Khloé Kardashian has a reputation for being the most relatable and outspoken member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, but we think biggest beauty risk-taker should be tacked on there, too. In the ten (going on 11) years since Keeping Up With The Kardashians first aired (yes, it's been that long), the reality star has served up countless looks that don't just fall into the nude and smoky categories we've come to expect from the Kardashians.
A trip down memory lane proves she's not afraid to experiment with color — be it on her eyes or on her head. With purple cat-eyes, ombré color, teal eyeliner, and so much more in her oeuvre, it's clear that Khloe has a major affinity for makeup. Ahead, see the best highlights of Khloé Kardashian's beauty evolution, from 2006 to today.
Before we get started, watch one woman transform into three iconic Khloé Kardashian looks.
2006
Even Khloé was not immune to the stick-straight hair trend of the early aughts.
Photo: ANDREAS BRANCH/PatrickMcMullan/Getty Images.
2007
At the 2007 Dash fashion show, Khloé and Kim wore matching silver-and-black smoky eyes.
Photo: Jeff Vespa/WireImage.
2008
Just a year later, she was spotted with caramel-colored hair and beachy waves at the premiere of The House Bunny.
Photo: ANDREAS BRANCH/PatrickMcMullan/Getty Images.
2009
The next year, the star kicked it up a notch with tighter, bouncier curls.
Photo: Jacob Andrzejczak/Getty Images.
2009
Khloé's winged-out smoky eye, vintage-style bouffant, and nude lip make for a triple threat on the red carpet.
Photo: Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage.
2010
At an event in 2010, Khloé stepped out wearing sleek hair, glam lashes, and peachy-pink lipstick.
Photo: Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic.
2011
Quite possibly one of our favorite Khloé Kardashian looks to date? This purple eyeshadow, which made her brown eyes look ultra rich.
Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images.
2011
Yes, Khloé went red for a brief stint.
Photo: Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic.
2012
Khloé looks like a total Southern belle with this bouffant.
Photo: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images.
2013
Here we catch a glimpse of the Khloé we know today: one who favors honey-blonde waves, bronzed skin, and lots of highlighter.
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images.
2015
The humble beginnings of the classic Khloé K. lob.
London-based skate label Palace may be known for dressing teenage boys up and down the country in shell suits and oversized logos, but today it dropped its first womenswear offering – and we're taking the lot.
In collaboration with adidas, the cult brand – worn by everyone from Rihanna to North West via your boss and little brother – has created a timely collection of tennis whites ahead of this year's Wimbledon tournament.
Photo: Alasdair McLellan
Ranging from $15 to $295, the collection combines adidas' tennis player-approved sports technology with Palace's signature street-ready styles. Featuring a prominent adidas x Palace logo, it ranges from immensely collectable sporting accessories – think terry towel visors and wristbands – to classics like tennis dresses and T-shirts.
The womenswear debut is a '70s and '80s-inspired tournament-ready kit made up of a dress, a tank top, and shorts, add a matching T-shirt and skirt – all box-fresh pieces to add to your sporting wardrobe.
A statement from adidas read, "stay tuned to see our finest champions smash it and give these all whites a whirl on court at the biggest tennis tournament, on Palace's home turf." It looks like we won't be the only ones donning the pieces this summer, then.
The campaign, shot by legendary photographer Alasdair McLellan, shows Palace skaters Blondey McCoy, Rory Milanes, and Lucien Clarke alongside tennis champions Garbiñe Muguruza and Sascha Zverev celebrating wins, commiserating losses, and keeping cool courtside.
The collection marks the second time the sportswear giant has joined forces with the skate label – the first being an homage to the World Cup with beach towels and retro football tees emblazoned with the Palace and adidas Originals logos in the colors of various national flags.
This summer is packed with sporting events to get behind, and with this collaboration, Palace x adidas is setting the tone. Sure, we may only get fanatic about tennis every 12 months but this year, we'll be doing it in style. C'mon, Murray!
The adidas Tennis x Palace collection launches July 3.
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If there was ever the perfect time for a fresh manicure, it's right now. Gone are the days of dry hands and cracked cuticles; we've entered the season of strappy sandals and ample opportunities for drippy ice-cream cone Instagrams — and the last thing you want is your ho-hum nail polish to ruin your otherwise-trendy aesthetic. Instead of going the predictable route and resorting to your go-to summer polish (we all have one), try sourcing your nail inspiration abroad.
Ahead, 7 in-the-know nail artists from around the world are talking about the biggest nail trends in their respective cities, and spilling their tips to make each look a cinch to copy on your own. So whether you're excited to try your hand at typography straight out of Amsterdam, or feel inspired by the bold, matte polish that's big in Paris right now, you can give your nails global flair without leaving your couch.
"Asymmetrical design is a big nail art trend in Japan," says Kawasaki. "I spent years working in New York and women there tend to like design continuity across both hands. In Japan it’s the opposite: Women prefer different designs and different color schemes on each hand or even each nail. For example, on one hand I’ll paint an abstract design and on the other hand a geometric design or portraits."
Courtesy of Mako Kawasaki
Kawasaki recommends easing into this trend by incorporating a unifying factor on all the nails. "A great way to try this trend is to choose a common theme or design, then use a different background color for each nail," she suggests.
Courtesy of Mako Kawasaki
Here, Kawasaki shows you can keep continuity in the base color, while adding different geometric art designs on each finger.
Fountain-Townsend tells us that her clients in L.A. have been asking for encapsulated foil nails, which have a patterned holographic chrome finish. To get the look, she says to "lay the foil on top of the cured gel, then press down all over with your fingers or a rubber cuticle pusher to transfer the pattern onto the nail."
Courtesy of Bel Fountain-Townsend
Step two is to encapsulate the foils with builder gel; Fountain-Townsend's favorites are Vetro Extension Clear II, Gelish Sealer, or Akzentz Luxio. "Make sure you cover the free edge to prevent lifting," she says. "Once this has cured, use a sheer gel (same color as the foils) to cover the whole nail. This neatens the edges and gives real depth to the look." Finish with a high-shine top coat and you're all set.
Courtesy of Bel Fountain-Townsend
To bring two trends together, add a little foil accent to colorful French-tipped nails for a fresh and fun play on negative space.
Melbourne-based nail artist Sophie Guiounet tells us that a modern take on nude nails is trendy right now. Not just your average barely-there nude, this trend is about choosing a shade that is close to, but not exactly your skin color. "When choosing a nude nail polish, the trick is to pick a shade lighter or darker than your skin color," says Guiounet. "It offers a touch of contrast and makes your nails pop whilst still being subtle."
Courtesy of Sophie Guiounet
Here, we see how another Melbourne nail artist has taken on the trend, choosing a nude color in a lighter shade than the skin tone to create cool dimension.
@totorosnails95
"If you want a more sophisticated look, try adding a simple nail art design," Guiounet says. You can update your go-to nude by pairing it with a colored take on a French manicure.
UK manicurist Stephanie Staunton tells us that the big trend across the pond involves subtle hints of metallic. She recommends using an eyeshadow applicator to add glitter, keeping in mind that less is more. "For a base, use a soft nude under any glitter powders to create a soft, healthy glow," Staunton says.
Courtesy of Stephanie Staunton
Another example by Staunton demonstrates how to marry your subtle metallic with a reverse French manicure.
Courtesy of Stephanie Staunton
For a more dramatic take on the trend, you can start with a neon polish base, adding press-on gemstones for a hit of shine.
"I feel like the typography nail look is hot right now," says Netherlands-based manicurist Frédérique Olthuis. "You can make it a super-straight printed look, a messy hand-written feel, or the dramatic Old English style. Decorating your body with text is a timeless thing, when you think of tattoos, jewelry, fashion — nails are a part of that as well."
Courtesy of Frédérique Olthuis
Olthuis advises practicing before trying the typography trend on your own, as it requires a steady hand. For an easy take, you can try stick-on nail art decals.
Courtesy of Frédérique Olthuis
Add color to your tips to jazz up your typography nails.
