Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.
Mental Health
Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.
Public health
Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.
Reproductive Health
For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
vendredi 1 décembre 2017
69 F*cking Fantastic Songs From Netflix's She's Gotta Have It
In She's Gotta Have It, the new Netflix series inspired by Spike Lee's 1986 film of the same name, the music featured throughout the show is equally as complex, unpredictable, and consequential as the show's main characters. Set in modern-day Brooklyn, the show follows sexually liberated millennial Nola Darling as she balances romantic relationships with three different men while trying to make a name for herself as an artist, but it's through music, which ranges from jazz standards to reggaeton and neo-soul, that Nola is able to authentically connect with her lovers, her best friends, her identity, and the viewer.
Spike Lee has always understood the role of music in adding dimension to characters and storylines. His musician father, Bill Lee, composed the original soundtrack for the 1986 version of She's Gotta Have It, and Spike personally curated the songs for each of the 10 episodes to accompany the show's score by legendary composer Bruce Hornsby.
While She's Gotta Have It is firmly planted in 2017, the soundtrack, with a few exceptions, is a throwback to hip-hop, soul, and R&B from the '70s through the early '00s. Nostalgia-inducing classic tracks from acts like Maxwell, Stevie Wonder, and Jill Scott are featured so prominently in the show that album covers are often used as transition slides between scenes, and new music by Anthony Ramos, who stars in the series as one of Nola's lovers, Mars Blackmon, can be heard throughout the show.
Check out the music from the first season of She's Gotta Have It below.
15 Scary Gifts For People Who Love Horror Movies
Christmastime may be approaching, but for horror fans, it's the witching hour all year long. If you're looking for some gift ideas for the people in your life who love horror movies, we have you covered. From Blu-rays to jewelry to household decor, there's a little something for everyone - and for everybody's budget, as the gift suggestions range from $3 to over $500. So dig in and find the best spooky stocking stuffer for the horror movie-lover in your life.
Maybelline Is Launching a Millennial Pink, Coconut-Scented Mascara - Game Over!
During Spring 2018 New York Fashion Week, makeup artists were using a lab sample for a coconut-infused mascara by Maybelline. And I've been hunting it down ever since. Let me repeat that: a Maybelline coconut mascara. How cool!
This magic wand - dubbed Total Temptation - combines a bevy of buzzy aspects, including the aforementioned coconut ingredient, matte millennial pink-colored packaging (similar to KKW Beauty and Fenty Beauty by Rihanna), and a drugstore price point ($9). The cap also has an easy-to-grip flat part.
OK, now that you already know you want it need it, let's get into the nitty-gritty deets. The mascara formula is light and fluffy, like a soft mousse. That is because it's whipped with coco butter. When I applied it, Total Temptation instantly made my lashes feel conditioned, similar to lash primer.
It gives lashes a voluminous, dense look; and for me, it also added length in just a few swipes. (See proof in the photo below.) This is not a mascara you'll need to stroke your lashes with for a full minute until you see results. Rather, it adds instant lift and density. Maybelline pros suggest wiggling the wand from base to tip, but I prefer a clean stroke, and then I feather out the ends.
The scent is subtle. This is not a sugary vacation cocktail in a mascara, but rather a hint of soothing coconut butter that you'll experience if you hold the tube up to your nose. I have pretty sensitive skin and eyes, and the fragrance did not irritate me.
You can buy Maybelline Total Temptation Mascara in Brownish Black, Very Black, and Blackest Black at Amazon now and at your local drugstore in January 2018.
Yes, You CAN Wear Makeup: 12 Expert-Approved Picks For Acne-Prone Skin
When it comes to choosing makeup, it's not always one-formula-fits-all, especially when you're prone to blemishes. Whether you have chronic acne, break out at certain times of the month, or suffer from pesky lurkers, we asked makeup and skincare experts to share some of their favorite cosmetics for preventing and covering up (most at the same time) pimples once and for all.
15 Movies You Can Stream on Amazon Prime to Take Your Holidays Up a Notch
Amazon has thousands of holiday films to queue, but for many of them, you have to rent or purchase in order to watch. However, some movies come included with your Amazon Prime membership - and we're here to help you find the best ones. From well-known flicks like Miracle on 34th Street and Scrooged to some obscure gems like The Wizard's Christmas and Jingle Hell, there's a little something for every member of the family.
This New Mom Is Applying to Jobs With Her Baby - Here's Why Companies Should Take Her Seriously
On a typical weekday, Meesha Chang is doing what countless other New Yorkers in between jobs do: endlessly perusing LinkedIn and other sites for open positions, her laptop like an inanimate appendage. Her last job, a highly coveted creative consultant position within the cultural department of a tech giant, is almost certain to attract the attention of most hiring managers. However, there is one significant detail in her application that she knows could repel some potential employers: her 5-month-old baby, Lucia.
Lucia is Chang's daughter with her fiancé, John. Round-cheeked and wide-eyed, the infant is a pleasure at home - but what about in the next cubicle over?
For the past two months, Chang has been applying to any and every position that matches her vast qualifications, but unlike her competition, she's applying with Lucia in tow. Her ideal plan is to bring her infant daughter with her to her new office every day. "I'm being very transparent about my situation," she explains. "Lucia's name has equal billing on my résumé." She even lists her daughter's qualifications - "quiet, observant nature and positive attitude" - on her résumé and in her cover letter in hopes that companies will see Lucia as not just a caveat, but an asset. She's even brought Lucia along to interviews, once in person and once over Skype, with the newborn cooing in the background. The hiring managers greeted Lucia awkwardly, unsure of what to make of the mother-daughter duo, Chang recalls.
This may seem like a pretty unconventional, maybe even bizarre, strategy for job hunting, but in Chang's view, there's no viable alternative. She prioritizes her career and motherhood equally, and she doesn't feel it's fair to have to choose between the two. "One of the most challenging things about becoming a mom for me is figuring out what kind of mom I am and can be to my child," Chang says. "I always thought I would be the kind of mom to get straight back to work. Having a child now has changed everything." For her, that means bringing her baby to work, which, to her, is not such an outlandish request.
Chang is fully aware that she is fortunate to work in a field that could accommodate babies at work and senior enough in her career that she feels comfortable making certain demands of potential employers. And she is more than grateful to have John, who helps with both baby and financial duties, while she job hunts. "I know not everyone is in this position," she acknowledges.
"We are told over and over that women can't have it all, can't be present parents and have a great career. This is not because it's impossible; it's because we don't have systems in place to provide that life."
There are parents who don't have the luxury of requesting such policies and who have to shoulder all responsibilities alone, but Chang hopes that her advocacy for babies-at-work programs will be the first step in shifting the standard in favor of more parent-friendly policies in general.
"Part of why I am pushing for companies to accommodate babies at work is so that more parents have choices in the future," she says. "We are told over and over that women can't have it all, can't be present parents and have a great career. This is not because it's impossible; it's because we don't have systems in place to provide that life."
What ends up happening, Chang points out, is women leave the workforce to care for their newborns and oftentimes don't come back for years or even decades (she refers to Lori Hill, a software developer who took a break from her career to raise her kids and reentered the workforce after 22 years). This contributes to what many experts refer to as a "brain drain" in the US workforce and economy. If only companies could see this larger picture, she says, maybe then they would be more open to more parent-friendly policies.
Since Lucia's birth, Chang has applied to a wide range of positions, from established companies to brand-new start-ups, and even a weeklong stint as the mayor of Danzhai Wanda Village in Southwest China. As expected, the responses have been mixed, but some companies have been surprisingly receptive. "I think it opens people's minds and makes them think backwards and forwards, reflecting back on their childhood and mother," Chang says, "as well as envisioning what kind of workplaces will exist in the future." One aspect of a mother-baby team she tries to emphasize to prospective employers is the symbiotic relationship between loving mother and industrious worker. "I feel my new skills as a mom are transferable," she says. "Why not have the next step in my career path work with, rather than against, my new role and instincts?"
Though she has not received an offer just yet, Chang remains undeterred. "I live by the philosophy 'where there is a will, there is a way,'" she says. "And I want to be with Lucia as much as possible during this critical time. I am a better person because of her and with her."
Babies at Work Are Becoming More CommonChang is not alone. For at least the last decade, a burgeoning movement advocating for bringing babies to work has been taking shape and gaining momentum. Though the practice is still very much a fledgling one, forward-thinking companies - such as advertising agency T3 and PR firm Vanguard Communications - are starting to catch on to the value of bringing babies into the workplace.
According to the Parenting in the Workplace Institute (PIWI), which provides resources and best-practice guidelines for implementing babies-at-work policies, more than 200 businesses in the US have adopted such policies. Founded in 2007 by Carla Moquin, the PIWI has helped dozens of companies implement babies-at-work programs.
