Being indecisive isn’t a crime, but it does make shopping more difficult during the holiday season. You totally judged your friends who made nine-page wish lists for their parents back in the day, but now you know: Having someone tell you exactly what they want (right down to the retailer and pricing) makes the whole process that much easier. Unfortunately, when we ask the ones we love what they want, all we get are coy responses like "whatever you think is best" and "oh, you don't have to get me anything." Luckily, we’ve got a plan.
The key to shopping for the indecisive gift recipient, or simply the long-distance relative you haven’t seen since you were five, is advent calendars. No, not the ones that have chocolate inside (although those are great, too) — we’re talking about the luxe, make-you-feel-rich-for-less boxes that house several deluxe beauty products, from perfume to skin care to makeup. Just one advent calendar can provide up to 25 gifts that your dearest friends and family will never get tired of.
Ahead, the best beauty advent calendars everyone is shopping this season. But hurry — they're selling out, fast.
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.
Does your best friend have a secret obsession with Reddit's SkincareAddiction subreddit? If the answer is yes, they'll love this calendar packed with 12 prestige essentials from various best-selling (and pricey) brands, like a mini SkinMedica TNS Essential Serum and Omorovicza Balancing Moisturizer.
Skinstore 12 Miracles of Beauty, $69, available at SkinStore
Forget advent calendar: This is a vault of best-sellers, including four highlighters, six eyeshadows, and 14 lipsticks. Whether you gift it all to one person or split up the goodies inside for stocking stuffers, you'll no doubt be the favorite at this year's gift exchange. But act fast — it's on sale and bound to fly out of stock.
NYX Professional Makeup Sugar Trip 24 Days Of Beauty Advent Calendar, $38.5, available at Ulta Beauty
If you know someone who suffers from nail-polish fatigue, gift them this mountain of fancy options. The festive box houses 21 different polish colors in every finish you can imagine — including, but not limited to, glitter, crème, and metallic.
Ciaté Mini Mani Month Nail Set, $59, available at Sephora
For the pal who travels often, but rarely takes her beauty routine with her, there's this set of 12 skin and makeup necessities, including brushes, eyeshadow, and a face mask. It'll fit comfortably in a carry-on and won't upset TSA.
LimeLife Holidozen Collection, $98, available at LimeLife
Getting invited to your college roommate's wedding in Italy sounds like a vacation until you realize you have to fit half of your wardrobe into a suitcase — including your entire beauty routine. Thankfully, Oribe has you covered with this complete hair-care kit, which includes everything from shampoo to conditioner to the cult-favorite Dry Texture Spray.
Oribe The Collector's Set, $285, available at Oribe
The friend who heads south the second it snows will love this sun-friendly skin-care set. Open each box to reveal a best-selling Supergoop! formula to treat skin whether you're on a yacht in the middle of the Mediterranean or stuck on the slushy streets of New York.
Supergoop! 7 Days of Supergoop! Advent Calendar, $125, available at Supergoop!
Facials are expensive, but this advent calendar isn't. For just under $70, you can score a peel, two cleansers (oil and foam), a toner, three lotions, one mask, plus a serum, oil, and essence. Can you say instantmedicine-cabinet upgrade?
AMOREPACIFIC 12 Days of Essential Beauty, $65, available at Sephora
Finally, that Costco membership will come in handy for more than buying frozen pizza in bulk. Gift this 12-piece set of Essie's best-selling polishes (in six minis and six full-size bottles) to the bestie who has a standing mani appointment every Sunday. She — and her bank account — will thank you.
Essie Essie Advent Calendar, $53.99, available at Costco
Nearly $500 is a lot to spend on one gift — especially an advent calendar — but hey, if you have the cash to spare, you can mark all the people off your list at once with 15 mini candles, seven fragrances, and two body products.
Susanne Kaufmann makes some of the most luxurious bath cocktails to ever hit the market. We'd recommend gifting this one to yourself — just think of how many relaxing, de-stressing tub soaks you'll need after spending a week with your parents.
Susanne Kaufmann Gold Holiday Calendar, $235, available at Net-A-Porter
Rarely do we find friends who still swear by a good ol' soap-and-water skin-care routine — but, believe us, they exist. If you've got one, get them this hexagonal box of Elemis' best-selling cleansers and moisturizers. It'll give them a multitude of different ways to cleanse, and a few new ways to hydrate, to boot.
Elemis Holiday Advent Calendar, $215, available at Elemis
Looking for a gift that actually stays within your budget? This under-$50 set of best-selling perfumes and rollerballs from Tocca won't disappoint.
Tocca Ten Days of Tocca Gift Set, $50, available at Sephora
For the friend who wants to revamp their entire routine, but doesn't know where to start, there's this Net-A-Porter gift set. Made for people who prefer the finer things in life, inside you'll find 25 top-rated beauty products from luxury brands like Oribe, Le Labo, and Sunday Riley.
Net-A-Porter 25 Days of Beauty, $208, available at Net-A-Porter
How to please the friend who just studied abroad in Paris and suddenly wants to be a fashion journalist? Balmain's Paris Hair Couture Calendar. Tell them it includes French hair-care must-haves most people can't find in the States and we swear they'll weep.
Net-A-Porter 10 Day Balmain Gift Calendar 2018, $270, available at Net-A-Porter
Your Secret Santa gift exchange just got a whole lot easier: Not only is this present good for 25 days, but it also includes over $179 worth of products for $89. Now, you can stay within the pre-approved price limit and feel like you're treating your work wife to something she really deserves.
Rituals The Ritual of Advent Exclusive Calendar, $89, available at Rituals
This advent calendar is fit for the roommate with a wandering eye... for your perfumes. Fragrances are expensive and you'll have to replace your signature Clementine California Cologne sooner than you expect if she keeps spritzing her wrists every morning after you leave for work. The solution: Atelier Cologne's set of 24 minis. Split it with her, and she'll have 12 mini fragrances to last her well into 2019.
Atelier Cologne Discovery Advent Calendar, $49, available at Sephora
Not everyone wants to hoard miniature beauty products they'll never use. Luckily, this advent calendar features 14 full-size products that cover bath, body, and skin care.
The Body Shop 25 Days of the Enchanted Ultimate Advent Calendar, $225, available at The Body Shop
For when your inbox can't possibly handle another message from your aunt requesting yet another night cream to top her vanity...
Clarins Advent Calendar Set, $60, available at Nordstrom
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Maybe you live for the Holidays. Maybe the thought of getting stuck at the "kids" table yet again, or caught talking to that kooky aunt, boils your blood. Or, maybe you just fall somewhere in the " eh " shoulder-shrugging neutral zone. Whatever your feelings may be on these frantic and festive times, we've got a little something up our sleeves that we hope might up the general merriment factor. Hear us out on this genius holiday cure-all: Jell-O shots.
Part 1950s delicacy, part rowdy college dorm-party appetizer (?) — these gelatinous cocktails are a surefire way to bring the kumbaya to any forced family get-together. Easy to customize and whip up, you can surprise your brood with a tray of creamy eggnog shots. Or get the whole gang involved in crafting some jiggly (and boozy) gingerbread people.
Yes, these recipes and more exist. So click on for some holiday-survival inspiration — and maybe even to spread a little holly, jolly cheer while you're at it.
Layered Holiday Jello Shots A tray of festive Jell-O shots is just a few layered holiday colors and your favorite liquor away.
Photo: Courtesy of Tip Buzz.
Gingerbread People Jell-O Shots These gingerbread people may look innocent enough — but believe us, they pack a punch (keep them away from the kiddos).
In our seriesSalary Stories, women with long-term career experience open up about the most intimate details of their jobs: compensation. It’s an honest look at how real people navigate the complicated world of negotiating, raises, promotions, and job loss, with the hope it will give young women more insight into how to advocate for themselves — and maybe take a few risks along the way.
Additionally, we are joining forces with SoFi for the next few months to bring you career tips and coaching. We got the low-down from SoFi's career coaches who recommend:
Updating your résumé? Include relevant key words for the role and industry you're applying for so it stands out to the bots and hiring managers alike.
Been in the workforce for at least eight years and interested in contributing your salary story?Submit your information here.
Age: 27 Current Location: Portland, OR Current Industry & Title: Semiconductor Industry, Operations Manager Starting Salary: $60,000 in 2014 Current Salary: $89,000 + quarterly bonuses (0.5%) + annual bonus (1%) Number Of Years Employed: 8 Biggest Salary Jump: $30,000 in 2014 Biggest Salary Drop: None. Biggest Salary Negotiation Regret: "Not negotiating a higher starting salary and sign-on bonus when I was offered a permanent position at the company where I had a paid internship. I had no sense of what a typical starting salary was for my position, and I thought what they initially offered me was fair for someone fresh out of college. Now that I'm a part of the recruiting process for our group, I regret not negotiating for more or asking them for a sign-on bonus! If an employer makes you an offer, they will do what it takes so they don’t lose a strong candidate!" Best Salary-Related Advice: "I’ve learned that you have to take control of your own salary negotiations because, while other people may open up opportunities, no one is always going to advocate or prioritize you. It’s important for me to make my expectations clear and reflect on what I want to do and where I see myself in the future."
"I was a college sophomore when I started as an intern making $13/hour. I still had about 18 months until graduation, so my boss offered me a salaried internship that paid $30,000 and allowed me to go to school full-time and continue working.
"It was really hard, but I was able to work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m Monday through Friday and go to school 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. There were some semesters where I would go to school all day for two days a week and then work longer hours the three days that I was in the office. I definitely had no social life, but I knew what the outcome was and I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. And that was motivating for me. Eventually, this evolved into a permanent offer."
"When I got the permanent offer from the company where I had been an intern, I didn't negotiate the salary or ask for a sign-on bonus. I asked for a starting salary of $60,000, they agreed, plus I was eligible for the standard company bonus structure of quarterly bonuses of 0.5% and an annual bonus of 1%.
"Looking back, I didn’t give myself enough credit. I was bringing a lot of knowledge to the position, and I didn’t really realize that there were so many other avenues of requesting more money, like a sign-on bonus. I wasn’t really confident in my skill set."
"I received a $5,000 raise during our annual review cycle. My job title did not change, but my role increased in scope, as I was supporting additional teams, thus warranting a bigger raise than the average 3%. My bonus structure remained the same (0.5% quarterly bonuses and a 1% annual bonus).
"There was no clear review process in this role. My boss wasn't someone who was interested in talking about career development. Essentially, HR just gave me a letter letting me know the amount of the increase I was receiving.
"Looking back, I don’t think I felt I needed to request more because it was my first review so I didn’t know what to expect. Everyone tells you the typical raise is 3% year over year, and this was over 3% so I thought I was doing okay. I think that was my biggest downfall. I was also in a position where my role wasn’t clearly defined. I just didn’t feel confident in negotiating more.
"I regret this because if I had spoken up and said I deserved more, I don’t think they would have argued with it. But at the time I didn’t feel like I had the data behind me to support asking for more."
"My title changed to better align with what I actually did for the company, and I got a $7,000 raise during our annual review cycle, though my bonus structure remained the same (0.5% quarterly bonuses and a 1% annual bonus). My old boss left, and I got a new manager halfway through the year.
"My new manager restructured the team and as a result I was picking up a lot more tasks. I was able to build a relationship with my manager and show that I was capable of doing more work outside of my current role.
"I was being considered to receive a grade promotion, which meant I'd have a more senior role. But my manager's manager ultimately decided that I was 'too junior,' and I was told they would reconsider me next year.
"I was disappointed because I felt like I was doing more than what my current job description entailed. I was supporting not just my own manager but other teams and managers. I also felt that this decision was almost ageist. I was new to the company but my manager said I was doing well and deserved a great promotion, so to be told that it was a little 'too soon' made me feel defeated and not as motivated. My biggest regret was not going back and requesting my promotion be reevaluated."
"I finally received a grade promotion and a title change to Operations Manager. My bonus structure remained the same (0.5% quarterly bonuses and a 1% annual bonus). I continued to expand my job scope by supporting more teams and building my skill set and breadth of knowledge to multiple parts of the organization, I became a 'Jill of All Trades.'
"I regret not negotiating a higher raise as I started to feel like I was being underpaid compared to my colleagues in the same position, but I didn't speak up because I was the youngest person in my group, and I didn't feel confident enough to argue for more.
"I learned that, with review cycles, each manager is given a certain amount of money and has to parse it around to their team. So I was happy about the promotion but the dollar increase didn’t feel in line with the grade promotion. I regret not going back to ask for more.
"I’m learning every year the intricacies and nuances of the review cycle and how to use it in your favor. As women, we tend to not stick up for ourselves and not ask for more. We hope that people will recognize what we’re doing and say we deserve more. But we have to actively advocate for ourselves."
"I received a $2,000 raise during our annual review cycle. This one stung a lot. I was very close to my manager, and he would lean on me to assess staff reviews and team performance. This was also the first year where I didn’t focus 100% of my energy on my manager as I was supporting other managers as well.
