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Food

Since its launch, ZitSticka has worked to dismantle stigma against acne and normalize the conversation surrounding it. And now, the cult pimple patch label is making the case for the acceptance of pimples with its new campaign, We Got You.

Shot by Ashley Armitage, the commercial shows women doing everyday things — eating a late night snack or drinking a glass of wine — that have been apparently known to cause breakouts. Highlighting the shame women feel around it, the campaign urges viewers to do what they want anyway and basically, not give a fuck.

“We wanted to develop scenes that felt familiar; little vignettes of everyday life that we can all laugh at because we’ve been there before,” ZitSticka Creative Director Ben Tan says of the 90-second campaign video. “We also wanted to avoid telling our audience how to live a perfect life to achieve better skin, because it’s a bit more complex than that. Who are we to chastise others for indulging in ice cream after a long day?”

 

 

Created in collaboration with make-up artist Shideh Kafei, Armitage made it a point to not try to conceal the blemishes on the models — something that was integral to the photographer in order to keep the message authentic.

 

“It would be too easy to make a shiny campaign video and cast models with flawless skin,” said Melissa Kenny, Director of Communications at Zitsticka. “As newcomers to the skincare space we want to explore breakouts in relevant and meaningful ways, while infusing our tone-of-voice and humor. A key part of the ZitSticka ethos is bringing transparency to the acne space—a space typically glossed over, sidestepped or approached in a clinical light.”

For more information visit zitsticka.com.

Photo courtesy of ZitSticka

 

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Food
An investment banker fueled by late-night ice cream binges, David Greenfeld set out to create his own plant-based ice cream after noticing a lack of real ingredient-driven options in the vegan section of the frozen aisle. With David Cohen in August 2016, he launched Dream Pops, a plant-based, dairy-free, superfood popsicle in flavors like vanilla matcha, mango rosemary and chocolate with lion’s mane mushrooms. Dream Pops are now in more than 400 stores, including Whole Foods, Bristol Farms, Fairway Market and D’agostino. The company also partners with brands, such as Don Julio, Soho House and Starbucks, to offer limited edition flavors given out at events or pop-ups.
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Food

Extra, a New York-based emerging startup, is elevating the guest experience at hospitality spaces by attracting travelers with an array of brands that go beyond the traditional “pay as you consume” minibar. 

 

With an overall goal to shift the guest’s relationship with in-room product offerings, Extra marries product discovery and upscale hospitality through a distribution model that rewards guests for reviewing complimentary amenities and provides useful consumer data at low cost to properties and product makers. 

Launching in the United States, Extra partners with premium hospitality spaces, such as boutique hotels, luxury rental properties, co-living, aparthotels, wellness spaces and short-term vacation-rental properties to place curated selections of amenities in guestrooms. The company’s displays are designed to entice with products that appeal to a generation of travelers hungry for new experiences, such as Dirty Lemon, Ettitude, Vital Proteins, Native and more. 

 

Built on the growing need for data and a direct relationship with customers, Extra uses welcome cards that encourage guests to contribute product reviews and earn rewards on the Extra platform via smartphone QR scan or SMS messaging. Rewards range from discounts on products to discounts on future stays and experiences. Extra then provides this guest feedback to properties in order to improve future guest stays and help them make smarter purchasing decisions. The more products guests use and the more reviews they provide, the more rewards they receive, and the more data flows to properties and brands to personalize stays and drive operational efficiency.

“Our mission across the board is to help partners, hospitality and brand alike, to provide an elevated experience. That’s why it’s so important to us that we help them to really get to know their audience. Our review and reward platform is the perfect way to do that,” Extra founder/CEO Gen Liston said in a statement. “We’re putting highly desirable, disruptive products right in the hands of consumers, and delivering them in a way that helps hotels elevate their guest experiences and provides valuable feedback to product makers.” 

Extra’s twist on product placement has found broad interest in boutique hotel and short-term rental spheres around the world. Since launching its platform in Liston’s native Australia in 2018, the company has signed tens of thousands of lifestyle properties to feature Extra displays in guestrooms and has distributed more than 1 million products.

“We see a lot of opportunity to grow our partner base and heighten guest experiences across the U.S. by connecting with independent boutique hotels, midsize hotel collections and upscale Airbnb-style rentals to feature the most exciting products for their guests,” said Liston, who notes that each “powered by extra” offering typically features $70 worth of consumer products for guests to sample.

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There are few things as annoying as waking up to a brand-new blemish. There are definitely ways you can embrace the unexpected breakout — including some space-inspired stickers or colorful makeup — but that doesn’t make an overnight guest taking up space on your face any less ugh-inducing. Zitsticka wants to change all that, and has announced a temporary giveaway that celebrates surprise acne.

