In 2020, after beauty brands worldwide were [called out](https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2020/jun/13/fashion-brands-culture-george-floyd) on social media for their long-standing lack of representation and inclusion, the industry was finally forced to spotlight people of different genders, races, and sizes. Despite that progress, however, the beauty industry still remains as a space predominantly designed for able-bodied users – with brands rarely taking opportunities to platform people with disabilities in campaigns, glossing over requests to create disability-friendly products, and in turn, excluding the [14.1 million disabled people](https://www.scope.org.uk/media/disability-facts-figures/) in the UK and the [one billion disabled people worldwide](https://humanity-inclusion.org.uk/en/action/disability-the-global-picture#:~:text=One%20billion%20people%20around%20the,disabilities%20live%20in%20developing%20countries.&text=Jay%20Clark%2FHI-,One%20billion%20people%20around%20the%20world%20live%20with%20some%20form,15%25%20of%20the%20global%20population.).

“There’s a lot of people who would benefit if people would take the time to listen and to understand how to make things easier for others,” TikTok MUA [Gabe Adams-Wheatley](https://www.tiktok.com/@gabeadams?lang=en) tells Woo, explaining that seeing more disabled people in campaigns would be “eye-opening” for more than just the disabled community alone.

Since his first post in 2018, Gabe, who is known on Instagram under the username [@no_limbs_](https://www.instagram.com/no_limbs_/?hl=en), has amassed over 2.4 million followers online. Uploading [creative make-up tutorials](https://www.tiktok.com/@gabeadams/video/7070177976322772266?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7070220904265041413); [GRWMs](https://www.tiktok.com/@gabeadams/video/7049513963033234735?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7070220904265041413); and [beauty challenges](https://www.tiktok.com/@gabeadams/video/7073192715902668074?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7070220904265041413), the MUA delivers a joyful glimpse into his daily life without limbs – all while delivering uplifting representation for people with disabilities in the beauty community.

When he was born in São Paulo, Brazil, Gabe was diagnosed with Hanhart syndrome – a condition which left him without any arms or legs, and at nine-months-old, he was adopted into a family with 13 other children in Utah where he attended school in a wheelchair and was taught to live independently by his parents. In seventh grade – trying to avoid being labeled as “the kid in the wheelchair” – he began using creativity as a way to connect with others and prove himself, spending hours secretly teaching himself to dance so that he could perform in his school talent show (which he won with a standing ovation, of course). 

Later, while competing in his high school’s dance company, Gabe tried make-up for the first time – drawn in by the fact that “it’s so creative, and anyone can do it” and began practising daily. After years spent working as a motivational speaker to “try to make some change” in his former schools and local businesses, however, Gabe decided to quit his job to focus on his creativity with make-up full-time when the pandemic hit. “Honestly (motivational speaking) was not something I ever wanted to do,” reflects Gabe. “Luckily, when COVID hit, I was able to show more of my creative side with make-up.” 


Since then, the beauty influencer has gathered over 76 million likes on his TikToks, which showcase his unique way of applying make-up using his mouth, neck, and face to swipe brushes, dot on foundation, blend eyeshadow, and glue on false eyelashes. “My favourite part of my make-up routine would have to be the setting powder because it really cleans up the contour,” he explains. “My least favourite part would actually be the setting powder because it gets everywhere.”

While Gabe notes that he’s been able to find his own way to use the products already on the market, he also acknowledges that brands need to spend time listening to people with disabilities. “There needs to be a little more of an open dialogue on how to do things,” Gabe explained in an [interview](https://www.dazeddigital.com/beauty/body/article/55610/1/when-will-disabled-representation-become-a-priority-in-beauty) last month. “I was asked by a brand to film a video where I’m holding the product up to show it and I was so stressed because I can hold it up, but it’s not going to look as graceful as somebody else.”

Beyond make-up, Gabe has used his platform to share more personal experiences – from explaining the way that he [gets ready](https://www.tiktok.com/@gabeadams/video/7003016306182376710?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7070220904265041413) in the morning, to sharing videos from his wedding day with his husband, [announcing](https://www.tiktok.com/@gabeadams/video/7059537220197436719?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7070220904265041413) that he identifies as non-binary in drag, and opening up about the bullying he has faced online and IRL. “A lot of you want to make fun of me for being physically different,” he states in one [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@gabeadams/video/7072867518783819051?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7070220904265041413). “But until you’ve personally lived my life without limbs, maybe don’t comment because I’m doing my best.” 


Through any backlash, however, Gabe explains that the positive responses he receives makes it worth it. “It’s touching to hear that people with disabilities are watching my videos and learning and growing,” he says.

As for the future, Gabe hopes to continue his work in beauty – whether that’s through creating his own palette or getting involved with fashion – and to continue to uplift others with disabilities in the beauty community. “If there's any kind of impact that I hope to have in the beauty industry or even just in general, it would be (the message) that the sky is not the limit,” he says. “And nobody can tell me that I can't because I definitely can… and I will.”

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The beauty industry’s long-standing exclusion of people with disabilities is bust open in Gabe’s joyful TikToks

Differently-abled beauty: Gabe Adams-Wheatley is an MUA without limbs

Hannah Bertolino

Gabe Adams-Wheatley: the beauty influencer born without limbs 

 
The pleasure that cis women experience when they orgasm is, to everyone else, the stuff of legend. But who says that men, non binary, trans, and gender fluid people can’t experience similarly out-of-this-world sensations when they climax? That is the mission of a growing number of sex toys aimed at expanding our ideas around gender and sex tech: to bring realms of pleasure that, until now, had seemed impossible. The big ‘O’ is for everyone, obv.
 
