Latest news with #MacLean
Refinery29
3 days ago
- Health
- Refinery29
I Let Astrology Decide My Skincare Routine — & It Actually Worked
I've never been good at sticking to a skincare routine. I love testing and collecting products — whether for work or myself — but using them every single day? Extremely difficult. It often felt like another task I couldn't commit to, even when I knew my skin would thank me for it. I needed a nudge in the right direction, and who better for that than licensed esthetician Mikaela MacLean? What sets MacLean apart from the many other skincare experts out there is that she specializes in 'Human Design.' What is human design, and how can it help improve your skin? Depending on who you ask, Human Design is either a wellness system that blends elements from astrology, Kabbalah, I'Ching, the Hindu Chakras, and quantum mechanics or an esoteric approach to self-discovery. Using the date, location, and time of your birth, Human Design practitioners create a ' body graph ' that ostensibly offers insight into how you're wired to make decisions in life. While most people use the concept to help influence their career path or improve their relationships, there's no reason why it can't be applied to other areas. In fact, beauty is Human Design's new frontier. As an astrology girlie and tarot reader, I'm all about this kind of mystic and spiritual structure, but I'll be honest, I wasn't sure how it would work with skincare — a scientific and physical endeavor. Combining wellness, mental health, and beauty is nothing new. Psychodermatology as a concept has been trending over the last few years. We're seeing more and more brands jump on board and market themselves as neurocosmetics, suggesting that skin issues aren't just physical concerns; they can also be mental ones. Even celebrity estheticians like Joomee Song believe in a holistic approach to skincare, looking at the skin as part of a larger, interconnected system, not just something to be treated topically with products. This holistic approach to skincare is important to MacLean, who believes that nothing is ever skin deep. 'We're all stressed, we're all dysregulated,' she told me. Scientifically, we know this has an impact on how we look. Stress, for example, raises cortisol levels, which can lead to increased oil production with breakouts for some and a weaker skin barrier with dryness for others. 'To me, there's a missing piece, which is the inner piece,' she continued. 'If you don't feel happy and beautiful with who you are on the inside, it doesn't matter what's going on on the outside.' McLean suggested taking a look at my Human Design profile to see if it could potentially uncover the secret formula for me sticking to a skincare routine. The consultation & my human design profile The first step was a virtual consultation, where MacLean walked me through my Human Design profile and explored the significance of specific elements. She describes it as 'reading lab results from the universe.' The experience reminded me of getting my birth chart read by an astrologer, and for good reason: 'In Human Design, you get two sides of the chart. One corresponds to the normal astrology chart, and the other is 88 degrees of the sun or approximately three months before your birth, which is really cool because there's all this imprinting that happened before we were even here,' MacLean told me during the consultation. These two sides are also called 'Personality', which describes our mind or the subconscious, and 'Design', which describes our tissue and physical bodies. The first half of the consultation focused on my emotional and lived experience, and how my profile validated that — my struggle with finding community, my sensitivity, and even my gift for writing. Afterwards, I received a 100-page PDF breaking down everything about my profile and MacLean's interpretations. At a glance, out of five possible main types and 12 profiles, I'm a 'Projector' type with a 5/1 profile, the Heretic/Investigator. According to MacLean, everyone has a two-number profile that defines key personality traits. Mine — 5/1 — represents a 'powerful blend of leadership and foundational knowledge, with a profound potential to help others. I'm also non-sacral, which means my energy levels are inconsistent — something I need to learn to work with. I also have a 'smell cognition,' which means I process information through scent. I've always sort of known this about myself (I'm obsessed with fragrance), but MacLean reminded me that that means my skincare products need to smell good for me to commit to using them. MacLean also called out other interesting aspects of my profile and how I could use them to live closer to my 'inner design', which