Clean, clear, and glowing skin is the most desirable representation of healthy skin and, as Joanna Vargas always says, a flawless complexion starts with the right facial cleanser. If you’re having a hard time finding the perfect face wash for your skin, or are just looking to try something new, look no further than Joanna’s Vitamin C Face Wash! With a gorgeous citrus scent and amazing skin benefits, our Vitamin C Face Wash is the perfect addition to any daytime or nighttime skincare regimen. As the seasons begin to change and the weather begins to cool down, why not bring a little bit of summer back into your life (or at least, into your skincare routine)! Created with some of the most powerful antioxidants known – Acai and Goji berry with a mixture of citrus oils – our Vitamin C Face Wash revitalizes and balances your skin without drying it out. Additionally, the Vitamin C component of our face wash provides an impenetrable barrier against free radicals (the unstable molecules that break down skin tissue) neutralizing attacks from environmental factors that threaten an otherwise clear and youthful complexion, while the hyaluronic acid component (which is known for holding nearly 1,000 times its weight in water!) further hydrates the skin and helps with damaged collagen and elastin. Crafted to gently purify and detoxify the skin, our Vitamin C Face Wash will leave you with a smooth and luminous complexion that will definitely turn heads! Snag a bottle of our own on our website, and learn more about our skin-saving face wash HERE. For more Joanna Vargas news, tips and product information, follow us on Twitter. ]>>
Is catch-up culture ruining your friendships?
Our friendships are failing, and I believe I know what is causing it: catch-up culture. If you’ve ever found yourself reminiscing about the days when your friends lived down the road, and you didn’t need to schedule yourself into each other’s diaries three months in advance, you aren’t the only one. It’s a term that I use within my book Bad Friend to describe the never-ending hamster wheel of dinner dates where you repeat the same stories you did the night before, filling in the gap of time since your last dinner date, only to repeat it all over again until you reach the end of your friend list — at which point, it’s been months and you have to start at the top of your friend list all over again.
I believe catch-up culture is also contributing to the loneliness epidemic that we all keep hearing about. The problem is, whilst you have ticked the box of seeing your friends, you aren’t experiencing the companionship of living your life with someone, the same way you would have in school or university.
During that phase of life, it was expected to see each other at least five days a week. The classes you were going to had a mutual topic of conversation, and therefore, your experiences overlapped much more so than they do in adulthood. As we get older, though, our lives diverge, and our friendships tend to get deprioritised. Physical proximity increases, and whilst these catch-ups might seem like a ‘good enough’ substitute, we have to ask the question whether it’s actually improving our happiness or fulfilling us in any way?
Just because we’ve ticked the box of seeing our friend, doesn’t mean we have actually invested in the friendship. In our romantic lives, dates are expected, and when we don’t put time and energy into spending that quality time, it is understandable that the relationship will then deteriorate. So, why aren’t we doing the same for our friendships?
Partially, it’s due to patriarchy; we tend to prioritise marriage and motherhood. The other part is due to capitalism; we’re all so overworked and burned out that the idea of coming up with an interesting plan with a friend just sounds like effort. As I say in Bad Friend“Adult friendship is hard because we are all tired.” We underestimate how much the pandemic has affected our friendships, too. I believe this is where ‘catch-up culture’ originated. We adapted to survive by relying on technology for catch-ups. Social media became the easiest avenue where we delude ourselves into thinking we know everything that is going on in our friends’ lives, and therefore think that a ‘catch-up’ will suffice.
Then the pandemic has led to a breakdown in the work/home boundary, with three times as many people now working from home, which means our careers take up more evenings than they used to, a time which used to be reserved for our social lives. Ultimately, 60% of people have not returned to pre-pandemic activities, with 35% saying that socialising is less important to them — and it makes me question whether the forced isolation has stuck more than we think. As a life coach, I am noticing an increase in people struggling with overstimulation when in large rooms or crowds and even with an excess of noise and light, and that could be an adaptation to the increase in alone time that we all experienced during lockdown and following that, less time in an office where we are more accustomed to social interaction.
Global Cosmetics News – Weekly Review | Week 17, April 2026
This week, the global cosmetics and personal care industry highlighted the growing convergence of marketing accountability, financial performance and corporate restructuring, as global brands advanced campaigns, reported earnings and responded to regulatory and market developments.
Marketing, brand partnerships and regulatory oversight featured prominently. The ASA partially upheld a ruling against La Roche-Posay over claim verification. Lancôme appointed Zoe Saldaña as global brand ambassador. Revlon named Teyana Taylor as the face of its Super Lustrous franchise, while NYX Professional Makeup partnered with Megan Thee Stallion to launch a body care campaign. Sephora announced plans to introduce safeguards on marketing anti-ageing skincare products to children.
