One thing I'm trying to care more about as I get older? Maintaining the best hair health I can. When I was younger, I was pretty reckless with heat styling, and not taking care of my hair with the products and tools I used. Now as I'm getting older, I'm trying to maintain my length and softness of my hair by adding the right things to my routine.
I talked with Dr. Ross Kopelman, a doctor and hair transplant surgeon at Kopelman Hair Restoration, to get his secret tips on what the key is to maintaining healthy hair. In his work, he treats a lot of clients struggling with hair loss, so he knows just what products you should be using to prevent that! These are all the products he shared with me that you need to add to your daily routine!
The Long Hairs
I love this brush, because it's made up of a blend of nylon and authentic boar bristle, letting you get all the dreamy benefits of a boar bristle brush, just on a budget. Dr. Kopelman says that boar bristle brushes are perfect for gently stimulating the scalp without tugging on thinning hair. He also says that it evenly distribute natural oils, which can improve the health and appearance of your hair, giving it a shinier and fuller look! This brush is the key first step in anyone's hair care routine!
Amazon
Did you know there are different brushes you should use for the different states of your hair? Well, there are! This comb is ideal for wet hair after the shower. Dr. Kopelman let us know that this comb is great for anyone dealing with hair loss — detangling without causing damage is key! He also says that a wide-tooth comb is ideal, especially when your hair is wet and more prone to breakage. It minimizes stress on fragile strands, helping prevent further hair loss. Sounds like a winner to us!
Amazon
One thing Dr. Kopelman recommends often for hair growth? A scalp massager! He says that he often recommends these to patients, because they can help improve blood circulation to the scalp. This increased blood flow can potentially promote hair growth, making it a simple yet effective addition to your routine!
I recently started using this every night, and can say that it genuinely does make a significant difference in your hair health. My hair is shinier, and the blood circulation is also seriously helping with my hair growth.
Amazon
Traditional towels can create too much friction, which isn’t ideal for thinning hair, according to Dr. Kopelman. He claims that a microfiber towel is much gentler and helps reduce frizz and breakage, allowing your hair to dry without added stress! After using these for a couple weeks, you'll notice a significant difference in your hair post-shower!
Amazon
As we all know a good protectant spray is essential to shield your hair from further damage, if you use hot tools! So, make sure you're using a heat protectant that is going to do the heavy lifting in protecting your hair and maintaining its health. Thinning hair is especially vulnerable to heat, so using this barrier can help preserve its strength and health. I've been using this one for years, and it's seriously heavy duty! And it's under $7! Who doesn't love that?!
Sephora
If you're going to use heat, I would recommend a brush that doesn't tangle your hair too much or cause frizz. This Mane brush was one of the few brushes I've used that doesn't tangle my hair when I try to do a classic blow-dry. It's ideal for easy and quick styling that won't cause further damage.
Sephora
And lastly, top off your hair with some natural oil like this one from Gisou! It will make your hair buttery smooth and soft, while nourishing it with natural oils. This oil has honey, so not only does it do wonders for your hair, it also smells heavenly! Love this one!
Subscribe to our newsletter for more beauty picks!
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
Header image via Cora Pursley
Party on! Game nights are the best nights, at least in our opinions. Seriously, what's more fun than sitting around the table playing a game, drinking a cocktail or two and laughing with friends?! We'd totally take that over a night sweating (and very awkwardly dancing) at the club.
We know you've made it through that Cards Against Humanity deck too many times to count, so refresh your adult game night stash with some of the best new party games around.
This techy card game prompts you and your friends to compete in smartphone-based tasks. With assignments ranging from “Find your best #selfie” to “Create an emoji masterpiece,” you’re guaranteed belly laughs and conversation starters galore. Just like with Cards Against Humanity, each round has a judge that picks the winner, so get your phone stacked with game changers now.
