The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Millennials can't afford homes because they eat too much avocado toast. They're killing casual dining chains like Applebee's and Buffalo Wild Wings. And, did you hear that they're the reason for the downfall of American cheese?

For all of the bad press, there is one thing that everyone agrees Millennials are doing right: online shopping.

Not only are they ruling the direct-to-consumer market, Millennials are now far more conscious as consumers than their predecessors. These discerning shoppers look for more than just quality when making their purchases — they want to know that the brands they're shopping from not only make a good product, but also make a positive impact. A 2015 Nielsen Report found that 66% of consumers were willing to pay extra for products from sustainable brands, while an even higher 73% of Millennials said the same thing. 

For Millenials, buying is more than just a transaction, it's a chance to make an impact. That desire to do good translates to shopping from brands whose missions offer transparent, ethical business practices, use sustainable materials, and are cognizant of their social impact. Millenials want to buy from brands whose values they can get behind — and they're willing to pay a little extra for it, too.

Keep reading for 12 of our favorite brands that have great products and values to match:

Reformation

Shop Reformation

If you're looking for trendy, but effortlessly cool womenswear, you'll want to join the ranks of celebrities, influencers, and trendsetters that call themselves fans of the Reformation. 

You'll feel good shopping here because Reformation is making sustainability cool again. Its pseudo-motto, “Being naked is the number one most sustainable option. We’re number two,” alludes to their environmentally-conscious ethos. The brand recognizes the environmental impact of the fashion industry and, in turn, aims to be more thoughtful about how it makes its pieces. It frequently release new, sustainable lines, like its conscious cashmere— pieces made with 70% recycled fabrics. Each quarter, the company releases a sustainability report outlining their current and future efforts in sourcing sustainable materials, ethical factories, and reducing its carbon footprint. Its commitment to social and environmental responsibility is anything but a phase. 

Shop trendy womenswear at Reformation

Everlane

Shop Everlane

If you're looking for modern but timeless wardrobe essentials minus the traditional industry markups, you'll want to try Everlane. 

You'll feel good about shopping here because of Everlane's commitment to transparency. It's committed to sourcing high-quality materials and finding ethical factories. In the name of transparency, Everlane shares all of this information with its customers. Everlane makes clear the costs of raw materials, labor, transportation, and every other step along the way, so shoppers know exactly what the profit margins look like. Recently, it launched an outerwear collection made with recycled plastic bottles, taking a big step towards making sustainability and reducing waste another important part of its mission. 

Shop great basics at Everlane

Boll & Branch

Shop Boll & Branch

If you're looking for luxuriously soft bedding, pajamas, and towels made from Fair Trade organic cotton, Boll & Branch should be your go-to. 

You'll feel good about shopping here because the materials used in the products are better for you and the ethical supply chain is better for everyone. Everything from Boll & Branch is made with organic long-staple cotton (no harmful pesticides) and is GOTS certified, which means its whole production process is considered organic, too. It also boasts a Fair Trade certification, indicating that it supports ethical wages and working conditions. Its traceable supply chain, all the way back to the origin of its cotton, gives you the peace of mind that its products are safe and have been made responsibly. 

Shop bedding, bath, and more at Boll & Branch

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• Your Valentine deserves a gift that's as special and unique as they are.
• You might not think Amazon is the right shopping destination for a gift of that sort, but you'd be surprised to know that Amazon actually houses a boutique of handmade products.
• We checked out Amazon handmade and found 25 items that make great gifts for Valentine's Day.

From laptops to groceries, socks, and even cars— it seems like you can buy pretty much anything on Amazon. While the variety and sheer breadth of products on the site is very convenient, it can make finding great gifts hard — there's just so much to scroll through.

If any holiday warrants special and unique gifts, it's Valentine's Day. That doesn't mean you should rule out Amazon for your Valentine's Day shopping though. Amazon actually has an entire section dedicated to handmade products, aptly called Amazon handmade. The section is full of artisan products from small businesses around the world. Amazon even curates gift lists of handmade products for different holidays and special occasions. 

If you want to give a unique gift to your Valentine, we scoured Amazon's handmade offerings to find some one-of-a-kind gifts.

Keep reading for 25 handmade gifts you can find on Amazon:

SEE ALSO: 30 affordable and meaningful Valentine’s Day gifts that won't cost you more than $50

A set of personalized beer glasses you can both enjoy

Knot in Your House Set of Personalized Beer Glasses, from $30.98

Whether they keep these reserved for special occasions or their everyday after-work brews, these personalized glasses are a unique way to enjoy their favorite beers.

A pretty map of a place they love

Define Design 11 Boston Map Art Print, from $18

Whether they're near home or far away, bring them back with a beautiful color map that they can hang up on their wall. They'll thank you for brightening up their space and giving them a little piece of home, too. 

A pair of boxers with your face on them, so they’re never without you

Petals Boutique Your Face on Boxers, $37.99

You know what they say about good friends — you don't have to see them to know they're there. That's why these boxers printed with your face all over them make a great (and hilarious) gift — just because they may be hidden, they'll always know you're there.  

• The first polar vortex since 2014 is sweeping parts of the continental US.
• This week, the Midwest will see temperatures far below average, sometimes as cold as minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit with wind chill.
• Officials have canceled school, grounded flights, and suspended mail service in some especially cold areas, urging people to minimize travel and stay inside.
• Meteorologist Brian Hurley told the Associated Press that at these temperatures, frostbite and hypothermia can hit "in a matter of minutes, maybe seconds."
• Here's what to know about the risks of frostbite.

Millions of Americans are contending with an extreme cold snap caused by the polar vortex this week.

Record-breaking temperatures in parts of Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Dakotas are up to 50 degrees below the average for this time of year.

National Weather Service officials are issuing warnings about hypothermia and frostbite, urging people to take wind chill into account when deciding whether to go outdoors. "Feels like" forecasts give a more accurate sense of risk, since they're based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin.

This chart from the National Weather Service shows how long a person can be exposed to certain temperatures before frostbite is likely to set in.

With a low of minus 55 degrees Fahrenheit with windchill, the weather in Minneapolis this week is life-threatening. Frostbite is likely within five minutes.

Frostbite occurs when skin and the underlying tissues below freeze, or, in extreme cases, die. Fingers, toes, ear lobes, cheeks, and the tip of the nose are the most susceptible, because the body prioritizes keeping your core and head warm at the cost of everything else. That means blood flow to extremities tends to be redirected when the body is exposed to extreme cold. Less blood flow means the skin freezes faster.

Usually, when body parts get too cold, they turn red and start to hurt. Symptoms of frostbite, however, can also include numbness, loss of feeling, and lack of skin color.

According to the Mayo Clinic, even though exposed skin is most vulnerable, frostbite still occurs on skin covered by gloves or other clothing.

Pay attention to signs of hypothermia

Extreme temperatures also bring higher risk of hypothermia — when your body loses heat faster than you can produce it.

When your body temperature drops below the typical 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, your heart and other organs can't work properly. If untreated, hypothermia can lead to heart failure, and eventually death.

Warning signs that your body temperature is dropping too far below normal include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and exhaustion, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Factors like body fat, age, alcohol consumption, and wetness can affect how long hypothermia takes to strike. Older people above age 65 are particularly susceptible, since the body's response to cold can be diminished by medical conditions like diabetes, some medicines, and aging itself. As a result, hypothermia can develop in older adults after just a brief exposure to cold weather.

Falling into freezing water puts you in even more danger, since the body loses heat 25 to 30 times faster in cold water than in cold air.

For example, in water 32.5 degrees Fahrenheit or colder, you might not survive more than 15 to 45 minutes. You'll undergo shock within the first two minutes, and experience some functional disability before 30 minutes, according to the US Coast Guard.

What to know about pets and frostbite

Dogs and other domestic animals can get frostbite and hypothermia, too.

When the temperature drops, areas farthest from a dog's heart — like the tail, ears, nose, and paws — experience a drop in blood flow, similar to what happens in humans. This causes tissue damage.  

The American Kennel Club notes that breed plays a factor in a dog's susceptibility to frostbite. Siberian huskies and Alaska malamutes tend to be less prone to it, unsurprisingly, than short-haired breeds like pugs and French bulldogs. But experts caution against leaving any dog unattended outside for any period of time during extreme weather events like a polar vortex.

If dogs spend too much time exposed to extreme cold, their overall body temperatures can drop, which can be fatal. Hypothermic dogs can seem lethargic and stiff, and other signs of hypothermia include shivering, lack of coordination, and low heart rate.

So as the polar vortex persists, it's imperative that anyone affected minimize the time both you and your pet spend in the cold in order to decrease the chances of frostbite or hypothermia.

SEE ALSO: A polar vortex is engulfing the US. Here's what that really means, and why these events might be getting more common.

NOW WATCH: How long you can stay in extremely cold temperatures before getting frostbite

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How long you can stay in extremely cold temperatures before getting frostbite

• I have donated my hair to charity four times.
• The first two times I chose Locks of Love, the third time I chose Pantene Beautiful Lengths, and the fourth time I chose Children with Hair Loss.
• Here's what you need to know about donating your hair, including how long it has to be and whether it can be colored.

The scissors snip together slowly making that unmistakable crunching sound, and 10 inches of hair that I spent two years growing are now gone.

But the strands didn't just fall to the ground to get swept up and thrown away.

Instead, my hair is now on its way to Children with Hair Loss, a nonprofit based out of Michigan that gives wigs to children and young adults in the US who have medical hair loss.

I have donated my hair to charity four times now.

In my experience, donating your hair is a much more personal gift than sending a check. You're sending a piece of yourself to a kid or adult who has a disease that's caused them to lose their hair.

The last time around, I still had some major questions about the process.

Where does my hair go once it's cut off my head? Who gets the wigs? Who makes the wigs? Where do they make them? How many people can it help? Which organization is best?

Before I made that final cut, I found the answers. Here's what I learned.

Which organization should I choose?

The first two times I donated my hair, I sent it to Locks of Love. But hearing they sell wigs to make a profit gave me pause.

