It’s 2020 and boomers are still failing at the internet. At least, that seems to be the case for President Donald Trump who tweeted a link to a satirical news story claiming Twitter shut down on Thursday to prevent the spread of negative news coverage of Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
“Wow, this has never been done in history,” Trump tweeted along with the article. “This includes his really bad interview last night. Why is Twitter doing this. Bringing more attention to Sleepy Joe & Big T.” For the record, that interview he’s referring to was actually Biden’s Town Hall meeting that was held in lieu of a virtual debate with Trump because the president refused to attend.
Twitter Shuts Down Entire Network To Slow Spread Of Negative Biden News https://t.co/JPmjOrKPcr via @TheBabylonBee Wow, this has never been done in history. This includes his really bad interview last night. Why is Twitter doing this. Bringing more attention to Sleepy Joe & Big T
We’ve all heard Trump rail about “fake news” for the last five years when the press is critical of his administration, but it’s obvious that he could benefit from better media literacy now that he’s reading and believing actual fake news. The article in question was published by The Babylon Bee, a right-wing Christian website that publishes religious and political satire and describes itself as “the world’s best satire site, totally inerrant in all its truth claims.” Trump apparently didn’t get the memo, although it sounds like his administration emulates the site’s philosophy.
It’s unclear whether Trump read past the headline, and got to the part in the story about Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey smashing the “glass box in his office” that reads, “Break In Case Of Bad Publicity For Democrats.” But it didn’t take long for thousands of people to start making fun of the president on Twitter. Even The Babylon Bee tweeted an article about the whole thing, joking that Trump had declared the website “His Most-Trusted News Source.”
And because the president doesn’t like to appear, uh, dense, he attempted to walk back his initial tweet — not to claim that he knew the article was satire but just to clarify one thing. “Big T was not a reference to me, but rather to Big Tech, which should have been properly pointed out in Twitter’s Fake Trending Section!” Trump wrote.
So, yes, the President — who has spent his entire time in office calling out the Fake News Media — has revealed to us that his Real News Media comes from a site that is actually a satire. And you absolutely cannot make this stuff up.
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According to color psychology, blue is the most soothing color — think all the way back to December, when Pantone named Classic Blue the official color of the year for 2020 in hopes of "instilling calm, confidence, and connection" in this new decade. That hasn't quite panned out, but it's all the more reason why you should pick a navy polish for your next quarantine manicure.
During this uncertain time, even the most subtle reminders of calm, confidence, and connection are important. So when faced with the seemingly unimportant choice of nail polish, between a seasonal burgundy, classic black, or a shade of blue, there's no contest for which one is most likely to remind you to stay grounded.
Ahead, find our favorite navy blue polish picks for this weekend's DIY mani. Consider it one easy decision that will hopefully keep you sane (and stylish) for another week or so.
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Mischo Beauty #NYFW
New York Fashion Week looked very different this fall as shows went virtual for the first time. But if there had been a front row IRL, this would be the polish glossed on every rapidly-tapping fingernail.
The coronavirus pandemic has left the economy and job market in shambles, as entire industries came to a sudden stall beginning in March. Around 25 million Americans remain officially unemployed, seven months after the shock of COVID-19 first hit. In April, the overall unemployment rate shot up to 14.7%, while in February it was around 3.5%.
But a new report by the Economic Policy Institute gives us a closer look at just how much of a mess things are for Gen Z in particular. For people between the ages of 16 to 24, unemployment was around 24.4% this past spring, hitting a high of 26.9% in April. As of September, youth unemployment remains elevated far above the rate for the general population. For those between 16 to 19, it was 15.9% last month, and for those between 20 to 24, it was 12.5%. The national unemployment rate in September was 7.9%. An analysis by the Brookings Institution found that 16 to 29-year-olds make up under a quarter of the whole labor force, yet “they accounted for about a third of the rise in the unemployment rate between February and April of this year.”
While youth unemployment has typically been higher than that of older people, COVID-19 has widened the gap stunningly. The situation is especially grim for non-white Gen Z. In the early months of the pandemic, the unemployment rate for young Black people was 29.6%; for young Asians, 29.7%; for young Latinx, 27.5%. Black Gen Z had the highest unemployment rate in spring 2019 (14.5%), while Asians saw the highest jump, from 6.4% pre-COVID to almost 30% by spring 2020.
In part, the high unemployment rate is due to the fact that young workers tend to be concentrated in retail, hospitality, and leisure industries, which suffered some of the heaviest blows from COVID-19 lockdowns. Younger people are also more likely to be doing precarious work, like taking temporary gig economy jobs with uncertain hours, rather than holding full-time salaried employment.
But the unemployment rate doesn’t tell the full story of Gen Z’s job struggles — a more expansive measure to look at is underemployment, which includes not just people who are seeking a job but haven’t found one, but also those who have given up actively job hunting and those who work part-time yet need additional employment. This kind of “involuntary” part-time worker is becoming increasingly common in our economy, as there’s plenty of low-paying gig work but a relative scarcity of secure, well-paying jobs that also offer necessary benefits like healthcare. A full 35% of Gen Z people are underemployed, and that number rises to about 40% for non-white Gen Z. It’s highest for Black and Asian men, at 44.4% and 46.3% respectively.
Sometimes, youth unemployment is shrugged off as if it isn’t a big deal — there’s a perception that they’ll be okay because they’re young. It’s okay to be destitute when you’re in your late teens or early 20s, working awful jobs that pay little, because one day you’ll make it. There’s even a sense that this is how it should be; young people subsist on a Cup ‘O’ Noodles diet and live with ten roommates, because this is the kind of character-building struggle you’ll need as a more mature adult.
It’s time to let go of these myths. The underemployment crisis will have long-term effects on the young people it’s disproportionately affecting even after they find a job. Those who should be building up their résumé with valuable, relevant work experience are instead starting off their career in low-quality jobs that won’t advance them to higher-paying opportunities. According to the EPI, research shows that millennials during the Great Recession did not fully “catch up” after the recession ended and the economy recovered. The report notes that “exposure to the recession led to continued earnings losses as late as 2017,” and found that millennials lost an average of 13% in earnings between 2007-2017, compared to a 7.1% loss during that period for Baby Boomers. Underemployment for young workers facing a recession also contributes to a ripple effect; millennials who struggled through the Great Recession are staying longer in the lower rungs of their careers, which can mean fewer entry-level opportunities are available to Gen Z workers now.
The solution, according to the EPI, is not to tell Gen Z to just walk into businesses to hand out their résumés, giving everyone a firm handshake — their recovery requires investment, whether in the form of additional COVID-19 relief, raising the federal minimum wage (which was last raised over a decade ago), or efforts to lower the cost of college and the enormous student debt that young people face today.
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Imagine if Carrie Bradshaw went to Paris and, instead of being snubbed by her boyfriend’s snobby friends, losing her beloved name-plate necklace, and getting slapped, she dumped the loser, went to the ballet solo, and spent weeks gallivanting the city in bucket hats and black tulle — leaving a trail of hot French men in her wake. That’s roughly the premise of Netflix’s Emily In Paris, a fashion-stuffed, 10-episode brain-candy binge from Sex and the City creator Darren Star.
The show follows Chicago-based marketing expert Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) as she travels to Paris to bring an “American perspective” to her firm’s global advertising team. She lands at Charles de Gaulle airport with beachy influencer waves, loud mixed patterns, and stars in her eyes — only to be very quickly schooled by her colleagues in the Parisian art of refinement. “Emily came from Chicago to Paris — a new life, new job, and also new relationship. The more [time] she spends in Paris, the more she takes involve in her image,” the show’s Paris-based hairstyling lead, Mike Desir, tells me.
After her first friend in Paris, Mindy Chen (Ashley Park), tells her that she “looks American,” Cooper starts to evolve her style. Her waves get a little smoother, her lipstick gets a little deeper, and her fashion shifts from wild prints to a monochrome palette that wouldn’t look as out of place on the Metro. “She was girly and already had a sense of perfection. Naturally, she became a bit more sophisticated,” the show’s Paris-based lead makeup artist, Aurélie Payen, tells me. “All the details concerning her makeup, her hair, her clothes had to be at the top of fashion as she lived in Paris, the city of fashion.”
But Emily’s romanticized version of “French-girl” beauty — which is much more Audrey Hepburn than Caroline de Maigret — still doesn’t quite live up to that of her colleagues. “It’s that je ne sais quoi French feel and undone chic quality that feels quite European in comparison to Emily’s more ‘done’ look,” Desir says. “[Emily] feels everything is in place and has to look perfect and done, whereas the French ladies allow their hair to fall out of place and they embrace the imperfections.”
Whether you’re drawn to Emily’s Funny Face aesthetic or the “less is more” vibe of her colleagues, beauty tips (and Netflix baes) abound in this show. So settle in and scroll ahead as the Emily In Paris hair-and-makeup team share their top behind-the-scenes tricks for French-girl beauty — however you define it.
How To Prevent Hat Hair — The French Way
To achieve Emily’s glossy waves, which somehow never frizz under a parade of bucket hats and berets, Desir relied on Bumble & Bumble hairspray for “great hold and soft texture.” Instead of fixing her hat hair between scenes, he prevented it by styling her waves in a middle part, loosely twisting her front pieces back, and thenplacing the accessory on her head. That way, when Emily takes off her hat, her face-framing waves bounce right back into place. C’est beau.
With Skin Care, Consistency Is Key
Any French makeup artist will tell you: The best looks start with beautiful skin. “Keeping Lily’s skin perfect was my goal during those four months filming in Paris,” Payen tells me. “As a makeup artist for almost 20 years, I know that skin care is the most important everyday ritual before makeup. That’s why I needed the best products.”
According to Payen, the beauty look in Paris shifts once the sun sets on the Seine. “French-girl beauty is effortless during the daytime, but a bit more sophisticated in the evening. French girls always like to highlight [their] lips or eyes for a party — rarely both at the same time!” says Payen.
Emily’s trip to the ballet at the Palais Garnier is a “magic moment” that Desir says was a direct wink to Audrey Hepburn’s iconic role. But what made the twinkly updo even more chic was the idea that Emily plucked a piece out of her jewelry box as a finishing touch. “We used a necklace as an accessory to sublime the updo,” says Desir, adding that the placement around the crown was key. “[It created] a pure line of highlight.”
Brow Highlighting Makes A Big Difference
Another major hint to Hepburn? Emily’s bold, square-shaped brows. While the actress brought her naturally bushy brows to set, Payen exaggerated their manicured shape by highlighting them with Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer in a shade lighter than her natural skin tone. Then, she brushed them up with Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel, and kept a spare in her kit to “fix Lily’s brows all day long.”
At the end of the day, Payen and Desir hope viewers expand their idea of “French-girl” beauty beyond one specific look, and instead focus on the confidence that truly sets Parisian women apart. “I hope that every girl watches Emily in Paris and identifies with Lily to know that everything is possible in life,” Payen says. “As you grow your confidence in your ability and your skills, you grow your confidence in your own natural beauty — inside and outside.”
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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There's been a wave of international influence on the U.S. beauty market in the last few years. From K-beauty skin care to French-girl makeup, brands from all over the world have been popping up in our favorite stores, consuming our Instagram feeds, and inspiring new beauty trends. As unique beauty communities get more attention in the beauty aisle, we're seeing an uptick in brands owned by Latinx men and women, too.
The Latinx community prides itself in having a strong connection to la belleza. It has given birth to some of the most talented makeup and hair artists and created some of the best beauty hacks. But before now, the Latinx consumer hasn't been fully represented in the beauty space — whether it be in foundation shades or curly hair products — which is why entrepreneurs took it upon themselves to create new brands that speak directly to their specific needs and culture.
Now, the Latinx consumer is finally getting some much-needed time in the spotlight. From curly hair products to eyeshadow palettes, these are the Latinx-owned beauty brands you should support right now.
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.
Pinkness Co.
When Farah Vargas was laid off from her corporate job in 2017, the blogger seized the opportunity to launch her own business and founded lifestyle brand Pinkness Co. The Dominican-American entrepreneur debuted with an organic face oil that's become a best-selling product for the brand, and has earned the praises of celebrities like Adrienne Bailon.
Pinkness Forever Flawless Beauty Oil, $, available at Pinkness
Lights Lacquer
Just eight months after announcing the closure of KL Polish, her nail-polish line that launched in 2016, YouTuber Kathleen Fuentes — a.k.a KathleenLights — returned with an entirely new line called Lights Lacquer in 2019. The vlogger, who has more than 4 million subscribers, aimed to have a larger stake in her business after sharing ownership in the last company. Now, under her vision, Lights Lacquer has several different collections, including the latest lineup of romantic hues.
