Must of us know that curly and wavy hair can be on the drier side because the oils that are naturally produced by the scalp can’t travel down the hair shaft and nourish the hair as easily as they can with straight hair. Because of this, products for wavy hair need to be hydrating in order to keep it shiny and healthy. However, when it comes to type 2 hair — that is, waves that are bendable and lay closer to the head, appearing in a distinctive ‘S’ shape — it can range in thickness. Like, a lot. Type 2 waves can be ultra-fine, thick and coarse, or anything in between. This can make choosing the right styling product a bit tricky. If you pick one that’s not nourishing enough, your strands risk not getting enough hydration. If you go with one that’s too heavy, you’ll weigh your waves down.
To avoid any confusion, we’ve compiled a list of the best styling products for wavy hair, no matter how fine or thick. Browse our picks below and get ready to add to cart — trust us.
Shea Moisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration Styling Gel
Made with coconut oil, coconut fruit extract and coconut juice, this nourishing styling gel hydrates waves and curls without leaving behind any annoying residue or — even worse — hardened pieces or crunchiness.
Redken No Blow Dry NBD Just Right Cream
Redken No Blow Dry NBD Just Right Cream, $24, at select salons
Available in three different formulations (for fine hair, wavy hair and curly hair), Redken’s revolutionary No Blow Dry NBD Just Right Cream is perfect for anyone who wants to wash and go, rather than partake in an involved post-wash routine. Just Right, the product that, of the three, is best-suited for wavy hair and type 2 curls, leaves hair with just the right amount of hold. Plus, it’s made with Air-Tex Technology, the first technology of its kind that actually speeds up air-drying time.
A great detangling product can be a necessary first post-shower step for wavy or curly hair. This one from Unite promises to detangle hair in seven seconds (!), leaving it nourished and hydrated all day long. Bonus: it doubles as a UV and thermal protector.
Formulated with nourishing argan oil, Moroccanoil’s curl cream is a favourite among those with curly hair, and for good reason. Featuring heat-activated technology that provides a curl memory factor, the cream leaves you with well-defined, natural-looking curls.
Matrix Total Results Curl Please Contouring Lotion
Matrix Total Results Curl Please Contouring Lotion, $18, at select salons
For extra body and bounce, the Matrix Total Results Curl Please Contouring Lotion should be applied evenly throughout damp hair. Finish by styling how you normally would.
Herbal Essences bio:renew Mango & Aloe Vera Curl Cream
This leave-in treatment has been formulated to define and boost shine for curly and wavy hair, thanks to a blend of fruit extracts (mango, blackberry and avocado) as well as aloe vera juice and castor oil.
Ask any of Peloton’s enthusiastic followers and they’ll tell you that the fitness brand is much more than just intense spin classes, it’s a lifestyle. For Cody Rigsby — the brand’s director of cycling and a fan favourite instructor known for his fun, nostalgia-fuelled classes — it’s about a community of people being their most authentic selves. “When we’re not conforming to ‘normal,’ we’re taking chances, we’re taking risks. That’s inherent in the Peloton community,” Rigsby, who is also a global ambassador for Adidas, tells FASHION over Zoom.
It’s that exact ethos Rigsby and two of his fellow Peloton leaders, Robin Arzón and Ally Love, brought to the table for the brand’s new partnership with Adidas, which is launching with a spring/summer collection of apparel that was designed in collaboration with the instructors. “You’re going to find a piece in the line that will let you express yourself and will feel right for you — but it could also be something you never would have added to your wardrobe before,” Rigsby says. “Personally, there’s a pair of pink and orange women’s bike shorts that I want to try, and I’m going to be unapologetic about it.”
The vibrant, ’90s-inspired, 11-piece collection includes a selection of performance gear like tanks, sports bras, hoodies and joggers in a range of sizes from XS to 2X. Starting at $30, the line drops online in select stores and online on both the AdidasandPelotonsites on March 25. The launch also includes a series of on-demand classes the debut on March 18, as well as a live class to celebrate on the 25th.
We caught up Rigsby to discuss the collection, the process of finding his voice as a Peloton instructor and what’s on his current class playlist.
What makes this new collab with Adidas unique to Peloton?
It’s two really innovative companies that intersect with athletics and fashion, so we’re a perfect match. When we went into designing it, we wanted to make pieces that would feel comfortable on anyone you know; pieces that you could style for a really diverse group of people.
The line is size-inclusive, and also includes men’s, women’s and unisex styles. Was everyone involved committed to making the line as inclusive as possible?
Our Peloton members are super diverse — whether it’s the way they look, their upbringing, where they are [geographically]. We wanted people to feel comfortable in all of the styles. I specifically was like, ‘I want something super bright for the men’s collection, but anybody could wear this.’ I want people to think outside of their normal box and get comfortable doing new and different things.
How do you approach getting dressed when you’re leading a class?
Being a perfect Gemini, it’s different every day. When we do training rides, I always go for a more athletic style and wear something that allows me to focus on the training. In this collection, I’d probably grab the men’s black tights because they’re sleek and I know I’m going to be able to move in them. I’d pair them with the black three-stripe tank, which I really love because it’s form-fitting so I know that I can focus on the workout and being the best athlete possible. But then if I’m doing a ’90s ride or a pop ride, that’s when I want to bring levity and high energy to the class. For those classes, I’d probably grab the pink shirt and pair it with the composition notebook patterned shorts and just really have fun with it.
