I Tried $1,414 Worth Of Viral Skin-Care Devices & There’s One Clear Winner
In this age of technology, it feels like there’s an option out there to meet anyone’s needs at any time. Our entire identities are in a cell phone and you can get salads from a vending machine at the airport — the machines are beep-booping harder than ever, and no corner of the beauty world has seen that more than skin care. More than a decade after Clarisonic (RIP) meant we didn’t have to use our hands to wash our face, there’s pretty much a technological device for everything: serums, dermaplaning, microcurrents, and more.
2023-05-15 22:50
Canon imagePrograf TC-20M Review
The Canon imagePrograf TC-20M ($995) is the first under-$1,000 24-inch wide-format printer with a built-in
2023-06-25 10:46
Everything we know about Vogue World, London’s answer to the Met Gala
It’s been dubbed Britain’s answer to New York’s Met Gala: London’s first ever Vogue World, happening this Thursday, will be a star-studded theatrical extravaganza, fundraising for Britain’s cash-strapped performing arts scene. And at the helm, of course, is Vogue’s all-powerful Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour. Billed as a “multi-act celebration of the British performing arts”, the event will be fabulously starry. On the line-up will be British celebrity royalty, including supermodels Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne and Adwoa Aboah, British rapper Stormzy, former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham as well as actors Ian McKellen and Idris Elba. In 2022, the first ever Vogue World took over New York’s meatpacking district with a rough-and-ready fashion show and street food fair, paying homage to the city’s street atmosphere and culture. It was quite the eclectic affair. “Old Town Road” singer Lil Nas X performed with the Hadid sisters as backup, 112 models stormed the runway to Madonna’s “Vogue” while Serena Williams made a surprise cameo. And it was all wrapped up with a street food party featuring pop-up stalls run by couture houses (think pastrami sandwiches courtesy of Michael Kors, gourmet cookies by Gucci and high tea by Burberry). Vogue World’s pilgrimage to UK soil feels like an inevitable one, given that British and US Vogues are at the heart of Conde Nast’s operation. But behind Vogue World is an epic power struggle between the two editors, Wintour and British Vogue’s outgoing editor-in-chief, Edward Enninful, as she moves closer into his territory and is even rumoured to be looking to relocate back to London. On the surface, the fundraising goal is the same as the Met Gala – a philanthropic arts cause the fashion crowd can get behind while at the same time beaming the Vogue brand around the world. Thursday’s extravaganza will be held at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London’s West End to raise money for Britain’s critically underfunded performing arts scene, which Anna Wintour insists is “under threat”. All net proceeds from ticket sales will be pledged to a range of performing arts organisations – but so far, they all seem to be based in London – including the National Theatre, Royal Opera House and the Royal Ballet. “The arts are under threat in the UK,” said Wintour of the fundraising decision. “Vogue World will be a timely reminder of how important they are, how vital a part of our lives, and how much they need our support.” A three-tiered party The main attraction of the night, like the Met Gala, will be the red carpet running outside of the theatre, where celebrities will fight it out to be the best dressed in the latest Spring Summer 2024 couture. But that won’t be all the event has to offer: those who were lucky enough to scoop up the exclusive and now sold out £150 tickets will watch live performances overseen by The Crown director Stephen Daldry, followed by a catwalk show featuring collections from British fashion labels like 16Arlington, Burberry and Vivienne Westwood to kick off London Fashion Week, which starts this Friday. Although the details of the event are being kept under the closest secrecy, we can hope for a number of spectacular surprises – perhaps cameos from British acting greats on stage at the Theatre Royal, or live performances from stars confirmed to be attending, like Stormzy or opera singer Hongni Wu? The theme The Met Gala is famed for its iconic yet often polarising themes, some of which have been cemented into fashion history. There was 2019’s Camp: Notes on Fashion, which saw Lady Gaga go through four theatrical outfit changes, or last year’s ode to the late controversial Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, with both Doja Cat and Jared Leto styling themselves as Lagerfeld’s beloved white cat, Choupette. While the Met Gala was launched as a fundraising evening for New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in 1948, the event has grown to be the most exclusive event of the year, with an all-important red carpet arrival followed by a glamorous charity dinner and afterparty. The theme for Vogue World 2023 is in keeping with its cause. The invitation for