A Star Is Born has everyone sobbing and singing in the shower; Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's flick about an aged rock star who plucks a young musician from oblivion and elevates her platform, while falling in love at the same time.
The movie is currently on the awards run, vying to win the Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars, as well as Best Original Song and Best Actor/Actress nominations for the protagonists.
The reboot film is inspiring in it's treatment of male depression, fame, talent and romance; it's even inspired this outrageously amazing lip art.
We think this artwork alone deserves numerous accolades, I mean WOW.
It was created by Ryan Kelly, a make-up artist with some serious talents. She just gave beauty enthusiasts a reason to rewatch the film over-and-over again.
Kelly has blown us away with her intricate designs, she's also behind some of the best Bird Box lip art and Golden Girls lip art features we've ever seen.
We can practically HEAR Shallow play while we gaze at those painted lips. It's unbelievably life-like.
Why can't we be this talented? BRB, going to painstakingly hone our artistry skills and then cry when we can't recreate Ryan's artwork.
Activists are gathering in Chechnya following reports of mass arrests, torture and murder of LGBT people in the Russian republic.
A complaint has been filed by activists in the gay and trans communities who are demanding that Russian authorities open a criminal investigation into the reported homophobic campaign by security forces.
The LGBT Network, a St Petersburg-based organisation, stated that it submitted the complaint to the Investigative Committee, which is the equivalent of MI5 or the FBI.
As a result, LGBT+ activists are gathering this Monday, February 4 at 6:30pm outside the Russian Embassy to show their solidarity with the Chechen gay community.
Join us and other LGBT+ community organisations from across Ireland this Monday, February 4th at 6.30pm, outside the Russian Embassy in Rathgar as the Irish community stands in solidarity with our LGBT+ family in Chechnya.
We #StandWithChechnyahttps://t.co/s2MybA3wUcpic.twitter.com/3XGEBvcO7A
The The LGBT Network are demanding that the alleged detention or at least 14 people and death of one person be investigated, as well as probing claims of torture.
The group are attempting to compel Russian authorities to act on the reported new wave of persecution targeting Chechnya's gay community, Chechnya is predominantly Muslin, and is ruled by the dictatorial leader Ramzan Kadyrov.
In 2017, the campaign of hatred saw dozens of gay men rounded up and tragically tortured. Chechen authorities shockingly asserted that homosexuality doesn't exist in Chechnya, thereby denying the claims.
Director of the LGBT Network, Igor Kochetkov, toldABC Newsthat the 14 cases in the complaint only applies to one police station in the capital, but there are others being detained all over the country.
The director said; "We believe several dozen people are detained, no lower than 40." His organisation helped dozens of gay men escape the country in 2017, and aided them in their search for asylum abroad.
Police are reportedly seizing the victims' passports when they are detained in order to stop them from fleeing, according to Kochetkov. Unlike two years ago, this time women are also being detained.
The Investigative Committee have declined to open a criminal case and rejected any appeals against the decision.
In response, Irish groups such as; Amnesty International, BeLonG to Youth Services, Dublin Bears Events, Dublin LGBTQ Pride, FLAC, GCN, Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, Outhouse, ShoutOut, The Rainbow Project, USI, This is Me, the National LGBT Foundation and NUI Maynooth have pledged solidarity with the LGBT+ community in Chechnya.
Groups and activists will gather this coming Monday in protest of the alleged treatment of gay Chechan people.
They wrote on their event page; "Since December, violence and persecution against those perceived as being members of the LGBT+ community in Chechnya has escalated. The Russian LGBT+ Network has reported that up to 40 people have been illegally detained, while a further two have died as a result of torture."
"We are calling on the Irish government to officially respond to the human rights violations being perpetrated in the region," it continues. They are also making a list of requests for the Irish government and the United Nations.
"We condemn the escalating violence against LGBT+ people and urge An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, to publicly condemn the anti-LGBT+ crackdown. The Irish Government must raise this issue at the highest possible level with Russian leaders and call for an immediate end to this harrowing persecution."
They also make demands for asylum seekers to receive protection;
"The Irish government needs to live up to its international protection obligations to recognise and protect Chechen refugees who reach Ireland, as well as using its full consular influence, facilities and resources to support The Russian LGBT+ Network in its vital work in Russia and the region at this time in affording safe options to those at risk."
"We call for the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate the human rights situation in the Chechen Republic."
