February 14, 2019 at 11:17AM by CWC Whether it’s putting on a cute new pair of leggings or blasting my favorite new Backstreet Boys song (don’t @ me—that new album is amazing), I’m all about finding ways to make a workout more enjoyable. And during a recent yoga class, I discovered that the key to going harder-better-faster-stronger might actually be through scent. Before I slipped into my first sun salutation yesterday morning at an event for P.E. Nation’s new collaboration with O&M, Urban Zen yoga instructor Menna Olvera Feder asked the group to inhale the scent from a small cotton pad dipped in essential oils that had been placed on our mats before the start of class. It was a combination of peppermint and frankincense, and the scent was intoxicating. When I entered the room, I had been feeling tired and just kind of meh (it was first thing in the morning, the weather was gross—you know what I mean), but one quick inhale of the unassuming square of cotton had me perked up and ready to focus. And, it seems, that was Feder’s plan all along. “Both the oils have benefits for the brain because they contain sesquiterpenes which stimulate the mind,” she says. “I was looking to energize you for the morning, so I used peppermint and to create a mindful state of being, which is why I selected frankincense.” Both oils tout a ton of feel-good properties on their own, and when they’re combined, they become even stronger. Peppermint, she
Category: City
19 ethereal photos of the Southern Lights that bring heaven a little closer to Earth
February 14, 2019 at 09:55AM by CWC For any enthusiastic astrotourist, heading north to see the aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, is priority number one. But the other side of Earth witnesses its own celestial spectacle. You’ll have to venture far below the equator to be awestruck by the Southern Lights, a dazzling light show worthy of pursuit. The aurora australis, a luminous phenomenon caused by disturbances in Earth’s magnetosphere, paints the night skies above Chile, Argentina, Tasmania, New Zealand, and Antartica each year from March through September. At a scientific level, both the northern and southern lights are the result of electrically charged solar particles coming into contact with gases in the atmosphere like oxygen and nitrogen. But to the naked eye the multi-chromatic display is pure magic. If your sense of adventure leads to you visit the southern hemisphere for a glimpse of the event in person, head for Queenstown, New Zealand; Mount Wellington, Tasmania; Victoria, Australia; or Antartica and Southern Georgia Island. Photographs of aurora australis, or the Southern Lights 1/19 Getty Images/Yumi mini Photographs of the Southern Lights (aurora australis) Once you’ve checked these beauties off your bucket list, you can see California’s super bloom or take up temporary residence in one of these treehouses. Continue Reading… Author Kells McPhillips | Well and Good Selected by iversue
Meet vitex, the hormone-balancing herb you’ve probably never heard of
February 14, 2019 at 09:18AM by CWC If you have crazy-terrible PMS every month (cramps, mood swings, low energy, the works!) you’ve probably tried literally everything to make it less terrible. Heating pad? Check. Magnesium supplement? Check. Dairy-free ice cream? Check. But one lesser-known PMS remedy that probably should be in your arsenal: vitex. If you just heard a record skip at the word vitex, you’re not alone. It also goes by the name chasteberry, or the Latin name Vitex agnus castus if you’re feeling nasty. And while it might seem a bit more obscure, it’s actually been around for a long time, says Chiti Parikh, MD, co-director of the Integrative Health and Wellbeing Program at New York-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine. “Vitex is a plant in the verbena family and commonly found in the Mediterranean region,” she says. “It’s been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years.” Color me intrigued. Keep reading for more intel on vitex benefits, including how it works and what to know before trying it. Photo: Getty Images / Gladiatr In the ye old days, medieval monks reportedly took chasteberry to reduce their libido (explaining that odd name). Today however, many women believe vitex can help regulate their hormones, particularly when it comes to PMS. “Vitex is believed to reduce the amount of prolactin in the body,” says Dr. Parikh. Why that matters: Prolactin is a hormone involved in producing milk when you’re breastfeeding, and it’s produced by your pituitary gland at the base of your brain (as well
My meet-cute with running happened in 2014—and I’m not the only one who’s fallen for a workout
February 14, 2019 at 07:03AM by CWC Meet-cutes are the life force of any rom-com. It’s the moment at the beginning of the story where two people meet and you just know they’re going to get together in the end. Since today’s Valentine’s Day, can we all take a minute to remember the iconic scene from Love Actually, where the prime minister (Hugh Grant) meets his nervous secretary, Natalie (Martine McCutcheon), and she just can’t stop swearing in front of her new boss. For those two, it’s a meet-cute story they’ll tell to their fictional children. But if you ask me, these kind of love at first sight scenarios go beyond person-to-person interactions. We can have a meet-cute with a destination, with ourselves (you know, Arianna Grande-style), or, of course, our workouts. When I asked my colleagues about this idea, everyone had a ca-yute story to share about the first time they tried [insert workout here]. Sure, finding true love on the treadmill next to you at Orange Theory sounds like a fantasy. But IMO, discovering a workout that will be your forever-date for getting sweaty is what I’m after. Below, Well+Good staffers share the meet-cutes that led to real commitment. Photo: Getty Images/Vladimir Vladimirov Barry’s Bootcamp: Rachel Lapidos, Associate Beauty Editor “As soon as I walked into the studio, I turned into the heart-eyed emoji. The music was blasting, the lights were red, and I got onto the treadmill ready to try out Barry’s Bootcamp for the very first time. I love strength training
10 unique getaways for the traveler who just wants a relaxing spring break
