Latest news with #TheSkinnyConfidential
Elle
5 days ago
- Health
- Elle
I Tried the Skinny Confidential Mouth Tape—Here's What Happened
Want to know if a product really works? Welcome to Slow Beauty. Since it can take up to six weeks to see results from using a new formula, we have testers try the best and buzziest in hair and skin care for double that amount of time to determine what actually makes a difference. As a beauty writer who basically lives on TikTok, I'm always testing out new products and trends to see if they're truly worth the hype. The latest beauty hack people are loving is mouth tape, which is said to help snatch your jaw while you sleep—who wouldn't want that, right? Before I began my three-month journey with mouth tape, I spoke with licensed dermatologist Kunal Malik, MD FAAD about the pros and cons of the trend. 'While mouth taping has gained popularity for reducing mouth breathing during sleep, it does come with potential risks,' Dr. Malik explains. 'The most immediate concern is for individuals with compromised nasal breathing due to allergies, deviated septum, or nasal polyps, as taping can lead to breathing difficulties and potential sleep disruption.' Dr. Malik notes that, from a dermatologist's perspective, adhesives like mouth tape can cause contact dermatitis, especially with repeated use. He notes that the skin around the mouth is thin and sensitive, which means that it's more prone to irritation. 'Rapid removal of tape can damage the skin barrier, potentially causing micro-tears or stripping the protective barrier,' he adds. For patients with skin conditions like perioral dermatitis, eczema, or rosacea, mouth taping may worsen symptoms or even trigger flares. In order to help protect the perioral skin, Dr. Malik recommends cleaning and moisturizing before applying mouth tape. 'Apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly or a fragrance-free, non-comedogenic moisturizer to the lips and surrounding skin as a protective barrier between your skin and the adhesive,' he says. He also recommends opting for hypoallergenic tape specifically designed for sensitive skin, and implementing a 'tape rotation' strategy by altering the placement each night to avoid constant adhesive contact with the same area of skin. In the mornings, Dr. Malik suggests gently cleaning the area with a fragrance-free cleanser and immediately applying a restorative moisturizer with ceramides to help repair the skin barrier. 'If you notice any signs of irritation—redness, peeling, or discomfort—stop mouth taping immediately,' he cautions. From a skin-aging perspective, repeated pulling and stretching of the skin around your mouth may contribute to fine lines over time. With Dr. Malik's advice in mind and the allure of a more defined jawline as a prospect, I tested out The Skinny Confidential's viral Mouth Tape for 12 weeks to find out if the TikTok beauty hack actually works. Here are my findings. Week 1' Adjusting to mouth tape has been harder than I expected. As someone with sensitivities to certain textures—and a fear of feeling trapped (yes, even by mouth tape)—this experiment may take all of my mental fortitude to complete. While I'm still coming to terms with having tape on my mouth as I sleep, I really do appreciate the hole in The Skinny Confidential's design. It allows me to talk to my husband when he gets into bed and makes it easy to sip water through a straw. Some things I'm noting for the future: how dry the skin around my lips gets, and whether or not this is triggering eczema—or possibly something else—around my chin. Week 2 I'm still getting used to wearing something on my mouth, but two weeks in, I can admit that it's getting a little easier. This week, I tried putting on lip balm and Aquaphor on my face before applying mouth tape, but found that the petroleum jelly makes it difficult for the tape to stick. My workaround—especially with a contact dermatitis flare-up on my chin—is to apply the mouth tape first, then add little bit of hydration on my skin. I think it's too early to say if I'm sleeping better or noticing a change in the way my jawline looks. Week 3 I had to take a few nights off from the mouth tape because I was sick. I don't think this is something you should (or can) wear if you're feeling ill, especially if you're coughing. I have a hard enough time yawning with this thing on! Still, it's reassuring that the tape has already become a habit—I automatically reached for it each night. So far, I'm not seeing any massive results, but I get the sense this is one of those things that takes a few weeks of consistent use to really show improvement. Week 4 While I don't own an Oura ring or anything that can definitively tell me if I'm sleeping better with mouth tape on (one reported benefit of the beauty product), I can tell you that I feel like I've been sleeping better. I'm notorious for taking a long time to fall asleep, and I often wake up a lot throughout the night. I forgot to wear the mouth tape one time this week and realized that, since starting this experiment, I haven't been having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Week 5 I have a love-hate relationship with this mouth tape. Currently, it's a deep loathing after the medical tape tore off a good chunk of dry skin off my lip. Who's to blame? It's hard to say, but I'll give the product the benefit of the doubt (it had to stand up to drool, after all!) and claim it was mine for not lathering on a lip mask or Chapstick before going to bed. Week 6 This week, I've opted to test out Dr. Malik's 'tape rotation' strategy by placing the mouth tape at a slightly different angle to help avoid perioral dermatitis. My dermatologist recommended I stop testing the product, but in the name of good journalism, I persist. He prescribed me Tacrolimus Ointment and a two-week dose of Doxycycline Hyclate to help get rid of my contact dermatitis. Week 7 In case you were wondering (and you probably are), mouth tape is not a sexy thing to wear to bed. Half of the time, I feel like a clown lying beside my husband with these bright pink lip-shaped stickers on my face. On our recent trip to Paris, I found it incredibly unromantic to rock these in bed at our 4-star hotel. While the mouth tape might be helping me sleep a little better, there's a chance it's also slowly killing my sex life. Week 8 At the behest of my dermatologist, I finally started the two-week dose of antibiotics to clear up the rash on this side of my mouth. In order to do so, I have to cut the mouth tape so that it's only covering the center of my lips while I sleep. I've found this to be an effective way to extend the life of the product as well, but it should be noted that it won't prevent you from drooling as much, and wearing the lip tape this way also makes it more difficult to talk or drink after it's been applied. Week 9 I injured my foot playing soccer last week, which means I've been having to take a lot of medicine that makes my face extremely puffy. How does this relate to mouth tape, you might ask? Over the past few weeks, I feel like my jawline has become a bit more pronounced (in a way maybe only I can see since I'm super self-conscious of this area of my body). Now, since taking all of these medicines, I feel like I'm not seeing the subtle change that mouth tape *might* be responsible for. Week 10 I think I've reached the point in this experiment where I never want to wear mouth tape again. It's frustrating to have to put it on every night and, honestly, I'm not seeing the results I expected on my jawline. At the very least, the rash on my face is finally gone. Week 11 We've almost made it to the finish line! Nothing new to note this week. Week 12 We made it! In all honesty, this was a pretty grueling beauty challenge. Between the contact dermatitis on my face—which may or may not have been caused by the mouth tape—and never quite getting used to having my lips trapped overnight, it wasn't easy. Plus, if I forgot to apply lip balm before bed, the tape would rip off pieces of my lips, but using too much balm meant the tape just wouldn't stick. Even though mouth tape wasn't for me—I really didn't see a ton of benefits like better sleep or a nicer jawline—I do think this is a great option for people who want to stop snoring or drooling at night. Ultimately, every person is different, which means mouth tape might actually be a great option for you. Just be sure to take necessary precautions to protect the skin on your lips and around your mouth.
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Why WFH can be a hurdle for a successful career? Kim Kardashian's brand co-founder shares her growth mantra
Learning by Listening: Grede's Early Office Grind A No-Excuses Culture for the Hungry Remote vs. Reality: The Hybrid Work Dilemma "If you're not in the room, you're not able to do that at an excellent level." That's how Emma Grede , the powerhouse entrepreneur behind Kim Kardashian's billion-dollar brand Skims , defines ambition in today's a candid interview on The Skinny Confidential Him and Her podcast, Grede shared her unwavering belief in the power of proximity, stating that deeply ambitious professionals should steer clear of remote work if they want to truly excel. With a personal net worth of $405 million (as per Forbes), the CEO of Good American and founding partner of Skims has built her success by being relentlessly her early days in the office, Grede described how sitting next to her boss helped shape her business acumen. 'I learned from proximity,' she said. 'I'd write down every phrase that came out of her mouth.' For her, the cadence, word choice, and real-time feedback created a boot camp for excellence—one she now replicates for her own Good American, the message is clear: five days in the office, or you're not the right fit. Grede admitted she makes exceptions when needed—like supporting new mothers or employees with special circumstances—but made it clear that, for most roles, in-person presence is non-negotiable.'I think I make it quite clear that if you're a three-day-a-week person, that's totally fine—it just doesn't work here. It doesn't work for me,' she from her leadership in Skims and Good American, Grede also co-founded the eco-conscious cleaning brand Safely and appears as a guest investor on Shark views come amid an ongoing debate over hybrid work. According to 2023 Gallup data, 76% of employees reported improved work-life balance with hybrid setups. But nearly a quarter also said they felt less connected to their Software CEO Dave Grow echoed this complexity in a CNBC Make It interview, highlighting that executive dissatisfaction with remote productivity suggests we haven't yet perfected hybrid Grede remains firm. 'We want to create conditions for ambitious people to succeed,' she said. 'But for those starting out, for most people in the company, we have to be [in person] five days a week.'Emma Grede's stance might spark debate in today's flexibility-loving workforce—but it undeniably reflects the intense drive behind her success. In an era dominated by Zoom calls and Slack channels, her message cuts through the noise: 'Show up, be seen, and learn by doing.'
Scottish Sun
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Dates rejected me for being a Playmate, but men who queue for Lily Phillips & Bonnie Blue are worse, says Holly Madison
PLAY TIME Dates rejected me for being a Playmate, but men who queue for Lily Phillips & Bonnie Blue are worse, says Holly Madison HOLLY Madison was a 22-year-old girl when she became a playmate, thinking it would give her the chance to have a better life. But now, aged 41, Holly has revealed the struggles she faced while dating to the Playboy mogul, who was 53 years her senior, Hugh Hefner. Advertisement 4 Holly Madison opens about what it was really like living in the Playboy Mansion Credit: A&E 4 She revealed men often rejected her for being a Playmate in the past Credit: Getty 4 Holly also opened up on what she though of Bonnie Blue and Lily Phillips' stunts Credit: Getty Speaking on The Skinny Confidential podcast, Holly opened up about being rejected by men for being a playmate. She revealed that after leaving the Playboy Mansion, men would approach her and want to date but would get 'jealous' of her past when things turned serious. Holly explained: "There were a lot of people who wanted to date me, but I think in a very superficial way. I think it was like, 'Oh, I want to date that hot girl on the Billboard right there and then tell my friends about it.' Advertisement "I would say the most challenging thing is that people would get together with me, knowing exactly what my history was, and then they would all of a sudden have a problem with it. "After our relationship got serious, they'd get really jealous. They'd come up with all these imaginary scenarios in their heads about what could have possibly went on." Despite the string of insecure and jealous men she dated, Holly says the men lining up to bed controversial OnlyFans creators Lily Phillips and Bonnie Blue are much worse as they chose to be intimate with them while staying anonymous. Speaking on the topic with podcast hosts Michael and Lauryn, Holly agreed that the line of men also 'rattle her' as they choose to be anonymous instead of being open about sexual relations. Advertisement "I want to know what guys are in the Lily Phillips line, just kidding." "All these guys, line up and they have ski masks on to partake, because they want to be anonymous," she added. We lived in the 'glam' Playboy mansion as Hugh's girlfriends - we'd get 'replaced' if we were ever sick & the furniture looked like local charity shop buys Mansion Madness From the outside, being a Playmate looked glamorous - hanging with A-list celebrities and partying with your friends all day long. But Holly said the reality was completely different and said it was a 'toxic' environment. Advertisement She said: "I feel like unfortunately mine is a lot of bad memories, especially in the first four years I lived there. "It was just a hellhole. It was like none of the girls got along. It was super toxic." Facts you didn't know about the Playboy Mansion Girlfriends vs Playmates Rumour has it that Hugh Hefner would have two to a dozen "girlfriends" living with him at a time. These girlfriends are not to be confused with Playmates. Each girlfriend had their own room, but one 'special lady' was named as girlfriend number one and stayed with Hef in his room. Each girlfriend received a $1,000 (£760) weekly bonus "allowance." Hef's Wild side The Playboy mansion was home to a private zoo. It was one of very few private residences that actually has a zoo license. Hefner was a fan of birds. Among his collection - many of which roamed the grounds - were peacocks, macaws, flamingos, toucans and ducks. The Elvis Legend Within the mansion was a secret room, called 'The Elvis Room.' Legend has it that the King himself, Elvis Presley, had a little slumber party in the room with up to eight eager bunnies. In the past, Holly has said the girls would be fighting during the day and then sitting naked together at night. She continued: "I can't explain to you how embarrassing that whole routine was, especially as we got later down the road when there was a lot of conflict with the other girls. Advertisement "You're literally sitting there naked having sex in front of a group of people who hate you and talk s**t about you while you're having sex," Holly said. "I thought that we were going to be like BFFs and it was going to be so much fun and I thought that it was going to be like total slumber parties and like hanging out in each other's rooms and borrowing clothes and just like really fun," said Holly. Speaking on her podcast, The Girls Next Door, with fellow Playmate Bridget Marquardt revealed the glam person of the house was nothing like reality. In the early 2000s, Bridget recalled, the mansion ''was the place to be''. Advertisement ''Everyone wanted to be there - every celebrity, every girl that I knew of