When Aisha Ceballos-Crump felt like her six-figure job wasn't fulfilling her mentally, the Puerto Rican entrepreneur took all of her savings and 401k and put it towards launching a skin and hair-care line inspired by her grandmother's use of honey. The brand, Honey Baby Naturals, features an array of products that can be found at several mass retailers, including Target and Sally Beauty.
Honey Baby Naturals Hold It Honey Styling Gel, $, available at Honey Baby Naturals
Bomba Curls
When Lulu Cordero created Bomba Curls, she was inspired by the oils used in Dominican culture, like coffee seed oil and black cumin seed oil. Both of these ingredients can be found in the inaugural product, a multipurpose oil that can be used on the hair for growth and hydration or on the body for moisture and glow.
Bomba Curls Dominican Forbidden Oil, $, available at Bomba Curls
Brujita Skincare
As an esthetician with over a decade of experience, Leah Guerrero had the perfect segue into creating her line of skin-care products. The Brujita collection includes products like body lotions and facial scrubs, with ingredients sourced from Mexican mercados (markets). Some of the products are also scented with ethically-sourced Palo Santo from Ecuador.
Ydelays Rodriguez started her YouTube channel to keep up with her family in Venezuela. Now, she has over 800k subscribers, and she's using her beauty expertise to launch her own line of silk false eyelashes. Some of the products from Golden Dream Beauty have Spanish-language names, like Divina and Dama, but more importantly, these falsies are vegan and cruelty-free.
Years after dreaming up a natural-hair line, vlogger Ada Rojas made her dreams a reality. With a name inspired by botánicas, the apothecaries in Latinx communities, Botánika features an array of products, from a defining curl cream to a protein treatment, all under $12.
Botanika Beauty The Stimulator, $, available at Botanika Beauty
Melt Cosmetics
Indie brand Melt Cosmetics might be new to the Sephora roster as of last year, but they've been making noise in the industry for quite some time. Back in 2012, cofounders Lora Arellano-Tovar and Dana Bomar, who met while working the beauty counters at Nordstrom, set out to create products that they felt were missing from the makeup aisles. They went on to build just that, with sell-out eyeshadows and Día de los Muertos-inspired highlighters.
Melt Cosmetics Amor Eterno Illuminacion Highlighter, $, available at Sephora
Luna Magic Beauty
Founded by Dominican-American sisters Mabel and Shaira Frias, Luna Magic celebrates Latin culture with vibrant colors and Spanish-language shade names. The brand's first collection — which is fittingly called Uno (meaning "first" in Spanish) — includes false eyelashes, a highly-pigmented eyeshadow palette, and bold liquid lipsticks.
Luna Magic Beauty Uno Matte Liquid Lipstick - Gostosa, $, available at Luna Magic Beauty
Shaina B. Cosmetics
Inspired by her hometown of Miami and its multicultural energy, Shaina created a cosmetics line with vibrant colors, as seen in the pigments and packaging. She also used her experience in doing her own makeup to create pro tools such as brushes and application sponges that she felt was missing from the market.
Shaina B. Cosmetics Miami Palette - Blush and Highlight, $, available at Shaina B Cosmetics
Alamar Cosmetics
Cuban-born makeup artist Gabriela Trujillo wants her followers to remember that "there are beauty and inspiration in your very own roots." And Trujillo's roots are front and center in the tropical influence (vibrant colors, palm leaves...) and Spanish product names. She even named her company, Alamar, after the Cuban neighborhood where she grew up. Whether nude lip liners or face palettes, the brand offers a variety of products that promise to work for every skin tone.
Alamar Cosmetics DesNUDEas Lip Gloss - Dulce, $, available at Alamar Cosmetics
Belle en Argent
Christina Kelmon had two priorities when creating her makeup line: luxury and safe ingredients. That's exactly what the Latina entrepreneur delivered with her beauty brand Belle en Argent, which pairs clean and cruelty-free products with art-meets-deco packaging. She didn't stop there; a portion of the brand's sales goes to The BEAMuse Project, a program "committed to the advancement of women who write, photograph, film, act, direct, and produce."
Belle en Argent Doing It All Auteur Matte Lip Color, $, available at Belle en Argent
Reina Rebelde
Reina Rebelde is a makeup line inspired by the telenovelas Regina Merson watched growing up in Mexico. Everything about the line touches back to her culture, from the rose-covered packaging to the vibrant colors and the product names. The brand's lip colors, eyeshadow palettes, and eyeliners are currently sold at Target. If you are having trouble deciding what product to pick, go with the eyeliner shade Bonita Bandera (a cobalt blue) — proceeds from every sale go to UNIDOS, Disaster Relief & Recovery Program to Support Puerto Rico.
Reina Rebelde Rebel Eye Definer Liquid, $, available at Target
Mia Del Mar
Mia Del Mar is a brand that aims to change the "lack of authentic representation for Latinas in the American beauty mainstream," according to the brand website. The brand has cultivated an active community on Instagram with empowering, fun, and culturally relevant content. Diana Briceno started the company with just one product, a night cream, and has now expanded into more skin care and makeup.
Mia Del Mar Novelera Eyeshadow Palette, $, available at Amazon
Araceli Beauty
Makeup brand Araceli Beauty was the brainchild of licensed cosmetologist Araceli Ledesma, who wanted to bring her Hispanic heritage to the beauty market at an affordable price. Ledsema launched her company on Mexican Independence Day (September 16) with an array of products in colorful packaging. The collection includes everything from an eye palette, brushes, and false eyelashes.
Araceli Beauty Azteca Eyes Eyeshadow Palette, $, available at Araceli Beauty
Vive Cosmetics
As beauty lovers, Joanna Rosario and Leslie Valdivia never felt like they saw themselves in the products they were purchasing, and so they came together to create Vive Cosmetics, a brand that's centered around "Beauty concultura" (Beauty with culture).
"I have never felt truly represented by any brand out there. This brand is made by Latina women for our Latinx community," says Rosario on the brand website. Where the Latina influence shines is in the product names, like this highlighter duo with shades Reina and Diosa.
Vive Cosmetics Luz & Glow Highlighter Duo, $, available at Vive Cosmetics
Orlando Pita Play
Cuban celebrity hairstylist Orlando Pita, who has been in the industry for decades, has always been passionate about diversity and natural textures. That's why it only made sense for him to create an inclusive line when bringing a hair collection to life. His award-winning product line — that has everything from conditioning masks, leave-in concentrates, and tinted dry shampoos — was made with many different hair types in mind.
Orlando Pita Argan Oil Glossing Shampoo, $, available at Orlando Pita Play
Rizos Curls
After learning to embrace her curls, Julissa Prado set out to find hair products that were inclusive of all hair textures, from transitioning to coils. When she couldn't find what she was looking for, she set her mind to creating her own brand. That's how Rizos Curls was born. The line — which is now sold at Walmart — has detangling sprays, defining creams, shampoo, and conditioners. On top of all that, she's created a community for curly girls on Instagram with more than 100k followers.
Rizos Curls Curls Refresh & Detangle Spray, $, available at Walmart
Sigma Beauty
Sigma Beauty, famed for its bestselling makeup brushes, was founded by Brazilian natives Simone Xavier and Rene Xavier Filho in 2009 after they discovered that there was an untapped space in the market. With their backgrounds in science and engineering, the two set out to create innovative makeup brushes that were better quality at a better price. Their brushes became the first-ever waterproof makeup brushes in the industry and have remained a popular brand among beauty enthusiasts for over a decade.
Sigma Beauty F10 Powder/Blush Brush, $, available at Sigma Beauty
Overt
After struggling with skin-care issues growing up, including acne and hyperpigmentation, Giselle Chirinos — who was born in Lima, Perú — felt inspired to start a skin-care company with products that made people feel good about themselves. The line offers a collection of serums formulated with sustainably sourced ingredients, including this hydrating formula that has aloe vera and other plant-based ingredients.
Priscilla Jiminian grew tired of experimenting with different products that never ended up being effective for her skin. That's when she took matters into her own hands and created potent skin-care products that tackle a wide range of concerns. Within the brand, customers can find dark-spot correcting creams to skin-balancing toners in luxe, minimalist packaging.
Skinergy Beauty Dark Spot Correcting Cream, $, available at Skinergy Beauty
Artist Couture
After having to mix four or five different highlighters to get the impact or look that he wanted when doing his makeup, Angel Merino felt inspired to create his own brand. "I felt like there were so many things lacking in my makeup kit, and I knew I needed to fill that void," says the Latino founder. After raising the money himself to launch Artist Couture, the products were met with immediate success (selling out at pre-sale) and are now available on Sephora shelves.
Artist Couture Caliente Palette, $, available at Artist Couture
Shocks of Love
You can take a perfumer out of Colombia but you can't take Colombia out of the perfumer. Perfumer-aromatherapist Juan Felipe, who resides in Brooklyn, worked with his family in his home country of Colombia to launch a line of 100% sustainably-sourced, non-toxic fragrances. Each scent was created with conscious efforts, from formulating it without alcohol to using 100% plant-distilled ingredients.
Shocks of Love sweet on you, $, available at Shocks of Love
Sanara Skincare
After realizing that there was an untapped market for skin-care formulas that incorporated tried-and-true botanicals that her ancestors used, Rebekah Jasso Jensen turned her dining room into a test lab. The result? Sanara Skincare, a plant-based skin-care line that uses indigenous Latin American ingredients like cupuaçu seed butter and bamboo fibers. Jasso Jenson, who has psoriasis, made sure every formula was designed to work for those with skin sensitivities.
Sanara Skincare Cupuaçu Seed Body Butter with Aloe & Vitamin E, $, available at Sanara Skincare
Wildland Organics
After living in an eco-conscious tiny house in Topanga, California for two years followed by nine months on the road in a van, Marisa Quintanilla Griffeth wanted to take her new bond with nature to another level. So, with her husband, she founded a line of eco-conscious, mindful hair- and body-care products. Whether you're in front of your bathroom mirror or living out of a van like Quintanilla Griffeth, these multi-use products were made for anyone wanting a simpler routine with oils that could be used on the hair, face, and hands.
Wildland Organics Daily Ritual Oil - Sun Sage, $, available at Wildland Organics
Jdez Beauty
YouTuber Jackie Hernandez has always wanted to provide her audience with a bicultural experience by creating content in English and Spanish. Now, her inclusive, empowering platform features a beloved product line. From the heart designs to the fun names, you'll feel the same positive vibes Hernandez brings to her platforms in all of her products.
Jdez Beauty Simply Blush - Totally Peachy, $, available at Jdez Beauty
Ella's Eve Cosmetics
Dominican sisters Melissa and Lissa Polanco fell in love with makeup while watching YouTube tutorials. But in absorbing all that content, they realized that many of the brands used in these videos were not Latinx-owned. That's when they decided to launch their own cosmetics brand that now features a variety of matte liquid lipsticks and an eyeshadow palette.
Ella's Eve Cosmetics Valentina | Velvet Posh Liquid Lips, $, available at Ella's Eve Cosmetics
Bianca de la Garza Beauty
Former talk show host Bianca de la Garza knows a lot about makeup and skin care (thanks to hours sitting in a makeup chair before going on air). That knowledge inspired her to start her own beauty brand called Bianca de la Garza Beauty. She began with an illuminating serum and recently expanded her line with an eye cream, neck cream, and lip care product.
BDG Beauty In Glo We Trust Illuminating Serum-Golden, $, available at BDG Beauty
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 08: Kendall Jenner attends the Longchamp fashion show during February 2020 – New York Fashion Week: The Shows at Hudson Commons on February 08, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows)
Some agree that less is more for many aspects of a beauty routine, but that’s debatable when it comes to hair. Sure, a dramatic haircut is one way to transform your look, but playing around with length is equally impactful. Take Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys, and Hailey Bieber, for example, who all recently debuted longer hair thanks to wigs and extensions.
Kendall Jenner is the latest celebrity to board the dramatic extensions train, and it’s the longest we’ve ever seen her hair. Celebrity hairstylist Priscilla Valles, who also styled Bieber’s extensions, shared a snap of her client’s new look on Instagram, calling it “ethereal extensions.” In the clip, Jenner posed with cool blonde tips that cascaded down her back. Tracey Cunningham was responsible for her natural-blonde color, which looked grown-out and natural against Jenner’s complexion. Jen Atkin styled the extensions into a smooth blowout. Jenner immediately took her new hairstyle to work and showed it off in an at-home shoot for Givenchy.
