January 17, 2019 at 12:17PM by CWC I know next-to-no one who’s looking to add more steps to their beauty regimen, and if those steps come at the end of one’s routine, that goes double. That’s exactly why I’ve never given setting spray its full due. Despite dozens of them coming across my desk, I’m not even totally sure how to use setting spray or how I could work it into my routine. Turns out, I might be missing a very helpful step in my regimen. “Setting spray can be used at the end of every makeup application to set a look,” says Markphong Tram, a New York-based makeup artist. Yep, yep. Pretty straightforward. But then he goes on: “I personally use different types of setting spray for different purposes.” In addition to those that amp up hydration, there are ones that absorb oil on the skin, as well as ones that add a bit of a gleam to the complexion. Essentially, they’re like facial mists but formulated with specific ingredients that help preserve or boost the masterpiece you’ve just created on your face. “I like to use a hydrating setting spray to melt down a powder for skin-like effects, or simply just to set makeup,” says Tram. “Depending on the occasion, I’ll use a different kind of setting spray—for example, a bride on her wedding day, a busy day running around, or hot weather that could melt makeup. In that case I’ll use a setting spray as well to
Category: City
8 yoga mats that are practically works of art
January 17, 2019 at 06:09AM by CWC I hate to admit it, but I spend approximately 70 percent of my yoga practice staring at my feet, wondering why there are so many random hairs on them and whether or not I’ll ever be responsible enough to remember to get regular pedicures. And frankly, I find the non-stop stream of foot-related thoughts to be incredibly distracting—because how am I supposed to find my zen in a full forward-fold when all I can think about is how weird my toes look? Upon a very unscientific poll (I asked three of my coworkers, one of whom copped to staring at other people’s feet during class in addition to her own), I found that I’m not the only one who spends time on the mat contemplating the meaning of toe hair when she should be focusing on her ujjayi breath. And my theory on the best way to fix it? Invest in a museum-worthy mat to stare at instead. These days, yoga mats have hit their peak. Not only can you get ultra high-tech options that are made out of cork or roll up on their own (yes—those are as amazing as they sound), but the market has also gotten a whole lot more aesthetically pleasing. While popping into down dog on a tasteful yoga mat probably won’t make your practice any better or bendier, it will give you something pretty to look at while you’re staring at the ground—and what’s not to love about that? A few
Local retreats are 2019’s travel trend to watch—just ask Wanderlust
January 16, 2019 at 07:01AM by CWC When you Google the word “retreat,” the search results likely return remote mountaintops and seaside bungalows. In 2019, though, prepare for a switch up: The OG event for fitness-loving festival-goers—you know, Wanderlust festivals—is getting the local treatment. Yes, city-dwellers, it’s coming to your own backyard. On Thursday, Wanderlust officially announces its lineup of two-day events coming to city parks across the country. There’s something special about traveling to fulfill your craving for adventure, but there’s definitely magic to be found in staying put. Atlanta, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, and New York are up first, with more locales to be announced. Tickets start at $200. “I think the idea of actually producing a festival that really has the texture, the experts, and the tons of classes you can do at a festival in a city is just a compelling idea.” —Sean Hoess, co-founder and CEO of Wanderlust “I think the idea of actually producing a festival that really has the texture, the experts, and the tons of classes you can do at a festival in a city is just a compelling idea,” says Sean Hoess, co-founder and CEO of Wanderlust. In the past, the bohemian festival has been comprised of two main arms, Wanderlust 108 (the original four-day event) and Wellspring (a three-day gathering in Palm Springs). With the two-day format, Wanderlust intends to host a selection of world-renowned wellness luminaries, offering 50 workout class options. While not every featured teacher has been announced, Jessamyn Stanley, Light Watkins, and
If you’ve had a dizzy spell during yoga, here’s what could be behind it
January 14, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC There are certain things yogis knows their bodies will feel during a particularly intense flow class: stretched for one, strong for another. But…lightheaded? Not so much. If you’re feeling dizzy during a flow, when you should be embracing the good vibes, it could be your body’s way of telling you to chill out for a second. “Dizziness is scientifically caused by the inner ear and fluids in the head—the disturbance of this make us dizzy, which is the feeling that we are moving without actually moving,” explains Kajuan Douglas, founder of New York City’s hottest new yoga studio, Merge New York. He points to five main reasons why you might be feeling a little woozy on your mat: hunger, dehydration, lack of balance, pacing and rhythm, and focus. While these issues can happen in any yoga class (or any fitness class, for that matter), the combination of heat, dehydration, and quick transitions in a hot vinyasa flow class could exacerbate the situation, making you more prone to feeling wobbly. “When the yoga class is hot yoga, your blood vessels get dilated, and when your blood vessels get dilated, your blood pressure falls,” explains cardiologist Nieca Goldberg, MD, medical director of the women’s heart program at NYU Langone’s Joan H. Tisch Center for Women’s Health. “So the lightheadedness you’re getting may be due to low blood pressure.” Particular poses, too, may be to blame. The main culprits (to the surprise of exactly no one) are inversions.
