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• Growing kittens require a minimum of 30% protein and 9% fat in their diets to fuel healthy growth and development.
• It is also recommended that you choose an all-natural product made with plenty of meat and limited carbohydrates.
• Loaded with more than 80% real animal ingredients, Nature's Variety Instinct Original Kitten Grain-Free Recipe delivers a protein-packed dose of healthy nutrition and natural flavor to support your kitten's growth and development.

When kittens are born, they weigh no more than a few ounces. Over the next 10 weeks, you can expect your kitten to gain about two pounds and to start eating solid food. He'll continue to grow quickly over the next four months or so, at which point his growth will slow down until he reaches his adult size around 11 to 12 months of age.

Kittens start sampling solid food around four weeks of age, but most don't transition completely onto a commercial diet until about six weeks. From the moment your kitten starts eating solid food, it is important to provide him with a healthy, high-quality diet that provides for his nutritional needs. He'll need plenty of protein to fuel his growth and development with omega fatty acids for heart health, immunity, and healthy skin and coat.

Shopping for kitten food can be overwhelming due to the sheer number of options available. Fortunately for you, we've taken the time to learn the details about kitten nutrition, and we've scoured the reviews to bring you our top picks for the best kitten food. 

Here is the best kitten food you can buy in 2019:

• Best kitten food overall: Nature's Variety Instinct Original Kitten Grain-Free Recipe
• Best affordable kitten food: Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Healthy Kitten Recipe
• Best wet kitten food: Wellness Complete Health Kitten Formula Grain-Free Canned Food
• Best dry kitten food: Blue Buffalo Healthy Growth Kitten Recipe Dry Food
• Best grain-free kitten food: Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain-Free Kitten Indoor Recipe

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

The best kitten food overall

Why you'll love it: Made with 80% animal ingredients, Nature's Variety Instinct is a protein-packed kitten food that is highly digestible and loaded with nutrition.

Starting your kitten off with a healthy diet is the best thing you can do to support his long-term health and wellness. Your kitten's diet should be built around premium animal proteins like poultry, meat, and fish with essential fatty acids for energy and coat support. Our top pick for the best kitten food overall is Nature's Variety Instinct Original Kitten Grain-Free Recipe because it is made with wholesome, natural ingredients in a recipe formulated to meet your growing kitten's nutritional needs.

This food is loaded with more than 43% protein to help your kitten develop strong, healthy muscles. Most of that protein comes from four premium sources, including fresh chicken, turkey meal, salmon meal, and menhaden fish meal. This recipe also contains digestible grain-free carbohydrates and antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables to ensure balanced nutrition. It also contains supplemental fiber and probiotics to support healthy and regular digestion as well as optimal nutrient absorption.

The Idle Cat recommends this kitten food and highlights the fact that 81% of the ingredients come from animal products and comment that it is "tailor-made for the needs of a growing kitten." Feline Living also gives this food a favorable review, commenting on the lack of artificial additives and the inclusion of antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies.

Nature's Variety Instinct Original Kitten Grain-Free Recipe carries a solid 4.3-star rating on Amazon. While this product has a relatively low number of reviews on both Amazon and Chewy, they are overwhelmingly positive. We love the fact that this recipe contains nothing other than high-quality ingredients that contribute toward your kitten's healthy growth and development.

Pros: Premium all-natural ingredients, several sources of animal protein, 81% animal ingredients, fresh fruits and vegetables, over 40% protein and 20% fat

Cons: Fairly expensive compared to other brands, contains more than one source of protein (some kittens develop allergies to common proteins)

Buy Nature's Variety Instinct Original Kitten Grain-Free Recipe on Amazon for $19.99

The best affordable food for kittens

Why you'll love it: An affordable choice that offers high-quality nutrition, this Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Healthy Kitten Recipe comes in both dry and wet food form.

Top-of-the-line kitten food can be expensive, but it is well worth the cost when it comes to the benefits for your kitten's health. If premium kitten food is out of your price range, choose the highest quality product you can consistently afford. Though the quality of your kitten's diet is important, it is also important to avoid frequent changes to his diet.

If you're looking for an affordable kitten food that offers quality nutrition, we recommend Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Healthy Kitten Recipe.

Available in both dry food and wet food form, this food is uniquely formulated for both indoor and outdoor kittens. It features both chicken meal and turkey meal as concentrated sources of protein with grain-free carbohydrates like potatoes and peas. Chicken fat provides a nutrient-rich source of energy while dried fermentation products offer probiotic support. Plus, the brand is created by Merrick Pet Care, one of the most trusted pet food brands in the industry.

Breedsy features the wet food version of this food in its top 11 picks for the best kitten food, noting its high protein content and low carbohydrate content. Kitty Catter reviews the Whole Earth Farms brand as a whole, giving it a 4.5-star rating for its high-quality and the fact that it is made in the US and has a very short list of product recalls (specific to Merrick Pet Care, not Whole Earth Farms products).

This Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Healthy Kitten Recipe is surprisingly affordable for a grain-free recipe and carries a 4.5-star rating on Amazon with more than 100 reviews. Cat owners love the price and quality, though there are comments about some kittens refusing the food.

Pros: Affordable price (especially for grain-free), concentrated source of animal protein as first ingredient, nutrient-rich chicken fat, plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics

Cons: Contains some plant protein (peas and pea protein), some kittens don't like it

Buy Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Healthy Kitten Recipe on Amazon for $24.99

The best wet food for kittens

Why you'll love it: Rich in protein and moisture to improve palatability, the Wellness Complete Health Kitten Formula Grain-Free Canned Food offers complete and balanced nutrition for kittens with wholesome, natural ingredients.

A kitten's baby teeth start to grow in around three-weeks-old and their permanent teeth grow in around three to four months. As your kitten transitions from his mother's milk to solid food, he may find wet food more palatable and easier to chew.

Many cat owners choose to continue feeding their kittens wet food because it tends to be higher in both moisture and protein content than commercial dry food. Our top pick for the best wet food for kittens is Wellness Complete Health Kitten Formula Grain-Free Canned Food.

This food comes in a smooth, palatable loaf loaded with fresh chicken and chicken liver. As a grain-free recipe, it features fresh carrots, cranberries, and flaxseed as the only carbohydrate ingredients, all of which supply essential nutrients. This formula is rich in omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat with chelated minerals nutritional balance. These are mineral supplements that have been chemically bound to protein molecules to increase absorption.

The Idle Cat says this food is easy for kittens to eat and highly appealing flavor-wise. The reviewer also notes that it contains taurine, a nutrient essential for heart and eye development. The Spruce recommends this food because of its high-quality, natural ingredients.

With more than 300 reviews on Amazon, this Wellness Complete Health Kitten Formula Grain-Free Canned Food has a 4.1-star rating and carries an Amazon's Choice award. 

Pros: Real chicken as first ingredient, grain-free for digestibility, rich in moisture and natural flavor, plenty of omega fatty acids, chelated minerals for increased absorption

Cons: Contains some thickeners (some kittens may be sensitive), some kittens don't seem to like it

Buy Wellness Complete Health Kitten Formula Grain-Free Food on Amazon for $29.52

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.

• Lice. The very word is enough to set your head to itching. But unfortunately, these blood-sucking insects are a fairly common problem.
• According to the CDC, somewhere between six and 12 million school-aged children suffer from an itchy infestation each year.
• Luckily, while it can take persistence — to say nothing of a lack of squeamishness — to get rid of the creepy crawlers, with patience and the right products, you can free your child's hair or your own from lice.
• You'll need to grab the Nit Free Terminator lice comb, the Licefreee Spray, and the LiceLogic Clear & Free Shampoo to help you get rid of lice.

Their scientific name is Pediculus humanus capitis, butyou can simply call them head lice. While the thought and sight of bugs scurrying through your child's hair is admittedly repulsive, lice don't actually transmit any diseases directly to humans, although it is possible to get a secondary bacterial infection from scratching at the scalp. Because most people are somewhat allergic to the saliva of lice, their bites tend to itch, often quite severely.

While many people associate lice infestation with a lack of cleanliness, that's not actually true: Even the cleanest child can pick up a case of head lice, much to the dismay of parents everywhere.

Head lice don't jump or fly, however. It takes direct contact to spread these pests from person to person. Hair-to-hair contact is the most common route. Perhaps your child leaned her head against another child's, or shared a hairbrush, or put on a hat that just came off an infested child's head.

It's technically possible to catch lice from a pillow, clothing, or towel, but this scenario isn't very common, as lice only survive for 24 hours or so away from the warmth of a human head, and generally prefer to stick close to their host. Nor can your dog or cat transmit or catch Pediculus humanus capitis. This pest is only interested in human blood.

To help you get rid of lice, we break down how to tell if you have lice, how to get rid of them in your home, and how to get them out of your hair (literally).

Here are the products you need to get rid of lice:

• Best lice comb: Nit Free Terminator
• Best lice-killing spray: Licefreee Spray
• Best lice-killing shampoo: LiceLogic Clear & Free Shampoo 

Read on in the slides below to learn how to get rid of lice:

How do you know if you have lice?

Before you starting treating lice, you have to know you have a problem to begin with. While typically the first symptom of a lice infestation is an itchy scalp, some people actually don't feel an itch. It takes a thorough inspection to definitively diagnose the problem.

The first thing you'll want to do is closely examine your or your child's hair and scalp under a bright light. You might spot an adult louse scurrying across the scalp — look for a tan or grayish wingless insect no larger than a sesame seed. Because lice are quick to hide, it's more common to spot their eggs, which are called nits.

Lice lay their eggs on the hair shaft close to the scalp. Nits can be tan, brown, or yellowish, and are very small. While nits can be scattered anywhere around the scalp, you'll often find large clusters in the hair at the nape of the neck and around the ears. It can be easy to mistake nits for dandruff, but unlike dandruff, you can't brush nits away, as they are tightly adhered to the hair.

Left to their own devices, nits hatch in a week or two into the adolescent stage called a nymph. Around a week or so after that, they mature into adult lice, fully prepared to perpetuate the lifecycle of feeding, breeding, and laying eggs.

