LK_18122

2
1

3

FACE 5 6
4 7
1. SMASHBOX
PRIMER 8
Look like you just
glowingly hopped off 6. DIOR 7. SAIE SETTING
a plane from para- F O U N D AT I O N POWDER
dise (even if you’re Illuminating, comes It’s talc-free, weight-
only sliding into the in 42 shades, less, and hydrating,
next Zoom call). and stays put for and it comes in three
24 hours. transparent shades.
Photo Finish Illuminate So, yes, everything
Glow Face Primer, $39, Dior Forever Skin you need.
sephora.com Glow in 6N Neutral,
$52, dior.com Airset Powder in
2. L.A. GIRL BLUSH Translucent Deep,
A little goes a long $28, saiehello.com
way. This buildable
color blends really 8. CHANEL BALM
easily for an au PSA: You should
naturel vibe. always have one of
these red-camellia-
Soft Matte Cream Blush oil puppies on hand.
in Blissful, $6, ulta.com
N°1 de Chanel Lip and
3. CALIRAY Cheek Balm in Red Camel-
SKIN TINT lia, $45, chanel.com
The new (and awe-
some) way to get
#NoFilter-looking
skin IRL.

Freedreaming Diffusing
Skin Tint, $39, sephora
.com

4. AJ CRIMSON
BEAUTY PRIMER
Dab this blurring
soufflé under your
eyes and you’ll look
like you actually
caught some zzz’s.

Blurfection, $55,
ajcrimson.com

5. NEUTROGENA
EYE-LIP-CHEEK
STICK
A GD joy to use, this
multitasker gives the
right amount of all-
around rosy flush.

Hydro Boost Hydrat-
ing Multi-Use Stick, $13,
walmart.com

ISSUE 1 Cosmopolitan 95

SKCINAR- E 1 3
2 4
1. LANCÔME
SERUM
A trifecta of skin-
perfecting ingredi-
ents that’s worth the
$$. Plus, that bottle!

Rénergie H.C.F. Triple
Serum, $135, lancome-
usa.com

2. HYPER SKIN
MASK
Hyperpigmentation
happens. A lot. This
brightening AHA
mask helps. A lot.

Fade and Glow AHA
Mask, $40, hyperskin
.com

3. URSA MAJOR
CLEANSER
A non-foaming ver-
sion that’s enzyme
powered and really
gentle too.

Making Moves Milky
Cleanser, $34,
ursamajorvt.com

4. EADEM
MOISTURIZER
The second product
from this newbie
brand is further
proof it knows how
to achieve *chef’s
kiss* skin.

Cloud Cushion Airy
Brightening Moisturizer,
$58, eadem.co

5. CHANEL
FACE CREAM
The iconic brand’s
most exciting
beauty launch in
100 years includes
this refillable
jar of skin-
smoothing
cream.

N°1 de Chanel
Revitalizing
Cream, $110,
chanel.com

6. PHILOSOPHY
MASK
A pillow-soft mousse
that sloughs off the
rough stuff—dead
skin and dirt—in just
one minute.

Hope in a Jar Instant
Glow Peeling Mousse,
$35, philosophy.com

96 Cosmopolitan I S S U E 1

7. USTAWI BALM 8. TATCHA
Wash away the SUNSCREEN
day’s dirt with a Since you use SPF
delicate cleanser every day (right?), let
crafted especially for it be this one, which is
melanin-rich skin. also anti-aging and
reef-safe.
Myrtle Leaf Natural
Cleansing Balm, $35, The Silk Sunscreen SPF
ustawi.com 50, $60, tatcha.com

6 9. MARY K AY
7 SERUM
If you check the “dry
skin” box, this for-
mula is like a tall
glass of water for
your thirsty face.

Clinical Solutions HA +
Ceramide Hydrator, $38,
marykay.com

5 10
9

10. CLARINS EYE
T R E AT M E N T
A case when two
serums are better
11 than one—especially
when they’re revital-
8 izing the delicate skin
around your eyes.

