• Over the last five years, Netflix has debuted more and more original series.
• Instead of stressing over which ones to take the time to watch, using your zodiac sign can help you filter out the best and the worst ones.
• "The Crown," Netflix's most expensive series, is practically made for Taurus.

"House of Cards," Netflix's first original scripted series, came out in 2013. In the four years that have followed, Netflix has become a powerhouse in developing intelligent, experimental, and above all, quality TV. There are the shows we know we already love, like "Orange is the New Black" and "Stranger Things." Netflix also keeps rolling out astonishingly good content, like last year's "American Vandal," a parody on the true crime genre set in a high school.

If you're an Aries, watch ...

If you're a Taurus, watch ...

"The Crown" (2016-present)

Those born under the sign of Taurus, the most sensual sign in the zodiac, like nothing more than to bask in life's good stuff. They like to eat delicious feasts, sleep in Egyptian cotton, and lather themselves with lavender-scented lotion. That brings us to "The Crown," Netflix’ most expensive series yet. Each scene in "The Crown," a show about Queen Elizabeth’s early days on the throne, is downright sumptuous. The show features ornate sets, lush period piece costumes, and, of course, a compelling story. Watching "The Crown" is pure pleasure — precisely the sort a Taurus craves.

  

If you're a Gemini, watch ...

"Chewing Gum" (2015-2017)

There are two sides to Tracy Gordon (Michaela Cole). When she's home with her extremely religious mother and sister, she mimics their piety, and represses her desires. Her true yearnings are incompatible with their ideals: Above all, Tracy just wants to have sex. In "Chewing Gum," Tracy embarks on a sometimes awkward, always earnest and hilarious journey to kickstart her own awakening. She has help with her best friend from her London affordable housing complex, and her cute neighbor who lives with his nosy mom. "Chewing Gum" is an intimate, first-person story, in the sense that Tracy speaks to the camera and lets us into both of her personalities.

• Rihanna's Fenty Beauty line is poised to outsell other celebrity makeup brands, including Kylie Jenner's and Kim Kardashian West's.
• Many are speculating that it is connected to the company's inclusion of all skin tones, as it has the one of the highest amounts of black and Latinx customers.
• Fenty Beauty's makeup items include wide varieties of foundations, highlighters, eye shadows, and lip products.

Inclusion has always been important for makeup consumers who don't always see themselves represented on the shelves. Since the launch of Fenty Beauty, makeup brands have been falling over themselves to appeal to more customers. But inclusion is more than a marketing trend, and brands are starting to get the message.

According to WWD, the brand will outsell other longer-standing celebrity makeup lines such as Kylie Jenner's Kylie Beauty and Kim Kardashian's KKW in the upcoming months. Online research firm Slice Intelligence found that while Kylie Cosmetics had the highest yearly sales, Fenty Beauty sales in its first month of operation were five times Kylie Cosmetics and 34% higher the following month. Kylie Cosmetics is approaching its two-year anniversary while Fenty Beauty has only launched since September.

Fenty Beauty has also outperformed other successful makeup brands, such as Kat Von D Beauty (both are owned by Kendo and exclusively on sale in Sephora). Of course, many see that the success comes from the way that Fenty Beauty embraces inclusivity within the brand itself and not as simply an afterthought or marketing quirk. On its release, Fenty launched with a wide variety of shades for foundations and highlighters (that Rihanna spent over two years developing to get just right before they hit the market), since expanding to include eyeshadows and lip products. Unsurprisingly, Slice notes that amongst all of the makeup brands examined, Fenty Beauty had the highest amount of black and Latinx customers.

When asked about the inclusivity of the line, Rihanna mentioned that it was important to her that the foundation shades were made with everyone in mind. "I wanted things that I love. Then I also wanted things that girls of all skin tones could fall in love with," she tells Refinery29. "That was really important for me. In every product I was like: ‘There needs to be something for a dark-skinned girl; there needs to be something for a really pale girl; there needs to be something in-between'."

Enthusiasm aside, this new research only gives us more proof that Fenty Beauty is changing the makeup game for the better.

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• A 27-year-old aspiring sugar baby found herself working in a hostess club where she dances for men. 
• Women working at hostess clubs are paid to dance with and entertain men. They are actually prohibited from taking their clothes off or doing anything sexual in the club. 
• This hostess makes around $4,000 per month, but most of her income mostly depends on tips. 

With our sugar baby interviews, we've chatted with women (and men) on the periphery of the sex industry. While these choices can be controversial, they do show how some women make the money to live the lifestyles they want. In today's interview, we interview a 27-year-old aspiring sugar baby who makes her money as a hostess at a dance club.

So, tell me about yourself.

"I didn't go to college, so I don't have a degree, and I've just been trying to make whatever work. I found a good catering job that paid more than minimum wage, which was great, but I didn't want to stay out in the suburbs living with my parents. I grew up outside of Los Angeles, and I've always wanted to live in Los Angeles. It's my favorite city in the world. Then 9 months ago, I lined up a catering job in the city, so I decided to move.
"As soon as I got here, though, everything fell through and I had to really quickly figure it out. The one thing everyone told me about moving to LA is that if bad things start happening and you let it get to you, you’ll just end up back where you started. I’ve had friends who tried to move out, but as soon as they lose their job or apartment, they just end up back home. I didn’t want the city to chew me up and spit me out."

What did you do then?

"I went on Craigslist. I knew that sugar baby gigs existed, but I just didn’t know how to get there. So I figured I’d go on Craigslist, find a job, and get to that later. So I found an ad for dance hostesses, and at first I thought I might actually have to end up stripping. But the ad only said that you hang out and wear your own clothes. It wasn’t very specific. That’s when I found hostess clubs."

What exactly are hostess clubs?

"So there are different kinds of hostess clubs. There are ones where you do karaoke and things like that, but the one I work at is just a regular club with a dance floor and couches everywhere. Our job is to hang out with these guys — we don’t serve them alcohol. We just hang out for however long they want us to hang out, and then they tip us.

"The way it works is, when you first walk in there’s a main room that we’re all waiting in, with a bar on one side and couches where the girls are sitting. The clients will come over to us and ask us to dance, and we’ll go tell our bosses to clock us in. Then we go into a separate room that has a dance floor and other couches to sit down. We’ll slow dance for a bit to get to know each other and break the ice. If they like me and they want to keep hanging out, we’ll go sit down and talk, or we’ll keep dancing for however long they want to dance.

"I’ve danced with some guys for 15 minutes and others for 3 hours. The house rate is $44 an hour to dance with a girl, and the way tips work is that they need to match how much they pay the house for us; most of them match, but oftentimes they’ll pay more. So I make around $4,000 a month, just from hostessing. I work three days a week for six hour shifts, and we’re paid hourly, minimum wage — that’s roughly $100 a week for me. Everything else is tips. I can make anywhere from $900 a week to $2,000, which was the most I’ve made in 7 days."

Who are the types of people who go to these clubs?

"To be honest, most people wouldn’t go to these clubs. The girls, we go there because it’s work. But the guys, I’ve talked to a lot of them, and their ages range from guys my age — I’m 27 — to guys in their 70s. And the guys say that it’s just easier than going out to a bar, because they don’t have to do any work. They can just walk up to us and say, do you want to dance? And we won’t say no."

