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Celebrity sisters are the ultimate dynamic duos. Think Venus and Serena Williams, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Beyoncé and Solange Knowles.

And then there’s Amanda and Carissa Stanton! After appearing on The Bachelor, Amanda has created a career as a beauty, fashion and lifestyle creator while raising her three daughters.

And Carissa founded the popular food account Brocc Your Body, inspiring her audience with simple and delicious recipes for a balanced, healthy diet. She’s also the author of the New York Times bestselling cookbook Seriously, So Good (and it’s seriously so good)!

Together, these successful sisters have the best taste — in food, fashion and everything in between. Below are some of the Stanton sisters’ favorite products!

Tower 28 SOS Facial Spray

“We love a facial spray, especially during the warmer months. This is most refreshing face spray that’s anti-inflammatory and helps with breakouts! A lifesaver during travel too.”

Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil in Soft Mauve

“This lip oil is worth all the hype! I love that it’s hydrating and not sticky. This is a really natural color. It’s always in our bags.”

Haus Labs by Lady Gaga Foundation

“We both recently tried this foundation and are obsessed! It feels like silk and makes your skin so flawless that it looks like you’re wearing a…

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Ruby red tomatoes are the perfect complement to any sandwich, pasta or pizza. Although cherry, plum and beefsteak tomatoes are the most common varieties in the supermarket, there are more than 75 kinds of tomatoes out there. Just visit a local farmer’s market in the summer to find a gorgeous heirloom or green tomato. 

Not only do tomatoes add juiciness and acidity to a dish, they are also packed with nutrients, like potassium and Vitamin C. Tomatoes also contain a beneficial compound called lycopene, which has antioxidant properties. Lycopene is more available when exposed to heat, like in cooked tomato products such as tomato sauce. And that’s good news because research states that over 80% of all commercially grown tomatoes are used in tomato products, like soup, juice and sauce. 

Let’s take a look at the health benefits of eating tomatoes, frequently asked questions about tomato products and yummy tomato recipes. 

Tomato nutrition

One cup of tomatoes has:

• 32 calories
• 2 grams protein
• 0 grams fat
• 7 grams carbohydrates
• 2 grams fiber (7% daily value (DV))
• 25 milligrams Vitamin C (28% DV)

What are the health benefits of eating tomatoes?

Tomatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin C, a nutrient that is known for its role in immune health. Vitamin C contributes to many other bodily processes, such as wound healing, collagen synthesis, protein metabolism and iron absorption. This water-soluble vitamin is also an antioxidant that helps rid the body of harmful free radicals — atoms that damage the body’s cells.

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a plant compound that has been studied for cancer prevention and heart protection. A 2022 review found that lycopene plays a role in preventing prostate cancer and breast cancer, two of the most common forms of cancer. Specifically, lycopene is thought to encourage cancer cell death. 

Another

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Reese Witherspoon’s daughter Ava Phillippe has a response for her tattoo critics.

Phillippe, 24, shared a video of herself via TikTok on Friday, May 3, mouthing along to a popular sound on the app, saying, “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks but you.”

In the video, Phillippe wears her blonde tresses down, along with a white skirt paired with a beige tank top showing off the dainty tattoos on her arms. She captioned the video, “When strangers online say they hate my tattoos… #wronggirl #sorrynotsorry.”

Phillippe first showed off her body art in April while posing with Witherspoon at a Tiffany & Co. Celebration in Beverly Hills on April 25.

@avaephillippe

when strangers online say they hate my tattoos… #wronggirl #sorrynotsorry

♬ original sound – Advanced Style

(Witherspoon shares Ava and son Deacon, 20, with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe. She also shares son Tennessee, 11, with ex-husband Jim Toth.)

It appears Ava has four tattoos on her arms, including a black “Admit One” ticket, a flower and another delicate symbol on her wrist. She also has three birds tatted on her left arm, as well as a feather, a shell and a teal drawing.

Last month the mother-daughter duo stunned together at a fashion event. In January, Ava and Witherspoon twinned with their accessories during the Fendi show at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week. The pair also stunned together on the red carpet for the 2024 Critics Choice Awards that same month.

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There’s something so special about a mother passing down a special beauty trick or sharing a tried-and-true makeup product with her daughter. Beauty connects us in so many ways, and, although they may seem small, these moments become indelible memories in a girl’s life!

