March 01, 2020 at 10:00PM by CWC As we enter March, one of the most potent months of the year, we step into unprecedented astrological opportunity. Cosmically speaking, the next few weeks don’t mess around, so neither should you. Mars, who represents passion, vigor, aggression, and action, travels at 9 degrees of Capricorn on March 1 and moves into Aquarius on March 30. Throughout this month of Mars in Capricorn, he’ll ignite three of the most massive planets—Jupiter, Pluto, and Saturn—who also travel in the practical sign of the sea goat. This astrological phrase for three or more planets acting as one is known as stellium, and as Mars conjoins each, he ignites fury, adding his force to an already dynamic combination. While yes, this means certain tense situations will reach a boiling point, when it comes to unleashing your ambition, consider now the best time to devise a plan for action. Even with Mercury being retrograde until March 9, use this first week of the month to consider your deepest hopes, dreams, and wishes. With focus and dedication to work at hand, you can evolve your life during the next few weeks. The planets offer the conditions that govern the atmosphere, but the outcome is in your hands: How will you use this high-octane planetary fuel? While Mars is in Capricorn, he’ll also ignite three of the most massive planets, igniting fury, and adding his force to an already dynamic combination. So consider now the best time to devise
Category: Beauty
Finding community—and resolving conflict—in the bleachers at Wrigley Field
March 01, 2020 at 09:20PM by CWC On a beautiful Thursday afternoon in August, I decided to do what any Chicago North Sider in their right mind might do—I closed my computer, donned a cap and some sunscreen, and headed to the Cubs game at Wrigley Field. When I purchased my ticket that morning, there was only one section I checked for availability—the bleachers. Bleachers seating at Wrigley Field, for me, was a no-brainer. They were where my friends and I had stationed ourselves for the better part of our adult lives, ever since we were old enough to navigate the “L” train to Addison Street and walk the single block to hometown revelry. We’d grab hot dogs, nachos, and peanuts, find seats, and, elbows on knees, spend the next three-plus hours mesmerized by Sosa’s swings, Farnsworth’s fastballs, and Alou’s sans glove batting style. It was all it took for several of us to later rent an apartment two blocks from the stadium, which served as home base for us for our first year out of college. If prime sun and an unhindered vantage point drew us to the bleachers, it was the fans that caused us to stay. In every Wrigley Field outing, it seemed as though my friends and I left with new game-day acquaintances, whom we had befriended somewhere between the home run high fives, 7th-inning stretch singalong, and requisite, post-win chanting of “Go Cubs Go.” The bleachers beckoned camaraderie. It didn’t matter the fronts we were
7 healthy foods under $3 that stay good for an entire year
February 29, 2020 at 08:00PM by CWC There’s a misconception that lives in many people’s heads (and, okay, on Instagram) that living a healthy life requires an abundance of time and money. Time because surely being a wellness goddess requires frequent trips to the farmers’ market to buy fresh ingredients and the ability to devote hours to making healthy, home-cooked meals. And money because, well, it’s expensive to buy foods healthy food bloggers often write about, such as almond flour and avocado oil. Is it easier to live a healthy life if you’re rich in both time and money? Sure, virtually everything is easier. But according to registered dietitian Melissa Rifkin, RD it’s absolutely not necessary. Some of her favorite foods are super cheap (we’re talking less than $3 cheap) and have a long shelf life. Here, she shares her seven favorite cheap healthy foods she loves adding to her cart. One note before you start shopping for the cheapest healthy foods: If you buy online, some retailers (Amazon, we’re looking at you) may make you buy in bulk. This is one case where it may be cheaper to do your grocery shopping IRL. The cheapest healthy foods one dietitian loves 1. BARILLA WHOLE WhEAT PASTA, $1.28 One super easy, dietitian-approved meal: A cup of whole wheat pasta (which has fiber, magnesium, iron, and B vitamins) tossed with a cup of cooked frozen veggies. With just two ingredients (and about 60 seconds of actual active cooking work) you’ll master the
Not just for burns: Here are 7 ways aloe vera can nourish your skin
