Anyone who swears by the staying power of a gel manicure knows that the glossy, cured polish is both a blessing and curse. Yes, the color is shiny and beautiful for weeks, but the second you miss your next appointment, your grown-out color suddenly look more janky than polished — and practically begs to be peeled off in your weakest moment. Luckily, there's a chic trend that will save you money and the frustration of timely removal. Behold: The next wave of negative space manicures have arrived.

The most recent influx of these minimalist-approved nail designs is a happy marriage between the simple designs popular ahead of Coachella, summer's bright polish, and the modern French manicure. We're talking about a classic half-dip, crescent moon swoop, glitter face, and so much more. Even better, since they're built on a base of clear polish, they're all low-maintenance.

Ahead, the raddest polish trend Instagram is loving right now.

Read These Stories Next:
Instagram's Newest Nail Trend Is Literally A Work Of Art
The Wild Runway Nail Art Ideas You'll Actually Want To Copy
Black Panther Manicures Are Trending — & They're So Cool

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

You Won't Believe Where The French Manicure Is Actually From

The Holiday Nail Polish Trend That We're Still Seeing In 2018

These Runway-Approved Nail Trends Are Bold, Bright & Easy To Copy

The sexiest movies aren't necessarily lurking in the adults-only section of HBO — or in the deleted archives of one's browser history. Often, the steamiest films are mainstream. Whether a flick actually features a crazy-hot love scene or a more innocent tryst between a forbidden couple, it's perfectly acceptable to find these movies tantalizing. Let's be real: That was totally the filmmaker's point.

As a celebration of the sexiest films to ever grace the big screen, we've rounded up a collection of movies that have a history of encouraging sexy thoughts. While turn-ons are as varied as people are, these movies certainly attempt to evoke certain feelings in all of us.

Is it hot in here? Nope, it's just these movies. Click through to read about the sexiest movies to inspire endless fantasizing.

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

Why Twitter Is Trolling Kate Middleton Over Her Dress

Is Suspiria The New Mother?

Timothée Chalamet Plays A Meth-Addicted Teen In Movie Inspired By Real Events

The documentary film RBG, in theaters May 4, portrays Ruth Bader Ginsburg as a hard-nosed workaholic with more than a few wins for women's rights under her jabot. But it also highlights, rather pointedly, her influence on The Youths. In several scenes, fawning would-be attorneys run up to her to ask for her autograph or take a selfie.

The adoration has extended to pop culture, and the film makes a mountain out of things the sober Supreme Court Justice hasn't historically paid a whole lot of attention to: memes (obviously, Notorious RBG), SNL, and most certainly not tattoos.

While flattered by superfans who get tattoos of her face, the 85-year-old has also said she was "a little distressed that people are really doing that." It's permanent. She's more traditional than that. But this hasn't stopped people from commemorating her with ink.

Amy Wallace, a 34-year-old attorney in Minneapolis, got a Rosie the Riveter-inspired RBG sleeve last year, which had a blink-or-you'll-miss-it cameo in the new film. "Justice Ginsburg is my only personal hero, and as an atheist, my adoration of her is the closest thing I get to personal worship," she told Refinery29. "The secular iconography of Rosie the Riveter mashed up with Justice Ginsburg seemed like a perfect articulation of the way I feel about her." The idea for it came after seeing someone else's tattoo of Our Lady of Guadalupe with a modern, feminist twist (A.K.A. standing inside a vulva instead of surrounded by a religious halo).

Wallace met Justice Ginsburg when she visited the University of Minnesota for a talk in October 2014. "The other clerk in the office I was working in at the time was salty about being required to go to the event — he said he wasn't interested because it wasn't Justice [Antonin] Scalia, and gave me his ticket."

"I couldn't believe his bad taste or my good fortune," she added. "When I met her, I was so overawed by her presence that I burst into tears before I could even get a word out."

As a woman who was putting herself through law school at night and working full-time, Wallace said she could relate to Justice Ginsburg. The new documentary details how RBG excelled in law school while taking care of both her young daughter and her husband Marty, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer. She would stay up almost all night, helping him with his own law-school coursework, and get about two hours of sleep. "I felt a kinship with her as a fellow second-shift sister," Wallace said.

But the biggest reason she idolizes the justice is her fearless, groundbreaking work. "I love her not only for her feminist jurisprudence, but also for the quiet influence she's had privately with all those straight, white, rich dudes who’ve rotated through the court over the years," she said. "Heaven help us if she’d never been on the bench."

Wallace is not the only fan of the justice to depict her in permanent ink. Undoubtedly part of the reason is the desire to keep her alive longer, because even though she has said she's not retiring anytime soon, the "flaming feminist litigator" is in her 80s. As someone who has helped create the ACLU Women's Rights Project and pushed for women's equality her entire career, she's someone whom feminists need as a thorn in Trump's side for as long as she is up to the task. Coupled with her unexpected zeitgeisty coolness, it's not hard to see why people are letting her get under their skin.

Read these stories next:

What's Next For Bernie Sanders' Biggest Fans

Celebrate RBG's 85th Birthday With Her Best Quotes

Photographic Proof Ruth Bader Ginsburg Has Always Loved Scrunchies

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

Women Activists Are Laying The Groundwork Now To Win Big In Midterms

Michelle McNamara Named The Golden State Killer & Deserves Credit For Bringing Him Down

Cal Poly Students Say "Racist Culture Is Thriving" Ahead Of Controversial Speaker's Visit

Pinterest is useful for plenty of things: planning your fake wedding, meal prepping in an effort to get you out of your $15 salad-a-day Sweetgreen habit. But if you're using it to search for your next haircut or a new lipstick shade to try, you might find yourself staring at a sea of white women. Sure, you might have an entire board dedicated to Janelle Monáe's hair accessories, but your search results for "braided updos" will still yield pages of Lauren Conrad in milkmade braids.

But today, two years after bringing Candice Morgan onboard to oversee diversity and inclusion within the company, the online, photo-sharing platform is introducing its first step toward creating a more diverse online community with a new search tool. When you type a keyword — pink lipstick, short hair, smoky eyes — four circles will appear ahead of the additional keyword suggestion tab. Click one and the results will narrow down its images to that specific range of skin tones.

Before, women of color would have to add several detailed keywords before they could find what they were looking for — and the more specific keywords added, the fewer results they would get. Now, there's the option to find makeup and hairstyles worn by women that actually look like you. Like any new online tool, there are still some kinks. Search for "nail art" or "nude nail polish" and the first page of results will still feature a vast variety of fair, porcelain, vanilla skin — without the skin tone feature anywhere to be found.

This new feature is a huge step for a site so often associated with white audiences, specifically white women. A 2015 Pew Research Center survey shows that about one-third (32%) of Pinterest's users are white, compared to 21% Hispanic and 12% Black. With a clear effort to incorporate more inclusive results, Pinterest could also find a spike in the user demographic, thus leading to a wider variety in the kind of images pinned. Pinterest also tells Refinery29 that this particular improvement on the search tool comes as a response to user feedback, so if there's something you think the site is missing, speak up. They're listening — it might just take a while.

Read These Stories Next:
8 Spring Looks That Celebrate The Beauty Of Natural Hair
I'd Rather Shock People With My Makeup Than Play It Safe
The Black Girl's Guide To Sephora

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

Sir John Explains How Beyoncé's Coachella Makeup Stayed On All Night Long

The Best Nude Gloss For Your Skin Tone

How To Make Foundation Look Like Skin

Coachella came and went in two short weekends — but Beychella is forever. We're still talking about every moment jam-packed into Beyoncé's 26-song set. The Black feminist nods. The HBCU and Greek life shoutouts. The Destiny's Child reunion. Her dance-off with Solange. Oh, and her custom-made Balmain outfits that were paired with iridescent, fringed Christian Louboutin boots. But we weren't too distracted by what she was wearing to ignore her makeup, which was cleverly crafted to last all night by her longtime makeup artist, Sir John.

"I wanted to bring a beautiful halo of glow to something that was already so magical," he says of the inspiration behind Bey's looks. And it appears that the L'Oreal Paris Celebrity Makeup Artist has shine on the mind, because he couldn't get enough of all the glittery highlighter that he spotted while going incognito in Indio. Now, he's taking those same elements and helping us recreate them for the rest of festival season. "What constitutes festival glam is an unorthodox view of what you think beauty is," he notes. "It could be anything from Afropunk to V Festival in London, to Coachella, to Burning Man. It doesn't matter where you're going. It's about the spirit you want to take on."

Ahead, get the details on the products that Sir John is gravitating towards this festival season — plus one that he used on Beyoncé herself. (Casual.)

