It's highly likely that you're lying on a sofa somewhere (in your hometown or otherwise), nursing an eggnog- and champagne-induced hangover and the food coma to beat all food comas. It's a well-known fact that the holidays have a way of tiring us out. But when they're all over and done with, there's one thing that can cure even the most intense post-holiday blues: sales.
Boxing Day discounts aren't exactly rare, with retailers around the world offering up a deal or two from now until the new year. But there's no sale quite like Nordstrom's Half Yearly sale.
From December 26th all the way until January 2nd, you can save up to 50% off all your favorite brands — from Sandy Liang to Topshop to Proenza Schouler — while supplies last at Nordstrom. And to save you from the chaos that is any Nordstrom location on the day after Christmas, we're making it easy to get the best deals right from the comfort of your home.
After scouring this sale from top to bottom (yup, 210 pages and all!), we rounded up all the best picks. But don't wait — we're betting they won't last long.
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The most frustrating thing about eczema isn’t that it appears in dry, flaky patches that make the skin itch like crazy. Or the fact that, after decades of study, researchers still haven't figured out what causes the condition, which is also known as atopic dermatitis. (They do think it’s likely due to a defect in the skin barrier that prevents it from retaining moisture.) No, eczema's real upper hand is that it can be exacerbated by cold weather, high temperatures, and dry climates — so, essentially, any weather at all. The icing on the bummer cake is that there's no known cure for the condition, but that's not to say there's no hope for relief.
“While we cannot cure eczema, we can often control the symptoms with the right skin-care and lifestyle changes,” says Jessica Wu, MD, a Los Angeles-based dermatologist and lifelong eczema sufferer. Below, she and New York-based dermatologist Sejal Shah, MD, share their best tips for managing the flareups — no matter what the weather.
Making Good Lifestyle Choices
While there might not be one single thing we can do to make eczema go away forever, there are several things we can do to mitigate flareups. To start, Dr. Wu, who's behind the book Feed Your Face: Younger, Smoother Skin and a Beautiful Body in 28 Delicious Days, suggests keeping a food diary. “Many people with eczema have food allergies or sensitivities, so it helps to keep track of your [reaction to] food,” she says. “See if you can identify which foods make your skin flare up.” Dr. Wu cites dairy, nuts, eggs, and wheat as common triggers for the condition, and salmon and fish-oil supplements as foods that might ease it. She also says that lentils, kidney beans, and red meat rich in zinc act as natural anti-inflammatories.
Another tip from Dr. Wu: Avoid wearing wool. “Wool fibers are like little corkscrews that irritate the nerve endings in your skin,” she says. “If you must wear wool, layer a smooth silk or finely-woven cotton T-shirt underneath.”
Exercising climate control can also do a lot to help regulate reactive skin. “Try to keep a consistent temperature and avoid cold, dry weather as best as possible,” Shah says. That means using a humidifier when air is dry, wearing protective clothing in the cold, and avoiding situations that expose skin to excess moisture, such as taking hot showers, steam baths, saunas, soaks in hot tubs, or engaging in strenuous exercise that leaves you drenched in sweat. Of course, telling someone to avoid entire weather patterns can feel little defeatist, but that’s where strong skin-care habits come in.
Optimize Everyday Skin Care
Let’s get real: There’s no avoiding bathing, and for many, there's no avoiding exposure to cold temperatures — which is why our derms suggest everyday skin-care habits to help compensate for the inevitable. If exposed to hot or cold, both Dr. Shah and Dr. Wu suggest applying a gentle but rich moisturizer onto skin immediately after; Dr. Shah also recommends showering or bathing in lukewarm water for 10 minutes or less, and washing with gentle, non-soap cleansers. Once out of the shower, treat skin to a gentle moisturizer within three minutes after bathing.
“People with eczema have a weak skin barrier, so it helps to apply a rich body oil or body butter immediately after you get out of the shower to seal in moisture and replenish your skin’s natural oils,” Dr. Wu says. She suggests looking for products formulated specifically for eczema and sensitive skin. “One of my favorite brands is SkinFix, which makes products containing natural anti-inflammatory ingredients such as zinc and colloidal oatmeal, so you can feel safe about using them daily, even on your face," she says.
