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The Best Sandals For Women With Wide Feet

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Fashion has a long way to go until it reaches true inclusivity, but something exciting is happening: Several shoe designers have responded to women’s cry for stylish shoes for wide feet. And we’re pretty much doing cartwheels over it. 


These aren’t the same uninspired sandals we’re used to seeing in extended width sizes. These strappy numbers are truly current ― each pair looks exactly like the shoes we pine for, but would often struggle to find in our size.


Well, your day has come. The shoes are here. Take a scroll, add ‘em to your cart and then click your heels together. You’ve finally got a foot at the table.


-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.


Ashley Graham's Boyfriends Broke Up With Her For The Stupidest Reason

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Even supermodels have to deal with jerks. 


In a new interview with People magazine, Ashley Graham ― arguably the most well-known plus-size supermodel in the world ― said she relates to stories of body shaming from her younger fans because she’s experienced it herself with former boyfriends.


“Nothing’s actually surprised me. I’ve lived exactly what they’re living. I’ve lived the torment of the names. I’ve lived the torment of boyfriends breaking up with me because they were afraid I was going to be too fat later in life,” the 29-year-old model said at the Urban Arts Partnership 25th anniversary benefit.


“It’s the same cycle, it doesn’t matter what generation we are in,” she continued. “Every kid is going to go through the same thing.”


Though Graham said she still has her days of self-doubt (”I wake up sometimes and I think ‘I’m the fattest woman alive,’” she admitted), a simple, totally steal-worthy morning affirmation helps her get past it.


“It’s really about how you handle it when you wake up,” she told People. “I look in the mirror and I have my affirmations. And mine are simple. [I say] ‘You are bold. You are brilliant and you are beautiful.’ And then if my lower pooch is really puffing out that day, I say ‘Lower pooch you are cute’. And we have a moment. And if the hips are really popping I say ‘I love you too hips.’” 


That kind of self-love makes a huge difference ― but it doesn’t hurt to have a partner who totally adores you, too. For Graham, that’s her husband Justin Ervin, who was her friend before they started dating. The Vogue covergirl has been open about the couple’s decision to wait until marriage to have sex.


“There was already this sexual tension, this roaringness,” she told Entertainment Tonight last year. “We had already established such a friendship that we had the two combine. Which, in my mind, just made magic, because now not only am I sleeping with someone that I trust and I love, but I know that he wants me. He affirms me all the time and lets me know how sexy and beautiful I am.”



Husband & Wife

A post shared by A S H L E Y G R A H A M (@theashleygraham) on




D’aww. 


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This Congressional Candidate Once Posed For Maxim. Get Over It.

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Alejandra Campoverdi graduated from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, worked as a White House staffer for former President Barack Obama and, now, she’s running for Congress in California. She’s also modeled for men’s magazine Maxim.


That last part, Campoverdi argues in a recent essay for Cosmopolitan, shouldn’t make people question her ability to be a successful politician.  


“Sexism and misogyny are nothing new in politics. Female political staffers and politicians have been facing off-color comments and leering glances and have been excluded from ‘at capacity’ meetings for decades,” Campoverdi begins her essay. “In fact, I assumed I’d already faced my biggest dose of sexism back in 2009.”


The 38-year-old describes how she became the target of horrible sexism when she began her job as the first White House deputy director of Hispanic media in 2009. One week in, photos from an old photoshoot Campoverdi did for Maxim leaked to the press and her hard work and success were immediately questioned. 


“Right behind the photos followed the hotter, more humiliating blaze of unveiled snark that pointedly implied that I didn’t deserve what I’d accomplished and had been overambitious for even trying in the first place,” Campoverdi writes. 


She explains that she modeled for Maxim because she was working as an unpaid intern on then-Senator Obama’s presidential campaign. “My time as a model was short and it helped me pay some bills,” Campoverdi writes. 


Although Campoverdi worked through the sexist backlash she experienced, she says she wants to address the photos once and for all now that she’s running for Congress.  


“Men get to be broad and complicated and contradictory. Yet as women, we aren’t granted the whole person. We get typecast as the Sexy One, the Brainy One, the Girl Next Door,” Campoverdi writes. “... Women shouldn’t need to choose between being intelligent and being feminine. Female sexuality and intelligence are not inversely related.” 


Campoverdi explains that we need to accept women as multi-dimensional people who can be intelligent, sexual and determined all at the same time. She writes: 



I’m proud of the mosaic of experiences that make me who I am. My life experiences have forged me into a fighter and that’s why I decided that I won’t let others’ boxes stop me from doing what needs to be done — running for office, standing up to Trump and Republicans, and standing up for women in Los Angeles.


... From this generation forward, every woman will have grown up in the digital age where, unless she sat in a turtleneck at home for all her teens, she will have pictures readily available online that can be used to shame her. And if these women decide to sit this one out because of that, we will miss out on talented, transformational women leaders in every public-facing field, especially politics. This will be a loss for our country and our future.



As Campoverdi writes towards the end of her essay: “Now more than ever, we must recognize and accept the complexity of real women, and celebrate them in their quest for leadership roles.”


We could not agree more.


Head over to Cosmopolitan to read Campoverdi’s full essay. 

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

Can The Kardashians Survive In The Trump Era?

