Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2021 i Cosmopolitan

Well, firstly, I want to know Venus’s best tennis tips for absolutely terrible tennis players, but I’ll spare you and save it for the text thread. The truth is that this woman—our October cover star and fellow judge of our New C-Suite project, which shines a light on female entrepreneurs of color changing the game just like she did (page 70)—has long been an inspiration to me and someone whose drive and power I’ve sought to understand and emulate. Turn to page 62 if you feel the same, because her interview with writer Sylvia Obell is unparalleled. But Venus is fun and funny and fascinating beyond her (zillions of) accomplishments. I asked her to give us a little taste, here in her own handwriting. the cosmo quiz…

When you work on television and movie sets for a living, your employment is inconsistent at best. You’ll be on one project for a few months, then you’ll be scrambling to find your next gig. I was recently in this predicament, having just finished a job as a production assistant, when a friend of a friend connected me to their friend (yes, this is really how it works) who happened to be the former personal assistant to a Very Important TV Star. That former assistant recommended me for their old job and… here I am. Since I’d already been tending to multiple actors on-set, I figured there was no way it could be harder to tend to just one, right? Well. The thing is, if your boss is famous enough,…

1. “Sweet harmonies with chord progressions that are easy to digest but just left field enough to sound unlike any other.” 2. “I only discovered the depth of Imperial Teen’s songbook during quarantine, and OH-EM-GEE, bitch, my wig flew the chat.” 3. “I always listen to this song when I get into drag.” 4. “We lost FOW’s Adam Schlesinger to COVID-19 and it was the first time I cried from an artist dying! His song-writing changed my life.” 5. “I think of traveling the world with a suitcase of pink dresses and a guitar. And, well, it’s very gay.” Yes, you *should* recreate this pose with your own bestie. 6. “Perfect to listen to while wandering through a city on ecstasy in the late ’90s.” 7. “I have performed it…

My hot take: This was, hands down, the best $45 I’ve ever spent. Yves Saint Laurent once said, “Fashions fade; style is eternal,” and that is exactly what I whispered the first time I saw myself in my Guy Fieri Halloween costume. I’d been expecting ironic, but what I got was iconic. The fire print, the boxy fit, the unapologetic “Look at me!” energy…. Honestly, it took a while for me, Cosmo’s shopping editor and a self-proclaimed fashun person, to stop questioning what it means that I now like to wear—year round, as a wardrobe staple—a shirt made famous by an, um, cheflebrity. Am I a sham? Do I actually know style? Or am I so highly ascended that faux pas cannot apply to me? Probably the latter? Which is…

1 You’ll no longer need three products, tissues, and a Q-tip to create that cool-girl, lived-in lip vibe 2 One swipe will last through coffee, infinite meetings, the birth of your first child, and probs their graduation too. 3 Frantically checking your face in every semi-reflective surface for smears or smudges: not a thing. 4 Also not a thing: those kinda gross lipstick marks on the rim of your water bottle. 5 Rogue strands of hair can flutter all they want and not even once get stuck to your mouth. 6 It’s pretty much the only way to slay a color-blocked lip (just peep this here photo). 7 Your next dancefloor make-out will be sooo much less messy. You’re welcome.…

Hi, would you mind grabbing your skincare stash? I’ll wait. Now take a look at the labels. You’re probs seeing a ton of words that end in “-ic” (glycolic, hyaluronic, ferulic, linoleic), and yes, good guess, all those words essentially mean “acid.” But each type serves a very different purpose—some brighten, others hydrate, some even strengthen your skin barrier. We’re here today to talk about the exfoliating kind, which is, when used properly, a literal glow-inducing dream, and when not used properly, an actual nightmare. So really, it’s best that you pay close attention…. THE THREE MAIN TYPES OF EXFOLIATING ACIDS 1. AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) These tackle everything from fine lines to dark spots by exfoliating the top layer of your skin, says dermatologist Elyse Love, MD. There are…

STEP 1 Make a list of the things that keep you up at night. In the words of Vice President Kamala Harris: What is your 3 a.m. agenda? Maybe it’s the wave of anti-transgender legislation or the climate crisis or youth homelessness. Maybe it’s all of them! Write down every damn thing because your intuition is a powerful tool. “Five years ago, my plan for my life and my business looked nothing like my current reality,” says Joy Harden Bradford, PhD, creator of Therapy for Black Girls. “But in paying attention to the thing that was calling me, I’ve stumbled into a career that is incredibly fulfilling and that allows me to be of service to thousands of Black women and girls across the world.” Even if you’re not looking…