Treating Flareups Like A Pro
The fact is that flareups can strike even when being you're being diligent about regulating skin temperature and moisture. When that happens, “The most important thing is to treat it early, as soon as the itching or rash appears,” Dr. Wu says. “Otherwise, you get into a vicious itch-scratch-itch cycle, and the skin doesn’t have a chance to heal.” That means hitting the inflamed skin with occlusive balms and creams that contain hydrating ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin.
For the treatment of her own eczema flareups, Dr. Wu has also found success with CBD (cannabinoid) products. “This winter, my eczema flared on my lips, so I’ve been using cocoa-scented Vertly lip balm, which contains CBD as well as coconut oil and shea butter,” she says. “CBD has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects.”
Dr. Wu also notes that those suffering an flareup while treating blemishes may have to put the later on the back burner for a spell, as skin care formulated for acne can further inflame an eczema patch. “Many acne medications, including retinoids and salicylic acid, tend to exacerbate dryness and irritate eczema,” she says. “Treat them one at a time by clearing up the eczema first, then go back to your acne routine.”
If the above methods aren’t helping to quell flareups, you may need to call for reinforcements. “In that situation, you may need a stronger prescription-strength cream. In my office, I may give patients antihistamine pills, prescription-strength cortisone, and/or non-cortisone creams to put out the fire of an eczema flareup,” Dr. Wu says. "If your eczema weeps and oozes, see a dermatologist who can swab the area to make sure it’s not getting infected.” Sometimes, the pros really do know best, especially when it comes to a complicated, nuanced condition like this one.
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What are your goals for 2019? To dream big, do more, and actually achieve your resolutions? We've got a planner for that. Or maybe it's just to keep all your dental appointments and brunch dates corralled in one fly notebook? We've got a planner for that, too.
We've scoured the internet far and wide (and even consulted a few calendar junkies) to find the BEST daily, weekly, and monthly organizers to get you through the New Year. Whether you want to plan out every hour of the next few months or just have a place to jot down to-dos, we've found a planner for you. Oh, and for those of you just starting out your organizational journey, we have some undated options as well, meaning you can start and stop whenever you want — no blank pages left behind.
Ahead, planners that make being organized easy, fun, and stylish.
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If your hair has ever touched peroxide, or been wrapped around a curling iron one too many times, you could probably use a protein bond-building hair treatment. Like a hair mask on steroids, these heavy-duty formulas do more than just make your hair shiny; they actually help to repair each strand from the inside out, healing the hair rather than just hydrating it.
For a long time, these potent treatments could only be found in the hands of salon professionals. But a few years back, Olaplex changed the game by launching at Sephora, meaning you could finally get the salon-quality treatment without a hairdresser's license. More treatments of this type have since followed, and now, there are more than ever available on the market — even at drugstore prices.
Full disclosure: Most of what you'll find over-the-counter still won't be quite as effective as what you get in the salon. Still, there's proof in the pudding that bond-building formulas work to not only create a glossy, healthy-looking seal over the hair, but also repair the damage you subject it to daily with hot tools or monthly with root touch-ups. Finally, your overprocessed hair doesn't have to feel overprocessed any longer. Ahead, the best reparative treatments that won't cost more than a partial set of highlights...
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Nothing ushers in the new year quite like sequins. These shiny disks have managed to stand the test of time from Bianca Jagger's sequin show-stopping dresses to Michelle Obama's thigh-high Balenciaga boots, and are a sure fire way to make your party look is on point. They'll be as much a part of your winter going out uniform as a t-shirt on a summer day.
If being labeled 'extra,' is top of mind, remember that the one time where sequins are never too much are whenever you damn feel like it, thank you very much. So, in the spirit of being the shining star you are, we are fully encouraging this level of extra. If dresses à la Paris Hilton and Kendall Jenner might not be quite your speed, we've rounded up the most eye catching tops guaranteed to brighten up any old pair of jeans, pants, or party skirts. These tops are not for the faint of heart — they command attention when you enter a room, as any disco ball hype girl could hope for. Party on, sparkle mavens and leave the LBD tucked away for another night.