I asked my younger coworkers to teach me their dating app secrets—and stumbled upon a whole lot of genius
January 12, 2019 at 08:23AM by CWC Remember the early aughts? As in, Fendi baguettes. Chappelle’s Show. Paris Hilton being a thing (and relatedly, those low-rise jeans that keep threatening to come back). My point is, that was a long time ago. Connect that era to today (or rather, last year) and you’ll understand how long my last relationship was. And now, on the north side of 40, I’m basically a time traveler from a dating world that doesn’t exist anymore. On the north side of 40, I’m basically a time traveler from a dating world that doesn’t exist anymore. Luckily, I work in an office full of 20-somethings and 30-somethings who are serious experts in the field of Bumble-ology. And Applied Tinder Science. And…you get it. So I assembled a dating-coach dream team to guide me: associate beauty and fitness editor Rachel Lapidos, associate beauty and fitness editor Zoe Weiner, and assistant editor Tamim Alnuweiri. I sat down with the group to get to the bottom of the most confusing things about dating apps for a 40-something—here’s the keeping-it-oh-so-real advice my younger co-workers offered. ERIN: Okay, so as you know, I was in a relationship for the past 15 years, and now I’m single. It’s hardly an original thought to say that app life is challenging, but my challenges are more in the details! Like, I don’t know the social cues and what’s a faux pas and what’s considered normal. So, first question… If someone asks for your WhatsApp, is that some
“Barbie heels” are everywhere right now, but why?
January 11, 2019 at 09:27AM by CWC A few weeks ago, Well+Good’s senior style editor slacked me a picture of some really cute Loeffler Randall slingbacks. “I keep seeing these heels with the V-cut toe that remind me of my Barbie’s heels growing up,” she said, adding a photo of the Barbie shoes in question. And I instantly got what she meant—pumps or mules that give fairly full coverage of the foot, with an angular upper that plunges down towards the toe. I did a little more digging and came across tons of other variations on the look. Tibi’s current collection features an office-appropriate, kitten-heeled “Barbie shoe.” Stella McCartney’s version is crafted with sexy, peek-a-boo PVC. Jimmy Choo’s ballet-pink take rings true to the Barbie vibe, while Alumnae NYC makes theirs super-modern in python and red leopard prints. Of course, Barbie probably wasn’t at the front of designers’ minds when these styles were born. But given that this shoe shape was popular back in the ’80s and ’90s—not just in plastic Malibu dream houses, but in real womens’ closets, too—it’s safe to say that nostalgia did play a role. At least, that was the case for London-based designer Alexander White, whose Mila pump perfectly illustrates the trend. “The Mila is inspired by a shoe my grandmother used to wear when I was a little boy. It was this gorgeous brown elaphe [snakeskin] high-vamp pump with an 80mm heel,” he tells me. (That’s what the style is actually called, FYI—a high-vamp pump.) “Every time she wore
Every guy I date dresses worse than the last—and TBH, it feels disrespectful
January 11, 2019 at 05:30AM by CWC I once went on a date with a guy who showed up wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Totally normal outfit, except the tee was actually just functional workout gear being taken on a fun night out, and the slip-on Vans rounding out his #lewk were threadbare at best. I, on the other hand, wore a dress, cute sneakers, and a leather jacket that felt casual but totally appropriate for the trendy bar and potential new fling. The way I saw it, if he were really interested in pursuing something with me, he was not—as they say—dressing for the job he wanted. But I’ve been on enough dates to know that his attire was hardly an anomaly: So many people—at least the hetero, male-identifying ones who I have the pleasure of meeting for at least a few poorly dressed minutes—are awful at dressing for dates, making their female companion look like they’re headed to a couture fashion show by comparison. It’s nothing new, either—that scene in Clueless, where Cher laments men’s fashion choices, totally still rings true: “It looks like they just fell out of bed and put on some baggy pants and take their greasy hair—ew—and cover it up with a backwards cap and we’re supposed to swoon?” she says. “I don’t think so!” I get the allure of doing the bare minimum—to some extent, at least. We’re all playing that awkward dance of wanting to look good, but not like we tried to
