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THIS Christmas snag £365 of beauty must-haves for just £79 – including the fan-favourite ‘glass skin in a bottle’ and the show-stopping ‘Wonder’ serum.

The set brings together 32 carefully curated mix of skincare and beauty essentials, designed to keep your complexion glowing all winter long.

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From hydrating serums to luxurious creams, each product promises a little bit of pampering magic, making it a perfectly indulgent gift for yourself or someone special.

Shoppers are already calling it a bargain not to be missed, with the full retail value adding up to over £365, yet the Christmas set is available for just £79 – a fraction of the price.

What’s included?

For haircare, there is a Hair Syrup Rapunzel Pre-Wash Oil Treatment (50ml, deluxe size), Alfaparf Milano Semi Di Lino Diamond Illuminating Shampoo (75ml, deluxe size), and Alfaparf Milano Semi Di Lino Diamond Illuminating Conditioner (50ml, deluxe size).

You also get an Intense Moisture Hair Mask (300ml, full size), Bondi Boost Heat Protectant Spray (50ml, deluxe size), Incredilox Nourishing Argan Treatment Oil (100ml, full size) and a Brushworks Dry Shampoo (50ml, deluxe size).

Your skin will be pampered with a Madagascar Centella Ampoule (30ml, full size), a Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask (34g, full size), a TIRTIR Milk Skin Toner (50ml, full size), and a Purito Mighty Bamboo Panthenol Cream (100ml, full size).

You can also enjoy a Dr.PawPaw Overnight Lip Mask (10ml, full size), a Geek & Gorgeous Jelly Joker Cleanser (50ml, deluxe size), Grace & Stella Under Eye Mask Set (full size), a Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Fluid SPF50 (15ml, deluxe size), a Clean Skin Club Clean Towels XL Travel Pack (x10, full size) and a Kanzen Anti-Bacterial Cleansing Water (125ml, full size).

The beauty set offers cosmetics such as the Clomana Marshmallow Sponge, a Spectrum Collections Everyday 4 Piece Makeup Brush Set, a Plump It! Volumising Lip Oil (3ml), and a Jecca Blac Glow Drops Highlighting Primer in Rose Pearl (20ml).

Treat yourself to a fresh manicure with the Nails Inc. It’s Topless 1-Step Gel Nail Polish (10ml) and Nails Inc. It’s Topless 1-Step Gel Nail Polish (10ml).

Relax with the bath and body samples, which include the ESPA Bergamot & Jasmine Body Wash (40ml), the ESPA Bergamot & Jasmine Body Lotion (40ml), a Fussy Natural Deodorant Stick and two Truly Beauty Unicorn Fruit & Coco Cloud Gift sets (60ml).

Other goodies include a Shay & Blue Parfum Nashwa Eau De Parfum (10ml), a White Silver Cloud Fluffy Sleep Mask, a Justmylook Spa Headband and three Justmylook Satin Hair Scrunchies.

Customer reviews

Customers loved the set last year, leaving rave reviews and calling it a “blow-away” buy for both the quality and quantity of products included.

Many praise how the items feel luxurious, perform well, and offer a real sense of value, making it one of the most talked-about beauty bargains this festive season.

One customer wrote: “Bought this last year for my daughter and she absolutely loved it!

“The variety and quality of products behind each door was exceptional, in fact she has since purchased some of the items to use throughout the year.

“Great calendar for trying some new products.”

Another added: “I truly enjoyed opening this one. A few different products in it unlike some advents who seems to copy each other. Very happy and especially the price point.”

A third penned: “I have just received my box as a birthday present. Love. Love. Love. What is there not to love?

“The box itself is just gorgeous … the contents are just amazing. It’s going to take some time to go through all the boxes .. can I wait until December …. nnahhhhh Let’s start now. Thank you.”

A fourth said: “WOW in a word! I’ve just received my JML Advent today and it’s absolutely beautiful.

“The box is gorgeous and so well made, each drawer holding the full 25 (not 24 like a classic advent) individual boxes (though I note there are several boxes with multiple items).

“It’s truly a lovely gift for yourself or a loved one (I ordered one for myself and another for my mum). I can’t recommend it enough, honestly.

“The team at JML have clearly put a lot of thought in to both the design of the box and the goodies inside it, not to mention the incredible value for money.

“I’m blown away, truly. Thanks Team JML – this advent is fabulous!!”

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American Airlines has moved its bag sizers away from the boarding gate. Now, passengers are being encouraged to check whether their luggage is too big when checking in, rather than just before they enter the aircraft

American Airlines is moving its bag sizers from the boarding gate to the check-in area in a process shakeup.

The airline—the third biggest in the world by number of employees—charges passengers whose carry-on bags are too big to check in.

While the size limits will still apply, American Airlines has moved its bag sizers away from the boarding gate. Now, passengers are being encouraged to check whether their luggage is too big when checking in, rather than just before they enter the aircraft.

That should, in theory, give them more time to repack or remove items from their carry-on bags before they get to the boarding gate, when time and space can feel limited.

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In an internal memo, American Airlines team members have been directed to “use their judgment” and “err on the side of the customer” when passengers arrive at the boarding area from now on. If there is uncertainty over the size of items to be taken on board with passengers, only luggage that is “clearly oversized” should it be forcibly checked in, the new rules say.

“Team members will continue to monitor carry-on baggage in the lobby and at the gate, and oversized items will still be required to be checked in ahead of the flight,” the carrier said.

American insists that the changes are part of improvements to the boarding process that the carrier has been making since 2024. But some might argue that boarding with carry-on bags is about to become a more subjective process as a result of the rule change, making it harder for passengers to prove that their bag is within reasonable limits.

American Airlines allows passengers one “personal item” and one carry-on. The personal item should fit under the seat in front and be no bigger than 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 cm x 35 cm x 20 cm). Meanwhile, the carry-on should be able to be placed under the seat in front or in an overhead compartment and cannot exceed 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 cm x 36 cm x 23 cm).

It’s definitely not something you’d want to get wrong. The most expensive fee for an oversized bag with American is $200 (£150).

The news has been met with a mixed reaction by those who fly regularly.

“Honestly, I think this is an unnecessary and stupid change. The size restrictions haven’t changed, but now there’s no way to check them at the gate? And when the gate agent has to stop someone with an oversized bag, they don’t have proof to back them up?” one person wrote on the American Airlines subreddit.

“I’m sure they were used occasionally by overly-eager gate agents, but I personally have never seen the sizers used except by curious passengers sizing their own bags. There’s no reason for them not to exist; they should just (continue to) only be used when necessary.”

A defender on the new system said: “This is an awesome move. Those gate sizers were never accurate and just made people feel like rubbish.”

The airline said Andy would need to pay almost four times the price of his ticket if he wanted the bag on the plane

A man was charged over a thousand pounds – to take one extra suitcase on his Qatar Airways flight. Andy Donovan, 23, planned a trip to Kingsbury, Melbourne, for six months to play cricket over the Australian summer.

He booked a Cathay Pacific flight, which included a transfer in Hong Kong. But he switched his ticket that morning for a Qatar Airways flight to Melbourne, via Doha, Qatar, when he saw the ‘super typhoon Ragasa’ was headed for Hong Kong.

