Most of us know which Hogwarts house we’d be sorted into judging by our personalities and a bunch of online quizzes.

But now there’s an actual way to determine whether you’d be a Hufflepuff or a Gryffindor, thanks to some colour-changing candles.

The magical candle is white, but when it burns the wax changes colour to reveal either red, yellow, green or blue – all of the house colours.

The candles, which are vanilla scented and have a glittery layer on the top, have been created by Etsy-seller HappyPiranha, and cost £8.95.

The product description reads: ‘The sorting candle! Find out what house you belong in with the sorting candle – light this lushus scented candle to burn away a cream top layer with silver glitter and a light vanilla scent and reveal one of four house colours to find where you have been sorted to!

‘Will reveal one of four colours red, blue, green or yellow and each house has a special themed scent that will emerge as the vanilla layer has melted.

‘A perfect bookish gift for any book lover or a great stocking stuffer for any movie fan and candle lover!’

When each candle is melted away, new scents are revealed.

Red reveals a cocoa log fire and cinnamon swirl scent, blue is cucumber, cocoa leaf, jasmin and green tea, green is sea breeze and leather cream and yellow is lime, basil and mandarin.

They sound dreamy.

The candles have an average burn time of 35 hours and have received amazing reviews so far.

One person said: ‘Love love love this candle. So well made. Such a fun present for yourself or others.’

Another wrote: ‘Shipped so quickly, and is so cute! All my friends want one. Thanks!’

We know what we’ll be asking for in our Christmas stockings this year.

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A new survey has revealed that 72% of LGBT* people have experienced poor mental health due to their work.

HR Company Mercer and Business in the Community commissioned a survey for World Mental Health Day about how sexuality affects people’s workplace experience, and the results were shocking.

26% of LGBT* people have hidden who they are at work, and the same percentage felt uncomfortable about colleagues knowing their sexual orientation.

Nearly 1 in 10 have actually been encouraged by a work colleague to hide that they are LGBT* in the last year alone.

A staggering 7% have also been physically attacked by customers or colleagues in this time, and this almost doubles when it comes to blue-collar workers.

The survey – titled Mental Health at Work 2018: Seizing the Momentum – also revealed unsettling things about how LGBT people of colour were treated at work.

BAME LGBT* employees are more than twice as likely as white employees to have experienced negativity from customers and clients (23%, compared to 11%).

Almost one-tenth of those who responded said that they felt their sexual orientation was a barrier to them getting a job in the last year, with 6% stating it had been a significant factor in them losing a job in that time.

It’s the first time people’s sexualities were taken into account in the wider report, which also looks at issues like gender and age.

Involve Managing Director Ori Chandler said, ‘These statistics point to just a couple of the contributory reasons why LGBT+ employees may have an increased likelihood of mental health issues, and businesses must play a role in supporting them.

‘The data collected for this report helps inform businesses that they need to have policies in place which meet the real needs of the LGBT* workforce.

‘We hope that these findings encourage businesses to focus on ways to address the mental health of their employees, and take steps to foster environments where they can succeed and be their best selves.’

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To the teenager who feels like the whole world feels is collapsing around you.

I want you to know that it’s okay to feel this way. It’s okay to feel angry with the world. To wonder why the world’s against you.

I want you to know that way you’re feeling important. You deserve to be heard.

Your feelings aren’t just about being an angsty teen.

Yes when you’re young your body is a bag of emotions. You become hormonal. You start to hate things you once enjoyed. That’s all part of growing up.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t something bubbling away under the surface, too.

One in four people suffer with mental illness. It doesn’t discriminate, and it often starts young. Don’t let anyone make you feel as though your feelings are invalid just because of your age.

You know your body and your brain better than anyone else does. But so often young people’s mental health is dismissed as nothing more than hormones. Things go missed, symptoms are left to get worse.

You start to doubt yourself. You start to question whether you’re a horrible person. Why are you so much angrier than all of your friends? Why do you feel sad all of the time? Why is being a teenager so absolutely awful?

If you know something doesn’t feel right; if you know there’s something wrong, seek help.

Don’t convince yourself that feeling miserable is just part of being a teenager. Start listening to your body and your mind.

There are resources for young people. We have CAMHs, a young people and children’s mental health service. They are there for a reason and your doctor can refer you to them.

I know that it can seem difficult to get the help you need, the help you deserve, but you are strong enough to keep going. Ask for another opinion. Ask people you trust for help. Ask until you are taken seriously and given the help you deserve.

Just because you are young does not mean your mental health shouldn’t be valued or taken seriously. It does not mean that your experiences are invalid.

I wish I’d known this as a teenager. I wish I’d known that my outbursts and my upsets weren’t just a case of being a moody teen, but they were symptoms of an underlying mental health condition.

I wish I knew this because, if I had, things would have been dealt with earlier on instead of being left to develop and worsen into my twenties.

That’s why I’m writing this to you now. Because I don’t want you to feel as scared and alone as I did.

I don’t want you to get to a point where your life feels impossible to live because you weren’t listened to.

I want you to be able to get a handle on things before everything gets out of control. I want you to get the support you need as soon as possible so you can live your life to the fullest.

I know it’s frustrating. You have every right to be frustrated.

If you are suffering with any form of mental illness, as someone so young, I’m sorry. It sucks. It really does.

You’re allowed to acknowledge that it sucks.

Don’t listen to anyone who mocks you, telling you to cheer up and stop being a moody teenager.

Listen to yourself. Listen to what you need. You don’t have to accept feeling awful.

I don’t want you to ever feel like your feelings are stupid or that what you’re going through isn’t enough to be taken seriously. Because it is.

And I want you to know that you are not, and never will be, alone.

So many people are going through what you are going through. And I’m not telling you that to be patronising or to make you feel like there’s someone ‘worse off’ (I hate when people say that) – I’m just telling you this to remind you that you are not alone.

