Latest news with #TheShard
Refinery29
2 days ago
- Health
- Refinery29
The Ordinary's Powder-to-Cream Spot Treatment Is Unique — & Actually Works
All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. A glimpse into my bathroom cabinet reveals a final resting place for skincare products that failed to impress me: the cleanser that didn't quite remove all my mascara; the moisturiser too lightweight to stop that post-cleansing tightness. But mostly, it's spot treatments that dominate. From hydrocolloid patches to neutralising gels, few — at least in my experience — actually reduce redness, draw out gunk and heal breakouts quickly. Having dealt with hormonal acne since I was 11, I'm well-versed. So when The Ordinary reached out about its new Sulfur 10% Powder-to-Cream Concentrate, I sat up and took notice. Mainly because it was unlike any spot treatment I'd tried before. It was a powder, for starters. The premise is simple: tap the product onto your fingertip, apply it directly to the spot and gently massage it in. You might be wondering, How does that work, then? On contact with the skin, the powder transforms into a cream, making application that bit easier. More on that later. The Ordinary Sulfur 10% Powder-to-Cream Concentrate, $16.50 What is sulfur and what are the skincare benefits? As the name suggests, the star ingredient in The Ordinary's new spot treatment is sulfur — or otherwise spelt sulphur. Dr Zainab Laftah, a consultant dermatologist at The Shard, says this ingredient has heaps of benefits for breakouts: 'Sulfur is a naturally occurring mineral with keratolytic and antibacterial properties that helps exfoliate dead skin cells and reduce excess oil production,' she tells me. Keratolytic essentially means it helps break down and remove the outer layer of those dead skin cells. Dr Laftah adds that sulfur is effective for treating mild acne by unclogging pores, reducing excess oil and calming inflammation. I've tried sulfur spot treatments before (we all know Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion), but most are combined with exfoliating acids that have been too harsh for my sensitive skin — triggering more redness and, eventually, peeling. According to The Ordinary, Sulfur 10% offers a 'more gentle approach to targeting blemishes', and the brand claims it's ideal for those with sensitive skin. As someone with both, I saw this as a challenge. Fortunately, Dr Laftah tells me that sulfur is generally considered less potent than benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid — two popular spot-busting ingredients — which makes it more suitable for mild acne rather than moderate to severe cases. If you fall into the latter camp, she suggests those stronger ingredients might be a better fit. But if you only experience the occasional breakout, sulfur could be your best bet. How do you use The Ordinary's new sulfur spot treatment — and is it any good? When I received this product last month, I had the largest and most painful spot right in the middle of my nose. I never thought I'd say this, but it couldn't have come at a better time — so I made a beeline for Sulfur 10%. The opening where the product dispenses is teeny tiny, making it almost impossible to make a mess. I simply tapped a little onto my index finger, carefully brought it up to my nose, pressed it onto the spot and gently massaged it in until the powder transformed into a cream and then disappeared. The trick is to rub it in — just tapping it on only goes so far. From personal experience, you really have to work the product in to see a real difference in redness and size. Almost immediately, the redness began to fade. Much like translucent powder — my go-to trick for minimising the look of breakouts without concealer, which can appear cakey — The Ordinary says the smart formula helps absorb excess oil and reduce visible shine. In doing so, it kind of blurred the spot, making it much less noticeable. The real magic happened after about an hour: I couldn't feel the spot pulsating anymore and when I looked at it from the side, it had visibly deflated. The powder-to-cream feature is what