The flight, on September 22, cost him £312.28 to book. Andy’s bag allowance changed with his flights and was reduced to one bag of checked luggage, rather than two, as his Cathay Pacific flight had been. As Andy needed two suitcases – one for his possessions and a second for cricket kit – he attempted to buy an extra bag on the Qatar Airways website but claims it kept crashing.

So he resolved to pay at the airport – until, to his horror, he was charged £1,103.72 for his additional 25kg bag. Andy, a marketing executive, from Exeter, Devon, said: “I thought I could pay for the extra luggage in person – I knew it might be more, but I didn’t think it would be that much. It was several times the cost of the actual ticket, it didn’t make any sense.

“I was in shock. I had no choice but to pay it because I needed my kit. It’s personalised to me for my specifications so I couldn’t just replace it.

“They charge you per kilo you’re over the limit, and I had a whole extra 25kg bag. I wasn’t offered to buy a whole extra bag at the airport.”

Andy said it wasn’t explained to him how the charge was calculated but he paid it so he could still fly. Qatar Airways’ website states that within six hours of departure, per additional kg of luggage, there is a $60 (approx £44.60) charge. Andy plays for the Philippines national cricket team.

His younger sister, Katherine Donovan, 21, also plays for that team and he claims she had taken the same flight a week earlier, with two bags, with no issues. But ahead of Andy’s departure, dad Barry Donovan, 81, a retired pilot, was the one who spotted news of the typhoon near Hong Kong the day of the flight.

To avoid his son being stuck in Hong Kong airport, he advised Andy switch to a flight which transferred elsewhere, which he was allowed to do because Barry had privileges as an ex-employee of Cathay Pacific. On the day of the flight, Andy instead got a ticket for a Qatar Airways flight to Melbourne, via Doha, Qatar.

Andy had to call Barry for a loan to cover the costs – as he had no choice to pay if he still wanted to fly. Barry compared the policy to “extortion” and feels “someone should go to jail for this”. Barry said: “We got the tickets sorted for Andy, but nowhere on the tickets was the luggage restriction mentioned.

“He tried to book an extra bag online but couldn’t. When he rang me from the airport, I told him to just pay whatever they charged, and we’d sort the money later. But when he told me what that was, I couldn’t believe what they charged him.”

“£1,100 is totally unacceptable. It’s extortion – ‘give us the money, or you don’t travel at all’.”

Barry says both he and Andy have attempted to contact Qatar Airways but have not received a response. Barry added: “How many other people have they done this to? It’s just not right.”

Qatar Airways has been approached for comment.

MEXICO CITY — To help justify a sweeping deportation campaign, an extraordinary U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean and unprecedented strikes on boats allegedly trafficking drugs, President Trump has repeated a mantra: Tren de Aragua.

He insists that the street gang, which was founded about a decade ago in Venezuela, is attempting an “invasion” of the United States and threatens “the stability of the international order in the Western Hemisphere.” Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump described the group as “an enemy of all humanity” and an arm of Venezuela’s authoritarian government.

According to experts who study the gang and Trump’s own intelligence officials, none of that is true.

While Tren de Aragua has been linked to cases of human trafficking, extortion and kidnapping and has expanded its footprint as Venezuela’s diaspora has spread throughout the Americas, there is little evidence that it poses a threat to the U.S.

“Tren de Aragua does not have the capacity to invade any country, especially the most powerful nation on Earth,” said Ronna Rísquez, a Venezuelan journalist who wrote a book about the gang. The group’s prowess, she said, had been vastly exaggerated by the Trump administration in order to rationalize the deportation of migrants, the militarization of U.S. foreign policy in Latin America, and perhaps even an effort to drive Venezuela’s president from power.

“It is being instrumentalized to justify political actions,” she said of the gang. “In no way does it endanger the national security of the United States.”

Before last year, few Americans had heard of Tren de Aragua.

The group formed inside a prison in Venezuela’s Aragua state then spread as nearly 8 million Venezuelans fled poverty and political repression under the regime of Nicolás Maduro. Gang members were accused of sex trafficking, drug sales, homicides and other crimes in countries including Chile, Brazil and Colombia.

As large numbers of Venezuelan migrants began entering the United States after requesting political asylum at the southern border, authorities in a handful of states tied crimes to members of the gang.

It was Trump who put the group on the map.

While campaigning for reelection last year, he appeared at an event in Aurora, Colo., where law enforcement blamed members of Tren de Aragua for several crimes, including murder. Trump stood next to large posters featuring mugshots of Venezuelan immigrants.

“Occupied America. TDA Gang Members,” they read. Banners said: “Deport Illegals Now.”

Shortly after he took office, Trump declared an “invasion” by Tren de Aragua and invoked the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used 18th century law that allows the president to deport immigrants during wartime. His administration flew 200 Venezuelans to El Salvador, where they were housed in a notorious prison, even though few of the men had documented links to Tren de Aragua and most had no criminal records in the United States.

In recent months, Trump has again evoked the threat of Tren de Aragua to explain the deployment of thousands of U.S. troops and a small armada of ships and warplanes to the Caribbean.

In July, his administration declared that Tren de Aragua was a terrorist group led by Maduro. That same month, he ordered the Pentagon to use military force against Latin American cartels that his government has labeled terrorists.

Three times in recent weeks, U.S. troops have struck boats off the coast of Venezuela that it said carried Tren de Aragua members who were trafficking drugs.

The administration offered no proof of those claims. Fourteen people have been killed.

Trump has warned that more strikes are to come. “To every terrorist thug smuggling poisonous drugs into the United States of America, please be warned that we will blow you out of existence,” he said in his address to the United Nations.

While he insists the strikes are aimed at disrupting the drug trade — claiming without evidence that each boat was carrying enough drugs to kill 25,000 Americans — analysts say there is little evidence that Tren de Aragua is engaged in high-level drug trafficking, and no evidence that it is involved in the movement of fentanyl, which is produced in Mexico by chemicals imported from China. The DEA estimates that just 8% of cocaine that is trafficked into the U.S. passes through Venezuelan territory.

That has fueled speculation about whether the real goal may be regime change.

“Everybody is wondering about Trump’s end game,” said Irene Mia, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a think tank focused on global security.

She said that while there are officials within the White House who appear eager to work with Venezuela, others, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are open about their desire to topple Maduro and other leftist strongmen in the region.

“We’re not going to have a cartel operating or masquerading as a government operating in our own hemisphere,” Rubio told Fox News this month.

Top U.S. intelligence officials have said they don’t believe Maduro has links to Tren de Aragua.

A declassified memo produced by the Office of Director of National Intelligence found no evidence of widespread cooperation between his regime and the gang. It also said Tren de Aragua does not pose a threat to the U.S.: “The small size of TDA’s cells, its focus on low-skill criminal activities and its decentralized structure make it highly unlikely that TDA coordinates large volumes of human trafficking or migrant smuggling.”

Michael Paarlberg, a political scientist who studies Latin America at Virginia Commonwealth University, said he believes Trump is using the gang to achieve political goals — and distract from domestic controversies such as his decision to close the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Tren de Aragua, he said, is much less powerful than other gangs in Latin America. “But it has been a convenient boogeyman for the Trump administration.”

