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India Today
a day ago
- Health
- India Today
How makeup on babies can trigger allergies and disrupt hormones
Dabbing perfume on a baby, painting their tiny nails with polish containing formaldehyde or dusting blush onto their cheeks for a photoshoot, might sound like innocent acts in the age of social media, but such practices are actually far from kajal applied to eyelids to mehendi drawn on tiny hands, cosmetic use on babies and toddlers is increasingly common. In fact, you type 'child makeup influencers' and you're bound to get dozens of Instagram Reels showcasing young girls doing the multi-step skincare routine or picking up a large eyeshadow kit and applying loads of glitter dust on their eyelids and does science say when it comes to applying cosmetic products? Infant skin is fundamentally different from adult skin, it's thinner, more permeable, and still in development. This makes it more susceptible to irritation, allergic reactions, and long-term health risks, including hormonal disruption. Newborns have the same number of skin layers as adults, but those layers are up to 30% thinner. This means chemicals from cosmetics can more easily pass through the skin and into deeper tissues or the to Adam Taylor, an expert in anatomy at Lancaster University, baby skin also contains more water and less sebum, the natural oil that acts as a protective barrier. This increases vulnerability to dryness and irritation, especially when exposed to products not specifically designed for infant skin, he wrote in The Conversation Delhi-based dermatologist Dr. Deepali Bhardwaj cautioned, 'You cannot use kajal, it needs to be very genuine and authentic. Many over-the-counter products may contain harmful additives or chemicals not suitable for a baby's delicate eyes and skin," advising against casual use of traditional or cosmetic formulations on skincare ingredients are likely to harm health by disrupting hormones or causing allergies. Alkylphenols, triclosan, and BPA can affect hormone activity, while cyclosiloxanes may build up in the body. Ethanolamines can form potentially harmful compounds, and parabens mimic estrogen. Phthalates are linked to reproductive issues, especially in children, and benzophenone in sunscreens may trigger allergic reactions and hormonal to the issue is the increasing presence of children's makeup and body products in the market. These include everything from body glitter and face paint to lipstick, nail polish, hair gel, and perfume.A 2023 study published in Environmental Research and Public Health by Columbia University researchers highlights this growing trend and the accompanying risks. These items are often designed with bright colours and cartoon characters to appeal to children, and marketed through social media platforms that even young users can contain multiple allergens, including fragrance compounds, lanolin (wool alcohol), preservatives, and hair dye chemicals. Even products labelled 'natural' or 'herbal' are not automatically safe. In fact, allergic contact dermatitis is a well-documented reaction to many of these researchers found that most children in the US use makeup and body products that may contain carcinogenic and other toxic chemicals. Many cosmetic products for children contain heavy metals and other toxic chemicals that are linked to cancer, neurodevelopmental harm, and other serious and irreversible health bottom line is that the skin of infants and toddlers is not equipped to handle cosmetic products meant for adults—or even for older children. As the wellness industry continues to push boundaries, experts urge parents to prioritise safety and long-term health over short-term aesthetics or trends.- Ends
Sinar Daily
3 days ago
- General
- Sinar Daily
'Your English is So Good' - Raciolinguistic reflections from Malaysia and how this is more complicated than you think
"YOUR English is so good'. Many of us Malaysians, especially those who use English regularly, may have heard this at least once. And when we travel to English-speaking countries, it often continues. During my early years in the United Kingdom in 2012, a kind British neighbour once said this to me. He meant it warmly, even noted that I spoke standard English, not a regional variety. He asked how I came to speak English so well. I smiled and explained that I learned it as a second language in Malaysia. The moment stayed with me. Over time, what struck me more was how many native speakers spoke in ways that did not always match the English we were taught, or taught to revere, as proper: rarely textbook grammar, and