February 25, 2020 at 11:05PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThvmuboEOo4] What happens in a yoga class inspired by the Wim Hof Method? Watch the video to find out. When an instructor says to wiggle your fingers and toes to wake up from savasana, I’m always a little sad. It’s a bit jarring to go into the real world after reaching peak relaxation. Five, a unique practice in Brooklyn created by Danielle McCallum, takes that feeling to the next level—breathwork followed by an ice bath. In the latest episode of What the Wellness, host Ella Dove takes Five, a class comprised of five parts: yoga, meditation, breathwork, cold exposure, and you. McCallum, a yoga teacher and Wim Hof Method instructor, created Five in part to share the benefits of cold exposure. “Ice baths are good for circulation, they’re good for energy. They decrease inflammation, so that helps with recovery from injuries and illness,” says McCallum. “These are tools that have greatly increased my health, and I wanted to package them together.” The Wim Hof Method has three parts: training the mind, breathwork, and cold exposure. “The philosophy behind it is that greater health leads to greater happiness,” she says. “When you get out of the tub, you’re going to feel so alive, so invigorated, you’ll feel like super woman.” The meditation and breathwork—athletic, deep, and fast—are meant to help prepare the body for the cold exposure. Once you’re in the tub, McCallum says you have to maintain that focus on the breath. “When you get
Category: Beauty
A $10 acne soap sold out in under a week at Ulta—and it’s gentle enough for sensitive skin
February 25, 2020 at 08:41PM by CWC Acne is one most common skin concerns in the United States, affecting nearly 50 million people each year (so, yeah—you’re not alone). With that massive number in mind, it’s hardly a surprise that when a legendary breakout-fighting product makes its way over from across the pond Harry and Meghan-style, skin-care aficionados jump at the chance to get their hands on it (especially when said product only costs $10). Such has been the case with Carbon Theory’s Charcoal & Tea Tree Oil Breakout Control Facial Cleansing Bar ($10). The UK cult-favorite launched at Ulta two weeks ago and sold out almost immediately. Peek at the ingredients list and you’ll see why: The bar’s active acne-fighters are charcoal and tea-tree oil, which zap zits without being as harsh as other acne treatments like retinoids and hydroxy acids. This means the bar isn’t just great for pimple-prone skin, it’s good for even the most sensitive skin types. Photo: Carbon Theory Why is that the case? Charcoal has long been thought of as a “detoxifier,” thanks to its ability to pull out dirt, grime, and oil from your pores, while tea tree oil acts as an anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory for skin. Together, the duo won’t leave behind flaking, scaling, or dryness (the way retinol often tends to), and just to make good on that, there’s also some shea butter in the formula to help with hydration. The soap may have sold out within a week after launch,
This better-than-Gatorade drink replenishes your electrolytes post-workout with 2 simple ingredients
February 25, 2020 at 06:29PM by CWC With your electrolytes depleted after an intense workout, you might think to reach for a Gatorade, but it’s not the only option. While sports medicine doctors say it’s a easy way to hydrate after exercising, as “the sugar gives your body quick energy,” there’s a completely natural option you can reach for if you’re not into guzzling down neon sports drinks. Celebrity nutritionist Kimberly Snyder combines 12 oz. of natural coconut water and 1 heaping tablespoon of spirulina powder. Together these simple ingredients make for an electrolyte-replenishing drink that doesn’t contain any added sugar, artificial flavors, or artificial colors. “Swap out the Gatorade with my favorite source of electrolytes and potassium: coconut water. And get an extra boost of powerful nutrition power by adding in a spoonful of spirulina.” —Kimberly Snyder “If you feel tired or sluggish after working out or sweating—or just the dryness of winter!—try upping your electrolytes naturally with this nourishing, easy elixir,” she says. “Swap out the Gatorade with my favorite source of electrolytes and potassium: coconut water. And get an extra boost of powerful nutrition power by adding in a spoonful of spirulina, a natural algae protein that contains omega-3 fatty acids, essential amino acids, B12, iron, and magnesium.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kimberly Snyder (@_kimberlysnyder) on Feb 19, 2020 at 4:36pm PST //www.instagram.com/embed.js For something you can make right at home, it’s quite the catch. All you need to do
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
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
How does kinesiology tape work? Physical therapists explain why it’s an athlete favorite
February 24, 2020 at 08:18PM by CWC While training for the New York City marathon last year, I spent miles and miles silently praying to the recovery gods: Please, oh please, bless me with a Band-Aid capable of patching up the aches and pains in my body! Alas, I now know that no such bandage exists, but there is kinesiology tape (“KT tape” for short). According to Cameron Yuen, DPT, a doctor of physical therapy at Bespoke Treatments in New York City, the stuff can keep you moving through the achiest seasons of your chosen sport, but just how does kinesiology tape work? “Kinesiology tape is a type of elastic tape that is applied to an area of musculoskeletal dysfunction,” says Dr. Yuen. “Think strains, sprains, or swollen joints. This tape encourages movement and awareness, as opposed to athletic tape, which is used to brace and prevent movement.” Essentially, it puts a check on your form so that you can keep moving the way that you love to—running, dancing, skiing, whatever—within patterns that are sustainable for your body. With time, that means you’ll be able to take off the tape to find that your body has created better postures. “The most current research suggests that it is most important as a sensory feedback tool,” says Dr. Yuen. “The tape helps gate some of the pain you are experiencing by providing a different sensory input.” You apply the tape tautly when your muscles aren’t fully extended so that when you straighten
4 little-known realities of ‘resting B face’ that a body-language expert wants you to know
February 23, 2020 at 06:00PM by CWC I woke up this morning with two creases between my eyebrows that were so deep, they might as well have been independently memorizing the philosophies of Nietzsche to share at an upcoming dinner party. This state of perma-furrow, thanks to some weird sleeping position I vow to never repeat, left me actually feeling frustrated rather than my everyday situation of just looking frustrated. You see, because I suffer from resting bitch face (RBF), I don’t need additional features or accessories to make me come across as less friendly—with the operative words here being “come across as.” That’s because I’m not actually unfriendly—it’s just, you know, the way my resting face looks. What I wish everyone would realize, though, when parsing answers to the question of what does RBF mean and what does it not is that there are many ways to convey emotions, and not all of them rely on what your face is doing. Supporting my contention that having RBF really has little if anything to do with actually having the attitude of a B is a recent study by Ohio State University, which points out that facial expressions don’t always show the full spectrum of what a person is feeling. So, what does RBF mean if not conveying a sense that the person sporting the expression is angry, unenthused, and unwelcoming? To help me fight the good fight against RBF stigma, below, a body-language expert explains the demystifies why RBF is received the