THE 2023 COLLECTION SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER

the
st yl
issu e
e

let’s get dressed 8

pop cult 26
the look 38 love
stuff 54 life
CosmoTrips
stuff 60 bites 76
Page 60

astro 82

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF STAR CLIPPERS CRUISES; COURTESY OF LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT; MASSIMO GAMMACURTA.
halle bailey 84
it’s cosmocore! 94
birth of a
FEBEN

swindler? 104
your new makeup
era 112 the Page 8

Whip It Up
Page 76
last page 118
COV E R PH OTO G R A PH BY LE N N E C H A I
COVE R ST Y LE D BY CA S S I E A N D E RSO N

On Halle: Paco Rabanne top, skirt, and coat. 3.1 Phillip Lim boots. Pandora earrings and ring. Hair: Vernon François using Vernon François
Haircare and Redken. Makeup: Christiana Cassell at The Wall Group. Manicure: Kimmie Kyees using Mia Secret. Set Design: James Lear at 11th House
Agency. To get Halle’s look, try Healthy Skin Sensitive Skin Serum Foundation, Hydro Boost Multi-Use Stick in Temptation, Sensitive Skin Eyeshadow +
Primer in Warm Taupe, Precision Liquid Eyeliner in Jet Black, and Hydro Boost Hydrating Lip Shine in Almond Nude, all by Neutrogena.

2 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 Dig even deeper into this issue right here:

 Editor-in-Chief HEARST MAGAZINES ADVERTISING
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JESSICA GILES FO O D, PH A R M A , LI Q U O R , C P G, A N D PE T Patricia Haegele
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4
 Quick Question

Could You Survive

Being an A-List
Hollywood Stylist?
Creating iconic looks is no fool’s game.
BY AN NAB E L IWEGB U E

START

You’re monitoring the Oscars red carpet online when, ugh,

you spy somebody way more famous wearing the
same gown as your Hot New Starlet. You immediately:

Orchestrate a twinning Tell your client to throw

photo op. What? Like it on her nearby publicist’s
wasn’t intentional? blazer. It works...until
everyone on social media
starts clowning the last-
minute add.

You’re cut. :(

Whew. Now it’s charity gala time, and your charge is

having second thoughts about the dress she loved at the
fitting. “It makes me look shapeless,” she insists. WYD?
Another client, a very cool fashion risk-taker, just arrived

RED BAG: LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT. ALL OTHER IMAGES: GETTY IMAGES.

at her huge premiere and she’s feeling good! But the
internet is dogpiling. How do you handle her wrath once
she catches on to the backlash?
FaceTime all her friends Hey, she’s the boss,
so they can fawn over her and insecurity always
outfit. Objectively, she shows up in the pics.
does look good. Except she You quickly pull one
doesn’t appreciate your of the 15 backup ’fits You hop on IG and post You ease her
resistance to her instincts. you brought. your original mood board, worries with the classic
then scold the haters Beyoncé quote:
for not “getting” it. You’re “You know you that
feeling vindicated—but bitch when you cause all
your star does not love the this conversation.”
Sorry, you’re out. extra attention your mini
tirade garners.

Aaand now she has spilled soy sauce all over an

archival look. How do you approach the designer?
Buh-bye!

NOT JUST SURVIVING BUT THRIVING!

You quietly return the You apologize and
dress a few days later plead for forgiveness, You’re able to whip up image-defining moments on the
with a heartfelt apology promising as many
note. You’re known for professional cleanings
reg...and stay somewhat sane while coordinating them.
your likability, after all. as it takes. It’s not always (ever?) a breeze, but ya know what they
say, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in
your life.” At least that’s your mantra while gently voicing
your “honest opinions” and chewing out tardy tailors.
Hey, you tried.

6 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 Fa l l
T re
nds
!

THIS PAGE: PHOTOGRAPHED BY MIKEY ASANIN; STYLED BY CASSIE ANDERSON; HAIR: TAICHI SAITO; MAKEUP: DEANNA MELLUSO;
MANICURE: FRANCES LANG. OPPOSITE PAGE, ALL PRODUCTS COURTESY OF BRANDS. GILES: ALLIE HOLLOWAY.
You
’
ll W
a nt
Pa g It A
es 9 ll
–25

AI +
You
r Clo
s et
Pa g
e 11
Pe r
son
al S
t yle
but
Ea s
Pa g y
e 15
Beh
ind
the
C ov
er
Pa g
e 16
Wh
at ’s
in a
“Co
re ”
Pa g
e 21
N ew
Norma Kamali ! De
sign
top and pants. ers
Pa g !
Ferragamo heels. e 24
Jennifer Fisher
earrings. Alexis
Bittar bangles
and ring.

8 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 T H E ST Y L E I S S U E Ed i to r ’s Let te r

Let’s Get Dressed

Change is coming for more than just your weather
app—the fashion industry is getting a shake-up too, its
notoriously narrow doors thrown open by social media for
young talent to charge through. Which means your out-
fit options are getting an exciting upgrade from a slew of
new designers (see page 24 for our favorites) just in time
for that pivotal moment every year when the air chills
and the mood shifts from easy sundress whatever to the
world feeling like your own street style shoot every time you
step out your front door. “People
are tearing down the elitist walls
fashion is known for, and the inclu- which certainly benefited from hav-
sive vibe is contagious,” Cosmo’s ing more to work with than usual.
fashion features and lifestyle “Halle Bailey’s cover shoot alone,”
director Rachel Torgerson says of she explains, “required thousands of
the evolution underway. “Fashion emails, 64 confirmed looks, 97 pairs
is so fun right now.” of shoes, 3 security guards, and
What you see on your feeds 8 trunks that needed packing and
and in these pages reflects a new unpacking and packing again!”
generation’s confidence—and Getting YOU dressed on any
its expansive points of view. “It’s given day might not be quite such an
exciting to source quilted jackets operation...but you still deserve to
handmade in Vermont, upcycled have a whole fashion team behind
Carhartts from Washington state, you. So here we are, reporting for duty
and crocheted pieces from Min- with this official brief on not just what
nesota,” says Cosmo’s fashion to wear right now but why—and how
director Cassie Anderson about to put it together like a pro. We’re even Jessica Giles
putting together this Style Issue, happy to let you take all the credit. ;) EDITOR-IN- CHIEF

Fall f
ashio
is jus
t so m n
*vibi uch
e
ya k n r * ,
Jess’s Picks ow ?

This is my
capsule
collection for
the next few
months!
ME+EM tailored Fendi by Marc Aleksandre Tory Burch Réalisation Par
vest, $425, Jacobs sunglasses, Akhalkatsishvili skirt, combat boots, 448, dress, $260,
meandem.com $450, fendi.com $545, ssense.com toryburch.com realisationpar.com

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 9
T H E ST Y L E I S S U E Love T h i s fo r Yo u

Angles!
These sharp degrees are out here
proving all sides are good sides.

Kate Barton gown.

Fendi by Marc
Jacobs sunglasses.
Jennifer Fisher ear-
rings. Alexis Bittar
bangles and ring.
Acne Studios bag.

Your s
e
ssori
a e t ot a l l y
c c
o w
are n oint.
on p ly.
al
L i te r

1. Demarson earrings, $225, demarson.com. 2. Mlouye bag, $395, mlouye.com. 3. Kara

clutch, $475, karastore.com. 4. Alexis Bittar bangle, price upon request, alexisbittar
.com. 5. Sylvain Le Hen barrette, $70, hairdesignaccess.com. 6. Jacques Marie Mage
sunglasses, $575, hellovisionist.com. 7. Charles & Keith wedges, $93, charleskeith.com.

10 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 AI Is Making Western! 8

Fashion... Show ’em this ain’t your first rodeo in faux

Nostalgic? animal print, suede, leather, and fringe.

The future has us

shaking—for better 10
9
or for worse.
BY R AC H E L TO RGE RSO N
G-STAR RAW
FRANCES LANG. THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT; GETTY IMAGES; PAOLO LANZI/LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT; COURTESY OF G-STAR RAW.
ALL PRODUCTS COURTESY OF BRANDS. OPPOSITE PAGE: PHOTOGRAPHED BY MIKEY ASANIN; STYLED BY CASSIE ANDERSON; HAIR: TAICHI SAITO; MAKEUP: DEANNA MELLUSO; MANICURE:

MOWALOLA
As Britney Spears once said,
there are two types of people
in this world: the ones who’re
down with artificial intelligence
and the ones who are not. 11
In fashion, the dawn of
ChatGPT has signaled a new
step ahead, with some design-
ers inspired to create out-there
silhouettes (ahem, look at the
items to your left). But because
the fear of the unknown has Yeeh
aw
and
always made some people all
that.
squeamish, for every forward-
looking statement piece, we’re
also seeing the opposite in retro-
driven aesthetics. Honestly, it
makes sense because for many,
ROBERTO CAVALLI

reaching way back to child-

hood = the emotional security of
simpler times.
This explains why certain
recent styles have felt decid-
edly...cartoonish. And why we’re
getting mixed trend signals, 12
sometimes all at once. See: the
very Jetsons-esque Loewe look
pictured above, giving both
8. Tecovas straw hat, $145,
futuristic and sentimentally tecovas.com. 9. Polo Ralph Lauren
DSQUARED2

nostalgic vibes. It’s fashion’s jacket, $1,198, ralphlauren.com.

10. Alémais skirt, $595, alemais
new yin and yang, if you will. .com. 11. Kate Cate belt, $250,
kate-cate.com. 12. Loeffler Randall
boots, $450, loefflerrandall.com.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 11
T H E ST Y L E I S S U E Love T h i s fo r Yo u

Motocross!
Ladies and gents, start your engines. We are riding
the race-car-plus-adjacent-extreme-sport wave.

13

OFF-WHITE

ALL PRODUCTS COURTESY OF BRANDS. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT; GETTY IMAGES; LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT (2).
14

15

16
CHLOÉ

ow
re “h
W h e i s to o
much isn’t
?”
much ng.
18 a thi
DAVID KOMA

19

13. Lioness jacket, $129, lionessfashion.com. 14. Heron Preston hat, $165, heronpreston.com.
15. With Jéan tank, $89, withjean.com. 16. Longchamp bucket bag, $425, longchamp.com.
17. Nroda Eyewear sunglasses, $60, nroda.com. 18. Sorel Footwear Caribou X Chelsea boots,
$190, sorel.com. 19. Homage Year bag, $375, saks.com.

12 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
MACY’S CHANEL .COM
 T H E ST Y L E I S S U E I t ’s a W h o l e T h i n g

How to Find Your something just because everyone

else has it, though, is the fastest
Personal Style way to lose your personal flair.
Yes, you have one.
Or at least you do now.... 3. Look Around if You
BY CAS S I E AN DE RSO N
Start to Feel Lost
The textures and colors you love
Let’s start with a simple visual: are in your home and even the
Think of your ideal wardrobe shows you watch and the music
as the suitcase you’d pack for a you listen to. Building on these
trip where the itinerary is “grab other modes of self-expression
chic pics at every destination.” will help your fashion choices feel
You’d likely take your favorite new natural to you. You can also build
dress, the jeans that fit you like a off things you know you dislike—if
glove, and your wear-everywhere you know you’re really not into,
sneakers—not the clothes that’ve say, animal-print pillows, you
been squished to the sides of your probably aren’t down for similarly
closet for two years. The lesson printed clothes.
here? Personal style
is about curation, 4. Remember
editing out pieces Style is That Staples Are
that don’t feel right supposed to Suggestions
and investing in ones
that feel great every evolve and You need them to bridge
day. Now, let’s... grow, just the gaps between the
like humans. different categories you
1. Shop Your identify with, but you
Closet Before You don’t have to have all
of them. There’s no rule saying you
Shop the Shops
need every kind of T-shirt in your
Empty your dresser drawers and closet (you might go for boxy, over-
put only your best stuff back. sized ones, while your bestie wears that don’t. Style is supposed to
Donate the rest. What remains is baby-doll-esque tops, and that evolve and grow, just like humans.
your foundation and a blueprint is just fine). Focus on the ’fits you You don’t have to pick a vibe and
for the things you are drawn to and feel most confident in and don’t be stick with it for the rest of your
should get more of. This process swayed into buying entire capsule life. You can be anything! Grunge
will also help you realize you have wardrobes if you don’t love every one moment, minimalist the next,
more favorite outfits than you think. piece. So what if the majority of cottagecore the one after that.
people say a blazer is a nonnego-
2. Stop Letting Social Media tiable? Maybe you hate them and 6. Thrift!
Detour Your Direction you’d never wear one. So skip it!
It’s one of the most cost-conscious
Our digital lives are polluted with ways to refresh your look, not
5. Avoid Boxing Yourself In
VALENTINA VALDINOCI/LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT.

“link in bio.” I’m here to deinflu- to mention a great way to find all
ence you. Cut out the noise and When shopping, play dress-up. your playing-dress-up pieces
start your wish list by making mood For real! Try on absolutely in #5. Thrifting is also environmen-
boards on Pinterest with only the e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. Go out of your tally friendly. Plus, vintage items
images that inspire you most. comfort zone—get the vibrant are always more unique than
Shopping trends from the Insta- color, put on the print, slip into the stuff everyone else can buy in
gram Explore page is fine as long a wildly different silhouette. the moment online. And just like
as you truly love them and can This is how you’ll discover new that (sorry, had to), you have your
see yourself wearing them. Buying aesthetics that work...and some very own look.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 15
T H E ST Y L E I S S U E Love T h i s fo r Yo u

Tuxedo! 20

As long as I got my suit and tie—and

gloves, vests, and embellished heels—
yes, everything will be alright.

21

23

Here’s What It’s

22
Like to Be a Celeb
Stylist, BTW
Cosmo’s fashion
director Cassie Anderson
answers your Qs.

What Happens Before You Meet a Star?

Extensive research. I google and scroll
for hours to get a feel for their aesthetic.
I also consider any clothing campaigns
they’re currently under contract for. Next,
24 I pore through runway photos and call
design houses to borrow looks that go
with our overall style concept. And then
the clothes roll in.

What Are the Biggest

Misconceptions About Your Job?
There are perks and lots of glamour, but
BALMAIN

there is also a lot of manual labor and

very long hours. You’re schlepping, you’re
problem-solving, you’re constantly on
call. It’s not your red carpet moment—
it’s the celeb’s. But it *is* your vision, and
that’s amazing to bring to life.

Let ’s 25 Can You Share a Wild Story

n ot
skip
fo r m h e
t From One of Your Photo Shoots?
alitie
s.
A designer dress got stuck on cover talent.
Everything had fit fine, but when it was
time to take it off, the zipper malfunc-
tioned. We were in a time crunch to get
one last look and the sun was setting
fast, so...out came the scissors. We had to
20. Fe Noel shirt, $398, fenoel.com. 21. Self-Portrait minidress, $585, self-portrait.com.
cut it off. I’m crying just thinking about it!
22. Lelet NY bow, $188, leletny.com. 23. DISSH vest, $130, pants, $120, dissh.com. 24. Schutz
sandals, $158, schutz-shoes.com. 25. Karl Lagerfeld collar and tie, $119, karl.com.

16 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 26

Red!
Feeling fiery? Same. Time
to lean into spicy dresses
and bold accessories.

27
ALL PRODUCTS COURTESY OF BRANDS. OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM LEFT: DANIELE OBERRAUCH/LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT; LUKE DICKEY.

NENSI DOJAKA
THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: ISIDORE MONTAG/COURTESY OF NENSI DOJAKA; DANIELE OBERRAUCH/LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT.

e in
You’r rlet
s c a
your ow,
e ra n
.
t r u st

28 29
BOTTEGA VENETA

30

31

26. Simkhai gown, $875, simkhai.com. 27. Ganni cardigan, $475, ganni
.com. 28. Brandon Blackwood bag, $185, brandonblackwood.com.
29. 3.1 Phillip Lim card case, $295, 31philliplim.com. 30. Aliita necklace,
$790, aliita.com. 31. Kate Spade heels, $248, katespade.com.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 17
 IMPROVED SLEEP

BLUE LIGHT BLOCKING FRAMES

w o m e n s h e a l t h m a g .c o m /e ye w e a r
 T H E ST Y L E I S S U E I t ’s a W h o l e T h i n g

the trendsetting. (Pls refer to Miranda Priestly’s

How Trends Work 101 cerulean monologue from The Devil Wears
A primer—and why you Prada for more info.)
should care. The other major way trends sneak into the
BY R AC H E L TO RGE RSO N cultural zeitgeist is through consumer habits—as
in, what non-industry people are wearing on the
street. Before social media, this mostly happened
via word of mouth—you’d see and hear about
enough folks in a cer-
tain style and decide
Trends are you liked it too. Cue a
so much more ripple effect until a
accessible trend is born. That’s
bottom-up for ya.
now—and Nowadays,
they’re driven though, we have
by all of us. pages upon pages of
online fashion con-
tent to scroll through,
most of it showing regular people and what they
wear on the daily. Some of their outfits stem from
those top-down trends. But many are taking the
bottom-up route...and adding to it. The result is a
surge of new trend categories that pop off on
their own with little to no industry influence.
You guessed it: I’m talking about “cores.”
First, we got normcore, then cottagecore. Then
balletcore exploded. And now there’s Barbiecore,
mermaidcore...the list goes on (and, ahem, we
may have just invented a new one on page 94).
It’s always fun and surprising to see what ends
FROM LEFT: GETTY IMAGES; SARAH TREACHER/LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT; GETTY IMAGES.

Chances are, if you’re flipping through this Style up getting “core”d.

Issue (hi, thanks for being here), you’re interested in Core trends usually act in one of two ways:
fashion trends. And maybe kinda overwhelmed by They explode everywhere all at once to the
their sheer magnitude and volume. Fair, because point that people quickly get bored and move
it has felt like a lot lately, even for me, Cosmo’s on or they have wildly long life spans, in part
fashion features and lifestyle director. This is mostly because designers take note and work them into
because the way trends happen is shifting, becom- their future collections, melding top-down and
ing a lot more democratic. bottom-up. See: the enduring royalcore (aka
Allow me to set the scene: Historically, the top- Bridgerton vibes) and campy vacationcore.
down system has dominated. By this, I mean The good news for everyone is that, thanks
designers create new looks and show their collec- to new technology and the internet, trends in
tions during official fashion weeks around the general are so much more accessible than
world. Then people like me analyze and interpret they’ve ever been. This whole what’s-in-style
them so you can decide if you want to try them for thing is getting a reboot, and everyday people’s
yourself. In this model, the fashion industry does POVs have become too popular to ignore.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 21
T H E ST Y L E I S S U E Love T h i s fo r Yo u

Objet d’Art!
Why not keep things visually arresting this season
and turn yourself into a walking masterpiece?

