Even if you haven’t been outside in a little while, spring has sprung in many locations—or at least it’s on its way. The limited-edition Diptyque Coloring Spring Candles are here to celebrate spring flowers, colors and scents. The five floral candles are bright and fun, a far cry from the iconic black-and-white packaging we’re used to from the brand. Update your space while you’re stuck (safe!) at home or gift someone in your life that needs a little pick-me-up.

Mother’s Day might seem far away but May 10 is right around the corner. Mom will love a floral candle, as will your aunt, grandmother or anyone else in your life you want to send a little joy. Each was inspired by nature’s fragrances once winter is finally over. Every candle represents a seasonal flower “untouched” and picked right when it’s most fragrant. Mix and match unique spring-y scents to create a bouquet all your own. Shop each of the 190g candles, below.

Image: Diptyque.

Geranium Rosa Candle

A spicy rose.

Image: Diptyque.

Freesia Candle

A heady bouquet of freesias.

Image: Diptyque.

Choisya Candle

A Mexican orange blossom.

Image: Diptyque.

Mimosa Candle

A burst of honeyed mimosas. 

Image: Diptyque.

Iris Candle

An iris blossom.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Dreaming about your next holiday has taken on a new meaning since the outbreak of Covid-19. Many of us are missing holidays and facing uncertainty as to when we might travel again.

Thankfully, there are ways we can travel, albeit vicariously, via technology, from the comfort of our armchairs. And the best bit? There’s no queueing!

Here are some ideas to get you started.

Virtual Tours

Virtual tours have never been so popular. No need to put on shoes, figure out which ticket option is best, or even change out of your pajamas because, with just a few clicks, you can be roving around a myriad of famous attractions.

• Explore Angkor Wat in Cambodia and a handful of the surrounding temples without breaking a sweat.
• View the Christ the Redeemer Statue in Brazil at sunrise, in the fog, at night, and from a host of angles and in many conditions.
• Explore The Vatican; options include The Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s Rooms.
• Wander around Machu Picchu in your slippers.
• Walk along The Great Wall Of China.
• Explore fjords, volcanoes, caverns, canyons, and more locations.

There are many virtual and video tours online, and there’s perhaps nowhere you can’t visit, even Mars is available to travel to.

But don’t just take my word for it, go and explore. If the attractions webpages don’t offer a tour, then I can guarantee someone on YouTube has put together their take, with varying degrees of proficiency.

Live-Action

Virtual tours are one thing, but how about live-action? There are a surprising number of webcams around the globe.

Have you ever seen the Trevi Fountain this quiet? SkylineWebcams have cameras pointed at some of the most famous attractions and city views around the world. You can search by country and city location or browse top viewed beaches and cityscapes.

WebcamTaxi is another network of global webcams that you can search by country, city, and browse by location on a map. Want to watch the giraffes at Melbourne Zoo or see who’s out and about in Times Square? Big brother is there for you.

Once you’ve assured yourself that everyone is staying at home, you can go on a virtual safari. There’s far more action at Tembe Elephant Park and Tiger Lake. Explore.org has live cams pointed at everything from kitten and puppy rescue to nursing spoonbills, manatees, bobcats, and penguins.

Fact and Fiction

How many times have you watched a film or TV series and wondered about the locations? There’s some great action, drama, and fantasy movies with locations that have inspired thousands of vacations. In the interests of research, watch:

• The Lord of The Rings to see New Zealand like never before
• Outlander for sublime Scottish history and scenery
• The Beach for a flavor of Thailand
• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty for a romp through Greenland
• Lost In Translation for Tokyo’s lights
• The Talented Mr. Ripley for Sicily, Rome, San Remo, and Venice
• Any Robert Langdon movie for being chased through a variety of historical landmarks

And there are many more with justifiable backdrops for fictional escapism – just don’t forget the popcorn!

Make the Most of It

Some travelers have made up for missing their holiday by trying to recreate their vacation in their front room or backyard. Why not?

You can camp out in your backyard, or get dressed up, dim the lights and go to Broadway or The National Theatre in London.

Recreate your favorite cuisine; learn to cook Thai, Mexican, French, Italian.

Learn or brush up on your language skills. Duolingo offers free language classes that are surprisingly easy to get into. The major languages are all there plus some unexpected ones like High Valyrian and Klingon.

You can also use the time to get the most out of your camera. Both Udemy and SkillShare have some great resources aimed at improving your travel photography skills. Your subject selection will be limited to what you can find within the limits of your restrictions. However, you might find that the results will give you a new perspective and appreciation of what’s around you.

Combine using your camera with some walking or follow a plan to improve your fitness, ready to get the most out of an active vacation.