If you spot the dreaded scourge, don't panic, don't burn your pillows or your child's stuffed toys, and don't call an exterminator to fumigate your home. Instead, follow these guidelines to get rid of the lice.

How to get rid of lice in the home

1. Wash the infected person's bedding in hot water, and dry on the highest heat setting. Be aware that if one person in a family has lice, it's quite common for the rest of the family to have them as well.
2. Put bed pillows in the dryer on high heat for at least 30 minutes.
3. Vacuum carpets in the bedroom and rest of the home thoroughly.
4. Bag up combs, brushes, hair ties, and other hair accessories, and stick them in the freezer for at least 24 hours.
5. If your child shares his or her bed with stuffed animal friends, either place the stuffed animals in the dryer on a high-heat setting for at least 30 minutes, or seal them in a plastic bag for a minimum of three days. Lice cannot live longer than that without feeding on blood.

How to get rid of lice in your hair

Forget about slathering your child's head with vinegar or mayonnaise. Those treatments don't really work. Here's how to tackle the problem effectively, and without pesticides or harsh chemicals.

There's no need to subject your child to potentially harmful ingredients, plus, many lice have developed immunity to the pesticides commonly used in lice treatment products.  

1. Start by purchasing a good lice comb. The Nit Free Terminator is an excellent one with long, fine teeth that effectively remove nits, nymphs, and adult lice.
2. Coat the infected person's head with olive oil or hair conditioner to make it easier for the comb to glide through the hair.
3. Now begins the tedious part: You need to repeatedly comb through every strand of hair from scalp to the end of the hair shaft.
4. Wipe collected nits and lice onto a paper towel as you work.
5. Saturate dry hair from scalp to roots with a chemical-free delousing product like Licefreee Spray, which uses salt to dry out and kill adult lice, nymphs, and nits. Let the hair air dry.
6. Finally, wash your child's hair with a chemical-free shampoo that kills any remaining lice or nits. A good one that won't leave hair feeling like straw is LiceLogic Clear & Free Shampoo.
7. After massaging the shampoo thoroughly into the hair, let it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing.

Your child's hair should now be nit and lice free. But remember, lice are common and easy to catch, so continue to inspect your child's head on a regular basis. Repeat the above treatment at the first sign of a reinfestation.

Buy the Nit Free Terminator on Amazon for $13.77

Buy Licefreee Spray on Amazon for $10.99

Buy LiceLogic Clear & Free Shampoo on Amazon for $27.95

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

• Truly wireless headphones are great, but they can sometimes fall out a little too easily, which can be annoying especially in the middle of a workout or busy commute. 
• The Phiaton Curve BT 120 NC wireless earphones ($79.99) still give you the benefits of being untethered to your phone, but also have a neckband that helps keep everything in place and gives you easy access to a control panel for your sound.
• I've been wearing the earphones a lot recently, and I've found them to be a great value for the price. 

Exercising with truly wireless headphones is great. Being totally untethered lets you move freely throughout your workout, without any fears that your music will suddenly stop and ruin your flow — that is, until your little earbud falls out and flies across the rapidly moving treadmill mid-workout.

If that's ever happened to you, you know it's a nuisance. Regular wireless earbuds have a limited range of motion, so they're out of the question (at least for me). But over-the-ear wireless headphones are too clunky and can't stand up to any perspiration that comes with a training session. 

So, where do you turn for a good pair of headphones that you can use in the gym and beyond? Wireless headphones with a thin neckband are a great choice. If you're looking for a great value too, you should check out Phiaton's newest headphones. 

Phiaton is known for making premium, wearable audio devices at relatively affordable prices. The brands latest Bluetooth earphone model — the Curve BT 120 NC— is no exception. I've been wearing these headphones to lounge around, work out, and commute — and I've been pretty impressed at all of the features they offer for the $79.99 pricetag.

The design of the earphones is sleek and comfortable. They come in two neutral colorways, either all white or all black. The flexible neckband rests behind your neck and is very lightweight, so you barely even notice that it's there. You also get two sizes of ergonomic ear wings and three sizes of ear tips to make sure the buds themselves fit you just right.

On the neckband you'll also find a control panel — it's intuitive to use and also offers some pretty cool and practical features. There's the basic power on/off and volume controls, which also are used to skip, pause, or replay music. The power button can also be used to pick up, or reject, calls when you don't have time to reach for your phone. There's also a small microphone just a few inches away from the control panel, so if you do decide to take calls, you won't have to awkwardly talk into your phone.

While many headphones completely pause your music for an incoming call, the Phiaton Curve BT 120 NC earphones uses a vibration instead. If you have voice commands on your phone, you can use these headphones to make hands-free calls — you just need to press the call/power button, wait until you hear a beep tone, and then give your voice commands. 

You'll also find a small button on the side of the panel labeled "NC". This button controls the noise-cancelling aspect of the earphones. When the LED light is off, the noise-cancelling feature is also off. If you hold that button down, the LED light will turn green, and noise-cancellation will turn on. This is a useful feature, as there are some situations — like commuting on a crowded subway — when you just want to tune everything out. Other times though — like when you're walking or biking — the noise-cancelling feature can be dangerous, as it can block out important sound signals, like alarms and horns. 

One of my favorite features of these earphones is how quickly they charge. To get a full charge (8.5 hours worth of music without noise-cancelling on) the earphones need to be charged for two hours. But, if you're in rush , just five minutes of charging will hold you over for an hour. So, if you decide to go on a run on a whim, you don't need to prolong your start time due to the fact that you forgot to charge your earphones overnight. To charge, there's a small USB cable that can be plugged in just about anywhere. 

Another great feature is the IPX4 sweat and water resistance. The IPX4 rating means that these are protected from light rain and heavy perspiration. While this isn't a super-high rating, it's more than enough for running outside when it's drizzling or for a sweaty gym session. 

Then, of course, there's sound quality. I'm not a serious audiophile, but I listen to music a lot, so I won't waste time or money on bad quality sound. These sound great to me; so far everything has come out clear, rich, and balanced. For the tech specs, they use 12 mm drivers and a dual-layer carbon paper to enhance the sound. When you engage the noise-cancelling feature, you can really get lost in their sound. 

The comfortable fit, convenient and easy-to-use features, and the affordable price of just $79.99 make these a great pair of earphones. They may not be the most premium pair on the market, but for under $100, they're pretty darn good.

Get the Phiaton Curve BT 120 NC headphones, $79.99, available at Amazon

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• Melody Wilding is an executive coach who helps smart, sensitive high-achievers let go of perfectionism, communicate confidently, and find lasting work-life balance.
• She says that rampant passive-aggressive behavior in a workplace can erode morale and contribute to burnout, even if you otherwise enjoy your job.
• She offers four tips for breaking through the behavior, including how to straightforwardly convey your feelings and get offenders to change their ways.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Gabe was a rising leader at a non-profit in New York City. Smart, compassionate, and driven, he had strong relationships with his donors and the community his organization served.

But lately Gabe was drained by the difficult dynamics happening around him. He was sick of chasing down co-workers for information they promised to get him weeks ago. He was fed up hearing excuse after excuse, and growing tired of the complaining and water-cooler gossip.

No workplace is perfect, but it's difficult to perform and feel your best when there's dysfunction all around you. Condescending comments, put-downs and sarcasm  —  all hallmarks of passive-aggressive behavior  —  contribute to an environment of incivility, according to experts. Left unchecked, latent contempt can erode morale and contribute to burnout, even if you otherwise enjoy your job.

Having gone through burnout myself, I could clearly see red flags signaling Gabe was heading down an unhealthy path. His resentment was turning into anxiety. He dreaded going into work every day.

When Gabe told me this and shared he was also thinking of giving up his lifelong mission to pursue the humanitarian work he so loved, I knew it was time to step in as his coach and work with Gabe to get the situation under control.

How to spot passive-aggressive behavior

Identifying passive aggressive people can be tricky precisely because they don't clearly express themselves. Their words don't match their actions.

For example, your teammate may agree to help you with a task, then gripe about how crazy busy and overwhelmed they are by all the responsibilities on their plate. You're left feeling bad, confused as to why they said "yes" in the first place. Sound familiar?

By definition, passive-aggressive people avoid conflict. Unfortunately, their conflict avoidance strategies end up creating conflict, especially in a workplace. They express negative feelings through indirect actions like:

• Sarcasm
• The silent treatment
• Procrastinating or leaving tasks unfinished
• A cynical attitude or air of superiority
• Disguised insults and non-compliments
• Stubbornness
• Gossip
• Making excuses
• Never giving a straight answer
• Rejecting other viewpoints and feedback
• Saying they feel under-appreciated

Because passive aggressive behavior can show up in so many different ways, disarming it isn't always easy or straightforward. In Gabe's case, he had to uncover things about himself first before turning toward confronting his colleagues.

Although dealing with difficult people takes time and patience, it's well worth the effort to save your well-being and self-respect. Learning to short circuit unproductive relationship cycles can save you from unending power struggles that leave you feeling miserable.

Here's how you can protect yourself from negative effects of passive aggressive behavior and do your part to stop the spread of incivility.

1. Get your emotions under control

Difficult co-workers can high-jack your emotions, causing you to act and think irrationally or out of alignment with your values.That's not exactly a healthy situation in which you can succeed.

As hard as it may be, do your best to de-personalize the passive aggressive person's actions. If you do feel triggered, there are a few techniques you can use to manage your reaction:

• Use box breathing to help ease the body's stress response and bring your pre-frontal cortex (the area of the brain responsible for self-control) back online. With box breathing, you breathe in slowly for a four count, hold your breath for another four counts, breath out slowly for another four, and then hold your breath for four. Then you repeat.
• Avoid getting caught up in a negative downward spiral with the AWARE mindfulness exercise. This might feel like a bit of a long exercise, taking upwards of 10 minutes. But if you have a coworker who is consistently frustrating you then this exercise is completely worth your time. The gist of the exercise is to observe and accept your feelings. It works a bit like a librarian  —  if you can catalog your feelings you can then file them away and move on toward more rational thoughts.
• Externalize your thoughts and feelings by journaling, talking with a trusted friend, or through movement, for example. Research also shows simply labeling what you're feeling can have a powerful calming effect. This also is an example of the power of observing and accepting your feelings. Many people try to white-knuckle their way toward rationality, hoping they can simply squash their feelings. Instead, it's almost always faster and healthier to practice techniques for processing these feelings.

