Latest Stories from Flo
‘Buy Now Pay Later’ services want women in ‘cute debt’
The distinctly gendered marketing of these financial services is pushing women into a phenomenon known as ‘cute debt’. I hate to be the popcorn feminist who assumes anything pink must be targeting women – but let’s face it, marketing is often a simple as it seems. In fact, that’s kind of the whole point. Visual advertising needs to be easily digestible, grabbing our attention in milliseconds and making us spend our...
UK students being forced to work 20 hour weeks to make ends meet
A new report shows first-years need £260 a week (excluding rent) for a ‘socially acceptable’ standard of living – forcing many to take on jobs that leave little room for the studies they came for. The news that UK students are being forced to work 20 hours a week just to meet a basic standard of living will come as no surprise to anyone who has been a student, particularly...
Rare Beauty and the importance of accessible packaging
The makeup brand has launched a new fragrance with disabled consumers in mind. It raises important questions around a lack of inclusivity in one of the world’s most popular industries. Selena Gomez has done a lot of things. She’s been a successful actor, then pop star, and now beauty mogul – launching the brand Rare Beauty to critical and commercial success in 2019. Unlike most celebrity makeup brands, Rare Beauty isn’t...
Cancelling ‘The Late Show’ is a sign of troubling times
Stephen Colbert’s exit marks more than TV’s end. It signals the unsettling ‘Trumpification’ of mainstream media under political pressure. CBS’s decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – a late-night institution that, in Colbert’s own words, ‘isn’t being replaced’ – marks the end of a 33-year legacy and a moment of uneasy reflection for American media in the time of Trump. The network attributes the cancellation to longstanding financial...
the power of journaling
Small acts of self-compassion and reflection make a big difference when it comes to caring what others think. Are you hounded by a nagging concern for what others think of you? Same. As much as I like to spout self-love and growth and all the rest of it, I’m still plagued by self-doubt and a near-constant worry about how I come across to the world around me. Granted, the crippling social...
Is it possible to detach from your phone?
The growing dependency on tech is driving us apart. But there are ways to prevent being swallowed by your phone. ‘84% of Americans say they are online either several times a day or ‘almost constantly,’ writes Christina Caron. I must amidst I didn’t even bat an eyelid at that statistic – which says it all, really. I’ve used 2025 as a sort of ‘health kick’ year. Newly single and determined to...
Is our obsession with the gym making us boring?
Wellness culture has turned exercise into a personality, as young people trade in joy, spontaneity, and a social life for punishing self-optimisation. We’re living through a fitness fever dream. Scroll any social feed and you’ll see it: a never-ending carousel of cold plunges and step counts. For many young people, the gym has become a temple where workouts are both religious rituals and social performances. We might be physically fitter...
Ultra-processed foods sabotage weight loss on even ‘healthy’ diets
When ready meals nick scraps of time, they may also rob us of fat‑loss – according to a groundbreaking new study, at least. The other evening I found myself perched on my kitchen floor, surrounded by grated parmesan, a pot of burnt chickpeas, and more dishes than I care to admit. I’d committed myself to a homemade Ottolenghi feast, not because I love washing-up, but because I wanted to wow the friends...
Hounslow’s Lime Bike ban is a blow for green social mobility
As Hounslow Council evicts Lime in favour of rival operators Forest and Voi, is stricter enforcement coming at the cost of freedom, flexibility, and sustainability. In a significant shakeup to London’s urban mobility landscape, Hounslow Council has confirmed it will ban the use of Lime e-bikes from 11 August, awarding an exclusive borough-wide contract to competitors Forest and Voi. The move comes after a wave of complaints about ‘dangerous’ and inconsiderate...
Trump’s policies are costing the US $29 billion in lost tourism
As global tourism drops, the US faces the financial consequences of aggressive immigration and trade policies, putting millions of jobs at risk. The United States was once a haven for tourists. From the sweeping mountains of the midwest, to the bustling cities of the east coast and the beaches of California – North America has some of the most diverse landscapes and communities in the world. But it now faces a dramatic...
