Are Celebrity Beauty Brands Actually Worth The Hype? Group Chat Drama & Spring Trends | SL Podcast

24:46But she's going for it. I agree that you can have a really bad edit in reality TV. I think that that can sort of sit in its own area. And then I also think that you can be, like, it's one thing for a producer to tell you to do it. It's another to consistently choose to do that. Like surely at that point, you know that you're getting a bad edit. if you're acting like that consistently to different people, seeking out drama. And then also, like, if you are then agreeing to do that and you're, I guess, putting it on yourself and then you come out of it and there's obviously a lot of hate, like, that's surely just coming back on yourself.

25:17Totally agree. And your mental health. That's when I feel like you always see the cycle of the, like, I've done some self-reflection and this wasn't how I wanted to be presented and I don't like this and everyone should just be kind. And then it's like, okay, like, brandy or brandy or brandy or bad behavior. Yeah, literally. I don't know, it's a bit boring. Yeah, it is. But I get it for the drama. I'm a bit bored of real. I love the new TV at the moment.

25:42Okay, we're going to move on to our fashion finds. And we're going to take this moment to just shout out the incredible shoot that our team created for Primark, who we obviously have worked with loads and loads in the past. But this is incredible. Have you guys seen it? It's gorgeous. It's their new season collection. It's just full of lightweight staples, but it's all super elevated. And their whole tagline, which we just keep saying in the office, is shockingly chic. And it really is. Like, it's one of those things you look at and you're like, oh my goodness, that's Primark. That's amazing. Yeah.

26:11But they really have come such a long way as a brand. I just feel like, you know, they've always been that sort of high street staple, but now they're really like, you know, knocking with everyone else on the high street. I so agree. Like the trend led pieces. It's such good quality. The coords are really good. Oh my God, yes, I love. Because I love a Sprint coord. Oh, me too. I absolutely love. But what were your favorite pieces from the collection? I loved all the little butter yellow accents. Yes. As we can tell, I'm a fan. But they had this really lovely asymmetric A-line, sort of long cami.

26:42They also had a great pair of barrel leg trousers. It felt very easy to wear. Easy to wear, elevated, simple pieces that you could absolutely build a wardrobe out of. And I would love it if when I was wearing it, someone would also shoot me in the stunning light. Oh, yes, of course. You just need Adam on retainer. Can do. But yeah, it looks gorgeous. It looks so good. And that's definitely pieces for everybody in there. And I agree with the sort of like, you just want those pieces, especially this time of year where it's sort of up and down. It's kind of really hot some days and kind of really cold.

27:12It's those transitional staples that you just put it on and you just feel like you've done something more than just putting on an outfit, if that makes sense. There's a really cool funnel neck, sort of like creamy, like zip up jacket. Did you see that? Yeah, I did. And they styled it with like little capri. Oh, I did see that. And she's like, I love the capri. Yeah. It's so cool. It's very, I want to wear that in New York oh yes I think I might just like copy and paste that whole outfit for New York how would you style it? really similar to that yeah I would obviously then have to get in a cab in any kind of heel above one inch but absolutely but for photos Emily if I was just mooching around solo I'd just maybe slip on some flats and then have a little kitleans in a bag when you go into a bar yeah I love that I really I really like maybe it's because I'm doing it right now but I really like a jacket nothing underneath yes especially in this weather yeah or just like a tank I've got just like a simple tank conceive and then when it's a bit hot i really love that what were your favorites it was a set wasn't it i yeah there were two sets actually that caught my eye i feel like i'm really in spring mode now especially because it was so hot and run like i'm just mentally not in the coat department there's this really it's quite it's sort of leans like lends itself more nicely to the warmer weather it's a linen set and it's got a tie waist a collar it's sleeveless and then a beautiful midi skirt yes so nice I actually got to try it on because we have some of the pieces um and it looks really good excited to wear that when it slightly warms up we're probably not quite there yet and then there's another set and it's striped I love that yeah so much and you can wear it lots of different ways as well it's got striped pant the top half is buttoned down I feel like you could style that quite nicely and do like a like white t-shirt underneath yeah and then also bikini on holiday, like open bikini.

