December 02, 2019 at 04:30AM by CWC What do you get for the person who has it all? The one thing that almost no one has: more me-time. And while you can’t actually add more hours to their day, you can give them the tools to carve out more moments to actually, well, chill. From a snuggly bathrobe to a high-tech foam roller and refreshing rosewater sprays from Heritage Store, our editor-curated self-care gifts are the holiday equivalent of your boss surprising you with more PTO days—totally thoughtful with all the de-stressing vibes. Scroll down for the self-care gifts to get everyone on your list who could use more chill time (so, everyone). Heritage Store Rosewater, $10 Rosewater spray is the sneaky self-care tool every beauty maven should have in her arsenal. Treating herself to a quick spritz at any time of day will feel like taking a walk in a rose garden—even when she’s stuck in her office. Magic Hour Artisan Tea & Handmade Strainer, $44 There’s something therapeutic about going through the motions of making tea, and this set is primed for starting a nightly teatime routine. Choose the blend you want to gift (in flavors like gypsy rose, goddess green, and bohemian breakfast), and you can already picture the recipient sighing “ahhh” after taking that first steamy sip. JaxJox Foam Roller Connect, $99 Self care means caring for sore muscles, too, and this foam roller is one of the most advanced recovery tools yet. It
Category: Your Healthiest Relationship
7 ways I’m making my tiny apartment feel like home for the holidays
December 02, 2019 at 04:30AM by CWC Real talk: I have issues making new places feel like me, so ever since I sold my car (shout out to you, Penelope) and bought a plane ticket from Florida to New York City, I’ve put little effort into my apartment—especially in December. What holiday decorating ideas could ever compare to my childhood home(s)? My first place in NYC was a tad too small for a regular-sized person to comfortably move around, so I’m off the hook on that one. But now that I’m onto my second (still tiny!) apartment, I’ve made it my goal to create a space that feels close to being home for the holidays—even though my mom’s candle collection and my dad’s gigantic hand-picked trees are hard to beat. Oh, the other thing I forgot to mention? I live with a thousand other people (just kidding, like five), so balancing a holiday theme throughout the apartment that also jives with everyone else’s tastes is another hurdle I’ve avoided… until now. In preparation, I’ve planned out my first-ever holiday shopping spree—minus the long lines, impatient New Yorkers, and back aches, because my millennial burnout is much too strong for me to shop anywhere other than from the comfort of my itty bitty apartment. Keep scrolling for some holiday decorating ideas that will finally make any small space feel like home. 3ft Flocked Pre-lit Slim Artificial Christmas Tree, $60 My apartment is a bit cluttered (remember all the roommates?), but a
I am single AF this holiday season, but that’s not stopping me from getting into the festive spirit
December 02, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC Nothing made it more apparent that I would be single during the holidays (again) than when I went to a recent festive celebration and everyone else was, as they say, booed up. Post-party, we ended up back at one couple’s place—get your mind out of the gutter, that’s not where this is going—and it looked like an Instagram-perfect holiday house. It was hard not to look around and miss being in a relationship. Like, this couple decorated together and created this cozy home that looks straight out of a Netflix holiday special. Meanwhile, I’m getting texts from a guy I used to date wanting me to come over and “cuddle” because it’s cozy weather and he just wants to hold me. LOL, okay. Sure. Naturally, I started to wallow in my feelings about spending another holiday season as an incredibly single person. For me, that looks like drinking one too many glasses of wine and then texting my mom asking her if I’m going to die alone. (Raise a glass to my mother, everyone.) The holidays used to be my absolute favorite time of year, but the stress of being a single woman in Los Angeles has slowly chiseled away at my optimism and sense of childlike wonder. I’ve become a bit of a Scrooge. There’s a lot of pressure around the holidays to be festive and cheerful, regardless of your relationship status. But being single during the holidays can, for lack of
How to upgrade your summer foundation for winter without having to buy a new bottle
