Michelle Obama isn't the only one who has liberated her sense of style, post-White House. While the former First Lady is sweeping all over the nation on her Becoming book tour, wearing Pyer Moss, Balenciaga, Cushnie, and Givenchy, her husband will not be outdone.
On Wednesday, Barack Obama attended the UNC-Duke game in Durham, North Carolina in all black everything. Unsurprisingly, he caused a frenzy while he took in the game. And we understand why. The former POTUS is looking good. Like, really good. He wore black slacks with black pants, but it was the final layer that cemented his stellar #OOTD. Now, thanks to Barney's New York's Instagram, we have all the details.
Obama took in the game wearing a custom Rag & Bone 'Manston Insulated' bomber jacket. It retails for $595, and according to Barney's product description, is crafted from black tech taffeta. Barack's jacket was personalized, with "44" stitched into the left sleeve. We can't customize our jackets the same way, but we can snag the item while it's still available online.
Photo: Gerry Broome/AP/REX/Shutterstock.
“The ‘44’ on the sleeve just felt like a subtle touch,” Marcus Wainwright, founder and chief brand officer at Rag & Bone, tells GQ. “Not many people could have pulled it off that way. He's got style.” Apparently, Wainwright and his team made the jacket for Obama toward the end of his second term. The designer wasn't sure if the president would ever wear it.
“I hadn’t forgotten about it, but I wasn’t necessarily waiting [for it to appear],” Wainwright continued. “I wasn’t expecting him to wear it in public. I thought maybe he's wearing it on the weekends or at home. I was hoping that he was wearing it.”
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Like a black t-shirt, sweater or pair of jeans, a black bikini is essential to any well-rounded wardrobe. Whether you’re a West Coast native who spends hours on the beach or just someone who plans to jet off on a weekend getaway this spring, without a black bikini in tow, your swimsuit collection is hardly complete. Now, we love a trendy one-piece or animal print set as much as anyone, but when it comes to the basics, nothing competes with a black bikini.
Of course, selecting that one perfect go-to isn’t always as clear as black and white black. So, to help get you started, we rounded up 15 black bikini sets that are sure to steer your swimsuit collection in the right direction. From bandeaus to bra tops, high-waisted bottoms to barely-there string styles, there’s a black bikini in the mix ahead that's sure to be a mainstay in your warm-weather wardrobe for many years to come.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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Remember Mya? Moodring Mya? 'Fallen, head over heels I've fallen', Mya? 'Take me there I wanna go there', Mya? 1/4 of the amazing women who remixed Lady Marmalade back in 2001. Yes, that Mya. Well she's back. After taking a break to realign and give back to her immediate community, Mya sits down with r29unbothered to talk putting her mental wellbeing first. Press play to find out more about her self-preservation journey.
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Whole Foods should be renamed Whole Life at this point. It’s dangerously easy to get lost in the aisles of the health emporium and spend our whole paycheck hunting for groceries, making overpriced salads, and stalking new beauty products. Yes, our love for the retailer runs deep, and it's about to get deeper.
We got a preview of the new beauty offerings hitting shelves this spring — like mushroom-based highlighter sticks, USDA-certified organic sheet masks, and detoxifying scalp scrubs — and our carts runneth over. Keep clicking to see the newness you should be adding to your grocery list before you hit up Whole Foods this weekend.
These highlighter sticks are formulated with adaptogens, organic oils, and botanical extracts to deliver a glow that's actually good for you.
Cocokind Collective Highlighters, $12.00, available at Whole Foods.
This blend of ginger, rose hip, and pumpkin seed oils makes taking off makeup less of a chore — and more of a zen experience.
Mad Hippie Cleansing Oil, $17.99, available at Whole Foods.
Leave your scalp baggage — like grease, product buildup, and zits — in 2018. Use an exfoliating scalp scrub like this one, which has charcoal to purge your skin off all that junk.
Not Your Mother's Restore & Reclaim Scalp Scrub, $8.99, available at Whole Foods.
This 2-in-1 stick is part cleanser and part scrub and will sop up dirt from your pores without all the extra steps.
Yes To Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Snapmask Stick, $15.99, available at Whole Foods.
Shower-friendly recycled packaging and plant-based ingredients make this conditioner good for your hair and 60% better for the environment.
Seed Phytonutrients Lightweight Conditioner, $24.00, available at Whole Foods.
The sheet mask section got three new USDA-certified options from BioRepublic this month. You can pick up its exfoliating, calming, and brightening masks when your at-home spa day rolls around.
BioRepublic Skincare Soothing Sheet Mask, $4.99, available at Whole Foods.
If you left aluminum deodorant in the past, pick up this formula next time you're in the beauty aisle. It's coconut-based and free of all the bad stuff (like parabens and dyes) that make your armpits feel gross.
Own Beauty Coconut Mango Deodorant, $7.50, available at Whole Foods.
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Khloe Kardashian is going through a tough time, if the quotes she shared on her Instagram Stories are any indication. And that’s understandable. Discovering that a partner has cheated on you is always difficult experience to go through — especially if your partner cheated with someone close to you.
When the infidelity is a shock — as it appears to be for Kardashian — your brain immediately goes into “a state of primal panic” or “survival mode,”says Amy Chan, founder of Renew Breakup Bootcamp. “Even though it’s infidelity, it’s not a tiger coming to kill you, your body is still processing it as danger and rejection,” she explains. “Not only are you feeling mental pain, you’re also feeling physical pain, because the same part of your brain is activated."
And yes, the pain will be worse if your partner cheated with someone close to you. If the rumors are true, Kardashian is dealing with betrayal not only from Thompson, but also from Woods, who has been Kylie Jenner’s best friend since middle school and is close to the entire Kardashian-Jenner family. “You’re dealing with betrayal now with two swords. One is the jab from your partner, and one is the jab of someone that you trust,” Chan says. “There’s going to be a double whammy of healing that needs to be done."
People who struggle with self-worth, the fear of abandonment, or have an anxious attachment style — meaning they tie a lot of their identity to their relationship — may also experience a greater hit to their self-esteem after being cheated on. “Not only are they mourning their relationship and the betrayal, they’re also enduring the pain of believing that ... they’re not good enough or [the belief that] they’re going to be abandoned is confirmed,” Chan explains.
One of the hardest things about experiencing infidelity, Chan says, is that the person you would usually go to for comfort is now the person who is causing you pain. She compares the desire for dopamine and oxytocin — the ”feel-good” and bonding chemicals that are released when you’re with your partner — to an addiction. As a result, Chan recommends a period of no contact. “If Khloe was a client of mine, I would tell her to at least commit to 30 days of complete no contact and really cut off everything,” she says. “Get rid of any reminders, stop looking at text messages, block their phone number so you’re not wondering, Are they texting me or are they not texting me?”
During this period of no-contact, it’s important to replace these harmful behaviors with self-care activities. “Instead of checking his social media, you go, Okay, right now my brain is craving a feel-good chemical, how can I get this another way? I know, I can connect with my girlfriend and go for a walk, or I can write down three things I’m grateful for," Chan says. “There’s all these things you can do for self-care to get your dopamine in a healthier way.”
If you’re not able to go completely no-contact, Chan recommends keeping communication brief. “I would limit the contact to only the things you need to do together in terms of co-existing for the children, or whatever logistical things that need to be done,” she says. “But what you don’t want to do is continuously go to that person as a source of comfort or a source of drama."
After some time has passed and you're moving out of "survival mode," Chan recommends a period of reflection in which you consider both your dating history and how you will approach your next relationship. Chan says she suggests her clients look back their relationships “with an investigator hat rather than a victim hat,” and in doing so, ask, “Why did I choose this person? Why did I stay in the relationship? Why did I lose my power? Why did I over-give?" Often, Chan says , ending the relationship is the catalyst you need to make other changes in your life.
But is breaking up the only healthy way forward? Chan says no, but if you do decide to stay together — or break up and then get back together, as Kardashian and Thompson did the last time cheating rumors swirled — the relationship needs to change drastically. Moving forward in a healthy way is possible only “if the two people are on the same page of wanting to invest the commitment to work it out,” Chan says. “Infidelity is not the end all of the relationship. It could be the opportunity for chapter 2 of the relationship.”
That said, sometimes breaking up really is the best response, and if Kardashian does decide to end the relationship, the Bachelorette is waiting.
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With so many killer actresses dominating the Oscars ballot every year, we always anticipate some big beauty moments. After all, it's the awards show that closes out the season — might as well go out with a memorable bang, even if it's without a golden statue. Usually the red carpet is clustered with newcomers, but this year's nomination lists include industry veterans who've done this kind of thing before. Which got us thinking: What did these stars do with their beauty look the first time they arrived for the biggest night in film?