If you want to spark real conversations with your guests, this is the game for you. By the end of this game, you’ll be surrounded by plenty of new pals. Play by drawing a card and answering the prompt to get to know friends and strangers alike on a deeper level.
Amazon
This is the perfect game for anyone who has spent way too much time on the internet. Match funny captions with well-known internet memes (a rotating judge picks the best one) to create an afternoon or evening of hilarity.
Amazon
Amazon
Gather your closest BFFs and spend the night with some good ol’ trash talking (therapeutically, of course). You’ll definitely find out who had the craziest ex. Gather friends that are down for the drama and start by pulling a card. Some of the topics you’ll fill-in-the-blank include: 1. The biggest red flag. 2. What is your ex up to now? 3. The worst rebound.
Shopify
Grab your girlfriends and stir the pot with this hilarious card game. To play, whoever has the most Instagram followers goes first and rolls the die. “Whichever side of the die lands face-up, take the top card from the corresponding color deck. Read it aloud to the group & perform whatever action is on the card,” the instructions read. “Some cards involve just that player, some require the whole group. The player to their left then rolls the die & the game continues like this. Every winning card gets you a point. 1 Card = 1 Point. The player with the most cards at the end wins!”
Walmart
If you’re looking to reeeally get to know your friends, this is the game for you and your group (um, and maybe an invite to the new person you’ve been dating is in order). By reading questions and providing answers, you’ll quickly and creatively get inside the mind of all your party guests fast.
Amazon
You’ll really get to know the other party guests with this game. This might not be one to play with your new coworkers or mother-in-law!
To play, each player will draw six cards. “When it's your turn, choose one of your six question cards, then ask it to the player you think is most likely to answer YES. If they say YES, you get to discard your card. If they say NO you have to keep the card and try to use it again later,” the instructions read. With Skip Cards, Draw +1, Draw +2, and ALL PLAY cards, there's a surprising amount of strategy. The player who discards all of their cards first becomes the winner.
Amazon
This provocative game will leave your jaw on the floor from the hilarious, creative and outrageous things your friends say. Simply by drawing topic cards like “Things a chimp thinks about when he sees you at the zoo,” responses are sure to be out of this world. After everyone writes down a response, and the best part starts — you all guess who said what. Let the finger pointing begin.
Walmart
Tell it like it is and you’ll excel at this one. Players have to guess words based off of creative word clues after asking the question, “What’s yours like?” Seriously, we wanna know.Amazon
Who knows each other best? This card game will (literally) put everyone’s cards on the table.
Getting started and playing this card game is super simple. A rotating judge asks the group a question about themselves from each of the three levels (indicated on the chosen card). Then, everyone chooses their answer. If you guess the judge's answer correctly, you get a point. The player with the most points wins.
Amazon
Are you basically Michael Scott from The Office? Any sucker for jokes and innuendos will love this saucy game.
This one is fun to do with the kids or you can spice it up with an adults-only game. Like speed scrabble, the game comes in a convenient banana-shaped pouch making it great to play on the go.
Amazon
Amazon
Get ready to laugh the night away with this far too funny game. Each group member will take turns reading the cards’ prompts. With each prompt, every player will answer “yes” or “no.”
Amazon
In this game, instead of voting for the funniest answer, you vote for the player each card seems to describe. Talk about finding out who your real friends are.It’s part Cards Against Humanity, part Pictionary. If you have friends who are particularly good artists (or even if they’re not), this game will bring you hours of fun.
Target
Like a medieval monopoly, full of knights, peasants, robbers and everything prehistoric. This game is focused around building settlements and protecting your land.Walmart
Created by comedian Jeff Foxworthy, this game is based around familial interactions gone wrong with a Cards Against Humanity style of playing.
Amazon
If you follow the popular Instagram account, then you can probably guess the basics of this board game. Go places, gain followers and get famous to win this pop culture game.
We hope you've enjoyed this round-up of our favorite adult card games, and even if Cards Against Humanity is now somehow worth $500 Million your memories from these nights will always be priceless!
