Welcome toMoney Diaries , where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking millennials how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar.

Thursday, August 22, is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day — in 2019 black women earn $0.61 for every dollar that a white man makes. We are looking for black women who have been in the workforce for over eight years who are interested in sharing their salary stories. We would also like to hear from black women who own their own businesses. Please submit here or email us at moneydiary@refinery29.com.

Today: a registered nurse working in healthcare who makes $85,000 per year and spends some of her money this week on Hubble contacts.

Occupation: Registered Nurse
Industry: Healthcare
Age: 27
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Salary: $85,000
Paycheck Amount (biweekly): $2,500-$3,500
Gender Identity: Woman

Monthly Expenses
Rent: $345 for my half of a one-bedroom apartment shared with my boyfriend, D.
Loans: $0 (I have $1,200 remaining on a student loan from when I was 19, down from $2,000. I will restart payments next month.)
Water/Sewer/Trash: $0 (included in rent)
Electric: $0 (D. pays)
Phone Bill: $40 paid toward a family plan
Internet: $0 (D. pays)
Netflix: $0 (D.'s family shares with us.)
Hulu: 99¢ (Cyber Monday special)
HBOGo: $14.99
Amazon Prime: $49 annually (shared with my family)
Gym Membership: $7
Pottery Studio Space: $55 every 10 weeks
Healthcare: $0 (employer pays)
Car Payment: $0 (Both vehicles were paid in full.)
Car Insurance: $160 for two cars
Renter's Insurance: $120 annually
Savings: I move money over from my checking account when it exceeds $1,000. I currently have $27,000, and I am saving for a down payment on a house.
Simple IRA: 3% contribution each paycheck, matched by employer. I am considering increasing this.

Day One

6:30 a.m. — My patient's cat wakes me up to be fed by jumping onto my chest from the windowsill. This is a new low, even for her, but now I'm wide awake and oblige her request. I take care of my patient's morning care routine and let the aide who works under my license sleep in. While writing my patient's progress note, I brush my teeth and take my blood pressure. I am completing day 30/30 of a study where I get an Apple watch and cash incentives for completing health-related tasks.

7 a.m. — The oncoming nurse arrives, and we chat about how the night went while I gather my belongings. Driving home from my 12-hour night shift is slightly more tolerable when listening to WCBN (local college radio station) and watching the sun rise. I get home and let my excited-to-see-me dog outside. She's the light of my life, so I give her a treat. D. and I snuggle in bed for a few minutes before we leave for the gym.

8:15 a.m. — We drop by my parents' house on our way to the gym. I am keeping an eye on things while they are on vacation. After bringing in the mail, I water their garden and feed their pet lizard and tarantula. At the gym, we weight-lift for an hour.

9:30 a.m. — We return home, and I let the dog back outside for a quick walk. D. gets ready to leave for work, and I mix him up a protein shake. We kiss goodbye as he walks out the door. I won't see him until tomorrow morning, as I work another night shift tonight. Before heading to bed, I sort and wash pinto beans to put into the slow cooker with homemade stock.

12:45 p.m. — A combination of my neighbor's dog barking and the lawn-care workers wakes me up. I get my running clothes on, apply Body Glide and sunscreen, and walk the dog around the neighborhood. Before putting the dog inside, I pick the last of the cherry tomatoes from my dried-up tomato plant (she served me well this summer) and water my outdoor garden. During my run, I listen to the Moth Radio Hour and The Daily by The New York Times.

2 p.m. — Back home sweaty and hungry. I haven't grocery shopped in a while due to being on vacation last week, so it's slim pickins around here. I make a smoothie with almond milk, chia seeds, frozen mango, and banana. It's okay but not very filling, so I eat pita chips, almonds, and a Chocobon from D.'s cousin, who lives in Germany.

3 p.m. — Walk the dog and say goodbye, make a pot of brown rice to have with my pinto beans later, pack up my overnight bag, and head out. I stop by D.'s father's house to pick up his medical marijuana that he left behind. We are staying with them up north on Lake Michigan this weekend. My phone alerts me that my package has arrived at my parents' house and that I have been charged. I stop by to pick it up — it's my first Hubble contact lens order. I rummage for food in their kitchen and end up eating peanut butter pretzels with grape jelly (pitiful, I know), then drive to work. $41.16

4:30 p.m. — The off-going nurse has fancy dinner plans, so I start my shift a couple hours earlier than usual.

5:30 p.m. — After researching anti-nausea medications for my patient's cat, I eat a yogurt cup that I had left in the fridge at work.

8 p.m. — My patient is watching Dr. Pimple Popper. I eat a clementine and heat up my beans and rice. I add salsa and sour cream and eat it with locally made garlic tortilla chips.

12:30 a.m. — My patient goes to bed, and so do I. I am allowed to sleep while at work (it's mostly incredible), as long as I attend to her needs. Throughout the night, the aide and I take turns assisting with various things.

Daily Total: $41.16

Day Two

6:30 a.m. — Wake up, do morning care, report off to the day nurse, and drive home.

8 a.m. — After watering the plants, taking care of the pets, packing up the car with D., and getting the dog buckled in for the 3.5-hour drive, we head to the gas station to fill up. I pay in cash. D. drives while I close my eyes to supplement my broken sleep. $20

9:45 a.m. — D. pulls into our favorite pit stop/halfway point, and I wake up. We let the dog out for a short walk and then head inside. We pick out local specialty cheese, sesame pretzel chips, sesame sticks, banana chips, and elk and beef jerky, and D. pays ($28.42). Back on the road, I feed D. an assortment of the snacks we bought while he drives the last two hours to the lake house.

12 p.m. — We arrive and greet everyone. D.'s immediate and extended family are all in attendance. Feeling groggy from the lack of sleep, I pour myself some cold brew. I eat some of the sesame sticks we brought and a pear from a nearby farm stand.

1 p.m. — We change into our swimsuits, slather on sunscreen, grab the dog, and head out onto the jet boat. D.'s little brother drives the boat, while the rest of us water ski and tube. The water is pretty rough, but we manage to find an old shipwreck to explore. A storm starts to roll in, and we race back to the lake house.

5:30 p.m. — When we get home, there is a tasty dinner waiting for us: a gargantuan platter of spaghetti prepared by D.'s father and grandmother, accompanied by salad and garlic bread. I eat a modest portion, because we have plans to eat and drink at our favorite brewery later this evening.

7:30 p.m. — We take the scenic drive up to Short's Brewing Company, and it is packed inside. There is a 20-minute wait, so we all peruse the gift shop. A friend of mine from high school is working at the gift shop, and we chat for a while (cue the "It's a Small World After All" song). We get seated and order four flights of beers, a mushroom pizza, a sausage-and-veggie pizza, followed by three pints of our favorite beers and a chocolate chip cookie. I offer to pay, but D.'s little brother insists on splitting the bill. We hang around and play pool and darts before driving back. I only sipped on a few of the beers from the flights, so I drive. $61

12 a.m. — At the lake house, we play cards until we're too tired to focus and go to bed.

Daily Total: $81

Day Three

10 a.m. — I wake up feeling a little bit groggy from last night. Sadly, I wasn't designed to handle much alcohol and don't often imbibe. I put my running shoes on, let the dog outside, and go for a quick run. Sweating helps me feel a bit better. There are pancakes waiting for me when I get back. I eat a few and go for a swim in the lake with D.

12 p.m. — We all take the boat out to do some skiing. We check out a new shipwreck before another storm moves across the lake.

3:15 p.m. — For our last meal all together, we make hot wings and cook up some zucchini purchased from the farm stand nearby. We laze about on the beach for the next few hours, do a little bit of swimming, and then soak in the hot tub.

6:15 p.m. — After packing up and cleaning the house, we say our goodbyes and begin the drive home. We stop at the first gas station we see and fill up for $25. I pay with cash. We planned to split the drive, but D. ends up driving straight on through back home. $25

10:05 p.m. — We arrive at our apartment and let the dog walk around outside for a bit. We unpack while watching America's Got Talent — we adore Terry Crews — and fall asleep shortly after finishing the episode.

Daily Total: $25

Day Four

6:15 a.m. — Wake up to my phone alarm and let the dog out for a short walk. I pack a lunch of leftover pizza, a pear, and a granola bar. I get dressed comfortably, brush my teeth, kiss my sleeping D. goodbye, and drive to work.

7 a.m. — I arrive at work, and my patient is sleeping. I take full advantage and do prep work for the day before closing my eyes for a bit. She gets up within the hour, smokes, and then goes back to sleep. This pattern continues for the rest of the day.

12:00 p.m. — While she sleeps, I watch the latest episode of The Handmaid's Tale. This season has been so intense.

2:45 p.m. — I eat the pear I packed and a plate of carrots, sweet peppers, and cherry tomatoes that I had left at work. I have the need to eat something sweet after every meal and take a mini Almond Joy out of our bottomless candy jar.

4:30 p.m. — I, the aide, the nanny, and our patient get into her van to go pick up her son. We drive an hour and a half to go get him. I am exhausted by the amount of driving I've endured lately and pass out in the passenger's seat. We stop at a gas station to fill up, and I buy some fancy jerky for D. inside, because he told me he was having a rough time at work. I come back to the van to find my patient smoking while the aide fills up the tank. No! Agh! Somehow none of them were aware that that is a bad and unsafe thing to do. We finish up the drive, and the van reeks of smoke, giving me a headache. $14.99

7:35 p.m. — Eventually we get home, and the night nurse takes over. I drive straight to my ceramics studio to catch the last hour and a half of studio time. Some projects I had been working on were fired and finished, and I'm very happy with how they turned out.

9:15 p.m. — I get home to my dog and D. and make myself a steak, lettuce, and tomato wrap with leftovers given to us by D.'s father. We start the second season of Top of the Lake before going to bed. Elisabeth Moss is such a talent.

Daily Total: $14.99

Day Five

7:20 a.m. — Typical morning consisting of walking the dog, kissing D. goodbye, and packing a lunch. I drive to my clinical nursing job.