2. Empathize and redirect

When a colleague cops a passive-aggressive attitude, determine how this behavior has benefited them in the past. Look for the hidden positive outcome motivating the person to act passive-aggressively. What do they achieve by not expressing themselves directly? 

They may get to feel superior by putting others down. Compensatory strategies like gossip, complaining, or playing the victim are often used to cover low-self esteem or to indirectly deal with anger, resentment, or other uncomfortable emotions.

There's a simple formula you can use to distance yourself from the dynamic while keeping relationships intact:

Empathize + Redirect

First, empathize. Acknowledge your co-worker's reaction, addressing the deeper, human need below the surface, which could be love and belonging.The real reason they may be gossiping is because they want to feel heard and validated.

Then use redirection. Maybe you nudge the person towards a solution, "Ugh, it sucks to feel like you're undervalued. You should talk directly with your boss about this."

Or encourage them to focus on what is working, for example, "It sounds like the situation is still bothering you. That sucks. For now let's talk about how things are going with the new project you're working on."

This step doesn't magically change passive aggressive behavior, but it does take you out of the role of enabling it by saying nothing.

3. Look at your contribution

When Gabe took a closer look at what was going on with his team, he realized his people-pleasing tendencies were contributing to (and perpetuating) the cycle of passive-aggressive behavior at his office.

By swooping in to fix every problem and staying late to complete projects left unfinished by others, he'd unintentionally trained his colleagues to be helpless. They could continue neglecting deadlines with zero consequences. They didn't have to take responsibility because, "Gabe will do it." Gabe's brand of self-sacrificing work martyrdom is increasingly common, especially among well-meaning leaders who value hard work.

Get honest about how you may be contributing to the unhealthy dynamic in place. For instance, think about the last time you felt upset, hurt, or angered by something your co-worker or boss did. How did you react? Did you speak address the situation swiftly and directly? Or did you fall into passive aggressive patterns yourself?

Consider how your beliefs and attitudes towards power, conflict, and emotional expression shape your behavior at work and in relation to other people. Do some digging around questions like:

• What's the first reaction you have when you hear the word "power"? Is it positive or negative? What images come up?
• Was advocating for yourself off-limits in your family? Was it encouraged?
  When you were younger, was it acceptable to speak up and share your opinion?
• What other major experiences shaped your attitude towards authority and asserting yourself, particularly in the workplace?

Reflecting on questions like these helped Gabe uncover that deep down his over-functioning was actually resulted from a deeper fear of confrontation.Armed with this self-knowledge, he became more aware of how he could now change the role he played in keeping passive aggressive patterns in place.

4. Be firm and set limits

When you start changing the way you communicate with passive aggressive people, expect backlash. Micro-aggressions may intensify when you disrupt the normal, status quo way of doing things.

The assertive message formula is helpful communication tool that can aid you in standing your ground, even when the passive aggressive person argues or makes excuses.

The prototypical assertive message uses a format as follows:

I feel __________________ when you __________________ what I would like for you to do instead is __________________.

Here's an example of how Gabe applied it to confront a colleague who was chronically late with deliverables:

• First, describe the facts of the situation and the person's behavior: "You didn't send me an email with the files by the deadline we agreed on."
• Then, indicate your feelings or perspective: "I'm disappointed and stressed out because I have to scramble to get ready for the client meeting."
• Describe the broader effects of the behavior: "The client has said we look disorganized. We're at risk of losing the account."
• State what you need: "I need you to handle making the slides and handouts. Going forward, I will also request you send me all documents at least 24 hours ahead of time so we avoid a situation like this in the future."

Your aim is to convey straightforwardly about your feelings and make an explicit request as to what needs to change. Does this always work? No. But it's healthier and more mature than internalizing frustrations.

I know it's not easy to make demands of other people  —  especially when you're angry or annoyed. Assertiveness does take time to master, but with consistent effort, it's a skill you can get better at.

Most people simply try to ignore passive-aggressiveness in the workplace, which inevitably backfires. It takes hard work to instead choose developing skills at disarming difficult dynamics. It also requires courage to dive deep and examine how your thoughts and reactions to passive aggressive behavior around you. By leaning into the discomfort, you can pave a path towards lasting leadership and personal growth.

SEE ALSO: 10 harmless mind tricks that make people like you more

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NOW WATCH: What happens to your body when you drink too much coffee

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.

• You don't have to sacrifice having a clean, tidy home when you go green — you just need to know what kinds of products are better for the environment.
• Aside from using eco-friendly cleaning chemicals, rinvesting in reusable products like this laundry egg and these microfiber cloths is one affordable and sustainable solution to our over-reliance on wasteful products like dryer sheets and paper towels. 
• Below, you'll find 15 of the best reusable cleaning products to add to your home essentials list. 

Caring about the environment and caring about a clean home don't have to be mutually exclusive. Though most of the cleaning products and tools sold on the shelf are disposable, a striking amount of them are actually reusable — which is good for the environment and your wallet. 

When the movement toward "green cleaning" began, there were very few products that approached the benchmark of being both high-quality and good for the Earth at the same time. Yes, there was the ol' kitchen mop and the bacteria-infested sink rag, but more often than not, reusable meant repulsive.

Today, it's hard to keep up with the number of items on the market that are working to provide a sustainable way to take care of your home, from eco-friendly chemicals to reusable dryer sheets. There are tons of ways you can do your part to take care of the environment without going out of your way or sacrificing the quality of the products you've used in the past. 

Below, you'll find 15 reusable products that work well and are good for the environment (a win-win, if you ask me).

Smart138 Reusable Dish Scrubber

Smart 138 Reusable Dish Scrubber, $7.33 for a pack of 3, Available at Amazon

This towel, made from natural materials, can be used to scrub anything from stubborn food caked onto dishes to sticky messes on countertops. Buyers claim that this towel has become their favorite cleaning tool because it's durable, dries fast, and doesn't hold bacteria like most sponges. 

Smart Sheep Wool Dryer Balls

Smart Sheep Wool Dryer Balls, $16.95 for a pack of 6, Available at Amazon

These dryer balls might look a little odd, but with nearly 16,000 reviews and an average of 4.5 stars on Amazon, it's clear that their outward appearance isn't interfering with their popularity. The Smart Sheep Dryer Balls are made from 100% premium New Zealand wool and offer the same benefits of disposable dryer sheets (like decreased static), but without the waste. They can be infused with essential oils, and they can aid in quicker drying times by creating air pockets between clothes.

Phaewo Silicone Dishwashing Gloves

Phaewo Silicone Dishwashing Gloves, $12.99, Available at Amazon

Often times, sponges and brushes are difficult to use when trying to get into small crevices of dishes and silverware. With bristles on both sides and anti-slip grips on each finger, you can easily clean your bowls and plates without worrying that they'll slip out of your hands. Silicone is also more ocean-friendly than traditional plastic, and it's BPA-free, too.

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.

• Everlane just released the Day Loafer ($155), a modern take on the classic style with a few upgrades for added comfort, like soft leather, cushioned insoles, and an elastic back for the ease of a sensible slip-on. 
• Six women on the Insider Picks team took the shoes to the streets to see if they really are as comfortable as Everlane says.
• Overall, we loved the simple, minimalist style of these loafers and found them to be more comfortable than most loafers we've worn, though not the most comfortable Everlane shoes we've ever tried (that honor belongs to the Day Gloves from the same collection).
• You can find our full reviews below, or go straight to Everlane to get a pair of your own. 

The hunt for a pair of sophisticated shoes that feel a lot more comfortable than they look can often be a fruitless attempt. Loafers top the list of classy but uncomfortable, typically boasting too-slim fits, too-tight toes, and soles that feel like you're sliding on a slab of slick ice. 

Comfort, style, and simplicity are the trademarks of Everlane's cult-favorite Day Glove flat and equally beloved Day Heel, Day Boot, and Day High Heel. So, when it comes to stylish shoes that keep our feet happy all day long, the women of Insider Picks turn to Everlane for minimalist, easy styles that look and feel great, The brand just added a new member to their Day Family, the Day Loafer— and it's no exception, garnering the same excitement as its predecessors. 

Everlane's Day Loafer is a sharp but simple take on the classic. You won't find any crazy design details or hardware, just a classically styled loafer with a few modern upgrades. The five color options — black, dark rose, white, caramel, and pale yellow — are the perfect neutral and light color palette to welcome spring. Each pair boasts 100% buttery-soft Italian leather that molds to your foot, an elasticized back for slip-on ease, and a cushioned insole that your arches will thank you for.

Everlane promises that these smart and stylish shoes can take you from the office out to dinner and everywhere in between, keeping your feet super comfortable while you go about your day, no matter what your day may bring — because we all have more important things to do than tend to blisters on our toes. 

At this point, many women on the Insider Picks team have acquired a small army of Everlane shoes— they're all a great balance of function and fashion at a price that actually feels fair. To see if the newest members of the Day Family lived up to the hype, we had to try them out ourselves. Six women on the Insider Picks team got the chance to test the Day Loafer.

Keep reading for our thoughts (which were largely positive) and to learn if these shoes are right for your daily needs.

Connie Chen, reporter: The Day Loafer in pale yellow, $155

I love the feel of the buttery-soft leather featured across the entire Day shoe collection, but I think it makes particular sense for the flat styles like the Day Glove and this Day Loafer because your feet are close to the ground the entire day, and you need that soft, flexible comfort as you walk. I personally wish it had a regular back instead of the elasticized back (which is a little too tight on my heel), but overall the Loafer is still a very comfortable option that feels great the moment you slip it on. I went for the Pale Yellow, a fun spring pastel that's a little out of my usual color spectrum but manages to look sophisticated when combined with the classic and composed loafer silhouette.

