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: 30
Location: New York City
Current industry and job title: Product manager, tech
Current salary: $360,000
Number of years employed since school or university: 10
Starting salary: $65,000
Biggest salary drop: n/a
Biggest salary jump: $154,000 to $272,000 in 2022.

Biggest negotiation regret: After my first job out of college, I received an offer at a company I interviewed for. When the recruiter asked for my compensation range, I stumbled and came up with a number. I wish I researched more on compensation and what the industry was offering for applicants like me. I’ve since learned to always come prepared with the numbers.

Best salary advice: Never share what your current salary is with a recruiter. Have them share the compensation ranges first. I know this may be daunting to hold off but be patient and they will eventually share a range! Having them share their cards first puts you at an advantage to negotiate for more.

First Job: Consultant

Year: 2015
Salary: $65,000

My university has an annual career fair where recruiters from all industries came to recruit and interview students. The more popular and competitive roles out of university are what we called the ABCs: Accounting, Banking, and Consulting. I learned earlier that I didn’t want to go into accounting or banking, so I interviewed for many consulting companies and the company I ended up accepting seemed most aligned to my values and the most welcoming. Of course, it was helpful that the partner at the firm was an alum at my university. From my initial job search for a full time offer to landing this offer took me about two and a half months.

There was little to no negotiation with my offer as this was the “typical” pay for someone coming out of college going into consulting. I felt okay with this salary because I was able to have a job lined up right after I graduated to help me pay off my $20,000 school loans. I was grateful.

Promotion: Senior Consultant

Year: 2017
Salary: $73,000

This was a small raise and this job title was the typical route for a high performing consultant but I was aware that other companies were compensating higher. I knew I wasn’t interested in consulting long term, so I started my job hunt.

I asked if there was any flexibility with increasing my raise because I was shocked with how low my raise was for my promotion. I knew it was below market value through friends and my own research. I knew I had to find a new role at a company that respected me and was invested in my growth.

Job Change: Risk Analyst

Year: 2018
Salary: $125,000

After some research, I knew I wanted to break into tech. This decision came easily since I was born and raised in San Francisco during the tech boom and it was known that tech salaries were, on average, higher than any other industry.

My experience was relatively transferrable from my consulting role because my consulting role specialized in calculating risk for clients. 
When the recruiter first asked my compensation needs and financial goals, I gave a number of $110,000 without any basis or research. He was more than happy with that number and so I already knew I could have asked for more. I was provided a base of $110,000 and some stocks that came out to a total compensation of $125,000 for the year.

Now that I am more experienced with negotiation, in hindsight, I wish I did not state the number first and had the recruiter share the compensation range for this role and take on the conversation from there. At the time, when I started, I did feel the salary and benefits with working in tech (i.e. meals, snacks, flexibility) was worth the workload and it was the start of my career in tech.

Job Change: Senior Product Operations Manager

Year: 2021
Salary: $154,000

I was very burnt out and unhappy at my previous company. I felt my voice wasn’t being heard and that the team I was part of were not receptive to my demands to take on the next level of work for overall career development. Additionally, with the pandemic, I was working 70+ hours a week and not getting recognized for the work I led, including helping lead an acquisition. I moved to New York City during this time so I wanted to look for a position that would allow me to work in New York City permanently.

I applied to companies that were smaller in size to my current company mainly because I wanted to be able to do everything and make a real impact on my team. I applied and interviewed for a few positions and eventually found this smaller tech company. I made sure to research compensation for this role across multiple companies.

I asked the recruiter first what the compensation range for this role and took the negotiation on from there. As part of the interview process, I had to put together a presentation together for the hiring manager and several other members of the team. I believe I did well because I negotiated for a senior title and got the pay associated with that title. I was very happy with my negotiation. Months of researching the art of negotiation paid off!

Job Change: Senior Product Operations Manager

Year: 2022
Salary: $272,000

There were mass layoffs that happened with the company I joined in 2021. I was not impacted but I saw the trend and knew that I had to find a more stable company to work at. During this time, the job market was doing well and it seemed like every major tech company was hiring. I used this (and my increased confidence from job hunting) to my advantage and applied to as many companies as possible. I was very clear to the recruiters about my financial goals. If the company could not offer my desired compensation, I respectfully declined to proceed. I knew I would not be happy in the long run if I worked at a company where I was not being paid above market value.

I started approaching this job hunt and negotiation as a game because there was a hiring boom. My goal was to receive as many high paying offers from top tech companies as possible and leverage it when negotiations happened. It was definitely a stressful time and I didn’t sleep much but I knew the stress would be short-lived. I eventually received five offers from different companies and used that to negotiate my current salary with the company I was most interested in joining. The five formal offers all came within two weeks. I was waiting for the offer from the last company I interviewed for and then started negotiating with that company with my offers. It took about two weeks to finish negotiating and sign the contract.

This job search time period was a lot shorter but more time consuming than my prior job hunts. I was so proud and grateful for where I got.

Job Change: Product Manager

Year: 2025
Salary: $360, 000

Going into product management was always in the back of my mind since I started my tech career. I connected with product managers within the same company I was at to understand the process of switching to that role. I did my product operations manager role well and dabbled in a product management capacity when my product manager partner got laid off and there was no PM scoped to that product area.

I reached out to the group PM who owns that scope and told her I want to go into that instead. She gave me a few exercises to evaluate whether I had what it took to be a PM before deciding to put me up for the official interview process whenever a role opened up on the team. From when I started being serious about going into this to going through the interview process took exactly one year. I am grateful for the person who decided to take a chance on me.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Salary Story: Friendship Helped Me Cope At Work

A Week In Northern California On A $53,100 Salary

Sustainability In Your Ear welcomes back oceanographer and author John Englander, who last visited with…

The post Best of Earth911 Podcast: Oceanographer John Englander’s 2024 Sea Level Rise Update appeared first on Earth911.

The sun is shining, temperatures are rising, and Sabrina Carpenter is about to drop a new song. It can mean only one thing: Summer is here, ushering in the “outdoor” months. That means weddings, BBQs, vacations, garden parties, festivals, afternoons in the park, and plenty of backyard hangs. Much al fresco to soak up.

With the new season comes the perfect opportunity to refresh your wardrobe. Your summer styling M.O. is simple: light layers, floaty midi lengths, denim basics, and lightweight loungewear for keeping cozy on those long evenings outside. Not only are all of these Free People’s specialities, but they’re also often on sale, with tons ringing in under $100.

The Best Free People Dresses, Jumpsuits & Matching Sets On Sale

Feast your eyes on these marked-down Free People finds — from layerable matching sets and casual jumpsuits to flirty mini dresses and floaty midi lengths.

