Table of contents for April 2019 in Shape

Have Great Sets Strength training is key, and we wrote the (glossy) book on how to do it effectively: Get Shape’s just-published The New Science of Strong for all the workouts and tips. ($13; amazon.com) The Hot Beauty Booster Derived from a flower grown in Europe and Morocco, blue tansy oil is getting buzz for its potential to calm inflammation and reduce redness. Learn how to work it into your skin care at shape.com/bluetansy. Meet Our Cover Star See Leighton Meester bring it in fun, boho styles at our photo shoot in sunny SoCal. Watch the behind-the-scenes video at shape.com/leighton. Better-Body Alchemy Can biohacking lead to wellness gains? Get the basics behind tweaking your body chemistry at shape.com/biohacking. A BRAND-NEW BOWL Find out why people are adding bone broth…

This spring’s pastel trend (as seen on the Marc Jacobs runway) is dramatic, eye-catching, beautiful—and as temporary as you want it to be. “The fear of changing color is gone,” says Redken global color creative director Josh Wood. Semipermanent dyes (like pro fave Redken Shades EQ pastels; redken.com for salons) are much less damaging than they used to be, so it’s easier to make a major hue change that disappears in four to six weeks while also leaving your hair soft. And new tinted gel-creams (like L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup in Hot Pink; $8, drugstores) that contain makeup pigment instead of dye wash out with one shampoo. Apply directly to hair with your fingers for a pretty pink wash.…

Even when you apply a moisturizer in the morning, your skin loses water throughout the day, sometimes at a rapid rate depending on the climate, says Frauke Neuser, principal scientist for Olay Skin Care. So periodically rehydrating is superimportant to staying healthy and dewy. Many of us know when our skin reaches parched status because it feels tight and looks dull. Of course, it’s usually right in the middle of the afternoon, when it’s not convenient to cleanse, moisturize, and reapply makeup. That’s when a good mist comes in—its micro-size droplets are designed to settle on your face without disrupting your makeup and to deliver a quick hit of moisture. In testing, the Olay Mists in Energizing and Calming ($10, drugstores) provided an immediate 60 percent boost in skin…

Coconut vinegar, with its tangy and subtly sweet undertones, is our favorite new go-to ingredient. The best kind is made from the naturally fermented sap of the coconut tree and is rich in probiotics, vitamins B and C, and amino acids. It’s so versatile that it adds a kick of brightness to pretty much everything. Use in salad dressings, soups, and vegetable glazes to make them more vibrant, and mix it into a tonic or smoothie—coconut vinegar is a great sub for cider vinegar.…

THE WONDERFUL THING about food is that it brings people together. For me, a perfect meal is shared with family and friends. But in many places across this country, there are food deserts, where people don’t have access to healthy and delicious ingredients. I’m passionate about improving the food system, and I know it takes big companies that are approaching this business differently to help change things. To get involved with this effort, I partnered with Unilever, the global consumer goods company, on its Make Meals That Do More initiative, which aims to put nutritious and affordable foods in supermarkets nationwide. It also gives people recipes that are good for you, tasty, and easy to make. This mission is driving me personally and professionally. I have a new restaurant,…

Health care is primarily a female market. Women drive most of the decision-making and control most of the money spent, yet their voices are often lost in the national discussion around it,” Katherine Ryder says. “As a result, their needs aren’t being met in very basic areas.” She saw this firsthand, watching friends struggle to find quality prenatal and then postpartum care as they went back to work. So in 2014, Ryder, 36, founded Maven, a digital health clinic that connects women with over 1,400 qualified practitioners worldwide. Women can sign up for individual memberships, or companies can join to offer Maven to their employees. Pregnancy-related services, like coaching for going back to work after maternity leave, are a core offering, and you can use Maven to get prescriptions,…

“With a little flourish, like doing just this simple knot, the combo of tie-dye and overalls feels sleek while still playful and happy.”—Jessie De Lowe, 31 (@jessiedelowe) “You really can treat tie-dye like any patterned shirt you layer with your work neutrals. I like how it makes for a bright pop against a jacket that’s all business.”—Tara Sowlaty Lehrer, 29 (@tarasowlaty) “Putting on this vivid T-shirt over a sports bra postgym just turned my spandex into a statement.”—Adaugo Akaluso, 30 (@adaugoakaluso) “Tie-dye can easily go glam when you pair it with pieces like a bold necklace, pumps, and a demure skirt. It’s a fabulous going-out look.”—Siobhan Egan, 36 (@shivpilates)…

