Innehållsförteckning för Aug-15 från Cosmopolitan

1 DISCOVER bathing suit-shopping bliss with new site Bikyni.com ($95 per set). 2. SMELL SO FRESH, thanks to the orchid notes in Mary Kay’s Cityscape ($50, mary kay.com). 3. WIIG OUT with Kristen and the allstar cast of heist comedy Masterminds (Aug. 19). 4. SQUEE SO HARD The Walker Art Center’s Internet Cat Video Festival hits St. Paul, Minnesota, Aug. 12 (walkerart.org). 5. TAKE A GREYCATION The latest Fifty Shades book is told from the perspective of Mr. “I Don’t Make Love” himself. 6. WATCH MTV’s VMAs live Aug. 30 before the GIFs of Taylor Swift dancing in her seat go viral. 7. BAN STATIC even in epic humidity with pocket-size anti-frizz sheets ($18, nunzio saviano.com). 8. OBSESS over Zac Efron as the hottest DJ ever in We Are Your…

1 “I have a leopard gecko, and he is my best friend. He hangs out on my shoulder while I study. I hand-feed him grasshoppers. He’s such a baby. When I’m away from him, I miss him so much.” —SHERIDAN H., 21, STUDENT, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL 2 GUY CONFESSION “I FILL MY USED CONDOMS WITH WATER TO CHECK FOR ANY LEAKS.” —BRIAN B., 24 3 “I’M NOT WEARING ANY UNDERWEAR RIGHT NOW BECAUSE YOU COULD SEE MY HOT PINK THONG RIGHT THROUGH MY DRESS, SO I HAD TO TAKE IT OFF.” —MELISSA A., 20, STUDENT, MCLEAN, VA 4 GUY CONFESSION “I GOT A NOSEBLEED IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING OUT WITH THIS AWESOME GIRL IN A CAB TO HER PLACE. I DID NOT GET LAID, AND I ACCIDENTALLY GOT BLOOD…

SAM HUNT THE COSMO GUY The “Leave the Night On” singer was a pro-football prospect when he switched gears and started writing hit songs. Now, the Georgia boy’s solo career is on fire. BAD BOY “I had a tendency to get into fights growing up. I got suspended a few times. Nothing too bad! But it’s in my nature to be a little mischievous.” THE INFLUENCE “I love what Drake does. I ’ve covered his songs, but I don’t want to be called the Drake of country.” MUSICAL VIRGINITY “In a small town, it’s either sports or a band with your buddies. I was always athletic. But in college, I was exposed to all this new music, and I was drawn to hip-hop and R&B.” PLAN B “My dad is…

GROWING UP, I always thought it would be better to be a boy. I mean, I wasn’t doing such a bangup job of being a girl anyway. Flat-chested for longer than the others, scrawny with coltish limbs hidden beneath baggy boys’ boxer shorts and oversize t-shirts—I was less a little princess and more an awkward collection of elbows. And believe me, I was really committed to this boy thing. When I was a child, my perfect weekend would include washing the car shirtless in cutoff shorts with my dad like a couple of bros, playing with my (parentapproved) lizard collection and (classified) snail collection, and seeing how lightning-fast I could take the broken bits of sidewalk the kids in my neighborhood used as makeshift bike ramps. I had zero interest…

1. T-SHIRT, Camp Collection, $48, Urban Outfitters 2. SHORTS, Pixie Market, $36, pixiemarket.com 3. SNEAKERS, Converse Chuck Taylor All Star, $49.95, dsw.com 4. SWIMSUIT, Live Love Dream, $14 each, lld.com 5. EARRINGS, & Other Stories, $29, stories.com 6. SUNGLASSES, New York & Company, $14.95, nyandcompany.com 7. CROSS-BODY BAG, Nila Anthony, $49.99, modcloth.com 8. WATCH, Timex, $36, timex.com 9. ESPADRILLES,Forever 21, $24.90, forever21.com WIN LOAD UP ON MORE RETRO CLASSICS. FOR THE CHANCE TO WIN A MODCLOTH GIFT CODE WORTH $100, GO TO COSMOPOLITAN.COM/MODCLOTH2015 (SEE PAGE 211 FOR RULES)…

