October 24, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC I was in the middle of the Peruvian jungle when I finally started feeling like myself again after slogging through life on the heels of a recent heartbreak. Then I unexpectedly got my period. Let’s rewind: After my boss returned from hiking Machu Picchu with her husband, she kept saying how magical the experience was and that I should plan to visit soon. Not expecting her to say yes, I jokingly responded: “Okay, can I go next month? Will you give me the week off?” She paused for a second before replying, “Get your work done in advance, and go for it!” So I worked, and then I went. Energized by the last-minute trip I now needed to plan, I spent hours every night researching and soon felt like an expert in altitude hiking, Peruvian customs, and archaeology. I cashed in all my frequent-flier miles for a business-class flight, booked lodging at hostels, and built myself a custom weeklong itinerary packed with cultural experiences, adventure, and relaxation. My solo-travel goal was to heal and to reconnect with myself. I spent the first couple of days upon arrival in the main city of Cusco, Peru, acclimating to the altitude (and sipping plenty of pisco sours, the local libation of choice), and then I was ready for my four-day group trek to Machu Picchu. Despite my best-laid plans, after two full days of hiking, mountain biking, and white water rafting, I woke up on day
Category: City
I tried a NASA-inspired, temperature-regulated makeup bag—here’s what I thought
October 24, 2019 at 01:30AM by CWC Technological beauty advancements have definitely taken an interesting turn in 2019, as skin-care micro-fridges and mess-free skin-care applicators (yes, really) have garnered a lot of attention over the past few months. However, expect the trend to also carry over into your accessories, especially as startups like Livana develop a line of technologically enhanced makeup cases, inspired by NASA innovations. At first glance, Livana’s two cosmetic cases look something like a designer bag that’s currently at the top of your wishlist. However, elegant appearance is where all comparisons end. These cases utilize temperature-controlling technology to extend the longevity of your beauty essentials (no more melty foundations or ruined lipsticks). According to Terry Leon, founder and president of Livana, each cosmetic case uses a special technology to keep the interior of your makeup bag cool during extreme temperatures. This allows all products stored inside the case to last a lot longer, she says, which ultimately hopes to cut down on product waste in the long run. While this beauty writer is always a sucker for a new gadget, never have I tried a smart makeup bag with such a clever twist. Putting The Traveler ($225) case to the test, I sought out to see just how out-of-this world a makeup bag could be. How does it work? Since Livana’s cosmetic case boasts a technological edge, I expected it to require a charge of some sort upon arrival. However, to my surprise, the Livana package did
You can now “microblade” foundation and we are *all* about it
October 22, 2019 at 07:15PM by CWC Technology has gotten pretty creative in figuring out how to make your fave makeup products last—and I’m talking about even longer than longwear makeup. First there were eyeliner and lip liner tattoos. Then, permanent-ish beauty treatments like microblading exploded, much to the fanfare of those who wanted thicker brows. And now, we’ve got a complexion option on the market: BB Glow semi-permanent foundation. The closest thing I can compare it to is microblading foundation. At a preview this morning with Paul Jarrod Frank, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist, he unveiled the aesthetic treatments that will be big in 2020, one of which is this complexion-enhancing technology, dubbed PFrank MD BB Glow. “BB Glow is an immediate and short-term makeup procedure,” Dr. Frank said at the event, noting that it originated in Korea (surprise). “We’re literally microneedling organic makeup particles into the topmost layers of the epidermis.” [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmHndTQaq3k] It’s actually a “nutrient-rich” BB cream (it’s got vitamins and antioxidants in it) that’s infused into the skin for light to medium coverage, and it works to blur acne scars, hyperpigmentation, freckles, uneven skin, and other topical blemishes you may want to hide. So if you’re not quite ready to get a laser treatment yet, this works to even skin tone and lasts for several weeks. While eyebrow microblading can stick around for up to two years, these pigments aren’t placed very far into skin so they last less time. The superficial delivery of
Why regenerative agriculture is the future of sustainable food
October 22, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC Today’s agricultural practices—the cultivation of crops and livestock as well as deforestation to make room for more farmland—are responsible for an estimated one quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The effects of industrial agriculture are quite visible, from the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico to the horrific (and government sanctioned) wildfires in the Amazon rainforest to make room for cattle ranchers. While organic farming has had an undeniably positive impact on the planet, we can do even more to reduce our carbon footprint by embracing organic’s offspring: regenerative agriculture. The transition has been a long time coming and is the result of a lot of hard work started many years ago, says Danielle Treadwell, PhD, an associate professor of agricultural sciences at the University of Florida who trains local farmers. “The visibility, attention, and interest in the term regenerative agriculture is widespread and gaining a lot of momentum,” says Jeffrey Mitchell, PhD, a cooperative extension specialist with the University of California at Davis Department of Plant Sciences. Here’s what’s behind the buzzword—and what it can potentially do for the planet. The history of the regenerative agriculture movement Organic farming laid the groundwork for the American regenerative agriculture movement, say experts. Organic farming is commonly attributed to J.I. Rodale, who came up with the term in the 1940s and founded the Rodale Institute. Most organic farming practices are also commonly used in regenerative agriculture, including reduced
