A glimpse into my bathroom cabinet reveals a final resting place for skincare products that failed to impress me: the cleanser that didn’t quite remove all my mascara; the moisturizer too lightweight to stop that post-cleansing tightness. But mostly, it’s spot treatments that dominate. From hydrocolloid patches to neutralizing gels, few — at least in my experience — actually reduce redness, draw out gunk, and heal breakouts quickly. Having dealt with hormonal acne since I was 11, I’m well-versed. So when The Ordinary reached out about its new Sulfur 10% Powder-to-Cream Concentrate, I sat up and took notice. Mainly because it was unlike any spot treatment I’d tried before. It was a powder, for starters.

The premise is simple: tap the product onto your fingertip, apply it directly to the spot, and gently massage it in. You might be wondering, How does that work? On contact with the skin, the powder transforms into a cream, making application that bit easier. More on that later.

The Ordinary Sulfur 10% Powder-to-Cream Concentrate, $9.90

What is sulfur, and what are the skincare benefits?

As the name suggests, the star ingredient in The Ordinary’s new spot treatment is sulfur. Dr. Zainab Laftah, a consultant dermatologist, says this ingredient has heaps of benefits for breakouts: “Sulfur is a naturally occurring mineral with keratolytic and antibacterial properties that helps exfoliate dead skin cells and reduce excess oil production,” she tells me. Keratolytic essentially means it helps break down and remove the outer layer of those dead skin cells. Dr. Laftah adds that sulfur is effective for treating mild acne by unclogging pores, reducing excess oil, and calming inflammation.

I’ve tried sulfur spot treatments before (we all know Mario Badescu’s Drying Lotion), but most are combined with exfoliating acids that have been too harsh for my sensitive skin — triggering more redness and, eventually, peeling. According to The Ordinary, Sulfur 10% offers a “more gentle approach to targeting blemishes,” and the brand claims it’s ideal for those with sensitive skin. As someone with both, I saw this as a challenge.

Fortunately, Dr. Laftah tells me that sulfur is generally considered less potent than benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid — two popular spot-busting ingredients — which makes it more suitable for mild acne rather than moderate to severe cases. If you fall into the latter camp, she suggests those stronger ingredients might be a better fit. But if you only experience the occasional breakout, sulfur could be your best bet.

How do you use The Ordinary’s new sulfur spot treatment — and is it any good?

When I received this product last month, I had the largest and most painful breakout right in the middle of my nose. I never thought I’d say this, but it couldn’t have come at a better time — so I made a beeline for Sulfur 10%. The opening where the product dispenses is tiny, making it almost impossible to make a mess. I simply tapped a little onto my index finger, carefully brought it up to my nose, pressed it onto the spot, and gently massaged it in until the powder transformed into a cream and then disappeared. The trick is to rub it in — just tapping it on only goes so far. From personal experience, you really have to work the product in to see a real difference in redness and size.

Almost immediately, the redness began to fade. Much like translucent powder — my go-to trick for minimizing the look of breakouts without concealer, which can appear cakey — The Ordinary says the smart formula helps absorb excess oil and reduce visible shine. In doing so, it kind of blurred the breakout, making it much less noticeable. The real magic happened after about an hour: I couldn’t feel the spot pulsating anymore, and when I looked at it from the side, it had visibly deflated.

The powder-to-cream feature is what makes this treatment unique. According to the brand, the formulation team combined powder and liquid at high speed to create “mini capsules” of water encased in the powder. When you press the powder onto your skin, the pressure breaks these capsules, releasing the sulfur directly into your skin. There’s no need to mix it with water or anything else to activate it. Genius, right?

The next day, a breakout appeared on my forehead, so I reached for Sulfur 10% again. Since the breakout was higher up on my face, it was a bit tricky to get the powder to the spot without half of it falling off my finger. Luckily, there’s an easy fix: I tap the product onto my index finger, then press it with my thumb to turn it into a cream before applying, making sure to massage it in properly. Again, I was blown away by the results. The spot shrank in about an hour and never turned into a whitehead, so I shelved my hydrocolloid spot patches. Interestingly, The Ordinary has done the math and claims that just one bottle of Sulfur 10% is equivalent to over 150 acne patches. Because it’s so discreet, you could easily take this on the go. Just make sure that your hands are clean before applying it to avoid spreading bacteria and aggravating breakouts further.

