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Snoop Dogg narrated a makeup tutorial and it’s dope

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NikkieTutorials’s latest YouTube makeup tutorial has been narrated by Snoop Dogg – and it’s the best thing you’ll watch today.

The beauty guru and Marc Jacobs Beauty global artistry adviser Nikkie de Jager uploaded the new video on 20 April (AKA 4/20) and it was nine full minutes of pure laughter as Snoop Dogg walked us through how to dutifully craft the look, while ‘smokin’ it out’ of course.

The video, which is in collaboration with Marc Jacobs to introduce their new Accomplice Instant Blurring Beauty Powder with Brush and Accomplice Concealer & Touch Up Stick, goes one up on the fan-favorite video ‘my boyfriend does my voiceover’ and although Snoop has little to no knowledge of what the hell she’s doing, it’s the perfect pairing.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwfeT9sHBxZ/

It starts with Nikkie or ‘Nic-nak’ as Snoop calls her, clipping back her hair:

Snoop says: ‘First things first, we gotta clip that hair up, you understand me? Clip the hair to get the hair out of the way so she can get those edges together when she start popping that makeup.’

When Nikkie applies the Marc Jacobs Beauty Under(cover) Perfecting Coconut Face Primer, the rapper calls it ‘the roots,’ of the whole look. And when Nikki draws a heart of concealer across her forehead, Snoop said: ‘Put the heart right on the forehead, love is love’

Better yet, as she goes on to ‘smoke out’ her eyeliner, the singer adds: ‘I’ll join you. What she means by ‘smoke it out’ is not what I’m doing right now.’

Once Nikkie finishes off the look with some gloss and shares a before-and-after, Snoop has some special words: ‘Oh, wow. Amazing. Straight up, you did that. I’m astonished, I’m proud, I’m happy to be a part of it. When you close your eyes, you look like a butterfly. It’s beautiful.’

Having now racked up an impressive 2 million views, Snoop has successfully passed on his makeup wisdom with many a new makeup term; brush is now briznush, concealer is double up, contour is top part, and primer is roots.

Safe to say, we’d now like Snoop to narrate our lives. And whoever came up with this idea on Marc Jacobs PR team, we applaud you.

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You can now stay in a replica of Hagrid’s cottage for £195 a night

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The outside of Hagrid's home
(PIcture: Charlotte Graham/Cover Images)

Exciting news, Harry Potter fans: You can now rent a holiday cottage inspired by the fictional home of Rubeus Hagrid.

The Groundkeeper’s Cottage has just opened at North Shire near Saltburn on the edge of the North York Moors National Park, inspired by the film portrayal of Hagrid’s Hut in the Harry Potter novels.

The opening comes just ahead of International Harry Potter Day, which takes place on 2 May.

The cottage comprises of three interlocking circular slate-roofed buildings, two with turrets, and all with stained glass windows.

It features a lantern-lit wooden door, an open-plan living room with a galley kitchen and dining area, seating in front of a feature fireplace and wood beams festooned with Hagrid-style paraphernalia such as old baskets, ropes, leather bags and lanterns.

The cottage has a cute bed and beam ceilings
(PIcture: Charlotte Graham/Cover Images)

From the living room one door leads to the circular bedroom complete with double bed and a rustic wooden bunk bed, while a second door opens into a large bathroom where the star feature is a huge freestanding copper bath.

The owner Carol Cavendish, who has been a Harry Potter fan since her early 20s, has also incorporated small HP-themed touches such as an ink bottle and quill and bespoke copper basin in the bathroom.

Whereas Hagrid would have lived relatively frugally, guests staying in Groundkeeper’s cottage won’t have to skimp on life’s luxuries as two comfy sofas in the living room together with a sleigh bed and high quality mattresses make it more of a cosy, comfortable retreat.

The living room is very cosy
(PIcture: Charlotte Graham/Cover Images)

The cottage, which is available for rent from £195 per night, sleeps up to six (four in the bedroom and two on a sofabed). For those who want to bring their own Fang, one well-behaved dog is also allowed at a small extra cost.

This is the next stage in North Shire’s vision to create a storybook fantasy world for guests. Back in 2015 the site opened the Hobbit-hole inspired cottage, Potts Corner designed with a turf roof, round door and stained glass windows which has since attracted Lord of the Rings devotees worldwide.

Last year, North Shire also opened a yurt-style Green Dragon cafe inspired by the inn favoured by hobbits in the films, and an Enchanted Barn has been opened for functions. A Storybook Cottage, Shepherds’ huts, gypsy caravans and camping are also available on the quiet six-acre site which is just seven miles from the coastal fishing village of Staithes.

The cottage is very pretty
(PIcture: Charlotte Graham/Cover Images)

Carol explains: ‘Books have always been an important part of my life even after being diagnosed with dyslexia when I taught myself to read. They’ve also helped me through challenging times when I would turn to the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings books for pure escapism.

‘That’s why it is so fantastic to create an environment where others can also leave behind everyday life and step into their favourite storybook.

‘We’ve seen how Potts Corner has proven to be a hit among adults and children alike and so we’re sure that would-be Hagrids will be heading our way.’

MORE: Attention, fashion lovers: Laura Ashley’s former mansion is on the market

MORE: The ruined home of a Satanist is on the market for more than £500,000

Asda launches £2 donut burgers that are perfect for bagels

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Asda's donut burgers have holes in the middle
(Picture: Asda/Getty)

Asda has launched some donut shaped beef burgers, with holes specially designed to be filled with food.

The new donut burgers cost £1.97 for a packet of two.

The hole is there so that you can fill the burger with whatever you like – whether that’s a fried egg, some melted cheese or if you just fancy putting a massive dollop of ketchup in the middle.

Though if you’re fancying something really meaty, Asda suggests filling it with pulled pork. Mmm.

The donut shaped beef patties mean they’re perfect for bagels, or you could simply tower them up in a brioche bun with a load of filling inside.

The patties are currently on sale in stores and online at all 631 Asda supermarkets across the UK.

In other burger news, if you’re in London on 1 May, you can get one smothered in pink glitter, as Uber Eats has launched a limited-edition Pink Wednesday Menu in celebration of Mean Girls.

The holes could be filled with cheese or a fried egg
(Picture: Asda)

The food delivery app will launch the limited-edition menu on Wednesday 1 May, and you’ll be able to order a special selection of dishes through the app.

Uber Eats says: ‘Pink, delicious and totally fetch, this menu is for everyone, regardless of whether you eat with The Plastics, JV Jocks, Burnouts or are lucky enough to sit with the Best People You Will Ever Meet.’

The menu features burgers, hot dogs, salads, fries, cake and more, all pink and glittery and perfect for anyone who wants to get in on the pink Wednesday theme.

But of course, to really pay homage to the film, we suggest wearing pink to eat, too.

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Four-year-old obsessed with collecting rubbish fulfills dream of being a binman for a day

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Riley McCourt with Copeland?s waste collection team members, plus mum Toni McCourt in black, dad Anthony in white T shirt. A four-year-old boy obsessed with collecting rubbish has fulfilled his dream - to work with his local BINMEN. See SWNS story SWLEbinman. Little Riley McCourt spends his days picking up waste on his street to help his neighbours. Riley even has his own custom high-visibility jacket - adorned with his name - and was given a blue mini-wheelie bin after asking for one for his birthday. However, Riley accidentally knocked over his bin two weeks ago and was mistakenly accused of spreading rubbish on the street by a disgruntled member of the public -who posted on a local forum. After Riley's innocence was proven, his local council decided to give him the day of his dreams by allowing him to work in his favourite job. Riley's mother Toni McCourt, 31, said he absolutely loves bins.
(Picture: Copeland Borough Council / SWNS)

A four-year-old boy who’s obsessed with collecting rubbish has finally fulfilled his dream of being a binman.