"There is a disparity between what people expect when they think about having babies in a work environment compared to what well-structured baby programs actually look like in practice," Moquin explains. Once a company observes the overwhelming benefits, she says, "they are typically eager to make the policy permanent."
Moquin knows firsthand how valuable and life-changing these programs can be for new parents - and that many moms and dads don't have the financial and social privileges Chang has when it comes to forcing an employer's hand. In fact, Moquin herself had to return to work when each of her daughters were less than 5 weeks old.
So how does a babies-at-work program work exactly? With PIWI's help, a company starts by implementing a short-term pilot program, a month-long "experimentation" that determines what a long-term policy might look like. "Once a pilot program is in place and companies see how well it works," Moquin says, "it is extremely rare for a company not to move forward with a permanent policy."
PIWI also offers a downloadable template, which outlines a recommended checklist of things to consider, like eligibility parameters, waivers and agreement forms to complete, and rules for the parent to adhere to.
At Badger, a family-owned company that makes organic bodycare products, employees request to participate in the program and are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. To date, the company has been fortunate to make the program work for every employee who has requested to participate. When an employee is approved, other logistical arrangements are put into place, such as a meeting room designated to easily be converted into an office/nursery, a separate room set up specifically for mothers to breastfeed or pump, and designated voluntary, alternate caregivers within Badger for those times the parent needs a break or needs to attend a meeting.
As for Chang's ideal setup, she envisions a small space in the office not too far from her desk where her baby can play and sleep that would be private enough for nursing or pumping. But since Lucia loves being "in the mix," Chang hopes she can also keep her even closer, perhaps in her carrier under an adjustable standing desk, as she suggests. If there are important meetings where a baby's presence might not be appropriate, having an onsite sitter like the ones at Badger would be the perfect solution. And while Chang believes in the value of working closely with her work team, she also knows that a flexible work-from-home policy would be immensely helpful for any new mom.
In Moquin's experience, these programs are adopted and integrated as seamlessly as any other company policy. It typically takes a week or two of sharing the office with their baby for the parent to find their "rhythm." "This is aided by the emotional and logistical support that most coworkers are eager to provide once they find themselves bonding with the babies," she says.
The Concrete Benefits to Baby-Friendly OfficesWhile parents might be the ones overwhelmingly pushing for baby-friendly policies, data suggest that companies see tangible benefits to instituting those policies, too. According to Moquin, here are some of the ways babies at work can help businesses:
- Increasing retention
- Encouraging employees to voluntarily return to work earlier, which saves the business money
- Increasing employee morale and loyalty, not just for the parents but for their coworkers as well, making employee recruitment easier
- Increasing teamwork and collaboration due to the presence of the babies and the social dynamics they create
Several organizations with similar programs have witnessed nearly identical results. Badger has seen the benefits of babies at work firsthand and cannot envision running their business any other way. "We've seen higher morale, increased engagement, and greater loyalty among employees," says Dee Fitzgerald, Badger's Marketing & PR Manager. "Parents feel supported and come to work knowing they are embraced by a community that sees them as a whole person and cares for their well-being."
While there are inevitably going to be a few downsides, namely the occasional distraction of a crying baby, the list is minuscule compared to the benefits. "Our experience so far has been that the benefits far outweigh the concerns or inconveniences." Plus, Fitzgerald exclaims, "It's the right thing to do!"
The Nevada State Health Division, which first introduced its program in 2009, noted increased productivity, improved morale, and better communication with no formal complaints. The NSHD's program was so successful it inspired other organizations in the state, like the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services and Nevada Child and Family Services, to adopt babies-at-work policies of their own.
According to a report by Society of Human Resource Management, who interviewed Virginia architectural design firm Peck, Peck & Associates on its babies-at-work program, the increase in retention is a standout benefit. "We've had people who were offered jobs [elsewhere] but stayed with us because of this," founder Dianne Peck told SHRM.
Curious companies, if you're reading this, perhaps one particular benefit should be underlined: not only do these programs cost very little, or virtually nothing, to implement, they will actually save you money.
"If your company has an open-door policy and is invested in the well-being of its employees," Fitzgerald says, "it is a relatively easy benefit to implement with little cost and a high return." She also emphasizes that such programs are powerful recruiting tools, which saves the company money in the long run. The NSHD made a similar note in its report, calling the program a "minimal investment as long as clear expectations and rules are in place."
But families benefit too, as Moquin notes:
- Parents can be present for those critical first six months of their baby's life
- Parents and babies don't have to experience the trauma of separating in those very vulnerable early months
- Parents face lower daycare costs/more financial stability
- Breastfeeding opportunities for moms increase
Chang hopes to highlight this multitude of benefits each time she applies to a job with Lucia, who she calls "a natural Chief Happiness Officer."
Advice For Parents Who Want to Bring Their Baby to WorkAs of press time, Chang is still job searching for the right position and company that will allow her to fulfill her dual roles as mother and creative whiz. She always knew that it might be trickier to apply as a "package deal," but she remains "hopeful and curious about the outcome." In the meantime, both Moquin and Fitzgerald offer invaluable advice to new moms like Chang.
"For a new mom applying to jobs, we recommend asking the hiring manager or HR representative what kinds of family-friendly benefits they offer and if babies at work would be something they would consider providing in the future," Fitzgerald says. "If the answer is 'yes,' then you know that the company culture is family-friendly and its leadership team places a high value on the happiness and well-being of its employees."
Moquin's advice is more practical. "For new moms who already have a baby and are looking for jobs, we actually recommend that they focus on flexible or work-from-home jobs unless they have a potential employer that is already eager to implement a baby program," she advises, acknowledging that not all moms can afford the luxury of a lengthy job search for an office that fulfills all their asks. "It can take weeks to months to convince a company to implement a program."
But Chang isn't giving up on finding a full-time job in an office environment. She has a newfound tenacity bolstered by her tiny teammate. "Babies are just everything," she says. "Babies represent new hopes, new aspirations." And if that means making the case for bringing Lucia to work knowing most companies will reject the very notion, she will do it, because she genuinely believes in the value of working alongside her daughter.
"As a team," Chang wrote in one cover letter, "we can bring positive energy and change to almost any situation we encounter, and would love to bring it to you."
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Your Hair Type
What's your hair type? It's a question that can determine a lot about your daily styling routine. Does your mane fall flat with just the hint of humidity? Are you spending hours twisting your kinks into curls? We've arranged this comprehensive guide from superstraight, fine strands to coarse, kinky locks. Plus we've added celebrity examples to each of the 12 categories so you can be totally sure. To discover your natural texture, wash your hair and examine your strands in the mirror without any styling products. Still can't decide which category you fall in? Your head could have a mix of two or three! Ahead, you'll find product recommendations and styling tips for your specific styling needs. It's like the every girl's guide to getting her best hair day. Ever.
Love what you're reading? Head over to our Snapchat for more awesome, bite-sized content!
11 Ways to Embrace the "Hygge" Lifestyle and Find More Joy
Have you ever had a wonderful night sitting by the fire with a glass of cocoa, enjoying the company of your loved ones, and just thought, "This is the life"? Well, that, my friend, is hygge. Have you woken up on a chilly morning, lit a candle, wrapped yourself in a blanket, and read a book? Hygge again. Escaped a stormy night by sitting around the dinner table discussing current events with friends? That's hygge, baby.
Hygge, pronounced "HOO-gah," is a Scandinavian way of life that celebrates coziness, shared meals, and companionable interactions with loved ones. Emphasizing warmth, kinship, and an appreciation for the little things, hygge is a perspective on life that started in Denmark and has contributed to the nation's consistently high happiness ratings. Now, in times of stress and unrest, more Americans are turning to hygge as a way to find happiness from within.
Many see hygge as an excellent form of self-care, especially during seasons when weather-related depression runs high. By embracing the indoors, welcoming others into your home, and taking plenty of time to treat yourself to little luxuries, hygge is the ideal way to combat seasonal affective disorder.
The search term "hygge" has skyrocketed in popularity on Pinterest, and the inspirational social networking site is embracing the concept wholeheartedly. The Pinterest team even decided to celebrate the "old Danish concept of embracing the cold months, living cosily and reveling in the joys of warm cocoa, soft blankets and the company of great friends" with a board called Teach Me How to Hygge, which captures the cozy joys of the hygge lifestyle.
While high season for hygge is Winter, the Danish tourism board assures us that it can be experienced year round. If you want to hygge-ify your home, here are some ways to incorporate the peaceful Nordic lifestyle into your own everyday habits.
