Starting this week, students at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are required to use clear backpacks provided by the school administrators. The backpacks are part of the school's new safety measures — which also include bag searches, wearing I.D. lanyards, and more police officers securing the entrances — implemented by the school in the aftermath of the Feb. 14 school shooting that left 17 dead.
But the MSD teens have spoken up and said this particular measure doesn't make them feel safe. In fact, they find the whole thing a little bit ridiculous.
"These clear backpacks accomplish absolutely nothing. Not every item placed in the bag is visible and there is no possible way to monitor the contents of over 3000 backpacks. It’s great to know that this is where my community puts its resources," student Kyrah Simon tweeted.
These clear backpacks accomplish absolutely nothing. Not every item placed in the bag is visible and there is no possible way to monitor the contents of over 3000 backpacks. It’s great to know that this is where my community puts its resources.
Other students like Ryan DeWerff pointed out that the student body is more interested in lawmakers passing gun safety measures than on them giving away transparent backpacks and increasing the number of police officers on campus. (Adding more officers patrolling the school has been a concern for students of color in particular.)
Since the shooting, the Parkland teens have been demanding a reform that includes universal background checks for gun purchases, a ban on assault weapons, and digitizing gun sales records from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Let me be clear. I have not been asking for school security, I have been asking for common sense gun laws. However, I think school safety is important. Clear backpacks and checkpoints don’t make anyone feel safe. They make us feel like black sheep, like we’re different.
— Ryan DeWerff // #NEVERAGAIN (@ryan_dewerff) April 2, 2018
The backpacks' initiative was created by the school district. In a letter sent to Douglas families in March, Superintendent Robert Runcie said that only clear backpacks will be allowed on campus. The district is also exploring other security options such as using metal-detection wands or even installing metal detectors on campus.
But students like Sam Fuentes, Tyah Roberts, and Delaney Tarr said the measure is pretty much an invasion of privacy.
"Theres a CLEAR line between public safety and invasion of privacy. That line is crossed at transparent backpacks," Fuentes tweeted.
Theres a CLEAR line between public safety and invasion of privacy. That line is crossed at transparent backpacks.
Others like Carmen Lo used her backpack attached an orange $1.05 price tag to their bags. The tags were created by the students to protest politicians such as Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who have received money from the National Rifle Association (NRA). The teens came up with the $1.05 figure, which symbolizes the "price" of each student, by looking at how much Rubio has reportedly received by the NRA ($3,303,355) vs. how many students are in the state of Florida (3,140,167.)
Lo tweeted, "This backpack is probably worth more than my life #trends#NeverAgain"
— Sarah Chadwick// #NEVERAGAIN (@Sarahchadwickk) April 2, 2018
But the Parkland students are also normal teenagers, so many of them approached the situation with humor.
Cameron Kansky, one of the Never Again leaders, came to school Tuesday with a bag full of tampons. The move was both in support of students who might feel ashamed of being mocked if their menstrual products were visible in the backpack, and as a way to mock the new requirement.
"The worst thing about these clear backpacks is that I can’t lie & say I don’t have gum," Jaclyn Corin tweeted. She later wrote, "Update: someone just asked me for gum and school started 5 minutes ago."
Update: someone just asked me for gum and school started 5 minutes ago.
When it comes to serving up street-style-ready threads and kicks we'll wear nonstop, we can always count on adidas Originals to follow through. A few wardrobe mainstays that come to mind: the classic white sneaks we've worn to death (and then some), the throwback track pants that deliver an instant cool factor to every lewk, and the fanny packs that let us go hands-free and still look fresh. Suffice it to say, we're never really shocked when the brand manages to one-up itself — which isn't to say we aren't totally pumped just the same. Our most recent adidas Originals obsession: Arkyn, the sportswear company's new sneaker, which will be joined by a full-range apparel line dropping April 5.
Inspired by the vintage styles of yesterday, but created with all the technical advances of tomorrow in mind (read: futuristic laces, bold color mashups, and breathable mesh), the shoe is a testament to rule-breaking, boundary-pushing women. That message becomes even more apparent when considering the line's creative muses: model and aspiring photog Kendall Jenner, pro soccer player Florencia Galarza, artist Ana Kras, DJ Syv de Blare, and Meta Flora founder Marisa Competello. Get a first peek at the stunning campaign ahead — shot by Bronx-based photographer Renell Medrano in the personal spaces of the creators and forward-thinkers the line heroes. But be forewarned: We can't guarantee you'll leave this page without wanting to scoop up at least one of these picks come April 5.
Ana Kras, shot by Renell Medrano.
Kendall Jenner, shot by Renell Medrano.
Florencia Galarza, shot by Renell Medrano.
Marisa Competello, shot by Renell Medrano.
Syv de Blare, shot by Renell Medrano.
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Do you ever feel like, as a woman, you missed the class in life where you learned all about money?
Like, somehow, all your male friends suddenly woke up one day and knew all about mortgages and IRAs and you were left there, poring over websites trying to determine what exactly a 0% APR credit card was? Maybe it’s just me but, compared to the men I know, my confidence with money is literally zero, zilch, nada. Which, ironically, isn’t far off what my savings account holds.
So my interest was piqued when I found out about a new study which claims the language used to speak to men and women about money is very different indeed. Starling Bank, one of the new wave of smartphone-based, millennial-focussed banks, has analyzed the difference between how male and female-centric media outlets speak to their readers about money, and the results show some inherent — and problematic — differences.
The study looked at 300 articles and researchers found that women were defined as "excessive spenders" across 65% of the articles aimed at them.
The study looked at 300 stories, and researchers found that women were defined as "excessive spenders" across 65% of the articles aimed at them. They were advised to “limit, restrict, and take better control of shopping 'splurges'.” In contrast, Starling Bank says, the language of the men’s articles implied that financial successes made readers “more of a man". The articles used words like "dare" to encourage men to “invest” and to "spend" to achieve “power”. Back over on the women's side though, 71% of articles encouraged women to seek out "vouchers", "discounts", "bargains and coupons" to save money.
Of course further research is needed on this, this study looked at just magazine articles and, these days, the vast majority of us probably do most of our reading online. But perhaps there's something in it. Perhaps it isn't that I've missed my education on money, it's that I have been told that it's not my area. Finances are a place for men to excel and women to cut back.
“When women shop, it’s seen as being frivolous,” explains Anne Boden, CEO of Starling Bank whose new campaign Make Money Equal is seeking to rectify this issue. “But when men spend similar sorts of money on big purchases, they’re ‘investments’.”
Campaign ambassador and podcaster Emma Gannon agrees but adds that the study's findings are grim for men, too. Being told constantly that the answer to success is "money" means that it may be tough to admit when things like debt creep up. “I think that women would go for a glass of wine and be like ‘I’m so screwed’ whereas I can’t really imagine a group of lads in a pub getting real about that.”
photographed by Rockie Nolan.
Gannon remembers being fed the diatribe about women as "splurgers" from a young age; the wildly popular Confessions of a Shopaholic books (hands up who read them, no judgement here) promoted the idea that women couldn’t be trusted with money. Our heroine spent the entire 300 pages of each book in some sort of credit card trouble. “ Loads of protagonists in books like that were a bit of a mess when it came to their finances,” Gannon says. “I was obsessed with Bridget Jones and she was always spending her money on booze and fags. It was cool to spend more than you earn.”
The study doesn’t offer reasons why these two separate narratives about men and women and their finances have emerged but Boden theorizes that it’s to do with a historic lack of women in decision-making positions. Back in the day, perhaps the people making the choices about how we talk to women… weren’t women? “You get all these writers and marketing people in a room and they say 'We want to talk to women about money – how do we get them interested in money? Let’s talk about shoes and handbags'.”
Seeing article after article about saving for shoes and handbags then, may have gone some way towards leading women to perceive their spending as “frivolous”. In time, the women at the women’s magazines writing the articles may have subconsciously consumed and regurgitated this sentiment.
The indirect effects of this are very worrying. How am I, as a woman, meant to feel confident in my finances when I am made to feel guilt over the things I purchase? (For the record, this is rarely “shoes and handbags” – and that trope needs to die a horrible death.)
"If you don’t feel confident with your money then you’re less likely to go, ‘Actually this is how much I’m worth'," says Gannon, explaining how this could even be preventing some women from asking for more in the workplace. Worse, Boden says, it could prevent women from reaching senior positions in companies. This, and the gender pay gap, she says are “outputs of how women are spoken to and their relationship with money.”
So perhaps this whole "bad with money" thing I've decided about myself isn’t entirely my fault. But where do we go from here? For Boden, as well as encouraging women’s media outlets to speak about money with more confidence, she says we also need to silence the guilt in ourselves. “We shouldn’t be ashamed,” she says. “We should be totally objective about how much we’re spending and what we spend on ourselves as necessities and what we spend on ourselves to celebrate.”
