Your 30s and 40s are what some would consider the best years of your life. You’re no longer “figuring it out,” but you aren’t “old” by society’s ageist standards either. It should be a sweet spot—right? But despite the illusion of stability and security, it’s also common for anxiety and self-doubt to worsen during your most “put-together” decades, research shows.
“There’s this expectation from society that by this time, you have a career path. You get married. You have children,” Kristen Jacobsen, LCPC, owner of Cathartic Space Counseling in Chicago and author of Unpacked: How to Detach From the Subconscious Beliefs That Are Sabotaging Your Lifetells SELF. Therefore, if you’re 40 and still questioning who you are, it can feel as if you’re “behind.”
But even for those who have checked these boxes, anxiety in your 30s can still hit hard, Jacobsen says: At this stage in life, every decision can feel high-stakes and seemingly permanent—like there’s less room to experiment, no space to take risks and “fail,” and fewer opportunities to pivot.
While the roadmap for adulthood is less rigid today (with people marrying later, switching careers more often, and redefining what “stability” even means), the pressure for many hasn’t disappeared. In fact, it’s just become more internalized, Jacobsen points out—which doesn’t just cause catastrophizing: It can also make you more sensitive to how others see you.
Why criticism hits harder in your 30s and 40s
When you were younger, you might have guessed that by your 30s and 40s, you’d be too “grown up” to care about others’ petty judgments. Jacobsen says she sees otherwise in her practice. “I work with a lot of clients [in this age range],” she says. “And if they haven’t met certain ‘milestones,’ they spiral over even small questions like, ‘Oh, are you dating?’ ‘Are you planning on having kids soon?’”
Part of this is internalized: if you believe you’re not established, even well-meaning comments about your job, family, or life choices can seem like confirmation from others that you’re not measuring up.
This sensitivity can be especially intense for new moms—many of whom, of course, are in their 30s and 40s. “They experience something called ‘matrescense,’ a profound identity shift similar to what we go through during puberty in adolescence,” Jacobsen explains. “When someone becomes a mother for the first time, they no longer have a solid foundation of who they are,” which can make outside opinions land harder. That’s why a casual comment about feeding choices, sleep routines, or returning to work doesn’t always register as neutral or helpful, but rather as an attack for parenting “wrong.”
The fragrance manufacturer is expanding its palette of fragrance precursors with the launch of Scentaurus PolyDouxa fruity gourmand note described as offering a long-lasting blend of fruity raspberry and powdery sweet vanilla. Givaudan claims the addition unlocks new creative possibilities for personal care applications like shampoos.
A fragrance precursor is a low-odour molecule that releases fragrant molecules when exposed to a natural external trigger such as oxygen, light or humidity in the air, extending scent notes over days. Givaudan debuted this technology with the launch of Scentaurus Tonkarose in 2006. The line now includes six notes (Vanilla, Melrose, Tonkarose, Clean, Juicy and Berry), to which Polydoux is added.
An oxygen-activated precursor, Scentaurus PolyDoux can be blended with other precursors from the Givaudan exclusive collection.
“This latest discovery excels in superior adhesion to hair, unleashing high-impact odorants. Integrated into our Givaudan perfumers’ creative process as a formulation tool, it enables tailor-made signatures that maximise long-lastingness across shampoos, fabric conditioners, and laundry detergents,” said Agnes Bombrun, Head of Ingredients Research, Fragrance S&T at Givaudan.
In addition to haircare applications, Scentaurus PolyDoux also addresses the booming market for cleaning sportswear and leisure clothing, particularly synthetic fabrics.
“I’ve never liked concealer under the eyes. I don’t understand why we collectively decided under-eye circles are the devil.” Dick Page, T Magazine
I’m enjoying T Magazine’s recommendations from what’s in Dick Page’s make-up bag. The OG ‘no make-up make-up’ king (think 90s Harper’s Bazaar shoots and Calvin Klein shows), he rates Glossier foundation*, 19/99 barely-there mascara*– I love it too – and a brown pencil smudged around the eye with a finger to add depth.
Also recommended in Dick’s picks for the T Magazine ‘Beauty School’ feature, a one-step men’s moisturiser and a $10 brow gel. I currently use theBlink Brow Bar Clear Brow Gloss* and I used to love the MAC one (although I’m not crazy about the latest formula*).