Locks of Love doesn't charge kids for the wigs — but they do sometimes sell the hair if it's too short or grey. Once I dug into why, though, it made sense.

"Shorter hair will be separated from the ponytails and sold to offset the manufacturing costs. Although the shorter hair cannot be used in the hairpieces, it greatly helps to reduce costs," the organization says on its website.

Another FAQ answer reads: "We can accept donations of gray hair. Because we only provide hairpieces to children, we cannot use this hair in a hairpiece but will sell it to offset our manufacturing costs."

The third time I donated my hair, I chose Pantene Beautiful Lengths, an organization that partnered with the American Cancer Society to distribute free wigs to cancer patients.

But P&G spokeswoman Bilal Lakhani told me the program was shutting down at the end of 2018, after giving tens of thousands of wigs to patients over its 12-year existence.

"Over the last several years, synthetic hair technology has vastly improved, giving synthetic hair wigs more of a 'real-hair feel', making them lighter, cooler to wear, and easier to style," she said in a statement.

She continued: "Due to these advancements, patients have told the ACS that synthetic wigs are now their preferred wig choice. This change in patient needs has resulted in decreased demand for real-hair, and the time has come for us to wind down the Beautiful Lengths program."

So this time around, I asked the ACS to recommend other organizations to donate to. Here's a breakdown of five hair donation nonprofits they suggested:

Deciding which organization to donate your hair to is a personal choice. I went with Children with Hair Loss this time because I had 10 inches of hair, I wanted to help kids nationally, and I liked that they don't charge anyone for wigs.

Read more: I saw brain cancer erase someone I love — and it shows why healthcare coverage is so crucial

Where does the hair go?

Once you send your hair in, generally speaking, the organizations process it and send it to a wig manufacturer.

A Pantene spokesperson told Business Insider in 2016 that once Beautiful Lengths had enough hair donations at its collection location, they would send a shipment to Hair U Wear, one of the largest wig manufacturers in the world.

Hair U Wear made the wigs at its factory in Indonesia and then shipped them back to Pantene, which gave the well-traveled hair to the American Cancer Society to distribute at its wig banks across the US.

You can see which groups each organizations provides wigs to in the table above.

Hair We Share has a ponytail tracking program where you can donate $125 to find out where your hair ends up. If the recipient is willing, you could even get a photo of them wearing the wig made from your hair.

Who gets the wigs?

In 2016, Jessica Melore, 34, described losing her hair as "an outward manifestation of being sick." It was a constant reminder that her body was fighting cancer — in the drain when she took a shower, on her pillow when she woke up.

After finishing chemotherapy for her third bout with cancer, she said getting a wig was an important boost for her wellbeing, making her feel like herself again.

"It's a little bit of sadness like, 'Oh there it goes, I'm on my way to being bald,'" Melore told Business Insider in 2016. "But you have that reassurance that the wig is there and you feel good about it."

Before she lost her hair, Melore donated it and got a wig from the American Cancer Society all in the same day. She broadcast the experience on Facebook Live:

Melore said her insurance company didn't cover the cost of the wig the second time she wore one after chemo treatment, which shocked her. That's why Melore was so grateful for the ACS's support.

"This is not simply a vanity thing," she said. "It's the result of a medical circumstance."

Patti Allen, the senior director of mission delivery for the ACS of New York and New Jersey, told Business Insider in 2016 that while they have styles for both sexes, mostly women come in for wigs.

Each ACS wig bank across the country has a salon where cancer patients can come pick out a wig and have it individually tailored by a professional stylist just like Melore did.

"It's not one size fits all. My hair is not like somebody else's hair. We really try to make the patient feel as comfortable as possible," Allen said. "It's hard enough that they're going through treatment that has altered their lifestyle. The wig is the least thing that we can do to try to make them feel a little bit better about what they're going through."

When Business Insider caught up with Melore in January 2019, she said she has been in remission for two years, and even stopped wearing her wig this summer. Her hair has grown back, and is now shoulder-length.

How can I donate?

Each organization has slightly different donation requirements, which you can find on their websites, or in the table above.

Hair We Share and Children with Hair Loss both accept colored or grey but not highlighted hair over 8 inches.

Locks of Love and Pink Heart Funds both take hair colored or grey but not over-processed or bleached hair over 10 inches.

Wigs for Kids will take grey, but not dyed, hair that is at least 12 inches long.

You can stretch curly hair out to reach the minimum length, but the shortest layers have to meet that number or they probably won't be used.

Make sure you put the hair in multiple ponytails or rubber bands before you cut it so it stays together when you send it in. It actually takes about 10 to 12 ponytails to make one wig.

If you watch the first Facebook Live video embedded in this story, you can see how my stylist segmented the hair before he cut it.

The hair has to be completely dry before you send it, too, so it doesn't get moldy. They have to throw hair away if it is.

Ask your hair salon if they will give you a discount or even cut your hair for free if you're donating it. Wigs for Kids has a search function on their website to find a salon that works with them.

How can I get a wig?

While many of the 650,000 cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy every year in the US are able to grow their hair back after they complete treatment, alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that can cause permanent hair loss.

Over 6.8 million Americans have alopecia or will get it at some point in their lives, according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, and it often begins in childhood.

If you have cancer, alopecia, or another medical affliction that has caused you to lose your hair, reach out to the organizations to see if you can get a wig. Only some of them offer wigs for adults, so keep that in mind if you need one and are over 18 or 21.

And if you're donating, no matter which organization you choose, your hair can help someone who no longer has theirs.

"I had been familiar with the American Cancer Society through their fundraising activities and the research that they do," Melore said. "But [it was comforting] to know that there was this whole other side that is dedicated to supporting you and making you feel like yourself, which is I think part of the whole experience, too, because it ties in with your whole sense of wellbeing. This is such a wonderful service."

This story was originally published in January 2016, when the author donated her hair for the third time. It has been updated with new information.

SEE ALSO: From Time's Up to the Tree of Life Synagogue victims, these are the 10 GoFundMe campaigns that raised the most money in 2018

DON'T MISS: Here's what you can do to help the homeless

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We tried Dyson's $400 supersonic hair dryer — here's the verdict

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• The way you celebrate Valentine's Day changes once your lives are dominated by young kids; so too, then, should the gifts partners give each other evolve.
• While romantic nights out, flowers, and wine might be lovely in theory, practical gifts that make day-to-day living more enjoyable are the best gifts for parents.
• Here are 10 Valentine's Day gift ideas that might not have come to mind at first but that will be appreciated long after those roses have wilted.

When we were dating, engaged, and married, my wife and I went out all the time. We saw movies, we went to restaurants and bars, we went to museums and the theater, we hiked, we saw friends, and so many other things. Now, with two young kids, we still go to museums, but they tend to be geared toward people 12 and under, and we still hike now and then, albeit now with a baby on my back and our range limited by the stamina of a preschooler.

As for dining out? That's usually more stress than it's worth. Bars and movies? Forget about it. So these days our date nights are mostly spent at home, playing a game or watching a movie. And I'm totally cool with it — it's exactly as I expected life to be, really. But being generally limited to nights in, it has proven a bit harder to find a decent Valentine's Day gift. Taking my wife to a nice dinner means securing child care, timing things around breastfeeding, and waiting for that call that it's time to rush home because of [insert one of many issues here]. Not... very... romantic.

While I could bedeck the home with roses and candles and open a 2016 bottle of Légende Bordeaux Rougeto create a romantic evening, there's already enough stuff around what with the toys, the baby gear, the art projects, and everything else that comes with this stage of life. Also that stuff takes time. The decorating, I mean, not the Bordeaux.

How then to get a thoughtful Valentine's Day gift during the busy days of parenting? Think outside the box.

SEE ALSO: 22 unique Valentine's Day gifts from Amazon's Etsy-like marketplace

Give the gift of great coffee.

Though many do, parents have no right to claim sole ownership of exhaustion. That said, man, parenting is exhausting. Everything you already needed to take care of in life is still right there, now with other lives fully depending on you and taking most of your time. Coffee transcends pleasure and becomes necessity. So why not make sure your partner can enjoy a great cup at home any time?

It's hard to beat the quality of a cup of pour-over coffee. This brewing process allows for the fullest extraction of the flavors and potency of the grounds and, with practice, allows you to control the strength of your brew. If your partner loves great coffee but isn't looking for extra work to make it, then the Brim 8-Cup Pour Over Coffee Makeris a must-have. The showerhead design of this coffeemaker ensures steady, even distribution of perfectly heated water, creating a hand-poured effect that's completely controlled by the device.

Buy the Brim 8-Cup Pour Over Coffee Maker, $199.95, from Williams Sonoma

On the other hand, if you're shopping for a DIY barista, get a kettle that ensures perfect water temps and let her do the pouring over herself. Try the Brim Temperature Control Electric Gooseneck Kettle.

Buy the Brim Temperature Control Electric Gooseneck Kettle, $99.99, from Amazon

Forget the lingerie; go with yoga pants.

Sexy lingerie is great and all, but not when you think a kid might walk in at any moment. Also, when your free time is limited to the hour and a half after the last kid is asleep and the moment you and your partner submit to exhaustion, you really don't need to add any steps to the process, if you take my meaning.

But a good, comfortable pair of yoga pants? Those can be used any time, from walks to workouts to the grocery store to dropping the kids at school. While lingerie might be the standard bearer for Valentine's Day apparel, comfortable, logical clothes make the better gift.

For use primarily indoors or during the summer, the ONGASOFT Yoga Pantsare a great option thanks to their mesh venting.

Buy the ONGASOFT Yoga Pants, $29.99, from Amazon

For use in the cold, the Everyday Yoga High Waisted Go-To Pocket Leggingsare thicker and warm. They're durable and perfect for yoga and beyond, with a high waistband for support and coverage and handy side pockets perfect for stowing a smartphone or small items.

Buy the Everyday Yoga High Waisted Go-To Pocket Leggings, $32.98, from Yoga Outlet

And if you want to give her a super comfortable top to go with it, this company makes just about the most comfy stuff I've yet come across yet.

Buy a Tani USA SilkCut Camisole, $65, from Amazon

Chocolate is always a good gift.