Retail activation and brand expansion continued across key markets. Luna launched a Tokyo pop-up to strengthen its presence in Japan. Rituals expanded its footprint in Spain with new stores in Almería and Lanzarote. Target expanded its Bullseye Builds programme with a US$1 million community investment.
Financial performance updates reflected mixed conditions across global markets. L’Oréal reported strong Q1 growth, outperforming the global beauty market, while Beiersdorf reported mixed Q1 results with Derma growth offsetting weaker NIVEA performance. Proya reported an earnings decline as core brand sales slowed. THG reported its strongest quarterly growth since 2021, driven by beauty and nutrition. Mecca reported record revenue of US$1.43 billion following investment in flagship stores.
Corporate strategy and restructuring activity remained active. Estée Lauder engaged JP Morgan to finance a potential €5 billion acquisition of Puig. The owners of Boots explored a strategy overhaul ahead of a potential 2027 IPO. AB Foods confirmed plans to spin off Primark. Kimberly-Clark outlined its leadership structure ahead of integration with Kenvue. Shiseido announced plans to absorb a branding subsidiary as part of a streamlining initiative
Legal and regulatory developments continued across markets. Shein and Temu faced class-action lawsuits related to tariff-driven price increases. Nigeria’s US$1.1 billion cosmetics import bill prompted renewed focus on local production and value addition.
Investment and innovation activity also featured. L’Oréal’s BOLD fund invested in body care brand Hanni. Unilever expanded into entertainment with a Vaseline reality series titled “The Afterglow.” Hims shares rose following US regulatory moves to ease peptide access.
Leadership changes and financial restructuring were also noted. Evonik appointed a new Chief Financial Officer and extended its CEO’s contract. QVC prepared to file for Chapter 11 as it restructures US$5 billion in debt.
Taken together, this week reflected continued activity across marketing accountability, earnings performance and corporate restructuring, alongside investment and regulatory developments shaping the global cosmetics and personal care landscape.
Slicked-back hair isn’t going anywhere – here’s how to wear the trend in 2026
Slicked-back hair emerged as the certified ‘clean girl aesthetic’ uniform circa 2022 and never left. The proof? It-girl Sofia Richie Grainge’s sleek lazy girl bun tutorial, which has racked up over 42 million views and counting since it was posted on TikTok, has almost a million saves on the app. I can confirm it’s a great tutorial, and one I revisit often.
Proving to be just as popular on the runway as it is off the runway, countless celebrities and fashion influencers have experimented with this style (Lizzo, Hailey Bieber, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and the Kardashian-Jenner clan are all fans).
To nail the look at home, legendary hair stylist Sam McKnight recommends lightly applying his Self Control Styling Gel to the roots before brushing the hair back to “smooth and flatten it.” The result? A “strong, powerful and sleek style.”
Slicked back hair is pretty versatile, and can take on several different styles – from a sharp, knotted chignon to a polished sky-high ponytail. It’s also a subtle way to shift the mood of your entire look: more minimalist, more directional, a little more put-together – even when the rest of your outfit is doing very little. For inspo, scroll on down to find our favourite interpretations that look just as good with an off-duty outfit as they do a party dress.
Deep side part
The Hair Trends Owning Coachella 2026 – Iles Formula
Coachella always reminds me that a festival ground is its own kind of runway. I watched Weekend One with the same eye I bring to the fashion shows in Paris. What I saw was a clear shift.
The era of over-constructed, product-heavy hair is stepping back. What is landing now — on these stages, in these crowds, under these lights — is hair that is nurtured, luminous, and alive.
Here are the moments that stood out to me.
Sabrina Carpenter: The Old Hollywood Blowout
Sabrina opened the festival on Friday as the headline act, and her commitment to a vintage Hollywood aesthetic is reminiscent of Bridgette Bardot — voluminous at the crown, soft and curved at the ends, with curtain bangs that held their shape for the full set.
What makes this look so technically demanding is that a blowout that moves credibly through a full performance — costume changes, choreography, desert air — requires hair in exceptional condition before a single heated tool is applied. If the foundation is compromised, the gloss fades and the movement stiffens within the first hour.
Wendy’s Takeaway
The best blowouts are built in the shower, not in the styling chair. ILES Formula Signature Collection will take you there. When the cuticle is properly sealed and porosity is equalised, heat styling becomes a finishing step instead of a rescue operation.
I always begin with the ILES Formula Shampoo Haute Performance — its rare root extract equalizes the hair shaft, delivering depth of shine rather than a surface-level gloss.