Riley McCourt has idolised his local refuse collectors for ages, spending his days picking up waste on his street and wheeling bins to the side of the road to help out his neighbours.

He loves cleaning and binning waste. His favourite chore is to empty the rubbish from the chip shop his mum runs.

Two weeks ago, however, disaster struck: Riley accidentally knocked over one of his wheelie bins and was accused of causing trouble.

Someone posted in the local Facebook group that Riley had put rubbish in the street, clearly unaware of his love for keeping the streets clean.

Thankfully his innocence was quickly proven, and his local council decided to make his dreams come true by allowing him to work alongside the binmen for a day.

Riley McCourt. A four-year-old boy obsessed with collecting rubbish has fulfilled his dream - to work with his local BINMEN. See SWNS story SWLEbinman. Little Riley McCourt spends his days picking up waste on his street to help his neighbours. Riley even has his own custom high-visibility jacket - adorned with his name - and was given a blue mini-wheelie bin after asking for one for his birthday. However, Riley accidentally knocked over his bin two weeks ago and was mistakenly accused of spreading rubbish on the street by a disgruntled member of the public -who posted on a local forum. After Riley's innocence was proven, his local council decided to give him the day of his dreams by allowing him to work in his favourite job. Riley's mother Toni McCourt, 31, said he absolutely loves bins.
(Picture: Copeland Borough Council / SWNS)

Riley joined the waste collection crew at Copeland Council’s Morseby depot on Wednesday 17 April, chatting with the team, helping with the recycling, and riding in the waste collection vehicles. He even got his own high-vis jacket.

Riley’s mum, Toni McCourt, said: ‘He loves the bins and wagons and HGVs. Riley’s favourite day is definitely bin day. He goes round collecting the rubbish up on the street.

‘The bin men all know him when they spot him. He goes outside as soon as he sees them come round.

‘He helps his neighbours put their bins out for collection.

‘Riley had been picking up rubbish in his wheelie bin when he accidentally knocked it over.

Riley McCourt recycling. A four-year-old boy obsessed with collecting rubbish has fulfilled his dream - to work with his local BINMEN. See SWNS story SWLEbinman. Little Riley McCourt spends his days picking up waste on his street to help his neighbours. Riley even has his own custom high-visibility jacket - adorned with his name - and was given a blue mini-wheelie bin after asking for one for his birthday. However, Riley accidentally knocked over his bin two weeks ago and was mistakenly accused of spreading rubbish on the street by a disgruntled member of the public -who posted on a local forum. After Riley's innocence was proven, his local council decided to give him the day of his dreams by allowing him to work in his favourite job. Riley's mother Toni McCourt, 31, said he absolutely loves bins.
(Picture: Copeland Borough Council / SWNS)

‘Someone had posted on a local Facebook page which said he had put rubbish on the street, they must have been confused and thought he had done it on purpose.

‘He had a great day.’

Riley clearly made a good impression during his first day on the job, as community services manager Jane Carrol said she was very pleased with his enthusiasm for the role.

Janice said: ‘Riley is clearly a keen recycler and who knows, when he is older I’m sure he’d make an excellent member of the team here. It was a pleasure for the team to show him around the vehicles.’

MORE: Beautiful moment toddler born with backwards legs starts running after surgery

MORE: Asda launches £2 donut burgers that are perfect for bagels

MORE: You can now stay in a replica of Hagrid’s cottage for £195 a night

Woman is raising £12,000 to get rid of excess skin after losing half her body weight

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Steph O'Shea has lost more than half of her body weight
(Picture: Caters News)

When Steph O’Shea, 27, weighed nearly 21 stone, she thought that losing weight would bring her all the confidence and happiness she’d been craving.

But even after losing more than half her body weight, Steph still lacks self-confidence thanks to the stone of saggy skin left hanging from her tummy.

Steph is now fundraising the £12,000 she needs for surgery to remove the skin, which she says makes a noise when she moves.

‘I thought losing weight would make me happier but the loose skin has destroyed my confidence,’ says Steph.

‘I wanted to lose weight to enjoy life, clothes and being active instead of wishing or watching other people enjoying themselves.

Pic by Caters News - (PICTURED: Stephanie OShea at the half way point of her weightloss) - A woman who lost over half her body weight is asking strangers to pay 12,000 to get rid of her excess skin to finally give her the body of her dreams. Steph OShea, 27, was almost 21 stone at her heaviest - but has managed to shed 10 stone after years of being morbidly obese. But after her rapid weight loss Steph, from Burntwood, Staffs, was left with a STONE of saggy skin hanging from her tummy - that she says makes a NOISE when she moves. Steph, a part-time community worker said: I thought losing weight would make me happier but the lose skin has destroyed my confidence. SEE CATERS COPY
Steph at the halfway point of her weight loss (Picture: Caters News Agency)

‘My partner loves me regardless. He says I’m not the same person and that I’m more reserved now that I’ve lost weight. I’m more insecure now.

‘My skin gets sore so I rely on creams when it breaks from sweating excessively or rubs on clothing.

‘I rely on body suits to help me fit into clothes better and it also acts as a barrier between jeans as they can be havoc on my stomach with it over hanging.

‘The excess skin holds me back from my ability to be as active as I’d like. I’m conscious people can hear it moving around in the gym so I wear garments underneath to hold me in which can be uncomfortable.’

Steph began her weight loss journey in January 2017 after a lifetime of being considered obese. She cut down on processed food such as kebabs and chips and began a regular exercise routine.

Pic by Caters News - (PICTURED: Stephanie OShea shows her excess skin) - A woman who lost over half her body weight is asking strangers to pay 12,000 to get rid of her excess skin to finally give her the body of her dreams. Steph OShea, 27, was almost 21 stone at her heaviest - but has managed to shed 10 stone after years of being morbidly obese. But after her rapid weight loss Steph, from Burntwood, Staffs, was left with a STONE of saggy skin hanging from her tummy - that she says makes a NOISE when she moves. Steph, a part-time community worker said: I thought losing weight would make me happier but the lose skin has destroyed my confidence. SEE CATERS COPY
(Picture: Caters News Agency)

She now weighs a healthy 10st 9lb, but she’s been met with new health problems, including painful sores on her body thanks to her excess skin.

‘I used to survive on coffee through the day then have one super sized plate of mainly fried and processed food at night,’ says Steph.

‘I just cut out as much processed food as I could. I limit myself to one takeaway a month, cook my meals myself and eat lean meats and grill or bake food instead of fry.

‘It’s all about balance and moderation. I still eat crisps, chocolate and drink alcohol.

Pic by Michael Scott/Caters News - (PICTURED: Stephanie OShea shows her excess skin) - A woman who lost over half her body weight is asking strangers to pay 12,000 to get rid of her excess skin to finally give her the body of her dreams. Steph OShea, 27, was almost 21 stone at her heaviest - but has managed to shed 10 stone after years of being morbidly obese. But after her rapid weight loss Steph, from Burntwood, Staffs, was left with a STONE of saggy skin hanging from her tummy - that she says makes a NOISE when she moves. Steph, a part-time community worker said: I thought losing weight would make me happier but the lose skin has destroyed my confidence. SEE CATERS COPY
(Picture: Michael Scott/Caters News)

‘I try and keep my fluid intake at around two litres and go to the gym three times a week for an hour.’

Even at her new weight, Steph experiences muscle weakness and back ache.

She wants the surgery not just to relieve her of pain and discomfort, but to allow her to finally feel free to be in the world with confidence.

Steph says: ‘I know most people see it as cosmetic and there is a small aspect of it being cosmetic but surgery isn’t a decision to be taken lightly and I’m going to be left with scars.