Some things don't change when you have kids, one of them being the love of chocolate. If your partner loves chocolate as much as my wife does, then allow me to share with you her current favorite: Hu Kitchen. These guys make some of the finest chocolate bars she has ever tried, and that's saying something. It also helps explain why they cost rather a lot. But this is a gift, so go ahead and spend a bit.

Hu Cashew Butter and Vanilla Bean Dark Chocolate Bar 4-Pack, $25, on Amazon

Hu Almond Butter and Puffed Quinoa Dark Chocolate Bar 4-Pack, $25, on Amazon

Hu Crunchy Mint Dark Chocolate Bar 4-Pack, $25, on Amazon

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• There's nothing better than a good, long run, but running in the dark, on roads, or alone isn't the safest activity. 
• We've rounded up the best running safety gear you can buy, including lights and vests for visibility, open headphones for safety, pepper spray for self-defense, and a medical ID bracelet for emergencies.

Your running sneakers are calling to you, and you need to get your miles in for the day. But maybe it's already getting dark out, your running buddy cancelled, or you know your route will take you along a busy road. Running is great for you in terms of keeping you healthy and fit, but it doesn't come without its risks.

These five products can help to keep runners safer. We've chosen some top-performing gear that increases visibility, allows you to listen to music while still being able to hear the noises around you, provides valuable medical information in case of an emergency, and more.

Put all of the items on this list together, and you'll have a comprehensive set of safety equipment that should be in any runner's gear bag.

But don't worry, this gear won't weigh you down or affect the quality of your run. It isn't bulky or heavy, and we've chosen items that are weather- and sweat-resistant. This gear offers excellent value and durability, and it's ready to accompany you on sprints, quick training sessions, and those epic long runs.

Whether you're a professional runner training for your next marathon or are just pursuing your New Year's resolution to get fit, this safety gear is for you

Here is the best safety gear for runners:

• Best safety light for runners: Knuckle Lights Advanced
• Best safety gear for medical emergencies: Road ID Bracelet
• Best headphones for running safety: AfterShokz Trekz Titanium Open Ear Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones
• Best safety gear for road running: JQP Sports Running Vest and 4 LED Safety Light Set
• Best safety gear for self-protection: Sabre 3-in-1 Pepper Spray
  

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best safety lights for runners

Why you'll love them: Not only do the Knuckle Lights Advanced warn drivers of your presence at night, but they're positioned to help spot potential tripping hazards to keep you on your feet, too.

Whether you love those nighttime runs or find yourself out on the roads early in the morning, the Knuckle Lights Advanced can increase your visibility as well as improve your vision.

These hand-held lights are just 9.4 ounces and have adjustable straps to fit over your hands. Once positioned on your knuckles, the lights' ultra-wide flood beams can help you to see the ground in front of you and avoid potential hazards. Plus, since the lights move as you run, motorists can see you more easily.

At 280 lumens, these lights offer plenty of power. High, low, and blinking settings allow you to choose the light that's right for your situation. One major benefit of these lights is that they are rechargeable. Just place the lights back on the charging dock after your run, and they'll be ready to go for your next run. Plus, these lights are waterproof, so you don't have to worry about getting caught out in the rain.

Knuckle Lights Advanced have a 4.6 out of 5-star rating on Amazon, based on 46 buyer reviews. Jeremy Sanders, author of the Running Dad blog, wrote positively of the Knuckle Lights: "I have full control of where the light is pointed. I don't feel like if I turn my head I will blind my running buddy or shine a light into someone's bedroom window on accident in the wee hours of the morning."

Runner Bri Crawsey also used the Knuckle Lights and found they offered plenty of light for runs in the dark:"I ran with the Knuckle Lights Advanced a few times early in the morning and used them for a walk late at night and found they provide WAY more visibility than your standard flashlight. You also have three different settings of light — bright, brighter and flashing."

These lights are versatile and an excellent option for runners, hikers, and more. They come with a 5-year warranty.

Pros: Multi-purpose lights help you to see and be seen, rechargeable, waterproof for all-weather use

Cons: Straps only offer pre-set adjustments so you can't completely customize the fit

Buy the Knuckle Lights Advanced on Amazon for $59.99

The best safety gear for medical emergencies

Why you'll love it: Lightweight and with a low-profile, this customizable bracelet provides first responders with the information they need — when you can't.

As runners, we're always told how important it is to carry ID on us, but it isn't always practical or convenient to pack your license each time you go for a run. The Road ID Bracelet conveniently solves that issue.

This lightweight and low-profile bracelet can be customized to include valuable information such as your name, address, allergies, and emergency contact information. If you're ever unable to give first responders your information, the Road ID Bracelet will.

I've been using this bracelet for about seven years now, and it's so versatile that I wear it when I run, hike, ride horses, or just go for a walk alone. I love that the silicone band is comfortable and easy to clean, and the customization options allowed me to include the fact that I'm allergic to bees.

I find this bracelet gives me peace of mind when I'm out exercising alone, and my family appreciates that I wear it, too. It's far more convenient than remembering to grab my license. I will say that the clasp is a little difficult to figure out at first, but I haven't had any trouble with it since I got the technique down.

The Road ID Bracelet has a 4.4 out of 5-star rating on Amazon based on 296 customer reviews. Gear Junkie wrote that, "Road ID is worth checking out for any athlete. It will probably give you peace of mind and will definitely do so for your loved ones."

MudRunGuide wrote of the bracelet, "The band is still intact without signs of wear. The metal plate and the badge on my band both still look new. With the amount of training I do and how I treat most products, I have to say I am pleasantly surprised with how well it is holding up."

If you don't like the idea of wearing a bracelet, Road ID offers other similar products, including shoe ID tags and tags that attach to an Apple Watch band.

Pros: Customizable, durable, low profile

Cons: Limited space for information on the metal plate, clasp can be tricky to learn

Buy the Road ID Bracelet on Amazon for $29.99

The best open headphones for running safety

Why you'll love them: With the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium Open Ear Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones, you can turn up your music and still hear everything around you.

A great run needs great music, and often it's that perfect song that helps you to power through the last miles. But while wearing headphones allows you to hear your music loud and clear, it can prevent you from hearing other important sounds, like footsteps behind you or a car engine approaching in that side street.

The AfterShokz Trekz Titanium Headphones use bone conduction technology to deliver the music through your cheekbones. With your ears left open, you can still hear those important ambient sounds.

These headphones are designed for athletes and offer a wraparound design for comfort and security. They are lightweight and flexible, plus they repel sweat, dust, and moisture. You can connect the headphones with Bluetooth for versatile listening options through your smartphone, tablet, or computer.

The reviews are in, and it's clear that these headphones are winners. Brad Moon wrote on Forbes, "The Trekz Titanium headphones were light, never slipped out of place, and with the flexible titanium band (which fits over your neck, not the top of your head), it was easy to forget I was wearing them."

An Amazon buyer named Dennis wrote, "I can't use regular headphone because I have to turn the volume up way too high to drown out the ambient sound, but with these, I can wear my hearing protection and still hear the music. No ringing ears at the end of the day."

As an added bonus, the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium Open Ear Headphones are so versatile that they can be used nearly anywhere. Reviewers mention successfully using the headphones in office settings, at home, while mowing the lawn, at soccer games, while biking, and more.

Pros: Still hear ambient sounds while listening to music, controls are easy to use, comfortable and lightweight fit

Cons: A higher price than you'd pay for most other headphones or earbuds, thinner sound than what's offered by traditional headphones

Buy the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium Open Ear Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones on Amazon for $80 to $94.99

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• I've been looking for an oxymoron for years: affordable, genuine leather leggings. 
• I had given up finding a pair for less than $900 — an unthinkable splurge — until I found a $350 pair on the LA startup DSTLD's website. No compromise on fit, material, or style necessary.
• In person, DSTLD's pair is the perfectly executed leather legging — for about $600 less than they usually cost.
• Find a full review below, or shop DSTLD's $350 Leather Leggings directly here. Since it's a startup that doesn't produce in massive quantities, you may occasionally have to pre-order. 

There are certain wishful wardrobe staples that you resign yourself to never owning. The Arrivals' perfect leather moto, Louboutins, the classic Burberry trench coat... the list of usual suspects goes on and on. And, for the past few years, real leather leggings were at the top of that list for me.

The only solution I've found, DSTLD's $350 Women's Leather Leggings, is a fluke in the Matrix. 

To begin, the term "affordable, genuine leather leggings" is a bit of an oxymoron: real leather leggings typically go for $900 and up. At Bloomingdales and Nordstrom, the cheapest real leather option is currently $795. Even faux leather leggings, of which there are many in various levels of success — can fetch closer to $100, like the crowd-favorite $98 version from Spanx.

DSTLD's genuine leather pair is $350, which is about $650 less than the $998 the direct-to-consumer LA startup estimates it would go for in traditional retail. And the material isn't second-rate, either. It's 100% stretch Nappa leather, which is a vague way of saying it's really supple. A similar pair is currently listed for $1,035 on Bloomingdales.

In person, they're a perfectly executed leather legging. The leather is thick and high-quality but soft and flexible enough for comfortable wear. The fit is close but not overly constrictive, and the seams hit exactly right on my 5-foot-7 frame to enable maximum movement. They've got an elasticized waistband so you can bend naturally, and a side zip closure to keep the silhouette sleek. They're mid-rise which is more timeless and a safer fit for an typically rigid material like leather, and they have been naturally dyed — using one-quarter less water than normal processes. DSTLD also coated them with a stain-resistant surface for a richer hue and a light sheen. 

If you're wondering how this is possible, it helps to know more about DSTLD. In short, it's because the digital startup is making its name in luxury basics without the markups of a brick-and-mortar. Its bread and butter is luxury denim under $100, but I'm partial to its high-end, low-budget staples that are more difficult to substitute than denim, like these fantastic leather leggings or the Blanket Maxi Coat ($180), which has been spotted on a host of celebrities — from Bella Hadid to Meghan Markle. 