"I think this kind of hurt because he didn't look at it from a data-driven perspective, he looked at it as more: 'Did she do everything I asked for?' It was hard because I wasn’t expecting this low of a raise, considering everything I’ve done for the company. I had always been told I would be taken care of, and it didn’t seem like that was the case this year.
"Unfortunately, I also had more information than ever about the annual review cycle as I knew more of the process than my own manager. I had to help him input my coworkers evaluations, including raises, promotions, and stocks, as well as trade-offs, which also meant watching my own raise dwindle as we strived to stay within budget.
"I'd been performing at my highest and supporting senior management, but my direct manager didn't take their feedback into consideration. I had a great relationship with my direct manager, but after this revealing review cycle, I made the decision to start leveraging my network so I could find a new position where I would thrive and be valued."
"This was a lateral move, I didn’t change grade level or position I just changed teams. It wasn't an official promotion, but I did get a salary increase. My bonus structure remained the same (0.5% quarterly bonuses and a 1% annual bonus).
"Over the past two years, I've been mentored by a more senior operations manager. I met with him on a weekly basis to review operational issues I've encountered, and over the course of our working relationship I've been able to build trust with him while showing off my skill set. Because of the guidance of my mentor and the initiative I’d taken, another manager asked me to come run his organization. Now, I’m working on operations for a team of 130 instead of 20.
"While a team change does not always result in a raise or promotion, twice a year HR does an assessment to make sure everyone is being paid at market rate. Basically, the company evaluated my salary and compared it to industry standards, and I received a pay equity adjustment. (I always had a gut feeling I was being paid less than I should have been, but I had no solid data to support this.)
I transitioned to the new team and got the pay increase a week after my 27th birthday!
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Welcome to Unfiltered, where we give our honest, no-B.S. reviews of the most buzzed-about beauty products, brands, and services on the market right now.
Long gone are the days when bloggers were relegated to Instagram and YouTube. Now, they're the loudest voices influencing makeup brands, oftentimes collaborating with companies on curated collections. Among the most sought-out content creators is YouTube royalty Patrick Starrr, who was tapped by MAC Cosmetics last year to release not just one collection, but five throughout 2018.
After giving us tropical packaging and jet-setter kits, Starrr and MAC have reached their fifth and final collection. The release is a red, sparkly holiday lineup titled "Patrick Starrr Slay Ride" that includes an array of makeup goodies from glitter lip gloss to a setting powder.
Being that it's the last to come from the union of the mega-influencer and MAC cosmetics, we wanted to give it a try. So, we asked a handful of R29 staffers to test out the products from Starrr's newest holiday release and share their unfiltered opinions. Warning: Just like all the other MAC holiday collections, this one is already selling out. So, you might want to add it to your holiday shopping list now and figure out who to gift it to later — or, better yet, keep it for yourself.
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.
Product Tested: Matte Lipstick in Slay Ride and Pigment in Omiguad Its Gold
"I forgot how good MAC lipsticks could be. For the last few years, I have been using liquid lip formulas exclusively, but when I smoothed on this red, it all came flooding back to me. This is why Ruby Woo is a best seller. The formula glides on smooth and looks flawless in photos. It’s far less drying than my go-to liquid lip, and it still lasted all day. This red is a little deeper than what I usually go for, which feels appropriate for cranberry season."
MAC Cosmetics X Patrick Star Lipstick, $19.5, available at MAC Cosmetics
"As someone who is a total klutz when it comes to eyeshadow, I had so many questions when I opened this loose pigment. Mainly: How do I get it to stay on my eyelids? I decided to use a bit of concealer first and then dipped my brush directly in the pot. As I began to dab the product on my lids, what looked like chunks of glitter in the packaging melted into a smooth, metallic powder. The gunmetal shade is perfect if you can't decide between gold or silver. And although some claim pigments are for the advanced makeup fans, I think this one is foolproof."
MAC x PATRICKSTARRR Pigment , $23, available at MAC Cosmetics
Products Tested: Oh, Holy Eyes Eyeshadow Palette, Dazzleglass in Ride My Sleigh, and Patrick's Powder
"I ended up with a surprisingly natural look after using all the bold colors in this holiday collection. After swiping on the bronze and gold shadows from the eyeshadow palette, I was left with a slightly metallic smoky eye."
MAC x PATRICKSTARRR Eye Shadow x 6 / Oh, Holy Eyes, $33, available at MAC Cosmetics
"Although this Dazzleglass looks like a vibrant red, glittery lip gloss in the tube, it actually comes out more like a shimmery lip gloss with a slightly pink tinge. My one complaint is that it's quite gloopy, so putting too much on meant no eating or drinking for several hours, which is just unacceptable in my world."
MAC x PATRICKSTARRR Dazzleglass , $18.5, available at MAC Cosmetics
"My favorite among the products I tried was this setting powder. To be honest, I've been using the same powder for so long that the label has rubbed off, and I no longer have any idea what brand it's from. So, this was a bit of a revelation. All my shine instantly vanished, and I love how the applicator is a little puff, which is much nicer than the crumbled old piece of foam I've been using for years now. Consider my life changed."
MAC x PATRICKSTARRR Set Powder, $39.5, available at MAC Cosmetics
Products Tested: Smoky Sleigh Eyeshadow Palette and Dazzleglass in Santa Got Moneyyy
"I always go for eyeshadows that pack a punch. The fewer swipes it takes to put it on, the better — and this was the best. With just one swipe of my finger, my entire lid was covered in the teal shade. I applied the silver on the inner corners in an attempt to open up my eyes (accomplished), and then blended the brown shade on the outer lid and crease. The best part? It didn't budge. I know what makeup look I'll be wearing for New Year's Eve when my shenanigans take me past midnight. Now to find a dress to match..."
MAC x PATRICKSTARRR Eye Shadow x 6 / Smoky Sleigh, $33, available at MAC Cosmetics
"I love lip gloss, like really love. But I was a little intimidated by all the gold sparkle in this formula. Luckily, it went on as a super shiny, sheer nude gloss. Whew. Although the finish was worthy of selfies, the formula was way too sticky for my taste, and I had to remove it after just three minutes. If high shine is your goal and sticky doesn't bother you, then it's worth snagging."
MAC x PATRICKSTARRR Dazzleglass , $18.5, available at MAC Cosmetics
Product Tested: Matte Lipstick in Spank Me Santa and Mineralize Skinfinish in Baby Its Gold Outside
"You can’t really tell that I'm wearing highlighter in this photo, but I promise I am! I used this powder along my cheekbones since the gold tones felt more flattering as a highlighter. It’s a super sheer powder, so if you want that Patrick Starrr bling, I suggest layering it on or wetting your brush before you apply. I lightly dusted it on, so my skin had a subtle glow in the natural sunlight."
MAC x PATRICKSTARRR Mineralize Skinfinish , $39.5, available at MAC Cosmetics
"Forget the holidays, I love this lipstick to wear every single day. It’s a brownish rose color that reminds me of one of my all-time favorite MAC shades called Whirl. It's the perfect understated nude, so I’d probably pass on wearing it for glitzier holiday occasions, but I totally recommend having a color like this in your collection — especially if you have brown skin!"
MAC x PATRICKSTARRR Lipstick, $19.5, available at MAC Cosmetics
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Well this we did not expect. More parents are naming their babies after the first lady and first daughter, with "Ivanka" having surged in popularity by 362% and "Melania" by 227% since 2015, according to a review of Social Security Administration data by the website AreaVibes. (Hello, MAGA onesies?)
Meanwhile, Ivanka's sis Tiffany saw her name popularity decline by 17% (sorry, Tiff), while "Barron" jumped by 90%, "Donald" dropped by 11%, and "Eric" went down by 6%.
The growing interest in their unique names, at the same time as "Donald" is falling out of favor, speaks to the perception of Ivanka and Melania as neutral, peacemaking figures despite their complicity in the administration's worst policies. We can just picture a specific type of Dallas mom naming her little precious Ivanka because "she's so graceful and elegant."
While use of these names is rising, they're still both very uncommon. In 2017, only 164 baby girls were named Ivanka. It's less popular than "Ivana," of which Ivanka is a nickname in Czech: 191 girls got the name in 2017. (Ivanka Trump's real name is actually "Ivana"; she was named after her mom.)
Pamela Redmond Satran, cofounder of Nameberry.com and author of several baby-name books, as well as the book Younger, says people are more likely to make the "president's daughter" association with little Ivankas than they are the "first lady" association with little Melanias. "Ivanka is a much more distinctive and much less intrinsically likable name: That 'ank' syllable is not very attractive," she tells Refinery29. "Figuratively, at this point there's still only one Ivanka — just like there's only one Kanye, one Barack, one Madonna — no matter how many other people get the name."
Melania was the fifth fastest-rising baby-girl name in 2017. It increased 720 places to enter the top 1,000 at #930. In 2017, 283 girls were named Melania. "I would guess that at least 280 of them were because people heard and liked the first lady's name," says Redmond Satran. "It's got the ingredients to be a popular name apart from the influence of Mrs. Trump: It's both familiar and exotic, and is similar to some recent names that became more visible and more popular, like...Malia. You might not have to be a rabid Trump fan, or even a Republican, to name your baby Melania, but you have to feel positively about the association because it will be universal in the U.S."
Speaking of Malia, Social Security data shows that both "Sasha" and "Malia" went up in popularity during the Obama administration. But as for Ivanka, even less than a year ago her name wasn't considered all that hot. "Ivanka is different," Laura Wattenberg, author of The Baby Name Wizard and founder of BabyNameWizard.com, told Live Science. "She's not a little girl, and she's an explicitly political figure."
Wattenberg explained that people named their kids after presidents — Cleveland, Roosevelt — pretty reliably until around the middle of the 20th century. After that, it's possible the public became more cynical. "There was a clear turning point in American history where we went from routinely naming after political and military leaders and avoiding them at all costs," Wattenberg said.
When it comes to Melania and Barron, they fit into some already existing baby-name trends, she added. "Melania" is a flowing, "liquid name" like "Arianna," and Barron is an "exalted" name that evokes royalty.
So, while Tiffany may not be the most popular Trump right now, at least her name will be forever synonymous with fine jewelry and not possible indictments like her big sister.
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Festival season lineups may change every year, but one trend remains the same: flower crowns. You can mock them, but you can't escape them. It doesn't matter if you're on the West Coast kickin' it at Coachella, or eating a New York slice at Governors' Ball... there will be a Revolve romper-wearing Instagram star with a headband full of daisies. Get used to it.
But despite all of the Twitter jokes, everyone should feel free to do their hair however they please. And naturalistas with 'fros of all lengths have the advantage of taking it a step further by wearing flowers in their hair. Real or faux, this is a trend that truly feels fresh.
"I was talking to someone the other day about how maybe just 10 years ago if you looked around any Black space, the majority of us had straight, relaxed hair or were rocking straight, silky styles that fit the ‘European standard’ of beauty," Tolani, a YouTuber who attended Curlfest 2018, wrote. "#Curlfest is the perfect example of how far we, as Black women, have come in our self love journey! I also love that we are also growing to accept all textures, not only the type 2 and 3 curls but the koilys and the kinkyz too! Go us."
Photo: Via @mark.c.
"Curlfest was such a liberation for me," model Nestreya said on Instagram.
Photo: Via @nestreya.
Influencer Micaéla Verrelien bloomed where she was planted.
Photo: Via @micaelaverrelien.
Yara Shahidi defined her curls with the help of sunny daffodils.
Believe it or not, but Ebonee Davis, photographed by Micaiah Carter, made this crown herself. "I used baby's breath that I bought from a local flower shop and cut it into small pieces, then I placed directly into my Afro," she tells us.
Photo: Via @eboneedavis.
You can expect us to be wearing this look (modeled by Camille Felicity) as soon as roses come into bloom.
Photo: Via @camillefelicity.
Hair artist Hadiiya Barbel made this creation — which features flowers and butterflies — from scratch for Afropunk.
Photo: Via @hadiiyabarbel.
No need to break out the Snapchat filters when you can have the real deal.
Photo: Via @inikotaylor6.
Flowers add a dash of whimsy to this trio's all-black, badass outfits.
Photographed by Courtney Yates.
It's rare when a bride's hair rivals her own bouquet – but that's exactly what happened with this elegant fro-hawk with side twists (and you've got to see the back).
Photo: Via @rebeccayale.
For a little variation, add a few bantu knots to the front of your 'do, like hairstylist Aieasha did for an Atlas Magazine shoot.
Photo: Via @aieshadoeshair.
If you're concerned with keeping your blooms in place throughout the day, try securing them with a small bobby pin on a medium-sized section of your hair.
Photo: Via @roxiejanehunt.
But when you've been blessed with texture like this, then you don't have to worry about toppling petals. They'll just stay put — because that's a part of our magic.
