A good Valentine's Day present should deliver a clear message without saying a word. A dozen roses says, "I appreciate you." A box of assorted Ghirardelli chocolates wrapped in a velvet bow says, "You're sweet." And a giant purple eggplant-shaped bath bomb says... well, that one speaks for itself.
Suggestively-shaped bath products haven't historically been part of the V-Day canon, but this is the year that's all about to change. That's because Lush just dropped its newest launches ahead of the annual celebration of love (and lust), and the collection is the raciest we've ever seen.
Starting today, you can make your BFF blush with a surprise gift of banana soap and 69-shaped bubble bars: The full collection is now shoppable on the Lush site, and will hit stores later this week on January 11. Scroll through all the goods, ahead, but just make sure your boss isn't peering over your shoulder — these might just be the most NSFW bath products of all time.
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The brand promises that when you drop this aubergine-shaped bath bomb in water, "just the tip" fizzes up a little faster than the rest.
This reusable bubble bar can be either a '6' or a '9,' depending on your personal preference. However you flip it, you'll get a fountain of bubbles when you run it under hot water.
Lush Get Naked for Valentine’s Day 6 Reusable Bubble Bars, $6.95, available at Lush
Is that a big banana-shaped massage bar in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?
Lush Big Banana Massage Bar, $7.95, available at Lush
A fun marine shape and bright blend of cotton-candy blue and pastel pink, coupled with the scent of Sicilian lemon, rose oil, and sweet orange oil — we're totally on board with this bath bomb.
Lush Love Boat Bath Bomb, $6.95, available at Lush
This lavender-scented rainbow-glitter bath bomb shaped like a unicorn horn is inherently whimsical — though the horny connotation is not lost on us.
Lush Unicorn Horn Bubble Bar, $6.95, available at Lush
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Just as your local drugstore is filling its aisles with heart-shaped chocolate boxes and Valentine's Day decorations (before we've even taken down our Christmas tree), television programming is also preparing for roses and romance because The Bachelor is back for its 23rd season, featuring former football player Colton Underwood. This season has its usual unique group of girls — from a Canadian dog rescuer to one woman who claims she's never been kissed — but there are two ladies who have an advantage in this competition.
Hannah Brown and Caelynn Miller-Keyes, who are vying to win Underwood's affection, were both contestants in the 2018 Miss USA pageant. Brown represented Alabama, while Miller-Keyes represented North Carolina (and actually placed as first runner-up in the competition).
We're predicting that their shared pageant background will help them become frontrunners in this reality competition, because The Bachelor is basically the longest beauty pageant ever. Let us explain:
They're used to bunking up with their competition.
These two girls know what it's like to coexist with dozens of women — if not more — as they all compete for the "top spot." And while the big prize includes a different type of jewelry in The Bachelor(an engagement ring instead of a crown), the competitive energy is the same. With experience in cutthroat rivalry, Brown and Miller-Keyes are more prepared than most for cattiness, drama, or whatever comes their way in the house.
They're hair and makeup pros.
Last year, we learned that The Bachelor contestants are expected to do their own hair and makeup for filming. Likewise, pageant titleholders have to do their own hair and makeup during the competition. So, most women vying for titles like Miss USA get professional makeup and hair lessons.
With this training, Miller-Keyes and Brown will be able to create beauty looks that shine under the bright lights on set. Plus, they have a closet full of evening gowns (since it's a major part of the pageant scorecard) to choose from. So, they have all the skills needed to create standout looks that will set them apart from the other women and catch Underwood's attention.
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They're trained to answer tough questions on camera.
As a part of training, pageant queens practice personality and news-related questions for off-stage interviews and on-stage questions. This puts Miller-Keyes and Brown at an advantage for The Bachelor, where they have to make a good first impression as well as shine in one-on-one dates and promo interviews.
The pageant queens will know how to make the most of their limited time with Underwood because they've had practice impressing judges in three minutes or less. But it's a fine line — they could seem too schooled or come off as phony. We'll let you be the judge...
And if it doesn't work out, they know how to take rejection with grace.
Every week on The Bachelor, someone has to go home. Similarly at Miss USA, there are cuts throughout the competition. The only difference is that instead of one night, these girls are facing disqualifications over a span of weeks... if they even make it that far. Both Brown and Miller-Keyes will know how to smile and exit stage left if a rose isn't in the cards.
While there's more to winning the final rose than wearing a pretty dress and having all the right answers (you know, like chemistry), we're setting our eyes on Brown and Miller-Keyes to see how they'll use their pageant experience to charm Underwood and clench the final rose.
The Bachelor 's 23rd season begins tonight, January 7, at 8 p.m. on ABC.
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When you look at Saoirse Ronan's headshots from last night's Golden Globes red carpet — that silver sequined Gucci gown, styled with earrings dripping in diamonds and emeralds — you'd guess her hair was side-parted and smoothed back with unicorn tears, or at the very least the world's most expensive shine serum.
Blessedly for those of us who can only dream of being loaned Lorraine Schwartz diamonds for a few hours, the actress's Golden Globes beauty look is actually 100% achievable. That's because Ronan, like many more of the night's best-dressed A-listers, prepped for the Globes red carpet with glam pros who actually stocked their kits with cheap hair and makeup products — the kind of stuff you can grab at Target for less than $15 when you just meant to swing by for some new Tupperware.
Ahead, check out the hands-down most glamorous beauty looks of the night, along with the surprisingly budget-friendly finds that made them happen.
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Lili Reinhart
Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.
The Riverdale actress stunned in a bright-red strapless gown with a dramatic rust-toned eyeshadow look to match. Celebrity stylist David Stanwell opted to keep the hair simple, pulling it back away from the face into a polished slicked-back bun.
"The first step was to use the Dove Style+Care Smooth & Shine Heat Protection Spray to prep the hair, as Lili has naturally curly hair, so heat tools and blow dryers can over-damage her curls," Stanwell, who partnered with Dove for the Globes, tells us. "I used a Harry Josh flat iron to straighten the hair, then I used loose elastic bands to tie her hair super tight, and pinned it in a small bun at the back so that it looked sleek and gorgeous."
Dove Dove Style+Care Smooth & Shine Heat-Protect Spray, $4.88, available at Walmart
Alison Brie
Photo: Christopher Polk/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank.
Celebrity makeup artist Quinn Murphy gave the GLOW actress a glamorous yet natural-looking smokey eye, using neutral browns and taupe shadow shades. Murphy, who partnered with Burt's Bees for the evening, used the brand's eyeshadow trio in Dusty Woods to define Brie's blue eyes.
Burt's Bees 100% Natural Eye Shadow Palette - Dusky Woods, $9.49, available at Target
Constance Wu
Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage.
Hairstylist Marissa Marino partnered with Dove for Wu's delicate, piece-y braid, which she created by dousing the actress's hair in Dove's Flexible Hold hairspray — the look's secret weapon — before braiding, then using a 1" curling iron to add soft waves through the hair. "Once her texture was complete, I separated her hair into three sections and created a braid," Marino says. "I spritzed the hairspray through the hair shaft once again before lightly pulling the pieces apart to create even more fullness."
Dove Compressed Micro Mist Flexible Hold Hairspray, $4.88, available at Target
Danai Gurira
Photo: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage.
Celebrity manicurist Tracylee Percival matched the Black Panther actress's nails to her custom Rodarte gown, which combined rich shades of poppy red and blazing orange. "I decided to keep the nails her natural length, and shape them soft and rounded," Percival says. "The nail color is OPI's Got the Blues for Red — a burgundy red with the perfect warmth that looks beautiful next her skin tone."
OPI OPI Nail Lacquer, Got the Blues for Red, $10.5, available at Amazon
Jodie Comer
Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage.
Celebrity makeup artist Mai Quynh, who also partnered with Burt's Bees for Golden Globes glam, used various products from the brand's affordable range to create the perfect canvas for Comer's beauty look. She began by prepping the skin with a five-minute Burt’s Bees Hydrating Sheet Mask, followed by the brand's Nourishing Facial Water, to make sure Comer's skin stayed hydrated throughout the night. Then, she created a smooth base for makeup by massaging a thin layer of Burt’s Bees Sensitive Daily Moisturizing Cream into the actress's skin.
Burt's Bees Sensitive Daily Moisturizing Skin Cream, $14.99, available at Walgreens
Octavia Spencer
Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage.
Stanwell also worked with Octavia Spencer for the Globes, styling her hair in smooth, bouncy waves. “Octavia wanted something effortless, yet still glamorous," Stanwell says. "Keeping it simple with a few great products is all you need for great hair. I prepped Octavia’s freshly washed hair with Dove's Curls Defining Mousse and then blow dried it with a round brush for a full and bouncy finish."
Dove Dove Beauty Style + Care Curls Defining Mousse, $4.88, available at Target
Gemma Chan
Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage.
The Crazy Rich Asians actress wowed in a teal silk Valentino gown, a glossy red lip, and a loose updo. Her hairstylist, Clariss Rubenstein, partnered with Marc Anthony True Professional products to create Chan's effortlessly elegant look.
“I sprayed Gemma's hair with water to dampen it so that it would absorb product easily and I could add a bit of volume with a blow dryer," Rubenstein says. "I ran a dollop of the Marc Anthony True Professional Dream Big Volume Perfectly Full Thickening Cream through her hair from root to end, then sprayed a few puffs of the Dream Big Volume Volumizing Super Powder at the crown and top of her head." The brand's new thickening cream doesn't hit stores until later this month, but the root-volumizing powder is available now at Walgreens.
Marc Anthony True Professional Dream Big Volume Super Powder, $9.49, available at walgreens.com
Saoirse Ronan
Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage.
Hairstylist Ben Skervin — who also worked with Dove for the Globes — gave Ronan her slick, shiny style. “Saoirse’s dress was a flapper style, which I love, so my hair inspiration was to keep the look modern and slick with lots of shine to really show off the line of her blunt bob, " Skervin says. "To keep the hair from going too flat at the roots, I used the Dove Care Between Washes Invisible Dry Shampoo. A big bonus is that it doesn’t leave any visible residue on the hair, so it looks and feels fresh."
Dove Dove Care Between Washes Dry Shampoo Invisible, $4.88, available at Walmart
Kristin Cavallari
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images.
Celebrity stylist and global stylist for TRESemmé Justine Marjan styled Cavallari's hair for the Golden Globes red carpet. Marjan tells us that she used the brand's new unscented extra-hold hairspray to keep the sleek ponytail (and long extensions) looking smooth and polished all night.
Tresemmé Extra Firm Control Unscented Tres Two Hair Spray, $4.99, available at Target
Emma Stone
Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage.
Unsurprisingly, Stone's glossy waves and delicate half-up style — created by her go-to stylist Mara Roszak, who partnered with Suave Professionals for the show — looked gorgeous at the Globes. “To go with Emma’s gorgeous custom Louis Vuitton gown, I created ethereal waves for softness," Roszak tells us. "I applied the Suave Professionals Firm Control Boosting Mousse to her damp hair and combed it through using a boar bristle round brush, then blow-dried the hair for a shiny finish."
Suave Suave Firm Control Boosting Mousse, 7 oz, $2.94, available at Walmart
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Aside from a few regrettable trends over the years (a.k.a. all things bridal in the 80s), the wedding dress market doesn't change much. You wear white (ivory if you're really daring!), tulle is plentiful, and 9 out of 10 times your look includes a hemline or train that stretches behind you on your walk down the aisle. But while traditional wedding styles are always a safe bet, for a lot of brides, picking the dress is more about personal style than simply choosing whatever "most" brides do.
Over the last few seasons, it's become clear that there's a new wedding dress style in town that non-traditional brides are embracing as their own. Short wedding dresses — mini and midi lengths included — have gone through quite the transformation of late, and shorter has been deemed (finally!) wedding-appropriate. So whether you're getting hitched on the beach or simply heading down to City Hall, if you're on the lookout for something a little less conventional and a little more you, the 15 short wedding dresses ahead are a perfect place to start.
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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 dance instructor who makes $48,000 per year (plus receives an additional $900/month from her parents) and spends some of her money this week on Tarte blush.
Occupation: Dance Instructor Industry: Dance Age: 23 Location: New York, NY Salary: $48,000 + $900/month from my parents Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $1,379
Monthly Expenses Rent: $1,200 for my portion. My boyfriend pays $2,100 for his, since he makes $97,000 before bonuses. Student Loan Payment: $318 MealPal: $83 (for 12 meals) Grocery Delivery: $135, including tip. (My boyfriend and I order groceries separately, since he eats "cleaner" than I do.) Utilities: $40 for my half Hulu: $11.99 (My boyfriend pays for Netflix and cable.) Spotify: $9.99 Cleaning Service: $100 for my half Roth IRA: $400 (I just opened this account this week with a $1,000 birthday gift from my parents, to which I will contribute $400 monthly.)
