Latest news with #Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan
a day ago
- Health
- Cosmopolitan
L'Oreal True Match Serum Review 2025
A few weeks ago, I had a sudden allergic reaction that left my face red, swollen, and peeling. It was bad enough to send me to the emergency room—and (debatably) even worse, I had a wedding to attend just three days later. The inflammation wasn't going down, and my skin was flaky and irritated. I needed a hydrating foundation that could effectively camouflage my redness—all while lasting through a long, sweaty day (and night) of wedding guest festivities without further irritating my poor face. After debating what to pack in my makeup bag, I decided on a long-time favorite: L'Oréal's True Match Nude Hyaluronic Tinted Serum. As a beauty editor, I've tested countless foundations, including all the luxury options and viral hits, but I always come back to this under-$20 drugstore skin tint. It's shockingly full-coverage, accessible, and ideal for sensitive skin. The multitasking formula is infused with hyaluronic acid, which made a huge difference on my dry, shedding face. It smoothed over my patchiness instead of clinging to it, and gave my face a hydrated, fresh finish. It's also non-comedogenic, so I didn't have to worry about making things worse with clogged pores or breakouts. And despite the formula being labeled as a skin tint, the coverage is akin to that of foundation while still being super lightweight. The wedding took place in Atlanta in June, so I was bracing for heat, humidity, and a full day of photos and dancing. From 4 p.m. until midnight, my makeup stayed put—no flakes, no melting, and most importantly, no redness peeked through. Even close up, my skin looked calm and smooth. You would never know I accidentally ate nuts three days prior. If you're dealing with reactive skin or just need an unfailing foundation for long, hot days, this skin tint is more than worthy of a top spot in your rotation. It's affordable, accessible, and truly delivers, whether you're heading to a summer event or just need a skincare-forward complexion product. Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You'll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it's usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles' entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
Cosmopolitan
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Sabrina Carpenter Got Rid of Her Curtain Bangs
Hey, Sabrina Carpenter, have you ever tried... this one? And by "this one," I mean a side-parted, pressed, and blown-out hairstyle without her usual curtain bangs? Well, yes, she has!! In a hair transformation that has blown up our beauty editor group chat, "Manchild" hater Sabrina Carpenter attended Jonathan Anderson's debut Dior Homme Menswear show in Paris and was almost unrecognizable without her usual fringe and bouncy curls. Instead, she opted for a more pared-back, classic look: a side part, secured with a tortoise barette, and flipped in ends. This departure kinda tracks, though. The popstar just announced her new album, Man's Best Friend, out August 29, with an alternate cover that references an image of 1960 image of Marilyn Monroe. And idk about you, but this side part and the accompanying cinched waist on her tailored blazer feel very MarMo coded, no? This look is so luxuriously soft. Sabrina's actually Redken's Global Ambassador and is a fan of their Acidic Bonding collection to keep her hair strong and healthy amidst coloring and constant heat styling. Makes sense: Her hair looks smooth as butter rn. We're so used to always seeing Sabrina's hair look the same—so much so that fans were utterly convinced she was wearing a wig the entirety of the Short 'n Sweet Tour because it always looked so fluffy and bouncy. But maybe this marks the beginning of a new hair era for Sab. Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
Cosmopolitan
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Reneé Rapp's 'Mad' Lyrics Release the Frustration of Fighting With Your Significant Other
