Hi there, frequent lip picker, here—and if you’ve stumbled across this article, I’ll assume you are, too. Glad we can all gather in this safe space. 

As many of us lip pickers know, the habit has downstream effects (the thin skin on your lips is especially delicate and prone to scarring, discoloration, and the like), but sometimes you just can’t resist tearing off those dry bits. And while lip picking knows no season, it tends to get worse in the colder months when your pout becomes drier and thus more prone to cracking—so, ahem, right about now. 

It seems like an opportune time to round up the best (and we mean best!) expert tips to help curb the urge to pick and peel. Here’s how to keep finicky fingers at bay and keep your lips soft, full, and supple. 

And while we should keep our sex- and age-related needs and other individual factors in mind when thinking about our dietary pattern and supplement routines, we probably don’t need to get as hung up on finding the perfect men’s or women’s multivitamin in the crowd of options.

“Adult multivitamins have been overcomplicated and overly fractionated in the market,” says mbg director of scientific affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN. “Brands who wanted to diversify their portfolios to make more money started offering multis for women versus men, young versus old, active versus not active, the list goes on.”

Thing is, though men and women do have some differing nutritional needs (though they’re slight when it comes to micronutrients like vitamins and minerals), many of the heavily marketed multi products out there don’t really reflect them. “In reality, many ‘for her’ versus ‘for him’ multivitamin formulas have negligible differences,” Ferira says.

She goes on to say, “Just because a particular multi sprinkles a negligible level of lycopene or saw palmetto in a multivitamin doesn’t make it a ‘male’ formula by association. It’s hard to fit relevant, clinically researched amounts of herbs in a multivitamin.”*

Not to mention, the differences in multi formulas can sometimes be the opposite of helpful. “First and foremost, the vitamins and minerals in the formula should make sense,” Ferira says. “Some multivitamin brands do silly things like cut the iron out completely for men and older adults (who still have daily iron needs, mind you) or include less or no calcium in a men’s formula (who have bone density needs and the same exact daily calcium needs as women, mind you).”

In fact, as a dietitian, Ferira used to routinely recommend that her male clients take multivitamins marketed toward females because the latter formulas were more complete and featured helpful amounts of essential minerals like calcium. True story. Now that mbg’s ultimate multivitamin+ exists, she points everyone—women and men—to this one comprehensive and premium formula. So much easier.

So, what’s your move, then? “For most people who struggle to meet their nutrient needs through food, it is more important to take a multivitamin regularly than to stress over getting the ‘right’ men’s or women’s multivitamin because of the minor differences of the dosages,” says Davar. 

Ferira ultimately prefers a “genderless, ageless multivitamin/mineral supplement that’s truly comprehensive, high-potency, premium, clean, and supports all adults and their daily nutrient and whole-body health.”

Let’s face it, almost all of us can benefit from adding more greens to our diets. In a world full of processed foods and quick eats, superfoods like green vegetables are often left aside. If you’re looking to add some variety to your daily greens, consider this mild, easy-to-eat option: beet greens.

They’re exactly what you think, the greens attached to fresh beets, and yes, they are indeed edible. We tapped two registered dietitians and a private chef to get the scoop on beet greens, why we should eat them, how to eat them, and, of course, what they taste like.

Apparently, the best way might be to not peel it at all. Leave it to Kanchan Koya, Ph.D. (aka @chiefspicemama) to totally blow our minds with a fun fact: Ginger skin is edible, so peeling isn’t necessary. According to Koya, the skin actually “contains two times the beneficial polyphenols as the flesh and importantly, unique and distinct compounds.” Since the skin is somewhat fibrous, this technique works best when you’re using the ginger in things like broths or tea, when the ginger will be sieved out.

But Koya also gives a tip for peeling the ginger, for those times you don’t want texture in the final plate: Instead of reaching for a knife, use a spoon—you’ll preserve more of the ginger by scraping the skin off with a spoon, as opposed to slicing it with a knife or peeler.

Listen, I love learning about the science of skin—and how you can use science to improve your own. That’s why this formula piques my interest so much: It’s a revolutionary formula that combines four targeted cosmeceutical ingredients that are shown to enhance the quality of the skin and be proactive in it’s care for the long term.*

Let’s start with astaxanthin. This potent carotenoid phytonutrient and potent antioxidant is clinically shown to protect skin cells (notably against UV exposure) and help preserve the collagen layer.* But what does that mean for your complexion as you take it? 

