McMillan, 16, was in study hall when someone texted her a screenshot of a Twitter account with the handle @fatwhaledee with a whale superimposed over her spot in the photo. The name on the account was equally as classy: "Dee's a fat whale."
"The moment I got out of that classroom, I just started crying," she told local news station KCEN of seeing the Twitter account. "I was just really upset. I think I got angry after a little bit. But at first I was just so embarrassed."
She reached out to Laura Lee, a plus-size model she admires, and together they hatched a plan.
Dee whale t-shirt fundraiser
Dee whale t-shirt fundraiser
"I jokingly told her: Part of me wants to cry all day. And the other part of me wants to get a T-shirt with a whale on it and wear it to school to show that they can't get to me," McMillan added. "And she was like, 'Oh, we should.'"
The teen is now selling a "Dee the Fat Whale Saves the Whales" T-shirt online for $20, with all of the profits going to Save the Whales. So far, she's sold $1,900 worth of shirts.
"This project means so much to me because while I can help make a difference in the oceans I can also set an example for other victims of bullying," she wrote on the GFM page. "I can take someone's hate and use it to spread love. Overcoming things like this is not easy but people need to know that it is possible and they have support."
As a globetrotter and self-confessed spa junkie, I’ve experienced pampering in more than 50 countries. I go to every spa with an open mind and a go-with-the-flow attitude.
Soaking in a vat of beer in the Czech Republic? Sure. Tiny fish nibbling away at dry skin on my feet in a Malaysia? Tickly, but bring it. I’ve been covered with avocados, honey, crystals, crushed grape seeds, smelly mud, seaweed, Jamaica coffee, seashells and chocolate. I’m game as long as it feels good.
But, when during a facial at a spa in Bath, England, my facialist said I should drink my own urine, claiming it would clear up the pimples on my chin, it was truly a moment of monumental weirdness. Not a chance. I draw the line there. She did her best to convince me that was a credible way to boost my health — even writing down websites and book recommendations to check out. I was too shocked to utter a word and left the treatment room as quickly as I could.
Awkwardness seem to be a kind of norm when you put yourself in the hands of strangers who will be touching you, sometimes while you’re naked. Sometimes, it makes colorful memories, like the massage therapist in Budapest who couldn’t stop farting while she dug her thumbs into the knots in my back like she was mining for diamonds. Or the hamam attendant at a spa in Winnipeg, Canada, who concluded my rub down with olive oil soap with one firm slap delivered to my bare bottom.
At a resort on the coast of the Red Sea in Egypt, my male massage therapist took things further and massaged my breasts — without asking. While it’s not normal practice, on occasion, I’ve been asked if it’s OK to treat my décolleté — usually during a facial. I grabbed his wrist and moved his hand to a more appropriate area. My travel companion also had a strange experience during his massage here. The woman doing his treatment tickled the hair of his underarms and whispered “I love you” to him at the end of the session. Later, once the shock subsided, we couldn’t stop laughing about this for days.
Other times, I have been the one providing comic relief. In Evian, France, the spas are hydration obsessed, since this is where chi-chi Evian water comes from. Even at the reception desk, the staff was handing me bottles of the stuff to down, then more in the locker room, and even more as you wait for your therapist in the relaxation room. My facial involved some sort of elaborate masque of paper strips and clay carefully arranged on my skin that would do its magic over 20 minutes.
Soon after my aesthetician left the room, I had to pee — desperately — thanks to all that freaking water. “Madame? Madame!?,” I called, but to no avail. I got up and went in search of her and a washroom, while holding my face held up toward the ceiling to ensure whatever miracles were happening to my skin would be undisturbed. I gingerly navigated my way down a spiral staircase and to the front desk. When the aesthetician saw me, clutching towels around my naked upper body and head twisted skyward like I was trying to spot a rare bird in a tree, all she could say was, “Mon dieu! (My God!),” before she and her colleagues started chuckling.
I caused a similar reaction when I accidentally stumbled into a locker room of naked Hungarian men at the Szechenyi Baths in Budapest while navigating my way through the maze of hallways and staircases to get to my massage appointment. The men just laughed at my horrified face and pointed me to the exit. There were more man bits on show when I was in Baden Baden last summer. I thought my friend and I were going to Friedrichsbad, the traditional, i.e., naked, bathhouse, on ladies’ day. When we got halfway through the circuit of steam rooms and soaking pools, we suddenly realized it was co-ed time, as a parade of bouncy penises went by. We tried not to gawk and to act German. That means not noticing, or caring, about the naked flesh in front of you.
My spa time has not all been pleasant. On occasion, I have felt like I paid for the privilege of being tortured. At a hair salon that also offered aesthetics in Toronto, I was left with burn marks all over my back after a brutal hot stone massage. In Maui, my nose was badly bruised, courtesy of a forceful therapist who went after a blackhead like it was a matter of life or death. Luckily, my spa-induced injuries have been minimal.