Reneé Rapp is on a roll. She not only dropped 'Leave Me Alone' last month but also performed at the American Music Awards, graced the cover of Cosmopolitan, and announced her first headlining arena tour. As her sophomore album, Bite Me, is set to hit streaming services on August 1, the powerhouse vocalist is giving us another taste with her new single, 'Mad.' The song, which Reneé wrote alongside longtime collaborator Alexander 23, Ali Tamposi, and Omer Fedi (who happens to be Addison Rae's boyfriend, ICYMI), taps into the frustration we tend to feel in the middle of a fight with our significant other. Her punchy delivery is as playful as it is honest, as she sings about wanting to work through an argument so she can go back to the good vibes of her honeymoon phase. Ahead, we break down Reneé Rapp's 'Mad' lyrics and their potential meaning, because you have to be prepared for the Bite Me Tour. Duh. Lyrics written by Reneé Rapp, Alexander Glantz, Omer Fedi, and Ali Tamposi [Verse 1] Take five, we've been at it all night Not a sorry in the world I ain't already said Ugh, Christ, getting hard to be nice Not a single little curl on your head, don't want me dead Okay, I get it, you wanna be mad I wish I could take that pretty little face And shake some sense into you like Reneé sets the scene of a seemingly never-ending argument with a scorned lover. She's already apologized profusely, but is hitting a dead end when her partner is still upset. During her Cosmopolitan cover story, Reneé opened up about her relationship with Towa Bird (who could be the 'pretty little head' the curl she sings about is perched upon) and whether they fight. 'First of all, healthy relationships fight! Our first fight was probably when I was drunk. When I go out, I often stop making sense,' she said. 'Towa was trying to get my attention and tapped my shoulder. I felt nothing. And she was like, 'I've been trying to get your attention for half an hour.' And I looked over, like, 'When?' She thought I was kidding because it was so unbelievable, which I understand.' [Chorus] Hey, you! All of the time you wasted being mad We could've been cute, and we could've been stupid Hey, you! All of the time you wasted in your head We could've been having sex You could have been getting all of my time But you were being mad Instead of using their energy to fight, Reneé suggests going back to the way things were during the chorus. While she hasn't revealed whether the song is explicitly about a heated moment with Towa, she gushed about their romance ahead of its drop. 'She's my best friend. I worship her. I love talking to her, and I also just love watching her talk. There's something so special about watching the person you are deeply enamored with talk about something they find interesting that has nothing to do with you,' Reneé told Cosmo. She added, 'Which is rare, because I think I'm the center of everyone's world and especially hers—and I am, clock it—but hearing her talk about streaming her shit [on Twitch], she's just such a little freak. She's this hot, sexy, intimidating thing, but I know a side of her that's such a weirdo.' [Verse 2] Okay, you can pout your lips Puff on a cigarette, face all Marlboro red Slow down, put my finger in your mout,h pull the bitter taste out Baby, you can have me instead Okay, I get it, you wanna be mad I wish I could take that pretty little face And shake some sense into you like On the second verse, she attempts to ease the blow with seduction tactics. They don't seem to be working, as she bursts into the chorus again. [Chorus] [Bridge] Don't give me the shoulder Come get closer God, it's pissing me off I wanna get mad at you right back at you But it's kind of hot She wants to move past their issues and get back to being lovers. And, sometimes, the heat of the argument can translate into incredible makeup sex. [Chorus/Outro] All of the time you wasted being mad We could have been cute, and we could have been stupid Hey, you All of the time you were fucking with my head We could have been having sex You could have been getting all of my time But you were being mad You could've been getting head
Cosmopolitan
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Sorry, Baby: How Eva Victor, Naomi Ackie, and Lucas Hedges Created 2025's Best Movie
Forgive me for what is about to be a bit of a sentimental beginning to this story. As a person who covers movies for a living, I've often heard stories of critics or editors going to film festivals and seeing the start of a legendary career. People speak with reverence about seeing Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs at the Sundance Film Festival in 1992, for example, or Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides at Cannes in 1999. Those stories are always accompanied with a sense of wonder, like they can't believe they were lucky enough to be in that place at that time to witness that thing. I've always hoped to have a moment like that myself. And this year, with Sorry, Baby premiering at Sundance, I finally got the chance. Eva Victor's beautiful directorial debut, which comes out in limited release today, follows Agnes, (played by Victor) a grad student who experiences something traumatic at the hands of a person they trust. The story focuses less on the traumatic event itself and on all the ways Agnes tries