Side note: Amazon’s £8 magnifying mirror* is very good and no, I generally don’t buy much from Amazon for obvious reasons.
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WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla IMAGES: David Sims NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links* and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here.
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Butter yellow may still be an “it” color in the beauty industry, but one area where you’ll want no part of the trend is your teeth. But what happens when traditional teeth whitening leaves sensitive teeth in, at best, discomfort, or, at worst, agony? Are there any options where sensitive smiles don’t have to live with unsightly surface stains and an overall yellowish hue?
Featured Experts
What Causes Sensitive Teeth?
Sensitive teeth occur when the enamel that protects teeth begins to deteriorate, exposing the tooth’s underlying dentin, or nerve endings. “Sensitivity is essentially the tooth’s nerve responding to external stimuli like temperature or acidity,” says Rockville, MD cosmetic dentist Joe Kravitz, DDS.
An erosion of enamel can be attributed to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, aggressive brushing, exposure to acidic foods and drinks, gum recession, cracked teeth, cavities, teeth clenching or grinding (also known as bruxism), recent dental procedures and even genetics. Chicago cosmetic dentist Jen Moran-Kobes, DDS says whitening can increase teeth sensitivity by opening enamel pores, exposing nerves to the elements and causing pain.
Can Tooth Sensitivity Ever Improve?
“Identifying and treating the root cause [of tooth sensitivity] is key,” says Dr. Moran-Kobes, but luckily most instances of tooth sensitivity can be managed and may be entirely reversible with simple at-home tweaks to your dental routine. “Using a desensitizing toothpaste containing potassium nitrate or stannous fluoride, switching to a soft-bristled toothbrush, avoiding acidic foods and strengthening enamel with fluoride treatments are all effective strategies,” adds Dr. Kravitz, who stresses it’s important to treat sensitivity and any underlying dental issues before a whitening treatment of any kind.
If sensitivity is severe or persistent, however, a trip to a board-certified dentist is crucial for a proper diagnosis. “They can provide treatments like fluoride gels, inlays or bonding to fix problems and protect your teeth,” says New York cosmetic dentist Lana Rozenberg, DDS. “In severe cases, a dentist may recommend a gum graft or root canal treatment.”
Restoring a Whiter Smile, Pain-Free
Stains from coffee, tea, wine, tobacco and certain foods darken teeth over time, and a thinner enamel is what causes a yellowish hue (the dentin underneath) to show through. The goal of both at-home and professional teeth whitening treatments is to remove those surface stains and lighten the deeper internal discoloration. “Teeth whitening agents work by using mild abrasives— like baking soda—to scrub surface stains and bleaching agents—like hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide—to break down deep stains,” explains Dr. Rozenberg.
How to Prep Sensitive Teeth for Whitening
Once sensitivity issues have been addressed and/or managed and you’re ready to attempt whitening, preparation is critical. All of the doctors interviewed for this story recommend using a desensitizing toothpaste for at least two weeks before a whitening treatment of any kind, whether it’s at-home strips, custom gel trays or an in-office option. Dr. Kravitz also advises using fluoride rinses or professional fluoride treatments to help strengthen enamel and reduce post-whitening discomfort. Avoiding acidic foods and drinks, such as coffee, citrus fruits, soda and tomato sauce, is crucial, too, Dr. Rozenberg says, as they can negatively affect results and increase sensitivity.
In-Office vs. At-Home Whitening
When teeth are moderately to severely sensitive, Dr. Kravitz says that in-office whitening is typically considered safer because it’s supervised and tailored to the patient. Dr. Rozenberg adds that in-office sensitivity protocols and protective measures may include mandatory dental health checks, gum isolation, customized control over bleaching agents and concentration amounts, and a professional desensitizing treatment.
If you’ve had negative past experiences with in-office whitening, don’t fret. Thanks to advances in technology, many at-home products are now formulated to be gentler on enamel and can work well for those with mild sensitivity if used properly and gradually, says Dr. Kravitz. There’s also a third option you may not have considered: custom trays from dentists themselves. “Many sensitive patients do best with professionally supervised at-home whitening using custom trays,” says Dr. Moran-Kobes. “This allows for lower concentrations, shorter wear times and greater control.”
