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‘The Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your Heart’ Review: This Series Is Actually Really Addicting


Harrison is right. The cast is fascinating to watch and seem to have been made for television. There’s Sheridan, 27, who looks like a cross between Bo Bice from Idol fame and Jason Mamoa, with his long, curly hair. He has a car named Sheila, so naturally he’s looking “for a copilot for her.” There’s Jamie, 21, a hostess who says every guy she’s ever dated has cheated on her, and it’s her dream to have Mr. Perfect write her a love song. (If only it were that easy.) If the show wasn’t so set on forming romantic connections, I’d love to see what kind of music Jamie and Rudi, 24, a studio vocalist, could come up with. Much like Jamie’s frustrations with men, Rudi says she’s already dated most of the guys in L.A. and is exhausted. “Where are all the good ones?” she complains to Harrison. “I’m 24, I’m so fucking ready.”

(From left: Mel, Jamie and Trevor)

John Fleenor/ABC

Then there’s Trevor Holmes, 29, a social media marketing guy whom Katy Perry declared “so hot” when he auditioned for Idol a couple years ago. He currently wants someone other than his dog to be loyal and committed to him. From the looks of episode one, that won’t be a problem.

Ironically, a problem in past Bachelor seasons has been the number of contestants looking for fame—or Instagram sponsorships—and our frustration that they aren’t really there for love. With Listen to Your Heart, these contestants don’t have to hide their ambition. They all want some level of fame and success their everyday lives haven’t yet afforded them. So in order to do that, they have to fall in love—and prove they have the music chops to make a connection.

“If you’re not part of a committed couple, you’re going home,” Harrison warns says. “The ultimate challenge…it’s not just to become a music star or to find love…it’s to get it all.”

Chris Harrison in front of mansion
John Fleenor/ABC

While music is the common denominator, love—and drama—is still front and center. Whether any of these contestants come out of the show with mainstream success is beside the point, and the producers know it. They just want to entertain.

“The great thing about [the show premiering now is] that there is a silver lining to this horrific situation,” Harrison says. “There is this desire for not just content but also community. And I think Listen to Your Heart is just going to be an extension of that community. We want to talk about it on social media and have that escapism that we all love The Bachelor and Bachelorette for.”

The Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your Heart premieres Monday, April 13 on ABC.

Jessica Radloff is the Glamour West Coast editor. You can follow her on Instagram at @jessicaradloff14.





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Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Review: Best Drugstore Retinol


Retinol and I have a love-hate relationship. I look for it everywhere—but I’m also incredibly picky about which ones are allowed to touch my face. So when I first came across the Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Moisturizer, I was admittedly unsure whether it would make the cut. (Spoiler: It definitely does.)

My hesitation stems from one too many experiences with formulations that didn’t work for my skin type. I always know within the first week if this is the case because I’ll wake up to skin that’s slightly red (the mild case) or peeling and flaking all over my pillowcase (not so mild). Even in its gentler iterations, I’ve found that retinol cream is a category not to be trifled with; you could get the coveted effects you’re after, or you could end up with an unwelcome reaction instead.

Dermatologists recommend the vitamin A derivative for everything from treating acne to stimulating collagen. It’s proven to speed up the turnover rate of your cells, which helps you achieve a noticeably smoother, more luminous complexion. And since it’s the far gentler version of prescription Retin-A (also known as tretinoin or retinoic acid), you’re far less likely to experience retinol burn or irritation. (Although, as I said, sometimes it still happens to me.)

While retinol is one of the few ingredients I fully believe in splurging on, Olay’s offering is one of the first drugstore versions I actually love. To put it in perspective, most of the products I’ve recommended in the past are triple the price point. That said, this formula is just as effective. To create an ultra-gentle retinoid complex that still delivers results, the brand combined retinol with retinyl propionate—the latter is a retinol ester that’s less strong but also less irritating. Olay also added in two of my favorite soothing and hydrating ingredients: niacinamide and peptides. The result is an overnight moisturizer that won a Beauty Award in our drugstore-skin-care category. (Says judge Yana Sheptovetskaya, the influencer and photographer behind Gel Cream: “My friend brought this to my attention. She had acne scarring on her back and was using it as a body cream—unconventional, but it helped her. It’s lightweight, not greasy, and fragrance-free.”)

