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Coffee is delicious—sometimes, it even tastes like chocolate. Fitting then, that adding a pinch of cocoa to coffee would make the classic pick-me-up even tastier. There’s a reason mochas and mochaccinos exist, after all.

But adding a spoonful of pure cocoa to coffee is not just about enhancing the flavour. The combination of caffeine and flavonoids—which are present in both coffee and cocoa—has proven benefits for mood, energy, concentration, and the heart.

Below, a look at all the benefits that can be achieved simply by adding a teaspoon of cocoa to your already-good-for-you morning cup of coffee—in moderation, of course.

4 benefits of coffee and cocoa

Age-fighting antioxidantsCocoa is among the foods with the highest concentration of natural antioxidants in the form of flavonols—useful for fighting oxidative stress, a major cause of premature ageing, inflammation, and cognitive decline. “Cocoa constitutes a rich source of polyphenols—mainly flavanols—and numerous health-promoting effects have been attributed to these natural compounds,” notes a review that looked at the impact of cocoa flavanols on human health. “Different studies have demonstrated an association between cocoa intake and decreased risk of diverse chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders and cancer. In addition, cocoa consumption positively affects the nervous system, visual function and skin, among other outcomes.”

Stable energy and a clear mind

While coffee quickly stimulates the central nervous system thanks to caffeine, cocoa contains theobromine, a compound with similar but longer-lasting and less intense effects. Together, they help improve attention and memory without causing jitters or a sudden crash.

Furthermore, cocoa has cognitive benefits: “Cocoa powder and chocolate contain a large percentage of flavonoids that display several beneficial actions on the brain,” notes a study that looked at the neuroprotective effects of cocoa flavanol and its influence on cognitive performance.

Natural mood booster

Cocoa stimulates the production of endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine—neurotransmitters linked to pleasure and well-being. In addition, cocoa may influence emotions via the gut: “dark chocolate has prebiotic effects by restructuring the diversity and composition of the gut microbiome, which may in turn improve mood via the gut-brain axis,” notes a recent study that looked at how the consumption of 85% cocoa dark chocolate improves mood in association with gut microbial changes.

Heart healthy

Studies show that flavonoids in cocoa support cardiovascular health. Specifically, they can reduce blood pressure, improve vascular function, and increase good cholesterol (HDL). “Research has suggested several beneficial effects arising from the consumption of dietary flavonoids, found in foods such as cocoa, apples, tea, citrus fruits, and berries, on cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure and endothelial dysfunction,” notes a recent scientific review that looked at the effects of flavonoids on cardiovascular health. “Current research suggests that flavonoids are able to exhibit cardio- and neuroprotective effects.”

How to get the benefits of coffee and cocoa

To enjoy the benefits of cocoa in your coffee without side effects, mix up to one teaspoon of unsweetened bitter cocoa—organic or raw—into a regular cup of brewed coffee. Because cocoa powder is very fine, it tends to clog coffee filters and coffee makers, so your best bet is to mix it directly into your coffee after you’ve brewed it. You may also want to let your coffee cool a bit before adding the cocoa—excessive heat can damage flavonoids and mitigate the benefits. For extra flavour, more energy, and additional anti-inflammatory benefits, sprinkle in a pinch of cinnamon and a teaspoon of coconut oil.

The quest for a somewhat spotless face has led me down rabbit holes–peels, facials, unpronounceable actives, DIY masks, acne patches and trying to give up dairy. Nothing sticks for too long, except my relentless pursuit (or desperation?).

Whenever an angry eruption teases its arrival on my skin, I’m left playing detective on what caused it. Choose your player: stress, an incoming period, one too many coffees or my new foundation? Whatever it may be, I’m left with skin that is far too inflamed.

Dermatologists have offered micro-needling or laser treatments as a solution, but surely there are alternatives for those who don’t want a dent in their wallet? In a bid to find it, I decided to add on-the-go zit-zapping devices that use microcurrent, red light or blue light therapy to target breakouts and inflammation to my beauty routine.

I tested three portable acne treatment devices for a month, across countries and climates–a hot London summer, moody Bengaluru rains and Kerala’s monsoon. Here’s how it went:

After applying the gel that comes with this microcurrent doughnut-shaped device, I circle it over SOS areas and make sure the electrodes touch the skin. Small pimples were met with a tiny tingle, meant to show ZIIP Dot is at work (and scratches my itch to see products in action rather than waiting overnight). The tingle got sharper for larger spots, though, and might be uncomfortable for someone with a low pain tolerance.

60 seconds in, there’s a beep and it switches to nanocurrent mode to quick-start healing. ZIIP Dot became a bi-weekly part of my bedtime routine, and it definitely helped bring pimples to a head quicker. It also covers a larger surface area than other targeted devices, making it more user-friendly for multiple breakouts. It’s pricier than many acne treatment devices but worth it for anyone wary of phototherapy.