In France, bright, matte colors are all the rage. "The vibrant colors feel cool and retro when they're matte instead of shiny," says Paris-based nail artist Virginie Carvalho. The trend is super wearable for the summer because you can choose any vivid shade your heart desires — just finish it off with a clean, matte finish.
Courtesy of Virginie Carvalho
A little negative-space nail art accent gives the matte polish a fun twist.
@ails.and.the.city_sjm
If you have super-long nails, a bright polish with a dry, matte finish commands attention without being overly flashy.
Turns out the accent nail didn't die in 2015: New York-based nail artist Skyy Hadley says that she's seeing a revival of single-nail accents this summer. "It’s really simple to do and you can have a lot of fun mixing and matching," says Hadley. "It’s also a great option when you can’t decide on just one color. When I do this manicure I take a matte base color for 3-4 nails, and then I’ll go back in use a complementing color for the remaining. Then, I make the nails pop by adding a metallic or glittery nail in a different color."
Courtesy of Skyy Hadley
Not just a summer trend: Hadley says accent nails are great for any time of the year because you can make your base whatever shade you're feeling for the season.
@bedofnailsnyc
Your accent can be in the form of a color, or a press-on gemstone decal.
@bedofnailsnyc
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Eyeliner is especially tricky during the summer months, when it's more likely to end up everywhere but your lash line. But there's a new trend that won't result in dark circles under your eyes or smudges in your crease, and everyone — from Rihanna to Margot Robbie — is trying it.
When it comes to pulling off white liner, Fenty global makeup artist Priscilla Ono says to treat it like any other bright shade and keep the rest of your makeup minimal. "Remember it's a bright color, so it actually really stands out; sometimes less is more," Ono says. And, rather than building up the color, be sure to choose formulas that go on opaque with the first swipe. "You want to make sure you're applying a very thin amount [which] will look nice and smooth. Don't go too thick with it because you can actually see texture more," she says.
Get ready for plenty of celebrity white liner inspiration, plus tips for wearing it, ahead.
A precise stripe of white liner (likely from Dior) made Bella Hadid's green eyes glow at an event in Monaco. Makeup artist Naoko Scintu started from her inner corners and followed her eye shape for the most flattering effect.
Photo: Marc Piasecki/Getty Images.
Rather than sticking to a tiny cat eye flick, makeup artist Pati Dubroff laid it on thick for Margot Robbie. Paired with pink and brown tones, the overall look is soft but makes a statement.
Photo: Mike Marsland/Mike Marsland/WireImage.
If white liner on the lid seems like a stretch for you, you can still achieve the same eye-opening look by drawing it along the lower waterline. (We prefer this one from Urban Decay.) Alison Brie paired hers with pastel aqua shadow on the lids for a cool '60s mod look.
Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic.
For Virgil Abloh’s Louis Vuitton debut in Paris, Rihanna let her eyeliner do the talking. Keeping the rest of her makeup minimal, the Fenty Beauty founder rocked a white, winged eyeliner, courtesy of Ono.
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images.
Kristin Stewart paired another major L.A. trend, upside-down liner, with a white cat eye for extra definition.
Photo: Venturelli/Getty Images.
Tessa Thompson turned heads at the 2018 Met Gala with a white eyeliner that winged into a cross, which nodded to the theme: “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination."
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images.
Leave it to Willow Smith to pull off the trend like no other. The singer gave us a futuristic effect with bold, white paint drawn generously from corner to corner. We'd opt for a long-wearing cream, like Make Up For Ever Aqua XL shadow, for a look like this.
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images.
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I have a confession to make: I am a fake-tan virgin.
In fact, I'm a real-tan virgin, too. Blessed with my father's Irish genes, my hair is naturally red and my skin is naturally ghostly. I wear SPF 50 every day, sit in the shade, and was that child in the pool in Majorca wearing a flap cap and big T-shirt over my swimsuit.
Then came the '00s: a glorious time, when a denim-clad Britney and Justin reigned supreme, eyebrows were plucked into obscurity, and roll-on glitter was the height of school-disco sophistication. I'm pretty sure the only highly questionable trend I didn't try was fake tan. My friends used the since-discontinued Johnson & Johnson's Holiday Skin and Rimmel Sun Shimmer religiously (the classier girls used St. Tropez, of course), and it was enough to put me off for life.
Not that I looked better — god, no. It was the look du jour, and while they worked Girls Aloud and Jessica Simpson levels of bronze, I was heckled and told to put my pasty whites away. It was the process and maintenance that deterred me. The sticky skin, the stained bedsheets, the darker patches around elbows and knees, the smell... don't get me wrong, I'm more dedicated to beauty than most, but my favored treatments involve less fuss and last much longer.
And yet. Every time summer comes around I find myself lured into the Insta-trap, the grid of glowing women with sun-kissed limbs and a sprinkle of freckles across their nose. Sure, I'll never look like them, but coming out of a long, dark winter with legs like milk bottles doesn't exactly make you feel pumped for summer. Tanning beds aren't an option for me as skin cancer runs in my family, but I didn't trust the bottled stuff to give a natural enough hue. Enter: Isle of Paradise.
The just-launched brand was founded by tanning supremo Jules Von Hep, the man behind the radiant skin of countless celebrities and influencers, with a long career at some of the biggest tanning brands around. Having spied Von Hep's latest move on Instagram, I went to him with my tanning concerns. "When you get a fake tan you want it to look like you've been on holiday, not like you got it from a bottle," Von Hep tells me. "In the past, formulas have given you a uniform color across your entire body, which just isn't what happens when you go abroad."
So how does Isle of Paradise differ from the thick, muddy formulas of the '00s? Made up of three products (a tanning water spray, a mousse, and drops) in three shade ranges (dark, medium, and light), Von Hep wanted to focus on hydration, scent, and being fuss-free. Firstly, his products are essentially water and mousse infused with tanning agents, so they add moisture to the skin. Secondly, there isn't a whiff of that "tanning scent" anywhere, thanks to the formula's cucumber and eucalyptus, which is mega refreshing. Finally, there's no guide color, so you could be wearing white jeans and still not get a smudge of tan on your clothes. No excessive bedsheet-washing here.
All of this feels a lot less intimidating than the tan I assumed I'd be getting. I strip down to my underwear, put my hair in a towel, and hop into Von Hep's tanning tent. I apologize to him for my body, for having to see me naked, but he makes me feel immediately comfortable, explaining that every woman who gets into the booth does the same. "Look, I've worked with Victoria's Secret models, but they look like 1% of the women I work with on a daily basis," he says. "I want Isle of Paradise to speak to, not down to, women. You don't tan for anyone else; you tan for yourself, to look in the mirror and feel that much more confident."
Von Hep starts by spraying me all over with the Isle of Paradise Prep It Self-Tan Priming Spray, which works like a makeup primer in that it makes your tan last much longer, but activates at low pH levels, so it doesn't smell bad. Next he tackles the rougher areas like feet, knees, elbows, and around the fingers with an aloe vera-based moisturizer. Then I stand in a variety of yoga-like positions while he sprays my entire body using the Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Water in Peach, the lightest shade. It smells amazing and is so refreshing I think it would bring me back to life during a terrible hangover. Once Von Hep has gone over every patch of skin, he dries me with a cool-set dryer (a hairdryer on the cold setting would work at home), and I get dressed and go.
When I leave I'm the tiniest bit sticky, but nowhere near as much as I thought I'd be. I'm wearing a loose dress, which helps to continue the "airing out," but Von Hep tells me to avoid getting super sweaty for the day. He encourages me to add a few drops of the Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Drops to my face moisturizer over the next few days as the color on my face will fade first. I have my tan done at 9 a.m. and by 3 p.m. it's come up; by the time I go home at 6 p.m. it's very, very noticeable. It's actually quite alarming.
After the tan
However, Von Hep warned me about this, so I try not to panic and go home to shower off the tan. I emerge looking less Tanning Mom and more week-in-Italy glow. I'm hooked — this isn't what I actually look like post-one week in Italy, but my reflection could've fooled me. Why haven't I been doing this my whole life?! I feel more inclined to show off my limbs in summer dresses, and I get a sense of that confidence Von Hep was talking about.
