June 06, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC There are two types of travelers in the world: those who mindfully pack, taking into account things like weather and planned activities, and those who haphazardly toss a pile of clothes into their suitcase, content to sort it out once they arrive at their final destination. I fall squarely in to the latter category. That’s why learning my laundromat lost my bag three hours before I’m supposed to board my flight for the Azores, a group of nine volcanic islands off the coast of Portugal, is about as distressing and unsurprising as discovering that the “last round” of burpees really wasn’t the last after all. I’m hopeful that the single pair of jeans, handful of T-shirts, and little black bathing suit left in my closet will be enough for a long Labor Day Weekend of island hopping around what’s quickly becoming a new healthy hot spot for active travelers looking for an affordable escape off the beaten path. (In other words, Tulum before the DJs and the seaweed started taking over its beaches.) Sitting at my gate, I go over my itinerary one more time: The plan is to take a five-hour red eye (there are now direct flights to the Azores from both New York City and Boston between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day) to Ponta Delgada, the capital of Sao Miguel, which is the largest link in the chain of Mid-Atlantic islands. From there, it’s a short flight to Terceira
Category: Fashion
Coconut milk pudding is the grown-up version of your favorite lunch box treat
June 06, 2019 at 03:00AM by CWC As a kid, if you got a pudding cup in your lunch box, it was definitely a good day. Whether you favored tapioca or chocolate, the dessert was up there with DunkARoos and Fruit Gushers as the end-all, be-all of sweet treats. But pudding hasn’t always been considered an adult-friendly food—until coconut milk pudding, an off-shoot of the alternative yogurts trend. “Coconut milk is great for pudding as it is naturally thick and creamy,” says Simple Roots Wellness founder Alexa Schrim. “It holds flavor well, without being overpowering and can really be cooked to the consistency of your liking. Plus, coconut is a powerhouse of nutrition containing healthy fats plus immune-boosting vitamins and minerals.” It’s a great option for dairy-free eaters, or really anyone who wants to revisit a classic. Brands like Sun Tropics and Jell-O make ready-to-serve coconut pudding options, but going the DIY route ensures you get a higher-quality, less-processed outcome. Schrim has mastered making coconut milk pudding herself and happily shares her expert tips with anyone who wants to try it themselves. Here, she reveals four major tips to keep in mind. Keep reading for her intel: Expert tips for making next-level coconut milk pudding 1. It’s all in the wrist. According to Schrim, the key to ending with thick, stick-to-your spoon pudding is buying full-fat canned coconut milk—and being a master whisker. “The trick to getting the consistency just right is to whisk it long enough over low heat,” she
The most French-girl way to wash your hair leaves your strands shiny AF
June 05, 2019 at 12:40PM by CWC I’m basically half-Parisian at this point. I swipe on micellar water twice a day, every day, for my French-girl fresh skin, I rarely wash my hair (it’s tres chic!), and wear stripey shirts like it’s my job. And now I’m taking my Paris-approved regimen one step further by drowning my hair in micellar shampoo. I know, you’re probably gasping—I was shook upon learning that micellar water, AKA the magical cleansing ingredient that removes gunk from your skin, can work that same gunk-removing magic on your strands and your scalp, too. Color me intrigued. Basically, what micellar molecules do to your hair exactly what they do to your face: They gets rid of all the dirt without leaving your hair overly dry and damaged. “Micellar water shampoo formulas are ideal for an everyday shampoo because it cleans away the oil and gunk your hair has picked up during your day,” says Herbal Essences beauty scientist Rachel Zipperian. “The tiny but powerful cleaning micelles work so well because one side of the micelle is attracted to oil, the other end is attracted to water. During use, the micelle is activated so it can trap the oil and suspend it in water that is then rinsed away.” Basically, it’s molecular magic. Many of these formulas use this technology so that they can tap traditional cleansing agents (things like sulfates and coca-betaine) at lower levels. Personally, I’ve used Kerastase’s take on a micellar shampoo and had really
The most French-girl way to wash your hair leaves your strands shiny AF