wanted to be a part of it, wanted to be a Playmate, go to the parties. ''They had the best parties in the world there. ''It's the place that you wanted to go and you wanted to be seen, and you wanted to be a part of that whole lifestyle.'' But while the A-listers were living the high life, Hugh's girlfriends ''were required to sit at the table the whole time and ask if you needed to get up to go to the bathroom''. Advertisement She added: ''You could dance a little - but you were kind of greeting everybody [...], so we definitely didn't feel free.'' 4 Holly and Bridget spent time in the mansion together Credit: Getty Top Grades Those who had made it into the villa would also have Polaroids taken during the many star-studded bashes - which Hugh, who passed away at 91, would then grade from A to D. ''D - you're not invited back, C - you're maybe on the big party list, B - you're on all the party lists, A - you get invited to the pool parties and stuff like that,'' Holly revealed. Advertisement But the graded snaps, the pair said in a recent podcast, were the least of their worries. Holly said: ''When I think about the worst thing, I just think about anything in the bedroom and just the fact that anyone would be invited in there. ''We didn't get to agree on who got to come in and who got to watch, and who got to do whatever - and it was just traumatising.'
Entrepreneur
09-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Lauryn Bosstick's Multi-Million-Dollar Playbook: Build an Audience First, Then Create Products Just for Them
Lauryn Bosstick, founder of The Skinny Confidential, says more founders should reverse the typical business playbook. Most entrepreneurs build a product, then find an audience. But what if you could do it in reverse — build an audience first, and then create a product to serve them? That's what Lauryn Bosstick advocates to new founders. She's run this playbook to great success: She first built a fanbase of millions through blogging (The Skinny Confidential) and podcasting (The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Show), then spun out a top-tier podcast network (Dear Media) and a thriving beauty brand (also called The Skinny Confidential). "My audience is invested in the development of the product," Bosstick tells me on the Entrepreneur podcast Problem Solvers. "So by the time that it's launched, they feel like they've been a part of every step of the way." People often misunderstand this strategy, she says: It's not about just being an "influencer" who spins off products. It's about mitigating your risk. When you launch a product without an audience, you have no idea who (if anyone) truly wants what you have. But when you develop your audience first, you can learn exactly what they want — and then serve them. " I really focused on the audience and the community for, gosh, like eight years," she says. "And then I launched products." Want to try it? Listen to our conversation, or read her step-by-step playbook below. 1. Find Your Point of View Founders are often afraid to say what they think. They want their products do the talking. Bosstick understands that — to a point. "A point of view can get you in big trouble," she says. "But I think the pendulum is swinging. If you don't have a point of view, you're going to get eaten alive." Why? Two reasons. First, the world is full of noise, and only strong points of view break through. Also, consumers today are looking for brands they identify with, not just brands that make good products. Everyone has a point of view, Bosstick says, but not everyone knows how to articulate it in a consumer-focused way. If you're struggling, go back to basics — and find the root of what you're passionate about. "Ask your parents, and think about what you really liked when you were little," she says. "What are the things you were gravitating towards, whether or not they made you money? Ask your childhood friends: What do they remember about you?" She also recommends reading Donald Miller's book Building a StoryBrand, which explains how to take complex ideas and make them simple and resonant. 2. Pick your medium Once you know what you want to say, you need to figure out how to say it. Bosstick emphasizes being "incredibly self-aware of what medium works for you." For her, the medium was clear: "I was born to talk on a mic. I came out with a mic in my hand," she jokes. That led naturally to podcasting. (Her show has been downloaded more than 500 million times.) But maybe you're better behind the scenes. Bosstick points to successful creators on Substack who are "creating huge community" through writing. "If I'm that girl on Substack, I already have a book planned two years down the road," she says. "From the book, I already have a podcast planned. From the podcast, I already have a brand planned." The key is matching your natural strengths to the right platform, then thinking several moves ahead. Don't get overwhelmed, she says: You don't need to be on every platform. " If you can delete something off your plate that you really don't need, delete it," she says. "I mean, I can't keep up with my inbox on LinkedIn. That's not realistic. Choose the one that's going to be the most impactful. For me, that's Instagram." 