Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2016 i Cosmopolitan

1 SPRITZ Britney Spears’ Private Show, with notes like crème coffee and dulce de leche (from $32, kohls.com). 2. MAKE A TERRARIUM while the cocktails flow. Plant Nite sets up planting parties at local bars (plantnite.com). 3 HIT THE ROAD with Sasha Lane and Shia LaBeouf in tripped-out coming-of-age drama American Honey (Sept. 30). 5. FOLLOW @KristinaLechner on Insta for clever food porn that’s not actually food (yep, those are checkers). 6. BRACE for important truth bombs on racism and incarceration in Ava DuVernay’s powerful doc The 13th (Oct. 7, Netflix). 7. MAKE A STATEMENT for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Purple Purse Charm raises funds for abuse survivors ($10, purplepurse.com). GO CANDY-COLORED with Peter Pilotto’s playful jewels for Atelier Swarovski ($299, Ron Robinson, Santa Monica store). TELEVISION 8 ROOT…

The last person I texted was: Kim And I said: I know way too much about: My favorite city in the world: The last movie that made me cry: A fictional character I’d want to date: BANDEAU TOP, BIKINI BOTTOM, Norma Kamali. SHOES, Schutz. EARRINGS, Lorae Russo. CUFF, Alexis Bittar. BRACELETS, Kourtney’s own Cartier Favorite candy: My favorite thing (aside from any Kardashians) that starts with K: I know all the words to: To me, sexy means: My best Halloween costume ever:…

I’M ANGELA LEDGERWOOD, COSMO’S BOOKS EDITOR-AT-LARGE. CATCH ME TALKING BOOKS HERE EACH MONTH AND ON THE LIT UP PODCAST EACH WEEK (FIND IT ON ITUNES AND @LITUPSHOW). PARIS FOR ONE & OTHER STORIES by Jojo Moyes Can Paris still be the City of Love if you’ve been stood up? Find out in the titular novella from the author of Me Before You. Bonus: eight more short stories being published in the U.S. for the first time. SMALL GREAT THINGS by Jodi Picoult Racial tensions hit a boiling point when a black nurse is assigned to care for the newborn of white-supremacist parents. They refuse to let her touch their child. So when something goes terribly wrong, who’s at fault? TODAY WILL BE DIFFERENT by Maria Semple One day, cartoonist, mom,…

THAT’S SO FETCH FUN It’s Mean Girls Day on Oct. 3: The limit on the number of repeat viewings does not exist FEARLESS Rajiv Surendra (Mean Girls’ Mathlete/MC Kevin G.) finds fame as chalk artist. Mic drop! DOES HILLARY EVEN GO HERE FAIL “Mean Trump” video mash-up replaces Cady with The Donald; is a bit too close to real. WHOLE LOTTA DOUGH FUN Delighted By’s vegan chocolate-chip dessert hummus sounds suspect; tastes like bliss. FEARLESS Ben & Jerry’s and New Belgium’s cookie dough ale: Chug for climate change awareness. FAIL Bad flour is not your friend. Killjoy FDA says even egg-free cookie dough is unsafe to eat. COUNT YOUR CHICKENS FUN Gigi who? Photographer Dan Bannino shoots chickens like they’re high-fashion models. FEARLESS PYPO.com’s “Asking for It” short skewers the…

Style Tip Add polish to ripped jeans or a slinky slip with a more structured style. Style Tip On days you’re feeling meh, throw on an animal-print jacket for instant glam-rock cool.…

YOU WANT LOTS OF LIFT A clean scalp is key. Everything from scalp oils to yesterday’s styling cream can weigh down hair, says Rolanda Wilkerson, principal scientist and senior manager of scientific communications at P&G. Look for a formula that’s free of silicone (it can flatten hair), like this one. Bonus: Tiny molecules, which mimic the plumping effects of collagen, boost strands. PANTENE PRO-V Sheer Volume Shampoo, $5, drugstores YOU WANT PERFECT CURLS Rule number one: no sulfates! “The sudsing lifts the cuticle, making hair unruly,” says Alli Webb, founder of Drybar and author of The Drybar Guide to Good Hair for All. Since sulfate-free shampoos don’t lather, it’s essential to massage them in to physically loosen buildup and debris. DevaCurl’s uses milk to set the scene for soft, well-formed spirals.…