is when your actions are in harmony with your Human Design profile. For example, in my profile, my North Node (my soul purpose) in Virgo (daily routines, wellbeing, and health) is in Gate 46 (the love of the physical body) and my Venus (the planet that represents the goddess of love and beauty) is in my Gate 19 (sensitivity). All of these are important placements for me to harmonize with my inner design. It means I need to think of my skincare as a ritual and that I should prioritize products made for sensitive skin. The last part of the consultation was the 'auric facial', where I was instructed to turn off my lights and lie in bed while MacLean constructed a crystal grid in the formation of my profile and played 528Hz frequency. It felt similar to experiences I've had with Reiki: I went to a meditative headspace and opened my eyes feeling new and light. The first thing MacLean recommended was to replace the word 'routine' with 'ritual' to start thinking of it as part of my spiritual practice. 'This is the physical vessel. And so, you have to really love that and really take care of it,' she told me. I connected with that right away. As a tarot reader and bruja, this change of perspective already worked wonders — and I hadn't technically done anything yet! One of my placements 'sensitizes the entire system,' making me sensitive in every area of my life — a fact I know all too well, and I've had to learn how to manage, whether it's my dry skin, my chronic pain, or absorbing other people's emotional burdens. Because of this and my smell cognition, MacLean chose products that were safe for sensitive skin and had aromatherapeutic benefits. The skincare routine & the products As the lead educator for organic beauty brand LilFox, MacLean selected all of my products from them. I received my lineup a few days after our consultation, and I couldn't wait to get started. Taking photos along the way, I tested my new skincare ritual for three weeks. A disclaimer: I used only the products she recommended, except for a pimple patch. Step 1: First, I was to begin the ritual with a special intention. I used it to get closer to my guides, thank them, and ask for protection. Then, I would get started, massaging the Amazon After Dark cleanser onto dry skin, and rinsing it off. I liked it, but it wasn't anything too special. My skin never felt stripped or tight like some other cleansers have left it, but it felt clean. Step 2: Applying the Bitter Orange Neroli Toning Mist and the Flower Goo Botanic Ferment Stem Cell Serum. The serum is formulated to tackle dehydration, dullness, hyperpigmentation, loss of firmness, and fine lines, while the mist hydrates and brightens. This was, by far, my favorite step in the ritual — I sprayed way too much of the toning mist every day, and I'm now almost out. It smells amazing and feels incredible on the skin. MacLean instructed me to mist before every step of the ritual, but I definitely did a little bit more than just one spritz in between. Step 3: Massaging one-to-two pumps of Dewy Bean Dream Smoothing Night Serum + Retinol Alternative into skin at night to address uneven texture, redness, acne, and more. Because retinol instills fear in me, I used one pump to begin with, just in case of any adverse reactions. But as I got more comfortable and I had no reactions, I used two pumps. Step 4: Misting skin with Bitter Orange, then applying Succulent Pudding Super Calm Emulsion to soften and soothe sensitive skin. This is a rich cream, which I would use more on my dry, colder days. It felt incredible, and I used it around my eye area. I would then mist skin again with Bitter Orange. Step 5: Applying two to five drops of Maracuja Face Nectar. The oil felt luxurious, and I would feel the urge to slowly massage it into my skin, like I was giving myself a facial. Finally, I would finish with a final layer of Bitter Orange mist. The final result When I first saw the recommended ritual, I was worried it would overwhelm me and my skin, and I assumed using so many products would feel too heavy. I had gotten used to my three-products-every-other-day routine, so I was skeptical of going back to a six-product routine. Except, this was different: this ritual was designed for me. I looked forward to it every day, and I will continue to, even after this article is published and it's not 'for work' anymore. Everything from the scent to the feel of the products made it feel like I was at a spa getting a facial every night. Ultimately, the products weren't what made that difference; it was my change of perspective. The way I approach skincare has taken a complete 180, and I no longer dread the task of a routine. Instead, I look forward to my ritual of taking care of myself.