Day One
5:45 a.m. — Our doorbell is ringing out of control and wakes up both my boyfriend, N., and me. I scheduled a PeaPod delivery with a 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. window, and it's here early! I jump out of bed but struggle to find a robe, while N. crankily tells me to grab the door. After three minutes of unnecessary tension, he gets out of bed and grabs the door himself. He asks me to leave out the groceries that don't need to be refrigerated so all the organizing doesn't make noise and keep him awake, since we live in a studio. I put the cold stuff away and hop back into bed until 6:30.
7 a.m. — N. is awake now, and I finish putting groceries away. I hop in the shower, go through my skincare routine, and toss on leggings with a tank top for work. I also pack N.'s lunch of beef and tomato soup. Then I hard-boil eight eggs from N.'s groceries, since he likes to take two with him to work every day. For myself, I spread crunchy peanut butter on toast and grab a still-green banana for breakfast.
7:30 a.m. — For some reason I really can't find any of my belongings today, so I'm stuck wearing three-quarter length leggings through the cold on my walk to work. I make a mental note to organize my closet to avoid frozen ankles in the future. I browse MealPal for my lunch today and decide on a beef and broccoli dish from a Chinese spot near work for 11:45 pick up.
11:30 a.m. — I run out to grab my meal and am pleased to see it's a hefty portion! MealPal lunches are sometimes skimpy on portion size since they're discounted, but not this place!
12:45 p.m. — I already feel queasy from the beef and broccoli. Something was definitely off with the meat. Before my next class, I run to Duane Reade to pick up Tums and ginger ale to soothe my tummy. I remind myself to never order from this restaurant again. $7.63
5 p.m. — I finish classes and text my friend, D., to cancel our drink plans for tonight. My stomach still feels off. Instead, I ask if she wants to come over and drink some Prosecco I have at home while I sip on tea. She agrees and let's me know she'll be over at 6:30.
5:45 p.m. — I'm home and cleaning up for D.'s arrival. I also text N. to let him know she'll be over, and he says he'll go grab drinks with his coworkers to give us some more girl time.
7 p.m. — When D. gets here, we chat and gossip and then turn on season two of Gossip Girl, our favorite season.
9:30 p.m. — N. gets home and greets D., and she heads out a few minutes after his arrival. He takes a shower while I make myself pasta with Alfredo sauce, steamed spinach, and breaded chicken. I ask N. if he wants some and he says, "No thanks, just ate," from the shower. Of course when he comes out he takes two bites, which ends up being half my chicken. I'm low-key annoyed, but not enough to mention it or make another piece, so I supplement my meal with a scoop of his chickpeas.
11 p.m. — Before bed, I stock up on some beauty supplies: Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation, Tarte Dollface Blush, a new blush brush, and a few lipsticks in my usual color, since I like to have three on hand — one for my purse, one for my work bag, and one for home. $124
11:30 p.m. — N. and I also book last-minute holiday travel to see his family. I use 30,000 miles to knock off $300 from the price and pay $450 for the remainder. I hate when N. opts for last-minute travel, but he apologizes and says he'll cover the full hotel cost. Works for me! We head to bed. $450
Daily Total: $581.63
Day Two
9 a.m. — I wake up later than usual today because I have a dermatology appointment this morning. I have mild eczema — but one area on my palm is being extra stubborn and has only gotten worse with the weather getting colder and dryer. I toss on my usual outfit of leggings and a tank top for class afterwards and head out of the house around 9:30.
10 a.m. — I get to the doctor's office, which is just a short 20-minute walk away from home. It's my first time with this doctor, so I hope it's worth my $50 co-pay. They make me pay upfront and ask if a training PA can sit in during my appointment, but I decline because I'm a little sensitive about my eczema. $50
10:30 a.m. — The doctor gives me a prescription for the same cream I've been using, but in a higher concentration. I use Capsule as my pharmacy, so my prescription pops up in the app. My portion of the cost is $6.16. I schedule to have it delivered tomorrow at work. $6.16
11:30 a.m. — I pick up my MealPal from Mulberry & Vine before heading into work. Today's meal is chicken thigh over rice, broccoli, and a cucumber-tomato salad. The portion looks tiny, but that's what you get for $6 I guess! I walk to work and eat really quickly before starting class.
5 p.m. — Done with work, so I head home. My mom calls me on my walk so we chat about life and I update her about my doctor's appointment. She also struggles with eczema, but she thinks all creams are a scam and that I'm wasting money by going to a doctor. She says she's tried everything in the books and the only thing that's ever worked for her was avoiding irritants like chlorine, salt water, and dish soap. I take her advice with a grain of salt and thank her for her input, but my irritant seems to be sweat, which isn't very avoidable with an active job like mine.
6 p.m. — I clean up before N. gets home. Tonight we're planning our holiday budget as well as our 2019 financial goals, since we want to develop a "future us fund." (We're not officially engaged, but we have a long way to go savings-wise and we might as well start now.) I look through the Mint app to see what's reasonable for me. The app tells me I underspent this month compared to last month, but little does Mint know my holiday shopping hasn't even started yet!
7:30 p.m. — I run to the liquor store two doors down and pick up some tequila to make margaritas, and N. Venmos me for it since he insisted on the cocktails to make our finance chat less of a chore.
8:30 p.m. — N. unpacks some pre-made guacamole he bought from Whole Foods on the way home and I grab chips we have in the pantry. We sit and start mapping out our goals.
10:30 p.m. — For our holiday spending, we agreed on the following: $400 joint gift to his parents, for which I'll contribute $125, and a $120 gift for my parents, which we'll split down the middle. (His parents are a little more gift-oriented than mine are.) N. also says he'll bring some flowers and an assortment of loose-leaf teas for my parents, which he will cover. For our more general 2019 goals, I plan to try and put away $200 a month for future us. He'll try to put away $500. We will each put this money in our own separate bank accounts that do not have joint access. So far, I have about $400 in a "future us" fund, while he has $3,000. My portion is in my checking account, but I transfer it to my high-yield savings for the extra 2%.
12 a.m. — N. has been trying to get me into The Handmaid's Tale, so I try to sit through episode one for the fourth time now, but I really just can't maintain interest. I fall asleep with the TV on.
Daily Total: $56.16
Day Three
4 a.m. — I wake up to this banging/clanking noise our heater makes sometimes. I've been meaning to speak to management about it for weeks now, but I just haven't gotten around to it. I debate taking melatonin but it'll just mess me up, so I browse BuzzFeed until 5:30 when I finally feel my eyes getting tired again.
7 a.m. — I'm awake and exhausted, so I make extra coffee and drink half of a 5-hour Energy. I take a shower and watch Project Runway reruns on Hulu while N. also gets ready to start his day. I pack him his portion of beef tomato soup again and ask if he wants to have dinner in or out tonight. He mentions he wants to go to iPic Theaters at South Street Seaport, which has a full dining experience, so we plan to meet there to see Bohemian Rhapsody. I grab a snack-pack of baked crunchy Cheetos from the pantry for a snack and head to work.
7:45 a.m. — On my walk, I scroll through MealPal to pick my lunch for today. I choose a falafel wrap from a place I've never tried before. I reserve it for 11:45 pick up.
11:30 a.m. — On my way to pick up lunch, I check my bank account to see if my wire transfer to my Vanguard Roth IRA went through yet, but it hasn't. I wonder if it's even worth having a Vanguard account with my income, but I might as well.
12 p.m. — My falafel wrap is surprisingly good, considering it's half cold now! I spend the rest of my break browsing Instagram. I see that my childhood friend moved in with her boyfriend recently and made a really cute post about it. I congratulate her and tell her we need to plan a visit soon. I wrap up my break and get back to work.
6 p.m. — I'm lingering at work even though my day is over because I have some time to kill before meeting my boyfriend at the movies. I hang out with some other instructors and we plan to do a Secret Santa. We all join a group chat on WhatsApp and one person takes the lead and sets up the exchange on a Secret Santa generating website. We put a $40 max on gifts.
8 p.m. — I'm at the movies waiting for my boyfriend but he hasn't texted me since 3 p.m., so I worry he's going to be late. After about 10 minutes past our meeting time, he lets me know he's on his way and asks me to buy tickets so we can reserve seats in the dining area. I'm surprised to see how expensive it is! $16 plus a $14 "VIP fee" to be seated in the dining area per ticket, and we still have to purchase our own food and drinks. I pay $60 for us both (he'll pay me back) and keep N.'s ticket at the booth waiting for him.
8:20 p.m. — N. makes it right as the film is starting. I've already ordered us two cocktails, beef sliders, pizza, and truffle fries, so we cheers with our margaritas and wait for our food, which is actually pretty good! Exceeds my expectations. When the movie is over, N. picks up the bill for our food and Venmos me for the movie tickets. We walk around the Seaport for a little and head home.
11 p.m. — N. has a sweet tooth and asks me if I want anything from Insomnia Cookies. I'm ready to go to bed so I decline, but he orders for himself and stays up watching The Handmaid's Tale.
1:30 a.m. — Our doorbell won't stop ringing! Turns out the cookies never made it and are just NOW getting delivered. My boyfriend already received a refund from Seamless but he takes the cookies anyway and tips the delivery guy in cash. He puts the cookies in the fridge and comes back to bed.
Daily Total: $0
Day Four
7 a.m. — I'm so relieved it's Thursday. I go through my usual morning routine and use my new eczema cream. I pack my boyfriend's lunch but we're out of his soup, so I instead boil him two eggs while he gets ready and make him a salad with grilled chicken from his groceries. I slab some crunchy peanut butter on toast and eat as I get ready.
7:30 a.m. — I chat on the phone with my dad on my walk to work. He updates me on his upcoming vacations and asks if I want to join him for a trip to Arizona in the new year. I decline because I can't take more time off work, but thank him for the invite. Today's MealPal is a buffalo chicken wrap from Just Salad at my usual 11:45 pick up time.
11:30 a.m. — Heading out to grab lunch! I also do my usual notification checking – looks like my Vanguard transfer of $400 went through. I make a mental note to hop on the website later to actually buy into a retirement fund. Heads up to anyone who's opening an account with Vanguard for the first time: unless you actively BUY funds, the money is in a "settlement fund," which is essentially a savings account and NOT in the market. My friend spent three years contributing only to realize none of her money was actually invested, so bless her heart for giving me a heads up!
5:30 p.m. — Done with classes for the day, and honestly, I'm ready for a nap. I go straight home and to sleep.
7 p.m. — N. unintentionally wakes me up when he comes home. I ask him if he wants to go see the tree and the holiday store displays tonight, and he's up for it. We search OpenTable to find a restaurant in the area and choose Bann, a Korean BBQ spot, even though it's farther west than expected. I offer to treat him to dinner tonight since this isn't his first choice but is one of my favorites.
8 p.m. — The Saks display this year is STUNNING as usual, but I think I liked last year's more with Snow White. I love the holiday season. It's so easy to only see NYC as concrete on concrete on concrete, but these displays are so so cheerful and a nice break from the every day. And Bann is a GREAT choice. We order steamed chicken buns, scallion pancakes, beef, short rib stew, and crispy chicken wings to share. Plus a couple drinks. N. offers to pay, but I don't let him. He says his bourbon drinks upped the bill a lot, though, and that he insisted on getting so many things for us to try, so we end up splitting it down the middle. We go home and head straight to bed. $77.50
Daily Total: $77.50
Day Five
10 a.m. — I don't teach morning classes on Fridays, so I sleep in until 9:30. Then I take a bath with Lush bath bombs that were gifted to me a couple months ago and I set my laptop up on the toilet seat so I can finish my Project Runway season while in the tub.
12 p.m. — No MealPal for me today. I make an egg scramble with grilled chicken, spinach, and pepper jack cheese in a wrap. I also grab a cherry lime Ice drink from the fridge and browse @fomofeed on Instagram to see if there's anything cool happening this weekend. I make a note to touch base with some friends who I've unfortunately kind of lost touch with since moving in with my boyfriend. I really need to nourish my friendships, even if it means spending less time with N.
2 p.m. — On my way to my afternoon class, I browse Spotify for a new podcast. I finished all my favorites, so I try My Favorite Murder, but I don't like it. My go-to was Planet Money and I also like The Daily, but I wish it wasn't ALWAYS centered on politics. There are many other American issues besides Mueller and Trump.