HAIR SPECIAL KNOT-WORTHY Pocket-size for portability, making it easy to detangle anywhere. ETERNALLY IN AMBER Travel-Size Tortoiseshell Fine-Tooth Rake Comb, $9.50, eternallyinamber.com DREAM CREAM One scoop takes your mane from fried to fab. L’ORÉAL PARIS OleoTherapy Deep Recovery Mask, $9, drugstores GO LONG Like a shot of espresso, this caffeinated spritz kickstarts hair growth. OGX Fight Fallout + Niacin3 & Caffeine Root Stimulator Spray, $8, ulta.com END GAME Work through tips and tell splits “boy, bye.” SUAVE PROFESSIONALS Coconut Oil Infusion Damage Repair Oil Treatment, $5, Walmart SOFT SERVE All the hold of a regular hair spray—without stickiness or crunch. PANTENE PRO-V Style Series Airspray, $7, pantene.com LOCK-LUSTER Give dull strands new life with an oil-based serum. HASK Macadamia Oil Revitalizing Shine Hair Treatment, $3, Target MATERIAL GIRL A faux-leather pony…

1. All you want to do on Saturday night is: a. Sit front-row at the ballet. b. Hit up the hot new restaurant. c. Netflix and chill. d. Pop bottles at the club. 2. Your weekend fashion staple is: a. Off-the-shoulder tops. b. Denim and bomber jackets. c. Floral sundresses. d. Leather pants and stilettos. 3. No night-out look is complete without: a. Major lashes. b. A cat-eye flick. c. A pop of highlighter. d. Matte red lips. 4. What’s prominent on your Pinterest grid? a. Ruffles and peonies. b. Drool-worthy decor. c. Beauty tutorials and inspo. d. European vacay #Goals. 5. How do you satisfy your sweet tooth? a. Pastel macarons. b. Crème brûlée. c. Lemon sorbet. d. Chocolate anything.…

Listen to the Thoughts That Stick With You If you come from an immigrant family and you’re not a doctor, a lawyer, or a teacher, your job may as well not exist, but I’ve always loved politics. After college, I worked as a legislative aide to a U.S. congressman. My boss once asked me what e-mail was, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it! Sometimes you learn things you don’t know how to apply until later. After he resigned, I decided to explore that disconnect among policy, tech, and business. Tell People Your Goals Visiting my hometown as the first college graduate in my family highlighted the social inequality there. I had a corporate job, but I spread the word to mentors that I wanted to lead an organization. I…

WHICH IS WORSE? DECIDE THE GREATER OF TWO FINANCIAL EVILS SO YOU CAN MAKE YOUR MONEY MULTIPLY. CONFESSION “I QUIT MY JOB THREE YEARS AGO AND LIVED OFF MY 401(K) UNTIL I LANDED A NEW JOB. NOW I FEEL SO FAR BEHIND WITH RETIREMENT SAVING.” —LANEIKA, 34 Avoid raiding your retirement moola. As Laura Adams notes, “If you lose your job and can’t pay bills, your 401(k) is generally protected from creditors.” Withdraw and that protection is gone. Plus, after taxes and fees, you may get back only 70 cents for every dollar you put in. Dipped already? Up retirement savings to 15 to 20 per cent of your paycheck. SKIMPING ON YOUR RETIREMENT PLAN OR SKIMPING ON YOUR HEALTH PLAN? Neither is a great idea, but skimping on a…

CONFESSION “I MAKE GOOD MONEY, BUT I OVERDRAFT MY CHECKING ACCOUNT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. ONE MONTH, I PAID $389 IN OVERCHARGE FEES.” —ELIZABETH, 27 Banks made more than $11 billion— with a B—on overdraft fees last year. Stop getting ripped off! “This comes down to management,” Laura Adams says. “Set automatic bill pay for some bills the day after your first paycheck of the month clears, and do the same with remaining bills after the second check clears.” This way, you’ll have plenty of money when bills are debited without worrying about going over. Overdrawing on smaller charges? Check your balance daily on your bank’s app. WHICH IS WORSE? DECIDE THE GREATER OF TWO FINANCIAL EVILS SO YOU CAN KEEP YOUR PAYCHECK FROM SHRINKING SO QUICKLY. CONFESSION “I…

