Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• Weighted blankets provide an evenly distributed amount of pressure and steady sensory input that help ease anxiety and stress, allowing you to sleep better.
• Our top pick is the Gravity Blanket because it is a premium-grade, therapeutic weighted blanket that helps improve sleep and reduce anxiety.

If you've spent countless sleepless nights tossing and turning, it might be time to try a weighted blanket. These cozy therapeutic blankets may look and feel like a normal comforter, but instead of being filled with lightweight down feathers or cotton, they are stuffed with anywhere from 5 to 25 pounds of glass beads or plastic pellets.

The constant pressure provided by the weights helps produce a hug-like sensation that stimulates the production of serotonin and dopamine, the naturally occurring chemicals our bodies use to feel calm, relaxed, and happy. Your body then converts these chemicals into melatonin, which makes you sleepy.

Studies have shown the soothing effect caused by weighted blankets can help both children and adults that suffer from anxiety, depression, insomnia, autism, and ADHD. But they are just as useful for anyone who just wants to fall asleep faster and sleep better throughout the night.

The benefits of a weighted blanket are not limited to sleeping at nighttime either. You can snuggle up in the blanket any time you are feeling anxious or stressed throughout the day or when you just need to feel the comfort of a hug.

Here at Insider Picks, we take our sleep seriously. That's why we've done the research and trawled through hundreds of buyer and expert reviews to find with the best weighted blankets you can buy. Whether you are in the market for a hypoallergenic option or one that keeps you cool throughout the night, these weighted blankets will help you sleep soundly.

Here are the best weighted blankets you can buy:

• Best weighted blanket overall: Gravity Blanket
• Best cooling weighted blanket: YnM Cooling Weighted Blanket
• Best hypoallergenic weighted blanket: Good Knight Weighted Blanket
• Best dual-sided weighted blanket: Calmforter Weighted Blanket
• Best weighted blanket for kids: Quility Premium Kids Weighted Blanket

Updated on 5/16/2019 by Les Shu: Updated links, formatting, and prices.

Keep scrolling to read more about our top picks.

The best weighted blanket overall

The Gravity Blanket uses deep touch pressure stimulation to help you relax and sleep better.

What started out as a Kickstarter campaign has quickly become one of the most popular weighted blankets available. The Gravity Blanket is a high-quality therapeutic blanket that comes in three different weights, ranging from 15-25 pounds. It measures at 72 by 48 inches making it the perfect size to ground one person at a time.

The blanket features gridded stitching that ensures the blanket's internal weighted beads are distributed evenly throughout each use. Each blanket also comes with a super-soft, removable micro-fiber duvet cover that comes in three colors: galaxy blue, moon ivory, and space gray. Both the blanket and duvet cover are machine washable and super cozy.

Business Insider tech reporter Avery Hartmans is a huge fan of the weighted blanket, saying it helped her have "some of the best naps of my life." She said that it helped her fall asleep instantly every time she used it before adding, "the Gravity Blanket helps me feel calm, relaxed — and very, very sleepy."

Shoppers on Amazon agree, giving it a 3.8-star rating. One reviewer said, "This is one of the best purchases I have ever made. I place it on top of my comforter when I go to bed. I fall asleep in a quarter or half of the time that it used to take me."

Pros: Helps you fall asleep fast, super soft, removable duvet, machine-washable, three different weights to choose from

Cons: Expensive

Buy the 25-pound Gravity Blanket on Amazon for $249 (price varies by weight)

The best cooling weighted blanket

The YnM Cooling Weighted Blanket is a high-quality weighted blanket that will keep you cool throughout the night.

Many weighted blankets are made with fuzzy fleece or microfiber fabrics that are very cozy but can cause you to overheat throughout the night. The YnM Cooling Weighted Blanket is made from a breathable, moisture-wicking 300-thread-count bamboo viscose fabric that will keep you cool all night long, making it the perfect option for people who get hot while they sleep.

The inside of the soft blanket is filled with thinner polyfill and premium glass beads. There are different weights to choose from. The blanket is machine washable and comes with a three-year warranty for free mending if unexpected damage occurs to your blanket.

While the YnM Cooling Weighted Blanket comes in a more breathable fabric, the rest of the blanket works the same way as the brand's original option that was tested by Insider Picks reporter, Mara Leighton. Mara had this to say about the blanket, "It has markedly improved the quality of my sleep, and it's something that has made me genuinely excited to climb into bed after a long day."

Shoppers on Amazon seem to agree with Mara's assessment, as the blanket has a 4.4-star average rating. One reviewer wrote, "I love this blanket. I have a thicker fuzzier weighted blanket that gets way to hot for me with night sweats going on. This one is nicely heavy but also cool. Thinner and less bulky. The fabric is luxurious feeling and well made. The pellets shift a little in their pockets but plenty of division to keep the weight distributed evenly. Best nights sleep ever!!"

A few reviewers mentioned that they wished there was more of a variety of colors. The cooling version only comes in grey or teal, while the brand's original weighted blanket has 10 different colors to choose from.

Pros: Affordable, keeps you cool at night, moisture-wicking and breathable, good weight distribution

Cons: Only has two color options

Buy the YnM Cooling Weighted Blanket on Amazon for $76.90-$129

Read our full review of the YnM Weighted Blanket

The best hypoallergenic weighted blanket

If you have allergies or sensitivities towards certain fabrics and materials, opt for the hypoallergenic Good Knight Weighted Blanket.

The Good Knight Weighted Blanket is a quality-made hypoallergenic weighted blanket. It is made from 100% premium cotton and is weighed down with tiny, non-toxic, poly-pellets. You can also separately buy a duvet cover for the blanket which is also made from 100% premium cotton.

The blanket comes in three different weights — 15, 17, and 20 pounds — and they are all measure 60 by 80 inches. It comes in a sleek dark gray color that complements practically everything. Shoppers also loved how soft and cozy the blanket was.

Peruse the reviews on Amazon, where the blanket has a 4.7-star average rating and you'll see buyers saying that the blanket made them feel warm and comfortable throughout the night.

One reviewer wrote, "The blanket is durable and is soft even without a duvet cover. I got this as an alternative to having a million blankets piled on me as the weight helps me sleep. My boyfriend describes it as 'the full body hug blanket' which is pretty accurate, the weight is evenly distributed and the stitching feels very strong, as these were my main concerns when looking for for a weighted blanket."

Pros: Hypoallergenic, made with 100% premium cotton and non-toxic pellets, soft and comfortable, helps you sleep faster

Cons: Duvet cover sold separately

Buy the Good Knight Weighted Blanket on Amazon for $64.98-$69.98

The best dual-sided weighted blanket

The Calmforter Weighted Blanket is a super-soft weighted blanket that has different colors and textures on either side.

If you like to switch up the look of a room often, opt for the Calmforter Weighted Blanket. The therapeutic blanket comes with a removable minky fabric cover that features different colors on either side. The outer cover is also soft and fuzzy on one side while the opposite side features unique SensaCool dot embellishments for sensory stimulation.

The blanket uses a weighting system filled with CloudSoft Polyfill, Stardust Minibead, and 100% glass beads. It comes in both a 12-pound and 15-pound option. Both are measured at 60 by 80 inches. There are seven color options to choose from including blue/green, purple/gray, and brown/cream.

It has an average star rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon with nearly 800 reviews. One shopper wrote, "This blanket is amazing! I purchased it for my daughter who has insomnia, anxiety, and a sensory disorder. Provides the perfect amount of pressure and comes in her favorite color. She was stoked when it arrived. I love the fact it has 2 textures. It helps a lot."

A few people did note that the inner weighted blanket can shift around if you don't secure it properly to the outer cover, so they suggested making sure the inner ties connecting the two are completely secure before using it.

Pros: Two colorways, super soft, helps you fall asleep quickly, has a textured side for sensory stimulation

Cons: Inner layer can shift if not properly secured

Buy the Calmforter Weighted Blanket on Amazon for $147.11

The best weighted blanket for kids

If your children are having trouble sleeping, try the Quility Premium Kids Weighted Blanket.

The ideal weight of a weighted blanket should be around 10% of your body weight plus one or two pounds. Since most weighted blankets start at 12 pounds and go up to 25 pounds, they are typically too heavy for children to use. But the Quility Premium Kids Weighted Blanket comes in four different weights ranging from 5 to 12 pounds, making it perfect for children (there are also heavier options for teens and adults).

The blankets are made with 100% breathable natural cotton and are filled with glass beads that stay evenly distributed in small pockets. Each blanket comes with a soft, removable duvet cover that is machine washable. The blanket's dimensions depend on which weight you choose and the measurements range from 36 by 48 inches to 60 by 80 inches.

It has a 4.8-star average rating on Amazon with more than 7,000 reviews. One reviewer wrote, "This blanket is amazing. Before, getting my son to turn off his brain every night was a struggle. He would refuse to go to bed. He would toss and turn and would sleep only an hour or two throughout the night. After he received the blanket he was able to rest and sleep most of the night. Well worth the price if your child is unable to sleep."

A handful of shoppers mentioned the removable cover stained other items in the laundry. So be sure to clean on its own, at least the first time you wash it.

Pros: Ideal weight for children, super soft removable cover, helps kids fall asleep faster and stay asleep, four different weights to choose from

Cons: Need to wash it on its own

Buy the Quility Premium Kids Weighted Blanket on Amazon for $59.70 - $99.70

Four more great weighted blankets we tested and recommend

Check our other bedding buying guides

The best pillows you can buy for your bed

A good pillow means a good night's sleep. We reviewed dozens of pillows to narrow down the choices to the ones you'll love best.

While ultimately, there is no "best for everyone" pillow — personal preference plays a huge part in determining the pillow you'll like the most — we checked out all the top recommendations from consumer buying websites, listened to what pillow buyers had to say, and even tried out some of the pillows ourselves to bring you the five picks most likely to send you off to the land of Nod comfortably.

Here are our top picks for the best pillows:

• Best pillow overall: Coop Home Goods Adjustable Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
• Best hybrid pillow: Leesa Hybrid Pillow
• Best down pillow: Royal Hotel Goose Down Pillow
• Best luxurious pillow: Saatva Pillow
• Best buckwheat hull pillow: Zen Chi Buckwheat Hull Pillow
• Best budget pillow: Smart Home Bedding Super Plush Pillow
• Best memory foam pillow: Sleep Innovations Cool Contour Memory Foam Pillow
• Best bolster pillow: Half-Moon Bolster Pillow
• Best latex pillow: Beautyrest Latex Foam Pillow
• Best gel pillow: Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow
• Best body pillow: Snuggle-Pedic Ultra-Luxury Full Body Pillow

The best duvet covers you can buy

Your cozy down-filled duvet needs a stylish cover to keep it clean and add some spice to your bedroom's décor.

We've rounded up the duvet covers likeliest to suit your style, your budget, and your needs.

Here are the best duvet covers you can buy:

• Best duvet cover overall: Brooklinen Classic Duvet Cover
• Best zip-up duvet cover: Crane & Canopy's Nova Duvet Cover
• Best print duvet cover: Leaves print duvet cover from Word of Dream
• Best kids duvet cover: Animal-print Reversible Duvet Cover set from Where the Polka Dots Roam
• Best affordable duvet cover: HC Collection Duvet Cover Set

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider, Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• Storing your rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets in a jewelry organizer is a smart move, especially if you don't want to lose any of the precious pieces. 
• We sorted through the many old-fashioned, unattractive jewelry boxes on the internet to find 15 you'll actually be proud to display on top of your drawer. 
• They include glass, wood, geometric, and travel options. 

When you own multiple rings, pairs of earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, you naturally want an organizational system to keep all the pieces neat and tidy.

When you look up "jewelry box" or "jewelry organizer," however, many of the options look old-fashioned or unattractive. Why house your most beautiful accessories in a frumpy organizer? 

We found 15 jewelry boxes that you won't want to hide away in your drawers and can instead display proudly. Depending on the style of the rest of your room, you'll find just the right jewelry box for you, whether you prefer layers upon layers of compartments, a single glass box, or anything in between. 

Nice jewelry organizers are often pricier, but these options all come from sites where you can use coupons and promo codes to bring the price down. Visit Business Insider Coupons to save at retailers mentioned below like West Elm and The Container Store. 

Organize your jewelry in style with these 15 organizers. 

A compact travel case

Wolf Caroline Travel Jewelry Case, $85, available in 2 colors at Nordstrom

With this protective yet attractive case, you can bring your jewelry on your travels with confidence and style. It measures 4.5" x 4.5" x 2," featuring four small compartments, seven ring rolls, a built-in mirror, and three necklace hooks behind the mirror.  

A modular organizer you can add to as your collection grows

Stackers Blush Classic Premium Stackable Jewelry Box, $18.74-$24.74, available at The Container Store

Stackers do exactly what they sound like: stack on top of each other in various arrangements. They come in various designs, including a ring and bracelet box, 25-section box for earrings, and a one-compartment box. You can mix and match them to create a personalized set-up. 

A vintage-style organizer

Wolf Chloe Jewelry Box, $169-$299, available in 2 colors at Nordstrom

This vintage-style leather jewelry box has a top handle so you can carry it from room to room. Depending on how much jewelry you have, you can get the small or large size. Either way, it comes with a removable travel case. 

A set of stacking bowls

Umbra Tesora Jewelry Box, $31.58, available in 2 colors at Amazon

Stack or separate these simple, versatile bowls, then use the metal lid to display your favorite pieces or prepare the pieces you're going to wear the next morning. 

A unique wooden box

Ease Jewelry Box, $60, available at West Elm

This creatively designed box slides to reveal multiple drawers to store your jewelry. The white metal and beech wood look clean and stylish on your tabletop. 

Hexagonal glass boxes

Hexagon Nesting Glass Shadow Boxes, $32, available at West Elm

Instead of hiding away your jewelry (and forgetting which compartments hold what pieces), show it off in a geometric glass box. This set has three different-sized boxes with a shiny gold finish. 

Another geometric alternative to a traditional box

Soft Geo Modern Lacquer Jewelry Box, $99, available at West Elm

The tiered lacquer box is lined with soft pink velvet and accented with gold finishes, making your jewelry feel even more luxurious. If you're looking for a well-organized jewelry box with a not-so-standard look, you've found it. 

A tall, lockable organizer

Charlton Home Jewelry Box, $111.99, available at Wayfair

If you don't have much space, go vertical. The subtly curved organizer has no less than seven drawers (the top one can be locked), two necklace compartments, and a small mirror. 

A sleek, mirrored box

Roar + Rabbit Mirrored Jewelry Box, $199, available at West Elm

West Elm partnered with design firm Roar + Rabbit, known for its modern style punctuated by whimsical details, to make this sleek and pretty jewelry organizer. 

A large glass trinket box

The White Company Large Trinket Box, $36, available at Nordstrom

If you're a fan of the glass look, here's a larger box option. But try not to put too many pieces in — it could look messy and overcrowded. 

A painted wooden box

Boho Painted Wood Stash Box, $18, available at Urban Outfitters

The cute mango-wood box features beautiful, intricate painted designs on each side, matching boho style rooms with ease. 