If you are going through an awful time with your mental health, if you are feeling lost, alone and helpless, confide in a family member or a friend. Or just someone you trust. Anyone you know is going to be there for you with open arms.

If you don’t yet feel comfortable enough to talk to someone in person – or just someone who knows you – call ChildLine. They’re a telephone mental health line for children and young people who will be there for you in your time of need.

No, they won’t be able to take away what’s happening to you but they’ll listen.

And sometimes that’s what we need to inspire us to get up and have a crack at this whole living with a mental illness thing each and every day – knowing someone’s listening.

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No, we did not wake up like this.

Unless ‘this’ means with tangled bedhead, gunk in the corners of our eyes, and propped up on pillows so we can scroll Twitter for a little too long before our shower.

Morning Face is our new series looking at people’s real life morning routines. It’s a look at the inner workings of people’s lives (because we’re nosy), but without the twinge of shame at your own less than glamorous wake up call that comes with glossy tales of green juices and 5am yoga.

Last week we learned what it’s like to wake up with YouTuber and influencer Estée Lalonde, who starts her day walking the dog and doing a face mask.

This Wednesday we’re waking up with Sarah Alexander, 31, a disability and lifestyle blogger, writer, and activist. Sarah has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which means she experiences chronic pain and uses a wheelchair.

Morning, Sarah. What time are you up?

I usually wake up around 10am but it completely depends on the kind of night I have had, whether I have actually slept at all, how long I was kept awake in pain, if I woke up with a migraine, etc. Sometimes I can wake up at midday.

There’s no fixed answer on how much sleep I have had as it is often very little because my chronic conditions play a huge part in my sleeping pattern.

Do you hit snooze on your alarm?

I only ever set an alarm if I have to be somewhere and I try to arrange any appointments I have for the afternoon or as late in the morning as I can.

However, when I do set an alarm, I get up right away as I need all the time I can to get my body to function.

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

The first thing I do when I wake up is look at the time and then take my medication.

What’s next? 

Once I have taken my medication, I make my way to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I then tie my hair back and cleanse my face, I’m currently using Ren cleansing gel, I then use my Ren toner and finally a Dermalogica moisturiser. Then I go back to bed.

If I have somewhere to be, I always give myself at least an hour and a half as I need my medication to kick in and take my time getting ready. Most days I don’t have to get ready to go anywhere and am more often than not found in my pyjamas for days on end.

My disability massively impacts my morning and my nights before. If I haven’t slept and have had a bad night I am never in a good mood the next morning.

I am usually extremely stiff in my joints, I pretty much sound like a haunted house with all my creaking bones, and I take a while to be able to concentrate.

Due to my conditions being variable no morning is the same and this can drastically impact my day. The only thing I do every morning is some basic stretches that I do sat on the edge of my bed; this wakes up my joints and gets me ready for the day.

What are you listening to in the morning?

I sometimes listen to music but more often than not I just talk to my dog.

How do you feel in the mornings? 

I am not and have never been a morning person. I’ve always been really good at getting up, even as a child, my mum would call me once and I’d be straight up but my younger brother would take forever. I’m a night owl so mornings are not my favourite.

I much prefer staying up late and getting up late, and that works with mine and my boyfriend’s routine. I often need some time alone of a morning because I’m trying to get myself to function.

The way I feel completely depends on my health as it’s unpredictable.

What’s the first thing you eat or drink?

The first thing I drink of a morning is water, I don’t drink tea or coffee and can’t eat as soon as I get up as it makes me nauseous.

Once you’re up and out of bed, what does your morning look like?

I don’t get dressed every morning; I only get dressed if we are going somewhere because the act of getting dressed, doing my makeup and hair is so much effort that I end up in agony and it’s not worth it if I’m not leaving the house.

If we are going out, it takes me quite a while and my boyfriend helps me get dressed. I live the pyjama life as it is easier for me.

I then usually do some blog admin, reply to emails, take photographs if I am feeling able, and always snuggle my dog. This happens probably one or two days a week though. You can mostly find me on my sofa with a blanket watching television or scrolling Twitter because my body is completely unreliable and I’ve learnt that I need to listen to it.

What do you need to have a good morning?

The essential things I need for a good morning are water, my medication, my phone to access my emails and to call my mum (I call her every morning) and time so I can wake up properly and give my body some time to get started.

I also love a cuddle with my Cockapoo puppy, Teddy, he brightens my mornings.

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A pair of newlyweds got so drunk on their honeymoon they bought their own hotel.

After marrying in June 2017, Gina Lyons, 33, and Mark Lee, 35, set off on their honeymoon in December for three weeks of backpacking in Sri Lanka.

While there, the couple checked into a rustic hotel on the beach and bonded with some of the staff there.

On their first night, they went to the beach with some rum and drank with one of the hotels bartenders, where they were told the current lease on the hotel was almost up.

After drinking twelves glasses of rum, the couple decided it would be a great idea to take up the new lease – which would cost them £30,000.

Now, as of 1 July this year, producer Gina and Mark, a sales director, officially own the hotel they drunkenly agreed to buy and have renamed it ‘Lucky Beach Tangalle’.

Gina said: ‘When we walked into the hotel we saw a group of old Sri Lankan men who were still drunk from the night before, so we started drinking with them.

‘The hotel looked grotty and very cheap, but it was by the beach and had the ‘wooden tree house’ feel that we like.

‘When we were on the beach drinking rum, we were told that the lease was almost up for the hotel.

‘After finding out that it was £10,000 a year, myself and Mark thought that it would be a brilliant idea to buy it – because we were so drunk.

‘Now, almost a year on from our drunken idea, we own the hotel and have started doing the hotel up and making it ours.’