If you’re interested a special virtual Australia vacation webinar with a fun quiz and prizes, tune in on April 23^rd for the session of your choice. Hint: In the registration form, enter Sue Rudolp as your Travel Advisor and Absolutely Amazing Travel for your Travel Agency.

Session 1 – 11am PDT, 12pm MDT, 1pm CDT, 2pm EDT
Session 2 – 12pm PDT, 1pm MDT, 2pm CDT, 3pm EDT
Session 3 – 1pm PDT, 2pm MDT, 3pm CDT, 4pm EDT
Session 4 – 2pm PDT, 3pm MDT, 4pm CDT, 5pm EDT

Which destinations have you visited virtually? What was the experience like? Where have you yet to travel? Which of these destinations have you decided you’d like to see in person as well? Let’s have a discussion in the comments!

Like most women my age, I’ve been around for long enough to have my favorite brands in just about every category… shoes I swear by, tops I know fit and pants that make me look (and feel) like a million bucks.

This is just what happens as we get a little older; through trial
and error, we find the brands that work for us and the best places to get them
at a great price. So, today, I want to talk about a few of my favorite brands
at my favorite shopping channel and website, QVC.

QVC has been a favorite of mine since I first found them several
decades ago, while I was living in Seattle. And, they have only gotten better
with time.

Here are just a few examples of the amazing brands that you can find
at QVC in my favorite shopping categories.

QVC’s Shoe Brands Are Made for Walking… Around the
Neighborhood or the World!

I’ve worn Clarks shoes for years. Clarks were also my mother’s first
choice for my childhood shoes. In my opinion, you would be hard pressed to beat
their comfort, affordability and style.

So, I was pleasantly surprised when I recently discovered that QVC features Clarks. Beyond their boots, which I am absolutely obsessed with, here are two Clarks shoes that I encourage you to check out.

Clarks Cloudsteppers
are a comfortable slip on shoe with a buckle closure and adjustable strap
across the toes. Their Cushion Soft foam layers make them super comfy! A
perfect summer shoe, I love that they come in 5 colors including a fabulous
rose pink and shimmering gold!

Clarks leather and suede slip on shoes are super comfortable walking shoes for both summer and fall. This video on QVC shoes their beautiful style, texture and colors. They come in a wide range of sizes from 6M to 10W, in 4 colors and are available with Easy Pay!

QVCs Award-Winning Skincare and Makeup Lines – So Good They’ll Make You Blush

Like many women, I tend to get a little overwhelmed by the makeup
counters in department stores. It’s so hard to comparison-shop because, once
you stop at one counter, the assistant only wants to sell you her wares.

I love the fact that QVC offers a wide range of wonderful makeup
lines like Philosophy, Tarte, Urban Decay and IT Cosmetics. All these brands have
products that I love for different reasons.

Here are a few of my makeup faves that are available on QVC.

Philosophy skincare’s award-winning products
are amazing. I fell in love with their Hope
in a Jar moisturizer years ago!

Philosophy now has a very wide range of products including their Anti-wrinkle
Miracle Worker Plus+ 4-piece Skincare
Kit. This new line demonstrates Philosophy’s
unique approach to addressing the appearance of dry skin, wrinkles and fine
lines. It helps hydrate and nourish the skin… and, as we all know, healthy skin
is beautiful skin, at any age!

Tarte is another makeup
line that I absolutely crave. Whenever I see their eye shadow palettes, my heart
melts. Honestly, they are the best!

This nude palette is, in my opinion, the only one you will ever need. The pigmentation is astounding and they are super long lasting!

IT Cosmetics are a cult favorite for
many women of our generation. And, they are in my personal makeup bag,
especially during the summer months.

Their foundation offers SPF 50 and goes on like a creamy dream! The
one I use is the Bye
Bye Foundation and, at QVC, it comes with a fabulous foundation brush.

IT Cosmetic’s Bye
Bye Undereye concealer is also wonderful for aging skin. It won’t erase
your beautiful wrinkles, but, it will soften and shade them.  And, I also their CC
cream, which comes in a travel size for $15!

The best news? All of IT Cosmetics’ products are on Easy Pay! Yay!

Flattering Shapewear That Makes
You Feel Sexy and Confident!

Spanx has become synonymous with
comfortable, yet fun, underwear that helps you look slimmer and feel more
confident. Contrary to what the fashion “experts” might say, older women don’t
have to embrace formless fashions. We can still wear figure hugging clothes,
especially with a little support.

Spanx
offers amazing Panty
Bodysuits, Shaping
Brief Panties and Leggings.
But, my personal favorites are their wonderful tank tops!     

Case and point, I love this Reversible Tank, which has a scoop neck on one side and v neck on the other. It comes in pink, white, black and cream and is perfect for layering. It is also made from a breathable, lightweight material and comes in sizes small to 3x!