For the next two days, I enjoy this new version of me; I look healthier on the outside than I actually am on the inside, and although my white triangle of a bum means I look ridiculous naked, my balayage looks brighter and my eyes more blue.
On day three, though, the tan goes awry. I look in the mirror post-run and I'm devastated to find a brown cow. My chest is still day-one tanned, but my boobs, underarms, and tummy are as pale as the day I was born. My boyfriend finds the whole debacle hilarious, and no amount of bathing and scrubbing evens out the patchiest areas.
The products used by Von Hep smelled great; I didn't have to change my sheets the morning after, and I enjoyed two full days of an even, features-accentuating, illuminating tan. But as it turns out, I don't think fake tan is for me. While I do believe Isle of Paradise is the coolest and most contemporary out there — not least for the positive representation of women's bodies in the brand campaign, something close to Von Hep's heart — for me, the maintenance is still too much.
I think the line would work perfectly for a special occasion or event — say, the day before your wedding or a big birthday. But as a regular treatment, I couldn't keep up. Of course, I am but one woman with one skin tone, and on darker skin the contrast might not look as obvious by day three. Von Hep certainly made the concept of fake tan feel less alien and intimidating, and he highlighted the fact that a bronzed hue can give someone the boost of confidence they need to face summer, when women's bodies are constantly scrutinized. For that, I highly rate both the brand and the choice to get a tan. But now that the color has faded, I appreciate my vampire-like pale skin even more.
This story was originally published on Refinery29 UK.
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Gigi Hadid’s out-of-this-world look in the new Moschino campaign gives her the air of an alien flight attendant from a campy B-movie – which sounds right up cartoon-loving designer Jeremy Scott’s alley. The ad has proved controversial, however, because of Jeremy’s clumsy handling of the phrase 'illegal alien'. At a time when the Trump administration is separating migrant children from their parents at the U.S. border – and keeping them in what certainly look like cages, even if Trump assures us they are not, – it’s a contentious phrase that has come under increasing scrutiny.
Sharing the campaign image of Gigi, her skin painted blue and wearing a bright orange wool coat from Moschino’s fall 2018 collection, Jeremy captioned the image: "The only thing illegal about this alien is how good she looks!" Fans of the designer will recognize his fondness for gossip page-like headlines, but many saw his choice of words as trivializing the plight of detained migrants, and as being insensitive to migrant poverty by appropriating the pejorative phrase in order to sell designer products worn here by rich supermodels. Although Gigi Hadid has Dutch, Palestinian, and American heritage, some commenters were angry that the models used all appeared to be white, when migrants crossing the border are predominantly Hispanic and people of color. Hadid, Kaia Gerber (who is white American) and Vittoria Ceretti (white Italian) were the first three models Jeremy posted, though he later added an image of Soo Joo Park, who is a South Korean American.
"What a tone deaf caption. Geezus," wrote one Instagram user, with another adding, "That caption is disgusting. You’re profiting on the suffering of people escaping persecution, poverty and death." Not everyone understood the controversy, with one person commenting, "This is art people! An idea becomes creation. Respect it! Art comes in all kinds of shapes and [forms], [stop] spitting on every talented artist. What’s wrong with u people, she is gorgeous [look] at her."
For the people who were upset, however, Jeremy undoubtedly made things worse by deleting the caption and writing a new one that appeared to be more sensitive to the issue, but without an acknowledgement of the offense the previous caption caused. At the time of publishing, the new caption reads: "Alien Nation! @gigihadid stars in my new @moschino campaign .... What is an 'alien?' The concept of my ad campaign is to bring attention to the US administration’s harsh stance towards 'illegal aliens'. I painted the models in my show and this campaign as a way to open a discussion on what exactly an 'alien' is – are they orange blue yellow green? Does this matter? They are our friends, neighbors, co workers, relatives and people we love."
This edit and elaboration of the concept was not enough for some. "We won’t forget that, and changing the caption doesn’t change the fact this whole campaign just brings you profit" one wrote, adding, "You want to start a discussion? Stop painting the same models blue and calling it revolutionary. Actually change the fashion game by hiring models that need to be represented. Get out in the street and do something worthwhile. Until then, you’re just another white man making money off the suffering of real people." This snafu is another reminder to designers that, if you’re going to include activism in your fashion, you’ve got to do it right.
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Most dancers find their way to the sport by way of their parents enrolling them in ballet classes as soon as they start wiggling around, i.e. by the age of 2 or 3. Elsa Stallings, however, didn't recognize dance as a passion she wanted to pursue until the relatively late age of 13. But in the time since, the 19-year-old has more than caught up to her contemporaries — and is now in her third year at Pace University's commercial dance program. We got a glimpse of the eight-hour-a-day training sessions that go into perfecting her craft with Under Armour in the video below. As Stallings says, "In dance, you can't just wish your way into getting the steps right; you have to put in the time and energy to understand how your body and mind connect with one another." By the looks of it, we'd say that hard work paid off.
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The duo behind the popular Instagram account The Devils Wear Zara, Mimi Postigo and Lauren Eggertsen, like to joke they aren’t the fast-fashion retailer’s customer service arm (they’re both editors at Who What Wear, after all), but their latest findings are maybe more helpful than a call to 411. The duo took to Instagram Stories asking former Zara employees to reach out with tips, resulting in a massive aggregation of shopping hacks compiled from 123 people to help shoppers save money — without having to wait for Zara’s massive summer sale.
The biggest takeaway? Hold out of for as long as you can before you buy something, as it’ll probably be eventually marked down. One former employee noted shoppers can always tell when a piece is about to go on sale by its hanger placement on the rack. Apparently, Zara will reposition items, grouping pieces together by price point so they can pack as much inventory onto the floor as possible.
And even once the item is on sale, there is still a change you can save even more money. Take the summer sale, for instance. One person told The Devil Wears Zara that the best time to shop is during the third week [of a sale] when you can get items for up to 75% off, as opposed to the first week when pieces are only discounted up to 25% off. “It’s better to wait two to three weeks for the best sale prices,” according to the tipster. As for what day to shop the sale, Thursday morning’s are best as sale markdowns happen on Wednesday evenings. Finally, if you played the waiting game for too long, and the items sells out, Who What Wear notes you should save the online link to the product because Zara often restocks their website during sales based on returns.
Now that you’re armed and ready, fire up your Zara apps and start plotting your attack.
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Burt's Bees has been built on the platform of a single humble ingredient: honey. Today, countless other beauty brands have gotten sticky with it, adding the sweet stuff to masks, moisturizers, and lip treatments for a hit of naturally-derived (and, yes, decidedly non-vegan) moisture. But we never forget the OG beekeeper, good ol' Burt. That time-honored brand loyalty is why we grab a tube of Burt's Bees lip balm every time we find ourselves standing in a checkout line, desperately in need of something to recharge our chapped lips.
Founded on the principle that honey bees are simply magical, Burt's Bees takes special care in their global beekeeping and honey-harvesting operations. Starting the process internationally, the brand sources their honey in Tanzania. There, the Tanzanian bees swarm traditional hives, which are suspended in trees, then pulled down by beekeepers to harvest the honeycomb. The fresh honey is extracted, while the comb is boiled down to extract the raw wax.
Then, the wax is then shipped all the way across the globe to the Burt's Bees factory in North Carolina, where the special globally-harvested wax is filtered through a purifier so it can reach the ideal melting consistency. The raw ingredients — beeswax (the hero), coconut oil, sunflower oil, vitamin E, rosemary leaf extract, and peppermint oil — are measured precisely and mixed together in a massive holding tank.
After several hours of mixing, the lip-balm formula melts down to its final liquid state and gets siphoned into empty tubes at a rapid rate of 500 balms per minute. The filled lip balms then pass through heating and cooling chambers, which is crucial to the smooth texture we all know and love, ensuring that the balm never gets dried out or cracks. Caps are then added one-by-one, before the sorting hopper arranges the tubed balms in a row, where they are labeled and hot-stamped with a unique lock code before making their way to your local Whole Foods.
Above, watch the sweet, soothing, and super informative video on how Burt's Bee's Lip Balm is made. So you can offer up your knowledge to anyone who's curious the next time you're standing in checkout line, holding your trusty tube with confidence.