‘I’m raising the money on GoFundMe for my sanity rather than vanity. I’ve done all I possibly can to change and the next steps are in the hands of a surgeon.

‘I’ve spent my whole life hiding away from the world. £12,000 is a large sum and I didn’t want to be in this situation but I don’t have any other option.

‘Whilst I lost weight to become more confident that’s not happened.

Pic by Michael Scott/Caters News - (PICTURED: Stephanie OShea shows her excess skin) - A woman who lost over half her body weight is asking strangers to pay 12,000 to get rid of her excess skin to finally give her the body of her dreams. Steph OShea, 27, was almost 21 stone at her heaviest - but has managed to shed 10 stone after years of being morbidly obese. But after her rapid weight loss Steph, from Burntwood, Staffs, was left with a STONE of saggy skin hanging from her tummy - that she says makes a NOISE when she moves. Steph, a part-time community worker said: I thought losing weight would make me happier but the lose skin has destroyed my confidence. SEE CATERS COPY
(Picture: Michael Scott/Caters News)

‘I struggle to engage my core and have a muscle weakness which gives me chronic back ache so it’s more than just skin removal.

‘I don’t want to continue to take painkillers, use creams and be reliant on medication.

‘I’m self-conscious about what I wear, I have good days where I feel amazing for what I’ve achieved but then I have bad days and I feel rubbish about my situation. I don’t want to continue to have issues with clothing and want to have to hide away and cover up.

‘Covering up especially in weathers as warm as we have at the moment is uncomfortable.

‘I want to enjoy summer times and swimming and blend in and not stand out.

‘I’m happy with myself and the person I am but incredibly self-conscious and feel I need to cover up to stop rude comments and stares.’

If you’d like to help Steph to feel more confident, you can donate through GoFundMe.

MORE: Teens who eat breakfast have a better body image than those that skip it, scientists claim

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Woman’s lips went black and filled with pus after fillers went wrong

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Ashley was influenced to get fillers by social media
(Picture: ASHLEY SCHLICK / CATERS NEWS)

A mum-of-two says she was left botched lips after social media influencers made her want to get fillers.

Ashley Schlick, 34, had been admiring big lips online and first decided to get fillers three years ago. She even made the injections a regular part of her beauty regime.

However, after getting an additional 1ml of filler last year, which cost her £380, Ashley’s lips started reacting differently.

Ashley says that moments after the surgery her bottom lip turned white, and over the course of the next few days they turned black, oozed with pus and the skin on her lips began to shed.

After a visit to the emergency room, being prescribed antibiotics and having the filler completely dissolved – costing £1,100 – Ashley is now sharing her story in order to raise awareness for the dangers of fillers.

Ashley, from Orlando, Florida, US, said: ‘After seeing social media influencers and celebrities getting their lips done, it pushed me to want to get it done more – so I started getting them done when I was 31.

‘My injections had always been fine, until I noticed that my bottom lip was white as a ghost after surgery.

Her lips ended up going black and swollen
(Picture: ASHLEY SCHLICK / CATERS NEWS)

‘As the night went on, I noticed that a black spot appeared and this gradually turned into bruising across my entire lip.

‘When my lips continued to get worse, and even started to pus and shed, I went to the emergency room and was prescribed with antibiotics for a bacterial infection in my lips.

‘Luckily a few days later I was able to get my lips dissolved and eventually my lips looked less botched.

‘Now I want people to open their eyes to the dangers that come with getting lip fillers, as mine ended up costing me almost $2,000!’

She had to have the fillers removed
(Picture: ASHLEY SCHLICK / CATERS NEWS)

Ashley explains that she feels lucky to have escaped any permanent damage to her lips, as she believed the botched appearance would ruin her face.

She said: ‘My upper lip was swollen and uneven with bruises underneath, but I thought my bottom lip was going to be damaged beyond repair.

‘Luckily I was able to get my lip filler dissolved in a matter of days and, thanks to the antibiotics, the infection went away also.

‘Although I experienced a lot of pain in having my lips dissolved, I am fortunate enough to have come out of this clean.

‘It took just under a year for the discolouration to completely go away on my lips, but now it’s hardly noticeable.

‘Now I feel good and grateful about my lips and have had corrective lip filler surgery to make my lips how I want them again.’

MORE: Mum suffers from chronic skin condition that makes her look like she’s had ‘dodgy lip fillers’

MORE: Student spends £13,000 on Botox and fillers to look like ‘real-life Barbie’

Teenager’s back left stained purple after wearing Boohoo crop top

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Pheobe before she spotted the discolouring of her skin
(Picture: Kennedy News)

A teenager says she was left looking like she’d been ‘beaten up’ after her Boohoo top dyed her skin purple.

18-year-old Phoebe Exley wore a black £7 crop top on Easter Sunday to celebrate a friend’s 18th birthday in Lancaster.

She paired the velvet stripe burnout scoop crop top with a light blue leather mini skirt and went to cocktail bars with her friends.

After 10 hours out with friends enjoying the sunny weather, Phoebe and her boyfriend Travis returned home to discover Phoebe’s skin had turned purple.

Travis scrubbed Phoebe’s back in the shower for ten minutes but it wouldn’t come off. It stained her skin for days and has only just started to fade.

Phoebe from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, said: ‘The dye that came off was more purple than black, it was the colour of a bruise. It looked like I’d been beaten up.

Phoebe after taking the top off
(Picture: Kennedy News)

‘I only properly realised what had happened when I got home and took my top off. It had dyed all my bra as well as my skin – it was everywhere.

‘My mum took one look at me and asked “what on earth have you been doing?” she was a bit shocked.

‘I was shocked too as I didn’t realised it would be that bad, and I was worried it wasn’t going to come off.

‘It’s still on now but faded a bit so that’s been on there for a few days.

‘I had to have my boyfriend try and scrub it off me in the shower, he spent a good ten minutes trying to get it off. I was a bit red after that.

The top Phoebe ordered
(Picture: Boohoo)

‘I bought the top a few weeks ago but didn’t wear it straight away, I was waiting for the nice hot weather.

‘It was the first time I’d worn it and it was fine while it was on.

‘At one point during the night I did ask my friend if my arm looked a bit blue from where it had rubbed the inside of my arm but she just said “no you’re being silly”.

‘It was then it must have started dyeing my skin.

‘It’s not the look I was going for but I’m going to wash it and see what happens, hopefully that sorts it as I don’t want to be purple again.’

Boohoo has been contacted for comment.

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Woman with depression who keeps falling asleep in public is worried about doing it at her own wedding

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Helen Winston, diagnosed with depression, keeps falling asleep
(Picture: Facebook/Helen Winston)

Bride-to-be Helen Winston didn’t know she was depressed when her sister was getting married.

At the time, the poetry coach from Nebraska, U.S, kept falling asleep everywhere, even in public places. Helen later realised she was depressed.

During her sister’s wedding where she was the bridesmaid, Helen was pictured asleep at the ceremony. Writing on a Facebook group, she said she falls asleep no matter where she is or how important the event is.

Now that she’s getting married, Helen is terrified of dozing off at her own wedding.

‘Planning my own wedding with depression is super hard,’ she tells Metro.co.uk.

‘It’s really difficult to summon the energy to care about cake tasting and flowers when you can barely get out of bed. And of course, living up to other people’s expectations on your own wedding day is almost impossible.’

Helen trying on a wedding dress
(Picture: Facebook/Helen Winston)

Helen’s fiancé and friends all know about her depression and offer as much moral support as they can.

‘But it’s really hard for my family to understand,’ admitted Helen. ‘I just can’t mingle and be a good host for a long time, and that’s going to be difficult for a lot of my family not to take personally.