makes this treatment unique. According to the brand, the formulation team combined powder and liquid at high speed to create 'mini capsules' of water encased in the powder. When you press the powder onto your skin, the pressure breaks these capsules, releasing the sulfur directly into your skin. There's no need to mix it with water or anything else to activate it. Genius, right? The next day, a spot appeared on my forehead, so I reached for Sulfur 10% again. Since the breakout was higher up on my face, it was a bit tricky to get the powder to the spot without half of it falling off my finger. Luckily, there's an easy fix: I tap the product onto my index finger, then press it with my thumb to turn it into a cream before applying, making sure to massage it in properly. Again, I was blown away by the results. The spot shrank in about an hour and never turned into a whitehead, so I shelved my hydrocolloid spot patches. Interestingly, The Ordinary has done the maths and claims that just one bottle of Sulfur 10% is equivalent to over 150 spot patches. Because it's so discreet, you could easily take this on the go. Just make sure that your hands are clean before applying it to avoid spreading bacteria and aggravating breakouts further. Are there any downsides to using sulfur in skincare? Once I got the hang of applying it, the only downside for me was the slight eggy smell. 'Yes, sulfur can have a strong, unpleasant odour,' Dr Laftah confirms. I have a very sensitive nose and catch whiffs of it while wearing the treatment, but because it works so well, I can forgive it. Dr Laftah also notes that some sulfur products may cause dryness, redness or irritation for sensitive skin. Happily, I experienced none of those things — and my skin is very reactive. Honestly, I prefer sulfur to salicylic acid, which can dry my skin out when the concentration is too high. At just , this is my affordable — and discreet — secret weapon for stopping breakouts before they erupt and cause scarring. I know a product is good when the experts are talking about it, too. I've even seen aesthetician Alicia Lartey waxing lyrical about how it recently eradicated a spot for her. If it's anything like the brand's Salicylic Acid 2% Mask, another winner for acne-prone skin, I predict it'll sell out fast.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Wales skyscraper: 50-storey building could be tallest in Wales
Plans for a gigantic skyscraper have been announced in Wales, and it could be one of the tallest buildings in the 50-storey tower is planned to be 180 metres tall - almost twice the height of Big Ben!If it's built, it would be the third tallest building in the UK, and the tallest building in will be in Cardiff city centre, and would tower over the Principality Stadium next door. What are the tallest buildings in the UK? The tallest building in the UK is The Shard in London. At 310 metres, it's bigger than 20 double-decker buses stacked on top of each other!But it's not as tall as The Burj Khalifa, in Dubai, which is currently the tallest building in the world. It can be seen from over 60 miles way and is a sky-high 800 metres tall - almost as tall as three whole Eiffel Towers!The tallest building in the UK outside of London is the Deansgate Square South Tower, in Manchester. What is the tallest building in Scotland? The tallest freestanding structure in Scotland is the Glasgow stands at 127 metres tall, and it can even rotate 360 degrees. In fact, it holds the Guinness World Record for being the tallest fully rotating freestanding structure in the world. According to some experts though, the structure isn't technically considered a building, as it doesn't have continuous floors. There aren't any skyscrapers in Scotland, but there is one currently under for skies in 2028, The Ard in Glasgow in will be a whopping 114 metres tall, with 36 floors. What is the tallest building in Northern Ireland? Across the Irish Sea, the tallest building in Northern Ireland is the Obel it's not a skyscraper, it's not too far 28 floors and reaching 85 metres into the sky, it's comfortably the tallest building in the country.