February 13, 2019 at 10:15AM by CWC Even if it’s been decades since you were a student who had glorious week off from responsibility to celebrate the onset of spring, you’re certainly a person who still deserves nice things. And a restorative spring break is a bona fide nice thing. Given that Booking.com’s 2019 travel predictions note that more than half of the 21,500 people surveyed would like to visit a destination none of their friends have been to before, it stands to reason that an extra-unique respite might be your ideal getaway. Rounded up below are under-the-radar destinations perfect for Zenning out. So, skip the crowded beach in favor of these 10 unique destinations where you can actually relax. Don’t stress—check out 10 relaxing spring getaway destinations below. View this post on Instagram You can fit your yoga passion anywhere! ¡Cualquier lugar es bueno para practicar tu pasión! . . . . . . #repost @iltm_events #BookAccorHotels #FairmontMayakoba #travel #beach #beachyoga #yoga #resort #luxury #luxuryresort #luxurytravel #luxurydestination #passionpassport A post shared by Fairmont Mayakoba (@fairmontmayakoba) on Oct 13, 2018 at 3:21pm PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js 1. Mayakoba, Mexico Within the well-known locale of Riviera Maya is a quieter, tropical-jungle paradise surrounded by natural lagoons. At 1,600 acres, Mayakoba is one of the largest sugar-sand beaches in Mexico. It’s home to Fairmont Mayakoba, which is ideal for those who want to kick back (maybe into downward dog for beach yoga), relax and sip a margarita oceanside. View this post on Instagram Time for
This Valentine’s Day, I’m in a committed relationship with my beauty products
February 13, 2019 at 07:00AM by CWC I’ve been single for exactly one year, four months, and 26 days (who’s counting?). My last breakup was a traumatic one for a myriad of complicated reasons, which left me swearing off relationships for good (okay fine—at least for now). So instead, I’ve decided to replace the men in my life with a deep, committed love affair with beauty products. Allow me to explain: In the wake of that breakup, I felt like complete and total garbage. Physically, mentally, emotionally…the whole nine. And at first, I didn’t know how to fill all those sad, endless hours alone other than listening to Britney Spears’ “Everytime” on repeat, refreshing my ex’s Instagram, and crying. Like, really crying. Eventually, after a lot longer than I would like to admit (it was a dark few months, lemme tell ya), I decided I needed to do something—anything, really—to pull myself out the horrible, painful funk I’d fallen into. So I turned to my beauty cabinet. My Sunday afternoons, which had previously been occupied by me snuggling up on the couch with my boyfriend (yeah, we were those people), became a full-on self-care day. I spent hours lounging in the bath with some combination of bath bombs, salts, and essential oils swirling around me, and some type of clay mask slathered on my face or hair mask slicked through my strands. And every night, instead of engaging in the pillow talk or, erm, other “evening activities” that relationship me had become so accustomed to,
“I bully my skin for not being perfect even when it does so much to keep me healthy”
February 12, 2019 at 01:27PM by CWC Before I sit down at my desk each morning, I’ve already checked off a lengthy wellness checklist. I wake up early to meditate, write, exercise, and journal. But the thing I do even before all that—my pre-morning ritual, if you will—might be the least mentally healthy part of my day. Before my eyes are even open, I reach my hands up to my face to run my fingertips over any new acne that’s bloomed overnight. I’m not even fully awake, and yet I’m already sizing up how “pretty” I’ll feel for the rest of the day. I’m creating expectations for what I’ll see when I peer into the mirror. For far too long, I’ve considered my acne a total failure on the part of my body’s largest organ. Like, “Hey, you had one job! To be clear.” But recently, a dermatologist reminded me that even though so much of the narrative around skin is that it should be blemish-free, the organ serves functions apart from replicating every airbrushed magazine ad ever. “It’s got metabolic function, it’s how you produce your Vitamin D, it’s got immune functions,” says London-based dermatologist Anjali Mahto on a recent episode of the Deliciously Ella podcast. “Our skin is such an important organ.” I know, all of this should come with a great big “duh” on the end of it. Of course my complexion has roles that go far beyond aesthetic. But when a huge crop of cystic acne is glaring at me in the mirror,
2 makeup artists (including Beyonce’s) share their insider secrets for using bronzer
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
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
The biggest takeaway from New York Fashion Week is that everyone just wants to be comfortable and cozy
February 11, 2019 at 10:46AM by CWC When fashion week comes around, between the street style and dozens of runway shows, I’m often visually overwhelmed—and this year was no different. Once I got over my impulse to throw all my clothing out (it happens every fashion month), I finally digested the collections and came to one, overarching conclusion: Everyone just wants to be comfortable and cozy. At least, that seemed to be the aim, when it comes to dressing, for both designers and the people who turned out to watch their shows. That things are headed in a decidedly more casual direction isn’t entirely surprising given the rise of athleisure and its offshoots leisurée to bathleisure. Still, you know something’s in the air when even a designer like Tom Ford, known for his steadfast dedication to sensuality and glamour—often at the expense of comfort—switches gears and presents a collection that looks, well, soft. For his FW19 presentation, which was shown on Feb. 6, the third day of New York Fashion Week, Ford sent models down the runway in a number of looks that exuded power and confidence (his trademark) but from a decidedly less sexually charged place: The models wore satin pants, velvet blazers, and a number of them wore a black hoodie layered into their perspective looks. Then, there was Tory Burch (the designer behind the color-blocked parka pictured in the feature photo). Her fashion sense tends to skew toward the feminine and form-fitting, but for her latest collection, she