The idea that sex toys are for women is a thing of the past, like VHS players and (hopefully) bootcut jeans. Human bodies are not the same, and we all have different things that we find stimulating and hot! Sex toys have evolved to reflect a demand that is (ahem, quite literally) growing rapidly. That’s right, theydies and gents: a run-of-the-mill wank simply isn’t going to cut it anymore. People want flexibility and a more tailored experience to get us off. We want to use toys together, or separately, to stimulate different parts of the body. We want toys that are visually pleasing too, with both discrete and eye-catching options. 
 
It’s still a developing space, so we’re here to help. Below are some of the most innovative, futuristic, and fun sex toys that deprioritise gender in favour of fun. From prostate massagers to the world’s first rimming plug and toys with new airwave technology, technicolour patterns, remote apps and world-beating flexibility. There’s now a sex toy for everyone – whatever their identity – so let us help find the perfect one for you.


When it comes to picking the right butt plug, the breadth of choice can be daunting. The Bfilled Wave Textured plug from B Swish has stimulating ripple texture contours, which set it aside from other products. These contours stimulate your butt as the plug slides into your body. If you’re a beginner, this toy is plump (like a few fingers), with a tapered tip that should make insertion easy. And if you’re more experienced, the plug’s silicone gradually warms to body temperature, which makes it ideal for longer-term wear. 
 


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Bfilled Wave Textured Butt Plug

Penis rings are designed for fuller, longer-lasting erections and more powerful orgasms. But what’s better than a ring that pleasures you? A ring that can pleasure you and someone else, of course. The We-Vibe Verge is contoured to stimulate and, using the We-Connect app, it’s easy to switch vibration modes. There are eight to choose from, so you’re sure to find the perfect sensation to match your vibe – pun intended. 
 


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Verge

Arcwave Ion promises to take orgasms to a whole new level – in fact, for males, it claims to be the closest thing to the female orgasm experience. That’s quite a claim, but here’s the sell: after you apply lubricant to the device and the penis, the Arcwave Ion stimulates it with pulsating airwave technology. You can tailor your perfect orgasm by mixing and matching the Pleasure Air with a stroking action, creating a sensation so intense that users of the device say it can provide multiple orgasms in quick succession – now that sounds too good to be missed out on.


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At first glance, the Satisfyer Multifun looks a little intimidating. But don’t worry: this is a versatile toy that can be used on pretty much any body part, person or couple. The uses of this toy are pretty much as limited – or wide! – as your imagination. It can be placed against the base of a penis, ground against it during penetration, tease the balls and anus with the arms, or even gently pinch a clit or nipple. 
The Multifun comes in two super-cute colourways: blue and pink. The pink version has slightly more of a gap between the arms and has a little more give, whereas the blue is firmer at the point where the arms come together. Apart from that, they're pretty much identical.


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Satisfyer Multifun Partner Vibrator

Tenga Eggs is a masturbation sleeve that is seriously stretchy, to accommodate penises of all sizes. All you need to do is lube up and slide in. Each egg has a different pattern, which provides you with different sensations as you use it. And there’s a selection of fab packaging designs too, including a dynamic Keith Haring print. What could be gayer than that?


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Tenga Egg

If you want harder, longer-lasting erections, then the fizzing vibrations of the Satisfyer Signet Cock Ring will surely satisfy you. This soft silicone ring has been designed with two people’s pleasure in mind, delivering an intense vibration to everyone. Another fun feature is that you can use your phone to control the Signet Cock Ring, or better yet hand over control to someone miles away, all through the Satisfyer Connect App. There are 10 vibration settings to choose from, so you can tailor your orgasm to your exact wants and desires. 


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Satisfyer App Enabled Signet Cock Ring

The Transformer is everything in one: it’s a rabbit, a clitoral massager, a cock-ring, a g-spot stimulator and a prostate massager. You can use it as a double-ended vibrator, or a vibrating double-ended dildo too. It’s a sex toy that transcends labels and body-types, with users praising the Transformer’s versatility and pleasure.


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sex toy Transformer Cerise

Transformer Cerise

This is the world's first rimming plug – which is quite an accolade! But what does that mean and how does it work? Well, the plug has rotating beads at the neck, which are meant to mimic the sensation of rimming, with seven titillating settings to choose from. The tie-dye design embodies what most people will agree the world needs right now – peace, love, and pleasure. Matching its groovy look, b-Vibe’s plug comes with a psychedelic box of accessories, including stickers and badges. 


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b-Vibe Peace & Love Tie-Dye Rimming Plug

Lelo’s prostate massager promises to provide prostate pleasure like never before. Made from silky smooth silicone, the massager stimulates the prostate and perineum simultaneously, which can increase the size and intensity of your climax by 33%. Who knew? In terms of other features, the remote has a range of intuitive controls, eight settings and motors in both the base and tip of the toy. These work together to deliver double pleasure and hands-free orgasms. Sign us up!


