Sommaire pour Issue 727 de Grazia

ONE OF THE MANY wonderful things about working at Grazia is being able to (regularly) pick the brains of the brilliant beauty team on the best products to buy. Realising how often we all do this in the office prompted us to launch The Skintellectuals Awards; in this week’s issue the most respected people in the industry share their one product they can’t live without – and we hope you’ll fall in love with them too. Indeed, this week’s issue is dedicated to all manner of lotions and treatments to give your skin the best glow possible. Give them a try – and let us know your thoughts. @hattie_brett / feedback@graziamagazine.co.uk…

Another week, another seemingly random craze trending on social media. This time, everyone from Piers Morgan to MPs and university professors have tweeted lists of ‘five jobs I’ve had’ – with Derry Girls’ Nicola Coughlan jokingly claiming stints as a ‘house elf ’ and ‘body double for The Rock’. The reason for the trend? That’s still hazy, but some have suggested the lists will help tackle career stress for those in need of a bit of direction. That’s great if it encourages people stuck in jobs they hate to make the switch, but let’s hope it doesn’t turn into another ‘look how far I’ve come’ social media humble-brag. They just leave people feeling worse about themselves, rather than inspired.…

1. New in DOT COTTON FT LADY GAGA It transpires Gaga is a huge fan of EastEnders, and once tried to get June Brown to go to a club with her. ‘Sadly, I couldn’t make it,’ June said. 2. New in THE SKINNY TACHE BOYS OF NYC The facial hair vibe currently dominating Manhattan’s gay bar scene. Owes a debt to Freddie Mercury/ Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody. Pleases us, regardless. 3. Non-mover LETITIA WRIGHT In a silver suit and heels at the LA premiere of Avengers: Endgame in Los Angeles last week. Chic as, though. Chic as. 4. New in DARREN CRISS Actor star of The Assassination Of Gianni Versace. In a Haiwaiian shirt-short co-ord situation, poolside last weekend. No one should be able to get away with this…

It’s no surprise that Gwyneth and Dakota used Derek Blasberg’s birthday dinner as the site of their first appearance as a united front: the journalist, author and YouTube’s head of fashion and beauty partnerships has made his name as America’s most well-connected man. Derek co-hosts high-profile parties with Victoria Beckham (above), who called him a ‘dear friend’ in an Instagram post last week. He is pals with Reese Witherspoon (top), Jennifer Aniston and Chloë Sevigny, to name a just few. He’s even transatlantic: he was a guest at the Windsor wedding of Princess Eugenie to Jack Brooksbank last year, arriving at the service with Cara Delevingne and Liv Tyler. Forget a Birkin: Blasberg is the must-have accessory for the A-list.…

NORMALLY, FESTIVAL FASHION has as much in common with real-life clothes as Cabinet meetings do with harmonious working relationships. And Coachella – the two-weekend-long step-and-repeat board for influencers and It girls in the desert – surely takes the flower crown as the one that’s surgically removed from reality. But even a stopped clock is right twice a day, and this year one of Coachella’s biggest style hits is also set to be a wearable wardrobe headliner for the rest of us. Yes, really. We’re not talking about body glitter, belly chains or bra tops – praise be! – but tie-dye. The colourful print was out in force in the Californian desert with Ganni’s denim iterations (as seen on Gigi Hadid and Kylie Jenner) the biggest hit, and mesh tops by…

PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK, SPLASH NEWS, GETTY, BACKGRID What a Marvel! Yes, she’s already scooped an Oscar, but now Brie Larson – seen here in lilac Celine – is proving she’s a winner on the red carpet, thanks to her bold approach to colour and eye for the hottest labels. The power posse What do you wear when you make it on to the Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world? Whatever you damn well please! Top marks to Indya Moore in Iris van Herpen couture. Peachy keen First Mobama, now Rihanna. Tricky-to-pull-off peach is overtaking white as the suit shade of choice for power players unafraid of a challenge. Coordinating bumbag optional. Gallic grace Think French style is all tailored blazers and super-skinny silhouettes? Pah! Wearing Louise…

