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Black women have long been overlooked and underserved across all industries, an injustice that is finally being brought to the forefront, with Black women leading the movement against racial inequality. To honor just how truly essential Black women are, Unbothered has partnered with Target to share the stories of those who are fighting for inclusivity, challenging stigmas, and prioritizing mental health — stories that shed light on their incredible strength, ambition, and humanity.

For as long as Alicia Scott can remember, the 31-year-old founder of Range Beauty believed she was allergic to beauty products. Her earliest memory is smearing her grandmother’s cream all over her face — and then immediately breaking out. All throughout middle school, she watched as everyone else doused themselves in too-sweet body sprays or slathered on perfumed mall-bought lotions. Any time she did, she’d have a reaction. The same thing happened with makeup. By the time she reached college, she started developing eczema, so she went to the doctor who confirmed what she long suspected: She was allergic to certain ingredients commonly used in products, specifically talc, fragrances, and dyes. Factor in the extremely limited shades available to her as a Black woman, and most makeup — particularly foundation — was completely off-limits. 

“I used to avoid the makeup aisle like a plague,” says Scott, who relied solely on mascara and eyeliner as her beauty routine for years. “I wasn’t comfortable shopping for complexion products because I knew there wasn’t going to be a match from prior experience: trying to find a shade that didn’t make me ashy, that matched my undertone, that didn’t make my face blow up from irritation because of the ingredients. It got to a point where I’d rather not wear anything at all.” 

After graduating from Virginia Tech with a degree in fashion design and merchandising, Scott moved to New York to work in the industry. It was there, working behind-the-scenes at fashion weeks and campaign shoots, that she noticed a trend: Black and brown models bringing their own makeup kits to set. To her, it signaled a bigger problem — the lack of inclusive shades found both in makeup artist’s kits and in the beauty industry at large. 

In 2014, Scott took it upon herself to do something about it. She decided to create a beauty brand that housed an extensive shade range (one that includes undertones), and also had products that were free of toxic ingredients. In other words, products that she could use herself.

“Clean beauty is dominated by white women-led brands whose lines are not inclusive — it’s an industry that’s not making melanin a priority,” Scott says. “A lot of times we see BB creams or foundations and there are only three shades, which is not okay — especially with Black women being exposed the most to toxic ingredients. We should have more options.” (According to a 2017 study by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Black women are exposed to significantly more potentially hazardous chemicals through their personal care products.) 

Four years later, Scott officially launched Range Beauty — an inclusive, clean (no talc, parabens, sulfates, or fragrances), vegan, and cruelty-free beauty brand that caters to “a range of people, a range of skin tones, a range of genders, a range of bank accounts.” And it marked Scott’s first time wearing foundation comfortably. 

Other than being gentle enough for sensitive, irritation-prone skin, Range Beauty’s complexion products are infused with skin-loving ingredients that soothe and hydrate, including calendula flower, chamomile, french clay, vitamin E, and argan oil. But what really sets Range Beauty apart from others is its sheer-to-medium foundation that boasts 21 shades and a full range of undertones.

“Sometimes companies think, ‘Put out 50 shades of foundation and that will solve the problem,’ but it goes deeper than that, because many foundations [on the market] typically have red or ashy undertones, and Black women and women of color have different undertones,” she explains. “Each shade category at Range Beauty has at least three to four undertones: neutral, cool, yellow, and red. It’s really important because someone may find their shade, but if it’s not her undertone, it’s not going to be a match for her.”

It’s only been two years since Scott launched her brand, and she has to pinch herself at the unbelievable support she’s received from consumers, influencers, the press, retailers, and industry peers — including Bobbi Brown, who reached out in March and quickly became Scott’s mentor. Range Beauty has also gotten the attention of celebrities, including none other than Queen Bey, who featured the brand on her site when she did the Black Parade Route and spotlighted Black-owned businesses.

Now, with the nation’s attention on Black creatives and Black businesses more than ever before, due to the growing momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement, Scott is among the many Black trailblazers being given their rightful due and recognition. “A lot of press opportunities and brand opportunities have come from these companies that are now saying, ‘Okay, we want to do better [by the Black community], and we would love to include you,’” says Scott, who has been reached out to by big-name brands that have discovered her through social media-circulated lists of Black-owned businesses. “Obviously, there’s still sadness around it because why did it take all of this to happen for you to recognize us? But at the same time, I’m taking advantage of it.” 

No matter the political climate, Scott believes supporting Black businesses should be a priority. But it’s not enough for retailers to merely stock a Black-owned business; she insists they must also create support systems to ensure that Black brands thrive in a competitive marketplace. 

“We don’t have the same resources as the big brands that we may be sitting next to on the shelf, so while it’s [great for these retailers] to diversify their assortment, they should also think about what can be done to assist and uplift us, and even the playing field,” she says, listing examples like providing resources, waiving fees, and offering a marketing budget.

As Range Beauty continues to grow, Scott hopes to eventually open at least one brick-and-mortar store, so that she can create a safe shopping space for Black women, a sense of community, an experience she never had growing up, and a “beautiful store where people can come, be themselves, and shop for what they need without having to worry about us not carrying their shade,” she says. “I want as many people to have access to clean and inclusive beauty as possible.” 

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There are just 19 days left in the 2020 presidential election, and with President Donald Trump still refusing to virtually debate former Vice President Joe Biden, the circus surrounding the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, and rising COVID-19 numbers across the nation, everything feels appropriately chaotic and unpredictable.

In the midst of all this, the two candidates’ families have received an increased amount of attention as well, with news cycles revolving around how First Lady Melania Trump, and his youngest son Barron, tested positive for COVID-19. Biden’s son, Hunter, who was at the crux of the Ukraine scandal that led to Trump’s impeachment late last year, has also been in the news, with unverified reports now claiming Hunter Biden allegedly met with an adviser to a Ukrainian energy company.

Meanwhile, Trump’s other sons, Eric and Don Jr., have been throwing Twitter punches at the Biden campaign, claiming the allegations against Biden’s son prove the Democratic nominee is “compromised by China,” a favorite Republican talking point. But, Biden’s supporter base fought back on Twitter, where thousands demanded that Eric Trump’s dealings in the Ukraine also be investigated.

But amid what’s turned into a messy Battle of The Large Adult Sons, we are left wondering one thing: Where exactly is Ivanka Trump?

The eldest Trump daughter played an active role in her father’s 2016 campaign. While her then-ubiquitous presence was a transparent attempt to appeal to women voters — particularly mothers and young professionals — she has taken more of a backseat this time around. Ivanka is still on the campaign trail for her father, but she hasn’t been in the same spotlight as she was four years ago, when she made regular appearances at campaign rallies, an aesthetic gesture toward stability amid the generally unhinged nature of the Trump campaign. 

