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Stunning photo shoot features models with limb differences

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Shows: L to R: Chantelle, Jamie, Mark, Dan, Nancy, Andrew // Pics from Jam Press (Limb Difference awareness shoot) zebedee Models photographed 19 People With Limb Differences Aged From 2 To 54 In incredible Body Confidence Shoot On April, 19 models from Zebedee Management, an inclusive modelling agency, ages 2 to 54 took part in this stunning body confidence shoot with photographer Elise Dumontet. All the Zebedee models have either been born with a limb difference or had an amputation, the images are a celebration of their selflove and their body acceptance. Whether their difference is acquired (through cancer, meningitis, accident, diabetes, ex-veterans) or congenital, they really don???t want to fall on their feet anymore, they simply want to be able to stand tall, with and/or without prosthetics. We all know positive representation matters, be it in the arts, in fashion or in the media. And yet, these guys can probably count on their fingers how many times they???ve seen themselves being represented. Should the shoe ever be on the other foot, how would that make you feel? Important facts: Did you know that there are about 30M amputees in the world, over 100,000 in the UK alone, with 5,000 amputations performed in the UK every year. ENDS
There are more than 100,000 amputees in the UK (Picture: Elise Dumontet/ Zebedee Management/ Jam Press)

19 people with limb differences have been featured in a beautiful photo shoot in a bid to promote diversity and body confidence.

The models, from Zebedee Management, an inclusive modelling agency are aged from two to 54, and have either been born with a limb difference or had an amputation.

The images are a celebration of their self-love and their body acceptance.

There are around 30 million amputees in the world and more than 100,000 in the UK alone. 5,000 amputations are performed in the UK every year, and yet there is so little visibility of limb difference.

Each model has a story to tell, some acquired their limb difference through illnesses such as cancer, meningitis and diabetes – whereas others were in accidents.

They are all passionate about positive representation matters in the arts, fashion and in the media – they want to see more people who look like they do.

Shows: Dan // Pics from Jam Press (Limb Difference awareness shoot) zebedee Models photographed 19 People With Limb Differences Aged From 2 To 54 In incredible Body Confidence Shoot On April, 19 models from Zebedee Management, an inclusive modelling agency, ages 2 to 54 took part in this stunning body confidence shoot with photographer Elise Dumontet. All the Zebedee models have either been born with a limb difference or had an amputation, the images are a celebration of their selflove and their body acceptance. Whether their difference is acquired (through cancer, meningitis, accident, diabetes, ex-veterans) or congenital, they really don???t want to fall on their feet anymore, they simply want to be able to stand tall, with and/or without prosthetics. We all know positive representation matters, be it in the arts, in fashion or in the media. And yet, these guys can probably count on their fingers how many times they???ve seen themselves being represented. Should the shoe ever be on the other foot, how would that make you feel? Important facts: Did you know that there are about 30M amputees in the world, over 100,000 in the UK alone, with 5,000 amputations performed in the UK every year. ENDS
Dan lost his arm and shoulder in a traumatic amputation (Picture: Elise Dumontet/ Zebedee Management/ Jam Press)

‘Losing my arm and shoulder has been unequivocally the best thing that’s happened to me,’ says Dan.

‘It’s important to raise awareness to limb differences as it’s only once you lose the use of a limb through, in my case, traumatic amputation, that you realise the importance and significance of just how much you rely on even a finger or a thumb!’

Shows: Nancy // Pics from Jam Press (Limb Difference awareness shoot) zebedee Models photographed 19 People With Limb Differences Aged From 2 To 54 In incredible Body Confidence Shoot On April, 19 models from Zebedee Management, an inclusive modelling agency, ages 2 to 54 took part in this stunning body confidence shoot with photographer Elise Dumontet. All the Zebedee models have either been born with a limb difference or had an amputation, the images are a celebration of their selflove and their body acceptance. Whether their difference is acquired (through cancer, meningitis, accident, diabetes, ex-veterans) or congenital, they really don???t want to fall on their feet anymore, they simply want to be able to stand tall, with and/or without prosthetics. We all know positive representation matters, be it in the arts, in fashion or in the media. And yet, these guys can probably count on their fingers how many times they???ve seen themselves being represented. Should the shoe ever be on the other foot, how would that make you feel? Important facts: Did you know that there are about 30M amputees in the world, over 100,000 in the UK alone, with 5,000 amputations performed in the UK every year. ENDS
Nancy lost her leg in an accident when she was 30 (Picture: Elise Dumontet/ Zebedee Management/ Jam Press)

‘I wasn’t born with one leg. I became an amputee aged 30 following an accident,’ says Nancy.

‘Becoming an amputee was extremely hard at first back in the 1990’s because different meant “outsider”, “not normal”, “weirdo”.

‘People stared at me with shocked, judgemental expressions and would wonder how I could possibly get on with life, let alone have children.

‘Raising awareness and increasing representation is so important to challenge misconceptions. We never know what life is going to throw at us. Life-changing injuries are exactly that, but it doesn’t mean that your life is over.

‘Life in the 21st century is better for people with differences. I want to show society that I have a positive outlook and self determination to be happy.

‘I have two healthy children with two legs each and feel no less of a person with only one leg.’

Shows: Jamie // Pics from Jam Press (Limb Difference awareness shoot) zebedee Models photographed 19 People With Limb Differences Aged From 2 To 54 In incredible Body Confidence Shoot On April, 19 models from Zebedee Management, an inclusive modelling agency, ages 2 to 54 took part in this stunning body confidence shoot with photographer Elise Dumontet. All the Zebedee models have either been born with a limb difference or had an amputation, the images are a celebration of their selflove and their body acceptance. Whether their difference is acquired (through cancer, meningitis, accident, diabetes, ex-veterans) or congenital, they really don???t want to fall on their feet anymore, they simply want to be able to stand tall, with and/or without prosthetics. We all know positive representation matters, be it in the arts, in fashion or in the media. And yet, these guys can probably count on their fingers how many times they???ve seen themselves being represented. Should the shoe ever be on the other foot, how would that make you feel? Important facts: Did you know that there are about 30M amputees in the world, over 100,000 in the UK alone, with 5,000 amputations performed in the UK every year. ENDS
Jamie spent 14 years in a wheelchair (Picture: Elise Dumontet/ Zebedee Management/ Jam Press)

‘The world is generally focused on creating the “perfect” image while others try desperately to fit into that category. While others fight for that, I strive to be individual – to be myself,’ says Jamie.

‘By raising awareness about limb loss and limb differences, it allows others to really embrace difference and find beauty within it.

‘Difference is beautiful and our differences allow us to educate and empower others who may also be experiencing a difference.’

Shows: Ashley // Pics from Jam Press (Limb Difference awareness shoot) zebedee Models photographed 19 People With Limb Differences Aged From 2 To 54 In incredible Body Confidence Shoot On April, 19 models from Zebedee Management, an inclusive modelling agency, ages 2 to 54 took part in this stunning body confidence shoot with photographer Elise Dumontet. All the Zebedee models have either been born with a limb difference or had an amputation, the images are a celebration of their selflove and their body acceptance. Whether their difference is acquired (through cancer, meningitis, accident, diabetes, ex-veterans) or congenital, they really don???t want to fall on their feet anymore, they simply want to be able to stand tall, with and/or without prosthetics. We all know positive representation matters, be it in the arts, in fashion or in the media. And yet, these guys can probably count on their fingers how many times they???ve seen themselves being represented. Should the shoe ever be on the other foot, how would that make you feel? Important facts: Did you know that there are about 30M amputees in the world, over 100,000 in the UK alone, with 5,000 amputations performed in the UK every year. ENDS
Ashley was born with a limb difference (Picture: Elise Dumontet/ Zebedee Management/ Jam Press)

‘I suffered from people calling me a one-armed freak, not playing with me on the playground, and even a guy telling me that he would date me if I had another arm,’ says Ashley.

‘It was really hard trying to fit in but its even harder when you’re physically different. That’s why to me its so important to have limb difference awareness month and representation in the media.’

Shows: Grace // Pics from Jam Press (Limb Difference awareness shoot) zebedee Models photographed 19 People With Limb Differences Aged From 2 To 54 In incredible Body Confidence Shoot On April, 19 models from Zebedee Management, an inclusive modelling agency, ages 2 to 54 took part in this stunning body confidence shoot with photographer Elise Dumontet. All the Zebedee models have either been born with a limb difference or had an amputation, the images are a celebration of their selflove and their body acceptance. Whether their difference is acquired (through cancer, meningitis, accident, diabetes, ex-veterans) or congenital, they really don???t want to fall on their feet anymore, they simply want to be able to stand tall, with and/or without prosthetics. We all know positive representation matters, be it in the arts, in fashion or in the media. And yet, these guys can probably count on their fingers how many times they???ve seen themselves being represented. Should the shoe ever be on the other foot, how would that make you feel? Important facts: Did you know that there are about 30M amputees in the world, over 100,000 in the UK alone, with 5,000 amputations performed in the UK every year. ENDS
Grace had her leg amputated after a cancer diagnosis (Picture: Elise Dumontet/ Zebedee Management/ Jam Press)

‘I am 26 years old and I was diagnosed with bone cancer located in my right femur in July 2016, two months after my son was born,’ explains Grace.