Instructor Cody Rigsby in a look from the new Peloton and Adidas collection. Photography courtesy of Peloton.
Speaking of ’90s and pop music, your classes are known for leaning into nostalgia and great playlists. How did you find your voice and style as a Peloton instructor?
I’m coming up on seven years of Peloton, which is insane. Time flies. I’ll admit that I had more time than some of the newer instructors to find my voice. I had a lot more time to make mistakes and do things wrong for a while. Once I allowed myself to discover who I am — because, I think, when I first started, I wasn’t faking it, but I wasn’t sure of who I was exactly — I was able to grow into myself and style. And that’s being opinionated, fun, and really allowing myself to be who I am instead of trying to project something I wanted to be. I’ve held onto my authenticity and have told my story without being scared. And that’s what I want people to take away from my class: a sense of fearlessness to discover who they are and then to be that person without any apologies.
For people who aren’t as familiar with Peloton and only know it as an exercise class, how would you explain your goal of imparting that fearlessness in your classes?
The special sauce of the Peloton community is vulnerability and storytelling. When we think of vulnerability, we think it has to be deep and scary, but by just being yourself, you’re being vulnerable. When you tell certain stories about yourself unedited, that truth makes it authentic. And that vulnerability allows me to show my weaknesses and my strengths. When you share that with other people, they’re inspired by that, so they in turn find that fearlessness to be vulnerable within themselves and share who they are through movement, through the clothes they wear and the things that they do.
What’s been the most surprising thing to come out of your seven-year long Peloton journey?
It has pushed me to grow up a lot. If you’ve taken my ride, you know that I’m the biggest kid at heart — I’ll never let that go. But I’ve had to grow up and figure out who I am. And the thing that’s affected me the most is getting to hear other people’s stories. I talk about my own vulnerability and sharing on my bike, but that leads to members sharing their own vulnerable stories on Instagram with me, or in person when we used to have in-person classes. Meeting members and hearing their reasons why — why they get on a bike, why they do our classes — and finding out I’ve been an influential part of their self-discovery has been the most special thing.
What music is on your current playlist for classes?
Last week, I did a Little Mix bike bootcamp, and that was so much fun. I’m such a fan of Little Mix, the U.K. girl group, and I was super excited about it. It was one of my favourite classes. I’m very much into British music, so even though Little Mix is gaining momentum in the States, I was excited to share that with my audience. I love seeing people be like, “Oh my god, I never listened to them before but now I can’t stop.” And if you’ve taken my class, you know how much I love Dua Lipa. I’m obsessed. It’s fun to share things that I’m excited about and see people react to them and also fall in love with them. Friends you can get new music recommendations from are special friends, so if I can be that person to certain people, I feel very accomplished.
When I “meet” Dame Helen Mirren over Zoom, my nerves — she’s practically royalty, not to mention a bona fide screen legend and norm-defying badass, after all — are immediately calmed when we both realize we’ve chosen a headband and statement earrings for our from-the-collarbone-up look of the day. Twinning with an icon? Not a bad way to end a Monday. I’m chatting with the 75-year-old actor, model and activist, who is back hosting the L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth Awards Gala (virtually, of course), an annual event that honours a diverse group of Canadian women leaders committed to fighting for change in their communities.
Over the last five years, in celebration of International Women’s Day, the L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth Awards Gala has recognized the women leading organizations whose causes include the prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse, food insecurity, environmental sustainability, the development of platforms for BIPOC communities, and more. (You can read more about 2021’s deserving group of honourees here.) Mirren, a longtime L’Oréal Paris brand ambassador, last hosted the gala in Toronto in 2019.
Here, my delightful conversation with the unwaveringly charming Helen Mirren about what makes her feel empowered, why she favours the word “swagger” over “beauty,” and the power of a really great lipstick.
How does it feel to be back hosting the L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth Awards Gala, but this time virtually?
The gala is so wonderful because it gives these women — who work sometimes in very difficult circumstances and with such energy and commitment and sacrifice — a wonderful evening where they can dress up, have a glass of wine and be lauded, praised and applauded. And I love that L’Oréal does that for them. It’s always very glamorous. It’s very beautifully done. So I’m sad that they’re not experiencing that [this year]. But, I know that it will be an awe-inspiring experience for all of us to witness what these women do, and what women in the past and women in the future will do. And just to be inspired by the energy of women and their humanity and their commitment and their professionality and their abilities; it’s a great thing to be a part of.
What does the role of community with other women play in your life?
I’m very lucky. I have a sister who’s a very important part of my female world. I have some very, very old friends that I’ve known since I was in my early twenties and those women are incredibly important to me. And then of course, for me to be inspired by women; I love it when I can find a woman who is an inspiration and that’s why [the Women of Worth gala] is so great because there are so many know profoundly inspiring women there. A community of women is very important; only we really understand what we go through. Obviously that changes culturally — it changes from country to country, culture to culture. But I think there is also a universal understanding that women have that cuts right across cultures and languages.
