Huda Kattan is back with her second skincare launch and this time, it’s all about hydrated skin and a snatched jaw. Would you expect anything else from the beauty boss? The Wishful Chin Lift Sculpting Sheet Mask is one of two masks under this drop, and the one I had to try first. Like Wishful’s first launch, Yo Glow Enzyme Scrub, these new masks are K-beauty inspired as Kattan discovered chin-lifting masks while visiting South Korea. She worked to create her own formula to tackle specific skin concerns, many of which I have as well.

As someone who only gets breakouts on her chin and jaw, I’m the queen on multi-masking. I focus all my masks on the bottom half of my face to calm hormonal acne and reduce redness. A mask focused just on my chin was basically created for me. I’ve used Korean chin-sculpting masks before and enjoyed the targeted treatment so I was excited to try Wishful’s. The thick, hydrogel mask felt cool to the touch and fit over my chin and ears comfortably. I love that you can wear the mask and run around doing chores at home and it stays put.

Source: Instagram

The mask felt nice and luxe on my skin while powerful ingredients worked to do their job. Peppermint cools and calms redness, Orchid extract helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, niacinamide brightens, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 works as an anti-wrinkle peptide and Adenosine soothes skin’s texture. Note that there is fragrance so keep that in mind if you’re sensitive to them. I prefer skincare without fragrance but I didn’t get any irritation from this one.

Image: Wishful.

I left the mask on for 20-30 minutes per the directions. To be honest, I didn’t really want to take it off. It felt like a boost of self-care that I desperately need right now. Once I did finally remove it, my skin felt calmer and the texture felt smooth and soft. That’s all I hope for from a chin mask. As much as it would be magical if it gave me a true sculpted chin in 20 minutes, a mask really isn’t going to do that. You’ll need some medical intervention for that.

Still, it’s a fun and different way to try a sheet mask. I just wish more than one came in a pack so I can repeat the treatment a few times a week to really see if it brightens and helps with fine lines. At less than $10 per mask, an affordable set would make sense for the future.

Image: Wishful.

Shop both the Chin Lift mask as well as the new Wishful Thirst Trap Cocoon Mask ($9 at Sephora) now.

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 and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

My husband and I are coping well as we stay at home during the pandemic. We’re actually enjoying this break from our usual busy schedules, starting each day with a morning walk with a few neighbors – in masks, walking six feet apart. We’ve had no corona virus cases in our county, so we’re lucky.

As for many of you, the pandemic has brought a major life change, but we’ve managed to connect with friends and attend meetings online though Zoom, Skype, Facebook, and email.

It’s been a time for renewed connections. And dinner has become the highlight of our day, a culinary adventure as we troll through our pantry for new ideas.

We’re fortunate to be on a fixed retirement income of social security and pensions, and we bemoan the trials of many in our community who are suddenly without income, for the business owners who have had to close their doors, and particularly for the medical workers who take great risks to serve us without adequate safety equipment.

It’s just not fair.

Although Jerry and I are far from wealthy and would welcome the few extra thousand dollars the US government has promised, we don’t need it. We’ve decided to pass our stimulus funds on to someone who does.

Not only that, but we want to encourage others to do the same. Many of our friends are better off than we are and won’t get stimulus funds, but they can easily pass on some of their wealth to those struggling through the world-wide economic shut-downs.

It feels good to help others – a great antidote to the doldrums of passing time indoors during the pandemic.

If you’re one of the lucky people who can pass on your good fortune to those less fortunate, I offer these suggestions:

Donate It Directly to Someone You Know Who Needs It More Than You Do

Most of us know someone who’s been laid off or who depends on a business that has closed. You can donate anonymously or just hand them a check. I remember when $100 made all the difference.

Donate It to a Restaurant or Local Business to Distribute Among the Staff They’ve Laid Off

Unemployment benefits are on their way for many displaced workers, but they’ve most likely gotten behind on bills during the wait time. This is a way to support the unemployed.

Purchase Gift Certificates from Local Businesses

Businesses that have had to close their doors will surely welcome a little income, and you can use the gift certificates yourself later, give them as gifts, or donate them to future fundraisers.

Donate It to Your Local Hospital or Health Care Foundation to Purchase Medical Supplies

Be sure to contact the hospital of your choice to find out how they’re collecting funds. In our community, the health care foundation is managing donations, but it may go through the accounting department of your local hospital.

Donate It to Your Local Food Shelf

Food shelves everywhere are stretched to their limits, and any donations can be used to purchase food or converted into gift certificates for local food stores. Food shelves can always use financial support.

Donate It to a Homeless Shelter

If you have a homeless shelter in your community, this is another place where the virus will be making the rounds, and unfortunately, homelessness will be on the rise because of lost jobs.

Donate It to Your Local Human Services Department (Sometimes Called Social Services)

Though most human services departments can’t solicit funds, they are able to take donations. You should designate how you’d like your donation used – for grocery gift certificates, rent payments, or just as a cash gift to a struggling family.

During these difficult times, I’m heartened as I see people reaching out to help one another, and this is one way we can help from the safety of our homes. I believe strongly that people are basically good and that we do, indeed, care about each other.

