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The Modern Luxury of Skincare: Why the Refresh Mask May Be the Best Facial Mask Ever
In the refined world of contemporary luxury, wellness is not just a trend, it’s a philosophy. And within that philosophy, skincare stands as one of its most intimate expressions. Among the emerging essentials in high-performance skincare, the refresh mask is earning its place. It is, in every sense, a modern classic, perhaps even the best facial mask ever for those seeking immediate restoration, clarity, and calm.
Designed for those who balance global flights, high-stakes meetings, and discerning taste, refresh masks offer a moment of quiet efficacy: a spa-like reset, whether you’re between time zones or winding down after a long day.
What Defines a Refresh Mask?
Unlike heavier overnight treatments or detoxifying clay masks, refresh masks are typically lightweight, gel or cream-based, and formulated to hydrate, awaken, and decongest. They work in synergy with your skin’s natural rhythm, offering visible results in just 10 to 15 minutes.
The experience is discreetly luxurious: no downtime, no mess, just an elegant solution for modern skin fatigue.
The Science of Immediate Renewal
What sets these masks apart is their ability to perform quickly and visibly. Using occlusive technology, they seal in active ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, or botanical antioxidants, allowing the skin to absorb and retain them more effectively.
This scientific approach mirrors the luxury of efficiency, where time is the ultimate commodity and visible results are expected.
For example, Vogue reports that tools and treatments combining instant hydration and improved circulation are among the most recommended by dermatologists for people with demanding lifestyles.
When to Indulge
• Post-flight reset: After the dehydrating effects of cabin air.
• Pre-event prep: For radiant, plumped skin under makeup.
• Screen fatigue relief: After long hours under artificial light.
• Urban detox: To refresh skin exposed to pollution and stress.
The versatility makes it not just skincare, but a ritual of restoration, adaptable to any setting,be it a hotel suite in Paris or your home vanity.
Key Benefits
1. Deep Hydration
With ingredients like aloe vera or marine collagen, refresh masks restore moisture to delicate facial zones almost instantly.
2. De-puffing and Brightening
Cooling agents combined with vitamin C or green tea extract help reduce inflammation, eliminate dullness, and tone the skin for a well-rested look.
3. Fine Line Softening
Peptides and other active ingredients can enhance skin texture, reducing the appearance of expression lines in minutes.
4. Elegant Self-Care
These masks are a symbol of slow beauty in a fast-paced world,both sensory and functional, offering results with refinement.
How to Use
1. Cleanse and tone the skin.
2. Apply a generous layer of the mask evenly across the face.
3. Allow it to sit for 10–15 minutes, ideally while reclining in a robe or during a quiet interlude between tasks.
4. Rinse gently or massage in the excess, depending on the formulation.
Use 2–3 times weekly to maintain hydration and skin balance.
As Women’s Health notes, targeted de-puffing and hydration rituals can significantly improve both the appearance and health of the skin when used consistently.
A Ritual Worth Embracing
True luxury in skincare is not about extravagance; it is about intentionality. A refresh mask embodies this principle, offering an effective yet elegant step toward balance and renewal. It’s not just about looking rested, it’s about feeling aligned.
For those looking to elevate their skincare with precision and poise, discover the ritual here.
For more on the latest in luxury beauty and skincare reads, click here.
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Ferdinand du Puigaudeau: An Exhibition Dedicated to his Luminous and Poetic Work
(Re)discover the fascinating world of Ferdinand du Puigaudeau through an exhibition dedicated to his luminous and poetic work
The city of La Baule-Escoublac invites you to discover the fascinating world of Ferdinand du Puigaudeau through an exhibition dedicated to his luminous and poetic work. A painter of intimacy and mystery, he summagnified twilight atmospheres and landscapes bathed in light in a very personal impressionist style.
This retrospective offers a sensitive journey through his most emblematic paintings, where scenes of life, silent natures and bewitching atmospheres are mixed. Each painting reveals a singular view of the world, oscillating between realism and reverie.
Ferdinand du Puigaudeau (1864-1930) holds a special place among the Post-Impressionist painters. Close to Paul Gauguin from his first stay in Pont-Aven, he was admired by his peers such as Edgar Degas, but struggled to make a living from his art. His science of light, his colourful or twilight atmospheres magnify his landscapes of Brittany, Venice, his scenes of popular festivals…
In 1907, he settled in the countryside of the port of Le Croisic, at the manor of Kervaudu, where, despite precarious means, he gathered his friends the artists Jean Emile Laboureur, Emile Dezaunay, Ernest de Chamaillard, the poet José-Maria de Heredia.
