Did you know that 25%
of your bones and muscles are located below the ankle? And yet our feet tend to
be one of the most overlooked parts of our body, at least as far as proactive
care goes. No one thinks about their feet until there’s a problem.

Due to the volume of
joints and muscles in the feet, stiffness in this area of the body is one of
the biggest contributors to balance problems. Your feet play a major role in
the intricate
systems that keep you balanced. The more rigid your feet, the
more difficult
it is to balance. 

One of the best
places you can start to improve your balance is to improve the mobility of your
feet. The more impact from the environment your feet absorb, the less work the
rest of your body has to do to keep you balanced. 

The first step to better foot mobility is to consider how you treat your feet daily. What kind of shoes do you wear? How much time do you spend with shoes off? How are your toes moving?

Do you have foot
pain? Are there calluses, and if so, where? All of these questions can start to
give you clues about how your feet move.

Maintaining healthy, happy feet for better balance is easy to do with just a few simple tools you already have in your home, and a few minutes per day.

Follow the steps
below to return the suppleness to your feet for a quick impact on your balance:

Stop Wearing Heels, Rigid Shoes, or Shoes with a Pointy Toe 

Shoes that tighten
your calves, don’t allow the bones of your feet to move,
or cram all the toes together are a recipe for future foot and balance issues.
Spend most of your time in shoes that are flat, flexible, and have a wide toe
box to allow
your feet to experience a range of natural movement. 

Spend More Time at Home Barefoot 

Shoes act as a cast
to your feet, immobilizing them and preventing the muscles of the foot from
working on their own.

Allowing yourself to
walk barefoot, even for short amounts of time, provides the muscles of your
feet an opportunity to strengthen. If you tend to wear shoes at home, start
this process gradually to allow your feet to adapt. 

Practice Spreading Your Toes Apart and Lifting Them Individually
Every Day 

You might be
surprised to hear your feet should have the same dexterity as your hands! You
heard that right. Shoes have done to our feet what a lifetime of wearing
mittens would do to your hands.

Start to wake the
muscles of the feet up and improve your dexterity by practicing your toe
mobility. The muscles that control the toes also strengthen the arch of the
foot, so this is important to focus on if you’ve been told you are
“flat-footed” or have a collapsed arch. 

Walk on a Variety of Surfaces and Textures 

Walking over stones,
grass, or on tile floor are all different experiences for the joints and
muscles of your feet. Walking uphill, downhill, or over flat surfaces are all
different experiences as well. Expose your feet to as many different
experiences as possible, with or without shoes to allow for maximal
strengthening. 

It’s helpful to
practice walking on different textures in conjunction with spreading and
lifting your toes. Gaining mobility is a process that not just improves your
flexibility, but also strengthens your control of it. 

Taking these smalls
steps to improve the health of your feet impacts your overall health in a
positive way. After all, you need a healthy foundation to build healthy
movement habits.

What
can you do today to start to think more about the health of your feet? Can you
think of any habits that inhibit your balance? Please share in the comments
below.

I am not a good bed partner. Well, maybe I should say that I have never been a good sleeping partner. I need full and absolute possession of the bed. I move, I squirm, I sigh and sometimes, I am told, I even snore.

I dream a lot. I wake up early and often during the night. I ponder the universe. I get my most inspired thoughts looking out of the window into the dark night. I have a spurt of inspiration and dash to my studio to paint… or write. I watch Steven Colbert and enjoy the occasional late movie.

I used to leave at least four books on the empty part of my large bed plus The New York Times, but now that I read on Kindle, my bed is a little less cluttered. I get cold and want the duvet to cover me snuggly with no pulling from bed partners. I get hot and want the a/c on full blast. The only cold feet I tolerate in bed with me are my own.

Little Nightly Visitors Can Be Sleep Disruptors

Maybe my conviction that sleeping alone is a good thing was triggered by years of pregnancy, postnatal adjustments, and breastfeeding.

