 | Got a Case of the Holiday-Season "Blahs," Anyone? Despite having a full six weeks remaining in 2023, being in the back half of November always feels like an energetic signal that the new year is basically here. Like clockwork, the anticipation of Thanksgiving gives way to the weeks of December dedicated to wrapping up loose ends, celebrating, and reflecting. This calendar-sanctioned cycle of completion tends to fill me with satisfaction and joy and rich moments of gratitude. But this year, while I do feel those things, I’ve also found myself with a case of the… blahs: a negative-leaning feeling that sometimes takes the shape of grief or dread or exhaustion or a lack of motivation. Is it the lingering effects of the dramatically emotional new moon in Scorpio from earlier this week? Is it a lack of sunlight, following the end of daylight saving time a few weeks ago? Is it anxiety surrounding a forthcoming flurry of holiday plans? Is it having all the reasons in the world to doomscroll, despite knowing the way doomscrolling may make me feel? After chatting through my blahs with astrologer Jenn Racioppi, I realized the reason for them may not actually be so important. Rather, as she astutely points out, it’s the understanding that blah has the power to transform into bliss. “With Saturn now stationed direct in Pisces and also squaring the sun, moon, and Mars for the upcoming full moon on November 27, the kickoff to the holidays can deeply correlate with feelings of grief,” she says. “It’s important to remember, though, that grief is love at its highest decibel. And when we grieve fully, it brings us back to gratitude.” What resonates with me about her point is that you won’t feel any kind of way about things that don’t matter to you. Also, the reflective power of this end-of-year time frame may present an opportunity to lean into what feels misaligned or bad or off or blah and then consider what within that seed of a feeling is generating, well, feeling. While I now feel better about working through my blah, I also know any number of strategies to harness joy are at my disposal: Exercising, fake-smiling, meditating, and more are scientifically linked to boosting feel-good hormones; lifestyle habits—like vacation planning and having a bedtime ritual—abound for boosting happiness; and then there’s retail therapy. (It is the holiday season, after all.) I’ve recently gifted myself some goodies (while keeping in mind best practices to protect my financial wellness) to help me nest in my home and embrace coziness. On the nesting front is the Dyson V15s Submarine, which can mop my wood floors and pick up invisible dust—it’s made cleaning up a legitimately satisfying part of my routine. I also got a Little Partners toddler tower so my 1-year-old can watch at eye-level while I meal prep (rather than pull at my pant leg from the floor because he’s curious and hangry). And on the cozy front, I got myself the Shearling Lined Clogs from Birkenstock that I’ve been eyeing for years. Whether blah, or bliss, or anything in the complicated in-between, I’m happy to be in my feelings right now. I hope you, too, can find significance in whatever is resonating with you emotionally as we close out the year. Yours blah-ly,  | Alexis Berger
Deputy Editor | |
 |  | | | | have you heard 👂 Nearly half of all women will experience hair loss at some point in their life, and yet the topic of hair loss still carries so much stigma for many folks. For the latest episode of The Well+Good Podcast, content creator and author Tinx discusses her work with Hers, a one-stop shop for women's health and personal care products, to normalize the conversation around hair loss and help women feel more empowered. Listen Now |
Bite-sized Beauty Wearing sunscreen year-round is important (yes, even when the darkest and chilliest season is upon us). While applying SPF is pretty straightforward, one thing you’ll want to avoid is mixing it in with your moisturizer as a means to streamline you skin-care routine. According to cosmetic chemist Cara Bondi, “You alter the total concentration of the filters and the homogeneity of the mixture, which results in less overall potency and an irregular distribution of UV filters throughout the mixture you’ve made.” With this in mind, you’ll want to layer your skin-care products as you typically would, and apply sunscreen on top of your moisturizer—or opt to use a moisturizer with a sufficient amount of SPF. For more information, read the full story here. |
| Give It To Me Not-so-hot take: It's never too early to get a jump start on holiday shopping, especially when the deals are this good. Some of our favorite brands have already gotten in on the Black Friday and Cyber Monday action with steep discounts for everyone on your shopping list (including yourself 😉). Scroll below to save big on this year's best gifts—you can thank us later. |  NuFace Trinity+ Set The microcurrent device W+G editors swear by for instant sculpting and lifting is on sale ahead of Black Friday. Even better, it includes a lip-and-eye attachment to smooth out those hard-to-reach areas, plus a bottle of aqua gel and a brush for easy application. That's $575 worth of skin-care goodies for just $366. *Adds to cart.* Shop Now | |  Made In 5-Piece Enameled Cast Iron Set Big Thanksgiving plans on the horizon? Snag this stunning five-piece set from Made In and wow your guests with a meal they'll drool over for the ages. Bonus: It looks chic on your countertops and doubles as decor long after dinner is served. Shop Now | |  Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheets Set Oprah crowned these buttery bamboo sheets from Cozy Earth one of her favorite things a few years back, and we've been snuggled up in them ever since. They're velvety smooth, cool-to-the-touch, and get softer with every wash, making them a must-have for the bedroom. Even better, they're 30 percent off and ship for free ahead of Black Friday. Shop Now | | |
cosmic health ✏️🌝🦃 Today, the sun and Mars conjoin in Scorpio, which may make for dramatic power dynamics. If you can step away from the excitement, you may be able to channel serious productivity. This "get it done" theme continues as the sun and Mars travel close to one another, moving into Sagittarius just days apart. (The sun officially kicks off Sagittarius season on November 22, with Mars joining the party on the 24th). However, it's worth noting that as the sun and Mars enter Sagittarius—a sign known for its blunt devotion to freedom—they square Saturn. Saturn stationed direct in Pisces earlier in the month, and his square to the sun and Mars in Sagittarius signifies the importance of honoring boundaries and doing the work. Given that Saturn’s square to the sun and Mars falls upon the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, give yourself ample time for travel, drive carefully, and stay prudent in all your affairs—especially when considering family dynamics and holiday spending. Consequently, the full moon in Gemini, which occurs at 4 degrees in the sign of the twins on the 27th, takes this focus to the next level as it forms a mutable T-square with Saturn and the sun, too, meaning the month ends with an emphasis on following the rules and caution. However, this doesn’t mean you need to adjust expectations, but rather forgo the shortcuts, as they won’t work out. Still, though, keep your focus on gratitude. Even amid the turbulent times, finding silver linings and savoring the good is still possible. While you may find that, come the November 27 full moon (and the days that follow), you’ll need to release something that’s not working, but remember that you still have agency. Stay flexible but committed, and you can’t go wrong—so long as you stay aligned with your integrity and values while honoring best practices for nurturing your well-being. —Jennifer Racioppi, astrologer |  |  | | | | Gut check Certain gut-related symptoms—like excessive bloating, a change in poop color, or constipation—can serve as signs that something may be amiss with your digestion. But there are also several lesser-known signs that your gut may be off, like persistent bad breath, drastic weight changes, and even mood swings. So, how can you ever know when a symptom is a potential gut-health issue? Understanding what "regular" looks like for you can help you pick up on subtle changes, according to gastroenterologist, gut health expert, and Well Sunday founder Sarah Robbins, MD. “The key is in understanding your normal; a significant change from your usual pattern in terms of both stool frequency and consistency may indicate that something is wrong,” says Dr. Robbins. Read about the 14 subtle ways our body is trying to tell us our GI system is off here. | |