Are there any downsides to using sulfur in skincare?

Once I got the hang of applying it, the only downside for me was the slight eggy smell. “Yes, sulfur can have a strong, unpleasant odour,” Dr. Laftah confirms. I have a very sensitive nose and catch whiffs of it while wearing the treatment, but because it works so well, I can forgive it. Dr. Laftah also notes that some sulfur products may cause dryness, redness, or irritation for sensitive skin. Happily, I experienced none of those things — and my skin is very reactive. Honestly, I prefer sulfur to salicylic acid, which can dry my skin out when the concentration is too high.

At just $9.90, this is my affordable — and discreet — secret weapon for stopping breakouts before they erupt and cause scarring. I know a product is good when the experts are talking about it, too. I’ve even seen esthetician Alicia Lartey waxing lyrical about how it recently eradicated a spot for her. If it’s anything like the brand’s Salicylic Acid 2% Mask, another winner for acne-prone skin, I predict it’ll sell out fast.

The Ordinary’s Sulfur 10% Powder-to-Cream Concentrate, £9.90, is available to buy online at theordinary.com/en-us.

This story was originally published on Refinery29 UK.

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Whether it’s baroque architecture or minimalist café interiors, Copenhagen has style in spades — especially when it comes to fashion. From Ganni to Rotate, the city has led the charge in Scandi cool, with brands championing chic silhouettes, clever layering, and intentional pops of color. But it’s the haircut trends we’ve got our eye on, particularly today — the start of the much-anticipated Copenhagen Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2026.

This week, Copenhagen’s fashion pack are descending on the city’s thoroughfares, and we’re already spoilt for choice when it comes to haircut inspiration. The Scandi hairline? Tick. An abundance of bobs? Check.

In a hair rut? Click through for all of the freshest hair ideas we’ve spotted so far.

All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission.

This story was originally published on Refinery29 UK.

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We like to look at Copenhagen Fashion Week as a precursor of good (and stylish) things ahead. Arriving before the “Big Four” fashion weeks in London, New York, Paris, and Milan, the biannual event is like the amuse-bouche of fashion month — a welcoming sample whetting appetites for the fall frenzy. But that doesn’t make the runways or street style in Denmark’s capital any less worthwhile. In fact, we’d argue the opposite: If we were to stick with our food analogy, it would be serving up a Michelin star-worthy feast.

This is absolutely true of the street style at the spring/summer 2026 edition of Copenhagen Fashion Week, running through August  8. As usual, the Scandi style crowd has made the streets outside the shows their personal catwalks. On every corner, you’ll spot people interpreting the year’s biggest fashion trends with individual flair, in a way that feels authentic to and at home in the effortlessly cool city. It’s the kind of street style that will leave a mark, prompting you to look back at it for inspiration as you get dressed in the season to come. So, with that in mind, scroll on to discover some of our favorite looks from Copenhagen Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2026.

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The script of the past seven days of discourse has followed the same structure as it always does. The classic problematic campaign meets backlash, followed by outrage at the backlash, to why are we still talking about this? pipeline has been in full effect. Every side is playing its part. The “woke left” is calling out eugenics-adjacent language masquerading as a silly denim pun in American Eagle’s “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” ad. The far right are hailing Sweeney as their Aryan princess and chastizing anyone who dares to point out that a white blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman saying she has “good genes” could be interpreted as a racist dogwhistle. The “it’s not that serious” crowd is calling both sides extremist and reactionary. The TikTokers are engagement farming and clout chasing. The social media warriors are fighting on Threads or X or Bluesky or wherever they get their quick takes off these days. Everyone is wrong, and no one is sane. That’s the prevailing internet narrative, anyway, that it’s all outrage for outrage’s sake and Sweeney is just an innocent bystander caught in the crosshairs of the culture war.

Cut to the latest (unsurprising) twist: Buzzfeed reported that Sweeney is a registered Republican in the state of Florida as of 2024. She now has a fan in Donald Trump. Not only is deciding to register as a Republican in 2024 a wild choice considering, well — gestures wildly — everything. But 2024 was the year the party doubled down on its anti-immigration rhetoric, which fueled policies that led to ICE ripping people from the streets and tearing families apart. It was the year they continued their war against reproductive rights and trans people. 2024 was the year the Republican Party re-elected Trump, a convicted rapist, racist and criminal, into office. Again. The Republican Party and its members are exactly who they say they are — so why won’t anyone believe the same about Sweeney?