Despite having had the initial conversation about purchasing the hotel while they were drunk, Gina says the couple were also tipsy during chat after that night.

She said: ‘The next day we went and met an old couple who we had to speak to about renewing the lease ourselves.

‘We had to take two friends we had made with us so they could translate for us, as the couple didn’t speak English themselves.

‘Because we didn’t understand most of the conversation, Mark and I were just sat drinking more rum and slowly getting drunk again.

‘After some bartering, we finally agreed that we would pay £30,000 for the three year lease and pay £15,000 in the first year and the other half by March 2019.

‘But on top of that we had to pay about £7,000 legal fees in obtaining licenses and then £6,000 to refurbish, so it wasn’t cheap.’

Despite struggling financially, the couple managed to pay the first half of the lease – however they stumbled into an unexpected debt three months after agreeing the purchase in March this year, when Gina fell pregnant.

She continued: ‘Even our friends and family think we’re idiots and shouldn’t have been doing it – we owed a lot of money from the wedding and only lived in a tiny flat, and now we had a baby on the way.

‘I was plagued with feeling irresponsible, but it was either sink or swim – so we decided we’d have to make it work.

‘That’s when we decided to throw our all into it, both for ourselves and for the baby, and in July we officially became owners of the business.’

Despite initially doubting their decision, the couple opened their seven-bedroom B&B at the end of July and have since had an inflow of regular customers.

The couple say that although so far things have all panned out, their future decisions regarding the hotel will definitely be made sober.

It’s probably for the best.

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There are simply no words to describe the devastating horror and bone-crushing grief which follows the death of your child to suicide. Like many, I knew little about mental illness and suicide prior to the death of my boy three years ago.

Our eldest child, Edward, was 18 and head boy at both his primary and secondary school. With the best exam results in his school’s history, he had been offered a place at Cambridge University.

An affable and outgoing young man with a good friendship group, Edward was voted by his classmates as the most likely to become prime minister one day.

From a stable, loving and comfortable home, he delivered the newspapers in our village, played for the local cricket team and was a gifted pianist. He played all the music at his own funeral via recordings made by his friends. He was quite simply one of the best prospects of his generation.

These words are more than a eulogy. Edward’s terrible and frighteningly rapid descent into severe depression with no apparent trigger reminds us that mental illness, like any other disease, is indiscriminate of background or status.

It can and does affect absolutely anyone, notwithstanding its higher prevalence in disadvantaged groups, marginalised communities and those with troubled histories. This makes it a national problem which is all of our business. Nobody is immune.

Despite an emergency, 24 hour referral from his GP, Edward fell through the cracks of a hopelessly inadequate NHS system. He was placed on the wrong medication and added to a waiting list which was many months long.

There was no continuity of care and us, his doting parents. were never informed of his suicidal thoughts and plans involving the railway, despite his giving his consent for us to be involved.

The sum total of his care was a scrap of notepaper with a couple of web addresses on it. He died 500 yards from his family home – on the railway. His condition was completely curable and his death completely avoidable.

We lose around 6,000 people a year to suicide in the UK and those who have lost a loved one to suicide are 64% more likely to take their own lives than those who have experienced a loss as a result of physical illness.

For every loss, there are mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, partners, siblings, friends and colleagues who know what that 64% elevated risk looks and feels like. I know I do. The abyss of grief associated with a loss to suicide is impossible to convey. Life falls apart and you wish the world would stop turning.

Edward’s story is one of thousands and his tragedy is repeated every day. We lose a man to suicide in this country every 90 minutes.

The human, social and economic impact of suicide is enormous, destroying families, schools, workplaces and communities. In hard economic terms, suicide costs the UK more than £100 billion in lost productivity.

In social terms, tens of thousands of people a year are left emotionally scarred and impaired for life by the completed and attempted suicides of those close to them.

In a public promise, standing next to Edward’s coffin at his funeral, I pledged to investigate my lad’s horrific death and seek reform on his behalf. It is the very least he would have expected of me and the very least I can do in his memory and on behalf of his generation.

In my promise to my son, it became rapidly clear that mental health services are generally woeful across the UK, desperately under-resourced and plagued by a postcode lottery which sees some survive and some not.

Edward’s story is one of thousands and his tragedy is repeated every day. We lose a man to suicide in this country every 90 minutes.

Following exhaustive research and incredible support from many experts, I have co-founded the Zero Suicide Alliance, along with Joe Rafferty, the CEO of Mersey Care and Geraldine Strathdee, the former National Clinical Director for Mental Health at NHS England.

Today, the Alliance has a membership of around 100 NHS Trusts, Clinical Commissioning Groups and Public Health Directorates, all of whom are dedicated to rapidly improving services, sharing best practice and taking a zero-tolerance approach to suicide.

Launched at the House of Commons in November last year and presented to Jeremy Hunt via a full business plan, the Alliance awaits formal government approval, together with promised and modest finance.

This is currently perhaps the largest movement within the NHS, based on migrating best practice throughout the country and innovating new treatments and interventions using digital methods and big data analysis.

This is accompanied by a public awareness and training programme which everyone should complete.

The word ‘zero’ is controversial. This is deliberate. If zero is not the right number, what is? The vast majority of suicides are avoidable and we should adopt this as a basic principle. Zero is not a target, but it must be an aspiration.

Can we eradicate suicide? Of course not. Should we interfere with the rights of individuals to control their own lives? Of course not.

But what we must do what we can, and we must move towards ensuring that all those who are experiencing the agony of mental illness receive the care and support they need and do not progress to taking their own lives.

The NHS must proceed on the basis that suicide for those in their care is a completely unacceptable outcome. The word ‘zero’ prompts debate and argument – good.

It is only in this way that we will destroy the stigma associated with psychological disorder, stimulate discussion and promote understanding.