Refinery29
05-08-2025
- Health
- Refinery29
Trust Me, The Ordinary's New Spot Treatment Is The Most Powerful Yet
All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. A glimpse into my bathroom cabinet reveals a final resting place for skincare products that failed to impress me: the cleanser that didn't quite remove all my mascara; the moisturiser too lightweight to stop that post-cleansing tightness. But mostly, it's spot treatments that dominate. From hydrocolloid patches to neutralising gels, few — at least in my experience — actually reduce redness, draw out gunk and heal breakouts quickly. Having dealt with hormonal acne since I was 11, I'm well-versed. So when The Ordinary reached out about its new Sulfur 10% Powder-to-Cream Concentrate, I sat up and took notice. Mainly because it was unlike any spot treatment I'd tried before. It was a powder, for starters. The premise is simple: tap the product onto your fingertip, apply it directly to the spot and gently massage it in. You might be wondering, How does that work, then? On contact with the skin, the powder transforms into a cream, making application that bit easier. More on that later. The Ordinary Sulfur 10% Powder-to-Cream Concentrate, £9 What is sulfur and what are the skincare benefits? As the name suggests, the star ingredient in The Ordinary's new spot treatment is sulfur — or otherwise spelt sulphur. Dr Zainab Laftah, a consultant dermatologist at The Shard, says this ingredient has heaps of benefits for breakouts: 'Sulfur is a naturally occurring mineral with keratolytic and antibacterial properties that helps exfoliate dead skin cells and reduce excess oil production,' she tells me. Keratolytic essentially means it helps break down and remove the outer layer of those dead skin cells. Dr Laftah adds that sulfur is effective for treating mild acne by unclogging pores, reducing excess oil and calming inflammation. I've tried sulfur spot treatments before (we all know Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion), but most are combined with exfoliating acids that have been too harsh for my sensitive skin — triggering more redness and, eventually, peeling. According to The Ordinary, Sulfur 10% offers a 'more gentle approach to targeting blemishes', and the brand claims it's ideal for those with sensitive skin. As someone with both, I saw this as a challenge. Fortunately, Dr Laftah tells me that sulfur is generally considered less potent than benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid — two popular spot-busting ingredients — which makes it more suitable for mild acne rather than moderate to severe cases. If you fall into the latter camp, she suggests those stronger ingredients might be a better fit. But if you only experience the occasional breakout, sulfur could be your best bet. How do you use The Ordinary's new sulfur spot treatment — and is it any good? When I received this product last month, I had the largest and most painful spot right in the middle of my nose. I never thought I'd say this, but it couldn't have come at a better time — so I made a beeline for Sulfur 10%. The opening where the product dispenses is teeny tiny, making it almost impossible to make a mess. I simply tapped a little onto my index finger, carefully brought it up to my nose, pressed it onto the spot and gently massaged it in until the powder transformed into a cream and then disappeared. The trick is to rub it in — just tapping it on only goes so far. From personal experience, you really have to work the product in to see a real difference in redness and size. Almost immediately, the redness began to fade. Much like translucent powder — my go-to trick for minimising the look of breakouts without concealer, which can appear cakey — The Ordinary says the smart formula helps absorb excess oil and reduce visible shine. In doing so, it kind of blurred the spot, making it much less noticeable. The real magic happened after about an hour: I couldn't feel the spot pulsating anymore and when I looked at it from the side, it had visibly deflated. The powder-to-cream feature is what makes this treatment unique. According to the brand, the formulation team combined powder and liquid at high speed to create 'mini capsules' of water encased in the powder. When you press the powder onto your skin, the pressure breaks these capsules, releasing the sulfur directly into your skin. There's no need to mix it with water or anything else to activate it. Genius, right? The next day, a spot appeared on my forehead, so I reached for Sulfur 10% again. Since the breakout was higher up on my face, it was a bit tricky to get the powder to the spot without half of it falling off my finger. Luckily, there's an easy fix: I tap the product onto my index finger, then press it with my thumb to turn it into a cream before applying, making sure to massage it in properly. Again, I was blown away by the results. The spot shrank in about an hour and never turned into a whitehead, so I shelved my hydrocolloid spot patches. Interestingly, The Ordinary has done the maths and claims that just one bottle of Sulfur 10% is equivalent to over 150 spot patches. Because it's so discreet, you could easily take this on the go. Just make sure that your hands are clean before applying it to avoid spreading bacteria and aggravating breakouts further. Once I got the hang of applying it, the only downside for me was the slight eggy smell. 'Yes, sulfur can have a strong, unpleasant odour,' Dr Laftah confirms. I have a very sensitive nose and catch whiffs of it while wearing the treatment, but because it works so well, I can forgive it. Dr Laftah also notes that some sulfur products may cause dryness, redness or irritation for sensitive skin. Happily, I experienced none of those things — and my skin is very reactive. Honestly, I prefer sulfur to salicylic acid, which can dry my skin out when the concentration is too high. At just £9, this is my affordable — and discreet — secret weapon for stopping breakouts before they erupt and cause scarring. I know a product is good when the experts are talking about it, too. I've even seen aesthetician Alicia Lartey waxing lyrical about how it recently eradicated a spot for her. If it's anything like the brand's Salicylic Acid 2% Mask, another winner for acne-prone skin, I predict it'll sell out fast.