8 a.m. — I have patient after patient today and don't sit down once. The other nurse I work with walked out last week while I was on vacation and left the clinic in a bind. Once the patients are all finished, I complete my charting and message my friend from Germany. We make plans to meet in Detroit while she is in town. I last saw her in 2015, and I can't wait to spend time with her. I buy us tickets to the Detroit Institute of Arts and ask my brother if he is free that week to meet up with us. $29.68

2:45 p.m. — I leave work, see a low-tire-pressure light on my dash, and fill up my tires with free air from a nearby tire shop. I eat a few sweet peppers in the car before driving to the pet store down the road. I buy three frozen rats (I'm sorry), one for each of our pet snakes. $17.21

3:20 p.m. — Once I'm home, I grab a pear to eat and walk my dog to the park. When we get back, I give her a piece of leftover steak and make myself a steak, tomato, and pesto wrap.

6 p.m. — I decide to go to the pottery studio to work on a piece for my father's birthday. I end up making him a red clay version of his favorite river fish and make a second one to give to a friend of mine.

8:15 p.m. — I leave the studio and drive to BTB to pick up two vegetarian supreme burritos for D. and me. I put a couple of bucks in the tip jar on my way out the door. I drive back home, change into running clothes, and go for a run before the sun sets. $14.42

9 p.m. — When I get back, D. has two of his friends over to play Magic: The Gathering. I eat my burrito and chat with everyone for a little while before slipping away to sprawl out in bed and watch Bachelor in Paradise. I don't typically watch any shows from this franchise, but it is nice to turn off my brain and watch the drama unfold.

11:20 p.m. — D. joins me in bed and has mac 'n' cheese and pancakes with him (no, I don't understand him either). I fall asleep while messaging a friend/former coworker about the perils of nonprofit work.

Daily Total: $61.31

Day Six

7:20 a.m. — The usual morning routine, with the addition of watering my plants. Most notably, my monstera deliciosa has produced three new leaves in the past week and looks beautiful.

8 a.m. — I work at the clinic today and have another very heavy patient-load day.

12:45 p.m. — My best friend, T., works as the receptionist at the clinic and gives me their lunch because they say it is flavorless. I accept. It's curry and rice made from pouches from Costco, and although it is bland, it is edible and fills me up.

1:30 p.m. — I have a small gap in my schedule between patients, so I use the time to order groceries online. I have a promotional coupon for free delivery on orders over $75. I place an order for delivery and upload digital coupons as I make my selections. I purchase Annie's Goddess Dressing and vegan mac, asparagus, avocado, bananas, broccoli, Daiya mozzarella, oat milk, garlic, coffee, Herdez hot salsa, Brussels sprouts, white rice, red lentils, red potatoes, mango, MorningStar veggie crumbles and chik'n strips, pea crisps, bucatini pasta, cherry tomatoes, tikka masala simmer sauce, spring mix, tomato paste, unsweetened coconut chips, almond milk, skinny pop, strawberries, sorbetto, terra chips, and plantains (estimated total $113.05).

5:30 p.m. — I leave work later than planned and end up missing my last spin class at the gym. My patients got stuck in traffic driving over from Canada and were two hours late. Before leaving work, I find out that one of my beloved patients is going on hospice. I hold it together until I get in my car, and as it rains on my drive home, I cry. I stop and get gas before going home. $27.02

6:45 p.m. — D. took the dog to work with him, so no friendly greeter today. I practice my Spanish on Duolingo for a half hour to prepare for my trip to Nicaragua this winter. I'll be working in a hospital for part of my time there and need to familiarize myself with some useful phrases. I listen/watch the Taco Chronicles on Netflix in the background and heat up a slice of mushroom pizza and eat it while waiting for D. to come home.

7:30 p.m. — My grocery delivery driver texts me that they will be arriving soon. I text my brother about recommendations for entertaining my German friend in Detroit. The groceries get delivered, and I tip the driver with cash — the total after coupons and discounts comes to $83.26. D. arrives and helps unpack the groceries. We put on our gym clothes, grab our laundry, and drive to his father's house. We drop off the dog and a load of laundry, as our machine is out of order at the apartment. We work out at the gym, switch our clothes into the dryer, and then drive downtown. $83.26

9:30 p.m. — We go to Fleetwood and order a tempeh pita for me, a club sandwich with two eggs over-easy on the side for D., and share a basket of fries and a Coke ($29 with tip) — D. pays. We leave, pick up our laundry and dog, then head back home.

1:30 a.m. — After folding laundry and watching a documentary about a weightlifting gym on Netflix, we fall asleep.

Daily Total: $110.28

Day Seven

7:20 a.m. — Wake up and snuggle D. for a little while before heading to work. I won't see him until tomorrow night, because I work my clinic job, followed by a 24-hour shift at the home-care job.

9 a.m. — I breeze through the morning and get done with all my patients by noon. Between patients, I clear out my inbox of junk mail and promotional emails (why isn't there a "delete all unread spam" button?). I finish charting, clean up my work space, and organize supplies before leaving.

12:30 p.m. — I move $1,700 from my checking to my savings on my mobile banking app. I drive to the gym and park on the street. On my walk, I see an unattended garage sale with tons of good books laid out. I pick up one by Toni Morrison and another by Margaret Atwood, as well as two more that had attractive covers and themes. There is a money jar and a Venmo sign with the seller's name. I have no cash, so I download Venmo and send them money for the four books. $4

12:45 p.m. — After dropping off my new purchases in the car, I walk to the gym. I complete a stair-climber routine, where I climb the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Statue of Liberty. I follow this up with a half-mile treadmill run and a weight-lifting circuit.

2:30 p.m. — I get home, walk the dog, and pick more cherry tomatoes from my very dead-looking plant. After preparing food for my snakes (I'll spare you the details), I heat up some of D.'s leftover stir-fry. I eat it with a handful of the tomatoes.

3 p.m. — There are a few more hours until I have to go into work, so I shower, do a face mask, and then give myself a self breast exam (do this once a month at the same time during your cycle — it doesn't take long). In an attempt to relax, I find myself cleaning the apartment and preparing food before I am able to fall asleep.

5 p.m. — Up from my brief nap, I decide to take the dog with me to go see D. at work. On the way there, I stop in at a cash-for-gold establishment and sell some old jewelry. The woman pays me in fives, and I end up with a few hundred dollars. I stop at D.'s job, where we hang out and ride bikes for a little while. I leave the dog with him and say goodbye.

7 p.m. — I get to work, and it's business as usual. I make myself a salad with spring mix, tomatoes, and sweet peppers. I sit outside for a little while, reading my book before my patient goes to bed.

11 p.m. — My patient goes to bed. I read and lie down. She is up throughout the night, and I don't rest much. I am exhausted and hope to catch a nap tomorrow!

Daily Total: $4

Money Diaries are meant to reflect individual women's experiences and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29's point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.

Have you ever gotten in trouble at work for a social media post? What happens online doesn't always stay online, and these days, what you post on your personal channels can definitely be held against you in the workplace, especially if you're in a public-facing role. Have you ever crossed this line? Did you have to remove the post? Fill out this form for a chance to be featured on our site!

Want more Money Diaries? Well, you’re in luck — Refinery29 Canada is launching its own Canadian Money Diaries three times a week. (Which means once you’re done with catching up on all our diaries during your lunch break, you can head on over to R29 CA for even more.) You can now experience Money Diaries IRL at 29Rooms Toronto September 26th through October 6th. Buy tickets here.

The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more money diaries, click here.

Do you have a Money Diary you'd like to share? Submit it with us here.

Have questions about how to submit or our publishing process? Read our Money Diaries FAQ doc here: r29.co/mdfaqs

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

A Week In Houston, TX, On A $30,000 Salary

A Week In Charlottesville, VA, On A $54,704 Salary

A Week In The Midwest On A $305,000 Salary

If you're a bride-to-be planning a fall wedding, you're probably feeling the pressure right about now. Whether your date is in early September or at the tail end of November, there are likely a few last-minute boxes that need to be checked, like deciding on the party favors and planning what your hair will look like when you say "I do." While ordering 200 monogrammed cookies is a simple task you can delegate to your mom or a wedding planner, your bridal hairstyle is something you'll want to handle yourself.

After months of planning, you probably already have a Pinterest board of hair inspiration. So, the next step is a dry-run with your wedding-day stylist. You'll want to live with the piece-y half-up hairstyle or braided bun for a full day to make sure the look really feels like you — and that it lasts for longer than 30 minutes. To help spark your excitement, we've rounded up several simple wedding hairstyles perfect for a fall bride. Click through to find inspiration for your rehearsal dinner, reception, or the walk down the aisle.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

16 Easy Updo Ideas That Won't Remind You Of Your Prom

Traveling This Weekend? These Protective Styles Will Take Hair Off Your To-Do List

11 Chic Bridesmaid Hairstyles Perfect For Fall Wedding Season

Until you’ve had a yeast infection, the word “yeast” means very little to you. At most, it’s just an ingredient in bread. But after your vagina has been plagued by the uncomfortable, itchy infection, the word yeast will never have the same innocuous ring to it again. And if you get chronic or recurring yeast infections, it’s even worse.

Mary Jane Minkin, MD, OB/GYN at Yale University School of Medicine, says that a little bit of yeast is normal for just about every person with a vagina. “But the question is: What makes the vagina a happy place for yeast to multiply and cause problems like itching and burning and white cheesy discharge?” she says. She doesn’t paint a pretty picture, but there are a few reasons. In general, yeast thrives in moist environments, and occurs when the healthy probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus is flourishing within the vagina. This stops the yeasty fungus called Candida from growing and causing an infection. This happens to many of us at some point or another, and it can be treated with an antibiotic or an over the counter medication.

However, if your yeast infections just won’t go away, it’s not just annoying — it could be a sign of a bigger health issue. If this keeps happening to you, don't think that you're cursed. There are myriad underlying reasons why this could occur, but you should see a doctor to try to figure out what’s going on. It could be any of the following reasons, but you likely won't know until you talk it through with a health care professional.