Photo: Via @tildakimono.
Model Dominique Robinson used the same flowers on her hair to accessorize her glossy nude lip.
Photo: Via @iamdominiquerobinson.
You don't need to pick the whole patch — Kiera proves that three to four blooms can make the look.
Photo: Via @kieraplease.
The multi-colored sunflowers in Jasmine Brown's Afro make her look like a summertime goddess.
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We thought we'd seen it all last year in terms of celebrity tattoos. After all, what could possibly top Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott's matching butterflies, the Game of Thrones cast tributes, or Justin Bieber's... entire chest? Nothing — or so we thought. Then 2019 hit, and all our favorite stars flocked to their favorite artists asking for even more.
From dainty designs to awkward cover-ups, celebrities can't seem to stay out of the tattoo chair for long. In fact, stars like Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, and Miley Cyrus are getting inked so frequently, we've started keeping a running tally of the most standout designs. Curious? Ahead, the most unforgettable celebrity tattoos to happen this year — so far, at least.
Frances Bean Cobain
Cobain frequently shows off her growing tattoo collection on Instagram, but her newest addition is perhaps one of our favorites — and far less spooky than that ghost tattoo. The 26-year-old recently visited tattoo artist Daniel Winter to ink a quote from artist Jenny Holzer on her forearm. It reads, "It is in your self-interest to find a way to be very tender."
Busy Philipps
After getting her first tattoo back in July , Philipps just added another — and it's no coincidence both are inspired by her memoir, This Will Only Hurt A Little. She explained on Instagram that the new design is pulled from a chapter of the book, originally illustrated by Geoff McFetridge.
Lady Gaga
After racking up nearly 50 nominations for her acting and songwriting chops in A Star Is Born, Gaga decided to commemorate the experience with one extra-large tattoo right down her spine. The rose, sketched by tattoo artist Daniel Winter, is anchored by four words that, together, make up the song title that landed Gaga the role as Ally in the film: "La Vie En Rose."
On the same day Gaga got the rose inked on her back, she also added some musical notes to her forearm spelling out her name: GAGA. But the tattoo didn't look this good the first time around — thanks to one too many tequilas, Gaga left out one of the staff lines, making the four notes incomprehensible. Luckily, within an hour, Winter fixed the tattoo to include all five.
The only thing better than Gaga's honest, albeit tipsy, mistake is that this tattoo might have a double meaning. Some fans pointed out on Twitter that since Gaga didn't include which clef the notes were in, the tattoo can be read in treble clef as her desired "GAGA," or in bass clef as "BCBC" — you know, for Bradley Cooper, the director and her co-star in ASIB.
Halle Berry
Just in case you thought Lady Gaga's back tattoo would be the last, Berry posted this revealing photo on Instagram to prove you wrong. Although the origins of the massive vine tattoo are elusive, Berry's sure to spawn some copycats.
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato's dog, Buddy, passed away after a reported coyote attack several years ago. It wasn't until 2019 that she got her foot tattoo, created by celebrity artist Dr. Woo, as a tribute to her late pet.
Paris Jackson
Jackson is one celebrity offspring who might be more famous for her tattoos than her parents. (Well, not quite — this is Michael Jackson's daughter we're talking about.) The latest tattoo in her collection of over 50 was created at Tattoo Mania in West Hollywood and inspired by Led Zeppelin. The ink extends from her shoulder to her elbow, showcasing the symbols representing each member of the band that they used to promote their fourth album, 1971's Led Zeppelin IV.
Miley Cyrus
Another famous youth who has too many tattoos to count in one sitting: Cyrus. Although she has a collection of delicate pet-dedicated designs all over her body, her latest addition is her most... Miley. Sometime this past summer, the singer visited Keith "Bang Bang" McCurdy to get the word "pussy " inked on the side of her foot. Although it happened months ago, fans didn't see it until this January — but the wait was totally worth it.
Ariana Grande
Grande got a reported 16 tattoos in 2018 alone, but at this rate, she'll probably beat her own record before we're halfway through 2019. In fact, on the second day of the new year, Grande visited New York-based tattoo artist Mira Mariah to get "let's sing" in Japanese inked on the ditch of her arm.
Later that same month, the "Thank U, Next" singer visited tattoo artist Kane Navasard to have Eevee, Grande's favorite Pokémon, inked on her upper arm forever.
Two weeks later, Grande's single "7 Rings " became her second No. 1 debut on Billboard's Hot 100. To celebrate, she got what she thought was the Japanese translation of the song's title. In reality, it meant "shichirin," which is a Japanese-style barbecue grill.
Grande replied to fan criticism of the misspelling with a legitimate(-ish) excuse: "It hurt like fuck... I wouldn’t have lasted one more symbol." A day later, the singer returned to artist Navasard to add more symbols in an attempt to amend the ink — but even after consulting with her Japanese tutor, Grande still ended up with a tattoo that now translates to "Japanese BBQ finger. "
Zoë Kravitz
With nearly 60 dainty designs in total, Kravitz's 2019 additions are definitely on-brand for the actress. Thanks to Dr. Woo, Kravitz now has "baby" inked on the right side of her neck and a dragonfly on her left shoulder, which also happens to be one of the best celeb tattoo cover-ups we've ever seen — the dragonfly replaced some Arabic text Kravitz had in the exact same spot.
Pete Davidson
Although Davidson spent the latter half of 2018 covering up the couple tattoos he got with — and for — Ariana Grande, it wasn't until early February that the comedian hid his very last: "mille tendresse " on the back of his neck. (For the record, Grande has the same exact tattoo in the same spot on the back of her neck, which she got in 2014 in honor of her favorite movie Breakfast at Tiffany's.) Although the tattoo is good — it means "a thousand tendernesses" in French — Davidson decided it was time to bid adieu with a clever cover-up that now reads, "CURSED."
Halsey
Whether she likes it or not, the "Without Me" singer often ignites a headline firestorm every time she gets a tattoo. In November, it was her Libra tattoo — which she got just minutes before performing on Saturday Night Live. Now, it's her rib tattoo inspired by.... Marilyn Manson?
Justin Bieber
Odds are Bieber got his infamous face tattoo in the summer of last year, but it wasn't until January that we finally got a glimpse of the rumored ink. Although we don't really know where the dainty script spelling out "grace" has gone now — seriously, where was it on the cover of Vogue? — we know it happened... even if it's since been removed.
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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.
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Today: a sales executive working in real estate who makes $96,000 per year and spends some of her money this week on a margarita.
Occupation: Sales Executive Industry: Real Estate/Sales Age: 27 Location: Irvine, CA Salary: $96,000 Paycheck Amount: $1,420 twice a month, and my commission is approximately $3,250 once a month (with a 40% tax), but can be higher/lower depending on the month.
Monthly Expenses Rent: $1,905 (I live alone in a 531-square-foot apartment.) Student Loans: $0 (I was fortunate enough to have my parents help out with the cost of undergrad.) Credit Card Payment: $300 Phone/Car Insurance: $150 (I'm on my family's plan, so I pay my dad back.) Utilities: Approximately $100 (water, trash, sewage, gas, electric) Health Insurance: $50 Cable/Internet/HBO: $108 Spotify: $9.99 Chewy.com Dog Food: $24 (My boyfriend pays for half. We have it on autoship once a month.) Amazon Prime: $12.99 Therapy: $60 Libro.FM: $14.99 (It's like Audible, but supports independent bookstores.) Netflix: $0 (I use my boyfriend's account.) ClassPass: $79 (My work covers $75 of it, though, so I only pay $4.) 401(k): 4% of each paycheck
Day One
6:30 a.m. — My alarm goes off and I fall back asleep until 6:45, which is around the time I'm supposed to wake up. (I set my alarm for 15 minutes earlier, though, because I'm horrible and hit snooze so often.) I do my morning routine for skin care (rosewater spray from Trader Joe's + Youth to the People Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream + Juice Beauty primer), and then I take dog to the dog park in my apartment complex. He doesn't really get along with other dogs but likes wandering around the grassy area with no leash, so I take him early in the morning when no one is around. Then I get dressed, grab a Lenny & Larry's protein cookie, and leave for work.
9 a.m. — Buy my ticket for an adult film festival that my cousin and his friends invited me to. He said they went last year and it was a lot of fun. The whole premise of the festival is that people can submit videos — but they'll never be published online or shown again, so people can feel comfortable submitting. I'm really excited to go because I've been a little bored by the monotony of the work week, and this is the perfect thing to shake things up a little. $24.49
11 a.m. — Have therapy during my lunch break. I go every Wednesday at this time. My therapist does teletherapy through the Doxy.me app, so I get to video chat with her instead of going to an office, which makes it SO much easier for me. I suffer from anxiety and depression, which has been under control lately, but I still love therapy. It's really nice to have someone to talk to who doesn't know anyone I know and won't judge me (or does a great job at hiding it, haha). My job can get pretty stressful, so it's especially helpful to have a mental-health break during the middle of the work day. I'm fortunate enough to have my insurance cover it, so I just pay the copay. $15
12:45 p.m. — I'm starting to get hungry because I spent my lunch at therapy, so I heat up some Italian orzo spinach soup I brought from home. A big part of my job is calling real estate agents to persuade them to advertise on our website, so I eat at my desk while cold calling and trying to build more pipeline. I've almost hit my quota for the month, which causes less stress...for now, at least.
5 p.m. — I get off work and head straight to Anaheim, which is about 45 minutes away. I hired a dog walker for the dog so I wouldn't be late for the festival ($14.80 + $3 tip). My boyfriend, K., can usually walk him if I can't, but he has band practice right after work tonight. The walker is super sweet and always sends me photos and a summary of how it went, which makes me feel at ease. (I feel like I have a tendency to baby my dog, oops.) $17.80
6:20 p.m. — I meet my cousin at his apartment and he drives us to Long Beach. We both don't feel like eating at a sit-down restaurant, so we just go to Taco Bell. I get two potato soft tacos fresco-style and a side of cinnamon twists. $5.07
10:30 p.m. — Just got out of the festival, and WOW. I was blown away by how beautiful and artistic (most of) the submissions were. I was expecting just very basic, amateur videos you can find online, but a lot of them were so well done — both aesthetically and thematically. It was also extremely refreshing and inspiring to see different body types, genders, and sexual orientations not only represented, but celebrated. Going in, I felt like it may have been a little too weird to basically watch porn next to a family member (no matter how close friends we are outside of the family context), but it really just felt like we were watching really artsy short films with nudity for two hours. I'm definitely going back for next year's fest.
Daily Total: $62.36
Day Two
6:47 a.m. — Most days it's a struggle for me to get out of bed, but today feels even worse because I got home so late last night. I do my morning routine, grab breakfast (another protein cookie) and some more of the soup I packed for lunch, and leave for work. Thank God we have coffee at the office, because I definitely need some today.
10:30 a.m. — I attended my first ADAPT meeting. Where I work, we have something called affinity networks, which is basically a place where minorities can go and have a safe space and/or raise awareness. I'm a member of both ADAPT and the Women's Impact Network. ADAPT is for disabilities and mental-health awareness. It's great to meet members and brainstorm how we can make our office a better, more inclusive space. Plus, free doughnuts.
12 p.m. — Lunch! I eat leftover soup, which I'm getting a little tired of, but I'm trying to cut back on eating out. I usually listen to an audiobook during my lunch break (sometimes I use Audible if Libro.fm doesn't have the book I want, though I don't have a monthly membership with Audible). It's always a welcome, quiet “me time” break in the day. Right now I'm listening to Skippy Dies by Paul Murray because K. recommended it. It's pretty long but really good so far.
1:30 p.m. — Check my personal email and see a request to donate $3 to Bernie Sanders's campaign, so I do. I supported him in 2016, and so far he is my favorite candidate for 2020. $3
4:30 p.m. — Finally off work! It dragged today, mainly because I was so tired. It takes me about 30 minutes to drive home, even though I only live five miles away — Southern California traffic is insane. I feed the dog and take him on a walk. He can be a pain to walk because bulldogs are so stubborn, but he looks so happy when he walks. It makes my heart melt! When we get back, I make myself a protein shake and watch a little bit of HGTV before I head to my fitness class.
7:22 p.m. — My friend texts me saying she is bowling at a charity event for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County next week. I won't be able to make it, so I donate to her team instead. $20
7:30 p.m. — Took an hour-long class via ClassPass called Brazilian Booty. This is my fourth time taking it, and it kicks my ass every time. The instructor is amazing and always keeps it fun, but it's also pretty challenging. I had to sit down at one point because I was feeling a little dizzy, but I always feel really accomplished and proud when I finish this class. I've struggled a lot with body image for as long as I can remember, but I'm really liking how these strength-training classes make me feel.