‘After two cycles of chemotherapy, Doctors saw that the treatment was not proving as effective as hoped so, in November that year, I had to make the decision to have my leg amputated to decrease the chances of it coming back. I have used a prosthesis since April 2017.’

Shows: Niesha // Pics from Jam Press (Limb Difference awareness shoot) zebedee Models photographed 19 People With Limb Differences Aged From 2 To 54 In incredible Body Confidence Shoot On April, 19 models from Zebedee Management, an inclusive modelling agency, ages 2 to 54 took part in this stunning body confidence shoot with photographer Elise Dumontet. All the Zebedee models have either been born with a limb difference or had an amputation, the images are a celebration of their selflove and their body acceptance. Whether their difference is acquired (through cancer, meningitis, accident, diabetes, ex-veterans) or congenital, they really don???t want to fall on their feet anymore, they simply want to be able to stand tall, with and/or without prosthetics. We all know positive representation matters, be it in the arts, in fashion or in the media. And yet, these guys can probably count on their fingers how many times they???ve seen themselves being represented. Should the shoe ever be on the other foot, how would that make you feel? Important facts: Did you know that there are about 30M amputees in the world, over 100,000 in the UK alone, with 5,000 amputations performed in the UK every year. ENDS
Neisha was born without her lower right leg (Picture: Elise Dumontet/ Zebedee Management/ Jam Press)

‘We found out at my 20 week scan that Neisha was missing her lower right leg,’ says Neisha’s mum.

‘She was a very poorly little girl.

‘Last year she started attending Hartlepool Hawks Cheerleading Academy. Since then her confidence has grown in leaps and bounds (excuse the pun).

‘She is determined to show that having a disability doesn’t have to stop you achieving your dreams. At every competition someone has approached her to tell her how inspirational she is yet to her she’s just doing the same as everyone else who is there.’

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Deepfake porn and the ethics of being able to watch whatever your imagination desires

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Deepfake illustration
Although the technology is in its infancy, it holds huge power (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

Pornography online attracts millions of erotica-hungry people ready to see sex on-demand.

You can simply ask your phone to show you anything you desire and there it is: any time, any place.

With the advent of deepfake porn, the possibilities have expanded even further, with people who have never starred in adult films looking as though they’re doing sexual acts on camera.

Experts have warned that these videos enable all sorts of bad things to happen, from paedophilia to fabricated revenge porn.

What are deepfakes?

Deepfakes are videos and images that use deep learning AI to forge something not actually there.

This can be done to make a fake speech to misrepresent a politician’s views, or to create porn videos featuring people who did not star in them.

They’re made in two ways.

  1. Using a generative adversarial network – or GAN. This is a type of AI that has two parts; one which creates the fake images, and one that works out how realistic it is, learning from its past mistakes
  2. Autoencoders are another way to create deepfakes. These are neural networks that can learn all the features of a given image then decode those features so they can change the image

These methods vary in efficacy and quality, with GANs giving less blurry results but being trickier to train.

Samsung recently created an AI that was able to make deepfake videos using single images, including the Mona Lisa and the Girl With A Pearl Earring. We saw these iconic paintings smiling, talking, and looking completely alive.

In recent weeks, there has been an explosion of face swapping content, with Snapchat and FaceApp (among others) releasing realistic filters that allowed you to see your looks as the opposite gender, as well as previous ageing filters going viral once more.

For all the fun, however, is a darker side to using AI to create deepfakes.

A number of celebrities have had their faces superimposed onto pornographic videos, with the likes of Selena Gomez, Emma Watson, Scarlett Johansson, and Jennie from girl group Blackpink falling victim.

Deepfakes of Donald Trump and Barack Obama have been made and there are concerns that they could be used to undermine democracy as well as people’s personal privacy.

DARPA in the US has spent millions on ‘media forensics’ to thwart these videos, working with academics across the world to detect what’s real and otherwise.

But, according to Hany Farid, a Dartmouth College computer-science professor who advises a similar forensic fake-spotter service called Truepic, specialists working to build these systems are ‘still totally outgunned’.

In the UK, there is no specific legislation against deepfakes (but those distributing videos can be charged with harassment), bringing calls for more stringent laws on altered images.

In principle, it makes sense that someone could claim that their likeness was used with malicious intent, and this could be tried as defamation or under a false light tort in the US. Cases could also be brought under revenge porn laws, or as identity theft or cyber-stalking.

‘In the US, the legal options are small but potent if (big if) one has the funds to hire an attorney and one can find the creator,’ Danielle Citron, professor at the University of Maryland, tells Metro.co.uk.

‘Defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress are potential claims.’

Professor Clare McGlynn, from Durham Law School, Durham University, says that the ambiguity here in the UK in using terms like fakeporn, revenge porn, and harassment can leave victims without recourse.

‘There is no one law that covers the making of fakeporn without consent,’ Professor McGlynn says.

‘In some situations, it will be possible to bring a civil action for damages as it may be a breach of privacy or defamatory…

‘The problem is that these laws are not well-known, to either police or victims, and don’t cover all situations of fakeporn; and bringing a civil action can be expensive.

‘One of the many problems with the term “revenge porn” is that it only refers to the sharing/distribution of sexual images. Fakeporn is about images being created without consent.’

Google added ‘involuntary synthetic pornography’ to its ban list recently, meaning anyone can request that deepfake images of themselves are removed from the search engine.

Whether the perpetrators will be able to be found, given the secrecy of the dark web and lengths people go to remain online, remains to be seen.

The legalities of it are just one end of the problem.

The personal ramifications of deepfake porn can be catastrophic.

Indian journalist Rana Ayyub was targeted in a deepfake porn plot last year, which she said left her throwing up and crying and was a method to ‘silence’ her.

Scarlett Johansson stated in the Washington Post that, while the videos of her were ‘demeaning’, ‘this doesn’t affect [her] as much because people assume it’s not actually [her] in a porno’.

Non-celebrities won’t have the same cachet and money to fight back.

What would you do if a realistic-looking porn video of you was sent to your family or workplace?

The extent that revenge porn already ruins lives is no secret, so when any act can be simulated to look as if you’re involved (and powers that be are unable to verify or disprove it), how do you protect your reputation?

There is no way to fully protect against deepfakes being made against you.

‘If one has shared [any] photos then the risk is there,’ Prof Citron says but the technology at present means it’s difficult to make realistic videos of ‘normal’ people.

It’s not to say it won’t happen, but most accessible tech now needs a whole lot of footage to learn from and a few Facebook videos and Boomerangs on Instagram just won’t cut it.

Professor McGlynn believes that we need to take action in the meantime to ensure this problem is minimised once the tech is more readily available: ‘We need to recognise that the harms of having fakeporn made and shared are just as great as ‘real’ images.

‘Unless action is taken, perpetrators will be able to act with impunity – simply creating fakeporn, rather than ‘real’ images.’

She recommends a ‘comprehensive law that covers all forms of image-based sexual abuse’ similar to that in Scotland (which already covers image altering), saying: ‘Such a law can help to future-proof against new ways of using technology to harm and harass.’ 

Reddit already banned the deepfake subreddit from their site but still have a safe for work forum available for people to share work that stays within the law.

On other messageboard sites, it is not hard to find high quality fake videos of a number of people (including game characters).

At present, although web giants like Reddit and Google are trying to control deepfake proliferation, the technology is moving faster than they ever can.

While web users may enjoy swapping faces with their favourite singer or seeing Vladimir Putin do a dance in a deepfake video, the potential is much darker.

When that becomes privacy breaches, blurred lines between reality and lies, and ruined reputations (which the likes of Rana Ayyub, or 24-year-old deepfake revenge porn victim Noelle Martin may argue it already has), it will be up to governments and tech companies to catch up with the fast-moving technology as quickly as they can.

The Future Of Everything

Future Of Everything

This piece is part of Metro.co.uk's series The Future Of Everything.

From OBEs to CEOs, professors to futurologists, economists to social theorists, politicians to multi-award winning academics, we think we've got the future covered, away from the doom mongering or easy Minority Report references.

Every weekday, we're explaining what's likely (or not likely) to happen.

Talk to us using the hashtag #futureofeverything  If you think you can predict the future better than we can or you think there's something we should cover we might have missed, get in touch: hey@metro.co.uk or Alex.Hudson@metro.co.uk

Read every Future Of Everything story so far

Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Alyssa Edwards Palette is here and it’s ‘drop-dead gorgeous’

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Anastasia Beverly Hills' Alyssa Edwards Palette is here and it's 'drop-dead gorgeous'
(Picture: Anastasia Beverly Hills)

Calling all RuPaul’s Drag Race fans: show favourite Alyssa Edwards has released a limited-edition eyeshadow palette with Anastasia Beverly Hills.

And in the words of Edwards, it’s ‘drop-dead gorgeous’ and oh boy, ‘there’s some colours’.

The new Anastasia Beverly Hills Alyssa Edwards Palette (£46), dropped on the brands website earlier this week and features Edwards’ must-have colours, for your ‘day mug’ to your ‘night beat’.