June 05, 2019 at 12:40PM by CWC I’m basically half-Parisian at this point. I swipe on micellar water twice a day, every day, for my French-girl fresh skin, I rarely wash my hair (it’s tres chic!), and wear stripey shirts like it’s my job. And now I’m taking my Paris-approved regimen one step further by drowning my hair in micellar shampoo. I know, you’re probably gasping—I was shook upon learning that micellar water, AKA the magical cleansing ingredient that removes gunk from your skin, can work that same gunk-removing magic on your strands and your scalp, too. Color me intrigued. Basically, what micellar molecules do to your hair exactly what they do to your face: They gets rid of all the dirt without leaving your hair overly dry and damaged. “Micellar water shampoo formulas are ideal for an everyday shampoo because it cleans away the oil and gunk your hair has picked up during your day,” says Herbal Essences beauty scientist Rachel Zipperian. “The tiny but powerful cleaning micelles work so well because one side of the micelle is attracted to oil, the other end is attracted to water. During use, the micelle is activated so it can trap the oil and suspend it in water that is then rinsed away.” Basically, it’s molecular magic. Many of these formulas use this technology so that they can tap traditional cleansing agents (things like sulfates and coca-betaine) at lower levels. Personally, I’ve used Kerastase’s take on a micellar shampoo and had really
The best (and absolute worst) ‘As Seen On TV’ ab exercise equipment, according to trainers
June 05, 2019 at 08:36AM by CWC We’ve all seen the feature film-length infomercials about exercise gizmos that promise “chiseled” abs to rival Michelangelo’s David. And a quick Google search of “As Seen On TV exercise equipment” returns a staggering number of results. I asked three trainers to cut through the clever slogans, rebates, and “if you call in the next 30 minutes” deals to determine which products actually deliver and which are total BS. While no two items in the “As Seen On TV” market are quite the same, Maillard Howell, owner of CrossFit Prospect Heights in Brooklyn, points out that they all share at least one thing in common: “They’re pretty genius on the level of super-laziness,” he says. There’s no judgement here. Laziness at the gym can be an asset. It can prompt us to make our workouts efficient and smart instead of aimless. But wait, there’s more! When our sloth-like tendencies are being commodified, we all need to make sure we’re informed shoppers so all of our living rooms don’t wind up looking like the Island of Misfit Training Modalities. Take a deep breath before calling 1-800-GET-BUFF and read the fine print. The best of the best (and the worst of the worst) “As Seen On TV” exercise equipment for working your abs Photo: Getty Images/Thanakorn Phanthura Best: Ab Roller Wheel, $13 “Ab rollouts are an advanced core exercise that prevents extension at the lumbar spine (lower back). Most people who complain of low back issues are
The best (and absolute worst) ‘As Seen On TV’ ab exercise equipment, according to trainers
June 05, 2019 at 08:36AM by CWC We’ve all seen the feature film-length infomercials about exercise gizmos that promise “chiseled” abs to rival Michelangelo’s David. And a quick Google search of “As Seen On TV exercise equipment” returns a staggering number of results. I asked three trainers to cut through the clever slogans, rebates, and “if you call in the next 30 minutes” deals to determine which products actually deliver and which are total BS. While no two items in the “As Seen On TV” market are quite the same, Maillard Howell, owner of CrossFit Prospect Heights in Brooklyn, points out that they all share at least one thing in common: “They’re pretty genius on the level of super-laziness,” he says. There’s no judgement here. Laziness at the gym can be an asset. It can prompt us to make our workouts efficient and smart instead of aimless. But wait, there’s more! When our sloth-like tendencies are being commodified, we all need to make sure we’re informed shoppers so all of our living rooms don’t wind up looking like the Island of Misfit Training Modalities. Take a deep breath before calling 1-800-GET-BUFF and read the fine print. The best of the best (and the worst of the worst) “As Seen On TV” exercise equipment for working your abs Photo: Getty Images/Thanakorn Phanthura Best: Ab Roller Wheel, $13 “Ab rollouts are an advanced core exercise that prevents extension at the lumbar spine (lower back). Most people who complain of low back issues are
The best investment you can make this summer is a $40 swimsuit from Target
June 04, 2019 at 09:59AM by CWC Listen: We’ve all seen the memes, and we all know it’s legitimately impossible to walk into Target and not walk out with like, 25 things you don’t need—I once hit the store for quick re-up of toilet paper and La Croix, and walked out with four new pairs of earrings and an entirely new set of bedding. But now that summer is here, I’d go so far as to argue that we all need (or at least, deserve?) to treat ourselves to a new bathing suit—especially when they cost under $40. My first real foray into Target’s incredible swimwear collection was in 2009, shortly before spring break my senior year of college (what up, Puerto Vallarta?!). My friends and I, dying for new bathing suits to wear on our trip, hauled out to the suburbs 45 minutes outside of our college town and went totally ham on everything the big box store had to offer. I wound up taking home three new bikinis for less than $100, and 10 years later I still wear two of them on the reg. So not only are Target’s bathing suits cute and wildly affordable, but they’re also durable as hell. In honor of the fact that beach-pool-rooftop season is here, we rounded up the best picks from Target’s swimwear selection—each of which you can get for under 430. Photo: Target Xhilaration Animal Print Women’s Lace-Up Back Bralette Bikini Top ($15) and Bottom ($15) The bathing suit equivalent
