One look through my baby pictures always gets the same response: Wow, you're hair was so curly. The '90s me had a head full of tight, untouched curls that went down past my shoulders. But eventually, I found myself going to the salon for a blowout nearly every week, a common beauty ritual in the Latinx community. I loved the convenience and the power I had to straighten my hair or wear my curls whenever I wanted. But because I was applying heat to my hair constantly, my curls lost their shape over time. In fact, I wouldn't even call them curls anymore. They're more like waves or a wet mop after it's passed across the floor a couple of times — just plain limp.

But at 26, I got tired of spending $55 every week on a blowout just for my hair to look healthy. After every shampoo, I could see my real curls — the ones from my elementary school days — peeking out from my roots. But before I could wear my ringlets proudly in public, I needed to go to heat-damage rehab, meaning no more heat (at all) and a haircut to get rid of the dead weight.

After doing some research, I found myself in the chair of New York-based curl expert Mona Baltazar, a.k.a. @themonacut. Her Instagram feed is filled with edgy, angled cuts and before-and-after transformations, where curls spring to life seemingly out of nowhere. During my visit to her studio, I learned that transitioning back to my natural curls was going to be a lot more complicated than I thought — and require sacrificing a few more inches than I expected. Throughout my curly cut, I took notes and asked Mona questions. Here's what you should know if you plan on doing a drastic chop like mine.

Do A Damage Detox

It's time to say goodbye to every hot tool and chemical treatment you turn to for straightening — well, except the blowdryer, you'll want to keep that for diffusing your curls. Straightening irons, keratin treatments, curling rods and wands, they have to go in the weeks leading up to your cut. "You'll want to allow for some of that natural hair to come through first before getting the first cut," says Baltazar. "If you wait some time, you'll be able to hold on to length if you're afraid of going too short. The wait period before getting your cut depends on the individual; I've even had some girls who have waited a year to a year and a half."

Do Your Research

As you would with a tattoo artist or a dog sitter, you want to make sure you're dedicating time to finding the right person, especially being that there are few curly cut experts in the industry. Baltazar recommends using the Internet to your advantage: Go to Google for reviews, view Instagram as an up-to-date portfolio for artists, and scour Pinterest for inspiration. You want to make sure that the professional you choose has worked with hair textures like yours. If you're still not 100% sure, reach out to the stylist for an in-person consultation.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mona Baltazar New York City 🇵🇭 (@themonacut) on Nov 29, 2018 at 5:59am PST

Brace Yourself

At my consultation, I went to Mona with a Pinterest photo of a girl with 3A curls falling right under her chin. Mona quickly explained that I would need to cut much more than that. I actually needed to go a little above my jawline. Eek. "You have to be prepared to cut hair," says Baltazar. "It doesn't have to be a big chop, but it has to be a lot more than you're comfortable with as you get rid of that anchor hair [that's the damaged hair at the ends that weighs down the new, healthier hair at the roots]. Think of this experience as going out of your comfort zone; you're wanting to let go of that current tie with your old hair."

While you could show your stylist what your ideal length would be, you have to be OK with the fact that they might cut off a little more than that. You picked the stylist you felt was right, so you have to trust in that they're doing their job properly.

We know that stylists can sometimes get scissor happy, and on the other side, customers can occasionally be stubborn. But you and your stylist have the same goal: a good haircut. "The stylist and you have to meet in the middle for it to work smoothly," suggests Baltazar. "A client can't stick to the mentality of, 'Well, this is what I want,' and the stylist can't have too much ego and stand by, 'This is what you need.'"

Even though I had this Pinterest photo in my mind, I had to trust in Mona to do what my hair needed to transition correctly. I expected to lose seven inches, but at the end of my cut, there was at least 10 inches of damaged hair on the floor. And it was just what my hair needed. What was left on my head looked and felt 100% healthy.

The Initial Cut Is The First Of Many

After my hair was diffused, the curls I thought would take years to see sprung up — not exactly like those baby album photos but more than what I ever expected. Mona explained that, more often than not, you won't get exactly what you're looking for the first time around. "The initial cut is not really the haircut," Baltazar said, letting me know that I'd have to come back for two more cuts before I achieved the hair that I wanted, with the next one being in three months. "You're going to have to be OK with your hair being shorter than expected, or that your hairstyle might not be exactly what you want. We know that you have a hair goal, and it could take four more haircuts for you to get there."

Why so many cuts? As the natural curls begin to grow in and spring to life, the shape of the hair changes. You want your strands to fit into each other like puzzle pieces, and as the texture changes, the puzzle pieces are constantly changing. So, Mona recommends cutting frequently at the start of the transition.

You Pay For What You Get

Warning: Curly cuts can be expensive. Baltazar, who charges $200 as a starting price, says it's all based on the artist's experience, but expect to pay more than you would for a straight haircut. "It's not more expensive because it's a different type of hair," she clarifies. "It's more expensive because curly hair has to be catered to differently. The hair needs more conditioning, the stylist is putting in product, the client has to go under the dryer or diffuser, then there's cutting it more than once. You end up spending two hours, or maybe even three, depending on the hair's density and texture."

Your Entire Hair Routine Needs A Remix

The work doesn't end when you walk out of the salon. I'm still on a strict no-heat regimen, and Baltazar stressed that I need to focus on treating my hair at home with deep conditioners and moisturizing products. My texture is entirely different than what I entered the salon with, so my product collection needed an update following my chop.

Prior to my curly cut, I was using defining curl creams (or whatever was around) when I wore my natural hair, but now, I needed to focus on repairing and strengthening. Baltazar suggested I try bonding cleansers and conditioners like Olaplex's No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner. Also, it's important to cleanse product buildup on the scalp thoroughly with purifying shampoos that can be used once a week. I'm currently a fan of the Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-exfoliating Shampoo.

And as for styling, she told me to not stress it. "That step will evolve as your hair gets curlier," she says. After washing my hair — which I do about twice a week — I apply a leave-in conditioner all over, the Dark and Lovely Damage Slayer Leave-in Spray, and then go in scrunching the hair with mousse, the Kenra Curl Glaze Mousse. The last step is drying with a diffuser and blowdryer. For the days when I'm not washing my hair, I refresh my curls with the same leave-in spray, and just scrunch it in.

I will say styling curls is a commitment. This routine takes a little longer than what I'm used to (about 10-15 minutes more), but after I see my healthy curls afterwards, I'm totally OK with that.

If you're looking to reclaim your curls in the new year but haven't had the courage to go for the chop, let me leave you with this: The only thought I had leaving the salon after my Monacut — even though it ended up being shorter than I expected — was, What took me so long to do this?

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Welcome toMoney Diaries , where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking millennials how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar.

Today: a social media coordinator working in retail who makes $69,200 per year and spends some of her money this week on Larabars.

Occupation: Social Media Coordinator
Industry: Retail
Age: 23
Location: New York, NY
Salary: $69,200
Paycheck Amount (Biweekly): $1,1718

Monthly Expenses
Rent: $1,750 for my share of a three-bedroom apartment
Student Loan Payment: $0 (My education was generously covered by a college fund my grandparents started for me when I was born.)
Health Insurance: I am on my mom's plan.
MetroCard: $121 deducted from my paycheck pre-tax
Electric: Anywhere from $60-$100 each month
WiFi: $5 for my share
Spotify: $10
Netflix: $0 (Thanks, Boyfriend.)
Cell Phone: $0 (I'm on the family plan and my mom refuses to accept money for it.)
ClassPass: $135

Day One

6:30 a.m. — Rudely awoken by the sun pouring through my window. I made the mistake of starting The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel last night and stayed up far too late binging it. Realistically, I could fit in a little more sleep, but I love being able to take my mornings slow. Breakfast is two cups of iced coffee with almond milk and two pieces of turkey bacon. I head off to work around 8:30 while listening to Frank Sinatra.

9 a.m. — At work and prepping for a meeting I have at 10. I failed to bring anything for lunch — happy Hump Day.

1 p.m. — I quickly step out and go to the Starbucks nearby for a turkey bacon egg white sandwich and a grande Pike Place. I grab a coffee for my coworker, too, since he was complaining about the lack of caffeine in his system earlier. $9.71

6 p.m. — The day flew by, and somehow I have the motivation to go to a hot pilates class (through ClassPass) at a new studio.

