“It felt like we were being punished as she thought we were bad parents" - Living with an anorexic.
by Siobhan Gavin

In the UK, 1 in 100 women aged between 15 and 30, suffer from anorexia. Behind the Beauty spoke to one mother on how she has dealt with her daughter battling with an eating disorder.

Jackie (not her real name) from Leeds had to learn to cope with her 24 year old daughter suffering from anorexia. She explained to us how it affected her relationship with her daughter, her marriage and how she felt as a mother. After suffering for over 9 months Jackie’s daughter ‘Natasha’ confessed her illness.

Teen Queen contestant Chloe Hart tells us why it’s good for girls to enter beauty pageants.
by Chloe Harvatt 

Beauty pageants were once only a trend in the USA, but now pageant fever has spread across the globe and is sweeping our nation. Pageants receive a lot of negative response as they can be considered exploitative.  However, Miss Teen Queen Pageant contestant Chloe Hart tells us why it’s good for girls to take part in beauty pageants. 

"Its all about making something out of nothing" - 
Sheffield-based Our Kid Apparel tells us how they came 
this far.
by Ryanne Smith

Graphic design student Robin Harrison and Photography graduate Jack Alcock have managed to turn their fashion ideas into reality and are now running a successful online fashion business.

“The intention originally was to grow organically, and to take it as it comes. We did not expect things to happen this quick, lots of local people are working with us and helping us.”

Trading for just over nine months the pair work together and split the load equally 50/50. They do everything themselves to develop skills, show their creativity and to improve knowledge on the business side of things.

“I wanted to make wounds and bodies” - Special effects makeup artist Emily Cox tells us why makeup artistry isn't all about making people look beautiful.
by Chloe Harvatt.

Make-up artists are trained in creating flawless, beautiful transformations, but the job can involve so much more. Due to modern technologies such as CGI and special effects, people forget that make-up artists are the real brains behind some of the ghastly looks and scenes that grace our screens. 

Make-up artistry is perceived as a glamorous career, making up the rich and the beautiful. However, budding makeup artist Emily Cox tells us why she prefers the gory side of the industry.

Hollyoaks stylist on the hunt to find the next big thing
by Ryanne Smith

A top fashion stylist for the cast of Hollyoaks leads the search for the new faces of the Birkenhead shopping centre. 

The centre has teamed up with casting agency 'Frame' to find the most fashionable, talented and charismatic people to represent the area.

Irish dancing - exploiting girls in the name of talent?

by Siobhan Gavin 

Irish dancing is seen as a hobby for young girls, however for those involved it can be seen as much more than this. For fans of this style of dance the traditional sport when done professionally can be a display of talent and vision. Anyone who participates in Irish dancing will know it can take up to 2 hours to complete hair and make-up before being ready for a national champion competition, including fake tan, wigs and a cover of make-up.

Yet some argue that Irish dancing is conforming itself into a tamer version of American beauty pageants and has brought a shallow aspect to the sport. With the Belfast Telegraph publishing an article describing the Irish tradition as, ‘the most embarrassing and grotesque bastardisation of traditional Irish culture in existence,’ with the ‘the vulgar costumes, the orange tans, the flesh-crawlingly OTT make-up and the outrageous expense.’ 

Siobhan Gavin spoke to Law student and Irish dancer Charlotte Houseman on what it's really like and how she balances her passion for dancing with university.

Crocheting saved me from being sectioned
by Emmy Glover

After her dad committed suicide in 2011, 26 year old Verity Castledine from Nottingham, began crocheting in an attempt to keep her mind occupied.

2 years later, she is running her own business ‘Truly Hooked’ and is selling her work to customers up and down the country.

This week, Behind the Beauty caught up with Verity to hear about how she took her Dad’s tragic death and created something positive for her and her family.