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Let’s be honest: Anything Billie Eilish recommends is a yes from me. Luckily, she recently shared her post-concert routine in a Vogue Beauty Secrets video for us all to see. If you’ve witnessed the 20-year-old superstar in person, you know she puts on quite a show, so it’s only right she does some proper self-care after each performance. One of the products she swears by? The TikTok-viral Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother. 

“I use this after every single time I wash my hair. And you can use it on your dry hair before you go to bed and it’ll just kind of give some volume,” Eilish says, before demonstrating how to use the product. The singer says she uses a lot of Olaplex products on her hair, but as someone who is known for frequently dying her strands, it makes sense. Her healthy locks have to be credited to this hair repairing treatment.

Olaplex.

Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother

Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother adds hydration to the hair without weighing it down. The highly concentrated leave-in cream provides numerous benefits to damaged strands, such as speeding up blow dry time while smoothing and softening, defining the hair’s natural texture, and reducing frizz and flyaways for up to 72 hours at a time. It’s suitable from coily to finel hair types, and can be used on chemically-treated and colored locks. 

RELATED: This Shampoo Transforms Thinning, Brittle Locks—& Shoppers Confirm Their Hair Feels ‘10 Years Younger’

Beyond getting approval from Billie and thousands of TikTok users, the treatment has over 30,000 five-star ratings on Amazon from shoppers who love this product for dyed and damaged hair. 

One reviewer described the product as their “secret weapon.” They went on to say, “I have bleached, over-processed bright blonde hair which is thin and prone to breakage and split ends. I chopped a good deal of it off because I couldn’t get any decent length without it fraying completely and looking thin and limp. This bond smoother eliminates all frizz and has strengthened my hair and prevented breakage from styling. My hair is actually thicker and healthier than its ever been from using this line.”

Coming in at $30, this may not be the most affordable option, but everyone who has splurged on it has said the price is worth it. “I’m going to start this by saying I truly wanted to hate this stuff. I balked at the price and then was even more annoyed when I saw how small the bottle actually was. But oh man, this stuff is amazing,” another reviewer raved. 

While Eilish has boasted several hair colors, it’s safe to say her hair always looks flawless due to this Olaplex product, which I’ve now added to my cart too. 

It’s the year of the midterms in the U.S., and since I live in a ‘swing state’ that could decide the majority party in Congress, I am inundated with TV ads – mostly negative – and mailers touting the sins or virtues of all the candidates. Like most people I know, I toss the mailers into the recycling bin and mute the TV.

Feeling Helpless?

I miss the optimism of the mid-20^th century. Many of us today have been paralyzed by cynicism. What can we older women do to make a difference in this kind of environment? Should I just give up and try to enjoy my old age without getting involved?

Or should I try to improve the world for my kids and grandkids by influencing public policy? Since I chose – you guessed it – to become involved, I have found some easy ways to advance the causes I believe in.

What Can One Woman Do?

Here are some easy ways to be active and informed:

Join an Organization

Join organizations that support your favorite issues and candidates, donating, and writing letters, emails and texts to elected representatives with the information the organizations have already collected. Google the issue to find their websites.

Take Part in Public Meetings

Find out where and when your local government holds public meetings. These days most meetings are held both in person and online, so you can watch from the comfort of home. Many also have public comment periods when you can ask questions or let them know what you think.

Register to Vote

Register to vote – by mail, online or in person. Google your municipality and you’ll find loads of help. Encourage or help others by volunteering with groups like the League of Women Voters.

Help Your Candidate

Find a list of candidates and what they stand for by searching for political parties. See which ones speak to your values and contact them to find out how to help them win.

Be a Helping Hand

Volunteer for simple tasks like opening mail, stuffing envelopes, or answering the phones or emails.

Help on Election Day

Be a poll worker and help with logistics on election day. Some places pay these workers and there are sometimes free doughnuts!

Become a Poll Day Driver

Volunteer to drive people to the polls.

Make a Difference!

There’s so much we can do to keep democracy alive and not be discouraged by the news. Older women often have more time in our retirement years to make a difference.

Bridget Connolly, a political activist who helps voters register, says: “I’ve had so many experiences where every vote counts. If 500 people are registering people to vote in a specific district and we each get 1 person, and a candidate wins by 400 votes, that’s a really big deal.”

