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

If you have acne-prone skin, chances are you’ve seen a blackhead (or several) pop up before. A result of clogged hair follicles, dead skin cells and excess oil, the pesky concern is a mild form of acne that can appear almost anywhere across the body—yes, even areas you least expect it. 

With summer on the horizon, grabbing a face and body mask that tackles blackheads, pigmentation and acne across the chest, arms and legs may be a smart (and confidence-boosting) move. Luckily, fellow shoppers already found the best formula that’s capable of helping these concerns within just a few uses: the Bodyblendz Pink Clay Mask.

The all-over clay mask is truly a multipurpose treatment; it minimizes discoloration, scarring, dullness and skin texture at the same time. It clears out congested pores, soothes inflammation and irritation and even lifts and firms skin that’s lost elasticity from aging or sun damage. 

Bodyblendz

Bodyblendz Face & Body Pink Clay Mask

Its blend of ingredients were chosen for a reason. Australian Clay sucks out dirt and oil from deep within the skin—it also is one of the more gentle skin clays out there (meaning it won’t dry out the skin) since it has a low pH and several essential minerals. It’s joined by papaya extract which softly exfoliates for a more even-toned complexion while smoothing out fine lines, lactic acid and witch hazel extract, which help with photoaging and oil production, alongside hydrating shea butter, macadamia oil and vitamin E.

RELATED: I Reviewed Fenty Beauty Hella Thicc Mascara to Find Out if It’s Worth the Hype

Reviewers have found it to be the “best mask ever” for effectively clearing out pores, reducing body acne and getting rid of stubborn blackheads. One wrote that they have “no regrets” on purchasing the mask after seeing it leave their skin smoother and brighter with small, red bumps less visible. Another person was equally impressed after the mask left their pores noticeably smaller after the first use.

“What I love about this mask is that truly does feel like white heads were cleaned out your pores,” shared a third. “After removing the mask, you will feel your skin so smooth and soft. I noticed a difference in the appearance of my pores, especially on my cheeks. Thumbs up!”

Another wrote, “My skin is super sensitive. Didn’t develop a face rash with this mask, which normally happens for me when I use other skin products. I noticed reduction in my skin pore size and smoothens my skin. I will highly recommend this!”

Bodyblendz carries several other targeted treatments that will set you on the right path to achieving confident summer skin, including its Booty-specific Clay Mask and Anti-Cellulite lotion.

When older couples divorce, usually one spouse wants to keep the marital home. Sometimes, the house is paid for, but often there is a mortgage. Although I find that many women find security in their home and want to keep it, to other women the house brings back bad memories, and they would rather be rid of it.

As a divorce financial planner, I educate my clients that there is more to think about than who will take over the mortgage, and I help them prevent mistakes that may not be realized until after the divorce is final.

Here are some pitfalls for the unwary that you should know, whether you are keeping the marital home or not.

How Is the House Split in Divorce?

Obviously, a house can’t be physically split, so whoever wants to keep the marital home will have to trade other assets equal to the equity in your marital home. Check out my article on the reasons why keeping the marital home can be a mistake. If there is a mortgage on the home, more likely than not, you will have to refinance the mortgage to get your ex off it (or vice versa).

Assuming the Existing Mortgage

Unfortunately, most lenders will not allow one spouse to simply assume the existing mortgage. If both spouses are on the mortgage, refinancing will probably be required to take one spouse off the mortgage.

FHA and VA mortgages are about the only mortgages that can be assumed. Don’t ever presume you can assume a loan! Before the settlement is finalized, make sure this can really take place. If assuming the mortgage is not possible, the mortgage should be refinanced.

Refinancing May Not Be Possible

Money problems are a root cause of many divorces. It’s not uncommon that refinancing is not possible. While two incomes may have been enough to qualify for a mortgage to buy the marital home, one income may not be enough for the “house spouse” to qualify for refinancing. If your income is low or you are retired, you may not qualify for refinancing, even with alimony.

Also, refinancing comes with a cost. Fees for refinancing are about 2-4% of the loan amount. Interest rates have increased and the credit score of the house spouse may not be good or may have gone down. These factors will make the mortgage payment higher.

