Innehållsförteckning för May 2019 från Cosmopolitan

How many shots do you need to get a pic you’re happy with? 40% Putting a number on this minimizes my process and my art. 51% However many I can get in the span of one minute. Any longer is awk. 9% Maybe one or two? Definitely fewer than three. Be honest: How many photo-editing apps are on your phone? 64% Two to five. 2% I’ve forgotten what I look like without them. 34% One, and I’m counting Instagram. What’s the most likely reason you’d ever delete a photo? 57% I no longer need 10 pictures of coffee with the Toaster filter and a border. 16% I don’t want my boss to see it. 27% It didn’t get enough Likes and we’ll never speak of it again, thanks. Have you…

When news broke that Tristan Thompson had allegedly cheated on Khloé Kardashian with none other than fam friend Jordyn Woods, there was one person who saw something like this coming: Hollywood Medium’s Tyler Henry. Kardashian and little sis Kylie Jenner appeared on the show back in 2017, and Henry got worked up and embarrassed while trying to prepare them for a situation involving a guy who was with one sister but trying to get with another. Sure, Woods isn’t actually a born member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, but she had been Jenner’s BFF since the summer before high school, and the two frequently referred to each other as family. So yeah, close enough. Kardashian and Jenner aren’t the only celebs who’ve sat in a psychic hot seat. In addition to…

ARIES Your month starts off suuuper busy—for both office and happy hours. When you aren’t putting in overtime, you’re out and about with your crew. Fun! But take some PTO before the 21st, when Gemini takes over and things really pick up again. CANCER Thanks to leftover Aries-season energy, you’re feeling the heat—whether your coworker keeps shading you in emails or you’re in a silent war with the roommate stealing your snacks. Let off steam by hanging with your BFFs—May wants you to socialize. LIBRA Whether it’s cooking an ambitious brunch with your S.O. or catching feels, the month’s focus is on love connections. Bonus: Taurus season’s erotic vibes grow stronger as the month goes on, so keep that nightstand stocked with your fave bedroom goodies. CAPRICORN Every part of…

Sorry to break the news, but a blue moon isn’t really blue—the tint is typically caused by smoke or dust from large-scale forest fires or volcanic eruptions. And—brace yourself—the term blue moon doesn’t refer to its color anyway. It describes the bonus 13th Full Moon that occasionally occurs in a calendar year. Blue moons are dazzling, potent lunations—as the Moon and Sun oppose each other in the sky, light floods the darkness, allowing you to see everything clearly. So if you’ve been unsure about something, use this rare event to take quick, decisive action!…

MOST TAURUS-Y NOAH CENTINEO (May 9) “I can be better.” Aw. Tauruses can be so hard on themselves. AIDY BRYANT (May 7) “I don’t take well to rules. I just instantly become like, Fuck that!” Your wildest memories are def with your Taurus BFF. TRAVIS SCOTT (April 30) “Maybe I don’t speak loud enough.” Like many Tauruses, Travis doesn’t feel a hundred percent appreciated. Tragic, TBH. LEAST TAURUS-Y GIGI HADID (April 23) “Eat clean to stay fit, have a burger to stay sane.” Tauruses are disciplined but never lose sight of the “treat yourself” mantra.…

best LIQUID LIPSTICK “This is like the anti-liquid liquid lipstick. It doesn’t move, feather, or dry you out. And when it eventually fades after a few hours, it leaves behind a soft stain that’s a pretty, post-popsicle red.”—CM best TREATMENT “I refuse to apply lipstick without using this scrub first. It has sugar and papaya enzymes to get rid of flakes plus hydrating agave nectar, so any color (yes, even those extreme matte liquids) goes on totally smooth and soft.”—LB best TINTED BALM “I don’t know what I love more: the flattering neutral tint or the super-buttery texture. After I swipe it on, my lips look more plump and smooth…almost like I got lip fillers.”—LB best LIP GLOSS “Okay, so this isn’t technically a lip gloss, but a few swipes…