‘I don’t get cute,’ said Edwards. ‘I get drop-dead gorgeous…and now, you can too!

‘My dream for this palette was to create a colour story that will give you life—one that will bring out the inner beast in everyone.’

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxuvalkBB2c/

 

‘Being an international travelling queen, I need one palette to travel with. This palette is quintessential Alyssa Edwards.’ she continued.

The president of Anastasia Beverly Hills and the daughter of the brand’s founder, Norvina explained in a recent YouTube video with Edwards, that the collaboration was a goal of hers: ‘I really wanted to do a palette with you, that was my goal. You are my absolute favourite Queen.’

‘For me as a creator its the best person to collaborate with because I can really latch on and really capture her big personality and I know how to get what she’s wanting into a palette’

Unsurprisingly the packaging is unapologetically hot pink, the colours are exhilaratingly bold with aptly named shades, including Texas Made (ofc), a matte fuchsia pink pressed pigment, and Dream It, a rich royal blue – would you expect anything less?

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

One of the shades B.B.D.C stands for Beyond Belief Dance Company, in honour of the dance school Edwards opened 16 years ago.

‘I believe being a teacher and a mentor to the youth of today and future of tomorrow, has not only been my passion but been my purpose,’ she said.

Edwards also expressed how the magical Wizard of Oz movie was her all time favourite childhood movie and that was her inspiration for Brick Road, a daring matte yellow.

As for the shade named Back Rolls, it’s a reference to an iconic season 5 moment of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

And before you get your knickers in a twist over what you may feel is an inappropriately named eyeshadow, H.O.E. actually stands for the House of Edwards aka her family, friends and fans.

Despite the mix of bold and transition shades, we’re sure the new palette will be a hit with Edwards’ and minimalist makeup fans alike.

Either way it demands your attention.

The Anastasia Beverly Hills Alyssa Edwards Palette is limited edition so make sure to grab yours online here.

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If you notice a faint smell of vomit in your kitchen, you could have a drain fly infestation

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man and woman having breakfast at their dining table
Is there a weird smell lingering in your home? (Picture: Getty)

Noticed a strange smell hanging around your kitchen?

We’re sorry to tell you this, but the problem might be bigger than needing to take the bins out.

If that lingering odour smells a bit like vomit, your home could be dealing with a summer infestation of drain flies, also known as sewer flies.

Drain flies are tiny, fuzzy, moth-like insects that breed in sinks when the conditions are right (or wrong, for us humans) and the weather heats up.

When the flies are hanging out in clusters, they smell like puke. Lovely.

They breed in the summer months, laying up to 200 eggs at a time, so a full-on infestation can develop fast.

Drain flies like to breed in soggy food bins, slimy plug holes, and leaky toilet pipes, but can live in any source of water – even in plant pots.

Very little water is needed for drain flies to lay eggs, so it’s vital to wipe up any spills and keep sources of water clean.

drain flies, also known as sewer flies
Here’s what drain flies look like (Picture: Marco Richards)

You might not spot the flies themselves, but you’ll likely be freaked out to see tiny black worms turning up around the opening of your sink, bath, or kitchen plug holes.

Those worms are drain fly larvae. They look like something out of a horror movie, so are enough to get you reaching for the cleaning products.

Property maintenance and plumbing expert Ranjen Gohri, from 24/7 Home Rescue, says: ‘A simple flush of the toilet can be enough to spark a trickle that provides the perfect breeding ground for them,’ says Ranjen.

‘To keep them in order you need to deny these little pests the source of water. Insect spray can also be used to deter them.

‘Other ways include traps which can be hung up, solid-block insecticides and ultra-violet electric killers that zap them.

‘You can have several thousand flies all clustering together. This is when they start to produce a smell similar to vomit.

You might spot black worms around your plugholes
You might spot black worms around your plugholes

‘If they’re fizzing around the place they can easily drop into your food and you may not notice as they’re much smaller than a regular household fly, usually less than 2mm in length.

‘If you’re not using your sink very often and water is left standing in the pipes it will attract drain flies to lay their eggs, up to 200 at a time.

‘When they hatch you’ll see little worm like creatures less than a centimetre in length. They thrive on soap scum and sink residue.

‘And they can be a right pain for human openings too, getting into the eyes, ears and noses of people.

‘Since these flies originate in filthy conditions, there is also the possibility of physical transmission of germs which could potentially make a human ill.’

Thankfully drain flies are not dangerous, although they can transmit harmful bacteria if they’re spending time in dirty drains.

They aren’t particularly pleasant to have around, though, so it’s worth knowing how to clear drain flies from your home.

Ranjen has some tips. He advises: ‘Pour some apple cider vinegar into a glass and cover with cling film. Make holes into the cling film and place the glass next to the sink. The vinegar will attract the flies who will find their way into the glass and drown as they’re rarely smart enough to find a way back out.”

‘A metal pipe brush pushed backwards and forwards followed by a flush of boiling water will dislodge any fly clusters in the pipes.

‘Make a trap by putting a bowl of equals measures of sugar, water, white wine vinegar and five to ten drops of washing up liquid. Leave the bowl overnight and see how the flies will be attracted to the liquid and meet their fate by drowning.

‘Dehydrate them by pouring a good scoop of salt, baking soda and vinegar down the drain. Let the mixture sit overnight. In the the morning pour a pot of boiling water down the plug to wash the flies away.’

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How to avoid and deal with inner-thigh chafing

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Chafing: How to avoid and deal with inner-thigh chafing
(Picture: PrettyLittleThing)

The fun of summertime often comes with a cost: inner-thigh chafing.

You know once the skirts and dresses come out, so does the so-called chub rub; when your thighs get sweaty and touch as you run, walk, or jog, resulting in friction, followed by sore, red, uncomfortable patches on your skin.

This is incredibly common, particularly during warmer weather spells and if you’ve been blessed with a curvier figure. It can happen to anyone, including runners and gym goers caused by movement during their workouts.

But thankfully there are products available that will have you back in your flowy sundress frolicking in the sunshine within no time.

Here’s how to prevent and deal with inner-thigh chafing.

Pretty Little Thing Chafing Bands

Pretty Little Thing Chafing Bands
(Picture: PrettyLittleThing)

Wearing additional clothing isn’t particularly appealing during the height of summer, but these anti-chafing bands from PrettyLittleThing are a best-seller – and for good reason.

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

You simply wear the bands under whatever else you have on and they provide comfort from the friction thighs see in a standard day.

PrettyLittleThing Chafing Bands, £6 – £8, buy now from prettylittlething.com

 

Bodyglide For Her Moisturising Anti Chafe Balm Stick

Bodyglide For Her Moisturising Anti Chafe Balm Stick
(Picture: Amazon)

This tried-and-true anti-chafing stick balm will knock chafing to the curb with its vitamin-packed formulation, guarding you against continuous friction.

It’s also vegan and free of petroleum and mineral oil, making it safe enough for those with sensitive skin – swipe away.

Think of it as a more effective version of the deodorant trick.

Bodyglide For Her Moisturising Anti Chafe Balm Stick, £15.99, buy now from amazon.co.uk

 

DeoDoc Intimate Calming Oil

DeoDoc Intimate Calming Oil
(Picture: Cult Beauty)

DeoDoc’s team of doctors and gynaecologists chose uber nourishing oils including chamomile, almond, and shea butter to create a calming blend to relax and soothe the skin.

DeoDoc Intimate Calming Oil, £25, buy now exclusively from cultbeauty.co.uk

 

ASOS DESIGN Curve Anti-Chafing Shorts

ASOS DESIGN Curve Anti-Chafing Shorts
(Picture: ASOS)

If anti-chafing bands aren’t your bag and you don’t fancy sporting biking shorts, try ASOS Design Curve Anti-Chafing Shorts.

They’re comfortable, light, high-waisted and nude – just pop ’em under your dress and get going without the chub-rub worry.

ASOS DESIGN Curve Anti-Chafing Shorts, £8, buy now from asos.com

 

Lanacane Anti-Chafing Gel

Lanacane Anti-Chafing Gel
(Picture: Amazon)

This gel from Lanacane ‘forms a breathable barrier on your skin to prevent and aid healing of chafing, with long-lasting relief’, according to the brand.

Simply smooth onto your skin and let it seep into your pores for instant relief. Or, to prevent chaffing use prior to activity.

Lanacane Anti-Chafing Gel, £6.29, buy now from boots.com and amazon.co.uk

MAKE Beauty Marine Salve

MAKE Beauty Marine Salve
(Picture: Feelunique)

Although similar to Vaseline, this universal balm offers protection against chafing without any greasy residue.

And better yet this salve is enriched with marine algae, oils and bitters to help reduce inflammation and soothe redness.

MAKE Beauty Marine Salve, £18, buy now from net-a-porter.com and feelunique.com

 

Bio-Oil Skincare Oil

Bio-Oil Skincare Oil
(Picture: Amazon)

If you’ve already got red, irritated patches, you need treat them properly.

After gentle cleansing and while the skin is still damp apply Bio-Oi to moisturise the area. The cult oil soothe your skin and help it heal thanks to its blend of anti-inflammatory and hydrating ingredients.