The Best Free People Tops & Sweaters On Sale

Basics, but elevated. Free People is our go-to for bold, asymmetric tops, delicate blouses, simple tanks, and cozy knits that form the foundation of any summer wardrobe.

The Best Free People Bottoms On Sale: Pants, Jeans & Skirts

From slouchy jeans and comfy lounge shorts to tailored office trousers and beach-ready skirts, the Free People sale has your lower half covered.

The Best Free People Coats & Jackets On Sale

Summer may bring the heat, but it can still surprise you with a chilly morning, brisk evening, or unexpected storm. Why not level up your layers while they’re marked down?

The Best FP Movement Activewear On Sale

Upgrade your athleisure game with FP Movement bestsellers — now on sale. Think lightweight fleeces, throw-on onesies, and ultra-cozy sweatpants you’ll live in.

The Best Free People Accessories, Bags & Shoes On Sale

Jewelry, bags, shoes, hair accessories — these small but mighty extras can make or break an outfit. Score the best ones while they’re on sale.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Summer-Ready? Free People Has Got You Covered

Best Of Free People Denim: Wide-Leg & Flare Jeans

16 Free People Spring Items Editors Are Carting Up

May marked the true beginning of summer — and our readers were more than ready to dress the part. With the promise of sunnier and warmer days ahead, flowy maxi dresses, one-piece swimsuits, and chic cover-ups topped everyone’s shopping lists. According to the anonymous data from our stories, UV protection also became a priority, with MERIT’s new tinted SPF and Clinique’s foundation with sunscreen earning high praise as our readers embraced the outdoors.

But it wasn’t all just about stocking up for a summer of fun. Memorial Day weekend brought a wave of excellent deals on investment pieces — from cute handbags to designer fragrances — which our savvy readers made the most out of.

Curious about which products made a splash? Ahead, we’ve crunched the numbers and rounded up the standout items that you carted to kick off summer in style.

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

For more can’t-miss shopping stories delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our Most Wanted newsletter.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

14 The Ordinary Products Beauty Editors Love

Lifestyle & Experience Picks We Loved In May

Refinery29 Loves: Everything To See & Shop In May

Right in time for festival season, the fashion icon herself, Kate Moss, is collaborating with Zara (who is celebrating 50 years) for second time on The Festival Collection. Following the success of the supermodel’s first Studio 54-inspired collaboration in 2024, these new rock ’n’ roll styles reminiscent of her Glastonbury days are sure to excite everyone.

Moss, who designed the collection with long-time stylist Katy England, was inspired by “some of her most favorite festival pieces, including styles from thrift stores of small-town America to the most elevated boutiques of Paris and Milan,” according to a press release. Think: sparkly mini dresses, embroidered vests, biker boots, and stacked bangles.

Speaking on these limited-edition pieces, Moss says: “Nothing matches the feeling of finding a one-off piece. Just wow. The piece that only you own.” And while others may cart up the same item from the collection as you, the nostalgic designs feel exclusive and help you stand out from the crowd thanks to the supermodel’s inimitable style.

The womenswear collection — which is modeled by Moss’ equally cool daughter, Lila Moss — features everything from flowy blouses and lace matching sets to androgynous silk suits and go-go boots, with prices ranging from $25 to $400.

Meanwhile, the menswear collection was designed by Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie — Moss’ friend and England’s husband. Moss spoke about Gillespie’s influence on her own collection, explaining: “I expected it to be more about wafty dresses. But it’s a bit tougher than that. That’s because all the masculine energy was coming in from Bobby doing his collection at the same time […] We ended up going somewhere quite unexpected that I didn’t think we would.”

As you plan your festival outfits, shop the collection online and in select stores today. Whether it’s a statement belt or moto jacket, Kate Moss x Zara promises to bring your ’90s off-duty supermodel dreams to life.

Shop Zara x Kate Moss collaboration

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Zara Rings In 50 Years With a Supermodel Campaign

The Best Festival Outfits For Every Summer Concert

Inside Our Summer Carts: Editor Fashion Must-Haves

Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.

Today: a program director who makes $120,500 per year and who spends some of her money this week on an overpriced facial. 

If you’d like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we’re not able to reply to every email.

Editor’s Note: This is a follow-up diary. You can read the original diary here. 

Occupation: Program director
Industry: Nonprofit
Age: 30
Location: Washington, DC
Salary: $120,500
Assets: Checking: $4,700; HYSA: $35,000; 401(k): $25,000; FSA: $3,500; IRA: $1,900 (from a previous job).
Debt: $0
Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $3,246.72
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing Costs: $2,450 for a one-bedroom apartment with a parking spot.
Utilities: $40-$80 for electric (varies).
Internet: $56
Healthcare Premium: $100 (deducted from paycheck).
Healthcare FSA: $275 (deducted from paycheck)
401(k): $500 (deducted from paycheck)
Subscriptions: $61 (Netflix, Disney/Hulu, Spotify, Apple/Google storage).
Donations: $40 ($20 each to two abortion funds).

Annual Expenses

Car Insurance: $860
Renter’s Insurance: $129
Credit Card Fee: $250
Amazon Prime: $147
Washington Post: $170
MLB TV: $158
NYT Games: $42

Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Yes, I was always expected to go to college, and specifically an Ivy League school (which I did). My parents paid for my tuition and room/board, and I worked campus jobs to have spending money for anything else.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
My parents told me all the time that money does not grow on trees and you need to earn it first to be able to buy things. They were very big into saving as much as possible and taught me to never spend money I didn’t have (i.e. get into debt). When I got older, they helped set me up my first bank account and credit card and taught me about the importance of building good credit pretty early on, which was helpful.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
I started helping out at my dad’s office (filing papers, doing data entry) on Saturdays when I was 10 or 11, and my dad paid me $5 an hour in cash so I could save up to buy my first iPod. For years, this was how I “earned” bigger purchases from my parents. When I turned 16 and the company could finally put me on payroll, I started doing temp work in another department on my school breaks and making some real money. My first W2 job was working a few hours a week as a teaching assistant at my synagogue’s Sunday school, starting in 8th grade. My parents put all my paychecks in my bank account but did not give me access to the account, so any purchases I wanted to make still had to go through them.

Did you worry about money growing up?
Not really. I didn’t worry about my basic needs being met and I knew we were solidly upper-middle class, but I was always worried about having to ask my parents for anything, because I never knew how it was going to go over. It could be an easy yes if my mom was in a good mood, or it could be a hard no on something I considered essential, and I’d get into a screaming match with my mom over the cost/benefit of a new school sweatshirt when my favorite one had holes in it. My parents didn’t want me to become spoiled by getting whatever I wanted (like some of my classmates), and they wanted to prevent me from spending the little money I made on silly teenage girl stuff. These were admirable goals, but it was confusing and frustrating because I always knew I wasn’t asking for anything I/we couldn’t afford, so it often just felt like a control thing more than an important financial lesson.