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Applying false lashe s — strip, individual, magnetic — is an art form, and we applaud those who are masters. But for the eyelash-challenged, putting on falsies can often turn into a sticky, disastrous mess — that's where eyelash extensions come in. The temporary enhancement not only makes your dreams of having fuller, wispier lashes a reality, but it's perfect for those who literally can't with applying falsies (or a million coats of mascara) on the regular.
Lash extensions are extremely popular right now because they give the same effect as falsies, but they last for weeks. And although it seems as simple as gluing on an individual lash cluster, the application is far from effortless. A successful service requires the right pair of hands, or you could be left with your eyes inflamed or lashes melted off.
Finding a person you can trust with your lashes should be treated like finding a nail salon, colorist, or bikini waxer — not just anyone can get the job done right. So, we did some homework for you. If you live in The Big Apple and have been considering trying out extensions for the first time or need a regular place to hit up for weekly refills, find the best places in the city for lash extensions, ahead.
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Zara has really been pulling out all the stops lately. Between a never-ending array of sequin-y party dresses and enough cozy knits to get us through the cold front ahead, there's practically nothing we don't want from this fast-fashion giant. But if there's one thing our favorite chic mass-market retailer does best, it's sales. Good thing for us, they just launched one — and it's big.
Today marks the beginning of Zara's famous winter sale – you know, the one where you can find $30 trousers and $40 heels that were brand new to the floor just a few months ago. So whether you're still waiting to find that one perfect New Year's Eve outfit or just want to stock up on oversized blazers (you can never have too many!), we're betting you'll check off everything on your list during this major winter sale.
Before someone else snatches up all the best deals, take a look at our 25 picks to buy right now at Zara.
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Since it's still the holiday season until January 2, let's take a break from parsing through the rumors of a rift between Meghan Markle and her sister-in-law Kate Middleton to tackle something more, well, festive: Their Christmas Day 2018 looks.
Last year, former Suits star Markle told Glamour UK she wished she could pull off Victoria Beckham's pieces. "Now what I'm starting to learn is, even though things look amazing on the hanger, it doesn't mean they're going to look amazing on me," she told the magazine. "For example, I love Victoria Beckham dresses, but I don't have the long torso to support that silhouette."
So you can imagine our delight when we noticed the Duchess of Sussex, smiling ear-to-ear alongside Middleton, smiling ear to ear wearing Victoria Beckham to church on Christmas Day. The expectant royal wore a navy Victoria Beckham coat open to show her matching dress, Philip Treacy hat, and Stuart Weitzman boots. She also carried a Chloe 'Pixie' bag. Perhaps Beckham's form-fitting silhouettes' are a better fit for her growing torso. Either way, we like the evolution of the new royal's style (Last Christmas, shortly after she became engaged to Prince Harry, Markle wore a red Club Monaco dress with a Sentaler camel-colored coat on top.) The Duchess of Cambridge, meanwhile, wore a burgundy Catherine Walker coat and a matching headband by Jane Taylor
It's beginning to look like a "very pregnant" Markle is wrapping up her duties for the season. In addition to church with the royal family, she and Harry spent Christmas day at Sandringham House in Norfolk.
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We have entered the season of cold weather scenarios when sturdy footwear is key. Luckily, there are no shortage of options. But, there's one boot like no other, ready for all types of terrain (not just the mountains, those city streets can be just as unpredictable), and that is the venerable hiking boot. However, that fine line between cute and functional can sometimes be thin. Whether you’re in the market for a pair that could work for a Cheryl Strayed -inspired adventure or something a little lighter that can get you around on a slushy night dressed in a leather mini skirt and tights, we've got a few options for you.
It simply makes sense to get a pair of boots that will leave you prepared for anything. From a climb up a mountain to a crawl at the ski lodge for some après cocktails, these lace-up, lug-soled black hiking boot options will have you covered for your local big chill.
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No shade to the long-standing motto of House Stark, but winter is not coming — it's already here. Unfortunately, it's not just our alliances and fortitude that are tested when the temperature inevitably drops: Our skin bears the brunt of it, too. There's the dryness, the redness, and let's not forget the dullness, which is what ultimately drives us to start tracking cheap flights to the Caribbean on Expedia.