Nappy changes in the middle of the night, lullabies, and storytelling to calm a little one who had climbed into my bed after a scary dream, and a multitude of childhood illnesses which usually required a pilgrimage to mom and dad’s room and the comfort of a warm body next to theirs.

With a bed full of people wiggling around finding their own sleeping comfort, I was often the one to quietly and unobtrusively grab a pillow and a blanket, slide out and tiptoe to another room leaving my blissfully asleep husband and child and sometimes even the dog, to take possession of the entire bed.

Now my circumstances have changed, and I do sleep alone. As a widow with four grown kids and even more grandchildren all living abroad or in other states, my own personal bed is one of the most comforting and comfortable pieces of furniture in my entire house.

I adore the times when the kids visit, but nobody would dare suggest sleeping with me as my children know my preference and have instructed the little ones that “Abu (Spanish for Abuela) will give you permission to hang out in her bed and watch TV in her room, but she prefers to sleep alone.” It is quite clear.

Different Sleeping Styles

I remember watching those old English movies where couples retired to their own separate quarters when they called it a night. At the time I thought this strange custom cold, uncaring, and certainly not sexy. Then I grew up and realized that having my own space made a lot of sense.

My husband preferred to start his uninterrupted beauty sleep much earlier than me, and I would still be checking emails or playing a last game of backgammon online. He did not read in bed, and I’ve never been able to settle down without reading that last chapter.

I would often have sudden inspiration and must start an article or make some sketches for a painting I plan to start in the morning. And of course, there’s the small matter of hogging the blanket and the fact that his snoring disturbed my precarious sleep.

Without totally surrendering my rightful place in our marital bed, I re-decorated another room in the house to my personal taste and fled to it when sleeping was impossible. There was intent and it was not a secret or something that I was ashamed of.

My bonus room was a practical solution that I was happy to retreat to when necessary. Sleep is always precious but when one ages, it becomes indispensable.

Sleeping Alone Does Not Preclude Lovemaking

Mind you, sleeping alone should never interfere with lovemaking. Au contraire. I much prefer a loving partner as a neighbor in a bedroom nearby than someone I resent in my own bed.

Visiting or receiving a visit from a lover is still the stuff that fantasies are made of, and I would much rather look forward to that than to be the object of affection for the simple reason that I happen to be in the bed and therefore deemed interested and available.

Automatic responses to a bit of bare skin certainly do not turn me on. In my experience, separate sleeping encourages a more determined approach to the matter of lovemaking.

Familiarity breeds routine – and we all know how exciting that can be. And yes, I do love to cuddle, but cuddling and sleeping through the night are not compatible all the time. When it’s time to sleep, I prefer splendid isolation.

It turns out the British were more practical and sexier than I initially thought. Only they could have come up with this delightful idea. When I watch those movies now, I realize how very sexy it is to retire to one’s own bedroom and perhaps pay or receive a visit with more than sleep in mind.

How do you feel about sleeping alone? Have you tried doing it on purpose or do you prefer to sleep in the same bed as your partner? Please share your thoughts with our community!

Highlighter, without a doubt, is a gift bestowed upon us by the beauty gods because it dresses up our cheekbones with that million-dollar radiance we all know and love. However, if you’re trying to scale back on wearing makeup every day, knowing how to use vitamin C on your face can get you the same gorgeous glow with way less effort and more skin-loving benefits.

“Vitamin C is the most studied and most effective topical antioxidant we have in skincare,” according to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Dr. Joshua Zeichner, MD. “It has multiple skin benefits including protecting the skin from environmental aggressors, blocking abnormal pigment production and brightening dark spots.” 

Luminous shine aside, vitamin C also boasts additional skin-boosting benefits, according to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Hadley King, MD.  Among these advantages are environmental protection and speeding up collagen synthesis, which can help heal wounds and prevent unwanted scarring, fine lines, and wrinkles over time. 

