Connect with us

Published

on

For eight years, Sophia* has been living a double life. She is not cheating on her husband and isn’t doing anything illegal, but her clandestine activities are something she plans with military precision to avoid getting caught.

Sophia, who is in her early 30s and lives in north London, is hiding her secret in plain sight. She is one of the hundreds of thousands of Brits who get non-surgical cosmetic treatments every year and lip filler is her beautifier of choice. But her husband doesn’t know.

Welcome to the world of cosmetic infidelity.

It started with a small amount of filler in her top lip. Then she had to go back to discreetly top it up. Before she knew it, she was hooked. She has a separate bank account, which helps cover her tracks, and she plans appointments around her husband’s football practice. She makes sure they’re first thing in the morning, in the hope the swelling will reduce by the evening. But it’s not always easy to keep it secret.

“It doesn’t matter what time of day you get lip filler, by the evening you look like a baboon’s backside,” she says.

Sophia just needs 24 hours or so for the swelling in her lips to subside, leaving her with a plump but natural-looking pout. But in that tricky transition period? “I get into bed and pretend I have period pains while covering my mouth under the duvet in the dark, with just the TV on.”

Can hiding your cosmetic treatments from your partner cause cracks in the relationship?

Honesty is not an option, she says, as her husband has made it clear he is against cosmetic treatments. “Or so he thinks,” she adds, recalling him telling her how pretty she looked after one procedure. “I think men assume you’ll look over-filled and I can’t be bothered to argue. I’d rather hide it, it’s a lot easier.”

Whether it’s Botox, fillers or other injectables, there are lots of Brits giving their natural beauty a helping hand with “tweakments” – but the majority, according to practitioners, are keeping it secret from their partner or other significant people in their lives. While most people in relationships tell the odd white lie here and there, is hiding the truth about cosmetic work a betrayal of trust – or is it a case of your body, your business?

Justifying the money was one of the reasons given by the secret tweakers we spoke to. Injectables don’t come cheap in a cost of living crisis, with the NHS saying prices vary from about £100 to £350, depending on the clinic and the area being treated.

There’s also societal pressure, especially on women, to look effortlessly wrinkle-free – but do this naturally, please. And so the occasional post-treatment bump or bruise might be blamed on children, pets or cupboard doors – one woman even convinced her husband he had injured her in his sleep.

Once a preserve of the rich and famous, an estimated 900,000 Botox injections are now carried out in the UK each year, according to the government. Skin boosters, which hydrate and add moisture, are also growing in popularity, and a recent report in a British plastic surgery journal predicted the UK injectables market will reach a value of £11.7bn by 2026.

Some people go to great lengths to hide the cost of their Botox and fillers

The world is becoming more open about it, with influencers often filming their treatments to show how it all works. Love Island star Zara McDermott and former Made In Chelsea star Millie Mackintosh are among the British influencers who have been open about their injectables.

And yet, for many of those investing in these treatments there is still a stigma attached to it.

Pamela*, a 34-year-old mum from southwest London, has Botox in her forehead and between her eyebrows. For years, she kept it secret from her husband, including when they lived abroad in a country where treatments weren’t always up to scratch.

“Sometimes my husband would look at me like he knew something was different but he couldn’t identify what,” she says. “And these were not good Botox jobs either.” On one occasion, she says she was left looking like Dr Spock. “My eyebrows shot up… it was so bad, an absolute shocker.”

Still, even with vampiric brows, she managed to hide it. Her husband had previously told her she would be wasting money and that she “didn’t need it”. So she always paid cash. “I couldn’t leave a trail,” she explains.

Once after a less successful trip to her injector she was left with bruising so bad that no amount of make-up could cover it up. “I convinced my husband he’d elbowed me in the middle of the night and given me a black eye,” she says. “He felt so bad about it.”

Secret botox is more common than you think

Dr Rina Bajaj, a London-based relationship and counselling psychologist, says honest communication is crucial in any relationship – but individuals also have the right to make choices about their bodies.

“In relationships that value individual freedom and independence, these choices may be seen as personal and not necessarily shared information,” she says. But, in a different kind of relationship, one partner discovering the other has been keeping cosmetic procedures a secret can break trust.”

