When it comes to body shimmer, there's a fine line between looking like an A-list actress on the red carpet and a disco-ball Halloween costume. But when done right, if you apply the right illuminator like an expert, you can achieve luminous, radiant skin that glows and glows.
To break it down on how to get it right, we called on celebrity makeup artist Carissa Ferreri, the go-to for Gina Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, and more, and the mastermind behind perfect lit-from-within skin. Ahead, Ferreri shares her favorite formulas, with tips and tricks for how to use them like a pro.
For times when you want to glisten in the most subtle way, Ferrari suggests this kit staple. "It looks like nothing, but makes the skin glow," she says. "Apply your body lotion, then pat this onto your collarbone and on the top of the shoulders."
Applying highlighter down the front of the legs is one of the oldest tricks in a makeup artist's book. "It makes the eye think your legs are longer than they are," Ferrari says. You can use any of the good highlighter to create the effect — just be sure to blend well.
Not in the business of mixing face and body highlighters? Go for Fenty's summer launch, which creates an island glow even if you're stuck in the city. Pat the puff across your collarbones and down the fronts of your legs, and this Bad Gal-approved glitter will have your skin beaming in seconds.
Shimmer Level: Medium
FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA, $42, available at Sephora
If Ferrari had to pick just one formula for her kit, this would be it. "It's sort of like a body butter and it smells amazing," she says. "It has a ton of shimmer, so start small, and mix it half and half with lotion for your arms and legs." Once you get a feel for the shimmer, create a softer ratio that will work on the chest and neck.
Nervous about applying a DIY mix of lotion and highlighter? "Sticks are great for the body because you can select exactly where you want the shimmer to go, and it's hard to overdo it," Ferrari says. Her trick? Aim for bones — the collarbone, shoulder bones, shin bones, and cheekbones — then blend into skin with your fingers.
For those that want a quick, mess-free application, Ferrari also calls Charlotte Tilbury's formula a favorite. "The applicator is really great," she says. "It rolls on, so you can really control where it goes; plus, the formula isn't too shimmery." Her tip: Roll it on and then, before it dries (this is important!), pat and blend it into skin with your fingers.
This liquid illuminator comes with a dropper, which is great for controlled application. It doesn't create a bold, chromatic highlight — making it a good option if you're looking for a subtle glow.
Another favorite of Ferrari's is this illuminating lotion, which also provides temporary firming benefits. "It's best to start slow," she explains. "You can blend this over the entire area you want to highlight full strength, or feel free to dilute it with lotion so you're not too glow-y."
Possibly one of the easiest two-in-one body products that exists right now, the scrub formula that made Frank Body famous is now glittering with sparkles and shimmer. Inside the bag you'll find a physical exfoliating scrub that's infused with illuminating flecks. If glowing like a unicorn is your thing, then this is for you.
Pro tip: You don't need to buy formulas specifically designed for the body. "Sometimes I mix a little bit of Nars Orgasm or Blkr into body lotion when I'm in a pinch," Ferrari says. The former is great for darker skin tones, while the latter works well on fair complexions. The ratio she prefers is anywhere from a small dab to 50-50. Massage it into skin, then you can go full strength over just the collar and shoulder bones for more impact.
Shimmer Level: Medium
NARS, $30, available at NARSNARS, $30, available at Sephora
Believe it or not, Ferrari often highlights with pure coconut oil, which is subtle and won't leave the skin sticky. Just dab on and go. You guessed it: Again, focus on your bones (collar, cheek, shin, and shoulder).
This coconut oil-infused skin illuminator by Kopari is hydrating and gives skin a hit of flattering shimmer. You can use it for an all-over non-greasy glow, or you can apply it directly on your cheekbones or browbones as you would a highlighter.
Looking to warm up your pale skin? "This one has a bit of tint so it gives you some color — but don't worry, it's subtle," Ferrari says. Just rub it in like lotion, but don't focus solely on the legs. "I use it on the arms and chest, too," she says.
While most body illuminators can be tapped on with fingers, a big brush will cut your application time in half — especially when working on the body. Use this palm-sized tool to sweep liquid or powder highlighter onto your shins, collarbone, and shoulders for a natural-looking glow.
The baking mood strikes us when we least expect it. Sometimes, that means we're caught craving cookies with absolutely no flour in the pantry. That's when we have to get crafty. We partnered with DOVE® Chocolate to bring you a recipe that's far from your average chocolate-chip cookie. With banana in place of batter and an unexpected coconut crunch, there's finally a cookie you can DIY with all those random things in your kitchen. Read on for the complete recipe.
Ingredients
1 large banana 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds 3/4 cup toasted shredded coconut 1/4 cup coarsely cubed dark chocolate
Instructions
1. Heat your oven to 350°F.
2. In a food processor, pulse together the banana, half of the almonds, coconut, and half of the chocolate until smooth (a few lumps are okay).
3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, then fold in the remaining almonds and chocolate.
4. Use a tablespoon-sized ice-cream scoop to scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
5. Press each ball down to about 1/4-inch thickness.
6. Bake until the cookies are set, about 25 minutes.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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 associate clinical research coordinator working in health care who makes $37,000 per year and spends some of her money this week on Ouai Wave Spray.
Occupation: Associate Clinical Research Coordinator Industry: Health Care Age: 26 Location: New Orleans, LA Salary: $37,000 Paycheck Amount (Biweekly): $917.72
Monthly Expenses Rent: $800 for my half (I live with my boyfriend and we split the rent evenly.) Student Loan Payment: $197.58, from undergrad and grad school. (I have an income-based repayment plan.) Apple Music: $4.99 Netflix: $0 (I use my parents' account.) Phone Bill: $0 (I'm on my parents' family plan, which they still pay for.) Le Tote: $64 Book of the Month Club: $14.99 Gas & Electric: ~$140 split evenly with my boyfriend. (We're signed up for level billing but it fluctuates a little.) Cable & Internet: $117.34, split evenly with my boyfriend 401(k): $56.96, deducted from each paycheck pre-tax 403b: $56.96, deducted from each paycheck pre-tax Dental Insurance: $7.10 Flex Spending Account: $29.81, deducted from each paycheck pre-tax Health Insurance: $89.10, deducted from each paycheck pre-tax Vision insurance: $3, deducted from each paycheck pre-tax Long-term Disability Insurance: $10.28, deducted from each paycheck pre-tax Term life insurance: $1.09, deducted from each paycheck pre-tax Other Savings: I use Digit, which withdraws random small amounts from my personal checking account.
Day One
7 a.m. — My alarm goes off and I drag myself out of bed to face another Monday. We had a mutual friend crash at our place for the weekend, and it's been great fun, but also exhausting! I'm ready to have my couch back. I take too long showering and can tell I'm going to be late for work. Luckily, my hours are somewhat flexible. Before leaving the house, I spritz my face with rosewater and then apply a Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid serum I recently picked up at TJ Maxx, followed by Dr. Jart+ Water Drop moisturizer. My go-to work makeup look is black-brown mascara, Glossier Cloud Paint in the "Beam" shade, and Burt's Bees lip balm or Lipstick Queen Frog Prince.
8:20 a.m. — Arrive at work and prep for our Monday morning team meeting. It's unusually cold for this time of year, and the fact that the air conditioning is on full blast in the office is really bumming me out. I'm still freezing when the meeting is over, so I make a quick trip to the hospital café for a cup of turmeric tea. $2.05
12:15 p.m. — It's been a long and stressful morning, and I am so ready for my lunch break! I'm very lucky to have my parents live close to my work, so I often take advantage of the opportunity for a free meal at their place during my lunch break. I eat a fresh cinnamon roll and a bowl of raspberries before heading back to work.
1:45 p.m. — I have to head to a meeting downtown, so I grab an Uber. I could technically expense it, but for some reason that makes me feel guilty, so I probably won't. $10.50
4:15 p.m. — Finally out of the meeting! It ran long, but it was very productive, and it was nice to spend time with colleagues who I usually only speak to over email. If I went back to the office now, it would already be the end of the day by the time I got back, so I decide to run an errand since I'm already downtown. On my way to the shopping center, I stop at Starbucks for a tall matcha soy latte and dark chocolate peanut butter cups, which I pay for using my parents' gold card via the Starbucks app. They don't mind, since they get to use the rewards points!
4:45 p.m. — Pop into Anthropologie to get a diffuser for the office. Unfortunately for my wallet, there's an extra 25% off sale promotion going on, so I grab a second diffuser from the sale section for my living room, and also pick up a bottle of black tea perfume that I intend to use as a linen spray. (What can I say? Anthropologie is my weakness!) While I'm in the store, I drop my favorite sunglasses and one of the lenses pops out. My boyfriend says he'll try to fix them for me, so I hold off on buying a replacement pair. $81.22
5:25 p.m. — I take an Uber home from downtown. It's rush hour, so we get stuck in traffic. Ugh. When I get home, I relax on the couch while finishing up work emails. My cat comes and snuggles up beside me, which makes the fact that I had to bring work home with me way less awful. $17.75
7 p.m. — I "make" dinner for my boyfriend and me: leftover fried chicken from this weekend with prepared mashed potatoes we bought at the grocery store last week. I had planned to make worms and dirt for dessert as a special treat, but by the time I'm done heating the chocolate pudding, I don't have the energy to add the extra decorations. After dinner, I read a novel while my boyfriend catches up on his favorite TV show.
11:45 p.m. — Bedtime! I do a minimal nightly skin care routine: cleanse my face with Yes to Cotton face wipes, moisturize, and apply lip balm. Normally, I would read in bed for a while, but tonight it's lights off by midnight because I'm exhausted.
Daily Total: $111.52
Day Two
7 a.m. — My alarm goes off, but I feel terrible. I cuddle with my kitty for a few minutes before getting up to put the kettle on. Hopefully some tea will turn this day around. I do my usual pre-work skincare and makeup routine and get dressed for work.