28:58And comfortable as well. You just don't have to think about it. Exactly. Ballet flats to like make it a bit more feminine. But yeah, I was just so impressed by this collection and the fact that it's actually all so affordable as well with that like premium material, like it's amazing. But yeah, make sure you guys check out Primark's latest spring collection.

29:19I'm gonna move on to our celebrity section. What have you guys spotted? I feel like there's a lot going on. Well, my feed has been a lot of the drama. Which drama? Oh, the drama. Which drama? You mean Robert Pattinson and Zendaya. The drama, yes. Well, but also, because we were talking about this, they're in three films together this year. The Odyssey, the drama and June. So there's a lot of press happening with the three of them together. And I just feel like the comments from these interviewers are so strange. Do you not think? Like they've been a bit like, so are your partners like really jealous that you spent so much time together?

29:57Yeah, it's quite great. Are you five? Who says that? But I feel like because that's a PR tool that so many actors have kind of been leaning on recently. Yeah. Like Wuthering Heights, and what was that one with Pamela Anderson? Oh yes. And they were like in a - Yeah, I know what you're talking about. Liam Neeson. Exactly. Was that fake? I think it was fake. She said that they were like friends slash lovers, or they had an intimate role, I don't know. I think it still was like, it was obviously so overhyped for the sake of the film. And kind of the same with Wuthering Heights, like all of the flowers and all of the like moments between them.

30:31It was too much. That was silly. That was nice, yeah. I draw, that was silly. Yeah, which is why - The method acting kind of continued a lot into the promotion. But I just didn't buy it. No. He's sitting there being like, oh, I love Margot, so like, oh my God, if you're in the room with Margot. Like drooling, I was quite icky. It was quite icky. Calm down. Whereas I feel like these two are so much more about the craft. Exactly. And less about the drama that everybody else does, which is them to cheat on their respective. Which is ridiculous. But I kind of agree with you that I wonder if those questions would have come if it wasn't for the Wuthering Heights promo.

31:05I think that they just know now that those questions will perform well. That's true. And they're hoping that maybe. They'll get like a sound clip of like something. Which Zendaya and Robert Patterson are just not buying into. yeah they were like too cool for that they are they really are so funny he is hilarious yeah he's very dry yes but the comments are really making me giggle because it's like these two don't know each other at all like these two have got absolutely no balance between each other what was it it was a question to him about like her favorite it was like a series of favorites and he was like don't know have you guys even hung out but i kind of love that have you seen it yet no no but i feel like all the press around it is making me really want to see it it's very split It's quite split, isn't it?

31:47It's quite split of like, it's not enough drama. It's a bit too uncomfortable to watch. There's been a real bag of mixed reviews. But is it supposed to be slightly uncomfortable to watch? What is the premise of the film? I actually don't know. Should we spoiler alert it? Oh, is it a spoiler to know? I know what it is. I feel like the trailer doesn't give that much away. Do you want to tell you? Do the non-spoiler version. Do I give us a synopsis? I think that this has garnered a lot of controversy is that essentially what happens is they're supposed to be getting married. It's all so excited. And then something happens.

32:22He finds out something about her that makes him not want to marry her anymore. Right. And do you want to know what the. No. Why would I want a spoiler? Because it's a really random thing and it's kind of a bit like yikes. No, I don't want to know. I want to watch it. I'd like to watch it. Well, do you want me to tell you? No. No, shush, shush. Don't tell anybody. Let's not tell anyone. I don't know. Talk about it in your own time. But I feel like their chemistry is not translating off screen onto any of their... But they're coming off as friends, I think. Yeah, totally. But I prefer that tack.

32:58I don't want to see someone married flirting with a man who's not their husband. True, but it does read a slightly awkward. Oh, do you think? Which maybe I think is... Maybe that's the purpose of it all. It's like, they're not supposed to get on that well because the film is not indicative of that. Also, I guess we got used to seeing how it's on Holland on press tours. Or maybe it's just a normal press tour. Like, do you know what I mean? Maybe they're just genuinely, they don't have much chemistry. They do when they're acting. And they're just kind of like, yeah, we'll show up and do press for it.

33:28But we're not going to act in. Yeah, that's kind of true. Do you know what I mean? Like, could just literally be. We're just a bit numb to it. We're expecting, like, a lot from people. I think we expect now that there's a tactical element to press tours, every press, which I agree there is. There seemingly has been for the past few years, but like maybe there just isn't. Yeah. Anyways. Another topic we were talking about last week is the fact that Kanye is going to be headlining wireless this year for three nights. And it's something that has quite split opinion. Although I will say I'm not sure why it's so split.