“Vitamin C is an essential part of skin health both as an antioxidant and as a critical factor for collagen synthesis,” Dr. King told StyleCaster. “Vitamin C contributes to photoprotection, decreases photodamage, and is needed for wound healing.” 

But while vitamin C is an integral part of any skincare routine, it can be a bit confusing to know which vitamin C product is best suited for your needs. The market is currently saturated with lots of sunscreen, serum, and moisturizer products too, making the choice a lot more difficult. 

To give you a better understanding of how to use every type of vitamin C product on your face, we tapped both Dr. King and Dr. Zeichner (plus other board-certified derms!) to give us the full breakdown on everything you need to know about this superstar antioxidant. 

ImaxTree.

Vitamin C Types

Although vitamin C is recommended for all skin types, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Zenovia Gabriel, MD, FAAD, explained that there are several types of vitamin C to be aware of. 

For starters, she explained that L-ascorbic acid (which is best used at a 15 percent concentration) is the most common type of vitamin C found in skincare products, and is usually recommended for oily or normal skin types. This form of vitamin C also increases firmness and reduces photo-damage with continued use. 

Next up is ascorbyl palmitate, which Dr. Gabriel explained is a lipid-soluble and stable form of pure vitamin C. This form of vitamin C exhibits impressive antioxidant activity, she added and protects the skin from free radicals and oxidation. 

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate is another type of vitamin C to keep your eye on, according to Dr. Gabriel, as it is a soluble and stable form of vitamin C. This makes it more than effective for evening skin tone and brightening complexions, she explained. 

Suitable for sensitive and dry skin types alike, Dr. Gabriel explained that magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP) is another form of vitamin C to look into. This form of vitamin C is the most stable and preferred ascorbyl ester, she explained, and works to increase collagen and protects against free radicals. 

Finally, there is tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, which is an oil-soluble form of vitamin C, according to Dr. Garbiel. This form of vitamin C is best suited for aging skin, she explained, as it can penetrate deeper into the layers of the skin, delivering amazing results. 

When To Use in Your Daily Routine

It’s true that the market is currently saturated with many vitamin C skincare products. However, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Y. Claire Chang, MD explained that it’s more important to know when to use them.

For example, vitamin C products can be used once daily in the form of serums and essences, she said. But if you want to see noticeable results from your products, she said it can be helpful to up your usage to up to two times a day. 

“I recommend using vitamin C products twice daily for maximum benefits,” Dr. Chang said. “If used in serum or essence forms, it should be applied after cleansing and before your thicker moisturizers and creams.” 

Similarly, Dr. Zeichner explained that vitamin C products (serums and creams) can also fit into your daily routine by being applied underneath your sunscreen. This helps boost your block’s effectiveness, shielding your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, he added.  “Think of vitamin C as an insurance policy on your sunscreen,” Dr. Zeichner said. “It helps neutralize the effect of any UV light that penetrates.” 

Vitamin C Powders

Powdered vitamin C products are another way you can add vitamin C into your skincare routine, as Dr. Zeichner said they are more stable and less likely to degrade with light.  However, using these products correctly can be tricky since powdered vitamin C must be mixed with the right products in order to guarantee an effective result. 

“Powdered vitamin C must be mixed in the right vehicle in order to be absorbed, and then released in the skin, so mixing it in the right products and proportions is important,” he explained. “Part of this is because it’s key to get the right pH levels–the pH of the vitamin C needs to be acidic to absorb, which can cause some irritation when it comes into contact with the skin.” 

Versed.

To use powdered vitamin C products correctly, Dr. Zeichner advised starting off slowly by adding a small amount of product to moisturizers or serums to see how your skin tolerates it. If your skin does not respond negatively to your mixture, he then recommended applying it onto areas of the skin that are subject to hyperpigmentation. 

Vitamin C Serums  

When shopping for vitamin C serums, Dr. Zeichner said you’ll want to look out for products that contain ascorbic acid, as he explained that this has been shown to be the most effective form of vitamin C  for topical administration. 

