We’ve seen a lot of wild beauty trends over the years. Remember squiggly brows?! Some of the actually useful ones involve using unexpected items to make our lives easier, such as tape to guide eyeliner application. But what about the new TikTok trend of using lube as makeup primer? Yes, like personal lubricant often used during sex. Folks on TikTok are putting it on their face before applying foundation, as well as mixing it with their favorite complexion product. The results are mixed.

For some, it smoothes skin and allows makeup to apply evenly without bumps and flakes. It worked for TikToker @seananthonyv who said in a viral video, “You need to start mixing your lube with foundation. It makes it glide extra smooth.” @MannyMUA733 tries it, too. Both guys look great, though Manny notes his foundation is sure not to last even a few hours. Then you’ve got @itsrady who included it in her “best makeup hacks” video. What is going on?!

It looks like most of these creators used a silicone-based product to get a glowy, radiant finish to their foundation. As @glamzilla notes in her video, you can get the same effect with your favorite serum. Strangely, we saw @mikaylanogueira try it as well but the video seems to have been taken down. She used a water-based lube and did not like the process or the finished product. She said she gets a better glow from her favorite Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow.

Basically, there’s a chance this will work for you. But with all the stellar makeup primers on the market, what’s the point? Except for a fun TikTok, of course. Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, FAAD is a board-certified cosmetic and medical dermatologist at the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York and clinical instructor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College, tells STYLECASTER that lube can even be harmful to your skin.

“First and foremost, not all lubricants are the same and what may work fine as a facial makeup primer for one person could be irritating or breakout-inducing for others,” she says. “Some are oil-based and can clog pores. Others, like those with concentrated glycerin, can leave a sticky residue that may attract bacteria and debris, promoting acne.” Eek! You do not want to deal with that.

Murphy-Rose says using lubricant might be fine as primer in a pinch (though we’re not sure what situation that would be!), she definitely doesn’t recommend it for regular use. Though “water-based lubricants are least likely to clog pores and hypoallergenic products will be least likely to irritate skin,” she notes.

Lube as primer might be a funny TikTok trend, we’d stay skip it to keep your skin healthy. There are also great radiant primers on the market, including Neutrogena Healthy Skin Radiant Primer + Serum ($17.99 at Ulta), Ilia True Skin Radiant Priming Serum ($52 at Sephora) and Wet n Wild Photo Focus Dewy Face Primer ($5.99 at Ulta). Save the lube for the more sexy things.

We’ve seen a lot of wild beauty trends over the years. Remember squiggly brows?! Some of the actually useful ones involve using unexpected items to make our lives easier, such as tape to guide eyeliner application. But what about the new TikTok trend of using lube as makeup primer? Yes, like personal lubricant often used during sex. Folks on TikTok are putting it on their face before applying foundation, as well as mixing it with their favorite complexion product. The results are mixed.

For some, it smoothes skin and allows makeup to apply evenly without bumps and flakes. It worked for TikToker @seananthonyv who said in a viral video, “You need to start mixing your lube with foundation. It makes it glide extra smooth.” @MannyMUA733 tries it, too. Both guys look great, though Manny notes his foundation is sure not to last even a few hours. Then you’ve got @itsrady who included it in her “best makeup hacks” video. What is going on?!

It looks like most of these creators used a silicone-based product to get a glowy, radiant finish to their foundation. As @glamzilla notes in her video, you can get the same effect with your favorite serum. Strangely, we saw @mikaylanogueira try it as well but the video seems to have been taken down. She used a water-based lube and did not like the process or the finished product. She said she gets a better glow from her favorite Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow.

Basically, there’s a chance this will work for you. But with all the stellar makeup primers on the market, what’s the point? Except for a fun TikTok, of course. Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, FAAD is a board-certified cosmetic and medical dermatologist at the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York and clinical instructor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College, tells STYLECASTER that lube can even be harmful to your skin.

“First and foremost, not all lubricants are the same and what may work fine as a facial makeup primer for one person could be irritating or breakout-inducing for others,” she says. “Some are oil-based and can clog pores. Others, like those with concentrated glycerin, can leave a sticky residue that may attract bacteria and debris, promoting acne.” Eek! You do not want to deal with that.

Murphy-Rose says using lubricant might be fine as primer in a pinch (though we’re not sure what situation that would be!), she definitely doesn’t recommend it for regular use. Though “water-based lubricants are least likely to clog pores and hypoallergenic products will be least likely to irritate skin,” she notes.