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Lelo Hugo Remote Control Prostate Massager

By now, we know that foreplay is no consolation prize. Well, that’s if the Pulse Duo Lux has anything to do with it. It is designed to be enjoyed by one or two people, with one partner enjoying the stimulation provided by the powerful PulsePlate, the other experiencing the intense vibrations emitted from the base of the toy against the perineum. Its two wrist-strap remotes enable both people to tailor their climax experience, or why not swap remotes and take your couples’ play to a whole new level.


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Pulse Duo

The Crescendo prides itself on being the world’s most flexible vibrator, which means it can be used by people of all identities. The vibrator is designed to mimic your fingers, so its strong-points are flexibility and targeted stimulation. Crescendo took four years of research to perfect and is 100% waterproof, so it’s ideal for use in baths, hot tubs and pools. The wetter the better, theydies and gents. 


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Crescendo

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We’re past gendering body parts,so why sex toys? Here’s some genderless toys, prostate massagers, remote control apps, and masturbation sleeves to peruse
 


11 mind-blowing sex toys proving sexual pleasure has no gender

Louis Staples

As I completed the final checks of a painstakingly curated Insta dump, I  noticed a big, juicy camel toe peeking out from my bike shorts. At that moment, I  seriously considered not posting a photo of me in front of a literal Wonder of the  World (Rio de Janeiro’s Christ The Redeemer), all because you could see the  outline of my vulva. My human vulva which 50% of the world’s population has and  many more enjoy on a regular basis.

For anyone unaware, a camel toe occurs when the outline of the labia (vulva ‘lips’)  are visible through clothing. Likened to ‘crotch cleavage’ by the Urban Dictionary,  the term has become loosely synonymous with having anything short of a smooth Barbie crotch. Never mind a full-on wedgie, any vague suggestion of your ‘intimate  parts’ is enough to warrant utter mortification and a wardrobe change. 

Every single one of my female friends said they do a routine ‘camel toe check’  before posting or leaving the house, and agreed they wouldn’t post a photo if they  had one, no matter how good they looked. We’re getting so much better at  embracing periods, different body sizes, boobs and the rest, but is camel toe the  last thing even the most forward-thinking women are allowed to openly hate? 


For men, the celebrated bulge or ‘dick print’ gives glorified sex symbol status.  Remember *that*  Alex Pettyfer mirror selfie? The paparazzi shot of Paul Mescal  running topless down a street in teeny shorts or [Tion Wayne’s viral snap](https://twitter.com/tionwayne/status/1027211345631109120)? The world is routinely sent into a  frenzy by the sighting of men’s nether regions, with memes marking Grey  Sweatpants Season as the epitome of titillation. Where’s our Camel Season? And  come to think of it, why on earth are we okay with comparing our vulvas to a  spitting, stinking animal anyway?! Petition to make ‘v print’ a thing, please. 

The term ‘camel toe’ has been around since the ‘90s, but became more widely  popularised in 2001 by the “Camel Toe Annie” skit on *Late Night with Conan  O’Brien*, where a woman wearing spandex pranced around with an over-the-top  crotch bulge. Soon after, ‘camel toe’ appeared in the Urban Dictionary and the 00s  fashion press ran with it as yoga pants and leggings became the dressing norm. In  2009, Marie Claire called camel toe ‘the most humiliating clothing disaster we know  of’. In a quick Google search, you’ll find page after page of the worst celebrity  camel toes or ways to prevent it, even from the last few years. Compare this to the  men’s coverage - like Cosmopolitan’s Celebrity Bulges We Love - and Houston, we  have a big old sexist problem. 

Last year, a camel toe hack went viral on social media showing women how to cut  up bra inserts and put them into the underwear flap. But the piece of fabric in your undies is there for a reason: to make them ‘breathable’. Blocking this is a yeast  infection waiting to happen, amirite? There have been calls for designers to ‘do better’ when designing the crotch are for women’s clothes, but how about we just get over it? 

The only celebrity role model (of sorts) we have for embracing camel toe is Khloe  Kardashian. In *Keeping Up With The Kardashians*, hers became a classic plot line when she named it Kamille the Camel as she batted off relentless digs from her  sisters. They even practically begged her to cover it by buying a Camel Toe Concealer – effectively a reusable silicone insert akin to ‘chicken cutlets’ for bras. 

‘Khloe Kardashian was the first person I ever heard speak about camel toe,’ says  comedian [Grace Campbell](https://www.instagram.com/disgracecampbell/?hl=en), who’s written extensively about sexual and bodily  shame in her debut book *Amazing Disgrace*. ‘She paved the way and made me  realise I’m not the only person in the world to have one.’ Campbell is so self conscious of her own camel toe that she will only wear a skirt on stage to prevent any trouser *mishaps*. ‘It’s just the way my body is made and I wish I didn’t care, but I really do,’ she says.  

It seems Khloe Kardashian cares too. Almost as soon as she said, ‘I have a very  big cameltoe. My pussy is large and in charge. I embrace it,’ on *RuPaul’s Drag Race*, she backtracked when she began her body transformation. ‘Now that I’ve lost weight, I swear my pussy has lost weight too, which I did not know was an option  but thank God,’ she told Nylon in 2016. 


Discussions elsewhere on screen are few and far between. Even in boundary pushing *Broad City* (which devotes a whole episode to periods and tampons),  Ilana thinks camel toe is the funniest thing on the planet - not exactly helpful. It’s also one of the few taboos not tackled in Netflix’s *Sex Education*. 