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Summer is synonymous with being outdoors, going on vacation, and soaking up the longer days in a myriad of fun ways — this we know — but it's also one of the most exciting times to change up your hair color. Around the same time that our skin starts glowing and our wardrobe changes, we want our hair to match the free spirited, sip-rosé-on-a-rooftop vibe of the fleeting season. And this year, with the beautiful color and highlighting trends rolling out of the trendiest L.A. salons, it's easier than ever to get the summer color of your dreams.
Ahead, we've highlighted in-the-know stylists who are sharing all their color secrets, and in turn, giving us the most screenshot-able, versatile, low-maintenance hair color trends that summer has ever seen. So, no matter your natural hair color, length, or texture, read on for ample inspiration on how you can add West Coast vibes to your summer persona.
Platinum blond color isn't going anywhere this summer — especially when single-tone color is having a moment. "I'm seeing a more subtle approach to color, with a balance of natural tones and super-soft baby lighting or balayage," says Orellana. "More and more people are wanting single color tones, like dark brown, light brown, chestnut, and platinum blonde."
Courtesy of Erick Orellana
A one-dimensional, icy blonde color continues to be all the rage in L.A., no matter your length. This version was done by Cherin Choi on a short pixie.
@mizzchoi
"One dimensional colors are beautiful and much easier to maintain than contrasting shades," explains Orellana, adding that the look is actually a modern take on an old-school color trend. "It reminds me of a '90s revival — supermodels like Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss, Christy Turlington and Claudia Schiffer all wore single-dimension color."
An easy way to reduce your salon visits this summer is to adopt a low-maintenance color plan, like this grown-out highlighted look. "While many clients want to go brighter for the warmer weather, it doesn't necessarily mean super light or high maintenance," says Loughnane. "Highly-processed, bright colors have dominated trends in the past, but they all require so much maintenance. Now, the tried-and-true, grown-out highlight is my go-to for summer."
Remember the ombré trend of years past? This has the same spirit, but is a lot softer...
@antonioprietosalon by Krystal Gleeson
"Dimension is the key word," Loughnane says, recommending that you tell your colorist to focus on adding soft, rich color at the roots to make the look more dramatic. Or, if you decide to grow out old color, have your colorist weave in a transition color to soften the line of demarcation.
@doralysbritto
The best part of this summer trend is that is doesn't matter what your natural color or texture is — adding brightness or dimension through your ends and mid-lengths is an easy way to make a change with less upkeep.
@mizzchoi
Anthony Holguin, stylist at L.A.'s Nine Zero One Salon, also agrees that lightening the ends of the hair makes for an easy summer style. And here, you can see that even a touch of a brighter shade towards the tips makes a huge difference in the overall dimension of your style.
"One of the biggest trends for color this summer is adding subtle dimension, not only at the root, but all the way through the ends," says Blatz. "In the past we’ve seen a lot of ombré looks where all of the ends are a single color, but by adding dimension, a.k.a lowlights, it allows you to see multiple tones which gives the hair a more natural look overall."
Courtesy of Shaylee Blatz
Here, Blatz added super subtle lowlights through the ends of the hair, showing that you don't need to make your contrasting color as dark as the natural root to make the lighter shades really stand out.
Courtesy of Shaylee Blatz
Blatz explains that the lowlight trend is versatile, because adding any contrasting color will enhance another tone. "Whether it be blond, caramel, honey, or golden, adding darker tones will make the other tones in the hair pop," she says. Another tip: a gloss over the top will keep the color super-shiny.
Dawson says that in California, it's warm, golden or bronzy highlights that are all the rage for summer. A departure from orange or ashy tones, "adding gold hues to the hair reflects lot of shine and translucency, which is why people love to go golden in the summer," says Dawson. "Keeping the highlights baby-fine helps to break up a natural base, leaving more brightness around the face."
Fine highlights are hard to achieve because they require careful precision to make sure that the bright strands are evenly distributed around the head. When successful, the result is natural and sun-kissed, so make sure you verify that your colorist of choice is well-versed in the technique: babylights.
@christinesilvermancolor
Sean Godard, a global Redken artist, prefers a slightly-shimmery metallic tone."The tones and contrast run subtle to bold, depending on the shades selected," says Godard. "This trend gives the hair a high-shine finish similar to rose gold, yellow gold, and bronze. So, depending on skin tone and color shade, there is a look is for anyone."
When speaking to your colorist, Godard says you should ask for a subtle balayage and a glaze to enhance the metal of choice (he recommends the Redken Shades EQ Gloss over the base color).
Courtesy of SEAN GODARD
Bonus: Super-fine highlights look even more beautiful when pulled back in an effortless low bun or ponytail.
@brendakamt
Dawson recommends adding a clear gloss over the fresh highlights to ensure that the golden color maintains its brightness.
Pastel colors are still getting love in L.A., specifically, rose gold pink and soft dusty lilac shades. Lighter pastels allow you to ease into color, without making it dramatic or overt, says Lee. This is a great way to give new life to old highlights, but know that, depending on your natural color, lighter pastels do require bleach first.
@nikkilee901
Triple the trend: Soft lilac shafts, light rosy ends, and a purposeful, grown-out root.
@nikkilee901
Here, you can see how a touch of pink can be super subtle, but it's also a fun way to add highlights and tonality to darker color.
@mizzchoi
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If you're anything like us, the last few days have been spent frantically planning how you'll blow your hard-earned money on the many Fourth of July sales looming ahead. And the sales this year are no joke, almost everyone is slashing their prices. We're the first to admit we'd dedicate a chunk of time to perusing a good 'ol fashion discount, but even we realize how difficult it is navigate the rough sale waters without missing out on a few true gems.
The secret? It all comes down to narrowing down to a specific sale and dedicating your complete focus to it. Even better — pick a specific categories to peruse at a time. Having a strategic game plan will eliminate the inevitable stress that comes from seeing too many red price tags in a row. In this case, we're breaking down the best discounted summer shoes that Shopbop has to offer. With a big blue banner claiming "up to 70% off", now is the time to act.
Whether you've been on the lookout for mini wedges in highlighter hues or that one perfect pair of minimalist slides to wear all summer, we wouldn't advise a dilly-dally approach. Instead, check out our no-shoe-missed guide to Shopbop's summer sale for a quick and easy shopping experience that's sure to get you the most bang for your buck.
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Imagine being so close to Beyoncé that you could just reach out and touch her. Now imagine being able to do that and getting paid for it. That is Francesca Tolot 's actual job.
Beauty-industry veteran Tolot is a celebrity and editorial makeup artist whose work you've seen on the cover of Vogue, in Atomic Blonde, and on the face of Beyoncé, in music videos like "Crazy In Love" and "Partition" — and, most recently, for the On The Run II tour.
It's been 15 years since Tolot began working with the star ("I've done over 40 music videos since her first solo album," Tolot says), so it was only natural that she be in charge of Bey's makeup for all the video content and stripped-down tour-book photos for the Carters' joint performances. So, what's that like? We asked — and Tolot answered.
We know Beyoncé is the ultimate boss. What was the creative direction like on set for the OTR II content? " It was pretty loose — she really trusts me. We do have a connection and we kind of think the same way. She never gives me strong direction; it’s more about expressing her feelings and what she wants to portray and communicate through her look. From there it's a collaboration and that transfers into the hair and makeup. I feel very blessed that we do have such a connection that there's never a need for a long conversation or images from the internet [for inspiration]."
So, you two don't pull images from Pinterest or Instagram for inspiration? "No, we just connect on that kind of level. It really requires minimal words and images to understand each other."
What inspiration did you use? "We were in Jamaica, so the whole island flavor, spirit, and music really inspired these looks. It was that with a little bit of vintage added to it, but in a modern way."
Did she have a specific look in mind? " It was one of her desires to be really natural, raw, and herself. She wanted her hair and makeup to be minimal. She feels very good in her skin. She’s one of those people who can wear absolutely nothing and go out and be photographed."
