While most people tend to travel in the warmer months to soak up the sun, winter weather can be just as exciting – and more affordable, thanks to off-season travel deals. While certain destinations beckon beach lovers and summer hikers, others truly shine after the first snowfall of the year.

Why escape winter when you can jump into it and make it your playground? Whether it’s skiing, snowboarding or just cozying up around a fireplace as the night grows colder, the following places beckon long beyond the end of August.

Austria

It’s no secret that Austria, bordering the Alps’ eastern edge, is a top international ski destination. Chalets and slopes aside, this Central European country has plenty of tradition to keep you immersed in both the culture and the winter weather. Spend part of your trip in Western Austria’s city of Innsbruck before heading further east.

The city’s Old Town is even more charming under a blanket of fresh snow, and it’s easy to spend the day strolling its nooks and crannies. Around Christmastime, you’ll run into plenty of local markets selling everything from fresh baked holiday cookies to traditional handicrafts. With historic landmarks, tiny shops and gourmet local dining around every corner, Innsbruck offers plenty of spots to warm up before heading back out.

Whether you’re a winter sports aficionado or not, the peaks surrounding Innsbruck are yours to explore, as long as you dress for the occasion. Closest to the heart of the city, Nordkette is Innsbruck’s best known mountain – and one of its most popular weekend activities. The Hungerburgbahn railway can get you from the middle of Innsbruck to the Nordkette Cable Car station, where you can catch a ride up the mountainside.

Restaurants and hiking trailheads can be found along the cable car’s route, but the views alone are worth it. As the lights of Innsbruck await far below, take in the 360 degree panorama form a true winter peak before hurrying back into the warmth of the cable car.

Over the course of the rest of your stay, be sure to visit the Hofkirche Gothic church, photograph Old Town’s famed Golden Roof and stop by the city’s many outdoor plazas and squares for seasonal Christmas celebrations and performances.

Finland

If you’re looking to venture even further north, plan a tour along Norway’s fjord-filled coastline.

While Norway’s famously freezing winters are almost always a guarantee, don’t let the weather stop you from experiencing the season in full swing. Looked forward to all year, Norway’s wintertime is an inherent part of Scandinavian culture.

As in Austria, Oslo’s many Christmas markets are a must-stop. Pick up gifts, seek out hidden gems and admire the artisanship, all while sipping hot chocolate or mulled wine. When everyone on your gift shopping list has been accounted for, bundle up and take a short train ride to Oslo Winter Park, one of the city’s most popular outdoor attractions. With plenty of slopes at varying difficulties, the park doubles as a ski resort, and makes a great day trip even if you’re staying elsewhere in the city.

As fresh snow highlights the colors of the city, spend the rest of your stay in the capital museum hopping, trying local cafes and enjoying the blustery harbor.

If you have the time to extend your visit to Norway, head north to Trondheim, a destination rich in Viking history, local dining, and fjord side views. On your way back down to Oslo, tour the country’s southwestern coast if weather permits. Fishing villages, seaside cliffs and holiday hospitality are sure to make your stay in Europe’s far north unforgettable.

Vermont

If you have just enough time for a domestic winter getaway anywhere in the country, make Vermont a priority, especially if you’re craving a classic wonderland with a New England twist. Vermont’s Green Mountains, Lake Champlain shoreline and small town Main Streets are, arguably, even more charming in the midst of winter. Aside from top notch ski destinations like Kilington and Stowe, Vermont offers winter hiking, local Christmas shopping, historic sites and rolling landscapes.

If you choose to make the city of Burlington your headquarters, you’ll wake up to foggy peaks of the Adirondacks peeking out over Lake Champlain before grabbing breakfast at one of the city’s beloved local eateries. Day trips to Shelburne, Vergennes and Waterbury Village offer plenty of opportunities to buy local products, admire snow-covered pines and explore country roads if the weather allows for it.