PHOTOGRAPH JENNY LEWIS I THOUGHT I KNEW what fear was before I became a midwife, but I was wrong. Sure, I was prey to all the usual common-or-garden variety fears – of what others thought (particularly acute growing up as the chunky, bespectacled daughter of two academics), of never finding my place in the world (still working on that one, having changed careers numerous times), and that old favourite, fear of death (which I viewed up close through a diamorphine-fogged lens during childbirth). But real fear – the kind that sends a jolt of adrenaline to every cell and synapse in your body, the kind that makes you think you’re going to bring up your breakfast and soil your scrubs all at once – that kind of fear only became…

IT’S DIFFICULT FOR women today to imagine the culture of the 1960s, when I first became established as a presenter. The world – of television and everything else – was run by men, while women were their attendants. I was working on the BBC Two arts programme Late Night Line-Up when I was dubbed the ‘thinking man’s crumpet’ by comedian Frank Muir. It was typical of the way women, then rare creatures on television, were seen. I had a job just as good as the men I was working with, but it was a put-down, a way of diminishing my authority. Nevertheless, it was seen as an enchanting, witty compliment to pay to a woman and, once the male editors of Fleet Street had grabbed hold of it, it was…

PHOTOGRAPHS SIMON EMMETTBEAUTY DIRECTION JOELY WALKER IN THE EARLY stages of pregnancy and suffering from morning sickness, the last thing any woman wants to be doing is a series of interviews, dictaphone after dictaphone stuck under their noses as they strive to string a sentient sentence together while secretly longing for their bed. But you don’t become one of the highest-earning models in the world and CEO of a thriving organic beauty brand by taking to your bed at the slightest – or even the greatest – provocation. And so here’s Miranda Kerr, all 5ft 9in of her, looking bronzed and radiant despite the nausea. ‘I’ve had morning sickness with all of them,’ she says, breezily. ‘With Flynn I had it, with Hart I had it, and now I have…

THE SPIEL: The latest in the rapidly-expanding roster of injectable tweakments, Profhilo is a stabilised form of 100% hyaluronic acid, the super-hydrating molecule featured in increasing amounts of skincare. In theory, injecting it directly into the skin via 10 points (five on either side of the face) will boost your skin’s capacity to produce collagen, subsequently smoothing and firming it in a way that promises to be more subtle than other forms of filler. THE TESTER: How do you mitigate the signs of ageing without losing yourself to anxiety, self-loathing and an overworked-on face – one that winds up not even really looking like yours any more? I’m working on that; have been ever since I hit 40. If you’re tempted to go down the interventionist route, I definitely think…

PHOTOS: AGATA PEC, GIANANDREA TRAINA. ARMANI BEAUTY: ARMANIBEAUTY.CO.UK. BALANCE ME: BOOTS.COM. CHANEL: CHANEL.COM. CLARINS: CLARINS.COM. DIEGO DALLA PALMA:LOOKFANTASTIC.COM. ELEMIS: ELEMIS.COM. FENTY BEAUTY: HARVEYNICHOLS.COM. GLOSSIER: GLOSSIER.COM. KIEHL’S: KIEHLS.CO.UK. L’ORÉAL PARIS: BOOTS.COM. NUDE BY NATURE: nudebynature.co.uk. omorovicza: omorovicza.com. revlon: boots.com. tom Ford: net-a-porter.com. vichy: vichy.co.uk. Weleda: boots.com. ysl beauty: yslbeauty.co.uk Emma Stoddart, senior beauty assistant If bronzed and sculpted are top of your complexion wish list, this crafty line-up of hard-working skin boosters is for you. Think a nifty roller that boosts circulation and plumps cheeks, and an oh-so soft contour palette that chisels without looking fake. Dot Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Concealer, £19, in a shade lighter than your skin tone down the bridge of the nose, under the eyes and above your Cupid’s bow to help define your facial contours.…

