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Extra.ie
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Top five sea swimming spots in Ireland revealed
Beaches in Galway, Kerry, Cork and Dublin have all made it onto a list of the top five sea swimming hotspots in the country, according to data collected over the last five years. The data was accumulated by Lagoon Activity Centre in Rosscarbery, Co Cork and was based on Google Trends between 2020 to 2025. With Met Éireann forecasting continued high temperatures, it may be the perfect time to see if a beach close by has made the list. Beaches in Galway, Kerry, Cork and Dublin have all made it onto a list of the best swimming hotspots in the country according to data collected over the last five years. Pic: Google Maps Blackrock Beach in Salthill, Co Galway got the top spot, lauded for its diving tower and Blue Flag status. Banna Strand in Co Kerry came in at number two on the top sea swimming spots. The beach in Kerry is another blue flag winner, with Kerry taking away the gong for most Blue Flags of the year to date. Banna is seven miles long and is the perfect spot to take in the stunning scenery before, after and during a dip in the water. Banna is seven miles long and is the perfect spot to take in the stunning scenery before, after and during a swim in the water. Pic: Google Maps The Forty Foot and Vico Baths, both in Dublin took the third and fourth spot. As well as being great spots when the weather is fab, they are also great celeb sighting spots with the likes of Mad Men star Christina Hendricks and Breaking Bad's Giancarlo Esposito having been spotted at the Forty Foot while Harry Styles and Matt Damon have both been spotted at Vico Baths. Rounding out the top five is Cork's Myrtleville Beach, which The Gloss praise due to its short distance from the city centre, as well as the ease of access to the beach. Matt Damon at Vico Baths. Pic: Paul Melody of The Lagoon Activity Centre, who compiled the list, said that if someone is going to give sea swimming a go, group swimming is always best. 'They say there's safety in numbers and I would apply that to sea swimming. 'Clubs are great not only for the community element and health benefits, but for safety. 'The sea can change in an instant, and while it's assumed everyone would be a good swimmer, it's reassuring to go out as a group.' With Met Éireann forecasting continued sunshine and dry weather, it may be the perfect opportunity to head to one of the beaches. The forecast for Sunday (August 17) is dry with 'good spells of sunshine' though there will be some isolated showers and patchy light rain. Met Éireann said: 'Warm and humid with highest temperatures of 19 to 25 degrees, warmest in the southwest, with light to moderate east to southeast breezes.'
Cosmopolitan
12-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
6 beauty lessons Victoria Beckham has taught us – From daring haircut trends to the benefits of dermaplaning
Victoria Beckham isn't just a style icon, she's also our go-to guru for glossy skin, smart routines, and fearless beauty transformations (honorary mention: 2007's peroxide pob). Over the years, she's both overtly and covertly shared a number of skincare, haircare and makeup tips that, now, have found their way into our routines. Here, we've rounded up six of the top beauty lessons we've gleaned: In a 2024 interview with Into The Gloss, Victoria shared that she uses an LED mask for reducing skin texture. "If I have time after cleansing, I might use my Celluma Pro, which I'm quite obsessed with at the moment. I've genuinely noticed a difference in my skin texture since I started using it," she said. LED masks, as such, can stimulate collagen, improve hydration levels, improve blood flow, calm redness and improve skin tone, to name a few benefits. So, if it's good enough for VB! Another VB skincare favourite? Well, per a number of videos on facialist Mélanie Grant's Instagram, Victoria regularly undergoes dermaplaning on her face to remove dead skin and peach fuzz, which in turn, boosts cell renewal and allows skincare to penetrate deeper into her skin. In March 2024, Victoria shared that every Sunday morning, she tried to find time for a pamper session. She indulges in a face mask, LED light therapy, and finishes with her signature Cell Rejuvenating Serum and Priming Moisturiser to prep for the week ahead. A little TLC can never hurt! When done right, a 'flushed' look can be super flattering, but Victoria knows better than to damage her skin in the sun. Instead, she shared in a recent tutorial that she uses her very own Victoria Beckham Beauty Colour Wash Blush Water Tint to recreate "a little rosy effect". Blending the makeup-skincare hybrid product into the skin with her fingers, she says, "I am obsessed with this going into summer, knowing that I can get that cute little flushed look whilst literally spending my