The most recent pop culture mention is in Stylo G’s latest single,’Camel toe’.  Accompanied by a hyper-sexualised video of underwear-clad curvy women lined up  for a camel toe talent competition (yes, really), the rapper professes his love of ‘fat pumpum’. Objectification aside, writer, activist and co-host of The Body Protest  podcast [Honey Ross](https://www.instagram.com/honeykinny/ 
) admitted she felt a warm rush of gratification. ‘It’s nice to hear  something different celebrated,’ she says. ‘As the owner of a fat pussy, it felt  refreshing to get a shout out.’ But she’s quick to note that perhaps this is more of a  conditioned response to an ‘illusion of positive representation’. As each body type  and individual body part cycles in and out of fashion, Ross fears a new celebration  of a juicy camel toe will cross into the murky waters of fetishisation. ‘People in marginalised bodies have so often had to navigate people’s intentions; is this  adoration or fetishisation? Are you here for the wrapping paper of my body or the  present of my soul?’ 


It’s true, there *are* some undercurrents of fetishisation with camel toes. On TikTok, there’s a trend where girls purposefully position their knickers for one. In Japan, silicone camel toe knickers (yes, silicone camel toe knickers) were all the rage a few years ago to achieve a plumper look. In the West, these knickers are largely marketed at trans women, but LGBTQIA+ underwear brand founder [Carmen Liu](https://www.instagram.com/carmenliulingerie) says she’s never heard of a trans woman or trans femme person who uses them. 

‘We receive many product requests and camel toe knickers have not been one of them yet,’ she says. Trans activist, [Eva Echo](https://www.instagram.com/evaech0/), can see the appeal though. ‘Shapewear and prosthetics fill a need in the lengthy wait for surgery,’ she says. ‘They can help trans women to feel and look feminine in the interim.’

[Lady Phyll](https://www.instagram.com/ladyphyll/?hl=en), co-founder and executive director of [UK Black Pride](https://www.ukblackpride.org.uk/meet-the-team), says, ‘The celebration of women's bodies cannot be divorced from the ways our bodies are so regularly subject to the whims and policing of men.’ She's excited by any steps towards more unapologetic expressions of womanhood - '(whatever that means for each of us)' – as it brings women closer to acceptance of the 'powerful, beautiful and sacred bodies we inhabit’.

But for now, the go-to reaction is still largely revulsion. And this comes from the inherent shame of having a vulva full stop. Obsessions over having a bigger/saggier/fatter/uneven vulva has led many women to surgery in a bid for a ‘designer vagina’. Consultant plastic surgeon [Dr Sujatha Tadiparthi](http://www.choiceaesthetics.uk) explains that labial reduction has been an increasingly requested procedure in her practice. ‘Labiaplasty surgery aims to reshape and resize by removing the excess inner or outer labia,’ she says, noting that the main drive is usually for appearance.

Dr Edward Morris, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, believes more women are seeking out these procedures due to a ’lack of awareness of the vulva and the ‘normal’ female body, which has given rise to anxiety over the vulval and vaginal appearance’. 

According to [research](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3019129/New-study-reveals-50-cent-women-don-t-know-normal-vagina-looks-like-one-seven-considered-having-cosmetic-surgery-there.html) by Beauty Haven, 50 percent of women don’t know what an average vulva looks like. I find that easy to believe. Only last week, I had a middle of-the-night teary panic while inspecting my vulva in the mirror in search of a  thought-to-be missing tampon. I worked myself up into hysteria thinking I had a  cyst, before Googling ‘average vagina’ and discovering my anatomy was  completely normal – and I’m still a bit spooked. I’m in my *late twenties*.  

‘You aren’t born feeling shame for your body or your camel toe, that’s all learned  behaviour,’ continues Ross. And the biggest shamers might just be ourselves,  suggests Campbell. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever been publicly shamed for camel toe, but I certainly shame myself,’ she says. 

So what can we learn from this? I’m not demanding total self-love of camel toe  over here – apologies, *v print* – but why don’t we start trying not to hate it, at the  very least? ‘It’s only embarrassing if you’re embarrassed’ after all, and indifference could go a long way. 

I decided to post my bulge heavy photo with Christ The Redeemer on Instagram,  and guess what? Life continued as normal! People liked my photo! No one told me  I was a disgusting freak! As summer approaches, it’s V Print Season whether we want it or not, as we swap our cargo pants for bike shorts and bikinis. We’ve long since reclaimed the nips, now it’s time to free the lips. 

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Protect your bulge, folks. V Print Season is sexy, and it's here to stay


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Why it's time to embrace camel toe

long read

Becky Burgum

Why it's finally time to embrace camel toe

According to 29-year-old Welsh TikToker, MUA, and cosmetics brand owner [Jessie Davies](https://www.instagram.com/mimidarlingbeauty/?hl=en), growing up with a stammer – a speech impediment often characterised by lots of pauses or repeated words – felt like “trying to cook the perfect egg every day; a constant battle”. She tells Woo: “I was so focused on my speech (that) I wasn’t looking at the bigger picture, the other tools I had from having a stammer.” 