GET EVEN Grainy bits of sea kelp, plus exfoliating algae, fade dark spots and uneven patches of pigment. ALGENIST Algae Brightening Mask, $59, algenist.com CODE RED Forgot to reapply your sunscreen? This rose-spiked gel calms inflammation and cools skin on contact. PETER THOMAS ROTH Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Gel Mask, $45, sephora.com PORE PATROL UV rays poke holes in collagen, stretching pores (and creating fine lines). Saturate skin with a glycolic-acid mask to help reverse the damage. BLISS Multi Face-eted Allin-One Anti-Aging Clay Mask, $50, Sephora WATERWORKS A combo of lotus extract (a natural humectant) and a hefty dose of water plumps skin and creates a coveted glow. BELIF First Aid Aqua Rush Mask, $30, Sephora GLOW GETTER Amethyst-colored clay absorbs impurities without depleting natural oils. Result: pure, detoxified skin that looks luminous. DERMADOCTOR Kakadu…

YOU DITCHED A PRODUCT BECAUSE… It left your face red and irritated. STICK-WITH-IT TIP: Some ingredients, like retinol, inflame skin on purpose (to shed damaged outer cells or kick-start production of skin-plumping collagen), and it can take four to eight weeks to build up a tolerance, says Jeanette Graf, MD, a dermatologist in NYC. Stop using it until skin returns to normal, then “reintegrate it into your routine, using only a pea-size drop every other night followed by a gentle moisturizer,” says Dr. Graf. YOU DITCHED A PRODUCT BECAUSE… You didn’t see results. STICK-WITH-IT TIP: “On average, you won’t see a visible skin change for about four weeks,” says Amy Wechsler, MD, an NYC dermatologist. If, after that, you still see zilch, schedule a quick trip to your dermatologist’s office…

REVLON ULTRA HD™ LIPSTICK When it comes to summer beauty, a bright lip color is all you need. Try Revlon Ultra HDTM Lipstick in HD Hydrangea, HD Orchid or HD Poppy for a great pop of color. The revolutionary wax-free gel technology delivers lightweight, high-defi nition color in one smooth swipe for irresistibly kissable lips. 20 high-defi nition shades to love. Revlon.com/UltraHDLipstick TRY IT! LOOK AND FEEL YOUR BEST! Hydroxycut® Max includes female-friendly ingredients, folic acid, and iron, and can help you get into the best shape of your life. Hydroxycut.com LOVE YOUR LEGS Skintimate® shave gel moisturizes and protects skin, leaving your legs feeling healthy after every shave. Skintimate.com WIN IT BRING SMARTWATER® WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY Great things happen little by little and sip by…

Outdoor cardio is easy, but what about strength sessions? Some cities are on it—New Orleans’ City Park, West Perrine Park in Miami, and the Esplanade in Boston all have fitness playgrounds with trappings like pull-up bars and exercise benches. Make anywhere a gym with these moves from Lacey Stone, trainer to Amanda Seyfried and Kelly Osbourne. Work Your Booty on a Slide Sit on the bottom edge of the slide, facing out, legs extended. Lean back, and lift legs so they are parallel to the ground. Kick left leg up a few inches, then right leg up a few inches. Continue, alternating legs for 30 seconds. Do 3 sets. Work Your Legs on the Stairs Stand facing the bottom of a staircase. Step right foot up two steps, bending right…

I Discovered that I was “different” in the third grade. As the new kid at school, I was trying hard to find my footing. I thought I had made friends with two girls, until they stopped talking to me. When I confronted them, they said their mothers had warned them to stay away because they might catch my skin condition. Before that, I had never given much thought to the way I looked. Confused and embarrassed, I told my mother what the girls had said. Soon after, my mom went to the school and explained to my class that I had a condition called vitiligo, which occurs when the cells that produce melanin die or stop functioning. The disease had left me with a loss of skin color in patches…

forever FOR HER FIRST U.S. COSMO COVER (WE KNOW, RIGHT?!), SARAH JESSICA PARKER TALKS FASHION, FEMINISM, AND THE CARRIE BRADSHAW COMPLEX. Between her “Ergh”s, “Holy cow!”s, and “What the heck?”s, it’s hard to believe that the woman nestled into the corner booth of the West Village NYC outpost of Sant Ambroeus is the same person who helped usher in a new era of uncensored ladies (see Girls and Broad City) tackling ballsy topics (not to mention balls). In fact, Sarah Jessica Parker is so G-rated, you damn near forget she starred on the biggest show about sex ever. But the distinction between SJP and her character Carrie Bradshaw is an important one, even if Sex and the City diehards are wont to forget it. Such was the case earlier this…