often far from the formal 'standard' we were trained to emulate. This is not a critique of how they, or anyone, speak or use the language. Language is diverse and contextual. Rather, it is a reflection on how unevenly linguistic authority is distributed. Their English was never questioned. Ours often is. That is what makes comments like 'Your English is so good' feel more complicated than they seem. They may be well-intentioned (and often are) but they are rarely neutral. Such remarks carry the assumption that fluency or proficiency is surprising, even exceptional, when it comes from those who do not fit dominant expectations of what an English speaker should look or sound like. This is not just about English. It is about who is allowed to speak without explanation and who is always expected to account for their voice. I was reminded of how deeply this runs while attending Residential 2025: Applied Linguistics and the Global South – English and Other Problems at Lancaster University. Professor Ryuko Kubota's talk, based on interviews with racialised students and instructors at a Canadian university, revealed patterns that felt immediately familiar: 'compliments' that function as microaggressions, the pressure to sound 'native,' and the subtle ways names, accents, and heritage languages become sites of judgement. Though her research focused on Canada, much of it resonated with Malaysian realities - where language politics are just as layered and just as unequal. In Malaysia, English occupies a complicated space. It is a colonial legacy, a class marker, a passport to global mobility and often, a quiet test of how 'intelligent', 'modern' or 'credible' someone is perceived to be. Yet fluency and proficiency are rarely judged on their own terms. For instance, two people may demonstrate equal command of English, yet be heard and evaluated differently, depending not on what they say, but on how they sound, who they are, or how they are perceived. We are taught, often implicitly, that English spoken with certain accents is more legitimate, more impressive, more 'correct'. But most of us speak with accents shaped by our histories, our communities, and our multilingual lives. Accents are not errors to fix but traces of where we come from - shaped by contact, identity and history, not deficiency. Here, over 1,500 join Payang Fun Walk and Run to promote healthy living and community spirit in Terengganu on July 11, 2025. (BERNAMA PHOTO) Accent is not the opposite of fluency, and sounding local is not the same as sounding less capable. If someone speaks with a British accent, à la Simon Cowell or an American one shaped by media exposure, let them. If someone speaks English with a Malaysian accent shaped by the rhythms of Kelantanese or Terengganu Malay, let them too. Accents are not errors to fix but traces of where we come from - shaped by contact, identity and history, not deficiency. Some of us carry traces of belacan or budu in our pronunciation and that, too, is English. The problem is not how we speak, but how our speech is filtered through racialised and classed expectations. But the hierarchies do not end with English. Bahasa Melayu, while officially upheld as the national language, is often treated as the cultural property of the Malay-Muslim majority. Chinese and Indian Malaysians are expected, even required, to speak it fluently, especially within the school system and state discourse. Yet when they do, their fluency is not always met with uncomplicated acceptance. Comments like 'You speak Malay so well!' may sound like praise but often carry an undercurrent of surprise - as though fluency alone cannot undo the presumption of ethnic distance. It is not that they are not expected to speak Malay - they are. But even when they speak it fluently, their command of the language is often treated as surprising, as if Bahasa Melayu is still something they had to acquire from the outside, rather than something they have a rightful, everyday claim to. It remains coded as not fully 'theirs', even though they are expected to know it. Meanwhile, when Malay speakers become proficient in Mandarin or Tamil, they may be met with raised eyebrows or half-joking questions like, 'Eh, how come you tahu cakap ni?' These moments reveal that language, in these cases, becomes less about communication than about containment - a way to monitor who belongs where, and who might be crossing lines drawn by race. These expectations are not just contradictory but also exhausting. Racialised speakers constantly navigate a shifting set of demands: to be fluent, but not too confident; to represent diversity, but