Lube as primer might be a funny TikTok trend, we’d stay skip it to keep your skin healthy. There are also great radiant primers on the market, including Neutrogena Healthy Skin Radiant Primer + Serum ($17.99 at Ulta), Ilia True Skin Radiant Priming Serum ($52 at Sephora) and Wet n Wild Photo Focus Dewy Face Primer ($5.99 at Ulta). Save the lube for the more sexy things.

Do you have a stiff or painful neck? Does your neck often hurt or just feel uncomfortable? Does tension in your neck make it hard to turn your head as easily as you used to?

If this
sounds like you, you will know that pain or stiffness in your neck can affect
your wellbeing and make everyday activities difficult.

Driving
becomes harder (think reverse parking), and so do social situations – talking
to people on either side of you involves shifting your whole body, rather than
just turning your head.

Stiffness
in your neck can affect your sleep as well, causing difficulties falling asleep
or waking you in the middle of the night. Tension in your neck muscles can also
lead to headaches.

What if
you could get rid of some of that tension? Relieve the stiffness, move more
easily and feel less pain?

Why Is It So Important to Relieve Neck Pain?

You
might be used to the stiffness by now. Of course, you don’t like it, but it’s
been there for a while, and you don’t believe you can do anything about it.

Unless
there’s an underlying structural issue causing your pain, you almost certainly
can do something to relieve this tension and stiffness.

A stiff
neck can affect you in several ways, so you shouldn’t ignore it.

Your Sleep

Neck
stiffness can make it harder for you to get comfortable in bed (one pillow is
too soft, another too hard!). You might struggle to go to sleep or wake up in
the night because you can’t find the right position.

You
might sleep fine but wake up in the morning with a really stiff neck (which can
cause a lot of pain and distress).

Sufficient,
good-quality sleep is vital for rest, healing, and energy levels. And that’s
not even touching on the impact on our mood. How much happier and more positive
do you feel about life when you wake up after a great night’s sleep?

Your Posture

Having a stiff neck can affect your posture. You may find it harder to stand up straight or to practice good posture while using your computer or tablet.

Poor
posture has a negative impact on your energy levels, as it affects the way you
breathe. Try this quick exercise to understand this properly:

Round
your upper back, tuck your chin towards your chest, and do your best
‘slouching’. Don’t worry if you are really exaggerating it for effect. Breathe
in as deeply as you can.

Now
pull up tall. Imagine there’s a string through the top of your head and
straighten up as much as you can. Look straight ahead and take a deep breath
in.

Did you
notice the difference between the size of the breath you took in each position?
Extrapolate that across the whole day and think about how much more oxygen you
will get in if you are standing up tall more of the time.

Posture
also affects your self-esteem and confidence. We all feel better about
ourselves when we can stand up tall and feel proud of ourselves.

Your Balance

Balance
and posture are tightly related. When we start to stoop (whether that’s due to
neck pain or other factors), it’s harder to maintain our balance. Sometimes it
seems safer to look down at the ground, but this affects our centre of gravity
and makes us more likely to fall.

So, to
keep our balance and reduce our risk of falling, we need to be able to stand up
tall and look straight ahead. Reducing stiffness and tension in your neck
will help you to do this more easily.

You can find free and helpful, easy to do exercises in the in this 4-week Balance Boost video series. 

So, if we
want to have good posture, better balance, and to sleep well, we need to take
action to reduce neck stiffness or tension.

Steps to Do Every Day to Prevent or Reduce Neck
Pain

Using
screens is one of the biggest causes of neck pain. Here are some tips to avoid experiencing
the ‘tech neck’:

• put your phone or tablet on a stand for
  prolonged usage;
• connect your laptop to a large monitor
  for viewing at eye level;
• increase the font or wear suitable
  glasses when viewing a screen;
• take regular screen breaks.

Sleep with the Right Pillow for You

The
type of pillow you should use depends on whether you are a side, front, or back
sleeper. However you sleep, try to keep your head and neck aligned with the rest
of your body. A physical therapist or osteopath may be able to advise you
further. 

Reduce Stress and Tension

Taking more time for yourself and prioritising activities that bring you joy and happiness can help. You could also think about creating more time for relaxation and sleep.

When it
comes to external stressors, think about possible ways to change how you
respond to them or to reduce your exposure to them.

Shoulders Down!

Whatever
you are doing, whether exercising or going about your day, think about relaxing
your shoulders. Don’t hold them stiffly up to your ears! This holds especially
when you are sitting at the computer, but in many other situations as well.