He never stopped painting his garden at the manor of Kervaudu, the Brière, the marshes of the Guérande peninsula. Today, his works are held in the collections of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper in France, among others. He is the father of the ethnologist Odette du Puigaudeau (1894-1991), a specialist in the traditional cultures of the Sahara (Mauritania and Morocco).
The Bernard Boesch Museum came to life thanks to the philanthropic determination of Bernard Boesch, a painter and architect, who died in 2005, bequeathing a spectacular gallery completed by a rich and varied collection. By offering their property to the city of La Baule, the Boesch couple provided a space for past contemporary band artists.
Located in a prestigious setting in the center of La Baule, one of the world’s most beautiful bays, which flows from the Pouliguen towns to Pornichet, the Bernard Boesch Museum’s mission is to promote the work of artists. An independent workshop house is, among other things, open and only for local artists.
The Ferdinand du Puigaudeau exhibition dubbed “Capturing the Light” takes place from Saturday, 5 July to Sunday, 28 September 2025 at the MuséeBernard Boesch, 35, avenue François Bougouin, 44510 Le Pouliguen.
For more information, head to Musée Bernard Boesch’s official website here Musée Bernard Boesch
For the latest in art and culture reads, click here.
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The Oura Ring 4 Has Been a Game Changer for My Sleep, and It’s 15% Off Right Now for Prime Day
The Oura smart ring is a must-have for anybody who wants to get serious about improving sleep, tracking fitness and optimizing their overall well-being. And now that it’s discounted for the first time ever.
$1,000 Baby Bonus: What to Know About ‘Trump Accounts’ for Newborns
On Friday, President Donald Trump signed into law his sweeping tax package, dubbed the “big, beautiful” bill, which includes a new savings account for children that comes with a one-time baby bonus.
The new birth-based custodial accounts, often referred to as “Trump Accounts, are designed as long-term investment accounts for newborns. Initially funded by a $1,000 contribution from the federal government, these accounts are tax-preferred and remain tied up until the account holder turns 18.
The goal, according to proponents, is to give young Americans a financial head start and encourage wealth-building from birth. In a press release, the White House said these accounts “will afford a generation of children the chance to experience the miracle of compounded growth and set them on a course for prosperity from the very beginning.”
Here’s everything you need to know about the new savings accounts, from who’s eligible to how they stack up against more traditional investment vehicles such as 529 plans.
What is a Trump Account?
The Trump Account is a tax-deferred investment account that the Department of the Treasury will automatically open for every eligible child born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Jan. 1, 2029. Each account will receive a one-time $1,000 deposit from the federal government. Friends and family can also contribute up to $5,000 per year to the account.
Parents can also open a “Trump Account” for any child under 18 who was born before 2025— but they won’t receive the $1,000 government contribution.
Funds in the account will grow tax-deferred, meaning gains won’t be taxed annually. However, qualified withdrawals — for expenses such as college, a first home or starting a business — will be taxed at the long-term capital gains rate. Non-qualified withdrawals will be taxed as regular income.
Trump accounts will function less like savings accounts and more like brokerage accounts with funds invested and potentially subject to market fluctuations. With that in mind, it’s similar to a custodial brokerage account, where a parent or guardian manages investments on behalf of a minor.
Who’s eligible for a Trump Account?
Children born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Jan. 1, 2029, will be automatically enrolled in the program by the Department of the Treasury. To qualify, the child must be a U.S. citizen with a Social Security number. (A recent revision to the bill removed the requirement that the child must have at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen).
What can the funds be used for?
Trump Accounts allow tax-preferred withdrawals for qualified expenses, including educational expenses, buying a home and starting a business.
When can the money be accessed?
The funds will be tied up until the account holder turns 18. At that point, the account holder may withdraw up to 50% of the funds for qualified expenses without facing regular income tax.
At age 25, the account holder can withdraw up to 100% of the balance for the same aforementioned qualifications. After age 30, the funds can be withdrawn for any reason.
How long could contributions be made?
Contributions can be made until the account holder turns 18, up to the annual contribution limit of $5,000.