not speak from it too loudly. The result is a kind of linguistic performance that never quite satisfies. In classrooms, meetings, interviews and conferences, many of us have learned to edit ourselves mid-sentence, softening an intonation, recalibrating a register, sometimes not because we lack fluency, but because we anticipate judgement, or feel the unease of speaking under someone else's expectations. Names carry this burden too. In a raciolinguistic system, names are not just identifiers - they are preloaded with assumptions. They shape how one's English is anticipated, heard or judged before we have even spoken. In classrooms and job interviews, names often function as shorthand for linguistic competence, cultural capital and social value. They trigger expectations and limitations - about who is likely to be articulate, and who will be asked to prove themselves. So, what does resistance look like? It looks like refusing to apologise for our accents. It looks like refusing to let our names be trimmed down or reshaped to fit someone else's tongue. It looks like teaching, writing, and dreaming in Bahasa Melayu, Tamil, Mandarin, or any mix of the languages that shape us. It means rejecting the idea that English fluency or proficiency signals intelligence, or that one language should dominate our understanding of knowledge, worth, or modernity. And it means recognising that when someone says, 'Your English is so good' or 'Your Malay is so good' or 'Your Tamil is so good' or 'Your Mandarin is so good' - they are not just reacting to language. They are reacting to who is speaking it. And that is precisely the problem. So, then we are allowed to ask: 'Why wouldn't it be?' Siti Nurnadilla Mohamad Jamil is a linguist and discourse analyst whose research focuses on language, ideology, and the legitimisation of violence in media and political discourse. She is currently a Visiting Researcher at Lancaster University and an Assistant Professor of Linguistics at the International Islamic University Malaysia. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of Sinar Daily.
Forbes
23-07-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Ocean Warming Throws Angelshark Mating Out Of Sync
As seas heat up, female angelsharks are prioritizing survival over reproduction, leaving their male ... More counterparts waiting alone at breeding sites. getty In the warming waters of the Canary Islands, female angelsharks are making a difficult choice: either skip the mating season, or risk overheating. New research reveals that rising ocean temperatures are disrupting the natural mating patterns of these Critically Endangered sharks, potentially jeopardizing the future of the species. The study, led by scientists from Lancaster University and the Angel Shark Project: Canary Islands, used acoustic tracking to monitor the movements of more than 100 individual angelsharks between 2018 and 2023. Over those five years, researchers consistently found both males and females gathering in the La Graciosa Marine Reserve off Lanzarote each November and December. But 2022 broke the pattern. It was in this year that an extreme marine heatwave pushed sea surface temperatures above 74.8°F (23.8°C), with conditions staying hotter than 72.5°F (22.5°C) nearly three times longer than usual. This heatwave overlapped with the angelsharks' entire breeding season, which typically kicks off in late autumn when waters are cooler. The result? While male presence peaked on schedule, female sightings were scarce. In fact, females largely abandoned the species' traditional mating grounds, and the data showed a strong link between female angelshark activity and cooler water, suggesting that 72.5°F (22.5°C) may be close to their upper thermal limit. Dr David Jacoby, Principal Investigator from Lancaster University, likened these marine heatwaves to 'wildfires of the ocean,' with far-reaching impacts that are only beginning to be understood. Why does this matter? Angelsharks, like most sharks, are ectothermic, meaning their body temperature depends on the surrounding water. Unlike males, who seemed determined to find a mate regardless of conditions, females may be more sensitive to temperature spikes due to the energy demands of reproduction. Carrying and developing young requires a lot of metabolic regulation, and excess heat may push their physiology past a safe threshold. Faced with the choice between reproduction and self-preservation… the females appear to be choosing the latter. Jacoby noted that the observed behavioral differences between sexes during extreme temperature events could have serious implications