Gentle and Bright
Dentist-approved at-home teeth whiteners for sensitive smiles.
1 / 4
“Ideal for those with sensitive teeth or a preference for natural ingredients, these strips are peroxide-free and use a blend of essential oils and Dead Sea salt to lift stains gently,” says Dr. Rozenberg.
2 / 4
To strengthen your enamel and whiten your teeth simultaneously, swap your traditional toothpaste for this minty-fresh, sensitivity-reducing option.
3 / 4
A gentler version of the brand’s best-selling strips, this formula uses a lower peroxide concentration for gradual whitening with minimal irritation, and can remove 15 years of stains in two weeks.
4 / 4
Made with potassium nitrate and fluoride to reduce sensitivity and strengthen enamel, respectively, these prefilled gel trays mold to your teeth for uniform coverage, and whiten up to five shades in 10 days.
GLP-1 medications are more popular than ever, as science continues to discover new ways they can be used to address a variety of health conditions—from managing type 2 diabetes and obesity to reducing addictive behaviors and even lowering your dementia risk. One exciting and developing finding is that GLP-1s can improve fertility in certain women, particularly those struggling with overweight or obesity, or who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). GLP-1 medications can actually increase some women’s chances of getting pregnant.
But because GLP-1 medications—including semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound)—are relatively new and research is ongoing, experts advise against using them during pregnancy.
So if you’ve been taking a GLP-1 to lose weight, control your blood sugar, or increase your odds of having a baby, then you might have to hit pause at some point. The good news is that with the right planning, it’s possible to balance both your personal health goals and your pregnancy.
How GLP-1s impact fertility
Research shows that having high blood sugar and excess fat in the body—even if you don’t have type 2 diabetes—can affect whether you ovulate every month, Christina Boots, MD, a board-certified ob-gyn at Northwestern Medicine who specializes in reproductive endocrinology, tells SELF. “There’s some data to suggest that up to a third of women with a really high BMI don’t ovulate regularly, or they start to become irregular,” she says. Meanwhile, people with PCOS tend to have elevated levels of testosterone, which can affect the egg follicles in your ovaries, increase insulin resistance, and encourage fat storage—all of which can throw off your ovulation.
So in controlling blood sugar and reducing fat in the body, GLP-1 medications “can make ovulation more predictable, which means that people then may get pregnant sooner than expected,” says Kimberly Sampson-Paine, MD, a double board-certified ob-gyn and obesity medicine specialist at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.
This isn’t unique to GLP-1 medications. Taking a medication like metformin, which improves insulin sensitivity regardless of weight loss, can help some women with PCOS ovulate regularly. But the big advantage of GLP-1s is that they not only help with insulin sensitivity (thereby lowering blood sugar), but they support weight loss too.
“They’re like super-sized treatment options,” says Dr. Boots. They’re also impactful because some IVF clinics have BMI restrictions, often because providers can’t safely do IVF or put patients to sleep for egg retrieval if their BMI is over 45. GLP-1s can help patients who are overweight or obese reach a weight that allows them to access these effective reproductive technologies too.
In an era where digital spaces shape how we learn, organize, work, and build community, the internet is far from neutral—especially for Black women. Online platforms can be sites of connection and creativity, but they are also environments where surveillance, harassment, and systemic bias are deeply embedded. Against this complex backdrop, two scholars are reframing the narrative, insisting that Black women are not merely surviving digital spaces, but actively transforming them.
At the forefront of this work are Dr. DeLisha Tapscott and Dr. Nardos Ghebreabco-founders of Black Girl Narrativea research-driven storytelling collective dedicated to reimagining how Black women experience safety, joy, and power online. Their collaboration sits at the intersection of rigorous research and cultural insight, blending data, lived experience, and Black feminist thought to tell fuller, more accurate stories about digital life. Rather than centering harm alone, their work illuminates the creativity, resistance, and care Black women cultivate—often in spaces never designed with them in mind.
Photo Credit: Black Girl Narrative Team
Their groundbreaking report, The Love We Code: Black Women, Digital Safe Havens, and Resistance, offers a powerful examination of how Black women build and sustain online communities despite facing disproportionate rates of digital harassment, job precarity, and structural exclusion within the tech industry.