They concluded with a rousing statement; "The Irish LGBT+ community will not let this matter rest or fall out of the news cycle. We will continue to stand with the LGBT+ community in Chechnya and demand that the Russian authorities put an end to the violence and bring those responsible to justice."
The protest takes place this Monday February 4 at 6:30pm in Rathgar, outside the Russian Embassy. We'll see you there.
Most of us remember the days of Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf, strutting across our screens. We were OBSESSED with Gossip Girl, it took over our lives.
From the romance between Blair and Chuck Bass, to the big reveal of who the secret character behind the mayhem was; it had us hooked.
Now, a reboot of The CW series may be coming to our screens, an executive producer has revealed. Stop the world, we're getting off. This is major goss…
Yup, that's right. We're going right back to the Upper East Side, and discussions have reportedly taken place about bringing the original drama back.
The series starred Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Ed Westwick and Penn Badgley, and aired from 2007 until 2012. Let's not forget that none other than Kristen Bell narrated it too.
The show followed the glamorous (not to mention absurd) lives of a group of upper-class teenagers living in the prestigious areas of Manhattan.
Otis Milburn has an announcement, and you DEFINITELY want to hear it.
The critically-acclaimed and fan favourite Netflix series Sex Education has won the heart of every single viewer, for it's hilarious script, lovable (complex) characters and important themes.
The iconic show touches on everything from sex, consent, homosexuality, prejudice, mental health, gender identity, abortion rights and racism. Somehow, they also made it funny, with beautiful acting. HOW?
That's right lads, Sex Education is coming BACK for a second season, after leaving us on a major cliffhanger at the end of season one.
The students at Moordale High School garnered a massive social media following (those quotable memes?), and it's estimated that over 40 million households watched the title within one month.
The fan demand for season two was predictably high, and Netflix has confirmed that the series has been renewed for another eight episodes of the heartfelt, funny and honest show. We STAN.
Season two is slated to start production this spring in England, with Gillian Anderson, Asa Butterfield, Emma Mackey, Ncuti Gatwa, Aimee-Lou Wood, Connor Swindells, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Tanya Reynolds, Patricia Allison and Alistair Petrie all reprising their unreal roles.
Fans are pretty darn excited, as we guessed. Twitter has had a slight meltdown as the thought of more open conversations about sex, which is SO needed in today's society.
SEASON 2 OF SEX EDUCATION HAS BEEN CONFIRMED LIFE IS CUSTOM MADE FOR ME SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THESE pic.twitter.com/jJFmCs7u3h
Creator of the show Laurie Nunn will return alongside executive producer Jamie Campbell. The first season achieved popular acclaim for it's poignant treatment of relationships and identity, we're OBSESSED with Otis' sex therapist mum.
Gillian Anderson is a certified boss.
yes hello just want to say that Sex Education is terrific and i immediately need 5 more seasons of gillian anderson and this robe. thank you for your time pic.twitter.com/hqsi1pGnue
We love the intersectional appeal of the show. I mean, a jock reading Virginia Woolf, and liking it? That's some revolutionary sh*t right there.
Multidimensional characters in a teen show can be hard to come by, but this cast has delivered it with heart.
Series creator Laurie Nunn said,
“The reception to series one has been so exciting. Seeing how people across the world have connected to characters that began as ideas in my head is incredible. I’m hugely grateful to every person that has taken the time to watch the series, and I can’t wait to continue this amazing journey.”
Thank you, Laurie, for giving us Emma Mackey's character: the badass Maeve Wiley. We need her so badly in our lives.
We can't wait to see what's in store for season two.
SPOILER ALERT:
At the end of season one, Otis was smooching his new gal Ola, much to Maeve's heartbreak. Will Maeve return to school? And what about Adam and Eric's burgeoning romance? We can't deal.
Bring on 2019, God exists and she has delivered us this gift.
For most women, if not all, removing hair from their neck down to their toes is an integral part of their grooming process. Having perfectly smooth and silky skin makes them feel confident and beautiful. Today, there are many methods of removing this hair, with each of them having their benefits and drawbacks.
Creams, waxing, laser treatments, and razors are some of the methods, but for most women, it all boils down to whether to choose a shaver or an epilator.
The two hair removal devices are the most accepted among women, especially those who do not want to spend so much in beauty parlours and those looking for a less risky method with great results.
But what should you choose between an electric shaver and an epilator? Below we discuss the key differences between electric shavers and epilators to make it easier for you to decide.
Working Mechanism
The primary difference between an electric shaver and an epilator is based on whether the hair is removed below or above the skin level. Shavers use cutters to slice the hair off at skin level, leaving the root under the skin.
