Does a 9p hangover cure, bruise banisher and skin exfoliator really work? Our seven day challenge tests the claims...

One of the perks of being a beauty writer means I get to test products that amaze and fascinate me, with today being no exception. So what am I trying out? A new lipstick? An innovative skin cream? Something pretty, bright and bold for my nails? No. I'm talking about Epsom Salts. Yep. You know that tub your grandma has had in the bathroom cabinet for about ten years? The very same. You can buy the salts for around £2.89, and you'll get enough for 30 treatments, making it a thrifty 9p for each.

Now I’ll admit when I was given the task of testing some of the claims I was very, VERY, sceptical. I mean, can salt (and not even the good stuff you put on chips... *drool*) really transform my pins, give me healthier skin, and cure my hangover? Honestly, I wasn't expecting much. But it turns out I was wrong about these bad boys.

Interested? Read on...

Let’s have a chat about porn

The world is obsessed with sex. Whether we’re doing it, talking about it, reading about it or debating who else is having it, sex is a constant in our lives. Watching other people ‘do the deed’ has become a particularly topical subject of late, and David Cameron’s plans to ban porn in UK households has made me think that we all need to sit down, and have a chat about porn.

28,258 internet users watch it every single second and every 39 minutes a new pornographic video is created in the US. Porn sells, and not just to the 'pervy' man down the street as out-dated stereotypes would suggest – educated men and women of all ages are watching it.

Whether we like it or not, there’s a massive market for porn, one that isn’t going away any time soon.

The PM’s plans will force internet users to choose whether they want to activate porn on their computer and devices. If they don’t actively switch on access, internet service providers will block pornographic websites in an attempt to stop the “corroding” influence of pornography on children.

“It should not be the case that technically literate children can just flick filters off… Those filters can only be changed by the account holder.”

For a leader often accused of weakness this is a brave step, one that has divided the majority. A search through Twitter suggests there are two main arguments: firstly, that children are being exposed to the negative influence of porn too early, and that the ban is the only way to ensure childhood is kept innocent. The other, that blocking porn is a step backwards and echoes the strict internet controls of countries like China. So, where do I stand?

It’s hard to disagree that children, particularly young boys, are seeing porn at a young age. It’s also hard to dispute that blocking porn from home computers is likely to minimise the amount they see. The part that I have trouble with is the opt-out approach.

Whilst not ignoring the dangers of porn - exploitation of women, troubling stereotypes, unhealthy addictions - we must accept that it isn’t all bad news. Porn facilitates discussion; what we like, what we don’t like, how to spice up a long-term or long-distance relationship. It allows for conversation and independence, an outlet for fantasies. With a little knowledge about healthy sex and body image, porn is informative. And, as with everything, although there are exceptions, the majority of users are able to watch it, enjoy it, and appreciate it for what it is.

Admittedly, I don’t watch it, but it must be enjoyable – there wouldn’t be 25,000 of us watching it right now if it weren’t. This is where the ban becomes a problem for me – rather than presenting itself as a way of protecting children, it stinks of judgment. It comes across smug, as though it intends to punish the dirty, sleazy watchers of porn into stopping, so as to avoid the perceived embarrassment of phoning their ISP and actively turning it on (pun fully intended).

If Cameron had, instead, suggested an opt-in approach, we would be in a better situation. Concerned parents would be able to opt-in and block their children from watching porn at home, and adults would be able to do what they please. We mustn’t forget that the ban isn’t even guaranteed to work; home isn’t the only place that children will have access to porn. The school playground, laddish jokes and mobile phones provide the same access that a home computer would.

There are measures to limit porn access or, at least, the negative effects of it; parental controls, informative sex education from a younger age and more input from schools, to name a few. Imposing a nationwide ban on something that tens of thousands of people do a second, however, isn’t the way.

By Lauren Cope.

Interested? Read on...

Horses for courses, but should they be made to race?

With Hickstead hosting the Longines Royal International horse show recently, I’ve seen the usual debate over how horse riding is cruel has raised its ugly head again. Are you someone who's mumbled about horse racing being worse than cock fighting or bear dancing? That the horses are whipped into a frenzy with many never finishing the race? I understand that. But perhaps I can go some way in calming any fears you might have.

It is quite a difficult concept for those who do not have a horse to grasp and understand, but the riders and horses you see on TV have a relationship that cannot be compared to any other in this world. The rider trusts his horse with his life, every single time that he sits down in the saddle. And every time the horse allows his rider to place himself upon his back he is returning the same level of trust.

I want you to think of someone that you love with all of your heart, and now ask yourself would you ever put them in danger for entertainment? No, of course you wouldn’t! It would be unthinkable. And these riders ask themselves the same question. They love their horses and would never enter them into any competition they were not capable of competing within. In fact, they wouldn’t even put them forward if their animal did not enjoy what it did.

As a horse owner myself I can vouch for this being a fact. I can honestly tell you it does not matter how many artificial aids you use on a horse, if that animal does not want to do something, there is absolutely no way you are going to make it do it. They are stronger than we are, they have their own minds and they definitely know what they want.

