Real Simple -julkaisun September 2023 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

I RECENTLY GOT new glasses. I’d been flipping between my distance pair and my readers, and my eye doc finally talked me into progressives. (While I don’t always act my age, my eyes apparently do!) I decided to splurge on prescription sunglasses too, for the first time. And let me tell you: When I put those things on and stepped outside, I saw…clarity! I looked up at our neighbors’ big old oak, and the leaves were vivid and defined, their edges crisp against a cornflower blue sky. It hit me that, for years, on bright days I’d been either wearing my regular glasses and squinting against the glare or sporting nonprescription shades and seeing everything out of focus. At age 48, I saw the world differently, in a cool way.…

I was dogsitting while teaching an online class. Out of nowhere, the dog hurled a toy right at my head! With impressive aim! I recorded the class, so luckily this moment is immortalized.DANIELLE PECK CLAWSON, MICHIGAN I got up and walked away from the computer while on a Zoom call—forgetting that the camera could broadcast my exit in only a T-shirt! Nothing was exposed, except for my embarrassment when I came back into the room. I learned my lesson that day to always wear pants! DE CLARK LUTZ, FLORIDA I totally embarrassed myself when I logged into a Zoom meeting under my rock-group fan club name, “Wharf Parrot,” a reference to both my feathered pet and a favorite Grateful Dead song. It was a board of directors meeting! Mortifying! SUSAN…

BEST FOR DRYNESS Living Proof Scalp Care Dry Scalp Treatment The 411 on dry flakes: They can be mistaken for dandruff, but they’re different. Small and white, they’re caused by the scalp’s inability to retain moisture. (Dandruff happens when there’s a buildup of dead skin cells; the flakes are larger, yellow, and oily.) This leave-in treats dryness with hyaluronic acid and vitamin B3. Section out damp hair, then use the pointy tip to deposit the nongreasy cream right where you need it. $37; sephora.com BEST FOR BUILDUP DpHue ACV Exfoliating Scalp Detox Relying a lot on dry shampoo? Once a week, massage in this gel, with fruit enzymes and apple cider vinegar, for gentle exfoliation without grit. Bye, residue! $35; dphue.com BEST FOR ITCHINESS Uzima Ukuaji Blooming Serum Calling all…

General Cleaning & Care These basic guidelines help keep just about any type of rug in tip-top shape. VACUUM! Do it at least once a week, but shoot for two or three times if you’ve got kids, pets, or lots of foot traffic. Twice a year, flip over all your area rugs and vacuum the bottoms, then rotate them to ensure even wear over time. FIX INDENTATIONS To undo dents from furniture legs, place an ice cube in the divot. As the ice slowly melts, it’ll fluff up the fibers. Afterward, point a fan toward the rug to help it dry and prevent mold and mildew. GET RID OF PET HAIR Remove fur with a carpet scraper (like the Uproot Cleaner Pro, right), rubber carpet rake, or even window squeegee.…

Make Group Trips a Group Effort The trickiest part of family vacations: coming up with an itinerary that suits everyone, especially when multiple generations are involved. To keep people happy, make them part of the planning, suggests Samantha Brown, a travel expert and the host of Samantha Brown’s Places to Love. “Allow each member of the family to choose and plan at least one activity,” she says. “The kids will like having a voice in the decision-making, and everyone will feel invested in the vacation.” Create a shared file, like a Google Doc, or a survey (try Google Forms) so loved ones can jot down notes, make suggestions, and voice their opinions. Have the Hard Convos Before You Head Off With Friends Traveling with your pals can be a…

ADVICE, INSPIRATION & A LITTLE PEACE OF MIND Racine Monique Roland, 38 REAL ESTATE AGENT “I started getting acne all over my face, chest, back, and arms in eighth grade,” Racine says. “I wore long sleeves in the summer and wished I could just get new skin.” After seeing five dermatologists (!!!) and trying antibiotics, a retinoid, light therapy, and thousands of dollars’ worth of topicals, Racine still had persistent acne. Finally, in her mid-30s, she met Dendy Engelman, MD, a derm at Shafer Clinic in New York City. “She gave me the right dose of antibiotics, plus topicals and AviClear—an in-office laser treatment,” Racine says. Combining regular facials, a cleansing regimen, diet changes (she cut out dairy and swears by celery juice), and meditation to manage stress, she noticed…