What do you mean by dancing, specifically?

"Turns out, it’s mostly slow dancing. You know how in middle school you walk into the gym, and it’s all couples and they’re all slow dancing with their arms stretched out in front of them? That’s what it’s like.

"There are some guys who, as soon as they’re dancing with you, they'll have you against the wall and grind into you. Then it’s either, I’m going to deal with this guy, or take him back immediately and hope I can dance with someone else. I’ve had nights where it’s all guys who are like that, and it’s hard to want to go back after that. It’s hard to sit there and be like, they’re not all terrible, they’re not all awful."

"I’ve learned that for a lot of the guys, it’s a game. There are a lot of regulars who have been coming for years and years and years, and since the girls are constantly rotating, they’re always looking to test our boundaries, see what we’re willing to do. Especially with new girls, they think that new girls will put up with anything and not have any boundaries because they don’t know better."

What are your boundaries?

"I mean it depends on the person. If they’re not immediately trying to grind up against me, I’ll see where it goes. If we have a good time and we’re laughing and everything is cool, and then they want to grind, then sure, why not. But I don’t do any kissing at the club. They can touch my butt but that’s it — they can’t go up any higher.

"I learned through a lot of trial and error. There are some guys where even if you tell them no, or take their hand away because they’re being too aggressive, they’ll still keep doing it. So you have to learn to stand up for yourself right away. It’s a lot of dealing with whatever until finally it goes too far. I didn’t even start standing up for myself until a couple months in; they know we need to dance with someone to make money, so they’ll try to get away with anything. And they don’t really want us to be the ones who say no and take them back into the other room; no one really likes rejection, and they’re the ones paying, so in their mind, they get to choose when we go back. But one time, this guy, he was awful. He tried to put his hand completely up my dress when I was sitting with my legs crossed the entire time, my hands over my vagina. I was so uncomfortable. He had his arm around my shoulder but every time his hand would go down there I’d be like, Okay we need to stop now. It was the worst."

"The thing is, this club is actually really great about protecting the hostesses. There’s a security team and they walk around and check the room every 15 minutes and if we look uncomfortable, they’ll be like, Hey you gotta move. They don’t throw anyone out, but they protect us as much as they can, or as much as we need it."

What are the rules of the club?

"We do not take our clothes off, and we’re prohibited from doing anything sexual in the club, anything like that. We aren’t supposed to give them our number, go out with them, or go home with them. That’s prostitution and we could get arrested and fired, but most of us just take the chance anyway."

What do you mean, most of you take the chance? 

"For me, I’ll give them my number, that is not an issue because if they’re going to come and see me and make appointments to see me at the club, it’s better if they have my number, so they know if I'm working or not. But a lot of the guys think they’re just going to take us home. They want to meet a girl and take them out on dates. There are some girls who are okay with immediately going out with them and sleeping with them, but some of us are more reserved.

"As far as going out, I’ve only done that once."

What happened that one time?

"There was one guy in particular, where it got serious and it was a relationship. The first time we met, he came into the club and we danced one time and really hit it off.

"He would come to the club every night to see me when I worked, and then we would see each other outside the club. But I have a rule where the men I see have to be over 45, have at least two kids, and at least one divorce, before I would consider seeing them outside the club. Having met so many men, I found that those guys are the most respectful ones towards women, or at least towards me. They’ve been there, they’ve done it all, they’ve got kids, they’re patient, they’re nicer to be around. This guy, he told me he was 37, no kids, and divorced. I wasn't sure if I want to break my rule for him, but then around Valentine’s Day, he came into the club with a Tiffany’s necklace. It was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for me.

"He came to see me every night the week before Valentine’s Day, and I thought it was strange that he wasn’t asking me out, since everyone else, as soon as you have a connection, they want to take you out on a date. He wasn’t like that at all — he didn’t even have my number when he gave me the necklace. So I was like, well, do you want my phone number? So we made these plans for Valentine’s Day."

What did you guys do?

"We got a hotel room. The anticipation built up and I really liked him and I was really excited to sleep with him and do all of that, and he filled the room with roses and bought me another necklace and all this other stuff. It was like something out of a movie."

What happened after?

"Well, from the beginning he stated very clearly that he was only looking for something casual, not an actual relationship, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew that I liked him, and because he saw me every night at work, and I didn’t ask for money outside of work on the dates we went on. So I was expecting a relationship, boyfriend-type thing. But I don’t know. He wanted to see as many people as he wanted to see, and even though I said it was okay, I wanted something more exclusive. So we broke up, and I took some time off work and cut communication with everyone.

"Now that I’m back, he still does come in and I see him at work, but it’s a little bit difficult. He’s changed how he feels about things. He tells me that he wants to have a relationship, and now I don’t want one. Now I’m like, eh."

How did you feel right after the breakup?

"Kind of sad. I felt very stupid. The girls who have been here five to ten years, they’re like, you don’t catch feelings for anyone. It doesn’t end well for anyone. So I just felt really stupid. Like, Where was it going to go? What, we’re going to move in together and be together and be happily married? Yeah, no."

You mentioned earlier that you wanted to try sugar dating. How did that pan out?

"I got on a sugar baby website and I went on a couple dates, but I didn’t like it. It’s easier for me to meet them at the club rather than sifting through all those profiles, even though some of them aren’t even true sugar daddies. They just want a girlfriend, not a real sugar baby situation, which I think is strange. That’s the wrong website for them to be on.

"At the club it’s way more up front. If we’re going to go out, you have to come in here three times so I know that you’re not a complete psycho. Then you can take me out. But I haven’t been seeing anyone outside the club regularly, and I don’t know if I should now that I’m back. Some regulars I’ll see outside of the club, and they’ll pay me for lunch, dinner, and give me money, like $100 or $300 depending on how much time we spent together. But I’m hesitant to jump right back into that. I’m trying not to catch feelings again."

Would you consider regular dating? Tinder, Bumble, anything like that?

"I don’t know about regular dating. I really don’t want to date anyone my age or younger than 45. I’ve gone out with guys my age and it’s fine; I can get along with guys my age, but they’re still immature. There’s a level of babying that they need, and I’m not here for that. I want to be taken care of. When I started dating these older men, I was like, finally, someone else is going to take care of me."

What's your long-term plan? 

"I'm starting to get stressed out working at the club, so I’ve started to save as much as possible so I don’t have to work there anymore. I’m trying to pay off the little amount of debt I do have with my credit card from when I first moved here and the job fell through. That first month was just terrible. It was just this terrifying feeling of, Oh my god, what am I going to do? But I do have a couple months of an emergency fund saved up now, so if I’m unemployed tomorrow, or if I have to leave this apartment and go somewhere else, I’ll be okay. It’s about $6,000, which isn’t a lot, but it’s a good start.

"I definitely don’t want to be doing this forever, or even longer than the next 2 or 3 years. I just haven’t figured out what it is I want to do yet. It’s a lot harder because I didn’t go to college, and I don’t have any degrees, so I don’t have another career to jump into. I'm just starting from square one and trying to build something."