Have you ever worked for a cause or a candidate? How was the experience for you? Let’s have a conversation!

Looking to take your yoga practice to the next level? The benefits of yoga and other chair exercises for seniors arrive in a multitude of ways – better flexibility, less stress, social interaction, weight management, disease prevention, the list goes on.

Short of hopping to the mat each day, however, there are a handful of fun and creative ways to upgrade your yoga routine for the better.

Use Aromatherapy

Did you know essential oils like lavender and sandalwood have been used for hundreds of years as aromatic therapy aids?

The olfactory sense (smell) connects to the brain in a powerful way, inducing everything from memory to relaxation, heightened attention and focus, as well as clarity and positivity. Just think about how warm and good the smell of Thanksgiving food makes you feel!

When it comes to yoga practice, aromatherapy can happen in a few ways. You (or your yoga teacher) may burn incense or a candle, or diffuse essential oils in an aroma diffuser.

There are also essential oil sprays which you can spritz your personal yoga mat with to enhance the effects of your practice.

Ask a Friend to Join

While yoga does get practiced in a space of calm and quiet, asking a friend to join adds that social component every senior should strive for.

Social interaction is effective at combating feelings of loneliness, anxiety and depression. Moreover, engaging with others in activity and conversation provides mental stimulation believed to help prevent cognitive decline in older adults.

Asking a friend to join you for an online yoga class in your backyard might also include a power smoothie or a quick bite.

Yoga practice can also bring up emotions and thoughts which may be worked through after class through a discussion with a good friend.

Seek Variety

Updating your yoga routine may be as simple as stepping out of your comfort zone to try new practices and styles. Many seniors might be under the misconception that chair yoga is the only viable option for them, but that could not be further from the truth!

Depending on your own physical condition and mobility limitations, you may have your hand at other types of yoga practice which offer just as much benefit and spice up your routine.

For instance, restorative yoga involves more passive muscle relaxation brought on by longer periods of time spent lying down on props or bolsters.

Don’t forget to check out the free gentle yoga for seniors video with a focus on spinal health at the beginning of this article. And, if you enjoy the practice, click here to order a DVD.

Bikram, or hot yoga, is practiced in a room with the temperature turned up over 100 degrees, helping stiff muscles and joints relax even more.

Lyengar yoga embraces more precision in form and alignment as well as a methodical approach to using props like blocks, straps, and incline boards.

Listen to Music

No matter what activity you are taking part in, music always seems to have a profound effect on mental state and emotion. When it comes to yoga, relaxing, gentle music can enhance your practice in more ways than you know.

Not only has music been shown to improve cognitive function and memory in older adults with Alzheimer’s, but it has a natural ability to soothe and positively affect mood as well.

The foundational principles of yoga – which include self-awareness, kindness and peace – can be amplified through audible sounds of nature, new age wind instruments and relaxing beats that ground your energy and lift your spirit.

Embrace Yoga Off the Mat

Want to make your time on the mat more meaningful? Open your eyes and attention to how yoga is influencing your life off the mat. What does this mean?

Yoga fosters a tangible and spiritual experience during practice. However, its influence can be seen in other areas of your life as well – from work to home and beyond – if you’re willing to see it.

Yoga’s influence may present itself as better stress control at work, a more open and rounded perspective on life, a keener sense of kindness and desire to give back to others, improved interactions in your close relationships, healthier eating, even practicing better posture.

Over time, picking up on the positive effects of yoga is sure to enhance your practice (and your desire to practice).

Do you practice yoga, Pilates, or Tai Chi? What do you do to enhance your yoga practice? Have you taken the plunge into different styles or types of yoga? If so, which ones? Please share your experiences below!

There are a lot of horrible, terrible songs out there with content that is seriously wtf, which is no surprise to anyone. But guess what? Not all of them are rap lyrics.

Do you have songs on your playlist from back in the day that, as you’re singing along, you suddenly notice they are HORRENDOUS?

Because I sure do.