HARROWING new details have emerged after a decomposing body was found stowed in a bag inside a Tesla car belonging to the singer D4vd.

Cops are still working out how the person ended up in the vehicle and how they died. 

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The body was found inside the car that had been impounded and sitting in a Hollywood, Los Angeles, tow yard. 

Cops suspect the human remains had been in the abandoned car for about five days before it was towed.

The grim discovery has sparked a probe and coroners have now started to release details about the person found inside the car.

A Los Angeles County medical examiner revealed a woman with “wavy black hair” was found inside the car.

The body had been put inside a bag and was discovered in the front trunk.

She had a distinctive tattoo that said: “Shhh,” as reported by TMZ. 

The woman was wearing black leggings and a tube top. 

She was also wearing a metallic stud earring and a bracelet that was in the shape of a letter W.

Cops are probing the case as a homicide. 

But, coroners didn’t reveal her age, nor the cause of death.

D4vd himself has not commented on the investigation.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.

Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun

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Sustainable fuel ‘nonsense’

Craig Hicks, from Telford, Shropshire, finished his right arm sleeve with a tattoo of Jet2’s slogan – after seeing what he believes is a trend emerging on TikTok

A frequent flyer hopes he will bag a free holiday – after he got the Jet2 slogan tattooed on his right arm.

Craig Hicks completed his right arm sleeve with the words “nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” alongside the budget airline’s logo. The 37-year-old man says he is “a big fan” of Jet2, having flown with the company dozens of times since it commenced operations under its current guise.

The plane enthusiast, from Telford, Shropshire, insists his family and friends “absolutely love” the giant inking. Jet2’s catchy slogan has become somewhat of a trend on social media, as it has been used in more than two million videos on TikTok the summer.

“I just thought it’s quite topical at the moment, why not? It’s just so popular at the moment… “I’ll be getting it out on that flight definitely. All my friends keep saying I could get a free holiday out of this! A freebie would be nice,” Craig, who is an ambulance controller, said today.

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The body art, which cost Craig £300 on Wednesday August 6, finishes his his “aviation sleeve”, which already featured a concord and jet engine. The regular flyer, who has a trip to Tenerife booked soon, continued: “I just love anything to do with planes. To finish my sleeve, I had a load of gaps and wasn’t sure what to put there.

“I love Jess Glynne and love that song. I recently flew with Jet2 to Madeira. I just thought it would be ace to get ‘nothing beats a Jet2 holiday’.

“I like Jet2 and thought it would be cool. It’s my favourite British airline. I’m definitely a big fan of them. I love everything to do with aviation.”

Jet2 has used Jess Glynne’s song Hold My Hand in its adverts – and on its planes – for nearly ten years. In one iconic TV advert, which first in January 2024, a family of four race with excitement towards the airline’s check-in desk, and gleefully board a Jet2 plane, high-fiving the cabin crew in the process – all in cohesion to Glynne’s tuneful number.

But the “nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” slogan this summer has been used playfully on TikTok by tourists who have encountered holiday bloopers or mishaps – with any airline.

Reflecting on the social media trend, Craig continued: “I’m definitely going to show it to Jet2 staff when I next fly with them to Tenerife in December… All my friends and family absolutely love it. My mum said I was mad.”

Jet2 has been contacted for a comment.

Mirror reader Alycia Royle-Evatt believes that Ryanair duped her into paying for a bag that was, in fact, the correct dimensions ahead of a flight from Leeds Bradford to Palma Majorca

A debate is raging over the real dimensions of Ryanair bag sizers, with some passengers claiming things are not quite as they seem.

There are few ways worse to begin a holiday than by getting stung by an extra baggage charge. Budget airline Ryanair has seemingly mastered the art of catching out passengers with oversized hand luggage, slapping customers with fees of up to £75—sometimes for being just a little bit over the maximum allowed size.

This can be particularly infuriating as, on other occasions, boarding agents wave through clearly oversized bags without a second glance. This comes after Ryanair admitted just how much it makes from fining customers for breaking its rules.

Mirror reader Alycia Royle-Evatt believes that Ryanair duped her into paying for a bag that was, in fact, the correct dimensions. During a trip from Leeds Bradford Airport to Palma Majorca, Alycia and her daughter were charged £75 for each of two bags that “bowed out slightly in the middle by millimetres.”

Have you been stung by Ryanair? Tell us your story by emailing [email protected]

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“I measured my luggage before travelling to make sure it fit the dimensions advertised on their website and they were an exact match,” Alycia said.

This led the mum to start questioning whether the “cages are slightly smaller dimensions, especially the depth”. During her break, the spurned holidaymakers bought a measuring tape for her return trip. At the airport, Alycia measured the depth of the bag sizer. “It was 18cm, not the 20 as advertised,” she claimed.

“It was extremely distressing and I have since found out that the staff work on a commission for every bag they manage to fine.”

Rumours that Ryanair bag sizers are not the dimensions advertised have long swirled online, with forums packed full of people claiming to have been stung for bags that they believe to be compliant.

However, there is no good evidence that this is the case. In fact, multiple videos posted on TikTok and YouTube show sceptical passengers scrutinising the Ryanair baggage cages and discovering that they are exactly quite a bit bigger than the maximum bag dimensions.

Sarah Giblin tried just that and found that the sizer was between 1cm and 2cm bigger than the different dimensions of the maximum bag allowance. “That means that Ryanair is a little bit nicer than they have been letting on,” Sarah said in a TikTok video. “But it does also mean if your bag doesn’t fit, then it really doesn’t fit.”

In July, Ryanair announced that it is planning to increase its “personal bag” size by 20% as the EU brings in a new standard. That means that passengers will be allowed to take an item such as a handbag or laptop bag measuring up to 40cm x 30cm x 20cm in the cabin without paying an extra fee.

The bag should weigh less than 10kg and fit “under the seat in front of you.” The new size represents a 20% increase in volume from the current maximum dimensions and means that Ryanair accepts free bags one-third bigger than the new EU minimum size limit.

The new bag size limits were due to come into effect “in the coming weeks” following the announcement, which came at the beginning of July. If you’re travelling with Ryanair this month, make sure to check with the airline to find out if the new measurements are in force on your flight.

Ryanair has been contacted for comment.

I’m a regular traveller, but I don’t go anywhere without this handy, practical beauty bag that I bought from Amazon years ago – and it’s now reduced in price to under £25

As someone who travels often for both work and pleasure, from overnight stays to long-haul holidays, I like to think that I’ve become something of a pro at packing neatly and concisely. For my clothes, I’ve recently invested in a set of the best packing cubes I’ve ever used, and for toiletries, this trusty Amazon bag of mine can’t be beaten.

It might not be the most luxurious or the most elegant of items (my boyfriend think it looks like an old lady’s handbag), but in terms of practicality and price, I’ve never found anything that’s even half as good – especially as it’s currently reduced from £29.99 to £23.99. Here’s why I love it so much…

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I first saw this toiletries bag recommended by celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin on Instagram and, as she’s someone who probably always packs a lot of products, I thought it was worth trying out.

I have the larger one (there’s also a medium, and all are available in several different colours), and it’s perfect for most of my travels. Things I love about it including the hook for hanging it up in the bathroom, saving previous sink space, the compartments with elasticated straps to stop your products rolling around, and how neatly it all folds up into itself. It even fits neatly inside this handy Antler backpack (now on sale) that I use for overnight stays in the city for work.