At a really good spa, I can lose myself in the experience. That doesn’t happen often because I have a busy brain that won’t shut up but I did manage to do it in Bali. I went there a month after my mom died from ovarian cancer. As I lay in a stone bathtub in a private courtyard at the spa at the Four Seasons at Jimbaran Bay, I could hear chanting from the Buddhist temple next to the property. The sound seeped into my core. I cried, letting the grief I had stuffed down pour out of me.
I often get asked what is my favorite spa. I couldn’t pick just one. Besides those in Bali, I feel wonderfully content at the Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess (fabulous pool area), or the Ancient Cedars Spa at The Wickaninnish Inn near Tofino on Vancouver Island, British Columbia (foot soaks next to the roaring waves of the Pacific). But good spas don’t have to be fancy. In December, I had an excellent pedicure for $5 with a head and neck massage for $3 in a simple, one-room place in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma). All I ask of a spa is that you treat me nicely — and if you don’t ask me to drink my own pee, I’ll be happy.
Sandpaper (I used three different types for a higher level of customization)
White pencil or chalk
Tweezers
Ruler
Tips to know before you start:
Iron your jeans first so the length is accurate.
Get inspiration from online or a magazine — it's always best to have a vision to start with.
1. Plan and draw
Image: Kortney Gruenwald/SheKnows
Using a ruler and white pencil, carefully measure where you want your cuts to be. You can make as many or as few as you wish — this is your design! I chose to cut both the bottom cuffs and the knee areas.
I suggest marking one or two places to add "distressed" details using sandpaper. These tiny but important touches are the difference between an obvious DIY and a "Wow, where did she buy those jeans?" DIY.
Straighten out your jeans so the fabric is even. Following the marked lines and using scissors, make your main cuts as accurate to the lines as possible. Don’t be afraid — mistakes are OK and can always be straightened out by trimming the initial cut.
When making cuts by the knee area, avoid cutting too closely to the seams. The more you wear your jeans, this frayed area will naturally grow, and you don't want to compromise the structure. Use the "less is more" rule in delicate areas like this.
This is where the fray magic happens (and the totally fun part). Using your tweezers, pull through the tiny white threads from the areas you cut. How much fray you want is up to you. I went with a modest approach, as natural fray will increase through washes and wear.
Take your sandpaper, and rub the areas where you want the distressed look. I recommend having a few types of sandpaper on hand, as each varying texture will give you a different level of distress and allows you to create a versatile, customized look.
And she's doing something about it. The 20-year-old college student recently noticed a trend on Twitter where people commented on what women of a certain weight could and couldn't wear.
"I had seen a tweet from someone saying that 200-pound girls shouldn't wear bikinis," she told the Huffington Post. "I just did some quick searches and found a bunch of similar tweets, so I decided I could do my part to chip away at body-shaming however I could."
So, she decided to demonstrate that, yes, women can wear whatever they want — even if they surpass the so-called "cutoff" weight for what's "acceptable" by random Twitter users. Her message: Wear whatever you want.
Sara Petty
Sara Petty
The saddest part of this is that all of the tweets are from other women.
"I hope women realize how important it is to stop tearing each other down and uplift each other," Petty told the HuffPost. "We have a lot going against us as women; we don't need other women against us, too."
Plus, her photos prove that weight is just a random number and doesn’t look the same on all people, thanks to an amazing little thing called genetics. For example, I've asked more than one person to guess my weight and they've all guessed considerably less — like 30 or more pounds — than my actual weight. It's a unit of measurement, not a representation of my worth as a person.
"I also hope that girls are able to separate who they are from the number that shows up on the scale and realize there is no number, high or low, that dictates if you're worthy of feeling beautiful," Petty added.
Mismatched lip colors might just be the next A-List trend, says celebrity makeup artist Rachel Toldeo of Ray Brown Pro. "I don't mind seeing a pink lip with a red or purple dress. I saw a lot of mismatching lip colors with dresses at the Oscars. A pretty pink pout should match the girl, not the outfit."
So don't worry about working too hard at matching. Shawn Fisher, JAPONESQUE National Makeup Artist says the key is coordination. "It's about making the color coordinate to pop the overall look, but not overdoing it with too much matching," he says.
Choose your shade
It's like the old saying: Know the rules before you can experiment. The key, according to Fisher, is finding the right shade for your skin tone.
Peachy pinks that have orange or coral undertones will bring out the golden shades in your skin. Try Sephora Pantone Universe lipstick in rose quartz if you want something pink-pink but we like Buxom Full Bodied in Fiery Coral if you want to tip the shade into reds.
Let your lip look define the rest of your makeup! Rocking a showstopping shade like Estee Lauder Neon Azalea (top left)? Keep the rest of the makeup minimal, says Fisher.
If you're rocking a statement shade, "skip a lot of eyeshadow and load up on eyeliner and mascara," says Fisher. If you're going big with a smoky eye, choose a sheer pink like this famous MAC's hue (top right).