Not that this should give you carte blanche to go wild on your credit card, though. "There’s two sorts of people,” she continues. “There’s the people that have the Excel spreadsheet on a Sunday evening, that go through and categorise all their spending, and then there’s the people who never open the envelope [of their bank statement]. Both places are bad places to be.” It is, like most things, about finding balance and a happy medium. Don't be down on yourself for having an outrageously expensive meal to celebrate payday, but do make sure it doesn't leave you eating baked beans for the rest of the month.
Thankfully, we are in an era of change when it comes to money. More and more female CEOs and entrepreneurs are visible – people like Bumble's Whitney Wolfe, Glossier's Emily Weiss, and Peanut's Michelle Kennedy. As well as running businesses, these women are dedicating themselves to teaching other women how to get investments, how to start businesses, how to value themselves in monetary terms in the workplace and so on.
The more and more they speak, and the more we realize, thanks to studies like the above, that women have been left out of the money conversation. The more we'll fight back, the more we'll be encouraged to educate ourselves and gain confidence. To those of you who are already doing this, reach out to your money-confused friends and lend a hand. To those of you who (like me) still feel daunted by money, take a deep breath and dive in headfirst; you have every right to a seat at the finance table.
Here's to a real change in the way women see money. No more "splurges" on shoes and handbags; instead, it's time to think about "investing" your money. And whether that means stocks and shares or a J.W.Anderson tote is totally up to you.
Editor's Note: This story was originally published on Refinery29.uk and has been edited.
Instagram is saturated with influencers whose jobs entail traveling the world and endorsing products while looking glamorous. While their jet-setting lifestyle might be a fun virtual escape for most of us with a 9-to-5, it's not exactly attainable. Which was why I was so inspired by the travel philosophy of Samita Santoshini, a new friend I recently met at a dinner party.
Ever since relocating to the U.K. from India for work three years ago, the 30-year-old petroleum engineer has made it her mission to see the world as much as her work schedule allows. She's visited 20 countries in 2017 alone, taking a solo trip every weekend in the summer and two trips a month in the rest of the year. Ahead, she explains in her own words how she balances frequent travels with a full-time career and her secrets to taking incredible travel photos without anyone's help. Read on to learn how you, too, can prioritize your bucket list in 2018.
Growing up in India, I always wanted to be an engineer and eventually decided to pursue petroleum engineering. Most of my friends in India had degrees in chemical, civil, or electrical engineering, and it was uncommon for a girl to want to go into my field.
Upon graduating from college, I was offered a position at one of the best oil and gas companies in the world. I love what I do and saw myself going a long way on this career path. But, I also knew that I wanted to travel more. Moving to the U.K. was my goal, since it's such a fantastic base to see Europe.
I toiled away for two years in order to convince my superiors to transfer me to the U.K. office, and in July 2014, my wish was finally granted. It was a great professional move, but according to my work visa status, I was only allowed to spend a maximum of five years in the U.K. Knowing that I had very limited time, it became my top priority to make the most of my time here.
It's standard for employees in the U.K. to get 25 paid vacation days, and there are at least eight public holidays tagged to a weekend. On top of that, my company allows us to go negative to holidays — any extra days we take off beyond our annual quota can be deducted from my allowance next year. I realized very quickly how valuable these long weekends can be if I planned my vacation properly.
My first solo weekend trip was to Paris in August 2014. It was the summer, so the sun didn't set until 9 or 10 p.m. This trip really opened my eyes to how I wanted to approach traveling in Europe: I decided to optimize my time, so I can get as much daylight as possible and see an entire city in the span of three to four days. It's definitely not enough for an entire country, but it's the perfect amount of time for smaller places.
My FOMO was very real, since there was so much to experience — and not nearly enough weekends to spare. I just knew I had to keep going away: Even if I only got to see a little bit of a place, I could always come back and see more.
Airfare probably takes up the biggest chunk of my expenses, mainly because I'm choosing to traveling on Fridays, Sundays, and public holidays — peak times where flights are most expensive. Flying on these dates is a big financial commitment, but that's the number-one reason I love my job: With a steady income, I have enough earnings to cover even the more expensive trips. I'm doing this so I don't lose too many days of work.
When I do back-to-back weekend trips in the summer, about 50 to 60% of my monthly pay goes into traveling. And in other months where I get out of town every other weekend, these expenses amount to about 30 to 40%.
Seeing the world can be possible, but you can't just sit around in your cubicle thinking, 'I can't do this, there's not enough time.'
I sacrifice a lot in order to save more for trips. I rarely eat out, and I never order drinks even when I do. Alcohol is so expensive, so I'd rather buy cheap wine and drink at home. Fortunately, my work provides me with breakfast and lunch at a very reasonable price, so I rarely spend over $6 per meal. I usually get takeout for dinner and try to split the leftovers over several days. When I travel, I typically go for the cheapest hostels. There are a lot of great deals in Europe where you can stay for less than $25 a night.
However, dining is the one thing I always splurge on while I'm away, since the local food is an important part of the experience. On top of that, since I don't know how to drive, I've had to spend hundreds of dollars on taxis. I see that as a reasonable compromise — I can't just sit around and wait for a companion to take me to these places. I'm financially independent enough to take that cost on myself.
I'm not particular about where I want to visit: I'm basically open to anywhere. I check the "Everywhere" search function on Skyscanner every week to see which places are cheapest for a particular weekend to decide where to go. It's a great way to to figure out which destinations are currently in their shoulder season, when things are cheaper and there are less tourists around.
Of course, it's not all sunshine and rainbows: Traveling alone forces you to think on your feet because there's nobody there to help you our or give suggestions when something goes wrong. There was this one time where I got locked out of a hostel at 3 a.m. and I had to wait for an hour for someone to open the door. Luckily, someone showed up just as I was ready to sleep in the car park. There were times where I missed my bus and that was the only one running on that day, and I had to figure out where to stay for the night. But in the end, I managed it better because I was on my own, and I knew that I had to just do it. In a way, these hiccups made me realize how strong and capable I am.
All the photos of my trips are taken on my own. I started featuring myself more in pictures since they perform a lot better on Instagram. After experimenting with dozens of tripods, I finally found the trick: You have to use a tripod that's roughly the height of a normal person trying to take a picture of you. The price doesn't matter as long as long as it's tall enough for you to play with the angles.
Personally, I think traveling is all about priorities: Everyone finds time for things that are important to them. Seeing the world can be possible, but you can't just sit around in your cubicle thinking, "I can't do this, there's not enough time." As long as you have a stable job and a reasonable work schedule, you can make it work. That's why I started blogging: To prove that you are able to do this with a demanding nine-to-five.
Some people have asked me whether I'll quit my job to be a travel influencer full-time. I'm not exactly ruling out the possibility, but it's not something I'm considering at the moment. Being a digital nomad doesn't give me a vision of my future, and I really need to see where I'm going in life.
I love my day job: My needs are taken care of, and it's intellectually fulfilling. After a hectic trip where I try to cram tons of sightseeing in a long weekend, it actually feels refreshing to go back to my desk and put in eight hours of work.
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Thanks to the Trump administration, there are now significantly fewer resources about both breast cancer and LGBTQ health on womenshealth.gov, including services that are covered by the Affordable Care Act.
A new report from the Sunlight Foundation’s Web Integrity Project showed that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has removed the breast cancer website and related resources, which, according to Politico, included information about "ACA provisions that require coverage of free mammograms for some women" and a "free CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] screening program for low-income women."
The foundation also discovered that the administration removed pages related to LGBTQ health issues.
The HHS told Politico that it deleted the pages because people weren't visiting them. "The pages were removed on Dec. 6, 2017 because [the] content was not mobile-friendly and very rarely used," a spokesperson said. "Our sister HHS agencies, NCI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have the same information in a much more user-friendly format on their websites."
But critics believe the scrubbing was too targeted to pass for routine site-maintenance work. "Make no mistake, the Department of Health and Human Services' removal of information about life-saving preventative breast cancer treatment from its official site for women’s health is yet another example of disregard for women and their health and wellbeing by the Trump administration," Elizabeth Renda, the Democratic National Committee's Women's Media Director, told Refinery29. "The department's paltry excuse for removing this site is truly inexcusable."
While there's still some content about mammograms on the site, "informational pages and factsheets about the disease, including symptoms, treatment, risk factors, and public no- or low-cost cancer screening programs, have been entirely removed and are no longer found elsewhere on the [Office on Women's Health] site," according to the foundation's report.
The most telling fact: "Among the material removed is information about provisions of the Affordable Care Act that require coverage of no-cost breast cancer screenings for certain women, as well as links to a free cancer screening program administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," the report said.
"The office did not proactively announce or explain the removals."
As for the LGBTQ health content, the HHS said it was "integrated into the relevant health topics pages across the website." But the Sunlight Foundation noted that the existing pages don't appear to have been updated with this information. Questions such as, "What are important health issues that lesbians and bisexual women should discuss with their healthcare professionals?" are now not specifically addressed on the website. Also, "bisexual and lesbian health" was removed from the site's listing of over 100 different topics.