Do you worry about money now?
I don’t worry about money day to day — I make enough to cover my expenses and I could tighten up my spending if I needed to. But I worry more existentially about saving enough for retirement and the increasing unaffordability of living in a single-income household in a high-cost city that also happens to currently be under threat by a certain someone’s methodical dismantling of the federal government. I worry about whether I’ll be able to afford to stay here if I lose my job or if my landlord raises my rent or sells the apartment.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I became mostly responsible for myself at 21 when I graduated college, but I had to move back home in between jobs a few times in my early 20s (this was very normal in my industry), and did not become fully financially responsible until I turned 26 and started paying for my own health insurance. My parents are definitely my financial safety net, and I think they would send me a couple months of rent if I really needed it, but after the last time I moved out when I was 25 my mom told me I would not be allowed to move home again.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
My parents paid for my college education and bought me a used car my senior year that I still own today.

Day One: Monday

8:30 a.m. — I wake up to my best friend’s cat meowing loudly in my face. I flew to spend the weekend with my friend L. for her birthday and am working from her apartment today before flying back to DC tonight (Monday night flights were significantly cheaper than Sunday). I wearily get up and feed the cat breakfast, then curl back up on the couch to scroll for a bit.

9 a.m. — L. emerges from her room and I pour us iced coffees (we put hot coffee in the fridge the day before) while we map out our calls for the day and figure out if we can eat lunch together (we can’t). I go to the bathroom and discover that my period has arrived two days early, what a delight! I take some preventative ibuprofen and then head back to the kitchen to figure out breakfast. L. unearths some severely misshapen homemade everything bagels from her freezer so I make us bodega-style egg sandwiches with some sharp cheddar I find in her fridge.

10 a.m. — I start my day with a Teams call about a very large grant application we are writing, which is due in two weeks. My boss and I worked our butts off last week to get a full first draft ready, and today we’re sending it to our organization’s leadership to get their feedback. A trusted colleague read the draft over the weekend and has some feedback that we decide to incorporate before sending it for review, so I put in headphones, blast some indie pop music, and lock in for the next two hours to make some edits.

12:30 p.m. — I lead my weekly cross-team check-in for the main project I’m in charge of and go over our priorities for this week (we’re preparing for a big activation next month). Our communications director tells me that our CEO vetoed a key part of our plans on Friday, and adds me to a meeting with him later today to discuss. This week is off to a great start.

1:30 p.m. — My period is now fully here and my whole body feels like molten lava. I take more ibuprofen and grab some leftover salad and roasted potatoes out of the fridge from last night’s dinner to eat while watching a webinar.

3 p.m. — I have my weekly check-in with my boss where I tell her I am officially checking in as concerned, followed by a meeting with my CEO where I try to explain why we chose certain tactics for our activation. He sort of comes around but still wants us to explore other options. I want to hit my head against a wall.

5:30 p.m. — I text L. from the living room that I am done for the day but she says she has at least another hour of work to do. I take more ibuprofen and curl up on the couch to scroll and eat some pretzels to see if I can calm my stomach.

6:30 p.m. — I poke my head into L.’s office to get my suitcase and start packing up. Her job is calling everyone back to in-person work so she’s been looking at apartments in DC the last couple weeks! I can’t wait to live in the same city again soon, but I know she’s sad to be leaving her current city, so I’m starting to feel a little bittersweet that this is probably the last time I’ll visit her here. I pick up the cat and take a lap around the apartment, reminding her about all the memories we’ve shared here before she gets sick of me and scampers out of my arms.

7 p.m. — L. finally emerges from her office and we head off to the airport. I breeze through airport security and decide that I probably should eat something other than pretzels for dinner. I buy an Impossible breakfast sandwich at Starbucks and post up in one of their comfy armchairs to call my parents and catch up before my flight. $6.55

7:45 p.m. — I board my plane and throw on Cowboy Carter for tonight’s flight music. We take off exactly on time and the captain says we’ll probably land early! Love this for me.

9:30 p.m. — Just kidding, we did not land early, but instead circled around DC for an extra 20 minutes until we could get cleared to land. This has happened to me so many times flying into DC, but in light of the recent plane crash here it puts me on edge more than it should. We end up taking the landing path that goes right over the National Mall and all the monuments look beautiful lit up at night.

9:45 p.m. — I take the Metro home ($2.50) and while I’m on the train I get a text from T., a guy I’ve been on two dates with recently, asking how my weekend was. We were both out of town this weekend and had vaguely agreed to get together again soon, so after we text about our travels I ask him what he’s up to later this week/weekend. He goes radio silent. Great. $2.50

10:30 p.m. — Home sweet home! I peel off my airplane clothes, do the bare minimum of my nighttime routine (brush teeth, wash face), take more ibuprofen, and climb right into bed.

10:45 p.m. — Before I have a chance to ruminate too much on it, T. texts me back to ask how I feel about jazz. I love jazz! Turns out he has a friend playing in a small jazz show on Friday, so he suggests we go to that together and I obviously enthusiastically agree to these plans. I text L. to let her know I’m home and also about my third date plans, and then yell at her over text for expressing far more optimism than I will allow to be floated this early in a dating endeavor.

11 p.m. — I watch the latest episode of The White Lotus on my phone in bed and then fall asleep a little after midnight.

Daily Total: $9.05

Day Two: Tuesday

8:30 a.m. — I wake up to my alarm and a text from L. that she got one of the apartments she applied for! My best friend is moving two Metro stops away from me next month!! Life is worth living!!!

9 a.m. — The joy over L.’s news is tempered by my period wreaking havoc over my digestive system. I don’t feel nauseous, but my stomach feels hot and unsettled. I lay down on my yoga mat to do some light morning stretching but it doesn’t help at all. I take some ibuprofen and drink lots of water before sitting down at my desk to take on the day.

10:30 a.m. — I have a meeting with my boss’ boss and a consultant who works for the main funder of my project. I outline our plan for the upcoming activation and he thinks it’s great, and specifically says that the tactic my CEO wants us to skip would fill a big gap in the space right now. Ha! Boss’ boss (grandboss?) asks me to find some time for us to huddle up again on this later.

12 p.m. — I get on a Q&A webinar for the grant application we’re working on and set myself up with an adult lunchable: Laughing Cow cheese wedges, Trader Joe’s pepperoni slices, and fancy rosemary flatbread crackers. I put a couple questions into the Q&A box that go unanswered and write down the names of all the people who do get their questions answered, so we can Google them and scope out our competition.

