POPSUGAR Beauty

Kelly Rowland on Protecting Her Time and Perfecting Her Beauty Routine

Cierra Black — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:45:02 -0700

It's not every day that you get to sit across from a childhood icon of yours, so when Kelly Rowland's glowing face appeared across from me on the computer screen, I knew exactly what I wanted to ask. Last fall, she performed alongside Brandy and Monica for their widely successful The Boy Is Mine Tour, and earlier that summer she and Michelle Williams blessed fans with their surprise performance at the closing night of the Cowboy Carter Tour in Las Vegas. Next up? Her first solo album in 13 years, followed by a world tour.

As such an anticipatory era lies ahead of her, one must wonder what feelings and thoughts come up as she considers this moment. She flashes a warm smile and merely says, "I don't want to think about it that hard. It takes the fun out of it for me."

"If anything, I just want to tell great stories, and of course, evolve as far as sound is considered. Before, I used to put so much pressure on myself, which is [partly] why I think it's been 13 years. Now, when I go back to the studio, I'm having fun again," she tells Popsugar.

When discussing what has been fun for her, she lights up as she describes her creative process in the studio: finding melodies, collaborating with other artists, and entering a flow state, if you will. While she remains tight-lipped about specific details around her new project, we can expect an era of elevated creativity.

With so much coming up for her amidst the day-to-day of the entertainment business, we have to ask what routine, balance, and centering herself looks like. "I'm still learning every day if I'm being completely transparent with you," she says. She details putting this balance into practice on a recent family trip, where she allowed herself to pause emails and be in the moment. That, in turn, reinvigorated her to get back to her creative work.

"I really try to stay present in whatever it is that I'm doing that's just filling my heart and soul, because after that trip they were so filled, it had me running back to the studio, to be honest."

While finding balance is an ongoing process, she won't compromise her time, discernment, or what feels right. Two mantras she lives by: "We make time for the things we want to make time for," and "Don't waste my time." Something she's learned after years in the business, and that she wished she had adopted earlier, was how to flow and not place so many rules on herself. She often thought she had to be everywhere and do everything to remain in the game, but learning the value of her time also taught her how to slow down.

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"At one point in time, there was a pressure on entertainers that if we weren't seen, we'd [be forgotten]. But if you do something great that brings light into the world, they'll remember. How are you sharing your light if you have no more light to give? How are you supposed to incorporate your beauty into the world? Pour into yourself, so you can shine on." A wise and needed piece of advice for many of us, especially in the digital age we occupy.

Being in the public-facing, often glamorous industry for as long as she has also taught her a lesson or two about beauty. She views beauty as a "beautiful ecosystem, [wherein] everybody has something to give, as far as a quote, ritual, trade secret, mantra, or a piece of advice. I love the community that beauty can have because beauty is community in my opinion."

She had quite a few beauty secrets to share. As the new face of Olay's Super Serum campaign, she, of course, has thoughts on the line, which she came across organically on a shoot one day. Using the combination of Olay's Super Serum Body Lotion ($15) followed by the Super Body Oil ($20) has been a game changer for her body-care routine. After one use, she and her glam team knew they would be mainstays in all her kits going forward. "I called it the Destiny's Child glistening music video [effect]," she jokes, referring to the results that combination gives.

"I think the face gets so much attention that we forget about the body. I remember I used to take the remnants from whatever serums I was using on my face and put it on my hands, but now you have the lotion and oil to really up your game in the process."

She also spares no detail in dishing out her other holy grail beauty products: Infrared saunas and red light masks are her must-haves for overall wellness. For hair, she loves Cecred's Detangling Spray ($28). The 111Skin Rose Gold ($115) and Cryo De-Puffing Eye Masks ($115) are her go-tos for looking refreshed. And she pops Révive's Volumizing Lip Balm ($80) into the fridge before taking it with her for the day, along with a good sunscreen, for midday reapplication.

The Houstonian beauty queen leaves us much to think about, whether it be slowing down for alignment or giving your body the same TLC you give your face. With an exciting new chapter ahead of her, we're excited to see her glowing routine in action and the music she's produced from this new place of creative freedom. And if we weren't already sold on the benefits of red light therapy, she absolutely convinced us.

Cierra Black is a beauty, fashion and culture writer whose work can be seen in ESSENCE, Dazed, W Magazine, Coveteur, Fashionista, and more.

I Tried the Viral Supergoop! Glow Stick SPF 50, and It's the Only Sunscreen I Use Now

Shelcy Joseph — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 07:20:03 -0700

If there's one step I'm consistent with when it comes to my skin-care routine, it's applying sunscreen. Whether I'm working by a window, sunbathing on the roof, or going on leisurely strolls, I somehow always remember to put it on (trust me, it took a lot to get here).

My dedication really started when I discovered Supergoop!. I've long been seeing the brand on my go-to skin-care influencers' feeds, so I figured I'd give it a try. The Supergoop! Glow Stick SPF 50 ($32) has quickly become a permanent part of my beauty shelf.

What I Like About the Supergoop! Glow Stick SPF 50

From the first test, I knew it would become a personal favorite. The formula has a smooth texture and barely visible shine that perfectly complements my moisturizer. As someone whose skin type hinges on the dry side, it's important that the products I use don't make me look oily. After swiping and blending the sunscreen on my arms, legs, chest and shoulders, I noticed a dewy finish that conveyed a natural glow to my skin. Within hours of the application, I was pleasantly surprised to find no white cast or powdery residue (thank God).

The lightweight bottle seamlessly fits in any bag, making it an essential for leaving the house. I'd recommend keeping one in your everyday bag so you don't forget to use it when outside, and another somewhere with easy access in your apartment. I've tested the broad spectrum on many occasions, during sunny park hangs or sun-drench bike rides, and I'm happy to report that it effectively protects against UV rays. While having more melanin already affords me some natural protection, the sunscreen adds a layer that serves as an essential buffer. No burns, no damage, no problem.

What's Worth Noting About the Supergoop! Glow Stick SPF 50

I'd recommend the Glow Stick in a heartbeat, but I only wish it was sweat-resistant. I jump on every opportunity to have some fun in the sun, so that would've been a big plus. But it's perfect for those days when I'd rather be in comfy sweatpants and be a homebody with my husband. Luckily, Supergoop! also released mousse and oil versions that are sweat-resistant, and I know I'll eventually buy the whole line.

Where Is Supergoop! Glow Stick SPF 50 Available?

Supergoop! Glow Stick SPF 50 is available at Supergoop, Nordstrom, Sephora, Ulta, and more retailers.

Keep scrolling to shop other editor-favorites from Supergoop.

I Was Pampered Like the Stars of “The White Lotus” at This Facial

Jessica Harrington — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:30:03 -0700

If you've binge-watched all three seasons of HBO Max's hit TV show "The White Lotus" as I have, chances are you've daydreamed about being pampered on your own all-inclusive vacation - except, of course, my ideal trip involves less drama and, well, homicide.

When I do get the chance to go to a luxurious resort, like I did this summer at the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, there are (very) few things on my bucket list. Mainly, sit by the pool with my Kindle, order a Caesar salad and french fries to the beach, and, at the very top, get a facial at the spa so relaxing, I just melt into a puddle. And let me just say, mission accomplished.

The Amelia Island Spa at the luxury beachfront resort has everything you need to unwind and relax, complete with an adults-only pool, a steam room, a sauna, and a myriad of services. I took advantage of it all during my stay and got a bespoke facial with aesthetician Brian Goodwin, the global educator and consultant for Eminence Organic - the skin-care brand carried at the spa. If you're unfamiliar, the brand makes natural, organic, gentle-on-the-skin products that are loved by beauty editors and celebrities alike. (Jennifer Lawrence, Kristen Bell, and Victoria Beckham are all fans, to name a few.) And fun fact: Eminence Organic products were heavily used on the cast of season three of "The White Lotus" by the show's makeup department to prep their skin.

Every good facial starts with a mini consultation, and Goodwin did just that when we met for my treatment. I explained that my skin felt a little dry from travel, but I was also acne-prone, and he crafted the perfect treatment plan for me.

My facial treatment consisted of various Eminence Organic products - like the Stone Crop Cleansing Oil ($59) to remove my makeup, the Blueberry Detox Firming Peel, which is a spicy, professional-only treatment that left my skin feeling warm but so smooth, the Clear Skin Probiotic Masque ($64), and a top-secret product that hasn't quite launched yet (just to name a few).

All the products have amazing, fresh, natural scents from whole-food-inspired ingredients in the formulations, which made for a really grounding experience. I left my treatment with glowy, clear, hydrated skin. Not to mention, I felt calmer and overall rejuvenated.

"Elle" Star Chandler Kinney Is Big on Protecting Her Aura With Self-Care

Shawna Hudson — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 10:50:02 -0700

Actress Chandler Kinney is having her busiest summer yet and showing no signs of slowing down. With the release of "Elle" on Amazon Prime at the top of July, we were introduced to the arch-nemesis of a young Elle Woods, Kimberly Carter (played by Kinney). While Kinney more than nailed the role of high school bully, it's a relief to know that in real life, she's kind, friendly, and easier than ever to talk to.

"I was so excited when I had the opportunity to sign on," she tells Popsugar. She was, of course, a previous "Legally Blonde" fan, and working on its prequel series for TV was a dream come true. "To have the opportunity to work with Hello Sunshine, who prioritizes women-led stories, and to be on a women-led set was so incredible. Kimberly, for me, was [also] such a creative challenge. It was so fun, as an actor, getting to dig into those layers."

If you devoured all of season one in one sitting (guilty), you'll also be excited about the show's other good news. "We also got an early pickup and have wrapped on our second season already," Kinney says. "We're just stoked for that to be out in the world, and I'm currently just enjoying the fruits of the labor. You're on set and you're keeping things secret for so long, and now you kind of get to share it with the world."

"Elle" also takes place in the '90s - an epic era ripe with makeup trends we still see and love today. Needless to say, this got Kinney inspired. "I had never been a lip liner girlie, and now I am because that is a key part of Kimberly's look," she says. "I really got into that!" Aside from leaning into the makeup of the times, Kinney's partnership with personal-care brand Hello is another serendipitous gain she scored while filming the show. "That actually has now become [something] I kind of associate that time in my life with," she said. Now the brand's chief aura officer (a dream role that involves vibe checks and copious amounts of bedazzling), she considers the start of this partnership her first real foray into self-care.

"[Acting] is a really demanding job and I think you always have to protect your aura and your energy, especially as an artist," she says. "Being around a lot of energies throughout the day, you have to be intentional about protecting your own peace. And, I think a great way to do that is really building a strong self-care routine."

Her new gig definitely helps her do just that. "Stepping into the role of the chief aura officer felt very apropos and very timely," she says. "[I love] using the Mellow Mint Dream Toothpaste ($7) as part of my self-care routine as well. It's whipped, it's fun, it's light, and a sensorial experience. It always puts a smile on my face. And so it's a great way for me to harvest some good energy to bring into the day and bring into my work."

