The base consists of flour and milk: Iman didn’t specify any particular type, so we’ll assume you can choose your own adventure here. All-purpose flour with oat milk, coconut flour with almond milk—the combinations are endless. Just make sure to choose a super-fine flour that’s not too abrasive on your delicate skin. 

Now, for what Iman calls “the magic”—turmeric and honey. Both ingredients have been used for thousands of years in skin care: Turmeric (and its active ingredient, curcumin) has antioxidant properties that can help combat oxidative stress; plus, thanks to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it can help brighten tone and relieve dark spots. Honey also has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that calm the skin and support a healthy complexion. It’s also a humectant—meaning, it can actually draw water molecules into the top layer of your skin from the surrounding environment. 

Essentially, these four, simple ingredients make one creamy, hydrating, and brightening face mask. Grab the details below: 

Collagen supplements have become a popular tool for skin health and longevity.* They’re made of collagen peptides, or short-chain amino acids, that are more easily absorbed by the body.* Once absorbed, they are able to travel around the body, exerting their beneficial effects: Research shows they are able to enhance your body’s own collagen production by stimulating fibroblasts, those same cells that make collagen and elastin to begin with.* 

With skin, you might expect results like better hydration, smoother skin, and improved skin quality.* For example, clinical research has shown that collagen can support skin elasticity and potentially make fine lines appear smaller.* And a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial found that participants’ moisture levels in the skin were seven times higher than those who did not take collagen supplements.*

Of course, not all collagen supplements are created equal. It’s imperative that you find a quality manufacturer that is transparent about their sourcing, excipients, amino acid profile, and the amount of collagen actually in the product. 

Additionally, there are other nutrients you can take that support your collagen production through other pathways. While this isn’t an exhaustive list, here are some of the most efficient options to look for: 

You’ve likely heard it once or twice before: Healthy communication is nonnegotiable for a successful relationship. In fact, a lack of communication can sneakily ruin relationships over time. 

Of course, “communication issues” can mean different things for different couples: “There are a lot of reasons why we don’t communicate well,” says Perel. “One is that we are often more invested in what we need to say than in what we need to listen to and hear. We often talk without paying enough attention to how the other person is registering what we are saying.” That said, take a minute to check in with your partner before striking up a conversation: What is the other person trying to tell you, perhaps with no words at all (facial expressions, body language, etc.)? 

Another layer to the issue is expectation, says Perel: “If I, in advance, feel that you fundamentally don’t really value what I have to say, that is going to change all my communication,” she notes. “The emotional undercurrent of expectations that we bring to the relationship is going to block communication.” 

Finally, she mentions confirmation bias. “We tend to hear that which reinforces our preexisting beliefs rather than pay attention to change,” Perel explains. So often one partner will say something that triggers the other, and the two go back and forth in a feedback loop of conflicting assumptions rather than actually listening to one another. That said: “Try to actually not look for what you already are used to seeing or hearing,” says Perel. “See if you can hear something else, and then communication [will] open up.” 

So, yes, a good face oil can actually help stabilize oil production and keep your skin balanced—it’s just about selecting the right type of noncomedogenic oil to help retain moisture and feed your skin barrier without clogging your pores. That way, your complexion appears supple and dewy, never greasy or congested. 

Now, “noncomedogenic” falls on a spectrum (i.e., everyone’s skin reacts differently to certain ingredients), but black cumin seed oil is generally considered a safe bet—and it’s one of Carbon Star’s main players. The amber-hued oil has been used for thousands of years (it’s even rumored as the star of Cleopatra’s skin care routine), and one 2015 review study in the Journal of Dermatology & Dermatologic Surgery found that applying a lotion of 10% black seed oil positively affected acne after two months, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. 

The charcoal powder also helps absorb excess oil—and it’s responsible for the product’s inky hue. This may sound counterintuitive, given how face oils are meant to keep precious moisture inside the skin, but think of the charcoal as paving the way for a supple complexion: It effectively draws out the thicker, waxier sebum associated with oil overproduction; but because the face oil simultaneously feeds your skin with healthy fatty acids, it’ll leave a lightweight veil of moisture. 