8 a.m. — Once I arrive at work, I head to the mailroom to drop off my Le Tote return. (I had attempted to leave it out for our mailman yesterday, but it never got picked up. That's New Orleans for you!) I'm still feeling a little nauseated, so I run to the cafeteria for toast before heading back to the office. I get a 20% employee cafeteria discount. $1.04
12 p.m. — Another long morning! I I have a patient visit and after that, the team has an initial phone interview with a potential new employee. The meeting goes well enough, but by the time we finish debriefing afterwards, I am STARVING. I head over to my parents' house (did I mention I'm a shameless freeloader?) where I make myself a cheese plate with crackers and grapes.
5 p.m. — After spending the afternoon doing a patient visit and good old-fashioned data entry, I get out of work 30 minutes behind schedule. I walk to a nearby neighborhood to meet with potential new roommates for when my boyfriend moves home after graduation, and make it home in time for Jeopardy! (my #1 guilty pleasure). I spend the rest of the evening reading and snacking on Thin Mints while I wait for my boyfriend to get home so we can eat dinner together.
8 p.m. — My boyfriend gets out of class for the day and we decide on pasta for dinner. I put the water on the stove while he hops in the shower. While I wait, I customize my next Le Tote shipment. After dinner, I clean up and we watch reruns of Friends. I fall asleep on the couch, so he sends me to bed around 11 p.m.
Daily Total: $1.04
Day Three
7 a.m. — I turn off my alarm and hop in the shower. This time, I'm running on schedule, and am on my way to work by 7:45. It's a bright morning, but luckily my boyfriend was able to fix my sunglasses! I keep my fingers crossed that they don't fall apart again as soon as I put them in my purse. Once I get to work, I get settled in for the morning while fighting the temptation to go to the café for a snack.
12 p.m. — I'm super hungry, but all of my coworkers are busy with patients. I can't leave the phones unattended, so I have to wait for at least one of them to get back before I can go to lunch. I catch up on emails for the next 20 minutes or so and then head over to my parents' house. It's a beautiful spring day today and my office has no windows, so I relish the opportunity to be outside. The sunshine has me dreaming of brunch, so I have French toast drizzled with maple syrup and topped with raspberries for good measure. I wash it all down with OJ before heading back to work.
12:45 p.m. — I've got a serious case of the post-lunch yawns and can't focus on work, so I take a brain break and walk over to the water cooler to refill my S'well bottle. Then I read New York Times articles on my phone using my boyfriend's login. (His grad school offers free online subscriptions to students.)
4:30 p.m. — Finish up a couple of emails and I'm outta here! I head to the local Starbucks for a venti pineapple black tea and a peanut butter cup cookie with my parents' card. Just as I'm about to leave, my parents arrive with their pup in tow! We hang out together on the patio for a while, and since my boyfriend has another late class today, I decide to go over to their house for dinner. I chill on the couch and read a novel that I left there for emergency entertainment purposes. My parents don't feel like cooking, so my mom goes out to get chicken fingers. (We class it up by eating in the dining room as a family.) After dinner, I head back to my apartment. The fast food isn't sitting too well, so I end up going to bed early and am asleep by 10 p.m.
Daily Total: $0
Day Four
7 a.m. — It's time to get ready for work, but I can't even open my eyes. I had a crazy restless night with multiple nightmares, and now I feel like I've been hit by a bus. Is a fast food hangover a thing?? I hit snooze on my alarm and pray that a little extra rest will put out this dumpster fire of a headache. My cat hops up onto the bed and curls up with me, and I nap for about half an hour.
9:30 a.m. — I get out of a meeting and decide there's no way I can make it through the rest of this morning without breakfast. Normally I'm not really hungry in the morning, so I just drink water and wait until lunch to eat, but I'm sluggish and useless this morning, so I head to the cafeteria for a cup of fruit salad ($2.19 after 20% discount) and then to the café for green tea ($3.71). The barista this morning is new, and she overcharges me by mistake, but I'm too tired to complain. When I get back to my desk and open the fruit salad, all the strawberries burst out into my lap. What a day! I read today's theSkimm newsletter and scroll through my Facebook newsfeed while I eat. $5.90
12:15 p.m. — Every Thursday I have a lunch date with my boyfriend, and today we decide on sushi. We order tuna tataki, smoked salmon, and whitefish sushi, plus spicy tuna rolls. Even though it's not busy, the service is really slow and it takes us almost my entire lunch break just to get our food. I scarf down my portion and then dash back to work. My boyfriend covers the check ($53.71).
4:30 p.m. — I leave work for the day feeling particularly worn out. Lucky for me, I'm going with my boyfriend to a fancy end-of-year banquet tomorrow night, so I have an appointment at my favorite local day spa for a gel manicure. I don't get gel polish anywhere else — this place offers an environmentally friendly gel system that's made from seaweed. I go for a soft pink shade in honor of the season. The service itself is $55 and I leave a 20% tip for my manicurist. $66
5:45 p.m. — I head home from the spa to grab a snack and am pleased to see that my dress from Rent the Runway has arrived! I eat a few Swedish ginger thins and then head to a nearby nail salon for a pedicure. They honestly do a better job at this salon than at the fancy spa I was at earlier, and it's basically half the price ($28, plus 20% tip). Once my toes are dry, I head back home for dinner. We make grilled cheese sandwiches with real cheddar and dunk them into tomato bisque. After dinner, my boyfriend plays a video game and I watch for a while before going to the bedroom to read. I fall asleep with my book on my chest at around 11 p.m. $33.60
Daily Total: $105.50
Day Five
6 a.m. — I going to work early today because I want to leave work early to get ready for tonight's banquet. I hit the shower and am at work by 7:15 a.m. I'm starving, so I head to the cafeteria for scrambled eggs and toast. They're out of normal orange juice this morning, so I get an Odwalla juice (at a ridiculous markup!) instead. While I'm eating, I check my online banking and notice that our utility bill for this month has finally gone through. I send a Venmo request to my boyfriend for his half of the bill. $7.93
12 p.m. — My department is holding a lunchtime networking reception today at another hospital. Fortunately, I'm able to catch a ride with a coworker instead of spending money on an Uber. We have to do a bunch of embarrassing icebreakers, but the free food nearly makes up for it.
4 p.m. — I head home to get ready for the banquet. When I arrive, I find my new Le Tote package by the mailbox. I'm glad it came so quickly, because I had picked out a pair of earrings that will look great with my dress! We leave around 5:30 but get stuck in traffic on our way to the venue, which is a fancy restaurant downtown. Fortunately, we arrive before they start serving dinner. The event starts winding down at around 8, so we walk back to the car. My feet are feeling pretty raw from my shows. When we get home, I fall asleep while my boyfriend looks for a movie on Netflix. Truly a glamorous evening!
Daily Total: $7.93
Day Six
10 a.m. — I wake up feeling refreshed, but when I get out of bed I realize just how serious my blister situation is. I'm first aid certified, so I treat the blisters and apply blister bandages before packing up my Rent the Runway return. My boyfriend is still asleep, so I take my time getting ready for the day. Once my boyfriend is up, we head over to the nearest UPS store to drop off the package. There's a Smoothie King in the same strip mall, so we grab smoothies for breakfast. I get a small Dark Chocolate Banana and he gets a medium Caribbean Way. He pays, but I Venmo him for mine. $5.29
11 a.m. — We stop by my parents' house to return my sister's shoes, which I had borrowed to wear last night. My boyfriend immediately conks out on the couch, so I spend quality time with the dog and my sister. When my boyfriend wakes up, it's already 1 p.m. and he wants lunch. We decide to go for tacos and invite my sister to come with. Since it was my boyfriend's idea to go out for lunch, he pays ($63).
3 p.m. — We drop my sister off at home and head to the mall to run errands. My boyfriend needs a new pair of jeans, since he recently wore through a belt loop on his favorite pair, and I want to pick up essentials at Sephora since it's their Beauty Insider sale this weekend. I'm a VIB, so I get 15% off. I pick up a bottle of Ouai Wave Spray and decide to try their dry shampoo as well, since the store is out of my usual brand. I also get a travel size tube of Pinwheel's Wild Child perfume because I really liked the free sample I received one time. It comes to $63.27, but I have $35 in store credit from a past return. I put the rest on my debit card. $28.27
5 p.m. — Head to the grocery store to pick up ingredients for dinner. We buy a pound of boneless skinless chicken thigh filets and broccoli, as well as two kinds of La Croix and pineapple juice. My boyfriend insists on getting a half dozen donuts, too, and I don't protest too much. When we get home, we make Cajun chicken with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli for dinner, which we eat at around 7. We haven't done a great job of cooking at home this week, so hopefully tonight is a sign that we're back on the wagon. After dinner, we watch a comedy special on Netflix while waiting for our friends to get back from the movies so that we can go out together. $25.42
10 p.m. — Our friends call to let us know that they've arrived at the rooftop bar we were planning to go to, but they're at capacity and our friends don't want to wait to be let in, so they decide to go to a house party instead. My boyfriend and I decide to stay in, and we spend the rest of the night watching Netflix before turning in at around 1 a.m.
Daily Total: $58.98
Day Seven
8 a.m. — I get up and get in the shower. On Sundays, I use a weekly clarifying shampoo followed by a deep conditioning hair mask instead of my usual shampoo and conditioner. When I'm done in the shower, I spray it all over with foaming bleach spray. While I wait for the shower to disinfect, I throw on a ceramide sheet mask. (I got a huge variety pack of sheet masks from a secret Santa exchange this past Christmas and I'm still working my way through them.)
11 a.m. — It's Fleet Week, so my boyfriend and I are meeting up with a mutual friend to tour the ships that are docked at the Port of New Orleans. On the way to meet our friend, we stop at Smoothie King, and I get another dark chocolate banana smoothie. $5.77
3 p.m. — After touring a French Navy ship, a Canadian Navy ship, and a U.S. Navy ship, we are starving (and sunburnt)! We stop at a local Mexican chain restaurant, where I get a chicken burrito, a strawberry churro, and an iced tea. After we eat, we head back to the river to see all the tall ships that are docked there. The lines are way too long to go on any of the tours, but we get cool pictures. After we pass by the last of the ships, we walk back to our friend's apartment building to pick up the car. $15.50
6:30 p.m. — I suggest that we eat last night's leftovers for dinner so that we don't end up forgetting them in the fridge. After dinner, we do more chores around the house until my boyfriend leaves for his weekly game night. While scrolling through my Facebook feed, I notice that a classmate from undergrad is hosting a birthday fundraiser. It's a good cause, so I make a donation. I realize all the sun I got earlier today combined with the blue light from my phone screen are starting to give me a migraine, so I pop Excedrin and head to bed at around 9:45. $5
Daily Total: $26.27
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.