And that's not all she does for a self-care moment. While incorporating joy and whimsy into her morning routine via Hello keeps her grounded, she also loves a daily skin-care ritual to set her up for success. "I actually am pretty simple [when it comes to skin care]," she says. "[My routine] does change based on where I am and what I'm doing, but especially at work. I try to keep it pretty simple, especially because I'm putting so many products on my face on a day-to-day basis [on set]." Her nonnegotiable item? A good face wash. "I'm an Osea girlie, so I use the Ocean Cleanser ($48) or the Ocean Cleansing Mud ($48)." For a little hydration, she also loves Caudalie's Vinoperfect Moisturizer ($65). And last but not least, she always tops it off with sunscreen.

"Always, always sunscreen every single day," she says. "Even if you think the sun is not out, it's going to get you. She's out, she's just hiding behind the clouds." Her sunscreen of choice is Supergoop's Unseen Sunscreen ($38) for its truly invisible properties. "Having some melanin in my skin, I do not like a lavender cast on my face," she says. "I appreciate how lightweight and clear it is. It looks like a nice primer too."

When she isn't working, she likes to dabble in masks and exfoliants, but admits it's probably not the best for her sensitive skin to have so many different products on rotation. "It's kind of like Russian roulette because I don't know if [something is] going to be the one that makes me break out or work wonders," she says. "But I kind of like to risk it sometimes. Usually it turns out OK." The story of every beauty editor's life, ever.

Shawna Hudson is a beauty, wellness, lifestyle, and travel writer whose work has appeared in Bustle, The Zoe Report, Who What Wear, Byrdie, Elite Daily, and more.

An Expert Guide to Tenniscore Beauty, From Milky Highlighters to Headbands

Ariel Baker — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 06:00:05 -0700

Image Source: Getty / Neamov, Creative Crop, Dave Benett and Phot Illistration by Keila Gonzalez

In 2023, "Challengers" ignited an obsession with tennis. Tennis fashion, beauty, home decor, and accessories took over our feeds and created what we now affectionately call tenniscore. The best part? There is no athleticism required. While putting on a tennis skirt can automatically transform you into a sporty aesthetic, it's arguably more fun to tailor your beauty routine to mirror those of our favorite tennis athletes. With this year's US Open just weeks away, it's time to get your tenniscore beauty look down. "This is a high-level sport, so a player's first priority is functionality," hairstylist Dhairius Thomas tells Popsugar. How does this translate to your tenniscore trend? It'll be all about practical updos; fresh-faced, dewy makeup (that may or may not be from sweat); and country-club minimalistic nails.

Keep reading for tips on how to give your beauty routine a tenniscore makeover.

Experts Featured in This Article

Dhairius Thomas is a celebrity hairstylist.
Julie Kandalec is a celebrity manicurist and educator.
Gabi Alvarez is a celebrity and editorial makeup artist.

How to Get Tenniscore Hair

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Whether you've been following the sport for a while or have just started to watch, you'll notice a pattern among tenniscore hairstyles. They always keep the hair up and out of the face.

"Tennis players need a style that doesn't obstruct their view," Thomas says. "Traditionally, this usually looked like players putting their hair into a simple ponytail." Still, thanks to tennis legends like Venus and Serena Williams, the "traditional" tennis hairstyle has evolved over the years. "Their use of beads and braids proved that you could craft a signature style in tennis and captivate audiences worldwide."

Think of ways to bring your standard updo to the next level. "These looks can include a classic high ponytail; a half-up, half-down hairstyle; a low bun; or a braided ponytail," Thomas says. "When accessorizing the look, you can't go wrong with a sunvisor or a 360 headband for that classic tennis-chic aesthetic." We love the Favorite Daughter Wide Brim Twill Visor ($48) for an elevated visor look. Another one of our favorite accessories has to be the '90s-inspired wide fabric headband, like the Goody Ouchless Comfort Headwrap ($3), which has already been spotted on a handful of stars off the courts.

How to Get Tenniscore Nails

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As you've likely gleaned by now, tenniscore nails will need to be practical enough to wear both on and off the court. "I love a short, soft-square manicure for the tenniscore trend because you don't want to have super-long nails while you're holding a racket," celebrity manicurist Julie Kandalec says. The length and shape of the nail are the most important part, but you can have a little bit more fun with the nail art.

"Short square nails are a classic, so you can never go wrong with the a micro-French design," Kandalec says. "It's functional while still stylish." Kandalec also recommends a neon green to mimic the color of a tennis ball. If you don't have time to hit the nail salon, there are several press-on options that will help you achieve this effortless look in half the time. Our personal favorites include the Glamnetic Classy French Press-On Kit ($16) and Celebritips Micro French Glaze Extra Short Press-On Nails ($20).

How to Get Tenniscore Makeup

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While makeup isn't usually top of mind for athletes during a match, you can have fun with it on the sidelines. "Tenniscore makeup would best be described as minimal but long-wearing," makeup artist Gabi Alvarez says. You'll want your skin to like like it's your own, just enhanced. "You can achieve this look by using products that land on the more glowy side, so moisturizers, liquid highlighters, sunscreen, and more," Alvarez says. Is it highlighter or is it sweat? Nobody knows.

Stick to formulas that are light and dewy, such as the Rhode Highlight Milk Multipurpose Luminizer ($28), which subtly enhances your complexion. Sunscreens such as the Medicube Sunscreen No Cast Just Glow SPF 50 ($19, originally $22) will also feel more like a moisturizer than an SPF and keep your skin protected from UV rays. If you feel like leaning into a bit more glam, we'd recommend the Armani Dolci Blush ($39) blush that melts into your skin, and a trusty transfer-proof mascara such as the Sarah Creal Back Of The Cab Volumizing Tubing Mascara ($40).

There you have it: the three ways to embody the tennis babe you've always wanted to be. You're welcome.

- Additional reporting by Adelaide Giesey

Ariel Baker is a former assistant editor for PS Beauty. Her areas of expertise include celebrity news, beauty trends, and product reviews. She has additional bylines with Essence and Forbes Vetted.

Adelaide Giesey (she/her) is a shopping writer at Popsugar. With over seven years of industry experience, she is an expert in all things beauty and enjoys writing across fashion and lifestyle categories. Prior to PS, she helped shape the beauty verticals at Byrdie, Coveteur, and InStyle.

12 Editor-Picked Products That Tackle Signs of Aging - Starting at $11

Marisa Petrarca — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 14:40:02 -0700

Forget the year on your birth certificate - many factors can dramatically change how your skin looks and feels. Even if you haven't noticed any signs - like dark spots or fine lines - there's nothing wrong with caring for your skin at any age. "Aging [gracefully] in beauty refers to ingredients such as retinol, peptides, vitamin C, and hyaluronic acid, which help fight signs of sun damage, fine lines, wrinkles, and crepey skin," Arizona-based double board-certified dermatologist Karan Lal, DO, FAAD, tells Popsugar. "We start losing collagen in our 20s and start accumulating sun damage in our teens," which means it can't hurt to embrace products that restore collagen and protect your skin sooner.

If you're going to add just one skin-care product to your regimen, make it daily sunscreen, which Lal considers a nonnegotiable in preventing sun damage that causes fine lines, wrinkles, and discoloration. Of course, there are plenty more products where that came from too, from retinol serums that exfoliate to reveal new, smooth skin cells to moisturizers packed with peptides that firm your skin. Ahead, we've rounded up our favorite skin-care products for aging gracefully, all of which combat dryness and dullness to fine lines and wrinkles.

The Best Skin-Care Products For Aging Gracefully

A game-changer for breakouts and wrinkles: Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment at $11, originally $15
The under-eye patches for your skin care-obsessed boyfriend: Papatui Under Eye Patches at $13
The TikTok-favorite snail mucin that brightens and soothes redness: Cosrx Snail Mucin 96% Power Repairing Essence at $19, originally $25
A viral overnight K-beauty mask our editor swears by for glass skin: Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask at $19
The collagen powder Jennifer Aniston puts in her coffee for skin benefits: Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Powder at $26
A cult-classic tinted SPF: EltaMD UV Daily Tinted Broad-Spectrum SPF 40 at $43
The editor-loved serum for microdoses of pure retinol: Kiehl's Since 1851 Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ceramides & Peptide at $65
A celebrity-favorite serum that's gentler than traditional retinol: Shani Darden Retinol Reform Treatment Serum at $75
Our editor's go-to peels to smooth skin and refine pores: Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Daily Peel For Sensitive Skin at $94
A powerful pigment fighter: PCA Skin Pigment Gel Pro at $130
Brightens your complexion, reduces the appearance of fine lines, and more: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic at $185
Uses red and near-infrared LED wavelengths to rejuvenate skin: Omnilux Contour Face at $395

Expert Featured in This Article

Dr. Karan Lal, DO, FAAD, is a New York- and Arizona-based celebrity double board-certified pediatric and cosmetic dermatologist.

How 20 Years of Selfies Changed the Way I See Myself

Hannah Cassidy — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 05:45:04 -0700

This story is part of our Aughts Effect package, which celebrates 20 years of Popsugar - and enduring culture. Read all the stories here.

The summer after my senior year of high school in 2005, I took my first real selfie. I had just gotten my college email address, which meant I could officially sign up for Facebook to connect with the other incoming students in my department - but I needed a profile picture. So I did full glam makeup, curled my hair, and took my digital camera to the bathroom with good, bright lighting to take a really good selfie.

I probably took hundreds of photos of myself over the course of an hour or two, deleting outtakes and touching up lip gloss along the way, before I had a handful that I liked enough to upload to my computer - until I selected "the one" for my profile pic. Looking back, it's easy to frame this as my movie montage moment, but the reality was that I was an insecure 19-year-old who hated almost every picture. I worried about fitting in with other incoming students, and obviously hoped the picture would make all the boys fall in love with me. A lot of pressure for only a few megapixels.

But it was an early lesson in selfie posing - chin out and down, head tilted, hold the angle until the shutter clicks - a muscle I'd continue to hone through college and into adulthood, as technology grew up alongside my fellow millennials. To anchor you in selfie time, this is somewhere between MacBook Photo Booth and Instagram's Valencia filter.

Truth is, I quickly began to love seeing myself through my own lens. Taking my own photos felt safe - I could create and control what made it out into the world. Someone else taking my picture? Unpredictable and scary. I distinctly remember having a total meltdown over pictures a friend posted from a post-graduation beach trip. I was thrashing around in the ocean on an inflatable shark, drinking, clearly having a fun time - but all I could see were the unflattering angles and double chins. I immediately untagged myself from every photo. Thankfully they still exist, because what I see now is photo evidence of my last Gulf Coast beach trip before leaving home for good. Of a rainbow zebra-print bikini that I bought last minute at Target.

My knee-jerk reaction to delete what I don't like (instead of sitting with an uncomfortable feeling) is probably why evidence of my first Facebook selfie no longer exists. At some point in my 20s, that photo stopped matching my self-narrative and I got rid of it. Never once thinking about the future me that might want to see it.