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• Millions tune in to watch the Kardashian's lives unfold on "Keeping Up With The Kardashians."
• Some fans are taking their love for the Kardashian empire to the next level with tattoos.
• Here are the six craziest tattoos fans have gotten in honor of the Kardashians. 

Kardashian fans are no joke. Millions tune in to watch the family drama unfold every season on "KUWTK," cosmetics bearing Kylie's name sell out in minutes, and many even credit the sisters for the rise in lip procedures. The Kardashian empire isn't going anywhere anytime soon — and neither are those who live and breathe it. In fact, diehard fans are finding ways to show their loyalty in the most permanent way: with tattoos.

Ahead, check out the craziest ink people have gotten to pay tribute to the celebrity fam. Some are big, others are small, and some lucky ones have even inspired a tweet of approval from Kim herself. Us? We'll be sticking to our Kylie Lip Kits — color that only lasts the work day is enough for us.

Tweet Embed:
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/850216786515578880
@KimKardashian do you approve of my new tattoo? pic.twitter.com/fGO94vKcz4

This fan tweeted a photo of his large leg tattoos that celebrate the power couple that is Kim and Kanye and asked: “Kim Kardashian, do you approve of my new tattoo?” Turns out, she did. Kim responded to the leg art with lots of heart-eyed emojis, saying, “Omg, this tattoo is everything!!! I love you!!!” Aww.

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Width: 658px

Johnny Cyrus is a Kylie Jenner superfan, and last year, he got creative with some Kylie Cosmetics-inspired art. On his inner arm, he inked exact color swatches from the celeb's Coachella Lip Kit collection. And you thought you were the most obsessed with makeup...

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More Kylie Cosmetics launches means more tats for Cyrus, who also got the Kyshadow emblem inked on his forearm.

• A school counselor in Chicago breaks down the yearly cost of treating her cystic acne. 
• She spends over $1,000 a year of acne products. 
• She has to follow a strict routine to avoid further breakouts. 

Welcome to Beauty Diaries, where we’re tracking how much money people actually spend on their beauty routines. Whether it’s rooted in self-care or self-expression, they explain, in their own words, why it’s worth every damn penny.

Today: A school counselor in Chicago breaks down the yearly cost of treating her cystic acne.

Age: 27
Occupation: High School Counselor
Location: Chicago, IL
Salary: $140,000. My husband and I have 100% combined finances. We got married just weeks after we completed graduate school, therefore neither of us had any money to our name. In order to survive, we needed to combine forces. We look at money as “ours” versus mine and his. Unfortunately, he sees every beauty-related expense and asks about each one! When it comes to my acne, however, he is pretty understanding about costs since he has seen me go through the trials and tribulations of what works for my skin over the course of our nine-year relationship.
Rent: $3,100/month
Insurance: $480/month

I had acne from the moment I hit puberty at 12 years old. My mom was on Accutane as a teen and has dealt with acne her entire life, so she was especially sympathetic. She took me to a dermatologist right away who gave me topical creams that I started using nightly. At this time, my acne was very surface level — lots of small little pimples, mostly on my forehead. I continued to struggle with acne all through my teens and into my 20s, but it wasn’t always constant or the same type. I found that my acne usually responded to new medication fairly quickly but would always get somewhat “desensitized” to the product and eventually come back, leading me to search for something new. My dermatologist eventually put me on birth control at 14 which seemed to really help for a good 10 years.

Then, on the day I turned 24, cystic acne welcomed itself into my life. Growing up, I had a cystic pimple or two, but this was completely different. Every single pimple I had was on my chin, specifically on the sides directly under the corners of my mouth. There was a time during 2015 and 2016 that I always had an extremely large cystic pimple on my chin, and if one wasn’t visible, it was brewing just beneath the surface. Each pimple would last three to four weeks and as soon as I could tame that beast, another one would pop up in its place. It was a long cycle of embarrassingly large and painful cysts that I believe were completely hormone-related due to their location on my face.

Since I had been going to dermatologists for so long, I assumed that they would always have a quick fix for me. Not quite. I tried three different derms, who all continued to give me the same acne prescriptions that worked in my teens, but had little to no effect on my adult acne. Each time I switched doctors, I told them the medications no longer worked for me, and each time they told me I had to be using them incorrectly and to try one more time. I have come to dislike going to the dermatologist because I feel like I'm never given enough time to fully explain my situation before being hurried out so they can take the next patient.

Ultimately, my gynecologist put me on 50mg of spironolactone. We have a relationship outside of the office, and I was able to call her and vent about my bad luck with other topical medications and treatments. I typically get a 90-day supply with each refill and my insurance fully recovers it. I can say with full confidence that this medication has been a miracle worker for my skin. I was seeing a derm two to four times a year since I was 12, typically having to pay a $50 copay. Since starting spironolactone, I haven’t been back for my acne. $105 for 90 days, covered by insurance. $0

Morning Routine:
I use the Clarisonic Mia 2 Skin Cleansing System ($169) and First Aid Beauty Facial Cleanser ($20) while in the shower to wash my face. Immediately after getting out, I put on First Aid Beauty’s Hydrating Serum ($36) and Coconut Smoothie Priming Moisturizer ($28) because I do my makeup fairly soon after. One of my main problems was always that my skin was very dry, however I couldn’t find a product that wouldn’t worsen my acne. I was lucky enough to get sample sizes of all the First Aid Beauty products for a birthday gift and they immediately worked for me. I get the moisturization I needed without the breakouts.

My one qualm with FAB is that they make their products in such small sizes. I typically go through the face wash, serum, and primer within 90 days. I also bought replacement brushes for the Clarisonic ($44).

Total: $549/year

Makeup:
I feel like I have tried every foundation out there, but I've ultimately settled on Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer ($28) for a couple of reasons: It blends well when I have dry spots from topical treatments, it comes in my shade (I'm very pale), and it doesn't cause breakouts. One bottle usually lasts me about nine months.

I have also mastered the acne-masking technique of color-correcting. A light green spot treatment concealer is one of my saviors for hiding a large, aggressive pimple. The Sephora Collection Bright Future Color Correction in Green is $14 and I haven't had to replace it yet since I use such a small amount.

My favorite standby concealer that I have been using since high school is Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing Industrial Strength Concealer ($20). A pot lasts me about a year.

Total: $90/year

Night Routine:
My night routine is fairly similar to my morning. I use Cetaphil wipes ($12 for two-pack) before my cleanser because I've found they're one of the only wipes that remove both makeup and dirt. I use the First Aid Beauty serum again at night, followed by Cerave moisturizing cream ($10) for heavier hydration. If I have a pimple, I use Mario Badescu Drying Lotion ($17) to spot treat.

One ounce of the Mario Badescu lotion typically lasts me a good year or two (or until I spill it) and the Cerave tub is huge and lasts well over a year. I buy the Cetaphil wipes in a two-pack every month.

Total: $171/year

Special Occasion:
I typically don’t get facials because my skin does not react well to the products used, but I got three chemical acne peels every two weeks leading up to my wedding. Each was $150, but my insurance paid for $80 and I had to pay $70 out of pocket.