Do you know someone who is struggling in this difficult time? Do you have the means to help? What can you do use your time and funds to help others in need? Please share with our community and let’s have a conversation.

“Screenshot and share to save a life.” That’s how I spread the word about a beauty supply store miraculously open for deliveries and pick-ups in my neighborhood. With everything closed and nearly all of my friends pining for anything to help their hair, I felt obligated to take a picture of the storefront and blast it with the quickness. And immediately after, I stocked up on all the best moisturizer for natural hair in sight because my goodness—it feels like my hair has forgotten how to hold onto moisture.

Two months ago, I was on the fence about growing out my buzzcut. Then stay-at-home orders and Mother Nature decided for me. Being inside, like, all the time, has made it easy to be okay with the awkward length and uneven curl definition, but dryness and breakage are two things that make me cringe. With that being said, I needed all the shea butter and all the moisture-rich products.

Nikki Brown.

As you can see, I immediately got shampoo and conditioner for replenishing moisture, some almond oil (my absolute fave!) to lock it all in and cute shower caps to keep the shea butter from dripping everywhere.

I also couldn’t resist stocking up on my wig essentials—lace tint spray, wig tape, and a mannequin head. Never have I spent $50 so quickly without any regrets. If you also have textured hair and have been dealing with excessive dryness, here are some of the best moisturizers out there; cleansers, conditioners, and masks included.

African Pride.

African Pride Moisture Miracle Honey, Chocolate & Coconut Oil Conditioner

This conditioner replenishes and locks in moisture with honey, a natural humectant, and cocoa powder, an ingredient you probably didn’t know promotes hair growth.

Buy: African Pride Moisture Miracle Honey, Chocolate & Coconut Oil Conditioner $8

Briogeo.

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Strengthening Treatment Oil

Pair the brand’s top-selling Don’t Despair, Repair! mask with this new hair oil, rich in ceramides, and rose flower oil, a vitamin-rich emollient.

Cantu.

Cantu Flaxseed Smoothing Oil

Smooth flyaways, protect the hair from hot tool damage and nourish each strand with this multi-oil blend.

Carol’s Daughter.

Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Sulfate-Free Shampoo

For brittle, broken hair, this monoi oil-infused shampoo detangles and restores strength in just one wash.

Buy: Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Sulfate-Free Shampoo $19.99

Creme of Nature.

Creme of Nature Pure Honey Hair Mask

A hair mask that targets moisture retention with honey, a natural humectant.

Buy: Creme of Nature Pure Honey Hair Mask $7.99

DevaCurl.

DevaCurl No-Poo Decadence Moisturizing Milk Cleanser

This sulfate- and lather-free cleanser gently cleanses curly hair using quinoa protein and chufa milk.

Hollywood Beauty.

Hollywood Beauty Vitamin E Oil

Among this antioxidant’s many hair benefits are repairing damaged follicles and moisture.

Buy: Hollywood Beauty Vitamin E Oil $8.84

Macadamia Professional.

Macadamia Professional Nourishing Repair Masque

A 100 percent vegan, oil-infused mask to pair with your shampoo and conditioner on wash day for intense moisture.

Buy: Macadamia Professional Nourishing Repair Masque $36

Not Your Mother’s.

Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk 3-in-1 Conditioner

Use this lightweight formula as a conditioner, leave-in or co-wash to increase curl (and moisture) retention.

Mielle Organics.

Mielle Organics Mint Almond Oil

Seal off your cleansing routine with this cooling hair oil that retains moisture and nourishes the scalp.

Buy: Mielle Organics Mint Almond Oil $12.99

Ouidad.

Ouidad Clean Sweep Moisturizing Dry Shampoo

A shampoo-conditioner hybrid that absorbs oil and odor without drying the scalp.

SheaMoisture.

SheaMoisture 100% Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

A multi-beneficial oil for head-to-toe hydration.

Buy: SheaMoisture 100% Extra Virgin Coconut Oil $8.11

SheaMoisture.

SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo

A shea butter, light lather shampoo for nourishing dry curls.

Buy: SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo $8.69

Sky Organics.

Sky Organics Shea Butter

Good, old fashioned shea butter you can use as a body moisturizer and hair nourisher.

Buy: Sky Organics Shea Butter $14.95

Thank God It’s Natural.

TGIN Honey Miracle Hair Mask

Ward off shedding and strengthen your hair strands with this oil-infused honey formula.

Buy: TGIN Honey Miracle Hair Mask $14.99

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 and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Hilary Duff has made a few hair changes while physical distancing at home this month. The star recently dyed her hair blue and cut it into a bob, and now she’s switching up her shampoo for something entirely eco-friendly. Duff shared her Odacité shampoo bar on her Instagram stories, calling the clean beauty brand one of her favorites. We’re not sure if Duff usually uses plastic-free shampoo bars or if she’s making some environmental changes just in time for Earth Day but this is an easy one we all can participate in.