Lip gloss (and eye gloss and cheek gloss) is poppin’. SWIPE IT ON CHEEKS The texture reflects light the same way a powder or cream highlighter does but never looks chalky on skin. “Just pat a tiny bit on the apples of your cheeks and blend it out toward your ears,” says Hennings. TRY MAC Cosmetics Clear Gloss, $23, maccosmetics.com TAP IT ON EYES Drop your brushes, palettes, and powders: Glossy lids look just as fire as your go-to smoky eye (and take a quarter of the time). “Put a few dots above your lash line, then use your finger to blend it up toward the crease,” says makeup artist Geo Brian Hennings. TRY Estée Lauder by Violette Eye Gloss in Sheer Scandal, $26, esteelauder.com LAYER IT ON LIPS It’s…

“Not only is this cheap AF, but it also gives my fine hair much-needed volume without making me look like Martha Washington’s doppelgänger.” —ROSA HEYMAN, deputy editor Dove Care Between Washes Volume & Fullness Dry Shampoo, $5 for 5 oz., drugstores “It doesn’t leave any weird white spots on my hair, and the fresh, citrusy scent is honestly just so addictive.” —AMA KWARTENG, beauty assistant Ouai Haircare Dry Shampoo, $24, sephora.com “This is my all-time. My bangs could be greasy as hell and matted to my forehead, and a few spritzes later, they’re as good as new.” —LAUREN BALSAMO, senior beauty editor Nexxus Dry Shampoo Refreshing Mist, $14, ulta.com “This lightweight powder has a slight peach tint that looks really natural against my dark hair.” —CHLOE METZGER, senior beauty editor…

“Not trying to be a dick, but I don’t like sleepovers in the beginning of a relationship. How can I say something and still continue to see this new girl?” You gotta be up front about it. As soon as you two decide you’re taking this back to your (or her) place, say, “I don’t do sleepovers with someone I’m not official with yet. I hope that’s okay.” This gives her time to decide if she still wants to go home with you or just call it a night. She needs to feel like she has some say here too. “It’s a long story, but I need to replace my girlfriend’s vibrator. Where do I start?” Not gonna lie, we’ve got some pretty extensive sex-toy reviews at Cosmopolitan.com. Some solid…

Did you know that if you want to quit a group text, your iPhone makes you tap a button that reads, in alarming red type, “Leave This Conversation?” not once but twice? After you tap it the first time, a second box pops up like an error message and you have to hit it again—the same way the villain in a sci-fi movie has to turn a series of dials to detonate the big bomb. I discovered this one wine-buzzed Friday night when I looked down at my phone to see 50-something messages awaiting my reply. I’d been thinking of dipping out on my group chats for more than a year, so, fueled by a resolution to cut down on screen time (plus the aforementioned alcohol), I finally did it.…

Picture this: It’s Saturday evening, and you’re running the standard 15 minutes late for a night at the clurb (or, like, a dive bar down the block), and you pull out your favorite LBD. You know the one—you’ve already worn it five times this month. You’re meeting up with a different group of friends though, so nobody will know about your unbridled outfit repeating… except, wait, actually: It reeks. But you’re okay thanks to this brilliant hack: vodka as fabric spray. Turns out, alcohol kills bacteria, and unlike other spirits, vodka doesn’t leave a scent behind. So after a little misting, your dress will smell totally fresh. We’ve seen the future of your laundry routine, and it is spiked.…

Kelsey Wells, creator of the PWR program on the Sweat app, shows you how to get it done. Did we mention there are none of those dreaded push-ups? ⏵Keeping your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your hips and knees to place your hands on the floor outside your feet. ⏵Kick both feet backward so your legs are completely extended behind you, landing in the plank position. Your body should be in one straight line from your head to your heels. ⏵Jump both feet forward between your hands. ⏵Propel your body upward, extending your legs and reaching your arms over your head. ⏵Land in the starting position. That’s 1 rep. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.…