It wasn’t treated correctly in the first place

Minkin says that some women just assume they have a yeast infection at the first sign of itching, and head to the drugstore to treat it with Monistat. However, it’s possible the yeast infection didn’t respond to this kind of treatment. Not all yeast is that east to fight off. If this is the case , your doctor might need to prescribe a long-term antifungal medication.

You have a pH problem

Minkin says that if your vagina’s pH is being thrown off constantly by factors such as semen or blood from your periods, all of which can make you more susceptible to infection.

You douche frequently

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. Do. Not. Douche. It can do more harm than good, and disrupt or kill the good bacteria in the vagina that protects you from yeast.

You leave on your sweaty underwear

Minkin says that people who go to the gym are a lot are more prone to yeast infections, especially when they don’t change out of their sweaty underwear and spandex after working out. Yeast loves moisture and dark places like the vagina. When the two are combined frequently, it can become a hotbed for yeast.

The infections are the result of another condition

Minkin warns that chronic yeast infections can occasionally be a sign of a bigger problem with your health. “Diabetes can predispose you, and, indeed, sometimes I’ll have a patient come in who’s had five yeast infections in the last six months and I’ll test for diabetes,” she says. This is because of blood sugar levels. “Yeast loves sugar,” she warns. HIV can also predispose you to yeast infections, she says.

You’re eating too much sugar

You might not have diabetes, but if you’re eating tons of sugar constantly, it might be contributing to the growth of yeast in your vagina, which is impacted by your gut’s microbiome.

If you think this might be the case, try cutting out or cutting down on sugary products and see if it makes a difference. “Pardon my English, but try to piss off your yeast,” Minkin says. “If you can avoid sugar for a while and the infections go away, you’re dong something right.”

Sex

Yeast can be transferred between people. It’s not an STI, but it’s possible to pass yeast back and forth with a sexual partner, especially if you’re not using protection. Your doctor might suggest using a condom or a dental dam if they suspect this is a contributor to your problem, according to Healthline.

You have a drug-resistant strain of yeast

Healthline reports that these kinds of infections are rare, but there’s a species of yeast that doesn’t respond to the medications usually prescribed for these kinds of infections. If this is the culprit, your doc might asking you to take a different kind of medicine and make other lifestyle changes.

They’re not yeast infections at all

Thanks to at-home tests and cheap over the counter medications for yeast, it's never been easier to self-diagnose yeast infections. It's also tempting, because it can be a time- and money-saver. However, Minkin says that when people try to treat yeast infections without the help of a doctor, it's a always a risk because they could be totally off base with their diagnosis.

Itching can also signal other other infections such as bacterial vaginosis, which a doctor would need to treat with an antibiotic. You may think you’ve been treating multiple yeast infections on your own, when, in fact, you’ve been treating the wrong thing this whole time.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

The Healthy Snacks To Have In Your Pantry For Late-Night Munchies

How Ballerina Stella Abrera Lives With No Regrets

The Ultimate Gift Guide For The Virgo In Your Life

We love lamp leggings. The stretchy pants that first hit the scene in the 1960s and caught on fashion fire in the 1980s are still doing the damn butt-cupping to hip-hugging thing today. These all-purpose bottoms can be worn everywhere from gyms to brunch spots, couches, airports, and beyond with a careless ease that still feels fashun. We not only love leggings for supporting us in figure-flatting and moisture-wicking style, but we also love them for providing streamlined storage that we can actually use.

Leggings with pockets are the functional pocketed pant. We aren't talking about two-inch slits at the back of a waistband, we're talking built-in compartments that go deep enough to securely store our stuff. While your favorite pair of jeans won't hold a tablet-sized iPhone XR, overstuffed wallet, chunky keyring, granola bar, or a bottle of your favorite rosé (true story), a pair of stretchy pants should be able to. Ahead, we've rounded up the top-rated, deep-pocketed leggings that will securely stash your stuff — and still stylishly support your bottom half while dining on eggs Benedict or crushing Vinyasa flow.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Here's How 3 Fashion Editors Are Wearing Their Wedgie Jeans This Fall

Here's What You Need To Know About Rent The Runway Unlimited If You're Plus Size

The Top Labor Day Sales For All Of Your Transitional-Dressing Needs

With less than a month left in the summer season, Megan Thee Stallion is reminding fans that a "Hot Girl Summer " encompasses many different looks. It could be with 40-inch, waist-grazing extensions, long lashes, and iridescent eyeshadow. Or, it could be a makeup-free moment with your natural curls bouncing. Recently, Megan embraced the latter, posting a photo of her naturally curly hair on Instagram.

Since dropping her debut album in early May, the world has known the rapper as one of her many stage personae, "Hot Girl Meg," who has a knack for playing with colorful wigs and neon-colored makeup. Now, fans are getting a rare glimpse of Megan after she's ditched her beauty signatures for, well, nothing at all.

Just a day before performing at Yola Fest in L.A., Megan posted a series of photos to her feed showing off her curly bob sans extensions. Megan captioned one photo, "Natural ting." It's since garnered nearly one million likes.

View this post on Instagram

Natural ting

A post shared by Hot Girl Meg (@theestallion) on Aug 17, 2019 at 2:36pm PDT

Fans quickly came in droves to show their support for Megan's curls. "Natural HOT GIRL SHITT!" wrote one user. Another suggested she make her natural hair the look for the newly coined "Hot Nerd Fall. " A slew of celebs flooded to Megan's comments, too, including Basketball Wives LA star Brooke Bailey, who wrote "You’re natural hair is beautiful." Erykah Badu, Lauren Jauregui, and Lizzo also shared supportive comments.

The enthusiasm didn't stop there. On Twitter, fans were unanimous on the look after Megan posted a Boomerang showing off her hair and a bikini covered in flames.

THIS HAIR pic.twitter.com/eV6aqflcKt

— +lil manuzinha+ (@tinasnowings) August 18, 2019

Natural babe😍😍😍

— Cravenunu (@Cravenunu1) August 18, 2019

The rapper also posted a photo to her Instagram Stories, tagging her hairstylist Jonathan Wright to "come do [her] hair." Wright is the person to credit for Megan's most iconic look as of late, including the extra-long red wig she wore to match Nicki Minaj, who she collaborated with for the official "Hot Girl Summer" single.

Megan was already on her hot-girl shit, but these unapologetic photos prove that she's got levels we haven't even seen yet.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Fake Teeth & Facelifts: How Michelle Williams Became Gwen Verdon On Fosse/Verdon

YouTuber Remi Ashten Always Carries These 4 Lip Products In Her Purse

Why Timothée Chalamet's Bowl Cut Isn't His Most Dramatic Look

When it comes to shopping, my philosophy is to splurge on classics, save on trends. And I learned that the hard way: I didn't do my bank account any favors by splurging on every sartorial craze to hit my Instagram feed. While I don't plan to totally curb my habit of buying designer items when a new trend comes along, even I'm aware of my (credit card) limits. And that's where Target's new trending page comes in.

The mass retailer is selling everything from mock croc mules and neon dresses to two-piece sets and extra oversized straw hats — all the latest style sensations at a reasonable price (under $40 to be exact). Ahead, we handpicked the 10 best under-$40 summer trends on Target 's new trending page. Your bank account will thank us.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Here's How 3 Fashion Editors Are Wearing Their Wedgie Jeans This Fall

Here's What You Need To Know About Rent The Runway Unlimited If You're Plus Size

The Top Labor Day Sales For All Of Your Transitional-Dressing Needs

Ashima Shiraishi is a 18-year-old rock climbing phenom from New York City. When she was just 15, she solidified her place in rock climbing history after becoming the second person to eversend the world's hardest route in Japan's Mout Hiei. Now, she's gearing up for the Tokyo Olympics, where she'll be one of the first rock climbers to ever compete in the Games. Here's how she feels powerful...

I feel most powerful when...

I'm calm and collected.

Power means to me...

That you have control of yourself and your surroundings, and you're just aware of what's going on around you. It’s also knowing more. Knowledge is power.

What do you do when you feel powerless...

When I feel powerless, I remember to take deep breaths — so, inhale and exhale — and sometimes I just close my eyes for 10 seconds and let my senses just rest. That usually allows me to take control, and have better self awareness. I can move on after that.

What's your power anthem...

"All of the Lights" by Kanye West.

Who's your power icon?

John Lennon. I really look up to what he stood for, and I think it's cool how he — and the Beatles in general — used their ability to create art and music to spread super powerful and revolutionary messages that changed the world. That's what I someday aspire to do.

What do you wear when you want to feel powerful?

Good sneakers that make the whole outfit.

Responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.

For more female-athlete content, check out On Her Turf.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Can't Afford A Trainer? These Are The Best Workout Apps

11 Workout Crop Tops For When It's Absolutely Too Hot For Shirts

These Vibrating Massage Tools Feel Just As Good As A Massage

When Stephanie Purcell decided to change careers from marketing to production, she soon realized that there weren’t many job opportunities in Omaha, Nebraska, where she lived with her husband. So she moved to Los Angeles — and her husband stayed in Omaha, where his career in IT security was skyrocketing. Living in two separate states “initially wasn’t something we thought we would be doing long-term,” Purcell tells Refinery29. But, two and a half years later, she and her husband are still living apart. “I didn’t want him to give up his dream, and he didn’t want me to give up mine,” she says. “So we started this lifestyle of living in two different places.”

Sociologists call relationships like Purcell and her husband’s “Living Apart Together ” or LAT relationships. Research shows that the typical LAT couple is over fifty. After living alone for a time — perhaps after being widowed or divorced — they realize they thrive when they have independence and personal space, and they don’t want to give that up when they begin a committed relationship. But experts say that LAT relationships are on the rise among millennials, thanks to women’s increased independence, the rapidly globalizing job market, and the normalization of other types of “non-traditional” relationship styles, such as polyamory. (Just like all couples, some LAT couples, like Purcell and her husband, are monogamous, while others are polyamorous.) As Purcell says, “It’s not what our parents did or what our friends are doing. But it’s what’s best for us.”