08.23—09.22 Keep hustling! Jupiter’s arrival in your sign on the 11th—one of your best days of the year—will bring in a wave of opportunities through next summer. Save time for love when the Full Moon enters your zone of relationships on the 29th. YOU NEED: To clearly articulate your needs. THE VIRGO GUY: New confidence has upped his swagger. Cue Beyoncé and show him how much you love his big...dreams. 09.23—10.22 Friendships might feel like an awful game of Clue (who stabbed you in the back at the beach house with a mean tweet?), but after Venus and Jupiter unite on the 4th, you’ll know who’s on your team. Break from any haters around the 8th. YOU NEED: A luxe spa day to totally unwind. THE LIBRA GUY: The guy…

DOUCHE-O-METER “I showed up to our date a few minutes late. He told me that was strike one, and then he said, ‘Three strikes and you’re out.’ To my face.” KELLY G., 21 “He went in for the kiss teeth first and bit my lip so hard that it bruised. The next day, my boss asked me if I ate a blue lollipop.” CAIT D., 25 “As I was talking, he pulled out his laptop and started reading sports news. When he looked up, he asked, ‘Are you done talking? Can we do it now?’” GABRIELLE S., 23 “He called his mom on our date and asked her to Venmo him $15 because dinner was more expensive than he thought it would be.” EMMA M., 20 “He took off his…

SKANKY…

CAN DO ENERGY Available in flavors like Strawberry Lemonade and Blueberry Acai, Starbucks Refreshers® are filled with real fruit juice, B vitamins, and ginseng to give your afternoon the lift it needs. StarbucksRefreshers.com KICK THE CREAM OUT OF YOUR SHAVING ROUTINE Lather and moisturize during shaving in one easy step. Schick® Intuition® simplifi es your shave and cares for your skin FREE YOUR SKIN® SchickIntuition.com FOR SCARS, YOU ONLY NEED ONE WORD. MEDERMA® Empowered. Grateful. Confident. Just some of the words people have used to describe how they felt after Mederma® made their scars look better. Mederma.com PURE SILK MOISTURIZING SHAVE CREAM Pure Silk rich and luxurious moisturizing shave creams provide you the smoothest, most touchable skin without irritation. Available in seven aloe-infused varieties, shaving with Pure Silk is the…

Twist Up STEP 1 Pull hair into a high, tight ponytail, and divide it into two sections. STEP 2 Wind the sections (simultaneously) until they start to coil. STEP 3 Wrap the coils around each other two or three times, and tuck ends under, securing with pins. All Tied Up STEP 1 Pull hair into a slick ponytail at the back of your head. Lightly tease the tail with your fingers or a comb. STEP 2 Wrap a bunch of hair bands haphazardly down the length of the ponytail, crisscrossing them as you go. STEP 3 Tug on random sections to make some fatter than others. Double the Sexy STEP 1 Make a center part. STEP 2 Twist each side inward, pinning sections as you go, to create two rolls…

IT’S THE BALM This creamy pink—a perfect combo of color and shine—is a total pout pleaser. COVERGIRL Colorlicious Jumbo Gloss Balm Cream in Strawberry Frappe, $7, drugstores BUZZWORTHY Give sleepy eyes a de-puffing jolt with caffeinated concealer. ALBA BOTANICA Fast Fix for Undereye Circles, $6, albabotanica.com EYE OPENER Vitamin-infused (and cucumberscented) mascara gives lashes an instant boost. RIMMEL LONDON Wonder’Lash Lift Me Up Mascara, $9, drugstores SHEA GENIUS Tropical-scented and buttery, this is a hands-down winner. PACIFICA Super Hydrating Hand Cream in Tahitian Gardenia, $9, Ulta PERFECT PEAR Sweeten your shower sesh with a fruitscented wash. OLAY Fresh Outlast Body Wash in Crisp Pear and Fuji Apple, $5.50, drugstores GO LONG Lengthy locks can get wimpy toward the bottom. The fix? This end-plumping serum. GARNIER FRUCTIS Full and Plush Ends Plumper Amplifying Leave-In Serum, $6, drugstores FINGER PAINT Wear this sheer watercolor hue…