I use the smaller two sections for things like scrunchies, tweezers and cleansing clothes, and the larger two compartments for skincare and body care. They’re large enough to fit enough stuff for a good number of days away – including a full-size deodorant and shampoo. The only additional things I sometimes need to pack separately are sun creams (I’m very sun-sensitive and so go through a lot of them!).

My make-up also goes in another bag – one like this popular Space NK zip-up one – which fits neatly into corners of suitcases and stops my products from getting crushed.

Although not particularly fancy, this fold-up Amazon toiletries bag has lasted me years and travelled all over the world with me – and I won’t be without it now.

If you did want something a little fancier, perhaps as a nice gift idea, these velvet embroidered Elizabeth Scarlett bags are perfect for make-up, and open up flat for easy access.

And for something a little more compact and minimalist – perhaps for men – Antler’s Essential Washbag is now reduced from £25 to £20.

Faye shared the exact products she uses on Instagram

Love Island star Faye Winter has taken to Instagram to share some of her favourite beauty products, including a Charlotte Tilbury concealer that shoppers love. Faye shared the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer that you can buy from Cult Beauty for £28.

The concealer currently has over 200 reviews on the beauty site, with an average star rating of 4.5 out of a possible five stars. One shopper who loved the concealer said: “Amazing brightening concealer, tried in a flagship store to do a wear test and using in conjunction with the corrector has really brightened up my eye area.

“It’s very hydrating. The shade match is perfect.” Faye also shared some of the other beauty products she uses, which include the Trinny London Trinity Multitasker for blush that costs £36.

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The product is a handy stick that can be used for lips, cheeks, and eyes. For her foundation, Faye used the Huda Beauty Easy Blur, which is currently on offer at Beauty Bay for £26 down from £32, and her bronzer is the £30 Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’R Instant Warmth Bronzer, which you can also shop at LOOK FANTASTIC.

Faye also used the Soft Pinch Luminous Powder Blush by Selena Gomez’s brand Rare Beauty, currently £18 down from £26 at Rare Beauty, and e.l.f’s £10 Power Grip Primer that can be bought from Boots. As well as the Charlotte Tilbury concealer, Faye used the brand’s popular Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder which is also shoppable at Cult Beauty for £39.

Other products used in Faye’s post which was titled ‘GRWM using cruelty free brands’ include the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Lip Luminizer which is £19 at LOOK FANTASTIC. This is said to give a hydrating high shine finish.

Also in the video and available at LOOK FANTASTIC is the Heliocare 360 Color Gel Oil-Free Sunscreen Protector SPF50+ which retails for £33 but has been cut to £25.

If you’re in the market for a new concealer and fancy some more options, then you can also shop the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer from LOOK FANTASTIC for £27 that gives a creamy medium to full coverage or the Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer available at Cult Beauty for £29.

Get the look

You can shop the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer at Cult Beauty

Despite plenty of shoppers loving the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer, one didn’t get on with the formula saying: “Tried to love this… found it drying and wasn’t great at covering dark circles. It gives a fair amount of coverage if you don’t have major eye bags or discolouration etc.”

Other shoppers were pleased with their purchase, however, with another writing: “Lovely and lightweight under the eyes . Definitely makes me look less tired.” Another dubbed the concealer their ‘favourite’, commenting “I have tried hundreds of concealers over the years and this is by far my favourite.

“Medium coverage, which is good for natural every day and also buildable for more full coverage.” A third who titled their review ‘fab’ wrote “Love this concealer – easy to apply and lovely consistency.”

The exact date to get “super cheap” EasyJet flights for next summer has been announced, according to Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert, who shared the news to excited travellers on Facebook

Most Brits love heading on a holiday abroad when the summer months come. However, with the ongoing cost of living crisis, many people find they don’t have as much spare cash to spend on breaks away as they used to.

If that’s you, then listen up, as the exact date to get “super cheap” EasyJet flights for next summer has been announced, according to Martin Lewis‘ Money Saving Expert. The MSE Facebook account shared the news in a post with its 412,000 followers recently, and the post quickly went viral as many travel lovers planned to bag their cheap flights.

Sharing the news, MSE wrote: “Heads up! Super cheap EasyJet flights for summer 2026 are landing on Tuesday July 22.

“If previous releases are anything to go by, being online bright and early is the key to bagging a bargain.”

According to the MSE website, Easyjet releases its flights in batches every quarter of the year – and if you discover what day they’re going to be launched and you book them them quickly, you can get a far cheaper price.

It adds: “EasyJet follows a dynamic demand pricing model – in other words, when there’s lots of demand for seats, you pay more; when there’s less demand, you pay less. Usually it can be tricky to predict, and prices are fluid.

“There’s one point when demand is almost always low… the very second seats are released. This happens in several tranches throughout the year. In the past, these seats have shot up in price within two or three hours of being made available, so being online bright and early is the key to bagging a bargain.”

just because the flights have just gone on sale, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting the best deal. As MoneySavingExpert.com founder

Martin Lewis himself does warn that just because the flights have only just gone on sale, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re always getting the best deal. He says: “This has been a very successful technique for many people, and indeed if you want certainty of a cheap price it’s worth doing. Do benchmark what a good price on that route is beforehand, just so you can check if it’s worth it.

“Though of course, if a particular flight is very substantially under-booked later on, you could get seats even cheaper then – that’s just far more difficult to predict.”

What time will the flights be released?

Easyjet hasn’t announced when the flights will go on sale. It says that customers looking to book early and get great fares for next summer should keep an eye on the Easyjet website from early in the morning.”

According to MSE, the tickets “tend to go on sale as early as 5am or 6am, but sometimes it hasn’t released seats until 8am, and it could depend on the location.”

If you’re planning a family holiday, there are some rules you need to be aware of

Going on a family holiday is an exciting time, but the preparation and the actual outgoing journey itself can be quite the faff. You need to make sure you have everything you need, including passports and boarding passes among many other items.

While a trip abroad is a time for relaxation, the travel can be stressful, especially if you aren’t familiar with all the rules you’ll need to follow. And if you’re jetting off with little ones, there’s a common baggage rule you may not be aware of.

With Ryanair, TUI and easyJet, some form of hand luggage allowance is included with even the most basic of fares. But if you have a child under two with you, no baggage is included, unless you book them their own separate seat.

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An exception to this is with Ryanair and easyJet you can bring a small baby changing bag at no extra cost. To make sure you’re clued up on all you need to know ahead of setting off, including baggage rules, we’ve listed TUI, Ryanair and easyJet advice for travelling with kids below, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.

Ryanair

Ryanair does not permit infants aged up to seven days to travel on any of its flights. Infants (aged 8 days to 23 months inclusive) travelling with Ryanair must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over (one infant per adult).

All infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap and do not have a separate baggage allowance. Baby changing facilities can be found on board, typically at the rear of the aircraft, and cabin crew are also able to assist in warming baby bottles if needed.

If an infant reaches 2 years old or a child turns 16 during your journey, it is advised to purchase two single flights instead of a return ticket. At the airport, you’re allowed to check in two pieces of baby equipment per child (a pushchair plus a car seat, booster seat or travel cot) free of charge.