We’ve dug up old photos of all the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress nominees on their first Oscars red carpet — and, no surprise, they all looked amazing back then, too. Although there are few famous faces missing (somehow nominees Olivia Colman and Marina de Tavira have never been on this red carpet before...), the upcoming looks are still worth the pang of nostalgia. Click ahead to take a trip back in time with the A-list crowd.
Lady Gaga
Though Gaga wouldn't be nominated for an Academy Award until two years later, the singer attended her first Oscars red carpet in 2014. Her look was more timid than the makeup we were used to seeing the Artpop singer rock, but we'll never forget the pink glitter shadow she wore to match her Atelier Versace couture gown.
Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage.
Melissa McCarthy
McCarthy's first major movie role was in the comedy hit Bridesmaids, which earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination in 2012. She may have suffered from food poisoning on the big screen, but by the time she arrived on the red carpet, McCarthy looked like a superstar — romantic updo and all.
Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage.
Amy Adams
The monochromatic makeup trend was already alive and well when Adams attended her first Academy Awards in 2006 after being nominated for her role in Junebug.
Photo: Chris Polk/FilmMagic.
Emma Stone
Stone didn't actually attend the awards ceremony her first year at the Oscars in 2011, but she did make an appearance at the Vanity Fair after-party with blonde hair, blunt bangs, and lots of eyeliner.
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images.
Regina King
King's role as Sharon Rivers in If Beale Street Could Talk landed the actress first Oscar nomination this year, but she made an appearance on the red carpet in 2005 looking regal in a polished updo and glowing skin.
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage
Glenn Close
Close has been nominated seven times for an Academy Award, including when she was recognized for her role as a supporting actress in The Natural. We're used to the star's icy blonde hair these days, but back in '84, she was a brunette with a perm.
Photo: Ron Galella/WireImage.
Rachel Weisz
Weisz, who's nominated this year for her role in The Favourite, first attended the Oscars over a decade ago, in 2006. 13 years later and Weisz hasn't changed a bit — subtly-defined eyeshadow and pink gloss is still her go-to.
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.
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Friends, we are here to stage a gym bag intervention. Please, just put down that flimsy freebie tote that was foisted on you at that work conference five years ago, or the cool thrift-store find with unique, Memphis-y design but non-working zipper (use that cutie for picnics instead!). These literal sad sacks have no place acting as the trusty workout & commuter bag your lifestyle deserves.
In our era of competitive wellness and uniform-like devotion to activewear, there are gym bags on the market for every lifestyle, schedule, and taste. And they don’t have to break the bank, either. We know you’re doing your best to keep your New Year’s resolution of working out more, and trust us, having an attractive, functional bag will make this easier. (Remember how motivated you felt about school after buying a new backpack and supplies every September? It’s the same thing.)
Scroll through our exhaustive list to choose a bag that’s right for you. With a new gym bag you’ll find yourself reveling in the process of packing up and sprinting out the door feeling organized and on top of your game.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
This ultra-lightweight North Face duffel isn't just surprisingly roomy — it's packable and highly compressible, for when you want to bring your trusty gym bag on vacation.
The North Face Unisex Basic Zip Flyweight Duffel, $69.79, available at Amazon
This classically styled rucksack has all the trappings of a tried-and-true camping backpack with some necessary modern-life updates: lightweight, water-repellant fabrication, hidden laptop compartment, and a very au courant colorway. (Don't worry, minimalists: it's available in gray and black, too.)
lululemon On My Level Rucksack 18L, $148, available at lululemon
Going to the gym sucks sometimes, so we suggest finding a gym bag that's going to cheer you up a little. Enter this super-lightweight, packable, and fun-loving option from Nike.
Nike Packable Duffel Bag, $50, available at Nordstrom
If you don't have major lugging requirements — but still need something cute, durable, and washable for sneakers and a laptop — MCIV's Drawstring Bag is your best bet. A surprisingly roomy backpack with adjustable straps and plenty of pockets for all of the day's odds and ends, it will also fold up into a neat little square when you're not using it.
MICV MICV Drawstring Bag, $12.99, available at Amazon
We're beginning to suspect that the Under Armour Motivator Tote is the best gym bag out — it's quietly selling out everywhere we look, but luckily some are still snaggable on Amazon, in a spring-friendly rainbow of colors. With a drawstring top that will convert the bag from open tote to pillow-shaped duffel in one tug, this bag will enable you to dash around in style, and then seal off sweaty gym goods when the time comes.
Under Armour UA Motivator Tote, $45, available at Amazon
It doesn't get much more classic than this perfectly proportioned, no-detail-out-of-place, ever-so-subtly-logoed backpack from Victoria Beckham's collaboration with Reebok. Would you expect anything less from Posh?
Victoria Beckham x Reebok Reebok x Victoria Beckham, $153, available at mytheresa
Get back into aerobics with this '80s-inspired gym bag. The sunlight bright yellow and mesh construction will brighten up your visits to the gym — and maybe even bring a smile to the faces of those really serious weightlifters.
Jane & Berry Neon Mesh Duffel Bag, $32, available at Nordstrom
This wouldn't be a gym bag round-up if we didn't include a yoga-mat friendly option. Luckily, the fitness experts at Sweaty Betty deliver, as usual. This lightweight neoprene backpack has a ton of pockets for all manner of gewgaws (fitness — or life-related) and two bottom straps for safely toting your yoga mat from work to class.
Sweaty Betty All Sport Backpack, $115, available at Sweaty Betty
We tried our darnedest to remain calm when we saw this really good looking convertible backpack/duffel(buffel?), available from Everlane. With a separate compartment for shoes (cue the collective sigh of relief from the after-work team-sports players) and a seriously high capacity, this sleek bag will make you the coolest person at the gym or the campsite. And, while this is definitely the perfect piney emerald green that we want all over our wardrobes at this late-winter stage, there are gray and black options as well.
Everlane The Mover Pack, $78, available at Everlane
From the master of British elegance Ted Baker comes a subtle and very office-friendly gym bag. There's a heavy-duty strap for toting larger loads, which can be easily removed when you need a more polished, briefcase-y vibe. Reflective silver fabric makes the traditional styling feel very modern.
Ted Baker Lesley Camo Large Tote, $195, available at Nordstrom
The waterproof and antimicrobial lining makes this a great gym bag, but the built-in USB charger makes it a fantastic go-anywhere bag.
For those of you that like your vintage and/or thrift-store bags, but want something more functional, we present to you a cool and rugged replacement from the North Face. The brown canvas makes this bag feel already broken-in, and the angular styling reminds us of something our dads used to carry in the '80s. Best of all, The North Face has pledged a detailed commitment to sustainability, so this bag is probably just as low-impact as the vintage version you're now using for picnic outings rather than the gym.
The North Face The North Face Berkeley Duffel Bag, $79, available at Urban Outfitters
This super-rugged tote from Herschel Supply has a multitude of strap options and a seriously heavy-duty design that promises to last. At $80, the only thing minimal about this bag will be the cost per wear.
Herschel Supply Co. Barnes Trail Tote Bag, $80, available at Nordstrom
This gym bag is strictly for the freaks — the fashion freaks, that is. Perhaps you work in an office where everyone subsists on coffee (or Diet Coke), stays at work until 10 p.m., and thinks that sneakers are a recent streetwear trend and not, like, something you need to wear when you exercise. If you need to keep your duck-out-of-work-early gym-going ways on the low, may we suggest the Collapsed Technical Bag from Cos? Available in an electrified army green (shown here) and a reflective black, the complete absence of hardware and super-clean design will keep any judgmental co-workers guessing as to what you're up to.
COS Collapsed Technical Tote Bag, $69, available at COS
If there's a bag that pulls off the office-to-gym transition better than this one, we haven't seen it.
The Transience Swing Bag, $175, available at Bandier
The foncy French luggage brand Lipault is one of our go-tos for super-sturdy luggage in colors better than they need to be. Their 24 Hour Bag is exactly as described — the cute, roomy, rugged carry-all will take you throughout your day in style.
Lipault City Plume 24 Hour Bag, $95, available at Zappos
The rectangular shape of this Wild Fable bag gives it a very structured feel, but rest assured it's soft and washable. The quilted nylon is a perfect gym-bag fabric, making the carryall feel modern and sporty.
Wild Fable Quilted Nylon Weekender Bag, $35, available at Target
Sure, this Ganni utility backpack is a bit of a splurge, but aren't you looking forward to getting all those compliments wearing it? With a plethora of pockets and even a carabiner for your keys, this hold-everything, neon-flecked backpack is truly at the intersectional of fashion and function.
Ganni Skiwear now on sale, up to 50% off, $270, available at My Theresa
Have this bag on hand for your next retreat. It has an internal pocket for just about every need and expands to accommodate that extra pair of sneaks you had to pack.