7:30 p.m. — Stop by the grocery store on my way home and grab an avocado, Honeycrisp apples, grapes, kale, and water chestnuts. $17.31

8:30 p.m. — After I shower, I start cooking dinner when my boyfriend, L., texts and asks if I want to grab sushi. Um, yes absolutely, but I also do not feel like getting presentable and leaving my apartment. I continue cooking my dinner of cauliflower rice stir-fry and top it off with the perfectly ripe avocado I picked up earlier.

9:30 p.m. — Roommate gets home, and we debate ordering a bottle of wine, but decide against it when we see the $7 delivery fee. I read articles on Le Figaro and Le Monde (I was a French double major and try to do something every day to keep my proficiency up) before turning on more Mrs. Maisel.

11 p.m. — About to head to bed when my little sister FaceTimes me, and we talk for awhile. I miss her terribly. Fall asleep around 1 a.m.

Daily Total: $27.02

Day Two

6 a.m. — Oof. I get up with my first alarm, and I'm out the door within 30 minutes. We have a shoot this morning, and I need to get in early. I grab an almond milk latte on my way to the subway. $4.25

4:30 p.m. — It's been a whirlwind of a day, but fortunately the shoot wraps when it's supposed to. Since I got into the office so early, my boss lets me leave as soon as we're done.

5:30 p.m. — Home, drinking tea, and watching the snow (!!!) fall from my bedroom window.

7 p.m. — A couple of my friends want to have a wine night, and I offer to pick up some bottles on my way over. I drop $70 on wine, but my friends immediately Venmo me for their shares. Trees in my neighborhood are starting to snap from the snow, and it's kind of odd seeing fallen tree branches all over the street. $17

9 p.m. — Wow, I am verrrry tipsy. I realize that I haven't really eaten today and debate ordering food to my friend's apartment, but decide against it and settle for pretzels and wine for dinner. In my wine drunk state, I text L. asking if I can come over, but I don't make it there. Instead, I end up tottering home and crashing into my bed at 11.

Daily Total: $21.25

Day Three

5:30 a.m. — Jesus Christ, why didn't I chug water last night?? My head is pounding, but I go to the same pilates class every Friday morning, and I refuse to incur the cancellation fee of shame. Hydrate hydrate hydrate. Thank god this studio is literally around the corner from my apartment.

7 a.m. — Emerge from pilates feeling like a new woman. I am dreading the day that hangovers become deadly. (When does that happen? Like age 26?) I run home and throw on a sweater dress — it's definitely a dry shampoo and bun day. I toss a pair of very extra sparkly earrings and a bright lipstick into my bag to put on after work, since I won't have time to come home before tonight's social activities.

8:30 a.m. — I swing by Starbucks and grab a turkey bacon egg white sandwich, but decide office coffee will be sufficient enough for this morning. $3.76

1 p.m. — I've been playing catch up since I was away from my desk all day yesterday. One of my work friends says he's going to Sweetgreen, and I can't resist. I get a custom salad with kale and romaine, double spicy broccoli, tomato, sweet potato, and chicken. He pays, since we alternate buying each other lunch. (We try to have weekly office lunch dates.)

5 p.m. — Leave the office at 5 on the dot to meet some friends for happy hour, earrings in and lipstick on. Happy Friday! I get a glass (or two) of prosecco, and we spend the next hour gossiping and laughing hysterically ($14 plus $2 tip). $16

7 p.m. — I'm at L.'s sipping another glass of wine in his cozy apartment. We're going to Uncle Boons for dinner, and while they don't take reservations, L. already walked over and put our name down. I'm enjoying this time catching each other up, since we haven't really had time to see each other this week.

8:30 p.m. — At dinner, we discuss how we want to spend our three-year anniversary. We met in college and had a kind of flirty friend relationship until my senior year, when we decided it was time to seriously date. I truly cannot believe it has been three years! We discuss where we'd want to go if we took a trip to commemorate year three while we eat grilled octopus, papaya salad, crab fried rice, and noodle curry. L. generously treats.

9:45 p.m. — Swing back by his place to pick up some alcohol before heading to a house party at our good friend's place. I call the Uber, since I have a discount right now. $6.48

1 a.m. — Yep, I am fully drunk. Cab it home with L. and somehow manage to both chug water and take my makeup off before crashing.

Daily Total: $26.24

Day Four

7 a.m. — Why am I awake?? Check my phone and respond to texts I missed last night, including one from my mom. She immediately responds asking why I'm up this early on a Saturday. I take her advice and try to go to back to sleep.

9 a.m. — Up for good, and I need coffee ASAP. I take a shower while L. runs out to get us cappuccinos. God bless that man.

11 a.m. — Being lazy in bed. My mom reminds me that I need a dress for an event over Christmas, so I find one and order it now so that I'll have time to get it altered if needed ($121). I eventually drag myself out of bed so I can go home to change. Then I run some errands before brunch with friends. I stop by the Target near me and grab tampons, kombucha, and makeup wipes ($16.98), and then run into the salon on my block really quick for a polish change ($7 plus $3 tip). $147.98

2 p.m. — Bottomless brunch with L., my best friend, and her boyfriend. We go here whenever we're feeling like a boozy brunch. $25.02

4:30 p.m. — At our friend's place. We debate going to a bar, but decide to just drink some wine and hang instead.

8:30 p.m. — Not sure where the day went, but now we're home and eating grilled chicken, hummus, pita, rice, and fries that I impulsively ordered from Cafe Mogador on Caviar. L. Venmos me for half. I kind of want to meet some friends out later, but end up passing out by 11. $19

Daily Total: $192

Day Five

8:30 a.m. — Slowly wake up and cuddle with L. for a bit. I eventually make us some coffee, which we sip in bed while he reads the news and I read my new book, What If This Were Enough? by Heather Havrilesky.

10:30 a.m. — L. needs to go into the office, so I walk him to the subway since I want to get some writing and life admin done in a nearby coffee shop. I've been writing as a hobby since high school, but it is definitely a hobby that requires some discipline and continuity. I stick with chai to drink, since I had my fair share of coffee this morning. $3.75

1:30 p.m. — Stop by the grocery store on the way home and pick up Honeycrisp apples, almond milk, iced coffee, turkey breast, avocado, broccoli, popcorn, Larabars, and paper towels. $34.12

2:30 p.m. — I'm cleaning my apartment when one of my good friends asks if I'm down for a late brunch. Yes, please. We go, and I get an omelet with bacon and onion, the best breakfast potatoes, and a mimosa. We talk for forever, since I've hardly seen her lately. Towards the end of our meal, two of our friends pass by the restaurant and spot us through the window, so they stop in to say hi and order mimosas. I get another round, and we stay at the restaurant until nearly 5. $42

6 p.m. — I'm back at my friend's (it is seriously the best thing ever having some of your best friends live within 10 minutes of you), and there's talk of going out to dinner, but L. lets me know he's back home and invites me for dinner at his place. I take him up on the offer and pick up a bottle of wine on my way over. $17

8 p.m. — L. cooks an amazing dinner of chicken piccata, and we hang out for a little after we eat, watching Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. Eventually it gets late, and he calls me an Uber home since it's freezing out. It can be difficult for us to see much of each other during the week due to his unpredictable work schedule, so I cherish these quiet weekends we have together.

12 a.m. — Home with a face mask on, eucalyptus candle lit, and chamomile tea made. I journal and then do a bit of meditation before passing out around 1.

Daily Total: $96.87

Day Six

6:30 a.m. — Awaken, read the news, scroll through my socials, and then make some iced coffee and slice up an apple. I grab a protein bar and another apple and am out the door by 7:30.

8 a.m. — Early to work this morning, which I prefer on Mondays. I jam to my November playlist while responding to emails that came in over the weekend. We have two big shoots this week, so I won't be at my desk much and want to get ahead on some admin stuff.

1 p.m. — Step out of the office to go pick up some jeans I ordered from Madewell last week. I grab my work BFF a coffee while I'm out because he's been stuck on a call. I eat my protein bar at my desk when I return. $3.43

5:30 p.m. — Subway uptown to see a friend from home who is in town visiting and staying with a mutual friend in Morningside Heights. They want to hit up a happy hour, but I stick with a small glass of wine since I feel like I've been drinking a lot lately. My friend generously covers our tab.

8 p.m. — At home, I cook another batch of cauliflower rice stir-fry. Then I catch up with my roommate and FaceTime my other roommate/best friend who has been out of town for the past week. Asleep before midnight for once.

Daily Total: $3.43

Day Seven

7 a.m. — Sleep in a little before quickly showering and blowing out my hair. Drink some iced coffee, water the plants, and eat a few pieces of turkey breast. (Yes, I like weirdly savory foods for breakfast.)

