October 19, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC Each month with On the Cusp, we point our astrological magnifying glass on all the people born between two zodiac signs. Because when your birthday falls at either the tail end or the very beginning of your sun sign’s season, your personality may be influenced by your cosmic neighbor. Now, with autumn chills coming into fuller force, the Libra Scorpio cusp is taking the astrological spotlight. Below, Stefanie Iris Weiss, astrologer and co-author of Surviving Saturn’s Return: Overcoming the Most Tumultuous Time of Your Life, explains what happens when fair and just Libra (September 23 to October 22) collides with dark and powerful Scorpio (October 23 to November 22). If you feel things getting serious and dark and spooky as the days get shorter and cooler, it seems that you’re feeling it in your bones that Scorpio season is upon us. According to Weiss, now marks a good time for focusing on integration, intimacy, and depth as we descend into Scorpio’s underworld after making idle cocktail conversations under Libra for month. “It’s no accident that Halloween falls early in the Scorpio season,” Weiss says. “The thinning of the veils between worlds feels a whole lot like stepping from the airy sweetness of Libra into the sometimes scary, endless intensity of Scorpio.” “Late-degree Libras wear their Scorpio flavor beneath a veneer of flawlessness. They look good, sound good, and know how to play the game without giving away their intentions or their fears.” —Stefanie
Tag: Well+Good
I bought a liter of this fancy lotion because it changed my skin in just one week
October 19, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC Everyone laughs at me, but I love, love, love showering at my yoga studio. And it’s not because I can control the shower pressure (swoon!), or because I don’t have to worry about washing my own towels (score!). It’s because the entire locker room is bedecked with Kiehl’s products—most notably the Creme de Corps ($40), which I slather on my body with the enthusiasm of an unsupervised child with a jar of cake frosting. After I’ve gently patted my skin with a towel, I pump the lotion generously in one palm and rub the creamy-rich stuff from head-to-toe on skin that’s still slightly damp. (This helps the product absorb better, BTW.) Where my skin was once thirsty, cracked, and begging for some tender loving care, it’s now as soft and smooth. Even if I’ve neglected my complexion for a week or two, Creme de Corps redeems my oversight without leaving me feeling like a slippery, greasy seal. It dries in a minute or two—and I can slide on my work pants (cough, leggings) without issue. Photo: Kiehl’s One look at the lotion’s label reveals why the concoction feels like heaven against your skin. It’s primary ingredients include Beta-Carotene, an antioxidant fit to fight free-radical damage; cocoa butter, a rich lipid that gives it its thick, buttery texture; and sesame, which softens the skin. The trio come together for a formula that’s odorless (just the way I like it) and feels completely luxurious. I
How to strengthen your lower back so you can have good posture for life
October 19, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC When it comes to strengthening and toning, some parts of the body get all the attention. Entire classes are devoted to abs, glutes, and arms, but lower back? Not so much. “It’s not one of those muscles we think about often,” certified personal trainer and Love Sweat Fitness founder Katie Dunlop, NCCPT, says. “It’s kind of forgotten about!” But Dunlop says not showing your lower back some love in the form of strengthening moves would be a mistake. “It’s so important because it’s key for having good posture, mobility, and having the ability to sit, stand, and move properly throughout the day, she says. Often, Dunlop says, we take our lower back support for granted, but if something goes wrong, it hurts. “Because it’s at the base of the spinal column, it’s really the foundation to the body’s support system,” she says, emphasizing the reason why it’s important to keep it strong. When it comes to how exactly do to that, she has just the moves. Best of all, they don’t require any equipment or a ton of space, so you can do them at home, or in your hotel room, if you’re traveling. Your posture is about to be so damn good. Want to know how to strengthen your lower back? Keep reading for the moves. 1. Vacuuming This type of vacuuming has nothing to do with cleaning your house, but it will put your lower back to work. “When it comes
The future of skin care is genderless, which is a win for everybody