THE BRUSH WITH BENEFITS For a brilliant blusher brush with eco and cruelty-free credentials, try Eco Tools’ retractable Kabuki Brush. £12.99, contentbeautywellbeing.com THE MAGIC MOISTURISER Containing a magical cocktail of marula oil, manuka honey, pawpaw and rosehip oil, you can use Trilogy Everything Balm on everything from cuts to bruises or as a moisturiser. £21.50, trilogyproducts.com THE NEW CHILL PILL The latest buzz in the wellbeing world is about Ashwagandha, an exceptional Indian herb that supports us through physiological and psychological stress. Wholistic Ashwagandha, £16.95, pukkaherbs.com…

Catch up on… Kidding Such is his association with ’90s pop video imagery, I’d assumed that watching a TV show directed by Michel Gondry would feel a bit like listening to a Radiohead album in 2019. Of a time long passed. Wrong! Kidding is a dark, strange and malevolent piece about a distressed children’s entertainer. Jim Carrey and the inimitable Catherine Keener star. Recommended. On Netflix now Watch live… tuca & Bertie The house of BoJack Horseman unveils its latest adult animation about two bird-women sharing the same apartment block. One’s a bit bolshy, the other’s a bit angsty. Both are, you know, birds. Go with the suspension of disbelief. It’ll reward you. Netflix, from Friday Wallow in… Special Blimey, the tears are shedding this week. Ryan O’Connell’s masterful comedy…

I so agree that dads get all the praise for doing what mums do all the time. When my daughter goes on a girls’ holiday, her children have to be farmed out to (female) relatives, who all work, because the dads are seen as not being able to cope for more than a few hours. In fact, women seem to actively encourage it. It needs to stop. Men must take more responsibility for childcare. Anna TALKING THERAPY It was refreshing to read about grief in Things You Only Know If You’re An Adult Orphan (15 Apr). It’s something we need to discuss more. I lost my partner and parents in the space of three years. I’d never experienced the death of someone close before and it hit me like a…

main photo: photo: joanna bongard. hair and make-up:fiona moore at terri manduca. other photos: getty, splash LAST WEEK, A NEW verb was introduced to the Urban Dictionary. To ‘Meghan Markle’ someone denotes the ditching of a friend who has stopped serving your purposes. While this might sound like a vicious, unsubstantiated slight upon the character of the heavily pregnant duchess – I’m not sure it necessarily is. I myself have a long, proud history of behaviour the Urban Dictionary would deem Markle’esque. I’ve walked away from a lot of people – almost always women – with whom I’d once been close. I have dropped, ghosted, tactically fizzled and strategically distanced. The corpses of former friendships litter the ditches on my path through life like roadkill. The sanctity of female friendship…

1 MONO MAGIC Jumper, £89, and trousers, £149, The White Company 2. COVER UP This safari jacket will see you through rain or shine. £49.99, H&M 3 TOTES AMAZING Treat yourself to a perky pastel. £490, Mansur Gavriel at matchesfashion.com 4. Mules don’t come chicer than Jimmy Choo’s mock-croc pair. £475, Jimmy Choo  5. A pleasingly wearable cross between jeans and cargo pants. £90, French Connection 6 Do leopard print the stealth wealth way with this spotted skirt. £170, Ganni 7 Trade your gold hoops for chunky blue ones. £245, Rejina Pyo at selfridges.com 8. Wrap tie! Handkerchief hem! Patchwork prints! This dress has got it all. £825, Tibi at modaoperandi.com 9 HOW HANDY This oval beauty is ideal for spring. £332, Cafuné  10. FRILLED! Dial up the romance with…

YOU DON’T BELIEVE in karmic retribution? You might want to consult your weather app. With record-breaking temperatures and clear skies over the Easter weekend, it feels only right that we’re now being punished with showers and goosebumps this week – followed (allegedly) by a random day of sunshine again! But of course. There’s only one reason NOT to be utterly down in the dumps about the unpredictable weather – and that’s the clothes. There’s some really great showerproofing going on in the shops – and you don’t have to be bound for a muddy few days in a field to get involved. Here are our five tips for looking stylish and, more importantly, steering clear of drowned rat territory this rainy season. You’re welcome. IT’S TIME TO ELEVATE YOUR ANORAK…

