September 30, 2019 at 06:05PM by CWC No matter what I did, my manicure almost always got ruined by a broken nail. Something I can fully blame on being a longtime nail-biter. (Thanks, former self.) That’s not the only reason it used to happen so frequently, but I didn’t know how to strengthen nails to prevent breakage in the first place. Until now. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, brittle nails are also commonly caused by a cycle of repeated wetting and drying of the fingernails—something experts say only gets worse in low humidity and in the winter due to the dry heat. Breakage can also be caused by exposure to chemicals found in nail polish removers (especially acetone). Even with all the things working against your nails, there is a way to help keep them from breaking 24/7. If your nails break easily, first shape and file them daily to prevent further damage. The AOCD recommends finishing it off by applying a clear nail polish that contains a lesser-known nail-strengthening ingredient: tiny nylon fibers. While there are plenty of options you can use, those that contain nylon are a top choice because they add a powerful shield of sorts to the nail, making them thicker and more protected against cracks and breaks. To strengthen your nails at home, try Sally Hansen Advanced Hard as Nails with Nylon ($10), which also contains retinol and omega-3 to hydrate and improve the look of your nails, or Nutra Nail Bullet-Proof
Tag: Well+Good
The fine line that separates compulsive liars from over-exaggerators
September 30, 2019 at 05:42PM by CWC One summer day when I was little, I found out that my mom was taking my sister shopping—without me. Understandably, I was enraged. And so I did the only logical thing: I hid our mother’s wallet in the mailbox so that no one (no one!) would be getting new school clothes. Whenever my mom retells the story now, embellishments pop up right and left. (In one version, I also pocket $50 and raid the candy store across the street.) So does that make my mom a compulsive liar—or just a lover of over-exaggeration? Good Therapy defines compulsive lying as “a condition in which a person tells falsehoods out of habit, sometimes for no reason at all.” The term is interchangeable with pathological lying, mythomania, and habitual lying. But it’s different than mere embellishment, according to ThriveTalk. Just because you, or someone in your life, likes to alter the banal details of a memory to make it a little more juicy doesn’t necessarily make them lies. According to the official dictionary definition of “embellish,” the term means “to heighten the attractiveness of by adding decorative or fanciful details.” The major difference between ornamenting a story and telling a straight-up lie is that embellishments find their grounding in real events (like, say, a wallet being stashed in a mailbox). Lying, on the other hand, is defined as “[making] an untrue statement with intent to deceive.” Not with the intent to make a story more interesting. Thus,
All you need to make any skin type happy is just 3 products, according to a dermatologist
September 30, 2019 at 05:38PM by CWC In general, we tend to talk a lot about finding “the one.” The perfect partner, the perfect job, the perfect apartment—so much of our lives come down to discovering that one single thing that’s right for us. Skin care, though, is not like that. When it comes to our faces, no matter what skin type or concern we’re dealing with, it’s actually the combination of ingredients we use—not just one—that really make a difference. But similar to finding the perfect partner, job, or home, finding the perfect skin-care routine can be a massive undertaking. To make things slightly less overwhelming (and dare I say… fun?), we worked with New York City dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD to turn the entire thing into a game (the most fun game of all: Bingo). Here’s how you play: Scroll to find your skin type, then note the three ingredients or products on each card. Pick one from each column, and slather ’em on. Before you know it, they’ll be working synergistically to have your skin shouting: “Bingo!” in no time flat. Mix and match to your heart’s desire to come up with the perfect three-product routine—really, you can’t go wrong, and the more you experiment, the more fun you’ll have along the way. Photo: Well+Good Creative For acne, try benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and sulfur Benzoyl peroxide: PCA Skin BPO 5 Percent Cleanser ($39), Jan Marini Benzoyl Peroxide 10 Percent ($42), Vivant Skin Care BP 10 Percent
There are 5 flirting styles—learn yours to transform how you communicate desire