6 p.m. — Done with work! N. left work early today, so I find him when I get home. He told management about the noise from the heating pipes, and they are bringing in maintenance to look at it tomorrow between 10 and and noon. I run some laundry and tell N. I want to do something new and fun tonight, since my day-to-day has been feeling stale. We plan to have one of those drunken college nights, and he runs out to grab some vodka for shots. We bought tickets online for a DJ at Marquee and note we have to get there before midnight to avoid an absurd cover fee. We each pay for our own tickets. $30
8 p.m. — We start pregaming to get a buzz and get dressed for a night out. I get to wear a dress I haven't worn in ages, which I'm very excited about. I do my makeup, too. Four drinks later, I think I'm good to go!
9:30 p.m. — We go to a bar down the block and invite some friends to join. One other couple comes and we have some drinks before heading to Marquee around 11:15. I pick up the tab for M. and me. $42
1:30 a.m. — I remember why I hate Marquee! It's SO packed and hot and sticky. We end up leaving before the headliner DJ even comes on and instead head to get dinner at L'Express, a 24-hour restaurant that serves amazing mac and cheese after midnight. We finish up around 4 a.m. and the boys split the bill. We head home with happy tummies, ready for bed.
Daily Total: $72
Day Six
10 a.m. — Maintenance wakes us up at 10 on the dot. N. lets them in and we're both embarrassed at the mess in our apartment. I continue to sleep with my face in the pillow until maintenance finishes up.
2 p.m. — I'm officially awake but don't feel like doing anything, so I binge I Feel Bad on Hulu. N. is at Bloomingdale's returning a shirt.
3 p.m. — N. texts asking if I'm a medium or large in winter gloves, since he says there's a good sale and my current pair doesn't have the touch screen capability. I tell him I'm not sure, and to use his best judgement.
6 p.m. — N. gets home with bags from both Bloomingdale's and Whole Foods. I try on the gloves he bought, and they fit perfectly. I thank him and ask him how much to Venmo him, but he says they're his treat. I help him unload his Whole Foods bags, which consist of mostly produce.
8 p.m. — We order food in tonight, since we both still feel beat from yesterday. We use Uber Eats to get Mexican food delivered from one of our favorite spots, and we order guacamole, tacos, and a steak quesadilla with tres leches cake for dessert. I Venmo him $25 for my portion. $25
10 p.m. — I buy a new bath mat on Amazon since ours is getting pretty raggedy. I also order some tape, lint rollers, and scissors. Nothing exciting tonight, and we're in bed by midnight. $35
Daily Total: $60
Day Seven
10 a.m. — N. and I are up and running, doing our own things. I received my Secret Santa match, so I browse Amazon for a gift and decide on slippers, a book off her wishlist, and a couple candles, which puts me $2 below the $40 max. After, I make a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato and a side of chicken noodle soup. I also have a bag of baked crunchy Cheetos on the side. $38
2 p.m. — I do some online shopping and buy four new dresses and a cardigan on sale (with free shipping). $156
3 p.m. — I browse online for a Christmas present for N. He and I set a $50 max on gifts, but agreed to splurge on an experience that we'll decide on together. I buy him some cologne, exceeding the $50 max by $35, but his is running low. Plus I know he'll actually use it! Then I follow a pulled pork Crock-Pot recipe to make for N.'s lunches this week. $85
5 p.m. — N. wants to go to the gym and asks me if I want to join him. I say no, but we plan to meet for a casual bite after he finishes around 7:30.
8 p.m. — We grab dinner at Root & Bone for some fried chicken, mac and cheese, and biscuits to share. N. pays.
9:30 p.m. — I'm in the mood for dessert so we Lyft ($6) to Spot Dessert Bar, where we share the Golden Toast and Coconut Monkeybread, both of which are amazing ($19). I pay for both the Lyft and the dessert. $25
11 p.m. — N. orders us a Lyft home. I portion out N.'s pulled pork lunches, he thanks me, and we get ready for bed.
Daily Total: $304
Money Diaries are meant to reflect individual women's experiences and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29's point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.
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It's easy to feel overwhelmed shopping on Amazon. Not that we don't do it all the time (because free two-day shipping is the bomb), but you can't help but let out a heavy groan when you realize you're almost out of an essential — say, shampoo — and a simple Prime search pulls up 351pages of what seems like every bottle ever made.
Fret not, because we're here to help. After skimming through thousands of handmade soaps and razor-refill boxes, we compiled the best beauty deals available on Amazon right now. From best-selling makeup, like a six-pack of Stila Glitter & Glow eyeshadows, to just-can't-beat-it deals, like $50 off a high-end hairdryer, we've got every winter beauty essential to add to your first (or second, or third...) Prime order of the year.
Scroll through all the goods ahead, and add them straight to your cart, zero filtering required.
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.
Stila's Glitter & Glow eyeshadow is arguably the world's best liquid shadow if you're looking for a shimmery lid that will stay put all night long (trust us, Beyoncé's makeup artist uses it). So when you can get a six-pack of the most wearable glitter shades for $31.50 — well, you go right ahead and do it.
Stila stila Eye Shadow Set, $31.5, available at Amazon
If you're looking for a blush to add a hint of warmth to your cheekbones during the dry season, consider grabbing this best-selling marbled-peach compact by Laura Geller.
Laura Geller Laura Geller New York Baked Blush, $22.4, available at Amazon
Upgrade your body lotion to something a tad fancier-smelling than whatever you grabbed at Target last month — like this classic citrusy body butter, which is just $9 for limited time.
Bliss Body Butter — Lemon & Sage, $9.99, available at Amazon
If you haven't tried R+Co's chic, trendy hair products — like the innovative dry-shampoo mist or salt spray — you can get your first taste of the brand by grabbing the fan-favorite thickening shampoo, which is on sale right now.
R+Co R+Co Dallas Thickening Shampoo, $24, available at Amazon
The sparkly manicure isn't going out of style any time soon, which means that now is the perfect time to grab Essie's best-selling rose-gold shimmer polish while it's on sale for just $6.
Essie Luxeffects Nail Polish in A Cut Above, $6.75, available at Amazon
If there was ever a time to invest in a good blow dryer, it's right now, while you can nab the high-end T3 pro dryer for $50 off retail.
T3 Cura Hair Dryer Digital Ionic Professional Blow Dryer , $152.15, available at Amazon Fashion
If you suffer from scalp dryness or just have blonde highlights that are fading fast, this gentle, anti-yellow shampoo will become your new go-to. It's formulated with soothing vitamins — and without harsh silicones and parabens — that'll offer instant relief while protecting your color.
Klorane Anti -Yellowing Shampoo with Centaury for Blonde, $12.5, available at Amazon
If you've been shopping around for a hair tool that will give you soft beach waves, this snazzy styler is a great option. The spin feature twirls your hair into loose curls, which means no contorting your fingers around a hot barrel.
Chi Air Spin N Curl 1 Inch Ceramic Rotating Curler, $99.99, available at Amazon
If you've been debating upgrading to a fancy electric toothbrush — to show off a pearly white smile in the new year — let this 30% off sale be the push you need to treat yourself.
Philips Sonicare plaque control rechargeable electric toothbrush, $45, available at Amazon
A winner of this year's Refinery29 Beauty Innovator Awards, this idiot-proof bi-directional razor is just $5 and change when you grab it on Amazon right now. That's 70% below its retail price.
Schick Schick Intuition f.a.b. Razor, $5.15, available at Amazon
You can't go wrong picking up a discounted bottle of this happy pink nail polish for when your holiday manicure inevitably chips.
Essie essie nail polish, cascade cool, pink nail polish, $7.69, available at Amazon
If you love scented lotions, you'll want to grab The Body Shop's best-selling strawberry body butter two-pack — including a small and jumbo size — for just $4 this week.
The Body Shop Strawberry Festive Bauble Gift Set [Strawberry], $4.91, available at Amazon
If you're always running out of moisturizer and you're partial to a refreshing gel-cream texture that melts into your skin (as opposed to anything white and heavy), this $11 two-pack was made for you.
Garnier Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Face Moisturizer, $11.98, available at Amazon
Throw away all those scrubs that leave grimy coffee-grounds residue along the rim of your bathtub, and replace them with this little glass jar packed with pink Himalayan sea salt. It sloughs away dead skin, smells like aromatherapy and sugared almonds, and requires zero clean-up, to boot.
Majestic Pure Himalayan Salt Body Scrub with Lychee Essential Oil, $13.98, available at Amazon
Whether you're going for a dramatic cat-eye or a sexy, smudged kitten flick, this felt-tip liquid liner delivers, which is why it's the #1 new release in Amazon's eyeliner product category.
Maybelline Eyestudio Master Precise All Day Liquid Eyeliner, $5.99, available at Amazon
Typically, this luxe night cream (or night balm, rather) retails for $19.99 — and that's honestly a steal, as it's packed with nourishing Manuka honey, which leaves skin softer, firmer, and plumper over time. Buy it on Prime and the price drops to just $13.
L'Oreal Paris Night Balm Face Moisturizer with Manuka Honey, $13.3, available at Amazon
Curious about face mask sticks? This charcoal one is just as effective as a regular potted clay mask, minus the crusty mess that comes with application.
Olay Clay Charcoal Facial Mask Stick, $9.94, available at Amazon
More than 600 Amazon shoppers have reviewed the Color Wow Dream Coat — a color-protecting spray that cuts the frizz out of dry, damaged hair — and most everyone gives it five bright-yellow stars.
Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray, $28, available at Amazon
Lash-boosting serums can be pricey — we're talking around $50 or so — and we're willing to splurge for naturally long, fluttery lashes. But now you can reap the benefits of stronger, shinier, healthier eyelashes for the same price as a tube of Great Lash mascara from CVS.
Maybelline Lash Sensational Boosting Eyelash Serum, $9.48, available at Amazon
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Sarah Huckabee Sanders has once again been tasked with the impossible: defending Trump's temper tantrum nonsensical border wall while millions of people are affected by the government shutdown caused by his temper tantrum insistence on the border wall. And once again, she outdid herself.
But on Sunday, while interviewing Sanders, Fox' Chris Wallace didn't let her get away with defending the wall at any cost and claiming that terrorists pour into the U.S. over the Mexican border. And when Fox News fact-checks you and calls you out on a lie...you know you're in trouble.
"We know that roughly, nearly 4,000 known or suspected terrorists come into our country illegally, and we know that our most vulnerable point of entry is at our Southern border," she told Wallace. It's the perfect example of pulling the wool over Fox News' watchers' eyes, hoping they won't notice that your facts don't exactly support your argument.
Wallace pointed out that those 4,000 people were captured mainly in airports, and that the State Department has said there is "no credible evidence" of any terrorist coming across the border from Mexico. The data Sanders is referring to comes from a Department of Homeland Security report from 2017 detailing how 3,775 known or suspected terrorists were prevented from "traveling to or entering the United States" because their names matched those on a terrorist watchlist. That's not the same as pouring over the Southern border.
Justice Department records and counterterrorism officials confirm that in recent years, no person — that's zero — has been arrested on terrorism charges at the U.S.-Mexico border. In fact, apprehensions at the border have plummeted from over 1.6 million in 2000, to around 300,000 in 2017.
But the White House has been using this fear mongering strategy to scare people into supporting the wall, which has at least partially worked.
To Wallace's challenge, Sanders responded, "Not always, but certainly a large number. ... It's by air, it's by land, and it's by sea. It's all of the above." Then she repeats the "most vulnerable point" statement.
Of course Sanders tried to talk herself out of being caught in a lie — she does that on behalf of her boss on a regular basis. But it's how she did it this time that was really interesting, according to Patti Wood, a body language expert and author of Snap: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma.
"What is startling to me, as I have been reading her nonverbal behavior for quite a long time now, is that after she says 'not always' and knows she is truly caught lying around second 37 [of the video], she looks like a sad little girl," Wood told Refinery29. "Truly surprising. First she purses her lips to Chris Wallace, I believe because she can’t believe he did this and she is trying to hold in that surprise. Then her face collapses with a downward turn of the lips and asymmetrical, turned-down eyebrows. You can see she wanted in that moment to cry. But she recovers very quickly, repeating the statement that was just shot down as if it didn’t happen."
Sanders just handed the president's opponents yet another argument against his cruel, dragged-out shutdown. If the goal were truly to make the country safer, start with airports. And considering that TSA agents are being forced to go without pay, so many of them are calling in sick rather than working for free (can't blame them), it doesn't sound like that's happening.