2 p.m. — I had to go to a casting this morning for a shoot we have later this week, so I take lunch a little later. I eat an apple and a pack of almond butter at my desk along with a green tea. Then I browse flights while I eat and bookmark a few for L. and me to go to my hometown for Christmas, as well as a flight to Miami to stay with a friend for New Year's. I wait to book anything until I can have a proper conversation with L. first.

7 p.m. — Just got out of a burnout pilates class, and despite not wanting to go after work, the class felt great, and I am so glad I went. I call my mom on the walk home and come home to my roommate cooking a chicken and rice dish, which I gladly accept as dinner.

8:30 p.m. — A friend pops over with a bottle of wine, which we all share while she breaks the news of her recent break up. I give her a huge hug, and we send her home with some leftovers around 11. I call L. before I go to sleep, and we catch up on our days and make tentative plans for tomorrow. Ten minutes of quiet meditation later, I'm out like a light.

Daily Total: $0

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Cyntoia Brown was 16 and a victim of sex trafficking when she was arrested for killing the man who allegedly solicited her for sex, Johnny Allen. In her defense, she says she believed he was reaching for his gun to kill her. However, Tennessee’s Supreme Court clarified an earlier ruling that she must remain in prison for 51 years before she is eligible for release.

The state Supreme Court’s response comes after a lawsuit was filed claiming Brown’s life sentence is unconstitutional based on a previous Supreme Court ruling that said sentencing a minor to a mandatory life sentence was against the Constitution. Only 20 states and the District of Columbia have banned life without parole for minors. Tennessee is not one of those states; there, people convicted of first-degree murder can only be released from prison after serving at least 51 years of their 60-year sentence. A U.S. District Court in Tennessee noted that her sentence was different because she received a “life sentence, not a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.”

The Women’s March, Kim Kardashian West, Rihanna, and LeBron James have all publicly supported Brown’s release, funded legal support, and used her case to shed light on a larger need for prison reform and the systematic racism ingrained in our justice system. “The system has failed. It’s heartbreaking to see a young girl sex trafficked then when she has the courage to fight back is jailed for life! We have to do better & do what’s right. I’ve called my attorneys yesterday to see what can be done to fix this,” Kardashian tweeted.

In 2004, Brown was forced into prostitution by a pimp known as “Cut Throat” who she believed was her boyfriend. According to court documents, Allen allegedly brought Brown to his home and paid her to have sex with him. She was under the state’s age of consent at the time. In her testimony, Brown said that Allen showed her multiple guns in his home. When she believed that he was reaching under his bed to grab a gun and shoot her, she grabbed a gun out of her purse and shot him. She was tried as an adult and convicted of first-degree premeditated murder, first-degree felony murder, and especially aggravated robbery. Brown has already served 14 years in prison.

In response to the court’s decision, the Women’s March tweeted in support of Brown and other sex trafficking victims, adding that the next Women’s March on January 19, 2019 is for them as well. The organization asked their supporters to contact Tennessee’s governor, Bill Haslam, to demand Brown’s release. “Gov. Haslam has the power to #FreeCyntoia. Every day she remains in prison, he is actively choosing not to,” they tweeted.

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On Good Chef, Bad Kitchen , professionals take on the ultimate challenge: Cooking in a bare, millennial kitchen. In this episode, chef Leah Cohen of New York City's Pig & Khao shows us how to make her Thai fried chicken — despite somewhat dangerous circumstances.

If you're like me, deep-frying anything is A-level scary. Like, horror movie, run-and-hide, please don't burn the house down scary. But for Leah Cohen, chef of Pig & Khao and former Top Chef contestant, this was just another day in the kitchen.

Cohen dropped by Alyssa Coscarelli's tiny, under-utilized kitchen to show us how to make fried chicken. The catch: Alyssa doesn't cook much, so the tools we had were limited. Exhibit A: Not a single sharp knife was to be found in the kitchen. Here, three major lessons we learned from this experiment:

1. Your Pot Size Is Important

"This is probably the smallest pot I would go with for frying chicken," Cohen says of the pot she worked with in the video. It was still so small, she could only fry one piece at a time.

What you really want is a pot that's pretty deep, that can hold enough oil to cover the chicken as well as the chicken itself, without overflowing. If the oil overflows, it could start a fire, and if you don't have enough oil (as we didn't in our video), you'll have to turn the chicken over mid-fry — tricky, and dangerous if you don't have the right tools. Which brings us to...

2. So Are Tongs

Cohen used two forks to turn the chicken — turning the piece away from her to avoid getting oil splattering on her — and also to lift out the chicken. Still, this posed some risk — if the chicken dropped, it would splatter oil at 350 degrees F, which could hit her hands or her face. "What you want is either a slotted spoon or tongs to carefully take out the fried chicken from the pot," Cohen says.

3. Finally, A Thermometer Will Help

Even Cohen admits that getting the temperature right is tricky to eyeball. "If it's too low, the coating can come off. If it's too high, you could smoke out your apartment, which is not ideal," she says.

Still interested in making this? Get the recipe below.

Leah Cohen's Thai Fried Chicken

Ingredients
For the marinated chicken:
3 lbs chicken thighs, bone in skin on
4 to 5 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tbsp whole coriander seeds
1 tbsp whole white peppercorn
1/8 cup cilantro root, chopped
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 pinch msg

For the batter:
3 cups rice flour, separated
1 tsp salt
1 tsp mushroom powder
1 cup limestone water (can sub 1 cup seltzer and 2 tsp baking soda )

For the fry:
Canola oil
3 large pandan leaves, patted dry
Crispy shallots and Thai sweet chili sauce, for garnish

Instructions

For the chicken:
1. To marinate the chicken, start by slightly scoring the chicken so the marinade can get into the meat.

2. In a mortar and pestle, pound together the garlic, coriander seed, white pepper, and cilantro root with a pinch of salt until you get a paste.

3. Mix in the remaining ingredients (fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and msg). Then rub the marinade into the chicken and let sit 6 hours, or overnight, in your refrigerator.

For the batter:
1. Once the chicken is done marinating, get your coating together. In a large bowl, pour in one cup of the rice flour, salt, mushroom powder, and baking powder, if using.

2. Whisk in the limestone water or seltzer, until the batter is the consistency between a pancake and crepe batter.

3. Pour out the remaining two cups of rice flour in a pan. Coat your chicken in the wet batter, then coat in dry flour. Let sit uncovered for 30 minutes.

Final steps:
1. Heat up your oil to 300 degrees F. You want to make sure there is enough oil in the pot to cover the chicken, but not too much oil where it will overflow the pot after placing the chicken in.

2. Once the oil is heated to 300 degrees F, knot the pandan leaves together and carefully place them in the oil to flavor it.

3. Fry the chicken until cooked, approximately 6 to 8 minutes, and carefully remove the chicken from the fryer, using tongs. If you need to turn the chicken, turn the chicken away from you, not towards you, to reduce the risk of splattering.

4. Turn up the heat to 350 degrees F, and fry until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel. Garnish with crispy shallots and serve with sweet chili sauce.

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Sorry bullies of the 1980s, but it's cool now to be a "geek." Fandoms have become massive communities emerging from an equal balance of cult tv shows (R.I.P. Firefly) and multi-million dollar blockbuster films. Nerding out over pop culture is in and it's likely you have a few fanatics on your holiday gifting list this year.

Luckily, they're going to be the easiest names to tackle. There's no shortage of R2-D2 kitchen accessories or Game of Thrones figurines to buy this year. But if you're looking to think outside of the box, to skip the half-assed t-shirt with a screen print of a Stormtrooper and find something more unique, you've come to the right place. Ahead, we've searched high and low for the most unexpected fan-friendly gifts around. Whether your giftee identifies as a Potterhead, Trekkie, a Beatlemaniac, Whovian, Disneyphile, Star Wars fanatic, gamer, Sanrio obsessor, or a member of them all, we've got a gift in mind for every one of them. When you play a game of thrones gifting you win or you die, so be on the winning side with these 30 perfect picks.

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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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.

We're in the post-Fenty Beauty era, which means, when it comes to foundation ranges, we're tolerating nothing short of greatness. If it comes in five shades — we don't want it. Women of color have been notoriously overlooked in the makeup department. It's one reason why OG brands, like MAC and Make Up For Ever, and new kids on block, like Fenty Beauty and Il Makiage, are praised for their incredibly inclusive range of complexion products.

