December 27, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC We rolled up in Sonia’s mom’s minivan, driven by Sonia’s little sister, which simultaneously made me feel teenage and ancient. In reality, I am 28. The Romy and Michelle year. The Grosse Pointe Blank year. The year pop culture declares you show up to your high school reunion Full Adult and dressed to impress. And granted, 28-year-old me had her gameface on. But my inner 18-year-old, with her yellow bangs, combat boots, and grandma cardigans was like, “You sure you want to do this?” I rebelled to everything, as long as it wasn’t challenging. I felt so inherently different than my classmates that I shut them out. Like, ACTIVELY. I mean, even my friends rocking liberty spikes and mohawks joined the powderpuff team. But I was a committed Misery Chick, running with this idea that I was “strange” and it would be easier to reject my classmates before they rejected me. I was so preoccupied with being an outsider that I skipped senior prom and, yes, I know it was just a lot of barely legal teens wearing Jovani gowns and grinding to “Gasolina.” But I instantly regretted that. And so, my 10 year reunion became a big, exalted metaphorical make-up quiz. I needed to be Peak Mary Grace, or I could not go. You understand, right? Growing up, I saw a high reunion was the one opportunity to catch up with classmates and (hopefully) debut a glow-up that started the second you get to college
Category: Travel
The psychological reason breakups lead us to re-prioritize our friendships
December 27, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC While navigating a breakup with a long-term serious partner earlier this year, I found myself with a lot of spare time on my hands, and a lot of feelings to sort through. That’s when I noticed myself reaching out to friends I earnestly love despite having not spent so much time with them during the length of my since broken relationship. This act of a rekindling friendship after a breakup felt natural, but also dirty and opportunistic—I couldn’t figure out quite why. In this era of solo everything, from solo travel and solo working to solo sex (okay the last one is just masturbation, but still), it can be tough to admit that you need someone…especially if that’s someone you ditched before you met whats-their-face. But according to psychotherapist and relationship counselor Larry Letich, LCSW, this isn’t the marker of a fair-weather friend but rather someone whose basic survival instincts are kicking in. “Humans are social creatures. For all of the talk about being ‘self-sufficient,’ we really aren’t evolutionarily designed to survive alone.” —Larry Letich, LCSW “Humans are social creatures,” says Letich. “For all of the talk about being ‘self-sufficient,’ we really aren’t evolutionarily designed to survive alone. Back a couple of thousand centuries ago, to be alone and cut off from everyone else meant a quick death, pure and simple. The fact that we don’t have to worry about saber-toothed tigers, and we get our food from a supermarket down the block doesn’t change
These are Amazon’s best-selling beauty products this season
December 26, 2019 at 06:30PM by CWC Whether you’re buying for yourself or your besties, this is truly the season of giving—so it’s no wonder Amazon had record-breaking numbers this year with billions of items delivered around the globe. While that included everything from home tech to kitchen goods (hello, Instant Pot!), some of the top beauty items really stood out. Customers went wild in the makeup, skincare, and personal hygiene departments. And out of all the items they scored, there were five in particular that were purchased more than anything else. These are the best-selling beauty products on Amazon. Makeup Haus Laboratories by Lady Gaga Glam Room Palette No.1: FAME, $34 This shimmery liquid powder eye shadow is super pigmented, long-wearing, and buildable, allowing you to swipe it on for work or build it up for a night out. Skincare Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, $17 This drying lotion should be in everyone’s acne-fighting arsenal. All you need to do is apply a small dab on your whitehead and leave it on overnight for clearer skin in the morning. EltaMD UV Clear Facial Sunscreen Broad-Spectrum SPF 46, $33 If you have sensitive or acne-prone skin, this oil-free sunscreen is for you. The mineral-based option calms your skin while protecting it, giving you a two-for-one skincare win. Personal hygiene Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Classic Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush, $140 This high-tech toothbrush has five different brushing modes and a timer, and it works so good that it removes seven times more plaque than
The weirdest wellness things we tried this year (and the verdicts)