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Everything in life circles back eventually — this we all know — but to be honest, we did not see this one coming: the return of hair bows. On both runways and red carpets, celebrities, models, and even royalty alike are finishing off their updos and blowouts with long strands of satin, velvet, and grosgrain fabric.
And unlike designer headbands or nameplate barrettes, these accessories will only set you back a few cents. Even better, they require almost no effort: Just slip one around your ponytail like Kate Middleton, or use one to tie off your French braid like Emily Ratajkowski. The messier and more imperfect it is, the cooler it will look.
Check out our favorite ways to wear the trend, ahead.
Lili Reinhart
Although Reinhart is not her Riverdale character, the actress' simple black bow (on a ponytail, no less) is the kind of red-carpet style Betty Cooper would definitely approve of.
Although most actresses opted for diamond-embossed pins and expensive crystal clips, Chastain kept her Golden Globes look effortlessly chic with a thin black ribbon for the red carpet.
Photo: Kevork Djansezian/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank.
Kate Middleton
Even the Duchess of Cambridge is on the bow bandwagon. She was spotted at a memorial service with her strands tied in a loose ponytail and topped with a black velvet ribbon.
Photo: Karwai Tang/WireImage.
Emma Stone
Hairstylist Mara Roszak says that Stone's wavy ponytail may just be her favorite style on the star, and we have to agree.
Storm Reid
Hairstylist Nai'vasha Johnson accented her client's box braids with two suede bows.
Photo: Via @naivashaintl.
Christina Hendricks
The Good Girls star stepped out on the red carpet rocking her signature bangs with a peek-a-boo bow to boot.
Photo: Christopher Polk/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images.
Mandy Moore
Moore is a woman who loves a good hair accessory — or perhaps it's just her go-to hairstylist, Ashley Streicher, who pins them on when she's not looking.
Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images.
Margot Robbie
Thanks to hairstylist Bryce Scarlett, Robbie stunned the A-list crowd at the Critics' Choice Awards with a free-flowing velvet ribbon.
Photo: JEAN-BAPTISTE LACROIX/AFP/Getty Images.
Millie Bobby Brown
To bring some romance to her space buns, Brown tied two black ribbons around each one.
Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.
Maria Menounos
Menounos accessorized her braided bun with a black silk ribbon for the Oscars red carpet.
Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images.
Emily Ratajkowski
Ratajkowski finished off her messy, I-literally-woke-up-like-this ponytail with a wine-red ribbon that matched her gown.
Photo: J. Merritt/Getty Images.
London Fashion Week 2017
Who said grosgrain has to be girly? During London Fashion Week, a model added a feminine touch to her braids with a coordinating ribbon.
Photo: Christian Vierig/Getty Images.
Tory Burch F/W 2017
Models rocked a center part and a few loose tendrils with their ribbon-tied ponytails.
Photo: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Tory Burch.
Sienna Miller
Miller went for two classics at the Golden Globes: a black bow atop her high pony and a strand of pearls.
Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.
Temperley London F/W 2017
Want to combine two trends at once? Tie a ribbon over your head like a headband. It's easy, cute, and can even hide greasy roots.
Photo: Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images.
Riley Keough
Talk about fast fashion! Keough's glam squad Postmated the fabric used for her bow just in time to send her off to the Golden Globes, according to Vogue.
Photo: Lester Cohen/WireImage.
Marchesa F/W 2017
Marchesa also sent its models down the runway with big bows, glowing skin, and natural-looking brows.
For her first Golden Globes appearance, hairstylist Ryan Richman paired the Stranger Things actress' simple ponytail with the trend of the night: a black ribbon.
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The second week of January is usually where New Year's resolutions go to die, but if your "new year, new me" goals involved developing better skin-care habits (ours surely did), you're in luck: Ulta Beauty is doing you a solid when it comes to sticking to your game plan.
Whether you want to be better about washing your face every night or finally tackle your lingering hyperpigmentation by summer, the beauty giant has unveiled a massive sale that features daily deals on your favorite skin-care brands to encourage you to do just that. And when we said massive, we meant it: Ulta Beauty is offering a full 50% off on multiple products for nearly three full weeks, with new products getting their prices slashed every day.
The Love Your Skin Event officially kicked off yesterday, January 6th, online and in stores, and runs through the 26th. From under-eye creams to acne cleansers, there's something for every skin concern — so be sure to check out the steals that will help you stay on top of your skin-care A-game in 2019, 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.
Monday, January 7
Proactiv is so hot right now, thanks in part to Kendall Jenner signing on as its latest ambassador. If you want to find out if the products actually live up to the model's praise — or just need a restock on the long-time fave — this gentle cleanser is 50% off right now.
Proactiv Deep Cleansing Face Wash, $15, available at Ulta Beauty
Tuesday, January 8
Vowing to take your makeup off before bed every single night is a commitment. Look (a little more) forward to actually wiping away waterproof eye makeup with this best-selling formula, which will set you back less than $20.
Lancôme Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover, $30, available at Ulta Beauty
Wednesday, January 9
Dry winter skin is upon us, so let it be the least of your worries with this jumbo-sized bottle of aloe vera-infused body lotion. You'll stay hydrated through the season and beyond.
AHAVA Mineral Body Lotion-Limited Edition Triple Size, $56, available at Ulta Beauty
Thursday, January 10
If you've been bitten by the Marie Kondo bug, it's time to invest in some multitaskers to help save room on your bathroom shelves. This oil serves as a makeup remover, moisturizing oil for hair and skin, and a silky makeup primer.
Kopari Beauty Save Face Oil, $44, available at Ulta Beauty
Friday, January 11
Sure, you look well-rested now, but once your good post-holiday feeling wears off, you'll need to add eye creams to your regimen without breaking the bank. This brightening cream, which will go from $34 to $17, promises to fade dark circles and fine lines.
Benefit Cosmetics It's Potent Eye Cream, $34, available at Ulta Beauty
Saturday, January 12
If your skin concerns involve dark spots or uneven tone, great news: This brightening serum is also part of the sale this weekend.
Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum, $72, available at Ulta Beauty
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Imagine you’re going to be a contestant on TheBachelor. (Just go with us here.) Now, we know you’re here for the right reasons, of course. But that doesn’t mean you’re not a little nervous about appearing on TV in front of millions of viewers — viewers who are going to dissect (and, sadly, hate-tweet) your every move, makeup malfunction, and bad hair day.
And it's the worst for the women who appear on The Bachelor franchise. We already know that they spend way more than men to compete in the series, and a large chunk of that comes down to some seriously intense beauty prep and maintenance. And while such unrealistic beauty standards may seem outdated, so does the idea of competing with 25 women to win the heart of a mediocre-at-best man. But, hey, we keep watching it.
We decided to consult some of our favorite former Bachelor contestants to find out exactly what they did and just how much they spent — from the cocktail parties to paradise. (Spoiler alert: It's even crazier than you'd think.)
The Prep “What didn’t I do before I left for the show?” exclaims former contestant Whitney Bischoff, who made it all the way on her season, getting engaged to (and later breaking it off with) Iowa farmer Chris Soules. “I got highlights, lash extensions, a gel manicure, and a supply of high-definition makeup... But I had the most anxiety about how I was going to go without my weekly spray tans. After my farewell spray tan, I bought about four bottles of St. Tropez.”
Ashley Iaconetti — the Kardashian-lookalike who was also on Chris’ season, as well as Bachelor In Paradise — went into her episodes equally prepared. “I threaded my entire face and got lash extensions. You have to make sure they’re really glued on and that they have more density to them than normal,” she says. “And then, of course, my nails, a HydraFacial, and fresh Botox.”
But perhaps no one is better prepared beauty-wise than a contestant making her third appearance on a Bachelor franchise. Jaclyn Swartz, who followed up her time on Ben Flajnik’s season with stints on Bachelor Pad and Bachelor In Paradise, started out a minimalist. “For TheBachelor, I really didn't do much — I cared more about my clothes,” she says. “Didn't pencil in my eyebrows. Didn't know how to use a curling iron. Thought fake lashes were trashy. Never used foundation, primer, concealer, or setting powder. That all changed when I saw myself on TV. You bet your ass I learned how to do makeup immediately.”
Four years later, Swartz seriously upped her game for her time on Paradise. “I invested in lash extensions, a personal trainer five days a week for the eight weeks leading up to the show, dermaplaning — which I swear by — and a fresh head of blonde,” she says. “I also waxed, brought way more makeup, and embraced makeup trends like contouring.”
Photo Courtesy of ABC
Packing List Let’s just say that showing up with one measly, travel-size cosmetics bag is an amateur move. The truly devoted bring beauty luggage. “I brought a duffel bag full of toiletries, and then a huge makeup suitcase,” says Ashley I. Others were even more legendary. “Emily Maynard showed up to the house with trunks of stuff,” recalls Ashley Spivey, a contestant on Brad Womack’s season. “They tell you that you are allowed two to three suitcases total, but I brought six,” says Jaclyn.
And while that may seem extreme, it makes more sense when you consider that these women are veritable prisoners for weeks on end (prisoners in a luxe Malibu mansion, but still). There are no Amazon Prime orders or field trips to the mall if you run out of concealer or shampoo. That said, the women report that you can slip some cash to a kindhearted production assistant to run an errand for you — within reason. “If you run out of deodorant, no big. But brow pencil? You’re screwed! They definitely aren't running to a Sephora,” says Jaclyn. “I was so paranoid about running out of my brow pencil in Mexico that I brought four just in case.”
Price Tags All of that doesn't come cheap. Most of the women say it’s easy to drop $1,000 on beauty-related expenses alone before filming even starts. And that’s a fairly conservative estimate. When you add up all the salon appointments, workout classes, mass product stock-ups, and everything else, Jaclyn estimates her glam total was more like $5,000. “Equinox is expensive, man,” she says.
The wallet-busting expenses are extra-frustrating considering this is hardly a burden shared by dudes when the tables are turned on Bachelorette seasons. “The guys don’t have to do anything, and they don’t have to spend money on anything beauty-related,” says Ashley I.
Swag Galore But being a contestant does come with some serious perks. “When you make it past the first night on The Bachelor, you get a surprise swag bag,” says Jaclyn. “It was full of bathing suits, OPI nail polishes, makeup, Kai products, Rich & Skinny jeans, Wildfox tees, and the Sultra Bombshell wand, which I still use to this day and am obsessed with. It creates the most perfect waves.”
But perhaps the best beauty gift contestants get is the kick-ass professional lighting. “The lighting on TheBachelor is really great and makes you need a lot less makeup than you think you do,” says Ashley I. “Their lighting team does the most fantastic job in the entire world. They make us all look airbrushed.”
Bathroom Politics Simply put, sharing the bathroom sucks. There are only four showers in the entire mansion, although one has two showerheads, so the ladies would occasionally double up. “When there are that many girls and not a lot of time or space, desperate times call for desperate measures,” says Whitney.
And while the lighting used for filming may be fantastic, the bathroom lighting is notoriously crappy. “You have bad lighting in the mansion, for sure, and there’s, like, seven mirrors in the entire place,” says Ashley I. “I used a little mirror outside on the balcony for natural light. I liked my alone time and not having to fight for a mirror.” (Many women told us that a lighted makeup mirror is the must-have beauty item to bring to the mansion.)
To top it all off, it’s hot AF in there. “There is no AC in the mansion, because of sound quality, and it was super-hot when we were there,” says Ashley S. “Couple that with 25 girls using their blowdryers and hair tools and the production lighting, and I was a sweaty, greasy mess all of the time.”
Photo: Rick Rowell/ABC.
The Day-To-Day With the 24-7 possibility of being filmed — even while lounging around the house — many of the women felt pressure to be constantly camera-ready. “I did my hair more times in that eight to nine weeks than I have in my entire life — I am still dealing with the damage I did to it,” says Whitney. “And, of course, knowing you are going to be on national television, anytime you passed a mirror, you would do a double take, hair check, quick powder, and reapply your lipstick.”
Others took a more relaxed approach. “In the mansion, I didn’t care if I went the entire day without foundation or makeup, because [Chris] wasn’t there all the time,” says Ashley I. “I thought, Am I going to be devastated for America to see me without makeup on?Not really.” Ashley S. had a similar experience. “I did full hair and makeup for about three days before I gave up,” she says. “Some mornings, you get up so early or you are so hungover that you don't care one bit what all of America will think about your morning face. I regretted this decision later.”
