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Worth A Try: LouLouBelle London Skincare
Since way back into my early teens (thank you Timehop for reminding me daily what an enormous dork I was back then) I have suffered with spots. And, despite my relatives/teachers/doctors promising me they’d disappear when I left my teenage years behind, I have since discovered this was absolute bullshit and to this very day, I still struggle with problematic skin. Sure, I have a stressful job. And the chances of me getting the recommended eight hours of sleep each night are about the same as me winning the lottery. But I do my best to eat a clean and healthy diet, drink plenty of water and use products that…
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Talking Point: Friendship Red-flags and How to Spot a Fake Friend
I’m incredibly lucky to have a handful of friends I consider family. We share each other’s heartache and joy, and those feelings are genuine. We laugh together, we cry together and we share everything in-between. But despite having a selection of friends I couldn’t bear to live without, I’ve also had a handful of fake friends – and they are the worst. We’ve all had one, and they’re so easy to spot. But, on the off-chance you’ve got a fake friend of your own and you’re yet to discover it, here are three red flags to look out for, and three dignified ways to cope through a friendship breakup. They’re Jealous…
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Worth A Try: Your Tea, The Only ‘Tea-tox’ I’ll Ever Recommend
Those who know me well will vouch for the fact one of my greatest loves in life is tea. I am a firm believer that a well-made cuppa has magical powers and is the key to solving 99%* of life’s problems. *The other 1% of problems being when you’ve tragically run out of teabags/tea leaves/milk and the shops have closed for the night. Sadly, a cuppa is the one thing that won’t solve this predicament. By day you’ll find me editing women’s magazines, and by night I can be found either writing up blog posts or ghostwriting. In both situations, one hand is always firmly glued to a mug of tea. So…
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Talking Point: 10 Things Nobody Tells You About Being Short
As a little girl I loved being one of the smallest kids in my class. It meant I could squeeze into all the best hiding places, and let’s be honest – there was nothing better than being the last one discovered during a game of hide and seek. Another perk to being small was that I looked absolutely adorable in my pretty summer dresses, and my grandma’s sister always told me nice things come in small packages – so I always felt pretty special. However, being short as an adult is a whole different ball game. In fact, navigating everyday life can be a fucking nightmare if, like me, you’re…
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Hot Hacks: A Lazy Girl’s Guide to Great Hair
Although I spend most of my working life in an office, there have been occasions that I’ve been asked to cover a trial or sentencing in court, and sometimes I’m even asked to cover inquests. Although I’d love nothing more than to throw on my comfiest leggings and a hoodie for a day spent at my desk, I have to make some level of effort to look my best on the off chance I’m needed in court. I’m fortunate enough to work in a role that allows me to work with victims and survivors of serious crimes, and I absolutely adore it. I have met so many incredible, brave and…
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Talking Point: Are Fairytales Setting Our Kids Up For Heartbreak?
As a little girl, I adored fairytales. And admittedly, whenever I feel run down or a bit defeated by life (being an adult isn’t always is never easy) I still snuggle up on the sofa and treat myself to a ‘Disney day’ – matching pyjamas and all. Fairytales are wonderful things. They give children hope of a better life and teach us to believe in magic. But as grim as it sounds (pun absolutely intended) I think fairytales have a lot to answer for when it comes to our unrealistic expectations of adulthood and romance. As much as I hate to admit it, I think the originals written by the Brothers…
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How To: Overcome Disappointment
Let’s face it, disappointment is shit. Have you ever bitten the bullet and applied for your dream job, only to find an unwelcome letter of rejection sat smugly in your email inbox the following week? Or perhaps you’ve had your eye on a gorgeous pair of shoes for weeks on end and when you finally decide: I work hard, I’mma treat myself, they’ve inevitably sold out in your size. Whether it’s losing out on a promotion or a pair of shoes, feeling let down is rubbish and can really suppress our inner superwoman. Whether you’re going through a tough breakup, a spell of unemployment or you’ve realised there’s no milk…
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Worth a Try: Williamson Tea
Back when I was a tiny little girl, my sweet old Grandma taught me that there are few troubles in life that can’t be solved by a cup of tea. Now, I’m not claiming that your obligatory morning cup of Yorkshire Tea is going to bring world peace and end global hunger (if only that were true!), but let’s be honest – in the face of adversity, we reach for the kettle. Or at least, I do. When the opportunity to collaborate with the lovely brand that is Williamson Tea arose, I was absolutely ecstatic. Having tasted their beautiful blends on the odd occasion over the years, I knew I’d be…
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Profile: Sophie, Blossom and Dill
