Revealing Our New Brit + Co Planners, Now Exclusively at Target!

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the women that read Brit + Co, it’s that all of you have your own agenda. Some are students, figuring out how to have fun while keeping those grades up. Some are girlbosses, working to get to that next level. Some of you have crazy wanderlust and just want to travel the world. And others of you, like me, are trying to figure out how to navigate this new world of Being A Mom.

You’re doing it all, but you need a little help. So, to keep all of your life’s moments in check, I’m excited to share that Brit + Co is releasing a line of personalized planners available exclusively at Target.

Our collection of Brit + Co Planners include eight different personalizable agenda spirals and binders, plus dozens of rad accessories like stickers, magnetic bookmarks, patches, sticky notes, and pocket folders. The majority of the assortment will be available on Target.com starting June 18th and the entire assortment will be in nearly all Target stores nationwide in early July.

The best part? These planners are uber customizable. Not only can you start them any day of the year, but you can build yours any way you want to — choose from daily, weekly or monthly calendar pages, or choose to add coloring book inserts, dry erase boards, page dividers, pocket folders, and more. Whether you’re a student, a working woman, or a crazed mom, you can truly make these planners fit your busy agenda.

We had so much fun designing these planners and accessories to match the Brit + Co lifestyle: stylish, organized, colorful, positive, and fun! The inner and outer patterns are vibrant on their own, but you’ll also find colorful textures and motivational phrases scattered throughout the inside. I honestly can’t choose my favorite design!

As a bonus gift to you, we are offering a free Brit + Co online class for every planner purchased, and an extra discount on classes if you snag some accessories. Look for a scratch-off sticker on the back of the package and redeem online. Choose to learn new skills like calligraphy, photography or even coding. Let’s all go back to school together this fall :)

Check out the full collection online or shop your local Target store in early July. Oh, and don’t forget to snag one of our Brit + Co DIY Kits while you’re there!

Will you be picking up Brit + Co Planners during your next Target run? Let us know on Twitter at @britandco. Show off your personalized planner using the hashtag #BritxTarget across your social media channels! Now go get your life in order!

Make sure you've got your wallet on-hand and your laptop charged, because the Target Memorial Day Sale (online and in-store) is coming in hot! While you can get great deals on a lot during this three-day event, there are some major big ticket items (hello, Dyson?!) we've go our eye on. And with some items up to 60% off, this is definitely a deals event you don't wanna miss! From vacuums to velvet home decor, we've got you covered with our fave finds!

When is Target's Memorial Day sale in 2024?

Photo by NordWood Themes /Unsplash

Target's yearly in-store and online Memorial Day Sale starts Friday May 24 and runs through Monday May 27.

What deals does Target's Memorial Day sale have?

Photo via Target

This three day weekend sale will have discounted anything and everything from home decor items, to furniture, to even hair and beauty items. They also happen to discount quite a lot of buzzy tech, so this is a great time to score a deal on some investment purchases like bluetooth headphones or an Apple Watch.

If you catch the deals early enough, you'll be able to find items up to 60% off of their normal prices! That's more than half off! We are so excited to shop this sale, and know you will be too!

Shop these great pre-Memorial Day Target deals below!

Home Deals

Vizio 1080p Smart TV

If you're in the market for a new TV then I would highly recommend buying one during this sale so you can save a couple bucks! I have a Vizio Smart TV, and I seriously love it! It was one of the best investments in my house I could've made, and what's better than finding one on sale?! Run to add this to your cart!

Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum

As a massive fan of Dyson, I use so many of their products from home to hair care! This trusty vacuum will be a staple in your household, especially since it's cordless! If you grab it during this sale, then you're able to get it for over $130 off! A steal if you ask me!

Keurig K-Mini Coffee Maker

Everyone needs a good coffee maker for your morning brew, and this one is a great choice! You can find it for 50% off at Target, which is SO crazy!! Going to check out with this now...

Outdoor Patio Loveseat

Furniture is one of my favorite things to buy during major sales, because it's always SO heavily discounted. Like this loveseat, for example, is $120 off right now! That's an amazing price, and this set is so cute!

Velvet Accent Chair

I'm currently look for an office space upgrade, hoping to add some new furniture pieces and maybe a new rug. This chair is perfect for my home office, and it's listed at an incredible deal right now, so run to grab it! The scallop detailing is so cute, and if you get it now you'll be saving over $200 at 60% off the original price!