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In October, the Kardashians will officially celebrate 10 years on television. In that time, the family has managed to cram 13 seasons’ worth of bickering, bonding, pregnancies, weddings and trips to their cosmetic surgeon into their flagship reality series, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.”


Ten years on television is impressive for any show, let alone a reality series, which more often than not creates just fleeting moments of fame for its stars. But the Kardashians aren’t just reality stars, they’re the first family of reality TV.


When E!’s “KUWTK” premiered on Oct. 14, 2007, George W. Bush was president, American troops had been fighting in Iraq for four years, the financial crisis was just beginning to devastate the economy and Trump was hosting a reality show on NBC. A modern-day “Brady Bunch” reality program about a wealthy, obnoxious, blended Hollywood family was a welcome distraction for viewers dealing with difficult times.


The show was such a hit that the network renewed it for a second season after only weeks on the air. The Kardashians’ success only grew over time and the family left competitors in the genre, like “Gene Simmons’ Family Jewels” and “Hogan Knows Best” in its dust. But America has changed a lot in a decade, and the Kardashian’s brand of frivolous escapism might not suit these times quite as well. Some, in fact, even blame the Kardashian Klan for the subsequent elevation of reality TV stars into prominent public figures.



In January, longtime Kardashian critic Chelsea Handler told Variety that she “blamed” the famous family for the way the media covered Trump during the election, which she believed subsequently aided his victory.


“They were treating him as an entertainer first. It was a reality show. We’ve turned into a reality show. I blame the Kardashians, personally; the beginning of the end was the Kardashians,” Handler said. “The way these people have blown up and don’t go away — it’s surreal. Everyone is for sale.”


Handler’s blame feels slightly misplaced, but she’s not wrong about the comparison. We rely on the Kardashians to flaunt their wealth, feud with fellow celebrities, and entertain us with their personal drama and over-the-top antics. (Surprise engagements! Attempts to contact the dead a with creepy medium! Ugly crying!) But the Kardashians begin to feel redundant when the president of the United States is a ratings-obsessed self-proclaimed billionaire who picks fights with Meryl Streep, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Snoop Dogg, and talks about his cabinet choices as though he were handing out roses on “The Bachelor.”






It might seem cruel to compare the Kardashians to Trump, as they actually promote a lot of progressive values, including championing the transgender community. Plus Kim has openly supported Hillary Clinton, frequently promotes gun control and, after Trump instituted his travel ban, she even tweeted out a statistical graphic showing that Americans are more likely to die by being shot by another American than by an Islamic jihadist. And while Trump is rumored to be a “never-nude,” the Kardashians wouldn’t fall into that category. But make no mistake: Both the Kardashians and Trump are operating out of the same reality TV playbook that calls for conflict, misdirection, manipulation and scandals allegedly featuring golden showers.


Trump has been president for nearly 60 days, yet he’s still acting as though he’s starring on “The Apprentice” ― and it seems intentional. Between the endless leaks and reported infighting among Trump’s top aides, there is no shortage of drama coming from the White House. 






“I don’t think it’s surprising that conflict is being stoked, created, and encouraged [within Trump’s staff],” Jeff Jenkins, a co-president at the production company behind “KUWTK,” told Vanity Fair in December“I think the sad and horrifying reality from my perspective is that all of that conflict and all of those small skirmishes ... that’s just a smoke screen. We, as citizens, are getting distracted. It’s an unfortunate technique, but it’s effective.”



Given that the news is already saturated with reports that Trump hates the way press secretary Sean Spicer dresses, will anyone care the next time Kanye West overhauls Kim’s closet? Or with rumblings that White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus are at war with one another for control, is there any room to mull over whether or not Kim invited Blac Chyna to a baby shower? When Trump uses both his personal and official presidential Twitter accounts to attack Nordstrom for dropping his daughter Ivanka’s clothing line, does that leave room for us to care if Khloe comes to Kim’s defense when Amber Rose calls her a “whore”? And with Trump’s completely unsubstantiated claims that Obama wiretapped his phones during the campaign, it’s unlikely anyone will raise their eyebrows the next time Kim gets paranoid and accuses her BFF Jonathan Cheban of leaking stories to the press. 


The Kardashians thrived in the Obama era, but Trump’s win has prompted somewhat of a shift in celebrity coverage. Although sex will always sell, these days, a female celebrity can get just as much, if not more, attention for voicing her political views as she can for posting a bikini photo on Instagram.


This poses a problem for the Kardashians, who rely on beachside bikini photos, nude selfies and the public tittering over their cleavage to generate headlines. Now, that’s not to say the Kardashians aren’t political at times, nor that they’re entirely flippant. But there are already signs the Kardashians’ spotlight is dimming.


Part of their current strategy has been to use their “KUWTK” show as a commercial platform for their larger empire. Even though they split a six-figure salary per episode, the real money is in the endorsement deals, clothing lines, video games and lip kits. But staying on TV is paramount to their continued exposure, marketing and success. Which is why declining viewership is such a concern. Season 12, which aired from May to November 2016, resulted in the show’s lowest ratings ever. The premiere of Season 13, which aired on Sunday night, was watched by 1.48 million viewers ― making it the series’ least-watched season premiere since 2008.


One theory for the drop in viewership is that the Kardashians have actually been undermining audience interest in “KUWTK” with their amped-up social media presence. The show has historically been used as a platform for major announcements to mine for ratings, but by the time the episode rolls around these days, the pregnancy reveals, engagements and cover shoots are old news. Some of this can be attributed to the fact that the Kardashians have been sharing much more about their personal lives with their increased focus on Snapchat, their personal apps and live-stream chats.