Have a Money Diary you'd like to share? Right now, in addition to our ongoing diaries, we're looking for potential diarists along the following theme:
Your Spending In Your State:We want to run one Money Diary from a different state each week. Want to rep your state? Submithere!
Have questions about how to submit or our publishing process? Read our Money Diaries FAQ doc here:r29.co/mdfaqs
Getting a manicure is supposed to be a relaxing activity. But damnit if any attempt at Zen is dashed the minute a manicurist asks us to pick a color. The choices are overwhelming — and the panic is real: With pale pinks as far as the eye can see, which one variant on the shade is the right one?
To help quell our shade-picking anxiety, we asked the biggest drugstore brands to share which nail polish shades are most universally loved. Not only did they fill us in on the exact shades of nail-color classics (true red, pale pink, and burgundy) that consistently rank best in class, but they also revealed some pretty unconventional hues that have reached best-seller status, too.
Ahead, see which deep-red polish looks good against a spectrum of skin tones, the wedding-ready pale pink that even the Queen of England calls her signature, and the blues and greens that are becoming the new cult classics.
Somewhere in between mauve, dusty pink, and a washed-out red is this unique shade, which has sold more bottles in the last year than any of Sally Hansen's other offerings.
If rose gold and millennial pink had a love child, it would be this soft metallic hue. Though the argan oil-spiked polish launched less than two years ago, it already ranks among the top three colors sold by the brand.
Anyone who has struggled to pick the perfect shade from a lineup of white polishes knows there’s nothing simple about finding the right white. So it’s no wonder why, in the past year alone, this color has sold more than all of the other 75 shades in the Miracle Gel line combined — its opaque formula doesn’t dry to a flat finish, and it creates the perfect background for quartz-inspired manis.
This fortuitously-named burgundy shade, which was first released nearly 30 years ago as part of the original lineup of OPI nail colors, has proven that, like a fine wine, it just gets better with time.
Forget something blue: If sales of this sheer pink shade (which first debuted in 2001) are any indication, few 21st-century brides will get married without it.
This chunky glitter polish makes nails look like the funfetti center of a Flour Shop rainbow-explosion cake — which may help to explain why one of these polishes is sold every three minutes.
In 1975, Orly’s own Jeff Pink developed the French manicure — and this pure-white polish was marketed as a way to get the look at home. At the time, the brand’s supplier said the stark shade would never sell, but 40 years later, the color has held strong among the line’s most popular.
This varnish is technically a base coat, but thanks to the reflective and finely-milled pink-purple pigments inside, this best-seller pulls off a cool trick: making nails look naturally healthy with a sheer tint of lavender.
Fans of this 10-free polish line can’t get enough of this ultra-opaque blush shade (named Rue, after the Hunger Games character), which looks good on a wide spectrum of skin tones.
One of the most famous nail-polish shades available isn’t just loved by celebrity manicurists: It's said to be Queen Elizabeth ’s signature color, too.
This shimmery cornflower-blue polish is a worldwide best seller and, according to celebrity manicurist Michelle Saunders, a particularly standout shade on medium skin tones.
Further proof that paler shades of green have hit peak popularity: This hue, which launched in 2009, is one of the most popular of the brand’s (and an editor desert-island pick) more than 1,000 enamel shades.
Over the past few years, Chrissy Teigen has quickly become our fantasy BFF — thanks to a series of down AF moves that highlight her chill. She’s photographed monster-biting into In-N-Out burgers at stuffy after-parties. She nerds out over cheese wheels. She Instagrams her stretch marks. And guess what? Her beauty M.O. is just as real. Teigen loves her some extensions — and she isn’t afraid to talk about it.
But here's what really gets us: When we see the supermodel on the red carpet, it's her smile and charisma — not necessarily her hair and makeup — that we notice first. She wears the trends (from graphic liner to strobed cheekbones and even faux bangs), but never the other way around.
Teigen may have the best glam squad in the biz, but it's her personality, wit, and charm that win the red carpet every time. And to us, that's the holy grail of beauty. Ahead, she shows us how it’s done, 24 different ways.
At an event for GQ this past June, Chrissy showed off her adoration of classic beauty looks: a middle-parted ponytail and cherry-red lips.
Photo: Buckner/WWD/REX/Shutterstock.
By teasing volume into the roots and adding second-day texture through the lengths, Teigen upgraded the simple high pony at the 2012 Grammy Awards, which she attended with then boyfriend — now husband — John Legend.
Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images.
The first time Teigen experimented with bangs, at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards, we all did a second take. And it wouldn't be the last time...
Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images.
The supermodel radiates in peachy makeup that subtly references her dress without looking too matchy-matchy. The easy center-part in her free-flowing hair underscores the easy, romantic look.
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images.
Side-swept hair, an intense cat-eye, and that gaze: This is how you smolder on the red carpet.
Photo: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images.
It’s a tried-and-true red carpet rule: Red lipstick pops against a yellow dress. (See Jennifer Lopez at this year's Golden Globes.) Teigen's textured lob adds to the playful look.
Photo: Paul Redmond/Getty Images.
Lots of celebs do slicked-back hair on the red carpet. But we’re especially coveting Teigen's take at the 2013 Academy Awards. Instead of sporting a severe, stick-straight finish, her style maintains volume at the roots and falls into a cascade of curls. Swoon.
Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images.
The Lip Sync Battle host makes no secret of her love for clip-in hair pieces. For the 2014 Billboard awards, she brought back the faux bangs — while inspiring many of us to pick up the actual scissors.
Photo: Kevin Mazur/Billboard Awards 201/Getty Images.
We consider Teigen the ultimate poster girl for balayage — and have taken this picture to our colorists on more than one occasion.
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images.
Superstar colorist Tracey Cunningham isn’t just responsible for Khloé Kardashian’s lighter tresses — she also takes Teigen to Cali-blond and back again.
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images.
Teigen's bronzed skin and strobed cheekbones make for an incomparable beachy-goddess glow — on an SI cover or a red carpet.
Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images.
With her Veronica Lake-inspired waves and deep-ruby lips, Teigen looks equal parts supermodel and movie star.
Teigen proves that tiny red carpet tweaks can make major statements. Deep-burgundy lips were the perfect upgrade to simple red, while an asymmetrical part and some shine spray added a touch of glamour to her everyday loose waves.
Photo: Bloomberg/Getty Images.
This fauxhawk — which flips into a sleek, high pony — shows off some serious hair ninja-ry. Teigen balances the architectural look with a classic smoky eye and nude lips at the 2015 Emmy Awards.
Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images.
Notice the monochromatic color story in Teigen's look for the 2015 Billboard Music Awards: Copper shadow and a brown-based nude lip reflect the deeper tones in her cascading curls.
Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images.
We love the cool graphic eye Teigen wore to the 2015 CFDA Fashion Awards. Rosy cheeks and center-parted hair kept the look clean.
Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images.
Another CFDA event, another beauty look knocked out of the park. For this one, hairstylist Jen Atkin created perfect waves (you can DIY them with a flat iron), while makeup artist Patrick Ta complemented her contoured complexion with Hourglass Opaque Rouge Lipstick in Raven.
Photo: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images.
The secret to Teigen’s envy-inducing half-up hairstyle? Second-day texture revived with dry shampoo, says Atkin, who kept the look casual by pulling out random pieces.
Photo: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images.
Monochrome makeup and simple, face-framing bangs allow Teigen's intricately braided updo to take center stage.
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images.
A tiny hairline braid only further accentuates Teigen's killer cheekbones.
Teigen may have a natural pregnancy glow at the 2016 NAACP Image Awards, but the rosy lips and signature pink cheeks only raise the wattage.
Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty Images.
Teigen's matching lip and dress combo was paired perfectly with a slightly messy updo.
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic.
A pregnant Teigen in 2018 opted for a natural look, letting her bronzed glow shine through.
Photo: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
If someone mentions a dream machine, they might be referencing the beloved, discontinued line of Sony clock radios. Or, they could be talking about the ball pit and streamer-filled interactive playground (i.e. Instagram bait) popping up in Brooklyn this summer.
But in Silicon Valley, there's only one Dream Machine people are talking about right now: It's Alexia Bonatsos 's new, San Francisco-based venture fund.
Bonatsos is no stranger to the world of startups — she wrote about them for years during her tenure as the co-editor of tech industry news site TechCrunch. She departed the site in 2015 to earn her Master's in Management from Stanford's Graduate School of Business.
After graduating and exploring her options, she began investing in companies in January 2018. Now, she's ready to make a name for herself in the VC world in the same way she did in media — and is looking, along with other women, to bring some much-needed diversity to the space in the process.
Ahead, Bonatsos tells Refinery29 about her dreams for the future of the fund.
What made you decide to go into venture capital versus another area in tech?
"Life is short. I have a rule to spend my short time here on this planet immersed in the subjects I’m most curious about, which currently happens to be venture finance. I’m also inspired by the women at All Raise, whose goal it is to double the percentage of female partners in VC from 9% to 18% by 2023. That’s 170 new partners — I’m happy to put them .6% towards their goal with Dream Machine."
What skills from your journalism career are you applying to your new role?
Courtesy of Alexia Bonatsos.
"This is an obvious one: Knowing what questions to ask. This is a non-obvious one: cold emailing and calling and cleverly-written follow ups."
Why did you choose the name Dream Machine?
"Because that’s what venture capital should be, a machine that brings entrepreneurial dreams to fruition."
What do you look for in a startup? Are there any make or break factors for you when deciding whether or not to invest?