2 p.m. — My Blue Apron box arrives ($76 charged last week; this is a weekly charge based on the specific order for that week and I do it about two weeks a month depending on my schedule and whether I’m traveling, so it varies a lot.) and I put everything in the fridge.

4 p.m. — I huddle back up with grandboss and comms director, and we agree to stick to my original plan for the activation, while grandboss talks to our CEO to get him back on board. I feel vindicated but also somewhat demoralized by the lack of trust I feel from leadership. Why do they need an external (male) consultant to confirm what I already told them is the best course of action?

6 p.m. — I’m still at my desk but losing steam when I get a call from my friend J., who got out of work early and wanted to call and yap on her way home! She lives across the country and I haven’t seen her IRL since my birthday last year. We don’t have any friends’ weddings or built-in reasons to see each other this year, so we talk through our upcoming travels and lives and land on a possible visit in November, which is still SO far away. Long-distance friendship is hard, but we’ve kept this one strong for more than eight years and I’m not giving up now.

8 p.m. — J. and I chat for about two hours and at some point I realize I do not have the mental capacity or stomach fortitude for a Blue Apron meal, so I just boil some Trader Joe’s tortellini from my freezer and toss it with olive oil, grated pecorino, and lots of black pepper.

9 p.m. — After I get off the phone with J., I lay down to scroll for a while and end up texting with L. about all the fun things we can do now that she’s moving here. I suggest we get tickets to see our hometown baseball team play when they come to DC, and she is down! I buy tickets to two games the weekend they’re playing here ($154) and send L. a Venmo request for her half. $77

10:30 p.m. — T. texts that the tickets have been acquired for the jazz show Friday. The bar is truly so low for men, but I’m honestly kind of impressed at the initiative he’s taking to plan a fun date. I feel like I’m always the one who plans the fun things and buys the tickets (see above), so I find myself feeling some feelings about not having to be the one to do that with him.

11:30 p.m. — I do my full dental (floss, brush, mouthwash) and skin care routines (cleanser, retinol, moisturizer) and the NYT crossword before falling asleep around midnight.

Daily Total: $77

Day Three: Wednesday

7 a.m. — I wake up to terrible period cramps. The worst should be over by now! Why is this still happening! I take some ibuprofen and chug some water before trying to go back to sleep, but I end up tossing and turning in pain for another hour. I message my boss that I’m not feeling well and will be remote today after all (we usually go into our office together on Wednesdays), then turn off my alarms and finally fall back asleep around 8 a.m.

10 a.m. — I wake up again and check my phone — boss says to take the time I need, so I go back to sleep again.

11 a.m. — I wake up a third time, finally feeling okay and ready to seize the day. I let my boss know I am alive and online now, answer several Slacks and emails from bed, then take a quick shower and turn into a real person. As annoying as my job can be sometimes, I feel very lucky to have such a supportive boss and a flexible remote work environment.

11:45 a.m. — My stomach is still craving comfort food, so I make some Annie’s mac and cheese for lunch. I don’t have any milk, so I sub in some Greek yogurt and it’s super creamy and delicious.

12 p.m. — I finally sit down at my desk to start my workday for real: I lock in to review grant application feedback and prep for a big external call I’m leading tomorrow.

2 p.m. — I meet with my boss and a few other department heads to prep for a 4 p.m. meeting with our senior leadership, where we’re hoping to walk through all the feedback they gave us on our first draft and get aligned on what needs to change for the second (and hopefully final) draft.

4 p.m. — No one agrees on anything! Senior leaders are offering contradictory feedback and disagreeing with each other in the Zoom chat. Our CEO didn’t even read past the second page but has very strong opinions that outweigh everyone else’s anyway! I hate it here.

5 p.m. — Slack huddle with my boss where we do a primal scream and then come up with a game plan to better manage our internal stakeholders for the second draft. I make some tea and start in on resolving comments and incorporating the lower stakes feedback and suggestions.

7 p.m. — I finally log off and make a vaguely Mediterranean salmon and couscous Blue Apron meal, but somehow manage to slice my thumb on my knife while cutting an onion, which I haven’t done in years. I’m so annoyed as I clean the cut and bandage myself up, but then I watch an episode of Chopped while I eat and see a professional cut themselves too, and feel less bad about it.

8 p.m. — I text a little bit with T., and then force myself to temper my expectations and do some swiping and messaging on Hinge as well. I agree to get coffee with a cute British man on Sunday, then I realize that my only plans for this weekend are dates, which is a problem. I text my friend R. to fix that and we make plans to make dinner together Sunday night.

9 p.m. — My social calendar is looking a little light next week as well, so I decide to host some people at my apartment to celebrate Purim, a minor Jewish holiday, next weekend. I send out a Partiful invite to 10ish friends to come over and make hamantaschen cookies and drink wine. I told people in the event description to BYOF (bring your own filling) so I go on Amazon and put some food safe markers in my cart so we can label the cookies by flavor as we go.

10 p.m. — Now that my period is finally dying down, my body is craving movement. I turn on a 30-minute yoga flow on YouTube, but I’m struggling because I can’t put any weight on my right thumb. I give myself an extended savasana to ease my frustration — aka I lie on the floor for a while staring at the ceiling and contemplating my existence until I hear my phone buzz.

11 p.m. — I pull the trigger on the edible markers order, along with a pair of yoga blocks and a small decorative jar I’ve had in my Amazon cart for a minute. I have $6 of cashback rewards on my card linked to my Amazon account, so I apply that to my order. $28.55

11:30 p.m. — Bedtime routines and in bed doing the crossword by 11:30 p.m., asleep by 12 p.m.

Daily Total: $28.55

Day Four: Thursday

8 a.m. — I wake up before my alarm — and for the first time this week, don’t wake up feeling bad! I brush my teeth, wash my face, put on SPF and some light makeup, and re-bandage my thumb, which is already starting to heal nicely, thank god.

9:30 a.m. — First meeting of the day is a follow-up chat with our CEO after yesterday afternoon’s deeply unhelpful meeting. He actually read like 60% of the draft last night and understands the constraints of the grant requirements better now, but stands by some of his bigger picture feedback about the scope and scale of the project we’re proposing. I debrief with my boss afterwards and she says she’ll take the lead on incorporating his feedback.

10:30 a.m. — I make fried eggs with sriracha on sourdough toast from my freezer and pour some cold brew from the La Colombe cold brew box I keep in my fridge. It’s running a little low, so I add it to the running shopping list I keep in my Notes app.

11 a.m. — More prep for my call this afternoon and a check-in with our digital team to give them a heads up about some needs we’ll have for the activation next month.

