August 23, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC As a social human being in her mid-thirties, I’d venture to say that I’m not alone in my current state of drowning in invitations to weddings, baby showers, housewarming parties, and general “just-because!” girls’ weekends. In fact, I know I’m not alone; I’ve seen the surface of plenty of other people’s refrigerators covered in card stock and magnets to prove it. And for a number of reasons, including financial restraints, scheduling conflicts, and plain-old not wanting to, I’ve RSVP’d “no” to many a celebratory occasion for which the honor of my presence was requested. I often feel guilty about passing up these events, so I’m left wondering how to decline an invitation (for literally any reason) without feeling like a total A-hole. And, furthermore, when you check the “with regrets” box of an RSVP card, is there any reason to explain why? Does doing so provide context the host will appreciate, or more so function as word vomit that will only liken you to them even less? Clearly in need of some help in the department of knowing how to decline an invitation like a pro, I wanted called upon the only people I can really trust on the matter: etiquette experts. Below, they share everything you (fine, I) need to know so I never have to regret sending in my “regrets” to party hosts. ad_intervals[‘397337_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘397337_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Your “thanks, but no can
Category: You and your body
How many times can I wear the same PJs before it’s, well, gross?
August 23, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC I’ve always lived my life by the Two Night Pajama Rule—the unofficial (and unscientific) belief that sporting the same PJs for consecutive sleeps is fine. Just fine. But now that curiosity has led me to consult the experts, I’ve discovered that every two-night stand I’ve had with my nightgowns, boxers, and T-shirts has been a filthy lie. Or, to state it in a less dramatic manner, in some situations it’s as gross as wearing the same socks for days on end. Leanne Stapf, COO of The Cleaning Authority, paints me a powerful visual of why my worn-to-threads “Strand Bookstore” T-shirt should ideally land in the hamper after one overnight wear. “Many people assume that pajamas don’t get dirty because they aren’t worn outside and only when sleeping. However, that’s not the case,” she says. “In addition to the buildup of overnight perspiration, our skin is constantly shedding. Those dead skin cells coupled with the germs accumulated from daily activities are now being transferred to your pajamas.” That’s extra true if you have a full, active day and don’t shower before slipping into your jammies. In this case, the evening following will call for a new set, no questions asked. ad_intervals[‘417754_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417754_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); When you’re considering whether or not any garment (nightwear or otherwise) needs to be washed, Clean My Space blogger Melissa Maker has a hot tip: the closer something lies to your
If a conditioner and hair spray had a baby, it would be these spray-everywhere hair milks
August 23, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC I cut dairy from my diet completely for over two years, but when it came to my beauty routine, I was all about the stuff. If it were feasible in today’s world, I’d even bathe in milk à la Cleopatra. Case in point: Milky cleansers are my jam, I’ve used coconut milk to replenish my strands, and now, I’m going to sing the praises of hair milks. Though I’m a noob to these, I’m a newfound believer—because hair milks are a luxe way to refresh, add shine, and hydrate your hair, all with a few spritzes. “Think of hair milk like a moisturizer for your hair,” says Kerry E. Yates, beauty expert, trichologist in training, and CEO of Colour Collective. “Hair milks are designed to be treatments, because they aim to improve hair suppleness by re-moisturizing the dry areas.” It’s actually like a treatment-slash-styler all in one, which makes the milks rehab strands and provide just enough of a hold to help hair do its thing. “Hair milks don’t have a thick, heavy feel as they’re meant to be used as treatments that can be easily distributed from the mid-lengths to the ends,” says Yates. “They don’t contain heavy styling resins, which are used to help mold your strands into a particular shape.” Instead, she points out that hair milks merely enhance your hair’s natural texture. ad_intervals[‘412588_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘412588_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); “Milk adds shine, promotes
Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the scent of your vagina