CoverGirl is one brand that has been thinking about women of color longer than most. Back in 2005, the brand launched the Queen collection specifically for Black women, and recently the brand expanded its complexion category to include 40 shades of its TruBlend formula. But now, CoverGirl is catering to underserved complexions in a new way. Introducing Full Spectrum, a line of cosmetics for women of color, developed by a team of multicultural women.

Johanne Richard, Global R&D Face Manager of CoverGirl, tells Refinery29 that developing this line was important to her because she's had her fair share of confusion in the cosmetics aisle. "I come from a Haitian background and skin tones in my family run the gamut," Richard says. "So many of my friends and family have told me stories about mixing foundation shades, so we really wanted to create a collection that addressed the special nuances of our skin."

Richard and her team spent almost two years measuring the skin tones of various people of color. "Through our research we were able to get a better understanding of the undertones of dark skin — not only to deliver on shades but on finish, too," says Richard. "Most women of color are put into the same category, but we all have different undertones and our complexions are all really different." The CoverGirl team also surveyed women of color to find out what this particular group wants, finding that most seek full-coverage complexion products, matte finishes, and vibrant color pigments when picking out makeup.

This research birthed the Full Spectrum collection, which comes with 20 liquid foundation shades for medium-to-deep skin tones, powder foundation, brightening concealer, mattifying primer, eyeshadow, vivid eyeliners, lipstick, and more! We tapped Refinery29 staffers for a test run, and we're spilling the tea on CoverGirl's latest collection, 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.

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The deadline to sign up for healthcare coverage through the Affordable Care Act next year is fast approaching. In case you didn't know, the open enrollment period for 2019 ends this Saturday, December 15.

For several reasons — including a drop in the unemployment rate, the Trump administration loosening restrictions for skimpier coverage, and the lack of advertising around the sign up period — enrollment is down nearly 11% compared to this period in 2018. But if you're interested in obtaining health coverage through Obamacare, we have all the information you need to know.

Who can sign up: Anyone who doesn't get health insurance through their employer, and is not a Medicaid or Medicare beneficiary, can be covered in 2019 through the Obamacare exchanges. Coverage kicks off January 1.

What is the process like: You should visit healthcare.gov or call 800-318-2596 to sign up for an Obamacare exchange health plan. Getting help to fill out the application in-person is also an option, and you can go here for more information. Some of the details you need to provide when applying include age, income, and wherever you already have health insurance. Here you can find an application checklist telling you everything you need to have at hand, especially for those who require financial assistance. After weighing your options, the last step is to choose a health plan and enroll. Something to remember is that those who already are covered through Obamacare will be automatically re-enrolled. If you want to change your plan, you must do so before the deadline.

No jump shots. No ferns. No memes. Not this time. I’m going to give it to you straight: If you need health insurance for 2019, the deadline to get covered is December 15. Go to https://t.co/ob1Ynoesod today and pass this on — you just might save a life. pic.twitter.com/8mHMsXGY0g

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 10, 2018

What's the enrollment deadline: Thirty nine states use the federal marketplace. If you live in one of those, you need to enroll before or on December 15. The remaining 11 states that run their own exchanges have their own deadlines. If you're not sure which category your home state falls in, you can go here for more information.

Why you need health insurance coverage: Last year's Republican tax bill repealed one of Obamacare mandate which made those without health insurance pay a penalty at tax time. But that shouldn't be reason enough to go uninsured in 2019: Not having health insurance could mean you will not have access to preventive, primary, or follow-up care unless you pay thousands, or hundreds of thousands, in medical bills. Unexpected medical costs have been found to sometimes lead to bankruptcy. Better to be safe than sorry!

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Busy Philipps has the most beautiful pantry I’ve ever seen. And I'm not the only one who finds it so. It has been breathlessly described by the likes of People, the Daily Mail, and Today.com. How many other pantries can say that? With its Sephora-bright lighting and obsessive color coordination — down to the individual wrapping on granola bars and the caps on bottles of condiments — it deserves the publicity.

Philipps' pantry rose to fame via social media, naturally. Tiffani Thiessen, Mandy Moore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Whitney Port, Lauren Conrad, and Vanessa Lachey have all likewise shared the insides of their fridges, pantries, and other kitchen storage units. Each of these next-level home storage transformations is the work of the same two women, Joanna Teplin and Clea Shearer of The Home Edit, a full-service home makeover outfit based in Nashville.

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We ALWAYS have the best time at @tiffanithiessen’s house! This time, we came by to celebrate her new book PULL UP A CHAIR - and to organize her fridge because that’s how we unwind and relax. Our favorite part is the turntable of fresh herbs from her garden! Go buy her amazing cookbook now!!!! 🌱 Find these pieces and our other favorite items on THE shop page [thehomeedit.com/shop] under “shop the feed” // or shop via screenshot using the @liketoknow.it app // http://liketk.it/2xHw8 🌿 #thehomeedit #fridge #organization #housegoals

A post shared by THE HOME EDIT ® (@thehomeedit) on Oct 10, 2018 at 7:08pm PDT

Whitney Port, who now runs an eponymous lifestyle website and is gearing up for the premiere of The Hills reboot, says she first heard about The Home Edit via Mandy Moore’s Instagram account. “I messaged them and told them I needed them, and I was so lucky to have them come help us do our kitchen and the garage,” the reality star tells Refinery29. “It's like a big puzzle for them.”

Port’s pantry in her Studio City, CA home, which was featured in a recent People round-up of hyper-organized celebrity homes, has glowing white shelves and is stocked with items like rose gold, pineapple-shaped goblets, big gold serving bowls, and a shiny silver KitchenAid mixer. Moore’s features a white Smeg toaster neatly nestled atop a shelf, a corner filled with artfully stacked paper towel rolls, and what seems like a lifetime supply of Perrier. I really can’t overstate how much Perrier she appears to have in there — but at no point does it feel cluttered or claustrophobic or anything, really, but lovely to look at and, I assume, annoying to maintain.

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#fbf to just last week when my @thehomeedit pals made dreams come true by transforming my pantry into this masterpiece. Granted we JUST moved in so it wasn’t a disaster but Clea and Joanna helped us establish order that will be super easy to maintain as we inevitably fill these shelves over time. Thanks again for giving us the glorious gift of organization!! We 💗 you!!

A post shared by Mandy Moore (@mandymooremm) on Feb 2, 2018 at 8:31am PST

“To be completely honest, we had no clue it would take off like this,” The Home Edit’s Teplin and Shearer tell Refinery29. “When we co-founded The Home Edit [in 2015], we were just two Nashville transplants who had no other talents other than organizing. Once we started sharing our work on Instagram, the floodgates (or in this case, Gwyneth Paltrow’s front door) opened.”

While Gwyneth may have been one of the first celebs to evangelize The Home Edit method of kitchen and home organization (she’s even featured them on Goop), she has a couple of pretty pantry predecessors. The Kardashians have been showing off their meticulous cupboards since late 2015 — that’s when Khloe posted a video of her kitchen online; she later showed off her picturesque tea drawer, and Kourtney shared her own pantry video, during which she revealed she doesn’t like her food to touch anything plastic. Before that there was Yolanda Foster, whose glass-shelved, vegetable-filled refrigerator became such a thing on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills seasons 3-6 (2012-2015) that Foster made a Twitter account for it, aptly named @YolandasFridge. At least one Kardashian sister does appear to have come around to The Home Edit way of life — last week Khloe posted to Instagram praising the job they had done on, you guessed it, her pantry.

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Remember when @thehomeedit came and changed my life? Well, I do and I thank my lucky 🌟🌟🌟 for it every day!!!!

A post shared by Whitney Port (@whitneyeveport) on Apr 12, 2018 at 8:52am PDT

But the trend of sharing obscure corners of one’s home actually goes back even further. Inspired by the influencer-focused beauty site Into The Gloss, women have been posting so-called #TopShelfies for years. Founded in 2010, by 2013 or so, ITG had turned the once-embarrassing insides of bathroom cabinets f to a source of intense fascination and posturing. The Coveteur did the same thing for closets. Now, socialites, celebrities, and fashionistas all vie for the chance to show off on these sites the place where they store their deodorant and anti-wrinkle cream.

What the #TopShelfie and burgeoning #PantryGoals (yes, that’s what we’re calling it) phenomena have in common is that — in addition to taking an often chaotic place in the home and turning them into something both aesthetically pleasing and easily navigable — they’re a true expression of having one’s shit together. If even your pantry or the inside of your fridge is a sight to behold, well, it’s safe to say the rest of your life must be going pretty well too. Right?

