For the past few days, I’ve been getting compliments on my skin and I couldn’t figure out what I was doing differently. Is it that I finally got rid of an epic breakout? Is it my new moisturizer for cooler weather? Then it hit me. I had been wearing Tower 28’s SunnyDays Tinted Sunscreen Foundation for a few weeks. I was really liking the formula and the coverage but I didn’t realize others had noticed, too.

I started drilling my friends, asking them why I looked better in their eyes. (It’s both fun and annoying to be BFFs with a beauty editor.) What I heard most often was that my skin looked glowy and even but not too covered-up — you could still see my freckles. That’s how I knew I had found my new favorite foundation.

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.

Tower 28.

I was trying out the foundation before it launched and boy, am I glad I did. When it finally came out earlier this month, it had a 2,500+ person waitlist according to the brand. But why were folks so excited before they even tried it? Well, for a few reasons. First, it’s tough to find a mineral sunscreen that doesn’t leave a whitecast. And to find a tinted one with 14 shades with no whitecast? Almost impossible. But Tower 28 was able to do it.

SunnyDays is also sensitive skin-approved. So much so that it’s the first and only complexion makeup product with the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance. So, if you worry sunscreen will break you out, cause a rash or inflame a condition like eczema, you don’t have to worry about that here.

Source: Instagram

The non-nano zinc formula is reef-safe, alcohol-free, fragrance-free, and contains skincare-like ingredients such as prickly pear extract, aloe vera and white sage sourced from California deserts. And let’s talk about that shade range! Fourteen flexible shades is a great amount for a tinted sunscreen. The brand worked with celebrity makeup artist Kirin Bhatty to nail the shades and undertones so everyone can find their unique hue. Plus, they have really cute names. They’re all named after places in Los Angeles (where Tower 28 is based), as a nod to some of the founder Amy Liu’s favorite local hang-outs. I’m wearing Larchmont.

Considering there was such a massive waitlist, Tower 28 did a good job continuing to stock SunnyDays. You can still pick it up now — at least until it goes viral on TikTok.

Kristin Cavallari’s White Striped Sweater on Her Instastories

Kristin Cavallari 2021 Instagram Fashion

Sweater weather is in full swing for most of us including Kristin Cavallari. She was on her IG story the other day sporting a white striped sweater. Now I do not like the cold whatsoever, but I do like getting to wear sweaters. They are just so cozy and soooo cute. And speaking of sweaters- BBH’s HBIC Lauren just gave the best guide to some prime sweater shopping on her most recent Amazon Live. So once you’re done shopping a KCav inspired sweater from below make your way here to shop even more celeb-inspired sweaters.

Sincerely Stylish,

Jess

Click Here to Shop Her Intermix Sweater

Photo Credit: @kristincavallari

Originally posted at: Kristin Cavallari’s White Striped Sweater

I was recently thinking about the first conversation I had with my mom on how I could pitch in and help her out more. At the time, I wasn’t sure what that meant – and I most certainly didn’t know how to have such an important and serious discussion.

She was showing signs of early dementia, and Dad was exhausted from taking up the slack as she became confused and unsteady. So I ploughed away, naively thinking we could have a meaningful and productive conversation.

I completely disregarded the fact that Mom and I had rarely seen eye to eye on many things. And I didn’t even consider that she was suffering not only with the onset of her disease but with her loss of independence as well.

It did not go well.

My mom became enraged and insisted they needed no help whatsoever – how dare I even make the suggestion? She dug her heels in and refused to listen to any arguments I was making. I, too, became agitated and frustrated and, since I am my mother’s daughter, insisted on not letting it go.

We had a rocky and upsetting few days until my better self realized I should retreat and regroup and approach this another way. It was an important moment, one that would help to frame my understanding about how to talk to my mom from that point on.

I had a long way to go and lots of adjustments to make, but realizing there must be a better way started me off in the right direction.

The 3 Rules for Talking with Your Elderly Parents

I found the following three rules extremely helpful when trying to effectively communicate with Mom:

Don’t argue.