JIL SANDER
33

32

ALL PRODUCTS COURTESY OF BRANDS. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: ARMANDO GRILLO/LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/
34

35

SPOTLIGHT; LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT; PAOLO LANZI/LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT.

DIESEL

Bigg
e
is be r
t te r
with
th
FEBEN

one t is
oo.

32. Jean Paul Gaultier dress, $496, net-a-porter.com. 33. Miræ Paris dress, $450, miraeparis.com.
34. Rejina Pyo jacket, $850, rejinapyo.com. 35. Miaou dress, $265, miaou.com. 36. Cannari-Concept
top, similar styles at cannariconcept.com.
36

22
E X P E R I E N C E B A R B A D O S W I T H S A N D A L S® R E S O R T S

B A J A N

E F F O R T L E S S LY C H I C , N AT U R A L LY R O M A N T I C

To be Bajan is to have a distinctive vibe, much like the name those native
to Barbados use to define themselves—and Sandals Resorts. It’s cultured.
Cosmopolitan. Playful. And best of all, Sandals offers two exclusive all-inclusive
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T H E ST Y L E I S S U E The Up and Up

These Are the Designers You’re About to See Everywhere

The new(ish) kids on the block are helping reshape fashion. B Y TA R A H - LY N N S A I N T- E L I E N

Colin LoCascio anOnlyChild Elena Velez Melitta B aumeister

@ColinLoCascio @AnOnlyChild @ElenaVelez @MelittaBaumeister

The gown he made If it’s mesh and net- Elena Velez is a If you wanted to take
Iris Apatow for ting you want, you’ll master of metal- the whole “fashion
the 2023 Vanity Fair find both in Maxwell work, ragged hems, is an artform” literally,
Oscar Party went Osborne’s pieces. and intentional nip you’d land at Melitta
viral, but before that, His anOnlyChild slips—all elements Baumeister. The
LoCascio was one menswear and wom- that put her designs German-born design-
of the first designers enswear lines are all firmly in the “cha- er’s cool, exaggerated,
to dress Cardi B. about creativity and otic good” category. sculptural silhouettes
You can count on freedom, playful The line’s overall are larger than life in
the Queens-based vibes with grown-up real and raw mood the best way possible.
creative for wild taste. The items are mirrors Velez’s own She pushes the bound-
prints, flower details, made with scraps as she often shares aries of what people
and textures that and deadstock fab- what it’s like to be can wear on a daily
say “come touch me” rics, proving that it a working-class basis, making her fans
(with permission, is truly possible to Puerto Rican Ameri- feel like they can take
obvi). make something can designer hailing up space while feeling
chic out of nothing. from the Midwest. bold as hell.

24 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
ALL PRODUCTS COURTESY OF BRANDS. OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM LEFT: COURTESY OF COLIN LOCASCIO (2); COURTESY OF ANONLYCHILD (2); COURTESY OF ELENA VELEZ; LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT;
GETTY IMAGES; COURTESY OF MELITTA BAUMEISTER; COURTESY OF S.S.DALEY; GETTY IMAGES; SALVATORE DRAGONE/LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT; LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT (2).

KIM SHUI
S.S.DALEY
@SS_Daley
ACNE STUDIOS

Lace-Up!
Loops, criss-crosses, knots, bows— 37
style is all tied up this season.

Little
38 corse trendy
ove r t s f o r a l l
yo u r
basic body,
ally.

Harry Styles has

ACNE STUDIOS

worn S.S.DALEY,
which essentially 40
means you should
too. The fact also
has to be pretty vali-
dating for London-
based designer
Steven Stokey-
Daley. His brand’s
clothing is inspired
by the historical
looks of Britain’s
upper class—with a
39 41
little novelty thrown
in. Duck motif cardi-
gans, anyone?
37. Maje dress, $385, us.maje.com. 38. Kernemilk top, $249, kernemilk.com. 39. Madamette purse,
$250, shopbop.com. 40. Cider skirt, $20, shopcider.com. 41. Aeyde boots, $599, aeyde.com.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 25
 Your TV Misses You New Crush Alert
Page 28 Page 36
Happy 20th, Bb!
Page 32

Lessons in
Chemistry
October 13,
Apple TV+

Book clubs every-

where will be
thrilled to see
this 2022 best-
seller become
a series. Brie
Larson plays a
scientist in the
’50s and ’60s
who has to host
a cooking show
instead of follow-
ing her dreams.
The Oscar
winner’s per-
formance is so
good—prepare to
laugh and cry.
Time to Reset Your
COURTESY OF APPLE TV+.

Must-Watch Calendar
Making the most of your parents’ streaming accounts.
B Y TA M A R A F U E N T E S

26 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 Psst: We have a
new podcast,
and we think you’re
going to love it.
d io
au

it
ed

Introducing Confessions by Cosmopolitan,

full of your juicy, real-life dilemmas and our actually
doable expert-backed advice.

Toxic in-laws? Coworker crushes? Major friend drama?

Sex that’s just...fine? Join us each week as we solve it all for you.

Scan here
to start
listening*

*You can tell us a secret here, too, if you’re so inclined.

PHOTOGR APH S BY
MIKEY ASANIN
ST YLE D BY CAS S I E
ANDERSON
This interview was
conducted before the
SAG-AFTRA strike.
Diesel jacket, shorts, and
boots. De Beers pendant
necklace and signet ring.
NAME: Caleb McLaughlin AGE: 21 SIGN: Libra MAIN GIG: Actor
It’s possible (probable) that
Caleb McLaughlin has been on
your mind for a while now. Ever
since 2016, to be exact, when he
debuted as 12-year-old Lucas
Sinclair on Stranger Things. But
now he wants you to know that
he’s a capital-G grown-up,
tackling big adult roles—like the
kind that involve growing a
full-on beard—in the upcoming
film The Book of Clarence…and
posing shirtless in Cosmo.
Welcome to Caleb’s new
era. Based on these pics, you’re
going to like it here.
“ I’m adventurous.
Like, if it’s 2 a.m.,
I ’ l l b e l i k e , ‘ H e y,
want to go jump in
the lake?’”
 Dsquared2 pants, boots,
and belt. Cartier necklace
and ring. Gucci bracelet.
Hair: Reggae. Makeup:
Nicole King. Manicure:
Frances Lang.
 Get Lit

COURTESY OF DEL REY; COURTESY OF WILLIAM MORROW; COURTESY OF NETFLIX; HARIS NUKEM, DESIGNED
CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: COURTESY OF ABRAMS IMAGE; COURTESY OF AMAZON PUBLISHING;
THE LIST
by Yomi Adegoke
October 3

BY STUDIO MOROSS; COURTESY OF HULU; COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES.

This novel asks: What if
your fiancé was called
out as an abuser online? One Piece Tension, The Other
Now streaming, Netflix by Kylie Minogue Black Girl
September 22 September 13, Hulu
Fun fact: The manga
series this is based on Everyone’s heart went This book adaptation
outsold Harry Potter last “Padam Padam” when doesn’t shy away
year, so expectations the Aussie icon released from hard truths in the
are high. The show the first single off her publishing industry.
SWORD CATCHER delivers with a pirate 16th album—and the When Nella discovers
by Cassandra Clare crew, led by captain rest of the record is a another Black woman
October 10 Monkey D. Luffy, on reminder why she’s still was hired at her office,
the journey to find the a star. Returning to her she gets excited about
Another riveting fantasy by
the Shadowhunters series One Piece, a treasure electro-pop roots, Kylie having a friend who
writer that transports you that will grant Luffy the doesn’t reinvent herself knows what it’s like.
to a dazzling (and title King of the Pirates. but evolves into a new But as secrets come
dangerous) new world. The fast-paced vibe is, out, she’ll have to
kind of artist, bringing
simply put, “adventures.” all her skills together decide what her job is
to create the dream really worth.
club playlist.

LIES AND OTHER

LOVE LANGUAGES
by Sonali Dev
September 26
A book that will have
readers rethinking what
Five Nights at
they know about family, Freddy’s
friends, and, yes, love. October 27,
Theaters/Peacock
The beloved video
game is finally coming
to the big screen, and
it’s even spookier
than the original. Josh
Hutcherson plays a
BLACK security guard hired
FRIEND: ESSAYS to watch over an
by Ziwe
abandoned pizza
October 17
restaurant where
The acclaimed comedian killer animatronics
fills the void left by her
are trying to take his
canceled-too-soon talk
show with personal daughter. It’s a kickoff
stories and pop-culture to the Hutchaissance
commentary. (yes, it’s a thing)
Hunger Games fans
have been waiting for.

28 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
P O P C U LT E xc u s e s to Sta y I n

Aristotle and Dante Discover

the Secrets of the Universe
September 8, Theaters

This movie
takes The Perks of
Being a Wallflower’s
coming-of-age road
Killers of the
map and improves
on it in every way.
FROM TOP: COURTESY OF BLUE FOX ENTERTAINMENT; COURTESY OF APPLE TV+.

Flower Moon
October 6, Theaters
Incredible starring
The names DiCaprio
and De Niro are the debuts from Max
reasons to buy tickets,
but it’s Lily Gladstone’s
Pelayo and Reese
breakout performance
that’ll inspire a rewatch
Gonzales anchor a
and an awards
campaign. Did we
deeply compelling
mention that Martin
Scorsese directs?
story that tackles
The tense crime thriller, machismo, sexuality,
based on the 1920s
murders of the Osage and Latinx Ameri-
people, might be his
best work yet.
can identity.
30 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
UPGRADE
DINNER WITH
STOUFFER’S
SIDES.
Remember
That Time
Lindsay
Lohan
Was in a
Band?
To create the iconic one in Freaky
Friday, she had rehearsals three
times a week. But the movie—and
music—as we know it almost didn’t
happen. On its 20th (!) anniversary,
the cast and crew detail how the
generation-defining film got made.
BY I L ANA K APL AN

Lindsay and Christina Vidal as

bandmates Anna and Maddie.

s it just us, or is the foundational text Plus, the band, more than any other part of the movie, pretty
I that is Freaky Friday—and more impor-
tantly, Pink Slip, the pop-rock band at its
much launched Lindsay into our hearts and minds. Sure, she’d
already played a precocious set of twins in The Parent Trap,
center—suddenly everywhere again? endearing herself to little-kid fans. But as Freaky Friday’s Anna
TikTok is just one big Pink Slip mood board: Coleman, she became the cool older sister to those same fans—
the plaid pants, the grommet belts, the and a hyper-relatable star to an entire generation of women
chunky hair highlights. Major artists like dealing with their own adolescent rage. Now, Lindsay is suddenly
Olivia Rodrigo blatantly channel Pink Slip’s angst; indie musicians everywhere you look again too (including *cough cough humble
MUNA even covered a Pink Slip song last year. brag* on the cover of this very magazine a few issues ago), bringing
Honestly, it’s not hard to see why. The songs, moody but upbeat this whole thing full circle.
numbers like “Take Me Away” and “Ultimate” (actually sung and So, yeah, why wouldn’t we dive back into this seminal moment
recorded by Lindsay and fellow actors Christina Vidal and Haley in pop culture history, via interviews with many of Freaky Friday’s
Hudson), perfectly captured what it felt like to be a teenager with a cast and crew (all conducted before the SAG-AFTRA and WGA
lot of feelings in the early aughts. They also still feel shockingly strikes started)? Please enjoy this wild 20th-anniversary ride
relevant today, especially for a generation that’s long since moved through the surprisingly juicy makings of a classic, while belting
into adulthood and very much gets the struggle of doing the “same out the lyrics to “Take Me Away” at the top of your lungs in as
old stuff” every single day. nasally a voice as possible.

32 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 P O P C U LT C o s m o Rew i n d

“We were
full of
Before anyone
could step into the
emotions LIROFF: Haley Hudson had a Winona Ryder vibe. She was quiet and some-
what shy, but there was a lot going on under the surface. She fit in quite nicely
recording studio, and with the group I was assembling.
the producers had
to find an Anna, anger.” The band needed to feel rebellious, so the movie’s music team looked to
and they needed early aughts pop-punk for inspiration. To help the members of Pink Slip
so m e o n e who get into character, music supervisor Lisa Brown enlisted an unexpected
could act and sing—the rest of the cast choice as a guitar consultant, and the sound—edgy and fun—developed
hinged on it. Lindsay auditioned in 2002 from there.
and...almost didn’t get the part.
LISA BROWN (MUSIC SUPERVISOR): We had band practice three times a
MARCI LIROFF (CASTING DIRECTOR): I kept week for six weeks leading up to the shoot. It was with Lindsay, Haley, and
bringing her up, but I remember every- Christina. I brought on Amir Derakh, the guitar player for the death-pop band
one in the room said “no” to Lindsay Orgy, to be the guitar consultant.
because Disney had already made Parent
WATERS: Lindsay was fully committed. She never missed a rehearsal, never
Trap with her. We saw Mischa Barton,
missed a band practice.
Kristen Stewart, Mae Whitman, Evan
Rachel Wood, Brie Larson, Emmy Rossum, VIDAL: When we were recording “Take Me Away,” I was singing very soul-
Kristen Bell, Shiri Appleby, and Danielle fully. The director was like, “Can you try to say it more nasally and staccato?”
Panabaker. That’s where the “on and on and on” voice came out. I was like, “This sounds
horrible.” But it ended up being so huge and popular. Obviously, I was wrong.
HEATHER HACH (SCREENWRITER): I know
that Madonna really wanted to play Tess,
Of all the bangers to come from the movie (which, collectively, have
the mom.
more than 24 million streams on Spotify), “Take Me Away” became a
ANDREW GUNN (PRODUCER): The cast was
going to be Annette Bening and Michelle
Trachtenberg, and then we couldn’t work
out a schedule with Michelle and Buffy the
Vampire Slayer.
MARC WATERS (DIRECTOR): Lindsay was
not one of the better reads we saw. But
she had this compelling thing. Like, “Oh,
god, this woman is watchable.”
OPPOSITE PAGE AND THIS PAGE: COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY CO./EVERETT COLLECTION.

tioned for band members.

it, so I suggested her again.

was at least a month before I

even heard anything. Out of
the blue, they called me and Left: Jamie Lee Curtis as Anna’s mom Tess. Above:
said I booked it. Haley Hudson as Peg, Lindsay, and Christina.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 33
P O P C U LT C o s m o Rew i n d

runaway hit, but its history is compli-

cated. An Australian band called
Lash had written the single in 2000,
so the version in the movie is actually
a cover, which most fans never knew.
To this day, it’s a bit of a sore spot.
BELINDA-LEE REID (VOCALIST AND
GUITARIST, LASH): “Take Me Away”
was a song we wrote for our very first
professional recording for our first
album.
JACLYN PEARSON, PHD (DRUMMER,
LASH): That song was a real product
of the time. We were full of emotions
and anger, and that same old shit
never ends.
MITCHELL LEIB (EXECUTIVE IN CHARGE
Lisa Brown
O F M U S I C, D I S N E Y ) :
got pitched that song from Lash’s
publisher. We wanted to license it,
rerecord it, and have Christina sing it
as the movie song.
PEARSON: One day, our management
said, “You are going to have a song in
a major picture with Disney.” We were
told that our song was going to be in
the movie, but it wasn’t going to be
performed by us.
LEIB: The band wanted us to use their
version. And we were like, “You have
to understand why we can’t use your
version. We’re doing it as a movie
band.” It took a negotiation that finally
resulted in us getting a synchronization
license to rerecord it.
REID: Our names are on the credits for “Take Me Away” at the end of the VIDAL: There was a famous singer who
movie, and that’s it. As far as I can tell, we never saw payment other than posted me performing in Freaky Friday
mechanical royalties [fees from when a song is reproduced]. It was upsetting and said she was, like, in love with me
for people to think the song was by the cover artist and not us. when she was a kid. My niece sent it to
me, “Oh my god, Titi, do you know what
this means?”
Still, Pink Slip fans became obsessed. Like,
go out and buy a physical copy and upload REID: We looked up MUNA and saw that
it to your first-generation iPod obsessed. they played their cover of “Take Me Away”
COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY CO./EVERETT COLLECTION.

Two decades later, people still tell the to a sold-out show in L.A.! It made me cry.
movie’s creators how much the music meant
PEARSON: We contacted our record label
to them.
because we heard there might be a
VIDAL: Maddie was before her time. I’ve had sequel. We’ve got this whole back cata-
so many young women, not just Hispanic girls, log. Maybe they could use another song
that are like, “You’re the reason I got into this for the film.
and why I wanted to do music and act.”
GUNN: We got a draft of a script for the
HACH: You take out the band element and I sequel right before the writers’ strike, and
don’t think Freaky Friday would be as popular it was really good. A writer came up with
as it is. It didn’t feel like a derpy Disney movie. the most brilliant idea. It uses music and
The music was actually really good. the band in a great way.

34 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
#FloraFantasy
The New Eau de Parfum
#FloraFantasy
 LUXURY HAS ARRIVED IN
THE YOGURT AISLE.

Haagendazsculturedcreme.com

TRAVEL LIKE AN EDITOR

LET'S GET COZY

Cosmopolitan.com/cosmoliving
 P O P C U LT Fr i d a y N i g ht P h o n e C a l l

“I feel like I’m It’s pretty decent

quality! By that I
never quite mean it hasn’t been
wearing the destroyed and it
right thing.” doesn’t feel like shit.
Is this your typical
cozy outfit?
I’m rarely cozy. I feel like I’m never quite wear-
ing the right thing in terms of comfort. I got
a robe because I thought I was going to be a
robe person, but turns out I’m not. It’s a lot of
adjusting and fidgeting.
Yeah, like you feel like the Michelin Man
when you wear one. What about your
pajama game?
I don’t like wearing anything when I go to bed.
I don’t want more stuff. I don’t want something
else to keep track of.
Pajamas are sort of an inconvenience.
Okay, on to dating. When someone is
coming over for a night in, what’s your
routine?
I am certainly not cooking. That goes hand in

Julio Torres Is hand with my fear of fire.

Does that fear include candles?

Calling... Yes. I am not a candle person.

Right, so no candles to set the mood, and
you’re not cooking, which means you are...?
I’m probably watching something trying to see
what the person’s taste is, what their inter-
ests are. I actually find joy in coming up with
something someone would enjoy watching.
Will you make the selection before your
special someone comes over?
I’ll have a short list and then maybe we’ll
watch trailers.

TORRES: KYLE DOROSZ. PROBLEMISTA: COURTESY OF A24.

