If you have children then it is quite likely that at one point you will have joined a mum forum or parenting Facebook group.
They can be a great way of connecting with parents from all over the world as you meet a wide range of characters from the hilarious to the just plain mean.
Feeling a bit lost for ideas with a super fun brainstorming session looming? You might want to make time to grab a cup of tea.
A new study suggests that drinking a cup of tea can spark an instant boost in creativity by putting people in a good mood.
Researchers from Peking University monitored 50 students (yep, that’s a tiny sample size. Don’t worry, we’ll get on to that soon), giving half a cup of black tea to drink, and the other half a glass of water, before asking them to complete two different tests.
The first test required the participants to… Read the full story
Ready your makeup bags: A #MeToo makeup range could be on the way.
TMZ reports that Hard Candy, the US makeup brand that hasn’t yet made its way over to the UK, has applied to trademark #MeToo for fragrances and makeup.
In case you’ve been living under a wifi-free rock for the last few months, a quick recap on #MeToo. It’s a movement created by Tarana Burke that encourages people to share their experiences of sexual harassment, abuse, and injustice as a way to draw light to just how widespread the issue truly is.
And now, the hashtag could be plastered over… Read the full story
Vegan dining in London has just been getting better and better.
Over the past year or so we’ve been blessed with fried chicken kings Temple of Seitan, vegan cheese toasties at 90 Degree Melt, and we’re very much looking forward to welcoming vegan pizzeria Purezza, who recently announced that they’d be opening a London branch.
Hell, a vegan doughnut shop even opened its doors in east London just two days ago!
We were pretty sad when vegan Mexican Gods, Club Mexicana ended their residency at Pamela bar in Dalston (although they’ve… Read the full story
It’s high time that we started making it safer, easier and legal to get high in the UK from recreational cannabis use.
There is something very odd about the fact that being caught with some cannabis for personal use can land you with anything from a warning, to a £90 fine to even five years in prison.
Yet hop on a plane… Read the full story
It’s here. The year we’ve all been fearing since we officially entered our mid-20s. The dreaded 3-0.
What do we do? Do we have a party? Go on holiday?
Retire to our rooms for a week of crying about all the things we’ve yet to achieve?
Buy all the self-help and self-improvement books we can and vow to start being more productive?
No matter how you’ll be celebrating, there’s some guaranteed things you’ll be thinking this year if you’re an 1988… Read the full story
Scars don’t have to hold you back. They shouldn’t be a barrier to loving, embracing, and celebrating your body.
That’s the message behind the Behind The Scars project, created by Sophie Mayanne to reframe scars as works of art rather than flaws.
The latest woman to join the project is Catrin Pugh, who at age 19 was left with only her scalp and the soles of her feet unburned after the coach she was traveling on in the French Alps crashed and burst into flames, killing the driver and injuring dozens of passengers.
When Catrin was rescued from the coach, she was so badly injured… Read the full story
It’s never too late to turn vegan – and here’s definitive proof.
Anne Fraser became one just before her 96th birthday and she’s our ultimate plant-based icon.
In fact, it’s safe to say that she looks more vital than most people a quarter of her age.
She still practises yoga – in fact, she teaches ‘chair yoga’ and meditation at her community centre every Monday.
‘I do think that they go hand in hand,’ she tells Metro.co.uk.
‘I’ve always ended all my classes with the meta prayer, “May all beings be happy and free” and after becoming vegan, and learning how inhumane and cruel our animal agriculture system is, I realised that I… Read the full story
I’m not keen on cats. Sorry, I just can’t get on with them.
Obviously I don’t actively dislike any animal – all living creatures deserve their place in their world – but cats and I are never going to be friends. I’m sure they’re not keen on me either, and that’s probably where the realisation that I will never be a ‘cat person’ started.
Because honestly, cats don’t like us, you, me or anyone. They barely tolerate humans and while some may find that attractive in an animal I much prefer the simple, honest love and attention of a dog.
But this isn’t a basic dog vs cat argument. I’d… Read the full story
Periods can suck any time of the year.
You’re bloated. You’re in pain. You’re craving chocolate.
But during the winter, all those symptoms can feel exacerbated. As if you didn’t have enough sh*t t deal with, you’ve now got SAD chomping at your ass.
Being in continual darkness simply exacerbates how crap you feel.
And that’s not just conjecture – that’s science.
Dr Preethi Daniel, Clinical Director from London Doctors Clinic says that periods and certainly premenstrual tension can be worse in winter.
‘As the days are shorter and darker, your mood can be adversely affected and add to that the monthly rollercoaster of hormones… Read the full story
Graffiti art is glorious when done right. Whether as part of political dissent or as social commentary, artwork created in public spaces has drawn attention as far back as the 60s.
One artist is doing graffiti in a new way, in a medium we wouldn’t have even thought could be used in art.