Dagne Dover Landon Carryall, $185, available at Dagne Dover
This convertible bag is a tote, backpack, and crossbody all in one — and, thanks to anti-theft features like a sliding lock and anti-slash mesh bottom, it's the perfect travel bag.
Sherpani Sojourn Tote - Women's, $74.93, available at REI
Keep your shoes, electronics, and any other gear safe and dry in this water-proof pack.
Rule#5 Snow - Backpack, $200, available at Rule#5Photo: Courtesy of Rule#5.
Run-commuting is actually possible with this small, lightweight backpack. It has a waist strap that reduces bounce and an easy-to-access zippered pocket for your phone.
lululemon Run All Day Backpack II 13L, $118, available at lululemon
This tote and/or backpack style sports a front zip pocket, zippered main compartment, and media pocket with tricot-lining so there's a spot to stash all your items.
Every week onDr. Pimple Popper, dermatologist Sandra Lee, MD, meets with men and women suffering from rare, often confidence-crushing skin conditions. The boils they carry are massive. The cysts are bubbling up to balloon-sized. But it's the people underneath the incredible lumps and growths that make the show worth watching. Just cover your eyes through the pus-filled eruptions, if you must.
Dr. Sandra Lee has seen it all: hundreds of lumps and squishy tumors growing on every nook and crevice of the human body. But in episode eight of season two, she faces two shoulder growths so rare, even the pimple-popping pro herself can't fathom how to treat them — and that's just one of the problems she faces this week.
From Art's cyclops bump and Barb's heart-shaped hump to Hilda's wart-like bubbles, read on to find out how Dr. Lee handles each patient and their curious conditions... and the one that really stumps her.
Case #1: Barb Visalia, California, is where we meet Barb, a 57-year-old elementary school teacher with a strange heart-shaped mass on her back. "I've had this guy for eight or nine years," Barb tells us. "It started as the size of a small peach or a plum, but now it spans almost my whole back — probably the size of a cantaloupe — and it's so uncomfortable. I wake up three or four times each night with this tugging and pulling pressure."
The pain isn't the only thing that makes the mass annoying: Barb recently lost over 100 pounds — but none of that weight came off her back. "When I was overweight, I just thought the hump was some extra back fat," she says. "But since my gastric bypass surgery last year, I've lost over 130 pounds, but the bump's still there and almost looks bigger now. After losing all this weight, I just don't want to hide anymore."
At Barb's consultation, Dr. Lee is a little perplexed by the look of the lump — which has a double-humped, heart-like shape — but not surprised by the fact that it stuck around through weight loss. "Interestingly, lipomas grow independent of weight loss," Dr. Lee says, "which can be a bummer if someone loses weight, and the bump stays the same size — like in Barb's case."
In surgery, Dr. Lee proceeds with a tumescent anesthesia numbing procedure — something we haven't seen before — which actually lifts the lipoma up and away from the muscles and nerves below it, almost like a big balloon in Barb's back. The reason Dr. Lee wants to use this technique is to make sure she can access the lipoma safely, while avoiding Barb's spinal cord and the nerves running down her back.
Slicing into the raised mass, Dr. Lee is met with yellow gunk popping out of Barb's back. After a little wrestling, Dr. Lee excises the entire lump, and Barb gets to walk out with a flat back — her body transformation finally complete.
Dr. Lee Takes A Look At Barb's Upside Down Heart
Case #2: Bob Next up is Bob, a 61-year-old man from Florida who has two lumps on his back, one on each shoulder blade. "The first one popped up about ten years ago, and I didn't think anything of it because it wasn't bothering me," Bob says. "But now I have two, and they hurt every time I rotate my shoulder — like when I'm trying to toss the frisbee with my grandson. I've seen doctors and they say it's a rotator cuff issue, but no one has been able to help me. More than a cure for this constant pain, I just need answers."
When Bob shows his back bumps to Dr. Lee, she's a little concerned with the way they feel — hard, not soft. "I don't really like to feel hardness in lumps," she says. "It looks like they're growing on the scapula, almost under the shoulder blade bone. I don't know what this is, or if it's connected to a muscle or a bone." Because Dr. Lee doesn't know exactly what's going on with Bob's back, she sends him for a CT scan to get a better idea of how to treat these mystery lumps.
Case #3: Hilda Meanwhile, we meet Hilda, a 42-year-old woman from California, who's living with bubbly, wart-like skin across the upper and lower lash lines of both eyes. "These bumps are large, gooey, ugly, and rock-hard," Hilda tells us. "At first there was just two or three, but now there are so many. I've already had three surgeries where doctors have cut the bumps open to drain the liquid, but they grew right back."
Not only are these bumps an eyesore — literally and figuratively — but they're causing Hilda a world of pain emotionally. "I'm depressed all the time," she says. "I don't want to go to work, so I've lost my job. I even lost my last house because of the condition — I feel like I've given up on everything. Before these bumps, I had a passion for life, and I need to find it again."
At her in-office consult, Hilda meets Dr. Lee, explaining her condition and the past surgeries she's had to try and remove her eye bumpiness. Dr. Lee knows right away that Hilda is suffering from a bad case of hidrocystomas, which are water-filled cysts that typically occur around the eye. Unfortunately, Dr. Lee warns Hilda that even if she can pop the bubbles, there's no guarantee that the bumps won't come back.
So, with the knowledge that it may be a short-term fix, the two women head into surgery. Dr. Lee starts deflating the puffy bumps, and milky liquid spills out of each one with a single poke. It's a little scary to watch because Dr. Lee is working right around the delicate eye area with very sharp tools, but after flattening the water-filled growths, Hilda's eyes look so much better, and she's ready to get back to a life where she can confidently look people in the eye.
Case #4: Art Art travels from Riverside, California, to see Dr. Lee about a lump growing smack in the middle of his forehead. "At first I thought it was a spider bite that would just go away on its own," Art says. "But now, nine years later, it just keeps getting bigger. I feel like a cyclops and I want the bump gone, but I'm scared to get it removed. I've had friends go and see doctors, and never come back."
Dr. Lee immediately calms Art's nerves at the consultation. "This lump isn't too concerning, but I can tell that Art's nervous, so I have to be extra careful to make him feel comfortable," Dr. Lee says. In surgery, she cuts into Art's forehead, and squeezes out a stream of white, mushy, mashed potato-like gunk from Art's head quickly and easily. After Dr. Lee stitches Art's forehead, he walks out of the office, free of his cyclops horn, and admittedly still uncomfortable around doctors — but not Dr. Lee.
Before we end, we check in on Bob, who returns to Dr. Lee to find out what's going on with his hard back bumps. Dr. Lee tells Bob that it's a good thing they performed the CT scan, because it showed the lumps are not lipomas or cysts, but a rare condition called elastofibroma dorsi. Unfortunately, Dr. Lee explains that this is not a dermatological condition within her scope — meaning she has to refer Bob to a musculoskeletal specialist to handle the removal of the bumps. Still, Bob got the news he was ultimately hoping for: some answers.
That ends episode eight, we'll be back next week to see Dr. Lee handle a new cast of patients with mind-boggling skin issues.
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While the beginning of the month saw lots of new comedies — from the Big Mouth Valentine’s Day special to the return of One Day At A Time — this latest Netflix apocalypse arrives with new food shows that fit any mood. This group is also stacked with movies, from the Ray Romano-starring Paddleton to a vast array of foreign films, including a powerful Indian drama produced by Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Yes, that Priyanka Chopra Jonas. There’s even a very Glee -ish tween show to keep the streaming service from getting too dark. All together, this flood of content is a blessing and a curse of overwhelming proportions.
That's where we come in. We found all of Netflix's new offerings and broke them down by plot, genre, and whether you should watch something immediately or skip for now. Keep reading for the lowdown on all of these Netflix treats, complete with trailers.
Chef's Table(Volume 6)
What is it?: A gorgeous restaurant-focused docuseries.
What is it about?: The story behind some of the greatest culinary achievements around the world. Volume 6 of Chef’s Table centers around what it means to go home. One chef, Mashama Bailey, a black woman, opens a restaurant in a former segregated Savannah bus station. Another woman, Asma Khan, a British chef with an Indian background, returns to India to create a boundary breaking restaurant.
Every single moment of the series has breathtaking visuals, so it’s no wonder Chef's has been nominated for the Cinematography Emmy for the past two years straight.
See or skip?: See — but just know you’re going to learn that food can now make you cry.
The Big Family Cooking Showdown (Season 2)
What is it?: A reminder there is so much good Netflix lifestyle content slipping through the cracks.