I am often asked when I will know when I have made good on my promise to my dear son. The answer is simple: we need to be confident that were my boy, or any of the thousands like him who walk into care facilities every year, or those entering the mental health system today, are likely to stay alive.

We have come a long way in the past three years as a society with regard to mental illness, but this outcome remains elusive. My promise is not fulfilled, but we are at least and at last moving in the right direction.

Rest in peace, Edward.

If you require support and assistance, The Samaritans are available 24/7 and free to call on 116 123, and at samaritans.org. 

Please help reduce suicide by completing the free awareness and training programme of the Zero Suicide Alliance. For more information, visit zerosuicidealliance.com.

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The conversation around mental health has come leaps and bounds in recent years.

We’ve had members of the Royal Family talking about their mental health. Britain is set to appoint the world’s first suicide minister. We’ve had TV shows about mental health, celebs chatting about panic attacks on Instagram, and an increase in online conversation thanks to movements like #TalkingAboutIt.

Thing have changed, noticeably. Mental health issues used to be kept silent, considered a source of shame. These days I’ll openly chat about side effects of fluoxetine with my deskmates.

A lot’s been done, but we’re not finished yet.

To mark World Mental Health Day, we spoke to Mind’s Rachel Boyd about how we’re doing when it comes to mental health, what’s had an impact so far, and what we need to be focusing on next.

This year’s World Mental Health Day theme is young people’s mental health in a changing world, so we’re looking towards mental health education, greater funding for NHS services and CAMHS.

‘For the first time, in the last general election mental health was on every single party’s manifesto,’ Rachel told Metro.co.uk’s mental health podcast, Mentally Yours. ‘And yet we know that there’s a lot more that we need to do.

‘I think [mental health education] sets the tone for the rest of your life. If you start off feeling comfortable and confident talking about mental health, then if you do experience a mental health problem you’re much more likely to be able to ask for help.’

Talking doesn’t solve everything, but it’s an important first step.

We need further funding for mental health services, especially for young people, but first we need to listen and understand.

You can listen to Rachel’s thoughts on the current situation on mental health and how we can support young people through our mental health podcast, Mentally Yours. It’s available on Soundcloud, iTunes, and Audioboom.

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We all love to try a new hairstyle from time to time.

But getting the perfect curl can be time-consuming.

And of course exposing your hair to lots of heat can damage it.

Dyson – best known for their vacuum cleaners – could have the answer.

After successfully launching their Supersonic hairdryer in 2016, they are launching a futuristic hair styling tool which uses jets of air to guide your hair around the barrel, to create curls, waves and smooth blow dries without the need for extreme heat.

The £400 Dyson Airwrap goes on sale on Wednesday 10 October.

The Wiltshire-based company said the tool’s V9 digital motor created high air pressure at the top of the styling barrel to force jets of air from six slots around the barrel.

This generated a physical phenomenon known as the “Coanda effect” – when a jet of air remains attached to a curved surface – to encourage the hair to curl around the barrel to style without the need for high temperatures.

Dyson said a team of engineers and scientists spent more than six years testing and researching different hair types and styling habits around the world to solve common problems experienced by users of styling tools such as heat damage and hair becoming tangled.

The styler measures its temperature up to 40 times a second to ensure hair does not become exposed to extreme heat and is designed to dry hair to the ideal moisture level – damp to touch – before curling.

It comes in three variations for different hair types, with an online tool directing consumers towards the right one.

Sir James Dyson, the company’s founder and chairman, said: ‘We have been obsessively manipulating airflow for more than 25 years. It is one of our core areas of expertise.

‘Harnessing the power of Dyson’s digital motor, we have engineered a unique styling tool which prevents extreme heat damage when styling. I’m immensely proud of what our engineers have achieved.’

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Returning for its eighth year after launching in 2011, London Oktoberfest is continuing the original celebrations which were held to honour the wedding between Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen in October 1810.

The original festivities were held in Munich where people were invited to drink, eat and enjoy themselves while parades and horse races kept them entertained.

And who are we to argue with tradition? Hence why, London Oktoberfest is the place to be – no planes or long car journeys to endure, it’s right on your doorstep.

Kiss goodbye to the last of summer and its festivals with this autumnal party held in Millwall Park, Canary Wharf and Finsbury Park.

Here’s why London Oktoberfest is an annual tradition you need in your life:

Beer

Without doubt, the specially brewed beer is the highlight of the festival. The sound of steins clinking is synonymous with Oktoberfest after the specially brewed authentic 5% ABV Oktoberfest beer, brewed in Bavaria, Germany by Bavaria Festbeer Brewery is expertly delivered to our city.

Over 70,000 pints of the golden nectar will be poured – at around 1.5 seconds a stein! Yes, that’s 1.5 seconds. If beer isn’t your thing, then there’s plenty of other tipples available for you including cider, Schnaps and sparkling wine (but perhaps not one for a stein).

Costumes

Try some German efficiency, you can kill two birds with one stone by combining Halloween celebrations with Oktoberfest and get into fancy dress. Finsbury Park is hosting a Halloween special, but actually you are positively encouraged to break out your Dirndl and Lederhosen to get into the spirit.

If you’re terrified of the awkward moment that you show up in costume and no one else does, you can actually rent costumes on site for less than £30. This year promises to be the biggest Halloween Oktoberfest ever!

Music

Ompha-Ompha music is the order of the day. Not familiar with it? Well, it’s traditional – take our word for it.

German bands are actually flown into London especially for the raucous occasion to get those feet tapping, fingers snapping, thigh slapping (optional) and atmosphere popping.

Come on, when do you ever get to listen to Ompha-Ompha?

Soak up the beer

Food, glorious food!

It’s only right to soak up some of that booze to keep the party going. In fact, it’s responsible of you. Tuck into an array of German eats, from platters of bratwurst to schnitzels and moreish salty pretzels. You’ll certainly be spoiled for choice. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, fret not, there will be plenty of options for you too.