Tech Deals

JBL Bluetooth Headphone

I use these headphones daily! They are so easy to use, and have definitely become my trusty everyday item that I keep in my purse at all times! You can get them for 30% off right now.

Beats Studio Pro Headphones

More of a Beats girl? That's cool, too! These are on sale right now for almost 50% off — which doesn't happen often in the world of Apple products! If you're thinking of getting a pair any time soon, now's your chance!

Google Nest

If you've been wanting to upgrade your home to some smarter features, then grab this Google Nest while it's discounted, because you won't regret it! It adds a little fun and a lot of ease to your home when you can control everything right there on the screen and through your voice!

Apple AirTag Pack of 4

Any travel plans coming up? I put one AirTag in each of my bags, because they've been such a lifesaver to me! When an airline lost my luggage and said that they didn't have it, I followed the AirTag right to where they kept my bags —they seriously saved the day! I'd grab this 4 pack for traveling, so you don't have to stress!

Beauty + Personal Care Deals

Phillips Sonicare Toothbrush

Need any hygiene or health-related upgrades? Grab anything you need now while things are on sale! I'll, personally, be stocking up on my normal skincare and upgrading to this cute electric toothbrush! Love this!

Check out our email newsletter for the latest shopping deals!

Lead photo by Target

George and Amal Clooney are one of the celebrity couples I’d personally be upset over if they ever break up. Like...my heart just wouldn’t be able to handle it because their love story is one for the books — not to mention all the power couple fashion moments we'd miss out on!

I was introduced to George Clooney’s work via Quentin Tarantino’s movieFrom Dusk ‘Til Dawn (thanks, dad) and have always found him to be a force of nature, but I didn’t take him for the ‘settling down’ type. Imagine my surprise when the man who once claimed he’d never get married eventually found himself smitten with Amal Alamuddin, an intelligent Human Rights Lawyer.

Since their fateful first meeting at George’s home years ago, the two have gone on to get married, have children, and even established the Clooney Foundation for Justice together. If you can’t get enough of their relationship either, here’s a full timeline of their love story!

George and Amal Clooney's Full Relationship Timeline

Image via Andrew Goodman/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight Night

July 2013: George And Amal Clooney’s First Introduction

In 2018, George sat down with David Letterman on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction to recount various moments from his life, including when he first met Amal. He remembers being at home at Lake Como when one of his friends asked if they could bring a plus one with them.

To make things even wilder, his own agent let him know his bachelor days would soon be over. “I got a call from my agent who called and said, ‘I met this woman who’s coming to your house who you’re gonna marry,’” he said.

Once he met Amal and began talking to her, it was apparent they had chemistry that resulted in them exchanging emails. George told The Hollywood Reporter, “I thought she was beautiful, and I thought she was funny and obviously smart…Then she sent some pictures from when she was here, and we were writing each other, emailing, talking, mostly about what was going on in each other’s lives, and over a period of time it became clear we were more than just friends.”

I’m being dramatic, but I think this dispels the idea that it’s impossible to find love if you don’t leave home.

Image via Cindy Ord/Getty Images

October 2013: George and Amal Have Their First Date

George also told The Hollywood Reporter about how their first official date came to be. He was in London overseeing the music for Monuments Men and decided to invite Amal for a visit. “Then we went for dinner…and when we came out, there were 50 paparazzi there. But she handled it like a champ. And pretty quickly, things escalated once I was in London,” he said

While they dated and got to know each other, they told CBS that they wrote each other letters. While they described that courtship, Amal added that some of the letters George wrote to her came from...his dog? Talk about bringing someone into your inner world! TBH, I'm more than here for it — let your sweet, goofy flag fly, George!

Image via Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Turner

April 2014: George and Amal Get Engaged

I always say there’s no denying when you’ve fallen in love with someone, and that couldn’t be more true for George and Amal Clooney who got engaged after six months of dating. Seriously, the way George proposed is something out of a romantic fairytale because he planned it. Not only that, but he cooked for her and sent her on a short scavenger hunt — except she didn’t know she was supposed to be looking for a ring.

He revealed even more details about the moment during his interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “I did all the stuff, got down on my knee and did all the things you’re supposed to do. I had a playlist with my Rosemary [Clooney] songs on it, and I was waiting for this song, ‘Why Shouldn’t I,’” he said.

Needless to say, Amal happily accepted his proposal! Ironically,I’m starting to realize there’s not always a set timeline for people to get engaged or married after dating. Some people only date for a few months while others date for years before deciding to get married. It’s all very personal.

Image via Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for BFI

September 2014: George And Amal Clooney Get Married

It wouldn’t be right if the couple didn’t get married in Italy, the country where they first met. Of course they were free to get married wherever they wanted, but leave it to the Clooneys to keep the romance going.

People reported the lovely couple wed at the Aman Canal Grande resort and guests like Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, and John Krasinski were in attendance.

Image via Jason Merritt/Getty Images

January 2015: George and Amal Grace the Red Carpet Together

For the first time ever, George and Amal Clooney made an appearance on the red carpet at the beginning of 2015. They attended the Golden Globes together where George received the famed lifetime achievement award.

Towards the end of his speech, George praised Amal in only a way that a man truly in love with his wife could. He said, "You make every single day — every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday — feel as special as tonight..."

Image via Duncan McGlynn/Getty Images

Late 2016: George and Amal Found the Clooney Foundation for Justice

By 2016, George and Amal Clooney decided to found the Clooney Foundation for Justice — an organization that aims to shed light around social injustices found across the globe. They've prioritized spending their own money to help those in need without a second thought and have even donated to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Image via Clemens Bilan/Getty Images

February 2017: PEOPLE confirms George and Amal are expecting twins

Almost three years after getting married, a source close to George and Amal Clooney revealed the two were expecting a baby together. They told People, "They’re all very happy," referring to the couple's family.

George later revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that he was shocked when he discovered the couple would actually become parents to twins. He recalled their experience in the ultrasound room. "He goes, 'Well, there's one.' And I said, 'Great.' And then he goes, 'And there's the second one.' And I was like, 'What?' We just sat there, staring at that piece of paper they give you, and I kept thinking there was a mistake," he said of the exchange between the doctor and the couple.

Image via Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

June 2017: George and Amal Clooney Welcome Their Twins

People also reported the birth of George and Amal Clooney's twins — Alexander and Ella — during the summer of 2017. "This morning Amal and George welcomed Ella and Alexander Clooney into their lives. Ella, Alexander and Amal are all healthy, happy and doing fine. George is sedated and should recover in a few days," they revealed in lighthearted joint statement.

September 2017: George and Amal Clooney Make Their First Appearance After Becoming Parents

Later that year, George and Amal Clooney graced the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival in support of George's film Suburbicon. George — an ever dapper gentleman — wore a classic black tuxedo while Amal wore a lilac Versace gown.

Image via Gareth Fuller - WPA Pool/Getty Images

May 2018: George and Amal attend Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding

Things were quiet for the couple until the spring of 2018. They attended Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's highly publicized wedding. They were just a few of the celebrities that were seen in the crowd.

Image via Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

February 2022: George and Amal accept the Catalyst Award together

A couple of years later, George and Amal Clooney were the proud recipients of the joint Catalyst Award from the Elevate Prize Foundation. The amazing work they'd been doing in connection with the Clooney Foundation for Justice hadn't gone unnoticed and they were praised for their amazing philanthropic work.

While accepting the award, George gave a moving speech about their foundation's purpose. "One of the Elevate Prize Foundation's core values is human safety and freedom...Our goal at the foundation is to free the innocent and punish the guilty. I think we're both inspired by the young people out there challenging injustice in their communities, a new generation that won't accept the status quo," he said.

Image via Joe Maher/Getty Images

September 2022: George and Amal attend London premiere of Ticket to Paradise

The couple then attended the London premiere of Ticket to Paradise where they looked refreshed and glowy. This is my attempt to be appropriate, but they truly looked smoking h-o-t!This time George wore a three-piece suit while Amal stunned in beautiful slip dress.

Image via Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images

October 17, 2022: George and Amal attend Ticket to Paradise Los Angeles premiere

They then attended the L.A. premiere of Ticket to Paradise where George looked debonair in a grey suit. Amal wore a gorgeous Alexander McQueen number that was an appropriate nod to the film's paradise theme.

Image via Mike Coppola/Getty Images

December 3, 2022: George and Amal Attend The Kennedy Center Honors

George and Amal Clooney attended the Kennedy Center Honors where he, along with honorees, received a nod for lifetime achievements. They were a picture of perfection on the red carpet, especially Amal. She dazzled in a lovely Valentino gown that looked amazing on her frame.

Image via Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images


August 31, 2023: The Couple Attend The DVF Awards in Venice

While attending the DVF Awards in Venice, Amal received the DVF Leadership Award. During her acceptance speech, Amal thanked George for being by her side. People reports she said, "Venice is the place where almost nine years ago we were married. I just wanted to say, you, my love, like this city, take my breath away, and you make our lives magical. It is sometimes hard to believe you exist, so thank you for being the brightest light in my life.”

September 28, 2023: George and Amal host The Albies

Before the end of 2023, People reported George and Amal Clooney hosted their foundation's second annual Albies at the New York Public Library to continue highlighting the importance of securing human rights for all.

Love celebrity relationships? Follow us on Facebook for all the news on your faves!

Header image via Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

Daily Harvest has made it their personal mission to ensure customers have access to sustainably-grown fruits and vegetables since 2015, becoming more and more popular for their delicious, ready-to-make frozen treats. While they've been direct-to-consumer for years, you can now find their most popular selections at Target!

The brand's special selection of smoothies, harvest bowls, and pops are now available in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Montana, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Washington State! Eager customers will the option to choose from six tasty smoothies, eight harvest bowls, and two flavors of pops to satisfy whatever their taste buds are craving.

But, we know some of you may be wondering about the recall Daily Harvest issued a couple of years ago. That's why we talked to Andrew Noyes, Daily Harvest's VP of Communications and Corporate Affairs to help answer any questions you may have.

Image via Daily Harvest

Daily Harvest understands some customers may still have questions and concerns, but the brand ensures us that they're taking the necessary precautions to bring high quality products to consumers. Noyes says, "The recall was incredibly challenging, particularly for the consumers who were adversely impacted. Our team worked hard to get to the bottom of what occurred while trying to communicate transparently and effectively with all the key stakeholders. We have leveraged a lot of the learnings from this experience to ensure we continue to evolve and improve as a business."

Image via Daily Harvet

Not only that, but Daily Harvest is doing everything possible to develop a positive relationship with customers. "We’re doing that by focusing on our delicious fruit-and-veggie packed food, including the introduction of brand new collections and expansions of some of our best-selling items in grocery stores across the country. We’re also doing that by advancing our mission to make it easy for people to enjoy more sustainably grown, organic fruits and veggies daily while helping improve human and planetary health," says Noyes.

As far as their food quality and safety standards are concerned, Daily Harvest has made it easy for you learn about their new and continued efforts here. The standards open with, "Nothing matters more than the health and safety of our customers," and then outline how they pick ingredients, why they freeze them when they do, and how they maintain food safety throughout every step of the way. Their standards and certifications include:

Farm + Ingredient Supplier Standards

  • GAP (Good Agricultural Practices Program)
  • FDA facility registration
  • Pathogen, chemical + toxin testing
  • Organic certification (where applicable)
Manufacturing Standards
  • GFSI Accredited Certification (the leading food safety Coalition)
  • FDA facility registration
  • GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices)
  • Organic certifications
  • Documented food safety plan
  • Environmental monitoring program
  • Documented allergen control program
  • Validated preventative controls program
  • Pathogen, chemical + toxin testing
  • Monitoring equipment calibrations

Image via Daily Harvest

It goes without saying that Daily Harvest is super excited to launch their products in Target.

Noyes readily says, "Our debut at Target is one of our company’s most exciting retail launches yet. They're a great fit for us because their guests are looking to meet a lot of the needs that Daily Harvest fills. Many have young kids in the household, they're in search of convenient food, made from high quality ingredients that tastes good and is also good for them. Plus, Target has a long history of bringing fresh, exciting brands to the forefront and their guests go there to find and try new things."

As longtime fans of everything Target has to offer, we can't argue with that. Still, Noyes wants to make sure customers know how special Daily Harvest's collaboration with the retailer is. "Because we exist to help consumers eat more fruits and vegetables, it’s important that we provide options across their day, not just for one occasion or day-part. That's why we’re intentionally launching across three occasions at Target: breakfast, lunch and snacks. The SKUs we’ve selected are some of the best-selling in our DTC channel and showcase a range of flavor profiles within each collection. We’re excited for many of their guests to find us in the freezer aisle and try our Smoothies, Harvest Bowls and Pops for the very first time."

This collaboration is meant to help Daily Harvest tap into a wider market that's looking for easier meal options when they're pressed for time. As a working mom who's discovering she has a few food aversions, this sounds like a match made in heaven.

As a reminder, Noyes wants you to know that Daily Harvest’s food is free from dairy, gluten, gums, artificial colors and artificial flavors, and as such is suitable for many consumers’ needs and preferences. Check and mate!

With all that in mind, here are the Daily Harvest goodies you can grab right now at Target!

Smoothies

Strawberry and Peach Smoothie

Tastes like strawberry banana sorbet

Can't get enough of strawberry desserts and need an option you can eat while on the go? Get your freezer ready to welcome Daily Harvest's Strawberry and Peach Smoothie! It has sweet strawberries, tart raspberries, and sour goji berries that'll supply your body with all the nutrients it loves.

You'll also enjoy munching on the blend of peaches, gluten-free oats, and flax seeds that help give this smoothie a delectable crunch.

Açai and Cherry Smoothie

Tastes like acai smoothie bowl

This antioxidant-rich Acai and Cherry Smoothie is for anyone who loves making sweet smoothie recipes. As much as you may love making them, we think it's okay to give your blender a break by indulging in this yummy option. What makes it stand out is the hidden dose of kale you find in every bite.

You'll be surprised it's in there because all you'll taste is purely good sweetness!

Banana and Almond Smoothie

Tastes like nut butter swirled banana bread

I think Daily Harvest may have cracked the code by crafting a delicious smoothie that tastes like banana bread. It has a beautiful blend of bananas, cacao, vanilla bean, nut butter, and maca root in it that'll make you wonder if it's really healthy or not.

The answer is yes!

Mint and Cacao Smoothie

Tastes like mint chip ice cream

You've never tasted mint chip ice cream like this before. The minty peppermint blends nicely with the added chlorella while the bananas and cashew make you wonder if it's time to replace your heavy breakfast with something much lighter.

Blueberry and Cacao Smoothie

Tastes like dark covered chocolate blueberries

Always get a craving for chocolate right before your period? Try eating Daily Harvest's Blueberry and Cacao Smoothie as a healthy replacement for the candy bars you keep stashed by your nightstand. It also features kale, spinach and maca root for a blend that'll send your taste buds on a lovely journey.

Mango and Greens Smoothie

Tastes like swirled cucumber mango juice

Don't worry if you haven't booked your tropical vacation yet because this Mango and Greens smoothie is the next best thing. It tastes like literal sunshine in a cup with it's juicy mango, coconut, camu camu, and lime!

Harvest Bowls

Black Bean and Cheeze Harvest Bowl

There's a yummy black bean and cheese burrito waiting for you, but it's in bowl form! This is something I know my S.O. will love because it features black beans, cilantro, peppers, and a scrumptious cashew queso that he'll be talking about for days.

Brussels Sprouts and Tahini Harvest Bowl

I've never been a fan of eating Brussel sprouts, but this harvest bowl may make me change my mind because it has butternut squash, leeks, hazeltnuts, lentils, and sesame tahini it it. I love tahini on a good day so having a healthier version of it sounds like music to my ears, er, taste buds.

Spinach and Shiitake Grits Harvest Bowl

Those who are lactose-intolerant will fall in love with Daily Harvest's Spinach and Shiitake Grits Harvest Bowl. Instead of dairy, the nutritional yeast, cashew butter, and olive oil will create the vibe you're in the mood for. Also, you won't have to worry about a corn allergy because the 'grits' are millet and it's gluten-free!

Sweet Potato and Wild Rice Hash Harvest Bowl

Someone at Daily Harvest really loves burritos, but that's cool because we love them too! Actually, I've taken to eating more sweet potatoes these days so this is yet another bowl I have to try. Also, I've never had a smoky-sweet tomato sauce before so mouth is extremely curious to know how that tastes.

Lentil and Tomato Bolognese Harvest Bowl

It seems like Lentils and tomatoes are the stars of this Daily Harvest's show; not that we're complaining! Coupled with the cremini mushrooms and leeks, you'll get the heartiness of a traditional bolognese bowl without feeling weighed down afterwards.

Broccoli and Cheeze Harvest Bowl

This is just like Daily Harvest's Black Bean and Cheeze bowl except you'll have broccoli in it instead. It reminds us of the many vegetarian casserole recipes we've tried over the years, except there's no prep work involved!

Cauliflower Rise and Pesto Harvest Bowl

We live for a grain-free moment and this bowl isn't short of that. With basil, spinach, cashews, and olive oil serving as the base for the pesto sauce, we know we're in a for a healthy treat!

Herbed Squash and Asparagus Risotto Harvest Bowl

We're suddenly craving risotto again and it's all because of Daily Harvest's Cauliflower Rise and Pesto bowl! The brown rice, kabocha squash, garlic, asparagus, and more create tons of flavor that'll make anyone wonder where this dish has been all their lives.

Pops

Strawberry and Dragon Fruit Smoothie Pop

Daily Harvest's smoothie pops will forever change the way you approach popsicles because they taste good and they're healthy! For instance, this version has strawberry, banana, dragon fruit, cherry and cauliflower purées in it. Yes, we said cauliflower.

Blueberry and Banana Smoothie Pop

If your kids won't stop begging you for popsicles, trick them into eating their fruits and veggies with this Blueberry and Banana Smoothie Pop. It has blueberry, raspberry, and banana purées along with a put of spinach tossed in for good measure. They'll never know what hit them!

The last thing Noyes wants you to know is that "It has been less than a year since we launched in retail and you can expect to see more Daily Harvest items in the freezer aisles of more stores coast-to-coast in the months ahead." We're looking forward to see them launch online throughout the week!

Subscribe to our newsletter if you're a foodie who can't get enough of recipes and healthy snacks!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

Lead image via Daily Harvest

Nails breaking constantly? Wishing you didn't have to rely on tips at the salon? Desperate for that long nail look? You’re not alone. Despite it being used as an annoying and vapid phrase women would say in TV shows, breaking a nail is very painful and can ruin a (usually expensive) manicure. But don’t fret — we’ve rounded up five simple ways to get your nails to grow longer and stronger.

What causes weak fingernails?

Photo by cottonbro studio/PEXELS

But first, what causes unhealthy, brittle, breakable nails? A lot of factors that may not instantly come to mind. According to WebMD, these factors can contribute to weak nails:

  • Aging: As we get older, our nails get thinner and can crack or peel.
  • Harsh nail products: Both nail polish and nail polish remover can have strong chemicals that can damage and dry out your nails, leading them to break.
  • Wet nails: Consistently have your hands in water, maybe doing the dishes or bathtime for the kids? This could be drying out your nails.
  • Underlying health issues: Vitamin deficiencies, autoimmune diseases, and many other health issues could be the cause of nails breaking.

How can I strengthen my nails?

Photo by Karolina Grabowska/PEXELS

Dealing with some of these factors? While we can’t help you with the underlying health issues (please see a doctor if you think you may be dealing with something!), there are many easy things you can do to improve your nails and encourage growth.

  • Cuticle oil
  • Biotin
  • Diet
  • Nail protection
  • Avoid picking and peeling
Here's why each factor is important, plus how you can go about successfully achieving them.

Find a Cuticle Oil

You may only use cuticle oil when your manicurist applies it, but that doesn't have to be the case. Cuticle oils are an inexpensive and easy way to promote nail health and growth by keeping your nails hydrated. Cosmetically, cuticle oils encourage longer-lasting manis and leave your nails looking shiny and polished. But they do much more below the surface: cuticle oils create a healthier environment that allows strong growth for your nails.

Interested in adding cuticle oil to your beauty routine? Check our a few of my faves:

Photo via Cora Pursley/Dupe

Explore Biotin

Biotin is an important type of B vitamin that helps our bodies turn food into energy. It’s also one of the top recommended supplements for hair and nail growth, and for good reason. Many scientists say a daily biotin supplement can improve nail strength in as little as a few weeks.

“Since it is water soluble, biotin (or vitamin B7) can’t be stored in the body and must be acquired from diet or through supplementation,” shared Rachel Kilroy, Director of Product Innovation at Solaray, the original pioneers in supplement health and wellness. Solaray has developed a new supplement that provides biotin in a unique way.

Solaray’s Timed Release Biotin strategically supports nail health with a powerful 5,000 mcg of this important nutrient, delivering half of the biotin rapidly and the other half gradually over a period of up to 8 hours for sustained support,” Kilroy continued. “With consistent use, this vegan formula—lab verified for purity and potency—can provide comprehensive support for longer, stronger nails.”

Supplements not your thing? Biotin can be found naturally in many foods, like cooked eggs, whole grains, soy and other beans, nuts and nut butters, salmon, mushrooms, and cauliflower.

Photo via Daniella Cappellari/Dupe

Eat A Nail Friendly Diet

Nails require a balanced, healthy diet for proper growth and strength. According to Medical News Today, making small tweaks to your diet can make a big impact on your nails. Adding in nutrients like more iron or calcium in your diet will have your nails growing long and strong.

Dieticians recommend a colorful diet for nail growth consisting of colorful fruits and veggies, nuts, seeds, eggs, lean meat, avocado, sweet potato, and whole grains.

Photo via Sash Gabriel/Dupe

Protect Your Nails While Wet

Constantly doing dishes, managing bath time, gardening, or swimming? The water may be the cause of your breakage.

Your nails are like sponges, constantly expanding and contracting when water goes in or out of the nail cells. This can strain your nails, causing them to weaken, peel, and then break.

When possible, grab a pair of rubber gloves to wear while cleaning to protect your nails from the water and make sure to fully dry your nails after they’re in water. Hand creams are also a win for your nails after water exposure.

Avoid Picking, Peeling or Biting

Bad habits that are addicting. While peeling off your gel manicure can be so satisfying, it’s one of the worst things you can do for your nails. Same with constantly picking or biting your nails. As someone who used to constantly bite her nails down, I can assure you my nails are much healthier and stronger after kicking that habit.

Want to quit that habit? Try a nail bite deterrent, like this one from ella+mia or this one from LONDONTOWN and watch your nails grow before your eyes.

Looking for more beauty tips and inspo? Be sure to sign up for our weekly email newsletter for more!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

Header image via Laura Walt/Dupe

I've got a thing for Reese Witherspoon's book club which is why I couldn't wait to get my hands on Yulin Kuang's debut novel How to End a Love Story. Chosen as Reese's Book Club's May Pick, it features a romance that almost shouldn't make sense. I mean, when's the last time you realized you trauma bonded with someone? Except Helen Zhang and Grant Shepard's character arcs as well as the entire plot of How to End a Love Story doesn't even feel like that.

Instead, Yulin uncannily peels back the layers of what it means to be a layered human being who happens to be carrying trauma, talent, success, imposter syndrome, and burning desire in their hearts. Even that doesn't scratch the surface of who Helen and Grant are. Trying to capture their essence feels like I'm stumbling over my words which points to how great this novel is and that means Yulin's goal has been accomplished.

Though she loves perfectly executed rom-coms and is fortunate to be working on them in the filmmaking space, she doesn't consider How to End a Love Story as one. "...I was searching for something more aligned with the Brontë sensibility of romance in the writing of this book. Less warmth and charm, more id-level storytelling and unchecked carnal desire," she explains.

Yulin Kuang's Journey To "How To End A Love Story"

Image via Zach Wallnau

Some people seem to be born knowing they're destined to right, but some of us stumble into it and realize, "Hey, I'm pretty good at this." For Yulin, her journey to her debut novel How to End a Love Story takes the latter route. Her first dream, you make ask? To be an Olympic figure skater.

"...that didn't pan out so I turned to storytelling," Yulin admits. That pivot led her to set her sights on becoming an author as she began honing her creative writing skills via your classic marble composition notebooks. If you're still wondering if she kept some of them, the answer is yes!

The screenwriter and author then found herself drawn to other aspects of writing and film. She says, "I eventually fell in love with screenwriting and directing while in undergrad at Carnegie Mellon, and I spent my first decade post-grad concentrating on my filmmaking career."

Yulin Kuang's Approach To Filmmaking

It's a reason why her hard work and the stars aligned for her to adapt Emily Henry's Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation.

When I ask what helps her approach the book-to-film trajectory, she credits writing fan fiction. This feels similar to Christina Lauren's own experience, further proving that fan fiction deserves the utmost praise for helping some of the best literary and film minds who ultimately birth what I could only describe as masterpieces.

Yulin says, "Fan fiction is where I first learned you could play with characters originated by someone else to discover what you’d make them do in your own version." Although it would be easy for anyone to snap their fingers and have their first pitches accepted by everyone, she learned to lean on what writing fan fiction taught her.

"Early in my career, I would pitch on book-to-film adaptations and I’d be like, 'Change nothing, just shoot the book!' And I wouldn’t get those jobs, because I didn’t have a clear “take” and because you can’t actually just shoot a book – adaptation is an art form unto itself. So onceI started approaching adaptation with more of a fan fiction mindset – 'What is my take on these characters and this world?' – that helped me approach the book-to-screen trajectory more successfully," she proudly says.

However, this doesn't mean she never questioned if she could still find ways to create new ideas. "...in 2021, at a time when everything else I was working on was an adaptation, I found myself wondering if I had anything original left within me," she remembers.

It's natural for creatives to experience moments of doubt, but Yulin has been able to turn the tide and discover untapped ideas in her mind. Just don't expect her to set her own expectations about any adaptations she's working on.

She says, "Know that I am an avid reader of romance and a frequent consumer of this genre across mediums, and I will be bringing everything I know going into these adaptations. But more specifically to Beach Read, which I have more creative ownership over as the writer/director."