IROHA MINI VIBE The non-peen shape makes it the least threatening vibe ever, although its pulsing may be a serious threat...to your self-control. $30, babeland.com LELO INA WAVE The long end of this vibe hits your G-spot in a come-hither motion. Get ready for a double-stim O! $199 (25% off with code COSMO), lelo.com JIMMYJANE HELLO TOUCH X Think Fifty Shades meets Iron Man: Finger pads on this love glove pulse and vibe with every touch. $145 (20% off with code COSMO), jimmyjane.com HOW TO MIX SEX TOYS AND BOYS Although 45 percent of guys have used a toy during sex with a partner, according to the Journal of Sexual Medicine, it’s understandable that not all dudes would be obsessed with the idea. Start with a bullet, suggests sexologist Susan…

5 FLIRTING MISTAKES YOU’LL NEVER MAKE AGAIN Dating guru Matthew Hussey helps you master the delicate dance of sexual banter by avoiding these snafus. Making Him Feel Like a Kid Once a date asked me what I do, so I said that my company empowers women in their dating lives. Her response? “Aw, that’s so cute!” Cute is how my babysitter described me when I was 7 years old. Simple fix: Replace cute with hot and he’ll feel like James Bond. Questioning His Masculinity Let’s say he’s worried about getting his new shoes wet, and you go, “C’mon, man up!” You may see it as teasing, but there’s a good chance he won’t. I’m not saying you have to protect his precious ego 24/7, but consider the benefits of his…

Q/ For the last couple of months, I’ve been the only one traveling south during sex. My BF told me that he doesn’t like going down on women in general. I’m happy to give more than I receive, but every now and then, it would be appreciated. How do I get the message across? A Sometimes guys get weird about oral. He may be insecure and feel like he’s lost when he goes downtown. Boost his confidence by telling him you’ve been fantasizing about having him between your legs. Get specific. Or lure him with some 69. But mostly, just ask—everyone likes to feel wanted. Tell him you need him down there. That he makes you feel so good. Say it until the message sinks in… and his head sinks…

11 HOURS OF WORK WOMEN WITH ENDO LOSE WEEKLY, ON AVERAGE, BECAUSE OF THEIR SYMPTOMS. SOURCE: FERTILITY AND ENDOMETRIOSIS: You may have heard the word, but do you really know what it is? Many women don’t until they find out they have it…which would make sense if it weren’t so common. One in 10 girls and women suffer from the disease, according to the Endometriosis Foundation of America—Lena Dunham, Padma Lakshmi, and Daisy Ridley among them. Normally, hormones spur the uterus lining to build up, then shed (that’s your period). In a woman with endo, cells that are uterus lining–esque but live outside it grow in response to these hormones too. The cells “get thicker and thicker, but there’s nowhere for them to go,” explains Iris Kerin Orbuch, MD, the…

@M_Siroiss So much love for @TheAshleyGraham and the ways she challenges beauty standards. @Cosmopolitan, thank you! #MyCosmo COSMO CONVO Thank you @JessiRKlein for calling out the miss/ma’am thing. The first time I was called ma’am, I made an audible sound of shock. —MARISSA BAILEY, 34, CHICAGO, IL, VIA TWITTER I read “Please Don’t Call Me Ma’am,” and honestly, I’m frustrated. My grandfather, who raised me, was a marine, and I was in JROTC. He passed away, but the lessons I learned stuck: I call people “sir” or “ma’am,” even if they’re younger than me. I wish more people saw it as a sign of respect. —ELIZABETH KRUSHER, 26, KINGSTON, NY, VIA INBOX Reading the latest issue of @Cosmopolitan, and I disagree with @JessiRKlein. Ma’am is good manners in the South,…

1 “I was newly dating this girl, and I brought her back to my place. Right as we’re getting under the covers to hook up, she rolled over an empty M&M wrapper— I’d been snacking in bed the day before. She gave me this look like, Really? She totally called me out. But she didn’t leave!” —SY A., 26, MULTIMEDIA PRODUCER, LOS ANGELES, CA CELEBCONFESSION 2 “I got home after a long day of work and saw my girlfriend on the couch watching a nature show. I walked over to her—her back was to me— gave her a big, long hug, and nuzzled her neck. I lifted my head and looked into her face. It wasn’t my girlfriend. It was her sister. I tried to recover by casually asking what…