Her new style was quickly co-signed by fans with heart eye emojis and compliments on the ‘gram. “Absolute hair goddess,” one fan wrote. “That’s it, ladies….lighter and longer for the rest of 2020!!!” Two weeks ago, Jenner took a few potential looks for a spin and posed with platinum blonde, dirty blonde, and brunette hair on Instagram. Her current look was the clear winner and is proof that if you’re considering switching up your style, the time to invest in extensions is now.
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Halloween hasn’t even come and gone and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are already ahead of their holiday guideline game. They’ve released their suggestions for having a safe and hopefully COVID-free Thanksgiving, but hardcore bargain Black Friday shoppers may be a bit disappointed in this year’s list of CDC-approved activities.
The CDC has broken up the usual turkey day activities into three tiers: lower risk, moderate risk, and higher risk.
The lower risk activities all have one thing in common: They all can be done in the comfort of your own home, alone or with the people you already see every day. Having a small dinner with the folks in your household, watching sports in your living room, saying hello to long-distance family via Zoom — all okay.
Moderate risk activities take things up a notch, like having an outdoor dinner with others, visiting pumpkin patches and orchards, and attending small outdoor sporting events that have safety precautions in place. We assume that means masks on, six feet of breathing room enforced, hand sanitizer at the read. What that means for your family’s annual game of touch football is open to interpretation.
The highest risk activities are what you’d expect — crowded parties and large family meals. But the CDC is also coming for Black Friday shopping and Thanksgiving 5ks. No shopping in crowded stores, they say, trying to soften the blow by not saying Black Friday directly but instead calling out the days “just before, on, or after Thanksgiving.” No participating in or watching a crowded race. No boozing it up, lest the alcohol cloud your judgment on mask-wearing.
The CDC also advises against attending crowded parades, which made me wonder whether the Thanksgiving Day Parade is going to be on this year. A quick Google indicates that it’s going to look a little different, but imagine how eerie it would be to watch those giant balloons cruise down a street that’s totally devoid of spectators.
The bright side? You probably won’t be dragged to attend your partner’s family 5k on Thanksgiving morning this year, and Cyber Monday shopping is still on. It’s the little things.
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After a security guard was assigned to protect a ballot drop box in northeast Baltimore, he was shot early Thursday morning around 4:55 a.m., according to police. Though the victim was injured, none of the wounds are fatal.
According to CBS News, surveillance video shows that multiple armed suspects were involved. “The victim was working the midnight to eight shift for a security company as an unarmed guard tasked with keeping watch over an election ballot box. After looking at video surveillance footage of the parking-lot, detectives learned that armed subjects approached the victim’s vehicle and tried to open the car door. The victim refused and the suspects began shooting at the victim. The ballet box was not touched and did not appear at any time to be the focus of the gunmen,” said Baltimore Police Department in a press statement.
At present, detectives are looking into the case as a possible attempted robbery. “It’s a shame we’re living in a time where a person can’t be minding their own business, making an honest wage, and someone does something like they did here,” Baltimore City Board of Elections Director Armstead Jones said.
Given the need for mass amounts of mail-in ballots to keep people safe during the pandemic, more consistent efforts to ramp up security across the country have been employed. In Baltimore specifically, ballot drop boxes have been made available at all hours to encourage voter participation in the November election. The 24-year-old guard, who’s employed by a private security company contracted by the Baltimore City Board of Elections, is one of many who have recently been tasked with protecting drop boxes 24 hours a day. Despite this incident, Jones says there’s no plan to reduce the hours that ballot boxes are open.
Though the incident doesn’t appear to have anything to do with the ballot box, additional security measures are now being taken to protect the location at Achievement Academy, the school where the man was shot, according to The Baltimore Sun.
This all comes after many attempts at voter suppression — including sweeping issues with the U.S. Postal Service, and fake ballot boxes showing up in California as orchestrated by the Republican party. President Donald Trump has also notably called for an “army” to protect the election after claiming that people voting for Biden would attempt to vote twice, and that mail-in ballots would lead to voter fraud.
The Maryland Board of Elections is currently working with authorities in an investigation of the situation, but there are no further updates to the case at this time.
Refinery29 has reached out to Baltimore police. We will update this story as we know more.
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Warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual assault.
In Grand Army’s pilot, there’s a bomb — that is, a literal one. An explosion from a few blocks over sends the students of Grand Army High School into lockdown, and if you think the show might get a little less intense from there on out, you’re going to be in for a shock. Netflix’s newest teen drama, Grand Army, is unflinching in its depiction of harsh, often unjust, and occasionally hopeful realities of contemporary high schoolers. But although there’s pain, there’s also hope, community, and an unforgettable lineup of students unafraid to fight back against the bullshit.
Like its genre predecessors Degrassi and Skins, Grand Army follows an ensemble cast of teenagers each dealing with their own trauma, issues, and fears. The characters are all students at the same competitive public high school in Brooklyn, but that’s about the only thing they have in common. There’s Sid (Amir Bageria), a star student-athlete with Harvard aspirations and a secret that could upend his reputation at school. Then there’s Dominique (Odley Jean), a focused and hardworking basketball star with dreams of becoming a psychologist and troubles at home. Rounding out the main cast is insecure freshman Leila (Amalia Yoo), talented musician Jayson (Maliq Johnson), and feminist provocateur Joey (Odessa A’zion).
Although there are a ton of characters, stories, and themes packed into just nine episodes, many of them start to overlap, especially as the show progresses — which is why this recap, tracing every turn, twist, and introduction, might come in handy. Ready to head back to high school? Let’s go.
Episode 1: “Brooklyn, 2020”
Grand Army’s first few images immediately set the mood for the show. A rusty trash can; a balled-up nest of hair. Vandalism on the locker room wall asks, “Ladies, what’s better: a good fuck or a good shit? VOTE!” (A good shit is winning.) Evident cool girl Joey Del Marco (Odessa A’zion) walks into a stall, gives her teary-eyed friend Gracie (Keara Graves) a quick pep talk, and proceeds to dislodge a condom from inside her vagina. The entire time, she’s completely unphased, as if this is just another weekday. Already, we can tell this is a no-holds-barred teen drama in the vein of Euphoria — but maybe without the glitter and the Southern California glamour.
As Joey and Grace do their thing, we’re introduced to three more members of Grand Army’s ensemble cast: Dominique, aka Dom (Odley Jean), and her friends Tamika (Brittany Adebumola) and Sonia (Naiya Ortiz). We learn several facts in succession: Dom’s friends pay her to do their hair, Dom has a crush who barely knows she exists, and, from the trio’s station outside the stall, it really sounds like Joey and Gracie are hooking up. Joey retrieves the condom, proudly flails it around the locker room, and tosses it… where it lands right by Leila Kwan Zimmer’s (Amalia Yoo) Doc Martens. Leila scuttles away, Joey threatens anyone who might want to “talk shit” about her friend, and Dom asks Gracie, who understandably begins to panic, if she took a Plan B.
As Dom and Joey walk into the gym side by side, it’s clear that they’re not at all friends but they do respect each other, somewhat. Joey also catches Dom eyeing John Ellis (Alphonso Romero Jones II) and suggests she approach him. This is the kind of thing Joey — and maybe Dom’s friends — would be bold enough to do, but Dom seems comfortable pining away. For now.
If I’ve learned anything from my favorite grittier teen dramas, it’s that I should downright fear the moment Grand Army pivots to its alpha male leads. My intuition is correct: instead of meeting Dom’s crush, we’re thrown into a squad of obnoxious swim team guys. They unapologetically walk right into Leila, causing her to drop her phone, and then leer at her as she walks away. As if to cement the fact that this is a Nate Jacobs kind of friend group, they then immediately turn on Sid Pakam (Amir Bageria) and start harassing him about whether he’s slept with his girlfriend yet.
After the boys, we move to Leila, who’s mid-presentation about Judaism in China. Some nearby Chinese students snicker; one calls her a “whore” in Mandarin. As she did after Joey tossed a condom in her direction, Leila copes by sending her friend some generic “I’m miserable here, wish we were watching The Walking Dead right now” texts. This moment, more than anything we’ve seen so far, reminds me of my own high school experience.
Still following? Good — because we have even more new characters. Friends Jayson (Maliq Johnson) and Owen (Jaden Jordan) are already a much nicer alternative to Sid’s circle of friends. They’re riding the high of a successful music audition, and after they grab some lunch from a nearby halal guy, they thank him by name. Maybe I’m making snap judgements, but I just know the swim team boys would never.
Cut to Jayson and Owen, now back at Grand Army. When a bomb goes off a few blocks away, the stories of all the students we’ve just met — from Jayson and Owen to Joey to Leila — begin to converge. A teacher snaps at Jayson and Owen for goofing around, and meanwhile, the swim team guys are hard at work on an Instagram account devoted to Grand Army girls with “bomb pussy.” (Did I mention I hate them?) They start pestering Sid, asking for him to fork over a name for the account, but he shakes them off, busy texting his sister and girlfriend and making sure they’re both okay. In response, they threaten to put his younger sister on the list.
Sid ditches his friends to go find his sister, but instead, he runs into Leila, who begins lamenting about how miserable both her day and overall freshman year have been. The main takeaway here is that Leila’s adopted, and although she loves her parents, she feels isolated and confused. The other takeaway is that Sid is a great listener and needs to be saved from the bastion of toxic masculinity that is his friend group. Unfortunately, just minutes later, swim team ringleader George (Anthony Ippolito) texts him again and demands a name. With a sigh, Sid sends Leila’s.
Back in the other room, Dom and her friends are chatting about whether or not to head to a massive party (for John-related purposes) later that night. Jayson interrupts to ask Sonia for money, and when she explains she already gave her cash to Dom earlier in the locker room, he swipes Dom’s bag. Owen, snickering next to Jayson, grabs the wallet, and Dom is pissed. Joey, who’s sitting nearby and fielding texts from her emotionally estranged dad, tries to step in, and Jayson and Owen toss the bag back and forth until Ms. Wilder — the same teacher from before — reprimands them, then chastises Joey for wearing gym shorts.
In the moments that follow, both Joey and Leila learn that they made it onto the Instagram account. Leila, for her part, is thrilled just to be noticed, but Joey finds out from her soft-spoken, clearly smitten friend Tim (Thelonius Serrell-Freed) and her bravado fades for a moment of genuine discomfort. Dom is upset for a completely different reason: Jayson dropped her wallet down the stairwell, and by the time she finds it, $200 is missing.
After all the drama and trauma of the day, almost all the students head to a party. Joey’s there with her posse: Tim, Tim’s wholesome sister Anna (Sydney Meyer), and swim team jerks Luke (Brian Altemus) and George. Leila’s mom drops her off out front. Sid’s making out with his girlfriend, Flora (Marcela Avelina), but he clearly has other things on his mind. The only student who’s nowhere to be found? Dom, who has to stay home and look after her siblings.
In a move that’s predictable but still upsetting to watch, Leila and George get together. But there’s a kicker. Remember Gracie, Joey’s friend from the show’s opening scene? Turns out, that condom mishap was the result of a hookup with George, and she’s not too happy to see him kiss Leila in front of hordes of people. Gracie promptly throws a drink at her, which sends her staggering backwards, knocking Luke down the stairs. It’s a fun, frothy sequence amid all the heavier issues and teases we’ve already seen in episode 1.
Speaking of heavy: “I’m going to teach you things you’ll never forget,” someone types. We can’t tell who it is, or what this means. But before that, a stunning closing shot shows Tim and Joey escaping the party and jumping on the back of a subway car. When Joey screams, Tim screams, too. And then, whether it’s because of her dad, her altercation with Ms. Wilder, the bomb, or just the day’s emotional ramifications, she cries.
Episode 2: See Me
Episode 2 starts right where episode 1 left off: with an ominous message that may or may not set the mood for the next 45 minutes. “This isn’t a cry for attention,” someone writes. Then, we cut to Jayson and Owen, busking at a subway stop in the hopes of raising the money Dom needs. We see Joey, getting dressed and texting Tim about her plans to get revenge on Mrs. Wilder while either a voiceover from either a podcast or news reporter discusses racial profiling. Joey’s dad warns her not to get into trouble; Joey retorts that he’s not in a place to police her actions. Then, we’re off to school.
Grand Army is about teenagers taking a stand, and it looks like the school’s sexist dress code is Joey’s first battle. “My body is not the problem,” she writes on Instagram. “My politics are not the problem… your thoughts are. Braless. Boundless. Blow up the patriarchy.” Using language like “blowing up” might too much after a bomb explosion, but I can get behind Joey’s overall message.