The Sunlight Foundation questioned the administration's lack of transparency. When a change like this happens unannounced, the foundation said, it leaves people in the dark around whether the now-missing information had been inaccurate or outdated, the website was undergoing maintenance, the content was added elsewhere — or, perhaps, "There was a quiet change in underlying policy, unrelated to the accuracy of the information itself, that motivated the removal, but which has not been communicated transparently to the public."
Our new @SunWebIntegrity reports document the removal of breast cancer and LGBT health info from @HHSGov's @womenshealth website. This censorship sows real doubt about health considerations for populations of vulnerable women throughout the country: https://t.co/G2nlCRB5Td
"This censorship sows real doubt about health considerations for populations of vulnerable women throughout the country," tweeted Andrew Bergman, the foundation's policy director.
No matter where you're from, or whether you have acne, rosacea, or dry skin, or some combination thereof, there are two universal truths when it comes to skin care: Everyone loves a good multitasker, and above all, we are all just doing our best to reach the pinnacle of healthy skin — which is not only clear, but truly glows. This is something that beauty brands have no doubt picked up on, because exfoliating moisturizers — one of the latest innovations in skin care — address both of those needs in one fell swoop.
Unlike many exfoliating scrubs, serums, toners, at-home peels, or even retinoid-spiked night creams, this new breed of moisturizer (many even geared for day) tend to offer a gentle entry into exfoliation without drying out the skin. What’s more, they pull off a clever trick: appointing alpha and beta hydroxy acids and other smoothing ingredients to brighten complexions while boosting hydration at the same damn time.
“These acids are effective at breaking down the glue in the top layer of dead skin, leaving skin smoother and more uniform in color,” says Heather Rogers, a Seattle-based dermatologist and clinical assistant professor at the University of Washington. “Combining the AHA/BHA treatment in a moisturizer can make the acids more tolerable by hydrating the treated skin.”
But that’s not all. What’s less celebrated, but just as impressive, about these acids is their ability to keep skin hydrated and dewy. “AHAs also have humectant properties, helping to pull in hydration to the outer skin layers,” says Joshua Zeichner, a New York-based dermatologist and director of cosmetic and clinical research in the department of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital. “They exert more hydration benefits at lower concentrations, and more exfoliative properties at higher concentrations.”
When combined with proven hydrators like hyaluronic acid and ceramides, these ingredients are poised to combat the kind of dull, rough, dry skin that seems to befall us as soon as the A/C kicks in every spring. “An exfoliating moisturizer is wonderful to help smooth and brighten your complexion while providing hydration,” Dr. Rogers says, before offering this caveat: “But remember, when the skin is dried out the skin barrier is less effective at keeping things out and the risk of irritation is greater, so start slow with these products.”
With other formulations that tap even gentler skin smoothers like fruit acids and willow bark, there's an exfoliating moisturizer for nearly everyone — with the exception of extremely sensitive skin. “Exfoliating moisturizers tend to cause irritation for those with extremely fair, sensitive skin, making it more likely to burn than it already is," Dr. Zeichner warns.
Ahead, check out the brightest new things in hydration, and get our pros’ tips for how to make the most of them (hint: no skipping the SPF). Come summer, our complexions will be glowing — and not a second too soon.
If most AHAs and BHAs are too harsh for your skin, try a botanically-derived option. This lightweight moisturizer pairs hydrators (including glycerin and coconut oil) and skin-soothing aloe with willow bark to gently exfoliate. “Willow bark is a source of salicylates, which is a weaker form of salicylic acid. Similarly, lactic acid is a fairly weak AHA,” Dr. Rogers says. “Both are great options to start with for more sensitive skin.”
The next best thing to booking an appointment with Greta Gerwig’s facialist? Copping this daily moisturizer, which taps the AHA galactoarabinan, a gentler alternative to lactic or glycolic acid.
Though the skin-smoother in this formula may be gentle, Dr. Zeichner stresses the importance of coupling any exfoliating moisturizer with a sunscreen. “Choose a product with the absolute highest SPF value possible, over-apply, and reapply often,” he says, noting that oil-free, ultra light gels and fluids (like Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50 or La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid) tend to pair well without leaving skin greasy.
Don’t be fooled by this product’s name or star ingredients, which happen to be the building blocks used in at-home peels (10% glycolic acid coupled with lactic acid): It’s formulated to hydrate and exfoliate as an everyday moisturizer. “Glycolic acid is the smallest molecule of the AHA/BHA group so it can penetrate the deepest,” Dr. Rogers says. Indeed, this gel cream went a long way toward making our skin look brighter — though it did tingle upon application, and is practically begging to be used with a sunscreen.
Not quite a straight lotion, not quite a gel-cream, this light moisturizer sinks into skin upon contact and plays well under makeup. What’s more, fruit enzymes (pineapple, pumpkin, and papaya) are involved — something that can enhance its duo of AHAs (glycolic and lactic acids), according to Dr. Zeichner, who says the formulation may be a prime pick for those with somewhat sensitive skin. “These enzymes are another form of gentle chemical exfoliation,” adds Rogers. “Many products with fruit enzymes are also high in vitamins that can have skin benefits.”
This AHA/BHA moisturizer from the dermatologist who revolutionized at-home peel products taps seven alpha and beta hydroxy acids, along with hydrating hyaluronic acid and ceramides, to brighten skin without drying it out. Though the moisturizer is made for many skin types, oily complexions may particularly benefit when paired with a retinoid in the evening.
“Oily skin is typically thicker and harder to penetrate — it’s often more able to tolerate stronger ingredients and actually needs stronger ingredients to see results,” Dr. Rogers says. “Oily skin will likely do great with an AHA moisturizer in the AM and a vitamin-A based product in the evenings. However, dry, thin and sensitive skin may only but tolerate AHA/BHA moisturizers at night a few times a week.”
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, $68, available at Sephora
This pricy new luxury launch packs a lot of science behind its formulation: After screening 50,000 ingredients over the span of 15 years, the brand has landed on a patented molecule, geared to inhibit inflammation and hyperpigmentation triggered by UV light. When coupled with a cocktail of five herbal extracts (including licorice delivered in patented, submicronized crystals), this rich, fast-absorbing cream not only aims to prevent new dark spots from forming, but gently exfoliates the skin, too.
Everyone’s favorite new skin recharger also does a bang-up job of brightening, thanks in part to its use of chestnut extract, included to jump-start the skin’s own exfoliation process. As Dr. Zeichner notes, exfoliating the skin can increase sensitivity to UV light, and therefore sunburn, so a lack of AHA, BHAs, and fruit enzymes may make this formula a great baby step into the world of exfoliating moisturizers. And because this light cream is also made to hydrate and disappears onto skin, a conservative application can be used in place of an everyday moisturizer.
This mattifying gel-cream isn’t just the most Instagrammable shade of periwinkle: It’s like a multivitamin for the skin. Its soothing aloe-vera base is spiked with moisturizing hyaluronic acid, antioxidants to brighten and protect from free radicals, and AHAs to exfoliate and help moisturizers better penetrate. The formula also packs vitamin A, which may negate the need for a separate retinoid. “As a general rule and in order to limit the risk of irritation of the skin, I don’t recommend using face moisturizers with strong AHA/BHA content during the day or on the same night as your vitamin A product,” Dr. Rogers says.
Before the air-conditioned Revolve parties and inflatable swans and $1475 flower crowns and glitter, Coachella was — at its core — a stripped-down celebration of music in the desert. And if you're looking to channel that vibe, then you'll love the nail art trend that's heating up in advance of the festival's 19th year: desert nails.
Within the hashtag, you'll find designs that are more literal, like cacti, as well as subtler nods to the Southwest region and its design influences. But one thing is for sure: This nail art is cool — and when Coachella's forecast is looking to be upward of 96 degrees, that feels like a start.
Flash Tats may have been all over Coachella's guest list in 2016, but this year's gold accents are much more low-key... and you don't have to coordinate an outfit around them.
If Mara Hoffman's bright and graphic pieces came in nail art form, this is exactly what it would look like.
When you're getting the spins while drunk sing-shouting to Cardi B and Björk, adding a little greenery to your standard mani will bring you down to earth.
Like a French manicure became cool again and got a Coachella makeover.
When nail art feels like actual art you'd find in a cool Southwestern boutique.
This design celebrates Coachella's fashionable, and always practicable, humble bandana.
These mini designs make a big impact.
From the muted Southwestern color palette to the minimalist design, this is our favorite all-around.
Not fully committed to the trend? Try an accent nail to start.
For the minimalists, this black-and-white design serves as proof you don't need a lot of color to make your manicure sing.
For festival goers who want a cactus design that's a little less expected.
Our entire Southwest design Pinterest board summed up on 10 tiny fingers.