Read These Stories Next:
Exclusive: Beyoncé's Makeup Artist Shares The Secrets Behind Her Coachella Look
Beyoncé's Makeup Artist Is Dropping His Best Summer Beauty Tips
Glitter Was Everywhere At Coachella

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

In One Click, Pinterest Just Got A Lot More Inclusive

The Best Nude Gloss For Your Skin Tone

How To Make Foundation Look Like Skin

The text came just hours before we were due at the concert. It was New Year's Eve and my extended friend group had plans to see a show at Madison Square Garden before heading back to someone's apartment for an after-party. It seemed, however, that the host of said after-party was interested in changing the location. To my place. And though there was no real reason this new plan wouldn't work, it was, for me at least, a major problem. While my apartment is big by New York standards and does have a few flourishes I’m particularly proud of — shout out to my ultra-mod coffee table and avocado green couch — the notion of welcoming more than a few close friends over for a hangout (and last minute!) sends me into an anxiety spiral. Why, you ask? Well, I’m messy. Not dirty, necessarily (though if I’m being honest, my bathroom could use a serious scrub-down right now), but just inherently messy. I’m the kind of person who can walk into a hotel room and somehow manage to spew my stuff across every surface in under five minutes.

I’ve been this way since childhood, my cluttered bookshelves and contents-of-my-backpack-covered bedroom floor likely a direct response to my mother’s clean, classic, everything-in-its-place aesthetic. While our home was never the fanciest of my friends, it was always easily among the neatest. And yet, no matter how much I was scolded for the comparatively sorry state of my bedroom, I just couldn’t get it together to tidy I’d do what I thought was a deep clean only to have my mother inspect my efforts and find them sorely lacking. It was as if my very definition of the word “clean” was entirely different from hers.

Turns out, it wasn’t just my mom’s perception of cleanliness that clashed with the one in my mind. As adult, and I find that — once again — it’s impossible to get my apartment looking like those that populate my Instagram feed or even those of my more put-together friends. Instead, my kitchen table is perpetually obscured by a thin layer of stuff, and my glass-top nightstand refuses to stay shiny. My denim collection never remains nicely stacked for more than a few days; I’m so lazy when it comes to folding my t-shirts and pajamas that my boyfriend now just does it for me. And don’t even get me started on the explosive, makeup-stained state of my bathroom cabinet.

But here’s the thing I’m beginning to realize: As lovely as a pristine, put-away room is, there’s a certain beauty in clutter, too. For one thing, an un-picked up room — provided it’s not at hoarder-level saturation — is immediately disarming to visitors. It’s inviting, as if to say, “Come on in. Put your bag down. Kick your feet up. And don’t worry about getting crumbs on the cushions!”

A disorderly home or apartment is also inherently honest. It gives an unfiltered glimpse into the life of the person who lives in it – revealing everything from what books and magazines they’re in the middle of reading to which two jackets they couldn’t decide between this morning to what kind of takeout they ordered last night. What does an exceptionally tidy home tell you about a person? Mostly just that they’re tidy.

What’s more, there’s evidence that messiness may be a sign of creative brilliance. Feel free to use that one in your next job interview, my fellow slobs. In 2013, researchers at the University of Minnesota found that working in a messy environment promotes creativity and a willingness to try new things. The same researchers also noted in their report that people who are naturally creative are more likely to prefer these more chaotic work spaces, which makes sense given that figures like Steve Jobs, Mark Twain, and Albert Einstein all famously worked in less-than-orderly environs.

"That messiness and disorder can be so useful wouldn't seem such a counterintuitive notion if it weren't for the bias towards neatness programmed into most of us,” Eric Abrahamson and David H. Freedman, authors of the book A Perfect Mess, told Inc at the time of the study. “Specifically, people tend to ignore the cost of neatness, discount the possibility that messiness can't always be excised no matter how hard it's fought, and trust the idea that mess can work better than neatness."

Disarming aesthetic and potential creativity-enhancing properties aside, the biggest reason to embrace your messy side is this: Life is short, and busy, and if constantly picking up and putting away isn’t a real priority for you — as in, the results don't add any joy to your life — why force it? To me, the beauty of adulthood is that we don’t have to clean our rooms. Instead, we each get to choose how we want to use our time and energy. While some people can’t imagine spending the time to put on makeup every morning, I won’t leave the house without devoting 20 minutes to my face. Others can’t start the day off right without making their bed or vacuuming the floor, two things you can probably guess I don’t make time to do.

All of this means no disrespect, of course, to those who like to have a place for everything, but I’m done with feeling bad about my inability to conform to this standard. As long as anything that’s potential cockroach bait is thrown away, I’m going to cut myself — and my cluttered kitchen table — some long overdue stack.

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

Kris Jenner Revealed How Much Kim Kardashian & Kanye West's Home Really Cost

Blake Lively Is Finally Fulfilling Her Dream Of Being An Interior Designer — Kind Of

10 Storage Sets From Amazon That Will Organize Your Entire Life

Cannabidiol, more commonly referred to as CBD, is settling into the beauty community quite well, having infiltrated everything from body care to makeup. Olivia Wilde and Mandy Moore swear by it for muscle and eczema relief. Others prefer to use it in the form of tinctures to reduce anxiety. And some say it’s the best conditioning lash secret out there. But did you ever guess it could heal and prevent breakouts?

After spotting Myaderm’s Blemish Control Moisturizer — an acne-fighting daily lotion that uses CBD, an anti-inflammatory, as its key ingredient — we wondered: Could this be the adult acne treatment we never knew we needed? The answer isn't cut and dry, but there might be good reason to give it a try soon.

A study conducted in 2014 by the National Center for Biotechnology Information shows evidence of CBD containing properties that regulate the oil production by your sebaceous glands, thus effectively controlling potential breakouts. This is would make your life a little easier if you're not looking to get a prescription from your doctor. Dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, says that the only readily available drugs with similar abilities are oral isotretinoin (a.k.a. Accutane), hormonal treatments (birth control pills), and spironolactone.

But when will you actually find yourself in Sephora, debating whether you should get this CBD spot treatment versus that one? It may not be as soon as you'd hope. Just because CBD has been shown to control oil production in a lab doesn’t mean every skin-care brand will embrace the benefits just yet. “There is a big difference between activity in the lab and real world effectiveness of a drug,” Dr. Zeichner says. “A topical product needs to be formulated in a way that allows the active drug to be stable and to penetrate through the skin to reach its target. Many drugs that showed great potential actually have ended up failing in clinical trials because they ended up not working in actual patients despite promising pre-clinical data.”

Still, if you’re in the market to manage hormonal breakouts, there’s a possibility that CBD in its other forms could help. Dr. Zeichner confirms that although we don’t have a lot of strong data to support the idea that stress reduction is a valid acne treatment, taking whatever methods necessary to keep stress levels low can’t hurt.

But before you search for the trendiest CBD skin care online, dermatologist Rachel Nazarian, MD, says to pause, do your research, and then ask your physician or derm before self-medicating. “Not enough studies have been done to fully support the use of topical CBD as a monotherapy (or single therapy) in treating acne, and many cases of acne can cause disfiguring scars and require prescription oral medication to preserve tissue and control disease quickly,” Dr. Nazarian explains. “Oral versions of CBD may potentially interact with other oral medications and should be taken with caution, and only after clearance from your physician.”

Read These Stories Next:
This Weed Bath Bomb Is The Next Best Thing To An Orgasm
I Substituted CBD Chocolates For Wine & This Is What Happened
Could "Legalizing It" Mean Getting Better Skin, Too?

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

The Most Popular Fonts For Your Next Typography Tattoo

The K-Beauty Staple Your Skin-Care Routine Is Missing

The Skin-Care Routines Of Ex-Beauty Editors

Snail Mail "Heat Wave"

Rock radio is heading straight into the same problem area that country radio has been living in for several years: women are making some of the most potent music in the genre and aren't being played. Case in point: Snail Mail. The latest song from her forthcoming album is an ode to summer crushes, soundtracked with longing by her masterful guitar playing. The video is a Freaks & Geeks-level smart take on the endless humiliations and intimidation that come with being a woman in the world. It's cool; you'll be able to stream it on Spotify. And it's infuriating, because this music should get more mainstream attention for being amazing.

Janelle Monáe "I Like That"

Of course you know that Janelle's latest album, Dirty Computer, is out now. It's required streaming, because this is music to change your life to. Hopefully you've caught her other game-changing videos released from it thus far, but if not let me assure you that "I Like That" is a gentle entry point that brilliantly sums up the gist of the album as a whole. It's also visually stunning.