"I look for a 10-year, gargantuan founder vision and commitment. That’s why the Dream Machine motto is 'making science fiction non-fiction,' a riff on Arthur C. Clarke 's 'any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic' rule. In converse, lack of integrity is a deal breaker, even if everything else is a rocketship."
Over the past year, there's been a particular emphasis on the lack of funding going to female founders. Will you look to lessen this gap and, if so, how?
"Yes, I hope to. Though my fund is opportunistic, I am especially looking for women and men of color to invest in."
Do you have any advice for women in the space — both those looking to get into VC as an investor and those looking to get funding?
What startups are you most excited about right now?
"Fable, Molly, TruStory, Omni, Trash, and two more I can’t talk about yet in my portfolio. Outside of my portfolio, The Wing, Rent The Runway, Glossier, Styleseat, Manrepeller, Mightybell and Blavity are all female-founded companies I’m rooting for hard. It’s not exactly a startup, but [Recode's] Kara Swisher introduced me to WeCroak very recently and it’s changed my life — by reminding me five times a day that life is short."
This interview has been edited for length and style.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Ariana Grande is more than just her ponytail, but even if her famous hairstyle isn't the only thing that defines her, the most minimal changes to it always end up in the headlines — whether that means bleaching it platinum blonde or lowering it to the nape of her neck, both of which drummed up major buzz on Twitter.
But if you thought Grande's fans were the only ones who attached significance to the star's iconic pony, think again. In fact, the No Tears Left to Cry singer says that the instantly recognizable style is the key to understanding her own evolution from Nickelodeon child actress to global pop star.
In the latest issue of Fader, writer Myles Tanzer asks Grande if she's ever considered ditching her pony completely, pulling a Cara Delevingne, and revealing a new buzzcut to the world. Her response suggests a strong no. “The pony has also gone through an evolution, and I’m proud of that,” she explains to the publication. “Old pony? I don’t know if she’s that girl. But new pony? I like her. I mean, it’s like a Victoria Secret angel without angel wings. It’s still her without them, but when she’s with them it’s like, Ohh, I get it, she’s an angel. ”
We take Grande's reply to mean that she knows exactly who she is without the signature look, but she also knows that the symbolism of it makes her a force to be reckoned with. It's a source of power to her, the same way your red lipstick gives you the confidence you need to ask your boss for a promotion. The only difference is that no one tweets about you when you switch from a cherry-red to a nude.
Still, that's not to say the singer won't ever switch up her hair. In the past year alone, she's dabbled in several different color changes, from brunette and blonde to gray, blue, and pink, thanks to celebrity stylist (and her personal hair sidekick) Chris Appleton. And if we've learned anything from Grande, it's that — between her music and her look — her next move is always unpredictable.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Shaving or hair removal is hardly a requirement — it's your body (and, uhh, body hair), so do with it what you please. But for those who opt for it, shaving can be really annoying to keep up with... especially since body hair grows back so fast. Sometimes, a wax appointment or a couple of laser hair removal sessions aren't in our schedule — or, tbh, our budget — and it's much easier to grab that old three-blade.
But, when you've got melanin, special care must be taken to protect your skin when you shave. People of color know the pains of dealing with dark underarms, ashiness, and in-growns — among other common issues that arise during hair removal. Now, dermatologists Dr. Heather Woolery-Lloyd, MD, and Dr. Rosemarie Ingleton, MD, are giving us a cheat-sheet on how to get skin even and smooth just in time for the first day of summer. Check out their tips, ahead.
Prep Appropriately
Before shaving, Dr. Ingleton recommends lightly exfoliating your skin. This doesn't necessarily have to be with a fancy body brush — your washcloth or an all-natural sugar scrub will do just fine. Then, choose a cream that's thick and moisturizing. "Avoid strong fragrances and look for soothing ingredients like glycerin, aloe, and oatmeal," Dr. Ingleton says.
As far as razors go, don't be tempted to pick up that five-blade. "A single blade is actually safer," says Dr. Ingleton. "Multiple blades can cause razor bumps." Oui Shave's Rose Gold Safety Razor looks pretty and dainty, but its single, sharp blade gets even the coarsest of hair off in no time.
Finally, always be sure to plan your shave after a warm shower; that's when your pores are open and the hair has softened a bit. Shave in the direction of your growth, avoiding pulling or tugging or shaving repeatedly over the same area, which leads to irritation.
photographed by Nicole Maroon; produced by Sam Nodelman.
If You Have Discolored Armpits...
Dark pits can be caused by a number of issues: genetics, allergies, underlying health problems, or hyperpigmentation. And shaving makes them darker. "Friction is also a factor," says Dr. Ingleton. "Whether it be from constant shaving, waxing, or even the fabric of clothing you're wearing."
Dark pits are no big deal, but if you want to even out the skin under there, Dr. Woolery-Lloyd suggests switching to laser hair removal. If that's not in your budget, Dr. Ingleton says to make an appointment with your dermatologist to find a brightening topical cream that's safe for your skin.
photographed by Ashley Armitage; produced by Lorenna Gomez-Sanchez; modeled by Lorlei Black; produced by Megan Madden.
If You Have Ingrowns...
These pesky bumps pop up when your hair gets trapped beneath the skin — and for those with curly hair, it's especially common. If you have dark skin, those bumps typically appear black, which makes them tough to conceal. To avoid them, try not to shave too close to the skin and consider switching up your regular blade for an electric razor or a beard trimmer, Dr. Woolery-Lloyd says. Dr. Ingleton also suggests asking your derm for a topical antibiotic to avoid those hairs from popping up. And if you can't make it to a derm, there are plenty of over-the-counter options to choose from, like Bliss' Bump Attendant Ingrown Eliminating Pads, or the editor-favorite Anthony Ingrown Hair Treatment.
Photographed by Rockie Nolan.
If Your Legs Get Ashy...
Dry skin is caused by a number of things — your environment, eczema, psoriasis — and shaving can exacerbate the issue. To banish the ash, ditch any shaving creams that have a high alcohol content, which is drying, and look into a new body cleanser that doesn't have suds or bubbles. "I always tell my patients with dry skin that their skincare routine starts in the shower or bath," Dr. Ingleton notes. "That’s the moment where using a mild and hydrating cleanser comes into play." Dr. Ingleton, who's a Dove partner, recommends the brand's Beauty Bar with a quarter of moisturizing cream inside. We also like Laura Mercier's Almond Coconut Milk Soufflé Body Crème, which contains plenty of nourishing ingredients like Vitamin E and honey.
Photographed by Brayden Olson.
If You've Got "Chicken" Skin...
Keratosis Pilaris, or more commonly known as "chicken skin," are small, hard bumps caused by a build up of keratin (the protein that protects skin from infections). "This buildup causes a closure in the opening of a hair follicle, which is how the bumps form," Dr. Ingleton says. You'll find them on your upper arms and on the back of your thighs — AKA, areas where you might shave frequently. Daily or weekly shaving causes these bumps to nick, which leads to scarring.
As tempting as it might be, do not scratch or pick at the bumps. Dr. Woolery-Lloyd instead recommends using an exfoliating cleanser with glycolic acid, or a good ol' loofah to slough away at your KP. And if you can avoid hot water, Dr. Ingleton says to opt for a cooler temperature and to take shorter showers altogether.
Photographed by Nicole Maroon.
If You Have Dark Spots On Your Legs And Arms...
These can happen as a result of in-growns and razor bumps. While the swelling will go down over time, the spots tend to remain as a result of hyperpigmentation. And sun exposure does nothing to help the cause, either. "This one is one of the top concerns that I hear from my patients," Dr. Ingleton says. "Dark spots and melasma tend to occur on sun-exposed areas." Once the skin is inflamed, the pigment-producing cells called melanocytes turn on and produce more melanin, which is why the spots become darker, Dr. Woolery-Lloyd notes.
To even them out, Dr. Woolery-Lloyd suggests sweeping on her own Specific Beauty Advanced Dark Spot Corrector Pads, which contain green tea, arbutin, and bearberry extract to brighten. But of course, the best way to avoid sun overexposure is sunscreen. If you're hitting the beach, be sure to also protect your skin with hats, umbrellas, and sunglasses. "I strive to break the stigma around the importance of sunscreen among people of color," Dr. Ingleton says. "We need more awareness on how to prevent these skin issues because they do affect us, and sunscreen is a pivotal tool in helping prevent them."
Once you start treating your spots and wearing sunscreen religiously, you should see results in as little as two weeks. Your skin, on the other hand, will thank you for a lifetime.
Photographed by Ashley Armitage.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
In our new series #NotYourTokenAsian, R29's Asian & Pacific Islander staffers take on the pop products, stereotypes, and culture wars that surround Asian American identity. Stay tuned as we celebrate our multiplicity during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
Banana Magazine was started by Kathleen Tso and Vicki Ho in 2014. Both women work in media and aimed for the print-only magazine to be a place the Asian community could explore what that means in America today. Past issues have explored New York’s Chinatown through the eyes of locals, kawaii lifestyle for Asian men, and examined the sociology and psychology behind why Asian Americans have long taken up the bleach bottle to achieve blonde.
We caught up with Tso and Ho to talk about Banana Magazine and their latest feature, “The Next Generation of Baesians,” which unpacks the current landscape of Asian representation in Hollywood with rising stars Michele Selene Ang from 13 Reasons Why and Daniel Isaac Kim from Billions.
What is Banana Magazine?
Vicki Ho: "It’s rooted in storytelling of today’s contemporary Asian culture. It’s really our way to create a physical platform for Asians — specifically in the creative space — to find an outlet to come together, have a community, and to really use it as a way to tell our story of today’s Asian experience."
Why did you start Banana Magazine?
Kathleen Tso: "We decided to create Banana Magazine when we were looking around us and saw that just in our own network of friends in NYC, we had so many amazingly creative writers, photogs, illustrators, and that there wasn’t a singular place for them. There wasn’t really a strong community either. We were looking at Street Etiquette, who is based out in NYC and really rally the Black creative community together, and we thought Asian Americans on the East Coast were participating in that because they didn’t really have a place to go. So we were truly inspired by them, and wanted to make sure that Asian creatives had something similar where we had a platform to showcase these voices, as well as something where we can host them and feel some sort of community — whether it’s through an event or some storytelling."