August 23, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC PSA: No two vaginas smell the same, and every vagina can put off a variety of scents. Meaning, there’s no single aromatic profile of a “healthy” vagina. Still, it’s worth noting that none of the smattering of “healthy” scents will call to mind “spring flowers” or “delicate blossoms,” despite what a stroll down your local drugstore aisle may have you believe. Progress is being made in the vaginal-product realm (via an influx of vaginal-health products made by women for women that don’t attempt to alter the natural scent). But still, nothing should make a vulva-owner feel ashamed of or a need to question the way their vagina smells. “So long as it doesn’t have an infection, the way a vagina smells is natural and normal,” says OB/GYN Felice Gersh, MD, author of PCOS SOS: A Gynecologist’s Lifeline To Naturally Restore Your Rhythms, Hormones and Happiness. Adeeti Gupta, MD, founder of Walk In GYN Care, echoes this point: “To have a vagina that smells like vagina is to be someone who has a vagina. To think otherwise is a sad approach to the human body,” she says. ad_intervals[‘392911_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘392911_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); So, what determines the way a vagina smells? In one word: bacteria. Like the gut, every vagina has its own ecosystem of bacteria (sometimes called a vagina microbiome) that keeps it healthy. “There are a billion ‘good’ bacteria in the vagina, called lactobacilli, which
What the heck is a microcurrent facial? One editor tried the sculpting, smoothing treatment to find out
August 23, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_D8x1H3TTU] The best—and arguably most WTF-worthy—way to lift your face and smooth your skin? With an electrical current-based workout. In the latest episode of What the Wellness, video producer Ella Dove visits SB Skin for a microcurrent facial to see if it will have her walking out sculpted and more radiant than when she walked in. “Microcurrent is electricity, and we use it to stimulate the muscles in your face,” says Shamara Bondaroff, founder of SB Skin. She explains that the current is super small (or, erm, “micro”), and mimic the current of your body so that you don’t really feel it while it’s happening. “It stimulates your muscles, stimulates collagen, elastin, amino acids, ATP, cell turnover—it does so many different things.” ad_intervals[‘417567_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417567_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); The cool thing about microcurrent is that it has both short and longterm benefits, so it can be used as both a treatment and for preventative measures. “It’s not just the contouring—it’s also re-educating the muscle,” says Bondaroff. She notes that she gives microcurrent facials to patients ranging from 18 to 80, all of whom have different skin needs that they’re looking for the treatment to help with. During the facial, an esthetician will slather your face in conductive gel and then gently massage it with a device that emits positive and negative charges to stimulate things under the surface. Though getting your face zapped with currents might sound
Female bodybuilders share how strength makes them feel feminine
August 23, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC One of the final frontiers for body positivity in the fitness world: women having muscles. Society has a particular image of what it means to be feminine, and being shredded is often not included in that limited view—to the detriment of athletes across multiple fields. Serena Williams, the top tennis player in the world, says she’s encountered people who call her masculine “all because of my arms, or because I’m strong.” Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman says she used to be self-conscious about her athletic physique because she felt like her muscles “weren’t feminine.” In short, it’s BS. We’ve made some gains as a society: Women began to recognize the importance of protein and demanded men make room for them at the weight rack. CrossFit became A Thing, with women making up a full 50 percent of the membership. But there are still some stigmas against particularly muscular women—especially when it comes to more extreme sports known for being ripped, like bodybuilding and power lifting. So we talked to three women who are elite strength-training athletes—two bodybuilders and one power lifter—to hear from them about what the sport means to them and their self-image. ad_intervals[‘400435_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘400435_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); It’s important to say off the bat that bodybuilding is a very strenuous sport not meant for everyone. “The people who actually make it to the competitions are successful, but many people will drop out because of injury
Our bodies just aren’t designed for constant tech use—here’s how to keep yours safe and strong
August 23, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC I like to joke that if future humans are anything like me, legs won’t be evolutionarily necessary. That’s because I sit at my desk and use my laptop most hours of the day, and then I move on over to my couch to watch something (anything!) on Netflix while I scroll on my phone with whatever time is left before I go to sleep. So that’s how I imagine the future of humanity will evolve—before the robots inevitably turn on us and extinguish the species, that is. Until then, we’d be wise to protect our bodies agains the negative effects of technology, because we’re not physically evolved to accommodate the activities we continually do in excess. (As in, all the forms of technology with which we interact on an ongoing basis). Fortunately, a few, simple counteractive measures can go a long way in mitigating injuries we may sustain to the neck, shoulders, back, wrists, hands, eyes, ears, and more. ad_intervals[‘405555_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘405555_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Here’s how to keep the negative effects of technology from causing physical damage. 1. The habit: sitting too much The damage: By now, you’ve likely heard that “sitting is the new smoking” (read: sitting isn’t great for your health for a number of reasons), a sentiment with which Lauren Roxburgh, a body alignment specialist who’s worked with celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, agrees. The human body, she says, is designed to expand,