Ravyn Lenae f/ Steve Lacy "4 Leaf Clover"

If what you know about Chicago comes from Kanye and Chance, excuse yourself from their drama for the moment and please meet Ravyn Lenae. Her single, which is lovely, has an accompanying video that is basically the Black Grease. The song is an iconic Sandra Dee /Danny Zuko-esque back-and-forth, done as that old -school talking-to-each-other-style duet that no one does anymore. The aesthetic gets an update with Instagram-worthy filters and post-Hitchcock steady shots through windows that are way too high brow for a movie musical. Her cool girl delivery belies a confidence I'd love to hear in more female artists.

Junglepussy "Trader Joe"

I think I like Junglepussy's flow better than I like any other hoe's. No, but seriously, the languid pace she raps at is like a balm to my soul. I never got why going fast was supposed to impress me; what impresses me is a quick wit. Junglepussy has that in spades, with an arrogance that is absolutely charming. The woman paints a picture with her words; she is a true storyteller, like, all day long.

SZA f/ Kendrick Lamar "Doves in the Wind"

It is straight-up shocking to me that SZA doesn't love her own album or know why people fuck with it. I saw a clip of these two doing this song at Coachella and immediately went, "Oh right, shit that's a good song." The video is maybe more of a celebration of Tarantino's take on martial arts movies than I care about, but it's badass to see SZA put herself in the role of a fighter.

After my first job at MTV working as a music programmer, I can't stop trying to matchmake people with music they might like. So, I wrote a book calledRecord Collecting for Girls and started interviewing musicians. The Music Concierge is a column where I share music I'm listening to that you might enjoy, with a little context. Follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or leave me a comment below and tell me what you're listening to this week.

Read These Stories Next:

The Sexiest Songs Of All Time

Happy Songs That Will Instantly Put You In A Good Mood

These Inspiring Songs Will Get You Going Every Time

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

Nicole Kidman Can't Stop Heckling Keith Urban

Mason Ramsey, The Viral Yodeling Kid, Just Dropped The Song Of The Summer

This ABBA & Avicii Collaboration Is So Bittersweet

Back in the mid-'90s the Barenaked Ladies had a popular song called "Everything Old Is New Again" — which is probably the last time you thought about the latest trend to sweep the beauty world. As the song points out, everything in life circles back eventually — this we all know — but to be honest, we did not see this one coming. Enter: hair bows.

On both the runways and red carpets, celebs and models alike are finishing off their updos and blowouts with big ol' bows. And we're not talking about high-end, kindergarten- inspired, $300 accessories — we're talking about classic, run-of-the-mill craft store ribbon tied just like you did back in grad school.

Sure, there are a few pops of color and variations in texture ahead, but for the most part, these feminine styles feature basic ribbons securing classic braids and ponytails — just like you remember from childhood. And guess what? It's actually really chic and far from fussy.

Don't believe us? We don't blame you. Keep clicking for the proof — and get ready to fall back in love with the cool-again style.

Read These Stories Next:
The (Almost) Free Way To Wear Hollywood's Favorite Accessory
Hollywood Is Loving This Minimalist Hair Trend
Time To Dig Up Your Plastic Clips & Blair Waldorf Headbands

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

The NYC Spring Haircuts You're About To See Everywhere

How Cool Girls Are Styling Their Hair Cuffs

Peach Is The Official Hair Color Trend Of Summer — But There's A Twist

It was a rainy Friday afternoon in Manhattan’s financial district, as Heather McCurdy, 33, headed into Sweetgreen to get her regular salad, which includes — gasp — romaine. But McCurdy isn’t worried about the recent E. coli outbreak, she tells Refinery29. “I’ve eaten salad since the news came out and I was okay. I thought the stores are probably looking into where they get their products from.” A brave (or at least, surprisingly risk-tolerant) response perhaps, but this seems to be how many salad-eaters we spoke with are reacting to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s warning this week to skip romaine lettuce.

Per the CDC’s report, 98 people in 22 states have been infected with shiga toxin producing E. coli 0157:H7 ( a.k.a. the most severe type of the foodborne illness, which can cause hemorrhagic diarrhea and lead to organ failure ) after eating contaminated romaine lettuce. A total of 46 have been hospitalized, some with kidney failure.

We visited New York locations of Sweetgreen, Chop’t, and Just Salad. Lunchtime rushes did not seem be affected. With a large line at both the pickup and ordering areas, Sweetgreen’s Wall Street location looked the same as it always does at the 12 p.m. hour every weekday: busy. Despite the crowd and the E. coli news, a fairly constant stream of customers flowed in and out of the store. Included in that stream was Dre McDonald, 22, who gets lunch at Sweetgreen “pretty much every day.” McDonald was well aware of the recent outbreak, but because she always gets her salad made with kale, she wasn’t worried about getting sick.

At Chop’t, the line was shorter, but the service was still consistent. Here, too, customers like Bianca Sosa, 26, explained that because they usually only get kale salads, the outbreak isn’t something they worried about. “I eat a lot of kale and not a lot of romaine. I don’t typically eat romaine just because I don’t really like it that much,” Sosa says, adding that she isn’t concerned about the outbreak contaminating other greens.

Just Salad also had a line. While many of the customers leaving the location said they were a little worried about tainted lettuce, the fear wasn’t strong enough to deter them.

“Oh, [the news of the outbreak] definitely made me worry. I actually asked them about it inside. I was like ‘I assume it’s not a problem anymore?’ and they were like ‘Yeah, no worries,’ Claire (who chose not to disclose her last name), 22 says.

Another customer, Kelsey Payne, 29, says that because she orders kale at Just Salad, she wasn’t anxious about her lunch. “I did buy some bag salad from Whole Foods the other day, and I thought about it, but I didn’t think Whole Foods was going to poison me, so I think it’s fine. I ate it, and I’ve been fine,” Payne says.

Many of the customers who cited their taste for kale over romaine as the reason they were still buying salads stated that they had been paying close attention to the news about the E.coli outbreak to ensure that the bacteria had not be detected in other greens.

All week the CDC has been tweeting to warn consumers not to purchase or eat romaine unless they can confirm it was not from Yuma, Arizona. In one tweet, the CDC wrote, “If you don’t know if it’s romaine or can’t confirm the source, don’t eat it.”

Sweetgreen, Just Salad, and Chop’t all source their from the Salinas Valley in California and not from Yuma — a fact all three chains have confirmed on social media. The customers we spoke to didn’t say that they had seen the social media announcements and comments, however. Most of them simply trusted the chains they regularly get their lunches from.

Though none of the customers we spoke to seemed to care, New Yorkers' favorite salad chains took precautions anyway.

Janani Lee, supply chain manager for Just Salad says the chain added an alternative for customers, just in case. “We actually did start offering iceberg lettuce for customers who just wanted to avoid romaine entirely. We also regularly offer kale, mesclun, baby spinach, and arugula, and we’ve had some customers ask for those instead,” Lee says. But in the end, business wasn’t affected by the outbreak and most customers still ordered romaine.

Sweetgreen declined to respond to our press inquiry. But after we called a store, we got in touch with their guest experiences team via text message to ask about the outbreak. “Our romaine is safe to eat (we’d immediately remove it if it weren’t), but if you’re uncomfortable at all or in any way, our team is happy to substitute any of our other greens instead,” the text read.

Chop’t also declined to comment.

Verdict: Nothing comes between New Yorkers and their Sad Desk Salads.

Read These Stories Next:
10 Salad Containers That Will Make Your Cry With Joy  
The Most Ordered Toppings At Sweetgreen, Chopt & Just Salad  
The Best Spring Salads To Pack — According To Your Zodiac Sign

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

Kim Kardashian West Misses This Discontinued Snack As Much As You Do

Why Spread-Style Dining Could Be The Next Big Food Trend

These Women Created A Sexual Harassment PSA Poster For Restaurants

Kanye Omari West, one of the most critically-acclaimed and Grammy-awarded rappers of the 21st century, died on April 27 via his Twitter account, presumably at his home in Calabasas, California, where he logged into the app on his Google phone. He was 40.

His longtime, loyal, most die-hard fans agree the cause of death was a Twitter rant on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 11:30 EST.

West was born on June 8, 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia. After his parents’ divorce when he was three years old, he moved to Chicago, Illinois with his mother, Donda West. His father, Ray West, was a former Black Panther -turned-pastoral counselor with two master’s degrees. Donda was a professor at Clark Atlanta University and the chair of the English Department at Chicago State University. She would later retire from her position to serve as his manager. Donda never remarried and raised him as a single mother. Her world seemingly revolved around her only child. West often spoke about how his mother instilled in him the notion that he could do anything.

“I've always worshipped the ground he walked on,” Donda told Rolling Stone of her relationship with her son. “People could say I spoiled Kanye. I don't think so. He was very much indulged.” In the third grade, he decided to pursue his musical inclinations and began rapping. In the seventh grade, he became obsessed with a sound program used to build video games, helping him learn how to produce songs. In high school, he sold beats for up to $200.