Double Serum Eye, $79,
clarinsusa.com

11. DRUNK
ELEPHANT
RETINOL
Retinol via marula
oil = less irritating
and more nourishing
for your skin. You’re
welcome.

A-Gloei Maretinol Oil,
$72, drunkelephant.com

ISSUE 1 Cosmopolitan 97

SCENTS 4. CHANEL 5. JO MALONE
Light enough to wear LONDON
1. CARTIER alone or layer with If you could bottle
A new twist on a your go-to perfume. the intoxicating smell
tried-and-true clas- of spring, this would
sic. This time around, N°1 de Chanel L’eau be it.
it’s all about cedar, Rouge Revitalizing
sap, and citrus. Fragrance Mist, $110, Rose & Magnolia Cologne,
chanel.com $100, jomalone.com
Déclaration Haute
Fraîcheur, $108 for 3.3 6. BROWN GIRL
oz., cartier.com JANE
This game changer
2. DIPTYQUE contains a technol-
CANDLE 1 ogy said to elicit feel-
Loving this collab ings of confidence,
with badass florist comfort, sensuality,
Maurice Harris. The and more.
packaging is just as
dreamy as the scent. Casablanca Eau de Par-
fum, $62, nordstrom.com
Limited-Edition Roses
Candle 190 g, $76, 4
diptyqueparis.com 3

2 5

3. ELOREA
No surprise this is
called Heaven—its
romantic floral juice
literally smells like that’s
where it came from.

Heaven, $250 for
100 mL, elorea.com

6
98 Cosmopolitan I S S U E 1

4
2

3
1

HCAAIRR-E 5

1. TRESEMMÉ 7
VOLUMIZER 6
Spritz onto damp
hair before blow- 8
drying. You’re one
step closer to the 4. ORIBE 5. DPHUE 6. PATTERN MASK 7. GARNIER 8. FOR EVERY
large-and-in-charge CONDITIONER TEXTURE SPRAY Anything that makes FRUCTIS SHINE TYPE OIL
hair of your dreams. Hair breakage is a It’ll give you glori- transitioning from T R E AT M E N T Dry-as-hell hair is
[bleep]! Using this ous volume and also relaxed to natural no match for this
One Step Volume 5-in-1 strand-strengthening protect your color- hair easier is a If you’re as mesmer- cocktail of oils. It
Mist, $6, target.com conditioner is like treated hair from the keeper. This anti- ized by insanely shiny works wonders on
taking your mane to sun’s attempt to dull breakage mask does hair as we are, add braids, locs, wigs,
2. CURLS the gym. its hue. just that. this to cart ASAP. and weaves.
SHAMPOO
Sea moss seems to Hair Alchemy Resilience Color Fresh Dry Texture Transition Mask, $25, Sleek & Shine Glass Revitalizing Hair Oil,
be ev-er-y-where Conditioner, $52, oribe.com Spray, $28, dphue.com patternbeauty.com Hair Water, $9, $25, amazon.com
right now, including garnierusa.com
in this shampoo,
keeping your scalp
health in check.

Powerhouse Sea Moss
Cleanser, $15, curls.biz

3. THE DOUX
CURL FOAM
Juicy-feeling *and*
-looking curls are just
a few pumps away.

Crazy Sexy Curl All-in-
One Curl Setting Foam,
$15, thedoux.com

ISSUE 1 Cosmopolitan 99

Jobs, homes, relationships—tens of millions of Americans walked away
from their lives after COVID-19 changed the world as we know it.

Here, through the lens of six subjects, a look at how young women are faring now.

WORDS BY HANNAH SMOTHERS AND ELIZABETH KIEFER

LETTERING BY LISA LOK. NELSON: MADDIE MCGARVEY. Alexis Nikole Nelson’s
new life: creating

foraging content for her
4 million-plus followers.