...and he’s here to preach the gospel of wearing Do you have a go-to genre?

absolutely nothing to bed. I try to make myself into their algorithm and
be like, “Okay, if you’ve liked this, you might
B Y E M M A B AT Y
enjoy this.”
When was the last time you absolutely
nailed the recommendation?
ulio Torres is many, many fabulous things: a writer (formerly of SNL),

J a show cocreator (his comedy Los Espookys aired for two seasons
on HBO Max), and an actor/director (we are literally counting down
until his upcoming movie Problemista gets a release date). Techni-
We watched the movie Victoria and it was a
hit. So I’m very happy.
Remind me to text you the next time I need
cally speaking, those are the reasons we picked him for this column, a date night rec.
in which we conduct a cheeky after-hours interview with a celebrity. But the actual
reason is that he’s a really fucking hilarious person, and we suspected he’d answer
our Qs with borderline-shocking honesty. Friends, we’re elated to report he did just
that when we spoke a few weeks before the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Let’s start with something intimate: What are you wearing right now?
HIS NEXT THING
Some black shorts and a T-shirt. If the shirt was made for a wedding, is it called Problemista is Julio’s direc-
merch? I like the fit of it. torial debut. He plays a toy
designer trying to get his work
I’m sure the couple would be thrilled to hear that, because after the wedding visa renewed.
in question, those things rarely see the light of day.

36 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 You’re the Expert Now A FYP Saga
Page 39 Page 48
It’s About Damn Time Let’s Dance!
Page 46 Page 52

th e look

MANICURE: SHIRLEY CHENG AT SEE MANAGEMENT FOR CHANEL. PROP STYLING: JOJO LI FOR HELLO ARTISTS. ALL PRODUCTS COURTESY OF BRANDS.

What do you get when

thousands of Cosmo readers cast
nearly 7 million votes for their
These Beauty Awards Are absolute favorite skin, hair, and
makeup products? This epic list.
(Literally) All About You BY L AU RE N BAL SAMO
PHOTOGR APH S BY JOE LI NGE MAN

38
 BEST HYDRATING
SHAMPOO
A winning choice for
nearly all hair types and
textures, from fine and
straight to thick and curly.
”It is affordable yet high
quality and smells delicious,”
gushed one of you.
TRESemmé Rich Moisture Sham-
poo, $6 for 28 oz., drugstores

BEST HYDRATING
CONDITIONER
Your Olaplex obsession is
very real: “Anything from
Olaplex I love—it saved and
transformed my hair” and
“it makes my hair so soft
and silky” are only two of
many, many notes we got.
Olaplex Nº.5 Bond Maintenance
Conditioner, $30 for 8.5 oz.,
sephora.com

BEST CURL DEFINER

Your must-have for

curls with bounce,
shine, and definition.
Bread Beauty Supply Hair-Cream,
$28 for 8.4 oz., sephora.com

BEST COLOR-SAFE
SHAMPOO
You spend time and
money at the salon, so
why wouldn’t you preserve
your dye job with this
BEST LIPSTICK
sulfate-free shampoo
from your “go-to beauty
brand” Color Wow? “I love MAC lipsticks because of the
Color Wow Color Security Sham-
poo, $24 for 8.4 oz., sephora.com wide shade range and amazing
texture.” You said it and honestly,
BEST COLOR-SAFE
CONDITIONER we couldn’t agree more.
“Kérastase for the win!” MAC Cosmetics Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo, $23, maccosmetics.com
and “Kérastase all the
way” were among your
refrains about this color-
protecting conditioner. BEST MASCARA BEST LASH-
Kérastase Chroma Absolu Hundreds of you crowned ENHANCING
Fondant Cica Chroma, $46 this gem your all-time SERUM
for 6.8 oz., sephora.com
favorite. “It makes my lashes Your secret weapon
so full and gorgeous,” for making natural
BEST DRY SHAMPOO one reply read. Another lashes look like
It made its debut in the ’70s voter confessed “living for extensions and feel
and you—and our entire this CoverGirl mascara.” super strong and
beauty team, FWIW—are Just guessing, but it’s proba- healthy. “I use this for
still obsessed. “I swear bly because the iconic longer, fuller lashes
by this dry shampoo—it’s formula lengthens, thickens, that curl as they grow,”
the best on the market,” and defines lashes in one of you explained.
one of you wrote. just a few quick coats. RevitaLash Advanced
Batiste Original Dry Shampoo, CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Eyelash Conditioner, $152
$13 for 8.47 oz., drugstores Mascara, $9, amazon.com for 3.5 mL, amazon.com

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 39
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BEST LIP BALM

Pretty much your
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said another.
Vaseline Lip Therapy
Rosy Lips, $2, target.com

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SUNSCREEN
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Cocokind Silk SPF, $25,
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“Super hydrating,”
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BEST FACE WASH

Another repeat winner
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BEST LIP GLOSS loved by you...and
just about every derm
TikTokers aren’t the only ones obsessed we’ve ever interviewed.
“It gives you soft and
with this viral sensation: “The Dior lip oil is to smooth skin” was a
reply. So was “it makes
die for! I always get compliments when me feel so refreshed.”
I wear it” was just one enthusiast’s response. CeraVe Hydrating Facial
Cleanser, $15.50 for 12 oz.,
Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil in Pink, $40, dior.com drugstores

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 43
T H E LO O K B e s t of t h e B e s t

BEST HAND CREAM

Behold: Your chicest

solution for dry
hands because “it is
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and smells amazing.”
Chanel La Crème Main Texture Riche,
$55, chanel.com

BEST RETINOL
“I love Olay’s retinol—
it keeps my face moistur-
ized, smooth, and
bright,” said a big fan.
“My skin wouldn’t be
the same without this,”
wrote another.
Olay Regenerist Retinol24 +
Peptide Night Face
Moisturizer, $30, drugstores

BEST HALL-OF-FAME
PRODUCT
There’s no better beauty
multitasker than
Aquaphor. “It is a
godsend, not just for lips
but for anywhere on my
skin that’s feeling sad
and sensitive,” read one
of your reviews.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment,
$13 for 7 oz., amazon.com

BEST SPLURGE TOOL

Dyson’s new version of
the iconic Airwrap is
pricey, but many of you
agree it’s worth every
dollar. “This is an
amazing hair tool—a
must-buy,” one of you
BEST SKIN BEST FACE
shared. More praise:
BRIGHTENER MOISTURIZER
“Dyson knows hair—
Treating active breakouts We are 100 percent
that’s all I have to say.”
and the dark scars and aligned with this glowing
Dyson Airwrap Multi-
marks they leave behind review: “I love, love, love Styler Complete Long,
at the same time can be this moisturizer. I use it $600, dyson.com
tricky, but this lightweight every day in the morning,
lotion gets the job done. and it feels so good on
BEST OVERALL STEAL
“This stuff is amazing—it my skin and doesn’t This drugstore founda-
cleared my acne and break me out either. It’s tion performs just as
brightened my complex- really one of the best.” well—maybe even
ion,” one of you wrote. La Roche-Posay Toleriane better—than prestige
SkinCeuticals Phyto A+ Double Repair Face
Brightening Treatment, $110, Moisturizer, $22 for 3.38 oz.,
options that are quite
skinceuticals.com laroche-posay.us literally five or six times
the price. “It creates a
flawless base,” wrote
one of you, adding, “it is
so affordable and does
SO Y See and shop the entire list— its job way too well.”
MAN y’all chose 62 more best-ever
! Maybelline New York
M ORE products—right here: Fit Me Dewy + Smooth
Foundation, $10, drugstores

44 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
no digital
distortion

new

Let’s Change Beauty

T H E LO O K Yo u r s . M i n e . O u r s .

Hey, Have You L

ike any good journalist, I often
find myself down rabbit holes. I’ve
been known to relish deep dives
into stuff like K-beauty trends,

Heard of Clean hair growth supplement studies,

and LED light therapy. But the research spiral
I’m currently stuck in is a little more confus-

Beauty Justice? ing—and a lot more frustrating. Despite clean

beauty being the buzziest thing in our industry,
there’s no standard definition of or regulation
around what “clean” even means (or “natural” or
“green,” for that matter). And while I’m here for
the promise of healthier personal care, it seems
that promise is not here for me.
Julee Wilson. The truth is that, so far, the clean beauty
movement seems to have largely left out Black
and brown consumers. This is a big problem
because certain products marketed to people of
color—things like chemical relaxers for textured
hair and lighteners for hyperpigmented skin—
already contain more potentially harmful ingre-
dients than those marketed to white people. That
likely contributes to Black women having higher
levels of certain phthalates and parabens in our
bodies. These are the kinds of hormone-disrupt-
ing compounds that can lead to fibroids and
fertility issues (both of which, perhaps unsurpris-
ingly, disproportionately affect Black women).
Don’t we deserve to see more of our prod-
ucts get nontoxic makeovers? At
the very least, we should have a
larger selection of “clean” options.
It shouldn’t be on us to have to
DIY our own formulas or cross-
check every product label
against a list of hazardous chemi-
cals. (Reminder: There are also
plenty of “good” chemicals in
beauty products that you don’t
have to avoid!)

ALL PRODUCTS COURTESY OF BRANDS. FROM TOP: COURTESY OF JULEE WILSON; GETTY IMAGES (3).
Luckily, I’m not the only one
worried about this type of envi-
ronmental racism. The Environmental Defense
Fund (the powerhouse nonprofit known for
fighting things like climate change) recently
launched the Clean Beauty Justice initiative. It
lays out a clear road map for beauty companies
to follow so they can incorporate real equity into
their product-safety efforts.
I sincerely hope more brands step up and
embrace this process ASAP. In the meantime,
I’ll remain down this rabbit hole—and keep y’all
posted on the healthier picks I discover, starting
with the ones to the left.

1. Bolden Awake Under-Eye Patch, $24.50, boldenusa.com.

2. Versed Total Package Replenishing Body Lotion Mineral
SPF 30, $20, versedskin.com. 3. Bioeffect EGF Power Serum,
$219, bioeffect.com. 4. Tata Harper Lip Crème in Juicy, $42,
tataharperskincare.com. 5. Kjaer Weis Cream Bronzer
Iconic Edition in Delight, $56, kjaerweis.com. 6. Klur Gentle
Matter Daily Moisture Cleanser, $40, klur.co. 7. Fable &
Mane MahaMane Detangling Leave-In Conditioner, $30,
sephora.com. 8. Costa Brazil Kaya Jungle Firming Body Oil,
$98 for 100 mL, bluemercury.com.

46 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
IRRESISTIBLY RICH & CREAMY CAN’T CANCEL COMFORT
HELLMANN’S MAYONNAISE

Skechers.com

Hellmanns.com

NOW OPEN: SANDALS DUNN'S RIVER

LOOK FOR IT!

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T H E LO O K Pe r s p e c t i ve

My TikTok
Fame Is the Best—
and Worst—
I
love beauty. I love filming.
I love entertaining people.
It’s who I am. And who my
fans have come to expect.
They’ve been tuning in to my
beauty reviews and trans-
formation videos since 2020. They’ve
watched me meet Selena Gomez (!) and
Rihanna (!!), collaborate with beauty
brands like Glow Recipe, and even create
a lip kit with e.l.f. What they haven’t seen
is my mental health rapidly deteriorate,
to the point where I had to seriously
rethink my entire career.
Of course, I always knew there were
dangers to working in social media.
When I was a teenager, I used Instagram
to fuel an eating disorder and body
dysmorphia. As an adult, I thought
TikTok—with its emphasis on real
people doing real things—would be
different. I used the platform to create
my brand, which is essentially me being
a straight shooter, giving out no-BS
beauty info and advice. Even so, I quickly
realized my job is not normal.
It’s not normal to stare at your own
face for hours and hours every day. It’s
not normal to talk to no one but an
onscreen version of yourself all week
long. It’s not normal to have what you
say be picked apart by millions of
people—to be celebrated by some for
your authenticity and criticized by
others for being yourself. It’s definitely
not normal to watch strangers urge you
to “lose weight” or “get a nose job” or to
see the internet question your charac-
ter or private life. (Cut to me defending
myself from doubters who accused me of
having my wedding sponsored. It wasn’t.)
The thing is, for years, I’ve worried
that speaking publicly about this stuff

Thing to Ever
ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF MIKAYLA NOGUEIRA.

would make me appear ungrateful. I’m

super aware of all the privilege I have—
and I appreciate it, deeply. But my

Happen to Me constant battle with anxiety and depres-

sion was nearly eating me alive. Bottling
up these feelings didn’t help, and about
Nearly 15 million TikTok followers: six months ago, I
amazing! The mental health struggles FIND HER ON felt like I hit rock
TikTok @Mikayla bottom. I contem-
that came with them: not so much. Nogueira and
plated quitting,
Instagram
B Y M I K AY L A N O G U E I R A AS TOLD TO KI RB I E JOH N SON @MikaylaJMakeup but that only made

48 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
Reach out to a friend about
their mental health.
Find more ways to help at SeizeTheAwkward.org
T H E LO O K Pe r s p e c t i ve

My Must-
Haves
The skincare
me sadder. That’s when I realized I didn’t and makeup
want to give it all up—I just needed to finds I swear by.
change the way I work.
Over the past six months, my top THIS CLARIFYING
priority has been to learn how to do my CLEANSER
job while also being happy, starting with “I use this in the morn-
a mindset shift. I now consider myself to ing in the shower and
be someone who uses social media, not before bed at night.
It feels so refreshing,
someone who consumes social media.
calming, and cooling on
There’s a big difference. I post, respond my face—plus, it helps
to comments, and put my phone away— with minimizing break-
od
that’s it. The majority of my screen time a go outs and blackheads.”
I l ove y - s te p
hours are working hours, not full of -b
s te p ns - Rael Miracle Clear Exfoliating
e a u ty tra . Cleanser, $12, getrael.com
mindlessly scrolling or endlessly watch- b ation
fo r m
ing Stories. I don’t have Twitter or Snap- THIS GLOW-
chat, and I don’t go on YouTube at all. BOOSTING
Being more present in my real life has SUNSCREEN
made a huge difference for my mental “I love that this SPF both
protects from the sun
well-being. When I’m done with work,
and has a little bit
I cook dinner with my husband, go for of tint to even out my
a walk, put on a skin. Sunscreen is just
movie, and just live really good for skin in
my life. general. I find that it
It’s not always
My top priority: helps with texture
easy, and I still learning how and breakouts too.”
Bliss Block Star Daily Mineral
cry some days, to do my job SPF 30, $25, ulta.com
but with the help
of my family and
while *also* THIS MOISTURIZING
friends and other being happy. LIP MASK
“I cannot live without
creators who’ve a lip mask, and this
go n e t h ro u g h twist-up version is one
similar struggles, I’m learning to focus of my favorites. I put it
on big-picture things, like the commu- on every single night
nity I’ve built or the lives I’ve impacted before bed so my lips
by telling my truth. There’s an ongoing are always hydrated.”
Fenty Skin Plush Puddin’
mental health crisis in this country, and Intense Recovery Lip Mask,
even though I don’t consider myself to be $22, sephora.com
a role model, I want to use my platform
THIS JUICY LIP OIL
to be a resource—not only for makeup
“These come in a ton
and beauty but for people’s well-being. of shades, and they’re
Ultimately, I hope the ups and downs of so comfortable on
my journey inspire people to keep push- my lips. I like the
ing, to get through hard times. applicator too! I love
Recently, at a meet and greet in one of the pink shades—
Boston, a girl came up to me: She was it’s super pretty.”
NYX Professional Makeup
crying so much that she couldn’t even Fat Oil Lip Drip in
talk. Later, at the end of the event, her Missed Call, $9, ulta.com
dad found me and said, “Mikayla, I just
THIS ROSY BLUSH
want you to know that you saved my
“I love how these
ALL PRODUCTS COURTESY OF BRANDS.

daughter’s life. I want to thank you for blushes make my

that.” I was overwhelmed. And more cheeks look. The shade
convinced than ever that speaking up range is massive—I
about mental health is the right thing— use Blush Lily—and the
not just for me but for all of us—to do. finish is so beautiful.
It’s a satin texture that
blends so easily.”
MIKAYLA NOGUEIRA is a Massachusetts-based content
Juvia’s Place Blushed Liq-
creator and makeup artist with more than 17 million uid Blush in Blush Lily, $18,
followers across her social media platforms. ulta.com

50 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 Let's Make Things Exclusive

Cosmopolitan
Unlocked
Consider this your formal invitation to join our membership program.
access to all
Cosmopolitan.com
content, plus
exclusive bonus stories

We know what you’re thinking—you already have a gazillion

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T H E LO O K Love T h i s fo r Yo u

Balletcore… The secret

but This Time, to baby

bows
that stick:

It’s for Beauty double-

sided tape.

And honestly, isn’t our moment even more chic?

BY B ETH GI LLETTE
1

Bows
1 and Buns
Your hair bows should
be small and pale pink or
classic black. How many
s n ot
you choose is entirely up Tutu ed
u ir
req
to you, although an extra h e avily
but ed.
moment (like the one from urag
Sandy Liang, above) is never enco
a bad idea. Buns should
be sleek, so pin back any
layers with a barrette.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: STOLEN BESOS @STOLENBESOS; ALESSANDRO VIERO/LAUNCHMETRICS.COM/SPOTLIGHT; COURTESY OF PATRICK TA; MELANIE GRAVES
Low-Key

@OVERGLOWEDIT; ALEXIS CUAREZMA. BALLERINAS, FROM LEFT: KATHERINE BARKMAN; SASHA MUKHAMEDOV. ALL PRODUCTS COURTESY OF BRANDS.
2 Manis
Start with a simple base
(think soft pink or creamy
white) and add delicate
details. Two stunning options:
dainty pearl accents
or a shimmery top coat
that subtly catches
the light as you move.

2
Flushed
3 Cheeks
And now for the opposite of
low-key: Use a brush with Why stop at
densely packed bristles to swirl cheeks? Dust
a hefty layer of powder blush that blush
on the apples of your cheeks, across your lids
then sweep the color up along and nose too.
your cheekbones toward your
brows for a very visible glow. 3

YOUR 1. 2. 3.