February 29, 2020 at 06:00PM by CWC When it comes to skin, the aloe vera benefits are no joke. Aloe vera is a natural, plant-based ingredient that’s been used for medicinal purposes for, well, seemingly forever. When you open up the leaves of the succulent plant, you’ll find a clear, jelly-like gel, which is rife with healing properties that are great for treating cuts, healing burns, improving digestive health when consumed, and promoting better oral health, says Gretchen Frieling, MD, a board-certified dermatopathologist. In other words, aloe vera is definitely worthy of a permanent spot in your medicine cabinet, but it isn’t just there for you in times of minor ailments. It’s also great for your skin, too. You can rub the gel straight from the leaf, and you can find it in many creams, gels, and ointments. Keep reading to learn other ways aloe vera can benefit your skin, plus tips on how to incorporate the star ingredient into your daily skincare routine. Benefits of aloe vera for skin Aloe vera is a great moisturizer Aloe vera gel is incredibly moisturizing for your skin, hair, and scalp. “Aloe vera leaves, particularly in the innermost layer, are abundant with water, so it helps to hydrate the skin and seal in moisture,” Dr. Frieling says. “The sugars it contains, also known as mucopolysaccharides, aid in retaining moisture in the skin.” Dr. Josh Axe, DNM and founder of Ancient Nutrition and DrAxe.com, adds that aloe gel also promotes the regeneration of skin tissues and
‘Steady increase exercise’ is the best for your heart—here are 6 steps that make it easy
February 29, 2020 at 02:00PM by CWC When you start an exercise routine from scratch, the tendency can be to go all in. (HIIT! Strength training! Spinning! Running!) A massive new review of past scientific research conducted by the American Heart Association (AHA) finds that going from 0 to 100 with your workouts just might backfire, though. Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to exercising for your heart health. Upon reviewing more than 300 scientific studies, writers of a scientific statement considering the health factors of exercise found that physically active people have up to 50 percent lower risk of sudden heart attack or cardiac arrest. After taking a closer look at the data, however, the team of scientists concluded that those still ramping up their fitness routine could likely benefit from steadily increasing their activity levels rather than, say, running 26.2 the day after running their very first mile. As evidence, the researchers sited the fact that first-time participants accounted for about 40 percent of cardiac incidents among first-time triathlon participants and that about half of cardiac events occur during the final mile of a half-marathon or full-marathon. To boot, their research revealed the importance of acclimating to a given climate before doing the same workout you would at home. When compounded, all of this info led to the conclusion that, in the words of Barry Franklin, PhD, director of preventive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation at Beaumont Health: “It is important to start exercising—but go slow,
I’m a Sephora beauty director and these 5 cleansers are makeup ‘magic erasers’
February 29, 2020 at 12:00AM by CWC One of life’s great frustrations is completing 30 seconds of derm-mandated face washing, only to realize that your mascara, foundation, and blush have smeared into a Monet painting on your face. When your skin doesn’t get as clean as you wanted it to, you then have to go for another round of cleanse, rinse, repeat. Ugh. That drama is all about to become a thing of the past now, though, because Sephora Beauty Director Jeffrey English is sharing his five top cleansers that remove makeup like it’s their job. Because, um, it is. Let’s review what separates a stellar face wash from a so-so one, shall we? Apart from ridding your face of the day’s makeup, dirt, and grime, Joshua Zeichner, MD, a dermatologist in New York City, previously told Well+Good that nailing your cleansing routine is really all about feel. “After washing your face, the skin should feel light and soft, but not tight,” he says. “There’s a perception that tight and dry equals clean, but it really represents post-wash dryness, which is harmful to the skin.” Roger that! Now, let’s get to English’s stable of unbeatable washes. 5 cleansers that remove makeup like a charm 1. Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, $38 Just about everyone at the Well+Good office loves this cleanser, and English says it deserves all that praise and more. “If you’re looking for a face wash that does it all, then this one is for you. This product combines cleanser, toner,
Uh, please don’t use coconut oil as lube—here’s the edible option to play with instead
February 28, 2020 at 10:00PM by CWC Like everyone else in the mid-2010s, I got swept up by the coconut oil craze, using it for everything. Hair, skin, nails… everything. It’s why I was equal parts smitten and confused by the concept behind Coconu, a coconut oil-infused personal lubricant company. Why create a lube with coconut oil if I can just make a pitstop to the pantry on my way to the bedroom? Like, can you use coconut oil for lube as is and call it a day? Even though coconut oil for lube sounds like an all-natural and cheap option, it’s a precarious thing to play with. Because our genitals are absorbent as hell, straight coconut oil can mess with your vagina’s PH balance, taking you on a trip to Yeast Infection City. “The caution around coconut oil as lube is because it has antimicrobial properties and as such, it may disrupt the healthy vaginal flora,” says Jolene Brighten, ND, naturopathic physician and women’s health expert. “However, it’s important to note that we don’t have studies showing this is definitively true and some women report that they have experienced less yeast infections since using it. Of course, this may be because of they type of lube they were using previously or other factors, but it does have antifungal properties.” While coconut oil has the potential to work out as lube, it could also be a risk for your overall health down there. Most importantly, Dr. Brighten notes that it can