In 2021, Davies – known online by her username @mimidarlingbeauty – launched her TikTok account to promote her make-up brand with energetic beauty tutorials and product swatches. However, since posting a video challenging herself to order at a drive-thru (one of the places she had previously always avoided due to her stammer) and opening up about her speech, she’s amassed over 2.9 million followers, who keep coming back for her uplifting, confidence-boosting content.


She uses her account to help gain control over her own life and combat the anxiety which induces her stammer. Davies documents everyday challenges suggested by friends and users in the comments to get out of her comfort zone – from [rapping her coffee order](https://www.tiktok.com/@mimidarlingbeauty/video/7086495156098108678?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7070220904265041413) like Nicki Minaj at the drive-thru to [approaching strangers](https://www.tiktok.com/@mimidarlingbeauty/video/7036038078229679366?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7070220904265041413) to hand out free beauty products, [public speaking](https://www.tiktok.com/@mimidarlingbeauty/video/7091708978207411462?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7070220904265041413) as a hype girl in Liverpool, and performing [random acts of kindness](https://www.tiktok.com/@mimidarlingbeauty/video/7090593232022818053?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7070220904265041413) in town. 

While some challenges are more effective than others in reducing her stammer, Davies shares that her favourite videos have been those which allow her to connect with others. In particular, on International Women’s Day, Davies [handed out flowers](https://www.tiktok.com/@mimidarlingbeauty/video/7072747261352103173?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7070220904265041413) to a woman who explained that she was having a bad day and “needed this”. 

“It (makes) you realise (that) we’re all struggling with something… all of us,” says Davies. “Kindness can bring strangers together, and that probably made her day.”

Meanwhile, beyond challenges and beauty content, Davies has used her platform to educate followers on speech impediments and spread awareness of the realities of living with a stammer – explaining how it feels when you stammer, [debunking myths](https://www.tiktok.com/@mimidarlingbeauty/video/7093583167776509189?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7070220904265041413) about speech impediments, and [responding to bullies](https://www.tiktok.com/@mimidarlingbeauty/video/7086143879300386054?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7070220904265041413) in the comments who thought she was “faking it”.

Through any backlash, however, the content creator notes that the overwhelming positive responses she receives has made it worth it. "When I posted my first-ever speaking challenge, I was expecting a lot of negativity, but it was the complete opposite – it was a crazy amount of support," Davies told the [*BBC*](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59669859) last year. 

"The comments just kept coming in and just telling me to keep going, that it is helping so many people and inspiring others who also have a speech impediment, but also that it has helped a lot of parents to understand their child who is also stuttering. To think other people are now looking up to me and feeling inspired to chase their dreams and live life with no regrets is amazing.”

According to Davies, the most emotional messages received have come from “fellow stammers” who explain that her videos are helping them to finally accept who they are, love their stammer, and challenge it. “They no longer feel alone and relate,” she says. “People with all kinds of struggles are now challenging themselves and tagging me. A young girl who self harms and is in supported living sent me a video of her at Costa on her own without staff.”

She adds: “You don’t realise the power of a non-fluent voice.”

As for the future, Davies hopes to expand the scale of her challenges – from speaking at arenas to interviewing celebrities and becoming the “first boss babe with a stammer to be successful in the beauty industry”. 

“(I want) to inspire the next generation who struggle with anxiety, depression, (or)  speech impediments that you can be anything you want to be,” she says. “Despite the limitations society puts on you, you’re the director of your own life. It’s no fairytale, but it’s gonna be a good story to tell.”

Check out all of Jessie Davies’ TikToks [here](https://www.tiktok.com/@mimidarlingbeauty?lang=en), and shop Mimi Darling Beauty [here](https://www.mimidarlingbeauty.co.uk/).

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Jessie Davies

The content creator and MUA spreads awareness of living with a speech impediment through her uplifting, IRL challenges

Meet the TikToker building confidence through her stammer

Meet Jessie Davies: the TikToker building self-confidence through her stammer

*From short films to get lost and inspired in, to soothing musical releases new and old, this weekly edit will bring you the best in pop culture, helping you wind down ahead of a new week*

# RECAP ON POSITIVE NEWS

These three new scientific revelations will help alleviate your [eco-anxiety](https://woo.itv.com/posts/be-more-sustainable-alleviate-your-eco-anxiety). 

**An enzyme that can [break down plastic](https://woo.itv.com/posts/good-climate-news-scientists-discover-way-to-break-down-plastic-in-record-time) in a matter of days, rather than centuries, has been developed**. A recent study published by *[Nature](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04599-z?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=commission_junction&utm_campaign=CONR_PF018_ECOM_GL_PHSS_ALWYS_PRODUCT&utm_content=textlink&utm_term=PID100092945&CJEVENT=ae9611f3d04e11ec80ea03190a18050c)* has revealed this promising new discovery, which enables plastics to be broken down into their original elements and turned into something brand new. While this may sound like a mere method of recycling, it’s actually a step up from this – instead, the result is as if you’re making plastic from scratch. How cool is that?

**There is also a [fresh hope](https://woo.itv.com/posts/there-is-fresh-hope-of-survival-for-the-world-s-rarest-sea-mammal) of survival for the rarest sea mammal**. Previously deemed critically endangered, new research has shown that despite there being only 10 vaquita porpoises left in the world, their lack of genetic mutations mean that inevitable inbreeding will not lead the animal to extinction. Yay!