“I think we should all learn that when we see inequality or injustice happening around us, we’ve got to stand up and be counted.”
What are some ways that you have felt empowered in your life, and what does women’s empowerment mean to you now?
It’s extraordinary just how much the world has changed since I was 22. Or, well, since I was 15 or 16 [actually], because before that, I didn’t really think about stuff like [women’s empowerment]. But suddenly it dawned on me the incredible inequality that women had, and the monstrous unfairness of it. I was enraged with the unfairness of it as I became more and more aware of what was going on in the relationship between men and women, what women were allowed to do, what women weren’t allowed to do, what professions were open to women, what they were supposedly not suitable for, the responsibility they had to take for anything to do with sex.
It’s been so wonderful to experience and witness the change in attitude, and also learn myself because as much as I considered myself a rebel — and I was in many ways as a young person, fiercely defending my right to be who I was — at the same time, you realize you had attitudes or you didn’t understand certain things. The whole process of development is a learning process.
But in terms of personal empowerment, it’s simply those moments that you have when you think, No goddamnit, I’m right about this. And you say so. And sometimes that’s quite difficult but I so admire people who do that. There are women out there who are beacons of hope for us all, and always have been. So it’s those moments you just stand up for yourself — or you stand up for someone else, which I think is even more important, incidentally. We should all learn that when we see inequality or injustice happening around us, we’ve got to stand up and be counted.
What has the last year of the pandemic taught you about the importance of self-care? How has it impacted your daily routines and regimens?
It’s given me time for exercise. I’m not ferocious about exercise at all but I’ve been doing yoga every day, which has been really great. And to have the time to do that has been terrific. It’s also taught me that, yes, it’s important to get up, get dressed. Even if you get dressed in lovely, comfy jim jams. [Editor’s note: That’s U.K. lingo for pyjamas.] Every day I put my makeup on, although only my husband ever sees it and he makes fun of me, anyway. But I don’t care because it’s for me. Once I get that done, I feel I can get on with business, with work, with Zoom calls.
What role does beauty or makeup play in making you feel empowered?
I love putting on makeup. I find it rather meditative. I love playing with different products. I get made up every day during COVID; every day I do my exercises, have a coffee, get made up [laughs]. Then I take it all off again, later on. I’ve always loved makeup, always. Maybe it’s one of the reasons I’m an actress because professionally I’ve had to wear it.
But the word ‘beauty’ — I’ve always had a bit of an issue with the word beauty. It used to be that you only saw very beautiful people advertising beauty products. And so people like me, and billions of other people like me, felt shut out because [they think], I’m not beautiful. I’m never going to look like that if I put makeup on, it’s not going to happen. But makeup and hand lotion, skincare and great hair products, can make you feel terrific and look clean and fresh and energetic and wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, which is much more important than looking ‘beautiful,’ you know? So, I’m looking for a new word and my new word at the moment is ‘swagger.’
What makeup products give you swagger?
L’Oréal has a great lipstick called the Hydrating Core Lipstick in an incredible range of colours, but it also has a balm in the middle. So it’s like a balm, but it’s lipstick and it lasts, and you can just smush it on and you don’t need to have to look in the mirror. Now that’s a great lipstick! And a great lipstick goes a long way in terms of giving you swagger. Lipstick and mascara — for me, mascara because I’ve got very blonde eyelashes — will give me swagger.
This article was originally published in February 2019.
Ever wake up in the middle of the night completely paralyzed but totally cognizant of the fact that you can’t move your limbs? Chances are you’ve experienced sleep paralysis. Here, a breakdown on the ever-so-elusive sleep disorder and what you can do if you have it.
What is sleep paralysis?
Some chalk up sleep paralysis to supernatural causes, or an urban legend dubbed the “night hag.” Well, turns out sleep paralysis is a real thing. It affects approximately 7.6 percent of people worldwide (Kendall Jenner reported experiencing episodes back in 2016), and in Canada alone, it affects “about half of the population at some point in their lives,” says Dr. Brian Murray, head of the division of neurology at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto.
Sleep paralysis occurs during the final sleep stage (we go through a total of five periods during a sleep cycle): the REM (rapid eye movement) sleep stage. “In REM sleep we are essentially paralyzed, except for breathing and eye movements,” explains Murray. “Sleep paralysis is the phenomenon where the cortex is active, but the motor system is inactive.” So basically, it’s when you wake up fully conscious but unable to move; one system wakes before the other, instead of getting up in unison.
What does it feel like?
Besides being unable to move, those who’ve had brushes with the sleep disorder have reported seeing figures (sometimes terrifying, sometimes abstract), feeling weighed down by an object and/or sensing a strange presence in the room. (If you really want to freak yourself out, lots of people have shared their stories online.)
In my case (because, yes, I have experienced sleep paralysis countless times) my limbs are rendered useless, eyes are glued shut and my brain can’t help but focus on my very shallow breathing…. which, in turn, leads me to believe I’m gasping for air or I can’t breathe. While episodes may feel like they go on forever, Murray says they generally last between one to two minutes. “It might often feel longer as it can be frightening,” he says.
What causes sleep paralysis?