Then Instagram came on the scene and I finally signed up for the new app in 2012, two years after launching. It gave free rein to post whatever mundane thing was happening at the time, slap a filter on it, and call it a day. And I filtered the hell out of my photos, but was less filtered about what I posted. In fact, my very first Instagram post was a filtered photo of some graffiti on a dumpster behind the art gallery I worked for. It's funny now to think that my first Facebook photo was a glammed-up selfie while my first 'gram was literal garbage. It was a few years of blissful boomerangs and puppy filters before feeds changed, algorithms developed, and I moved to LA - and suddenly there was a lot more riding on it all.

By 2015, I'd fallen prey to the need to grind out content like a Girlboss. Selfies had to look effortless, like I'd just happened to catch myself looking flawless on my way out the door. And this time, I wasn't just seeking validation from my circle of friends but from what felt like the entire world. It was an entirely self-imposed pressure to become some kind of respected creator, quit my job, and turn it into a career. It was performative on so many levels. In retrospect, it's a hard period to look back on because what made it out onto the feed was such a sharp contrast to what was happening underneath - which was a very real struggle with anxiety and identity. So when Instagram Stories came out, it felt like there was more of myself I had to curate, and I just couldn't keep up. And I just kinda. . . stopped. For a while, my solution was to just hide from my own camera because I didn't want to deal with it.

Now at 39, I'm posting less and primarily taking selfies for the stories I write (beauty editor life!) or when I'm feeling particularly good. But I'm so thankful that I'm able to document my silly little days if I want to without worrying about how my face will perform. I was able to slowly loosen the grip I put on myself and treat selfies for what they are: myself from my POV.

That doesn't mean I now magically love every selfie. I still cringe and panic-delete at times; I'm definitely still covering zits before I whip the camera out, and I love it when one gets attention. Twenty years later, I'm still that 19-year-old with a hundred outtakes. I've just gotten better at leaving a few in for the memories. It's proof of a version of myself that's made me into who I am today.

Hannah Cassidy is a PS contributor.

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Hair and Makeup of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”

Audrey Noble — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:55:02 -0700

This story contains spoilers.

Every incredible artist has their method. For Alessandro Bertolazzi, the makeup and hair designer for "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," the secret to creating the looks for the beloved superheroes, villains, and characters in the highly anticipated Marvel movie lies in a sketchbook. A 250-page sketchbook, to be exact.

Filled with pictures hand-painted by Bertolazzi himself, the book helps him lay out how he wants each character to look and feel. As we hop on a Zoom, he shows me pages of sketches (something he does for every movie he works on, by the way) and key phrases he associates with each character in the film. He tells me that he always sits and talks with each actor to get a better idea of how he wants to design their look before going to his team to execute his vision.

The theme of the new "Spider-Man" film was grounded, something director Destin Daniel Cretton asked Bertolazzi to hone in on when creating the characters' looks. "I don't want to say dirty, but real and grounded," he tells Popsugar. "This was the wish of [Dustin], and I was really happy to do this."

Zendaya had her own personal makeup artist, Kellie Robinson, and Tom Holland had his own grooming team on set to create their respective character looks. For the others on the cast, see how Bertolazzi came up with their looks below.

Sadie Sink as Jean Grey

The secrecy around Sadie Sink's character loomed so large that during production, Bertolazzi says Sink's character was given different code names to keep the secret airtight ("Jack" was the name that stuck out most). But now it can be revealed that the conspiracy theories are true: Sink is playing Jean Grey.

But audiences for "Brand New Day" are meeting a pre-X-Men Jean Grey. Set up as a false antagonist, the Jean Grey we meet is a young teen still discovering the depths of her telepathic and telekinetic powers, wreaking havoc in New York City while searching for her sister. Sink wears Jean Grey's signature red hair (Bertolazzi says at one point they briefly toyed with the idea of blond hair for the character, but decided against it) in messy layers, with minimal makeup.

Bertolazzi assigned these words to Sink's Grey: New York Girl, Edgy Girl, Cool, Messy, and Dangerous. He says he looked to different celebrities to provide inspiration for Sink's look. He considered the likes of Emma Chamberlain and Gigi Hadid, but eventually went with Billie Eilish to strike that balance of edgy with a sense of light. "Billie for me represented that perfectly," he says.

Jacob Batalon as Ned

Ned, along with Zendaya's MJ, is older and now a post-college grad living in New York City. His look not only had to reflect this new era in his life, but also had to look more realistic. Bertolazzi says he was not happy with Jacob Batalon's wig in the previous film and wanted to make sure that this time around, Batalon's Ned had natural-looking hair. "I wanted the wig more natural, not stiff and stuck on the head," Betolazzi says.

Even with the small scene with Ned's goatee mustache briefly shown on a smartphone screen, Betolazzi says they took special care to make that small detail as realistic as possible.

Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle (The Punisher)

Before becoming an unlikely ally, Frank Castle and Spider-Man do get into a bit of "spat" that leads to Frank being thrown out of his moving truck. The result is a battered Punisher with scars all over his face.

To get the scars, Bertolazzi didn't use any prosthetics: he used a makeup palette to paint them on. "You spend too much time in makeup with prosthetics [and] it can become boring," he says. "The idea is to keep it all natural, real."

The palette is a type of skin illustrator color makeup palette to get that realistic look. "It takes five minutes," he adds.

Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova

A truly delightful cameo in the film, Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova lends Spider-Man a helpful hand when trying to track down Jean Gray (and offer some life advice in the process). Most of Pugh's short scenes take place at a Russian bathhouse where she's either in water or drying off, so Bertolazzi says he doesn't recall having to brainstorm anything special about Yelena's specific look for the movie. She does have one distinct product on her: eyeliner. "I assumed she asked to put green [eyeliner] below the eyes," Bertolazzi says.

The Hand

The Hand, another antagonist in the film, has one of the most visually stunning costumes. The group of ninja mercenaries is draped in red garments and wears masks to hide their identities.

Notes that Bertolazzi wrote for The Hand include "Eastern Civilization," "Toward Western Civilization," and "The Mask as Protection of Intimate Space." One of The Hand's members, Snow, is a female warrior with a long braided ponytail, a winged cat-eye, and a red warrior headband. Bertolazzi wrote "Scheherazade" for Snow, a reference to the Arabic folktale character who cunningly delayed her death from a murderous king by narrating tales for one thousand and one nights.

Other Characters

Bertolazzi also loved working on the smaller minor characters, such as Michael Mando's Scorpion and Marvin Jones III's Tombstone.

Jones wears a naturally textured, tapered cut wig to get Tombstone's signature hair, but Bertolazzi says that it was important for him to keep the actors' essence in both characters while taking some artistic liberties. Bertolazzi also found inspiration from an 18th-century drawing of a real scorpion at the Royal Academy in London. He created a special tattoo for Scorpion to signify that Scorpion is a more complex villain than meets the eye.

"[He] is a bad guy, but not completely," says Bertolazzi. "So I was thinking about showing what your skin looks like cracked open. [The gold] is a light from behind."

Audrey Noble is a beauty writer who covers breaking news, writes celebrity profiles, and does deep-dive features about the ways race, gender, sexuality, and other forms of identity impact society via the beauty industry. Previously, she was the beauty reporter at Allure and has held editorial positions at Vanity Fair and Refinery29. Audrey's work can also be seen in PS, Vogue, Harper's BAZAAR, Bustle, InStyle, WWD, and more

Isabella Briggs Gets Real About Her Acne Journey

Audrey Noble — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 06:35:02 -0700

There's an elephant in the room when discussing "The Summer I Turned Pretty" with Isabella Briggs. The actor's character, Denise, became a fast fan favorite when season three of the hit Amazon show premiered last summer. When a movie was announced after the show's finale, fans assumed they would follow Denise's journey with new love interest Jeremiah Fisher. But when pictures of the cast currently filming emerged earlier this year, Briggs was noticeably missing.

As I sit on a Zoom with her and ask her to appease our worry and at least hint at Denise's possible return in the upcoming film, Briggs just laughs and keeps it coy. "I can't really say much," she says. "I am very, very thankful to have been a part of the third season, and we'll see where it goes from there."

With or without "The Summer I Turned Pretty" movie, it's a big summer for her. On top of joining the group psychosis we're all in and keeping up with the phenomenon that is "Love Island" (she, of course, is team #Brinity), Briggs has partnered with skin-care brand Face Reality as its new celebrity partner. A partnership, she says, that fully aligns with her personal skin goals.

"It's not about perfection. It's not about trying to reach unattainable or false promises," she says. "It's about understanding your skin and using quality ingredients within the skin care to just help better protect and heal and treat your skin, which I really love."

She has been dealing with acne since she was 15, and her biggest struggle, she says, is the consistency of both the state of her skin and sticking with a routine. "There would be some stretches of time and weeks where I felt like my skin was relatively clear of acne and my texture was going down and I was finding a good routine. Then something would change, and then everything would come flooding back [and] my skin would be really congested," she says.

For her acne, she'll use the Face Reality 5% L-Mandelic Serum ($42) every other day and apply it under her moisturizer and SPF. "It does the job and is so gentle; my skin doesn't have any adverse reactions to it," she says. She also likes to use the Glycolic-Lactic Toner ($33) once a week to keep her acne in check. She'll also add benzoyl peroxide to places where she's breaking out; when she needs more hydration or if her skin is feeling irritated, she'll grab the HydraCalm Mask ($42) and leave it on overnight.

This routine has made her feel more confident to walk outside without makeup and feel like she needs to look more done up than normal. "Even when I have little blemishes or hyperpigmentation, I found confidence within my routine and with what I'm doing," she says. "I feel a lot more confident to just go out into the world barefaced."

Her makeup is pretty minimal, focusing on just eyebrow gel for her brows and Merit's Signature Lipstick in L'Avenue ($28). She leans towards autumn and brown shades, and also loves Merit's Flush Balm Blush ($30) in terracotta.

To take care of her natural curls, she learned an important lesson while on set for season three of "The Summer I Turned Pretty:" use curly hair shampoo and conditioner. The Briogeo Curl Defining Hydrating Shampoo ($28) and Curl Defining Conditioner ($28), to be exact. "That's a journey that I'm on right now: trying to figure out what products work best for my hair and what is necessary," she says. "Because I have fine, mostly 3A hair, less product is more. My hair can get really weighed down by product. So making sure that I'm using things that work for me and that give me the results that I want."

Image Source: Amazon Prime Video

Coming back to discussing the beloved show, she appreciates the fans and all the love they have for Denise and the world of Cousins. Though she can neither confirm nor deny what's in store for her in the film, just being part of the Jenny Han universe is a great privilege.

"It was just kind of cool to see how many people loved the show," Briggs says. "I would be out walking around in the streets, and I would look into a bar, and they'd be hosting a watch party. That was just something that I personally had never experienced before, and it just made me really happy to be a part of something that brought people so much joy and brought people together. I just felt really, really grateful to be a part of something like that; it's a really cool experience both as a person and as an actor."