Ryanair strongly recommends parents or guardians to seek approval from their doctor that these very young infants are fit to travel by air. You’re permitted to bring two items of carry-on baby equipment at no extra cost.

This can include a pushchair/buggy, car seat, booster seat or travel cot. These items will need to be tagged either at the check-in desk or at the boarding gate.

TUI

According to TUI’s guidelines, an infant must be older than 14 days to travel on an aircraft, due to health and safety considerations. All TUI planes are equipped with baby changing facilities

Any pram or pushchair you bring along needs to be collapsible. While there are no restrictions on size or weight if it’s going in the hold, if you wish to bring your pushchair on board, it will count as your larger piece of hand luggage and cannot exceed dimensions of 55cmx40cmx20cm and 10kg.

The good news is that you can check in pushchairs and car seats into the hold free of charge when flying with TUI Airways. According to regulations for all UK-registered aircraft, infants under 6 months must be seated on an adult’s lap and secured with an infant lap-strap throughout the flight.

Children between 6 months and 2 years are also required to sit on an adult’s lap unless a separate seat has been purchased, in which case a car seat may be utilised if needed. Liquid baby food or baby milk, whether pre-packaged or prepared at home, is permitted onboard.

Foods catering to special dietary needs can also be brought along, provided they’re essential for the duration of the flight or holiday. Solid baby food can be packed in either your hand or hold luggage. There are no restrictions on carrying powder formula – you’re allowed to bring your baby milk powder to mix up during your holiday as part of your luggage allowance.

All children, including newborns, are now required to have their own individual passport. The child’s passport will initially be valid for five years, but can be renewed for an additional five years at the end of this period.

Upon reaching their 16th birthday, they’ll become eligible for a standard 10-year passport.

easyJet

easyJet also states that babies under 14 days old are not permitted to travel. If your child is over two years old or turns two while you are travelling, you will need to book a separate seat for them.

Children aged between two and fifteen years cannot travel unless accompanied by an adult who is 16 years or older. Unaccompanied minors aged 15 and below are not allowed to travel alone and will be denied boarding.

The airline deems anyone aged 16 and above as an adult, who can then fly with children, or adults who require special assistance. Infants with reserved seats and children over the age of 2 years are entitled to the same cabin bag and hold luggage allowance as adults.

If you’re journeying with an infant who will be seated on your lap, only an extra baby changing bag is permitted for the infant. For every infant or child, you can bring up to two of the following items free of charge to go into the hold, in addition to your cabin bag allowance: travel cot, pushchair, double pushchair, buggy, car seat, collapsible or non-collapsible pram, booster seat and baby back carrier.

You’re allowed to carry baby food, baby milk and sterilised water in your cabin bag if you’re travelling with an infant. The 100ml liquid limit enforced at some airports doesn’t apply to baby food, milk or sterilised water, provided that the total amount in each container does not exceed 2 litres.

easyJet aircrafts are equipped with baby changing facilities. However, passengers are required to bring their own nappies and wipes as these are not supplied on board.

Baby food and milk

When travelling with a baby, you’re allowed to bring enough baby food, baby milk and sterilised water for the duration of the journey. There isn’t a legal limit to how much you can bring, but it’s always best to check with your airport before you travel.

As per Gov.uk, breast milk can be carried in hand luggage even if you’re not travelling with a baby. However, frozen breast milk is not permitted in hand luggage.

Individual containers of breast milk must not exceed 2,000ml. Each container will need to be screened at the security point. Airport staff may need to open the containers to screen the liquids.

In a major win for Brits travelling abroad this year, Ryanair has confirmed it’s changing its infamous cabin bag allowance following a huge EU ruling – here’s everything you need to know

Ryanair is making some sizeable adjustments to its free cabin bag allowance, in a huge victory for Brits.

The ultra-low-cost airline, known for its sarcastic online presence, has frequently garnered global media attention for issuing out hefty fines for passengers flouting its strict luggage rules. Currently, passengers unwilling to pay for additional luggage must make sure their free ‘personal bag’ does not exceed 40 X 25 X 20cm – a volume of just 20 litres.

It is now common practice for card-machine-waving staff to ask customers to prove their bag fits the tiny dimensions during the boarding process. Those found attempting to bring a larger bag on board can be stung with a £75 charge. However, following a new European Union standard, all of this is about to change.

READ MORE: Ryanair blasts 5 countries including UK over major ‘scandal’ causing delays

Last month (June 24), members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted in favour of introducing common dimensions for hand luggage. They agreed that all passengers should have a right to carry on board one personal item, such as a handbag, backpack or laptop with maximum dimensions of 40x30x15 cm without an additional fee.

Ryanair has been even more generous than the ruling dictates, confirming it will allow passengers to bring a personal bag up to 40 X 30 X 20cm in the coming weeks. However, its allowance is still stingier than rival easyJet – which permits passengers to bring a free under seat bag of 45 x 36 x 20cm (including wheels and handles).

British Airways (BA) technically has a smaller under-seat bag limit – with dimensions restricted to the EU minimum (40 x 30 x 15cm). However, passengers are also allowed to bring a larger cabin bag on board free of charge, as long as it is not heavier than 23kg and can fit in the overhead lockers.

“Today’s vote marks an important step toward fairer and more transparent travel,” vice-chair of the EU Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) Matteo Ricci said in a press statement. “[It introduces] concrete measures such as the clear definition of free hand luggage … a fundamental right to avoid unjustified extra costs.”

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Last month the transport committee of the European parliament voted to give passengers the right to an extra piece of free hand luggage weighing up to 7kg. According to the BBC, the proposed rule would still have to be passed by the wider European parliament before becoming law.

Despite the ruling, Brits are still being advised to confirm the baggage rules with their selected airline directly this summer, to avoid any confusion. Showing up with a bag that exceeds the company’s allowance may result in a steep fine – or your luggage being taken away and stowed underneath the plane.

Do you have a story to share? Email us at [email protected] for a chance to be featured.

Passengers flying with the likes of Ryanair, easyJet, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways may want to take note of a clever hack that can help your bag be one of the first on the carousel

Anyone will know that once you’ve navigated airport security, check-in, and a flight, the wait at the baggage carousel after landing at a destination can feel agonisingly slow.

There’s always that little voice in the back of your mind asking if your bag made it at all, and it can be annoying to stand around for ages waiting for your case to finally appear on the carousel.

However, there’s one easy trick that means your suitcase could be one of the first taken off the plane – and it won’t cost you an extra penny.

Hadleigh Diamond, Commercial Director at SCS Chauffeurs, revealed that a lot of the company’s clients use the same hack to get out of the airport as efficiently as possible.

He explained: Clients regularly tell us that the difference between a good travel day and a stressful one often starts with baggage reclaim. If you’re standing waiting for 30 minutes while the carousel clunks out someone else’s bags, your trip can feel so much longer. But the fragile sticker trick is a game-changer — and it often works.

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“We’ve heard this tip from both airport ground staff and frequent flyers. You don’t need to lie or explain — just politely ask the check-in agent to add a ‘fragile’ sticker to your suitcase. It’s not guaranteed, but more often than not, your bag is among the first out. We’ve seen it work time and time again.”