3:30 p.m. — The monthly call I host with a bunch of partner organizations goes really well! Then I see that grandboss has messaged me to see if I’m going to a key partner’s happy hour later. The weather is awful and I had been thinking about skipping it, but now I feel like I have to go.

4 p.m. — I eat my leftover salmon and couscous from last night, brush my teeth again, and get dressed in real people clothes: black slacks, a black tank, and a cobalt blue cashmere cardigan from Madewell. The fit is kind of giving Elizabeth Warren? I throw on some black suede ankle boots and move my essentials from my everyday bag to a more professional black tote bag, then head out to catch the bus. $2.25

5 p.m. — The first person I see at the happy hour is a former federal official I used to work closely with until the change of administration, so we wait in line at the (open) bar together and catch up. I get a very generous pour of white wine and we mill around for a bit, grabbing passed hors d’oeuvres and introducing each other to people who stop by to say hi.

6:15 p.m. — Over the next hour I chit chat about how bad everything is with a few colleagues at similar nonprofits, several more former federal workers, and a guy at a scrappy advocacy org, who asks if my organization “has any cash you could throw our way” (??). By 6:15 p.m. the room has thinned out a little and I decide it’s time to head home. My bus ride home is free since I’m within two hours of my last fare.

7 p.m. — One of my college friends, P., texts that she finally has a start date for her new job, and it’s next week! When I get home I give her a call to say congrats, and we end up yapping for the next couple hours while we both make dinner (another Blue Apron meal for me).

9 p.m. — I hang up with P. to lock in and watch the latest episode of Severance, because if I don’t watch it immediately, the internet will probably spoil it for me. This show is absolutely wild — I have so many follow-up questions!

9:45 p.m. — I get an email notifying me that another college friend’s indie film crowdfunding campaign reached its goal and they get to fulfill my pledge now. We’ve drifted apart in recent years but I’m so excited for her and am glad I get to support her new project. $25

10 p.m. — I scroll on TikTok for a bit, where I have somehow ended up on esthetician TikTok? My skin has been so dry this winter so what the hell, I decide to book a facial. A new place just opened near me and keeps advertising $30 off your first facial in my Instagram feed, so I book one for Saturday. Do I need a facial? No. But will it be a fun and relaxing one-time special treat during an otherwise dreary winter weekend? Yes, and I’m very excited.

11 p.m. — I put on a chill bedtime yoga flow, shower, do my nighttime routines, and play NYT games on dark mode until I fall asleep around 12:30 p.m.

Daily Total: $27.25

Day Five: Friday

8:30 a.m. — My alarm wakes me up and I see that T. has texted asking if I want to do dinner before the show tonight. I certainly do! He’s been the one to suggest all the places/plans to this point, so I look up some restaurants near the venue and send him a couple options to choose from, including a Mexican place I’ve been meaning to try.

9:30 a.m. — I don’t have anything on my work calendar until 12 p.m., so I use my morning for some digital housekeeping — cleaning out my inbox, installing computer updates, etc. I eat some of my leftover Blue Apron dinner from last night (a rice bake with chorizo, tomato, and spinach) for breakfast.

10:30 a.m. — T. texts back that he’s down for the Mexican place and just made a reservation. He offers to pick me up and drive us both there, which I accept. I find it odd that he keeps driving to our dates, especially in a city where public transit is pretty good and Ubers are cheap, but for where we’re going tonight it definitely makes things easier.

11 a.m. — My boss sends me her updated grant application draft, and I read through her edits. I add a few comments here and there but it looks pretty good to me.

12 p.m. — My organization has hired an outside facilitator to lead an all-staff workshop on how to manage news/social media stress in these trying times. Normally I’d roll my eyes at this kind of thing, but I really like this particular facilitator. He shares some research about the mental and physical health impacts of doomscrolling and constant news consumption, then leads us in a discussion about steps we can take to limit our news intake, while still keeping up with what’s required for our jobs and being an active citizen. We end with a gratitude practice and I find myself tearing up a little bit. It’s been a hard couple months in DC and while I find my job frustrating day to day, I’m grateful to have a job at all, let alone a job full of people who are still trying to make things better, even as so much of our work is being torn apart.

1 p.m. — Last grant check-in of the week! My boss walks through the changes she made to the draft with a smaller group of us (no senior leadership) and we work through everyone’s feedback live, so we can send the second draft back to leadership this afternoon.

2 p.m. — I eat the rest of my leftovers and tie up a few more loose ends from the week. I send grandboss a recap of some of my conversations from yesterday’s happy hour, and she lets me know that she got our CEO back on board with our original plans for my project’s activation. That’s great to hear, because I already announced those plans to 50 people on yesterday’s call, oops.

4 p.m. — Uh oh, my boss is calling me at 4 p.m. on a Friday. Never a good sign! She tells me that grandboss just called her because she started looking through the new application draft and doesn’t feel like it’s reflecting her feedback. I look in the doc and she is actively making in-line edits, which we asked people not to do at this stage. My boss and I talk it through and decide that we’re simply done trying to make everyone happy and if grandboss wants to just rewrite entire sections, that’s fine, and that’s what we’ll submit next week.

4:45 p.m. — I close my laptop, put on some Sabrina Carpenter for good flirty vibes, and start to get ready for my date! I style my hair, do my makeup, and put on a little black dress, sheer black tights, and chunky black boots. My biggest beauty splurge in the last year was a perfume from Dior, so I add a spritz of that and I’m out the door.

5:45 p.m. — T. picks me up and we debrief our weeks on the way to dinner. He works for a federal agency and tells me about which of his colleagues got laid off since our last date, and I tell him about the much less serious quotidian nonsense of my job as I continue to get Slack notifications from comments in the Google doc. I put my phone on Do Not Disturb and we both agree on no more work talk once we get out of the car.

6 p.m. — I picked an excellent restaurant and dinner is delicious. We get margs and chips and guac to start, then we each get a couple tacos and esquites to share. We contemplate some churros for dessert, but decide to pass so we can get to the venue a little early and get good seats. T. sneakily pays for dinner while I’m in the bathroom, and I have no idea how much it was.

7:30 p.m. — The venue for this show is actually a classic DC rowhome converted into an event space, so we enter through an alley in the back and are immediately transported into a moody, candlelit, exposed brick, black box-type space. We go scope things out and put our jackets down to claim two seats, then head to the makeshift bar in the back. The drinks are “free” but there are “suggested donations” listed, so I scan the Venmo QR code and insist on paying, since he paid for dinner. $20

9 p.m. — There are two groups performing tonight, and the opener was amazing! It’s unreal how much local talent there is in DC. We get another round of drinks during the break between sets and I pay again, over T.’s objections. $20

10:30 p.m. — The show wraps up, and we linger to say hi to T.’s friend who played in the second act. He introduces us to the other musicians, and T. ends up buying the vocalist’s solo album on vinyl. As we head back to the car, I’m thinking quickly about when and where to make a move, because we still haven’t kissed! So when we get back to his car and he goes to open the passenger door for me, I pause and turn around. He asks if I want a hand getting in, and I say no, I want you to come here and kiss me, and he does 🙂 I was manifesting a dimly lit side street makeout against a car door tonight and absolutely nailed my vision!!

