An Actually Useful Guide to Crystals
So many pretty rocks, so little space on your vanity.
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Like anybody, I’m a sucker for a gorgeous, good vibes–y crystal. But due to said prettiness, it can be easy to forget to ask the tough questions. Like, um, how do they work? Do they work? How much should I spend on one? Also, there are just So. Many. Crystals. How do I pick the best one for me?
So I asked one of our resident astrologers, Aliza Kelly, for some intel. “Crystals are sort of like little USB drives,” Kelly says. “They’re particularly receptive to us putting our intentions into them.” Basically, you can consider crystals a super ’gram-friendly combo of a vision board, a diary, and—I don’t know—a guardian angel? They’re not as $$ as they sound either. According to Kelly, “Most of the crystals linked to different practices of love, abundance, prosperity, health, or protection are actually really affordable and not hard to find.”
I want a crystal starter kit of my own, so I enlisted the help of Erica Feldmann, the founder and owner of HausWitch, a home and healing store in Salem, Massachusetts (aka Witch City). And she should know— Feldmann is always packing. “My shop girls and I keep them in our bras, our pockets, our purses, and our cars,” she says. “The bigger chunks are great—but you don’t need that!” Find what you do need below.
Rose quartz is Feldmann’s go-to for “ultimate self-love.” Keep one in your bra, near a mirror, or even as a face roller.
Moldavite is great for heart healing and releasing money blockages. PSA: This crystal can be pricey, so stick to small chunks.
Howlite is ideal for keeping things chill. Set it on a nightstand, Feldmann suggests. You can’t have enough good bedroom vibes.
Amethyst can tap into your psyche and, as Feldmann puts it, “act as your third eye, helping with intuition.”
This red-orange stone is fiery and great for manifesting creativity. Perfect for any bouts of writer’s block.
“I’m susceptible to a lot of energy—good and bad,” Feldmann says. “Black tourmaline is an amazing protector.”
For willpower—which is why Feldmann keeps pyrite at her desk “whenever I’m doing something new or business-related.”
Patty Camerota is the social butterfly media editor at Cosmopolitan who focuses on content distribution across Cosmo’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flipboard, and Spotify pages. When she isn’t trolling the internet for celeb tea, memes, or Noah Centineo’s most recent selfie, you can find Patty eating ’Gram-worthy carbs at some trendy eatery in NYC. Follow her on Instagram.
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