I also got one cystic pimple on my chin injected with corticosteroids — it was gone within six hours. $20

Total: $230

Yearly Total: $1,040

My skin is doing great after a full year of consistent use of spironolactone — I cannot emphasize just how much I love this drug. There is one side effect that is fairly annoying, but to me, it's worth it for clear skin: I have to pee all the time. I've talked with friends who are also on this medication and we joke that we have the “Spiro Pees.” When I first started taking it, I had to get up in the night a couple of times to use the bathroom, but it's not as frequent anymore.

However, if I forget to take my spironolactone for one day, a cystic pimple immediately pops up on my chin. I am a slave to the spiro! Still, after finding the right medication and products to use on my skin, I am so relieved to finally be on the right track.

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Aries

Let's be real: Aries are often branded as too confident. The trick for you, dear Ram, is to temper your excitement so that you don't go into every single interaction with your metaphorical guns a-blazing. Find an outlet for all that energy your fire sign is so famous for, whether that's a quick visit to the gym or a stroll around the block. Doing something more physical than mental will help you focus your thoughts later.

Taurus

Taureans are at their best when they're allowed to take their time — and boy, can you Bulls enjoy a leisurely pace when you want to. Ideally, you have room in your schedule to prep and pamper yourself before making any major moves. And, if it's within reason, you should ask for that time. Steady-as-they-go Bulls can tend to get huffy if they're rushed, but they rarely speak up to say that a short timeline doesn't actually work for them. Reclaim your time, dear Bull.

Gemini

This probably won't come as a shock, Gem, but you feel right at home — and, therefore, carefree — when you're leading the conversation, most likely talking right off the cuff. This is not to say you should start an important house meeting with a string of word vomit, but you will be more at ease if you can kick things off and set the tone for the discussion. Knowing you, you'll probably lead with an offbeat joke.

• Drill'd Ice Cream is mixing up some unique flavor, including Flamin' Hot Cheetos.
• Vanilla ice cream is mixed with Hot Cheetos and topped with even more crushed Cheetos. 
• The flavor confused your taste buds in the best way by combining spicy and sweet. 

If you've been scrolling through your Instagram Discover page recently, a never-before-seen ice cream creation may have jumped off your screen. The Hot As Hell from Drill'd Ice Cream Mixmasters, a new shop in Orange County, CA, contains vanilla ice cream mixed with Hot Cheetos and topped with even more crushed Hot Cheetos. Even if you count yourself as a member of the cheesy, spicy snack's cult following, adding Hot Cheetos to ice cream still seems pretty outrageous. So, we talked to one of the Drill'd founders, Steve Kim, to see how he and his business partner, Eugene Inose, came up with this weird, Instagram-worthy treat.

The idea for the Hot Cheetos-infused special, which has been bringing in a lot of attention for the shop, didn't come about until close to Drill'd's official opening, during R&D (research and development). Kim explained that he and Inose were brainstorming ways to differentiate their business, so Inose suggested they try putting the iconic snack food, Flamin' Hot Cheetos, into ice cream. At first, Kim thought the suggestion was too "whacko." True, they had seen Hot Cheetos used as ingredients in trendy savory dishes like macaroni and cheese, but he wasn't sure it would work in a sweet treat. Still, Kim took the idea to his test kitchen and found that it did work, "I tried it for the first time, and my taste buds were just so confused in a very good way," he told Refinery29.

Kim, who is Korean-American, said the spicy-sweet flavor combination is something he's familiar with from Korean food. Because of that, he "took a huge liking to it right away." The Drill'd founder was also sure to note that chasing your spicy foods with dairy is a natural practice, so the cool ice cream really goes hand-in-hand with the Hot Cheetos. "That's the thing that's unique about it. You're already taking in dairy to soothe the heat, but the heat is still poking at you here and there," he said. The secret to making sure the heat still "hits you in the back of the throat," as Kim describes it, is using XXTRA Flamin' Hot Cheetos (the Cheetos with the black label).

Even if you're not totally convinced that Hot Cheetos ice cream is for you, Drill'd has additional draws, particularly for Instagram-happy customers. The concept behind how the ice cream is made is the basis for the business. To make their ice cream creations, the duo brought in auger machines (or "mix masters") to their retail space. The augers act as giant drills that crush mix-ins like Oreos, Froot Loops, and of course, Hot Cheetos and infuse them directly into the ice cream base. The drilling is done in a clear plastic cone-shaped vessel so customers can watch their personalized ice cream flavor being mixed — and maybe snap a Boomerang from the other side of a counter.

The Hot As Hell is joined by other auger-mixed treats that are sure to pop off on social media as well. Kim recommended the B. Splitz, a take on the classic banana split, made with Cocoa Puffs and crushed pineapple. Or, if you've ever dipped your fries in vanilla soft serve, he says the Lay'Over, made with Lays potato chips, is also worth a try. Kim and Inose also plan to switch up the menu every so often with new mix-ins that will keep customers coming back. What can we expect next? Another ingredient with a cult-following: avocado.

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NOW WATCH: North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un is 34 — here's how he became one of the world's scariest dictators

• K-Beauty products are becoming increasingly popular but now, there may be some serious competition.
• Hada Labo Goku-jyun, a popular Japanese drugstore, offers moisturizers that are steadily becoming cult favorites on the internet.
• The skincare product can only be purchased on Amazon through third-party sellers or on Japanese healthcare company Mentholatum's stateside warehouse.

While it's undeniable that South Korea has spent the past few years perfectly positioned at the forefront of all things cutting-edge yet affordable in beauty, let us not forget that before we had snail mucus and ostrich-egg yolk, we had Shiseido, SK-II, and Koh Gen Do. Japan's sizable contributions to beauty, particularly skincare, are not to be underestimated — and without the country's influence on Western culture overall, we wouldn't have ramen or sushi, either ... and then what would New Yorkers eat? (Spicy tuna rolls, it's worth noting, are an American invention — if the heavy-handed use of mayo wasn't enough of a dead giveaway.)

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NOW WATCH: 5 common 'facts' about Earth that everyone gets wrong

• Glow Recipe has made a name for itself in the world of K-beauty with its watermelon sleeping mask and moisturizer. 
• Because its so popular, the Watermelon Glow moisturizer has now sold out twice.
• Here's 5 alternatives to the coveted moisturizer — including ones by Drunk Elephant and Herbivore.

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You always want what you can’t have — especially when it comes to beauty products. That’s why we’re getting the inside scoop from your favorite retailers on what’s selling out right now, how to sign up for waitlists, and where to go to find the next best thing. Because if everyone’s buying it, you know it has to be good.

So if you miss your chance to buy (or want to try something new), check out a few of our favorite similar hydrators ahead.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Pink Juice Moisturizer ($39)

This pink moisturizer is 90% watermelon extract, which hydrates while reducing inflammation. The high amount of fruit extract is also why the bouncy gel appears pink in the ice cube-inspired bottle. What's in the other 10%? A mixture of hydrating and brightening ingredients like hyaluronic acid, licorice root, and cabbage extract.

The cooling gel sinks into the skin in a matter of seconds and leaves no greasy residue behind, making it a great moisturizer for oily skin and for makeup prep. Drier skin types may find this best used as a serum under heavier moisturizers or oils.

