Home/Women's Lifestyle/Cosmopolitan UK/February 2019/In This Issue
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019FROM THE EDITORYou are probably reading this editor’s letter in the deep chill of January. That means your bank account will be in a state of post-traumatic stress, your body will be yearning for the vital-organ-enhancing vitamins and minerals you have expertly swerved since 1st December, while your mind will be frantically trying to CALM DOWN!That means pretty soon thoughts will turn to the year ahead. You will think about what you need. What you really need. And the answer you’ll all stumble upon is… balance. “Ah, yes, balance…” you will think to yourself, “I forgot about that.” Yin and yang. The art of equilibrium. Stopping at a second drink rather than at the point when the world turns sepia and you start flirting with your Uber driver.And so you will sign…2 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019SEE YOU AT...STARTFEBRUARYWHERE TO BE,WHEN,THIS MONTHBook now Blue Planet II Live In Concert, UK tourWhat is it? A live orchestra accompanies scenes from David Attenborough’s BBC documentary (about all things ocean) shown on huge super-high-tech screens. Magic stuff. Nationwide, from 21st March.*Insider tip: Get to your seat early to experience a special pre-show audio and visual-effects display from the Blue Planet team. Blueplanet2live.co.ukFrom 24th Feb Jessie Cave: Sunrise, UK tourWhat is it? From Harry Potter star to genius stand-up, Jessie Cave is back with a new show (touring till 21st March). It explores finding yourself post-breakup, dating and motherhood. A jolly relatable spectacle.*Insider tip: Missed Jessie’s previous live show, I Loved Her? Watch it via the Soho Theatre’s online catch-up service* first. Sohotheatre.com14th Feb Lovers’ Fortune at Queen Of Hoxton, LondonWhat is…2 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019READ THEN WATCHGENTLEMAN JACKWhat it’s about: The real-life Anne Lister who, back in the 1800s, was a total badass: a Yorkshire heiress who travelled the world as a proud lesbian during a time when that was basically impossible. She wore all black, openly bitched about men and slept with a gun under her pillow.Who wrote the book? LGBTQ+ historian Angela Steidele penned a biography of Lister.Who’s in the TV series? Doctor Foster’s Suranne Jones plays Lister and Bodyguard’s Sophie Rundle co-stars as Ann Walker, the woman Lister intends to marry. It’s been adapted for TV by Sally “Happy Valley” Wainwright.The book: Serpent’s Tail, £16.99The TV series: BBC One, early 2019PUREWhat it’s about: Pure O – an excruciating form of OCD where intrusive, unwanted sexual thoughts infiltrate the mind – and one woman’s…3 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019NAIL HEARTFollowing a notable hiatus, nail art is set to make an almighty resurgence. We’re talking miniature museum-worthy works of art with next-level 3D detail. Our favourite designs from the S/S 19 catwalks? Oh, you know, just glass-domed nails housing tiny treasures, locks of hair framed with caviar beads (based on the Victorian-day penchant for wearing your lover’s hair in a piece of jewellery… nice) and Disney-villain-inspired spiky jewel hearts (pictured here). We recommend the slightly less intimidating crystal heart charms found in the Cina Pink Princess Nail Art Kit, £9.98, and the unashamedly jewel-adorned (yet genuinely wearable) Elegant Touch Young Royals Stick-On Nails, £9.95. A new, spangly excuse for dodging the washing up.PHOTOGRAPH ARTHUR WOODCROFT. NAILS CND PRO ARTIST SAMANTHA BIRKETT-LEIGH, USING CND PRODUCTS. NAIL ART STOLEN HEARTS FROMTHE BLONDS…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019PRESS HERE TO RESETWe know it’s tempting. The lure of hotter-than-the-sun straighteners to sort out an errant bouffant. A change of hair colour to lift your mood. The gel manicures that have left your nails as brittle as your willpower against those resolutions. But there’s a raft of new products that’ll repair the damage done by our bad beauty habits. Right? Well… sometimes .To sort the helpful from the “help! I spent £75 on something that’s just floral-scented olive oil”, we’ve found the products that deliver on their claims…Heat stylingYour locks are made up of a fibrous protein called keratin. It’s pretty tough, but heat styling can leave strands looking like old rope under a microscope. Considering hair is essentially dead, “repairing” haircare makes some pretty big claims. However, one superhero ingredient is…6 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019PERSONAL SHOPPEROBSESSED• Ful.Vic Health Fulvic Acid Shampoo, £25Fulvic acid makes essential minerals bioavailable to your follicles, giving you stronger, fuller hair.IMPRESSED• Tropic Pure Lagoon Blemish Prevention Serum, £42A weightless liquid full of skin-clearing goodness, including active-of-the-moment, complexion-quenching watermelon.NON-PLUSSED• Glossier Generation G Sheer Matte Lipstick, £14Nice stain-like finish. But it does take squashing half a tube on my lips before I see any colour pay-off.…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019STRONG WOMANBuilding muscle is the key to all-over fitness. We all know that. But for those of us who aren’t fans of the weights room (so… much… grunting) there is a solution: these five quick-fix moves from Dalton Wong, who trains Jennifer Lawrence, Amanda Seyfried and Kit Harington. Wong says these are among the most effective exercises for women who want to build muscle. Do these, feel unstoppable.1 Clock push-upsTARGETS: Chest1 With your left hand turned in towards 3 o’clock, and the right to 9, do a push-up.2 Rotate hands out to 11 and 1 o’clock, then 2 and 10, shifting your weight by inches. Push up between. Do three reps in each position.2 Spinning dead bugTARGETS: Core1 Lie on your back with knees tucked up and hands behind your head…2 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019HEY, HOW DO I WEAR… Bin-bag trousers?1 WHY IT WORKSThis season’s leather trouser is voluminous, tailored and polished, often with pleats or a paper-bag waist. Worried you’ll look like you’ve wrapped your thighs in a tie-top Tesco bin bag? With a defined waist, heels and a mix of textures, there is zero chance you’ll end up discarded at your local tip.2 TOTALLY WAISTEDLeathers are bulkier than jeans or standard trousers, plus they have a slightly unforgiving sheen, so tops look best tucked in. Pushing up your sleeves to show some skin will make your outfit look more pulled-together, too.3 TEXTURE CLASHLeather plays best against the most tactile of finishes: thick ropey knits, crisp indigo denim and fluid silks and satins. The contrast in texture breaks up the outfit, keeping you in proportion, which can be tricky…2 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019PitchperfectWay back in April, at our second annual Self Made Summit, hundreds of you came to pitch your brilliant business ideas to our panel of expert judges. The prize? A residency at London’s coolest co-working space, Second Home. The winners, our Pitch Palace class of 2018 (pictured here), happen to know a thing or two about how to start a business, and how to make other people as excited about it as they are. Here, we give you the chance to learn their secrets, learn from their mistakes and learn their names – because these women are going to be the business leaders of tomorrow.THE WINNERLatoya Isiguzo, 30, founder of RL Beauty London (Rlbeautylondon.com)10-SECOND PITCH We specialise in handmade, ethically sourced luxury lashes. We have 12 styles to fit different…8 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019WINA PAID COSMO SCHOLARSHIP!Desperate to break into the world of fashion and beauty? Fancy yourself as a writer? Or do you dream of landing a job on a magazine art desk? The Cosmopolitan scholarship, in partnership with SpareRoom, could be for you. We’re hunting for four new magazine stars – and no experience is needed, just a desire to learn. The winners will be brought to our HQ for a month (July 2019), and paid the London living wage. Yes, that’s right! We are thrilled to now offer the four winners the London living wage. Along with SpareRoom, we’ll provide all accommodation and a travel pass into central London for that month, too. Send your entry to Cosmopolitan-UK@hearst.co.uk, specifying your category in the subject line, by 8th February 2019. One application per person.On…2 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019Rochelle HumesCareer historyAuthor, The Mega Magic Hair Swap!“Publishing still has a long way to go [in offering books with BAME characters in them] so I’m working on getting it on the National Curriculum.”Guest presenter, This Morning“Phillip Schofield is such a dream to work with. Exactly how you’d imagine him to be. There’s a lot to learn, but live TV is such a buzz.”The Saturdays“It took ages for us to get a number-one single… and when we did I was pregnant so couldn’t celebrate how I would have liked.”Smile“I was presenting with a guy called Barney Harwood, who is like the king of children’s TV presenting. It was a dream for me as I grew up with all those kids’ shows, like SM:TV Live and CD:UK.”Playlisters , co-host with Marvin Humes“TV has…2 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019How I medicated with make-upIt’s 11.39pm and, rather than getting the sleep my twitchy eye tells me I so desperately need, I’m scrolling through Kyliecosmetics.com and adding a highlighter palette to my shopping bag. Of course I don’t need another highlighter. I have over 100 illuminating products already, and only ever use the same three shades. But then that’s not the point.You see, my relationship with cosmetics is, how can I put this… complicated. Make-up has been there at some of the most joyous moments of my life (first dates, friends’ weddings, family celebrations), but it has also been there during the darkest times too.I’m 31 years old now, and my make-up obsession (for it is an obsession) began when I was 15. Right about the time I started being bullied. I would save…9 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019PEEL-GOOD FACTORChandler and Joey had the right idea all along, with science now proving that hugging it out after an argument is the best way to put it behind you. Even though a tender embrace feels like the very last thing you want to do after a row with your significant other, a new study* suggests it could be the cure to all woes. It showed that hugs can help keep you in a good mood and stave off the bitter emotions often felt post-quarrel. And if you’re having squad dramas, you’ll be pleased to hear the cuddle trick works there, too – just find a willing participant† and let the good moods commence.PHOTOGRAPH LEO ACKER. *PUBLISHED IN OPEN-ACCESS JOURNAL PLOS ONE,BY MICHAEL MURPHY OF CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY. †EMPHASIS ON THE…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019WORST DATES EVERMy bag had moved when I returned from the bathroom. The next day, payments totalling £1,100 left my account. He’d taken photos of my cards and gone on a gigantic online spree.MEGAN, 25We went back to his place to get food delivered. Big mistake: the windows were covered in brown tape and he presented me with a pint of water, a packet of Quavers and a chocolate bar “as a starter” while we waited.KAYLEIGH, 22HALFWAY THROUGH OUR SECOND DRINK, HE TOLD ME ABOUT HIS HOBBIES: DRESSING UP IN A LATEX GIMP SUIT, GOING TO FETISH CLUBS AND PARTAKING IN A“fellati* HUMAN CENTIPEDE”. HE ALSO PROUDLY SHOWED ME SNAPS OF HIM IN SAID OUTFIT. I’M PRETTY OPEN-MINDED BUT THAT WAS A STEP TOO FAR.KAT, 34After booking us a table for dinner,…2 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019First loveAimée Tollan, 28, is a researcher from Essex“It was electric, exciting and familiar”‘I’d just turned 25 when I met Jamil at a festival in the summer of 2015. He was onstage playing bass, and I shouted to my friend,“How fit is that bass player?” After the show we chatted, and even though he seemed full of himself, it was nice to talk. We added each other on Facebook and, after a few months, we started seeing each other. Jamil had slipped a disc in his back, so I would go round to his house for dinner and he’d play guitar. Our first kiss was a cheeky one that he sprung on me in those early days. I remember thinking,“Oh my God, it’s actually happening.” He told me he loved me…4 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019SHOP ’N’ SURF CITIES1 Nice, FranceA pastel city with a wonderfully retro promenade. Hit Galeries Lafayette for chic accessories, then splash out on a sunlounger on the pebble beach.STAY: Hotelwindsornice.com; £61 per night2 San Sebastián, SpainWander the old town, stopping for tapas and wine at the numerous pintxos bars, before laying your towel down on Zurriola Beach, a legendary surf spot.STAY: Akelarre.net; £365 per night3 Sydney, AustraliaProbably the best beach city in the world, with loads to do, from climbing the iconic bridge to a harbour tour and lounging on the golden sands of Bondi.STAY: Qthotelsandresorts.com; from £135 per night4 Los Angeles, USASpot celebs in West Hollywood, tour Universal Studios and shop Abbot Kinney’s boutiques before dinner at Shutters On The Beach.STAY: Palisociety.com; from £315 per night5 Cape Town, South AfricaOnce you’ve taken…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019THE BEGINNER’S MEDITATION1 ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY?The Mindful will begin her meditation session by getting centred. She won’t be sure what this means exactly, so she will build a small nest of sofa cushions on the floor and sit cross-legged in the centre of it. She will then decide the lighting is too harsh and get up to light some candles. The candles will make her hot, so The Mindful will get up again to open a window. This will make the room noisy, so The Mindful will then spend 20 minutes trying to find a good playlist of whale music on Spotify. All this effort will make her hungry, so The Mindful will reward herself with a snack break.2 FREE YOUR MINDBelly full, The Mindful will get re-centred and try to…2 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019WHY HAS THIS MAGAZINE CHANGED PRICE?You’ll have noticed that this magazine now