On the other hand, an epilator uses tiny, rotating tweezers to remove the hair at the root level, leaving a much smoother skin. The surface of the epilator rotates as it passes over the skin, grabbing the hairs and slickly removing them from the follicle.
Comfort
Epilators are quite painful and offer a certain level of discomfort, especially your first time. An epilator uses about 15-20 tweezers to pluck out hair from your skin, so you can be sure you'll experience some amount of pain.
This pain factor can limit where the device can be comfortably used.
For most women, the face, armpits, and genital areas are too sensitive for epilator use. However, most epilators have two rotation speeds, and hence you can use the slower one for such areas.
Moreover, once you use it repeatedly, you get accustomed to the pain, and you don’t experience it as such. Applying some ice on the skin surface can help soothe the pain.
On the contrary, a shaver will barely hurt since it just trims down the hair. You can comfortably shave even the sensitive parts. However, you need to be careful with the curvy parts, so you don’t cut yourself.
Stubble
Since shaving cuts down the hair at the skin level, it just makes it shorter rather than completely removing it from the skin surface.
Though you’ll find the skin smooth right after shaving, the hair will grow quicker, and stubble will be visible in just a day or two, especially if you have black hair.
When you use epilators, the roots of the hair are destroyed, and the hair takes a relatively longer time to grow again, offering a more lasting smoothness.
Speed
When choosing the right hair removal device, it’s important to consider the speed of operation. How much time do you want to spend removing the hair on your legs, arms, and back? Shaving is considerably faster than epilating.
This is because, when epilating, you have to hold the device perfectly perpendicular to the skin so as not to break the hair mid-way. When it comes to shaving, you can shave as fast as you can as long as you’re careful not to cut yourself.
Effectiveness
As mentioned earlier, epilators work by plucking out hair from the roots beneath the skin. This leaves a smoother skin surface, and since the roots are destroyed, hair takes much longer to grow again. In addition, the hair that grows is much thinner than before.
On the other hand, shavers cut hair at the skin’s surface, leaving a relatively rougher skin and the hair grows much faster. In addition, the hair that grows after shaving is thick and coarser than the previous.
Therefore, it is quite clear that epilators offer better results in terms of smoothness and durability hence are more effective than shavers.
Hair Length
The two devices also have different requirements regarding how long the hair should be to successfully remove it. Typically, an epilator is most effective when the hair is at least 0.25inches in length. On the other hand, a shaver can cut the hair at any length, even that which is closer to the skin.
Cost
An epilator can cost you between €26 and €180 depending on the quality of the device, brand, and the features offered, but there are no other costs once you’ve bought it.
Electric shavers, on the other hand, are cheaper, ranging from about €8 to €80. However, you will need to replace the blades now and then.
Stop the world, it's officially Stormi Webster's first birthday. The glamorous baby Kardashian is Kylie's precious bundle of joy, with boyfriend Travis Scott. She's given us some memorable moments, so we just HAD to make a list.
The precious lil baby has a pretty extravagant lifestyle, if we do say so ourselves. The tot is flown all around the world, decked in the finest designer gear you can buy.
Who can forget the Scott and Jenner's YouTube announcement of Kylie's pregnancy, titled To Our Daughter. The video racked up 80 MILLION views, and shows flashback shots to Kris Jenner's own pregnancy and the labour of Stormi.
The baby's arrival meant that she was born into an army of Kardashian kids, such as Khloé's adorable True Thompson and Kim and Kanye's bunch; Chicago, North and Saint West.
Here are some of our favourite Stormi moments;
1. The Announcement
On February 4 2018, Kylie made the ultimate pregnancy announcement with a beautiful mini-documentary of her pregnancy and family memories.
The reality TV star managed to stay off social media for the entire nine months, and never confirmed the baby's existence until the stunning announcement video. Suddenly, the couple introduced the world to Stormi Webster, after months of speculation.
We were HOOKED:
2. Her Fendy pram experience
Other babies are probably pretty jealous right now.
Stormi is no ordinary infant though, she rides in designer style.
The time Kylie took her tot for a stroll entirely covered head-to-toe in Fendy had everything gasping for monetary air.
How can we forget the time Stormi got a coveted Louis Vuitton handbag, after Travis dropped off a new chair for her.
The designer bag is a vintage black and rainbow monogrammed LV purse valued at over €2270. Oh, and that chair she's sitting on? It's a limited edition piece by Brazilian designer Campana and American artist KAWS.