Bella Hadid’s Honey Blond Hair Is the Perfect Summer-to-Fall Shade

Shawna Hudson — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:30:02 -0700

Hair color trends come and go often - remember when cherry-red was the pick of the season? But there are some timeless shades that stand the test of time. Summer will be winding down soon and that means it's time to start looking ahead to what hair color will easily transition into fall. A quick look around the internet confirms that one stunning shade is trending again and most likely here to stay.

Golden honey blond, or what celebrity colorist and Schwarzkopf Professional U.S. hair color trend ambassador Jacob Schwartz calls "ethereal blond," is on the rise. It all started when Schwartz created this stunning shade for Bella Hadid. Since then, it's been trending nonstop. "It's a soft honey blond with creamy golden tones and subtle dimension," he says. "I wanted the color to feel luminous and cinematic, but still understated."

We asked Schwartz and celebrity colorist Beau Dieda for everything to know about this trending color. See all they had to share ahead, along with styling inspo.

Experts Featured in This Article

Jacob Schwartz is a celebrity colorist and Schwarzkopf Professional U.S. hair color trend ambassador.

Beau Dieda is an L.A.-based celebrity colorist.

Why Is Golden Honey Blond Trending?

Little did Schwartz (whose client list includes everyone from Sydney Sweeney to Charli XCX and Grace Van Patten) know he would be kicking off one of the year's hottest color trends when he created Hadid's. "Bella's blond was all about creating something that felt effortless, luxurious, and reflective of the South of France during Cannes," Schwartz says. "She's so closely associated with her signature brunette, so if we were going to make her blond, it needed to feel timeless and fabulous and not like she was wearing a wig or a quick color job for a moment."

Dieda explains exactly why it's the perfect summer-to-fall trend. "Honey blond is one of my favorite transition colors because it gives you the brightness everyone loves in the summer but starts introducing those richer golden tones that feel more appropriate heading into fall," he says. "It's softer than an icy blond, lower maintenance, and it catches the light beautifully without looking overly processed. It's the perfect 'best of both worlds' color." Dieda also says that honey blond just never goes out of style. "It's bright without being icy, dimensional without looking stripey, and warm without feeling brassy."

19 Beauty Launches Our Editors Can't Get Enough of This August

Renee Rodriguez — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:45:02 -0700

It's officially August, which means many locations around the world are experiencing melt-your-face-off kinds of heat. If you've spent the last few weeks frantically googling "Does sweatproof makeup exist?" don't fret - we're here to help. As beauty editors, our inboxes are consistently flooded with beauty's latest and greatest, and we've spent the last month testing out all the newest summer launches in the hair, skin, makeup, body, and fragrance categories.

Brands have been dropping spanking-new products that are sure to help you beat the heat. We've found fragrances that will keep you smelling flawless no matter how humid it is outside, hair tools that will keep your styles looking flawless, and the best body moisturizers that will keep your skin hydrated even in the driest of climates. To make it easier for you, we've tested hundreds of beauty products that are dropping this month and compiled an editor-vetted list of our absolute favorites.

Whether you're looking to update a few products in your skin-care routine, seeking out makeup in brighter hues to match your warm-weather outfits, or just wanting to be "in the know" when it comes to all things beauty, there are plenty of new launches for you to feast your eyes (and hopefully your hands) on. Keep reading to check out the picks that have landed permanent spots in our beauty bags.

12 Easy Back-to-School Hairstyles to Try This Year

Jessica Harrington — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 06:00:03 -0700

It's about time to go head back to school, meaning it's time to reunite with friends, get back to learning new things, and . . . get used to waking up really early again. If you're less than enthused about that last activity, we have just the thing for you to help you get out the door quicker in the morning and score an extra few minutes of shut-eye (because we know those five minutes of snoozing really do matter).

You can pick your outfit the night before to make getting ready in the morning faster, but unfortunately, you can't do your hair ahead of time - or can you? There are actually quite a few hairstyle hacks and tricks - like heatless waves - that you can employ in your routine Monday through Friday to cut down on your 6 a.m. prep time.

Consider the following quick and easy hairstyle ideas the equivalent of the five-minute face hack that seems to constantly be going viral on TikTok. These back-to-school hairstyles make doing your hair in the morning a super-simple task - even for those who claim to have zero hairstyling abilities.

Your morning wake-up call will feel a little less brutal with these fun and easy school hairstyles, ranging from sleek ponytails to elevated claw-clip buns to braided looks. Check them out for yourself ahead and prepare to be blown away by how fast and easy these hairstyles are for school.

Is Yellow Light Therapy the Next Big Thing in Skin Care?

Iman Balagam — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 08:45:04 -0700

You may already be familiar with red light therapy, whether you own one of those LED masks that terrifies everyone else in your household, book regular LED facials, or spend time in a full-body light therapy bed. While red light remains the most well-known wavelength, it's far from the only color making waves (ha!) in skin care. Blue light is commonly used to treat acne, green light is often recommended for hyperpigmentation, and now yellow light therapy is generating interest for its potential skin-repairing benefits.

Yellow light therapy is gaining attention for its potential to calm visible redness, support the skin's natural repair process, and improve overall skin tone. But because it's still relatively new compared to its red and blue counterparts, it's fair to wonder whether the benefits live up to the hype. To find out, we spoke with two board-certified dermatologists to break down how yellow light therapy works, who it's best for, and whether it's actually worth adding to your skin-care routine.

Experts Featured in This Article

Michele Green, MD, is a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist based in New York City.
Jessica Wu, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist in Los Angeles and the author of Feed Your Face.

What Is Yellow Light Therapy?

According to board-certified dermatologist Michele Green, MD, yellow light therapy is a non-invasive, non-thermal LED treatment that uses a specific wavelength of visible light to trigger targeted cellular responses in the skin. As the light is absorbed by skin cells, it supports the skin's natural repair process and may help improve skin texture and soften the appearance of fine lines over time.

Unlike red light, which reaches deeper into the skin, yellow light works primarily within the skin's upper layers. "I think of it as a 'recovery' wavelength to help calm and repair skin that's red, reactive, stressed, or overworked," says board-certified dermatologist Jessica Wu, MD.

How Is Yellow Light Different From Red Light?

Each LED wavelength targets different layers of the skin, which is why dermatologists often use them together rather than interchangeably, Dr. Green explains. Red light (633 nm) penetrates deeply into the dermis to stimulate collagen production, while blue light (415 nm) targets acne-causing bacteria near the skin's surface. Yellow light, by comparison, operates at wavelengths between 570 and 590 nanometers, penetrating the epidermis and upper dermis to help address redness, rosacea, sensitive skin, uneven tone, and other surface-level vascular concerns.

What Skin Concerns Can Yellow Light Therapy Help With?

According to Dr. Wu, yellow light therapy is best suited for skin that appears red, reactive, flushed, stressed, or healing after a procedure. That includes people with inflammatory skin conditions like rosacea, as well as anyone recovering from microneedling or laser treatments or dealing with a compromised skin barrier from overusing active ingredients.

Researchers are also exploring yellow light therapy for pigment concerns like melasma, she says, since redness, inflammation, blood vessels, and pigmentation often overlap. Still, melasma is a complex, hormonally influenced condition, so yellow light shouldn't be viewed as a "magic pigment eraser."

Does Yellow Light Therapy Actually Work?

According to Dr. Green, the research on yellow light therapy is encouraging, but it's still in its early stages. "There are currently limited studies that focus solely on the efficacy of yellow light therapy," she says. "Those available discuss the promising benefits of yellow light when used in conjunction with red light and infrared therapy."

A study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences suggests that LED photobiomodulation is generally considered safe when used without photosensitizers and is associated with fewer side effects than many laser treatments, including a lower risk of swelling, redness, and irritation. However, much of the research has focused on red and near-infrared light rather than yellow light specifically.

Overall, Dr. Green says more research is needed to better understand yellow light therapy's long-term effectiveness and whether there are any potential long-term risks.

Why Is Yellow Light Therapy Trending Right Now?

According to Dr. Wu, yellow light therapy is having a moment largely because red light therapy paved the way. "Once everyone got used to red light and people started understanding that light can do more than tan or burn the skin, they began asking, 'What does each color do?'" she says. "Yellow light is appealing because it calms the skin, has no downtime, and is supportive rather than aggressive."

She also believes the trend reflects a broader shift in how people think about skin health. "Women are seeing the connection between skin and whole-body health," she says. "Redness and puffiness are often not just about the last serum you used. They can reflect sleep, alcohol, heat, stress, perimenopause, exercise, diet triggers, and inflammation. Yellow light is being marketed as a calming tool because so many people are dealing with visibly stressed skin."

Dr. Green adds that seasonal changes are likely contributing to the growing interest. During the summer months, people are more likely to notice redness, sensitivity, inflammation, and dark spots after spending more time in the sun, making yellow light therapy especially timely.

Can Yellow Light Therapy Be Used on Its Own?

According to Dr. Green, yes. Yellow light therapy can be effective on its own, particularly for reducing redness, improving skin tone, and supporting collagen production. That said, it's often paired with other wavelengths because each reaches different layers of the skin. Combining yellow and red light, for example, may provide more comprehensive skin rejuvenation by addressing both surface-level and deeper concerns.

Should You Try It at Home or In Office?

For patients interested in yellow light therapy, Dr. Green recommends starting with an in-office treatment to determine the right protocol for your skin. Depending on your goals, yellow light may also be paired with treatments such as Fraxel Dual, microneedling, V-Beam, HydraFacial, chemical peels, PRP, or exosome therapy to support healing and enhance results.

For at-home maintenance, Dr. Wu recommends looking for a reputable, FDA-cleared device that clearly lists its wavelengths-typically around 590 nm. She notes that yellow light is often labeled as "amber" and is commonly paired with red light in consumer devices. Some dermatologist-recommended options include the LightStim for Wrinkles, Qure Q-Rejuvalight Pro, and MitoGLOW LED Mask.

The Bottom Line

Yellow light therapy may never replace red light as the most recognizable LED treatment, but it fills a different role. For people dealing with redness, reactive skin, or post-procedure recovery, dermatologists say it can be a worthwhile addition to a broader skin-care routine. Just don't expect overnight results or for it to replace addressing the underlying causes of inflammation.

Iman Balagam is a freelance journalist and brand consultant who specializes in beauty, fashion, and lifestyle content. The Texas native's work has appeared in a variety of publications, including Vogue, Allure, and Elle.

Is Your AI Nose Job Setting You Up For Disappointment?

Iman Balagam — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:25:02 -0700

When it comes to physical insecurities, many of us have features we've spent years fixating on. As we get older, we either grow into them, learn to accept them, or they continue to plague us. Noses, in particular, have long ranked among the most common features people choose to change surgically. Several of my friends have gotten nose jobs over the years. Some blamed a "deviated septum," while others were completely upfront about wanting a cosmetic change.