Hamilton Spectator
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
North Peace Minor Baseball eyes expansion after quick recovery from shed fire
FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The president of North Peace Minor Baseball is feeling 'fantastic' despite a fire which burned its equipment shed to the ground at the start of the season. Scott MacLean said there were no delays in the season beginning, even though the club's shed went up in flames in April , one day before opening the season. At the time, the Fort St. John RCMP said it had received a report about the fire but did not give any more information. Several donors stepped up to give the club a hand, including NorthRiver Midstream, Rig Ratz Safety, Jiffy Lube and United Rentals. 'We were able to replace all the equipment that was inside and erect a small storage shed,' said MacLean. 'It was really quick.' MacLean has been involved with the organization for the past 11 years; he became president in 2024 after the former head, Forrest Liddicoat, retired. Last season, he oversaw the development of a youth umpire program, which he says has 'been fantastic' and for his second year, he wanted to see more player enrollment in the league. '[Player growth has] been continual over the last 10 years,' said MacLean. 'We took a chance on moving people from a waiting list and actually had about 300-plus participants. 'In my second year I concentrated a little bit more on growth. Based on our waiting lists that we currently have, I would like to expand even more next year. We had 40 kids on the waiting list, my goal is to have nobody on the waiting list.' As the season draws to a close, North Peace Minor Baseball will host the Montney League Baseball playoff tournament for competitive teams at the U-13, U-15 and U-18 levels and recreational league playoffs in town will begin on Monday, June 23rd. Headquartered in Beaverlodge, the Montney League Baseball will feature teams from Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Grande Prairie, High Prairie and Peace River starting on Friday, June 20th at Kin Park. 'We are fortunate Fort St. John has one of the nicer facilities at Kin Park to host large tournaments,' said MacLean. 'We do find that the other communities do like coming here.' More information about North Peace Minor Baseball is available on the club's Facebook page. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
The Herald Scotland
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Dougie MacLean to lead Edinburgh Festival 'mass singalong'
Now he has been lined up to lead a mass 'singalong' event on the opening weekend of Edinburgh's main summer festivals season. Read more: The Perthshire musician will launch a free hour-long celebration of singing in Princes Street Gardens on the opening Sunday afternoon of the festivals season. The Scottish Government is funding the Edinburgh International Festival show, The Big Singalong, one of the few musical events given the green light to go ahead in the gardens this August. Singer-songwriter Dougie MacLean. The event has been put together by Stephen Deazley, the artistic director and founder of the Edinburgh-based community choir Love Music, who worked with singer-songwriter Karine Polwart to stage spectacular massed choir shows St Giles' Cathedral on New Year's Day as part of Edinburgh's Hogmanay festival. MacLean, who appeared at the Tartan Week celebrations in New York earlier this year, first made his name in the 1970s with the bands The Tannahill Weavers and Silly Weavers, and set up a record label with his wife Jennifer to release his own music in 1983. A 'mass singalong' event will be staged at the Edinburgh International Festival in Princes Street Gardens in August. (Image: Iain Masterton/Edinburgh International Festival) MacLean's major honours include an OBE, a lifetime achievement award from the BBC and being inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame. Mr Deazley said: 'Caledonia has become more than just a song—it's a reflection of Scotland's spirit. 'Nearly 50 years on, it still speaks powerfully about what it means to find home, especially for those who are new to Scotland or have journeyed far. 'Singing it together in Princes Street Gardens this August for the International Festival opening weekend isn't just about music. 'It's about connection. It's a way for people to feel they belong, to share in something bigger. When thousands of voices come together, you feel that sense of welcome, of joy, of community—and that's what Scotland is all about.' Maclean, one of several new additions to the line-up of the festival line-up, will be joined by the Phoenix Choir, the Maryhill Integration Project Joyous Choir and the Westerton Male Voice Choir at the Ross Bandstand in the gardens on August 3. The following day the bandstand will play host to The Ceilidh Sessions, a celebration of music and dance featuring Capercaillie musicians and an all-star ceilidh band appearing alongside the Norwegian folk ensemble Barokksolistene. Festival director Nicola Benedetti is to appear in a 'spontanenous' classical jam session concert, while Welsh jazz pianist will lead an Up Late Jazz Jam event. Ms Benedetti said: 'At the heart of our festival is a commitment to connection – providing a closer communion between artist and audience. 'From our mass ceilidh dancing, to singing Dougie MacLean's iconic anthem 'Caledonia' at the top of our lungs in the Princes Street Gardens, to spontaneous jam sessions for jazz lovers and classical enthusiasts alike, these events invite everyone to take part in the magic of live performance. 'We are all about celebrating artistry in its most human, communal form, and I can't wait for everyone to experience it with us in August.'