December 01, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC Each November, there’s that dreaded moment when you go to apply your foundation and realize, “oh crap—this stuff isn’t going to work anymore.” Once the summer glow has faded and your skin takes on its dry, winter persona, the product you’ve used from May through July likely won’t cut it anymore. In addition to potentially being a shade (or in my case, two) too dark, it also likely won’t have the nourishing properties that your face is begging for when temperatures drop below 50 degrees. “Usually, your skin needs more moisture in the winter, and most people get a bit paler, [whereas] in the summer your oil production is up, and most people get a bit tanner,” says makeup artist Mary Irwin. So with your foundation, she says that you’ll need an “increase in hydration and to make sure your [foundation] shade still matches in both seasons.” But instead of tossing your makeup entirely or relegating it to the bottom of your makeup bag until spring, she says that there are (easy!) ways to winterize your foundation so that it lasts all year long. Irwin’s pro tip? Infuse your formula with some facial oil or moisturizer from your skin-care cabinet. This, she says, works to sheer out the coverage and add extra hydration, which can make a “huge difference in the winter months.” The blend can also help lighten the color of a shade that’s too dark so that it matches your skin
Why Jupiter moving into Capricorn really will make now the most wonderful time of the year
December 01, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC One of the most pivotal astrological events of the year happens this week—and it’s a lucky one: Jupiter—the planet of abundance, growth, and harbinger of good luck—exits Sagittarius and enters into Capricorn on Monday, December 2. After spending the last year in his home sign of Sagittarius, the planet’s entrance into Capricorn heralds a period when hard work and rigor will provide the path to happiness. Jupiter will stay in Capricorn until December 19, 2020. This station is especially great news for Capricorns and its Earth-sign-element cohorts, Virgo and Taurus. But regardless of your sun sign, Jupiter’s move in Capricorn stands to offer positive effects for all. This year’s solar eclipse is a cosmic holiday present Beyond the transit of Jupiter happening this week, we’d be wise to consider its events later in the month. December ends with a south node solar eclipse in Capricorn on the 26th at 12:12 a.m., EST (so Christmas night, depending on your time zone). Then, Jupiter and the sun will form an applying conjunction. It’s worthy to note now because Jupiter is known as the Santa Claus of the cosmos, and given the planet’s close proximity to the sun at Christmas, many blessings and gifts can be expected this year. Jupiter is known as the Santa Claus of the cosmos, and given the planet’s close proximity to the sun at Christmas, many blessings and gifts can be expected this year. This is great news for the end-of-year
How to get rid of those pesky whiteheads, according to dermatologists
December 01, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC No matter their size, shape, or color, dealing with zits of any kind is no fun, but whiteheads, in particular, are a bit of a nuisance. They can really put a damper on your otherwise happy complexion. The good news is it that there are things you can do to get rid of whiteheads for good, or at least make them occasional visitors rather than long-term guests who have overstayed their welcome. Before we dive into the how-tos, let’s first understand what a whitehead even is. Sonia Batra, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and co-host of The Doctors, says a whitehead (also known as a comedone) is simply a pore that gets blocked by sebum, dirt, bacteria, oil, makeup, dead skin cells, or sweat. A blackhead is also a blocked pore, but the difference between the two is a whitehead is completely closed and no air can get in. “With blackheads, the top of the pore is open to the outside air which causes the contents to oxidize and turn black,” she says. Having oily skin means you’re more likely to get whiteheads (sigh), but you’re not out of the clear if you don’t (sorry to break it to ya). “People with very dry skin who use heavy or occlusive moisturizers can also develop clogged pores and whiteheads,” says Dr. Batra. Celebrity esthetician Joshua Ross of Skin Lab adds that hormonal breakouts can also increase your chances of getting whiteheads. If you find yourself
The unexpected reason why you should always choose the window seat while flying
December 01, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC Not to sound like this viral tweet, but as a beauty writer I get a lot of questions about skincare. One of the best tips I’ve picked up doesn’t actually have to do with a product, however. Esthetician Renée Rouleau—my personal skincare hero—is a proponent of always selecting the window seat when you fly, because then you have control over the window. This is of the utmost importance because keeping the window shade closed helps you avoid UV damage. Yes, you can get UV damage on an airplane. “It all goes back to the age-old situation with sun, which is that people only [think they can get] sun damage when it’s hot out,” Rouleau says. “In the case of an airplane, you are not in a bathing suit, you can’t feel the heat from the sun, and so you just don’t think about sun damage.” The thing is, sun damage isn’t a seasonal issue, or even just an on-land issue. A 2015 study published in JAMA Dermatology showed that pilots flying for 56 minutes at 30,000 feet received the same amount of UV-A radiation as one would get from 20 minutes in a tanning bed. At that altitude you’re closer to the sun, so naturally you’re getting more UV exposure through an open window than you would through, say, the window of your car. Also, clouds are reflectors for sunlight. You know how people get sunburns while skiing or by the water because of