MILO VENTIMIGLIA BOTTOMS UP “When we got together as a cast to watch the first episode of This Is Us, it was a surprise to me that you see my ass before you see my face. I’m flattered, but I think it’s had its moment.” THE FIRST TIME “It was 30 seconds of heaven. No—it’s funny, when you’re younger, you’re afraid to say or do the wrong thing. When you’re older and new things happen—and they do…all the time—you’re inspired by it.” DUDE BRAIN “I didn’t understand the complexity of women until I got a little older. Hopefully, women get that we’re fucking knuckleheads. We do things ass-backward all the time. You have to be a little patient with us.” FAN FRENZY “People can say some aggressive stuff. I’m shocked…

YOU KNOW WHAT makes everyone confident? PCP. Just kidding. Don’t do that. I haven’t always been confident. There was a time in my life when I couldn’t focus beyond the thoughts ricocheting around in my head: Are my hands in the right place? Are they on to me? In the world that I travel in often these days, I will never quite feel like I belong—like I’m as smart as the company I keep. I feel like a loser a lot of the time. Like I’m doing what I can until someone figures out that I shouldn’t be doing anything at all. I think that’s what those in the entrepreneurial world call impostor syndrome. If you’re a true specimen of a narcissist, you will never experience this. And if you…

“FOR WORK OR PLAY, I LOVE BOOTS IN CLASSIC COLORS OR WARM-HUED NEUTRALS AND FUN TASSELS FOR SWING IN YOUR STEP.” —NICOLE FINEO, accessories editor | @NicoleFineo Shop the Look PHOTOGRAPHED BY JEFFRE Y WESTBROOK SENIOR ACCESSORIES EDITOR: K ATHY LEE “FORGET THE WAIST TRAINER—BOOTIES WITH A CORSET DETAIL LOOK JUST AS SEXY AND STILL LET YOU INDULGE.” —KATHY LEE, senior accessories editor | @KathyGLee ...and All Night Lace-ups brace your feet for drinks at the bar or a full-on dance sesh. Shop the Look…

HAIR SCRUB Like a facial exfoliator, only finer: This one uses gentle sugar crystals to exfoliate your scalp and de-grime strands for serious luster. Apply to damp hair before shampooing, gently massaging it in, then rolling sections of hair through your scrub-covered hands to loosen buildup. MATRIX BIOLAGE Sugarshine Polishing Hair Scrub, $20, matrix.com for salons CLEANSING OIL This two-in-one oil gently removes dirt while conditioning strands with coconut and almond oils. Ideal for ultratextured, bleached, or overprocessed heads, it leaves strands übersoft. IGK Smoke and Mirrors Conditioning Cleansing Oil, $29, igkhair.com APPLE CIDER VINEGAR RINSE The pantry staple balances your scalp oils but can be smelly. This one is way more tolerable— and it has an easy-to-apply nozzle. Section wet hair, squeeze on, then rinse after three minutes. DPHUE Apple Cider Vinegar…

SHORT HAIR CHILL 1 BUN AND DONE Wrap the ends of a low ponytail around the base and secure with pins... but not too perfectly. 2. WITH THE BAND Just can’t deal? A slim headband tames strays and adds a bit of glam— no effort required. 3. PUSH BACK Work a strong-hold mousse through dry hair, then rake back roots, creating height and texture. BIG SEXY HAIR Root Pump Plus Humidity Resistant Volumizing Spray Mousse, $18, ulta.com ALTERNA Caviar Style Concrete Extreme Definition Clay, $28, ulta.com NO-CHILL 4. HALO, BRAID Prep a crop that’s longer on top with a high-hold styling paste before French braiding your hairline. 5. SILVER LINING Rich silver color plus a sharp, angled lob equals a sleek style that is out of this world. Too high-maintenance?…

HOW TO... Take Control With Confidence THE PRO MELANIE GILLILAND brand ambassador and waxing educator for European Wax Center (Fort Lauderdale, FL) Pain aside, getting a bikini wax can be uncomfortable. “You’re naked, the lights are bright, and your legs are open!” says Gilliland, who believes communicating the details can build trust in seconds. It goes something like this: “Please come this way, take off everything from the waist down, hop up on the bed, position your legs like this.…” The same is true outside the waxing room. Whether you’re mentoring an intern or pitching an idea to your boss, it’s important to spell out the details clearly. You’ll look authoritative and in control—and they’ll feel more confident in you. Win, win. HOW TO... Sell “Brand You” THE PRO LANIKA…