Joey’s message immediately reaches at least one person: Meera (Ashley Ganger), Sid’s younger sister, who’s oscillating between texting her friends about the no-bra protest, defending Sid from their overbearing parents at the breakfast table, and talking a mile a minute about her upcoming feminist art show. This opening vignette might not be as relevant, plot-wise, as Joey’s or Jayson and Owen’s, but Meera is already a stand-out character for more reasons than one. Plus, it’s interesting to see Sid’s parents’ concerns juxtaposed with Joey’s dad’s fears: while Joey was told to take an Uber and stay out of trouble, the Pakams warn their kids not to “talk back” if they’re stopped on the street.
At school, Joey’s protest is already making a splash. She even hands out custom-made “Free the Nipple” shirts to George, Luke, Tim, and Anna. “I love you guys! My woke boys,” she tells Tim, George, and Luke after they start discussing and debating the meaning of the protest. After that Instagram account, I’m not sure “woke” is the word I’d use to describe these dudes — especially apparent ringleader George — but Grand Army is definitely making a point with this one. We see this a few minutes later when Leila, after dubbing Joey’s protest pointless, is confronted by George, who asks her to hang out that night and pushes her to take her bra off in solidarity. At this point, I’m beginning to wonder how feminist can this protest really be if Joey’s creepy friends are roaming the halls to make sure the girls ofGrand Army are all following suit.
Next, Grand Army teases two potential romances. First, there’s Joey and Tim in the bathroom, and although Tim’s choice in friends has me doubting his dateability, he seems to really have feelings for her. She pulls away before they kiss, though, citing her friendship with his sister. Meanwhile, Dom and John — the pairing I’m already loudly rooting for — are in calc. John volunteers to do a problem, and when he messes up, Dom raises her hand to correct him. “She’s Einstein,” he says, smiling. “Let her take over.” But before the Dom and John cuteness can commence, Jayson gestures for Dom to leave class. He and Owen want her to know that they’ve raised the full $200 she lost, and in exchange, they’re hoping she’ll go to the school’s office, let them know the entire debacle was just a prank, and explain she got her money back. Dom, still angry about the prank in the first place, makes no promises.
From here, we get a peek back into Sid’s story. He was deferred from Harvard, the school of his (and his parents’) dreams, and according to his college counselor, his personal statement isn’t exactly personal enough. He’s told to text Victor (August Blanco Rosenstein), a fellow student who apparently has a knack for college essays. And if there’s anything technical Grand Army excels at, it’s subtle transitions. As Victor’s phone buzzes, we see Joey behind him, taking off her sweatshirt and donning a “Free the Nipple” tee.
Joey’s shirt itself doesn’t elicit a reaction, so she begins drinking from a bottle and “accidentally” dousing herself in water. Mrs. Wilder, predictably, stops the class and suggests she head to the office. When Joey pushes back, her teacher adds, “This is a classroom, and you’re dressed like a hooker. You’re basically prostituting yourself for attention… I wish you had some self-respect.” As she did with the Instagram account, Joey looks horrified and, for a few moments, genuinely hurt.
But she has a plan. In the office, a disciplinary rep says that wearing a sheer white shirt without anything under it is a distraction, and right on cue, George, Luke, and Tim walk in, donning their matching “Free the Nipple” tees. “Mr. B., how can you regulate my body and not theirs?” Joey asks. She then points out that at least 100 other girls joined her protest, and if Mr. B. wants to punish her, he’ll have to kick all of them out of class, too. After a few breaths, he concedes that she’s right and lets her return to class. Ms. Wilder is even called in to apologize. Afterwards, Joey and Tim share a moment alone (and a kiss) and Tim calls Joey an inspiration.
With Joey’s protest out of the way, it’s time to meet Victor, now grabbing a coffee with Sid and offering some college essay insight. Sid wonders whether he should write about the bomber from Friday, and “how it feels when someone who looks like me blows himself and four other people apart just feet from my fucking school.” Victor praises the idea and tells him it will be okay, and Sid notably looks at Victor’s lips as he sips his cappuccino. Interesting.
Now, we’re back to Leila, now getting hot and heavy with George. Their hookup is, simply put, painful to watch, and essentially consists of George getting himself off while kissing Leila’s neck and half-heartedly petting her. Then, while Leila wipes off her shirt, George watches a video of Joey’s protest on Instagram and basically pretends Leila isn’t in the room. When he finally turns back to her, he calls her “Geisha girl” and comments on the color of her nipples. I’m still parsing through which part of this scene is most upsetting, but that probably takes the prize.
From here, Leila daydreams of an animated version of herself sitting next to an animated version of George, scrolling through an animated little version of Joey’s Instagram. Cartoon Leila breaks the phone, Cartoon Joey comes to life and eggs her on, and Cartoon George goes down on Leila. It’s hard to tell whether the sex act is really happening in tandem with the hyperbolic animated version or it’s just a fantasy, especially since we immediately pivot back to Joey, who’s getting a nipple piercing in celebration of her big win.
Away from all of this, Dom is at Target with her mom and siblings when she gets a phone call about Jayson’s and Owen’s potential disciplinary action. She’s asked to come to school the next morning to discuss what happened, but her mind is elsewhere: her mom and siblings keep loading items into their cart, despite her persistent arguments that they won’t be able to afford everything. When they get to the checkout, Dom learn that their total is over $200 — aka, much more than they have on their Target gift card and more than Dom has in cash.
At this point, John, dressed in a bright Target red, drops by and offers to hook her up with his employee discount. He also introduces himself to Dom’s mom and tells her all about how her daughter schooled him in calc. I’m not sure if I’m heartbroken on Dom’s behalf or swooning over the impending romance — and Dom seems to be in the same situation, smiling at John one second before looking away, slightly embarrassed over the whole ordeal.
Before we head back to Joey, Sid gets an important, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene. With a chair propped up in front of his door, he switches from a news website to Pornhub… and, though it’s unclear exactly what he searches, he’s clearly looking for guys, and he’s somewhat anxious about it. He’s interrupted by a call from his dad, asking how work is going, but this plot point will inevitably be revisited soon.
Joey meets up with George, fresh out of his hookup with Leila. In a devastating back-to-back, we see Leila tell her friend Rachel (Lola Blackman) that the night went well and that she had a lot of fun; meanwhile, George laughs to Joey that Leila couldn’t make him come. It’s horrible.
There’s something interesting about watching Joey in her small, private moments away from her chauvinistic male friends and outside of school. In her bedroom, she’s flipping through Instagram comments, many of which are praising her; however, a few notable ones call out her “white tears” and white feminism. Instead of ruminating on the latter, she takes a photo of her brand-new nipple piercing and sends it to her group text. Tim instantaneously texts her one-on-one (a quick “I’m dyin’ here and you’re responsible”), and Joey’s smile is notably more earnest than the confident, seductive one she wears so often at Grand Army.
Back at school, though, it’s starting to look like the white feminism accusations were a form of foreshadowing instead of just a self-aware sidenote. Joey and Dom, as the two witnesses to the bomb day prank, are exiting a meeting with Grand Army’s principal, but their demeanors couldn’t be more different. While Joey says she thinks people should be held responsible for their actions, Dom seems worried. “What’s going to happen?” she asks. “’Cause they paid me back, and I know I said that in there, but…”
With Joey out of the frame, Dom stares in through a window. Jayson and Owen apologize profusely, but Grand Army’s principal gives Jayson a seven-day suspension. Owen, who went into Dominique’s bag to retrieve her wallet, is even worse off: he’s granted a superintendent’s suspension, meaning he’ll face a hearing that will decide when he can return to school. “This is fucking crazy,” Joey says once they’re out the door. “I feel really bad.”
Dom looks her up and down. “Do you?” she asks.
Episode 3: Relationship Goals
Joey’s conversation with Dom seems heavy on her mind at the start of “Relationship Goals.” We’re in the Grand Army gym, where Dom’s about to play a basketball game and Joey’s on the sidelines with the rest of the dance team. As a student sings the national anthem, Dom and her friends take a knee; Joey follows suit. The subsequent montage of Joey dancing, Dom on the court, and Sid competing in a swim meet seems to hint that these are the three students we’ll be focusing on this episode.
After the basketball game, Joey’s in her room with Anna. They’re pushing each other around on the bed, talking about their dreams for next year. Anna will be at Syracuse, hopefully, and Joey will be at Cornell. They’ll study abroad together, maybe in Spain? Joey also asks Anna to skip babysitting and go to the movies with the rest of the group, and she says she’ll meet up with them afterwards. Then, Joey finally brings up the Tim issue: she likes him, but doesn’t want to mess up her relationship with Anna. Anna tells her that hooking up with Tim would probably threaten their friendship, points out that Joey and Tim are both flirts who would hurt each other, and makes her promise not to sleep with him. I applaud both girls for their honesty here, but I’m not convinced Grand Army won’t continue to drag this out.
Now, we’re at a Bat Mitzvah with Leila — it’s her friend Rachel’s sister’s ceremony. Leila is on edge because George hasn’t yet responded to a risqué photo she sent, but naturally, he’s commenting left and right on Joey’s Instagrams. Rachel, and also everyone watching, tells Leila to stop texting him. Leila trips walking back to her seat, a group of middle schoolers snicker, and she snaps at them to “go choke on each other’s cocks.” Again, this is happening at a Bat Mitzvah. It’s a lot.
Dom’s at the mall with Tamika, Sonia, and final friend group member Tor (Crystal Sha’re Nelson). Dom and Tamika are roleplaying a scenario in which Dom runs into John at the mall, and like every other scene centered around this squad, it is joyous. The mood is dampened somewhat when Jayson shows to pick up his homework from Sonia and approaches Dom to ask what she plans on saying at the hearing. “Dude, it’s fucking Saturday,” she says. “I’m not trying to be a dick, but I’m here with my girls.” Fair, but my heart breaks for Jayson. He looks exhausted.
Sonia, who may or may not have a thing with Jayson, challenges Dom as soon as he leaves. “You took a knee today,” she points out. “Are you really trying to act like you don’t see any similarities between what happened to Jay and Owen and the bullshit policing we’ve been protesting at games?”
Dom lets the question linger, and we cut to Joey, now at a movie theater with Tim, George, and Luke. Anna’s babysitting and meeting up with the crew later on, and her absence feels palpable. Tim’s in a mood because Joey opts to sit between the other guys and cuddle up with George. He jumps up to get popcorn, and Joey lasts about two minutes alone with George and Luke’s macho-bro banter before deciding to meet him outside. Tim’s chatting up the cashier, a girl around their age, and Joey hangs onto him for a moment before kissing him. It seems largely fueled by envy, but it’s also a reassurance of sorts.
Once they’re back in the theater, Joey communicates one of her concerns: she wants their friend group to stay normal. “You don’t have to be, like, throwing yourself at my friends to send me a message,” he says. Joey understandably does not react well to this, but what throws me here is Tim’s pronoun choice: “my friends.” On paper, George and Luke are Joey’s friends, too, but given how little George seems to respect women in general, Tim has a point. Half the time, these guys treat Joey more like a mascot than a friend. Exhibit A: that Instagram account.
Now at the Bat Mitzvah party, Leila is flagrantly ignoring Rachel’s advice and double-messaging George — who, as she sees on Instagram, is cuddling up with Joey. Leila tries to vent to Rachel, but Rachel’s dad is in the middle of toasting her sister. Rachel, the hero of this show, is appropriately annoyed by this and tells Leila to go home if she’s just going to make her sister’s big day all about “some douchebag guy.”
Sid’s at a diner working on his Harvard essay, which is starting to seem like maybe, possibly a coming out essay, too. He’s interrupted by Flora, who shortly soon after starts venting about how porn (specifically, lesbian porn) is made for the male gaze. I know this is just supposed to parallel Sid’s struggle with his sexuality, but it also makes me adore Flora and please, Grand Army, can she and Sid stay friends? Of course, just moments later, Sid abruptly breaks up with Flora and she leaves the booth, huffing and crying.
Back at the mall, Dom finally makes her move on John, but he hilariously has headphones in and walks right by her, forcing her to improvise (and sending her friends into a fit of laughter). They chat about work, Dom’s game, and their plans for the rest of the day, and a beat after they part ways, John calls out, asking about Dom’s plans for the rest of the day. She climbs up a down-moving escalator to meet him, and they make plans to hang out.
