Long Distance Relationships

Long-distance can feel like an exquisite kind of agony, where every quiet moment amplifies the ache of absence.That longing, the loneliness that sneaks in at night, the frustration of screens instead of skin... it's not just hard; it's a raw, human test of endurance. 

You're not alone in calling it torture; countless people describe it that way, and yet, so many emerge stronger, with bonds forged in fire. The key isn't erasing the feelings—they're proof of how deeply you care—but learning to hold them without letting them hold you hostage. Here's how others navigate it, drawn from real experiences and solid advice.

Build a Rhythm That Feels Like Connection

• Schedule sacred check-ins: Treat calls or video dates like non-negotiable appointments, even if it's just 15 minutes to share a "highlight and lowlight" of the day. Consistency combats the unpredictability that feeds loneliness—one couple I read about set a weekly "virtual date night" with shared Netflix watches, turning miles into a cozy routine. It won't replace touch, but it creates emotional anchors.
• Send tangible tokens: Mail handwritten notes, care packages, or even a shared Spotify playlist of songs that say what words can't. Physical reminders bridge the gap—think a photo of you both printed and framed on your nightstand, or syncing sleep schedules so you "wake up together" via good morning texts.

Fill the Void Without Forcing Distraction

• Lean into self-soothing rituals: When the wave hits, don't fight it—sit with it for a set time (like 10 minutes of journaling the ache), then gently redirect. Voice notes to yourself can help process the rawness, as one person shared after a breakup: ranting aloud clarified the storm in their head and made space for calmer days. Pair it with movement—walks in nature, yoga, or dancing to a playlist that matches your mood—to release the pent-up energy.
• Cultivate your own world: Pour energy into hobbies or goals that light you up solo. Gaming, baking, reading—anything that builds a sense of accomplishment. A guy in an LDR swore by picking up guitar during separations, saying it turned "empty evenings into creative fuel" that made him more present when they reunited. Loneliness shrinks when you're too busy growing.

Reframe the Pain With Perspective

• Practice "psychological distance": When emotions spike (that gut-punch missing them), step back mentally—like advising a friend in your shoes. Ask, "What would I tell her right now?" instead of spiraling in "I can't stand this." Research backs this: it quiets the amygdala's alarm and activates calmer brain areas, helping you see the temporary horizon. One woman in a transatlantic LDR used it during tough weeks, writing letters to her "future self" about the visit ahead—it reframed longing as a countdown, not endless night.
• Nurture your support circle: Share the load with friends or online communities (Reddit's r/LongDistance is a goldmine for commiseration). Spending time with others doesn't dilute your love; it replenishes you. As one expert notes, it's a "balm for the pain," reminding you that connection exists in layers.

Anchor in the "Why" and the "When"

• Keep an endgame in sight: Pinpoint a reunion date or milestone (a flight booked, visa in process) and visualize it vividly—scrapbook the trip, count down together. Mark Manson calls this essential: without a "something to look forward to," the distance devours hope. In one story, a spouse away for months leaned on faith and surrender, finding that filling the void with personal growth made the wait transformative, not just survivable.
• Communicate the feels openly: Tell your partner, "This hurts, but it's because I love you this much." Vulnerability invites them in, turning shared pain into intimacy. Avoid accusations—frame it as "us vs. the distance."

It's okay if some days you just curl up and cry; that's part of the management, not failure. The couples who make it (like those epic stories we talked about) often say the torture tempers the love into something unbreakable. You've got this resilience just by reaching out—start small today, like one deep breath or a quick text to a friend. What's one thing feeling doable right now, even if it's tiny?

Review of Chinese TV Drama - In Blossom - 花間令 (Huā jiān lìng)
And an alternate ending!!!

Overall it was good, but... It could have been better.

The last four episodes (29 to 32) could have been better scripted, as some plot choices feel weak; they don't have any purpose other than to add unnecessary twists & turns.

 And the drama’s ending...

Instead of delivering a satisfying conclusion, it forces suspense with an ambiguous scene that lacks context or payoff. Rather than a clever twist, it comes across as empty and confusing. Most viewers, myself included, are left wondering what it was supposed to mean. If the goal was to create an open-ended mystery, it fails because it lacks substance, and instead of a thought-provoking conclusion, it feels like an unresolved, last-minute attempt to appear deep without any real meaning.