Understanding the motivations behind the secrecy is important, she adds, as if fear of judgement or negative reactions from a partner is a driving factor, it could be indicative of underlying issues.

But fellow behavioural psychologist and relationship coach Jo Hemmings says keeping small cosmetic procedures secret from a partner is an omission rather than a lie. “It’s not a betrayal of trust because you’re doing it for yourself,” she says. “You’re not deceiving somebody else in the way you would be if you were cheating.”

Even the A-listers are doing it. Oscar-winner Olivia Colman has previously said she tried Botox and “LOVED IT” in an interview with The Times in 2015, but admitted to initially keeping it from her husband. “For about six months he kept saying, ‘Hello, Pretty!’,” she told the newspaper. When she eventually told him, “he found it hilarious”.

Botox and other skin boosters remain a complicated issue for many. For every influencer, beauty journalist or celebrity speaking openly about their cosmetic work, there are more insisting their never-ageing faces are down to the magic formula of drinking lots of water and mindfulness.

Paula*, a 43-year-old mum from Hertfordshire, started getting Botox for her “Gordon Ramsay” frown lines after discovering some friends had been doing it “for years”. After her first treatment, she was nervous her husband would notice, but he didn’t. “I panic every time but he’s not the most observant.”

At the other end of the spectrum, Anna, 40, is open about her Botox and fillers with her husband but doesn’t volunteer the information to friends. “I try not to do the school run for the next couple of days,” she says. “Maybe because I’m a mum, there’s a kind of pressure to dress a certain way and not enhance yourself.”

Men are also indulging in secret botox

While practitioners say it is more common for women to keep their treatments hidden, there are a fair few male patients telling white lies about their beauty habits.

Simon*, a 60-year-old man who lives in the home counties, has been with his partner for 24 years. In that time, he has had a cocktail of treatments, including Botox, fillers and BBL (Brazilian Butt Lift), as well as tightening and fat-reducing procedures.

It’s a lot to keep quiet about, but he wants his partner to think his youthful looks are all down to his healthy lifestyle. Is he ever worried about him finding out? “Not at all, blind as a bat.”

But it’s not just his partner he keeps it secret from. “Everyone,” he says. “It all looks so natural and I don’t have giveaway scars round my ears or missing bits of my face. They just think it’s the Peloton and smoothies.”

Euan Mackinnon, a maxillofacial surgeon and aesthetic doctor who treats cosmetic patients at The Lovely Clinic, has been carrying out tweakments for more than 10 years and says about 70% of clients are keeping it secret from someone.

“There’s a lot of people who are worried about being found out by a partner,” he says. It is usually women not wanting their husband or boyfriend discovering their secret, because men will give examples of celebrity horror stories, not realising there are hundreds for whom it has gone well. Men fear their partners looking caricature-like, “with overly inflated lips or frozen foreheads”, he adds. “In reality, that’s not what we do at all.”

Read more:
How to make Botox and other non-surgical cosmetic treatments safer?
Two-thirds of cosmetic surgery injections not carried out by doctors – study
Botulism in patients who had weight loss injections sparks warning

Patients will often tell him excuses they have given for any temporary bruising that might occur immediately after injections. “You do what you’ve got to do to get through those first few days. But most treatments don’t lead to significant bruising.”

On a more serious note, patients are worried about being judged, he says. “Partners might make them feel like they’re being silly or being vain… But you shouldn’t feel shameful if you look in the mirror and you just don’t like something… if there’s a very safe solution to that problem then why not make yourself feel good?”

Some people don't know why they keep Botox secret

There are also contradictory societal pressures, he says: age gracefully, but don’t age. “It seems to be a success to look incredibly good and have had nothing done because you’re winning at life, and if you have some help along the way it’s seen by some as cheating or a weakness – which it’s obviously not.”

And there is a difference across generations. Younger millennials have grown up watching influencers filming from their beauty beds as the needles go in, and are more likely to view cosmetic treatments as self-care. Older millennials, Gen X-ers and Boomers are more likely to keep it private.