The brand behind a set of pimple stickers recently unveiled its We Got You ad campaign. The campaign features an adorable series of acne-positivity ads that highlight how sometimes pimples can just happen, and that acne is something everyone deals with. Whether it’s a pimple caused by a late-night craving for something sweet or a blemish induced by the stress of literally everything you have to do in a day, Zitsticka’s campaign sends an encouraging message that yes, acne happens, and it’s okay.

 

 




Along with the vintage-inspired social media clips, Zitsticka is taking the We Got You message one step further, and is promising to be there for New Yorkers. That’s right, NYC, the brand wants to give you free stickers, and in order to get some all you have to do is take a selfie and tag it with #ZSWeGotYou and @zitsticka. The giveaway ends on Friday, but you still have a few more days to cross your fingers for a pimple you can use a patch on.

If you don’t happen to live in NYC, the company does have an online store, and as the Teen Vogue Acne Awards demonstrated, there are plenty of products available, including patches, to possibly use in your skin-care routine.

 

Ultimately, as much as we try to prevent acne from happening, sometimes a pimple will just pop up, and whether you cover it with a sticker or choose to follow in the footsteps of your fave celebs and embrace the zit remains up to you. Skin care is all about finding the product and routine that makes you feel comfortable in your skin.

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Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: You Can Now Cover Your Breakouts With Star Stickers, Thanks to This New Skin-Care Brand


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Body Buliding, Technology

In the past week alone, every single human in the U.S. has gotten a pimple, according to very scientific data I just made up. But seriously, if I’m basing this solely off a dozen frantic, late-night text messages from friends and coworkers, then yeah, virtually everyone I know—including yours truly—has been inducted into the Big-Ass Breakout Club this summer, and we’re all asking the same thing: What the f*ck is happening right now?? Are we under attack? Is this the second (puberty) coming? WILL WE EVER BE OKAY?!

So, with a ZitSticka patch covering the throbbing cystic zit on my jaw and salicylic acid globbed onto the mysterious little whiteheads sprinkling my nose, I begged for answers from dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, associate clinical professor at Yale University and OG calmer of my skin anxieties. And according to Dr. Gohara, there very much is a reason why you’re breaking out right now. Actually, there are three:

REASON #1: 
It’s this g’damn stupid heat wave.

Right now, around the country (and even in Europe), record-high temperatures are basically signaling the apocalypse. I mean, the freaking Washington Post is calling it “the hottest month that humans have ever recorded,” and guess what? None of this bodes well for your skin (or for the planet, but more on civilization-ending global warming later).

“When it’s really hot, people tend to sweat significantly more,” says Dr. Gohara. “That sweat then sits on your face, mixing with all the sticky gunk and grime and pollution in the air to create the perfect environment for pores to clog and acne-causing bacteria to grow.” Yay! I love summer!

But the heat and humidity are only half of the problem. You’re the other half. “When we notice, Holy shit, my face is a Crisco pad, we tend to touch our skin more—blotting with shirts or towels or sheets, wiping or fixing makeup with fingers, dusting on more powder to mattify the shine, and feeling for new or growing zits,” says Dr. Gohara. “So not only are you introducing new bacteria and oils to your face, but you’re also irritating your skin barrier with all the wiping and touching.” And an irritated barrier is an angry barrier—one that’ll start breaking out even harder from the disruption.

THE FIX:

Hands. Off. Your. Face. Seriously—get your hands off your skin, stop rubbing at it, don’t triple-cleanse during the day, don’t pack on the makeup to cover the grease. Instead, gently soak up the shine once or twice a day with fragrance-free oil blotting sheets (my favorite: Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets), wash your face once or twice a day with a creamy, non-foaming cleanser (see below), and keep your makeup to a minimum on the areas where you tend to break out most. And maybe move to Alaska.

REASON #2: 
You’re blasting the A/C.

This goes hand in hand with the hellacious heat wave (is it fall yet?), but if you’ve been sitting in front of your air conditioner for three weeks or blasting your car’s A/C or existing only in frigid coffee shops, classrooms, planes, or offices, it could actually be breaking you out.

“Air-conditioning usually removes moisture from the air, making it incredibly drying, especially if it’s blasting you right in the face,” says Dr. Gohara. “So it ends up sucking the moisture from your face, which causes your skin to overproduce oil to compensate for the dryness.”

The result? Extra-oily skin (yup, even if your skin looks matte and dry; your pores produce oil from within, and too much too quickly can clog the pore before it reaches the surface). So while the A/C is kicking your oil production into overdrive, the heat wave is cranking out the sweat and the humidity is mixing it all together and sticking it to your skin.