Keep you party going with Brit + Co.
Brit + Co. may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
This post has been updated.The only Black hair growth products that help my thick, natural hair thrive have been found through intense trial and error. It's not that I didn't have a regimen before postpartum hair loss wreaked havoc on my tresses, it's more so my hair changed. It's like my hormones decided everything needed an overhaul, so I had to go back to the drawing board.
It's taken three frustrating years, but my hair and I finally have an understanding again. One of the things she craves is moisture so the following 4 Black hair growth products are the ones I absolutely swear by.
Though they're not specifically labeled as "hair growth" products, the ingredients found in these beauty goodies aid in repairing and strengthening hair. I also swear by some of Sephora's top-rated hair products!
Have thick hair that craves moisture like mine? Keep scrolling for my healthy hair must-haves!
Target
I'm a huge fan of Tabitha Brown so I was excited when she launched her haircare brand Donna's Recipe. I literally ran to my local Target to buy this Extra Creamy Moisturizing Shampoo because I had a feeling my hair would appreciate the real sweet potato extract, cinnamon, and vanilla blend!
The first time I washed my hair with this shampoo, it felt like someone was giving me a personal scalp massage. It has a beautiful lather and it moisturizes my hair as I'm washing it. Not only that, but it smells like a baked sweet potato!
Besides that, I love that it's formulated without sulfates, parabens, formaldehyde, mineral oil, and other pesky ingredients.
Sephora
Sienna Naturals is another brand I couldn't wait to try after chatting with co-founders Hannah Diop and Issa Rae. I actually washed my son's hair with the Hydrating H.A.P.I. Shampoo and this Untangled Conditioner first because his hair gets dry easily and he has eczema.
Once I saw how his hair and scalp responded to them, I washed and conditioned with the amazing H.A.P.I. duo before braiding my hair. It's summer so I'll be wearing braids for the most part, but wanted to make sure my hair was protected and prepped beforehand.
It helps reduce frizz and makes detangling hurt less than it usually does. It has raw slippery elm bark, marshmallow root extract, and Brazilian Patauá Fruit Oil in it — ingredients that are super moisturizing and strengthening!
I can't wait to see how my hair feels when it's time to remove my braids for wash day again!
Walmart
I feel like a deep conditioner connoisseur at this point, but I've finally found one that passes my strict policy about moisturizing products. Not only does it smell sweet, but you can immediately feel how moisturizing it is when distributing the product throughout your hair. Plus, a little goes a long way!
It spreads evenly and has ingredients like aloe vera juice, honey, sage, and nettle. It feels like the perfect followup after using the Donna's Recipe Sweet Potato Extra Creamy Moisturizing Shampoo and Sienna Naturals Untangled Conditioner!
I like to call them the tender trio because they're truly gentle on my hair while providing the moisture it craves.
Target
The last thing I generally like to use is this Anti-Shedding Scalp & Hair Oil. This is the first product I discovered helped me combat postpartum shedding so I've stuck by it for the past few years. It's incredibly lightweight and helps tackle itchy spots on my scalp, which is a must!
I've also noticed a significant improvement in my natural hair's ends! I still have normal shedding, but I'm not seeing clumps of my hair fall out every time I wash, brush, or part my hair.
These are my tried-and-true hair products, and if you have thick hair, I hope you love them just as much.
If you don't have thick hair, here are the best shampoos to use for thinning hair!
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
Header image via Target
The holidays are here! Well, kind of. Thanksgiving isn’t until November 28 but as far as I’m concerned, November 1 is the day the festivities can begin. I’m pulling out my holiday candles, Christmas PJ’s, and even my How the Grinch Stole Christmas vinyl to make the dreary seasonal blues a little more cheerful. And a huge part of getting into the spirit is stacking up the perfect holiday movie marathon. Thankfully Netflix already has a bunch of holiday titles coming out over the next few weeks. Here are the best (new!!) holiday movies and specials coming to Netflix starting November 1.