I apologize in advance for opening your eyes and/or ruining your listening pleasure if these are on your playlist as well:

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Classic Christmas ditty written in 1944, I loved my Zoey Deschanel/Leon Redbone version until my 30ish girlfriends from work informed me it’s completely rapey. And just that one word took me one second to go:

Ooooooo…

“Say what’s in this drink?”
“I really can’t stay...baby, don’t HOLD OUT...baby, it’s cold outside.”
I ought to say no, no, no sir
Mind if I move in closer?
At least I'm gonna say that I tried
What's the sense of hurting my pride?

Holy crap, that’s bad!

If You Want to Be Happy for the Rest of Your Life

From the soundtrack of Mermaids, a great Cher/Winona Ryder flick from 1990, comes this compulsively singable, incredibly misogynistic ditty. The advice is in the chorus – yay!

If you want to be happy for the rest of your life
Never make a pretty woman your wife
So for my personal point of view
Get an ugly girl to marry you

#1 on the Hot 100 in 1963. I guess a lot of men really appreciated the heads up. Insert head exploding emoji here.

Ugh.

Carrie Ann

Carrie Ann Moss from The Matrix was named after this song, which came out in 1967. It’s actually about Marianne Faithfull, who briefly dated the Hollies’ Allan Clarke but whose most famous romance was with Mick Jagger.

You were always something special to me
Quite independent, never caring
You lost your charm as you were aging
Where is your magic disappearing?

If she’s not playing with HIM, she’s not that special anymore apparently. “As you were AGING”? They met at school. What is she now… 20??

Wow.

Right Before Your Eyes

While not as egregious as the other songs on the list, the romantic vibe Ian Thomas is going for as a guy afraid to talk to the woman of his dreams feels stalkery now. It lost me at:

Today I'm done with games
Gonna ask you for your name
Say I've been watching you
I even know what you do

Love Really Hurts Without You

Full disclosure: this is on my exercise list as it’s a perfect tempo to run on a rebounder. Damn its beat!

Again, catchy 70s song but the words all say, “how dare you dress and live your life as you choose while endlessly tempting me!”:

You run around town like a fool and you think that it's groovy
You're givin' it to some other guy who gives you the eye
You don't give nothin' to me.

And your point is?

Young Girl

A hit for Gary Puckett and the Union Gap in 1968, I totally used to love singing along to this! And no, I did not say I have excellent taste in music. Ever.

With all the charms of a woman
You've kept the secret of your youth
You led me to believe you're old enough
To give me love
nd now it hurts to know the truth…

Gary, are you really blaming an underaged girl for leading you on? Really?

Centerfold

This was a recent singing-in-the-shower song for me. Super boppy! Released by the one hit wonder J. Geils Band in 1981, it really brings back fun memories! But am I really supposed to feel sorry for this guy?

Does she walk? Does she talk?
Does she come complete?
My homeroom, homeroom angel
Always pulled me from my seat

My blood runs cold
My memory has just been sold
My angel is the centerfold
Angel is the centerfold

First of all, she DOES walk and talk… because human, not a weird fantasy avatar. And your memory of her imagined purity isn’t “sold” just because she’s in a girly magazine that YOU bought because again, she’s human.

When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman

Oh, Dr. Hook. You crafted some crazy, fun and popular songs when I was a kid.

When you're in love with a beautiful woman, you watch her eyes
When you're in love with a beautiful woman, you look for lies
Everybody tempts her, everybody tells her
She's the most beautiful woman they know

But honestly? Describing a beautiful woman as by default an egotistical, easily tempted, always on the verge of cheating a partner…? Shouldn’t he be describing himself as an insecure, controlling nutbar instead?

Delilah

This Tom Jones monster hit released in 1968 is a power ballad about a man driven wild by his jealousy.

She stood there laughing
I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more
My, my, my, Delilah
Why, why, why, Delilah
So before they come to break down the door
Forgive me Delilah, I just couldn't take anymore

Apparently, Tom just HAPPENED to be strolling by one night. With a knife. Does she sound like a nice person? No. Does she deserve to die for laughing at him? NO.

Run for Your Life

Finally, at the top of the violent, misogynistic playlist is this 1965 Beatles charmer from Rubber Soul.