ISSUE 1 Cosmopolitan 101

ALEXIS NIKOLE NELSON JAQUIE CAMPOS

29, Columbus, Ohio 26, outside Asheville, North Carolina

In the beginning, Alexis wasn’t even Jaquie had always thought of herself as a writer. But
thinking about leaving her marketing working as a Sunday school teacher through the darkest days of
job. She had supportive managers and COVID-19 left little time for creativity. Many of her students
a steady paycheck. She had health and their families in Jacksonville, Florida, had been hit hard by
insurance. Quitting during a pandemic? the pandemic, and she felt overwhelmed by the lack of social
That would just be reckless. support for her struggling community. After a year of doing
her best to help, she was spiritually and professionally spent.
Then, in April 2020, she made a
TikTok about edible garden weeds. It The time had come to answer a question she’d been asking
went viral, and Alexis suddenly found for a while: What would happen if she gave herself the space
herself internet famous. Her follow- to really write? She quit her job in April 2021 and booked two
ing exploded, and so did the demand consecutive stays in remote cabins—one month in Alabama,
for fresh content. As the Black Forager, followed by another month in North Carolina.
she shared tips for finding and eat-
ing wild plants on TikTok, Instagram, Growing up in a big family, Jaquie had never been so alone
Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Now before. Now, in solitude, the words flowed. She began hash-
Alexis had two jobs: Zooming all day for ing out a novel—a project she had long dreamed of tackling.
work work, then cultivating her social When her two months were up, she didn’t want to go back
channels late into the night. When to her Before Life. She got a work-from-home position as a vir-
a rare vacation day was thwarted by a tual assistant, rented a longer-term cottage, and kept writing.
crisis at her marketing gig, Alexis had
a breakdown. All along, she was tapping into her savings, a finite
resource. Then, in October 2021, she lost her remote gig.
She realized she’d been so afraid Jaquie was left thinking deeply about work and identity.
of making a professional leap that she She poured her thoughts onto the page, churning out a
was jeopardizing both pursuits, to say play inspired by a career-themed childhood field trip. She
nothing of her mental health. It was liked what she’d written and decided to stage it for a digi-
time, she knew, to unlearn the feel- tal audience right from her living room. She sold tickets
ing that she should be grateful for the on TikTok, and to her surprise, people actually showed up—
opportunity to run herself ragged. One and they liked her work too. The proceeds helped cover
of her jobs had to go. her rent. “Now I can sustain myself for a little longer here,
just writing,” Jaquie says. “Hopefully, it continues to work out.”
She chose to take a chance on the
Black Forager brand she’d created, re-
signing from her “office” job in October
2021. Since then, things have been...
busy. There’s a book deal plus leader-
ship opportunities in the foraging and
vegan cooking space. Still, Alexis is
wary of burning out, and maybe that’s
the most valuable learning she’s had
yet. “These days, I get to wake up and
be like, Is this adding value to my gen-
eral existence? ” she says. “One day in
the future, the answer might be no. And
then I’ll do something else.”

102 Cosmopolitan ISSUE 1

CAMPOS: JUAN DIEGO REYES.

ISSUE 1

Cosmopolitan

103

JADE VAN KLEY in the despair all around her, Jade was struck by a feeling: VAN KLEY: JOSEPH ROSS. SPADY: YAEL MALKA.
Maybe her public-health expertise could do more than keep
31, Nashville, Tennessee people safe—maybe she could also help the music world that
had so enriched her life.
ties to the scene. She was a lifer.
In September 2020, she packed up her car and moved
to Nashville, mostly on gut instinct. She sent word to her music
contacts to let them know she was available to oversee
COVID-19-related health and safety logistics for in-person
concerts and tours; she’d help plan socially distanced outdoor
performances, arrange testing for talent and crew—whatever
was needed to make music possible again.

She heard back from a connection at Third Man Records.
She heard back from a musician-turned-writer friend who
was filming a movie up in Canada. She heard back from the
management team for Jason Isbell. They all wanted Jade’s
help. Her business, Backline Nurse Consulting, took off.

Ironically, her greatest hope is that her work will become
obsolete because that will mean the pandemic is over. “I
want to make sure that if something like this should ever
happen again, artists have more protections in place,” she
says. “How can we continue to improve and heed the lessons
we learned?”

104 Cosmopolitan ISSUE 1

DEVIN SPADY

25, everywhere

Devin was never a staycation kind
of person. Whenever possible, she was
out of town—trekking through South
America and all over Europe. Office
jobs kept her rooted to an address, but
she was a born wanderer.