The reason it works is that airport ground handlers will typically load ‘fragile’ items last into the aircraft’s hold to avoid them getting crushed, and then these get removed first on the other side to avoid sitting under heavy loads. Of course it won’t save you hours of time, but those 20 minutes it might save you could just mean a bit of extra pool time (or getting to your hotel early enough to be one of the first at the buffet!).

For those who are on a tight schedule, it’s worth looking at hand luggage only fares. Airlines will let you bring at least one bag for free, but check the measurements as these differ per airline. For example Ryanair lets you bring one free bag but it must measure no more than (40 x 20 x 25 cm) and fit under the seat. easyJet has a similar policy in which your carry-on bag—including the handle and wheels—must not exceed 56 x 25 x 45 cm. If you want to bring a bigger bag or a second bag, you’ll need to pay extra.

In recent years, plenty of people have tried to cheat the system. For example, one passenger was hailed as a ‘genius’ after discovering a clever packing hack that meant he could fit 20kg of stuff into his hand luggage, without needing to pay for any extra bags on his Ryanair flight. Others have tried antics such as wearing all of their clothes in one go, or stuffing clothes into a pillowcase to pass it off as a pillow and therefore not technically a bag.

Still, airline staff are wise to these tricks (they’ve seen it all before), so although you may get lucky if they turn a blind eye, if you get caught out you could end up paying some hefty on-the-spot charges, which might be more than it would have cost you to add a second bag in the first place.

Tucked away in Ryanair’s end-of-year results is a clear reason why the Irish carrier is so keen to keep the fee revenue rolling in, with its ancillary revenue reaching a record amount

Ryanair raked in around £24 in extra revenue from each customer who flew last year.

The budget airline has long been known for its punchy approach to extra fees, slapping on charges for hand-luggage that’s slightly too big, checking in less than two hours before departure and even for bringing a large water bottle on-board, as the Mirror’s Ruby Flanagan recently found out.

One unhappy customer found themselves unable to check-in a bag with Ryanair, despite paying to do so just a minute earlier. He ended up ditching his suitcase in the airport and sprinting to the boarding gate.

Tucked away in Ryanair’s end-of-year results is a clear reason why the Irish carrier is so keen to keep the fee revenue rolling in.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email [email protected]

READ MORE: Ryanair’s £91million baggage fines ‘frozen’ as major rule set for change

Over the most recent full financial year, Ryanair raked in €4.72billion (£4billion) in ‘ancillary revenue’. That means anything extra that passengers pay for, such as excess luggage, seat selection and a cup of coffee. For every one of the 200million passengers who flew with Ryanair last year, they forked out on average £23.80 on top of their ticket.

The figure is a 10% rise on the previous year, when Ryanair scored €4.30billion (£3.67billion) or €23.40 (£20) per passenger.

That number is a big deal for the airline, as it represents around a quarter of its total revenue for the year – €13.95billion (£11.9billion). If that ancillary income is removed from the Ryanair cost sheet, then the airline would be in the red, given its €12.39bn (£10.57billion) operating costs last financial year.

As of 2023, Ryanair ranked among the top five airlines in the world in terms of the revenue it generates from ancillary streams.

These figures make it clear why Ryanair and other budget airlines are so opposed to a vote by the EU’s Transport and Tourism Committee that would boost the amount of free hand luggage passengers flying to or from member states can take.

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“Passengers should have a right to carry on board one personal item, such as a handbag, backpack or laptop (maximum dimensions of 40x30x15 cm), and one small hand luggage (maximum dimensions of 100 cm and 7 kg) without an additional fee,” the committee decided. Before this decision becomes law, it must be voted through by the European Parliament in the coming weeks, and then discussed by country representatives for the European Council.

The proposals have been met with fierce opposition from budget airlines and the Spanish Association of Airlines (ALA), which has criticised it and the Ministry’s fines. The organisation argues that such measures limit consumer choice and disrupt fair competition in the EU’s single market. “It’s about offering different service models at different price points,” the association stated.

This week Ryanair was handed a massive £91million victory by a Spanish court. The budget airline has been let off paying a €107million (£91million) fine slapped on it last year by the Spanish Ministry of Consumer Affairs. The organisation had claimed that the airlines’ policies on charging for hand luggage violated consumer rights.

The fines were part of a wider crackdown that included three other airlines, including Norwegian, totalling €179 million (£152million) in fines. Now the Spanish High Court in Madrid has decided to let Ryanair off, allowing the ruling to sit as a precautionary one.

Bee had to strip off when she got onto the plane but says it was worth it, and she’ll do it again

A holidaymaker wore seven pairs of trousers to avoid paying a £70 easyJet baggage fee. Bee Solman, 31, and her partner Ben, 32, had paid £280 for the return flight, including extra to choose their seats.

When the pair went to board the plane, Ben’s bag wouldn’t fit inside the luggage sizer. They were told by staff they’d have to pay a further £70 to take it with them. The nanny went to the toilet where she unpacked her clothes and layered herself in multiple T-shirts, jackets and seven pairs of trousers.

They were flying from Bristol Airport to Mercia International Airport, near Torrevieja, in Spain. “We got unlucky because the staff picked us out randomly to check our bags,” said Bee, from Bristol. “My bag fit in the sizer fine but Ben’s didn’t even when we tried to squeeze it in.

“They said we’d have to pay £70 but I wasn’t paying that. Flying gets expensive when the extra bits start racking up. I said I’d wear the clothes so we went to the toilet and I put on all of my trousers.

“I had seven pairs of trousers on, two tops and a denim jacket Ben wore two pairs of shorts, a T-shirt and three shirts – and he had his laptop mouse in pocket.”

Bee claims that staff at the gate found the trick hilarious and let her board the flight on 20 April. Once on the plane, Bee stripped off and put the clothes back in her hand luggage bag. She said: “We went back to the gate and they took a photo of us and said we’d go viral.

“She said it’s fine for now but we’d have to pay next time. When we got on the plane, I took it all off and put it back in the bag.

“I wore them from the airport to the plane. It was ridiculous. One woman said ‘you look lighter than when you got on’.

“The trousers were thin so it just looked like I had thick trousers on. I’ll be doing it again if I need to.”

easyJet has been approached for comment.

You may be surprised to know that the London-based airport enforces a ‘two-bag policy’ at its security point to avoid delays

With summer on the horizon, many Brits are preparing for sunny vacations overseas. However, before heading to Heathrow Airport, familiarising yourself with its current policies and regulations is essential.

Carrying flammable substances or toxic items is a clear no-go when flying from any airport. However, what may be less known is Heathrow’s baggage limit for travellers at its security checkpoints.

You may be surprised to know that the London-based airport enforces a ‘two-bag policy’ at its security point to avoid delays. This means only two hand baggage items can be taken through the control area.

“To avoid delays, Heathrow operates a two-bag policy at airport security,” advice at the airport’s site reads. “Handbags and laptop bags count as a piece of hand baggage.”

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As part of this rule, any item larger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (22in x 18in x 10in) must be checked in as hold luggage. In turn, passengers are more likely to keep their security tray usage to a minimum, limiting delays for others.

Besides this, it’s also important to consider the dos and don’ts of what to put in this hand luggage. For instance, only specific electronic devices are permitted on flights from the UK.