Sarah Wu

I haven’t tried using this on my body, but it’s already working plenty of magic on my face—a true accomplishment given how chaotic my skin has been during quarantine. Like all retinols, this should always be applied at night and followed with plenty of sunscreen during the day to avoid oversensitizing your complexion. After I’ve patted on my evening essences and serums, I unscrew the purple pot and pick up a dollop of cream. It has a silky whipped texture that’s thick, yet airy. When it goes on, it absorbs much more quickly than I’m used to from hydrating formulas. And yet it seals everything in, making my face feel instantly plumper and smoother. The more retinol effect you want, the closer you should apply this to your skin—without other layers of product in between. On the small patches of my face where I’m trying to fade hyperpigmentation or acne marks, I’ll apply this without anything else underneath.

The “24” in “Retinol 24” indicates that it’s supposed to hydrate for 24 hours. I wouldn’t go that far, mostly because I wash my face twice every 24-hour cycle. But I do give Olay points for packing in enough hydration to banish dry patches by morning. As for the dreaded side effects, I’m happy to report that I’ve used this on a daily basis without the slightest trace of irritation. The brightening, evening effects of retinol take a little longer to kick in, but stick with it, and you should start noticing a difference after a couple weeks—without a single flake in sight.

Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Face Moisturizer

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See all 249 winners from the Glamour Beauty Awards, here. Sarah Wu is a writer in Berlin. Follow her on Instagram @say.wu.





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Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Review: Best Vitamin C Serum


On paper, it sounds like it would be tough to fall in love with Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Serum. It’s a $166 investment, smells like hot dogs, and it isn’t packaged in a millennial pink bottle. And yet, like all great tales of love, none of this seems significant because the ending (bright, glowing, luminous skin) is so compelling, you’ll completely forget about the rest.

Since its launch, C E Ferulic has become one of the most widely adored products on the market—and not just by pros. Sure, dermatologists have voted it the best overall vitamin C serum, and almost every editor I know owns a carefully guarded stash, but shoppers also love it. Look at Skinceuticals C E Ferulic reviews on any given website and five-star ratings abound. Glamour readers swear by its ability to bring dull, damaged skin back to life—so much so, it won a Beauty Award in our Readers’ Choice category. (Says Ali N. from Utah: “I am not exaggerating when I say that Skinceuticals C E Ferulic completely changed my skin. Monthly acne? Poof. Gone. Fine lines—what fine lines? People say my skin has never looked better.”)

To understand its mass appeal, you just have to look at the star ingredient: vitamin C. The antioxidant is one of the few ingredients experts unanimously recommend for its protective and brightening properties. When formulated to penetrate within the deeper layers of your skin, vitamin C combats free radicals from UV light and environmental aggressors. It also helps stimulate collagen and even skin tone—two clearly visible effects that accompany its invisible shielding properties.

Not all formulations do it equally well, though. Derms tend to prefer L-ascorbic acid (a pure form of vitamin C) because it’s more likely to reach the skin depth where it’s most effective. The problem is, it’s highly unstable and works best at a concentration between 10-20%, so brands need to formulate carefully to deliver something that actually works. That’s one area where Skinceuticals has definitely done its research. Aside from its 15% concentration of L-ascorbic acid, the brand has also conducted 16 clinical studies on the benefits of this formula alone.

While the hero of the formula is undoubtedly the L-ascorbic acid, the accompanying 1% vitamin E, and 0.5% ferulic acid are there to help it reach its full potential. According to dermatologist and cofounder of LM Medical Morgan Rabach, M.D., the vitamin E “stabilizes vitamin C for maximum skin protection, and ferulic acid helps lower the pH level, so your skin can use the vitamins easily.” The result is a stable, powerful serum that gets the job done.

Sarah Wu





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Casper Glow Light Review: A Ticket to Deeper, Better Sleep


Picture this: You’re finally in bed after a long day of working at home, there’s 15 minutes left of Tiger King, and your eyes are starting to feel heavy. You turn over to your partner and coo, “Babe, can you please turn off the lights?” Neither of you wants to leave the soft folds of your bed sheets and perfectly fluffy pillows, but someone has to be the sacrificial lamb. Now, imagine the same scenario where neither of you has to exit the warm cocoon. Instead, a self-dimming, warm light lulls you both to sleep as the credits start to roll. The. Dream.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, that’s totally fair. Allow me to introduce you to The Casper Glow Light. I wrote about them earlier this month, but with coronavirus precautions in full swing, they’ve quickly become a staple in my new wind-down routine. The Glow Lights quickly trick my mind into off-mode after spending hours hunched over my laptop in a dimly lit apartment (who would ever think I’d miss working under fluorescents?).