So let's start with what I would change to make this a better story!

 

Ep. 29 - 24:30 min

Why would the princess choose to kill herself? But most importantly, why would she choose to kill herself in such a way that not only endangers Shangguan Zhi but also wastes an opportunity to make her sacrifice meaningful?  As someone raised in the palace, she should be resourceful and strategic enough to devise a last-minute plan.

Frankly, this plot twist is unnecessary and leads to even further unnecessary drama, thus it should be erased. Let's examine something else that could prevent her death:

 

Ep. 28 - 38:00 min

Zhuo LanJiang meeting the mastermind (Jia Quan - identity not yet revealed) and his personal assistant (Zuo Jingfei) at night time in an undisclosed location.

 

Ep. 30 -  5:30 min

Zhuo LanJiang meeting the mastermind (Jia Quan - identity revealed) and his personal assistant (Zuo Jingfei) during daytime at the "Grand Commandant's Residence".

After comparing both meeting locations, we can clearly see the same curtains and the same bookshelves in the background. Thus, we can deduce they meet in the same location.

We know Zhuo Lanjiang's motivations: to avenge his father. He's not there to stretch things nor investigate any further. This said, he had a very good opportunity to do this in Ep. 28's meeting. He could kill both at once swiftly at nighttime and try to escape alive.

But let's say for suspense's sake he does not do it just yet. Plus, he gets to witness the presence of Mr. Chen (the organization's accountant who brought the ledgers with him) as he's being escorted to his new room. This opens the plot twist for him to look for those ledgers later which brings us at back at Ep. 29, right before the Princess's death scene, the one we want to get rid of.

  

So here's what should happen:

(This removes all those scenes: princess's death, Shangguan Zhi going to jail, Pan Yue begging his father, Shangguan Zhi's trial + battle, them becoming fugitives, Zhuo LanJiang dying uselessly and in a very stupid way, etc.)

 

Ep. 29 - from 18:40 to 24:30 min

This is when the princess finds out her sister's husband (Jia Quan) is the great villain she and Pan Yue have been investigating. This triggers him to threaten her. But frankly, why would he ask her to kill Shangguan Zhi? That's just plain not plausible considering his shrews character. If he wanted Shangguan Zhi dead, he could have had her dead 100 other ways anytime he wanted.

In my opinion, once he made sure to make her understand that he can and will kill her and her sister (and make it look like an accident) if she tries to interfere, his most likely reaction would be to prohibit her from leaving the residence and keep her under watch at all times until the completion of his "Grand Marshal" promotion ceremony to ensure she won't leak any information.

 

Next would come the scene from Ep. 30 -  5:30 min

Zhuo LanJiang meeting the mastermind (Jia Quan - identity revealed) and his personal assistant (Zuo Jingfei) during daytime at the "Grand Commandant's Residence".

But this time, he kills both in stealth mode, then proceeds to look for the ledgers, finds them, and escapes successfully.

There should be a commotion once Jia Quan's death is noticed. It should be speculated that it must be related to the assassin who tried to kill Pan Yue the other day. The Princess would later go search for the ledger where she found evidence of Jia Quan's name change, then make a plan to meet with Pan Yue in order to discuss their next move.

Meanwhile, Zhuo LanJiang gives the accounting ledgers to either Pan Yue or Shangguan Zhi (or both, whatever suits the plot), tells them he fulfilled his vengeance (the bad guy is dead), and plans to head back home with his girlfriend and marry her.

Next, we should obviously see Zhuo LanJiang have some happy romantic reunion with Bai Xiao Sheng.

Then, the princess meets with Pan Yue and Shangguan Zhi to decide what will be done.

 

From there, I don't have anything concrete in mind, but I guess the most obvious would be:

 - The princess confesses everything to her sister.

- The wedding between the princess and Pan Yue gets canceled.

- The evidence against Jia Quan gets deposited to help close his death's investigation.

- Pan Yue and his father reconcile.

- Pan Yue will confess everything to Shangguan Zhi's brother as promised. She should also have a moment alone with her brother to settle things.