Dom’s night is looking up, but Joey’s is taking a turn. George and Luke give Tim whatever the opposite of a pep talk is while Joey approaches a random man carrying a suspicious suitcase. George points out that, yeah, Joey and Tim have kissed. But Joey also “pays attention” to him, and to Random Suitcase Man, et cetera. “That girl is down for whatever, man,” he says, snickering, and I wish Rachel would leave her sister’s Bat Mitzvah right about now and put this guy in his place. Joey hops back over, laughing. Apparently, Suitcase Man’s bag was full of sex toys, and he gave her a pink dildo. Luke and George find this hilarious, but Tim’s still brooding as they hail a taxi.
Tim lets Joey in first, and she snaps, accusing him of “acting all nice now.” She tells Luke, who’s still on crutches from his fall in episode 1, to take the front, and he makes an offensive jab about the driver. “That’s fucking so racist, for real, Luke,” Joey says. She’s drunk from the liquor she snuck into the theater, and it’s hard to tell if she’s genuinely calling Luke out or just surprised he went there. In any case, they all squeeze into the backseat, with Joey trying to move towards Tim and George and Luke pulling her back, laughing.
Things are not headed in a good direction. Joey’s messing around with the vibrator, throwing it in George’s face, and then, she climbs over him to get to Tim. She tries to talk to him, and he snaps. “You wanna give me a lap dance or some shit? You need more fucking attention, Jo?” he asks, and Joey, hurt, recoils. Then yells. She ends up on Luke’s lap, George calls Tim a homo, and Joey leans out the window, trying to get some air.
Outside the taxi, Sid writes about being gay and downloads Grindr. Leila bonds with the kind rabbi at the Bat Mitzvah, and apologizes to Rachel. Dom opens up to John: she wants to be the first person in her family to go to college, and she wants to study psych. She also talks to him about Jayson’s suspension, and says that she doesn’t feel guilty for her role in it — but thinks Joey should. John says he’s having a great night, and for a minute, he and Dom hold hands and smile at each other, and I never want to leave this perfect scene.
But back to Joey. She accuses Tim of a double standard: he can hook up with as many girls as he wants, but she flirts with guys, and she’s just seeking attention. Tim is checked out, staring straight ahead, clearly not ready to have this conversation until Joey sobers up. “You guys get to do whatever you want,” Joey says. “So can I.” With her eyes on Tim, Joey kisses Luke. George films it. She yells that she’s allowed to do whatever she wants, and somehow, she ends up kissing George. Luke grabs her, and she yelps. I’m not going to go into more detail from here, even though the show does: Luke and George assault Joey. The guys are out of the taxi as soon as it arrives, but Joey stays put, crying and traumatized.
Once inside, Joey goes to the bathroom. She wraps her underwear in toilet paper. She gets a text from Tim: “You okay?” She throws up.
Episode 4: Safety On
“Safety On” opens with a text from Anna. “It just feels fucked up cause we had that whole conversation,” she writes to Joey. “How’s Tim not gonna feel shitty?” From there, we get a flashback to Anna finding Joey in the bathroom the night before. She’d seen the videos of Joey kissing George and Luke, but was more confused than anything else.
Back in real time, Joey answers Tim’s text with a joke about being hungover. Then, we pivot to Dom, who’s eating breakfast with her family at a church event. Her mom and sister are upset she no-showed the night before; apparently, she missed babysitting for her date with John. Her pastor lets her know about Sisters Thrive, a local internship program that trains young Black women who hope to one day work as psychologists — basically, the perfect program for Dom, and she’s psyched.
After this, we go through the school week in snapshots. At school on Monday, Joey feels like everyone’s watching her: from her perspective, everything looks gloomy and daunting, and she almost jumps when the guys approach her with a lemon poppyseed bagel. They crowd her locker, talking all at once. Tim won’t shut up about The Great Gatsby; Luke says he wants to ask her about something “really important,” and it’s just his haircut.
On Tuesday, everyone at school seems to be discussing a rumored version of what happened. Joey, Anna, and the guys are in a classroom playing “Never Have I Ever,” and Anna casually says, “Never have I ever had an orgy with my friends.” Joey concedes, then looks away. A flashback from Saturday night brings Tuesday to Wednesday, when Joey, looking exhausted and disheveled, is woken up during dance practice. Grace, still territorial over George, makes a snide comment towards Joey.
At the same time, Dom, while goofing around with her friends, accidentally pelts Joey with a basketball. She apologizes, but Joey doesn’t buy it — and with the amount of slut-shaming she’s been dealing with, she probably thinks the hit was intentional. Joey and Dom are about to really get into it when a kindly basketball coach separates them, but the moment the coach is out of earshot, Dom bursts into the locker room, ready to call Joey out. But when she kicks a bathroom stall open, she finds Joey half-catatonic on top of the toilet. Her leg is covered in bruises. “What’s going on?” Dom asks. Joey tells her to get out.
Now, we turn to Jayson, preparing to head back to school. His parents and grandfather are at odds: while his dad thinks he deserved consequences for goofing off, his grandfather is adamant that the family should have hired a lawyer. Jayson tries to call Owen, who he hasn’t heard from since his suspension, and learns his number was disconnected. We move from Wednesday to Thursday with Jayson, who heads to the band room first thing… and as soon as he arrives, he learns Owen’s spot in the school band has already been given away to alternate.
In English class, Tim is analyzing The Great Gatsby while Joey’s breaking down. She’s panicking, pulling out her hair, and moving between the classroom and memories of Saturday night, but no one seems to notice. “I completely disagree with you,” she tells Tim before launching into a tirade about F. Scott Fitzgerald’s racism, sexism, and mansplaining. She starts to cry. Tim, several seats behind Joey, notices a bald patch on the back of her head, and his eyes narrow. Joey excuses herself to run to the bathroom, where she meets up with Luke to procure some sleeping pills.
Sid meets up with his college counselor to submit his new essay for Harvard. She suggests he see a therapist — as I usually note when watching teen dramas, all of these characters should do this — and he says he’s fine. Cut to Sid hooking up with a random guy from Grindr in a dressing room.
Back at school, Leila is reading a monologue from The Vagina Monologues, the upcoming school play directed by Sid’s sister, Meera. George and Joey peer in as she’s rehearsing, and George starts making leery, mocking faces, and as much as I loathe his character and his scenes with every piece of my soul, I can also acknowledge that this moment feels all too real and I’m cringing on Leila’s behalf. Meera, like a badass, kicks him out, but the damage is done: Leila’s chances at getting into the play are basically shot. That is, until theater kid and co-director Omar (Zac Kara) shyly approaches her and tells her he’ll put in a good word.
Up next, we get a peek into Dom’s home life. She’s trying to do homework in the bathroom — the rest of the apartment appears to have little privacy — but she’s interrupted by her young niece, who needs to use the toilet. Then, she gets an incoming FaceTime call from John. Just seconds into their conversation, her niece runs to her for help: she accidentally clogged the toilet, which started to overflow. Not only does John hear all of this, but Dom realizes the dirty water got all over her homework. She ditches him to clean up.
Finally, we’ve made it to Friday. Poor Sid, who still doesn’t know the name of his hookup, is in the bathroom Googling STDs you can get from oral sex. Afterwards, he almost immediately runs into Victor (who has to be his inevitable love interest, right?). Victor says he’s surprised Sid never reached out about his essay, and unfortunately, George (with Luke by his side) chooses this moment to appear and mock Victor with a high-pitched voice. The entire exchange moves very quickly, though, because Sid is distracted by the sight of his sister getting touchy with a swim team guy, Bo (David Iacono).
The next scene is interesting. During an assembly with the NYPD, Jayson begins passing around a petition to allow Owen back to school. Someone yells out, “I can’t breathe.” From another corner of the room, Luke tries to pull Joey closer, and she flinches away right as one of the cops talks about how perpetrators don’t necessarily look like “the sketchy dude on the subway,” but like people in your inner circle. “Are you okay?” Tim asks. Joey, popping another pill, nods. She clearly isn’t. The cop continues, now speaking on terrorists, and George jokes, “Do I look like a terrorist to you?” It’s possible that I have never despised a character so much.
A lot is going on right now, and all of it’s important. While Joey’s unraveling, the same student yells the same message: “I can’t breathe.” Dom gets a text from her nephew and learns that her sister hurt her back. John turns around and asks Dom to hang out, and even though she likely won’t hear the end of this from her family, she says yes. John smiles, then yells a third time, “I can’t breathe.” This time, other students join in.
Joey runs out of the assembly, followed by Anna. Anna apologizes, probably for the “Never Have I Ever” joke, and tells Joey she loves her, but she clearly still doesn’t know the truth about Joey’s assault. It looks like no one does. Dom, who is entirely too good for this show and has enough of her own issues to deal with, comes in to check on Joey, but Anna tells her she’s handling it.
After school, Jayson is desperate to get to the bottom of what’s going on with his friend. He shows at Owen’s house, but his parents won’t let him in — it’s hard to say who they’re punishing here, Owen or Jayson. Meanwhile, Dom’s at John’s house for dinner, and his mom has officially made it into the show’s top ten characters. She’s amused as John tells her about the chant, and then, she praises Dom for being the first college-bound member of her family. “I told her,” John says, grinning. Once she’s gone, they kiss for the first time over the kitchen table. It’s incredibly sweet, and I could not be more terrified that this show is going to hurt them.
Unfortunately, when Dom gets back home, her night starts to go downhill: not only did her sister sustain a serious injury, but she lost her job because of it. This is heartbreaking in its own right, but also doesn’t bode for Dom, who’s already working several side-hustles to help out her family.
In the episode’s final moments, Joey’s in bed, staring at unopened messages from Grace, Anna, George, and others. Her younger sister walks in and searches through Joey’s dresser drawers for a sports bra, and Joey falters when she finds her underwear from the night of her assault. A flashback cuts in and out, and then, Joey’s still crying, but this time, in her mom’s lap. “They raped me, Mom,” she says. In the background, the movie she was watching — Hannah Gadsby’s stand-up special Nanette, which addresses sexual assault and #MeToo — continues to play.
More to come. Check back for the full season recap on Oct. 20.
If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please call the RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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We're encouraged to thicken our skin and set better boundaries for ourselves on Sunday, when charming Venus opposes dreamy Neptune in retrograde. It's a day to focus on becoming more aware of the energy we put out into the world. Prioritize nurturing your softer side during this transit.
A jolt of motivation strikes on Monday, as warrior Mars in retrograde forms a square against opportunistic Jupiter. This transit can create confusion, and doesn't support knee jerk reactions. Measure twice before acting. Beauty-loving Venus also forms a trine with Jupiter on Monday, making it a good day to treat yourself to something special. Catch up with friends, and enjoy this bubbly transit. But Mercury in retrograde opposes Uranus in retrograde on Monday as well, making it easy to get our wires crossed as we try to explain our thoughts to others. So try to avoid jumping to conclusions.
Take a moment to be mindful of your emotions on Wednesday, when sensitive Venus makes a trine with power-minded Pluto. This transit tends to intensify our feelings and sharpen our focus on our romantic relationships. We're ready to enter a passionate and powerful new season on Thursday, as the Sun makes his way into strategic Scorpio. It's time to channel your inner detective and uncover hidden truths during this transit. Meditate on how your desires drive you and if it's time for you to change course.
We may be feeling driven to take the lead on Friday, when the Moon waxes into her first quarter in independent Aquarius at 9:22 a.m. EST. Before you bite off more than you can chew, make a list of what you need to accomplish to help move your goals forward. This transit can make us impatient, so take time to think before acting.
Cuffing season begins with a sweet bang on Saturday, when charismatic Venus creates a trine with rule-making Saturn in retrograde, drawing us to the idea of relationship stability. If you're single, you may find yourself opening up your dating pool or giving that special someone a second glance. In a relationship? This favorable transit can help you to connect with your partner and make cozy plans for the upcoming winter season.
