Lifestyle

By Helen Sadler My daughter Josephine’s own medical experiences inspired me to create a special character that has gone onto help many children and families across the UK. Whilst I was pregnant with Josephine, she was diagnosed with Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation (CCAM), meaning there were cysts growing in her lungs. This was obviously very worrying news and at that stage we wouldn’t know to what extent her condition would affect her ability to breathe until she was born. Fortunately,...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Most of us have sat down to eat after a long hard day's work, and the phone rings. Reluctantly you answer it, and the person on the other end of the line is trying to sell you double glazing, offering PPI refunds or the classic “have you been in an accident in the last…” Well new research in England has discovered that northerners receive more of these calls then people down south, with Geordies getting the...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor The UK has seen a 21% increase in number of beauty-related businesses in last four years says Barclays. The number of beauty businesses in the UK has risen by over a fifth in the last four years, according to new data from Barclays Business. Barclays has seen a significant increase in the number of small beauty businesses since 2010, in addition to a 24% rise in the combined turnover of these businesses over the same...

By  Leanne Dempsey   @leanneysbabble Fashion and style in the fifties was fun, flirty and feminine, so it comes as no surprise that it is still a favourite of many in 2014. The floaty skirts, kitsch patterns and block colours make fifties inspired clothing ideal for the summer months, but sometimes fifties, or indeed any vintage style, can be daunting to wear if you’re not sure how. Well never fear, fifties fans, as you can read on to read three simple ways...

 By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor This summer, all over the country, people will be visiting an online John Lewis wedding gift list to buy one of a pair of cappuccino towels (because it’s the only thing left for under £50).  Selecting a gift for the bride and groom is as traditional as cutting the cake or watching the first dance, but it’s also one aspect of weddings that’s a political minefield. It isn’t just the wedding guests who vex about...

By Laura Casewell As experts tell us all too often, looking after your skin is unfortunately not a one-size-fits-all process. We start to see the early signs of ageing in our late twenties, but as each decade passes the skin changes, and so too must your skincare routine. Of course, we’re all different, and some of us age faster than others thanks to genetics and lifestyle, but there are some basic skin principles that can help you look as young...

By Leanne Dempsey With the commonwealth games a big success north of the border and the Scottish referendum imminent, it is no surprise that all eyes are on Scotland. So, it is somewhat shocking that one in ten of us do not know what the countries capital is. A recent YouGov survey, commissioned by Sykes Cottages, asked 2,390 respondents from England, Scotland and Wales to name Scotland’s capital city. Some of the results were shocking, to say the least. Amongst the incorrect answers...

By Steve Taggart The non-surgical treatments industry has seen massive growth throughout the last few years, with demand for anti-ageing and cosmetic treatments remaining buoyant even during the darkest days of the recession. Perhaps one of the reasons is that the market is still in growth, expanding naturally as more and more consumers become aware of the treatments available and the results that can be achieved without surgery. The most popular treatments carried out remain injectable treatments. These are quick,...

By Sallie Bale, Director, Communica PR In life, things change and move on. There are so many things in my everyday life that by the time I have children, will be obsolete. And many things are already going that way. Every now and again, it strikes me that something that I am doing makes no sense in today's world, and yet makes total sense to me. My children won't understand why the international sign for "taking a picture" is putting...