But before anyone panics, there's no need to get on the next plane — unless you really want to, of course. With the right highlighter on hand, you're just one swipe away from a serious glow that'll almost make you forget there's another six months until summer. That's why we looked into the best highlighter palettes on the market that let you choose exactly the kind of glow you're looking for, and the precise level of luminosity you want to achieve.
Ahead, the best highlighter palettes that will add some brightness to your colder days, and make winter (somewhat) more bearable — so you can go out and do something other than sit in your sweatpants binging Game of Thrones for a change.
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Bags are packed, presents are bought — now there's only one more thing to think about before the holidays: sales. You may have thought you'd seen the last of 'em this year, but the discount gods have graced us with one last round of half-off price tags and BOGO deals before the ball drops on New Year's Eve. Every December 26th (or even earlier), the retailers we go to for everything from dresses to shoes to bags slash their prices in the name of Boxing Day.
This year is no different. Starting now until well into 2019, everyone from Nordstrom to Aritzia is bringing us some major deals. So while you've probably spent the last month shopping for everyone from your sister-in-law to your not-so-pleasant next-door neighbor, there's still one person who deserves a little love. To help you buy yourself that one gift you asked for but didn't receive this holiday season, we've rounded up the best Boxing Day deals so you can do so without breaking the bank.
While you lounge around in a post-holiday food coma, take a scroll through this selection of can't miss Boxing Day sales.
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Legit question: Would Cardi B be Cardi B without her ultra-long, ultra-bedazzled stiletto nails? Or, how would Kylie Jenner's vibe shift if extended, square-tipped manicures weren't a part of her beauty equation? Take away this key component of Cardi or Kylie's swag and you've taken away a crucial part of the persona.
Perhaps more than a polish color or nail art choice, nail shape says a lot about who we are — or at least, how we roll. Cropped squoval is a classic — as in royal family classic — that's simpatico with lifestyles in which you've gotta use your hands to get shit done, while almond-shaped nails signal grace, thanks to their ability to feign elongated fingers.
So what's your signature nail profile? If you haven't landed on one that feels comfortable and reflects the attitude you love to project, then settle in. Betina Goldstein, a pro manicurist responsible for some of the raddest looks on Instagram, shares her best tips for sorting out which nail shape may be right for you, ahead.
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Yesterday, the newly christened Biebers celebrated their first Christmas as husband and wife. And, by all accounts, it was a good one: They got a puppy named Oscar, who Justin referred to as their "dogson" and Hailey called their "Christmas baby!" The two definitely seem to be reveling in their domestic bliss, at least according to their Instagram Stories, in their new home of Ontario, Canada. So now that the two are bound in holy matrimony, how much money do they share in the bank? (Since, reportedly, they did not get a prenup.)
Perhaps unsurprisingly, most of the couple's joint wealth comes from Bieber: He's released five studio albums and 29 singles after being discovered at 14 years old on YouTube by manager Scooter Braun. His earnings only went up with hits like, "As Long As You Love Me," "What Do You Mean?," and "Friends." According to Money Nation, his Purpose and My World album sales earned him around $3 million each.
But that's not where the big money's at: The Biebs' Purpose tour earned $250 million in ticket sales, the My World tour earned $53.3 million, and the Believe tour reportedly racked up $69.9 million. And who can forget Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, the Bieber Fever-inducing concert documentary of 2011? It grossed a cool $73 million.
Bieber is no stranger to #sponcon and endorsements, either. Remember that iconic Calvin Klein campaign? He's also repped Proactiv, Nicole by OPI, Beats by Dre, Elizabeth Arden, and Best Buy. On top of all that, Forbes estimated that from June 2016 to June 2017 alone, Bieber made $83.5 million. As for 2018, Bieber was expected to make bank on Spotify's IPO on the NYSE earlier this year. And though he didn't ball out on a bank-breaking wedding to Hailey, we know he shelled out a lot of money for the ring, which cost him an estimated $600,000.
Hailey Bieber brings some money to the table, too. The daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin (brother of Alec), the model signed with Ford Models in 2014 and then IMG Models in 2016, and has since graced the pages and covers of many magazines, including her first Vogue cover in February. Baldwin is also a runway mainstay, and most recently walked in Versace's pre-fall 2019 show (her first show as Mrs. Bieber).