the event says the dress code is “Opening Night”, with the invitation’s design depicting a West End stage covered by blood-red velvet curtains. Meanwhile, the original poster for Vogue World’s London edition sees British supermodel Naomi Campbell standing in a dance studio, dressed in all-black, while a group of leotard-clad ballet dancers straddle a wooden barre behind her – another nod to Britain’s performing arts scene. Though Vogue World tickets do not come with a price tag as hefty as the Met Gala’s eye-watering $50,000, we hope celebrities tackle the Vogue World theme with the same commitment. Expect lots of West End theatrics, glamorous gowns, theatre binoculars and endless references to London’s world-leading theatre culture. The guest list The guest list is expected to be packed out with A-listers (the theatre’s auditorium seats more than 2000 people). Representing British supermodels will be Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne and Adwoa Aboah. It’s likely that Enninful’s very close friend and confidante Naomi Campbell will be playing a leading role, given that she appeared in the original marketing campaign for the event. British rapper Stormzy, former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham as well as actors Ian McKellen and Idris Elba will all be involved in the theatrics in some capacity, as we know. Bridgerton’s Simone Ashley, Sienna Miller, Emilia Clarke and Kate Winslet will also be dropping in, while musician FKA Twigs is also expected to participate in some capacity since she was also included in Vogue’s announcement. But all eyes will be on “Vossi Bop” rapper Stormzy and who might turn up on his arm; it’s rumoured that he has rekindled his romance with Love Island presenter Maya Jama after fans spotted that the pair were holidaying in the same villa. We have word from Maya’s publicist that she is filming abroad, but seeing as the presenter starred on the August cover of British Vogue, will she fly back in time for the big event? The politics Vogue World comes at a time when Vogue’s senior editorial team is under scrutiny like never before The event has been billed on its invite as a collaboration between Edward Enninful and Anna Wintour, but it is very much seen as Wintour’s creation. Many will be watching closely, given rumours of a “feud” between the two editors ahead of Enninful’s departure. The rumour mill began the whir when the company announced in June that Enninful, who became the first Black gay man to take the role of editor-in-chief in 2017, would step back from Editor-in-Chief at British Vogue in January to become a “global creative and cultural advisor”. Alexandra Shulman, who was succeeded by Enninful when she stepped down as editor in 2017, has since said that Enninful was “always playing second fiddle to Anna Wintour” within the company, amid rumours that Enninful had harboured ambitions to become editor of US Vogue, which led to a rumoured rift between him and Wintour That Wintour is on Enninful’s London turf is being seen very much as her taking back “control”.She is said to be sizing up who will be Enninful’s replacement as British Vogue’s notably less fancy sounding “head of editorial content”, as the company’s senior editorial team prepares for an internal shakeup. At the front of the race is Chioma Nnadi, editor of vogue.com, and a global network lead at the company – a London girl who could be coming back to UK soil to take up the role when Enninful leaves. “Chioma is a great choice,” one insider told The Times. “She is serious and clever and knows her stuff. She doesn’t suffer fools.” Another Conde Nast insider told the newspaper: “Chioma isn’t the terrifying fashion editor of old. She’s quite shy one-on-one, and very calm. She’s one of those people that pauses before she answers a question.” One source credited Chioma for being down to earth. Another said: “She Brooklyn, not Manhattan”, while another said the journalist is the “nicest person” they had ever dealt with at Vogue. An announcement is expected this week with whispers that the news could break at Vogue World on Thursday. However, also in the running alongside Nnadi is Sarah Harris, the European deputy editor and another global network lead, who has worked on the fashion desk for almost two decades and has become an influencer of sorts, having been credited for making silvery-grey hair cool with her unmistakable locks. Others in the running could be Mark Holgate, another Brit in New York, who heads up fashion news on the US edition, or Emily Sheffield, the former editor of The Evening Standard and Vogue deputy from 2005 to 2017, who is also the sister of David Cameron’s wife Samantha. However, it seems a decision has not yet been made – the vacancy for Head of Editorial Content on the Conde Nast careers portal still says applications are open. Vogue fans will be watching what happens next in the chapter of fashion’s most iconic title and who will win the battle for its soul. Thursday’s gala could be a chance for Vogue to retain its relevancy in the world of live-streamed red-carpet events (Vogue’s Met Gala live stream generated 53 million viewers alone last year). And while Wintour is certainly the face of the Met Gala as its host, it is not Vogue’s creation, nor is it Conde Nast’s. Could Thursday night be an opportunity for Conde Nast to call a red-carpet event its own? Whatever the goal, this week’s Vogue World is clear evidence of the brand’s desire to evolve and maybe Anna Wintour’s desire to take back control. Read More Ex-Vogue editor claims Edward Enninful was ‘always playing second fiddle’ to Anna Wintour Edward Enninful steps down as British Vogue editor-in-chief to take on new Condé Nast role amid reports of rift Kate Winslet rails against male executives who ‘patronised’ her while she was raising money for new war drama Vogue story on Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet’s sparks backlash Saweetie’s ‘caveman’ inspired VMAs dress sparks comparisons to The Flintstones Selena Gomez returns to the VMAs red carpet in stunning red dress
2023-09-13 13:46
The Popsicle That’s Taking Over the Middle East
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2023-05-16 12:52
5 of Kanye West's most bizarre public outings
Kanye 'Ye' West has gone viral across social media timelines in recent weeks following his random outings, outfits and outbursts. West and his rumoured wife Bianca Censori, have travelled across Italy during summer – and certainly weren't short of controversy. Throughout the trip, the rapper who legally changed his name to Ye in 2021, donned an all-black attire complete with a hood wrapped around his head. He also ditched shoes and was often spotted simply wearing socks. From boat bans to crashing random weddings, here are West's most random public sightings: Venice boat ban A handful of moments from the well-documented trip caused backlash online – especially from locals who shunned some outfits as "offensive". One in particular stood out for all of the wrong reasons. The rapper was spotted on a water taxi with his bare bottom exposed to onlookers. Censori seemingly rested her head on his lap. Boat company, Venezia Turismo Motoscafi, has since revealed the couple will "no longer be welcome" on any of their boats. In a statement, the company said staff were "completely unaware" West had dropped his pants, as they were focusing on water traffic. "The driver had to keep a lookout for traffic and did not see these obscenities," they said. "If this had happened, he would have immediately disembarked and reported the transgressors to those in authority." They also went on to call out a "third person on board the taxi" who "obstructed the captain’s view" towards the back of the boat. A source for the Venice Police told the Daily Mail : "There are standards of public decorum that have to be followed by tourists and locals alike and any breaches are severely punished. The images of West with his trousers down while in a taxi as he and his partner crossed the lagoon were seen all over the globe." Trip to local Odeon cinema in Ireland Back in 2014, West and his then-wife Kim Kardashian shocked locals when they were spotted leaving an Odeon cinema in Portlaoise, Co Laois. The pair had just tied the knot in a lavish Italian wedding before heading over to Ireland where they watched X-Men: Days of Future Past. Pillowgate Another moment that turned heads on West's Italian getaway was Censori's purple pillow, which doubled up as an accessory. The shots shared online show Censori in a sheer, nude bra and leggings with a purple pillow covering her chest. West sported an all-black outfit with no shoes. The photos shared to X/Twitter were soon met with confusion from fellow users, with one writing: "How completely ridiculous these people are. Put on some clothes and then you won’t have to take a hotel room cushion out sightseeing with you - and you even get your arms free! Novel concept." Wedding crasher In a bizarre turn of events, the rapper reportedly crashed a random wedding. Viral footage shows the man believed to be the rapper at a church in Italy as he posed for photos with the newlyweds. The groom is heard telling 'West' that he lives in Atlanta. It is unclear when the video was taken, though West and Censori have spent several weeks travelling the country. @rap What would y’all do if #KanyeWest randomly pulled up to your wedding⁉️? Via: @Dean #RapTV #Kanye #yeezy #ye #yeezus #kanyewestlover911 Marilyn Manson hosting West's Sunday Service One of West's famed Sunday Services baffled fans after he invited Marilyn Manson to join his Sunday Service on Halloween – despite his affiliation with Satanism and once being made a minister in the Church of Satan. Images from the 2021 event show attendants dressed in head-to-toe white, some of whom wearing masks. The heavy metal artist bowed his head during the prayer and was seen touching foreheads with West. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-14 21:57
Homelessness explodes in Canada as rents, housing prices soar
Canada is gripped by a surge in homelessness that has seen tens of thousands of people priced out of rental and real estate markets and left to live in...