Does she like to do that a lot? "I did something similar for the 'If I Were A Boy ' video. Throughout the years, she started liking natural makeup more and more, except for when the moment calls for something else. There's one scene in 'Crazy in Love ' when she walks down the street in a tank top and jean shorts. The makeup was very minimal there. Then, of course, the rest was full-on glam."
Did you use body makeup on her for the beach and bedroom shots? "No, nothing. She didn't need it. At most, I used some baby oil in those beach photos for that shine you see. She has good skin. Unless she’s been rehearsing and has some bruises from dancing, I don't need to use body makeup on her. The biggest challenge was to keep the sand away from her body, but no, no body makeup."
Did you do Jay Z's makeup? "He doesn’t use makeup. Some people do, but he does not wear makeup. At the most, I'll use eye drops on him, or, if he’s sweating, I'll blot his skin."
If you didn't put makeup on Beyoncé, what did you use? "I used some moisturizer, maybe a stain on her lips, then nothing else. But this was just because it was right for some of the moments in the OTR visuals. Some other scenes, she was full glam. Thats the beauty of working with her: She can go from extreme glamour to absolutely nothing."
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We've all received bad emails: typos in the subject line, wordy text in the body that doesn't get to the point, stale sign-offs like "yours truly," and the recipient's name misspelled (sometimes in a few places, with different misspellings!) throughout.
Email reigns supreme as the most popular means of professional communication these days. We often communicate with colleagues, clients, and prospective employers via email before meeting IRL (if we even do at all), which means it's key to maximize the impact of the emails we're sending.
We tapped the expertise of a few professionals in the field on what makes the most effective subject lines, what time of day elicits the highest rate of response, and to settle the question, once and for all, of how many exclamation points are too many exclamation points.
Ahead, we'll tackle the most common work email mistakes so you can put your best e-foot forward.
What should go in a subject line?
When it comes to subject lines, being concise is key. They're the preview to what's in the body — a.k.a. what prompts the recipient to either click on the email, save it for later, or, worst case, delete without opening. Getting your recipient to open your email, especially with genuine interest, is the hardest part, which is why an effective subject line is so crucial.
In an email to Refinery29, Aye Moah, co-founder and Chief of Product of Boomerang for Gmail, said: "The subject line should succinctly portray the purpose of the email, but also have a slight touch of personalization. If you’re writing to someone about a specific job opening, a project or article they worked on, or work that their company has done, note that briefly in the subject. We recommend a format of [topic], [request/question], and [deadline, if any]."
Moah also stresses the importance of sending error-free subject lines. The most frequent faux pas: starting a subject sentence with a lowercase letter. According to this Boomerang study, subject lines of three to four words receive the highest volume of responses.
When's the best time of day to send an email?
Does first thing in the a.m. increase your odds of getting a response, or will yours just get lost underneath the barrage of emails piled on top of it by mid-morning? Or if it's a hefty, daunting email that you're nervous about sending, should you try EOD on a Friday before your boss takes off for the long weekend when you know she's already in a good mood?
According to Moah, the best time to send an email is at the start of the workday: "Most people take a 'last one in, first one out' approach, where they’ll read and reply to messages at the top of their inbox first. We’ve found that people tend to write the most emails on weekday mornings before noon, with 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. being the key window of time to reach recipients."
What about after hours? If you work a 9-to-5, is it appropriate to send an email off the clock? Executive Recruiter and Managing Principal at Merito Group Carolyn Thompson says: "Sending an email in the evening, late at night, or over the weekend can sometimes be misunderstood as imposing on someone’s ‘off time,’ even though you might just be catching up on things. Sending emails at night can also suggest to others that your work environment is 24/7, which can good or bad, depending on the context."
How many exclamation points are too many?
The exclamation point is a fickle punctuation mark. Use too many, and you're too cheery, too casual, or run the risk of being interpreted as screaming. Use too few, and you're negative, curt, or even passive aggressive.
So where do we draw the line? While there's no hard and fast rule about exclamation point usage, and it certainly varies by person, industry, and relationship between sender and recipient, the most important thing is to avoid making the tone of your email too positive — or too negative. Tone is already hard enough as it is to communicate via text, and overdoing it on exclamation points can often result in miscommunication. You don't want to get a rep in your office as "Exclamation Point Lady."
Moah says: "Use an exclamation point to show excitement over an achievement, but be sure using one doesn’t showcase anger or that you are yelling."
What's the best way to set up a meeting over email?
Coordinating meetings with multiple people (especially those senior to you) can be awkward and stressful. Rather than clogging everyone's inboxes with scheduling questions or sending out a blind invite and hoping the time works for everyone, try to minimize the number of emails you send out and get the logistics squared away before sending the final invite.
Thompson advises: "Ask the person you’re emailing for some days and times they’re available to meet, or offer them some specific options that work for you. Once the details are confirmed, send them a calendar invite. Don’t send invites for multiple days and times — that can be hard to read or interpret. "
What should go in an Out Of Office message?
If you're going on a trip, it isn't necessary to explain in your OOO where you're going or even that you're taking a vacation at all. According to Moah, Out Of Office messages just need to follow this simple formula: availability + return date + who to contact instead.
You want to alert everyone to how reachable you are — whether you'll be checking email intermittently or completely offline. You also want to include a timeline for when you'll get back to the sender, and who they can go for assistance in the meantime while you're out.
How should you start and close an email?
Sometimes "dear" can feel weird. But then "hi" might, too, if the recipient is someone you've never communicated with before. The way you open your emails should vary on a case-by-case basis, but as a rule of thumb, the way you casually hit up your work wife on Slack shouldn't be the way you begin an email, which is a much more formal format in general.
According to Moah, by and large, informal greetings like "hey" and "hello" usually receive more responses than emails that begin more formally. Similarly, closing emails with "thank you" or "thanks in advance" yields a 36% higher response rate than closing with the more traditional "kind regards" and "best" (the latter of which reigns as the worst performer among email closers).
More conversational emails tend to get more engagement, and including your recipient's name is an easy way to add a personal touch, too.
So, in conclusion, what makes a good work email?
Moah advises writing emails at the third grade level. It might seem silly, but this method "forces the writer to use shorter words and sentences to clearly deliver information." She continues, "This approach provides a 36% lift in response rate over emails written at a college reading level and a 17% higher response rate than those written at a high school level. Sentiment also plays a factor in writing good emails, as you need some sense of emotion behind the text. Emails that are slightly to moderately positive or slightly to moderately negative elicit 10-15% more responses than emails that are neutral."
Moah also advises keeping email word count between 50 and 125 words, as well as posing a question in the body. Emails asking between one and three questions get 50% more responses than emails asking no questions.
So when should you opt for communicating by phone, video chat, or in person instead of sending an email? Thompson says to opt for a more direct form of communication if the matter at hand "requires more than three simple paragraphs or a specific emphasis."
Thompson also adds that it's important to remember that the stakes are high, and emails have the potential to go viral on social media in our age of screenshots. So if you're upset, wait a beat before sending something you might regret. "If you need to vent, a live conversation allows for easy emphasis and inflection, as appropriate." And always remember: "Using all caps is interpreted as yelling."
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El Paso, TX, is far from a lot of things. The border town of Tornillo is that much farther.
A very small town gives way to fields, dirt, and scrub brush, then a few government buildings at the border. Far in the distance, the silhouette of the mountains looms.
On Sunday, hundreds of us walk down the road to gather under a hot, bright sky while an unexpected and welcome breeze keeps the flags rippling and coats us each in a layer of dust I can still feel on my red-tinged skin hours later.
It is one week since the cries of children separated from their parents at the border tore through our hearts and settled into our national conscience. It is just four days since President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending the separation — but not the detention — of children. Children belong with their families, yes, but they also belong in safe and healthy environments, not in cages. No one could say how the 2,500 children locked in makeshift holding camps would be located and reunited with their parents.
As we stand outside a detention facility that went from holding 93 children taken from their asylum-seeking parents to 320, I listen to amazing leaders — from the iconic and still vibrant Dolores Huerta to the firebrand president of Voto Latino, Maria Teresa Kumar. I’m lifted by the presence of young Dreamers and grizzled veterans, and inspired by a generation of Latino public servants, along with a generation running to join them in office. Even a plane full of celebrities had heard the call and made their way to this dusty, morally compromised corner of America to lend their platforms and voices, calling attention to the horror on the border.