“When people looked at me in a way like, ‘Why is she stepping into the tech world? That’s not her territory! Stick to reality TV!’ I was like, ‘No,’” Kim told Forbes in July. “This is fun for me. Now I’m coming up with Kimojis and the app and all these other ideas. I don’t see myself stopping.”


And considering Kim told “60 Minutes” she owes her career to social media, it seems the Kardashians are willing to keep embracing more social platforms at the risk of losing TV viewers. Bypassing the networks, cultivating their own audiences on social media so they can speak directly to the public. Hmm. Where have we heard of that before?


Ironically, Kim’s three-month hiatus could actually be a boon to the show if viewers tune in to see what she was up to during her social media blackout. It seems that’s what “KUWTK,” which bills itself as a way for fans to go behind the headlines and separate fact from fiction, is banking on.


Fans who tuned in on Sunday night were no doubt expecting the season to start with Kim opening up about her October Paris robbery, which is what the trailer for the show certainly implied. Instead, viewers were treated to one of the most boring hours of television, consisting of the eldest three Kardashian sisters arguing about whether or not they should close their line of clothing stores and Khloe revealing her relationship with NBA player Tristan Thompson (which she already confirmed via Snapchat in September). Viewers will have to watch next week’s episode if they want to learn what really went down in Paris ― a clever and somewhat deceptive ratings tactic.


Beyond the drop in ratings, there are other signs the Kardashian era is ending. The family is actually losing ground on social media. In fact, Kim hasn’t been the most-followed person on Instagram since August 2015 and was quickly usurped by Taylor Swift. Today, she’s been bumped down to the fifth most-followed person, while Selena Gomez holds the top honor. On Twitter, Katy Perry, who is trying her hand at politically tinged music for the first time, is the most-followed, while Kim sits at No. 13 and Khloe ranks all the way at No. 56. It’s only on Snapchat where Kylie Jenner continues to reign supreme. The 19-year-old is still the most-followed person on the app “by a long-shot.”


But a more general indicator that the Kardashians should be worried is a decline in overall search. A chart in Google Trends for the term “Kim Kardashian” shows a clear dip in the months after Kardashian’s robbery.



Though it remains to be seen if Kim’s post-robbery break will actually increase interest in the show, the three months in which she retreated from the public eye coincided with Trump’s win. In that time, most of Hollywood responded with loud cries of resistance. Patton Oswalt has generated seemingly endless headlines with his tweets about Trump and managed to raise his overall public profile in the process. Likewise, celebrities including Tom Hanks, Amy Schumer and Meryl Streep garnered more attention for their clear anti-Trump sentiments than for their professional projects in recent months.


No one can blame Kim for taking time to recover from her traumatic experience. But with the exception of the aforementioned tweet that appeared to criticize Trump’s travel ban, neither Kim nor her sisters have made any statements concerning Trump or his policies. That’s not to say they owe anyone their political opinions. Still, if we’re looking at strategies to help keep them relevant, it’s certainly an idea.


Consider that while E! saw a 3 percent decline in viewership in 2016, cable news networks enjoyed massive ratings increases ahead of the election. CNN saw a 77 percent jump in overall viewers, while MSNBC increased its viewership by 87 percent. Ratings have dipped in 2017, but cable news networks are still seeing impressive numbers compared to this time last year. Meanwhile, TV comedians are mercilessly skewering the president and reaping the rewards of what’s been dubbed the “Trump bump.” “Saturday Night Live” is having its highest-rated season in 24 years, “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” has seen a huge surge in overall viewership, and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” has been dominating late-night for six consecutive weeks amid rumors NBC is pressuring “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon to “get more political” in light of his own declining viewership.


So while a change in strategy might seem like the obvious answer for the Kardashians, that could backfire, too. If audiences were looking for a way to escape when “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” premiered in 2007, that doesn’t seem to be the case now. Even if the Kardashians were to suddenly begin featuring episodes with intense political discourse instead of bikini-baring family vacations, it’s doubtful it would affect their ratings issue. Just look at what happened when Caitlyn Jenner tried to showcase actual issues faced by the transgender community on “I Am Cait.” The show was heralded by critics as groundbreaking and lauded for sparking important conversations, but it was canceled after two seasons due to low ratings.  


No, it doesn’t seem productive to ask the Kardashians to change, but they don’t seem too worried yet. Of course, they’d never talk about something as uncouth as ratings. To be fair, despite the decline in viewership, the show isn’t in any immediate danger of being canceled, since E! still considers it “one of the most-watched series in cable.”


Ten years is a long time to dominate the world of reality TV. While the stars of once-successful shows like “The Simple Life,” The Hills” and “The Jersey Shore” have more or less faded into obscurity, the Kardashians understood how to perpetually keep themselves in the spotlight. Now that the country has its hands full keeping up with Trump, perhaps the Kardashians can take some time off and ready themselves for when Kanye runs for president in 2020 ... or 2024.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

Awesome Teen Made Her Sister A Shirt That Exposes The Sexism Of Dress Codes

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When 13-year-old Grace Villegas wore a long-sleeve, off-the-shoulder shirt to school this week, she didn’t expect her teachers to comment on it. But that’s exactly what happened.