While some airlines might have different restrictions, the UK Government outlines nine key items you can take in both your hand luggage and hold luggage:

• Hairdryers
• Straighteners
• Travel iron
• Electric shaver
• Most cameras
• Mobile phones
• Laptops
• Tablet devices
• MP3 players

It is essential for passengers using e-cigarettes to carry them in their hand luggage rather than in their hold luggage. When passing through security checks, placing electronic devices in a designated tray allows staff to see and verify that no prohibited items are hidden.

Heathrow Airport’s advice also adds: “Please ensure your electronic devices are charged. If they don’t switch on, you may not be allowed to take them onto the aircraft. Charging points are available throughout the airport.”

On the flipside, most UK airports – including Heathrow – require liquids to fit inside a single transparent plastic bag when passing through security. Each liquid container must hold a maximum of 100ml, and the plastic bag must be approximately 20cm x 20cm.

The Government’s website clarifies that all items should fit ‘comfortably inside the bag’ so that it can be sealed. To avoid complications, do not attempt to seal it by tying a knot at the top, as it will not be accepted.

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Below is the UK Government’s complete list of items categorised as hand luggage liquids:

• Liquid or semi-liquid foods, for example, soup, jam, honey and syrups
• Any other solutions and items of similar consistency
• Sprays, including shaving foam, hairspray and spray deodorants
• Contact lens solution
• Pastes, including toothpaste
• Gels, including hair and shower gel
• All drinks, including water
• Cosmetics and toiletries, including creams, lotions, oils, perfumes, mascara and lip gloss

Solid products like deodorant sticks, soap bars, wet wipes, and lip balms are usually considered non-liquids. Therefore, they typically don’t require storage in the bag.

Guidance from Heathrow Airport adds: “Only limited quantities of liquids may be carried through airport security into the departure lounge. This includes bottled drinks, suntan lotion, fragrances, cosmetics, toiletries and all frozen liquids.

“…Liquids in containers over 100ml will not be permitted through security – please pack them in your hold baggage instead.”

They pull giant boxing gloves over aging, sometimes shaking hands.

They approach a black punching bag on weary, sometimes wobbly feet.

Then they wail.

Lord, do they wail.

They hit the bag with a left-handed jab, a right-handed reverse, a hook, another hook, an uppercut, another jab, bam, bam, bam.

They end the flurry with kicks, side kicks, thrust kicks, wild kicks, their legs suddenly strong and purposeful and fueled by a strength that once seemed impossible.

Outside of this small gym in a nondescript office park in Monrovia, they are elderly people dealing with the motion-melting nightmare that is Parkinson’s disease.

But inside the walls of Kaizen Martial Arts & Fitness, in a program known as Kaizen Kinetics, they are heavyweight champs.

Ranging in age from 50 to 90, spanning the spectrum of swift strides to wheelchairs, they are the most courageous athletes I’ve met.

They show up here every couple of days hoping that they’ll move enough to keep the evil Parky at bay. They’re trying to punch him out, kick him off, scare him away, and they’ll endure more than an hour of sometimes painful exercise to make this happen.

They are frail women screaming, “Jab!” and shaky men screaming, “Hook!” and everyone counting with clenched teeth through 75 minutes that stretch the shrinking muscles and test the weary optimism.

Bill Plaschke participates in a boxing class for people with Parkinson’s disease at Kaizen Martial Arts Studio.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

I am in awe of them, perhaps because I am one of them.

I, too, am living with Parkinson’s disease.

The irony, huh? I’ve spent my entire career writing triumphant stories about athletes overcoming illness and adversity, only to reach the home stretch struggling to find a similar triumph in a story about me.

It’s not easy. Now I know what all those subjects of all those feel-good stories understood about the truth behind my positive prose. Degenerative disease sucks beyond any inspirational adjective. Incurable illness stinks beyond any hopeful headline.

I’ve got Parkinson’s, and it hurts to even say it. I’m still mobile, still active, I don’t have the trademark tremors that distinguish the famously afflicted Michael J. Fox or the late Muhammad Ali but, damn it, I’ve got it.

I was diagnosed four years ago after complaining of weakness in my right arm. That weakness has disappeared, but it’s a constant struggle to keep everything else from slowly going to hell.

Every day it feels like I’ve just run a marathon. I move well, my balance is fine, but I’m always tight, always creaking. The amount of medication required to keep me active is so immense, my pills come in gallon jugs and I spend entire Dodger games trying to discreetly swallow them in the press box.

I move slower now. My fiancee Roxana qualifies for sainthood because whenever we go out, she must patiently wait for me to get dressed, which takes forever and is accompanied by the unholy sounds of struggle.

I don’t smile as much now. It’s harder to smile when afflicted with the trademark Parkinson’s masked face. When I FaceTime with my darling Daisy, I worry she won’t see past my dour expression and never know how much her granddaddy loves her.

Until now, my condition has only been known to my family. Not even my bosses knew. I didn’t look like Parky, I didn’t act like Parky, so why should I publicly reveal something so personal and embarrassing?

Yeah, I was embarrassed. I felt humiliated in a way that made no sense and total sense. To me, Parkinson’s implies frailty, Parkinson’s implies weakness.

But let me tell you, a 72-year-old woman pounding the living hell out of a punching bag ain’t weak.

And that’s why I’m writing about this today.

If my boxing classmates can have the strength to sweat through their tremors and wallop through their fears, then I can certainly have the strength to celebrate them without worrying what sort of light it casts on me.

I’m proud to be one of them, and the purpose of this column is to reflect that pride and perhaps make it easier for other folks afflicted with Parkinson’s to come out swinging.

Alan Shankin is assisted by Azusa Pacific University physical therapy student Desiree Alvarado as he participates in a boxing class for people with Parkinson’s disease at Kaizen Martial Arts Studio.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Officially, Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disease impacting both motor and non-motor systems. Translated, the brain slowly stops producing dopamine, which is crucial for movement, and the loss of this neuro-transmitter affects everything from your stride to your speech.

Roughly one million people in the United States have it, and there’s no cure for it, and it generally gets worse as one gets older. As Michael J. Fox himself once said, it’s the gift that keeps on taking.

You don’t die from it, but it can be hard to live with it, yet there is one thing that unquestionably helps slow its progression.

Exercise. Movement. Pull your achy body off the couch every day and work those quivering muscles, stretch those tight joints, perhaps join one of the many Parkinson’s programs in town that involve everything from dancing to hiking.

“For people living with Parkinson’s disease, regular exercise can reduce symptoms, help treatments work better and potentially even slow the disease progression,” Rachel Dolhun, principal medical advisor at the Michael J. Fox Foundation, wrote in an e-mail. “For some, exercise can look like participating in boxing classes. For others, it’s water aerobics, dancing or playing pickleball. Just remember that any type of and amount of exercise can positively support your journey.”

If you’re like me and you just want to punch Parky in the face, boxing works best. The 83 tough souls who t pay $179 a month to battle in the Kaizen Kinetics program agree.

“I hit the bag really hard like I’m hitting Parkinson’s,” said Rich Pumilia, 66, a lawyer from Monrovia. “Hitting it back for what it’s doing to me.”