How Trump Accounts stack up
While the so-called Trump Account offers a new way to kickstart savings for the next generation, it’s not without trade-offs.
Many financial planners say families may be better off contributing to a 529 plan — especially when saving for education. “For educational purposes, the 529 is the clear winner,” Dave Fortin, a chartered financial analyst, told Money. “That said, the traditional education path may not be what all families are targeting.”
Unlike 529 plans, which allow tax-free withdrawals for qualified educational expenses, Trump Accounts would still incur taxes on earnings — even for qualified uses that go beyond education, although at the long-term capital gains rate.
Another key difference? Access. Withdrawals from a Trump Account wouldn’t be allowed until the child turns 18 — a potential risk, Fortin said.
Although 529 plans are used primarily to pay for college, what counts as a qualified expense has expanded in recent years. Trump’s tax bill will extend them even further, raising the annual limit for K-12 expenses from $10,000 to $20,000 starting next year. If you’re paying for K-12 tuition, a 529 plan would offer earlier access to funds than a Trump Account, Fortin added.
And while Trump Accounts cap annual contributions at $5,000, the contribution limit for a 529 is much higher. In 2025, you can deposit up to $19,000 per beneficiary (or up to $38,000 for married couples) without triggering the lifetime gift tax exclusion.
The main advantage of the Trump Account? Every baby born between 2025 and 2028 would automatically receive a $1,000 government-funded deposit.
Free money is free money. Still, the $1,000 bonus likely won’t significantly change how most families save for college, says Jordan C. Kaufman, a certified financial planner at Green Ridge Wealth Planning. However, it could prompt parents to start thinking about the cost earlier — and that can be valuable.
Are Trump Accounts available yet?
Not quite, but the groundwork is being laid.
Trump Accounts are officially authorized under the “big, beautiful bill” that Trump signed into law on July 4. While the government now has the authority to create these accounts for eligible newborns through 2028, there’s no indication that the program is operational yet. The government is likely still finalizing key logistics, which means some details could change before the official rollout begins.
More from Money:
Now That Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful’ Bill Is Law, Here Are the Major Tax Changes
Better Than a Piggy Bank: 3 Ways to Invest for Your Kid’s Future
529 Savings Plans Could Get Even More Flexible Under GOP Tax Bill
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Beyond the Yips: How to Reclaim Your Creative Confidence
“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt
There’s a quiet moment before the spotlight hits when everything in your body wants to run.
Your hands tremble. Your voice tightens. Your breath shortens, even though the room is still. You love what you do—you’ve trained, practiced, prepared—but suddenly, it’s like someone else is in your body. Your skills vanish. Your confidence implodes.
That’s the yips.
And if you’re an artist, musician, writer, teacher—anyone whose work lives in public view—you’ve probably met them too.
The First Collapse
For me, the first time the yips showed up, I was about ten years old, standing on a Little League pitcher’s mound. I had a strong arm and a real love for the game, so they made me the pitcher.
It felt like an honor—until it became a nightmare.
I couldn’t throw a strike. Not one. I walked batter after batter. The harder I tried, the worse it got. My coaches shouted. My teammates rolled their eyes. And worst of all, I didn’t know why it was happening. I knew how to pitch. I wanted to pitch. But my body wouldn’t cooperate.
My confidence didn’t just erode—it imploded.
That experience carved something into me, and years later, it returned in a different form—on stage, with a viola in my hands.
The Yips in Music
I had taken up guitar earlier and played in public a few times. A little nerves, sure, but nothing overwhelming. But the viola was different.
The viola wasn’t just an instrument—it was a commitment. I loved the sound, the subtlety, the range. But the moment I sat down to play chamber music or solo pieces—especially in front of discerning classical audiences—I froze.
My bow hand would shake uncontrollably. My tone would collapse. My breath shortened. My fingers, steady in rehearsal, betrayed me under pressure. It wasn’t just a little stage fright. It was full-body paralysis. And I wasn’t just nervous—I was ashamed.
I could feel the others around me adjusting their playing, trying to stay in sync, politely pretending not to notice the scraping sound of my trembling bow. I wasn’t just failing myself—I felt like I was slowly unraveling something beautiful we had built together.
That shame lasted longer than any applause ever could.
Eventually, I stopped performing. It hurt too much.
But Then, a Different Tune
What’s strange is that I can still play old-time fiddle music in public. Ozark waltzes, hoedowns, reels—I can play those in front of a crowd with energy and joy.