“GET A TAAAN!” bellowed a deep, slurred male voice from one of the hundreds of people packed onto the Jersey Shore. As I walked across the hot sand in a black one-piece, the idiot call continued, fading into the distance. I was embarrassed, sure, but I could see the humor. Among all the tanned, coconut-scented girls, I probably looked like Goth Barbie. I just didn’t fit in at the beach. With my dark red hair and white, freckly skin, I fry up in the sun within 10 minutes flat. During bright al fresco lunches, I’m applying SPF to the backs of my arms before the drinks even arrive. People’s moms have always worried about my skin more than their kids’. That’s why I can’t help but marvel at girls who…

...sculpt your cheeks AMP IT UP High-tech facials (such as the Triple Crown at NYC’s Joanna Vargas Spa) use microcurrent technology (low levels of electricity) to lift face muscles. “Results are instant and last about a week,” says Vargas. An at-home version (which the Cosmo beauty team loves): the NuFace Mini. It, too, delivers microcurrents. NUFACE Mini, $199, mynuface.com TRY FACE MASSAGE It removes excess fluids (caused by salt and cocktails) to define the jawlines and cheeks, says Nichola Joss, creator of the Nichola Joss Method of massage. Apply facial oil, then press the heels of your palms beneath cheekbones, sweeping from mouth to temples. Next, make upward circles with your fingertips. (Repeat three times.) Finish with sculpting serum to enhance. ESTÉE LAUDER New Dimension Shape + Fill Expert Serum, $89, esteelauder.com…

THE SLICE IS RIGHT First the sad news: Most pizza isn’t too healthy. “It’s typically piled with cheese, upping the sodium and saturated fat, and skimpy on vitaminrich veggie toppings,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, a dietitian in Chicago (a city that knows ’za). Now the good news: Betterfor-you pie doesn’t have to be blah. In a Scottish study, 77 percent of adults said a pizza with less salt and saturated fat and more fiber was as good as or better than their go-to. Pair these with salad for a totally acceptable meal. Kashi Greek Tzatziki Single-Serve Pizza At just 300 calories, who needs willpower?! Whole-grain crust supplies 9 grams of fiber. Newman’s Own Roasted Vegetable Thin and Crispy Pizza Get vitamin C (thanks to peppers, onions, and mushrooms) and…

1 FIRM UP YOUR ABS Lie faceup, legs extended, arms overhead, squeezing a beach ball between hands, with shoulders and legs a few inches off ground. Raise arms and legs up and toward each other, passing ball from hands to legs [A]. Lower [B]. Reverse motion, passing ball from legs to hands to complete one rep. Do 10. CHOOSE A PROP Ho is using a beach ball as a Pilates ring in this workout, but if you don’t have either, you can sub in a pillow. COSMO BODY FIND MORE BIKINI-FABULOUS WORKOUTS ON OUR FITNESS CHANNEL, COSMOBODY. VISIT COSMOBODY.COM AND USE THE CODE SUMMERDAZE FOR 25 PERCENT OFF YOUR FIRST THREE MONTHS. 2 SCULPT YOUR SIDES Kneel on right leg with left leg extended to side, arms overhead, squeezing a…

The 3-Second Snapper His seminude bod says “Can’t stop thinking about you,” but the meager 3-second timer to view it says “...and also the seven other girls I’d like to bone.” The Fingertip Artiste He wants you to know he’s, like, super creative. But he does score points for relying on more than just a hot selfie to impress you. The Lurker He sends absolutely nothing, but he’s seen all your Stories. A little creepy. But know that there’s no question that he’s into you.…

AND THE SEX WE DON’T WHEN YOU’RE SINGLE AND hooking up, talking about sex with your friends is as free-f lowing as a fresh pitcher of bellinis at brunch. “He has a micropenis.” “He has an anaconda in his shorts.” “He can’t get it up.” “He can’t keep it up.” “He’s amazing at oral.” “He slobbers like a Saint Bernard during oral.” Good, bad, hot, hilarious, and everywhere in between, if it happened to one of your main bitches in bed last night, there’s no such thing as TMI. That is, until you all start falling in love. Notice how the sex talk mysteriously starts to dwindle when your group starts getting serious with boyfriends or girlfriends? Once you’re in a relationship, the carnal conversation splits. There’s the sex you…