DSTLD quietly makes luxury clothes sold for fire-sale-like prices online. If you know where to look, you can score some pretty amazing staples without needing to compromise on the material, fit, or execution. Plus, startups are typically heavily invested in their customer service: it has a 100% fit guarantee, free shipping and returns, and — albeit notoriously infrequent — sales with fewer exclusions on high-ticket items than department stores. For example, the already incredibly priced $350 leather leggings were $262 over Black Friday thanks to a sitewide 25% discount. 

DSTLD Women's Leather Leggings In Black, $350

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• Real estate brokerage Redfin recently announced its list of the top 10 hottest neighborhoods for 2019.
• The list was dominated by coastal cities, primarily on the west coast — and most of them had a median sales price north of $1 million.
• California accounted for the majority of the list's entries with six neighborhoods across the state.

The hottest places to live in 2019 are coastal cities within commuting distance of urban cores.

That's according to a recent report released by real estate company Redfin, which notes one other prevailing commonality: These neighborhoods, most of which have a median sales price above $1 million, are affluent.

To compile its annual Hottest Neighborhoods report, Redfin observes online traffic surges for neighborhood listings over the course of one year and combines those with agent insights. Last year's report, for comparison, proved less diverse geographically. Nine of 10 neighborhoods were in San Jose, and the remaining was in San Francisco. 

Read more: 9 of the 10 hottest neighborhoods in America are in this ritzy enclave for the tech elite

While California still accounted for the majority of neighborhoods in 2019, this year's spread is more varied, including suburbs in both the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas.

Though these markets— such as those in San Francisco — are established, new neighborhoods continue to appear on lists as wealthy individuals look to move away from city centers but remain within commuting distance of urban centers.

Keep reading to see the 10 hottest neighborhoods in the US in 2019, listed in descending order. We noted the parent city for each neighborhood, alongside its median sale price, the average sale-to-list price ratio, and percent of homes that sold above list price.

SEE ALSO: The CEO of a real-estate brokerage says the weekend that determines the direction of the housing market every year is right around the corner

10. Mount Washington, Los Angeles, California

Median sale price: $981,500

Average sale-to-list-price ratio: 105.7%

Percent of homes that sold above list price: 79%

9. Berkeley Hills, Berkeley, California

Median sale price: $1,380,000

Average sale-to-list-price ratio: 118.2%

Percent of homes that sold above list price: 81.8%

8. Chevy Chase, Washington, D.C.

Median sale price: $1,060,000

Average sale-to-list-price ratio: 101.3%

Percent of homes that sold above list price: 53.7%

• Having a set morning routine can help jump-start your day — it even works for billionaires.
• Both Jeff Bezos and Warren Buffett prioritize sleep and aim to get eight hours per night. 
• Oprah and Jack Dorsey meditate and exercise before starting their days. 
• WATCH NEXT: Here's what caffeine does to your body and brain

Oprah's morning is very involved. The first thing she does when she rises at seven o'clock is brush her teeth before taking her five dogs for a walk. While she waits for her espresso to brew, she reads a card from her '365 Gathered Truths' box. Then, she turns to an app on her phone to read her daily Bowl of Saki. Next, she meditates followed by an hour long workout in the hills of her backyard.

Elon Musk's morning is not as calm as Oprah's. He also wakes up at seven, but he gets right to business. Elon spends half an hour reading and responding to critical emails while drinking coffee. He says he's too busy for breakfast. After sending his five sons to school he showers, then drives to work. Sounds about right for someone who works up to 120 hours a week.

Twitter founder Jack Dorsey says he gets out of bed 5 a.m. He meditates for 30 minutes and then completes a seven-minute workout three times. After that, he has his morning coffee and then checks in.

Warren Buffett likes to sleep. He says he usually sleeps a full eight hours a night. He reportedly wakes up at 6:45 a.m. and starts his day reading newspapers like the Wall Street Journal and USA Today.

Jeff Bezos also values his sleep. He says he makes it a priority. However, Bezos reportedly wakes up naturally, without an alarm. He likes to hold high-IQ meetings in the morning before lunch, ideally at 10 a.m.

Bill Gates starts his day with cardio. The New York Times reported that Gates would spend an hour on the treadmill while watching educational DVDs. He says he enjoys Cocoa Puffs cereal but his wife, Melinda, says he doesn't eat breakfast.

Many of us cannot imagine a morning without coffee, but Sara Blakely can. The founder of Spanx says she's never had a cup of coffee. Instead, she drinks a smoothie made of frozen wild berries, dark cherries, kale, dates, cinnamon, spinach, cilantro, fresh mint, lemon, water, ice, chia, and walnuts. Blakely also tries to get a yoga session in at 6:30 a.m. before taking her kids to school.

Mark Zuckerberg stays true to his brand. The first thing he does is check his phone in bed.

Mark Zuckerberg: The first I do is look at my phone. I look at Facebook.

Jerry Seinfeld: Right.

Zuckerberg: Right to see — to see what's going on in the world.

Seinfeld: Right, right.

Zuckerberg: And I check my messages. I look at Messenger and WhatsApp.

He also says he doesn't like wasting time on small decisions which is why he wears pretty much the same outfit everyday.

Anastasia Soare is the founder of makeup brand Anastasia Beverly Hills. She also reaches for her phone when she wakes up at 7:00 a.m. Apparently, Instagram is the first app she checks every morning. She always has two cups of black coffee and eats a light breakfast while answering emails. Her personal trainer comes to her house most days and she exercises for an hour. And of course, she never leaves her house without doing her eyebrows.

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• Embark is a dog DNA test ($159) that determines your dog's breed and checks for over 175 genetic health conditions and traits among other fun facts.
• Staff veterinarians and customer service representatives are also available to answer questions from pet parents. 
• We used the test to learn more about our rescue dog, Nellie. You can find our experience below.

Even if you picked up your puppy from the pound with no information — and you’ve been guessing or making up breeds to satisfy strangers’ curiosity ever since — there is a way to actually know the precise origins of your furry best friend.

An up-and-coming startup Embark makes the world's most accurate dog DNA test. The test uses 200,000 genetic markers and 100 times more genetic information than its competitors. It checks for over 250 different breed types and 175 genetic health conditions and traits — and it has partnered with Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (the leading veterinary school in the country) and a pioneer in consumer genetics — Spencer Wells — to combine cutting-edge science and pet care. They're the people who are ecstatic to tell you they recently discovered why some dogs have blue eyes.

Knowing your dog's genetic history is great for the shallow interest of curiosity and dog park small talk, but it can also help you navigate potential health risks, avoid medications they could be sensitive too, and even help you decide how big of a home you're going to need in the future.

Here's how the dog DNA test works: Order the test online, activate it, swab the cheek of your dog, and mail the sample back to the Embark lab in a pre-paid return envelope. In two to four weeks, you'll receive the results. If you're unsure how to swab your dog's cheek correctly, there are video tutorials on the site. 

I tried the Embark dog DNA test on our rescue dog, Nellie, to see how it worked in real life. If you keep scrolling down to the bottom of this article, you can see the exact steps we went through in greater detail. But what I liked best was how digestible the information was for non-scientists, and how many resources were provided if you'd like to do further research. I also loved how obviously passionate about dogs the Embark team seemed to be.

On the site, you can engage as little or as much as you want. It was as succinct as "she's mostly a German Shepherd" and "she's clear of all the health risks we check for" and as granular as links to learn how the process is done and breakdowns of what each genetic condition is as well as which breeds it's commonly found in. There are even linked citations in some sections where research was referred to. 

The Embark dog DNA test is not cheap at $159, but it's information that could improve or extend the life of your dog — and for most owners, that's not a bad price to pay. 

All in all, it's a great tool — and something most dog owners will probably be excited to learn about. Pets are the slobbery, warm-bodied, loving beings that occasionally care more for you than they do for themselves. Figuring out a bit more about how to responsibly return that love and care is an exciting new opportunity. 

If you have multiple dogs and get tests for them, you can "add a dog" to your "my dogs" section in your account to keep your family all in one place. If you're going to test multiple, though, you should buy them in a pack to save money. Use the code "MULTIPACK2" for 10% off two; "MULTIPACK3" for 15% off three; and "MULTIPACK4" for 20% off four or more kits. 

Get the Embark dog DNA test for your pup here for $159 and scroll to see our experience and our dog's results below. 

Embark's main point of interest is probably the breed breakdown. You'll see breeds and percentages, as well as other fun tools at the top.

Embark breaks down dog breeds by percentages. If you keep scrolling, Embark highlights the main characteristics of each breed present. 

Embark tests your pup for over 175 genetic health conditions and traits.

We took the Embark DNA test probably just as much for the health results as to satisfy our curiosity, if not more so. Embark screens for over 175 genetic conditions looking for the mutations that can cause them, and Nellie showed up negative for everything. Being able to rule out these mutations also makes it easier for your chosen vet to determine what's wrong quickly and accurately if your dog becomes sick in the future, and to avoid prescribing medications your dog may be sensitive to. To easily share with your vet, click "VET REPORT" to input your vet's name and email address. They'll get a copy.

Embark makes the results easy for non-scientists to understand. It showed that she was cleared for the 135 genetic conditions common for Nellie's breed (which the test already provided for us and the lab) and then broke down what those conditions are exactly. You can also view the full disease test in more detail if you wish. 

Embark also breaks your dog's DNA down to make a family tree that goes back to great-grandparents.

Embark's algorithm generates the most likely family tree for your pup, though it's not the only possible one for your dog's mix. 

You can also check out other dogs who have Embark accounts that have similar breed mixes for comparison via the Mix Matches tool. 

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• You may not realize it, but what you wear during a workout can really improve (or hinder) your performance.
• Athleta's new Contender line offers brightly colored, high-impact tights, sports bras, tops, and shorts made to withstand even the toughest of workouts, like Muay Thai. 
• We put the new pieces to the test in our own workouts and overall, we loved the bold colorways and were really impressed with how comfortable the leggings and sports bras were. 

Not all activewear is created equal. Those comfortable cotton leggings you like to lounge in might not have enough stretch to make it through a hot yoga session, and while your favorite sports bra is probably super cute, it may not have enough compression to really feel secure for the duration of a long run.