You’ve been thinking about this for a while, yes? Well, it might be worth pursuing, says Brigitte Amiri, an attorney at the ACLU who fights for reproductive rights. She got interested in abortion access in high school and tried to start a pro-choice club at her Catholic university. When that didn’t work out, she knew she wanted to do this full-time. Can you live with a smaller paycheck? Making a difference in the things you care about is so fulfilling, but unfortch, your take-home pay might not be, says Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. “You have to understand what’s really important to you.” And if you’re comfy trading a higher salary for a higher purpose, maybe it’s…

Get past the oldlady stereotype and on my level because nothing’s more satisfying than a bowl of healthy things. Each of these can be made with the same suuuper (heh) easy recipe: (1) Gather the ingredients and your biggest pot, (2) sauté any firm veggies and garlic in olive oil with a sprinkle of seasonings, (3) dump in broth, rinsed canned goods, and any meats, (4) once the flaves become one, season some more and add quick-cooking greens and/or pasta, (5) remove bay leaves, scoop it into a bowl, and ~garnish~ with any remaining toppings. That’s it! GRANDMA-ESQUE CHICKEN SOUP Olive oil10 cloves garlic, chopped (you heard me: 10)1 onion, chopped4 carrots, chopped1 bunch celery stalks, chopped2 whole bay leaves Salt and pepper2 boxes chicken stock1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed1 rotisserie…

ARIES (03.21–04.19) Libra season is usually v romantic for you, but thanks to Mercury Retrograde, you’re now dealing with more exes than love connections. My condolences—this too shall pass. CANCER (06.21–07.22) Oops, you’ve become a couch potato. Take this month to reorganize your life, bc when sexy Scorpio season starts, you’ll want to make sure your sheets are clean and your vibrator is fully charged. LIBRA (09.23–10.22) HBD! After being stuck in a love drought, you’re quenching your thirst…after October 18, because you’ve gotta deal with some ex drama first. Go ahead and block them now. CAPRICORN (12.22–01.19) You’re finally breaking your bad habits, kicking your toxic relationships to the curb, finding closure, and taking control. Now, pls write a self-help book and tell the rest of us how to…

So, are you still at the same job as before? 38% Actually, yes! 25% I was laid off. 23% Nah, I left. 14% I quit when they said we had to return to the office. “I’ve realized it’s no longer a cute look to make work your whole life.”—ELIZABETH* “Quit ting my teaching job for a full-time WFH gig has made me so much happier.”—SAM* “I had just started my dream job…and then lost my dad to COVID-19.”—ROSEMARY “My job at a preschool said we had to be back in June 2020 with zero safety protocols. I didn’t feel safe and resigned.”—SARAH Switching gears: Are you still tight with your friend group? 55% Only my dearest friends. 23% Honestly, maybe even closer than before. 22% Nope. We’ve moved on. “I…

If you were to unearth your middle-school-era iPod (Nano, obviously, in hot pink) and miraculously find the charging cord to turn it on, I bet I could tell ya what song was the star of every playlist: “Survivor.” Yes, the Destiny’s Child breakup bop that, even though you’d never been on an actual date, resonated deeply with you. Probably because it came from a girl group—and girl groups were *it* in the early aughts. They were #FriendshipGoals before hashtags were a thing, and their music made us feel un-freaking-stoppable. At least, that is, until bands like Danity Kane, the Pussycat Dolls, and the Spice Girls before them ripped out our hearts when they decided to disband. Luckily, though, trends get recycled every 20ish years (see scarves as tops, Bennifer), and…

SO *BIG* The baggier you go, the easier it is to wear anything (bra tops, dresses, turt lenecks, chunky knits) underneath while still being able to fully move your arms. Truth.…

The outfit that comes to mind may be a pleated skirt and crisp button-down, and that’s fair. Also fair: pairing these beauts with jeans and a cardy or a midi dress. The chic, serious cousin to ballet flats can do no wrong.…

A HEALTHY - HAIR STARTER PACK CLARIFIER: Anomaly Clarifying Shampoo, $6, target.com. CONDITIONER: Pantene Miracle Rescue Deep Conditioning Treatment, $7, drugstores. MASK: DevaCurl Melt Into Moisture Mask, $36, devacurl.com. PROTEIN TREATMENT: SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Hydrate + Repair Protein Power Treatment, $12, target.com. Once upon a time, I completely and utterly fucked up my hair. In an innocent attempt to fix my curls after some intense heat styling, I began slathering them in every antibreakage treatment I could find. Cut to me two months later, dealing with hair so crispy that I had to enlist the help of experts (while crying, ofc), who informed me that the very products I’d been pouring my hopes/dreams/money into were actually adding fuel to my damage fire. Yes, thank you, it was a…