9 p.m. — Get home, shower, and do my night-time routine. I'm pretty into skin care, so I take my makeup off with DHC cleansing oil, wash my face with a SheaMoisture Clay-to-Cream cleanser that helps with redness, use Trader Joe's rosewater spray as a toner, and apply Galactomyces 95 Tone Balancing Essence, Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Oil, and finally, some Cetaphil moisturizer. I also exfoliate twice a week and use a jade roller when I can remember. It sounds long and intense, but I have it down to a science. K. usually comes over after my class, but he wants to practice for a show his band is playing next week (which works out, because I'm pretty wiped). I read The Complete Stories of Truman Capote before I eventually knock out.
Daily Total: $23
Day Three
6:45 a.m. — I know it's cliché, but I wake up super excited that it's Friday! I have a busy weekend ahead of me, but most of it is socializing and doing fun stuff. I forget to grab breakfast at home, so I eat a protein bar from our work kitchen.
12:30 p.m. — It's been a crazy busy day at work, and I'm finally taking lunch. We have free lunch today, and it's Brazilian food. I have beans, rice, and pico de gallo. I'm still pretty hungry after, so I have a bowl of cereal from the kitchen.
2:15 p.m. — It's International Women's Day, and I'm super bummed that I missed the event that the Women's Impact Network put on. I was on a work call that ran longer than expected. Because I work in sales, we basically have to drop everything if there's a possibility of getting a closing. It's a bummer and it's stressful, so even though I'm getting paid a lot, I'm looking to transition out of this field into something I'm more passionate about. I'd rather feel more joy and stability, even if it means sacrificing a great paycheck.
5:30 p.m. — I get off work at 4:30 and drive straight to a Body Sculpting & Abs class, hosted by the same instructor as last night's class. This is my first time taking this one, and I love it just as much as Brazilian Booty. It's a good way to get a full-body workout, which is great because I need to increase my upper-body strength. I'm meeting a friend for dinner tonight, so I rush home to walk the dog, shower, and get ready.
8:10 p.m. — I'm late to meet my friend for dinner at a restaurant called Puesto. When I get there, he has already been there for a while and downed a wine flight. It's Orange County Restaurant Week, so we get a prix fixe menu for $30. We each get chips and guacamole, two tacos, cilantro-lime rice, esquite, and a slice of dulce de leche cake. I also decide to splurge and get a margarita. I haven't seen him in nearly four months, so it's great to catch up. $48.75
11:15 p.m. — Home from dinner, and I am SO happy I don't have to set an alarm for tomorrow! My favorite thing about the weekend is being able to sleep in on at least one day, if not both. I really need to start falling asleep earlier during the week so I'm not so exhausted when the weekend rolls around.
Daily Total: $48.75
Day Four
7:45 a.m. — The dog is at the foot of my bed waiting for me to get up to feed him and take him out. He always whines a little and gives me these huge bug eyes. I throw on sweatpants and a jacket, let him do his business, feed him, and head back to bed. I hear him come in my room about 10 minutes later and see him cuddle back into his bed. He's such a great, low-key dog.
11:45 a.m. — Ohhhhmygod, I can't believe I woke up this late! I have a few texts from K. and I panic — we're supposed to go see Blade Runner (one of his favorite movies) at the Frida Cinema, but I forgot what time it starts. Once I realize we don't have to be there until 2:30, I relax and check social media in bed for a while.
1:15 p.m. — I start to get ready, but I'm not really feelin' it. I can't tell if I'm having an off day and feeling depressed or if I'm still just tired. Even though I'm doing a lot of fun things this weekend that I'm excited for, part of me wishes I could just veg out at home for a day.
2:15 p.m. — K. picks me up and we're running late for the movie. He notices that I'm not feeling my best but doesn't push for me to talk about it. I feel bad that I'm feeling this way after not seeing him for a couple of days, but he's so nice and understanding about my anxiety and depression. I need coffee, so I walk over to Portola while he grabs seats and meets up with our friends. I don't really care about missing the first few minutes, because I've seen Blade Runner before. I get an oat milk iced latte ($5.75 + $1 tip). $6.75
4:45 p.m. — I always forget how visually stunning Blade Runner is; I could probably just sit and watch it with no sound and still love it. We talk to our friends outside the theater for a bit, and they invite us to get drinks, but K. and I have to go and get ready for my cousin's engagement party. I check my phone and find out I sold something on Poshmark — yay!
6 p.m. — We are running suuuuper late because we had to walk the dog (well, K. did, bless his heart) and change for the party. I hate being late, so this definitely doesn't help my “off” mood today, but I'm trying to not get anxious about it.
7:23 p.m. — Finally arrive! My cousin got engaged a little bit before Christmas, but her fiancé's family lives out of town, so now we're celebrating with everyone while they're here. The party is at a cute Italian restaurant, and the food is amazing. My aunt paid for the party, so we don't have to cover anything. I take some leftover eggplant Parmesan home for lunch on Monday and leave feeling better than I did earlier, which is nice. I fill up my gas tank on the way home. $38.74
11 p.m. — Get home and go straight to bed after my nighttime routine. I have to be up at 5:30 a.m. tomorrow for my drive to Pasadena for a swap meet, PLUS we're losing an hour for Daylight Saving, ugh. I can already tell I'm going to be a zombie tomorrow.
Daily Total: $45.49
Day Five
5:30 a.m. — Snooze.
6:24 a.m. — I'm so late! I text my friend who lives in Pasadena and is going with me, and he says he and his wife have been snoozing their alarm, too, so I should take my time. In fairness, we lost an hour of sleep, so I did technically wake up at 5:30!
7:08 a.m. — Leave my house and grab $100 in cash from the ATM, because most vendors at the flea market don't accept cards. Going shopping at flea markets is one of my favorite activities and probably the only thing I'll ever be excited to wake up early for. I'm looking to sell vintage clothing soon, and I'm hoping I'll find some good finds for my future online shop. We're all grabbing brunch after shopping, but I know I won't last until then on an empty stomach, so I drive through Del Taco for breakfast rollers and coffee. $4.30
8:20 a.m. — I make it to my friend's house and we all head out. This is our first time at the swap meet together — they're flea market enthusiasts as well, so I'm excited to shop with them. The Rose Bowl Flea Market happens the second Sunday of every month, and it's enormous. I've done the whole area once, and it took me about five to six hours to get through everything (exhausting but still fun). They have a map to make it easier, so you know what areas to visit if you have a specific focus. It's $9 to get in, cash only. I have a $10 bill in my wallet, so I don't use the cash I got this morning. $9
12:45 p.m. — We're done shopping because we all got what we wanted, and we're super hungry. We only covered about two areas, but I got a great haul! I bought five vintage dresses ($75), a vintage Dodgers shirt ($20), and a vintage T-shirt for K. ($5). I'll be keeping a few of the items and selling some. My best find was an Alfred Shaheen dress for $20 — they usually go for $100-$400! My friends got some great items as well, including an old French poster from 1920 that's been preserved and framed. I spent $100 total for everything, so I'm happy I stayed within budget! $100
1:15 p.m. — We arrive for brunch at Idle Hour in North Hollywood to meet up with some other friends who have already started a few rounds of bottomless mimosas. I order breakfast sliders (basically egg, cheese, and tomato in the middle of a biscuit) and fries, which are okay — next time, I want to try something else. The atmosphere is really cool. The restaurant is shaped like a barrel, and they have a huge walk-in Bulldog-shaped lounge on the back patio with a live band playing inside. We stay a couple hours and sober up before leaving. $35
5:07 p.m. — I'm wiped. I had a lot of fun, but I didn't expect to stay that long. I wanted to take a midday nap, but now it's way too late so I just plan to go to bed early. K. is coming over to hang out, and I'm excited because we haven't spent time alone with each other in a while (or at least it seems like a while). He picks up food for me from Urban Plates, and I Venmo him because I appreciate it! $13.50
8:30 p.m. — I feel like a grandma going to bed this early, but it feels so good, I don't even really care.
Daily Total: $161.80
Day Six
6:58 a.m. — I seriously need to get better about waking up earlier. I do the usual — let the dog out, get ready, leave for work. I forget breakfast again, so I just eat another protein bar and get cold brew at the office.
11:45 a.m. — I have leftover eggplant Parm for lunch, and somehow it tastes even better reheated. I'm listening to Skippy Dies, and I'm realizing how sad I'm going to be when this book is over — I'm too invested in the characters and the story now.
4:30 p.m. — Off work and gotta rush back to my place to clean up some clutter before my cousin (same one from the adult film fest) comes over later tonight for a movie night. We're either going to watch Clue or The Accidental Tourist. K. is coming for a little bit to have dinner with us but has to leave early to meet some college friends for drinks.
6:25 p.m. — My cousin has arrived! The dog is super excited because no one except K. ever really comes over, so he likes seeing a new person around. K. comes shortly after, and we head over to Taco Bell. It probably seems like I eat here a lot, but I actually prefer Del Taco. I eat Taco Bell, like, once every two or three months, but it's cheap, easy, and my cousin's pick. I order two potato soft tacos, a medium drink, and cinnamon twists. $9.78
8:05 p.m. — K. leaves and my cousin and I finally start the movie after some technical difficulties with the DVD player. We decide to watch Clue, and I guess the DVD was important because it has all three alternate endings. My cousin told me when they released it in theaters, you weren't sure which ending you were going to get, which is really cool. It upset a lot of people, though, so when they put it on VHS/DVD, they included all the endings. After the movie, we watch YouTube videos and he educates me on the origins of the movie/similar movies. He's super knowledgeable about movie history, and I always enjoy hearing his theories and facts.
11:10 p.m. — My cousin just left, and I'm EXHAUSTED. I told my mom I would call her when I was finished with the movie, and she's still awake, so I call her despite my exhaustion. I always try to call and catch up with her when I can. Even though we don't live too far away from each other, I do miss her a lot.
12:30 a.m. — My mom and I end up talking for an hour and some change, so I'm just now falling asleep. I can already tell I'm going to feel super tired tomorrow.
Daily Total: $9.78
Day Seven
6:35 a.m. — Miraculously wake up earlier than expected, and it feels so nice not to rush. I get to cuddle a little bit with the dog before we do our morning routine. I eat a Lenny & Larry's cookie for breakfast and make a mental note to not order the chocolate doughnut flavor again. I like lemon poppy seed or chocolate peanut butter more.
9:15 a.m. — Today has been amazing at work so far! This agent whom I called last week called me back, and I ended up selling him, which puts me SO much closer to my quota for the month.
11:30 a.m. — I brought soup from home again for lunch. If I'm being honest, I'm not really liking this recipe. I think it needs more vegetable stock, because it feels more like orzo pasta with vegetables than actual soup. I want to eat the rest of it, though, because I still have two days' worth of leftovers. I'm trying to get better at cooking. Key word: trying.
4:15 p.m. — I officially hit quota! I receive an inbound inquiry from a super sweet agent who basically just gave me her credit card number right off the bat to sign her up. I don't feel as accomplished when this happens because I barely have to sell them, but it's still great to hit my numbers. I leave work on cloud nine.
5:05 p.m. — I love coming home because the dog gets so excited. He jumps on me, then starts running around in circles near his food bowl. I feed him and take him for a walk. I like not having anything to do immediately after our walk, so he can leisurely smell the grass and I can listen to my audiobook a little longer. I'm too lazy and not that hungry for a full meal, so I make myself a protein shake for dinner.
6:45 p.m. — K. comes over after he gets off work. We decided earlier to have a lazy night because we've both been busy and social the past few days. I love going out, but some of my favorite nights with K. are just cuddling and reading books or watching a movie on the couch or even just watching dumb YouTube videos together. Tonight we sit around talking about life and playing with the dog.
10:15 p.m. — Ahhh, it feels so nice to go to bed on the earlier side! Hopefully, this means I'll get around eight hours of sleep. I remember tomorrow is payday, and I'm stoked — the night before honestly always makes me feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. I'm going to start trying way harder to save money and not blow everything on clothes or eating out with this paycheck.
Daily Total: $0
If you are experiencing anxiety or depression and need support, please call the National Depressive/Manic-Depressive Association Hotline at 1-800-826-3632 or the Crisis Call Center’s 24-hour hotline at 1-775-784-8090.
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If you're most comfortable wearing your hair down, a slicked-back updo might feel intimidating. For you, a high ponytail or tight bun isn't complete without a few strands tugged loose to fall around your face — a look that's polished, but still leaves you with something to twirl around your finger.
With Meghan Markle's infamous wedding-day bun setting an obvious precedent, the purposefully messy updo has seen a huge fashion moment in Hollywood recently, with A-listers like Kendall Jenner and Maisie Williams offsetting their designer gowns with tousled, swept-up strands. Needless to say, the relatable spring hair trend is giving us inspiration for every occasion when we want to wear our hair up, but in the most effortless way possible.
Ahead, find all the messy updo inspiration taking over Instagram right now, so you can pinpoint the exact look that'll work from your weekday grind to Saturday-afternoon cocktails — and every upcoming wedding on your calendar, to boot.