for the species, and lead author of the study Dr. Lucy Mead, a researcher at ZSL's Institute of Zoology and Lancaster University, agreed: 'The fact that environmental extremes are driving differing male and female arrival times at coastal mating sites is of particular concern for this Critically Endangered species.' Squatina squatina, commonly known as the angelshark, is a Critically Endangered species of shark ... More that looks more like a ray due to its flattened body and broad pectoral fins. It's a bottom-dwelling species once commonly found along the northeast Atlantic coast, from Scandinavia to northwest Africa, including the Mediterranean Sea. Today, it's vanished from much of its former range. getty The Canary Islands represent one of the last strongholds for angelsharks ( Squatina squatina ), which were once widespread across European coasts but have now vanished from much of their former range. Here, adults and juveniles are still regularly seen, and the species has become a flagship for the local diving tourism industry. But even in this refuge, sightings are becoming less reliable. In just a few years, the number of hot days in the region has steadily increased from 30 days above 72.5°F (22.5°C) in 2019 to 85 such days in 2022. These elevated temperatures now extend well into what used to be the cooler season, narrowing the window when mating can safely occur. 'Our concern is that key areas may become inhospitable for females,' Mead said. 'These findings have important implications for how we conserve this highly threatened species in a warming world.' The team believes conservation strategies must begin factoring in these behavioral shifts, especially as climate extremes become more frequent and severe. And co-lead Eva Meyers from the Leibniz Institute stressed that this research underscores why long-term monitoring of critical habitats like the Canary Islands is so vital. 'These findings are a reminder of how climate extremes are already reshaping the behaviour of threatened marine species,' Meyers stressed, calling for more urgent protection of these areas, not only for angelsharks but for the broader marine ecosystems they support. Angelsharks are ambush predators that help maintain balance in coastal food webs, so if their populations collapse, the effects could ripple outward in unpredictable ways. 'It's important to understand how changes in the ocean's physicochemical conditions can affect the [all] species that inhabit coastal ecosystems,' agreed Dr. David Jiménez Alvarado of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. 'These environmental shifts may alter the habitat use and behaviour of key predatory species that play a crucial role in maintaining trophic balance. Since many of these species are already globally threatened, studying how climate-related stressors impact their ecological function is essential for developing effective conservation and management strategies.' For threatened marine species like the angelshark, which are already teetering on the brink, even small shifts in behavior can have large consequences. As the world focuses on land-based climate impacts, it's easy to overlook what's happening beneath the waves. But the ocean is warming too — and quickly. The choices angelsharks are making now, between mating and survival, reflect a sinister truth: marine life is adapting… but not always in ways that ensure its future. If we're serious about conserving ocean biodiversity, we need to pay attention to these warning signs and act before more species are pushed past their limits.
Daily Record
11-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
More people taking on second job to help pay monthly household bills
Older employees and low-paid workers are particularly worried about their income as the cost of living continues to push up outgoings. Income tax rises for Scots in April - how the changes affect you The UK Government's pledge to raise living standards across the UK faces a substantial challenge as many workers continue to feel financially insecure, the Work Foundation at Lancaster University warns. New analysis of a representative survey of 3,796 UK workers finds that one in six (17%) report they struggle to pay their bills each month, and four in ten workers (43%) say they have little income left for savings or holidays. The UK workforce is currently experiencing the strongest period of sustained wage growth for over 20 years while average nominal wages have increased by more than 5 per cent for 34 consecutive months since July 2022. However, researchers say that workers are still struggling to make ends