If This Is Where Claire Is Headed, Outlander Is About to Get Dark
If you think Outlander heroine Claire Fraser has been through a lot in three seasons, well, you're right. She works as a military nurse in World War II, gets married, travels through time, gets married again, gets pregnant twice, loses a child, gives birth to a child, loses a husband, travels through time again, and is now off on a high seas adventure to the West Indies.
For a preview of what's in store for Claire in what's left of season three, check out our guide to Diana Gabaldon's Voyager. But to find out what might befall Claire in seasons four, five, and beyond, read on below for a guide to Gabaldon's other novels in the Outlander series.
Be warned of spoilers from books four through eight below.
Drums of Autumn
On their way to the plantation owned by Jamie's Aunt Jocasta, Jamie, Claire, Ian, and Fergus are robbed by Stephen Bonnet, a man they had previously helped escape the gallows in Charleston. He makes off with the rest of their money, treasure, and Claire's gold wedding band from her marriage to Frank.
Upon establishing that they don't want to take over Jocasta's plantation, the Frasers settle Fraser's Ridge in North Carolina, making it a place for ex Ardsmuir prisoners to call home. This is where we suspect we'll see Murtagh again after he survived Culloden on the show (he perished there in the books).
After establishing their settlement, word of Claire's skills as a medic spreads far and wide, and she begins traveling the nearby countryside to tend to the sick.
She is reunited with Brianna when her daughter arrives at Fraser's Ridge, having traveled through time to warn her parents because she found a record of their death notice in an old newspaper (though that printing turned out to be incorrect). When Claire learns that Brianna is pregnant, she agrees to keep her daughter's secret that she was raped by Bonnet and he may be the father of her baby.
After Jamie's misunderstanding about who raped Brianna, Claire must travel with Jamie and Ian to rescue Roger Wakefield from a local Native American tribe that is holding him prisoner. They manage to get Roger back when Ian agrees to take Roger's place; Ian is adopted into the Mohawk tribe and stays with them for a long while.
Claire helps Brianna deliver her son, and Roger says he's the baby's father, the paternity notwithstanding.
The Fiery Cross
The Frasers attend Jocasta's wedding where a slave ends up dead and Claire suspects foul play. Upon investigating, they figure out it was one of Jocasta's would-be suitors whose advances she rebuffed. He also attacked Jocasta and her husband-to-be, Duncan. But he was not connected to the men looking for "the Frenchman's gold," a reference to money sent by Louis XV of France to help in Charles Stuart's rebellion.
Back at Fraser's Ridge, Claire starts improving her medical supplies by cultivating her own penicillan from moldy bread. It saves Jamie's life when he is bitten by a snake while hunting.
Much of The Fiery Cross is actually focused on those around Claire, while she works to be the best 18th-century doctor she can be. But at the end of the book, she, Brianna, and Roger all confess to Ian that they're from the future.
A Breath of Snow and Ashes
Claire holds down the homestead while Jamie must go off to act as an "Indian agent" for the government, which culminates in him helping start a Committee of Safety (one of the first forms of local government in the United States). On a trip to the malting shed (where they are making their own whiskey), Claire is attacked and kidnapped by a group of criminals that includes a fellow time-traveler named Wendigo Donner from 1968.
While captive, Claire is assaulted and raped. She manages to escape and Jamie, Ian, Fergus, and Co. slaughter most of the men who kidnapped her.
As she continues her medical practice, Claire manages to make her own ether and eventually uses it to perform a successful appendectomy on a sick young boy. She also treats people for a devastating plague, saving as many as she can.
Eventually Claire's medical prowess begins to be seen as a kind of witchcraft. When a young pregnant girl named Malva is found dead, Claire tries to save the unborn baby, which lands her in jail on trial for murder. The only thing that saves Claire is the governor's need for a midwife for his wife. Due to rising political tensions in New Bern (the Revolutionary War is less than a year away at this point), Claire poses as the governor's wife so that his real wife may be smuggled out in the middle of the night.
Eventually Malva's father confesses to her murder, and Claire is exonerated and allowed to return to Fraser's Ridge. A few months pass, and Brianna gives birth to a daughter, Amanda, whom Claire says has a heart murmur that will require surgery - surgery she cannot perform safely in 1776. So Brianna, Roger, and their two children travel back through the stones to the 20th century.
Claire and Jamie continue their lives at Fraser's Ridge until Donner and his companions loot their house looking for gemstones (which aid in traveling through the stones). In the riot, Ian sets the house on fire, trapping all the criminals inside. With their house gone, Jamie says they need to return to Scotland to retrieve his printing press.
An Echo in the Bone
Of course, you know what they say about the best-laid plans of mice and men - they often go awry.
Claire, Jamie, and Ian try to set sail for Scotland, but their ship is stopped by a British naval vessel that presses Jamie and Ian into service. When a second ship attacks the British ship, Jamie is forced to join a militia for a while. During the Battle of Saratoga, Claire works as a medic for the militia and must amputate one of Jamie's fingers. At the second Battle of Saratoga, Jamie's cousin, Simon Fraser, is killed. Simon's general asks Jamie to take Simon's body back to Scotland for a proper burial, so Jamie, Claire, and Ian finally set sail for home.
They arrive at Lallybroch to find that young Ian's father, Ian Sr., is dying, but Claire soon receives a letter from Marsali back in Philadelphia, asking her to come perform life-saving surgery on Marsali and Fergus's youngest, a boy named Henri-Christian. Claire and young Ian return to America, while Jamie stays behind to be with Ian and Jenny while Ian passes.
After Ian's death, Jenny decides to go to America with Jamie, but they miss the boat they initially were meant to be on and must take another one. When the first boat sinks, everyone in America (Claire, Ian, Lord John) think that Jenny and Jamie have perished at sea because they haven't gotten word of the travel plans changing. A British captain wants to then arrest Claire as a spy, so she marries Lord John for protection. The two eventually become intimate - not because they love each other, but out of their shared grief for Jamie.
Written in My Own Heart's Blood
Jamie and Claire are finally reunited (again) and reconcile, even though Jamie has a lot of feelings to work through about Claire and Lord John. But as the country is in the throes of the Revolutionary War, Claire and Jamie don't have much choice but to join the fight.
They join General Washington's army, but within a month Claire is shot, and Jamie resigns his post to stay with her as she recovers. They eventually decide to return to Fraser's Ridge, but are waylaid by the death of Henri-Christian, who dies in a fire in Fergus's print shop. The grieving Frasers and Murrays move to Savannah, GA, to start again, but when the British invade the city, Jamie takes Claire, Ian, Ian's wife Rachel, Jenny, and Fergus's eldest son, Germain, back to Fraser's Ridge. Fergus, Marsali, and their two daughters remain in Savannah.
Back at Fraser's Ridge, the man who raped Claire those many years ago when she was captive appears. Jamie leaves to find him and kill him, while Brianna, Roger, and their two children show back up at Fraser's Ridge.
While Claire has been embroiled in the Revolutionary War, Brianna and Roger have been having a time-traveling adventure of their own that involves Jemmy being kidnapped and all of them ending up decades farther back in time than they meant to go, 1739. But they are eventually able to find each other and get back to Claire and Jamie. And that's where the latest book ends.
If Outlander manages to go eight seasons, suffice to say that there is still plenty of action and adventure in store for the characters.
These Total-Body Transformations From the BBG Workouts Will Have Your Jaw on the Floor
There are so many reasons we love Kayla Itsines, but chief among them has to be the way she puts the spotlight on others before herself (not a common quality in an Instagram star!). Kayla created the intense workout plan, Bikini Body Guide, which has literally transformed the bodies of women the world over.
You can see that aforementioned spotlight on her Instagram in all the before-and-after photos she regrams. Through positivity, encouragement, and inclusion, she's empowered a community of women all over the world who are working for their best lives and best bodies. From extreme weight-loss journeys to post-pregnancy goals to women recovering from eating disorders and getting strong - we've seen it all on Kayla's Instagram, and each story is incredible.
These transformation before-and-after photos will inspire you, if not outright leave you in tears. The smiles alone on the after photos are tear-inducing; the pride and sense of accomplishment is palpable. Get ready to feel ALL THE FEELS.
24 Bobs That Will Convince You It's Finally Time to Make the Chop
We're big fans of the transformative powers of a short hairstyle, and if you still haven't been convinced to chop your hair short (or maybe just invest in a bob wig), let these Instagram looks be your inspiration.
Whether you like the sharp lines of an asymmetric bob with bangs, or the more mussed-up look of a layered, shoulder-skimming style, there are looks to bookmark for your next salon appointment.
12 Healthy Instant Pot Recipes That Will Make You Forget Your Slow Cooker
This is the year of Buddha bowls, Jackfruit, and the Instant Pot (aka, the one pot that does the work of seven gadgets!). Slow cookers are so 2016! Embrace the latest cooking trend by whipping up one of these good-for-you soups, Paleo-friendly meat recipes, and a hearty lightened-up chili. The best part? There's barely any cleanup involved. We can get into that.
