Because of this nutrient-dense profile, beauty enthusiasts have found many uses for it: Improving your skin barrier function is a vital part of your skin health, especially if you have dry or sensitive skin. This is because a weak skin barrier contributes to transepidermal water loss, or the technical term for water evaporating from your skin’s surface. So if you tend to feel your skin is chronically tight, easily inflamed, or find that you’re always reaching for a hydrating mist to keep your skin feeling quenched, consider adding almond oil to your routine....

Now, aloe vera’s soothing and hydrating abilities abound, no doubt, but to shrink a gnarly-looking zit? You might be a bit skeptical—understandably so. I certainly was, too, until I saw how her stubborn blemish had all but vanished the next day. Enter aloe, which is chock-full of anti-inflammatory vitamins, enzymes, minerals, and amino acids to soothe angry skin. Much of the research points to aloin, a specific compound in the aloe plant that can promote overall skin healing1, as well as bradykinase—an enzyme that can help reduce excessive inflammation when applied topically2....

Needless to say, understanding your individual food reactivity is a key step in managing your overall health regardless of whether your symptoms are severe and long-lasting or easily overlooked and short-lived. While there are many ways to uncover these food reactivities, one of the most definitive ways to clinically look at these is through lab testing. And with more people becoming educated on the importance of health, do-it-yourself wellness has risen in popularity....

Astrologer Madalyn Hillis-Dineen explains that understanding your natal chart as it relates to astrocartography can help you figure out which physical locations are best for you in terms of romance, career, retirement, and even vacationing. Certain places, for example, may cause you emotional unrest, while others might bring out the playful side of your personality. These maps use your birth information (date, time, and location) to figure out where, at the time of your birth, the planets were on their four angles....

Cryo facial treatments, however, offer our skin all the inflammation-reducing and circulation-boosting benefits—with none of the extreme measures. When cold is applied to the skin, it causes the blood to rise to the surface, which gives an instant lift to calm puffy-looking areas. In addition, proponents of cryo facial treatments have cited a reduction in the appearance of pores, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles over time. For many years, glow-seekers turned to refrigerated spoons, cucumber slices, or even ice cubes to benefit from this cooling effect, but new technology has taken things to the next level, giving us a safe way to get even more out of cold therapy....

In the case of bears (which happen to be the most common chronotype), here’s what to know, from when to eat to when to wake up and, of course, how to get better sleep. “The entire world operates on a bear’s schedule,” he says, noting this is because there appears to be quite a lot of them out there. (About 55% of people, based on the 1.5 million people who have taken Breus’ chronotype quiz online)....

That’s the first line on my dating profile. Yes, really. Call me weird, but I firmly believe smart is sexy—and new research suggests I’m not alone here. Thanks to an upcoming paper1 in the Journal of Personality and Individual Differences, there’s now scientific proof that being intelligent makes you more attractive. The first half of the study focused specifically on straight people, yielding some intriguing heterosexuality-specific findings: Men and women alike preferred equally or more intelligent partners when it came to both short-term and long-term relationships....

The Mirror, the original wall-mounted home gym, hit the fitness scene in 2018. Since then, brands have continued to launch innovative takes on the newest home gym essential. The game-changing equipment can bring your favorite aspects of an in-studio workout to your living room, or pack the power of a personal trainer with smart A.I. that corrects your form in real time. Below, we unpack the pros and cons of the current workout mirrors available on the market—and tap experts for their take on the smart workout equipment....

Those born under this sign are often quite sensitive, able to perceive other people’s feelings and moods. Cancers also tend to be very in tune with their environments. Like the moon mirrors the light of the sun, this sign can reflect the energy of the world around them. In astrology, the moon also speaks to the home: where we came from, our roots, and how we recharge. So feeling at home is often very important for typical Cancerians, as is having time for rest and reflection....

But if you’ve never tried them in the past, it can be hard to tell whether collagen or protein powder is the better option for you. Here, we break down the specific benefits for each. In general, “collagen powder and protein powder are different products with different nutrition profiles, different ingredients, and different goals,” says Scott Keatley, R.D. Ultimately, which powder is right for you depends on the benefits you’re looking for....