During the president’s 2016 campaign, Ivanka played the role of pushing her father’s extreme agenda along in a less aggressive way, with some deluded liberals even hoping she would be a “moderating force” for the president. As such, Ivanka served both as a campaign surrogate and “daddy’s little girl,” who joined him at rallies and introduced him at the 2016 Republican National Convention as a leader in women’s rights who fights hard for workers. 

In reality, the president has long opposed workers rights and labor unions, and has a credible history of violence against women. Still, Ivanka frequently played to women voters, speaking to them about her father’s plans to fight for them, while focusing specifically on labor rights for working mothers. As a mother and entrepreneur herself, Ivanka channeled a more traditional femininity in her efforts to show conservative women that they can have it all, especially if they backed Trump. 

But this no longer seems to be the strategy for the Trump campaign, which is struggling to win support from women voters in 2020. With just three weeks left in this election, Biden has consistently won out against Trump with women voters by a remarkable 18.6 percentage points on average, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

Not only is Trump stumbling with women voters, he is losing steam across the board. According to RealClearPolitics, the president is trailing Biden by nearly 10 points in national polls, and also appears to be falling behind in key battleground states, including Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Of course, that doesn’t mean a Biden win is a sure thing: Trump also trailed in polls in several swing states at this point in his 2016 campaign, before winning them by a narrow margin, Politico reports. 

Nevertheless, there is one very important distinction in polling this year. With a sweeping change to voting by mail in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic, the election is already underway as more than 14 million people have cast their ballots so far.

This might be why Ivanka, too, has been tasked with campaigning in battleground states — that is, when she’s not posting photos of her father “working” from Walter Reed Medical Center aka using a Sharpie to write his name on blank pieces of paper.

But it is curious that Trump’s clear-favorite child, who he has, uh, joked that he would “date if she weren’t my daughter,” seems to be missing from all of the family chaos this time around. Back in 2016, many speculated that Ivanka’s role in the campaign was perhaps more important that even Melania’s. And when Ivanka was appointed to the job of White House Senior Advisor along with her husband, Jared Kushner, she seemed to solidify her influence, perhaps in an attempt to one day assume office herself.

With Trump’s popularity at an all-time low among everyone but his die-hard base, and Ivanka’s reputation now forever aligned with that of the rest of her grifting family’s, it makes sense that she might not want to stick so closely to her father’s side at every possible moment. So, where is Ivanka Trump? Well, besides working on her next Goya endorsement, she might just be trying to figure out the best way to rehabilitate her image once she’s forced to move out of the White House for good.

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Winter is coming…and it’s going to be a long one. But that doesn’t mean you need to resign yourself to a life of fleece-y sweats and ‘90s sitcom binge-fests (although, sure, that will definitely be part of the itinerary.) Think of winter clothing as your motivation to keep up with those much-needed socially distant outdoor hangs, to revitalize your WFH ‘fits (yes, it’s time to put on some pants!), and to actually get excited for that Zoom holiday party.  

Luckily, H&M has everything you need for every “new norm”-specific winter activity — from cozy knits to croc-embossed booties to cottage-core floral blouses. And to make things even easier, we put together five looks you’ll need for everything you’ll be getting up to this season. Click through for proof winter isn’t something you need to fear — and then shop each outfit from home. 

Date Night

Whether you’re supporting your favorite local restaurant with dinner al fresco or takeout next to a backyard fire pit, layer (and snuggle) up in a velvety-soft lilac cardigan-as-a-top and preppy tartan scarf. Chunky Chelsea boots, a luxe top-handle bag and delicate gold pendants effortlessly elevate your date night ‘fit, while vintage-inspired denim keeps things just the right amount of casual.

Work From Wherever

Feel focused and put-together no matter where your office is — and be ready for that spontaneous Zoom invitation — in sleek, stretchy jeans that feel like sweats and an eye-catching floral print blouse that doesn’t need a ring-light. A set of statement rings add flair to your virtual presentations, while lug sole loafers and a croc-embossed tote take you from workday to socially distanced hangouts later.

Weekend Errands

Pair an oversize turtleneck sweater with slouchy cropped cords for a street style-meets-weekend errand run outfit. A plush oatmeal beanie and pointy-toe croc-embossed booties walk the line of practical and chic, while a quilted crossbody keeps you sporty-cool and nimble.

Socially Distant Outdoor Hang

Enjoy that precious time with friends outdoors (while staying six feet apart of course) in an oversize cardigan (paired with a tank or worn on its own), vegan leather leggings, a plush beanie, and cool kicks. A faux fur bag adds unexpected texture, while also holding your precious hand sanitizer and reusable bottle (because winter is still BYOB season).

Zoom Holiday Party

Saying “bye!” to 2020 will be a celebration like no other, even if the party’s virtual. So swap out your pajama pants for polished plaid trousers and brighten up that Zoom gallery view with a tucked-in camera-friendly lilac knit and layers of brilliant gold pendants. Lug-sole loafers stay profesh while keeping you comfortable when the remote dance party happens.

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Last night, Billie Eilish took home Billboard Music Awards for Female Artist, Best New Artist, and Album of the Year — though we would like to unofficially add the award for Best Red-Carpet Fashion of 2020. For her most creative and of-the-moment ensemble ever, the record-breaking artist matched her face mask to her manicure and now, we’re frantically searching for an olive-green silk face covering and matching nail polish to recreate the look.

Eilish, in her typical fashion-forward style, wore a head-to-toe olive ensemble, courtesy of Gucci. The look consisted of layered silk fabric embossed with a delicate floral pattern, which translated to the accessories: a matching bucket hat and face mask. To further play up the monochrome effect, the “Bad Guy” singer’s stiletto nails had an almost identical green tone imprinted with the same floral pattern.

This look reminds us that when it comes to sporting a face covering, we can either complain about maskne, or reframe our perspective by leaning into our new fashion accessory — and styling a manicure to match.

At last night’s award show, Eilish wasn’t the only celeb sporting some next-level nail art with a color-coordinated outfit. Lizzo used her nails to send a PSA about the upcoming Presidential Election. The “Truth Hurts” singer showed off a statement nail, which read ‘VOTE’ in white lettering over glossy black polish. Manicurist Eri Ishizu created the iconic look.

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A post shared by eri ishizu (@erierinailz) on Oct 14, 2020 at 10:38pm PDT

While the Billboard Music Awards celebrate the biggest songs, albums, and artists of 2020, last night’s presentation was also about finding fashionable and creative ways to spread important messages. The two most prominent celebrity campaigns: Wear a mask and vote.