The causes of sleep paralysis vary from person to person, but a lack of sleep, for one, can be the culprit, says Murray. Conditions like narcolepsy, seizures and hypertension have also been linked to the disorder, as well as jet lag, sleep disturbances and shift work. Because this sleep disorder is more likely to occur when you’re sleep deprived, Murray says ensuring adequate sleep time is essential, noting that most adults need between seven to nine hours of uninterrupted slumber.
What should you do if you have it?
One way people have cited utilizing sleep paralysis to their advantage is by turning their episode into a lucid dream (something I’ve yet to experience). If you’d rather your body wake up, the best thing to do is remain calm. Try focusing on moving your smaller muscle groups — wiggling your toes and fingers usually helps. During my episodes, focusing on my breathing (and reminding myself that I’m not actually going to die) often helps quell my anxiety. Waiting for it to pass is what Murray suggests, adding that if sleep paralysis becomes persistent or problematic, you may want to consult a sleep physician. The one major takeaway from experiencing sleep paralysis is that the more you experience it, the more you can practise remaining calm, which makes the episodes a little less intense.
This article was originally published in January 2019.
About a year into my first real job, as a junior editor at Toronto Life, I arrived at my performance review — a breakfast meeting scheduled for 9 a.m. — 25 minutes late. I’d been wild with nerves the night before and couldn’t sleep. At 4 a.m., I made the decision — the kind of decision you make at 4 a.m. — to pop a trusty tranq. I was in my mid-20s and deep into an Imovane phase — my blue period. (For the blissfully uninitiated, the tablets are Smurf blue.) I recall arriving at the restaurant to meet my boss with about as much grace and limb control as Molly Ringwald’s older sister, Ginny, in Sixteen Candles — in that scene when Ginny staggers down the aisle on muscle relaxants.
This was hardly my first nuit blanche. Even when I was a child, the prospect of a sleepover roused in me an unholy dread. I’d lie there fantasizing about things like fainting and the first flush of dawn while my friends fell, with infuriating immediacy, into the deepest slumber. I proceeded to go through much of high school and university popping a great variety of over-the-counter sleep aids like Skittles. Many years have passed since those days, and I (blessedly) struggle less with insomnia than I once did. I have a toddler now, and one of the secret upsides to being a brand-new parent is, as far as I can tell, a kind of advanced level of mind-blunting exhaustion that got rid of my insomnia: In that first postpartum year, I basically went from being an insomniac to a narcoleptic, expertly dropping into short comas more often than most soap opera characters.
Unfortunately, I have not definitively put the problem to bed. Whenever I feel anxious or nervous, I tend to stop sleeping. A few months ago I turned 40, and I was visited by a fresh bout of insomnia. In fact, this official passage into middle age felt something like staying up until 4 a.m. — a realization that I had only so much time left and that the quality time might be behind me. I’d lie awake, stricken by my hyperactive tag team of worries (professional, financial, familial, etc.), while my son, Leo, slept soundly in his crib. Friends of mine asked me, vis-à-vis his REM habits, if I had “sleep trained” him. And I realized that Leo doesn’t need sleep training; I do. So, by the way, does my husband. There are different kinds of insomniacs — including those who have trouble falling asleep (me) and those who wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble falling back to sleep (husband). We are sleep-crossed. It now occurs to me that in our early candlelit dating days, I should have asked him “So, what kind of insomniac are you?”
We are not alone in our respective sleep issues. At least 30 percent of Americans are sleep deprived, and 15 percent are getting less than five hours a night. (Most adults need between seven and eight hours.) In Canada, nearly two-thirds of adults report feeling tired “most of the time.” Arianna Huffington’s book The Sleep Revolution explores (in exhaustive detail) how we, as a culture, are in the throes of a sleep crisis but are too disordered to acknowledge it. Huffington, by the way, was inspired to write the book after collapsing from burnout at her desk and breaking her cheekbone. As a civilization held in thrall to ideals of productivity and stamina, we devalue sleep, deeming rest the indulgent hobby of the weak. But, Huffington argues, if we can rehabilitate our relationship with sleep (as in, get more of it) we can improve our lives, be more successful and discover joy. We can also, evidently, be smarter — or, if not smarter, then less stupid.
If we’re in the midst of an epidemic of exhaustion, we might also be on some kind of zombie walk toward an “age of idiocy.” As published by the American Academy of Neurology, researchers discovered that persistent sleep deprivation is associated with a decline in brain volume. A 2014 study from Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School established that the less we sleep as we grow older, the faster our brains age. A lack of sleep can lead to an irrevocable (irrevocable!) loss of brain cells. So, if I feel stupider now than I did 10 years ago, it’s because I am.
One piece of advice I encounter is to analyze my sleep environment. I take this advice quite literally and retire my springy, overtired mattress in favour of a new one, specifically a Casper. “As humans, we’ve been trained to think about sleep as something we have to do, as opposed to something we want to do,” says Neil Parikh, chief operating officer for Casper. Parikh, whose father was a sleep doctor and who has the clear, bouncy voice of the well rested, continues “When we were kids, what was the punishment our parents gave us? It was often ‘Go to your room! Go to sleep early!’ So, since childhood, it has been rooted in our psyche that sleep is a negative thing.” But we don’t need to follow the rigid latteless, wineless (and generally joyless) prescription of yore to excel at sleep. “When there are too many rules, you say to yourself ‘This is too difficult; I give up!’ he says. “It’s the 80/20 rule. There are high-yield things that would make a huge difference.” And the Casper does make a big difference. It manages “motion transfer,” which means that when my husband gets up in the night, I no longer feel like the boy in Life of Pi, clinging to the edge of a raft.