After a brief stint at Chicago State where his mother worked, West dropped out of college at 20 to pursue music full-time. He first produced songs for artists like Foxy Brown and Mase’s rap group Harlem World. In 2000, he produced music for Roc-A-Fella records, working on Jay Z’s iconic album, The Blueprint. He went on to work with Cam’ron, Beanie Sigel, Ludacris, Janet Jackson, and Alicia Keys. In 2002, after having a difficult time getting signed to a record label because he didn’t fit the mold of what a rapper typically looked like at the time, Roc-A-Feller co-founder Damon Dash finally gave West a chance.

It was a car accident, however, that would change the course of West’s life for good. In October 2002, he fell asleep while driving a rented Lexus and crashed the car. Though he had to receive facial reconstruction surgery, the accident inspired him to record his first single, “Through The Wire,” with his mouth wired shut. What would come next would revolutionize the world of hip-hop.

“In hip-hop, we been waiting for some music that's pure and honest and a person that people can relate to and connect with,” Common told Rolling Stone in 2004 of the Louis Vuitton Don. “He shows his human side.” He titled his debut album College Dropout and told MTV, the title “is saying make your own decisions. Don't let society tell you, 'This is what you have to do.'” West was able to make a career out of feeding fans his streams of social consciousness over catchy beats.

“My niche is that I'm the funny version of Dead Prez,” West told Rolling Stone in 2004. “I'm the rap version of Dave Chappelle. I'm not sayin' I'm nearly as talented as Chappelle when it comes to political and social commentary, but like him, I'm laughing to keep from crying.”

West rapped about not just his own insecurities and blinding love of aesthetics, but police brutality, homophobia, and all the ways the Black population has been exploited including blood diamonds, consumerism, and political agendas. In 2005, he called out George Bush for the way he handled Hurricane Katrina during a live telethon. President Bush would later say West’s critique was the worst moment of his time in office.

In 2007, West lost his mother to complications during a cosmetic surgery. He blamed himself for the loss. “If I had never moved to LA she’d be alive. I don’t want to go far into it because it will bring me to tears,” he told Q magazine. Fans of the rapper attribute this time period as the start of his untimely decay.

Two years later, ‘Ye interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech on the MTV VMA stage for Best Female Video category, spawning years of back and forth between the two.

West began dating Kim Kardashian (who he’d been pining after since 2003) in 2011; the two married in 2014. As the two began their family, it seemed to weigh heavy on ’Ye how his legacy would affect his children. On the album Watch The Throne, West rapped on “New Day,” “And I’ll never let my son have an ego, He’ll be nice to everyone wherever we go, I mean I might even make him be Republican, so everybody know he love white people.”

The man who rapped about his grandfather getting arrested for taking West’s mother to eat at a “Whites Only” counter in a segregated restaurant called racism a dated concept. Though he still considers himself the same man who rapped about race on earlier albums. He told The New York Times in 2013, “No, it’s just being able to articulate yourself better. ‘All Falls Down’ is the same [stuff]. I mean, I am my father’s son. I’m my mother’s child. That’s how I was raised. I am in the lineage of Gil Scott-Heron, great activist-type artists. But I’m also in the lineage of a Miles Davis — you know, that liked nice things also.”

Increasingly, those “things” were painful relics of our country’s past like when West bragged about appropriating the Confederate flag for his Yeezus tour merch. He also only wanted to cast “multiracial women” in his Yeezy Season 4 runway show (also aligning himself with Vanessa Beecroft, an artist who at times appeared to be anti-Black people). The rapper’s condition took a turn for the worse in November 2016, when he admitted on a stop of his “Saint Pablo” tour that he would have voted for Trump. “Not only did I not vote, but there were a lot of things I actually liked about Trump’s campaign,” West said. “His approach was f---ing genius — because it worked.”

We knew West was expiring when he visited the newly-elected President at Trump Tower in New York City.

Things quickly spiraled out of control in April 2018. West — now a father of three — reactivated his Twitter, which had laid dormant for almost a year, and shared that he loved the way Candace Owens thinks. Owens is a Black woman who considers Donald Trump to be a “savior.” Then, after calling Trump “his brother,” West lashed out at hurt fans who were confused by this behavior, calling his support of a man who has done nothing but spew vitriol against women, Blacks, immigrants, and the news media his right to “independent thought.”

At his best, West was a man who passionately chased whatever was interesting to him: fashion, the arts, and design. He inspired his legions of fans to do the same in their own lives But the man who laid the blueprint for what it is for millions to dream out loud; manifesting the careers, wardrobes, and spouses they’ve always envisioned for themselves has gone to rest. The communities that West, at one point in his career, made a point to uplift in his music and in his progressive thinking also mourn his loss. What we are left with is a question inspired by the song “I Wonder:” “You can still be who you wish you is, It ain't happen yet, And that's what intuition is. ” Is this who he wanted to be all along?

West’s honors include 21 Grammys and 21 million albums sold worldwide. His last album is to be published posthumously June First.

Read These Stories Next:

Fact-Checking Kanye West’s Yeezy Twitter Rant

Why Does Fashion Love Virgil Abloh But Shun Kanye West?

A Brief History Of Kanye West’s Love Affair With Phoebe Philo

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

Fact-Checking Kanye West’s Yeezy Twitter Rant

Have You Noticed Janelle Monáe Is Wearing Color Now?

A Brief History Of Melania Trump In White Outfits

Last Wednesday, I was packing for a week-long visit to Atlanta. Even though I'd be staying at a nice hotel for part of it, I still brought full-sized everything: shampoo, conditioner, leave-in, curling cream, coil gel. And it's a good thing that I did. The itty bitty bottles of product that the hotel provided, laden with alcohols and surfactants, would do absolutely nothing for my curls. Halsey knows the struggle, too, and got vocal about it on Twitter. "I've been traveling for years now and it's been so frustrating that the hotel industry entirely alienates people of color," the singer, who is biracial, tweeted on April 26. "I can't use this perfumed watered down white people shampoo. Neither can 50% of ur customers. Annoying."

I’ve been traveling for years now and it’s been so frustrating that the hotel toiletry industry entirely alienates people of color. I can’t use this perfumed watered down white people shampoo. Neither can 50% of ur customers. Annoying.

— h (@halsey) April 27, 2018

Although it was just one opinion from one person, social media erupted into a few different debates. One was the validity of Halsey's ethnicity. "You are one of the white people sweetie," one Twitter user said. "No. I am not," Halsey answered. Case closed. But aside from the ignorance, a bigger conversation erupted about privilege.

If it’s white privilege to have shampoo & conditioner at a hotel....I demand a bottle that would wash more than a 1/3 of my hair...& what’s with the cheap stuff? Perhaps my white privilege deserves Pantene or equivalent —
OR I JUST STOP WHINING & BRING MY OWN SHAMPOO

🙄

— Heather (@hrenee80) April 27, 2018

Some people argued that Halsey should just bring her own shampoo — and many added that she has the means to do so. But Halsey's point is more than just one of convenience; it's about consideration. "I'm fortunate enough to be financially in a position to [bring my own shampoo]," Halsey said. "But POC traveling frequently for work/medical reasons might not be." If you need more than the TSA allows for a carry-on bag, it costs around $25 to check a piece of luggage each way — which isn't chump change for some people. And even if you did want to purchase full-sized haircare products when you got to your destination, some stores don't offer a variety of selections for those with natural and relaxed hair, as well as protective styles. It's a risk that sometimes isn't worth taking. I know I didn't want to.

I’m fortunate enough to be financially in a position to do so, but POC traveling frequently for work/medical reasons might not be. Just making a point is all! https://t.co/6u7PWqc1yY

— h (@halsey) April 27, 2018

"The point is that mass production of those products as the standard is part of a greater problem of disenfranchisement," Halsey continued. "If white ppl can enjoy the luxury/convenience, there should be an option for everyone to. Its an 'insignificant' example of a bigger problem. That’s all!"

Consumers of color aren't "other," even though brands have made us feel that way for years on end. As one Twitter user wrote, "It may seem insignificant to you, but it's one of the many things you see daily that illustrates you're an odd one out." The beauty industry's starting to do its part, by expanding their shade ranges and even changing the way that they list their foundation shades. As Halsey pointed out — why can't hotels follow suit? If you're going to include amenities, they should work for all your guests — even if they do come in three-ounce sizes.