Dancing

Party vibes are the order of the day.

It’s essential you get in the spirit of the festival as over 50,000 people join in the fun at Millwark Park and Finsbury Park across the celebrations. The mammoth party tents protect you from the British elements and are lined with tables where you and your pals can take a pew. But not for long, as dancing on the benches is encouraged. Kind of like student union days, but with more class (we hope). Make pals with the people sitting next you as the lively spirit gets you in the mood to talk to strangers – even if it is just once a year! We can hear the anxiety already, but don’t worry you’re all in the same boat, and you’ll thank us later.

Get a good spot

You’re encouraged to get there early to ensure you bag you and your mates a good seat – especially so you’ve got a good view of the bands we told you about.

With 3,000 people under one tent in Finsbury Park and 2,500 at Millwall Park, that’s a lot of competition to get a good pew. Or is it? You can bag yourself a reserved seating ticket or even a VIP area. After all that dancing, and you will be dancing, you might fancy a little sit down to nibble on your schnitzel.

Today is World Mental Health Day, where we focus on what’s going on in our heads and try to raise awareness of illnesses like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.

One in four of us will suffer with mental illness at some point, so it’s likely that even if you’ve not been personally affected that your family and friends may have.

If you’re helping a friend through hard times, it’s not always easy to know what to say.

Sometimes profound words from someone who’s been through similar things can help.

If you’re trying to inspire someone that things get better, or simply cheer them up and say how proud you are of them, here are some quotes.

Mental health quotes

‘You can’t control everything. Sometimes you just need to relax and have faith that things will work out. Let go a little and just let life happen.’ – Kody Keplinger

‘Turn your demons into art, your shadow into a friend, your fear into fuel, your failures into teachers, your weaknesses into reasons to keep fighting. Don’t waste your pain. Recycle your heart.’ – Andrea Balt

‘Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.’ – Saint Francis of Assisi

‘I cannot stand the words “Get over it”. All of us are under such pressure to put our problems in the past tense. Slow down. Don’t allow other to hurry your healing. It is a process, one that may take years, occasionally, even a lifetime – and that’s OK.’ – Beau Taplin

‘You are beautiful because you let yourself feel, and that is a brave thing indeed.’ – Shinji Moon

‘Just keep swimming’ – Dory from Finding Nemo

‘The strongest people are not those who show strength in front of the world but those who fight and win battles that others do not know anything about.’ – Jonathan Harnisch

‘Your illness is not your identity. Your chemistry is not your character.’ – Pastor Rick Warren

‘Let today be the day you stop living within the confines of how others define or judge you.’ – Steve Maraboli

‘Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.’ – Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter

‘Promise me you’ll always remember — you’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.’ – Christopher Robin from Winnie The Pooh

‘I have come to realize making yourself happy is most important. Never be ashamed of how you feel. You have the right feel any emotion you want, and do what makes you happy.‘ – Demi Lovato

‘To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.’ – Oscar Wilde

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A pair of Gucci trainers, that cost of £1,070, have been called ‘the most disgusting’ ever by shoppers.

Inspired by hiking boots, the designer shoes are part of Gucci’s new ‘Flashtrek’ line. And if they’re not quite flashy enough, you can pay £365 extra for the privilege of sporting a bejewelled strap.

The oversized footwear is the latest in the current trend of statement sneakers, and they are certainly a blingy alternative if you’re after a bit of sparkle on your ‘dad’ trainers.

And Gucci really haven’t held back with the bling. On the label’s website they say the shoes feature, ‘crystals set in engraved metal casings, embroidered onto a removable elastic strap that wraps around the shoe.

‘Featuring a mix of metallic leather, mesh and reflective fabric, the accessory is defined by the Gucci patch with the graphic font of SEGA,’ it adds.

But the fancy footwear has divided opinion. It seems not everyone wants to walk around with giant, sparkly Caramac chocolate bars strapped to their feet? Disbelieving shoppers took to Facebook to share their thoughts.

One said, ‘maybe I’m just hungry but those soles remind me of Caramacs.’ Another commented, ‘didn’t know the latest in fashion colour scheme was inspired by the chocolate bar Caramac.’ We’re seeing a bit of a theme here.

But it wasn’t just the chocolaty aesthetic that had people up in arms. Others were quick to call Gucci up on their claims that the shoes were ‘inspired by the hiking world.’

One woman said, ‘Inspired by the hiking world??? What kind of hike would that be?’ with another responding, ‘I would think that would be a price hike. A massive one.’

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This month marks a year since Glossier arrived in the UK and our love for the US beauty brand hasn’t wavered.

Founded by Emily Weiss, brainchild of Into the Gloss, Glossier is a brand for skin focused, Instagram beauty junkies. Skin first. Makeup second.

Millennials ‘say no to booze’ as a third of under-25s don’t start drinking at all

There’s no doubt we’re a sucker for the millennial-pink pouches, but some of the products are actually really good – no, seriously.

Needless to say, we’re excited for the launch of their (adapted benzoyl peroxide-free) Zit Stick, that’s set to become available in the UK early next year.

So while we *try* to patiently await Glossier’s drop of their on-the-go spot treatment, we’ve complied a list of the best Glossier products worthy of adding to your top shelf.

Glossier Stretch Concealer, £15

For those with dry skin, it can be difficult to find an under eye concealer that doesn’t accentuate dry, or flaky patches.

But Glossier Stretch Concealer actually hydrates with its oil-rich formula and gives it a favourable dewy finish.

Plus it’s buildable, cruelty-free and works best when applied with fingertips – so no additional makeup brushes are needed.

Glossier Boy Brow, £14

If you’e looking for a brow gel that will actually define, shape and tame your hairs, Glossier Boy Brow is made with wax, so it will fix your brows in place without looking like your wearing any product at all.