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If there's "zero truth" to any rumor circulating the industry at the moment, it's that Anna Wintour is leaving Vogue. At least, that's what a Condé Nast rep told us when we reached out for comment after a Page Six article relit the flame on rumors of her long-alleged departure. If you follow this type of thing, you're aware that any time the wind blows due South toward lower Manhattan, where Vogue sits in the Freedom Tower, it's cause to believe that the editrix is on her way to greener pastures. But after 30 years at the helm of America's most storied magazine, say she did leave. Would time stop? Or, like turning the page on a good story, could we move on?
Within hours of the Page Six report, the news spread like wildfire. (My own father emailed me this morning asking me to corroborate his Vogue -laden MSN alert. MSN!) It's true that editors are dropping fast, but it's not such a headline as much as it is gossip considering we've heard this before. See:
The Summer of Her Discontent( New York Magazine, 1999) Is Vogue's Anna Wintour Next in the Mass Editor Exodus? ( Fortune, 2018) Will Sarah Jessica Parker Run Vogue When Anna Wintour Retires? ( The Atlantic, 2014) Who Will Replace Anna Wintour At Vogue? ( NewNowNext, 2012) Will everybody leave Vogue now that Grace Coddington has?( Page Six, 2016) Is Anna Wintour Angling for an Ambassador Post in London? ( The Cut, 2012) Wintour of Discontent: Those Vogue Editor Rumors ( TIME, 2009)
By the numbers, just last year saw the departure of several era-defining editors: Graydon Carter of Vanity Fair (25 years), Cindy Leive of Glamour (16 years), and Wintour's long-rumored nemesis, Alexandra Shulman of British Vogue (25 years). So it wouldn't be a surprise for Wintour's reign to come to an end. But does it have to? Well, according to the report, several Condé Nast insiders — amongst other insiders familiar with the matter — seem to think so. It's also alleged that Jonathan Newhouse, head of Condé Nast International in London, is not a fan of the Dame. Apparently Wintour will exit her role in July, following the wedding of her daughter Bee Shaffer to the son of late Vogue Italia editor and Wintour's close friend Franca Sozzani.
What a world without the stalwart editor looks like is beyond anyone's current comprehension, in part because she's influenced most of the fashion world as a multi-billion dollar business for the greater part of the last demi-century, and in part because of the legacy she's created for herself along the way. But, if you ask us, maybe it is time. And maybe whoever replaces her will do just as good a job as she did — or better? Reports also include a naming of Shulman's replacement Edward Enninful, who's only on his sixth British Vogue issue, to Wintour's spot stateside. And sources say she's eyeing a position atop the British Fashion Council in London, which wouldn't be such a bad idea considering she's on a first-name basis with Queen Elizabeth.
But anyway — what's for dinner?
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Well, what do we have here? Cardi B has fallen under Petra Collin’s gaze not once but twice. In February, the fashion photographer shot Belcalis Almanzar for CR Fashion Book Issue 12. Of her cover star, Carine Roitfeld said she was inspired by “this generation’s ability to make the most of their crazy reality and use it as fuel for creativity."
On Monday, Cardi took things a step further in the video for “Bartier Cardi," her ode to her “dazzling come-up,” with Collins leading the charge. Collins has become known for making the women she photographs appear both alive and otherworldly, having worked with the likes of Gucci and Selena Gomez. When the video premiered during Love and Hip Hop Atlanta — Mona Scott Young’s series that introduced Cardi B to the rest of America — the rapper owned every bit of her femininity, from her furs to her body movements. And similar to Cardi and Collins’ spread in CR Fashion Book, the music video showed the rapper in all her high-low glory, with product placements from Fashion Nova and EOS surrounded her luxurious outfits dripping in diamonds. But it wasn’t just Cardi who benefitted from Collin’s soft-focus glow. In fact, we spied several familiar faces who we’re sure are about to become the next big thing.
“Fun fact: We made sure to include all different types of women models!” Patientce Foster, who co-creative directed the music video, captioned a still from the shoot in her Instagram story. “Skinny, curvy, Asian, [and] Black!” And it was the casting that made the video even more epic. Here’s your complete guide to the Insta-models who received the Cardi B blessing.
Salem Mitchell Nineteen-year-old Salem Mitchell rose to popularity on social media for one unexpected reason: her freckles. “I got popular on social media mostly by people making fun of me,” she told the San Diego Voice. "I have a lot of freckles, which I don’t see as a problem, but apparently, a lot of people haven’t seen them before. People would say I looked like a banana or a cheetah or like I had a skin disease.” Since then, the model has made a cameo in SZA’s “Broken Clocks” video, starred in an Allure photoshoot, and was featured on a billboard for Outdoor Voices.
Widney Bazile Before working with Cardi B, 21-year-old Brazile modeled for Big Sean’s Puma collaboration, Zendaya’s Boohoo collection, and Adidas. But Fenty Beauty was her big ticket, considering images of her modeling Rihanna’s cosmetics line went viral.
Ashourina Washington Based in San Diego, Ashourina is signed with Natural Model Management, an agency specializing in curve models. She's already landed a spread in the March issue of InStyle magazine and modeled for Target’s new Universal Thread range.
Destiny Anderson Love magazine scouted Anderson, a filmmaker, for a portfolio Kendall Jenner shot, and the rest, as the kids say, is history. “For me it all started on Instagram,” Anderson tells i-D of her big break. “Their casting DM-ed me on Instagram, telling me about the whole project. At first I thought she was lying, like I was getting trolled. But then she asked for my number and called me, and I thought, This is real. "
Leeanna Leeanna is a freelance model who, in her spare time, uploads videos to her YouTube channel, where she has 45,812 subscribers.
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You know what feels amazing? Getting fresh, 20-inch braids installed just in time for Coachella. Not so amazing? Having them stick to the back of your sweaty thighs halfway through Beyoncé's set.
That's why we're living for bob-length braids and twists, as seen on Yara Shahidi, Lupita Nyong'o, and your favorite friends to follow on Instagram. It's such a summery approach to a classic protective style — and a throwback to one of our favorite trends of the '90s, too.
Ahead, check out 10 other women rocking braid, loc, and twisted bobs like festival season just started. We don't know about you, but we're making an appointment with our stylist, stat.
A source tells us that Nyong'o got her twists done by a local hairdresser in Los Angeles. She later swapped them out for longer faux locs, styled by Vernon François.
Photo: Via @lupitanyongo.
The best pairing for this cropped style? A fresh-to-death red lip.
Photo: Via @vanleko.
Kamiyah's ombré braids are doing very, very good things for her cheekbones.
Nai'vasha Johnson cited Stevie Wonder as inspiration for Yara Shahidi's beaded look.
Photo: Via naivashaintl.
Tired of your waist-length braids? Use a sharp pair of scissors to do the crop yourself. You can either burn the ends (carefully), or dip them in hot water.
Photo: Via @_queenmajesticyouth.
The brighter, the better — if you ask us.
Photo: Via @queenoyinkan.
Faux locs look good shorter, too. You can burn them to get the bend you desire, or do it from scratch if you're wrapping them yourself (this tutorial by Jazz Nicole is a helpful guide).
Photo: Via @_hairbymegs.
And the style works perfectly for medium-length dreadlocks, too.
Photo: Via @christine_K_hamilton.
When she's not rocking a pixie, Zoe Kravitz has been wearing her hair in a short lob too. "We kind of went for this old Hollywood vibe, which is kind of different for me," Zoë Kravitz told us of her Golden Globes look. "With the braids, it can be kind of hard to think of new things to do with the hair. But because my dress and makeup felt fifties, I wanted to find a way to blend it all together."
Photo: JB Lacroix/WireImage.
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Werther's Originals, old cookie tins filled with sewing supplies, Oil of Olay, canned goods that expired in 1997: There are just some things that will never not be associated with your grandmother's house, even if your actual grandma never bought a five-pound bag of caramel-flavored hard candies or perfected a cross-stitch in her life. Cold cream, the classic face-cleansing emulsion so named for its cooling feeling when first applied to skin, is another one of those things — a relic of decades (centuries? millennia?) past, from a time before we had makeup wipes and micellar water.
But just because we have those things now doesn't mean there's no merit to the products our predecessors swore by. And, as the eponymous brand of celebrity-favorite esthetician Kate Somerville has set out to prove with the new Cold Cream Moisturizing Cleanser + Makeup Remover, any lingering aversion to cold cream is entirely unwarranted.
Well, it is now, at least. Beyond the unfairly negative old-lady connotations (which, by the way, are also unwarranted; there is nothing wrong with being an old lady), the pore-clogging properties and heavy, musty scents were really what gave cold cream its bad rap. But this lighter revamped version is non-comedogenic and free of mineral oil, making it exceptionally good for even sensitive, acne-prone skin. And it really — no, really — leaves skin feeling softer and more moisturized after cleansing. A little goes a long way, and a small amount scooped out with your fingers and massaged into skin, then wiped away with a warm, damp washcloth, is enough to remove your most waterproof stubborn mascara without irritating your skin.