THE FIX:

Adopt an electricity-free life—maybe move to a remote shack on the beaches of Bali? Just kidding. There’s not much you can do when A/C is virtually everywhere in the summer, except try to redirect the air from blowing on your face as much as possible. If you’re traveling, push the air vents in your car away from your face or twist the airplane’s vent above your seat closed. And try adding a portable humidifier (the Hey Dewy Portable Facial Humidifier is honestly great) to your life—keep it on your desk, in the cupholder in your car, wherever. That bit of moisture can help offset some of the A/C’s drying effects.

REASON #3: 
You’re going crazy trying to fix your zits.

So you got a few zits (and then a few more), and you went bat-shit nuclear on your skin, trying to fix it fast. I get it—the panic is realBut changing up your entire routine, or even adding one new acne-fighting formula, can break the space-time continuum/your face.

“When people break out, they start reaching for more heavy-duty, acid-filled formulas, over-exfoliating their face, loading on the retinol and spot treatments, and basically flip to the extremes in the course of a week or a few days,” says Dr. Gohara. “And all that change creates a disruption in your skin’s equilibrium, causing it to freak out, dry out, and break out.” Think of your skin like a temperamental toddler—change its nap schedule and, IDK, dump some salicylic acid on it, and it’s going to be very pissed.

Also, if you do what I did—which was slather an acne-fighting serum all over my T-zone in a ~genius~ attempt at preventing more breakouts—you could inadvertently be causing the worst freaking breakout of your life: purging. “Purging is definitely a real thing,” says Dr. Gohara. “It’s when skin-resurfacing products, like retinoids and acids, bring your future zits to the surface of your skin all at once.”

It isn’t a surefire thing (you’re more likely to purge if you’re already acne prone or if you’re using a way stronger formula than usual), but it’s something to be aware of and ideally avoid. I knew all these things and yet I, the local idiot, still forged ahead, slapping acids on my face and waking up to whiteheads 48 hours later.

THE FIX:

Just…wait. Do nothing. I know, this sounds absolutely insane, but trying to radically alter your routine will bring you nothing but skin sadness. “Resist the compulsion to do anything differently, and try to avoid disrupting your skin as much as possible,” says Dr. Gohara.

That doesn’t mean you can’t use a gentle spot treatment on the zits you already have (try a salicylic-based spot treatment—I’ve been using Murad Rapid Relief Spot Treatment—for red, inflamed bumps or a gentle benzoyl peroxide spot treatment, like Neutrogena On-The-Spot Acne Spot Treatment, for whiteheads), but make sure to apply sparingly just once a day.

The Takeaway

Ultimately, your skin is under Mother Nature’s cruel, cruel thumb, so know that there’s only so much you can do this summer. Just be cognizant of not deviating from what you normally do and also resist the compulsion to wipe, scrub, or touch your skin more than normal this summer,” says Dr. Gohara. Yeah, it sucks, but hey—fall is just a few weeks away, and if you’re really concerned (like you need that cystic zit gone now), you can head to your dermatologist for a cortisone injection or an extraction.

So next time (tonight) you’re staring at your new crop of zits in the mirror, take a few deep breaths, remember that breakouts are totally normal, and they’ll probs die a quick, painless death in a few weeks anyway.

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Products

Well, Actually is a column by Slate’s Shannon Palus. She tests health and wellness products to help readers figure out what they should try, what they should skip, and why.

A new company called ZitSticka is bringing the luxury of skin care to: the acne patch. The brand’s one and only product so far is the “Killa Kit.” The size of a large ring box, it contains supplies to help eight “up-and-coming” pimples become an “ex-zit.” It is millennial pink. The product’s Instagram inexplicably contains photos of a sun-dappled daybed and a white-tiled rain shower. At $30 per a box, or nearly $4 per a treatment, it would be easy to declare the patch just another overpriced addition to the skin care market. It is, kind of—as with so many potions, there’s at least one inexpensive and nearly identical option. But contained inside the cute box is actually some interesting technology.

Acne patches are not new. The first were little more than hydrocolloid bandages, hydrocolloid being a type of wound dressing that was introduced in the 1970s as part of “the moist wound care revolution.” As chemist and educator Michelle Wong explains on her beauty science blog Lab Muffin, hydrocolloid bandages are flexible, made from materials like cellulose and gelatin and then covered in a thin film of plastic. The flexible part sucks up fluid, in the case of a zit, deflating it. It’s essentially a way to pop the thing slowly. Hydrocolloid pimple patches (round versions of the wound bandages) have been used in Asia for over a decade. The first one, Wong estimates, was from a brand called 3M (the same parent company that makes Taylor Swift’s favorite kind of picture-hanging wall tape). You may have heard of the patches via the Korean brand Cosrx, which distributes them in a plain white-and-red envelope, all stuck to the same plastic sheet kind of like pre-cut moleskin or corn cushions.