Bio-Oil Skincare Oil, £13.50, buy now from amazon.co.uk

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Woman could have lost part of her finger after acrylic nails went wrong

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Brittany Guyatt developed a large growth on her finger after getting acrylic nails
Brittany’s growth increased in size over the course of a few days (Picture: Brittany Guyatt/Kennedy News)

A tiny cut from a nail technician left one woman with a stinking growth on her finger – that almost required partial amputation.

Brittany Guyatt, from Swindon, claims she was cut by the ‘rough’ technician while getting acrylic nails fitted.

What started as a bruise developed into a blood blister then grew rapidly. Soon Brittany was in unbearable pain. The growth extended off her finger by more than a centimetre and ‘filled with smelly pus’.

When the growth, called a granuloma, turned black, Brittany was told she needed surgery or would face losing part of her finger.

She shared photos of the granuloma on Facebook to warn others getting their nails done to ensure the equipment used is properly sterilised.

‘You see these things and never think it’ll happen to you,’ said Brittany.

Brittany Guyatt's finger filled with pus and blood and started to smell
Soon it filled with pus and blood and started to smell (Picture: Brittany Guyatt/Kennedy News)

‘I’ll never have my nails done again – it’s not worth it. I’d rather buy stick-on ones.

‘At first it looked like a little bruise, but eventually it started getting bigger and going red.

‘It was a pinch at first, then it started to become a lump a bit like a blood blister.

‘As it grew, it had a white, waxy look and my skin started peeling off.

Acrylic nails granuloma. It's thought the granuloma was caused by dirty manicure tools
It’s thought the granuloma was caused by dirty manicure tools (Picture: Brittany Guyatt/Kennedy News)

‘Then it went black and dried up. It could have been anything – even cancer.

‘When I showed the doctor, she’d never seen anything like it before.’

When Brittany first visited the doctors she was prescribed steroid cream. Following the arrival of her daughter, Harper, Brittany tried other remedies including soaking her finger in salt water, but she worried she could pass an infection on to her baby.

Brittany said: ‘I’d been on maternity leave and thought I’d make myself feel a bit better.

‘I went to a nail salon in Swindon town centre as I’d been there before and never had a problem.

‘When the man was shaping the acrylics, I felt him pinch me with the nail filer.

Brittany says she felt a pinch while she was getting her acrylic nails applied
Brittany says she felt a pinch while she was getting her acrylic nails applied (Picture: Brittany Guyatt/Kennedy News)

‘He was quite rough and when he caught my finger, it started tingling and burning. Nothing came up until a few hours later though.

‘I didn’t say anything at the time because they can be a bit rough anyway and they’ve caught my skin a few times in the past.

‘But I did say to my sister when I walked out “ouch, he caught my hand quite sharp that time”.

‘Within a few days it was a little bruise and blood blister, then over time it got bigger and bigger. I didn’t think much of it and presumed it was a little wart that might fall off.

‘When I went into labour with Harper it was fine because I’d covered it with a plaster, but when I got home it started getting bigger and bigger.

‘I was concerned about it getting infected and harming the baby.’

Surgery was required to remove the growth
Surgery was required to remove the growth (Picture: Brittany Guyatt/Kennedy News)

When the growth began to smell and fill with pus, Brittany went back to the doctor.

After two trips to the walk-in centre at Great Western Hospital, the new mum was given blood tests and an X-ray to check the granuloma hadn’t fused to her bone.

She had to undergo an operation to have the growth cut out. It was painful, but a relief, as doctors feared they would have to amputate part of her finger.

Brittany hopes that by sharing her story, she’ll encourage people to be cautious when choosing a nail technician.

She said: ‘The doctor said it could have been the tools the salon had used. They could have been dirty.

‘I just want other girls to make sure they see the technicians sterilise the equipment. I’d never seen them wipe them before.

‘Make sure you go somewhere you trust.’

MORE: Is it healthy to have make-up sex?

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Society will become conservative and sex will go back to procreation rather than recreation

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metro illustrations
Will sex ever go back to being about making babies? (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

Population change means western societies will once again become pious and conservative.

This means that sex could go back to just being about making babies again.

To understand why, we need to rewind the tape of history to see what broke the link between sex and procreation in the West.

The most important factor was a decline in the infant mortality rate.

Queen Anne (1665-1714) lost all 18 of her pregnancies to miscarriage, stillbirth and early death. When so many children died young, you had to have a lot just to ensure two would survive to adulthood.

By the time of Queen Victoria (1817-1901), all nine made it but even on Victoria’s deathbed, one in six British infants didn’t survive to their first birthday.

The need for children to work the land remained important into the 20th century. In an age before the welfare state, children served as our old age pension.

We see this in China today, where obligations of children to their parents and grandparents place a heavy burden on working adults, many of whom are products of the country’s one-child policy.

Finally, we have contraception. While not unknown in earlier periods, the use of rubber from the mid-19th century and the birth control pill from the 1960s allowed couples to avoid unwanted pregnancies to a much greater degree than had been the case.

What this all adds up to, according to proponents of the Second Demography Transition theory such as Ron Lesthaeghe, is that values, not material needs and barriers, now govern sex and reproduction.

Baby in the Womb
(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

In developed countries, there isn’t much difference between the birth rates of poor and rich people. Generally the poor and rich have somewhat higher fertility than those in the middle, but family size is not so tied to economics.

The key factor is religion. Everywhere in the western world, women who attend religious services on a regular basis have considerably larger families than women who say they have no religion.

While regular religious attenders almost always have a birth rate at or above the replacement level of two children for each mother, women without religious affiliation have below-replacement fertility, in some cases as low as one child per woman.

This isn’t making a difference yet, because many religious children ‘convert’ to secularism.

But in the long run, it is likely to be important: I project that secularisation will slow down and go into gradual reverse in Europe around 2050.

This is already largely the case in London due to religious immigration. Population trends matter because most get religion the old-fashioned way: through birth.

World-denying religious fundamentalist sects, meanwhile, which are concentrated in the West, have sky-high fertility. The ultra-Orthodox Jews, Amish, Hutterites and Finnish Laestadian Lutherans average around six children per woman.

Quiverfull neo-Calvinists in America, who abjure birth control, have even larger broods.

Orthodox Calvinists in the Netherlands, and Mormons in America, average twice the fertility of their compatriots.

In Muslim-majority countries, the gap between Islamic moderates and fundamentalists is not as large but in the cities, women most opposed to Sharia law have half the number of children of women most in favour of Sharia.

Anti-modern religious sects are also very effective at keeping their youth from assimilating to the secular mainstream.

Thus, by 2050, most observant Jews in Britain and the United States are projected to be ultra-Orthodox.

In Israel, the ultra-Orthodox could be the majority of Jews by the end of this century.

In the US, given the trends of the past century, there will be 300 million Amish in the mid-2200s.

Now factor in the ultra-Orthodox Jews, who are twice as large a group as the Amish, as well as the Hutterites and Quiverfull.

Then add the Mormons, who already number 6 million, compared to just 300,000 Amish and you can see why the US will once again be a highly religious society.

Don’t expect these groups to lose their fertility pattern with modernisation. They already live in the most modern environments, with plenty of resources and access to women’s education and contraception, actively rejecting small families.

Whereas traditionally-minded people in, say, rural Africa, will probably experience a decline in birth rate as their women receive education and move to the city, this is not the case for closed fundamentalist sects like the Amish who are saying ‘no, thank you’ to liberal modernity.

More than that, fundamentalism is a response to liberal secularism, about drawing bright lines between tradition and modernity.

One of the few routes out of the Amish community is via evangelical Christianity.

If our society was Christian – religious but with modest birthrates – we would stand a better chance of converting members of fundamentalist sects to the mainstream. But the master trend in the West is secularisation, which paradoxically makes a fundamentalist future more likely.

Meanwhile, as Darrell Bricker and John Ibbitson point out in their new book Empty Planet, our entire world is rapidly moving to below-replacement fertility and population decline.

An annex to a UN report projects that, on current fertility rates, Europe (including Russia) will plunge from around 750 million people in 2000 to little more than 200 million in 2300.

And this assumes a long-run fertility of 1.85 that is above the current European average.

In the US, declining religiosity among those of childbearing age is arguably a major reason for the country’s shift from its longstanding 2.1 fertility rate to its current sub-replacement level of 1.8.

Millennials and Gen-Z seem more individualistic even than their parents, which may portend fertility rates dropping to levels found in East Asia and southern Europe (1.0 to 1.5).

In my last book Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth, I argue that as population drains from secular societies, religious populations will form an ever-larger share of the remnant.

This is already happening in Israel, where secular Jews are being overtaken by religious Jews. Jerusalem has flipped from secularism to conservative religiosity due to demographics, and the entire country will follow suit. America is likely to experience this in the 2100s.

As western societies perform this Israeli-style shift from secular liberalism to religious conservatism, sex will once again be about procreation, not recreation.

The Future Of Everything

Future Of Everything

This piece is part of Metro.co.uk's series The Future Of Everything.