I love hearing about celebrities who attribute their skincare rituals or hair routines to their moms. For Victoria Justice in particular, she got her mascara from her mama! The actress detailed to The Strategist that her mom put her on to the L’Oreal Paris Telescopic Mascara years ago, and she’s never looked back.

“My mom also introduced me to this mascara years ago when it first came out,” Justice said. “I’ve tried others since, but I haven’t really loved another mascara as much as this one . . . This is really the only mascara I use.” Mama Justice not only made a longterm impact on her daughter’s lashes after showing her Telescopic — she also was helping her finances in the long run, since it’s only $10 a tube!

Get the L’Oreal Paris Telescopic Mascara for $10 on Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, May 3, 2024, but are subject to change.

The affordable formula proved to Justice that she didn’t need to drop a ton of money on expensive mascara. “The formula really lengthens lashes while separating them, and it’s buildable.” she explained. “The wand is superthin, so I…

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Rice is an affordable, convenient and nutritious staple in many family meals. It’s a simple, starchy side that spans many cultural dishes. Plus, rice is an easy ingredient to use in practically any meal, even dessert. 

But sorting through the sheer variety of rice on store shelves can be overwhelming. Although all types of rice are a healthy part of a diet, some varieties have a few standout nutrition stats that make them more desirable. Here is a breakdown of some of the most important nutrition facts about rice, including a dietitian’s top pick for the healthiest rice.

What is the healthiest type of rice?

No matter the type of rice you choose, rest assured that it’s a healthy, whole food that adds nutrition to your plate. All types of rice have carbohydrates, protein, fiber, antioxidants and more than 15 vitamins and minerals. 

Many rice varieties are whole grain, meaning they contain all parts of the grain and the nutrition within them. On the other hand, white rice has only one part of the grain, so it has less protein and fiber than the whole grain varieties. For that reason, my healthiest rice pick is an accessible whole grain that is probably already in your pantry: brown rice.

Brown rice is easy to find, inexpensive and nutritious. One cup cooked of brown rice has: 

• 248 calories
• 5.5 grams protein
• 2 grams fat
• 52 grams carbohydrates
• 3 grams fiber (11% daily value)

Brown rice deserves the top spot because of its fiber and protein content. Fiber plays a role in regulating hunger levels and reducing cholesterol, and protein is crucial for muscle building and controlling appetite. 

Research shows that people who eat brown rice instead of white rice have a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The authors attribute these findings to the pyhtochemicals, vitamins, minerals and fiber within the grain. 

Other healthy…

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If you didn’t know, Mother’s Day is right around the corner (May 12)! It’s so weird how fast the year is flying by. For plus-sized bodies, it’s often tough to find dresses that make you sleek and sophisticated without the garment costing loads of money or being a little ill-fitting. Whether you are looking for a new option to don on the holiday or need colorful, cute options to add to your spring and summer rotation, we have you covered! 

If you’re going to a dinner for Mother’s Day or kicking it with the fam, opting for a flouncy, cute dress can make you feel pretty and prevent you from overheating! Perhaps one of the best aspects of wearing a dress during the holiday is that you can slip on sandals or heels — whichever you prefer — and you’re on your way! Without further ado, we rounded up 15 plus-size Mother’s Day dresses that will make your holiday much more festive and fashionable — read on to see our picks!

1. Dotted Elegance: We love this Swiss dot dress because it’s so flowy and comes in nine neutral colors — just $46!

2. Porcelain Energy: This floral maxi dress comes in a blue and white color scheme that resembles the ancient porcelain designs your grandmother probably had on a tea set. It’s a modern, comfy iteration of the print — just $46!

3. Puffed Up: This summer dress is a simple option that has a touch of dramatics thanks to its…

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It all began with a post on Twitter. It was 2020 during the height of the pandemic and LaDarrion Williams was thinking about the lack of diversity in the fantasy genre. He proposed: “What if Harry Potter went to an HBCU in the South?”

“Growing up, I watched ‘Twilight,’ I watched ‘Hunger Games’ and ‘Divergent’ and ‘Percy Jackson,’ which is one of my favorite books. I didn’t see myself in those stories, and I didn’t feel seen by them,” said Williams. He is a self-taught playwright, filmmaker and screenwriter.

The post went viral and started a dialogue online, leading Williams down a long road to make good on his idea. He’s the first to admit though that the process was not a fairytale.

