You know how sometimes you see someone whose skin is so dewy and luminescent that you can only gaze, transfixed (while also murmuring a silent prayer to the skin care gods to bless your own complexion in a similar fashion)? That was me—often—whenever I met with Soko Glam founder Charlotte Cho. Her knowledge of K-beauty is vast and unending, but there’s one recommendation I always go back to. “This is really good,” she once told me as she passed me her go-to product for eliminating blackheads. Naturally, I ripped it open the second I got home. Two years later, I still tell everyone who raises the subject of blackheads to try it immediately.

Before you ask, I’m not talking about pore strips. I’ve tried plenty of those before, and while it’s undeniably satisfying to watch them peeling pockets of gunk away from your skin, they also leave my nose looking red and irritated. I feel similarly about those pull-off charcoal masks that superglue themselves to your epidermis and refuse to let go. Great for viral videos, not so great for your face. The blackhead treatment that finally won me over is the far gentler (but equally satisfying) Skinmiso Pore Beauty Nose Mask.

Soko Glam sells the masks in a 10-week set—the idea being that you use one of the 10 packs once a week. Thanks to my inability to stick to a schedule for anything not related to food, I tend to space them out more, which means the $20 treatment lasts even longer for me.

There are three steps, which I realize sounds like a lot of work, but the results are fully worth it. (Plus, you spend most of the time marinating in essence, which involves no active work on your part.) In the pouch labelled “Step 1,” you’ll find an essence-soaked sheet mask cut in the shape of a pore strip. This is the Blackhead & Whitehead Removal Mask, which you’ll drape over your nose for 10 minutes. The formula is packed with ingredients that help quickly soften your blackheads and draw them to the surface, prepping them for far easier extraction. You may experience some mild tingling—don’t be alarmed. “This product is different compared to traditional pore strips because it does not adhere to your nose to strip away dead skin cells and clogged pores,” explains Diana Chen, Soko Glam’s senior merchandising manager. “It loosens up the debris in your pores.”

You’ll notice this as soon as you remove the mask and go in with the individually packaged cotton swab (if you have a comedone remover, that works even better). Using light pressure, run it over your nose and watch a bunch of gunk come pouring out. I can’t really think of a better way to describe it than that. If you enjoy watching pimple-popping videos and examining the aftermath of a pore strip session, you’ll love this.

Then, it’s time for the second step—another 10-minute mask. Wipe the gunk off your nose, then cover it with the Pore Tightening & Soothing Nose Strip, which performs the all-important step of soothing your skin and minimizing the appearance of your pores. Any lingering redness from your extractions will melt away under its ministrations. And to cap it off, step three: a tiny pouch of transparent gel labelled “Essence” that you apply with your finger. The formula has the velvety slip of a primer and blurs your pores into soft-focus nonexistence. Usually, by the time I’m done, the rest of my complexion looks a bit lackluster in comparison. Can your pore strip accomplish that? Somehow, I doubt it.

Kensington Palace shared the photo Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are using for their Christmas card this year, and it’s breathtaking. The shot is from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s May 19 wedding reception. Markle is wearing her stunning white Stella McCartney dress, her and Prince Harry’s backs turned to the camera as they watch a firework show. Is this an ad for a Disney movie or a Christmas card? I’m not sure, but either way I’m completely captivated.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are delighted to share a new photograph from their Wedding Reception at Frogmore House on 19th May,” Kensington Palace shared on Instagram alongside the new pic. “The photograph, which was taken by photographer Chris Allerton, features on Their Royal Highnesses’ Christmas card this year.”

Take a look at the photo for yourself, below.

With everything Markle and Prince Harry have accomplished in 2018, it’s hard to believe this photo was only snapped a few months ago. Their royal wedding was followed by a busy, engagement-filled summer and fall. Markle went on her first solo outing with Queen Elizabeth II in June. Then, four months later, she and Prince Harry embarked on a royal tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand. Right before this trip, Kensington Palace announced Markle and Prince Harry were expecting their first child.

“Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019,” the palace posted to both Twitter and Instagram on Monday, October 15. “Their Royal Highnesses have appreciated all of the support they have received from people around the world since their wedding in May and are delighted to be able to share this happy news with the public.”

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It’s that time of year again. The holidays are upon us, and with it, a break from our usual Netflix and chill routine on the weekends. Between the office holiday party, swanky cocktail hours, White Elephant gift swaps, and family gatherings, it’s hard to find time to breathe, never mind plan a killer party look worth showing people on Instagram that you left the house.

With such limited time, getting party ready can feel like an impossible task. One easy solution: The drugstore. The perfect red lip, false lashes, and glittery shadow are hiding in the aisles among the cotton balls and bar soap. Into a more natural look? Try a rose gold shadow palette that’s less than $10, or a festive glitter polish that won’t feel inappropriate at work on Monday.

The greatest part of all? These options are so easy to use, you can swipe them on the back of an Uber. Read on for the best party makeup from the drugstore.

To say that 2018 has been a complex year for women would be putting it lightly. No need to spook you with a comprehensive retrospective, but let’s just say engaging in the art of escapism has been a full-time job for many of us. And while disappearing into black holes involving 90-Day Fiance, Vanderpump Rules, or Hallmark movies might have provided some solace, odds are you’ve also retreated with the help of some of the best books of 2018.

Several of the year’s most beloved—and best-reviewed—works stories were written by women (Meg Wolitzer’s The Female Persuasion, for example), but that wasn’t a prerequisite for our staff to share the various novels and works of non-fiction they devoured—and adored. From novels by new writers that tap into what it means to living right now (Stephen Markley’s Ohio paints a grim picture of post-recession Rust Belt America and all that comes with it, Vox by Christina Dalcher gives The Handmaid’s Tale a dystopian run for its money) to compelling works of non-fiction that had everyone talking. Below, our picks for the best books of 2018.

Honestly, there is no beauty or wellness secret that Jennifer Lopez could share that I wouldn’t immediately digest and try to find a way to incorporate into my daily life. The woman is 49 years-old and has, to my mind, never looked better.

But her skin, we must talk about her skin. The woman has become so synonymous with the word “glow” that it was even the name of her first fragrance. And then there was her makeup artist Scott Barnes’ lotion, Body Bling, that was meant to give us regular humans that J.Lo sparkle and shimmer. And the actress/singer/dancer/mogul also launched a capsule collection of cosmetics with Inglot. Body shimmer was naturally included.

That said, we’ve never truly known Jenny from the Block’s full-on skin care regimen, a.k.a. the true source of said glow. However, it seems like that’s about to change. Lopez just revealed in an interview that she’s developing a skin care line. (Cue the freakout!) “I will be coming out with a skin care line. I’ve been working on it for a long time because I don’t want to put [just] anything out,” she said during an event at The Wing promoting her new film Second Act when asked about her skin care routine. “I get that question a lot, especially as I get older,” she said. “I want it to be something that encompasses all the things I’ve learned and all the secrets I have. And it doesn’t have anything to do with needles.”

And because she is a perfectionist, Lopez promises it will be the real deal and should arrive sometime late in 2019. “It’s going to be something that works,” she said. “That’s what you can count on when my name is on something.”

We don’t yet know what the product range will include, its name, or how much it will cost—but I’m already prepared to buy every single item.

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