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel ($52)

Watermelon rind is one of the main ingredients in this moisturizing gel (along with pineapple ceramides and vitamin B5). The lightweight gel absorbs quickly and layers well under makeup without pilling. We've even been known to mix a pump into foundations and oils for an extra hit of hydration, too.

Pai Chamomile & Rosehip Calming Day Cream ($60)

This cream may not contain watermelon, but the soothing formula is still a winner for sensitive skin types thanks to a formula rich in chamomile and rosehip extract (and free of irritants like alcohol).

Herbivore Botanicals Pink Cloud Rosewater Moisture Crème ($48)

This cream won't just sit pretty on a vanity, it's effective, too. Despite its feather-light texture, the formula is loaded with hydrating ingredients like rosewater, aloe vera, sodium hyaluronate, white tea, and rice extracts.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel ($16.17)

Thanks to this moisturizer's hero ingredient, hyaluronic acid, it manages to effectively hydrate while feeling weightless on the skin. Plus, because of the gel's smoothing texture, it creates a great canvas for makeup.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask ($45)

Glow Recipe's Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask can't be used during to day due to its acid-rich formula, but it's a great night treatment for anyone looking to wake up with brighter, softer, plumper skin.

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• Trader Joe's is now selling a one-pound cookie for less than $4.
• The chocolate chip cookie is a pre-baked, frozen, skillet treat that can be reheated in a microwave or an oven.
• The fact that the dessert can be easily reheated was a plus, but a cookie that is meant to be shared should be a lot bigger. 

If you, like us, shared more than a few anti-January sentiments, then you're probably also pretty thrilled that the month filled with dark days (74, to be exact) and bomb cyclones (we still can't feel our toes) came to a close. Seemingly to celebrate January's demise alongside us, Trader Joe's launched a new product that immediately lifted the internet's spirits: a deep dish chocolate chip cookie. Based on an Instagram posted by the grocery chain, the product appeared to be a frozen, pre-baked, restaurant-style skillet cookie — intended to be reheated within minutes for a fast fresh-baked feel. (No oven necessary.) The most enticing part of all? The new dessert is meant to serve not one, but 10 people. And all for $3.99.

When the news broke, we were elated to say the least. The whimsy alone was enough to warm up our cold souls; it was like a beloved deep dish pizza in sweet, chocolatey form. And with TJ's description of the product as a "dessert revelation" and a pledge for it to be "exactly as delicious as you hope and pray it will," we were sold before even setting foot in a store and tasting it ourselves. But taste it we did — and our dessert dreams were shattered faster than a scoop of ice cream melts on a hot skillet cookie.

At first look

First, let's define deep dish — because after pulling the cookie out of the suspiciously small packaging, its container definitely looked on the shallower side. We were anticipating a large pie-sized box, and instead were met with what looked like an oversized chocolate chip cookie on a plastic plate with slightly raised edges. Nevertheless, we pushed on to microwaving it with hopes that one warm bite would clear up any confusion.

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NOW WATCH: 5 common 'facts' about Earth that everyone gets wrong

• A freelance copywriter and part-time sales associate lives in New York City with her husband. 
• She only makes $15,000, but her husband's salary is $150,000.
• The two spend $3,095 a month on rent to live in the city, and most of their money goes towards food and drinks. 

Welcome to Money 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.

SEE ALSO: I live in New York City on a $1.5 million salary — here's what I spend in a week

Day One

Day Two

Day Three

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In fact, Markle's relaxed vibe isn't a facade at all, says her former hairstylist and makeup artist, Lydia F. Sellers, who worked with the star for two years before she moved overseas. "She's done such a good job of maintaining her sense of self amongst the spotlight," she tells Refinery29. "Even now, her look has stayed the same. She'll throw her hair back in a low bun and it actually looks like she's done it herself, and it's beautiful and chic because she's so confident. That's the great thing about Meghan — she's so confident with herself and her look, and she sticks with that."

While the two haven't worked together since Markle landed herself an engagement ring from Princess Diana's personal jewelry collection, there's still a lot to be said about the soon-to-be-royal's routine, especially if so little has changed. Below, Sellers walks us through the star's go-to beauty moves — because she very well may be slathering on her favorite $15 Nivea body lotion before bumping elbows with Queen Elizabeth.

The One Beauty Request She Always Made

In a word, Markle is a natural — both in her aesthetic and her choice of beauty products. According to Sellers, she always sang the praises of eco brands RMS and Tatcha, and kept on top of all the cool new items hitting the market. "Meghan is very in-the-know — she had her blog for a while, so she just gets beauty," she says. "But her approach is very effortless. She just wants to look like a better version of herself. That's something she believes firmly in."

This is no surprise: Markle once told Allure that her biggest pet peeve is when magazines Photoshop her skin tone — and it's a sentiment she also extended to her glam squad. "Every time I'd do her makeup, she'd say, 'Can we just make sure my freckles are peeking through? I don't want a ton of foundation,'" Sellers says. "It was more about the amount of product that went on her skin and keeping it really fresh and dewy, rather than caking it on. So I'd use the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation with a Beautyblender because it's really easy to sheer out."

Why Her Hair Looks So Perfect

As it turns out, the same minimalistic approach Markle takes with makeup applies to her hair, too. "We've stuck to the same sleek look since I've known her," Sellers admits. "She'll say, 'Just give me a slight bend or a slight wave. Nothing too crazy.'" Given how the actress has rarely been spotted in public over the past few years without a shiny, straight-from-the-salon blowout, this makes sense. (And it's probably why fans were thrilled when throwback photos of her naturally curly texture surfaced months ago.)

Markle told Beautybanter that she uses the Kerastasé Oleo Relax line religiously, and Sellers says that's the secret sauce — plus a few other key products — behind the star's signature blowout. "I start with Oribe's volumizing spray to prep her hair, just to give it that boost," she says. "The Kerestasé relax treatment helps keep everything smooth, but Kevin Murphy also has a great smoothing cream I'll use... She always came [to the appointment] with dry hair, so we would just mist it with water and restyle it." It was as close to effortless as a blowout can be — just like everything else with Markle.

On Her Wedding Hairstyle

Though no one can predict exactly the gown, hairstyle, or flower arrangement you'll be seeing at the next big royal wedding, don't be surprised if Markle, well, surprises you. "We styled her hair down a lot — that's the look she gravitates toward. It could be straight or wavy or anything else, but she likes it down. So if it wasn't a royal wedding, I think that's what she would do." Since it is a royal event — with thousands of people there and millions more watching on TV — Sellers has another prediction: a sleek, elegant chignon. "You never know, but that would be my guess."

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NOW WATCH: Why most scientists don't care about these incredible UFO videos

Day One

Day Two

Day Three

6:45 a.m. — I’m awake bright and early as it’s a work day! I start my day with a big cup of coffee, and a round of morning exercise. Stretching, Pilates, and strength-building exercises to keep my body in tip-top shape. Breakfast is my workday usual: egg whites, chicken breasts, and a protein shake, which I pack and take with me to work.

10:17 a.m. — The bell rings. Company! We all run out of our rooms and down the hallways to the front parlor, where we stand in a line and introduce ourselves to the gentleman that has just walked in. This is called a lineup. The gentleman walks up to the lady of his choice, takes her by the hand, and they then "go on tour." Since I am the one chosen, I take him around the back of the property and show off some of our bungalows and suites. The ranch is much larger than it looks from the front, so people are often surprised by the size of the facility! We wrap up the tour and head back to my suite to negotiate.

