. That’s because animal proteins tend to be more easily digested by our bodies, and plant proteins can be harder to digest and are absorbed more slowly by our bodies,” says Gabrielle McGrath, MS, RD, LDN, dietitian for Baze. Still you can ease discomfort, especially during the initial transition, by choosing the best plant-based protein sources, reading labels, and being patient with your body during the adjustment. Here are a few tips to keep in mind. Why some plant-based protein sources can impact the gut Certain ingredients common in plant-based protein sources—particularly the processed kind—can be trickier on the gut. “Soy—like tofu—can be hard to digest and cause gas, bloating, and discomfort for some people. Some people do better with fermented soy products, tempeh being one example,” McGrath says. You’ll also find soy protein isolate (a processed derivative of soy) in fake meat products, as well as preservatives, additives, and emulsifiers. “Your body might not react well to each one of these and the more ingredients listed, the harder it can be to
Horsetail herb is one of the oldest remedies on Earth—here’s exactly how to use it
December 26, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC After overindulging in stress, unhealthy stress-coping mechanisms (read: wine), and blood-pressure raising political discussions with climate change-denying relatives, I’m looking forward to January, my favorite month of the year and also prime time for optimizing personal wellness. To prep, I’ve begun to entertain the side of myself that’s always wanted to be a potion-concocting witch. (So much so that in elementary school, I painstakingly crafted an entire book of spells, only to later destroy it out of Catholic guilt.) My modern-day version of this early art project is to stock my pantry full of plant medicine I can utilize to heal all that ails me in the aftermath of the year that was way, way too much. One such nature-based remedy I’m looking forward to incorporating into my arsenal is horsetail herb. While its origins in witchcraft are unknown (at least to me), herbalist Rachelle Robinett says it’s one of the oldest-used medicinal plants on the planet. In Ayurveda, it’s used to treat inflammation, and it was also used by Native Americans as a kidney aid, dysuria (read: painful pee) treatment, and diuretic. The latter benefits are born of the plant’s flavonoid (read: antioxidant) and saponin (read: anti-cancer) constituents, Lang explains. These aren’t only healing properties of horsetail herb. “It’s rich in naturally occurring calcium, magnesium, potassium, and bioavailable silica,” Robinett tells me, noting that it’s actually higher in silica than any other herb. “Silica is an essential trace mineral that restores weak
There are 38 million power yoga videos—these are the 9 best you can do in 10 minutes or less
December 25, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC When you want a feel-good, low-impact workout that also makes you work up a sweat in minimal time, there’s one answer: power yoga. Unlike your traditional calming flow, it’s basically a high-intensity form of yoga that focuses on cardio and strength-building. Hello, full-body burn. Maybe a 45-minute class is fine for a typical class, but all you need is 10 minutes or less when you’re doing power yoga. And while there are 38.5 million videos to choose from, these are the best options you can do in 10 minutes or less. Prepare to get sweaty… and grab the foam roller, because you’re going to be sore. The best power yoga workouts you can do in 10 minutes or less [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNMFPjdUmNY] 1. Rebecca Louise 10-minute full-body power yoga workout The nice thing about this power yoga circuit is you can make it as easy or as hard as you want. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oar85e9GdLw] 2. Deliciously Ella sweaty 10-minute fire flow You’ll definitely get your cardio in with this fun—yet challenging!—flow. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoLq9c2SnIE] 3. Five Parks Yoga 10-minute power yoga class This power yoga video isn’t for newbies. If you’re still working on your balance, you might want to start with another option. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZhltdpDiNE] 4. Yoga With Bird 5-minute morning yoga power flow Only have 5 minutes? Then this morning yoga power flow is the perfect way to start your day. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpiCU1VMfDs] 5. PsycheTruth 10-minute power yoga workout If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly