Life Style

I know, I thought I was over food-based beauty trends, too. Unfortunately, when I heard about the "espresso martini" hair color, I had to change my stance. Not only do I freaking love espresso martinis (sub tequila for vodka), but when I started seeing the different espresso martini hair inspiration photos on social media, I immediately knew I needed to try it. I'm a natural brunette, and I find switching my hair color up to be a bit of a hassle. I like the idea of highlights, but keeping them a good, rich tone that doesn't turn brassy can often be a challenge. Since all of the examples of this trend featured the most subtle lightness, however, I figured it might end up being the perfect color for me. To try it, I visited hairstylist Sierra Kener at Nine Zero One Salon in Beverly Hills. Keep scrolling to learn more about the espresso martini hair-color trend, and to read about my experience getting the color. What Is the Espresso Martini Hair Color? "Espresso martini hair is a rich chocolate color with a skinny piece of lightened hair around the front," Kener tells PS. Rather than just a solid brunette base like with black hair color , this version can involve smaller highlights throughout, or it can just feature two "money pieces" to frame the face. The latter are meant to signify the creamy froth often seen at the top of espresso martinis. "[The trend] will look best with clients who have darker natural hair who want something low maintenance while still having a little dimension," Kener says. However, it can be completely customized to suit your needs. How to Get Espresso Martini Hair To get the look, you want to start out with a rich brunette base: think espresso or chocolate. I'm a natural dark brunette, but I had a lot of warmth in my hair from a previous highlight job I had done over the summer, so Kener added lowlights throughout to get me closer to my darker base. "We low-lighted with 7NB in the MyDentity warm series because I wanted to add dimension, shine, and richness," she says. If your hair doesn't have any existing highlights as mine did, your colorist can either add in a few lighter pieces or stick with a solid base. I'm also the lucky owner of quite a few grey hairs, which Kener calls "sparkles," so we went over those with a demi-permanent cream color. From there, it was time to add the "froth," which Kener did using four highlight foils around my face to lighten things up. After shampooing, she applied a toner all over my hair to balance out brassy tones. "This allows the right amount of warmth to shine through without going dull," she says. Once she finished conditioning my hair, Kener gave me a gorgeous bouncy blowout so I could survey the final look, which was stunning. She removed the brassiness from my hair, and instead gave my hair life and dimension. Plus, the "frothy" money pieces at the front of my face made the entire look pop. I got to show off my new hair color over the weekend, and I'm not exaggerating when I say I received more compliments than I have with any other hair color. How to Maintain Espresso Martini Hair Color at Home This trend is low-maintenance, and only requires salon visits every six months or so. However, to maintain the longevity of your new look, it's important to use color-safe products whenever washing or styling your hair. Additionally, Kener recommends a heat protectant like the MyHero Collagen Shield Spray ($28). "This will prolong the color and protect it from heat damage as well as keep it shiny," she says. "Even if you aren't using heat tools, this will protect your hair from the sun's heat. Think of it like a sunscreen for your hair." Kener also says if you need to cut out any warm tones in your hair (since brunettes tend to get brassy), she recommends using a color depositing conditioner like the MyRefresh Color Depositing Conditioner in Purple Raven ($24). "I recommend doing this every fourth shampoo," she adds. "It will mute just the right amount of warmth. And last, "I always recommend using a good mask," she says. "When working out, slick your hair back and add just a little to the ends." Kener suggests her clients use the Aavrani Intensive Repair Mask ($39) at least once a week. Renee Rodriguez is a staff writer and social producer for POPSUGAR. She writes across all verticals, but her main areas of expertise focus on fashion and beauty content with an emphasis on reviews and editor experiments. She also produces social content for POPSUGAR's TikTok and Instagram accounts.

Let's be honest - the dead bug exercise doesn't sound very enticing. What first comes to mind is a dead beetle on its back with its legs in the air. In reality though, this beginner-friendly core move has a lot to offer - and there are plenty of reasons to add the dead bug exercise to your workout routine. If you can get past the name, the dead bug exercise is a simple, surefire way to build core strength and core stability, both of which are key to moving well in training (and in life). Doing the dead bug exercise regularly can also contribute to better posture, coordination, power, and control. Not to mention, it can be performed anywhere, even without equipment. Ready to learn about this beginner-friendly move? Find everything you need to know about the dead bug exercise below, including the powerful benefits, expert-approved tips, modifications, and step-by-step instructions to help you perform the move safely and effectively. The Benefits of the Dead Bug Exercise The dead bug exercise targets 360 degrees of core muscles, including the transverse abdominis (the deepest core muscle), rectus abdominis (the muscle in the front and middle of the abs), obliques (the muscles on the sides of your torso), and pelvic floor (the muscles along the bottom of your abdominal cavity, which work to hold up your internal organs). Breanna Cummings, trainer for the NYC Nike Well Collective and Lifetime Fitness NYC, says the dead bug is a favorite to recommend for her clients. She describes it as a "functional movement that mimics daily life." That's because, compared to other core exercises like crunches or sit-ups, dead bug places the spine in a neutral position. It helps you build more core strength and stability while allowing your limbs to move freely - hugely important skills for moving through your day-to-day life. "Think about how you carry groceries into the house, or pick up your favorite little human. All of these activities require a neutral spine, core strength, and stability," she explains. The dead bug exercise also works shoulder and hip mobility, because it asks you to move your shoulders and hips through a large range of motion. Its emphasis on core strength and mobility makes dead bug a great move for general strength and conditioning, as well as for athletes. For example, "runners need to be able to create power while keeping their core engaged in a neutral spine, so the better you're able to perform the dead bug, the more efficient you will be," Cummings explains. If prescribed by a trainer, physical therapist, or doctor, dead bug can also be used to recover from injury and help with lower-back issues. The move is performed lying on your back and asks you to find and maintain a neutral spine, as well as a braced core; it's also done slowly and, usually, in tune with your breath. This offers a really safe way to build core strength compared to more dynamic movements and helps people learn what it means to brace or engage your core. How to Do a Dead Bug Here's how to perform a dead bug exercise with safe and proper form, according to Cummings. Lie on your back on the floor. Lift your legs up to tabletop position, with your knees directly over your hips bent at 90 degrees and your shins parallel to the floor. Extend your arms toward the ceiling, stacked directly over your shoulders, palms facing each other. From this position, flatten your back to the floor by tilting your pelvis slightly upward. This is your starting position. Exhale to slowly extend one arm behind your head while simultaneously extending your opposite leg until it's straight, hovering just off the floor. Try not to let your lower back lift off the floor (if it does start to lift, don't lower your leg as far, as shown below). Hold for one second, then inhale to lift both your arm and leg back to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. That's one rep. Dead Bug Variations and Modifications Even though dead bugs are a beginner-friendly move, there are ways to both decrease the challenge - so you can really connect to your core - and up the ante. Try these three dead bug variations. Banded Dead Bug: Adding a resistance band usually makes an exercise harder, but in this case, it's a modification; this dead bug variation helps you activate your core and breaks down the movement to just the feet. Try this modification if you're having trouble moving both your arms and legs while keeping your core engaged. Loop a resistance band onto a pole or piece of furniture, then lie face-up on the floor so the band is just past your head. Holding onto the band with both hands, press your back flat onto the floor, and pull the band until your hands are above the middle of your chest. Lift your legs up to tabletop, and hold for 15-20 seconds. Next, try performing the dead bug movement with your feet only, holding the band in place above your chest. Weighted Dead Bug: If you have access to a weighted plate or dumbbells, this is a great exercise. You only need to add 5-10 lbs. to this exercise. It works not only your core but also shoulder mobility. To do it, hold the weight in your hands and perform dead bug by moving the weights toward the floor as far as you can. Be careful here: you only want to go as far as you feel a stretch in your shoulder. If you go too far, you can put yourself at risk for shoulder injury. Medicine Ball Iso Dead Bug: This one will set your core on fire! Grab a 5-8 lb. medicine ball. Lie on the floor, and place the medicine ball in between your right elbow and left knee. Engage your core, and press your back against the floor. Extend your opposite arm and leg in the usual dead bug motion while maintaining tension on your other elbow and leg to hold the medicine ball up. With this move, it's important that you focus on your breath, breathing in and out through your nose. If the medicine ball is too heavy, you can substitute for a yoga block or a stability ball; all versions of this move make sure your core stays locked and engaged while you work the opposing side. Related: The 10 Best Ab Exercises to Strengthen Your Core

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I am a big blush girl. Cream, liquid, powder - if it leaves behind perfectly-tinted cheeks, I am all for it. That being said, during my time as an editor, I've come to realize that not all blush is created equal. As a result, I've become much more selective about the formulas I use versus when I was a beauty enthusiast first starting out in the mid-'00s. One of the things I look for in my beauty products, especially in the complexion category, is a consideration of deeper skin tones. So often, brands launch a product saying they will come out with something for darker skin "later" or they'll blatantly disregard their Black and Brown audience completely. As a result, I've made it a point to pay particular attention to the brands that pay attention to me, and LYS Beauty is a brand that consistently keeps deeper skin tones in mind. You may know them for their viral No Limits Cream Bronzer and Contour Stick ($20), but the brand just came out with a Higher Standard Cream Glow Blush ($20) that has a similar formula and the exact same packaging, with shades that are right up my alley. Of course, I had to give it a try, so read ahead to see how the experience went. What to Know About the LYS Higher Standard Cream Glow Blush The blush comes in seven shades ranging from a bright pink to a deep berry for all skin tones. The blush has the standard LYS stick packaging: a triangular-shaped pink component that twists up to reveal the product inside. Standout ingredients include green tea extract, rosehip oil, and vitamin E, which help soothe the skin and address inflammation. What I Like About the LYS Higher Standard Cream Glow Blush I was immediately drawn to the shade range of this line. Every color looks like it would work beautifully on my skin tone, and this is still rare for me as someone with a deeper skin tone. Additionally, the formula is extremely pigmented but soft to the touch, so I knew I'd have no problem blending it out on my cheeks. With that, I opted for the shade Bubbly, which is a soft pink. How to Use the LYS Higher Standard Cream Glow Blush Just like the bronzer, the formula of the blush is incredibly pliable, so I opted to use a fluffy brush to pick up the color and deposit it onto my cheeks, instead of applying the stick directly. The specific brush I used was an old one that has since been discontinued from Japonesque. However, the Real Techniques Makeup Setting Brush ($8) is extremely similar. After lightly tapping some blush onto my brush, I applied the product onto my cheeks in short, stippling motions. It was the perfect amount of color, and it left behind a dewy flush of color. The finish almost made it look like I had also applied a highlighter, so I decided not to set it with powder and leave it as is. What to Consider About the LYS Higher Standard Cream Glow Blush The formula of this blush has a pearlescent finish, which gives it a high-shine effect. As someone with acne-prone, textured akin, I thought this would make my pores look massive, but it was the exact opposite: my cheeks looked blurred and healthy. However, if you're not a fan of blush with a dewy finish, you'll likely want to stay away from this one. Additionally, I have three of the blushes, and in two of them, the highest point of the triangular shape has broken off into the packaging. When I twist it up, not all of the product comes out. It's not an egregious amount, and you can scoop it out with a makeup spatula, however, it's something I noticed occurred more than once - so should you also decide to get this blush, check to make sure it doesn't have this issue. Where to Buy the LYS Higher Standard Cream Glow Blush You can buy the LYS Higher Standard Cream Glow Blush at Sephora.com and Lysbeauty.com. Rating: Ariel Baker is the assistant editor for POPSUGAR Beauty. Her areas of expertise include celebrity news, beauty trends, and product reviews. She has additional bylines with Essence and Forbes Vetted.