I’ve had calls from folks seeking help because their settlement agreement said the ex-spouse got the house and would refinance, but that was not happening. Meanwhile, they were stuck in an apartment, because they were still on the marital home mortgage. Even worse, their credit was taking a hit because the house spouse was not making mortgage payments.

You must make sure the spouse keeping the marital home can qualify for refinancing before the settlement agreement is finalized.

It May Take Time for Alimony to Be Counted as Income for Purposes of Qualification

Alimony can be counted as income to help you qualify for a mortgage, but a certain number of payments must be made both in the past and into the future to qualify for a loan. The number of payments required will depend on whether a conventional loan or an FHA loan will be used. I advise my clients who will be getting alimony that qualifying for a mortgage takes planning.

A knowledgeable mortgage professional will explain how long alimony must be in place, the amount of alimony needed, and what documentation the lender will need for proof. Again, this needs to be addressed before the divorce settlement is finalized.

Costs of Sale

Keep in mind that if you only plan to keep the marital home for a few years, when it does come time to sell, you will be paying for all of the closing costs on your own. You could also be stuck with repairs and even title problems that may be costly to fix. That’s big money and reason to consider selling the home now and splitting the costs of sale.

Although I discourage jointly owning a home after divorce, there can be various reasons to do that. An agreement can be made to sell the house at a certain date at which time you will split the costs of sale.

Also keep in mind capital gains taxes may apply when your house is sold. Right now, a couple can exempt $500,000 from the gains on a house sale, but a single person can only exempt $250,000. Be sure to keep capital gains taxes in mind if you intend to keep the marital home and sell it down the road.

Being Off the Deed Does Not Relieve Financial Responsibility

Let’s say your soon-to-be ex wants to keep the house and, for whatever reason, you agree that the existing mortgage can stay in place. If your name is on the mortgage, it does not matter that the settlement agreement or divorce decree says he will be responsible for the mortgage. If he defaults on mortgage payments, the lender WILL hold you responsible for the mortgage payments.

Also, the mortgage will continue to show up on your credit report as an obligation which may prevent you from qualifying for a mortgage for the new home you want, or for that matter, any loan you want for other purposes.

Very specific language can be written in your settlement agreement so that the marital home mortgage won’t affect your ability to get financing. A knowledgeable mortgage professional can help you with that.

Do not agree to sign a quit claim deed to transfer the deed to your ex until you are off the mortgage. You lose ownership but keep the liability, and why would you want that?

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you considered what to do with your marital home upon divorce? Have you looked into the various options of keeping your marital home? Would you rather sell it? What would be your reasons and what advice can you give to others in the same situation?

The gaunt, stricken faces on the characters of Director Sarah Polley’s Women Talking tell us a great deal about despair. Living within the confines of an isolated religious colony, they have, over the course of their lives, been repeatedly sprayed with livestock tranquilizers in the dead of night, then raped; sometimes by more than one assailant.

The male cohorts of the colony call the charges raised by the women as acts of vivid imagination, delusion, or punishment from God. Even when the rapes result in pregnancy.

The Stakes

Ms. Polley, who wrote the film’s Oscar-winning screenplay, gives us access to the story in the midst of an extreme paradigm shift. One of the women has thwarted her assailant, mid-attack. During the commission of a violent act of retribution against him, she discovers the names of his co-conspirators.

Between the time of the men’s arrest, and an effort by the colony’s men to raise bail, a quorum of women are left alone long enough to hold a tribunal. They will ultimately decide to proceed with one of three options: Do nothing, stay and fight, or leave. A high-stakes debate that will determine their fate.

The women gather at a hayloft in the agrarian community’s barn. A large opening in the side of the structure reveals a distant world existing just outside of their predicament, perhaps metaphorically further than their ability to reach. The question is, can the women – who have long lived under the heavy thumb of male oppression – abandon the only world they know? And, if so, are they wise enough to build a peaceful existence for themselves, elsewhere?

They reach the debate table with many strikes against them. Not the least of which is the lack of formal education. They can neither read nor write. It is the memorized biblical passages that form the spine of their strict religious philosophy, and the unrelenting devotion to faith, forgiveness, and healing.