What is it about?: While Chef’s Table is your high-minded metaphorical TV veggies, Cooking Showdown is your family-style comfort food. The cooking competition centers around 16 food-loving families who go head-to-head until just one is left standing. Since all U.K. food shows are kinder than our Choppeds and Top Chefs, contestants say very endearing things like, “I’ve made a mess of my pastry.”
Big Family Cooking Showdown is presided over by two of the most symmetrical co-hosts you’ve ever seen headline a cooking program: the youngest Michelin-starred British chef ever, Tommy Banks, and TV presenter- Celebrity MasterChef winner Angelica Bell.
See or skip?: See. This is perfect TV to fall asleep to.
Paddleton
What is it?: The emotional middle-aged bromance movie.
What is it about?: Two misfit neighbors (Mark Duplass and Ray Romano) experiencing a poignant journey after one of them is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
See or skip?: If there’s any Netflix film Movie Twitter will be discussing this weekend, it’s Paddleton. If you want to be a part of that conversation, see. If you don’t feel like tearing up over Mark Duplass screaming, “I’m the dying guy!,” skip.
Workin' Moms (Season 1)
What is it?: A Canadian sitcom where a mom screams at a bear. So, an instant gem.
What is it about?: A group of new moms who are reentering the workforce after nearly a year of maternity leave (a right in Canada). The workin’ moms tackle everything from “milking” in the office to questions of whether they even want to work after baby and if infants actually need yoga (the consensus seems to be “heck no”).
See or skip?: See! Workin' Moms features the second best ursine TV moment of the year after Archie got attacked by that bear. Also, the rest of this Catherine Reitman -led series is worth your time too.
What is it about?: A woman and divorce lawyer (Usha Jadhav) who demands the best for her clients, who are all also women. Expect a Law & Order amount of court scenes and legal demands. However, Firebrand isn’t just a Dick Wolf carbon copy. The movie takes a turn when it delves into its heroine’s own complicated marriage and history as a sexual assault survivor.
What is it?: An inspired-by-true-events Spanish-language historical WWII movie.
What is it about?: The real-life Catalan photographer Francesc Boix (Mario Casas). Mauthausen explains how Boix was able to smuggle about 2,000 negatives of Nazi torture photos from one of the most brutal concentration camps. The images Boix salvaged would go on to be play a major role in Nuremberg Trials. Mauthausen does not shy away from the unmitigated horror of Boix and his fellow inmates’ lives.
See or skip?:Mauthausen has prestige production value, but skip if you can’t watch any more trauma.
Go! Vive A Tu Manera, aka Go! Live Your Way
What is it?: A Disney Channel-style, Spanish-language take on Fame with a lot of Glee ’s DNA.
What is it about?: A talented young Argentinian teen named Mia (Pilar Pascual), who enters the most prestigious performing arts school in her country. Mia dreams of joining the fictional Saint Mary's College's elite Go! dance squad, which seems to be a cheer group that also sings (go with it). Because this is a teen show, new girl Mia much clash with someone, and her unavoidable rival proves to be Lupe (Renata Toscano Bruzón), the most popular girl in school and daughter of its owner.
Despite all the tension, many, many teens burst into surprise musical numbers here.
See or skip?: If you need a true YA obsession, see. But if you’re looking for Elite -level thrills at Saint Mary’s, skip.
Paris Est A Nous, aka Paris Is Us
What is it?: An trippy French film that will make you question reality.
What is it about?: Amid increasing tensions in titular Paris and grief of her own, Anna (Noémie Schmidt) questions everything from memories to love. Honestly, the trailer lays out this movie’s mind-bending vibes better than words ever could.
See or skip?: See. At just about 80 minutes, why wouldn’t you check out Paris ’ dreamy, stunning, and strange world?
Rebellion(Season 2), aka Resistance
What is it?: A lot of British people yelling. A lot of Irish people whispering. Everyone shooting old-timey guns.
What is it about?: The Irish War Of Independence of the early 1900s. While season 1 of the series took place in 1916, five-episode season 2 — titled Resistance in the U.K. — jumps to 1920. The most revolutionary part of the series revolves around Ursula Sweeney (Simone Kirby), a single mom whose child was taken away from her. Ursula, a talented codebreaker, eventually takes her talents to the rebellion’s forces. It’s an important reminder of the losses and contributions of women during wartime, which period pieces often forget.
However, Ursula loses screen time to the violent antics of the many men leading Rebellion season 2.
What is it?: An Italian-language organized crime drama filled with young bucks.
What is it about?: A gaggle of young men connected to the mob trying to conquer Rome and also not die. Clandestine meetings that end in violence. Catholic figureheads looking suspicious. Fire.
In a celebrity matching-tattoo moment that was long-forgotten before this week, back in 2016, the BFFs got the letter "m" inked in red script on the inside of their pinky fingers by celebrity tattoo artist JonBoy.
The exact meaning behind this tattoo still remains a mystery, but it's understandable that neither of them would want to look down at that tattoo for the rest of their lives, knowing that their ex-best friend has the very same one. (That is, if they do actually decide to call their friendship quits.)
So now Jenner and Woods find themselves in a similar position to the one that Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson were in some four months ago. Luckily for them, though, it appears these tats would be much easier to cover up than many of Davidson's massive inked odes to Grande, that huge "Grande " on his ribcage and Piggy Smallz tattoo included. In Jenner's case, maybe the "m" can be part of a new tattoo that spells out "Stormi." Just a suggestion.
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Nothing causes Sunday Scaries like the looming threat of a cluttered inbox on Monday morning. But in addition to causing stress, a disorganized inbox can also negatively impact your productivity at work. When your unread-email count goes up with every minute, it's hard to know what to respond to and when — and getting your day-to-day tasks done on top of email management can seem almost too difficult to juggle. So with the KonMari method on the brain, we wondered: If you can Marie Kondo your closet, friendships, and finances, can you do the same for your inbox?
We tapped the expertise of Laura Mae Martin, executive productivity advisor at Google, who leads a training at the company about this very topic. Below, she provided tips on how to stay on top of your inbox so that it "sparks joy" — well, to the extent that emails can spark joy!
Help! My inbox is so overwhelming I could cry! How can I organize my emails to make them more manageable and efficient?
"Inbox anxiety is a real thing! But there's hope. These are the three most important steps for wrangling your inbox, in this order:
"1) Stop seeing emails you don't need to see. Each time you touch an email, it drains a little bit of energy, so you should only touch those you need to see. Create filters or rules to have less important messages that don't deserve your immediate attention — like newsletters — skip the inbox or go directly into folders. Try using the filter ‘ Has the words: unsubscribe’ so that this kind of mail skips your inbox.
"2) Create filter/label combinations or 'flags' so that emails you do need to see visually pop as they come in. For example, emails directly from your manager to you should have a different look than emails from your manager to the whole company. If you're in sales or recruiting, emails from your most important clients or candidates should catch your eye easily.
"3) Create buckets outlining what your next step is for all the emails that do come in. This is the equivalent of Marie Kondo’s 'put everything on the bed and then put it in piles' method. Your bed is your main inbox. Take your whole inbox and organize it into three categories: Assign things you need to respond to or act on to 'keep,' assign things you're waiting on someone else for to 'donate,' and assign things you don't need anymore (archive) to 'throw away.'"
How long is too long to go without responding to someone?
"I believe 24 hours is typically an appropriate amount of time to give some kind of response, but that can depend on your workload and the email. Remember that a response does not mean completing their request. Sometimes my response is: 'I'm working on a lot of projects right now, so I won't be able to get to this until the end of the month — just wanted to let you know!' But it's still a response, so they know they're not being ignored or that I haven’t missed their email. It also saves me from getting another email from them checking back in."
What should I do before and after I go on vacation to help mitigate the inevitable coming-back-from-vacation inbox chaos?
"Before vacation, tie up any loose ends and make sure you give very specific instructions in your out-of-office [message], i.e., ' If this is urgent, resend with URGENT in the subject line' or ' If this needs a decision before I return, send to X person.' This way, it's not up to you to fish around for important emails while on vacation or upon your return. When you get back, give yourself some non-work time to go through your email so you feel prepared to return to a regular work day.
"You can also declare 'email bankruptcy' upon returning from a longer leave like maternity leave. Your out-of-office could say — ' I’m out of office and will be archiving all emails upon my return. If your request needs my attention after my return, please re-send after X date.' That way, you start fresh when you get back and fill in context by searching where you need to!"
What should I delete or archive? Is there a rule of thumb?
"The greatest thing about Gmail is the archive feature. It gives you a fourth option outside of inbox, delete, or folder/label. My advice is to only archive, unless you have space constraints. Then learn how to search Gmail really, really well and find emails quickly without having to check a folder or worry they’re in the trash!"
Are there any Gmail tools I can implement to help me stay focused on the task at hand and not overwhelmed by other clutter?