Where to Shop Estate Sales WHAT TO EXPECT Imagine going to someone’s house and everything—or a huge chunk of it—is for sale. You’ll typically find a mix of furniture, rugs, decor, books, dinnerware, and, you know, things people tend to keep in homes. WHERE TO FIND THEM For in-person sales, search by your zip code on either EstateSales.net or EstateSales.org. To shop virtually, check out the auction site Everything but the House (ebth.com). HOW TO PREP The company or specialists running the sale will usually post online photos of the items being sold a few days in advance. Scroll through and get a good idea of what you hope to buy. HOW TO HUNT If you want something in particular, arrive early on day one, before someone else takes it.…

RECIPES FOR REAL LIFE Technically a member of the beet family, this earthy, slightly bitter vegetable cooks more quickly than kale and doesn’t shrink down the way spinach does. SHOP Look for bunches with bright stems and leaves. Pass over any with yellow or brown edges. STORE Snip off the stem ends and wrap the chard in a damp towel. Refrigerate in an unsealed plastic bag and it’ll stay fresh for a week. COOK Remove and slice the stems, then quick-pickle them in vinegar and salt. Stir the leaves into soups, or sauté and add to omelets, rice, or pasta. Or just drizzle sautéed leaves with olive oil for a tasty side dish.…

FOR SELF-CARE, HOME CARE & ALL YOUR OTHER CARES 1 FLEXIBLE PLANNER This 18-month paper calendar has a memo board on the inside cover and colorful magnets so you can tack up notes to yourself. Self: Don’t forget to buy milk! Magnetic Weekly Desk Planner, $20; kikkerland.com 2 LUNCHTIME HERO Skip the break room microwave and pack leftovers in this portable container that can reheat them in 25 minutes—at your desk! So, so cool. Self-Heating Lunch Box with UV Light, $100; williams-sonoma.com 3 BEST BUDS Every floor has that person who only speaks at one volume: loud. Luckily for all of us, these solar-powered earbuds have entered the chat. They’re comfy, noise-canceling, and wireless. Phoenix Earphones, $149; urbanista.com 4 POWER TOOL No more crawling under your desk to plug in all…

Prep the Ingredients Start with six-to-eight-ounce balls of store-bought or homemade dough. (Each pizza will feed one or two people.) Bring the dough to room temperature for easier stretching. Have all the toppings near the grill, precooked if necessary—no raw sausage or broccoli here! Light the Grill Heat the grill in two zones, one medium-high and the other medium-low. Oil the grates with a folded paper towel dipped in vegetable oil; use tongs to draw it across the grates. Do the Dough Stretch the dough on an oiled baking sheet. Then drape it over the hotter zone of the grill. Cook for a few minutes, until firm on the bottom and blistered on top. Flip & Top It Slide the dough onto the cooler zone of the grill and flip…

DOWN THE MIDDLE Great for: Round faces, or anyone looking to play up their eyes or nose. Ideal placement: Find the tip of your nose and move up to your hairline. Styling tip: Grab a small section of hair from both sides and blow-dry them over your forehead, Brager says. Part, then use clips to press sides down until it’s time to go. “This forms a curtain that adds depth.” DEEP SIDE PART Great for: Round or heart-shaped faces, as it adds height and slims. Ideal placement: The end of your eyebrow. Styling tip: Brager recommends blow-drying with a round brush, then securing a large Velcro roller on the heavier side, wrapping hair away from your face. “Remove the roller for a bouncy, deep side part.” SOFT SIDE PART…

The Beauty Pro Packaging an Ancient Hair-Care Ritual Back in her native country of Chad, Salwa Petersen’s mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother performed a beauty ritual called Chébé, grinding the seeds of an African shrub into a fine powder and applying it to their hair for growth, protection, and strength. “My family’s been doing it for at least several centuries,” Petersen says. “I learned it pretty much from the day I was born.” She went on to graduate from Sorbonne University (in Paris) and Harvard Law School, but she harbored a passion for all things cosmetic, so she pivoted and started working in product development for some of the world’s largest beauty brands. Over time, though, she grew frustrated by the lack of high-quality hair-care options for curls and coils in…

ACTIVE TIME 15 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 1 HOUR SERVES 8 2 cups blanched whole almonds6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped1 cup granulated sugar1 tsp. pure vanilla extract⅛ tsp. kosher salt8 large egg whitesWhipped cream and confectioners’ sugar, for serving (optional) PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-​inch springform or regular round cake pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. PULSE almonds in a food processor, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until very finely ground, 2 to 2 ½ minutes. Add chocolate; pulse until mixture is combined and chocolate is finely ground, about 2 minutes. Add granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt; pulse until thoroughly combined. (Texture should resemble barely damp sand.) Transfer mixture to a large bowl. PUT egg whites in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with…

Document Scanner It’s hard to find a bulky printer-slash-scanner these days. That’s fine, though, because the Notes app (already on your phone) can digitize documents for you. With a new note open, tap on the camera icon and click Scan Documents. Your camera will open, and a yellow square will appear, detecting the edges of your paper. Once you’ve captured each page of your document (or photo, recipe card, magazine article, whatever!), adjust the scan if necessary, and then your phone will create a PDF for you to save or share. Photo Editor Attention, proud parents: You can easily make photo cutouts of your kids or pets—for scrapbooks, collages, or just some good old ogling. Open your photo library and choose an image with a prominent main subject. Press it…

Banking The Account Bundle for Serious Savers SoFi Checking and Savings FEE: NONE Consider this a nudge to get accounts that do more: This bundle earns a hefty 4.4 percent interest rate on savings, more than 10 times the national average, when linked to direct deposit. And the checking account gets some love too, with a 0.5 percent interest rate. In addition to those impressive numbers, SoFi’s higher-than-usual FDIC insurance limit—$2 million versus the typical $250,000—is a bonus. “With banking turmoil earlier this year, having a higher FDIC limit can be a great benefit for those saving up for a large goal,” says judge Elizabeth Pennington, a certified financial planner in Des Moines, Iowa. An Account That Helps You Budget Ally Spending Account FEE: NONE Finally answer the baffling question: “Where…

#1 / Grilled Swordfish With Couscous & Tomatoes ACTIVE TIME 35 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 35 MINUTES SERVES 4 ✓ Dairy-Free ✓ For the Grill Neutral oil (such as canola), for grill1 tsp. grated garlic6 Tbsp. olive oil, divided, plus more for topping3 tsp. lemon zest plus 4 Tbsp. fresh juice (from 2 lemons), divided4 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint, divided, plus more for topping1 ½ tsp. kosher salt, divided4 5-oz. swordfish steaks (about ¾ in. thick)1 cup Israeli couscous1 pt. multicolored cherry tomatoes, halved2 Tbsp. drained capers PREHEAT grill or a grill pan to high (450°F to 500°F) and lightly oil grates. Whisk garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons mint, and ½ teaspoon salt on a flat dish. Place swordfish in mixture, turning…

This nook isn’t just an at-home watering hole. It’s also a self-care station, says designer Bobby Berk (@bobby), whose new book, Right at Home: How Good Design Is Good for the Mind (out September 12), breaks down how to arrange your surroundings to improve your well-being. “Any space, bar or not, that allows you to unplug, relax, and reset is good for your mental health,” he says. This bar area, in the Los Angeles home of two of Bobby’s friends, actor Freida Pinto and photographer Cory Tran, features a dazzling chandelier original to the 1950s bungalow, as well as a moody paint color and copious dark walnut wood and glass shelving. We’ll have a double. As in, two of these bars, please! ON TREND Colorful Marble These bold pieces…

1 BEST & BRIGHTEST After two pregnancies, I had hyperpigmentation on my cheeks, and most of the serums I tried stung. This oil brightens spots without the burn, thanks to THD ascorbate, a gentler form of vitamin C. Royal Tulip Vitamin C Facial Oil, $85; bloomeffects.com 2 CALM IN A BOTTLE Squirt this gel into your bath or suds it up in the shower. Then let the Epsom salt, magnesium, and arnica do their anti-inflammatory thing and the floral scent relax you. Raw Sugar Body Wash & Soak in Hibiscus and Argan, $8; at Target 3 HIGH-TECH HEAT After you select your texture and styling goals, this dryer customizes the best heat and speed settings for more shine and less damage. Plus, it’s impressively fast. Featherweight StyleMax, $200; t3micro.com 4…

1 MOISTURIZE LIBERALLY “My go-to strategy for my clients is tapping on a hefty amount of eye cream under the eyes before starting glam,” says Lancôme International makeup artist Sheika Daley, who works with Zendaya, Keke Palmer, and other celebs. “The cream gets absorbed while I do the eye shadow, so the thin skin is plumped and smooth by the time I’m ready to apply concealer.” 2 COVER YOUR BASES Next up: concealer! Choose a tone that’s one or two shades lighter than your skin. “I’m not into TikTok tricks of dots and lines all over the face,” Daley says. “Place concealer where you feel you need coverage, then buff it out with a fluffy brush for an airbrushed effect.” Dab a little below your brow bones too, for some…

