Teenagers and Phones: What the Research Actually Says

by Muddy Stilettos | Nov 6, 2026 | Family

If you parent a teenager, you've probably read at least one headline suggesting their phone is slowly melting their brain. Possibly while standing in the doorway of their room, watching them scroll. Possibly while also holding your own phone. The worry is real,...

Skin After 40: What’s Worth Your Money and What’s Just Marketing

by Muddy Stilettos | Nov 5, 2026 | Style & Self

Walk into any beauty section and you'll be offered a lot of things. Serums. Essences. Ampoules. Boosters. "Skin-tox." Something that glows in a bottle shaped like a gemstone. A cream that promises to "turn back the clock," which, last we...

Why You’re Tired Even When You’re Doing Everything “Right”

by Muddy Stilettos | Nov 4, 2026 | Life & Wellness

You slept. Technically. You exercise. You drink water. You own supplements. Possibly too many supplements. You have, at various points, downloaded meditation apps, reduced sugar, bought magnesium, attempted morning sunlight and promised yourself you were going to stop...

How to Ask for a Raise When You’ve Been “Grateful to Have a Job” for Too Long

by Muddy Stilettos | Nov 2, 2026 | Money & Career

At some point, you made a deal with yourself. Maybe it was during a round of layoffs. Maybe a recession. Maybe you came back from a leave, or switched to a flexible arrangement, or simply joined a place that felt like a relief after the last one. The deal went...

The Carry-On Test: What’s Actually Worth Packing

by Muddy Stilettos | Oct 31, 2026 | Home, Food & Travel

Every overpacked suitcase tells the same story. Three pairs of shoes “for options.” A second jacket in case the first one is wrong. The full-size conditioner, because the hotel one might be terrible. A novel, a backup novel and an e-reader containing...