Beauty Fails With so much primping and camera time, there are bound to be a few lessons learned. Take lash extensions. They’re everything on TV. But they don’t last forever — and certainly not all the way to the final four. “The only beauty emergency I’ve had on the show is lashes,” says Ashley I. “In Paradise, with the humidity, the constant sweating, the saltwater, and the pool water, they fall off way quicker than they would at home.” The secret, she says, is to pack extra false-lash strips for when the extensions start to fall out. That, or pay a P.A. to run out and get you a box — or 20 — of them. “I basically bought the entire store out of falsies once my lash extensions started to fall out,” says Whitney.
Bronzed skin can be risky business, too. “I had a week off before I flew to Bali, so I went to a spray-tan booth in L.A. Huge mistake,” says Whitney. “I looked like an orange crayon.”
Beauty Bonding Yet despite the heat, the lack of mirrors, and the whole dating-the-same-dude thing, apparently all was forgiven when it came to beauty. The contestants may not like sharing a potential future fiancé, but when it comes to getting ready, most are more than happy to share their products — and their skills. “Almost every girl on my season was more than generous with makeup, clothes, and hair products,” says Ashley S. “Michelle Money was basically doing every girl's hair, every rose ceremony. She and Emily taught me so much. I can never repay them for all the hair tricks, tanning tips, and good makeup they let me use.”
Contestants from other seasons had similar experiences. “The other girls borrowed my contour tools, specifically the Smashbox contouring sticks,” says Ashley I. “And I’m definitely a makeup girl, so other girls would ask me for help. I remember contouring Jillian, and doing Whitney’s and Mackenzie’s brows.” Luckily, others returned the favor. “I’m not very good with my hair,” Ashley I. says. “So if I needed help with my clip-in extensions — they’re good for updos for rose ceremonies — other girls were there to help me. They did braids and really high, [Princess] Jasmine-like ponytails, incorporating my extensions, for me."
Of course, that benevolence didn't always come across in the final edits. “For the one-on-one date I went on with Ed, I had 20 minutes to get ready,” says Jaclyn. “Thank god Blakeley helped me with my makeup. And this was after I called her an old lady and a psycho in an interview.”
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If you were a child or teen of the '90s there's a very good chance that at one point in your life you were seen wearing those tiny butterfly hair clips. Now, two decades later, this beloved trend is making a comeback and barrettes and hair clips have started popping up on the heads of your favorite Instagrammers (we see you, Alyssa!) and fashion people. But instead of running to Claire's like you did in the past to restock on clips (a moment of silence for all of the hair ties, bobby pins, and hair accessories that went missing in the world — they are lost but not forgotten) you can now head to your favorite fashion destinations to get in on the barrette revival.
From a 6-pack of hair clips that retail for under $4 to super-luxe statement hair clips from Versace, there's something for everyone to add to their hair arsenal. It's the perfect solution to making your bedhead look slightly more tamed or to add some quirk to a super-sleek ponytail. Once you start collecting them, you won't be able to stop.
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New year, new food resolution. Whether your start to 2019 is all about eating more greens, honing a set of lackluster cooking chops, or just saving some extra dough by skipping weeknight takeout, having the right support is key. While the internet is an ever-flowing source of recipe inspiration, the endless searchable options out there can feel overwhelming — especially when specific and resolve-testing resolutions come into play. So, instead of blindly blog-searching, we're turning to the classic masters of recipe organization: cookbooks.
When your lunch-packing -every-day-for-an-entire-month willpower begins to weaken and wane, there's a cookbook out there with a game plan. When you feel like "healthy" snacks can't possibly branch past almonds and apples, there's a creative recipe collection waiting to show you the light. Ahead we've rounded up 11 curated-cooking guidebooks (along with a bonus recipe preview from each) to help you slay any new year, new food resolution — from fast and easy sheet pan suppers to surprisingly vegan comfort dishes, one-pot feasts, inventive breakfast bites, and much more.
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.
Best For: Lazy-Luxe Weeknight Dinners Rukmini Iyer has resolution menu plans covered with Dinner’s in the Oven. No lackluster bakes or boring roasts here, instead Iyer's recipes are the ideal mixture of fresh and comforting meals that only take one pan to make. From a baked avocado and chicken salad to a zesty watercress and savory salmon number, these winning dishes liven up predictable winter recipes with freshly creative twists.
Rukmini Iyer Dinner's in the Oven: Simple One-Pan Meals, $12.59, available at Amazon
Avocado & Chicken Salad With Pomegranates & Brown Rice Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients 1 1/2 cups brown rice 2 avocados 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 tsp red pepper flakes Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 tbsp olive oil Juice of 2 limes 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves Seeds of 2 pomegranates 1/2 lb. baby spinach, finely chopped
Instructions 1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Add the rice to a large pot of boiling salted water and simmer for 30 minutes, until the rice is cooked through but ever so slightly al dente, then drain in a sieve. Return the rice to the pot, cover, and allow to steam dry for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, halve the avocados and remove the pits, then place them face up in a roasting pan or large baking dish along with the chicken breasts, making sure everything is in one layer. Scatter over the red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with the olive oil. Mix everything briefly until well coated with the oil, then pop the roasting pan into the oven for 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
3. For the dressing, whisk together the lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, mint, and pomegranate seeds, then season with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. Remove the cooked chicken and avocados from the roasting pan and slice them, discarding the avocado skin. Add the cooked rice to the pan along with half of the dressing and all of the spinach, and mix them well with the chile oil left in the pan. Lay the avocado on top of the cooked chicken, drizzle the remaining dressing, and serve.
Reprinted from Dinner’s in the Oven by Rukmini Iyer with permission by Chronicle Books, 2018.
Rukmini Iyer Dinner's in the Oven: Simple One-Pan Meals, $12.59, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of David Loftus.
Best For: Hearty Cravings On A Chilly Day Vanessa Croessmann's aptly-named cookbook, Awesome Vegan Soups, prove that meat and dairy-free soups can still be hearty winter feasts with 80 filling, comfort-quality recipes. We're talking about the kinds of dishes that are just begging to be whipped up during these next few chilly months, from creamy butternut squash bisques to chunky sweet potato chilis and more.
Vanessa Croessmann Awesome Vegan Soups, $14.57, available at Amazon
Sweet Potato Chili Makes 3 qts
Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large yellow onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced ⅛ cup paprika 2 tsp cayenne pepper, optional 1 tbsp ground cumin 1 tbsp dried oregano 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp salt 1 green bell pepper, diced, plus more for garnish 1 lb. chopped sweet potatoes 3 Roma tomatoes, diced 4 cups tomato purée 4 cups water Vegan sour cream Fresh cilantro Chili peppers Chives Scallions Avocado, sliced
Instructions 1. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until it begins to soften. Add the garlic, spices, salt, bell pepper and sweet potatoes and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato purée and water to the stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low-medium and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until the chili thickens and the sweet potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork. Season the soup with more salt to taste.
3. Serve the chili hot with your favorite chili toppings such as sour cream, fresh cilantro, chili peppers, chives, scallions and avocado.
Recipes excerpted from Awesome Vegan Soups by Vanessa Croessmann, Page Street Publishing Co. 2017.
Vanessa Croessmann Awesome Vegan Soups, $14.57, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Vanessa Croessmann.
Best For: GOOD Gluten-Free Lunches Lindsay Cotter's Nourishing Superfood Bowls tackles easy-to-assemble, inventive recipes that are big on flavor and gluten-free — with everything from packed power green goddess salads to a healthy sweet potato nacho number, Cotter's bowl creations are winter comfort food at its freshest.
Lindsay Cotter Nourishing Superfood Bowls, $14.57, available at Amazon
Loaded Sweet Potato Nacho Salad Bowls Serves 2
Sweet Potato Chips 1 large sweet potato, sliced into thin chips 1 tbsp olive oil Pinch of fine sea salt or kosher salt Pinch of pepper ½ tsp garlic powder 1 oz. sliced aged cheddar
Bowls 3 cups greens 1 cup white cannellini or black beans, cooked and drained ½ large avocado, sliced
Toppings 1 jalapeño, sliced 1 green onion, green portion only, sliced ⅓ cup chopped or torn cilantro Avocado La Crema Sauce, optional Tabasco, optional Grated Parmesan cheese, optional Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or coat it well with cooking oil.
2. To make the sweet potato chips, toss the sweet potato slices with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
3. Place the sweet potato chips on the baking sheet, and arrange the cheese slices on top. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the edges of the sweet potatoes are crispy. Broil for the last few minutes for extra-crispy chips. Remove and let cool slightly.
4. For the bowls, divide the sweet potato chips evenly between the 2 serving bowls. Top with the greens, beans and avocado. Top each bowl with the jalapeño, green onions and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle on the avocado sauce, if desired, and Tabasco. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.
Reprinted with permission from Nourishing Superfood Bowls by Lindsay Cotter, Page Street Publishing Co. 2018.
Lindsay Cotter Nourishing Superfood Bowls, $14.57, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Lindsay Cotter.
Best For: Comfort Food Short-Cuts Melissa Clark's Dinner In An Instant(punny!), teaches us how to turn nourishing winter food feats into easy workweek feasts with the press of a button — from savory morning frittatas to chicken and dumpling stews. Tackling TLC-style dishes can be fast, fresh, and easy with a little help from our favorite seasonal kitchen gadget and this delicious guidebook.
Melissa Clark Dinner in an Instant Cookbook, $14.71, available at Amazon
Leek & Artichoke Frittata Serves 4
Ingredients 1 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for the soufflé dish 5 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 small leeks (white and light green parts only), halved and thinly sliced 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed ½ cup milk 2 tbsp all-purpose flour 9 large eggs 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil or parsley ½ tsp finely chopped fresh thyme ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper ¾ cup (about 2 ounces) Gruyère cheese, shredded ⅓ cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
Instructions 1. Butter a 1½-qt. soufflé dish and dust the sides with 2 tbsp of the Parmesan. Set it aside.
2. Using the sauté function, heat the 1 tbsp butter and the oil in the pressure cooker. Stir in the leeks and ¼ tsp of the salt, and cook, stirring often and lowering the heat if necessary (and possible) to prevent burning, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the milk and flour. Then whisk in the eggs, basil, thyme, remaining ¾ tsp salt, pepper, and Gruyère.
4. Turn off the heat and stir the artichokes into the leeks. Then mix the leek mixture into the egg mixture. Scrape that mixture into the prepared soufflé dish. Cover it with aluminum foil.
5. Pour 1½ cups water into the pressure cooker. You can either place a steamer rack in the bottom of the pot and then lower the soufflé dish onto the rack using a homemade sling, or, if you have a rack with an attached handle, lower the rack and dish all at once. Cover and cook on high pressure for 16 minutes.
6. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, and then release the remaining pressure manually. Using oven mitts, remove the soufflé dish from the pressure cooker. Remove the foil.
7. Heat the broiler. Sprinkle the remaining 3 tbsp Parmesan over the frittata, and broil until it is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Melissa Clark Dinner in an Instant Cookbook, $14.71, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Christopher Testani.
Best For: "I Can't Believe It's Plant-Based" Dishes Bringing the heat to your vegetarian dining game for the iced-over months ahead is as easy as picking up a copy of Anya Kassoff's Simply Vibrant — the bright, plant-based cookbook is overflowing with healthy and imaginative seasonal recipe magic. There's everything from savory sweet potato dumplings to hearty black-bean hummus burritos that will warm up this week's lunch to dinner plans.
Anya Kassoff Simply Vibrant, $23.79, available at Amazon
Smoky Cauliflower & Black Bean Hummus Burritos Makes 6 to 8 burritos
Black Bean Hummus Ingredients 1 cup dried black beans, soaked in purified water overnight 2 bay leaves and/or 2-inch piece kombu (optional) 1 cup torn fresh cilantro leaves and stems 1/2 ripe but not mushy avocado, peeled and pitted 1/2 jalapeño, seeded and roughly chopped 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and freshly ground Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Smoky Cauliflower Ingredients 4 tbsp neutral coconut oil, divided 1 large yellow onion, chopped Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets 1/2 jalapeño or other chili, finely chopped 1 tsp smoked Spanish paprika 1 tsp pure maple syrup 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
Burrito Ingredients 6 to 8 homemade tortillas (recipe below) or large store-bought whole-grain tortillas or wraps 2 cups baby spinach, microgreens, or chopped lettuce Fresh cilantro leaves 1/2 ripe avocado, cubed (optional) Juice of 1 lime (optional)
Black Bean Hummus Instructions 1. Drain and rinse the beans and cover them with water in a medium pot. Add the bay leaves and/or kombu, if using, and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook the beans for about 30 minutes, until they are soft and buttery but not mushy inside. Drain the beans, reserving 2 tbsp of the cooking liquid for this recipe and storing the rest for future use in a soup or stew, if desired. Let the beans cool and discard the bay leaves or kombu.