**What about [fighting the climate crisis with meditation](https://woo.itv.com/posts/can-we-fight-the-climate-crisis-with-meditation)?** It may be hard to imagine world leaders practising mindfulness and hugging trees, but in fact EU officials are being trained to do exactly this (okay, maybe tree-hugging is an exaggeration – but they are taking walks in the forest). The results of the training sessions are promising so far, suggesting meditation could indeed be an effective method for motivating leaders to tackle climate change.



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# TRENDS TO TRY

[Cold water therapy](https://woo.itv.com/posts/here-s-why-the-ice-bath-trend-is-here-to-stay) has been taking the world by storm. Said to improve immunity, help our bodies recover faster from physical activity and positively impact our mental health, why not try it yourself? While you should seek advice from a medical professional before embarking upon anything extreme, even dipping your toe into the trend by starting mornings with an ice cold shower can make a big improvement to your overall health.

# CROC DROP

You might know that Crocs are cool again, but did you know that the purveyors of rubbery footwear are doing their first ever [Lazy Oaf collaboration](https://www.crocs.co.uk/pg/lazy-oaf.html) dropping May 19? The limited edition collection is full of trippy colours and unexpected charms (that's jibbitz for the uninitiated). Think green gooey bears, fluffy teddies and a whole lot of flower power.



# CALENDAR INVITE: EXHIBITIONS TO BOOK NOW

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[Vivian Maier: Anthology at Milton Keynes Gallery](https://mkgallery.org/event/vivian-maier/)

The fascinating Oscar-nominated documentary [*Finding Vivian Maier*](http://findingvivianmaier.com) made the world finally take notice of the prolific 20th century nanny and photographer Vivian Maier. Two years before her death, struggling to make ends meet, her work was auctioned, but she remained relatively unknown until the documentary hit our screens. Now a cult icon, this exhibition in Milton Keynes catalogues some of Maier’s greatest work. Her street photography gives a peek into life in New York during the 50s and 60s, capturing breathtaking portraits of people from all walks of life; children playing, construction workers, glamorous women cloaked in furs, homeless people and even reflections and shadows of herself. 

[The World of ASMR at the Design Museum](https://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/weird-sensation-feels-good-the-world-of-asmr)
 
This exhibition invites visitors to step out of their screens to experience the calming effects of ASMR collectively. This is the first exhibition bringing ASMR to a physical space, and will be perfect for putting yourself into a relaxed state of mind, highlighting the innovative ways artists and online communities are “using new and existing tools and materials to navigate our complex world.”

[In the Air at the Wellcome Collection](https://wellcomecollection.org/exhibitions/YjiSFxEAACIAcqpb)

Coming May 19, this exhibition features a delectable range of various artist’s work, all exploring our relationship with the air around us. While revealing the ways that air is weaponised across the world, this collection of works ultimately aims to reconnect us to the healing properties of fresh air. From the botanical cyanotype prints of Anna Atkins, who is widely regarded as the first female photographer, to the empowering films by black & brown who centre people of colour to mass audiences, to the work of historical figure John Evelyn, this is not one to miss out on.

# GET LOST IN NATURE

Woo’s [Nature’s Calling](https://woo.itv.com/posts/nature-s-calling-ep-1-niko-b-and-mary-steven-dive-for-dopamine) invites viewers to get out of the web and into the wild with Niko B (Tom Austin) and Tiktok’s oatmilkleader (Mary Steven). From diving into cold water for dopamine, to joining new-wave bird watchers, to going nude in nature, this Woo Original series will inspire you to get back to basics and explore the wild outdoors.

# MOVIE NIGHT

With the Cannes Film Festival just around the corner, Showing Up by director Kelly Reichardt is generating a lot of industry buzz. This vibrant and hilarious portrait of a sculptor [Michelle Williams] preparing to open a new show while struggling to balance her creative life with the everyday drama of family and friends. While we eagerly await the UK release, why not familiarise yourself with another gem by Reichdart? *First Cow* follows the story of a woman who finds two skeletons while walking her dog by the river, jumping between her modern day life and the life of the skeletons, who are two unlikely companions in 1820 America. Adapted from the novel *The Half-Life* by Reichardt’s regular co-writer Jon Raymond, this film produces the intimate portraits that Reichardt is known for. Watch on Apple TV or Amazon Prime.

# TUNE OUT: GET LOST IN WOO X VEGYN'S  MEDITATIVE EXPERIENCE

Woo deconstructs the Frank Ocean collaborator's *Game for Life*, combining restorative frequencies with hypnotising visuals for a sound healing session: feel good here.



# CULTURE CATCH UP 

With all the noise about [Kendrick's album](https://woo.itv.com/posts/fans-react-as-kendrick-lamar-finally-drops-his-new-album) and A$AP Rocky’s new music video *D.M.B*, it would be easy to miss a slew of other new  drops – Jack Harlow, Sigrid and Bad Bunny have all just released great tracks.

Jack Harlow

Harlow has been making the rounds on social media recently with his dreamy smile and angelic locks – but the release of his second studio album *Come Home the Kids Miss You* is making us pine for him even more. Expect Harlow’s usual witty, laid back flow with features from the likes of Drake, Pharrell, Justin Timberlake and Lil Wayne. The understated black and white music video for his single *First Class* features Anitta and samples Fergie’s *Glamorous*, adding a chilled out, stripped back twist. 