Drawing on qualitative research and Black feminist methodologies, Dr. Tapscott and Dr. Ghebreab show that digital safety is not merely about protection from harm, but about the freedom to exist, create, and organize without constant threat.
What sets Dr. Tapscott and Dr. Ghebreab apart is the depth and range of their combined expertise. With backgrounds spanning digital equity, education, technology policy, and Black feminist research, they bring a multidisciplinary lens to questions many institutions struggle to answer. Their work speaks simultaneously to scholars, technologists, educators, and cultural workers—offering language and evidence for experiences long understood but rarely validated at scale.
Through Black Girl Narrative, they position storytelling as both method and intervention. Stories become data. Lived experience becomes evidence. And Black women’s digital practices are recognized not as anomalies, but as innovations born from necessity and vision.
Already, their work has sparked critical conversations across academic, tech, and cultural communities, influencing how organizations think about online safety, representation, and power.
Photo Credit: Black Girl Narrative Team
Mo Clark: What inspired the name Black Girl Narrative, and how does it reflect your mission today?
BGN: Black Girl Narrative started from a need to reclaim the stories people often take from us or flatten. The name reflects our commitment to building a space where Black women’s experiences are centered without apology or translation. We are driven by four pillars that shape everything we make: research, advocacy, education, and storytelling. Together, these pillars allow us to gather our stories, analyze the systems surrounding them, and build public spaces where Black women feel held, understood, and reflected back with depth.
Mo Clark: When you imagine a digital safe haven, what does that space look and feel like for Black women?
BGN: A digital safe haven feels like a corner of the internet where Black women do not have to brace ourselves before we log on. It is a space grounded in care, clarity, and community. A place where we do not have to overexplain our experiences, where our joy is not questioned, and where our vulnerability is not weaponized. Our research showed that many Black women retreat to private spaces because harm is so common. A safe haven is the opposite of that. It feels spacious. It feels intentional. It feels like exhaling.
Mo Clark: How did your personal journeys as scholars and storytellers shape The Love We Code report?
BGN: The Love We Code was led by DeLisha, rooted in her academic work on digital relationships, misogynoir, and algorithmic bias. Nardos is deeply connected to its vision, because the findings speak directly to the realities we have lived online as Black women. We approached the report with two understandings. First, that the digital world is not a separate world for us; it is woven into our daily life, identity, work, and community. Second, that data without narrative cannot explain the full truth. Our goal was to create research that reflects the lives, emotions, and memory work Black women carry online.
Mo Clark: What surprised you most during your research about how Black women build community online?
BGN: What surprised us most was the level of intentional care Black women extend to one another in digital environments that often do not protect us. Even in the midst of misogynoir, harassment, and surveillance, we saw Black women building group chats, healing spaces, and support networks that function like digital sisterhood. Women told us that their online communities have held them through grief, joy, transitions, motherhood, breakups, and the quiet moments of everyday life. That type of care is not accidental. It is cultural. It is generational. And it shows up even in the most unpredictable digital spaces.
Mo Clark: How do you balance data-driven research with the emotional depth of storytelling?
BGN: We do not see them as two separate practices. Data reveals patterns, but stories reveal the truth behind the pattern. Our work holds both. We lean on research to understand the scale of what Black women face online. We lean on storytelling to understand the human impact. Together, those pieces allow us to create work that is rigorous without being detached and emotional without becoming sentimental. Black women deserve both accuracy and depth, not one or the other.
Photo Credit: Black Girl Narrative Team
Mo Clark: What role do joy and rest play in your digital strategy and community-building work?
BGN: Joy and rest are part of our methodology. They guide how we show up digitally and what we create. Because the digital world can drain Black women, we intentionally build space where we can slow down and be more than our reactions to harm. That is why our Substack often explores the quieter parts of life: sleep, frustration, boundaries, care work, humor, grief, soft moments with family, and the pace of our days. These pieces sit alongside our research because joy and rest are not separate from our work. They are part of what keeps Black women whole enough to tell the truth.
Mo Clark: How do you hope people feel when they first visit your platforms?