These clever night lights are about the same size as my two-year-old succulents, and they are unlike anything else I own, making them one my favorite sleep discoveries. My home is the furthest thing from “smart”—for one, I’m paranoid of having too much tech in the house and for two, I think having a Siri or Alexa can be more hassle than they’re worth. But I made an exception to bring these little cuties into my place while testing products for Sleep Month—and what first sold me was the fact that, well, you can name them.

Before the lights arrived, I felt like any expecting parent would. I had a running list of names, but it wasn’t until they were fully charged and glowing that I had my epiphany. It was like they woke up and spoke to me. They come with preset names when you first sync them to the Casper App—I believe mine were Soho and Broadway—but I quickly changed them to Lux and Lumin (Latin names, obviously, because they’re chic) and grouped them as Solaris. (PS: The more Glow Lights you have, the more groups you can create.) Maybe it sounds silly to you but these were never just lights to me. I don’t have room for pets (or kids for that matter) in my current New York City apartment, so personifying these inanimate objects is as close as it gets for me and my boyfriend. And just as my mother mixes up mine and my brother’s name, I regularly forget who Lux and Lumin are (they look so alike…) but I love them both equally.

One of the most glorious things about the Casper Glow Light is that everything is synced to an app. It’s super easy to turn them on or off with a single tap. You can manually adjust the brightness by giving the lamps a gentle twist, or if you’re like me, you can use the digital controls and call it a night. I like to play with the settings—adjusting the brightness to my mood (from ‘Not bright at all’ to ‘As bright as can be’) and setting timers (15 minutes to 90 minutes) for when I want to sleep. You can also set wake-up alarms, which slowly fill your bedroom with soft light in the morning as opposed to the stress-inducing sound of a phone alarm going off at 6:30 a.m.

Other than setting timers to lull me to sleep or slowly wake me up, another way I get to use out of the Glow Lights is by using them as reading lamps. As mentioned, the lighting situation in my apartment is kind of dark—think moody, warm light—which makes it hard to read in the evenings. Since the Glow Lights are portable, I can keep one by my side or even hold it in my hand to illuminate the pages. The lights are also great for running into the bathroom or scurrying into the kitchen in the middle of the night. I can just give them a little shake and be on my merry way. Another great thing is that they hold their charge—unlike batteries on other home tech products I’ve tested. I’ll usually leave my Glow Lights on their charging dock when not in use, so they tend to last a few days without needing a recharge.



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Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask Review: Why It's Worth It


It’s nearly impossible to talk about the best lip balms without mentioning the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. The K-Beauty brand’s little pink tub has sold out multiple times since it arrived to the U.S. a few years ago and is praised for saving dry, cracked lips. So no surprise, when Glamour readers were asked to weigh in on their all-time favorite balms for this year’s Glamour Beauty Awards, this took home the crown.

As its name implies, the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is a leave-on mask that soothes and moisturizes lips overnight. Which is just a fancy way of saying it’s a really thick, nutrient-rich balm that goes to work to while you’re asleep (although, it’s so good, I wear it 24/7). It’s got all the good things you want in a balm: hydrating hyaluronic acid, brightening vitamin C, and antioxidants that work together to form a barrier over your lips to lock in moisture. Plus, the flavors are incredible. It comes in vanilla, apple lime, grapefruit, and the original berry, which features a delicious-smelling blend of raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, and blueberry extracts (the latter is my fave).

The instructions ask you to apply a generous layer, which I do—and with reckless abandon. Most skin care products require “just a tiny bit,” so being able to slather on as much as I want feels like a necessary indulgence.

Despite being thick and goopy, the balm sinks into my lips within 15 or so minutes. It’s not tacky at all, and it wears off slowly as you sleep. You’re supposed to gently wipe or wash it off in the morning, but I rarely do. My desert-dry lips just soak up all of it—every night without fail.