Keep Warm!

If your neck gets
cold, it is much more likely to revert to its usual stiffness. I know my neck
gets much worse when I am out in the cold and haven’t wrapped up sufficiently.

Even if it’s hot
and you haven’t thought about jackets for weeks (or months!), you might find
the air conditioning indoors leaves your neck ‘freezing up’. So, keep a scarf
with you at all times and make sure to wrap up warm when the temperature drops.

Stay Active

Keep as
active as possible and keep all your joints as mobile as you can. Your neck
isn’t an isolated part of the body.

For
example, tightness in your lower back could affect your neck, or the fact that
you are too sedentary can cause everything to seize up a bit.

So keep
all your muscles and joints as mobile, supple, and healthy as you can. Don’t
overdo it though – build up gradually and perform a variety of activities and
exercises. If something doesn’t feel good, listen to your body or talk to a
professional.

The Strong Foundations video series provides home exercises to help you stay active every day.

Symptoms That May Require a Visit to Your Doctor

Below
you will find a couple of short exercise videos that will help alleviate your
stiff or painful neck. Firstly though, I would suggest that you make an appointment with your doctor if you have any of the
following:

• Severe pain shooting down your arms
• Weakness, numbness, or tingling in your
  arms or legs
• Problems controlling your bladder or
  bowels
• Sudden clumsiness
• Balance issues
• Severe headache
• A recent accident or injury
• Any other concerns or reason to suspect
  that your neck pain is due to anything other than muscle stiffness or tension.
• You may know that neck stiffness can be
  a sign of meningitis. If you have any of the following symptoms at the same
  time as neck stiffness, you should visit your doctor or go to a hospital
  urgently:
• Sudden and high fever
• Confusion
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Exercises That Can Alleviate Neck Pain

Having
said that, it’s most likely that your neck stiffness is a result of muscular
tension and poor posture in everyday life (especially when using technology).

It may
also result from a common condition such as arthritis, stenosis (a spinal
condition where pressure develops on the nerves), or an issue with a disc.

In
these cases, doing simple stretches and mobility exercises may help you to reduce
stiffness and get your neck moving more easily again.

Remember,
none of these exercises should hurt at all. Move within a comfortable,
pain-free range of motion (that means that a smaller movement which doesn’t
hurt will do more good than a larger movement which causes pain).

You can
do these seated or standing and perform them as often as you want during the
day.

Think
about pulling up tall, looking straight ahead, and breathing regularly.

You can
do these exercises anytime during the day. You may find that they help you to get
moving in the morning (start very gently if you have just got out of bed, as
everything will be a bit stiffer).

You may
also enjoy doing them before some more vigorous activity or when you are stiff
after driving or working at your computer.

Neck Stretches

You
will notice these aren’t strictly stretches, they are really mobilisers. These
lubricate the joints, warm up the muscles, and get everything moving. Move
gently and don’t go to the point of pain. Keep your chin tucked in all the time
for these two exercises.

Back of Neck Posture Stretch

This
one seems a bit odd at first but it’s a great stretch, especially if you want
to improve your posture.

I hope
these everyday tips and exercise videos will help you with your neck pain and
tension.

What
causes your neck stiffness? When do you notice it and how does it affect your
life? How would you feel and what would you do differently if you didn’t have a
stiff neck? Join the conversation in the comments below!

We’ve seen a lot of wild beauty trends over the years. Remember squiggly brows?! Some of the actually useful ones involve using unexpected items to make our lives easier, such as tape to guide eyeliner application. But what about the new TikTok trend of using lube as makeup primer? Yes, like personal lubricant often used during sex. Folks on TikTok are putting it on their face before applying foundation, as well as mixing it with their favorite complexion product. The results are mixed.

For some, it smoothes skin and allows makeup to apply evenly without bumps and flakes. It worked for TikToker @seananthonyv who said in a viral video, “You need to start mixing your lube with foundation. It makes it glide extra smooth.” @MannyMUA733 tries it, too. Both guys look great, though Manny notes his foundation is sure not to last even a few hours. Then you’ve got @itsrady who included it in her “best makeup hacks” video. What is going on?!

It looks like most of these creators used a silicone-based product to get a glowy, radiant finish to their foundation. As @glamzilla notes in her video, you can get the same effect with your favorite serum. Strangely, we saw @mikaylanogueira try it as well but the video seems to have been taken down. She used a water-based lube and did not like the process or the finished product. She said she gets a better glow from her favorite Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow.