It’s a mainstay in our makeup-bags and for good reason, as it’s super easy to use and doesn’t make hairs look crispy.

Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser, £15

Best used as a second cleanse in the evening, or first cleanse in the morning, Glossier Milky Jelly is a gentle cleanser, perfect for anyone and everyone who wants to take better care of their skin.

It’s pH-balanced meaning it won’t leave your skin dry, or tight. And the creamy gel formula is made with a blend of soothing rosewater and Pro-Vitamin B5 to help retain moisture, so your skin is left feeling soft.

Even better, it’s vegan.

Glossier You, £45

Perfume is a personal affair, but Glossier You is a crowd-pleasing perfume.

The brands first perfume is comforting, subtle, long-lasting, clean and attracts compliments with it’s blend of musky, elegant and rich woody notes.

This eau de parfum is that designed to smell like you–that is, mimic your skin’s own scent – clever, huh?

Glossier Lash Slick, £14

This mascara from Glossier will enhance what you already have, giving you a natural-looking lash look.

The formulation contains teeny-tiny fibers to lengthen and Vegan Biotin to condition and strengthen lashes over time.

It also applies without clumping and is truly easy to remove as it’s a tubing mascara. Meaning, unlike traditional mascaras that paint lashes in pigment, tubing mascaras create a tube-like barrier, that will slide off your lashes with a lot of warm water and gentle pressure.

Glossier Cloud Paint, £15

Glossier’s Cloud Paint is a gel-cream blusher and one of Glossier’s most recognisable products to date.

Don’t let the little squeezy tubes fool you, as you only need the tiniest amount of product to achieve a flush of colour and a glorious glow. So it will practically last forever.

Our favourite shades are ‘beam’, a flattering soft peach and ‘dawn’, a striking coral-orange, that looks especially pretty when worn on darker skin tones.

MORE: Gucci are selling £1000 trainers that ‘look like a Caramac bar’

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Today, 10 October, is World Mental Health Day.

It’s an annual occasion created by the World Federation for Mental Health, designed to get us all talking about the state of our mental health.

Each World Mental Health Day has a theme to focus on. This year, it’s young people and mental health in a changing world.

That changing world refers to growing up on the internet, experiencing online bullying, watching violent or upsetting content, and being bombarded with an endless stream of bad news and unachievable lifestyles to compare your own to.

The World Federation for Mental Health notes that suicide and substance abuse numbers have been steadily rising, LGBTQ+ youth are battling loneliness and isolation, and young people still aren’t getting the support and education they need to deal with mental illness.

‘We want to bring attention to the issues our youth and young adults are facing in our world today and begin the conversation around what they need in order to grow up healthy, happy and resilient,’ writes the World Federation for Mental Health.

‘Let’s all use this year to emphasize the needs of our young people. It’s time to take a stand and demand more for this vulnerable population – our future depends on it!’

The key areas today will focus on are bullying, the effects of trauma, mental illness in young people, suicide and young people, and gender identity and mental wellbeing.

‘As we watch the news, scroll the internet and talk to family and friends around the world, it’s apparent that instability, violence and constant traumatic events are becoming daily occurrences,’ said WFMH president Professor Alberto Trimboli.

‘Our young people today face constant stressors and challenges – happening in their own lives and in the world around them.

‘Many of the issues facing our young people today, such as, bullying, suicide, the onset of major mental illnesses, the effects of trauma, and gender identity discrimination require our time and attention, global awareness and compassion, as well as new programs and guidelines on how we can protect and empower the next generation.’

WFMH wants to encourage a plan of early interventions, prevention of mental illness and triggers such as bullying, and the implementing of resilience support and programs to educate young people about mental wellbeing.

You can get involved by reading the WFMH report about all the issues young people are facing today, donating to mental health charities such as YoungMinds, and sharing stories on social media with the #WorldMentalHealthDay tag.

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There’s a very particular kind of heartache to losing a pet.

The uncertainty and worry, the anxiety and sleepless nights.

But this tale detailing the hunt for a missing cat ends on an unexpectedly joyous note.

The tweets below from a man by the username of Stu can fill you in on the details, but essentially, it’s a story of a cat doing a classic cat thing: making everyone worry for no reason, then showing up entirely unbothered by the havoc they’ve caused.

Stu’s cat, Steve, was missing.

It turns out the missing moggy was closer to home than expected.

It’s not something unknown to the neighborhood, either.

This is where things start to get pretty odd, but great.

Oh, and Stu had searched far and wide for the cat. He even employed a pet psychic.

A welcome end, to a heartwarming story.

Lovely.

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Worrying new figures show that far too many children are facing unacceptable waiting times for the mental health support they desperately need.

Speed is critical when dealing with mental health conditions, but children and young people are facing an average wait of 60 days before receiving any treatment. The report by the Education Policy Institute found that the longest wait for treatment in England last year was 188 days.

Average waiting times for young people are currently twice as long as the Government’s newly proposed standard of four weeks.

The study found that it took an average of 34 days for children to receive an initial consultation, and almost double that before they actually got any treatment.

Experts suggest that long waits, on top of pre-existing mental health problems, can cause significant damage and make it harder for a child to recover. Therapist at Welldoing, Pat Capel, explains why it’s important to act quickly when it comes to children.

‘We all know that the earlier we notice and treat mental health, the better the long term prognosis,’ Pat tells Metro.co.uk. ‘By denying children and adolescents quick access to efficient mental health services, we are potentially condemning them to a very difficult adult life.

‘Untreated mental health in children can result in them, as adults, finding it difficult to access meaningful employment or to form meaningful relationships.

‘This will lead to further instability and place an even bigger burden on society. We owe it to the youth to look after their future.’