"One of my favorite Gmail features for this is snooze. It allows you to remove an email from your inbox and then bring it back at a specific time or date. This is a great way to keep an active inbox and only see emails you have a next action for. If you have an email that requires a response but you won't know the answer until after a meeting next Monday, snooze the email to next Monday! Snooze keeps the things you don't need hidden and, combined with filters, can make your inbox include important tasks only."
How can I keep things that "spark joy" and part with things that do not?
"Let's be honest — most emails don't spark joy. But there are some exceptions! I keep a Smile File folder, which contains all the emails I've gotten that make me smile. My Smile File has anything from puppy pictures to people thanking me for helping them save so much time. When I'm having a particularly overwhelming day, I open that folder and it sparks a little joy.
"When it comes to your inbox, the sparking joy question is: 'Do I have a next action on this?' You should be asking yourself that with every email. If the answer is yes, immediately, put it in the corresponding folder (i.e. To Read). Many people open an email once but then mark it as unread again, confusing their brain as to whether it’s new or if they already saw it. If the answer is 'no next action,' archive or delete it. People get overwhelmed when they leave things around that they might need later or may want to reference one day. Those things don't have an immediate next action or spark joy, so they should be purged (right after you thank those emails for their service, like Marie Kondo does!).
"The real joy comes from having a tidy inbox that you’re on top of. It creates the calm feeling and mental headspace that stems from knowing exactly what you have to do and where to find what you need to do it. People tell me all the time they feel so much better and happier setting up this system — it's the positive energy from having your inbox space set up well!"
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On Wednesday, TMZ reported the reality TV star filed a lawsuit against the fast-fashion retailer for using her name and image without permission to advertise their own "knock-off" designs. According to TMZ, her lawsuit includes a side-by-side of her own Instagram post next to one from Misguided as evidence. Kardashian also alleges that Misguided often tags her in the label's Instagram photos, sometimes even using photos of her on their feed. She is asking for an injunction to keep Missguided from using her photos and $10 million in damages.
Earlier this month, Kardashian shared an old photo and seemed to jokingly acknowledge how fast retailers recreate her looks. "Going through old fitting pics & found this gold look that Kanye made for me for my Miami trip last summer," she wrote, adding that decided to wear neon instant. "P.S. fast fashion brands, can you please wait until I wear this in real life before you knock it off?"
In a now-deleted post, two hours after Kardashian posted her Instagram, Missguided posted their version of the dress. "The devil works hard but Missguided works harder @KimKardashian," the brand wrote. "You've only got a few days before this drops online."
As The Fashion Law noted, “Would Kris Jenner watch quietly if someone was using her daughters’ images to sell something, and they weren’t getting a cut?” That answer is almost certainly no — not only because Jenner is a world-class manager but because such unauthorized commercial uses of a star’s image likely runs afoul of right of publicity law. For context, consider that Rihanna won her lawsuit against Topshop in 2013, successfully banning the retailer from selling t-shirts featuring her likeness.
We'll be watching to see how this plays out in court.
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In a late-night decision earlier this month, the Supreme Court temporarily blocked Louisiana’s dangerous law that could have left the state with just one abortion clinic; stripping health care from countless women in Louisiana and setting a dangerous precedent for national attacks on reproductive rights.
Temporarily is the key word here — because if there’s one thing Republicans won’t stop doing, it’s attacking women’s constitutional rights. It’s an essential part of their identity. Whether we’re talking about Republicans in state legislatures across the country, who have or who are working to pass similar laws to Louisiana’s, or in Congress, who haven’t seen a bill to repeal funding for Planned Parenthood that they haven’t loved, or the White House, whose primary resident supported punishing women who have abortions, Republicans are on a mission to strip women of their rights, overturn Roe v. Wade and end all abortion.
Look no further than the decision by Justice Brett Kavanaugh to not only vote to uphold this clearly unconstitutional bill, but to write the singular dissent. We are deeply unsurprised that the justice Donald Trump promised would work to dismantle Roe v. Wade would do just that, but it remains disturbing all the same. For a man who said he would respect legal precedent when it comes to choice, Kavanaugh seems more than willing to place even more restrictions on abortion.
The far-right Federalist Society looks like it got its wish: another justice who would do their anti-choice bidding.
But Kavanaugh’s move was only the latest in an ongoing series of very serious, and very frightening attacks on choice from the Republican Party. Look at this year’s State of the Union speech. Trump’s remarks on abortion were a dangerous collection of lies about late-term abortion and Democratic attempts to expand women’s access to reproductive health care.
Here are the facts that Republicans will never tell you: when you ban abortion later in pregnancy, you are often harming women facing incredibly complex and difficult medical situations. Women seeking this type of care need and deserve support, understanding and access to information — because if you ban these options, you are forcing them to suffer and even risk their own health in silence.
Why is Trump doing this? Why is he nominating anti-choice judges? Why is he talking about implementing a national gag rule? Why is he using language that frightens and misinforms? Why are Republicans across the country tripping over themselves for any opportunity repeal Roe and dismantle women’s reproductive rights?
Because they are afraid. They are afraid of the unpopularity of their president and their party’s entire legislative agenda, which is focused on making the rich richer, and leaving everyone but billionaires worse off. Whether we’re talking about the GOP’s devastating family separation policy, their dangerous penchant for deregulation, or their beloved-by-their-donors tax bill, Republican policy goes against the will of the American people.
So, nervous about re-election, Trump and his friends are playing one of the few cards they have left: trying to rev up their base over a false “culture war” — which is what they call energy from progressives around any issue that matters to women, people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ+ Americans, and anyone that deviates from the white male norm. They know that seven in 10 Americans support a woman’s right to make her own reproductive decisions, and they know that lies and fear tactics are all they have.
Let me be clear: The fight to protect women’s access to reproductive health care is not a culture war. It is an essential fight to ensure that women have equal and civil rights in this country. It is a fight to save lives. Republicans are going to do everything they can to manipulate the conversation; to lie and pass dangerous legislation like Louisiana’s and appoint anti-choice justices like Kavanaugh.
Our job, as it has been every day of this administration, and every day we live under a Republican Party obsessed with turning women back into second-class citizens, is to fight. The way we do that at EMILY’s List is to elect pro-choice Democratic women to office who will bring the empathy and the determination to defend our rights and move our country forward.
We heard good news from the Supreme Court this month, but we know Republicans will continue to push their agenda any way they can. The only way we stop this for good is to vote them out — and we’re going to fight like hell to do just that.
Stephanie Schriock is president of Emily's List,a political action committee that supports pro-choice Democratic women running for office.The views expressed are her own.
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As the major buzz around every new launch proves, Glossier has a knack for keeping fans on their toes — with their hands reaching for their wallets. Since launching in 2014, the brand has expertly built a cult of consumers dedicated to its minimalist makeup and skin care outfitted in millennial-pink packaging; in the past year alone, it's opened a permanent brick-and-mortar HQ, expanded its core complexion range, and even contributed to Beyoncé's look at last year's Grammy Awards.
But Glossier's most recent innovation is drumming up buzz for a different reason: Nobody knows what it is yet.
In true Glossier fashion, the brand and its founder, Emily Weiss, took to Instagram today to tease the launch of Glossier Play, a new beauty brand coming in March 2019. "After two years in the making, we can’t wait for you to see, touch, hear, swatch, and play with what’s to come," the caption read, alongside a metallic animation of the "G" logo.
Naturally, fans flipped out at the news, and immediately began speculating. "Omg is it gonna be like a museum/ art exhibit type thing?!?!" a fan questioned. "I NEED COLOUR AND GLITTERRR," another demanded (and honestly, same). Other fans wondered if Glossier Play could be a new social-commerce platform, as Bloomberg reported back in August. Whatever it is, you can bet it'll be a big hit. Follow along on Instagram, and keep your eyes open for more info on the news come March... and start saving your coins now, just in case.
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For seven seasons of Game of Thrones, we've heard the same exact warning repeated over and over again by the hottest bastard in Winterfell, Jon Snow: "Winter is coming." But if there's one thing we learned from his late lover Ygritte, it's that Snow knows nothing, and it's not just a long night that's been approaching all this time — it's a makeup collection, too.
In an Instagram shared earlier this morning, Urban Decay announced its official collaboration with the HBO series in the form of Westerosi-inspired beauty products. The post didn't give away much, but it did showcase an intense fire-and-ice makeup look, teasing what we anticipate will be a seriously dramatic lineup of eye and lip colors... because Game of Thrones is nothing if not dramatic.
Urban Decay tells Refinery29 that the collection will be all about the Seven Kingdoms, as well as the strong women who make up the main cast of the show — which at this point boils down to Daenerys Targaryen, Sansa Stark, and Cersei Lannister. (And Arya, but she's not really the metallic blue eyeshadow type.) Details on the actual products are scarce, but we do know they'll launch in April, the same month the show's eighth and final season is set to air.