I usually stash different lip balms in my coat pockets and bags, but the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is the one product I can actually rely on to do the work. It comes with a small applicator, which is my least favorite part about it since I find it hard to clean afterward, so I tend to use a Q-Tip instead. And actually, since our lips are relatively small compared to our faces, the tub lasts for months. (For the record, I’ve had mine for over a year.)

I’m usually to hard please when it comes to lip stuff. I need something that doesn’t dry out my lips more (I’m constantly licking them, although I know I shouldn’t), but is also low-maintenance. Bonus points if it looks pretty on my top shelf. My one gripe with other lip masks or scrubs is that it’s a whole process. You have to scoop, scrub, wipe, rinse…it’s too much. I just want something I can put on and forget about. Luckily, this is it for me.

And even though there’s no kissing happening once I have it on, the baby soft, smooth lips I get in the morning are totally worth it for me—and clearly, 13,000 other Glamour readers too.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

Sephora

$20

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See all 249 winners from this year’s Glamour Beauty Awards here.



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Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream Review: Worth the Money


Every year, when the cold weather finally begins to wear and spring really starts to bloom, two things happen to me: my family in the Philippines implores us to come and visit them (our spring is their summertime), and I dust off my Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. While it’s impossible for me to spontaneously book a two-week trip to the Philippines (especially in the time of a global pandemic), I can reach for my big yellow tub o’ cream and feel like summer is truly within reach.

I’ve always had a soft spot for tropical ingredients you might not find in popular beauty products. As a kid, my mom rubbed virgin coconut oil into my hair, massaged papaya soap into my skin, and slathered seaweed masks onto my face. She’d swear that these ingredients were the real secret to beauty products that worked—not the kind you’d find at your local drugstores in the States. It should come as no surprise, then, that I’ve been a loyal Sol de Janeiro customer for a few years now. I was first introduced to the brand by its Coco Cabana Cream (imagine coconut lotion teaming up with water cream) and eventually made my way to its marquee product, the Brazilian Bum Bum Cream.

If you can’t tell by the name, the product (pronounced Boom Boom in case you were wondering) is advertised as your butt’s best friend. In addition to being a great lotion, it’s supposed to firm and tighten areas that may have cellulite or dimples and give an all-around toned appearance to your skin. I was intrigued by this, mainly because my butt is not, in fact, soft like a baby’s bottom—that is until I met this cream.

First, let’s get one thing straight: This is not your normal body butter. When you apply it, like a popsicle on a hot summer sidewalk, it melts into your skin and leaves a dewy, velvety finish. You know those body butters that make you afraid to sit down after applying, for fear of leaving a greasy stain on your leather Article couch?? Not the Bum Bum Cream. This leaves you feeling perfectly moisturized without any residue for hours on end. Plus, there’s a very subtle sheen to the formula—so you feel like silk and look like it, too.

When you first open it, you’re hit with an intense and pleasant smell. People describe this cream as “vacation in a tub” and they’re not wrong—it smells like a vanilla bean ordered a margarita and then lit some Palo Santo. That’s because the lotion is infused with all kinds of delicious ingredients pulled right out of a Rio de Janeiro travel brochure. It’s blended with antioxidants from Amazonian fruit, coconut oil, and (the star ingredients) cupuaçu butter and Guarana. The butter is full of fatty-acids to lock in moisture, while the Guarana is loaded with caffeine—making it the Bum Bum Cream’s main firming agent. You’re supposed to apply it in small, circular motions over areas you want to tighten-up, like your bum, or your thighs, arms, and anywhere else.

Many reviewers love the cream for its firming qualities alone, and while I can’t say that it’s wiped away any skin dimples, that’s not why I keep coming back. I just love how hydrated it leaves me feeling (without aggravating my sensitive, eczema-laden skin). The only other lotion that has a similar smoothing effect is Augustinus Bader’s The Body Cream, which costs for a cool $165. Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream on the other hand is $45. And little goes such a long way, it lasts you forever. So, if you don’t want to break the bank for an all-over cream, buy the Bum Bum. Trust me.

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream

Sol de Janeiro

$45

Buy Now

See all 249 winners from this year’s Glamour Beauty Awards here. Shanna Shipin is the commerce editor at Glamour. Follow her @shannashipin.





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