February 25, 2020 at 02:00PM by CWC Decoding the foundation section at your local makeup shop can be quite an undertaking. There are powders, creams, and mousses—not to mention different levels of coverage, as well. But if you’re not sure which of these types of foundation coverage to reach for, fear not: We’ve tapped makeup artists for the low-down on light, medium, and full-coverage foundation. “Choosing a light, medium, or full-coverage option will depend on your desired finish and the skin conditions that you might want to cover,” says celebrity makeup artist Meredith Baraf. Though it sounds like it’d be obvious what each level of coverage entails, knowing the nuances of each will help you to choose a foundation that really works for your skin’s needs. With that said, keep scrolling for what to know about the three types of foundation coverage levels, along with makeup artists’ fave products in each category. Graphic: Well+Good Creative Light coverage Light coverage foundation is the most skin-identical option. These formulas subtly even the skin without fully covering it up, according to Baraf. Chief makeup artist for Albolene Carl Ray—who works with Michelle Obama, BTW—notes that light coverage is minimal (in a surprise to exactly no one). “Your freckles will show through, your pores won’t be clogged—it’s for someone who maybe doesn’t like the way makeup feels on their skin,” he says. According to Ray, these are pretty sheer options, such as tinted SPF, BB creams, and CC creams. Shop Buy Now Beautycounter Tint
Month: February 2020
6 tips to become a more conscientious person who does right by everyone
February 25, 2020 at 01:00PM by CWC A big reason many struggle with maintaining a sense of conscientiousness boils down to personality. As one of the Big Five personality traits that essentially measures your preferences and style, conscientiousness means having a vested interest in doing the right thing. And, of course you want to do the right thing at work, with your partner, and even with yourself. You probably want to be more conscientious. In fact, a recent study conducted by the University of Arizona found that conscientiousness is a top personality trait people want to increase (alongside extraversion and emotional stability). But, is the goal to become more conscientious even a reasonable, achievable one to work toward? “Being conscientious is an important trait, as it provides a foundation for greater awareness of the self and others.” —psychologist Carla Marie Manly, PhD Well, to a degree. By the time you reach adulthood, many facets of your personality are more or less set in stone. Still, even stone can be chiseled into a better version of you. “Although conscientiousness is often a result of what is learned and developed throughout childhood, a person can definitely work on becoming more conscientious throughout life,” says clinical psychologist Carla Marie Manly, PhD, who adds that it’s certainly a worthwhile effort. “Being conscientious is an important trait, as it provides a foundation for greater awareness of the self and others. As we work on being more conscientious as a way of life, we are able
I’m an RD, and these are the myths about nightshades I want you to stop believing
February 25, 2020 at 12:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjpimNuTtJM] PSA: Some of the healthiest foods on the planet happen to be nightshades. Here’s why that’s really NBD. From the one-meal-a-day (OMAD) diet to “dry fasting” there are a lot of questionable food trends that can pop up in the healthy eating world out of nowhere. But it turns out, one (literally) shady one isn’t as sketchy as the rap is gets: nightshades. Nightshades is the name of the groups of fruits and veggies that belong to the solanum family of plants. While some foods in this family are inedible, many are perfectly safe for consumption, like eggplants, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, and goji berries. But despite their safety, some people (ahem Tom Brady) have sworn them off completely for their potential effects on inflammation. So, are nightshades inflammatory, or have we been freaked out for no reason? In our latest episode of You Versus Food, Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, debunks some of the murkiest myths around the group of fruits and veggies. And it turns out, most of the rumors about the plants aren’t quite true. For starters, much of the fuss comes from a misunderstanding of the compound solanine, which is found in some species of the nightshade family. “Some people believe that solanine, found in foods like white potato, eggplant, peppers, apples and blueberries, aggravates arthritis pain, inflammation and causes digestive complications,” says Beckerman. However, these theories aren’t rooted in robust scientific research, she says. “Plus, most solanine gets
4 of the best non-clumpy mascaras that are like ‘boyfriend jeans’ for your lashes