In Claire Olshan’s opinion, everything in life should bring a dose of pretty and joy, from your beauty routine to the snacks you eat. “I don’t believe you can have it all, but I do believe you can have happiness no matter what you do,” she says. “Every minute of every day is a choice, and that choice is yours.” This outlook has spurred Olshan to make some bold moves: She built her ideal fashion house—a New York City boutique of her curated luxury style picks called Fivestory—and created an artfully designed health-food snack line called Dada Daily. “I’m very aesthetically minded,” Olshan says. “I thought, Why can’t we elevate snacks and make them beautiful? So that was my goal.” And they had to be packed with superfoods to…

Feel that warm-up in the air? Your favorite outdoor sports await: running, golf, swimming, and tennis. To help fuel your momentum, we’ve rounded up the most functional and stylish gear you’ll want to get your hands on. Then après activity, change into this Reebok x Victoria Beckham collaboration, which offers the perfect fusion of sporty-meets-streetwear layers.…

Glazed Whole Spring Onions If you can’t find spring onions, use shallots. START TO FINISH: 20 minutes Serves 4 to 6 Trim the stringy roots from 1 bunch of spring onions, keeping the root ends intact. (If using shallots, peel and trim 8 shallots, keeping the roots intact.) Halve lengthwise any that are larger than the rest, so they all cook at the same rate. Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and almost tender, about 10 minutes. Add ¼ cup dried apricots, 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, and a pinch of kosher salt. Stir well, then cover; reduce the heat to low, and cook until glazed and tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover,…

MANY THINK YOGA requires a trade-off: Go with the classic variety for a mental cleanse, or do a souped-up version with weights and boot camp moves folded in to bring real body results. But new research shows that the regular poses and flow routine can be just as intense. A review in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that certain common poses—like triangle, standing bow, and warrior III—meet the requirements for moderate-intensity exercise, thanks to the energy it takes your body to hold such significant contractions. Plus, sun salutations—which burned up to eight calories per minute (for a 140-pound woman), the equivalent of a moderate-intensity Spinning class—were classified as aerobically intense when done by regular yogis. In other words, you don’t have to dilute the om factor…

You often hear about the downsides of pregnancy—morning sickness! swollen ankles! backaches!—that can make the prospect of sticking to exercise seem like an uphill battle. But the big changes your body is going through during those nine months also include some motivating health bonuses. “Most of the changes are due to alterations in hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and relaxin,” says sport scientist Michele Olson, Ph.D., a Shape Brain Trust member. Those hormone shifts lead to more blood flow and other domino effects that can actually improve your workouts. Check out three of the biggies. EXERCISE OOMPH EARLY ON During your pregnancy, your blood volume increases to help baby grow. Thanks to that increase in red blood cells, “in the first 10 to 12 weeks of pregnancy, most pregnant women…

Age really is just a number. Science is finding that how old you feel may actually predict how long you’ll live, how happy you are, and your general state of health for the next two decades, says Jennifer Bellingtier, Ph.D., a postdoctoral psychology researcher at Friedrich Schiller University in Germany. “That mental state is known as subjective age, and it reflects your perception of how well you’re growing older,” she says. “If you think you’re aging poorly, you may be less motivated to exercise, eat well, or engage in other healthy behaviors.” Subjective age is incredibly powerful. Studies show that adults who feel younger have fewer signs of brain aging and better muscular, pulmonary, and metabolic functions compared with those who feel older. Fortunately, perception of age is something…

Be Waterproof Neal Schultz, M.D. Dermatologist in New York City, creator of BeautyRx by Dr. Schultz skin care David E. Bank, M.D. Director of the Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic and Laser Surgery in Mount Kisco, New York Ellen Marmur, M.D. Dermatologist, founder of Marmur Medical in New York City Nunzio Saviano Hairstylist, product developer, and salon owner in New York City Gita Bass Celebrity makeup artist for Simple skin care Mona Gohara, M.D. Dermatologist for Dove Beauty Bar & Body Wash skin care Elizabeth K. Hale, M.D. Clinical associate professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center Loretta Ciraldo, M.D. Dermatologist in Miami, creator of Dr. Loretta skin care Joely Kaufman, M.D. Voluntary associate professor of dermatology at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Sarah Lucero Celebrity makeup…

1–Marks the Spot All those little areas that entice with a dab of perfume—wrists, cleavage, back of neck, behind the ears? Now you can pinpoint them easily on the go. Draw on Mugler’s Perfuming Pens ($24 each, muglerusa.com) in one of the brand’s signature scents: Angel, Alien, and Aura. The retractable wax stick melts into skin upon contact and, since it’s alcohol-free, your fragrance stays put all day. 2–Runway Backpacks We’re on board with the adult-backpack trend, which lets you go hands-free. Practicality aside, the modern structure, color pops, and polished canvas fabric make the Coach 1941 Rivington Backpack ($650, similar styles at coach.com) worth the splurge as a travel-friendly bag or commuter satchel that preserves your style cred. 3–Do a Tiny Touch-Up About the size of a playing…