And they sure work. In addition to glowing review after glowing review for these things, in 2006 a group of researchers in Taiwan ran a (very) small study confirming their utility. Researchers used acne patches from 3M, sold under the clinical and descriptive label “Acne Dressing” on 10 participants. They gave another 10 regular old medical tape. Everyone in the patch group reported that their acne improved at least moderately, while just a fifth of the treatment group said the same, which tracked with the researchers’ quantitative observations.

Some patches can be more sophisticated by including medication like salicylic acid with the hydrocolloid base, like Peace Out Dots and Clearasil spot patchesothers just have medication on a plain plastic dot. Recently, companies like ZitSticka have begun adding spikes or “microdarts” to a hydrocolloid base. A cousin of the microneedle that can allow ingredients to penetrate deeper into your skin (when used by a pro, at least), these microdarts shuttle salicylic acid in the dot beneath the surface. As Wong points out, in a post sponsored by another company that makes microdart zit patches, a similar dissolving needle technology has been explored for vaccines and insulin delivery. (Luxury makeup brand Dr. Jart has a whole line of, essentially, spikey tape designed to banish everything from zits to under-eye circles.) According to ZitSticka, these needles are ideal for early-stage cystic acne, while more straightforward pimples and whiteheads (anything pop-able) could more likely benefit from the cheaper, plainer hydrocolloidal patches.

I ordered a pack of the ZitStickas to see if they’d work for me. They are woefully expensive for an acne patch. (These similar ones, from a brand called Rael, are almost a quarter of the price, at just over a dollar a pop.) But the ZitSticka patches specifically make the process of treating an honest-to-god pimple kind of glamorous. The ring box–like packaging looks cute enough to display on a dresser. This is not an acne patch that you’d expect to find at a drugstore: In addition to the zit stickers, it comes with tiny cleaning wipes (each individual zit gets its own cleaning wipe!). “We got you covered,” an insert white lettering reads, alongside instructions on how to use each part and a stylized illustration of the microdarts dissolving into a pimple.

I wiped the zit area (I was thrilled to have a zit!) and stuck the patch to my face. I will be honest with you—I was so excited to try these that I didn’t even check what kind of zit I was popping them onto, nor am I confident enough in my zit taxonomy to tell you exactly what it was in hindsight. The patch did not hurt in the least, but it did feel very satisfying. To my surprise, the sticker was subtle enough that I then confidently left the house. After a couple hours, it flaked off, having lost its stickiness after the darts dissolved.

What was left in its wake was still definitely a pimple, but a noticeably smaller one. If I’ve ever tried a skin care product with such immediate results, I cannot remember it. Previously, the only instant acne treatment I’d heard of that worked right away was cortisone shots, which can cost$100 a (pimple) pop, which puts the $4 price tag into a little perspective.

In the future, I’ll probably pick a cheaper microdart acne patch—these ones from Rael look extremely similar if not identical to the ZitSticka offering, and are a third of the price. Whether a microdart patch works better than a non-microdart one is hard to say—there just hasn’t been that much scientific research into the acne-patch space. Dermatologists emphasize that acne patches alone aren’t a good strategy for keeping your face clean, and they probably aren’t economical for large breakouts. But acne patches are ideal product with which to do your own experimenting with: It’s fairly easy to see if a zit has gotten smaller within a few hours of wear. It’s also a relief. Even for all ZitSticka’s cute branding, zit stickers will probably never be relaxing or fun the way, say, a face mask is. But the straightforward results take a load off, nonetheless. That’s close to magic. 


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Champions, Technology
LOS ANGELESJuly 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Bev, the mission-driven, digital-first and community-centric brand that is redefining the landscape within male dominated spaces, announces Tara Hannaford has been appointed President. As one of the few female industry executives and as a future key player in Bev’s growth, Hannaford will apply her proficiency and knowledge of beverage distribution and innovation to develop strategies for new key markets as well as assist in expanding the brand’s product portfolio.

With more than 10 years of industry experience, Hannaford comes to Bev from Casamigos where she was the Vice President of Sales and played a pivotal role in the company’s exit for $1 billion. Hannaford has helped businesses successfully launch products in major U.S. markets, expand distribution, develop tailored sales programs as well as help build and grow talented teams. Beyond Casamigos, she brings experience across the spirits category, including positions with Stoli Group, DeLeon Tequila, Peligroso Spirits and Hawaii Sea Spirits.