34:04Obviously for context, he has been saying some really awful things the last couple of years. He did a big apology. He basically rented out like a whole page in the Wall Street Journal to do an apology to everyone. And basically we're talking about his bipolar disorder and how that has led to the comments he's made. Regardless of all of that, the comments were made. He has been quite controversial for a couple of years. And obviously people aren't very happy that he is going to be performing. Sort of biased to all of that, like kind of put that aside for a second. What we were talking about is the fact that there's such a double standard in the industry.

34:38so you know he's allowed to go and headline wireless and you know whatever he's probably gonna make a fuck ton of money and you know a lot of people go to that but someone like chapel rone yes who sort of got cancelled the week for something she kind of didn't actually do and didn't really know anything about that's been blown up out completely out of proportion similarly zara larson who is just on such a high at the moment she's doing amazingly she made a about an abortion and she lost out on a three million pound deal because of it. And so that just to me feels like such a double standard between men and women in the music industry.

35:13What have you got to say? Oh, 100%. Well, there was lots that came out, right? When Britney was under the conservatorship and it was like, why is she being so contained and controlled? And yet people like Kanye West are able to not only have like a platform where he's very obviously attacking margin but like no one's trying to put a lid on any of it. His assets are still completely his, like his freedom of speech is still completely his. And I don't know, there is a double standards. Like I think it's really obvious to see. And I think some brands are obviously taking that really seriously, like Pepsi pulled out, Diageo have now pulled out.

35:51I think one of the, who's the home secretary? I've forgotten her name. She is still trying to block his case user. I think Keir Starmer also made a comment about like how he's appalled that it's happening and all this stuff. But I still think it will happen. Like I don't think it will get cancelled. It will still go ahead. An absolute yikes for Wireless Festival making that choice. Absolutely. It feels like a really rogue decision. And there are so many artists right now who are at that level that could be headlining Wireless this year. And it feels bizarre to me that they've won. To give that opportunity to someone else who deserves it.

36:29Yeah, I totally agree. There was a really interesting article in the Eugenic standards. I don't know if you read it and it was like, can you separate the art from the artist? Yes, we were all speaking about that. It's so hard because like post like 2020. On a personal level perhaps. What do you mean? Like listening to it in your own time. Yeah. I think there's also with Kanye, it's Kanye and then there's Ye. Yeah. Anything Ye, I'm like just not interested. Whereas Kanye back in the day, old school. It's like. Nostalgic. It's nostalgic. It's whatever. You can sort of say that music is great, whatever.

37:00but as a person, I just don't think I can separate it. Yeah. I agree. I saw him in 2016 at Glastonbury and it was really, it was incredible, but you were on edge the whole time as to when the flip was gonna happen. Exactly. Really? Yeah, and that was way before he had really been outspoken about anything. How so? So the stage was very simple. He had like a huge set of lights and just him, you could see none of the band, anything. And the lights just kept going and he would like just disappear. and it wasn't part of the act, it was like, I don't wanna be here anymore. And then we'd come back and then we'd go again.

37:35And everyone was like, are we done? Is it not done? Is it, are we here? And then we were kind of waiting for the like big, kind of crazy moment to hit because we were like, this is a man quite possessed. And then he got on like a crane and kind of came over like the entire audience and was like, I am the greatest artist, like living or dead that has ever existed. I was like, if you genuinely believe that, like, I just don't think you are of sound mind. But that has always been like celebrated as, oh, it's just Kanye being Kanye. Yeah, but now it's sort of crossed the line. Totally. Now it's like, it's really hideous behavior.

38:13But if anybody else, God forbid, has those kind of boundaries now where they're like, hard no, I don't want to behave this way. I don't want to be treated this way. I don't want my narrative to be this way. It is a bit dismissed. But like, that's like, okay, fine, run free. Say those awful things, we'll forgive you. Just say sorry once and we'll be all good. It almost feels like once you shock people enough with your language, then you kind of get a bit of a free pass because it's just expected. It's just noise now. Well, now it's just an eye roll as opposed to shock. I think the other thing which is worrying to me is that a lot of people probably did or do agree with the things that he said and the awful hate.