If you’re able to add a second destination to your trip, consider Montpelier, the state’s small but historic capital. Close-knit and filled with small businesses, the city hosts performances, markets and other events that draw you into a home away from home.

Santa Fe

New Mexico’s stunning landscape is extraordinary in any season, but winter takes an already otherworldly landscape to another level. With the smell of pinon in the air, begin your trip in Albuquerque and make the short drive north to Santa Fe, which will be your base for a one of a kind Christmas visit to the high desert.

Whether you’re planning to take on winter hikes, visit pristine historic sites or sink into bliss at one of the area’s hot spring destinations, Santa Fe will introduce you to winter in the desert – a phenomenon that may draw you back year after year.

While staying in the city, don’t miss a jaunt to nearby Taos, a creative haven that makes a convenient day trip. The town’s mall shops, regional eats and a busy holiday event schedule complement the bustle of Santa Fe perfectly, and you may even want to consider extending your trip to take in Taos’ vibrance over the course of a few days.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Are you planning on traveling this winter? What are some places you recommend? Have you created your itinerary yet? Are you returning to your regular winter destination or discovering new places?

Have you ever wondered why, after healing an emotional wound from your past, you still find yourself instantly triggered by the same issue years later?

If you can relate, you are not alone.

In this article, and the accompanying video, we are going to answer this question and more, as I take you on a journey to discover how to find emotional freedom from surface level healing.

Chopping Weeds

Surface level healing is akin to chopping weeds without pulling out the root. It is only a matter of time before the weeds grow back.

Which is the same as saying, when you don’t heal an emotional wound at its root, it is only a matter of time before you are triggered once again by the source of it. The more the emotional trigger goes unchecked, the more likely another life crisis emerges.

In many cases, each life crisis starts to look the same. In fact, when you get past the surface level appearances, they all exhibit the same themes and patterns.

Relationships and Money

People unknowingly create their present-day challenges, and therefore, their life crises based on unhealed trauma and repressed emotions from the past.

Two common examples, especially for those of us over 60, are romantic relationships and money.

If you have unhealed trauma associated with relationships or money, it is a certainty you also carry limiting beliefs about them.

Without becoming aware of the limiting beliefs and healing the trauma that gave rise to these beliefs, you will keep experiencing difficulties with relationships and finances.

It reminds me of a meme I recently saw that beautifully summed this up:

“Don’t repeat chapters, the ending of the story will never change.”

This is akin to walking in circles and expecting to reach a new and inspired destination. As non-sensible as this may sound, we have all found ourselves doing this in our lives.

So, where do you start reclaiming your freedom from surface level healing?

Taking responsibility for the contents of your emotional baggage. This, however, is the one thing many people try their best to avoid.

It’s 100% Your Responsibility

In my previous four-part series, on Unpacking Your Emotional Baggage After 60, we looked at the importance of unpacking limiting beliefs (the contents) from your metaphorical suitcase.

We also discussed why most of the contents are not yours to begin with.

They are part of your early childhood experiences, framed by rigid instructions for how you should behave. Over time, they unconsciously morph into guidelines and beliefs for how to live life as an adult.

While many of these beliefs may have once served you, most will not support your desires for a better life after 60.

That is why when it comes to healing emotional wounds of the past at their root, it is not enough to simply acknowledge them or even passively forgive situations or people.

The same holds true for the contents of your emotional baggage.

Taking 100% responsibility for what is in your metaphorical suitcase is the same as taking 100% responsibility for your emotional state.

Therefore, the days of looking to the outside world or other people to make you feel better, or blaming them for not feeling good, is replaced by reclaiming your freedom to choose life on your terms.

Where do you do this? The only place you can. Within you.

Understanding the Root Cause

If the solution to life’s challenges, and the answer to your desires, all happen inside you, why is it so difficult to make the necessary changes for the life you seek?

One reason is most of us were raised and educated to see life’s problems and solutions outside of us. This makes it difficult to take 100% responsibility for your emotional states.

Another reason is that many contents of your emotional baggage have their origins from early childhood. This is when you were unable to protect yourself or make sense of what was happening.