costs a little more than it did last month. I know, I know, price rises are never nice… but sometimes you have to pay that bit extra to support the things you believe in. Cosmopolitan has always paid its writers fairly, and to do that in today’s world, we have to raise the price of this magazine. Good, balanced journalism costs… and we hope you’ll continue to support it.PHOTOGRAPH SARAH BRICK. HAIR AND MAKE-UP JOLANDA COETZER AT LHA REPRESENTS, USING URBAN DECAY AND PAUL MITCHELL.STYLING MADDY ALFORD. DRESS, MOTHER OF PEARL…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019RISE OF THE ROBO-PETHere’s the bad news: loneliness is on the rise. Happiness is at an all-time low. Anxiety levels are bubbling away like an over-boiled kettle. Once upon a time, a pet was the cure-all answer to life’s psychological woes. But for those of us working 13-hour days and living in a 10-person flat-share, there is good news: robo-pets (basically tech versions of Fido) are here to help.To put them through their paces, we enlisted Mrs A Grier, a seventysomething Cosmo mum, who recently lost her beloved cat of 18 years, George, and whose new digs don’t allow animals. Here’s her verdict on which to cuddle and which to cull.TEKSTA VOICE RECOGNITION PUPPY£59.99USP: The Einstein of the group, with its own app. Can walk, jump, sit.Cuddle factor: Definitely not for snuggling. It…3 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019MY CULTURED LIFELilah Parsons shares what’s keeping her entertained this monthFirst thing you read in the morning?I wish I could say it was something intellectual like the Financial Times, but it’s just Twitter.Most recent TV binge session?I’m re-watching Friends. It’s way more relatable now that I’m 30.Last thing you bought?A printer! It only took me until the age of 30 to become an adult.Favourite emoji?The monkey with its paws over its eyes, normally while I’m recounting something embarrassing.Song that gets you dancing?Shake It Off by Taylor Swift.Last film that made you cry?Bridget Jones’s Baby. Just happy-sad tears. I was obsessed with the books when I was younger.Book on your bedside table?Lily Allen’s autobiography, My Thoughts Exactly, and The Mystery of Three Quarters [the new Poirot novel] by Sophie Hannah.Last time you were…2 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019Hot right now!Quantum Botanika Cleansing Balm, £65 A rich balm disguised as a clear gel?! We love it as much as the pebble-smooth de-puffing tool it comes with.Too Faced Peach Lip Scrub, £14 This 4pm sugar fix also doubles as a smoothing lip scrub. Sorted.Suqqu Shimmer Liquid Blush in Jakuzakura, £26 Glides on and blends in effortlessly thanks to its lightweight, nourishing oil base.Clinique Fresh Pressed Clinical Overnight Booster with Retinol, £30 This comes with a separate bottle of vitamin C booster to use by day. A skin-transforming combination.Murad Revitalixir Recovery Serum, £70 Little spheres of calming actives mingle with a gel full of known skin revivers. Whack on face and eyes for visibly more perk.Nip + Fab Unicorn Essence, £15 Does your highlighter have bragging rights? This one does. It’s packed…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019HOME STRETCHWe’ve been paid-up members of the “living-room workout club” ever since Jane Fonda first sashayed onto our screens in a high-leg leotard, but the humble exercise DVD has had a (much needed) 21st-century reboot. Now the only thing you need to help you stick to those resolutions is a fitness subscription service – think Netflix, but better for your glutes. Our favourite is Fiit,* which hooks you up with the biggest fit-fluencers in the land for £20 a month. There’s also Instructor Live, which offers one-off courses, bundles or access to a whole video library for a fixed monthly price. Next step: learning to burn through a course of classes as quickly as you binged on The Crown.PHOTOGRAPHS PIXELEYES PHOTOGRAPHY, ALAMY. *FIIT.TV…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019ON THE ROCKSWe’re fully aware that Diamonds Are Forever (thanks for the reminder, Dame Shirley Bassey), but they’re also fricking expensive – so we went on a secret mission to find our own affordable finger candies. These gems are so good, even James Bond would have to enlist Mossad, MI5 and the CIA to tell them apart from the real thing. We’ll raise a martini to that (shaken not stirred, of course).Left to right: wide band, £100, Pandora. Blue, gold and teardrop-shaped stack, £220, Voodoo Jewels. Green stone, £145, Soru. Square crystals, £249, Atelier Swarovski. Gold coil, £69, Adore. Teardrop stone, £80, Pandora. Blue and white stones, £194, Voodoo JewelsPHOTOGRAPH ARTHUR WOODCROFT. NAILS CND PRO ARTIST SAMANTHA BIRKETT-LEIGH, USING CND VINYLUX IN PINK BIKINI. HAND