RACHEL PISKIN left a demanding career as a professional ballet dancer with a love of movement and a chiseled work ethic. She joined forces with her mother, Lauren Piskin, to build their combined strengths into something bigger—ChaiseFitness, a modern workout mecca that transforms bodies and changes lives. The Piskins’ “Reinvention Method”—a ballet, aerobics, and Pilates mashup— is driving fitness forward, thanks to Rachel and the principles that sculpt her vision. SWEAT EQUITY According to Rachel, business goals are like body goalsÑ achieving them is all about hard work BE FLEXIBLE: In the ballet I had one focus; now, I do it all, from teaching classes to overseeing every aspect of the business. TAKE A BREATH: When thereÕs a challenge, I take a step back to calmly think through the issue,…

CONFESSION “I DON’T ACTUALLY GET THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DEBIT CARD AND A CREDIT CARD. WHY DO WE NEED CREDIT CARDS IF THEY CAN LAND YOU IN SO MUCH TROUBLE?” —CAROLINE, 19 “A debit card withdraws your money instantly, but credit-card interest will follow you,” says Holly Perez, a consumer money expert for Mint.com. The catch-22: You need credit cards to build good credit and get a good interest rate on a house or a car. But use them poorly and you could trash your ability to qualify for credit in the future. “Before you swipe, ask: ‘Do I have the money to cover this?’” If not, reconsider your spending habits. WHICH IS WORSE? DECIDE THE GREATER OF TWO FINANCIAL EVILS SO YOU CAN MOOCH WITH DIGNITY. BORROWING FROM FAMILY…

ALL EYES ON KOURTNEY ASTHE12TH(!) SEASON OF KEEPING UP WITHTHE KARDASHIANSREACHESITSHALFWAY POINT(ITRETURNSOCTOBER23),WECHECKIN WITHKOURTNEYKARDASHIANONHERFAMILY, SEXLIFE, ANDPLANSFORTHEFUTURE. KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN’S ASSISTANT ISORDERING SALADSFOR LUNCH.DO IWANTONE? HELLYEAH, IDO. SALADS ARE to Keeping Up With the Kardashians what cosmos were to Sex and the City. Rare is the bonding sesh where the women are not grazing on a bowl of chopped lettuce. That I’ll end up flinging wet spinach onto Kourtney’s white pony-hair rug (on camera!) will only plague me for, like, everrr. In the positioning of the Kardashian/Jenner ladies, Kourtney’s lane has been that of the organic-obsessed, lower-profile mom of Mason, 6, Penelope, 4, and Reign, 20 months. But since Kourtney’s July 2015 breakup from the kids’ dad, Scott “The Lord” Disick, 33, there’s been a shift in her narrative. She’s super hot, social, and…

Ooh by Je Joue Fit the white motor into one of three attachments (like this blue ring for him) and it’s like having a vibe for every mood. “My guy and I used a low setting,” says a tester. “He got a tingly feeling, and it sent shivers through me!” Mini motor, $40; ring, $20; babeland.com Jopen Callie Vibrating Mini Wand If Apple made a vibe, this would be it. Its seven patterns go from “low to whoa,” says a tester, and the sleek shape gave her C-spot and G-spot Os. The only thing it doesn’t do is text. $70, ticklekitty.com DOZENS OF TOYS, 22 EAGER TESTERS...and way too many Os to count! Whether you are looking to make your sex with bae even hotter or want to have more…

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS THE TRUTH IS, many of us are poor advocates for ourselves. We ask our partner for things in a way that makes sure we won’t get the things we want. Sometimes, we make our question a thinly veiled criticism about what the other person did not do right, and other times, we use a tone that conveys an assumption we’ve already made about how our partner will respond. We ask like this rather than just making a request for the thing we actually want. Get to the Point Why do we do this? Asking for something makes us vulnerable, and that can be scary. But part of being in a relationship is feeling deserving of having our needs met and being aware of what we actually need. So…

REMEMBER WHEN riding a bike meant freedom? Going wherever you wanted without being at the mercy of traffic (or your mom)? Nothing’s changed. And as the obsession with cycling classes indicates, there’s no need to remind you how amazing biking is for your bod, blasting calories while toning your butt and legs. Yet, women take just 24 percent of non-gym rides, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, and census data shows that more than twice as many men bike-commute. Why aren’t more of us showing mettle with the pedal? For starters, 89 percent of bike-shop owners are men, and women are often treated like idiots when they walk in, says Tara Parsons, a cycling coach in NYC. Then there are the helmetswreck-my-hair thing, nerves about safety, and aggression aimed…