Sigrid

Norwegian pop-star Sigrid Solbakk Raabe, known as Sigrid, has released her second album *How To Let Go*. Reaching the top 40 singles in her native Norway and a top-five debut album in the UK, Sigrid is most definitely one to watch. A feel-good synth-pop album packed with tracks about being saved by Uber drivers and painful break ups, this album is even better than her innately catchy first album *Sucker Punch*. 


Bad Bunny

Grammy-winning reggaeton star Bad Bunny released a staggering 32-track album *Un Verano Sin Ti*, on May 6, with relaxed beats that are sure to become anthems in the sunshine of the coming months. He also blessed us with a music video encapsulating the sheer joy in care-free summer romances, following a couple on a road trip, leading to a party before the pair end up skinny dipping in the ocean.




On top of three previous studio albums, *X 100pre*, *YHLQMDLG*, *El Último Tour Del Mundo* plus a collaborative album with J Balvin, Oasis, Bad Bunny has been embarking on a cinematic career. He announced just last week that he will be Marvel’s first leading Latin superhero in a film, which we can’t wait to see. In March, he was also spotted in the trailer for *Bullet Train* starring Brad Pitt. Watch this space!

# LOOK UP!

There’s still time to catch the [super blood moon](https://woo.itv.com/posts/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-total-lunar-eclipse)! Don’t miss it - the eclipse will be best seen in the UK May 16 between 4:29am and 5:06am.


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# THE TV SERIES EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT 



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Catch up on *Heartstopper*, the LGBTQ+ coming of age series based on Alice Oseman’s graphic novel by the same name. Two schoolboys start an unlikely friendship after being seated next to each other in class, and eventually develop feelings for each other. 

If you’re yet to watch, this feel-good, queer-teen romance is just what the doctor ordered.

Watch it now on [Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/watch/81425010?trackId=255824129).

# DISCOVER A CLASSIC…

At times it might feel like we’re inundated with new music, but Sunday evenings are the perfect time rifle through the archives and listening to some vintage gems 

**Vashti Bunyan - Just Another Diamond Day**

Maybe one of the most comforting albums ever made, Vashti’s iconic, soft voice will lull you into the ultimate mode of relaxation with psychedelic folk songs about nature and love that will dance around in your mind. Written in 1970 about her trip travelling by horse and wagon through Scotland in 1968, this album didn’t rise to fame until the 21st century after her tapes were found in a shed. 

Every single track is perfect to listen to while snuggling under the duvet in the rain or on a walk in the sunshine. It’s no wonder why this album has become an absolute cult classic that feels completely timeless and is sure to invoke feelings of nostalgia for people of all ages. 

**The Temptations - *Meet the Temptations***

The debut album of The Temptations is slept on – we all know their hit song *The Way You Do The Things You Do*, but each track on this Motown album will have you grinning from ear to ear no matter what mood you’re in. With the smoothest of vocals, each song is a previously released single, but most didn’t  make it to the charts despite their success. Prior to this album, the group were notoriously known as the “hitless Temptations”. 

In 2004 Rolling Stone magazine ranked the Temptations number 67 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Their cultural footprint is hard to ignore, with their songs being covered by the likes of Otis Redding (*My Girl*), Rod Stewart (*I'm Losing You*), and Marcus Miller (*Papa Was a Rolling Stone*).

**Chas & Dave - *Job Lot***


The beloved Rockney duo (a portmanteau of *rock* and *cockney*) made music perfect for singing along at the pub with a pint. Their comical tracks are sung in strong cockney accents, acting as love letters to working class British culture. Pete Doherty of The Libertines has credited them as a major influence on his music, and used to play their music during rehearsals. This 1982 album, released on the band’s own Rockney record label, is one to play if you’re living in the UK and starting to feel wanderlust creeping up on you. With songs like *Margate* and *London Girls*, this album might just make you feel better about being in this grey country.

# THE LONG READ

Delving into a sub-Reddit dedicated to counterfeit goods called RepLadies, this [article](https://www.thecut.com/2022/04/repladies-fake-luxury-bags.html) by *The Cut* is definitely one to read this week. With over 200,000 members, the tight-knit community believes that buying designer knock-offs is a form of anti-capitalist resistance. 

# SHELF LIFE

Power down your screens and curl up with a book. Russell Foster’s *Life Time: The New Science of the Body Clock, and How It Can Revolutionize Your Sleep and Health* does exactly what it says on the tin. There is no better self-care than making sure you are getting the best sleep possible, and by reading this instead of looking at advice on screens, you’ll be off to the land of nod in no time. 

 

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Life Time: The New Science of the Body Clock, and How It Can Revolutionize Your Sleep and Health by Russell Foster

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Positive news, Jack Harlow’s album and exhibitions to book: relax and distract with the ultimate pop culture tonic

Scare-free sundays

Eve Walker

Introducing a partner to your parents can be an important milestone. (Not to mention *slightly* nerve-wracking). 

But it can be difficult for people who don’t get to experience this moment, because their parents have passed away. There’s a whole host of memories and life moments that might be missed. One TikTok user shared her disappointment that her mother, who died when she was seven, would never meet her boyfriend. 

But then the pair made an astonishing discovery: her mother had actually met her boyfriend already. 
Leah Menzies, [@speccylee](https://www.tiktok.com/@speccylee/video/7099738371311914241) on TikTok, realised that her late mother was her boyfriend’s nursery teacher. In a video that has over 10 million views, she shared how she found his old school photo, with her mum standing in the shot.