And yes, this form of vitamin C isn’t very stable. However, he added that other antioxidants can be added to increase the stability of your product. With this in mind, he advised looking for ascorbic acid combined with other antioxidants and packaging that protects the solution from air and light.

Dr. King also suggested that vitamin c serums fit into your daily routine easily. To apply them correctly, you’ll want to apply them onto cleansed skin before applying moisturizer and essential SPF. “I recommend using an antioxidant serum (mostly commonly vitamin C) every morning, followed by a moisturizer with broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher,” she advised. 

Vitamin C Moisturizers

Dr. King acknowledges that moisturizer products can also contain built-in vitamin C in order to brighten and hydrate the skin effectively. 

However, while you may think it’s much more effective to layer a good vitamin C serum underneath your sunscreen, she suggested that vitamin C moisturizers help speed up the product application process, making it ideal for those on-the-go or those living with extremely dry skin. 

Kate Somerville.

“There are moisturizers that include vitamin C and for dry skin types, this would be another option that could avoid the need for two steps,” she said. 

To use vitamin C moisturizer correctly, King advised using them as the regular hydrating products inside your routine. Just be sure to reapply your moisturizer throughout the day, she added, to keep your skin adequately hydrated throughout the day. 

Vitamin C Eye Creams

Eye creams and serums also use vitamin C to help correct fine lines and dark circles around the eye area, according to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman, MD. 

To use these products correctly, Dr. Jaliman advised applying them onto your under eyes right after cleansing and before you proceed to moisturize. 

“Allow your eye cream to penetrate before you layer the next step in your regimen,” Dr. Jaliman said. “Use your ring finger to apply it by tapping around the ocular bone.” 

Vitamin C Masks

Dr. Jaliman noted that there are many peel-off masks that contain Vitamin C. However, people with oily and mature skin types benefit most from these products, as they can reduce pore size and achieve firmer skin. 

“These masks can reduce pore size and eventually you may achieve firmer skin,” she explained. “If your mask contains vitamin C, fruit and/or plant extracts, and vitamin E, you may even notice there are less visible fine lines and wrinkles.” 

To use vitamin C masks with ease, Dr. Jaliman advised applying them onto a cleansed face. And once it comes to remove your mask, you can then apply your favorite serum and night cream, she added. 

Vitamin C Sunscreen

Sunscreens (either mineral or chemical) are essential skincare products that help protect the skin from UV radiation, according to Dr. King. However, when vitamin C is added to these products, it can help improve your SPF protection even more. 

“If sunscreen ingredients are combined with vitamin C, then the protection has been shown to be greater because the antioxidants help to neutralize the free radicals from UV rays,” she explained. “Neutralizing the free radicals with antioxidants such as vitamin C improves the prevention of photodamage.” 

To use these vitamin C sunscreens correctly, Dr. King suggested applying them on like your everyday go-to block. Just be sure to reapply your product often, she added, as sunscreen protection only lasts for a certain amount of time. 

Shop some of the best vitamin C formulas on the market below.

BELLA Skin Beauty.

BELLA Skin Beauty Vitamin C Serum

If you are looking for hard-working vitamin C serum to join your #shelfies, definitely add this product to your beauty wishlist. It utilizes this antioxidant to provide an anti-aging boost and full-spectrum antioxidant protection. 

Buy: BELLA Skin Beauty Vitamin C Serum $92

Baie Botanique.

Baie Botanique Rose Renew Face Cream

Let’s face it: moisturizing is important, but applying it on often can feel like a chore. 

However, this rejuvenating face cream makes it more than easy to remember this crucial skincare step, as it boasts a gorgeous floral aroma and is packed with skin-boosting ingredients such as glycolic acid, green tea, and vitamin C. 

Kiehls.