Sally Kaplan, editor: The Day Loafer in caramel, $155

I love a good loafer, and specifically, I love the way Everlane's original Modern Loafers look. But I've skipped out on buying a pair because I've heard the stiff leather back is hard to break in — and who has time for blisters, anyway?

I'm a huge fan of Everlane's Day shoe collection, so I was really excited to try the new loafer style that featured a similar elastic back to the Day Heels combined with the semi-cushioned sole and buttery leather of the Day Glove.

They did not disappoint my weary feet! Though they run a bit narrow and take a little time to stretch, they're as soft and comfortable as any pair of flexible suede loafers, while still maintaining the look of a rigid leather pair. I would definitely recommend sizing up if you usually wear a half size (I'm a 7.5 and I went for the 8). I don't have particularly wide feet, but even after sizing up, they were a little tight when I first put them on (as were the Day Gloves). However, they stretched to fit my feet perfectly after a few hours of wearing them — so I wouldn't be concerned if you feel like they're a little small at first.

Some people on our team weren't into the elastic backs on the shoes, but I really appreciate them. I blister easily, and the elastic gives me just enough stretch to feel like I have room to move around in the shoes but not so much that they'll slip off. The soles aren't so cushiony that I feel like I can walk around all day in them on their own, but I put some thin insoles in the shoes and they really improved the comfort level.

I'll be taking these on my week-long trip to Italy for sure — and I'll report back afterwards about how they held up for long days of walking.

Malarie Gokey, senior editor: The Day Loafer in dark rose, $155

Loafers have always struck me as a more professional-looking type of flat, so I was excited to try out the Everlane Day Loafer. I went with the deep rose color, which looks way more red online than it is in person. I'm actually glad it's not as red as I thought it would be because I really love a good deep rose color. The leather is super soft and smooth just like it is on the Day Glove. I love the simple, classic loafer look.

I have a few criticisms, though, the first being that I really wish that Everlane hadn't gone with the scrunchy elastic heel on these. The Day Gloves were phenomenally comfortable because they didn't have the elastic on the back. I find that the elastic bites into my heels and feels too tight for comfort — it's the reason I don't love the Day Heels, either. The second thing I will say is that the sole is very thin, so I doubt they would last very long if you walk in them a lot. I'd personally prefer a slight heel and thicker sole for more durability, support, and a bit of height — even if it's just an inch.

Quibbles aside, these loafers would make great office shoes because they're comfortable for short spurts of walking and they look great.

Remi Rosmarin, reporter: The Day Loafer in caramel, $155

I've always been fairly intimidated by loafers. Maybe it's that for so long the style seemed a little too mature, or that the only cute pairs I could find were $600 — but I'd much rather slip on a pair of slip-ons than a loafer. There are some moments though that call for something a little more sophisticated than a pair of sneakers, but not as formal as a pair of heels. These moments call for something like loafers, shoes that look sharp without trying too hard. We shouldn't have to sacrifice comfort to look put together, and thankfully with Everlane's Day Loafer us ladies no longer have to. The buttery, soft leather molds to your feet in a way that feels like the shoes were made just for you. I found them easy to slip on, off, and walk around in. The minimalist style is perfect to dress up or down, with business casual outfits or ripped jeans and a t-shirt. My only qualm echoes my coworkers, I don't love the elastic band, while tolerable it has moments of digging into my heel which I could definitely do without. Still, I'm hopeful that more wear will stretch them out, and the band won't be as noticeable an issue, because this caramel color is too good to put out of commission, especially with spring on its way. 

Mara Leighton, reporter: The Day Loafer in caramel, $155

Everlane combining the immense success of the Day Glove's buttery soft leather (ie. function) with the beloved but notoriously uncomfortable loafer style (ie. form) is such a good idea that I'm a little mad I didn't think of it first. I ranked five of Everlane's best-selling shoes by their comfort and the Day Glove was easily the best, while the classic Modern Loafer came in third — and only after some break-in time that was painful on the heels. I loved the look but hated the pain required as a down payment.

The Day Loafer ($155) fixes the issues of the Modern Loafer ($168). And it is, unsurprisingly, a fantastic shoe — as each new addition to the Day family consistently has been.

The loafer style can be dressed up or down, the elasticized back negates painful blisters and break-in time, and the thinner, supple leather will mold to your foot over time like a glove. They're my new go-to travel shoe for airports and light tourist walking days (the cushioned insole is good, though you may need to supplement with insoles if you're planning a heavy day of walking/need more support). I suspect they will be used nearly as frequently as the Day Glove in my closet — and for more months of the year than flats can be worn.

The caramel is true to the color online, if not slightly lighter in person. I stuck with my true size (I sized up a half-size for both the Day Glove and the Modern Loafer) and am happy I did thanks to the glove-like fit that will likely mold to the shape of my foot even more over time. Having said that, my feet are relatively narrow, and Everlane suggests you do go up a half size. If you're considering it, you should. 

The only thing I would note is that if you're comparing the Modern Loafer to the Day Loafer, you are getting different leathers and, obviously, slightly different styles. The Day Loafer ($155) has a more versatile, casual aesthetic and a glove-like buttery soft leather. The Modern Loafer ($165) is made from thicker, more substantial leather (hence the break-in period) and a more structured, architectural look. 

Shop the Day Loafer, $155, at Everlane

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• A year ago my partner and I left New York to travel around the world after I became Business Insider's international correspondent. Over that time we visited more than 20 countries.
• Traveling as a couple can be difficult, tiring, rewarding, and amazing, depending on the day.
• I have found that the best way to reduce the number of arguments while traveling is for both partners to pay attention to each other's basic needs like hunger, tiredness, stress, and needing to use the bathroom.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

When I tell people that my partner and I have been traveling the world together for the past year, I usually get two responses.

The first — "Oh my god! That sounds like a dream." — is usually followed by the second: "But wait, how do you not kill each other?"

For a new couple, traveling together for the first time can be scary. I remember having the intense fear when my partner and I first traveled together six years ago that I might suddenly discover I couldn't stand my partner — or that she might not be able to stand me. Thoughts run through your head like, "What if I end up hating them because they are too cheap, too loose with money, don't like museums, don't like the beach, or hate trying new foods?"

Travel has a way of putting relationships into a pressure cooker; it takes away the usual relationship release valves, like friends, family, time away at work, and the comforts of home. When you get into an argument, it can be difficult to find the space or time to recover. An idiosyncrasy that didn't previously bother you could start to grate when you spend a week or a month together uninterrupted.

Read more: I traveled the world for a year and a tiny city in Bali was the one place I can see myself returning to dozens of times

When my partner and I embarked on our year around the world, it was far from our first trip together. We've been taking trips together since we first started dating and had already been to over a dozen countries together. Throughout those trips and our world tour, we've learned to follow one simple rule: Listen when one person expresses a basic need.

It may sound intuitive, but you'd be surprised how many people don't think about this. When I say "needs," I'm not talking about being on the same page about whether you both want a beach vacation, though that's important too. I'm talking about even simpler things: hunger, sleep, stress, and needing to use the bathroom.

When people are traveling, I have found there is a tendency to ignore basic needs. You have only one day to see Paris, so even though you are jet-lagged and hungry you rush to get in line for the Eiffel Tower.

Or perhaps the two of you are visiting the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Your partner is hungry now, but you have reservations for a fancy restaurant in a couple of hours. Do you go grab a snack or encourage your partner to hold out?

Read more: I spent a year traveling the world and reporting on the road — here are the gadgets I couldn't have done it without

In our case, the answer is to always fulfill the other person's need. If one person is hungry, we both stop what we're doing and go eat. If one person is tired, we find a café to grab a coffee or head to our hotel to take a nap. If someone needs to use the bathroom, that becomes the immediate problem to solve, even if it screws up our shot at getting into the museum or making the next bus.

In my experience, the vast majority of arguments that occur while traveling with a partner are the result of one person or the other ignoring a basic need so as not to be a burden or to not mess up the day's plans. Even people who have no problem expressing or taking care of their needs in regular life can become timid about it while traveling. No one likes to be the reason you have to leave the thumping Berlin club at 2 a.m. because of a migraine.

But when people are tired, hungry, or stressed or need to pee, they become irritable and small issues easily snowball into big ones. Fights break out over the silliest details.

While taking care of those basic needs doesn't solve every issue you may encounter with your partner while traveling, it makes it a lot easier to be calm, collected, and rational when other issues arise.

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NOW WATCH: 9 of the most exclusive Disney spots to visit, including the invite-only suite where Tom Cruise and Mariah Carey have stayed

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.

• When I'm not drinking a cup of good ol' joe, I'm probably sipping on a matcha latte.
• Matcha is powder ground from specially grown and processed green tea leaves. It has more caffeine than regular coffee and lots of antioxidants.
• I bought the Epica Automatic Electric Milk Frother and Heater Carafe just to make fancy foam for my matcha lattes, but it's done so much more.

While I'm a big coffee drinker, I love matcha for its subtle earthy flavor, stronger caffeine kick, and antioxidants boost. The unique green color also makes it 10 times more Instagram-friendly than boring old coffee, but moving on. I initially bought the Epica Automatic Electric Milk Frother and Heater Carafeto top my at-home matcha lattes with creamy foam. But in the two years that I've owned this handy little appliance, I've used it to make legit lattes and cappuccinos and I hacked my matcha latte. No wonder it has a 4.1-star rating on Amazon with more than 6,000 reviews.

The four-piece carafe comes with a heating base, plastic lid, tiny cleaning brush, and the stainless steel carafe itself. It takes up very little space on your kitchen counter and makes almost no noise, so it's perfect for small apartments with thin walls — which is basically every apartment. To use, pour your milk into one of two fill lines for heating or frothing, pop the lid on, and then press the appropriate button. The machine will stop automatically when it's done, but unlike your annoying microwave, there isn't a loud beeping noise. I also found out the hard way that you have to pop out the removable steel whisk inside if you're just heating up milk, otherwise the machine will froth and you'll be drinking your latte off the kitchen counter. Consider that your friendly reminder to read the instruction booklet — or at least the Amazon reviews— thoroughly.