Image: Younique, Tom Ford
"Brighter pinks are a bold fashion accessory," says Toldeo. Just like fashion accessories, they're one of the most fun parts of any outfit. For a classic peony pink, Toledo recommends Conceited by Younique. Ready for the next level? Try Tom Ford Flamingo, a Miami coral pink that looks great with a tan. Most importantly, any statement lip works when you feel confident in it. Purple lipgloss may or may not match my skin tone perfectly, but I love wearing it way too much. My recommendation? Find the shade that makes you feel most like you, and wear it all spring long.
As a woman with a gorgeously round face, getting your hair cut might be the bane of your existence. More than a few stylists have been known to mismatch hairstyles to fit the often tricky round face shape. That's exactly why we've put together the most flattering hairstyles for round faces (many that you've probably never considered before) to calm your nerves the next time you sit down in the salon chair.
Get pro tips — featuring advice from hair expert Karen Shelton of HairBoutique.com — here.
First, is your face really round?
Before we even discuss some great styles for you, you need to know how to determine the shape of your face. To find your real face shape, measure it with a tape measure or ruler. Take (and write down) the following:
Measure your face across the top of your cheekbones, then measure across your jaw line, between the widest points.
Measure across your forehead at the widest point. Generally the widest point will be somewhere about halfway between your eyebrows and your hairline.
Measure from the the widest point of your forehead to the bottom of your chin. (Remember that you are measuring your face — not your entire head — and mid-forehead to chin will usually do the trick.)
There are lots of other ways women have used to figure out this shape — from outlining the face on a mirror with lipstick to draping it with a towel and asking others to help figure out the structure.
You can try any of these tips or use the steps outlined above. Whatever your method, do remember that this is more about art than science! (And the fact that nobody really has a round-as-a-basketball head.)
If you have a round face, it will be about as wide as it is long. This may vary a little where your face is not quite as wide as it is long, but it's usually pretty close.
You will have fullness at and below your cheekbones. People with round faces also tend to have wide hairlines, less-pronounced chins, and their necks often seem short.
Below are the most common face shapes besides round. Most people will fit into one of the major categories, which also include:
Oval Face - Length equal to one and a half times width.
Long - Longer than it is wide.
Heart - Narrow at jawline, wide at forehead and cheekbones.
Square - Forehead, jawline and cheekbones are almost equal in width.
Diamond - Wide cheeks, narrow forehead and jaw line.
Hot hairstyles for round faces
There really is no one "perfect" hairstyle for a round-shaped face; many things factor into the total equation. For example, the length of your hair, its texture and weight, your age and lifestyle requirements all play a part in what is ultimately the best.
There are good general guidelines that you can follow, but the best solution is to find a style that works best for you and all your beauty needs.
If your face is round, the best hairstyles generally include:
Layered bangs rather than straight or heavy bangs.
Short styles which give height.
Styles that add length.
Styles that keep the sides of your hair short or close to the face.
Curls around the crown -- but never near the cheeks -- to create height. Keep the sides of your hair short with a curly style.
Longer to very long styles, with bangs and a graduated shag or layers so that the face and the neck are given a slenderizing shape.
If you have a double chin, keep the hair around your face above chin level to draw the eyes upwards. The back may be grown a little longer -- a bob would be ideal.
If you have a short neck, a short cropped style will make a shorter neck appear longer. Long hair worn up will give the same effect. Well-placed highlights will also slenderize the face. Highlights that are woven around the face in an "angel halo" effect will also help an overly round face appear thinner.
Long hair can be worn just as easily as short or medium-length hair as long as you wear your hair "forward" onto your face to create a more "oval" appearance. Don't be afraid to wear your hair any length that you like!
While you select your style, be sure to take into consideration the texture of your hair. If your hair is thick and coarse, you would do well with a style that benefits from the "bed head" look around the crown.
If you have curly hair, you can use the curls by letting them add height at the crown. You can also wear your curly hair longer, with the bulk of your hair pulled back behind your ears, or with just a very few ringlets along your face to minimize the fullness.
Breaking the rules
Camryn Manheim is a classic example of someone letting her hair be the way she wants it to be and not following the strict rules for a round face. And remember Baby Spice? Her very round face is often coiffed in styles that would not normally be considered the "perfect" style for her face shape — but they still work!
One great way to find the best style for your face shape is to buy fashion, beauty and hair magazines and look through them for examples of hairstyles that you like and think would be flattering to your face shape and hair texture. Make a special hairstyle scrapbook of the styles you like best and then take the entire book to your stylist and ask them to advise you on some styles.
What makes you comfortable is more important than what's trendy
One thing to keep in mind is to find a style that you enjoy. There is no point is selecting "the perfect style" if it is impossible to maintain, it feels unnatural, or you just don't like wearing it. One trend that is definitely emerging in the hair and beauty industry is individuality. If you see a style that you love and it doesn't fit the "rules," wear it anyhow — or modify the style slightly so that it works well for your face.
The bottom line is to have fun with your hair. If you love your look — whether it fits the rules or not — you will look better because you'll be happy with yourself!