Kiehls Eye Cream Powerful-Strength Dark Circle Reducing Vitamin C Eye Serum

Erase blue and brown under-eye circles with this vitamin C eye serum, which uses 10 percent vitamin C extract, peptides and hyaluronic acid to give your peepers that well-rested look. 

Biossance.

Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil

Your daily facial oil also gets a vitamin C boost, as this lightweight squalane and rose oil hydrates and brightens brilliantly thanks to added vitamin C. 

Tatcha.

Tatcha Violet-C Vitamin C Radiance Mask

This creamy anti-aging mask is a true skincare lover’s dream, as it uses two types of vitamin C (and AHA acids!) to keep skin glowing and velvety smooth. 

Buy: Tatcha Violet-C Vitamin C Radiance Mask $68

Murad.

Murad Essential-C Toner

Send breakouts and blemishes packing with this vitamin C-packed toner, which energizes and refreshes skin with each spritz. 

Buy: Murad Essential-C Toner $35

Supergoop!.

Supergoop! PLAY Antioxidant Body Mist SPF 30 with Vitamin C

Upgrade your daily block with this SPF30 mist, which uses vitamin C to provide long-lasting protection (up to 80 minutes) throughout the day. 

Buy: Supergoop! PLAY Antioxidant Body Mist SPF 30 with Vitamin C $21

Peach & Lily.

Peach & Lily Vitamin C Boost Powder

Boost your moisturizers and serums with some help from this vitamin C-rich powder, which uses 100 percent pure ascorbic acid to give your complexion a dewy and radiant glow. 

No7.

No7 Youthful Vitamin C Fresh Radiance

This vitamin C-charged radiance is a must-have if essences are a part of your everyday routine, as it absorbs quickly into the skin and employs a 5 percent vitamin C formulation to combat discoloration and dryness. 

Erno Laszlo.

Erno Laszlo White Marble Dual Phase Vitamin C Peel

This two-step clarifying peel uses vitamin C to gently buff away dead skin cells, erase dark spots, and correct discoloration each time you use it. 

Buy: Erno Laszlo White Marble Dual Phase Vitamin C Peel $100

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.

Kristen Doute’s Mixed Print Bathing Suit

Season 8 Episode 19 Vanderpump Rules Fashion

I know that Stassi Schroeder and Katie Maloney some people have mixed feelings on Kristen Doute’s choice of men but I think we can all agree that we only have one feeling about her choice in bathing suits—they’re on point. I always love all her swimsuit choices I think she has a knack for picking out some great one pieces.

As for picking out the good ones in men I gotta say not so much. Just as her swimsuit caught my eye, Carter did too which led them to immediately roll so far back in my head. But I know one day she’ll find the man that fits her perfectly, just like this mixed print bathing suit does.

Sincerely Stylish,

Jess

Click Here To See Her Sold Out Maaji Rainbow Jungle Swimsuit

Originally posted at: Kristen Doute’s Mixed Print Bathing Suit

Downsizing, whether
by choice or necessity, is a common occurrence for people in mid-life and
beyond. Many people feel the urge to live more simply and care for less. Others
no longer need the big houses where they once raised families.

For some downsizing
becomes necessary because of a move to a different and perhaps warmer climate
or is brought by the desire to live nearer to children and grandchildren.

Some people want to
wander the globe and can do so more easily without the burden of stuff left
behind. Others can no longer afford the lifestyle they once had now that they
are living on a fixed income.

Whatever your
reasons for downsizing, if you have been through the experience, you have come
out on the other side changed. Downsizing can be difficult, but also
liberating.

What happens after
you downsize? What are the benefits of downsizing? How can the disciplined
pursuit of less change you?

You Will Live According to Your Values

The first step in
downsizing is making a decision of where you will go. This requires you to
think about what you want, what you can afford, and what would be meaningful to
you.

How do you want to
live now? It is an important question, and if you clarify your values as you
make decisions, you will be aligning your life with your values. Living
according to your values is a positive thing.