February 25, 2020 at 03:00AM by CWC When we talk about the finished effect that we all want for our lashes, the reigning philosophy is “more is more.” Just look at the skyscraper-high promises on tubes of mascara and the boom of eyelash extensions as proof. However, if you’re a fringe minimalist who just wants to slightly darken your lash line, you’ve finally got something to be excited about: Inky, barely-there formulas are here to end your search for the best non clumpy mascara. I’m calling these the “boyfriend jeans of mascaras.” Like a good pair of worn-in denim, these mascaras from brands like Glossier, Serge Lutens, and Saie Beauty wear like a dream, and feel cool without being overly stuffy or done. “I consider this [mascara look] for a cool-girl who just isn’t trying too hard,” says Laney Crowell, founder and CEO of Saie Beauty. “You can layer these and build them up, which is something you can’t do with other mascaras because they can get really clumpy.” At the same time that you’re getting subtle volume, you’re also getting a better-for-lashes formula with ingredients such as vitamin E and biotin. So, basically, the skin-care-meets-makeup movement has come for your lashes, and we are here for it. Keep scrolling to get one for your makeup bag. Glossier Lash Slick, $16 Photo: Glossier The Glossier mascara has the tiniest combs on its wand, which works to coat every single eyelash hair for a fanned-out look. The brand dubs it a
The scientific verdict on the healthfulness of eggs
February 25, 2020 at 03:00AM by CWC We all know someone who insists on ordering egg whites at brunch. Surely an egg white omelette is healthier than one with yolk—if it’s even healthy at all. Americans have long been confused about eggs, especially when it comes to heart health. Despite the rise of the ketogenic diet (an eating habit for which eggs practically serve as the mascot), many still make a conscious effort to minimize egg consumption, fearing it will raise their cholesterol or hurt their heart health. But according to a new study, eating eggs for breakfast every day (yolk included) could actually be best for longterm health. Published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the study looked at the egg intake of 177,000 people in 50 different countries to see how it affected overall health. Researchers found that people who ate seven or more eggs a week had better cardiovascular health and lower inflammation than those who ate less than one egg a week. Here’s what a registered dietitian has to say about nature’s multivitamin: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFlWUHtKQs4] “Eggs are cheap, satiating, and easy to find, and they’re an excellent source of high quality protein,” says Tracey Lockwood Beckerman, RD. “Your body is able to fully absorb all the protein from the eggs to help lower blood pressure.” The American Heart Association also says regular consumption of eggs won’t negatively impact heart health, noting to a published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that suggests eating up
The science of attraction is powerful—but don’t let it distract you from finding true love
February 25, 2020 at 01:00AM by CWC Even if you don’t believe in love at first sight, chances are that you’re familiar with lust at first sight. There are some people that, for some unexplainable reason, you’re just magnetically drawn to—regardless of whether or not they look like Zoë Kravitz or Timothée Chalamet. Often, it’s the lack of an immediate spark that stops many from going on a second, third, or fourth date with someone. Not having chemistry is a common complaint for many daters; even if a potential partner looks good on paper (so to speak), a lack of chemistry will likely be a deal-breaker. To help explain the science of attraction—and what determines if you have chemistry with someone or not—New York relationship and sex therapist Michael DeMarco, PhD, and Three Day Rule matchmaker Lisa Elson share their expert insights. Plus, when to know if a lack of chemistry should be a deal breaker. Understanding the science of attraction—and how it’s different from chemistry Elson says many people think of attraction and chemistry as the same and use the terms interchangeably, but that’s not quite accurate. “A lot of people, when they go on a date, they want to feel those butterflies and excitement. But you don’t want to confuse getting butterflies with thinking you found your soulmate,” she says. According to Elson, there can be many reasons why someone feels those butterflies, aka attraction, that have nothing to do with actual chemistry. For example, a feeling of
Wake up with your best hair day ever thanks to these nighttime routines
February 25, 2020 at 12:00AM by CWC Prepping your skin at night can help you wake up looking and feeling rejuvenated and hydrated, and the same can be said for your hair. I have super dry, coarse, and kinky hair that I wear straight. At night, I apply a leave-in conditioner and oils so my hair is moisturized and ready for heat styling. Lindsay Victoria, stylist at Spoke&Weal hair salon in Los Angeles, says establishing a nighttime hair routine creates a healthier foundation for styling the next day. “To create the style you’re looking for, or to help control your hair texture, having a nighttime styling ritual will help create a more efficient morning,” says Victoria. “You’re able to touch up your style that has been setting over night, verses spending too much time in front of the mirror the next day.” What you include in your nighttime hair routine is dependent on your hair type. Someone with oily hair is not going to want to sleep with the oils and lotions someone with dry, coarse hair uses. To help you tailor your nighttime hair routine, read through the expert tips below. What you should incorporate into your nighttime hair routine, depending on your hair type 1. Coarse kinky hair “Coarse, kinky hair is always seeking moisture from the atmosphere,” says Brian Zinno, stylist and educator at Antonio Prieto Salon. “During these cold winter months, the air is already dry and the heat in your apartment exacerbates dryness.” He recommends