Checks+Balanced: A 25-year-old restaurant manager in Austin budgets for boutique fitness and beauty
October 18, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC Even in a world where questions about menstrual cups and the ins and outs of sex are completely (and blessedly) normal, somehow the ever-ubiquitous use of money remains a touchy subject for many. People want to live their healthiest life ever, but—#realtalk—it can add up. Have you ever wondered how your colleague who makes less than you do (or so you think) can afford to buy a $5 matcha and a $12 chopped salad every day? Or how your friend’s budget allows her to hit up $34 fitness classes three times a week? It’s enough to make anyone want to ask, “Ummm, excuse me. How do you afford that?!?” That’s where Well+Good’s monthly series Checks+Balanced comes in. By lifting the thick, tightly drawn curtain to expose how much women of varying income brackets spend on wellness, we’re spreading transparency and hopefully providing some inspo that’s possible to copy. Because no matter how much you make, it’s possible to cultivate healthy habits that work within your budget. This week, meet Emma*, a 25-year-old clean-beauty devotee living in Austin, Texas, with her boyfriend. Emma makes $65,000 a year from her job as a restaurant manager, and here, she gets real about her monthly expenses, including how she affords her favorite healthy habits. Here, a 25-year-old living in Austin, Texas, shares her spending habits. Graphic: Well+Good Creative Emma, 25, restaurant manager, Austin, Texas Income: $65,000, plus bonuses. I’m a manager at a restaurant, which means I’m in charge of the schedule, hiring, training, and keeping track
This no-rinse anti-pollution cleanser made me break up with my micellar water
October 18, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC Even though I’m a stalwart for the double cleanse, I still like to swipe something over my skin afterwards (yes—that’s a third swipe we’re talking) to make sure there’s absolutely zero trace of the day left. I’ll usually rotate between my dependable acid toner (#P50forlife) or micellar water, but now all I want to use is my Odacite Blue Aura Cleansing Water ($39). Not only is it appealing because of its Miami Beach ocean-blue color, but this cleansing water is truly a no-rinse face wash (… unlike a lot of micellar waters, which dermatologists actually say should be removed afterwards. It’s a concoction of skin-boosting ingredients that swirl together to remove your makeup, pollution, and any other debris while leaving your skin really fresh and soft. Photo: Odacite The base ingredient is aloe vera (not water!), which gives you the most gentle foundation, and then there are the Ayurvedic herbs like turmeric, neem and holy basil that work detoxifying magic on your skin. This trifecta, along with the cleansing water’s gently exfoliating salicylic acid, are especially helpful for breakouts and blackheads. To top it all of, it even has micelles in it… so that takes care of your makeup removing efforts. I haven’t even told you about the smell yet. The scent of this potion is an intoxicating, earthy fragrance mixed with, well, just the scent of clean. It even kind of smells blue, if you know what I mean. It’s divine, and once I am done
“It’s not my race, it’s her race:” What it’s like to guide a visually impaired runner for the New York City Marathon
October 17, 2019 at 08:21PM by CWC Imagine spending the better part of the calendar year training for a marathon. Early mornings, or possibly late nights, logging double-digit miles, feeling so depleted from long runs and speed workouts that all you want to do is nap and eat. Perhaps you battle adverse weather conditions, dodge potholes and are working tirelessly on your rhythm of consuming nutrition as you run. Now, imagine you are adhering to this rigorous training block and are blind, have severely limited vision, or a disability that prevents you from being able to run solo. Picture not being able to see the ground, nor have peripheral vision, nor make out any object further than 50 feet in front of you. My friend Melissa is a visually impaired athlete who cannot see contrast on the road so with my help, as her guide, it is my duty to make sure she runs safely and crosses the finish line without injury or obstacle. The first weekend in November, she is set to run her fourth New York City Marathon, and I will be right by her side for the experience—cueing her for all 26.2 miles. Melissa and I met four years ago at an Achilles—an organization that pairs able-bodied athletes with disabled athletes to act as guides through races—practice on a chilly Saturday morning in Central Park and clicked immediately. We bonded over our shared love of fashion, running, and food—and we started running together from that day on.