Stay on the Healthy Path This Weekend With These Inspiring Quotes
Wahoo! You made it to the weekend and after a week of eating healthy and crushing your workouts, you're ready to let loose! You should definitely take the end of the week to celebrate a little - you deserve it! But here's your little reminder that come Monday morning, you'll feel much better if you don't go completely overboard.
Take a little time for self-care, get in that longer workout you never have time for during the week, do a little meal prep, and be sure to also rest up! If you need a little motivation, read through these quotes.
Before and After Photos of California's Drought Are Staggering to See
California looks a bit unfamiliar to residents these days: following historic rainfall, the state's landscape has bloomed, bringing life to its formerly brown hills dogged by drought. On April 7, California Governor Jerry Brown officially lifted the state's emergency water provisions, thus declaring an end to a record-breaking drought.
Brown, who's been particularly critical of President Donald Trump's climate policies, declared an end to the water restrictions he imposed in January of 2014. "This drought emergency is over, but the next drought could be around the corner," Governor Brown's statement read. "Conservation must remain a way of life."
California's six-year drought had reached unprecedented levels by the Spring of 2015. According to the United States' drought monitor, more than 30 percent of California was experiencing exceptional drought; at its peak, between 2012 and 2015, the drought emptied groundwater reservoirs, which ultimately forced Brown to implement restrictions for farmers and citizens.
Now recovering, the Sierra Nevada mountain range has also witnessed a massive revival: its snowpack levels are currently 160 percent above average for this time of the year.
California's rainfall is certainly a reason to celebrate, but as Brown warned, it isn't evidence disproving the existence of climate change (as the new EPA director believes).
Ahead, see a series of images comparing the drought from 2014 and 2017; the photos on top are from the height of the drought and the ones right below are from present-day California.
10 Tips to Snag a First-Class Ticket Upgrade
The majority of airline passengers fly coach, but a small percentage of the population regularly enjoys first-class accommodations on airplanes. While these passengers may be loaded and able to afford the costly tickets, the price is still beyond the bucket for a majority of flyers. So, how are those who may not be swimming in wealth able to snag the luxurious upgrade? Alex Matjanec, CEO of MyBankTracker, has compiled a list of 10 tips to secure a first-class airline ticket upgrade.
1. Be Loyal to One Airline
Loyalty always counts. Most people who join frequent flier programs don't actually fly very frequently. The typical thought process is to sign up for every frequent flier or loyalty program in hopes of saving money across the board. Frequent flier programs don't work like grocery frequent shopper cards, however.
So instead of being a frequent flier member who only racks up a handful of miles on any individual airline, focus all of your efforts on being loyal to one airline. The tickets may cost a little more every so often, but the long-term benefits of stockpiling miles for one company can upgrade your travel to first class.
2. Arrive Late/Early
Airlines recommend arriving at the airport and checking in at least 30-60 minutes before a flight (longer for larger international airports). This is because it takes time to check baggage, pass through security, and arrive at the departure gate.
However, showing up early allows you time to have a casual chat with the gate agent without a large crowd. This is the time where you can build a rapport and ask about an upgrade to first class without other people around whom the airline risks upsetting.
Flights are often overbooked, and by arriving late (though don't arrive too late), you'll probably be bumped to a later flight, at which time you can ask for a first-class upgrade to make up for the inconvenience.
3. Travel During Slow Times
Instead of flying near the holidays and weekends with everyone else, book your flights at the right time - such as in the middle of the week. FareCompare, an airline tracking website, points out the most unpopular days to fly are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday, while dawn, dusk, and red-eye flights are the least popular.
These are the flights that are most likely to have empty seats, meaning there's availability in first class.
Also, look throughout the year for times people don't typically fly. For example, a flight on Thanksgiving Day is much more likely to have availability than flights on the Wednesday prior or Friday after. This, of course, assumes overbooked passengers from previous flights haven't already filled up the plane.
4. Complain About Something
At the end of the day, airlines are customer-serving businesses like any other. This means they'll go out of their way to please a customer and ensure you continue coming back to use their service. Complaining to the airline about any shortcomings is a first step to first-class accommodations.
Politely pointing out these problems and simply asking to be moved will get you an opportunity at a new seat. If the flight is completely booked, there's a good chance there's still an open seat in first class that you can sit in to make up for the problems.
5. Book Through Airline Websites
Travel booking sites like Kayak, Travelocity, Hotwire, and Expedia seek out the lowest possible rates, which has thinned profit margins for airlines and hotels. While these sites make searching for flights and comparing prices easy, don't use them for the final booking.
Instead, after determining which flight is the cheapest bet, log in to that airline's official website and book the flight directly through them. This shows up on their system when checking in, and you'll be treated as a loyal customer who appreciated the airline's marketing as opposed to just another value shopper booking through a discount digital travel agent.
6. Check Emails After Booking
After booking your flight, keep an eye on your emails. The airline will know ahead of time whether the flight is overbooked and will offer more and more aggressive discounts to those wishing to upgrade to first class via email.
Of course, the airline is unable to email customers who used a third-party travel booking site, so you'll be one of a small minority of people receiving these emails for your specific flight. Regardless of who sits where, the airline has to take off on a set schedule, so the closer an overbooked flight gets to departure time, the more drastic discounts are applied to first-class upgrades.
7. Use a Travel Rewards Card
Travel rewards credit cards are a great way to stockpile frequent flier miles without necessarily having to travel. Here are a few of the best travel rewards cards on the market:
With Capital One Venture Rewards Card, you earn two miles for any airline per dollar spent on any purchase, with a $35 annual fee, and with Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, you earn two miles per dollar spent on travel and restaurants, with a $95 annual fee. Points are worth 25 percent more if booked through Chase.
Discover It Miles Card users earn 1.5 miles per dollar spent, which are doubled at the end of the first year for no annual fee. In addition, they receive an annual $30 in-flight WiFi credit and enjoy no blackout dates as points are tracked in-house by Discover, not any particular airline.
8. Phone a Friend
Employees of airlines receive great perks, including the ability to fly standby for free throughout the year and access to the airline's passenger systems. If you don't know someone who works for an airline, it's time to make that friend.
Many airlines have done away with (or severely restricted) these buddy passes in recent years, but working in the airline industry (or knowing someone who does) is still more likely to get you an upgrade to first class, regardless of which airline it is.
9. Fly Solo
Upgrading a single ticket is much easier than upgrading tickets for a family of four. If you're traveling with your family, your best bet is to work together to decide who should be upgraded to first class on each trip, rotating who gets the seat on each trip like a nonviolent Game of Thrones.
10. Fly on Your Birthday
Always remember that pilots, flight attendants, and the gate agent are all people just like you and I. A friendly conversation goes a long way, especially when mentioning special occasions like your birthday being today.
"On a recent trip to Hong Kong, we were upgraded to first class thanks to our charm," said John Heaton, managing director at The Heaton Group. "This can also work if it's your birthday, honeymoon, or anniversary. You won't be upgraded for no reason so make sure you let them know you have a genuine reason to be upgraded and with a bit of luck, they'll be listening."
The Opioid Epidemic's Biggest Culprit Isn't Heroin Anymore - It's Something Deadlier
Part of a series of images Jessica* created with photographer John Trew to portray the emotions associated with addiction. Photo courtesy of John Trew.
Andrew*, an HVAC engineer, looks better than your average 37-year-old, college-educated man from Canton, OH. Clean-shaven, wearing a fitted maroon polo shirt and black dress pants. Athletic. Energetic. Flirtatious.
He sits on the patio of a local restaurant, sipping his cocktail, skimming the menu at the kind of place you take your kids to after soccer practice.
"Yesterday I had one glass of wine, today I had two. Tomorrow, I don't know," Andrew says, both hands cupped around a sweaty vodka-soda with lime. "But it's not heroin."
But it wasn't heroin two weeks earlier, either, when the husband and father of three woke up on the floor of his sober-living house to six men shaking him. They told him it took two doses of Narcan, an opioid blocker, to revive him after he overdosed on carfentanil for the sixth time this year.
It wasn't heroin, because if you ask drug users, people in recovery, medical personnel, and law enforcement, they'll tell you that drug has all but dried up in the state of Ohio, a state leading the country in fatal opioid overdoses, according to the Centers For Disease Control.
If it were heroin, it would've been made from morphine, which is derived from naturally occurring opium.
Andrew, 37, looks out from the patio at a restaurant in Canton, OH, on Aug. 18. Photo courtesy Stephanie Haney.