Adam Rose/Netflix
Nothing says the holidays like tons of delicious meals, and Chef David Chang is cooking some amazing food for his celebrity friends — and he's doing it all live. (Because, a lot of TV cooking uses swaps and stylists to make it look better than it actually is). I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!
Dinner Time Live With David Chang: Holiday Edition is hosted by David Chang.
Sophie Giraud/Netflix
Christmas in New York City is truly a magical experience, and Layla's looking for her own fairytale romance this holiday season. And believe it or not, the ticket to finding her one true love is getting into the Pentatonix Christmas Eve Concert.
Meet Me Next Christmas streams November 6 and stars Christina Milian, Devale Ellis, Kofi Siriboe, Tymika Tafari, Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin Olusola, Matt Sallee, Kalen Allen, Nikki Duval, and Wesley French.
Petr Maur/Netflix
Nobody puts me in the holiday spirit like seeing Lacey Chabert onscreen, and this year, she's playing Kathy, a widow who happens to bring a handsome snowman to life. (I don't remember this in the "Frosty the Snowman" lyrics!). He helps Kathy reconnect with her emotions as they begin to fall for each other — and as he begins to melt.
Hot Frosty will stream on Netflix beginning November 13 and stars Lacey Chabert, Dustin Milligan, Craig Robinson, Joe Lo Truglio, Katy Mixon, Lauren Holly, and Chrishell Stause.
Petr Maur/Netflix
It's almost time for Virgin River season 6, which means we're getting closer to the ultimate cozy TV show. I mean, just look at those twinkly lights and pine trees in this preview image! It gives me the same exact feeling as drinking a mug of hot cocoa. This year, we're getting closer to Mel and Jack’s wedding, and confronting some serious secrets and drama along the way. This might not count as a Netflix holiday movie but I couldn't NOT include it!!!
Virgin River season 6 hits Netflix November 19 and stars Alexandra Breckenridge, Martin Henderson, John Allen Nelson, Tim Matheson, Annette O’Toole, Colin Lawrence, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Zibby Allen, Sarah Dugdale, Marco Grazzini, Mark Ghanimé, Kai Bradbury, Kandyse McClure, Jessica Rothe, and Callum Kerr.
Katrina Marcinowski/Netflix
Remember that One Tree Hill episode where the Ravens take part in the "Boy Toy" charity auction? Complete with a shirtless fashion show? Consider this the Netflix holiday movie response. When former dancer Ashley learns her parents' performing venue is in danger, she puts together the ultimate Christmas-themed show to raise money. Shirts not included.
The Merry Gentlemen hits Netflix November 20 and stars Britt Robertson, Chad Michael Murray, Marla Sokoloff, Beth Broderick, Michael Gross, Maxwell Caulfield, Hector David Jr., Colt Prattes, and Marc Anthony Samuel
Skydance Animation/Netflix
Okay, this fantasy movie might not technically be a Christmas movie, but it has everything I need in my Netflix holiday movies: family, hope, and love. After her parents are turned into monsters, princess Ellian must go on the ultimate quest to put everything right.
Spellbound hits Netflix November 22 and stars Rachel Zegler, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Nathan Lane, Tituss Burgess, Javier Bardem, and Nicole Kidman.
Bob Mahoney/Netflix
If EXmas taught us anything, it's that spending the holidays with your ex is anything but calm. And in Lindsay Lohan's new movie, she finds herself at the same Christmas celebration as her ex when they realize their new SO's are siblings. No, that's not awkward at all.
Our Little Secret hits Netflix November 27 stars Lindsay Lohan, Ian Harding, Tim Meadows, Jon Rudnitsky, Henry Czerny, Judy Reyes, Chris Parnell, Kristin Chenoweth, Dan Bucatinsky, Katie Baker, Jake Brennan, Ash Santos, and Brian Unger.