An intense workout is hard enough as it is — the last thing you want to deal with is an uncomfortable outfit. 

That's why picking out great activewear is so important. When you're comfortable in what you're wearing, you can fully focus on your physical performance instead of constantly adjusting your leggings because the waistband keeps riding up or falling down. 

High-intensity workouts are getting more and more popular. ClassPass user data even cited strength-training as the most popular fitness trend for 2019. As you power through these workouts, you need clothes that can keep up, and outfits that work to improve your performance rather than hinder it. It also helps to feel like you look good in your workout gear. But for many of us, the thought of "performance leggings" and words like "compression" conjure up images that are anything but stylish.

Luckily, you don't have to sacrifice style to snag some cute athletic gear that can hold up through your toughest workouts.

Athleta's new Contender line offers high-impact tights, bike shorts, sports bras, and tops in bold colorways. All pieces in the Contender line boast Athleta's most compressive design yet and come with plenty of other smart, new features that make them workout-ready. 

Everything in the line is made with a supportive blend of lycra and polyester that holds you in in all the right places. The fabric is mid-weight, but it's very breathable and wicks away sweat as you exercise. On the tights, you'll find a thick waistband that's supportive and slimming, with a never-ending drawstring — it's a continuous loop so you never have to worry about losing it in the wash. You'll also find three secure zip pockets to hold essentials, like your phone and keys, while you work out. Innovative and convenient features like these can be found on all of the pieces in the collection. 

Athleta claims the Contender line is specifically engineered to sustain tough workouts, so we put the pieces to the test. Four women on the Insider Picks team had a chance to test out the Contender line during our own workouts. Keep reading to see if they lived up to the hype.

Keep reading to see what we thought about the new activewear:

Connie Chen, Insider Picks reporter:

Contender Laser Cut 7/8 Tight in High Teal, $89 and Contender Bra in High Teal, $54

I don't own any athletic wear, or regular clothing for that matter, in a bright green like this, but I figured it was high time to incorporate some color to my workouts. I realized I should do it more often because, insignificant as it may seem (at least compared to the actual performance of the gear), color does affect your attitude towards anything you do. I usually exercise right after work, so I'm not always in the mood to move, but pulling on the colorful leggings and bra did provide some motivation.

The leggings were comfortable, with a supportive waistband that was stretchy and suitable for activities like squats and cycling sans any slippage. The material was on the thicker side, but still breathable (the vent details also helped). I ended up liking the sizable side zip pockets a lot more than I expected to. I often run errands after an outdoor run, and the pockets let me store my ID and credit card so I didn't have to carry them in my hand. The best part of the bra was the mesh ventilation that kept me from overheating.

Ellen Hoffman, Insider Picks senior editor:

Contender Laser Cut 7/8 Tight in Fresh Yellow, $89

I usually opt for black or navy leggings, so I was prepared not to like the bold colors of Athleta's new Laser Cut 7/8 leggings (I got Fresh Yellow). But once I had them on I felt differently. They instantly put me in the mood to work out, which is probably the point. I won't be casually wearing them to run errands on the weekend because they are a lot of look, but I'll definitely wear them to the gym where they'll blend in.

The fabric, which is a polyester/lyrca blend, is very comfortable and on the thicker side, which I prefer in workout gear since it gives it more structure, but it is still very flexible and breathable thanks to the laser-cut details on the legs that allow for plenty of airflow. The zippered side pockets are a nice touch, too, since I need a secure place to store my keys and ID when I'm running outside.

Remi Rosmarin, Insider Picks reporter:

Contender Laser Cut 7/8 Tight in Neon Orange, $89

I slipped these on heading to the gym after work. It was late and I had been losing motivation, but when I put them on, as crazy as it may sound, the bright color really energized me. And it's not just the color that looks great — the tights are lightweight, but still manage to be figure-flattering and most importantly, supportive. The laser cut may just look like a cool design (which it is), but it definitely adds some airflow and makes the tights a little more breathable. I loved the addition of the side zip pockets — I like to do interval workouts where I move around the gym, so it's nice to have my phone tucked away in a pocket so I don't have to worry about constantly moving it.

My only qualm with these tights is that the orange color, while I love how bright it is, lends itself to being a little more transparent than a darker pair would. They're by no means see-through, but depending on what you wear underneath, you may be able to see the outline. I choose to wear a longer shirt to avoid any issues, but I think in the future pairing these with performance underwear would solve the problem. 

Mara Leighton, Insider Picks reporter:

Contender Laser Cut 7/8 Tight in Coastal Teal, $89

I'm picky when it comes to workout gear— mostly because I believe getting to the gym and actually working out is hard enough for most people, and, if anything, something $50+ should be making your life easier.  Athleta's Laser Cut 7/8 leggings were pleasantly surprising to me. They're comfortable, breathable, and flexible. The laser-cut details are effective at cooling you down throughout the workout, and the waistband lies flat. As an added bonus, they look nice on, come in fun colors that make you excited to work out, and have zippered pockets for keys, cards, lip balm, or headphones if you're on the go or roaming the gym untethered.

Shop the Contender Laser Cut 7/8 Tight, $89, at Athleta

Shop the Contender Bra, $54, at Athleta

Shop the entire Contender line at Athleta

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• Portland-based skin-care brand We Are Wild treats skin with probiotics, fermented antioxidants, and clean, natural ingredients.   
• Its products, which include a cleanser ($24), toner ($24), and moisturizer ($26), soothe and restore the dry, irritated, and burnt skin that often results from too much time spent in the sun and wind. 
• They come in convenient, TSA-friendly solid sticks that you simply rub over your skin, making them more portable and less wasteful than traditional skin-care products. 

Growing up in a beautiful, nature-oriented city like Portland, Oregon, Sally Kim spent more than her fair share of time outdoors.

Fresh air in your lungs, the sun glowing warmly on your face, and skies that stretch on for miles uninterrupted — it seems like there could be no drawbacks to an active, outdoor lifestyle. Spend enough time out in the sun and wind, however, and you will notice one consequence: dry, irritated, or burnt skin. 

Kim is the founder of We Are Wild, a new K-beauty-inspired "recreation skin care" brand that makes products optimized in both form and formulation for anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors. 

Here's what that means: 

In form — Its cleanser, toner, and moisturizer aren't available as traditional liquids and creams. Instead, We Are Wild only makes solid stick products, similar to stick deodorant, that you rub directly on your face. The cleanser is called Solid Clean, the toner Solid Water, and the moisturizer Solid Oil. 

The TSA-friendly sticks are more convenient to carry and will never make a mess in your gym bag or backpack. In this respect, you don't have to be an "outdoors-person" in order to enjoy the benefits of We Are Wild. If you're tired of transferring skin-care products to travel-sized bottles or spilling and wasting product during bumpy travels, you'll appreciate the brand's portable, mess-free design. 

In formulation — Even more innovative than its solid stick form is its use of probiotics and fermentation to protect, restore, and revive outdoor-exposed skin efficiently and safely. 

Imagine a layer floating on your skin, locking in moisture to keep your face hydrated and fighting bacteria and free radicals to reduce inflammation and redness. That's what the probiotics in We Are Wild's products do with each use. 

Meanwhile, antioxidant-rich ingredients are fermented to make them more concentrated and easily absorbed into the skin. Just as vegetables are fermented to bring out additional flavor and nutrients, these ingredients become more potent and effective in fermented form. 

Additionally, all of the skin-care products are as natural as the outdoors they empower you to embrace. They're free of harmful ingredients like sulfates, silicones, parabens, phthlates, mineral oils, and artificial dyes, and they're cruelty-free. Kim says the process of refining and clinically testing all the formulations took about two years. 

While the ingredients are meant to fight the effects of outdoor exposure, the products don't contain SPF, so it's important to remember to put on an additional layer of sunscreen. Using them in conjunction with SPF products will yield the most protective and restorative measures for your skin. 

I switched out my routine of various liquids, gels, and creams to We Are Wild's simple Essentials stick set: the Solid Clean cleanser, Solid Water toner, and Solid Oil moisturizer.

Once applied to the face, the solid cleanser turns into a cleansing oil. Rub your face with water and it turns into a light and balanced micro-foam that strips away dirt and other impurities without stripping your skin dry. The toner, which contains pure water, has a cool sensation that's especially welcomed when your face has been under the glaring sun all day. It kept my skin dewy and hydrated without leaving any residue. The moisturizer is packed with 12 natural oils, including jojoba, safflower, olive, mango, and shea butter, to nourish dry skin. 

I'm not accustomed to using stick products other than deodorant, but I quickly came to embrace this convenient and less wasteful method of transferring skin-care product to my skin. A few quick swipes of each product across my face at the beginning of the day prepared it for hours spent outdoors, and touch-ups in the middle of the day revived and refreshed it. 

While I'm not sure I would completely replace my current traditional products with We Are Wild's, I thought they were gentle yet effective alternatives to bring along on your travels and all-day outdoor adventures. By incorporating innovative skin-care technology and natural ingredients into solid stick products made for outdoor recreation, the company has carved out a hyper-specific perspective on skin care — one that I hadn't considered before but now seems all too needed and obvious. 

Shop the We Are Wild Solid Clean Probiotic Cleanser, $24 (+$4.49 shipping), at Amazon here

Shop the We Are Wild Solid Water Probiotic Toner, $24 (+$4.49 shipping), at Amazon here

Shop the We Are Wild Solid Oil Nourishing Balm, $26 (+$4.49 shipping), at Amazon here

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• SmileDirectClub's $79 Teeth Whitening Kit is said to work three times faster than whitening strips. It uses the same safe, effective whitening agent as a dentist's office, but costs much less than a professional treatment.
• I used it, and after a few applications, my teeth were about three shades whiter — and the formula didn't cause any sensitivity. 
• For more options to consider, read the Insider Picks Buying Guide to the best teeth whitening kits you can buy. 

Whether it's coffee, smoking, red wine, soy sauce, or the inexorable compounding of time, your teeth take quite a beating from everyday life. Even if you brush and floss the recommended amount with the aid of whitening toothpaste, the simple act of being alive seems to be in constant opposition to a bright, white smile.