Carfentanil - a synthetic form of fentanyl - is generally used to sedate very large animals, like elephants, and it's 10,000 times stronger than morphine. It's the new drug of choice for those manufacturing and selling illicit drugs in the Buckeye State, which was home to a record-setting 4,149 accidental deaths due to fatal overdoses in 2016.
Fentanyl itself is another popular option. The drug is "50 to 100 times more potent" than morphine, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Oftentimes, drug users don't realize they aren't getting quite what they bargained for until it's too late.
Andrew noticed the switch about six months ago, when he started "falling out" - or losing consciousness - after doses he had previously considered normal.
"I was shooting up all day, every day," he said, as he stretched out his arms to show dark bruises where his veins had collapsed under his skin. And then finally, one day, he overdosed.
The casual observer probably would never know that Andrew was battling opioid addiction at this very moment, but the crisis that's hit America hard doesn't discriminate.
Drug overdose deaths have now become the leading cause of accidental deaths in the US with 52,404 fatalities in 2015, according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine; 33,091 of those deaths, which equates to more than six out of 10, involved an opioid.
And it's getting worse. While official numbers aren't in yet, a New York Times preliminary report has the total number of drug overdose deaths for 2016 at more than 59,000, which it described as "the largest annual jump ever recorded in the United States."
Addiction started for Andrew in 2009, when he started taking his mother's oxycodone, which she had been prescribed after a medical procedure - he says because he "didn't want her taking all of that." He also had a longstanding Adderall prescription added to the mix.
His opioid and Adderall abuse went undetected by his wife until the Summer of 2016, when she noticed he was running out of the ADHD drug before the end of the month. After she made a call to his doctor, his prescription was revoked, and Andrew turned to cocaine. The way he tells it, his wife got fed up, took their kids, and left him, and one week later, he was shooting up heroin.
What Can We Do to Stop the Epidemic?
It's not that uncommon of a story, and it can happen to anybody. President Donald Trump addressed that issue in his press briefing from New Jersey on Aug. 8.
"Nobody is safe from this epidemic that threatens young and old, rich and poor, urban and rural communities," he said. "Everybody is threatened."
But what's debatable is Trump's view that amping up incarceration is the answer to the problem. In the same briefing, he pledged to increase federal drug prosecutions and implied he'd fight to lengthen sentences for convicted federal drug offenders. This is in stark contrast to the Obama administration's approach to dealing with drug users.
Two days later, Trump told reporters in New Jersey, "The opioid crisis is an emergency, and I'm saying officially, right now, it is an emergency. We're going to draw it up and we're going to make it a national emergency. It is a serious problem, the likes of which we have never had."
What methods the Trump administration will ultimately employ to combat the epidemic aren't exactly certain at this time.
What we do know is that his comments about "upping federal prosecutions" were made despite a preliminary report issued on July 31 by his Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis. The report almost exclusively recommended addressing shortcomings in access to treatment for addicts, along with prescription drug reform and stopping the influx of synthetic opioids (like fentanyl and carfentanil) from other countries, like China.
That approach is more in line with what people who are living in the throes of the epidemic think would be helpful.
Incarceration Doesn't Work For Everyone
One of those people is Tugg Massa, 42, from Akron, OH. He's a recovering addict and founder of Akron Say No to Dope, a nonprofit organization that serves Summit County, where as many as 250 people died last year from drug overdoses. Those deaths were largely attributed to the introduction of carfentanil in the area in June and July of 2016, according to Ohio.com.
Both fentanyl and carfentanil are a whole lot cheaper on the street than morphine and heroin, he explained, which is why they're being cut with anything and everything people use to get high - usually unbeknownst to the drug user.
"It's not like it was when I was growing up," Tugg said. "Not to glorify drug use of any kind, but it's a lot more dangerous now. It's not heroin. Heroin won't even get the people out there using drugs high anymore because this fentanyl and carfentanil are so strong."
He knows what he's talking about, as someone who used drugs for 27 years. Tugg's been sober since Oct. 10, 2012, the day he was arrested for illegal manufacturing of methamphetamines.
Tugg Massa, 42, checks the call log for Akron Say No to Dope's 24/7 helpline from his organization's thrift store and boutique in Akron, OH, on Aug. 14. Photo courtesy Stephanie Haney.
When Tugg got caught, he was making meth to support his own opioid habit. He spent two years in prison for that charge, where, despite his surroundings, he got clean and earned his GED.
"It was difficult," he said of his time there. "There's a lot of drugs in prison. I had a drug dealer on one side of my cell and a drug dealer in the other cell next to me."
Although he successfully overcame his addiction while incarcerated, he feels strongly that being locked up is not for everyone. Instead, Tugg is a major advocate for drug court, where people get the option of undergoing treatment in lieu of conviction. That means if they make it through a 12-month program, their convictions are dropped.
Treatment Is Crucial - When the Timing Is Right
Sheriff Steve Leahy of Clermont County, OH, generally agrees with Tugg about the need for more access to treatment, but also says it needs to be worked hand in hand with the judicial system.
"You can't throw everybody's ass in jail," he said. "But what you also can't do is hug your way out of it."
Sheriff Leahy speaks from experience as both a member of law enforcement and someone who has witnessed firsthand a loved one's battle against opioid addiction. His ex-wife's struggles gave him valuable insight into what might work in his community.
He points out that some people simply aren't responsive to treatment, possibly because they're not ready for it at that point in their addiction.
"I think there are just some people who do need to be in jail or incarcerated. Maybe because they're selling as a pusher or they are committing crimes and burglaries and other felonies," he said. "You have to protect the community at large. Also, with the same breath, sometimes the only way to protect an individual from themselves is by having them locked up until you can get them to a point of treatment."
Part of a series of images Jessica* created with photographer John Trew to portray the emotions associated with addiction. Photo courtesy of John Trew.
Whatever they're doing in Clermont County seems to be working. The death toll skyrocketed to 94 in 2015, placing Clermont at the top of the state for accidental overdose deaths, according to Leeann Watson, associate director of Clermont County's Mental Health Recovery Board. That figure was up from 68 in 2014 and 56 in 2013, said Watson, who is also cochair of the opiate task force. But in 2016, the number dropped slightly to 82 deaths.
One tool that Leahy believes in is his county's community alternative sentencing program, which people can choose to participate in while they are incarcerated.
The program is administered in a wing of the county jail dedicated exclusively to those who have volunteered for treatment. It's an opportunity for convicted drug offenders who are ready to tackle sobriety to make the best use of their time.
"You have to have the buy-in of the court system, which includes the probation department and other mental health and addiction specialists," Leahy said. "It's kind of a multipronged attack."
Court Programs Can't Help When Drugs Don't Show Up on Tests
Andrew, who was placed on probation in January after officers found a needle in his car when he got pulled over for speeding, hasn't had to face a choice like those convicted in Sheriff Leahy's jurisdiction yet.
Not after trying out replacement drug therapy with Suboxone and methadone; not after attending treatment facilities in both Mexico and Florida; not after witnessing two people die from opioid overdoses in his own home on two separate occasions. And not even after his own latest overdose.
When his sober-living housemates revived him just two weeks ago, the police were called and he was taken to the hospital.
If he had tested positive for drugs at the hospital, he would've been kicked out of the sober-living house and sent to jail for violating probation.
The crazy thing is, his drug test came back negative.
"I've been given a lot of grace," he says.
"Grace" for Andrew, this time, came in the form of a standard urine test that didn't detect the particular concoction of street opioids that shut down his system.
Yes, you read that right. The standard drug tests administered at many hospitals that treat overdose victims don't pick up carfentanil and the street versions of fentanyl that are killing people in record numbers.
Even after six near-death experiences and witnessing two fatal overdoses in his own home from opioid use in the past year, Andrew says he still can't promise he won't ever use opioids again. Photo courtesy Stephanie Haney.
"You have to know what you're looking for," said Dr. Barry Sample, senior director of Science and Technology at Quest Diagnostics.
Dr. Allison Chambliss, assistant professor of Clinical Pathology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, elaborated, "Fentanyl and carfentanil are structurally distinct from the other major opioids, and so do not get detected up by the routine urine opioid drug screens out there that are designed to pick up morphine, codeine, and heroin."
Even if you might have an idea what you're looking for, oftentimes the proper tests simply aren't run - either because they're too expensive or the facility where the victim is being treated doesn't have the proper equipment.
Usually it's only large reference and specialty toxicology labs that have the tools required to carry out these kinds of tests, even though they could be run on urine or blood samples, just like more general opioid tests, Chambliss said.
In Andrew's case, the standard test was apparently run, and it came back negative for opioids. He was released from the hospital and was able to go back to the sober-living facility with no probation violation recorded.
Even after that close of a call, where he narrowly escaped losing his liberty - and his life - he admits, "I still can't promise I'll never use opioids again. It's too good."