MODEL OLGA KLIMORE AT BODY LONDON…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019Sports starsSMART LEGGINGSThese Lycra legends have grapevined off the House Of Holland catwalk and straight into everyday-acceptable. Great with a sports bra; even better with a blazerGYM BAGSBumbags have us safely in their sturdy utility clasps for another season – with holdalls and backpacks joining the (post-PE-class) party. True champions of style carry more than oneTRACKSUITSThe ultimate beans-on-toast, bins-out attire is now legitimately high fashion. For S/S 19 opt for thick jersey fabric and an air of athletic insoucience (faked if necessary)HIGH-TECH TRAINERSTime to put a zing in your step. Chunky soles, punchy colours and reflective strips ensure no personal best on the treadmill (or to the bar) will go unnoticed…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019The dos and don’ts of pitchingDos“Record yourself and listen to it. You’ll spot where you need to elaborate, slow down or speak more clearly.”Latoya“Go to improvisation classes. If you can make up a scene from the word ‘bananas’, you’ll learn to think on your feet and trust your voice.”AnnaDon’ts“Start-ups are unique and founded by individuals with a story. Don’t be afraid to tell yours – people will connect with your experience.”Rushina“Forget trying to remember your pitch word-for-word. If you forget one small thing, you’re screwed. Have key bullet points and imagine you’re talking to a friend.”Eve…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019“Embrace your lows as the best lesson”> Test the waters early onStitch Fix launched in 2011, while I was at Harvard Business School. My sister is a fashion buyer, and she’d introduce me to cool labels and offer styling advice. It made me think that in this age of overwhelming choice, there could be space in the market for a service that delivers hand-picked garments to your door, taking into account everything from your size to pattern preferences. I took out a £4,500-limit credit card and bought products from boutiques, then encouraged friends of friends to sign up for sample boxes (charging a £15 styling fee, along with the cost of items they wanted to keep – I’d return the rest). I needed to trial the concept and gather feedback fast, so everyone completed SurveyMonkey questionnaires.…2 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019RAPE IN THE p*rn INDUSTRYTHERE WAS A SATISFIED LOOK ON HIS FACE AS HE SAID IT. He ignored the woman when she raised her head, looked him straight in his eyes and replied “no”. He wasn’t taking that for an answer. So he asked again.The reply was the same.“No.”So he took matters into his own hands, reaching for a fistful of her hair and pushing her backwards onto the mattress behind her. Then he began to pound his crotch repeatedly in her face. Again. And again. And again.Barely a metre away a crowd of people had gathered. No one said a thing.‘DO YOU WANT TO SNIFF MY testicl*S?’UNTIL RECENTLY, STORIES LIKE THIS WEREN’T SPOKEN ABOUT. Not publicly anyway. They were uttered in whispers, passed from woman to woman, warnings not to “deal” with certain…13 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019THE SECRET LIFE OF A 'NAUGHTY' MUSLIMI’ve just got in. The oven clock flashes 1.03am. I fill a glass with water while simultaneously taking off the high-heeled boots I’ve had on since 7.30am yesterday. My mouth has the stale tang of several tequila shots and half a packet of Marlboro Lights. I knock the water back greedily. From out of the early-morning gloaming I see my phone light up – a WhatsApp from someone I half-remember meeting last night. My eyes flick over the preview message: “Come over,” it says. I consider it. Then I remember… it’s only Wednesday.To many, this might sound like a standard Tuesday night for a 26-year-old woman, especially if you work in London, as I do. For me, however, every drag of a cigarette, every slam of a shot, every line…9 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019“I’VE FINALLY DISCOVERED LOVE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE LIMITED TO ONE PERSON”One of the most common reactions that I get from friends when I tell them my wife Lucy* and I are polyamorous is, “Well, that’s fine if you want to have a bit of fun sleeping around. But what happens if you or Lucy fall in love with someone else? What then?”Some of our friends are worried that such an eventuality will lead to the ultimate breakdown of our marriage – with one of us moving out to live with our new lover and leaving our old family life behind.People assume that, ultimately, one relationship has to “win”, meaning that all others will be discarded. I have repeatedly explained that polyamory is built on the principle that you can love more than