Unfortunately, your smile is one of the first things people notice. In the seconds it takes your brain to assemble its first impression, one's smile often lands the leading role. Thankfully, the availability of cheap, effective whitening kits has made white teeth both more common and more taken for granted. While still semi-cosmetic, the act of whitening has started to blend into a wider definition of oral hygiene. 

Recently, the same startup known for online braces has released an at-home LED teeth whitening kit. Like its 3D-printed clear aligners, SmileDirectClub's $79 kit is supposed to deliver the advantages of a dentist's office at about 60% less cost. The LED kit is estimated to be three times faster than whitening strips.

To see if it's actually effective, I tested the $79 Whitening Kit myself. It comes with nine whitening pens (what the startup estimates as two full whitening treatments) and an LED mouthguard and storing case. It reminded me of the much more expensive but effective $220 Glo Brilliant Whitening Device, which also uses an LED mouthpiece to act as a catalyst for hydrogen peroxide. 

To use, you twist one of the whitening pens to drive the gel to the applicator, apply it to your teeth evenly (avoiding gums), and pop in the mouthguard with its LED accelerator light. After five minutes, you remove the light and unplug it from your phone. Spit out the excess foam and use lukewarm water to rinse the mouthguard. Do this twice in the morning, and twice at night for a full four sessions. Avoid eating foods that can stain your teeth for 24 hours. According to SmileDirectClub, you should whiten for one week every six months. 

In person, the device is well-designed and easy to use. The LED light mouthguard is hands-free and smart-phone powered (iPhone or Android), so you can be tethered to your phone rather than an outlet. It requires minimal battery power to run, and this solves any issues with needing to charge a device before using — a con of the Glo Brilliant device. SmileDirectClub says the nine whitening pens should equal two full treatments (plus a bonus pen), but I found their estimates to be extremely conservative — even with evenly coating my teeth in gel, I got about four times more use out of the pens than expected. Once you run out, a replacement of whitening pens is $29 for four. 

You could technically just buy the whitening pens and use them without the mouthpiece to save money initially, but it's the LED light — and how the hydrogen peroxide reacts to it — that is likely to give you the best results. If you're not interested in the LED mouthguard, you may just want to stick to strips. 

SmileDirectClub's formula is the same enamel-safe formula dentists use, but it's supposed to break down to about $40 per treatment (which, in my experience, was closer to $20). It's safe to use on crowns, veneers, and caps, and the formula is lactose-, soy-, and gluten-free, as well as vegan.

In short, SmileDirectClub's Whitening Kit does work. It made my teeth whiter after one day's worth of sessions and continued to make them more even and bright with ongoing use. After continual applications, my teeth were about two to three shades whiter. Since I didn't begin with intense discoloration, I mostly noticed an evening in tone — my teeth are brighter, and the white is more universal and intense. I didn't notice any increased sensitivity, and the process was easy, clean, and relatively intuitive. However, you do have to be willing to use it routinely.

All in all, it's a good option if you're considering it. SmileDirectClub is $79 and white strips are $30 on a good day, but it's far cheaper than another prominent LED system (Glo Science) and you can eek out more uses of the whitening pens than the company estimates. It's also faster to use, as four five minute sessions broken up feel a lot more bearable than one 30-minute session. It's even convenient to multitask with it in so you can fit it into a morning routine without much effort. And, most important to me aside from efficacy, it didn't make my gums tender or my teeth ache. 

If you're looking for fast, noticeable results that are relatively easy to fit into your life, SmileDirectClub's whitening kit is worth checking out.

SmileDirectClub Teeth Whitening Kit, available on Amazon, $79

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• Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 67 years since ascending to the British throne on Wednesday, February 6 2019.
• Her Majesty is the world's longest-serving monarch.
• She has outlasted 13 British prime ministers and 13 US presidents during her time as Britain's head of state.
• Here's a photo from every year of her record reign.

Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating 67 years since she ascended to the British throne on Wednesday, February 6.

In her time as Britain's head of state, she has undertaken official overseas visits to more than 120 countries and outlasted 13 British prime ministers and 13 US presidents. 

To celebrate, we delved into the archives to bring you an iconic photo from each year of her reign.  

Read more: Prince Charles is 70 — here's the best photo from every year of his royal career

Scroll down to see 67 of the most incredible pictures of Queen Elizabeth II from every single year she's been on the throne.

Charles Clark contributed to an earlier version of this story.

1953: On June 2, 1953, Elizabeth was crowned at Westminster Abbey, making her the 39th sovereign to be crowned in the iconic church. Although she officially became queen in 1952 after the passing of her father, King George, her coronation wasn't until a year later. An estimated 27 million people in Britain watched the ceremony on TV.

1954: Since coming to the throne, she has held regular audience with 13 prime ministers. In this photo, the queen and Winston Churchill wait at Waterloo Station in London for the Queen Mother to arrive back from a month in the US.

1955: The queen plays a key role in maintaining diplomatic relationships with other countries. Here, she arrives by car at the Portuguese Embassy in London's Belgrave Square to attend a dinner party thrown in their honour by the visiting Portuguese president and Madame Craveiro Lopes.

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• When you open a new personal Southwest credit card, you can earn the best-ever sign-up bonus offered for the cards: 30,000 points and an unlimited Companion Pass, which is valid for travel through 2019. Hurry, though; this offer ends on February 11.
• The Companion Pass lets you designate a companion, and book a free ticket for them any time you travel (you'll just have to pay taxes and fees, which are usually $5.60 each way).
• From unlocking weekends away and mini vacations, to cutting costs for weddings and family events, read on for a few of the best use cases for the Companion Pass.
• There are three personal Southwest credit cards, but our pick for the best one is the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card; take a look here for an in-depth look at all of the options.

For a very limited time, Southwest is offering its best-ever sign-up bonus when you open one if its personal credit cards: you'll earn a free, unlimited Companion Pass for the rest of 2019, plus 30,000 miles when you spend $4,000 in the first three months.

The Companion Pass is the "holy grail" of the frequent flyer, cheap travel, and travel rewards worlds. If you've never heard of it, you're in for a treat. 

When you have Southwest's Companion Pass, you can pick a travel companion — a friend, a significant other, a child, or anyone else — and bring them along on any flight you take. They'll just have to pay taxes and fees, which start at $5.60 each way for domestic flights, and generally top out at $25-30.

In other words, when you have a Companion Pass, you can get unlimited two-for-one flights on Southwest for the rest of 2019. 

Best of all, that applies to any flight you book, whether you pay cash or use Southwest's Rapid Rewards miles. The 30,000 miles that come with the sign-up bonus should be enough to book yourself a free round-trip for two, using the Companion Pass (plus $5.60 each for each flight).

Two-for-one flights sounds great, but it can come in particularly useful over the course of the year depending on your personal situation. Below, take a look at a few ways that you might be able to take advantage of the Companion Pass to save money on travel you were already planning — or to unlock vacations that wouldn't have been possible otherwise.

Click here to learn more about the Southwest Priority Card from Insider Picks' partner: The Points Guy.

Scenario 1: Use wedding planning to help subsidize your honeymoon

Most of the time when you open a new credit card, there's a minimum amount that you have to spend in a certain amount of time in order to get a sign-up bonus. In this case, that's $4,000 within three months of the day you submit your application.

Generally, you shouldn't spend money that you wouldn't otherwise in order to hit a minimum spending requirement. If you wouldn't normally spend enough to hit the amount, there are still a few different ways to make sure you get the bonus.

If you're in the middle of planning your wedding for 2019, though, hitting the minimum spend can be a piece of cake. Just pay any vendor deposits or balances with the credit card. This is money you were going to spend anyway, and you can avoid interest by paying the card off right away from your wedding budget. 

Then, once you get the Companion Pass, you can use it to book honeymoon flights on Southwest. The airline flies all over the United States, and to destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America — Southwest also plans to begin flying to Hawaii, although the start date hasn't been announced.

Just remember that the pass is only valid until the end of this year, so if you're planning your honeymoon for 2020, this won't be the best option for you.

Scenario 2: Save money flying to friends' weddings

For people in their 20s and 30s, it can feel you spend roughly 100% of your weekends at weddings. Don't get me wrong, weddings are a lot of fun, but if you live far from home or your friends have scattered all around the country, that can mean a lot of money spent on flights and hotels.

If you have a significant other, the Companion Pass offers a way to cut your flight expenses in half for the rest of the year's out-of-town weddings. 

Just wait until you hit get the Pass before booking your flights. Then, go ahead and book two people's flights for the price of one.

This is Insider Picks' senior editor Ellen Hoffman's plan. She (or her boyfriend Jeff — they're figuring it out) plan to open the card before the promotion ends, and use the Companion Pass to fly to a bunch of weddings and family events later this year.

Learn more: Southwest Airlines is running an unprecedented deal on its Companion Pass — here's how to earn and use it

Scenario 3: Get a major discount on college visits

If your high schooler is looking to go out-of-state for college, you might have a lot of travel ahead of you. Weekends visiting college campuses for tours and interviews can add up, so using the Companion Pass can help you save on flights, at least.

When you have a Companion Pass, you can't use it for a different person each time; you have to designate your companion. If your 2019 has a lot of college tours coming up, one parent can earn the pass, and assign their future collegiate as their companion. That should help cut down on expenses.

Scenario 4: Save money when family members are scattered around the country

It's a common scenario among older millennials and Gen X-ers — you're settling down somewhere far away from where you grew up. Your parents are a few states away, aunts and uncles are on another coast, and cousins are even further away. That means that every time you see family, whether for holidays, birthdays, or something else, there's a long trip involved. Now double that if your significant other is in the same boat.

With the Companion Pass, you'll at least be able to cut air expenses. One half of the couple can earn the pass, and designate their partner as the companion.

Learn more: Plus, Premier, or Priority: We break down which Southwest Airlines credit card gets flyers the most value

Scenario 5: Take a bunch of short and last-minute mini vacations

If this is a fairly light year for you — free of weddings, family reunions, or college trips — you can take advantage of the Companion Pass to spend the year enjoying weekends away with your designated buddy.