2. In a food processor, combine the beans, cilantro, avocado, jalapeño, garlic, lemon juice, ground cumin seeds, and salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth, adding some of the reserved bean cooking liquid as you go to achieve a smooth consistency. You’ll have more hummus than you need for this recipe. Leftover hummus is great as a dip and on tartines or sandwiches; store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Smoky Cauliflower Instructions 1. Warm 1 tbsp of the coconut oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and pepper, and sauté for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden and caramelized. Remove the onion from the pan and set it aside.
2. Return the pan to medium heat and warm the remaining 3 tbsp of coconut oil. Add the cauliflower to the pan in a single layer, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned. Flip the florets and cook on the other side for another 3 to 5 minutes. Continue to cook for a couple more minutes to achieve even caramelization.
3. Add the jalapeño and paprika to the pan with the cauliflower and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until the cauliflower is golden brown. Drizzle with the maple syrup and lime or lemon juice. Sauté for a minute or two until the liquid reduces into a glaze. Stir in the caramelized onion and remove the pan from the heat.
Burrito Instructions 1. Place one tortilla on a serving plate and spread 2 tbsp of black bean hummus on top. Add about 2 spoonfuls of smoky cauliflower, followed by a small handful of spinach or other greens. Top with some cilantro, avocado, and lime juice.
2. Fold the lower end of the tortilla over the filling, followed by the sides, and then roll it tightly into a burrito. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and fillings. I prefer to make fresh burritos right before eating, but you can also make these in advance to take with you and enjoy for lunch or at an outing.
Sprouted/Whole Spelt Tortillas Makes 16 tortillas
Ingredients 3 cups sprouted or whole spelt flour 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp baking powder ⅓ cup soft neutral coconut oil or other neutral vegetable oil 1 ¼ cup purified warm water
Instructions 1. Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, add oil and water, and mix to combine, gradually incorporating flour into oil and water well. Knead into a soft dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. Divide the dough in half and roll each piece into a thick rope. Cut each rope in half, continuing to cut in this manner, until you have 16 equally sized pieces. Make a ball out of each piece, flatten each with the palm of your hand and keep covered.
3. Thoroughly warm a medium pan over medium high heat.
4. Roll each piece at a time into a 6 to 7-in. circle on a well-floured working surface. Transfer one piece at a time into the hot pan and cook for about 1 minute on one side, until bubbles appear, and a few pale spots are visible on the underside. Flip and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from the pan and keep wrapped in a clean kitchen towel.
5. Continue with the rest of the tortillas, stacking them on top of each other and keeping them covered. They are at best when used right away.
Anya Kassoff Simply Vibrant, $23.79, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Masha Davydova.
Best For: Healthy Treats You'll Actually Want To Pack & Snack If you've already reached your winter meal-prep breaking point — where you constantly fight the urge to smash your quinoa and veggie-filled Tupperware against the wall — then Kate Bradley is here to help. Her vegan- and gluten-free recipe book, Bliss Bites, is filled with fresh inspirational material for the most winter-weary diners. The inventive lineup of bite-sized balls, bars, and bombs that range from savory rainbow sushi to sweet blueberry crunch can all easily be made in advance for toting on-the-go.
Kate Bradley Bliss Bites, $8.47, available at Amazon
Blueberry Crunch Bliss Balls Makes 18
Ingredients 2 ¾ oz./¾ cup almonds, ground 2 tbsp coconut oil 1 ½ oz. ABC (almond, brazil, and cashew butter), or almond or cashew butter 1 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 5 medjool dates (about 3 ½ oz.), pitted 2 tbsp maca powder 2 ¾ oz. activated buckinis 1 ¾ oz./⅓ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds) 3 oz. dried blueberries
Instructions 1. Place the ground almonds, coconut oil, nut butter, honey, vanilla, dates and maca powder in your food processor or blender and process until combined. Add the activated buckinis, the pepitas and blueberries and pulse once or twice until everything is combined but still has a bit of texture.
2. Take about a tbsp of mixture at a time and roll it into 1 in. balls.
3. Place the balls in an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze. These will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge, and a couple of months in the freezer.
Recipes excerpted with permission from Bliss Bites by Kate Bradley, published by Hardie Grant Books January 2018, RRP.
Kate Bradley Bliss Bites, $8.47, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Elisa Watson.
Best For: Meal-Prepping Amateurs Looking To Go Pro Stephanie Tornatore's and Adam Bannon's Healthy Meal Prep is our new January food resolution go-to. A big-batch recipe, portioning, and packing guide all in one, this creative cookbook illuminates the path to successful meal-prep survival — from easy sheet-pan bakes, to savory bowls, and creamy curries, these heathy and delicious dishes are easy workweek-dining dreams.
Stephanie Tornatore & Adam Bannon Healthy Meal Prep, $16.73, available at Amazon
Roasted Salmon With Asparagus & Rice Makes 4 servings
Ingredients 1 bunch asparagus (1 ¼ lb.), woody ends removed 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into half-moons 4 tbsp olive oil 4 pieces salmon (4 ½ oz.), skinless 1 large lemon, juiced 1 tbsp dried dill 1⁄2 tsp salt 1⁄2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 2 cups cooked brown rice, to serve
Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
2. Spread the onion and asparagus evenly across the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and toss to coat. Place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes.
3. Remove the tray from the oven and arrange the salmon on top of the vegetables. Squeeze the lemon over the salmon and vegetables, and drizzle with the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle the dill, salt, and pepper over top. Return the tray to the oven to roast for another 10 minutes, until salmon is lightly browned on top.
4. To assemble the meals, place 1⁄2 cup cooked brown rice into each of 4 meal prep containers. Add an equal portion of asparagus and onions to each container, and top with 1 piece of salmon.
Stephanie Tornatore & Adam Bannon Healthy Meal Prep, $16.73, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Kelley Jordan Schuyler.
Best For: Good-For-You (But Not Too -Good-For-You) Meals Lindsay Maitland Hunt's Healthyish boasts crave-worthy winter eats that she describes as, "seriously satisfying, truly simple, good-for-you (but not too good-for-you) recipes for real life." So if you find yourself maxed out on salad situations and baked chicken-veggie combos, Hunt has a replacement meal plan that's packed with sweet, savory, and/or spicy style — from unexpected breakfast bowls to inventive mason jar salads, and even deconstructed sandwich classics.
Lindsay Maitland Hunt Healthyish, $12.56, available at Amazon
Old-School Pizzeria Salad Serves 1
Ingredients ¾ cup canned chickpeas, rinsed 2/3 cup giardiniera pickles, chopped 1/3 cup (1½ oz.) Provolone cheese, cut into ½-in. cubes 1/3 cup (1½ oz.) sliced salami, cut into ½-in. pieces 2 tbsp dried Italian oregano Vinaigrette (recipe follows) Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 cups baby arugula
Instructions Mix the chickpeas, giardiniera pickles, cheese, salami, dressing, and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper in a salad bowl. Fold in the arugula just before serving.
Take It To Work Mix everything except the arugula and transfer to a tall, skinny jar or container. Top with the arugula and keep upright until serving—this ensures the arugula doesn’t get soggy.
Dried Oregano Italian Vinaigrette Makes 2 cups
Ingredients 1 1/3 cups olive oil 1 cup red wine vinegar 2 tsp dried oregano 1 tbsp kosher salt 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions Whisk the oil, vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until completely smooth and combined. Refrigerate the dressing in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Shake It! You can also shake this dressing in the storage jar. Use an almost empty mustard jar or any clean one you’ve got.
Lindsay Maitland Hunt Healthyish, $12.56, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Linda Pugliese.
Best For: Too-Busy-To-Be-Bothered (But Still Gourmet) Recipes Nourish Bowls is a cookbook for the busy, can't be bothered with sitting still, gourmet on-the-go-getters who still care about consuming healthy fuel. And what better way to consume fresh ingredients (for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner) than out of a convenient, perfect for mixing, mashing, and eating on-the-move vehicle?
Quadrille Publishing Nourish Bowls, $15.63, available at Amazon
Chili Chicken With Corn & Avocado Salsa, Dandelion Leaves, Black Quinoa, & Zesty Sour Cream Serves 1
Ingredients 1 chicken breast, boneless 2 tbsp natural plain yogurt 1 lime, juiced Pinch of chili flakes 1 ear of corn (or 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels) 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted 1 small avocado, peeled and diced 1/2 green chili, deseeded and finely chopped Pinch of coriander, chopped Pinch of sea salt 1/4 cup black quinoa 1 tbsp soy sauce Handful of dandelion leaves (or any salad leaves)
Instructions ForThe Chili Chicken 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
2. Marinate chicken breast (skin on) for 10 minutes in yogurt mixed with the lime juice and a pinch of chili flakes.
3. Heat an ovenproof griddle pan until hot, add the chicken, and sear on both sides, then transfer to the oven for 8 minutes, until cooked through and tender.
Instructions For The Corn & Avocado Salsa 1. If using fresh corn, brush the kernels of a fresh cob with melted coconut oil and griddle until lightly charred all over. When cool enough to handle, stand the cob on its end and use a sharp knife to slice the kernels down off the cob. (Alternatively, melt a little coconut oil in a frying pan and sauté frozen kernels.)
2. In a large bowl, mix the sweetcorn with avocado, green chili, coriander, sea salt, and some lime juice.
Instructions For The Quinoa 1. Cook black quinoa (or any type of quinoa) according to the instructions on the packet and stir through ponzu or light soy sauce.
Bowl Assembly Instructions 1. Cut the chicken into slices and add to the bowl with the quinoa, corn and avocado salsa, and some dandelion leaves (or any salad leaves), then top with a dollop of sour cream or natural (plain) yogurt garnished with some grated lime zest.
Quadrille Publishing Nourish Bowls, $15.63, available at AmazonPhotographed by Issy Crocker.
Best For: Being Vegan On A Budget For a crash course in vegan dining on a dime, let Katie Koteen's and Kate Kasbee's crafty cookbook, Frugal Vegan, be your guide. The recipe collection is full of, "affordable, easy, and delicious vegan cooking,"from breakfast to lunch, dinner, dessert, snacks, and sauces — each dish utilizes budget-friendly ingredients that aren't at high risk of ending up past their prime.
Katie Koteen & Kate Kasbee Frugal Vegan, $14.95, available at Amazon
Sweet Potato Breakfast Boats Serves 2
Ingredients 1 sweet potato ½ avocado, mashed 1/8 tsp cumin 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper ½ cup black beans, drained and rinsed ½ cup frozen corn, thawed ¼ cup salsa Salt and pepper
Instructions 1. Using a fork, poke holes all around the sweet potato. Place it on a paper towel or microwave-safe plate and microwave for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through.
2. Cut the sweet potato in half lengthwise, and then, with the fleshy parts facing up, cut a slit lengthwise down the middle of each half. Use a couple of forks to split open the sweet potato halves so you’re left with little pockets.
3. In a small bowl, mash the avocado with the cumin and cayenne. Then, fill each sweet-potato boat with the avocado, followed by the black beans, corn and salsa. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
From Frugal Vegan by Katie Koteen and Kate Kasbee, Page Street Publishing Co. 2017. Photo credit: Allie Lehman.
Katie Koteen & Kate Kasbee Frugal Vegan, $14.95, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Allie Lehman.
Best For: Summer BBQ Food (Minus Summer & A Grill) Molly Gilbert's genius cookbook, Sheet Pan Suppers, solves one major seasonal cooking dilemma: When you live for summer BBQ's but it's winter...And you don't own a grill, or a backyard. With just a sheet pan and our ovens we can whip up fresh steak to chicken and fish dishes (with veggie sides and fix-ins included) with enough leftovers to feed us for a week — all within the indoor comfort of our grill-less abodes.
Molly Gilbert Sheet Pan Suppers, $9.69, available at Amazon
Ingredients Olive oil cooking spray (optional) 1 tbsp packed dark brown sugar 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter (commercial or natural) 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1/4 cup warm water 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 2 bunches broccolini (1 lb total) 4 to 6 thin-cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts or cutlets (1 to 1 1/2 lbs total)
Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to broil, with a rack 4 in from the heat. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil or mist it with cooking spray.
2.Whisk together the brown sugar, peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, Sriracha, vinegar, water, and lime juice in a medium-size bowl until smooth. Set aside 1/4 cup of the peanut sauce for serving.