I swear by FaceGym’s non-invasive facial workouts to sculpt and contour my jawline into existence–can I also add Acne Light Shot to the list? The rechargeable device uses blue light to tackle acne-causing bacteria. Designed for targeted use for a few minutes, it comes with sticky strips to hold it in place. I put it on a bump under my chin. There are no tingles like ZIIP Dot, but I did develop a temporary mark which went away in 24 hours and is an expected reaction, particularly in melanin-rich skin. Best not to use before a big day. Results aren’t immediate, but after a few uses, Acne Light Shot nipped my under-the-skin acne. Ideal for mild to moderate acne, but the sticky strips need restocking, so costs can add up.

The US-based brand’s pocket-sized device relies on both blue and red light therapy. It stays on the problem area for 3 minutes. Pain-free, just like the Acne Light Shot, but feels a little warm.

It’s not easy embodying the villain of a widely beloved TV show, but The Summer I Turned Pretty star Gavin Casalegno is taking it all in stride. He also wants to remind fans that this is just a character.

As season three of Amazon Prime’s immensely popular young adult drama continues on, fans have chosen sides in the messy love triangle that’s at the centre of the series. Based on Jenny Han’s book trilogy of the same name, the story centres around the Fisher brothers—Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Casalegno)—who are both in love with Isabel “Belly” Conklin (Lola Tung). Belly is currently engaged to Jeremiah, despite their young age, mutual family disapproval and the story portraying Jeremiah as an immature frat boy.

Because of this, a large portion of the internet has loudly declared themselves as “Team Conrad,” with Jeremiah becoming the butt of every joke and meme. In one episode, Jere goes on about an expensive mirror-glazed wedding cake he insists they buy, which has now become a viral TikTok sound.

And while Jeremiah is a fictional character, Gavin Casalegno is very much real. In a recent interview with The New York Times, the actor opened up about playing the internet’s “most hated boyfriend” and how he copes.

“They tend to dislike him, yes,” Casalegno said of the fan base. “I don’t check Instagram anymore, so I really haven’t seen that much hate.”

Instead, Casalegno said he only sees “the memes that are really funny,” courtesy of his sister sending them to him.

“I think it’s important to also understand and realise that this is a fictional story—and it’s also not me,” he continued. “I don’t think there’s a single human being in the world who can carry the emotional negativity to the degree that stuff like this happens. And I think that’s why Amazon did a good job of stepping in and being like, ‘Hey, no bullying.’ Though, not really going so well.”

He’s referring to Amazon sharing a statement on The Summer I Turned Pretty’s official social media accounts, reminding fans to “keep the conversation kind this summer.” The account added that they have a zero-tolerance policy for bullying and hate speech. And while most of the comments under his personal Instagram accounts have been in good fun, there are the occasional ones that sneak in. Still, Casalegno thinks the internet divide is “pretty comical.”

Cosmic tip: This is your time to return to innocence and believe in cosmic magic.

You find your way to rise above conflict, Taurus, and not only do you surprise yourself, but you also find clarity and objectivity in the mix and allow it to play out in your life. The circus you felt you were a part of suddenly dissolves itself forr rather is left behind, nd because you find your way out of a previously never-ending loop. As you focus on making relationships work, new supportive energies enter your life as you learn to care for yourself and others in previously uncharted ways.

Cosmic tip: Keep your eyes focused on the long term, while holding on patiently to what truly matters in the present moment.

You’ve been honouring all your commitments, getting things done, however, Gem, it may be time to shift your perspective from only doing and getting things off your checklist to re-evaluating your checklist and ensuring whatever occupies space on it is actually worthy of your time, energy and effort—inshort, ask yourself if it is all still aligned with you. Pause a little, even though it is the first day of the week and enjoy the tiny luxuries that surround you. In these short 10-second frequent breaks, you will slow time down and regulate your nervous system.

Cosmic tip: Instead of constantly being on guard, allow the Universe to take charge and take a step back for a bit.

Back your ability to create and manifest endless wealth and resources with your strong ethics and beliefs, Cancer. Open your heart and mind to those around you, stay adaptive and pour your heart into all you do. A lot is happening at once, we get it, so the only way to pick the next best thing is by listening to your heart and paying attention to what it asks you to do. Stay strong in your personal beliefs, and you will tap into effortless abundance and joy. Your task in this lifetime is to nurture your work, your family, loved ones, health, wellness, wealth and yourself.

It couldn’t be a worse time to be a long-form print journalist. Everywhere I go now, it feels as if people aren’t reading much or are reading only when a book comes highly recommended by reviewers and digital tastemakers. The latest Sally Rooney or Dolly Alderton makes for trendy book club material, even as the rest of the wider, complex and coloured world of literature struggles to make a minor ripple in the literary world.