Read more: The best milk frothers you can buy

I've also used the Epica carafe to hack my matcha latte. The older, much more involved way of doing it was to warm up some milk and honey in the microwave, add in matcha, whisk by hand for a minute or two, pour into a cup with some more milk, and finally, microwave the whole thing. Yeah, it was a process. Now, I add a tiny amount of milk, honey, and matcha to the carafe and set it to heat without taking out the whisk. This essentially warms and mixes all the ingredients together in a concentrated formula, but because I use just a tiny amount of milk initially, it doesn't overflow. Not going to lie — it definitely took some trial and error before I figured out how much milk to use, but it saves a lot of time and effort now.

The only downside is that the carafe is a little smaller than I'd like — it only holds 8.5 ounces of milk for heating — so I'll sometimes have to warm two batches of milk for a big latte and then froth. If there's a bigger version out there, hit me up because I'd definitely get it after this one breaks down.   

Overall, if you're looking for an inexpensive, countertop-friendly machine to heat and froth milk for a party of one, this Epica carafe is a great pick (it even made our definitive milk frother buying guide). It's well-reviewed and highly rated, and costs less than a week's worth of lattes at even the cheapest bodega or coffee joint near your apartment.

Buy the Epica Automatic Electric Milk Frother and Heater Carafe for $25 on Amazon

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• A Google Chromecast unit converts any TV or monitor with an HDMI port into a smart device that can interact with your mobile phone or tablet.
• With Chromecast, you can enjoy your favorite content just about anywhere, from a hotel room to a friend's dorm.
• There are no monthly fees or subscription services involved with using Chromecast, just the single purchase of the device.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Depending on which model you buy, you can get a Google Chromecast device for as little as $15, or you can spend upwards of $69 for the latest models which boast Ultra 4K streaming quality capabilities.

But no matter which Chromecast you buy, that initial purchase price is the only cash you'll pay out: using a Chromecast requires no subscription and has no fees.

But what is a Chromecast? It is essentially a connection (wireless, of course) between you and a display, be that a monitor or a television. If said display device has an HDMI port, you can turn it into a smart device that can connect to all sorts of apps you have on your phone or tablet.

A Chromecast can breathe new life into an older generation TV, and it can give you access to content on a device that may otherwise be locked, such as a television at a hotel that might charge fees to watch movies or shows.

Here's how to use it.

How to use a Google Chromecast device

1. Connect the Chromecast to a power source, then plug it into an HDMI port on the TV to be used.

2. Switch on the television and make sure it is tuned to the proper HDMI port.

3. Download the Chromecast app through the Google Home app.

4. Follow the on-screen prompts to set up your Chromecast.

5. Launch the content service of your choice (from Netflix to Hulu to Crackle) and then, when the show or movie begins, tap the casting icon in the corner of the screen and start to stream the content to your TV.

And that's it: this affordable, compact little dongle will now allow you to enjoy all your favorite media on TVs or monitors anywhere you can get a Wi-Fi connection.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to connect your iPhone to a TV in two different ways

• All the ways you can watch Amazon Prime Video on your TV

• How to connect your Roku device to a TV and set it up for streaming

• How to connect your Roku device to the internet via a wired connection or WiFi

SEE ALSO: The best streaming sticks and boxes you can buy

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Disney Plus is set to have more than 500 movies and 7,500 TV shows. Here's a look at which ones you'll find.

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.

• There are plenty of beds in boxes to choose from these days, all of which promise to have a unique feature to ensure a better night's sleep.
• While I'm not always a fan of foam mattresses, I was certainly impressed by the Leesa mattress, which was not only comfortable, but cooling as well.
• As a side sleeper, it's sometimes tough to find mattresses that don't leave me feeling achy, but the Leesa is doing the trick.
• At $995 for a queen, it's a very good option for folks who may otherwise be skeptical of foam mattresses, or things that come out of boxes.
• Business Insider readers can take 15% off their entire Leesa order when they use our exclusive code "BUSINESSINSIDER" at checkout. 

You're not just seeing things — in fact, there are an alarming number of mattress stores throughout the United States. In fact, so common a sight is one of these bedding purveyors that there have been severalarticles written about why there seem to be more Mattress Firms than Starbucks in some towns (honestly, looking at you, New York City). And now, there are also a plethora of online mattress stores too — sure, Casper may have been first out of the gate, but it seems as though you can't go online anymore without receiving an ad for a new bed in a box from a new company.

But if you're looking to cut through the noise a bit and find a mattress that is actually better than what you might find in a lot of the aforementioned brick-and-mortar stores, and indeed more comfortable than some online options, too, then look no further than Leesa.

Its flagship Leesa mattress promises to redesign your sleep experience, and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by just how positive my experience really was on the mattress.

The Leesa mattress promises to provide you with "the comfort, support, and universal feel everybody needs to sleep better." The company leverages what it calls a "unique combination of performance foam layers" in order to "deliver cooling bounce, contouring pressure relief, and core support for amazing sleep." And frankly, Leesa lived up to its promises.

First things first — before I received my Leesa mattress, I looked up a few existing reviews on Amazon, where the mattress boasts a very respectable 4 out of 5 stars from over 600 reviewers. But of course, I wanted to see what folks said the problems were first. I read things about the mattress sleeping too hot, about visible sags, and about problems with the Leesa lying flat.

Luckily, I did not find any of these issues to plague me during my own testing of the Leesa mattress, but I'll address each existing concern to the best of my ability.

First off — the mattress too hot complaint. While I am not necessarily a hot sleeper, I certainly prefer the room to be cooler so that I can snuggle into several layers of blankets, and then move to various parts of the bed as I begin to overheat. When I slept on the Leesa, I found that I did not, in fact, have to move to other parts of the bed at all throughout the night. While the area in which I slept obviously became warmer than other parts of the mattress, I did not experience any sort of overheating, which was quite the surprise. This is likely due to Leesa's 2-inch LSA200 foam top layer, which purports to provide airflow for a cooler night's sleep.

As for the visible sagging issue, this was certainly not the case in my experience. As soon as I unwrapped the mattress, it expanded prettily, and inflated to a very respectable thickness (which was consistent across the entirety of the mattress). And speaking of pretty, one of my favorite things about the Leesa mattress is that it is, indeed, a very attractive piece of furniture. Its grey and white cover almost looks like something you could just sleep on without a fitted sheet, but of course, that wouldn't be the most sanitary option. That said, whenever you're doing laundry, this isn't a mattress that you'd be ashamed of your friends and family seeing naked. The built-in mattress cover is also extremely soft to the touch — in fact, it's made of the same material as the Leesa Blanket, which I also own, and cannot say enough wonderful things about (but that's a story for another day).

Finally, in my experience, there was no problem with the Leesa lying flat. I unpacked it as the company suggested I do, placing the rolled up mattress on my bed frame, and then unrolling it as it expanded. It worked like a charm, and now sits atop my bed as I would expect it to.

When I first began sleeping on the Leesa, one of the key points I kept in mind was whether or not I would feel any stiffness or pain in my side upon waking. As a dedicated side sleeper, I sometimes feel that my mattresses are a bit too firm, and leave my favored side a bit uncomfortable throughout the night and the next day. Luckily, because the Leesa is a foam mattress and quite supple, I did not have this issue.

Indeed, I felt supported throughout my repose, and woke up without any cricks or aches, which was major. I also found that the Leesa was quite comfortable regardless of what other positions I tried out — the two-inch memory foam layer does seem to mold to the body quite well and relieve pressure whether you're a back, stomach, or side sleeper. For extra strength and durability, Leesa also boasts a six-inch base foam layer, for a total thickness of 10 inches. Not bad for a mattress that comes compressed out of a FedEx truck.

You can check out the full cutaway in the below image.

When it comes to cost, the Leesa is quite competitive. Plus, Business Insider readers can take 15% off their entire Leesa order when they use our exclusive code "BUSINESSINSIDER" at checkout.

Shipping is free, and mattresses are built to order, which is another added plus.

Of course, if you receive your Leesa and decide that this particular foam mattress is not for you, don't fret. There is a 100-day return policy, so if you sleep on it and dislike it, you can always send it back from whence it came. But if you're anything like me, that probably won't be the case.

Buy the Leesa Memory Foam Mattress from Leesa for $595 (Twin), $695 (Twin XL), $895 (Full), $995 (Queen), $1,195 (King/California King)

SEE ALSO: 21 helpful products we've bought for our apartments

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• As Marriott prepares to end the last limited-time Bonvoy Rewards credit card sign-up bonus, it's also preparing to announce a new way to use Bonvoy points.
• Marriott is poised to announce a new Airbnb-style home-sharing service, and Bonvoy members can use their points to book stays.
• This is the last chance to earn a 100,000-point sign-up bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card (after spending $5,000 in three months). It ends on May 2.

In January, Marriott kicked off the final phase of its merger with Starwood Hotels, combining the two brands' loyalty schemes into one rebranded program: Marriott Bonvoy.

While there have been some initial bumps, there have also been several lucrative promotions and limited-time sign-up bonus offers for the program's rebranded rewards credit cards.

As the last of these offers prepares to end, Marriott is preparing to announce a new way that brand loyalists can use their points:

Marriott is getting ready to roll out an Airbnb-style home-sharing platform, and Bonvoy members will be able to earn and redeem points on stays.

While Hyatt has a partnership with Oasis home rentals that allows Oasis customers to earn and use World of Hyatt points, Marriott will run its own booking platform, allowing a seamless integration with Bonvoy.

That makes the last Bonvoy credit card offer — a limited-time, 100,000 point sign-up bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card— even more potentially valuable. To earn that bonus, new cardholders must spend $5,000 in the first three months. The offer ends on May 2.

Pricing and redemption information is not yet available for vacation rentals, but 100,000 points will likely be enough for at least a few nights at a number of properties.

Click here to learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card at Business Insider's partner The Points Guy »

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

Join the conversation about this story »

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.