December 26, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC If there’s one thing to be said about life as a wellness reporter, it’s that boredom is not part of the job description. Team Well+Good spends hours each month trying new fitness trends, testing new technology, and vetting woo-woo wellness practitioners—and as you can imagine, some of the opportunities that cross our desks are more out-there than others. As 2019 winds down, we’re looking back on some of the most out-there products, experiences, and fitness trends we tried this year. Not all of them got our seal of approval—let’s just say that you can probably take “get busy at a sex resort” off your bucket list—but we did take something away from every oddball experience. Keep reading to find out which weird wellness activities you might want to add to your 2020 itinerary, and which ones you can confidently skip. 1. I worked out in CBD-laced leggings—and boy, do I have some feels Beauty and fitness editor Rachel Lapidos braved a HIIT class wearing Acabada’s CBD-infused leggings and sports bra, in hopes that they’d help ward off post-workout soreness. While one osteopathic doctor claims the concept may not be as bonkers as it sounds, our intrepid reporter says she didn’t notice much of a difference in her recovery. 2. Here’s what happened when i tried “vabbing” and wore my vaginal secretions as perfume for a week When she heard that dabbing one’s own vaginal secretions behind their ears may help make them more
An underwater yoga class in Dubai helped me find inner peace after a breakup
December 26, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC I’m an active, exercise-loving person—but my favorite workouts are sweaty, high-intensity sessions, à la Rumble and SoulCycle. I prefer to be so busy that I’m more focused on the struggle to catch my breath than on mindfulness about my breath’s very existence. I generally use my workouts as a means to distract me from how I’m feeling (whether that’s good or bad), so I can clear my mind and think about nothing at all. However, a recent breakup, which heightened my anxious thoughts, changed all of that. I tried calming yoga for anxiety, and it worked. In the weeks following the rough breakup, I couldn’t eat, I barely slept, and my mind was running amok in circles. Traveling generally would have been a great, Eat, Pray, Love-approved way to escape these emotions, but unfortunately, my ex was slated to join me on a work trip I was taking to Dubai only a few weeks after our breakup. Clearly, that plan was no longer in tact. And even the trip itself, which I had be excited to take, became an emotional trigger. So, when I found myself newly single and sad about it in the UAE, I searched for HIIT-style workouts to help take my mind off the anxious thoughts that wouldn’t stop buzzing: What’s he doing right now? Is he seeing other women? What could I have done differently? When will I be able to think about something else? And while I did
Checks+Balanced: How to budget for early retirement while maintaining healthy habits
December 26, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC Do you know how much money your friends make? What about how much their rent is or how much is in their bank accounts right now? I’m guessing no. Even in a world where questions about menstrual cups and the ins and outs of sex are completely (and blessedly) normal to ask, 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 is able to hit up $34 fitness classes three times a week? It’s enough to make anyone want to ask, “Ummm, excuse me. How can 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 month, meet *Leslie, a 37-year-old living in Hawaii with her husband and two kids. Leslie and her husband have a shared goal of early retirement, in 10 years. Leslie loves to eat healthy and work out, but because saving is her family’s main goal, she’s prioritized living simply. Keep reading to see how
I’m a health coach—this is the herbal tonic I drink anytime I feel bloated
December 25, 2019 at 07:00PM by CWC I spent the majority of my 20s toting Tums in my purse, popping ’em like candy any time I felt a bout of bloat come my way. Eating healthy was not really on my radar then. My pantry was stocked with food that had an expiration date 10 years into the future and I stayed well-hydrated on an alternating beverage schedule of coffee (during the day) and vodka tonics (from happy hour ’til midnight). I didn’t know the importance of fiber, had no idea what probiotics where, and definitely didn’t drink enough water. It’s no wonder I felt bloated so often. Eventually, I got sick of constantly being exhausted and started making small steps to take better care of myself. I started eating healthier, going to bed at a decent hour, and even pivoted my career to become a holistic health coach and a wellness reporter. While I’m nowhere near done learning—something I love most about my job is that I’m constantly educating myself—but four years into my job covering the healthy food scene, I’ve discovered a lot, and my health is better because of it. One perk of my job is getting the inside scoop on soon-to-be launched wellness companies and getting to try the goods first-hand. I’m not going to lie: some are nothing more than pretty packaging and a mediocre product; a wolf in sheep’s clothing. So many times, I’ve discovered a new brand claiming to be healthy only to
