December 27, 2019 at 09:32PM by CWC Using a moisturizer is the most important step in any dry skin routine. It delivers hydration, seals important natural oils into the skin, and strengthens the barrier so that it can better defend itself from the (harsh! cold!) environment. But every once in a while, particularly when the weather gets extra cold and dry, your regular cream just won’t cut it on its own. In those cases, says board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, you’re going to want to double down. “Just like you think about layering your clothes, you’re going to want to think about layering your moisturizer,” she says. To start, you’re going to want to look for products that have wide-ranging ingredients, like squalane, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides that can benefit skin in different, yet complementary ways. If you’re finding skin to be particularly dry, make certain that whatever moisturizer you’re reaching for is a heavy cream versus a lighter lotion. To enhance the moisture in your skin even more, derms suggest “moisturizer layering” aka using a moisturizing ingredient in every skin-care step you complete. Start with a serum, then slather on a moisturizer, and finish with a facial oil as the final step in your routine. Topping everything off with an occlusive oil helps to seal all of that hydration in, and prevents any H2O from evaporating back into the environment. While in most cases, using too many products on your skin may not be the best idea, in the
Category: Beauty
The 3-part skin-care equation that will make stressed-out skin a thing of the past
December 27, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC Stress. It’s happening all the time to our skin whether we like it or not. Internally, we’re dealing with mountains of modern-day mayhem that sends stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol soaring. Externally, we’re confronted with environmental aggressors such as UV exposure and pollution that can take a toll on our complexions. And when you add all of this up, you’re often left with breakouts, redness, and an overall compromised skin barrier. When you’re stressed internally, your body goes into fight-or-flight mode. “It goes back to when human beings were living in prehistoric times,” says Dennis Gross, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, a brand that just released a trio of skin-care products formulated for stressed-out complexions. “It wasn’t about anything more than survival, so when faced with animals like a saber-toothed tiger, they’d react with the fight-or-flight response. It’s the same in the modern day. When you get an email from your boss, you get increased elevations of adrenaline and cortisol.” With these two stress hormones pumping throughout your body, certain physiological things happen. “You have to ration your blood flow, so you’d have to send more blood to your heart so it can pump faster, more blood to your lungs so that they can expand, and more blood to your brain so you can make split-second decisions,” says Dr. Gross. Because these reactions are happening to keep your vital organs operating at their optimal function, your
The only thing better than these pigmentation-correcting serums is Fraxel
December 27, 2019 at 02:30AM by CWC Hyperpigmentation can come from any number of things: acne, rashes, bug bites—you name it. If you’re willing to drop a few thousand dollars on Fraxel Skin Resurfacing Treatment, you can treat hyperpigmentation at your dermatologist’s office. But if you’re just not ready for that kind of investment, a few hyperpigmentation serums are the next best thing. “Pigment-fighting serums block abnormal pigment production or enhance cell turnover to shed pigment,” says dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD. “Ingredients like vitamin C, Kojic acid, arbutin, and licorice root extract all work in the same pathway of pigment production. Alpha hydroxy acids and ingredients like retinol enhance cell turnover.” Below, Dr. Zeichner offers up his go-to hyperpigmentation serums. Keep this one timing note in mind, though: “I usually recommend antioxidants and other pigment blocking ingredients in the morning and products that enhance cell turnover in the evening before bed,” he says. Make sure you’re applying your ingredients-of-choice at a suitable time. The 3 hyperpigmentation serums to add to your beauty shelf, stat Photo: Ghost Democracy 1. GHOST DEMOCRACY LIGHTBULB VITAMIN C SERUM, $34 “Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that interferes with excess production,” says Dr. Zeichner. “It also calms inflammation in the skin to help right now and even skin tone.” Photo: Target 2. AVEENO POSITIVELY RADIANT MAXGLOW INFUSION DROPS SERUM, $18 “Soy extract brightens excess pigmentation and even skin tone,” says Dr. Zeichner. And the best news of all? You can buy this pick at the
I’m a dermatologist and this is exactly how many steps should be in your skin-care routine
December 26, 2019 at 11:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDP4SIOAIeA] Looking at the bottle-heavy shelfies that dominate Instagram, it’s easy to believe that, when it comes to skin care, more is more. But according to board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, that’s not necessarily true. In fact, all you need for an effective facial regimen is six steps—three in the morning and three at night—which means you’re about to get a whole lot of space cleared up on those bathroom shelves. Derms will tell you that using too many product at once can actually compromise your skin barrier, and ultimately lead to issues like dryness and acne. So in order to keep skin healthy, you really want to make sure you’re slathering on the right products, and nothing more. The best way to do this, says Dr. Gohara, is to think of your routine as being “protective” in the morning and “restorative” at night, and choosing products that will help achieve those goals. First things first, you’re going to want to start with a cleanser in both the a.m. and in the p.m. to clear away any grease and grime from your skin. In the morning, you’ll want to apply products that will stave off environmental damage from things like pollution and UV rays, so antioxidants and SPF are key. At night, it’s all about rebuilding and nourishing your skin barrier, which means you should reach for ingredients that stimulate collagen and contain skin-similar lipids to help support the barrier. To find out which