From Shannon's blog My Beautiful Bay

The horses that race do so because they love to run, and the rider lets them because the thrill you get from the speed and enjoyment your horse has for it provides a huge adrenaline buzz. Horses that jump love to fly through the air. I can tell you now that if they didn’t want to jump the obstacle they will point blank refuse or run around it, because they can and it is easier to do so.

I’m sure there are some people out there reading this that watched the Grand National this year. I’m sure you saw some of the riders falling from their horses, yet the animal continued on in the race. And not just carrying on rider-free, but continued to jump alone without ‘force’ from anyone. They did so because they love their job

In all honesty I think it is a subject many people who have very little knowledge about decide to comment on. If you don’t like it, then it is quite simple; don’t watch it. My knowledge on other sports is very limited and so I therefore refrain from commenting on them, despite the fact there are many things I would like to say my piece about.

And overall, even if these facts don’t wash with you, just consider that those horses are quite literally worth millions of pounds. No rider or owner in their right mind would put forward an animal worth that much to race if it was a high possibility that they wouldn’t make it across the finish line.

By Shannon Clark

Interested? Read on...

It happened to Jennifer and Courtney. So what happens if you outgrow your best friends?

Your best friends are meant to be forever, right? So say sitcoms and rom-coms, so say chick lit novels, and so say you and your friends to each other when you’re in your teens. After all, those BFF necklaces you stayed up making that sleepover can't be separated, ever. As long as you have one bit, and your BFF has the other, you'll really be friends forever, right?

Take Friends, the series most people our age grew up on. Monica and Rachel were friends from school in their fictional world, through thick (literally in Monica's case) and thin. But with the Daily Mail today reporting Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox have barely seen each other, missing important events for trivial reasons, is that how life really is? What happens when you grow up into completely different people? Being honest, if you met each other now, would you be in any way interested in getting to know them?

At the age of 23, I would like to think I now have a clear idea of my beliefs, my philosophies, my goals, my taste in the opposite sex, and what I want out of life. And I would also like to think I surround myself with like-minded people and people who don't bring negativity and bad vibes into an environment. But it’s tricky when you start to realise your so-called ‘best friends’ are just the type of people you no longer want to be around, and in some cases, you find they’re dragging you down.

The saying goes, ‘schooldays are the best of your life’. Well, whoever said that obviously never went to university. I will treasure my university memories as the years I met some of the most wonderfully interesting and like-minded people, and whom I will call friends for life. These people I would have no hesitation in calling my best friends. Why? Because I have a laugh with them. I’m comfortable talking about anything with them. And best of all, I’m completely and totally at ease with them.

I went to school in a small town and met my ‘best friends’ as a painfully shy and awkward young teen, fresh out of primary school and desperate to click with someone, anyone. They were already friends from a young age, and so I latched on. We remained close as the years went by, and as I grew up I found myself coming out of my shell, gaining more confidence. My school friends seem to like to think that it was down to them and their taking me under their wings that I attained this new-found self-assurance. And in hindsight, I don’t think they liked it. Little jibes were directed at me whenever I seemed to show any sign of my own personality which was desperate to shine through. This would lead me to not only doubt myself, but also mock myself along with them. I thought it wasn’t intended badly, but in good humour.

I was always a creative soul, interested in the arts and media. As a teenager, I became involved in a drama and art. My school friends mocked the clubs I joined and branded the people I met there as ‘weird’. At an art exhibition showcased by myself and others, they spent the evening snickering childishly and narrow-mindedly at the various pieces of art. As the years went by, it didn’t stop. They scorned my interest in fashion, implying that it was a waste of time and money. They dismissed the humanities degree I studied, insinuating that a degree or career in anything to do with the arts was useless, in comparison to their areas of study (science). I also sensed they didn’t like when I made new friends in university, as though I were ditching them. Despite the fact they had no qualms about befriending people in their own classes. They took an instant dislike to any friends I made, treating them in a somewhat hostile way and assuming them to be arrogant before getting to know them.

It became embarrassing. When introducing these girls as my ‘best friends’ to my new friends, I worried about how it would reflect on me. Until last year, when I had an epiphany of sorts. I told myself life was too short to surround myself with people who drag me down. I realised these girls thrived on viewing me as a dependant little puppy, who relied on them for assurance and friendship. I now understood when they saw me blossom from a caterpillar to a butterfly, they did not like it one bit. They preferred me as the timid twelve-year-old whom they nurtured eleven years ago.

I don’t like drama, and these are not the type of girls who would be diplomatic and understanding if I explained my feelings about this situation to them. As a result, I’ve decided to live and let live. I don’t want to fall out with them,as there are also some very good memories I treasure. There were numerous occasions when I needed them and they were there for me. But rather than express sadness at the fact that we’ve grown up and drifted, I breathe a sigh of relief I’m able to paddle my own canoe. The life I now lead is one I carved out for myself, by myself. We still stay in touch and meet up every so often, but we have different lives now and all want different things. To put it plainly, we have nothing in common.