These delays are particularly concerning as the number of children being referred to mental health services grows. Referrals have increased by 26% over the past five years, and the waiting times suggest that services are feeling the strain.

Rejection rates are also high, with one in four children turned away from mental health services altogether. Most of these rejections happen because the authorities decide that a child’s condition is not serious enough to warrant special treatment.

The study shows that almost 56,000 children were rejected from mental health services last year alone.

One of these children was 13-year-old Kieran. Kieran was diagnosed with autism because of social and behavioural problems, but getting the treatment he needs has been an ongoing battle, and much of the burden falls on his mum Kristine.

Kristine says that after waiting for more than nine months for a CAMHS referral, the NHS’s Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service, they were turned away from treatment.

‘He gets frustrated and he suffers with anxiety in situations he can’t control. He puts himself down and feels bad about himself. He also lashes out. So I asked for a referral to CAMHS.

‘After nine months of waiting and hearing nothing, I finally found out that CAHMS wouldn’t take him on.’

Kieran was rejected because he wasn’t self-harming or suicidal, so wasn’t deemed a serious enough case for treatment. But Kristine thinks the threshold for getting help shouldn’t be so extreme.

‘He’s getting bigger, he’s stronger,’ Kristine tells us. ‘When he has these outbursts he’s going to do more damage.’

‘Children are being failed. They shouldn’t have to get to the point of suicidal thoughts before they get help, we should be stopping this before.

‘There shouldn’t be this complicated criteria for children to have access to speak to somebody. We tried again and after another nine-month wait Kieran was rejected again. By this time he was in secondary school.’

Kristine’s main concern is that as Kieran gets older, his mood swings and aggressive episodes will become harder to manage.

‘If we get to 18, and he hasn’t got strategies to deal with his emotions, who’s going to help him? Is he going to be written off?’

‘We had an incident in May, at school, where he lashed out and ended up falling down the stairs, because he was trying to get away from the situation.

‘He’s getting bigger, he’s stronger. When he has these outbursts he’s going to do more damage.

‘If we get to 16, 17, 18, and he hasn’t got strategies to deal with his emotions, who’s going to help him? Is he going to be written off?

‘I don’t blame CAHMS. They have to prioritise kids with the funding and resources that they have. But there’s too much burden falling on families and schools.

‘I need for Kieran to be equipped with the tools to deal with these kinds of situations, and I just feel that there’s nobody helping him.’

Watching your child suffer during long referral waits can be incredibly difficult, and can leave parents feeling utterly helpless.

Child and adolescent psychologist from Big White Wall, Dr. Richard Graham, has this advice for parents: ‘As the most important person in your child’s life there is much you can do before even a first appointment.

‘Making time to listen to your child, and try to understand what is happening for them is the very stuff of Family Therapy.

‘Feeling valued and not judged goes a long way, and helping them feel they can play a part in deciding what to do about their problems can be healing.

‘Trust and honesty can also help you know how bad things get, and whether you need more urgent support; even in these stretched times, urgent support will always be available.’

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘We are transforming mental health services for children and young people with an additional £1.4bn and are on track to ensure that 70,000 more children a year have access to specialist mental healthcare by 2020/21.’

MORE: The World Mental Health Day 2018 theme puts the focus on young people

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Princess Eugenie’s wedding dress will be revealed in all its glory on Friday as she arrives at St George’s Chapel ready to marry fiance Jack Brooksbank.

As is traditional with royal weddings, details surrounding her dress have been kept under wraps.

And it’s Canadian/Turkish designer Erdem who is the bookies’ favourite to be Eugenie’s wedding dress designer.

Ladbrokes have given Erdem odds of 2/1 to be the brains behind the Queen’s youngest granddaughter’s bridal gown.

Erdem did have odds of 3/1 last week but this week the fashion house has been cut further, making it even more likely to be the royal contender.

Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: ‘As the Royals prepare for another wedding it’s looking increasingly likely Erdem will be Eugenie’s dress designer of choice in Windsor on Friday.’

Whatever designer Eugenie goes with, it will have had to have met the Queen’s approval first.

According to Hello!, the Queen’s approval of a royal wedding dress before the wedding goes ahead is a tradition.

It’s said to be a ‘nice courtesy’ rather than a necessity, like the way a new Prime Minister has to get the approval of the Queen to form a Government.

The 92-year-old monarch is understood to have also given the go-ahead for Meghan Markle’s Givenchy gown ahead of her 19 May nuptials to Prince Harry, and Kate Middleton’s Alexander McQueen design before her 2011 wedding to Prince William.

She is not known to have ever disapproved of a wedding dress design presented to her by a future member of her family.

Eugenie reportedly found and fell in love with her bridal frock at the start of the year, previously telling Vogue UK how it was the first decision she made.

‘I’m not telling anyone who is making it, but I can say it is a British-based designer,’ she said.

‘[The dress] is the one thing that I was really decisive about. As soon as we announced the wedding, I knew the designer, and the look, straight away. I never thought I’d be the one who knew exactly what I like, but I’ve been pretty on top of it.’

What did Eugenie's mum, Sarah, Duchess of York, wear on her big day?

Wedding: Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess Of York

Date: Wednesday 23 July 1986

Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew married in July 1986 in Westminster Abbey.

Her dress was designed by Lindka Cierach, her gown was created from duchesse satin and featured heavy beading. 17 feet.

Wedding dress fever had swept the nation so much by this point that copies of Sarah’s dress were being sold in stores hours after her wedding.

Click here for a look back at all of the royal wedding dresses since the Queen Mother’s wedding to King George VI.

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We’re used to Starbucks dominating our high street.

With 20,000 branches in 62 different countries, the coffee chain is almost everywhere.

But we bet you’ve never considered that the Seattle behemoth didn’t have a store in one of Western Europe’s biggest countries.