to cope and heal after the fact, especially as the people around them start to move on with their own lives. It blends a sharp poignancy about grief with moments of humor and light, relying on the comedic sense Victor used in the front-facing videos they became known for. Naomi Ackie (Blink Twice, Mickey 17) plays Lydie, Agnes's best friend and anchor, and Lucas Hedges (Ladybird, Manchester by the Sea) plays Gavin, Agnes's neighbor. They both try to keep Agnes grounded as she moves through her own healing. The movie earned glowing reviews out of Sundance and is produced by Barry Jenkins, the Oscar-winning director of Moonlight. Cosmopolitan sat down with the movie's three leads to talk through making the movie in less than four weeks, how Victor got both Ackie and Hedges to hop on board, and why the friendship at the center is the real romance. Eva Victor: It did influence the setting of the film. I felt very inspired by it, and I felt that it was both upsettingly cold and dreary and lonely, and also at the same time very romantic. I loved that. It's a very personal story, but I found a lot of joy in creating parts of it. Maine was a huge part of the creation of the story. I grew up in San Francisco and there's no seasons. Seasons tell time in a way that feels so weird, and you feel time differently, and winter is so weird in terms of loneliness. When we finally decided to shoot near Boston, it was about finding locations that felt sort of analogous to the places I had imagined them taking place in Maine. EV: The whole shoot was supposed to have snow, and we scheduled it at that exact time to try to capture snow, and it snowed the weekend before, and then the last shot of the film, there was a little snow coming down. We couldn't even use that because it didn't match. Then I found out that happened to Certain Women, Kelly Reichardt's movie, and I was like, okay, so it's a good thing. Eva: Always non-linear. It was always starting with the friendship weekend away, the joy of that. You have to fall in love with them in order to later care. In the edit, we experimented with many versions of how that beginning moved. And our final realization is that if you don't have this moment where Naomi does this thing where she's like, you're fucking your neighbor, Gavin, waving her arms around, the film doesn't work. I want to start the film with the joy and the love, because then there's something you lose. And I also wanted to give Agnes this fighting chance of being a whole person. As a society, we often flatten people who've been through that sort of trauma. Naomi Ackie: It's what I love about filmmaking. Every film feels like a student film. Every single one. Lucas Hedges: Even Mickey 17? Naomi: To an extent, yeah. You're always conscious of time, and you're always running around. It's like a house. No matter how big it is, you'll always feel it. Eva: No matter the budget, time is time. Lucas: Every human is mortal and every film is mortal. There's no amount of money you can do to make something immortal. Eva: And sometimes time is a constraint that's beautiful. Naomi: It's like when you watch a toddler and they start making their first words. You're actually watching someone build the language for the first time. That's really, really cool. And usually that language evolves over time. With Eva, with Zoë, the film you make is who you are. And then if you're a part of that first creation of that first language, then you have the privilege of getting to watch how that evolves over time. When I'm going to watch Eva's next movie, I can see how they stretched. Naomi: Yeah, I did actually. It was even in feedback that we got about their friendship, this reminds me of me and my best friend. It also made my job very easy, to enact that idea of a really strong bond and a friendship. Friendships are romantic. They're the loves of your life. And you get to choose it. Eva: When I was looking for this partner on the film, I would always say, Agnes is the moon and Lydie is the sun. Naomi: And I'm a Leo, so that makes sense. Eva: Then I met Naomi, and she was so awesome. And then we read together. I fell in love with her, honestly, and it really elevated the film. The film doesn't work if this friendship doesn't work. And it was this huge exhale from everyone, we found this person who makes the film. I feel like God touched me in sending me Naomi. Naomi: Oh, don't you dare! That's very nice. Eva: It was just right. That she wanted to do the movie is crazy. I'm still not over that she wanted to do it. Lucas: The letter mattered more after I read the script, because the letter takes on the context of the script. I read the letter, and then I read the script, and then