When the pandemic hit, Devin pod-
ded up with her parents and siblings
in Houston. Clocking in remotely for
her marketing job at Facebook meant
almost all her waking hours were sud-
denly spent in a single spot.

Devin soon felt stifled, and by Sep-
tember 2020, she was desperate for a
break. One day, she got in her car and
drove for hours, all the way to Big Bend
National Park on the Texas-Mexico
border. Standing among the colossal
rock formations, she felt like she was
finally able to breathe. This was joy; this
was freedom. This, she realized, could
be the blueprint for a totally different
way of living.

In April 2021, Devin left her par-
ents’ place again—and hasn’t stopped
moving since. She has no permanent
address. Her housing budget goes to-
ward gas money and stopovers in plac-
es like New York, New Orleans, and
Santa Fe. She still works remotely (now
for Bumble) and relocates whenever
she likes. Many friends envy her, which
Devin doesn’t understand. “When
they’re like, ‘I wish I could do that,’ I
always ask them, ‘Why can’t you?’” she
says, thinking of all the young people
she knows with remote jobs and little
to hold them in place. “Nothing is tying
you to your home.”

ISSUE 1 Cosmopolitan 105

DAMARIS GIHA GIHA: YAEL MALKA. CEVALLOS: GAVIN MCINTYRE.

29, Brooklyn, New York

It was February 2020, and Damaris
had a timeline: In exactly one year, she
would leave her ad agency job and
focus on making music. She created
a savings plan, tightened her spend-
ing, and tapped a financial adviser for
guidance. In the meantime, she worked
on her first single and a music video.

It’s not that she hated her day job.
She had thrived off the energy in the
office and was good at all the prob-
lem-solving her role required. Then
the world turned upside down. Going
remote was soul-sucking, and 8-hour
workdays somehow stretched into
12-hour workdays. Damaris spoke up:
She was burning out. But what could
be done? Her whole team was under
pressure.

The stress of working from home
made it harder to create music at home.
But she decided to stay in her job to
build up more of a savings cushion. In
July 2021, she finally put in her notice.

She was so tired. Tired of being tired
and of being anxious and burned out.
And she knew that before she could
focus on her art, she’d have to restore
her health. On the advice of her finan-
cial adviser, she signed up for Medic-
aid and SNAP benefits. She learned to
let herself rest.

Since last fall, Damaris has been
more musically productive than she
was in the entire 18 months prior. And
she has a plan to record and release
her work. “I’m staying flexible and fig-
uring out other ways to monetize my
music,” Damaris says. “I am smart. I’m
capable. I know now how to adapt.”

106 Cosmopolitan ISSUE 1

AIMEE CEVALLOS gray: the London sky, the national mood,
Aimee’s career prospects. In March
26, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 2021, she flew back to Myrtle Beach,
alone, for a three-week break.
She had attended Le Cordon Bleu culinary school; she’d
It felt different this time. The sunlight
tin. And yet, there she was in the spring of 2020, back lifted her spirits. The roar of the ocean
in Myrtle Beach, trying to help keep the family business was a comfort. She dropped in for a few
afloat with carry-out margaritas. Yes, a pandemic was shifts at her parents’ restaurant and felt
invigorated just to be cooking again,
Aimee and her husband—also a cooking pro—plotted in the familiar hustle and bustle. When
Aimee talked to her husband back in
don and open a restaurant there, where public health care London, he said she sounded like her-
would relieve some of their financial strain. It could be the self for the first time all year. He also
fresh start the couple needed. admitted his heart wasn’t in the mar-
riage anymore. Aimee hung up and
Only it wasn’t. By the time they arrived in London in never went back.

taurant industry was hit hard (again). Everything seemed She realized she didn’t need to
move across an ocean to get unstuck—
she needed to end a marriage that was
no longer functioning. Today, living
and working with her family, “I’m men-
tally in one of the best places I’ve ever
been,” she says. She’ll return to chasing
her culinary ambitions when the timing
feels right: “Everything’s gonna happen
when it’s going to happen.”