11 p.m. — T. drives me home and parks around the corner so he can kiss me again and walk me to my building. Seems like I wasn’t the only one scheming on where to make a move tonight. Part of me wants to invite him up, but it feels too soon, so I just say goodnight and suggest we do this again sometime, to which he says “Definitely” and kisses me one last time. When I get into my apartment I flop onto my bed and text L. that I think I just went on a perfect date?? She is out with some friends but responds immediately, demanding details. Debriefing a good date with your best friend is a top tier girlhood experience and the perfect way to end the night.

Daily Total: $40

Day Six: Saturday

9 a.m. — My alarm goes off and I am not ready to get up. I stayed up way too late texting with my friends about my perfect date and definitely did not drink enough water before I went to bed. People make jokes about turning 30 and not being able to drink anymore, but three drinks in one evening really does hit different at this age 🙁 I set a new alarm for 10 a.m. and go back to sleep, then keep snoozing it until I absolutely have to get up.

10:45 a.m. — I finally haul myself out of bed and get ready to leave the house. I need to eat something, but I can’t figure out what. I improvise a smoothie with some frozen mango, Greek yogurt, coconut milk, and honey — it’s not bad, but it’s also not good. I force myself to sip on it while I get dressed, then race out the door.

11:30 a.m. — I get to my facial appointment exactly on time but I’m a little flustered from speed walking over here. I finally start to relax once I’m lying down and talking through my goals with the esthetician, and the next 50 minutes fly by. I almost fall asleep during one of the masks but manage to keep it together and decline when she suggests we add a red light treatment for $50 extra.

12:30 p.m. — I check out at the front desk and also decline to become a monthly member or to buy any additional products to take home. My final total is $114 + a 20% tip. $136.80

12:45 p.m. — I need to go grocery shopping and am tempted to stop into Trader Joe’s on my way home, but I haven’t made a list and should not go in there hungry and without a plan. Instead, I stop into a café and get a chicken salad sandwich and an iced tea. $21.60

1:15 p.m. — I drink most of my iced tea on the walk home and then eat half my sandwich while watching my baseball team play a meaningless spring training game. I spend the rest of the afternoon watching baseball, napping, writing my MD, and having phone time. I text T. a couple photos/videos I took at the show last night and cancel my other first date for tomorrow (I just wasn’t that excited about it and wanted to focus on T.!). I really want one (1) new cute casual dress for spring, so I do the sensible thing and order three (3) from Tuckernuck with the high hopes that one of them will end up working. (Update: They were all terrible and I got two dresses for $40 from Old Navy instead to satisfy my new sundress craving.) $345

5 p.m. — I eat the other half of my sandwich and make a grocery list. I order two more cold brew fridge packs ($61.20). I text my friend R. some ideas for dinner tomorrow night, and we land on a Smitten Kitchen recipe for roasted veggies and halloumi (she’s vegetarian), plus I decide I want to make chocolate chip cookies. We’ll do a full catchup tomorrow, but I tell R. I had a great third date last night, and it turns out she also had a great second date last night! Dating can get so demoralizing so you gotta get excited when there’s something to be excited about, and I’m proud of us for continuing to put ourselves out there. $61.20

6 p.m. — The sun goes down and I realize just how excited I am for daylight savings to start tomorrow — 7 p.m. sunsets are going to change the game! When the weather’s nice I love to go outside and read after work, so I decide to hype myself up for this seasonal change by starting a new book tonight. I go shopping on my bookshelf and pick up The Mythmakers by Keziah Weir.

8 p.m. — My high school friend F. texts me out of the blue asking how I feel about one-shoulder dresses. I am officiating her wedding this summer and she wants to send over some dress ideas. The wedding is several months away, but I know that the sooner I buy a dress, the sooner I will lift one tiny piece of wedding anxiety off her shoulders, so we spend the next hour looking at dresses online and sending options back and forth. I love F. very much, but she keeps sending dresses that simply won’t work on my body, or that don’t go up to my size. I eventually find a dress on Nordstrom’s website that we both really like and that has inclusive sizing! I order a size 16 and 18 so I can try both on, and cross my fingers that I’m able to nail this fashion assignment on the first try (note: I did not nail it on the first try and had to return these, but I found a great dress we both love for $250 a few weeks later!). $527.88

11 p.m. — I spend the rest of my evening alternating between reading my book (which is off to a slow but interesting start) and mindless TikTok time, then do my bedtime routines and fall asleep around midnight.

Daily Total: $1092.48

Day Seven: Sunday

10 a.m. — I didn’t set an alarm and am surprised that I slept in until 10 a.m., until I remember we lost an hour to daylight savings. After a delightful rot day yesterday, today is the day I get my shit together! I get up and put on Lady Gaga’s new album while I shower, to kickstart the day.

11 a.m. — This new album SLAPS. I sort and start my laundry, then literally stop in my tracks when I hear “How Bad Do U Want Me” for the first time. Did she put drugs in this song?? I put it on repeat so I can start learning the lyrics while loading my dishwasher and cleaning out my fridge. I make chimichurri scrambled eggs on sourdough toast and drink some cold brew, then head out to the grocery store.

12 p.m. — Whole Foods run! I get bananas, lemons, parsley, dill, thyme, scallions, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, celery, onions, baby carrots, halloumi, Laughing Cow cheese, chicken breasts, eggs, bread, coconut milk, Annie’s mac and cheese, vanilla extract, and fancy dark chocolate baking discs. I’m so distracted by Lady Gaga’s perfect pop album that at one point I put my items in someone else’s cart and a confused older gentleman has to tap me on the shoulder and politely point this out. Doing great! $121.77

1 p.m. — Home from the grocery and my baseball team is back on. I unpack my groceries, move my laundry along, put some bone-in chicken breasts in the oven to roast, and make my cookie dough so it can rest in the fridge for a few hours. I decide to go all in and make the NYT adobo chocolate chip cookies, which are literally the best cookies I’ve ever made.

5 p.m. — The rest of the afternoon is a haze of laundry, baseball, making chicken salad and stock, snacking on baby carrots, texting with T., and chopping veggies for dinner tonight. Around 5 p.m. I finally strain the stock and pour it into containers for the fridge/freezer, throw my last load of towels in the dryer, then pack up all the veggies and cookie dough to drive over to R.’s house.