This isn't the first time a color-cosmetics collection has been inspired by the show — both Storybook Cosmetics and Wet n Wild created subtle, unlicensed winks to the series and its characters in the past — but this is the first one created in collaboration with HBO, so you know it's legit. All we need now is Daenerys Targaryen's skin-care routine, and we won't be quite as bitter about our Sunday nights opening up for the first time in a decade.
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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: a senior administrator working in higher education who makes $45,000 per year and spends some of her money this week on chipotle-lime mayo.
Monthly Expenses Rent: $600 for one-bedroom/one-bathroom duplex with security system and backyard Student Loans: $0 (My parents paid for housing, and I had scholarships that covered tuition.) Utilities: ~$160 Internet: $52.43 Gym: $27.06 Jazzercise: $14.99 Health Insurance: $0 (My work pays.) Life/Eye/Dental Insurance: $2.30, $3.01, and $14.32 respectively, automatically deducted from my paycheck Invisalign: $112.91 (Charged to TexFlex, a flexible savings account.) Work Parking Pass: $21.24, automatically deducted Subscriptions: $5.40 for my Spotify Student account, which also gets me Hulu/Showtime. $5.33 for TheWashington Post. I mooch off family for Netflix/HBO. Amazon Prime: $7.03 Car Insurance: $96.58 Phone: $80 (For my brother and me.) Brother's Groceries: $250 (This is a favor for my sister.) Charities: $20 Savings: $500 (I just opened a high-yield savings account.) Teacher Retirement System Of Texas: ~$150-$190
Day One
7:20 a.m. — I wanted to get to the office early to do my homework for my class on Tuesday, but I end up sleeping in. I finally get up. I have a hard few weeks coming up work-wise, so I think I'm trying to avoid being there more than I have to. At work by 8.
11:30 a.m. — My boss asks me if I want anything from Market Street. I ask for Cheetos Puffs. After I wrap up a meeting, I eat leftover chicken from last night's dinner at BJ's. I eat at my desk so I can continue working on a few things. My boss couldn't find the small bag, so she got me a large bag of Cheetos Puffs. I'm not mad. I Venmo her. $3.79
5 p.m. — Head out to the Y, where I take Jazzercise classes. I started going last year. My boss's sister gave us free class passes, and I was really hesitant to go at first. I always equated Jazzercise with old ladies, neon leg-warmers, and the ’80s, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it's a great workout with current music. The instructors are super fun, and the community is really nice. Lately, the classes have been packed with newbies, and I'm glad other people get to experience the fun and supportive atmosphere, but I wish we had a bigger studio to accommodate us better. We're doing a heart-health challenge for February (take 28 classes, get a cute tank), so everyone is trying to get their shirt.
7:15 p.m. — Get home and make taco soup. It's a lot, so I eat some, put away half for lunch this week, and put half in the freezer.
10:15 p.m. — Get ready for bed. I bought all this Origins stuff in December, and I'm trying really hard to not get lazy about my skin-care routine.
Daily Total: $3.79
Day Two
6:55 a.m. — Again, I wanted to get to the office early, but I end up sleeping in. Finally get up and get ready for work.
7:35 a.m. — Get to work. Finish my homework and get to work on actual work. At some point, I skim the Texas Parks and Wildlife job postings. I like to keep my options open. I love my current job, but it doesn't hurt to be on the lookout for my next move. I find one open in my hometown. I tell my sister to apply, too.
12:30 p.m. — My boss goes to lunch early, and she asks if I want anything from Market Street. I ask for some Saltines. She tells me not to Venmo her this time. I eat taco soup and crackers. I eat quickly since I have a conference call at 1. My sister and I also have a quick call to discuss the job opportunity. I Venmo her money for my brother's groceries ($250).
1:40 p.m. — Head to campus for my class. I'm in my last class for my master's! I'm so excited to almost be done with school (hopefully forever)!
4:30 p.m. — The heater went out in our building, so my professor sped up class a little to get us out early. I appreciate her kindness.
5:15 p.m. — I head to the Y for Jazzercise.
6:45 p.m. — Back home and I realize I do not have anything ready to eat for dinner. I shouldn't have put the other half of the taco soup in the freezer. Oh, well. I contemplate going to pick something up for dinner, but I decide against it. I eat some cereal and waffles and watch Made for More on Amazon Prime. Rachel Hollis says some inspiring things, and I'm reminded I should finish her book.
9:45 p.m. — Get ready for bed. I have a project due tomorrow at work that I wasn't able to complete today. I decide to go into work early, so I should go to sleep soon. I tell myself if I'm successful at getting up early, I can treat myself to Starbucks.
Daily Total: $0
Day Three
6 a.m. — My alarm goes off, but I lie in bed for five more minutes. I'm not really a morning person, in case you haven't noticed. But once I'm up, I'm fine. I get ready for work and am out the door at 6:30. I warm up my car and place a mobile order. I order a bacon, gouda, and egg sandwich (my favorite) and a skinny mocha ($8.34) using gift cards from Christmas.
6:45 a.m. — At work, I start on my project. Around 7:30 a.m., I text some of my friends and wish them a Happy Galentine's Day. I'm really on a ladies-celebrating-ladies kick, and am looking more into Ellevest. I'd like to open an IRA in the near future, and there are so many options out there. I want to ask two coworkers for advice first (they're CFPs).
8:30 a.m. — After a few morning meetings, I call a lawyer I used last year after my sister and I were rear-ended. My bills from the hospital visit after the accident were sent to collections and are on my credit report. I hate having to still deal with all the financial repercussions that came out of a car accident that wasn't even my fault. I'm also reminded that I wish my mom was still here to walk me through these types of things.
12:30 p.m. — I heat up my taco soup, and it's delicious. I eat in the common area. Back to my desk afterward to get ready for another meeting this afternoon.
5 p.m. — Get dressed and head out to Jazzercise. One of my church friends is coming, and I'm excited for her to try out a class with the owner. It's a good workout, and I'm pretty sure I'll feel it in the coming days.
7:15 p.m. — I head out across town for my church's young-adult group. I didn't keep up with this week's video, but I always get something out of our discussion, even when I'm not prepared.
9:30 p.m. — Head back home after staying to chit-chat. I make a turkey sandwich and eat a small bag of Cheez-Its. I may have a friend staying with me this weekend for another friend's wedding, and since I have a long day tomorrow, I figure I should get a head start on cleaning now. As I wash dishes, I put on a playlist that makes me think of my mom. I don't cry all that often anymore, but her birthday is in February, and March is the anniversary of her death.
11 p.m. — Get ready for bed and knock out by 11:15.
Daily Total: $0
Day Four
6:55 a.m. — Get up early to take a shower this morning. I've been taking them at night, but I was too tired last night. I get up feeling a little sick (stuffy nose and throat hurts). I'm hoping it is nothing.
8 a.m. — Get to my office and find a Valentine's Day gift from my boss (a candle). So sweet. I get to work on a few things and head into a meeting. A coworker brought some chocolate pound cake, so I have a slice for breakfast. I also make coffee in the Keurig and have an Emergen-C.
10:30 a.m. — My coworkers decide to order from Panera for lunch. I add to the order — half a Southwest Chile Lime Ranch Salad with chicken and a half Cuban sandwich with a side of chips. $13.94
11:30 a.m. — Go with my boss to pick up the order, and head back. We eat in the common area.
5 p.m. — Head out across town. Every other Thursday, we meet up with sisters at the convent. I'm not always the best Catholic, but I really enjoy these ladies and admire their faith. Again, I'm unprepared for the book discussions, but I always get something out of our talks.
9:30 p.m. — Head home and then clean up my house a little. Get ready for bed and am out by 11.
Daily Total: $13.94
Day Five
5:30 a.m. — Get up and head to Jazzercise. I'm definitely feeling sore today. Friday mornings are only 30-minute classes, and I want to make up my missed class from yesterday. I'm back home by 6:20. I decide to swing by Chick-fil-A on the way to work. I get the chicken, egg, and cheese bagel meal with hash browns and orange juice ($7.78) using money on my Chick-fil-A app to cover it.
10:30 a.m. — I finally take the leap and open an Ellevest account to start a Roth IRA. I set it up to deposit $100 monthly. Not a lot, but I'd like to have a bit more in savings before I start putting more into it. $100
12:30 p.m. — I head to pick up something from Market Street with my coworker. We come back and eat in the common area. I normally don't eat out as much as I have this week, but I figure I can eat the last of my taco soup for dinner instead. $8.70
2:30 p.m. — I have a headache, so I take an ibuprofen. Then I munch on a handful of M&Ms.