Why you keep having nightmares and what to do about it, according to a dream analyst
December 01, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC Even if you’re a fully grown adult, having a nightmare can be a truly disturbing experience. The vivid imagery your mind dreams up while you are snoozing can often feel far too real. So much so that it creates a major adrenaline rush—complete with a racing heartbeat and a puddle of sweat. While it’s normal to have one from time to time, if you’re finding that the nightmares are robbing you of your beauty sleep on the reg, it might be something that’s worth looking into. Here, Lauri Quinn Loewenberg, dream analyst and author of Dream on It: Unlock Your Dreams, Change Your Life, explains some possible causes and treatment tips you can try to put an end to the dreadful dreams. 1. There’s an issue you’re not dealing with Although wearing your blue-light blocking glasses and going to bed early are great sleep rituals to practice, according to Loewenberg, one of the most common causes for nightmares has nothing to do with your actual sleep hygiene. “In my practice and research, I have found that nightmares are typically caused by difficult, ignored, or miss handled issues,” she says. “A nightmare is disturbing because it is connected to and trying to help you with an unpleasant situation in your life.” Therefore, if the nightmares are recurring, chances are they’re connected to an ongoing unresolved issue, behavior, or pattern. This gives you something to think about. “For example, if you keep getting yourself into relationships
Cancel your colorist appointment: You can do root touch-ups at home with this powder
December 01, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC I don’t actually know if I have gray hair on my head or, perhaps more disturbingly—what my natural hair color looks like. Why? I’m a certifiable root denier who visits the salon frequently enough to maintain consistent uniformity of an unnatural-past-childhood blonde. I’m so addicted to root touch-ups, in fact, that often my colorist, grateful though she is for my business, will say, “You could probably wait a bit longer to see me next time.” I always ignore this advice to the detriment of my free time on Saturdays, and my bank account. Fortunately, there’s an actually efficacious root touch-up powder made by the colorists at Goldwell which requires almost no precision or DIY adeptness. “I am all too familiar with needing a root blender to disguise my grays in between color service,” says Adara Forletta, a 28-year-old colorist at Mare Salon in Los Angeles. She has stubborn grays that congregate around the front of her head. The Goldwell Dualsenses Revive Root Retouch Powder ($20) works wonders, she tells me. “It’ sure to give you the coverage you need without being too sticky. It’s easy to blend and looks super natural.” Photo: Goldwell The magic-making, salon-bucks-saving powder comes in five shades: light blonde, which “softens” the contrast between new growth and your dyed shade while covering grays; medium to dark blonde, which “retouches” grays; medium brown, which manages to camouflage grays while adding vibrancy to the root area; dark brown to black, which
Nutric people are the opposite of toxic—here’s how to tell if you tick the boxes
December 01, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC Today in news that makes me question if I’m actually a good person, there’s a type of personality out there called “nutric” and experts say we should all aspire to be this way. Someone with a nutric personality is basically Tom Hanks—the exact opposite of a toxic person. According to George S. Everly, Jr., PhD, ABPP, FACLP, a nutric person is someone who is supportive and fosters others’ growth and development. Basically, they help others realize their dreams. So it’s not only good to be a nutric person, but to surround yourself with them, too. “One’s happiness and success in life is often related to having someone who supports you, someone who nourishes you, someone who supports your hopes and dreams, and perhaps most importantly someone who helps you feel good about yourself,” says Dr. Everly. Plenty of studies confirm that positive social connections are key to thriving in life—in fact, some researchers believe they might be the most important factor when it comes to resilience. So how do you tell if you—and the people around you—have nutric personalities? These are the six traits to look for: Nurturing: In Dr. Everly’s words, this means you’re “supportive and encouraging,” and “motivating but not demanding.” You genuinely want to lift others up and help them realize their full potential. Understanding: You’re able to empathize with people and appreciate their POV. Trustworthy: Betrayal is not in your vocab and people feel like they can trust you.