But rather than trying to reinvent a really old wheel, this souped-up cold cream does have a few things in common with the original. There is a distinct floral scent — a combination of jasmine, rose, and daisy extracts, with a boost from some kind of special white honey — but this one smells fresh and inviting, not powdery or stale. And then, of course, there's the unique sensation that gives cold cream its name. You will feel the chill, and then you'll wonder how you got this far in life avoiding cold cream just because it reminded you of your grandmother. Then consider buying her a jar, too.
Kate Somerville Cold Cream Moisturizing Cleanser + Makeup Remover, $48, available at Sephora.
When BTS, a wildly popular K-pop band, took to the red carpet at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas this summer, it sent the internet buzzing. With hair so vibrant and shiny you'd swear it was ripped from Kylie Jenner's wig room, the seven-man group officially dominated the music scene — stateside and abroad. And since the internet-famous band is set to perform at this weekend's American Music Awards, we figured it's time to take a look back at their meteoritic rise to fame.
Besides their chart-topping music, the band is known for one other thing: their beauty looks. (They even have their own skin-care collection.) Every time they hit the red carpet, post to Twitter, or accept a major award, members Jungkook, Jimin, V, Suga, Jin, J-Hope, and RM (formerly "Rap Monster") appear as though they've undergone a major transformation overnight. Seriously, they dye their hair more often than Halsey and Katy Perry combined. For example, in May the entire group rocked varying shades of brunette. Now, they could give Frenchy from Grease a run for her money.
Click ahead to check out the BTS beauty evolution. By the end, you'll realize exactly why they're the boy band we never knew we needed.
Back in 2014, BTS attended the Gaon Chart Music Awards in South Korea. Four out of the seven donned a shade of rusty red, while RM rocked his usual platinum blond.
Pastel perfection, don't you think? It was only two years ago that members of BTS started experimenting with candy-colored strands.
Photo: Han Myung-Gu/WireImage.
Last winter, the boy band rolled up to the red carpet, but this time Suga pulled off a hair color so black, it was practically blue and RM officially made holographic hair a thing.
Photo: Han Myung-Gu/WireImage.
After taking home one of the biggest award upsets of the night, the group showed off their new hair on the red carpet. (We love how their hair color fades from dark to light, like ombré, when they stand in this order. Coincidence? We think not.)
Photo: C Flanigan/Getty Images.
Before their performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live this week, J-Hope tweeted a video of his new fiery red hair and RM went full gray (according to Allure, it's his favorite).
Photo: RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images.
Before they hit the stage to perform their hit song "DNA" at the American Music Awards, the red carpet found the band with fresh corresponding hair colors.
Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
After years of sporting multi-colored hairstyles, BTS just appeared in a recent LG ad rocking the same black hair color — and naturally, the group's A.R.M.Y. is losing their minds on Twitter. #BTSBlackHairParty is already trending, so it seems like the dye job is a hit.
Photo Courtesy of LG.
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Thousands of teachers in Oklahoma walked out of their classes on Tuesday on the second day of a strike, demanding the state put more funding into public education. Teachers across 29 districts in Kentucky staged a "sickout " at the state capitol on Friday, protesting a proposed reduction to their retirement benefits. In Arizona, they are rallying for higher wages and threatening to strike if they don't get a pay raise. In West Virginia, teachers staged a strike last month that won them a 5% pay increase — and helped launch the rest of the uprisings.
The latest in the wave of red-state strikes, the Oklahoma walkout led to school closings in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, affecting around 500,000 of the state's 700,000 public-school students. About 30,000 teachers participated, calling for a tax package that would raise another $200 million for the state school budget. The Oklahoma legislature has been cutting school funds for years, with one report showing that per-student funding has fallen by over 30% in the past decade.
The average teacher's salary in Oklahoma was $45,000 a year in 2016, which puts the state in 49th place in the country, according to the National Education Association. West Virginia ranks 48th. More than three-quarters of public school teachers are women, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, so it's sadly no surprise that teachers are underpaid.
"I think if you looked at these disproportionately female professions, like teaching, people have basically been exploited for years because they care about kids," Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, one of the unions representing the teachers in West Virginia, told USA Today.
Rae Lovelace, a third-grade teacher, put it this way: "If I didn’t have a second job, I’d be on food stamps."
But it's not just about salaries for the striking educators. Budget cuts are keeping students from learning, since schools are forced to use damaged or outdated textbooks — and some have even shortened their weeks from five to four days. (Not to mention the broken heaters and other dilapidated facilities.)
"I have 29 textbooks for 87 pupils," one teacher told the BBC.
Two Oklahoma teachers shared these photos w/ me. Their students use these textbooks. It blows my mind. pic.twitter.com/kF6Azdlgy4
If you’re a fan of spy shows, you probably have the same issue as us: It gets tiring watching the same hypermasculine, martini-drinking leading man every time. Thankfully, BBC America's newest spy show, Killing Eve, has the fierce female leads we've been lacking.
Eve, played by Sandra Oh, is a somewhat accidental secret agent who becomes obsessed with stopping a highly trained and emotionally disruptive female assassin (Jodie Comer). Before she can stop herself, Eve ends up in a heart-pounding, high-wire act of lethal consequence.
Killing Eve is dark and smart and turns the male-dominated genre on its head. Luckily, you don't have to wait for the show's April 8 season premiere to find out what happens. Pop some popcorn and cozy up, because we've got the entire first episode above. Just one episode and you’ll be hooked on these confident women with killer instincts.
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On Instagram, it looks like Fanny Bourdette Donon has it all: an armoire of expensive clothes, luxurious vacations, an endless amount of parties to arrive fashionably late to. She even calls a Hadid sister her best friend. But in real life, the France-born-Africa-raised international PR girl can be seen not with a Dior handbag in her arm, but a clipboard. (And maybe a headset.) Because, as she’ll tell you, everything she has she’s worked for — and there’s more to her charmed life than meets Instagram.
The idea that social media is an edited, souped up version of daily life is not a new concept, but it’s a point Donon, who’s approaching 70k followers, harped on when we flew across the pond to shoot the 33-year old in her Paris apartment. According to her, work begins at 8 a.m. and goes well into the night (past midnight, usually), and when she’s not working, she’s probably thinking about work.
While Donon may be Bella Hadid’s right-hand girl, she’s also an example of what it looks like to discover one’s passion later in life, and how having famous friends may be cool and all, but when it comes down to it, it's hard work that gets you where you want to be. Throw all of your preconceived French Girl notions out of the window and get to know the real Fanny.
It's funny that you say that you like to change up your look when it comes to beauty and fashion, because I feel like when it comes to French women and their style, it's all about being timeless and classic. What are your thoughts on that? "Absolutely. It's funny because I'm French, but I’ve lived most of my life abroad. My dad is French and my mom is from Rwanda. My dad used to work in Africa and specialized in countries with conflict, so for 17 years (basically all of my youth), I grew up moving from one African country to another. I went to a French high school (in Africa) and when I graduated, I moved to France. I went to law school in the South of France for four years, and then I realized that I had never completely lived in France before that.
"After four years, I didn't think staying there was for me. I missed traveling and I missed being in touch with other cultures, so I decided to move to the states. I moved to L.A. first, where I lived for four years. Then I moved to New York.
"I think that there's something really French in me in the sense that I love to be versatile but I always want to keep it chic. Like, even if I have almost nothing on, I always think about how I can be sexy but not vulgar. In that sense, I would say that I'm French."
Dior dress; GCDS Crystal Sandals, $313.51, available at GCDS; Dior earrings; L'Afshar Marble Clutch, $845, available at L'Afshar.Photographed by Hugues Laurent.
Talk to me about the decision to pursue law and then changing to fashion later on. "Well, we have to put it into perspective. I'm 33. Back then — literally when I was 17 in Africa — cell phones had just arrived and I didn't even own a computer. Life was completely different. To me, fashion was what I was looking at through magazines and no one around me was really knowledgeable and could tell me that this was an entire industry or how it works. I was so disconnected from that.
"When I graduated, I didn't really know what wanted to do. Since my dad was a diplomat, it was like, “if you don't know what you want to do, I'm gonna give you two options: You either go to law school or med school.” I was really bad at math (I hated it), but I'd always loved to write. I was considering becoming a journalist at first, actually. So, I said Why not. I went to [law school].
"When I finished, finally being in France, I understood that fashion is a real industry and that it’s what I wanted to do. I moved to L.A. and went to FIDM. I didn't just want to go and intern for someone — I wanted to know about the history of fashion, marketing, merchandising, etc. I got my B.A. in marketing and merchandising and then I started interning, and that's how I got where I am today."
What do you do at Dior? And how did you get the job? "I landed my job really randomly. At the time, I had a clothing line called Guilty Brother, with a partner. Unfortunately, our investor suddenly passed away and we couldn't find any funding to continue. It's tough when you start like that because you have to control your distribution, fabric is so expensive because you don't have quantities to produce, and so much more.