I also seek the counsel of a sleep doctor and catch a repulsively early flight to New York to speak with Dr. Rebecca Robbins about the need to prioritize sleep. Robbins, of NYU’s School of Medicine and co-author of Sleep for Success: Everything You Wanted to Know About Sleep But Were Too Tired to Ask, tells me that consistency is the cornerstone of good sleep and that I should go to bed and wake up at the same time every day (even on weekends). Imposing this kind of routine can be challenging with a toddler, however, as Leo is my alarm clock. Robbins also orders me to turn off all electronics before bed. (Basking in the blue light of our smartphones suppresses the release of sleep-inducing melatonin, tricking our minds into thinking it’s daytime.) She also extols the soporific, therapeutic delights of engaging in pre-bed rituals, like applying a fragrant sleep mask.
I follow doctor’s orders. I apply Amorepacific’s Time Response Skin Renewal Sleeping Masque, which is scented with a rest-inducing cocktail of neroli, rose, ylang-ylang, sandalwood and bergamot. (If I don’t wake up rested, at least I will look the part.) And while my phone is enjoying a full night’s sleep in the other room (I adopt a no-phone-gazing-after-10-p.m. rule) and my face is lavished in calming botanicals, I cozy up to my Casper to follow Huffington’s advice on sleeping with a snorer. “If trying to get the snorer to stop doesn’t work, you can try changing how you react to snoring,” she says, recommending that one learn to enjoy the sound of it. The attempt to pretend that this nasal soundtrack is as mellifluous as, say, the sound of a Mozart clarinet concerto is exhausting and one I decide to put to bed. But that particular failure aside, a few weeks into my new sleep regimen, I will admit that I am feeling and sleeping better than I have in years. I’d prefer not to consider just how many years (counting years is not like counting sheep) — I can’t afford to lose any more sleep.
The 63rd annual Grammy Awards staged a limited, socially-distant red carpet last night. Thrilled at the prospect of actually having somewhere to go, some of music’s biggest stars pulled out all the stops (with some help from their glam squads) for the fashionable evening with everything from enviable hairstyles to jaw-dropping manis. Here are eight 2021 Grammys beauty moments we can’t stop thinking about.
Nineteen-year-old Billie Eilish‘s gothic floral manicure (courtesy of nail artist Tammy Taylor) matched her Gucci outfit, bucket hat and face mask — but it didn’t stop there. The singer, who won Record of the Year for her her tune “Everything I Wanted” last night, switched up her acrylics a few times, including opting for a more muted look for the pre-show.
Lizzo went full early ’90s with her jumbo glittery pink hair clips, which matched her pearlescent Balmain gown and made for a covetable accent to her cascading waves.
Sister act Chloe x Halle had to join the show virtually, but that didn’t stop them from getting dressed up. Singer-actor Halle Bailey went for a black winged eyeliner, but with a cool graphic twist we’re tempted to try out for our next Zoom happy hour.
The “Say So” singer hit the Grammys red carpet in an on-trend mullet created by Jared Henderson. The look was completed with a set of chic baby bangs that has us pondering (again) if we can pull the look off.
Indie singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers stayed true to her goth side with a deep plum lipstick that was so dark you wouldn’t be faulted for mistaking it for black from afar.
The Haim sisters used their 2021 Grammys beauty moment to pick a side in the great millennial vs. Gen Z/side vs. middle part battle, rocking their signature middle parts with curtain bangs of varying lengths.
History was made when the 2021 Oscar nominations were announced this morning: Nomadland director Chloé Zhao and Promising Young Woman’s Emerald Fennell became the first two women ever to be nominated for Best Director at the same time. Zhao is the first-ever woman of colour to be nominated in the category and the first woman to receive four nods in one year, while the two are only the sixth and seventh women to be recognized in the category in Oscars’ history.
And that’s not the only category in which records were broken — and it’s about time, too. Viola Davis, who was nominated for Best Actress for her turn in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, earned her fourth Oscars nod, making her the most nominated Black actress ever. With his Best Actor nom, Minari’s Steven Yeun also became the first Asian-American actor to be nominated in the category; Sound of Metal star Riz Ahmed became the first-ever Muslim actor to be nominated in the same category. Also worth noting, but certainly way overdue: According to Variety, this year’s slate of acting nominees is the Academy’s most diverse ever, with nine actors of colour receiving nods.
When all the 2021 Oscar nominations were added up, drama Mank leads the pack with a total of 10 nominations, including Best Picture. Seven other films — Nomadland, Minari, Promising Young Woman, Sound of Metal, The Father, Judas and the Black Messiah and The Trial of the Chicago 7 — were recognized in the category.
The good news is that the 93rd Oscars aren’t scheduled to air until April 25, which means there’s still plenty of time to catch up on all the nominated films you may have missed. Here’s what you need to watch, and where you can find them streaming in Canada.