5 p.m. — Head out of work. I clean up a little in case my friend decides to stay with me. It's a nice night in. I eat the last of my taco soup for dinner while watching The Edge of Seventeen. I also talk with my brother and sister. They're moving into a new place, so they're going through some of our mom's stuff. I wanted to go down to help them move, but it's always a little expensive with gas, grocery runs, and eating out. Afterward, I put on Parks and Rec. I aspire to be Leslie Knope. I am so tired from the past few days that I end up crashing around 10. I get up around 1 and move from the living room to the bedroom.
Daily Total: $108.70
Day Six
8:15 a.m. — I'm up earlier than my alarm. My friend who is in town for the wedding asks if I want to go get my nails done with her. I really don't get my nails done, but I contemplate it because of the wedding today, but I decide against it because I'm saving up to attend a bachelorette party in a few weeks. I head out to the Y at 9:15. I don't feel like exercising, but I'm happy I do it. Make it back home by 10:45.
11 a.m. — I'm tempted to pick something up to eat on my way home, but I don't because this weekend will cost me a bit with friends in town. I'm starving, so I eat a bowl of cereal and then make a sandwich.
2:15 p.m. — My friend comes over after she gets her nails done. We talk for a bit and then finally start getting ready around 3. Some of our other friends are meeting us at my house at 4.
4:15 p.m. — We head out to the wedding. It's beautiful, and I'm so happy for the couple. It feels like a mini reunion for some of our college friends.
10:45 p.m. — After the wedding, we decide to hit up Blue Light, a bar where a lot of Texas country stars got their start. We aren't too familiar with the performer tonight, but it's still fun to be out. We pay a cover charge, and my friends generously cover the two drinks I get there. I get back to my house around 1. My friend who is staying with me wanted to stay behind with a friend of hers, so I leave my key under the doormat, leave her a water and Powerade on the coffee table, and make the couch with pillows and blankets for her. I hear her get in at 2, and I'm glad she made it home safely. $12
Daily Total: $12
Day Seven
8:30 a.m. — I wake up and doze in and out of sleep for the next hour and a half. My friend gets up and heads out around 11. I always hate saying goodbye. I love being around people, and I cherish these fun times. I watch some more Parks and Rec and lounge around the house. I wanted to run some errands today, but that isn't going to happen right now. I also call my brother after he sends me a link to the Halo Outpost Discovery fan experience. He's in high school, and we are closer now than we were before our mom passed. I check it out and tell him Philadelphia sounds like a cool place to visit. I tell him I'll look into it. When I was growing up, my family didn't do extravagant vacations, but we did travel a bit. I want to give him those same experiences.
2:45 p.m. — I leave for Jazzercise. It's another set of two 30-minute classes. By this time next week, I'll have completed the challenge (insert flexed-arm emoji).
4 p.m. — I stop by Market Street to get gas and a few groceries. I get 20 cents off the gallon when I use my Market Street rewards ($27.93). I go into the store and buy two salad mixes, avocados, blueberries, Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo (my coworker raved about how good it is), shredded cheese, cheese sticks, milk, Chobani yogurt, canned black beans, Jimmy Dean turkey sausage, and two Simple Scrambles. On the way to the register, I pick up sushi, too ($57.35). $85.28
6:30 p.m. — Shortly after I start eating the sushi, one of my friends who came to town for the wedding texts and asks if I want to meet up for dinner and drinks tonight. I am always up for a party, so I say yes. We go to Chuy's for dinner, and I get the chicken flautas and a strawberry margarita. We decide to meet up a little later at the piano bar in town. $20
8 p.m. — Once I'm home, I regret agreeing to go out. I'm tired and want to get in bed already. I remind myself that this friend isn't in town often. Then I get a text from one of my church friends. She drew my name at our weekly gathering for who she should keep in her prayers for the week. She asks if there is anything in particular she should pray for. I tell her about the hard time I've been having with my mom's birthday coming up and next month being the anniversary of her death. She is so sweet and offers to get a group of us together to pray in adoration in honor of my mom. I shed a few tears and am thankful for sweet friends like her.
9 p.m. — I leave my house at 9 to meet my friend, and when we get to the bar we realize it's closed, so we head to another one. I get a Moscow Mule, and we stay until 11:30-ish. When I get home, I get ready for bed and say a prayer thanking God for placing all these people in my life and for a fun weekend. I crash by midnight. $7
Daily Total: $112.28
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No matter if it's a busy weekday morning or a lazy Sunday, the idea of cooking breakfast at home — when you could otherwise grab a store-bought bacon, egg, and cheese or a semi-bruised apple from work — can feel like a completely unnecessary time- and energy-suck. But eating a nutritious breakfast doesn't need to be the bane of your existence. In fact, some of our favorite morning recipes can be easily whipped up during your next meal-prep sesh.
To prove it, we collaborated with Nature’s Path and chef Natasha Feldman of Nosh With Tash to create five delicious, easy-to-make breakfast recipes, each of which is made with wholesome, organic ingredients. Click ahead to check them out, and get ready to finally become the morning person you've always dreamed of being.
Summer Berries Granola Bars Makes 8 bars
Ingredients 1 cup Nature's Path Summer Berries Granola + additional 1/2 cup, finely ground in a food processor 1/2 cup creamy unsweetened peanut butter 2 tbsp honey 1/4 cup banana chips, broken into small bits 1/4 cup thinly sliced almonds 1/4 cup sunflower seeds 1 tbsp coconut oil Flakey sea salt for finishing (optional)
Instructions 1. Line a 9 x 9 baking pan with plastic wrap.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, except for the salt, making sure that all of the granola is evenly coated.
3. Press mixture into the pan, sprinkle with sea salt, and cover in plastic wrap.
4. Press down with all your force to pack the granola as tightly as possible — the more compressed the granola, the better.
5. Freeze for 45 minutes and cut into 8 even-sized bars.
6. Store the bars in the fridge for easy access to grab on the way out the door.
Designed by Paola Delucca.
Almond & Honey Apple Crisp Serves about 9 people
Ingredients 6 apples of your choosing, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes 1 tbsp ground cinnamon 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 tbsp honey 8 tbsp vegan butter, melted 1 1/2 cups Nature's Path Honey Almond Granola+ 1 additional cup, pulsed 20 times in a food processor 1 tbsp brown sugar 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine apples, cinnamon, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and honey; pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish.
3. In the same mixing bowl, combine vegan butter, both textures of Honey Almond Granola, brown sugar, and salt.
4. Spread the granola topping evenly in the baking dish.
5. Bake for 45 minutes until apples are fork-tender and the granola crisp is slightly darkened and firm.
Designed by Paola Delucca.
Heritage Zucchini Muffins Makes 8 to 10 muffins
Ingredients 4 cups Nature's Path Heritage Flakes®, finely ground in a food processor 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 tsp sea salt 4 tbsp butter, cold 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup grated zucchini 1 tsp grated ginger Turbinado sugar (optional)
Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together ground Heritage Flakes®, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, raisins, and sea salt. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, use a standing mixer or your hands to cream the butter, honey, and brown sugar.
4. Add eggs to the fluffy butter, and cream again.
5. Add in vanilla, zucchini, and ginger, and give it another mix.
6. Fold in the dry mixture in two batches until there is no more unincorporated flour.
7. Spray a muffin pan, and fill each well to the top.
8. For an optional finishing touch, sprinkle each muffin with turbinado sugar.
9. Cook for 22 minutes or until the centers are set and the tops are hollow sounding to the touch.
10. Cool for a few minutes and enjoy.
Designed by Paola Delucca.
High-Protein Breakfast Pumpkin Pie Serves 6
Ingredients For the pie: 2 1/2 cups Nature's Path Pumpkin Seed + Flax Granola, finely ground in a food processor 4 tbsp coconut oil, melted 14 oz silken tofu 3/4 cup canned pumpkin 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice 1/4 cup maple syrup 3/4 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 tsp salt 1 egg 2 cups greek yogurt sweetened with 2 tsp sugar (optional) Extra Nature's Path Pumpkin Seed + Flax Granola for topping (optional)
For the apple topping: 2 crisp apples, thinly sliced 1 tbsp coconut oil 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp vanilla 2 tsp maple syrup
Instructions For the pie: 1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
2. Mix the granola with the coconut oil until it is the texture of wet sand.
3. Press the granola onto the bottom of a pie tin until you have a uniform crust.
4. In a blender, combine the tofu, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and egg. Blend until super smooth and creamy.
5. Pour the pumpkin filling into the pie tin and bake for 50 minutes.
6. Let the pie cool and then refrigerate for 2 hours.
7. Once the pie is fully cool, add optional toppings to your liking.
For the apple topping: 1. Sauté the apples, coconut oil, cinnamon, vanilla, and maple syrup in a pan over medium heat until apples are soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes.