It’s no longer just enough to write a book and send it out into the world, knowing that you poured everything into it and it’s now in the hands of readers to make of it what they will. In the age of social media, writing a book is only the first step. Once freshly bound copies arrive from the publisher, an author must transform into a nine-headed Hydra—a marketer, a PR rep, a hot-take machine, a personal essayist, an influencer—to give their work the boost it needs to rise above other authors vying for the same readers, which in itself is a steadily shrinking pool.

It’s little wonder then that the hype around a book often reads like fiction itself. Case in point? A Business Standard headline from February proclaimed: Prajakta Koli’s debut novel, Too Good To Be True, becomes a publishing sensation with 1,50,000 copies sold within a month of its release. Koli, better known to her combined 18 million Instagram and YouTube followers as ‘MostlySane’, didn’t just wake up one fine day and release her debut novel. One month before its release, the frothy romance climbed to the number one spot within hours of going on pre-order on Amazon and was followed by multiple magazine covers, lit fest appearances and collaborations with Blinkit and Spotify. The YouTube star’s vast digital audience made her book impossible to ignore, turning it into a bestseller even before it hit stands.

This is not an isolated incident. In June this year, Sukhnidh Kaur, who goes by (@pavemented) on Instagram, posted a reel asking her audience to help her cross 100K followers so she could secure a book deal. 24 hours later, she had thousands of new followers. Within a week, all the big publishing houses were knocking on her virtual door—her inbox. One might say that Kaur’s upcoming book, My Perfect Dream Girl, a critique of men’s obsession with women online, came to fruition thanks to an internet audience that doubled overnight. “I was apprehensive about approaching publishers directly,” Kaur tells me. “I felt like they’d question whether such an experimental book would sell. But when the reel went viral, they were willing to hear me out.”

Not every toxic relationship announces itself with obvious red flags. Some are far more subtle: You’re dating a person who’s generally warm and attentive, until they suddenly give the cold shoulder when they’re upset. Someone who plans extravagant dates and shows you off…but also flirts with others or lies about small things in ways that leave you second-guessing your worth. From the outside, staying in these uneven dynamics can look like passivity or even low self-esteem. But what often keeps someone there isn’t weakness—it’s a much more complex attachment known as a trauma bond.

You may already be familiar with this trendy buzzword, most commonly used to describe bonding with someone over a shared negative experience (like surviving the same unbearable boss or being cheated on by the same jerk). But this isn’t the correct definition—a trauma bond is a term psychologists use to describe abusive relationships, and why people subconsciously stay with someone who hurts them.

More specifically, a trauma bond relationship is an intense, emotional attachment with a person who’s both your source of comfort and pain, says Sienna Chu, LMHC, licensed therapist based in New York City. That’s because, biologically, we’re wired to seek safety and support from these attachment figures—parents, friends, romantic partners—which makes things complicated when that same individual is the one subtly manipulating or dismissing us.

This dynamic, Chu says, can form a uniquely powerful relationship—one that feels deeply intimate and passionate but is also incredibly hard to break. Wondering if you’re in a trauma bond relationship? Here are the most subtle signs—plus, what it takes to start untangling yourself from it.

What are the signs of a trauma bond relationship?

1. You’re stuck in a cycle of high highs and low lows

What makes trauma bonds so complex is that the relationship isn’t manipulation and emotional chaos 24/7, says Terri Messman, PhD, professor of psychology at Miami University and co-author of Integrating Mindfulness into Psychotherapy for Trauma. It also includes heartwarming moments—affection, vulnerable conversations and passionate apologies that resemble swoon-worthy romance.

In fact, many trauma bonds usually begin with a honeymoon phase—a rush of closeness that Dr. Messman says may feel special, rare, even fated. But once there’s a negative incident—a fight, a passive-aggressive jab, an instance of micro-cheating—your brain doesn’t register these hurtful actions as red flags. Instead, it clings onto those “good” times as proof that the relationship is worth holding onto. (Remember how sweet they were last week? How sorry they seemed after the last blowup?) When really, it’s just the start of another cycle of affection followed by mistreatment.

2. You blame yourself for their bad behaviour

In a trauma bond relationship, the same person is capable of providing warmth and validation to keep you hooked—that is, only if you “earn” it by behaving the “right” way, says Elena Welsh, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist and author of Trauma Survivors’ Strategies for Healing.

The classic, elegant white shirt is reimagined this season through bold contrasts. The key to this look is mixing in a technical athleisure piece — like sleek track pants — and finishing it with a touch of wild energy, such as leopard-print shoes. It’s a seemingly unlikely pairing, but that’s precisely what makes it work. The high-low mix brings freshness and edge to a timeless staple.