She shared her disbelief, writing: “Me thinking my mum (who died when I was 7) will never get to meet my boyfriend. Only to find she was his kindergarten teacher.”

She added: “Found out through this photo in his photo album. A moment straight out of a movie.”
TikTokers were obsessed with the story. It’s hard not to believe in fate *just a little bit* when you hear stories like this. As Menzies says, it feels like the plot to a real tear-jerker of a film. Move over, *Titanic* and *The Notebook*.

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@speccylee on TikTok

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Woman goes viral discovering her dead mum met her new boyfriend

Billie Eilish has opened up more about her experience living with Tourette's syndrome, saying that she gets “incredibly offended” when people laugh at her tics, but has come to terms with the struggle and arrived at a positive place with her condition.

Tourette's is a condition that causes people to make “involuntary sounds and movements” and usually appears during childhood. There are instances of [adult-onset Tourette's](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2019.00461/full), although these are much more rare. Eilish was diagnosed with the condition when she was 11-years-old.

Opening up on David Letterman’s show My Next Guest Needs no Introduction, [Eilish said](https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/health/a40085781/billie-eilish-tourettes/): “if you film me for long enough you’re gonna see lots of tics. The most common way that people react is they laugh because they think I’m trying to be funny… and I’m always left incredibly offended by that."

"It’s very, very interesting, and I am incredibly confused by it," she said, adding that she was. “very happy talking about it”.

"What’s funny is so many people have it that you would never know. A couple artists came forward and said, 'I’ve actually always had Tourette's,' and I’m not gonna out them because they don’t wanna talk about it, but that was actually really interesting to me."

Far from letting it spoil her career, the Oscar-winning artist revealed that she had [made peace with her condition](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/billie-eilish-gets-honest-about-how-she-has-made-friends-with-tourette-syndrome-and-how-people-typically-react-to-her-tics), saying “It’s not like I like it, but I feel like it’s part of me. I have made friends with it. And so now, I’m pretty confident in it. When I’m moving around, I’m not ticcing at all. When I’m riding my horse, I’m not ticcing. When I’m moving and thinking and focusing, when I’m singing.”

To find out what it’s like living with Tourette’s, young people who have come to embrace their condition and learned to love their tics talk to Woo. Here, they share some of their struggles and positive experiences.


#### Reagan

“I honestly didn’t know Billie had Tourette's until this article, and reading about it frankly made me smile. I’ve never seen a mainstream celebrity with Tourette's, or at least any that talk about it. In the past it’s felt limiting but seeing someone be so successful, especially in music when tics are often vocal – it was nice. Representation matters y’all!

I was diagnosed at either four or five, which is when I think a lot of people start showing symptoms. In the past I’ve had everything from verbal tics like grunting to more somatic things like blinking my eyes. My case was a little less severe. Never anything like the way the media portrays Tourette's. It’s really a spectrum, but people tend to think about compulsively cursing or something like that.

Tourette's isn’t something I’ve spun to be positive, but it has given me an extra level of empathy. I will say though, in a sense I have made friends with it, because now I’m in control of it, and it is not in control of me. It’s something that I’m always going to have to deal with, it won’t go away – so I had to stop hating myself over it. It’s more like a fact of my life now. I’m not ashamed to tell people about it. Owning it kind of set me free in a way.

The most positive thing to come out of it is probably self acceptance. With Tourette's, you’re often making noises or doing things that put you in a spotlight, and being okay with yourself is the only way to get around it.”


#### Amelia

“Looking back, I had vocal tics for a long while before I even knew Tourette's was a thing. My parents got really mad at me when my vocal tics started to surface, and punished me for them. So I learned to suppress.

Even now, after being diagnosed for about a year, my parents still don't really get it. For Tourette's awareness month, I made little teal ribbon pins to give out to people at my school. About a week in I had just a few left, and I left them on a desktop.

That day my mom came up to me right before we were going shopping, holding one in her hand. She asked me to help her put it on. I literally almost cried. She is the least understanding of my family, and she showed that she really did support me.”

#### Lemon, 22, California

“I was helping my aunt move house, and at the time I was struggling with letting my tics out because that part of the family didn’t know I had Tourette's. She wanted me to help her move some stuff into her storage and I went on a car ride with her. She asked me about my tics and I told her hesitantly. 

She ended by telling me she understood, that it is okay to be a little different from everyone else, and it’s okay to tic in front of others because I shouldn’t care what others think of me if it’s in a bad way. I was so grateful for her and how she handled the situation.”



#### Brian

“I went to a gas station for coffee on a pretty active tic day. My most common tic at the time was making a hiccup noise followed by hitting my chest. The cashier instead of asking if I had hiccups asked if I had Tourette's. I told her that I did and we had a pleasant little chat. 
She told me about someone that she knew with tics and even went on to say how badly Tourette's is portrayed in the media. It was a rare moment where I felt a stranger genuinely look past my tics and see me as a person.”

#### r/Tourette's user XxtraTourettestriall

“I wouldn't trade my Tourette's or the experience I had growing up with it for the world. It made me who I am and taught me so many things. I love the part of myself that is Tourette's.”


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Young people with Tourette’s share their stories of how they’ve learned to love their tics

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