Villegas told Yahoo Style that her Charlotte Russe shirt led teachers at her Kansas middle school to give her “looks that made me uncomfortable in my own skin.” The teen also said that several teachers made comments about the amount of skin she was exposing.


According to her older sister, Isabella, 18, one teacher told Grace that “she was revealing too much chest and shoulders,” and another told her, “You’re just making bad decisions today, Grace.” Isabella told The Huffington Post that Grace eventually changed outfits due to the shame she felt. 


When the teen got home and told her older sister what had happened, Isabella was angry. So she decided to channel that frustration into a statement-making T-shirt. 



I wanted girls to know that they don’t have to stay quiet.
Isabella Villegas, 18


The shirt Isabella made outlines her issues with school dress codes and the way they are enforced ― specifically when it comes to young women. The tee reads:



DRESS CODE:


-promotes the objectification & sexualization of young bodies


-blames the wearer for the onlooker’s perceptions/actions


-perpetuates rape culture


-is BS



Later that evening, she tweeted about it: 






The tweet gained significant traction. As of Friday, it has nearly 1,200 retweets and 3,000 likes. And hundreds of people have tweeted back at Isabella. 


The 18-year-old told HuffPost that while she doesn’t think dress codes should be completely abolished, they shouldn’t exist as tools of shame. 


“Young girls should not be shamed for showing their shoulders and other non-sexual parts of their body for non-sexual reasons,” she said. “[Grace] went in feeling confident, and left feeling like her teachers no longer view her as the good student she is. I wanted girls to know that they don’t have to stay quiet.” 


H/T Yahoo Style

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15 Yellow Dresses For Brides Who Want To Channel Their Inner Belle

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The last few months have been “Beauty and the Beast” mania, with catchy music medleys, sweet photo shoots and wedding themes all inspired by the movie. And with the live-action flick hitting theaters on Friday, the craze shows no signs of stopping. 


For brides who want to channel their inner Belle on the big day, we’ve compiled 15 yellow wedding gowns that look like a ray of fairytale sunshine. 



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New Perfume Promises The Fragrance Of A Kitten's Neck

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If you enjoy the gentle nuzzle from a soft, tiny kitten, we’ve got good news. Demeter Fragrance Library, a New York-based company that develops fragrances based on everyday scents, has developed a new perfume that will bring memories of a dozen kitten cuddles.


Get ready to spritz yourself with Demeter’s “Kitten Fur.”


“Now after 15 years of effort, Demeter has captured the olfactory essence of the warmth and comfort of that purrfect spot, just behind kitten’s neck,” the company wrote on its website. 


The scent of “Kitten Fur” is being sold in several Demeter products, including cologne, roll-on perfume oil, body lotion, shower gel and a diffuser oil, in case you wanted an entire room to smell like one giant kitten.


Prices range from $6 for a half-ounce of cologne to $39.95 for four ounces of cologne.




Demeter develops and sells of wide range of scents, including more traditional fragrances such as “Jasmine” and “Sweet Orange,” or peculiar ones like “Popcorn,” “Earthworm” and “Fuzzy Balls.” (The last one, in case you were curious, smells like “the woosh of a freshly opened can of tennis balls.”)


But it isn’t the first company to attempt to emulate the scent of cat.


Felissimo, a Japanese mail-order company, in 2015 developed a fabric spray that smells like a cat’s head, which is supposedly similar to baked bread. The company recently developed a lip gloss that is said to feel like a cat’s wet nose.


So what does a kitten’s neck smell like? 


Demeter’s Facebook fans said their cats smell like a number of different things, including honey, baby powder and cinnamon spice bread, and a combination of a “newborn baby, a freshly baked loaf of bread and the scent of home.” At least one person suggested “litter dust and cat spit.”


Whatever the fragrance ends up smelling like, let’s just hope it smells more sweet than foul, and it doesn’t trigger cat allergies.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

Candice Huffine Explains Why 'You Look So Skinny' Isn't A Compliment

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Candice Huffine has some thoughts about the words we use to deliver praise ― and they just might change your thoughts, too. 


The plus-size model and body positive advocate shared a gym selfie last week, wearing a pulled-up T-shirt to expose her stomach. Quoting from a journal entry she wrote a year ago, Huffine wondered why we value being called “skinny” instead of being admired for strength, fitness and ability.


“In my experience the times I’ve slimmed down the most have been preceded by stress, a break up, lack of self-care, something traumatic. How come people don’t ever say ‘You look so fit, ‘Wow, you are so strong’ or ‘You run so fast and far now?!’” she wrote. 




“It’s always about size, not ability,” she wrote, adding, “sometimes it overjoys us for someone to say we shrunk. Well, I’ve changed by mindset once and for all. My stomach can jiggle and roll up when I sit for all of eternity, but if I can be healthy and strong and finish this race, then I’m complete.”


The memory was pretty timely for Huffine, who ran a half-marathon just a few days after posting the photo. She says that she is now the best shape of her life.


“Tummy still has rolls and I feel unstoppable,” she wrote.  


Her post hits home, making a valid point about the pressure we put ourselves under to look a certain way. It’s an inspiring reminder that we are perfect just the way we are, no matter our size.


“There’s no perfect body,” she wrote. “The one you have right now is amazing. Let it lead you to perfect days, finish lines, happy times and fun. Take in compliments that inspire you and give ones that empower.”