October 19, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC For as long as I can remember, there were two sides to skin-care aisles: Those lined with bottles brimming with floral scents and feminine touches and those that were sturdy and gray, meant to signify manliness. Now, though? The two are converging. Instead of a segregation between the sexes, we’re now seeing chic, unisex packaging for products that are meant for all. It’s not that surprising that gender neutrality has come for our beauty shelves. Gender-neutral fashion started making waves last year, and it’s only been growing. According to a survey done among Generation Z, or people aged 13 to 20, about 81 percent said that gender doesn’t define a person. “It’s a reflection of the culture,” says Ty McLaren, cofounder of Koa, a gender-neutral skin-care line. “Gen-Z is the most socially aware generation, and they don’t care about traditional identity markers or the marketing gimmicks that came with them. The future is androgynous, or at least less well defined, and the rise of genderless products is just one piece of that.” “The future is androgynous, or at least less well-defined, and the rise of genderless products is just one piece of that.” —Ty McLaren While it seems like skin should just be skin, according to studies women and men’s complexions differ a bit on a biological level. “Women and men have many similarities in their skin, but despite the overlap in anatomy, they have some differences, too,” says Rachel Nazarian, MD, a
Love Starbucks protein-rich sous vide eggs? These are even fluffier and only take 30 seconds to make
October 19, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC Starbucks sous vide egg bites are are a favorite grab-and-go breakfast for many healthy eaters. And it’s true—they are tasty, and with 12 grams of protein, they really are a clutch energy-providing morning meal or post-workout snack. No disrespect to Starbucks, but I recently discovered a sous vide egg that even tastier and healthier. Let me start my saying that one of the perks of writing about healthy food every day is that I get a lot of food products for free. Some of them are good, some of them are not-so good, and rarely do I feel the need to write an ode to one. But the new sous vide egg bites from French specialty food purveyor Les Trois Petits Cochons has me feeling some kind of way. Before I even tasted them, I liked that their ingredients list was short and not full of anything weird. The bites come in six different flavors, and even so, what’s used to make them are all straight forward. The Spinach & Feta bites, for example are made with eggs, feta cheese, spinach, sea salt, braised onions, garlic powder, xanthan gum, and spices—that’s it. While the egg bites can be eaten cold, I highly recommend heating them up in the microwave for 30 seconds. (You can also throw ’em on a skillet or pop them in the toaster oven.) Not only do they taste better warm, but the hot air makes them light and fluffy.
Give your gut a fall reset by stocking up on these 3 in-season foods
October 19, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC There’s such an abundance of color and produce at the fall farmers’ market that it’s almost like the vegetable world is showing off. Vibrant orange pumpkins, rich red onions, purple eggplant, multi-colored chard…it’s all so glorious that it can be overwhelming knowing what items to prioritize. (So many veggies, so little time—and crisper space.) If you’re eating with gut health in mind, nutrition experts have a short list of vegetables they recommend reaching for first. There are three key seasonal foods that can give your digestive system a major boost—which is key right now, considering it’s the beginning of flu season and the microbiome is largely responsible for keeping your immune system up. Your fall cooking game will thank you. Looking for more amazing foods for gut health? Check out these recs straight from an RD: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpAjl3cFn6A] 1. Brussels sprouts In season: September through March If there was one seasonal vegetable Ignite Nutrition registered dietitian Andrea Hardy, RD, recommends for gut health, it’s Brussels sprouts. “They contain a type of fiber that fuels the good bacteria in the colon,” she says. “Feeding the good bacteria in your gut is so, so important because it’s associated with better overall health, including a better functioning immune system.” How to cook it: “I like to make Brussel sprouts in the oven, drizzling them with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper, and roasting them at 400°F for 20 minutes until they’re crispy and brown,” Hardy
3 lube ingredients to keep far, far away from your vagina
October 19, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC Lube formulas have gotten, oh, let’s say, “creative” in recent years. It’s 2019 and you can now slather your nether regions with CBD, but there are still a few ingredients you should never (repeat: never) allow near your bits. Lauren Steinberg, founder of feminine wellness brand Queen V, says you should comb through the contents of the lube label the same way you would with your beauty products or your food. “I always recommend taking a quick look at the back of a bottle before using it,” says Steinberg. “There are certain ingredients that aren’t super vagina-friendly, ingredients that don’t match the pH level of your vagina and shouldn’t go inside your body.” Specifically, glycol (which is used as a base for anti-freeze), glycerin (which has been linked to yeast infections), and fragrances (an umbrella term for carcinogens, reproductive toxins, and allergens) don’t belong within a mile of your vagina. In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends only using lubricants with a pH of 4.5 and an osmolality—that is, electrolyte-water balance—below 1200 mOsm/kg. (You can find a list of common lubes and their pH and osmolality levels here.) And remember: oil-based lubes can cause latex condom breakage—so look for water- or silicone-based formulas instead. For her part, Steinberg says she always seeks out one ingredient in a bottle. “I highly recommend looking for an aloe-based lubricant. Aloe is super hydrating,” she says. Queen V’s P.S. I Lube You ($9) fits the bill,