- Pan Yue gets back his Heyang's Magistrate position and finds a way to offer Zhuo LanJiang a good position too in managing the docks (or whatever else that fits his fancy in order to compensate him for shutting down his clan. Maybe letting him reopen his clan/private business?)

- Pan Yue and Shangguan Zhi get married in Heyang at the same time as Zhuo LanJiang and Bai Xiao Sheng (double wedding).

  

Oh, and another useless scene is this one:

 Ep 29: 6 min

Pan Yue's brother reveals to a stranger that Shangguan Zhi is Yang Caiwei.

Only Pan Yue's father should know about this, and this information should not have been revealed to anyone else in the household.

 

 

Song: 凝眸 - Stare Intently (Gaze) Performed by: 丁禹兮 - Ryan Ding Yuxi From the TV show: 永夜星河 - Love Game in Eastern Fantasy Adapted from the web novel: "The Guide to Capturing a Black Lotus" (黑莲花攻略手册) by Bai Yu Zhai Diao Gong (白羽摘雕弓).

I created this video because no other existed to accompany this beautiful song. As my very first venture into video editing, it became a labor of love, spanning 16 hours of dedication. I hope it brings you as much joy as it brought me. This song touches the soul and moved me to tears. Ryan Ding Yuxi is a rare talent whose artistry shines through. His character radiates love, and the depth of emotion in his voice lingers in every note, weaving a melody of heartfelt sincerity. 虞书欣 Esther Yu Shuxin not only brings Ling Miaomiao to life but also infused the role with humor and charm. Her acting made me laugh throughout the entire series. This romantic comedy was a delightful and unexpected discovery for me. =^.^= 我制作了这段视频，因为没有找到其他作品能与这首美丽的歌曲相匹配。这是我第一次尝试视频剪辑，用了16个小时的心血完成了它。我希望你能和我一样喜欢它。 这首歌深深触动了我的心，让我不禁落泪。丁禹兮是一位难得的才子，他的艺术才华熠熠生辉。他的角色充满爱意，他的声音中倾注的情感在每个音符中回荡，编织出了一曲真挚动人的旋律。  

虞书欣不仅完美诠释了凌妙妙这个角色，还赋予了她幽默与魅力。她的演技贯穿整部剧，让我笑个不停。这部浪漫喜剧是我意外的惊喜发现。 

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LYRICS (simplified Chinese - Pinyin - English) The English has been translated with the help of ChatGPT 4o to help retain both the poetic depth and emotional weight of the original composition.