It’S thE bOOK EvEryONE’S talking about. Last week, debut novel Queenie stormed the best-seller lists – game-changing for an industry that told its previously unknown author they didn’t know who her audience would be. ‘When my editor called to say I was number two on the best-seller charts, I said, no I’m not,’ writer Candice Carty-Williams tells Grazia. ‘I couldn’t believe it. That, plus me being a black working-class woman, I was like, wait, what? Is this really happening?’ Queenie tells the story of a 25-year-old woman battling a break-up, racism on dating apps, and a boss who doesn’t understand #BlackLivesMatter – and many of her experiences are inspired by her creator’s own life. ‘There is the fact that I’m Caribbean, I’ve had panic attacks and depression, a lot of…

IT IS AN UNCOMFORTABLE truth that Britney Spears’ mental health has now become more widely discussed than her music. For 12 years, since her very public breakdown in 2007, which saw her detained under an involuntary psychiatric hold, one of the world’s most famous pop singers has seen her personal lows documented forensically – not just by tabloids but by fans who run forums and fan accounts dedicated to her. Since 2008, Britney’s life has been ruled by a ‘conservatorship’, which has meant her father Jamie Spears, 66, has had the legal power to make personal and professional decisions for his 37-year-old daughter: from whether she performs 248 live shows in Las Vegas (as part of her four-year Piece Of Me residency) to whether she can drive her own car…

PHOTO: URBAN VIBE STUDIOS ‘I AM ALREADY IN love with your body.’ In an era of #MeToo, that’s a bold thing for a man to say to a woman he’s barely interacted with on a dating app. I think I’m supposed to be flattered. But when it’s the third sentence in, and both the others have been about his love for big women, you know this man isn’t talking to you – he’s talking to his fixation. If your opening message to me is about your love for BBW (a term imported from porn to the dating world, meaning Big Beautiful Women), you aren’t messaging me, you’re messaging a body type. I’m 44 and, at the moment, not looking for a long-term relationship or a happily-ever-after. But I’m not just…

photos: jason lloyd-evans, shutterstock.coach podcast ‘dream it real’ released every wednesday Step into the sustainability movement. Sneaker brand Allbirds has gone carbon neutral. Consult your star sign. We predict a sellout for Matchesfashion.com’s new astrology-inspired Ganni capsule. Worship at the altar of Rei Kawakubo. The Comme des Garçons legend is awarded the 2019 Isamu Noguchi Award this week. Get a net. Fishnet dresses aren’t just for raging attention seekers. See Altuzarra and Salvatore Ferragamo for the grown-up way to wear. Download Coach’s new podcast to hear Maisie Williams, Selena Gomez and more on their dreams for the future. Dress up your ’do. Ashley Williams’ super-hot hairclips are finally back in stock at DSM – but not for long.…

Retro Rhodes That tired old cover-up won’t cut it poolside any more. Instead, seek out something bolder, such as summer style experts Three Graces London’s new collab with Zandra Rhodes. Breezy cotton voile sundresses and silk-chiffon after-dark options star Zandra’s signature prints, like the Mexican Banana Leaf design from the ’70s. From £535, threegraceslondon.com TEES FOR TREES Praise be, it’s finally short- sleeves weather. Celebrate with Pinko x Stella Jean’s range of five T-shirts made in collaboration with Treedom.net. For each tee sold, a new tree is planted in Kenya. From £57, pinko.com AN EYEFUL Fendi has joined forces with outré opticals brand Gentle Monster. The result? Shades that make a serious statement. The Gentle Fendi capsule collection includes two unisex styles featuring small lenses and big attitude. Models Adwoa…

NICHOLA JOSS Facialist to the stars (Meghan included) AUGUSTINUS BADER THE RICH CREAM, £205 ‘My go-to cream, I use it on most of my clients and find it’s also a fantastic base to prep skin pre-make-up. The science shows it reduces skin damage and signs of ageing caused by pollution, stimulates skin healing and restores luminosity. Put simply, it creates better skin.’ JOELY WALKER Grazia health & beauty director IT COSMETICS YOUR SKIN BUT BETTER CC+ ILLUMINATION CREAM SPF 50+, £31 ‘This is the base I come back to time and time again. Hitting that sweet spot between ample coverage and a natural glow, it gives my skin an instant boost that covers redness and doesn’t slip and slide during the day.’ VAISHALY Celebrity facialist NARS RADIANT CREAMY CONCEALER, £24…