“My therapist forced me to have a meltdown—but it was actually a good thing”
January 10, 2019 at 06:31AM by CWC If I had to describe my 2018 in one word it would be: traumatizing. It started in July, when I suddenly became one of two sole caretakers for a family member diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. I spent most of my summer in and out of the hospital with that family member helping them through treatments. In early September, there was another blow when a friend I had considered to be a mentor, surrogate father, and guiding light of wisdom suddenly passed away. Amidst all this, I also tried to be there for close friends who needed surgery or who were struggling with pressing mental health issues. It was…a lot. In order to function in the midst of all this turmoil, I avoided doing anything that pertained solely to myself. I canceled all my doctor’s appointments and I didn’t see my therapist. For months, I barreled through life with a level of dexterity I didn’t know I was capable of, hiding from my feelings by distracting myself with work and day-to-day tasks. I pretty much did the opposite of taking it slow or finding room to breathe. It’s not that I’m a robot (I’ve actually described myself as being George Costanza-esque). But since the hellfire period had begun, I was operating in an emotionally detached (but barely keeping it together) state. I was always on the verge of crying, I would wake up overcome with anxiety and panic, and I felt a constant irrational rage
How to have glowing, healthy skin ASAP—without a ton of work
January 09, 2019 at 03:30AM by CWC Everyone wants healthy-looking skin, and here’s the good news: Getting the glowing complexion you want doesn’t have to be a heavy lift. Here, Jillian Wright—a trained esthetician, indie beauty expert, and a member of the Well+Good Council—shares four simple ways to improve your skin ASAP. This is the time of year when people often look to shake up their lifestyles in order to discover the best version of themselves in the new year. Here are four ways to instantly rehab your routine and make sure your year starts with glowing, healthy skin. Step up your spot treatment For years, dermatologists and aestheticians alike have been battling the myth that toothpaste works well for acne spot treatment. Not so. But calamine lotion—yep, the pink stuff—does wonders, all due to its anti-inflammatory zinc. Zinc also increases your body’s absorption of the vitamins A and E, which are important for healthy skin. Get to know glutathione Glutathione is an antioxidant that can prevent damage to important cellular components (like your skin) caused by free radicals, peroxides, and heavy metals. Consider getting an IV vitamin drip. I like Nutridrip at Clean Market in NYC, or simply make cabbage soup—the leafy stuff naturally offers glutathione and is a diuretic, too. Relax Stress can cause your skin to behave badly. CBD is being touted by consumers and doctors for its ability to de-stress and relax. Try using a tincture. Place a drop or two of Yuyo Botanics or Holistic
How getting a past-life reading helped me start living in the now
January 07, 2019 at 05:30AM About a year ago, I was going through some stuff. I’d just called time on a four-year relationship and moved out of the home I’d shared with my ex and our dog. I was also a few months into a new job, but could already tell that it wasn’t the right fit for me. And on top of it all, I was in the midst of a months-long acne flare-up that no clean diet or topical treatment could touch. Really, I don’t mean to complain—I know a lot of people have it a lot worse than I did back then—but I was frustrated. After years of examining my past experiences through a microscope of therapy, journaling, and energy healing, I still felt that there was something holding me back at work, in love, and in my body. No matter how much time passed or how much work I did on myself, the same issues kept popping up: Failed romances, skin issues, and the nagging feeling that there was something else I was supposed to be doing with my life. Clearly, just analyzing my past 35 years wasn’t doing the trick. So I started to think about how to dig even deeper to dislodge myself from the rut I kept falling into—like, previous-lifetimes deep. The idea of getting a past-life reading was almost too woo-woo for even me, someone who knows her astrology chart by heart and consults her tarot cards on the daily. But as a