说不清缘故我为何只顾着将你拥住 Shuō bù qīng yuán gù wǒ wèi hé zhǐ gù zhe jiāng nǐ yōng zhù I can't explain the reason why I just want to hold you in my arms 千万缕酸楚在你泪滴划过我时放逐 Qiān wàn lǚ suān chǔ zài nǐ lèi dī huá guò wǒ shí fàng zhú Thousands of sorrows are exiled when your tears pass over me 世人无数偏为你 神无主 Shì rén wú shù piān wèi nǐ shén wú zhǔ 连命数 都想宽恕 lián mìng shù dōu xiǎng kuān shù Amid countless people in the world, only for you, the gods seem lost. Even fate itself desires to forgive 相思入骨白首却无处 Xiāng sī rù gǔ bái shǒu què wú chù My love for you runs so deep it’s etched into my bones, yet there’s no place for us to grow old together 今生吻过你眉目是我的救赎 Jīn shēng wěn guò nǐ méi mù shì wǒ de jiù shú Kissing your face in this lifetime is my salvation 别哭 Bié kū Don’t cry 握过你手心纹路风雪不冷酷 Wò guò nǐ shǒu xīn wén lù fēng xuě bù lěng kù Having held the lines of your palm, the wind and snow no longer feel cold 乱世之中你向我凝眸 Luàn shì zhī zhōng nǐ xiàng wǒ níng móu 是我曾重生的一幕 shì wǒ céng chóng shēng de yī mù Amid the chaos of the world, your gaze upon me was a scene of my rebirth 爱过你让我一生 满足 Ài guò nǐ ràng wǒ yī shēng mǎn zú Loving you makes my life fulfilled 说不清缘故我为何只顾着将你拥住 Shuō bù qīng yuán gù wǒ wèi hé zhǐ gù zhe jiāng nǐ yōng zhù I can't explain the reason why I just want to hold you in my arms 千万缕酸楚在你泪滴划过我时放逐 Qiān wàn lǚ suān chǔ zài nǐ lèi dī huá guò wǒ shí fàng zhú Thousands of sorrows are exiled when your tears pass over me 世人无数偏为你 神无主 Shì rén wú shù piān wèi nǐ shén wú zhǔ 连命数 都想宽恕 lián mìng shù dōu xiǎng kuān shù Amid countless people in the world, only for you, the gods seem lost. Even fate itself desires to forgive 相思入骨白首却无处 Xiāng sī rù gǔ bái shǒu què wú chù My love for you runs so deep it’s etched into my bones, yet there’s no place for us to grow old together 今生吻过你眉目是我的救赎 Jīn shēng wěn guò nǐ méi mù shì wǒ de jiù shú Kissing your face in this lifetime is my salvation 别哭 Bié kū Don’t cry 握过你手心纹路风雪不冷酷 Wò guò nǐ shǒu xīn wén lù fēng xuě bù lěng kù Having held the lines of your palm, the wind and snow no longer feel cold 乱世之中你向我凝眸 Luàn shì zhī zhōng nǐ xiàng wǒ níng móu 是我曾重生的一幕 shì wǒ céng chóng shēng de yī mù Amid the chaos of the world, your gaze upon me was a scene of my rebirth 爱过你让我一生 满足 Ài guò nǐ ràng wǒ yī shēng mǎn zú Loving you makes my life fulfilled 今生吻过你眉目是我的救赎 Jīn shēng wěn guò nǐ méi mù shì wǒ de jiù shú Kissing your face in this lifetime is my salvation 别哭 Bié kū Don’t cry 握过你手心纹路风雪不冷酷 Wò guò nǐ shǒu xīn wén lù fēng xuě bù lěng kù Having held the lines of your palm, the wind and snow no longer feel cold 乱世之中你向我凝眸 Luàn shì zhī zhōng nǐ xiàng wǒ níng móu 是我曾重生的一幕 shì wǒ céng chóng shēng de yī mù Amid the chaos of the world, your gaze upon me was a scene of my rebirth 爱过你让我一生 满足 Ài guò nǐ ràng wǒ yī shēng mǎn zú Loving you makes my life fulfilled 爱过你让我一生 满足 Ài guò nǐ ràng wǒ yī shēng mǎn zú Loving you makes my life fulfilled

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Notes regarding the song meaning:Detailed Interpretation:

世人无数偏为你 (shì rén wú shù piān wèi nǐ): "Among the countless people in the world, only for you" "世人无数" sets the stage, describing the vast number of people in the world. "偏为你" adds a focused exclusivity: "only for you" or "uniquely for you." 神无主 (shén wú zhǔ): "The gods are untethered" or "Even the gods seem lost." It suggests that the divine powers, which are usually composed and authoritative, become disoriented or powerless when it comes to "you." 连命数都想宽恕 (lián mìng shù dōu xiǎng kuān shù): "Even fate itself desires to forgive." This conveys the idea that even the unchangeable concept of destiny is softened or willing to make exceptions for this person. Poetic Interpretation: 相思入骨 (xiāng sī rù gǔ): "My longing for you is so deep it feels etched into my bones." This line conveys an intense, almost physical yearning. 白首却无处 (bái shǒu què wú chù): "There is no place to grow old together." This implies a sense of hopelessness or unfulfilled love: the longing exists, but the opportunity for companionship into old age is absent. Contextual Meaning: The entire line reflects the speaker's deep and enduring love (or longing) that is simultaneously unreciprocated, forbidden, or destined to remain unfulfilled. The juxtaposition between the intensity of longing ("入骨") and the futility ("无处") creates a poignant emotional tension. Poetic Interpretation: "In this life, having kissed your face is my salvation." The speaker considers even a fleeting moment of intimacy—kissing the other person’s face—a deeply transformative or redemptive experience. It suggests that this act brought meaning or salvation to their existence. Contextual Notes: The 眉目 ("eyebrows and eyes") phrase is highly poetic and highlights the beauty of the beloved. It evokes a vivid and emotional image of the act. 救赎 ("salvation") adds a spiritual depth, implying that the act of kissing transcends mere affection—it’s a moment of profound significance. Poetic Interpretation: "Holding the lines of your palm, the wind and snow no longer feel cruel." The act of holding the beloved’s palm imbues the speaker with warmth and comfort, shielding them from the harshness of external conditions like the wind and snow. Contextual Notes: 手心纹路 (lines of the palm): Evokes intimacy and a sense of fate or destiny, as palm lines are often associated with individuality and fortune-telling in Chinese culture. 风雪 (wind and snow): A poetic symbol for life’s challenges or harsh environments. Here, the speaker suggests that love has softened these difficulties. 冷酷 (cold/cruel): The metaphor extends beyond the literal meaning to emphasize the emotional impact of love in overcoming hardships. Poetic Interpretation: "Amid the chaos of the world, you gazed at me with intent. It was a scene from my rebirth." This conveys the deep emotional and transformative power of the moment when the gaze happens, amidst turbulent circumstances. Contextual Notes: 乱世之中 (amid chaos): Implies a backdrop of turmoil, emphasizing how significant and grounding the gaze is . 凝眸 (intense gaze): A poetic phrase often associated with deep emotions, longing, or a powerful connection. 重生的一幕 (a scene of rebirth): Suggests that this moment symbolizes a turning point or renewal for the speaker, possibly tied to love or emotional awakening.