RESULTS 1. VOLUNTEER WHEN YOU CAN, DONAT EWHEN YOU CAN’T You can still be a solid activist with a smol budget or messy schedule. Join an org that has volunteer ops at least once a month and get in on those. When you’re slammed at work or just exhausted from being a person in 2021, donate your regularly scheduled take-out money and pat yourself on the back for fighting the good fight. Whatever you can contribute is enough, says Congresswoman Ilhan Omar: “Everyone’s capacity is going to look a little different.” 2. PLAN A THING Changing the world needs planners like you to help get shit done. Organize a drive that brings in stuff like food, clothing, or whatever your cause needs rn. If you’re a people person, invite friends…

1 CANDY CORN Nothing is more satisfying than delicately biting off each color with your front teeth. 2 DOTS The real-fruit-iest tasting of the fake-fruit candies. Fight me. 3 NECCO WAFERS It’s an endless sleeve of colorful sugar that fits in your pocket. I rest my case. 4 MARY JANE The peanut butter cup supremacy needs to end so this nutty taffy can thrive. 5 HOT TAMALES Sweet heat is av effective palate cleanser between chocolate and gummy courses. 6 RUNTS They taste like the hot older cousin of orange Tic Tacs. Where is the lie? 7 MYSTERY FLAVOR DUM DUMS Don’t quit your job—spice up your life with these instead. 8 CANDY BUT TONS The blue one is actually lime and that’s the most fun Fun Fact™ ever. 9…

BROWNIE BATTER AND COOKIE DOUGH I said what I said! Layer le batter on top of some presliced cookie dough and close the iron for two-ish minutes. It’s the fastest way to Frankenstein the luxe brownie your snacking self deserves. EGGS Breakfast can get boring, so why not crack an egg on your iron? Leave it open and cook until the yolk is set, then sandwich it between toast, a bagel, a hot dog bun, or whatever bread form you prefer. BRIE Yeah, the whole wheel. Smoosh it in the iron for, like, less than a minute. Add a drizzle of honey or a swoosh of jam if the melty cheese demands it (it does). CINNAMON ROLL DOUGH Look at the icing in those grooves. Now imagine how the little…

Have you ever wanted something so badly that you basically willed it to come true? Maybe you imagined it in detail, spent hours working toward it, or told yourself over and over that it would happen…until it did. This is called manifestation, and it can work for major things (getting into your dream college, meeting someone eerily perfect for you) and smaller stuff (scoring a job interview, finding a new apartment). And yes, it can happen on a subconscious level (I know you’ve read page 52, right?), but you can also actively manifest whatever it is you desire, according to me and my new book This Is Your Destiny: Using Astrology to Manifest Your Best Life—and also, soon, to you. Money Dig your checkbook out of your drawer and imagine…

1 NICOLE KIDMAN’S COAT IN THE UNDOING The green one, obviously. If you don’t know where to start, simply rent a Grinch costume. 2 TOM HOLL AND AND ZENDAYA MAKING OUT But, twist, you’re the internet melting down over it. You dress as molten lava. 3 SNL ’SB OWEN YANG AS THE TITANIC ICEBERG A+ excuse to have a breakdown and yell, “WHY ARE YOU ATTACKING ME?!” 4 GLENN CLOSE DOING “DA BUTT” AT THE OSCARS BYO table, little lamp, and shocked audience members (most importantly Daniel Kaluuya, *if* he’s available). 5 CARDIB AND MEGAN THE ESTAL-LION’S GRAMMYS PERFORMANCE Specifically this moment. Dress up like a spider and carry some mac and cheese (IYKYK). 6 EVERY MOVIE THAT GOT DELAYED, COMBINED Pair ScarJo’s Black Widow wig with Timothée Chalamet’s Dune suit,…

The list of things you might know him from is long: The Vampire Diaries, How to Get Away With Murder, The Flash, his racial-justice activist work, etc., etc. And before we all sob over the fact that Insecure (which he also stars in bc truly he’s ev-er-y-where) is almost over, I asked Kendrick some questions about, um, his bed. Let’s start off easy: Where are you? In my office in L.A. I just moved in, so there’s a desk, a printer, a card table, and a big, humongous meditation pillow. Sounds so relaxing! Other than meditating, what do you do for self-care? I do my best to get a little sun, for my melanin and vitamin D. I drink plenty of water. I work out. I try to do one…

