Kira Richards

Black Ballad • 21st March 2022

Ruka Hair On Community, Innovation And World Domination

Not many of us can say we launched a business amid a pandemic, but for Tendai Moyo, 27, and Ugo Agbai, 25, founding Ruka Hair marked the beginning of a much bigger journey. Moyo and Agbai, CEO and COO respectively, have catapulted Ruka into the haircare sphere, offering customers products that already reflect their natural curls and coils. Agbai explains: “I think the immediate thing was trying to find hair extensions that were a true extension of our hair.” Thus, Ruka was born against the back

Black Ballad • 9th March 2022

Why The Sustainability Conversation Needs To Include Our Hair Extensions

The ‘climate emergency’ is a paramount issue, so much so that the phrase was named the Oxford Word of the Year in 2019. Discussions about sustainability in terms of household waste and fast fashion have often been broached. But what about our hair? From knotless braids down to our bums to an ever-growing collection of wigs in every crop and colour, where is all this hair coming from, and what happens to it once we’re done with it? The UK Black hair care industry has an estimated worth of £88 mi

Bustle • 5th March 2022

How Four British TikTokers Are Making Fashion More Sustainable

Sustainable practices have become a growing area of interest for the social media savvy Gen-Z and, thanks to social media, the availability of information on ethical materials and clothing companies has never been more accessible. It’s an issue that is pressing and that many believe can no longer be ignored. In 2019, the Guardian reported that one in three young women in the UK consider a garment old after one or two wears. In that same year, Oxfam estimated that more than two tonnes of clothing

Bustle • 13th January 2022

UK's 'Fresh Prince' Fans Can Watch Will Smith's 'Bel Air' Very Soon

In 2019, film director Morgan Cooper uploaded a mock trailer for a reboot of ‘90s hit The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The video was a huge success, teasing and garnering the attention of fans who wondered how Will would navigate life in the 21st century. Now, three years on, multi-award winning actor Will Smith, who played the original Will, has turned the concept into a reality – and the first trailer of Bel-Air dropped on Jan. 10. But the new show might be different to what fans might expect. Wh

Bustle • 6th January 2022

All Historic Same-Sex Convictions Will Be Pardoned Under A New UK Scheme

UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel, is set to announce that more people with convictions for same-sex activity will be wiped, as she expands the government’s disregards and pardons scheme. Patel said, “I hope that expanding the pardons and disregards scheme will go some way to righting the wrongs of the past”. The current pardon schemes only cover nine offences on a list that the Home Office said "largely focused on the repealed offences of buggery and gross indecency between men". Since 2012, peo

Bustle • 5th January 2022

“Grindr Killer” Stephen Port Is Serving A Life Sentence

BBC factual drama Four Lives airs on Jan. 3, depicting the harrowing tale of the Grindr murders of Stephen Port between June 2014 and September 2015. The three-part series, starring Stephen Merchant and Sheridan Smith, recounts the real-life events of the murders from the perspective of the friends and family of the victims. Port’s initial three murders were not deemed suspicious by the Metropolitan Police until the fourth took place under eerily similar circumstances. The force was accused of

Bustle • 30th December 2021

Watch These Simone Ashley TV Shows & Movies While You Wait For 'Bridgerton' Season 2

The second season of tantalizing period drama Bridgerton lands on Netflix this March, which was recently announced in a video by the cast of the hit Shondaland series. The video – which was uploaded on Dec. 25, the anniversary of season one’s release – featured newcomer Simone Ashley alongside Jonathan Bailey, who plays her love interest Anthony Bridgerton. She plays Kate Sharma, who is said to be “a smart, headstrong young woman who suffers no fools”. This isn’t Ashley’s first time in a Netfli

Bustle • 29th December 2021

17 Black-Owned UK Bookshops To Know Now

While conversations around anti-racist activism may have died down since the 2020 protests spurred on by George Floyd’s murder, educating yourself on Black culture, experiences, and how to be anti-racist is an ongoing process. The protests and the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement saw a surge in the sales of books on systemic racism and anti-Blackness. However, these learnings and discussions should not be a reactive trend. One way to continue the conversation is by supporting Black o

Bustle • 15th December 2021

The 'All Creatures Great & Small' Christmas Special Teases Yuletide Romance

All Creatures Great and Small is welcoming viewers back into the 1930s Yorkshire Dales, with an exciting Christmas special. The Channel 5 reboot of the BBC classic from the 1970s has been an overwhelming success, and is back for another Christmas-themed one-off. The show is based on the memoirs of veterinary surgeon and writer James Heriot (Nicholas Ralph), as he lives and works in rural Yorkshire in the 1930s and 40s. The revamped version of the show debuted on Channel 5 in September 2020, and

Bustle • 15th December 2021

Strangers On TikTok Are Doing 'The Holiday' House Swap IRL

If you’re anything like me, the quest to find the perfect Christmas movie is a yearly expedition, which is why I find myself returning to The Holiday every winter season. For those of you who haven't seen the film, here’s a quick summary. Iris (played by Kate Winslet) is from a quaint English village and Amanda (Cameron Diaz) is from glamorous Hollywood. They are two strangers who decide to swap homes after both reaching a bit of a dead end in their romantic lives. Things begin to look up once