The idea that foundation is “bad for skin” is a straight-up lie, according to derms
February 24, 2020 at 11:30PM by CWC In its earliest iteration, foundation was known as “grease paint.” It was made from literal grease mixed with mineral pigments, and as you might imagine, it wasn’t exactly what anyone would call “skin friendly.” Thankfully, the cosmetics world has come a long way since the 1800s, but our associations between foundation and skin health have remained largely unchanged. However, 200 years after foundation’s advent, it’s time to flip the switch on the theory that it’s bad for your complexion. Sure, there are some products that won’t work for certain skin types, and none of them are exactly great to leave on while you’re sleeping, but new formulas tap many of the same ingredients found in skin care these days, making them great options for those who previously felt like they couldn’t wear foundation. Here’s what you need to know about the formulas that will keep your skin happy. The difference between water-based and oil-based foundation There are two main types of foundation out there—water- and oil-based—each of which do slightly different things when you apply them to your skin. In general, “when you put foundation on, it has the ability to blur skin due to spherical powders, and has high coverage power due to pigments,” says cosmetic chemist Ginger King. This comes by way of either silicones, pigments, or film formers, which do different things to skin depending on the basis of the formula. Let’s start with water-based foundations. Frequently found in both
‘Lastics stretching’ teaches you how to get limber like a human rubber band
February 24, 2020 at 11:00PM by CWC The recovery revolution is well underway, and there are about a million (and one) ways to stretch. That’s why ballet dancer Donna Flagg, an instructor at New York’s Broadway Dance Center, sought to create lastics stretching, a method based on “micro-movements” that takes you back to the basics of getting into your body’s tightest nooks and crannies. “Picture holding a rubber band while it’s slackened between your thumb and index fingers of each hand. This is how your body responds to a stretch—unless you do something else! That’s where micro moves come in,” says Flagg. “Micro moves are small, tiny moves you can make to take the ‘slack’ out of your muscles so you are sure to get the fullest, deepest stretch possible.” Rather than just throwing your body into a stretch—which, let’s face it, many of us are guilty of doing—Flagg’s technique asks you to really think about the mechanics of the move you’re doing. If you’re doing a forward fold, for example, what makes the stretch happen? “It’s all a matter of learning how to articulate your body in a way that can take a muscle—like the rubber band—and pull one end away from the other. It makes a huge difference in how your body responds to being stretched,” she says. To be honest, this method is one you really have to feel to believe. So, below, Flagg offers up three ways to start using the lastics stretching technique. 3 lastics stretching
This buzzy skin ingredient is like a brightening, discoloration-fighting laser in a bottle
February 24, 2020 at 09:01PM by CWC Vitamin C has long been the brightening king of the beauty aisle. Celebrated for its ability to treat dark spots and discoloration, it has earned itself a rightful place in nearly everyone’s morning skin routine. But when it comes to treating more serious skin-tone issues, there’s another ingredient that might just push vitamin C off of its hyperpigmentation-fighting throne. Tranexamic acid has recently become increasingly common in skin-care products thanks to its science-backed benefits. Its most significant claim to fame? It can treat all kinds of hyperpigmentation, including acne scarring, photo-aging, and the notoriously-difficult-to-deal-with melasma. According to research, topically-applied tranexamic acid works by inhibiting a pigment-producing enzyme in your skin called tyrosinanse. This interaction keeps melanocytes, or the cells that form melanin, in your skin from becoming overstimulated—which is what causes dark spots in the first place. In addition to controlling the uneven production of melanin, the acid will “help calm the skin, reduce inflammation, and help promote the health of the skin’s natural barrier,” says Colorado-based board-certified plastic surgeon Manish Shah, MD. While tranexamic acid has proven to be effective on its own, board-certified dermatologist Nava Greenfield, MD notes that it can be mixed with other brightening agents like kojic acid, ferulic acid, or vitamins C and E. Since acids can generally be drying, be sure to ease into introducing tranexamic acid into your routine, and be wary of mixing it with other intense actives like glycolic or retinol. Ready to add tranexamic