September 30, 2019 at 04:45PM by CWC Knowing how to flirt is confusing because the act can take so many forms. Maybe it’s a bit of teasing or a laid-back date invitation to hang out. Maybe it’s a playful tap on the arm or even a dare. Maybe it’s even as small as a mere wink. Since flirting can encompass any of the options above and then some, being able to interpret signs of interest is more challenging, nuanced, and interesting than you might have imagined. But, by knowing the five basic flirting styles, you’ll give yourself a leg up in mastering the skill. According to research from the University of Kansas, there are five flirting styles. In a 2015 study, researchers paired 51 sets of opposite-sex strangers who had previously taken the Flirting Styles Inventory (which is available here) to determine how they convey interest. After watching the interactions, the research team also noted specific traits corresponding to a participant’s specified style and level of interest in their partner, which the participants revealed in a survey after the experiment. “The reason we’re bad at seeing when people are interested is because they show it in such a variety of ways.” — Five Flirting Styles author Jeffrey Hall, PhD “We’re really bad at detecting if people are flirting with us,” Five Flirting Styles author Jeffrey Hall, PhD, a professor of communication at Kansas said in a press release. “We‘re great at knowing when they’re not interested. But the reason we’re
*This* face wash has a rep for being super gentle, but derms say not so much
September 30, 2019 at 04:21PM by CWC Out of all of the facial cleansing options that exist—makeup wipes, micellar water, milky cleansers and the list goes on and on—one would think that oil cleansers would be the most gentle of the bunch. They’re formulated with an oil as the base, after all, and facial oils are known for dousing your skin with moisture. But actually, they can be a double-edged sword. “The reason oil cleansing works so well for a deep cleanse is the ‘like binds like’ concept,” says Sarah Villafranco, MD, physician and founder of Osmia Organics. “Oil massaged into the skin binds with oil, sebum, and the contents of open comedones or blackheads. If you oil cleanse too frequently, you’ll pull too much of the skin’s natural sebum away, leaving your sebaceous glands in a state of panic—they’ll feel like they need to create more sebum.” So there can be too much of a good thing, especially if you’re using a washcloth or another cleanser after oil cleansing to make sure all of the oil is removed. “When you use a hot washcloth to wipe away the cleansing oil, you’re removing every last bit of your skin’s natural oils as well, leaving your skin smooth and soft and often a bit tight,” says Dr. Villafranco. Dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare Purvisha Patel, MD, echoes the fact that dryness can happen if you’re going overboard on oil cleansing. “Vigorous oil cleansing when done either by itself and definitely with
5 yoga poses that banish bloat faster than you can say ‘namaste’
September 30, 2019 at 04:17PM by CWC Yoga class has reputation for relaxing you from head-to-toe. Not to be graphic, but your bowels are totally included in that. Amanda Sauceda, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian shared a post on Instagram of a five-pose, bloat-relieving flow that will “help you get pooping.” Beth Cooke, a New York City yoga instructor, previously told Well+Good the reason why a simple vinyasa flow can get your gastric juices flowing. “Because you’re moving around—maybe you’re twisting or maybe you’re folding—you’re pressing on your intestines, the air that’s already in there has to go someplace so it’s natural, and it happens, and I just pretend that I don’t hear it and I keep it moving.” Personally, I’ve felt these effects first-hand. Letting one rip in downward is practically a yogi’s right of passage. But if you happen to need to bid farewell to bloat—and fast—roll out your mat and try Sauceda’s moves on for size. 5 yoga poses for constipation View this post on Instagram Constipation yoga flow ⠀ ⠀ All of these poses are designed to help you relax and get your bowels moving.⠀ ⠀ Here’s the order I like to use for these moves..⠀ ⠀ 1. Downward-Facing Dog⠀ 2. Cat-Cow⠀ 3. Wide-Knee Childs Pose⠀ 4. Seated Twist⠀ 5. Wind-Relieving Pose⠀ ⠀ Honestly, you can mix and match these moves in any way that feels good to your body.⠀ ⠀ This gut friendly yoga flow can help you get pooping. Make sure to
‘I’m a cardiologist, and this is the one measure I want you to pay attention to on your Apple Watch.’