Those in the Asian American community know what the term “banana” means. But who is allowed to use that term?
KT: "Banana is an insider term within the East Asian community. We like it because it is insider, and there is some sentimental value to that with both of us: We were both called it by our parents. I personally was never truly offended by it. When my parents called me that, it felt the same as being called an ABC, which stands for 'American-born Chinese.' I was called both of those things. I personally think that the term “banana” should only be used by the insider community, I don’t know if it’s super appropriate for someone outside of our community to call someone a 'banana,' because I don’t think they truly understand it."
Courtesy of Banana Magazine; Photographed By An Rong Xu, Styled By Diana Tsui
VH: "I was also called a 'banana' by peers and family members growing up. For me, it was cool that even anyone noticed me and had a term that wasn’t as negative as some other terms. We’ve had a lot of back and forth with the name in terms of the perception of it, especially knowing that it is mostly an East Asian term. However, we interpret the term 'banana' as the fact that all of us collectively are living in both an Eastern culture and a Western culture. 'Banana' — being yellow on the outside and white on the inside — is to reflect that duality and not specifically about skin color."
What are you hoping to contribute to Asian identity with the magazine?
KT: "We just wanted to put it down on paper. Having a platform that we can curate all Asian creative contributors and the people we are featuring is step one. It’s physically recorded in this time in history and to have a conversation, too."
VH: "I think it’s really just to open up any kind of dialogue through our platform — whether it’s through the magazine or through our newsletter or through our Instagram. Those are just all ways for people to collectively be able to find a place to identify as Asian or Asian American."
"For us, anyone who is Asian is a baesian."
It seems that a lot of Asians who write about their experience are coming from the perspective that they’re one of the only Asians in their town or community, but that’s not the case for everyone.
VH: "A lot of our contributors have that shared experience in growing up as the only Asian in their neighborhood or in their school. For me, it was definitely the opposite in that I grew up in a heavily Asian-oriented community, and my high school was mostly of Asian decent as well.
"However, when it comes to your overall experience in America, you are still seen and treated differently as an Asian whether you grew up in a Asian-dominant neighborhood or not. So it’s really more about our shared experience going through a Western culture and how that affects you as someone of Asian heritage. So for me, because of how I physically looked and how I was perceived because of that, a lot of my experiences were actually shared experiences with Kathleen, even though she grew up in a mostly white town."
Courtesy of Banana Magazine; Photographed By An Rong Xu, Styled By Diana Tsui
What is a “baesian”? Do you think owning this term is helping to break stereotypes, or is it just becoming another stereotype?
VH: "The literal term of it is the combination of two words: 'bae' plus 'Asian,' which equals 'baesian.' We started using that term [around] two years ago. It was something that we really liked just because it was playful. More and more as we started using that term within our print issue, on Instagram, and how we talk to our supporters and people who contribute to the magazine. It turned into a word that was really used for people to feel empowered, for people to be Asian in today’s contemporary world. The way we like to use 'baesian' is completely the same as the word 'Asian' or 'azn,' but it’s our way in today’s world to identify with and a way of empowerment and inclusiveness. For us, anyone who is Asian is a baesian."
KT: "For me, it’s just a word used for empowerment. It’s not a specific thing you can point to in which other stereotypes of Asians are. I don’t know if an 'ABG' (Asian Baby Girl) is a stereotype because it’s a specific type of characteristic that somebody can hold, whereas 'baesian' is a term of endearment and empowerment. Hopefully, any sort of celebration of our heritage as a whole is breaking stereotypes because we’re being more vocal. We’re putting more people in the limelight that are three-dimensional and have different characteristics than what you might have seen in the past, and that can help to chip away at stereotypes. I don’t know if it’s a groundbreaking thing where we’re gonna see results immediately, but just the conversation of it all helps."
Courtesy of Banana Magazine; Photographed By An Rong Xu, Styled By Diana Tsui
Why did you decide to feature Michele Selene Ang and Daniel K. Isaac for “The Next Generation of Baesians” shoot?
KT: "We sat down over dim sum between all of the contributors on the story and bounced around different names of Asian heritage actors and actresses that we were admiring at the moment. Unfortunately, the list was short because we realized the number of people of Asian descent in Hollywood is very few and far between. When there is, it’s like “that one Asian guy in that one show.” Michele and Daniel were both brought up by our two major contributors on that story: Diana Tsui, who styled the shoots, and An Rong Xu, who was the photographer, and that’s how we came to those two and they are both New York-based."
Both Michele and Daniel play roles that were not originally written for Asian characters. Do you think that their roles and success within Hollywood should be deemed as progress?
KT: "We went back and forth about that, because in one way, it is progress because we see a role that [had] an open casting to all races, we saw a person of Asian decent land the role which is really great. That is progress in the sense that her talent showed and they were open to different races playing that character. When Michele was cast, the writers started to craft a larger backstory for her to fit her race and to bring dimensionality to her background, which is great. So there were starting to bring dimensionality to her background.
"But we think that there should be more Asian-specific stories being written to tell the vast number of stories of our background and our history. I think both need to happen in some way for us to continually get cast, to show that talent but also for specifically Asian stories to be told. Michele and Daniel were both saying that this needs to happen in industry, so it can’t just be actors. We need more Asian directors, Asian writers, just [more] Asian people in the industry in general, so these stories can come [about] a little easier."
This interview has been edited for length and style.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court refused to hear a challenge to a controversial Arkansas anti-abortion law, paving the way for the the state to become the first to effectively ban abortion medication in the U.S.
Arkansas' Act 577, also known as the Abortion-Inducing Drugs Safety Act, requires health providers who offer abortion medication, i.e. "the abortion pill," to have a contract with a second doctor with hospital admitting privileges. The idea is for a second physician to be available in case something goes wrong, even though oft-cited research shows than less than 1% of women suffer serious side effects or a failed abortion after taking the medication.
The 2015 law is nearly identical to Texas' controversial HB2 restrictions, which the Supreme Court deemed unconstitutional in the 2016 ruling of Whole Woman’s Health vs. Hellerstedt. That's why, nine months after the ban passed, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland sued to block it. At the time, a federal judge in Little Rock issued a temporary restraining order because of the law's similarities to Texas HB2. But then, the case came before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, which in the summer of 2017 ruled the restraining order should be lifted and the case should be sent back down to the lower court.
When the Supreme Court rejected the appeal Tuesday, it allowed the restraining order to lapse and the case now goes back to the district court. Planned Parenthood asked the court on Tuesday night for a new temporary restraining order to block the law. If no other legal action is taken, Act 577 will take effect in mid-July.
"We are deeply disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision to deny Arkansas women the opportunity to be heard. Act 577 is the triumph of politicians over science, and it’s women who will suffer as a result," Dr. Brandon Hill, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said in a statement provided to Refinery29. "Its requirements are dangerous and medically unnecessary, and they are nothing more than a repackaged version of the restrictions struck down by the Supreme Court in Whole Woman’s Health. "
The sweeping regulations of HB2 led to the closure of about two dozen of the 44 clinics in Texas. By the time Supreme Court ruled against it, the damage was done. Laws like HB2 and Act 577 are part of a wave of abortion restrictions known targeted regulation of abortion providers, or TRAP laws. The purpose of these regulations is to curb abortions by forcing providers to comply with nearly impossible regulations.
"TRAP laws are almost impossible for clinics to comply with and can lead to the closure of the facilities. So patients have to travel farther, it costs more money to arrange transportation or take days off from work and arrange childcare. But also leaving fewer clinics increases the [overcrowding] of remaining clinics," Dr. Daniel Grossman, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of California at San Francisco and director of Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, told Refinery29 earlier this year. "This is what we saw in Texas, where as clinics closed particularly in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the wait time to get an appointment at the remaining clinics increased to three weeks or even longer. Obviously, that pushes women [to seek care] later and later in the pregnancy."
At the moment, Arkansas has only three clinics offering abortion services — two of them Planned Parenthood affiliates and an independent one. But the organization has argued in their lawsuits that no physicians have agreed to enter into a contract with them to fulfill the secondary doctor requirement imposed by Act 577, so their two clinics might close. Little Rock Family Planning, the independent provider, would stay open.
If that happens, Arkansas will join Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming as the eight state to have only one abortion clinic to serve all of its patients.
Having only one abortion provider in Arkansas, combined with the state's 48-hour waiting period for the procedure, will mean that some women will have to travel up to 760 miles over the required two round trips to obtain an abortion.
Hill, the Planned Parenthood Great Plains CEO, said in his statement that the battle is not over for the organization.
"We are working urgently to restore access to medication abortion services at our health centers in Fayetteville and Little Rock," he said. "We will not stop fighting to ensure that every woman has access to essential, constitutionally-protected care, without politicians controlling when, how or why."
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
They say that, the minute you stop looking, that's when you find "the one" — and I’d been looking for the right bronzer for a very long time. I knew exactly what I wanted: a product that would give me a natural and warm summery glow, but not dot my skin in sparkle, turn it orange, or make it look like I was fresh off of a mud run.
At first, I had all the confidence in the world that I could find such a thing. For that, I blame Shu Uemura, and its now-discontinued pressed-powder bronzer that I had stumbled upon circa 2009. When I wore it, people didn’t compliment me on my makeup — they asked if I had just gotten back from a tropical vacation. With a precedent like that, how could it not become the bronzer to which I measured all others?
But as I tried dozens of powder, liquid, and cream formulations, my hunt for a replacement went from weeks to months to years; oddly, not a one had passed what I thought was a reasonable litmus test. In a particularly cruel trick, some options that appeared sparkle-free in the pan somehow managed to leave teeny flecks of shine on my face. So, to spare myself further disappointment, I gave up on the search entirely. And guess what happened as soon as I did? The perfect bronzer was born, and found its way into my life.