Read on to the next page to see how actresses with round faces rock their hair.
Catherine Zeta Jones elongates the look of her round face with an updo. Any type of hairstyle with some height will lengthen the look of your face and be flattering for those women with round face shapes.
Catherine Zeta Jones also looks beautiful with her hair left long. With her curls at the bottom, it lengthens the look of her neck to give a slenderizing appearance to her face.
Christina Ricci looks fabulous with short hair and bangs. Though she has a bit of a heart-shaped face, this hairstyle works well for her because it is shorter than chin level.
Christina Ricci's hair pulled away from her face makes her round cheeks a little more pronounced. With her pointed chin, she may fare better with a hairstyle that is a bit closer to her face.
Here you can see Drew Barrymore's ponytail look from the side. Drew has worn her hair in almost every way possible. She's so cute that most hairstyles look flattering on her. If she wanted to slenderize her face, an updo with some height would work well rather than a slick ponytail.
Ginnifer Goodwin has round cheeks and a pointed chin. With a chin-level hairstyle like this, it widens the look of her chin, balancing out her face. The sideswept bangs are also quite flattering.
Gwyneth Paltrow has a bit of a square face which is softened with her side-part. One haircut you should avoid if you have a square shaped face is a straight chin-length bob with blunt bangs.
Kara Tointon slenderizes the look of her round-shaped face with her beautiful shoulder-length hair. Hairstyles shoulder-length and longer with layers elongate the look of your face, toning down the roundness of your cheeks.
Kirsten Dunst's layered modified bob adds length to her round face. To avoid that cherub-like look, layered bangs like Kirsten's are normally best for round shape faces, rather than heavy bangs.
Miley Cyrus' messy updo provides some texture and draws the attention away from her round cheeks. Graduated, wavy layers like Miley's hair takes the emphasis off the roundness of your face, making it appear more slender.
Selena Gomez has very round cheeks but a pointed chin. Her face is what you would call a rounded heart shape. Her long and gorgeous curtain of hair helps to slenderize her face.
Long, sideswept bangs and long layers slenderize a round face. Avoid heavy bangs and short layers around the cheeks if you want to give the appearance of a longer, slimmer face.
Long layers for round faces
Long or extra long straight hair is an ideal hairstyle for women with round faces. If you want to have bangs, sweep them to the side rather than leaving them blunt and heavy.
Wispy layers for round faces
Long, wispy layers draw the eyes downward, lengthening the look of your neck and face. This hairstyle is a great look for women with round faces. For special nights out, it's also easy to pull this style into a high updo -- which is also a terrific hairstyle for round shaped faces.
Messy bob for round shapes
A messy bob can be flattering to some women with round faces. The key is to avoid a bob that is too short and adds width to your face. Add little pomade and give your bob cut a little texture and height up top. Another tip to slenderize the look of your face with a bob hairstyle is to add a pair of dangling earrings.
Perky bob for round faces
If you have a round face and short hair, try to keep the sides close to your face. This hairstyle flairs out too much on the sides, adding even more width to an already round face.
Don't think you can't have short hair with a round face. A pixie cut with a little spiky height at the top and layered bangs can actually slenderize the look for your face. If you have curly hair and a round face, keep the curls on the crown and away from the cheeks.
A terrific hairstyle for women with round faces is shoulder length hair (or longer) with razor cut textured layers. The length of the hair slenderizes the look of your face. Also pulling hair back away from the forehead can add a slimming effect.
Short bob for round face shapes
Many women with round faces steer away from short bobs, but you have to figure out what works with your own face. This hairstyle is very cute because of the textured layers. If the bangs were a little longer and swept to the side it would balance out the round face even more.
Razor cut bob hairstyle for round faces
If you have round cheeks and a slightly pointed chin, you can balance out your face with a razor cut chin-length bob. By keeping the sides of your hair close to your face, you can take the emphasis off of your cheeks.
A smooth, face-framing bob can work well with a round face and short, straight hair. However, you should avoid this style if you have a round shaped face and curly hair. The curls near your cheeks will make your face look even rounder. Also by pinning your bangs to the side, you can open up your forehead and elongate the look of your face
Should a round faced woman wear a rounded bob? Not usually. But it can work if it's the right length. A short bob that hits above chin level and bangs that are swept to the side will add the right angles to balance out a round face.
Accent curls for round face shapes
To draw the attention away your round cheeks, you want to put the emphasis on the length or the height of your hair instead. With this hairstyle, the soft layers and curly ends of the hair provide a slimming effect by drawing your eyes downward to the curls.
Outward bend for round faces
Layers are the name of the game when you are trying to slenderize the look of your face. If you have a round shaped face, soft layers with an outward bend and choppy bangs can add dimension and texture to your look. This is a fabulous hairstyle for shoulder length hair and longer.
Long layer hairstyles for round faces
A round shaped face looks more slender with sweeping bangs and long layers. This hairstyle is very flattering for round shaped faces with a slightly pointed chin. Since it's just below chin-level, it draws the attention downward (slenderizing the face) as well as adds some needed width to the chin area.