meet, as years of wage stagnation and the cost of living crisis mean that for many, wages still do not cover basic living costs. Only half of workers (48%) surveyed believe wage increases are keeping up with the cost of living and just 43 per cent expect an above inflation pay rise in the next 12 months (26% did not expect an above inflation pay rise and 30 per cent neither agreed/disagreed or were N/A). Low paid workers are feeling the brunt of financial pressures, with only 42 per cent of those earning less than £25,000 stating their pay is keeping up with the cost of living, compared to 73 per cent of higher paid workers (earning £60,000 or more). The survey results come as recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures indicate that 1.35 million UK people have second jobs - an increase of 121,000 (10%) on the year and the highest level since records began in 1992. Analysis shows this has been primarily driven by male workers (18.6% on the year vs 3.4% for female) but female workers are still more likely to have second jobs overall (54.5% vs 45.5%). Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University said, 'Raising living standards is not just about figures on a spreadsheet, it's about workers feeling more financially secure. Four years on from the start of the worst cost of living crisis in a generation, our analysis shows workers continue to feel the impact of nearly 20 years of stagnating pay packets. 'Second jobs are sometimes glamorised as 'side hustles' or optional extras but economic necessity is often a key motivation. Despite a period of sustained pay increases, the growth in second jobs points to continued cost of living pressures that mean some workers are struggling to make enough money in their main roles and are taking on additional jobs to make ends meet.' Older workers most concerned about financial wellbeing While survey results show that two in five workers (44%) believe their employer cares about their financial wellbeing, older workers report a number of concerns. Data shows: Younger workers aged 16-24 (50%) and 25-34 (61%) are much more likely to believe their employer supports their financial wellbeing compared to older workers aged 55-64 (29%) Fewer older workers state that wage increases are keeping up with the cost of living than other age groups (39% of 55-64 year olds compared to 48% of the overall sample) Only a quarter (24%) of 55-64 year olds believe they will get an above inflation pay rise this year, compared to 50% of 16–24-year-olds and 62% of 25-34 years old. Younger workers concerned about job loss in the next 12 months A third of workers (33%) are worried about being laid off in the next 12 months – with nearly half of 16-24 year olds concerned about losing their job (48%) compared to 21% of workers aged 55-64 years old. In recent months, competition for jobs has heated up with vacancies currently below pre-pandemic levels. The data shows: A quarter of workers (25%) would not be confident of finding another job if they were made redundant Older workers aged 55-64 are least confident about finding a new job (31%) Low-income workers are twice as likely to think they would struggle to find a new job than high-income workers (30% vs 14%) Ben Harrison continues: 'During the acute phase of the cost of living crisis, we saw employers and the UK Government step in to support workers. Prices may not be rising at such rapid rates now, but these survey results reveal many workers continue to struggle with day to day costs, and have fears for their financial future. 'The Government has prioritised increases to the National Living Wage and set out an ambitious agenda to strengthen workers' rights and make work pay. But with many reforms to boost access to better paid and more secure work still years from implementation, there is a real risk that change comes too late for those struggling today.' The Work Foundation at Lancaster University recommends: The UK Government must continue to monitor the impact of this prolonged period of inflation on those in or at risk of poverty. It should be ready to extend existing measures, such as the new Crisis and Resilience Fund, in the 2025 Budget, and to prioritise implementation of the Employment Rights Bill that will provide routes for boosting wages in key sectors, such as social care. Employers should take an engagement first approach to financial wellbeing, working with employees and trade unions, prioritising at or above inflation pay increases, especially for lower earners, and reviewing employment contracts to strengthen job security and provide guaranteed working hours.