“Bev is what I’ve been waiting for,” said Tara Hannaford, President of Bev. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to affect change in an industry that has often been insulated from it and to do things better than they’ve been done before, all while inspiring and elevating female leadership and community in wine and spirits. It is an honor to work alongside Bev’s Founder, weaving Bev’s core mission with an effective commercial strategy for authentic brand affinity and long-term growth.”

“Tara is a dream hire for a company at any stage, her track record speaks for itself,” said Alix Peabody, CEO and Founder of Bev. “The fact that she’s joined us speaks volumes not only about the culture and community we are building, but also how important our mission is for the industry as a whole.”

For more information on Bev, please visit www.drinkbev.com.

About Bev
Founded by Alix Peabody in May 2017Bev is a beverage company out of Venice, California.  They are breaking the glass by challenging male-dominated industries and building a more inclusive, respectful drinking culture. Bev wants to create a mission-driven community that encourages everyone to experience fun on their own terms. Their first product is the refreshingly crisp and dry, canned California rosé wine made with the highest quality grapes from the central coast of California. This proprietary blend has bright aromatics of strawberry, raspberry, white peach and watermelon. Made specifically for a can, every can of Bev has 11.9% ABV, 0 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of carbs. Bev is currently available in California and Nashville as well as available online nationwide. For more information about Bev, please visit drinkbev.com. 

SOURCE Bev

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Products

onday was a big day for the internet, thanks to the photo that Ashley BensonInstagrammed featuring a tattoo of the letters “CD,” which just so happen to be the same as her girlfriend‘s initials. But it was an even bigger day for Benson; to her, the photo marked her official announcement that first-ever sunglasses collection, Privé Revaux X Benzo, had finally launched—a moment she’d been anticipating for months.

The 29-year-old actress has been working with Privé Revaux for a few years now, but this is the first time she tried her hand at design. Still, Benson knew exactly where to start: with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, whom she’s worshipped since, as she put it, “day one.” From there, she came up with three different styles: The Victoria, which is an oversized take on “everyday”; the Olive, a cat eye named after her dog; and the Planco, a “unique” rectangular pair complete with side panels, which, naturally, was inspired by Rihanna. It’s only been about 24 hours, but thanks no doubt in part to Benson’s 19 million Instagram followers, two of the three are already almost out of stock.

And yet, Benson is still getting used to the idea that she has an eye for style. The era of Pretty Little Liars took up the bulk of her twenties, but it wasn’t until after the show wrapped that she got her first-ever stylist—and stopped wearing red carpet looks that she now considers not only “horrible,” but “horrendous.” Then again, Benson might just be her own worst critic: “I don’t make good choices with clothes,” she insisted when she dropped by W‘s office last week—never mind that she looked impeccable. Still, after laying out her sunglasses designs—and kicking off her Chanel pumps—Benson obliged to share her style notes with W. Read on for more about each and every one of her obsessions, from the Olsens to escape rooms.

What are three words that describe your style?

Black, simple, and chic—at least, when I try to dress. Usually I’m just in, like, sweats. But when I try, to be honest with you, I base my looks off the Olsen twins. I’ve been their biggest fan since I was born.

Have you ever met them?

Yeah, twice. They’re really nice, but I got weird about it. I was like, “I can’t hang out with you guys.” I grew up watching all their movies, and they started doing fashion, first with this line for Walmart, when I was 12. Funnily enough, I ended up being the model for all the clothes. I went to set pretty much every week, but they only came once. I only got to see a glimpse of them, with their little butterfly clips in their hair, but I was still like, “Oh my god.

I guess that answers my next question, about your ultimate style icons?

Yeah, 100 percent. I follow at least 20 different Mary-Kate and Ashley accounts on Instagram, just for their fashion. I love it.

What’s your go-to outfit for a day off?

Just jeans and a t-shirt, or cut-offs in the summer. I get way too hot, because I live in New York in L.A., and it’s so hot. This summer, I was like, I want to start doing more slip dresses—kind of ’90s Courtney Love vibes. But I have to see where I can find those.

What’s the best fashion advice you’ve ever received?

To just be comfortable. I know that when I go to events and I’m uncomfortable—whether because of shoes or something’s too tight—it really does ruin my day or night. So this, what I’m wearing right now, is very comfortable. I mean, I took my shoes off—I’m like out my house right now. [Laughs.]

How do you feel about flats versus heels?

I hate heels, because they’re really hard to walk in and make my feet hurt. But these ones I’m wearing are just the smallest heel. They’re like little slides, almost. So they’re doable, which is great; I found them and I was like, “These are heels that I can wear.” Otherwise, I wear high-heeled boots every day, or just a pair of Converse.