To tone down the sophistication of Kendall Jenner's diamond Tiffany choker and bright-pink feathered minidress, celebrity hair pro Jen Atkin styled her middle-parted bun with purposefully playful, wispy strands.
When you have lilac bangs and a big silk bow, like Game of Thrones actress Maisie Williams, a messy topknot feels youthful and on-brand.
Even if you're wearing Asos — not floral Giambattista Valli Couture — you can emulate Lily Collins' fancy springtime look with a glossy topknot and perfectly-coiffed tendrils.
We're loving the way model Shanina Shaik's loose strands fall perfectly in line with her diamond droplet earrings.
Indya Moore's French twist feels like a modern nod to the romantic Victorian era.
A slightly askew bun is best styled with a jeweled hair pin, à la Nicole Richie.
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The last time we saw Sabrina Spellman (Kiernan Shipka) on Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, she'd gotten full control of her witchy powers, but at a cost: She signed her name into the Book of the Beast, which we're guessing will have some detrimental consequences in the second season of the Netflix show. Another major plot twist between season one and two: Sabrina got a makeover. After Sabrina signed away her life to a woman named Madam Satan, her hair and makeup instantly changed to reflect her newfound power.
As if by magic, her hair turns from blonde to an icy-white — something showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa said is Sabrina canon since in the comics the character's hair is platinum, not blonde. This is proof that the 16-year-old sweetheart has a wicked side that's yet to be fully unearthed — until season two, of course. Even so, her hair isn't the only aspect of her look that changes because of her darkness, so does her lipstick.
In season one, Sabrina's look is mostly comprised of neutral eye makeup and maybe a subtle pink lip gloss. It's only after she gives her soul to the Dark Lord that Sabrina's lipstick transforms into something much darker. Candice Stafford-Bridge, makeup department head for the show, tells Refinery29 that this otherwise minor detail is crucial to Sabrina's character arc. The character's dark side is directly reflected in her berry lipstick.
Photo: Courtesy of Netflix.
Although the dark color didn't become Sabrina's go-to until season two, Stafford-Bridge explains that the baseline for Sabrina's signature lip shade came during the half-witch's Dark Baptism way back in the second episode of season one. In the scene, Sabrina wears a stained berry shade as she prepares to join the Church of Night. "That color became the standard for her after that scene," Stafford-Bridge explains. "We based every other lip color choice for Sabrina around that."
And if you want to copy that exact shade, you'll have to spend $90 to get the look. Although Stafford-Bridge has since used other lipsticks on the character, the product she used for Sabrina's Dark Baptism is Christian Louboutin's Velvet Matte Lip in the shade Very Prive. And it's that vampy shade that inspires Sabrina's current look on the Path of Night. Who knew witches had such expensive tastes?
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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Louisiana is the latest state to introduce legislation banning abortions as soon as a fetal heartbeat is detected, which typically happens at around six weeks of gestation — a point in which many women don't know they're pregnant.
SB 184, sponsored by Democratic state Sen. John Milkovich, makes exceptions only in cases where the mother's health is at risk. The legislation makes no exception for cases of rape or incest.
This year alone, thirteen states have introduced this type of measure, which is also known as a "heartbeat bill." Last month, these bans were signed into law in Kentucky and Mississippi, before being blocked by a court. In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp is expected to sign the state's measure in the coming weeks. Reproductive rights advocates say anti-abortion lawmakers hope these bills will bring the legal challenge that will overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide.
“These bans are very much at the center of Roe v. Wade,” Elizabeth Nash, senior state issues manager at the Guttmacher Institute, previously told Refinery29. She emphasized anti-abortion lawmakers are relying on the court's conservative majority. “The idea is to kick off a court case and ultimately is to get this before the U.S. Supreme Court with the anticipation that the court is looking to undermine or overturn Roe v. Wade. Conservatives are very eager to get that ball rolling.”
As we've reported before, legislation banning abortion as soon as heartbeat is detected is considered unconstitutional due to the Supreme Court 's 1992 decision on Planned Parenthood v. Casey. That case upheld a woman's right to choose an abortion before viability, which researches say happens at around 22 weeks. But that clear precedent has not stopped anti-abortion lawmakers from introducing and considering these bans in places such as Ohio, Tennessee, Missouri, South Carolina, Florida, West Virginia, Maryland, Texas, and Minnesota.
Louisiana currently bans abortions after 20 weeks of gestation and is one of the handful of states with a "trigger law" on the books, which means abortion would automatically become illegal in the event Roe is overturned.
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Halima Aden is breaking barriers in the fashion industry at a time when xenophobia is at a peak. A proud Somali-American model turned UNICEF ambassador, she made history as the first Miss Minnesota pageant contestant to don a hijab and a burkini on stage. A year later, she signed with international modeling agency, IMG Models, becoming their first ever hijabi model. She has since walked in runway shows for Yeezy, MaxMara, and Alberta Ferretti; graced the covers of Vogue UK, Paper and Allure; and racked up a six-digit Instagram following.
We caught up with the 21-year-old supermodel after H&M's Conscious collection event in Los Angeles, where she showed her support for the brand's focus on sustainable fashion. "I look at the brand’s values and if it aligns with mine," she told Refinery29 when asked why she supports H&M Conscious. "The work that [H&M is] doing with their Conscious Exclusive collection is everything that I want to work for as far as protecting our environment and brands being more conscious."
She chose to wear a v-neck maxi dress from the collection for the event, noting that she styled it modestly. "It still works for me because I paired it with a turtleneck. It looked like those two pieces belonged together.” She also fell in love with the dress’s matching scarf. “I tried a scarf that was part of the collection as an accessory, but I wore it as a hijab, and it really complimented the dress."
Halima is also embarking on her first-ever design venture. Working withModanisa, a Turkish brand that offers modest options to women across the globe, Halima designed a 27-piece collection of hijabs, turbans, and shawls. It will debut at Istanbul's Modest Fashion Week later this month. "It's going to be major,” she teased. “My hijabis better get in formation, because I’m so excited." Inspired by her near one million Instagram followers, the collection is stocked full of pre-tied, vibrant options that are perfect for people on-the-go. "I noticed the colors and styles that my followers asked for and which ones get the most comments, so I’m hoping that every hijabi finds something that works for her and her everyday lifestyle."
She's finally starting to see a shift in the retail industry toward embracing modest fashion. "I think now, more than ever, brands [are] starting to see that there is a modest market. Women want to find outfits that work with their lifestyle, work with their individual style." Representation on the runway is increasing as well. "Just three years ago there wasn’t a single hijab-wearing model, and today, there are like ten of us, so I have to give the industry a huge bravo — I'm really impressed."
Between using her platform to spread UNICEF's message, encouraging brands to embrace the modern fashion market, and creating her own line of hijabs and turbans, Halima Aden really is doing it all. Her end-all-be-all advice? "Always stay true to yourself, know your worth as a young woman, try to always do the right thing, be patient, work hard, and dream BIG."
H&M's Conscious Exclusive collection launches on April 11th.
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On Saturday afternoon, Twitter users shared a video clip of presidential candidate Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in which she greeted a Voice of America News reporter in Mandarin. Gillibrand is known to be conversational in the language. She was an Asian Studies major at Dartmouth College and studied for six months in China and Taiwan, where she famously roomed with her friend Friday Night Lights star Connie Britton.
Unfortunately, Gillibrand's command of Mandarin has made barely a blip in the news cycle. At the same time, media outlets have been falling all over themselves to cover Pete Buttigieg, the polyglot mayor of South Bend, IN. Buttigieg, who has recently experienced a surge in the polls and has raised an impressive $7 million in this year's first quarter, reportedly either speaks or is proficient in, in addition to English, French, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian, Arabic, Maltese, and Dari. (Oh, and he's a Rhodes Scholar — so in case you haven't caught on, he's really, really, smart.)
The fact that a particular subset of intellectuals, or poli sci majors who wish they were, are fawning over 37-year-old Mayor Pete while ignoring the impressive qualifications of other candidates, particularly the female ones, is a glaring double standard. Sen. Elizabeth Warren founded the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an entire agency of the U.S. government, and has a reputation as one of the most distinguished law professors in the country. Sen. Cory Booker was also a Rhodes Scholar, but doesn't get portrayed as a "genius." It's worth noting that Buttigieg could become the first openly gay, and the first millennial, president. But Buttigieg's intellectual prowess doesn't warrant constant, glowing coverage when media outlets could allocate their limited resources to cover women and people of color with equally, or more, exceptional résumès.
"It's not a surprise that the leading candidates for president are white men," Danny Barefoot, a Democratic strategist with Anvil Strategies, previously told Refinery29. "The women in this race are held to a higher standard by voters, the press, and yes, even other women."
It's not a coincidence that white, male candidates are polling ahead because they are considered "household names." They are "household names" precisely because cable news decides to cover them more often, banking on ratings. Covering women, like voting for them, is considered more risky. So, it becomes a vicious cycle: Buttigieg, who doesn't have a lot of tangible policy accomplishments, is clearly being groomed as the young upstart in favor of the senators who've been doing their homework for decades.
This exposes another double standard: The female candidates in this race generally worked their way up the ladder to larger and larger legislative bodies. Many of the men have held executive positions, or are running for an executive position for which they are not traditionally qualified. Had a young woman who was say, a mayor of a small city, thrown her hat in the ring, she would have been portrayed as "in a hurry."
"[W]hether a youngish candidate is bright, brilliant, and promising or inexperienced, off-putting, and ruthlessly ambitious depends on whether the young thing in question is male or female," Jill Filipovic wrote in a recent column for the New York Times. "Voters, donors, and journalists are all excited by the great leadership potential of young men who leapfrog up the political ladder. They expect women to prove themselves before they move forward. ... We want something new, but for women, unfamiliarity and youth end up being tied to incompetence."
It's telling that to find any substance on Gillibrand's life in China in the mainstream media, you have to go as far back as a 2009 article in the NYT titled "New York senator impresses with Mandarin." The article reports that she initially decided to study Mandarin in college because she loved the artistry of Chinese characters. As she learned more, she gained a deeper appreciation for the culture and an understanding of the complex relationship between the U.S. and China that later helped her with her role as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. She researched Tibetan refugees and interviewed the Dalai Lama for her senior project, and later spent four months in Hong Kong as a corporate lawyer.
A reporter from World Journal, a daily Chinese-language newspaper based in New York, told the NYT after a conversation with her in Mandarin, "She definitely understood what I was saying, and she had good pronunciation. Actually, I was very impressed."
This isn't the first time Gillibrand has spoken Mandarin to reporters on the 2020 campaign trail. In February, a CNN reporter tested her language skills in Cedar Rapids, IA, and she seems to have passed with flying colors.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand mentioned she studied Mandarin during her speech in Cedar Rapids today, so another reporter and I took advantage to test out our Chinese: pic.twitter.com/zR4Mf8277J
Here's a challenge: Stop looking for the shiny new guy who's bringing in the clicks and ratings, and start covering the qualifications of the female candidates just as substantively — and, when deserved, just as glowingly — as the men's. Let's give Gillibrand the Beto treatment and portray her as the risk-taker she was in college: according to the NYT, "an exuberant adventurer who sucked down toad venom to counteract poisonous crabs from Beidaihe Beach in Hebei Province and who rode helmetless on a motorcycle in Taipei."
Contrary to what you may have read at the nail salon or in the checkout line, celebrities are not just like us. Last time we checked, we didn't have a private chef, driver, or trainer — although we're totally open to all three — nor do we live in a gated community or vacation on yachts. (Again, we wouldn't mind...) But one way celebrities — even the richest, the most famous, the most successful — actually do seem relatable? They love cheap beauty products.
Yes, sometimes even Kylie Jenner and Beyoncé have to make a pit stop at their local Walgreens for a re-up on their favorite makeup-removing wipes. Sure, they probably send their assistants, but shopping at the drugstore is shopping at the drugstore. That's why we're rounding up the products the rich and famous rave about and that we can actually afford. (Note: None of the products that follow are ones the celebrity is paid to endorse. This is legit, people.) So check 'em out in the slides ahead.
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.
Blake Lively
Photo: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images.
It's rare that we get a full glimpse into Lively's beauty regimen, so we were all ears when she broke down her routine via her Instagram Stories this week. The actress revealed that while she loves to splurge on lipsticks, she relies on this $16 sunscreen as part of her glowing skin-care routine.
CeraVe Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 Face Lotion, $15.99, available at Ulta Beauty
Jennifer Lopez
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/WireImage.
Admit it: You'd be willing to spend a hefty amount of cash to achieve Lopez's famous glow, right? Luckily, her secret doesn't cost more than $8. Lopez's long-time makeup artist, Scott Barnes, revealed to YouTube star Tati Westbrook that this is his favorite drugstore buy of all time because it gives an instant glow to the body and provides sun protection, too.
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Lightweight Sunscreen Spray, $7.49, available at Target
Ariana Grande
Photo: Gregory Pace/REX/Shutterstock.