But for all the speeches and the passion of the people gathered, I am distracted by the harsh and unforgiving landscape that stretches in every direction around us.
As a longtime visitor to nearby New Mexico, I have often found beauty in that sparse and seemingly endless vista. But on this day, my awe is not for the landscape. It is for the courage and determination of the parents who have risked everything — left everything and everyone — to cross miles and miles of it, for weeks upon weeks. It is for the love and hope of people who have escaped the violence, corruption, and crime of their home countries, and who have sought a better life for themselves and their children.
What kind of country would say we do not want brave and courageous people like them to join our ranks? What country doesn't need the ingenuity and smarts it would take to figure out how to travel hundreds of miles, to protect, to feed, to clothe, to survive? What country doesn’t want mothers and fathers who love their children so much they would risk their lives?
A country can certainly have processes for joining its ranks as visitors or citizens, but our processes today are based on hatred and cruelty, not facts and justice.
These asylum seekers are the true family values coalition.
I stand next to the detention center with the recognition that, as a privileged white American citizen, I wouldn't have the beginning of an idea how to do what these parents have done. Nor, do I think, the guts. I think of my daughter, who’s recently back from trekking in Indonesia — a brave step for her, but one swaddled in itineraries, vaccinations, and REI gear. I think back to that terrifying and panicked moment every parent remembers of losing sight of their child in a store or at a fair. I try to imagine what it would take to navigate a hate-filled maze of Homeland Security bureaucracy in a different language, while wondering and worrying about your stolen children every moment of the day. Day after day. And I cry.
A country can certainly have processes for joining its ranks as visitors or citizens, but our processes today are based on hatred and cruelty, not facts and justice. Processes that result in parents in shackles, toddlers in tears, and children in a slightly-less-terrible version of jail diminish all of our humanity and stab into the heart of what our democracy hasn't always delivered, but what it has always claimed to believe.
For a country that calls itself the land of the free, we are so quick to imprison people. While we proclaim that we are home of the brave, we punish and reject courageous people hungering to contribute to this great experiment.
When we as a country refuse to be part of a strong global economy that could give parents around the world — including parents in our hard-hit industrial and rural areas — hope for their children's future; when our president praises dictators who turn their backs on progress for all and use force and fortune for themselves, we cannot be surprised when people around the world yearn for a place to breathe free.
The soul has no borders, and clearly, the love of parents doesn’t either.
Dawn Laguens is the Executive Vice President of Planned Parenthood. Views expressed here are her own.
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If there's one thing we collectively don't know how to do as millennial women, it's take a break. Sure, I try my best to take advantage of our paid time off, but I often feel programmed to Instagram my time on the beach (otherwise, did it really happen?) and scan through my inboxes with feet in the sand "just in case." So, leading up to my one-month sabbatical — a benefit after four years of employment at Refinery29 — I was determined to give myself a true step back from the daily grind (read: no Slack, no Google Hangouts, no writing stories on airplanes, etc.).
I planned to use the time off to travel to places I'd always dreamed of going — namely Arizona, Hawaii, Japan, Korea, and Italy — and spent weeks figuring out logistics, booking flights and stays, and daydreaming up the perfect outfits for each scene I'd encounter. I even hoped to take care of a few of those life-tasks on my to-do list that never seem to get done (DMV, anyone?). For someone who didn't get the chance to have a study abroad experience or post-college globe-trot, this 13-cities-in-30-days trip had a lot in store for me — but not only in the ways I anticipated. I was in for a real awakening.
I didn't delete my Instagram account or leave my phone at home. I enjoy capturing my travels and sharing them with my followers and friends, but the rare opportunity to be thousands of miles away for an extended period of time doesn't come without both good and bad realizations. A lot can happen in four weeks — coworkers moving on to new opportunities, friends breaking up and making up, seasons changing. No complaints here — a month with no deadlines or technical responsibilities is quite literally a dream come true, in a lot of ways, but during the final leg of my sabbatical, I knew I had to take a moment to contemplate the good, the bad, and the ugly that we all know travel can bring.
Click ahead for some of the thoughts and reflections I brought back with me. I hope that if and when you get to embark on your own version of a sabbatical, whether it be a break between jobs or a mental-health retreat, that you, too take a moment to reflect. Like me, you might be surprised what bubbles up when you leave your bubble.
Life Goes On There's an excerpt in Georgia Clark's forthcoming book The Bucket List, which I read on my trip, that explains the feeling of deciding to leave a party a bit early, hugging all of your friends goodbye, and experiencing that brief but potent sunken feeling that sets in when you turn around at the doorway and realize they've all gone back to partying without you.
The same goes for packing your bags for weeks of traveling, saying goodbye to the people in your life for an extended period of time. Most of us who work full-time spend more time with our coworkers than we do our families, and realizing that the Work Machine continues to churn with or without you is both comforting and kind of an ego-blow.
Photo: Courtesy of Alyssa Coscarelli.
A Month Isn't That Long Of A Time The idea of 30 days off can feel like a real-life miracle. What can you possibly even do with that much free time? For someone who's used to working 9:30am to 6:30pm Monday through Friday, I anticipated four weeks without that commitment to be a total rebirth.
But it depends how you decide to spend it. For me, travel was the most obvious choice, because I had decided long ago that's what I'd do with the break and had been saving up for it since. But if you spend the time traveling to cities on the other side of the globe, four weeks goes by in a blink.
Photo: Courtesy of Alyssa Coscarelli.
You Probably Won't Fix Your Entire Life At Once Leading up to my sabbatical, I made grand plans to catch up on every podcast, book, long-read, and Netflix documentary I'd been "meaning" to consume. I even thought I might have time to do things like go to the DMV to address my expired license, finally go to the chiropractor I've been putting off for months, go through and delete some of the photos on my phone, have a catch-up phone call with two of my best friends, clean off my computer desktop, organize my closet, purge all of my beauty products, make vision boards and big plans and goals and visions for the future.
Did any of this happen? No, it didn't really. But, I chose to use the time for travel, and that's okay by me. The life list is always growing and always will be — a month off from work won't change that.
Photo: Courtesy of Alyssa Coscarelli.
It'll Take More Than A Few Days To Fully Unplug I told everyone I'd delete email, Slack, and Google Hangouts from my phone for the length of my sabbatical. But it takes more than a few days to unplug. I couldn't get myself to do it, at first. I worried I'd miss something or something would go wrong in my first few days of being gone, and since I hadn't left the country or my usual time zone yet, I figured I could stay online "just in case."
But that also means my vacation didn't truly start until I was able to actually wipe those apps from my phone. And even then, it took another few days for the anxiety and FOMO to subside.
Photo: Courtesy of Alyssa Coscarelli.
When Inspiration Strikes (Which It Will), Write It Down I always keep running lists of ideas and musings in my Notes app, but to be honest, it had run pretty dry leading up to my trips. When you're in your usual routine, you can fall out of the habit of jotting down your hopes, dreams, and big ideas — or just not have the energy to even have any.
But, you'll be amazed how many ideas can strike when you change up your scenery, expose yourself to other cultures, or take a step back to look at your world from the outside. The inspiration is real away from home, folks, but you have to leave to find it. And when you do, a pen and paper or a Notes app are your friend, no matter how big or small the thought.
Photo: Courtesy of Alyssa Coscarelli.
Try Being Away... At Home Between trips, I had a few days in New York to myself, without work commitments. Have you ever been in your home-base city without any actual requirements? I'm not talking about that one Sunday, that one time. I mean a solid couple of days, at home, with no meetings, no social plans, no work and no other appointments. That, right there, is true bliss.
I took a walk in my neighborhood with nowhere to be. I had lunch at my favorite spot. I saw an exhibit in your home city I probably wouldn't have otherwise gone to unless family was in town. I took a workout class in the middle of the day (this was a foreign concept to me, and it was THE BEST). Being out-of-office but still being home is a great way to see your city with fresh eyes and focus time on yourself.
