Beauty

Courtesy of Naza/Natanya Montgomery Like straightening your hair or getting a few streaks of brown highlights, protective styles have become a rite of passage for many black women. Box braids and Senegalese twists, for example, can take up to eight hours to complete, a frustrating and painful relationship many of us—myself included—can’t seem to escape;

In the beauty version of word association, “witch hazel” is synonymous with a refreshing post-cleanse ritual that typically involves a swipe of a cult status toner on a plush cotton pad. But, beyond its apothecary vibes and long-standing status among natural beauty aficionados, what even is witch hazel? And what are its skincare benefits? Here’s everything

Jen Atkin knows a thing or two about good hair. The hairstylist turned beauty mogul is behind some of your favorite celebrity hair moments—from the Kardashian-Jenner sisters to her BFF Chrissy Teigen—and is the founder of her own haircare empire, OUAI. Her latest launch, a revamped collection of shampoos and conditioners, is the brand’s most

Cardigans don’t have to be stuffy. (Photo: Zara) The humble cardigan is having its moment in the spotlight—remember Katie Holmes’ viral cashmere moment? Far from stuffy, the timeless knit is a flattering and practical wardrobe staple that’s perfect for layering. Opt for a style that’s cinched at the waist for a polished look, or go cool

In To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Lara Jean writes odes to the men she’s loved, often inexplicably, sometimes in secret. They were sonnets she penned to work through her own complicated feelings of attraction and adoration, never intended for public consumption. I, too, have been writing love letters on the DL—to Timothée, to

Sure, massages are great. But let’s get a little more specific—which kind of massage really sends chills down your spine? There are lots of different techniques, and they’re all super different. Are you looking for something a little bit painful (in a good way), like deep tissue massage? Or a more reparative, training-friendly massage like

We have drag culture to thank for a lot of trends, particularly in the beauty space. Drag makeup is powerful makeup—makeup that allows you to change the whole shape of your face and make it last all night. And one key component of face transformations is baking. Baking is a long-wear makeup technique where you

Courtesy CK Everyone Calvin Klein macys.com $55.00 Evan Mock is running his hands through my hair. Technically, he’s ruining it. I’ve done worse things for men. Mock is the internet’s skater boyfriend. He has the same endearing cockiness of a popular middle schooler, making me the insecure fourteen-year-old girl in this analogy. But Mock is…hot.

(Photos: Getty Images) Rihanna changed the makeup world as we know it by releasing her now-iconic beauty brand, Fenty Beauty, in September 2017. Complete with 40 shades of foundation—and an impressive selection of highlighters and multisticks—the brand instantly disrupted the industry and challenged its compliance when it came to lacklustre shade ranges. With Fenty Beauty,

Courtesy of Haus Laboratories There are fans. There are stans. And then there are Little Monsters, the name given to superfans of Lady Gaga. Monsters are people whose lives have been fundamentally changed by Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. Their worlds orbit around Gaga, a sun in makeup glitter who teaches her fans to embrace what

Eamonn McCormack/BFCGetty Images Wanna bone? Simone Rocha does. The Irish designer skimmed the sea for her fall 2020 collection, surfacing with wreckage like shark teeth, shredded nets, pearls, scales, kelp, and yes, bones. “It’s one of the first things Simone said to me,” said hair stylist Gary Gill. “She saw bones in the girls’ hair,”

(Illustration: Elham Numan) When it comes to my beauty routine, I’m admittedly not super focused on my brows. I’m lucky that they have a naturally good shape and thickness (thanks, Mom, for not letting me tweeze/wax them off in my youth!) and with my monthly wax and tint, all I really need day to day

Courtesy of Haus Laboratories Lady Gaga has a Valentine’s Day surprise for the Little Monsters, whether your holiday plans are of the “Edge of Glory” or “I’ll Never Love Again” varieties. On February 18, pursue a bad romance all your own with the latest launch from Gaga’s Haus Laboratories. Meet the Le Monster Matte Lip

(Photo: Netflix / Bettina Strauss) “Hyperventilating” is one word you could use to describe our reaction when To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: P.S. I Still Love You came out. And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better than Lana Condor hanging with a bunch of the cutest guys ever (seriously Noah Centineo,

Image: Slick Chicks The lingerie industry has come a long way, thanks to brands like Savage x Fenty finally breaking the supermodel mould, along with demands from the public for better representation (bye forever, Victoria’s Secret fashion show!). Finally, more and more retailers are taking note: We all want to feel good as hell in

When it comes to professional sports, competition is an essential part of the game. Without competition, Simone Biles wouldn’t be one of the best gymnasts ever, with five Olympic gold medals under her belt. But when the chalk settles, the lights dim, and she’s off the floor, the last thing Biles wants to compete against

(Photo: Instagram/@sergeibaka) We may still *technically* be in the chill of winter, but things are heating up for the Raptors’ style game and, subsequently, my loins. On February 11, the Toronto Raptors’ Instagram account shared a series of photos of team members—and mega hottie coach Nick Nurse—both on a plane and exiting it. While that

If there’s a time you’re obligated to go all out with your look, it’s Hollywood’s biggest night. Yes, celebs brought some heat to the SAG Awards and Golden Globes, not to mention the music industry killing it at the Grammys. But this is the OSCARS, baby. The ~Academy Awards~. The big (big) leagues. It’s either

(Photo: Getty Images; Illustration: Maegan Fidelino) If we’ve learned anything from years of poring over celebrity style, it’s that clothes often speak louder than words. It’s been said that Queen Elizabeth II uses fashion to send subtle messages about the political views she is obliged to verbally keep to herself, while it’s widely believed that FLOTUS

They say you should lead by example, and a lot of celebs at the 2020 Oscars took that to heart. In the midst of our full-on climate crisis, more and more people are trying to make their wardrobes eco-friendly. Among other things, this can mean re-wearing, buying second-hand or choosing clothes made with more sustainable

(Photo: Getty Images) If you thought the return of *super* low-rise jeans was the most surprising early aughts trend to make a comeback in 2020, then hold your horses because the 2020 Oscars red carpet is here to prove you wrong. While the February 9 Oscars red carpet was pretty lukewarm gown-wise, several famous ladies

Red carpets are always hit and miss—there’s never one where every person nails it or every person bombs. It’s all about balance! Unsurprisingly, this year’s Oscars gave us celeb looks that left us both delighted and…disappointed. Here are the FLARE team’s personal choices for the best and worst dressed at the Oscars 2020. Read this

Between the Academy flip-flopping on who will present what, proposed cuts to the musical performances and the whole event going host-less, this year’s Oscars saw its fair share of drama before the red carpet was even rolled out. Now that the big night is here, the stars are bringing their own version of dramaaaaa with

Gorgeous looks from the Canadian designer Kaela Kay (Photo: Courtesy Kaela Kay) Black-owned beauty businesses have been on a well-applauded rise in recent years. But when it comes to diversity in fashion, Black-led labels, especially in the luxury market, still feel like a rarity—save a few exceptions. Olivier Rousteing has been creative director at Balmain for almost