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
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
Ready your cart: These are the absolute best beauty launches of 2019
December 25, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC In June 2019, the global beauty market was valued at $532 billion dollars—and it’s growing faster than ever. That means that this year, there were a lot of new launches worth checking out, from new-to-market brands to innovative products that have the power to change your life—or at the very least, change your skin and hair. Over the course of the last 12 months, Well+Good’s beauty team has tested hundreds (possibly thousands—I lost count somewhere around July) of these new launches. In addition to making our desks very messy, this gave us a chance to determine, for sure, what the best of the best have been. Below, our picks from 2019 that you’ll be using in 2020 and beyond. Hair: Garnier Fructis Hydrating Treat with Aloe Extracts, $6 Aloe is stacked with 75 actives, including antioxidants like vitamin A and vitamin E, and will leave hair clean, strong, and silky. It’s also ultra-moisturizing, which means hair won’t suffer during even the coldest, driest, most blowdryer-friendly times of the year thanks to this product line. Photo: Garnier Pantene Pro-V Intense Rescue Shots, $5 These hair booster serum shots will rehab dry, drab strands in a minute flat, leaving them looking shiny. Slather them through strands before hopping in the shower, then rinse them out and watch dryness become a problem of the past. Photo: Pantene Tresemmé Colour ShinePlex Sulphate Free Mask, $7 If you’re spending big bucks on a dye job, you want it to
50 million dead cells give you dull skin—here’s what you need to do to make it shine
December 25, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC Lately my skin looks like it was forced to sit through a screening of The Irishman. It’s tired, dull, and just generally lacks that glow that normal alive people seem to have. Dull skin is “skin that doesn’t reflect light and feels and looks sluggish,” says Renée Rouleau, celebrity esthetician and founder of her eponymous skincare line. I enlisted both Rouleau and dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, to explain why dull skin happens and how to fix it. There could be several things making your skin duller than that one date you went on where the guy ordered Chardonnay. One of the main culprits, according to Dr. Gohara, is dead skin. “Dull skin usually comes from dead skin cells that are clinging on for dear life—evict those babies to bring back your glow. We shed 50 million dead skin cells a day, they need an extra nudge or else they will hang out on your body for a long, long, time,” she says. “As the skin ages, everything tends to slow down including cell metabolism, blood circulation, oil production and the natural exfoliating process of the skin,” Rouleau says. Not moisturizing your skin properly or stripping it with harsh products (e.g., sulfate-based soaps and cleansers) can also contribute to a dull complexion, says Dr. Gohara. Lack of blood circulation can also contribute, Rouleau says. “It means that less nutrients and oxygen are being brought to the skin cells causing skin to look dull,” she
These 5 beauty products have been drugstore best-sellers for two years in a row—and they’re all under $11
December 24, 2019 at 05:30PM by CWC I’m a sucker for a best-seller list, especially when it involves beauty products. If a product is flying off of the shelves, it usually indicates skin-boosting/hair-rejuvenating/beautifying pigment powers that a lot of people are running to get their hands on, which gives me FOMO and convinces me that I need it in my arsenal, too. So when drugstore beauty hotspot CVS tells us that certain beauty products were not only best-sellers in 2019 but also 2018—AKA the ultimate must-haves for two years in a row—my skin perked right up. Which beauty products are the hot-ticket items with staying star power? According to CVS, their absolute top sellers for the past two years are a mix of cult-fave makeup essentials (including a drugstore mascara, which is always so good), a dermatologist-beloved facial cleanser, acne-busting pimple patches, and a makeup remover that’s garnered tons of five-star reviews. Without further ado, I present to you the five best-selling beauty products at CVS that made the ranks for the past two years. 1. L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara, $11 Considering how drugstore mascara has always been just as good (if not better) than its more expensive competitors, this one’s not such a surprise. The top of the list is this baby by L’Oreal Paris, which gives your lashes a fringe effect but is easy to wash off with soap and water. Photo: L’Oreal Paris 2. Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner, $9 If you’re looking for an eyeliner that doesn’t budge and
A facialist shares the most genius hack for keeping skin hydrated when you’re wearing makeup
December 23, 2019 at 07:00PM by CWC By the time the clock strikes noon during the winter months, it can feel like every ounce of moisture has been sucked straight out of your face. Thanks to the combination of cold air outside and the blasting heat in your car/house/office, parched skin is pretty much a given. While most skin pros will tell you that the easiest fix for this sitch is simply to slather on some moisturizer or oil as soon as that dryness sets in, that isn’t exactly the most helpful advice when you’ve got a full face of makeup on that you don’t want to risk ruining. But, says celebrity facialist Angela Caglia, there’s an easy solution on how to hydrate skin with makeup on: the pat-pat method. According to her, it’s A-okay to put moisturizer on over your foundation—as long as you’re doing it the right way. “Pat an oil based moisturizer on top, which will protect your skin,” she says, noting that the same goes for an oil. “It doesn’t effect makeup—it will just make it softer and make lines less pronounced.” She suggests keeping the products in your purse and using them for a quick hydrating touchup for when your skin is begging for a bit more moisture. If you’re worried about this reverse layering clogging your pores (and causing breakouts), Caglia says it shouldn’t be a problem. “If you’re wearing clean makeup that won’t clog your pores [on its own], putting a moisturizer on