one person. Being in love with more than…3 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019THE OBAMA LOVE RULESWhat makes a strong marriage? If anyone knows, it’s Michelle Obama. Since 1989 (the year of their first date), she and Barack appear to have had an unshakeable bond. But like all good relationships, it’s taken work. Here, she tells Oprah Winfrey their story…OPRAH WINFREY: You write [in your memoir], about meeting him, “I’d constructed my existence carefully, tucking and folding every loose and disorderly bit of it, as if building some tight and airless piece of origami… He was like a wind that threatened to unsettle everything.” At first you didn’t like being unsettled.MICHELLE OBAMA: Oh God, no.OW: This, I love – a moment that cracks me up: “I woke one night to find him staring at the ceiling, his profile lit by the glow of the streetlights outside.…4 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019BUILD YOUR OWN BREAKHotels are great and all, but haven’t you ever flopped into bed after a leisurely day of touristing and sighed, “If only I’d built this myself?” No? Us neither, actually. But now we know it’s a possibility, we’re disgustingly keen to tick it off our travel bucket list. You see, Much Better Adventures* in the Swiss Alps offers guests the chance to create their own igloo and kip in it overnight (fear not, a backup hotel is available). Vildmark I Värmland in Sweden† is a raft-building company that helps you construct your own, navigate it downstream and then pitch a tent nearby; or, closer to home, you can learn how to build a bushcraft shelter for the evening in North Wales with the Wild Bushcraft Company.‡ An Ikea Billy Bookcase…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019VALENTINE’S SPECIALYOUR NEW PLEASURE RITUAL: HORØSCOPETwelve holistic pleasure kits containing your birthstone, a cl*toral balm based on your element and a finger vibrator tailored to your zodiac sign. A three-step ritual with one clear goal: to let your feminine energy flow. R.R.P: £40.GET 25% OFF: COSMOHOROSCOPE18 www.bijouxindiscrets.comETERNAL PETALSLuxurious real roses that look, feel and smell fresh for a year with no water or maintenance needed! A romantic gesture, a celebration, a beautiful gift.Visit eternalpetals.com to choose a single rose, a flower box, or a vase. Prices start from £39. Use discount code: 02COSMO for a 20% discount!FIRST SEXY CALENDAR12 accessories, 12 days, 12 experiences. Awake your seductive power with 12 sexy days calendar: A luxury box that will gradually awaken your seductive power. Garters, pasties, handcuffs with a double jeu: you…2 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019SEE MORE CLEARLYThe TV show you’re bingeing on. The bland playlist you listen to on repeat. The bloke who’s basically indistinguishable from your other Tinder matches. Chances are, all of these arrived via algorithms – artificial intelligence that helps apps and websites guess your tastes. In a bid to inject serendipity back into our “algorithmed” (new word, just made it up) lives, brands are launching anti-algorithm services. Take Sofar Sounds, which organises regular “secret gigs” across the UK – you only discover who’s playing on the night. Or try film-subscription-service Mubi, which enlists critics to select a “film of the day”, available for 30 days before being replaced by another. Then there’s Upflix, which allows you to list Netflix shows according to newness (rather than similarity to your viewing history). Next step:…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019Gunning for an OscarSTEVE CARELLBreakout role: Playing boss from hell Michael Scott in The Office (US version).His 2018/2019 rebrand: Portraying the father of a meth addict (Timothée Chalamet) in Beautiful Boy, as well as Mark Hogancamp in heartwrenching drama Welcome To Marwen.When he started getting serious: In 2014, for his role as psychotic millionaire John du Pont in Foxcatcher.Previous career-defining scene: Having his chest hair waxed off in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. For real.New career-defining scene: The courtroom scene in Welcome To Marwen, where he faces a group of men who violently attacked him.He’d rather Hollywood forgot... His part as a mall cop in Sleepover, a true nadir in the history of teen flicks.MELISSA McCARTHYBreakout role: Playing feisty sister-of-the-groom Megan in Bridesmaids.Her 2018/2019 rebrand: Playing bespectacled author turned con artist Lee Israel in Can…2 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019LET IT RAIN1 CITY SLICKERDIFFICULTY: 1/3If you’re looking for a way to keep those pesky flyaways at bay, this glossy-posse look might be the answer. Virtue Labs’ creative director Adir Abergel gives us the lowdown on how to recreate the sleek look seen on the catwalk at Ann Demeulemeester’s A/W 18 show.