Before the blow-dry, I work out Finishing Serum Haute Performance through damp mid-lengths and ends. The ceramide and silk complex seals as the heat moves through, with built-in UV and humidity protection to lock in the look. Heat activates it to deliver phenomenal results.
Paris Hilton: Many Looks, One Consistent Thread
Paris arrived the way she always does — with full commitment of someone who understands that hair and the look are one conversation. Across the weekend she gave us a number of distinct moments worth looking at.
The first: half up style anchored by a sculptural pearl and spike crown, sleek at the top with long blonde waves flowing loose beneath — polished and playful.
The second: fully down in tousled, high-volume waves. All movement and warmth.
The third: her hair windswept and flowing freely.
What connects all three is the long, lustrous waves that reflect light rather than absorb it. That is not a styling trick. That is the condition of the hair.
Wendy’s Takeaway
Paris has always understood that her hair is part of her visual identity. The consistency of health and luminosity across three completely different looks tells you everything you need to know about the foundation beneath the styling.
The best blowouts are built in the shower, not in the styling chair. I always recommend the ILES Formula Signature Collection as the foundation of any hair ritual.
The Conditioner Haute Performance seals the cuticle completely, delivering that sumptuous spun silk look— and that quality is exactly what you are seeing in those images.
Between washes, the Rinseless Root Refresh keeps the style looking freshly attended to without weighing the lengths down.
Kylie Jenner: The Effortless Dark Wave
Kylie Jenner showed up to Coachella Weekend One with long, dark, loose and bouncy waves. The quality was completely relaxed, no stiffness, no product heaviness, no visible effort.
Simply beautiful, healthy hair worn as if she had forgotten about it — which, as anyone in this industry knows, takes more work to achieve than anything else. Long, dark waves with real movement and shine is a look every woman with mid-to-long hair can aspire to — this result is hair care, not styling.
Wendy’s Takeaway
The loose wave with genuine movement is the most honest trend at Coachella this year, Hair this healthy does not need a technique. It needs a ritual. The ILES Formula Signature Collection is that ritual, leaving no residue and no downtime. For defined, frizz-free movement in the wave, Curl Revive is your quiet hero — lightweight, hydrating, and built to keep texture looking intentional from the moment you step outside to the last song of the night.
Kourtney Kardashian: The Blunt Fringe + Dark Wave
Kourtney arrived at Coachella Valley with a look that immediately caught my eye — long, near-black hair worn in loose waves, paired with a heavy blunt fringe cut straight across the brow.
This look is an uncompromising combination. The fringe demands precision; the waves demand health. Both have to be on point or the whole look falls apart. On Kourtney, the lengths had genuine movement and the fringe sat cleanly without any of the puffiness that comes from hair that has been over-processed or stripped. That is a sign of hair that is being properly between the styling.
Wendy’s Takeaway
A blunt fringe is one of the most revealing cuts in hairdressing. There is nowhere to hide. When the hair condition is right it is one of the most powerful looks there is — clean, direct, and completely its own.
For dark hair worn at this length with a precision fringe, the prep ritual makes all the difference. I always reach for the ILES Formula Hair Mask Haute Performance before any significant styling. The mask is an intensive treatment, rich in Macroloba Seed oil, Vitamins B5 and E, that deeply strengthens from within and delivers the kind of natural gloss that makes dark hair look alive.
Alix Earle: The Mermaid Wave in Full Effect
Alix arrived with extraordinarily long, voluminous waves that were bronde in colour, with beautifully dimensional highlights running through the lengths and slightly darker roots, giving her hair genuine depth.
The waves themselves are full of texture and movement without a trace of stiffness. Nothing is overworked. Everything is alive. The volume strikes me the most. This is not the product of a hot tool alone — you cannot manufacture that kind of sustained bounce without the hair being in real structural health underneath.
Wendy’s Takeaway
The Coachella mermaid wave at its best is not a style — it is a condition. Volume, movement, and dimension this consistent across long, colour-treated lengths tell one story: this hair has been properly nurtured from the inside out.
For long, highlighted hair with depth of colour and wave movement, The ILES Formula Signature Collection will always remain as the foundation to any hair ritual. Curl Revive is the finishing step to achieve wave definition and texture.
For colour-treated lengths exposed to UV and desert heat all weekend, the Finishing Serum Haute Performance over the outer surface protects colour vibrancy while delivering exactly the kind of luminous, glass-like shine you are seeing here.
What All Five Have in Common
If one look Sabrina on the headline stage. Paris across a full festival weekend. Kylie and Kourtney in the crowd. Alix in the California sun. Five completely different contexts, five completely different looks — and one thing connecting them all.