3. Rub the broccolini and chicken with the remaining peanut sauce to thickly coat, and arrange them in a tight single layer on the prepared pan. Broil, keeping a close eye on the pan to prevent burning, and flipping the chicken halfway through, until the chicken is just cooked through, the broccolini is well charred, and the sauce is bubbly and deeply browned, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Serve the chicken and broccolini hot from the oven with the reserved dipping sauce alongside.
Excerpted from Sheet Pan Suppers: 120 Recipes For Simple, Surprising, Hands-Off Meals Straight From The Oven by Molly Gilbert with permission from Workman Publishing.
Molly Gilbert Sheet Pan Suppers, $9.69, available at AmazonPhoto: Courtesy of Sheet Pan Suppers by Molly Gilbert/Workman Publishing.
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Tonight we will embark on the process (sorry, journey) of drinking several glasses of red wine as we watch a man who doesn’t know what he wants make questionable choices in a new season of The Bachelor. We can't help it. Week after week we tune in to see which relationships progress and which ultimately flop, with each episode concluding in a supremely high-stakes Rose Ceremony, where the lead hands out flowers to women who he wants to continue getting to know. Oh, the anticipation!
Cocktail dresses make up the majority of Rose Ceremony style with the exception of night one where most contestants opt for gowns. The dresses are meant to be showstoppers, a few extra feathers to put on a proper peacock in hopes of being memorable since their personalities have barely had time to shine and a lot is weighing on style and flare. The contestants buy their own outfits for the show and it usually comes at a steep cost — but at least they can take comfort in knowing that if they don’t end up with The Bachelor himself, at least they’ve got some bomb new additions to their closets. Here are 21 dresses to pack along for the ride.
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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With every new season comes a whole new crop of eye candy to shop for. Pages and pages to be exact. But navigating the new arrivals section can feel daunting: Between the overload of budding trends and the general excitement of seeing all things new, we tend to shop with eyes bigger than our wallet. It's easy to get caught up in adding everything you see to cart, then having a small cry when your checkout page lists 20 items and a price with one too many zeros.
To offer a helping hand, every month, we'll be breaking down the best items in the market that you can buy for under-$150. Think of our curated shopping guide as an easy way to keep you in the know, without making you splurge. From post-holiday deals to the latest trickled down runway trends, you'll be able to give your closet a mini boost on the cheap. Click on — the winter collections are calling your name.
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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As the new years begins to roll out, it's understandable to want to take stock of your professional life.
Whether you're looking to change jobs or just tweak some things to make room for more growth in your current one, January is the perfect time for self-assessment — specifically thinking about where you are versus where you'd like to be. Maybe you've updated your LinkedIn profile just to see what happens, or are casually sending your resume out to a couple places. Or, maybe you're actively looking.
Luckily, U.S. News & World Report has unveiled their perfectly-timed 2019 Best Jobs list. The rankings analyze the best jobs across a variety of different categories, including best-paying jobs and specific sectors and industries.
Occupations in tech and healthcare continue to dominate these lists — compromising 44 of the 100 best jobs — in part due to their high salaries and low unemployment rates. But it isn't all about the money: The results are also based on important considerations related to job satisfaction, such as growth potential and work-life balance.
Whether or not you're actively considering a career pivot, it's a good idea to take a holistic look at today's job market. Ahead, see which jobs came in at the top of the U.S. NewsBest Jobs' rankings this year.
We all know by now that tech pays. So perhaps it's unsurprising that, for the second year in a row, software developer is the number one overall job on this ranking.
With a median salary of $100,080, a 1.6% unemployment rate, and hundreds of thousands of open positions, software developers are in increasingly high-demand.
In second place this year are statisticians. And, though the idea of poring over numbers for a living might not sound super exciting, with a median salary of $84,060 and a less than 1% unemployment rate, a career in statistics has become increasingly appealing.
Statisticians use the science of data to make decisions, and can work in a large number of different fields — from health care to sports. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects this field to grow significantly, creating thousands of new jobs in the process.
Coming in at number three are physician assistants. If you've ever been interested in pursuing a career as a doctor, but were turned off by the amount of schooling you'd need, you may be interested in this job. Physician assistants diagnose illnesses, develop and carry out treatment plans, and even assist in surgeries. Their work compares to that of a doctor, but they must practice under supervision.
The median salary for physician assistants is $101,480, with a 0.7% unemployment rate, and the demand for this job is expected to continue to grow. After all, physician assistants can perform a lot of the same services as physicians, but can be trained much more quickly.
Many people may be scared of the dentist's chair, but the job is repeatedly ranked as one of the very best. And while dentists have always been necessary, today they are even more in demand due to the popularity of cosmetic procedures (such as teeth whitening). And, with a comfortable salary and a good work-life balance, it's not altogether surprising that this is a job lots of people want.
The median salary for dentists is $151,440, and the unemployment rate is just below 1%. What's more, there has been a steady rise in employment in this industry, and this trend is expected to continue.
While you may not have the fondest memories of having braces or headgear, the ever-increasing popularity of orthodontics makes this profession a solid bet.
With a median salary of $208,000 and an unemployment rate of 0.9%, orthodontics is an extremely lucrative field. And, because of the fact that orthodontists often work with patients and provide life-altering treatment over the course of several years, this profession is also reported to be extremely gratifying.
Tied with orthodontists for number five, nurse anesthetists also made it into the top five on the best jobs list. Nurse anesthetists administer general or local anesthesia so that surgeons or physicians can perform medical procedures.
Unlike anesthesiologists, a career as a nurse anesthetist requires less education, making the career path a great choice for someone eager to enter this sort of medical field in a shorter amount of time. They make a median salary of $165,120 and have a 0.4% unemployment rate.
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A major pain point during one of our favorite times of year — ahem, the holidays — is Daylight Saving. What we may gain in an extra hour of snooze time over the weekends, becomes the challenge of getting out of bed for work in complete darkness over the cold days ahead. This is a time we like to call, "good luck waking up," season.
But this year we won't succumb to sleepy morning darkness. Because if the real sun won't rise and shine to wake us, our light therapy alarm clocks will. Also called wake-up lights and dawn or sunrise-simulators, these clocks work by using a gradually-brightening light (instead of or in conjunction with sound) to simulate sunlight for a natural wake process. Not only useful for combatting S.A.D., the luminous gadgets can also serve as crafty solutions for dark apartment spaces where natural light is scarce year-round.
Ahead we've rounded up the top-rated and sleekest options out there to invest in now. Scroll on to shop the bright home good that will rise and shine on cold dark winter mornings when the real sun is still snoozing.
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.
Best For: Most Authentic Sunrise & Sunset Simulation With gradual changes in both brightness and color this alarm clock simulates the deep reds to oranges and bright yellows of sunrises and sunsets for a more authentic wake-up and wind-down experience.
Best For: Sound & Light Wakeup Combo Philips' alarm clock combines a choice of five natural sounds or FM radio and 20 different brightness settings on soft, UV-free light with up to 300-lux illuminance — creating what reviewers describe as an entirely gentle wake-up experience.
Philips Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock, $104.99, available at Walmart
Best For: Giftability Reviewers tout this three-light wake-up clock with additional color transition and sound settings as a quality gift and stylish home accent.
Utorch Wake Up Light Touch Sensor Clock LED Bedside Lamp, $14.79, available at GearBest
Best For: Sunrise & Sunset Settings Philips’ at it again with top-rated wake-up clocks — this model pulls in praise for its double-duty sunrise-sunset feature that offers a, "calm and peaceful transition from your day to your dreams."
Philips Somneo Sleep and Wake-up Light, $199.99, available at Amazon
Best For: Sleek & Stylish Look This chic option couples a mushroom-shaped design with a softly-lit ring thats brightness can be adjusted by touch.
BRELONG Smart Timing Sleep Bedside Sensor Alarm Clock Night Lig, $18.14, available at GearBest
Best For: Brightness, Color, & Sound Options This multifaceted clock has a brightness scale that can be gradually increased or decreased, a myriad of preferred color settings, and sound options ranging from birds to ocean waves and more for your ideal set wake-up style.
VegasDoggy Sunrise Alarm Clock, $43.87, available at Amazon
Best For: App & Smart Phone Capabilities Reviewers love this intelligent wake-up clock's bonus tech capabilities that can be customized to highly specific morning preferences via a handy smart phone app — bluetooth speaker connectivity, weather, and white noise options included.
WITTI BEDDI Glow Intelligent Alarm Clock with Wakeup Light, $79.98, available at Bed Bath & Beyond
Best For: Price Point An Amazon Choice buy, this wake-up clock boasts multiple colors and brightness scales ontop of a sleek design and affordable price point.
instecho Sunrise Alarm Clock, Digital Clock, $29.99, available at Amazon
Best For: Wireless Portability This portable model can be charged to last for up to 120 hours with adjustable light, color, and sound modes for a gentle wakeup wherever you go.
Thpoplete Wake Up Light Alarm Clock, $36.99, available at Amazon
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Long before Dr. Woo, JonBoy, and their A-list clientele made dainty white dots and tiny crosses mainstream news, tattoos were already deeply ingrained in the fabric of history, discovered on the bodies of Egyptian mummies and an Austrian-Italian iceman now known as Ötzi. In those times, thousands of years ago, tattooing was thought to be used therapeutically, a kind of early form of acupuncture; today, it's much more popular for creating decorative body art.
Still, Ötzi and his pre-Common Era cohorts stand to prove that tattoos aren't a passing trend, but a constantly evolving art form. They are also not inherently "trendy" — but the kind of techniques, needlework, and ink used can be. In early 2018, for example, there was an undeniable spike in wrist tattoos; last fall, it was all about the fingers. 2019 has brought with it a whole new wave of ways to get a tattoo flooding our Instagram feeds, from unique body placements to bold, fresh color palettes.
Needless to say, it's becoming increasingly difficult to refrain from getting more ink in the new year. But where do we begin? We spoke with industry pros and scoured Instagram to track down some of the biggest tattoo trends we expect everyone to be asking for this year. Keep clicking for the raddest designs, placements, and colors to inspire your next tattoo.
The Trend: Hand Tattoos
If you thought finger tattoos looked painful, try getting a hand tattoo. (As a general rule, the more bones there are in the area, the more painful the tattoo will be.) They're not ubiquitous just yet, but if Ariana Grande 's recent celestial design from New York-based tattoo artist Mira Mariah is any indication, it won't be long before hand tattoos really take off.
"Top-of-hand tattoos are going to happen, but more often as a collage of small tattoos rather than a singular large image," Mariah says. She adds that there's one simple reason why the unexpected trend is bound to get buzzier, all Ariana Grande associations aside: "Tattoos are expensive, and people are going to want to see their pieces in their daily life more and more."
Laura Martinez, co-owner of Fleur Noire Tattoo Parlour in Brooklyn, tells Refinery29 that, although hand tattoos are rad, they're a bit... bumpier to complete than other areas. She says to expect some additional time for you and your artist to figure out the specific placement with a ruler and stencil pen. "The skin isn’t flat on a hand; there are curves, veins, small muscles, bones," Martinez explains. "So you're not drawing a straight line — you're drawing the illusion of a straight line."
A perfect example of the illusion of straight, precise lines on an uneven surface is Madame Buraka's latest hand illustration. Although Buraka's work is intricate, Martinez reminds us that usually the tattoos that look the simplest are actually the hardest to execute. "There's zero room for error, and it's very time-consuming to create 'perfect' lines or circles on the human body," she says.
Martinez emphasizes that, while hand tattoos might be growing in popularity, they aren't new. "Hand [tattoo] requests used to be mostly for traditional American style of tattooing," she says. Thanks to innovations in technology, new tools, inks, and a variety of styles, Martinez explains, people are able to consider more options they may not have before.
Toronto-based artist Jess Chen almost always includes colorful ink in her modern watercolor designs — and these leafy hand tattoos are no exception.
The Trend: Imperfect Illustrations
If you follow Mariah, you'll know that her signature style is often made up of what fans refer to as elevated doodles or images that are scribbled in nature (and beautifully, at that). "My style is permanent to me, and then I reimagine it with new themes and add in elements and take them away," she tells us. "I like to think of my art as somewhere between a fashion illustration and a contour drawing."
Mariah isn't the only one making these hollowed-out sketches popular: Chicago-based tattoo artist Keara McGraw has a similar approach to tattooing, often creating large-scale images that feature multiple pieces overlapping another.
McGraw 's designs are complicated in the best way, incorporating lots of lines and bursts of red ink.