Don’t say “Don’t you remember?”

Don’t correct.

I learned the don’t argue rule pretty quickly. Eventually, I stopped saying “Don’t you remember, Mom?”, since there was absolutely no point in asking such a silly question.

However, my bad habit of correcting people was really hard to let go of. One, because of the one-upmanship I always had with my mom, and two, because I was practically unable to zip my lip when someone had a different opinion than I did.

It took me a while to let go of my need to be right all the time. What was the point of going to war or proving a point with someone I loved and cared about? I realized there was nothing as important as being calm and kind and loving.

I also began to realize that long, drawn-out conversations with Mom were unnecessary and confused her. Simple questions were better and conversations carried on with gentle, loving tones made the experience pleasant rather than intimidating.

Pay Attention to Intonation and Word Choice

When I began to pay attention to what I said to my mom, and how I said it, life as I knew it changed.

While it wasn’t always perfect, the chances of having loving, fun conversations and better communication greatly increased as I learned to listen more and dominate the conversation less. Instead of dreading spending time with Mom, I began to explore ways we could enjoy each other.

Realizing I’d rather be happy than right, soft rather than hard, be able to listen rather than being heard, not only helped me with my mom, but I began to have better conversations with everyone!

Once again, Mom taught me another important life lesson. If you approach any conversation with respect and appreciation, rather than the need to make a point or have the last word, chances are, no matter who you talk to, something important and wonderful will be said and heard.

Conversations with my mom drove home a very important reminder: Listen to your mother!

What have you found works best in having a positive conversation with elderly parents? What do you think are the most important elements of a ‘good conversation’? Please join the discussion below!

Although many of us women after 50 continue to juggle life’s roles and are content doing so, we find ourselves reflecting on what we might want to do for ourselves as we move forward in our next phase of life. All of the women with whom I work, have expressed:

• a desire to redefine in some way as they move forward – to do something that brings them joy and purpose;
• no idea what that something might be, or if they have an idea, what their first steps should be.

As I work with them and we start to reflect on what their ideal day and week might look like, what they’ve liked and not liked about past roles, and what barriers might be standing in their way, we begin to come up with some choices and options for them.

And then, often, what starts to happen, particularly with those of us who like to control everything, is that analysis paralysis sets in.

What Is Analysis Paralysis?

Analysis paralysis is that state when we start to think and often worry about every “what if” that is possible as we move towards any change. We take each scenario to various outcomes. And we end up doing absolutely nothing as a result. We think and worry and end up taking no action.

And this is NO way to spend the rest of our lives! Any action is better than no action!

Some things to keep in mind if this sounds like you:

“What Ifs” Can End Positively

Typically, when we have an idea and then begin the “what if” thoughts around that idea, those “what if” statements end not only negatively, but often catastrophically.

One of the women in my program has the goal of finding love after 50. The “what if” thoughts that she had were things like:

• “What if I fall in love and he turns out to be a con artist and steals all of my money?”
• “What if I fall in love and he ends up leaving me and I get hurt?”

Consider this: it is just as easy for her to end her “what if” statements with POSITIVE things like:

• “What if I fall in love and we end each day cooking dinner together and watching a movie on television?”
• “What if I meet someone who treats me the way I should be treated and wants to get married?”

Our brains are designed to protect us and change represents danger to our brains. We are wired to formulate the negative “what if” statements. We need to turn those around, visualize the positive, and practice those daily.

Consider All You’ve Done and Accomplished Up Until Now and Trust Your Gut

We’ve spent our entire life making decisions for ourselves and others. Some don’t turn out the way we’d hoped, and others do. It is likely that most of us haven’t gotten to this point without having some things that we regret or are less proud of. And others that we are very proud of.

We have the benefit of experience and knowledge in our courts, now. And if there is something that really makes you excited to think about, dive in and make it happen. Listen to those butterflies in your stomach. Trust your gut.

Ask yourself, “what will my life look like if I don’t do anything to try to make this thing happen? How disappointed will I be?”