We know one thing is for sure: We’re going to think twice about the way we both deliver and receive compliments from now on. 


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The Best And Most Popular Bachelor And Bachelorette Party Songs

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Whether the bachelor or bachelorette party you’re throwing is a four-day extravaganza in Mexico or a one-day event in your local town, party attendees have one job: Make sure the bachelor or bachelorette is having a wildly good time. And music playlists are a key part of that.


Spotify recently released the most popular bachelor and bachelorette party songs, based on all the “bachelor party” and “bachelorette party” playlists users made on the app.


Coming in at number one for bachelor party playlists is “Ni**as In Paris” by Jay Z, followed by “Yeah!” by Usher. 





Naturally, the number-one song women love to blast on bachelorette parties is Beyonce’s “All The Single Ladies,” followed by “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls. 


Check out more of the top party hits below. 




-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

Lipstick Under A Microscope Is Insanely Gorgeous, One Science Teacher Discovers

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For Allure, by Macaela Mackenzie.



It’s not often the the science behind beauty products is revealed. Enter The Scientific Mom, who put her lipstick under a microscope to take an in-depth look at what was really going on. We talk all day long about the beauty benefits of innovations in the lab—from reformulated shampoos for your scalp, to Technicolor blonde techniques, to new school face-lifts, and facial oils that spent five years in the lab before hitting shelves—but rarely do we get to see it in action.


Amy Oyler, a science teacher in Arizona and the blogger behind The Scientific Mom, put some of her favorite lipsticks on slides for an at-home experiment with her daughter to see the difference between gloss, sparkle silky, and matte formulas. The resulting looks are even prettier than what the lipsticks look like IRL—under the microscope, crystals and pretty pigments come to life in a kaleidoscope of colors. "As with many of the explorations in science that my daughter and I embark on, this became quite the adventure in learning and discovery,” Oyler shared in an interview with Bustle. “Soon, we were diving deep in the chemistry of makeup, the bonding of atoms through electrons, the physics of light, and how this all interacts with the makeup and colors we love to wear. It truly became a blend of art, science, and the thrill of discovery while learning about the makeup we love to use.”



Their findings were pretty cool. For example, “pink” lipstick is actually made of dozens of different shades of pigment—pinks, purples, reds, even blues and greens—blended by a cosmetic chemist to give the shade a truly unique hue; pearly glosses like Benefit Ultra Plush Lip Gloss in Dandelion are actually full of teeny, rainbow-colored crystals (a mineral called “bismuth” in the lab) that give the gloss its shine; and matte lipsticks look just as different when you peer into their chemical structure as they do on your lips. Under the microscope, matte formulas appear to have thick “bands” between clusters of pigment, while silky formulas look wet and uniform, since they’re held together more tightly with shiny oils and waxes, says Oyler.


Next up, more makeup experimentation! Olyer says now that she's put lipstick under a microscope, she’ll be exploring all corners of her makeup bag—from shadows to highlighters in the name of pretty scientific discovery. “It's been a wonderful way to share the beauty of science, and show that science can be found in just about every corner,” she said. “Even in your lipstick drawer.”


More from Allure:


The 10 Best Mascaras Under $20


The 9 Prettiest Date-Night Makeup Looks


Find the Best Haircut for Your Face Shape


20 Celebrities Who Look Surprisingly Different Without Their Signature Looks


7 Weird Tricks for Looking Great in Photos


10 Celebrity Hairstyles That Make You Look 10 Years Younger



-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

Lena Dunham Responds To Perez Hilton's Instagram Posts About Her

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Red carpet appearances are pretty much a non-negotiable item on the long list of celebrity responsibilities. But Lena Dunham is here to remind you that of her many, many jobs, trying to be a perfect fashion plate all the time isn’t one of them.


Dunham fired back “with love” at Perez Hilton after he posted two photos of her over the weekend. “Nice to see her trying!” he wrote on one. He asked readers to caption another themselves. 







Fill In The Blank! @LenaDunham ____________.

A post shared by Coco Perez (@cocoperezinsta) on




Hilton isn’t known for keeping his opinions to himself, but then, neither is Dunham. She was quick to leave a thoughtful comment in response.


“I try at a lot of things,” she wrote. “Mostly I try at being a writer, director, actor, activist, friend, sibling, partner, Godmother.... Fashion is fun but sometimes I’d rather not spend 3 hours and lots of cash I could give to charity or spend on books and food to get ready to go out. [There are a lot of] different ways to be a public figure and I think there’s room for us to occasionally show up in public like normal people do. When I look at that picture you subjected to ‘caption this’ criticism, I see a day well-spent writing, reading, having tea with a friend. It’s unfortunate that the days you approve of most are the ones where I’m spending the least time on what really matters. With love, Lena.”


Hilton wrote in his comments that her response was “well said,” claiming neither of the two photos was meant as criticism. He then shared Dunham’s comment as its own photo, to which she replied, “thanks for sharing xx.”



Lena posted this on our last photo. Well-said! PerezHilton.com/LenaDunham

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So, no harm no foul? Not quite.


The sentiment that anyone, famous or otherwise, should be valued for how hard they “try” or how good they look on the red carpet is ridiculous, and not specific to Dunham. And while great style should be celebrated, we’re also pretty adamant that things like a fancy dress or a person’s weight, which Dunham also recently addressed, doesn’t enhance or diminish a person’s worth.