Like her husband, she knows a thing or two about lucrative collabs. Over the years, Baldwin has done a handbag collection with The Daily Edited, a shoe collection with Public Desire, jeans with Rag & Bone, a makeup collection with ModelCo, and sneakers with Adidas. (Also, she was in the promo video for Fyre Festival.) And she has TV chops — she hosted Drop The Mic on TBS.
Celebrity Net Worth values her at $3 million. So together, the Biebers have about $268 million in the bank. Remember when all Justin needed was a beauty and a beat who could make his life complete? Well, he has both now. And a loooot of money.
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When you pry your bleary, hungover eyes open on January 1, there's no rule saying you need to share words of wisdom with your friends on social media. A photo could say it all for you, as could radio silence. But if everyone did that, we'd have fewer ways to pass the time as we try not to relive whatever embarrassing things happened at last night’s New Year's Eve party.
If coming up with a caption or post on New Year's Day sounds too hard (which is legit), this is where the wonderful world of Celebrity Instagram comes to the rescue again. Not only can we gaze upon the beautiful faces of Mandy Moore, Gabrielle Union, Millie Bobby Brown as we welcome this new year, these stars (or their clever social media managers) make their posts feel weighted with meaning to mark the occasion.
Their creativity is our gain when the first day of 2019 rolls around. Whether we're paralyzed with fear of the future or just so darn tired of 2018, we can use those many New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Instagram posts and tweets from the past to inspire our own. (We can decide to throw shade like Kim Kardashian, or frolic in the sun like Gisele Bundchen. We have options!) Click ahead for the Instagram inspo that will take you into the new year with a bang — or at least a zinger.
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Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are great, but there's something about a post-holiday sale — the kind you can casually shop from the comfort of your couch while eating Christmas dinner leftovers — that's a lot more enjoyable. And of all the big stockroom-clearing sales happening this week, the best one is happening at Bath & Body Works. The brand's semi-annual sale starts today, December 26, with insane deals both online and in stores.
For a limited time, you can grab all the B&BW goods you love — select jumbo candles, scented shower gels and body lotions, plug-in fragrances, and foaming hand soaps — for up to 75% off retail price.
Head over to the site and scroll through the sale items, or check out the best picks from the mega sale, ahead. With deals this good, you can stock your bathroom with lemony fresh hand soap for all of 2019.
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We never really need an excuse to open a bottle of P rosecco, but this New Year, why not make your bubbly a little more extra by turning it into a homemade cocktail? While we will always love a flute on its own, sometimes mixing bubbly into a cocktail can be the perfect way to turn something special into something extra-special.
We've gathered our favourite Champagne cocktails from around the web to ensure there's no shortage of that extra special. Cheers!
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When we're opening up gifts under the tree, our favorite things come in envelopes. Sure, we're excited about that Apple Watch or the Cravings cookbook we had on our wish list, but the real gold is in the gift cards from aunties and the checks from grandmas. Because with cash, we can get exactly what we want — beauty products.
If you've been dying to restock your makeup kit or skin-care collection in 2019, holiday money can go straight into the Sephora fund. Plus, brands are also coming through with post-holiday sales, some of them even going up to 70% off. So, you can get started on your New Year's resolution of saving money early. Using grandma's gift to buy a blowdryer at $100 off? That's a win-win.
We're here to make your shopping experience a lot easier by rounding up the best post-Christmas deals, from brush sets under $20 to beauty kits at 50% off.
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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been released from the hospital after undergoing surgery for early stage lung cancer, according to CNN. There is no sign of any cancer left in her body.
She underwent surgery last week to remove one of the five lobes of her lung, a Supreme Court spokesperson announced. Physicians found the cancer by accident after the 85-year-old liberal justice fell and fractured three ribs in early November. She was attended at the at Memorial Sloan Kettering hospital in New York.
"Justice Ginsburg was discharged from the hospital yesterday and is recuperating at home," a spokesperson for the Supreme Court said in a statement Wednesday.
Ginsburg is a survivor of colon and pancreatic cancer. Doctors said she's likely to have a full recovery, unless she faces complications. Never one to be stopped from working, RBG hopes to be back in the bench when the court starts its new term next month.