Joely Walker, health & beauty director I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: glow is my neck-up nirvana and dewiness is the aim of my game once the sun starts shining on after office hours. For this, skin prep is absolutely key, followed by smart make-up that boosts radiance. Let’s glow, girls! Hyaluronic acid and skin get on like a house on fire, and Balance Me Tri-Molecular Hyaluronic Serum, £30, is one of my favourite HA formulas to date. See those bubbles? Each one bursts on your skin to give an instant complexion pick-me-up with a natural wash of coverage. Chanel Les Beiges Eau De Teint, £48, I’m into you. With a 100% natural formula in a foolproof scribble stick, Nude by Nature Touch of Glow Highlighter Stick…

WIth SO mANy myths surrounding cervical screening, it’s not hard to understand why one in four women avoid the test. Yet, two women die every day in England from cervical cancer, and we can’t let misinformation stop us from taking the potentially life-saving test. Despite what you may have heard, a cervical screening only takes a few minutes, and is usually done by a female nurse who is trained to make you feel as comfortable as possible. Broadcaster Gemma Cairney makes an appointment for her screening as soon as she is invited, and she’s encouraging other women to do the same. ‘It doesn’t take long,’ she says. ‘The procedure is clearly explained by the nurse, they take a sample, and then it’s done – you get on with your day.…

OUR fIRSt CHAPtER competition is a highlight of the year – and we’re thrilled to announce our latest search for a new female literary talent. Grazia – in partnership with the Women’s Prize for Fiction – is giving you the chance to kick-start your writing career with our First Chapter competition, now in its ninth year. Helping us is Gail Honeyman, award-winning author of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, who has written the opening paragraph of a story. Now, we’re challenging you to finish the first chapter. The sky is the limit for your inspiration, just keep to 800-1,000 words and send it to us by Tuesday 21 May. The winner will join us at the star-studded Women’s Prize for Fiction awards party in London on Wednesday 5 June, where…

I’m currently on a train to Manchester (to catch up with a friend), reading Enough! No more praising dads for doing the basics (29 Apr). I rushed about madly last night and this morning to leave my husband alone for one night. It’s been a mission to sort out after-school childcare, leave uniforms all ready for tomorrow and dinner prepped in the fridge and, just for an added bonus, I cleaned the kitchen floor four minutes before having to leave the house! Does he know how much prep one night required? Not a clue. However, I’m sure tomorrow it will be praise all round when he drops the kids off at school in the correct uniform. It’s definitely time to give much more kudos to the mums who do it…

One-SHOULDER TOP UNDER A BLAZER A strong styling tiplet. DEMI SHOE WEATHER Is it a loafer? Is it a mule? It’s both! Thanks Russell & Bromley! ANNA CHLUMSKY Once of My Girl, now of Veep. Offering beautiful insight into fame, on Gimlet podcast Without Fail. HOLES Macramé. Coming to a fashion item (like this Rae Feather bag) near you soon. HUNZA G Swimwear of the season. Deliciously weird texture. Works with a jean. SECOND-GO TRENDS Eg, tie-dye. Can’t remember it from the ’70s; can remember it from the ’90s. Will do it now.…

WIth A bEAmINg SmIlE and her arm draped around Dakota Johnson’s shoulder, last week Gwyneth Paltrow looked for all the world like she was posing for a photo with one of her oldest friends. Only, she was actually arm-in-arm with her ex-husband Chris Martin’s girlfriend, a woman she has been rumoured to have been keen to distance herself from since he started dating her in October 2017. Gwyneth and Dakota were publicly photographed together for the first time last Wednesday, during a birthday dinner in LA for socialite and journalist Derek Blasberg. He posted it on Instagram with the caption: ‘Consciously throupling’, a cheeky nod to Gwyneth and Chris’s infamous 2014 split statement. According to sources, the timing of the picture is deliberate, as Gwyneth, 46, finally feels happy to…