Annie Cox began creating a LAT dating app called Apartner in 2016. Although she is a boomer, she has noticed millennials’ interest in LAT relationships and attributes it in part to the fact that women have more financial independence than they did when she was young. “Younger people are realizing that they don’t have to do what we felt we had to do: get married, have children, and live together,” she says. “Now, women in particular are highly aware of their ability to secure themselves financially.” She points out that data shows that women are marrying and having children significantly later, if they decide to marry or have children at all. “They are focusing on education and career, and if they want to get married and have children — and many of them don’t — they can do so later on,” she says. “And they’re no longer being ostracized by society for that choice.”

Linda Breault, who co-authored the book Living Apart Together - A New Possibility for Loving Couples, adds, “Women now are much better educated, more affluent, and better aware of their options than any other generation before. So many now have successful professional or semi-professional careers and are financially independent. That makes a difference.”

Due to the rise of social media and the increasingly global nature of the job market, couples may find that their career paths take them to separate states or even countries. Sam Laliberte and her boyfriend began a long-distance relationship three years ago, after he moved from Toronto to San Francisco for work. Eventually, her boyfriend quit his job, but the couple didn’t move in together. Instead, “we both became remote, digital nomad, freelancer types,” Laliberte says. And like the ambitious millennials they are, they even collaborated on a project for long-distance couples together: The #LDR Activity Book.

Now, Laliberte lives in Toronto, and her boyfriend lives across the country in Vancouver. “We have the opportunity to live together in the same city full-time, and we’ve chosen not to,” she explains. They have many reasons to live apart: they each prefer their chosen city, have a community of family and friends where they live, and find that it works best for their careers. Laliberte says they’d be open to cohabiting in the right circumstances, especially if they have children together, but not anytime soon. “Right now, I like living here, he likes living there, and it works,” she says. ”We have no end date in mind, and we have no intentions of breaking up.” Channa Bromley, Lead Coach for Relationship Hero, says many millennial couples are choosing to live apart for similar reasons. “It is becoming a lot more common because the world is becoming so much more accessible than what it used to be,” she says. “You have people going to different universities and staying together, and when we get promotions and job opportunities, they might not be in the same city as our partner.”

Bromley also sees a connection between the rise of LAT relationships among millennials and the rise of polyamorous and open relationships. “There’s always going to be a bit of a stigma doing something that’s not the status quo, but there’s definitely a rise in people designing their own relationships now,” she explains. “People are beginning to understand that there isn’t a ‘right’ and a ‘wrong’ way to have a relationship.” Linda, who asked to be called by her first name only, says that she and her husband, who live in separate apartments in Chicago, have found acceptance in the polyamorous community, even though they're not currently polyamorous themselves. “Most people we know think we're trailblazing, but we don't mean to be.”

Others suggest that LAT relationships may be more accepted among the queer community. Sam Branman and his husband are what he calls “New York long-distance, but not real long-distance” — he lives in Park Slope in Brooklyn while his husband lives six miles away, in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan. When I ask if he’s faced any pushback on his relationship from his friends and family, which many of the women dating men I talked to expressed, he jokes, “Honestly, I barely interact with straight people, so no.” Branman is a designer and his husband does drag, so they both need a lot of space to store their stuff — plus, they just prefer their own neighborhoods and apartments. “A big part of it is my job,” Branman explains. Because he works from home and has “a massive amount of sewing stuff,” it doesn’t make sense for him to move into his husband’s small apartment. “And I don’t want to live in Hell’s Kitchen,” he adds.

Some parents find that LAT relationships make the most sense not just for themselves but for their children. Jay, who asked to be credited by his first name only, says that he and his girlfriend are both single parents, and while they’ve discussed living together, they’ve decided against it. “We both have children in different schools and it would have been too disruptive, plus we both like our autonomy,” he explains. And while both Purcell and Laliberte mentioned that they might move in with their partners if they have children together, Relationship Hero's Bromley says that isn’t the case for all LAT couples. “What a child needs is to know they’re loved, they’re supported, they’re encouraged,” she says. “It can be empowering for the child to see their parents designing a life that works for them — and it shows them they don’t need to stick to rigid societal norms.” Finances are also a factor — “This is not a choice unless you have financial independence,” Breault, author of Living Apart Together — A New Possibility for Loving Couples, says. But while you might think that LAT relationships are automatically more expensive than cohabiting, that’s not always the case — Branman, for example, says that because he has roommates and his husband’s apartment is rent-controlled, living together wouldn't really change their finances.

While LAT couples — particularly older ones — have been the subject of some newspaper and magazine articles in the past few years, most recently in the Wall Street Journal, the term “LAT” is still not very well known. Cox, who created the Apartners dating app, says that she saw a spike in interest in LAT relationships when Gwyneth Paltrow said that she and her husband Brad Falchuk were living apart (they have since announced they're moving in together). When I’ve brought up LAT style relationships with friends and on social media, people have mentioned two celebrity couples: Woody Allen and Mia Farrow, who famously lived on opposite sides of Central Park in the ‘80s and early ‘90s (until their romance ended disastrously when Allen began a relationship Farrow’s daughter Soon-Yi Previn and allegedly sexually abused his and Farrow's daughter Dylan), and Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton, who lived and co-parented in adjoining houses before amicably separating in 2014. Most recently, the Big Bang Theory actress Kaley Cuoco made headlines when she announced that she and her husband Karl Cook don’t live together, though she added that they plan to move in together after building their “dream house.” “We are not together every single day. It works well for us,” she told E!.

Very few people in LAT relationships actually know the term LAT — even most experts I talked to said that they’d learned the term after beginning their research. The lack of awareness of the term, Cox says, can make finding someone who wants the same type of relationship harder. “People will say, 'I don’t want to be with somebody all the time,' or 'I want my own personal space,' or 'I’ve been married before and I don’t want a partner around all the time,'” she says. “They don’t know what to call that type of relationship.” She believes that as awareness of LAT relationships grows, more people will choose to be in them. “People don’t know that they want it, because they don’t know what to call it.”

Of course, not everyone will thrive in a LAT relationship. Bromley suggests that those who are interested in a LAT relationship try it out in the short term — signing a one-month lease instead of a one-year lease, for example — before going further. “This will work amazingly for some, and for others it will detrimental,” she says. “There’s no right or wrong, just whether it’s right for each individual person and relationship.” Everyone I spoke with stressed that, for a LAT relationship to work, prioritizing communication is necessary, as is a sense of personal independence. As Purcell says, “We always joke that we’re together not because we have to be, but because we choose to be. We’re together because we like the other person, not because we need the other person.”

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

These True Stories Of One-Night Stands Are As Juicy As They Are Unique

Sexy Summer Fling Stories To Get You In The Mood For Summer Lovin'

What Happens If You Use An Expired Condom?

You have a lot of television to handle this fall 2019 season. First, there are all the brand-new shows arriving across cable, streaming, and old-school broadcast TV. Then there are the tried-and-true favorites returning across those platforms. On top of that, there is so much Netflix fare, it's easy to lose track of what you wanted to watch.

After all, it often feels like the beloved streaming site is releasing 15 new shows and movies every week. How can anyone keep track over an entire season? Especially since so many heavy hitters will be premiering their first collaborations with Netflix in the coming months. We’re talking about Ryan Murphy’s first series for the streaming giant, Kerry Washington’s much buzzed-about “television event,” plus Oscar-winner Olivia Coleman’s debut as the Queen of England.

Plus, praise be, Elite will be back. The machinations of Las Encinas’ conniving, sexy teens alone is enough to knock you off your feet (and now there are even more of them).

So we’re here with your Netflix-only preview for the fall 2019 television season. Keep reading for a complete chronological guide to the streaming series you need to see, their premiere dates, a low-down on their plots, and a handy trailer. All you have to do is press play.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

What You Should Know About Netflix's The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance Before Watching

The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance Voice Cast Is Seriously Stacked

So, Who's A Faery & Who's A Human In Carnival Row?

After its limited launch a few weeks ago, starting today, Apple's long-awaited credit card is finally available to all U.S. customers. Apple's first foray into fintech, Apple Pay, is accepted by 70% of merchants in the U.S. — and now Apple is taking its mobile payment service to the next level with Apple Card, a credit card you can use anywhere Apple Pay is accepted.

I've been using my very own Apple Card for a few weeks, and I'm super impressed so far. Ever since making it my default Apple Pay and Safari auto-fill card, I've been paying with it exclusively (well, except for at places that don't take Apple Pay), without having to whip out my wallet. And I'm here to tell you: it's good.

My favorite feature by far is the Daily Cash, which sets Apple Card apart from some of its competitors by doing away with points altogether. Instead of complicated incentives or bonuses, there are three simple rewards tiers with Apple Card: You get 3% Daily Cash on all Apple purchases (as well as Uber and Uber Eats transactions, with more merchants to be integrated into this tier in the coming months), 2% Daily Cash with every Apple Pay transaction, and 1% every time you use your physical card. (Which means when you go out to dinner and use your physical Apple Card, you're not getting the bang for your buck you might otherwise get with a rewards card that incentivizes dining out.) And you don't have to wait until the end of the month to redeem your points, which you can then convert to travel credit or cash. You get Daily Cash every day, and you can use it whenever.

Between my Uber ride and Uber Eats order this weekend, I earned $0.94 in Daily Cash, and there's something really satisfying about being able to see that cash amount so plainly (which, by the way, I can transfer into my external bank account, send via iMessage, or use to pay down my credit card bill at any time). I can also break down my transactions into spending categories or view them by merchant — which makes it really easy to view spending patterns. Plus, no more confusion around that mystery vendor on your credit card bill.

Another key differentiator: Apple Card's approach to interest. If you choose to pay less than what's due on your monthly bill, though we recommend paying off any credit card in full each month, you can use Wallet's interactive wheel to estimate how much interest you'll have to pay depending on how much of the bill you choose to pay. To keep your interest at a minimum, Apple Card also suggests personalized payment amounts for you. And there are no fees. (No fees!)