An organizer with a clever slide-out design

Umbra Terrace Jewelry Organizer, $22.49, available at The Container Store

This beautiful organizer opens up to reveal the contents of all its tiers, so you never forget about the bracelet or pair of earrings in the bottom drawer. It's made from a mix of materials: wood, canvas, and metal. and the stand has rubber feet to prevent it from slipping on or scratching your desk. 

A grid organizer for earrings and rings

Mele & Co. Maria Large Flocked Jewelry Box, $35.00, available in 3 colors at Urban Outfitters

Best for earring and ring collectors, this large box will only run you $35. It has a stretchy pocket in case you do have some necklaces or bracelets to store. 

A luxurious red leather box

Gift Boutique Jewelry Travel Box, $110, available at Shopbop

This box might be a little big to carry for traveling, but it's gorgeous and well-organized nonetheless. It features a deep red lizard-embossed patent leather that will never get old to look at and touch. 

A stylish and sturdy organizer

Stella Jewelry Box, $149-$249, available at Pottery Barn

The "Ultimate" version of this box is clear to offer a glimpse into its contents, while the Large opens up in the middle. You can add a monogram for an extra $10 to make it feel special. 

• Thirty-two black female cadets will graduate from the United States Military Academy on May 25 — the largest group of black women the school has matriculated in its 217-year history.
• The school, more commonly referred to as West Point, shared photos of the historic group, posing in dress uniform, with INSIDER on Thursday.
• West Point has been making an effort to recruit more multicultural cadets since 2014, when it set up a diversity office.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A group of black female cadets at the United States Military Academy proudly posed for photos together ahead of their May 25 graduation, to mark being part of the largest class of black women to graduate from the 217-year-old institution.

Thirty-two black women are set to graduate from the school, more commonly known as West Point, in the class of 2019, the Philadelphia Tribune reported. The momentous occasion comes more than 155 years after the end of slavery, and nearly 99 years after women won the right to vote.

West Point was founded in 1802 but didn't admit its first black cadet until 1870. The first women were admitted in 1976.

Since 2014 though, the school has been making more of an effort to recruit more cadets from different backgrounds, by setting up an office of diversity, according to CNN.

West Point spokesman Frank Demaro told CNN on Wednesday that he expects many more landmarks in the school's future when it comes to diversity.

"Last year's graduating class had 27" black women, Demaro said. "And the expectation is next year's class will be even larger than this year's."

Demaro also pointed out that this year's class includes "the highest number of female Hispanic graduates, along with graduating our 5,000th female cadet."

Read more:This remarkable teenager was accepted into four of the US military academies

According to the school, 10% of the student population is black and about 20% are women.

Cadet Tiffany Welch-Baker is among the group of black women graduating the school this month. She told the website Because of Them We Can that she hopes the photos will inspire young black girls.

"My hope when young black girls see these photos is that they understand that regardless of what life presents you, you have the ability and fortitude to be a force to be reckoned with," Welch-Baker said.

In other strides, last year the school appointed its first black superintendent, and named the first black female student to serve as First Captain of the Corps of Cadets, the highest student leadership position at the school.

• Read more:
• The 7 best basketball players who served in the military and made it to the NBA
• Trump wants to undo a change made by Mattis to allow athletes at military academies to go straight to the pros
• 'Commie Cadet' has been kicked out the Army for advocating communist revolt

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We spent a day with US Border Patrol in El Paso, where the agency is overwhelmed by the volume of migrants crossing the US-Mexico border

• Steve Jobs' lifelong interest in the humanities gave Apple a human touch.
• Some of the iconic CEO's favorite books included Herman Melville's "Moby Dick," Shunryu Suzuki's "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind," and the poems of Dylan Thomas.
• Here are 14 books that inspired Steve Jobs.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Why did Apple "think different"?

As Steve Jobs said while introducing the iPad, the Mac maker was never just a tech company. 

"The reason that Apple is able to create products like the iPad is because we've always tried to be at the intersection of technology and the liberal arts," he said.

Read more:The 10 best books about technology, according to Bill Gates

Jobs' lifelong interest in the humanities gave Apple a human touch.

By combining tech and the liberal arts, Jobs said that Apple was able to "to make extremely advanced products from a technology point of view, but also have them be intuitive, easy-to-use, fun-to-use, so that they really fit the users." 

Jobs arrived at that perspective through a lifetime of reading, as reviewed in Walter Isaacson's biography and other places. We've put together a list of 14 books that most inspired him. 

Drake Baer contributed to a previous version of this article.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best books about technology, according to Bill Gates

Steve Jobs fell in love with 'King Lear' by William Shakespeare in his final years of high school.

Jobs really found his literary bent in the last two years of high school. 

"I started to listen to music a whole lot," he told Isaacson, "and I started to read more outside of just science and technology — Shakespeare, Plato. I loved 'King Lear.'" 

The tragedy may have provided a cautionary tale to a young Jobs, since it's the story of an aged monarch going crazy trying to divide up his kingdom. 

"'King Lear' offers a vivid depiction of what can go wrong if you lose your grip on your empire, a story surely fascinating to any aspiring CEO," says Daniel Smith, author of "How to Think Like Steve Jobs." 

Buy it here »

The CEO also enjoyed 'Moby Dick' by Herman Melville during his adolescence.

Another epic story colored Jobs' outlook in his adolescence: "Moby Dick," the deeply American novel by Herman Melville. 

Isaacson draws a connection between Captain Ahab, who's one of the most driven and willful characters in literature, and Jobs. 

Ahab, like Jobs, did lots of his learning from direct experience, rather than relying on institutions. 

"I prospectively ascribe all the honour and the glory to whaling," the captain writes early in the story, "for a whale-ship was my Yale College and my Harvard."

Buy it here »

'The Collected Poems of Dylan Thomas' drew in Jobs for its popularity and creativity.

But the intellectual flowering that Jobs had in late high school wasn't confined to hard-charging megalomaniacs — he also discovered a love for verse, particularly Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. 

"How To Think Like Steve Jobs" author Daniel Smith says that Thomas' poems "drew him in with its striking new forms and unerringly popular touch."

"Do not go gentle into that good night" became a reported favorite:  

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Buy it here »

'Be Here Now' by Ram Dass reportedly transformed Jobs when he was in college.

In late 1972, Jobs had just started at Reed College, an elite liberal arts school in Portland, Oregon. He started taking LSD and reading lots of books about spirituality. 

"Be Here Now," a guide to meditation by Ram Dass, affected Jobs greatly. Born Richard Alpert, Dass offers an account of his encounters with South Asian metaphysics: 

Now, though I am a beginner on the path, I have returned to the West for a time to work out karma or unfulfilled commitment. Part of this commitment is to share what I have learned with those of you who are on a similar journey ... Each of us finds his unique vehicle for sharing with others his bit of wisdom.

For me, this story is but a vehicle for sharing with you the true message, the living faith in what is possible.

"It was profound," Jobs said. "It transformed me and many of my friends."

Buy it here »

Jobs swore off meat after reading 'Diet for a Small Planet' by Frances Moore Lappe.

In that first year at Reed, Jobs also read "Diet for a Small Planet," a book about protein-rich vegetarianism that went on to sell 3 million copies. 

It was a breakthrough. 

"That's when I pretty much swore off meat for good," Jobs told Isaacson.

The book had another effect on Jobs: it gave him permission to experiment with extreme diets like purging or fasting.

Buy it here »

Jobs stared juice fasting after reading 'Mucusless Diet Healing System' by Arnold Ehret .

But Jobs' diet grew more adventurous after reading "Muscusless Diet Healing System" by early-20th-century German dietitian Arnold Ehret, who recommended practices like "intermittent juice fasting." 

"I got into it in my typical nutso way," Jobs told Isaacson.

After getting to know Ehret's work, Jobs became something of a nutritional extremist, subsisting on carrots for weeks at a time — to the point that his skin reportedly started turning orange.

But don't try this at home: Ashton Kutcher tried the all-fruit diet while prepping for his role as Steve Jobs, and it landed him in the hospital.

Buy it here »

Jobs read 'Autobiography of a Yogi' by Paramahansa Yogananda in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Jobs read "Autobiography of a Yogi" by Indian guru Paramahansa Yogananda when he was in high school. 

Then he reread it while he stayed at a guesthouse in the foothills of the Himalayas in India.

Jobs explained:

There was a copy there of "Autobiography of a Yogi" in English that a previous traveler had left, and I read it several times, because there was not a lot to do, and I walked around from village to village and recovered from my dysentery.

Unlike the sickness, the book remained a major part of Jobs' life. He reread it every year.

Buy it here »

Jobs read 'Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind' by Shunryu Suzuki, and attended classes led by the author.

After Jobs got back from India, his interest in meditation continued to flourish. This is partly thanks to geography (1970s California was the place where Zen Buddhism got its first foothold in America), and Jobs was able to attend classes led by Shunryu Suzuki, the Japanese monk who authored "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind." 

Like everything else, Jobs went hard into Zen. 

"He became really serious and self-important and just generally unbearable," says Daniel Kottke, his best friend at the time. 

"Zen has been a deep influence in my life ever since," Jobs told Isaacson. "At one point I was thinking about going to Japan and trying to get into the Eihei-ji monastery, but my spiritual adviser urged me to stay here (in California)." 

Buy it here »

'The Innovator's Dilemma' by Clayton M. Christensen taught Jobs how not to get left behind by technology.

Apple made a habit of disrupting itself. The iPhone, for instance, had lots of the features of the iconic iPod, thus rendering the music device obsolete. 

Jobs was able to see that that cannibalism was a necessary part of growth, thanks to the "Innovator's Dilemma" by legendary Harvard Business School professor Clay Christensen.

The book posits that companies get ruined by their own success, staying committed to a product even after technology (and customers) move on, like Blockbuster did with physical movie rentals.

Jobs made it clear that the same thing wouldn't happen to Apple, as he said in his explanation of why it needed to embrace cloud computing: 

It's important that we make this transformation, because of what Clayton Christensen calls "the innovator's dilemma," where people who invent something are usually the last ones to see past it, and we certainly don't want to be left behind. 

Read more on Christensen.

Buy it here »

'Cosmic Consciousness' by Richard Maurice Bucke inspired Jobs to travel across the globe.

Kottke recently shared a list of the books he and Jobs read around their time at Reed — ones that inspired Jobs' travels across the globe as well as his professional pursuits.

One of the most influential works on that list is "Cosmic Consciousness: A Study in the Evolution of the Human Mind," originally published by a Canadian psychiatrist in 1901.

Based on his own supposed experiences with enlightenment, Bucke makes the case for a higher form of consciousness than the normal person possesses. He outlines three forms of consciousness: the simple consciousness of animals and humans; the self-consciousness of humans, which includes reason and imagination; and cosmic consciousness, which transcends factual understanding.

You can read the full text online.

Buy it here »

Jobs read 'The Way of the White Clouds' by Lama Anagarika Govinda as he started to explore Buddhism.

Buddhism was a tremendous influence in Jobs' life, and it's said that Zen philosophy helped inspire the simplistic design of Apple products.

Around the time they were beginning to explore Buddhism, Kottke said he and Jobs read this spiritual autobiography by a Buddhist who was one of the last foreigners to travel through Tibet before the Chinese invasion of 1950. Here the author recounts his experiences learning about Tibetan culture and tradition.

Buy it here »

Jobs read 'Ramakrishna and his Disciples' by Christopher Isherwood as part of his literary exploration.

Kottke and Jobs' literary exploration also included this biography of the 19th-century Hindu saint Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, originally published in 1965.

Fans of the book say Isherwood refrains from preaching and from passing judgment on Ramakrishna's teachings. Instead, he helps readers understand how the saint became so widely influential and revered by taking them on a journey from Ramakrishna's childhood through his spiritual education.

You can read the full text online.

Buy it here »

'Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism' by Chogyam Trungpa taught Jobs that sense of self is an illusion.

This book was among those that Kottke and Jobs read while exploring Buddhist religion and philosophy.

It's a transcript of two lectures the author gave, between 1970 and 1971, on common traps in spiritual journeys.

The main idea is that the ego, or the sense of self, is only an illusion. Instead of trying to improve themselves through spirituality, Trungpa urges readers to just let themselves exist.

You can read the full text here.

Buy it here »

Jobs read 'Meetings With Remarkable Men' by George Ivanovich Gurdjieff, another book about a spiritual journey.

On their personal spiritual journeys, Jobs and Kottke derived inspiration from others who had embarked on similar quests for knowledge.

The second volume of the All and Everything trilogy, originally published in 1963, features the author's recounting of people he met during his travels across Central Asia.

Gurdjieff, a Greek-Armenian spiritual teacher, sought spiritual and existential fulfillment in everyone from his father to a Persian dervish. One reader compares the work to a 20th-century version of the allegory "Pilgrim's Progress."

In 1979, the book was adapted into a film by the same name.

Buy it here »

• All cancer is a result of damage or genetic mutations in our DNA.
• But the various reasons individual cancer cases pop up in people are complex: some are genetic and passed down from one generation to the next, while others are a result of things in our environment that we inhale, eat, or use. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Cancer is the number 2 most common cause of death in the US, second only to heart disease.

It fundamentally affects the way our cells grow and divide, changing them in perverse ways. All cancer is a result of damage or genetic mutations in our DNA. The debilitating class of diseases spreads through a body like an invading army, as toxic cells grow relentlessly into unruly tumors.

Some cases of cancer are out of our control, determined by genetic defects and predispositions passed down from one generation to the next, or spurred by genetic changes we undergo through our lifetime.

But we also know that breathing in certain substances, eating specific things, and even using some kinds of plastics ups the risk of developing some deadly cancers.

Here are some known carcinogens (cancer-causers), as well as a few more things scientists are zeroing in on as prime suspects.

SEE ALSO: A study of more than 100,000 people has found that one food group is closely linked with cancer

Sugar

Scientists now know that eating too much sweet stuff can not only lead to diabetes, but actively damage your cells and increase your risk of developing cancer.

But that's not all.

New research suggests that sugar may fuel tumor growth in the body — because cancer loves to use sugar as fuel.

"The hyperactive sugar consumption of cancerous cells leads to a vicious cycle of continued stimulation of cancer development and growth" Johan Thevelein, a Belgian molecular biologist, said in October after the release of his study.

Scientists say that the groundbreaking research gives us a better understanding of how sugar and cancer interact and that it could one day help create targeted diet strategies for patients.

NOW WATCH: The differences that matter between Splenda, Equal, Sweet'N Low, and sugar >>

Processed foods

Any food that comes in a crinkly plastic wrapper, is industrially sealed, and is designed to last for months without spoiling may be a quick on-the-go fix for a hunger pang, but it's also most likely increasing your risk of cancer.

Scientists in France recently zeroed in on a link between people who eat more processed foods and those who develop cancer.

They're not sure yet whether the problem is the shelf-stabilizing ingredients, the plastic packaging, or some combination of the two. And because their study was correlative, it's possible there's some other hidden factor at work.