Why?
Because people are moving. They’re dancing. They’re smiling. There’s an exchange happening—call and response, energy to energy. No one’s looking to critique every phrase. They just want to feel alive.
That shift—from judgment to participation—made all the difference.
It was my first clue that the problem wasn’t just about nerves. It was about dissonance.
When Belief and Experience Clash
What I didn’t understand as a kid—but see now in myself, my students, and even my own children—is that the yips aren’t just performance anxiety. They’re the outward symptoms of cognitive dissonance: the mental and emotional strain that happens when who we believe we are doesn’t match what we’re experiencing.
This dissonance doesn’t just trip us up. It can make us doubt the very core of our identity. And in creative work, that doubt can be devastating.
Common Creative Cognitive Dissonances
Over the years—as a filmmaker, teacher, and musician—I’ve seen these patterns again and again:
1. “I’m passionate and skilled” vs. “I just froze in front of everyone.”
You know you’re good. But in that crucial moment, something inside shuts down. The disconnect feels like failure, even if it’s just fear.
2. “I believe in creative freedom” vs. “I censor myself when others are watching.”
We crave authenticity. But the moment we feel observed, we retreat into safe ideas and bland choices.
3. “I want to create something meaningful” vs. “No one will care about this.”
You believe in the work, but a voice in your head tells you it’s not important. That voice keeps you from finishing—or from starting at all.
4. “I value growth” vs. “I should already be good at this.”
Even lifelong learners fall into this trap. Especially those of us with experience. We forget how to be beginners again.
5. “I’m a creative person” vs. “I can’t seem to finish anything.”
The inner identity and the outer reality don’t match. That gap becomes shame—and shame leads to silence.
6. “I believe in collaboration” vs. “I don’t trust others with my ideas.”
You want input, but feel threatened by it. This tension keeps you isolated, even as you long for connection.
7. “I practice mindfulness” vs. “I push myself until I crash.”
You teach balance but live exhaustion. (I’ve done this one far too many times.)
How to Work with the Yips, Not Against Them
Here’s what I’ve learned after a lifetime of living with this pattern: You don’t conquer the yips by trying harder. You heal them by listening deeper.
That means meeting the fear—not with force, but with care.
Here’s how I begin again, every time:
1. Lead with compassion.
That part of you that’s scared? It’s also the part that loves what you’re doing. Be gentle. Speak kindly to yourself.
2. Accept the body’s message.
Trembling hands, dry mouth, racing thoughts—these are just signs that you care. Breathe through them. Don’t resist them. Let them pass like weather.
3. Reframe the story.
Not: “I choked.”
But: “I hit a growth edge.” Or: “I’m learning to stay present when it matters.” That shift matters.
4. Find reciprocal environments.
Play for dancers. Share writing with friends. Teach in spaces where people reflect, nod, laugh, respond. It’s hard to heal in front of a wall of silence.
5. Focus on presence, not perfection.
When I play fiddle now, I don’t aim to impress. I aim to connect. That intention rewires everything.
6. Return to joy.
What first drew you to your work? The sound? The rhythm? The curiosity? The spark? Go back there. That’s where your real voice lives.
A Life Beyond the Yips
These days, I still feel the yips. Sometimes when I teach. Sometimes when I perform. Sometimes when I write something that matters to me.
But now, I recognize them for what they are: a signal that I’m doing something vulnerable and real.
If you’re an artist, musician, teacher, maker—and you’ve gotten stuck—you’re not alone. And you’re not broken.
You’re simply standing at the edge of the gap between who you were and who you’re becoming.
The work is to stay in the room. Gently. Bravely. Again and again.
And little by little, you’ll find your way back—not to where you started, but to something deeper.
To a self that trusts its voice again. To a body that remembers how to move. To a joy that doesn’t depend on perfection.
To the quiet truth that you were never really lost at all.
About Tony Collins
Tony Collins, EdD, MFA is a documentary filmmaker, teacher, musician, writer, and consultant with forty years of experience. His work explores creative expression, scholarly rigor, and nonfiction storytelling across the USA, Central America, Asia, and the UAE. In 2025, he is self-publishing Creative Scholarship: Rethinking Evaluation in Film and New Media on Amazon, challenging traditional academic assessment in film and new media. Website: anthonycollinsfilm.com
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