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My kitchen and pantry looked insane and the lovely ladies at @thehomeedit came and changed my life(I mean, at least my snacks)Also. It's been a week and it still looks so good! ❤️swipe to see the before, it's worth it.

A post shared by Busy Philipps (@busyphilipps) on Sep 25, 2018 at 4:47pm PDT

“The truth is, there’s a method to our madness — color-coding and labeling is just a part of it,” Teplin and Shearer explain. “By purging items and creating a system that works for our client’s lifestyle and space, it’s innately easier to maintain. We also find that when people view a space as aesthetically-pleasing, they put in more effort to keep it that way.”

I asked Port, whose organization-loving husband, producer Tim Rosenman, decided to jump on the line with us during our call, whether and how she’s able to maintain Teplin and Shearer’s work in her day-to-day life. She confessed to not being the most naturally organized person. This gave me hope.

“I wish I was that Type-A, organized person, but mostly that’s his job. He always wants everything to be these perfect categories,” she laughed. “Honestly, we just try our best. Every day is a new commitment. But the way to maintain is just having someone help pick up my slack.”

While The Home Edit’s distinctive aesthetic and celebrities’ predilection for singing their praises online are the things most likely to inspire imitators, it’s not just about looks (or likes). There are real psychological benefits to maintaining this kind of visual order in a household. Dr. Sally Augustin, PhD, is an environmental psychologist whose company Design with Science uses scientific insights to develop recommendations for the design of places, objects, and interiors. Dr. Augustin says that, for the human brain, there’s a Goldilocks-esque sweet spot when it comes to visual stimuli. We don’t like things that are too clean and whitewashed — that feels alien to us -- and we also don’t like things that are too cluttered, because, as she puts it, “When we were a young species, we needed to continually survey the world around us to make sure that something that thought we were tasty wasn’t approaching us.”

“The research shows that we like spaces with moderate visual complexity,” she explains. “An example of a space with moderate visual complexity would be, maybe, a residential environment developed by Frank Lloyd Wright. That’s the sort of space in which we find the sorts of visual complexities that make us feel good.”

She says it’s possible that an organized and visually stimulating pantry or fridge can make its owner feel calmer and less stressed — and it goes beyond just knowing where the extra paper towels are. It’s in our brain chemistry. “Bring the complexity in your refrigerator down to a moderate level, and when you open the door, you would have a positive response.”

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Deli, dairy, and produce in drawers, sauces and spreads in bins, and ready-to-serve fruits and veggies in glass storage. 🍅🥭🥕🍋🥬 Find these pieces and our other favorite items on THE shop page [thehomeedit.com/shop] under “shop the feed” // or shop via screenshot using the @liketoknow.it app // http://liketk.it/2yhdF 🍎🍊🌽🥦 #thehomeedit #fridge #kitchen #organization

A post shared by THE HOME EDIT ® (@thehomeedit) on Nov 15, 2018 at 5:28pm PST

Perhaps this is why there are currently over 20,100 posts tagged #PantryGoals on Instagram. They show spices and grains neatly divided into cursive-labeled holding cells, cereals removed from their unsightly cardboard containers and placed inside transparent ones, and china arranged on shelves ombre-style. They are the product of bloggers, influencers, and even regular, non-internet-famous individuals. It’s unclear whether all of them know aboutThe Home Edit, but what’s very apparent is that Teplin and Shearer’s signature style has struck a deep chord. When the forthcoming book, The Home Edit: A Guide to Organizing and Realizing Your Home Goals, hits bookstores this March, one imagines there will be plenty more photos like this floating around.

“We’ve definitely begun to spawn imitators,” the pair admit. “But if it’s because we figured out a way to make lives easier, we’ll take it.”

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Besides wearing sunscreen every day and drinking lots of water, there is one cardinal rule when it comes to good skin care: Do not wear makeup to bed. Of course, no one is perfect, and inevitably — usually after a night out drinking — we end up falling into bed with our full face intact every once in a while. And when we wake up in the morning, we run to the sink to do a deep cleanse and exfoliating treatment, hoping to avoid a breakout. But for Kim Kardashian West going to bed with eye makeup, lashes, and eyeliner is intentional. Clearly, she takes the term "beauty sleep" literally.

The makeup mogul revealed during last night's episode of E's Busy Tonight that not only does she wear a thong and small bra to sleep, but she also wears a full face of makeup — sometimes even wearing the same makeup for 48 hours straight. No big deal.

"All the time," Kardashian West told host Busy Phillips when asked if she's ever slept with makeup on. "If I can't have glam the next day, I'll sleep like perfectly and maybe I'll redo my skin [like foundation]. But I'll try to salvage it for two days."

Phillips was left shocked, but this isn't the first time that Kardashian West admitted to this skin-care no-no. While presenting Charlotte Tilbury with an award for Makeup Artist Of The Year at the Instyle Awards in 2016, she shared that she was an advocate for sleeping in makeup. "[Tilbury's] inspired me. When I am really lazy and I can’t do my makeup the next day, I’ll sleep in my makeup," she said. The reality star has even posted the morning skin-care routine she uses after sleeping in her makeup all night on her website. Clearly, she's committed.

And while you might think, "If KKW lives her life so rebelliously, why can't I?" It's definitely not recommended if you want to keep your skin on its best behavior. "The makeup and dirt clogs pores, potentially leading to a breakout, especially if there's any kind of silicone or oil in your makeup," celebrity facialist Teresa Tarmey previously told Refinery29. "The skin works its magic at night, and it will really absorb any products left on the skin." Let's also not forget that the Kardashian-Jenner clan has facialists and derms on speed dial, ready to save their skin whenever a disaster might happen.

So, let's leave this bad beauty habit to Kardashian West, shall we? Clearly, waking up with clear skin despite wearing makeup for 48 hours straight is her superpower. But we'll continue to wash our faces at night — barring the occasional slip up — because c'mon we're humans.

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In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case which would allow states to block the use of Medicaid for healthcare services at Planned Parenthood. The decision is a blow to conservative lawmakers who've tried to defund the organization and other abortion providers for years.

The Hyde Amendment already blocks the use of federal funds for abortion services. But the states of Louisiana and Kansas went a step further trying to block people from using Medicaid for things like cancer screenings, contraceptive coverage, ultrasounds, and other non-abortion related health services at Planned Parenthood. The effort would harm low-income women in particular.

The organization sued the states, arguing the Medicaid Act includes a provision saying beneficiaries are allowed to go to any health provider that is "qualified to perform" the medical services they need. Because of this, lower courts ruled in favor of Planned Parenthood and by declining to hear the case, the Supreme Court is upholding those decisions. Two of the bench's conservative jurists, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, voted to skip the case. The remaining conservative justices — Justice Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch — dissented.

In a statement, Dr. Leana Wen, the new president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, celebrated the court's decision.

"We are pleased that lower court rulings protecting patients remain in place. Every person has a fundamental right to health care, no matter who they are, where they live, or how much they earn," Wen said in a statement provided to Refinery29. "As a doctor, I have seen what’s at stake when people cannot access the care they need, and when politics gets in the way of people making their own health care choices. We won’t stop fighting for every patient who relies on Planned Parenthood for life-saving, life-changing care.”

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You've made a list, and you've checked it once, twice, maybe even three times, yet somehow, a good chunk of names are still missing a solid gift idea next to them. Before you start regretting your promise not to take the easy route — re-gifting that unwanted candle or resorting to pre-made gift baskets at the eleventh hour — remember that finding an impressive present isn't always about fulfilling a wish list or finding the heftiest price tag.

In fact, the best presents take advantage of what your giftee may not have thought to buy themselves. Instead of peeking through their recent Amazon searches, consider gifts they didn't even know they needed: travel-friendly bikini wash packets, a cookbook from the kitchen of fashion royalty, or even a pair of blue light protection glasses to combat their consistent screen use. Ahead, we've rounded up some presents that are just as meaningful as they are unexpected. Give Santa a run for his money with one of our 25 most out-of-the-box picks that are sure to impress everyone on your "nice" list.

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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There is a longstanding myth that Black women do not sell magazines – a myth the fashion industry has maintained for decades. As magazine sales continue to decline, it was heartening to see some many September issues — arguably the most important issue of the year — feature Black women. Beyoncé landed a historic Vogu e cover, as did Rihanna with British Vogue, there was Tiffany Haddish on Glamour, Zendaya on Marie Claire, Lupita Nyong’o on Porter, Tracee Ellis Ross on Elle Canada, Slick Woods on British Elle, Adwoa Aboah and Naomi Campbell on Love, Issa Rae on Ebony, and Lauren Harrier on The Sunday Times. But how did the rest of the year stack up in terms of diversity as a whole?