PREGNANCY CENTERS MARKET THEM SELVES AS SWEET GRANNIES AND ME DICAL PROS OFF ERING IMPART IA LAD VICE IN A CRISIS. IN A YEAR LONG INVESTIG ATION, MEAGHAN WINTER FOUNDS OME -THINGE LSE : A SO PHISTICATED NATIONAL NET WORK A GAINST A BORT ION, BIRTH C ONTROL , AND PREMAR IT ALSEX . AND IT ’S FUNDED BY YOUR TAX DOLLARS. ARKANSAS PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER SITS ON A CUL-DE-SAC WITH THE STATE’S SOLE SURGICAL ABORTION PROVIDER. “WE INFORM. YOU DECIDE.” Three hundred fifty miles of cattle pasture and cornfields and single-stoplight towns separate Rapid City, near the western edge of SOUTH DAKOTA, from Sioux Falls, near its eastern border. That distance takes on new significance when a woman living in Rapid City needs an abortion. The state’s only abortion…

#SETLIFE Cosmo executive fashion director Aya Kanai (far right) puts her back into styling our shoot at the University of Florida, on p. 142. I’LL NEVER ACTUALLY COOK A SINGLE RECIPE FROM THIS BOOK, BUT JUST READING IT MAKES ME FEEL SO MUCH HEALTHIER. SCORE FREE SHOES! Hell, yeah! Enter for the chance to win a pair from SJP’s new line. See p. 211 for details. SJP & ME When I realized Sarah Jessica had never been on the cover of Cosmo in the U.S., I called her immediately to right a terrible wrong! THE NEAREST I’LL GET TO A BROADWAY STAGE: HANGING OUT WITH THE CAST OF THE SMASH HIT HIP-HOPERA HAMILTON. A WINNING CONVO If only Mad Men’s Peggy could see this! COSMO’S EPIC BEAUTY TEAM LEAH WYAR…

BRITTANY SNOW “I got my boyfriend, Tyler, obsessed. He won’t admit it—he says he doesn’t really pay attention. But he’s paying attention.” ANDREW GARFIELD “When I’m working on something intense, I want to watch The Bachelor. Don’t be surprised. It’s the greatest show on TV!” @LUCYHALE “Wait. I think I missed The Bachelor. I’m crying.” @JAMIECHUNG1 “Hate to admit it, but I’m looking forward to the season finale. #DamnIt” @LUCYHALE “Wait. I think I missed The Bachelor. I’m crying.” @ANNAKENDRICK47 “If I were a contestant, I’d end up falling in love with the weird sound guy and making things uncomfortable for everyone.” @SARAH_HYLAND “I always predict the next Bachelor/ette. @ChrisBHarrison, move over.” JORDAN PEELE “It’s like a crazy lover, that show. Real good.” @JIMMYFALLON “The night is young for me. I could go out. (Or watch The Bachelor on…

From wow to WTF, we call the trends like we see ’em. EMOJI-ONAL ROLLER COASTER FUN To bae or not to bae? A new book series translates Shakespeare’s plays into emoji-fied text speak. FEARLESS Tweet these #EndangeredEmoji to make a donation to the World Wildlife Fund. Go ahead, you zoo-gooder. FAIL Instagram bans eggplant emoji ‘cause…well, you know why. Wink. Hey, Insta: Why you gotta be so prude? MEMBERS ONLY FUN Interstellar art project sends doodles, like peen sketches, to the moon. One giant schlong for mankind! FEARLESS UK street artist Wanksy’s graphic graffiti gives local government a big poke to fix potholes. FAIL Welsh citizen draws a penis on a ballot in protest, but it’s counted as a vote. Talk about erectoral fraud. WHAT’S THE SKIVVY FUN Get caught…

the flare Channel the style sirens of the ’70s by pairing bell-bottoms with a bright crop top or a flowy tank and sky-high platforms. Disco ball optional. PAIR IT WITH A FLARE “I LOVE DENIM ON DENIM BECAUSE IT NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE.” the jacket Whether you’re mixing prints or rocking a bona fide Canadian tuxedo, a denim jacket is a must-have for adding a dose of cool to any look. “I’M CONSTANTLY INSPIRED BY THE PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT OF ANY CITY I’M IN.” the skirt Denim is begging to bring its curvehugging talents to your skirt collection. Take a flattering knee-length cut and add a printed top and funky heels to create a slammin’ silhouette. THREE MUST-TRY SKIRTS “I LOOK FOR COMFORT FIRST. WITH MY FAVORITE PAIR…

THE NBD LBD Shoulder cutouts are ideal for larger chests. Straps allow you to wear your regular bra. ON THE LOOSE A blousy top and pants mimic the look of a flowing gown. Dress things up with sparkling jewelry. LADY IN RED Walk the line between delicate and daring in a scarlet satin number with shoulder-grazing pearls. AFTER-HOURS EDGY Trade your deep-V neckline for an open-neck leather jacket just snug enough to show a little cleavage.…