Fighting Pests With Sound Waves, Not Pesticides

http://www.takepart.com/article/2015/11/04/sound-waves-could-replace-pesticides-fighting-pest-devastation-orange-groves?cmpid=tp-ptnr-eatlocalgrown

Researchers invent a device that uses acoustics to mimic the mating call of an insect devastating Florida’s orange groves.

Guy Davies, an inspector for Florida's Division of Plant Industry, checks an orange tree for the Asian citrus psyllid, which carries the bacterium-causing 'citrus greening' disease. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

NOV 4, 2015

Katharine Gammon has written for Nature, Wired ,Discover, and Popular Science. A new mom, she lives in Santa Monica.

A tiny bug is threatening your morning orange juice.

In Florida, the Asian citrus psyllid, an aphid-size creature that feeds on the stems and leaves of citrus trees, cost the juice business $3.6 billion between 2006 and 2012. The real damage from “citrus greening” comes from bacteria spread by the bug, which causes leaves to turn yellow and kills the tree in a few years.

Researchers are looking into new ways to combat the pests, and one project focuses on sound rather than pesticides to disrupt the insects’ mating habits.

“We’re trying hard to cut down on use of pesticides in orange groves, partly because we are worried they’ll build up resistance to pesticides, and that will make things even worse,” said Richard Mankin, a research entomologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He presented findings on acoustic disruption at the meeting of the American Acoustical Society this week in Jacksonville.

When a male psyllid wants to mate, he alerts a female by sitting on a leaf and buzzing his wings to send vibrations along leaves and branches. To disrupt that activity, the researchers created a device containing a piezoelectric buzzer and a microphone wired to a microcontroller.

RELATED:  One Farmer’s Pest Is Another Farmer’s Pesticide: Ants Excel at Killing Other Bugs

The device detects the incoming male call and emits a fake female response call through the buzzer before any neighboring psyllids can answer. When the male bug comes near the device, he gets snagged and immobilized on an adhesive surface. In lab tests, the insects subjected to the noise were four times less likely to find a mate than other psyllids.

Mankin said the gadget will be tested soon in orange groves. He has worked on similar sound disruptors for grapevines. It is unknown if the vibrational sound would have other ecological impacts.

The team is working to lower the price of the device, which costs between $50 and $200 and only covers two feet of a tree. Mankin said that in the short term, sound will not trump pesticides in fighting the Asian citrus psyllid. “Looking ahead, we’re expecting, however, that the psyllids will become resistant to the pesticides and that the costs of the new technology will continue to decrease,” he said.

Mankin said he hopes the device can work in tandem with pesticides, targeting infestations to reduce the amount of chemicals used and to help postpone the psyllids’ development of resistance to insecticides.

“We’re looking at the devices more as partners than as a replacement,” he said.