From OBEs to CEOs, professors to futurologists, economists to social theorists, politicians to multi-award winning academics, we think we've got the future covered, away from the doom mongering or easy Minority Report references.

Every weekday, we're explaining what's likely (or not likely) to happen.

Talk to us using the hashtag #futureofeverything  If you think you can predict the future better than we can or you think there's something we should cover we might have missed, get in touch: hey@metro.co.uk or Alex.Hudson@metro.co.uk

Read every Future Of Everything story so far

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Heritage travel is the new trend to help you source your ancestry abroad

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Holding a small globe
Travelling around the world to find your family is a thing (Picture: Catherine Falls Commercial)

There’s a new trend in travel that might make getting your DNA test a bit more intriguing.

Jet-setting across the globe to meet relatives that you never even knew you might have been the case for many of our childhoods.

But could travelling to find people with the same genetic makeup based on a DNA test be a valid enough reason to pack your bags and renew your passport? Especially if it could all be done in one booking?

It comes as a new partnership between 23andMe and Airbnb makes the process of searching for global ‘belonging’ a lot easier.

According to Airbnb, interest in heritage travel is on the rise, and there has been a 500% increase in travelers using the service to trace their roots since 2014.

With the rise of at-home genetic tests like 23andMe, it has never been easier to learn about your ancestry, and this has contributed to a growing trend of heritage travel.

Both companies are now incorporating heritage travel into their product experiences.

Joe Gebbia, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Airbnb said: ‘At Airbnb, we believe that authentic travel experiences help you connect with local cultures and create a sense of belonging anywhere in the world — and what better way to do that than traveling to your roots.

Traveller with a red backpack
Your genetic family could be waiting for you (Picture: Jordan Siemens)

‘We’re proud to team up with 23andMe, the leader in helping people learn about their genes and ancestry, to make it easier for travelers to plan trips as unique as their DNA.’

How would it work?

Once a customer receives their ancestry report from 23andMe, they will be able to click through to their ancestral populations and find Airbnb Homes and Experience in their ‘native’ countries.

If you have an ancestry composition that tags you to southern Italy for example, the link could direct you to a town in the region enabling you to explore your roots. Similarly if you were of Mexican heritage, the link might just direct you to Airbnb homes in Mexico City.

23andMe CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki said: ‘We empower 23andMe customers to learn about themselves and their ancestry through their unique genetic code.

‘Working with Airbnb, a leader who is reimagining travel, provides an exciting opportunity for our customers to connect with their heritage through deeply personal cultural and travel experiences.’

Solo traveler
More and more people want to explore (Picture: Alexander Spatari)

And it seems to be popular among curious travelers.

According to a survey compiled by Airbnb, learning about ancestry is a key reason pople take at-home genetic tests like 23andMe. As much as 53% of buyers of genetic kits say they ‘decided to take a test because they want to know information about their ancestry and the ancestry of their family’.

This curiosity has led to the continuing rise in heritage travel with 89% of a survey of 8,000 people across the UK, US, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, India, France and Australia, having traveled to at least on country of their ancestry as well as 69% in France and over half of Americans.

Brits in the survey said that visiting a place connected with their DNA was the most important consideration when planning their next holiday.

Exploring your own DNA across the globe could be the encouragement any of us needs to get travelling. Let’s pack those bags.

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We’re big fans of these two-legged dogs who absolutely love each other

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These two dogs were born without their front legs, but the older dog, Nessie, has been helping younger pup Frankie Lou get to grips with the deformity.

Theresa Loyacano welcomed the two adorable dogs into her home in Katy, Texas, to give them a ‘full happy life.’

Nessie and Frankie Lou McNubbins were both born with the same deformity and nine-year-old Chihuahua-mix Nessie has been showing 14-week-old Frankie Lou the ropes when it comes to functioning with only two hind legs.

In a video taken by Theresa, Nessie can be seen nudging and touching Frankie Lou in an encouraging way, as Frankie Lou kicks her legs and rolls on the floor.

It doesn’t take long before the pair begin to play around and have fun in the back yard, jumping and rolling with each other.

‘The videos demonstrate Nessie and Frankie’s bond, which developed quickly,’ Theresa explained.

A picture of Nessie, the two-legged dog
Nessie has been looking sfter her new little pal (Picture: Caters News)Agency

‘You can see Nessie attempting to encourage Frankie, and Nessie seems to be trying to show Frankie how to navigate life on two legs.

‘Nessie gently nudges Frankie to encourage her and Frankie is quickly learning how to get around.

‘Frankie has helped Nessie as well, Nessie never really played much, it was as though she didn’t know how but now with Frankie around, Nessie has become much more interested in playing.’

Nessie’s deformity was likely due to poor breeding but little is known about the cause of Frankie Lou’s deformity.

Theresa helped Nessie when she saw her picture on an animal shelter’s Facebook page, after she was abandoned and returned to the shelter three times.

When she met Nessie in January 2018, Theresa was over the moon to be able to provide a home for her.

Baby Frankie, who Nessie is looking after
Frankie, looking adorable (Picture: Caters News)

Frankie Lou was part of a 16-puppy litter and the only one with a deformity.

Theresa waited until Frankie Lou was strong enough to leave before permanently adopting her.

‘Caring for special needs dogs was never part of our plan but when we saw Nessie’s face and considered how frightened

‘She must have been in the shelter and being abandoned all those times, we knew we could help,’ she said.

‘It was tough at first, caring for a dog with a limb difference can be a lot of work but we quickly learned that it was worth it.

‘So, when we learned of Frankie, we already knew that we were capable of helping her to live a full happy life, just like Nessie.’

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Huda Beauty’s new Neon Obsessions Eyeshadow Palettes are bang on trend

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Huda Beauty releases new neon palettes
Fancy some neon? (Picture: Huda Beauty)

In case you hadn’t noticed, Huda Beauty has been releasing new makeup products thick and fast – not that we’re complaining.

Most recently Huda Beauty’s Neon Obsessions Palettes (£27) have hit the shelves – a follow-up to her popular Obsessions Palettes – and just in time for the hottest months of the year too.

They’re daringly bright and a surefire way to create a statement-making eye look. We’re here for it.

In a recent blog post announcing the launch, self-made mogul Huda Kattan explained that the inspiration behind the palettes is all down to her obsession with neon fashion: ‘I’m just a little bit obsessed with Neon! I love the vibrant shades, from how they make me feel to how easy they are to wear and create a statement look. I had to take this trend from fashion to makeup.

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByE37Hxls6W/

‘Last year my husband Chris gave me this amazing neon, vintage Chanel bag that fueled my Neon obsession to the point that I just knew I had to make a neon palette.’

The vivid eyeshadow palettes come in three different nine-shade collections just like the other Obsessions Palettes, but with packaging to reflect the neon-hues inside: Neon Green, Neon Orange and Neon Pink.

Inside each compact palette you’ll find a range of finishes from subtle creamy mattes, shimmers, metallics to ‘super-reflective’ duo-chromes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByFZcW3FNxr/

But despite appearing impractical in the pan, the palettes are actually well-balanced. Huda said that she ‘also wanted to include some stunning neutral colors so that you can get even more diversity from the palettes.’

‘I love to create statement eyes with the Neon shades or use the more neutral shades as a base and add the neon shades to create a bold, winged-liner look,’ she added.

The Huda Beauty Neon Obsessions Palettes might not be for the faint-hearted, but Huda-holics and make-up mavericks will love the perfectly on-trend colourful edit.

And there’s no doubt they’ll become a stand-out product among your go-to neutrals – go bold, or go home, eh?

You can buy the new Huda Beauty Neon Obsessions Palettes now online at Cult Beauty, Feelunique and Harvey Nichols.

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Meet Louis, the new grumpy cat who looks permanently angry

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Meet Louis, affectionately known as the new Grumpy Cat
Meet Louis, affectionately known as the new Grumpy Cat (Picture: Caters News Agency)

We’re still in mourning over the tragic loss of Tardar Sauce, better known as Grumpy Cat.

We’d never attempt to replace her, but if you are in desperate need of another grouchy-looking feline to obsess over, Louis might be the right kitty.

Louis is a six-year-old Persian cat from Austin, Texas. He’s got lovely ginger and white fur, and, well, an undeniably angry-looking face.

The cat’s furrowed brow and wide open eyes make him look like he’s absolutely raging. Look into his eyes and you’ll feel like you’re about to get a telling off.

And thus, we adore him deeply.

Louis’s owner, Michelle, says that despite the cat’s expression he is a pretty happy cat.

Louis, a six-year-old Persian cat from Austin, Texas looks permanently angry
The six-year-old Persian looks constantly angry (Picture: Caters News Agency)

He does have a love-hate relationship with Michelle’s other cat, Monae, though.

‘When we got Monae she was a baby and Louis was a full grown cat, and yet she bullied him for two months straight,’ says Michelle.

‘She even tackles and picks at him, but really she loves him.’

Louis, a six-year-old Persian cat from Austin, Texas, constantly looks angry might be Americas new grumpiest felin
He doesn’t actually hate all humans, promise (Picture: Caters News)

Classic cats; being rude and pretending to be furious to show they care.

Louis’s appearance isn’t down to any sort of disorder or deformity – it’s just his resting angry face.