"I was so devastated. I don't have kids, but when you spend so much time building something and it has to stop, it felt like they were taking away my child somehow. I was completely traumatized and depressed. I didn't want to start something new. So, I felt like I needed to go and work for someone else because I never had, really. Eventually, I ended up at a dinner sitting next to the person who is my boss today.
"What gave me this passion about fashion was really the Galliano era at Dior. I remember when I saw the Maasai collection, it had such resonance with me. Coming from Africa and seeing how you could transform and reintegrate all those references...it was magical."
As a Black woman, did you not think that that was appropriation in any way? "I didn't think so at all. I've even seen those pieces again recently because we just had a big exhibition in Paris and I still didn’t think about it that way. To me, it was more appreciation [than appropriation]. You can compare it to when Kim Jones used the Maasai blankets in his collection a few seasons ago: everything comes from somewhere. I find it fascinating that we can be fascinated by a culture get so inspired by it. I felt like it recognized it. It's not like he claimed to have come up with it. He called it the Masai collection, so for me, it was about giving such a big platform to and showing how beautiful and refined those tribes are."
A few people know you as being friends with Bella Hadid. How did you guys meet and what your friendship is like? "I find it super-cute that people love our friendship. I was looking for an ambassador for the house; to me, she has the look of the Dior woman — and she was young, smart, and seemed so confident. Because I was living in L.A. and we had so many friends in common, I just brought it up. I was like, Do you guys know Bella? They were like, Oh my God, yes, you guys should meet — you will get along so well!
Dior sweater; Zizi Donohoe sandals.Photographed by Hugues Laurent.
"We had an event in the South of France, so I reached out to Bella’s agent to invite her — no strings attached — and he replied that she would love to attend. That was literally the first time we met and we became best friends right away.
"It's natural with her. We get to spend so much time together now that she's the face of Dior, of course. It's one of those friendships, like, when you have this instant connection and you feel that you were friends in a past life, maybe? I know that might sound completely crazy, but I swear that's how our friendship feels. I'm very protective of her; she's kind of like my little sister, in a way. Because I know how pure she is and how she only has good intentions. It's really rare to meet those kinds of people."
Especially in our world, too. "Right? She doesn't care about who you are, where you're from. She's curious, also. She has this European background through her mom, and when you meet the entire family, you understand everything. Everything. They grew up away from the spotlight on a farm with animals. I love that she's so grounded and down to earth. All she wants to do is help people and use who she is as a platform. In that sense, that's how we are friends today."
I'd love to get your thoughts on a couple movements that are happening in the industry right now — the #MeToo and Time's Up movements — and Maria Grazia Chiuri being such a voice right now in fashion when it comes to bringing politics and feminism to the runway. "It's such an exciting time to be a woman — not only in fashion, but the world. I'm so happy it's finally happening. I don't understand how it didn't happen before, but I'm thankful for the women who are leading this movement and using their voices.
"Honestly, I'm just supportive. I'm totally on the same page in the way that I work: Every chance I get I try to book female photographers, stylists, etc. And it was such a fight for me to make sure that we were bringing colors into beauty and into the house. In that sense, I wouldn't say that I'm a part of the movement — because I feel like we all are as women — but it’s so important to me to make sure I contribute every day in my own way."
Majorelle coat; Dior underwear; Roberi and Fraud Agnes Sunglasses, $175, available at Roberi and Fraud; Anita Ko ring; GCDS Ankle Bootie, $436.69, available at GCDS.
What do those movements look like in France? "It's different in a way that I don't see happening so much here. We’re maybe not as vocal about it as people are in the States, but to me, that’s a cultural thing — we don't express our emotions the same way. The French are really private when it comes to political opinions; they don't like to share them because they don’t find it appropriate. But also, I would say women are more supportive of each other than they used to be. They're more collaborative."
Outside of Dior, or fashion, or the world of Instagram, what's something people might not know about you? "A lot of people text and DM me saying, Oh Fanny, I want the good life that you're living. But they don't realize what my real life is like. I'm not really the type of person who likes to put what I do out there. My Instagram is more just pretty pictures of myself. I'm at my office from 8 a.m. to midnight every day. People don't see that part of what I do.
"That's is what I want to start expressing more, because I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to inspire younger girls who never thought they could be where I am today. It's really important for them to understand that you if you work hard you can get what you want. But don't think you’re ever entitled to anything. That's a problem I see in France sometimes. The younger kids feel like, Oh, I can have this amount of followers and look cute and get whatever I want.
Consider the amount of times Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez have dated, broken up, gotten back together, then broken up again. Multiply that number by 12 — and that is about how many tattoos we'd guess Bieber has in his collection. (So... 4,183??)
The singer acquired his first piece of ink — a tiny seagull on his hip — at the tender age of 16. Since then, he's amassed more body art than your average member of the Hells Angels — each one with its own special, and sometimes spiritual, meaning. But unless you're very familiar with his Calvin Klein underwear ads or relentlessly stalk his social media feed, it's easy to lose track of his laundry list of tattoos. (Which, according to a recent Instagram post, amounts to more than 100 hours of work.)
So in honor of him turning the big 2-4, and because we may never know if Gomez threw the "Sorry" singer a surprise birthday bash, we've mapped out the best of Bieber's ink for your viewing pleasure, ahead. Time to put on your party (and probably drop-crotch) pants.
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It’s the skin exfoliating technique that many aestheticians, fitness pros, and your friend at brunch can’t shut up about — one that is said to reduce cellulite, expedite lymph drainage and exfoliate skin. We’re talking about dry brushing. And with buzz like this, it’s hard not to whip out our phones, search “body brushes,” and swiftly add to cart. But if the hype around vaginal steams and jade eggs has taught us anything, it’s that sometimes, a deeper dive is in order before giving a beauty practice a go. So we talked to a spectrum of pros — including aestheticians, dermatologists, fitness experts, and body workers — to find out whether grooming our body like we do our hair can really help our skin and what lies beneath.
The claim about dry brushing that’s perhaps easiest to grasp is the idea that it can help exfoliate skin on the body. Certainly running a bristled brush along limbs will slough off some dead skin cells — and even help the actives in products applied after brushing to better absorb. But how crucial it is to exfoliate skin on the body is less clear.
“Dry brushing helps to exfoliate your skin but you skin naturally exfoliates anyway, especially when you are younger,” says Raja Sivamani, MD, an associate professor of clinical dermatology at University of California, Davis who also specialized in Ayurvedic medicine. “There is no scientific evidence of benefits specific to dry brushing. What we do know is that it can increase the rate at which you lose water through the skin and this can make your skin more prone to dryness, so if you do dry brush, it’s important to moisturize after.” Dr. Sivamani does point to one outlying perk of the practice: “Dry brushing does help you slow down and focus on your skin — and hopefully that means that people will also take the time to moisturize their skin as well.”
Rianna Loving, an aesthetician and founder of Organic to Green and Sauna Bungalow & Spa in Santa Monica, California, also notes that dry brushing may not be for everyone. “If you have sensitive skin due to hormones (like post or pre-baby, menopause, or allergen medicine) or suffer from other skin conditions, then dry brushing may do more harm than help,” she says, adding that skin should feel smooth and clear, not irritated, after regular use. Further, “dry brushing should not be done by those that are prone to eczema or skin infections,” says Dr. Sivamani.
But there may be internal benefits to brushing your skin, such as helping lymph flow, which Dr. Sivamani says, “can be important in removal of wastes.” Though our lymph system is built to operate autonomously, various factors may cause it to work more slowly.
“The problem with the lymph system it doesn’t have a regular pump within the body, so you have to move the lymph with activity, whether it’s going for a walk, doing yoga or working out another way,” says Lauren Roxburgh, a trainer and fascia and alignment expert who works with athletes and celebrities, like Gabrielle Reece and Jordana Brewster.
“If you’re sitting around too much, are stressed, or develop scar tissue in the connective tissue or fascia, your lymph system can become stagnant, Roxburgh explains. When that happens, our bodies may do a poorer job of flushing out the stuff that doesn’t benefit the body, like pesticides from food, carcinogens from cigarettes, or environmental toxins from breathing air. “That’s why I talk a lot about the the way dry brushing can benefit the lymph system, because it’s such an easy easy and effective tool for helping to get the lymph system pumping and to flush toxins more efficiently.” Though the wellness expert (who is certified in fields of structural integration, nutrition, and pilates) admits that there’s little research in the scientific literature about the lymph system and dry brushing, she has seen the positive effects in her body and those of her clients.
Annee de Mamiel, an acupuncturist, aromatherapist, holistic facialist, and founder of the skin care brand de Mamiel also subscribes to the idea of dry brushing to help boost lymph movement and drainage — and like Dr. Sivamani, she sees the value of targeted hydration immediately after a dry brushing session. “After brushing, using a body oil that has grapefruit or cypress to help increase the effect,” she says. “Grapefruit and cypress are two oils which support circulation and lymph movement. Cypress is a detoxifier that helps flush out toxins that are carried in the lymph system and grapefruit has an affinity for the lymph system, detoxifying and stimulating.” (Both ingredients are present in de Mamiel Salvation Body Oil.)