For the past few years of Sweeney’s rise to fame, she’s been upheld as a beacon of the anti-woke mob, a symbol of Making America Great Again. Finally, the MAGA purists hailed, a thin, white, blonde woman with big boobs is popular again! As if the incremental push for diversity ever really threatened this beauty standard. Heavy sigh. Sweeney has found herself in the middle of online firestorms before, like when her family threw a MAGA-themed birthday party and she posted photos from the event on Instagram (she vaguely denied that the event was “political”). For the most part, I agree that we’re thinking about Sydney Sweeney entirely too much, and that her burgeoning career hasn’t been interesting (or excellent) enough to warrant this much energy. But, like so many celebrities before her, Sweeney’s presence has become a stand-in for something greater than herself. Taylor Swift was once the Great White Hope placed on a pedestal by her whiteness alone, but MAGA knocked her off once she spoke out against Trump and encouraged her fans to vote Democrat.

Now that Sweeney is their icon, you’d think that if she wasn’t aligned with MAGA’s views, she’d want to squash those rumors, too. For whatever reason, instead of coming to the obvious conclusion that Sweeney knows exactly what’s happening and either agrees with these conservative stances or simply just doesn’t care that she’s the poster child for white supremacists, I’ve seen posts and comments trying to explain away Sweeney’s involvement in her string of controversies. She only went to Amazon supervillain Jeff Bezos’ wedding because he’s an investor in her lingerie line! She’s only a registered Republican for tax purposes! Her team is picking these ads for her to do and she’s too naive to stop them! Ignorance as a virtue is something only white women seem to be afforded. Sweeney is 27-years-old, and has been vocal about how involved she is in the business of her brand and her desire to make money beyond acting. American Eagle’s VP of marketing reportedly wrote on LinkedIn that, “During a Zoom call with Sydney, we asked the question, ‘How far do you want to push it?’ Without hesitation, she smirked and said, ‘Let’s push it, I’m game.’”

That does not sound like a woman whose team forced her to star in an ad that was unintentionally provocative. That sounds like Sweeney aimed to provoke — gladly and gleefully. It’s easy to blame the friend who’s “too woke” (don’t get me started on how this word has been stripped of its meaning) for overreacting to an ad American Eagle says was not ill-intentioned. The company released a lackluster statement defending the ad, claiming “[it] is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story.” The Instagram post goes on to say, “Great jeans look good on everyone.” We could take the company trying to sell more denim (American Eagle’s stock has reportedly risen since the backlash) at face value, and pretend alongside them that this was all an innocent misunderstanding. But we’re too smart for that. Marketing campaigns go through many checks and balances. There are full teams hired to predict backlash, to gauge potential interpretations and mitigate risk. Once more for the people in the back: Sydney Sweeney and American Eagle knew exactly what they were doing.

“Jeans are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color,” Sweeney says in the ad, reminiscent of another controversial denim commercial starring a then-15-year-old Brooke Shields. Even if people had overlooked the eugenics dogwhistle, I refuse to believe the actress and AE didn’t know there would be blowback to the nostalgic reverence of an ad that was criticized for sexualizing a minor. They wanted our outrage. They wanted our attention, by any means necessary. And we’ve given it to them in spades. Even when the discourse dissipated, right wing commentators still used it for their own agendas. As Doreen St Felix writes for The New Yorker, “the fawning from conservatives—everyone from Megyn Kelly to J. D. Vance—is reactive, precipitated by the dislike, which, yes, reached a pitch of outrage, but dissipated, fairly quickly I think, into a bored fatigue.”

And it is boring to dissect the ad’s deliberate attention-seeking. Sweeney is hot, blonde, and better than you. How yawn-inducing. It’s what mainstream culture has been selling us for centuries. While I think we should probably be more outraged that Sweeney still speaks in a baby voice and can’t enunciate even though articulation is quite literally her job, I also can’t ignore the fact that this ad is indicative of the shift we’re seeing in Hollywood via America as a whole — away from inclusivity and sensitivity and barreling backwards towards exclusion and division without consequences. Someone who looks like Sydney Sweeney — who, let’s be clear, never stopped benefiting from the system — stands to benefit even more from this culture change. It’s no wonder she’s seemingly leading the charge.