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Expert reveals why cold showers on hot days could kill you
The first big heat wave of the summer has sent millions in the US looking for a way to cool down, but one expert says taking a cold shower could be a fatal mistake. A massive heat dome has trapped hot and humid air over more than half the US for days, sending June temperatures into triple-digits for the first time in decades for several major cities. Professor Adam Taylor from Lancaster University explained how trying to cool your body down by jumping into very cold water actually has the opposite effect. Instead of getting your body to release excess heat, suddenly shocking the body with a cold shower tricks the human body into thinking it should keep the heat trapped inside. According to Taylor, this can be deadly for people with high blood pressure and heart conditions. Moreover, there's a risk of organ damage when the body stays too hot for too long. While these events tend to be rare, there's an extremely common problem that washing in cold water can exacerbate - body odor and unclean skin. So, while a plunge into cold water may feel like relief in a heat wave, it might actually not be helping the human body at all. Our body's optimal temperature is around 98.6°F. This temperatures ensures our body systems can function properly. When the core gets too hot, the temperature regulating center of the brain starts sending nervous signals out to the blood vessels and muscles in or near the skin – telling them to start activating their cooling mechanisms. If our core stays at high temperature for too long (around 102.2-104°F), this can lead to organ damage. So to ensure our temperature stays optimal, the body uses multiple techniques to cool itself down. For instance, the body radiates heat into the surrounding environment by electromagnetic (thermal) radiation. Approximately 60 percent of our body heat is lost this way. Sweating is another mechanism the body uses. Around 22 percent of our body heat is lost this way. When the air temperature around us exceeds our body temperature, sweating becomes the dominant mechanism for reducing core temperature. Any remaining body heat is then lost through a mixture of convection into the air or liquid the body may be in contact with and conduction into solid objects that the body may be in contact with. To support these mechanisms, our blood vessels change diameter. The ones closest to the skin dilate (widen) to allow more blood into them so they can get close to the relatively cooler surface of the skin. The body then works to circulate the blood so that heat from inside the body can be moved to the periphery to cool off. Similarly on our skin, the hairs remain flat to allow air next to the body to cool and be replaced, helping to dissipate heat. Cold shower? Of course, when the weather gets really hot outside, these biological mechanisms just don't feel like they cut it. Although diving into a cold bath or shower straight after being out in the heat might feel nice on your skin, it isn't doing what is needed to reduce the core temperature of the body. It might also be risky for some people. When exposed to cold, the blood vessels near to the skin constrict – reducing the blood flow into these areas. So, in the context of cooling the body down, jumping into a cold shower does the opposite of what needs to happen, as less blood is now flowing to the surface of the skin. This will hold the heat in and around your organs instead of getting rid of it. Basically, you're tricking your body that it doesn't need to cool down, but actually needs to conserve heat. Depending on how cold your water is, sudden exposure could even trigger dangerous consequences for some people. Exposure to cold water that is around 59°F can trigger the cold shock response. This causes the blood vessels in the skin (those in contact with the cold water) to constrict rapidly. The shock increases blood pressure as the heart is now pumping against increased resistance. This response can be particularly dangerous in people with underlying heart conditions, such as coronary artery disease. The cold shock response can also lead to an irregular heartbeat and even death when going from very hot to cold. Thankfully, these events are rare – and probably won't happen if you're just taking a cold shower or bath in your home. However, you might want to skip the cold plunge or avoid taking an ice bath on a hot day for this reason. Hot showers are also a bad idea on a warm day. Although it's sometimes said that a hot shower helps the body cool down faster, this unfortunately isn't true. Water that is warmer than the body is going to transfer energy in the form of heat into the body. This again prevents the body getting rid of heat – potentially increasing its core temperature. On a hot day, a tepid or lukewarm bath or shower is the way to go, evidence suggests 78.8-80.6°F is most effective. This helps bring blood to the surface to cool, without being cold enough to cause the body to think it needs to conserve its heat. Another reason to skip a cold shower on a hot day is that it might not help you get clean. When we get hot, we sweat – and this sweat mixes with sebum, another skin product and the bacteria on our skin, which produces body odor. Cold water has been shown to be less effective at removing and breaking down sebum and other debris on the skin, compared to warmer water, which means bad body odor will persist. Cold water also causes the skin to tighten. This might potentially trap sebum and dirt within the pores, leading to blackheads, whiteheads, and acne. However, warm or lukewarm water can help dissolve and loosen material in the pores. As you plan your escape and recovery from the heat this week, a lukewarm or cool shower or bath, rather than a cold shower, is a safer and more effective choice. This will allow your body to dissipate heat away from your core without harm. Equally, if you do feel the need to go cooler, do it gradually so you aren't shocking the body's automatic temperature regulation system into action. Turning the temperature down gradually if you want to go cold, or slowly placing an arm or leg in at a time can help with this process. This article is adapted from The Conversation, a nonprofit news organization dedicated to sharing the knowledge of experts. It was written by Adam Taylor, a professor of anatomy at Lancaster University.