"Ready" and "Rock Bottom" Look Different For Everyone
Tugg pointed out that in his ministry of recovering addicts, "They have to come to me. I can't go chasing people down."
He shared Sheriff Leahy's sentiment that drug users have to be ready on their own, which many addicts describe as their "rock bottom" moment. For him, it was a letter from his daughter while he was in prison, asking him, "Who do you think you are?"
Part of a series of images Jessica* created with photographer John Trew to portray the emotions associated with addiction. Photo courtesy of John Trew.
Rock bottom for Jessica*, 26, from Los Angeles looked very different.
Having used drugs since the age of 13, Jessica became addicted to opioids at 16 after trading away cocaine for "tar" and not realizing that it was, in fact, heroin.
At one of her worst moments, she was homeless, on the street, doing whatever was necessary to score drugs. At another, an obsessed partner held her against her will for half a year.
Jessica says her captor forbid her from speaking to anyone else, eating, showering, or even using the bathroom outside of his presence. She finally convinced this man that her going to treatment would be better for their relationship, which is how she escaped that situation.
"When I got to treatment, I had to learn how to form sentences again. I couldn't speak. I didn't know how to raise my head and look somebody in the eye," she said. "Even just eating was a big thing. I didn't know how to do that anymore. I had to learn how to stop asking permission for things, which was really hard. That's something that I still struggle with today."
But even being held against her will wasn't what brought her to the realization that she needed to get clean.
Her epiphany came in 2012 at the age of 21, when she had "everything" in every materialistic sense of the word. She was living with a wealthy man - who supported her $400-a-day heroin habit - in a beautiful home in Southern California. She said it was hitting an emotional bottom that finally did her drug use in over a period of four months when she was trying to overdose every single day.
"It was a feeling of desperation that was something I hadn't felt before," she said. "That true desperation of, 'I have everything in the world, but I am nothing,' that's what was different this time than all the other times. I finally realized that I as a person had no self-worth."
"I would be looking in the mirror at myself, because I was an IV user, and I would shoot in my neck, so I would have to be in front of a mirror. I'd be standing in front of a mirror, looking myself in the eyes as I'm injecting my neck with heroin trying to die," she said. "Praying that you don't wake up this time, that is the scariest feeling in the whole world," she said.
Today, she's five years sober and has been working for the last two and half years at a sober treatment facility in Texas, which she credits with helping to maintain her sobriety.
The Street View of How to Fight the Opioid Crisis
Signs advertise free Narcan class outside New Beginnings, the thrift store and boutique Tugg runs in Akron, OH, in support of Akron Say No to Dope. Photo courtesy Stephanie Haney.
It's unclear exactly what will happen to the wide-scale handling of this epidemic nationwide, if and when the opioid crisis is officially declared a national emergency, but Jessica and the other people we interviewed for this story have a wish list.
Sheriff Leahy, Jessica, and Tugg all agree that more in-house treatment facilities are crucial in this fight.
"When someone is ready to get off of drugs, we need to address that right then," Tugg said. "We need more beds. No wait time."
Jessica noted that in addition to more beds, facilities need more time.
"Long-term treatment is what's working. The 30-day treatment centers are not long enough. You can't work through all the trauma that you've caused to yourself as an addict. Your first week, you're detoxing. Your second, third week, you might be going to groups and start having emotions again, and your fourth and fifth week, you're planning your discharge already. So you've really only gotten a week of actual treatment," she said.
"Starting to form new habits takes a long time. You can't learn that in 30 days, which is why I stayed in treatment for a year and a half," Jessica said. "A lot of treatment centers are only 30 days, which is why they're always full because people, they'll go in, 30 days, get out, relapse, and go back in. The long-term places are getting people and holding them and really turning them back out to be productive members of society."
From a law enforcement perspective, Leahy would also like to see funds available for "one or two more" directed patrol officers, meaning members of law enforcement who are assigned a specific task for a particular purpose. In his community, that purpose would be to have more of a presence to help stop the flow of drugs across jurisdictional lines.
"And maybe a reinstitution of D.A.R.E. or something similar to that," Leahy said. "We can do whatever we're doing now, but we've got to get to the young people."
At the federal level, Trump alluded during his press briefing to the fact that he's talking with China about "certain forms of man-made drugs that come in."
That prospect got Tugg excited.
"We need to put sanctions on China. If they're not going to regulate what they're sending over here, then there should be sanctions against them," he said. "The fentanyl and carfentanil that's going around, they can get it right through the mail from China and get it dropped off right at their house."
Andrew says he got his last batch of opioids from his housemate, who is connected with one of the major drug cartels in Mexico. He won't say how it arrived in Ohio.
We asked what advice he would give - after everything he's experienced - to someone who was considering trying opioids for the first time today.
"I would say, 'Pull out your phone and look up epitaph, because you're gonna want to know what that word means,'" he says. "And then tell everyone you love that you love them. And then flip a quarter. Because there's a 50/50 chance you're gonna die."
*Names have been changed to protect the identities of these sources.
If you or someone you know is in need of drug-related treatment or counseling, you can reach the Substance and Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) on its Treatment Referral Routing Service helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
SAMHSA's National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
If you're in the Summit County, OH, area, you can call Akron Say No to Dope's 24/7 hotline at 855-246-LIVE (5483).
Could Kate Middleton's Faux Lob Be a Hint Of to What's to Come?
It's no secret that we're all pretty obsessed with Kate Middleton's hair, and her most recent look is no different. During the Duchess's recent appearance at the Remembrance Sunday service on Nov. 12, she debuted a new updo that we can't help but speculate is practice for an upcoming dramatic cut.
She was seen on the balcony with the Countess of Wessex sporting a carefully coiled faux bob under her hat. If you're familiar with the hair conspiracy theory that Kate debuts a new style before a big event, such as having a baby, she may well be practicing before she decides to get the chop for real.
Whether she's testing out the new length ahead of royal baby number three's arrival, or just trying out a faux bob for fun, we're as obsessed with this look as we are all her other styles.
The Simple 7-Step Guide to Kardashian Hair Shine and Volume
Whenever we want to look really sexy, we google images of the Kardashian and Jenner sisters. The famous, beauty-loving family (and their glam squads) are geniuses at achieving glowing skin, mesmerizing eye makeup, and shiny, textured hair.
To help with the latter, we tapped one of the girls' go-to hairstylists Jen Atkin (who is a brand-owner and influencer in her own right!). Read on as she breaks down how you can achieve a similarly glossy, high-volume look, just in time for holiday parties and New Year's Eve.
6 Korean Eye Treatments That Completely Changed My Skin
Confession: supertired eyes have always been a huge insecurity of mine. I've had puffy bags under my peepers for my entire life, and they've followed me well into adulthood. I've purchased almost every de-puffing brightening stick and eye cream out there, until one day a beauty-addict friend of mine told me that I should check out a few Korean skin care stores. After about two hours of scanning Little Korea in NYC for eye treatments I walked out with a bag full of sheet masks and eye creams I couldn't wait to go home and plaster under my peepers.
To my surprise, nearly every treatment worked! Since my first purchase, I've stuck to only using a few Korean remedies. I've seen significant improvements - brighter, flatter skin under my eyes. While I still sometimes wake up with fish eyes, I now have go-to products that can give me an immediate fix. Keep reading to discover essential Korean eye treatments I swear by.
21 of the Best Red Lipsticks Ever, According to Our Instagram Followers
For beauty junkies, finding the perfect red lipstick is like finding true love: you just know when you've found "the one." From finish and pigment to undertones, there's a lot that goes into picking the quintessential red. To help those still looking for theirs (or for those just looking to hoard more lipsticks), we've rounded up the best rouge lip colors according to our makeup-obsessed Instagram followers. Keep reading to see what they're loving, and tell us your favorite red lipstick in the comments here!
This Genius Video Game Is For Every Black Women Who's Tired of People Touching Her Hair
It's never OK to touch a black woman's hair without her permission. Unfortunately, that simple concept is still hard for many people to understand. That's why one Oregon-based woman has developed a video game to drive home the point, and the result is absolutely genius. Go ahead and get ready to cancel all of your plans today, because after playing Hair Nah, you're going to be addicted to this hilariously executed - and important - website.
Momo Pixel created, designed, and wrote the music for Hair Nah, which looks a lot like an '80s arcade game. Pixel is an art director for the Portland ad agency Wieden + Kennedy. Serita Wesley is a publishing producer for the same company and interviewed Pixel for the W+K-affiliated website On She Goes. According to Pixel, Hair Nah was born out of a common problem.
"I'll be walking, and a woman will reach her hands into my head," Pixel said. "I'm talking to a teammate, and a co-worker I just met is holding my hair in his hand. I'm in the checkout line, and the cashier will reach across to caress my braids." Yeah . . . not cool, people.