To apply for the card, your iPhone must be updated to iOS 12.4. Then in the Wallet app, just tap the plus sign in the top right corner and fill in your name, address, and the last four digits of your Social Security number so that your credit report can be assessed. If approved for the card, you can start using it within minutes of application, as well as choose to receive a physical Apple Card to accompany your digital one. And IRL, it's just as sleek as you'd expect an Apple credit card to be. It's all-white titanium, and the only text on it is your name — no number, CVV, or expiration date. And when I use it at a restaurant, I get a banner notification on my phone the second the merchant swipes the card.

Your credit card number can be found in the Wallet app, for those times you need to give it to a vendor that doesn't accept Apple Pay. And the credit card number associated with your physical card's magnetic strip and the card number you use to make online payments are actually different numbers, which makes the card more secure. Apple also also doesn’t know where or how much you spend — all of that information remains stored locally on your device, so the card feels much more secure than any I've used before.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Instagram Influencers Share How They Decide If A Photo Is Grid-Worthy

Apparently, Apple Was Listening To Some Siri Recordings — But It Has A New Privacy Policy

Here's How To Watch The U.S. Open

What does it mean when your crush gives you a hug, places their cheek next to yours, and mimes an air kiss? Do they have romantic feelings for you, or are they French? Different kind of kisses can mean different things depending on the context — kissing your toddler cousin on the cheek is very different from kissing your partner on the cheek, after all.

If you're trying to figure out whether that air kiss was platonic or romantic, well, we can't necessarily tell you. It all depends on the situation and the people involved. But we can help explain the different kinds of kisses out there — because an air kiss and a French kiss are very different, after all.

When it comes to any kind of kissing, communication and practice are key. "Great kissing is part knowledge, part attitude, and part skill," Eric Marlowe Garrison, an AASECT-certified clinical sexologist and author, previously told Refinery29. "There is also no universal definition of a great kiss, so learning how to kiss well is a game of show and tell.”

And remember, if you're unsure if someone wants you to kiss them — whether it's a friend you want to greet with a kiss on the cheek or a romantic partner you'd like to kiss on the neck — you can always ask.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

These True Stories Of One-Night Stands Are As Juicy As They Are Unique

Sexy Summer Fling Stories To Get You In The Mood For Summer Lovin'

What Happens If You Use An Expired Condom?

Another day, another celebrity launching a beauty brand. Seriously, there must be something in the water. Last week, Ciara reportedly dropped hints that she has a makeup and skin-care company in the works. Then, Selena Gomez filed a trademark for a range of beauty products — including fragrances, cosmetics, body care, skin care, hair care, and nail products — with the focus still TBD.

Now, 15-year-old actress Millie Bobby Brown is also putting her face on a beauty label. The Stranger Things star will be launching a skin-care and makeup line (15 products in total) that is smartly marketed to the Gen Z shopper.

Brown has named the brand Florence by Mills, and tells WWD that it was a very instinctual launch. "I’m very decisive," Brown told the publication in an interview. "As soon as I make a decision, that’s my decision, and I will do it. There’s not regret, usually. Every decision I make with Florence [by Mills] has been literally made in two or three seconds."

In terms of products, Florence by Mills will be a clean label (vegan and PETA-certified), and it's priced between $10 and $34. The goods include products like a Zero Chill Face Mask, Swimming Under the Eye Gel Pads, Like a Light Skin Tint, and Cheek Me Later Cream Blush. The product line will be sold both online and in stores at Ulta Beauty and UK-based Boots.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by mills (@milliebobbybrown) on Aug 20, 2019 at 6:00am PDT

According to Brown's own personal Instagram announcement, which features a video campaign showing the products, the brand took two years of R&D to come to fruition and is "the love of [her] life."

"So here it is, florence by mills," the Stranger Things star captioned her post. "Literally the love of my life, i cant begin to explain the love i have for this and how hard but crazy excited i was to create it. 2 years of creating a beauty and skincare brand jeez... that's a long time to keep a secret but now i can finally share the news with u all !! thanks for all the love and support you guys give me every single day."

As for the name, the actress told WWD that Florence By Mills is an homage to Brown’s great-grandmother, Florence, combined with her family nickname, Mills. Unfortunately, we're still waiting for word on when we can get our hands on the actual products. But when they drop, you can expect a sell-out that rivals other celeb-backed makeup brands, like Kylie Cosmetics or Fenty Beauty.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Fake Teeth & Facelifts: How Michelle Williams Became Gwen Verdon On Fosse/Verdon

YouTuber Remi Ashten Always Carries These 4 Lip Products In Her Purse

Why Timothée Chalamet's Bowl Cut Isn't His Most Dramatic Look

This summer saw the continued popularity of the Apérol Spritz, with negronis and other aperitif cocktails riding its coattails, including the soon-to-reign-supreme St. Germain (elderflower liquor) Spritz. Rosé remained a steady favorite, but smashable reds and sparkly whites have also become a staple. Basically, it's been the summer of glamorous leisurely drinking. So why not turn to a rosé aperitif, the ultimate alcohol mashup, for the season's nightcap?

Rose Rosé is the brainchild of Haus, a liquor brand that first came onto the scene just six weeks ago with its first bottle, Citrus Flower. (You probably recognize it from Instagram, or your hippest friends’ bar carts.) The brand's newest creation is made with chardonnay grapes, elderflower, and lemon and boasts notes of raspberry, rose, and watermelon.

“Millennials care about health and image — they don't drink to get wasted, and they don't want the artificial ingredients,” Helena Price Hambrecht, co-founder and co-CEO of Haus told Refinery29 via email. “We set out to make a line of aperitifs that met the needs of our generation — all natural, low-sugar, low-ABV spirits that you can feel good about drinking.”

She says less is more when it comes to cocktail ingredients. But if you’re talking quality, more is definitely more. “I think if you start with something – like an aperitif – then making a sophisticated cocktail is easy.” Add tonic or ginger beer and that’s about all you need. “If the base is sophisticated, the cocktail will taste sophisticated, no matter what you mix it with.”

Rose Rosé is available for pre-order starting today, and Haus bottles are priced at two for $70 and a case of six for $180. The clichés surrounding the creation of a rosé aperitif are not lost on us. But what do they say about clichés? That they’re only cliché because they’re true. Citrus Flower sold out in no time and if Rose Rosé is anything like its predecessor, you will probably see bottles popping up all over Instagram in no time.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Goodbye Popeye's Crispy Chicken Sandwich, We Hardly Knew Ye

Kim Kardashian & Kanye West Dined At A Cheesecake Factory Two Nights In A Row

Fans React To The Return Of The PSL & The New Starbucks Pumpkin Drink

There's a certain art to shopping secondhand. Whether you frequent pay-by-the-pound warehouses or luxury vintage shops, it takes a trained eye to differentiate between a ratty old t-shirt and a ratty old t-shirt worth $200 on Depop. But now that we can turn to vintage retailers like The Real Real, we no longer have to study the ins and outs of vintage shopping — they have experts for that. They authenticate, price to sell, and put it online for us to peruse from the comfort of our beds. Basically, they do it all.

But even with the convenience of online vintage shopping, there's still one problem: the arduous task of sorting through thousands of styles. That's where we come in. As avid shoppers on The Real Real (and experts in manipulating shopping filters), we're always up-to-date with what's hot on the site at any given moment. So to further simplify the vintage shopping experience, we're bringing you the very best selects that The Real Real has to offer right this very second. First up? Sandals. Ahead, click through 20 summer sandals that are warming our summer-loving hearts this week.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Here's How 3 Fashion Editors Are Wearing Their Wedgie Jeans This Fall

Here's What You Need To Know About Rent The Runway Unlimited If You're Plus Size

The Top Labor Day Sales For All Of Your Transitional-Dressing Needs

You’re exhausted from your (rather stressful) wedding day, when your husband comes in with one more request: a family game night with your in-laws. As instructed by your intimidatingly Gothic new family, you pull a card that says “Hide and Seek” and are instructed to be out of sight until dawn. It’s a weird wedding night tradition, but if this is what it takes to be with the love of your life, you’ll find a dumbwaiter and wait in eerie silence for a hot minute. But just when you’re ready to give up your location to head to bed with your new hubby, a twist is revealed. Your sister-in-law rounds a corner and kills the maid with a crossbow intended for you. Suddenly you realize you’re not merely playing “hide and seek” with your new family...you’re being hunted by them in a sadistic ritual they’ve participated in for generations.

That’s the set-up of new horror comedy Ready or Not, which puts a hilariously nightmarish spin on meeting your in-laws. It stars Australian actress Samara Weaving as Grace, an independent new bride who is ready to start a life with her very rich and very cute husband Alex Le Domas (Mark O’Brien), who also happens to be a board game heir. And if you didn’t know there was money — and murder — in the board game biz, then allow the Le Domas’ to show you.

Grace may be initially naive to the horror around her, but Weaving’s not. Though she began her career in 2008 on Australian soap Out of the Blue, and, the following year, Home and Away(a famous incubator for Aussie talent), Weaving has worked on a number of horror projects prior to Ready or Not. That includes Starz series Ash vs the Evil Dead and Netflix horror comedy The Babysitter, in which she plays the titular villain. Picnic at Hanging Rock, a limited series on Amazon based on Joan Lindsay’s 1967 novel of the same name, was a quieter, creepier, addition to the 27-year-old’s resume.

Mansur Gavriel Linen Worker Shirt, $345, available at MansurGavriel.com ; Mansur Gavriel Linen Straight Pant, $345, available at MansurGavriel.com ; Jimmy Choo Rose Sued Lucy Shoe; Maya Brenner Pave Geo Rings, $1,600, available at MayaBrenner.com ; Maya Brenner S olid Eclipse Earrings, $125, available at Maya Brenner.com.