2023-10-05 10:24
Zhou Guanyu interview: ‘There is a lot of pressure in F1 – only winners stay in this sport’
There’s no place like home. For most of the Formula 1 grid, a return to familiar comforts at a much-loved circuit is something to behold, thrive and revel in. In fact, it’s only the Haas pairing of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen and the Alfa Romeo team of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu who have not basked in such an experience in 2023. But all eyes for Zhou – Formula 1’s first Chinese driver in its 73-year history – now point firmly towards 21 April 2024. The sport’s return to one of the world’s powerhouses has, four times, been put on hold due to the pandemic – both the world-altering event itself and the country’s controversial zero-covid policy in the aftermath. Yet next year will see the Shanghai International Circuit host once more; all that was left was for Zhou’s presence to be confirmed. That came on Thursday morning. Ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, the 24-year-old penned a one-year extension with Alfa Romeo to race with the Sauber-works team for a third-straight year. F1’s worldwide popularity boom has not diverted past China – and next spring we will see the full impact of Zhou’s spot on the grid. “It’s the dream fulfilled – the first Chinese driver in F1, it’s a huge thing for a massive country like us,” Zhou tells The Independent. “So many more Chinese fans are engaged in F1 compared to the past, obviously me getting into the sport means more people follow the races. “The pressure started two to three years ago, so it’s no longer a surprise. I’ve been through that period. I’m fine with the pressure. Now, it’s all about having a good example to set and inspire younger generations.” That pressure, both from the fanbase and within the paddock itself, is inescapable. Just ask Nyck de Vries: a Formula 2 and Formula E champion, he was ruthlessly axed from his AlphaTauri seat in July after just 10 races. For all the riches of the globe-trotting spectacle, F1 remains undeniably cut-throat. Yet you won’t see Zhou having too much sympathy. “There’s a lot of pressure in Formula 1,” he states. “Only winners stay in this sport. If you can’t perform, if you’re outperformed by others, you’re going to lose the seat. That’s the reality. It’s the way everyone lives. The pressure is there, you don’t have a lot of time and you’ve really got to get on with it. “If you can’t do that, then you won’t stay here for long.” Zhou’s performances behind the wheel of a struggling Alfa car this year – languishing ninth in the Constructors’ Standings no less – have clearly impressed enough for a third bite at the cherry. Four points from 14 races would, typically, be a topic of major concern. Yet with experienced team-mate Bottas only two points up the standings, it is difficult to place too much blame on the drivers in the cockpit. With Audi’s takeover looming large for 2026, work is hurriedly being done in the background. “The results have been difficult to take,” he says. “We didn’t expect Aston Martin and McLaren to be so fast this year. It basically means we are fighting for two positions every week. My total points don’t show how much I’ve improved as a driver. I made some mistakes last year, but this year it’s more about the car.” Zhou’s assuredness stems from a childhood of contrasts: his formative years spent in the hustle and bustle of Shanghai, followed by time as a teenager in the Steel City. Learning a new language and new culture, he went by the name of Steven at Westbourne School in Sheffield. “The culture and language are obviously completely different,” he says. “The education system too…” He pauses. He reflects on memories which quickened his acclimatisation process. “While in Sheffield, I really enjoyed playing pool. Not snooker, that’s more difficult! But also I was very surprised at how many Chinese people were going to university in Sheffield and at how many shops and restaurants there are. It’s quite far from London but you don’t feel like you’re too far out! Everyone was very laid back.” His ascension to F1 came as something of a surprise. Three seasons spent with the Alpine Academy in F2 – with a 2021 finish of third his best showing – saw Alfa come calling. He scored a point on his F1 debut in Bahrain last March. His start was impressive. But then came Silverstone. “It definitely set me back,” Zhou says now, recalling the time his Alfa spun upside-down towards a barrier at the start of the British Grand Prix. Miraculous images with a miraculous outcome: Zhou barely had a graze on him. “It happens. I recovered quite quickly mentally. It was just a shame because I had some very good momentum, I’d twice been in Q3, but I had to have a recharge afterwards. It wasn’t too bad.” Zhou is not one to reminisce too much. Everything is possible for the Chinese driver with a slice of Sheffield inside him. Audi’s arrival in less than three years is “still so far away.” However, he does admit: “Hopefully I can stay when Audi come.” But that’s in the distant future. For now, it’s on to this weekend and the twists and turns of Marina Bay. Read More Alfa Romeo confirm driver line-up for 2024 F1 season Max Verstappen breaks new ground with record victory at Italian Grand Prix Max Verstappen tells Toto Wolff to focus on Mercedes after snipe Hamilton labels Marko’s comments about Perez ‘completely unacceptable’ Sebastian Vettel refuses to rule out return to Formula 1
2023-09-15 15:19
7.5 million 'Baby Shark' bath toys recalled after multiple laceration and impalement injuries
About 7.5 million “Baby Shark” bath toys are being recalled after multiple impalements, lacerations and puncture wounds were reported in children playing with them
2023-06-23 22:26
What is ALS and what are the causes?