Until now, that is.

With the opening of Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milan in the Piazza Cordusio, Italy has got its very first Starbucks.

It’s bound to attract equal shares of excitement and criticism in a nation renowned for being coffee purists.

Whichever side of the debate you come down on, it’s irrefutable that it represents the most aesthetically pleasing Starbucks you’ve ever clapped your eyes on.

With the new Milan Roastery set to pay homage to the Italian coffee culture by offering punters what they’re calling  ‘an immersive coffee experience’, with a host of new-to-Starbucks features thrown into the bargain.

What that means in practice that you can observe a fully-functioning Scolari coffee roaster in the flesh, plus a first-of-its-kind Milanese bronze unfolding cask.

There’s also a wood-fronted main bar featuring Italian fluting and Tuscany-source marble, with an Arriviamo Bar serving cocktails and food. Which certainly sounds appropriately opulent.

The Roastery will also hold Starbucks’ first-ever affogato station, serving serve individualised single-batch ice cream. Beats the terminally exasperated branch by King’s Cross, doesn’t it?

To add the celebratory vibe of proceedings, Starbucks’ US locations will also be debuting a new beverage called the Cordusio, a powerful sounding mixture of espresso-forward mocha with cocoa powder.The title apparently comes from the Reserve Roastery Milan’s Piazzo Cordusio location.

Though there aren’t UK tie-ins announced yet, it’s all very exciting if that’s your thing.

The Roastery opened last month, so if you find yourself in Milan and in desperate need of a pick-me-up, you know just where to look.

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Australia’s ‘sexiest firefighters’ have just got even hotter after posing with an array of cuddly critters for their latest calendar.

The only thing hotter than half naked firefighters is half naked firefighters with baby animals, so it’s no wonder that the yearly Australian Firefighters Calendar has raised more than $2 million for various charities in the 25 years it’s been around.

As well as puppies and kittens, the photo shoot features an adorable family of meerkats, a tiny duckling and a spotted piglet.

The proceeds of the calendar will go to a variety of animal rescue charities across the world. So getting yourself a copy will not only satisfy your thirst for men in uniform, you’ll also be helping animals in need.

Following the global success of the project, the organisers are now looking to globalise their search for sexy firefighters.

The project has recently announced the search for the world’s hottest firefighters, and will be on the hunt for the fittest in the profession for their first ever international edition.

There are 11 spots available for the worldwide calendar, and we’re confident they’re going to attract some serious erm… talent.

The first ever Australian Firefighters Calendar was published in 1993 with the aim of raising money for the Children’s Hospital Foundation, specifically funding research into treating severe burns.

Since then, the annual calendar has become a global sensation, with copies hanging in kitchens all over the world and more than 35,000 followers on Instagram.

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Morrisons is launching an eight chilli rated curry, the Flaming Fiery Phaal.

The curry comes after ‘curry regular’ customers told the supermarket their Volcanic Vindaloo wasn’t hot enough.

The new curry has been created by Morrisons’ chefs, who have found the ‘hottest recipe possible’.

Their search led them to Birmingham’s Bangladeshi restaurants, the home of the phaal, which is often considered the fieriest and most challenging curry in the world.

Morrisons Flaming Fiery Phaal contains Scorpion Chillies which top the Scoville Heat Scale – a ranking of how hot a chilli is – in addition to Naga and green chillies. It has a chilli rating of eight, making it the hottest supermarket curry ever.

Self-claimed chilli connoisseur Paul McCourt, a Morrisons customer from Runcorn, sent a review to Morrisons on the supermarket’s previous hottest curry – the Volcanic Vindaloo.

He deemed it was ‘not hot enough by any standards’ and asked the supermarket to create ‘a much hotter version’.

Paul said: ‘I was surprised to hear back from Morrisons. You don’t expect a complaint like this to be listened to.

‘I’m a big spice fan and always enjoy a challenge, however the Volcanic Vindaloo wasn’t hot enough for me. Although I’ve been made to eat my words after tasting the Flaming Fiery Phaal!’

Vimal Dhananjayan, who developed the Morrisons curry, said: ‘We love to hear back from customers and were happy to take on Paul’s challenge.

‘The difficulty when making a phaal is to make sure it’s got as much flavour as it has heat. But we think we’ve pulled it off and we’re really glad Paul approves.’

In addition to chillies, Morrisons Flaming Fiery Phaal contains chargrilled chicken breast, a thick tomato and onion base, and a huge array of spices – including paprika, garlic, ginger, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, fennel, fenugreek and cardamom.

It will be available on shelf in stores nationwide for ‘Curry Week’ which started on 8 October, and will cost £2.

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Caffe Nero is going to be giving away 10,000 complimentary coffees this month to celebrate 10 million stamps being awarded to customers through its loyalty app.

Every customer who pays for a coffee through the Caffe Nero mobile app between 10 and 20 October 2018 will automatically have a chance of winning one of 10,000 free drinks.

Marcus Denison-Smith, Head of Marketing at Caffè Nero, said: ’10 million stamps is a major milestone for our business and we’re extremely proud. Since launching the app last year, we’ve had over half a million downloads, with customers earning over 1 million free drinks.

‘We wanted to mark the occasion by rewarding our loyal customers the best way we know how – more free coffees on us.’

To enter, every time a customer makes a transaction using the Caffè Nero app that includes a hot drink between the two given dates will receive a digital Caffè Nero ‘Wheel of Fortune’ – and all they have to do is spin the wheel to find out if they’ve won.

If you want to help save the environment while winning your free coffee, Caffè Nero has recently launched a reusable cup, the KeepCup.

The cup, lid and plug are recyclable, while the band made from recycled cork, can be composted at the end of its life.

This is another way to get free coffee, as every purchase of the cup unlocks a free coffee voucher – you receive double stamps every time you use it.

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