ON CHARLES Bally jacket and sneakers. John Elliott T-shirt. Billy Reid pants ON YARA Dundas by Peter Dundas dress. Rupert Sanderson heels. Jennifer Fisher earrings. MARAMCS necklace LOCATION Kimpton Nine Zero Hotel-Boston ON YARA Chloé dress, earrings, and belt ON CHARLES Michael Kors blazer, shirt, and pants Charles Melton believes in love at first sight. The 28-year-old actor, whose hair/body/face look like they were generated from a Create-a-2019-Heartthrob machine, is telling me how he knows the concept is real: It’s happened to him many times. “I think you can fall in love in the snap of a finger, you know?” he says, running his own through those dark, swooping locks—something he does a lot, like he’s aware of what a gift it is to witness. I don’t know why, but…

1 Make it a part of your p.m. routine. Your skin is in repair mode at night and, as a result, more receptive to active ingredients like retinol (beauty sleep is real, y’all). Also, retinol formulas degrade in sunlight, says cosmetic chemist Ni’Kita Wilson, rendering them less effective when used during the day. 2 FYI: Less is more. Overusing retinol won’t make it work better or faster—but it will leave your face looking like a red, peeling mess. To avoid a skin freak-out, use only a pea-size dot for your entire face. As for frequency, “apply it once a week for a week, two times a week for two weeks, and so on, gradually increasing your usage,” says dermatologist Dendy Engelman, MD. 3 Moisturize like your face depends on it.…

Q: Can I use it if I have sensitive skin? A: “It depends. If you have eczema or rosacea, consult your derm. If you’re just prone to redness, try layering your retinol over your moisturizer—think of it as a protective buffer—until your skin adjusts.” Q: Tell me more about these side effects… A: “Some initial redness and peeling are common, and if you’re acne-prone, you may have a brief flare-up. If those issues don’t lessen around week two, cut back on your usage or try a lower-strength formula.” Q: Wait, does it work preventatively too? A: “Yes, absolutely. I tell my patients it’s never too soon to be using a retinoid.” Q: Can I use it even though it’s almost summer? A: “As long as you’re religious about SPF, go…

So what the hell is this wizardry? It’s essentially a big math problem based on the magical power of numbers (aka numerology), says Michelle Buchanan, a numerologist based in New Zealand and the author of The Numerology Guidebook. There are a few ways to ~nameolify~ yourself, but the process on the next page—the adding-across method—is the simplest. So give your calculator app a break from tallying tips and find out who you should date, your strengths and weaknesses, and even your life’s purpose. Intense, right?…

“My freshman year of college, this dude I barely knew asked me out on Facebook Messenger, and we met in the lobby of my dorm building. I was all dressed up, wearing red lipstick, and he came in after finishing a game of Frisbee wearing the free T-shirt they gave us when we moved in. I tried not to judge, but then he walked me to the dining hall on campus for dinner. He housed a bowl of Lucky Charms while barely talking about anything other than being a SoundCloud DJ. When he walked me back to my dorm, I didn’t invite him in. Not even 20 minutes later, he messaged me on Facebook, ‘Hey, what’s up;)?’” —REBEKAH K., 22 “After telling the guy I was seeing about some things…

TAYLOR SWIFT WALLACE “I’m sensing a strong relationship that will lead to engagement and possibly marriage. She’ll have a secret event with family and friends. I’m also feeling that she will announce there’s a baby on the way, as I feel a lot of blue around her.” JOHN “I see changes in her career path, with less of a focus on music. Also an engagement.” CARDI B WALLACE “This is a powerful year for her, as she is going to achieve all her goals. She will be extremely focused on her career and is going to use her celebrity status to do a large amount of charity work.” JOHN “There will be changes in the type of music she creates. It will have softer tones—she’ll release some ballads.” KHLOÉ KARDASHIAN…