How to avoid the fear of being mean (FOBM) and stick to your valid opinions
October 17, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC Let’s be honest: No one ever wants to be the bearer of bad news. Not only is providing constructive criticism uncomfortable—regardless of whether you’re giving feedback to a colleague, a friend, or a family member—but the act can also unwittingly make you feel guilty and bad about yourself. According to a paper published earlier this year in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, colleagues who delivered unexpected unfavorable news were considered less likable in comparison to people who provided good news. That finding makes sense because of course people correlate positive feedback with general likability. Unfortunately though, that reality doesn’t exempt anyone from needing to deliver hard truths when a situation calls for it. In these cases, feeling equipped to reign supreme over the fear of being mean (FOBM) is an invaluable skill to have. Of course, this isn’t easy to do; and even if you’re personally close to the recipient of your feedback, there are several reasons why you may get stage fright when it comes time to deliver your lines. “First, FOBM is often connected to ‘people-pleasing,’ or trying to keep everyone around us happy and ‘in like’ with us all the time,” says career coach Megan Hellerer. “Second, we have the belief that we’re responsible for other peoples’ feelings and reactions. And third, FOBM doesn’t actually come out of fear of hurting the other person, but rather a fear of the discomfort that I will be uncomfortable if the other person
How to deal when you experience less-than-chill feelings in yoga class
October 17, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC Several years into her practice, Seane Corn was taking a Power Yoga class and found herself in a mood—silently judging those around her and feeling intense irritation as they moaned and groaned through an intense series of poses. But as the session wound down and she settled into pigeon, something strange happened: She realized she was about to start crying during yoga. Corn immediately jumped up from her mat and ran to the bathroom. “In the stall, I heave. Tears pouring from my eyes, deep, animal sounds coming from inside me,” the legendary yoga instructor recalls in her new book, Revolution of the Soul. “I don’t get it; everything in my life is fine. It really is. I have a job I enjoy, a boyfriend I’m into, a practice I love. Why am I suddenly, so unexpectedly, emotional?” Eventually, she returned to class and got into pigeon on the other side—only to begin sobbing again, this time with flashbacks of the abuse she experienced as a child. She didn’t realize it then, but Corn was experiencing an extreme manifestation of something many yoga lovers have encountered at some point—unpleasant feelings or traumatic memories that arise during a practice. “When people move and breathe and discharge energy, emotions may come up to the surface. Sometimes they’re big emotions, like crying, fear, or rage,” Corn says. So why is yoga, specifically, so effective at stirring up this kind of emotional detritus? One theory, popularized by
I started each morning dancing like I was in the club—and it was beyond freeing
October 16, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC In 2008, my 11th grade boyfriend turned to me in the middle of a high school dance and told me I was a terrible dancer. It was an off-handed comment that stopped me in my booty-shaking tracks, and has stuck with me ever since. It’s been in the back of my mind at every wedding, party, and nightclub that I’ve been to since, and has made me wildly self-conscious for over a decade—despite the fact that I really, really love to dance. Earlier this year, I actually signed up for a dance squad in the hopes of finally becoming a “good dancer,” but had a full-on panic attack on my way to the first rehearsal and quit without ever showing up. After that whole disaster (which left me $200 poorer for no good reason), I decided it was time to take extreme measures, and signed myself up to take 20 dance cardio classes in 30 days at New York City’s 305 Fitness. The workout is described as a “cardio dance party,” and I committed to doing it five mornings a week to see if it would make me a better dancer. Of course, this paled in comparison to our What the Wellness star Ella Dove, who managed to squeeze in three dance cardio classes in a single day: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYRG0gUGOvc] Club-inspired workouts, like 305, have become increasingly common in the last few years. There are at least five cardio dance studios within a