Blog Posts by Self Magazine

by Amanda MacMillan


photo by Virgil Bastos A lot of us ladies grew up playing soccer in grade school, high school and even college -- and many of us have probably played in adult leagues out in the real world, as well. (And then there are SELF staffers; my editor, Rachel, was a not-so-talented high school forward; our social media editor, Stephanie, played Division I soccer for Northwestern U.) That's why this new study is definitely worth nothing: Soccer players who "head" the ball frequently performed worse on memory tests, found researchers from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, and brain scans showed abnormalities similar to patients with concussions.

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First, what you should know: This study is NOT talking about people in casual leagues who play just every once and a while. Researchers gave brains scans and cognitive tests to 37 amateur soccer players in NYC adult leagues, 8 of them female, who had been playing for an average of 22 years.

by April Franzino

It can be tricky, so Bobbi Brown, founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, helps out. Use these to match your best shade.

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Tone Up Your Trouble Spots 6 Moves To Resize Your Butt and Thighs 20 Superfoods For Weight Loss Secrets To Firing Up Your Metabolism

by Alexandra Samuel


photo by Thayer Allyson Gowdy I am super, super pale -- like so pale that you can see my veins under my skin. So I had to self-tan. It was time. Thankfully, I edited this story when I was back working at the mag -- 8 Steps To A Perfect Faux Tan -- and followed the story step-by-step...kind of, at least.

You see, while this process is a really good way to get an amazingly gorgeous, long-lasting, even tan, right now I'm feeling a little bit lazy. So I found a few shortcuts and tweaks along the way.

Face: Instead of the exfoliate-hydrate-apply tanner routine, I've been using Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Glow Pads, which have antioxidants, exfoliants and self-tanner in each swipe. I mean...I kinda feel like these pads make my whole story moot!

See more: Tone Up Your Trouble Spots

Arms and Legs: There's no real substitute for dry brushing your limbs, guys -- exfoliation is key to a smooth, even application -- but I am a huge fan of St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Spray, an superfine spritz with

You kickboxed Monday but you're sore on Wednesday. What gives?? We explain.
by Andrea Bartz


photo by Arthur Belebeau Bizarre, right? You take a new class or road test a SELF Dying to Try It move, and your muscles are screaming ... two days later. There's a scientific term for the why-now effect: delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS. It can happen anytime you tax muscles in a foreign way. You cause microscopic damage to the tissue (not a bad thing--it's how you build stronger lean muscle), and waves of white blood cells rush in to patch things up. While they're at it, they release chemicals that set off pain receptors, says Robert Hyldahl, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The process peaks in about 36 hours (hence the delay), which is about when you want to reach for the Advil. Resist. The latest research says blunting the hurt may also blunt your body's ability to rebuild muscle, meaning you get stronger more slowly. But if hobbling isn't an option, our experts

by Alexandra Samuel


photo by WWD/Robert Mitra Sandals are finally coming out, which means bright polishes are back in vogue. You know what else that means? Stained toes are about to make a major come back...and not in a good way. But no matter how careful you are, nails can get stained.

See more: Tone Up Your Trouble Spots

So, when my friend asked "How do I erase bright-polish stains without scary chemicals?" I was glad I had the answer!

The good news: You probably have all three ingredients in your kitchen right now. The even better news: This works for that weird self-tan build up between fingers and toes too. In a tiny bowl, mix two parts bakings soda, one part coconut oil (or olive oil if you're coconut oil-less) and a few squeezes of lemon juice. Then, add a little bit more of each ingredient until you've got a pastey consistency. (FYI: the baking soda lemon combo freaks out and fizzes and what not. It's no big deal.)

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Then, use an old toothbrush or nail brush to

by Alexandra Samuel


photo by Serge BalkinThis weekend, I got a house in Fire Island with some friends and we parked ourself on the beach for a day and a half. I, of course, was OCD about sunscreen, but it was too windy for me to keep my (sun-protective) hat on. And yesterday I noticed my hair was totally looking dull and bleached out, even though I was rocking UV blockers in my hair. I have a feeling I'm not the only one dealing with sun-faded hair this summer, so I pulled together my three-step recovery plan to revive any girl's color, pronto.

See more: Tone Up Your Trouble Spots

Ditch Buildup: Part of the reason hair color looks funky after a weekend away is the salt, chlorine and sand combo that builds up and literally sits on top of strands, weighing down the shaft and parching strands of dye. All you need is a great shampoo to get rid of a weekend's worth of crap, though. You can use a swim shampoo like Triswim Shampoo rids hair of chlorine, and saltwater, while hydrating with aloe. (Oh, and if you're

by Amanda MacMillan


by Arthur BelebeauSunscreen helps prevent skin cancer. You know this. Now, however, scientists finally have proof for something else beauty editors have been telling us all along: SPF, when used often enough, also prevents wrinkles and signs of skin aging. How's that for application motivation?

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It's true: Despite what you may have heard for years, there had never actually been any scientific proof -- in terms of human clinical trials, that is -- that sunscreen use had real effects on skin "age." So researchers from Australia and the U.K. set out to test this hypothesis, by recruiting 903 participants under age 55 for a side-by-side comparison.

All participants underwent photoaging tests on the back of one hand at the start of the study, published yesterday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, and then were split into groups: Half were advised to use a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher, every day, on their head, arms, neck and hands; the other

by Alexandra Samuel


So the truth is, I'm really torn about gel manicures. I really don't like having to go pro every time I want a new color and/or design on my nails -- which is basically like every day -- and I also totally don't like that once I get a pro application, I need to see a pro (and pay extra) to have the mani removed. And then there's this study, which suggests too many gel manicures are no good. Alas, for the vanity obsessed, there are pluses: crazy shine, longer wear, major chip-resistances.

See more: Tone Up Your Trouble Spots

Thankfully, there's this thing called the middle ground. Or at least, there is now in #NailArt land. Christian Dior (whose Nail Gloss we're completely addicted to), has gone and created my gel mani middle ground: TheDior Gel Coat ($24), a new top coat that's supposed to look just like a gel mani without, you know, the gel part.

You have to use it on totally dry nails (like dried-overnight dry, not let-dry-for-15-minutes dry), which is kind of