Tapered cut for round faces
Many times women with round faces avoid short hairstyles. But if you love short hair, go for it. Just experiment until you find the right style for you. A tapered cut with sweeping bangs can work well for a round faced woman with straight hair.
Nannette Hammond has five children and is 42 years old, but you wouldn't know any of that by looking at her Instagram photos. Countless plastic surgeries totaling around $500,000 have left the blond bombshell looking ageless and almost entirely like the doll she so loves. Barbie, look out. You've been served. See below:
Barbie Mom
Barbie Mom
Hammond says she loves her life and her husband and all her children with whom she stays home. She also alludes to some people being a little hateful about her look. And while I am not supportive of plastic surgery (especially starting as young as Hammond did at 21) and I do wonder about the effect on children of seeing all this, I can't help but side with her. If she likes her look, who are we to question it? Here are more photos:
The truth is, plastic surgery is a personal choice. It is not one I would make, but it is her life and she clearly feels good about it and happy. I also wonder if she might find more people who support her look in a place like Miami or Los Angeles rather than Cincinnati.
People love to stare and gawk at women who choose to go this route and she is not the first woman to model her look after Barbie. But, for the most part, she seems to be happily married and committed to raising her children so if she likes to alter her look to suit her ideal, it's really not our business. She's happy and in this world, that's really enough. More power to her.
Barbie Mom's abs are also to die for. She claims to eat Doritos and gummy bears, but I wonder where they go. Maybe that is the joy of plastic surgery and working out every day for an hour with a trainer. May we all learn to love our looks as much as her.
The footage begins in 1910, and actress Stephanie Koenig is given a fresh-faced look, with no makeup at all but curled and pinned-up hair, complete with a large red feather-adorned hat.
The screen then splits to show Northern and Southern Irish looks, beginning with the 1920s.
While red lipstick has been introduced into the beauty routines of women North of the border, their Southern sisters remained makeup-free.
Image: WatchCut Video
By the time we reach the 1940s, the tables had turned and it was the Republic of Ireland reflecting glamour with bold red lips and long curled hair. Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland look included a nurse's hat to reflect the fact that Britain was at war.
Image: WatchCut Video
In the 1950s, the influence of American style can be seen in both shots. The Southern Ireland look matches a bright red lip to a preppy neck scarf, while the Northern look features tight Hollywood style curls.
The 1970s shows a controversial look — but one that reflects an important part of Northern Ireland's history. Stephanie dons a military beret and holds an imitation gun.
In contrast, the Southern look for the 1970s features long straight dark hair and smokey eyes.
Image: WatchCut Video
When we reach the 1990s, we see the influence popular culture had on beauty trends. In the South, the look is sweet and poppy, influenced by girl group B*witched, while the Northern look with its smokey eyes and blunt fringe is reminiscent of Candida Doyle, the only female member of indie band Pulp.
Image: WatchCut Video
Fast forward to the present day, and the looks aren't so different, save for a beanie hat and nose piercing in the Southern look — to reflect the fact that the South has been more progressive in terms of equal rights, perhaps?
But one company, PantyProp, has taken period undergarments to the next level with its line of swim bottoms that have a hidden spill-proof panel that allows you to wear a sanity pad while you're in the water.
While these bottoms aren't meant to replace traditional feminine hygiene products, they do allow you to wear pads if you're worried about tampon pain or failure.
"Swimming on your period is very safe," the company writes on its website. "In fact, when you dip yourself in water, generally your menstrual flow may temporarily stop due to pressure."
This is not always the case because "if you cough, sneeze or laugh the pressure will change and your menstrual flow may start to come out in the water" and that's where the PantyProp underwear comes in handy.
That said, you can't stay in the water too long, otherwise you risk oversaturating your pad. "Discard the soaked pad immediately after leaving the water and apply a new sanitary pad," PantyProp adds on its product page.
They're super cute, too, with styles ranging from a solid black bottom, a zig-zag pattern and two floral designs — all styles that can be easily paired with a swim top of your choice.
For the non-believers, blue mascara is the place to start. Try a navy shade for the joy of wearing blue — you're wearing blue! — on your lashes, without the commitment of needing to switch up the entire rest of your face.
Pacifica co-founder Brook Harvey-Taylor tells us the goal is to make the mascara — "and really your eyes," she says — the focal point of your look. That means you should feel free to keep on layering until your lashes are deeply blue, teal or navy. You can also experiment with the look by adding blue to just the tips of your lashes. (Note: This version, while more subtle, may be preferable as it makes you look like a beauty genius even though all you need to know how to do is put on mascara.)
Harvey-Taylor suggests to "mix with browns and nudes" to keep the look work appropriate. When you're ready to kick it up a notch, add a complementary coral lip. A red lip, however, is "an absolute don't."