“But it’s not just a vanity project,” Mr Mackinnon adds. “I’m constantly seeing patients who tell me their confidence has improved – ‘I got this promotion’, ‘I took the plunge with something’ – it can change everything for them.”

Lee Garrett, advanced aesthetic nurse practitioner and prescriber and clinical lead at The Cosmetic Skin Clinic, carries out about 3,000 treatments a year and has more than 20 years’ experience in the field.

He agrees it is common for patients to keep treatments secret from partners, and work colleagues as well – some have even told him that working in a very young environment makes them worry about their looks and being “pushed out by a younger version”.

Secret or no secret, both Mr Mackinnon and Mr Garrett agree the most important thing is to do your research and go to a healthcare professional. “Avoid at all costs people who say they can do it cheap,” says Mr Garrett. “They can, but they are not qualified, not insured and so when it goes badly wrong, you’re on your own.”

And if that happens, the secret definitely will be out.

Meanwhile, Sophia is hoping to get beauty vouchers for Christmas to cover her next lot of secret lip filler. Last time, her husband thought he was gifting her a facial. “He asked me how it went and I responded, ‘really relaxing, thank you!'”

Cosmetic infidelity, it seems, is a hard habit to shake.

*Names have been changed

Continue Reading

UK

Royal Family watch flypast from Buckingham Palace to mark 80th anniversary of VE Day

Published

on

By

Royal Family watch flypast from Buckingham Palace to mark 80th anniversary of VE Day

The Royal Family watched an RAF flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace to mark the start of four days of celebrations for the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day.

The thousands of people gathered in front of the palace gates and along The Mall cheered, clapped and waved flags as the spectacular Red Arrows red, white and blue display flew overhead.

The King and Queen, who were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales, their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, and other senior royals waved from the balcony before the band played God Save The King.

Since Queen Elizabeth II’s death in 2022, it is the first landmark VE Day commemoration event without any of the royals who waved to crowds from the balcony in 1945.

The military flypast passes over The Mall and Buckingham Palace.
Pic: PA
Image:
The Red Arrows fly over Buckingham Palace. Pic: PA

King Charles, Queen Camilla, the Prince of Wales, Prince George, Prince Louis, the Princess of Wales, and Princess Charlotte on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
Pic: PA
Image:
Members of the Royal Family wave to crowds. Pic: PA

The King earlier stood to salute as personnel from NATO allies, including the US, Germany and France, joined 1,300 members of the UK armed forces in a march towards Buckingham Palace.

Crowds gathered near the Cenotaph – draped in a large Union Flag for the first time since the war memorial was unveiled by King George V more than a century ago in 1920 – fell silent as Big Ben struck 12.

Actor Timothy Spall then read extracts from Sir Winston Churchill’s stirring victory speech on 8 May 1945 as the wartime prime minister told cheering crowds: “This is not victory of a party or of any class. It’s a victory of the great British nation as a whole.”

More on Royal Family

King Charles takes the salute from the military procession for the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Pic: PA
Image:
King Charles takes the salute from the military procession for the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Pic: PA

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Actor Timothy Spall has kicked off the VE Day celebrations by reading Winston Churchill’s famous speech, first read on 8 May, 1945.

The military parade was officially started by Normandy RAF veteran Alan Kennett, 100, who was in a cinema in the north German city of Celle when the doors burst open as a soldier drove a jeep into the venue and shouted: “The war is over.”

The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery led the march down Whitehall, through Admiralty Arch and up The Mall, while representatives of the Ukrainian military were cheered and clapped by crowds.

More than 30 Second World War veterans are attending celebrations in the capital, which include a tea party inside Buckingham Palace.

William, Prince of Wales, Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte.
Pic: Reuters
Image:
William, Prince of Wales, Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte. Pic: Reuters

King Charles takes the salute from the military procession.
Pic: PA
Image:
King Charles takes the salute from the military procession. Pic: PA

The King watched in front of Buckingham Palace along with the Queen, Sir Keir Starmer, other senior royals and Second World War veterans.

It is the monarch’s first public appearance since Prince Harry said his father will not speak to him and he does not know how much longer his father has left.