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Though absentee ballots have been used in elections for centuries, this year’s mass movement to vote by mail due to the pandemic feels entirely different. While many are able to still head to the polls on election day (or for early voting) millions of people across the country have already received their absentee ballots for the 2020 election. But for many first-time voters (or first time absentee voters), this process can seem confusing, particularly with all of the active voter suppression tactics at play.

The rules for absentee voting vary by state, as some have pushed more adaptive plans than others. Some states, like California, Vermont, and Nevada are sending ballots out to every voter; and others like New York and Indiana will require voters to present an excuse before receiving an absentee ballot. 

But one thing is certain, whatever the situation is in your state, it will surely be attacked by the president, who has railed against voting by mail for months. Trump has repeatedly claimed without evidence that mail-in voting would be rife with fraud and that the process may be manipulated to send ballots only to Democratic areas of the country. He has also attacked states that have chosen to automatically send ballots to every voter this year, calling the practice “illegal,” and has even threatened to withhold federal funding from those states. 

Despite the president’s near-constant attempts to suppress voting on a massive scale this year, absentee voting is nothing new. You can learn more about the requirements in your respective state here, including what you need to know before voting, and any important deadlines to keep in mind before sending out your ballot. 

While the whole process might feel more confusing or overwhelming this year, especially for first-time voters, we are here to help you figure out exactly how to fill out your ballot. 

Check everything in your absentee ballot packet.

The contents of your vote by mail packet will vary by state depending on the existing laws where you live. Typically, your packet will include the ballot itself, instructions regarding how to fill it out, and any additional envelopes you might need. 

Some states, like Alabama, will include a secrecy envelope that you need to seal the ballot in, an affidavit envelope (which is the outer envelope that you’ll need to sign), and a pre-addressed envelope that you’ll seal everything in before sending it out. The process in other states might be more basic. For example, in Illinois you will receive only a ballot, instructions, and a “Ballot Return Envelope.” 

Prepare yourself with the right tools to fill out your absentee ballot.

The tools you’ll need to fill out your ballot are pretty straightforward. You will need a black or blue pen because the ballot scanners can’t read other colors, like red ink. In some states, you might also need a witness or two to sign your affidavit. The witness can be anyone over the age of 18, like a friend, a family member, or even a postal worker. While this remains a requirement in some states right now, voting rights advocates are challenging these witness requirements where they exist, in states like North Carolina, Minnesota, and Alabama, among others. 

Some states, like Kentucky, Louisiana, and Missouri also require a photocopy of your ID to vote by mail. You might also have to provide a photocopy of your ID if this is your first time voting in a federal election. Again, voting rights advocates are challenging these requirements, which are especially harmful to low-income voters. 

Make sure you fill each section of your absentee ballot out correctly.

Filling in your ballot correctly is very important to making sure it counts. You should only choose one candidate for each office, unless your instructions tell you otherwise. For example, some elections for local or state offices might allow you to choose multiple candidates. When you fill in your ballot, make sure that you completely fill in the oval next to your preferred candidate’s name. Remember how you had to fill in your bubbles on a standardized test? Well, it’s like that — channel that energy. 

You can also write in a candidate in the write-in space. If you choose to do so, make sure to also fill in the oval next to your write-in candidate’s name, like you would with a candidate whose name is already on the ballot. 

Some states will also require your signature to match one on file, usually pulling from the DMV, so make sure to have your ID or driver’s license on hand to compare. 

Identify everything on your absentee ballot. 

Every ballot, no matter what state you’re living in, will have a section for the presidential election, which will include each candidate and their running mate. This year’s ballots will name President Trump, Democratic nominee Joe Biden, Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins, and Libertarian Party candidate Jo Jorgensen. 

Your ballot will also include candidates in other state and local elections taking place where you live, as well as different measures being considered there. For instance, some voters in Oregon will have the opportunity this year to decide on whether to implement a new police oversight board. Some states are also holding elections for Congressional seats and the State’s Attorney’s office. You can find a sample of your own ballot here. 

Find out if you can use an absentee ballot drop box.

The option to drop off your ballot at an official drop box isn’t available in every state, but if it’s available in your state, you should explore this option. Using a ballot drop box is a simple way to ensure your ballot gets counted in the 2020 election, whereas, given all the attacks on the USPS, so much could go wrong with regular mail. But it’s also important to make sure you find an official ballot drop box as California — among other states — have seen members of the GOP admit to placing unofficial ones around several towns for ballot harvesting.

To find out if your area has ballot drop boxes and where to locate them, you can start here.

Track your absentee ballot online.

The last thing you’ll want to do after filling and sending out your ballot is track it online. Make sure to hold on to the tracking number on your ballot so you can more easily locate it. You might also need to include information like your name, date of birth, and social security number, as each state uses a different service to help you keep track of your mail-in ballot. 

If you have any questions about the contents of your mail-in packet or anything else related to voting in your state, you should contact your local election office. 

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In the year 2020, menstruation is still stigmatized. To anyone who has a period, this certainly isn’t news. And Cherie Hoeger, a mother of five daughters with family members in Venezuela that once went months without access to period care, has long been acutely aware of this taboo. It’s what set her on the path to create Saalt, a sustainable, reusable menstrual cup brand.

Saalt launched in 2018 with its first reusable silicone cup, which offers 12 hours of protection. Beyond simply offering innovative period products, however, the brand has a larger mission to educate people globally about menstrual health and help bring the period cup into the mainstream. Saalt is doing all of this in the name of sustainability, wellness, and normalizing menstruation.

In this month’s edition of Talking Shop, Hoeger talks about teaming up with her husband to found Saalt. She explains why her writing background has been essential to her entrepreneurial ventures and walks us through the process of landing her dream retailer by talking candidly about periods. The co-founder also shares just how important it is for businesses to be mission-focused now and in the future.

Refinery29: Walk me through the process of launching Saalt.
Cherie Hoeger: The spark for Saalt really started when I had a phone call with my husband’s aunt in Venezuela, and the situation there is pretty dire. She was describing a scenario that we’re all a little bit more familiar with now where she just couldn’t get anything on grocery shelves, so no hygiene items, no food, no diapers and formula for the children, let alone things like pads and tampons. I have five daughters and that really got me thinking and led me to a lot of research on what reusable options were out there. I thought, what would I do in that situation? That’s when I was first introduced to the period cup, and I was immediately sold on the benefits — it’s clean, nontoxic, you can wear it for 12 hours at a time, sleep with it in, it’s comfortable, and it can last for 10 years. I thought where has this been my whole life? Why haven’t I tried this option before? 