• After Madonna coyly alluded to using masks on her behind, brands started rolling out products formulated specifically for your derrière at an alarming rate.
• While the results were not immediate, the testers felt immediately more confident and it left their skin soft, supple, and smooth.
• The MDNA Chrome Clay Mask is Madonna's choice and ours as well. 

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Historically speaking, there is only one way in which to properly use a face mask. Step one: Choose one of more than 4,000 options, including sheet, rubber, clay, bubble, magnetic, peel-off, shrinking, gel, or glitter. Step two: Slather said mask on your face. Step three: Rinse, wipe, or peel it off. Done.

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• Becoming a Disney princess is surprisingly difficult — only 30 out of 600 women are chosen. 
• Princesses don't have any say in the characters they are given. 
• Hair must appear natural and you must always have your nails clipped.

• Disney Princesses are taught how to do their own makeup to fit their character. 

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Becca* works part-time as a Disney princess at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. The following interview was told to Alix Tunell and edited for length and clarity.

I've been working at Disney for several years. A year before I got the job, I vacationed with my family at Disneyland and my little sister was so excited to meet Tiana. I remember thinking then how cool would it be to have that job, so when I got home, I googled what it takes to be a Disney princess. I read all about the hiring process and found the site where they post the character auditions. I knew that the next fall I'd be moving to Orange County for school, and it just so happened there was an audition my first weekend there.

At the audition, they had everyone line up in rows and introduce themselves, so the casting directors could see — and, apparently, judge — us. I made it past that round to the next, where they took my measurements and sent me to a waiting room with a number. There was a lot of waiting around that day. Next, they took pictures of my face (if you had tattoos and piercings, they took photos of those, too) and had me fill out a generic resume. For the final round, I was given a character name and some scripted lines to read in front of the directors. At the end of it, about 30 people out of 600 made it and were asked to come to Disney the next day and do the same line readings before finding out we got the role.

We didn't have a say in the characters we were given. Ariel was my favorite and I thought they would ask us, but nope. I was handed an Elsa monologue at the audition and that’s how I found out that's who they were considering me for. Once you’re officially hired, they say you’re always in consideration for other roles, though. I work part-time and typically average 20 hours a week; a normal weekly paycheck for me is between $250 and $350.

Every day starts the same. We come to work in our own clothes, because our costumes stay on the property at all times. We clock in, collect all the costume pieces we’ll need for the day, do our stretch and flex workout that trainers have us follow to warm up our bodies, and then it’s time to get ready. We’re given an hour and a half before our first meet-and-greet to get into our wig, costume, and makeup.

Disney has a ‘Disney Look’ that they want cast members to follow. Hair is supposed to appear natural, which means no crazy colors or ombré, but since my hair isn’t being seen by guests, I feel like I can push the limits on how long I can go between salon appointments. Nails have to be natural-looking, too, which means short length and a nude-ish, pink-ish color or French tips. Most of the time, I just keep my nails polish-free, but some girls religiously get their nails done, even if it’s acrylic. Managers can come in at any time and tell us we aren’t up to 'Disney Look,' which means they can even potentially take us out of shifts until we fix the problem. In other words, we need to really be on top of keeping our maintenance in check. You can’t help but be judgmental about your looks when it comes to this job — honestly, it's pretty sad. We all constantly compare ourselves and try to copy each other. I have a gym membership because I feel like I'm supposed to maintain the look I was hired in with.

We have cosmetologists in the break room that mostly tend to the wigs, since we’re taught how to do the makeup for the character during our training. They also provide us with blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner, lipstick, glitter, and powder, all by Ben Nye, because the pigmentation stands out better and they want us to look consistent. I use my own Smashbox foundation and concealer, Ciaté bronzer, and Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara. I try to use my best products so I feel as though my face is as flawless as can be, since every day is pretty much a photoshoot.

Once you're ready, you have a set location where guests can come meet you. We get people who have obsessions with our character, people who don’t know who we are but just want a picture, overbearing parents who won’t stop talking over their little tots, international travelers who are a little more challenging to make conversation with when English isn’t their primary language, people who go all out with a Disney outfit... any type of person you can think of, we've met. I think every one of us would say that talking with the little ones makes our day. There are also guests that share stories about why they’ve come to see you and they break down in front of you. That really just makes me feel like what I'm doing is truly something special and keeps me going.

*Names have been changed.

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• Meghan Markle is reportedly turning to Victoria Beckham for advice on how to adjust her fashion sense to better suit her position in British society. 
• Victoria Beckham is no stranger to changing her style, moving towards high fashion after her days with the Spice Girls came to an end. 
• Fashion watchers can expect to see Meghan Markle rocking some Victoria Beckham looks soon. 

Long before she got engaged to a prince, Meghan Markle was a fashion inspiration who ran her own lifestyle blog, The Tig. But now that she's about to be a royal, she's reportedly getting a bit of advice on how to alter her personal style to, ahem, suit her position in British society. According to Vanity Fair, the Brit counseling Markle on this transition is none other than Victoria Beckham.

"They get along well and have been in touch recently," a friend of the designer reportedly told VF. "Meghan really likes Victoria’s style and was keen to pick her brains about pulling together a working wardrobe. She loves Victoria’s elegant but smart dresses, so expect her to wear one very soon."

We have no official proof of this new very stylish friendship, but there are two small pieces of evidence that could back it up. First, Markle reportedly visited facialist Sarah Chapman on Beckham's recommendation. With Beckham's help, she was even able to get around the six-week waiting list in time for her engagement announcement. Though it's hard to imagine anyone not scrambling to accommodate a future duchess.

Then Markle wore a Victoria Beckham white cashmere sweater in some of her engagement photos with Prince Harry in December. After wearing the sweater it sold out almost immediately, which is a fact that might give a cynic pause about the motivation behind this new friendship. Not to mention, this "friend" of Beckham's decision to leak it to Vanity Fair. Is this just about giving Beckham's business a boost?

If you're more inclined to think the best of both of these ladies (we are), it makes a lot of sense for Markle to turn to Posh Spice for advice. After all, Beckham made a leap from her Spice Girls LBDs to the ultimate in high fashion.

Markle's casual chic isn't exactly as far from royal as Beckham's style once seemed — not that you could tell that to the messy bun critics out there — but she couldn't be blamed for wanting to make some tweaks here and there, just as anyone does when they're reaching a new stage in their life.

If Beckham is responsible for helping Markle choose this Alexander McQueen tuxedo look, then we wholeheartedly endorse this partnership.

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Day One

Day Two

7 a.m. — I get out of bed and get my son dressed to watch the Houston Marathon. The route goes right through our neighborhood and we are at a mile marker, which means top-40 music and an announcer have been blaring for the last 30 minutes. I make coffee and grab a cereal bar for my son and we head over to the course to cheer on three friends who are running. It's freezing but my kid loves it. We high five the runners and try to yell inspiring words. There is music, police cars flashing sirens to encourage the runners, friendly dogs, and neighbors. Forty-five minutes later, my fingers are numb. My son doesn't want to leave so I bribe him with the promise of hot chocolate and cartoons.