PHOTOS: SPLASH NEWS, EMPICS ENTERTAINMENT WHEN ADELE ANNOUNCED her separation from husband Simon Konecki last week, fans took to Twitter to celebrate the inevitable, chart-topping break-up album. But while she’s expected to funnel her emotions into her next release, she has more pressing immediate concerns: her six-year-old son Angelo – and her £140m fortune. While the news became public just over a week ago, Grazia understands the couple, who were introduced by mutual friend Ed Sheeran in 2011 and married secretly in 2016, actually went their separate ways before Christmas. ‘They have been living apart for some time, so this hasn’t come as a huge shock to their friends’, says a source. ‘The sad thing is they knew that their relationship was under a huge amount of pressure within months…

PHOTO: STOCKSY LASt wEEK, The Wall Street Journal revealed the results of its survey of 1,000 people’s binge-watching and sex habits. One in four people said they’d chosen watching TV over having sex in the last six months, and among 18 to 38-year-olds, that figure rose to 36%. ‘Is streaming video responsible for America’s falling fertility rate?’ asked the newspaper, dubbing it ‘the new birth control’. Netflix, taking advantage of a great PR moment, released a statement: ‘We take pride in being part of the cultural zeitgeist, but [...] a decades-long decline in sex is beyond even our programming abilities.’ But it’s true: Netflix is ruining my sex life. It’s definitely Netflix, incidentally, and not our uncomfortable mid-century modern sofas that only hold one adult. And it’s not even the…

. PHOTOS: GETTY, SPLASHNEWS, BACKGRID, SHUTTERSTOCK, INSTAGRAM Two A-listers marked their birthdays in their own special ways last week. Kate Hudson turned 40, California-style, with a spot of morning yoga with Gwyneth Paltrow, followed by a night in with mum Goldie Hawn, Leonardo DiCaprio, Reese Witherspoon, Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry, all making their own pizzas and guzzling cannabis-infused sweets, washed down with tequila. Over in New York, Gigi Hadid marked her 24th. Guests including Ashley Graham, Helena Christensen, Marc Jacobs and sister Bella followed the ‘denim and boots’ dress code – although Taylor Swift did not – before dancing to ’90s tunes and feasting on burgers, fries and ‘The Yolanda’, a cocktail named after Gigi’s mum. Which one would you crash?…

‘I don’t talk Brexit over the dinner table. God, no’ MP Anna Soubry - who left the Conservative Party in February to join the Independent Group (now called Change UK) - says it’s time to take the issue back to the people The thing that’s concerning me is how wrong it would be for us to leave the EU without going back to the people first. I believe with a passion that we should have a People’s Vote. I know some feel it would be a betrayal to the referendum result, but others – including MPs – have admitted they didn’t realise how difficult the referendum would be to deliver or how damaging leaving the EU would be to our economy. PHOTO: CAMERA PRESS ‘I believe that we should have…

AS TOLD LYNN ENRIGHT. NAME HAS BEEN CHANGED ‘It was more fun than romantic’ Jennifer, 31, a comedian, lives in London I’m single but I hate dating apps. I’ve never slept with anyone I’ve met on an app, never even been on a second date with someone from an app. I only go on an online date when I feel like, ‘Oh my God, am I missing out on something?’ – but more to prove to myself that, no, that’s not how I become attracted to people. I always fancy people that I get to know. I very rarely meet someone and instantly fancy them. I’m a comedian and I gig a lot, and the last person I slept with is a friend from that world. It’s a very sociable…

WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I used to turn to the fashion pages of glossy magazines like Grazia and yearn for items that I couldn’t afford. Back then, I truly believed in the transformative power of clothes and was utterly convinced that my bank account was the only thing standing in the way of my sartorial happiness. Surely, owning an ‘It’ bag (it was Chloé’s Paddington that held the key to my 18-year-old heart) would turn me into someone cooler, more sophisticated, more unique even. I thought buying something expensive meant standing out from the high-street-clad crowd. Fast-forward a few years and I’m happy to say my approach to shopping has completely changed. Suddenly, trends are no longer simply a fun challenge. Designer purchases have stopped being the Holy Grail. I…