September 30, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC In middle school P.E. class, my teacher taught me how to measure my own heart rate. I remember the moment being kind of magical. It was a brand-new way to take ownership of my own health and wellness, and I found myself taking my pulse in spare moments. You know, just for kicks. Now, it’s 2019—and if you have an Apple Watch, BPMs are just one of countless heart metrics your wearable is constantly recording. It’s fun to set aside an hour or so to learn the full span of what the Apple Watch can teach you about your own ticker. If you want to skip the homework and head straight for the heart measurement that matters the most though, Jennifer Haythe, MD, director of cardio-obstetrics and internist at NYPH/Columbia, says to look no farther than your resting heart rate. Your resting heart rate, as defined by the American Heart Association (AHA), is “the number of times your heart beats per minute when you’re at rest.” When you’re in the middle of a high-intensity workout, your pulse with quicken in your chest. But Dr. Haythe says that how it sounds when you’re doing, well, nothing tells a story of your overall health. “A person in excellent physical condition will have a low resting heart rate—50-70 BPM—and will return to baseline quickly after exercise,” she tells me. “This is because a fit heart has a larger stroke volume [or, a higher amount of blood
A tarot card reader’s top 3 tips for getting the most accurate reading
September 30, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC I’m a fan of getting my tarot cards read, but I’m also highly anxious about it. This means while in the midst of a session, I’m simultaneously analyzing what the reading means for me and whether the tarot reader is judging me, as a person, for the way my cards fall. So when I came across a recent Reddit AMA with Tarot Card Lady Theresa Reed, my eyes lit up—especially when I saw she nailed down her big tips for getting the most accurate tarot reading possible. “Be clear about what you’re coming to the reading for,” Reed says. “Don’t play games. Be open to the information. Listen. Don’t interrupt. My favorite clients are the ones who are direct because I’m a direct person. My least favorite are the ones who say ‘Oh I don’t want to tell you too much…’ which always gets an eye roll from me.” It makes sense: To get accuracy, you can’t skimp on the details you offer, and you also have to trust the reader. And though I do trust this reader, I decided to get a second opinion from intuitive energy reader and spiritual advisor Alexis Alvarez about how to get the most accurate tarot reading possible. Below find a few pieces of advice she wants you to keep in mind to get a reading that’s Good with a capital G. 1. Be clear, concise, and open-ended with your questions Whether it be a live card
This lower-body stretching series is the perfect warm-up for runners
September 30, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xObddmVyXD4] Welcome to Trainer of the Month Club, our brand-new fitness series, where we tap the coolest, most in-the-know fitness leaders to create a month-long fitness challenge. On Mondays, we have our “sweat drops” where you’ll get access to the week’s workout that you can follow along at home. This week, Nike Master Trainer and run coach Traci Copeland is taking us through a running workout warm-up routine. When it comes to running workouts, it can be tempting to just get up and go—especially when it’s 55-degrees, sunny outside, and all you want to do is pound some pavement while the latest Lizzo blasts in your AirPods. But as Nike Master Trainer and run coach (and all around motivating human being) Traci Copeland shows us in this week’s Trainer of the Month Club and United States of Running workout, your running warmup is actually just as important—if not more!—as the miles you’re logging. In addition to being one of the best forms of cardio you can do, running is also a pretty intense workout for your lower body, which is why it’s important to get your glutes, quads, and hamstrings prepped and ready before you hit the road. (BTW: Have you heard that we’re training for a 5K and a 10K race?) Loosening up ahead of time can not only help you go longer and faster, but it can also help you avoid some of that second-day soreness after a particularly grueling
Hold up: We’ve all been exfoliating our skin wrong this entire time
September 30, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC Just as there are many ways to eat an avocado or do an oblique exercise, so too are there many ways to exfoliate your skin. As a beauty editor, I thought I’d heard them all (and knew exactly which ones not to try for myself), until Ada Polla, CEO of Swiss brand Alchimie Forever, brought an entirely new method to my attention: Scrubbing your skin with an oil-based exfoliant when it’s dry, instead of wet, will help you reap its maximum skin-softening benefits. Because oil and water don’t mix, using an oil-based exfoliant (like Alchemie Forever’s Gentle Refining Scrub, $45) on dry skin is the best way to ensure it’s working to its full potential. “Physical exfoliation to dry skin is very much an ‘old-style European’ way to exfoliate the skin versus the American way that incorporates a lot of water in all skin-care steps,” says Polla. “Part of the benefit comes from massaging the product into the skin in true European gommage fashion, which does not work on wet skin.” In case you’re reading this and wondering, “WTF is a gommage?!”, allow me to explain: The term gommage comes from the French word “to scrub,” and usually refers to products that utilize a combo of gentle physical and chemical exfoliants to remove dead skin cells from the surface. And while it may seem like the question of using them on dry versus wet skin should come down to preference, it actually comes down to