Williams’ “Blood at the Root,” the first in a three-book deal, arrives in stores Tuesday. Jalyn Hall (“Till”, “All American”) recorded the audio version. The book follows Malik, a 17-year-old with magical powers who gets accepted into Caiman University, an HBCU with a “Blackgical culture” and a magic program.

Williams talked to The Associated Press about how his tweet became a novel and his inspirations for “Blood at the Root.”

Answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.

___

AP: You sent that… and got a big reaction. Then what happened?

WILLIAMS: I wrote it as a TV pilot. I didn’t intend it to be a novel. I was sharing (the process) online and people were sending me money with CashApp and Venmo from the U.S., Canada, even New Zealand. They said, “Go make this a short film.” It was October 2020. Things were shut down. You couldn’t buy hand sanitizer. I asked my friends, and we shot this magical short film around LA. We snuck onto the UCLA campus. Sorry, UCLA, but we wanted to film on an actual college campus. That’s when I realized this story was very special.

I thought I had it all. I thought I had the viral tweet, the short film, I had the script, I had the idea. I thought…

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The fashion industry is full of mercurial, often mysterious figures, but over the past decade, Law Roach has become one of its most fun to watch. After making his name as the stylist of choice for Celine Dion, Ariana Grande, and “fashion soulmate” Zendaya, the self-designated (and trademarked) “image architect” stunned style watchers when, mere months after being honored as the first-ever Stylist of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America in November 2022, Roach announced his retirement in March 2023.

“The politics, the lies, and false narratives finally got me!” he wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post, following a flurry of rumors that had cast him as a diva in an industry notoriously full of them. “You win … I’m out.”

Just over a year later, Roach admits he’s “the most unretired retired person” in a new profile with the New York Times. Since his announcement, he’s continued orchestrating looks for his top clients, including a trendsetting and headline-making array of looks for Zendaya’s successive “Dune” and “Challengers” press tours. Additionally, the Chicago native, who now calls Los Angeles home, has joined the judging panel of E! network’s new upcycled fashion competition, “OMG Fashun,” and will release his first book, “How to Build a Fashion Icon: Notes on Confidence From the World’s Only Image Architect,” in September.

Arguably, if anyone knows how to craft a modern-day icon, it’s Roach, who styled Zendaya’s transition from 13-year-old Disney tween through her current reign as seemingly unstoppable Hollywood A-lister. It’s a fact he says led to his divestment from often petty politics of celebrity styling. 

“I felt like every time I came into a room, I still had to prove myself. I changed the trajectory of people’s careers, changed their visibility, but I still have to argue for what I think is the best look,” he told the Times. “And if the…

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Broccoli is a plant-based staple in the American diet. A recent survey of over 5,000 people listed it as the No. 2 favorite veggie among American adults. It’s versatile, inexpensive and a great addition to soups, stir-fries and pasta. Not only does it add flavor and texture to a dish, but broccoli has also many health benefits.

Broccoli is part of the cruciferous vegetable family, known for its robust antioxidant profile. This green flower — yes, broccoli is the flowering part of the plant — may protect against cancer, safeguard the heart and promote digestive health. And you can do so much more with broccoli than you may think, like grating it into a salad or making a broccoli pesto.

Let’s take a closer look at the nutrition and health benefits of broccoli and other frequently asked questions, like whether it has protein, and what’s the deal with broccoli sprouts.

Broccoli nutrition facts

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one cup of raw broccoli has:

●     30 calories

●     2 grams protein

●     0 grams fat

●     5 grams carbohydrates

●     2 grams fiber

●     70 milligrams vitamin C (78% daily value

●     77 micrograms vitamin K (64% daily value) 

The health benefits of broccoli

Broccoli has many nutritious components, but the research surrounding broccoli focuses on glucosinolates, which are sulfur-containing compounds within the veggie. These chemicals give broccoli a strong smell and sharp flavor.

Reducing cancer risk

According to the National Cancer Institute, during chewing, glucosinolates break down into smaller compounds, which may have anti-cancer effects. Eating foods with glucosinolates may protect cells from DNA damage, inactivate carcinogens, promote cancer cell death and have anti-inflammatory effects in the body. Various studies have shown a link between eating cruciferous vegetables and lower incidences of breast, lung and prostate cancer. 

Protecting against heart disease

According to…

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