They will need to believe that the God who allowed the atrocities against them, can be the same God to lead them to redemption. The answer lies somewhere between the blindness of their rage and the sanity of their pragmatism.

The Women Talking Team

Ms. Polley has assembled a formidable cast to parse the facts. Ensemble acting can provide opportunity for a succession of star turns. But the cast of Women Talking unerringly deliver calibrated performances in strict service to the story.

Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Rooney Mara, Sheila McCarthy, and Judith Ivey, are standouts. Their soliloquys pin-map the emotional status of each character. But it is the intense, empathic debate between them that cuts a path toward consensus. The health of the group will take precedence over resistance or revenge.

In order to leave a narrative for the men, they select a scribe to take minutes of the meeting. August, (Ben Whishaw), is the sensitive, empathic son of a woman expelled from the colony for challenging its lifestyle. His presence might imply that men – good men – should be open and attentive when women are talking.

When it becomes clear the rest of the male cohort will soon return, an elder member of the group suggests the women turn their individual grievances into fuel that can move them toward a better place.

Cinematographer Luc Montpellier and Ms. Polley’s decision to desaturate the color rendition of the film is an homage to photographer Larry Towell. Towell famously shot black and white images of a Mennonite community in Mexico. The resulting muted wash of color allows us to concentrate on what the women are saying, instead of on their surroundings.

Composer Hildur Guonadottir underlines the temperament of the film with a haunting score that feels risen from the ground beneath the women. Using The Monkees’ 1960s hit, Daydream Believer, is an inspired bit of mood shifting. Its lyric, “Cheer up, sleepy Jean” blares out from the truck of a census taker. Perhaps a challenge for the women to awaken from the somnambulant acceptance of their situation.

Truth and Consequence

The film is based on Miriam Toews’ novel of the same name. Ms. Toews was, herself, born into a Mennonite community in Manitoba, Canada.

Events in the film mirror those in a Bolivian Mennonite colony just a little more than a decade ago. Seven of the eight defendants in that case were found guilty.

Though Women Talking seems far from a story ripped from the headlines, it is a banner moment in the politics of sexual oppression against women. Written by a woman. Directed by a woman. Optioned into a movie and produced by women. Performed by a cast of formidable female actors and activists. The film demonstrates that much can be learned from the unique voices of survivors and their advocates. If we choose to listen.

For my reviews of additional films, please click here.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you seen Women Talking? What other movies around women rights have you watched lately?

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

It’s a truly humbling experience having acne — or even just clogged pores and textured skin – on your butt. You work so hard on the skin on your face, it’s easy to forget your body, especially when you don’t see the area every day. Butt masks can help. Just like the skin on your face, the pores on your butt can get clogged causing rough skin and breakouts. You might even see ingrown hairs. These masks make skin baby soft and are pretty fun to use at the same time.

Now, it’s important to note that a mask is not going to get rid of cellulite or stretch marks. It’s not going to give you a more lifted booty. (You don’t even need these things anyway!) But hydrating and detoxifying ingredients can leave skin looking and feeling smooth, plump and maybe a little firmer. Summer is right around the corner so grab your bikini and get ready to show off smooth skin.

Body Blendz.

Body Blendz Booty Clay Mask

This cooling mask contains artichoke extract, levan and caffeine to firm and lift, Australian White Clay to help detoxify, and vitamin E, shea butter, macadamia oil, aloe vera and hyaluronic acid to leave skin smooth and hydrated.

Megababe.

Megababe Le Tush Butt Mask

We love Megababe for its problem-solving products, such as Thigh Rescue anti-chafing stick. This butt mask is also genius with glycolic, malic and azelaic acids combined with eco-friendly exfoliating beads resurface the skin. Willow bark extract helps clarify (and banish breakouts!) while squalane and kelp extract lock in moisture.

Bawdy.

Bawdy Sheet Mask Kit for Your Butt – 4 pack

This cheeky sheet mask kit has everything you need no matter your skin type. Bite It moisturizes dry, dehydrated skin, Squeeze It brightens, Slap It retexturizes and detoxifies and Shake It firms skin.

Yes To.

Yes To Booty-Ful Paper Mask

Another paper mask, this vegan one contains caffeine, coffee and guarana to brighten and tighten skin.

Truly.

