Blog Posts by Refinery29

By Kelly Hernandez, Refinery29

Kelly P. Hernandez is the founder and CEO of Financechic.com an independent personal finance site for women. After 15 years of working in male-dominated Wall Street and Silicon Valley, she's made it her mission to help women take charge of their money. And, when she talks about getting a raise, you know we're going to listen.

Here's the sobering (and all-too-familiar) reality: Chances are you're performing better at your job than some men, yet you're probably making less. Don't sit back and just hope to get noticed. Study after study shows men ask for raises more often, negotiate more for compensation, and ultimately get paid more than women - all for the same job.

You could sit and sulk about this, or, you could go ask for a raise. How? It's important to be analytical and not emotional. ("Sure, I'll double your salary because you're angry and bitter," said no boss ever.) So, here's how to make that big request deliver the big money you're looking for.

By Leila Brillson, Refinery29

.One of the often-overlooked benefits of the advent of social media is that we now have a public, archived, and searchable barometer for the way people are feeling at any given time. Sure, that might be the product of "over-sharing" or indicative of our modes of communication changing, but we can now see the mood of all Internet-using people, everywhere. And according to Hedonometer, a company that has been tracking the general feelings of people on Twitter, the saddest day the social-networking site suffered through occurred on April 15.

RELATED: A Natural High: 10 Magical Foods That Make You Happy
RELATED: Happiness 101: 6 Ways To Be In A Good Mood All The Time

By using words like "sad," "tragedy," "death," and "sick" (instead of December 25, 2008, Twitter's happiest day, which had words like "love," "family," and "gift"), April 15 easily took the cake for most depressing. Not only is it Tax Day, but the entire Boston Marathon bombing was experienced

By Connie Wang, Refinery29

Can't afford an off-the-rack Burberry bag or a checked runway trench coat? Most people (including us) can't, but that doesn't mean that owning a piece from one of your favorite heritage designers will never be in the stars. Consignment stores, vintage shops, and discount sites are ways to make a Burberry purchase happen...but among all the authentic merchandise, you have some fakes masquerading as real deals. Where's a Veritaserum when you need one?

RELATED: How Can You Tell Your Louis Vuitton's The Real Deal?
RELATED: Spring Pants Trends For Every Body Type

It turns out that you don't need a psychic to figure out if that check is checked out. Watch Graham Wetzberger, senior director of authentication and brand compliance from TheRealReal on how to make sure your Burberry is legit.

By Gabrielle Korn, Refinery29

This is not an exaggeration: We frequently find ourselves wondering how Ginnifer Goodwin does it. The flawless skin, the perfectly tousled pixie, the matte lipstick that looks like it's naturally part of her face even though it's hot pink - girlfriend knows her way around a beauty routine. So when we say we were excited about the opportunity to read every detail of how this babe maintains her enviable level of ethereal prettiness, you should know that excited doesn't actually cover it.

RELATED: Does Kristen Stewart Really Have Better Style Than Kate Middleton?

We expected to hear a very involved skin regimen that included pricey creams made from unicorn tears, but GG blew our minds by admitting she is not so diligent on the skin care front - she even 'fessed up to not washing her face every night. Yes, she actually sleeps in her makeup and - despite the fact that every dermatologist on the planet says that will ruin your skin - she still looks amazing. Are

By Vanessa Golembewski, Refinery29

Kristen Stewart has propped herself up on two rather sturdy pillars when it comes to her wardrobe: One, that she does not want to have her clothing draw any further attention from paparazzi, and two, that a girl's outfit ought to match her energy, and if she doesn't feel like dressing up, then so be it. With such a cavalier approach to everyday style, it's quite impressive that Stewart has managed to once again top Glamour U.K.'s list as Best Dressed Woman, defeating both Emma Watson and the Duchess.

RELATED: Spring Pants Trends For Every Body Type

Praised for her "personal rock-chick style," this is the second year in a row Stewart has topped the list, a bit to our surprise. This isn't to say that Stewart has been without her fabulous red carpet moments, but she's also had some notable flops (shortened Erdem dress, anyone?). What do you think, though? Is KStew worthy of a two-year victory, or would you have voted for one of the runners up?

More

By Vanessa Golembewski, Refinery29

Well, this is interesting: Hands up if your idea of intimacy doesn't include stirrups and latex gloves - yeah, we know. But, while we prefer to keep the word "annual" to our gardening jargon, the yearly exam is a must-discuss when it comes to gyno health. So, you can imagine our delight when we heard this: apparently, the annual pelvic exam, dubbed the "bimanual," may not be as necessary as we thought.

Annual pelvic exams are typically used to screen for possibly cancerous changes and STIs (STDs for all you '90s kids). But, according to more and more doctors, a simple pee-in-cup and swabbing exercise is as effective, and significantly less invasive. The exams also increase the cost of medical care and aren't totally medically necessary if you're not symptomatic. Besides, abnormal results often cause alarm when there isn't any real reason for concern, leading to equally unnecessary surgeries and subsequent complications.

RELATED:Red Alert! How To Keep

By Tara Rasmus, Refinery29

.You've probably heard about açaí berries, but with food trends coming and going so quickly, it's possible that the facts about the fruit have gotten muddled with myths. Wanting to give you the real deal (and debunk the, well, bunk), we did a little research on exactly what exactly the deal is with these cute fruits - and the true benefits that they can bring to your diet.

"Açaí berries are deep purple fruit, about the size of a grape, that comes from the açaí palm tree, found in Central and South America," says Amy Shapiro, M.S., R.D., C.D.N. of Real Nutrition NYC. Especially plentiful near the Amazon, these sweet-tart berries have a flavor that Shapiro describes as "a marriage between a blackberry and dark chocolate." Sounds delicious, no?

RELATED: 4 Recipes For An Epic, 3-Course, Superfood Meal

As far as açaí being a nutritional superfood - well, you've heard right on that one. Says Shapiro: "The açaí berry is very rich in nutrients; they are a wonderful

By Rebecca Taras, Refinery29

Listen up: Just because beach weather is a few weeks away does not mean you have to go on a crazy crash diet. Instead, we suggest you take action with these expert-approved tips to get your body (and mind!) in tip-top shape - the healthy way. From inspirational eating ideas to quickie workout secrets, consider this the ultimate countdown-to-summer fitness cheat sheet. Follow this advice and swimsuit shopping will be a breeze.

RELATED: Why The 4-Minute Workout Could Work For You

Want even more R29? Get the latest news, tips, and can't-resist stories delivered straight to your newsfeed, in real time. Like us on Facebook - we'll see you there!

More from Refinery29:

6 Shortcuts For Killer Abs, Glutes, & Legs

5 Ways To Jumpstart Your Metabolism Now!

Could Facebook Be Causing You To Gain Weight?