The idea of using sound to catch or deter insects has wider applications, Mankin noted. Acoustic devices have been successfully used to trap pests such as mosquitoes, midges, mole crickets, field crickets, moths, cockroaches, and fruit flies. Ultrasonic signals that simulate bat cries could deter night-flying insects.

“Trying to develop electronic-based pest control is a good idea, because it will help the production of food—and we need all the help we can get to feed the world’s growing population in the future,” Mankin said.

Is Your Make-up Killing You?

http://www.arizonaadvancedmedicine.com/articles/makeup.html

(resumé à la fin du texte, au bas de la page)

Women absorb 5lb of chemicals from cosmetics every year - from cancer-causing compounds in face cream to arsenic in eyeshadow. We tested two beauty junkies to reveal the shocking toll on their bodies... Charlotte Kohl and her sister Emma are attractive young women. Their looks, they admit, are very important to them, which is why, between them, they use more than 70 different beauty and cosmetic products every day. 

Take Charlotte, 27, an estate agent from East London. Each evening, after slathering her face with a concoction of night creams, she sleeps with a dental bleaching kit on her teeth and fake tan all over her body. 

Wake-up call: Emma, left and Charlotte were shocked by their results

Every morning, she uses an array of products in the shower, ranging from shower gels and exfoliating scrubs to 'body building' lotions to give life to her fine hair.

Her make-up regime includes blusher, bronzer, eyeliner, eye shadow and mascara, and she never leaves the house without covering her head in a thick cloud of hairspray.

Her 24-year-old sister Emma, a personal trainer, follows a similar routine, but she also has an obsession with lipgloss: she owns 60 different ones and touches up her lips every few minutes.

In a bid to ensure she always has fresh breath, Emma also cleans her teeth seven times a day and carries a tube of toothpaste in her handbag, which she rubs into her teeth and gums at almost hourly intervals.

Between them, the two girls get through four cans of deodorant a week, and spend £1,000 a month on cosmetics.

"We have been into cosmetics since we reached our teens," says Emma.

"We're the sort of people who rush out to buy a new mascara just because it claimed to do more for our eyelashes than any other mascara previously.

"I'm a complete sucker for anything that says it can make me look or feel better, or that is endorsed by a celebrity."

And Charlotte and Emma are not alone. Last year, Britons spent £6.4billion on cosmetics and grooming products, with the average woman applying 12 toiletries every day.

But here's the rub - these toiletries can bring with them at least 175 chemical compounds.

A recent study found that British women are one of the heaviest users of cosmetics in Europe and, as a result, we ingest through our skin, and occasionally through the mouth, up to 5lb of chemicals a year.

Take Emma's favourite fuzzy peach lipgloss for instance: she loves its colour and the fact it 'tastes nice', but according to the list of ingredients, it contains 28 manmade chemicals.

Her deodorant contains 26 chemicals and Charlotte's hairspray has 23.

Of course, the manufacturers would say these chemicals and resulting products are safe, but a growing school of thought begs to differ.

As part of a new television documentary, presented by Sarah Beeny (who for the past two years has been on a personal mission to remove as many chemicals from her lifestyle as possible), Charlotte and Emma agreed to have their blood and urine tested for a selection of chemicals found in their cosmetics.

They were then challenged to live without their beauty products for eight days, swopping everything for natural chemical-free varieties.

They also stopped using domestic cleaning products.

Natural beauty: TV presenter Sarah Beeny has been without make-up for two years

The results will surprise even those who find it hard to believe that everyday cosmetics could really be doing us any harm.

Certainly, both sisters did not think there would be anything potentially dangerous in their make-up bags.

"The ridiculous thing is that I've always tried to avoid chemicals whenever I can," says Emma. 

"I always buy organic food.

"I never in a million years thought I could be exposed to chemicals which could damage me through my make-up.

"Make-up makes me feel good and it wouldn't have even crossed my mind that it could be doing me harm."

Cosmetics contain many different kinds of chemicals, but of particular concern are a group of preservatives called parabens, which by some estimates are found in 99per cent of all 'leave on' cosmetics, and 77 per cent of 'rinse off' cosmetics.

These are known hormone disruptors: evidence suggests they can mimic the female hormone oestrogen, and a lifetime of increased exposure to oestrogen is linked to a heightened risk of breast cancer.