Gorgeous and Feminine
Sweaters that Are Cosy and Fashionable

There are times in life when you just crave a comfortable
sweater. If you are sitting at home knitting, reading or meditating, the
texture and warmth of a lovely sweater eases all the stresses in your life and
surrounds you with warmth and support!

Aran Craft has been making their original sweaters since 1892 and I was so happy to see that they have now been featured on QVC.

In addition to offering a wide range of comfortable and
gorgeous sweater, in every color of the rainbow, they are responsible for one
of my all-time favorite sweaters, the Aran Craft Merino Wool
Pullover Sweater with Lace Detail.

This sweater absolutely stole my heart! Sure, it’s cosy, but,
it’s the lovely delicacy in the design that
makes it truly special. It comes in such beautiful colors including leaf green,
natural and pink. Made from 100% Merino Wool, it is available in sizes XXS to
XXL. Did I already say that I adore this sweater?

QVC offers so many brands you would never
expect to see online. So, I highly encourage you to check them out. Even if we
are stuck at home, we can still enjoy a little shopping. And, QVC makes things
SO easy!

What are your favorite brands that are available on QVC? Do you have any positive QVC shopping stories to share?

There’s no better time than now to start implementing healthier habits into your everyday life. Health crisis aside, it’s also cold, flu and allergy season. This means you should prepare to be laid up in bed under a pile of used tissues—or make this the year you actually prioritize self-care. Jotting down some doctor-approved immune system boosting tricks wouldn’t hurt either.

“Young women who are busy working often do have trouble taking care of themselves and protecting their immunity, so they come down with all these little colds during the year,” says Joyce Gottesfeld, MD, an OB-gyn at Kaiser Permanente in Denver, Colorado. That includes things like eating well, finally going to bed on time, and taking a breather when you need it. Here are some foolproof recommendations to keep in mind.

Cap Your Social Media Time

This is your gentle reminder to not get sucked into Instagram right before bed since good sleep (seven to eight hours for adults) is what keeps your immune system running at a strong clip. “Sleep is the time when your body restores itself and when all of your repair work takes place,” says Susan Blum, MD, MPH, Founder of Blum Center for Health and author of Healing Arthritis and The Immune System Recovery Plan.

Blum explains that when you don’t get enough or quality sleep, your body cues up its stress response and releases cortisol. “The stress hormone suppresses your immune system,” she says. It can also prompt your body to pack on belly fat, too. Designate a cut off time before bed where you’ll stop looking at your phone—those posts will be waiting for you in the morning.

Rethink (Virtual) Happy Hour

Winter and spring can be endless-feeling seasons, so you might think, what else am I going to do to kill time other than enjoy a cocktail at the end of the day? We’re not saying you have to skip the booze altogether (although dry January isn’t the worst idea for some), but at least practice the fine art of chasing each drink with a glass of water to slow you down.

Research in the journal Alcohol discovered that a single night of binge drinking (for women that’s four or more drinks in two hours) reduces the activity of your immune system. More than that, though, your healthy habits are likely to tank after you’ve had too many, adds Gottesfeld. “You’re less likely to eat a proper meal, get proper sleep, or pay attention to good hand-washing habits,” she adds. Plus, you may accidentally reach for someone else’s glass and take a sip.

Getty Images/Allison Kahler.

Just Breathe

Adding to the plea for more sleep: The number-one thing you can do to fortify your body’s defenses is to buffer stress, says integrative medicine physician Jeffrey Gladd, MD. “Regular, constant stress puts the body in fight-or-flight mode,” he says, which is a major drag on your immune system. In addition to good sleep, he also suggests practicing mindfulness every day and laughing more. “Anything you can do to press pause in your day and allow the body to relax will boost your immunity,” he says.

Carry This in Your Purse

You guessed it: hand sanitizer. This is more of a preventative measure than one that has a direct impact on your immune system, but hear us out. “Keeping your hands clean by washing them or using hand sanitizer is one of the most important ways to prevent sickness,” says Gottsfeld. When you come back home from the grocery store or mall, the first thing you should do is wash your hands. Out and about? Carry around an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and use it liberally and often—particularly before you eat or touch your face.

Keep Exercise in Check

Regardless of the circumstances, it’s still important to get your sweat on. “Anyone who exercises regularly will tell you they don’t get sick as often,” says Gottesfeld. There is a happy medium, though. Over-exercising (going at too high of intensity without building in necessary rest days) can weaken your immunity, so she recommends 30 to 60 minutes a day, four to five days a week at moderate-high intensity for her patients. Oh, and gentle doctor reminder: don’t share your water bottle, and (ahem) if you’re going for a quick run outside, wash your hands when you get home.