38:47And I went to wireless last year for Drake and it was, you know, obviously that was all good vibes, but it was a very hectic environment. There was a lot of people there. and I worry to bring all of those kind of like-minded people together in a place like that just feels really unsafe, to be honest. I feel like out of all of the London festivals, wireless gets the most out of control. Yeah. There's famously so many people stampede it and they jump over. I've been kicked, pushed, everything there. Awful. It feels like a recipe for an absolute disaster. And I think that particularly him in that, maybe if he was doing a really chill festival, I don't know if the stink would be that loud, but it's because this feels like in a quieter, maybe like riotous environment that you're now exacerbating.

39:30Speeding into it. Yeah. Moving on to slightly lighter topics. We were talking about Coachella earlier, but you had picked up on something cool that Kylie Jenner is doing. Well, she's sort of pivoted her sprinter brand now into hydration, which I think is like preempting Coachella Thirsty. Yeah. And I did not realize how big the hydration industry is. $80 billion. Wow. What's hydration? Like, like hydration, electrolytes. Oh, right. I was like, the entire drinks industry. I was like, it's just water. It kind of is like, I guess it's, it's really, that was like a seltzer brand, right? And now it's just tight.

40:08Like now there's a hydration product. And I just think it's really interesting how, like even alcohol has a wellness element. Yeah. Oh, so it's alcoholic electrolytes. it's just electrolytes. Brand idea. But I think I'm really interested as to like how much Coachella business noise there's been this year as opposed to previous years. But also just the wellness industry blows my mind that it is hydration. It's fucking stick your head under a tap. I know. Be hydrated. Some brands are just doing it so convincingly and so well. And do you guys know the brand Salt? Yeah. I absolutely love their brand.

40:48Like the marketing, the campaigns they've done, they did something like a couple of months ago where they really wanted to be in Joe and the Juice and be sort of advertised within, you know, when you go to the counter or maybe when they're making drinks, they put it in, whatever. So above the Joe and the Juice in, I think it was in Chelsea, they bought the billboard above them and said, we want to be with, like they literally like made a whole campaign about wanting to be in Joe and the Juice above Joe and the Juice. Like it was so clever. Wow. Everything they do, obviously it's very founder led and there's very much that sort of storytelling.

41:18But I just think sometimes you can take such a boring product, about something quite functional and turn it into just this disruptor brand. And it just takes that like creativity. Oh, it's all about marketing. It's so impressive, yeah. And she's, as we know, Kylie Jenner knows how to market. Well, Kris Jenner does, definitely. But talking of celebrity brands, we've talked about Alex L, her skincare brand. I know, I was looking at that this morning. How do we feel about that? There are so many brands. It's, I think the beauty space particularly is the most saturated target. Totally agree. I understand why she did it.

41:50all sort of like celebrities, influencers, they almost need that like extra leg that isn't just their craft because you can become irrelevant like that. And it's nice to have something that lives on beyond just your namesake. And I totally get that. However, I really think she could have been a bit more disruptive. If she'd done something like food and beverage or something like you're just talking about, something that isn't really sexy and making it sexy, but like that's so clever. But to just go into skincare to me feels so like sort of lazy. So it's like an acne specific skincare. Yes. but she was also on Roaccutane.

42:22Which is also the controversy. I mean, I think that there can be space for both. I think that if you're still on Roaccutane, you could be, you still need a really great skincare. You know, you need to be, what is it? Using sensitive skincare. But I think it's also the like branding and marketing around it. She's obviously got perfect skin now. So it's really hard. It's the same as Heidi Beaver. She has incredible skin. So obviously whenever she promotes Rota, you're sort of like, you look amazing and you probably spend a lot of money on, you know keeping yourself looking amazing so i think that's also where the um but i feel like young people aren't gonna think that way they're just gonna no i think this is what happens with what has happened with road is that young people are like oh i just want to be just like her okay a lip peptide is gonna get me there and i'm like okay well forget the hours of lymphatic there's like the hundreds of thousands of pounds spent on facials and like micro needling and all of those things that are happening to look yeah and your genetics absolutely and to get me wrong i actually think that road is an incredible like i actually love the skincare like i think we all really really rate it and rate hayley but i do understand the argument with alex l who i think bringing a new brand to the market could have gone down that route of like we know this isn't the only thing you're going to use but if you're doing xyz this is going to amplify or help is it yeah like how derm approved is it because like acne is no joke you'd have to be very but the thing is the The thing is why road works is that it's like for every and all kinds of skin types.

