Better Homes and Gardens

editor’s letter

Interior Life I’m so happy to see the renewed popularity of houseplants, especially with people in their 20s and 30s. Research is showing that millennials may be waiting longer to have children and even fur babies (aka pets), but judging from my Instagram, plant babies are in. I agree, having plants and flowers around the house is as much a part of winter for me as a high heating bill. Here is a report on my current roster of houseplant roomies. Like many of you, I can’t resist planting a few amaryllis bulbs. Their exuberant trumpets—especially the odder types like Cybisters, Nymphs, and Miniatures—make a bold visual statement against a snowy window. I experimented years back with more unusual flowering plants that I bought from specialty sources like Logee’s and Glasshouse Works.…

better homes and gardens

STEPHEN ORR Vice President, Editor in Chief Creative Director JENNIFER D. MADARA Executive Editor OMA BLAISE FORD Managing Editor GREG KAYKO HOME & GARDEN Home Editor AMY PANOS Style & Design Director JESSICA THOMAS West Coast Editor/Gardens MIRANDA CROWELL Senior Style Editor EUGENIA SANTIESTEBAN SOTO Senior Editors KATY KIICK CONDON, MONIKA BIEGLER EYERS, KIT SELZER Associate Editor MALLORY ABREU Assistant Editor LAUREN HEDRICK Editorial Assistant SUE MILLER FOOD & ENTERTAINING Food Editor JAN MILLER Senior Editor MAGGIE GLISAN Senior Associate Editor CARRIE BOYD Editorial Assistant RENEE IREY LIFESTYLE Features Editor DIANA DICKINSON Health & Features Director AMY BRIGHTFIELD Beauty & Fashion Director ERICA METZGER Assistant Editor SAMANTHA DRISCOLL ART Design Director STEPHANIE HUNTER Deputy Art Directors CHRISTY BROKENS, JARRET EINCK Senior Associate Art Director LORI STURDIVANT Senior Graphic Designers LAURA ENGEL, MAGGIE GOLDSMITH Associate Photo Editor HOLLY PRUETT ADMINISTRATION & PRODUCTION Copy Chief MARIA DURYEE Copy Editors MARTHA COLOFF LONG, ANGELA RENKOSKI Production Editor CINDY MURPHY Office Manager GINGER BASSETT Executive Assistant LINDA NEWSOM Color…

bhg.com what’s trending online

Garden Head Start Starting seeds indoors is the inexpensive way to grow your favorite herbs and veggies. We’ll show you how to successfully kick-start a garden on your windowsill then transplant seedlings. BHG.com/SeedStarting [SWEEPSTAKES] Win $10,000 to shrink your debt this new year. Enter at BHG.com/Debt10k for a chance to win. RULES FOR SWEEPSTAKES $10,000 SWEEPSTAKES No purchase necessary to enter or win. Subject to Official Rules available at BHG.com/10kWinter online. The $10,000 Sweepstakes begins at 12:01 a.m. CT on 12/1/19 and ends at 11:59 p.m. CT on 3/31/20. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, 21 years or older. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: Meredith Corporation. Sweepstakes is offered by Meredith Corporation and may be promoted by any of Meredith’s publications in various creative executions online and in print…

obsessed with neon

OBSESSED WITH NEON Neon colors, popularized by ’90s fashion, have an outsize personality and the wattage to match. This time around we’re seeing neons paired with earthy counterpoints (pale wood, stoneware, kraft paper) that tone them down for a sophisticated edge. Neon colors add oomph to neutral spaces, but a little goes a long way so use them sparingly. Small accents like a vase or trim add a jolt of pure energy that can transform a room. SILICONE SINGLE CEILING PENDANT Give a utilitarian room (think laundry room or pantry) an unexpected pop. $80; colorcord.com BITS AND BOBS STORAGE CONTAINER A bright glass receptacle for easily misplaced items. $10; us.hay.com ONDISPLAY ELECTRIC NEON TRAYS These high-octane trays highlight anything you put on them. $25 for three (11"×7" each); amazon.com SAFAVIEH BOHO CHIC NEON PILLOWS Ikat gets a wake-up call…

at first blush

CREAM Use alone or layer under powder blush for longer-lasting color. Covergirl Clean Fresh Cream Blush in Sweet Innocence, $9; walmart.com STICK Wearing the same tone blush on your lips and lids creates allover radiance. Vapour Beauty Aura Multi Stick in Sultry, $36; thedetoxmarket.com POWDER Hydrating camellia oil helps this silky powder blend smoothly on mature skin. L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Radiant Satin Blush in Mauved, $13; lorealparisusa.com POWDER Mulberry or plum is especially flattering on dark skin tones. Lorac Color Source Buildable Blush in Infrared, $23; ulta.com BRUSH A fluffy brush is the secret to a natural finish. Charlotte Tilbury Bronzer & Blusher Brush, $40; charlottetilbury.com "To avoid stripy blush, blend the color in a circular motion on the apples of the cheek toward the hairline."KELSEY DEENIHAN, celebrity makeup artist BY: ERICA METZGER; STYLING: CHRISTY BROKENS…

5 ways to defeat dry skin

[THE ISSUE] Itch & Eczema When skin becomes red and itchy, seek out ingredients that will soothe irritation and repair the skin barrier, says New York City dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D. (The outermost layer of the skin, the barrier is responsible for keeping irritants out and moisture locked in.) Look for a fragrance-free product with oats and ceramides to combat dryness. Oats serve as a skin protectant and contain antioxidants that help calm inflammation, Zeichner says. Ceramides (lipids) help by filling cracks between skin cells and keeping the barrier strong and healthy. Find both those ingredients in Curél Dry Skin Therapy Itch Defense Hydra Silk Moisturizer, $11; target.com. [THE ISSUE] Chapped Spots Keep a thick balm or ointment with you to swipe on dry, cracked lips and hands. A solid formula like Vaseline…