Daily Mirror
27-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Megan McKenna's shock phonecall amid 'tough' setback
Former reality star, turned singer and now bestselling food author Megan McKenna talks motherhood, her experience on The X Factor and the song which means so much to her Megan McKenna is feeling more confident and settled since becoming a mum, she tells us. The Essex-born star may have made a name for herself on reality TV, but these days she's better known for her stunning singing voice and delicious cooking, in what appears to be a complete career change. Now living in Germany with her footballer husband Oliver Burke, 28, and their nine-month-old son, Landon, it's clear that 32-year-old Megan – who tied the knot with Oliver in June – is feeling at ease in her new life, as she sits down with OK! for an exclusive interview. 'Motherhood has definitely made me more free. I don't worry about the little things any more. As a mum, you have the most amazing gift already, so everything else is fine,' says Megan, as we chatted at London landmark The Shard, before she took to the stage to perform with acclaimed songwriter, Toby Gad. The former Ex On The Beach star has been carving out a career in music since winning The X Factor: Celebrity in 2019. In the show, fronted by Simon Cowell, Megan debuted her original song This, which later went to No.1 on the iTunes charts, and made it into the UK Official Charts. And after taking a time out from the industry to spend quality time with Landon and Oliver, she's ready to get stuck in again. 'I took a break from music for obvious reasons and I moved to Berlin, so I've had a lot on my plate,' she says. 'But, to be honest, I took a break because I don't like doing things half-heartedly. I'm very passionate about what I do, so I want to do it properly.' She adds, 'This performance is my first since becoming a mother, so it's exciting.' Megan joined a host of other famous guests, including Paloma Faith, in performing alongside Grammy winner Toby. She adds, 'I would say definitely The X Factor helped with people realising that I've grown up a lot,' she says of the talent contest, which came after her drama-filled stints on Celebrity Big Brother and TOWIE. 'People realised that I can actually write music, I'm not just a singer who sings karaoke. I actually write from the heart and I think that's why I won The X Factor because all my songs are inspired by my own stories.' Megan's song, This, is often used on social media for engagement and pregnancy announcements, including her own special pregnancy announcement with Oliver in April last year, which came after various fertility struggles for the couple. 'I hear my song all the time and get tagged in so many videos using it. It's really lovely,' she says. Of course, not only is she embracing the brave new world of motherhood, Megan is also embracing a different culture, as the family-of-three made the move to the German capital to be close to Oliver's football team, German Bundesliga club Union Berlin. 'I'm not in Germany full-time, though,' stresses Megan, when we ask how life abroad is going. 'We have moved there, but I'm back and forth – I'm flying a lot!' Smiling at her parents across the room, it's clear that family is everything to her. 'My mum has always been so supportive of me,' she confirms. 'She's my best friend. You need family close, because I travel a lot and to have that closeness is everything. In the in-between bits, thank God for FaceTime! Even just social media keeps me close to UK friends and family, if I didn't have that I think I'd find it really difficult to stay involved.' Megan's proud parents had front row seats for her performance at The Shard, which saw her sing Fergie's Big Girls Don't Cry alongside Toby, who wrote the hit song. But they've also seen her go through the tougher sides on her musical journey, confesses Megan. Winning The X Factor: Celebrity meant that the Barking native was awarded a record deal by music mogul Simon Cowell, but she admits that things didn't quite go to plan. 