NOW WATCH: I ate nothing but 'healthy' fast food for a week — here's what happened >>

Smoking

Though the tobacco industry tried to cover this one up, we've known for years that tobacco smoke has at least 70 cancer-causing chemicals inside.

And it's not just smokers who are affected — people who inhale secondhand smoke can develop deadly forms of cancer too.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says: "Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or at work increase their risk of developing lung cancer by 20-30%."

People who chew their tobacco are at increased risk too.

Tanning and unprotected sun exposure

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, people who use a tanning bed before age 35 increase their risk of developing melanoma by 75%.

Regular sun can hurt you too, so wearing protective clothing and sunscreen and finding shade are good ideas if you're going to be out in the sunshine for more than 15 minutes.

Toxic chemicals at work

Some people work with cancer-causing substances daily.

Those at risk of coming in contact with cancer-causing substances on the job include:

• Aluminum workers.

• Painters.

• Tar pavers, who come in contact with the carcinogen benzene.

• Rubber manufacturers.

• Hairdressers who deal with dyes every day.

• Nail-salon workers breathing in dangerous fumes.

The night shift

The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified nighttime work as a probable carcinogen in 2007. Scientists think working at night, and working long hours into the darkness, can both mess with the body's natural, circadian sleep and wake cycles.

The CDC has a full list of occupational cancer hazards.

Arsenic

Arsenic, a natural part of the Earth's crust, is toxic in its inorganic form. It's often found in contaminated drinking water in places like Bangladesh, or in spots where irrigation systems for crops use arsenic water.

The World Health Organization says at least 140 million people in 50 countries drink water containing high levels of arsenic.

It's also one of the cancer-causing agents in tobacco.

Charred meat, and grilling over an open flame

Smoky meats from the grill may be tender and tasty, but they probably also increase your risk of cancer. That's because the muscle meats contain compounds called heterocyclic amines, or HCAs, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs.

According to the National Cancer Institute, when meats like beef, poultry, or fish are cooked over a hot open flame or pan-fried at high temperatures, the fat and juices they release into the fire spark flames with the dangerous chemicals inside that then cook into the meat we eat.

They're not positive that these chemicals cause cancer, but in lab tests they have been found to change DNA in ways that might increase the risk of cancer.

Coal

Coal miners have for years had higher rates of cancer in their lungs, bladder, and stomach. There's sufficient data to suggest miners who deal with coal gasification or who inhale coal dust can get cancer.

Alcohol

Regular heavy alcohol consumption can up your risk of developing several different kinds of cancer, including throat, liver, breast and colon cancer.

According to the National Cancer Institute, "the risk of developing cancer increases with the amount of alcohol a person drinks."

A new analysis of nearly 600,000 drinkers in 19 high-income countries found that drinking more alcohol is associated with developing all kinds of cancers of the digestive system. Another recent study of alcohol consumers in 195 countries and territories around the world found that more than one in four alcohol-related deaths in people over age 50 are due to cancer. 

Diesel exhaust

Diesel oil has more than 30 components that can cause cancer, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Salt-cured meat or fish and pickled foods

Salt-cured fish, which is popular in China, is high in nitrates and nitrites — known carcinogens in animals that may also cause cancer in humans. The chemical compounds can damage DNA, leading to head and neck cancer.

According to Cancer Research UK, "people from China, or with Chinese ancestry living in the UK, have higher rates of nasopharyngeal cancer than other ethnic groups," something that might be because of their diet.

Eating lots of pickled foods can also increase your risk of stomach cancer.

Fracking

Chemicals used in oil fracking that may be released into air and water include the cancer-causers benzene and formaldehyde.

Processed meats like ham, bacon, and sausage

The World Health Organization says processed meats like hot dogs, ham, bacon, and sausage can contribute to cancer risk. That's because the meat has been treated in some way to preserve or flavor it, such as by salting, curing, fermenting, or smoking.

The WHO says it's possible that any kind of red meat could be linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer, and there's some evidence to suggest the meat also contributes to pancreatic and prostate cancers, though that evidence is not as strong. A recent roundup of 15 breast cancer studies found that people who regularly eat more processed meats increase their risk of developing breast cancer by 9%, when compared to people who don't eat very much processed meat at all.

Consuming the equivalent of one hot dog or roughly two slices of bacon every day increases your relative risk for colorectal cancer by 18%.

Asbestos

Asbestos was used as an insulation material for years before the dust was linked to lung cancer.

Products that contain asbestos are not completely banned in the US, though the Environmental Protection Agency regulates their use.

Glyphosate, a common weed killer used by many farmers

You may know the chemical better as an active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup. 

Some studies have suggested that the weed-killer, which is one of the most common pesticides used on crops in the US, is linked with higher rates of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in farmers and gardeners. 

A group of more than 300 US farmers sued Monsanto in federal court earlier this year, alleging that working with the chemical has given them cancer. In May, a jury in California ordered Monsanto to pay $2.05 billion to a couple who claims that using Roundup for 35 years caused them to contract non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, following another $80 million payout a federal jury awarded earlier this year to a man who used the weed-killer on his property for over two decades. More than 13,000 similar suits have popped up across the country.

Monsanto argues there's no evidence the chemical causes cancer, and points to one 2017 study of more than 54,000 pesticide sprayers in Iowa and North Carolina that found no statistically significant association between glyphosate and any kind of cancer. However, that study did note that chemical sprayers who had the most exposure to the chemical were more at-risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia than others. 

Scientists are still not sure there's enough evidence that the trace amounts of the pesticide found in food is harmful to our DNA, but more and more research suggests it's not good for people who are exposed to the chemical day after day, like farmers and gardeners. It's also definitely killing off some butterflies.

Wood dust

Saw mill workers and cabinet makers who breathe in tons of dust from cutting and shaping wood on a regular basis are more likely to develop cancers of the sinus and nasal cavity than the average person.

Birth control and estrogens

Women who start menstruation early or go into menopause later may have an increased risk of breast cancer because they're exposed to more estrogen and progesterone made by the ovaries.

Women going through menopause who use a combined estrogen-progestin therapy to help ease their symptoms may also be at a greater risk of developing breast cancer.

Using birth control pills may also increase a woman's risk of developing cervical cancer, though there is some evidence that being on birth control is associated with a reduced risk of developing other cancers, such as endometrial (uterus), colorectal, and ovarian.

Viruses

Catching certain kinds of viruses can indirectly increase your risk of cancer. That's because in some situations, viruses trigger genetic changes in cells that can contribute to cancer.

The CDC says: "Some viruses linked to cancer are the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer; hepatitis B and C viruses, which can cause liver cancer; and the Epstein-Barr virus, which may cause a type of lymphoma. Also, the H. pylori bacterium can cause gastric cancer."

Your family

Some cancer risk is passed down from one generation to the next. Genetic mutations play a key role in about 5-10% of all cancers.

"Genetic changes that promote cancer can be inherited from our parents if the changes are present in germ cells, which are the reproductive cells of the body (eggs and sperm)," the National Cancer Institute says.

For example, certain kinds of breast cancer are a result of mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.

Obesity

Obesity can put you at increased risk of developing types of cancers including breast, colon, rectum, esophagus, kidney, and pancreas.

But there are things you can do to reduce your risk. Prevention includes eating healthy foods and getting enough physical activity, both of which not only help people maintain a healthy weight and reduce their chances of developing some of those cancers, but can also ward off depression and boost your mood, too. 

Formaldehyde

Scientists have known for years that formaldehyde can cause nasal cancer in rats.

The preserving agent and disinfectant is used in some glues and building products, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer says it can cause cancer in humans too.

Implants

Putting foreign objects into your body like silicone breast implants (or other metals and ceramics) can also lead to cancer, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

But the Mayo Clinic says the find isn't a reason to put your surgeon on speed dial just yet.

"A recent review of documented cases of BIA-ALCL (breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma) in the United States from 1996 to 2015 determined that the incidence of BIA-ALCL was two per 1 million women with a textured breast implant," according to Mayo.

Air pollution

Smoggy air — and the particulates in it — can also lead to cancer.

Soot in general isn't great. In London, people started noticing lots of chimney sweeps developing scrotal cancer in the 1770s, and further studies found a link between the backbreaking chimney work and higher cancer rates.

Soot inhalation has also been linked to lung, esophageal, and bladder cancers.

Disaster sites

Breathing air infused with toxic fumes for years at a time can also lead to cancer. 

Scientists have studied New York City firefighters, office workers, and students who returned to downtown Manhattan in the days and weeks after the 9/11 attacks and found that they consistently have higher rates of roughly 70 different types of cancer, including breast, cervical, colon, and lung cancers. 

According to the federal World Trade Center Health Program count, more than 9,300 firefighters, cops, office workers, and children who were living in or working around downtown Manhattan on 9/11 have cancer. An additional 420 survivors have died from cancer.

Likewise, people who lived near the site of the 1986 nuclear disaster at Chernobyl in Ukraine have developed higher-than-usual rates of lung and thyroid cancers, as well as leukemia. 

Silica

Silica is a natural mineral found in sand, stone, and concrete. When construction workers and miners inhale silica particles by cutting, sawing or drilling into rock, it can increase their risk of developing lung cancer.

Radiation

We know that X-rays and gamma rays can cause cancer. We can also get it from solar UV rays.

But one trip to the doctor isn't going to give you cancer.

The link between radiation and cancer risk tends to show up in studies of people who've been exposed to high doses of radiation, like people affected by the Chernobyl nuclear accident, and people who have cancer, who are sometimes treated with high doses of radiation.

Still, the American Cancer Society cautions that "there is no threshold below which this kind of radiation is thought to be totally safe."

Chronic, long-term, DNA-damaging inflammation

Chronic inflammation from things like long-term infections, bowel disease, or obesity can all damage a person's DNA and lead to higher cancer rates.

Some plastics

Plastics can be dangerous, especially when they leach chemicals out through scratches or cracks in a container.

BPA is a synthetic estrogen that has been used in many plastics and resins since the 1960s. BPA resins can be used inside products like metal food cans as sealants, while polycarbonate BPA plastics can include water bottles and food storage containers.

BPA even shows up on the shiny side of receipt paper to stabilize the ink.

While many plastics manufacturers have started labeling their products "BPA-free," there's still a lot of the breast- and prostate-cancer-causing stuff around.

Getting intimate before you've had your HPV shots

Human papillomavirus is a common family of sexually transmitted viruses, and it's one of the ones we mentioned earlier that can cause cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 40 different types can be passed around through sexual contact. 

Many forms of the virus go away on their own and are relatively harmless, but others can cause cervical, penile, vaginal, and anal cancers. Even using a condom won't necessarily prevent the spread of HPV, though. That's why the CDC recommends that all boys and girls get the HPV vaccine, ideally before their first sexual encounter.

And in rare cases, a smooch can cause cancer

Around 98% of us will contract the potentially cancer-causing mononeucleosis virus by the time we're adults, from either kissing someone who has the virus, sharing food or drinks, or coming in close contact with them when they're coughing or sneezing. 

This Epstein-Barr virus is relatively harmless for most of us, but in rare cases the herpes can lead to higher rates of nose cancers, lymphomas, and stomach cancers. 

Scalding hot beverages that can burn your tongue

Drinking scalding hot beverages that are steamy enough to burn a person's tongue prompts more cases of throat cancer.

Scientists have discovered that people who drink super-hot maté, which is traditionally served piping hot in chilly areas of South America, do have some higher rates of esophageal cancer, and drinking alcohol and smoking can compound the risk. 

Recently, researchers also discovered that people in northeastern Iran who drank two cups of very hot tea every day were at a 90% higher risk of developing esophageal cancer than their Iranian neighbors who waited for their brew to chill. 

This cancer risk is relatively small, though, and also fairly easy to avoid. Be kind to your tongue and to your esophagus: wait a few minutes before you sip hot drinks.

Acrylamide

The browning of some foods that are cooked at high temperatures — like bread, coffee, or french fries — produces a chemical compound called acrylamide.

This happens naturally in a process called the Maillard reaction.

The dose of acrylamide in a toasty cup of coffee or a chewy cookie is probably not going to kill you. It's dangerous when consumed in large doses (and it's one of the toxic chemicals smokers inhale), but there's no evidence that a little browning is harmful.

A California judged ruled in 2018 that coffee sellers in that state must include labels warning their customers about the possible cancer risks from acrylamide in coffee. But state and federal health experts aren't convinced the new rule is based on the best science.

The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is challenging the law, arguing there's not enough evidence that coffee causes cancer. The US Food and Drug Administration agrees, and recently backed up OEHHA's assessment, saying a cancer warning on coffee is more likely to confuse and mislead consumers than help them out.

In fact, both the International Agency for Research on Cancer and The American Cancer Society say scientific research suggests coffee is more likely a cancer-fighter, as it can reduce people's risk of developing certain cancers in the breast, liver and colon. 

Acrylamide is just one of more than 1,000 chemicals on a list that the state of California has on its danger list of potentially cancer-causing compounds. By law, California puts cancer warnings on all kinds of things, from parking decks to dentists' chairs.

While it is true that what we eat, where we go, and the things we breathe in every day can contribute to our chances of developing certain types of cancer, it's important to remember the class of debilitating and deadly diseases is not yet fully understood, and scientists are still hunting for potential cancer cures.

Update: This story has been updated to reflect the most recent studies on the chemical glyphosate, and the ongoing lawsuits against Monsanto. 

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

We rounded up the eight best sales and deals happening online today, with savings on Burrow furniture, appliances at Best Buy, and Adidas sneakers and apparel. For even more deals and savings across the web, check out Business Insider Coupons.

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Join the conversation about this story »

• Reddit.com might look alien and drab to most people — but if you're familiar with the site, you know what an incredible tool it can be.
• Reddit is made up of smaller internet communities, called "subreddits," and we've rounded up the best ones.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

At first glance, Reddit looks like a list of seemingly random links. But Reddit's front page is actually comprised of posts that thousands of people recently voted to the top of their respective communities, or "subreddits," which are areas of Reddit dedicated to a topic or idea.

There are subreddits for just about everything. If you have a particular hobby or interest, there's a good chance there's a subreddit for it. Just type www.reddit.com/r/____ , and fill in that blank. No, really. Most of the time, it works.

You'll find subreddits for advice (like r/AskReddit, or r/PersonalFinance), for movie lovers (r/Movies and r/MovieDetails), and even subreddits for your favorite TV shows (like r/TheBachelor, or r/FreeFolk for "Game of Thrones" fans).

But if you're new to Reddit, where should you start?

Here are the 41 essential subreddits everyone should follow.

SEE ALSO: I've used the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR — here's which one I'd recommend buying

1. r/EyeBleach

For when you need to get a terrifying or disgusting image out of your mind.

2. r/ShowerThoughts

Because the best and funniest ideas always happen in the shower.

3. r/NeverTellMeTheOdds

For proof that nothing is impossible.

4. r/LifeHacks

Because complete strangers on the internet can have the best ideas (like using peanut butter to occupy your dog's attention while you give them a wash).