Fashionista took a look at all of the covers the leading fashion magazines in the US published this year, and found 47.6% featured women of color, a 32.3% increase from 2017. Last year, the website found women of color were on 48 of 153 covers, or 31.4%. In 2018, newsstands saw the biggest jump in diversity, partly due to the September covers. Of the magazine covers reviewed, 60 of 126 featured women of color. InStyle (nine of 12) and Glamour (nine of 14) are leading the way, while Allure clocked in with seven (of 12) non-white cover stars. Cosmopolitan and W featured six (of 13) and seven (of 16), respectively.

Breaking down those stats further, we counted to see how many Black women were lumped into the women-of-color category. Of Allure's seven non-white cover stars, five were Black, Cosmopolitan featured two, Elle, six; Glamour, seven; Harper's Bazaar, two (including a cover of Kanye West and his family); InStyle, six; Marie Claire, three; Vogue, 4, and W featured six. Lupita Nyong'o and Zoë Kravitz each earned three covers each (more than anyone else). Now, that can't be totally a coincidence – and this hopefully busts that Black-women-can’t-sell-magazines myth once and for all.

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The future of beauty is here — and you’re invited. Check out the rest of our 2018 Refinery29 Beauty Innovator Awards winners for a full look at the products, brands, and people that are breaking the rules and redefining beauty standards, one lipstick at a time.

Between switching up colors, mastering the perfect flat-iron waves, and tugging it in and out of tight topknots, we're guilty of putting our hair through an emotional rollercoaster on the regular. When we're not playing with style and color, it's all about making sure we're taking optimal care to keep our strands looking — and feeling — healthy, not frazzled.

The good news: Sometimes, the right hair mask is all it takes to bring desperate hair back from the brink. Some treatments serve as a temporary fix and coat cuticles for shine that doesn't last for the long-haul. Others are more powerful, and breathe new life into your hair, making things smoother, shinier, and healthier instantly and for shampoos to come.

If it's time to hit the reset button on your strands, we tried some of the best nourishing treatments that launched this year and rounded up our favorites, ahead. Better hair days, right this way...

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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Welcome toMoney Diaries , where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking millennials how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar.

Today: a reporter working in media who makes $32,000 per year and spends some of her money this week on Marc Jacobs Daisy Love perfume.

Occupation: Reporter
Industry: Media/Journalism
Age: 22
Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Salary: $32,000
Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $1,000

Monthly Expenses
Rent: $500 including utilities and internet. I'm rooming with my friend, and she knows I'm broke on a journalist's budget, so she offered me a flat fee that's pretty cheap for the Sioux Falls rental market.
Student Loan Payment: $0 (My parents and I cut a 60/40 deal, and my 40% was covered by scholarships and part-time work.)
Car Insurance: TBD (I just moved out of my parents' house, so I have to get on my own car insurance ASAP.)
Spotify: $5 (I still somehow have the student discount price. I mooch off my parents for Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and HBO.)
Gym: $0 (I'm still on my family's plan.)
Phone: $0 (I'm still on the family plan, and I don't pay yet. My dad and I agreed I should start paying about $40 in January.)
401(k): $75
Roth IRA: $60 (Between my Roth IRA and 401(k) matched by my employer, I try to put away 15% of my salary toward retirement before and after tax accounts.)
Savings: It can range from $60 to $700 a month. I try to put as much as I possibly can into my savings after covering my monthly budget because living in debt is scarier to me than FOMO.

Day One

7:30 a.m. — My alarm goes off and I get out of bed. I'm dragging this morning after getting only six hours of sleep, but I know today is going to be busy, and I need to be up and at it.

8 a.m. — I get dressed and make a piece of multigrain toast with butter and garlic salt on it. Then my dad comes into the kitchen. (I'm living at home until the end of the week. I've lived with my parents since the beginning of the year after graduating college and finding out I had cancer. But I'm cancer-free now!!!) He offers to make me a mushroom and onion cheese omelet. Of course that's a yes on my part. I manage to eat half of it and then feed the egg part to my family's dog.

9 a.m. — I head to the grocery store to stock up for my new place and take advantage of this week's sales. I get some butter, four frozen Lean Cuisine meals, croutons, four cans of tuna, two cans of cream of mushroom soup, dill pickles (hamburger, spears, and whole), cereal, tortillas, pasta sauce, Miracle Whip, four boxes of veggie pasta, four cans of soup, fresh green beans, mustard, three rice packets, four pounds of ground beef, two bags of frozen shrimp, shredded and sliced cheese, a pound of deli sliced turkey, chicken, baby carrots, four avocados, three Honeycrisp apples, two limes, a bag of lemons, a pomegranate, and three bananas. I also get a bag of Romaine lettuce hearts and four different salad dressings for a Friendsgiving potluck I'm going to this afternoon. Everything is on sale, plus I get 20 cents off for bringing in recyclable bags and 12 cents off per gallon for the next time I fill gas. Score! $103.54

10:30 a.m. — My dad and I finished working on our “summer” project last night (about two months later than planned) on an entryway table for my new house. We load it into his pickup and drive to my place to drop it off. My roommate, C.'s, dog is excited to see us, and we let her outside.

11 a.m. — After dropping off the entryway table, we head over to Slumberland to pick up my new mattress along with my split bed springs (The house was built in 1920, so the stairs are super narrow and a queen box spring can't fit up the stairs. C. already tried to bring a queen box spring up the stairs and put a hole in the wall.) We bring it all back to the house and manage to fit everything. I'm proud of myself because I was able to help lift a lot of the gigantic bed, which we thought might not happen since I haven't had much strength and haven't worked out or lifted anything more than 40 pounds for the past nine months. The bed and box springs cost me nothing. My grandparents said they wanted to cover it for me because I didn't accept any money from them while I was going through treatment.

12:30 p.m. — We get back to my parents' place, and I prepare a huge salad for Friendsgiving. It's being hosted by my coworker and his girlfriend — some of my other coworkers will also be there.

1:30 p.m. — Happy Friendsgiving! Everything looks delicious. I eat some rotisserie chicken, creamed corn, green bean casserole, rosemary stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, Brussels sprouts made with bacon grease, homemade biscuits, my salad with red onion, croutons, and Italian dressing, and some homemade pickles. We talk, laugh, and debate about stupid stuff. At the end of the meal, we write on the tablecloth what we're thankful for with our name and year attached. I write that I'm thankful for my family and friends' unwavering support this year. Cancer and chemotherapy are tough things to go through, but knowing that there are people rooting for you makes it so much easier.

5:30 p.m. — We finish Friendsgiving by playing some rounds of Catchphrase that I brought to the party. Then we all part ways, and I drive home since I didn't have any alcohol. I stop at Target on the way to pick up two pairs of tights. When I get home, my mom is preparing supper for us and I help set the table. She makes stuffed peppers paired with my salad and fresh green beans. $22

7 p.m. — I don't want to have a dresser in my room at my new place, so my dad and I are installing shelves in my closet. We head to Menard's to buy shelving and brackets. I end up finding baskets that are perfect to put on the shelves, and buy four. My dad pays at the register but I Venmo him $60 to cover the cost of the baskets. He volunteers to cover the shelving and spice drops my mom asked us to pick up. $60

8 p.m. — We get home, and I'm beat. I take a shower and read some of my book, Outlander, before falling asleep at 9:30 p.m. (Wow, I feel old.)

Daily Total: $185.54

Day Two

6:30 a.m. — Time to start the work week. I press the snooze because I'm still adjusting to working a normal schedule after being out of work for so long, and I worked the Saturday reporting shift, so I only had one day off work.

7:15 a.m. — I finally roll out of bed after spending 15 minutes checking my email, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts for any important updates that happened overnight. Just a few messages I answer quickly. I make two pieces of multigrain toast with peanut butter and honey, prepare my lunch for work, turn on today's podcast episode of the The Daily, and leave for work by 7:40 a.m.

8 a.m. — I sit down at my cubicle and start logging into my computer for the day. I packed a banana for a morning snack today, but I'm already hungry again so I eat it the second I sit down. Oops.

10:30 a.m. — Something was wonky with the schedule this week for our breaking news team. I'm on general assignment this week but I volunteer to transition to nighttime. My supervisor tells me I can leave at noon and come back at 5 p.m.