As Grace, Weaving is forced to hide and fight for her life against her new mother-in-law, father-in-law, and the rest of Max’s deranged family in her destroyed and bloodied wedding dress — but don’t call her a hapless victim. In the tradition of a modern “final girl” trope like the ones we’ve seen more recently in films such as Midsommar, Happy Death Day, and Us, Grace doesn’t hide and allow herself to be hunted. She fights like hell on what should be the happiest night of her life, proving she won’t be anyone’s sacrificial lamb...or, in the case of this film’s goriest scene, their sacrificial goat.

After running around in 12 crusty wedding dresses, performing most of her own stunts, and hilariously giving life and power back to the “damsel in distress,” Ready or Not might be the final step in Weaving’s ascent to the great scream queen throne.

Over the phone, Refinery29 spoke to Weaving about collapsing into a pile of fake goat corpses, seeing The O.C. ’s Seth Cohen (Adam Brody plays her drunk brother-in-law) in a new light, and what Australians get right about working in Hollywood.

Refinery29: Where does Grace fit in as a "final girl" in the horror genre?

Samara Weaving: “We should change it to final woman, unless it is a little girl, don’t you think? When I was figuring out the arc of [my character], I didn’t want every discovery and every moment to have the same reaction of horror. I wanted Grace to get angry and determined. Grace wanted to get married so badly because she really wanted a family. If she was in foster care, she could have been in some very awful situations. The imagination can run wild. I thought that was a logical way to make her fight back against so many people. The only downside is that she’s in a house where she doesn’t know how everything works.

“The biggest thing I wanted for Grace was for her to be very strong. I didn’t want her survival skills to be an accident or a fluke, I wanted her to really think about the situation she was in and make decisions out of logic, instead of desperation. The [ Ready or Not team] was great about that, and really worked on the script and worked on that theme so that we could make Grace more of a powerhouse. I really didn’t want her to be a damsel in distress.”

Your character deals with a lot of vile things, but one of the worst would have to be falling into a pit of rotting goat carcasses. What was that like to film?

“Well, it was snowing outside, and we were in a barn full of goats, so the smell was delightful. [Laughs] I was hanging from wires. The goats in the pit were all fake, so it was actually comfortable — they were like pillows. I think we finished that sequence at 7 a.m., and we started at 7 p.m. It was just me, pretty much the whole day — me and some goats. Luckily the crew and directors [Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett] were so wonderful to work with.”

"The biggest thing I wanted for Grace was for her to be very strong...I really didn't want her to be a damsel in distress."

What did you think when you first read the script?

“I was sent the script with the offer [to star]. I’ve done a lot of horror comedy, and I know how hard it is to get it right, but the writing [by screenwriters Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy] was all spot-on. They thread that line [between comedy and horror] really well. The [producers and directors] also really loved my ideas, and it was a really inclusive [environment].”

Grace’s new husband Alex knows exactly what’s up with his family, but chooses not to tell her. It’s similar to Allison Williams’ character in Get Out — you’re not sure if these characters side with their diabolical families.

“Alex is so torn. He has family and childhood on one side, and the love of his life and also freedom on the other. There’s a lot of metaphors there. Mark was so good at not giving anything away, and keeping the audience guessing at where his [allegiance] would be. If you are engaged, I would say maybe don’t watch this movie — or watch it and see what your fiancé’s reaction will be. [Laughs] And [really get to know] his family before you get married!”

Did you do your own stunts?

“Most of them. There’s one stunt where I’m in front of a moving car, which would be very bad if done wrong, so [I didn’t do that one.] There’s another where I have to fall from a high spot, [which I also didn’t do.] But it’s me, running around, tackling people.”

Brock Collection Bustier Top; Ulla Johnson Storm Jeans; Tamara Mellon Siren Pumps, $550, available at TamaraMellon.com.

Did you watch The O.C. before working with Adam Brody, who plays Grace’s new brother-in-law, on this?

“I didn’t! My parents were very anti-television. Two weeks before [production started] the producers called me and said Adam signed on. My fiancé and I were told [by friends] that we had to watch The O.C., so we started watching it. We got the call that Adam was going to be in it, so we had to immediately stop watching it because it would be just too much. I did ask him a lot of questions about the show on set, though!”

Is there a bond between fellow Hollywood transplants from Australia?

“In Australia, everything is much smaller, and there are less actors. There definitely is that allure to going over to [Hollywood] because everything seems to be happening over there. You assume that if you can make it in Hollywood, you will be okay and be able to work as an actor. It can be really daunting, but the Australian culture can teach you to have a sense of humor about [the business] and making movies. There’s nothing to have a heart attack over. It’s a more laid back culture.”

Ready or Not hits theaters August 23, 2019.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Kirsten Dunst Says Hollywood Still Sees Her As “That Girl From Bring It On”

Are You Feeling Chilly? Because The 31 Nights Of Halloween Lineup Is Already Here

The Joker Trailer Is Almost Too Uncomfortable To Watch

Welcome toMoney Diaries , where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking millennials how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar.

Today: a customer service representative working at a travel startup who makes $50,000 per year and spends some of her money this week on chilled white wine.

Occupation: Customer Service Representative
Industry: Travel Startup
Age: 26
Location: Toulouse, France
Salary: $50,000
Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $1,350
Gender Identity: Woman

Monthly Expenses
Rent: $370 (My boyfriend and I rent a nice one-bedroom apartment with a terrace, and we each pay $370 per month.)
Loans: My monthly minimum is around $70, but I generally pay $1,000-$1,200 per month.
Electricity: $60
Cell Phone: $19
Dog Insurance: $15
Apartment Insurance: $8
Spotify Premium: $10
Netflix: $9
Skype (to call family in the U.S.): $7
NY Times Digital Subscription: $2
City Bike Subscription (annual): $11.09

Day One

6:45 a.m. — Wake up with my boyfriend, X., who takes our little pup out to relieve himself. I get my coffee started in my Moka pot (always with a splash of creamy milk!) and open my laptop to work a bit on Javascript. I'm currently teaching myself to code, and I'm loving it.

8 a.m. — X. leaves for work, and I get dressed and take pup to the park down the street. I've put on a new audiobook, The Flight Attendant, on the Libby app (I've just discovered this app, and for a gal who used to have her library card number memorized, it's absolute heaven!).

9:10 a.m. — Running a little late, since we ran into one of pup's best Pomeranian friends at the park, and they were just so cute and playful that I couldn't bear to separate them! No worries on the few minutes late, though — I love working from home! I pour myself a bowl of muesli and milk and, with puppy napping at my feet, I tuck into the day's work tasks.

10 a.m. — A friend invites me to go to an open-air cinema tonight (I've so been wanting to go this summer!) to see The Usual Suspects, so I get both of our tickets online. $15

1 p.m. — Lunch break! I assemble a veggie/rice bowl with chopped radish, green onion, avocado (though sadly not all the way ripe yet — such a bummer!), sautéed spinach, all topped with soy sauce. So simple and good — it's one of my favorite lunches to prepare. During my lunch break, I also hang some laundry out to dry (another benefit of working from home: being able to stay on top of laundry obligations!) and then take pup for a stroll again in the park, while tuning in a bit to my audiobook.

6 p.m. — X. comes home bearing this week's grocery haul. We split monthly grocery costs 50/50, so we'll settle costs at the end of the month. We usually average about $300 each month for both of us for all groceries, and we cook virtually every meal at home, which is nice.

7 p.m. — Usually X. cooks, but I want to prepare a big summer gazpacho for us tonight. Once done preparing the soup, I toast a few pieces of bread and spread the rest of the veggies that weren't strained over them and offer them up as an apéro for the two of us. We eat those before knocking back our cool glasses of gazpacho.

9 p.m. — I take a city bike to meet my friend at a cute bar (I order a caipirinha, and my friend handles the bill) before heading to the open-air cinema to see The Usual Suspects (I'd never seen it before, and it was quite amazing).

Daily Total: $15

Day Two

7:45 a.m. — I wake up slowly as X. is getting ready for work. Since I went to bed later than usual last night, I'm fine with this being a very relaxed reading morning. I tuck into Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris on my Kindle and a bowl of muesli with milk (bonus cozy points for the rain outside!).

9 a.m. — After showering and making my coffee, I open my laptop and get to work.

10 a.m. — I go to sign up for a Body Pump class on my gym's app for Saturday, but realize that the class won't be taking place (the French are usually on vacation during August, so services are very limited). I decide to sign up for tonight's class instead and text X. to see if he can give me a ride right after work (I usually take the bus, but I'd be cutting it very short this time). X. says he can! Body Pump booked.

1 p.m. — Lunch break. Threw together a scramble with eggs, mushrooms, garlic, spinach, and Emmental cheese. Avocado and a glass of chilled gazpacho on the side. Banana for dessert because we have a lot and they're starting to turn a bit brown. For the last half of the break, pup and I head to the park for a little stroll.

4:15 p.m. — I'm currently working on "Student Loan 1-01" (using the Debt Avalanche method of paying the biggest loans/highest interest rates first; this is my fourth of 13 student loans to pay, but I'm chugging along. In the past nine months, I've paid around $11,000 to those loans, which I'm super fucking proud of). I usually do all loan payments on Mondays, but I'm feelin' suddenly inspired, so I throw an extra $200 I have in my "curveball fund" at Loan 1-01. Bam!

6:10 p.m. — My meeting runs a bit late, so I have to leave it and scramble to get my gym clothes on and workout bag ready. X. and I leave, and I make it perfectly on time — woo! The instructor's not the one I usually prefer, but I still get a good workout.

8:10 p.m. — I take the bus back home (I use a prepaid Metro/bus card that I usually put roughly $16 a month on). X. starts cooking tonight's dinner (big salad, ham from the French Basque Country, and some more of the gazpacho). A new expat friend just invited me to go see Amélie at that same open-air cinema I went to last night (this time for Friday night — two days from now), and seeing as it's one of my absolute favorite movies of all time, how can I possibly say no?! I book my ticket from the website. $8.50

9 p.m. — After dinner, we go for our nightly walk around the neighborhood with pup. The sunset is pink and beautiful (European summers mean the sun doesn't go down until pretty late). Once home, we hang out a bit and then head to bed around 11 (I also read a cute French novel our neighbor loaned me, Minute, Papillon, which helps put me to sleep).