Sandra Bullock’s longterm partner Bryan Randall has died at the age of 57 after a three-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ASL). His family shared a statement confirming that Randall “passed away peacefully” on Saturday (5 August), adding that he “chose early to keep his journey with ALS private and those of us who cared for him did our best to honour his request”. The statement, sent to People magzine, continued: “We are immensely grateful to the tireless doctors who navigated the landscape of this illness with us and to the astounding nurses who became our roommates, often sacrificing their own families to be with ours.” Bullock and Randall first met in 2015 and made their first public appearance together the following year. The model-turned-photographer’s family has asked for donations to be made to the ALS Association and the Massachusetts General Hospital. ALS affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, its name coming from the Greek and referring to a wasting away of the muscles responsible for controlling voluntary movement caused by a lack of nourishment, the fault of a genetic mutation. As the ALS Association explains: “Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their demise. “When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. When voluntary muscle action is progressively affected, people may lose the ability to speak, eat, move and breathe. “The motor nerves affected when you have ALS are the motor neurons that provide voluntary movements and muscle control. Examples of voluntary movements are making the effort to reach for a smartphone or step off a curb. These actions are controlled by the muscles in the arms and legs.” Early symptoms of the disease, according to the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes (NINDS), include: muscle twitches in the arm, leg, shoulder or tongue; cramps; tight or stiff muscles; muscle weakness; slurred or nasal speech; and difficulty chewing and swallowing. “The first sign of ALS usually appears in the hand or arm and can show as difficulty with simple tasks such as buttoning a shirt, writing, or turning a key in a lock,” the NINDS explains. “In other cases, symptoms initially affect one leg. People experience awkwardness when walking or running, or they may trip or stumble more often.” There is currently no cure for ALS but the US Food and Drug Administration has approved four drugs to treat the condition and ease the discomfort of sufferers: Riluzole, Nuedexta, Radicava and Tiglutik. It was first discovered by French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot in 1869 and is also commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease in memory of the celebrated New York Yankees baseman (1903-41) who also suffered from it. While ALS affects all demographics, it is most common among people aged between 55 and 75 and, according to some studies, disproportionately affects former members of the armed forces, perhaps because of exposure to harmful toxins during their service careers although this has not been definitively substantiated. The ALS Association reports that, in 90 per cent of cases of ALS, there is no family history of the genetic mutation that causes the disease and, in the 5-10 per cent of cases in which there is, only a 50 per cent possibility exists of its being passed on. For more information, please visit the websites of the ALS Association or the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes. Read More Roberta Flack announces she has ALS and finds it ‘impossible to sing’ NIH to fund unproven ALS drugs under patient-backed law ALS drug wins FDA approval despite questionable data Brain’s appetite control centre different in overweight or obese people – study Areas with lower bird diversity ‘have more mental health hospital admissions’ Greg Rutherford rushed to hospital ‘screaming and clawing at his skin’
2023-08-08 17:19
Get a near-mint refurbished iPhone 8 for just $180
TL;DR: As of September 10, get a fully unlocked grade A refurbished iPhone 8 for
2023-09-10 17:57
The Sexist History Behind Our Obsession With Tanning
Welcome to Sun Blocked, Refinery29’s global call to action to wake up to the serious dangers of tanning. No lectures or shaming, we promise. Instead, our goal is to arm you with the facts you need to protect your skin to the best of your ability, because there’s no such thing as safe sun.
2023-06-08 23:15
Control ads and focus your browsing with this $40 service
TL;DR: As of August 21, get the Control D Some Control Plan: 5-Yr Subscription for
2023-08-21 18:00
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