February 12, 2019 at 07:00AM by CWC You’ll sooner catch me rocking a fuschia lip or a smoky eye than see me even breathing in the direction of a bronzer. I have nothing against them—I’ve just always found the creams and dusts to be particularly intimidating, let alone impossible to apply without feeling like a TBT to, like, 2009. And yet—it’s the depth of winter, and I’d really appreciate knowing the secret to using bronzer like a pro to add some sun-swathing to my complexion. “Bronzer is meant to define and warm a complexion,” says Shirley Pinkson, makeup artist guru and cofounder of W3ll People. And anyone can use bronzer, no matter their skin tone. “I love glow, so bronzer and highlighters are my holy grail products,” says Beyonce’s makeup artist, Sir John, adding that he uses bronzer in nearly every look he does. “No matter what your skin tone is, your bronzer should always be used to make your complexion warmer and give your skin this ‘healthy’ look.” Turns out the illuminating makeup product is nothing to be afraid of. If you’re like me and aren’t quite sure how to use it, keep scrolling for Pinkson and Sir John’s pro tips. Photo: Well+Good Creative Steal these makeup artist-approved tips for applying bronzer Find the right brush: “The first key is to get yourself a really soft brush,” says Pinkson. “If you’re afraid of using too much bronzer, the denser the brush, the more pigment it picks up. So you’ll end
Category: 2019 Health
Use Mandy Moore’s script-memorizing technique to make your work presentations award-worthy
February 12, 2019 at 05:39AM by CWC Mandy Moore has delivered some seriously impressive monologues in her day. Exhibit A: the “never, ever in my life have I burnt a chocolate soufflé” scene from modern classic (don’t argue—it’s great) Because I Said So. Exhibit B: the epic deal she makes with her evil “mother” to save Eugene’s life at the conclusion of Tangled (ugh!). Exhibit C: basically some scene in most episodes of This Is Us. The gal doesn’t shy away from long-winded, heartfelt solos. So when I had the opportunity to ask her how she prepares for the emotionally driven scenes that require a mind-bending amount of memorization, I hoped I could apply her tips for my own benefit. “Sometimes there will be huge monologues, and I never feel like it’s a burden,” she tells me during our conversation in partnership with Nature’s Way. “I’m like, okay, I’ve got this.” She adds that if she approaches the challenge with a singular goal of memorizing everything down to the letter, she risks sabotaging her progress. Instead, she’s found that establishing trust in her own ability to deliver her role yields the best results. “I know my routine and my rhythm…. I know I’ll be able to get it and I just take the pressure off myself,” says Moore. In practice, this means she reads the script again and again (and again), but never sweats the small stuff, like an ad-lib that doesn’t change the integrity or ethos of her scene. So to see if I
I’ve been on a dating sabbatical for over a year—and phew, that’s totally normal
February 12, 2019 at 04:30AM by CWC You know that old adage that it’ll happen when you’re not looking—with “it,” of course, referring to finding your soul mate? Well, maybe that’s rings conveniently true for some people (anyone? Bueller?), but if you’ve ever made the conscious choice to opt out of dating for any period of time, you probably chalk it up to a bunch of B.S. Take it from me: After being totally fed up with the general ickiness of the dating pool, I put myself on a self-imposed sabbatical from it more than a year ago—and blissfully single I remain. To be clear, back when I was playing the field, I did try with earnest, using all the modern tools of the trade available to me. But I found that things usually went one of two ways: Best case was a lack of physical and/or emotional chemistry with the other person, and worst case (which happened way more frequently) was an experience fraught with humiliation and confused rumination (WTF, ghosters?). So a bit after turning 33, I decided to go cold turkey on dating. I deleted all the apps off my phone, stopped asking to be set up by anyone who knew humans with heartbeats, and didn’t bother going to events for the sole possibility of there being a singles scene. Dating made me stressed and feel worse about myself and my prospects, so rather than endure all of that for the possibility of love, I temporarily threw in
CBD and hemp seed oil are totally different things—here’s what to know
February 12, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC In this plant-happy world we live in, you can find me slathering cannabidiol or CBD on my muscles to relieve soreness, applying it to my skin to soothe inflammation, and dropping it into my daily water for stress relief. In fairness, I’m drinking the proverbial Kool-Aid, but until recently I didn’t recognize the difference between hemp oil vs CBD oil, and as it happens, there’s a big one. These days, the green-washing on CBD products can be hard to navigate, and the vocab one needs to navigate the CBD-lined shelves is extensive to say the least. Brands want to get in on the much-praised benefits, after all—but the issue here is that the terms being marketed under the “cannabis” umbrella aren’t all the same thing. Truth be told, oftentimes, you’ll see the cannabis plant touted on a label, but the specific ingredient being used isn’t so crystal clear. And there are any number of ingredients that can come from the cannabis or hemp plants from hemp oil to CBD oil to cannabis sativa seed oil, each of which have their own unique benefits, despite often being used interchangeably. To clear up the confusion, I sought out advice from the pros. CBD oil CBD is a term signifying a component of the cannabis plant that comes with the much-talked about anti-inflammatory benefits, and you’re seeing it on everything from skin-care products to high-vibe tinctures. It’s extracted from the leaves, flowers, and stalks of the cannabis plant.