Daily Total: $8.50

Day Three

7:30 a.m. — I don't work until 10 today, because I have some later meetings to attend this evening, so I wake up slowly as X. is in the shower. Once up, I make my morning coffee and settle in with some Me Talk Pretty One Day. David Sedaris is an amazing writer, and I'm constantly chuckling at the way he describes different people and situations.

9 a.m. — Pup and I head to the park to see if any of his pup friends are there. Surprisingly, no other pup friends except for an older woman with her two dogs who always asks what pup's name is. Always. Every single time. She's pretty sweet, though. Once back home, pup gets a little treat, and I tuck into a bit of Javascript practice during my last half hour before work starts.

11:30 a.m. — I finish up my work tasks for the morning (working on a project for this quarter and also preparing my talking points for tonight's monthly all-hands meeting, where I'll be sharing our team's latest updates). I'm excited but nervous. I'm actively trying to feel more confident/comfortable speaking “in front” of everyone (really only talking to a screen with the rest of the company listening/looking at me on their screens, but still). Will report back on how that goes. With a bit of a lull before diving into more busy work, I take a short break and have a quick shower (I'll go ahead and add this to the list of work-from-home perks!).

1 p.m. — I take a few minutes to throw together my favorite veggie/rice bowl lunch (rice, spinach, radish, green onion, and avocado). The avocado is perfectly (!!!) ripe today, and it completely warms this California gal's heart. I eat lunch while working at my laptop.

8 p.m. — The meetings go so well! I felt super prepared and confident (yay!), and our COO even reached out to me after the fact and congratulated me on a job well done, so that was extremely validating! Anyway...we're hungry! I do the dishes in the sink while X. prepares an amazing light dinner (since it's hot and we don't want to cook anything on the stove). He prepares these luscious bowls of pieces of melon, Serrano ham, and bits of feta. I've never tasted something so incredibly fresh and perfect for a cool meal. We finish off the meal with bread and cheese (we are in France, after all) and white peaches for dessert.

9:10 p.m. — We leave for our nightly walk with pup around the neighborhood. The perfect nightcap on a busy day. And extra bonus points for crossing paths with a cute little hedgehog (!!) along the way. Back at home, X. watches a bit of a movie while I read Minute, Papillon, and we eventually head to bed around 11:30.

Daily Total: $0

Day Four

7:20 a.m. — Happy Friday! I wake up feeling pretty well-rested. X. takes pup out and then gets ready for work. I get the coffee brewing while I finish up some leftover dishes in the sink to start the day with a clean kitchen. I drink my coffee while X. and I watch a bit of morning news before he leaves for the day.

7:45 a.m. — X. leaves for work, and I settle in with some Me Talk Pretty One Day and the rest of my coffee. It's already hot outside, but it's set to storm tonight, so that will cool things off this weekend. Eventually, I decide to leave earlier this morning for the park with pup, since it's so hot/heavy outside. Once back home, I chug some cool water. And it's payday today! I usually do my financial check-in on Monday mornings. I've become really into personal finance over the past year and have proudly gotten a hold of my finances. I used to barely get by paycheck-to-paycheck and was in the red credit-wise, but now I'm killing it, if I do say so myself, and I feel so grateful and proud of myself to have made that shift. I pour my customary muesli and milk and get to work.

9:30 a.m. — This morning is pretty light work-wise, so I take a few minutes to wash and moisturize my face, brush and floss my teeth, and use my eyebrow pencil (very low-maintenance on the makeup front, in general — the most I'll do is eyebrows, mascara, and some BB cream, though when I'm occasionally feeling wild, I'll also add a swipe of fire-engine-red lipstick) before settling into more busy work that will probably take up the majority of the workday.

11:40 a.m. — I pick up my phone and take a few minutes to make a new budget for this latest paycheck. I use You Need A Budget (YNAB), and I can 100% say it has allowed me to both save and pay down thousands of dollars of debt over the past year (not exaggerating here).

1:20 p.m. — I don't want to cook anything, so I throw together a lunch with pieces of Serrano ham and Ossau-Iraty cheese (again, from French Basque Country) onto some bread, with some avocado on the side and the rest of the chilled gazpacho from the other night with a bit of olive oil drizzled over the top. I eat on the balcony and listen a bit to The Flight Attendant audiobook. After, I take pup to relieve himself in the grassy area facing our apartment building. Once back inside, he gets a treat and I grab a banana before clocking back in to work.

6 p.m. — I just have one meeting at the end of the day and then…weekend! I head out to the living room (I'd been working in the bedroom with our portable AC) and hang out with X. while he plays Grand Theft Auto. He hands me the controller, and I drive around like a maniac (a nice way to completely shut off "work mode" in my head). Man, I miss driving…

7:30 p.m. — We head into the kitchen, and X. prepares the same melon, feta, and Serrano ham dish as last night while I do some dishes in the sink. Then we eat the bowls while watching Fresh Prince of Bel-Air — we've just started rewatching it on Netflix, and it's pretty great. Bread and cheese to follow and white peaches for dessert.

9 p.m. — I meet my friend and her husband at a bar terrace and order a glass of dry, chilled white wine. It's extremely humid because of the supposed storm that's impending tonight, but the wine feels good. After, we head over to the cinema. Since the storm will eventually roll through, the film has been moved inside, so we shuffle into the screening room. I'm in hog heaven the whole time — I laugh, I cry, and I'm pretty sure I'm looking like a grinning lunatic the entire time. $4.50

12 a.m. — Once the film lets out, I say goodbye to the couple I'm with and start walking across town back toward home. It has definitely stormed, but thankfully, we were safe inside! I call X. and let him know I'll be riding a bike back home. Walking through downtown is so unusually peaceful for a Friday night, and I bask in the tranquility.

Daily Total: $4.50

Day Five

9 a.m. — Weekend! I wake up super slowly, and X. takes pup outside. We then spend some time playing with pup before deciding to take a little stroll down to the bakery down the street and grabbing a couple chocolate croissants for our morning breakfast — I love France! We get back home, croissants acquired. I start brewing the coffee, and then X. and I enjoy our breakfast (complete with fruit juice and white peaches) on our balcony. It's the first Saturday in a while that we don't have anything pressing to do (errands, chores, appointments), so we bask in the pure bliss of it all! $4

2:30 p.m. — We've spent the morning doing a whole lot of nothing and everything. I spend some time coding and building a new mock website, we do a couple of light chores around the apartment, deciding what to do for the day, etc. It's such a relaxing Saturday — I am definitely a fan. X. prepares a lunch of grilled sausage, rice, and green beans. We're both still pretty full from our decadent breakfast, but we figure we should eat lunch now — the French are pretty particular on meal window times, after all. Or maybe that's just X. We eat on the balcony and finish off lunch with some cheese and a banana for dessert.

5 p.m. — We head into town with the pup to walk around. I'd really like to try on a pair of black boots I've been eyeing, so I want to see what size works best. I try on the boots and find my size. They cost 189€ ($215), and I almost cave and buy them on the spot, but as a general shopping rule for myself (learned after a lot of impulse buys in my past), I like to go home and think on it for a few days. Plus, I want to save up a little bit before going for them. I'll probably go back and buy them in a couple of weeks. :)

7:30 p.m. — We escape the crowds downtown, end up at this cute restaurant just along the river, and decide to order an apéro before heading home. It actually turns into a bit of a small dinner — I order a glass of dry, chilled white wine, while X. gets a pint of beer. We then split a lobster roll and some tasty pâté and baguette. I take care of the bill, but we'll add it to this month's grocery/food expenses to split between the two of us. $42

9 p.m. — Get back home and relax in front of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air again. A bit later, I take a bubble bath and read from Minute, Papillon. After that, we head to bed and I read a little bit more from my book before we fall asleep.

Daily Total: $46

Day Six

7:40 a.m. — I wake up early and well-rested this morning. Pup's ready to go out, so I take him out to relieve himself. It's super cool and fresh outside, so that's nice! We head back inside, and I make some coffee while X. snoozes. I spend the morning reading personal finance blog posts, and I'm learning quite a lot.

10 a.m. — X., pup, and I head out for our Sunday tradition of going to a local market in town where we buy this week's grocery staples. I also grab some dried ginger and pear pieces. We get cheese, chips for today's lunch, and eggs at one vendor. I pay for that. Then X. pays for bread, ham, a green pepper, and tomatoes. $16.75

11 a.m. — After the market, we head to one of our favorite café terraces and order espresso while chatting about life and future plans. X. picks up the bill. After, we head home and I prepare ham and cheese sandwiches with chips on the side. Nectarine for dessert. Also: update on the boots from yesterday. I found them on Amazon for $121. Looks like I can get those puppies sooner than I was planning (probably next pay period in a couple weeks, because delayed gratification also feels pretty great).

4 p.m. — X. and I have tea and the dried pear pieces from the market. I finally finish the book! Later, we head out to play tennis at a court in our neighborhood. Unfortunately, many other neighbors had the same thought, so we wait a long time before we can play. Even so, I'm happy we get a chance to move around a bit.

8:30 p.m. — We get home and I get started on the dishes in the sink while X. prepares dinner (some cold sausage from yesterday with mustard and rice on the side). We finish up the meal with bread and cheese. After dinner, I call my mom to say hello. I try to call my family at least once a week, and it's been most recently on Sundays, as a way to make that transition from the end of the weekend to getting ready for the start of the week.

Daily Total: $16.75

Day Seven

8:15 a.m. — Oops — Monday morning, and we sleep through our first alarms. X. jumps up and takes a quick shower before heading out. I take pup to get some time at the park. I'm happy because I have time to listen more to The Flight Attendant audiobook. Once back home, I pour a bowl of muesli and milk, set the coffee to start brewing, and then do my Monday net worth check-in where I take a look at my bank accounts and current student-loan balance to check on progress. For sure, my biggest "Money Moves" day. I also pay off my credit card balance while I'm in my banking app. Hmm, I notice that my last paycheck didn't route my 401(K) contribution to the account. I know I'd recently updated the contribution, so it may have to do with that, but I need to check on it, so I write in to our 401(K) custodian. Lastly, I make a $400 payment to the student loan I'm currently focusing on. With this payment, I'll only have $1,000 more on it!