Basically, there’s a chance this will work for you. But with all the stellar makeup primers on the market, what’s the point? Except for a fun TikTok, of course. Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, FAAD is a board-certified cosmetic and medical dermatologist at the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York and clinical instructor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College, tells STYLECASTER that lube can even be harmful to your skin.

“First and foremost, not all lubricants are the same and what may work fine as a facial makeup primer for one person could be irritating or breakout-inducing for others,” she says. “Some are oil-based and can clog pores. Others, like those with concentrated glycerin, can leave a sticky residue that may attract bacteria and debris, promoting acne.” Eek! You do not want to deal with that.

Murphy-Rose says using lubricant might be fine as primer in a pinch (though we’re not sure what situation that would be!), she definitely doesn’t recommend it for regular use. Though “water-based lubricants are least likely to clog pores and hypoallergenic products will be least likely to irritate skin,” she notes.

Lube as primer might be a funny TikTok trend, we’d stay skip it to keep your skin healthy. There are also great radiant primers on the market, including Neutrogena Healthy Skin Radiant Primer + Serum ($17.99 at Ulta), Ilia True Skin Radiant Priming Serum ($52 at Sephora) and Wet n Wild Photo Focus Dewy Face Primer ($5.99 at Ulta). Save the lube for the more sexy things.

Were you “let go” – or fired or displaced – after 50? Does it even matter what they called it?

Well… yes and no.

There are several differences between
being “let go,” being fired, or even being displaced.

For instance, there could be severance
pay included in certain situations, as well as termination packages with tremendous
value that go along with particular titles.

And, of course, pride plays a part in
all of this. Being fired usually means something more negative happened than
being “let go,” so pride takes a hit with some terms more than it does with others.

So, yes, the name they call it can
affect you greatly, hence, it does matter. But, ultimately, the end result is
the same. You are no longer working with that company.

So, what
now?

We all know there will be trials that
go along with being “let go.” Some more major than others. And they are real
and important and life-changing trials.

How Should You Handle a Layoff?

In my humble opinion, there can be blessings as well (albeit not so clear
at first.)

Here
are 3 things you need to know about being “let go” after 50.

It Hurts a Lot… at First

It hurts because you are experiencing
loss. Over the years you have built relationships with your co-workers and you
know those relationships will be altered in some way.

Most people identify with their job,
so when laid off, it’s no wonder that you feel loss of identity and reputation.
Who are you now?

And when it comes to the money issue,
there’s no way around it, the loss of income is huge. You need it and you were
used to getting it regularly.

Finally, you had routine. You knew
where you were going each day. You knew what you were doing. The routine was
comforting as it organized and filled your days.

It Can Be a Great Time for
Reflection

However, this can be a great time to evaluate
your life. Just ask yourself this series of questions:

Were you really happy? Not just with
that particular job but with the way your life was moving along. Was it
fulfilling? Did the job fit well with your life and family?

If you find another job and this
happens again, what will you do? Can you better prepare yourself – both
mentally and financially? What about a back-up plan?

Is this the path you want to stay on?
Was that job still the same as when you started? Or had it morphed into
something else? Did you like what it was at the moment? Or did you really hate
it? Do
you want to look for the same type of work somewhere else?

Could you make changes now? Is there a
type of job or location that might work better for you at this stage of life? You’ve
changed and may well be a different person than you were when you started this
job.

It Forces You to Take Action

When you’ve been in a job for several years, it can become so routine, so comfortable, that you don’t even think about any other way of working or living. But when you’ve been “let go” you are forced to at least look at your life and take some type of action.

You will have to decide if you:

• will look for the same type of work;
• want to do something entirely different;
• need to think about working for yourself;
• are ready for a different life full of “newness.”

Whatever happens, there will be
changes – that’s for sure. You may not have chosen to be “let go,”
but you DO get to choose what happens next. You need to know that being “let
go” does not have to be the end of the world.

And, actually, being “let go” could
just be the beginning of a new, improved, and wonderful you!

That’s how it happened for me. I was
“let go” at the age of 48, and it turned out to be the greatest blessing in disguise. I
now work virtually from anywhere I want during the hours I choose to
work. You can work virtually too – no matter your age… and I can show you
how.

What does being “let go” mean to you?
Do you tend to identify with your job? How have you handled job loss in the
past? Are you better prepared for it today? Please share your thoughts and
stories with our community.