Mank
Number of nominations: 10, including Best Picture, Best Director for David Fincher, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Amanda Seyfried and Best Actor for Gary Oldman
What’s it about: The Golden Age of Hollywood drama follows famed and troubledscreenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he races to complete a draft for Citizen Kane — a.k.a. the Orson Welles film that’s widely regarded as one of the best movies of all time. The black-and-white movie is based on a screenplay by director David Fincher’s late father Jack Fincher and earned the most 2021 Oscar nominations of any film.
Where to watch it: Netflix
Nomadland
Number of nominations: Six, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay for Chloé Zhao and Best Actress for Frances McDormand
What’s it about: Oscar winner Frances McDormand stars in this quiet drama as Fern, a woman who decides to live out of her van and travel while searching for work after losing her job and her husband. The cast also features real-life nomads who play fictionalized versions of themselves.
Where to watch it: Disney+, as of April 9
Minari
Number of nominations: Six, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Lee Isaac Chung, Best Actor for Steven Yeun and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Yuh-Jung Youn
What’s it about: Lee Isaac Chung’s moving semi-autobiographical drama follows a family of Korean-American immigrants who move from California to Arkansas in the hopes of finding success as farmers in the 1980s.
Where to watch it: Available on Premium Video On Demand (PVOD) platforms, like iTunes and the Google Play Store
Promising Young Woman
Number of nominations: Five, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Emerald Fennell and Best Actress for Carey Mulligan
What’s it about: Carey Mulligan gives a can’t-look-away performance as Cassie, a woman seeking revenge on behalf of her best friend who was raped while they were in college in this compelling, difficult-to-watch black comedy/thriller.
Where to watch: Available on PVOD platforms, like iTunes and the Google Play Store
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Number of nominations: Six, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay for Aaron Sorkin and Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Sacha Baron Cohen
What’s it about: Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Succession’s Jeremy Strong, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Watchmen’s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II are just a few members the star-studded ensemble cast of the legal drama, which is based on the real case of the Chicago Seven, a group of anti-Vietnam War protestors charged with inciting riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
Where to watch it: Netflix
Judas and the Black Messiah
Number of nominations: Six, including Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role for both Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield and Best Original Screenplay for Will Berson, Shaka King, Keith Lucas and Kenny Lucas
What’s it about: This biographical drama depicts the events that lead to a young Fred Hampton (Kaluuya), leader of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, being betrayed by FBI informant William O’Neal (Stanfield) in late 1960s Chicago.
Where to watch it: Available on PVOD platforms, like iTunes and the Google Play Store
Sound of Metal
Number of nominations: Six, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Riz Ahmed and Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Paul Raci
What’s it about: Riz Ahmed stars as a heavy-metal drummer whose career is thrown into jeopardy when he begins to lose his hearing.
Where to watch it: Available on PVOD platforms, like iTunes and the Google Play Store
The Father
Number of nominations: Six, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Anthony Hopkins and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Olivia Colman
What’s it about: Keep a box of Kleenex handy for when you watch this emotional drama about an aging man who is struggling with memory loss and the daughter trying to care for him.
Where to watch it: On Video on Demand (VOD) platforms as of March 26
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Number of nominations: Two, including Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Maria Bakalova
What’s it about: Newcomer Maria Bakalova gives a scene-stealing performance in the headline-making satirical mockumentary that finds Sacha Baron Cohen’s beloved Borat character returning to the U.S. with his daughter.
Where to watch it: Amazon Prime Video
One Night in Miami
Number of nominations: Three, including Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Leslie Odom Jr. and Best Adapted Screenplay for Kemp Powers
What’s it about: Regina King’s directorial debut, which was surprisingly left out of the 2021 Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, is adapted from Powers’s own play, telling the story of a fictional meeting between Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke in 1964.
Where to watch it: Amazon Prime Video
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Number of nominations: Five, including Best Actress for Viola Davis and Best Actor for Chadwick Boseman
What’s it about: Adapted from August Wilson’s play of the same name, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom follows trailblazing blues singer Ma Rainey (Davis) as tensions rise during a heated record session in 1920s Chicago.
Where to watch it: Netflix
The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Number of nominations: One, for Best Actress for Andra Day
What’s it about: Fresh off her Golden Globes win, singer-actor Andra Day also scored an Oscars nod for her turn as iconic singer Billie Holiday in the biographical drama, which follows Holiday as she’s being targeted by the Federal Department of Narcotics with undercover sting operation aiming to prevent her from singing her protest song “Strange Fruit.”
Where to watch it: Available on PVOD platforms, like iTunes and the Google Play Store
This article was originally published in March 2019.
It might have been ages since you’ve woken up feeling like you’ve gotten a good night’s sleep, and you’re certainly not alone. As many of our lives get busier with work commitments, social engagements (mostly virtual, of course) and Netflix marathons, it’s little wonder our relationship with shut-eye is on the outs. The consequence of a sleepless night is often an irritable day, as we plot our existence from one coffee jolt to the next. What started as an hour or two of sleep shortage can impact every aspect of our lives, from our mind to our skin and even our heart. Try these five tips to get more ZZZs and behold the bright-eyed results.