If you, too, constantly have to fend off would-be strand-caressers, then you will absolutely cheer while playing Hair Nah. Here's how it works.
Natural Oven Cleaner For Baked-On Grime
If you've got a dirty secret hiding in your kitchen, then it's time to take care of it. Instead of purchasing a chemical-filled oven cleaner, make your own to leave your oven looking sparkling clean. And guess what? This DIY costs basically nothing to make and doesn't involve breaking a sweat. You won't be embarrassed to open your oven during dinner parties ever again after trying this homemade cleaning concoction!
What You'll Need:
- 1/4 cup liquid dish soap
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- Scrub sponge
- Paper towels
Directions:
- Even if you're dealing with years of baked-on grime (like with this oven), giving it a quick wipe-down with warm, soapy water with a scrub sponge is a great starting point for tackling the mess. Rinse the sponge often to remove grease.
- Mix together the ingredients until it resembles thick glue. The baking soda naturally scrubs without scratching, while the hydrogen peroxide and dish soap tackle all that gunk. Lemon zest offers a fresh scent along with the vinegar.
- Remove the racks and use a paper towel or sponge to smooth the cleaner all over the inside of the oven, including the oven door. You'll see it start working right away, but don't be tempted to scrub! The longer the concoction sits, the better. Once you've run out of cleaner and the oven is coated, shut the door and let it work its magic for at least four hours.
- Open the oven and use a damp scrub sponge to remove the cleaner, and also give a little scrub here and there. It's helpful to have a bucket of warm, soapy water nearby for this step. And without any serious scrubbing, the oven is noticeably cleaner!
- Set your oven to self-clean, and close the door. It's OK if some of the cleaner is hanging around in crevices or on areas that were really baked-on, but the entire oven shouldn't still be coated while it's cleaning. Allow your oven to run its self-clean cycle, and then let cool for at least an hour before the next step.
- Open your oven and use a damp paper towel or sponge to wipe away any remaining cleaner and residue left over from the self-cleaning. The result is a sparkling-clean oven!
What's the Real Deal With Hydroquinone?
Hydroquinone has become pretty controversial in the beauty world. One minute, it's the miracle ingredient for clearing up dark spots, and the next, it's supposedly carcinogenic. It's hard for anything to be deemed trustworthy and effective once labeled as a cancer causer. Yet, through all the fuss, experts have maintained that hydroquinone remains the gold standard for erasing hyperpigmentation and age spots. So in all that toxic talk, what's the truth? We asked three experts to weigh in.
Why all the fuss?
"Much of this controversy stems from its ban in South Africa due to side effects," explained Sejal Shah, NYC cosmetic dermatologist and founder of SmarterSkin Dermatology. "Subsequently, other countries banned hydroquinone. It turns out that the questionable products in South Africa contained mercury and other contaminants, which more likely account for side effects being seen."
Dr. Shah further explained that there have been reports of hydroquinone causing cancer in mice when administered in high doses orally, but there are no studies to date showing that this happens in humans and with a topical application. "When properly formulated and used, hydroquinone can be extremely safe and effective, and we have numerous studies confirming this," Shah added.
Does it bleach skin?
Rachel Roff, a medical esthetician and founder of Urban Skin Rx, quickly squashed this myth. "When used within a safe strength, hydroquinone doesn't bleach someone's natural skin tone. It evens out the skin," Roff said. While it may not be proven to cause cancer, if used incorrectly, it can leave skin vulnerable to excessive sun exposure, which could mean a higher risk of skin cancer and sunburn.
"As a general known fact, side effects of skin bleaching, regardless of product or ingredient, include skin irritation and sun sensitivity," dermatologist Dendy Engelman said. There's also a condition called ochronosis, where the skin darkens. This reaction is mainly associated with high concentrations of hydroquinone that has been used for prolonged periods of time.
When do you need hydroquinone?
The main purpose of hydroquinone in skin care is as a lightening agent. "Skin lightening is performed for a variety of reasons, including sun damage. Melanin (aka pigment) is produced by skin cells called melanocytes, and various topical creams are used to reduce the amount of pigment that is produced to brighten the skin," Engelman said. These include hydroquinone, which is the most common, botanical extracts, and antioxidants.
How do you use it safely?
A hydroquinone regimen should be used for no more than three to four months at a time, followed by a minimum of two months off. After the two months, if hyperpigmentation is still an issue, you can return to using hydroquinone for another three- to four-month period.
What if you just can't get behind hydroquinone?
While the experts agree that nothing works on dark spots quite as fast as hydroquinone does, there are ingredients that are just as effective. It may take longer to see results, but natural solutions like kojic acid, alpha arbutin, niacinamide, and vitamin C can help even out your skin. Something like SkinMedica Lytera 2.0, a pigment-correcting serum that is retinol- and hydroquinone-free, balances the skin's melanin production and resists triggers that cause discoloration.
30 Brand-New Fall 2017 Skincare Launches You Need on Your Face, Like, Yesterday
If you've been looking to upgrade your skincare routine, the time is now. That's because some of the biggest players in beauty are pulling out all the stops with some of the most potent ingredients and innovative formulations we've seen in a while, from on-the-spot acne solutions to pollution-removing masks (and a lot of moisturizing creams to keep skin hydrated in between). Keep reading as we showcase some of this season's most exciting skincare reveals, from $14 to $590.
The 10 Best Products For Making Your Blue Eyes Sparkle
Hello, you magnificent, blue-eyed beauty! If you're looking for some tips and tricks for how to make your blue eyes pop, you've landed in the right corner of the internet. After consulting with celebrity makeup artists, we're sharing the best hacks for blue eyes and also throwing out some product recommendations that are worthy of being added to your current stash. Let's just say that you should prepare yourself for an onslaught of eye-dulation.
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The Most Outrageous Outfits Christina Aguilera Has Worn Through the Years
We might have all been talking about Christina Aguilera's head-turning very sexy swimsuit this year, but it's not the first time she's made a big impact with her fashion choices. The Ecuadorian-American singer wore some pretty memorable outfits when she first came into the spotlight.
Who doesn't remember her "Genie in a Bottle" years? Or the black and yellow bikini top she wore with matching chaps and bottoms with the word "Dirrty" on them in honor of her hit song? Back in the day (and even now whenever she's on the red carpet), Xtina was the queen of showing off her midriff and owned her sexy like nobody's business. So take a stroll down memory lane with us to enjoy Christina's most outrageous outfits ever.
15 Warm and Tasty Stews You'll Want to Cozy Up With
When you picture yourself on long crisp nights, wearing cozy pairs of socks and sitting under a blanket, do you also see a bowl of hot, steamy, hearty stew with you? That's exactly why we've rounded up a list of 15 Latin-inspired guisados, stews, and estofados that'll satisfy your need for a warm and filling meal. Scroll ahead for fish, meat, and chicken recipes you'll be whipping up for the next few months.
Meghan Markle's Best Hair Moments Prove She's Always Been a Royal in Waiting
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's engagement has us not only swooning over their adorable announcement but also sending our beauty-obsessed brains into overdrive about what her wedding hair will look like. We may have to wait until 2018 to find out, but we can still look back at her best hair moments so far for a few hints. She's the queen of relaxed, chic waves, and you'll probably want to re-create her go-to style immediately.
Ahead, see Megan's best mane moments that prove she was born to be a royal, with hair just as fabulous as Kate's!
These 38 Gifts From Nordstrom Will Make You the Hero of Holiday Season
Let's face it: the Nordstrom beauty department is a magical wonderland 365 days a year, but around the holidays, the place gets extra special. That's because during the Winter, the store rolls out the absolute best and most luxurious in makeup, skin, and hair care.
From a delightful set of MAC lipsticks to a Laura Geller eye shadow kit that looks good enough to eat, Nordstrom's halls are decked with boughs of beauty. Plus, the department store offers fantastic services with experts to help you get ready for holiday parties. Of course, you can (and should!) go HAM on those pricey, once-in-a-lifetime holiday offerings. But if you're on a budget, it's not impossible to find the cutest little trinkets starting at just $25.
Ahead, find the best presents for friends, family, and, yes, yourself - all waiting for you to scoop them up in the Nordstrom beauty aisles.
12 YouTube Tutorials That Will Convince You to DIY Your Bridal Makeup
Once the initial excitement of planning a wedding wears off, most brides are faced with a tough reality: the wedding they've seen all over Pinterest may be out of their budget. But with some adjustments, any girl can have her dream day without forking over her life savings - with a little thriftiness, that is.