How about tiny Matrix-style sunglasses? You kind of have a pair in your collection.

I can’t pull those off, for whatever reason. These [“The Olive“] are the smallest that I can go, and they actually look really good. But the other ones are so small. Like, are they reallyprotecting your eyes?


Ashley Benson wearing sunglasses

What’s your favorite thing you’ve ever worn on the red carpet?

I just went to the Trevor Project gala, and I wore this dress, which of course is black:

Do you typically look at your fan accounts, like the one you just pulled up?

I follow some, just to see if the paparazzi have been taking photos of me. But also, they seem to know more about my life than I do, so I also follow them to be like [scrolls through phone] “What’s going on in my life? Let me see what everyone’s talking about.” [Laughs.]

I’m sure you’re often in for a surprise.

Always. So many people make things up or start stories and I’m just like, “Ugh, god.” I message them all the time and I’m like, “Can you not put this stuff up?” And they’re like “Oh my god, yeah”—they’re so sweet. I literally talk to them on Messenger, like, “You need to take those photos down. You need to have this person do this.” I’m trying to control everything. [Laughs.] But for the most part, they’re amazing and great, and I love their pictures that they post of me; sometimes I actually message them asking if they can send me the red carpet ones so that I can post them. They give me so many options—and they edit them! They’re the best.

What’s the most prized possession in your closet?

The Chanel shoes that I’m wearing. I just bought them, kind of on a whim. But I don’t spend money on clothes. I wish I could.

Where do you get your clothes from, then?

Usually either vintage stores or Brandy Melville. I’ve been loving Brandy Melville for probably eight years now. It’s easy, it’s cute and their stuff actually holds up. And it’s cheap, and that’s what I like.

Do you have any favorite thrift stores in New York?

There’s one place that my friend Morgan owns, called the Vintage Twin. She always has the best stuff, especially shirts and jumpsuits. Though sometimes I check out and I’m like, “Oof, I didn’t know that was that expensive!” [Laughs.] But if it’s vintage, it’s like, fine.

What was your style like as a teen?

Emo. Black eyes—like, so black—that went all around, like circles. Then I wore band t-shirts. I wanted to be like Avril Lavigne, so I always wore a tie and different colored Converse. I tried to copy Hayley [Williams] from Paramore’s style, too. I’ve always loved ’90s grunge style. And I tried to do that—I just didn’t do it right. I mean, I’ve gone through so many phases in my life, clothes-wise—enough to know that I don’t make good choices with clothes. Those were definitely not the best days, but I thought I looked amazing.

I wore a tie, too—Avril Lavigne was my first concert.

That’s amazing. Mine was Tina Turner, but I was so young that I didn’t even know who she was. My second one was NSYNC, and I was crying. I was crying my eyes out, and I had paint all over my face, because me and my sister painted our faces. I was wearing all their merch, too, like 10 different things.


Ashley Benson wearing sunglasses


Do you have a biggest fashion regret?

Probably my style on every red carpet when I was younger. It was horrible. Horrendous. But I also never used a stylist. I didn’t know what stylists were back then. I mean, I knew people were getting dressed and stuff, but there wasn’t really a need for me to have one, because I was on a soap opera. I just always bought weird clothes to wear to premieres. But after PLL [Pretty Little Lies], my publicists were like, “You need to get a stylist.” And I was like “Okay, this is great,” because I finally started looking nice on the red carpet.

What do you always keep in your bag?

Chapstick, powder, sunglasses a little thing of perfume, a charger—speaking of…. [plugs in phone] sorry, it’s at eight percent. Anyways, I also always have my passport—I probably shouldn’t, but just in case!—and eyebrow gel, weirdly. I never leave the house without it.

Do you have a song of the summer?

“Señorita” by Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes. I listen to it every morning, all day, every day. But I’m also obsessed with Lizzo. “Truth Hurts” is one of the best songs, and just so powerful. She’s so badass and so cool—I can’t.


Ashley Benson


Do you have any vacation plans?

I was just in Paris for a wedding, and then I went to Saint Tropez for the first time and did a spa weekend, which was really cool. I’m hoping to go back to Italy, to my favorite place ever, Positano, in August. Though I feel like I’ve basically been to every country this year.

What’s been the highlight so far?

