Keeping it Together: A clean house in only 15 minutes? I needed to learn more.

I came across a cleaning method that was blowing up on TikTok and claimed to help you declutter and maintain a clean house in only 15 minutes a day.

As someone who recently moved and is still in the midst of cleaning and organizing my new place, you could say I was intrigued, so I did some digging.

Though the FlyLady cleaning method was created by Marla Cilley in the 1990s, according to her website, it has reached new audiences on the video-sharing app, with the hashtag #flyladymethod, amassing more than 64 million views.

The method has gained recent attention specifically for its systematic division of the house (called "zones") and cleaning time limits.

The zones are as follows:

• Zone 1: Clean entrance, front porch and dining room during the first week of the month, which may only be a few days. 
• Zone 2: Clean kitchen during the first full week of the month. 
• Zone 3: Main bathroom and one other room in the house (such as a child's room, extra room, office, craft room or utility room) during the second full week of the month.
• Zone 4: Master bedroom (including closets and bathroom) during the third full week of the month.
• Zone 5: Living room is the fifth week of the month and usually lasts only a few days/rolls into zone 1 time frame. 

The goal is to spend only 15 minutes a day working on your zone for that week.

"I don’t want you to burn out," Cilley writes. "15 minutes a day, consistency is the key here."

And with spring cleaning just around the corner, who doesn't want to try out a new approach? (I may just suggest updating the name to FlyPerson cleaning method since everyone cleans.)

To read my full story and learn more, click here.

People are inhaling 'tanning nasal spray.' Is it safe?

Tanning nasal sprays are the latest self-tan method to achieve a bronzed look from home, but are they actually safe? My colleague Jenna Ryu spoke to experts to find out.

The viral beauty trend works how it sounds: You spray the product into your nose for an almost immediate, darker tan.

"Tanning nasal sprays contain a compound called melanotan, which mimics a natural hormone in our bodies known as melanocyte stimulation hormone. When inhaled, it tells our skin cells to increase pigment production to cause skin darkening," explains Dr. Joshua Zeichner, the Director of Cosmetic & Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

Experts warn it's "very risky and incredibly dangerous" to use tanning nasal sprays because melanotan is not FDA approved, and there is limited research about its efficacy or risks. 

"We just don't know the full effects on our bodies," Zeichner says. According to Australia's Department of Health, potential side effects include nausea, increased blood pressure, dizziness and vomiting.

"If someone wants to become tanner and they keep using it, that's a lot of chemicals being absorbed into the bloodstream. People could go and use this in an uncontrolled way and absorb too much, which can cause dangerous health consequences," Talakoub says.

To read the full story, click here.

'My best friends are dating and one cheated. Should I get involved?'

In our latest advice column, a reader wrote in: “Two of my best friends have been dating for three years. A few weeks ago, one of them went out to a club with his ex-boyfriend. The two ended up sleeping together out of nowhere. It seems like it was some weird lapse in judgment. He quickly informed his current boyfriend, who’s devastated, and now our friend group is in disarray.

The one who cheated doesn’t want to break up. I’m close with both of them and don’t want to pick sides, but I do feel like the relationship is salvageable.

What should I do? Do I stay out of it or get involved to try and help them mend their relationship? Do I stay friends with both of them separately? How?"

In response, our advice columnist offered some guidance. Read her response here.

Today's reads

• In case you missed it: A topless Adidas ad went viral on social media. I spoke to experts about our struggle to normalize the naked female body.
• The psychology of Putin and the dangers of 'militarized masculinity'
• What is 'breadcrumbing' in a relationship? Here's how to handle it.

Today's pet

Meet Zebra.

"Zebra is a torbie (tortoiseshell/tabby) who was rescued from the city streets as a kitten," writes Lucinda Wigode. "Her favorite activity is watching chipmunks from our screen porch."

Adorable! Thanks for writing in!

And thanks to everyone for reading! Do you have cute pet photos to share? Please send them to our email here so we can feature them in an upcoming newsletter!

Wishing you all the best, 

Sara Moniuszko