12:20 p.m. — I leave work and make a turkey lettuce wrap with some Kettle Chips when I get home. I sit down and start reading Outlander again. It's hella long — like Game of Thrones books long — but good. I watched the first season and a half of the TV show a month ago and decided I'd rather read the books first.

4 p.m. — I take a break from reading to start packing up parts of my room. C. recently bought a house, and we agreed to be roommates, so I scored big time on cheap rent and an awesome, reliable roommate.

5 p.m. — I get back to work and start on a story I was working on before by making some phone calls. It's a sad article about a murder that took place in a small community. These kinds of stories are always hard to write and make me wonder just how long I can stay in breaking news.

6 p.m. — I heat up my supper while keeping my ear to the police scanner. Supper is yesterday's reheated red bell pepper stuffed with ground beef and rice along with a romaine salad and hard boiled egg.

8:30 p.m. — One of my coworkers left a Tupperware full of brownies in the office. Since I'm the only one left here for tonight, I take one on my way to refill my water bottle. It's delicious, as expected.

9 p.m. — Time to go home! I remote start my vehicle from the newsroom because I'm a wimp. It's so cold! I bundle up and remind myself that my visible puffs of air are just reminders that Christmas is soon.

10:30 p.m. — I head to bed after watching tonight's episode of Manifest with my parents and take my twice-daily Lovenox shot. I had a blood clot during chemo, and so I have to take a blood-thinning shot twice a day until the end of the month.

Daily Total: $0

Day Three

8:30 a.m. — I wake up and make a quick call to finish my story and submit it for publishing. Then I eat a bowl of Frosted Flakes with 1% whole milk, take my shot, and settle in for a few hours to read again.

11:30 a.m. — I listen to this week's episode of The Minimalists while getting ready for work and preparing today's lunch and dinner. I eat some salad and chicken and broccoli stir-fry with rice that my parents had for dinner last night. I also just found out that Game of Thrones comes back in April and start to frantically message every GoT -loving friend I have. SO HYPED.

12:40 p.m. — I turn on The Daily and head to work. My story was published this morning and it's doing okay. Not great, but okay. I run to a fire a few blocks from the office during my shift and write up a brief story about it when I get back to the office — no one was hurt, thank goodness.

5 p.m. — I eat while on the clock because I have to head out over my break. I'm applying for a part-time position at a facility nearby because it pays almost as well as my pay now, and I'm in need of extra money. I plan to go to grad school after getting a few years of work experience, and I don't want to worry about student loans, so I need to save up. I also want to pay back my parents for covering the costs associated with my cancer treatment. Even though we're on an amazing healthcare plan my mom has through work, it still cost them around $10,000. If they don't accept the money when I finally earn that much, then I will give it to them as an anniversary present to finally visit Australia like they've been dreaming.

5:45 p.m. — I leave work for my break and head to the facility. After taking a tour, I get signed up for a graveyard shift, 11:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m., which works well with my schedule since I don't work until 1 p.m. regularly.

7 p.m. — I get back to the office, where I listen to the scanner and monitor social media until it's time to get off my shift at 10 p.m.

10 p.m. — I'm super tired and can barely can keep my eyes open. When I get home, I realize I'm super hungry and make a tuna salad sandwich. I eat it while watching part of an episode of Love It Or List It with my mom. I take my Lovenox shot, go to bed, and fall asleep by 11 p.m.

Daily Total: $0

Day Four

8:30 a.m. — I wake up, roll out of bed, and get ready for the day. I make myself some Frosted Mini-Wheats with 1% milk along with some chamomile tea and honey. I take my Lovenox shot, catch up on social media while I eat, and track my expenses from last week on the Dave Ramsey EveryDollar app, which helps me track my spending and keep to a budget.

9 a.m. — After I finish my tea, I open my laptop and look at the ads for this week at my grocery store. I'm obsessive about planning and like to keep track of data and look for patterns. Since I had nothing to do while I was out of work for nine months, I started tracking sales prices at my grocery store. It's actually helped me get an idea of what actual good deals look like for certain products and how often they happen without having to actually spend any money.

11:15 a.m. — I take my dog for a walk instead of finishing the ad log.

11:40 a.m. — I prepare my supper for tonight and then eat my hodgepodge lunch of reheated pizza from Saturday, a hard boiled egg, and carrots.

12:40 p.m. — I leave for work and listen to The Daily on my commute. When I get to work, the first tweet I see is from one of our U.S. senators on the history of the turkey pardon. This year's turkeys are from South Dakota for the first time in the 71-year tradition. I start working on an updated story on the turkeys since they leave South Dakota at the end of the week, and we find out their names at the beginning of Thanksgiving week.

2:45 p.m. — I'm so engrossed in my turkey research that I forget about an appointment I have at the hospital at 2:30 p.m. I call up the hospital, and they say I can still come in, so I head over there. The appointment is to check my drain where my tumor used to be. When I had my tumor removed this summer they cut off some lymph nodes in the area, so it's been filling up with fluid and created a lymphocele. I've been going in once or twice a week for the past month or so to get the area injected with alcohol to deaden the tissue and stop the cavity from filling up with fluid. I'm hoping they decide to take the drain out today. I can't work out with the drain in, and I have to wear dresses to work every day because jeans are too tight to wear with the drain.

4 p.m. — I'm getting my drain out tomorrow morning! I head back to work and get right into breaking news instead of turkey news. I write up a brief on a burglary suspect police are looking for and listen to the scanner.

6:15 p.m. — I grab my supper: a banana, strawberry Jell-O, and a chicken, turkey, and avocado sandwich.

10:15 p.m. — I leave work, listen to the last half of The Daily on the drive home, and go to bed by 10:45 p.m.

Daily Total: $0

Day Five

6:15 a.m. — My alarm goes off, and I hit snooze twice. I eventually get up at 6:30. I get dressed in a sweatshirt and yoga pants, remote start my car, brush my teeth, and head out to meet my friend at a coffee shop at 7 a.m. I'm taking her wedding photos in December, and I want to plan out a schedule and make sure we lock down what kind of photos she wants taken during the day.

7 a.m. — We get to the coffee shop, and I order a fried egg and bacon panini with watermelon slices on the side and chocolate orange tea. It's expensive for breakfast, but payday is tomorrow so I don't sweat it too much. $13.50

8:30 a.m. — We've nailed down the schedule, and she'll send me additional details with names of family members and other things over the next week. I'm getting so excited for her wedding! I arrive at the hospital for my appointment at 8:45 a.m., and they take my drain out.

10 a.m. — I get home and I take a shower right away — it's the first time in nine months I don't have to put saran wrap over some part of my body to cover an insertion or something else! I get out and sit at my computer.

11:15 a.m. — We're having a potluck at noon today. It was too late last night to cook something, and I was too busy this morning, so I run to the grocery store and grab two dozen chocolate chip cookies. I also get a pack of gum because I'm out of the ICBB (in case of bad breath) stash I keep in my car. $11.23

1 p.m. — At the work potluck I eat some chips and salsa, a Buffalo chicken sandwich, meatballs, spaghetti squash, cheesy potatoes, peppermint bark popcorn, romaine salad, and a German chocolate cupcake.

6:15 p.m. — I take my break to eat my oats and chocolate Fiber One bar and read a little of Outlander.

10 p.m. — It's been an excruciatingly slow night, but I keep myself busy and pitch a few stories.

10:15 p.m. — I listen to a podcast one of my coworkers recommended, Mystery Show, on my way home. When I get in the door, my dog is super hyper and running around the house. He didn't get a walk at all today, so I convince my dad to go on a walk with me and the dog. We get back around 10:45 p.m. and poke fun at my mom for falling for the turkey challenge my brother sent to her. She takes it like a champ and says she'll end up as a meme online.

11:15 p.m. — I feel like it's been forever since I've read more than a few pages of Outlander, so I sit in bed reading until midnight.

Daily Total: $24.73

Day Six

6:15 a.m. — My alarm goes off and end up snoozing until for another three hours.

9 a.m. — Get up. Get ready. Get dressed. Then I load my car with some boxes to take to my new place. I listen to The Daily on the way there and then let out C.'s dog and listen to another episode of Mystery Show while I get my room ready.

12 p.m. — I get back home and heat up some goulash — pasta noodles, ground beef, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and an ungodly amount of brown sugar — that my grandma made for me while in the hospital and we froze. I leave for downtown and stop at my bank's ATM to take out some cash to pay my mom back for a copper kettle we found that I want to give to C. for our Friendsthanksmas celebration we're having with our other friend this weekend. The ATM isn't accepting my PIN code. I try upwards of five times, leaving a little frustrated.