Don't waste time reading all those articles about what color mascara is best for your eye shade, says Harvey-Taylor; "There are a lot of suggestions about which colored mascara works for what eye color, but honestly blue works for anyone."
A few of our favorite blue mascaras to try for yourself:
There are hundreds of products on the market that contain snail mucin. It is rumored that Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, combined crushed snails and rotten milk as an anti-inflammatory skin treatment.
Years later, cosmetic scientists discovered that in the complex blend of secretions in garden snail mucin there were glycosaminoglycans, which are, no lie, commonly referred to as GAGs. These molecules attract water, which means more hydration for the skin. The slimy stuff is also believed to speed healing, and like Hippocrates understood, reduce skin inflammation.
As someone who has long battled ruddy, inflamed and angry skin, this stuff sounds a bit like magic. Sure, it also sounds totally gross, but I’m just vain enough to not care.
For dramatic effect, I also hand harvested a few friendly neighborhood garden snails that were not harmed in the photo-taking process. In fact, one guy seemed to really enjoy the drink of water I gave him.
Side note: After handling the live snails I found out that they could possibly transmit meningitis and salmonella. So don’t do that.
Image: Bryanne Salazar
As per the instructions on the face mask, I washed my face with a mild cleanser, patted my skin dry and then opened the package. The cloth mask is folded and super drenched in slimy skin stuff, but that was OK because I was ready for it. I unfolded the mask, settled it on my face, smoothed it down as much as possible and let it sit for 20 or so minutes.
Image: Bryanne Salazar
During that time I watched an Anjelah Johnson comedy special and snapchatted with my friends. I like to multitask.
When I removed the mask, I rubbed the remaining slime into my skin until it was absorbed. Unlike mud masks that have to be washed off, these masks turn into their own serum after removal.
Shortly after, I went to bed. When I woke up I was hoping to see some magical change in my face, but I didn’t. In fact, I had a few small pimples, so I was bummed. Those pimples may be PMS related, which not even a friendly snail can ward off.
The next morning, I washed my face again, and applied the snail ampoule. It comes in a pretty glass jar and has a dropper to release the perfect amount of serum. It felt viscous and sticky, sort of like the remnants of the mask the night before. I rubbed it thoroughly into my skin and studied my face for any change. Nothing.
Image: Bryanne Salazar
That night, I went out with my husband and had one beer too many. I woke up with dehydrated, slightly sallow skin and decided to try another mask. This one was much smaller and didn’t fit my big American face too well. After about a half hour, I removed the mask, and once again, rubbed the remaining liquid into my skin.
I have to say — I saw an instant transformation. My skin had a brightness and lucidity it didn’t have 30 minutes before. It was also softer and more supple. Apparently, snail slime works wonders on hangover-face.
This morning I used a third mask. I placed the mask close to my eyes because I’ve noticed these fine lines that are stretching from my eyes into my cheeks and they make me self-conscious. I’d hoped the snail snot (slime, mucin, whatever) would somehow make those lines vanish. After removing the mask I was super pleased to see that the lines were much fainter than before.
Image: Bryanne Salazar
The verdict? I freaking love this stuff. The ampoule (which I tried a few more times) didn’t seem to do anything. The masks, however, are pretty awesome when your face is fatigued, dry or wrinkly (or all three). I’ve even noticed that my makeup stays on longer if I apply it after the mask.
Snail snot gets a win in my book and it will be something I buy again.
Pro-tip: You can find these masks at most Asian supermarkets. If you live in a larger city, you’re likely to find them quicker than it takes to order them online and wait for them to be delivered.
I’m still on the hunt for more unique, even weird, beauty treatments. Have a suggestion for a product I should try? Let me know in the comments below!
The bar — made with "warming blend of cinnamon and peppermint essential oils" — also contains aduki beans. The beans work to soothe aching muscles, but they won't sprout unless they're in the proper environment. In this case, the proper environment seems to be the warm, dark crevices of a shower drain.
Lush bean plant
Lush bean plant
"In order for the beans to germinate they must of been left in the shower for a few days," Lush co-founder Helen Ambrosen told BuzzFeed. "The results you get just go to show how fresh the ingredients really are."
The love is partly financial — they're getting paid to promote these waist trainers — and partly because they swear the corset-like wraps help whittle their midsections in a quest for a perfect hourglass figure.
The problem? These waist trainers aren't doing what they say they'll do — and customers are upset. So much so that several of them have filed a class-action lawsuit against the company. WGS says their waist trainers can "radically reduce your waist size" and "permanently [get] rid of unwanted inches around your waist" while attacking "unwanted fat and impurities within your body."
Khloe Kardashian waist trainer
Khloe Kardashian waist trainer
A piece of nylon doesn't do that, according to one plastic surgeon.
"External compression via a waist trainer has absolutely zero permanent effect on fat distribution, intra-abdominal organ positioning or body contouring," Daniel Maman, MD, a Harvard-trained cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon told Cosmopolitan. "The number of fat cells we have are fixed, and as we gain and lose weight these fat cells either shrink or expand. The only way to physically remove or redistribute fat is via liposuction, direct surgical removal or cryolipolysis [a fat-freezing technique] like CoolSculpting,"
While they might not help you burn fat, one SheKnows writer said her waist trainer had a dramatic impact on her core post-pregnancy.