So I bought several to try out, and I just couldn’t find one that met all my ideal criteria and fit well with my anatomy so I roped my husband into helping me custom design a new model with a 3D CAD system. We got to creating what we hoped would be the perfect cup that would be great for beginners and a mainstream consumer. We had 14 iterations of design to get the design right. Working with the factory that creates our cup, it was a $20,000 investment to etch the design, so I remember that being a pretty big moment for us to say, “Okay, do we feel confident enough in this minimum viable product that it’s going to catch on that we can make this investment?” So there’s certainly a lot of risks when you go the entrepreneur route. There’s plenty of investments that we’ve had in the past that either go well or don’t go so well. You just learned to take on that risk and you learn to live with uncertainty. So we did, we thought that it was a good design, and we’re so grateful that it caught on well.

We did create a focus group to help us launch our business. We gave them all free products. We asked them to test the products and see what they liked. It was a focus group of a thousand members on a private Facebook group, and we asked them all sorts of questions from branding and imagery to, “Do you like this copy or this copy? Do you like these colors?” We would AB test all these questions, and try to find what would resonate with our consumer. Once we had our branding mapped out, we had our product, we had our packaging, and so forth, that focus group acted as a platform for us so that when we launched our website in February of 2018, we were able to launch it with a little bit of a bang. We weren’t just completely silent because we had people opening the packaging on Instagram, doing unboxing experiences, and sharing with their friends. So it really worked well for us to be able to share that startup journey with our consumer base. We found that we created some really good ambassadors because of it. 

That’s such a savvy approach to the whole process. Do you have a background in business? Did you go to business school or have any kind of other formal training that led you to decide on this focus group/ brand ambassador strategy?
I didn’t. I went to college with an English major and editing emphasis, and I’ve always worked in technical writing. That said, I have a very, very visionary husband, and we knew we were going to be entrepreneurs right away from the day that we were married. We knew that we wanted to be in business for ourselves so we were constantly going after business ideas. Fortunately, we really compliment each other well — he has a visionary mindset and I’m the type that implements ideas very quickly so together we make a good team. So we’ve done a lot of different entrepreneurial ventures: we’ve had e-commerce businesses, we’ve done a lot in commercial and residential real estate.

We have a history of a lot of ideas, but I’ve always been a freelance technical writer. I’ve helped co-author seven editions of college textbooks in the field of fitness and wellness. That’s been primarily what I’ve done aside from working together with my husband on a lot of businesses. This has been the first that we’ve done together where I’ve been very much at the forefront. I was a little bit more behind the scenes with the others, so it’s been a transition for us but a very welcome one.

Do you feel like your technical writing in the wellness space has informed your work in the menstrual health and hygiene sphere?
Yes, very much so. As a technical writer, you take these complex processes in nutrition or fitness, and you break them down into actionable steps to try to create behavior change in people. I have found that with Saalt, it’s very much a similar process. We’re taking something that’s ambiguous and maybe a little scary — reusable period care — and taking away the stigma, taking away the fear factor, and breaking it down into actionable steps of, “Okay, this is how you get through the learning curve.” It’s a lot of education so it transfers very well.

I will also say that you would imagine that you’d write a lot when working on college textbooks, which I do, but I’ll tell you, I’ve never written more than I have in our business ventures, between website copy, instructions, press releases, interviews. The writing just never ends, so it’s been a very useful skill. I think an English degree is a really great platform for any entrepreneur. 

You mentioned the risk that comes along with making investments in a new venture. Were you mostly bootstrapping in the beginning? Have you received any funding for the business? If so, what kind?
I think all entrepreneurs are bootstrapping, especially in this age, but we’ve been fortunate to be able to self-fund our business aside from an SBA loan that we got to fund some inventory. So to this day, it’s out of our real estate business proceeds. A lot of times you have another business going while you start a new one, that’s very much been the case for us.

So you and your husband started Saalt. How many people do you employ now?
We have 33 employees and four interns — we love our interns. We have been growing like gangbusters, especially during this COVID time when essentials are, well, essential. Interest has increased a lot in sustainable, more cost-effective options. So we’ve been trying to keep up with the demand. 

We are also an 89% female company and because of that, we’re always looking for creative solutions to problems for working women. For example, the cost of childcare is one of the biggest problems for women who want to work. So one way that we are addressing that is by having an in-office preschool that’s available five days a week with two full-time preschool teachers, which is free to all of our employees. We have many working dads also on our team that utilize the preschool. This has been game-changing for us because we’re able to access this pool of talent that may have been sitting on the sidelines. Now, we can bring them into our company, give them a way to contribute, and solve that issue of childcare and that burden that so many women carry.

What is a small business to you?
I see small businesses as vehicles to move the world forward because they’re run by entrepreneurs that are by nature, game-changers, innovators, and out-of-the-box thinkers. You have to have a lot of muscle and grit when you’re a small business, and you have to hire people that are willing to take on anything. When people come into Saalt, we always tell them the same thing: “Even though you’re hired for a specific role, the only thing we can guarantee in a startup is that things will change. You’ll be asked to do new things, wear a lot of hats, and pivot to fill the holes.” You need people who are self-starters. 

What has been your biggest business challenge with Saalt so far?
When we started Saalt, we knew that these long-held stigmas around periods presented both our greatest challenge and also opportunity. From the outset, we knew we were entering a product category that’s still really taboo for a lot of people so we decided to take that head on by creating beautiful, high-end packaging that placed the cup on a pedestal and showcased it for what it really is: a better user experience over disposable that’s also healthier, more comfortable, more sustainable. We were very deliberate about our brand and voice to be able to elevate sustainable period care to sit on the same shelf as clean personal care products while also actively working to normalize periods and educate consumers. You could look at a stigma as a huge challenge. The fact that this is an FDA-regulated medical device could scare off a lot of people and the learning curve could scare off a lot of people, but we saw it as an opportunity.

You all did create a truly beautiful product, which is unexpected for a period cup. On the opposite end of that, what has been your biggest business win?
I would say pitching to Target in only our second year of business was definitely one of the proudest moments of my career. Target has always been our dream retailer. When we were debating back and forth on packaging design, what we kept coming back to is that it had to be Target-worthy. We knew it had to be beautiful and be something that would resonate with Target customers. 
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The way that it came about is my husband, who is also co-founder, joined me at a trade show in Florida that was essentially speed dating with retailers. We pitched to 26 retailers in 48 hours, and one of them was a Target buyer. You can imagine how nervous we were. I had only pitched one other major retail buyer previous to that — I won’t name who it is, but that buyer was very closed-minded to cups and a bit stone-faced so I had no idea what to expect. To our surprise, that Target buyer was not only a progressive thinker who was all for sustainable products but a big menstrual cup fan herself. She’d been passing different cups all around the office for her coworkers to try so she gave us great feedback on what we could change in our packaging to make it more shelf-ready for the retail consumers. She was so gracious, friendly, and encouraging. I thought I was a big fan of Target before interacting with her, but it just cemented that Target was exactly who we wanted to partner with. 