The new Make Beauty Bronzing Brick first caught my eye because of its beautiful packaging: at once minimal and graphic, but with a little detail on the interior that keeps the design from being predictable. I also love that each of the three shades is named for an artsy place in the American Southwest. (Taos, Marfa, Joshua Tree — it’s all very on trend.)
But then I got to the stuff inside. These babies manage to impart a silky finish without so much as one shimmery fleck, thanks to jet-milled powders that are baked on terra-cotta clay tiles. The dusty pink shade (Joshua Tree) injects a bit of health into my vitamin D-deprived complexion; the terra cotta shade (Marfa) gives me a deeper faux tan without looking orange, ruddy, or fake; and though the darkest color (Taos) is too deep for my skin tone, it has reddish undertones that intensify the blue in my eyes when worn as an eyeshadow. Plus, all three are free of talc, a controversial ingredient that can cause breakouts and itchiness.
Suddenly, I’m not only feigning tanned skin and a sharper jawline, but I’m easily pulling off monochrome looks (that match the tones in my hair, no less) in mere minutes, too. The bronzer is so good that I’m already panic-stricken for the day that it may no longer exist. So you better believe that I'm seriously considering stockpiling extras... even though it was just released a month ago. Because if a perfect bronzer only comes around every 10 years or so, then it’s never too soon for me to create an emergency stash.
Make Beauty Bronzing Brick, $30, available at Make Beauty.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Modern Money Mattersis Refinery29 and Chase 's exploration of what the modern American family really looks like — from starting a family to moving — and what it actually costs to make it all happen. In 40% of American households, women are the primary breadwinners; of those, 63% are single moms. To find out more about how women are taking control of their financial power, click here.
Single motherhood is a crash course in fierce independence, dedication, problem-solving, and compromise. It's also a reality for more and more women today. In 2017, over 8 million U.S. families were headed by single moms, compared to less than 3 million in 1970.
But what does the day-to-day really look like for these women? In short: It's different for everyone — and there's no right way to go about it. From budgeting to asking for help, every single mom finds a different method that works best for her and her kids.
To get a closer look at what single motherhood is really like, we spoke with three single moms about their unique and empowering experiences raising kids on their own.
There’s no cookie-cutter budget for being a single mom. “My shopping has adjusted: I've always shopped at thrift stores, but I now rarely buy items for full price. I shop at discount food stores, create (and stick to) shopping lists, and skip the 'unnecessary' items. I've also learned to be frank with friends when I'm invited out. If I can't afford it, I say so.” — Cassandra S., Seattle-based mom of one
Illustrated by Assa Ariyoshi.
“I can justify almost any expense if the kids are involved — going out to eat, going to the movies — but I haven’t been great at spending on just myself when money has been tight. Even though I know self-care is so important, every dollar I’m taking away from us as a family or from them carries an emotional weight that I’ve had to work through.” —Rachel B., D.C.-based mom of two
“I treat my time as an expense. Yes, I could save more money if I clipped coupons and shopped multiple stores, finding the best price per diaper, but my time is worth more than a couple dollars in savings per week. As such, Amazon Prime and my local grocery store drive-through are my time/budget saviors. I shop online and pick up purchases or have them delivered — it helps me avoid the end-of-aisle grabs.” —Kate M., Maine-based mom of two
I treat my time as an expense.
Tough decisions are inevitable. “I might have made some decisions differently [if I’d had a partner with a second source of income or child support]. I would have kept the kids in daycare longer rather than moving them to public preschool at age 3 to save money. I also probably wouldn't have sent them to the least-expensive summer camp I could find, which is provided by the city and has been really hit or miss in quality...but it was all I could afford.” —Rachel B.
“My ex and I were both very social — I was active in my local chamber, volunteering for causes and attending events regularly. Post-separation, I still want to do those things, but without a partner, I don't have the flexibility to do it all. I've had to adjust my commitments to align with my son's schedule.” — Cassandra S.
Illustrated by Assa Ariyoshi.
Being social doesn't have to go out the window. “If we can't do something one night, we still want to be invited the next time, because it’s the thing that gets us through six months of not being able to. If you're friends with a single mom, you are a chosen one — we're fierce friends because we don't have the time to waste on anyone who isn't amazing. And we need you to help us keep doing what we're doing.” — Kate M.
Asking for help (or not "doing it all") isn’t a sign of weakness. “Our social family is what gets us through. It’s who we turn to for an ear, for advice, for an escape. We're so conditioned to take everything on ourselves, but when people offer help, take them up on it. You'll be surprised who steps up and how much people are willing to help.” — Kate M.
“Having a network of other mothers, in particular other single mothers — they just get it in a way that other people don't. With other single moms, it’s like, ‘You need me to watch your kids tonight? Yes, of course.’ We’re master jugglers. Throw one more kid on the pile.” —Rachel B.
“I absolutely appreciate when people say things like, ‘It’s so amazing how you get the kids out and do all of these things on the weekends.’ But to me that’s not remarkable. What else am I supposed to do? This is the reality. The flip side to that? I get tired of doing all of the things. Even giving myself that kind of space to say, ‘I am not going to do this thing. I am not going to fold these clothes today, 'cause I don’t want to.’ That’s not an easy thing for me to do.” — Rachel B.
Illustrated by Assa Ariyoshi.
Being a single mom is an incredibly empowering experience. “No matter what else I accomplish in my life, the most important thing I will have done will be raising two boys that see every single day what women do on their own. My kids don't know what a single mom is. They don't know the difference between me and their friend's mom who has a husband who is there every day. And what [my sons] will offer their future partners, regardless of gender, is going to be more than shoveling the driveway or taking out the trash. That is empowering.” —Kate M.
“I surprise myself with what I'm capable of. Fixing things, moving large furniture, or taking on big projects are opportunities to tackle something new and learn. It's incredibly empowering to gain confidence in my capabilities.” —Cassandra S.
The choices I have to make as a single mom are bold and scary and empowering.
“The choices I have to make as a single mom are bold and scary and empowering. [Before becoming a single mom,] I probably never would have gotten my degrees [or] applied for a job that was over 100 miles away from where we were living. I wouldn't have applied for a promotion last year. I wouldn't have stretched for more. But my family needs more, so I stretch more. ” —Kate M.
These interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Besides the obvious perks to the season — half-days every Friday, music festivals, rosé — summer is arguably so great because, for the first time in months, you're not hiding your fingers in gloves or your toes in socks. And that means you finally get to play with all the polishes you've been eyeing at the drugstore.
With so many options, though, how do you narrow them down? We tapped industry pros to help, because after all, there are only a limited number of sandal-appropriate months. According to Jan Arnold, CND style director, and Madeline Poole, Sally Hansen Global Color Ambassador, it's business as usual with bright, bold hues and creamy neutrals, but keep a closer eye on some unlikely metallics and vibrant greens.
Ahead, the trendiest nail polish colors to try this summer.
Sandy Neutrals
Where you can add a metallic detail, do it, says Arnold. This amber polish will give you that shimmer without overwhelming the senses.
Save the pile-on of glitter for the holidays. Instead, paint on one coat (seriously, that's all you need with this one) of bronze polish for a mani that's neutral, yet not at all boring.
Arnold says that a sandy hue will break anyone out of their French-manicure rut. Trade the white tips for something creamy and rich that's sure to enhance that Rihanna glow.
This falls right under Arnold's go-to category of "electric salmon."
If these colors are a bit too bold for you, try using one as an accent nail or playing with different nail-art trends, suggests Poole.
CND Vinylux in Gypsy, $10.50, available in Target stores.
Unlikely Greens
There's something oddly appealing about a vibrant chartreuse — and Poole forecasts that this will be the color to watch this season: "I would have never expected for such an unusual shade to have so much popularity, but I think we are bound to see lots of slimy, electric greens this summer," she says.
Jin Soon's Flagpole collection is meant to transport you straight to the Caribbean. But just in case you can't actually get on the next flight there, consider painting your toes in this navy shade instead.
Wedding season is officially here, and this time around, it's your BFF's special day. As a dedicated best friend, you no doubt have a to-do list that's growing by the minute. Let us help you plan things out with these simple steps you can take leading up to the big day — from getting your glow on with Jergens® Natural Glow® Wet Skin Moisturizer to finding the perfect dress. Just like that, consider yourself 100% wedding-season ready. Check and check.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
We always thought of professional-grade makeup brushes as something we would acquire as full-on adults, like fine china or an investment portfolio. After all, what would be the point of splurging on a set of finely-crafted tools that would last forever when we hadn’t yet developed the wherewithal to take care — or even keep track — of such things? And yet, years after college graduation, we’re still using whatever random brushes remain from sets we don't even remember buying. (And for the record, we still haven't purchased a full set of dishes, either.)
But in a rare case of procrastination paying off, it seems we may have dodged a budget-denting bullet: According to nine professional makeup artists who work with celebrities like Jenna Dewan and Lily Collins, there are plenty of quality brushes to be had for just a few bucks a wand. Some are made with craftsmanship and design in mind (think wooden handles, rose-gold accents, and mermaid motifs). Others are bundled with zippered cases, travel rolls, and organizational trays. Every single one of them is a steal.
See which bargain brands can be found in the kits of Hollywood makeup artists, and prepare to mark "buy a fancy set of makeup brushes" as a done deal in your grown-ass goals list. With the money you save, tackling that whole investment-portfolio issue might just be next.
Looking for a no-fuss, no-brainer brush set to cover all your bases? Makeup artist Mai Quynh, who works with Alison Brie and Katherine Langford, suggests bargain bundles from this brand. "The brushes are very soft, and [this set] has all the basics to do a complete face," Quynh says.
Makeup artist Allan Avendano, whose clients include Jenna Dewan and Camila Cabello, says he was initially surprised by how well the brushes from this wallet-friendly brand performed. "The synthetic brushes from NYX are super affordable and have lasted as long as some of my expensive brushes (as long as they’re taken care of and are cleaned regularly)," he says.