Read These Stories Next:
The TSA Is Changing Its Stance On Natural Hair Searches
Meet Halsey, Pop Music's New Beauty Icon
Why Halsey’s Buzzcut Was Our Favorite Statement Of The Billboard Awards

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

Mila Kunis' Latest Haircut Is Subtle — But Makes A Big Impact

A Comprehensive Guide To Ruby Rose's 50+ Tattoos

This Is What Kim Kardashian's Naked Body Looks Like As A Perfume

2018 is, by all accounts, a major year for women. With the rise in awareness for female-championed issues across social media and IRL, women are making serious strides in gaining the recognition and respect they deserve in every walk of life — ranging from the business world to various creative spaces.

So in partnership with adidas Originals, whose new female-focused line, Arkyn, celebrates female creatives driving change across a multitude of industries, we set out to hear from some of the ladies the line is inspired by. Moderated by body-positivity activist and author Katie Willcox, four multitalented professionals (Olivia Perez, Ade Samuel, Lauren Abedini, and Amber Whittington) sound off about their journeys to discovering confidence, tackling comparison, and honing their unique voices at the brand's latest #TLKS panel held during Coachella Weekend 1. Press play, and get ready for a heavy dose of inspiration, above.

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

This Exhibit Will Change The Way You Think About Fashion

The 2018 CFDA Award Nominees Are Here

We're Celebrating Women All Month Long With This $1K Madewell Shopping Spree

One huge perk of spring cleaning is the space that it leaves to buy more new stuff. Okay, it might be a little counterproductive to think of it this way, but how else will we make space for the new shampoos, conditioners, masks, and treatments that deserve a spot in our showers?

As a naturalista, I can say that we are some of the biggest product hoarders out there — we're talking about men and women who can have four different curl types on one head. However, we'd like to plead the case for the six new launches ahead. Not only do they promote healthy hair growth, moisture, and definition, but they're dirt cheap, too. Gives you a reason to grab that Dirt Devil, eh?

Read These Stories Next:
Why Pros Swear By Oribe For Natural Hair
These Pro-Approved Natural Hair Buys Are Available At Target
The Pros Have Spoken: These Are The Best Natural Hair Buys

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

Micellar Dry Shampoo Might Be The Best Beauty Invention Of 2018

The Runway Hair Trend We Can't Believe Hollywood Is Loving

The NYC Spring Haircuts You're About To See Everywhere

Thanks in part to a certain new mom from Calabasas, who also has a penchant for colorful wigs and liquid lipstick, getting lip fillers is now about as pedestrian as having a facial in some beauty circles. While the cosmetic industry will surely thank her for the uptick in bookings, the truth is that naturally full lips have long been considered attractive. And the good news is that there are plenty of products and techniques you can try before resorting to the needle.

First things first: hydration. Finding a lip balm that works for you is crucial — your lips actually look smaller when they're dehydrated. It's a weird analogy, but think of how a sponge shrinks as it's wrung out, then enlarges when it absorbs water again.

Lip-balm preferences are seemingly as hardwired as being a morning or night person, so the best lip balm for you is whichever one you'll remember to apply. By Terry's Baume de Rose is an expensive — but truly unrivaled — moisturizing pick, and Charlotte Tilbury's new Collagen Lip Bath, which launches in May, is very promising. Collagen doesn't perform topically in the same way it does subcutaneously, as the molecules are too big to penetrate the skin, so take that part of the name with a grain of salt. Either way, it's excellent for hydrating, and contains peppermint extract to give a subtle plumping effect without the telltale burning sensation of a lip plumper.

And about that burning sensation: The reason so many lip plumpers are painful to use is that they work by causing inflammation, which makes blood rush to the area. The irritation makes your body release chemicals like histamines and prostaglandin, which gives a temporary plumped effect. Quite often, they use the same ingredients found in spicy dishes to harness those properties — which explains why your lips might look especially luscious post-spicy pad thai. Exfoliation has a similar effect. As well as removing dead skin cells, the stimulation of manually scrubbing will give you a short burst of added volume. You can buy a lip scrub for this, but many people find using lip balm on a cotton bud or a toothbrush just as effective.

Now, all that's left is to find the perfect lip-enhancing makeup. Use a lip liner that matches your lipstick closely, and sharpen it to a fine point. Draw ever so slightly over the edge of your lips, being especially careful around your Cupid's bow. Then, apply your lipstick. A classic makeup artist trick that really works is to apply gloss to the center of your lips for a more 3D effect — clear is fine, and much more utilitarian than buying one coordinating gloss for every lipstick you own. A dot of highlighter on your Cupid’s bow can help enhance this effect, too. It might not be quite as dramatic as Kylie's transformation — but it's an excellent, and needle-free, place to start.

Read These Stories Next:
The Lip Plumper We All Should Have Been Using During The Kylie Lip Challenge
These 5 Lipstick Trends Will Dominate 2018
Lip Oil Is The Unsung Hero Your Makeup Bag Needs Right Now

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

This Innovative Setting Powder Feels Like A Face Mist — & It's Perfect For Summer

Sir John Explains How Beyoncé's Coachella Makeup Stayed On All Night Long

In One Click, Pinterest Just Got A Lot More Inclusive

What in the heckington is happening? Have we been played by Ye all along? It surely wouldn’t be the first time that Kanye West was a step ahead of us, but his new song “Ye vs. the People” featuring T.I. has us seriously scratching our heads. It’s almost as though Ye, through his lyrics, predicted everything that we would say about his new politics.

In the song, West waxes philosophically about unity, love, and free thought — oddly contrarian themes that have cropped in his recent Twitter screeds as of late. “ But ain't goin' against the grain everything I fought for?” he says, which lines up with a Tweet in which he said “I love when people have their own ideas. You don't have to be allowed anymore. Just be.”

I love when people have their own ideas. You don't have to be allowed anymore. Just be.

Love who you want to love. That's free thought. I'm not even political. I'm not a democrat or a republican

— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018

West also defends his support of President Donald Trump and wearing a Make America Great Again hat in a photo. “Actually wearin’ the hat’ll show people that we equal,” he raps in the song. Later he says, “Make America Great Again had a negative reception / I took it, wore it, rocked it, gave it a new direction.” He references his newfound individualist politics with the line “Not worried about some image that I gotta keep up,” something he’s been talking about publicly on Twitter: “And any fan of me wants Ye to be Ye even when they don't agree because I represent the fact that they can be themselves even when people don't agree with them.”

And any fan of me wants Ye to be Ye even when they don't agree because I represent the fact that they can be themselves even when people don't agree with them. Drops mic 🎤Yeezy shrug 🤷‍♂️

— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018

Still, that support of Donald Trump has cost him lots of fans, from Rihanna to our own Channing Hargrove. T.I. lyrically portrays the character of moral outrage in the song, imploring Ye to consider the damage and hurt he’s done with his recent statements. He directly addressed the concern that “free thought” doesn’t help the most vulnerable people among us. “It's bigger than your selfish agenda/If your election ain't gon' stop police from murderin' n-----s, then shit…,” a direct reference to West’s tweet about “nothing changing” in Chicago.

Obama was in office for eight years and nothing in Chicago changed.

— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018

It isn’t clear when the song was recorded. T.I. mentioned being in the studio with Kanye the day before the song was released in a now-deleted Instagram story, but the controversy was still very much erupting when these lyrics were written. If “Ye vs. the People” isn’t a well-executed troll, it’s a heavy-handed indication that West is much more self-aware than we’d been giving him credit for. Still, as fans, we have to ask ourselves: is being punked in such a visceral, gut-wrenching manner an unforgivable offense? Or is Kanye still just being Kanye: acting and reacting? Either way, if it feels troubling, maybe it is. You can listen to the song below.

Read These Stories Next:

Kim Kardashian Patiently Explains Kanye West's Controversial Tweets

Why Does Fashion Love Virgil Abloh But Shun Kanye West?

Rihanna, Drake, & More Unfollow Kanye West After His MAGA Tweets

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

Kanye's Next Controversial Move? Putting The Doctor Who Killed His Mom On His Album

Kanye West Turns Into Troll-Ye With New Song "Lift Yourself"

Justin Bieber Visits A Museum Dedicated To Justin Bieber

Welcome toMoney Diaries , where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking millennials how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar.

Today: a social studies teacher who makes $36,960 per year and spends some of her paycheck this week on hummus toast.

Occupation: Social Studies Teacher
Industry: Education
Age: 23
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Salary: $36,960
Paycheck Amount (Monthly): $3,080

Monthly Expenses
Rent: $0. (Part of my employment contract included housing of up to $20,000 a year. I live in a one-bedroom apartment that, if I was paying rent, would be about $1,660 per month.)
Student Loan Payment: $0. (Thanks, Mom and Dad!)
Internet: $105
Phone: $75
Utilities & Water: $150-$200, depending on the month.
Car Payment (Long Term Lease): $550, including insurance and all maintenance.
Credit Card: $50-$100. I have one card in the U.S. that I'm still paying down. (Thanks, college self and my last trip to the U.S.) I also like keeping an active credit score, so if I ever decide to move back to the States, I'll have a base.
Netflix: $0. (I use my sister's account.)