So you can imagine our excitement when we got invited to Minnesota for live reviews, which meant that we got to do a follow-up meeting with the buyer for about 20 minutes. There was a point in that interview where she looked up at us and she said, “I have looked at a lot of cups and I really think your brand is best positioned to take the cup mainstream.” I just wanted to pinch myself because we had been deliberate about what we wanted — we wanted it to speak to a mainstream consumer and we wanted it to be Target-worthy. Now, here she is saying, “Out of all the competitors, your brand stands out. We want you in Target.” It was incredibly validating as an entrepreneur and our sales have been even better than expected with Target. We were able to launch exclusively the next year nationwide in all Target stores and it catapulted us.

I have to imagine that you often found yourself pitching to people who don’t have periods and who might not really understand the need for this type of product or perhaps don’t even want to hear about it? Even people who do menstruate are sometimes closed off to talking about these types of products in particular. Did you experience that at all when pitching to potential retailers? 
Yes, definitely. Being an entrepreneur in the menstrual industry, I would say that my days are TMI all day in the office. But outside the office, you definitely have to be more careful in how you approach the conversation to get to a place of openness and feeling comfortable. The advice that I would give to everyone is when we’re approaching this conversation, the people that we’re talking to, whether they’re friends, colleagues, people of any gender, they take their cues from us. So if we’re visibly uncomfortable talking about periods in an open setting, then they’re going to take those cues and also feel uncomfortable to approach it in a straightforward manner. I mean, 50% of the population menstruates, right? And if you talk about it on a human level, then you start to see their demeanors change. 

That’s really great advice. What is your ultimate goal with Saalt?
We have a very big goal for a long term vision — we like to call it our BHAG, our big, hairy, audacious goal — and that is to be the most recognized reusable period care company in the world, which is pretty hefty. We don’t ever want to carry single-use disposable products. We will only carry reasonable products that are good for our bodies and the planet, which means that in order to grow beyond just our cups, we really need to be innovating in the category to get there. So a lot of my time is spent in product development, and I’ll say that we have a lot of exciting things coming down the pipeline in the next few months. We’re really excited to make a big splash in the reusable period care space.

Is there anything else you want to share about Saalt or running a small business? 
We are a certified B Corp with a superset give-back mission. We give 2% of our revenue back in three main pillars: menstrual health, environmental sustainability, and educational scholarships. We fund educational scholarships for girls every year, and we also donate thousands of menstrual cups across the world. I think that we’ve donated to 24 countries and over 12,000 cups. We have partners across the world where we give them regular donations of cups to try to solve that problem for the people. It’s the most impactful thing we do, it’s at the core of who we are. 

When I look at the millennials and Gen Z consumer bases — millennials are going to represent 75% of the global workforce — what I see is that they want to support businesses that align with their values. That means that just for-profit business, without purpose and mission, is not going to fly in the future. What I see is businesses of the future need to be very mission-focused. So I would love to see more entrepreneurs embrace their ability to serve the world through the B Corp model and through social enterprise as they start their ventures because I just believe it’s the way of the future. I think it’s focusing on conscious capitalism in every aspect of the business from sourcing products responsibly, paying fair wages, inclusivity and transparency, and using business as a force for good. This is what gives me hope for the future.

This interview was edited for length and clarity.

In Refinery29’s new Talking Shop series, we’re chatting with owners of up-and-coming small businesses about their experiences launching, the big challenges and wins they’ve faced, and of course, their products and services. Discover new spots to patronize, while getting an intimate look at what it takes to run a small business in today’s economy. Do you run a small business or do you want to recommend a small business you’d like to see featured on Talking Shop? Tell us more about it here.

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President Donald Trump has never seen a conspiracy theory he didn’t like — and promote on Twitter. So it’s unfortunately no surprise that he praised the lie-spreading cult QAnon in his nationally televised town hall on NBC on Thursday night. 

Moderator Savannah Guthrie — who was rightly praised for standing up to Trump and posing tough questions — directly asked Trump if he supported QAnon’s claims that there is a global child-torturing cabal: “Can you once and for all denounce QAnon in its entirety?” 

Compared to the other questions Guthrie asked, this one was a softball. Denouncing QAnon seems like a pretty easy thing to do. But not for Trump. Instead, he deflected, “I know nothing about QAnon.” Guthrie responded, “I just told you,” to which he said, “What you tell me doesn’t necessarily make it fact.” 

Then, he said: “What I do hear about it is they are very strongly against pedophilia, and I agree with that.”

So, about that: QAnon is a conspiracy cult that has been labeled a domestic terror threat by the FBI. It claims, entirely falsely, that Satan-worshiping politicians and celebrities around the world are working together to engage in child sex abuse and trafficking. Members also believe that Trump, whom they consider a savior, wants to bust this pedophilic cabal and that he is the target of a “deep state” effort to annihilate him — and, let’s face it, he’s unlikely to denounce anyone who calls him a savior. They also spread other baseless theories, like that 5G cellular networks are spreading coronavirus, as well as lies about the election and mass shootings.

During the town hall, Trump also walked back his recent retweet of a conspiracy theory from a QAnon-linked account, which falsely claimed that former Vice President Joe Biden arranged to have Seal Team Six killed to cover up the fake death of Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden. “I know nothing about it,” Trump said. “That was a retweet — that was an opinion of somebody. And that was a retweet. I’ll put it out there. People can decide for themselves.”

To which, Guthrie responded, speaking for so many of us, “I don’t get that. You’re the President. You’re not like someone’s crazy uncle who can retweet whatever.”

This isn’t the first time Trump has enabled QAnon and other conspiracy theory groups. He has often used his Twitter account to promote QAnon-related accounts, and he even embraced the group’s support in August. “I don’t know much about the movement other than I understand they like me very much, which I appreciate,” Trump said. He has also endorsed Republican congressional candidate Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia, despite her QAnon ties and history of making racist and anti-Semitic remarks. 

Joe Biden, who participated in a much tamer town hall over at ABC on the same night, explicitly denounced QAnon last month. “What in God’s name are we doing? Look at how it makes us look around the world. It’s mortifying. It’s embarrassing, and it’s dangerous,” Biden said at a campaign event. “If the president doesn’t know better, which he has to know better, then, my Lord, we’re in much more trouble than I ever thought we were.”