Let this be a sermon
I mean everything I've said
Baby, I'm determined
And I'd rather see you dead
You better run for your life if you can, little girl
Hide your head in the sand, little girl
Catch you with another man
That's the end, little girl

Someone in a forum called it “sinister set to a jaunty tune” and I couldn’t phrase it any better.

The fact that these songs from the 40s through the 70s are all casually gender biased AT BEST and truly heinous at worst is… yeah… Sigh.

Are any of these on your playlist? Or do you have your own songs of shame from an era or two when apparently, no one knew any better?

There was a song, more of a jingle really, when I was growing up, Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.

It never made much sense to me then. I was too young and all my friendships were relatively new. It’s only over time that one can understand the value of a friendship that has spanned decades and endured life at its best and most challenging of times.

I am blessed with a circle of golden friendships, women who have accompanied me through my various transitions from a young woman beginning a career, a marriage and the adult chapters of the industrious years of my life, to my retirement and the new pages of my life’s story as I write it day by day.

They’ve lived it all with me, their guiding hand extended when the road got rocky, and I was unsure how to navigate the journey, their comforting embrace when grief and disappointment overcame me, learning together, maturing and becoming women who now understand better how to live a fulfilled life, moment by moment.

They know my story and I know theirs. We’ve revealed our inner selves honestly and have been accepted for who we were then and who we’ve become. These are the women with whom I will grow old and face what we must as life changes in very significant ways in the future.

But, recently, I’ve discovered the joys of new friendship. One not steeped in memories of a young life, one begun where I am now, as the woman I am today.

There’s something so intriguing about meeting a mature woman with all the road markers of life displayed in her laugh lines and furrowed brow, but not yet knowing their origin. Accepting each other at face value, willing to take a chance that my instincts are good, believing this is someone deserving of my trust, who will add to my life, as I will to hers.

It’s exciting to meet someone and invite them into my inner circle, and I believe it’s essential as I continue to evolve. But it’s also a risk. I don’t I have the time, nor the energy, to waste on someone who may not share the qualities and character I value, so I must choose well.

So far I’ve discovered it’s worth it. Here are my thoughts about how and why I am open to welcoming new friends into my life.

The Beginning of a Friendship Is Exciting

Learning about our common interests, talents, likes, dislikes, all those things that make us who we are is interesting and intriguing.

It’s like reading a new book, the first few chapters serve to introduce the setting, the characters, their personalities, struggles and purpose. We become comfortable with the author’s writing style and give ourselves over to them as our guides through the story, yet unknown. Learning about someone and allowing ourselves to be known is an intimate act that often allows our heart to be touched.

Being Known as Who We Are, Not Who We Were

It’s refreshing and freeing to offer someone a glimpse into who I am now, without the baggage of my past dragging along. This person will meet me as I am. They will get to know the person I have chosen to be at this stage of my life.

New Friendships Invite Us into a New World

One of my new friends is an actress, and I’m learning what it’s like to be on stage and in front of a camera as we get to know each other better. It’s something I’ve never explored on my own, nor probably ever would have, if I hadn’t met her.

Friends Who Share Our Interests Can Deepen Our Experience

Another new friend is a professional chef, like me. None of my other friends can relate to what we do and why. But she can.

We enjoy sharing creative experiments, introducing each other to techniques and new recipes, collaborating and supporting each other as we both hone our craft.

New Friends Who Share New Interests Broaden Our Horizons

I began hiking a few years ago, and it has since become an important part of my life. I joined several hiking groups to learn new trails, and I hike regularly with friends I made on those trips. They are energetic, enthusiastic about hiking and feel as I do about being immersed in nature, out beyond the constructed world.

Taking the Risk of Being Known Cultivates Intimacy

I joined a writing circle five years ago, when I decided I wanted to be published. Sharing work with my writing friends is like opening a private part of me. Reading our words to each other, revealing our thoughts, we’ve grown very close and become trusted friends.

It bears mentioning that although I share a history and a deep connection with my golden friends, it is still important to continue to invest in and nurture these newer friendships. By doing new and interesting things together and by being honest about how we are, we can grow together and become even closer.

Friendships are enriching and, for me, essential to a vibrant life, especially at this stage. I treasure each and every one of them as the gifts they truly are.

Have you made a new friend in the past year? Where did you meet? What are your common interests? How do you keep your old friendships interesting?