"It took me a long time to get on board with the new breed of synthetic brushes — I was a diehard traditional brush girl,” admits makeup artist Fiona Stiles, who counts Gabrielle Union and Lily Collins as clients. "But these dense synthetic brushes really do work in a unique way with makeup, especially liquid or cream products. I have dozens of the Sephora brushes in my kit and I constantly reach for them. The quality is unreal." The brand’s Ready to Roll Brush Set makes a solid starter set at a value, but we can’t get over how cute the multi-colored synthetic bristles are in this mermaid-inspired set.
"Morphe Cosmetics has a huge selection of low-cost brushes to choose from in both synthetic and animal hair. My favorites for eyeshadows are the M433 (pointed liner), M510 (pro round blender), and the M167 (oval shadow) brushes,” says Michael Ashton, a makeup artist who works with Adele and Keira Knightley. “They deliver great color payoff when creating any eye look, and the brush shapes allow me to apply product exactly where I need it to be."
"Sigma has such a great range of options when it comes to brushes, and I’ve had a few of my favorites in my kit for years. The bristles are great quality and super soft,” says Katelin Gan, who works with Noah Cyrus and Sophia Bush. “The brushes hold up so beautifully — plus, they look super chic."
These brushes are makeup artist Robert Sesnek ’s affordable pick because they feature soft, densely-packed natural-synthetic blend bristles that are easy to clean and work well with cream, liquid and powder makeup. “There's little to no shedding of the bristles and you get all four brushes for under $20,” he says of this set.
Makeup artist Emily Cheng also gives the brand a nod, saying, "I've had some of their brushes for years and they've held up great."
Ashton also considers Real Techniques a wallet-friendly go-to brand, particularly for applying foundation and cream-based blushes and highlighters.
A high-quality brush can last more than 10 years and stand up to frequent washes, makeup artist Lisa Aharon points out. When working on clients that include Rachel Brosnahan, she likes options from this brand, which she says offers a good selection of brushes with both synthetic- and natural-hair bristles. "The quality is high, but still affordable," she says. What’s more, double-ended wands help make the most of precious makeup-bag real estate.
This low-cost, high-design brand gets major points from Haron. “The blush and large shadow brushes are great for applying cream-based makeup,” she says.
For many who came of age in the late ‘90s and early aughts, a boxy, black Kate Spade bag is the first designer item they can remember really wanting. Before the Tiffany necklace, before the Seven For All Mankind jeans, there was that bag — simple and classic, yet somehow also deeply of its moment in time. It first hit shelves in 1993, when Spade was a young, ex-Conde Nast staffer beginning her design career, and it quickly put her on the map. In an era long before the constant digital bombardment of images of designer-decked Instagram influencers and celebrities, it still felt like it was everywhere.
And while not every girl was lucky enough to score one for Christmas, her Bat Mitzvah, or via relentless parental pleading, the bag established Spade’s brand in the minds of women, of all ages, as something to strive for. “I was 13 and every girl in my middle school had a Kate Spade wallet,” remembers Natia Sanchez, who spoke to Refinery29 via email. “I wanted one as well, but my mom would not buy one for me. So that summer I got my first job and I saved every penny I could to buy a black Cameron wallet. It was one of my first big purchases ever and I cherished it like a child.”
And it wasn’t just about the bags, or even how they encouraged many of us to save our money for special things. Beyond the brilliance of her designs, Spade herself — who died today at age 55 — looms large as what one Refinery editor called a pre-Sheryl Sandberg “Lean In icon.” Not only did she successfully craft the kind of eponymous brand and empire we grew up daydreaming about, she did it simply by pursuing her own unique image of what clothes, accessories, and home goods could look like, if only we’d all stop envisioning them so seriously. She mixed business with pleasure in a way that told the rest of us we could do the same.
For women who were a little bit older, carrying a Kate Spade bag in its heyday was both a status symbol and oftentimes an entryway into the world of designer fashion. The bags cost a couple hundred dollars, which was a fortune to a suburban 12-year-old, and something a thriving career girl in a big city could save up for. Unlike other iconic handbag designers with their precious, four-figure investment pieces, Spade set out to make something that fit naturally within the lives and budgets of women, not the other way around.
“I actually worked in a boutique on Long Island that carried her original nylon bags in the late ‘90s,” recalls Kerry, who spoke to Refinery29 via email and asked that we only use her first name. “We could not keep the bags in the store. They were so functional and practical. She was incredibly kind and genuine and the bags were practical and useful. My first was one of the nylon black messenger bags. My mom still uses hers and it is in pristine condition!”
It’s rare that an item speaks equally to a pre-teen, her 20-something cousin, her 40-something mother, and maybe even her 60-something grandmother, but that’s exactly what those early Kate Spade bags did. They transcended generations, and 25 years later, they still feel chic and easy, as evidenced by the slightly updated version released this year in celebration of the anniversary.
Though the bag she first became known for may have been relatively minimalist, Spade’s signature aesthetic, as any fan of the brand knows, evolved to be anything but. The company she built over the course of three decades, which grew to include homegoods and children’s wear in addition to ready-to-wear and accessories, embraced an irreverent, unapologetically feminine worldview that resonated deeply with women who were, perhaps, not entirely ready to adopt the staid wardrobe theoretically required of ambitious people.
“I often stand out in many spaces already as a woman of color, but Kate Spade encouraged me to confidently walk into any room, whether it's a boardroom or a coffee shop, wearing the brightest clothing or accessories I own,” Chanele McFarlane tells Refinery29 via email.
And, thankfully, while that boxy black nylon bag, with its tiny white tag bearing Spade’s name, may have felt woefully out of reach for those of us counting on allowance dollars and change scrounged from the couch cushions to fulfill our fashion fantasies, by the time many millennials were a year or two out of college, Kate Spade finally felt like more of an accessible luxury. Kate Spade first expanded into the home in 2003; by the 2010s, it was a full-fledged lifestyle brand. There was a Kate for every occasion, and many of those occasions were the kind of memorable firsts that stick with you throughout a lifetime. Going to work at your first corporate job and want to look appropriate without sacrificing your personal style? Kate Spade. Moving into your first apartment and prefer to own an oven mitt with some pizzazz? Kate Spade. Attending your first bridal shower and have no idea what to bring as a gift? Kate Spade. Looking for wedding shoes that feel special and luxe, but won’t inhibit your right to break it down on the dance floor? Kate Spade, of course.
“Kate Spade was the first high-end handbag I purchased, It was a gift to myself for my new job in the corporate world,” says Madelyn Cervantes, who spoke to Refinery29 via social media. “I always admired the bags, my fiance and brother always knew I never wanted anything else [for] the holidays or birthdays.”
Many of her pieces, like pointed-toe flats made to look like taxi cabs or a bag with the feathered face of a wise owl on it, knowingly played on the ambitious, working girl trope the brand knew rang true to so many of their customers.
“She built a business on making it okay for women to not wear all black and still be taken seriously,” Nina Russell (who, in the interest of full disclosure, has been my friend since Spade’s black nylon era) tells Refinery29. “And come on, who can’t get inspired by a woman who can sell a bag that looks like a giant mushroom for $450?”
Indeed, when the brand was acquired by Liz Claiborne for $124 million in 2006, its boldness even had an influence on its parent company, whose primary label had fallen out of favor with fashion-conscious shoppers. In 2012, the conglomerate, which also owned Juicy Couture and several other companies, changed its name to Fifth & Pacific; in 2014, it sold everything else off and changed its name to Kate Spade & Company, after its most profitable asset. In 2006, the same year it was purchased by Claiborne, the Wall Street Journal reported that Kate Spade was raking in $99 million in annual revenue. In 2015, it was $1.1 billion. In 2017, Coach acquired the company for a whopping $2.4 billion. Which is all to say that Kate Spade wasn’t just a cutesy accessories brand. Far from it, in fact. It was a major fashion empire, and while Spade herself hadn’t been directly involved since 2006, when she left to focus on raising her daughter, it was her singular vision — part chic, part refined, and part whimsical — that made it so.
Strangely, Spade didn’t do a lot of media interviews in her life, certainly not as many as you’d imagine for such an admired household name. In 2016, she told The Cut of her career success: “When I started at Condé Nast as an assistant, you worked your way up. That may not have been so fun, but it absolutely gave me the most amazing sense of resilience and resolution — hearing people say, Don’t come back to me with a no. You have to make this happen. You either want to be in fashion or you don’t. You’ll either make it or you won’t.”
While her clothes, with their kooky accents and classic, 1950s-inspired silhouettes, might not have been as well-embraced by the fashion set as rivals like Michael Kors or Tory Burch, Kate Spade definitely always made it work. But most importantly, she inspired her customers to “live colorfully,” as the company’s tagline goes, and to strive for their goals, be they running a Kate Spade-esque fashion conglomerate or just owning one of her bags.
When the shocking news of Spade’s passing broke this morning, there was an audible gasp across the Refinery office. I passed women in the lobby of our building, huddled together talking in hushed voices about the tragedy. And in search of women whose lives had been particularly touched by Spade’s successes as a businesswoman and designer, I sent out a tweet. My inbox is now filled with responses. Clearly, among her fans, Spade’s legacy is so much more than the sum of its parts. What remains to be seen is how its honored.
"I wish she had the acclaim of Tommy or Ralph,” Sheila O’Donnell, herself a fashion designer who once worked for Liz Claiborne, told Refinery29 by email. "I never knew her, but felt she was a friend."
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
When you're a celebrity — more specifically, a pop superstar — you will not only be monitored for billboard-scaling hits or ticket sales, but also the kind of diva behavior you do or do not exhibit. This is especially true for Mariah Carey, who, over the course of her three decades in the spotlight, has been charged with everything from requesting a bedazzled sling for a dislocated shoulder to bathing in French mineral water.
Most of these sensational rumors are just that: rumors. (Well, except the flashy sling — that was the real deal.) But the bathing ritual? Totally untrue, as Carey recently confirmed to Guardian writer Simon Hattenstone. No, Mimi doesn't bathe in French mineral water; she bathes in cold milk.