‘The hardest part of depression is how numb you are to everything around you. I know I most likely won’t experience the full breadth of emotions of my wedding day, because I’m just not capable of feeling it all right now.’

Now that she’s on medication, Helen said she doesn’t feel as low as she used to six months ago. But she’s also not as happy as she once used to be.

Even when she tried on wedding dresses, she felt at her lowest. Thankfully her fiancé Skyler has been a massive support.

Helen with fiance Skyler
(Picture: Facebook/Helen Winston)

‘Having a partner to laugh with and give me support is the best thing that ever happened to me,’ she added.

‘My advice to other depressed folks planning their own weddings is this: None of the frills or extra bits is worth your health. Nothing is more important than you living to see your day.

‘I decided not to have a lot of things like cake and decorations and passed the responsibility of picking out flowers to my mum.

Helen and Skyler at the beach
(Picture: Facebook/Helen Winston)

‘Focusing on the bond between you and your partner and the strength within yourself will help you arrive at your day in a better state.

‘You deserve a beautiful, joy-filled life, and that includes your wedding day. There is nothing worse than spending so much energy and happiness in the details, only to have nothing left when the day comes.

‘Invite people who give you strength and support, and don’t invite those who drain the life out of you (even if they are related to you).

‘Remember that we deserve love and joy, too. No matter what our broken brains try to tell us.’

The relationship between sleep and depression

Charity Mind says there’s a close relationship between sleep and mental health.

Living with a mental health problem can affect how well you sleep, and poor sleep can have a negative impact on your mental health.

Not sleeping or sleeping too much can be signs of depression.

The National Sleep Foundation says depression may cause sleep problems and sleep problems may cause or contribute to depressive disorders.

It also reports that people with insomnia have a ten-fold risk of developing depression compared with those who sleep well.

Many children and adults with depression also have sleep problems such as insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness) or both.

According to recent research, children with depression who suffer from both insomnia and hypersomnia are more likely to have severe and longer-lasting depression.

Treatment for depression typically involves a combination of psychotherapy (including cognitive-behavioural therapy) and/or drug) treatment.

Each of these therapies may be used to treat both depression and insomnia and treatment for sleep problems is often an important part of depression therapy.

MORE: ‘I had months of anxiety dreams’: How to manage insomnia when you’re planning a wedding

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Dad says cuddling a group of 15 men saved his marriage

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Some members of the cuddling group cuddling together
(Picture: Kennedy News)

A dad-of-three claims he saved his 32-year marriage by snuggling up to 15 men.

Creative director Kevin Eitzenberger, 58, set up the Therapeutic Men’s Cuddle Group two years ago after his wife Gina begged him to sort out his anger issues.

Upset by the way he had treated his family, Kevin knew he had to do something to save his marriage – and decided he needed the physical touch of men to feel content.

So three decades after marrying Gina, Kevin set up the group, run from his friend’s living room, and it has grown in size ever since.

Now each fortnight around 15 men meet up and cuddle for two hours before returning to their families and carrying on with everyday life.

He believes his ‘many tear stained shirts’ prove the effectiveness of the sessions.

Kevin enforces strict rules, including no touching below the belt, above the thigh or under clothes to ensure a safe environment for all – but the group’s website claims ‘some level of arousal during cuddling… is completely normal’.

Kevin, from Plymouth, Pennsylvania, US, said: ‘We never cuddle in a bed. We put blankets on the floor in my friend’s living room.

‘Many guys are scared to death the first time. Some have told me they’ve driven up to the house then sped away because they were so nervous.

‘But at the beginning of each session we demonstrate the ‘safe touch’ and read the rules.

Kevin says starting the group has helped his anger
(Picture: Kennedy News)

‘One man does the holding and the other is the person being held.

‘The holder sits on the floor with his back against the sofa. The other sits motorcycle-style in front of him and rests his back on his chest and head on his shoulder.

‘The man who’s holding just puts the arms around the chest of the other man.

‘After the man relaxes and gets used to it, they can ask for signs of affection.

‘So they might say “can you stroke my hair” or “can you rock me back and forth?”

‘The rules state that you cannot touch below the belt or above the thigh. We make sure that’s clear.

‘We also say no-one can touch anybody under any item of clothing. This is non-sexual touch and that’s hard for some men to understand sometimes because of the culture we’re in.’

Kevin attributes his need for male touch to struggling to bond with males when younger.

From a young age he didn’t fit in at school because he often found himself with more female friends.

As his own father was a sports coach he says they struggled to see eye to eye, which he believes also led to difficulty forming relationships with men.

These problems even led Kevin to question his sexuality – until he discovered the power of cuddling.

Kevin said: ‘When I was a little boy, I was shunned by the boys because I didn’t kick the football the right way or I didn’t run fast enough.

‘I’d hang out with girls and that made it worse because then I got ridiculed.

‘There was some masculinity there that was either taken from me or I rejected.

‘When I was 11, my brother died. The way I see it, that was another masculine entity taken from me.

‘And my dad was, although a fantastic dad, a sports guy.

‘I was an artist. I was more cerebral – more of a thinker. I didn’t connect with him.

‘I know that affected me in my healthy development into a man. All those things, I believe, caused me to have same-sex attraction.

Kevin and his wife of thirty two years
(Picture: Kennedy News)

‘As I got older I told Gina, who I was dating, that things had happened and I sometimes needed acceptance from a man.

‘I was concerned that maybe there was some sort of sexual component to that.

‘We got married and it was pretty tough on her because I had a lot of anger that I didn’t know was there.

‘I was verbally abusive to my wife. When you love someone and live with them and you have anger inside you, that’s going to come out.

‘We hung in there and we had three daughters – they’re now 30, 27 and 23 – but at the time they were growing up.

‘There was a time when my wife said ‘Kevin, I can’t see you being unkind to yourself anymore. You’ve got to figure it out because I’m not sticking around if you don’t.’

‘I thought “wow, I’ve got to do something”.’

Before launching his own cuddle group, Kevin was introduced to the ManKind Project by a friend – a non-profit organisation that helped men set up groups for other men.

Over time, the pair started to hold each other and form an emotional attachment, despite it not being sexual at all.

Kevin said: ‘That weekend with them is where I learned what I really needed from men.

‘With that, myself and a friend started to hold each other for an hour.

‘It wasn’t in a sexual manner. I needed acceptance, affirmation and affection. I needed to be held.

‘We didn’t want to go into any sexual component because neither of us were gay and we both were married with kids.

‘We noticed there was becoming an emotional attachment between us, so we talked about it and decided to invite other guys to our session.’

In 2017, after he and his wife had been made redundant and forced to move to Philadelphia, Kevin set up what is now known as the Therapeutic Men’s Cuddle Group and it has been growing ever since.

Kevin said: ‘Right now I am as happy as I’ve ever been.

‘My marriage is fantastic and my daughters thank me for doing all the hard work.

‘I’ve discovered that acceptance, affirmation and affection can heal men, myself included, from past hurts, especially when it comes to being hurt by other men.

The guys all cuddling together
(Picture: Kennedy News)

‘Some of the men have been hurt or bullied and felt rejected because they weren’t into sports.

‘You can tell the men who’ve been through that. Men still have that little boy in them that went through those types of things.

‘Although as a result they’ve rationalised it’s over and they’ve forgiven the people for that, they haven’t totally repaired those damages done to them all those years ago.

‘You can tell a man “I accept and affirm you”, but if I’m holding a guy, and I have many tear stained shirts to prove this, you can tell they really need this. That’s my whole philosophy behind this.

‘So when it came to Pennsylvania and I started this group two years ago, I began not to need the holding because I was fulfilled and healthy emotionally.

‘I knew how it really helped me so tremendously.

‘I decided to go ahead and bring the cuddle group to men like me.