If you eat beef, your #prayforAmazon social media post is hypocritical
August 23, 2019 at 12:07AM by CWC After a day spent off Instagram yesterday, I dived into my feed for a few minutes before bed to check in on the latest in #hotgirlsummer content. But instead of a series of smoldering selfies, I found shocking images of the Amazon rainforest burning, photos re-posted by a broad swath of friends—including one whom I had recently watched gobble down a steak at dinner. I point to my friend’s menu choice as an example of the disconnect I felt while scrolling last night. Because deforestation—defined as the human-driven and natural loss of trees—is happening at unprecedented and unsustainable rates, and the animal agriculture that produced his filet is a significant contributor to this destruction. So while the fires are scary to see (and yes, are tragic, I don’t mean to minimize their devastation), they’re a symptom, rather than the main cause, of a larger problem. Statistics around deforestation are a bit shocking, actually. Los Angeles-sized swaths of land are being depleted in the Amazon annually. And despite settled climate science that tells us the planet is in crisis—and the knowledge that the Amazon rainforest’s survival is critical to the planet’s—this deforestation is actually accelerating. As reported by NPR, Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) says the amount of Amazonian land that was deforested in July 2019 represented a nearly 300 percent surge over deforestation in June 2018. ad_intervals[‘417677_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417677_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); The amount
7 eye doctor-approved mascaras for sensitive eyes that keep watering out of sight
August 22, 2019 at 11:02PM by CWC Mascara can do a lot of amazing stuff. The right product can lengthen and volumize your lashes in the flick of a wand. The wrong one, though, can leave you itching and burning, especially if you’ve got sensitive eyes. That makes finding a suitable mascara for sensitive eyes especially important—even if it’s not always easy to do. “Sensitive eyes” is a pretty big blanket term, and there are a whole lot of causes, including seasonal allergies, migraines, light sensitivity, and wearing contacts. Yet, plastering lashes with a coat of lash lacquer isn’t exactly helpful for any of these conditions. “Ingredients in eye makeup—including mascara—may have harmful effects,” says Mark Jacquot, OD, clinical director at LensCrafters. “Many mascara products on the market that can help you gain length and volume in your lashes contain ingredients that can negatively affect your vision.” He suggests always, always reading the label before you purchase a mascara, and calls out ingredients including aluminum powder, propylene glycol, retinyl acetate, and color additives as the ones you should stay away from. ad_intervals[‘417317_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417317_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); “Typically what happens is that the eyes, and the skin around them, area may get inflamed, which can cause itching and burning. Many different eyelid conditions, caused by certain ingredients in eye makeup products, can cause infection or build-up at the eyelashes,” explains Dr. Jacquot. “So keeping your lashes and eyelids clean can help prevent this
This delicious, low-sugar birthday cake is definitely worth celebrating
August 22, 2019 at 10:30PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYSyVKWwpTU] A low-sugar (but still delicious) birthday cake? You need this recipe ASAP. Without a doubt, the best part of any birthday is the cake. Getting a year older? Eh. Presents? Cool, but I can buy my own stuff, thanks. But a thick slice of frosted cake so enticing that you find yourself licking your fork, the plate, and the candle bottoms? That’s what I’m talking about. In the latest episode of Well+Good’s YouTube series Alt-Baking Bootcamp, chefs Mia Rigden and Jenny Dorsey health-ify the classic dessert with a few smart substitutions to cut down on the sugar without taking out any of the joy. Here’s a run-down of what they use to make it: coconut oil, oat flour, almond flour, baking powder, kosher salt, honey, eggs, vanilla extract, and sprinkles. “Oats are super high in fiber and have their own set of health benefits,” Rigden says. “Also, the almond flour is high in fiber and is also totally grain free,” Ridgen says—always a good thing for people who can’t eat gluten. ad_intervals[‘417610_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417610_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); Of course, every good birthday cake needs frosting. Ridgen and Dorsey opt for a coconut whipped cream frosting, made with organic unsweetened coconut milk and vanilla extract. Because coconut milk is naturally sweet, that’s all you need! Pro tip: Keep the coconut milk in the fridge overnight. “It separates the coconut cream from the water and we’re