“[Sweeney and everyone else involved] certainly know that ‘Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,’ would resonate at a time when immigrants are openly persecuted by a president who speaks regularly of bloodlines, ‘bad genes,’ and ‘cleaning out’ Gaza’s Palestinian population.” Andi Zeisler writes for Salon. Zeisler does a great job of laying out the connection between the history of Nazism, our current political climate, and why it’s not absurd to call it out when brands are overtly praising the superiority of stereotypical Eurocentric features. Felix for The New Yorker goes on to mention the talking points of those who have chided anyone who pointed out the ad as propaganda: “Can’t you handle a stupid pun, in other words? To be clear, many of us—the Negroes, the queers, the hairy feminists, et cetera, et cetera—do not react out of a feeling of personal injury, as if the blondeness-as-beauty standard has terrorized us. Whom does that standard terrorize more than white cis women, honestly? We have our own blondes, selling us fantasies.”

The white supremacist fantasy transcends race and gender. Another recent ad, starring fellow alleged Trump supporter, The Summer I Turned Pretty actor Gavin Casalegno, also refers to genetics. “Look, I didn’t ask to be the king of summer. It just kinda happened,” Casalegno says in a Dunkin Donuts commercial. “This tan? Genetics. I just got my color analysis back. Guess what? Golden summer. Literally.” It could be unfortunate timing on Dunkin Donuts’ part, and Casalegno, whatever his political affiliation, could actually be the one unwittingly caught in a culture war. Or we can say the quiet part out loud: bragging about white people’s genetics in the year 2025 is fucking weird. I don’t care what you’re promoting.

Sweeney is promoting a movie that no one is talking about. It’s aptly titled Americana. She got heckled at the premiere. If her strategy is that all press is good press, sure, she and her team can call this cycle a win.  She’s a marginally talented actor who needs brand deals and virality to stay relevant. It’s unsurprising that, in the age of influencers and cast decisions determined by follower count, a celebrity would emerge that courts controversy and engagement like the industry is her algorithm. Sweeney was just spotted (strategically?) singing karaoke with her Euphoria co-star Hunter Schafer, who is openly trans and the greatest fear of the same base who just crowned Sweeney their queen. “Go get ‘em Sydney!” Trump wrote on social media yesterday morning. Schafer revealed earlier this year that she was issued a passport with the wrong gender under the Trump administration. Sweeney’s coworkers are under attack by her most ardent defenders.

Does any of that matter to Sweeney as long as she’s booked, busy, and constant conversation fodder? And if the backlash starts to hurt her bottom line, how long before she goes from conservative Barbie to repentant ally? Unlike her marginalized peers, she has the luxury of fucking up, repeatedly. Ultimately, Sweeney’s political affiliations are relevant but less important than what her current cultural dominance says about Hollywood — and America itself. We may be taking Sydney Sweeney too seriously… or not seriously enough.

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In our series Salary Stories, women with long-term career experience open up about the most intimate details of their jobs: compensation. It’s an honest look at how real people navigate the complicated world of negotiating, raises, promotions and job loss, with the hope it will give young people more insight into how to advocate for themselves — and maybe take a few risks along the way.Been in the workforce for at least five years and interested in contributing your salary story? Submit your information here. You’ll be paid $150 if selected.

Age: 32
Location: Los Angeles
Current industry and job title: Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Current salary: $136,200
Number of years employed since school or university: 11
Starting salary: $21,000
Biggest salary drop: £21,000 to $10,000.
Biggest salary jump: $50,000 to £120,000.

Biggest negotiation regret: During one of my performance reviews, I was rated in many categories as “meets expectations” when I felt really confident in my work and that I had actually exceeded expectations. I was ready to ask for a raise during this call, but that completely threw me off and it actually hurt me to the point that I cried. I still asked for a raise, through my shaky voice and tears running down my face. I wish I had asked to revisit this conversation to be able to push back on that review and more adamantly advocate for myself and what I felt I deserved instead of just accepting it.

Best salary advice: Don’t be afraid to leave your job! No company deserves your undying loyalty. Plus, you’re likely to get a much bigger salary increase from changing jobs than waiting for a raise.