Southwest fares tend to be competitive as it is, so this is a great way to stretch your travel budget and experience a year that might be unaffordable otherwise. Look for Airbnbs to keep costs down, or splurge on nicer hotels and resorts for special trips.

Bottom line

The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the best deals available in the travel world. Usually, you have to earn 110,000 miles or take 100 flights in a calendar year to earn it, but with this deal, it's as simple as opening a credit card and meeting the spending requirements.

Click here to learn more about the Southwest Priority Card from Insider Picks' partner: The Points Guy.

SEE ALSO: I've had the Southwest Companion Pass, and it's a game changer for family vacations — you can get one now easier than ever before

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• While Egypt's best known sites are the Great Pyramids of Giza—the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World still standing — and the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, those bucket-list destinations can be crowded and give only a small picture of ancient Egyptian society.
• An Egyptian local told me, upon arriving in the southern town of Aswan, that if I wanted to really get to know ancient Egyptian culture, I should visit the ruins of Abu, located on the small, quiet Elephantine Island in the middle of the Nile River.
• Few tourists take the time to visit the site, making Abu a treat to explore. Its fascinating ruins are that of an ancient border town and military stronghold, showing what life was like during ancient Egypt all the way through the ancient Greek and Roman empires.

While most tourists visit Egypt to cross the Great Pyramid of Giza off their bucket list, the country is jam-packed with historical monuments, ancient temples, and artifacts.

After spending a month in the country this past December, I was surprised to find that the highlight of my visit wasn't the Great Pyramid, or even the Luxor and Karnak temples, the country's most famous ancient temples. Instead, it was ancient ruins near Egypt's southern border that I didn't even know existed before I got there.

After I visited the pyramids in Giza, I took an overnight train to Aswan, a small town in Upper Egypt that serves as a jumping off point for tours up the Nile River. I was picked up at the train station by my tour guide, a man named Michael.

After a day of sightseeing around the town, he took me on a felucca, a small wooden boat, across the Nile River to Elephantine Island, where he told me I'd be staying. From far away, the island doesn't look like much. There's a Movenpick Resort on one end and a Nubian village on the other. But, after he got me settled in the Nubian bed and breakfast, he took me out to the balcony and pointed towards the tip of the island.

"When you have free time tomorrow," he said. "Walk down there. Trust me, you won't regret it." 

The next day, I turned out to have a lot of free time, after a snafu with the Nile cruise ship I was supposed to be on. I decided to take advantage and headed where Michael had directed me.

I stumbled past an unmanned gate into what looked like ruins that were still mid-excavation. As I wandered through, I couldn't help get the feeling of an archaeologist still surveying the field for new discoveries. 

The ruins turned out to be that of Abu, sometimes called Yebu, which means ivory or elephant in Egyptian. The settlement of Abu has existed since prehistoric times and was continually inhabited up until the Middle Ages.

After I'd walked through the area for a few minutes, a tour guide on the site flagged me down to point me in the direction of the ticket booth. Then he offered to give me a tour. I was glad I took him up on it.

As the guide explained, Abu is fascinating for a few reasons.

While the Valley of the Kings and the Pyramids are structures dedicated to the deceased, Abu was a thriving town for thousands of years. It provides a real window into what Egyptian society was like through the ages.

For a long time, Abu marked the border between the kingdom of Egypt and the kingdom of Nubia. It served as a major military fort for the Egyptians and experts believe it served as a major trading center for ivory, hence its name.

The ruins look to be mid-excavation because they are. The German Archaeological Institute began excavating Abu in 1969 and it continues to do so to this day. 

While much of the ancient town has been knocked down by the Ottomans and other empires, it was never built over because of its isolated position on the island. That means much of the materials are still mostly intact and can be reassembled into the various temples and structures that once stood. 

The town was an important religious center as well. In ancient Egypt, locals believed that Khnum, the god that controlled the Nile River, lived on the island. The largest structure in the town is the reconstructed Temple of Khnum, built during the Old Kingdom and then rebuilt when the Greeks controlled Egypt during the Ptolemaic dynasties.

The god Khnum, depicted as a man with a ram's head, is all over the town.

There are nooks and crannies to explore throughout the town at your leisure. Whereas top sites like the Luxor and Karnak Temples and the Pyramids were swarming with tourists when I visited, Abu was deserted. The tour guide and I were the only ones in the entire complex.

That left plenty of time for him to point out interesting phenomena that I would have never noticed otherwise, like this indent in the wall of one of the temples in the below photo.

According to the guide, historians believe the indent exists because that is where people placed their head when they prayed.

The guide said that this reconstructed seating area was once part of an ancient bathhouse. 

And this shrine was made from a single block of granite. Much of the ruins and temples near Aswan are made of granite due to the ubiquity of the stone in the area. Elephantine Island, on which Abu is located, had several ancient granite quarries.

As the town was inhabited for thousands of years, there are temples, carvings, and monuments to the kings and gods of ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, and ancient Rome.

While Romans worshipped their own gods, and then later brought Christianity, the ancient Greeks paid tribute to Egyptian gods, likely to make it easier to rule the locals. For example, this stone gateway was built by Alexander IV, the son of Alexander the Great, to honor and worship Khnum.

The most interesting part to me were the Nilometers, ancient devices that were used to measure the annual floods of the Nile. So far, archaeologists have only uncovered around a dozen in Egypt. Two of them are on Elephantine Island.

While they vary somewhat in structure, this Nilometer is a rectangular staircase that leads down to the river. When the river flooded, water rushed into the passageway. The severity of the flood was determined by the scales built or carved into the walls.

The Nilometer was used throughout the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman periods. Each civilization used its own measuring method, evidenced by the differing limestone and rock measurement carvings along the wall. They served a very important purpose.

“During the time of the pharaohs, the nilometer was used to compute the levy of taxes, and this was also likely the case during the Hellenistic period,” Robert Littman, an archaeologist at the University of Hawaii, told National Geographic.

“If the water level indicated there would be a strong harvest, taxes would be higher.”

After two hours meandering through the deserted town, I was ready to leave. But I couldn't have been happier that I took the time to explore.

Often times, the best tourist experiences are the ones you didn't plan and had no expectations for.

• More about visiting Egypt from Business Insider's international correspondent:
• I'm convinced Egypt could be the world's greatest tourist destination if it weren't for a troubling pattern
• A flight on EgyptAir showed me even the most basic flag carrier can be better than American airlines
• Staying in the shadow of Egypt's iconic pyramids is more surreal than any photos can show
• I took a 12-hour overnight first-class sleeper train through the heart of Egypt, and it's an experience I won't forget anytime soon
• I visited what's possibly the world's most polluted city, and realized Americans have no idea how good they have it

Join the conversation about this story »

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• International overweight bag fees range from $50 to $200 depending on airline carriers and how much your bag is over the predetermined limit.
• This $9 digital luggage scale can save you hours of frustration and hundreds of dollars even if you don't consider yourself an overpacker.
• It can weigh bags and suitcases up to 100 pounds. It also weighs less than five ounces itself, so it won't add much to your overall bag weight.

There's no bigger rush than finding an international flight deal. There's also no bigger buzzkill than finding out that there are unreasonably low bag weights.

So, before I went on a two-week, three-city vacation to Australia, I bought this $9 digital luggage scale from Etekcity. It saved me from having to pay $80 in overweight baggage fees on that trip alone.

After booking my tickets to Australia, when I read that passengers could only bring one carry-on and one personal item that totaled to 15 pounds and check-in bags couldn't be more than 40 pounds, I knew I was going to have a hard time packing. Even though I was traveling for two weeks, you can bet that I was packing three weeks' worth of clothes, accessories, shoes, and makeup. Not to mention I had to save space for all the souvenirs I'd bring home.

The digital scale proved to be a lifesaver. I was able to weigh my bags throughout my packing process so I packed more thoughtfully (I guess I didn't need five pairs of jeans after all) and avoided paying overweight baggage fees on all the legs of my trip.

The scale is super small and weighs under five ounces so it'll barely register in your suitcase, and using it is fool-proof.

Once you've packed your bag or suitcase, loop the scale around any handle. Then lift the scale up for a few seconds, and the digital display will show how much your bag weighs. From there, you can repack as needed in the comfort of your own home — not at the airport in front of 12 annoyed passengers and future seatmates. Even if you aren't an overpacker like me, you'll have total peace of mind just in case check-in agents try to scam you and say your bag is over the weight limit.

Since I bought this scale, I've used it on trips to Iceland, Hong Kong, Turks and Caicos, Greece, and more, and have never had an issue with overweight baggage. In fact, it's helped me discover that I had more room in my suitcase for shoes.

Buy the Etekcity Digital Luggage Scale from Amazon for $9

SEE ALSO: 26 packing essentials we never travel without — from a $150 mobile WiFi hotspot to a $6 pack of face wipes

DON'T MISS: All of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides, in one place

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• I deactivated my Facebook account several months ago, and nothing bad happened. It was surprisingly easy.
• I still keep in touch and stay connected to people I care about without Facebook, and I've realized that the social media network doesn't really add value to my life. Rather, Facebook has seemingly been getting much more value from me than I have from it.
• A combination of privacy scandals, a massive change in what Facebook showed me in my timeline, and an absurdly annoying notification system all contributed to my decision to leave Facebook. 
• You can try deactivating — rather than permanently deleting — Facebook to see what it's like to live without it. Your account won't be active, but all your stuff will be right where you left it if you ever want to come back to the social network. 

I deactivated my Facebook account about six months ago in August 2018 after first signing up for the social network in 2005 right before college, and living without it made me realize just how little it contributes to my life. 

In those six months, I never felt like I was missing out, nor did I wish I had Facebook for any particular reason. 

To be fair, people use Facebook in different ways where their accounts do actually have a positive impact on their lives. And you don't even need to trust Facebook as a company and what it does with your data to keep using Facebook, like my colleague Dave Smith. 