Bustle • 15th December 2021

The 'Bridgerton' Makeup Collection Is Coming To The UK In Time For 2022

Pat McGrath Labs recently announced its partnership with Shondaland and Netflix to bring fans of the alluring hit-series Bridgerton, an exclusive beauty collection. And it looks as decadent as the families of the ton. Like the steamy first season of the show, the collection is said to be a modern spin on the regency era and its beauty ideals. It comprises the MTHRSHP Eye Blush Palette, Divine Blush + Glow Trio and two Sublime Skin highlighters. McGrath describes the shades as “dream-come-true h

Bustle • 2nd December 2021

Josephine Baker Enters France’s Panthéon of National Heroes

46 years on from her death and her final performance, French-American music hall star and activist Josephine Baker has made history yet again. On Nov. 30 she became the first Black woman to enter France’s Panthéon Mausoleum, which is considered the nation's highest honour and remembers renowned and revered figures in French history. As previously stated, the ceremony took place in Paris, France, on Nov. 30., marking the date Baker legally became French, when she married industrialist Jean Lion

Bustle • 22nd November 2021

The Cosy Pop Culture We'll Revisit Time & Time Again

As a lover of pop-culture podcasts, nothing is more comforting than The Receipts Podcast. Hosted by friends Tolly, Milena, and Audrey, the Spotify original is 90 minutes of laugh-out-loud, relatable content, tackling topics such as relationships, friendships, and solving viewers dilemmas too. The Receipts ladies are bold, feisty and always stay true to themselves, exuding cool older sister vibes. With hundreds of episodes to indulge in, I can always turn to The Receipts Podcast for some unfiltered honesty. – Kira Richards

Bustle • 19th November 2021

ITV's 'Social Media Murders' Concludes Tonight With The Tragic Case Of Molly McLaren

The third and final episode of ITV2’s latest true-crime series Social Media Murders airs tonight (Nov. 15), focusing on the murder of 23-year-old Molly McLaren, whose life was taken by her ex-boyfriend in June 2017. The series examines what role social media can play in serious crimes, including murder. The previous two episodes looked at what happened to Alex Rodda and Grace Millane and now ITV has turned their attention to Molly McLaren to explain how her ex Joshua Stimpson was able to stalk

Bustle • 12th November 2021

Ed Sheeran’s “Bad Habits” Has A Sweet Hidden Meaning About His Daughter

Ed Sheeran released his eagerly awaited fifth studio album, = (equals) on Oct. 29 this year, with lead single “Bad Habits” debuting a new direction for the singer. The 30-year-old performer described the song as “really different” in an interview with BBC Radio 1 ahead of its Jun. 25 release. Like most of Sheeran’s back catalogue, “Bad Habits” was a massive success, spending 11 weeks at number one and breaking a new record for the singer. Sheeran recorded the music video for the song earlier t

Bustle • 10th November 2021

Glastonbury 2022 Is Sold Out, But There Might Still Be Chance To Get Tickets

For those of us who enjoy standing in a muddy Somerset field, listening to incredible music in the height of British summer time, the lack of Glastonbury Festival for two years has been a struggle. But if you were thinking of trading in your wellies for flip-flops this summer; don’t. Glastonbury 2022 has been confirmed, and a stellar lineup is expected for the festival’s highly anticipated return. Glastonbury has been on pause since 2020. Typically, the festival runs every year, with intervals

Bustle • 6th November 2021

24 Black-Owned British Beauty Brands You Need To Know About

Until a few years ago, the selection of mainstream beauty products aimed at Black people and people with darker skin tones was minimal. Most of the time, shade ranges only went to medium-tones, meaning makeup fans with darker skin would often have to source their products either from smaller, independent businesses, or splash-out on high-end ranges. This exclusivity of makeup was obliterated when Fenty Beauty first launched in 2017 with 40 foundation and concealer shades. From there, the choice

Bustle • 3rd November 2021

Adele Is Doing A One-Off Special With ITV & It Sounds Emotional

Adele has announced an ITV special coming later this month, An Audience With Adele. The show – which is set to air on Sunday, Nov. 21 – will feature performances of some of the singer's classic tracks alongside new music from her upcoming fourth album, 30. In other words, it’s going to be an emotional one. The one-off concert will be held at The London Palladium and Head of Entertainment Commissioning at ITV Katie Rawcliffe has said her team is “beyond thrilled” to broadcast the event. Right no

Bustle • 31st October 2021

6 Sauna Blankets That Promise A Spa Experience At Home

After spending the best part of two years indoors, it’s safe to say we all invested in a little more self-care than usual. And a new report from Cult Beauty has revealed exactly what kind of tools we’ve been coveting. The report published on Oct. 25 shows that phrases including “face tools”, “massage guns”, and “gua sha stones” have all had over 3,000% more searches between January 2020 and September 2021. The tool that came out on top, however, was the sauna blanket, which had an unbelievable

Bustle • 21st October 2021

Keira Knightley’s New Xmas Film Isn’t Anything Like 'Love Actually'

Keira Knightley returns to our screens with another festive film just in time for Christmas. But, unlike 2003 fave Love Actually, new film Silent Night isn’t a heart-warmer. Per Digital Spy, the official synopsis reads: "In true British fashion, (while the rest of the world faces impending doom), a group of old friends reunite to celebrate Christmas in the comfort of an idyllic country home.” “Burdened with the inconvenience of mankind’s imminent destruction, they adopt a stiff upper lip, crack