Otago Daily Times
04-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Scale of planting to meet zero carbon goal ‘unachievable'
Dunedin City Council zero carbon manager Jinty MacTavish. File photo: Peter McIntosh It is "unachievable" for Dunedin to plant a path to its zero carbon goals, city councillors have been told. At a workshop yesterday, Dunedin City Council zero carbon manager Jinty MacTavish told councillors sequestration — capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide, often with trees or vegetation — needed to be combined with a community-wide effort to reduce emissions. Staff had carried out modelling to provide an idea of the trees required to meet the council's goal, although she warned councillors the results were "incredibly theoretical and incredibly indicative". Speaking to the modelling, senior zero carbon policy analyst Rory MacLean said the scale of planting needed to meet the city's zero carbon goal was "unachievable". The council had aimed for Dunedin to be a net zero-carbon city by 2030, excluding biogenic methane, but conceded in January this was unlikely, regardless of the level of investment. Mr MacLean said more than 100,000ha of indigenous planting would have been required to meet the goal by 2030 — "and that's just imaginary numbers really". If the goal was shifted to 2035, 27,000ha of indigenous plantings or 16,500ha of exotic plantings were needed for the city to become net zero as there was more time for the trees to grow. "At present there's about 17,000ha of commercial exotic forests in Dunedin, so you're talking about a doubling or almost tripling of the land area covered by forests." In an "accelerated ambition" scenario, 20,000ha of indigenous plantings or 10,000ha of exotic plantings would meet the 2035 goal. Still, this was an "enormous" land area to be converted to forestry, Mr MacLean said. "One of the assumptions in this is that all the plantings happen this year, which obviously would not happen. "So if you're actually looking to do this, the land area would be even larger because you would need to space out the plantings over multiple years." Ms MacTavish said decreasing emissions would reduce the amount of land required for planting. "The intention of this was just to show that this needs to be a whole of community effort rather than something that the DCC alone would take on if it were to be achieved." In 2021-22, the most recent year the council had full data for, Dunedin's forests absorbed 493,000tonnes of CO₂. "It's not insignificant, and that sets us apart from other cities that don't have the large land area that Dunedin has. " Forests were the only type of sequestration included in the Emissions Trading Scheme and emerging methods of absorbing carbon — such as blue carbon (wetlands) or increasing soil carbon — were not easily measurable and verifiable, she said. A report on carbon renewals would go to council later this month.