So, again, reality trumps fiction. The rom-coms and the chick-lit novels are proven wrong once more. The cold hard truth? Your BFFs don’t always last forever. But who says that’s a bad thing? Like me, you might realise they were holding back the real you, the person you kept hidden for so many years. This realisation might be the best thing that ever happens to you. It might set you free.

By Evanne Miller

Interested? Read on...

Review: Megaro Bar, King Cross, London

Kings Cross is making a comeback. My mum remembers it way back in the 60s, calling it the kind of place you'd arrive at the station and make a quick exit. Now, fifty years later, it's seeing a comeback with a whole host of boutique hotels and new bars hitting the once-dodgy area.

So always ones to keep up with the lastest fun and unusual places to drink, six out of ten decided to pay one of Kings Cross' newest bars, Megaro, a visit. It's sat underneath Hotel Megaro down a dark set of stairs which are illuminated by a Darkroom in Use sign. And that theme continues underground, with a Picture Room, showcasing local photographers' photos, and a velvet room complete with cinema seats, rich crimson drapes and candles. Very saucy. We definitely got the subtle harks back to Kings Cross' red light days (especially with the knickers and pants on the bathroom doors).

Interested? Read on...

Review: Vapiano, Great Portland Street, London (although they are EVERYWHERE)

Italian restaurants are found all over London, from authentic Sicilian pizzerias to Milanese pasta houses. Vapiano is slightly different, an Italian street food/canteen experience. It's a chain, which isn't always a good thing, so when six out of ten visited on Friday night, we weren't too sure what to expect. After all, canteen style food conjures up images of secondary school cheesy pizza bread and deep fried everything served on a chipped plate with water-stained cutlery.

We visited the Great Portland Street branch, right next to Oxford Street's flagship Topshop store. It's literally a stone's throw from the building, so sees a mix of media and office workers and tourists grabbing a quick bite to eat. At 6:30pm it was bustling with people, and we were assured it gets far busier later in the evening.

Interested? Read on...

Doesn’t the Home Office have anything better to do?

[The photo here was tweeted by @ukhomeoffice along with the caption: A suspected visa overstayer arrested at Swansea nail bar – 94 suspected #immigrationoffenders arrested across UK" - Laura]

Picture this scene: it’s 2050. The economy is just coming out of a recession. Times are hard, unemployment is high, graduates can’t get jobs and public sector pay is frozen. In an effort to be ‘down with the kids’ the government is using social media to get across that it’s tough on crime/pro NHS/improving education (insert generic centre-left/centre-right policy here).

The Home Office has employees dedicated to running its Twitter account. And they’re tweeting pictures of a young man being arrested, because he’s ‘guilty’ of immigration offences.

He’ll be taken into the custody of UKBA, whose jurisdiction exists entirely separately from the criminal justice system, and arguably, lacks its safeguards. He’s probably scared, struggling to get legal representation, and yet to have any charges proved against him.

Only this didn't happen in an Orwellian 2050. This happened yesterday.

I find it difficult to express the abject contempt I feel towards the person who decided to take that decision to tweet the scene. And I feel fairly strongly that whoever took the decision to publish that picture should lose their job. For utter lack of human compassion, if for no other reason.

We are an overpopulated country. Net immigration vastly exceeds net emigration. As such our government has introduced stringent requirements vastly restricting the amount of skilled labour that can work in the UK from outside of the EU. We have an immigration problem. People illegally working, not paying tax and using our very limited resources is a problem. A big problem.

But that in no way, at all, makes it acceptable to name and shame them on the internet. In the UK I'm proud to be a citizen of we have due process. We have lawyers and evidence. Trials and judges. We empanel juries and listen to testimonies. We don’t march people onto the street and deem them guilty like lynch mobs in the dark ages, centuries ago. We listen to appeals for asylum and consider human rights. We spent years engaging with foreign states to ensure we can safely deport radical clerics.

We do not, ever, pander to right wing xenophobic extremism. We do not expect applause for removing human beings by force. We recognise it as the nasty, unpleasant reality of border control. Except we don’t.

Our Home Office wastes tax payer money communicating bigoted images to the twittersphere. I’m appalled. I hope, for the sake of our country, that I’m not the only one.

By Bess Obsborne.

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Should celebrities be considered role models in any way? (Features Directioners and Beliebers, sadly.)

A role model is someone we aspire to – someone that we would want our children to be and that has, we assume, done admirable things in life. Simple.

But despite the immense perks that come with celebrity - money, adoring fans, a free reign – the pressures of constant paparazzi and growing up in the spotlight mount up. Don’t believe me? Britney Spears; the blonde-haired teen with the angelic smile, who innocently posed in an iconic school-girl outfit lost her way and, in 2007, after a spate of odd behaviour, sparked a media frenzy by shaving her head allegedly under the influence of amphetamines. Lindsay Lohan, the freckled, pretty redhead from the Parent Trap, has now faced numerous prison sentences. Macaulay Culkin. Corey Haim. Do I need to even mention Amanda Bynes? Pressure and fame go hand in hand, and younger stars have a record of not being able to handle it.

Interested? Read on...