9 a.m. — Get to work. I also send in a reimbursement request for my monthly gym membership ($45), which my company offers as a sweet little perk.

1 p.m. — Lunch break and my customary rice/veggie bowl lunch. I also take pup out to relieve himself, but we don't stray too much farther than the grassy area outside the apartment.

6 p.m. — Off work for the day. I meet X. and pup outside to head to the park. It's nice to fully step away from the computer right after work to make a point of turning my brain off and switching to non-work mode. Back at home, I read a little of Me Talk Pretty One Day while we watch Jimmy Fallon in the background. Later, I finish up the dishes in the sink while X. starts preparing dinner. It's going to be a yummy pasta mix that he puts together with cream, mushrooms, pancetta, and green peppers.

9 p.m. — X. and I take pup walking through our neighborhood and chill out a bit before heading to bed.

Daily Total: $0

Money Diaries are meant to reflect individual women's experiences and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29's point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.

Want more Money Diaries? Well, you’re in luck — Refinery29 Canada is launching its own Canadian Money Diaries three times a week. (Which means once you’re done with catching up on all our diaries during your lunch break, you can head on over to R29 CA for even more.) You can now experience Money Diaries IRL at 29Rooms Toronto September 26th through October 6th. Buy tickets here.

The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more money diaries, click here.

Do you have a Money Diary you'd like to share? Submit it with us here.

Have questions about how to submit or our publishing process? Read our Money Diaries FAQ doc here: r29.co/mdfaqs

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

A Week In Chicago, IL, On A $87,000 Salary

I Make $58,409 As A Tax Advisory Specialist — & I'm Legally Blind

A Week In Houston, TX, On A $30,000 Salary

Decked out in a gold lamé leotard, caramel fishnets, and black studded boots, Lizzo surveyed the audience at an intimate concert in Downtown L.A.'s City Market Social House before leaning into the front row. "You are all so sexy," she purred."Do you think I look good right now, too?"

During her electrifying five-song set, Lizzo continued to lavish compliments on the crowd, pulling people up to dance and fawning over their looks — from gyrating fans she lovingly called "big girls" to a drag queen wearing a bright blonde, Dolly Parton-esque wig. By the end of the night, she had every single person belting out her lyrics — "No, I'm not a snack at all/Look, baby, I'm the whole damn meal" — and leaving us all feeling like we were the baddest bitches to have ever walked the face of the earth.

Lizzo, whose songs of self-love and unapologetic confidence have catapulted her to fame in the last five years, has just hit another major career milestone for an artist: a massive beauty contract. In her first campaign video with Urban Decay, Lizzo appears on screen posing for a typical beauty photoshoot before pushing away the crew, wiping off her makeup, and defining her own look. It's a powerful moment in an industry still plagued with outdated standards of what beauty should look like, and who should be invited to take part in it.

"When people send me photos of the storefront and the pictures in the stores, that is impactful to me," Lizzo tells me in a hotel suite hours before she took the stage at an event for the brand's Stay Naked Foundation launch. "I'm like, Wow, somebody is walking into the store to get some makeup and hopefully a girl is seeing a face that looks like hers and it’s inspiring and aspiring for her. Representation is the most important thing I can do as an artist."

For Lizzo, a makeup contract is a natural fit. As an artist and songwriter, she often punctuates her lyrics with relatable lines about beauty and its role in her life. There's her going-out anthem "Good As Hell" where she belts, "I do my hair toss, check my nails/Baby how you feelin'?/
Feeling good as hell." In her song "Truth Hurts," she describes the all-too-familiar post-breakup salon appointment: "Shampoo press, get you out of my hair." And throughout songs like "Lingerie," she consistently breaks down the rituals that make her feel sexy: "Hair down, moonlit/Look at my lipstick."

"My songs are a celebration of the beauty in self," explains Lizzo. "I sing actual things that happen to me — things we’ll say when we’re partying, when we’re drunk, when we’re crying, things I say in the mirror. I’m just trying to live a better life and a more beautiful life."

Lizzo's own approach to makeup is fluid, just like her sexuality. "The beauty of it is that sexuality can change every single day," Lizzo says. "It’s about not being afraid of who you are and also being aware that who you are can change. In the same way, I love to change up my makeup every single day. When we go into glam, my makeup artist says, Who are you today? Then he'll create a fantasy."

That fantasy is most often filled with glittering body oils and sensual, lacquered lips— a calling card for the performer whose approach to makeup could be summed up as: sex, sex, and more sex. "The tongue is like a sex organ, and the lips are a sexual feature," she says. "I want my lips to always look like I’m ready to suck a dick."

I love my jiggly arms, but I also have insecurities about my teeth and hair. In order to truly love myself, I have to really love every single thing.

Her secret to keeping those glossy lips in place through singing, dancing, and a rigorous flute performance (as seen at the BET Awards)? "For all my flautists that love to rock a bold lip onstage, we put a matte lip first and then we secure it with Urban Decay eyeshadow that matches the lip color," says Lizzo, who currently prefers Urban Decay Vice Lipstick.

Despite her overwhelming confidence and stage presence, Lizzo is not without insecurities. Over the past year, she's been learning to become more comfortable wearing her natural hair publicly for the first time in her life, not only on Instagram, but on the red carpet as well.

"I’ve been slowly learning how to completely love myself," she says. "I love my jiggly arms, but I also have insecurities about my teeth and hair. In order to truly love myself, I have to really love every single thing. Hair is the final frontier for me. If I didn’t love that, I would be a liar. I wouldn’t truly, actually love myself. Even the things that people would think I would be insecure about, I find beauty, strength, and courage in."

At this stage of her evolution, Lizzo says she's more confident in what she calls her "fine self" than ever before. "I promise you, I will change as much as you will," she says. "When you're listening to my music, you're listening to stories of evolution."

Travel and accommodations were provided by Urban Decay for the purpose of writing this story. At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Fake Teeth & Facelifts: How Michelle Williams Became Gwen Verdon On Fosse/Verdon

YouTuber Remi Ashten Always Carries These 4 Lip Products In Her Purse

Why Timothée Chalamet's Bowl Cut Isn't His Most Dramatic Look

There’s a lot to love about Robyn Rihanna Fenty. She treats glasses of Malbec as street-style accessories, she single-handedly changed how the beauty industry thinks about inclusivity with her foundation line, and she gave us anthems like "Bitch Better Have My Money." If that weren’t enough, Rihanna is also the owner of one of the most expansive tattoo collections in Hollywood, offering up the kind of ink inspiration Instagram never could.

It’s rare for a celebrity to reveal their entire tattoo collection to the world, but Rihanna has been relatively forthcoming over the years. We may not know the meaning behind every single design, but we do know she has at least one matching tattoo with her best friend (the star behind her ear), one reported tribute to Tupac (“Thug Life” on her knuckles), and one inspirational quote tattoo (“Never a failure, always a lesson”). Rihanna recently revealed to the T Magazine that the latter is written backwards so she can read it in the mirror and be reminded that learning from your mistakes is just another part of life.

Even if Rihanna hasn’t revealed the meaning behind every tattoo, the massive collection of 20+ designs is still worth exploring. Ahead, a guide to RiRi’s most notable designs.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Fake Teeth & Facelifts: How Michelle Williams Became Gwen Verdon On Fosse/Verdon

YouTuber Remi Ashten Always Carries These 4 Lip Products In Her Purse

Why Timothée Chalamet's Bowl Cut Isn't His Most Dramatic Look

Typically, the end of August spurs the urge to book a salon appointment to bring back your bright blonde highlights one last time before summer's over. But this season, if you're keeping up with the trends, you may find yourself side-stepping, forgoing the peroxide altogether for the dimensional, dark brunette shade de jour: a rich, chocolatey brown.

Not only is dark brown easier to maintain for the natural brunette — which means enjoying the sunshine at brunch on Saturday morning, instead of spending three hours in the salon — it's also uniquely flattering, as evidenced by Emma Roberts' piercing brunette lob, and Kim Kardashian's heavy chocolate highlight, plus every other A-lister who's gone to milky brown as of late.

Ahead, photographic proof of how rich brown is dominating our pre-fall mood boards. Let the promise of glazed chocolate shine in a sea of quickly-dulling blondes be all the inspiration you need to go darker this season.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Hitting The Pool This Weekend? Here's How To Stop Your Braids From Getting Frizzy

16 Easy Updo Ideas That Won't Remind You Of Your Prom

Traveling This Weekend? These Protective Styles Will Take Hair Off Your To-Do List

It didn’t happen when Christopher Kane tried back in 2016, and it didn’t happen when Balenciaga tried again in 2017. But three tries make a trend, and thanks to a resurrection by Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior, where the style reappeared on the house’s runway in 2018 — for the first time since 1954 — we are officially entering the era of the clog. (Again.) If this news doesn’t get your heart racing, don’t worry. Clogs may fall into the category of “ugly” footwear whose appeal takes a bit longer to sink in which is why we see fall 2019 as the clog's last stand — its chance to finally break through into the mainstream.

The #cloglife might have gained momentum at Dior, but it’s showing no signs of slowing down. Designers like Salvatore Ferragamo, Jacquemus, and Isabel Marant have all shown them in recent seasons. The shoes have been given a modern spin and have been paired with everything from slouchy suits to shearling jackets and knee-grazing socks. Still, it’s not just a runway look — elsewhere, cult clog brands are still producing handmade classics in materials both unexpected and classic. Click through to see our 19 faves right now — and prepare yourself to (stylishly) clomp around all autumn long.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

The Summer Of Big-Toe Shoes

Down To Earth: Has 2019 Killed The Heel?

The 8 Swimsuit Trends You'll See Everywhere Next Summer, According To Miami Swim Week