Day One

5:30 a.m. — Ugh. The alarm is especially rough this morning. It's the first day back to school after two weeks of glorious spring vacation. I spent 10 days in Bali and Singapore, and returning to reality is not welcome. I flew in early Friday morning, and then spent all day yesterday sleeping and feeling incredibly jet-lagged, so my sleep schedule is very off this morning. In the UAE, we work Sundays through Thursdays, so I don't have another day to catch up before going back to work.

6:40 a.m. — After showering and getting ready for the day, I leave for work. Usually I pack my breakfast and lunch, but I didn't have time to go grocery shopping and re-stock my fridge yesterday, so I don't follow my routine this morning. I stop at Costa on my way to work and get a large coffee with soy milk and an almond milk oatmeal parfait. $9.50

7 a.m. — I arrive at work and rush to prepare myself for the day. After two weeks off, getting back into teaching mode is hard, and I need to review my lessons for today. Luckily, I have the first block off and have time to orient myself.

7:40 a.m. — Well...so much for free time this morning. Another social studies teacher (and one of my closest friends) is still in the Seychelles, and the school forgot to schedule a sub for her. I volunteer to cover for her and take her class, since I know what they're learning.

12:05 p.m. — After losing my free block this morning and teaching two more Grade 8 classes back-to-back, lunch is a welcome break. However, since I don't have my usual packed lunch, I have to run down to the café in the school lobby and grab a smoothie and energy bar. I hate buying food here, but I'm desperate. $6

2:45 p.m. — The day is over — thank goodness! Today was a busy day, since I taught another two classes in the afternoon. On my busy days, I teach three social studies classes, one life skills class, and have one block for prep. On my light days, I teach two social studies classes, one life skills class, and have two blocks for meetings and prep. Compared to teaching in the U.S., my teaching load is pretty light, so I can't complain too much.

3:30 p.m. — After spending a few minutes grading and catching up on emails after school, I head to the gym. In order to save money, I use the gym at my school. They have the basic equipment that I need, and I like being able to get my workouts in before I go home and lose motivation. I used to be self-conscious about being in workout gear with my kids around, but I've started to get used to it. Today is cardio and leg day, and I get a great workout in after taking the past two weeks off.

6 p.m. — After I finish my workout, I head directly to the grocery store. This store is a little out of my way, but they have the best prices and selection of items. I'm vegan, and most of the products I buy are a bit more expensive than if I ate a normal diet, but it's worth it for me. I have to stock up after being gone on vacation, so it's a big trip. I buy tofu, spinach, broccoli, bananas, carrots, soy milk, dairy-free yogurt, protein crackers, corn starch, rice cakes, peanut butter, soy sauce, peanut sauce, chili sauce, and mustard. $77.05

7:30 p.m. — On my drive home I call my mom and chat for a bit. (I pay extra to have international calling on my cell plan.) Get home, put away my groceries, snack on carrots and yogurt, and start to prep dinner. During the week I generally eat the same thing for dinner: tofu coated in cornstarch, lightly sautéed, and seasoned with a mixture of sauces (tonight it's soy, peanut, and garlic), plus steamed broccoli.

8:30 p.m. — Finish dinner, do the dishes, and make my lunch for tomorrow: a smoothie made of one banana, protein powder, powdered peanut butter, and ice cubes, plus rice cakes.

9 p.m. — Spend a few minutes putting a load in the washing machine and changing my sheets. I wait around for the cycle to finish so I can hang my clothes before showering and heading to bed. It takes me awhile to fall asleep because my sleep schedule is still off, but I'm out by 11.

Daily Total: $92.55

Day Two

5:30 a.m. — I was going to try and get up early this morning to get cardio in before school. Unfortunately though, I woke up at 3 a.m. to a "we need to talk about some stuff" text from my long distance BF. He and I dated all year last year, broke up right before he left the country for the year, and are now trying to mend our relationship while being long distance. We both have a lot of trust issues, and my anxiety kicks in hard after this message. I wasn't able to fully fall back asleep until 5 a.m.

6:45 a.m. — Shower, get dressed, grab my lunch, and head to work. I only live about about a 10-minute drive to school, and try to get in by 7 a.m. at the latest every day. In any other city, I'd walk to work if it were this close to where I live, but there are no sidewalks on the route and the area of Dubai I live in isn't very walking-friendly.

7 a.m. — I get to school and spend a few minutes answering emails before the kids come in at 7:30. I make a cup of coffee in the break room (instant coffee is free...not the best tasting, but free!), and add the soy milk that I bring in from home every week. I snack on rice cakes too.

8 a.m. — I have first block free again this morning, but have a meeting with our housing director about the possibility of me moving into a new building next year. The apartment I'm in now is small and old, and no other teachers live in it. If I move, the school will still cover my rent, but I'll have to pay the costs of the security deposit, agency fees, utilities, and furniture (which will probably cost about $3,500 all together). I've got budgeting and number crunching to do this week to see if I can make it work.

9:15 a.m. — I put my adult-ing stress behind me and teach two classes in a row. My kids are organizing a "sit in" to support U.S. students who are walking out to protest the recent school shootings, so it's an interesting morning. We spend a lot of time talking about civic rights, gun control, and understanding the bigger issues behind school violence.

12:05 p.m. — Lunchtime. I have my smoothie and rice cakes while leading a student council meeting in my room. I'm the faculty adviser for the student council, and while it adds a few extra responsibilities to my schedule, I get paid an extra $1,000 per year for it, which is nice. We spend lunchtime finalizing plans for the middle school dance we're hosting next week.

2:45 p.m. — After lunch, I teach my life skills class and then have a department meeting to finish off the day. Overall, it's a pretty easy afternoon, and I have time to budget crunch and think more about the meeting I had this morning.

3:30 p.m. — Finish up the day by planning a lesson for next week, and then head over to the gym. Do running intervals, followed by my least favorite workout of the week: shoulders.

6 p.m. — Finish working out and head for home. I call my parents on the way home and talk to them about potentially moving. I'll have the money if I budget strictly and cut out some of my travel plans for the summer. It's scary starting to make adult decisions like this, but I am happy to have my parents for advice.

6:30 p.m. — I snack on carrots, crackers, and yogurt while making tofu with broccoli for dinner again. I watch Love it or List It(a secret obsession of mine) on YouTube while eating dinner and cleaning up. I make my lunch for the next day as well.

8:30 p.m. — I'm running low on protein powder, so I order some from Souq.com (the UAE's version of Amazon). After showering, I head to bed, but my BF and I have set up a Skype call for later tonight, so I set my alarm for 2 a.m. $30

Daily Total: $30

Day Three

6 a.m. — I was up from 2 a.m. to 4 this morning Skyping with my BF (9-hour time differences suck), so I give myself a few extra minutes of sleep. Losing a few hours of sleep wasn't fun, but we needed to talk and it was worth me being a bit sleepy this morning. Luckily we talked things out and I feel a lot less anxious now. I quickly shower, get ready for work, and still leave for school on time.

7 a.m. — Get to work and make my coffee. I send an email to the housing director confirming my decision to move (yay!), and then settle in for another busy morning.

12:05 p.m. — I use my lunch hour to run to the bank and withdraw cash. My good friend from work is getting married in France this summer in a chateau. They invited some of their closest friends to stay in the chateau for the the week, and I need to pay her in advance. It's pricey, but all meals are included, and it'll be an awesome week. Worth the cost! $200

1:45 p.m. — After lunch, I only have one more block to teach. Every Tuesday, school ends for students an hour early. Teachers have to stay until 4 for meetings or PD (professional development). Today we have a full school meeting (our entire school consists of 2,500 students in grades K-12, and about 200 teachers).

4 p.m. — After our meetings are over, I head to the gym for my workout. I run for awhile and then have a chest- and glutes-focused lift.

6 p.m. — I finish at the gym and head home to shower and change. I'm meeting friends for drinks later, but before I leave the house, I cook dinner: my usual meal of tofu and broccoli. I don't have time to eat before having to leave, but I also don't want to spend the money on dinner while we're out, so I'll wait until I'm home later to have a full meal.

8 p.m. — I walk to meet a few friends at a bar. Tonight is Ladies' Night, so we can have unlimited drinks for free. (A lot bars and restaurants in Dubai offer Ladies' Nights on different weeknights where they have free drinks, and sometimes meals, for women.) I meet my friends and we spend a few hours drinking and catching up. This bar has an amazing drink called a Pinky Swear, and while I don't drink enough to really get buzzed, I am definitely happier by the time we leave.