ISSUE 1 Cosmopolitan 107

Break
Through
the
White
Noise

Nothing fuzzy about spring’s hottest
styles. Lean into all the deeply different
places fashion’s leading you this year,
from grunge vibes to sparkly party time.

FASHION BY CASSIE ANDERSON
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROSALINE SHAHNAVAZ
WORDS BY RACHEL TORGERSON

108 Cosmopolitan ISSUE 1

Embellishments

Fancy folks know the
add-a-touch-of-sparkle

trend is both (a) very
posh ’22 and (b) always
a good hack for elevat-
ing basic pieces and edgy

items alike. Take inspo
from this fishnet-esque
dress and these gorgeous

black beaded heels
while you’re at it.

Ganni top and dress.
Wolford briefs. Stuart
Weitzman heels. State
Property earrings. Chanel

crossbody and bag.

Jelliesssss Your elementary school flex just got a high-fashion makeover and if you’re not excited about it, do you even have a soul?

Fisherman sandals needed this win, to be honest. But now that their moment has arrived, there’s no denying how chic our taste was back then.

Hair: Lisa-Raquel Baines at See Management. Makeup: Tatyana Makarova at Statement Artists. Manicure: Nori at See Management. Fashion assistant: Ana Tess.
Set design: Carrie Ashley Hill at See Management. Model: Jolie Chang/The Identity. Casting: Noir Casting. Production: Brenda Armendariz. Location: Pier 59.

110 Cosmopolitan ISSUE 1

Y2K Everything

No, you cannot shake
free of the absolute hold

the early aughts have
on all things right now.
Loud color combos, skin-
baring silhouettes, flashy
metallics, cutesy details,
and, like, a lot of miniskirts
have solidified their grip

on—or at least their
right to (re)enter—your

wardrobe. And really
[looks at picture]...can

you blame them?

Versace top, skirt, heels,
choker, bracelets, and bag.

Ultra Glam

No matter what new variants come into play, designers have HAD it
with the stay-at-home aesthetic. Enter soiree styles that no one even
cares if you wear outdoors—glitz, drama, ’70s-inspired over-the-top-

ness. Self-shot content of your killer look is the new party, after all.

Paco Rabanne top, skirt, and pants. Lady Grey bangle. Anita Ko ring.

112 Cosmopolitan I S S U E 1



Have We Mentioned Skin? The spring/summer runways basically told everyone that exposure is the name of the

game, now more than ever. Get ready for a hell of a lot of cutouts and sheer moments, because they’ll be inescapable.

LaQuan Smith jumpsuit. Balmain heels.

114 Cosmopolitan ISSUE 1

High Volume

Minimalism? The fashion
industry no longer knows

her. When reached for
comment, it said it hadn’t

heard of Subtlety either.
Expect large-format, state-

ment-making shapes to
take over you and your
feeds in the coming months.

Loewe top and pants. Stuart
Weitzman heels. Anita Ko

choker. Uniform Object ring.

Grunge Your eyes do not deceive you. One of history’s most iconic laid-back, casual trends is reclaiming its time.

Your well-loved band tees, cozy flannels, and relaxed-fit items all thank you in advance for your adherence.

Coach T-shirt, skirt, boots, and hat.

FOR SHOPPING INFORMATION, GO TO COSMOPOLITAN.COM.

Fringe What did I tell you about this party theme? You’re going to see it everywhere, and yes, it’s going

to include everything you’d normally want to shake your tail feather in. That’s right: It’s twirl time.

Alejandra Alonso Rojas dress. Salvatore Ferragamo heels.

ISSUE 1 Cosmopolitan 117

118 Cosmopolitan ISSUE 1

Welcome to
the Era of

Contraceptive
Skin Goo

NOT FOR YOU, BUT FOR MEN—AND GIVEN
THE CURRENT STATE OF REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS,

THAT COULD BE A VERY GOOD THING.
COS MO CR AS H ES TH E L AB FO R AN E ARLY LOO K .