5:30 p.m. — I am greeted at R.’s apartment by her very excitable dog, S. I have gone back and forth on getting a pet for years, but for now at least, I’m content to just hang out with my friends’ pets when I need a good animal snuggle and keep my home free of lovable chaos demons. R. pours us some wine, I throw the veggies and halloumi in the oven, and we head to her building’s roof to soak up the extra hour of sunshine.

6:30 p.m. — Dinner is served and we’re so excited to eat al fresco on the roof, but as soon as the sun sets it gets too cold, so we head back down to R.’s apartment and put the cookies in the oven. They turn out SO good it’s unbelievable.

7:30 p.m. — Cookie time turns into dog snuggles and anxiety time: R. tells me about her organization’s recent layoffs in response to frozen government funding and how nervous she is about her job stability, and I tell her about how nervous I am for my doctor’s appointment tomorrow. I have been dealing with chronic pelvic pain for years, and have finally started seeking treatment for it. Pelvic floor physical therapy and hormone therapy have literally changed my life over the last year, and tomorrow I’m doing a round of pelvic floor Botox injections (similar to when people get Botox for migraines or TMJ). I get super anxious for doctor’s appointments, so my mom is coming into town for the day to go with me and drive me home. R. offers to come over after she leaves if I need additional support or dog snuggles, which I will probably not take her up on but appreciate anyway. We divvy up leftovers and hug it out before I leave.

9 p.m. — I get home and call my parents for our weekly catchup call and to go over logistics with my mom for tomorrow. I’m taking a half-day off work and will pick her up from the train station on the way to my appointment. Turns out my dad also has a doctor’s appointment tomorrow to get a cortisone shot in his shoulder, but I guess he’s a big boy and can go by himself.

9:30 p.m. — I change into PJs and turn Lady Gaga back on to motivate me to put all my laundry away and clean up the kitchen from all my earlier cooking projects, then I start the dishwasher and the new episode of The White Lotus. I feel like it’s just starting to get interesting, and I’m excited to see where the rest of the season goes.

11 p.m. — I settle in to do some dilator therapy to put some extra stretch into my pelvic floor muscles before tomorrow. I remind myself of how far I’ve come, and how blessed I am to have a stable job and the financial resources to pursue treatment that is largely not covered by insurance. I spent over $5,000 last year on medical bills that insurance didn’t cover, and this year I’m really hoping that doesn’t exceed the $3,500 I’m saving through my healthcare FSA. The appointment tomorrow will be $1,350, and I really hope it’s worth it (update: It went well, but not as dramatic of an improvement as I thought there might be).

11:30 p.m. — I clean my dilators, do my bedtime dental and skin care routines, and then put on a Spotify “Sleep” playlist to ease my anxious brain into sleep.

Daily Total: $121.77

The Breakdown

Conclusion 

“Other than the hundreds of dollars spent on dresses I ended up returning anyway, this was a pretty normal week of spending for me! It’s a little hard to read back and see how much my pelvic pain impacted my week and how excited I was about T. (we ended things a few weeks later) but I’m thrilled to report I have since found the perfect dress for my friend’s wedding and the Botox did help a little bit! This is my third year in a row keeping a Money Diary for the same week in March (I didn’t submit last year’s for publication, though) and it’s cool to see these snapshots in time and how my little spending habits have changed (or not) year over year.”

Money Diaries are meant to reflect an individual’s experience and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29’s point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.

The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more Money Diaries, click here.

Do you have a Money Diary you’d like to share? Submit it with us here.

Have questions about how to submit or our publishing process? Read our Money Diaries FAQ doc here or email us here.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

A Week In San Diego, CA On A $143,524 Salary

A Week In New York City On A $124,000 Salary

A Week In Northern California On A $53,100 Salary

As the world confronts the urgent challenge of removing billions of tons of carbon dioxide…

The post Earth911 Podcast: The Carbon Removal XPrize Winners appeared first on Earth911.

Bathrooms may be our homes’ smallest rooms, but they have an outsized environmental impact. They’re…

The post Sustainable In the Bathroom: Waste Less, Save More with Every Flush, Shower & Swab appeared first on Earth911.

Glossier is a brand that has its finger firmly on the pulse. It pioneered the minimalist, “your skin, but better” look that has dominated the beauty trend cycle for years. There’s also the cult-favorite You perfume, an intimate, musky fragrance that ignited the demand for skin-like scents. And, who can forget when the brand tapped a then up-and-coming Olivia Rodrigo as its first-ever celebrity spokesperson? So when we caught wind that the brand teamed up with pop girl group Katseye for the launch of its new product, a cooling lip oil named Lip Glaze, $22, we immediately knew that this was newsworthy on all fronts.

If you haven’t heard of Katseye, start taking notes now: the rising girl group of the moment is poised to become the Spice Girls of the social media age. Its six members — Sophia Laforteza, Lara Raj, Meret Manon Bannerman, Daniela Avanzini, Megan Skiendiel, and Yoonchae Jeung — hail from all over the world, after successfully competing in Netflix’s Pop Star Academy, a K-pop style survival talent show. The group’s newest release, a campy earworm of a club banger named “Gnarly“, has entered the Billboard Hot 100 and Spotify Global Charts.

Off the success of the group’s latest single and the launch of Lip Glaze, we talked all things beauty with Katseye, from their secret skincare habits to the Glossier products they never go without.

R29: How do you personally define the word “gnarly”? From the lyrics of your new single, it feels open to so many interpretations.

Sophia Laforteza: A recent slang word that I’ve been using a lot is “ew”. You know how when people think of the word “ew”, they think it’s gross and disgusting? But I’ve been using it when something absolutely eats, like when someone’s blush looks amazing. That eventually turned into using the word “gnarly” to describe something that looks really good. There’s a duality to “gnarly”; you can definitely use it in a good way and in a bad way.

R29: How are you finding the response to “Gnarly”? There were lots of extreme reactions and memes at first, but the song has really caught on.

Lara Raj: It’s been overwhelming and exciting. To be so real with you, people were really jarred by the song at first, so that was pretty hard for us. But [the turnaround in fan opinion] happened in the span of one day, when we did our first live performance in Korea. I think that because “Gnarly” is such a talking song, the visual part of the performance is something that the song needs. It’s definitely been a rollercoaster for us, but we also understood the fans’ perspective: when we first heard the song, we were like, “Wow, this is so different!”, and it’s something that gags you a little bit. We’re so grateful to see how many people are loving it now and the success that it’s bringing to us.

R29: Let’s chat a bit more about beauty. In your GRWM video with Glossier, Manon talked about her love for shaved brows. Do you have any tips on how to do this perfectly?