One study found parabens present in 18 out of 20 breast cancer tissue samples (though it is important to note that the study did not prove they'd actually caused the breast cancer).

Parabens are also thought to adversely affect male reproductive functions.

Another troubling chemical is the antibacterial agent and pesticide triclosan, which is used in toothpastes, soaps, household cleaning products and body washes.

It belongs to the chlorophenol class of chemicals, which are suspected of causing cancer in humans and taken internally, even in small amounts, can cause cold sweats, circulatory problems and - in extreme cases - coma.

Also of concern are phthalates, a substance that gives our lotions that silky, creamy, texture, but which are also a 'plasticiser' used to make plastics flexible.

Certain phthalates are known carcinogens, and studies have suggested they damage the liver, kidneys, lungs and the reproductive system, as well as affecting the development of unborn baby boys.

The list goes on. Sodium laureth sulphate, a frequent ingredient in shower gels and shampoos, is a skin irritant; propylene glycol, found in soap, blushers and make-up remover, has been shown in large quantities to depress the central nervous system to make it function less effectively; and aluminum in deodorants is linked to breast cancer by medical research.

And did you know that certain eye shadows contain arsenic?

One thing is for sure: few of us would want to rub any of these chemicals into our eyes, far less ingest them in liquids by drinking them.

Yet, every day, we rub them into our skin, and allow them to enter our bodies.

Given the facts, it's hardly surprising that a growing number of experts believe these substances have a cumulative effect on our bodies.

They think the 'chemical cocktail' inside us is contributing to the increased frequency of a host of illnesses ranging from eczema to cancers as well as developmental problems such as autism and dyslexia.

"It's difficult to see the link between chemicals in cosmetics and damage to health unless you stand back and look at the wider picture," says Dr Paula Baillie-Hamilton, author of Toxic Overload and supporter of the campaign group Chemical Safe Skincare.

"Man-made chemicals first emerged 100years ago, and every decade since, the overall production of these synthetic chemicals has doubled.

"We are surrounded by chemicals: in the air, in our food, in our water and especially in our cosmetics, and the fact is that our bodies can't break many of these substances down.

"Our systems are becoming more polluted and we are beginning to see the results of that in terms of increased illnesses and even birth defects, especially in boys.

"There is no doubt that one of the ways we are exposing ourselves to these chemicals is through our cosmetics."

Dr Baillie-Hamilton also thinks that absorbing chemicals through our skin is more dangerous than swallowing them.

"At least if you ingest chemicals through your mouth, your digestive system can do something towards dealing with them," she says.

"If they go through your skin they hit your blood stream immediately and are then transported to vital organs such as kidney and liver, where they may be stored for many years."

So how did Emma and Charlotte's chemical detox pan out?

Before they started, both girls had to get rid of all their old products. 

The contents of their make-up bags and bathroom cabinets filled a black bin liner, and they were given alternative products, from ranges including Elave, Skin Shop, Aubrey Organics, Jane Iredale, Burts Bees and Purenuffstuff. Household cleaning products came from Ecover.

"At first, I really missed my own cosmetics and our new make-up didn't seem that good," says Charlotte.

"The chemical-free mascara I was using didn't seem to hold onto my lashes and the hairspray felt as if I was spraying my hair with water.

"I had to reapply the natural lipgloss so many times because it kept rubbing off."

Emma agrees: "We went out one night with our new make-up on and it was hopeless, the hairspray didn't hold, the lipgloss kept rubbing off and I ended up less than fragrant, too, because the natural deodorant wasn't powerful enough."

During the experiment, perhaps to encourage them not to go back to their old products, the girls were given information about their usual make-up.

For instance, the average woman eats, albeit unwittingly, five lipsticks a year, which in her lifetime is the equivalent volume of 1.5 blocks of lard. 

But Emma's lipgloss obsession means that she'll eat 54 lipglosses a year - the equivalent of eight blocks of lard during her lifetime.

And that's on top of all the chemicals it contains.

Charlotte's obsession with hairspray is just as troublesome.

"I was shown that when its sprayed onto a smooth surface, hairspray solidifies into a clear plastic that you can actually peel off in solid form," says Charlotte.

"Not only had I been putting this onto my head all day, but I'd also been unwittingly breathing it in. I was effectively-clogging up my lungs with plastic."