whole summer in the shade." The Queen of the noughties 'Pob' (aka, Posh bob), Victoria, recently revived her iconic Spice Girls era haircut, which is now a celeb-favourite. Looking back at her hair evolution, it's clear to see that experimenting with new cuts and colours can be both empowering and exciting. From sharp bobs to sun-kissed highlights, VB has embraced change with confidence, reminding us that we shouldn't be afraid to switch things up. Her ever-evolving style proves that stepping out of our comfort zones can lead to striking, unforgettable looks. On more than one occasion, Victoria has said that she loves a smokey eye makeup look, calling it her go-to for adding drama and definition to her features. She's embraced the timeless look for years, proving that it can work at any age and that bold, sultry makeup doesn't have to be reserved for special occasions! Say it with me now: Beauty has no limits. So whether you're freshening up your skincare regime or ready to chop all of your lengths off, take a page from VB's book. With smart skincare and statement cuts, you've got instant chic. Follow Lia on Instagram. Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from viral celebrity hair and makeup news to the latest trend predictions, she's an expert in recognising the season's next big beauty look (before it ends up all over your social media feeds). You'll usually find her putting TikTok's recent beauty hacks to the Hype Test, challenging the gender-makeup binary and social stereotypes, or fangirling over the time Kourtney Kardashian viewed her Instagram Story (yes, it's true). Find her also on LinkedIn.
RTÉ News
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Longlist for the Booker Prize to be released later today
Edel Coffey, Author and Books Editor at The Gloss, discusses the release of the Booker Prize longlist later today
Tom's Guide
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I tried the 'French woman sleep hack' — here's why I'm adding it to my bedtime routine
A recent trip to Paris reinforced my long-held conviction that my life would be significantly more chic if I (a) lived there, and (b) had the elegance and style I observed in many French women in the city. Days spent exploring various arrondissements, strolling the Champs-Élysées and late-night dining alongside the Seine left me wishing I could emulate Parisian-style elegance in my everyday life, à la Andréa Martel (Camille Cottin) from the Netflix show Call My Agent!. And while I generally sleep well, when I came across the hack French women employ to improve their sleep, obviously I wanted to see if it had any impact on my slumber. "The "French woman" sleep hack refers to the idea of applying a light fragrance –usually something calming – before bed as part of a nighttime ritual," says clinical psychologist and sleep expert, Dr. Leah Kaylor. It's often passed down as a family tradition, Dior fragrance expert Esperanza Pintado, told Glamour. In truth, I wasn't entirely convinced that wearing perfume to bed would have any significant impact beyond making me feel more glamorous in my pajamas. But "voyons", I thought (after entering "let's see" into Google translate)... For the past few years I've been wearing Diptyque's 34 Boulevard Saint-Germain eau de toilette, which is a combination of amber, patchouli, rose, cinnamon and blackcurrant buds. Diptyque is a French brand that originated in Paris; my fragrance is even named after their first boutique in the city. Parfait, non? However, since this sleep hack typically involves wearing a different scent at night (French makeup artist Violette told Into The Gloss that while she wears another scent in the daytime, she specifically wears a musk scent at night), I had to find another bedtime option. My fragrance collection is currently pretty limited so I opted for one of my boyfriend's fragrances, Orphéon, also by Diptyque (I admit I suggested he try the brand). Still French, and it contains jasmine (as well as juniper berry, tonka bean and cedar), which research has shown can help reduce nighttime awakenings (more on that below). My nighttime routine generally includes a warm shower 30 minutes to an hour before I want to sleep. I assumed this would also be helpful for this sleep hack, since I would be a blank slate fragrance-wise. Historically my application of fragrance has been lavish and haphazard, but I have been trying to rein it in of late, and now I only spray on pulse points on my wrists, neck and behind my ears. I was pleased to discover that this is similar to the way the French apply perfume (though they also spritz the back of the knees!). For this experiment, I sprayed my partner's fragrance on those spots, and added a spritz to my pajama t-shirt. I'm pretty sure he uses his scents fairly sparingly, and this comparatively liberal application must have been a shock to him, because he then asked for it