Aries March 21 to April 19
Are you looking for a deeper connection, Aries? If you're single, you may find yourself drawn towards people who inspire you on Monday, as affectionate Venus creates a trine with intellectual Jupiter. Attached Rams may decide to put down the remote control and challenge their partners to a game during this playful transit. The status quo no longer intrigues you starting Thursday, as your recreation-ruling Sun lights up your 8th house of transformation, mystery, and dramatic change. It's time to mix things up and find creative new ways to pass the time. Put your heads together with friends and seek out safe ways to stay entertained and connected. It's in your best interest to stay sharp on the weekend, as materialistic Venus creates a trine with career-ruling Saturn in retrograde on Saturday. You could dream up an exciting new business venture that helps you to succeed as these planets complement each other. Taurus April 20 to May 20
Proceed with caution, Taurus. All may not be as it seems on Monday, when money-ruling Mercury in retrograde opposes career-conscious Uranus in retrograde. It's exceptionally easy to get mixed up as these planets clash, especially as they both move in reverse. Make sure to back up your work, and keep a cool head as you work with others. The mood relaxes on Wednesday, when routine-ruling Venus creates a trine with passionate Pluto. You're ready to make more time for your relationships and break up your day by catching up with friends and loved ones. You're ready to get your hands dirty and start creating something with a team beginning Thursday, as the domestic-ruling Sun illuminates your 7th house of partnerships, contracts, and business. Who do you want to collaborate with? Choose your companions wisely. Gemini May 21 to June 20
Do you believe in magic, Gemini? Some serendipitous moments could occur if you're paying attention on Monday, as flirtatious Venus creates a trine with romantic-ruling Jupiter. If you're single, this is a beautiful day to come out of your shell and take a chance on someone new. In a relationship? Enjoy this transit with your partner by breaking out of routine and trying something new together. You're in the mood to get serious about organizing your life starting Thursday as the Sun highlights your 6th house of health, order, and service. Use this powerful transit to build up your self-esteem without seeking approval from others. Now is the time to challenge yourself. You may be inspired to get ahead of your finances on Friday morning, as your money-minded Moon waxes into her first quarter in forward-thinking Aquarius. Use this transit to gather your thoughts and collect more information before making any major decisions with your cash. Cancer June 21 to July 22
Start your week on the right foot, Cancer. You're feeling unstoppable and motivated on Monday when domestic-ruling Venus creates a trine with routine-ruling Jupiter. It's easy for you to crush your to-do list in style as these planets complement each other. Enjoy thinking outside of the box when it comes to your closet and surroundings starting Thursday, as the materialistic Sun highlights your 5th house of creativity, pleasure, and romance. Take chances and experiment with new textures and colors during this happy-go-lucky transit. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself on Friday morning, as the ruling Moon waxes into her first quarter in idealistic Aquarius. Don't let your ambitions overwhelm you, and use this energetic transit to help gather more knowledge to help you pursue your goals. Leo July 23 to August 22
Feeling the pressure, Leo? The only way out is through on Sunday, as the ruling Sun forms a square against routine-ruling Saturn in retrograde. Take small steps to achieve your goals, and conquer your task list. By doubling down, you'll be able to make progress with ease. You're ready to refocus your priorities starting Thursday, as your ruling Sun brings attention to your 4th house of family, instincts, and foundations. Use this helpful transit to reassess your goals and evaluate a new long-term plan for the future. What steps can you take now to help secure your dreams? Consider how you're supported by structure on Saturday, when career-ruling Venus creates a trine with wellness-minded Saturn in retrograde. Although you may be off the clock, this transit could help you create a practice that improves your skills, even on days off. Virgo August 23 to September 22
Take it easy, Virgo. Turn mistakes into learning opportunities on Monday, when career-conscious Mercury in retrograde opposes routine-ruling Uranus in retrograde. Sometimes confusion can't be avoided, so try your best to manage the chaos with a calm and collected attitude. You'll be in better shape to handle any problem that comes your way starting Thursday as the Sun shines on your 3rd house of communication, thought, and community. This transit can help you to expand your thinking and connect with others. Take time to contemplate how you'd like to engage your mind. Have you had your eye on something special? You'll be able to make an educated decision on the best deal on Saturday, when money-ruling Venus creates a trine with pleasure-seeking Saturn in retrograde. Libra September 23 to October 22
Make yourself heard, Libra. You're able to command attention with ease on Monday as ruling Venus creates a trine with communication-ruling Jupiter. Enjoy drawing in the attention that follows, as this transit lends you extra charisma and poise. Your attention to detail regarding your material possessions sharpens on Thursday as the Sun illuminates your 2nd house of finances, values, and possessions. Use this transit to evaluate how you seek out security and if your approach needs tweaking. Are you thinking about taking on new career opportunities? Use Friday to brainstorm on where you'd like to move forward as your status-ruling Moon waxes into her first quarter in unconventional Aquarius. Focus on creating a list of exciting new challenges, and gather information during this promising transit. Scorpio October 23 to November 21
What dreams are you looking to fulfill, Scorpio? You could have the chance to bring a vision to life on Monday, when passion-ruling Venus creates a trine with money-minded Jupiter. Keep an eye on your inbox in case an exciting offer comes your way as these lucky planets work together. You may be feeling extra sensual on Wednesday, as affectionate Venus forms a trine with ruling Pluto. If you're in a relationship, take advantage of this transit and enjoy connecting with your partner. Single Scorpios should use this transit to indulge their senses by enhancing their space. Your career-ruling Sun celebrates your 1st house of self, first impressions, and appearance starting Thursday, encouraging you to enjoy new confidence and opportunities. Be selective about which challenges to take on during this transit, as you'll have the chance to choose a new path. Sagittarius November 22 to December 21
It's time to take care of yourself, Sagittarius. Use Monday to begin a new self-care ritual as wellness-minded Venus creates a trine with ruling Jupiter. This relaxing transit lends itself well to enjoying rest and listening to your physical being. Meditate on how you'd like to support yourself better as these planets complement each other. You may notice that a change needs to be made for your spiritual side on Wednesday, as routine-ruling Venus forms a trine with inner growth-ruling Pluto. Take time to listen to your hidden self and consider how you can adjust your schedule for greater peace of mind. The Sun brightens your 12th house of inner growth, vulnerability, and conclusion starting Thursday, encouraging you to seek seclusion and get to know yourself better. Consider how you can learn to identify yourself from others during this powerful transit. Capricorn December 22 to January 19
Don't let your ideas get lost in the shuffle, Capricorn. You may need to stand up for yourself and your work on Sunday, as career-ruling Venus opposes communication-ruling Neptune in retrograde. Take time to cool down and readjust your game plan as these planets clash against each other. You're blessed with a powerful sense of poise and grace at work on Monday, as status-minded Venus creates a trine with inner growth-ruling Jupiter. Colleagues are drawn to your natural leadership skills and are ready to listen to your advice. You're bursting with exciting new ideas starting Thursday, as the Sun lights up your 11th house of groups, friendships, and goals. Use this social transit to reconnect with friends and seek out new ways to collaborate and support each other's dreams. Aquarius January 20 to February 18
Let your space inspire you, Aquarius. Some out-of-the-box thinking drawn from your home could help your work on Wednesday when domestic-ruling Venus forms a trine with career-minded Pluto. Your natural talents command outside interest starting Thursday, when your passion-ruling Sun lights up your 10th house of career, structure, and public image. Use this influential transit to help you reach new heights and be selective with who you collaborate. You may be in the mood to make a new list to get through your responsibilities on Friday, as your routine and wellness-ruling Moon waxes into her first quarter in independent Aquarius. Use this transit to focus on what's within your power to control and adjust accordingly.
Pisces February 19 to March 20
Pick your battles carefully, Pisces. You may be feeling amped up and ready to take on the world on Monday, when money-ruling Mars in retrograde forms a square against career-ruling Jupiter. Take a moment to cool down and consider your options, as this transit can blind us to the consequences of our actions. The routine-overseeing Sun makes his way into your 9th house of exploration, adventure, and belief on Thursday, helping you to break free of old patterns. Take the opportunity to embark on a new journey, and feed your mind during this transit with positive new habits. Seek out new influences on Friday, as your creative-ruling Moon waxes into her first quarter in curious Aquarius. Use this transit to create a mood-board that helps you to explore new ideas.
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Whether we spent it with our toes dug into the socially distanced sand or staycationing inside next to our leaky AC units, the summer of 2020 felt like the longest one we've had to date. But, lo and behold, fall weather has finally shown up and she brought our favorite autumnal fashion classic with her: the jacket.
Jackets (not to be confused with their heavier cousins, coats) are the coolest kind of transitional buy, lightweight enough for layering into outfits when the temps are not quite warm but not yet cold — they're the Goldilocks of wardrobe staples: just right. If you're in need of a little shopping inspiration for the season ahead, we've gathered up our top picks (18 to be exact) of fall-optimal jackets. There's everything from cinched blazers to hybrid styles like shackets and coatigans.
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.
Ines de la Fressange for Uniqlo Faux Leather Jacket, $, available at Uniqlo
Nike Nike Shield Golf Bomber Jacket, $, available at Nike
Plush Cheetah Fleece Jacket, $, available at Shopbop
Pilcro and the Letterpress Pilcro Flocked Denim Shirt Jacket, $, available at Anthropologie
Everlane The ReNew Channeled Liner, $, available at Everlane
Uniqlo Corduroy Relaxed Jacket, $, available at Uniqlo
lululemon Oh So Sherpa Jacket, $, available at lululemon
Universal Thread Mid Length Plaid Shirt Jacket, $, available at Target
J.Crew Lightweight Utility Jacket, $, available at J.Crew
Universal Standard Chelsea Stretch Cotton Twill Jacket, $, available at Universal Standard
Eloquii Menswear Vegan Leather Blazer, $, available at Eloquii
Topshop Blue Vinyl Belted Shacket, $, available at Topshop
BLANKNYC The Nightingale Faux Leather Blazer, $, available at Nordstrom
Madewell Caldwell Double-Breasted Blazer, $, available at Madewell
Sincerely Tommy Fiona Trench Coat, $, available at Sincerely Tommy
Free People Bentley Ombre Shirt Jacket, $, available at Free People
Frankie Shop Pernille Oversized Striped Woven Blazer, $, available at Net-A-Porter
Nike Icon Clash Pullover Jacket, $, available at Nike
PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 23: Singer Lisa attends the Celine Spring Summer 2020 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 23, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Dominique Charriau/WireImage)
MAC Cosmetics just announced its newest Global Brand Ambassador as none other than Lalisa Manoban, otherwise known as Lisa. You know the Thai rapper and dancer as 1/4 of the record-breaking K-pop group BLACKPINK, and her new beauty gig is not only exciting for Blinks, but it’s also the first time a female K-pop star will front an international MAC campaign.
When it comes to her personal beauty philosophy, the performing artist says she’s always loved MAC makeup, and she aligns with the brand’s focus on self-expression. “To me, beauty is confidence,” Lisa told Refinery29 exclusively. “I think beauty comes from one’s confident inner self and one’s attitude — makeup and styling are the cherries on top.”
Whether she’s performing at Coachella, dancing in a Selena Gomez music video, or sitting front row at Fashion Week, Lisa always serves up a different look. However, in her real life, she favors low-key glam. “I usually enjoy natural makeup,” she tells us, adding that she has a delicate prescription for leveling up her look. “I like to start with a simple base and finish with a slightly bolder lip color to add some vibrance. Especially for lip makeup, I like to make an ombré lip that naturally gradates by tapping from the center of my lips.”
For obvious reasons, MAC is thrilled about Lisa joining the legacy cosmetics brand as its Global Ambassador. Describing her as an “unparalleled talent” with “bold, fashion-forward style,” the company couldn’t imagine a more perfect match. “Always confident and never one to shy away from risks, she embodies our commitment to celebrating individuality and self-expression above all else,” explained Senior Vice President and Global Creative Director, Drew Elliot. “We can’t wait for her fans to see what she has in store for them through our collaboration.”
As for what we can expect, Lisa says that the partnership will pay homage to her fellow BLACKPINK members as well as the millions of Blinks who have supported the group over the years. “My BLACKPINK members and [our] fans are my driving forces,” she explains of her humble motivation to keep growing as an artist, both on and offstage. “Thank you for always being there for me through all the happiest and the saddest moments. I am truly grateful.”
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Everything changed when I walked into an Aesop store for the first time. My whole life flashed before my eyes and I knew that someday I’d live in a house atop a misty mountain that looked just like the inside of those stores. Aesop’s mature, herbaceous, and downright unctuous scents were unlike anything I’d smelled before. They were the way out of the itchy sweet haze of Bath & Body Works and Victoria’s Secret Pink.
Don’t get me wrong, nothing can replace Bath & Body Works or Yankee Candle when the holidays roll around. But through weeks of working from home, I found myself wanting for something painfully elegant to scent my quiet apartment during the workday. I looked up if Aesop made candles a few months ago and had no luck.
But the cult skincare brand dropped its first line of candles just last week and they cost $110.