Try a supplement
You might have heard of melatonin; however, few people know how it really works. Melatonin is a hormone our bodies naturally secrete to help us sleep. When the sun goes down, our melatonin levels should rise. Because light, or lack thereof, controls our melatonin levels, shift workers and people who travel frequently through time zones can be particularly susceptible to sleep problems. But even for 9-to-5ers and stay-cationers, simple things like light coming through your window or the glare from your phone screen can confuse your body’s processes. “A melatonin supplement can be helpful in improving sleep quality and reducing the time required to fall asleep,” says Sherry Torkos, pharmacist and author of The Canadian Encyclopedia or Natural Medicine. “It helps you stay asleep longer and there are less early-morning awakenings with melatonin.” Keep in mind that it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor before taking any kind of pills.
Get a chic sleep mask
You might think they’re relegated to red-eye flights and swish hotels, but blocking out light via a sleep mask can really help — a luxe one like this can make it all the more enticing. It’s especially good for daytime naps (or uh, for those nights you go to sleep when the sun’s coming up.)
Banish tech from the room — really
We know, the FOMO that comes with not checking Instagram before bed is almost too much to bear, but consider that checking work emails and even texting can keep you from relaxing. “Even reading the news is upsetting,” says Torkos. “I start thinking about everything going on in the world and then I can’t sleep.” And because you rely on your iPhone as your alarm clock, it’s time to go old school and get a real one.
Create a bedtime routine
Sometimes just washing off your makeup can feel like enough of a chore, let alone beginning a whole routine of sleep-inducing activities. But try to wind down at the end of a long day with a series of relaxing activities, says Torkos, who likes to practice yoga before hitting the sack. While we’re conditioned to watch shows that can elicit some extreme, heart-pounding responses, you could use this time to really delve into a pampering routine: Try dry-brushing your skin, stimulating your scalp with a boar-bristle brush and massaging in face oils.
Don’t whine — or wine (too much)
That relaxing feeling you get with a good glass of Bordeaux is temporary. It might help you fall asleep initially and mentally transition from boardroom to bedroom, but that’s kind of where the fun stops, says Torkos. “Alcohol can cause nighttime awakening and it can reduce your overall sleep quality. A glass of wine with dinner is OK, but don’t use alcohol as a way to get to sleep.” Instead, try a cup of herbal tea, like skullcap, which is said to reduce anxiety.
Like other television hosts, Lilly Singh was forced to shift her programming to a format that didn’t include a live studio audience and in-person interviews once COVID-19 restrictions took over. But unlike her peers — the majority of whom are cisgender straight white men in their 40s and 50s — Singh, a bisexual brown woman in her 30s, has taken the opportunity for change and truly made it her own. And the difference is palpable. Whether she’s chatting with actor Rainn Wilson about his pair of pet pigs or jokingly deciphering the differences between herself and teenage inventor and scientist Gitanjali Rao, she is relaxed, confident and decidedly in control.
“When I look at myself in season one, it reminds me of ‘first YouTube video Lilly,’” Singh says over the phone from her production “house” in Los Angeles, recalling her foray into the world of entertainment over 10 years ago. “She was someone who was trying to figure it out and find her voice.”
Photography by AUSTIN HARGRAVE. Dress, $1,775, scarf, $630, and belt, $1,775, Gucci. Earrings, $2,500, and rings, from $3,350, David Yurman. Nose ring (worn throughout), Singh’s own.
When contemplating the debut version of her NBC show, A Little Late With Lilly Singh, which launched in 2019, Singh says she feels it wasn’t truly reflective of her naturally gregarious self. In addition to having to learn the ropes of producing a network TV show and adhere to the medium’s formulaic approach, Singh must have felt the pressure of simply being the first woman of colour to host a post-11 p.m. major-network chat show. Something had to give, and in one case it very literally did.
Singh has now noticeably abandoned the trim tailored suits she wore throughout the first season; that former style decision was a self-imposed misstep, she says. “I wanted to look like a boss,” she laughs, noting that the silhouettes didn’t lend well to her exaggerated personality and penchant for occasionally busting out dance moves. The looks were indeed in contrast to the oversized pieces Singh has always favoured, even in pre-COVID days.
Photography by AUSTIN HARGRAVE. Dress, $6,585, Christian Siriano. Earrings, $36,365, and ring (on
right), $11,720, Kallati. Ring (on left), $2,800, Anabela Chan.
When asked about her preference for wearing sweatsuits, sneakers and outsized suiting — pieces that for decades have been branded as “masculine” — Singh makes an interesting comparison. “I see this idea as being parallel to my experience of coming out and having grown up in Indian culture,” she says, referring to the moment two years ago when she revealed that she is bisexual. “The clothes are very gendered, and there was no such thing as androgynous Indian clothing back then.” Noting that the pieces she was expected to wear as a kid were uncomfortably heavy due to their embellishments and that she was a “tomboy” back in the day, Singh says that her current opinion of style is one in which a sense of ease is the guiding principle. “I believe that what you wear should bring out the best in you,” she explains. Drawn to the statement pieces of designer Kanika Goyal and the brand NorBlack NorWhite, Singh adds that her reluctance to play the Hollywood game and her determination to stay true to her laid-back personal taste have grown even stronger thanks to the uncompromising attitude of a few of her contemporaries.