CENTER A HAIR BOW A SOFT POLISH A R O SY B LU S H

STAGE Lelet NY JinSoon Nail Lacquer L’Oréal Paris

STARTER KIT Kate Bow in in Dolly Pink, $18, jin Infallible Blush
Black Velvet, soon.com; Sundays in Confident
No years of $68, leletny Nail Polish in No. 07, Pink, $16, ulta
practice needed. .com $18, dearsundays.com .com

52 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
G E T YO U R S H * T
TOGETHER

C O S M O P O L I TA N . C O M / C O S M O L I V I N G
 Taylor Swift Was Right
Page 56
A Formal Invitation Bed Sex Who?
Page 55 Page 58

l ove s t u f f
B
DS
M for
MARIEMUR
bra, $259,
panties, $239,
latex gloves,
$119, mariemur
.com

Beginners
We’ve got you
(un)covered.
BY VE RON ICA LOPEZ AN D
L AY N I E R O U C H

54 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 LOV E ST U F F Playthings

If everything you know about this brand of kink comes from suggests taking a workshop, following a reputable Instagram
what you’ve seen onscreen (thanks, Fifty Shades and your toxic account, or reading a legitimately helpful how-to book. (Try Jay
power dynamics), it’s time for a reset. The truth is, there’s a lot Wiseman’s SM 101: A Realistic Introduction and Dossie Easton and
more to it, and you might just find that it’s exactly the super-hot Janet W. Hardy’s The New Topping Book and The New Bottoming
thing you’ve been looking for. An actual BDSM interaction has Book.) This prep work is key to a satisfying experience—one that
three parts: the initial conversation, where you lay out the terms of can help you and a partner connect on a deep level—because
what you’ll be doing; the sex-having “scene” itself; and the after- the more buttoned-up you are on the front end, the more you
care, or “cooldown” portion, when you’re all done or after a safe can let loose in the moment. While you’re at it, may we suggest
word has been said. If you want to really do it right, psychothera- these leather sexcessories we’ve curated just for you, so you can
pist Rachel Wright, host of The Wright Conversations podcast, unleash your inner dom or sub...or, hey, even just dress the part.

Fleet Ilya cat-ears

headband, about $250,
fleetilya.com

Kiki de
Montparnasse
Commando faux
braided whip,
patent leather
$295, kikidm
bodysuit, $118,
.com
wearcommando.com

Bæd
Stories
cuffs, $86,
baed
stories
.com

Agent Provocateur
PVC bra, $250, agent
provocateur.com

YVY harness,
Oh,
$382, yvy.ch
nothing, just
the chicest
nipple
pasties of all
time.

Edge o’ Beyond
suspenders, $180,
edgeobeyond.com
ALL PRODUCTS COURTESY OF BRANDS.

Edge o’ Beyond
pasties, $50,
edgeobeyond.com

Agent Provocateur PVC thong,

$125, agentprovocateur.com

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 55
LOV E ST U F F D a te S m a r te r

Are We
All In

The Same
Weirdly
Devastating

Three-Month
Situationship?

Turns out, everybody goes through—er, grows through?—this kind of thing.

B Y K AY L A K I B B E

The worst breakup I ever had wasn’t even a real breakup. It was whatever
you call it when you decide to tell the person you’re dating that you love them,
then cry yourself to sleep in their bed after they reject you. I was 21, he was 37,
and I had fallen into the kind of delirious infatuation that almost feels inevitable
a few months into a romantically ambiguous thing where one party is more

56 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 emotionally invested than the other. I’d forgotten that these quick but intense Recommended
quasi-relationships almost always end this way, with someone (hi) feeling gutted.
I know you can relate. You know who else can? Taylor Swift. Her 2010 situa- Reading to
tionship with Jake Gyllenhaal was responsible for not one, not two, but four differ- Soothe Your
ent versions of the heartbreak anthem “All Too Well.” I’m guessing that particular
relationship followed a familiar but strangely hard to avoid pattern: multiple
Confused Heart
dates, loads of romance, frequent texting, meeting friends or even family—all sans
labels or real commitment. And then...the crash.
If conventional dating wisdom suggests it takes half the time you were with
someone to get over them, it takes, by my calculations, approximately eight times
the length of your three-month situationship to move past it. While this may
seem like an overreaction, there are some totally legitimate reasons these splits
are so painful, says clinical psychologist Naomi Bernstein, PsyD. The short-lived
affairs are a perfect storm of factors primed to leave you reeling. Allow us to make THE PISCES: A NOVEL
it make sense. by Melissa Bro der
BEST LINE: “He was beauti-
ful and, yes, I loved him, in
one of infinite ways a
person could love. I knew
that I would wish a
thousand times that things
You’re Basically an Addict version of this person and what could could have ended
Brief courtships are the ideal breeding have been—which, according to Brock, is differently. But I also knew,
ground for a particularly compelling form a major part of what we’re really mourn- somewhere in me, that
of love, explains Bernstein. Because one ing when a situationship comes to an end. there was no soft ending.”
partner is usually more into it than the
other, the level of affection and attention You’re Probably Gaslighting
you receive can vary significantly, setting Yourself a Little
your brain up for a roller-coaster ride of Another reason these nonbreakup
high highs and low lows. This is called breakups can be so devastating: We
“intermittent reinforcement,” which, per don’t allow ourselves the time and space
Bernstein, is particularly “powerful and to actually heal from them. Instead, we
addictive.” tell ourselves they weren’t even “real
So when the relationship ends, you’re relationships,” so we have no right to be THREE WOMEN
by Lisa Taddeo
IRINA BO/STOCKSY. BOOKS, FROM TOP: COURTESY OF HOGARTH; COURTESY OF BLOOMSBURY; COURTESY OF WEDNESDAY BOOKS.

essentially in a state of withdrawal, trigger- upset. But surprise, surprise, invalidating

BEST LINE: “Throughout
ing feelings of depression and anxiety, your own emotions is a great way to
history, men have broken
adds therapist Lindsey Brock. never fully recover from them!
women’s hearts in a
“Judging our feelings particular way. They love
You’re Stuck in the makes it nearly impossible them or half-love them
Honeymoon Phase to process and release and then grow weary and
In terms of the three There’s a them,” Brock says. To spend weeks and months
months of it all, there’s a reason this assume we should be able extricating themselves
soundlessly, pulling their
reason this length of time length of to quickly and easily move
tails back into their door-
seems to be so universal. on after a relationship,
According to Bernstein, 90 time is so however brief, undermines
ways, drying themselves off,
and never calling again.”
days is around the time the universal. the very real impact of our
“lust” stage of a relation- lived experience.
ship transitions into the So repeat after me: Just
“attachment” stage. When because your situationship
this happens, the more infatuated person didn’t meet the societal criteria for a “seri-
will probably find themselves willing to ous” and therefore “valid” relationship
approach their partner with a desire to doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to mourn
DTR, despite any fears that forcing the loss of a romantically significant
the issue might be relationship-ending. period of your life. I CAPTURE THE CASTLE
by Do die Smith
(And it often is relationship-ending, which If you or a loved one has been emo-
explains why so many of these situation- tionally destroyed by a previously thrilling BEST LINE: “Just to be in love
seemed the most blissful
ships seem to meet their demise around three months, trust that you are very
luxury I had ever known. The
this time, notes Bernstein.) much entitled to be really dramatic thought came to me that
Now the exciting thing that’s been about it. And if that happens to involve perhaps it is the loving that
a source of dopamine for the past penning a 10-minute musical master- counts, not the being
few months is over, and you’ve been piece or otherwise stumbling into your loved in return.”
cut off right in the middle of the honey- Red era, thoughts and prayers for the
moon phase. You’re left with a fantasy Jake Gyllenhaal in your life.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 57
LOV E ST U F F Yo u S a i d I t

We’re Extremely Impressed

With Your Sneaky Public Romps
Oh, the places you’ll go! (To get laid!)
BY VE RON ICA LOPEZ

“I was at a nightclub for a

friend’s birthday when a woman
in my group pulled both me
and the bartender (who I’d
been flirting with) into a closet
behind the bar, and the
three of us just went at it.”
—Margot, 28

“I took my now ex-partner to lunch at the

Versace Mansion in Miami Beach,
and we snuck up to the observatory on
the roof. It wasn’t the best sex either
of us had ever had, but the location and

FROM LEFT: MICHELA RAVASIO/STOCKSY UNITED; GETTY IMAGES; ALEXANDER GRABCHILEV/STOCKSY UNITED; GETTY IMAGES.
the thrill was really hot.”
—Scout, 27

THESE ARE IMAGES OF PROFESSIONAL MODELS AND USED FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY.
“At a concert! We were near the back of the venue (which was small,
maybe about 300 people) and I sat on his lap. There were
definitely a lot of people around us, particularly in the row in front of us!”
—June, 32

“On the Santa Monica

“A cemetery at 3 a.m. There was Pier Ferris wheel. The pier was
no one around, but it was very close packed! You don’t realize how
fast that wheel goes around until
to a common road and we could you’re at the bottom with your
hear traffic in the distance!” pants pulled down.”
—Alex, 28 —Jordyn, 31

58 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
Raise your hand if you’ve ever fanta- thanks to the chemical cocktail of dopa- share their horniest adventures. Can we
sized about doing it somewhere totally mine and adrenaline your brain gets just say that (1) y’all are a very creative
unexpected. And by totally unexpected when you take risks, explains sex thera- bunch and (2) anyone planning to mimic
we mean in-plain-sight spots that might pist Jenni Skyler, PhD. Actually following these not exactly legal scenarios should
raise “How exactly did you pull that off?” through on them, well...you can imagine proceed with caution? Oh, and one
eyebrows among even the most sexually what that feels like. Or you can just hear more thing: To protect the identities of
daring. Dreaming up these scenarios is about it straight from the source: your our valiant storytellers, all names have
totally normal—and an absolute thrill, fellow Cosmo readers who are here to been changed.

“During our first Valentine’s

Day weekend, my boyfriend and
I had sex in the family
bathroom at Epcot right before
the fireworks show.”
—Kaia, 30

“My husband and I rented a kayak and found a private beach

around midday. There was no one and nothing else on the beach except “When everyone was sleeping, my
a house on the cliff, so we found the largest rock to hide behind and then husband and I did it on
conceived our second baby that day!” an international flight between Mumbai
—Jessa, 28 and London at around 2 a.m.
He went into the bathroom first and
I joined him a few seconds later.
The space was tiny, so I sat on him while
he sat on the toilet seat.”
—Nina, 50

“I was seeing a public defender,

and on our first date, he used his
credentials to take me to the
top of a jail, where we hooked up.
There was nobody around and
it was one of the craziest things
I’ve ever done.”
—Daphne, 33

“My college boyfriend worked for a

university’s sports department and had
access to the football stadium after hours,
so late one night right before graduation,
we had sex in the president’s box suite
overlooking the entire field and the school.”
—Jaclyn, 30

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 59
Boats Are Here! Enough Already Puff, Puff…Pregnant?
Page 62 Page 70 Page 74
Long May She Reign Big Woof
Page 68 Page 72

l i fe s t u f f

Give us an open mind and

we’ll give you a ship.
BY KRI ST Y ALPE RT

If this
sun-soaked
scene
doesn’t look
downright
dreamy to
you, sorry,
but you’re
lying.

AQUA EXPEDITIONS.

60
 L I F E ST U F F C o s m oTr i p s

Listen, we know
what you’re think-
ing. But cruising
has Come! So! Far!
since the days of
icky buffets, tiny
cabins, and cheesy
formal nights.
Don’t believe us
yet? Read on for
the perfect solve to
every one of your
(now outdated)
cruising complaints.

1. “THESE SHIPS ARE SO BIG

AND CROWDED.”
Actually, Aqua Expeditions’ ships
are small—like, 7 to 20 cabins
total—and operate only in excit-
ing remote locations, like the
Galápagos Islands, where you can
get off the boat daily to explore.
Excursions are also complimen-
tary, which is great, because who
would want to miss swimming
with whale sharks in Indonesia?!
That bucket
2. “I DON’T HAVE 12 DAYS list moment
tho….
TO BLOW ON A BOAT.”
Duh, it’s 2023—we’ve all got shit
to do. Princess Cruises offers quick
trips that make the most of your
valuable time. See: a gorgeous 2 3
two-day weekend along the
Pacific Northwest or a five-day
cruise to Cabo on board the new
Discovery Princess (which is stun-
ning, trust).

3. “I’VE HEARD THE

FOOD SUCKS.”
ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF THE CRUISE LINES.

It doesn’t on Windstar Cruises. The

line’s partnership with the James
Beard Foundation (like the Acad-
emy behind the Oscars but for
foodies) means that on certain
sailings, top chefs hop aboard
and then shop local markets, host
cooking demos, and whip up
mouthwatering dishes like coco-
nut dashi clam chowder.

62 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
Discover over 100 delicious,
“Life’s more fun
in the deep end!”

Purina trademarks are owned by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.

4 4. “THE WI-FI IS SH*TTY.”
Virgin Voyages has bars, baby, and
not just the drinking kind (although
those too). The basic Wi-Fi actu-
ally works and is complimentary,
so you can post fire ’grams from
the middle of the ocean—and
use the ship’s Sailor app to deliver
champagne to you anywhere on
board, anytime, by simply shaking
your phone.

5
5. “MY FRIENDS ALL HATE
CRUISING, AND I CAN’T
GO ALONE.”
Says who? Say YOLO and go solo
(sorry) with Norwegian Cruise Line,
the first to offer single-occupancy
studios. Each voyage has a desig-
nated “solo traveler host” who
organizes daily meetups. Of
course, if you’d rather not be social,
you can also order room service
and veg after your 4.5-hour selfie
6
tour in Santorini. Up to you.

DR. ANNIE VALUSKA

 L I F E ST U F F C o s m oTr i p s

7 6. “I WANT TO
ACTUALLY BE IN THE
CITY I’M VISITING.”
Then find a cruise line that
often stays in port overnight,
like Celebrity Cruises. That
means you can catch sunsets
and sunrises in pretty cities
like Istanbul, Copenhagen, or
Lisbon before popping back
to your swanky stateroom.

7. “DON’T YOU HAVE TO

PAY EXTRA FOR,
LIKE, EVERYTHING?”
Um, not on Silversea Cruises.
Perks start when your private
driver (included) picks you up
for your flight (also included).
Make sure to mention your
favorite drinks to your butler,
so they can stock your mini-
bar while you’re out on your
daily excursion (you guessed
it—all totally included).

Purina trademarks are owned by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.

Any other marks are property of their respective owners.
 L I F E ST U F F C o s m oTr i p s

IN THE YOGURT AISLE

Slow-crafted
with the finest
ingredients,
in six luxurious 9

flavors
8. “I JUST KNOW I’M GONNA
GET BORED ON BOARD.”
Maybe with that attitude. But
once-in-a-lifetime destinations
will probably entertain even you.
Adventure Life starts each of
its air-cruise trips to Antarctica
by flying you over the notorious
Drake Passage to an expedi-
tion vessel bound for the seventh
continent. There’s a bar, a gym,
and a library on board, but you’ll
be too busy waddling with the
penguins to care.

9. “CRUISES ARE FOR

OLD PEOPLE.”
First of all, respect your elders.
10
Second of all, you’ve clearly never
been on board a Star Clippers
sailboat. These fancy pirate-esque
ships sail into some of the chicest
ports, so you’ll get to sip cocktails
in Cannes or bask on the beach in
Barbados…all with a very youthful
group of sailors.

10. “I’D RATHER STAY AT A

BOUGIE HOTEL, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.”
Fifty bucks says you forget you’re
even on a boat after you see your
spacious suite on one of the Ritz-
Carlton Yacht Collection’s super-
yachts, which are now sailing
the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and
Caribbean. The only clue you’re
at sea will be the view as you sip
daiquiris from your private terrace.

66 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 Luxury has arrived
in the yogurt aisle

haagendazsculturedcreme.com C ULTURE D CR ÈME

L I F E ST U F F I t ’s Pe r s o n a l

Miss Universe Is About

to Change—Because *I*
Just Took Over
If you’re surprised to hear the brand formerly owned by
Donald Trump is now run by a trans woman, I get it. I am too.
B Y A N N E J A K A P O N G J A K R A J U TAT I P AS TOLD TO HAN NAH CH U B B

I
knew from the age of 5
that I was born in the
wrong body. I grew up as
a boy named Andrew in
a conservative family in
Thailand. I was a shy kid,
spending nearly all my
waking hours at my parents’ video store
in Bangkok, teaching myself English and
dreaming of visiting the countries I saw
on film. At school, I was bullied relent-
lessly for being different and was even
sexually assaulted by a male teacher.
At home, my family was adamant that
I suppress any hint of femininity I felt
inside. They—like the rest of the adults
in my life—made it clear they would not
accept me if I was queer. I felt so much
shame, I was afraid to be myself.
Still, womanhood meant (and still
does mean) so much to me. When I’d
sit down to watch the Miss Universe
competitions with my sister and
mother, the delegates represented
everything I wanted to be: a strong,
powerful woman of the world. I decided
I would start by becoming successful
beyond belief to show everyone they
were wrong about me.
Fast-forward to my 20s, when I
earned my first million baht (nearly
$30,000 USD) by taking what I learned
in my parents’ store and creating a media
content company. I could see VHS tapes
and DVDs were becoming a thing of the
past, so I shifted to buying and sell-
ing the rights to Thai movies and TV
shows. In my 30s, I took my company,
JKN Global Group,
That’s me giving a public on the Thai
speech at the 71st
Stock Exchange—
Miss Universe com-
petition in January and became a
shortly after the sale. Thai billionaire

68 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 (1 billion baht is about $29 million USD).
I’d achieved my first goal: People saw me
as successful. But I hadn’t yet achieved
personal fulfillment.
When I turned 35, I finally put myself
first. I began my transition to becoming a
woman. The process took several years,
multiple gender reassignment surgeries,
and endless hormone therapies. It was
a long and overwhelming journey, but I
felt like I was living my truth for the first
time in my life. My mother didn’t speak
to me for three years (she’s since come
around, and we are closer than ever), but
it was all worth it. I can’t describe how
incredible it is to see the real you when
you look in the mirror after decades of
seeing a stranger.
When I became Anne, I thought I was
finally whole. But, as it turns out, there
was one thing still missing.
In 2018, the Miss Universe competi-
tion came to Thailand, and this time, I
sat in the front row, watching Ángela
Maria Ponce Camacho, Miss Spain, competition, taking place later this wear capes over them decorated with
make history as the first trans woman year in El Salvador. And you’re going to art that represents their countries.)
to compete onstage. Ángela wept when see a lot of changes. For starters, we’ve We’re taking small steps away from the
it was over, telling the crowd she didn’t opened the competition to all women male gaze, and each day on the job, I’m
need to win—she just wanted the world between the ages of 18 and 28, including learning how to take more of them.
to know that a trans woman could make those who were previously excluded, like Soon, we’re going to do even more
it. I wept too. I knew in that moment I women with children and those who are for the fans. I want to create content
wanted to dedi- pregnant, married, beyond just the pageants. We’ll use our
PORTRAIT IN ILLUSTRATION AND AUTHOR BIO IMAGE: COURTESY OF ANNE JAKAPONG JAKRAJUTATIP. ALL OTHER IMAGES: GETTY IMAGES.

cate my life to or divorced. We’re platform—including our social media

doing more for the widening our back- accounts, which have nearly 25 million
LGBTQ+ commu- There will be ground checks collective followers—to give our mostly
nity and for women
everywhere. no more (trust me, there
will no longer
female audience information on how to
live their best, most authentic lives, with
That’s how I
eventually ended male leaders be male leaders
eyeing down dele-
important intel on bettering health,
careers, family, confidence, money
up in talks with
IMG, the company
eyeing down gates in the dress-
ing room), and in
management, and more. I’d love to help
make a positive impact as we continue
that then owned
Miss Universe. I
women in addition to our all-
female leadership
to grow our community.
If there’s anything I’ve learned in my
asked if they’d be
interested in a new
the dressing team, our hosts
and most judges
44 years, it’s that change is good. Change
can make life more beautiful. And just
owner: me. I told
them that not only
room. are also women.
The latter are
like I did with my self-identity, I’m going
to change the Miss Universe Organiza-
did I know how to CEOs, scientists, tion into what it was always meant to
reach a global audience, but I could also politicians, you name it—powerful and be: a celebration honoring all women
take the competition to new heights. I impressive in their own right. and a safe space for everyone to be the
mean, why was an organization that We’re also allotting more time in strongest, most powerful versions of
claimed to be about female empow- the broadcast for the audience to hear themselves.
erment owned exclusively by men? I about the delegates as people, instead
wanted to create something that was of just focusing on their looks. My Miss
ANNE JAKAPONG
run by women for women—not some- Universe recognizes that beauty is both J A K R A J U TAT I P i s a
thing for men to ogle over. In October external and internal. (And because transgender activist, the
2022, my company paid $20 million and I know you’re wondering, yes, the swim- CEO of JKN Global Group,
I signed the papers making me the first suit portion still exists. But there will and the owner of the Miss
Universe Organization.
female owner of Miss Universe. I had zero no longer be eliminations during that
She is the mother of
hesitation. There was only joy. round. And contestants can now choose t wo kids, Andrew and
The first Miss Universe pageant their own bathing suit styles—versus Angelica. Find her at
fully under my control will be the 72nd being forced to wear bikinis. They’ll also @AnneJKN.Official.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 69
 I’m Having?