Meret Manon Bannerman: I just love the straight brow look; it makes my face look snatched and more awake. Here’s what I do: I shave off the top edge of my brow [where there’s typically a natural arch] and I use a brow pencil to draw on the ends, so it looks more straight. PSA: You have to be very careful, or they might not end up looking good. But my members have all done it and they all look amazing, so I honestly feel like everyone should try having straight brows.

R29: Since you spend so much time together, what are some cool beauty tips you’ve picked up from each other?

SL: Lara loves using her eyeliner pencil as a lip liner.

LR: Yeah, it’s because it stays on so much longer than regular lip products. I’m obsessed with Glossier’s No. 1 Pencil, $18, in the shade Frame. It’s a neutral dark brown that looks kind of ashy. I love to overline my lips with it and sometimes use it to draw freckles, too. I also put mascara on my eyebrows: it’s literally a brush that has color on it, and it works so well for brushing your brows. Another tip I have is to use highlighter as my eye shadow. I have naturally darker eyelids, so highlighter tends to brighten them up.

R29: Blush is having such a big moment. What are some of your favourite blush placements?

Daniela Avanzini: Surprisingly, I don’t really use blush. I apply bronzer as my blush; it warms up my skin and helps me look more tanned.

Yoonchae Jeung: I do Korean-style makeup, which tends to look softer and sweeter than Western makeup. So I like to put blush right below my eyes, on my chin, sometimes even on my forehead. It helps your makeup look more even and perfectly matched.

MMB: I think I suffer from blush blindness and that’s okay. I apply powder blush all over my nose and eyelids to create that pretty, slightly sunburnt look.

R29: Megan, you’ve rocked some really cool hairstyles. What do you think your next hair transformation will be?

Megan Skiendiel: After my ginger blonde situation last year [for the group’s hit summer song, “Touch”], it was very smart of me to dye my hair black and pink. It looked really cool and I wanted to keep my hair healthy. I’d love to go platinum blonde next, but dye the ends jet black.

R29: What’s one beauty habit your fans might not know about?

SL: One thing about me is that I will never let my lips get chapped. I just can’t focus when my lips are dry, and I use my lips to tell if I’m not drinking enough water. I love putting on a super thick layer of Glossier’s Lip Glaze, $22, before going to bed, and exfoliating my lips in the morning. When I wake up in the middle of the night to drink more water, I will always top it up, or put on Glossier’s Balm Dotcom, $16. I think that’s what makes my lips look plump and glossy all the time; it really comes from how I take care of my lips.

R29: Last but not least, which Glossier products can’t you live without?

MBB: Mine is the Futuredew Oil-Serum Illuminator, $26. It just gives me such a gorgeous glow and I just feel good putting it on. It also smells amazing.

YJ: I really love Boy Brow, $22. The brand offers one in gray, which is so hard to find and looks so natural on my darker brows.

LR: I’m literally wearing a full face of Glossier right now, but I think my favourite has to be the Stretch Concealer, $22. It’s so full coverage, and yet it feels like nothing on my skin and covers up literally everything. I also love that it comes in a teeny-tiny pot.

MS: The Birthday flavor of Balm Dotcom, $16, has been my go-to ever since middle school. I recently lost mine and felt so sad that I went to the store to replace it immediately. The scent is so delicious and I feel nice putting it on.

DA: I have really dry skin, and The Stretch Fluid Foundation, $34, is the first foundation that I genuinely liked. It’s super hydrating and creamy, and I’d definitely recommend that to anyone with dry skin. I also wear the Glossier You Fleur Eau de Parfum, $78, every single day.

SL: I love Cloud Paint, $22, as a blush, but I also like putting a little bit of it over my eyeshadow and on my lips. It makes my makeup look more cohesive.

This story was originally published on Refinery29 UK.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

How Good Are Sacheu's Viral Peel-Off Lip Liners?

I Tried 10 Skin Tints & There's One Clear Winner

We Tested 16 Tinted Lip Balms To Find The Best

While I believe that white jeans are a year-round staple — however impractical, all-white winter looks made up of jeans, a turtleneck sweater, and a wool coat will never not be chic in my style book — there’s no denying that the denim trend is best paired against a backdrop of a beach, a historic European city, or an outdoor summer party. From loose button-downs to marinières, the look can be styled with virtually any summer must-have, and is equally well-suited for a vacation as the office.

To prove just how versatile white jeans are, we rummaged through the newest denim drop from reader-favorite brand Aligne. While you can certainly go the trendy barrel-leg or low-rise route depending on your personal style, I love a more timeless straight-leg silhouette like this high-rise pair (which also comes in blue) for the way I can roll the hem up with a sneaker or a ballet flat or leave it down with a heel. Ahead, I styled the pair to create five white jean outfit ideas for every summer occasion.

How to style white jeans: with a T-shirt

The most casual way to style white jeans is to pair them with a T-shirt. While white-on-white is the easiest way to elevate a jeans-and-tee combo — don’t forget accessories like a belt and jewelry to prevent it from looking boring — I love the look of a striped shirt with white jeans for a coastal-inspired feel. Especially with a light sweater casually strewn over the shoulders, which comes in handy for those evening beach walks.

How to style white jeans: with a waistcoat

There’s no combination more foolproof than a pair of jeans and a structured blazer. For the summer, I like to switch out the long-sleeve top for a vest, which — while lighter in fabric — looks just as professional as its more modest counterpart. (I love this Aligne waistcoat style that the British brand has become most known for.) If you’re wearing this look to work, opt for more grounded accessories like a closed-toe shoe and a bag in a heavier suede or leather fabrication.

How to style white jeans: with a tank top

Like I previously said, there’s no better way to wear white jeans than with a white top. To add some interest to the outfit — especially for a going-out look — reach for tops with interesting silhouettes or details, like this open-back style with a long train (which can also be tied around the waist). To keep the look airy and light, enlist an open-toe sandal. My current favorite is the nostalgic thong heel (I have this pair in two colorways).

How to style white jeans: with a duster

For a more vacation-approved ensemble, pair the white jeans with a bikini top or suit and a floppy hat for a beach outing or pool party. When the sun goes down, top the look with a duster, shirtdress, or caftan to take it into the night. Just switch out the flip-flops for a heeled sandal and the beach bag for a statement clutch.

How to style white jeans: with a button-down and sweater

While there’s nothing wrong with a crisp button-down paired with jeans, take it one step further by adding a lightweight cashmere sweater over the top and finishing the look with a retro-leaning ballet flat. To add some personality, select a contrasting shirt (I like a leopard print or a chambray) for that peeking-collar moment, a statement belt, and some fun accessories — like this pearl anklet from Jenny Bird.

Shop White Jeans

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?