Well several clinicals point to real, tangible skin care benefits of taking the phytonutrient: ​​In one study, astaxanthin supplementation significantly improved skin elasticity, smoothness, and hydration in just 12 weeks.* Another study found astaxanthin improved skin wrinkles, age spot size, and skin texture.* And in a recent double-blind clinical, subjects reported significant improvement in moisture levels (especially around the eyes), overall improved elasticity, and appearance of tone.* On that latter point: I’ve been taking the new formula and have noticed significant improvement in the appearance of my eyes—they’re less sallow and sketched with fine lines, and far more supple and bright.* 

This is folded in with another favorite of mine: phytoceramides. Ceramides are a natural lipid found in the skin barrier and play an important role in keeping the skin hydrated. Plant-derived versions, when taken orally, can enhance your natural moisture levels—up to 35% according to one study.* The cool part is it really doesn’t take that long to see soft, supple skin in the mirror; just halfway through my first bottle, my skin looked and felt more dewy: Like I had upgraded to the super luxe face cream that holds a special place on the top shelf.* It’s not in my imagination either, research also shows that you may see improved skin hydration after just 15 days.*

Next on the noteworthy list is pomegranate whole fruit extract, a premium botanical concentrated in antioxidants. While consuming antioxidants in general is always beneficial, I love having this one in my routine. Why? Its ability to promote cellular resilience and its anti-inflammatory properties.* Plus, it’s clinically shown to enhance antioxidant responses, which can help the body attenuate oxidative stress (basically when your body is in free radical free fall) by increasing antioxidant capacity in the body.* In fact, pomegranate extract has been clinically shown to reduce biomarkers of oxidative stress.* 

Finally, coenzyme Q10 is a naturally occurring antioxidant in the body. Your body makes all on its own, and it plays many necessary functions—notably by aiding the cell’s mitochondrial function. Literally: CoQ10 is required for cellular energy production and rejuvenation.* But, like most good things in the body it declines with age. But when you supplement with ubiquinol (the most bioavailable and bioactive form of CoQ10, we might add) it is clinically shown to increase CoQ10 levels.* And this has some pretty exciting benefits for your skin cells: One clinical trial found that CoQ10 supplements reduce wrinkles and lines while enhancing skin smoothness.* 

Another surprising use? As a natural dye for fabric. Pigment-rich skins, like those in red onions, have been used to dye textiles long before artificial coloring came about. If you want to try it yourself, Anjolie Noelle, a botanical and food waste dyer, says the best way to do it is to add the onion skins to a pot of water and let them simmer for an hour before adding the fabric. Once the fabric is in the dye, let it sit for another hour.

If dyeing your own fabric is outside of your DIY-willingness, you can use the colored water to dye Easter eggs instead.

Having a cough under any circumstances is certainly frustrating. After all, a cough can range from irritating to uncomfortable, and it can also alarm the people around you. 

Why are you coughing in the first place? On a very basic level, coughing is a way to clear your airway. “It’s a reflex and protective response to any irritant in those areas—either mucus, dust, saliva, or even food,” says Nina L. Shapiro, M.D., an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor) and professor of head and neck surgery at the UCLA School of Medicine.

If you have a cough that’s lingering or develop a sudden severe cough with difficulty breathing, wheezing, or a sudden loss of voice, Shapiro says you need to see a doctor “right away.” 

But, if you’re just dealing with a regular cough, you can try at-home solutions to try to get relief. It can also be helpful to work with your medical provider to determine if your cough is related to allergies, asthma, a cold, or something else.

Just know this: Cough syrup is unlikely to help much. Research has found that natural interventions can be more effective at stopping a cough than the common cough suppressant, dextromethorphan. 

Here’s how to stop coughing with natural solutions. 

“For brunch, I found myself growing very tired of yogurt and granola, so I started topping all sorts of dishes with granola,” she writes in the new book, “This recipe doubles easily and stores well. It can also be made with any spice mixture and lots of other seeds (like flax, chia, sesame).” It also calls for your choice of nuts so you can add your favorites to the mix.

An easily adaptable and nutrient-packed twist on this classic? Yeah, that’s definitely something worth trying out. Try serving it with unsweetened yogurt and chopped veggies for a total inversion of the standard granola bowl. Or toss it on a salad or stew for some extra crunch.