The Trend: '90s Ignorant Tattoos
Yes, that's right: You may not be familiar with the once-popular "ignorant tattoos" of the '90s, but you can plan on hearing a lot more about them this year. A post-ironic tattoo style inspired by street art and pioneered by French graffiti artistFuzi Uvtpk, "ignorant tattoos" are perhaps the hardest tattoos to come by on the internet and, because the style inherently pushes against the standardization of art, are even harder to fully define. Nonetheless, it doesn't go without a few distinct qualities, like tongue-in-cheek, cartoon-like imagery mostly consisting of bold linework and zero coloration.
Mariah is banking on the retro style to gain mainstream appeal in 2019 — she credits the sudden interest in campy, normcore fashion trends (for example, this year's Met Gala theme is "Camp: Notes on Fashion ") for what she expects to be a popular year for the ignorant revival. "I'm imagining lots of kitschy plays on prison tattoos, old-school stick-and-pokes, and just tattoos that almost make fun of tattoo imagery we've seen too much of," Mariah says. "I love tattoos with a little sense of humor."
Fuzi once explained to Complex that the look he's best known for is a free-flowing artistic style with zero constraints, something that's "naive, but pure." The best way to know what an "ignorant tattoo" is — and whether or not you want one — is to check out the work that's being done by artists like Mick Hee and Galen Leach.
Leach puts his own twist on the ignorant style: Most of his work is comical and satirical to tattoo imagery some might find to be cliché. (For example, Leach once tattooed a bold pair of pants on a client's calf with the phrase, "This too shall pants.")
The Trend: Ear Tattoos
Some of last year's biggest beauty trends revolved around the ears — specifically, piercings, with trendy spots surfacing month after month until our whole ear, from the daith to the rook to the lobe, was covered in sparkly jewelry. Now, some tattoo enthusiasts are ditching their earrings for ink.
Hannah Kang, tattoo artist at New York's Nice Tattoo, tells us that she's recently done in-ear tattoos for a couple of clients and, statistically speaking, more people are requesting the placement since it's such a fresh trend. In other words, most people haven't even considered the spot... until now.
Ear piercings are generally a breeze, but Kang says the area is deceptively hard to tattoo. "It is a more difficult tattoo to execute due to the location; stencils and small lines are very difficult to apply because of the tiny area," she says. "Because the ear is made up of cartilage, the ink does not settle as well as it does most other parts of the skin." Still, if done properly, the end result can be beautiful and unique — just look at Chen's vine-like lines that weave from the lobe to the back of the ear.
Kang says that pain levels in the ear depend on the individual, but it's generally not as painful as nerve-concentrated areas like the ribs, joints, or neck. "It is definitely a tougher and more exposed part of our bodies," she says. If you do have a low pain threshold, opt for a micro tattoo in the area — it'll require a thinner needle than one used in traditional tattoos.
The Trend: Detailed Florals
Mariah puts it simply: "Floral bouquets will always be cool." Still, she's expecting to see more detailed takes on the popular designs. "I'm hoping to see a lot more unique floral arrangements with fruits and others parts of nature worked in," she says.
Here, artist Amanda Wachob creates a perfect example of our 2019 expectations. Wachob tells us this particular stem was inspired by a photograph her client took, hence the detail.
Kang says that artists might prefer floral designs because of the flexibility of the lines and shape — including when it comes to ears. "[The flexibility] allows me to change the shape of the design according to each client's ear shape," she says. "I think the floral design is also very befitting of the area since it is delicate and beautiful."
Not into the in-ear trend? Colorful petals look just as good on the upper arm.
Flowery art and illustrative designs blend together seamlessly, says Wachob. If you're looking for inspiration, she recommends checking out some Korean tattoo artists: As it turns out, a lot of the floral influence — and tattoo designs in general — has been coming out of Korea lately, including the recent rise in dainty and delicate drawings.
The Trend: Bigger & Better
Wachob mentions that smaller pieces of art are popular right now, but so are bigger and bolder pieces of work — though most likely not for first-timers. That said, these aren't the kind of large-scale tattoos you might be used to seeing: Instead, artists like Chen, Wachob, and Brooklyn-based tattooer Rachel Finelli are pros at creating tattoos that cover more surface area without oversized bloated and overwhelming. They may be big, but the effect is still delicate and dainty.
A lot of people might describe Wachob's art as bold, but tattooed with a light hand; no matter how big or small, the needled lines look like brush strokes. Her designs are often collaborations with a client, but they're almost always colorful, abstract, and romantic in appearance. "I put a lot of thought into what I create," Wachob says. "I try to make each piece as special and unique as possible." This shoulder tattoo, for example, was a reimagined version of a painting by 18th-century botanical illustrator Pierre-Joseph Redouté.
Chen often swaps out intricate detail for realistic florals, lots of extra-long lines, and a rich color palette. Scroll through her Instagram feed and you'll notice the artist is a pro at full-body artwork, often creating designs that stretch from a client's neck to their heels — and yet not one looks unnatural or out of place.
The Trend: Anything-But-Black Ink
While black-lined tattoos will never go out of style, some artists recently reimagined their best art in a range of colored ink, including white and red. This is nothing new — remember Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber's white-and-red hearts? — but we should expect the bright trend to get even bigger this year.
Mariah confirms that red ink will have a real moment, but we're guessing that a range of other shades will be en vogue, too, like a palette of blues. A team of artists at Cowgirl Tattoo in Portland are spearheading the trend in a whole portfolio of vivid fine-line work.
Seoul-based tattoo artist Gong Greem is also redefining how we largely think of tattoos. Forget the black ink — the majority of the artist's work favors colorful doodles (the needlework looks exactly like the texture of a crayon) and a wide range of primary colors, like red, blue, and yellow.
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The first reports of the murder were breathless and scandalized: In the early morning hours of June 5, 2018, Randall P. Volar III, a 34-year-old man from Kenosha, Wisconsin was shot and killed, his home set ablaze. The culprit? A 17-year-old Milwaukee girl named Crystul Kizer who'd allegedly snapped a selfie of herself in the murdered man's home, and posted it on social media, bragging about shooting a "white dude."
Kizer was charged with first degree murder, arson, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Her bail was set at $1 million.
But the story that made for good headlines —the out of control teen killing a man and taking joyrides in his BMW — would turn out to be a lot more complicated.
In October, Kizer's public defenders introduced a motion that would require the state to turn over evidence that, at the time of his killing, Volar was under active investigation by the Kenosha Police Department for sexual conduct with underage girls.
“The defense believes that the discovery in this case suggests that Ms. Kizer acted in self-defense. Mr. Volar, a 34-year-old man, was engaged in the ongoing sexual and physical abuse of Ms. Kizer, then a 17-year-old girl, and several other girls whose identities are currently unknown to the defense," reads the statement presented to Judge David Wilk.
Kizer's attorneys contend that Volar transported her from Milwaukee to engage in sexual contact with her. When she resisted, they struggled, and Kizer shot him. Kizer's boyfriend previously told detectives that he'd given his girlfriend a handgun because she was “tired of the dude touching on her."
The complaint further states that while under investigation, in the months before his murder, Kenosha police had evidence "that Mr. Volar was producing child pornography" and that "the Kenosha Police had been alerted by TCF Bank, a financial institution utilized by Mr. Volar, that Mr. Volar’s account had been flagged under suspicion of being involved in human or sex trafficking.”
Kizer's attorney, Carl Johnson, declined to comment on her case to Refinery29 but did confirm that she is next set to appear in court on January 10, where a decision may be made about whether or not the evidence from the investigation will be released to the defense.
In the meantime, Kizer's story has drawn parallels to the Cyntoia Brown case. Brown, a victim of childhood sex trafficking, shot and killed a man who'd purchased her for sex when she was 16 years old. She was charged as an adult and sentenced to to two concurrent life sentences. The mitigating factors of her case – her age, her neurodevelopmental disorder, and the entrenched bias against women of color in the justice system – attracted celebrity attention to Brown's case.
On Tuesday, Brown was granted clemency by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. She will be released from prison in August after serving 15 years for her crime.
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Whether you've been brainstorming resolutions all December long or have only given them a passing thought, there's no denying that the new year is prime time for reinvention. For some, that means getting creative and starting a bullet journal (pass the gel pens, please!), and for others, it's all about halting the screen-scrolling hours before you hit the hay. (We're still working on that one, TBH.) For us beauty-obsessed peeps, however, we're bringing the spirit of a fresh start straight to our makeup routines, making the case for more vibrant, colorful looks all year long. Because isn't cold, dreary Jan when we need it the most?
Which is why we teamed up with Target Beauty to bring to life two infectiously fun looks that'll help you ring in 2019: a matte, soft-rainbow lids lewk that'll wow any one of your BFFs and a metallic, graphic wing ideal for your next night out. The best part? Makeup artist Jaleesa Jaikaran created these two totally different vibes using only one eyeshadow palette. Because let's be real: We're all guilty of favoring one or two shades and leaving the other 15 totally untouched. So, scroll ahead for a step-by-step guide on how to manifest all the good vibes via your makeup this year.
Embrace your inner artist and ward off any winter woes with these energetic, multicolored lids. Jaikaran used five different shades from the e.l.f. Eyeshadow Palette — a rich magenta, fiery orange, canary yellow, primary blue, and iridescent pink — to create the happy-go-lucky look, mapping them out on specific areas around the eye. Keep it wearable by blending them together with a fluffy shadow brush for soft edges and a pretty, diffused finish. And for those blue lashes? Make sure to curl 'em before you go in with Maybelline Snapscara so they can truly thrive. Swipe on a nude lipstick and a clear, nourishing lip balm to finish — because, winter.
For more of an after-dark aesthetic, try an ombré-metallic wing in lieu of your usual liquid-liner flick. Jaikaran concentrated color on the lids, using the metallic copper and cranberry shades from the same e.l.f. Eyeshadow Palette. Pro tip: When creating an ombré, dual-toned wing like this, make sure your two shades have the same finish so the transition is as seamless as possible. (Aka, a metallic-metallic pairing, a matte-matte pairing, etc.) Then, pop a bit of the cranberry hue on your cheeks to make the most of your palette, and finish off with a creamy, rich Maybelline lipstick for a full-faced look that still feels fresh.
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Back in the day, mood rings were our way of expressing how we really felt. Now, switching up our hair is how we outwardly display what's going on inside (although we wouldn't turn down rocking an adult mood ring, TBH). If we're going through a stressful phase, it's all ponytails and grease-disguising headbands. If we're trying to bring sunshine into our lives, we make an appointment for highlights. And if we need a complete revamp, a transformative cut is on the to-do list.
Clearly our favorite celebs are itching for the latter in 2019. We're hardly one week into a new year and the stars are fully embodying the "new hair, who dis" mantra. Between Lady Gaga opening her Enigma Las Vegas residency with blue hair, Rowand Blanchard revealing a pixie cut on the Golden Globes red carpet, and Jamie Lee Curtis going winter white — there's already plenty of hair inspiration for us to gawk over.
And if the hair updates ahead are any indication of the year to come, it's safe to say that things are going to be changing a lot in 2019. Click through to see our favorite celebrity hair changes of the year so far.
If you were having doubts about going platinum in 2019, Hilary Duff's latest dye job makes a convincing case to hit up your colorist. Celebrity stylists Riawna Capri and Nikkie Lee took the actress' hair (which was already blonde) up a few notches with this bright blonde color.
Photo: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage.
Amandla Stenberg tossed that "going lighter in the summer" rule out of the window when she dyed her formerly jet-black curls honey brown.
Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty Images.
For some, a pixie cut is a hard "pass," but not for Rowan Blanchard. Celebrity hairstylist Laurie Heaps took the actress' shoulder-length strands into an edgy, Natalie Portman-inspired cut. Heaps tells Refinery29 that her famous client wanted to embrace a new year with a new look.
Photo: JEAN-BAPTISTE LACROIX/AFP/Getty Images.
The blunt bob is here to stay — just ask Irina Shayk. The model walked the Golden Globes red carpet with a chin-length bob, courtesy of celebrity stylist Harry Josh, that made us want to run for scissors and chop all our hair off, too.
Jamie Lee Curtis took monochromatic beauty to the next level when she showed up to the Golden Globes with her hair dyed a wintery white shade to match her red-carpet gown. Previously, the star already had a gorgeous salt-and-pepper style, but this snowy color is new for 2019.
Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage.
We didn't expect Lady Gaga to kick off her Enigma tour with anything other than a bang. And she's had several bangs in the last few weeks with many different hair hues. First, it was lilac, then it was silver. And now, she's got cerulean blue hair. Her stylist Frederic Aspiras used a mix of temporary hair color to get the look. What color will she bless us with next?
Photo: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage.
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