After falling asleep in her eye makeup, Grande recently defended her skin-care routine on Twitter. Sure, she sometimes goes to bed without washing her eyeliner off (who doesn't?), but she is diligent about using makeup wipes (and toner and face masks) to rinse away everything else on her face. Her go-to makeup remover: Burt's Bees $5 makeup wipes.
Burt's Bees Facial Cleansing Towelettes Cucumber and Sage, $5.99, available at Ulta Beauty
Although it's never been confirmed whether or not Markle packed these cleansing wipes when she moved to Adelaide Cottage, we do know that, before she was a Duchess, these were her go-to after a long day on the set of Suits. Not only did she admit to Beauty Banter that she used to buy them in bulk, but that they were her answer to a lazy skin-care routine.
Biore Daily Cleansing Cloths, $7.99, available at Target
Constance Wu
Photo: J. Merritt/Getty Images.
The Crazy Rich Asians star told The New York Times all about her daily aspiration to reach peak J.Lo glow. Overall, Wu has a pretty pricey makeup routine, and she washes all the product away at night with an equally expensive oil cleanser from SK-II. But she follows it up with this $6 pick. "I’ve been using it since I was a teenager," she tells the publication.
Clearasil Rapid Rescue Deep Treatment Wash, $5.99, available at Target
Hilary Duff
Photo: John Lamparski/WireImage.
Duff recently shared some of her pregnancy beauty hacks with Byrdie, but made sure to say — pregnant or not — she adores this under-$10 body oil: "It smells so good to me. I love, love, love smelling like that," she says.
Neutrogena Body Oil Light Sesame Formula, $9.99, available at Ulta Beauty
Madelaine Petsch
Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic.
This Riverdale star just so happens to be a low-key beauty blogger on the side — seriously, her YouTube channel is a goldmine. In fact, that's where we found her favorite everyday brow gel, which is not only cruelty-free and vegan, but also under $15.
Pacifica Stunning Brows Eyebrow Gloss and Set, $14, available at Pacifica
Yara Shahidi
Photo: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic.
According to Shahidi's interview with E!, her first step in a solid skin-care regimen is using the right cleanser. She gravitates toward oil-based formulas, saying they're better for her dry skin. Occasionally, she'll even use pure cut Aloe Vera or vitamin E oil, she adds. Finally, we have some clue to how she achieves that perfect glow.
Burt's Bees Facial Cleansing Oil with Coconut & Argan Oils, $15.99, available at Target
Shahidi once told Byrdie that she owes her enviable curls to this cult lightweight gel. "EcoStyler is a $3 gel that I swear by because it’s not always about the most expensive product, but the most efficient," she says.
Even before she became one of the many new faces of CoverGirl, Curry was an under-the-radar beauty guru. Now, she's laying down some wisdom for affordable edge control. "I wear a lot of hair extensions because I’m doing a lot of shoots and things like that," she told The Cut. "But for me, a good edge control is really important, and then a headscarf at night. So I always keep some Cantu edge control around and I’ll use a toothbrush and smooth down my edges."
Cantu Extra Hold Edge Stay Gel, $3.97, available at Target
Zoe Saldana
The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 star once revealed that she swears by calendula to hydrate her lips. Saldana told Byrdie: "I buy this thing in Europe whenever I go, or whenever anyone I know goes to Europe." Lucky for us, the ointment can be purchased in the U.S. — and for less than $6, too.
Boiron Calendula Homeopathic First Aid Ointment, $6.48, available at Jet
Chrissy Teigen
Photo: Noam Galai/WireImage.
Teigen told us that when she does take off her makeup (which isn't very often), these $5 wipes are her go-to for the job.
Clean & Clear Oil-Free Makeup Dissolving Facial Cleansing Wipes, $6.79, available at Amazon
Olivia Culpo
Photo: KCR/REX/Shutterstock.
Culpo's signature bob doesn't come without some prep. According to Byrdie, hairstylist Justine Marjan uses this drugstore staple to prep Culpo's blunt cut, then some salt spray for a bit of grit before blow drying.
TRESemmé Expert Selection Pre-Styling Spray Repair & Protect 7, $6.79, available at Walgreens
Zosia Mamet
This drugstore staple has a lot of fans among the celebrity community, including Mamet. "I wash my face every morning and every night with Cetaphil," she told us. "It's my favorite — I’ve used it for years. I will never use a different cleanser."
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, $13.99, available at Ulta Beauty
Khloé Kardashian
Photo: Jason LaVeris/Getty Images.
The celeb's former makeup artist, Joyce Bonelli, shared on the Kardashian's app the beauty secret we've always wondered: Khloé gets her glow with a drugstore highlighter. "Your highlighter should be a shade lighter than your natural skin tone, and bronzer a shade darker," Bonelli says. For $6, that hardly feels like an extra step.
Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Highlighters, $6, available at Ulta Beauty
Zendaya
Photo: David Livingston/Getty Images.
Breakouts can be a nightmare, but instead of opting for a drying spot treatment, Zendaya keeps an emergency set of sheet masks to get the job done. She explained on her app and website, "If my skin is trippin' and I have a few zits, I'll use one that fights acne." Her go-to? This gentle spot fighter from Yes To. (And you can't beat that price tag.)
Yes To Tomatoes Clear Skin Acne Fighting Sheet Mask, $2.99, available at Ulta Beauty
Kylie Jenner
Photo: Gregory Pace/BEI/Shutterstock.
We're no strangers to Jenner's extensive — and super glam — makeup routine, but we were kind of shocked to hear she had a drugstore must-have: Maybelline's Fit Me Blush. She told Violet Grey that out this power pigment formula is one of her daily go-tos.
Maybelline Fit Me Blush, $5.99, available at Ulta Beauty
Gigi Hadid
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images.
In an interview with Allure, Hadid revealed the reason this drugstore scrub has remained a long-standing staple in her beauty routine. "It's been around because it's the best," she said. We love the gentle exfoliator, too, especially because it uses natural powders from walnut shells, so it's less irritating. But Hadid's stamp of approval definitely serves as a reminder to use it more religiously.
St. Ives Fresh Skin Face Scrub Apricot, $3.64, available at Target
Kendall Jenner
Photo: Jason LaVeris/Getty Images.
Yesterday, if you had told us that shiny-haired Kendall Jenner's favorite shampoo is under four dollars, we would have laughed. But it turns out the joke's on us because she once told Allure, "Kim likes Finesse shampoo, and now so do I. I’ve tried all the expensive things, too. It just works for my hair and makes it so silky." BRB — running out to pick up this old-school classic now.
Finesse Moisturizing Shampoo, $2.99, available at walgreens.com
Beyoncé
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.
Back in 2011, when Beyoncé was rising to her Queen B status, she told Allure that this product is a must-have. “I wear it with my lipstick. I did this trick last summer, when I was on vacation: I used it to prime my lashes before curling. It was like a natural mascara. It made the lashes hold the curl and look shiny. I use it for everything!” In that case, point us in the nearest direction to buy this magic in a tin, stat.
Rosebud Perfume Co. Rosebud Salve, $7, available at Sephora
Selena Gomez
Photo: Denise Truscello/Getty Images.
Gomez saves a few bucks on beauty favorites from time to time, including this standout shaving cream. She told Into The Gloss that she uses this formula because "it isn't too thick" — and we agree.
Kim’s beauty routine comes with a hefty price tag; happily, we can all afford the facial wipes she stands by. She’s even Snapchatted her morning routine and these double-duty towelettes made an appearance. “But 1st I scrub with these wipes! #obsessed,” she captioned the snap.
Kiko Milano Exfoliating Wipes, $9, available at Kiko Milano
Eva Mendes
Photo: Angela Weiss/Getty Image.
“Those are amazing drugstore buys!” Eva told us about the Queen Helene face masks. “You know, when I am shooting in the middle of nowhere you can always find a drugstore...and those are great to get.” With 11 types of masks in the range, these picks are seriously #key.
Queen Helene Masque Mint Julep, $4.99, available at Walgreens
Lupita Nyong'o
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
The award-winning actress told InStyle that for her, nothing works better than avocado oil. “This is what I use to wash off my makeup,” she said. “It's gentle and natural, and my skin tends to be pretty dry, so I need the extra oil.”
Now Solutions Avocado Oil, $7.99, available at GNC
Anna Kendrick
Photo: Robin Marchant/Getty Images.
One of Anna's top picks is a throwback some of us can appreciate — hello, annoying razor burn — especially if we want silky skin. "If you're not using Intuition razors, you're wasting everybody's time," she told The New York Times. "Whenever I hear someone is still using a separate shave gel, it's like hearing they still use dial-up internet.” (For the record, the Intuition has a built-in shaving-cream cartridge.)
Schick Intuition Sensitive Care Women's Razor Handle, $8.28, available at Target
Shay Mitchell
Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage.
This badass actress tends to keep her makeup light and fresh. She told Teen Vogue: “In the morning, I only use CoverGirl Lash Blast (I purchase 10 at a time in case they discontinue!). It just works really well.”
COVERGIRL LashBlast Volume Mascara, $8.99, available at Ulta Beauty
Emma Watson
Photo: Karwai Tang/WireImage.
“A makeup artist I met recently used a nude pencil around my lips to give them a perfect outline that’s not as obvious as a red liner,” Emma told Marie Claire a couple years back.
L'Oréal Colour Riche Matte Lip Liner, $8.99, available at Ulta Beauty
Olivia Wilde
Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images.
Olivia swears by this true-blue winner. “I’ve been using the same hippie shit my whole life,” she told Byrdie. “It’s the greatest! You can even use it in your hair when you go camping.”
Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap, $15.99, available at Target
Lucy Hale
Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage.
“At the end of a long day, wiping my makeup off and feeling so clean, it’s the best feeling in the world,” Lucy told Into the Gloss. She praised the wipes' ability to “take everything off without irritating [my skin]."
Neutrogena Make-up Remover Cleansing Towelettes, $8.99, available at Ulta Beauty
Laverne Cox
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
It's certainly not an easy task to find an SPF that works for you, but Laverne has it on lock. She told InStyle that she swears by this non-greasy face and body sunscreen.
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunscreen Lotion, $7.99, available at Target
Easy to use, matte, and hydrating? Sign us up. As she told InStyle, Laverne credits her your-lips-but-better look to this chubby balm.
Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm, $8.49, available at Ulta Beauty
Jessica Alba
Photo: Gary Gershoff/WireImage.
You're not the only one who's been strangely tantalized by As Seen On TV beauty scores. Jessica told Into the Gloss that she lives for the Turbie Twist. "It’s the greatest thing in the world," she raved. "It’s like a towel that you pull your hair up in after the shower."
Turbie Twist The Original Turbie Twist, $10, available at Amazon
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Some folks are natural-born gifters who thrive on dreaming up surprising and delightful buys for others (while some are not). But, even the most skilled shoppers among us can find themselves thrown off their game by an unusual gifting occasion. These peculiar scenarios aren't your typical birth to holiday celebrations — instead, we're talking more along the lines of, "congratulations on finalizing your divorce," type situations.
Unusual gifting occasions call for an extra layer of shop-savvy that wields the power to smooth over any potential awkward or atypical moments of appreciation. Whether you want to let a sort-of-stranger know that you appreciate them watching your cat, or you want to thank the parents of your friend for letting you weekend at their house, we've vetted a list of appropriate gifts to express those sentiments and more. From terrazzo-flecked soap bars to affirmational shot glasses and a chic pink vibrator, the creative options ahead are well-equipped for 17 uncommon moments.
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.
"Thank You For Watching My Cat" That sort-of-stranger that you wrangled into watching the cat while you're out of town? Show them some gratitude with an artfully-illustrated coffee table book that covers important feline facts — like, "Did you know that the fishing cat has partially webbed paws for catching fish?" (There's also a, "Smart About Sharks! " edition, too, for any shark owners out there.)
Owen Davey Crazy About Cats (About Animals), $13.96, available at Amazon
"Hey, I'm Thinking About You" It's tough to find the right gift, let alone words, for a close friend who is going through something. Try letting her know she's on your mind with a gift that doubles as a therapeutic craft activity — this chic raffia tote kit comes complete with a bag pattern, crocheting hook, and sewing needle.
Wool and the Gang Crochet Raffia Bag Kit - Make Your Own Bag!, $80, available at Wool and the Gang
"Thank You For Feeding Me" Going to someone else's home (like the in-laws') for dinner is one of those unusual gifting occasions where they've explicitly told you not to bring anything and you're no sommelier but you can't come empty handed — instead of collapsing in a pile of angst, just pickup this unique olive oil duo made from a premium Californian extra virgin blend.
Brightland Alive and Awake Olive Oil Set, $62.99, available at Huckberry
"Congratulations On Being Single & Fabulous" Whether it's someone who just got out of a relationship or a perpetually single someone, give that bud a little love with the reminder that they are everything.