ARIES You hate to compromise, but it’s not so bad to budge sometimes. So you know that ugly freshman-dorm-era lamp your roommate hates? Let it go. TAURUS Serious question: Why do you have two boxes filled with nail polish when you haven’t even painted your own nails in years? GEMINI Your personality may have two distinct sides, but you don’t need to keep those bodycon dresses just in case “2011 party girl” you comes back. CANCER It may physically pain you to get rid of printed photographs, but if you haven’t hung them up since your last move, they’ve gotta go. LEO Your shiny future will not be dimmed if you throw out some of the physical proof of your accomplishments. Do you really need that high school tennis trophy?…

My boyfriend is a typical Aries—and that sentence would make him roll his eyes. Because when it comes to astrology, my hypersensitive and free-spirited BF is a serious doubter. Sound familiar? It seems that, overall, women are naturally drawn to astrology…guys, not so much. In fact, the percentage of men who believe in astrology has actually gone down since 2009, according to the Pew Research Center (from 21 percent to 20 percent, but still!). Ironically, many astrologers believe that the reason men aren’t interested in the zodiac can be explained by…astrology. Corey Dowds, a 32-year-old male astrologer, says it all has to do with the Sun and Moon. Each sign is split into male and female energies. Male energy is like the Sun; female energy like the Moon. “The Sun…

best MASCARA “Guys, I promise the angled wand isn’t just for show. It’s perfectly bent so I can coat all my lashes (even the hard-to-reach inner corners) from root to tip without the usual bathroom-mirror aerobics.”—AK best LIQUID LINER “I used this to do my go-to winged liner look, then proceeded to sweat my ass off in a Megaformer Pilates class. It did not smudge or smear one bit. Pure magic.”—AK best BROW DEFINER “This gel answered all my prayers. It gave my typically sparse brows instant fullness, stayed put during the day, and didn’t require a degree in makeup artistry for clean application. Can I get an amen?”—AK best LASH TREATMENT “I swear my lashes looked way longer after using this for three months. And most important, I didn’t…

last New Year’s Eve was the worst my skin has ever been. I have a distinct memory of looking around the room while I got ready to go out with my friends and seeing a bunch of clear, smiling faces dancing around—then catching my own reflection in the mirror and seeing whiteheads and cysts all over my chin and jawline. My confidence plummeted, and that moment and how it made me feel is the only thing I remember about the entire night. I’m 24 years old—well past my teenage acne years—and I have a solid skin-care routine, eat healthy, and sleep a full eight hours. So why TF is my skin still revolting? Everyone keeps telling me I’ll “grow out” of it, but I’m really over waiting. Finally, I consulted…

i had heard rumors of so-called “foot-gasms” before, but they always sounded like the wishful thinking of people with more ~interesting~ fetishes than mine. I never thought one would happen to me, especially because feet, including my own, have always grossed me out. And yet, here comes the part where I tell you why that’s not the case anymore. In 2015, I was 29 years old and spending a month in Bali to surf and earn my yoga-teacher certification. Every morning, I’d run a mile along a dirt path from the yoga compound where I was staying to the Balian Beach market so I could stock up on chocolate, chips, candy, and anything caffeinated for myself and the other girls who couldn’t stand the strict yogi diet we’d been asked…

700 B.C.E. In Hesiod’s epic poetry, Zeus commissions Pandora, very possibly the first sexbot. 350 B.C.E. The sculptor Praxiteles creates a life-size statue of Aphrodite. Stains on her marble thighs are evidence of men’s secret relations with her. 8 C.E. As told in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Pygmalion falls in love with his ivory statue, Galatea, giving birth to the term pygmalionism, a sexual attraction to an object of one’s own creation. 1600s Lonely sailors bring dames de voyages, sex dolls made of cloth or old clothes, on long voyages. 1880s A British physician, Joseph Mor timer Granville, invents the first electromechanical vibrator. 1955 In Germany, stores sell novelty dolls inspired by a popular sexy comic-strip character, Bild Lilli (who is widely thought to have inspired Barbie). 1997 Matt McMullen, a sculptor…

For the realest body-language intel, it’s best to analyze a pic someone else has taken of you and bae. “You can control and manipulate a selfie,” explains Cobb, which makes it easy to distort how you two are really vibing with each other.…