We’ve lost individuality in our beauty routines, and it’s time to reclaim it
June 04, 2019 at 09:26AM by CWC “This is what my face looks like.” It’s a phrase that had been spinning around in my head for the better part of the past year as I ponder the true job of beauty in our lives. It’s the opinion of this website, for example, that beauty is something that should inspire confidence via creative expression, that it should call you to try, test, play, and that whatever you swipe on should be in the spirit of feeling even more like yourself. But it shouldn’t make you feel bad. It shouldn’t be a chore. It shouldn’t feel as though you’re shedding natural-born signatures to become the ideal. And yet with an expanding empire of Instagram aesthetics (no longer confined to makeup alone, the wonder now extends to fitness, skin care, infinity), beauty inspiration can feel frozen in a FaceTuned, filtered lens that caters more to mass appeal than individual quirks. As we know, other cultures have actively lauded the latter for their ability to evoke emotion, like the French insouciance that seems so elusive on this side of the Atlantic. In Korea, the “escape the corset” movement has women risking their careers by rejecting restrictive beauty standards. In America, we laud foundation launches in dazzling 40-shade ranges and skin care with cleaner ingredients while the demand for Lolita-esque youth and robotic perfection has become such a streaming constant that it sneaks beneath the radar like white noise—until you’re hit with that fog horn
13 minimalist brands that make getting dressed the easiest thing you’ll do all day
June 03, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC Imagine opening up your closet to find a calming sea of neutrals, each of which you can pull off the hanger, pair with literally anything else in your wardrobe, and head out for the day. Such is the beauty of creating a minimalist wardrobe, which will not only keep you looking endlessly chic (peep the #minimalistoutfit hashtag on Instagram for inspo and proof), but will also shave significant time off of your morning routine. You know those cool-looking women who are always outfitted in some stunning combination of grey, black, white, and camel? Well, with the help of these minimalist clothing brands, that could be you. The allure of a minimalist wardrobe comes in its simplicity. You know that every item in your wardrobe matches, and don’t have to stress about finding things that go together. Plus, just because getting dressed can be easy doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be boring. You can add a pop of color to your neutral palette by way of a scarf (a la leopard print, maybe?), or dress things up with some structured metal earrings. Whether you have $10 to spend or $100, scroll through for 17 minimalist clothing brands to keep on your radar. And be prepared to never say “Ugh, I have nothing to wear” again. View this post on Instagram Win your summer essentials. Share how you wear COS by posting a photo on Instagram and tagging @cosstores in the image, along with #COSEssentials,
13 minimalist brands that make getting dressed the easiest thing you’ll do all day
June 03, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC Imagine opening up your closet to find a calming sea of neutrals, each of which you can pull off the hanger, pair with literally anything else in your wardrobe, and head out for the day. Such is the beauty of creating a minimalist wardrobe, which will not only keep you looking endlessly chic (peep the #minimalistoutfit hashtag on Instagram for inspo and proof), but will also shave significant time off of your morning routine. You know those cool-looking women who are always outfitted in some stunning combination of grey, black, white, and camel? Well, with the help of these minimalist clothing brands, that could be you. The allure of a minimalist wardrobe comes in its simplicity. You know that every item in your wardrobe matches, and don’t have to stress about finding things that go together. Plus, just because getting dressed can be easy doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be boring. You can add a pop of color to your neutral palette by way of a scarf (a la leopard print, maybe?), or dress things up with some structured metal earrings. Whether you have $10 to spend or $100, scroll through for 17 minimalist clothing brands to keep on your radar. And be prepared to never say “Ugh, I have nothing to wear” again. View this post on Instagram Win your summer essentials. Share how you wear COS by posting a photo on Instagram and tagging @cosstores in the image, along with #COSEssentials,