Kylie captioned the snap; "Daddy dropped off a new chair for Stormi and omg this girl threw the bag over her shoulder, I can’t."
We wish someone could hand us a bag like this one… but we think we'll be waiting a long time.
Kylie shared a sneak peek at Stormi's Christmas presents, and our souls exited our bodies. It's a MINI-LAMBORGHINI covered in the Louis Vuitton logo… and she got two of them. We can't.
Kylie’s picture was captioned, “Like mother, like daughter,” most likely because of her extensive car collection.
Cast your minds back to the $1.4 million Ferrari LaFerrari she got from Travis Scott after Stormi's arrival, it was madness.
Image: @kyliejenner/Instagram
6. Stormi learning how to walk
Stormi is officially on the move; the little girl was recently learning how to take her first steps and it was as cute as you'd imagine.
kylie's baby was 11-month-old at this stage, and made a cameo in her mom’s Instagram story while her mum was promoting her Kylie Cosmetics range: the Valentine Collection.
“Sorry, guys, we had a little intermission- my baby woke up so I was getting her ready for the day,” the 21-year-old told her followers.
“We’re learning how to walk, huh?” Kylie said after Stormi took a few wobbly steps while holding on to her mum's hand.
Louis Theroux is arguably the most recognisable documentary filmmaker of our time, with his vast catalogue of documentaries chronicling some of the most interesting and abrasive aspects of anthropology.
From his in-depth analysis of a sex-offenders institution in the United States to his commentary on Ultra Zionists in the West Bank, the British filmmaker has an uncanny knack for ingratiating himself with his subjects – a skill which ultimately provides viewers with a clearer understanding of the matter at hand.
It has been announced that the journalist will be creating a new film, focusing on sexual assault and harassment on university campuses.
The new BBC documentary will see Louis travel to the US to document the debate surrounding consent.
The Night in Question will see Louis interview survivors of sexual assault, who feel strongly that the consent guideline which have been applied to US universities in recent years are very necessary.
He will also speak will alleged perpetrators of sexual assault, who feel negatively towards to guidelines and the implications they have brought on their lives and reputations.
According to DigitalSpy, the documentary will explore the opinions of those who feel that consent guidelines are an 'overreaction.'
Is there anything Sir David Attenborough can't achieve? Probs not. He's an absolute legend and undisputed king of nature, as well as possessing one of the greatest narratorial voices of ALL TIME.
He's lending his voice to Netflix for their forthcoming natural history show (seems off-brand for them?) but now he'll be back on the BBC screens with a huge new programme.
The TV show will focus on the environmental forces reshaping our world, and is entitled One Planet, Seven Worlds. We can't wait for this.
In 'He might save the planet yet news' news, Sir David Attenborough will return to @BBCOne with One Planet, Seven Worlds, charting the history & diversity of the continents pic.twitter.com/i2bUF6BaHF
One Planet, Seven Worlds will focus on an individual continent per episode, and uses cutting-edge technology to explore the characteristics of how the animals are affected by their habitat.
He is also appearing in Green Planet, which will look at the world from the plants' point of view in the global ecosystem.
Attenborough recently spoke to Prince William about today's environment, emphasising the fact that we are less in touch with nature than ever.
“We are one coherent ecosystem – it’s not a just question of beauty or interest or wonder, it’s the essential ingredient. The essential part of human life is a healthy planet” – Sir David Attenborough pic.twitter.com/CxiGvtT5Uo
"We are one coherent ecosystem- it's not just a question of beauty or interest or wonder, it's the essential ingredient. The essential part of human life is a healthy planet," he said.
He urged politicians and business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos to focus their attention on climate change, before it's too late; “the Garden of Eden is no more”.
Blue Planet II and Plastics Watch have both achieved massive success, so the new BBC One shows are hoping to spotlight the environment in the form of protection.
Three-quarters of a BILLION people worldwide watched Blue Planet I, which is mind-blowing. Some people see his new Netflix affiliation as a blow to the BBC, as streaming services take over.
He has worked with the BBC for over 60 years, so he most likely isn't ditching them.
The Netflix show is due out this April, while the BBC show will hopefully air in the autumn. Get yourselves and your metal straws ready, it's time to save the WORLD, people.
Have we all seen THAT insane Harry Styles face tattoo? The one that made everyone gasp out loud and question her sanity and life choices?
Singer Kelsy Karter got the attention she was looking for, but not from Harry himself though. Twitter users were quick to point out that the ink actually resembled Frankie Cocozza far more, but still.