It’s not that your classic vodka soda needs a tune-up—it’s just that it could be so much more blissful. Swap boring fizzy water for one of these CBD-infused seltzers (which can now be shipped around the country) to create a delicious chilled-out bev. PEACH GIN FIZZ PALOMA LIGHT BLOOD ORANGE MIMOSA…

If you thought burpees were a digestive issue until RTFN… Calm down with this chill spin on the OG exercise. Here’s the deal: Perform the move without the jump at the end, so you finish in the squat position. Phew. If you’ve flexed on a date before… Get your arms in on the action by, yes, adding in a push-up after you jump your legs back. Welcome to the gun show. If you’re on a first-name bas is with your boot - camp instructor… Thirsty for more? We gotchu. Throw in that push-up after you kick your legs behind you, and then as you jump, pull your knees up to your chest for an extra dose of cardio. The Sweat Situation…

INTENSITY RETINYL ESTERS These are the gent lest but also the weakest types of retinol, says Dr. Kenneth Howe. Consider them ideal for antiaging newbs and sensitive-skin types. Look for retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, and retinyl linole-ate on the label. BAKUCHIOL So this technically isn’t a retinoid, but it’s used in tons of products as a natural retinol alternative. The plant-based ingredient has been shown to work similarly to retinol but with photostability and fewer irritating side effects. RETINOL It’s in many OTC antiaging creams and serums. “Unlike st ronger retinoids, once absorbed by the skin, retinol needs to be conver ted into retinoic acid to bind to the skin’s retinoid receptors and work its magic,” says Dr. Howe. ADAPALENE This medication is most commonly used to treat acne, says…

COVER Sally LaPointe, sallylapointe.com for retailers. Misho, mishodesigns.com Jennifer Fisher, jenniferfisherjewelry.com AllSaints, us.allsaints.com Todd Snyder, toddsnyder.com Bobbi Brown, bobbibrowncosmetics.com TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 6: The Kooples, thekooples.com Mr Turk, mrturk.com AllSaints, us.allsaints.com Bally, bally.com GLOSS: THE NEW BOSS OF YOUR BEAUTY BAG PAGE 82: ASTR the Label, astrthelabel.com AUrate, auratenewyork.com Maison Miru, maisonmiru.com THE COOL KIDS PAGE 135: Bally, bally.com John Elliott, johnelliott.com Billy Reid, billyreid.com Dundas by Peter Dundas, dundasworld.com Jennifer Fisher, jenniferfisherjewelry.com MARAMCS, maramcs.com Rupert Sanderson, rupertsanderson.com PAGE 136: Chloé, Chloé bout iques. Michael Kors, michaelkors.com PAGE 137: Versace, versace.com PAGE 138: Sally LaPointe, sall y lapointe.com for retailers. Misho, mishodesigns.com Jennifer Fisher, jenniferfisherjewelry.com AllSaints, us.AllSaints.com Todd Snyder, toddsnyder.com PAGE 139: AllSaints, us.allsaints.com Ermanno Scervino, ermannoscervino.com Lana Jewelry, lanajewelry.com Bobbi Brown, bobbibrowncosmetics.com PAGE 140: AllSaints, lsaints.com Ermanno Scervino, ermannoscervino.com Lana Jewelry, lanajewelry.com PAGE 141: John El liott, johnelliott.com AllSaints, us.al lsaints.com Gola, golausa.com EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED (ACTUALLY: NEEDED) TO KNOW ABOUT RETINOL PAGE 148: First Aid Beauty, firstaidbeauty.com Patchology,…

+ I caught my BF in a major lie. “When I told my boyfriend I was worried he was seeing his ex again, he suggested a trust-building exercise: sharing his location with me from his phone. I felt like a creep, checking it every few minutes. He was always at home or a friend’s… or a department store, of all places. I sometimes met him at his house after these department-store runs and noticed he never had any bags. When I asked him about it, he said he was going just to look around. It was so bizarre. Finally, I did the Bad Thing: I went through his phone when he was asleep. I found texts from his ex, including one that said, ‘How funny would it be if you…

