Month: June 2020

Can Castor Oil Really Help Your Lashes & Brows Grow?

Hair loss is a well-known and wide-spread issue. Thinning hair can be caused by a vast array of different things, from genetics to stress to diet and prescription medications. However, while we typically think of the hair on our head when it comes to this concern, our lashes and eyebrows can also be impacted by the same reason the hair on heads begins to thin. Castor oil has been generating buzz lately, touted for its apparent ability to help promote accelerate eyebrow and eyelash re-growth. Unlike Biotin and other B-vitamins, there isn’t a ton of clinically backed research vetting the alleged connection between castor oil and accelerated hair regrowth. On the other hand, the anecdotal research is pretty compelling, with plenty of before-and-after pics scattered throughout the web.

While the academic research and clinical trials examining the oil’s ability to promote hair re-growth may be scant, that doesn’t mean the connection is to be completely discredited. In fact, castor oil does have natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal proprieties, which can thoroughly cleanse and remove dead skin and product buildup from the scalp. When the hair follicles on the scalp are clogged, this inhibits normal hair growth. Just like congested pores on your face, congested follicles on your scalp are simply no good. And, according to some castor oil manufacturers, it functions as an effective growth accelerant because it’s penetrated easily, delivering a saturated dose of Vitamin E, triglyceride fatty acids, and bond-building proteins. In short, while more research needs to be conducted for castor to earn  the FDA’s seal of approval, if you’re like us, the vast amount of “true stories” documenting its benefits are enough to convince us to try it out for ourselves.

After experiencing a month or two of non-stop stress and lack of sleep, I woke up one morning and as I looked in the mirror, I realized that my brows were noticeably thinner than a week or two ago. Of course, given my non-stop schedule that had taken over my life during the past weeks, it makes sense that the thinning brow situation would go unnoticed until that very moment. In panic mode, I immediately began to research what type of disease could be at the root of my suddenly skimpy brows, only to settle on the conclusion that it was in fact, probably stress — a very common cause of hair loss according to my bible, WebMd. Anyways, after learning that a few friends of mine had also been battling this sudden onset of thinning brows, I began to try out the oil myself to see what I could glean. I’m not sure if my restored brows were courtesy of my return to a more balanced schedule or the castor oil, but there was a visible improvement in the fullness of my brows. While I can’t speak to its impact on eyelash growth, I would imagine it would have same effect and the products below all claim to help in this department. Here are some of our favorite formulas.

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.

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Lisa Rinna’s Navy Floral Leggings

Lisa Rinna’s Navy Floral Leggings on TikTok

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills TikTok Fashion 2020

Lisa Rinna’s navy floral leggings that we saw her recently wearing on TikTok are not only super cute with their bright cheery print, but according to the retailer website are made from a sweat-wicking, lightweight fabric that makes them the perfect choice for “high intensity activities like running, spinning, and interval training.” Or in Rinna’s case, dancing like nobody’s everybody’s watching.

Fashionably,

Faryn

Lisa Rinna’s Navy Floral Leggings

Click Here to Shop Her Terez Leggings

Click Here to Shop a Capri Version

Click Here to Shop a Matching Sweatshirt

Photo: @LisaRinna

Originally posted at: Lisa Rinna’s Navy Floral Leggings

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Kameron Westcott’s White Floral Outfit

Kameron Westcott’s White Floral Outfit on Instagram

Real Housewives of Dallas Instagram Fashion 2020

Considering the world is starting to open back up and we’ve completely forgotten how to dress in anything other than tie dye, we’re super grateful to Kameron Westcott for serving us up some much-needed inspiration with her white floral outfit on Instagram. And if it’s any indicator of the kind of chic lewks we’ll be getting from her over the next few months, needless to say we’re in for a very hot haute girl summer.

Fashionably,

Faryn

Kameron Westcott’s White Floral Outfit

Click Here to Shop Her Alice and Olivia Crop Top

Click Here to Shop Additional Stock on Sale

Click Here to Shop The Matching Pants

Click Here to Shop Additional Stock on Sale

Click Here for Info on her Sunscreen

Photo & Info: @KameronWestcott

Originally posted at: Kameron Westcott’s White Floral Outfit

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I Just Skipped Dinner… and Gave My Grandson $248,910 for His Retirement

invest save for retirement

In some ways, retirement planning is fiendishly complicated. You have to guess how long you will live. You need to decide on the right balance of risk and reward for your investments. And, of course, you have to find the money to save in the first place!

But, in other ways, retirement planning is as simple as pie. Start early. Invest in a low-fee index fund or ETF. Then, sit on your hands and *don’t touch anything!*

The problem, of course, is that for most of the people, the “set it and forget it” school of retirement planning feels more like the “I wish I’d done that earlier” school of retirement planning!

But, fear not! While it may be too late for many of us to become “automatic millionaires,” there is still hope for the younger members of our families – particularly our grandkids.

To explain exactly what I mean, I’d like to share a conversation that I had with my son last weekend. It is no exaggeration to say that this 30-minute chat changed my life – and the lives of my 3 grandchildren.

When is a 12-oz Starbucks Latte Worth its Weight in Gold?