43:47And it's not, there's like very few active ingredients in it, it's not promising you to change your life, it's just gonna give you dewy skin. Exactly. Whereas this is like, this is like solving your acne. We're kind of digging into a really vulnerable pain point for like lots of young, particularly young women who then will have heralded her as like, oh, I just wanna be just like her. But I think to solve acne or like solve quote unquote, you need quite a tailored, every person who has experiences acne we might all have it but there would be different reasons what's causing it so we need quite a tailored approach to resolving that that's why i think just coming out and with quite a limited range is a little bit like is it gonna work well i'm like interested to see if it does yeah it would be yeah it would be great if it does and really amazing if you're like oh you've actually just bought like you know something that's much more sexy than obagi to the market and a positive, proactive.

44:41But as in like, you don't necessarily want that like very clinical products in your bathroom. Like you do want something that feels like a joy to use. Yes. So I'm gonna hold back until you - I would have loved, let's watch this space.

44:59Before we move on to hot topic, here is another reminder to please, please subscribe. I'm gonna give you five seconds now of silence. You doing it? Have we done it? Okay, great. Thank you so much. Right, let's move on. Whoa. That's a bit good then, yeah. I can't lie. I was like. Do it. Okay, hot topic. Guys, I need to tell you about my building group chat. Have you ever had that moment where you feel like you need to leave a group chat because it's just going to be too toxic? That is literally what's happening in my building group chat. Honestly, these people are going off. Like, it's like calling people out, atting people.

45:30Who did this? Who left this in the recycling? And then they'll like look through the recycling and like take a picture of someone's delivery. like it's so really intense yes no people need to get i want to see this honestly i just think build because i live in like a really tall like high-rise kind of building yeah and there's like a lot of residents there's a lot of leaseholders and then renters and there's also these like walls between the two like if you're a leaseholder or renter and it's just too much but there's so much building politics have you ever experienced that oh yeah very small scale because i was like one of like four flats fine i just think maybe people are a little bit bored in their normal They're using it like social media.

46:05You know when people wouldn't say it in person? It's just full of like Karen's being like, number 27, no two, why have you done this? I've seen that you've like left your thing here. Well, calling them out individually. Yeah, absolutely. Wow. I have a community group. That's quite pointed. No, but it's gone to a new level. I was reading essay. That feels personal. Someone called someone a twat. I was like, this is a building group. No, do we? Why are you calling someone a twat? We're all in the same building. Imagine you then see them in the lift and you're like, hey. We had like a neighborhood Gmail when I lived in Richmond, which obviously very few things happen in Richmond.

46:37It's like, watch out for that gnarly fox. I think he's got something else. But there was this one woman who basically would commentate constantly and her legit name was Bunny. Oh. Bunny needs a hobby. Oh, this is literally. And we would like leave books outside Bunny's house. Stop it now. Maybe we need to get Bunny into something else. So maybe this is the tactic you need to do. So I need to buy everyone in their group chat a book. You just need to be like, has everybody seen that Delivery's got this amazing author? They're like, treat yourself. Clay making it mine. Oh my God. Well, this is the other thing.

47:06Get a code for Pilates. They have this whole thing about deliverers, right? And I kind of understand it, but they won't let people bring deliveries up to the flat. Oh, that's annoying. Because of like security or whatever. But Ryan's got a broken foot. So I've been like, guys, let my fiance have the delivery upstairs because he cannot walk. And every single time someone tries to come up, they try and like tell them off. It's ridiculous. Wait, that is so annoying. I know. It's like a front desk and they won't let them up. Yeah. But no, it's in the group chat. But is there a concierge? Yeah, there is.

47:34But they're very scared of the residents, to be honest with you. But yeah, I think I'm going to have to leave because it's just too much. I'd be leaving. But then what if they just come knocking on your door? Well, someone did come knocking on my door the other day, actually. What? I get a lot of packages, as you can imagine. Oh, yes. And sometimes I don't fully break them down because who has time to do that? And this woman came to my door and she was like, you've filled up the packaging. I was like, I actually haven't because I broke down basically one of them. She was like, I took a picture, it's here.