MY FAVORITE MURDER This isn’t just about having a thirst for true crime. This is your lifestyle. You carry pepper spray. Pod vibe: Hilarious female comedian BFFs shooting the shit. MARTINIS & MURDER You keep up with the cases everyone’s buzzing about to avoid true crime FOMO. Pod vibe: Tipsy hosts talk you through grisly stories while sipping cocktails. SOMEONE KNOWS SOMETHING It’s not enough to try to guess what happened, you want to see this thing get solved. Pod vibe: A very nice Canadian man revisits baffling cold cases. FEMALE CRIMINALS You’d never fangirl over a so-called charismatic male serial killer. You prefer more substance. Pod vibe: Two women share the stories of lady killers and analyze the psychology behind their crimes. MAN IN THE WINDOW (JUNE) Once you…

Astrology is amazing for predicting how baller you’ll feel next month or decoding your current “I hate everything and don’t know why” mood. That said, sometimes you just want to go a little deeper (and, okay, splurge on something cute for your coffee table). Tarot cards, like astrology, are a ~mystical~ way to form a deeper connection between yourself and the universe—and also not a bad party trick. But reading tarot can feel daunting because of how much you have to memorize and learn. We’re here to tell you something: It doesn’t have to be that way. Just follow our quick-start tarot guide and you’ll be a pro by the time your BFFs come over for drinks tonight. THREE EASY LAYOUTS Three-Card Spread This represents your past, present, and future.…

ARIES Dye your hair a dreamy new color. TAURUS Snag a tarot deck. See p.38 for inspo. GEMINI Saaave, sis. CANCER Get your BFF a gift (read: takeout). LEO Splurge on art for your place. VIRGO Pick up a navelgazey DNA kit. LIBRA Book an eeextra-long massage. SCORPIO Sign up for that $$$ workout class. SAGITTARIUS Spring for impractical but cute shoes. CAPRICORN Get a streaming subscription and binge everything. AQUARIUS Pick up some fresh,’grammable flowers. PISCES Feed your sweet tooth with the fanciest chocolate.…

best CONCEALER “I apply the hydrating serum first, then tap on the brightening concealer. It makes my dark circles disappear. It’s straight-up like my third tequila didn’t even happen.”—AMA KWARTENG, Beauty Assistant best FOUNDATION “I need a formula that will seamlessly cover my redness and dark spots but not veer into cake-face territory. This one does just that. A few drops make my skin look legit filtered—but not like I piled on a ton of makeup.”—LAUREN BALSAMO, Senior Beauty Editor best BRONZER “I’ve tried a lot of bronzers in my day (I’m from New Jersey, let me live, okay?), but this one ranks above them all. It is matte without being ashy and adds warmth to my skin but never looks orange.”—LB best BLUSH “Most cream blushes spend more time…

The Pretty-Packaging Champs Function of Beauty, $18 to $49, functionofbeauty.com HOW IT WORKS Based on your responses to a quick quiz (and some fancy data from MIT scientists), the brand is able to whip up a completely unique shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in treatment for your hair goals. You can choose the products’ shades (except for the leave-in) and scent, and each bottle has a personalized label. TESTER FEEDBACK “I loved how easy the quiz was—it literally took 30 seconds—and I was impressed with how this worked on my hair. My strands are straight but pretty fried (the consequence of a not-so-great bleach job). After using the trio for a few days, my hair felt soft and fluffy, like it does on my best hair days. And the scent I picked…

here’s your problem… This is what’s supposed to happen when you use dry shampoo: You spray or shake it onto your roots and then oil-absorbing powders soak up grease and neutralize odors. When you brush out your hair a few minutes later, the gunky powder theoretically gets brushed out too. Easy, right? Yeah, except that most of us just spray, wait exactly three seconds, then haphazardly rub at our roots as we’re running out the door—giving the product zero time to work its magic. So when a hairstylist recently told me to use it differently, my beauty brain malfunctioned. …and here’s your solution The key is to apply dry shampoo at night, instead of in the morning, to give the powder plenty of time to soak up new oils and sweat while…

