Blog Posts by Self Magazine

Alexandra Samuel


Zombie perfume...really?Do you guys watch The Walking Dead? There's a bar in my 'hood that plays it every Sunday and, while I'm a little behind, I'm definitely a fan. So, when I saw this rad Zombie-inspired his and her perfumes from Demeter, I got super-freaking excited.

See more: Lose 2 Pounds a Week!

I know what you're thinking: "What the hell, Alex? Who wants to smell like a zombie?" Well, it doesn't smell like decay and cannibalism. (I mean, obviously, people.) It actually smells kind of good! In fact, I feel like these would totally be a signature scent for ironic hipsters. We would be all like, "What's that Awesome Fragrance?" And the hipster would be all like serious and say, "Zombie. For her." How can you not love that?

See more: 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss

Zombie For Him smells like, what the company called, "forest floor" -- a combo of dried leaves, mushrooms, mildew, moss and earth. It kind of smells like a summer camp tends to after a rain storm. A little

Read More »from Would You Wear Zombie Perfume?

SELF staff


CN Digital StudioSELF's on-call medical advisor gets to the bottom of all your big health questions.

I've gone up a dress size at my new job. Is this like a work-related freshman 15?! -Clara C., Austin, Texas

See more: Lose 2 Pounds a Week!

Dr. Lodge Any change in routine, including starting a new gig, can lead to weight gain. Consider what's different: Maybe you're "treating" stress with chocolate, or your new coworkers love bringing in doughnuts to share, or your longer commute is messing with your workout schedule. Something is making you take in more calories than you're burning. The great thing is, you've noticed already-you have time to get rid of that weight and get back on track before your body becomes too comfortable in those new bad habits and extra pounds. Start by bringing plenty of healthy food to work-a banana for a snack, turkey on whole-grain bread for lunch-so you won't be tempted by office goodies or too sluggish to make it to the gym. Take plenty of

Read More »from Office Weight Gain

SELF staff


SELF's on-call medical advisor gets to the bottom of all your big health questions.

See more: 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss

Q. My doctor told me I have dense breasts. What should I know or do about that? -Laurian W., Miami

Dr. Lodge: First, understand what it means: You have more glandular tissue than fat in your breasts, which sounds alarming but is actually somewhat common in young women-breasts tend to get fattier as you get older. But you should know there's a possibility that you might be at a higher risk for breast cancer, though researchers are still sorting this out. So don't panic, but do work with your doc to ensure you know what to look for in a breast self-exam and to design the best screening strategy for you. If you have additional risk factors (family history, say), she may suggest that you start scans pre-40; when you do begin, she might add a breast ultrasound or an MRI, as it's more difficult to detect cancer in dense breasts using

Read More »from Should You Worry About Dense Breasts?

Lauren Sherman

CN Digital StudioYou know you've earned it, now you've just got to go in and ask for it. Here's how.

Make the first move: Always keep this in the back of your mind: If you want a raise, you have to ask for one. "Believing that if we work hard we'll be rewarded for it is naïve," says Karen J. Pine, Ph.D., co-author of Sheconomics, a guide to finance for women. "Be proactive and make the first move."

Do your homework: "Talk to friends in similar industries to see what they're making, and read up on averages for your industry and level of experience on sites like Payscale.com and Salary.com," says Nicole Lapin, a financial expert and founder of Recessionista.com. The great thing about these sites is that they allow you to search geographically-salaries often vary depending on where you live.

See more: 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss

Aim realistically high: Don't go in with a "take what I can get" attitude-that kind of thinking only leads to disappointment. "You might have to negotiate

Read More »from How to Get a Raise

CN Digital StudioAmanda MacMillan

We may have lost an hour of sleep this weekend, but here's a reminder not to make it a regular habit: New research suggests that when we repeatedly don't get enough zzzz's, we tend to eat more -- and can pack on nearly two pounds in five days!

See more: 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss

A study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that when participants were allowed to sleep only five hours a night for five days straight, they overate -- specifically in the form of high-carb, high-fat, after-dinner snacks. In fact, the total amount of calories consumed in evening snacks alone was, on average, larger than the calories that made up any individual meal! This is especially concerning in light of recent research that found that "late eaters" may have a harder time losing weight than early ones.

See more: Lose 2 Pounds a Week!

The sleep-deprived group did manage to expend about five percent more energy than the well-rested Read More »from Weight Gain from Lack of Sleep

Marissa Stephenson


The secret? The sensitive skin around your eye. Use these tips to give the area a little extra loving.

More from SELF:
Top Secrets of Beauty Pros
The Flat-Abs-Fast Secret
6 Moves for a Great Butt
How to Get Bombshell Hair

Read More »from Sexy Eyes in 3 Steps

Marissa Stephenson


CN Digital StudioStudies show that people who do 30 minutes of cardio most days get fit just as quick as those who exercise longer. So we've got speedy routines that'll make the daily 30 fly.

1. Multitask: Firm & Burn Routines: See our sexy arms moves to firm any arm jiggle and torch serious calories and count it as your 30 minutes. All you have to do is add 30 seconds of squat jumps or jumping lunges between each move.

Calories torched: 235 (based on a 135-pound woman)

And remember: Plan to succeed. There should be no guesswork when it comes to your workouts, so map out a week of routines every Sunday night.

2. Mix It Up on the Treadmill: SELF deputy editor and trainer Meaghan B. Murphy uses an incline to erase fat and tedium. See how she does it by downloading this easy-peasy chart.

Calories torched: 245

3. Throw Some Punches: Jillian Lorenz and Ariana Chernin, owners of Barre Bee Fit gyms in Chicago, created an exclusive version of their crazy-popular Barre Brawl kickboxing class

Read More »from 5 New Ways to Do Cardio

Jessica Girdwain


Meredith JenksOur mid-20s to 30s is prime time for an identity meltdown. If (or, let's be honest, when) it happens, don't flip out-you can come out of it even happier.

The postcollege years tend to be all about survival-finding a job, a roommate who doesn't eat your food or steal your clothes, a solid boyfriend. Then, just as you begin to feel as if you've got things under control, it happens: a "Holy-crap-I-have-no-idea-what-I'm-doing-with-my-life!" freak-out.

If you're in the 25-to-35 age range and this is resonating, congrats: You're officially having a quarter-life crisis, something two thirds of young adults experience. Experts describe a QLC as a sense of panic that your life-career, relationships, etc.-isn't where you want it to be. (There's good reason that Hannah, Lena Dunham's character from HBO's Girls, is so damn relatable.)

QLCs can be a bitch, as you may have already discovered. But as many as 80 percent of survivors say they feel happier and more satisfied

Read More »from Survive a Quarter-Life Crisis