I became aware of Jody Hould’s program, which she leads with the help of husband Tom, son Zac and Anthony Rutherford, shortly after I was diagnosed. I kept seeing their pamphlets in doctors offices and rehab centers. At the time, they were part of the popular Parkinson’s-battling Rock Steady Boxing program that has several locations through southern California. By the time I worked up the courage to fully face my illness and call the number on the pamphlet two years ago, Kaizen had become an independent program with a similar focus on boxing.

”Boxing is balancing, posture, turning, pivoting, extension, range of motion, using your core, everything that’s important to fighting the disease,” said Hould, who started the program nine years ago in memory of her late mother, Julie, who died of complications from Parkinson’s. “Plus, it’s fun to punch something.”

Hould and her team run a fast-moving program, barking out a series of punches and kicks while offering gentle reminders to those who hook when they should jab.

“Parkinson’s doesn’t take any vacations, it doesn’t take any days off, we have to be on top of our game, we have to be proactive in our fight,” Hould said. “Not only is it good for the spirit, it’s good for the mind.”

But it can be tough on the ego, as I quickly learned when a frail white-haired woman out-punched me one day while screaming at the bag. Another time an aging man with tremors and shuffled steps pounded the bag so hard it skidded into my feet.

I once showed up with a cut on my left hand and informed Hould that I would not be boxing that day.

“You still have your right hand, don’t you?” she said. “So you box one-handed.”

Bill Plaschke, right, and Paul Tellstrom team up during a boxing class for people with Parkinson’s disease at Kaizen Martial Arts Studio.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The 75-minute sessions are hard. Every exercise and maneuver are seemingly designed to do something I now have difficulty doing. Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes you want to be anywhere else.

But it works. It can’t kill Parky, but it can quiet him. Hould never promises a cure, but she sees some relief in those who join the battle. There was one boxer who eventually abandoned her walker. Others have seen a reduction in their tremors. Throughout the windowless gym there is real hope that this disease can be slowed.

Pumilia is convinced his condition has improved after attending classes for eight weeks.

“When I was diagnosed, my doctor said you have five good years left before your life is going to be impacted,” said Pumilia. “Now my doctor is basically saying, ‘I don’t know what you’re doing, but keep doing it.’”

Sharon Michaud, 65, a retired insurance executive who has also come to class for eight years, agrees.

“Without a doubt, it’s helped me,” said Michaud, who is noticeable in the class because she moves like a gymnast. “With Parkinson’s it’s easy to get into a funk and get depressed. You come here and it’s nice to know there are other people like you. I’m amazed more people don’t know there’s places like this out here.”

Maybe this story will shed some light on that. Maybe this story will inform a closeted Parkinson’s patient about programs like Kaizen Kinetics and empower them to pick up the phone and join.

If you decide to come to Monrovia, I’ll be the breathless guy in the back still unable to deliver a knockout punch but continually inspired by fellow fighters to keep trading blows with my hardest of truths.

I leave that gym sweaty and sore but uplifted with the reminder that I am blessed to still lead a wonderful active life filled with family and friends and work and travel and so, so much hope.

I have Parkinson’s. But, by God, it doesn’t have me.

The EU rule, which will apply to UK holidaymakers, will cover companies including easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air and TUI

The European Union is planning a change in the rules on carry-on bags on flights, which would cover planes flying between the UK and countries including Spain, Portugal, Greece, France and Italy. At the minute, some airlines charge passengers for each item they want to take aboard.

Different airlines have different rules – meaning the size of the bag you can take aboard and how much it will cost you – is different each time. The new EU rule would set a specific size of bag you would be allowed to take on flights operated by companies like easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air.

And the rule would stipulate that the take-on bag would be free, the airline would not be able to charge you extra to take a bag aboard the plane.

The rule would change the confusion that see people being charged extra when they get to the airport for bags deemed too big, or too heavy. And people being charged for a bag by one airline but allowed to take it without additional fees by another.

EU transport ministers this week proposed standardised sizing for free underseat baggage on EU airlines. It will become law if it is accepted by the European Parliament. The new rule would mean passengers are guaranteed one free personal item, measuring up to 40x30x15cm (including wheels and handles) – or which could reasonably fit under a plane seat.

The rules would apply to EU-based airlines, including when they are carrying passengers from a non-EU country like the UK to an EU country and vice-versa.

11 years ago, an EU court ruled that hand baggage should not be subject to an additional fee so long as it is a reasonable size. But the ruling did not define ‘reasonable’.

Currently, Ryanair allows a free carry-on bag of 40x20x25cm, while easyJet’s rules for a free bag are 45x36x20 cm, including wheels and handles. The new rule would cover under-seat bags, but does not currently mention bags you put in overhead lockers.

In November, five airlines in Spain were fined £150million for ‘abusive practices’, including charging for hand luggage. Spain’s Consumer Rights Ministry said it planned to ban charging extra for carry-on luggage.

Ryanair told the BBC it fully complied with EU law. A spokesman said: “If airlines were forced to include additional carry-on bags as part of the basic fare, it would reduce choice and drive up air fares for all passengers, which would harm consumers.”

Industry group Airlines For Europe said charging different amounts depending on baggage “allows passengers to choose the exact services that best suits their needs”.

Travel consumer expert Jane Hawkes, told the BBC: “A one-size-fits-all kind of approach would make it a lot simpler for passengers.”

TRAVEL lovers have been lapping up a big brand cabin bag that’s even more penny-pinching than Primark’s own version.

There’s nothing worse than getting caught out by militant measures – and here’s the answer.

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To avoid paying for an overpriced cabin bag, shoppers have been going potty for the Robert Dyas Underseat Cabin Bag.

Available in black/red, it comes in at a savvy £7.99 and is ideal for short breaks or business trips.

The travel companion is priced even lower than Primark’s £12 Underseat Bag.

High Quality Cabin Carry on Holdall Bag Duffel Under Seat. Additional sleeve section on the back to fit over trolley case handles. Adjustable shoulder strap and top carry handle.

Happy customers reviewed online: “Great bag to take on plane.”

A second added: “Underseat travel bag. Perfect size to use when travelling. Strong bag, easy to fold and store away.”

A third praised: “Looks good and roomy, ideal to take onboard a plane and lots of compartments for important stuff.”

“Perfect lightweight bag, just what I wanted,” applauded a fourth.

“Excellent quality and value,” wrote another.

“Very good. Correct dimensions for small bag to take as cabin bag. Love it!” penned another.

“Very sturdy, great quality bag. Amazing price. Perfect for Ryanair‘s ridiculously stringent sizing policy. Managed to ram more into it than I envisaged,” advised a fifth.

All Ryanair passengers can bring a small personal bag on board but this must fit under the seat in front of you.

All over-sized cabin bags will be refused at the boarding gate, or where available put in the hold for a fee.

Anyone wanting to bring another bag, you’ll need to upgrade and pay extra for priority and two cabin bags or checked baggage.

Many angry passengers have been caught out by Ryanair’s strict baggage allowance for flights.

However, the Robert Dyas lightweight bag has a 20L capacity with dimensions H:25 x W:40 x D:5 cm and fits perfectly under the seat.

With a front zip for passports and essentials, it features carry grab handles with an adjustable shoulder strap.

Made from strong polyester, it also offers a one year guarantee.

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