When you downsize,
you are also forced to decide what to keep and what to get rid of. It isn’t
always an easy decision, but if you learn to choose things according to your
values, you will keep what is important to you. The result is that you live with
things that make you happy.

You Have Less Stress

Too many
possessions often result in clutter, and clutter often results in stress. Our
things can be a reminder of debt, bad choices, or unfulfilled projects. They
can be reminders of obligations – like the
need to hang onto Aunt Mary’s China set even though you don’t like it and have
never used it.

We tend to hang
onto things that remind us of happy events and people we love, but we also hang
onto things that are a burden emotionally, such as the photos from a wedding
that ended in divorce, or drawers full of items gifted to us by long-dead
relatives.

Letting go of the
things that burden us can be emotionally freeing. Looking at unfulfilled
projects nags at us, which is stressful. Letting go of the to-do list of things
that you no longer want to do eliminates stress.

You Have Less to Take Care of

If you love dusting,
polishing, and cleaning, this won’t apply to you, but the fewer things you
have, the less you have to store, clean, organize, and take care of. Instead of
spending time managing and cleaning your belongings, you can do other things that
you enjoy.

You may also find
that you don’t miss the excess. Many people say that it is easier to get
dressed when they have closets that are well edited. We tend to regularly wear
only a small portion of the clothes we own.

Capsule wardrobes
have become popular because a closet with fewer clothes means that your choices
are more likely to be well-fitting and in good repair. It is entirely possible
to be exceptionally well dressed with good, classic, basic items and colorful
accessories to add interest and variation.

Others notice that
they enjoy their possessions more when there are fewer but more meaningful
objects in their surroundings.

A handful of picture
frames on a shelf attracts our attention to the pictures inside. On the other
hand, 40 pictures on the shelf makes us notice the excess rather than the
special photos.

You Feel Good Knowing You Have Helped Others

While downsizing,
your possessions went somewhere. Think of the excess clothing you gave to the
thrift shop. Now it’s being worn by someone else who needs it more than you
did.

Think of the
household goods that are now in a young couple’s first home, or a college
student’s apartment. Maybe Grandma’s needlework now hangs on the wall in your
daughter’s home or Grandpa’s desk is now in your grandson’s office.

If you were ever
the grateful recipient of secondhand goods, then you know the value they can
have. Every day, people buy things in thrift stores, antique stores, and resale
shops that add value to their lives and their homes.

Unless you tossed
everything in a dumpster, chances are someone else is now enjoying things you
once enjoyed.

You Save Money

A smaller home is
usually cheaper. If you own a home, you may be able to use the equity to buy a
smaller one outright. Unless you move to an area with a higher cost of living,
you will likely save money in taxes, which can be a substantial savings.

If you rent, moving
to a smaller house or apartment will likely result in lower rent costs. In
either case, you will save money in utilities and maintenance costs. Fewer
expenses means more money for things like health care, leisure, or traveling.

You Have a Chance to Start Over

As you built your
family and career, you often made choices because you needed to. Perhaps you
moved to a particular area for a job and ended up living there for years.

You may have needed
a bigger space for your children, and their space requirements – and even the school district you lived in – dictated your choices. You may have added on a mother-in-law
suite so that you could care for a family member.

It is likely that,
for many years, the needs of others came first. At this stage of life, it is
more likely that you make your decisions based on your needs. You make choices in downsizing that allow you a fresh
start.

That fresh start in
your physical space also opens you up for a fresh start in other areas of your
life. You may have the time and opportunity to explore a new area or meet new
people. As a result, you might take up a new hobby or join a new book club.

There is no doubt
that downsizing can be emotionally charged. However, if you think of it as an
opportunity to create your life in a way that serves you now, you will likely
be happy in your new surroundings.

How has downsizing changed you? What do you
do to continue living in a way that combats clutter? What benefits of
downsizing do you see in your life? I’d love to hear your experiences in the
comments section below.