As many of us have guessed, it has now been revealed that the tattoo was all a hoax in order for Kelsy to promote her new single, Harry. Yes, she's that dedicated to promotion.
She's admitted the hoax was all for the sake of Harry Styles noticing her new song about him, and she has dropped a video explaining the whole fraud.
She said she wanted to get the inking to ‘cut through the noise’ and get her music noticed by top music execs, and the general public. Oh, and it's dropped on Harry's 25th birthday.
The New Zealand-born singer elaborated, saying she dedicated the song to the Kiwi artist after going through a rough patch last April;
"My dog Diva died. My relationship ended. And the last thing I wanted to do was write another sad song about it."
Kelsy directed and produced the video for the One Direction hero for only $300, but didn't have the cash to promote the song;
"But how were we going to cut through the noise to get noticed? What would the rock legends that inspired me have done in 2019?" Celebrity tattooist Romeo Lacoste was enlisted for the sake of the tattoo, which was based on Harry's Rolling Stones cover.
The 25-year-old said Romeo traced the image and applied it to her face, and then used a special FX makeup artist.
She added; "‘BTW we know it looked ridiculous. That was the point.I had your attention." We were thinking that Romeo's talented skills needed to be brushed up…
Of course, the absurd inking went totally viral. Websites and news sites globally covered the tatt, and everyone was talking about it. TMZ wanted to chat to her, and she even considered reapplying the tattoo.
Because it's Harry's special birthday, Kelsy has made the choice to confess her fib.
"This has always been about rock ‘n’ roll. Harry is an anthem for the fans. The tattoo is gone. All that’s left is the music. Which is what my rockstar team and I had planned all along."
We have to respect her commitment, and the plan is pretty ingenious. The song is also a complete TUNE. We'd love to hear a comment from Harry on the matter though…
On her Instagram stories, she showed off the new tattoo to her fans. It was drawn on her ankle, and features the late dog’s fluffy white face and the words; “Buddy was here”.
When Buddy passed away in 2015, the singer was left “absolutely heartbroken”. She wrote a message to her Instagram, writing;
“We are absolutely heartbroken to be writing this but Wilmer and I are devastated to inform you that we lost our little angel Buddy last Sunday,” Lovato wrote.
“He was taken from us way too soon in a tragic accident. And though I will never know why this had to happen, I do know that God only puts us through situations that we can handle so with that, together we are staying strong.”
She continued: “We have incredible people around us and so much love and support which is holding us up in this time of need.”
“Buddy was loved by so many people and as small as he was, he made a huge impact in our lives. He truly was human in a way and we were so blessed to have him in our lives,” she finished, emotionally.
On Saturday, she got a small rose tattooed on her pointer finger, and it’s beautiful.
We've all experienced the highs and lows of Facebook, but recently it seems like the lows are endless.
From controversy surrounding Mark Zuckerberg, reports of paying children for labour to eavesdrop on conversations and using our own data for the company's agenda, it seems like the drama ain't worth the effort.
Now, researchers at New York University and Stanford University are saying that deactivating Facebook for just FOUR WEEKS can lead to a big improvement in people's mental health.
A "gold standard" study praised for its rigor finds deleting Facebook is great for your #MentalHealth. The Stanford/NYU study, "The Welfare Effects of Social Media", enrolled 2,844 randomized Facebook users and divided them into cohorts for measurement.https://t.co/jtpaPlugglpic.twitter.com/aS8ewRcdfY
The researchers focused their study on the impact of quitting the social network on their mental health and behaviour.
The Welfare Effects of Social Mediatook place in the lead-up to the 2018 midterm elections in the US and 2,844 users took part in the study. The participants used the platform for over 15 minutes per day.
When the candidates deactivated their Facebook accounts, there was a noticeable increase in offline activities, like socialising with friends and family members.
Their well-being was also boosted, but the people involved were less informed about current events.
Researchers also discovered that anyone who deactivated their Facebook accounts were more likely to see a consistent reduction in their use of the social media app after the experiment concluded.
The authors wrote; "Our study offers the largest-scale experimental evidence available to date on the way Facebook affects a range of individual and social welfare measures,"
"Deactivation caused people to appreciate Facebook’s both positive and negative impacts on their lives," they said.
In a statement to The Washington Post a spokesperson for Facebook said its teams are working on creating meaningful connections across its platform. "This is one study of many on this topic and is should be considered that way," they said