5. r/TIFU

The community's welcome page reads: "Today I F--ked Up is a community for the dumbass in all of us. We all have those moments where we do something really stupid. Share your stories and laugh along with the internet."

6. r/SkinCareAddiction

It's important to keep your skin healthy. For any and all skincare issues, large or small, or even if you just want some general advice, this is the place to go.

7. r/Aww

r/Aww will never fail to warm your heart.

8. r/FoodPorn

It's a feast for the eyes, but you'll leave this subreddit feeling hungrier every single time.

9. r/ChildrenFallingOver

Because there's nothing wrong with a little harmless schadenfreude every now and then.

10. r/DadReflexes

Watching a bunch of dads make some heroic saves will make you feel less bad about watching r/ChildrenFallingOver too much.

11. r/CozyPlaces

This imagery can help you escape, which is needed sometimes.

12. r/NatureIsF--kingLit

It's like getting the excellent "Planet Earth" documentary series in bite-sized packages.

13. r/GetMotivated

For that mental push we all need every now and again.

14. r/AnimalsBeingBros

Watching animals be nice to each other is a good reminder for you, a human, to do the same.

15. r/YouShouldKnow

This subreddit gives some surprisingly good tips to navigate life.

16. r/MovieDetails

This subreddit will give you a newfound appreciation for the movies, and the filmmakers who love sneaking little details and Easter eggs into their works.

17. r/Tinder

Sometimes there's nothing better than watching the exploits of the hopelessly romantic. It will almost always make you laugh.

18. r/WholesomeGIFs

To remind yourself that there's plenty of good in the world.

19. r/TodayILearned

Because there are some incredible stories out there you should really know.

20. r/AmoledBackgrounds

Looking for a good phone background? Look no further.

21. r/MadeMeSmile

Because we all need a midday pick-me-up sometimes (this one shows the moment a girl hears that she and her siblings are getting adopted after years of waiting).

22. r/BikiniBottomTwitter

Because believe it or not, Spongebob Squarepants is often the best way to help express what you're experiencing in life.

23. r/Battlestations

To help inspire your next PC setup at home.

24. r/Awwducational

Because animals are just as fascinating as they are adorable. The description here: "Hippos can't really swim. Their big bones are too dense and heavy, so they just push off the ground, walking or bouncing off the bottom."

25. r/DesignPorn

Because it's always incredible to see how much thought was put into something you'd probably never think twice about.

26. r/OddlySatisfying

This subreddit never fails to stimulate your mind, even if you can't quite pinpoint why something is so satisfying to watch.

27. r/BossFight

Anything in this subreddit could be a boss fight in a video game. Trust me on this — it's a brilliant subreddit.

28. r/ExplainLikeImFive

Because nobody knows everything, and the best explanations are often the simplest ones.

29. r/GIFRecipes

Because sometimes you need ideas for dinner — or dessert.

30. r/Funny

Given it's one of the most popular subreddits, there's a good chance you'll see plenty of new content throughout the day to provide some much-needed levity.

31. r/HoldMyBeer

Because watching drunk people has its moments. (But seriously, please drink responsibly.)

32. r/HoldMyCosmo

The superior alternative to r/HoldMyBeer.

33. r/ImaginaryMonsters

Because the human mind is capable of some incredible and terrifying things. The above art was created by Reddit user toxonex.

34. r/Nostalgia

These are all great conversation starters. "Do you remember...?"

35. r/PupsOnSwings

I mean, it's puppies on swings. Come on.

36. r/Relationships

Because sometimes, the best way to examine your own relationships is to learn through others.

37. r/LifeProTips

A Life Pro Tip (or LPT) is "a tip that improves life for you and those around you in a specific and significant way," according to the subreddit.

38. r/ContagiousLaughter

Anything on this page is almost guaranteed to make you laugh. Some advice: Don't look at this subreddit at work.

39. r/DamnThatsInteresting

Other subreddits like r/BlackMagicF--kery and r/MildlyInteresting are also worth checking out if you like this one.

40. r/HighQualityGIFs

Because GIFs, when made by the right hands, can be their own little movies.

41. r/Videos

Youtube Embed:
//www.youtube.com/embed/hWLjYJ4BzvI
Width: 800px
Height: 315px

This subreddit ensures you will never run out of good things to watch.

These subreddits are just the tip of the iceberg.

There are literally thousands of subreddits out there, just waiting to be explored. Some communities are much larger than others, but it's incredible to know there are subreddits for almost every city, and people who like Ouija boards, and engineers, and Christmas, and Power Rangers, and just about anything you can think of.

Reddit is designed to be explored. Have fun!

• Christie's is the largest auction house in the world, with offices in 46 different countries. 
• Becoming a Christie's auctioneer is highly competitive. Every two years, up to 40 applicants are accepted, but only two or three will move on to private instruction.
• John Hays has been an auctioneer for nearly four decades. Over his career he's brought in nearly $1 billion in sales. 
• He showed us what it takes to be an art auctioneer at Christie's. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. 

Following is a transcript of the video.

John Hays: Who will give me $275, $275, 80, say $80, $80, $80, $280, $280, now say now $290, $290, $290.

Narrator: This is John Hays, an auctioneer of nearly four decades.

Hays: Now $320, $320, $350, $380, $400, and $400 is that all? And sold American. That's a tobacco auctioneer.

Narrator: John works for Christie's. Founded in London in 1766, it's the largest auction house in the world and now has offices in 46 different countries. But in John's posh world of art dealings, selling to the highest bidder sounds a bit different.

Hays: An art auctioneer may say,$240, sir, thank you, sir, $240, $260, $260, at $200, $280, thank you, $280, and $300, thank you, $300, is that all? Selling then for $300, for $300, sold. Two very different approaches.

Narrator: John has worked more than 500 auctions in his 36-year career, bringing in about $1 billion in sales. He's one of 56 auctioneers working worldwide for Christie's. Together in 2018, they racked in $7 billion in sales. Some of the priciest sales have included a Harry Winston Pink Legacy ring that sold for $50.3 million, Picasso's "Fillette à la corbeille fleurie" for $115 million, and in November 2017, Leonardo da Vinci's "Salvator Mundi" sold for a record $450 million with fees.

Auctioneer: $400 million is the bid, and the piece is sold.

Narrator: But auctioneers at Christie's aren't just smooth talkers. They're art experts, salespeople, and performers, landing multimillion-dollar bids with only a gavel and their voice.

Hays: You're in a theater. You have to be able to keep people interested. You have to keep people amused. You have to be serious in your purpose. The art of auctioneering is probably the least understood and maybe perhaps, after the art itself, is the most important factor in what happens at Christie's.

Narrator: Becoming a Christie's auctioneer is highly competitive. Every two years, Christie's holds an auctioneering school. Up to 40 applicants are accepted, but only two or three will move on to private instruction afterwards.

Hays: I did the Christie's program in London and got my master's certificate there, and then I did every internship known to man in the art world. I knocked on Christie's' door 36 years ago, and they hired me in the American department in October of 1983.

Narrator: Most auctioneers have a background in art history and an area of expertise. John's is 18 th-century American art. But since he sells everything from cars to jewelry to wine, he has to do his homework before he ever gets up on that auction block. We caught up with John at Christie's in New York City before an auction of 18th-century European decorative arts.

Hays: We're in Christie's' warehouse looking at a Roman micromosaic table. This object is one of the exciting pieces that's coming up. Micromosaic tables are a thrill to me. I like to call them Roman holidays because here you see depictions of ancient Rome. The estimate is $50 to $80,000 dollars.

Narrator: The weeks leading up to an auction, John will visit the Christie's warehouse to become familiar with each piece.

Hays: You want to have some understanding of the material. You want to be able to know who the artists are. You certainly want to be able to pronounce the names correctly.

Narrator: While John's doing his prep work, all the art is photographed and then set up in the gallery for prospective buyers to come check out the goods. Then on the morning of the auction, John comes here to the bids office to go over the auctioneer's book. This is essentially his bible of auction secrets. It tells him a couple things: who has already put in bids for Christie's, the estimated sale price for each item, if the seller has set a minimum sale price or reserve price, who will be bidding on the phone or in person, and the general interest in each lot. But even with all this preparation, when John steps out on that podium in a Christie's-approved colorful bow tie, anything can happen.

Hays: An auctioneer puts himself or herself out there in a way that's very public. It's not for everybody because if something goes wrong, you have to have the coolness of a airplane pilot, you have to have the humor of a standup comedian, you also have to be serious, and this is serious stuff for many people who are depending upon the auctioneer to deliver a very high-level, a high-quality sale.

Narrator: First, a lot is introduced.

Hays: Right along to lot 55, ladies and gentlemen.

Narrator: A lot is an item or a group of items that are up for auction. Each lot has a number. John will read off that number and give a brief summary of the items.

Hays: 55, the early George III giltwood mirror.

Narrator: Then the first bid gets the ball rolling. Sometimes it's on the auctioneer's book from an absentee bidder.

Hays: And we can start the bidding here anywhere, $10,000, bid at $10,000.

Narrator: John states the price to beat, who's holding the bid, and the price needed to steal the auction item.

Hays: For $10,000, $11,000, $12,000, $13,000, at $13,000, in at $13.

Narrator: Typically, the price increments go up by 10%, but it's up to John to alter those depending on energy in the room. Bids come in over the phone, online, or, of course, by paddles peeking up from the crowd in the sale room. Sometimes this process takes hours, and John says that a good auctioneer's voice falls into a cadence.

Hays: At $16,000 on the phone now, $16, coming in $17,000, at the back of the room at $17,000, $18,000 back to India.

Narrator: A speaking rhythm that comfortably carries through the entire auction. It's on each auctioneer to develop their style and learn to find their pacing.

Hays: Christie's does have a very unique style. We're selling works of art. It's perhaps a little bit pompous from time to time, but down deep it's the same process as auctioneering cows at a farm or thoroughbreds. The nature of different auctions has acquired a different criteria of what the audience expects. So tobacco salesmen who will break into "and now we've got the third lot, and it's the tobacco, and here we are ladies and gentlemen, it's the farm," you know, and you see that chant going through. If they heard a Christie's art auctioneer, I think the audience would be shocked. Sometimes I'll break into a farm auction just for the fun of it in an audience here in New York. It always is good for a laugh.

Narrator: Whether it's a room full of tough Texans or New York's art elite, John's goal is to ethically bring in the highest possible price. So how does he nab those sky-high bids?

Hays: It's also knowing when to fold your tent and to drop the hammer, so there's two issues. If you hang in there, and you hang in there, and you hang in there, and you wait, you'll lose your audience, and they'll get angry. So it's being able to, at the right time, on the right lots, with the right collectors, and the right audience, being able to go a few more bids, and in this world with million-dollar lots, one bid could be another $100,000. So I think one wants to achieve the highest price but not overdo it.

OK, I'm out.

Narrator: For an hour and a half, John masterfully guides the vibe of the saleroom. His gestures command attention. His moments of silence hold the room in suspense. His shooting eye contact singles out the newest bidder. But just as easily, he can flip the energy, joking with the audience and addressing phone operators by name. Then when the moment feels right, a swift pound of the gavel rips through the space...

Hays: Sold.

Narrator: Closing the sale. Just as quickly as it began, the auction is finished: 214 lots down, 185 items sold, $3.3 million in sales.

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Natural skin care is becoming more and more popular, and there are tons of excellent skin-care products to choose from.
• But "natural" has a broad term that many brands and watchdog organizations have various definitions for, so it's important to learn about ingredients and recognize which ones are harmful or questionable. 
• To help, we tried natural skin-care products from a variety of brands to find the best cleanser, toner, serum, facial moisturizer with SPF, and night cream.

Natural skin care has exploded over the past few years as people become increasingly aware of all the chemicals they're putting on their skin and into their bodies.

The rise in demand for natural skin-care products means there is now a better selection of higher quality products available, so whether you're a die-hard natural beauty lover or just want to detoxify your skin-care routine, there are plenty of great options for you.

Traditional skin-care products can often contain potentially harmful chemicals that can irritate skin, so you should look for products that are formulated with natural ingredients and without questionable chemicals. But since there's no official definition for the term "natural," you should be aware that even if a brand claims to be natural, it doesn't necessarily mean it's true.

It's important to check ingredients and watch out for parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and formaldehyde, as well as mineral oil, artificial fragrance, and silicones. You can also check the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database for more detail.

It's understandably hard to know which natural skin-care product to incorporate into your routine. So, to make your life easier, we've tested the best natural products on the market, checked ingredients, and researched hundreds of expert and buyer reviews to come up with our top picks for the best natural cleanser, toner, serum, SPF moisturizer, and night cream.

Here are our top picks for the best natural skin-care products:

• Best cleanser: Acure Brilliantly Brightening Cleansing Gel
• Best toner: Thayer's Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Toner
• Best serum: Eminence Rosehip Triple C+E Firming Oil
• Best facial sunscreen: Suntegrity Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen
• Best night cream: Farmacy Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm
• You can also check out our guide to the best natural makeup brands.

Updated 5/16/19 by Jada Wong: Updated prices, links, and formatting.

Keep scrolling to read more about our top picks.

SEE ALSO: The best natural makeup you can buy

The best natural cleanser

If you're looking for an effective, but gentle natural cleanser that leaves skin glowing, the Acure Brilliantly Brightening Cleansing Gel is a winner and a steal.

Acure's super-gentle cleanser is packed with natural, organic, and safe non-toxic ingredients, such as pomegranate, blackberry, and açai berries, which are designed to leave skin feeling refreshed and looking radiant. The Acure Brilliantly Brightening Cleansing Gel has a low pH so it shouldn't irritate your skin either, which is great for anyone with sensitive skin.

Its naturally-derived fruity scent is divine, and in testing, I found the gel formula foams up nicely and leaves my skin feeling clean and soft.

It's not just me who loves the Acure Brilliantly Brightening Cleansing Gel. It gets top marks on Rank and File and Byrdie, and has great reviews from Amazon shoppers.

One happy customer writes, "My favorite facial cleanser! It has such a refreshing citrus scent that will really help to wake you up in the morning and it does not leave my skin feeling tight or dry. It is good at removing light makeup as well. A little goes a long way which makes this stuff a bargain! Clean ingredients and affordable to boot."

Acure also has a great serum, moisturizer, and night cream, so if you end up loving the Brilliantly Brightening Cleansing Gel, we'd also recommend checking out the company's other products.

Pros: Great price,vegan, cruelty free, free of potentially harmful chemicals, good for normal to oily skin

Cons: Not suitable for the eye area

Buy the Acure Brilliantly Brightening Cleansing Gel from Amazon for $8.32 (originally $9.99)

The best natural toner

Simple but effective natural ingredients make Thayer's Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Toner our favorite toner.

Thayer's simple and gentle alcohol-free skin toner is derived from a Native American formula of easily recognizable ingredients, including certified organic witch hazel extract to help tighten and smooth, aloe vera juice to add moisture, and rose water to help soften the skin and give it a healthy glow. It also includes lots of vitamin C, which can help promote collagen production, strengthen skin cells, and lighten blemishes and scars.