Amsterdam is becoming one of my favorite places. I was there two months ago, and then last October, and every time I go, I always extend my stay by like five days. I never get in a car when I’m there—I’m always on my bike. Last time, I took a little boat ride at night and had dinner on there, and I felt like I was in a movie. And I did glow-in-the-dark mini golf and just smoked weed and ate and biked everywhere. And they have the best escape rooms. One of them was in the catacombs; it was two-and-a-half hours long, and I went at midnight, right before Halloween, and I was terrified. I went with three other girls, and we were literally crying in there. My friend got stuck in a coffin for like 10 minutes, and there were all these actors popping out so were all huddling in a corner. It’s really next level, but so fun. So fun. I do escape rooms everywhere I go.

Is there anything else left on your to-do list?

Keep tanning—I’m trying to enjoy it while I can. And keep wearing my sunglasses!

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Food
Believe it or not, we have President Ronald Reagan to thank for National Ice Cream Day. Back in 1984, which shall henceforth be known as the Stranger Things Era, Reagan declared July 15 to be National Ice Cream Day, probably at the behest of dairy farm lobbyists. It wasn’t necessarily meant to be an annual occasion, but that was before marketers discovered the advantages of a good made-up holiday. On July 21 (the holiday is now on the third Sunday of the month), we can reap the benefits with discounts, extras, and so many excuses to indulge in an extra scoop.

Besides getting more sweet treats for our dollar on National Ice Cream Day, we love how searching on the hashtag reveals the great variety of local restaurants and regional chains we’ve never heard of before. It’s enough to inspire a future road trip.
 
 
Here are some of the best deals we discovered at ice cream stands big and small:
 
Baskin-Robbins: You can get two pre-packed pints for just $7.99 through DoorDash, but if your purchase is $10 or more on July 21, you can use the code FREE SCOOP for a, um, free scoop. The code STRANGERTHINGS will also get you free delivery.
 
Carvel: Buy one soft-serve cup or cone and get one free.

Cold Stone Creamery: Sign up for the My Cold Stone Club Rewards card by Saturday to get a buy-one-get-one free coupon for Sunday. You can also get a $10 ecard if you buy $30 in gift cards online.
 
Chaney’s Dairy Barn: This farm and ice cream shop in Bowling Green, Kentucky, is holding a sweepstakes for the grand prize of 52 free scoop coupons (plus a T-shirt!). If you live anywhere near there, just visit this Facebook post, tag a friend in the comments, and share the post.
 
Chuck & Don’s: Make a donation at any of this pet supply chain’s stores and get a free ice cream sundae for your hot dog.
 
Dream Pops: Vegans and lactose-intolerant folks can get in on the fun too. Use the code #ICECREAMDAY on July 21 for 25% off these plant-based desserts.

Dylan’s Candy Bar: Say the secret password, “National Ice Cream Day,” at the register for a free scoop from 2-4 p.m.

Godiva: Visit a boutique or cafe for buy-one-get-one 50% off on parfaits and soft-serve ice cream.
 
Graeter’s: The 149-year-old midwestern chain is selling single-dip sugar cones for just $1.49.
 
Halo Top: Bumble is partnering with the low-calorie creamery for some convoluted deal involving swiping to “match” with the coupon. It’s for a free box of Halo Top Pops, so that’s probably worth the effort.
 
Ice Cream Delight: This Wilmington, Delaware, ice cream shop turns National Ice Cream Day into a real celebration, so we’re sure their offer of free sprinkles is just the beginning.
 
Insomnia Cookies: Get a free scoop of ice cream with any in-store purchase all day long.
 
Johnny Rockets: Get a free milkshake with the purchase of any entree on Sunday.
 
Nutella Café: Be one of the first 50 customers to visit the Chicago or New York location, and you’ll get a frozen Nutella pop. Everyone after that still gets a free scoop of gelato.
 
Petsmart and PetsHotel: Get a free doggie ice cream topped with biscuit treats on July 20 and July 21, while supplies last.
 
Potbelly: Say the magic words, “National Ice Cream Day,” for a free large hand-dipped milkshake with the purchase of an entree.
 
Uniqlo: Stop by one of these Japanese clothing chains and get a free My/Mo Mochi Ice Creamon Sunday.