Michelle says: ‘Louis is a full breed Persian but people often ask if he has a genetic disorder because they think his facial features are an exception, but he is completely normal.

Louis, a six-year-old Persian cat from Austin, Texas
We feel judged (Picture: Caters News)

‘People usually react saying he looks like a human old man!

‘They love his big ‘marble eyes’ that he squints often.

‘Louis is now referred to as the ‘new Grumpy Cat’, but he is actually very sweet, happy and playful.

‘He loves to snuggle and give head rubs, he will chase lasers and play with toys.’

MORE: Kitten ate a wasp and now he looks like Ron Perlman

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This Is Us: ‘Black women have so much more to offer than conversations just about race’

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Kafayat holding her book
Picture: Break The Habit Press)

This Is Us is a collection of poetry and prose by black British women and girls aged 4 to 86.

With more than 100 pieces, the book ties together the lives of women across generations to capture a lifetime of lived experience.

Kafayat Okanlawon collected the range of stories from strangers, friends and family, she says they are more than just words; they are a representation of resistance, freedom and sisterhood.

‘I wanted to create a space where black women can express themselves in the way that they want to express themselves,’ Kafayat tells Metro.co.uk.

‘There is slang in the book, because I wanted the essays to feel natural and organic.

‘This is a space that I never had when I was growing up, so that is what I wanted to create and provide for other black women.’

Creating the book was a labour of love for Kafayat. She says reading the collection is a complete roller coaster of emotions.

‘Expect some tears and expect some laughs.

‘In the introduction I tell people to look after themselves because I think there will be stories that resonate with everybody.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwXgK1NHG44/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

‘There’s a story on dating, which is actually hilarious. There is also a woman who speaks on her experiences of trying to lose her virginity – her four attempts. On the other end of the spectrum there’s a woman who lost her mother and another young woman who’s mother didn’t treat her right when she was growing up – now she wants to do it differently for her own daughter.

‘So there are just a lot of different perspectives. At the end of it I think it will feel like a positive experience, and you will be able to exhale.

‘I feel like people think that all black women can speak about is race – that that’s the only thing we can bring to the table. When the media talk about women, they talk to white women, and black women are brought in to talk about the “black side” of being a woman.

‘But we live everyday lives and we have such a broad range of stories, only a small part of that is concerning our race.

‘We haven’t had the opportunity to tell these stories before – that space hasn’t been offered to us, and it was never going to be, so I wanted to carve it out for ourselves.

‘There is also something in our communities about not always wanting to share ourselves. Particularly the older generation.

‘It is something that I noticed when sitting down with my mother. She was reluctant to tell me certain things about the stories I wanted to talk to her about. I ended up having to go to my dad and he gave me the real real real.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvPYU_8A1L0/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

‘She just wasn’t ready to share – because I guess it is pain. My mum speaks about having to juggle college and looking after my brother, and with that came a lot of pain and worry. This is why I think so many older women don’t want to share that pain.

‘Whereas the younger generation are on social media all day, Instagram, Twitter – they are so used to sharing and being open, so it is different for them.’

Self protection is important for Kafayat. While she encourages sharing and knows it can be beneficial and cathartic, she took pains to make sure that every woman she included in the book was protected from harm and felt safe in sharing their story.

‘Even when I was working with writers and putting the book together, I was having conversations about what we weren’t going to include, what we needed to keep private – because ultimately I still need to protect these women – and black women need more protection from judgment and shame,’ she says.

‘It was also important to me that nothing in the book was overly triggering or too difficult to read. I wanted everyone to feel completely cool about what they were sharing.’

Curating an anthology is something that was completely new to Kafayat, but she found her own way to make it work – even if that was slightly unconventional.

‘My process of editing the stories was a bit crazy. I basically said – If you want to be in the book, you’re going to be in it. I said – if you are a black woman, come through, come through – there was no criteria.

‘Looking back, I don’t know how I did it, but to be honest I think it was pure excitement carrying me through.

‘There was something so empowering in being able to tell every woman, “you got in”. Some women were sending me their CVs, examples of their work, and as sweet as that was – I didn’t need any of that. I didn’t want any of my writers to feel as though they had to reach a certain bar to be considered – if they wanted to tell their story, I was going to make that a reality.

‘Publishing and the world of authors and writers always feels very elitist to me, so I really wanted to get the message across that other women’s stories are valid to. Yes, you can work in HR and have your essay published in this book – there’s not just one type of person who gets to have a voice.’

Kafayat
(Picture: Break The Habit Press)

Kafayat thinks progress stems from the inside out. She thinks that black women can move forward only when they are working to help each other first and foremost.

‘I want to focus on community, and changing and improving our communities for the better,’ she explains.

‘In this book, for a lot of women it was a healing process. Letting their stories out was a cathartic, healing thing for many of these women. It was a process of growth.

‘We should focus on how we are feeling in ourselves, personal growth and appreciation within the community – rather than thinking about what is going on outside, and how everybody else is treating us.

‘The moment we hold each other up, I think we will be alright.’

Finishing the book was an incredible moment for Kafayat. It wasn’t always easy, but the women she spoke to kept her afloat.

‘There were moments, inevitably, where I though – this just isn’t for me. This is very long,’ says Kafayat.

‘But ultimately I have loved it, and it has made me realise that I have more of a voice than I thought I did.

‘By the end of the process, “no”, was my favourite word. When people tried to tell me that the book had to look a certain way because of whatever reason, I was able to stand up for what I believe in.

‘Speaking to all the different women was definitely the highlight of this process. Every single woman who contributed, I made sure we had a phone conversation. Sometimes I would be on the phone with them for three hours.

‘Every conversation reminded me why I was doing this. Every time I read one of the contributions it made me so excited and lifted me back up.

‘Obviously, for sales I want everyone to read this book. But it was created by and for black women and girls. It’s a book that everyone can read and find a story for themselves – regardless of whether you can directly relate to the experience or not.’

This Is Us is published by Break The Habit Press and is available to buy now.

Here’s how smoking will stop you getting summer body ready

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A tanned woman in a bikini lies on an inflatable in a pool in the sunshine
Picture: Getting summer body ready is a lot easier if you don’t smoke

We’ve already had one glimpse of summer this year, and more sunny days are on the horizon. So, it’s time to hit the gym if you want that perfect beach bod in time for any holidays you have planned.

However, if you smoke, getting those rippling abs may be even harder than usual. Here’s why:

Your heart’s not in it

A woman in sportswear rests after exercise
Picture: Getting the blood pumping around the body helps your muscles work harder – but smoking doesn’t help this

When you smoke, it only takes 10 seconds for the nicotine to enter your bloodstream – along with all the other thousands of chemicals, of course.

The result? Your blood is thickened. Plus, the arteries and blood vessels throughout your body are temporarily narrowed by this chemical, meaning it’s harder for blood to move around the body.

This is a problem because, when exercising, blood plays a key role in transporting oxygen around the body to feed the working muscles and tissues, and also transporting carbon dioxide back to the lungs so we can expel it.

If the blood is thicker and the vessels are narrower than usual, this whole process is hindered, your muscles won’t get the energy they need and you could struggle with your endurance.

Not only that, but these two factors combines can increase your heart rate (a result of the nicotine increasing the release of adrenaline into the body), which could increase your risk of passing out while exercising or, in extreme cases, suffering a stroke or heart attack.

Take your breath away

A sweaty athlete rests after exercise
Picture: Feeling out of breath quicker than usual? Those cigarettes you’ve been smoking might be the cause of that

Smoking is detrimental to your lung health; in fact, one third of all deaths from respiratory disorders are directly attributable to smoking.

It may take some time for smoking to cause such severe health issues, but it has the power to affect the health of your lungs enough to impact on your sporting abilities much quicker.

Taking in plenty of oxygen is essential when exercising, and to do this, your lungs need to be working well.

However, smoking causes tar to build up in your lungs, making them less elastic and causing congestion, which means you can’t take as much oxygen in as a non-smoker.

So, if you want to up your game and work harder, try quitting – just 72 hours without a cigarette can ease your breathing and clear mucus from your lungs.

A weight off your mind

Female Friends Taking Photos Of Each Other At The Beach
Picture: Get body confident for those summer holiday snaps by cutting the cigarettes and improving your health

This is all well and good, but if you’re a smoker, you may not be worried about your weight – after all, it’s quite common for smokers to keep weight off more easily than non-smokers.

However, the reasons behind this aren’t necessarily good for your overall health.

The chemicals and toxins in cigarettes not only increase your adrenalin, but your metabolic rate too, which can reduce your appetite. Great for your waistline, maybe, but not ideal for your calorific or nutrients intake.

There is a chance that when you quit smoking, you may put on a small amount of weight. But if you’re doing regular exercise and eating properly, you should be able to negate this – and, along with the other physical benefits quitting smoking brings, your summer body will be both achievable and healthy.

 

Get fit and quit

For information and advice on quitting smoking, visit changeincorporated.com today.

Advertisement paid for by Change Incorporated (VICE) for its Quit Cigarettes initiative. Philip Morris International funds this initiative but has no editorial input, so may not share the views expressed.