This toner is good for all skin types including sensitive and acneic skin types. It can also be used as a cleansing water or mid-day refresh. Although we chose the Rose version of the toner, it also comes in Lavender, Cucumber, Aloe Vera, and Original scents as well.

In testing, Thayer's Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Toner had a delicate rose scent and felt great on my sensitive skin. It comes in a big bottle so it'll definitely last a long time. It's always great to find a natural product that's effective and super cheap, and I now use it as part of my daily skin-care routine.

And it's not just us who love this product either — it's highly rated on Buzzfeed and Byrdie.

Pros: Multi-purpose, non-drying, good for all skin types, inexpensive

Cons: None

Buy the Thayer's Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Toner from Target for $9.29 (originally $10.95)

The best natural serum

If you want brighter, firmer skin in a bottle, then the Eminence Rosehip Triple C+E Firming Oil is hard to beat.

Eminence's all-in-one serum packs a punch. It contains a powerful blend of natural and organic ingredients, including rosehip oil to help alleviate redness, vitamin C to help brighten the complexion, and vitamin E to help combat free radicals. There are no parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, retinyl palmitate, or other questionable chemicals in the serum.

Dermatologists and beauty bloggers rave about vitamin C serums because it's a powerhouse ingredient that can help stimulate collagen production, reduce inflammation, and reduce the signs of aging. This particular serum uses a fat-soluble form of vitamin C, which is considered more easily absorbed than water-soluble forms.

I love the Eminence Rosehip Triple C+E Firming Oil. In testing, I found that you only need a couple of drops and it absorbs quickly. It felt light on my face, plus it didn't irritate my sensitive skin. My skin felt tighter and looked brighter straight away. It's definitely expensive, but the effects made the price worth it for me.

It also comes highly recommended by Skincare Ox and W Magazine. Dermstore shoppers give it 5 out of 5 stars with one reviewer saying, "It is the best oil I've used thus far."

Eminence also has great line-up in general, so if you end up loving the Eminence Rosehip Triple C+E Firming Oil, we'd also recommend its other products.

Pros: Paraben-free, certified cruelty-free, suitable for all skin types including sensitive skin

Cons: Expensive

Buy the Eminence Rosehip Triple C+E Firming Oil from Dermstore for $110

The best moisturizer with SPF

If you're on the hunt for a natural daily moisturizer that protects you from the sun, then the Suntegrity Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen is a great pick.

It's even more important to make sure your face is protected from the sun during the summer. TheSuntegrity Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreenis full of natural antioxidants from green tea, pomegranate, and red algae. It also contains zinc oxide, which is super effective for sun protection.

The multitasking natural mineral formula acts as a moisturizer, sunscreen, make-up primer, and even a tinted moisturizer. Most important, it offers broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays with SPF 3 and doesn't contain potentially harmful chemicals.

It's available in five shades — Light, Fair, Medium, Golden Light, and Sand. In testing, I chose "Light," which looked natural on my skin. Although the formula is thicker than standard moisturizers, it doesn't feel sticky once it sinks into skin. It is on the expensive side, but it's worth the price as it doubles as a moisturizer and even a sheer foundation for a no-makeup look.

It's not only me who thinks theSuntegrity Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen is a great product. It gets top marks on EWG's list of Best Moisturizers with SPF, and it's one of Allure's favorite natural beauty brands too. Suntegrity also gets great reviews on Amazon with one reviewer saying, "It's my must-have daily beauty item."

Suntegrity also has a great cleansing oil and serum, both of which we'd recommend.

Pros: Great for summer, fragrance-free, vegan, cruelty-free, good for acne-prone skin

Cons: Pricey 

Buy the Suntegrity Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen from Amazon starting at $45

The best natural night cream

The Farmacy Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm delivers smoother, firmer skin overnight with its rich natural formula.

Beauty sleep is not a myth. Your skin repairs itself during the night, and that's when you'll get maximum impact from what you put on your skin. However, there are many night creams that actually do more harm than good as they can impede the rejuvenation process.

Our winning product is actually a balm. The Farmacy Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm is formulated from botanical extracts and acts as a plant-based alternative to retinoid. It helps enhance your skin's renewal process, helping reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin tone, and increase firmness.

It includes Echinacea, a botanical ingredient that contains a high concentration of cichoric acid to help maintain youthful-looking skin. It's suitable for all skin types including acne-prone skin.

The gentle balm formula turns into a gel-oil hybrid when it comes in contact with your skin. In testing, I found it didn't completely absorb and felt greasy, so you only need a really small amount. The next morning, my skin felt so soft and it didn't have a negative reaction to the oilier-than-usual formula. After a few days, my fine lines seemed smoother.

Don't just take my word for it though. The Farmacy Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm comes recommended by Spy and Sephora shoppers report smoother, more radiant complexions even with acne-prone skin. One buyer wrote, "I was skeptical about the less traditional texture but woke up with very soft and smooth skin."

Farmacy also has a great cleansing balm and moisturizer, both of which we'd recommend if you like this balm.

Pros: Suitable for all skin types including acne-prone skin, cruelty-free

Cons: Some might find it feels greasy on skin

Buy the Farmacy Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm from Sephora for $48

Check out our other skin-care guides

The best makeup remover you can buy

It's good for your skin to remove makeup every night, but it can be a pain without the right makeup remover.

We've done our research and tested the best makeup removers on the market to come up our top recommendations. Whether you're a devout double cleanser or prefer removing makeup on the fly, there's something on this list for everyone.

Here are the best makeup removers you can buy:

• Best overall: Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water
  
• Best cleansing oil: Tatcha Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil
  
• Best cleansing oil solid: Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original
• Best foaming cleanser: Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash
• Best cleansing wipes: Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water Cloths
• Best milk cleanser: Avène Eau Thermale Gentle Milk Cleanser

• No one wants to be stranded by the side of the road. However, emergencies do happen and we all need to be prepared to handle them.
• Here are 12 things you should keep in your car at all time in case of disaster.
• They range from food, water, and warm clothing to emergency survival kits and window breakers. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

No one wants to be stranded by the side of the road. However, emergencies do happen and we all need to be prepared to handle them. As a result, it's imperative that we keep select emergency supplies in our cars at all times. 

Even though some added weight to your car may negatively fuel economy, the following collection of emergency supplies will surely come in handy if you're ever stuck in a tough spot. Not everyone will need everything on the list, but it surely won't hurt to have them all. 

Read more: 7 ways to make your car last longer and save you money.

The items can generally be broken down into three different categories. The first being survival supplies. Naturally, keep you and your passengers alive should always be the top priority. The second category is comprised of the tools that will help you escape danger, get assistance, or hopefully get you back on the road again.

Here's a closer look at 12 things you should keep in your car at all time in case of disaster: 

SEE ALSO: What your check engine light really means

FOLLOW US: On Facebook for more car and transportation content!

1. Bottled water

In an emergency, access to clean water is a must. Humans can survive without food much longer than without water. Thus, it's important to keep a at least a few bottles of water in your car at all times. 

2. MRE/energy bars

It's wise to keep some sort of food or sustenance in your car in case of an emergency. Energy bars or various snacks will suffice, but those worried about emergencies where an immediate evacuation isn't available can opt for a Meal-Read-to-Eat or MRE. They are sealed, prepackaged meals prepared for the military and are designed to remain edible for years. They are even equipped with a flameless ration heater that allows you to heat up the meal without the use of fire. MREs are available at military surplus stores or online. 

3. A flashlight with extra batteries.

A flashlight with spare batteries is always good to have, especially if you're stranded at night. 

4. Warm clothes

For those in cold weather climates, keeping some extra warm clothes in your car can be a lifesaver if you're stranded. 

5. Window breaker/seatbelt cutter

If your car ever winds up in a body of water or in any case where you need to make a speedy exit, an emergency window breaker is good to have. As the name would suggest, the tool is designed to break open a car's window in an emergency. In many cases, the window breaker will also come with a blade that will quickly cut through your seatbelt. 

6. First aid kit

A first aid kit is handly in an emergency situation. Cleaning up a wound before it gets infected increases your chances of survival. 

7. Hand-crank emergency radio

When you're stranded, a hand-crank emergency radio will provide you with weather information without the need to turn on your car and waste gasoline. Many of these radios are powered by both a hand-crank and solar panels. They even have USB ports to help charge your phone. 

8. Emergency survival kit

You can also buy an emergency survival kit. Many of which come complete with a firestarter, mylar thermal blankets, a compass, tactical knife, and even reflective cones. 

9. Road cones/flares/reflective triangle

If your survival kit doesn't come with a reflective triangle, road cone, or road flares. Buy some. These tools alerts other motorists that you are stranded, reducing the likelihood of additional collisions. 

10. Multi-tool or tool kit

A multi-tool or even a complete tool kit comes in handy if you need to make quick repairs to your car. 

11. Jumper cables or electric jump starter.

Always keep a set of jumper cables or even a battery operated electric jump starter in your car. Neither is particularly expensive and can get your back on the road again. 

12. Tire pump and sealant

In cases where you have a flat tire, have a can of tire sealant like Fix-A-Flat will allow you to patch small holes while an electric air pump will put enough air back into the tire to get your going again. 

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider, Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• Memorial Day is Monday, May 27. While the bulk of online sales take place during that weekend, some sales start as early as two weeks prior. 
• The biggest sales to concentrate on include mattresses and bedding, tech, clothing, outdoor gear, and appliances. 
• As Memorial Day weekend approaches, we'll be updating this article with the best deals as we learn about them. 

Memorial Day weekend is a great time to grill, hit the beach, and of course, shop. When you're not celebrating the unofficial start of summer out in the sun, make sure to check out the big sales all over the internet that weekend.

We'll be rounding up the ones that are worth shopping this year and updating this article over the next couple weeks as we learn about the best Memorial Day sales happening online.  

Check back often to ensure you're not missing out on a good sale on clothing, home and kitchen products, mattresses, furniture, and more during this big retail holiday. 

More Memorial Day sale coverage:

• This party-supplies company saves you time with curated decorations for Memorial Day, grad parties, and more

Mattresses and bedding

If it's a major sales holiday, you can bet mattress startups and larger companies will come out in droves to offer big deals. For an idea of what brands will hold Memorial Day sales and the types of deals to expect, check out our 2018 guide to Memorial Day mattress sales. Here are the mattress and bedding deals we already know about: 

• Allswell: 15% off mattresses and 30% off bedding with code "SUMMER" from May 17 through May 27
• Avocado Green Mattress: through June 3
  • $175 off mattresses with code "HONOR2019" and an additional $50 off for verified military and veterans
  • $350 off a mattress + bed frame combo with code "BED350" 
  • 2 free pillows with a mattress purchase with code "2FREEPILLOWS"
• Casper: 10% off any order with a mattress with code "MEMORIAL19" through May 27 
• Crane & Canopy: Up to 60% off sitewide from May 23 through May 27 
• Leesa: 15% off mattresses + two free pillows 
• Mattress Firm: 
  • Save up to $700 on best-selling mattress brands through May 27 
  • Free adjustable base with orders of $400+ through May 27
  • Free Purple pillow with orders of $700+ on May 25 
• Purple: Up to $100 off mattresses + free sheets through May 27 
• Tempur-Pedic: through June 3
  • $300 off the Breeze and LuxeAdapt
  • $100 off the Adapt and ProAdapt
  • $200 off the Ergo Extend and $100 off Ergo bases
• Tuft & Needle: $150 off the Mint Mattress + two free pillows through June 2 

Clothing and accessories

Whether you need a pair of white pants or simply want to give your closet a spring refresh, you'll have all the clothing, bag, and jewelry sale choices you could possibly want this Memorial Day. Here are the clothing and accessories deals we already know about: 

• AUrate: 15% off orders under $250, 20% off orders between $250 and $750, and 25% off orders of $750+ with code "MAYDAY19" from May 22 through May 27 
• BLANKNYC: 30% off sitewide from May 24 through May 27 
• eBags: 20% off sitewide from May 24 through May 25 + an extra 30% off from May 26 through May 27
• Gaiam: 
  • 20% off sitewide, extra 10% off orders of $100+  with code "MEMORIAL10," and extra 15% off orders of $200+ with code "MEMORIAL15" from May 21 through May 22 
  • 20% off sitewide with code "MEMORIAL20" on May 28
• Greats: 20% off sitewide with code "SUNNY20" from May 22 through May 27 
• Hush Puppies: 30% off select full-priced styles with code "SPLURGE" from May 26 through June 1 
• Old Navy: 50% off all tees, tanks, shorts, and swim from May 20 through May 31 
• Primary: 50% off the Warehouse Sale through May 27 
• Richer Poorer: Take an additional 20% off sale items with code "MEMORIAL20" from May 24 through May 27 
• Rocksbox: Get your first month free through June 9
• Ted Baker: Up to 40% off select men's and women's lines from May 20 through May 27
• Timbuk2: 25% off hardmarked items from May 24 through May 30 
• True & Co: 20% off sitewide (some exclusions apply) from May 22 through May 28 

Outdoor gear

Since Memorial Day kicks off the summer season, it's no surprise that outdoor brands discount their products to motivate you to get outside and enjoy the sun. Here are the outdoor gear deals we already know about: 

• Biolite: 15% off the entire collection of Exclusive Web Specials 
• Columbia: 25% off select styles from May 16 through May 27 
• Merrell: 20% off Moab, Encore, Siren styles and apparel

Home appliances and home improvement

Big-ticket purchases like washer-dryers and refrigerators are usually on sale during Memorial Day. Additional promotions like free shipping or rebates might convince you that it's finally time to upgrade your home appliance. Here are the home appliance and home improvement deals we already know about: 

• Maytag: (sold at Best Buy and Home Depot) through June 5
  • Receive up to a $700 rebate by mail with purchase of select kitchen and laundry appliances
  • Receive up to a $600 prepaid card by mail with purchase of select kitchen appliances 
  • Receive a $100 rebate by mail with purchase of a washer-dryer set
  • Visit Maytag's website to see eligible appliances 

Home and kitchen

For everything kitchen, living room, outdoor furniture, and decor, keep an eye out on this section. You can find a deal on anything from a new picture frame to a new sofa for your home entertainment room. Here are the home and kitchen deals we already know about: 

• Birch Lane: 
  • Up to 70% off living room, bedroom, dining, and more from May 16 through May 22
  • Take an extra 15% off + free shipping with code "HATSOFF" from May 23 through May 28
• Burrow: 10% off sitewide, 15% off orders of $1,500+, and 20% off orders of $2,500+ with code "SUMMER19" from May 15 through May 27 
• Dormify: 20% off sitewide from May 24 through May 28 
• Modsy: 
  • 20% off all design packages with code "MEMORIAL" from May 20 through May 27
  • Free shipping on orders of $500+ with code "YESWAY" through May 31
• Pier 1 Imports: Up to 50% off sitewide + an extra 25% off Clearance items from May 22 through May 27 
• Walmart: Up to 60% off the home section from May 18 through May 27

Tech

Last year, Memorial Day was a good time to save on Apple devices at places like Best Buy and Jet.com. If you're eyeing a new laptop, TV, or smart home device, wait until the holiday because you'll be able to save on brands like Dell and Amazon. Check back soon to find the latest Memorial Day tech deals. 