Hannah Coates, beauty editor You can keep your wet-look highlights – a velvety smooth finish is my everyday mission, and these light-as-air formulas work together to achieve just that. Making skin look matte and even, without chalkiness, they go the distance and don’t budge. Plus, what’s more luxe than velvet? The tiny mattifying particles in L’Oréal Paris Magic Loose Powder, £8.99, absorb shine-inducing oil. Magic by name, magic by nature. Buff Diego Dalla Palma Liquid Bronzer, £20.50, all over skin for a flattering bronze boost that dries matte. As creamy and lightweight as they come, Revlon PhotoReady Candid Anti-Pollution Foundation, £9.99, offers one of the best velvety finishes on the high street. Armani Beauty Lip Magnet in Azalea, £31, is a rosy nude that works just as well patted on…

PHOTOS: STOCKSY THE OTHER DAY, an email pinged into my inbox from the probiotic company Optibac, saying their For Women supplements are their best-selling product. The point of the product? Basically, to create a happy vagina – to replenish good bacteria and balance the microflora in our lady bits. Intrigued, I went on their website where there are loads of reviews from people with joyous, healthy vaginas thanks to these so-called wonder pills. ‘These are the only probiotics that have worked for my system,’ said one, and ‘I have finally found something that works… take my advice and TRY IT, YOU WONT REGRET IT,’ said another. Was I missing out on some magical makeover for my nether regions? I’ve only just got my head round the microbiome of the gut,…

photo: marco vittur THERE'S ONE THING I need you to know about these muffins before we take this any further. They were designed to be buttered. I just think it’s important to be up front about these things. In fact, I’ll add ‘salted butter’ to the ingredients list now, so you don’t get caught short. OK? Now we can proceed with what I’m sure will be some oven-hot muffiny takes. I think the muffin gets a bad rap – there are too many dry, nightmarish iterations eaten out of necessity in bleak places such as hospital waiting rooms, overbooked long-distance trains and – worst of all – at work. They are sprinkled with oats to make them look wholesome and their squat shape renders them inelegant next to their curvaceous…

photos: bbc pictures ON SUNDAY NIGHT,DS Kate Fleming, the proper brains behind police anti-corruption unit AC-12, will grace our TV screens as Line Of Duty comes to its climactic, nerve-jangling end. Fleming is an unusual character in police procedurals. Her wardrobe is off-the-peg high street. We know next to nothing of her private life. And yet we love her for one very specific reason: because she is played by Vicky McClure. Vicky first appeared in the mid-’00s, as a graduate of the Nottingham TV Workshop, one of the few free resources for regional, working-class young actors. She starred in Shane Meadows’ exceptional A Room For Romeo Brass. Madonna cast her in Filth And Wisdom because of it. Vicky looked genuinely baffled when she was awarded her BAFTA for playing surly…

Think, train and eat like a Viking. Harness traditional Icelandic values to evolve into a fierce fitness warrior. You are not your body. Stop letting your body dictate how you feel about yourself. Take care of it, but never mistake it for you. Ditch before and after photos. Vikings don’t calorie count, either. Chart progress in terms of performance, not how you look. Vikings are mentally tough. Don’t be a person who gives up because they ‘don’t feel like it’. Go after your fitness goal.…

At the end of the day, I’ll either get the train back from London to West Sussex or a driver will take me home. I use the time to catch up on emails; that car time has become my office. I seem to spend most of my life on the A3. as told to anna silverman. photo: getty.Balance Your life: BY amélie Khellaf-Govettand Jodie Kidd is out now My brain is like a lava lamp. It just bubbles along all through the day, constantly thinking about how my partner Joe and seven-year-old son Indio’s days are going. As soon as I get in, I usually pour myself a glass of red wine and catch up with them. That’s our family time. My guardian angel is a woman called Rachel; she…