The 5 style steps Gigi Hadid uses to create an off-duty look post workout
February 11, 2019 at 02:21PM by CWC Gigi Hadid spends a lot of time, both on and off the runway, in head-to-toe high fashion looks. But the 23-year-old supermodel says that when’s she’s truly off duty, she prefers to keep things sporty. “Athleisure is very much what comes naturally to me,” Hadid shared at the launch of Reebok x Gigi Hadid, her first full-scale collection for the sportswear brand she’s repped since 2016. “My style’s very practical,” says Hadid, who explains her personal approach to fashion is rooted in streetwear and sports—she grew up playing volleyball. “I moved to New York, [when] I came to The New School. I was going to class, and after class, I would take the subway to the gym. I didn’t want to change into leggings, so I would wear leggings with a sports bra and a T-shirt.” To this, she’d add a few key accessories, which she says have become a uniform of sorts for her. And it’s this formula that’s informed her Reebok collab. The 24-piece collection is a ‘90s dream. There are neons, throwback windbreakers made from a nylon plain weave, which Hadid lovingly refers to as “parachute material,” sweatpants that are perfectly high-waisted without looking over-the-top, and platform sneakers that would make the Spice Girls swoon. Aside from its nod to the decade she was born, Hadid says her other major goal was to keep the collection accessible, a growing trend in fashion at the moment. The first drop ranges from $35
Your guide to iron when you’re totally plant-based
February 11, 2019 at 01:26PM by CWC Welcome to 2019, where people are finally getting serious about eating more produce (hello, planetary health diet!). Shifting to a plant-based diet has many potential benefits, including reduced diabetes risk, better heart health, and a smaller carbon footprint. And don’t worry about getting enough protein: It’s actually not that hard to do as a vegetarian or vegan, as long as you’re getting protein from a variety of plant foods. However, there is one big thing plant-based eaters do need to be vigilant about: iron. Specifically, getting enough of it in their day-to-day diet. “Iron is necessary for many cellular functions, but most notably, iron is key for helping myoglobin and hemoglobin deliver oxygen to body tissues,” says Katherine Pett, M.S., R.D., nutritionist for Conagra Brands and blogger at Nutrition Wonk. (Your cells and tissues need oxygen to convert food into useable energy, so it’s safe to say that iron is essential to every part of the body.) “While our bodies efficiently recycle most of our iron stores, some is naturally lost every day from sloughing of skin and the lining of our intestines, sweating, and menstruation,” says Pett. If you don’t have enough iron in your body, that can cause iron deficiency anemia, says Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in the New York City area. “Symptoms of anemia include fatigue, pale skin, irritability, low appetite, and feelings of lightheadedness.” Long term, it can lead to increased risk of heart
This “name-your-own-rate” hotel is basically the Everlane of travel
February 11, 2019 at 12:26PM by CWC Like getting your friends to show up to brunch on time, the discovery of a truly excellent product or service with a reasonable price is especially rare. Several retail companies vie for your attention with creative pricing strategies. Everlane, for example, offers some of its clothing in a “Choose What You Pay” section in lieu of sales, explaining exactly where every dollar you spend ends up. And in the travel industry, the new “name-your-own-rate” SCP Hotel is hoping its bet on transparency and accountability pays off. SCP (short for “soul, community, planet”) recently opened its first location in Colorado Springs. The entire place is eco-friendly and features a 12,000-square-foot fitness center, group fitness classes, a market with locally-sourced (and vegan-forward!) food and drink, 174 rustic rooms with reclaimed wood accents, a communal area with WiFi, and plants galore. Hey, they’re calling it “holistic hospitality” for a reason. All its amenities aside, one of the most remarkable features of the SCP Hotel is its commitment to “fair trade pricing.” If the price you initially agreed to pay doesn’t align with the quality of your experience, you can negotiate a lower rate. Suggested rates fall between $90 and $200 per night, depending on the season. “We’re committed to delivering exceptional guest experiences at a fair price. We’re confident that if our guests have a great stay at our hotels and pay a fair price, they’ll walk away happy and hopefully tell their friends about our concept,” chief