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• Special-care clothing, particularly pieces with a "dry-clean only" label, can be a pain to take care of. Trips to the dry cleaner can be inconvenient and expensive.
• To extend the life of my special care clothing, I use the Dryel at-home dry-cleaning kit ($9.99).
• It's an affordable way to keep your special-care garments in great condition and it couldn't be easier to use. Plus, it has saved me tons of money and trips to the dry cleaner over the years.
• While the kit works wonders on denim, wool, and cashmere, it's worth noting that it can be damaging to certain fabrics like leather, velvet, and silk. 

Is it just me or does anyone else's heart drop a bit when you find an amazing clothing item just to inspect it and find "dry-clean only" inscribed on the tag?

Let's face it: dry cleaning is kind of a pain. Living in New York City, where a laundromat sits on just about every corner, it's not so bad — but getting your clothes dry cleaned can be pricey, and if you have multiple pieces it can add up quickly. If you want to keep your clothes in good condition, though, there's really nothing you can do  — you just have to suck it up, put down those extra dollars, carve out some extra time to head to the laundromat, or incessantly google how long your clothes can last without a wash. At least, that's what I thought until my mother introduced me to this very simple solution (thanks, mom). 

The Dryel at-home dry-cleaner kit does just what it says — it works to clean your special care pieces from the comfort of your own home.

The starter kit comes with everything you need to complete the cleaning process; a garment bag, booster spray, and the patented "ultracleaning" cloth. It's a three-step process that truly couldn't be easier to use.

How to use the kit

Step 1:

Place your garments (up to five) and one ultracleaning cloth into the reusable bag. If any of the pieces are stained or particularly dirty, pre-treat them with the included booster spray before placing in bag.

Step 2:

Put the bag in the dryer and tumble on medium heat for 15 minutes for a quick refresh. If you're looking for a deeper clean, tumble on medium heat for 30 minutes instead. 

Step 3:

Hang your garments so they are wrinkle-free. The end!

How it actually works

You may be wondering if this is some sort of laundry machine magic, but there's actually a very simple explanation. Dryel's ultracleaning cloths are concentrated with a heat-activated cleaning solution that, when met with the heat of your dryer, is released as a steam that penetrates fabric to remove stains and odors. The garment bag protects your special care fabrics from the intense heat of the dryer, so nothing will shrink on you. In the end, you're left with clothes that feel softer and smell fresher. 

For ease of use, Dryel gets an A+, but it also does wonders for your wallet. A starter kit with enough supplies for four loads is only $9.99. When you do the math, that's just about $2.50 per load. If you consider the maximum capacity of five garments per load, you're down to just about fifty cents per garment. Just a few weeks ago I got five pieces dry-cleaned at my local laundromat for about $24. That one trip cost me more than double this entire kit — which has the capacity to clean four times the amount of garments. 

Of course, there are some important things to note. While the kit works wonders on denim, wool, and cashmere, it can be damaging to certain fabrics like leather, velvet, and silk. 

When you compare the prices, it's hard to believe this easy dry-cleaning solution isn't more widely used — or, maybe it is, and I'm just the last one hopping on the bandwagon. 

Get the Dryel at-home dry cleaner starter kit, $9.99, available at Amazon

Join the conversation about this story »

• The Mail app on the iPhone doesn't allow you to block people from sending you email, but you can do this from each individual email service that you use.
• You can block Gmail senders using the Gmail mobile app.
• You can block emails on your iPhone from people who send you mail through services like Yahoo, Outlook, and iCloud using that site's webmail page, either on the desktop or iPhone.  
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Despite the convenience of having access to all your email anytime, anywhere through a small device in your pocket, there's one major limitation of mail on your iPhone: There isn't a simple way to block mail from specific senders. Apple's Mail app lacks a simple "Block sender" command. That doesn't mean you can't do it, of course — it just takes a few extra steps.

The problem is that Apple's Mail app pulls in and organizes messages from whatever various email services you use — Gmail, Yahoo, and so on. So to block a sender, you need to go to the source. That means either installing the free email app for that email service or logging in to its website and blocking the user from there.

Here's how to do so through the most popular mail services.

How to block emails in Gmail on an iPhone

The best way to block email in Gmail is by using the official Gmail app. If you haven't done it already, install the app and add your email account. You don't need to use the app day-to-day for email; you can continue to use the Mail app. But you'll need this app to block email.

1. Open the Gmail app and find an email from someone whom you would like to block.

2. Tap the email so you can see the message.

3. Tap the three-dot menu to the right of the sender's name (be sure not to tap the three dots at the top right corner of the screen).

4. Tap "Block [person's name]."

How to block emails in Yahoo Mail on an iPhone

The Yahoo app doesn't let you block users, so we'll need to do it at the Yahoo email site. You can do this on either a desktop computer or the iPhone itself; we'll show you how to do it both ways.

1. Open the Safari app and go to mail.yahoo.com. If necessary, log in with your Yahoo mail username and password. 

2. The mobile version of the Yahoo Mail site doesn't include blocking, so if you want to do this on the phone, you'll need to display the desktop site on the phone. Given the small size of the iPhone's screen, it's easier to do this on a desktop computer, but if you don't have one handy, you can do it this way on the phone. Tap and hold the refresh button in the web address box at the top of the screen. When the menu pops up, tap "Request Desktop Site."

3. After the page refreshes and you see the desktop version of Yahoo Mail, open an email from the person you want to block.

4. Tap the three-dot menu at the top of the browser window and tap "Block Senders."

5. In the Block senders window, confirm that this is what you want to do.

How to block emails in Outlook Mail on an iPhone

Like Yahoo, we'll do this on the web.

1. Open the Safari app and go to https://outlook.live.com/mail/inbox. If necessary, log in with your username and password.  

2. Just as with Yahoo, the mobile version of the Outlook site doesn't include blocking, so if you want to do this on the phone, you'll need to display the desktop site on the phone. Tap and hold the refresh button in the web address box at the top of the screen. When the menu pops up, tap "Request Desktop Site."

3. After the page refreshes and you see the desktop version of Outlook, tap an email from the person you want to block.

4. Tap the three-dot menu in the message window to the right of the sender's name and tap "Block [person's name]" and tap "OK" to confirm.

How to block emails in iCloud Mail on an iPhone

1. Open the Safari app and go to https://www.icloud.com/#mail. If necessary, log in with your Apple ID and password.  

2. The mobile version doesn't include blocking, so to do this on the phone, you'll need to tap and hold the refresh button in the web address box at the top of the screen. When the menu pops up, tap "Request Desktop Site."

3. After the page refreshes and you see the desktop version, open an email from the person you want to block.

4. Tap the Gear icon at the bottom left corner of the screen.

5. In the window that appears, tap the "Rules" tab and then tap "Add a Rule…"

6. Configure the rule so that if a message "is from" the person you want to block, then "Move to Trash." Click "Done."

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to add any email account to your iPhone

• I just cleared out my Gmail using a simple trick that took only a few minutes — here's how to do it

• How to delete a Google Calendar, or unsubscribe from one

• How to change your Google username's display in Gmail

SEE ALSO: The best iPhone for every type of person and budget

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Vitamin C serums get down to the cellular level to protect skin from free radicals, which can damage skin in the forms of discoloration, fine lines, and wrinkles.
• SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic ($166) has been heralded the "gold standard" in vitamin C serums by dermatologists for it's scientifically-backed formula. 
• I had heard that TruSkin Naturals makes a vitamin C serum that yields similar results for a fraction of the price ($19.99), so I decided to try both for a month.
• Ultimately, while both products gave my skin a nice sheen, the SkinCeuticals serum was more effective at lightening sun spots, discoloration, and dark circles over time. 

Vitamin C serums are staples in the routines of skin-care fanatics, but they're not just a trend — scientific evidence tells us that topical vitamin C promotes collagen production, lightens hyperpigmentation, and protects skin from free radicals. These qualities work together to leave skin plumper, brighter, and with a nice dewy glow.

How could I not be using one of these wonder potions in my routine already? My search for a great vitamin C serum kept leading me back to one product: the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum. Since it's release in 2005, this serum has been a favorite among self-labeled skin-care experts and dermatologists alike for its scientifically-based formula. That sounded well and good to me, but there's a catch — a one ounce bottle costs $166.

I'm all for a skincare splurge every now and then, but $166 is a hard pill to swallow. I wondered, then: Would a cheaper vitamin C serum do the trick? A friend of mine had mentioned that the TruSkin Naturals Vitamin C serum was comparable to the SkinCeuticals option —she had seen glowing results, quite literally, and it was a fraction of the price at just $19.99. So, I figured, why not compare these two serums and see if the cheaper one stacked up?

Why vitamin C so important for the skin

I was excited to begin this skin experiment, but in order to help me — and hopefully you — understand what makes vitamin C the elixir of choice for getting that dewy glow, I reached out to a dermatologist for an expert opinion. Dr. Dendy Engelman is a board-certified dermatologic surgeon and celebrity dermatologist. Currently, she works as an MD at Manhattan Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery as well as a clinical assistant professor and director of dermatologic surgery at the Metropolitan Hospital Center. Here's why Dr. Engelman says adding a vitamin C serum is so beneficial, in scientific terms:

"Free radicals are highly destructive molecules that can wreak havoc on your skin. Free radicals are unstable compounds in search of a missing electron. When they 'steal' electrons from other molecules, it leaves those molecules unstable and in search of a missing electron. Because this produces a domino effect, this further weakens the skin barrier, leaving it vulnerable to premature aging (i.e. fine lines and wrinkles, uneven skin texture). Antioxidants, like vitamin C, pair with free radical scavengers in search of a missing electron, so it neutralizes the damage a free radical can do if it were to pair instead with an electron from a skin protein".

After that little science lesson, I had a better understanding of why a vitamin C serum is so important and felt ready to take on this experiment and test these serums out. 

My testing method

To make a fair comparison, I decided to use the serums at the same. The left side of my face would be dedicated to SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic and the right side would get TruSkin Naturals. Skin can be fickle and since I can't control external variables that may cause unwanted flare-ups, doing a half-half method seemed like the best way to judge each products effectiveness. Everything else in my skincare routine would be left as is — I'd fit the serums in after using a gentle cleanser, but before layering on a lightweight lotion, eye cream, and sunscreen.I planned to use the serums for at least four weeks, keeping track of changes that I noticed on either side. 

My impressions, week by week

Week one: The SkinCeuticals serum is clear, has a thin consistency, and a metallic scent that kind of smells like hot dog water. The TruSkin Naturals serum is a milky color, has a thicker feel, and is odor-free. I put three drops of each serum on their respective sides and rub them in. Both serums feel lightweight and absorb nicely into my skin. I let each side dry, then follow up with my regular lotion and sunscreen. After a few days, all I notice is a pimple smack dab in the middle of my forehead — an area where I rarely break out. I wonder if that could be attributed to the new products, or was just a fluke. Either way, I continue the routine. 

Week two: It hasn't been long, but I haven't noticed much of a difference on either side. At dinner with family though, I get asked if I'm the youngest child. I have a fifteen year old brother — so maybe these serums really are working some anti-aging magic. Did two weeks of Vitamin C serum reverse the clock seven years? I have to say, that felt pretty good. 

Week three: Since starting this little experiment, I've been adamant about following the same routine every morning. While I know I should use sunscreen everyday, I often leave it out of my morning routine. Since using these serums, I've been really good about putting on sunscreen each morning. Even though it's winter, I feel that I'm doing a great service to my skin — and while it's not really a result of these serums, it's been a nice unexpected bonus of the process. My cheeks have been getting a little drier than usual, and I wonder if this could be attributed to the Vitamin C. To counter, I lather on a little more of my trusty Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream at night — it's my go-to for hydrating dry skin, especially during winter. 

Week four: After one month I feel that my skin looks good, but I haven't really had any "wow" moments. Maybe I expected that one side of my face would be bright and glowy, while the other would be irritated and red — but both sides of my face look strikingly similar. I had taken a picture of my skin before starting the routine, so I decide to take a new set of pictures and compare.

Looking at the pictures side by side, I finally have my "wow" moment. I have sun spots and some freckles, but I've never really thought of them as a skin concern — not cosmetically at least. I've come to terms with their existence and for the most part, forget they're even there. When I compare the pictures of the right side of my face, where I've been using the TruSkin Naturals serum, I don't notice any real fading of my spots.

When I look at the left side though, where I've been using SkinCeuticals, it looks like my spots have been lightened a good amount. I was even more impressed to notice that my veins look significantly lighter on the left side too. My very fair skin, I like to call it see-through, leaves plenty of veins on my face visible  — like sun spots, it's something I've kind of just come to terms with, though I wouldn't mind if they were hidden. This is something I wasn't expecting, but am definitely happy to see. Although I didn't really notice anything when analyzing my skin in the mirror, I think both serums have given my skin a nice sheen. My poor-quality selfies may not do either justice, but I think both did a good job of making my skin look a little more even. 

The ingredients behind it all

Given that my experience is completely subjective, I wanted some objectivity to answer the "which product is actually better" conundrum. I sent Dr. Engelman the ingredients in each product to hear her take. Here's what she said:

Skinceuticals Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Ethoxydiglycol, Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Laureth-23, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Triethanolamine, Ferulic Acid, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate.

I consider CE Ferulic one of (if not) the gold standard for topical antioxidants. It is backed by copious clinical studies and is greatly effective in fighting free radical damage. This contains ascorbic acid, as compared to TruSkin’s sodium ascorbyl phosphate which is a derivative and less powerful. It also contains ferulic acid, a powerful acid that targets discoloration and fine lines. Skinceuticals undergoes extensive testing to ensure that the product is effective and maintains its stability over time. This is one of the reasons it is at an elevated price point.

TruSkin Ingredients: Organic Deionized Herbal Infusion, Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), MSM, Botanical Hyaluronic Acid (Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide), Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel), Vitamin E (d-alpha Tocopheryl Acetate), Carbomer, (2s)-2-Amino-5-guanidinopentanoic Acid, Organic Gotu Kola, Wildcrafted Horsetail (Equisetum Arvense), Wildcrafted Dandelion, Wildcrafted Geranium, Organic Jojoba Oil (Organic Simmondsia Chinensis), Phenoxyethanol, Ethyl Hexyl Glycerin.

This serum is less powerful than Skinceuticals, however it does have some nourishing properties that I like. Witch hazel helps calm inflammation and jojoba is very hydrating. This serum will not work as well, but that is not to say it will not [work] at all.

The bottom line

Both of these products have a cult-following — SkinCeuticals is consistently ranked as one of the best vitamin C serums out there and TruSkin Naturals boasts over 4,700 glowing reviews on Amazon and a loyal following as well. As Dr. Engelman stated, both products can work, it really just depends what you are looking for in the product. If you are just looking to delve into the world of vitamin C serums as a means of getting even, glowy skin, I think TruSkin Naturals will do the trick. If you are specifically targeting fine lines and discoloration, SkinCeuticals will likely yield better results. The addition of ferulic acid and a more potent form of vitamin C explain why many people see significant results, and (unfortunately) why the price tag is so high.