Intrusive Thoughts?
I Think?

(What Do I Do???)
Start by following this advice from our columnist, therapist Minaa B.
I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y S O F I E B I R K I N
 L I F E ST U F F Fre e T h e ra py

Dear Minaa, Dear Reader,

It’s taken me a while to In case TikTok wasn’t clear or nuanced enough (or, ahem, accurate,
put a name to what I’m for that matter), intrusive thoughts are repetitive ideas or visuals
going through, but after a that unexpectedly slip into our minds. They can often take the
lot of googling and scroll- form of “something we shouldn’t do”—actions that, if you followed
ing TikTok (I know…but through IRL, would have negative consequences. It sounds like this is
it’s helpful?), I’m pretty exactly what you’re dealing with, and rest assured, your situation
convinced I’m suffering is very common.
from intrusive thoughts. I’ll Each intrusive thought falls on a long spectrum from harmless
get this voice in my mind— impulse (like knocking over a glass of water) to something more
to be clear, it’s my own serious, like hurting yourself or others. An example of the latter kind
voice, not a hallucination would be, What if I poured this hot oil on my foot? while you’re in
or delusion—telling me the middle of cooking. Or if you were holding a baby and your mind
to do things that I would unexpectedly went to, I could easily drop this kid on the floor. But
never actually do. here’s the important part: As long as you don’t feel motivated to act
Like, when I’m out on these thoughts, even the more troubling ones usually aren’t a big
to eat, it imagines me deal. The fact that you’re thinking about doing something doesn’t
knocking over my water mean you actually will.
glass…just because. Or a Instead, look at these thoughts as little glitches in your mind. In
more serious and scary most cases, there’s no root cause—a weird (often inappropriate,
example: Recently, the jarring, or just uncomfortable) notion is simply passing by. It’s totally
voice hinted that the next normal for your brain to occasionally cycle through thoughts like this,
time I have a depressive so try not to fret or overanalyze them.
episode, I might get to such All that said, I want to address the weightier moments you’ve been
a low that I decide to hurt having. Although no one really knows why intrusive thoughts happen,
myself. I’ve struggled with people who go through prolonged stress or a traumatic event or who
anxiety and depression have a mental health diagnosis are more likely to experience them.
in the past, but it’s never So it’s possible that your anxiety and depression diagnosis is linked
gotten to that point; I’ve to both the frequency and intensity of your
never even considered intrusive thoughts. And that an underlying
self-harm. Now, “hearing” nervousness about having another depres-
these thoughts is freaking sive episode could also be at play. You’re
me TF out. Generally, it helps to ground yourself in
They don’t seem to be the present moment to remind you that you’re
the one in
triggered by anything— safe. If a thought becomes overwhelming, control,
they just pop into my head name the circumstances of your environment not these
and I can’t get them out. and reality, like, “I’m standing on a rug. I can
And because they’re see a poster on the wall. I smell coffee in my
out-of-
coming from my own brain, kitchen.” Do this until you feel like your atten- nowhere
I feel like it must mean tion is focused on the here and now. thoughts.
something, you know? Similarly, identify your instrusive thoughts
Every time it happens, I for what they are: just thoughts. Tell your-
end up in a frantic “What self exactly that—“It was just a thought”—
is happening?!” spiral. however many times you need to. This helps you weaken the
Are these actually idea’s intensity and power. Journaling is also a great tool. Whether
intrusive thoughts? And if you write things down or use voice notes, working through thoughts on
so, why do they feel way paper or out loud can help you look at them in a more objective way.
more intense than other Finally, if you’re not already seeing a therapist, consider finding
examples I’ve read about, one who’s well versed in what you’re dealing with. They can help
like people thinking, What you create a care plan that keeps you from acting on any of these
if I threw my phone into a thoughts and helps you identify any particular triggers.
lake right now? Will my Whatever strategies you ultimately use, keep reminding yourself
inner voice be stuck like that you’re okay—and that you’re the one in control, not these seem-
this forever? ingly out-of-nowhere thoughts.

MINAA B. is a licensed social worker and mental health educator and the author of Owning Our Struggles. She operates a mental health
consulting practice that assists organizations in developing psychological safety. She also shares resources on creating healthy relationships
in her Substack newsletter, Mindfl With Minaa. She lives in New York City.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or going to 988Lifeline.org.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 71
L I F E ST U F F Fu r Yo u r I nfo r m a t i o n

Hello, This Is a PSA: All Dog

Toys Are Not Created Equal
And you should probably know exactly what they’re chewing on.
B Y M A D D I E H I AT T

OH, HI, QUALITY CUTIES

Just a few lil somethings your fluff can
(safely) chew on.

doggy seat belt. Yeah, these

are already
So why would I
cluttering
get her toys that up my
could harm her… living room. 6
or the planet?
Let’s all shop safer
together by looking for
MICHELA RAVASIO/STOCKSY. ALL PRODUCTS COURTESY OF BRANDS.

products that use recycled

materials, natural dyes,
or organic or biodegrad-

W
henever you hear people stress the importance of able fibers and/or that are
sustainable or ethical shopping, their side-eye is labeled “nontoxic,” “fair
likely going straight to the fashion industry. Which, trade,” or “food-safe.” 1. Fable The Game, $55, fable
fair. But any retail product can be problematic Responsible brands will pets.com. 2. Ware of the Dog
Hand Crochet Bagel, $20,
behind the scenes, and if your goal is to be a mindful consumer, be forthcoming about their wareofthedog.com. 3. Jax &
you should probably stop to evaluate all the stuff you buy—and sourcing and values (a lack Bones Chicken Drumstick Rope
Toy, $16, jaxandbones.com.
not just for yourself. of transparency is a red 4. Ware of the Dog Boiled
Honestly, if you have a pet, you’re already halfway there. Animal flag, as is a chemical smell Wool Pakman, $14, Wool Avo-
cado Toast Cat Toy, $8, wareof
parents (hi) are often obsessed with keeping their critters safe, when browsing IRL). You can thedog.com. 5. House Dogge
reading the fine print under treat ingredients and ordering booties get started with the items Customizable Wool Binky Toy,
from $20, housedogge.com.
to protect paws from harsh weather. My mini goldendoodle, above—Waffles and I can 6. PetPals Group Strawberry
Waffles, doesn’t ride in any car without being strapped into her totally vouch for them. Cat Toy, $12, petpalsgroup.com.

72 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
We Need to Talk About…
Pregnancy and Weed

Expectant
parents are
increasingly
drawn to the
drug, but the
stigma—and
the risks—
remain real.
BY CH RI STE N A . JOH N SON

A
sk anyone who’s been the legalization that’s swept the coun- times 10). Plus, in nearly half of states,
through it: Pregnancy try and partially because cannamoms, testing positive for THC after giving
can be uncomfortable. as they call themselves, often consider birth may spark a visit from Child Protec-
For some, nearly unbear- cannabis—versus doctor-prescribed tive Services that could lead to clinical
able. So it makes sense pharmaceuticals—to be the better, more surveillance, custody battles, or even
that throughout history, natural medicine for relieving anxiety, criminal penalties, says Rachel Knox, MD,
women have tried just about everything depression, vomiting, chronic pain, and MBA, a physician, endocannabinologist,
to minimize pain, from swallowing dry other symptoms. Of course, it’s not with- and health equity consultant—nega-
starch to treat vomiting in the medi- out its own risks. tive outcomes that will be far worse
eval era to drinking straight vinegar For starters, most doctors aren’t for the Black, brown, low-income, and
and baking soda to curb heartburn in exactly on board, gender-nonconforming people already
the ’90s.
Now that we’ve arrived in the 2020s,
more and more pregnant people are
citing potential health
concerns, primarily for
the fetus. There’s also
2X
the number
disproportionately impacted by weed
criminalization.
This is murky new territory. But we’re
reaching for cannabis and its active ingre- major social stigma of pregnant here to help you navigate.
dients, THC and CBD (see the sidebar at (have you seen the way people are
right to refresh your memory), for a little people look at a preg- using weed What the Experts Really Think
now versus
relief. Use during pregnancy has more nant woman having The bulk of the medical community still
in 2002.
than doubled in the past two decades, the occasional glass advises against cannabis use during preg-
SOURCE: KAISER
partially due to booming availability from of wine? Yeah, that PERMANENTE nancy. For most physicians, it boils down

74 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 L I F E ST U F F T h i s I s I m p o r ta nt !

to the known versus unknown: “Pharma- They’re approaching cannabis like any based mom Shonitria There’s been a
ceuticals aren’t perfect, but they don’t
seem to create the same degree of con-
cern for a baby’s development as canna-
other medicine, using it for a specific
treatment purpose just like someone
might take, say, an aspirin for a headache.
Anthony relief after a
depressive episode
kept her in bed for
%
increase in
25
bis,” explains Priya Rajan, MD, a “It’s important not to assume that this three days without pregnancy
maternal-fetal medicine specialist at cannabis use is limited to high THC and food. “All those dark cannabis use
Northwestern University’s Feinberg all about smoking,” says Dr. Knox. “Preg- thoughts just floated in Northern
School of Medicine. She cites research nant consumers are seeking relief—not away,” she remem- California since
a high. The majority use CBD or THC bers. “After that, I was the beginning of
showing that infants who’ve been
the pandemic.
exposed to cannabis might have higher therapeutically, in reasonable amounts, like, ‘You can’t tell me
SOURCE: KAISER
rates of low birth weight, behavioral and in diverse, non-impairing ways.” shit. If I’m good, my PERMANENTE
Those ways may include applying baby’s good.’” During
topicals and transdermals, dropping her third trimester,
“I didn’t take any tinctures under the tongue, swallowing she rubbed cannabis-infused body but-
capsules or low-dose edibles...and yes, ters and oils all over to ease aches.
pharmaceuticals— the sparing hit of a joint or vape pen to Some cannamoms have built entire
cannabis felt like the quickly alleviate pain, says Bianca Snyder, online communities to give out guid-
safer option to me.” founder of Society’s Plant and a Michigan ance. Anthony’s brand and podcast,
hemp farm owner. “No one should feel Blunt Blowin’ Mama, has more than
guilty about cannabis use during preg- 71,000 Instagram followers. Snyder
issues, and neurocognitive abnormalities. nancy,” she asserts, “but we have to reit- is known as High Society Mama to her
“Regulated medication has been studied erate responsible consumption.” 56,000 devotees. In Facebook groups,
in a more structured way,” she adds. “I When nausea kept Emily*, an East up to 19,000 members offer ideas and
know the dosing and can make more Coaster who has bipolar disorder, from spread the word. And on TikTok,
refined adjustments. And there isn’t the eating during her second and third preg- #Cannamoms had more than half a bil-
concern for contaminants and additives nancies, she used both CBD oil and a low- lion views...before the platform banned
that are often in marijuana products.” dose THC tincture to help with her the term for violating its guidelines
The American College of Obstetricians anxiety, mood regulation, and insomnia. about promoting drug use. A setback,
and Gynecologists and the FDA agree. “I successfully managed all of my preg- sure, but it hasn’t stopped cannamoms
Yet definitive data is limited—espe- nancy conditions with cannabis. I didn’t from doing what women have done for
cially when it comes to how THC and take any pharmaceuticals during preg- centuries when it comes to reproductive
CBD might individually impact a fetus— nancy or childbirth—it felt like the safer health: rely on each other for support.
and will likely continue to be because option to me.” Disclaimer: This story is for informational and enter-
drug testing on pregnant people is con- A few puffs of a joint early in her tainment purposes only and does not constitute medi-
cal advice. Consult with a medical professional if you
sidered unethical. Which means most second pregnancy gave Los Angeles– are considering using cannabis while pregnant.
doctors “don’t have a compelling reason
to suggest pregnant people should use
marijuana,” says Dr. Rajan.
OPPOSITE PAGE: MARTIN SWEERS AMSTERDAM/TRUNK ARCHIVE. THIS PAGE: GETTY IMAGES/IULIIA BONDAR.

There is, however, a growing group of

medical experts who believe cannabis
shouldn’t be completely off the table. To BEHIND
THE NAME
them, it’s just as viable an option as more We’re using “canna-
traditional drugs, maybe even a safer bis” in this story to
one. After all, says Kait Boettcher, a nurse talk about products
that contain THC
who specializes in cannabis medicine, “if
or CBD because
it’s widely accepted that potentially haz- cannamoms may
ardous medications may be appropriate use either com-
pound, depending
when the benefits outweigh the risks,
on their ailment and
that should translate to cannabis too.” its severity. THC—
Plus, she adds, while some conditions, commonly referred
like hyperemesis gravidarum (extreme to as “weed”—is the
chemical that causes
nausea and vomiting that causes severe highs. CBD is not
dehydration in pregnant people), can be mind-altering and
treated effectively with cannabis, many is generally consid-
ered safer. Both have
doctors prescribe pharmaceuticals therapeutic proper-
instead—and some mothers who’ve ties and are some-
taken those claim their children suffered times used to treat
things like inflam-
negative effects. mation and sore
muscles.
And What This All Looks Like IRL
No, cannamoms are not advocating for
sitting around ripping giant bong hits.

*Name has been changed. 75

 This Sh*t Is Bananas I Like It, Picasso
Page 77 Page 78

We know, it
does sound
too good to be
true. But it is
true, and we’re
just gonna
accept that as
a little miracle.
Another one?
The fact that
this s’cream
takes only five
minutes to
make. Think of
all the things
you can do
with that extra
time (*cough,
scroll TikTok,
cough*).

FOOD STYLIST: LIZA JERNOW. HAND MODEL: KHADIJA HORTON. BONBONWHIMS RINGS.
 BITES Whip It Up

The Two- Green Tea Soft Serve

Ingredient SERVES 2

Matcha 3 large ripe peeled bananas, sliced into 1-inch

pieces and frozen
1 tablespoon culinary matcha green tea powder

Soft Serve Remove the sliced frozen bananas from the freezer
1.

Your Lazy and let stand for 3 minutes to thaw slightly.

2.Place the bananas and matcha powder (feel free to

Sweet Tooth sprinkle in a lil more if you like it strong!) in a blender and
process until the texture resembles soft-serve ice cream.
Scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.

Deserves 3.Serve immediately or place in the freezer to firm

up slightly for 10 minutes. (Leftovers will keep well in the
freezer for up to a month—just reblend to get that
For when the McDonald’s smoooooth texture.)
machine is broken…and for
literally every other time.
BY HAN NAH CH U B B PRO TIP
P H O T O G R A P H S B Y M A S S I M O G A M M A C U R TA If you want to make
things chocolaty, pulse
or stir in a spoonful or two
of cacao nibs. Yes, this
will mean you actually
need three ingredients.
Remember those Yes, it’s still worth it.
bananas you put in your
freezer weeks ago?
To “make” “banana”
“bread”? Ha. Here’s a
much faster and tastier
way to use them: Break
out your blender and
churn up a batch of this
stuff, courtesy of regis-
tered dietitian nutrition-
ist Patricia Bannan.
It’s a matcha frappuc-
cino lover’s thick-and-
creamy dream come ADAPTED FROM FROM BURNOUT TO BALANCE: 60+ HEALING RECIPES &
SIMPLE STRATEGIES TO BOOST MOOD, IMMUNITY, FOCUS & SLEEP, COPY-
true. Perhaps the best RIGHT © 2022 BY PATRICIA BANNAN. RECIPE USED BY PERMISSION OF
RODALE BOOKS, AN IMPRINT OF RANDOM HOUSE, A DIVISION OF PENGUIN

part? You won’t even RANDOM HOUSE, LLC, NEW YORK. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

have to pop a Lactaid.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 77
BITES D o i n g t h e Le a s t W i t h A l y s e

Two
Words:
Rainbow
Rangoon
Aka edible art that’s as fun to
make as it is to eat, courtesy of
food columnist Alyse Whitney.
PHOTOGR APH S BY N ICK TO RRE S

Everyone has their favorite food obses-

sion, and mine is crab rangoon. I first
discovered the pillowy, crispy bundles of
joy at a now-closed buffet in my home-
town of Binghamton, New York. When my
middle school friends and I would meet
up at the movie theater, we would first hit
the buffet, slyly sliding rangoons into zip-
top bags to snack on during showings of
A Walk to Remember. They were, dare I Miso tried her best to sneak
say, rangoons to remember. a bite, but this recipe is
In the two decades since, I’ve eaten a not actually pup-friendly!

lot of different versions. Honestly, it was

usually love at first bite, so in order to
create this particular recipe, I combined and we’ve since teamed up IRL to create
all the best parts of all the best rangoons a shortcut method using store-bought
I’ve ever tasted. I went with a triangle dumpling wrappers. We first tried it out
shape because they’re the easiest to fold at a Rihanna concert viewing party, then
and paint. (Yes, the pyramid design is the perfected the process for my upcoming
real classic, but it’s much harder to get cookbook, Big Dip Energy, out in 2024
right and decorate without making a total (stay tuned for a preview next issue!).
mess.) The filling-to-exterior ratio also I applied the same technique to the
has to be spot-on, and a triangle delivers rangoons you see here, and I think you’re
edge-to-edge filling. And I added double gonna love them.
wrappers for structural integrity (IYKYK) I suggest you wrangle a group of
and a delightful, almost mochi-like chewy- friends and have a paint ‘n’ sip night at
crispy texture after it’s fried. home. Set up an assembly station, and
The painting technique was inspired lay out an array of hues for your art. You
by my friend Jenn Kwong, who makes should probably also
rainbow-painted dumplings with home- drink colorful cocktails
made dough and sells them through her (or just Shirley Temples)
site, Kwong Shop, in Los Angeles. I met her while you become offi-
on the internet when I slid into her DMs, cial ’goonies! @AlyseWhitney

78 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 EVEN HEROES
NEED HEROES
That’s why Dog Chow is
on a mission to help
every veteran in need
obtain a life-saving
PTSD service dog.