WHEN I WAS 17, I didn’t feel like a normal teenage girl. I felt like there was a beast locked inside my normal teenage girl’s body, scratching to get out. I regularly suffered panic attacks: hyperventilating, trembling under cold sweat, and fighting the desire to run away, even though I was just taking notes in class or hanging out in a friend’s basement. I’d been diagnosed with generalized anxiety and panic disorder the year before, but I scoffed at the idea that my problems were hardwired in my brain or DNA. Although my psychiatrist and parents pushed me to take medications to control my symptoms, I refused. I had studied Eastern philosophy and devoured spiritual tomes like You Can Heal Your Life, which had me convinced that my mental-health issues…

HOSTESS HACK SET UP A NACHO BAR, AND LET PALS ADD THEIR OWN TOPPINGS. EVERYBODY WINS! Make ’Em Healthy(ish) SWAP IN PITA CHIPS AND SKIP THE MELTED CHEDDAR FOR THIS OVENFREE RIFF. ¾ c. hummus ¾ c. tzatziki ½ small cucumber, diced ½ c. thinly sliced romaine lettuce ½ c. chopped kalamata olives ½ c. diced tomatoes ½ c. crumbled feta Adapted from The Hungry Fan’s Game Day Cookbook, by Daina Falk ...Or Asian-Inspired FEELING AMBITIOUS? FRY UP WONTON CHIPS BEFORE ADDING THE CHEDDAR AND CHICKEN. ½ head red cabbage, thinly sliced 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced 1 bunch cilantro Sriracha mayo (1 T Sriracha, 3 T regular mayo) NOTHING AGAINST stadium-style canned cheese and stale chips, but these crazyyummy nachos are sooo much better than that. Start with this…

CRAZY SITUATION WORKING YOUR LAST NERVE? VENT HERE! “The sun may be rising, but the moon’s sti ll shining....” —SAMANTHA H. “Not pictured: him eating it. It took allthevodka to get through this flight.” —KILE Y B. “When it comes to subway hygiene crimes, this takes the cake.” —HOWIE L. “Barefoot on the beach-bound bullet train...gross.” —JOANNA C. SHOPPING INFORMATION COVER CREDITS EXPRESS, express.com. ZOE CHICCO, zoechicco.com. CALVIN KLEIN HOME, calvinklein.com. CARTIER, cartier.us. LANCÔME, lancome-usa.com. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 11: MICHAEL MICHAEL KORS, michaelkors.com. GOLDEN GOOSE DELUXE BRAND, goldengoose deluxebrand.com. FLACA JEWELRY, flacajewelry.com. LIZZIE MANDLER FINE JEWELRY, lizziemandler.com. IN HER OWN WORDS PAGE 24: NORMA KAMALI, normakamali.com. SCHUTZ, schutz-shoes.com. LORAE RUSSO, loraerusso.com. ALEXIS BITTAR, alexisbittar.com. COUNTRY STRONG PAGE 47: COACH 1941, coach.com. THIERRY LASRY, thierrylasry.com. SEXY HAIR STARTS HERE PAGE…

SIMPLY THE BEST! TEAM COSMO AND ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK’S LAVERNE COX CHANNEL ’80S ICON TINA TURNER. FOR MORE OF LAVERNE’S HOMAGE TO HER ALL-TIME FAVORITE BLACK HEROINES, SEE PAGE 122. MORE MONEY Financial planning always sounds like a chore. And there’s no end to the mansplaining of how we should best handle our funds. We’re over it. That’s why we’ve teamed up with SoFi, a modern finance company with a new approach to lending and wealth management, for our Fun Fearless Money event in NYC, Sept. 24. Get success secrets from speakers like Spanx founder and creator of The Belly Art Project Sara Blakely, Rent the Runway cofounder and CEO Jennifer Hyman, Warby Parker cofounder and co-CEO Dave Gilboa, and Lauren Maillian of Oxygen’s Quit Your Day Job. Get…

“We went to a movie. After, he said he didn’t have time to take me home. He left me there!” —BRITNEY G., 24 “This cute guy asked me on a date to a Mexican restaurant. I was so excited. Then he texted me to cancel, saying that his mom was making a Mexican dish for dinner, so he was just going to stay home instead.” —KARLA K., 26 “He came out of the bathroom with nothing on except my hand towel covering his junk. When he removed the towel, he had on a penis pump and was holding lube. He asked me to tickle his balls. I made him leave.” —MALISSA G., 28 I was driving this guy home from a first date, and he spent the car ride telling…