WORDS BY ANDREW ZALESKI ILLUSTRATIONS BY HOI CHAN

ISSUE 1 Cosmopolitan 119

freedoms and endanger the lives of preg- hormone that’s been used for years in a
nant people. In 2020, the Supreme Court vaginal contraceptive ring and for endo-
ruled that employers can deny their work- metriosis treatment). “It drives these sperm-
ers birth-control coverage on the basis of producing hormones down to almost
religious or moral objections. A year later, zero,” says John Amory, MD, a professor
birth-control access remained a seem- at the University of Washington and a co-
ingly low priority for lawmakers: Of the investigator on the Seattle trial. It also all
199 state-level proposals to protect or but eradicates testosterone production,
expand access to contraceptive services, which would be...er...counterproductive
just 16 were passed. Meanwhile, 19 states to sexual performance, so the drugmak-
enacted 108 abortion restrictions, making ers added in some testosterone—aka the
2021 the grimmest year for abortion rights “T”—to replace what gets lost.
in half a century.
While millions of women deal with it
So, yeah, it’s fair to say that the need every day, reproductive hormone manipu-
for male birth control, the very idea of lation is a new frontier for most men. But
which has often been treated as a futur- Dev Bellman, a 29-year-old from Seattle
istic joke, is, at this point, critical. And many who considers himself “kind of a feminist,”
in the scientific community—including the has always been curious about the possi-
University of Washington site researchers bility. He joined the NES/T trial in 2019. It all
who granted Cosmo special access to the seemed low-risk enough, especially since
trial and its participants—believe NES/T any effects were meant to be reversible,
could be the answer. and his partner of four years was totally
on board. “She was like, ‘Hell yeah. Men
Seth’s first hurdle: believing the stuff was should be taking more responsibility,’” he
legit. He’d read about previous attempts says. “It was really nice that I could step in
to develop a male contraceptive, includ- and be like, ‘Let me meet you at your level
ing ones that required hormone injec- and see what you’ve been going through.’”
tions given by a doctor, which somehow
seemed more “real.” The NES/T gel, on the Not that everyone in his life was so
other hand, looked just like a hand sanitizer supportive. “I got the most pushback from
you’d grab at CVS. “It smells like Purell; it family and people 35 and over,” he says.
looks like Purell,” he says. “Can it really “Like, ‘Don’t do that. It’s scary. What if you
work if it’s just going on my skin?” become infertile? That’s just unnatural!’”

In theory, yes, says Diana Blithe, PhD, of For Seth, NES/T came with an unex-
the Contraceptive Development Program pected kick. His testosterone level had
at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, always been on the lower end of normal,
which is funding the trial. Here’s how it so the T in his birth control actually resulted
works: Test subjects (men ages 18 to 50 in a higher libido—“a lot more spontane-
who are in monogamous relationships ous erections,” he says, “kind of like being
with women ages 18 to 34) rub one pump in high school again.”
of NES/T onto each shoulder every morn-
ing, after a shower. The couples agree to “Any kind of physical endeavor...he had
have otherwise unprotected sex once a a little bit more endurance,” Caitlin laughs.
month for a full year—bonus encounters
encouraged—while researchers conduct The application process presented
regular semen and blood analyses to track some challenges though. The gel takes
NES/T’s effects. The gel is formulated to four hours to fully absorb, which means
subdue sperm production by suppressing Seth’s bare shoulders couldn’t touch
a man’s luteinizing and follicle-stimulating anyone else’s skin during that time.
hormones, the crucial chemicals needed Worried it would rub off on his toddler son
to make sperm. This comes courtesy of (and somehow cause the 2-year-old to
the branded progestin Nestorone (the sprout a 5-o’clock shadow), Seth sprinted
“NES” in the gel’s name and a synthetic to cover his delts every morning. At one
point, the family took a vacation to Hawaii,
“The response from and Seth had to bow out of morning excur-
men has been, sions to the beach to keep his NES/T from
‘We wish we could sweating off or getting washed away in the
continue to use it. surf. (Formulation and application tweaks
When is it going to may happen down the line.)
be available?’”
Plus, the whole thing never quite
became a habit, even though Seth kept the
bottle in plain sight next to his deodorant.
One day, Caitlin had to rush his NES/T