BRAND DOG FOOD

SCAN TO
OVER LEARN MORE
$1 MILLION 50,000+ LBS
donated directly to the of dog food donated
care & training of more to military vets &
PTSD service dogs for veteran service dog
veterans organizations
 FUELING
AMERICA’S
FOUR-LEGGED
HEROES
For a veg-friendly version,
sub in 4 more ounces of
cream cheese and ½ cup
of shredded carrots!
PROP STYLIST: ALYSE WHITNEY. FOOD STYLIST: JASMYN CRAWFORD. HAIR: KADY MOORE. FASHION STYLING AND MAKEUP: ALYSE WHITNEY. MANICURE:

1. If your imitation crab came frozen (my preference!), thaw

it overnight in the fridge or in-package under room-temp
SHIRLEY CHUNG USING DECO MIAMI. BLOCK SHOP GRAPES ROBE. CUSTOM SCRUNCHIE AND DOG SWEATER: BOOT SCOOTIN’ CROCHET.

running water. Open the package and squeeze excess

Rainbow water into the sink using paper towels—this will keep the
rangoon crispy. Shred into a large bowl by rubbing pieces
Crab between your palms or using two forks.
Rangoon 2.To the bowl, add the cream cheese, garlic, soy sauce,
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS sugar, toasted sesame oil, garlic powder, white pepper,
and scallions. Mix until thoroughly combined.
8 ounces imitation crab 3. On a plastic cutting board or sheet pan (FYI, the food
(aka surimi, preferably stick dye can stain wood), line up double-stacked wonton wrap-
or “leg” style) pers with a smidge of space in between. Add 1 tablespoon
8 ounces cream cheese, of the crab rangoon mixture into the center of each wrap-
softened per. Using a butter knife, spread mixture so it covers almost
2 garlic cloves, grated or one half of the wrapper diagonally (a triangle shape), leav-
finely minced ing a small border. Brush border with water, fold over, and
2 teaspoons soy sauce pinch to seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers.
1 teaspoon sugar
4. Now it’s time to make it rain(bow)! In a few small bowls,
1 teaspoon toasted
add a squirt of gel food coloring and a drizzle of water
sesame oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder to thin. Then get creative and paint just one side of the COMPLETE NUTRITION
⅛ teaspoon white pepper finished rangoons! Remember to dip your brush in water
2 scallions, dark and light to switch colors or use multiple brushes.
green parts, sliced thinly 5.Add 3 cups of canola oil (or another neutral oil) to a
diagonally medium saucepan and heat over medium heat for about QUALITY PROTEIN
1 (12-ounce) package square 5 mins. Add your rangoons 2 or 3 at a time, making sure
wonton wrappers not to crowd them, and fry for about 2 mins per side. Once
food coloring (at least the rangoons are light golden brown, remove them from
2 colors) the oil using a slotted spoon, and place on paper towels to
paintbrushes, various sizes remove excess grease before serving. Immediately sprinkle
3 cups canola oil, for frying with kosher salt, then serve ’em up with a sweet chili sauce!
Purina trademarks are owned by
Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.
More deliciousness
right this way. S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 81
 a s t ro
This Fall’s Astrology Will
Make or Break Your Love Life
Uh…be prepared.
B Y L I S A S TA R D U S T
I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y C Y N T H I A T O R R E Z

Before you schedule some PTO just to hide under

the covers, here’s some advice: This time period doesn’t
have to be all gloom and doom. The idea of any plan-
etary retrograde is to teach you to reflect and review—
like on what your love life needs in the future and what’s
already worth celebrating in the present.
If you’re dating someone new or stuck in a situation-
ship, you might find yourself waffling back and forth
about how or whether or not to DTR. If you’re coupled
up, you might find yourself disagreeing about something
big or experiencing major miscommunication. Things
can definitely get rocky, but remember that you’re being
prompted to identify what it is you really want (even
if that ultimately leads to the sinking of your current
relationship).
Now, the eclipses! Both arrive in October, with the
solar eclipse in Libra on October 14 and the lunar eclipse
in Taurus on October 28. Thanks to its “now or never”
energy, the former could push you to jump headfirst
into a partnership without thinking about where you’re
Let’s begin with some math (don’t worry, I’ll do it going. Diving into the deep end is definitely intoxicating,
all for you). Six retrograde planets + two eclipses = a enchanting, and exhilarating—just make sure you have
very major season. And by “major,” I mean you can and a safety net or life preserver on hand.
should expect life-changing romantic shake-ups, no That’ll be especially crucial for the lunar eclipse,
matter what your own zodiac sign is. which tends to have an intensity that bonds couples
First, the retrogrades—Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, together or tears them apart,
Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are all moving back- depending on how strong
ward, bringing with them the usual cosmic upheaval. All that their foundation is. These
Many of them will go direct, or exit retrograde, as the
fall progresses, but you should go ahead and circle
retrograde occurrences shed light on
problems that have gone
these especially important dates on your cal right drama ignored, so if you’ve been
now: September 15 (the end of Mercury Retrograde), comes right lying to yourself about how
October 10 (the end of Pluto Retrograde), November 4 back. great your relationship is, it’s
(the end of Saturn Retrograde), and December 6 (the likely all falling apart now.
end of Neptune Retrograde). Deep breaths, friends. Use
But don’t think the drama ends when a retrograde this as a larger moment to truly take stock of your love
does. See, there’s a little thing we astrologers like to life. Have the hard conversations. Don’t be afraid to end
call “retroshade.” As a planet once again moves over something that isn’t working for you. And if your current
the same degrees it just backtracked through, all that relationship is still around by the winter solstice, know
retrograde drama comes…right back into your life that you’ve survived a trial by fire—and you can look
(sorry!). forward to smoother astrology ahead.

82 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer
Flying solo is not the Life is getting faster and The first half of Sep- Hit pause. What are you
move right now, Aries. faster this September, tember is a looong cat doing? What are your
It’s your season for especially at the office. nap, but once the Sun values? Who even are
building up all your rela- Expect miles-long to-do slides into Libra on the you?? These are big
tionships (romantic, lists and lots of busywork 23rd, it’s time to wake questions, so take some
platonic, professional), (ugh). Things cool down up. Suddenly, you’re time to figure out what
so focus. Over the next in October, when you’re more confident, bold, you want and make a
few months, you’ll find able to spend way more and charismatic, and plan to get it. Starting
yourself getting closer time with your loved everyone notices. Enjoy, on October 23, Scorpio
to your partner, turning ones. New friends are because when Scorpio season gives you the
buddies into besties, and coming—and if you’re season starts on Octo- confidence and energy
making new business single, so are potential ber 23, work becomes to begin bringing your
connections too. paramours. your top priority. dreams to life.

Your Horoscope BY JAKE REGI STE R

Leo Virgo Libra Scorpio

You have tons to say, as Virgo season is drawing Sorry about your b-day Right now, you’re clean-
always, but your mission to a close, but the party season being plagued ing up any leftovers in
this fall is to learn how isn’t over! Venus enters by an ex. Try to use your your life—exes, shitty
to be a better listener. your sign at the start of classic congeniality to friends, dead-end jobs,
As in, really listen, not October, giving your amicably part ways (for etc. Anything that’s not
just wait for your turn to love life the ultimate real this time). Other- working has got to go.
talk. A slower pace of life glow-up. People can’t wise, your routine is your It’s emotionally tough,
during Scorpio season, keep their eyes off you focus for most of Scor- but it’s necessary. Scor-
starting in late October, right now, and you’ve pio season, but Venus pio season, aka the best
will help. Look at it as got the hot dates to show enters your sign at the season, begins on Octo-
a chance to recharge for it. Why not upgrade beginning of November, ber 23, and you’re going
your batteries before your wardrobe while meaning you’re looking to want a clean slate
Sagittarius season. you’re at it? and feeling good. with your b-day
cake.

Sagittarius Capricorn Aquarius Pisces

Mark your cal: If you’ve Libra season is giving You’re transitioning This fall’s astro weather
been waiting to upgrade you much grace and from a heavy, emotional is urging you to find
your relationship, late decorum, and all eyes Virgo season into a light balance, so it’s time for
September or early are on you right now— and breezy Libra sea- a review. Where are
October is the best time. especially at work. Any son this September, and you investing your time,
If you’re happily single rare flubs will be on dis- the change is like night money, and energy? Are
or not looking to change play, but not to worry: and day. So take advan- you giving as much as
your love life, Libra sea- You are the most ambi- tage: This is the time to you’re receiving? Get
son is still very social. tious sign of the zodiac, expand your mind. Go deep now because
Enjoy the fun, because after all, and if you work on vacation and choose starting on October 23,
once Scorpio season hard right now, your the scenic route. You can Scorpio season is all
rolls around, life slows performance will be debut your growth at about independence
way down. rewarded. the start of Scorpio and living carefree.
season.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 83
THE

SIDES

YOU

HAVEN’T

SEEN
 Ye a h , H a l l e B a i l e y d i d
the whole mermaid thing.
And reached a new level
of stardom while she
w a s a t i t. B u t t h e really
exc i t i n g s t u f f s t a r t s n o w.
I N T E R V I E W B Y S Y LV I A O B E L L
PHOTOGR APHS BY LENNE CHAI
STYLED BY CASSIE ANDERSON
Previous spread:
Gucci dress. Tiffany
& Co. Elsa Peretti
earrings. Messika
Paris rings. This
page: Sportmax top,
skirt, and necklace.
Brandon Blackwood
pumps. Graff rings.
 saw André 3000 here once and I freaked out,” Halle Bailey half-
whispers. “But I contained myself.”
We’re sitting in the dimly lit, no-frills dining room of Merkato, an
Ethiopian restaurant in Los Angeles. Halle loves this spot because,
in addition to the great food, it’s a place where people tend to respect
your space. Even if you’re one of the greatest rappers of all time or,
say, a newly crowned Disney Princess having, in celebrity terms, one
of the biggest years in recent memory.
Maybe that’s why Halle pulled up to lunch by herself, in a black
puffer jacket and no makeup, genuinely expecting not to cause a
scene. But as the saying goes, she was gon’ learn today. “I’m such a
fan!” gushes a teenage admirer as she approaches our table. “I knew
that was you when you came in—I’ve been watching you since
YouTube.”
YouTube, meaning back in 2013, when a 13-year-old Halle and her
sister Chlöe uploaded a video of themselves performing a cover of
Beyoncé’s “Pretty Hurts.” In the stuff of every teen’s wildest dreams,
it caught the eye of Bey herself, who signed the duo to her record label and invited them to
be the opening act on her tour.1 What followed for Chloe x Halle were countless magazine
covers (including a Cosmo one in October 2020), four Grammy nominations, and regular
appearances on the Freeform hit series Grown-ish.
None of that really compares, though, to what happened next, the reason we’re sitting
here now, on Juneteenth of all days, after Halle is just back from a frenzied international
press tour (England, Mexico, Australia, everywhere). Her leading role as Ariel in the
live-action remake of The Little Mermaid pushed the film to gross $560 million and
counting—and propelled Halle to, well, this.

“It’s going to take a minute to sink in,” she says. “I’m sation, if we’re counting—and is still her sibling’s biggest
doing feature films, which I never thought would happen.” supporter (after lunch, she’ll rush to be with Chlöe for the
Films, plural, because you’ll soon see her starring in another latter’s live performance at CNN’s Juneteenth Special).
majorly anticipated remake as Nettie in The Color Purple, But she also seems to recognize that she’s no longer just
adding producers Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg to a singer or an actor. She’s a symbol—that princess crown
her list of impressive collaborators. Around the same time, has followed her offscreen.
and following the success of her powerful single “Angel,”
she’ll casually release her first solo album, yet to be named. 1. JFYI, there’ll be no more Beyoncé in this story. When I ask Halle
As we chat,2 it becomes clear that Halle is still grap- about the question she’s most tired of answering, this was it. She loves
pling not only with the jobs she’s landing but with her Beyoncé and is beyond grateful but has moved on from talking about
her all the time, so we will too.
newfound megafame. She still gets starstruck, still gives 2. JFYI part two: This interview was conducted before the SAG-AFTRA
all glory to God—at least eight times during our conver- strike.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 87
 “Thank you for the wonderful example that you continue
to show for young Black women,” gushes the young fan, with “People see
whom Halle is now graciously taking a table-side photo.
Is there more pressure? Sure, but also opportunities.
Because unlike with any semiretired musicians who may
me as a
be able to move about unnoticed, Halle is smack-dab in
the middle of her Magic Hour. Disney Princess
How’s your heart right now?
My heart is great. I just got off this press tour for a movie
and, yes,
that was five years in the making, and now that baby is
gone. I’m really happy and proud and ready to move on that’s what I am,
to the next phase.

The Little Mermaid got a level of attention that

but there’s a
most actors could only hope for. Add in the fact
that you’re a young Black woman, and it becomes very ratchet side
historic. Have you managed to stay present at all?
A little. It was a bit of a whirlwind and overwhelming,
every day in another city with fans waiting outside our
to me as well.”
hotels, following us to each interview. I’d never experi-
enced anything like it. But it’s really cool getting to meet all
of these people around the world, especially the babies,
which makes me so happy.

I saw you retweet this hilarious TikTok3 of a girl with Parkwood for B.5 I was like, “Oh, I know him. He did
singing a ratchet remix of “Part of Your World.” some of Black Is King.” I thought it would be cool just to
People see me as a Disney Princess and, yes, that’s what send in a tape. I did a self-tape from my bedroom, singing
I am, but there’s a very ratchet side to me as well. I mean, a gospel song.
I’m from Atlanta. So it’s just natural. I saw that video, and I
loved it because as a young 23-year-old Black girl, that’s The cast is such an all-star lineup—I imagine it
just how I feel. being very Black on set. Just a beautiful, very
Black-ass time.
Do you worry at all about being boxed into that It was beautifully Blackity Black. Set was like going to a
Disney Princess image? cookout—it felt like a family reunion, honestly, like you’re
My main goal has always been to stay true to myself. There’s surrounded by your aunties and cousins. I was just excited
so much more to being a young woman than this fairy-tale to be there as a fan of everyone. The movie is a labor of
character. I think other people have a hard time separat- love. I mean, we all care so much about the original story
ing who Halle is and who a princess is—and that’s natural and really wanted to do a good job with this reimagining.
when you’re a fan of an artist. But it’s a beautiful thing to People are going to lose their minds over Fantasia’s and
be a layered individual and not fit into one certain image. Taraji’s performances.6 I get chills just thinking about it.

Well, we’re not going to have to wait long to see How did working with such powerhouses inspire
you in a totally new way. You’re in the upcoming you as an actor?
musical film The Color Purple. Going from Disney It was so cool to get to watch their process—how they take
to Oprah in one year is quite a flex! direction and how they make things their own. With Fanta-
It’s very surreal for me. I’m just in awe. I’ve loved The Color sia, I could really relate to her because she comes from
Purple ever since I was a little girl. I mean, it’s a Black family the musical world. She was able to translate the heart and
staple. We all know the story; we all know what happened. emotion that comes out through her music onto the screen.
When I heard that they were doing a remake, I was like, I was just trying to be a sponge.
I hope they get somebody to do it right because it’s some-
thing that we have to keep safe. This story, this movie that’s 3. In the video, TikToker Atikin Rose (@AtikinRose) stands in front of
a bathroom mirror singing (very well, I should add) the following
lived on so long and has had such amazing talent come lyrics to the tune of “Part of Your World”: “I wanna be with the city
out of it, it’s really cool. When I saw that Oprah and Steven girls / I wanna see, wanna see ass shaking / in the club drinking...what
Spielberg and all of the original creators were going to be do ya call it? / Casamigos!”
4. Nettie is one of two sisters central to The Color Purple’s story. They
involved, I was happy because it feels like—in a similar way
are separated when Nettie’s sister, Celie, is married off to a man who
that Mermaid did—you’re honoring the original. keeps the women apart for years.
5. Okay, yes, the B here does, in fact, stand for Beyoncé. And I must
note for the record that I was not the one to bring her up.
How did it come about, you getting the role of Nettie4?
6. The cast includes Fantasia Barrino as Celie and Taraji P. Henson
I auditioned for the role while I was filming Mermaid. I got as Shug Avery plus Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey
a request from the director, Blitz, who’s actually worked Hawkins, and H.E.R.

88 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
Loewe coat. Casadei
heels. Jennifer Fisher
hoops. Jacquie Aiche
necklace and ring.
 “Ariel
was my
college
experience.”

Gucci coat and heels.

Tiffany & Co. Elsa
Peretti earrings.