Then to round out the formula, it features antioxidant-rich andiroba oil, acai oil, and vitamin E to help temper inflammation and heal any scarring. As someone who struggles with hormonal acne and the subsequent stubborn hyperpigmentation, I welcome the added brightness.   

So first up, let’s explain why these super common zits happen, and seem to worsen over the summer: It’s the perfect storm of sweat, oil, bacteria, hair product buildup, makeup, and—well—it’s a spot we often forget (or avoid!) while washing our face.

“[It’s] a unique part of the face because it can be in direct contact with your hair,” notes board-certified dermatologist Tanya Kormeili, M.D. about the forehead and hairline. “Any styling hair products such as oils or gels, etc., can accidentally be in contact with the forehead skin and lead to clogging of the pores and acne.” Additionally, it’s an area prone to perspiration. “After exercising, your sweat leaves behind bacteria and sebum that can cause acne,” says board-certified dermatologist Zenovia Gabriel, M.D., FAAD.

While you can ultimately style your hair and makeup however you please, it can be helpful to lean on techniques that best suit your bone structure. But, sigh, determining your face shape can be frustratingly nuanced (even with our robust guide). Plenty of people can have a blend of two shapes—so how do you know if your face reads more ovular or rectangular? Diamond or heart shaped? 

If you have a diamond face shape (or think you might, but you aren’t 100% positive), you sure have come to the right place. Below, we’ll walk you through the best beauty tips for diamond faces—hairstyles, brows, makeup looks, you name it. 

One area in particular is really able to do a lot of heavy lifting for overall aesthetics: The brows. Even the slightest tweak of the hairs can alter the appearance of your face shape, skin, and overall look. 

And for Denno, tweaking her brows helped her as she noticed changes while going through menopause. “I never used to do my brows,” she says. “I’m now in menopause—I’m young to be in menopause—and I noticed that when I started going through perimenopause, my face changed. It changed the way my face looked! So now I redraw my eyebrows a little bit higher—it makes me look like my more youthful self.”

See, as we age our overall skin sags, forehead included; as your forehead lowers so do your brows. By cheating them up a bit, you can make it appear as though you’re back to your youthful, spry self. 

It’s simple, too: Brush your brow hairs up with a clean spoolie or makeup brush. Then grab your brow product of choice (our favorites, should you be in the market), and apply it in an upward motion. This not only gives the hairs a soft, feathery appearance—it means your brows will appear as though they are sitting just a bit higher. You can also add a swipe of highlighter under the brows, which will also give the illusion of lifted skin. 

When it comes to leveling up your makeup, bronzer (or cream contour, what have you) is a bit intimidating—perhaps right up there with liquid liner, which I’m wholeheartedly convinced can smell fear. You can, of course, sweep it on with a big fluffy brush for an allover glow, but as far as placement goes, that’s where things get dicey: A few strategic strokes can quite literally change the shape of your face, which, if you’re a beginner, may have you avoiding the product altogether. 

Allow us to say: You do not have to be a contour devotee to master the art of bronzer. In fact, makeup artist Asta Jurksaite demonstrates four beginner-friendly ways to apply the versatile product in a recent TikTok video. Your Bronzer 101, below. 

With today’s bounty of high-tech gadgets—as well as ancient healing stones that withstand the test of time—face massagers truly command the market. Each massager has its own set of benefits (some lift and tone; others dial down inflammation), but they all impart some sort of glow: In fact, regular facial massage has been shown to increase blood flow to the face and deliver much-needed nutrients and oxygen to the skin cells—which, in turn, has been shown to help with fine lines, promote collagen synthesis, and even tone. 

While you can totally go to town with your fingers (here’s a luxe, nine-step routine, in case you’re curious), these high-quality facial massagers put in the work for you: Our picks below come with textured edges to knead tension, vibrating pulses to buzz away puffiness, and slick gemstones to cool and soothe the skin with every swipe.