The movement has had a big presence at Trump’s campaign rallies, so it is questionable, if not wholly unbelievable, that the president doesn’t know anything about it. But what he is really doing by refusing to denounce QAnon is clear: He is playing to his base. According to recent polls, a disturbing amount of people believe that at least some QAnon claims are true; 12% of social media users say they have engaged with or posted QAnon content in a positive way, with Republicans more likely to do so. It’s not the first time Trump has embraced dangerous, false theories — like the birther movement, which claimed President Barack Obama was born in Kenya — to appeal to the worst instincts of his supporters. And it will doubtfully be the last.

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The New York Times has long been held up as a beacon of authority in the journalism world. Through the years, the paper has tried to establish itself as neutral despite often being at the center of controversies for giving platforms to members of alt-right, as well as publishing an op-ed by Senator Tom Cotton calling for Trump to bring in the military to deal with Black Lives Matter protesters. This spurred even more concern when Trump did indeed bring in the troops. But after trying to give voices to “both sides,” the editors have broken tradition and penned a special statement on Trump less than three weeks before the election. 

In an op-ed titled “End Our National Crisis” released by the editorial board of the New York Times today, the publishing powerhouse makes their case against re-electing Donald Trump, stating that the potential of Trump’s win “poses the greatest threat to American democracy since World War II.”

“Mr. Trump’s ruinous tenure already has gravely damaged the United States at home and around the world. He has abused the power of his office and denied the legitimacy of his political opponents, shattering the norms that have bound the nation together for generations. He has subsumed the public interest to the profitability of his business and political interests. He has shown a breathtaking disregard for the lives and liberties of Americans. He is a man unworthy of the office he holds,” the op-ed states. It also references its previous coverage of his divisive rhetoric, racism and xenophobia. “Nov. 3 can be a turning point. This is an election about the country’s future, and what path its citizens wish to choose.” 

While it breaks from former practices, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, and it’s clear that there’s no room for a paper as influential as the Times to do anything but take a strong stance against fascism. In the op-ed, the editors note the extremity of the situation, referencing Trump’s refusal to a peaceful transfer of power — something no modern predecessor has refused to commit to. In addition to outlining the corruption of the administration, the editors concurred that this plea was necessary, given that the country realistically cannot survive four more years of a Trump presidency.

The Times acknowledges that other presidents — like Nixon, Reagan, and Bush — also caused harm, but the op-ed states that Trump “has outstripped decades of presidential wrongdoing in a single term.” Alongside the editorial is a whole section devoted to essays and evidence pointing to Trump’s negligence with public health during the coronavirus pandemic, his celebrations of violence, his lack of action on climate change, and more.

In response to this, angered Republicans online have invoked the president’s favorite phrase: “The Failing New York Times” and called it biased. Other reactions online have run the gamut from shock at such a definitive push against Trump, to calls of hypocrisy that reference the paper’s constant coverage of Hillary Clinton’s e-mail scandal.

“I reaalllllly want the NYT editorial board to call out the news side for their contributions to making this presidency happen,” tweeted activist and writer Chanda Prescot-Weinstein. Though many are dissatisfied given the newspaper’s previous coverage, a former candidate for Congress, Kyle Tisdel, tweeted praise for the piece, saying, “Many of us have grown numb to the daily onslaught of lies, corruption and outrageousness. This article can serve as a reminder. Vote. But lets also do what we can to motivate our family, friends, and neighbors to reclaim our nation from this demagoguery.”

Though Trump will surely fight back against the op-ed’s statement that he’s a “racist demagogue” and call it all fake news, Trump is not the audience whose attention the editors are aiming to clinch: This was clearly written for the millions of people who might still make a difference — a hope that journalism still has sway over voters who can save the country, and a reminder that damage can still be undone.

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On Thursday, Katie Holmes debuted not one, but two fall-ready looks while out and about in New York City. Earlier in the day, she was seen wearing a polo-neck knit — one of this season’s most exciting sweater trends — a camel coat, cream-colored jeans, and Sorel’s Lennox hiking boots. She topped off the look with her go-to Sharkchaser Bubble tote, confirming that big bags are in this season. Later on, Holmes swapped out her daytime knit for a more elevated one: a cutout black sweater.

Her crewneck sweater, with long-sleeves and what appears to be a criss-cross design across the front, left her midriff and collarbones exposed. (As we learned last year, when Holmes debuted a cashmere bra and cardigan set by Khaite, the people love a collarbone moment from the Dawson’s Creek actress.) The autumnal sweater, which she wore to ride a CitiBike, was the perfect mix of weather-friendly and stylish, the cut-outs making it appear less out of place in NYC’s balmy, in-between 60-degree weather. With the sweater, she wore white, slouchy trousers, matching glove shoes, and her go-to evolvetogether face mask. (Kaia Gerber, Hailey Bieber, Gabrielle Union, and more A-listers have also been spotted in the disposable face mask, which benefits I am a voter.) 

Recently, we can’t get enough of Holmes’ low-key, yet enviable outfit combinations. Earlier this summer, Holmes was spotted with boyfriend Emilio Vitolo Jr. wearing an outfit fit for Zoom: a long-sleeved white T-shirt layered underneath a plaid, double-breasted blazer from Frame, which she paired with cream-colored knit joggers from Mango and white Common Project sneakers. Show us a more relatable combination. She then wore three looks that will solve any fall dressing dilemma: a striped button-down with jeans, a gray duster with New Balance x Staud sneakers, and plaid pants casually paired with a white, short-sleeved T-shirt. So, if you’re on the lookout for transitional fall fashion inspiration, look no further than Katie Holmes. 

Below, shop some of our favorites from Holmes’ fall fashion looks so far. 

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When I think of my fondest memories from college — Howard University to be specific — one of my favorite photos immediately comes to mind. In it is myself and about 10 other girls, squished in a small dorm room, surrounded by sizzling flat-irons, natural hair necessities, and troves of makeup. Sprawled across the pair of twin XL beds are the dozens of outfits that we had managed to pull together on an undergrad budget, as we sorted through the piles figuring out what missing pieces we could borrow from each other’s closets. 