3. Gather insights that convert Once you have an audience, start listening closely to them. "I crowdsourced my audience — not for money, but for their opinion," she explains. For nine years, she watched her analytics, answered hundreds of DMs daily, and responded to tweets. She was "in the field" with her community, understanding their pain points and desires in real time. This helped her understand, for example, the kind of beauty challenges her audience was frustrated with — and the specific pain points they have with existing products. That's why she ultimately launched a beauty brand, and then focused on specific products inside the category. The Skinny Confidential ice roller is a good example, she says. Her audience spent years complaining about existing ice rollers on the market. All she needed to do was listen. "I found a problem, I disrupted it. I made it better. I made it more beautiful," she says. "When they got it in the mail, it exceeded their expectations." 4. Provide value before you sell Bosstick follows what she calls the "give, give, ask" model: Give your audience tons of value through content. Give more value by focusing on each community member. Ask them to buy your product. For that to work, however, you need to spend a long time engaging with and being valuable to your audience. Get to know them personally and become their champion — not just a salesperson. It's human nature: People want to feel seen, heard, and valued. When you give them that through consistent, valuable content, they'll reward you with their attention, their trust, and eventually, their money. "It's slow, it's meticulous, it's really watering the community," she says. "From there, you can have the sale and the product later down the road."
India Today
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
If Trump wins, we lose: Ivanka promotes book by her father's vocal critic
Ivanka Trump, daughter of US President Donald Trump, has once again drawn attention, but this time not for political commentary, but for her reading choices. The 43-year-old recently took to Instagram to share a photo of Untamed, the best-selling memoir by Glennon Doyle, a self-help author and outspoken critic of her a post captioned 'This week in Miami,' Ivanka offered glimpses into her daily life, which now centers around wellness, family, and quiet reflection rather than the political carousel of images included scenes of workouts, family outings, and leisure activities like golfing and fishing. But it was the snapshot of Untamed, a memoir steeped in themes of self-liberation and empowerment that raised eyebrows. Doyle, who actively campaigned against Trump during the 2020 election and supported Kamala Harris, hasn't been shy about her views. In a widely shared post leading up to the election, she warned: 'If Trump wins, we lose,' citing concerns over women's rights under his memoir, which chronicles her journey through divorce, motherhood, and coming out as a lesbian, is lauded as a testament to living subtle endorsement of the book stands out against the backdrop of her withdrawal from public political life. Once a senior adviser in the Trump White House and a key figure during her father's first term, she has taken a different path in recent relocating to Miami with her husband Jared Kushner and their three children: Arabella, 13, Joseph, 10, and Theodore, 8, IIvanka has chosen a life away from Washington's high-stakes on The Skinny Confidential podcast, Ivanka opened up about the emotional toll of her time in the White House. 'It's a very dark, negative world,' she said, referring to politics.'Unfortunately, there is a darkness to that world that I don't really want to welcome into mine.' She reflected on how the experience made her 'a little bit calloused,' and emphasized her desire to be present for her also described her new role in her father's life not as a political advisor, but simply as a daughter. 'I'm most looking forward to just being able to show up for him to take his mind off things, and like watch a movie or a sports game,' she said. 'It's the world's loneliest position.'This is not the first time Ivanka has shared her reading habits. Her Instagram has previously featured titles such as Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, and The Women by Kristin Hannah. According to her, books often come recommended by podcast hosts and influencers—including Untamed, which was suggested by Lauryn Bosstick of The Skinny Reel