Now we're entering a new era of beauty standards. Thanks to increasingly sophisticated AI, it's possible to see highly realistic versions of ourselves before ever stepping into a surgeon's office. This goes far beyond the cartoonish Snapchat and Bold Glamour filters of the past.

Instead of trying on a new hairstyle or a pair of sunglasses online, we can now "try on" cosmetic procedures with a few taps. The technology is undeniably fascinating, but it also raises a bigger question: If AI can show us an idealized version of ourselves before we ever meet with a surgeon, is it helping us make more informed decisions, or setting unrealistic expectations? To separate fact from fiction, I spoke with three board-certified plastic surgeons.

Experts Featured in This Article

Krishna Vyas, MD, is a plastic surgeon at Blechman Plastic Surgery based in New York.
Goretti Ho Taghva, MD, is a board-certified plastic surgeon based in Newport Beach, CA, specializing in aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery with a focus on facial procedures.
Michael Bassiri-Tehrani, MD, is a board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon in New York City who specializes in rhinoplasty, facial rejuvenation, and reconstructive facial surgery.

AI Filters vs. Surgical Simulations

If you've ever used a nose job filter on TikTok, Instagram, or Snapchat, you've probably seen how quickly AI can generate a more sculpted version of your face. Apps like Facetune and Meitu take it a step further, letting users reshape their noses with the swipe of a finger. These tools are designed to create an idealized result, not one that's based on your anatomy or what's actually achievable through surgery.

"The consumer filters are essentially a beauty app that applies a generic, idealized nose algorithmically with no knowledge of your bone structure, skin thickness, or airway, and no concept of what's medically feasible," says plastic surgeon Krishna Vyas, MD. "A filter is designed around what looks aesthetically pleasing on a screen, while surgical planning is based on what can be safely and realistically achieved for that patient's nose."

Unlike consumer filters, the imaging software plastic surgeons use during consultations starts with a patient's actual anatomy. Board-certified plastic surgeon Goretti Ho Taghva, MD, says platforms like Crisalix and VECTRA use a patient's own 3D scan to simulate changes within the limits of their skin, bone, and cartilage. "The difference is simple," says Dr. Vyas. "One is a surgical planning tool grounded in your anatomy. The other is a beauty filter grounded in aesthetic trends."

Are Patients Actually Bringing AI Filters to Consultations?

Bringing filtered photos into rhinoplasty consultations has become increasingly common. Dr. Vyas says more and more patients are using edited images or app simulations to communicate their goals, and he doesn't necessarily see that as a bad thing. "Having a visual reference gives us a concrete starting point to talk through what's realistic and what isn't," he says. "Filtered reference images have become one of the defining features of the modern rhinoplasty consultation."

Board-certified plastic surgeon Michael Bassiri-Tehrani, MD, agrees, though he says those conversations often require a reality check. "It's the new-age version of bringing in a celebrity inspiration photo. At least they're bringing pictures of themselves."

Can AI Actually Predict Your Rhinoplasty Results?

It can be easy to assume that if AI can create a new version of your face, a surgeon can recreate it. The reality is much more complicated. "Often, they're not very accurate," says Dr. Taghva. "It's no longer, 'I want Bella Hadid's nose.' It's, 'I want to look like a slightly different version of me that the AI algorithm created.' That's harder to talk someone out of because it feels personal rather than aspirational, and patients' expectations of looking exactly like the filtered result are much higher because it looks so real."

Dr. Bassiri-Tehrani says the accuracy ultimately depends on the change someone is hoping to make. "Some aspects of the nose are easier to change than others, like bringing a bump down. Slimming a nose with thicker skin, for example, has its limits, and AI doesn't have the information to judge that correctly."

Even physician-grade simulation software has limitations. Dr. Vyas says those tools can't fully predict how tissue heals or how cartilage remodels over time, and consumer AI filters are far less sophisticated. "Patients can fall in love with an image that simply isn't achievable," he says.

Why AI Filters Feel So Convincing

According to Dr. Taghva, AI filters do a much better job of convincing patients they'd look better after a rhinoplasty than any consultation ever could because they're quietly changing much more than just the nose. "Filters default to a narrow, homogenized ideal, often a small, narrow, high-bridged nose with a perfectly refined tip, without accounting for the patient's actual skin thickness, cartilage strength, pore size, or ethnic facial proportions," she says.

The nose isn't the only thing changing, either. AI is also smoothing skin texture, evening out skin tone, softening under-eyes, minimizing laugh lines, and subtly refining the jawline all at once. The result is a face that looks more balanced and polished overall, making it easy to assume the nose is responsible for the transformation.

"Patients credit the nose alone for an improvement that's actually five or six subtle edits working together," says Dr. Taghva. "I can't sculpt a nose I can't build out of someone's own tissue, and I definitely can't fix skin quality or jaw harmony through a rhinoplasty."

Can a "Perfect" Nose Come at the Expense of Function?

If there's one thing that concerns surgeons most about AI-generated noses, it's that they often prioritize aesthetics over function. Dr. Vyas says the look a filter generates often demands aggressive narrowing or tip refinement that can weaken or collapse the nasal valve, making it difficult to breathe. Breathing problems are one of the leading reasons patients seek revision rhinoplasty. "A beautiful nose you can't breathe through is a surgical failure," he says. Dr. Taghva echoes that concern. "Over-narrowing a nasal bridge or aggressively refining a tip can collapse the internal valve and create breathing problems. A nose isn't just a shape; it's a functional airway, and beauty filters have no concept of that at all."

Your Anatomy Still Matters

Dr. Bassiri-Tehrani says every rhinoplasty is shaped by factors AI simply can't account for. "Everything is a factor in rhinoplasty. Skin thickness, cartilage strength, facial proportions. Even height, personality, and occupation play a role in what shape best suits a potential patient. As surgeons, we treat the patient as a whole and take responsibility for what we do. AI filters are a useful tool, but they still need a captain at the helm to guide the results."

Dr. Taghva agrees. "Lifting a filtered image and dropping it onto a different bone-and-cartilage foundation isn't a surgical plan; it's a fantasy. Our job as plastic surgeons is to translate that fantasy into what's actually possible for that patient's face. The danger isn't just disappointment. It's pushing someone toward revision surgery or non-surgical 'fixes' while chasing an image that was never anatomically possible in the first place."

23 Editor-Approved Beauty Products Worth Buying This July

Jessica Harrington — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 14:35:03 -0700

The summer solstice may have been on June 20 this year, but it really starts to feel like summer when the long Fourth of July weekend finally arrives. Though we're spending more time outdoors basking in the sun, we still have plenty of time to test new beauty products, and July is about to produce quite the haul.

Summer is in full swing, and so are the new and exciting seasonal beauty launches. In the hair, skin, makeup, body, and fragrance categories, brands have been turning out new and improved formulations, and we're impressed. From glowy facial sunscreen formulas that are actually enjoyable to apply to citrus perfumes that smell like summer in a bottle and hair products that finally smooth that veil of frizz we're so prone to getting, there's something for everyone.

Whether you're looking to do some shopping before you head out on vacation (hopefully to somewhere tropical) or you just like to keep tabs on what's new and hot in the beauty industry (we can relate), there are plenty of new beauty launches to stock up on. PS editors have already found some of the best new hair, makeup, skin, and body products for the month. Keep reading to find some of our favorite product picks for July.

Last Chance: Shop Laneige, Medicube, & More Beauty Deals Before Prime Day Ends Today

Balim Tezel — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 06:15:00 -0700

Time is running out to shop our favorite Amazon Prime Day beauty deals - and they're better and more discounted than ever. I've rounded up the best deals on editor-favorite makeup, skin care, and more from brands like Shark, Dyson, Medicube, and Biodance. Whether you're looking for editor-loved cult classics like the AmLactin daily moisturizing lotion or viral products like the Laneige lip mask that have been living in your TikTok cart for months, these picks deliver. With so much on offer, it can be hard to know what's actually worth buying - and that's where I come in, since I've been tracking beauty deals for years as a beauty editor and writer. Get to shopping, because you don't have much longer to benefit on restocking your beauty cabinet.

In This Post:

Best Amazon Prime Day K-Beauty Deals
Best Amazon Prime Day Skin-Care Deals
Best Amazon Prime Day Makeup Deals
Best Amazon Prime Day Oral-Care Deals
Best Amazon Prime Day Body-Care Deals
Best Amazon Prime Day Hair-Care Deals

Our Favorite Amazon Prime Day Beauty Deals to Shop:

A whopping 52 percent off a cult-favorite lotion: AmLactin Daily Moisturizing Lotion at $12, originally $25
The TikTok-viral face mask on major sale: Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask at $14, originally $19
A bestselling lip sleeping mask loved by editors and celebs: Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask at $16, originally $24
Our editor's go-to for "underground" pimples and more: Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch Micropoint XL Hydrocolloid Pimple Patches at $17, originally $24
The anti-humidity hair treatment that always sells out: Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray at $20, originally $30
Editor-favorite whitening strips for sensitive teeth: Lumineux Teeth Whitening Strips at $29, originally $45
A dermatologist-recommended SPF that feels luxe and doesn't smell: EltaMD UV Daily Face Sunscreen at $34, originally $45
A viral thermal blowout brush TikTok users swear by: Wavytalk Thermal Brush at $47, originally $69
$140 off a viral hair tool from Shark: Shark FlexStyle Air Drying & Styling System at $230, originally $370
The viral Dyson Airwrap at 30 percent off: Dyson Airwrap i.d.™ Multi-Styler at $500, originally $710

Looking for even more sales? Shop more of Popsugar's editor-curated Amazon Prime Day picks and subscribe to our newsletter for more shopping recommendations. Plus, make sure you sign up for Amazon Prime so that you don't miss a moment of the sale.

Update on June 26, 2026 at 9:30AM ET: I made sure all of our Amazon Prime Day beauty deals are in stock and still on sale, and I added a giftable Sol de Janeiro mist set and everyone's favorite Amika hair mask.

Can Botox Kill Your Ability to Love?

Audrey Noble — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 11:20:02 -0700

You've seen the memes. It is most likely already all over your algorithm. The latest Botox news everyone seems to be obsessed with is its rumored ability to kill our empathy.

The buzz is a reference to a 2011 study that found those who use neurotoxin injectables (like name-brand Botox, or others such as Dysport, Xeomin, Jeuveau, and Daxxify) may have difficulty reading the emotions of others. "Botox participants exhibited an overall significant decrease in the strength of emotional experience," the study states. However, the claims have quickly snowballed into many thinking that getting Botox can make us less empathetic and lose all feeling emotionally altogether. At a time when many joke about wanting to feel less (fellow empaths who have succumbed to the heaviness happening around us know that our feelings can be a lot to handle sometimes), you can't help but wonder just how real these claims are.

Can Botox stop us from feeling love? Any emotion at all? Keep reading to find out from the experts.

Does Botox stop you from loving anything?