back, laughing that I was being 'cheeky" (though for the record, he later admitted he couldn't smell it on me as we lay next to each other). Freshly doused, the first thing I noticed was that his scent smelled slightly different on me, a little lighter, and I liked it just as much. There are smoky, woody and floral notes from the jasmine, and the overall effect was surprisingly pleasant and calming. I had been feeling unusually anxious during the day, and was concerned that wearing a fragrance would be distracting; that I'd focus on it and it would exacerbate the anxiety and delay sleep onset. Instead, I found the scent really soothing. Maybe it's because I love wearing fragrance and associate it with happiness, but I genuinely felt noticeably more at ease than I had earlier in the evening. And, while I didn't fall asleep any quicker than I normally do, the night I slept with fragrance I did notice that I wasn't feeling unsettled (as I sometimes do) that I was still awake even though my partner had dropped off instantly (as he almost always does). Since giving up alcohol over four years ago, I tend to wake once at most during the course of the night, unless I'm feeling particularly stressed or anxious at bedtime. The night I tried the French woman sleep hack, I stirred awake on one occasion, and dropped back off quickly, waking again when my alarm sounded in the morning. Given that I had been feeling anxious during the day, I had expected a more interrupted night's sleep, so it's possible that the calming effect I experienced from the fragrance helped prevent further disruptions. I don't use a sleep tracker, so it's difficult to know if this hack improved my sleep itself. But, wearing a fragrance did have a positive, relaxing effect on me before I dropped off, and I didn't wake any more than usual, despite feeling more stressed than I typically do during the preceding day. "Wearing a calming scent to bed can help trigger relaxation and signal the brain that it's time to wind down," Dr. Kaylor explains. While CEO and chief perfumer at Demeter Fragrance, Mark Crames, says he isn't familiar with using fragrance specifically for sleep, he does, "know many European women who wear fragrance to bed." Wearing a calming scent to bed can help trigger relaxation And, as well as being popular, using a scent at night to improve sleep is also research-backed. A study published in the journal Sleep in 2024, saw 30 sensitive sleepers spend four nights in a sleep laboratory, after a "baseline" night with no scent, participants had "randomized exposure" to "a placebo rose scent, a high-dose of jasmine scent, or a low-dose relative to essential oils" on their T-shirts. The results? "Comparisons to baseline revealed a significant improvement in both sleep quality and total sleep time when using scents. Notably, both high and low doses of jasmine demonstrated a reduction in wake after sleep onset," the researchers wrote. Dr. Kaylor adds that, "Scents like lavender and chamomile have been studied for their calming effects on the nervous system." Another study looking at the effects of aromatherapy essential oils blended with lavender, roman chamomile, and neroli on ICU patients, found that it "effectively reduced the anxiety levels and increased the sleep quality." Discussing how fragrance can impact sleep, Crames says, "At Demeter, we believe that the way you feel is affected by what you smell, or more succinctly, that you can change your emotions or mood with scent. So if you believe that lavender has [an]... influence and you smell lavender, it will help you sleep." Although he notes that aromatherapists "believe that process only works if you're using natural lavender, the essential oil that contains all the micro chemicals," he says that "we think it's much more related to memory than a physical reaction." Dr. Kaylor also notes that scents can have a psychological impact. "Smell is a powerful sense tied to memory and emotion, so a consistent scent at bedtime may also build a psychological association with rest and relaxation," she says. It's also worth noting that, among his many attributes, my partner is a very calming influence on my life, so while I only wore it for one night, applying his fragrance may have contributed to my feelings of relaxation. When it comes to picking your nighttime fragrance, Dr. Kaylor advises, "Look for scents that have been shown to support relaxation and reduce anxiety, such as lavender, sandalwood, chamomile, neroli, and ylang-ylang." But don't worry if none of those appeal to you, because picking a perfume that works for you is equally important. "Any scent that is relaxing to you personally is ideal. Look for a soft scent — it doesn't need to be strong," she adds. Cramer believes the effect of fragrance on sleep is "more related to memory than a physical response." Therefore he suggests that "whatever smells typically make you the most relaxed