BGN: We want our platforms to feel like a home with multiple rooms. Substack is the living room, the place where you sit down, breathe, and read something reflective. Instagram is the porch, where the community gathers, shares what is on their mind, and feels held in a public yet grounded space. Threads is the bedroom, the quieter conversation where we speak more freely and share what we might not say out loud anywhere else. Across all three, we want Black women to feel welcome, seen, and unburdened.
Mo Clark: What legacy do you hope this new chapter of BGN leaves for the next generation of Black women creators?
BGN: We hope they inherit more than inspiration. We want to leave them infrastructure and language. A blueprint for storytelling that honors nuance and complexity. We want the next generation to have a digital ecosystem that does not treat Black women as content but as culture. We want them to inherit archives that remember us, reports that protect us, community spaces that uplift us, and the freedom to build work that does not compromise their identity or voice. If anything, we want them to inherit proof that their stories deserve to take up space without permission.
What BGN Has Coming Up in 2026
In 2026, Black Girl Narrative is focusing on defining our archive and expanding our cultural production work. We are building the living archive website to sit alongside our short-form film, Dear Black Girl Who Stayed Online Anyway, and launching the full 2026 BGN Report in the fall. We are also planning archival projects to build a living, digital ecosystem that holds the stories, memories, and cultural production of Black women across generations. In addition, we are laying the foundation for a BGN Scholarship that will award scholarships to Black women building in the arts and culture through archival and storytelling-based projects. For us, this next chapter is about building a body of work that honors memory, storytelling, and the evolution of Black womanhood.
Activated charcoal and I met when I was a third-year medical student, helping treat a young overdose patient in the emergency department. I used it countless times during my years as an ER doc, and saw it save more than a few lives. On Sunday morning shifts, we could always identify the patients who had been brought in intoxicated and unconscious by the telltale black ring around their lips—they had all been treated with activated charcoal in an effort to prevent drugs from causing dangerous toxicity.
So yes. It works.
The more interesting question is how—and whether that same mechanism translates into skincare and teeth whitening.
What Is Charcoal?
Charcoal is made from wood or coconut shells by heating them at very high temperatures (800–1200 degrees) with very low oxygen concentrations. This slow process removes methane, hydrogen, and tar from the source material, reducing its weight by roughly 75% and leaving behind a concentrated, carbon-rich structure.
At this stage, charcoal can be used as fuel. It burns hotter and cleaner than raw wood.
But it’s the activation step that transforms ordinary charcoal into the medical-grade substance used in emergency departments.
How Does Charcoal Become Activated?
Activation is typically done using chemicals or steam—we use steam-activated charcoal in our products.
The charcoal is exposed to extremely high temperatures with steam, which opens up its carbon structure and dramatically increases its porosity. The end result is an incredibly porous form of carbon with an enormous internal surface area—tons of open spaces with which to bind other substances.
And this is where things get crazy.
How Does Activated Charcoal Work?
One tablespoon of activated charcoal powder has roughly the same surface area as two football fields.
Two. Football. Fields.
That massive surface area gives activated charcoal its binding power. Through a process called adsorption—not absorption—molecules adhere to the surface of the charcoal.
This is precisely why we use it in the emergency room. In cases of overdose, if a toxin is still in the stomach or upper intestine and hasn’t yet been absorbed into the bloodstream, activated charcoal can bind to it. Activated charcoal is administered through a tube going from the mouth or nose into the stomach; the charcoal itself is not absorbed by the body—it passes through the digestive tract, carrying the bound toxin with it.
It does not work for every toxin, should always be administered by medical personnel, and it is not a DIY detox solution.
But its unparalleled ability to bind certain substances is the reason it’s used in the following settings:
Emergency medicine
Water filtration systems
Air purification
Environmental cleanup
Alcohol purification
Decaffeination processes
And, wait for it….skincare!
Does Activated Charcoal Detox Your Skin?
“Detox” is a loaded word.
Your liver and kidneys detox your body. Charcoal does not magically pull toxins out of your bloodstream through your skin.
What activated charcoal can do topically is bind to surface-level impurities—oil, debris, pollutants, and certain environmental contaminants—before they are rinsed away.