10 p.m. — I head home pretty early and re-heat my dinner. After eating and cleaning up I make my lunch for the next day, text with my BF for awhile, and head to bed. I'm asleep by 11:30.

Daily Total: $200

Day Four

5:30 a.m. — Up at the usual time. Same routine of showering, getting dressed, and heading off to work.

7 a.m. — Coffee is definitely needed this morning. Getting back in the school routine is exhausting and I'm dragging.

10 a.m. — I teach one class this morning, then have a department meeting for the second block. My friend/coworker who is also vegan baked a delicious chocolate vegan cake and brought it in to share with me.

12:05 p.m. — Lunchtime. Usual smoothie and rice cakes that I brought from home.

2:45 p.m. — School's out. I had my favorite class (I know we aren't supposed to play favorites, but we totally do) for my last block. My lesson plan was to have them working on an essay, but they distracted me for awhile talking about the most recent events in Syria. We spend the first few minutes of every class watching current events, and sometimes they really get into the discussions. Part of me worries about losing instruction time and getting behind the rest of my department, but I also hate to stop the students when they are so invested and interested in the world around them.

3 p.m. — My friend and I head down to the conference room for a surprise baby shower for one of our colleagues. She's due in a few months but is going home to have the baby, so this is her last day. I bid her my congratulations and head back to my classroom to work for a few minutes.

4 p.m. — Gym time. I'm incredibly sore and don't get my full cardio in, but still manage to do a mini stair workout and lift.

6 p.m. — I call my dad on my drive home, and then make my usual tofu for dinner, this time with spinach. I was supposed to go out to dinner with other friends tonight, but I'm too tired and decide to cancel.

8 p.m. — After cleaning up, I make my lunch and put away my clean clothes. I shower and read for a few minutes while waiting for my BF to wake up. We text for a few minutes, but he has an exam this morning and I'm exhausted. I fall asleep reading by 10:30 p.m.

Daily Total: $0

Day Five

5:30 a.m. — Woohoo, it's Thursday! Last day of the week. Shower, get dressed, and off to work.

9:15 a.m. — Second period is my only off time today, so I take advantage and hole myself away in my classroom to get work done. I'm applying to be Head of Department next year, and I need to finish my application. It's only my second year teaching, and there are more qualified teachers in my department, but I'm hoping that the work I've done this year will prove that I've earned the position. It will be more work, but it'll look good on my resume...and the extra cash stipend for the year won't hurt either.

12:05 p.m. — I have my usual smoothie and rice cakes. A couple of my students wander in while I'm eating and want to chat. Sometimes I need my own space and kick them out, but today I'm okay with the visit. They start pulling up YouTube videos on my SMART Board and show me what a "Walmart Yodeler" is. I enjoy the little silly break with them.

2:45 p.m. — Made it to the weekend! Had another great class this afternoon to end the week on a high note. In addition to my kids getting the work done that I had planned, they also learned the basics of the U.S. electoral college system (no idea how we got on the subject, but oh well). I have a meeting after school with a parent whose son I'm going to start tutoring after school to make extra spending money. We keep it quick – she's as eager to start the weekend as I am!

4 p.m. — Last workout of the week. I don't have a ton of motivation this afternoon but manage to get it done. I save the easiest day of my workout cycle for Thursday – cardio followed by biceps and triceps!

6 p.m. — I head home, shower, change quickly, and then drive over to my friend's apartment for dinner. Despite seeing each other in school every day, we haven't hung out in awhile. Her fiancé is on a business trip and we often have dinner together when he's away. We were going to cook, but instead decide to order Lebanese: hummus, baba ganoush, falafel, fattoush, and bread. We split the cost. After a few hours of eating, watching reality TV, and gossiping, I head home. $15

11 p.m. — I promised another friend that I'd go out with him tonight. He's a promoter and every weekend has tables at different clubs that he needs to fill. I used to go out with him nearly every weekend, but got sick of the club lifestyle quickly. But I do enjoy going out with him occasionally, and it's good to catch up. I change clothes and he picks me up and drives us downtown. The drinks at the club are free since we're at a table, so the night doesn't cost me anything.

3 a.m. — We stay until the club closes and then my friend drives me home. Since I'm already up late, I talk to my BF for a few minutes before heading to bed. It's nearly 4 a.m. by the time I fall asleep, but oh well.

Daily Total: $15

Day Six

11 a.m. — Despite it being the weekend, I still have an alarm set to make sure I don't oversleep TOO much. I wake up, make a cup of coffee, and sit on the balcony for a few minutes before starting to get ready for the day.

12:15 p.m. — I'm going to brunch with the same friend I was out with last night and some of his friends. Brunching is a big thing in Dubai, and today we're going to one of my favorite spots. It's at a beach club, and along with the unlimited food and drink, you also get pool access and can spend the day in the sun. I try to keep my brunches limited to once or twice a month because of how expensive they are. My friend decides to drive again today, so no Uber cost for the morning. $80

5 p.m. — We spend the afternoon drinking, eating, and tanning. I've never met any of the people we're out with, but I get along well with some of the girls. Brunch ends at 5 p.m., and tonight is a dry night in Dubai. Today is Al-Israa' and Al-Miraj, an Islamic holiday, and on certain holidays the government mandates that there can be no alcohol sold in order to respect the Muslim laws. Normally we'd hang around the club after brunch ends, but they stop serving alcohol almost immediately.

5:30 p.m. — My friend has another friend who's taking his yacht out for the evening, and he invites me to join. He pays for our Uber to the marina to meet them.

10 p.m. — We spend a few hours cruising around. Yacht parties are one of my favorite things to do here; I love seeing the city from a different angle and being out on the water. Usually everyone chips in to rent the boat and buys food and drinks to bring, but the host has covered the cost of everything tonight. We dock out by the deserted World Islands (a Dubai tourist attraction that they gave up on building) and swim for awhile. After brunch and an evening out, everyone's pretty drunk by the time we dock again.

11 p.m. — I grab a cab with my friend and we head home. We live near each other, so it's easy to split. I pay for this one since he got the last. I get home around 11:30 and, after drunk texting the BF, immediately pass out. $10

Daily Total: $90

Day Seven

8 a.m. — I wake up early and can't fall back asleep. I'm surprisingly not that hungover, but I text my friend and it sounds like he's in worse shape than I am. I make a cup of coffee and sit on the balcony and read before going back inside to do laundry and clean up a bit. I haven't properly cleaned my place since getting back from break, so my apartment is a bit of a wreck.

11 a.m. — I'm hungry and too lazy to cook, so I order a salad and hummus toast from one of my favorite cafés around. While I'm waiting for my food to arrive, I start an episode of Outlander. My BF recommended it, and I'm obsessed. $20

1 p.m. — After I eat, I pop down to the pharmacy that's below my building. Apparently last night I cut my legs on barnacles while swimming, and I need bacterial cream. The pharmacist ended up having some small sample packs and gave me some for free. I can go down and get more from the school nurse if I need it tomorrow, so I don't even have to spend any money! Win. I spend the afternoon pretending to get work done and grade papers. In reality, I just watch more Outlander and hang out.

5 p.m. — I throw tofu, spinach, and rice on the stove for dinner. I realize that I'm out of water, so I call down to the Blue Mart across the street and they bring up my order. (We don't drink the tap water here, so I have a large water dispenser that I buy four-gallon jugs for that last me a few weeks each.) $14

7 p.m. — I clean up dinner and make my smoothie for tomorrow. Once it hits morning in the U.S, I spend awhile chatting with my mom, my best friend, and BF. I plan to be asleep by 10 or 11, but don't end up falling asleep until almost midnight.

Daily Total: $34

Money Diaries are meant to reflect individual women's experiences 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.

Have a money diary you'd like to share? Right now, in addition to our ongoing diaries, we're looking for potential diarists along the following themes:

1. International Week: We want to run one Money Diary from a different country each day for a week. Want to show what it's like to live outside of the U.S.? Submit here!

2. Your Spending In Your State: We want to run one Money Diary from a different state each week. Rep your state and submit here.

Have questions about how to submit or our publishing process? Read our Money Diaries FAQ doc here: r29.co/mdfaqs

Keep Track Of Your Vacation Spending: We're looking to get the inside scoop on when, where, and how our peers are using their vacation days. Open to tracking your travel expenses during an upcoming trip? Email us at traveldiary@refinery29.com.

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

How A 30-Year-Old Attorney's Salary Changed Over 16 Years

A Week In Hoboken, NJ, On A $55,000 Salary

How To Job Hunt Without A College Degree

A sexual harassment hotline will be set up at this year’s Cannes Film Festival with the help of the French government in the hopes of discouraging and combating sexual misconduct at the prestigious event.