Ajour shirt and capri pants

Edward Berthelot/Getty Images.

In a monochromatic palette, white remains the top choice for staying cool and looking polished. A hemstitched, loose-fitting shirt is styled with sharp, tailored ankle trousers — creating a clean silhouette that feels refined. Silver pumps add a subtle shine, introducing a bold, modern touch without compromising the overall elegance.

Balloon-Sleeved Shirt and High-Waisted Trousers

Valentina Frugiuele/Getty Images.

This season’s strong bohemian influence shines through in voile blouses with puffed sleeves, delicate embroidery, lace, and romantic ruffles — echoing the aesthetic seen at the Chloé runway. To complete the look, high-waisted flared trousers enhance the silhouette with a flattering, timeless finish. It’s a look that captures both free-spirited ease and classic sophistication.

This story first appeared on Vogue.mx.

Also read:

It’s official: Vests are the perfect match for jeans in 2025

All the cool girls are wearing dad shoes like it’s 2014 again

8 new ways to wear jeans and a white t-shirt this season

Cosmic tip: What would you create if you did not have to be anyone but yourself?

Merging of two worlds, merging of two thoughts, ideas, or people or you finally getting out there by yourself—wherever you are at in life, this message is for you. Leo, you know you’re a playa. But at this point in time, how about being a team playa? You can rise by lifting others and you know a little secret? You will shine brighter. The more you pour into collective work and goals in the next couple of weeks, the more swiftly things will begin picking up pace. Tough times are coming to a close. And you are about to be mind blown either by someone new who enters your life, or simply by the version of yourself you are about to become.

Cosmic tip: Step away from the fears into the wild magical seas.

What have you got to hide? Nothing. Virgo. Zilch. Nada. What have you got to gain—lots. A fulfilling time awaits you, where not only will some of you be considering expanding your family or inner circle, but also find moments that make you feel truly grateful for who you are and what you are surrounded by. Celebratory times lie ahead and while you may already have an inkling, you will also realise that no matter what you do right now, you are almost like a gold coin minting machine—where your ideas not only transform but also hold and add a lot of value. Get social—it may be time to raise a toast soon.

Cosmic tip: Connection and community are what keep your fuel tank full. So tank up.

Look elsewhere—diagonally, opposite, sideways or even through a curved lens, Libra. Because life is not a straight trajectory and you know it. Where logic ends, magic begins. And you are about to witness a spectacular show. What does it need from you? Well, the eclipse on September 7 may be shaking things up but it is here to ignite your sparklers. What is dysfunctional must leave or be modified. What feels like a loop must become something creative and engaging. Libra, leave behind your fears of losing it all—how about trying to date life, that person, or yourself, once again?

An island girl at heart, raised in sun-drenched Barbados, Sanjana Sippy has always seen herself as a free spirit. It’s a quality that shaped her work as a fashion stylist and later as the founder of her sustainable resortwear label, IsaaVibes, and it carried into her wedding in Mexico City to wellness investor Sumesh Sachar, a self-proclaimed modern-day nomad whose believes better living isn’t just a trend but a lifelong pursuit.

“We were introduced through a mutual friend on Instagram,” says Sippy. “I wasn’t looking to date, but every Sunday he’d send me a ‘Happy Sunday Funday!’ message.” A year of digital hellos later, Sachar surprised her in Barbados. Their first date played out on a boat, and Sundays quickly became their thing. “And just like that, three years sailed by,” she shares.

Though long-distance for much of their relationship, the couple always spent their summers together. One such trip took them to Portugal’s rugged coastline, where days were spent sailing, swimming in azure waters and staying at Christian Louboutin’s boutique hotel in Melides. What Sippy didn’t know was that Sachar was planning to propose. On a serene sandbank in Comporta, he set up a picnic brunch, poured champagne and asked Sippy to marry him under sunshine-speckled skies.

For the couple, choosing to have the wedding in Mexico City was easy enough. Having vacationed there before, they felt its colour-soaked streets, modernist architecture and playful spirit mirrored their own. “Our wedding mood board was about creating an experience—a celebration of love and culture blending into each other,” Sippy shares.

For their three-day wedding weekend, they wanted family and friends to fully immerse themselves in the essence of Mexico. They kicked off the celebrations with an intimate haldi ceremony where Sippy wore a Shivan & Narresh sari in a bold, abstract print that balanced tradition with contemporary design, while Sachar chose a custom-printed kurta from Just Men. The welcome dinner unfolded at a city restaurant under the theme of tequila, tacos and tango, complete with a mariachi band, taco stands and a sommelier-led tequila tasting. For the occasion, the bride wore a Ritika Mirchandani custom one-shoulder dress with a sari drape and gold embroidery—“flirty and chic with just the right amount of drama,” as she describes it.