'The label shut down after I won, so it was pretty hard. It was tough because I'd worked so, so hard. But Simon and I had a nice relationship. He actually rang me – which was crazy, because it's not every day Simon Cowell rings you – to say that the label was closing down. He was really nice about it and said, 'I'm sorry, but you need to find a new home.' But it's not an easy thing to do.' Despite what could have felt like a huge setback, Megan says she's ready to take on the industry again, now Landon is a little older. 'Thankfully, times are changing and you don't need a record label to release music, so hopefully it will be easier.' Meanwhile, she's being kept very busy with plenty of other ventures, including her blossoming culinary career. With a Sunday Times bestseller cookbook (and autobiography) already and millions tuning into her mouthwatering recipe videos on social media – in which she whips up everything from comfort food classics to gluten-free dishes – Megan has made quite a name for herself as a cook. 'I love cooking. It's so natural to me. I just prop my phone up and film while I'm doing it, so it's normal to share my recipes. Most of the time, I look horrendous! I always think afterwards, 'Gosh, maybe I should try and put on some lipstick on,' but then it gets to the end of the day and I'm like, 'Nah, that's impossible!'' she laughs, before adding, 'I love cooking, I love singing, I love Landon and I love Ollie. That's all I need, really!'
Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Paloma Faith stuns in a nude diamond-embellished catsuit as she joins glamorous Megan McKenna for Toby Gad's star-studded Sunset Concert at The Shard
Paloma Faith looked nothing short of sensational as she joined Megan McKenna at songwriter Toby Gad's Sunset Concert at The Shard in London on Wednesday. The singer, 43, turned heads in a nude, diamond-embellished catsuit, posing up a storm for the cameras. She layered the dazzling ensemble with an oversized black double-breasted blazer and added extra height with a pair of silver metallic platform heels. Radiating high spirits, Paloma joined Toby on stage to welcome guests to the event. For the special occasion, Toby opted for a stylish black knit jumper featuring exposed white stitching. He completed the look with baggy black trousers as he beamed alongside Paloma on stage. Meanwhile, Megan, 32, cut a stylish figure in a black frilly crop top and chic brown leather bomber jacket. Flashing her toned midriff, the former TOWIE star teamed the look with light blue wide-leg jeans, a black woven leather belt and green trainers, carrying her essentials in a black cross-body bag. The beauty looked in her element as she took to the stage for a special performance for Toby and his VIP guests. Hosted by The View from The Shard, the exclusive one-night-only concert featured a lineup of incredible talent, including Paloma, Megan, Victoria Canal, RuthAnne Cunningham, the Morassi String Quartet and more. Toby, 57, is the hitmaker behind global anthems like John Legend's All Of Me, Beyonce's If I Were A Boy, Fergie's Big Girls Don't Cry and tracks from Madonna's Rebel Heart album. Guests were also treated to the first live performance of his latest single Run (Piano Diaries), a long-lost collaboration with the late disco legend Donna Summer, recorded during sessions for her Crayons album and released with the blessing of her family. Paloma's attendance at the event comes after she pulled out all the stops as she attended the star-studded Butterfly Ball at London's Dorchester Hotel last month. The Only Love Can Hurt Like This hitmaker turned heads as she put on a leggy display in a striking white gown by Ronald van der Kemp. The statement dress featured a semi-sheer embroidered lace bodice, an asymmetric pleated neckline, and a dramatic high-slit skirt that showed off her toned pins. The singer elevated her look with black patent bow heels and gold pearl drop earrings, while styling her blonde locks in a unique French braided updo. She joined Caudwell Children founder John Caudwell, 72, and his glamorous partner Modesta Vžesniauskaitė, 41, on the carpet for several snaps ahead of the lavish event. The Butterfly Ball is an annual fundraising gala hosted by Caudwell Children, a charity dedicated to supporting disabled and autistic children across the UK.