120 Cosmopolitan ISSUE 1

to his office because he had forgotten to logging extra hours at the gym because challenges the others did. Sitting in his
apply. So he, like millions of birth-control- the hormones added water weight to his garage surrounded by camping gear, he
taking women before him, set a recurring frame. Not ideal but manageable, he says. now struggles to recall anything remark-
alarm on his phone. “I definitely trusted able at all. Most days, he’d just apply the
that Seth was going to do this right,” Caitlin What did throw him was his heightened gel after his morning bike commute and
says. “But at the beginning, I was always state of sensitivity. “I had these moments workplace shower, then go about his day.
asking, ‘Did you put your gel on?’ It’s just where I would just start crying,” he says. “I didn’t really notice anything,” he says.
one of those things where it had been on “I’d be really emotional and get way more The gel “was just kind of there.”
me for almost 10 years. When I’m taking upset about something that normally
care of it, I know it’s okay.” would be nothing.” Once this NES/T study is over, the next
step is a phase III clinical trial involving
For what it’s worth—although not Still, he’s a fan. Being on NES/T helped thousands of couples (and likely a phar-
any less aggravating for women to hear set the stage, he says, for deeper empathy maceutical partner that believes in its
about—NES/T may be more forgiving with his partner, who had struggled with commercial potential, Dr. Amory notes).
of user error than the Pill. A man’s sperm unwanted mood effects from the Pill. “I Then, hopefully, eventually, FDA approval.
count doesn’t just bounce back to normal never fully grasped what that was like,” he The entire process could take another 10
after a day or two of missed gel applica- says. With his own emotions now running years, but Blithe says the real-life feedback
tions, so the chances of an unintended so high, he became better at communi- that’s been pouring in has immense value:
pregnancy seem low. Mike Bartley, 33, esti- cating, a skill he’s worked to carry forward. “The response from men has been, ‘We
mates that he missed a dose or so every “I learned to talk about my problems,” he wish we could continue to use it. When is
month during his year in the NES/T trial. explains. “I no longer bottle it up.” it going to be available?’” she says. “And
“I forgot for whatever reason,” he shrugs. the women are saying, ‘I really don’t want
“My sperm counts were always still zero.” But as gratifying as it may feel to have to go back on my method. I liked it when he
“increased emotional intelligence” as was taking it.’”
As other guys on NES/T will tell you, it’s a side effect for a new men’s drug, Dev’s
not all blasé whoopses and high-school- experience may not be the norm. Mike At the time of this writing, after more
level horniness. Dev, a visibly fit guy as of says his year on the gel was emotionally than three years of testing, exactly zero
last fall, spent the early weeks of his trial and physically uneventful. He signed up couples have gotten pregnant while using
for the trial and...that was kind of it. Sure, NES/T. The number might well change,
he had some skin dryness on his shoulders, but it is exciting. “We have had no serious
but he experienced none of the changes or adverse events—and I would say, overall,
no big surprises,” says Stephanie Page,
MD, PhD, a professor of medicine at the
University of Washington and a lead inves-
tigator on the Seattle trial.

Dev would gladly go on the gel again
if it were available in pharmacies, he
says. The way he sees it, today’s younger
couples are more open to confronting
outmoded relationship norms, including
those that revolve around contraception.
“Even the way divorce looks now versus in
earlier generations—people were staying
in unhappy marriages, and now millen-
nials, if they’re unhappy, they’ll up and
leave,” he explains. “It’s the same with birth
control. Who says it has to be this way
forever? Why can’t we make it different?”

For now, post-NES/T, Mike’s sperm
count has climbed back to normal. Same
with Dev; he and his partner are currently
using condoms and ovulation tracking as
birth control. And Seth and Caitlin, who
had a second child last year and are now
debating having a third, wish they still had
access to NES/T while they figure it out.
Instead, Caitlin is back, once again, to
bearing the contraceptive burden solo.

ANDREW ZALESKI is a freelance journalist based near
Washington, D.C., who writes frequently about science,
technology, and business.

