2019-10-01 Cosmopolitan UK

COSMOPOLITAN · 3

SomewhereinbetweenSpiceGirls

photosandquadvodsatLiverpool

University’sSU,therewasonething

I spentmypreciousmoneyon– bras.

I despisedthemeaslyA-cupI was

endowedwithandwouldtrudge

arounddepartmentstoresinsearch

ofpush-upstructuresthatcould

magica cleavageoutofa pieceofA

paper.Yearsofself-loathingwentby,

envyingfriendsastheysqueezedinto

low-cuttops.I feignedsympathy

whentheymoanedabout

clothesnotfitting,

industrialbrastrapsand

thedreadedsummer

underboobsweat.For

me,it wastheequivalent

ofsomeonecomplaining

abouthowbadlythey’d

doneinanexamwhen,

really,theyknewthey’dgetanA*.

However,asI enteredmytwenties

andthefogofteenageinsecurity

startedtolift,I realisedthey’dbeen

feigningsympathytoo.WhileI

moanedaboutmyflatchest,allthey

heardwerethe“problems”ofbeing

abletowearprettylingerie,exercise

withoutthefearofboob-induced

injuryorbackpain,andtheability

togobra-free.It turnedoutthething

I hatedmostaboutmybodywas

oneofmymostenviedfeatures.

CLAIRE

Editor-in-Chief

A recentsurveyconductedbyour

publisher,Hearst,confirmedit’sour

owninnercriticthathasthebiggest

impactonourbodyconfidence

andthat“comparison”is

atthecore.It’soneof

themanyreasonswe’re

partofProjectBodyLove

andwhywepromiseto

doourabsolutebestto

representa rangeofbody

shapes,sizesandabilitiesin

thismagazine(andonline).

Whetherit’schampioningbody-

positivebabeslikeBebeRexha(p72),

deep-divingintomentalhealth(p

&80)andbodydysmorphia(p43),or

featuringfeel-goodfashion(p102),we

wanttohelp

youseeyour

bodyhow

it trulyis –

beautiful.

Whenyouseethislogo

anywhere,youcanbe

guaranteedthese

productsare

Cosmopolitan-

team-approved.

LOVES

2019

From the

editor
Jointhegetsh*t
donecrew

BebeRexha

The clubdrugcure?

Howtowinat

beingsingle

Mindtheskincare

racegap

The styleinsiders

Know

Glow

Move

Wear

Earn

Read

Lust

Play

38

72

80

86

96

102

15

23

37

47

63

80

119

127

INSIDE

THIS

MONTH’S

COSMO

COVER STORIES

INSID

WHAT IS PROJECT BODY LOVE?

We’re committed to using language that encourages a kinder

internal dialogue and signals our inner critics to shut the

F up. We challenge you to post a picture of yourself on your

social, saying something kind about your own appearance,

tagging @CosmopolitanUK and #ProjectBodyLove.

Feeling

crappy today? Close

your eyes and repeat one

(or all) of these mantras:

“I’m grateful for what I have”

“I have a lot to be proud of”

“I’m doing my best”

“I’m happy with the way

I am today”

4Keep in touch by following me on Twitter

@Claire_Hodge and Instagram @claire_hodge

ODGS

COVER PHOTOGRAPH RACHELL SMITH. MAKE-UP BRITTANY PAIGE, USING TARTE AND SMASHBOX. HAIR MAURICE FLYNN, USING SHOW BEAUTY. NAILS SOPHIA STYLIANOU AT FRANK AGENCY, USING RIMMEL NAILS. SENIOR FASHION EDITOR SAIREY STEMP. FASHION ASSISTANT LOIS ADEOSHUN. BEBE WEARS, NEWSSTAND COVER: TIGHTS AND BRIEFS, BOTH WOLFORD. EARRINGS, LUV AJ. NECKLACE, BEBE’S OWN. BRACELET, MONICA VINADER. SUBSCRIBER COVER: JACKET, TOPSHOP. EARRINGS, RIVER ISLAND. PHOTOGRAPHS, THIS PAGE SARAH BRICK, LUCKY IF SHARP. HAIR AND MAKE-UP JOLANDA COETZER AT LHA REPRESENTS, USING URBAN DECAY AND SACHAJUAN

P

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