will help you fall asleep." "For many people, that will be lavender in some form," he says, adding, "For me, it's always about an individual reaction to a fragrance." If you're anything like me, more is more when it comes to fragrance. I love a rich, deep, warm scent (the patchouli and amber notes in my daytime fragrance speak to that) and I know that I probably apply more heavily than most. But using an overpowering amount of fragrance, or picking a scent that is too strong, isn't ideal for applying at night. "Avoid anything you find overpowering as it may actually interfere with your ability to fall or stay asleep," Dr. Kaylor says, adding that you should avoid overly stimulating or intense scents. My experience of using the French woman's sleep hack was that it integrated well with my established nighttime routine, which includes avoiding sugar or heavy meals in the evening, my warm shower, reducing the light in the bedroom and turning on a fan and opening our balcony door to circulate cooler air in the hour before sleep. Dr. Kaylor agrees that the hack will be more effective if you use it alongside other bedtime cues. "Dim your lights an hour before bed, turn off screens, keep your room cool and quiet, and try breathing exercises or light stretching," she says. "You could also pair the fragrance with a sound cue, like calming music, or with a nighttime tea ritual. Together, these behaviors create a multisensory signal that tells your brain it's time to rest." Certain scents have been proven to have a positive impact on sleep, as the above studies indicate. And while I can't say that I noticed a major difference in my sleep onset or quality, I did find it calming before bedtime. And, there's a possibility that this relaxing effect helped avoid a more disrupted sleep, given that I had been feeling anxious during the day, and anxiety can lead to more nighttime awakenings. As well making me feel more serene, the French habit of wearing a fragrance to bed also felt like an act of self-care — treating myself to the indulgence of wearing perfume for sleep. So, once I've found a nighttime scent of my own (since I'm not sure I can get away with 'borrowing' my partner's fragrance much longer), I've decided I will be adding it to my before-bed routine. I'm keen to see the longer term effects, but if you're considering trying it too, it's important to note, as Dr. Kaylor does, that this hack is not going to be for everyone. "Anyone with asthma, allergies, migraines, or chemical sensitivities should be cautious with fragrances, especially in the bedroom," she explains.
Irish Examiner
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Beginner's pluck: Freelance writer and editor Anna Carey
Always into music and writing, Anna played in bands at college, and afterwards, but she made writing her career. During her MA, Anna gained a placement at the Sunday Tribune. 'I was there for five years. Then I freelanced for three years before working at The Gloss, as part of the launch editorial team,' she said. 'I've been freelancing since 2009, writing for The Irish Times, the Sunday Times, and the Sunday Business Post.' Between 2019 and 2024, she worked on a historical project with RTÉ. Anna's first book, The Real Rebecca, won the Senior Children's Book of the Year at the 2011 Irish Book Awards. Two of her following six books were shortlisted for the award. The Making of Molly, 2016, and The Boldness of Betty, 2020. During lockdown I was working on an adult novel about the film industry in the 1940s but I wasn't enjoying it. 'I was also trying a horror novel,' she said. Anna has always loved good romantic comedies, and in 2023, decided to write one: 'I pitched the idea, and began writing in spring last year, with an Arts Council grant. 'I loved writing it so much, I didn't want to finish.' Who is Anna Carey? Date/ place of birth: 1975/ Dublin. Education: Dominican College in Drumcondra; Trinity College, Dublin, German and history of arts; Dublin City University, MA in journalism. Home: Marino, Dublin. Family: Husband Patrick Freyne, journalist, and Anna's former bandmate. The day job: Freelance writer and editor. In another life: 'At Trinity, I dropped out of the Musical Society Chorus in favour of the college newspaper. I fantasise that I'd stayed and became a West End star.' Favourite writers: Joan Aiken; Eva Ibbotson; David Nicholls; Jaime Hernandez; Nancy Mitford; Marian Keyes. Second book: 'It's about Laura's sister Annie.' Top tip: 'Write the book you want to read.' Instagram: @urchinette The debut Our Song Hachette Books Ireland, €16.99 After college, Laura gave up music for a corporate job, while her bandmate, Tadhg, became a superstar. Now, he wants her to help him finish writing a song the duo started in college. Should she, when things had ended so badly? The verdict: I'm in love with this book! It taught me the mechanics and emotions of being in a band.