In these circumstances, it is true, the outside world had a profound impact on your emotional state.

But what about now?

Taking Back Your Power

As a woman over 60, who has gleaned the wisdom of life, you are now in charge of your emotional states.

That means taking 100% responsibility for what is in your metaphorical suitcase is the same as taking 100% responsibility for your emotional state.

You are not condoning what happened in the past. Instead, you are taking back your power that was stripped from you.

In the companion video for this article, I share additional insights and guide you through three journal prompts and two action items to help you further integrate what you are learning.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you take responsibility for your emotions or do you prefer to avoid it all altogether? What is the root cause to your issues and are you willing to deal with it?

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

Stress, work, late nights—anything can easily derail a good night’s rest, leading to annoyances like puffy eyes and dark circles. The good news, however, is that skincare is there to act as a band-aid, a quick fix, a visible solution, if you will, for not hitting the hay as long as you’d like. Our top pick for getting the job done in a flash? Tula’s legendary Glow & Get It Eye Balm, a cooling and brightening formula catered to faking better lifestyle choices, which happens to be on sale for 20 percent off with code SAVE20.

The eye balm provides a “lit-from-within glow” to the delicate area, offering an “instant pick-me-up” that leaves the skin appearing far more refreshed than pre-application. Energizing ingredients like caffeine firm and tighten fine lines, while hydrating additives such as hyaluronic acid, aloe water, apple and watermelon moisturize. You’ll also get the added benefit of probiotic extracts for smoother skin and reduced irritation and redness. 

Tula

Just take it from this dedicated user: “I’m a night shift nurse and this eye balm is the sh*t (pardon the swearing). I have under-eye circles for days and this eye balm is a lifesaver! I highly recommend this product—doesn’t sting and cause irritation like other products I’ve tried,” they wrote. “This product cools and magically takes my under-eye circles away. If you work nights—you gotta get this!”

Another person claims it “brightens your under-eyes right away,” writing “this eye balm is awesome. It feels like magic all around your eyes, and is a creamy/balm combo. Sometimes if you go out in the sun right after you apply, it tingles a little, and that feels especially nice during the summer time. I’ve seen a serious decrease in the [darkness] of my dark under-eye circles.”

RELATED: People Are Going Wild Over This ‘Blackhead Dissolver’ Serum That ‘Dramatically’ Changed Their Skin in 2 Weeks 

More proof is in the facts: Through brand-run studies, 100 percent of users agreed their skin “felt hydrated” after the first use, while 86 percent agreed their fine lines and wrinkles looked “less visible.” After one week of use, near equal percentages of subjects claimed their skin felt “more revived and awake,” and looked “brighter, refreshed and more youthful.”

Now that we’ve delivered you all this very important information, all that’s left to do is add the cult-favorite Glow & Get It Eye Balm into your purse, makeup bag, or atop your bedside table while its 20 percent off for a limited time.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

A former coworker once told me I should be regularly using an eye cream, even though I was still in college at the time. I really thought routine applications were a sham, but part of me was curious about what it’d feel like to give my under-eyes some newfound T.L.C. Long story short, I did invest in a drugstore eye cream and, admittedly, now see why people love dabbing product on this delicate, often overlooked area. Creams, gels and balms can not only make your eyes feel wide-awake, but they can also provide much-needed hydration and even rewind the clock on your fine lines and wrinkles.

Now that I know the importance of a quality eye cream, it’s safe to say Tula’s 24-7 Power Swipe Eye Balm deserves a place in everyone’s morning and nighttime skincare routine. The newest addition to the brand’s 24-7 technology line-up, it firms, depuffs, protects, hydrates and lessens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles all in one go. It also happens to be 20 percent off during the brand’s friends and family event, so grab yours before the sale ends on September 28. Just remember to enter code SAVE20 at checkout.