How Yulin Kuang Relates To Her Main Characters In "How To End A Love Story"

And since How to End a Love Story is truly Yulin's own creative body of work, it makes sense that main characters Helen and Grant have pieces of her personality as well as her characteristics.

"I gave Helen all my hopes and insecurities from high school and gave her the alternate universe path where I had pursued publishing instead of Hollywood. I examined what might have happened if I’d grown into certain qualities I’ve actively tried to grow away from," she says of Helen Zhang.

Right away, readers get the sense that Helen is a whip-smart and hardworking, but her penchant for being cautious about her success also peeks through. Though she's written highly successful YA (read: young adult) novels, Helen waits with bated breath for the moment people will call her bluff. She's relatable because many of us wonder if we're simply cosplaying as versions of ourselves who've reached any level of success.

On the other hand, there's Grant Shepard. He's seemingly this cool, calm, and collected screenwriter who has a complicated past with Helen. Yulin says, "I gave Grant a lot of the qualities I’m proud of and/or have coveted as a working screenwriter, and I certainly relate to many of his thoughts on screenwriting and the current state of our industry."

The more the reader learns about Helen and Grant, the more it becomes obvious that there's more to them than meets the eye. Sure, they are complicated...but who isn't?

"At their core, Helen and Grant are just two kids from Jersey trying to make it in Hollywood, and of course I relate deeply to that," she says.

Yulin Kuang's View Of Rom-Coms

Based on Yulin's genuine interest in romance novels and the fact she's well-versed in adapting them, she knows what it takes to make rom-coms flourish. Her first take? "Romantic tension is key to any romance – I always need to know why our couple can’t be together now. The second that tension is gone, so is audience interest," she points out.

This explains why we can't get enough of reading books about it, listening to albums dedicated to it, or watching films that depict all levels of romance. Still, there are some people who approach the genre with a side eye.

"There seems to be a natural human suspicion of things that make us feel too good – like, 'That can’t possibly be good for us, that’s just candy!' I wonder if it’s something evolutionary at work," she says before doubling down. "You can’t argue with the fact that people absolutely fucking love rom-coms, and I will die on the hill that a well-earned happily ever after is both harder to achieve and more narratively satisfying when it’s pulled off successfully."

She's the type of writer who really appreciates a big kiss that's handled correctly onscreen, but she's also not afraid to "groan every time it's fumbled." But, she knows everyone still won't see romance the way she and so many others view it, but she doesn't really care.

"Ultimately, I don’t concern myself too much with changing minds that don’t want to be changed.There are enough smart people who recognize the power and value of rom-coms, and I’d rather spend my precious time creating art to surprise and delight the people with good taste."

Need I say that this is yet another reason why How to End a Love Story works so well?

How Yulin Kuang Wishes The World Would Celebrate AAPI Month

As much as she's vocal about screenwriting and rom-coms, Yulin also has thoughts about the way society-at-large talks about BIPOC creative artists. "There’s a real, 'This is important, eat your vegetables,' vibe to things. And while that might be true, it’s not the most appealing way to market or discover art," she says.

She admits this could be due to how many diversity-in-film panels she's attended. As a Black woman, the conversations I see every year during Black History Month seem to have a certain "Let's check this box so everyone can be happy" vibe, so I can imagine attending panels about diversity and inclusion can start to sound repetitive after awhile.

Yulin doesn't hold back when she says, "I’m a little jaded when people ask me diversity questions at this point. I don’t want to attract the kind of readers who are only showing up to be supportive of my Asian-ness. It’s a bit like showing up to a date where someone says, 'I’m so excited that you’re Asian!!!'" This is an analogy I can so get behind because it makes a lot of sense!

It's one thing to have representation, but I like to think it's always obvious when people are approaching the conversation in a way that 'others' BIPOC people. We're literally not asking for a trophy, but more so an acknowledgement that we shouldn't be excluded from conversations, spaces, and careers or treated differently.

This sentiment is shared by Yulin who says, "That’s the thing about me that I didn’t do on purpose, and while I’m glad you’re excited, I hope there are things that I did do on purpose that you find exciting, too" and feels there is a way to be a genuine ally.

"...support AAPI creatives by all means, and perhaps begin by celebrating us as individual artists even after the designated month ends. And where applicable, talk about our work like it’s candy, not vegetables. I’d rather be irresistible than important," she states.

Take a page from Yulin Kuang's book and pick up a copy of How to End a Love Story today! You won't regret it!

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Lead image via Amazon