I was like, Oh, I can't wait to read the letter again, because now I know who this person is. I got to read something and fall in love with the story, and then immediately connect with it as Lucas. It was a cherry on the top. Immediately I wrote my response, but it was 11 p.m. so I couldn't send it until I got up. I got up early the next day to reach out to my manager. And I sleep in, so... I woke the fuck up. Lucas: I pictured him being an opera singer. The film is operatic almost, in terms of the emotions. Even the sets, it feels like somebody could just start singing. He also felt big, in a way that was full and yet also inherently silly. And there's something about an opera singer that's inherently kind of laughable. What they do is so earnest. They're stuck in a gesture so large that you can't help feeling bad for them. Eva: The experience Agnes is having is the classic thing of being left behind. Lydie shows up with their partner, who is a funhouse mirror, evolved version of Agnes. Agnes has been the baby, and Agnes is like, I'm not the baby anymore. And so the baby takes on this pain of, I'm not gonna get all the love anymore, which is inherently selfish. In moments after trauma, the way to survive is to just think about yourself, which is selfish to people around you, but it's also necessary for survival. Though Lydie has done all this generous loving and care, the end of the film is the first time Agnes is able to see outside herself and see Lydie's need, which is wanting to go on a walk with her partner. Agnes watching the baby for 20 minutes is obviously a super small thing that doesn't balance anything out, but is a moment of, this isn't about me. And I think for Agnes, that's huge. And then Agnes seeing the baby, that's the moment when Agnes is like, I'm going to be able to give you what Lydie gave to me. It's really small, and it's not at all balanced. But I think that is the small change of going from FOMO to, I am of use, just not how I used to be.
Cosmopolitan
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Quickies Review: I Tried the Best Press-On Nails in 2025
I have visions of DIY manicures from my youth that were chipped, smudged, and uneven. Doing my nails myself is just not a skill that I possess as an impatient person with ADHD. It's fine, whatever! But it has led me to a lifelong love-hate relationship with the nail salon. I've done everything: Acrylics, gel manicures, shellac, gel extensions. They're all really expensive, take forever, and never last as long as I expect them to. And, of course, they always leave my nails so broken and brittle that I've got to start the cycle over again if I want them to look good. I hate it. So, I started wearing press-on nails almost exclusively. Last summer, as I was coming into my sexuality as a lesbian and seriously dating women for the first time, I felt like my nails didn't really match who I was anymore. I spent the majority of my teen and adult life always wearing long nails. Men thought long nails were sexy, I once read in a magazine (was it an old issue of Cosmopolitan? Perhaps!). They make your fingers look ~slim~ and ~petite~. But it just didn't feel right anymore, and I suddenly found myself looking for press-on nails that were short in length but had all the sick art I was saving on Pinterest. That's when I switched to (and fell in love with) Quickies, a press-on nail brand that offers a mix of shapes and lengths all in monthly design drops that mimic what you get in salons. Like most of us, Quickies founder Bailey Stanworth started experimenting with press-ons during COVID but was ultimately so unimpressed with the options that, unlike most of us, she created her own. She launched the brand in 2022 in Vancouver with the mission of finally making press-ons that rivaled what she got at nail salons. And with a name like Quickies, just know the branding is clear throughout: it's like if Sabrina Carpenter and Reneé Rapp had a lil press-on baby. It's horny and clever and queer. They wanna nail you! They want you to have a good press! Their tools are called "nail toys"! But it's not just about the nails. Stanworth has been adamant about making Quickies inclusive and charitable from day one. 'There's nothing wrong with being an exclusive cool-girl brand, but I didn't want that for Quickies,' Stanworth tells Cosmo. She's included everyone from her 97-year-old grandma to nonbinary models in imagery and donates $1 from every order to abortion funds and LGBTQIA+ organizations. Stanworth came out as queer just before launching the brand and says that for her and the Quickies community, there's a strong link between sexuality, nail art, and self-identity. 