First Job: College Advisor

Salary: $21,000
Year: 2014

I didn’t really know what I wanted to do in my life after I graduated, but I felt really passionate about educational equity and wanted to be in a position to help first-generation and low-income students like myself pursue college. Many of my extracurricular activities and part-time jobs throughout undergrad revolved around college access work with high school students. After I graduated, I was young and naive and didn’t really care about how much money I made. I just wanted to do something I really cared about that aligned with my values.

Despite money not being a factor I prioritized in my job search, I still found it difficult to land a job I was interested in. It wasn’t until two months after I graduated that I accepted my first full-time job offer. My primary goal was to expand access to higher education for students from under-resourced high schools.

Looking back, I don’t know how I lived on this salary, but I did and it’s probably because I grew up poor and learned many times throughout my life how to strategically navigate having limited resources. I didn’t have a whole lot of wants and needs in my early 20s either. I lived a pretty simple life and had a simple routine so my salary was just enough to pay for my living expenses and eat out every now and then. I was also lucky to have left undergrad with minimal debt (less than $5,000) as well.

Job Change: Admissions Graduate Assistant

Salary: $10,000
Year: 2016

After my two years of service ended as a college adviser, I went to grad school full time. I moved from LA to Chicago because I was lucky enough to secure a graduate assistantship that paid for my tuition and gave me a monthly stipend in exchange for 18 hours of work each week. However, it was a really, really small amount of money each month. I don’t even know how I survived off of this! My pay check came out to around $900 each month with rent already costing $600/month (I lived in a studio). I do remember signing up for credit cards with 0% interest for 15 months so that I could furnish my apartment and have a way to pay for things during this transitional period without it hurting my credit. During my first winter break of grad school, I read freshmen applications for an admissions office to have a few extra hundreds to live off of.

In my second year, I picked up part-time work to help fund everything, but some weeks it would end up being a 33-hour working week. I was so severely burnt out from working and studying that I’m pretty sure this version of me today was made from the ashes of my second year in grad school. It felt like I was constantly running from one thing to another and they were marathons each time.

Job Change: Social Justice & Multicultural Program Coordinator

Salary: $50,000
Year: 2018

I realized after my first job that I wanted to work with college students instead of high school students because I’d be able to do more social justice-oriented work. I applied and ended up withdrawing my application due to personal family matters, but then the director called and asked for an opportunity to connect with me because my resume really stood out to him. I called him back, had a great conversation, and was convinced to begin the interview process with them.

I ended up getting this offer and another at the same time, so I had some negotiating power. The director tried his best and was only able to get me a slightly increased final offer, but he shared his long-term plans with me for my role. I felt really invested in from the get-go because of him and the ways he saw how I fit into his overall team. As someone who has never made more than $22,000 at this point in my life, getting a $50,000 salary felt like a huge win to me and I was excited for my future and the possibilities here.

This was my first big-girl job. I only ever received a COLA raise through my union while working here, so by the time I left this job, I think I was just under $52,000. Although I did ask for a raise and a promotion, I never saw one. Unfortunately, that director left his role a year after I started and there were many organizational and structural changes that took place, which I believe impacted my ability to progress in my career here.

Job Change: Assistant Vice President, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Salary: $120,000 (and an annual 20% bonus)
Year: 2021

After going through the pandemic and feeling incredibly undervalued in my role, I made the decision to pivot to corporate America. I started to take personal finance really seriously. And as I neared my 30s, I started thinking about how I would be able to live the life I wanted while also supporting my parents in their retirement. I could not see higher education as part of that future anymore. I wanted more for myself. I wanted to work to live, not live to work. I don’t think it’s mutually exclusive to be able to do meaningful work one is passionate about while also getting paid well and I think it’s unfair that professions like education are expected to choose one over the other. I didn’t want to struggle anymore in my 30s. I wanted to travel, experience new things, buy a house, take my family on vacations, and so much more. Although I loved doing DEI work in higher education, it was not sustainable for me and I needed to choose myself.

With the help and support of a close friend who was already working in tech, I learned how to craft my resumes to fit corporate America and how to sell my higher education skills and experiences as transferable skills. I began, what I called, Operation #HExit (higher ed exit, lol) and applied to more than 100 jobs over the span of six months, interviewed with 16 companies, became a finalist for six, and finally got one offer. This was a job change that saw a 135% salary increase!