The short answer: No, Botox does not impact our ability to love (or feel, for that matter). While there is research that shows Botox has some minor effect on our emotions, it's not as drastic as the Internet likes to think. "There is no evidence that Botox eliminates empathy," says licensed clinical psychologist Melanie Kressel, PsyD. "Empathy is a complex process involving cognitive, emotional, and relational components that extend beyond facial expression alone."

"Botox can't kill your empathy," agrees licensed psychologist Christina Daly, PsyD. "But it can weaken it."

What neurotoxin injectables do is block the nerve signals of targeted muscles, temporarily reducing their movement. According to Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skincare Junkie, getting a certain amount of Botox can prevent many facial expressions and change (or prevent) the way we show emotion.

Marisa Garshick, MD, board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology, adds that Botox may only slightly reduce the intensity of visible expressions like anger or surprise externally, but it does not completely prevent you from feeling those emotions internally. "The ability to experience empathy does not rely on the facial muscles, which is what Botox is targeting," Dr. Garshick says. "[It] does not alter your emotional capacity."

The Connection Between Botox & Our Emotions

There are many ways we understand each other's emotions, and Dr. Daly explains that Botox may affect one of them: facial mimicry. Facial mimicry is the mimicking of the expression of others on our own faces in order to decode them. She says that when our facial muscles are paralyzed, we may not be able to accurately mimic expressions, thus inhibiting our ability to understand how others feel.

"Facial expressions are a major way we communicate with others," she adds. "It's how we show people that we're listening, that we care, and that what they feel matters. So it can be confusing when someone's facial expressions aren't congruent with what they are saying."

Think about it like this: if you were sharing something so deeply personal or upsetting, but someone's facial expression doesn't match the empathy they are trying to verbalize, you would feel invalidated. Or when an actor's facial expressions don't match the lines they're reading, we immediately identify their acting as less believable because our brains don't understand this type of dissonance.

On the flip side, Dr. Kressel says that Botox can boost your self-perception. Those who feel more confident about their appearance may experience a more positive baseline, she explains, and this increased confidence may lead to more open and positive social interactions that enhance their mood, relationship satisfaction, and well-being.

How to Get Botox and Still Emote

There is a happy medium if you want both neurotoxin injectables and the ability to show a range of emotions. Both Dr. Garshick and Dr. Murphy-Rose recommend asking your injector for a more conservative approach when administering the injectable. "Technique is key," says Dr. Murphy-Rose. "Using lower doses in the forehead and being mindful around areas like the lateral brow and crow's feet can help maintain a natural, expressive look."

"The goal is to soften lines without freezing expression," adds Dr. Garshick.

Experts want to reassure you that you don't have to worry. With the right (and licensed) injector, you'll still be able to get treatment with your feelings intact. "If you had the capacity for empathy prior to Botox, you'll be capable of it after," Dr. Daly says.

Ilona Maher Talks Body Confidence and the Importance of Strength

Alana Peden — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:25:02 -0700

Ilona Maher is enjoying a banner summer. On May 30, she sauntered across the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit runway in a blue monokini, hip bumped Bethenny Frankel, and capped off the evening by swimming backstroke to thunderous applause. The Olympic medalist's cocktail of athleticism, beauty, and magnetic energy could quite possibly ignite its own tide pool, so it's fitting Coppertone tapped her for a partnership for the ages.

The Coppertone Sport Sunscreen Spray SPF 50 Ilona Maher Limited-Edition Design ($9), featuring the athlete's actual face emblazoned on the bottle, is a powerful visual: Maher, rugby ball in one hand, approaching with confidence. She's neither shrinking herself nor apologizing for her statuesque form, which is exactly how she operates beyond the label. It's an expression of strength and competitive spirit that could inspire young athletes every time they reach for a bottle. "I'm really proud to step into the role of somebody that girls and women look up to who's just existing in a very strong body," Maher tells Popsugar.

The formula provides 80 minutes of sweat-resistant protection per application, the length of a women's regulation rugby match. "We're tackling, bits are being thrown everywhere, and Coppertone Sport keeps us protected the whole time," says Maher. "I hate farmers' tans, so I spray it genuinely everywhere."

Seeing her own face on the packaging after years of buying the formula was surreal."I don't have many words, but I'm honored that this happened. I am a humble person. But also, hell yeah."

"I will do whatever I can to continue to stay strong of mind and to love my body in all the seasons of life. I will be bigger, I will be smaller, I will be stronger, I'll be weaker."

Coppertone's bottle rendering of Maher marks a somewhat rare celebration of a woman's physical strength. After the inclusivity-driven era of the 2010s, it can feel like body positivity has diminished to a faint whisper on some corners of the internet as many people are shrinking. Through her social channels and podcast, House of Maher, the rugby star doesn't waver in her messaging: you deserve to feel confident in your skin. "I feel for women, because I understand how hard it is, how you're told you're more beautiful when you are thin and the comments ramp up. We all need to be aware of how cyclical it is," says Maher. "I just don't think a body should ever be a trend."

Image Source: Ivan Apfel/Getty Images

The prevalence of GLP-1 medications has changed the game in a lot of ways. Many people are on them for health benefits, including diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol management, but they're also used for weight loss. "I don't judge women who have to be on it," says Maher.

But when you can't stream an episode of "Love Island" without an onslaught of GLP-1 ads, it can feel radical not to take one. "I do feel discouraged at times," says Maher. "I will do whatever I can to continue to stay strong of mind and to love my body in all the seasons of life. I will be bigger, I will be smaller, I will be stronger, I'll be weaker."

If the Sports Illustrated Swim runway is any indication, the spectrum of beauty remains just that - a beautiful spectrum. The 2026 show included a variety of powerhouse women, including Lauren Chan, Hunter McGrady, Bethenny Frankel, Gabriela Moura, Tiffany Haddish, Tunde Oyeneyin, and a pregnant Katie Austin. "We can't all be one thing," says Maher. "It would be an extremely boring-looking world."

Off the runway, Maher, the ultimate poster woman for strength, recognizes a pocket of the internet aspiring to make gains at the gym. "I love seeing girls lifting and going more to the gym, saying, 'I gotta eat my protein.' We're seeing an influx of women seeing that strength is beautiful," says Maher. With the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles on the horizon, their goals mirror her own: "To be as strong as possible."

Alana Peden is an award-winning executive storyteller, strategist, and brand shaper. She cut her teeth in print (at magazines like InStyle and More) before holding senior digital positions (at Penske Media Corporation and Bustle Digital Group). In 2017, she conceived and launched Elite Daily's fashion and beauty verticals. More recently, she served as the editor-in-chief at StyleCaster.

Meet Painted by Esther, the Genius Behind Olandria's Glam & the Viral Blush Trend

Naomi Parris — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:20:00 -0700

It's after 9 p.m. in London, and famed makeup artist Ngozi Esther Edeme is chatting with me on a video call about her journey in the industry. She's speaking about the work ethic that has landed her in such major rooms. The 28-year-old, best known as Painted by Esther, has dominated the beauty scene recently thanks to her work with Olandria Carthen during her press run for the "Love Island USA" reunion. The look that broke the internet? Makeup that reflected the glam of a '90s supermodel with one distinct element: heavy pink blush. It wasn't long before the moment achieved virality on TikTok and Instagram alike, sparking a movement of Black women (regardless of skin tone) liberally using blush. It's even referred to as the "Painted by Esther Blush Trend," serving as a relief from European beauty standards, especially for dark-skinned women. But let's be clear, Edeme has been in the game since long before she started working with Carthen - since she was six years old, to be exact.

"Many people are stealing or reinventing our ideas and creativity as their own, but we're going to keep breaking barriers."

Born and raised in Nigeria, Edeme's childhood mornings were marked by the scent of her mom's powders that she used to get ready and the sound of her heels, leaving Edeme fascinated by the idea of beauty from an early age. "My environment growing up was very beauty-focused . . . you don't go out looking crazy, you always make sure you look prim and proper," she tells Popsugar. "Every morning, I'd watch my mom get ready, put her makeup on, and then she would make me up to watch her get ready, so I'd be her companion." As she grew older, Edeme would apply different products on the baby dolls her mom brought home for her after a day's work. She grew to fall in love with the craft, constantly getting in trouble at school for having too much lip gloss or mascara on, setting the tone for the beauty giant she would become.

This foundation prepared the Lagos-born professional for when she was beckoned by prominent celebrities (aside from Carthen) including SZA, Kelly Rowland, Doechii, Tyla, Cassie, and Nara Smith. Her work speaks so loudly that even Naomi Campbell personally reached out to Edeme for glam. Outside of her iconic blush technique, her authentic love for the craft is what keeps the stars coming. "A lot of my clients are givers and divas, rightfully so, but I've learned to be patient and take my ego out of things because I'm hungry for it. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't hungry," she says.

Image Source: Getty Images / Taylor Hill

The London-based artist also attributes favor as the secret to her success. She's Christian and takes her faith very seriously. "Before I do anything, I pray to God to guide my hands, help me pick up the right product at the right time, and that the client and people around them are satisfied with my work," she says. This method has worked well for Edeme, as no client leaves her chair disappointed. "I did Gabrielle Union's makeup a few years ago, and she posted it and answered people's DMs asking about me."

Though blush is the star of Edeme's work, her instinctive approach is what makes it noteworthy. Believe it or not, she uses products most of us use, and relies on her creativity for the outcome. She also studied fine arts in North England, where she honed her gradient technique, developing an understanding for undertones and what complements them. The Glossier Cloud Paint Plush Blush ($26) is one of her favorites for getting the job done.

@kkaobykkb
Did this makeup eat or no? 😳👀@Paintedbyesther inspired pink blush full glam makeup tutorial 😍💕 Product list📋 KKAÖ Beauty Sunsculpt Bronzing Stick - Brown Sugar 🍫 KKAÖ Beauty Jelly Liquid Blush - Berry Passionfruit 🍓🍉 @ONE SIZE BEAUTY Ultra Pink Settig Powder ✨ @Morphe Cosmetics Cheek Thrills Multi Face Trio Blush 💕 KKAÖ Beauty Barb Blush Palette Vol 2 💖👑 KKAÖ Beauty Artist Essential Powder Palette 🎨👑 KKAÖ Beauty Highligher Palette ✨😍 Makeup tutorial Bronzer placement Blush placement
♬ original sound - Farquaad

As for other products she's loving? The Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder ($39), as well as the brand's Groundwork: Defining Neutrals Palette ($68). Edeme also loves a "good glow," often reaching for the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer ($23), RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek Glow Quad ($42), and Lancôme Care and Glow Serum Concealer ($32). Other essentials in her kit include the Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil Waterproof Eyebrow Definer ($16) and Pat McGrath MatteTrance Lipstick ($39).

Ultimately, Edeme prides herself in work that amplifies Black culture to further inclusivity in beauty. "Even [today], many people are stealing or reinventing our ideas and creativity as their own, but we're going to keep breaking barriers," she says. "I do this every day and I really mean it - and I'm here to stay."