‘I hold these guys and I’ve had many men just cry, because they’re never been held or touched in a way that wasn’t either violent.

‘To have a man hold them as if they were their son or brother is monumental for these guys. And that’s the success of it.’

Although Kevin’s progressive approach has been applauded by many, he admits he’s had some negative responses.

Kevin said: ‘There’s been negative comments. I know [a US radio talk show host] picked up the story and said “what is this world coming to” in a bad way.

‘The group has to be done very carefully because the last thing I want is for someone to be held by another man who isn’t sincere in his intention.

‘All the men I talk to, even gay men, come to it because there’s no sexual pressure.

‘Even though gay men can go to a man and get connection in a physical way, they still want the non-sexual affection.

‘There was a man in his early thirties who told me that until he came to the meeting he had wanted affection so badly he’d say to the man he was hooking up with “I’ll have sex with you but first I want you to hold me for an hour”.

‘He didn’t want [the sex], but he needed the holding so badly.

‘It’s so simple. I don’t know a lot about these guys unless they tell me.

‘Sometimes I don’t know their sexuality, their problems (unless they want to tell me). It’s just about holding and touch, which blows my mind because it’s so simple.

‘I don’t have to be responsible for telling people the wrong thing because it’s just holding.

‘We get to know each other and see that we’re funny, loving and non-judgemental.

‘We do a quick introduction and maybe put name tags on. We say how we’re feeling, be that scared or whatever.

‘Then we read the rules and confidentiality of what’s going on there.

‘The second half of the meeting we have structured cuddling. We’ll hang out on the sofa together, lay on the floor and chat and laugh – like brothers would do.

‘At the end we do a huddle and make a statement of affirmation: “As a man among men, I am strong and accepted”.’

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The brain ‘switch’ that makes us crave junk food has been revealed

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man eating a burger
(Picture: Getty)

There’s no getting away from junk food adverts and temptations.

However, it turns out it’s not just external factors making us want to tuck into burgers, fries, and pizzas, but internal ones too.

Scientists at North Carolina University have discovered a ‘switch’ in the brain that creates the cravings for certain foods.

It lies in a region of grey matter called the central amygdala – which is known for controlling emotions – and experiments found that turning off a protein called nociceptin in these cells stopped mice pigging out on tasty food.

With less of these nociceptin-making neurons, they were less tempted go over their standard food needs and gorge on sweet and rich extras they were given access to.

Professor Thomas Kash, a pharmacologist at North Carolina University, said: ‘Scientists have studied the amygdala for a long time – and they’ve linked it to pain and anxiety and fear.

‘But our findings here highlight it does other things too – like regulate pathological eating.’

It’s thought (and described in the Neuron journal) that this is a lingering by-product of evolution, whereby our environment has changed but brain wiring has not. Essentially, when food was scarce our bodies were programmed to try and eat as many calories as possible.

Nowadays, with easier access to high-calorie foods, our brains still regard these options as better choices.

Previous research has pointed the finger at nociceptin, but Professor Kash and his team have shown compounds blocking the protein – called nociceptin receptor antagonists – have little or no effect on normal feeding by rodents and hedonic bingeing on tastier foods that are bad for them.

Now Professor Kash and colleagues have found the circuit through which they work, they will be researching further to see if they can have an affect on human obesity using their findings.

MORE: Dad says cuddling a group of 15 men saved his marriage

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Could Socially be the app introverts and citydwellers have been waiting for?

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Online dating and social networking concept. Virtual love. Vector illustration
(Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

We’ve all been there, wanting to rejig our social lives without the fuss of awkward first encounters with strangers on the internet.

Socially could be the answer.

DJ Newman, 44, created the platform for city dwellers. After a breakup and moving to London in 2016, he found it difficult to make friends and regenerate his social life.

Newman told Metro.co.uk: ‘I’d moved to London after a breakup and I didn’t know anyone in the area. My good friends were starting families and my social life had taken a hit. With a busy 9-5, I had little time to invest in meeting new people – whether to grab a beer after work, play the sports I loved or to arrange any dates.’

He created Socially, a ‘1-2-1 meet up app for anyone living and working in London’ to meet new friends, try new activities and, who knows, maybe even date without encountering ghosting, breadcrumbing and elationships.

With Socially you can say goodbye to trawling profiles and careless swiping left and right based on appearance… but what are people actually getting? Friendship? Dates?

Newman said: ‘There’s three streams to the app. There’s friendship, there’s dating and there’s active pursuits and sport. When you go onto the app you’d create your three profiles.

There are three streams to the app. You can make a profile for friends, for dating and for sports and activity
(Picture: socially-app.com)

‘You’d create three profiles and they are similar in format but can be as different as you want them to be, as you might not want things on your dating profile to be on your friendship profile, for example.

‘And it would take you into the events that are happening around you, in that specific stream that you have chosen.

‘So, for example – you’d click active and a map would appear. Then filter that by distance, by type of event you’re looking for and so on and it would then show you thirty or so events that are applicable to you in your chosen area.

‘You could then click on each of those events to get further details of when they’re happening and where they’re happening.

‘You could look at the host profile to see if you have things in common. The profile page is fairly detailed so it’s good for knowing what common ground you have.’

Once this is all set up, the host of the event will then get an alert and they can look at your profile and decide whether to get in touch.

He added: ‘You can also then review that event afterwards, just for your own use – would you want to see that person again? Would you want to block them?’

But why one to one meetups?

Someone using socially
(Picture: Socially)

According to the ONS, in London, there are approximately 3 million single people, and many have been on the wrong end of a catfish profile or a negative experience from online dating.

Newman says: ‘Group meet ups are great, but there are no one to one meet ups, but there are such really bad user experiences and so I created Socially.

‘There’s a demand for it, and the platforms that are available just aren’t delivering.’

‘It’s a way for people to meet other like-minded individuals for the things they want to do, but without all the time, hassle and stress that typically goes in to meeting new people online.’

Newman goes the extra step to ensure security.

‘We use a 3rd party to authenticate people’s identities via passport and drivers license. Everyone who uses the app if you’re using the app as a pre-requisite.

‘It is an app very suitable for introverts. They want to have the meetings and meet people, and don’t want to be rejected like so many people. So many keep them online, but people don’t want “elationships” and pen-pals.They want to get out and meet people.

E-connect Lingo

Elationship: is used to describe any electronic relationship you make between other real people online.

Many ‘elationships’ that are formed never go to the next step of meeting them in the real life. However, many users develop such a strong relationship with the other person they often feel as if they have met them in the real life.

Breadcrumbing: the act of leading someone on by contacting them intermittently – be that by phone or social media – to keep them interested.

‘I think this would make life easier for introverts who want to meet people face to face.’

Socially launches towards the end of summer. Newman is hoping that enough people who are invested in creating real and authentic relationships should register for the app, and become social this year.

He said: ‘Most just want to streamline the whole process. I think ultimately, we just need the confidence to know that the person we’re meeting is who they claim to be and that there are effective barriers in place that prevent inappropriate behaviour.’ 

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Man has to hold back tears after finding a plaster that comes in his skin tone

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Man Is Overcome With Emotion After Finding A Plaster That Matches His Skin Tone
(Picture: @ApollonTweets)

For too long ‘nude’ has meant a light beige.

When one black man found a plaster that matched his skin colour, he was over the moon.

Dominique Apollon, a doctoral researcher from Stanford University, said it took him his whole lifetime but he finally found an inconspicuous band-aid.

The vice president of research at nonprofit Race Forward from Oakland, California, wrote on Twitter how delighted he was at the discovery.

Though it was such a minor thing, he was almost on the verge of tears, he said.

The sweet moment has amassed over 500,000 likes and shares on Twitter, showing people how important it is for society to cater to all people.