On Thursday, French equality minister Marlene Schiappa explained that the hotline is meant for the protection of all people working in and around the industry, French news outlet AFP reports. “One of the rapes that Harvey Weinstein is accused of happened at Cannes, and so the festival cannot not act,” stated Schiappa, directly linking Cannes to decades-long open secret which became public knowledge last October. Weinstein continues to deny any wrongdoing, though he has been accused of sexual harassment and assault while at the film festival by multiple women. The French minister is referring to the alleged rape of Italian actress and director Asia Argento in 1997.

“The world is not the same since the Weinstein case; it has woken up. And it’s fortunate,” shared the artistic director of the festival Thierry Frémaux with Variety last month when discussing the impact of the Weinstein scandal and subsequent emergence of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements. “The Cannes Film Festival must be irreproachable on all these topics.”

Additionally, Schiappa says that attendees of the festival, which takes place on the French Riviera, will be warned as they arrive that misconduct will not be tolerated. Attendees are encouraged to report harassment not just when it happens to them, but if they witness it happening to anyone else. According to Deadline, the festival also intends to arrange a series of events and panels addressing diversity and sexual harassment. This is a huge step forward for the festival that just a few years ago demanded that all women attending wear high heels.

The messaging remains mixed at Cannes. While this hotline is a considerable step forward, they are forgetting who else they are letting in. The festival continues to welcome and celebrate the work of accused abusers like Woody Allen and Roman Polanski. This year, they have invited back Danish director Lars von Trier after publicly sympathizing with Hitler during a press conference. There has to be a tipping point when talent and notoriety no longer makes up for inexcusable behavior, and that tipping point should be much earlier than it is currently. Cannes also continues its exceptionally low selection rate of female filmmakers for its high profile competition. This year, only three of the 21 films selected were directed by women. While Cannes strives to keep the women inside the festival safe from harassment, they are forgetting these two important ways they can advocate for them.

While a hotline is a huge step in the right direction, knowingly welcoming people who are part of the problem is a step back. It’s one thing to saying that you will protect people from harassment at your festival, but what about just not inviting known harassers in the first place?

Read These Stories Next:

Sofia Coppola Made History At Cannes As The First Woman To Take This Honor In 56 Years

Jessica Chastain: "We Need More Female Storytellers"

Up-And-Coming Women Directors To Watch In 2018

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

Paris Hilton Did Not Feel Empowered After Her Infamous Sex Tape Leaked

Elizabeth Olsen Wants To Change One Thing About Her Avengers Costume: The Cleavage

Why Twitter Is Trolling Kate Middleton Over Her Dress

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past week, you know that Kanye West has been under fire for political opinions he has been sharing on his Twitter. Though he might be dead to some of us and many celebrities have unfollowed him, people are still praising his so-called “genius.” His latest song, “Ye vs. the People” is collaboration with rapper T.I., in which the two have a political debate. Kanye brings up Barack Obama, President Donald Trump, that Make America Great Again hat, and police brutality.

West raps, “But ever since Trump won, it proved that I could be president.” T.I. rebutts, “Yeah you can, but at what cost though?”

To put this song in context, we have to remember Kanye has built a career out of being controversial. Who remembers Kanye 2020? Taylor Swift? George Bush and how he doesn’t care about Black people? Kanye taking a controversial approach by showing his support of Trump is almost cliché at this point, especially with his belief going against the mainstream ideology, at least the traditionally liberal Black artist mindset.

The basis of his views is that we (we being “the people”) should be free thinkers.

Free thinkers don't fear retaliation for your thoughts. The traditional thinkers are only using thoughts and words but they are in a mental prison. You are free. You've already won. Feel energized. Move in love not fear. Be afraid of nothing.

— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018

By tweeting about his support for Trump, he is continuing his belief that he should be free to speak his mind on any issue.

You don't have to agree with trump but the mob can't make me not love him. We are both dragon energy. He is my brother. I love everyone. I don't agree with everything anyone does. That's what makes us individuals. And we have the right to independent thought.

— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018

When T.I. raps, “It's bigger than your selfish agenda / If your election ain't gon' stop police from murderin' ni---s, then shit,” he is calling Kanye out on the fact that if he isn’t try to help his people, he’s just being selfish. Kanye responds, “Bruh, I never ever stopped fightin' for the people / Actually wearin’ the hat’ll show people we are equal.”

T.I. also asks Kanye if he feel obligated to the people who helped him get into his position. Kanye responds with, “Make America Great Again had a negative reception / I took, wore it, rocked it, gave it a new direction / Added empathy, care and love and affection/And y’all simply questionin’ my methods.”

By wearing the MAGA hat, he believes he is he can somehow unify everyone with his political stance, instead of choosing a side. Kanye seems to think that Black people in America still have a “slave mentality” because the majority of Black Americans are Democrats.

He believes he is trying to show people, mainly his fans and people who have helped get him to where is now, new ways of thinking. Kanye is also trying to show empathy for people “on the other side.”

I think this is an amazing thing to try to accomplish, but why support someone like Trump? Why support a president who criticizes athletes, speaks without filter and has yet to make any comments on the many acts of police brutality that have been happening in America?

The main issue many have had with his political views is the fact that Trump and his whole campaign have been fueled by hate and ignorance. Sure, we are all allowed to be free thinkers and have our own opinions, but from the very beginning his of political campaign, Trump’s empty rhetoric about Mexicans, “shithole countries,” and women have been disregarded by his supporters, who seem to be fueled by the hate he is spewing.

On June 1 he will be releasing seven-track EP, and then a week later on June 8, he and Kid Cudi’s joint album, which will be named for their collaborative project, Kids See Ghosts, will be released.

Kanye is like everybody else when it comes to sharing their ideas. They believe their ideas are the best and most unique, when really they are being just like everyone else. Kanye does have the platform and the money to be able to share his opinions through music, but doesn’t that just make him like every other artist who has shared an opinion through the spoken word?

To me, he’s just a rich person trying to tell people to be free thinkers whiles he sits in his $60 million house.

Would Kanye West be preaching “free thinking” if he wasn’t Kanye West? At this point, all we can do is listen and digest what he is trying to tell us.

Read These Stories Next:

Kim Kardashian Had No Idea Kanye West Had Even Returned To Twitter

Fact-Checking Kanye West’s Yeezy Twitter Rant

Kanye West & The Lowkey History Of Hip-Hop Philosophers

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

Kanye's Next Controversial Move? Putting The Doctor Who Killed His Mom On His Album

Kanye West Turns Into Troll-Ye With New Song "Lift Yourself"

Justin Bieber Visits A Museum Dedicated To Justin Bieber

I wouldn't consider myself a fitness enthusiast, but last week, in a vain attempt to simultaneously kick-start some semblance of an exercise routine and join the New York City cool-girl elite, I attended my first session of The Class by Taryn Toomey.

In a city where you can hang from the ceiling doing aerial yoga and cycle underwater in an Olympic-sized swimming pool, this just might be the bougiest fitness class I've ever taken. There are crystals absolutely everywhere — in the bathroom, on the windowsill, even in the floors.

Despite the studio's aesthetically-pleasing interior, The Class is by no means an aesthetically-pleasing workout. By the end of Toomey's cardio-heavy session, you're pretty much floundering in a pool of sweat and tears. But, as gross as I might have felt after 65 minutes of "expansive, heart-opening, body-strengthening release," at least it gave me the opportunity to put R+Co's new Spiritualized Dry Shampoo Mist to a rigorous test.

Unlike most dry-shampoo formulas that use powders and starches to absorb oil, this mist employs micellar technology to cleanse hair without leaving any residue behind. In that sense, it doesn't behave like a traditional dry shampoo — and it doesn't feel like one, either. It never leaves my hair feeling gritty or irritates my sensitive scalp, and it even leaves a touch of natural-looking shine behind, almost as if I actually shampooed my hair. At first spritz, it basically feels like spraying water into your hair, but let the solution sit for about half a minute before massaging the product into your scalp. Once it dries, you'll be left with hair that looks and feels freshly washed.

I have to admit that having to hop in the shower to address my greasy hair right after a workout is one of the main reasons I put off regular exercise. But with this new addition to my routine, it looks like I'm all out of excuses. If only attending The Class a few times a week wouldn't put me all out of money, too...

R+Co Spiritualized Dry Shampoo Mist, $28, available at R+Co.

Read These Stories Next:
14 Dry Shampoos That Will Change How You Don't Wash Your Hair
A 5-Step Routine To Wash Your Hair Less
5 Drugstore Dry Shampoos Celeb Hairstylists Actually Use

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

7 New Natural Hair Products To Try This Spring

The Runway Hair Trend We Can't Believe Hollywood Is Loving

The NYC Spring Haircuts You're About To See Everywhere