I was shocked to see a $120,000 job offer. My jaw dropped. After hearing about the bonus too, it made me feel hesitant to ask for more money because it felt like such a perfectly wrapped package already. But I just kept thinking about all the data I read about women, especially women of color, making less money and how we don’t really negotiate. I felt like it was a responsibility to myself, at the very least, to just try. I asked to go higher, but the answer was no because the budget was actually meant to be $110,000 but my manager looked up market rates and my experience so had asked them to up it already, which is so rarely done. That 135% salary increase was literally life changing.

Promotion: Vice President, DEI

Salary: $136,200 (and an annual 20% bonus)
Year: 2022

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would make six figures in my life. It wasn’t something I ever aspired for or thought would be realistic. I’ve gotten two small raises in my time here, and one that I didn’t even ask for that my manager just advocated for. I’ve learned that I am really great at what I do, and this is the least stressful job I’ve ever had in my life. It’s been amazing to actually be able to maintain work boundaries and not feel like there is often a crisis. I love having more time and more money for myself and my loved ones.

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The Lion’s Gate Portal is upon us! August 8th (8/8) is a highly auspicious time for us to manifest and to consider our hopes. Why, you ask? The spiritual event falls on a prosperous numerological day 8/8 (8 is the number of growth and transformation, so two 8s are considered to heighten the energy). Although the portal is open from July 28th to August 12th, the 8th holds the peak energy. The gateway opens due to the alignment of the sun in Leo, Sirius, and the Earth. Sirius is the brightest star in our skies, and also known as the Dog Star. At this point in the summer the star, known by some as the ‘spiritual Sun’, reappears in the sky after having been hidden by the angle of the Earth. The Ancient Egyptians looked forward to the flooding of the Nile during this period and also believed this celestial positioning created a bridge between realms.

This year, the Lion’s Gate Portal differs because it occurs the day before the Full Moon in Aquarius. This makes it a momentous time to craft our dreams into reality. Releasing old habits and setting intentions is pivotal during the Waxing Gibbous Moon in Aquarius. Mars in Libra opposes Saturn retrograde in Aries and harmonizes with Uranus in Gemini, giving us the strength to boss up. Also, four planets are retrograde: Mercury in Leo, Saturn in Aries, Neptune in Aries, and Pluto in Aquarius. These planetary positions give us all the more reason to reflect upon the past and to take measures to evolve.

Aries

Commit to a mission that pushes you to be generous with your time. Ask your crew if they’d be interested in joining the cause. Their efforts are crucial. That way you can bond while doing something magical for others.

Taurus

It’s a family affair, Taurus! Visit or call your family to catch up on their summer activities. By reaching out, you’re making sure that you stay in touch and maintain affiliation with your kin. You can design the right fit for your relatives to remain in communication, and the foundation of these relationships. This will set a beautiful tone.

Gemini

You are a busy bee! You don’t have to take on every project and do all the errands on your to-do list ASAP. Before you go full speed ahead, know your limits before the emails pile up to a stack too high to complete on your own. Saying “no” won’t make you a villain. It’ll show you’re not a pushover.

Cancer

Do not fixate on the problem; find the solution to living without fear. Rather than worrying about the outcome of situations, take on new endeavors freely. You may want to do something out of the ordinary and live in the moment. You don’t have to be cautious; you can be authentic in the decisions you opt for.

Leo

Learning ways to express your desires without being demanding will help you approach others. Being more compassionate and respectful to the needs of your squad and family, instead of just asserting your wants, adds a new dimension to your connection with them.

Virgo

If you need a break from social media, give doom-scrolling a rest. It can be frustrating to keep up with everyone’s news, and your mind might be overloaded. Meditate and envision a different environment for yourself away from your phone. Your closest peeps know how to get in touch with you, so don’t stress about leaving your devices on DND.

Libra

Defining yourself through relationships isn’t allowing you to see your true potential. You are a bold and beautiful person with a lot of talent. Therefore, you shouldn’t get your sense of self from how people view you. You are re-establishing your identity and confidence. TBH, it’s about time you’re taking a stand to reclaim power and control of your life.

Scorpio

What are your career aspirations? Think about what you wish to achieve in the months ahead. When you hone in on the professional vision that interests you, list everything necessary and cross each task off as you complete it. With your drive and determination, there isn’t anything you can’t accomplish. Victory is written in your astrological DNA. You got this!