One of the best ways to save money without compromising on the ceremony or afterparty is by doing your makeup yourself (or convincing a trusted friend to do it for you). While choosing - and applying - bridal makeup yourself may sound daunting, it's much easier than you may think. Every bride wants makeup that feels classic, makes her glow, and will stand up against flash photography and a day of festivities, so it's really just finding the products and techniques that will help you achieve these makeup goals. Plus, you know your own face better than anyone!
To cover your bases, we've rounded up our favorite bridal tutorials aimed at those looking to DIY their big-day makeup. With these videos as your secret weapon, any bride can complete a look that she will love both the day of and for years to come.
Greens + Chicken = Your New Go-To Healthy Meal
If there's one food that's most definitively associated with healthy eating, it's salad. And if there's one food that should be your go-to for diet-friendly lunches or dinners, it should be a salad topped with chicken.
By combining one of the leanest proteins with the OG healthy meal, you're ensuring that what you're eating is not only healthy - it's also delicious. And with the recipes below, you'll never run out of options - from upgrades on classics to inventive varieties all their own, these salad recipes prove that creative salads are making boring greens a thing of the past.
9 Easy Ways to Add Instant Brightness to a Dark Room
Not every home is flooded with natural light, but luckily these decorating tricks can make a huge difference. No demolition necessary - it's all about optical illusions that add instant brightness!
The 14 Fantasy Series Every Bookworm Must Read
Looking for the ultimate list of geeky reads? Ahead, we're highlighting our editor's picks for must-read epic fantasy series, with all the elements of the genre: a large cast of characters, a magical alternative world, and complex, integrated plotlines. And if science fiction is more your thing, bookmark our guide to the greatest sci-fi reads too.
Yes, Victoria's Secret Angels Get Pimples - and This Is How They Deal!
You know the bride who gets the massive zit before her wedding because she's nervous? Well, some of the Victoria's Secret Angels walking in the 2017 Fashion Show in Shanghai are those brides - theoretically speaking. When I asked them about pimple care, I expected them to admit they consistently have clean skin. Maybe it's naive, but they look like goddesses IRL!
Instead, they authentically pointed out the blemishes on their faces and got real about acne care. Keep reading to learn what these mega models do to cover zits before their big event.
Selena Gomez's New Hair Took 9 Hours and 8 Bowls of Bleach
We all collectively gasped in admiration when lifelong chocolate brunette Selena Gomez debuted a new icy blond shade at the American Music Awards. We wouldn't blame you if it inspired you to immediately book an appointment with your colorist. If you plan to take the platinum plunge, however, you should come prepared. Thankfully, the woman behind Selena's new hue filled us in on the quite grueling process.
Riawna Capri, who tag-teamed with Nikki Lee, revealed on Instagram that the "Nirvana Blonde" shade took "9 hours, about 300 foils, and 8 bowls of bleach, all with two stylist[s] working together simultaneously." DAMN.
She continued, "It was a nice, long patient process of baby fine slices, then going back and opening each foil and reapplying, but done in one sitting." Addressing fellow stylists, she assured that "anything is possible in one day, it just takes time, no other clients ha, and patience to maintain the integrity of the hair."
As for her advice to aspiring platinum blondes out there, Riawna urges you to "be VERY patient with your stylist." For hair as chic as Selena's? Anything.
11 Helpful Tips For Traveling on Your Period
Barring an "OMG, my period is late!" freak-out, is there really any good time to start getting those tell-tale uterine twitches and profuse bleeding? Well, no, not really. However, "when you're traveling" surely has to be up there as one of the worst times. Especially if you're constantly on the go or in a remote destination where toilets and sanitary products are trickier to come by. With that in mind, here are the best tips for dealing with your period while traveling.
1. Have your period product(s) of choice on hand at all times
This might actually be something you always do back home, but if you're constantly swapping between bags or just plain prone to leaving the house with everything you own shoved in your pockets, you might want to start carrying a period stash. Shove a few tampons or pads in each bag you have with you and even one or two in your coat pockets for good measure.
2. Carry an emergency kit featuring wet wipes and plastic bags
As anyone who's ever had a period knows, period paranoia is real. (Can everyone see my pad? Have I leaked? Can everyone smell that?) Long story short, periods can leave you feeling just plain gross, so carrying wet wipes to freshen up with (or use instead of toilet paper) will leave you feeling much more relaxed. And the plastic bags? Well, they'll give you somewhere to throw your used products or stained pants if there's no bin in sight. On that note, carry some spare underwear too.
3. Plan ahead
Maybe you're a fan of pads and find that swimming is off limits when it's that time of the month, or maybe your cramps leave adventure activities at the bottom of your to-do list. Whatever your period tolerance and preference, planning ahead (if possible) can let you prepare accordingly and do everything you want while on vacation. (Then again, periods aren't as limiting as some tampon ads would have you believe, so take this advice with a grain of salt.)
4. Consider investing in a menstrual cup
Some people already fall firmly into Camp Menstrual Cup when it comes to period products, whereas others just can't get the hang of the damn things. However, it's worth giving one a go when traveling, given that they can be left in place far longer than tampons and, if inserted correctly, leakage potential is low. Plus, you'll save a ton of money in the long run and never have to worry about being stuck bleeding in the middle of a tampon wasteland. Still not sold on the idea? Try one of the reusable pad brands instead or pick up some period-proof underwear.
5. Or learn to (at least temporarily) embrace pads
Maybe pads aren't your period product of choice (or maybe they are!), but given that tampons aren't the norm everywhere, chances are they might be your only option at one point or another during your travels. Learn to love them, even just for a day or two, before you can stock up on your tampon of choice in a supermarket.
6. Don't forget about painkillers
Bleeding isn't the only unpleasant side effect of your period, and cramps can leave you crippled. So instead of curling up in bed all day and doing very little else, pack some pain-relief products (like a travel-size hot water bottle and ibuprofen) to see off the aches and lethargy.
7. Do a little presightseeing exercise
Alternatively, light exercise is known to help cut cramps and ease period pains, so give 15 minutes of yoga a try, go for a jog to help see off the cramps before they take hold, or just power through and get out and about. After all, all that on-foot sightseeing you're probably about to do is likely to take your mind off the cramps and help ease them in one fell swoop. Score.
8. Don't freak out if your timings and flow go haywire
Some flight attendants claim that their flow is lighter in the air before returning with a vengeance when they step back on terra firma. And anyone who travels regularly probably knows that your regular period routine can vanish at the slight hint of a long-distance flight or some pretravel stress. Basically, try and keep track of your period, but don't freak out if it comes late.
9. Maybe skip the skinny jeans
Obviously, this is entirely personal preference, but a period combined with tight jeans and (possible) hot and sweaty weather equals a higher chance of developing an annoying case of a yeast infection due to moisture down there. No one wants one on a good day, never mind while traveling and on your period. Therefore, steer clear of the skinnies and maybe swap to looser trousers for your heaviest days (this can also help you avoid bleeding right through every layer you're wearing too).
10. Give yourself a break
You're on holiday, or you've been traveling for some time, and your period strikes, but no matter what steps you take to power through, you feel like utter sh*t. If this is the case, don't beat yourself up about it. Take a guilt-free day to lounge around your hostel (or hotel, tent, whatever) and let yourself rest. You'll maybe have some residual guilt about "wasting" a day, but you'll thank yourself for it in the long run. Plus, everyone knows sleep cures everything.
11. Or just DON'T travel on your period
I'm not saying you should lock yourself away like a Victorian housewife while you're dealing with your downstairs disaster zone, but, if you're on the pill, you could skip the whole "traveling on your period" debacle completely. Yes, moving straight onto your next pack of pills is a legitimate option for dealing with monthly bleeding while you travel, but it's probably best to get the go-ahead from your doctor first.
25 Drive-Through Hacks For Healthy Ordering on the Go
Look: we're not suggesting you run to the drive-through right now. That's not our intent with this. Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about a realistic situation.
You're on the go, out with friends, or traveling, and there's nowhere to stop. You haven't packed food, and you're starving. You search for an option around you, but there's nothing but fast food, and you're trying to eat healthy, or you're on a diet. What do you do?
You're not totally stuck! There are some healthier options that won't totally sabotage your diet - in fact, some of these are loaded with protein and nutrients. Here's to finding the best in a bad situation!
Dance Your Blues Away With This Feel-Good Cardio Workout
You're going to love this cardio dance workout! It torches calories but feels more like a party than a sweat session. Amanda Kloots, creator of The Dance, keeps you moving for a solid 30 minutes and incorporates some arm dancing that will get your shoulders burning in the best way possible. Press play and get ready to dance your blues away.
Wardrobe Credit:
On Amanda: BodyLanguage outfit
On Rachel: Wear It to Heart outfit
On Jenny: MPG Sport top and Noli Yoga tights
All shoes by Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL)
Cheeky water bottles
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