Meet Sophie, creator of Blossom and Dill’s blowsy and painterly flower arrangements… There is no denying that I am a lover of all things floral, owing largely to my late Grandma’s influence. So when a recent trawl of the internet led me to discover Blossom and Dill, a quaint florist specialising in blousy and painterly arrangements for all occasions, I had to get in touch. Further investigation led me to a gallery of the most beautiful seasonal flowers arranged lovingly into an assortment of Mason jars, and it was at that very moment that I realised I’d finally discovered my wedding florist (hooray!). When Sophie, the creator of the brand,…
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Lead Us Not Into Temptation: A Project With Scouse Bird Problems
“It’s not you, it’s me” said my ex-friend to his now ex-girlfriend. It wasn’t him. In fact, it wasn’t her either. It was fear. Fear that he couldn’t resist the seemingly delicious temptation that is infidelity. Knowing that he was heading off to University and as such would be expected to engage in the typical freshers rituals, he couldn’t handle the pressure of remaining faithful to his girlfriend whilst surrounded by beautiful and overly keen girls, even though his girlfriend was beyond gorgeous herself. At least he had the decency to be honest with her, right? Desperately trying to console his devastated ex, I eventually managed to convince her that it was for the best. After all, could…
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Talking Point: The #KylieJennerChallenge
Okay, unpopular opinion: I fucking hate celebrity culture. It’s not that celebrity gossip doesn’t interest me because, to some extent, of course it does. I’m only human, after all. I’m not a fan of TOWIE or Geordie Shore, or any other celebrity reality shows. Unless they’re eating kangaroo bollocks in the Australian jungle, count me out. To be completely honest, I’m just far too busy with my own life to be interested in what the Kardashians are doing for Christmas, and who’s had their boobs done. There are many reasons for this, but the biggest issue I have with celebrity culture is the unrealistic expectations young girls and ‘ordinary’ women…
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Worth a Try: Tracey Bell Cosmetics
I have suffered with problematic skin for as long as I can remember. Having tried pretty much every ‘remedy’ out there (which if i’m honest, only aggravated my skin more), from the high-end, expensive products which promise to clear the skin in a matter of days to homemade face masks cultivated of natural yoghurt and honey (these generally end up being eaten more than they are used to clear my skin), it seemed as though my stubborn spots would be with me forever. I was recently invited to Tracey Bell’s Liverpool-based cosmetics clinic where I received a thorough treatment of Microdermabrasion followed by Intraceuticals therapy, and for once, my spots actually…
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What Liverpool Really Thinks of Boob Jobs: A Project with OPEN Magazine
A recent study has revealed that nobody loves boobs like Liverpool does. Statistics publicized in December showed that more women in Liverpool venture under the knife to acquire bigger boobs than anywhere else in the UK, with a total of 644 operations arranged in the first nine months of 2014. With boobs the focal point of many an intense debate, from the outrage reaped by public breastfeeding to the speculation surrounding the future of page 3, you’d think we’d have been over them by now. On the contrary, it seems that more women than ever are splashing out to enhance their own pair. I decided to ask the people on…
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Talking Point: Body Hair
A couple of weeks ago, a dreaded but necessary trip to Primark etched itself onto my lunchtime agenda. I have to be honest, despite the occasional indisputable bargain and an unwavering devotion to their adorable Disney pyjamas, I loathe the place. But much to my dismay, my stiletto nails found themselves embedded into my tights two hours before an important client interview and thus a new pair was an essential purchase. If there’s one thing I loathe more than the absolute chaos of Primark, it’s a laddered pair of tights. After battling the hordes of shoppers to the lingerie department, I managed to grab myself a pair and make a…
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Sneak Preview: I Got To Review Paloma’s Latest Album Ahead Of It’s Release
Flipping the page in my diary, I was reminded that it’s once again Monday. The headache of all weekdays. The bane of our working lives. Why is it that Friday is so close to Monday, but Friday is so damn far from Friday? It seems totally unjust, if you ask me. Petition for a five-day weekend, anyone? I shouldn’t complain, though – because this Monday is different. As I slumped at my desk determined to grump it out, I spotted an email from Sony Music. Obviously, I assumed they’d contacted me in error – or that it was some sort of promotional, spam message sent to the masses. So, you can imagine…
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Talking Point: Why the ‘Plus-size’ Label is Bullshit
If there’s one thing that really winds me up, it’s body shaming. I will never advocate for unhealthy eating habits, or a body type that puts a person at serious risk of ill-health. However, I genuinely believe that we’re all beautiful in our own way. So, why is it that people seem to be in such a rush to stick a hurtful label on everything? For now, I’m going to focus on the arrangement of the words ‘plus-sized model’. Do we really need to be so pedantic as to point out that a person might be ever so slightly curvier than the typical? The fashion industry has come a long…