Netflix
The only thing more enjoyable than eating delicious food is watching master bakers create beautiful food. This holiday special features edible ice skates, nutcrackers, and reindeer that will change the way you look at baking forever. Watch it in one sitting and it definitely counts as a holiday movie ;).
Is It Cake? Holidays hits Netflix November 28 and stars Jonny Manganello, Andrew Fuller, April Julian, Elizabeth Rowe, Miko Kaw Hok Uy, Danya Smith, Henderson Gonzalez, Grace Pak, and Jujhar Mann, with judges Rachel Bloom, Hannah Berner, Tiffany Haddish, Devon Walker, James Austin Johnson, Chris Witaske, Sasheer Zamata, Terry Crews, Punkie Johnson, and Randall Park.
Netflix
Julian's turning 11 on Christmas Eve, and even though it's usually the best day ever, this year is overshadowed by the death of his older sister. A newfound friendship with Hedwig helps him heal, but he can't help but feel like Hedwig's house — and the old man that's always around — are hiding secrets.
The Snow Sister hits Netflix November 29 and stars Mudit Gupta, Celina Meyer Hovland, Ole Steinkjer Øyen, Jan Sælid, Samsaya, Gunnar Eiriksson, and Advika.
Which Netflix holiday movie are you excited to watch? Let us know in the comments!
This edible crescent-roll cornucopia is our way of making a normal cheese boardmore festive — and definitely more fun — during the holiday season. Our go-to this time of year is a massive cheese plate that can stand alone and be the main attraction, or the starter for a larger meal. Press on for the surprisingly easy steps to braid a breaded cornucopia.
Chris Andre
Chris Andre
Start by sculpting tin foil into the shape of a cornucopia (it looks like a cone with an upturned tail). Pro tip: Lightly pack tin foil so it's easier to remove later from your baked cornucopia. Crescent rolls should be buttery enough that this shouldn't be difficult.
Chris Andre
Your tin foil mold should look a little something like this.Chris Andre
Pop open the crescent rolls and cut the triangles into strips. Pinch together the ends of strips to make strips longer.Chris Andre
Braid crescent roll strips. You can make these as fancy as you want. Not a braiding pro? Skip this step and leave those strips alone.Chris Andre
Wrap tin foil cornucopia with braids/strips. Make sure you cover all the tin foil. Leave a little wiggle room at the opening of the cornucopia, so that when you’re done baking you can pull some of that tin foil out.Chris Andre
Use any extra dough to cover the bottom of your cornucopia. Pinch the sides and anchor those braids/strips in.Chris Andre
Brush on egg wash before placing your cornucopia in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Take out of oven and cover spots of cornucopia that are already golden brown with extra tin foil. Bake for another 20 minutes at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.Chris Andre
Let it cool down until it’s easy to handle. Remove tin foil.Chris Andre
Place cornucopia in corner of your cheese plate. Arrange cheese on your serving tray.Chris Andre
Add crackers — we like to have two or three options.Chris Andre
Don’t forget to fill up your cornucopia. It's called "the horn of plenty" for a reason. Fill with fresh fruit like grapes, apples, and pears.Chris Andre
Add nuts like walnuts and pistachios to fill in any empty spaces. Garnish with fresh herbs like rosemary and sage to finish it off.Chris Andre
Voilà! Invite over your friends, open a bottle of wine, and dig in!Chris Andre
A cornucopia cheese board will become your new favorite holiday tradition.Show us your crescent-roll cornucopias on Instagram and check out our baking classes (and our Easy Thanksgiving Desserts piece) for more holiday food inspo!
DIY Production and Styling: Paris Fried
Paris Fried: Paris loves any excuse to celebrate and throw a themed party. She loves experimenting in the kitchen and has a terrible sweet tooth. When she's not crafting in her studio, she's at the farmers' market buying seasonal produce or at her favorite local theater watching double features.
This post has been updated.