The occasion we were preparing for was homecoming, and the snapshot is a perfect representation of just how seriously students from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) take the celebration. When most think of homecoming, an annual weekend spree comprising a massive football game and tailgate comes to mind. But at an HBCU, homecoming means so much more. For almost a century the weeklong jubilee has served as a celebration of Blackness, reverence of tradition, and a reminder of just how far we’ve come as a people. Thousands of alumni, students, and friends gather for star-studded yardshows, high-intensity pep rallies, epic tailgates, and concerts that have drawn the likes of super-famous rappers and R&B stars. If you’ve ever stepped foot on an HBCU campus during the October festivities, you’ve felt that electrifying energy and you’ve seen the fashion trends that go on to permeate every aspect of the culture as we know it. 

The vast majority of HBCUs throw a blowout fashion show during the week as well. Usually occurring on Wednesday or Thursday, it serves as the catalyst for the larger-scale events that occupy the weekend. The major production often highlights Black designers, features student models, and serves as yet another avenue for the work of fashion majors to be showcased to a wider audience. Attendees show up in their best fits, often donning elaborate capes, larger-than-life hats, and museum-worthy jewelry. Fashion is an integral part of any HBCU homecoming. In fact, it may be one of the most important parts. 

But this year, things are a lot different. There will be no reunion brunches to plan, no running into old friends on the yard, no Greek step shows, and no scouring the internet for a week’s worth of outfits. However, HBCU alumni are still celebrating their alma maters, and they plan on doing so dressed to the nines — just like our ancestors would have wanted. Ahead, in partnership with Target, check out what five HBCU alumnae (myself included) are wearing this year to their distanced, virtual homecomings, how the celebration influences their fashion sense year-round, and how they’re coping with the major changes of 2020. 

Kai Deveraux Lawson
Howard University, class of 2010

What’s your favorite thing about homecoming? 
“Going back to a place I call home, seeing my friends, and spending time in places we used to frequent together.”

How are you celebrating homecoming this year? 
“I’m lucky to live in the same neighborhood with so many people from college and who are also in my same class. We’ll be spending what would have been our homecoming weekend together. Same people. Same love. Same laughter. Different places.”

How are you coping with this change? 
“It’s been difficult to cope with the change. This year would have been our 10 year reunion, and I feel like we’ve all been anticipating this since our five year reunion. The reality that an in-person homecoming wouldn’t be feasible was devastating, but my friends and classmates are beyond resilient, and we show up for each other when it counts. So, it’s been comforting to virtually connect with everyone through virtual calls and frequent group chats.”

What do you usually wear to homecoming? And how is your look changing this year?
“Howard’s homecoming is a week-long fashion show. So, whatever I wear has to be fly but also comfortable, because walking up the hill from Georgia Avenue to the yard is no joke.  My outfit must also showcase my Bison pride. At least one of my outfits will be centered around my favorite Howard tee or sweatshirt. My style won’t change this year even though I won’t be on the yard. I’ll definitely be putting on for The Real HU.” 

Why did you choose this outfit? 
“I’d describe my style as functionally fly. Homecoming is a series of all-day events and so the more wear I can get out of my outfit the better. I rely on my accessories to let my personality shine. For my look I chose a paperbag-waist pant as my base because they’re super comfortable and flattering on me. The basic white tee allows me to dress my look up or down depending on how my day evolves. My accessories pull my look together while giving me the flexibility to put on either a chic pair of pumps or a pair of fresh sneakers. Either way looks cute on or off a Zoom call.”

Shop Kai’s outfit:

Rugiatu Jalloh
Spelman College, class of 2016

What’s your favorite thing about homecoming? 
“The warm embrace you experience the entire weekend, being surrounded by the beautiful Black people you share memories with, and of course, the wave of nostalgia that hits from physically being back on campus.”

How are you celebrating homecoming this year? 
“I’m creating a playlist with songs that remind me of my years in Atlanta and having my college crew collaborate on it. We’re also planning a virtual cocktail hour to catch up and reminisce about past homecomings together.” 

How are you coping with this change? 
“I’m slightly regretful that I did not attend last year, but I’m still trying to make the best out of our virtual experiences. I am closely connected to my Spelman sisters in New York, which gives us an opportunity to share memories and our excitement for our future reunion and homecoming memories.”

What do you usually wear to homecoming? And how is your look changing this year?
“A lot of walking and dancing happens, especially during tailgating, which lasts for hours. I usually show up in jeans and a fun crop top, or a casual dress, with sneakers, a pair of sunglasses, and a water bottle. My homecoming attire is always centered around comfort and flexibility, and I usually wear neutrals with pops of color. This year, I’ll still be comfortable, but I’ll likely only have socks on — no sneakers needed.”

Why did you choose this outfit? 
“I chose this outfit because it balances style and comfort. My style is constantly evolving, but I’m currently investing in timeless pieces in neutral tones that can be mixed and matched. I’ve been adding touches of vibrancy through my accessories — large hoops or multi-colored drop earrings are my go-to when I want to enhance a basic sweater and bottoms.” 

Shop Rugiatu’s outfit:

Mikahila Bloomfield Linder
Hampton University, class of 2008

What’s your favorite thing about homecoming?
“Traditions — I have a picture of my best friends and I ‘crossing Ogden Circle’ on grad night. Returning to campus brings back those moments and memories from our time at Hampton. I’m also grateful for the professors I get to reconnect with when I’m back (if you had Dr. Ferdnance for Economics or Dr. Roy for History, you were woke before the kids called it ‘woke’). And I try to remember to bring a care package for the girls in my old dorm room at Twitchell Hall.”

How are you celebrating homecoming this year?
“I’m planning to visit one of my best friends from college. We will likely be hopping into several virtual kickbacks. I’m visiting her because she got a new job and will be moving soon. Right now, she lives in our college town, so it will be weird to be there without the usual homecoming festivities.”

How are you coping with this change?
“I only recently realized that I have mostly been self-isolating for the majority of this pandemic — not just social-distancing. But I’ve started to accept FaceTime calls and attend virtual happy hours — I now have several calendar bookings that say ‘Shots! Shots! Shots!’”

What do you usually wear to homecoming? And how is your look changing this year?
“My game day look typically involves what I like to call ‘understated overdressing.’ Since HU is in Virginia and it can be humid in October, I usually wear a skirt. I still remember what I wore in 2017: a waxed denim miniskirt, flat over-the-knee boots, and an HU foam finger. My style never changes — rain, wind, or pandemic. You can count on me to be in my best looks.”

Why did you choose this outfit?
“I’m absolutely obsessed with these white combat boots — I love to mix in pieces that toughen up a ladylike look. Instead of big statement earrings, I usually wear several delicate earrings that make a statement, so the huggie hoop set completes my look.”