ISSUE 1 Cosmopolitan 121

The Last Page You + Love

Did your parents’ relation- Just thought we’d check in.
ship impact how you
BY ANNABEL IWEGBUE
navigate love for yourself?
How have you met your past/ Do you believe
84% current love(s)? (Check all in the notion of The One?
that apply.)
Absolutely. 45%
60% 32%
16% I could be convinced....
Through mutual At a party,
I don’t think so? friends. club, or bar. 33% 22%
This is all No,
56% 29% basically fated. definitely not.

At school. At work.

35% 5%

On a dating Through
app. family.

Not to get all Charlotte York If you have a romantic partner, Has your love life followed the
on you, but do you think are they what you generally path you imagined it would?
think of as your “type”?
soul mates can be platonic? 51%
54%
76% Maybe a little bit. Not at all!
Yes!
25% 21% 36%
24% Totally, Truthfully, they
No. Kind of—but with
plenty of

twists and turns.

13%

Surprisingly, yes.

it’s uncanny. couldn’t be

further from it.

What has led to your breakups in Be honest: Have you ever How much do you prioritize
the past? (Check all that apply.) cheated on a partner? love or finding love?

65% 32% 72% 51% 17%

Communication Infidelity. No, I swear. It’s not my top It’s pretty
issues. priority, but I do much number
11% 28% invest time and
47% one for me.
Issues with a I’ll admit it. effort in it.
Misaligned life partner’s family 14%
goals. 18%
or friends. I’ve got too much
40% Hey, when it else going on to
5% happens, it
I fell out of love. happens. really care.
A big difference
32% in political views.

Distance.

Cosmopolitan’s cover price is $4.99 for all issues, except Dec/Jan is $5.99, and it publishes monthly except Feb/Mar, May/June, Jul/Aug, Oct/Nov, Dec/Jan, and when future combined issues are published that count as two issues as indicated on the issue’s cover. Cosmopolitan IRINGÓ DEMETER.
(ISSN 0010-9541) is published by Hearst, 300 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 U.S.A. Steven R. Swartz, President & Chief Executive Officer; William R. Hearst III, Chairman; Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman; Mark E. Aldam, Chief Operating Officer. Hearst
Magazine Media, Inc.: Debi Chirichella, President and Treasurer; Kate Lewis, Chief Content Officer; Kristen M. O’Hara, Chief Business Officer; Catherine A. Bostron, Secretary. © 2022 by Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Cosmopolitan is a registered trademark of
Hearst Communications, Inc. SUBSCRIPTION PRICES: U.S.A. and possessions: $29.97 for one year; $57.94 for two years; Canada add $15 per year; all other countries add $24 per year. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES: Cosmopolitan will, upon receipt of a complete subscription order,
undertake fulfillment of that order so as to provide the first copy for delivery by the Postal Service or alternate carrier within four to six weeks. For customer service, changes of address, and subscription orders, log on to cosmopolitan.com/service or write to Customer Service department,
Cosmopolitan, P.O. Box 6000, Harlan, IA 51593. To assure quicker service, enclose your mailing label when writing to us or renewing your subscription. Renewal orders must be received at least eight weeks prior to expiration to assure continued service. Manuscripts, drawings, and
other material submitted must be accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope. Cosmopolitan cannot be responsible for unsolicited material. MAILING LISTS: From time to time, we make our subscriber list available to companies that sell goods and services by mail that we
believe would interest our readers. If you would rather not receive such mailings via postal mail, please send your current mailing label or exact copy to: Cosmopolitan, Mail Preference Service, P.O. Box 6000, Harlan, IA 51593. You can also visit Preferences.HearstMags.com to
manage your preferences and opt out of receiving marketing offers by email. Periodicals postage paid at New York, New York, and at additional mailing offices. Printed in U.S.A. Canada BN number 10231 0943 Rt. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS (see DMM 507.1.5.2).
NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to Cosmopolitan, P.O. Box 6000, Harlan, IA 51593. Vol. 271 no. 1.

122 Cosmopolitan ISSUE 1 To dig even deeper into everything
in this issue, scan right here:

Your Valentine's Day smells
*really* good this year

All right, fine, you’re allowed to wear it the other 364 days too.

SERVED BY

PLAY FAVORITES WITH YOUR HAIR.

™