Photo: Courtesy of Alyssa Coscarelli.
Turns Out, Mental Health Exists Outside The News Cycle You've probably had a friend or two tell you they've unplugged from the news except for one podcast, turned off their CNN push notifications, or stopped watching any news altogether because it's just too depressing. I, on the other hand, have felt even more of a responsibility to stay informed since President Trump took office.
But, unintentionally taking a break from daily news and politics feeds was the best thing I could have accidentally done on sabbatical. It wasn't on purpose, but while traveling, I didn't scroll through Twitter as much as I do when I'm at my desk. American news wasn't playing in every car I got in or on every TV I saw in public, and I spent more time taking in newness around me than with my head down, reading about the latest American failure.
Photo: Courtesy of Alyssa Coscarelli.
Easing Back Into Real Life Is Key To be honest, I wish I factored in a "buffer day" (or three) before heading back into work. This is something I didn't do, and would have if I could go back in time. Not only is the jet-lag real when you've been six hours ahead for the previous ten days, but it would have given me a day to get some laundry done, unpack, get a good workout in, and maybe work through a few emails to head back to the nine-to-five life more clear-headed.
Photo: Courtesy of Alyssa Coscarelli.
There's Beauty In Consistency If you're into skincare at all, you may have heard that your skin is fond of consistency — it'll probably be its calmest when it's a routine of products and treatment. But, as it turns out, it's not just skin that likes consistency — it's general sanity, too. There's beauty in knowing what lies ahead each day, even if it is just another nine-hour day plugging away at the office. It was comforting to come back to my Google Calendar, with everything in its place, and be able to look ahead at what's to come and get back into my routine, from work to food to skincare to exercise. I can already feel my body and mind readjusting to normalcy.
Photo: Courtesy of Alyssa Coscarelli.
My Work Gives Me Purpose Even though work can sometimes feel like, well, work, it takes stepping away for a while (okay, a long while) to realize the feeling of purpose a job can provide. Of course, I can't complain about the opportunity to travel the world, but even though work can be stressful, it's what gives me the drive and desire to get up every morning. I love what I do, and I was ready to come back to it after a month away because it makes me who I am and aligns with my passions.
Photo: Courtesy of Alyssa Coscarelli.
My Everyday Life Is My Best Life "You're living your best life! Soooo jealous!" These are the types of social media comments and e-mails I got while on vacation, and while, yes, eating pizza and pasta for all three meals and kicking my feet up on a beach lounger do, indeed, make for a pretty good existence, I couldn't help but feel like, Wait a minute. Why can't my usual, everyday life be my best life?
Why do we praise each other for shelling a ton of money and living the vacation lifestyle, but not for hustling day in and day out? If you ask me, we should be complimenting each other's daily accomplishments just as much as the rare opportunity we get to live a more lavish life abroad. My everyday routine of waking up, working, exercising, and running errands can be just as much my "best life" as a vacation can.
Photo: Courtesy of Alyssa Coscarelli.
Everything Can Feel New Again On my first day back to reality as I know it, I felt like I could see my city and my life with new eyes. Riding the subway, cruising in a cab with the windows down, hitting my local coffee shop, and feeling the spring-in-the-city sun on my skin all felt like a gift, as cheesy as that may sound. And that, in itself, was an accomplishment — to say that I was away long enough to not only unplug, but also return with a new perspective on my own turf and on the world around me is something not everyone can say they're able to do. And that's what I'm truly grateful for.
Photo: Courtesy of Alyssa Coscarelli.
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Maybe you need to leave the office at 5 p.m. on the dot every Thursday to pick up your daughter from daycare. Or, perhaps you're a night owl who struggles with early Monday morning meetings. Whatever the case may be, restricting your Google calendar to specific work hours has never been easy — there's always that one coworker who sees an opening at 8 a.m. and takes it.
Fortunately, Google is adding a new set of controls to Calendar that will make it easier to set limits on your availability. In the coming weeks, a new feature will roll out that lets you customize your working hours on a day-to-day basis. Anyone who tries to send a meeting invite that falls outside of your hours will receive a note letting them know you might decline.
Although you can currently set one default working hour timeframe for Monday through Friday, the new tool enables more daily specificity. So, if you need to leave early every Monday but can stay a little later on Tuesdays you can change your hours to reflect that distinction.
Another new feature, "out of office", serves a similar purpose. Instead of blocking off your calendar with a fake event to preserve one blessed, meeting-free hour, you can set an "out of office" entry. Anyone who tries to invite you to an event during that time will receive an automatic decline and you can personalize the message that goes with it.
Both updates come as part of the "digital well-being " movement that's sweeping Silicon Valley. The hypocrisy of this is not lost on anyone — tech introduced many of the distractions it's now seeking to course-correct — but the benefits of scheduling an "out of office" timeframe and working hours may have far-reaching effects.
Constant connectivity produced a culture where employees are always "on", whether you're active on Slack or not. The visual reinforcement of working hours and "out of office" could help signify that the end of workday really is the end of your workday. Of course, the reality is there may be times you need to deviate — a long-term project can call for a late night here or there to meet a deadline — but the intention is there, and that's what matters. Now, it's up to you to say something can wait until the morning.
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You'll recall that Rihanna majorly dropped the mic fashion-wise back at the 2017 Met Gala, in an off-the-runway (and off-the-wall) dress designed by Rei Kawakubo, the honoree of the night. But let's not forget the equally avant-garde fuchsia eyeshadow she also wore, the vibrant color draping down from her eyes to her cheeks. It was epic, and therefore it was only a matter of time before the makeup mogul released a full eye-makeup collection for Fenty Beauty.
With the Moroccan Spice Collection, Rihanna has done just that, and looked to one of her favorite countries for inspiration. The brand revealed that its creator has actually been wearing the product range for months now, on red carpets and behind the scenes, and she was also heavily involved in creating it. "She actually handpicked all these eyeshadows, which makes it super unique,” Fenty Beauty global makeup artist Hector Espinal tells us.
The culturally-inspired collection includes a 16-shadow palette which has stolen the show all over social media, thanks to its dreamy packaging and spot-on color scheme, along with a liquid eyeliner called Flyliner (reportedly Rihanna's favorite) and the Pro Filt'r Amplifying Eye Primer, which ensures your RiRi-approved look lasts all day.
If you want to get your hands on the collection right away, Rihanna is bringing the spice market to customers in New York City with three pop-up shops from June 27-29. And if you can’t make it or don't live in the area, the Moroccan Spice Collection is available online now for pre-order and will drop at Fenty Beauty, Sephora, and Harvey Nichols on July 6. Ahead, everything you need to know so you can pre-order with confidence...
If this eyeshadow palette reminds you of a real-deal spice market in Morocco, that's because it's supposed to. It comes complete with 16 shades and a range of finishes (matte, metallic, satin, glitter and pearl), including one turquoise shade, "Evil Genie," which was inspired by the eyeshadow Rihanna wore in her "Wild Thoughts" video.
FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA, $59, available at Fenty Beauty
No palette is complete without an eyeshadow brush. The All-Over Eyeshadow Brush distributes color evenly onto the entire lid, but can also blend it out out with its tapered fan shape. If you want the pigment to stand out even more, spritz face primer or face mist onto your shadow brush to really get a grab of the product.
FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA, $24, available at Fenty Beauty
For those that find eyeliner challenging to apply, Fenty Beauty gets it. Thanks to its triangular shape, the Flyliner pen makes it more comfortable when you're trying to ace that cat-eye. Espinal also loves how long-lasting the liner is. "I feel like I can do anything with it, and it won't budge," he says.
FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA, $20, available at Fenty Beauty
If you feel like your eyeshadow never stays put, this is for you. The unique cotton-bud applicator is comfortable to apply and smooths right onto the lid. When applying, remember to wait a minute or two for the primer to set before adding on eyeshadow.
FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA, $22, available at Fenty Beauty
Whether you want an over-the-top smokey eye or a minimal look, this smaller tapered brush will come in handy. Plus, the bristles are super-soft, so it's easy to blend the color.
FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA, $24, available at Fenty Beauty
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There's no denying that marine plastic pollution is one of the greatest threats to our environment. According to new data, a staggering 1 million plastic bottles (mostly disposable water bottles) are sold globally every minute. This equates to roughly 20,000 bottles a second. The U.S. alone is estimated to throw away enough 12-ounce plastic bottles to circle Earth about 11 times a week or 600 times a year. A large amount of un-recycled plastic will eventually end up in the ocean and/or be mistaken by animals as food. In recent years, scientists and advocates alike have increased their efforts to raise awareness about this widespread issue — all while stressing the importance of taking action now. In partnership with adidas x Parley, we're sharing five easy ways you can make a difference to protect the ocean.
Ditch disposable plastics.
As of 2017, we've accumulated about 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic waste. 79% of it — like bottles, straws, grocery bags, and coffee cup lids — has wound up in landfills and the natural environment. Investing in a reusable water bottle is one example of how you can easily spend less and eliminate trash.
Avoid chemical sunscreen and products with microbeads.
Oxybenzone, the UV-filtering ingredient found in most sunblock, is toxic to coral reefs. Scientists estimate anywhere between 5,400 and 12,700 metric tons of sunscreen lotion is released into the reefs each year, putting nearly 40% of them along coastal areas at risk.
Researches have also calculated that a whopping 8 trillion microbeads (tiny plastics used in everything from face scrubs to cleaning supplies) are washed into U.S. aquatic habitats every day. That's enough to cover 300 tennis courts.
As alternatives, switch over to using mineral-based sunblocks and goods made with natural exfoliators.
Aside from plastic bags, the bulk of marine plastic pollution comes from plastic beverage bottles. Once discarded into the environment, it takes an average of 450 years for just one bottle to decompose. In an effort to prevent plastic waste from entering our oceans, adidas partnered with Parley for the Oceans and turned a threat into a thread: performance sportswear.
Each pair of the Ultraboost Parley shoe is made with Parley Ocean Plastic™: upcycled waste from beaches and coastal communities that is intercepted before it reaches the ocean. Thus, by design, each pair prevents roughly 11 plastic bottles from further harming the ecosystem.
According to the EPA, "The most effective way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place." Reusing plastic products rather than making new ones saves money and energy, and it lessens greenhouse gas emissions known to speed up global climate change.
There are at least 267 known marine animal and bird species that have suffered from the entanglement or ingestion of plastic debris. Always remember to pick up after yourself when you’re at the beach, and consider getting involved in a larger cleanup effort to keep wildlife safe.
We use clothing to express ourselves, but sometimes, it’s what we wear below the surface that makes us feel most powerful. This week, UndHER World is taking down the taboo of lingerie through personal stories, shoppable roundups, and a closer look at what lies underneath.
With July nearly upon us, it's officially the season to let it all hang out. Our legs are finally getting a little sun, our shoulders are, well, maybe a little burnt, and we're fully leaning into the months ahead when less is more, clothing-wise. Between the tie tops, short-shorts, and easy dresses, we're far from strangers to showing a bit of skin. But, don't leave that tummy in the shadows. It's also time to show off your midsection. It feels like you'd be hard-pressed to find any top that's not a crop-top this season, but we're taking the crop to new heights. Enter: The bra top.
Whether a longer version of a sports-bra or a knit, linen, or tie-front variation (tackling two trends in one), there's a bra top for however much you're willing to bare. Paired perfectly with a matching pant or skirt (yep, sets are still going strong) or some of the season's '80s-revival bermuda shorts, bra tops are the essential you didn't know your high-waisted bottoms were missing. The best news? It's totally fair game to go braless if you're comfortable with it — but plausible to throw on a strapless bra or some stick-ons if you're looking for a tad more support. However you choose to go quasi-topless this summer, click ahead to explore some of the best takes on this hot-weather must-have.
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This is not a drill: Justice Anthony Kennedy will retire from The U.S. Supreme Court, effective July 31, per a resignation letter sent to President Donald Trump on Wednesday. Please excuse me while I vomit on my shoes in panic over the inevitable loss of the rights to my own body. Not to sound alarmist, but this is yet another step in the direction of our IRL Handmaid’s Tale scenario. It’s all playing out, just as we predicted. Our rights are in more danger than ever, advocates and legal experts say.
In his time on the Court, Justice Kennedy, a moderate conservative, provided the swing votes that legalized same-sex marriage and protected abortion rights and affirmative action. His decision to step down comes the day after the Court ended its 2017 term, and two years to the day since Kennedy was the deciding vote in the landmark Whole Women’s Health case that blocked a Texas law that shut down most of the state’s abortion clinics.
In 2017, Trump appointed Neil Gorsuch, who most recently sided with conservative justices in striking down a California law aiming to ban fake women’s health clinics from lying to pregnant women about their health options. Translation: Trump has already appointed one justice who is not friendly to abortion rights and access. While the Gorsuch appointment was only a replacement for the very conservative Antonin Scalia, who died just before President Barack Obama left office, the ability to replace Justice Kennedy represents a total re-stacking of the court in a conservative direction that could lead to a complete loss of abortion rights in this country.
“Justice Kennedy provided a critical vote to uphold a woman’s right to abortion and to stop politicians from blocking a woman from having an abortion. We’ve now lost his tie-breaking vote and President Trump has promised to replace him with a Justice who would take away the constitutional right to have an abortion altogether,” explains Jennifer Dalven, director of the Reproductive Freedom Project at the American Civil Liberties Union.
For millions of women, this new appointment could mean they won’t be able to get their abortion, whether Roe is overturned right away or not.
“The fact of the matter is that many of the most conservative state legislatures have been waiting for this moment. They have been passing laws that should not stand, that are not constitutional given current precedent, with the hopes that the court will one day change,” adds Andrea Miller, president of the National Institute for Reproductive Health.
Indeed, already there are countless cases working their way through federal courts that could lead to a challenge of Roe v. Wade. This includes the case that struck down the Indiana fetal burial law signed by then-Gov. Mike Pence, which has made it through the court of appeals already. It also includes a case challenging the loss of Medicaid funding for preventive health services at clinics that also provide abortions, like Planned Parenthood.
The (sort of) good news is that “most of the cases that are farthest along in the federal courts don’t directly concern the issues that would invite the court to overturn Roe,” says Amy Myrick, staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights. “But we have to worry. They can re-frame their questions later in litigation.”
There are also two cases challenging pre-viability bans, a 15-week ban in Mississipi and a six-week ban in Iowa. Regarding those cases, Myrick says that although frightening in the context of a much more conservative Supreme Court, both are years away from becoming a direct challenge to Roe. “It’s a long road for either of those cases. There’s nothing the anti-choice side can do to make those cases move that much faster.”
But frankly folks, the overturning of Roe is the least of our problems. In so many places, abortion is already out of reach for far too many women. More than half of the country — 29 states — can be termed “hostile” to abortion rights, according to the the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks state laws designed to make getting an abortion more difficult. According to their 2017 report, “58% of American women of reproductive age lived in a state considered either hostile or extremely hostile to abortion rights in 2017. Only 30% of women lived in a state supportive of abortion rights.”
Dalven adds that although any abortion-related case that comes before the court could be a route to reverse Roe, what is more likely (and more disturbing, since this strategy is already well under way) is that the court will simply stop blocking laws that target abortion providers with such strict requirements that clinics close, or women are forced to spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars to travel, get time off work, and jump through hoops like waiting periods and get medically unnecessary ultrasounds.
“ Roe is really not the relevant question at this point,” Dalven says. “The question is are they going to uphold laws like the one they struck down in the Whole Women’s Health case? Justice Kennedy stopped that from happening. For millions of women, this new appointment could mean they won’t be able to get their abortion, whether Roe is overturned right away or not.”
What’s most important right now is making your voice heard on this issue. “People do have an opportunity to take action. We need to make it clear to the current members of the U.S. senate, as well as those who could be voted in this year, that anyone who cannot commit to women’s rights does not belong on the Supreme Court,” Miller says. “We can all vote in the upcoming elections to make sure our elected officials stand up for women’s rights and equality, to which the right to choose an abortion is absolutely critical.”