Here’s what kind of ambitious Capricorn you are, according to your moon sign
December 25, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC If you find yourself deep in goal-setting mode at this time of year, the cosmos might have a little something to do with it: The sun is currently making its annual pilgrimage through the zodiac sign of Capricorn, which is associated with all things related to ambition and getting stuff done. Those born between December 21 and January 21 are said to channel this vibe all year round—and especially during their birthday month—but not every Capricorn is as driven and grounded as the next. See, every planet in a person’s zodiac chart helps paint the unique picture of their personality traits, and for Capricorn, moon signs are an illuminating indicator of inner life and emotional expression. Learning about a Capricorn moon sign (the sign the moon was in when they were born) is especially revealing because this is a sign that doesn’t tend to be very open about their feelings. “The moon has a more subtle impact on Capricorns simply because they are more about reality, facts, and how they’re moving through life day to day,” says astrologer and women’s empowerment coach Natalia Benson. “I wouldn’t say that emotions are something they naturally traverse. Capricorn may have more of an ability to compartmentalize their emotions and look at them objectively.” A Capricorn’s moon sign can indicate how they naturally process these behind-the-scenes feelings, which can be useful intel for both them and the people around them. A Capricorn’s moon sign can indicate how
The plastic products (besides straws) we said goodbye to in 2019
December 25, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC First, here’s some bad news: By 2050, research estimates there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. Now for the good news: We still have about 30 years left to do our part to stop the planet from becoming one big trash shore by reducing plastic waste and prioritizing other sustainable-living habits. One cause many have jumped on the bandwagon to support? The widespread canceling (and in some places outlawing) of plastic straws. Sure, the complete lack of plastic straws alone won’t fix the global crisis, but every bit of progress certainly counts when it comes to sustainable living. To that end, rounded up below are the single-use plastics (other than straws) we kissed goodbye in 2019. 7 products we canceled in 2019 in favor of reducing plastic waste. 1. Plastic grocery bags Following in the footsteps of California, New York is instituting a ban on plastic-bag output as of March 2020. I’ve collected quite a few canvas totes throughout my tenure as an event-hopper, so I’m good. But even if you’re not living in one of these states, you still hold the power to do your part and commit to reducing plastic. Consider it an excuse to order yourself a power tote. 2. Plastic cutlery for the first big barbecue of the summer Do yourself a favor and preemptively stock up on plant-based, compostable tableware products, like those from the eco-conscious organization World Centric. Yes, compostable. The collection features cutlery and cold-liquid cups made
Spiritual activist Rachel Ricketts challenges white women to rethink wellness
December 25, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC Spiritual activist, speaker, and writer Rachel Ricketts doesn’t shy away from painful truths; on the contrary, she provokes them, painfully extracting uncomfortable thoughts and feelings in order to facilitate transformation and healing. Through this work, Ricketts (who is one of Well+Good’s 2020 Changemakers) aims to dismantle the “racist heteropatriarchy,” aka white, cisgender male supremacy. This is no small task, but Ricketts has carved out a meaningful niche for herself by pushing white women to have difficult internal conversations around their role in global systems of oppression. Through Instagram posts, workshops and, eventually, a book she’s currently in the process of writing, Ricketts aims to illuminate the ways in which these systems aren’t just hurting people of color, but are also damaging everyone who participates in them. It’s her belief that true wellness is not possible until the heteropatriarchy ceases to be, and destroying it has, as a result, become her mission. I rang Ricketts up to experience my own painful extraction, one that illuminated not only my own part in hurting people of color as a white woman but also, more broadly, the role wellness plays in committing what she calls “violence” against oppressed populations. Well+Good: How is wellness defined for you? Rachel Ricketts: Wellness to me means peace, vitality, and safety in an emotional, spiritual, psychological, mental, physical way, a full-body, 360, comprehensive state of being in alignment with your highest and best self possible. How does your work fit under that