“Start by scrunching a handful of mousse throughout your hair, then combing a second handful just through the top, leaving the texture at the back a little more natural,” says Abergel. Comb the hair back over the head and tuck behind the ears, so that it lies close to the scalp, then finish the look off with a slick of heavy hair gel or oil, to complete the high-shine finish. Blinding.2 RISING DAMPDIFFICULTY: 2/3On lazy days, skip that much-needed wash session…2 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019INGE HAS ISSUESWhat’s the deal with … Beauty sleep?A whole beauty industry subset called “sleep beauty” aims to tackle sleeplessness with special mists, oils and face creams.Any good? I had insomnia for three years and can assure you a sleep mist won’t touch the sides of that monster. Medication, meditation and an amazing GP did.So – don’t bother? Many “sleep” aromatherapy blends are gorgeous and have clinically proven calming properties; just don’t pin your sleepless hopes on them.What do you recommend? Epsom salts. Soaking in them is the best way (yes, better than taking supplements) to restore magnesium levels, which makes cortisol (stress hormone) levels dip to leave you snoozy. For that effect, you’re going to need a LOT (500g to 1kg) of salts per tepid, 20-minute bath – but there’s no…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019SILICON VALLEY LIVINGAnew, unlikely health hub has emerged. Taking over from New York and Bondi Beach, Silicon Valley is fast becoming the place for the most forward-thinking practices. Yep, not content with changing our lives forever with apps, the tech gurus also want their brains and bodies to function at their very peak. Presumably so they can create the next Uber/Tinder/Facebook without pesky things like tiredness, colds and even ageing getting in the way. The practices they’ve created? Not “diets” or “habits” but “biohacks” – and we’ve decoded the elite’s favourites. Warning: calming yoga these are not…CRYOTHERAPYWHAT’S THE HACK?Imagine a vertical tanning booth, where instead of being sprayed with fake tan, you’re covered in a freezing-cold grey mist. It’s liquid nitrogen and the temperature can reach as low as -130°C – and…6 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019SHOP ME NOWForever lingerieSome things are classics for a reason: Chanel No5, 2 Become 1 by the Spice Girls and these beautifully understated anything-but-basicsPsst... At last lingerie makers are recognising that there’s more than one shade of nude. At Nubian Skin (Nubianskin.com), choose from Berry, Cinnamon, Caramel and Cafe Au Lait.Show-it-off lingerieColour, prints and playful details – it’s almost too good to cover up, but we do recommend it. At work, for example…Psst... Big bust and small back? Fun, flirtatious underwear that actually fits can be yours. Mimi Holliday has sizes from 30D-30F, while PrimaDonna goes up to a J-cup in 32 inches.Staying-in lingerieElevate an appointment with Pointless and a pizza in soft, easy-going separates – from shorts and bralets to joggers and vestsPsst... Some occasions do not require an underwire. A…2 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019THE ART OF CONVERSATIONHillary Clinton does it, so does Kim Kardashian... and we’re betting you do too. Filler words (like, well: “like”, “um” and “basically”) crop up in our speech on average five times every minute. The problem? We’re judged for it. While women are more harshly critiqued on the way they talk than men,* studies show that excessive use of filler words makes everyone sound less intelligent.† Keep yours in check with new app Gweek (created by linguist James Bryce). Use it to make a 60-second “phone call” that will be analysed for pauses, unnecessary words and pronunciation. Sounds, like, totally cool.PHOTOGRAPH LOUISA PARRY. *ACCORDING TO A 2011 STUDY BY THE JOHN JAY COLLEGE OF CRIMINALJUSTICE; AND A 2012 STUDY BY YALE UNIVERSITY. †STUDY OF 2,000 PEOPLE BY MORTAR RESEARCH, 2018…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019Laid-back ambitionThe time is 2pm, it’s a Friday afternoon and Rochelle Humes has said the word “penis” three times in the past five minutes. She’s recounting a recent interview with a man who got fillers to make his bigger. “He originally called the salon for hair plugs!” she says, peeling into giggles.This is not how I expected the conversation to go. Humes was, after all, one-fifth of The Saturdays – the UK’s answer to Fifth Harmony. Interviews with the band were largely what you expected from a frothy, manufactured pop group: friendship, beauty routines, fashion… the sort of PR-friendly “safe” topics that are designed to keep girl groups as uniformly bland as