ARE YOU BIOTIC? Florastor probiotics strengthen your digestive balance and support a healthy immune system. When you have healthy digestion, you have the freedom to do what you love. Florastor works to keep you driven, confident, and strong. This is what it means to be Biotic. Visit florastor.com. READY FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE GIRLS’ NIGHT? KINKY® has been making girls’ night marvelous since 2011. With its collection of fabulous flavors like KINKY® Pink, Blue, Gold and Red Liqueurs, KINKY Cocktails®, KINKY® Vodka, and EXTRA KINKY®, KINKY® will have you and your flirty friends ready for whatever the night brings. For the girl that’s ready for anything, there’s a drink with a little bit of everything. KINKY®-Tomorrow’s Stories Start Tonight. Enter for the chance to win! Share your favorite Girls’ Night activity…

Super Chill Sling on a grown-up backpack to free your hands for texting Slightly Polished For work or errands, roomy totes look chic and fit all your sh*t. Fancy AF Small, sparkly bags won’t get in the way when you get down. Super Chill Stay lazy and still look stylish in a graphic-print sweatshirt or one with flirty cutouts. Slightly Polished Try a silk shirt or zippered sweater to look profesh but feel like you’re still in your pj’s. Fancy AF Crown yourself the kween of going-out in a daring crop top or corseted bustier. Super Chill Keep it casual in crisp white sneaks that scream model off-duty. Slightly Polished Low-heel Mary Janes in a cool finish look classy but won’t kill your feet.’ Fancy AF Look extra leggy in…

PRO TIP “BUY LACY CAMIS AND BRALETS A SIZE UP TO WEAR OVER YOUR TEES.” Shalaeya Brown, fashion assistant @Shalaey…

HAIR SPECIAL FOR SERIOUS HYDRATION Honest’s latest entry is packed with healthy stuff like coconut juice and algae (and free of sulfates and silicones). In our shower: this moisturizing duo. HONEST BEAUTY Beyond Hydrated Shampoo and Conditioner, $18 each, honestbeauty.com FOR TRANSITIONING YOUR STYLE IN SECONDS This lotion—infused with nonsticky beeswax microparticles that set your style—is activated by heat. So if you’re over your beachy waves, just reheat strands with a flatiron or hair dryer to “melt” the product and seamlessly straighten. KÉRASTASE Couture Styling L’Incroyable Blowdry, $40, kerastase-usa.com FOR SUPERSEXY TEXTURE Obsessed with messy bedhead waves? The look hinges on irregular bends—tricky to achieve with a standard iron. This wand’s ultraslim edges offer a soft, zigzag effect. Wrap random sections around the plate until your style looks just undone enough. BED…

HAIR SPECIAL mermaid hair Search the hashtag #MermaidHair and you’ll find a sea of marineinspired manes. Not ready to take the perma plunge? Test the waters with a wash-out spray or chalk color. (Splat makes a variety of gorge blue tones, $6, ulta.com.) glitter roots The new way to touch up your roots? Sparkle! Start with a middle part. Then mix a scoop of colorful glitter with gel (like Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Styling Gel, $4, drugstores), and paint it on roots with a hair-dye brush. Let it set for five minutes, then seal it all in with hair spray. lived-in hair Cali-cool style has gone viral thanks to L.A.-based duo Johnny Ramirez and Anh Co Tran—stylists known for their textured cuts and sunny highlights. They specialize in hair that’s…

SOME WOMEN REAPPLY LIPSTICK ALL DAY LONG. I SPRAY fragrance. I put it on in the morning, during the day in my office, right before I go out in the evening, and sometimes in a cab. (And when I travel, I spray the clothes in my suitcase so I don’t have to carry a big bottle.) What I love most about perfume is that it changes your mood. Not only can it bring back glorious memories— one spray of a particular fragrance and I am back in Yorkshire, laughing and cycling with friends—but it also helps project the energy you want to put out to the world. When I was in my 20s, I wore a lot of dark, sexy perfumes. Today, I stick to tart citrus scents. They reflect…