‘It’s taken me 45 trips around the sun, but for the first time in my life, I know what it feels like to have a ‘band-aid’ in my own skin tone,’ he wrote.

‘You can barely even spot it in the first image. For real I’m holding back tears.

‘This felt like belonging. Like feeling valued. Sadness for my younger self and millions of kids of colour, esp black kids.

‘Like a reminder of countless spaces where my skin is still not welcomed. Feared. Hated. Like “why am I really thinking all this about an effing band-aid?”‘

He revealed that the particular type of plaster he was using was from TruColor, which offers products in many different tones.

The small discovery led to a lot of people’s realisation that they can go most days without thinking about race.

Others said plasters gave them the first memory of experiencing race as they came to know their skin was different from others.

Dominique ended the thread with a positive message.

‘I’m glad this thread has sparked some love, introspection, empathy, and conscious actions in others.

‘White supremacy is a beast, and defeating it will take all of the above elements and more, applied at all levels of our societies. But the results will be so, so beautiful.’

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A pensioner with dementia is about to take on his 131st marathon

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Malcolm Brookes, 78 is the oldest Brit to finish 100 marathons, Hereford. The oldest Brit to run 100 marathons will take part in his 131st race at the London Marathon on Sunday, despite having dementia. See SWNS story SWMDrunner. Malcolm Brookes, 78, was diagnosed with vascular dementia, which affects around 150,000 people in the UK, just months after completing his 100th marathon. Aged 74 at the time of the race in 2015, he was the oldest Briton to join the 100 Marathon Club. His condition means he is finding it increasingly difficult to come up with the right words to share his favourite stories, relying on his supportive wife Mary to fill in the gaps. But he is determined not to let it stop him completing his 131st 26-mile race when he takes part in the London Marathon on April 28.
Malcolm will run the London Marathon this Sunday (Picture: Adam Hughes/SWNS)

A grandfather has become the oldest dementia patient in the UK to complete 130 marathons – and he has no plans to stop running.

Malcolm Brookes, 78, is preparing to tackle his 131st race when he takes part in this Sunday’s London Marathon.

He completed his first marathon in 1986, finishing the course in Jersey in four hours 41 minutes. It took him 22 years to enter his second marathon, but since then the retired minister has clocked up thousands of miles.

Malcolm follows a gruelling training regime of running six miles every other day to keep fit. What a legend.

Four years ago he was diagnosed with vascular dementia just weeks after he became the oldest Brit to complete his 100th marathon.

Despite his condition, which affects around 150,000 people in the UK, Malcolm continued running and has completed another 30 races.

He is now hoping to raise more than £2,000 for charity Dementia Revolution when he runs on Sunday.

‘I was 45 when I ran my first marathon and 22 years later I ran my second one,’ says Malcolm.

Collect Photo of Malcolm doing his 100th Marathon In Jersey where he acted as a guide runner, 4.10.2015. The oldest Brit to run 100 marathons will take part in his 131st race at the London Marathon on Sunday, despite having dementia. See SWNS story SWMDrunner. Malcolm Brookes, 78, was diagnosed with vascular dementia, which affects around 150,000 people in the UK, just months after completing his 100th marathon.
Malcolm running his 100th marathon in 2015 (Picture: Malcolm Brookes/SWNS)

‘Much to my amazement I was only about seven minutes slower than my 1986 effort. I was panting like a steam engine.

‘I now have a resting heart rate of 39 beats per minute and have the metabolic age of a 42-year-old. I am in the top 15 per cent for performance by runners of my age.

After Malcolm’s diagnosis, doctors encouraged the pensioner to keep running regularly. They said oxygen is good for the brain and that it could help his symptoms.

‘In most cases people would be devastated to be given a diagnosis of dementia,’ explains Malcolm.

‘Strangely, for me because I had been so mystified about my symptoms, it was a relief to be given a diagnosis.

Malcolm, who has three grown-up children and seven grandchildren, now relies on his wife Mary, 77, to help him plan his races.

Malcolm Brookes, 78 is the oldest Brit to finish 100 marathons
Doctors advised Malcolm to keep running after his diagnosis (Picture: Adam Hughes/SWNS)

‘Eventually, I will disappear down the plughole and I will be quite a different person from what I was,’ he says.

‘I find it very difficult at times to find words. I make up words. I can only focus on one thing at a time. I can’t multi-task at all.

‘I sometimes get very angry. I don’t know why I am being angry. It’s frustration that I can’t live a life that I used to live.

‘I might shout at my wife and I don’t want to be shouting at her.

Malcolm’s marathon career started while working as a minister in Jersey when he spotted an advert for the island’s marathon.

He even signed up for the 7x7x7 Challenge – seven marathons in seven locations in seven months, saying simply that it was, ‘really tough.’

‘I am going to carry on for as long as I can,’ he says.

‘I just enjoy running and I will do it as long as I am able to do it.’

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These are the best cleansers for every skin type according to Alessandra Steinherr

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These are the best cleansers for every skin type according to Alex Steinherr
(Picture: Getty, Primark, The Organic Pharmacy & Kiehl’s)

Cleansing is an essential part of your daily skincare routine… or at least it should be.

We’re inundated with skincare advice on the world-wide web, but cleansing is crucial. Over the course of the day a build-up of gunk, grease, sweat, makeup and even pollutants stick to the skin’s surface. If you don’t wash that stuff off, it will clog your pores and have a number of negative effects on the skin, including breakouts.

The beauty market is flooded with cleanser options, from oils, milks, creams, balms and foaming cleansers, all of which promise to give you the cleanest of skin. So it can be hard finding a cleanser that works best for your skin type.

But if you are on the hunt for the best cleanser, award-winning beauty journalist Alessandra Steinherr has got you covered, no matter your skin type.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwpXL7znuce/

Alessandra (AKA Alex), who spent a decade at Glamour as their Beauty Director and has since collaborated on a skincare range with Primark, took to Instagram Wednesday evening to share her top five cleansers with her 189K followers as part of her #AlexEdit.

Alex started the video by stressing the importance of cleansing: ‘For me cleanser is literally the most important step in your skincare routine. I don’t care how many fancy creams, serums, retinols and expensive stuff you have, or how long your routine is. If you’re not using a good cleanser, or cleansing your skin properly, there is literally no point.’

‘As far as I’m concerned you might as well take that money and through it out of the window.’

The Creative and Beauty Director explained how facial cleansers remove dirt and oil from you face, while makeup remover will take off the makeup.

‘This video is about cleansers, not makeup removers. So if you’re not a makeup wearer you can go straight ahead with the cleanser. If you are a makeup wearer, I’d always remove makeup first. That’s the two-step cleansing system: double cleansing.’

Double-cleansing may sound like a load of mumbo jumbo, but it’s an effective and simple way to wash your face; once to remove makeup and a second time to deep clean the skin.

Alex then dived straight into her favourite cleansers, stating that they’re all ‘phenomenal’ and ‘the best of the best on the market at the moment’.

Here are her top five cleansers.

1. Koh Gen Do Spa Foaming Facial Wash

1 Koh Gen Do Spa Foaming Facial Wash
(Picture: Skinstore)

Alex says: ‘What’s great about this is it’s alcohol-free – I don’t believe in alcohol in cleansers. It’s sulfate-free of course, plus it’s mildly acidic, which is great because you want your cleanser to be a little bit acidic. That is the whole point, that cleanser is meant to bring your pH down a little bit.

‘This cleanser is beautiful on drier, dehydrated skin types, because it will never, ever, never leave your skin tight and it works really well.’

Who it’s for: All skin types

Koh Gen Do Spa Foaming Facial Wash, £36.51

 

2. Is Clinical Cleansing Complex

(Picture: Facethefuture)

Alex describes this as a ‘genius cleanser’.