1 0 :00- 0 :59 SOFTEN IN THE SHOWER Plug up the tub and let the water pool around your feet. Massage a handful of scrub into heels and around toes to slough off roughness. Peppermint versions (like the one at left) cool skin, reducing redness. THE BODY SHOP Peppermint Smoothing Pumice Foot Scrub, $14, thebodyshop-usa.com 2 1:00 -2:29 SMOOTH YOUR SOLES After drying off, gently buff away remaining calluses with a foot file. Follow up with a fast-absorbing, nonslip cream (essential for sandals) to hydrate. (Get both in this kit.) SOL DE JANEIRO Samba 2-Step Foot Fetish System, $27, soldejaneiro.com THE 5-MINUTE MAKEOVER 3 2 :30 -3:44 CLEAN UP CUTICLES Apply a cuticle-erasing gel for 15 seconds, then push away dissolved skin with a metal mani stick. (Those with rounded edges,…

CALIFORNIA DREAMING Show your love for all things L.A. (sunsets, surfing, celebs!) with these City of Angels–inspired nail hues. Bright and punchy, they’re the perfect way to celebrate summer—and that confetti top coat brings a whole new meaning to “party nail.” NOT A MORNING PERSON? Consider this shower gel your up-and-out Rx. Loaded with skin-stimulating ginseng and pink pepper berry plus a zingy citrus scent—a combo of mandarin, lemon, and sweet orange peel—it’ll bring on #Boss mode in seconds. (And how much do you heart its name...Orangeasm?) EAU SO LUXE…FOR LESS! Attention Walmart shoppers: Vera Wang can now be purchased for $30 in the fragrance aisle. The designer’s new Embrace collection features three new scents (Periwinkle and Iris, above; Rosebuds and Vanilla; and Green Tea and Pear Blossom) that can…

A WALL OF POLISH, a rack of mags, and the promise of a foot rub—what’s not to love about a pro mani-pedi? It depends on where you go. If a spa isn’t sanitary, you run the risk of anything from a headache due to potent fumes to a serious infection from dirty tools. We’ve mapped out the red flags. Dirty Digs When celeb nail artist Deborah Lippmann pops into a mani-pedi place, she always scouts out two areas: the corners and the bathroom. “If they’re clean, it’s usually a sign of higher standards.” Secondhand Fumes While that nail-polish smell is unavoidable, your eyes shouldn’t water upon entry. Workers are the most vulnerable to fumes (see box below), “but even short exposure to hazardous chemicals can be harmful,” says Thu Quach,…

DOUBLE THE FUN Our latest Instagram fitspo: celebs doing ahhmazing yoga poses in breathtaking spots (that’s Hannah Bronfman with her boyfriend, Brendan Fallis, on page 119). These aren’t any old asanas. This supersexy brand of partner posing, called AcroYoga, blends the mental focus and breathing techniques of yoga with the core strength and flexibility of acrobatics. To defy gravity with your own beau or BFF, visit AcroYoga.org. —HELEN ZOOK 6 PERCENTAGE MORE CALORIES BURNED, ON AVERAGE , RUNNING OUTSIDE VERSUS ON A TREADMILL . SOURCE: JOURNAL OF SPORTS SCIENCES…

I know, I know. HANDIES SEEM THE DOMAIN OF TEENAGE VIRGINITY PLEDGES AND RESENTFUL AGING HOUSEWIVES—something akin to either “This doesn’t count” or “Honey, I have a headache.” Maybe you think of it as that thing you do when you forget to take your birth control and don’t feel like giving a BJ. Worse, perhaps you write it off as passé. I recently brought up hand jobs to a friend, and her response was “People still do that?” Yes, they still do that! I still do it…and you know what? My marriage and my sex life are way better for it. Believe me: I wasn’t always down with the HJ. In my early 20s, I was so scared of coming off as prudish that I would skip over fondling entirely.…