For Kendra Kolb Butler, it began not so much with a vision as with a view. The beauty industry veteran, who had relocated to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, from New York City, had a eureka moment sitting on her porch one day. She was pondering why so many of the women who shopped in her boutique, Alpyn Beauty Bar, suffered from skin issues—dehydration, hyperpigmentation, and sensitivity—that couldn’t be solved by any of the products she sold. “I was looking out at the purple flowers growing on the mountains, and I wondered, How have they been able to adapt to harsh elements like low humidity, high altitude, and extreme sun? Is there something that makes these plants more resilient that might make skin stronger too?” Looking for answers to these questions,…

ROCK STUDIO CLASSES Ryka Devotion XT Our testers hit all manner of boutique fitness classes and loved the support and maneuver-ability of this cross-trainer. It did beautifully with dance routines, thanks to the durable sole and pivot point grooves on the ball of the foot. ($80, ryka.com) Lace up in these winners PERFORMANCE to optimize any workout HIIT THE TREADMILL New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 V9 Its snug fit—the heel is 3-D molded, and the upper wraps your midfoot—and roomy toe box are suited to switches of pace. The sole is also pressure mapped, so those full-speed forefoot strikes get ample cushioning where you need it most. ($150, newbalance.com) FLY THROUGH TRAILS Altra Superior 4 At an insanely light 6.3 ounces and with a zero drop (an even level…

AROUND 5 P.M., WHEN the day begins to wind down, your body does the opposite—cranking up to be at its calorie-burning peak, according to a recent study. “We discovered that you naturally burn about 10 percent more calories in the late afternoon than you do later at night,” says Kirsi-Marja Zitting, Ph.D., an associate neuroscientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, an instructor at Harvard Medical School, and the lead author of the study, which was published in Current Biology. That’s about 130 calories that your body is torching without any extra effort on your part. Although researchers don’t know why our calorie expenditure revs up in the late afternoon, they suspect that metabolism ebbs and flows according to our circadian rhythms. That means that at night, when…

HOW FIT ARE YOU? There are different ways to measure, but an important one that doesn’t get much buzz is called your lactate threshold. As your body breaks down carbs for exercise energy, it’s also cranking out lactate as a by-product. “Your lactate threshold is the intensity of exercise at which lactate begins to accumulate in the blood at a faster rate than it can be removed, causing muscle fatigue,” says Pamela Peeke, M.D., the author of Body for Life for Women. “Having a high threshold means you can work at a higher intensity for a longer time before lactate levels become intolerable.” The good news: You can train yours upward. MEETING YOUR MAX Chances are, you’ll never hit a lab to precisely pin down your tipping point: That…

Drinks that make you drowsy, like Snoooze ($20 for 6, us.snoooze.co) and Vital Proteins Collagen Shot in Sleep ($54 for 12, vitalproteins.com), are the newest healthy sips, stocked with ingredients like valerian, a calming herb; melatonin, the sleep hormone; and magnesium, a muscle-relaxing mineral. They help you drift off, but Alex Dimitriu, M.D., the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California, suggests sticking to plain water every third night so your body can practice snoozing naturally.…

Products Are Gentler If you have sensitive skin, allergies, or eczema, or often experience irritation down below, pads and tampons made from organic cotton (grown without pesticides) might help. “It hasn’t been proved, but some patients report fewer symptoms when using them,” says Nina Brochmann, M.D., a coauthor of The Wonder Down Under. “The menstrual cup is an excellent alternative. It doesn’t absorb excess moisture, so there’s less risk of irritation.” Try a few to find your perfect fit; even Tampax is making a menstrual cup. Alternative Treatments Can Be Legit As part of the natural movement, traditional remedies are getting attention. Boric acid vaginal suppositories, for example, are antiseptic and may help women with stubborn chronic yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis, Dr. Brochmann says. Oral probiotics, especially those…

Acupuncture for Your Mind, Body, and Skin Specialized needles stimulate small nerves, which send signals to the brain to shut down the fight-or-flight reflex. “In response, the brain releases relaxing neurotransmitters and stabilizes levels of the stress hormone cortisol,” says Stefanie DiLibero, a licensed acupuncturist in New York City. The result is a happier mood and deeper sleep, both of which improve skin vibrancy. “The needles also increase blood flow, creating a beautiful glow,” she says. Look for a licensed acupuncturist who studied cosmetic acupuncture. Wellness and beauty are intricately connected, new research finds, and when it comes to creating radiance, what you put in your body is as important as what you put on it. Studies show your skin benefits from healthy diet, exercise, and sleep habits plus…