Finally, Roxburgh says there may be a connection between dry brushing and cellulite. “I find there is a connection between dry brushing and your fascia. Your fascia is a webbing in which the lymph system and nerves live, and your blood pumps through. Wherever there’s scar tissue or knots in that webbing, you’re going to have blockages and those things are going to make the skin on top will look more dimpled and rippled,” she explains.
Ahead, find the best tools of the trade, along with our experts’ best tips for safe dry brushing.
To maximize the lymphatic benefits of dry brushing, Roxburgh advocates for dry brushing before a workout to get the lymph system going and mobilize toxins so your body can flush them out easier. This brush is made of natural Sisal fiber, which can be softer than synthetic-bristle brushes.
Aromatherapy Associates, $32, available at Nordstrom
We love the design of this brush, which can be used on hard-to-reach places with a long handle, or as a palm-sized brush without. Either way, get your brush on using a technique that many of our experts suggest: Brush toward the heart. “Brush around where your lymph nodes are — places like your groin, armpits, neck, the glands that would get sore when you feel like you’re getting sick — sweeping toward your heart,” Roxburgh says.
“I do believe micro-tears can result from improper technique or rough brushes,” notes Loving. “I also believe that, just like our facial skin, the skin on our body is just as sensitive and changes due to age, environment, and other factors.” Try light pressure when dry brushing and look for a material that isn’t too abrasive on the skin. This option is made from ethically-harvested jute fiber to exfoliate without irritation.
Roxburgh admits that reaching certain parts of the body can be tough when using a brush. So she turns to these natural sisal fiber gloves to do the job. “I like the feeling of these gloves,” she says. “you can still get into some of these more sensitive corners and pocket, whereas the brush sometimes feels too harsh.”
Welcome toMoney Diaries, where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking millennials how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar.
Today, as part ofYour Spending In Your State: an attorney who makes $115,000 per year and spends some of her paycheck this week on a dress from Rent the Runway.
Monthly Expenses Rent: $700. (I rent an in-law suite from a family friend. It's completely separate with its own entrance, kitchen, laundry, etc.) Student Loan Payments: ~$1,000 (for undergrad and law school) Car Loan Payment: $305
Utilities: ~$150. (I split power, gas, utilities, and internet with the owner of the house.) Car Insurance: $65 401(k): $900 Savings: $1,172. (This is 20% of my net pay and it goes into a money market account at a separate bank. I basically never see this money, except when I check the balance. I treat it as untouchable.) Health, Dental & Vision Insurance: $250. (This is my contribution, and my employer covers the balance.) Cell Phone: $45 Netflix, Hulu & Spotify: $0. (I use friends' and family members' accounts.) Le Tote Subscription: $74. (I have only been using this for about four months and am debating if I am going to keep it.)
Additional Expenses Amazon Prime: $100/year (includes streaming) Massage Package: $400, paid twice per year. (I go every three to four weeks for a relaxation massage. It is hugely helpful for shoulder aches and pains. I buy a package to reduce the cost.) Chewy Dog Food & Supplies: $92.97 every six weeks
Day One
7 a.m. — Wake up not feeling so hot. I take the dogs out and then my boyfriend feeds them while I get ready. I make bagels for both of us and grab a drink for myself from the fridge. BF puts his bagel on the coffee table for a minute — big mistake! His dog eats it in under 10 seconds and looks ashamed but delighted. I leave to the sound of my BF scolding the dog, but secretly I'm cracking up.
8:30 a.m. — I get to the office and make a hazelnut coffee. (My firm provides free soda, coffee, tea, etc.) I'm not usually a coffee drinker, but I hope the warm drink will make my aching throat feel better. I fill up my water bottle, water my plants, and settle in to get my day started.
10 a.m. — Check my account and notice I was charged for HelloFresh. We get deliveries on Mondays but our order frequency varies depending on our travel plans or if we have lots of social events in the upcoming week. I pay and then split with the BF. We're not very strict about things but try to be equitable and have never had an issue with who pays. He tends to pay more frequently when we go out for dinner and drinks, though. $59.94
11:30 a.m. — Go to lunch with a partner and another associate and we talk about projects we have coming up and how to handle work-life balance. I really admire this partner because she has a good balance and is kind and funny; she's been a real mentor to me. I order a sandwich with sweet potato fries and the partner pays for the three of us.
1:38 p.m. — Grab candy from our office candy jar. I worry about rotting my teeth out of my head, but it doesn't stop me.
3:10 p.m. — Take a Diet Coke and then stop to chat with a coworker for five minutes. I am hoping the soda and gossip will wake me up since I'm still not feeling well.
6:30 p.m. — Leave work and drive over to the BF's place. He owns his house and we usually stay there a few nights a week, at my place a few nights, and then separately at our own places for the remainder of the week. We make a pork noodle dish with kale from HelloFresh. It's a decent version of pho, but I miss the extra sauces and toppings I would get at a restaurant. I wash my hands because I cut up Thai peppers but evidently not thoroughly enough because I burn the crap out of my eyeballs when I take my contacts out.
9 p.m. — We binge-watch Parks and Recreation and BF makes us hot chocolate. Then we go to bed around 10:15, since I'm still not feeling great.
Daily Total: $59.94
Day Two
6:40 a.m. — Alarm goes off; it's Friday! I lay in bed and pick out my next box from Le Tote. I get three to four boxes a month with four clothing items in each. I've only had a subscription for about three months and I'm torn about whether I want to keep it. I usually only like three of the four items and they aren't always the highest quality. On the other hand, I do save significantly on dry cleaning and don't have to worry about what to wear in the morning. I feed the dogs and let them out while my BF showers. He's going to drop off the dogs at my apartment on his way to work. We're staying there tonight because we're meeting friends out and I live close to the location.
7:40 a.m. — Have a granola bar and soda on the way into work. Call BF to see how traffic is since he left before me. He tells me my dog recognizes my voice over the Bluetooth and my heart melts.
10:40 a.m. — Wrap up the conference call, refill my water, and grab Advil from our office's medicine cabinet for my cramps. Booooo, cramps — but I'm happy that meds are available to help.
11:50 a.m. — A client catered lunch for our office today. I stack up Greek chicken, hummus, salad, pita chips, rice, and chocolate cake.
3:30 p.m. — Very stressful feedback meeting. I'm all sweaty afterward. Thank you for the betrayal, body. At least it's Friday!
5:50 p.m. — Meet BF and his coworkers at a local bar. I order three beers, a Diet Coke, and a falafel sandwich; he pays for everything. One of his coworkers makes a sexist comment to another coworker's girlfriend and she gets ticked off. I don't hear all of it but secretly fist pump when she stands up to him.
10:30 p.m. — We take an Uber home since we've been drinking. BF pays. We get home, walk the dogs, and go to sleep.
Daily Total: $0
Day Three
8 a.m. — Wake up and check email. Lay around and read for a few hours.
10:15 a.m. — BF picks up breakfast for us from McDonald's. Guilty weekend pleasure. Sadly, my sausage and cheese McGriddle only has cheese.
1:30 p.m. — A friend takes us to get our cars from the bar. On the way home, I stop to fill up with gas because my tank is empty, empty, empty. $30.64
2 p.m. — BF orders pizza and we watch college basketball while I work.
4:30 p.m. — I drop BF off at a bar to meet his friends. They're doing a birthday bar crawl but sadly, I have to keep working. I buy a Diet Coke on the way back to keep me company and spend the next few hours working with The Lord of the Rings on in the background. Good add, Netflix! I also put on a face mask my mom put in my Christmas stocking. It makes working a little more tolerable. $1.20
9:30 p.m. — I stop working, walk the dogs, shower, and get ready. Then I take an Uber to meet BF, his friends, and two of my friends. Wow, they are all really drunk and it is very entertaining from my totally sober perspective. $6.02
10:30 p.m. — I get two cheap beers with cash and tip a dollar each time. A member of the group buys a round of shots for everyone and we dance for a couple of hours. Around midnight, I tell my BF I need to go home because I have to work again on Sunday. He decides to turn in with me. $8
11:59 p.m. — We snag an Uber but BF gets distracted by a taco truck. His drunken antics are out of character and are cracking me up. Our Uber ride is $6.41, but I tip the driver an extra $10 in cash for waiting on my drunk/ridiculous partner and for putting up with his passionate declarations of love for the taco truck on the drive home. We get home, I steal half a taco, walk the dogs, and go to sleep. $16.41
Daily Total: $62.27
Day Four
8:10 a.m. — Wake up, take dogs out, and make myself a bagel, which I eat with raspberries and cranberry juice. Get back to work, sadly. This weekend I have to work an unusual amount because of a big project.