Aesop is a great skincare brand, but it’s best known for its stylish packaging, especially the hand soap. While $40 for hand soap is excessive, it starts to pay for itself once you keep the bottle as a decorative item and refill it with cheap soap. A candle offers no such reuse value.
The candles come in three scents: Aganice smells of cardamom, mimosa, and tobacco; Callippus smells of vetiver, frankincense, and shisho; lastly, Ptolemy smells of cedar, cypress, and vetiver. They each weigh about 11 ounces and are made using “vegan-friendly” ingredients.
Am I buying this candle? I really want to. If you think it’s a frivolous purchase, you are right. Years from now, it is you who will be on the right side of history and I’ll have to explain myself to my children and their children and so on.
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We have a machinist from New Jersey to thank for the invention of modern-day glitter. In 1934, Henry Ruschmann devised a way to crush up plastic to produce large quantities of the shiny stuff. He created a manufacturing company — Meadowbrook Glitter — to double down on his brainchild and now, decades later, that crushed up shiny stuff is everywhere in makeup aisles, from lipglosses to eyeliners, and most definitely eyeshadows.
But there is one big downside of wearing glittery eyeshadow: That shit gets everywhere. Thankfully, some brands have come to realize that we definitely don't want to be wiping glitter out of our hair, bathroom tiles, and clothes every day, and have opted for improved technology and things like eyeshadow creams and gels.
We can't thank them enough. Ahead, check out our favorite foolproof glitter shadows that won't be haunting you and all of your belongings days after wearing it.
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.
The Lip Bar Vegan Quick Lid One Swipe Liquid Eyeshadow
Consider this eyeshadow the most no-nonsense formula in your makeup bag. In one swipe, you get enough shimmery coverage that won't smear and spread all over your face, and you can sheer it out with your fingers or let multiple layers dry down for bold pigment. The formula wipes clean off at the end of the day without leaving flecks of glitter on your cheeks.
The Lip Bar The Lip Bar Vegan Quick Lid One Swipe Liquid Eyeshadow, $, available at Target
Kaja Moon Crystal Sparkling Eye Pigment
Just try and tear yourself away from the mirror after swiping on this unique eye shimmer, which has a mix of crystal powders and metallic-coated pearls that reflects light like nobody's business. The pigmented jelly goes on like a gel but dries down to a mess-free powder finish.
Kaja Moon Crystal Sparkling Eye Pigment, $, available at Sephora
Stila Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow
This high-impact shadow won a Refinery29 Beauty Innovator Award for a reason: The long-wearing formula is loaded with fine glitter that dries down to a budge-proof finish. (Drag queens love it, too, and they know their stuff.)
Stila Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow, $, available at Stila
Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eye Shadow
Ever since debuting at Sephora, this Hourglass glitter eyeshadow is never notselling out. With its fine glitter texture and finish that allows you to blend different shades together on your eyelids, fans have dubbed this a potted version of that beloved Stila liquid shadow, above.
Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eye Shadow, $, available at Sephora
Tom Ford Cream Color For Eyes
Leave it to Tom Ford to formulate an array of smooth cream shadows in ultra-pigmented metallic shades like deep bronze and sea-inspired blue that make the steep $46 price tag seem not that unreasonable.
Tom Ford Cream Color For Eyes, $, available at Sephora
RMS Beauty Eye Polish
Now that we've raved about RMS Beauty's natural-finish Living Luminizer highlighter, it's time you meet the brand's glossy eye polish, which comes in both metallic and satin finishes.
Pat McGrath Mothership V Eyeshadow Palette - Bronze Seduction
If you love glitter and you're looking to splurge, this palette is right up your alley. As seen on Cardi B, Amandla Stenberg, and SZA at the 2018 VMAs, Pat McGrath's palette includes 10 richly-pigmented shades that seriously don't budge.
PAT McGRATH LABS Mothership V Eyeshadow Palette - Bronze Seduction, $, available at Sephora
Urban Decay Stoned Vibes Eyeshadow Palette
There's a shade in Urban Decay's newest palette for everyone, whether you're looking for silver, purple, pink, or blue. Plus, the duochrome, silky powder blends like a dream.
Urban Decay Stoned Vibes Eyeshadow Palette, $, available at Ulta Beauty
Lemonhead LA Houdini Spacepaste
Hate loose glitter with a burning passion? Try Lemonhead's Space Paste instead. They're loaded with a mix of fine and chunky particles and once they're set, they're not transferring onto anything.
Lemonhead LA Houdini Spacepaste Glitter, $, available at Verishop
ColourPop Disco Lady
Put away the glitter glue, because you won't need it with this gel. Sheer it out with a few dabs of your finger for some major shine, or pile it on for a metallic foiled look.
We like to think of this glitter gel as a gateway drug into more intense glitters. It'll set you back just $3 and comes in five wearable shades. There's one caveat, though: Unlike some of the other shadows in this roundup, this one doesn't last too long on its own, so we suggest laying a primer down underneath to improve wear-time.
Wet N' Wild Color Icon Glitter Single, $, available at Beauty Bay
E.L.F. Cosmetics Liquid Glitter Eyeshadow
One swipe of this e.l.f. gel provides a sheer veil of sparkle, but two or three will take you into high-shine territory. Just make sure to let each layer dry before going in for more.
e.l.f. Cosmetics Liquid Glitter Eyeshadow, $, available at Ulta Beauty
Revlon PhotoReady Eye Art
Not sure how intense you want to go? Reach for one of Revlon's new PhotoReady Eye Arts. The double-sided tubes hold a metallic liquid shadow on one end and a glittery gel on the other, both of which can be worn solo or mixed and matched for custom looks.
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We're not trying to rush the calendar, but we just want to remind you that everyone's favorite fall holiday will be here in less than two weeks. If you can't bring yourself to start costume planning just yet, you can subtly ease into the season by adding shades of orange and black to your fingernails.
For some suggestions on how to do that — in the least cheesy way possible — we've amassed a few Halloween nail-art looks that will be big this season. From glossy black with dripping accents to minimalist pumpkin-orange French tips, scroll through to find your chic Halloween-ish manicure — the kind you'll want to wear now and well into November.
Striped Tip
This striped tip out of NYC's Paintbox Studio is unexpected and just happens to pair the Halloween-appropriate burnt orange and black tones.
Orange French
If you're partial to the traditional French tip, just make the design orange for October — like this chic visual courtesy of boutique London nail salon Townhouse.It's festive enough, right?
Black Cauldron
Nail artist Park Eunkyung shows us black bubbling cauldron, but makes it chic.
Edgy Orbit
The orbit nail is edgy on its own, though nail artist Dalia proves a jet-black polish makes it ideal for the spooky season.
Crescent Moon
A gold crescent-moon decal in the middle of a black French mani is the cool-girl way to do seasonal nail art, according to London manicurist Imarni Nails.
Candy Corn
Just when you thought candy corn was tacky, Miami's Vanity Projects salon takes the tri-tone inspiration and spins it into something more current.
Harvest Moon
Essie'sglobal nail artist, Rita Remark, calls this look the "Harvest Moon mani." The copper-orange polish, called Rust Worthy, comes from the brand's fall 2019 collection.
Tonal Swirls
Any way you slice it, nail artist Chani Ra proves that there are three polishes you'll want to use in tandem for Halloween-inspired designs: black, orange, and then something shimmery. Like this post? There's more. Get tons of beauty tips, tutorials, and inspiration on the Refinery29 Pinterest page — we'll see you there!
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AllSaints is living up to its virtuous name this week by knocking an extra 20% offits already 50%-off sale stock. The sleek brand is known for its refined-chic style but also for its steep price tags (womp womp), so we're feeling extra blessed in the presence of this rare marked-down occasion. But, that's not all: AllSaints is further sweetening the double-deal with free shipping on all U.S. orders over $250. No promo code required.
Get ready to stack those virtual carts with the best of 2020's fashion moments — from versatile jumpsuits to suede boots and dashing blazers — all for up to 70% off and crafted by one decidedly covetable label. Slide through this round-up of Allsaints' bestselling minimalist wardrobe staples (before the maximalist discounts disappear for good).
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.
All Saints Helei Check Blazer, $, available at All Saints
AllSaints Sol Denim Shirt Jacket, $, available at AllSaints
AllSaints Suzie Leo Jacket, $, available at AllSaints
AllSaints Sara Suede Boots, $, available at AllSaints
AllSaints Luciana Dress, $, available at AllSaints
AllSaints Alva Low-Rise Pants, $, available at AllSaints
AllSaints Jessi Biker Hoodie, $, available at AllSaints
AllSaints Storn Tie Dye Sweatshirt, $, available at AllSaints
AllSaints Tie Dye Imogen Boy T-shirt, $, available at AllSaints
AllSaints Bede Leather Cardholder, $, available at AllSaints
AllSaints Kristin Leather Belt, $, available at AllSaints
AllSaints Enia Jumpsuit, $, available at AllSaints
AllSaints Dottie Denim Maxi Skirt, $, available at AllSaints
AllSaints Aislyn Ditsy Dress, $, available at AllSaints
AllSaints Etna Silk Blend Top, $, available at AllSaints
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If there was ever a perfect time to reconsider everything you thought you understood about politics — from what purpose the police serves to what our history textbooks really teach us about racism — 2020 is that time. And, as we endure a particularly contentious election season, alongside the ongoing racial reckoning in America, the much-maligned history of the Electoral College should be at the forefront of our conversations.
The Electoral College is one of those American institutions that most people in the country know exists, some people have a basic understanding of, but few actually know its origins — or could defend its continued existence. It’s something that is only ever really thought about once every four years, and yet is arguably the most important part of our current voting process, and responsible for the fact that two of the presidential elections in the last 20 years — in 2000 and 2016 — were won by the candidates with far fewer votes. Because, while the popular vote captures the will of the people, it’s the Electoral College is actually the ultimate decider of who wins the presidency.
Before getting into the history of the Electoral College, here’s a primer in how it works: Every four years when we vote for president, we are actually voting for our state’s slate of electors, rather than directly deciding who will win. Each state is allotted electors based on the number of representatives it has in Congress, and those combined 538 electors formally decide who the president will be. A candidate needs an absolute majority of electors, meaning 270 or more, to win the Electoral College. And because all of a state’s electors go to one candidate, the presidential race most often comes down to several electors in one or two key states — swing states — which hold outsized power in the process relative to their population.
Sounds pretty undemocratic, right? Sure, but this isn’t a “flaw” in the system, this is how it was intended to work. The Electoral College was built this way to protect and preserve the power of Southern states, whose official population counts were far lower than those in the North, because of the huge amount of disenfranchised people living in the South — that is, enslaved people. It didn’t have to be this way: When this country’s framers attended the Constitutional Convention and set out to decide how to elect a president, they discussed the idea of utilizing the popular vote to decide elections. But, Southerners worried that direct democracy would disadvantage slave-holding states.
“The right of suffrage was much more diffusive in the Northern than the Southern States; and the latter could have no influence in the election on the score of Negroes. The substitution of electors obviated this difficulty and seemed on the whole to be liable to the fewest objections,” James Madison wrote in the Method of Appointing the Executive in 1787.
The Electoral College was the compromise the founders settled on to appease the demands of Southern states worried their politics — or, more specifically, their desire to maintain the system of slavery — might be quashed. Its existence allowed Southern states — and their white male property-owning voters — to preserve their power in part due to the three-fifths clause in the Constitution, which stated that enslaved Black people would be counted as three-fifths of a person, thus bolstering the electoral count of slave-owning states without actually affording rights to anyone other than wealthy white men. It also gave disproportionate power to the Southern states. It’s no surprise, then, that eight of the first nine presidential races were won by Virginians; it was the most populous state at the time, with a huge slave population — even though it didn’t have the most enfranchised voters.
“In a direct election system, the South would have lost every time because a huge percentage of its population was slaves, and slaves couldn’t vote. But an Electoral College allows states to count slaves, albeit at a discount (the three-fifths clause), and that’s what gave the South the inside track in presidential elections,” Akhil Reed Amar, a professor of law and political science at Yale University, told Vox.
Two centuries after its founding, the Electoral College continues to uphold white supremacy and disadvantage much of the electorate — particularly the Black people who live in Southern states, and whose votes are often overpowered by the will of electors, with most Southern states staying red in recent presidential elections. That’s why today, presidential candidates expend a significant amount of their effort on winning over states that hold the most influence, resulting in disproportionate attention paid to “swing” areas.