‘It’s got a little bit of salicylic acid in it and it is very low lathering,’ she explains. ‘It also contains vitamin A and E.

‘It will help really cleanse the pores – that’s what salicylic acid does – it’s an oil soluble acid but it’s at a very low percentage.

Who it’s for: Acne, blemish prone, or sensitive skin types

Is Clinical Cleansing Complex, £29.89

3. The Organic Pharmacy Rose Facial Cleansing Gel

The Organic Pharmacy Rose Facial Cleansing Gel
(Picture: Feelunique)

Yes, it smells of roses.

It’s also super conditioning and hydrating on the skin.

Who it’s for: Mature, dehydrated and dry skin types

The Organic Pharmacy Rose Facial Cleansing Gel, £49

 

4. Primark Pore Balance Low-Ph Sulfate-Free Cleanser

Primark Pore Balance Low-Ph Sulfate-Free Cleanser
(Picture: Primark)

Well, Alessandra would include her own cleanser, wouldn’t she?

The beauty expert says this is a wonderful cleanser for all skin types.

‘It has got the salicylic acid in it, which is really great for oily skin and complexions that have bigger pores,’ she notes.

‘Again it’s a low pH which is what you want in a cleanser. I developed this because I wanted something that’s more affordable, that is good for skins that are blemished or trouble.

‘My whole range is fragrance free, it’s vegan friendly, it’s got no sulfates.’

Who it’s for: Oily, blemish prone skin, combination and young skin types

Primark Pore Balance Low-Ph Sulfate-Free Cleanser, £4

 

5. Kiehl’s Centella Sensitive Facial Cleanser

Kiehl's Centella Sensitive Facial Cleanser
(Picture: Kiehl’s)

‘Whenever my skin is unhappy, irritated, a little bit red, I use the Kiehl’s Centella Sensitive Facial Cleanser,’ says Alex.

‘It contains Centella Asiatica extract, which is calming and soothing. It’s also non-foaming; whenever you have any irritation you don’t want any foaming going on.

‘It’s got glycerin in it, which will condition the skin and as it’s a humectant it will keep that hydration in the skin.

‘This is great because you can rinse it off, or tissue it off. Sometimes water can be a problem when your skin is irritated. So if you’re prone to irritation, this is one that I love.’

Who’s it for: Sensitive skin types

Kiehl’s Centella Sensitive Facial Cleanser, £28

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ASOS slammed after being caught out using clips on model’s dress

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ASOS caught adding clips to dress
(Picture: ASOS)

ASOS has been slammed online after one of its shoppers came across an image of a model wearing a dress held together with clips.

The model wore a £35 ASOS DESIGN midi dress with cami straps and cut-out detail. From the front it looked absolutely perfect, but from a side angle you could see it was being held together by clips.

Ronnie came across the images and shared them to Twitter, captioning them: ‘uhmm @ASOS ..think you forgot to edit those clips out’.

The tweet received more than 3,000 retweets and 17,000 likes, with many commenting to explain they thought it was a bad move for ASOS to use clips – and that they should have either found a model to fit the dress, or given the model a dress that actually fit.

One person said: ‘Hey @ASOS_HeretoHelp why not clearly show how the dress fits, instead of changing it to fit in a different way than it clearly wouldn’t without the clip, definitely an idea for the specialist team.’

Another said: ‘Wow, these sorts of things makes girls and even guys feel soo s**** like make the clothes actually fit a normal person and don’t clip it so it’s a different shape than what it’s actually gonna turn up like! F*** the edited bs give us the pictures that show the clothes that fit.’

ASOS responded rather quickly to the tweet – but instead of highlighting the issue they simply thanked Ronnie for pointing the clips out… and then went on to re-edit the photo without the clips.

They said: ‘Hi Ronnie, thank you for raising this with us. We’re sorry to hear the clips are showing in the picture. We’ll now raise this with our specialist team. If you have any questions please send us a message we’d be happy to help.’

Of course, this confused other shoppers who jumped onto ASOS’ retweet to call them out for not explaining why they didn’t just show how the dress fits without the clips, to give customers a more accurate view.

One person wrote: ‘Yikes ASOS, how can you tighten up your returns policy, saying you will look out for patterns, yet misrepresent the fit of clothes in the first place.. When customers try the clothes on at home, they will inevitably be returned if completely different to the site!’

Someone else said: ‘Or you could start using models who ACTUALLY fit the size they wear and aren’t all size 4. Or even just show how the clothes actually fit on a person, maybe you’ll get less people returning items if you do. I stopped shopping at ASOS because the fit is never right.’

Another added: ‘You’ve massively missed the post here ASOS. Nobody cares that they can see the clips, they care that you are using them. It’s not a true reflection of how the clothing will look/fit.’

ASOS is yet to respond to any other tweets, and have instead simply updated the photos of the model of the dress with the clips edited out.

Metro.co.uk contacted ASOS for comment, but they have not yet responded. We will update this article when they do.

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Being deaf doesn’t ruin movies for me, lack of access does

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Marvel Studios' AVENGERS: ENDGAME..Thor (Chris Hemsworth)..Photo: Film Frame..??Marvel Studios 2019
A shocking lack of accessible subtitled screenings across the UK means I have to spend weeks or months offline to avoid (Photo: Marvel Studios)

‘Don’t spoil the Endgame,’ the directors of the latest Marvel movie plead as the follow-up to last year’s Avengers: Infinity War hits cinemas. Yet for deaf cinema goers like me, it doesn’t mean much.

Spoilers are bound to surface online over time, but a shocking lack of accessible subtitled screenings across the UK means I have to spend weeks or months offline to avoid them. This is all while I’m on the hunt for the limited screenings available near me in Bedfordshire like a desperate Thanos searching for infinity stones.

The satisfaction that comes with truly immersive cinema is something felt by everyone, even me if subtitles are available. Endgame’s prequel, Infinity War, was my first-ever subtitled screening. The sense of being immersed in the action, rather than the familiar feeling of being lost with no idea of what’s happening, was incredible. It was no longer a case of admiring the stunning visuals of a film, but also getting really invested into the heart of a story.

When a film is released most people are in the same position, carefully navigating social media platforms and muting key words to avoid the plot being given away. But when a deaf person has a movie ruined for them and they have had no opportunity to see the film, it only makes the situation all the more frustrating.

If I’m not waiting weeks or months to view the first showing that’s accessible, then I’m looking to find the next one as a result of the previous screening taking place at an inconvenient time. Subtitled showings often take place on busy weekdays rather than weekends, the time of the week most convenient for families and those who work. Deaf people work too!

Liam O'Dell is a mildly deaf journalist campaigning for more subtitled cinema screenings
The sense of being immersed in the action, rather than the familiar feeling of being lost with no idea of what’s happening, was incredible (Photo: Liam O’Dell)

Other times I am left to make do, like with last year’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse. After waiting weeks I saw the film without captions in the end, instead opting for the cinema’s in-house headphones but these are super uncomfortable and I still don’t hear everything.

It isn’t just spoilers – it is the segregation between the hearing and deaf communities whenever a new blockbuster emerges that is more upsetting. The hype around the biggest movies is often a part of what makes the experience so engaging. With the new Marvel movie being the conclusion of over 10 years of films from its Cinematic Universe, Endgame is no different.

I spent yesterday evening scrolling through Instagram as I saw friends attend midnight showings across the country. Only one of them was subtitled.

Instead I am left to wait until Sunday, three days after the film opened in cinemas. Such a short time frame may well be manageable in terms of spoilers, but the bigger problem lies with the buzz. Hashtags, tweets, memes and images fizzle out in the fast-paced world of social media and people have moved on to the next big conversation. I am catching up behind them.