Kim Kardashian waist trainer
Kim Kardashian waist trainer
"When I went in for my six-week postpartum checkup, rather than being disapproving, as I had feared, my doctor was delighted I'd done it," wrote Charlotte Andersen. "My diastasis recti, the separation between my abdominal muscles in the front, was almost completely healed — something that had never happened this quickly or completely with my other babies. My doc explained the girdle had acted as a splint, allowing my muscles to neatly knit back together by taking the pressure off them to hold up my core."
The takeaway? While a waist trainer won't eliminate fat, it might be able to help in other ways. Just don't expect a miracle.
Vlogger Chemese Armstrong found out a few months ago that she allergic to a common component in hair dye called Paraphenylenediamine (PPD). She still wanted to dye her hair, though, so she went to a place that was advertising a natural dye called henna. Many of us are familiar with it from the beautiful designs and painted tattoos, but it can also be a plant-based hair dye.
It didn't work out well. See below:
Hair Dye
Hair Dye
This was her face:
Henna
Henna
Her face swelled up to the point where she could no longer see and her head and scalp burned and itches.
"I was in severe pain from my scalp burning and itching with my face completely's swollen to the point I was unrecognizable. The most scary part about this whole thing is that my eyes was completely swollen shut where I couldn't see for 2 days....My doctor was afraid that it was going to start affecting my breathing which that didn't happen and as of today my eyes are open and I can see again but my face is still very swollen (I don't look like myself)."
Ouch. So scary. And also frighteningly possible. We have to be very vigilant about "natural" products and make sure there are no additives. We need to read reviews and be very mindful of any product we use and read the ingredients on cosmetics.
The ancient practice of microneedling — using a phalanx of thin, short needles to pierce the skin — is seeing a major resurgence right now. But while it may seem seriously scary at first, it may have real benefits, says Delphine Lee, M.D., Ph.D., a dermatologist at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California.
"I call it the 'poor man's laser treatment' as it's really just an alternate method of skin rejuvenation," Lee says. All it is, she explains, is using teeny-tiny needles to deliver different types of medicine under the skin. "When you poke holes in skin, you've created a place for topicals to penetrate more deeply," she says.
microneedling2
microneedling2
This method increases the effectiveness of anti-aging topical solutions including bleach creams, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid (a plumping agent) and acne medications. But perhaps the most extreme example is the "vampire facial", where the person's own platelet-rich plasma is extracted from their blood then micro-injected back into their skin. Doing it this way allows for growth factors in the blood plasma to stimulate collagen production under the skin, where they're most powerful, to produce younger-looking skin, according to Lee.
microneedling
microneedling
But... dozens of needle pricks? You're probably wondering two things right about now: Does it hurt and does it really work?
No and yes, Lee says. "You're not piercing very deeply so it isn't painful," she explains. "And recent research shows that microneedling compares favorably with other methods of skin rejuvenation." She points to two new studies showing its effectiveness in treating acne scarring and skin pigmentation problems. Using microneedling, according to the studies, gets results similar to those you'd get from a laser but with lower costs, a quicker healing time and lower risks of additional scarring. It also appears to help reduce fine lines, sun damage and dark spots, she says, but to expect relatively subtle results for these.
If you want to try it, stick with a board-certified dermatologist, Lee cautions. There has been an explosion in at-home microneedling kits recently — you either use a strip of plastic that looks like a cross between Velcro and a spiky Band-Aid or a spiked roller to press serums into your skin, which she sees as dangerous.
microneedling3
microneedling3
"I'm not fond of people puncturing their skin at home as it could easily introduce infectious agents, a complication that can be especially devastating on the face," she explains. "You could get viruses, bacteria and slow-growing microbes stuck under your skin and you might not even know the extent of the problem until years later."
She adds that metal needles are more effective than plastic and that needling strips should not be reused without being thoroughly sterilized. In addition, microneedling should only be used with certain topical solutions. For instance, you don't want to inject moisturizers under your skin (a popular suggestion on blogs) as they could be irritating and only the top layer of your skin really needs to be moisturized as it's the only part exposed to the elements. It also wouldn't work for things like wrinkle fillers or Botox as they need targeted localized injections.
Bottom line: There's a reason microneedling has been around for centuries. If you have the money and don't have a phobia of needles, it can help achieve small anti-aging benefits for your skin and may be quite helpful in reducing scarring and discoloration. But always seek the advice of a dermatologist and don't try to DIY this.
Getting ready for a big night out or just want to try something new? As you might have already guessed, there's an app for that. These haute hair apps are chock-full of fun tips and inspiration, from color to style to reinventing yourself with a whole new look.