To combat the electors’ ability to defy the people’s choice and vote for a candidate they preferred but who didn’t carry the popular vote in their state, the Supreme Court took matters into its own hands. In a unanimous ruling in July of this year, the highest court in the land decided that electors must support the will of the people. “The State instructs its electors that they have no ground for reversing the vote of millions of its citizens. That direction accords with the Constitution — as well as with the trust of a Nation that here, We the People rule,” Justice Elena Kagan stated in the ruling. Despite this, many states — including swing states like Florida and Ohio — have no legal requirements about how electors must vote.
In his new book Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?, the Harvard historian Alexander Keyssar examines why the outdated system continues and explains how it still disempowers Black people today. Through his research on the attempts to abolish the system and champion the popular vote, Keyssar offers encouragement that there is hope for us to radically shift our democracy. Ultimately, Keyssar provides hope that mass movements of people can radically expand and change the way democracy works by demanding a reimagining of our governments. “I think that the resurgence of pro small ‘d’ democratic activism is very important now, and it’s hard to see that Electoral College reform would not be part of that,” Keyssar said in an interview with Mother Jones.
Although there have been attempts to put an end to the Electoral College — more than 1,000 to be exact — with more recent shots in the dark including the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, clearly no one has yet succeeded in abolishing it. Considering its success in winning Republicans the election for George W. Bush in 2000 and for Trump in 2016, despite the fact that both candidates won fewer popular votes than their Democratic rivals, Republicans, in particular, have clung to the Electoral College as a necessary part of American democracy. It’s far from it.
In 2020, it’s particularly important to understand the origins of the Electoral College and who it serves to keep in power, because the mass movements necessary for this reimagining of government are happening now. With Black Lives Matter protests — which have demanded the abolition of harmful systems like the prison industrial complex and the police force — there are more people pushing for change than ever before. Movements like these show that the power to defeat age-old systems that aren’t working anymore — and never worked for vulnerable, marginalized communities in the first place — is on the side of the people.
No matter what happens in November, the movements that continue to build in cities across America, including Portland, New York, and Minneapolis, show that nothing is set in stone simply because of tradition and norms. With an insurgency of Americans who demand the popular vote as law, we could see racist systems like the Electoral College come toppling down sooner rather than later.
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Let’s face it: cooking healthy meals at the end of a long work-from-home day (in the current state of the world) is at the bottom of our likely-to-do lists — but, it may be the exact thing we need most. If there’s one lesson lockdown has taught us (besides the fact that sitting for 8-hour increments in tight denim is uncomfortable), it’s that our bodies and our budgets cannot survive on takeout alone. For me, rediscovering cooking nutritious food has become a vital part of my quarantine routine — one that I actually look forward to most nights as a fun(!) activity. (You know you’re getting old when Friday’s consist of meal prep instead of bar hopping.) This is where Sakara Life comes into play: aka one of those Goop-adjacent meal programs I’ve spotted across fancy influencers’ and off-duty models’ social-media feeds and finally decided to try myself.
The chic company is an all-natural food subscription service that delivers plant-based, organic, and vividly-hued clean ingredients to your doorstep — many of which you’ve probably never heard of (even as a six-year vegan, I was stumped). Founder’s Whitney Tingle and Danielle DuBoise’s approach focuses on nine pillars of nutrition: ranging from “eating” your water to embracing good fats and leading a calorie-counting-free lifestyle. But it was one pillar in particular that compelled me: “One of our favorite pillars (if we had to choose). Eating enough greens (4–6 cups!) every single day is one of the secrets to getting that Sakara Glow. Greens are one of the most potent and powerful foods on the planet,” and Sakara’s meals come packed with them. So, with my tofu-soaked tongue itching for a little more variety, I signed up to test it out for a week. Join me on my gluten-free, rainbow-bowl journey below (complete with IRL snapshots) to find out if this luxurious meal-service is really worth all the hype — and if it actually made me glow.
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How Are Sakara’s Meals Delivered?
Late in the evening, with my serums sinking in and my silk scarf wrapped, I heard a slight knock at the door followed by my Yorkie’s piercing yelps. The delivery had arrived — and it arrived in style. Talk about convenience! Sakara delivers directly to your front door, packaged in round recyclable containers carefully tucked below sealed bags of ice. You receive two orders during a 5-day meal plan, which arrive between 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on your specified day of choice (mine arrived on a late Sunday evening).
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How Are Sakara’s Meals Prepared?
The entire menu is planned out by the company’s team of experts and chefs, but the program still allows for personalization where subscribers can opt-out of potential allergens or particular ingredients they don’t care for. The meals are complete breakfasts, lunches, and dinners that contain fresh organic ingredients like wildflower honey, Mizuna lettuce, and seed-crusted avocados — things that I previously breezed right past in my weekly Whole Foods strolls.
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First, let’s talk breakfast: these aren’t your average milk-and-cereal combos — Sakara provides everything from sweet caramel-dripping muffins to cakes, granola medleys brimming with oat clusters, and sweet potato bowls that brought me into a full-on autumnal mood. Now, onto lunch: my favorite dish altogether was by far the pesto-pasta lunch — which consisted of five herbs and a creamy sauce that made me squeal. You can also opt-in to receive their ever-so-coveted Metabolism Powder: a chocolatey mix made from fancy things like black pepper piperine, antioxidants, and Ayurvedic herbs that promote digestion along with a natural dewy glow. Then, came dinner: my favorite dinner became a bowl made with purple cabbage and macadamia feta piled on top of earthy lentils, yellow beets, and sweet butternut squash — a vast list of ingredients I didn’t think could taste so flavorful. (And yes, I do know how to season my food!)
Over the course of five days, I consumed everything from things called “Balance Bowls” to a cobb salad made with coconut bacon. Yes, coconut bacon. It felt like there was a personal chef in my small-apartment kitchen, whipping me up healthy, bright, and beautiful recipes while doling out glowing compliments.
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How Much Does Sakara Cost?
It’s hard to discuss Sakara Life without mentioning the steep price; this meal-delivery service is not that affordable. One single day of meals is about $110 (aka more than I would spend for a week of groceries at Trader Joe’s). However, there are ways around this: Sakara is available on Afterpay and offers a variety of recipes on its website as well as inside its beautifully curated cookbook, ‘Eat Clean, Play Dirty.’ A good tip, if you want to try it out but don’t want to commit to the budget-crushing price: order three-days worth of lunches first. That way, you can continue the lifestyle with fun recipes on your own time that are mixed in with your own grocery budgets.
As a plant-based eater myself, I am no novice to fresh food and healthy ingredients. It’s an expensive lifestyle that I personally find worth it after discovering my intolerance to dairy, gluten, and meat. But, Sakara Life changed the entire game for me. Although the price is steep and the recipes are tedious, my body has never felt better (and that’s not an overstatement). I’ve been eating “clean” for years but, until these past five days, I’ve never felt so revitalized. TMI: I have horrid digestion issues that cannot be fixed with lemon water or coffee in the mornings SO it takes a lot for me to go like a normal human being. I initially had my doubts, but after a week of eating Sakara my bloat and constipation had completely disappeared, my skin looked dewy, and I woke up easily each morning — especially when I paired it all with the brand’s bestselling probiotics.
As my brain fog dissipated and my stomach deflated, I finally understood this expensive meal program’s worth. I felt like crying the day it ended and ended up purchasing a few more meals from the service myself — I also quickly carted the cookbook and started grocery shopping in a way more mindful way; instead of going to Whole Foods on a whim, I went with a list of fresh, colorful, and specific items to plan out my meals and pre-cook them during workweeks. I’ve told everyone I know about it, from the freshness to the packaging and the damn-good way I feel. I’ve been grocery shopping for fun and cooking things from scratch that I never imagined I’d have time for before. So, as my final takeaway: IF you spend a similar amount on groceries already and are looking for specific clean-ingredient options, THEN Sakara is worth it. If you’d rather save, I’d recommend the cookbook and taking away fundamental notes from its overall lifestyle plan. And, if you’d like to see how I’m continuing the Sakara life in my own not-a-fancy-off-duty-model-girl life, then follow along with my Instagram here.
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“People are tired of Covid,” Trump said. “People are tired of hearing Fauci and these idiots, all these idiots who got it wrong. […] He’s been here for, like, 500 years. He’s like this wonderful sage telling us how — Fauci, if we listened to him, we’d have 700,000 [or] 800,000 deaths.” Although Trump spoke with literally no evidence to support this statement, he doubled down on himself, making it clear that he wasn’t afraid for his comments to circulate in his beloved Fake News Media. “If there’s a reporter on, you can have it just the way I said it. I couldn’t care less,” he said.
Trump’s renewed disdain for Dr. Fauci came one day after the physician did an interview on 60 Minutes. During the segment, Fauci not only discussed the White House’s pandemic response, but why he wasn’t surprised that Trump contracted COVID-19.
“I was worried that he was going to get sick when I saw him in a completely precarious situation of crowded, no separation between people, and almost nobody wearing a mask,” Dr. Fauci told correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook, referring to Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination event (a.k.a. The Superspreader Party) in the White House Rose Garden. “When I saw that on TV, I said, ‘Oh my goodness. Nothing good can come outta that, that’s gotta be a problem’.”
But this is just the latest in Trump’s now-storied battle with Fauci, which has been building since the beginning of 2020. In April, the president retweeted a call for Fauci’s firing, a move he walked back days later. The White House then blocked the physician from appearing in front of a House hearing about the country’s pandemic response back in May, calling his presence “counterproductive.” Trump also took to Twitter in August to discredit Fauci on why U.S. COVID-19 cases keep rising compared to European countries, saying the physician was “Wrong!” to suggest the U.S. needed to shut down more of the economy.
Despite Trump’s attacks, Fauci remains one of the most trusted public figures throughout the pandemic, with a June Quinnipiac University poll revealing that 65% of people find Dr. Fauci to be a trusted source of medical information, compared to Trump’s meager 30%.
With the election only two weeks away, it’s possible that Trump is attacking Dr. Fauci all of this to save face in the wake of his less-than-impressive polling numbers. Unfortunately, punching down never helped anyone — especially when it’s a trusted doctor who is trying to save lives as the president seemingly lets people die.
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In terms of clothes, the fall solstice typically means tucking away one’s caftans and lugging out the down parka and vacuum-packed cashmere. But while many of us make this annual pilgrimage to the storage locker, fewer know that we should be applying the same transitional mindset to our skin-care routine.
That’s why, as a fashion editor who has plenty of opinions on niacinamide and can tell you what “effleurage” means, I’m making a few conscientious adjustments this A/W 2020, with the following objectives: 1) hydrate, 2) maintain/improve texture, and 3) minimize the complexion freakout that can occur when the temperature drops 20 degrees in the span of a day.
Your personal goals may vary, but generally, when adapting your skin routine, you should think about weight and layering (kind of like knitwear), which is easy to do with Artistry Studio‘s new Zen + Energy collection, featuring multifunctional, simple formulas designed to target your specific skin-care needs.
My skin type tends to lean drier than my humor when I tone-match my English friends, so avoiding tightness calls for some crucial swaps. Out: lightweight moisturizer. In: Hydro-Prime, a heavier gel that can also be used to prep for makeup. I’m also switching to a cream cleanser before patting in a water-based essence, followed by a hyaluronic acid serum. Finally, I’m introducing a face oil to seal in all the layers. (Just give each product a few seconds to absorb to prevent pilling. Also kind of like knitwear!)
Even though I’m focusing on moisture, that’s not to say exfoliation is off the table. Working on brightness doesn’t depend on the tilt of the earth’s axis, so I’m continuing my weekly sessions with Glow Boss, an exfoliator that sweeps away impurities with fine grains. And if my jawline feels congested due to being hidden under a mask, I’ll apply some Rosé All Day toner, which contains 1% salicylic acid, to treat those areas.
Now onto the extras, aka the accessories in a routine that’s shaping up to have more parts than a look by a designer with a post-apocalyptic-guerilla aesthetic. While clay keeps my complexion balanced in the heat, soon, I’ll trade in the kaolin for rich cream textures and Everyday I’m Bubblin’, a cleansing mask that flushes out pores with a fizzy effect that recalls a famous movie scene in which an imposter nanny dunks her face into a frosted cake to avoid detection. And on days where a rose quartz roller straight from the deep freeze isn’t enough to de-puff my under-eyes for a camera-on Zoom, I’ll stick on a pair of Eye Look Rested patches, which I also keep in the fridge.
In the end, seasonal beauty might require more tailoring, so to speak, than transitional dressing, but it’s an investment worthy of your time and energy. Luckily, our skin typically does a good job of telling us what’s wrong — so the key to treating her right is to just start listening.
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