Naomi Parris is a former assistant shopping editor at Popsugar, based in New York. With over eight years of experience and previous roles held on the brand's Beauty and Operations teams, she enjoys telling stories that merge fashion, beauty, and Black culture. Naomi has also lent her skillful pen to Essence Girls United, Elle, Bustle, and Elite Daily. When she's not crafting shopping roundups, high-profile features, beauty op-eds, or trend guides, you can find Naomi behind her blog "Eli-Nay," where she inspires readers through style guides, cultural pieces, and innovative content on her Instagram.

14 Beauty Launches Our Editors Are Loving This June

Jessica Harrington — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:15:02 -0700

Summer is officially within our reach. You know what that means: beach days, European vacations, outdoor dining, sundresses, the works. To fully embrace the warm weather, there are some necessary changes in our beauty routines that need to be made. It's time to head to the store to pick up a new bottle of SPF (because it expires) , swap your rich moisturizer for a lightweight formula that won't break you out, and rotate in some berry makeup shades. It may also be time to break out the self tanner, find the perfect bright red nail polish shade to live out your Italian summer dream, grab a freckle pen to fake the cute spots across your notes without the sun damage – you get the idea.

Luckily, there are plenty of new beauty products launching this June from your favorite to explore and our editors have been putting them to the test so that you know what's worth hitting that "add to cart" button on. We've fallen in love with new formulas across all categories - hair, makeup, skin, and body - and all price points, from luxurious moisturizers to splurge on to an affordable mascara that we can't put down. To get the scoop on the best new beauty launches for June, keep reading.

Real Couples Share How Chronic Skin Conditions Impact Their Relationships

Sidra Imtiaz — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 06:30:03 -0700

The hashtag for "couples skin care" on TikTok is flooded with radiant pairs perched over his and hers sinks, often accompanied by matching headbands, aesthetic products, and barely a blemish in sight. For those with chronic skin conditions, skin care also plays a role in our relationships, but arguably a far less cookie-cutter one. Navigating a chronic skin condition such as vitiligo, eczema, acne, psoriasis, or rosacea can impact daily life and, as a result, considerably affect relationship dynamics.

I'm a psoriasis sufferer with acne-prone skin, married to a man who has dealt with acne for over 10 years. My husband and I have had endless conversations about skin and discomfort and supported each other through the ups and downs of life with a chronic skin condition. However, chronic skin conditions can cause real (or imagined) strain in many relationships where only one party suffers.

Expert Featured In This Article

Alia Ahmed, MD, is a consultant dermatologist based in the UK and an expert in psychodermatology.

It Can Put Pressure on Both Partners in the Relationship

"Skin conditions can put all sorts of pressure on relationships," dermatologist Alia Ahmed, MD, says. "People with them can often feel embarrassed or guilty about how their skin looks and hence avoid physical or intimate contact. They may also be experiencing physical symptoms like pain, itching, or bleeding, which can be very difficult for both the sufferer and their loved one." I can definitely relate to this feeling, even though my partner also has a skin condition.

Before we got together, my husband was unfamiliar with psoriasis, and despite his constant support, I can't help but feel like a burden when my skin flares up. Once, we left the house only for the psoriasis on my feet to become so inflamed by my shoes that we had to come home early. We didn't leave the house for the rest of the weekend as I struggled to walk. I felt flustered, embarrassed, and deeply frustrated, as though I was preventing both of us from a day out. However, with this support, I have continued to work on my self-esteem over the past few years. I feel grateful that I have someone who cares about me deeply enough to sacrifice time to help me cope with my condition.

Compromise and Compassion Is Key

Those without skin conditions may be surprised by their magnitude and the sacrifices required in relationships because of them. Skin conditions can determine everything from where you live to your travel plans. For Kate Pasola, who has rosacea and has been with her girlfriend for five years, taking a vacation was something that terrified her in the earlier days of their relationship. Rosacea is triggered by time in the sun, and Kate was worried about having it all laid bare on a beach holiday. From an extensive skin-care routine to the flare-ups following the beach, it was the first time her girlfriend, Mathilde Lopes, would see the true extent of Pasola's rosacea. In fact, Pasola had left the bed in the morning to apply subtle makeup and mask the redness several times before.

According to Dr. Ahmed, people with chronic skin-care conditions need to modify their lifestyles, and in many cases, loved ones may follow the same choices. Compromise looks different for every couple, and for Pasola and Lopes, it means a strong sun shade on the beach, generously applied sunscreen, and sometimes forgoing another dip in the sea. While these may seem like small changes, they can make a world of difference to someone with a chronic skin condition.

"I hear from my patients that they have avoided having a relationship or coming out of one because they are worried about the effect their skin condition will have on their partner," says Dr. Ahmed. But leaning into a relationship is something that Pasola personally has found great comfort in. "It's incredibly healing being with someone who's shown me love and appreciation through my skin's ups and downs," she says.

For Alice Watson*, a 28-year-old who has recently purchased a home with her boyfriend, Liam Green*, his severe eczema played a role in where they chose to commit as first-time buyers. Triggered by dust and pollution, the pair were keen to look for a new building outside of the city, opting for a development where they would be the first to live in the home.

"Older houses gather dust easily, particularly where there have been years of tenants and carpets - we steered clear of anywhere with high-reaching, hard-to-clean areas or corners that would gather dust." To Watson, the hardest part about being with someone who has a chronic skin condition is seeing their suffering and feeling helpless, but she does think it has helped bring them closer.

Support Takes on Many Different Forms

"Liam is always extremely apologetic for any changes I have to make due to his skin, but I find that so much of how I show love is in affection through care," Watson says. Supporting Green by applying his cream, listening to his experiences, and helping him research possible solutions means the skin condition brings them closer rather than coming between them. "I feel a lot of empathy for him, as any frustration I may feel on his behalf, he will be feeling tenfold." As Watson also has a chronic autoimmune disorder, she knows how crucial a partner's support is and finds that they both work together to help each other through flare-ups.

Pasola's girlfriend has also supported her through research: "She's taken the time to learn what ingredients I can and can't use, and often treats me to face masks to calm my face - she'll wear one, too, and we'll make a date out of it." Dr. Ahmed recommends education as a way to support someone who is struggling with a physically visible skin condition. "Much information is online, including support groups and patient forums. You can also ask if you would be welcome to join at the next medical appointment, which might provide the chance to encourage your partner to discuss any difficulties and ask questions to better understand their situation." She urges that, above all, be open and sensitive.

"People have good and bad days, and sometimes your partner may not want to engage in conversation about their skin, which does not reflect on you," Dr. Ahmed says. "Respecting the wishes of people with skin conditions and giving them space to open up is very important and helps to build trust."

Zara Khan*, who is married and a mother of two little boys, experienced lichen planus and vitiligo earlier in her marriage and found solace that she didn't feel like her husband or sons saw the condition as extensively as she did. "My husband was worried about the lichen planus, just as neither of us knew what it was, and were worried about the rate at which it was spreading, but other than that, it didn't impact him, which made me feel more accepting."

Compromise, empathy, and kindness are key to the success of any relationship, and those that involve skin-care conditions are no different. For those who experience them and feel like they are burdening their loved ones, take reassurance that all of the couples we spoke to didn't feel weighed down by the skin condition - or feel the strength of their relationship was compromised by it. Simultaneously, you have every right to feel the way you do. "There is evidence that the severity of the skin condition does not dictate the psychological impact, so even clinically 'mild' conditions can hugely affect an individual," says Dr. Ahmed.

Your feelings and experiences are so valid. And for those supporting a loved one, cut yourself some slack. You're probably doing so much more than they expect you to and much better than you think.

- Pseudonyms have been used.

Sidra Imtiaz is a freelance British Pakistani Muslim beauty writer and PR expert based in London, but often in the US. She has written for Refinery29, Glamour, InStyle, Bustle, Who What Wear, and PS.

How I Learned to Love My Bumps and Scars From Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Cydney Carter — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 06:30:03 -0700

I was 12 years old when I started getting painful blackhead-like boils and scars on my inner thighs. I had no idea what it was and refused to tell my mom because I thought I was personally doing something wrong, like not showering correctly. Eventually, the boils became so debilitating that I couldn't walk and begged to stay home from school, eventually forced to show my mom. She didn't have a clue what it was.

The two of us spent the next few years trying to manage my symptoms at home and bouncing from doctor to doctor for answers. Some MDs thought it was chronic boils, while others were just honest, admitting they'd never seen anything like it before. It was discouraging to me as a little girl because it reinforced the idea that something's got to be wrong with me if the doctors don't know what they're dealing with or what I'm dealing with.

The condition took a big hit on my mental health. The preteen and teen mind is vulnerable enough - your body is already going through so many changes and on top of that, I had to deal with the scarring and not being able to show up the way my peers could. At one point, I thought my symptoms were being triggered by an STD, which only added to the stigma.

I hid my symptoms from my friends and classmates, feeling isolated and betrayed by my body. I still remember the anxiety I felt playing volleyball in school, having to wear spandex and always tugging at mine worried that people would see and the boils would spread. With no answers, my mom and I often turned to self management (we tried to lance the boils at home) or trips to the ER to find relief. I was in the emergency room at least three or four times a year before I finally received a diagnosis at age 17.

It wasn't until I was doing an internship at a dermatology office that I scheduled an appointment with one of the specialists and I heard the words hidradenitis suppurativa for the first time. They told me they didn't know why it was happening, but there wasn't a cure and that they could prescribe an antiseptic for relief. I felt hopeless.

Maybe I was too young to comprehend the bluntness of it all, but that lack of compassion left me more defeated than I was happy to have an actual name of my diagnosis. I wound up abandoning my health after that, ignoring my HS altogether, leaning on drugs to numb the lack of self worth that I felt, and found myself engaging sexually with people who didn't deserve to be with me. It all stemmed from feeling so terrible about myself and betrayed by my body.

I didn't go back to the dermatologist until last year, nearly 10 years after being initially diagnosed.

I don't love how I look every day, but every day I do feel a little less disgusted with myself. My body is beginning to look normal to me.

It was in sharing my life on TikTok that I found the motivation to finally go back to the derm. I'd started to feel like I was living this double life online, encouraging others to embrace their HS and get checked out, but not having taken care of my own symptoms or negative self-talk. Each time that I would take a moment to just share a peek of what living with HS was like and read similar comments and experiences, I was healing myself.

Now, I speak to over 250,000 followers regularly about my HS journey in the hopes that theirs won't feel as isolated as mine. I've been able to use my advocacy work to be a part of multiple studies with biopharmaceutical company UCB, participating in their 'Make HStory campaign to raise awareness about the disease. And I've learned to love myself no matter what my body looks like on the outside.

Some days, it still feels like a work in progress and that's OK too. I often have to remind myself of what God says about me, particularly while looking in the mirror - and it's not the superficial things that we feel our body needs to look like or be or what size or the perfect smooth skin. I don't love how I look every day, but every day I do feel a little less disgusted with myself. My body is beginning to look normal to me.