YOU’RE DOING ALL the right things to maximize your energy—getting to bed at a reasonable hour, hitting the gym regularly, passing up junk food (most of the time), drinking lots o’ water. Yet at the end of the day (or sometimes in the middle), you find yourself feeling spent, burned-out, done. You’re not the only one who’s dragging: In a recent survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, three out of five reported they were more tired than ever. To pull yourself out of your personal energy crisis, you may need to look beyond the sleep-move-and-eat basics (though those are important) and try some unconventional ways to restore your body and mind. Here are a few ideas to get you on the path from zapped to zing. Streamline Decision-Making Every day, we…

MOLLY ASKS… Q I have some gorgeous female friends who, by conventional beauty standards, might be considered overweight. What’s the best way to respond when they say negative things about their bodies? It feels insincere to argue with them. What can I say without preaching to or patronizing them? Molly, you’re the friend and shero we plus-size beauties need. I know all too well the long road of self-acceptance, because I’m not the size or shape deemed most attractive according to some unrealistic, patriarchal standard. It’s really such a dang shame we’re made to feel less than by simply not being represented in daily life. Here’s what you say: You tell them that we are all gorgeous no matter what, that it’s the world that needs to catch up to…

JENNIFER HUDSON should be a diva. She has every claim, with arguably the greatest singing voice on the planet, a coveted EGOT (she’s won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony), and illustrious friends, like Oprah and the Obamas, to name just the Os. There are rumors of romance with a famous beau, and she even has a celeb-y nickname, JHud. By all standards, Jennifer has a right to be high-maintenance and aloof. What she actually is: a hustler who’s so sweet and solicitous, you almost worry about her. Audiences first met her nearly 20 years ago as the R&B savant who should’ve won American Idol. Her clapback was to take home perhaps the most unanimously agreed-upon Best Supporting Actress Oscar in history, for her turn as Effie White in…

Cherry-Vanilla Bundt Cake ACTIVE TIME 20 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 2 HOURS, 20 MINUTES MAKES 10 SLICES Baking spray with flour3 cups all-purpose flour1 tsp. kosher salt1 tsp. baking powder½ tsp. baking soda2 cups granulated sugar1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt⅔ cup neutral oil (such as canola)2 large eggs, plus 1 egg white1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract1 cup cherry pie filling (from a 21-oz. can)Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting PREHEAT oven to 350°F with rack in center position. Spray a 10-cup Bundt pan with baking spray. (Or use regular cooking spray and dust with flour.) WHISK flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk granulated sugar, yogurt, oil, eggs, egg white, and vanilla in a separate large bowl. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until smooth. TRANSFER about two-thirds of batter to prepared pan.…

In-Person Office Days Last season’s strong-shoulder suits were an overcorrect. Go for flowy, wide-leg pants, a silk top, and a turtleneck underlayer that’s always a classic. Tie? Optional! A Meetup in the City For a museum or matinee, combine a trim blazer with a full skirt and a graphic sweater (the preppier the better!) for a look that’s smart but fun. Bonus points for power-clashing plaids. A Dressy Dinner Out Sparkle is everywhere right now—and not just a hint of it. Another trend: dresses worn as skirts! So pair a sequined sweater with a skirt or slip dress (try silk for extra coverage). Add metallic shoes and dangly earrings, because more is more here. Outdoorsy Stuff We have your ideal cute and cozy outfit for the orchard, the pumpkin…

ACTIVE TIME 40 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 1 HOUR, 5 MINUTES SERVES 4 1 ½ cups chopped globe eggplant (¾-in. cubes)1 medium zucchini, cut into ½-in. cubes1 red bell pepper, cut into ¾-in. pieces1 cup coarsely chopped red onion2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for baking sheet½ tsp. salt-free Italian seasoning1 tsp. kosher salt, divided1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry¾ cup whole-milk ricotta cheese¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil1 lb. fresh whole-wheat pizza dough, at room temperatureAll-purpose flour, for dusting4 oz. low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)1 large eggMarinara sauce, for serving PREHEAT oven to 450°F. Toss together eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, oil, Italian seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon salt on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes, tossing halfway through.…