12:30 p.m. — I stop at the Washington Pavilion — a mixed-use historical building in town that features art exhibits, science exhibits, and theater performances — to buy a Downtown Sioux Falls gift card as a Friendsthanksmas present for my other friend. It works at almost all of the downtown shops and boutiques, and she might be moving here soon so she can use it. But my debit card is frozen (it got deactivated because I got my PIN wrong so many times earlier), so I have to run down the street to my bank to get cash. I get it just in time to make it to work at 1 p.m. $12

5 p.m. — I take out my supper: a chicken and turkey sandwich with mustard, mayonnaise, cheese, and lettuce along with a side of pickles.

8:30 p.m. — I get off work early because I'm out of hours. Then my dad and I run over to the new place to measure my closet one more time so we can cut the board. I put my hanging clothes into my car along with miscellaneous items I haven't moved yet.

11 p.m. — I'm so tired and ready for bed. I feel like I haven't seen my mom all week, so I text her goodnight.

Daily Total: $12

Day Seven

8 a.m. — It's move-in day AND Friendsthanksmas! I get ready for the day and head over to the new place to get the closet finished.

11 a.m. — We finish setting the room up. Turns out shelves are too short. My dad and I will cut the new board when I'm back home later today. He leaves, and I chill out for a while, enjoying my newfound freedom. C. gets home around 11:30. We catch up about life and change to look presentable for being out in public.

12:30 p.m. — After our friend comes over, and we show her the house. We decide to go eat at a local eaterie downtown called Bread & Circus Sandwich Kitchen. I order the fish and chipwich sandwich (wild Alaskan Cod, sea salt and vinegar chip crust, bread and butter pickles, and tartar slaw) while they both order poke bowls. We all split naughty fries (pork chili verde, taqueria pickles, queso fresco, cilantro, and radish) and C. covers the fries. $15.48

2 p.m. — The South Dakota Showdown game starts, so I head home to watch with my family. It's South Dakota State Jackrabbits (Go Jacks!) against our in-state rivals, the University of South Dakota Coyotes. I leave after halftime though because SDSU is doing so well, and I don't like feeling sorry and embarrassed for USD.

4 p.m. — I meet up with C. and our friend at Homegoods and then we head to Ulta. C. convinces me to splurge and buy Marc Jacobs Daisy Love perfume as a way to celebrate being cancer-free, leaving my parents' house, and being an adult. My mom is allergic to fragrance, so I've never used scented lotion or perfume before. $63.90

5:30 p.m. — We eat supper at Phillip's Diner in downtown Sioux Falls. I'm not that hungry, and I really just want to get a milkshake, but I force myself to get a bowl of chili (because I need some nutrition) plus a s'mores milkshake. Toasted marshmallows on top and crushed graham crackers in the milkshake. Um, YUM. $13.36

6:30 p.m. — We get back home and start decorating the Friendsthanksmas tree. It's my job to arrange the ornaments because I'm so detail-oriented. I happily oblige because I love decorating. Then we make a quick trip to Lewis to pick ornament hooks, which C. pays for because it's her tree.

9:45 p.m. — We go see Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. I thought it was good, but I wish J.K. Rowling still wrote Harry Potter-verse books. They're just so good, and I feel like this movie series is lacking her usual depth. I buy three movie tickets, and my friend covers snacks. $30.36

12:30 a.m. — The movie is over, and it's time to drive home and sleep in my new bed! We lounge for a while in the living room because we're all too tired to actually go to bed, ironically. I end up falling asleep around 2 a.m.

Daily Total: $123.10

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If you're still mulling over the right present to give your sister-in-law or the co-worker you drew for Secret Santa — someone you know, but not all that well — you can't go wrong with the gift of a mani-pedi. But instead of taking the easy route — a gift card to a local nail salon that she'll drain in a single appointment — give the gift of glossy, polished fingernails for all of 2019.

A curated nail polish set — filled with a rainbow of shiny glass bottles — is one of the most underrated holiday gifts. Since it doesn't depend on skin tone or hair type, anyone on your list who loves beauty will squeal when they open it. Plus, she'll think of you every time she looks down at her shiny fingernails running over her keyboard.

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Mercury retrograde may be officially over, but that hardly means that this fleet-footed planet is done making waves this month. As of this Thursday, December 12, Mercury will move from tight-lipped Scorpio to open-minded Sagittarius. If you've been craving a little more conversation (and a little less introspection) you're in for a treat.

Not only does Mercury rule how we communicate, it also governs what sort of information we tend to seek out and, in turn, how we process that info. You can learn about your personal relationship with Mercury by finding your Mercury sign in your birth chart, but the sign that happens to be hosting this planet at the current moment will influence your approach to communication and information, too.

With Mercury in Scorp, talk is cheap — you're more likely to spare the small talk and, instead, cut to the chase and ask others the questions you really want answers to. You may give yourself a similar treatment, questioning your motives, reviewing old decisions and feelings, and generally trying to shed more light on the darker corners of your psyche. Intense? Yes. Ultimately useful if you want to better understand yourself and those around you? Almost definitely yes.

If you've had your fill of dealing with social interactions like a private detective, breathe a sigh of relief, because Mercury rewards a very different sort of behavior when it's in Scorpio's neighbor, Sagittarius. The sign of the Archer is way too preoccupied with learning new things, meeting new people, and chasing new experiences to worry about strategically probing their inner circle for confidential info. As astrologer Annie Heese writes on her site, Cafe Astrology, we're far more interested in becoming jacks of all trades than spies when Mercury is in Sag.

So, when Mercury makes this move later this week, you may be reminded of past intellectual pursuits that you moved to the back burner (what about all those cook books you bought and history podcasts you downloaded last month?) and feel inspired to get back into them. Or, you may feel more outgoing and eager to share with others. Either way, you'll likely feel reinvigorated and newly excited about the world around you — and why shouldn't you be? Just be sure you aren't neglecting other commitments while getting swept up in this sense of wonder.

Also, keep in mind that Mercury's latest visit to Scorpio lasted less than two weeks, so don't be surprised if you spend the first few days of Mercury's visit in Sag recovering from a bit of celestial whiplash. Take comfort in the fact that the messenger planet will stay firmly in Sag until next month, so you'll have plenty of time to explore and become the renaissance person you've always wanted to be.

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The model took to her website to share her love for the hair accessory, saying, "I wore a pretty headband in the Chanel show this spring and now I'm totally feeling the look! They're totally a '90s throwback in the best way. I'm loving a wide black one, but there are so many cute options." We'd have to agree: Headbands can instantly jazz up any outfit or hairstyle. But if you think you have to drop loads of dough on a Chanel number to match her look, you haven't seen these affordable options.

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The store, which has long been our destination for last-minute holiday shopping, seems to be on over-drive this year. Between the 100 new festive scents and candle discounts so good it feels like you're stealing, the mall staple is churning out holiday must-haves that even the speediest of Amazon Prime deliveries can't touch.

Among the 300+ holiday items in store are choice gift sets that are not only comprised of the most universally-loved body care products (Vanilla Bean Noel, anyone?), but — and this is the best part — also come already wrapped in reusable baskets, ribbon-tied bags, and metallic boxes. It's enough to make holiday shopping as easy as adding a few gift cards to cart, while showing that you care enough to, you know, not do that.

See our favorite ways to give for maximum impact and minimal effort, ahead, and get ready to impress everyone from your 70-year-old grandma to your 17-year-old cousin.

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The holiday season always inspires generosity, but it's important to remember that splurging on your nearest and dearest also comes with the harsh reality of credit limits and having to spend New Year's Eve with Chinese food takeout and a live telecast of Times Square on your couch — all because you went over budget.

Don't get us wrong: The stay-in scenario might sound like heaven for some of us, but it's not quite the same when you know it's obligatory. But what if we told you there was a way to stay on budget and still get the perfect beauty gifts for everyone on your list, so that if you decide to spring for NYE takeout, it's because you want to (and not because you're in credit-card debt)?

This holiday season, Sephora has countless products and kits at a wide range of prices, no matter how many coins you're looking to cash in. From affordable stocking stuffers for second cousins to extravagant kits for the extra-special people on your list, there's something for everyone — seriously. Ahead, seasonal Sephora beauty buys for every spending limit, so that you can live your best life during the holidays and into the New Year.

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