We could all stand to keep this notion in mind when it comes to celebrities, the red carpet, and the way we talk about them both. 


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Baby Luna Is Living Her Best Life In Morocco. You Can Do The Same.

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Who wouldn’t want to live like Luna Stephens and visit Morocco?


Chrissy Teigen and John Legend’s daughter accompanied her parents on vacation to this land of mosques, medinas and markets, and the photos and videos are precious. 







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First bow!

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Ah!!! So many firsts

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Even if Luna isn’t your travel buddy, Morocco is worth a trip. The teeming city of Marrakech was named TripAdvisor’s top destination in the world in 2015, and Fez is equally mesmerizing


Here are some sights to plan your own jaunt around: 


Jemaa el-Fnaa


This iconic, action-packed market in Marrakech offers everything from snake charmers to fresh-squeezed juices to ostrich eggs, kebabs and musical performances.



Chefchaouen


Alleyways, walls and doors come in various photo-ready shades of blue at this historic village in the Rif Mountains.



Ben Youssef Madrasa


Students came to this school in the UNESCO World Heritage-approved Medina of Marrakech to study the Quran. You may find yourself inspecting the school’s intricate architecture, too.



Chouara Tannery


This working tannery in Fez still operates much as it did in the 11th century. Watch the action from a leather shop on a nearby terrace.



Casablanca


Hassan II Mosque and its sky-high minaret await in this city that inspired the famous movie.



Happy travels!


 


CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified Luna’s last name. It’s Stephens, her father’s legal name. 

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Stretch Marks Star In Target's New, Unretouched Swim Ads

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What has stretch marks, cellulite and beautiful body positivity all over? A lot of people, for starters, but also Target’s latest swimwear campaign.


The retail giant’s ongoing efforts to be more inclusive now include a fabulous photoshoot showing off its new swim line. The images feature a range of bodies and, best of all, the photos are completely unretouched, Target said. 



Model and body activist Denise Bidot, television host and model Kamie Crawford, social media star and dancer Megan Batoon and pro skateboarder Lizzie Armanto star in the refreshing campaign. 


Target’s move toward inclusion has been reflected in its offerings in general. The retailer earned praise in 2015 for an starring ad women of all different shapes and sizes; that same year, Target Australia cast a woman in her 50s to model a two-piece. Circulars regularly feature representation in many forms including children with disabilities, and Target began phasing out gender-specific labeling in sections like bedding and toys back in 2015.



Ava & Viv, Target’s fashion forward plus-size line, helped salvage the chain’s reputation among plus-size shoppers who were upset by offensively mislabeled clothing one very unfortunate maternity mix-up. Just last week the store also revealed plus sizes of its upcoming Victoria Beckham line will be stocked in stores; Target was previously criticized for only selling larger sizes of its designer collaborations online.



The ads mark the second time in recent memory Bidot has been photographed for a campaign with her stretch marks unretouched. A previous Lane Bryant ad debuted in Dec. 2016 and ended up in the 2017 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. “Loving my body, stretch marks and all,” she wrote in a caption of the image on Instagram when it was first revealed. 


Ditching Photoshop is a smart way to boost sales ― just ask Aerie, which saw a 20 percent growth in sales in the 2015 fiscal year after going Photoshop-free for its #AerieReal mission. But there’s something else at play here, too: Target is strengthening a connection to its customers that is already proving effective and necessary. A commenter on Target’s announcement of the news wrote it’s the “first time that I’ve ever looked at a swim suit ad and felt like ‘I would look good in that swim suit!’”


More like this forever, please. 



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Need A Break From Bad News? Watch Prince Harry Hang With Some Cute Kids

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Prince Harry surpassed both the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as our favorite royal a long time ago, thanks to initiatives like the Invictus Games and getting tested for H.I.V. with Rihanna in Barbados. 


But the best Harry sightings happen when he’s shelling out hugs or, as proven by these photos and videos, simply hanging out with a bunch of cute kids


Harry visited a school in Leicester, England on Tuesday to learn about a program that “uses peer mentors to inspire others in overcoming barriers to learning.” He spent most of that time tugging at our heartstrings. 






Watch him jam to the beat during a chorus performance:






And watch as he “strikes a pose,”  as Daily Mail reporter Rebecca English wrote: 






He even made car noises, for prince’s sake:






And listened on as the kids talked about their dreams for the future:






Overall it looked like a great day for the students and Prince Harry. And in these trying times, it serves as a much-needed break from the many less cute news stories flooding our feeds. Thanks, Harry. 


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This Awesome Family Jumped Around In The Mud For A Maternity Photo Shoot

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A fun-loving Texas family turned an ordinary maternity photo shoot into muddy adventure.


While expecting their third child, Jon and Brittany Barton of Waxahachie hired photographer Elaine Baca of Lane B Photography to take family maternity pictures with their other two children, 4-year-old Declan and 2-year-old Noah. Due to some weather issues, the shoot got a little ... messy.



“Lately in Texas when it rains it pours,” Baca told The Huffington Post. “In the weeks leading up to the maternity session, the rain was relentless. We had rescheduled the session a couple of times already, and Brittany was quickly approaching the end of her pregnancy ― so we knew he might come any day.”


Baca knew Brittany and Jon were outdoorsy and wanted to keep the shoot outside, so the photographer suggested something a bit unconventional. 