Truly Buns Of Glowry Tighten & Glow Smoothing Butt Polish

This yummy-smelling mask and butt polish contains wheat protein to reduce the look of cellulite, watermelon extract to fade discoloration and jojoba seeds to exfoliate away blemishes.

lapcos.

Lapcos Lifting Booty Mask 5 Pack

This booty sheet mask contains 17 amino acids and patented Levan to smooth, lift and firm skin.

Anese.

Anese Down with the Thickness Collagen Booty Mask

Try a clay mask if you’re prone to body breakouts. This one has kaolin clay to cleanse and remove excess oils from your skin while vitamin B5 and B3 nourish and soften.

Maelys.

MAËLYS Cosmetics B-Tight Lift & Firm Booty Mask

Hydrated skin just looks and feels more plump and firm. This mask uses guarana seed extract, pink pepperslim and hyaluronic acid to energize, hydrate and lock in moisture.

E.l.f.

E.L.F. x American Eagle Get Cheeky Clay Mask

Our two fave brands came together on a denim-inspired beauty collection that launched earlier this week. It includes a blue clay mask with kaolin, shea butter, vitamin E and blueberry extract. You can use it on your face, too!

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

It’s a truly humbling experience having acne — or even just clogged pores and textured skin – on your butt. You work so hard on the skin on your face, it’s easy to forget your body, especially when you don’t see the area every day. Butt masks can help. Just like the skin on your face, the pores on your butt can get clogged causing rough skin and breakouts. You might even see ingrown hairs. These masks make skin baby soft and are pretty fun to use at the same time.

Now, it’s important to note that a mask is not going to get rid of cellulite or stretch marks. It’s not going to give you a more lifted booty. (You don’t even need these things anyway!) But hydrating and detoxifying ingredients can leave skin looking and feeling smooth, plump and maybe a little firmer. Summer is right around the corner so grab your bikini and get ready to show off smooth skin.

Body Blendz.

Body Blendz Booty Clay Mask

This cooling mask contains artichoke extract, levan and caffeine to firm and lift, Australian White Clay to help detoxify, and vitamin E, shea butter, macadamia oil, aloe vera and hyaluronic acid to leave skin smooth and hydrated.

Megababe.

Megababe Le Tush Butt Mask

We love Megababe for its problem-solving products, such as Thigh Rescue anti-chafing stick. This butt mask is also genius with glycolic, malic and azelaic acids combined with eco-friendly exfoliating beads resurface the skin. Willow bark extract helps clarify (and banish breakouts!) while squalane and kelp extract lock in moisture.

Bawdy.

Bawdy Sheet Mask Kit for Your Butt – 4 pack

This cheeky sheet mask kit has everything you need no matter your skin type. Bite It moisturizes dry, dehydrated skin, Squeeze It brightens, Slap It retexturizes and detoxifies and Shake It firms skin.

Yes To.

Yes To Booty-Ful Paper Mask

Another paper mask, this vegan one contains caffeine, coffee and guarana to brighten and tighten skin.

Truly.

Truly Buns Of Glowry Tighten & Glow Smoothing Butt Polish

This yummy-smelling mask and butt polish contains wheat protein to reduce the look of cellulite, watermelon extract to fade discoloration and jojoba seeds to exfoliate away blemishes.

lapcos.

Lapcos Lifting Booty Mask 5 Pack

This booty sheet mask contains 17 amino acids and patented Levan to smooth, lift and firm skin.

Anese.

Anese Down with the Thickness Collagen Booty Mask

Try a clay mask if you’re prone to body breakouts. This one has kaolin clay to cleanse and remove excess oils from your skin while vitamin B5 and B3 nourish and soften.

Maelys.

MAËLYS Cosmetics B-Tight Lift & Firm Booty Mask

Hydrated skin just looks and feels more plump and firm. This mask uses guarana seed extract, pink pepperslim and hyaluronic acid to energize, hydrate and lock in moisture.

E.l.f.

E.L.F. x American Eagle Get Cheeky Clay Mask

Our two fave brands came together on a denim-inspired beauty collection that launched earlier this week. It includes a blue clay mask with kaolin, shea butter, vitamin E and blueberry extract. You can use it on your face, too!