I exclusively wore jumpsuits to yoga for a month, and I have some thoughts…
February 11, 2019 at 12:08PM by CWC Growing up, for almost 10 years, I had the same ballet teacher, Ms. B (whose last name, despite what my 5-year-old imagination told me, did not stand for “ballet”), and I coveted her style. I don’t think I ever saw her wearing anything other than a black unitard, an oversized cropped sweater, chunky mid-calf socks, and jazz shoes. It was all things ’90s, all things dance, and all things that are somehow back in style today. So, a decade later, I decided it was time to take the look for a spin. I’m happy to report that not only did I wear a bodysuit to work out in public and live to tell the tale—and 6 times over, no less—but I’m actually now so into them, that I don’t know why it took this love affair so long to develop in the first place. The draw, at the most basic level, is all about convenience. I wanted to be able to slip into an outfit that needed zero work: no riding-up tanks or falling-down leggings allowed. I’m not sure it’s totally true, but I even felt like I actually got a better workout in a bodysuit. And isn’t how you feel really all that matters, anyhow? Over the past month, I’ve pretty much tried it all when it comes to what I’m lovingly calling workout onesies. I’ve gone for thong leotards (with super-cute leggings to match, of course!), performance one-pieces that I’ve taken to yoga and out to dinner with equal ease,
How to hold a 3-minute plank like our forever *Friend* Jennifer Aniston
February 11, 2019 at 12:04PM by CWC It’s wellness queen Jennifer Aniston‘s birthday, and to celebrate I’ve been perusing her always-inspiring fitness tips. The actress has been known to be a big boxing fan, but also loves switching it up. Case in point: She even has an elliptical routine, of all things. And while I was in my black hole of Aniston-Internet searches, I stumbled upon one reason why she has such a strong core: The woman can hold a 3-minute plank. According to an interview with her trainer Leyon Azubuike in Women’s Health, Aniston can hold a two or three-minute plank “rather easily.” NBD. Meanwhile, my whole body starts trembling and I’m pouring with sweat by 30-seconds in. I’d love to hold a plank for longer, à la Aniston, since the ab move is one of the best ones you can do not only for your core but also your arms, your bum—the list goes on and on. “If you add time to your plank hold, it’ll turn the plank into a full-body toning exercise that’ll improve your posture and balance your strength,” says Erika Bloom, founder of Erika Bloom Pilates. The secret to doing so? It’s all about the form. “Holding a plank for longer is achieved through good form,” Bloom explains. “Proper form means more muscles are recruited so none fatigue as quickly. You just need to find your form through an understanding of alignment and the use of visualizations.” Step 1: Lengthen your spine and widen your shoulder blades. “The biggest
One of the most Googled skin-care ingredients is this J-beauty staple
February 11, 2019 at 11:54AM by CWC Last year, I came back from a trip to Japan with an embarrassing number of duty-free beauty products stashed into my carry on, and I realized that the majority of them had one thing in common: They were made with rice water. All it took was a few skin-care sessions for me to fall completely in love with the ingredient—it made my complexion feel clean, smooth, and ultra-hydrated, and quickly became a permanent fixture in my routine. Rice water has been a staple in Japanese and Korean beauty for centuries for exactly these reasons, and this side of the world (myself included) has recently started to catch on to just how wonderful it truly is. It happened to be among the most Googled natural ingredients of 2018, too, and two of the glowiest (and most famous) people on the planet—Kim Kardashian and Meghan Markle—reportedly rely on a cleanser that’s made with the stuff. These days, it’s become increasingly common to see rice water listed on labels dotting beauty shelves, and—according to Connecticut-based dermatologist Dr. Mona Gohara—that’s for good reason. “In skin that doesn’t have acne, rosacea, or eczema, rice water can have a smoothing effect,” she tells me. “I like it to add a bit of moisture too.” It’s packed with antioxidants and amino acids—hence the “smoothing effects” that Dr. Gohara mentions—plus, rice water’s full of ultra-hydrating vitamins B and E. Rice water also happens to be comically easy to DIY—in fact, it’s as