BJ BIAS 10% OF GUYS WANT TO REACH AN O VIA A BLOW JOB (OVER ANY OTHER TYPE OF SEXUAL ACTIVITY). 18% OF WOMEN WANT TO REACH AN O VIA ORAL SEX (OVER ANY OTHER TYPE OF SEXUAL ACTIVITY). MAKING LURVE MATTERS 88% OF GUYS WANT TO HAVE ROMANTIC FEELINGS TOWARD A PARTNER— THEY’RE NOT THAT HOT FOR CASUAL HOOKUPS. 92% OF WOMEN WANT THAT TOO. HARD PROOF THAT MEN HAVE ALMOST AS MUCH OF A SOUL AS WE DO! FOREPLAY THAT LASTS…AND LASTS HE WANTS: 18 minutes YOU WANT: 19 minutes…

SECTION 1 wow your Boss Unless your new job title is Duchess of cam-bridge or Dictator of a Small Country, you things will happen for you. Unless your new job title is Duchess of Camreport to someone. Make that person’s life as easy as possible from day one, and only good 1. FIGURE OUT WHAT MATTERS. How? Just ask, says Alexandra Levit, author of New Job, New You. Tell your manager you want to make sure you meet expectations. What would success look like to her? Ideally, during your first meeting, you can get in writing the goals on which you’ll be evaluated during your first three months, six months, and year. “The more subjective you leave this, the more open your performance is to interpretation,” Levit says. 2. KNOW…

Get the Glow Going! YOU AND YOUR CREW. HANGING under the stars on a gorgeous summer night. Hard to screw that up, but you can step it up. Little touches like string lights and bubbly pink drinks will take your great outdoors bash from garden-variety fun to a winning, everybody-Pinning night you will never forget. So whether your aim is to make out under the stars or make memories with your girls…Do. It. Up!! SEE STARS 1. Download the SkyView app, which allows you to ID stars and constellations. 2. Make August 12 to 13 an all-nighter. Before dawn, the Perseid meteor shower is in view. 3. Give yourself an even more celestial body with press-on tats. $22 per set, flashtat.com How Do Your S’mores Stack Up? Swank up the…

SPICY PULLED PORK It’s a taste bonanza and a bargain! The pork takes forever to cook but doesn’t need watching, so pop it in before bed or work. SERVES 10 • Mix together 1/3 c. BROWN SUGAR, 2 T GROUND COFFEE, 2 T KOSHER SALT, 4 t. SMOKED PAPRIKA, 3 t. SWEET PAPRIKA, 2 t. ground CUMIN, 1 t. ground CORIANDER, 1 t. ground CLOVES, 1 t. GARLIC POWDER, and 1 t. BLACK PEPPER in a bowl. • Pat the rub all over a 5-lb. PORK SHOULDER. Coat it well! Save excess rub. • Put the pork shoulder in a pot with a lid, and leave it in the fridge for two to eight hours to spice up. • Remove and add enough water to cover the pot’s bottom. Cover…

CLAWS ARE OUT “Please, lady, cut your nails! This is the last thing I want to see before grocery shopping.” —CARLY S., 22 BEYOND VANITY “A prom queen license plate? Really? Someone is trying a little too hard to relive her glory days.” —ELLIE C., 22 DROP TROU “I think I finally—and unfortunately—know the answer to the question: How low can you go?” —AMANDA P., 32 NO SHORTS, NO SERVICE “This girl was halfnaked at Chipotle! Can you not...?” —DANI V., 20 ANNOYED BEYOND BELIEF? E-MAIL INBOX@COSMOPOLITAN.COM (SUBJECT: B ITCH IT OUT) TO SHARE YOUR PET PEEVE (AND PHOTO) . IF WE PRINT YOUR SHOT, WE’LL GIVE YOU $50! SHOPPING INFORMATION COVER CREDITS MARC JACOBS, marcjacobs.com. BULGARI, bulgari.com. MARIA FRANCESCA PEPE, maria francescapepe.com. CHANEL, chanel.com. INSIDE COVER CREDITS FIRST: ZADIG…

1 A coworker mentions you owe her for lunch last week. You: a. Ask, annoyed, “What are you? A debt collector?” b. Apologize once and offer to buy her lunch today. c. Pay her back immediately and apologize repeatedly for weeks after. 2 How often do you reflexively say “sorry” when someone bumps into you on the street? a. Never. It’s not my fault b. Only when we were both walking and texting. c. Almost every time. Ugh, so sorry. 3 Your roommate borrows your favorite skirt without asking. Next time you find it, it’s stretched out. Your response: a. Confront her ASAP… forgetting that she covered the whole cable bill this month. b. Let it slide but feel justified by stealing a few bowls of her Cap’n Crunch. c.…