"According to the thoracic surgeon Valerie Rusch, both nodules removed during surgery were found to be malignant on initial pathology evaluation. Post-surgery, there was no evidence of any remaining disease," the Supreme Court statement read. "Scans performed before surgery indicated no evidence of disease elsewhere in the body. Currently, no further treatment is planned. Justice Ginsburg is resting comfortably and is expected to remain in the hospital for a few days."
Ginsburg's health has been a source of worry for liberals concerned with the balance of the Supreme Court and what her retirement could mean. At 85, Ginsburg is the oldest justice on the bench. If she retires, President Donald Trump would have the opportunity to appoint a third conservative justice to the bench. His two appointments, Associate Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, cemented the balance of the court to the right. Trump had said in the past he hoped he could appoint four Supreme Court justice s by the end of his first term.
Over the summer, Ginsburg said she plans to stay in the bench as long as she can. "I'm now 85," she said. "My senior colleague, Justice John Paul Stevens, he stepped down when he was 90, so think I have about at least five more years."
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Another year, another slew of astrological events to keep track of. If you were blindsided by every retrograde and full moon that came your way this year, make your 2019 New Year's resolution to mark the dates here into your cal ASAP. But, from what we can tell, the skies should be relatively kind to us next year.
First, the very good news: Neither Venus nor Mars will be retrograde next year. After the summer of retrogrades we survived in 2018, having two of our personal planets stay direct for all of 2019 will feel like a celestial vacation.
In place of too many planetary shakeups, the moon will throw us a curveball next summer, when it hits its "new" phase twice in July. Its cycle will continue normally, but be aware that that month may bring you double opportunities to rest and, if you wish, hit the reset button on an area of your life.
And one more heads up: Next year will feature just as many eclipses as 2018. Sure, on one hand these solar and lunar events can signal evolution and positive change, but on the other hand, they can really throw our regularly scheduled lives through a loop, so it's good to know when you'll need to brace for their impact.
Ahead, find out when all the new moons, full moons, eclipses, retrogrades, and Zodiac seasons will occur in 2019. (Dates for all lunar phases are determined by EST.)
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Stress. It’s been known to cause rapid breathing, an increased heart rate, acid reflux, nausea, irregular menstrual cycles, sleep issues, and evenpainful periods. In short, it’s a mother and eight in 10 Americans report suffering from it, according to a 2017 Gallup poll. If you’re like us, you’ve likely tried to combat stress with some sort of meditation technique. After all, meditation is one of the wellness industry’s biggest trends. That’s not surprising; it’s extremely effective. But what if sitting in quiet room is just too boring to bear? That’s where we come in. Over the next few weeks, starting on Jan. 1, Refinery29 is exploring four fun, engaging, and active ways to decompress and beat stress. (OK, one isn’t exactly a stress-reliever, but it’s fun as hell.) That’s right, no more oms.
From anger rooms, where you break things, and art therapy, where you create things, to sound baths and floating, we’re doing a deep dive on these methods and exploring the research on why they might work at combating stress. We’ve spoken to psychiatrists, therapists, and the creative founders of these studios to discover the philosophies behind each practice, why some people find them helpful, and whether or not you should try them at home.
Stress can wreak all kinds of havoc on our lives. “Our body is equipped with a ‘fight or flight’ system to handle danger and stressors as they present,” says E. Blake Zakarin, PhD, assistant professor of Medical Psychology in Psychiatry at Columbia University. “This is adaptive and can be helpful for responding to acute stress, such as in an emergency or in urgent situations. However, when our systems are constantly stressed, and our stress response system is constantly firing, it can wear on our brain and body.”
So as you take stock of your priorities in the new year, take a second to evaluate how stressed or anxious you feel. If you think you could shed some tension from your life, we hope one of our out-of-the-box ideas works for you.
You only have one life to live. We don’t believe you should spend it stressed out.
Beyond Meditation is part of Clean Slate, Refinery29’s 21-day course filled with new ways to think about food, exercise, and stress relief. Sign up hereto get nutritious recipes, fun physical activities, and some suggestions to beat stress that don’t require meditation.
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