Day Three

6 a.m. — Wake up. This is early for me, but I have to be at work no later than 7:45 and my commute is 45 minutes long. I shower, throw my hair in a bun, slap on some makeup, and get dressed. I make coffee at home and hit the road, listening to "Pod Save America" on my commute. The hosts are hilarious and listening preserves my sanity.

• A 40-something woman working in a legal profession has decided that she prefers sugar dating over more traditional relationships.
• She currently has four sugar babies that she considers regulars, ranging in age from 26 to 36 years old. 
• She spends as much as $7,000 a month on each of her sugar babies and is considering giving them a $10,000 "gift fund" so that they can buy her nice things. 

Refinery29 has interviewed plenty of sugar babies before — both male and female — but what is it like on the other financial end of this transaction? Here, we interview one 40-something sugar mama who uses Arrangement.com to find her sugar babies — all four of them — and is thinking of giving them a $10,000 "gift fund."

Tell me about why you decided to try sugar dating?

"Honestly, a friend had recommended that I try something like this. I work in the legal profession and I've just been really busy pursuing my career, so it was hard to find time to date in the traditional ways. And, I was getting a little too old to be going on all these one-on-one dates all the time where it wasn't going anywhere. I did want to find that intimacy physically but I didn't want to be just trying in bars. I felt like I was closing the chapter on that part of my life. So I decided that it would be good to have these arrangements where I could have companionship and regular company. It was just an easier way to meet my lifestyle and what I needed right now."

Can you tell me a little bit about your dating history?

"My dating life in my 20s was really boring. I had a long-term boyfriend for about 3 years and it was fun, but then I went to law school kind of late, and once I went into law school, I decided I wanted to pursue that. So I just started getting really busy, and that relationship fell apart. Our careers were just going in different directions.

"Since then, it’s just been hard to find someone consistent. I'd meet someone, and we’d start and stop for two months at a time, and it was just exhausting. You know, we would get into that honeymoon period, and then it would be like, Oh, I want to see you several nights a week. I just had other priorities, and it’s hard to foster real intimacy if you’re not putting the other person first, and to be honest I was putting my work first. I think once you get into your early 30s, a lot of men, whether or not they want to admit it, want to settle down and I just wasn’t fitting in the mold of what a typical 31 or 32-year-old woman wanted. So it just kept happening over and over again and I realized that it just wasn’t giving me what I needed and I wasn't being fair to them."

So now that you've moved up the corporate ladder, how much money are you making?

"Before bonuses, $300k to $350k, and with bonuses, that varies year to year but that could go up to $500,000."

Did you find that your salary was becoming an issue when you were going through the traditional dating routes?

"I do think so. I don’t announce how much I make on dates, but it does come up in the clothes I wear and the accessories I own at a certain point. But men in my income bracket or above were looking for women with more traditional values who wanted to settle down so the guys who were available for me, sometimes they just weren’t mature enough to handle someone who was making as much money as me, or someone who was dominating her career. There were a lot of egos being wounded with the men who were left."

Can you tell me about a specific example?

"I always try to pay for my own dinner on dates even before I got into sugar dating. It was just something I had grown up with paying for my own meals and drinks. I can’t think of any particular horror stories, but I remember evenings of me pulling out my black Amex and getting a reaction. Which is silly because you shouldn’t feel shy for having high limits on your credit card."

So you started sugar dating because you were working 24/7, and didn't really have time to be vetting people through traditional dating routes?

"I mean I didn’t really want it to be 24/7, but unfortunately that’s just the reality of the industry I’m in. And I signed up for it, so it’s ok. I also wasn't interested in pursuing something more serious at 32 or 33."

Then why even bother dating?

"I mean, I guess woman to woman, I have needs. [laughs]

"If I’m being truly honest, and maybe this is something my therapist would agree with, but I guess I wanted to have my cake and eat it too. I wanted to have someone who would be more than just a sexual partner, someone who would give me that companionship and conversation and be my date to events. The people I was meeting who were okay with it being really casual, it was too casual for what I wanted from a man. I want someone who when I'm free, we can hang out, we can be intimate, but we can also enjoy dinner together and have that relationship build in a way that’s more than friendly, but I don’t have to give you more of myself. I’m very career-oriented and ambitious, so I wanted someone who understood that there would always be that reservation on my side, but would also be more than someone who I met up with at 3 a.m. in the morning to have sex."

The key phrase there being 'When I'm free?'

"Exactly. It’s on my time, and that’s a little selfish, but I just want to be upfront about that. I’m in a selfish frame of mind right now."

Tell me about your arrangements. What was the first date you went on?

"Okay so I heard about it at the end of last year, about a couple different sites, and someone was like, you just set the expectations up front. There's no weird negotiating awkwardness. I was like, Oh I'll do this as a joke, but it’s been almost 10 months now.

I have about four sugar babies that are regular. I don't think any of them are making more than $60,000. The oldest one is 36 but apart from him, everyone is under 31. 26, 27, and 31. We’re all free to date other people, and I'm very upfront about what our relationship is, but right now I feel like we’re all on a similar page that I expect to have all four of them around for the holidays."

Were you dating younger men before you started sugar dating?

"I’ve definitely dated younger men in the past because of where they are in life. They’re not looking to settle down, either. I was meeting people through traditional apps and through friends — like oh my friend has a young roommate you should meet, or hey we’re going to a concert tonight maybe you’ll meet someone at the bar, kind of those ways. But I think trying to do sugar dating on your own without a formal setup is awkward. You don’t want to offend anyone by proposing something, so I just wanted to avoid that mess. So Arrangement.com was my first time doing it officially."

What was your first experience like?

"Honestly, it was a little alarming. Just how honest the platform wants you to be and how honest the people you meet on there are. But once you get over that culture shock, it’s really refreshing to cut through the bullshit. This is what I want, this is what I can give, and either you agree to these terms or you don’t. I think just laying it on the table like a contract is helpful. Especially if you’re dealing with something that’s not traditional. It avoids hurt feelings; it avoids misunderstandings.

My first arrangement date, I was looking for a date to my friend’s engagement party. It would've been fine for me to go on my own, but I just wanted to bring someone. So I met a guy on the site, he was like 29 or 28? He was a musician. He went with me to the event and afterward we went out to a rooftop bar and went back to my place from there. It didn't end up being an arrangement — I got a bit of cold feet, so it ended up being a one-night stand sort of situation."

Can you tell whether or not someone will work for you based on the profile?

"Sometimes I can just eyeball a profile and go, well, he’s going to be needy. They get a little too romantic, or say things like, I love cougars, and sometimes it’s clear that it’s either a fetish or some sort of romantic vision they’re hoping to gain that I'm personally not prepared to give. So I usually screen out anyone who looks like they’re talking too much about candlelight and rose petals. I just don’t have time for that.

"Or, I can tell if he’s going to hit me up for money, without really trying to form a relationship or friendship in there. That’s sometimes harder to gauge, but it's the profiles where they have a la carte menus. For x gift, for x amount of money, I will be willing to participate in certain activities. That sort of thing."

Have you ever had an experience where you felt like someone was just using you for money?

