Blog Posts by Self Magazine

by SELF Staffers

Now that the sun's back in the picture, you're more open to some guy attention, a new study in the journal Social Influence suggests. Research has shown that sunlight increases serotonin levels, boosting your mood, which can make you happy to accept even bad one-liners. So we say: Start flirting now! Love expert Lauren Frances shares her tips.

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It's her party, and she'll rock a rhinestone-studded "bride" top if she wants to. From keeping a budget to avoiding warring bridesmaids, use these party-planning tips to keep both of you happy.

by Jasmine Moir

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by Amanda MacMillan


courtesy of CoconaI'm pretty sure I've discovered the best thing to happen to coconuts since pina coladas. It's called Cocona, and it's a Boulder-based company that's doing really cool things with synthetic technical fabrics -- namely, infusing them with coconut husks. But why coconut, you ask?

Apparently, the fruit's husks can be recycled into activated carbon, that is then incorporated into fibers and fabrics. The result is a garment that wicks better, dries faster and stays cooler -- by 30 to 50%, according to industry tests. The active fibers also help absorb odor and release them in the wash, so the clothes don't hold on to stink the way some synthetics can. And they're naturally UV-protective, as well -- crazy, right?

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Cocona's been around since the 2000s, but it's likely that you've never heard of them before. That's because the company doesn't make its own label; rather, it licenses its technology to all kinds of big fitness brands,

by Alexandra Samuel

courtesy photo You guys KNOW we love our BB (and CC) creams. They're great for a post-gym skin fix, not to mention just generally giving your face a well-nourished, even-toned glow. And then there was Pantene, who came out with BB cream for hair -- which blew our minds, but only in the best way possible.

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Now, the BB craze has made it's way into our mouths -- in the form of tea. Launched by Kusmi, the chic French tea company, the loose-leaf BB Detox Tea is designed to make you get gorgeous, too. But does it really work, especially with a price tag of $20?

First of all, this is literally the most delicious tea I've had...ever. It's a mix of mate, grapefruit, green tea and rooibos (which I can never pronounce) that's light and refreshing and, yep, caffeinated, to give you a sweet buzz, too.

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Kusmi says the combo of green tea and mate help de-puff your entire body, while green tea,

Making some packaged food taste good and getting you to buy it can involve a lot of tinkering and some shifty science. The result isn't always pretty. We expose.

by Dina Roth Port

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by Amanda MacMillan


Eric McNatt Attention "social" smokers (or those of you who still puff regularly): Here's another reason to kick your habit to the curb, stat. Cigarette smoking increases the risk for developing colon cancer, according to a study published yesterday in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention -- and women seem be at greater risk than men, even if they smoke less, overall.

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When scientists at the University of Tromso in Norway tracked more than 600,000 people for an average of 14 years, they found that female smokers had a 19 percent increased risk of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer compared with those who never smoked. Male smokers, on the other hand, had only an 8 precent increased risk versus males who didn't. Furthermore, women who started smoking when they were 16 or younger, and women who had smoked for 40 years or more, had a substantially increased risk, by about 50 percent.

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"Constantly stressed out" is how two thirds of you described yourselves in our survey.We take your three main hang-ups and have experts walk you through finding the best solutions.
by Valerie Frankel with additional reporting by Amanda Woerner


Deborah Jaffe #1 WORRY: Your Cash
"I'm afraid that I'm going to be broke forever. After my car payment, grad school tuition, rent and groceries, I barely have anything left over to put into savings." --Rebecca, 25, North Carolina

Take action: First, know that this is temporary--your salary will likely go up. But the only way to reduce your money anxiety now is to be in control of your finances, says Manisha Thakor, founder and CEO of MoneyZen Wealth Management in Santa Fe. Step one is to make a budget. "About 50 percent of your paycheck should go to needs, like rent, and 30 percent to wants, like dinners out," Thakor says. The last 20 percent is key: That's what you should put away. If you want to have money, you gotta start saving now. "Living paycheck to

by Amanda Woerner


Meredith JenksSo, you ask, what's cash got to do with love? Everything. But experts say it's not how much either of you has -- it's how you deal with it that determines if you'll be happily merged.

He wants to combine dough; you want some financial independence.
Hey, if it's your money, you should have a say! A fair compromise: Open a shared bank account into which you each deposit a percentage of your salary (enough to cover expenses and contribute to savings), Torabi says. Whatever's left from your paycheck goes into your personal account. Invest it, save it, blow it -- your call.

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You've got killer credit. His is so-so, or worse.
Not to sound harsh, but your good credit takes priority here. Sharing a credit card account or cosigning for a car payment or other loan means you'll be on the hook for any debt he accrues. If he skips a payment and you can't cover it, that will affect your score. For now, help him focus on building his