• Brooklyn Bedding is well-known for comfortable and affordable mattresses, pillows, and bedding, and was among the first to offer a "bed in a box."
• The Brooklyn Aurora is a new luxury hybrid mattress with innovative technology to keep your body at the ideal temperature for sleeping.
• A Twin starts at $999 and a King tops out at $2,124, so while it's not a budget-friendly option, if you sleep hot or want a high-quality mattress that will last years, the Aurora is well-worth the investment.

Brooklyn Bedding started its business in 1995, but it wasn't until 2008 that it started rolling its mattresses into boxes and selling them online. 

As one of the first brands to sell beds in a box, the company has continuously come up with innovative ideas for mattresses, pillows, and bedding. It doesn't hurt either that it's able to keep products relatively affordable when compared to many brick and mortar retail companies thanks to its in-house manufacturing.

The Brooklyn Aurora is one of the newest offerings from Brooklyn Bedding's mattress line-up, and is already advertised as a best-selling model. Considered a luxury mattress, it comes with a lengthy list of features and boasts some pretty impressive patented technology to go along with.

A Twin starts at $999 and a King tops out at $2,124, so this is by no means the most budget friendly mattress the company offers. But after testing a $1,699 queen-sized mattress for myself, I can confidently say it is a worthwhile investment. It resulted in many nights of cool, comfortable, and uninterrupted sleep.

Delivery and first impressions

The Aurora comes in three different firmness levels — Soft, Medium, and Firm — as well as the full range of sizes — Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, and California King. I'm a stomach sleeper and my partner tends to sleep mostly on his back, so I decided to go with a queen-size firm mattress for additional support.

Though this is billed as a luxury mattress, there's no fancy white glove service, but at least there's free shipping across the continental United States.

The mattress was delivered to our doorstep tightly rolled in a box that we carried up the stairs to our bedroom. It wasn't too heavy and the set-up from there was a breeze. Once the mattress was out of the box and plastic wrapping was removed, the mattress immediately began to expand.

One thing I noticed right away was the lack of a strong odor that often comes with bed-in-a-box mattresses. Any "chemical" smell immediately wore off in less than 24 hours, which made for a relatively short off-gas period. We also allowed the mattress to sit for 24 hours to come to its full size.

At first glance, you can see the thought that went into the design. Nothing about it looked cheap, from the well-positioned handles on the sides that make it easier to move the mattress around to the quilted top, which features a unique honeycomb pattern. The surface of the mattress felt cool to the touch too, already showing the promise of a cool and comfortable night of sleep.

Construction

The thoughtful design extends beyond the exterior. The Aurora is a hybrid mattress, which means it has a mix of pocketed coils and foam for support and comfort. There are six layers in total. At the base is a layer of high density foam to support the individually pocketed coils, which provide responsiveness and help with motion isolation. These coils are covered with a transition layer of memory foam, and then a patented layer of foam called TitanFlex that adjusts to your body as you move.

The second to last (top?) layer is where the real cooling magic happens. This layer is infused with TitanCool, a phase change material that can melt into a liquid or solidify as it draws heat away from the body, helping your skin (and you) maintain an ideal sleeping temperature all night long. This material is paired with Brooklyn Bedding's patented CopperFlex material, which also helps create an antibacterial environment. All of this is topped with the honeycomb layer I mentioned above, which stays cool to the touch.

There are some high tech-sounding materials being thrown around here, but while innovative technology is being implemented in the construction of the mattress, harmful chemicals and materials are not, as the Aurora is CertiPUR-US Certified.

All these layers add up to a substantial mattress that is 13.5 inches thick. For context, the Amazon Basics Memory Foam Mattress is 8 inches, Allswell Hybrid is 10, and Helix Luxe Dusk is 14. Though the Aurora is on the thicker side, it can be used on a variety of different bed frames, including platforms and adjustable bases.

Read more: The best adjustable bed frames you can buy

Behind the cooling technology

Wondering how the cooling technology in the Aurora actually works? You're not alone.

Before testing this mattress, I was wondering the same. The secret lies in the phase change material, which is made with gel beads that liquify or solidify depending on your body temperature.

When your body runs hot, the beads draw away heat and provide a cooling effect to bring your temperature down to around 88 degrees, which is ideal for restful sleep, according to Brooklyn Bedding. If your temperature is already at or below 88 degrees, the beads solidify to help you maintain that temperature, preventing you from becoming too cold during the night.

While I admittedly didn't take a thermometer to bed with me, I can say that this technology isn't marketing fluff — it actually worked for me. I never overheated, and neither did my partner who tends to sleep much hotter than I do.

What does it feel like and who is it for?

I tested the firm version of the Aurora, and there is a definite feeling of resting on top of the mattress rather than sinking down into it. However, thanks to the pocketed coils and layers of foam, you won't feel like you're sleeping on a board either. The mattress is responsive and I never felt "stuck" in it, which can sometimes be the case with foam mattresses.

If you're looking for the traditional supportive feel of an innerspring mattress, but still want layers of comfort that lightly contour the body, a hybrid mattress like the Aurora is ideal. It is also important to remember that both height and weight can impact the feel of the mattress, so while the mattress felt very firm to me, my boyfriend would have described it as more of a medium-firm.

If you're a back or a stomach sleeper, the firm option may be right for you too. While it isn't unsuitable for side sleepers per se, if you do sleep exclusively on your side, you may want to consider the soft or medium to experience even more pressure point relief.

In my opinion, the firm option is great if you share your bed with a partner (or energetic cats or rowdy dogs) as the motion transfer was very minimal. When my boyfriend rolled over, I could barely feel any movement on my side of the bed. The edge support is also great, which I can also personally attest to. I often found myself closer to the edge than I would have liked when our cat adamantly wedged herself between us, but the support of the Aurora didn't waver.

If you sleep hot, this mattress is also a great option. After testing the Aurora for myself, I can say that all of that cooling technology does work. I never once overheated or had to kick the blankets off during the night, and even on the nights I forgot to turn our heat down before bed, I still stayed comfortable all night long.

With the description of this being a cooling mattress, I was also slightly worried that I'd end up being too cold at some point during the night, but that's the beauty of phase change material — it adapts to your body's temperature to help you stay at that ideal "Goldilocks" temperature of not too hot and not too cold.

What level of firmness should you get?

I tested the firm, Queen-sized model of the Brooklyn Aurora, which is ideal for stomach and back sleepers who like a firm feel or are on the heavier side.

However, this level of firmness may not be for everyone. If you're looking for support that offers slightly more give, I would advise going with the medium firmness, which is also great for combination sleepers. If you find yourself sleeping almost exclusively on your side, the soft firmness will provide you with a more cushioned feel that can help relieve pressure on the shoulders and hips.

What are your alternatives?

If you're looking for something more budget friendly, the AmazonBasics mattress or Allswell mattress will get the job done.

After testing each of those two personally, I would recommend the AmazonBasics for those who prefer a softer feel or are looking for a mattress that's entirely memory foam; the Allswell Mattress is a hybrid mattress, like the Aurora. If you're willing to forego the advanced cooling technology, but you want a firmer feeling mattress, you'll get a similar feel in terms of comfort with the Allswell.

Final thoughts

If you're looking for a high-quality hybrid mattress that'll keep you comfortable all night long, the Brooklyn Aurora is for you. The special attention paid to the construction of this mattress and innovative technology utilized in its design make it worth the higher price tag in my opinion.

Even though it's on the higher end of the price spectrum of bed-in-a-box mattresses — a queen comes in at $1,699— it's still more affordable than many of the luxury brands found in brick and mortar mattress stores. 

There are also a lot of logistical upsides too. Not only can you shop the full range of sizes online (Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, and California King), Brooklyn Bedding offers a 120-night sleep trial so you can be sure that it's truly the mattress for you before fully committing to it. And if you do decide to return it, you can do so at no extra cost.

The Aurora also comes with a 10-year warranty for extra peace of mind, and shipping is free on all mattress orders within the continental U.S.

Buy the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora mattress ranging from $999 (Twin) to $2,124 (King)

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• Right now, about 550,000 people are experiencing homelessness in the United States, living without access to many of the everyday services most of us have grown accustomed to, like showers.
• Personal hygiene shouldn't be a privilege, but for many Americans, it's not a given. 
• The Right to Shower is a new brand from Unilever that's drawing attention to this crisis by donating 100% of its profits from its bar soaps (7.99) and body washes ($11.99) in 2019 to help build mobile shower units.

Drugstore aisles are filled with an abundance of bath and body products. You can choose what body wash you'd like based on price, scents, ingredients, brand loyalty, or just pretty packaging. Many of us take the fact that we can make these choices — and the fact that we can shower at all — for granted. 

The fact is, for the 550,000 homeless individuals in the United States, cleanliness and personal hygiene aren't guarantees. The Right to Shower, a brand recently launched by Unilever, is bringing attention to this issue by launching a line of basic bath products, and donating 100 percent of its profits in 2019 to mobile shower initiatives. 

The mission

The name really says it all. The Right to Shower believes that cleanliness should be a fundamental human right, and it's working to actually make that belief a reality. A shower, simple as it seems, does more than just physically clean a person. As the brand's mission reads, "One shower can contribute to improving health and well-being and restoring one's dignity in their community."

The Right to Shower has a simple line of bar soaps and body washes in four scents, and its using the profits to make showers more accessible through mobile shower initiatives. The brand is partnered with Lava Mae, an organization that brings essentials services like mobile hygiene and care units to homeless populations in California. In 2019, The Right to Shower will donate 100 percent of its profits to mobile shower initiatives. But, it won't end there. At its core, the brand is a social enterprise, so it will continue to give back over the years in other capacities. 

The products

The Right to Shower has a simple selection of products: body wash and bar soap. There are four scent profiles: dignity (charcoal and cotton blossom), hope (aloe and dewy moss), joy (tangerine and honeysuckle), and strength (red ginger and currant). All products are marked as "head to toe cleansers," and they're gentle enough to be used on any part of the body. 