Vancouver Sun
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Todd: Auston Matthews-Jean Béliveau comparison a bridge (way) too far
Anyone who talks for a living — a TV sports host, say — is going to say foolish things from time to time. Anyone who writes for a living — a newspaper sports columnist, say — is going to write foolish things from time to time. The best you can do is to keep the imbecilic comments to a minimum. Unless, that is, you're Ron MacLean. By now, we're accustomed to MacLean's Postcards from the Land of the Gormless. Most vanish into the ether like an inert gas, unnoticed and unseen. But when Auston Matthews actually scored a goal in Game 6 of the Leafs-Panthers series (wow!) MacLean reached deep into that vat of tapioca pudding that passes for a brain … And compared Captain Peaheart with Jean Béliveau. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Yes, that Jean Béliveau. The man who won 10 Stanley Cups as a player and seven as an executive. Who won 24 playoff series in an era when teams played at most two or three series a year. Whose goals-per-game production actually went up in the playoffs, where the Leafs captain's goal production falls off a cliff this time of year. Béliveau was a prince among men. A man who lived most of his adult life in the same modest home in Longueuil, who answered every fan letter he ever received and signed every autograph he was asked to sign. Béliveau was, and is, the most respected individual in the history of the game. As an alleged student of hockey, MacLean ought to know that much. Matthews? He's an outstanding regular-season goal-scorer. That's it, that's all. When his team fell apart in Game 7 against Florida, Matthews demonstrated his 'leadership' by throwing his teammates into the bus. 'We had too many passengers,' Matthews told the world. Yes, Auston, you did. Starting with the captain, No. 34. Imagine Le Gros Bill pulling a stunt like that? You can't, because it wouldn't happen. Look, MacLean babbles. He can't help himself. His prattle — by turns vapid, disconnected, nonsensical, spineless, harebrained and often downright daft — is the broadcasting equivalent of tinnitus. After a while, you get used to that empty ringing in your ears. This time, he managed to insult the game, the Canadiens and the province of Quebec with one featherbrained comment. Here, for Ron's sake, are the Matthews numbers that matter: Nine seasons. Two series wins. Zero Stanley Cups. Zero Stanley Cup finals. Zero conference finals. Zero, period. Whoa, un 'ti-minute! To all those who were ready to trade Samuel Montembeault and hand his job to Jacob Fowler right out of Boston College, you might want to hold your horses. Fowler struggled in the series against the Rochester Americans, giving up four goals on 14 shots in Game 4 before he was replaced by Cayden Primeau. On Sunday evening, Primeau closed out the series in style with a 5-0 victory, an exclamation point on a stint in Laval that has reset his career. Rocket head coach Pascal Vincent was lavish with the praise he heaped on his goalie, with reason. Fowler will be fine. Unless your name is Ken Dryden or Patrick Roy, it's unlikely you're going to star in your first playoff appearance in the pros. It takes time. Primeau, meanwhile, is an interesting case. He posted a 1.96 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage in 26 games with Laval after being sent down, and his playoff numbers are almost identical: a 2.03 GAA, a .924 save percentage. Primeau is eligible to become a restricted free agent. He turns 26 in August. Some NHL team will have a place for him and the percentage move is to let him go. But to Primeau's credit, he has turned a slam-dunk move into a tough decision. And thanks in part to Primeau, the Rocket will be playing into June. Lies, rumours &&&& vicious innuendo: I would have paid to be on the plane with the Canadian and Danish hockey teams after Denmark eliminated Canada from the worlds. Had to be some world-class chirping going on. That's a Hunter S. Thompson piece, writing itself. … Did Matthew Tkachuk absolutely have to assault Sebastian Aho with the Panthers grinding the Canes to dust in the conference final? Does this garbage have to be part of every NHL postseason? … More than 50 games into the season and US$500 million for the Blue Jays to sign him, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has numbers you'd expect of a utility infielder — a .276 batting average, seven home runs, 23 RBIs. … They should play O Canada before every NBA playoff game. All-defence first-teamer Lu Dort of Montreal and Hamilton MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander anchor Oklahoma City. SGA's cousin, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, is battling the Thunder for the Timberwolves, while Montreal's Bennedict Mathurin and Aurora, Ont., native Andrew Nembhard check in with the Pacers. Heroes: Cayden Primeau, Pascal Vincent, David Reinbacher, Joshua Roy, Florian Xhekaj, Sidney Crosby, Marc-André Fleury, Rafa Nadal, Luguentz Dort, Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard &&&& last but not least, Shaivonte Aician Gilgeous-Alexander, NBA MVP. Zeros: Ron MacLean, Auston Matthews, Brendan Shanahan, Kyle Dubas, Matt Tkachuk, Doug Cifu, Vincent Viola, Tom Dundon, Evangelos Marinakis, Wayne Gretzky, Bud Selig Jr., Claude Brochu, David Samson &&&& last but not least, Jeffrey Loria. Now and forever. @