What’s more, the eye balm comes in an easy-to-use stick that’s also quicker and more hygienic than using your fingers straight from a jar. Use it day or night and even under makeup to combat puffy, dry, dull under-eyes.

“No more dry under-eye skin. I also feel like it overall brightens my eye area. I’m addicted to this stuff and highly recommend,” raved one five-star shopper. 

Tired, swollen eyes from binging every episode of Love Island? Swipe on Tula’s eye balm. Dry skin from wearing a full day of glam? Apply Tula’s eye balm. Essentially, this product is the answer to all of your under-eye skin concerns and TG!

RELATED: This Fast-Acting Anti-Aging Eye Balm Is ‘Nature’s Botox’ & It Apparently Works Overnight 

Photo: Tula.

Here’s an ingredient breakdown to explain why this eye balm works so well. It has a proprietary blend of six prebiotics and probiotic extracts that smooth the skin and retain moisture for a plump, youthful-looking appearance. Alongside this complex, peptides and collagen combat visible signs of aging, while hyaluronic acid and squalane provide plenty of hydration.

So far, this sounds like an all-star lineup of ingredients, but that’s not all Tula went ham with on this product. Caffeine, apple and watermelon also help firm your under-eyes and reduce puffiness. And last but not least, cocoa seed extract shields this sensitive area from blue light damage that can cause premature aging.

To get the best results, keep the stick on the skin under your eyes for a few seconds to allow the balm to warm up and soften a bit. Next, glide the product across the eye area and revel in its magical calming, nourishing, wrinkle-fighting powers.

We’re not the only ones in awe of this balm’s impressive resume. So many shoppers can attest to its benefits and results. 

“Love, love this product. It made my under-eye area feel so soft. It never felt heavy or oily,” wrote one shopper. “After about a week of everyday use, I noticed my skin was becoming more smooth and less [dark] under my eyes.”

“Not one single irritation or reaction, super hydrating and after about two weeks of consistent use, my under eyes are moisturized, less puffy and the wrinkles are faded a bit,” wrote another reviewer.

It’s high time you ditch the eye cream that’s not giving you any positive results and swap it for Tula’s 24-7 Power Swipe Eye Balm.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

We’ve seen Shay Mitchell rock numerous wigs on TV in Pretty Little Liars and on social red carpet occasions. But for the most part, the star keeps her straight, dark hair pretty much the same in a classically pretty style. But today? We’re drooling over Mitchell’s red hair she debuted at Milan Fashion Week. Casual!

Mitchell attended the Fendi Collection Women’s Spring Summer 2023 show in a yellow Fendi ‘fit and black pumps. Her hair was a big surprise: it’s red! And not any red but a rich auburn that just screams fall. You’d think the star hit up some fancy Los Angeles salon for a day of prep pre-show, right? Not in this case! She decided on the color last minute and enlisted the help of her colorist Jesus Guerrero right in her kitchen. Like, literally at her kitchen sink.

Source: Instagram

“You guys voted…And thank you to the one and only @jesushair for going along with my extremely last minute desire to dye my hair after a full days shoot,” she wrote on Instagram. Mitchell had given her fans the choice between blonde and red on Instagram stories and the latter won out.

You can see Mitchell is quite literally laying across her kitchen counter with her head in her kitchen sink. But the results are gorgeous so hats off to Guerrero.

Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images for Fendi.

Red is one of the most popular hair colors for fall. Take one look through TikTok and you’ll see folks trying shades of strawberry, auburn and golden mahogany. If you’ve been wanting to try the hue but aren’t ready to go permanent, there are great color-depositing conditioners that will give you the look just for a week or two. Plus, semi-permanent dyes in red shades don’t last very long — for better or for worse.

We especially like Lime Crime Unicorn Hair Semi-Permanent Hair Color Full Coverage in Valentine ($17 at Ulta Beauty), Good Dye Young Semi Permanent Hair Dye in Burgandy ($18 at Amazon) and Mydentity MyRefresh Color Depositing Conditioner in Crimson Spell ($24 at Ulta Beauty).