Every week, I try to meet my eldest son for coffee. The location of our meetings varies, but, Starbucks is usually our go-to coffee shop.

So, imagine my surprise when I showed up at Starbucks a few Sundays ago only to find my son standing outside with a thermos of coffee.

Our conversation went something like this:

Me – “Hey Nathan, good morning! What’s with the flask of coffee? Is Starbucks out?”

Nathan – “Oh, you know… I just didn’t feel like my regular latte was worth its weight in gold.”

We started walking and my son explained to me that he had decided to start skipping his regular Starbucks in order to add a little extra to the custodial accounts of his two children. He went on to say that $6 (the price of a 354 ml, 12 oz tall latte in Switzerland) invested over 70 years would become $16,179. When you consider that 354g of gold is worth $16,059, it’s a startling comparison!

So, every time he skips his morning Starbucks, he is quite literally putting a gold bar into his 1-month-old’s retirement account. How crazy is that?!?

If a Coffee is Worth its Weight in Gold, is a Nice Dinner Worth a House?

After our conversation, I started thinking about how much money I spend on going out with my friends. It’s not a lot, but, I would say that I probably go out to one or two nice dinners a month, each of which costs me about $50.

So, last month, I decided to skip both of my outings (actually, I invited my friends over for tea!) and give my son the money that I saved to invest. He was grateful and told me that he would be happy to put my contribution to work in the S&P 500 ETF that makes up the bulk of his kids’ portfolios.

Of course, as they say in the finance biz, “Past results are not indicative of future returns.” But, if the S&P 500 were to match its historical returns of 12%, the $100 that I saved by not going out to eat last month could transform into close to $250,000!

And, if it doesn’t… who cares? My waistline probably benefited from eating salad at home! And, was the conversation any less engaging because we had it over tea? Of course not!

Scrooge McDuck vs. The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg

Skipping Starbucks to save a few pennies? Eating at home to fill the coffee jar with $10s and $20s? Am I becoming Scrooge McDuck?

Of course not! I still enjoy my creature comforts and there I refuse to see ever tub of ice-cream as a potential gold bar in my grandson’s vault.

Instead, I’d rather think of myself as the wise old goose that laid the golden egg. I won’t be around when my grandkids retire, but, I will want to contribute to their financial future.

So, I’m going to live, love and laugh. But, I am also going to treat each purchase decision with respect… because, at the end of the day, small investments, if given enough time, really do grow!

70 years from now, I hope that my grandkids are sitting on a pile of gold that even Scrooge McDuck would be proud of. And, looking down at their wealth, I hope that they spare a moment to think about kooky old grandma Margaret… that funny old lady who gave them a golden egg all those years ago.

What do you think of the idea of starting an investment account for your grandkids? Have you already done something like this? Why or why not?

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You Won’t Believe the Retirement Property (Mansion!) These 7 Women Bought Together

Retirement Property

What do you do if you have modest savings but want to live like a millionaire in retirement? You could play the lottery (bad idea!) Or, you could follow the example of these 7 Chinese retirees, who pooled their money to buy a breathtakingly beautiful mansion!

A Retirement Dream Becomes Reality

In 2018, the 7 friends were chatting about their future retirement plans. Like many pre-retirees, they were concerned about whether they would be able to make ends meet as they got a little older. They also wanted to find ways to stay social in the best years of their lives.

As they talked, one woman joked that it would be wonderful just to buy a house together. This way, they could live in comfort, while being surrounded by good friends.

Time passed and, for many years, their retirement dream remained just that… a dream! Then, 10 years later, they decided to get serious about looking for a property.

As one of the women said, “We went back to Guangzhou and started to look for a place in the suburban area. This is a natural area and the house is located at the end of the village… We were colleagues and sometimes we’re even closer than siblings.”

So, pooling $584,000, the women purchased and remodeled a house on the outskirts of their dream village. As the following video shows, the results are absolutely stunning.

A Dream Property… Perfect for Grandmas and Grandkids

The 7 women didn’t just purchase a property. They set out to create the perfect environment for their retirement. They also wanted it to integrate seamlessly into the environment. As one woman said, “We think of it as a glass in a field.”

Over the course of several months, the property, which started as a 4-story red brick building was transformed into a floating castle of glass and steel, framed by white walls.

With three sides of the building completely surrounded by fields, the building feels like it is a sparkling oasis in a sea of green… yet it somehow also managed to feel “at home” in its natural surroundings.

Creative Co-living is a Massive Trend… and it’s Accelerating!

The story of these 7 creative and bold women is inspiring… but, it is not unique. All over the world, seniors are pooling their resources to squeeze every ounce of happiness out of their retirement years.

For example, in Japan, these two women partnered with local architect, Issei Suma, to create a teepee inspired co-living retirement home. The results were spectacular.

Japanese-Retirement-Home-Teepee-1

In addition, the tiny house movement is allowing retirees to live together on a single plot of land, while still maintaining a decent amount of privacy.

Is co-living for everyone? Absolutely not! But, if you are the kind of person who loves being around others, it might be your cup of tea. And, regardless, the financial benefits of co-living are difficult to ignore!

Would you ever consider pooling your money with your friends to purchase a dream retirement property? Why or why not?

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