It’s not only okay to be anxious or nervous, that’s a great sign. There is no growth without anxiety. None.

Create a Bucket List

How would a bucket list help with analysis paralysis? It’s simple. A bucket list is a list of ACTION ITEMS.

And taking action is a huge antidote to analysis paralysis.

Find a quiet place, set a timer for at least 30 minutes, and write down every single thing that comes into your mind as you consider a bucket list. Big, small, and everything in between. Anything and everything – trips you’d like to take both near and far, trying new restaurants, activities you’d like to try, groups you’d like to join – write it all down.

Then, pick something that you can do right away, put it on your calendar and DO IT!

Planning and Researching May Feel Like Action Items

But they may not be. You can make yourself feel very busy planning and researching and creating list after list. But these activities can easily become a form of procrastination.

If you find yourself planning out every possible detail, that’s where you need to stop and take an actual action. No matter how small.

When Some Extra Support Might be Helpful

If you find yourself continuously wanting to do something – anything – and you are unable to take steps towards that goal, it might be helpful to talk to a professional. If you feel sad or truly “stuck,” a counselor can work you through so that you come out on the other side with hope and excitement about living each day doing something that brings you joy and passion.

Instead of asking yourself “what if” OR “what’s the worst that can happen?” try asking yourself, “What’s the BEST that can happen?”

Is there something that you’d like to do but you just feel paralyzed by what the next step might be? If so, what is it? Have you ever experienced analysis paralysis and moved through it? If so, what helped you to do that?

Remember when TikTok exposed the world to the Peter Thomas Roth firming eye cream, and it sold out in what seemed like two seconds? Back then, the only thing I could think about was how nice it’d be to have an all-over face serum that has the same skin-tightening affect. Don’t get me wrong, non-droopy under-eyes are a gift, but I’m greedy and want the same lift everywhere on my face—my neck, chin, even my forehead. So, after writing about Ren Skincare’s dark spot eraser that shoppers say is literally better than laser treatments, I had a feeling the brand had more magical items to offer. Spoiler alert: I was right.

The clean skincare brand offers the serum of my dreams, and shoppers call it “youth in a bottle.”

Aptly dubbed the Keep Young And Beautiful Instant Firming Beauty Shot, this skin-tightening serum uses the power of hyaluronans (a fancier name for hyaluronic acid) and algae extract to firm, lift, and smooth skin. See, hyaluronic acid is known for smoothing out wrinkles and fine lines, while also giving skin a youthful bounce that unfortunately is often lost as we age. Red algae, unbeknownst to me until this very moment, is incredibly rich in vitamins, proteins, and antioxidants, so it gives skin a healthy glow and a ton of moisture. This powerhouse combo makes for an extremely impactful serum that shoppers say yields instant results.

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.

RELATED: How To Get 4 Best-Selling Olaplex Products For Just $25

Courtesy: Ren Skincare

According to reviewers, this serum is “great for puffy eyes,” and has a plumping affect that mimics botox. Plus, the formula improves your skin’s brightness and overall texture.

“I have a slight frown line when I raise my eyebrows and this takes care of it,” wrote one five-star reviewer. “The consistency is fluid and light so you don’t need a huge amount to cover your whole face. I have extremely sensitive skin and this hasn’t caused any breakouts. I’m on my second bottle and have a third in reserves.”

Using it is easy, too. Apply a half-pipette’s worth amount of serum into your clean skin until it absorbs. The lightweight product can then be applied throughout the day as needed—just pat it into your skin when you need a boost.

“My dry, sensitive, reddening, sagging skin (as I am 52!) is now soft, bright and even toned,” wrote one fan. “I feel like I am feeding my skin with goodness, and am enjoying my move away from silicone, synthetic fragrance and harsh chemical anti-aging products. Love this serum, it firms without drying and makes my face look brighter.”

Another added, “Someone once said this serum is ‘botox in a bottle,’ but I was somewhat skeptical. However, I can now say that there is no statement that describes this more perfectly. 100% recommend.”