Making a product that's not sustainable would be antithetical to the brand's mission, which is why all The Right to Shower products are 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and handmade without toxins in small batches. Even the packaging is made from both recycled and recyclable materials. 

The bar soaps are very large, and at $7.99 for such a big size, I'd say they're a great value. The body wash has a nice consistency and a light scent. I've been using the hope body wash, and what I like about these products is that the scents are neutral enough for anyone to use, and the natural ingredients mean you really can use them on any part of your body. 

And, while some may think it's a little kitschy, I like the names and the connotation that by supporting this brand, you're giving more than just access to a clean shower. You're also bringing hope, dignity, strength, and joy to someone who really needs it.

Get The Right to Shower Body Wash, $11.99, available at Amazon

Get The Right to Shower Bar Soap, $7.99, available at Amazon

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• Amazon has a ton of Mother's Day gift ideas your mom will love, whether she's into cooking, fitness, home decor, tech, or something totally unexpected.
• We've rounded 21 gifts all under $100 that can be unboxed in just a few days with Amazon Prime's free two-day shipping.
• If you don't find the perfect gift on this list, check out more Mother's Day 2019 gift ideas here.

Mother's Day is just around the corner, and thankfully, Amazon Prime has a ton of gifts that are all eligible for free two-day shipping. Wearables, workout gear, and luxurious body care — you name it, Amazon has it.

We've already combed through the catalog to hand-pick 21 gifts any mom would love — all for under $100 and eligible for free two-day Prime shipping. Now you won't have to pay a hefty fee for expedited shipping.

Here are 21 Prime-eligible Mother's Day gifts all under $100:

A mini K-cup coffee machine that brews a personal cup

Keurig K-Mini Plus Single Serve Coffee Maker, available from Amazon for $99.99

Mom can enjoy a delicious cup of coffee every morning with this personal single-serve K-cup coffee maker. It can store up to nine K-cups at a time and can brew a cup of joe between six to 12 ounces, depending on how strong she prefers. Also, it comes with a removable one-cup reservoir where she can add fresh water before each brew.

A customized necklace

EFYTAL Three Initial Necklace (customizable), available from Amazon for $39.95

Personalize this gold-filled necklace with initials of you and your sibs, or whatever else you want, for a sweet touch. Chains are available in both 16-inch and 18-inch lengths, and the manufacturer will replace the chain within five years of purchase if issues arise.  

A personal blender that she can take on the go

Ninja Personal Blender, available from Amazon for $53.99

Your mom can take her power smoothie directly in the single-serving blender cup, then take the cup to-go with the bonus sip-and-seal lids, or transfer it to her favorite tumbler. This 700-watt blender is powerful enough to crush through ice and frozen fruits so there's no need to break out the knife and cutting board either.

• You can easily delete music from your iPhone without resorting to iTunes on your computer
• You can delete albums and individual tracks from in the Music app using the three-dot menu or with a deep press on an iPhone 5S or later.
• You can use the iPhone Storage in Settings to remove individual songs, albums, entire artists, or all your music at once.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you need to free some space on your iPhone, deleting music is a good place to start — music and videos probably take up more space than almost anything else on your phone.

Or, you might just be tired of a particular song, album, or artist and want to excise it from your phone.

Either way, there are two easy ways to delete music from your iPhone.

How to delete music from your iPhone via the Music app

1. Open the Music app.

2. Tap the "Library" tab in the lower left corner of the app. You should see all your music, with links to sort your tracks by playlist, artist, album, and song.

3. Find the album or song you want to delete:

• To delete an album, tap the album and then tap the three dots to the right.

• To delete a song, start playing the track and then tap the player so it takes over the screen. Then tap the three dots in the bottom right corner.

4. In the options window, tap "Delete from Library." Confirm that this is what you want to do by tapping "Delete Album" or "Delete Song."

If you have an iPhone 5S or later, you can more easily delete a song or album using a "deep press" instead. Press deeply on the album or track and an options window should appear. In the options window, tap "Delete from Library."

How to delete music from your iPhone via Settings

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Tap "General," and then tap "iPhone Storage."

3. It may take a moment, but you'll see a graph showing how your phone's storage is being used. Tap the "Music" app (apps are listed from largest to smallest, so Music will appear near the top if you have a lot of music stored on your phone).

4. Depending upon how much you want to prune, you have a number of options:

• To delete the Music app and all of your music, tap "Delete App" and then confirm this choice.
• To delete all of your music but leave the Music app on your phone, tap "Edit" and then tap "All Songs."
• To delete an entire artist (and all of the songs for that artist), swipe the artist top the left and then tap "Delete." There's no confirmation – the artist is delete immediately – so be sure this is what you want to do.

• To delete an entire album, tap the artist to see all the albums associated with that artist on your phone. Then swipe the album to the left and tap Delete.
• Finally, to delete a single song, find the song by tapping the artist followed by the album. Then swipe the song to the left and tap "Delete."

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to delete all of the contacts on your iPhone with a few taps

• How to easily delete all of your emails on an iPhone

• How to clear the Safari search history on your iPhone in three different ways

• How to unlock an iPhone you've forgotten the password to, even if it's disabled

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

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• Best-known for its ties, accessories, and relatively recent dress shirts, The Tie Bar is slowly expanding to become a full-service menswear brand with new stretch chinos.
• The Tie Bar Stretch Chinos come in three staple colors — granite, classic navy, and sandstone — and are made with a comfortable blend of cotton and spandex. You can see how I styled each color, below.
• Priced at $60, The Tie Bar Stretch Chinos are seriously affordable. If you're on a tight budget or don't want to spend too much money, I strongly recommend them.

Jeans might be the most popular pants for men, but I'd be willing to argue that chinos are more important to own. They are unequivocally essential to creating a well-rounded wardrobe because they can be worn both formally and casually.

But even with this versatility, it can be hard to justify paying a hefty price for chinos when The Tie Bar makes a really nice pair for $60.

The Tie Bar Stretch Chinos come as the brand's latest expansion into apparel, following previous releases of dress pants and dress shirts. What was once a go-to for ties and tie clips has grown into a well-rounded menswear brand, and its affordable prices are bringing real competition to the market. 

Coming in three basic colors — granite, classic navy, and sandstone — The Tie Bar Stretch Chinos are made with 97% premium cotton and 3% spandex for a comfortable amount of stretch. 

The Tie Bar Stretch Chinos feature a slim (but not too skinny) fit, pleats for a classic khaki style, and non-iron-needed treatment to resist wrinkles all day. They're available in a wide range of sizes and lengths so most guys can find a pair to fit them. 

I tested out a few pairs myself, and although the pants are designed to be non-iron, the first thing I did was iron out the small creases from being folded in the packaging. If you're not a fan of pleats, you can iron those out while you're at it. I decided to keep my pleats because I don't mind them and I have a few plain-front chinos from other brands, so I wanted some variety. 

What I like best about The Tie Bar Chinos is that they're basic and well made; sometimes that's all it takes for a pair of pants to be worth it. There's no fancy marketing spin or high-tech, innovative material, but they've managed to near the top of my list of favorite chinos. At $60 each, there's really nothing to complain about. And, it won't hurt your pockets to pick up all three pairs, especially if you regularly transition between formal and casual environments. 

The Tie Bar also does a great job at recommending other items to wear with the pants. Even if you decide not to buy the ties, shirts, and socks they suggest, it can serve as inspiration for the items you already have in your closet.

If you're on a tight budget or can't bring yourself to spend a lot of money on chinos, I strongly recommend The Tie Bar. Even if you're willing to spend more, I suggest buying The Tie Bar Stretch Chinos as your everyday basics — and leave the more expensive brands for unique colors or materials to wear every now and then.

The Tie Bar Stretch Chinos, $60, available in three colors

Keep scrolling to see how I styled each pair of chinos:

Sandstone

The Tie Bar Stretch Chinos in Sandstone, $60

For the sandstone pair, I decided to go for a more casual look. I pair it with Mott and Bow's Liam sweater in slate grey, Bombas dress socks, and a pair of Cole Haan GrandPro Runners (my go-to place to find comfortable, work-appropriate shoes). With the exception of the socks, the chinos were the least expensive part of my outfit.

Classic Navy

The Tie Bar Stretch Chinos in Classic Navy, $60

Here, I went for a more formal look with a Rhone Commuter Dress Shirt, a sweater from Frank And Oak, and a pair of Cole Haan 2.ZERØGRANDs with Stitchlite.

Granite

The Tie Bar Stretch Chinos in Granite, $60

The granite is definitely the most unique color, so I got a little bit more creative with the other colors I wore. I went with a black button-up from Uniqlo, darker grey Bombas socks, and Cole Haan 3.ZERØGRANDs in a rich dark brown, black, and white colorway.

• The 2019 RAM 1500 is the truck maker's all-new entry in the full-size-pickup wars, taking on the mighty Ford F-150 and the Chevy Silverado.
• The RAM 1500 I reviewed was a "Laramie Longhorn" edition with a stout Hemi V8.
• This luxurious pickup was also packed with cool features.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The all-new RAM 1500 pickup truck recently triumphed in a face-off against another newcomer to the ultra-competitive US scene: the equally all-new Chevy Silverado.

(In case you were wondering, the mighty Ford F-150 was redesigned a few years ago, and we haven't checked it out since then, so stay tuned. The F-150 is also due for a big revamp next year.)

In my rundown of the RAM's advantages, I noted that we tested a flashy, upmarket "Laramie Longhorn" edition, more than $10,000 costlier than the Chevy. But I also said the RAM 1500 was the best pickup I'd driven in quite a while.

Because our tester was extremely well equipped, verging on a luxury vehicle, it was packed with cool goodies. I played around with all of them. Pickups are already a cornucopia of extras — that's why the automakers can make so much money on them — but our Longhorn RAM 1500 took the matter to a different level.

Here's a rundown of all the awesome features.

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The RAM 1500 is Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' all-new entry into the Great American Pickup-Truck Wars.

I tested a Western-themed "Laramie Longhorn" edition, with a genuine four-wheel-drive setup and a short bed. This 5,400-pounder can tow 12,750 pounds.