But getting into and staying in ketosis can be hard work. Maybe high-fat foods don’t work well for you. Perhaps you travel a lot or otherwise find maintaining keto difficult. Or you’re an athlete who wants to eat carbs on training days. Shifting from glucose to ketones as your dominant fuel could take days or weeks, and sustaining it can be equally challenging. “Maintaining ketosis can be difficult, as consumption of even a small quantity of carbohydrates or excess protein can rapidly inhibit ketogenesis,” researchers have noted....

When it comes to collagen powder, there are a plethora of both beauty-centric and full-body benefits, some more extensively researched than others.* However, there’s one unexpected question we’’ve heard again and again of late: Does collagen make you poop? Earlier this year, a two-phase clinical study1 researched the effect of a daily collagen supplement on key aspects of digestive health. You can check out the full breakdown here for a deep dive into the study’s process and detailed results....

The good news? With all of this new technology at our fingertips, it’s never been easier to find a romantic connection. And if you’re looking for a serious relationship, eharmony and Match happen to reign supreme in the world of dating apps. These dating sites were the original dating hubs for singles to find long-lasting love, near and far. For both, the algorithm relied on a high level of compatibility filtering via in-depth profile information and quizzes to parse out your future partner....

Fascia is water and glycosaminoglycans, a technical term for carbohydrate or sugar. To optimize health, pain management and injury avoidance, fascia must be well-hydrated. The water trapped inside the tubes of fascia move up and down a pressure gradient from high to low, pulsing fascia like a receding wave. Through this pressure gradient, fascia is affected by all movement and hydration. Fascia can be best released with hands-on manual therapy or through stretch-and-hold techniques....

Here’s what being a fire sign is all about, from common characteristics to how people with fire-heavy birth charts can find balance. You can light a fire in your fireplace to keep you warm, but unchecked, fire can also burn your house down. Fire signs can be thought of in this way; they can be great, loyal friends to have—but you definitely don’t want to cross them. Fire is often associated with power and action, and for Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius, those things come naturally....

Today, green tea is still beloved. The only difference is that we actually have some good scientific data to support its numerous health benefits—from aiding in weight loss to countering oxidative stress and even helping prevent a range of chronic diseases. But why not just drink green tea? According to Robert Rountree, M.D., an integrative medicine physician and expert in all things supplements, “The many health benefits of drinking green tea are well-known; however a person has to consume 8 to 10 cups daily to get the full benefit....

Meal delivery services aim to take some of the guesswork, hassle, and monotony out of food prep. New to the meal delivery scene, I was eager to see whether HelloFresh could streamline my dinner routine and provide nourishing entrees. When you sign up for HelloFresh, you’ll be prompted to select a meal plan (more on those options later). Once your account is activated, you’ll choose your first week of recipes....

Beyond aesthetics, some people also claim that these lamps can remove potentially harmful chemical and pollutants from the air. Since salt is a hygroscopic substance, meaning it has a net positive ionic charge and attracts water molecules from the surrounding environment, this may not be a totally crazy idea—but there is little to no scientific evidence to back it up. Proponents of Himalayan salt lamps boast that these purifying salt rocks have the ability to remove pollen, dust, smoke, and many other types of allergens from the air....

Not all workouts are created equal, of course, and some exercise methods are harder on our hormones than others. Here’s exactly what you need to know if you want to keep your hormones in balance. Integrative medicine expert Dr. Taz Bhatia, M.D., adds that intense cardio workouts can be especially hard on women’s hormones. “The adrenaline output and physical demand on joints given the difference in female anatomy trigger more wear and tear, cortisol imbalances, and thyroid dysfunction,” she explains....

You may be thinking, “Ew, TMI. Why is she telling us this?!” But if you’re one of the women who suffer from chronic recurrent yeast infections, you know that this is an embarrassing ailment that almost no one discusses. Even doctors only spend 5 to 10 minutes discussing it with you when you visit their offices. It’s isolating and depressing. After 10 years and thousands of dollars in doctor visits, I’ve discovered the reason for my chronic, recurrent yeast infections and moderate to severe digestive issues....