Duff Odacité’s 552M Shampoo Bar, which is named for the 552 Million plastic shampoo bottles that end up in landfills every year. One of these vegan shampoo bars saves three plastic bottles and lasts 60-80 washes. And don’t worry—this isn’t the bar shampoo we grew up with. This is upgraded haircare with coconut oil to improve hair texture, cupuaçu Butter to nourish strands and argan and castor oil to seal in moisture.

Image: Instagram.com/hilaryduff.

Image: Instagram.com/hilaryduff.

If you fall for Odacité’s shampoo bar, you might want to give the brand’s stellar skincare a try. We love the Bl+C Pimples Black Cumin + Cajeput Serum Concentrate ($36 at Odacité) for the way it purifies the skin and reduces the appearance of acne. For overnight anti-aging, we’re also fans of the Night Time Antioxidants Repair Serum ($120 at Odacité), which contains natural vitamin E and hyaluronic acid.

Whether you shop something new or use what’s already in your beauty routine, be like Duff and hop in the bath and give yourself a bit of self-care this week. You deserve it.

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 and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

We’ve all been cooped up for what seems like a very long time now, and many of us are starting to think about that long neglected dream we’ve never had the time to pursue. If you’ve ever thought you might like to become a writer, this may be the time.

If you’re wondering what steps you can take to jumpstart the process, let me share with you how I began. I promise it’s not that complicated if you break it down into incremental steps.

I began writing as a way to process some lifestyle changes and to decide what it was that I wanted to do next. I’d recently retired and found that life of leisure wasn’t as attractive as it looked from the other side of the actual event.

I needed the kind of personal satisfaction I previously garnered from my career. I felt disoriented without purpose, so I began writing as a way to sort out what I needed to fill the void.

Now five years later, in retrospect, having established myself as a writer and published author, producing my own blog, becoming a regular contributor to online magazines such as Sixty and Me, and getting published more often than I ever imagined, I am frankly a bit surprised at how easy it was.

Don’t get me wrong, it takes effort, tenacity, and the courage to put yourself out there, but if you endure, it can happen for you.

Here’s what I found helpful, and in some ways, essential, to set off on my personal pursuit.

Sit Down and Write

I know this seems obvious, but it’s tempting to wait until you’re inspired, until you have the plot developed in your mind, or until you feel better prepared having taken the classes, read the articles, etc.

But it really is about the writing. As Anne Lamott, a contemporary writer and author of, Bird by Bird: Instructions on Writing and Life, recommends, “write shitty first drafts” and go from there.

If you have a story or an article in you that wants to come out, sit down and start. Don’t worry about what comes next. It will come to you.

Develop a Routine

Write every day, at the same time of day, for as long as possible. Be disciplined about it. Even if you don’t feel like writing and there’s nothing inside begging to be set free, write anyway.

If you can’t think of anything else, write about writing – how hard it feels at first, how much you want to be a writer, anything that flows. Because those thoughts are tiny pearls strung together with other more lustrous and creative pearls that, once you begin pulling on the strand, will present themselves to you.

Just keep writing.

Write to Write, Not to Be Published

Writing for the sake of writing will free you of the paralyzing fear of being judged or rejected. Worrying about how your work compares or how you will be seen as a person based on your writing, will hamper your ability to open up and write honestly.

Publishing is somewhere down the road. You will get there, but that’s not where you want to start. Be a writer first, an author later.

You must find your individual voice, your unique perspective and the pathway to who you want to share with the world. And the only way to do that is to write like no one is reading your work.

Use Writing Prompts

Writing prompts are designed to stimulate your creativity. They are useful tools, and act as a primer to get your creative juices flowing.

You can find them online on a myriad of writing sites; or do what I do – search Pinterest. There are literally thousands of writing prompts to choose from. Find one that excites you, and let it lead you into a story. No editing allowed, just keep going until you’ve exhausted what you have to say.

Sometimes, the prompts I select would fizzle out in two paragraphs, and I have composed full short stories from others. You don’t know what will flow until you open the valve.

Join a Writing Group

There is nothing better than being surrounded by other writers to motivate you to be better, write more, and hone your craft.

Creativity is contagious. And if you are as fortunate as I have been, you will find within that group the support you need to take risks, tell your truth, and write what matters. Check out Meetup.com or your local bookstore for groups in your area.

Write from Your Heart, Soul, Anger, Angst, and Bliss

Writing is an emotional and very personal endeavor, at least that’s what I believe. The words are arranged in our intellectual mind, but they originate somewhere far deeper. Don’t be afraid to reach in for them. That’s where your best work is waiting.

Scratch the surface if you are unsure, but be willing to dig deeper as your defenses allow. Forget about who may read it; promise yourself no one will, if that’s what you must do to bring it forward. Write what is uniquely yours and put your stamp on it. Make it personal and be authentic.

Writing is a rewarding and satisfying endeavor. I promise if you start with these simple steps, stay with it, and release your inhibitions, you will find sharing your thoughts, perspective, and imagination will change your life. And best of all, it’s likely your words will change someone else’s for the better.

What big dream have you put off for quite some time? Are you ready to get started on it today? If your dream has to do with writing, what’s stopping you from accomplishing it? Please share with our community and let’s have a conversation!