48:02And I was like, one box, one box, I didn't break down. Anyway. I want to live in this building. You don't, you really don't. Maybe you need an ally, like someone who's got your corner. I actually agree with that. I would suggest dropping off a little beauty bag.

48:20Okay, we're going to move on to our dilemmas. These are our listener dilemmas. So people send in questions. and number one, I've been seeing someone for a few months and it feels like a relationship, but there's been no post, no label, no real clarity. Do I ask where it's going or just keep it light and enjoy it? Ask. I don't even have to think about that. I'm not easy breezy. I'd be like, hon, what are we? It's been a few months. But why are you scared? Why is that, sorry, not you. I'm not scared. Why are you afraid? Why am I afraid? But why, if you're in a good relationship, if it's progressing into a relationship, you shouldn't be scared to get clarity.

48:57I do think it's just one of those things where I can put myself in their shoes and see that you don't want to like rock the boat. Like what if you say something and they're like, oh, well then it should end. I agree. Or I wish I could like actually action those things when I hear them because I'm there like, no, just carry on. Let it be. I know it's so bad, isn't it? I really do accept the crimes. But like, I think that, yeah, you should. You should just ask. It gives you peace of mind. Otherwise that anxiety feeling of like, are we something? Are we not something? It's not nice. And I think if you are someone who is happy to just kind of like go with the flow and date, but not really worried about what they're doing and what your label is, then fine.

49:33But clearly you are worried. She's invested. But Penn Badgley, he was on Alice Cooper's podcast and he goes, is it ever casual? Is it ever casual? And I don't think it is. There is always someone who's more invested. That's true. You're never going to be equal. No. Yeah. There is always someone, if it's like a situationship, who's longing for it to be a relationship. I don't think a casual relationship exists. I agree. I also saw a thing that felt very pointed on Instagram about how situationships are harder to get over than a relationship because you're always in this grey and not knowing what you are.

50:09There's never closure because there's no clear lines. It's really hard to navigate. Guys, am I just trauma dumping and I need to leave my situationship? I get it. But I think that she should just figure it out. Yeah. Ask. Okay. We've got another relationship dilemma. Okay. I've met someone really great, but I know it's a very summer only situation. Do I just live in the moment and see where it goes? Or is it smarter to step back before I get too attached? Run, run, run. Don't get attached. That feels personal. Don't do it. Oh my God. That feels very personal. Let me tell you now. Don't do it. It dragged on past summer.

50:44It will not only last summer. It will not only last summer. I so agree. Don't do it. Oh, I'm such a romantic. I just feel like it depends on, again, it depends on you. Like, do you want a boyfriend? Do you want someone for when it's cold in the winter? And it's not summer anymore. And you want to keep, you know what I mean? But then what happens? Summer, it turns into autumn and you're just like, done, my feelings are gone. I guess. Like what? Very summer only situation. Do you like, have you met him on holiday? I don't understand. Unless he's moving to another country at the end of summer. Then that's fine.

51:15that's an easy break. Yeah. But if they're not, like, I just don't, what's the cutoff when you get to September 21st? You're like, we're now officially in autumn so we can only see each other. Yeah. They kind of said like, do I just live in the moment and see where it goes or is it smart to step back? I think do just live in the moment and see where it goes. But if they've said, if they've been transparent at the beginning that this is where they only want this to go is a summer situation, then that's fine if you accept what that is and there's a cutoff date. But if there isn't and you're like, I'm in the hopes that like this maybe Converts to something more serious Don't be hopeful Don't live in the hope I so agree I feel like I'm like killing the romantic It's not even me and I'm just literally getting married I've been out of the dating game for a while I have Also just before we close off The most amazing news has just come through Live breaking news Kanye West has apparently been banned From entering the UK literally just found out in real time.

52:16So all of the points we were talking about still stand, but it's great to hear that all the concerns that we have voiced have clearly also been raised at a higher level and he's not - I think they were listening to us. They were actually, yeah, they picked this up live. Guys, they've been influenced. This has been live. But thank you guys so much for today. Thank you guys so much for watching. And again, a plea to please, please subscribe. We love doing these podcasts for you and it really helps us out if you subscribe. Bye.