Wagamama set to introduce gender-neutral bathrooms to its restaurants

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Pictures show the outside of Wgamama for the pride event
Wagamama is adding gender-neutral bathrooms to its restaurants (Picture: Wagamama)

Wagamama is celebrating the first year of London’s Transgender Pride by introducing gender-neutral bathrooms.

The restaurant chain has announced that it will introduce the new bathrooms in as many as 40% of its restaurants across the UK, in time for the event which takes place 14 September.

The restaurant has also pledged that all new Wagamama restaurants will eventually incorporate the bathrooms as a standard design feature. The first site to be converted will be Wagamama’s test kitchen noodle lab in Soho.

In addition to the 50 restaurants that will be converted to individually-contained, gender-neutral cubicles by 14 September, Wagamama has also said that as the rest of its restaurants are refurbished it will put gender-neutral bathrooms in place wherever practical.

Stonewall estimates there are around 600,000 people in the UK who identify as transgender or non-binary and this year’s first ever London Transgender Pride will bring those in London together to celebrate this.

The creation of the event follows the success of similar Trans Pride events in Brighton and Dublin in 2018 and in addition to trans and non-binary people will welcome allies, friends and families to celebrate with them.

The new gender-neutral bathrooms come as Wagamama wants to show its support for its LGBTQ+ guests and colleagues.

Alongside the launch of the bathrooms, inspired by Queer youth worker, activist and writer Tanya Compas, Wagamama is also hosting a series of ‘mentor match-ups’. The first one is taking place ahead of London Pride in July.

A picture of the outside of Wagamama
They will be making the change to 50 restaurants before September Picture: Getty)

Tanya, a caseworker at The Albert Kennedy Trust, approached the restaurant in search of a space to bring together young LGBTQ+ people and connect them with leaders and role models from the community via a ’speed mentoring’ initiative.

She said: ‘As someone who came into the LGBTQ+ community in my mid 20’s, without knowing anybody from the community itself, over the past few years I have built up a strong network of other LGBTQ+ people who I am now lucky enough to call my friends and family.

‘I want to be able to introduce the incredible people I have met with other young LGBTQ+ people to show them that they are not alone, that there is space for them and most importantly show them the power of existing loudly as proud members of the LGBTQ+ community.

‘I couldn’t think of a better place to hold the speed mentoring initiative. The wagamama team have been very loud with their support for the LGBTQ+ community and have gone all in. I’m looking forward to expanding this initiative and creating further opportunities for young LGBTQ+ people to connect with role models they can relate to.’

Ross Farquhar, Chief Marketing Officer for wagamama, said: ‘wagamama has always prided itself on being a welcoming space regardless of gender or sexuality, and encouraged our guests and colleagues to be all in and proud of who they are.

‘As the world moves on, and in the spirit of good change (or ‘kaizen’), we have to keep updating what that means for both our colleagues and guests.

‘Today Stonewall estimates there are around 600,000 people in the UK who identify as transgender or non-binary, and those people should feel as at home in wagamama as the rest of the LGBTQ+ community has for the last two and a half decades.’

Alongside the bathrooms, Wagamama will also be making a £15,000 donation to its six pride charity partners, which will be represented in their local Wagamama through iconic ‘rainbow benches’ found in various restaurants.

In further support of Trans Pride and recognising wagamama’s desire to be a safe space regardless of race, religion or sexuality, the rainbow has been refreshed and benches in key Pride restaurants will be wrapped in a design that incorporates pastel blue, pink and white (from the Trans Pride Flag) as well as brown and black (supporting BAME inclusion).

There will also be pre-pride meetups: an initiative establishing wagamama restaurants as meeting points on the day of pride parades.

These pre-pride meetups are a way for people in the LGBTQ+ community to connect with wagamama team members and others attending the meet up and attend the parade together.

The meetups were created after collaborator Tanya Compas explained that people within the community are often in need of a safe space to meet before the parade, whether that’s because they don’t have anyone to go with, it’s their first time or they simply need a space to escape if the celebrations become overwhelming.

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How should you clean your makeup brushes and how often should you do it?

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A set of used makeup brushes, ready to be cleaned
You can use a professional cleaner or shampoo to clean your brushes (Picture: Getty)

Makeup brushes may look pretty on the dressing table, but if they’re not looked after properly they can be the cause of bacteria build ups, breakouts and beauty disasters.

And so, it’s important that you’re cleaning your brushes regularly, for healthy skin and a perfect finish.

But how can we make sure we’re looking after them properly?

Patricia Boland, a beauty expert from Colorescience UK, says that the best way to clean your brushes is to slightly dampen the bristles with lukewarm water, squeeze out the excess and then apply a proper makeup brush cleaner to the brush head.

You can find makeup brush cleaners from the likes of Superdrug, Boots and Amazon, at decent prices.

If you don’t have a professional brush cleaner, you can also use shampoo.

An additional, lesser-known step would be to apply a few drops of extra virgin olive oil to the brush head to moisturise and protect the bristles. Then, gently swirl the tips of the bristles in your palm, squeeze out the dirt from the brush and rinse with water.

Instead of using a hairdryer, dry the brush using a paper towel – and always make sure you’re drying the brushes with the head facing downwards, to prevent the excess water running up the handle and loosening the glue that holds the brush together.

So, how often should you clean the brushes?

Lovely clean makeup brushes
You should change your brushes every three to four months (Picture: Getty)

Patricia tells Metro.co.uk: ‘There is a difference between cleaning your brushes and washing them.

‘Cleaning your brushes could be as simple as investing in quick cleansers to assist colour switching or even wiping the excess colour off on a makeup wipe.

‘Washing a makeup brush is more of an overnight process. I would recommend cleaning your brushes every two to three days to avoid makeup build up and residue of other colours mixing into your makeup look.

‘Brushes that are used on the face should be thoroughly washed once a week to avoid a build up of bacteria that could result in acne and skin irritation. Eye brushes should be washed once every two weeks so that messy application does not occur.’

Of course, you can’t keep washing the same brushes forever. Unfortunately, they don’t last years and years – and you should look to replace your brushes every three to four months.

Patricia tells us: ‘If you notice any signs of shedding, discoloration, smelling or breaking, you should replace the brush immediately but as a general rule, I would replace makeup brushes every 3-4 months.

‘Using a gentle, conditioning cleaning product, whether that be shop bought or a shampoo, will ensure the preservation of your brush.

‘If you wash your makeup brushes correctly and care for your brushes, the bristles should not dry out and the glue should not be loosened.’

So basically, cleaning your brushes should be quick and easy if you’re doing it properly, and the better you look after your brushes, the longer they will last.

Though let’s be honest, picking out a new set of makeup brushes, while not too good for the bank account, is quite exciting – wouldn’t you agree?

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Masturbation Month: Why masturbating is good for your relationship

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illustration of mutaual masturbation
Do it alone or together (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

We all know (or at least, so we hope) that masturbation is a wonderful thing.

It offers a whole load of benefits, from stress reduction to getting rid of a headache.

While we may dedicate plenty of time to masturbation when we’re single, self-love sessions can fall by the wayside the moment we’re coupled up.

It makes sense – if you’re in a relationship and you need an itch scratched, it’s easy to get your partner to help out.

But we shouldn’t ditch masturbation entirely in favour of partnered sex. Along with all the benefits having a wank can bring you on a personal level, it can also have a positive impact on your relationship.

Annabelle Knight, sex and relationship expert at Lovehoney, tells Metro.co.uk that masturbation, whether done alone or together, can help to improve your sexual technique, learn what you and your partner like, and have more pleasurable sex as a result.

‘Just because you are in a relationship, it doesn’t mean you should stop masturbating,’ Anabelle tells us. ‘If anything, you should do it more!

‘Masturbation is most fun when you do it together – and it is a great way of finding exactly what works for your lover.

‘It is the best way to discover all your erogenous zones – not just around the genitals but in the neck, inner thigh, wherever turns you on. You find these through caressing, kissing and masturbating together.

‘Masturbation is a great way to improve your technique as a lover.

‘There is a load of nonsense talked about masturbation in a relationship – about how you are somehow betraying your partner by continuing to masturbate solo when you are partnered up. It is absolute rubbish.

‘Lovehoney research shows that more than 80% of couples carry on masturbating when they are in a relationship. Why not? It’s fun.’

Through masturbation techniques such as edging, you can improve the quality of your orgasms and last longer in bed.

metro illustrations of a woman masturbating
There are so many benefits to masturbation (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

‘Edging is an effective way to prolong your performance and have greater control of your orgasm,’ explains Anabelle. ‘If you edge effectively, the orgasm, when it comes, is so much more explosive.

‘You edge by continuing to masturbate right up to the moment before you are going to come and then pulling back. You do this several times before finally letting go. Try it – it is a great way to boost sexual fulfilment for both sexes.’

As well as improving your shared sex life, masturbation can also take the pressure off if you don’t have perfectly matched libidos.

The idea that coupled-up people aren’t allowed to masturbate can mean a dry spell leaves both parties tense and result in sex that feels routine rather than romantic.

Masturbating means that you can take charge of your own sexual pleasure, and make sure you’re feeling good even when your partner isn’t in the mood.