possible. Unique personalities are not part of the girl-group formula (with, perhaps, the exception of the Spice Girls). One…8 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019SHOUT OUT TO MY EXESAs I sit at a bar one cold Thursday lunchtime, waiting for the man I lost my virginity to 12 years ago to arrive, I wonder: how did I get to this point?I’m a 29-year-old single mum to an energetic and cheeky little four-year-old, Freddy. I’ve got a fulfilling career as a writer and presenter and a full social life. Yet, when I look back over my life, I’m not quite where I thought I’d be by now. While marriage does in no way define success, I saw myself with a partner. What happened along the way? I’m not quite sure.My policy has always been to look forward. To keep moving on, no matter what. But perhaps I should consider looking back. To return to those men it didn’t work…13 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019BEHIND THE SCENESLaila Baqri“This article made me think of all the ‘near misses’ friends and I have had, like when a mate’s dad found a condom in her purse, and she told him it was given to her in a compulsory talk and she had no idea what ‘ribbed for her pleasure’ meant. A simple everyday thing for many, but for us, another white lie we have to tell.”ILLUSTRATION VISNEZH/FREEPIK. “EYE WINK” IPHONE CASE BYBIG MOMENTS, £19.45, REDBUBBLE.COM. SHOES, DUNE LONDON.ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS GETTY. *NAME HAS BEEN CHANGED.†IRINNEWS.ORG. ‡ PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019MY BEST SEX EVER WAS… with a Bollywood star‘When I was a student I was, like everyone else around me, absolutely skint. So when a friend who worked for a PR company offered me a gig at a media event, I jumped at the chance. It sounded fun – helping with odd jobs at a Bollywood film launch – but, more importantly, the pay was good.Lots of my friends were big Bollywood fans. Me? I was more of a Hunger Games girl, so I didn’t realise how big a deal this film was until I showed up for work. The event was being held in a five-star hotel in the middle of London, and the first thing I had to do, after weaving my way through the crowds waiting outside, was sign a non-disclosure agreement.Inside, the hotel lobby…3 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019MICHELLE’S FRIENDSHIP FORMULA‘You become the First Lady and people are like, well, she’s too busy, she doesn’t want to talk. To all my friends, I’d be like, “Tell me about your son.” And it’s like, “You don’t want to hear about that.” I absolutely do. I had to find a way to continue to remind my girlfriends that I’m here for them. I started planning boot camps at Camp David every three months because, I thought, “We’re gonna do stuff that’s healthy.” A lot of my friends are my age, reaching middle age. So I would have my trainer, one of the White House chefs, go to Camp David and we’d set up, like, four days of really hard exercise. I eliminated sugar and wine. And then people were like, “I’m not…1 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019LINGERIE LOVERSSatisfy your Valentine’s lingerie desires with the brand that’s revolutionising the underwear world, Lounge! It’s the perfect time of year for guilt free underwear updates! Whether you’re coupled up or taking on Valentine’s solo this year with your #femalefamily, your love of lingerie is guaranteed to grow stronger with Lounge - plus they’re offering 10% off to Cosmo readers with code LOUNGEVDAY.We talk to Co-Founder Mel, to get some Lounge insider info and find out what to have your eye on this 14th February.Mel, what is Lounge Underwear and what makes it so good?Put simply, Lounge is Comfort Made Sexy. We’re a brand with big dreams, designing a range of luxury and everyday pieces made with soft cottons and laces, ultra-sexy shapes and lines to ensure we can offer women…2 min
Cosmopolitan UK|February 2019TREAT YOURSELFTHE WORLD’S MOST COMPACT BALLERINA SHOESWhen size really does matter! afterheels fit into the smallest of clutch bags so you can look good and be comfy wherever, whenever. There’s also a silky satin duffle bag to carry your beautiful heels in, so afterheels are an ideal accompaniment for get togethers, giving you the perfect protection for your post-party feet – barefoot at this time of year just isn’t happening! Cosmo readers receive 15% discount, just enter the code: cosmofeb19 at the checkout. www.afterheels.comBESSIE LONDONBESSIE LONDON is an East London handbag and accessories brand that embodies London’s ‘quirky elegance’ with classic structures and modern designs. Their handbags are ideal for working professionals that need a strong practical bag while looking and feeling fabulous. Introducing their new AW18 collection visit their website…1 min