men may not have periods or labor pains, but there is one unfair thing that comes with the territory of being biologically male: unexpected erections. The inconvenient boner coaxed by a buxom model on a pasta-sauce jar is a punch line in practically every coming-of-age movie. But deep in the subcategories of stiffies—somewhere between morning wood and immediate hard-ons for foreign accents—lies a very special thing called an emotional boner. True to its name, the emotional boner is spurred by feelings, just not sexual ones. Matt, 30, says he got one when the subject of getting hitched came up with his then-new(ish) girlfriend. “We weren’t having a serious talk about it, but I got an erection just at the thought of marriage,” Matt recalls. “Even more confusing was that it…

Vaginal mapping “sounds like a weekend in Yosemite,” says Sherry Ross, MD, an ob-gyn in Los Angeles and author of She-ology, “but it’s simply a practice that helps you understand your body.” One part holistic health pursuit, one part mind- and body-expanding exploration, the method is the latest movement in empowering women to better connect with their own bods. VM (also sometimes called vulva mapping) involves taking a very hands-on approach to determine the strength of—and any pain in—your pelvic floor. When done by a professional, a women’s health therapist will insert a gloved finger into your vagina to assess your muscles (you may be asked to squeeze, as if doing a Kegel) to spot any overly strong or weak areas. Then they might perform a pelvic-floor massage or start…

first, there were the chewable Flintstones your mom gave you in kindergarten, then the fruit-snack-style supplements you popped in college. Now, vitamins have adopted an edgier aesthetic. Ads for vitamin-infused vape pens star hot girls posing poolside in swimsuits and sports bras while clutching candy-colored sticks that emit thin wisps of smoke. Issa wellness mood, right? Companies market these disposable vaporizers filled with supplements, like vitamin B12 and echinacea, on social media as the cool new way to get your nutrients. There’s just one problem—they might not work at all. “There’s no evidence that inhaling vitamins through vaping has any benefit,” says Humberto Choi, MD, a pulmonologist with the Cleveland Clinic. And they’re not regulated by the FDA, meaning there’s no way to confirm they contain what they say they…

In a world full of overhyped and not-so-effective skin-care products, retinol (vitamin A) is the tried-and-true miracle-working ingredient your face truly needs. Basically, vitamin A and all its derivatives (more on that later) are the heavyweights of the beauty world, here to save you from all your most annoying skin issues. Looking to smooth your lines? Retinol. Want a brighter complexion and smaller-looking pores? Oh, hi, retinol. Need to clear up your breakouts? Retinol again. It works on a cellular level to increase cell turnover (aka your skin’s natural renewal process), signal collagen and elastin production (two proteins in skin responsible for its firmness and plumpness), and regulate oil production, explains NYC-based dermatologist Kenneth Howe, MD. But there’s a small catch: Retinol can be confusing as hell to use and…

OKAY, SO WHAT’S GOING ON WITH YOUR SKIN? I’M GETTING OLDER, S.O.S. HYPER-PIGMENTATION IS TAKING OVER MY FACE MY PORES ARE HUGE AND MY SKIN JUST LOOKS…MEH? I’M SEEING LINES (LIKE, A LOT OF THEM) Your Match PCA SKIN Intensive Brightening Treatment, $110 Say thank u, next to dark marks and acne scars. This 0.5 percent retinol is mixed with niacinamide, resveratrol, and hexylresorcinol to brighten skin and keep inflammation in check. Your Match ESTÉE LAUDER Perfectionist Pro Rapid Renewal Retinol Treatment, $82 Apply this nightly to give your skin a major glow-up. In the first month of use, you can expect to see smoother texture, teenier pores, and less dullness. Your Match NEUTROGENA Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Oil, $25 No, you do not need Botox right this second. Instead,…