'I know it's just nails, but I get messages from girls who say Quickies really helps their confidence so much.' Worn by Ariana Maddix on the Love Island premiere episode, nbd 😜 Also available in medium almond! FYI: This is a part of the Katie Maloney x Quickies collab! In each lil bag of Quickies, you get 24 press-on nails, a mini nail file, and liquid nail glue. BTW, the actual bag that your nails come in is also reusable and is meant to make it easy to do your nails on the go or easily chuck in your bag for touch-ups. Stanworth says people use the zip pouch to hold medication, cords, jewelry, and cash. (I can attest to this—it's legit perfect for stuffing my vitamins into for weekend trips.) Before applying mine, I always give my nails a quick buff with the included nail file (or, recently, I've been using the large one since it launched). This really helps the press-on adhere to my nails for a lot longer, and I can tell a difference when I skip this step. Then, I'll find my fit (more on this below in my review). I always opt for a slightly larger nail than a smaller one to help avoid any premature lifting. Once my nails are picked out and ready, I take the glue and dab a little bit on the bottom of the inside of the press-on and drag it out to the edges. I really only focus on the lower third of the nail here, and I use much less than you think you need of the glue to avoid spillage once I stick the nail on. For a super secure nail, I'll also dab some glue on the upper third of my natural nail. Same story here: A teensy dot is enough. I'll immediately stick on the press-on nail, hold it for 30 seconds, and that's it. I've been testing Quickies for over six months, and since I tried them, I haven't stepped foot in a nail salon. I have everything I need in this lil pouch; why would I ever get them done again? Lemme explain. One set of Quickies lasts me a full seven days on average. That might not seem like a lot to you, but I've never in my life had a press-on nail not pop off for more than three days, let alone seven. I type at my computer for a living; I'm extremely hard on my nails and don't have the time or energy to baby my press-ons so that they last. But the Quickies glue, combined with the substantial-but-not-too-thick material of the nail, really holds on for dear life. I usually end up choosing to take them off and reapply a new set because I get bored, not actually because the nails have popped off. The longest I've had a set last is 12 days, which is unheard of for me with even a gel manicure, let alone a press-on nail. If you're used to press-ons, you might be wondering: What makes Quickies different? First of all, I find them significantly easier to apply. They fit my nails really well, and now that I've worn a bunch of sets, I pretty much know which nails work for me at this point. I still end up always dumping out the entire zip pouch, but I don't mind because it's way easier than the usual trays found in most press-on nail kits. There's also not nearly as much waste—usually, I toss out three of those damn plastic trays per one set of nails. With Quickies, I only have the one pouch that I almost always keep to hold my extra nails and glue. But I also just feel like Stanworth gets it on the design front. I don't want my press-ons to look like I'm wearing press-on nails, you know? A lot of the time, I just find that the options on the market are, admittedly, cringey and don't meet my standards, which is exactly the same reason she started the brand in the first place. These always match all the nail trends I'm reporting on and would have asked for at a salon anyway. Compared to every other press-on nail brand I've tried recently, Quickies is easily my go-to. The brand is conscious (reminder: $1 of all sales is donated to abortion and LGBTQIA+ funds), focused on sustainability, and owned and run entirely by Stanworth, a queer woman living in Los Angeles. But, like, most of all, the products are so freakin' good. I genuinely don't want to get my nails done anymore—a strong feat for someone who had a standing appointment at the salon once upon a time. I get hella compliments every time I have a set of Quickies on my hands, and people are so shocked when I say I'm wearing press-on nails. I've had so many people open up their Safari app and ask me to type in the brand name so they could purchase later. Friends of mine have texted me "thank you for showing me Quickies!" because they've become fans of the brand too. IDK, I'm kind of an influencer... Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing beauty stories that range from the floral French manicure trend to ranking the best drugstore mascaras. Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