Because of its adsorption capacity, activated charcoal can:
Help remove excess sebum
Bind particulate pollution
Improve the feel of congested skin
Temporarily reduce the appearance of clogged pores
But here’s the important nuance that a lot of skincare influencers don’t understand: charcoal binds broadly. It doesn’t distinguish between “bad” and “good.” Used too frequently, it can disrupt the skin barrier by removing beneficial lipids.
That’s why proportion and formulation matter.
We use activated bamboo charcoal in our Detox Exfoliating Mask alongside organic manuka honey and raw cacao to help replenish what charcoal removes. We recommend using it once a week—not daily.
We also use activated charcoal in Oh So Detox soap, where it’s balanced with olive oil and shea butter. That bar contains no essential oils, making it appropriate for sensitive skin or noses and for those managing eczema or psoriasis.
Exfo Body Soap is our body breakout bar, and uses activated charcoal in combination with ground walnut hull and essential oils of lemongrass and niaouli to help smooth textured skin and calm active breakouts.
And contrary to popular belief, there’s no charcoal in our beloved Black Clay Facial Soap. We don’t think daily facial charcoal use is ideal for most skin types.
Does Activated Charcoal Whiten Teeth?
Charcoal whitens teeth using the same adsorption principle. It binds to certain surface stains—particularly those from coffee, tea, and red wine.
When I tried it, I noticed a subtle improvement. Not a holy-moly, movie-star smile. But cleaner-looking enamel.
That said, there are caveats:
It is messy.
It tastes like you faceplanted in a fireplace.
Overuse may be abrasive to enamel, depending on the formulation.
Inhalation of loose powder can irritate the lungs.
If you experiment, mash the powder into a dampened toothpaste before brushing and avoid inhaling it. Or use professionally formulated charcoal dental products designed to minimize abrasion.
Is Activated Charcoal Safe?
In medical settings, activated charcoal is safe when administered appropriately.
In skincare, it is generally safe when:
Used in well-formulated products
Used intermittently rather than daily
Paired with replenishing ingredients
Avoided on compromised or severely dry skin
It is not a substitute for medical detox. It does not “cleanse your bloodstream.” And oral use outside medical supervision can interfere with medications and nutrient absorption.
As with most powerful tools, the magic lies in proper context.
FAQ: Activated Charcoal
Can activated charcoal remove toxins from your body?
Only in very specific situations—primarily when administered medically after certain poisonings or overdoses. It does not detox your bloodstream through your skin.
Is activated charcoal good for acne?
It may help reduce excess oil and surface impurities that contribute to breakouts. It is best used intermittently and combined with barrier-supporting ingredients.
Can you use activated charcoal every day?
For most skin types, daily use is excessive. Once or twice weekly is usually sufficient.
Does activated charcoal absorb or adsorb toxins?
Adsorb. Molecules adhere to the surface of the charcoal rather than being absorbed into it.
Is charcoal toothpaste safe?
Occasional use is generally safe, but daily aggressive brushing with abrasive charcoal powders may contribute to enamel wear. Choose formulations carefully.
So, there you have it. The lowdown on activated charcoal. After seeing activated charcoal literally save lives in the ER, and understanding the organic chemistry behind it, I can tell you this: it’s not hype. It’s science. And when used thoughtfully, it’s a little dose of black magic in the best possible way.
With love and detoxified everything,
The information contained in this post is for educational interest only. This information is not intended to be used for diagnosis or treatment of any physical or mental illness, disease, or skin conditions.
References
American Academy of Clinical Toxicology and European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists. Position statement: single-dose activated charcoal. Clin Toxicol. 1997.
Vale JA, Kulig K. Position paper: gastric lavage. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 2004.
Cooney DO. Activated Charcoal in Medical Applications. Marcel Dekker, 1995.
Gupta VK, et al. Adsorption of dyes and heavy metals using activated carbon. J Environ Manage. 2009.
Brooks JK, Bashirelahi N, Reynolds MA. Charcoal and charcoal-based dentifrices: A literature review. J Am Dent Assoc. 2017.
Celebrity manicurist Zola Ganzorigt practically wrote the book on viral nail looks. When she’s not dreaming up designs or new trends for her cool-girl clients (Hailey Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter and Kendall Jenner are just a few), she’s sharing tips for upgrading your manicure. Her latest Instagram post is a prime example. It doesn’t feature nail art, but it does showcase the perfect nude—or, as Ganzorigt calls it, “the ultimate clean girl nail.”
