Girls are aware of beauty standards by age three, study finds
The value of personal attractiveness is established much younger than you might think. But what does this mean for girls growing up in an image-obsessed era? We check our appearance around 38 times per day. That pastime was once reserved for mirrors, and now extends to every reflective surface...
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How inflammation became another wellness buzzword
It seems everyone and everything is inflamed, but is that really such a bad thing? From cortisol to caffeine, the wellness world loves a scapegoat for stress. It’s easy to blame life’s problems on some controllable symptom that can be stifled with the right pill or lavish morning routine. The latest...
Are beauty pageants still exclusive?
Beauty pageants in the UK have had a rebrand. The stereotypical image of women parading around in bikinis, smiling until their cheeks hurt and answering some variation of ‘how would you achieve world peace?’ feels increasingly outdated. Today, pageantry sells something different. Confidence. Advocacy. Charity. Entrepreneurship. Empowerment. Contestants have platforms, careers,...
Shein disappoints after going public on Hong Kong stock market
After struggling to go public in both the US and UK, Shein saw its shares fall in a disappointing Hong Kong stock market debut. It suggests the company is unlikely to keep its fast-fashion, low-cost business model intact amid intense scrutiny and competition. Fast-fashion company Shein saw its shares fall...
Vinted users complain AI is causing unfair suspensions
The resale app is the latest platform facing backlash for its use of automated tools. Thousands of Vinted sellers have said they were suspended unfairly or permanently banned after automated fraud detection deemed them to be using the app inappropriately. The BBC reported that several users feel the platform’s integrated...
Can we stop dressing celebrities in looted ancient artefacts?
Zendaya is the latest star facing backlash for her red-carpet fashion choices – this time sporting a pair of ancient Iranian artefacts to promote Christopher Nolan’s latest film The Odyssey. Only a handful of stars have the fashion world under their thumb quite like Zendaya (and her trusty stylist Law...
OpenAI has launched its own… merch?
The parent company of ChatGPT, OpenAI, has launched its own merchandise brand, which includes hats, tees, tote bags, socks, and even a glowing green basketball. Despite online criticism, stock appears to be selling well. OpenAI has unveiled its first public merchandise brand, Supply Co. Its new line of products includes hats, tees, tote bags, and basketballs, among other items. It is the first time the company has made its merchandise...
Is your perception of sleep quality why you’re really tired?
A UCLA study has built on research suggesting that our belief of how well we sleep has a greater impact on cognitive performance, tiredness, and general mood than how many hours we actually get. If there’s one thing this generation loves martyring itself over, it’s how ‘exhausted’ we are and how little we sleep. We’ll go to bed at gone 2am, set an alarm for 7:30am, and wake up ready to...
Do we really need all these brand trips?
Influencers and celebrities are being shipped off on elaborate holidays, ostensibly to promote products. But are these lavish stunts a marketing tool or a wasteful display of wealth? Markers of extreme wealth become more normalised as the 1% grow exorbitantly richer. Take private jets, once revered as an exclusive mode of transport for royals and political leaders, now a daily staple for celebrities and influencers. The more we’re exposed to these...
New study finds arts engagement to slow biological ageing
Research from UCL suggests engaging with arts and culture improves overall health outcomes. These days, the fountain of youth is marketed as some kind of AI-backed, biohacked offshoot of the billionaire class. Health and wellness has crept further into a digital landscape – one often shaped by far-right thinking – and traditional concepts of longevity have been replaced with elitist alternatives. So you’d be surprised to learn that arts and culture (yes,...