Amp Up Your C

It’s time to fill your plate with strawberries, kiwis, and citrus. “Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and antiviral, which is great for helping to prevent cold and flu,” says Blum. If you often get saddled with colds, she recommends taking 1,000 mg of vitamin C a day. Otherwise, make sure you’re adding ample C-rich foods in your diet, like broccoli, tomatoes, bell peppers, and oranges.

Originally published December 2017.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

The case of spouse abandonment plagues our world. In the common case, you think your decades-long marriage is fine, you even plan your retirement together – and then POOF! Your spouse, out of the blue, says these shocking words:

• “I’m leaving.”
• “I want out of this marriage. I haven’t been happy for years.”
• “We both know this isn’t working.” (But you didn’t know!) “I’m moving out.”
• “I want you out of the house. I don’t want to be married to you anymore.”

It’s devastating when your spouse of 20+ years suddenly decides to end a life-long relationship, especially when things seemed good to you, and there had been no signs that they were suffering.

You Get the Short Straw

But here’s where it gets sticky.

Trying to figure out the “why did they leave?” is going to slow down – or even stop – your healing.

You may end up spending months – even years – wracking your brain, trying to understand why your spouse just up and left when you thought your marriage was fine.

You may toss and turn in your bed at night, unable to sleep, trying to figure out if there was a certain day, or time, or life event, or something you said during your decades together that could have caused your spouse to decide they no longer wanted to be with you.

And you tell yourself, as you dissect the past, that if you get your answers, if your ex gives you the explanation that you are owed, then, and only then, can you get that closure and move on from your long-term marriage.

Ugly Truth #1: You May Not Get the Closure You Want

But lo and behold, that’s rarely the case as you may never get the closure you hoped for.

I know this truth stings, but it’s better to embrace it rather than fight it.

Does your spouse owe you an explanation of why they blindsided you?

Heck yes. It’s the decent, kind and human thing to do. When you were married to a person for years – even decades – and you stood by their side and made sacrifices for the sake of their wellbeing, you at least deserve an explanation and a heads-up.

But the truth of the matter is, a spouse who goes out of their way to just leave you hanging and did not think to give you an explanation when they left, will probably not provide one later either.

Their character shined through in the manner they chose to leave the long marriage, and it’s unlikely that they get a visit from the Human Decency Fairy and knock on your door to a) apologize and b) explain. Chances are, your hopes to get that closure you crave from them may very much be in vain.

Ugly Truth #2: Being a Detective of the Past Will Get You Nowhere

Of course, the logical part of you already knows that the past doesn’t hold the answers. But your heart is a completely different story.

“That’s BS! If I can only find a reason why, then I’ll be able to move on!”

“I can’t move on until they tell me why they changed after all this time.”

I get it. You want those answers. You want to know why. You want to corner your ex-spouse, tie them up and sit them at a chair, where they cannot leave until they provide you with a full and concise explanation of what made them act that way.

You want to know why they left and how long they thought about it. Were they thinking of leaving the last few times you were at dinner together? When you were discussing retirement, sharing the bed, going on vacation? The list goes on and on.

You want to be the detective and look for clues as to why your spouse left. Often, you are guided by the belief that those clues to the past will make you feel better.

That all sounds great, but let’s suspend reality for a second. Let’s imagine your spouse gives you a full explanation – a line-by-line account, day-by-day – of why they left.

What do you expect would happen then? Do you think you’d feel somehow vindicated?

Probably not. In all honestly, it may have the opposite effect, and guess what?

The outcome is the same. You’re still going to be in the same place you are now, trying to figure out how to establish your independence at 50 and beyond. The only difference in this scenario is, you’ve spent more emotional energy playing detective than the joker who left you deserved.

Your emotional energy is finite during this recovery time. Don’t waste it on playing detective – invest it on yourself and your life after 50.

Ugly Truth #3: If You Want Closure, It May Have to Come from Within

Someone who left you without an explanation is someone who does not deserve to spend the rest of your life with you. It doesn’t matter if they were your spouse, co-parent or partner for years.

If they walk out the door without having enough decency to let you know why, you are better off finding the closure and moving on by yourself.

Their explanation won’t unlock your emotional recovery. Waiting on them to grace you with that honor, and wasting your time playing detective robs you of the precious time and energy that you should be investing in your own recovery, healing and moving on.

You Shouldn’t Figure This Stuff Out by Yourself

No one’s saying you have to go through this process alone. In fact, thinking you have to just “suck it up” can actually stifle your healing process, and that’s not cool, either.

There is a ton of resources out there that you can turn to for help, and many of them deal specifically with abandonment issues. A great place to start is Runaway Husbands, which has a supportive community of folks who all share a similar story – both men and women are welcome!

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words ‘spouse abandonment’? Have you had to deal with this kind of thing in the past? Are you dealing with spouse abandonment now? What helps your healing process? What type of advice would you share with others going through the same difficult life circumstance? Please join the conversation below.