Yes, like Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld (who bathes in a milky French micellar water) and Cleopatra (it's said that the Egyptian queen enjoyed the glow-enhancing benefits of the lactic acid), the chart-topping singer prefers soaking in milk, not water, for reasons unspecified. Hattenstone didn't press Carey on the topic any further, but we can't be the only ones who feel robbed by this teaser of an answer. Like other high-maintenance celebrity secrets, there's still so much more to this story that needs to be told, like what kind of milk Carey prefers (almond vs. oat vs. cow's)... and why would anyone choose to take a cold bath of any kind?
Although we doubt anyone will ever get to the bottom of this (at the risk of Carey hunting them down), it's hard not to find this diva-behavior reveal almost more glorious than Ariana Grande being carried around like a baby. Almost.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
When I tell you I'm low maintenance about my hair, I'm not referring to the "model-off-duty" kind of low maintenance that includes ombré from Cutler and a cocktail of air-drying sprays. For me, my hair is really the last thing I think about. I get it cut twice a year by a student at a local beauty school for $20, pick up whatever cheap drugstore shampoo smells the best, and rarely touch hot tools unless the occasion calls for it.
I blame my hippie mother for this; she refused to take me for a cut for most of my life because of how much she loved my long, thick hair. When I was a kid, my hair flowed past my waist and strangers would often stop to admire it; some even asked to take pictures with it. But by the time I was 12, I was fully over the weight of my constantly tangled 16-inch ponytail. I used my babysitting money to chop it all off, and never looked back.
I soon realized that having shorter hair came with an entirely different set of issues. When it was long, the weight of my hair stretched my curls into easy waves. But when it was shorter, my strands took on a life of their own. Instead of learning how to enhance them with products or styling methods, I just pulled it half back — out of sight, out of mind.
Since then, I haven't given my hair much thought — that is, until Rossano Ferretti emailed me with an offer to try his famous "Method" haircut for free. The celebrity hairstylist, who reportedly counts Kate Middleton as a former client and rarely takes private appointments, has salons all over the world that specialize in his technique, which employs a custom set of scissors that texturize and remove extra weight from the hair. The catch? The service, also referred to as an "invisible cut," starts at $250 and has even been rumored to run up to $1,500 (if Ferretti is doing it) — a subject he doesn't like to talk about. "My method haircut is to respect the hair and how it falls," he says, explaining that this makes the cut more bespoke and ultimately, "priceless."
Dollar amount aside, the Method cut did sound appealing to me — especially because it's meant to highlight your natural texture with little-to-no styling required. So, I decided to go for it. I showed up at Ferretti's salon, sat down for a consultation, and was quickly under the sink getting a scalp massage. He let my hair air dry slightly before starting on the cut, utilizing his patented scissors and adjusting the cut for both side parts. "When I cut hair, I always follow your hair in its movement," he explains. "It's very important to do both parts so you can decide in the morning where you want to part your hair." The final step: A blowout, some hair oil, and a whole new me.
Except, I didn't really feel like a whole new me. Truthfully, I barely noticed a difference — which is probably what I should have expected from an "invisible cut." When I got home, my husband shot me one glance and said, “It looks the same.” And it’s true: My hair looked pretty much untouched, just slightly shorter and more polished from the blowout.
The days after, however, I found myself doing something unusual: I began wearing my hair down without straightening it or pulling it into a half updo. Turns out, the unmanageable frizz I suffered from in the past stemmed from bad haircuts that thinned out and stripped my hair instead of texturizing it. Now, in the days following my cut, my loose curls rested effortlessly on my shoulders, with fewer flyaways and smoother texture. I stopped dreading doing my hair every morning, and instead took my time and enjoyed it.
In fact, I’m starting to like my new cut so much that I actually care about my hair now. I get excited about trying different curl creams and leave-in conditioners, and find myself saving new style ideas on Instagram. For me, the biggest breakthrough Ferretti gave me was learning to appreciate my hair for what it is, rather than trying to force it to be something else. His cut might have been "invisible," but the shift in my attitude was clear. And maybe that is a little priceless.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Update: According to NewBeauty, Montreal-based cosmetic artist Gabrielle Rainbow has reported seeing a sudden spike in client requests for the trendy semi-permanent tattoo treatment. A year after the fake-freckle movement became a thing, Rainbow has a hunch it's Meghan Markle's influence that's "boosted customers’ interest in the whole idea of freckles."
For the record, Markle's freckles are real; in fact, she's adamant about them being on display all the time, whether it be for a photo shoot or her royal wedding. But if you're not willing to undergo a tattooing procedure to mimic Markle's natural glow, there are more temporary options; brands like Freck offer freckle-specific pigment that lasts until you're ready to remove it. Just dipping a toe in the world of fake freckles? There are plenty of good old-fashioned makeup tricks to get you by with an eyeliner or brow pen until you fully convert to the speckled side.
This story was originally published on February 18, 2017.
You've probably heard about micro-blading, the semi-permanent tattoo technique that creates the look of eyebrows for those of us who suffered through the over-plucked early aughts or were just born with thin brows. Now there's a new semi-permanent cosmetic tattoo option available, for those who dream of a splash of freckles across their face. Yes, fake freckle tattoos exist — and everyone seems to want them now.
Montreal cosmetic tattoo artist Gabrielle Rainbow seems to be a trendsetter here, after watching her friend draw freckles on her face almost daily. “Before tattooing her," Rainbow told NewBeauty, "I experimented on myself—I really don't recommend tattooing your own face—but once I saw that it worked out, and I liked the effect, I decided to do hers.”
Rainbow tells NewBeauty, she is now doing them on a "wide range" of clients. "I'd say for freckles, it's clients who naturally will get some in the summertime with sun exposure, but want them year-long.”
Like microblading, the cosmetic tattoo is semi-permanent, and depending on the client (everyone is a little different), can last up to three years. Rainbow charges about $250 for her work, but she seems to be one of the few artists doing this right now.
Although we'd all like to think we have our lives totally figured out, the truth is, plenty of us struggle to find the right balance between work and everything else. At the end of most days, we're desperate to unwind and spend some quality time alone. And while curling up on the couch and binging a true-crime docuseries is certainly one way to relax, there are plenty of stress relievers you probably haven't thought of that'll do even more work for you.
In partnership with Hӓagen-Dazs®, we're bringing you eight fresh ways to leave your worries at your apartment doorstep. From lying down with weighted eye pillows to trying self-massage techniques, these unexpected activities will help put you at ease ASAP. So put down the TV remote and click through for inspiration to feel your most Zen. Who knows, maybe the secret to a well-balanced life is easier than you think.
Instead of dwelling on what's stressing you out, take the opposite approach: Open up a fresh notebook (we like 52 Lists For Happiness), and make a list of the good things in life. Maybe it’s a lineup of your best accomplishments or a collection of your favorite books. No matter how you choose to find your happy, let it all out on paper. And don’t forget to dress up your list with a few personalized doodles or fancy hand-lettering.
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Lie down with a weighted blanket or eye pillow.
It may sound contradictory to apply pressure to relieve pressure, but if you have anxiety or insomnia (or just need to find your calm), a weighted blanket or weighted eye pillow might just do the trick. While you’ll reap the most benefits from extended use, we suggest trying one out during a post-work nap or while you're listening to relaxing music in bed. The heavy weight is said to reduce anxiety, aid insomnia through decreased mobility, and increase feelings of calmness. In other words, it’s like a giant, cozy hug.
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Treat yourself to some ice cream — straight out of the tub.
There's something instantly calming about resorting to childhood habits. And that's exactly how we feel about grabbing a pint of Hӓagen-Dazs® ice cream from the freezer, sticking a spoon in it, and kicking back for a treat after a long day. With countless flavors, it's hard to choose one, but some of our favorites include Midnight Cookies & Cream (for an updated take on an old classic), TRIO Vanilla Caramel White Chocolate (for triple the flavor), and Raspberry Sorbet (for a refreshing zing of fruit).
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Guide your body through progressive muscle relaxation.
There are tons of guided relaxation techniques that can calm your heart rate and provide instantaneous results. Out of the many, progressive muscle relaxation is by far our favorite. The method involves tensing up isolated muscle groups — like your toes, thighs, or face — for five to 10 seconds and then releasing for 30 seconds. As you move from one muscle group to the next, you’ll find yourself thinking less about annoying office drama and more about steadying your breath and actively letting go.
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Watch a playlist of "oddly satisfying" videos.
You've probably scrolled past one of these videos on your way to stalk an old friend on Instagram. Sometimes, it’s a pair of hands pressing into slime. Other times, it’s a knife repetitively slicing into a block of kinetic sand. There's no denying these videos are “oddly satisfying.” But it's more nuanced than you might think. These videos are linked to mood management theory, which refers to the effects certain genres of media can have on your mood. In this case, they give us an instant sense of tranquility — and it's easy to watch them for hours.
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Wash your dishes the old-fashioned way.
Most days, it’s easy enough to stick our dirty dishes in the dishwasher and let it do all the hard work for us. But hear us out for a second: Washing your dishes by hand might actually be the key to unwinding after a rough day. According to a study conducted in 2015, mindful dishwashing may decrease nervousness and increases mental stimulation. The idea is that, as you focus on the mundane, methodical movements of washing your kitchenware, your problems will begin to float away. As an added bonus, your kitchen will be clean!
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Do a de-stressing self-massage.
Don't have the money for a proper spa day? We feel you. Luckily, everyday knots can be relieved through various self-massage methods. For example, if you slouch at your desk all day and have tension in your shoulders as a result, find the pressure point where the shoulder and neck meet and firmly press down for 10 seconds with your fingers. You should feel relief in no time.
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Put on headphones and listen to nature sounds.
In 2018, there's no need to equate "white noise" sounds with the ones that came pre-loaded on our old digital alarm clocks. There are countless, wildly specific sounds you can listen to — from an air conditioner to rain falling on a dock — and it's not uncommon to zone out with three-hour-long meditative playlists. Our favorites? Nature sounds. Studies suggest that listening to these sounds — be it a rainstorm, crickets, or chirping birds — directs attention away from inward thoughts and toward the outward sounds. So grab your headphones, put on a playlist, and throw on that weighted blanket while you’re at it.
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