But if you're a longtime Facebook user and you can't imagine a life without it, I can at least testify that everything is fine after quitting Facebook. The world kept spinning, people still spoke to me, and I still spoke to people. 

Funnily enough, it wasn't the stunning number of scandals and their severity that "did it" for me, although that certainly was factored in to my ultimate decision to stop using Facebook. Privacy scandal after privacy scandal, I started to think that Facebook didn't really see us as "users" or "accounts," but more like cattle at the Facebook Ranch, where user data can be collected  and used for whatever reason the company saw fit.

What really did it for me was a combination of the scandals, and a couple other things.

One of those things was Facebook's shift away from delivering "public content — posts from businesses, brands, and media" on timelines, as Mark Zuckerberg said public content was "crowding out the personal moments that lead us to connect more with each other.” 

I suppose that, in the end, I wasn't really using Facebook for its intended — user-facing — purpose of keeping connected and sharing with friends and family. I was already doing that with the people I care about elsewhere, like chat services and sharing photo albums with Google Photos. I didn't need Facebook to do that. 

What I did need was a place where I could keep up with businesses, brands, and media that I liked. Facebook essentially handed that role over to Twitter, where I now get my "public content." 

The final nail in the coffin for me was Facebook's absurdly annoying notification system that was revamped toward the beginning of 2018. The company was positively frothing at the mouth with its notifications. On the app and website, I'd constantly get new notifications about stuff and people I truly did not care about. Notifications like a high-school friend who I hadn't spoken to in years commenting on a random person's photo obscured things that were actually useful, like a reminder about a friend's birthday.

And I started getting emails about each notification, too, which was horrendous for my inbox. Managing these notifications in Facebook's settings was a nightmare at the time, but eventually, I somehow turned off the email notifications that I never enabled myself in the first place.

But then the text messages started coming. It was like playing whack-a-mole. Facebook just wouldn't leave me alone. It was intrusive and desperate, and I didn't want Facebook in my life anymore. 

It's been great without Facebook. If you want to give it a try, I suggest deactivating your account, which doesn't mean fully deleting it. You can return at any time, and everything is right where you left it.

Eventually, I'll fully delete my account. But, like my colleague Dave Smith, I have amassed a ton of good memories that were recorded to Facebook, and to keep all those memories, I'll need to download my entire Facebook history. And to do that, I'll need to reactivate my account one more time. 

SEE ALSO: LEAKED MEMO: Facebook is scrambling to do damage control with 'pissed' employees after Apple blocks its internal apps

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• Musicians who take out student loans to pay for a college education often struggle to find a financially feasible way to follow their passion. 
• In addition to student debt, the high costs associated with being a musician prohibit many from pursuing a full-time career in music.
• One artist we spoke to, Nashville musician Rayland Baxter, told us about the challenges of making $600 monthly loan payments while pursuing a career in music.

Nashville musician Rayland Baxter, 35, wasn't supposed to have student debt.

In 2002, he went to Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore on a full-ride scholarship as a lacrosse player. But Baxter, a communications major, had to take some time off after his sophomore year, and his coach told him that his scholarship would be reinstated when he returned.

It wasn't.

Baxter went back to Loyola in 2005 to the news that his scholarship was given to another student. Tuition was $36,000 annually, and Baxter was forced to take out loans for his junior and senior years.

A nationwide problem

Baxter is nowhere near alone in this struggle. More than 44 million Americans have student debt – collectively, Americans owe almost $1.5 trillion in student loans, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve.

Taking out student loans has practically become an expected part of going to college. Even though more Americans are attending college to make higher wages upon graduation, the cost of higher education has risen dramatically. In the past three decades, prices at private nonprofit four-year schools has doubled while public four-year schools has tripled, according to the College Board's 2018 Trends in College Pricing Report.

Although college degrees are not necessary to become a musician, some chose to pursue the security of a degree as a Plan B. However, the debts incurred along the way can prevent some musicians from ever being able to carry out their Plan A.

Additionally, the sheer costs musicians must spend to simply perform and to get their music heard can be prohibitive for some. From instruments to studio time to merchandise to tours, musicians have to sink a fair chunk of funds into their craft, unlike many other jobs.

Guitars, for instance, can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. Studio time can be anywhere from $40 an hour to hundreds per hour. If musicians choose to go a more DIY route, they still need to pay for recording equipment and software. When it comes to touring, musicians have to consider buying or renting a van and paying for expenses throughout the tour, including gas, food, and hotels or AirBnBs.

Compare that to a traditional nine-to-five job where your expenses are mainly limited to gas to and from the office. More conventional careers also tend to have other important perks, such as health insurance and a retirement plan.

Is it even possible to be a musician despite student loans?

Travis Hornsby is the founder of Student Loan Planner, a consulting agency that helps college graduates with $50,000 to $1 million in student debt. He thinks that even if you have debt, you can still pursue your passion.

"For most people who want to be an artist, student loans don't have to stand in the way," Hornsby said.

He advises his musically inclined clients to never take out private loans and to take advantage of an income-based repayment plan after they graduate.

Once you find the right plan for you, you don't have to worry where the money to pay off your loans is coming from; rather, you can focus on other important finances, such as rent and food, Hornsby said.

When Baxter quit the lacrosse team after losing his scholarship, he found what truly interested him: music.

"The last two years of college for me – I had a cover band, and we all sucked, and it was awesome," he said. "My roommates' parents, I remember them asking me my senior year, ‘Are you going to go off and play music?' I was like, ‘No, this is just a hobby. I'm going to move to Colorado, find me a cabin, a dog, and that's it.'"

At that point, he didn't think he was going to turn his hobby into a career, but after his first two years out of college, he decided to move back to Nashville to pursue music more seriously. There, Baxter lived rent-free with family friends and worked part-time manual labor gigs so that he had more time to write his refreshing yet poignant folk-infused songs.

All this time, representatives from Sallie Mae, a student loan company, were calling sometimes seven times a day and writing letters about paying back the more than $70,000 that Baxter owed.

One of those calls came when Baxter was going to Chicago with friends to attend Lollapalooza a few years ago. That's when the idea for the song "Casanova" was born. The funky, bass-leading track made it onto Baxter's third album, "Wide Awake," released last year. Baxter has released three records and has been signed to ATO Records since 2012.

Baxter also released a comical music video for "Casanova" where he brings Sallie Mae to life and injects some lightheartedness to his discouraging situation: He now pays about $600 monthly after not making a payment for five years.

"It's just there for the rest of my life as far as I know," Baxter said.

The larger issue of privilege

You could consider Zach Sullentrup, 24, one of the lucky ones. In contrast to Baxter, he did not take out any loans to attend the University of Missouri, where he earned a degree in journalism.

Sullentrup now works as a copywriter at an advertising agency in St. Louis. Since high school, he has played in bands, and he is currently involved with two, Tidal Volume and The Astounds, and he works as a solo artist as well.

"I started taking lessons when I was a kid," Sullentrup said. "It immediately clicked to me that that was something I wanted to do, either as a career or just as a hobby or passion throughout my life."

Although Sullentrup doesn't have debt from college, he has heavily invested financially into his career as a musician.

Read more:A married couple in their 20s explains how real-estate investing is helping them pay back over $170,000 in student-loan debt

That's why Sullentrup works a full-time job.

"The trade-off of that is when you're working a full-time job, you don't also have the time to work on [music] and invest in those things with time the same way you'd want to," he said. "It's a kind of a wild catch-22."

Having to pay back student loans and the enormous financial burden that comes with being a musician creates an insular bubble in the music industry where the most privileged are able to rise to the top. Even though the internet has democratized the creation and release of music in some ways, it's harder to stand out now more than ever.  

"There are those years of drudging through it and figuring it out," Sullentrup said. "There's a lot of trial and error there; there's a lot of wasted time and money. If you're not someone who can afford to waste time or money, then it's really difficult to break through."

SEE ALSO: 12 common, expensive things that aren't worth your money

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• Scribd is a reading app that gives subscribers access to hundreds of thousands of audiobooks, ebooks, magazines, sheet music, and more for $8.99 per month. You can start a 30-day trial here. 
• The service just hit 1 million subscribers. I've personally been subscribed for three years.
• Unlike many reading subscriptions, Scribd is genuinely unlimited for 99% of its subscribers. Though you might expect compromises for the low fee, you won't find many. The app houses most popular books, including current New York Times bestsellers, and allows you to download them for offline reading and annotate. 
• The app also offers a joint New York Times and Scribd membership for $12.99, which saves you an estimated $143.88 annually. 

Way back in 2007, Scribd became the first ebook subscription service in the US and the world's first open publishing platform. Now, in January 2019, it's surpassed 1 million subscribers.

Despite the fact that our society seems somewhat inhospitable to Amazon competitors and, to an extent, the idea of reading itself (listen closely, you can hear a faint "no one reads anymore" refrain in the air) — Scribd has succeeded.

It's not hard to understand why. As a subscriber for the past three years, I can say that from experience.

Scribd is overall the best and most convenient deal for online reading. For $8.99 every month, members get unlimited access to hundreds of thousands of great audiobooks, ebooks, magazines, sheet music, and more. The titles aren't second-rate to compensate for the low fee, either; you'll find New York Times best sellers, buzzy debuts, and books with long waitlists at the local library readily available. And you can read as many of them as you want.

The app also lets you download your titles for offline reading, annotate, bookmark, highlight, and set sleep timers so you don't lose your place. Altogether, the app has gotten me through countless road trips, plane rides, and commutes in a better mood than nature intended. In college, I even found the occasional syllabus book included. 

If the book you want isn't available, the team seems very receptive to feedback and encourages you to send any ideas or titles their way at feedback@scribd.com.

The company also offers a joint subscription to both Scribd and The New York Times for $12.99 monthly. In comparison to having both — as I did — you'd save about $143.88 annually. 

If you can get over not having a paperback, Scribd is a pretty great deal. It helps that there are no library lines, no $20 per hardcover costs, and no storage space required beside that of your smartphone or tablet. 

But before committing, you can try a free 30-day trial for both the NYT x Scribd membership here and the regular subscription here. 

Try Scribd for 30 days free here

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