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Training

Looking for a place to go on your summer holiday? Travel tech startups throughout Europe can help you find your ideal destination, and plan your perfect trip. From startups uncovering Europe’s hidden gems, to social networks that allow you to connect with other travellers and document and share your travels, and trips with a medical or educational purpose, these 10 startups will surely have something for you:

itinari-logoBased in Brussels, itinari’s goal is to bring travellers to off-the-beaten-track destinations. Itinari features thousands of exclusive travel stories, written by more than 50 local European experts to unveil all the best kept travel secrets in more than 40 countries across Europe, and now available in eight languages. Articles include very niche topics like horseback riding in Kazakhstanvisiting an 8,000 year old sanctuary in Bulgaria where Thracian tribes worshipped the sun god, or discovering a Parisian pet cemetery. Additionally, itinari offers B2B solutions for travel and tourism businesses that need qualitative content to attract and satisfy customers. Founded in 2017, itinari has raised €830k over two rounds.

mapify-logoFounded in 2017 and based in Berlin, Mapify is a social platform for globetrotters, where they can find, plan, and record their travel experiences. On its website and app, travellers can upload pictures, make a map of their travels, create a bucketlist, plan their trips, and follow other travellers that share similar interests. Since launch, the startup has attracted users worldwide to share trips and spots in over 190 countries, and has already raised $1.5 million from MIT’s Sandbox Innovation Fund and private investors.

ferryhopperFerryhopper – Greece is known for its many mythic islands, and now there’s a startup that lets you easily explore them. Based in Athens, Ferryhopper works with 39 ferry companies to allow you to seamlessly book ferries and go island hopping throughout the Mediterranean, with 160 destinations across four countries – Greece, Turkey, Italy, and Spain. Aside from letting you book tickets to one or multiple destinations, Ferryhopper’s platform provides full trip information, including the length of the journey, travel tips, and descriptions of its many destinations. Founded in 2016, the startup has so far raised a round of €600k.

questo-logoLooking for a fun way to discover a new city? Download Questo, a mobile app that turns any city into an exploration game. With Questo, tourists can explore cities like London, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome or Berlin by solving clues in order to discover new places and stories about them. Each quest is based on a specific theme, which can be inspired by a movie, a book, a historical fact, or a local legend. Founded in 2017 in Bucharest, the app is already available in 40 cities, and over 35,000 people have already completed “quests”. In February 2019, the startup raised a seed round from two angel investors, and we included it on our list of Romanian startups to look out for in 2019.

heal2goHeal2Go – A range of medical services from dental care to plastic surgery might be very expensive in your country, and surprisingly low cost in others, leading to the burgeoning medical tourism industry. Heal2Go is a medical tourism startup that connects you with the treatments you need in the right destinations. On its platform you can find treatments abroad, compare prices, read reviews and book appointments online for everything from dental implants to fertility treatments, sleep medicine, neurology, hip replacements, and even butt implants. Founded in 2018 and based in Amsterdam, Heal2Go has raised €119.6k to date.

tourlaneTourlane is a growing travel tech platform to help you plan your perfect holiday. Founded in 2016, the Berlin-based startup is a full service online travel agency, combining technology and data with professional travel consulting to create personalised, multi-day getaways. The company works directly with service providers to offer customers flights, accommodations, tours, activities, and transfer options all in one place, and its platform provides real-time pricing, availability, instant trip visualisation, and drag-and-drop adjustments to make multi-day trip planning easy. The startup just raised $47 million in May 2019 to spur its international growth, and we featured it as one of our German startups to watch in 2019.

bmy.guideBased in Ghimbav, Romania, bmy.guide bills itself as ‘the first social network for travel and tourism’. Its all-in-one social platform was created with the intention of connecting travellers with each other, and changing how they plan, book, journal, and share their trips online. Users create and share ‘postcards’ of their travels, which can range from simple photos to full photo essays, allowing other users to discover new places, and can chat with each other to get tips and suggestions from other travellers who have already been to their destination of choice. Just founded in 2018, so far most of the users are based in Romania, but the platform is gaining traction with travellers throughout Europe.

klazzKlazz wants ‘to revolutionise the mainly offline language travel industry by matching international students and domestic teachers’. Based in Berlin, Klazz’s website currently markets English language courses to Spanish, French, Italian, and German speakers traveling in London at a rate of about €60/half-day class. Klazz teachers are certified teachers and are background-checked and personally interviewed by Klazz. The startup raised $800k in an October 2018 pre-seed round, which it will use to expand to further markets and destinations.

instaroomInstaroom is a concierge platform that helps hotels to improve the customer experience and boost revenues by more quickly answering customer questions and requests. The platform offers a white-label messaging widget for hotel websites, secure payment functionality, multiple channel integrations, FAQ chatbots that automate 40% of responses, and provides statistics to help hotels optimise revenues and manage complex bookings. Instaroom was founded in 2017 and is based in Berlin.

triporateFounded in 2017, Triporate is a business travel platform based in Madrid that uses AI to plan trips efficiently, saving companies both money and time. Businesses can simply send Triporate an email specifying what they need, and the startup will respond with personalised trip proposals that follow company policies. Companies then choose the most appropriate option, and can pay for multiple trips all in one bill. The startup has raised a total of €380k across two funding rounds.

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