I am isolated and out of the loop as I catch up behind them. It’s a feeling not too dissimilar from normal conversations, where I’m sometimes told, ‘it doesn’t matter,’ if I miss what somebody says. It’s the same uncomfortable sense of loss and confusion.

The solution to all of this is simple, a case of putting on more subtitled screenings across the UK for deaf people and anyone else who benefits from them. Some cinemas and organisations are already doing this and looking into technical solutions, and credit must be given to them for doing so, but more must be done to include deaf people.

I remember when one cinema manager emailed me directly to ask when I would like to see a showing of Deadpool 2 with subtitles, and it was exactly the right thing to do. Involve deaf people in the process and creating a relationship with us.

Whether this is through meetings or a conversation online, cinema chains need to open up a dialogue with those who benefit from this form of accessibility so they too can enjoy the magic of cinema.

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There was a huge spike in herpes cases during Coachella

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INDIO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 14: A general view of atmosphere during Weekend 1, Day 3 of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 14, 2019 in Indio, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella)
(Picture: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella)

When you go to Coachella, you probably expect to get a few good snaps for your Instagram and some great memories of the performances.

According to a TMZ report, however, some came back with herpes as well.

A company called HerpAlert let the outlet know that their rates of treatment shot up in the area of the festival during its duration.

HerpAlert run a service whereby people can send in pictures of their condition and get a prescription ready to pick up.

Normally, they’ll handle 12 cases a day, but were seeing huge numbers coming in while Coachella was on.

In the Coachella Valley, LA, Orange, and San Diego area they dealt with 1,105 cases since day 1 on the festival.

On the first two days alone, they processed over 250 patients, which shows how big the spike really was.

For reference, the last time they had a major spike was during the Oscars last year, where 60 cases a day were reported.

Coachella just had to go one better.

In the UK, the highest rate of diagnoses is typically among females aged 20-24.

You’ll only normally be offered treatment if you have visible warts, as there is no treatment at present that gets rid of the HPV virus completely. However, for most people, including those who have visible warts, the virus will be cleared from the body over time.

They’re spread easily through sexual contact, so it’s pretty understandable how this spike happened when there was fields of good looking young people partying all weekend. Good for them for taking their sexual health seriously and getting treated, we say.

Symptoms of genital herpes:

The NHS recommends you go to a sexual health clinic as soon as possible if you experience:

  • small blisters that burst to leave red, open sores around your genitals, anus, thighs or buttocks
  • tingling, burning or itching around your genitals
  • pain when you pee
  • in women, vaginal discharge that’s not usual for you

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McDonald’s Germany is launching a new vegan burger

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the new McDonald's vegan burger, available in Germany from this week
(Picture: McDonald’s)

Vegan diners in Germany are about to get a real treat, as McDonald’s is launching a vegan burger.

The new Big Vegan TS uses a Nestle Impossible Burger, which promises to taste exactly like meat when cooked (just without the dead animals, of course).

The Impossible Burger is sold under the Garden Gourmet name in the shops, and is made of soy and wheat protein, also containing extracts of beetroot, carrot, and bell pepper.

They’ll be cooked in McDonald’s separately from the rest of the food to ensure there’s no cross-contamination, and served with mustard, ketchup, onion, tomato, and greens. It also boasts just as much protein as the meat patty, so you don’t have to compromise on #gains.

It’s one of hundreds of recipes tested out in Munich by the company, with tasters saying the flavour made the cut and was up to scratch for discerning customers.

Here in the UK, McDonald’s recently launched vegan goujon wraps, a veggie patty sandwich, and a vegan Happy Meal.

It was a first for the chain, who has previously not delivered a vegan option (particularly pertinent with their kid’s Happy Meals).

We have yet to receive a burger substitute from McD’s, but Burger King have been trialling their Impossible Vegan Whopper in hopes of rolling that out.

If that goes ahead, there’s every chance Ronald and Co might follow suit and bring the Big Vegan TS to the UK.

Given the success of Greggs’ vegan sausage rolls, it’s a good time to cater to people who don’t eat animal products.

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PrettyLittleThing’s anti-chafing bands are back and they’re only £6

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Women wear PrettyLittleThing's anti-chafing bands to prevent chub rub in the summer
(Picture: Prettylittlething)

There’s nothing worse than when the temperatures soar but your clothes won’t play ball.

Once the skirts and shorts come out, so does the so-called chub rub; when your exposed thighs begin to chafe and become painful.

It’s a common problem, and one some people solve with creams and powders. However, you can also use these handy anti-chafing bands.

They went down a storm when they launched on PrettyLittleThing last summer, and are back once again, right on time for the weather to pick up.

The bands come in black, white, or a light nude colour, and are available in a plain stretchy fabric or a more flirty lace.

Women wear PrettyLittleThing's anti-chafing bands to prevent chub rub in the summer
(Picture: Prettylittlething)

PrettyLittleThing is selling them from an XS up to a XXXXL, so plenty of people will be able to get their hands (thighs) on them.

Instead of faffing about with chafing remedies, you simply wear the bands under whatever else you have on, and they provide comfort from the friction thighs see in a standard day.

They don’t fall down due sticky bands on the inside (much like you’d get on a normal pair of hold-up suspenders) that hug your legs.

The bands are clearly proving popular once again, as the site’s purchase tracker shows that hundreds have been purchased today alone. At a bargain price of £6, it’s easy to understand why.

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Cat adopts four orphaned squirrels

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We’ll hear no more from the ‘cats are jerks’ anti-feline brigade.

Cats are wonderful, evidenced not only by their sweet little paws and their soothing purrs, but by a cat who has kindly adopted four orphaned squirrels out of the goodness of her heart.

Pusha is a cat who lives in a park in Bakhchisaray, Crimea. She came across four young squirrels who’d lost their parents, and rather than going back to her usual cat business or pushing them away like they were pesky mice, she decided to look after them.

Pusha even lets the squirrels drink her milk as if they were her own kittens.

Pusha the cat, which adopted four bereaved baby squirrels and currently feeds and lives with them, lies at a local park of miniatures in Bakhchisaray, Crimea April 25, 2019. REUTERS/Alexey Pavlishak TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Pusha the cat, who adopted four bereaved baby squirrels and currently feeds and lives with them, lies at a local park of miniatures in Bakhchisaray (Picture: REUTERS/Alexey Pavlishak TPX)
Pusha grooms the squirrels as if they were her kittens
Pusha grooms the squirrels as if they were her kittens (Picture: REUTERS/Alexey Pavlishak)

See? Cats are great.

The squirrels seem to love their unusual family setup, spending their days in the park cuddling up to their new mum, climbing all over her, and playing in the park.

Photos and video show Pusha lovingly licking her adopted squirrel kids and giving them a gentle nudge when they’re misbehaving.

Pusha the cat, which adopted four bereaved baby squirrels and currently feeds and lives with them, lies at a local park of miniatures in Bakhchisaray, Crimea April 25, 2019. REUTERS/Alexey Pavlishak
She’s even patient when the squirrels clamber all over her (Picture: REUTERS/Alexey Pavlishak)

If you need further proof that cats are excellent beings, just look at the cat who snuck into a house to comfort a man after surgery.

Or marvel at the miracles of Mala, a cat who survived years after vets said she should be put down.

Cats truly are lovely from any perspective.

Send us your cat stories!

As the media partners of CatFest, coming to London on 29 June, we're excited to share loads of stories about brilliant cats.

All cats are wonderful, of course, but if you have a story of a truly exceptional kitty, we want to hear it.

We're talking about lifesaving cats, cats who've overcome challenges, kitties who've changed things for the better.

If you've got a story to share, send us an email at ellen.scott@metro.co.uk with the details and pictures.

To book your tickets to CatFest, do head over to Eventbrite.

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