Shop Mikahila’s outfit:

Blake Newby
Howard University, class of 2017

What’s your favorite thing about homecoming?
“Besides absolutely everything, I’d have to say that my favorite part of homecoming is the fellowship. I really don’t even refer to the celebration as ‘homecoming’ anymore, I call it a ‘reunion.’ It fills my heart each year to be surrounded with such love. I reminisce with friends I haven’t seen in some time, we fawn over how great each other looks, and make plans to catch-up after the weekend. We plan massive brunches where we drink mimosas like we’re in college and swag surf on the yard like we’re still in undergrad. It’s such a beautiful experience to know that every year I can count on at least four days of being around hundreds, even thousands of people all who share similar experiences.” 

How are you celebrating homecoming this year?
“I’ve spent the vast majority of quarantine in Washington, D.C., so I’ve decided to extend my time here until after ‘homecoming.’ Myself and five of my closest girlfriends from college have a brunch spot that we’ve loved since our time in undergrad, and luckily, they have a patio seating arrangement. We’ll sit out, reminisce, drink bellinis, and laugh until our stomachs hurt.”

How are you coping with this change? 
“I’m constantly reminding myself of how grateful and fortunate I am. Rather than wallowing in the fact that I won’t be celebrating in the way I usually do, I’m thanking the heavens that I’ve been gifted such an incredible group of friends from my time at Howard. Those are the same incredible women that I can’t wait to sit distanced from, reveling in memories and sisterhood. Homecoming might not be as massive as it usually is, but in times like these, not only during a pandemic, but during a time when the livelihood of our people is under attack, I’m fortunate to be in good health, safe, and still be surrounded by love — even if it’s from six feet away.” 

What do you usually wear to homecoming? And how is your look changing this year?
“I’m the first to admit that I’m the person who buys all new stuff for homecoming. I create a mood board, usually on Pinterest, and buy new piece after piece. My style is a mix of timelessness, a hint of street style, a bit of high-fashion, and the occasional ‘Instagram girl.’  But every year, while on the yard or during tailgate, I’ll see another outfit on someone else that I’ll fall in love with, which often leads to me using that as inspiration for the following year. I’m, of course, going the more comfortable route this year. The Blake during a traditional homecoming would trek through campus in a four-inch pump, uncomfortable as ever. This year, I’m prioritizing both the comfort and the high-fashion appeal.”

Why did you choose this outfit?
“It’s simple, comfy, but still gives ‘cute brunch vibes.’ The contrast of the super-casual dress paired with the snakeskin boot and statement earring is something I love and is indicative of my usual style. The knit fabric and loose fit keeps things comfortable — brunch will be packed with food and champagne — but still provides a sleek silhouette.” 

Shop Blake’s outfit:

Alexis Thrasher
Spelman College, class of 2016 

What’s your favorite thing about homecoming? 
“The energy, the anticipation of seeing your friends, choosing your outfits for the events, and most importantly, the tailgate.”

How are you celebrating homecoming this year? 
“I’ll probably be attending a few small in-person celebrations (safely), but not too sure as of yet.”

How are you coping with this change?
“The change hasn’t affected me that much to be honest. I’ve simply acknowledged that times are different and we must adjust to our current reality. It’s better to embrace it than to push against it.”

What do you usually wear to homecoming? And how is your look changing this year?
“It depends on my mood or current inspiration at the moment. I may feel preppy one year or I may go with my typical vibe, which is ‘comfy chic.’ A lot of it depends on the weather because Atlanta is all over the place, and it’s hard to predict. This year, I’m going with my ‘comfy chic’ style, which means a jogger with an oversized top and a heel, or a fitted ribbed dress with a fresh pair of kicks. Simple and minimalistic is ideal.”

Why did you choose this outfit?
“I chose the outfit because it reflects my style: effortless, chic, and easy. It’s neutral with a small amount of bling.”

Shop Alexis’ outfit:

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You know when you have a song stuck in your head and the depth of your being says: “we can’t go on unless we figure out what this song is.” So you examine the artifact in search for clues: Do you remember the lyrics? Did someone you can contact play it? Were you close enough to the sound to get a good Shazam of it? If you come to the devastating conclusion that your answer to all these questions is “no,” you’re likely used to telling yourself you’ll never find the song and kiss it goodbye. Finally, there’s a solution to this irritating issue.

This week, Google released a new feature called “Hum to Search.” In order to use it, you’ll need the latest version of the Google app. When you select the microphone icon and ask Google, “What’s this song?” or select “search a song,” the stage lights come on and you have to give your best 10-15 second rendition of the song for Google to get the job done.

Do you know that song that goes, “da na na na na do do?” We bet Google Search does. 😉 Next time a song is stuck in your head, just #HumToSearch into the Google app and we’ll identify the song. Perfect pitch not required → https://t.co/xOFYTukjOk #SearchOn pic.twitter.com/3LRN4HJMKG

— Google (@Google) October 15, 2020

If all you have is a tune, you’ll no longer have to choose between forgetting the song and singing it to a friend to find out what it is. You don’t need perfect pitch and if anything, this is a good enough tool to save you the embarrassment of having to sing to a friend in order to find a song. 

This new feature doesn’t even begin to solve anything in this world that could be remotely called a “problem.” But it is the tool we’ve all secretly hoped would one day exist.

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If you need to go grocery shopping at some point this weekend — and don’t we all? — you’ll want to plan a trip to your nearest Whole Foods Market. Sure, you may pay a slightly higher-than-average premium on certified-organic artichokes; however, this weekend, shopping at Whole Foods is actually a cost-saving venture if you stock up in the Beauty & Personal Care aisles.

Today, October 16th, through Sunday the 18th, Whole Foods stores across the country are offering shoppers 25% off all beauty, body, and personal-care products — everything from Tom’s Of Maine toothpaste to Weleda Skin Food moisturizer. Plus, if you’re a Prime Member, you’ll get to take an additional 10% off your entire haul.

Whole Foods is calling the flash promotion its Fall Self-Care Sale, encouraging shoppers to grab their favorite feel-good beauty products, be that a new tube of mascara or a bag of Epsom salts for a much-needed bubble bath. Of course, in line with the retailer’s strict purity standards, anything you pluck off the shelf will come with a clean label of ingredients.

If you’re looking for shopping recommendations ahead of your trip, you can’t go wrong with a bright-green tube of Weleda Skin Food face cream as we approach the dry winter season. In the midst of flu season, throw a bottle of hand soap in your cart (the Apple Pear-scented option feels seasonal). Or, if you’re looking for an unscented, multipurpose option, grab Alaffia’s Authentic African Black Soap, which you can use to wash your cloth face masks. Any way you shop, you’re saving 25-35% off retail price, making this weekend’s trip to Whole Foods 100% worth it.

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