At the end of the day, our bodies are totally unique, so what works for me may not work for you and vice versa. Maybe neither of these products will be right for you, but even if that's the case, I'd still recommend adding some type of topical vitamin C to your skincare routine. We're all surrounded by environmental stressors every day, and even if you don't realize, over time these can be very taxing on your skin — vitamin C works to combat those negative effects.

Dr. Engelman recommends a serum, saying "they will be most effective in delivering to the cellular level. Serums have the highest concentration of active ingredients and smaller molecules which allows actives to penetrate further". Too much vitamin C can be overkill though — Dr. Engelman cautioned against using more than one topical vitamin C product each day, as too much can be irritating and cause acne breakouts in certain skin types. 

Ultimately, neither of these products changed my life — at least not yet. While at first that disappointed me a little, it's for the best. Plenty of skincare products reap immediate rewards, but a vitamin C serum is something that helps protect your skin for the long haul, which I know in a few years I'll be grateful for. Neither of these products are quick fixes, and while a one ounce bottle will last you a long time (you only use a few drops each day), keeping up with a $166 skincare habit is not necessarily sustainable. Luckily, there are plenty more topical Vitamin C products to choose from, that may work better for your skin type and budget.

For now, I am going to transition to SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic full time with the hopes that it will help lessen the discoloration and veins on the other side of my face, too. I'll definitely continue using TruSkin Naturals every few days though, so I can expand the longevity of this $166 bottle. 

Buy the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum, $166, available at DermStore

Buy the TruSkin Naturals Vitamin C serum, $19.99, available at Amazon

Join the conversation about this story »

• You can easily share an iCloud calendar on your iPhone to coordinate plans and events with colleagues, friends, and family.
• iPhone calendars can be shared easily with just a few simple steps.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

These days, most of us are so busy with work obligations, family events, and social plans that we rely on our calendars to stay on top of our schedules.

If you have an iPhone, you may want to take advantage of iOS's iCloud calendar, which allows you to sync your calendar between Apple devices so you're never caught out not knowing what you have planned for a particular date.

Sometimes you might want to share that calendar with a colleague, friend, or family member to coordinate your schedules, especially if you're trying to eke out time for a vacation, find a date for an upcoming meeting, or starting a new position with a varied shift schedule.

Thankfully, sharing your iCloud calendar is a simple process that shouldn't take long at all. But note that this process only applies to calendars run through your iCloud account — if you're using a Google or Outlook calendar, for example, that's synced to your iPhone, you'll have to share through those services.

How to share an iCloud calendar on your iPhone

1. From your iPhone or iPad's home screen, launch the Calendar app.

2. Once in the app, look for the "Calendars" option in the center of the bottom of the screen and tap it to see the current calendars active and syncing to your iPhone.

3. Locate the specific iCloud calendar you want to share and click the info button on the right-hand side, represented by a small letter "i" in the middle of a circle.

4. Once in the settings screen for the calendar you want to share, click on the "Add Person" option and enter the email address or name of the person in your contacts list that you want to have access. Alternately, you can click the small '+' sign on the right side of the screen to browse through your contact list and choose the person or persons you wish to share with that way.

5. Tap "Add" to finalize the addition of a new person to your iCloud calendar.

How to change the sharing settings on an iCloud calendar

Once you've given someone access to your calendar, it's easy to change their editing permissions or even remove their access to the calendar altogether.

To allow a shared person to edit your calendar, click on their name within the calendar's edit screen as outlined above. On the following screen, there is a button which says "Allow Editing." When the button is green, you are allowing that person to edit your calendar.

Tap this button again to turn it gray, indicating that the person in question can access the calendar to view it but cannot make edits or changes.

Similarly, if you want to remove a person's access altogether, click the "Stop Sharing" button at the bottom of the edit screen and they will no longer have viewing or editing access to your iCloud calendar.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to add any email account to your iPhone

• How to change the name of your iPhone

• How to delete a Google Calendar, or unsubscribe from one

• How to share your location on an iPhone in 4 different ways

Join the conversation about this story »

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• You can create and name new folders for apps on your iPhone in a few seconds.
• Creating folders on your iPhone can help you keep your apps organized by criteria of your choice. 
• You can also easily delete an app folder when you no longer need it.  
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you're like most people, chances are your iPhone is full of dozens of apps, many of which you use daily and others that only come in handy on rare occasions (but that you're not willing to delete).

An abundance of downloaded apps can mean scrolling through multiple screens to find the one you want, and if you're someone who prefers a bit more organization, this can be a nightmare.

Thankfully, you can easily organize your iPhone apps into folders. Creating folders is a simple process that can be completed in just a few seconds. You can also name your folders to make keeping your apps in order that much easier.

Here's what you need to know.

How to create a new folder on your iPhone

1. To create a folder, press and hold the icon of the first app you would like to move into a folder until all of your application icons begin to shake and a small X appears in the upper left-hand side of each.

2. Press down on the app icon again and drag it across your screen to another app you would like to place in the same folder. Hovering one app icon over another will create a folder; stop holding down the application icon to drop both applications into your new folder.

3. Note that the folder will be automatically titled by iPhone based on the applications contained within in it. For instance, placing two banking apps within a folder will result in the folder being titled "Finance."

How to change the name of your iPhone folder

You can change the name of your iPhone folders in much the same way you created them.

1. To begin, press and hold one of the app icons from inside the folder you want to change the name of until the apps within it begin to shake and a small X appears in the upper left-hand side of each.

2. When this happens, the title box of the folder will become editable. Tap within it, then type the name you would like the folder to have. It's that easy!

How to delete an iPhone folder

There may come a time when you wish to delete a folder you've created, and have your apps listed individually on your home screen. When that happens, it's easy to delete the folder and restore the apps to their original locations.

1. To delete an iPhone folder, simply press and hold the icon of an app within that folder until all apps begin to shake and a small X appears in the upper left-hand corner.

2. Press and drag apps one at a time from within the folder to your home screen. Once the folder is empty, it will automatically be deleted.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to change your Apple ID on an iPhone

• How to turn off the autocorrect feature on your iPhone

• 'Why won't my iPhone charge?': How to diagnose and fix common iPhone charging problems

• How to change the name of your iPhone

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• Gifting on a budget doesn't have to be stressful. Here are 25 Father's Day gifts under $25 that make gift shopping this year a breeze.
• From small leather accessories to delectable food gifts, none of these options look or feel cheap.

Your parents might say to you every year that they don't need a gift for Mother's Day or Father's Day. Chances are, you still want to get them a gift for everything they do for you, even if it's something small.

For Father's Day this year, you don't even need to spend more than $25 to show your dad you're thinking of him and that you appreciate him. A small accessory to streamline his golf game, a gourmet condiment, and a pampering grooming product are all gifts that will impress — and won't break the bank. 

If you're looking for more Father's Day gift ideas, we have you covered: 

• 33 practical and cool Father's Day gifts under $100
• 22 Amazon Prime-eligible gifts for Father's Day — all under $50
• 19 unique gifts your foodie dad will love for Father's Day

These 25 Father's Day gifts are both thoughtful and budget-friendly.

SEE ALSO: 23 practical and considerate Father’s Day gifts under $100

A mug with a fully functional carabiner handle

Gift the United by Blue Passing Through 10 oz. Carabiner Cup, $18

Other than as a design that makes him say "that's cool," the handle really works as a carabiner so he can bring this mug anywhere on outdoor adventures. The brand's whole collection of drinkware would make an excellent (and affordable) Father's Day gift. 

An Apple Watch charging dock

Gift the Griffin WatchStand Charging Dock, $13.82

He can charge his Apple Watch on this dock while also using it as a stand for his phone. Its simple design will help keep his tabletop clean and uncluttered. 

An REI membership

Gift an REI Membership, $20

Outdoorsy and active fathers will love a membership to this community, which affords 10%-back dividends, special offers, access to in-store REI Garage sales, and special pricing on REI classes and events.

A cookbook from Black Tap

Gift Craft Burgers and Crazy Shakes from Black Tap, $11.99

The popular NYC restaurant Black Tap is all about no-holds-barred indulgence. Be warned: Its sky-high gourmet burgers and crazy milkshakes might send your dad into a food coma.

An insulated cup

Gift the YETI Rambler 10 oz. Lowball, $19.99

An insulated, stainless steel cup that will keep cold drinks cold in the summer and hot ones hot in the winter, the YETI Rambler Lowball was made for campfire and lakeside gatherings. If he's hanging out in the great outdoors, he'll want to keep this cup close at hand. 

A luxurious shave kit

Gift the Harry's Truman Shave Set, $15

This shave set from Harry's is as sleek as it gets.

A hydrating beard oil

Gift the Oars + Alps Cedarwood Forest Beard Oil, $20

Containing nourishing oils like jojoba and argan oil, this beard oil will revive his scruff in no time. It relieves the flaky, itchy skin under his hair and smells good while doing it. 

A classic cologne

Gift the Old Spice Classic Cologne Spray (4.25 oz.), $17.43

It's the unmistakable cool and crisp scent of Old Spice that your grandfather probably wore. Unlike other cologne brands, it's actually affordable, but your dad will love it just the same. 

Note: Currently available through third-party sellers

His new favorite jerky

Gift the Chef's Cut Beef, Chicken, and Turkey Jerky Variety Pack, $19.47

For jerky-loving dads, we're fans of Chef's Cut. The flavors in this variety pack of beef, chicken and turkey jerkies include Original Recipe, Chipotle Cracked Pepper, Teriyaki, and Honey Barbecue.

A golf hat

Gift the Nike Heritage 86 Adjustable Golf Hat, $17.97

Nike's special Dri-FIT Technology keeps his head dry and comfortable under the glaring sun, while the interior sweatband is soft and absorbent. Whether he's on the first or 18th hole, he'll stay cool and collected. 

A small, softcover photo book

Gift the Artifact Uprising 5"x 5" Instagram Photo Book, $15

Bring all your mobile photos with Dad to life in this softcover book that looks like a classy coffee table magazine. It has a textured eggshell cover and interior matte pages, which bring out the best of your favorite memories. 

A pair of "Star Wars"-themed socks

Gift the Stance Warped R2D2 Socks, $18

The lovable droids look imposing on these socks made by an NBA player-favorite brand. The lightweight socks are cushioned, supportive, and comfortable.

Fresh laces for his Allbirds sneakers

Gift the Allbirds Runner Lace Kit, $10

If he owns a pair of Allbirds already, a simple lace refresh will make them feel brand new. This kit contains gray, white, and black. 

A towel that contains pore-purifying activated charcoal

Gift the Morihata Binchotan Activated Charcoal Face Scrub Towel, $11

A unique hot sauce

Gift The Bronx Greenmarket Hot Sauce (Green, 5 oz.), $9.05

This all-natural, tangy hot sauce is part of the lineup on the popular YouTube series "Hot Ones" and is made from Serrano peppers grown in over 30 community gardens throughout the Bronx. 

A leather money clip

Gift the Leatherology Money Clip, $25

The full grain leather clip can hold up to 20 bills. An added plus is that Leatherology will take care of the gift packaging for you, for free. 

A fast-charging power bank

Gift the Anker Astro E1 6700 Power Bank, $23.99

This battery provides a nice balance between power and portability — it's not too big, but still charges up his devices quickly. It'll fit right in his pocket and is especially useful for traveling. 

A handmade beer bottle planter

Gift the IrishGlass Beer Bottle Glass Planters, $8

Choose any beer bottle brand you'd like to be cut, sanded, and polished into a unique planter.

A wood-accented jigger

Gift the Thatcher Barware Jigger, $19

A standard piece of barware gets a charming, rustic treatment that aesthetic-minded cocktail enthusiasts will appreciate. 

A card game he can enjoy with the whole family

Gift the Exploding Kittens Card Game, $19.99

If he's a kid at heart who loves kittens, explosions, and laser beams, then he'll love the cult-favorite, Kickstarter sensation of Exploding Kittens. Buying this gift is almost like a gift to yourself since he'll need to enlist multiple players to enjoy the game. 

A movie night

Gift a Fandango Gift Card, from $15

Nothing beats going to the movies with his kids.

A coffee subscription

Gift a Blue Bottle coffee subscription, starting at $24

Control how often your dad will receive a fresh bag of whole bean coffee from this popular artisanal brand. There are only select Blue Bottle locations around the world, but he can experience its delicious coffee anywhere he lives. 

A photo camera lens kit

Gift the Apexel 5 in 1 Camera Lens Kit, $17.99

My dad's phone is filled to the brim with photos of everything from scenery to that night's dinner. Upgrade your dad's mobile photography game with these four lenses: a 10x fixed telephoto lens with manual focus ring, fish-eye lens, macro lens and wide angle lens. 

A cool popcorn popper

Gift the Microwave Popcorn Popper, $11.99

He can stick this bowl right in the microwave and still get the fresh, buttery taste of stovetop popcorn. 

A tabletop plant

Gift an Aloe Vera Plant (Planter Included), $23

He only needs to water it every couple weeks, plus if he ever gets a sunburn he can just snip off a leaf to enjoy the soothing benefits of aloe. 

Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network if you apply for a credit card, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• Both the Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card offer valuable rewards on purchases, large welcome bonuses, and useful benefits.
• Both cards also have a few annual statement credits that can offset their annual fees.
• Given the similarities, we've laid out the differences to help you pick the best card for you.

Late last year, American Express refreshed and relaunched its Gold Card, giving it new benefits and rewards in an effort to make it a stronger competitor in an increasingly crowded credit-card market.

That relaunch followed an early-2017 refresh of the AmEx Platinum Card, which also brought improvements and new benefits to the card.

Both cards have tangible benefits like annual statement credits that make up for the annual fee, but there are some pretty significant differences between them. Read on to learn more about the two cards and to see which is better for you.

Click here to learn more about the American Express Platinum Card from Business Insider's partner: The Points Guy.

Click here to learn more about the American Express Gold Card from Business Insider's partner: The Points Guy.

SEE ALSO: The best credit card rewards, bonuses, and benefits of 2019

DON'T MISS: The best American Express cards

You can earn rewards quickly with both cards thanks to bonus categories.

The Platinum Card

The AmEx Platinum Card earns a massive 5x points per dollar spent on airfare, as long as you book directly with the airline or through AmEx Travel, and on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmEx Travel. It earns 1x point per dollar on everything else.

Travel website (and Business Insider e-commerce partner) The Points Guy subjectively values AmEx Membership Rewards points at 2¢ each, so that means a whopping 10% of value back on the bonus categories.

While that isn't the most rewarding card of all-time, 5x points is a fantastic earning rate, and if you book your own travel frequently, the points will add up quickly.

The Gold Card

The AmEx Gold Card offers 4x points per dollar spent at US restaurants, 4x points back at US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year — 1x point per dollar for anything beyond that), and 3x points per dollar on flights booked directly with the airline or with AmEx travel. It earns 1x point on everything else.