“I love that Billie Eilish wears oversized clothing because she doesn’t want people commenting on her body,” she says. “It’s something that I really relate to, and I count my blessings twice that she’s made it cool. And Zendaya has inspired me to break the rules. I was beside her at an event one time and she was wearing a blazer with huge shoulder pads that were, like, six times her size, and I remember thinking ‘You’re so friggin’ cool.’ These are people who say ‘I see your norms, I see what other people are doing — and I’m going to do me.’”
It’s this idea of authenticity that has ultimately given Singh a greater sense of satisfaction in her work as well. “I can genuinely say that in season two, I have brought my full self to set every day,” she says. From softening her wardrobe to offering behind-the-scenes glimpses of what it’s like running a show during the pandemic, Singh and her candour have been the key to unlocking A Little Late’s full potential. “I’m way more me,” she notes of the show’s present vibe. “I’m having more fun, and I think you can see that through the screen.”
After all, an air of unselfconscious openness is what endeared Singh to her fans in the first place. Her YouTube segments, built on the exploration of contemporary life and her ancestry and culture, often boast purposely stereotypical characters, like a hapless uncle and a rigidly traditional mother figure. She has also portrayed Vice President Kamala Harris in several newer sketches — most notably in one that parodies the notion of “success” through the lens of a conservative Indian family; her oeuvre is also heavily informed by her childhood spent in the multicultural atmosphere of the Toronto suburb of Scarborough. These jocular interpretations quickly took off, appealing to a community of fans who felt left out of mainstream comedy’s topics of importance — that is, things that cis white people found funny.
Photography by AUSTIN HARGRAVE. Top, price upon request, Abodi. Earrings, $255, Alison Lou.
“One of the reasons I wanted to get into late-night was because I didn’t think there was anyone who had my perspective,” says Singh. “I didn’t grow up watching it because my parents never watched it. They never understood the jokes, and they never related to the point of view.”
For her part, Singh sees her visibility and platform as an opportunity to pursue connectivity, inclusion and personal growth. “As I’ve grown older, I have learned the power of conversation,” she says. “I grew up in a culture where it wasn’t encouraged. I was critiqued as a kid: ‘Don’t be so loud; don’t be so outspoken.’ I wanted to be the centre of attention at parties but was discouraged from doing so. It resulted in me having a lot of inner turmoil and baggage. If I had an issue with something — someone bullying me at school, for example — I never had the tools to deal with it. It wasn’t until I discovered YouTube and the entertainment industry and social media that I found out that having conversations is a really great way to heal and learn about yourself.”
Photography by AUSTIN HARGRAVE. Coat, $3,670, Moschino Couture. Top, $540, Cinq à Sept. Pants, $565, Jonathan Simkhai at Shopbop. Earrings, $2,800, Anabela Chan. Rings, stylist’s own.
Yet Singh has also found the value of introspection and separation from the internet. She made news when she went on a “social media detox” several years ago, and it’s something she continues to do as much as possible to preserve her mental health. While admitting that she has the occasional “rabbit hole” relapse on Twitter — and that the duties of her job involve promoting episodes on social media channels — she says that removing herself from the internet’s toxic pool of discourse is essential for maintaining a sense of clarity. “One of the hardest parts — and I want to preface this by saying that it’s a hella first-world problem — has been the normalization of dehumanizing me,” Singh says of her success and the scrutiny that comes with it. “That has been a very strange thing to experience. As my profile has gotten bigger, it has become apparent to me that it’s normal for people to treat me like I’m someone who doesn’t have feelings or doesn’t deserve privacy. There have been many instances where things have been posted that would impact my safety and my well-being. It’s something I’ve had to come to terms with, but it’s not an easy thing at all.”
Photography by AUSTIN HARGRAVE. Jacket, price upon request, and pants, $800, Emilio Pucci at The Outnet. Top, $200, Cinq à Sept. Boots, $775, By Far. Earrings, $25,220, and necklaces, from $28,245, JustDesi. Rings, stylist’s own.
But there have been moments when Singh felt the need to extend personal information in a public space, such as when she shared that she’s bi. The announcement was heartening to fellow POC members of the queer community and was an opportunity for her to “take back control” in an atmosphere where anyone feels at liberty to insert themselves into another person’s narrative. “I don’t want people who have never met me to tell me who I am,” she says.
And Singh continues to channel this singular spirit in every aspect of her life. “Somewhere in the past six months, I became exhausted about putting on any type of facade,” she says. “That’s not to say that anything I did before was fake, per se — I just always caved to the pressure of doing what I thought people expected of me. I was so focused on making everyone else proud that I ignored what makes me proud and what my expectations are. Now, in everything I do, I want to be proud of myself and have fun; my expectation is to be myself. That’s the Lilly everyone is going to get now.”
Photography by AUSTIN HARGRAVE. Top, earrings and bracelet, prices upon request, Chanel. Nose ring, Singh’s own.
Photography byAUSTIN HARGRAVE.Styling byDESIREE MORALES.Creative direction byGEORGE ANTONOPOULOS.Hair byRENÉ CORTEZ.Makeup byASHLEY JOY BECK FOR MISMACK, SMASHBOX, ALGENIST AND LIP LUFFA.Fashion assistant:ALEJANDRA HARNISH.