90 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
What do you hope audiences get from the film?
The reason I wanted to do it—and the reason I felt
The
connected to it—is that it’s about the beautiful bond of Cosmo Quiz
sisterhood. What it means when you’re away from each
other and how heartbreaking that is but also how special MY NICKNAMES
the moments you have together are. I could pull from my
own experience with my sister, who’s my angel and my best
friend. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like if we were
separated in the way Nettie and Celie were. I’M CURRENTLY
And then there are messages about finding yourself BINGE-WATCHING
and not letting certain trials and tribulations define you. I
mean, Celie went through so much abuse and heartbreak.
It’s really beautiful to see somebody come out of that and
still bloom into this beautiful flower.
MY IDEAL DATE NIGHT
It is. Will you bring anything you’ve learned on
movie sets to your music?
Absolutely. Because I worked my whole childhood, there
are things I didn’t get to experience. Ariel was my college
experience. She was the one to say, “Look, look what you
have in you. You can.” Nettie was the same type of lesson,
THE BEST ROAD TRIP MUSIC
almost in a spiritual way. These characters are speaking
to me and teaching me. It’s cool to learn things about life
through their eyes. And all musical inspiration really just
comes from life experiences. Love has been a really big
one for me too, because that’s something I’m experiencing
for the first time, and it’s, like, “whoa” in your brain. It’s just
fireworks, a spark for creativity.

So this is definitely your first time being in love7?

You know, you have puppy love experiences, you think
that’s love. But this is my first deep, deep, real love.

Does this mean we’ll get a peek at your relationship

through your new music?
I don’t really talk about my personal stuff, but I will tell
you where I get my creativity from. This has been a really
beautiful transformative time for me. I have all this new
material to write about. It’s like, What the heck did I just
experience and go through? A whirlwind of amazingness.
You never know what you’re capable of until you’re put
through it. I was very creatively inspired, and then from
there, I fell in love. And so I really just played with those
themes in my music. Sound-wise, it’s a little modern R&B-
ish, with all the jazz elements and hints of pop that I love.

Can we get a hint about when the EP is dropping?

Definitely before the end of the year.

Your sister Chlöe did an interview with Cosmo ear- My music is definitely for the young girl who doesn’t know
lier this year,8 and when asked who she makes herself completely yet, who’s growing every day and
music for, she said, “I make music for people who learning about who she is and about her power. It’s an
are great at acting like everything’s okay when emotional, vulnerable kind of music. It’s also a love letter
it’s not, and they’re afraid to tell somebody.” Who to myself and my younger self and my future self.
would you say your music is for?
We’ve seen a lot of child or teen stars struggle to
navigate ushering their fan base into new, more
7. Halle is in a relationship with rapper Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr., mature content as they get older. Now that you’re
or DDG. The two were first spotted together at an Usher concert in the midst of that transition, how does it feel?
in January 2022. They became Instagram official on her birthday
that year. There will always be a conversation because I started so
8. For your reading pleasure: cosmopolitan.com/chloebailey young. There’s a sort of protectiveness or ownership that
 people feel they have over your story because they’ve
known you for so long. Part of me thinks that’s a beautiful “As I’m
thing, to know that you have that support from people and
they just want to see good things happen to you. But it’s
also really easy for us to comment on what other people
getting older
are doing...to say a lot of stuff. I think the transition will
continue to happen naturally. It’s on people to figure it and my body is
out, not necessarily on me.

One form of evolution we’ve already really seen

changing,
from you is with your fashion. You’ve become this
style star. I’m learning
I’m definitely not a natural! I look back at some of my pic-
tures on the red carpet and laugh. But as I’m getting older
and my body is changing, I’m learning who I am. I want
who I am.
to be sexy. I want to feel good. I want to wear clothes that
embrace where I am in life. My confidence has gotten I want
deeper and bigger with the help of my sister. She’s always
been an extroverted, sexy, demanding kind of presence.
As I’ve watched her, I’m like, That’s so cool. I hope one
to be sexy.”
day I can do that. She’s helping me find my footing in this
whole adult-woman world.

From a high-fashion level, you’re making some For her part, Chlöe has talked about how you stand
excellent choices. up for her in a way that she’s trying to learn to do
It’s definitely a collaboration. I’ve worked with some for herself.
beautiful stylists that help me find that vision. I like to I’m an Aries, so I will check anybody over my family, over
find shapes that make me feel good about myself. And the ones I love. I don’t care. When it comes to me, I have
because I’m smaller, because I’m petite,9 I still want to to give myself that same type of grace. But it’s something
feel like a woman. I’m still learning to do.

I also have to ask about the versatility of hairstyles Are there any boundaries you have in place to pro-
you’ve been able to rock despite having locs. As tect Halle the person from Halle the brand?
Black women, we know how mythical our hair- I just live my life the way I want to live it and turn off my
styles can seem to others, but this call is coming phone if I don’t like what people are saying online. But I
from inside the house because even most of us are also do think what I’m going through as a young woman
shook! right now, it’s really good fuel for me creatively. So I focus
Yeah, I’m with everybody else! The latest people I’ve on putting whatever life experience I’m going through in
worked with are so talented and amazing. I love my locs. the art that I’m creating.
They’re like a sense of security for me because I’ve had
them ever since I was young. I’m used to them being a bit And as we’ve established, you’ve been going
bigger and not being able to fit them under wigs. It’s really through a lot! Have you made a point to celebrate
cool to be able to switch up your looks from time to time the year you’ve had, maybe with a vacation?
but still embrace your natural self. For sure. But also, this last press tour was really intense,
like plane rides every day. I do not want to see another
You mentioned that Chlöe inspires you to push plane.10 I just want to be home in my bed. It’s nice to be
boundaries. How has it been recording music as a home when you’ve been gone.
FOR SHOPPING INFORMATION, GO TO COSMOPOLITAN.COM.

solo artist without her?

The biggest difference is that I had to learn how to believe Very, very true. I won’t keep you from it and will
in myself on my own. Every time we’re working together, end by asking: Fifty years from now, when you look
she’s the voice of reason, and she’s, like, the confidence back on this time, what do you hope you’ll remem-
for us both. She goes, “Keep going. Keep riding it, Halle. ber most?
You’re doing great. You’re doing great.” You know? What a blessing this was. The impact that I’ve seen my
work have on the younger generation, especially on us
Yeah, having that kind of affirmation from some- Black girls. I’ll be so proud of myself, looking back. I did that.
one whose taste you trust is everything.
She is my words-of-affirmation partner. So without her,
when I’m making music, I’m trying to decide if things are 9. She barely breaks 5 feet.
10. Okay, maybe just one more: This vacation question may or may not
good on my own. The creative process is very up and down. have inspired Halle’s decision to jet off to Paris with her boyfriend a
It’s me learning how to give myself those affirmations. few days after we talked.

92 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
Paco Rabanne coat, top,
and skirt. 3.1 Phillip Lim
boots. Pandora earrings.

Hair: Vernon François using

Vernon François Hair-
care and Redken. Makeup:
Christiana Cassell at The
Wall Group. Manicure:
Kimmie Kyees using Mia
Secret. Set Design: James
Lear at 11th House Agency.
Is it b old to name a fashion trend af ter yourself ? Sure. But is it also
true that fashion has b ecome undeniably more “Cosmo” recently?
YouTub er Nailea Devora demonstrates —you b e the judge.
PH OTOG R APH S BY B R E N DAN WIX TE D
ST YLE D BY CAS S I E AN DE RSON
WO RDS BY R AC H E L TO RGE RSO N
THE X FACTOR
The whole vibe is ‘90s/
early aughts Carrie
Bradshaw, with
emphasis on eclectic
little details—ahem,
nipple flowers—that
make a look stand out.
David Koma dress.
Manolo Blahnik sandals.
Lizzie Mandler earrings.
Stylist’s own clutch.

95
 PERFECT CASTING
Some important things about Nailea
Devora: She’s a wildly successful
YouTuber and TikTok star (but you
knew that), she’s a fashion and beauty
girlie (like, Yves Saint Laurent shows,
a partnership with Revlon, the whole
deal), she’s hot as hell (please see: all
these pictures), and she loves Hallow-
een (direct quote: “Halloween is for the
girls”). Her style strategy is also, con-
veniently, exactly like ours. “I don’t put
myself in a box or label myself as one
aesthetic or another,” she says. “That’s
just limiting. I like to think there are no
rules when it comes to fashion.” Okay,
yes. Now do yourself a favor and go
down a rabbit hole of her vids.

OLD
MEETS NEW
To really sync up
with this style, you want
to hit that vintage/
modern mix but with
a spicy twist. Bustier
bodices for dayyyyys.
Wiederhoeft dress. Chris-
tian Louboutin sandals.
Susan Alexandra collar.
AND DID
WE MENTION
SKIN?
Yes, backless. Yes,
see-through. Yes, both
at the very same time.
Coach dress and bag.
Marlo Laz earrings
and rings. Lizzie Mandler
ring (right hand).

97
UNDER
WHERE
It certainly wouldn’t
be very Cosmo without
a lingerie moment.
Christian Dior blouse
and skirt, What Goes
Around Comes Around.
Araks bralette. Malone
Souliers boots. Fendi
earrings and bag.

Shot at Michelin Star

Chef Joe Isidori’s Arthur
& Sons restaurant in the
West Village.
DEEP Vs >
EVERYTHING
ELSE
Channel J.Lo’s 2000s
Grammys dress, please.
If not, a vintage DVF wrap
is an iconic choice too.
Diane von Furstenberg
vintage dress, Depop.com,
Max Mara sunglasses.
Lizzie Mandler earrings.
Chanel bag, What Goes
Around Comes Around.

99
GO BIG OR…
THERE IS
NO OTHER
OPTION
Western saloonwear
meets Madonna’s lace
era = genuinely why not?
Mugler top and shorts.
Giuseppe Zanotti boots.
Lelet NY flower choker.
Lizzie Mandler necklace.
Marlo Laz rings.
ON THE CHAIN
Chainmail, obviously.
Did you know you
can wear these sweet
bralette things as
necklaces? Because
that’s what we’re doing
from here on out.
Heron Preston crewneck,
metal mesh bra, and
metal mesh minidress.
Maison Ernest boots.
Saint Laurent by Anthony
Vaccarello sunglasses.
Fendi bag.

101
 FOR SHOPPING INFORMATION, GO TO COSMOPOLITAN.COM.

PICK UP ON
THE PATTERN
Life’s too short! Wear
all the prints together
and instantly be better
than everyone else.
Sorry to them.
Vintage by No
Standing NYC dress,
Wandler x Conner Ives
boots. Lizzie Mandler
necklace. Gucci bag.
MAKE IT
MODERN
Now here’s the
updated Carrie: a tank
with a feathery mini
instead of a tulle skirt.
And functional black
boots because we’re
on the go!
Coperni top, skirt,
and boots. Lizzie
Mandler necklace.
Marlo Laz pendant
necklace.

Hair: Levi Monarch at Kramer

+ Kramer for R+Co Bleu.
Makeup: Vincent Oquendo
at The Wall Group for Chanel
Beauty. Manicure: Miss Pop
for Chanel Le Vernis.

1 03
Content warning: This story contains graphic
descriptions of pregnancy loss, sexual violence,
medical maltreatment, and emotional abuse.
Her stor y was unthinkably tragic: a frightened young woman
with minimal supp or t and in dire need of help, ab out to give
bir th to a rapist ’s b aby. Now, she faces 52 criminal charges for
making it all up — and traumatizing at least 17 doulas with a
continuous chain of gruesome lab or- and- deliver y ho axes. In
their f irst major magazine inter views, f ive of Kaitlyn’s accusers
describ e how they fell under her chilling, p ersuasive p ower.
B Y S A R A H T R E L E AV E N

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 105
 so gratifying that they can’t resist, even
when they know it’s likely to explode in
their faces.”
“Kaitlyn was hyperaware of the
trauma she was causing,” says Nora,
a 25-year-old doula who provided 10
days of phone support to Kaitlyn. For
Samantha, 35, who supported Kaitlyn
in person and virtually, there was even
an admission. “Afterward, Kaitlyn told
me she was going to see her therapist for
help ‘getting my brain and my thoughts
figured out,’” she says. Whether or not
she did, Kaitlyn continued hiring new
doulas anyway.
Because of a court-ordered publi-
cation ban, all the doulas’ names in
this story have been changed. For the
same reason, Kaitlyn’s attorney, Alison
R. Macdonald, said Kaitlyn was unable
to speak with Cosmopolitan, noting that
Kaitlyn was still in custody. Kaitlyn has not
entered a plea; her social work license
has been temporarily suspended. When
asked to comment on the fact that some
doulas felt the police were dismissive of
their concerns, a spokesperson for the
Brantford Police Service said its inves-
tigation, marked by “immense dedica-
tion, compassion, and attention,” was
In a TikTok video uploaded this March, an Ontario doula—let’s call her Ashley—stares “exhaustive.”
intently at the camera. She has a warning for her fellow birth workers: A serial preg-
nancy faker is on the loose, pulling unsuspecting doulas into a string of ever-changing
nightmarish scenarios. Without naming names, Ashley imparts her message: “This AU G U ST 202 2
person was not and has not ever been pregnant.” The community had to protect itself.
The post quickly went viral as others stitched videos corroborating Ashley’s claims. Kaitlyn appears
A troubling pattern soon emerged, as did the identity of the accused: Kaitlyn Braun, a as someone who
24-year-old social worker from Brantford, Ontario, who had reportedly been DMing
doulas on Instagram with myriad versions of a shattering scenario. In many cases,
has learned of her
the details mirrored the lived experiences of the doulas themselves, and all shared a pregnancy late—
common plot: Seemingly scared and in crisis, Kaitlyn needed them to help her through she’s nearly at term.
a traumatic ordeal. Some doulas had already called the police, but Kaitlyn was still A healthy baby girl
out there roping people in—over and over again. named Eden,
By the time Kaitlyn Braun was arrested on March 13 and charged with multiple counts
of fraud, criminal harassment, false pretenses, indecent acts, and sexual assault, she conceived via sexual
had allegedly enlisted dozens of doulas, feeding off their compassion and manipulating assault, is due any
their professional code. Unlike ob-gyns or midwives, who are medical providers, doulas minute. Samantha is a
are devoted to providing comfort, advocacy, and education to clients throughout the rookie doula who
birth process, both virtually and in person. It appeared that Kaitlyn had found a perfect
target: people whose entire job is to believe women—to address their pain instead
hears from Kaitlyn—
of dismissing it, to hear them, help them, and support their choices no matter what. her very first client—
And support Kaitlyn they did, at significant emotional and financial cost to them- via Instagram DM.
selves (many opted to provide their services for free). Now, they share their stories Kaitlyn arranges for
in excruciating detail with the hope of raising awareness about...whatever the hell
happened here.
Samantha to provide
What did happen? Kaitlyn’s alleged behavior tracks with what may be factitious in-home and in-hospi-
disorder, a serious mental illness where people falsify medical or psychological tal labor support.
symptoms, says Marc Feldman, MD, a clinical professor of psychiatry and adjunct
professor of psychology at the University of Alabama and coauthor of Dying to Be
Ill: True Stories of Medical Deception. “Unlike most mental illnesses, this one involves Samantha: Kaitlyn texted me on a
deliberateness and often tremendous planning,” he explains. Many patients are Monday, her due date, saying she
also deft improvisers, spinning up convincing details on the fly. The experience “is thought she might be going into labor.

106 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 The contractions were 10, then 8 minutes When we got inside, she started ques-
apart, which is still kind of early for a tioning whether or not her water had even
doula to show up. But given her circum- broken. I called my mentor again, and
stances, I asked if she wanted me to come we started questioning it. Theoretically,
over. She said, “I really want to say yes it was possible that the fluid Kaitlyn said
because these are intense, but I feel bad she saw was not from her water breaking
because I’m sure you’re probably busy.” but instead liquid that’d been trapped
I was like, This poor girl. She’s so scared behind something called a mucus plug
to ask for the support she needs. I imme- [which comes out before or during labor].
diately drove to her place. That would mean she wasn’t really at risk
She’s a heavier person with a belly, so for infection. At that point, I was just like,
going by her appearance, I didn’t have I need to respect Kaitlyn’s choice. That is
reason to doubt she was pregnant. She what we do as doulas.
and her mother were living together in a
small two-bedroom apartment. Kaitlyn
had a car seat in the living room and a
sleeper seat in her bedroom. She had
baby clothes, a breast pump. It checked
out that this was an under-supported
young woman who was making do with
what she could get.

A few hours after Samantha arrives,

Kaitlyn reports that something is leaking
from her body. Samantha suggests it’s
her water breaking. Kaitlyn continues
to labor at home for two days while
Samantha stays at the apartment,
taking few breaks. She keeps a wary eye
on the clock, mindful of Kaitlyn’s rising
infection risk.