1 p.m. — Stop working, get packed up, and go volunteer. I buy a wrap and water on the way and eat in the car. I am working with individuals with disabilities to help prepare for an upcoming fundraiser. It's challenging work but I have a great time and start contemplating my ticking biological clock. I still think I want to have kids, but I know the risk of birth defects increases with the mother's age. I don't think there is an answer to this question for me right now, but it definitely gets my brain churning. $4.80
4:45 p.m. — Arrive at BF's house. He cleaned up my apartment for me and then brought the dogs over to his house because it is much closer to where I was volunteering. I grab a few crackers and then take a nap while he finishes watching a scary movie (a genre I'm not into).
6 p.m. — Wake up and keep working. We make a HelloFresh meal of chicken tacos and watch Apollo 13 while I work. It's crazy how young all of these actors look! Also, Kevin Bacon was QUITE fit in the day. I laugh after noticing this. BF cleans up dinner, we get in bed and talk for 30 minutes, and then it's time to snooze!
Daily Total: $4.80
Day Five
6:50 a.m. — After the usual routine, we drop my dog off at my apartment before going to work.
8:20 a.m. — Grab a Diet Coke from the work fridge, put in my headphones, and blast Chvrches. The deadline for the big project I worked on all weekend is today, so I am ready to power through the day.
10 a.m. — Get an email from Chewy billing me for dog food and supplies I have on auto-order. It's cheaper than picking up dog food locally.
1 p.m. — Eat leftover pho we made for dinner last week. It's still pretty tasty and I am digging soup with the cold weather. Work through lunch.
6:30 p.m. — Our project is done! I get home and take my dog for a leisurely stroll. I unpack this week's HelloFresh box, put everything in my fridge, and start doing laundry.
7:15 p.m. — I need groceries and run to the store to get a variety of snacks, breakfast food, and quick meals. $41.73
8 p.m. — I crash on the couch with mac and cheese, broccoli, and a beer. I catch up on T he Bachelor and watch the first season of TheMarvelous Mrs. Maisel, which I am loving. Still, I get to thinking about how she shows her breasts (and is conventionally attractive and sexualized) and wonder if that was a requirement for people auditioning at her time. In some ways, she's clearly on track to be this powerful and successful woman, but there are also beauty norm issues here.
9:30 p.m. — I rent a dress from Rent the Runway for a fundraiser my BF and I are going to on Friday night. I feel a little guilty because I already own things I can wear, but I think, What the hell, and order the dress ($58.20). I also sign up again for RTR Pro ($15.25), because my subscription has expired. I rent dresses about four times per year so the shipping savings with Pro are worth it. $73.45
9:45 p.m. — Drink a second beer while watching TV, then walk the dog and crash by 10:15.
Daily Total: $115.18
Day Six
7 a.m. — Wake up and cuddle the dog, scroll through Instagram and FB for a few minutes, shower, walk the dog, grab raspberries and a granola bar, and head out the door.
8:45 a.m. — Get to work and a coworker has brought in baked goods. I take a piece of cake for the afternoon because I know it will all be gone by then.
11:30 a.m. — I take several people from a regional bank to lunch. It's a mix of business networking related to my job and trying to secure money for a fundraiser for a local nonprofit I am involved in. They agree to donate and I am thrilled — lunch is also delicious. I pay for everyone's meal but will be reimbursed by my company. ($71.10 expensed)
6:10 p.m. — Hit up the gym, which is a free perk of my job. I go about twice a week, although I always have the best of intentions of going more often.
7:30 p.m. — Make chili from HelloFresh, which is pretty tasty, and watch an episode of Parks and Recreation and one of Black Mirror. This episode isn't as bleak as others so I feel downright cheerful compared to how I usually feel after watching Black Mirror. Then I get a text from my ex, which, while cordial, makes me really sad. I cry in the shower for a few minutes because sometimes a good cry just makes you feel better. The text is nice — he wanted to check in on me and the dog and give me an update on his life — but it definitely leaves me feeling off. I talk to my BF about it a bit and go to bed.
Daily Total: $0
Day Seven
7 a.m. — It's a typical work morning. I take care of the dog and grab a bagel for my drive. Not having the weekend to recover from work has me longing for Friday, even though it's only Wednesday.
12:10 p.m. — I planned to eat leftovers for lunch today but my salad from yesterday had too much dressing and is yucky today. My pho is old and grossing me out, too. I go wild and order Jimmy John's, which arrives in less than 20 minutes. I am embarrassingly excited about my "Vito" sub and salt and vinegar chips. I'll have to avoid breathing on anyone for the rest of the day. $12.40
2:30 p.m. — A coworker and I have cabin fever and decide to walk and get a snack. I pick up peanut M&Ms from a sundry shop around the corner. $1
5:45 p.m. — I meet a friend who is also involved in the nonprofit I am fundraising for to discuss marketing for an upcoming event. We meet at a local pizza place and order beers and a pizza to split. It has braised lamb, roasted tomatoes and onions, arugula, queso fresco, and southwestern seasoning, and is so good. We split the bill. $21.20
7 p.m. — I swing by the drugstore and pick up a cheap bottle of wine on the way home. $11.80
8 p.m. — I veg out again with my dog, take him for a walk, drink a glass of wine, and watch The Bachelor. I get in bed and call the BF to catch up on our days, and then conk out.
Daily Total: $46.40
Money Diaries are meant to reflect individual women's experiences and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29's point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.
The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more money diaries, click here.
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For some people, Easter means chocolate, bunnies, and a delicious (in more ways than one!) long weekend. But for some millennials, Easter actually signals the start of wedding season — also known as the long, money-draining months of taking planes, trains, and automobiles around the world to see some of our closest friends and family tie the knot. Now, we're not necessarily complaining; we know it's a privilege to bear witness to love, but, let's not beat around the bush. While wedding season might be fun, it is not cheap — especially when it comes to buying outfits for multiple weddings.
Luckily, H&M has just launched a wedding shop that's bursting at the seams with everything from actual wedding dresses to bridesmaid gowns, guest outfits, and even accessories. And of course, being H&M, it's all happily affordable; prices start at at just $7.99. The best part of the range, though, is that there's a wedding dress with a strong resemblance to the one Kate Middleton wore when she married Prince William — for under $300.
Click through to see our favorites from the collection, and get excited: Wedding season just became way more affordable.
Falling somewhere between the simple, pretty wearability of the floating crease and the too-extra-to-function glitter-boobs phenomenon on the hierarchy of Instagram trends, yellow eyeshadow is a tricky look to pull off — but that hasn't stopped makeup artists and red-carpet regulars alike from making it work in the real world, even when the camera lens is reversed and the VSCO filter is gone. Suddenly, the unusual hue is everywhere, and it looks damn good on stars like Yara Shahidi and Margot Robbie.
But how can the average person without a skilled MUA on speed-dial master the trend? We enlisted celebrity-favorite makeup artists Emily Cheng, Pati Dubroff, and Nicole Chew to share their secrets to nailing the look, and their best tips for helping us try it at home. Ahead, the expert-approved tricks for rocking yellow eyeshadow without looking jaundiced...
The first task to tackle when rocking yellow on your lids is finding the right shade to complement your skin tone — because it makes a huge difference. Chew says that experimenting can be fun, but an unflattering pastel can ruin an entire look fast. Dubroff adds that fair skin tones should stick to the more muted hues, whereas medium and deep tones can go for brighter yellows with warm undertones, like Rita Ora's look created by Kathy Jeung.
Photo: Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images.
Trick: When In Doubt, Grab Some Gold
When in doubt, pick up a gold shadow. Cheng agrees that it might not be the most daring shade in the bunch, but it'll help you test drive the trend without going overboard. For Lupita Nyong'o, makeup artist Nick Barose focused a satin hue on the inner corners to create a brightening effect on top of the sunshine-inspired lid.
Photo: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images.
Trick: Layer Colors & Textures As Much As You Can
When Dubroff created this stunning look for Robbie, she made sure to layer shade textures to achieve the gradient effect. First, she smoothed a matte cream color on the lid, then topped it off with a powder to really make the yellow pop and make the look last. To get that yellow ombré right, Dubroff buffed warmer caramel tones across the crease and extended them all the way up to the brow bone.
Photo: Karwai Tang/WireImage.
Trick: Use Eyeliner In A Pinch
But how wearable is a look like Robbie's for the day-to-day? That's up to you. But Cheng says there's a subtler way to wear the trend to work without looking like you belong at an Oscars after-party: Skip the shadow altogether, like she did for Shahidi's minimalist look. Instead, Cheng opted for a thin liquid liner to create the yellow cat-eye. Adding a black gel along the lash line can make the yellow stand out even more, and add definition without layering on the mascara.
Photo: Donato Sardella/Getty Images.
Trick: Always Keep Your Base Basic
So, you mastered the shadow — now what? Dubroff says to leave the rest of your look dewy and nearly bare. The eyeshadow does all the heavy lifting, so keep your base minimal and your blush subtle, and skip the bronzer entirely. Dubroff didn't work with Zendaya on this look, but her subtly contoured effect pairs perfectly with the bold yellow.
Photo: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images..
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