The girls' monthly trips to the hairdresser to have their hair coloured are fraught with hidden dangers. People who use permanent hair dye are more than twice as likely to develop bladder cancer as those that don't.

Both ammonia and paraphenylenediamine (PPD) - chemical substances used in dyes - can cause allergic reactions, too.

As the experiment progressed, Charlotte and Emma began to grow accustomed to their new products, and to discover brands they felt were comparable to their old make-up.

"I began to realise it was just a question of getting used to using different brands," says Emma.

"After a week, we'd both completely forgotten that we weren't using our own make-up and were putting on the chemical-free alternatives as though nothing had changed."

So AT the end of the eight days, had such a detox really made a difference to the chemical levels found in their bodies? The highest reading of parabens found in humans is 730mg per litre of urine.

Tests taken at the beginning of the experience had revealed that Charlotte had 650mg, which is in the higher range. Her reading fell dramatically to 21mg at the end of the experiment.

Her level of triclosan - found in toothpaste and body washes - fell from 490mg per litre to zero.

"I was shocked at the results," says Charlotte. "I hadn't believed we'd see such a dramatic difference in such a short time, let alone as a result of something as simple as changing our cosmetics.

"Once I understood what our old cosmetics contained, psychologically it felt better to be using chemical-free alternatives. We both noticed our skin seemed brighter and smoother.

"Our eyes were also brighter and our hair felt softer."

Emma's results showed an equally dramatic fall in triclosan levels, which fell from 90mg per litre to just 2mg per litre.

Her paraben level was more surprising - it actually increased from its initial level of 7mg per litre of urine, though medical experts point out that parabens can be taken into the body through eating dried and snack foods, in which they are used as preservatives, and medicines, so Emma's diet during the experiment may have had a bearing.

"What really hit home to me was that the way we go about our daily life really does have an instant impact on chemical levels in our bodies," she says.

"It made me realise that I am being bombarded with chemicals from all sorts of directions, many of which I can't avoid. Anything I can do to cut back, can only be a good thing."

Since the experiment finished, both girls have continued to use natural make-up where possible and switched to natural cleaning products.

Charlotte has reduced her use of hairspray and Emma now cleans her teeth a sensible twice a day. Both girls use a natural deodorant, which contains no chemicals.

"We don't want to get fanatical about it, and the fact is that certain chemical-free cosmetics don't work as well," says Emma.

"We've yet to find a chemical-free mascara that is as good as my normal one, and chemical-free hair dye isn't that great either.

"But for pretty much everything else there is an excellent chemicalfree alternative.

"Given what we've learned, it would be madness to go on as we were."

--------------------------------RÉSUMÉ

So AT the end of the 8 days, had such a detox really made a difference to the chemical levels found in their bodies? The highest reading of parabens found in humans is 730mg per litre of urine.

Tests taken at the beginning of the experience had revealed that Charlotte had 650mg, which is in the higher range. Her reading fell dramatically to 21mg at the end of the experiment.
Her level of triclosan - found in toothpaste and body washes - fell from 490mg per litre to zero. (...)

Charlotte's obsession with hairspray is just as troublesome.
When its sprayed onto a smooth surface, hairspray solidifies into a clear plastic that you can actually peel off in solid form. "Not only had I been putting this onto my head all day, but I'd also been unwittingly breathing it in. I was effectively-clogging up my lungs with plastic." (...)

The average woman eats, albeit unwittingly, five lipsticks a year, which in her lifetime is the equivalent volume of 1.5 blocks of lard. But Emma's lipgloss obsession means that she'll eat 54 lipglosses a year - the equivalent of eight blocks of lard during her lifetime. (...)

A growing number of experts believe these substances have a cumulative effect on our bodies. (...) 
It's difficult to see the link between chemicals in cosmetics and damage to health unless you stand back and look at the wider picture (...) 

We are surrounded by chemicals: in the air, in our food, in our water and especially in our cosmetics, and the fact is that our bodies can't break many of these substances down. Our systems are becoming more polluted and we are beginning to see the results of that in terms of increased illnesses and even birth defects, especially in boys. (...) 

If they go through your skin they hit your blood stream immediately and are then transported to vital organs such as kidney and liver, where they may be stored for many years. (....)