Sagittarius

No one can speak to your experiences but you, so now is the moment for you to seize the day and start a Substack detailing your amazing adventures. The goal is to use your voice effectively and be heard. Your stories will prove to be beneficial to others embarking on similar journeys.

Capricorn

Now is an excellent time to start work on getting your finances together. Consolidating debt or making a payment arrangement might be the optimal solution, given the chance. You’ll learn how to save your pennies in the future without having FOMO in your friendship circle. Balling on a budget will be easier than ever.

Aquarius

Creating a better space for relationships is extremely important. Knowing you can have your freedom and remain committed is vital to establishing a healthy partnership for your autonomous spirit. Give your crush/S.O. room to grow individually and as a couple. It is a great way to ensure longevity in the ship. You’ll be glad that you chose this path forward.

Pisces

Manifest your best life, Pisces. Try to cultivate a more effective routine in which you bring self-care into your day-to-day activities. A walk at dusk or a lunchtime yoga class will help ease your mind and heart. Doing so acts as a catalyst for relieving stress and centering your energy. It will revive your aura and vibe as a result.

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If you ever needed proof that women’s esports have long existed, just look at Stephanie Harvey. Better known online as MissHarvey, the former Ubisoft game designer began her esports career 22 years ago, when there were much less women gaming let alone competing professionally. She went on to win five world championships in CS:GO, as well as, perhaps more impressively, gain the respect and career longevity that few veteran players, regardless of gender, can claim.

These days, the legendary fragger — whose side quests also include winning Big Brother Canada Season 2, being recognized on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list, and working with the International Olympics Committee to integrate esports — serves as FlyQuest’s Chief Culture Officer, where she has her hands in everything from defining the esports organization’s culture and values to developing talent and launching philanthropic initiatives. She also leads as director of FlyQuest RED, the longest tenured women’s gaming team that currently competes in VALORANT and Counter-Strike 2.

It’s a Jill-of-all-trades kind of role that is unique in the esports scene and one that Harvey believes is proof of FlyQuest’s commitment to women’s esports despite what feels like a wider industry rollback of DEI, and one that’s necessary to continue efforts to make gaming, and especially esports, more accessible for women.

“There’s no longer the stigma of the ‘woman gamer’ as much as Reddit or memes would like to tell us,” Harvey tells me in a recent Co-Op Convo on Refinery29 Twitch. “But in esports and in competitive games, it’s still heavily men dominated.”

“It’s a little bit like any other intellectual competition,” Harvey continues. “If you think about poker and if you think about chess, there’s just not many women.”

Harvey says it’s important for esports organizations to back teams like RED, and why events like VALORANT Game Changers, Riot’s competitive circuit that elevates women and other marginalized genders, matter so much. “[In the past], you would have one token [woman] player who’s kind of successful, who makes the headlines, but is that enough to support an entire community?” Harvey asks. “We don’t want these token representatives to have an entire community on their back. They need some help.”

That’s why Refinery29 is collaborating with FlyQuest RED to host CTRL+Femme, a month-long VALORANT tournament designed to elevate women and femme players. The event, which features 40 streamers and gamers, kicks off August 6 on Refinery29 Twitch. The five players on the winning team will receive full gaming equipment kits, provided by Logitech, which is committed to supporting women in technology and promoting diversity and inclusion within the industry.

CTRL+Femme — and people like MissHarvey — are proving women can frag out and flex beyond the game. Just consider Harvey’s on-stream beauty serve, which I’m not shy to fan about. I ask her what products she’s wearing (all while we carry our team on Inferno), and she lights up. “I’ve never been asked this question in an interview in my whole life!” Harvey exclaims. She swears by the Armani foundation and loves to play with ColourPop eyeshadow palettes. For this stream, she’s wearing six different shades.

And that’s what competitive gaming can look like today.

Check out the full VOD with MissHarvey below. The CTRL+Femme Tournament kicks off August 6 on Refinery29 Twitch. Make sure to follow us so you don’t miss the action!

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Transitional wardrobe pieces — think lightweight layers and super-soft knits — are very much a thing, but what about your skincare routine? As someone with acne-prone skin, I’ve always loved the refreshing, quenching feel of a gel cream; the lightweight texture is perfect for daytime use. During the summer months, I swear by them for a refreshing burst of hydration when it feels like an oven outside. And as summer winds down, I’ve found the perfect day moisturizer to add glow — not greasiness —  as you look to bulk up your skincare routine for fall.