2. Let cool and serve as thin layer on top of pie.
Designed by Paola Delucca.
Sunrise Crunch Vanilla Pancakes Makes 6 pancakes
Ingredients 1 cup buttermilk 3 tbsp lightly salted butter, melted and cooled 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup flour 1 cup Nature's Path Sunrise® Crunchy Vanilla Cereal, pulsed 10 times in a food processor 1 tbsp sugar 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt Cooking spray Maple syrup
Instructions 1. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, butter, egg, and vanilla.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, crushed Sunrise® Crunchy Vanilla Cereal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated and lumpy. Don't overmix.
4. Heat a nonstick pan over medium with enough cooking spray to coat the pan.
5. Scoop batter into 1/4 cup portions and pour into pan, spacing pancakes out so they aren't touching.
6. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the bottom of each pancake is slightly lifted and there are bubbles forming.
7. Flip and cook for 2 minutes until golden and cooked through.
8. Serve with maple syrup and butter to taste.
Designed by Paola Delucca.
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In our seriesMy 6-Figure Paycheck,women making more than $100,000 open up about how they got there and what exactly they do. We take a closer look at what it feels like to be a woman making six figures —when only 5% of American women make that much, according to theU.S. Census— w ith the hope it will give women insight into how to better navigate their own career and salary trajectories.
Job: Head of Lifecycle Marketing, Internet & Technology Age: 33 Location: San Francisco, CA Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Sociology & English First Salary: $55,000 Current Salary: $145,000
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
"I grew up riding horses and volunteering at a therapeutic riding program, and was certain that I would go into nonprofit work of some sort.
"I was one of those super-involved high school students who led lots of clubs and was determined to get a rather apathetic student body to care about their school and community (my successes were varied in this endeavor)."
What did you study in college?
"I have a B.A. in sociology with an emphasis in social services and a B.A. in English. I also started an MAED in higher education but left after a year to work at another startup."
Did you have to take out student loans?
"No, I was incredibly lucky that my family was able to pay for my undergraduate degree. My master's degree was paid for by the university."
Have you been working at this job since you graduated from college?
"I've been working in some form of lifecycle-retention-product marketing since graduation, aside from a one-year stint in graduate school, which I left to return to marketing work."
How would you explain your day-to-day role at your job?
"I manage all retention and re-engagement efforts of a user, from the point that we capture them to the point that they potentially churn. Most of this work is done through marketing communication channels like email, push notifications, in-app notifications, and SMS.
"I work closely with our product team to determine how we can leverage new features in the user lifecycle, how we can predict user behavior, and what actions we need a user to take in order for them to become daily users of our product."
Did you negotiate your salary?
"Yes, always negotiate. It took me many years to be brave enough to ask for more money. In fact, most of my raises have come from switching jobs. However, it's important to know your worth and to really believe in that figure.
"I didn't understand that until I got my first big raise from switching jobs (from $110,00 to $130,000). I was initially shocked by the $130,000 offer, but it made me realize that my expertise is that valuable — and likely even more valuable!
"From that point on, I became much more aggressive about negotiating my salary. I've found that it's helpful to quantify your contribution to your company in order to ask for more money. In my line of work, I can directly tie increases in revenue to my campaigns, so I can make the case that I made the company $X and therefore deserve a Y% salary increase.
"I believe it's equally important to negotiate the work-life balance that suits you. As I've gained seniority and trust, I've been able to negotiate non-monetary wins like a flexible schedule to work from home one to two days a week, and being able to come into work later so I can ride my horse in the mornings. If you can't negotiate your salary, consider what else is on the table."
Is your current job your “passion”? If not, what is?
"My job is just that: a job. It's not a career or a passion, but it pays the bills and I'm good at it. I definitely have 'golden handcuffs' that keep me in this work (I'm also the primary breadwinner in my house since my husband runs his own business).
"My real passions are my horse (I ride dressage) and helping others better themselves or move forward in their careers. I would love to eventually take on career coaching as a full-time job. Of course, if I could just ride my horse full-time, that would be great, too!"
If you could, would you change anything in your career trajectory?
"Absolutely. I wish that I was brave enough to leave my current career earlier — I'm actually working with a career coach right now who is helping me figure out what I want to do and how to get there.
"I've let myself get distracted with the status that comes with working at startups with explosive growth when I wasn't actually enjoying any of it. I wish I had been able to think more critically about how my work impacted the rest of my life."
What professional advice would you give your younger self?
"The 'cool' job or company isn't necessarily the right one. Think critically about what brings you joy and pursue it — even if it's on the side or part-time."
Are you a woman under 35 witha six-figure salary($100,000+) and want to tell your story?Submit it here.
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Knockout cat eyes, major blush, highlighter that somehow never looks extra: Given her track record of nailing any and all looks, we wouldn't be mad if Zendaya was the face of every beauty brand. Now, the girl who has been inspiring our makeup for years (yes, years — and she's only 22) has been awarded a much-deserved new contract with Lancôme, joining the ranks of Lupita Nyong'o, Julia Roberts, and Taylor Hill.
As the new face of the brand, we (and her 54 million other followers) can look forward to learning more about how Zendaya gets those smoke-show eye looks and what’s behind her makeup choices. Not to mention the fact that the proud feminist will have the opportunity to leverage the position to expand her education advocacy with the brand’s own literacy initiative Write Her Future — and we can hardly wait to see it happen.
Of course, this isn't the multi-hyphenate's first foray into repping a makeup brand: In 2016, she added to CoverGirl 's "Easy, Breezy, Beautiful" image in a campaign that made perfect sense for the teen star. Now, she's gearing up to change the face of prestige beauty, too. In honor of Zendaya's new gig, we pulled a few of our favorite looks from the star's archives, ahead...
Yes, the hair is astonishingly good. But look again — anyone else have brow envy? Though the star eschews her usual intense eye-makeup look here for bright poppy lips worn with warm, peachy cheeks, she keeps it all balanced with brows that somehow look simultaneously strong and soft.
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
It’s rare for Zendaya to wear red lipstick on the carpet, but when she does, it’s done right: paired with plenty of mascara, a flick of liner, and little else.
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic/Getty Images.
With all the nude palettes out there, neutral eyeshadow can feel a little tired. But leave it to Zendaya to make a warm-toned shadow look exciting again. Though it's a style she turns to often, the renderings are never quite the same. In this look, worn at the 2016 Met Gala, a hint of sparse gold shimmer added to the lower lids, cheekbones, and the center of the lips makes the perfectly-blended look shine.
Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images.
It’s not easy to wear a gradient of purple and pink eyeshadow without looking a member of an ‘80s tribute band. But our girl pulls it off in spades, thanks to sharp liner that elongates her eye shape and a masterful blending job paired with neutral lips and cheeks.
Photo: Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images.
A contoured lip is one of Zendaya’s hallmarks, but she usually goes for shades of nude. Here, at a celebration for Barbie, she fittingly pays tribute with a swipe of rare-for-her tulip pink. She makes the look her own with depth-creating contour coupled with monochrome makeup.
Photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty Images.
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Most people look back on their fifth year of life and have nothing but snaggletooth school portraits and elbow macaroni necklaces to show for it. North West — on the other hand — will be looking at her first solo magazine cover on #TBT.
Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West's firstborn is the cover star of a special edition of WWD 's Beauty Inc. — all by herself — no Saint or Chi in sight(although we wouldn't be opposed). The publication has named her the face of a new "youthquake" generation referred to as Alpha. "West, whether she knows it or not, is at the forefront of a generation that is highly connected, engaged with fashion and beauty, and individualistic in style," the cover story reads.
West posed for her first spread clad in colorful outfits styled by her mama, and wore a neon-pink cat-eye courtesy of makeup artist Mary Phillips with braided ponytails by Chris Appleton. Kardashian West took to Twitter to tell fans that her daughter picked out her own eyeliner, which also happens to be perfectly on trend for Spring. "I’m seriously so proud of my Northie! She picked her looks and eyeliner color and is so involved and loves fashion & beauty so much," she wrote.
Her #proudmama moment didn't come without a handful of mommy shamers, though. Some slammed the reality star for her daughter's choice in makeup:
Stop congratulating er for putting make up on her on a 1st grader that should be out playing with other kids at a park getting dirty and laughing like a regular child that age
Kardashian West previously told Refinery29 that she has a set of beauty rules enforced for her daughter, but above all makeup is about creativity. "It is a form of expression, so I want her to express herself," she said. Judging by West's first solo spread, we can expect the five-year-old to continue with her trend-setting makeup looks — leading the Alphas in style — whether you like it or not.
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