While delicate designs and trendy finishes are staples for the artist, she’s equally known for chic, natural manicures. Her latest set is a fresh take on the au naturel nail, created with OPI gel polish in the shade Put It In Airplane Mode. The semi-sheer formula has a light pink tint that mimics the look of natural nails. The result is elegant and as refined and dreamy as you’d expect from her catalogue of work.
The look debuted on her Instagram Stories before earning a permanent spot on her grid. In the clip, she builds the color with three thin coats on long oval nails, then finishes with a gel top coat. The layering technique gives the polish that sweet-spot finish—sheer but not transparent. In the caption, she calls the shade a “must have.”
If you’ve been following Ganzorigt—or her clients—you’ve likely spotted the hue before. Just weeks ahead of Valentine’s Day, she used the same OPI shade as the base for a heart-adorned manicure. Her affinity for barely-there, nude-leaning polishes runs deep, so when she labels one a staple, we take note.
Tempted to recreate the look? See below for the exact bottles she used.
“I like to think of exercise as a bit of a buffer,” Hillary Ammon, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at the Center for Anxiety and Women’s Emotional Wellness, tells SELF. “In stressful situations, individuals who work out routinely may be slightly more resilient because their stress-related hormones and neurotransmitters may be positively impacted by exercise, meaning stress levels may not get quite as high.”
Working out can also give you a feeling of pride and accomplishment, Thea Gallagher, PsyD, clinical associate professor at NYU Langone Health and cohost of the Mind in View podcast, tells SELF. “We don’t know all the mechanisms behind it, but we do know that it typically makes us feel less anxious and depressed,” she says.
Doing things to support your physical health, like cardio, can also have a positive impact on your mind, Dr. Gallagher says. “For so long, exercise has been linked to shape and body image, but it’s actually good for mental health management,” she adds.
Consistent exercise can help lower your stress levels and improve your sleep too—and those can ultimately lower overall feelings of anxiety, Caitlin Mooney, MD, assistant professor in the department of sports medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, tells SELF.
As for resiliency, Dr. Gallagher points out that exercise forces you to be a little mentally tougher. “Hard exercise is challenging and you have to push through,” she says. “You’re practicing resilience with exercise and that can make other things feel more manageable.”
Resiliency isn’t a fixed personality trait, Dr. Mooney says. “It’s influenced by trainable cognitive, behavioral, and biological factors,” she says. Meaning, even if you feel like you’re not the most resilient person out there, that can change over time.
Sports and exercise build resilience in a practical way, Dr. Mooney says. “They provide repeated opportunities to approach manageable challenges, tolerate discomfort, and build mastery through exposure, rather than reinforcing avoidance,” she says. “Training for something can also provide structure, identity, and meaning.”
How to put this to work for you
Everyone can benefit from the mental health perks of cardio, including those who tend to throttle high or who have conditions like generalized anxiety disorder, Dr. Gallagher says. Some people with anxiety prefer intense exercise, while others feel they get more out of gentler movements, Dr. Ammon says. “I’ve worked with some anxious clients who prefer high intensity workouts, as these types of workouts ‘turn off’ their thoughts and help them work the physical tension of anxiety out of their body,” she says. But others like slower-paced workouts. “A combo of both could be beneficial for the mind and the body,” Dr. Ammon says.
Dr. Moore shares the story of a patient who spent nearly five years and hundreds of dollars trying to correct facial redness with skincare products. She had type 1 rosacea but believed she simply had sensitive skin or adult acne.
The breakthrough came when Dr. Moore explained that her redness was caused by dilated blood vessels located deep in the dermis well beyond the reach of any topical skincare product. Her treatment plan included three VBeam sessions followed by a light chemical peel to improve texture.
The results were transformative. After her second treatment, the patient was able to stop wearing heavy foundation for the first time in years. By the end of her third session, the visible veins around her nose had disappeared and her chronic flushing had significantly improved.
“She realized that while she had been spending money on temporary topical solutions, the laser treatment addressed the root cause of her redness,” Dr. Moore noted. It’s a common revelation for rosacea patients who’ve been cycling through products without understanding that their condition requires vascular treatment, not just topical care.