- As told to Alexis Jones

Alexis Jones is the section lead of the health and fitness verticals at Popsugar, overseeing coverage across the website, social media, and newsletters. In her seven-plus years of editorial experience, Alexis has developed passions for and expertise in mental health, women's health and fitness, racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare, and chronic conditions. Prior to joining PS, she was the senior editor at Health magazine. Her other bylines can be found at Women's Health, Prevention, Marie Claire, and more.

What to Know About Hidradenitis Suppurativa, a Lesser-Known Type of Acne

Korin Miller — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 06:30:02 -0700

If you're experiencing painful bumps or lesions forming under the skin, but it feels or looks different from a typical breakout, it could be a sign of hidradenitis suppurativa. This chronic inflammatory skin condition impacts up to two percent of the US population, according to the HS Foundation, although it affects some people more than others. According to a study published in the International Journal of Women's Dermatology in 2021, women are twice as likely to have hidradenitis suppurativa than men, and Black people are three times more likely to have the condition than white people.

Still, hidradenitis suppurativa isn't as well known or talked about as other skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis. Ahead, dermatologists explain hidradenitis suppurativa, the major signs to look out for, and how to get relief.

Experts Featured in This Article

Ife J. Rodney, MD, is a dermatologist and the founding director of Eternal Dermatology + Aesthetics.

Michael Rosenblum, MD, PhD, is a dermatologist, skin immunology researcher, and professor of dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco.

What Is Hidradenitis Suppurativa?

Hidradenitis suppurativa, also known as acne inversa, is a chronic skin disease. "You may get cysts or boils, usually in folded areas of the skin, like the armpits, groin area, or under the breasts," says dermatologist Ife J. Rodney, MD. (Just a heads up: acne inversa is different from the more common acne vulgaris. A good way to think of it is that the former typically affects the deeper layers of the skin, whereas the latter is seen more outwardly through blemishes like pimples.)

How hidradenitis suppurativa manifests depends on a number of factors, but it can often look like bumps or acne cysts, and it can get worse without treatment, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). When an abscess breaks open, blood and pus leak out. As it heals, a scar will often develop. Patients may develop more abscesses in the same area, and pus-filled tunnels called sinus tracts can form under the skin, Dr. Rodney says.

"Some forms are quite mild and easily treatable, while others require surgery and adequate pain control," says dermatologist Michael Rosenblum, MD, PhD. "It tends to be a relapsing and remitting disease that is all on a spectrum." That means symptoms may flare up and go away for a period of time before resurfacing again.

What Causes Hidradenitis Suppurativa?

While the exact cause of hidradenitis suppurativa is unknown, many experts believe it is linked to blocked hair follicles under the skin, Dr. Rosenblum says. "The blocked hair follicles trap bacteria, which leads to inflammation and rupture." It's unclear why the blockages occur in the first place, although genetics, environment factors, and hormonal changes may play a role.

"For patients with hidradenitis suppurativa, the inflammation doesn't go away and starts to feed on itself - it gets worse and worse," Dr. Rosenblum says, adding that the condition is ultimately "an inability to control the inflammation."

Although the spread of bacteria is a factor with the condition, hidradenitis suppurativa is not contagious. "Many cases can be pretty striking in appearance, but you cannot get hidradenitis suppurativa from another person," Dr. Rodney says. The AAD also notes that hidradenitis suppurativa isn't a sexually transmitted disease or caused by having unclean skin.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa Symptoms

Symptoms of hidradenitis suppurativa can vary, depending on how severe the condition is in a patient, but Dr. Rodney says there are a few common signs to look out for.

Small, pitted areas of skin that contain blackheads
Painful lumps that grow and break open
Abscesses that drain fluid and pus
Itchy abscesses that may have an odor
Abscesses that heal very slowly and happen again over time

With mild hidradenitis suppurativa, you may only have one or a few lumps in one area of the skin, Dr. Rodney says. Moderate cases of hidradenitis suppurativa usually include lumps that form in different areas of the skin, recur, and break open, while severe cases can include widespread lumps, scars, and chronic pain.

How Is Hidradenitis Suppurativa Diagnosed?

Hidradenitis suppurativa is usually a clinical diagnosis, meaning doctors can determine if you have it after a physical exam. "When patients come in, we can usually tell right away whether they have it or not," Dr. Rosenblum says. However, your doctor may do a skin biopsy if they think there's a chance your symptoms could be due to something else, he says.

"Sometimes, the condition can be very mild, where it may just include one or two cysts that come and go - those can be more difficult to diagnose," Dr. Rodney says. "The more severe cases with larger cysts are easier to spot."

Hidradenitis Suppurativa Treatments

While treatment recommendations vary by patient, there are effective therapy options worth considering. Those can include antibiotics to help reduce the amount of bacteria that can contribute to the inflammation, Dr. Rodney says, along with steroids. "We frequently do steroid injections into the cysts to shut down the inflammatory process," she adds. "That's very helpful, especially if you get it injected as soon as the cyst appears versus when it's larger and really painful."

In more severe cases, a biologic (or a medication made from living organisms, like plasma or growth factors, for example) can be used to try to help control the inflammation, Dr. Rosenblum says. Surgery may be needed to remove the lumps and scars.

There are also a few lifestyle tweaks you can make to help with the pain during flare-ups, including wearing loose-fitting clothes, doing your best to avoid heat and humidity, and trying to avoid injuring your skin.

Does Hidradenitis Suppurativa Ever Go Away?

While the treatments above can help manage the condition, "if you have hidradenitis suppurativa, you have it for life," Dr. Rodney says.

Dr. Rosenblum is hopeful that there will be more options for patients in the future, including more effective treatments. However, in 2023, the FDA approved Cosentyx to treat moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa, and research is also exploring new targeted therapies. "There's been a real explosion in the science of trying to understand this disease," he says. "Over the next five to 10 years, there should be new therapies."

Korin Miller is a writer specializing in general wellness, health, and lifestyle trends. Her work has appeared in Women's Health, Self, Health, Forbes, and more.

Simone Ashley on "The Devil Wears Prada" Memories, And Her Favorite Drugstore Product

Audrey Noble — Tue, 26 May 2026 10:35:02 -0700

When it comes to "The Devil Wears Prada 2," this is the burning question currently on everyone's (a.k.a. me personally and my fellow chronically online friends) mind: Did Simone Ashley finally get her hands on the 2011 Christian Dior shoes she's been eyeing on set?

"No, I didn't follow up with production on them," Ashley laughs as I sit down with her over Zoom. "But they were beautiful shoes. [Caleb Hearon, Helen J. Shen, and I] had this joke because we were asked quite a lot about whether we took anything from set. That was the recurring joke throughout the press tour."

It's a very busy time for the "Bridgerton" star. After a whirlwind press tour for DWP2, she jet-setted to the South of France to attend the 79th Annual Cannes Film Festival as a L'Oreal Paris ambassador. This marks her fifth Cannes appearance, and she is just excited to celebrate all films making their debut at this year's festival.

"I love film. I love art. I love celebrating the people that deserve to have their flowers and are having their moments," she says. "So to come here and celebrate film is the best part for me."

To stay centered during all the travel, red-carpet events, and press events, she keeps her wellness routine fairly simple. She does the obvious things like prioritizing sleep, working out regularly, and drinking lots of water. But the biggest thing that keeps her centered is spending time with friends and family whenever she has days off. "It just changes everything and really rejuvenates me," she says.

One cannot talk about Cannes without talking about glam. She sticks to the L'Oreal Paris Elvive Glycolic + Gloss collection to keep her hair moisturized and healthy - especially when she finds her hair often getting heat-styled. But there's one non-negotiable that you'll always find in her bag: the L'Oreal Paris Plump Ambition Hyaluron Lip Oil ($14).

Image Source: Getty Images

Her favorite lip gloss shade is "anything that's kind of neutral," she says. "If I'm traveling and I'm not wearing makeup, it's always nice to have a bulletproof neutral in my bag."

Unlike many other people who can't stop scrolling (guilty), she admits she's not often online and can't keep up with the never-ending cycle of beauty trends that flood social algorithms. Instead, she learns a lot from her styling teams and credits her go-to makeup artist, Alex Babsky, for her favorite beauty looks.

"He is one of the greatest artists in the world," she says. "He's amazing, and I've learned so many tips and tricks from him. He's really good at paying attention to detail and the subtlety of makeup. I'm always learning so much from him."

When she's not doing a red carpet or attending an event, she keeps her makeup very minimal to give her skin a break. "Off-duty style" is how she would describe her go-to beauty look. "[The trend] I personally love is 'less is more,'" she says. "Just working with your features and what makes you unique and beautiful."

Image Source: 20th Century Studios

On a more serious note, when talking about DWP2, she calls that time an adventure. Filming in New York was her personal favorite part, where she was able to go home to friends to talk about the experience and even brainstorm funny ideas for upcoming scenes. It's sharing milestones with the people she loves that make it even more special.

"I think having amazing moments in life and your career are one thing, but it's really important that you have good people around you to share them with," she says. "I felt very lucky."

The Best Quince Summer Skin Care, From Supergoop to Therabody

Adelaide Giesey — Wed, 20 May 2026 12:10:02 -0700

While I consider searching for beauty products a year-round activity, the transition to a new season always sparks my curiosity for what's out there. Like the inevitable quarterly spruce-up of my apartment or wardrobe, just one or two updated formulas make me feel like I have successfully given my routine a glow-up. And I'll confess, I am a sucker for a new SPF or signature scent come summer. Much to my delight, I have found myself shopping summer essentials for my home, closet, and beauty bag all at the same place: Quince.

In case you are unfamiliar with Quince's beauty game, the retailer curated top brands across skin care, hair care, and wellness to add to its already-vast beauty offerings. While I've been a fan of Quince's in-house fragrance line for some time, I love that I can simultaneously shop some of my favorite brands all in one place. From viral skin-care devices to budget-friendly cleansers, the selection feels large enough for me to find something new, yet familiar enough to stock up on my go-to formulas. Keep reading for the beauty and skin-care products I will be adding to my cart this summer.

The Best Beauty and Skin-Care Products From Quince

An everyday skin-care staple: Ursa Major Fantastic Face Wash at $26
The ultimate root reset: Ceremonia Dry Shampoo Con Arrowroot at $28
To kickstart your supplement journey: Quince Grass-Fed Collagen Peptide Plus at $30
The secret to keeping your hair hydrated: Briogeo Don't Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Mask at $39
Because drinking your greens is so much easier: Quince Daily Superfood Greens at $40
The dewiest sunscreen: Supergoop! Glowscreen at $48
For your next signature scent: Quince Les Cerises Eau de Parfum at $50
Your ultimate travel companion: Iles Formula Minis at $52
A beauty sleep must have: The Outset Restorative Niacinamide Night Cream at $54
For an at-home spa day: 111 Skin Celestial Black Diamond Eye Mask at $120
The best self-care tool: Therabody TheraFace Depuffing Wand at $170