For those days when you've hit a wall and are this close to putting a bag over your head, these informative apps can help:
1. Hair at Home
Image: iTunes
Though a little on the steeper side in terms of cost, this app is great for anyone who needs extra help when it comes to styling their hair. Award-winning UK hairdresser Anita Cox McMillan shows you how to create different hair styles at home, from a simple blow dry to adding hair extensions, in a step-by-step movie.
If you’ve ever wondered what you’d look like with blonde highlights or maybe some pink streaks, this app lets you try some new hues on for size before you commit to a new color. The colors can be easily adjusted to match exactly what you’re looking for and you can share your experiments on social media. Hey, it beats dealing with a color disaster!
Welcome to your own virtual hair salon, which is exactly what you’re going to need in your back pocket if you want to sit down in the stylist’s chair without getting all kinds of nervous. For just a few dollars, this app lets you choose from more than 40 styles created by leading hairstylists that you can add to your own photos to reference for later. Even better, the app lets you apply a hairstyle in any color to one of your own pics so that you can take it for a test drive before you cut.
For those late nights when you’re feeling kinda crafty, this extensive hair tutorial app will give you plenty to play with — offering hair style selections for work, parties, school, prom and much more. The app includes over 600 hair tutorial videos filmed by online hair specialists, with a search feature that allows you to filter by hair length, style and occasion. If your go-to up-do has seen better days, it might be worth your time to do a little digging and experimenting with this totally free app.
Bored of your current hairstyle? Download this fun app and get a taste for what you’d look like with a new ‘do. Try over 250 hairstyles on your own photo to see what looks best for your face shape. The styles are selected by In Style Magazine’s editors so you know they’re on-trend. Choose from categories such as best cuts for your 20s, wedding hair and low maintenance work hair.
Seriously… throw some coffee and red wine on the pants and they'll just roll right off. Tougher stains, like those from food, take a little more work.
"The pairs are then treated with a stain-resistant wash, which makes liquids roll off the surface, magically, making the jeans perform well with many of your everyday liquid spills like coffee, juice, and wine; and combat more difficult stains after one wash," Melissa Morrin, Old Navy's senior designer for women's denim, told Refinery29.
And it's just in time, too. "White denim is a must-have for spring and summer, and for many, it replaces classic-wash denim to become the everyday jean style," Morrin added.
Old Navy isn't the first to introduce stain-resistant white jeans, though; Joe's Jeans introduced a skinny white pair in 2014 and they lived up to the hype. The ON jeans are cheaper and come in more sizes — 0-20 in petite, regular and tall — so many women can rock the white without fear this spring.
If only Old Navy could come up with some creeper-repelling denim. Next season, please?
The majority of hair products on salon and store shelves are meant to fight your hair in one way or another. Basically, we're taught that the only "good hair" is a type other than our own.
Case in point: A new photo series created by London-based fashion blogger and photographer Dazhane Leah shows off the beauty of natural hair. The art project shows her beautiful afro adorned with a variety of embellishments, all meant to bring attention to her strands and their lack of conformation to the norm.
The point of the "Afro Bloomin" series is to celebrate different ethnicities and the different hair types that come with them.
"I've read, seen for myself, and been told by family and friends about the negative experiences they've had when wearing their natural hair," Leah told Mashable. "An afro is a statement and the hairstyle itself represents and holds so much history and passion and represents so much.”
Afro Bloomin 2
Afro Bloomin 2
And it's an extension of your personality. I've often had people recommend that I straighten my hair with the various keratin treatments du jour, but I'd never do it. I like going straight once in a while, but my bushy, curly hair is part of who I am, just like Leah's afro is part of what makes her who she is.
"Society tells us that our natural, God-given kinks and curls is (sic) not 'good hair,'" she added. "Natural hair, no matter what way a person decides to wear it should equally fit societies (sic) standards of 'good hair.'"
Nothing says spring like capturing literal sunshine on your face. That's what a good highlighter can do for you — reflect light so you look like the center of the universe, but in an understated, casual way. Now that the sun is actually out, it's especially fun to try a highlighter to get your skin looking glowy, shimmery and natural, all at once.
Highlighter pens are designed to glide right over your cheekbones — or any other area that needs a little extra light. Rachel Toledo, celebrity makeup artist at Ray Brown Pro, recommends a tiny bit on the cupid's bow of the lips, under the eyebrows and in the corner of the eyes to make your eyes appear wider. Make sure to soften and blend the area with your finger or a beauty blender.
As for cheekbones, start at the apple of your cheek and draw up, where light naturally hits the face. Remember to blend to save yourself from that streaky look. "Using an edge of a beauty blender works great on the edges to create a softer finish but keep the main area of the product stronger," says Toledo. Grab one of our favorite pens below and welcome the light into your life (and your face!).
1. Flower Glisten Up Highlighter Chubby (Walmart, $9)
Image: Walmart
2. Wander Beauty Catch the Light Highlighter (Sephora, $25)
Image: Sephora
3. Anastasia Beverly Hills Highlighting Duo Pencil(Ulta, $23)