"Happy Moving To A City That I Don't Live In" The real power move in this bittersweet gifting situation would be to give your initial instead of theirs as a dramatic, "forget me not."
Anthropologie Block Letter Monogram Necklace, $38, available at Anthropologie
"Congrats On Getting Accepted" Whether they're headed to a program abroad or just to a grad school down the street, send a friend off in style with this chic blush-pink pack.
Everlane The Packable Backpack - Pink, $35, available at Everlane
"Thank Your Family For Letting Us Weekend At Their House" Let your friend's parents with the upstate house you crashed at last weekend know you're grateful with a gift that's more than just ornamental — this chic chambray backgammon and checkers set comes in a travel friendly drawstring bag for making the most of indoor-outdoor game nights.
Studio Nicco Backpack Backgammon & Checkers: Blue Bird, $45, available at Amazon
"I Hope Your Fur-Child Gets Well Soon" To your pals whose furry friends are their children, let them know they've got your support with a book that's full of empathy and a touch of humor.
Carissa Potter It's OK to Feel Things Deeply, $11.66, available at Amazon
"Happy Retirement (Here's Something To Fill Your Days)" Bestow a recent retiree with this DIY floral-arrangement subscription to brighten their home and fill up their recently cleared-out schedules.
It's By U Modern Farmhouse Bouquet , $49.95, available at It's By U
"Thank You For Helping Me Move My Shit" Moving is a torturous part of life — and the unfortunate friend, SO, or family member who agrees to assist you in the gruesome process deserves a detoxifying spa treatment they would never splurge on for themselves.
This Works evening detox clay mask, $59, available at DermStore
"Congratulations On Your Divorce" Whether the end of the marriage in question is a cause for celebrations or condolences, gift this empowering pink vibrator for a lot of self-love encouragement.
"Thank You For Letting Me Apartment-Squat" Leave behind an artisan, terrazzo-speckled soap bar as a token of your appreciation to the couple that let you couch surf at their apartment for the past month.
Fazeek Terrazzo Soap Lychee + Black Tea, $12, available at Antidote+
"Happy Getting Pregnant" For a friend or family member that's been trying for some time, let this small heart-shaped succulent serve as a celebration of new life and love.
"Congratulations On Getting Engaged To That Person I Haven't Met" When your friend's sudden engagement to that person you've never met leaves you speechless, let a light bottle of bubbly serve as your blessing on their whirlwind nuptials. Perhaps with a trio of stemless wine glasses to give her the hint you'd love an intro soon?
Winc 2017 Clink! Sparkling White Blend, $18, available at Winc
"Thank You For Networking & Getting Me A Job" For your family friend — or person you found through your college alumni group — who did the networking that led to your recent hiring, a trio of gourmet chocolates will do.
Raaka Virgin Chocolate Best Sellers Chocolate Bar Trio, $14.95, available at Amazon
"Congratulations On Finishing That Thing You've Been Working On" Whether it was a thesis, grad school application, personal memoir, or home renovation, letting your pal know you're proud of them for getting the job done is what this affirmation-shot set is for.
Oliver Bonas Colored Shot Glasses Set of Six, $32, available at Oliver Bonas
"Congratulations On Quitting That Job You Hated" Quitting can be both an exciting and scary milestone — so help sweeten your pal's new career move with a cheery ceramic mug they can take with them on their way out the door.
Debbie Carlos Pedrolino To-Go Mug, $49, available at Of A Kind
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Angie Thomas. Nicola Yoon. Tomi Adeyemi. Even if you’re not that into young adult literature (YA), you probably already know those three names. Their respective young-adult debuts either became blockbuster movies (Thomas’s The Hate U Give), book-club juggernauts (Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone), instantly beloved teen classics (Yoon’s Everything, Everything) or all of the above. These authors — all Black women — have dominated YA bestseller lists and changed the face of a genre that seemed to exclude the stories of Black teen girls for too long. I would know — I grew up craving characters that looked like me, and I get choked up every time I read a complex heroine like Adyemi's Zelie Adebola or Thomas' Starr Carter knowing the next generation’s only options won’t be to force themselves to relate to white dudes like Harry Potter or Holden Caulfield.
Based on these recent successes, you’d think that YA was the one category where Black women rule, and where these women have singlehandedly toppled the patriarchal standard of the literary elite. That’s partly true! Black women have emerged as some of the brightest talents in YA. But Thomas, Yoon, and Adeyemi are still the exceptions in a publishing industry that is overwhelmingly white.
The number of YA books published by Black authors has steadily been declining in the U.K., and according to the Cooperative Children’s Book Centre, about 17% of new books published in the U.S. in 2018 were by Black writers. It’s not that the writers aren’t there. There are so many talented Black women writing great YA novels — and they were there long before The Hate U Give (see: Octavia Butler) — but the stats show that their work is published less than their peers. Their work is less celebrated and promoted. So, read Angie Thomas, Nicola Yoon, and Tomi Adeyemi. They are worthy of their hype. But don’t forget that there are so many other talented Black women also occupying space in the YA genre that deserve love, too.
Here are 12 books by powerhouse Black women authors that you should know.
There are a lot of YA sci-fi fantasy series to choose from. I get it if you feel a bit overwhelmed by the options, but women of color are coming out STRONG in the genre. I promise The Effigies Series by Sarah Raughley is worth your time. Raughly grew up in Southern Ontario and says she started "writing stories about freakish little girls with powers” because she dreamed of being one. It’s an ambitious dream, but Raughley pulled it off through Maia, a teen who is unexpectedly thrust into being a hero and a celebrity.
In this fantasy world, the Effigies are made up of four girls — the most popular girls in the world — with the power to control the elements in order to fight the evil Phantoms. Think the Kardashians meets the Avengers. When one Effigy dies, someone must take her place. Enter Maia, an Effigy fangirl whose world is changed forever when she becomes one of the role models she idolized. Now, she has to save the world while dealing with fandoms and fame. Legacy of Light, the third and final book in the series, dropped last year and nicely wrapped up the riveting series that explores what it means to be a young woman facing immense pressure in society.
Yvonne’s story starts with a universal high school dilemma: What does life look like after leaving those familiar hallways? She’s loved the violin for as long as she can remember, especially after her mom left. But as graduation approaches, Yvonne isn’t sure her passion can translate into a post-secondary career. The stress leads her to Omar, a street violinist with dreadlocks who quickly becomes more intriguing than her almost-boyfriend Warren.
Just when she thinks life is tough enough, Yvonne gets pregnant and has even bigger decisions to make. Finding Yvonne is about teenage uncertainty, racial and sexual dynamics and double standards, and finding yourself through it all. If all the aforementioned DRAMA hasn’t sold you, Brandy Colbert’s previous book, Little & Lion, won Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award, and her upcoming novel The Revolution of Birdie Randolph is one of the most anticipated YA books of the year.
Most great YA novels explore identity. What are your teen years if not an awkward phase of fumbling for answers to life’s big questions like who am I? Frying Plaintain’s Kara Davis is a girl straddling two worlds. She’s a Canadian growing up in Toronto’s “Little Jamaica” neighborhood with an overbearing grandmother while trying to live up to the expectations of her Jamaican heritage. Though Kara, Zalika Reid-Benta explores the experience of second-generation Canadians and cultural expression. In 12 interconnected stories, we see Kara tackle the growing pains of girlhood; face bullying by her so-called high school best friends; and navigate the always-complicated relationship between mother and daughter.
I may be biased here because I’m a Canadian with a Jamaican mother so this book was basically written for me, but you don’t have to have lived this experience to relate to it. It’s an incisive and sharp must-read coming-of-age story. Plus, the title makes my mouth water.
The official description of If It Makes You Happy starts with, “Winnie is living her best fat girl life…” They had me at this line alone, and the cover that shows a beautiful Black girl who isn’t a size 2 looking happy! What a concept. Winnie is a protagonist that is not only Black, but she’s also representing size diversity in a genre that desperately needs it.
Winnie lives in the small town of Misty Haven and works at a '50s-inspired diner owned by her grandmother. She’s making good tips and ready to take on her last summer before college with her “ungirlfriend.” That is, until she becomes Misty Haven’s Summer Queen and is matched with her Merry Haven Summer King, who changes everything. She has to face her fear of being in the spotlight and figure out what being queer, fat, and Black means in a world that isn’t kind to any one of those designations, let alone all three. Claire Kann’s mission with her work is simple: “I want my books to be seen as a safe space for teens." I think If It Makes You Happy is going to be a safe space for a lot of people, not just teens.
Last month, we highlighted some missing girls of color who may not have Netflix documentaries about them or find themselves in the middle of a media firestorm, but still deserve attention. Tiffany D. Jackson’s Monday's Not Coming sheds light on this issue through a fictional story that was inspired by two real missing person cases. Jackson says she wanted to tackle media bias “when it comes to reporting about missing white children vs. missing children of color” and comment on the ways in which the system fails Black teen girls who go missing. Her thriller centers on two girls, Monday and Claudia. When Monday goes missing, Claudia seems to be the only one who notices or cares that she’s gone.
Jackson’s first book, Allegedly, was hailed as a “searing and true” indictment of America’s criminal justice system. Set in Washington, D.C. (home of the #MissingDCGirls hashtag) Monday's Not Coming looks like another harrowing observation of the lives of Black teens in America.
Helen Thomas is half regular teenage girl, half ancient Greek god. No big deal. When her mom passes away, Helen moves to North London with her dad and siblings — the full gods in her family — and has to keep their identifies secret. Helen is just trying to have a normal social life, make new friends and maybe even date a cute boy, but instead she may be walking straight into a Greek tragedy.
Oh My Gods is a quirky family drama with a mythical twist. How do you juggle homework and high school when your dad is Zeus, your sister is Aphrodite, and your brother is Apollo? Awkwardly and hilariously. Oh My Gods is Alexandra Sheppard’s debut YA novel and a formidable introduction to a writer to watch.
One thing you get really good at as a teen of color is finding yourself in characters that weren’t written for you or about you. That skill is especially necessary when you’re reading the “classics.” Last year, Ibi Zoboi took a beloved classic and made it Black. Her take on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice called Pride stars all characters of color and reimagines Elizabeth Bennett as Zuri Benitez.
Zuri is proud of her neighborhood in Brooklyn, but she’s losing it to gentrification. When a wealthy family moves in across the street, Zuri instantly clashes with one of the family’s teen sons, Darius Darcy. You can guess where the rest of the story is heading. Zuri is juggling her confusing feelings for Darius and a boy Warren who is trying to woo her, all while processing Bushwick’s changing landscape and her four sisters. Even if remakes aren’t your thing, Pride will win you over with its refreshing and timely retelling that may even be better than the original. I said what I said.
Renowned slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo’s novel The Poet X is one of my all-time fave YA debuts. She’s back with her follow-up called With the Fire on High. It’s about Emoni Santiago, a teen who got pregnant her freshman year of high school and who now has to make tough sacrifices for her daughter and her abuela. She wants to be a chef but might have to set aside her dream to take care of her family. When Emoni starts cooking, her familial obligations float away, and it’s just her and the kitchen.
Acevedo’s sophomore work is already critically acclaimed, with Publishers Weekly calling it an, “unvarnished depiction of young adulthood [that] is at once universal and intensely specific.” School Library Journal calls it, “a love letter to food and a tribute to young, single mothers.” Emoni sounds like a heroine unlike we’re used to seeing in YA but that doesn’t make her story any less necessary or valid. I’m counting down the days until I can devour this book in one sitting.
Dhonielle Clayton is the COO of We Need Diverse Books, a non-profit that advocates for diversity in publishing. She’s emerged as a necessary voice railing against literature’s status quo while also becoming a bestselling author who’s changing the landscape through her YA novels.
First, you to need to read Clayton’s The Belles, mainly because The Everlasting Rose is its sequel, but also because it is SO GOOD. In an age when beauty standards are set by Instagram filters and FaceTune, The Belles is the perfect commentary on attractiveness and power. In the fantasy world of Orleans, opulence is ubiquitous, and beauty is the one thing everyone wants. The people in Orleans are born gray and ugly, and The Belles can grant them the looks they desire. Camellia wants to beat out her sisters to become the favorite Belle, but being the best comes with responsibility Camellia isn’t prepared for, like saving a dying princess. In The Everlasting Rose, Camellia – now the former favorite Belle— must race to find Princess Charlotte, who is still ailing but has disappeared. The Belles series delivers the high-stakes action of the Disney princess movies we grew up with, but with a hero who doesn’t look like Snow White.
We’ve been watching Renée Watson rise for years. Her YA novels, Piecing Me Together and This Side of Home were both nominated for the award for Best Fiction for Young Adults by the American Library Association. She’s a New York Times bestselling, Coretta Scott King Award-winning author and renowned educator and activist who uses her work — including picture books for children — to help young people cope with trauma.