Interestingly, though, masturbation could also call an end to that love drought as well as helping you get through it.

Regular masturbation sessions can keep your arousal levels ready for action.

Annabelle says: ‘Sex is like anything else – you have to keep your hand in. It is worth persevering with it even when you are not getting fireworks you once were.

‘Maintaining sexual happiness in a relationship is about keeping the momentum up. If you are going through a dry spell, it is fine to masturbate on your own.

‘This will hopefully re-spark your desire and make sex with your partner more alluring.’

Stu Nugent, sexpert at Lelo, agrees.

Illustration of a woman in bed masturbating
(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

‘There’s a direct correlation between masturbation and sex between couples: more of one almost always means more of the other,’ he says. ‘That tells us that, in a healthy relationship, masturbation is not a substitute for sex, but a supplement to it.’

Stu argues that open chats about masturbation strengthen a relationship, establishing that wanting to masturbate isn’t a snub.

It’s key not only that we masturbate and continue to enjoy our sexuality alone, but that we don’t keep it a secret.

‘It’s easy to understand why a partner’s masturbatory habits can make us feel insecure,’ he explains. ‘Sex is fulfilling, satisfying, intimate and pleasurable. So why would a partner need to pleasure themselves without us?

‘Most people in a relationship will struggle with the idea that their partner has an inner sexuality, alongside the one they share together.

‘But it’s nothing to be afraid of: in fact, it should be embraced.

‘Even a discussion about masturbation with a partner has the power to strengthen a relationship. And better yet, if it’s incorporated into your shared intimacy, and can enhance sex.

‘Masturbating with a partner can show you things that they love that you didn’t know, and watching each other can be a really sexy learning experience that increases the satisfaction of sex, rather than decreases it.

‘In short, once you’ve learned to love your partner’s private sexuality, it can open the door to better sex, honest communication and true understanding.’

Sounds good, right?

Today’s the final day of Masturbation Month (that was May, FYI). Make that a way to start the masturbation conversation, get comfortable with self-love being a healthy part of a relationship, and go ahead and treat yourself and your partner by rubbing one out.

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Iceland has a make-your-own-Nando’s deal for £5

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A picture of an actual Nando's meal
You can get a makeshift Nando’s for under a fiver (Picture: Nandos)

Love a Nando’s but on a budget? Don’t worry, because Iceland has got your back.

Iceland is lowering the cost of its PERi-PERi chicken with a new deal, which will allow customers to build their own Nando’s for just £5.

Oh, and the deal can feed a family of four – or just you if you’re extra hungry.

The deal is currently only available online.

All you need to do is pick your chicken – which includes drumstricks, fillets or even a whole chicken – the level of spice and select a side.

There is a choice of 12 different spices or sauces, including the traditionals: PERi-PERi Lemon and Herb, medium, hot or PERinaise.

An actual Nando's meal
Just choose your chicken, spice and side (Picture: Nando’s)

There are also loads of sides on offer – and yes, this includes mash, the best option, in our honest opinion.

You can also choose from other bits such as corn on the cob, garlic bread or halloumi.

This deal sounds like the perfect option for when you’re getting home late from work and really fancy a Nando’s but don’t have the time or energy to go to a restaurant.

We’re super keen on the idea of enjoying a Nando’s from the comfort of our own homes – without having to pay restaurant prices or delivery charges.

All we need now is a bottle of wine and a tub of ice cream for afterwards.

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Sainsbury’s launches meat-free butchers

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The outside of Sainsbury's' new popup
The popup will feature vegan sausages (Picture: Sainsbury’s)

Sainsbury’s is launching a Meat-Free Butchers popup, just in time for World Meat Free Week.

The three-day popup will at first glance look no different than a traditional meat butchers – but the sausages hanging in the window will actually be vegan ‘shroomdog’ sausages, and the mince will be made from pea protein.

The in-store butcher will be specially trained for plant-based cooking, sharing recipe advice and tips to help customers get involved in World Meat Free Week, which encourages people to try more plant-based foods.

The butchers will feature high quality fresh foods, and customers will get the chance to choose a cut of the best animal-free products, before the food is weighed and wrapped just like in a traditional store.

Customers will be able to get their hands on loads of vegan goodies, such as Sweet & Smoky BBQ Pulled Jackfruit, Cumberland Shroomdogs, Veggie Ribz and Moroccon Vegbabs – and they’ll all be selling at a discounted price.

There's be vegan hotdogs and kebabs
There will be loads of vegan food on offer (Picture: Sainsbury’s)

And in case you don’t actually want to spend any money, and just want to go for the experience, there will be foods to try for free.

The popup comes as Sainsbury’s has seen a 24% increase in customers searching for vegan products online, and a 65% increase in sales of plant-based products year-on-year – with sales having doubled in the last year compare to the previous year.

The popup will take place at the Sainsbury’s at 146 Bethnal Green Rd, London, on 21 – 23 June.

It’ll be open from 11am – 8pm on Friday, and 10am – 8pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Buyer for Sainsburys, James Hamilton said: ‘Whilst we’re seeing a huge climb in sales of our plant-based foods, we know from conversations with customers that there is a sense of trepidation about cooking with them.

‘So, our Meat-Free Butchers has been launched to encourage people to get up close to the products, try what they like and take home some valuable cooking advice and recipe inspiration.

‘We have carefully selected the products on offer from the growing range of over 100 plant-based products now available at Sainsbury’s, so customers are in for a real meat-free treat when visiting the butchers!’

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Disneyland Paris is hiring new Disney princes and princesses

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Disney Princesses at Disney Land
Could you be the next Disney princess? (Picture: Getty)

Have you ever dreamed of living your life at Disneyland, channeling your inner Cinderella?

Well, now you can, as Disneyland Paris is looking for ‘enthusiastic and highly energetic people’ to cast as Disney characters.

The park is looking for people to perform as famous Disney characters to participate in their parade and cavalcades, and to portray Disney princesses and princes.

There are currently 50 positions available, and there will be an open audition in Dublin on 8 June.

The Disney park is being pretty specific about what they’re looking for.

While everyone must have basic dance skills, they’re looking for both female and male Disney prince and princess lookalikes.

Disney Characters during The Princess Diaries Premiere at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood
You should apply now! (Picture: WireImage)

The females must be between 160cm and 173cm in height, and have ‘elegance, graceful qualities and no visual tattoos’.

And males must be between 160cm and 183cm in height, and must have ‘compelling masculine features and no visual tattoos’.

The job listing reads: ‘This position includes night work and is thus open to candidates who are of legal age in France, that is 18 years old, pursuant to French law applicable to the protection of young workers.

‘Candidates must speak English or French and must be available until 6pm.’

If you’re wanting to audition as a Disney prince or princess, you must go to the audition wearing comfortable clothing, because you’ll have your dance moves tested, and you musn’t wear any makeup.

Street shoes or shoes with black soles are also not allowed.

So basically, if you have no tattoos, you look like a Disney princess and you can dance, this job is perfect for you.

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High end fitness brand wants you to live at the gym

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Picture of people doing cardio training on treadmill in gym
Keeping fit 24/7 just got easier (Picture: nd3000)

Many people would happily spend every waking minute in the gym.

Now it looks like that could be a reality, as Life Time, a fitness and well-being brand, want to make sure their ethos is right at the centre of their client’s lives by making the move to the property sector.

Life Time will start creating a series of residences across the States, with the first launching in Miami by 2020 with the theme being health focused and encompassing a variety of wellbeing facilities.

The luxury flats will be built next to new or existing Life Time fitness clubs, with membership to the gyms built into the monthly rents, and added access the other 140 locations when travelling.

The homes will be combined as a community space where residents can relax in the comfort of the their own homes, designed to create space and coziness.

Each ‘resort’ has a LifeCafe, complete with a delivery service to each apartment, pools, terrace and a dog park.

There will also be connected living, essentially a Smart Home, and a professional concierge to ‘make your life easier.’

The website reads: ‘From browsing fitness class schedules on your TV to controlling your home with the touch of a button, convenient smart home features help you focus on what’s important.’

Food is important to CEO Bahram Akradi, and he’s said to be thinking about what kind of food and retail is located nearby.

Two healthy salad bowls with chia seeds shot on rustic wooden table. The ingredients included for the preparation are chia seeds, lettuce, cherry tomato, carrot, arugula, cucumber and avocado. Some vegetables for salad preparation are scattered on the table. DSRL studio photo taken with Canon EOS 5D Mk II and Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Eating healthy is Life Time CEOs main priority (Picture: fcafotodigital)

Some of that will be predetermined by the existing landlord, but in some instances, Life Time will be able to plug in its own choices.

For instance, in Dallas, Life Time is building its residence and fitness center from the ground up and will be able to control which boutique and specialty retailers get placed in the development.

Akradi says he wants to make people’s lives a little less busy.

On average, Americans make roughly 10 trips per day per household, based on 2009 data from the Federal Highway Administration. Akradi says he wants his residents have to make fewer outbound trips.

He said: ‘You’ll probably still have a car, but you’ll probably only make four to five trips [a day]. The rest you can walk to.’

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