I’m sure you’ve noticed, but things are getting real glitzy around here. We spent all of 2020 (and a majority of this year *crying emoji*) inside, but on IG and even IRL, folks are now happily ditching the sweats in favor of over the top glam when they do ~go out~. And no shade to the people of yore, but the current party isn’t limited to just one aesthetic (I still love you though, art deco). There are sequins, sure, but also bold colors, mixed materials, daring skin-baring moments, big ol’ ruffles, and hard-to-miss prints. Meaning, whatever you put on for your next (safe, responsible) evening on the town, it better make a statement. Cheers! FOR YOUR RICH ALTER EGO Channel all the flair of Gatsby times—sans the dated, kinda…

JSYK These containers are actually a triple threat: They hold your gems, eliminate your “Wait, where did I put that ring…?” probs, *and* serve as legit decor.…

Inner corner art Neon orange and lime: Yes, def. But any pairing of bright powder eyeshadows (purple and blue, pink and red, etc., etc.) is very fun. Use a shadow brush to tap one color into your inner eye corners in a sideways V shape. Next, trace another color along your upper lash lines. Eye stickers Dramatic ~art~ looks great on the ’gram but is kinda impossible to do IRL…which is why these are so damn clutch (the ones in this pic are from Face Lace). Do your makeup as usual, then use tweezers to peel the backing off the stickers and place them around your eyes. Sooo easy. Ultra-dewy skin Put away your mattifiers, bc “glazed doughnut” is the skin aesthetic for 2021. Mix equal parts liquid highlighter and…

OVER THE PAST YEAR, our nation has been shaken by crises: a pandemic, systemic racism, health care inequality, reproductive rights restrictions, climate change. It’s been a lot—yet it did not defeat us. That’s because Americans from all walks of life stepped up, marching for justice, supporting friends and neighbors in need, and—when it mattered more than ever—making sure all voices were heard during the 2020 election. Along with countless volunteers and dedicated activists, I’m proud to be a big part of that last effort. My team and I—via my organization, Fair Fight—worked harder than ever to ensure every eligible voter got the chance to cast a ballot. In the end, our push against voter suppression led to major change and historic levels of voter turnout, and that feels incredibly encouraging.…

YOU’RE NOT SLEEPING Tossing and turning or getting a less-than-solid amount of sleepy time per night means something is off, and it could be your schedule. YOU’RE ANTI-SOCIAL Think of the last time you spoke to a relative or close friend. Has it been a while? Disconnection can sneak up on you when you’re doing too much. YOU’RE AVOID-ING MOVMENT Exercise—even just walking—helps boost your mood, and if you’re skipping it because you’re too tired or too busy, it’s time to reassess. YOUR SCHED IS PACKED, YOUR BANK ACCOUNT IS NOT Take a close look at the areas that feel depleted (yes, even that debit account), and make a plan to adjust accordingly. YOUR’RE ALWAYS ANNOYED When the barista messing up your order or your boo missing the “Pick up…

TEENY CHICKEN AND WAFFL ES Place a baked nug on a mini Eggo (trust, you’ll be craving one after page 50), drizzle with honey, top with another Eggo, and impale with a toothpick for upscale vibes. BB CHICKEN SAMMIES Break open that refrigerated biscuit dough, divide it into biscuits, cut each one into 4 blobs, then roll those blobs into smooth balls. Bake ’em at 375 degrees till golden. As they cool, mix together 2 parts mayo and 1 part hot sauce. Dab a little spicy mayo on a cooked nugget, then place that chicky between those sweet buns. Pop a toothpick in the center and top with a mini gherkin. LIL CHICKEN PARM BITES Bake some frozen nuggets as directed, taking them out a minute early to sprinkle each…

1 That annual birthday vision board with all your travel, work, life, etc. goals? That you tape to your wall so you can always see it? Yep. 2 See also: the self-love mantra you repeat while looking in the mirror each morning. Bonus points if it’s out loud. 3 Checking your favorite company’s Careers page every Friday. Twice 4 Using a Google Doc to track your progress toward a financial goal (“made dinner at home every night this week instead of DoorDash’ing Taco Bell”). 5 All the times you repost a hilariously specific @Affirmations post to your IG Story. 6 Singing along to your favorite Megan Thee Stallion song. 7 Breaking down a Big Deal idea, like starting your own biz, into a zillion less overwhelming steps: (1) Reach out…

My overall nightstand vibe An organized mess. What’s on top Pens, a journal, hand sanitizer, and a thermos for my Ginger Honey Crystals tea. And always inside My remote. My snack sitch A bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. What I steal from my part - ner’s side I’m single and not interested in a mingle…. And what I wouldn’t want my mom to find My nightstand life is pretty PG! Night time reading An iPad that’s loaded with my favorite books. What I fall asleep to Meditation music. Or sometimes tennis. When it comes to alarms, I… Trick myself into feeling like I have an extra hour to sleep by setting my alarm for an hour earlier.…