“They have a huge backyard which backs up to a field and I knew it had lots of muddy puddles, so I asked her what she thought about playing in the rain and ending with a mud fight,” Baca explained. Brittany didn’t even hesitate to give the go-ahead. 



On the day of the shoot, the Bartons posed for a few conventional photos before letting loose in the mud. Brittany, Jon, Declan and Noah all got their hands dirty, though Baca said the parents had the most fun.


“They weren’t just casually throwing mud, they were chunking it at each other!” she recalled. “Declan was worried about getting his white shirt muddy so it took some convincing before he started having fun. The boys still talk about how much fun they had.”


Brittany was 38 weeks along in her pregnancy during the photo shoot, and she gave birth to a baby boy just nine days later. The couple named their son Matthew. 



The joy-filled photos from the maternity session epitomize how much the Bartons love spending time together, Baca told HuffPost. 


“For me, photo sessions are all about preserving memories and making new ones. With small children it’s about remembering their ever-changing personalities and quirks that make them unique,” she explained, adding that she hopes families who see her photos will opt for candid, documentary-style sessions in the future.


“With this genre of photography, parents don’t have to stress about getting their little ones to sit still and look at the camera and kids get to be kids while doing something everyone enjoys.”


Keep scrolling for more awesome photos from the Bartons’ muddy maternity shoot.


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Selena Gomez Trademarks Her Name For One Very Interesting Reason

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From her hit single with Kygo “It Ain’t Me” to her blossoming relationship with The Weeknd, Selena Gomez has already had quite the busy year. Based on this news, it looks like it’s about to get busier.


Recent reports of legal documents obtained by TMZ show that Gomez has filed papers to trademark her name. The trademark would guarantee that the actress is the only Selena Gomez in entertainment, and give her more control over Selena Gomez “fan club services.”


However, there’s one small part of her trademark request stands out as far more interesting. Gomez has filed to have her name trademarked for jewelry and necklaces as well. Could there be a Selena Gomez accessories line coming our way?


This wouldn’t be Gomez’s first time dabbling in the fashion world. She had a clothing line for KMart in 2010, and sold quite a lot of merchandise during of her “Revival” concert tour, so it wouldn’t be all that surprising for her next step to be in jewelry.


After all, in her recent “73 Questions” interview with Vogue she did give quite a telling answer to one particular question:



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Twitter Lights Into Roger Stone For Dressing As A 'Cat Burglar' During Interview

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On Monday, Donald Trump’s friend and adviser Roger Stone responded to claims he was currently under FBI investigation for possibly communicating with Russia to affect the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.


Stone appeared on InfoWars to defend his stance. But instead of focusing on what Stone was saying, more people were concerned with what he was wearing


















Certain Twitter users thought Stone looked similar to fashion icon Iris Apfel and and actor Samuel L. Jackson’s signature looks: 










Some thought he looked like a member of the Black Panther party: 










Other users compared his outfit to the Joker’s goons: 


 










And a cartoon character:  






But still, nothing trumps Stone’s Inauguration day outfit






Which also garnered a lot of attention: 










In addition to his ever-evolving roles within the Republican party, Stone also runs a style blog called Stone on Style.


The blog, which isn’t updated often, praises “well dressed gent” Milo Yiannopoulos and “primo blonde bombshell” Tomi Lahren for their style on his best dressed list. Unsurprisingly, Hillary Clinton, Michael Moore and David Brock made Stone on Style’s worst dressed list. 


The HuffPost Lifestyle newsletter will make you happier and healthier, one email at a time. Sign up here.


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Misty Copeland Explains Why Emotional Strength Is Her Beauty Secret

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Misty Copeland has a pretty straightforward message for all the magazine cover women who claim “water and sleep” are the secrets to their beauty and health: “Shut up!”


In her new book, Ballerina Body, published by Grand Central Life & Style on March 21, Copeland discusses the lifelong habits ― both physical and mental ― that have helped her achieve the body of a ballerina. And while she hardly denounces the benefits of water and sleep, she’s quick to correct anyone who claims those two simple necessities are sufficient beauty “secrets.”


In fact, in a segment with CBS This Morning, the American Ballet Theater icon, who made history in 2015 when she became the company’s first black female principal dancer, explained why mental discipline and emotional strength are just as crucial to her health as drinking water, sleeping, and any other aspects of her extremely disciplined dieting and exercise regimes. 


“Performing live, just dealing with all of the pressure and what it is to be in a competitive field ―  I think it’s so important to be mentally and emotionally prepared and strong,” she told CBS. “I think every woman, every person can relate to that. It’s not just about being physically strong, it’s about believing in yourself.”





Ballerina Body is Copeland’s first health and fitness book, which provides step-by-step advice, meal plans and workout routines for women looking to emulate Copeland’s fitness regimen. The book, Copeland says, is geared to anyone and everyone (though the introduction singles out women) who wants to enact the kind of long-term change she embarked upon to achieve her physique. 


Copeland’s figure does not reflect the centuries-old ballerina ideal: impossibly long, lean and white. And she acknowledges this, and how her presence as an acclaimed ballerina has subsequently helped reshape the image of a dancer onstage. “It’s no longer about looking childlike and brittle,” she writes. “We are real women and ballerinas, and we, as well as those who aspire to a similar physical ideal, want to be lean but also muscular, feminine but also strong, lithe but also curvaceous.”