"I’ve only ever had that happen once, where after a few encounters the guy started making specific requests for things. I’m pretty generous on my own, but he was making requests and it stopped feeling like we were building a friendship. I felt more like an ATM machine."

Tell me about your primary sugar baby.

"He's 27-years-old, and he was the first one that I was very frank about. I didn’t bring him to any events with my friends, which is I think what made my first sugar dating experience a little too close to home. We just went to dinner and met up and had a conversation. He’s fun, a little immature. I don’t think outside of our arrangement he would be like my husband or anything. We had a good time, though, and we kept hanging out and there are parts of my personality that come alive with him."

What do you mean?

"I think my work is very serious and I'm so busy all the time that it’s refreshing to be with someone who is young and lively. I think that spontaneity and the life without a plan is so different than the life I'm living, that sometimes it helps me loosen up a little bit. So that’s fun. I don’t think this is a forever thing, but the times that we're together I enjoy, and I know he gets things out of it, too, the same way I do."

So what are the terms of the arrangement?

"The terms of this arrangement are very loose. It’s like hey, I'm going to be free on Thursday around 10 or 11. Do you want to do something? I do pay for everything when we go on vacations, and his apartment lease ended at the end of June, so when he re-signed his lease I offered to take over paying the rent, but that was after a couple of months. The rent is $1800 a month."

Tell me about the other three.

"The 26-year-old is also in grad school. He is young, he’s fun. The one who is 31, he works in medicine. I think he’s a resident or something so his hours are also really crazy, so I don’t see him as much. And then the 36-year-old works in business. I don’t know if maybe I’m not using the platform correctly, but I don’t have any strict terms. Everyone lives in New York, so it’s just if you text and I’m not available, I’m not available. And if I text and you’re not available, that’s how it is. I’m sure other people have more strict every Tuesdays, or once a month dates, but mine are pretty casual. It’s just easier for me to keep a group of a couple of people because my schedule can be so unpredictable.

"So the one whose rent I pay, I see him probably once a week. And the other ones, I'd say probably maybe once a month? If six weeks pass and I don't see one of them, I might give them a ring. Also sometimes I just want time for myself. Sometimes I don’t want to call one of the four guys I can call. I just want to stay home and do what I need to do. But I am pretty busy so they all know I can be challenging to get a hold of."

How much would you say you're spending on dating a month? 

"For the 27-year-old, the one I’ve known the longest, for him I probably spend, maybe $6,000, or $7,000. We’ll go to events or nice dinners and I'll shell out for us to do grand things. Listen, I’m a foodie. I love to travel, so if there’s something happening, I want to do a cool VIP experience or something, he’s probably the first one I'll call because he’s fun and he’s a little more available. The other ones, it's more like a couple thousand a month."

So you're primarily spending on the experiences? Do you give them any allowances or money for other things?

"One of my girlfriends was saying I should give him a gift allowance. So he can buy me things, but I haven’t initiated that yet. That’s an idea I'm toying with."

How much would that gift allowance be?

"If I were to give them a gift fund, I’d maybe start at $10,000 to $15,000. And then we can go bigger from there, but I think that's a nice start."

What's the most extravagant gift you've given a sugar baby?

Me and one of my sugar babies went to Switzerland last year. We flew first class, and while we were there, we took a helicopter up to see the town. We just shelled out. But I think now that I’m getting a little bit more comfortable with it, I want to start doing bigger things."

What are you thinking?

"I like international trips, so I was thinking maybe Dubai. I’ve only been for work; I’d love to do that as a tourist. Someone was mentioning the Maldives so maybe in February. Bigger trips, bigger excursions, start checking things off my bucket list that I guess I was hanging onto and now that I have arrangements, I have people who can go to them with me."

Are there any stereotypes about the sugar dating world you want to disprove?

"I think as a female sugar mama, and I hate that word, but I hate this idea that as an older woman who is accomplished and wants to pay for her arrangements, that that’s somehow deviant or abnormal. I think every relationship has a power dynamic, and my relationships are no different. We just spell it out on paper."

Would you consider this sex work?

"I certainly don’t consider it sex work. Maybe my arrangements are unusual, but they all include some sort of conversation and other date-like aspects to it. It’s never, Just take $10,000 and let’s spend the weekend together with no talking, although that can be fun of course. But I don’t think it’s sex work. I think it’s just being upfront. I mean would you call a date with someone who buys you dinner, and then you go home with him, is that you being a sex worker? I don't think so. We’re just more upfront about it. I actually think my relationships are more honest than a lot of the marriages and partnerships I see around me."

What do you mean by that? That your relationships might be more honest?

"I just know some of my girlfriends, they’ll tell me things like, Oh my husband spent so much money on this thing and he didn’t consult me. I had to buy these things and had to get his approval first, or I went behind his back, I hope he doesn't see the credit card bill. Just weird things about money that create these unnecessary secrets. But I’ve had a sugar baby say, Hey, I heard this cool thing is happening. Here are the tickets, we can take a helicopter, it's going to cost a couple thousand dollars, and here's where we can eat and here's where we can stay, and we can just be upfront about it. Is that something you want to buy? There’s no hiding or manipulating or trying to convince someone. I just think with my girlfriends there’s this fear to talk about money, especially if they’re not the primary breadwinner in the relationship."

Are you finding that your sugar babies will do more of the work of planning a date?

"I think so! I think maybe because I’ve always been upfront about the fact that my time is limited, so if I'm going to dedicate my time with you, you have to make it worthwhile. Also with the dynamic of me paying for it, for them planning is a way for them to contribute to the event."

Do you think you might want something more serious in the long run?

"I wouldn’t say right now I want something more serious. Do I see myself having arrangements like these when I’m 60? Probably not. But for right now, it’s a lot of fun. But who knows? If all the people I’m with right now fall into more traditional relationships and our arrangements end, maybe I’ll be more inclined to do more traditional dating myself. I have nothing against traditional dating. I have had regular boyfriends in the past, but for now, it’s just a good time."

Would you have ever considered doing the reverse? Being a sugar baby?

"I don’t think so. I have nothing against women who want to play that role, I just know myself. I’m so career driven and independent, I don’t think my pride would allow me to do it. I don’t know if I would allow myself to be on the other end of the arrangement. I respect women who do, I just don’t think it would work for me. Also, I think as a woman, especially in the time that we're living in where women's rights and feminism is so dominating the public conversation, for me it would be taking a personal step back. I would rather have a more traditional relationship if I were on the other end of the income spectrum."

So now that you're doing most of the paying, do you think there's a stigma to a woman paying on dates?

"For me there's no stigma. I feel a sense of pride of being a woman who can afford her own life. I own the condo I'm living in. I can afford to do the things that I want, so for me it’s a sense of empowerment that I can not only pay for myself — but help someone else who is not doing so well and could really just use a leg up. I actually get turned on from it, that I’m so in control.

When I was younger in my late teens and early 20s before I started really working, if someone said they were going to buy food then I would be like, okay well maybe I shouldn’t get a cocktail; if they’re going to pay for it, I can’t get something too expensive. So it’s nice now: I can get whatever I want, and I can tell other people, Hey get whatever you want. Get two drinks. Let’s get the whole bottle."

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