The hair that stops you is always hair that is genuinely healthy. Not forced into shape and held there with product, but nurture, repaired, and given the conditions to simply be beautiful.
That is not a new idea. It is the only idea that has ever worked for me and is the philosophy entirely of Iles Formula Haircare.
It’s Nia Long’s Moment—Again | SELF
“In writing this memoir, I realized the impact that experience had on my own view of beauty,” she says. “And my own self-acceptance of being a pretty brown-skinned little girl growing up in Iowa. I thought I was beautiful because my mother said it and my family said it, but the world told me something different.” She lets that sit. “So to now be a face for Estée Lauder, it’s kind of ironic, because I didn’t feel beautiful until Black Hollywood said I was beautiful.”
That an entire generation of Black women found a reflection of Black beauty in Nia Long while Long herself was still waiting to see it tells us something about how beauty standards work, and how much labor goes into transforming them. Nineties Fine, after all, did not emerge from a vacuum. It was a corrective, Black Hollywood’s answer to a century of the larger industry rendering Black women invisible or, worse, making us visible in ways that were wholly out of our control. Long’s most iconic characters—and indeed, Long herself—reflected a new idea of beauty, of the Black leading lady, expansive in some ways and still restrictive in others. Now, some 30 years on, Long embodies a new facet of being a Black woman in Hollywood.
“Black don’t crack” gets lobbed at Black women constantly, ostensibly as a compliment, but one that sometimes erases the very real pressure that comes with aging—especially aging on a public stage, especially when people have a particular image of you stored in amber.
But Long is not interested in pretending that the body is not a thing that transforms. “I’m 55. I got hormonal stuff going. Your body shifts, changes. It’s a whole new body.” She is not wistful about this. She also ate the truffle parmesan fries and does not appear remotely conflicted about it. She mentions the coming press tour for Michael, how she wants to be in beautiful gowns but she also wants French fries.
Eurofragance passes the 200 million euro sales mark, up 16%
The Spanish perfume house announced on Tuesday April 21 that it had crossed the threshold of 200 million euros in turnover in 2025, an increase of 16% at constant scope and exchange rates compared to 2024, and five consecutive years of double-digit growth.
According to Eurofragance, this growth is attributable to all zones, including the Middle East, Latin America, Africa, Turkey and Indonesia, as well as all of its divisions – Fine Fragrance, Home and Personal Care, and Air Care.
« Our 2025 results exceeded our objectives. This remarkable growth has been fueled by strategic investments in our factories and creative centers, continued innovation in fragrance solutions, the constant development of exclusive perfumery ingredients and the loyalty of our customer base. Our agility in product development and process efficiency has been critical to our success in a more demanding market environment. Looking ahead, we remain committed to sustaining our growth through innovation and a resolutely customer-focused approach. “, explain Joan Pere Jiménez, CEO of Eurofragance.
In 2025, the year of its 35th anniversary, Eurofragance expanded its production site near Barcelona, opened a creative center in Jakarta, expanded its creative center in Mumbai and inaugurated new offices in Istanbul. The perfume house also launched Olivantean innovative exclusive ingredient synonymous with opulence.
Eurofragance also continued to consolidate its commitment to sustainable development. In 2025, the company received the EcoVadis platinum medal for the second year in a row. The perfume house also received the Best Sustainable Ingredient in Perfumery Award for its exclusive ingredient Euphorion during the Barcelona Perfumery Congress Awards.
Black Owned Brands for Mothers Day: The 2026 Gift Guide
To Mama, With Love: The Best Owned Brands for Mothers Day
If you are anything like me, you are probably already staring at the calendar wondering how we are already approaching May! Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and honestly, our moms deserve way more than a last minute grocery store card. There is something so special about gifting something that feels intentional, especially when it comes from businesses that truly understand our culture and our needs. Shopping Owned Brands for Mothers Dayis the ultimate way to wrap your mom in a little extra luxury while supporting the creators who keep our community glowing. Whether she is a skincare fanatic, a home decor queen, or just needs a reason to pour a glass of wine and relax, I have rounded up the best finds that will definitely make you the favorite child this year.
Home & Sanctuary Picks
- Harlem Candle Company: The “Speakeasy” Luxury Candle or the “Lady Day” Luxury Candle (Inspired by Billie Holiday).
- 54 who: Handwoven Decorative Throw Pillows (specifically the “Couple Red” or “Nayali White” designs).
- Apostrophe Puzzles: The “Jungle Sol Sisters” puzzle by Lily Sol or “She Carries” by Charly Palmer.