INNBeauty Project is known for effective, sensorial skincare at an accessible price point. And I’m calling it now: Its latest launch is my new transitional skincare MVP. Recharge Gel Cream is described as a “smoothing and plumping moisturizer” that combines powerful hydrating ingredients like peptides and glycerin with cutting-edge additions like orchid stem cells to offer a line-smoothing, plumping effect, and ginseng water, which is rich in antioxidants.

Recharge Gel Cream, $48

“I formulated Recharge to be the most high-performance gel cream on the market — something that did way more than just hydrate,” says Jen Shane, INNBeauty Project’s co-founder and Head of Innovation. “Most gel creams are basic moisturizers that provide surface-level hydration, but they’re not addressing deeper skin concerns or holistic customer needs.” In addition to quenching dry skin, Recharge is formulated to address uneven texture, support the skin barrier, and improve overall dullness. “You typically need an acid to see these types of clinical results in radiance and luminosity,” says Shane. “The orchid stem cells in particular are a breakthrough in achieving a level of luminosity that typically only an acid can — which often comes with sensitivity or irritation.”

At first feel, Recharge is silky to the touch, but not so lightweight that it disappears. After cleansing my skin, I applied a few pumps, and it felt as if my skin had just gulped eight glasses of water. My skin had a healthy-looking glow — the kind I usually get after a facial — and my combination skin felt calm and balanced. Best of all, my skin felt hydrated all day long; I usually feel like my skin is screaming for a hydrating mist by midday, but not when I incorporated Recharge into my routine.

“There’s a common myth that gel creams are only for oily or acne-prone skin, but that doesn’t hold up with advanced formulations like Recharge,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Mina Amin. “What makes this gel cream truly universal is its ability to deliver deep, clinically proven hydration and barrier repair in a lightweight, non-greasy texture that works across all skin types.” After testing it out for a week, I already feel like my face is softer, smoother, and not the least bit dry. (To me, this product is almost like a hydrating serum dialed up a few notches.) At $48 for a full size (and $42 for a refill pod), Recharge Gel Cream isn’t inexpensive — but it feels and performs like a much pricier product. (In comparison, Augustinus Bader’s The Light Cream — which I also love, for the record — is $190.) While we’ve still got a few months before breaking out the cold-weather-proof lotions and salves, I, for one, am excited for cozy girl fall — with glowy, gleaming skin as my signature accessory.

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When two Gen Z-approved, TikTok-viral brands join forces, it’s hard not to be at least a little intrigued — if not fully sucked into the clout-filled shopping frenzy. And we’ll admit: we’re in deep. Known for its status-symbol sweatshirts, Parke is teaming up with cult-favorite activewear brand Set Active for a second It-girl drop, Low Tide, (after the first sold out in 10 minutes).

And if the athleisure collaboration doesn’t already feel perfect, the fact that both brands’ founders are close friends makes it even sweeter. In a recent Instagram post, Set Active founder Lindsey Carter wrote: “Creating Low Tide with Chelsea [Parke Kramer], my best friend and the founder of Parke, has been one of the most meaningful and growth-filled experiences.” Speaking on lessons learned from the first drop, Carter added: “We poured all of that growth into building something better. Something that feels calm, nostalgic, and effortlessly wearable.”

The Low Tide collection includes 43 styles — 16 of which are brand-new for Set Active — ranging in price from $12 and $230. Parke’s signature denim, classic knits, and branded crewnecks join Set Active’s Formcloud and Airluxe workout fabrics and nautical striped basics, all offered in new colors like Baked Rhubarb, Beach Grass, Neapolitan Pink, and Cream.

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Perfect for your late-summer beach yoga plans and early-fall back-to-school wardrobe, these pieces are ideal for transitional dressing — if  you can get your hands on them.

The collaboration drops August 5 at 1 p.m. EST on both brands’ websites — and we’ve got the 411: there won’t be any restocks. So if you’re eyeing activewear sets, lightweight layers, horseshoe jeans, or socks, plan ahead and add to cart fast.

Shop the Parke x Set Active collaboration on August 5 at Parkeofficial.com and Setactive.co.

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