The Writer Sarah Watson How She Made It Watson, creator of the upcoming Freeform scripted series Issues (inspired by the life of Cosmo’s editor-in-chief, Joanna Coles), dreamed of being an English teacher… until she took a college film class. Taking every opportunity— she read scripts for a production company, was a writer’s assistant on That’s So Raven, and sold freelance scripts—landed her a network job. What She’s Learned 1. HOW TO COPE WITH NONSTOP JOB CHANGE “Before Parenthood, I was on staff at four shows in a row that were canceled after one season. I started to think I was the black widow of television. Those early years can be frustrating, so having a support network of peers is huge. Once a month, I meet to write with a group…

CONFESSION PICKED THE WRONG INDUSTRY! I HATE MY JOB AND WANT TO START A NEW CAREER IN A DIFFERENT FIELD. HOW DO I AVOID MAKING AN ENTRYLEVEL SALARY ALL OVER AGAIN?” —MOORE, 25 Research salaries and desired skills at a site like The Muse.com. In an interview, play up skills that transfer, says Lisa Skeete Tatum, founder of career platform Landit. (A paralegal could cite her research experience.) If the skill gap is small, Skeete Tatum suggests a lateral move. If it’s larger, you may lose some ground moneywise—but it might be worth it to be happier at work. WHICH IS WORSE? DECIDE THE GREATER OF TWO FINANCIAL EVILS SO YOU CAN PUT MORE PAPER IN YOUR PAYCHECK. GETTING FIRED AND GETTING SEVERANCE OR QUITTING ON YOUR OWN TERMS BUT…

Borrowed Money With a Honey “Borrowing money jointly is like making a financial baby,” says Manisha Thakor. “If a relationship ends, contractually, the debt won’t.” Whether it’s a mortgage or credit card, discuss your joint burden up front. Blown Off a Bill Carrying a big balance makes banks think you’re dependent on credit, and paying your bills late kind of proves them right, says Laura Adams. “Pay all your bills on time, even the minimum balance to start.” Asked Someone to Cosign a Lease A cosigner assumes all responsibility if the other party defaults and must pay the leftover debt. “If a parent cosigns a car loan, for instance, know they’re on the hook if something happens,” Thakor emphasizes. Paid Only the Minimum Balance Making the minimum monthly payment on…

LEGENDS OF THE MALL WHAT HE’S THINKING WHEN HE SHOPS FOR CLOTHES Finally, the answer behind his perplexing wardrobe choices. Shopping Alone Shopping With You 91 THE PERCENTAGE OF MEN WHO SAY THEY’D SHAVE SOMETHING THEY USUALLY DON’T IF THEIR PARTNER ASKED THEM TO. OH, THE POWER! SOURCE: 2016 OKCUPID DATA JUST. GROSS. WHY DO GUYS...SPIT? Ballplayers spit. Cowboys spit. What little boy doesn’t want to be a ballplayer or a cowboy? So we hawk loogies. It carries over to adulthood because, let’s be honest, we still want to be ballplayers or cowboys. The kids in The Sandlot did it instead of shaking hands. The Peaky Blinders siblings spit and shook hands to seal a deal. Sending saliva sailing is a way of marking your territory without having to pee…

SCORPIO 10.23—11.21 Set the table now, so you’re ready for the feast coming your way. Line up pesky appointments near the 15th to be in top form when the Sun moves into your sign on the 22nd, followed by Mercury on the 24th. Look toward the future, when the New Moon enters your sign on the 30th. YOU NEED: Heavy doses of R & R. SCORPIO GUY: If he’s burned out, suggest a mellow hang at home where you can do a cuddle-licious make-out sesh. SAGITTARIU 11.22—12.21 Sag just wants to have fun! Go for it when Saturn and the Sun form a gorgeous sextile on the 4th. Love could grow from a deep friendship on the 15th. On the 18th, when Venus moves into your sign, you’ll be irresistible.…

You have to move out by the end of the month. Plan of attack? a. Head straight to your childhood room. You made your mom keep it intact postgrad, just in case.… b. Shack up in a hotel until you sign a new lease. Room service will ease the pain of paying that security deposit. c. Assemble the movers stat. The new place isn’t quite renovated yet. You’ll just have to live without the remote-control blackout curtains for a few days. When the time comes for your semiannual teeth cleaning, you: a. Show up having flossed only once (15 minutes before), with gums bleeding, and clutching your one-eyed stuffed Barney. b. Bring earbuds to block out the sound of the drill and stuff your purse full of prizes after for…