For her latest work, she teamed up with poet Ellen Hagan for Watch Us Rise, a story about two best friends who start a Women's Rights Club at their NYC high school. After Jasmine and Chelsea’s poems and essays about female empowerment and microaggressions go viral, the principal shuts the club down, but Jasmine and Chelsea will not be silenced. This intersectional, feminist novel about two budding activists is an inspiring look at the power of the passionate young people and the strength of female friendship.
All the best friendships start with a mutual taste in literature. Malla Nunn’s When the Ground Is Hard revolves around a shared copy of Jane Eyre. Adele is one of the most popular girls at her Swaziland boarding school, but when her best friend Delia ditches her for a new girl, Adele has to room with Lottie, a poorer girl who doesn’t pray and is shunned socially. Adele wants nothing to do with Lottie until the two girls from entirely different worlds get to know each other through Charlotte Bronte’s words. They join forces to take on bullies and judgmental teachers, and when a boy goes missing, they must solve the mystery together. Adele and Lottie’s friendship prevails through the complicated power dynamics and racial politics of Swaziland. I’m already rooting for them.
I’m sure there were Nnedi Okorafor fans who were yelling throughout the intro to this roundup about Black women YA authors you already know like, “WHAT ABOUT NNEDI OKORAFOR!?” They’re right. Let’s put some respect on Okorafor’s name. Her Akata Witch sci-fi series has been pegged “The Nigerian Harry Potter.” But there’s only one Nnedi Okorafor, and her work is singular.
The Akata Witch series follows Sunny Nwazue, an American-born girl Nigerian girl, who has to stop an apocalypse after developing super powers. She also belongs to the super-secret Leopard Society. It’s a spellbinding story that is a must read for any fan of the fantasy YA genre.
Fun fact: Okorafor is writing the forthcoming Marvel comic book series about Shuri, Princess of Wakanda, vibranium genius, and Black Panther’s little sister.
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There's no tried-and-true recipe for the perfect Coachella beauty look. At the Indio, California music festival, it's your party and you can do whatever you want to. You can pair colorful braids with bold makeup. Or, keep your face minimal and deck your hair out in clips, flowers, or jewelry. But no matter your approach to Coachella beauty, glitter is the secret ingredient.
You can literally put glitter on your hair, face, and body. But we prefer to focus in on our makeup (because the thought of shampooing out all those metallic flecks at the end of the night makes us cringe). You can add a sheer shimmer shadow to your lids for a subdued look, or pack pigments all over your cheekbones to really make a statement.
Ahead of Coachella, we rounded up a few easy ways to utilize all the glitter you've been hoarding when you hit the concert grounds.
You don't have to coat your face with glitter to make a statement at Coachella. Allan Avendaño created this captivating holographic look on Joey King using silver eyeshadow, which you can easily replicate.
Speaking of silver shadow, you'll need a lot of it if you're gonna recreate this look. Instead of focusing shimmer on your lids only, extend it out along your cheekbones to create a firework effect.
Like Shayla, you can focus metallic sequins over a neutral shadow base for a festival-friendly look that can still be worn to a formal dinner after you leave the Coachella grounds.
Leave your basic, black cat-eye at home (at least for the weekend), and use glitter pigment on top of a metallic liner for Coachella weekend.
Or, pat some gunmetal shadow on top of your black eyeliner to make it really stand out.
Extend flecks of glitter from your eyelids to temples to create a galaxy effect on your face.
Glitter isn't limited to just the eyes. You can carefully dust loose pigments along your nose and cheekbones to make you makeup extra dramatic.
Lucy Hale's red lip might be more suitable for a holiday function, but you can steal this technique by dusting loose shimmer powder over a bold lipstick of your choice.
If you forgot your concealer at home, use glitter along your lower lashline to create a futuristic undereye look similar to Jackie Aina's.
Utilize all of your lid space to show off your favorite chunky glitter paste (like the pots from Lemonhead LA). Keep the rest of your makeup fairly muted if you really want your eye makeup to steal the show.
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Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman have gone AWOL. The two actresses at the center of the college admissions scandal have posted their bail ($1 million and $250,000, respectively) after being charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services fraud, with Huffman announcing that she will plead guilty. Loughlin has also been removed from her current projects on Netflix and Hallmark. The final nail in the coffin? Social media. Both women have now scrubbed their respective Instagram and Twitter accounts, and Huffman has also taken down her parenting website, What the Flicka?.
This is clearly a strategic move. Now that the initial dust has settled after The Hollywood Reporter first broke that the women were two of 50 people indicted in the college bribery scandal known as Operation Varsity Blues last week, Loughlin and Huffman have to figure out what's next. Or rather, their teams do.
For two actresses, this is a PR nightmare. One prominent publicist responded Refinery29's request for interview by saying, "Thank goodness, I’m not involved in the college admissions scandal."
You can say that again, because the consequences the women are facing go well beyond the indictment and potential jail time. A source told Deadline that Loughlin's role on Netflix's Fuller House is "toast, it’s over." Over on the Hallmark channel, the actress will no longer appear in the TV series When Calls The Heart and movie series Garage Sale Mystery.
As for Huffman — once an Oscar nominee for her role in Transamerica — her three upcoming projects ( Otherhood, When They See Us,Tammy's Always Dying) are all in post-production (Netflix did not immediately respond to request for comment about Loughlin's role in the Central Park Five series), but it's hard to imagine opportunities will be abundant following her alleged involvement in the scam.
Do I think this will destroy them? I absolutely don’t. This will go away. This is no R. Kelly. This isn’t a career killer.
However, things may not be as dire as they seem.
"Felicity and Lori, their brands will be hurt. Do I think this will destroy them? I absolutely don’t," Ronn Torossian, PR CEO and crisis manager told Refinery29. "This will go away. This is no R. Kelly. This isn’t a career killer."
Torossian thinks people will empathize with the motive behind the mothers' alleged actions, and that, with time, they'll return to steady work. A legal expert told Forbes that as long as they continue to cooperate with authorities and show contrition, the women will likely be fined and possibly given probation.
However, Loughlin and Huffman aren't the only ones who are facing repercussions. Huffman's husband, William H. Macy, was not named in the indictment, but his voice appears in the transcripts of the recorded phone calls. Shameless, on which Macy plays lead Frank Gallagher, just wrapped up its ninth season, and Showtime declined to comment on whether Macy would be welcomed back for season 10.
Loughlin's husband Mossimo Giannulli, a Target fashion designer, was named, and he is similarly being lambasted online. Avid followers of the scam started digging up old information, including the fact that this isn't the first college scam Giannulli has been a part of.
“He, like, built his whole entire brand, and he wasn’t actually, like — I don't know if I'm supposed to say this — ever enrolled in college," Loughlin and Giannulli's daughter Olivia Jade said on The Zach Sang Show earlier this month. "But he, like, faked his way through it, and then he started his whole business with tuition money that his parents thought was going to college. That’s, like, such a different time. I don’t know if I was supposed to say that, but it’s okay."
Page Six also reported that Giannulli was overheard voicing his support for Trump at a party which, while not necessarily connected to his alleged involvement in Operation Varsity Blues, lead to even more negative coverage from certain outlets. It's presumably all this negative noise that lead to the total shutdown of Loughlin and Huffman's social media, and it's what Torossian told Refinery29 made the most sense for both parties.
“There’s a time for noise, and there’s a time to be quiet," he said.
However, this silence limits the possibility of the parents giving an easily accessible statement.
"I think they need to communicate clearly if they’re guilty and say sorry across all platforms," Torossian advised. "No comment won’t suffice."
On Monday, Huffman issued her first statement regarding the scandal, announcing that she will plead guilty to the charges.
"I am in full acceptance of my guilt, and with deep regret and shame over what I have done, I accept full responsibility for my actions and will accept the consequences that stem from those actions."
In a statement, Felicity Huffman says she’s pleading guilty.
“I want to apologize to the students who work hard every day to get into college, and to their parents who make tremendous sacrifices to support their children and do so honestly.” pic.twitter.com/T6tx1VUiCE
There's only one person whose career is sure to get better after the scandal — Loughlin and Giannulli's youngest daughter Olivia Jade. Although the 19-year-old will no longer be attending USC and has lost some of her sponsorship deals, her popularity has only grown. Before the scandal, her YouTube channel was gaining just a few hundred subscribers a day. Now, according to Social Blade, she's gaining thousands of subscribers daily, and has seen a 20,000 total increase since the news broke.
Maybe everyone involved should just pivot to being an influencer. A joint YouTube apology video would definitely break the internet. And Loughlin and Huffman could play themselves in the inevitable movie, bringing the saga full circle.
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Before I first tried AirPods, I was firmly in the camp of: "I do not need those things." I would untangle my stringy headphones every morning and be on my merry way to work while listening to my daily podcast, only to fold them back up, put them in my pocket, and leave work with yet another knot to untangle on my way home.
I am here to tell you that I have been converted. AirPods contain multitudes: You can use them to talk on the phone, listen to music while working out (without the fear of them flying out of your ears), with your Apple Watch if you feel like going phone-less, while doing the dishes — no strings attached. And since Apple released its second-generation AirPods in March, you can now use them to talk on the phone for a lot longer and make Siri commands, plus charge wirelessly.
The exception: airplane travel. This is the one scenario I can think of in which I cannot use my AirPods and need to revert back to my old-fashioned headphones if I want to watch TV on the airplane screen, which I almost always do. Until airplane screens become Bluetooth-enabled, this will be the case. But for other devices, like my iPhone, my AirPods remove the need for a dongle, which I deem a victory.
How The New Generation Stacks Up
The new AirPods have an Apple-designed H1 chip, which means up to 50 percent more talk time for phone calls and faster connections. Switching between AirPod-connected devices is easier now, too, which is great for users like me who use their AirPods with their work computer, personal computer, phone, and Apple Watch. And the new battery life is a lot more impressive — now you can have more than 24 hours of battery life with the new wireless charging case, and three hours of talk time from just a 15-minute charge. The latter upgrade was the most noticeable to me of the AirPod updates — I have to charge my AirPods much less frequently now than I did my old ones.
There's also the new "Hey Siri" functionality. Just say "Hey Siri" while wearing your AirPods, the way you would with your iPhone, Mac, HomePod, or Apple Watch, and you can adjust the volume of whatever you're listening to, ask what the weather is like outside, or get directions to wherever your next destination is. That is, if you feel comfortable saying "Hey Siri" out loud when you're in public (and I, admittedly, do not). But it's definitely helpful for when you're lacing up your sneakers and need to map out your route for your run but don't have a free hand to do it on your phone.
In terms of appearance, the new AirPods look just like the old ones, save for an LED charging-status indicator on the front of the case that wasn't there in the old model. This feature lets you know at a glance when your AirPods are fully charged — which is certainly helpful and has already curbed the number of times my AirPods have died on me when I've been on the go.
Wireless Charging — Is It Worth It?
And then there's the wireless charging. AirPower, which was once going to be Apple's forthcoming wireless charging mat, has since been canceled, so at the moment there are no Apple-designed wireless charging pads on the market. Which means that if you want to use the new AirPods and their wireless charging case to their full potential, you have to buy a third-party wireless charger. The one I've been using is Satechi’s Qi-certified Aluminum Type-C Fast Wireless Charger, and it definitely gets the job done. But you can also charge your wireless charging case the old-fashioned way, too, via the plug-in Lightning port that you would use to charge your iPhone or first-gen AirPods.
The Takeaway
If you already have first-gen AirPods, you don't need to rush out to get the new ones. The differences, though certainly improvements, aren't noticeable enough to necessitate an upgrade. And if you don't already have a wireless charger, you don't need to rush out to grab the wireless charging case either, unless you want to pay for a charging mat, too. But if you're looking for wireless headphones, I highly recommend AirPods. They will convert you like they did me. I mean, they know how to sense their placement in your ears and automatically start and stop your music accordingly!
How To Set Them Up
Setting up AirPods just requires one tap. To pair with an iPhone, it's as easy as opening the lid of your AirPods case and holding it near your phone until you see it pop up on your iPhone screen, at which point you just have to click Connect. Doing so connects the AirPods to all of the devices linked to your iCloud account, which makes switching audio between them pretty seamless. If you're connecting to a Mac, make sure Bluetooth is on in your System Preferences and then open the lid of your AirPods and press the setup button on the back of the case. Once the status light turns white, the AirPods should be discoverable by any Bluetooth-enabled device. Click on the AirPods in your list of devices and then connect.
How Much They Cost
If you're just now jumping on the AirPod bandwagon, you're in luck — the new AirPods are being sold for $159, the same price as their predecessors. If, however, you just want the wireless charging case, you can get that for $79 to use with your first-generation AirPods. And if you want to upgrade both your AirPods and case, the combo goes for $199. Apple also just released another wireless headphone option via its Beats line: PowerBeats Pro, which have the same H1 chip as the new AirPods and retail for $249.95. They offer better battery life and a more comfortable fit around the ear, though they don't yet support wireless charging.
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