Ches Evegny, from Moscow, uses cling film to spray paint animals in fantastic detail.
The Russian artist has produced some amazing results, stretching the plastic between trees and painting on it instead of a wall.
The talented artist dubs the technique cellograffiti and has painted dozens of animals including a real-life raptor, a polar bear, a monkey, a… Read the full story
Kate Middleton has hidden her baby bump in a bright red Boden coat for her second royal engagement this week – but unlike Meghan Markle‘s elusive Marks & Spencer jumper, the coat is still in stock.
Flying solo, Kate visited Great Ormond Street Hospital on Wednesday to open the latest phase in the children’s hospital’s redevelopment project – the completed Mittal Children’s Medical Centre.
Kate will also meet young patients and their families and hear first-hand how GOSH’s facilities have enhanced their lives.
We’re heading for an obesity epidemic – we know that.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, Britain is ‘the fat man of Europe’, with the UK having the highest number of obese people in the entire continent.
Public Health England (PHE) says that 65% of men and 58% of women are now ‘overweight or obese’.
So it’s no real surprise that the government is freaking out and desperately trying to work out how to avoid having a massive type 2 diabetes crisis on their hands.
But is it really the role of our politicians to tell us how and what to eat?
This week, the government announced that it was looking to cap the calories in fast food.
We’re all eating 200-300 more calories a day than we need, PHE says. And to counteract that, our Chow Mein and takeaway pizzas are going to get that little bit healthier (and by that, no doubt, smaller).
Inevitably, the move will be written off as NANNY STATE AT… Read the full story
We all love a bit of Stormzy, but just how much of a fan are you?
When it comes to the popular grime artist are you an engaged fan, or do you just know the basics?
Do you know about his acting career, how many GCSEs he achieved, and who he is currently dating?
What about his album and single rankings? Or what his real name is?
Prove your Stormzy fan credentials with this quiz, and see if you’re worthy of calling yourself a fan.
70% off is a huge discount, and especially when the items are highly coveted branded goods, it’s even better.
Every year, Boots has a huge sale that sees beauty products and gifts down to only 30% of their original price, but they’re extremely tight lipped about when the sale starts.
Bargain hunters have been trying to second-guess them, though, and we think we know when the savings are likely to begin.
A celebration of chubby cheeks is the movement we all need – because life is hard for the fuller faced.
It’s not long before Hollywood A-listers that are naturally blessed with rounder cheeks slim down to reveal a chiselled, contoured face.
But not all of us can afford (or be bothered) to change our facial contortions. So it’s a good thing chubby cheeks are now being celebrated.
One woman took to Twitter to bring about the cheeky movement after realising that although chubby cheeks might seem like a flaw now, they’ll be a blessing when you’re older.
Toni, a communications manager at Oxford University, started a thread showing celebrities who had fuller… Read the full story
Avocados are delicious. Absolutely, undeniably delicious.
They can be eaten on toast, turned into guacamole and made into a face mask – such a versatile treat.
But the thing is, they can be a bit of a pain in the bum to cut and prepare – last year it was reported that there was a notable rise in the number of people going to hospital with ‘serious stab and slash injuries’ after attempting to get into an avo.
Marks and Spencer tried to help by coming along with a stoneless avocado,… Read the full story
Pizza, pizza, pizza – everyone loves pizza.
Independent pizza parlours like Voodoo Ray’s, Firezza and Basilico have been making vegan pizza for our pie holes for a while now, for which we are eternally grateful.
Zizzi were the first major restaurant chain to offer cheesy vegan pizzas back in 2016, while Pizza Express started offering vegan cheese last summer, with Pizza Hut announcing the addition of vegan cheese to their menu at the end of 2017.
But sometimes, you don’t want to eat out or spend a load of cash on pizza delivery – you’re tired and you just… Read the full story
There’s a new beauty product in town.
Glossier have just released a liquid exfoliator. And we’ve already made space in our bathroom cabinets.
The cult-favorite beauty brand who finally started shipping to the UK last October, has unveiled its latest release, a skin perfecting, blemish-fighting liquid exfoliator aptly named Solution.
The straightforward makeup and skincare brand have already bought hero products such as Boy Brow, Balm Dotcom and the Milky Jelly Cleanser to our shores.
And following their successful launch, they released their first ever… Read the full story
Behold, the answer to the housing crisis… maybe.
Rather than building increasingly high tower blocks, the future of our housing could be in pipes. Yep. Cylindrical pipes – just a little larger than the ones you’re probably imagining.
The OPod Tube Housing System is the creation of architect James Law, designed to save residents from the chronic overcrowding and lack of space in Hong Kong.
As the name probably gives away, the housing system involves tubes. Or tunnels or pipes, whatever you want to call ’em.
The tiny homes are created out of repurposed concrete water pipes that measure just over eight feet in diameter and provide around 1,000 square feet… Read the full story