The AmEx Gold Card's US restaurant category is broad — I've gotten the category bonus at restaurants, bars, pubs, and cafes. The supermarket category excludes big-box stores where you might buy groceries, like Target or Walmart, but includes most dedicated US supermarkets.

Using The Points Guy's valuations, you get a huge 8% of value back on those two top bonus categories from the Gold Card. This makes it one of the best available cards for dining. 

Both cards have annual fees, but thanks to a few statement credit benefits, the effective fees are lower than you might think.

The Platinum Card

The Platinum Card has one of the highest annual fees you'll find in a mainstream charge or credit card — $550. However, the various annual statement credits the card offers bring the effective fee down to just $50.

The first is up to a $200 airline fee credit each calendar year. Every January, you pick one airline for that credit to apply toward. While the credit doesn't cover tickets, it covers incidental fees like checked bags, seat assignments on basic economy tickets, change fees, and more. Sometimes you can even be reimbursed for airline gift cards that you can apply toward tickets, even though this is an unpublished benefit — do some Googling to see whether that works on your airline of choice.

Second, you can get up to $200 in Uber credits each cardmember year, which is broken down into monthly chunks. Each month, cardholders receive $15 of credits to use on Uber rides or for Uber Eats. In December, that's boosted to $35.

Finally, you can get up to $100 in shopping credits each year at Saks-brand stores, broken into two chunks: You'll get up to $50 during the first six months of the year, and another $50 during the second.

Since the airline fee credit is given each calendar year, you can actually collect it twice if you open your card mid-year and maximize the credit before and after January of that first cardmember year.

That would mean you're not just making up for the annual fee, you're actually getting more value than the fee in the first place. That's without even considering the other benefits and rewards.

The Gold Card

The AmEx Gold Card's $250 annual fee puts it squarely in the mid-tier category, although one could make an argument that it's really a premium card with a lower-than-premium fee.

Thanks to two annual statement credits, the effective fee is just $30 — as long as you maximize them.

The first is up to $120 each year in dining credits, broken into monthly $10 portions. These credits only apply to a few participating chain restaurants — specifically Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris Steak House, and some Shake Shack locations — but they also apply to popular food ordering services GrubHub and Seamless. The credits apply automatically to any qualifying purchase.

The AmEx Gold also offers up to $100 in airline fee credits each calendar year. This works just like the Platinum Card's credit, meaning it's possible to earn it more than once each cardmember year.

Both cards have a new member bonus, although the Platinum Card's is higher.

Since both cards are part of the AmEx Membership Rewards program, it's easy to compare the sign-up bonuses directly.

Platinum Card

The Platinum Card has a welcome offer of 60,000 Amex Membership Rewards points when you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months.

Using The Points Guy's subjective valuations, that's worth about $1,200.

The Gold Card

The Gold Card's welcome bonus is 35,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $2,000 in the first three months. That's worth about $700, based on The Points Guy.

Click here to learn more about, or apply for, the American Express Platinum Card from Business Insider's partner: The Points Guy.

Click here to learn more about, or apply for, the American Express Gold Card from Business Insider's partner: The Points Guy.

Both cards earn Membership Rewards points, which you can pool between your AmEx cards.

AmEx offers a few ways to use Membership Rewards points.

However, redeeming for anything aside from travel offers a poor value, usually 0.5-0.8¢ each, and is generally a poor use of points.

You can get a slightly better value by booking flights through AmEx Travel, either online or by phone. Points are worth 1¢ each towards flights, but if you book a hotel or anything else, you'll only get 0.7¢ per point.

Another option is to use points to bid for upgrades on a flight. You'll only get 1¢ per point, but it can be a decent redemption if you want to try for an upgrade but don't want to pay cash.

The best use and value — potentially — is to transfer points to airline frequent flyer partners and book flights that way. You might be able to get a dramatically higher value for points this way.

That's because booking frequent flyer "award tickets" is different than buying reservations outright — you can read more about how it works here. In most cases, the cash price and the miles price of a ticket aren't linked, so it's possible to get exponentially increased value from your points by transferring them and booking an award ticket instead.

That means potentially being able to fly long-haul in first or business class with points, among other things.

For example, my wife and I recently flew first class to Japan and back by transferring credit card points to Virgin Atlantic, then booking flights on Virgin's partner airline All Nippon Airways. You can read about exactly how we booked the flights here.

The only catch is that you may need to search for saver availability — which are lower-priced award tickets. This can be tricky, but there are a ton of helpful guides online. Once you have a flight in mind, if you're having trouble figuring out how best to use your points, just do a Google search for that specific trip.

AmEx's partners include: Aer Lingus, AeroMexico, Air Canada, Air France/KLM, Alitalia, ANA, Cathay Pacific, Avianca, British Airways, Delta, El Al, Emirates, Etihad, Iberia, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic, as well as Choice Hotels, Hilton, and Marriott.

Click here to learn more about, or apply for, the American Express Platinum Card from Business Insider's partner: The Points Guy.

Click here to learn more about, or apply for, the American Express Gold Card from Business Insider's partner: The Points Guy.

The cards come with a few other benefits and perks, too, although the Platinum Card's are more substantial

The Platinum Card

Added benefits is where the Platinum Card really shines.

One of the flagship perks is access to more than 1,200 airport lounges around the world.

The Platinum Card's lounge access is more extensive than anything offered by any other card. When you have the card, you can use Delta Sky Clubs whenever you fly the airline, AmEx's own proprietary Centurion Lounges, and any lounge that participates in the Priority Pass network. You can also use any of 11 international AmEx-branded lounges, and a handful of other random lounges, including ones that fall under the Plaza Premium, Air Space, and Escapes brands — these number more than 50.

• Gold elite status at Marriott and Hilton hotels
• Access to exclusive events
• Benefits at more than 1,000 hotels around the world through the Fine Hotels and Resorts program
• Rental car elite status and benefits
• Secondary rental car insurance
• Roadside assistance
• Various purchase and shopping protections
• Concierge service
• Baggage loss and damage coverage
• Travel accident insurance
• A credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry

The Gold Card

While the Gold Card doesn't have nearly as many flashy perks as the Platinum Card, it still has a few benefits worth keeping in mind.

• Secondary rental car insurance
• Roadside assistance
• Various purchase and shopping protections
• Baggage loss and damage coverage
• Complementary ShopRunner membership (it works like Amazon Prime in a lot of ways, at other retailers).

Bottom line.

• Dr. Greg Reid interviewed 100 of the world's richest people — from entertainment pioneers to real estate tycoons — to find out how they built their wealth and held onto it.
• He and co-author Gary M. Krebs published the findings in a book, "Wealth Made Easy," which contains proven, real-world strategies for hanging onto money.
• For example, buy land in an area eight miles from a fast-growing town, rent it out to local farmers to cover the costs, and then sell it to a large retail developer for much more than you paid.
• Another strategy: Combine unrelated business ideas for something brand new that meets the needs of a wide range of people.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Ever wonder how you can discover the insider secrets — or wealth hacks — that millionaires and billionaires used to build their lives of sustained prosperity?

If you don't have access to super wealthy people, don't sweat it. Below are four simple wealth hacks to get you started.

SEE ALSO: The 7 most crucial money lessons to learn before age 30, according to a Harvard grad who was raised in poverty and now runs a finance site

1. Buy dirt

Canadian land mogul Brian Sidorsky shares a concept so powerful it challenges your imagination. When asked how he amassed a fortune in raw, undeveloped land, he sat back in his chair and exclaimed, "Time plus dirt is wealth."

Sidorsky then clarified his concept. "Find a town anywhere in North America that is growing 20 to 25 percent a year. Pinpoint their 'Main Street' and draw a line out eight miles from that location and buy that land. That is the 'dirt.' Rent the soil to local farmers who will pay the rent that covers the costs, so it's free. As the town continues to expand, eventually it ends up on your property where you own the largest lot and, since you are already near Main Street, you can then sell that land to a big-box store for one hundred times what you paid for it."

2. Combine unrelated business ideas

Gene Landrum did something seemingly impossible when he founded Chuck E. Cheese's. He created an entirely new business model by combining several different ideas into one chain: food, family, and amusement park-type entertainment.

Food: Kids love pizza. Amusement park-type entertainment: Kids are fixated on video games, whack-a-mole, and air hockey.

Combine pizza and amusement park entertainment, and you have occupied kids and happy parents. Why parents? Because they can sit at the table, take a breather, and eat while their kids are busy playing in the gaming area.

The hybrid pizza chain/entertainment center concept was revolutionary, and it reversed old thinking that had kept dining and kids' entertainment separate.

What businesses can you combine to create something entirely new?

3. Take advantage of obsolescence

When machinery and other office equipment gets old, most companies see junk. What do they do with the junk? They donate it or toss it out.

Ron Klein — who's also the founder of the credit card magnetic strip— does not see junk: He sees opportunity.

When Klein ran General Associates, Inc., a data communications company, he acquired large quantities of surplus Teletype equipment from the Western Union Company.

Why did he buy worthless junk? Where others saw a relic, he saw beauty — and money  — in obsolescence. Klein refurbished the old Teletype equipment and sold it to major communications companies. As a special service, GA converted many of the machines into special teleprinters for the hearing impaired with messages imprinted in Braille.

He created an innovative use for what had been considered junk. What junk do you have lying around that can be converted into cash?

4. Go against the grain — work with your competitors

Competition is the new collaboration. Why are there four gas stations on every main intersection? Would you rather start your restaurant on a dirt road or situate it alongside restaurant row in the best part of town?

Some may see this type of competition as a bad thing, but businesses can often help each other. Ernesto Ancira, Jr., who owns a slew of auto dealerships throughout the San Antonio, Texas area, doesn't think this way. This has been to the benefit of the industry, the community, and even for his own business, Ancira-Winton Chevrolet, Inc.

When the economy went down, Ernesto joined with his competitors and the Texas Automobile Dealers Association to reverse the negative image of the auto industry in their area. They worked together on special deals for customers and other joint events and offers — and everyone benefited, primarily because they created a level of sustained trust between consumer and dealer.

What can you do to partner with your competitors and improve the image of your industry?

Now: Take some action! To make any wealth hack work, you must think it, feel it, and get off your butt and do it.

Dr. Greg Reid is a world-renowned speaker, filmmaker, and entrepreneur. Published, coauthored, and featured in more than 50 books and  five motion pictures, Reid is also the founder and CEO of the Secret Knock, an event and professional collaboration community focused on partnership, networking, and business development.

Based on content from "Wealth Made Easy," Copyright © 2019 by Dr. Greg Reid with Gary M. Krebs.

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• Alo Yoga exercise gear has gained respect among yogis and celebrities since its 2007 founding.
• The company makes flattering, trend-focused performance gear that can be worn from "studio to street."
• To see how it stacks up in person, three reporters tested the popular Airlift leggings. Find our personal reviews below.
• Still looking? Read about the best women's workout tights you can buy.

If you've ever tapped on an Instagram post of a supermodel working out, aimlessly wondering where those cute leggings are from, I'd be willing to bet that, more often than not, said model will be sporting Alo Yoga, a relatively young LA brand with an outsized following.

Since its founding in 2007, the company has become a mainstay in both diehard yogi camps and the earth's small but hyper-visible population of models and artists. Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Taylor Swift, Chrissy Teigen, Jenna Dewan, Olivia Culpo, Hailey Beiber... the list of high-profile patrons goes on.

So, what gives?

To see for ourselves, we tested a few pairs of Alo Yoga Airlift leggings in our own (very normal) lives. The verdict: flattering, silky, and buttery soft. Despite the fact that they're trend- and fashion-focused, that shouldn't translate to impracticality; these leggings manage to look good and perform during exercise. 

A few things to note if you're looking to buy: some reviews note sweat showing through lighter colors; the capris run slightly longer than average; and the site sells out quickly. So, if you find something you love, it may be better not to wait. The company also has a 30-day return policy for unworn gear in case the fit isn't perfect in person. And, lastly, if you'd like to get around the crowds and sellouts, check Nordstrom. 

Here's what three reporters thought after testing the Airlift leggings:

High-Waist Airlift Legging

High-Waist Airlift Legging, $118, available at Alo, Backcountry, and Carbon38

Looking at these leggings, you'd think they're just like any other pair, but the difference is clear once you feel them. They're buttery smooth and feel great on your legs, and they stretch very well. You can and should take advantage of the variety of color options because they're a nice change from traditional black. Although I'm of average height (5-foot-6), my legs are on the shorter side, so I found with this legging length that some fabric did bunch up — I had to choose between my ankle or knee areas. If I could go back, I'd maybe do the Capri style instead. But the overall feel and performance of the leggings is awesome. I personally wear them for running and weight training. — Connie Chen, Insider Picks reporter

High-Waist Airlift Capri

High-Waist Airlift Capri, $104, available at Alo, Goop, and Nordstrom

I was surprised by how much I loved these leggings. Typically, when I see performance gear being billed as "studio-to-street," I assume that's code for athleisure rather than gear that's actually compatible with hot, sweaty cardio sessions. But Alo's High-Waist Airlift Capri ($114) impressed me — the four-way stretch fabric fits like a flexible, breathable second-skin during exercise, and I've used them far more frequently for HIIT than I have for streetwear.

They're also, admittedly, pretty flattering. The creamy, silky material isn't stuffy and compressive, but it still manages to lengthen the silhouette into a lean, seamless shape. Or, as Alo puts it, they're "engineered to lift, sculpt, contour and smooth." They're not exactly Spanx, but when I put them on for the first time my first thought was, "Ah, I get why celebrities wear these so much now." 

The one thing I'd note is that the capris run a little long, meaning they're still great for my 5'7 frame, but may end up being full-length for petites. And while I didn't notice sweat showing through on the dark cherry color I tested, other reviews mentioned seeing the sweat in lighter colors. 

The price is steep at $118, and I've found cheaper options that are just as breathable, but, if you're thinking of getting them, I'd wager you'll love them. — Mara Leighton, Insider Picks reporter

7/8 High-Waist Airlift Legging

7/8 High-Waist Airlift Legging, $114, available at Alo and Carbon38

High-Waist Airlift Capri, $104, available at Alo

These leggings feel like a second skin, but one that's so stretchy you could bend into a pretzel and you wouldn't feel any pulling, digging, or resistance. Every time they come out of the wash, they're the first pair I put on for a workout or day of running errands. The material is silky and soft, the stretch is just enough to hold them in place without digging, and they're breathable without being sheer. They're definitely best for anything that involves bending or stretching a lot (they were designed for doing yoga, obviously), but I've worn them running plenty of times and they held up really well.

Sadly, my favorite pair (the 7/8th length) is currently sold out, but the capri version is available and I'd recommend those just as happily since they're made from the same material, and since Mara said they run a little long anyway. I just liked the ankle-length pair because I'm a little over five feet tall and they fit like full-length leggings on me without any bunching at the bottom. — Sally Kaplan, Insider Picks editor