By Wednesday night, Kaitlyn’s water had

been broken for almost 48 hours. I had
gotten the distinct impression that her
mother did not want me there. She kept
saying, “Do you think it’s false labor? Are
you gonna go home?” And I was like,
“Kaitlyn’s water broke; it can’t be false
labor.” I was invested in getting Kaitlyn
to the hospital, which she was resisting.
Eventually, I called the hospital for guid-
ance, and they told me to get her there
immediately.
There’s a rule about not driving your
clients, but it was the only option I felt
we had—my understanding was that she
couldn’t afford an Uber or taxi. Once we
PREVIOUS SPREAD: STOCKSY. THIS SPREAD: GETTY IMAGES (2).

got in my car, she flipped out—scream-

ing, sobbing, begging me to leave her and Samantha drives Kaitlyn home and asks
forget she exists. She was so emotional, if they can meet at the hospital when it’s
I had to pull over. time. On Saturday, Kaitlyn texts that her
I called my mentor, who has attended contractions have returned—and once
over 700 births. She asked to speak with again, she has no safe way to get to the
Kaitlyn, and she convinced her to go to hospital. Samantha agrees to give her
the hospital. Once we parked, though, another ride…and repeats the exhausting
Kaitlyn wouldn’t get out of the car. I had process of getting Kaitlyn out of the car
to threaten to get a staffer. This is exactly and into the building.
the kind of doula I don’t want to be....
I never want to force you to do something I breathed a sigh of relief when we got
you don’t feel safe doing. But Kaitlyn through the doors. An ob-gyn came
didn’t give me a choice. into Kaitlyn’s room with an ultrasound

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 1 07
machine. She started doing the scan, possibly needed my compassion. I made
then quickly stopped. In my head, I was the choice I could live with. As I dropped
like, Why did you stop? You didn’t find her off, I said, “Do you want me to send
the baby yet! you resources on loss?” She refused.
That’s when the ob-gyn wiped off the
ultrasound goop, sat down, and said,
“Kaitlyn, there is no pregnancy. The only
N OV E M B E R 202 2
thing in your uterus is an IUD.”
The ob-gyn offered to call a social This time, Kaitlyn is a
worker or psychiatrist, but Kaitlyn wanted
to leave right away. At that point, I wasn’t
queer sexual assault
sure if this was a hysterical pregnancy— survivor who has been
meaning, whether Kaitlyn truly believed shunned by her family.
she was pregnant. If that was the case,
then she basically did just lose a baby.
She’s supposedly in the
The only thing she said the entire ride hospital with intensify-
home was, “I’m so confused.” ing contractions,
I had another decision to make: I could about to experience
be compassionate to somebody who
possibly did not deserve my compassion, a 32-week stillbirth.
or I could be a real jerk to somebody who Rachel, 32, and Nora,

108 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 up with a dad whose partner owned a on a blue Chux pad, which I reverse-
25, are doula friends funeral home. I wrote a will with her. She image searched. It was the default
who have agreed to also told us, in graphic detail, how a male Wikipedia photo for, like, rectal cancer.
team up on phone sup- doctor had touched her clitoris while his Rachel: The 32-week stillborn baby
port. Kaitlyn’s story, hand was inside her to stop the bleeding. photos Kaitlyn sent us were, like, halfway
challenging to verify She told us she didn’t feel safe with us down the first page of Google.
calling the police because she was still
remotely, becomes at the hospital. That made sense to us Nora: And I was like, I can’t bear the
more disturbing with as sexual assault survivors. thought of abandoning a client if there’s
even a 1 percent potential that this is
each passing day. Nora: She kept saying to us, “I’m so sorry actually happening.
I roped you into this. I’m so sorry you’re
experiencing this with me.” Rachel: Kaitlyn said she had been trans-
Rachel: I labored with her all day Satur- ferred to another hospital for palliative
Rachel: She was in an ambulance being care. I called the hospital twice—when
day over the phone. Everything sounded transferred to yet another hospital when she arrived and again the next morn-
super real. I could hear car sounds as she she started whispering, “He’s here; he’s ing—to confirm whether Kaitlyn had been
rode to the hospital. I could hear a heart- in the ambulance.” She gave me his admitted. When they told me they had no
beat monitor once she was there. I was name—I looked him up, and he is a real patient listed under her name, I called the
completely convinced. working doctor at the hospital. And then Brantford police and asked them to send
Nora: It’s hard to describe just how real she enacted this doctor raping her in a crisis team to Kaitlyn’s address.
it all was. She was even throwing up over the back of the ambulance before she
suddenly hung up the phone. Nora: The police called back a couple of
the phone. She told us she touched the
hours later and said, “Yep, we found her
baby’s head as it was coming out and Nora: Rachel starts panicking. She was in her living room at home. She’s fine.”
was like, “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve like, “Do I call 911? What options do we
ever done.” have?” Kaitlyn then convinced us that she
Rachel: Shit hit the fan about 45 minutes was going to report it herself.
F E B RUA RY 202 3
after the stillbirth, when Kaitlyn told me Rachel: At the next hospital, Kaitlyn said
her placenta was not coming out. She the same doctor—who really does have Now, Kaitlyn is in an
told me she had to undergo a D&C, privileges at both hospitals—assaulted her Airbnb. She’s 24 weeks
then a hysterectomy when the bleed- again. Only this time, a nurse caught him in pregnant, having
ing wouldn’t stop. Over the phone, I
helped her process losing her uterus to
the act and the police were now involved. learned a day earlier
her rapist’s dead baby just days before
Nora: She said a nurse from Women’s that the fetal heartbeat
her 24th birthday. And that was the
College Hospital was coming to do a of a baby she’d wanted
rape kit on her.
least traumatic event of the week that to name Brielle had
followed. Rachel: She was very graphic in describ- stopped. Kaitlyn enlists
ing the assaults—how another doctor
made her get on all fours during a proce-
Ashley, 35, who pro-
Kaitlyn tells Nora and Rachel that
because her post-hysterectomy bleed- dure, how he touched her breasts, how vides in-person and
ing isn’t stopping, she’s being trans- she leaked milk when he did that, how he virtual doula services
ferred to a second hospital, then a third, pulled a tube out of a drain on her body. over four days.
where she receives two devastating Nora: She was telling us the doctor was
diagnoses: a clotting disorder and late- enjoying this—that he was ripping out
stage pelvic cancer. stitches and things like that. The doctors Ashley: Kaitlyn told me she was a social
had been arrested, she said. work student. She lived on campus with
roommates, so she had rented the
Rachel: At this point, we made it clear we Rachel: Somebody I was dating at Airbnb for privacy during labor. We
were no longer the professionals Kaitlyn the time, they actually called report- did remote texting support Wednesday
needed. But you become so attached to ers because they were scared these evening through most of Thursday. Mid-
this person you think is alone and dying. doctors were going to get away with it. afternoon on Thursday, she started
It’s really hard to walk away. The reporters called back and said, “Are getting contractions.
Nora: They gave her three options: a we missing something? Did this happen She had a girlfriend there with her—
vaginectomy, radiation, or palliative care. with a police unit we don’t know about?” someone she was dating at the time.
Her kidneys were starting to fail. Things They could find no record that any of this I ended up going to the Airbnb just
were not looking good. was happening. I had been with Kaitlyn before 10:00 on Thursday night. When
since the previous Friday, and now it was I walked in, Kaitlyn was watching Grey’s
Rachel: She told us she might live a year Thursday, and that was really the first
OPPOSITE PAGE: STOCKSY.

with treatment and three months without. Anatomy—the episode where April and
moment of being like, Okay, we need to Jackson lose their baby right after birth.
Nora: She decided she wanted to stop touch something tangible in this situation. Kaitlyn said this was helping her. At the
care. I was on the phone crying for the Nora: This is when Kaitlyn said she time, I could see how that might help
whole thing. started pushing out chunks of a tumor. someone. So, yeah, that was happening
Rachel: Kaitlyn somehow knew I grew She sent us a photo of a piece of a tumor in the background.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 109
 We ended up going to the hospital. “You don’t owe her anything. You need
I took my own car and the girlfriend to just drive away.”
drove Kaitlyn. I waited outside at Kaitlyn’s I put us on a three-way call with
request. (For nearly a month afterward, the police. I told them, “This is actively
I thought the girlfriend was in on it, but happening right this second. You guys
I’ve spoken to her since and she definitely need to do something because it’s not
wasn’t.) About half an hour later, Kaitlyn stopping. It’s just getting worse.”
came out and said, “I’m still at 4 centi-
meters.” Which meant this was probably
going to take a while. M A RC H 202 3
I said, “You should go home and try
to rest. The best thing to do is sleep as Kaitlyn is in the
much as you can.” Since I have a day job, hospital, flanked by
I found a backup doula who could be with friends, where she’s
Kaitlyn when I couldn’t. That doula and I been for several
kept in constant communication through- days and where she’ll
out the weekend. The red flags started soon have to deliver
to pick up on Sunday, when Kaitlyn said
her water broke. The doula was like, “I
a stillborn baby
think she peed in front of me. It wasn’t conceived through
her water breaking. It looked like pee.” rape. She reaches out
At one point, Kaitlyn had suppos- via Instagram to
edly gone out to buy some items she’d Rosa, 35, a pregnancy
need postpartum. The doula told me she and infant-loss
checked inside the bag and there was doula. Rosa begins
nothing in it except a change of clothes.
That set off an alarm bell in her head.
working remotely with
She remembered seeing a post in a local Kaitlyn days before
doula group on Facebook about a client Kaitlyn is arrested.
who had done similar things. She found
the post, and it was about Kaitlyn. The
doula sent me a screenshot and wrote, Rosa: I think I was one of Kaitlyn’s last
“We have a problem.” people. This is very fresh for me. I’m still in
Me, I’m very good at setting boundar- the process of grasping what happened.
ies. “I think you should just get your shit She reached out early on a Satur-
and leave,” I told her. And that’s kind of day, asking if I had ever done virtual
what she did. We never contacted Kaitlyn loss support. I have, so this request didn’t
again. seem unusual. She shared her story and
The next day, we heard that Kait- said, “I looked through your social media,
lyn had reached out to another doula and you just resonate with me.”
in the area. We were adding people to She had been in the hospital since
the Facebook group daily. Regardless Wednesday. Doctors were waiting to
of people calling the police and doing either release her or possibly induce her
statements, nothing was changing. I there. We were messaging back and
said, “I’m gonna make a TikTok video.” forth on Instagram a lot. She seemed very
I wasn’t looking to name Kaitlyn; I didn’t appreciative but needed a lot of reassur-
post pictures of her. I really just wanted to ance. Like, “I’m sorry I’m bothering you. I
protect other doulas. I was already feel- don’t want to be a burden.”
ing so much guilt about bringing some- I did have subconscious alarm bells.
body else into this—yet another doula When she first reached out to me, I went
who was traumatized. through her social media too. I was trying
I posted some snippets to Instagram to substantiate this feeling I had, but I
too. Within an hour, a doula messaged couldn’t find any holes.
me saying, “I think I’m with this person Kaitlyn brought a friend into it—a
right now. Can you call me?” I did and friend who was supposedly there with
sent her a couple of photos of Kaitlyn. her. The friend would take Kaitlyn’s
She saw the images and started crying. phone, and they’d pass it back and
She and Kaitlyn were at the mall, walking forth. I was speaking and texting with
during Kaitlyn’s contractions. The doula them both. At one point, her friend said,
had excused herself to her car to speak “Kaitlyn and I sound similar; we’ve been
STOCKSY.

with me. She was so upset. This was the told that our entire life.” She talked about
second time I had to say to somebody, how she and Kaitlyn had been through so

110 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
much together, how Kaitlyn is so strong, her sister from England can come say
the strongest woman she’s ever seen. Just goodbye, what they’re going to do with
really talked Kaitlyn up like a best friend the baby.
would in this kind of scenario. I was trying to cope too. This was
Kaitlyn was progressing into labor. hitting every one of my triggers: My sister
Her friends were in and out of the room was on life support when I was 4, and
for support. But she ended up pushing she passed away. I’ve had multiple losses.
too early and suffered a cervical tear. I’m an assault survivor. I had a hysterec-
She also had a placental abruption tomy last year. This surely could’ve been
[when the placenta prematurely sepa- a fluke, but I don’t think it was.
rates from the uterus]. Doctors worked At this point, I was at capacity. But you
can’t be like, Oh, this is looking bad—I’m
gonna leave now. Kaitlyn had mentioned
that she was a person of faith, and so am
I. So I was like, She’s getting to meet her
daughter in heaven. She’s not having to
process all this trauma. Just really trying
to find any kind of silver lining that I could.
That same evening, Kaitlyn’s friend
told me, “Oh, by the way, I’m also preg-
nant.” And I was like, I cannot. I cannot.
And then she said she was having
contractions. I told her she needed to find
a different support person. I could not do
another birth with someone right then.
But the next day, Sunday morning, the
friend told me she was in preterm labor.
And then she said, “This baby is from an
assault by the same person.” Even if this
was plausible, my brain couldn’t make it
make sense. I had so many questions, but
I was tapped out. So again, I pushed her
to find different support.
The friend started saying that she
couldn’t feel her baby anymore, that
doctors were rushing her off for an ultra-
sound because they couldn’t find the
heartbeat. And I had to be like, I’m done.
The last thing she said to me was, “Do you
still want updates about Kaitlyn?”
That night, I spoke to a coworker I
subcontract to sometimes. This situa-
tion had delayed my paying her, so I had
to let her know what was going on. She
sent me a screenshot from a doula Face-
book group about a client named Kaitlyn
Braun who had been hiring doulas for
fake stillbirths. I was like, “You’ve gotta
be kidding me.” Kaitlyn had contacted
on her for two hours, and she ended up me on Saturday. By Monday, I was in the
with a hysterectomy, and that still wasn’t group chat, hearing everyone’s stories.
enough. She had issues with blood clot- I hope Kaitlyn gets the help she so very
ting....Essentially, she was in multisystem needs, but I have no sympathy left for her.
organ failure. She was put on life support. Having your compassion and your own
The stillborn baby was passed off to the If you are in need of traumas used against you is grotesque.
friends, which doesn’t happen unless... mental health support It’s vile. Doulas may be gentle and soft
concerning any
So I was thinking, Oh god, she’s done. and loving, but you cross our lines? We
aspect of pregnancy,
My client is dead. including pregnancy will stand strong.
I was supporting her best friend loss, consider calling or
through all this—having to say goodbye texting the confidential,
24/7 National Maternal SARAH TRELEAVEN is a writer and producer and the
to Kaitlyn, Kaitlyn’s family making the Mental Health Hotline host of USG Audio’s The Followers: Madness of Two
decision to keep her on life support so at 833-852-6262. podcast. She lives in Nova Scotia, Canada.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 111
 DOING THE

PHOTOGR APH S BY
AC E AM I R FA S H I O N B Y
ANDREA
WORDS BY ZENDEJAS
LAUREN BALSAMO

FOR SHOPPING INFORMATION, GO TO COSMOPOLITAN.COM.

Fa l l ’s b e s t m a ke u p t re n d s h a ve a r r i ve d , a n d t h ey a re b o l d .
 HEAVY
HOLOGRAPHIC S
Subtlety has officially left
the chat, so know that you’re
onto something when your
look starts to look extra...
extra. Start by dabbing on
and blending in a liquid
highlighter on the high
points of your face, then use
a pair of tweezers to place
different size rhinestones
on your cheeks and across
the bridge of your nose.
Next, layer on a bluish-
purple metallic lip color and
top it off with a swipe of thick
clear gloss for extra sheen.

Laura Mercier RoseGlow

Liquid Highlighter in Champagne
Pink, $40; Byredo Colour
Stick in Ultramagnetic, $38;
Half Magic Face Gems in
Iridescent Sparkle, $12 for 72.

Philosophy di
Lorenzo Serafini
dress. Isabel Marant
earrings. Georg
Jensen ring.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 113
 GOTH-Y
GLAM
There are no rules here, just
some advice from us:
First, use a liner brush to
paint your eye area with an
opaque silver pigment.
The bigger and more fanned
out your design the better.
Then line your lips with a
dark-brown pencil and
swipe a black gloss on top.
And because you’re really
going for it (duh), pop on a
set of XXL chrome claws.

Haus Labs by Lady Gaga

Hy-Power Pigment Paint in Silver
Shimmer, $24; Bobbi Brown Lip
Pencil in Chocolate, $30;
Isamaya Liplacq Maximizing Lip
Serum in Black Veil, $38.

Poster Girl top.

Annika Inez earrings.
Yvonne Léon ring.

114
 MORE-IS -MORE MONOCHROME
Did you know that hot coral is officially the new It Girl makeup color?
You do now. It looks best when applied with a heavy hand on your eyes, lips, and
cheeks. Use a densely packed eyeshadow brush to press and blend a
powder onto your lids, then swipe on a matte liquid lipstick. Finish it off with some
sparkle (sensing a theme here?), and tap a bit of glitter gel between your
brows and on the centers of your lips.

Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring

Balm Powder Flushed in Primadonna, $25; About-Face
Paint-It Matte Lip Color in Canyon on Fire, $16;
ColourPop Glitter Gel in Disco Lady, $9.

Self-Portrait dress. Fry Powers earrings. Marla

Aaron necklace. Georg Jensen rings.

S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3 C o s m o p o l i ta n 115
 GRAPHIC EYE GLITTER
Glitter liner for fall? Cool. Two-tone glitter liner that extends past
your lash lines and turns into brow art? Actually the coolest. Your supplies
here are cosmetic glue, a silicone glitter packing brush, and loose
sparkle pigment. Start by mapping out your design using a white eyeliner,
then layer your glue and glitter on top.

NYX Professional Makeup Face and Body

Glitter in Violet, $6.50; Morphe M760 Silicone
Glitter Packer Eyeshadow Brush, $7; MAC
Cosmetics Glitter in Reflects Turquatic, $23.

Coach dress. Annika Inez earrings.

Yvonne Léon ring.

116 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
 SERIOUS
STAT E M E N T
LASHES
Aaand we’ve arrived at our
*most* maximalist look,
but honestly, re-creating the
makeup portion of it takes
minimal effort. Prep your
skin with a dewy foundation
and your lids and lips with
a sheer wash of orange
color. For the lashes, coat
your natural ones in a black
volumizing mascara first,
then go in with two different
sets of individual false
lashes (one black, one
orange) and cluster them
along your upper and lower
lash lines. P.S. Sorry if you’re
suddenly craving breakfast.

Glossier Stretch Fluid Founda-

tion, $34; Thrive Causemetics
Liquid Lash Volumizer Mascara
in Brynn, $25; E.l.f. Cosmetics
Monochromatic Multi Stick in
Glowing Mango, $5.

Puppets and Puppets top.

Isabel Marant jeans. Marla
Aaron earrings.

Hair: Peter Matteliano.

Makeup: Christyna Kay.
Manicure: Elizabeth Garcia.
T h e La s t Pa g e

Bringing It Back
Remember how we said we’ve literally always been about the fun of
fashion? (Page 94 will jog your memory.) Here’s some historical proof in the
form of 20 years ago, when Elle Woods was (still is?) basically everything.
BY AN NAB E L IWEGB U E

THIS. COAT.
There are
Depop sellers
who’d do
downright
reprehensible
things to get
Long live the their hands
skinny scarf, on it.
which truly
set the tone
for today’s
default TikTok-
influencer
look.

Bruiser Woods:
founding
father of lavish
petwear.

STILLS: ROGER CABELLO. FASHION EDITOR: KAREN HANES DE LARRAIN. STYLIST: ROBERT QUADRINI.
The butterfly
trend walked
so that
mermaid-
Before there
LEGALLY BLONDE 2: RED, WHITE & BLONDE: SAM EMERSON/©MGM PICTURES (2).

core—aka
our current was 2023
whimsical- Barbie pink,
creature before there
obsession— was millen-
could run. nial pink, there
was Legally
Blonde pink.

118 C o s m o p o l i ta n S E PT E M B E R & O C TO B E R 2 02 3
CAN A SANDWICH
CRAFTED WITH
DELECTABLY ROASTED
CUTS MAKE YOUR
TASTE BUDS QUAKE
WITH YEARNING?

© 2023 Tyson Foods, Inc.

SYDNEY SWEENY WEARS LUMINOUS SILK FOUNDATION SHADE 3 AND CONCEALER SHADE 3.75

Luminous Silk
THE MOST BUZZED ABOUT GLOW DUO

MAESTRO OF TEXTURE, MAESTRO OF SHADES. FOUNDATION CONCEALER