While her form doesn’t necessarily adhere to outdated conventions, Copeland’s body is still nothing short of exceptional, requiring diligent exercise and self-control. But, aside from the book’s emphases on sculpting “toned derrières” and “crystal-cut curves,” Copeland focuses on the mindful attitudes necessary for success, too. The first section of her book is aptly devoted to topics related to the “Mind,” and outlines how Copeland herself built up the emotional strength necessary for her career longevity.


“It took me my entire career, I think, to really understand how to take care of my body,” she told CBS. “To respect it. To understand that I’m an athlete and that it’s a long journey of figuring these things out. That it’s about creating your own version of a healthy image ― of a ballerina body.”



Ballerina Body is available on Amazon or at your local bookstore


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Children's Place Is Selling Some Seriously Empowering T-Shirts For Girls Right Now

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We all know who runs the world by now, but some retailers have yet to get the message. Case in point: the 5-year-old girl who wrote a letter to GAP recently asking for “cool girl’s shirts.” 


Luckily, a member of HuffPost Parents’ So You Want To Raise A Feminist Facebook group pointed out this line of hyper-empowering shirts for girls currently on sale at The Children’s Place.


The “Girls Can Do It All” emoji shirt shows a female police officer, doctor, construction worker and scientist, and other shirts bear girl-power slogans like “Girls Will Change The World” and “Never Underestimate The Power Of A Girl.” The designs also emphasize the power of being smart (”Smart Girls Rule,” “Smart Is The New Pretty,”) and give props to strong moms (”Fabulous Smart Flawless Like My Mom,”) (“My Mom: Superhero Role Model Best Friend”). 


The collection can be found in the “#GirlPower Shop” section, which is under a banner reading “Nothing is more fashionable than confidence.” 


Usually $10.50, the shirts are all currently on sale for $5.25 each. Scroll through to see some of our favorites. 



The HuffPost Parents newsletter, So You Want To Raise A Feminist, offers the latest stories and news in progressive parenting.

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Ivanka Trump Prohibited Her Brand From Using Her Face. It's Not Enough, Says An Ethics Expert.

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Ivanka Trump has prohibited her eponymous fashion label from using her likeness in campaigns and social media, in yet another superficial attempt to distance herself from her business. A spokeswoman for the Ivanka Trump brand confirmed Tuesday that employees have begun working with stores to remove any imagery featuring the president’s daughter. 


The news follows the revelation that Trump is getting an office in the White House as well as security clearance and government-issued “communications devices.” Though she reportedly won’t hold an official title or relieve a salary, the move signals a larger role for Ivanka in President Donald Trump’s administration, making her essentially a full-time staffer in “everything but name,” according to Politico.


To the extent such a thing is possible, the news elevates concerns over the Trump family’s business conflicts of interest. If removing her photo from Ivanka Trump products and initiatives is supposed to ease those concerns, it doesn’t at all, according to Noah Bookbinder, director of the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.  


“It’s not remotely enough,” Bookbinder told The Huffington Post. “First of all, everybody knows who she is and that the brand is connected to her ―  it has her name on it ― and what she’s doing now. The fact that they are not using her likeness in promoting it doesn’t really change the association that literally everybody will have with it.” 



Conflicts regarding Ivanka Trump’s brand began even before her father’s inauguration. In November, media outlets received a “style alert” touting the $10,800 bracelet Trump wore from her own collection while appearing on “60 Minutes.” Following massive backlash, the brand promised “new policies and procedures” would be put in place. 


But last week, a San Francisco-based clothing company filed a class-action lawsuit accusing Ivanka Trump’s company of unfair competition “by exploiting the power and prestige of the White House.” The lawsuit notes Trump’s brand sales surged in February after her father’s administration used its platform defend the brand on Twitter that month and promote it on Fox News. (”Go buy it today, everybody,” White House advisor Kellyanne Conway famously told viewers.)


But as Bookbinder pointed out, profits are now far from the only thing at play.


“There is also just a tremendous possibility for conflict of interest, where she could work on issues that effect countries where her brand does business, or effect tax issues or leave issues, anything that may effect her company and the bottom line of it in ways that she knows, and all of that is continuing to be true.”


Trump reportedly stepped down from her positions at her fashion brand and the Trump Organization in January, saying in a Facebook post that she would “no longer be involved with the management or operations” in either. She announced she was passing management of the fashion brand to current president Abigail Klem. 


Trump still owns her brand, though she has placed it in a trust, a spokeswoman for the brand said Tuesday. The New York Times reports she eschewed a blind trust for one run by relatives of her husband, who is a White House senior advisor, and that she still “wields power” over the company. 


So, what does Bookbinder suggest Trump do to eliminate conflicts of interest?


“She basically has two choices,” he said. One is that she cut off her business interests and “sell the business, in which case there is no issue of her profiting either based on conflict on the work she’s doing or based on who she is as a White House official and daughter of the president.”



The other, less likely option is declining a White House position altogether.


“She really can’t do both,” Bookbinder said. “She can’t continue to own and profit from her business and also be an active part of her father’s White House.” 


“Just like her father should sell his businesses, she should sell hers,” he added. 


Only time will tell if Trump makes a move to remove herself completely. In the meantime, prepare to see less of her face in stores and likely more of her face on television. 


 

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