I’m a facialist, and this is the most common skin concern I get asked about
February 28, 2020 at 08:00PM by CWC Everyone’s complexion is like a unique snowflake. Facialists get to do the rewarding job of assessing their clients’ unique skin concerns, then—over the course of about an hour—transforming it into a more radiant state. As a celebrity facialist that’s been doing this for over a decade, Candace Marino has worked with every skin woe you could imagine. Out of every skin concern, though, one holds the position as the most common that people want to know how to treat: hyperpigmentation. “Hyperpigmentation is hands down the most common skin concern that my clients are fighting,” she says. “No matter whether it’s post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, spots from hormones, or melasma, the sun will only exacerbate it, deepen it, and make it harder to treat.” You know it as those dark spots that show up on your skin after a zit is gone, or from spending too much time in the sun. The tricky thing about hyperpigmentation is that it takes a lot of time and patience to treat. “During a facial, we can gradually treat pigmentation by using the right ingredients, but the magic happens when clients are consistent with their home skin-care routine,” says Marino, who notes that she uses either a peel or an exfoliating and brightening facial to “breathe life back into dull, damaged skin.” As for taking care of your dark spots at home, Marino recommends incorporating the following skin-care essentials for your healthiest, brightest skin ever—keep scrolling for her picks. How
It’s more important than ever to wash your hands frequently—here’s *exactly* how long it takes to scrub germs away
February 28, 2020 at 05:35PM by CWC With fresh concerns about the global spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is stressing the importance of washing your hands often, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. But it’s a question as old as time: How long do you actually need to wash your hands to get them clean? For some people (i.e., a lot), the answer is they simply don’t do it. (Yuck!) For others, it’s a quick splash with soap and water. For others still, it’s as long as it takes to mentally go through the day’s to-do list. But to kick germs to the curb, you just need to sing a little song. A short scrub to wash up just doesn’t to cut it. A 2013 study from Michigan State University found that only 5 percent of people wash their hands long enough to kill germs after using the restroom, and that’s risky behavior. The CDC says proper hand washing is key to fending off illness and infections caused by salmonella, E. coli, norovirus, and respiratory diseases like COVID-19. It also helps to ensure you don’t spread disease to others. “If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol,” says the CDC. “Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.” It takes just little bit longer (seconds, really!) to wash your hands
Moth bean extract is the new plant-based retinol alternative to know
February 28, 2020 at 03:00PM by CWC Retinol is an all-star ingredient beloved by dermatologists everywhere, but for years, many people with sensitive skin opted out of using it due to the flaking and redness it can cause. Then came bakuchiol in 2018, a plant-based ingredient that multitasks just as well as retinol—boosting brightness, strengthening collagen, firming and smoothing—sans irritation. Fast forward a few years and there’s now a new alt-retinol in town called moth bean extract, here to give bakuchiol some friendly competition. Though it may conjure an image of a winged insect, moth bean extract actually comes from the botanical world. “The scientific name is vigna aconitifolia, and it’s derived from a legume that’s grown in Asia,” says Susanne Norwitz, founder of skin-care brand Maya Chia. “It’s extracted from protein-rich seed pods, and there has been encouraging research comparing it to the efficacy of retinol.” Even though the extract isn’t a vitamin A derivative like retinol, it has similar benefits. Like retinol, moth bean extract encourages skin-cell turnover and can reduce the appearance of fine lines. Those aren’t its only superpowers, either. “It boosts the functionality of the dermal and epidermal layers of your skin, and its antioxidant properties—from caffeic acid, ferulic acid, cinnamic acid, and kaempefrol—help to repair damaged skin,” says Norwitz. Rachel Nazarian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, says that those antioxidants can also help to shield your skin against future environmental damage and premature aging. Moth bean extract can also brighten your