Self-Care & Beauty Rituals
- Sweet July Skin: The “Essentials Set” (Includes the Pava Exfoliating Cleanser, Pava Toner, and Irie Power Face Oil).
- Brown Sugar Babe: “Rich Aunty” Fragranced Glow Oil or the “Cloud 9” (Vanilla & Marshmallow) scent.
- Cecred: The “Fermented Rice & Rose Protein Ritual” or the “Nourishing Hair Oil.”
- Pattern Beauty: The “Shower Detangling Brush” or the “Conditioner Guide” set.
Lifestyle & Celebration
Black Woman on a Mission: A “Signature Logo” Tote Bag or a “Daily Affirmation” Ceramic Mug.
McBride Sisters Wine: The “Black Girl Magic” Sparkling Riesling or the “Mother’s Day Legacy” Wine Set.
A Toast to the Woman Who Does It All
Sometimes the best gift you can give is just a reason to sit down and take a breather. McBride Sisters Wine is a leader in the industry for a reason—their collections are delicious and the story behind the sisters is so inspiring. You could pair a bottle of their bubbly with a cute mug or tote to remind her that even when she is busy, she is still that girl! It is all about those small, thoughtful touches that remind her she is seen, loved, and appreciated every single day.
All the songs featured in the new Michael Jackson biopic soundtrack – plus whether Jaafar actually sings
Covering the early days of his career in The Jackson 5 and his subsequent stint as a solo artist, the new Michael Jackson biopic, Michaelspans some twenty-odd years, cutting off at 1988.
Starring his real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in the titular role, the movie has so far received mixed reactions, with critics calling out the decision to omit the sexual abuse allegations made against the “Bad” hitmaker and it being too light-touch when it comes to the family patriarch, Joe Jackson.
Either way, it should come as no surprise that the film is chock-full of Michael Jackson songs, as well as hits from The Jackson 5 from the ’60s.
Here’s what you need to know about the Michael Jackson biopic soundtrack – including whether Jaafar sang in the movie.
Does Jaafar Jackson sing in Michael?
Of course, Jaafar Jackson of course looks the part – but are his vocals comparable to his late uncle’s? Apparently so.
Speaking to the Today show earlier this month, the star said: “When I was doing all the performances, I was actually singing out live in the microphone on top of Michael’s track. So it’s a blend of my vocal and Michael’s.”
He also confirmed there were moments where there was no backing track, and it is just his voice that can be heard. “It’s actually me singing, the a cappellas, which was really fun to do,” he added.
Surrogacy Nearly Destroyed Our Marriage. It Also Brought Us Back
From the outside, our relationship looked the way it had for 24 years: solid.
After our first surrogacy experience ended in stillbirth, our friends were convinced we’d be fine because we were the “most together couple” they knew. I wasn’t so sure. For months, it had felt like my husband Ethan and I were two bodies fumbling to find each other in the dark. At home, our orbits rarely intersected. My eyes barely landed on Ethan. Once, he didn’t realize I was right behind him and he closed the door on me.
It felt like we were suspended in the quiet between the cracks and the crumble. We weathered life-altering challenges together in our 20s and 30s due to my whole-body symptoms from endometriosis, adenomyosis, early menopause, and a medical system that trivialized them all. My condition rattled our intimacy, upended my career, and made Ethan my caretaker. Being undiagnosed for decades also cost us my fertility, depleting my ovarian reserve and leading to miscarriage after miscarriage with IVF and IUIs.
Though we weren’t living the life we dreamed, and I felt guilty for the weight I foisted on Ethan, we managed to maintain the joie de vivre we’d had since we first met—until we turned to surrogacy.
Our decision to opt for an egg donor and a surrogate was an act of compromise. Though I’d always been ambivalent about motherhood, the idea of coparenting with Ethan had gradually filled me with tenderness and curiosity. But by then, after years of illness, I wanted a hysterectomy. Ethan still really wanted to be a dad. Neither of us wanted to jeopardize my wellness with more hormonal treatments and pregnancy losses, so we took what people called the “easy way out.” Though I was criticized by my doctors for giving up on my eggs and my uterus “too soon,” our decision to pursue surrogacy felt liberating—at first.
We thought finding a gestational surrogate would be the hardest part. Turns out, we were wrong. Instead, we were totally unprepared for the ways surrogacy was going to change our marriage.
The three mistakes we made in surrogacy that nearly broke our marriage.
Neither of us verbalized the red flags we saw.
Our first surrogacy experience was the kind we now caution other intended parents against. We entrusted an agency with our fate and our funds, putting them in charge of introducing us to a surrogate and acting as the intermediary who would reimburse her for pregnancy-related expenses on our behalf. At the time, we were unaware of their proven fraudulent history.