3 pro tricks to smooth out uneven texture with your makeup
October 18, 2019 at 11:17PM by CWC There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to cover an uneven skin texture with your makeup, only to have it flake, look cakey, or just stand out more rather than blend in with the rest of your face. (Besides, perhaps, swiping on a brand-new mascara that just clumps, or applying an entire makeup look that only melts off as soon as you sweat outside.) Covering breakouts is hard enough with your makeup, but at least pimples take up little real estate. Uneven skin texture can happen from pesky acne scars, dryness, or any number of reasons, and tends to cover more area than a mere whitehead does. Whatever it’s from, if you’re like me, you are trying to swipe on some foundation and/or concealer to even out your complexion… so I tapped a celebrity makeup artist for the pro-approved secrets for blending it all in seamlessly, bumps, divots, or marks. “Usually, when skin texture is uneven, it indicates that the skin is dehydrated,” says Jamie Dorman, makeup artist. So the trick is to infuse your skin with hydration, rather than cover up a dry, bare canvas. Here are her three top tips. 1. Treat the skin first: “It’s best to treat the skin before applying your makeup when doing makeup for uneven skin textures,” she says, noting she likes to slather on a hyaluronic acid serum to bind water to your dehydrated skin cells. Then lock that in with a face oil or moisturizer—she loves
You can ‘superdose’ oxygen—but what does that even mean?
October 18, 2019 at 10:35PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbRzMTNSs4E] Want to know what it feels like to spend 20 minutes in an ozone sauna? Watch the video. Come fall, nothing beats spending time in a steamy sauna. If you close your eyes, you can almost imagine that you’re sweating it out poolside somewhere with palm trees swaying overhead, and cold beverages adorned with tiny pink umbrellas. What you’re not likely picturing, however, is a burst of ozone (O3): a gas purported to strengthen the immune system and help circulation in small doses. This week on What the Wellness, Well+Good’s YouTube channel exploring the oddest, buzziest health treatments of today, video producer Ella Dove trieds an ozone sauna. After sitting in the balmy egg-shaped device for 20 minutes at Upgrade Labs in Beverly Hills, Dove had some thoughts. Carly Sinay Mayers, a trainer at the Upgrade, says that the ozone sauna mimics aerobic exercise while you’re just chilling (ahem, more like roasting) inside the device. Since saunas themselves have already been shown to improve vascular function, you can just think of the chemical as the cherry on top. Once she helps Dove into the chamber and shuts the door, Mayers slips a mask over her face so that Dove won’t physically breathe in the O3. Was the “superdose of oxygen” weird or worth it? Watch the video to find out. For even more What the Wellness, check out Dove’s experience with AI running and a scalp facial. Continue Reading… Author Kells McPhillips |
Everlane’s ‘Choose What You Pay’ sale section just got updated with the coziest coats
October 18, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC There’s no better feeling than the first time you can raid your sweater collection, throw on your favorite pair of high-waisted skinnies, and bundle up in warm and cozy winter coats. Now that the temps are dropping, those feel-good vibes are back in action—and there’s one place to score new outerwear to rock all season long. Everlane‘s “Choose What You Pay” section always comes through with high-quality items at a ridiculously affordable price. And ’tis the season, because it just got updated with a handful of new coats. Whether you’re into puffers that make you feel like a fluffy marshmallow or chic options that make you look like the #girlboss you are, these are the best new finds to shop before they sell out. The best Everlane coats to shop right now 1. The cocoon coat, $125 This eye-catching lavender coat—which has a traditional retail value of $510, BTW!—will certainly brighten up the dark days of winter. And based off the name, it will keep you warm in the process. 2. The renew lightweight half-zip puffer, $69 This super-lightweight jacket is made from renewed plastic bottles. If you want to stock up on a second for this can’t-beat price, it comes in green, too. 3. The renew puffy puff, $80 Puffer jackets don’t get puffier than this. The cozy coat—which is made of recycled fabric—will make you feel like you’re chillin’ in a cloud. Seriously. 4. The city anorak, $62 Perfect for fall