1. The new Ram has lost none of its aggressive design, so cool feature No. 1 is that bold grille.

• Apple doesn't make it especially easy to convert tracks from your own iTunes music connection into ringtones, but you can do it for free using your computer and iTunes.
• To make a custom ringtone for an iPhone, you'll need to edit a song using iTunes on the computer. You can tweak the start and stop time, save it as an AAC file, and change the file extension.
• You can then drag the edited song to the Tones section of iTunes and sync it with your iPhone using a connection cable.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

It doesn't take long to get tired of the handful of ringtones that come with your iPhone. If you'd rather hear a song when you have an incoming call, Apple would like you to pay a dollar or more per ringtone in the Tones store.

But save your money; you can create your own ringtones using music you already own in your iTunes library.

Admittedly, the process is a bit convoluted — Apple didn't make it super easy to use your own tones — and you will need to use iTunes on your computer. But it's free and lets you convert any part of any song you own into a ringtone.

How to create a ringtone for your iPhone using iTunes

The below steps are specifically illustrated for iTunes on a PC, but you'll use essentially the same process on a Mac computer.

1. Start iTunes on your computer.

2. Find the song that you'd like to use and decide what 30-second snippet of the track you want to make your ringtone. It can be the first 30 seconds of the song, the last, or anywhere else within the track. Note the start and stop time — this will come in handy shortly.

3. Right-click the song and click Song Info, then click the "Options" tab at the top of the dialog box.

4. Change the "start" and "stop" times to the time you decided in Step 2 and then click "OK."

5. Make sure the song is still selected, and then click the "File" menu. Then click "Convert," and "Create AAC version." You should see a second version of the track appear in iTunes — the original and a 30-second version (which, you can't tell by looking at it, but happens to be in the AAC format rather than MP3).

6. Drag the 30-second-long version of the song to your computer's desktop.

7. Since you no longer need the short version of the song in iTunes and it'll just be in the way if you listen to music using the iTunes app, delete the short version from iTunes. Click it in iTunes and press Delete. You may need to confirm this by clicking "Delete Song" and "Move to Recycle Bin."

8. Go back to the file you copied to the desktop and, if you can see the complete filename including the ".m4a" file extension, change the extension from ".m4a" to ".m4r" and click "Yes" if your computer asks you to confirm this change. If you can't see the extension, you'll need to change a setting in Windows first:

• Type "Control Panel" in the Start Menu search bar and click the Control Panel when you see it appear in the search results.
• Type "File Explorer" in the Control Panel's search box and click "File Explorer Options."
• Click the "View" tab and clear the checkbox for "Hide extensions for known file types."

9. Click "OK."

10. Now you can go back to the song on the desktop and change the file extension.

11. If you want to, return to the Control Panel's File Explorer Options and re-select the option to hide extensions. This will return your computer to its original settings.

How to copy the ringtone to your iPhone

Now that you've created the ringtone, it's time to copy it to your phone.

1. Connect your iPhone to your computer using a connection cable.

2. Start iTunes and click the phone icon that appears in the upper left, beside the drop-down menu. You should now see details about your iPhone in iTunes.

3. If it's not already selected, click "Summary" in the left pane and then, in the Options section on the right, click to check the option to "Manually manage music and videos." Click "Apply."

4. On the left side of the screen, under On My Device, click "Tones."

5. Drag your ringtone track from the desktop to the Tones folder.  The song will automatically copy to your iPhone.

How to set the new ringtone on your iPhone

1. After all that work, it's time to set the ringtone so you'll hear it when your phone rings.

2. Start the Settings app on your iPhone.

3. Tap "Sounds" or "Sounds & Haptics" and then tap "Ringtone."

4. You should see your new tone in the list; tap it.

You can also set up a custom ringtone for specific people in your contact list. To do that, open the Contacts app and choose a contact. Tap "Edit" and then tap "Ringtone." Any choice you make here will be specific to this person and won't affect your default ringtone.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech: 

• How to delete music from your iPhone, with an easy method for deleting all of it at once

• How to free up space on an iPhone that's running out of storage

• How to delete messages and conversations on your iPhone, and set them to auto-delete

• 5 ways to conserve battery life on your iPhone, and get the most out of a single charge

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

Join the conversation about this story »

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• I tested different ways to get healthcare from startups promising to make getting healthcare an easier experience, and possibly more affordable.
• For my routine healthcare visits, I tried out both virtual and in-person services from SmileDirectClub, Curology for skin, Tia for women's health, Warby Parker for eyeglasses, Simple Contacts, and One Medical for my primary care.
• Here's what each one was like to use, how long each visit took, how much it cost, and whether I'd use it again.
• This article is part of Business Insider's coverage of the future of healthcare. You can read all our articles here.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

When it comes to health, I've been pretty lucky.

I live in one of the most healthcare-centric cities in the world. I can't go very far without running into a hospital or urgent-care center. In New York, a doctor is never more than a walk or a short train ride away.

Even so, finding the right place to go has been my biggest challenge since moving from the Chicago area out East four years ago. For the first time in my life, I've had to navigate where to find a primary-care doctor, where to go to the dentist, things that had been taken care of so simply through existing appointments scheduled on a yearly or twice-yearly basis throughout my childhood and young-adult years.

In my role at Business Insider, I've been tracking a new crop of companies that have reached sky-high valuations or generated a lot of buzz, all with the aim to change the way Americans get healthcare. It ranges from companies like One Medical, the primary-care company that's been around for more than a decade, to newer entrants like Tia or Simple Contacts.

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The goal many seem to be getting at is making healthcare a more consumer-friendly experience, elevating it to the experience you'd get shopping on Amazon or when buying beauty products.

So I decided to put the startups to the test. A little about me: I'm 26 and I'm pretty healthy. I have a high deductible health plan with a $2,000 deductible as well as a health savings account. I'm on the hook for covering the full cost of any non-preventive visit until I hit that deductible.

With that in mind, I picked health services that best complemented the care I'd already been seeking out or meaning to get. That is, I didn't add vitamins to my regimen because I don't take them now, but I did add a dermatology visit because I'd been meaning to go.

What surprised me most about using the digital startups was how much paper I still had to fill out and how many phone calls I still ended up making. There were fewer visits with medical doctors, and a bigger lack of follow-up than I would've expected.

On the upside, virtual visits saved me a lot of time and required far fewer passwords than I imagined. For in-person visits, I spent almost no time in waiting rooms before I was taken away to my appointments.

Read on for more about each of the startups I tried:

I got my glasses prescription renewed online with Warby Parker

Over the past few years, Warby Parker has started offering more and more eye-exam services, including in-store visits and virtual prescription checks.

To take the test, I used my phone as a remote and placed my computer screen a few feet in front of me and followed the prompts via swipes on my iPhone's screen. The test informed me that this wasn't meant to replace a comprehensive eye-health exam. A day later, I had my prescription.

Time: My exam took about 15 minutes. Factoring in in-person trying on and fitting, I likely spent about an hour on getting my new frames.

Price: The test costs $40, if you're given a prescription. That's higher than my $10 eye-exam copay if I had chosen to go in-person to renew my prescription.

Pros: I was able to get new glasses, which I went on to find out were covered by insurance while talking to a Warby Parker representative on the phone to place my order.

Cons: It was a more expensive option than if I had gone in for a comprehensive eye exam, which would have included more tests of my eye health.

The verdict: With the knowledge of what my vision plan would cover for an in-person eye visit, I'll likely do that next time just to be sure my eyes are still as healthy as they seem to be.

I updated my skin-care routine with Curology

I'd been meaning to get my skin more under control for a while, so I figured I'd test out Curology, a company that prescribes personalized acne treatments online. The process was pretty simple, once I got to Curology's website. I started the free trial, shared my history with acne products and other prescriptions/health conditions I might have.

I mentioned my concerns about using certain acne treatments given my past experience, sent in some photos, and off the assessment went to a medical professional who would review and prescribe me a course of action.

A few days later, my solution arrived in the mail along with moisturizer and cleanser. The medical provider who reviewed my case also gave me over-the-counter options for cleansers and a moisturizer with sunscreen, something I'd been meaning to add to my routine.

Time: 10 minutes to do the exam; I got my prescription the next day. 

Price: $5 for the initial one-month free trial bottle, $40 for a two-month supply of the solution after that. 

Pros: It's nice to have a plan, and it's nice to have a chance to follow up via Curology's website to share how I'm progressing. 

Cons: My skin seems worse than it did before. I'm guessing I'm just in the throes of getting started on a new plan, and I've been able to check in periodically with my medical professional about it, something I might've had a harder time doing in a traditional dermatology practice. 

The verdict: In dermatology, it seems that virtual, direct-to-consumer approaches have the advantage. I avoided the much higher cost of an office visit, and it didn't take more than a few minutes to get me started on a care plan that I'd been neglecting. 

I visited Tia's first clinic for my annual well-woman exam

When I heard that women's health startup Tia was opening a New York clinic, which takes insurance and comes with a $150 annual fee, I figured I should give it a try.

After signing in through a tablet at the front office, I was led to an exam room where providers asked me about my medical history and what had brought me in today. The providers cast the notes onto a screen in the room, which was a fun way to visualize my health. I could also look over their shoulders to see their screens. 

Time: From start to finish, I was at the clinic for about an hour. 

Price: $150 annual fee, with insurance covering the underlying visits. The fee goes toward services like the messaging and booking platform, programming at Tia, and access to group wellness events. 

Pros: I never had to wait once I stepped foot into the clinic. The care team listened to my concerns and offered up solutions, but didn't pressure me into any one course of action. 

Cons: Demand for Tia's services were more than the founders anticipated, so getting an appointment as a new member isn't quite as easy as it will ideally be one day (for the purposes of the review, I had some help in booking). I also had a hard time figuring out how to follow up with the healthcare provider who had done my exam, which will ideally be fixed when Tia's care team messaging platform launches in a few weeks. 

The verdict: I'll be excited when it's all up and running, it certainly was among the better gynecology appointments I've been to. I'm excited to attend some of the events, which are included in the yearly membership fee.