Members of the Ukrainian military march past the Palace of Westminster, during the VE Day 80th anniversary parade, in London, Monday, May 5, 2025. (James Manning/Pool Photo via AP)
Image:
Crowds cheered members of the Ukrainian military. Pic: AP

The Cenotaph on Whitehall is dressed in the Union flag ahead of a military procession marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Pic: PA
Image:
The Cenotaph on Whitehall is draped in the Union flag. Pic: PA

But a Palace aide insisted the Royal Family were “fully focused” on VE Day events after Harry’s shock BBC interview after losing a legal challenge over his security arrangements on Friday.

The King and Queen were said to be “looking forward” to the week’s commemorations and hoped “nothing will detract or distract” from celebrating.

Members of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment pass down the Mall ahead of the VE Day 80th anniversary parade in London, Monday, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
Image:
Members of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment pass down The Mall. Pic: AP

Members of the public make their way down The Mall
Image:
Members of the public make their way down The Mall

Prince Louis fiddled with his hair in the breezy conditions, while Kate sat next to veteran Bernard Morgan, who earlier appeared to show her some vintage photographs.

Monday is the first of four days of commemorations of the moment then prime minister Sir Winston declared that all German forces had surrendered at 3pm on 8 May 1945.

A woman wears British flag sunglasses earrings, hat and ribbons as she takes her place on the Mall to wait for the VE Day 80th anniversary parade.
PIc: AP
Image:
Thousands of people lined the streets. Pic: AP

A young boy on the Mall.
Image:
A young boy on the Mall


People line the Mall wearing British flags and memorabilia as they wait for the start of the VE Day 80th anniversary parade.
Pic: AP
Image:
People line the Mall. Pic: AP

It marked the end of almost six years of war in Europe, in which 384,000 British soldiers and 70,000 civilians were killed, and sparked two days of joyous celebrations in London.

Sir Keir said in an open letter to veterans: “VE Day is a chance to acknowledge, again, that our debt to those who achieved it can never fully be repaid.”

Residents take part in a street party during bank holiday celebrations commemorating the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, in Seaford, Britain, May 5, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso
Image:
A street party in Seaford. Pic: Reuters

Along with the events in the capital, people are celebrating across the UK with street parties, tea parties, 1940s fancy dress-ups and gatherings on board Second World War ships.

The Palace of Westminster, the Shard, Lowther Castle in Penrith, Manchester Printworks, Cardiff Castle and Belfast City Hall are among hundreds of buildings which will be lit up from 9pm on Tuesday.

A new display of almost 30,000 ceramic poppies at the Tower of London will form another tribute.

On Thursday, a service at Westminster Abbey will begin with a national two-minute silence before Horse Guards Parade holds a live celebratory concert to round off the commemorations.

Churches and cathedrals across the country will ring their bells as a collective act of thanksgiving at 6.30pm, echoing the sounds that swept across the country in 1945, the Church of England said.

Pubs and bars have also been granted permission to stay open for longer to mark the anniversary two extra hours past 11pm.

Continue Reading

UK

Layton Carr: Family pay tribute to ‘caring and loving’ boy killed in Gateshead fire

Published

on

By

Layton Carr: Family pay tribute to 'caring and loving' boy killed in Gateshead fire

The family of a 14-year-old boy who died in an industrial fire in Gateshead have described him as a “kind, caring and loving boy” who was “loved by all that met him”.

Eleven boys and three girls, aged between 11 and 14, were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter over Layton Carr’s death but have been released on bail.

Northumbria Police said on Monday that two more 12-year-old boys had also been arrested and bailed.

Layton died at the scene at Fairfield industrial park on Friday evening.

In a statement, his family said: “From the minute he was born it was obvious the character he would turn out to be.

“Layton was your typical 14-year-old lad, a cheeky, happy lad. Despite his cheeky side Layton had an absolute heart of gold and would do anything for anyone.

“He was loved by all that met him, and it showed.

More on Northumbria

“He was a family boy that loved his mam and sisters more than anything in the world.

“Layton, we love you more than any words can ever explain. You will be missed more than you’ll ever know. Our bright and beautiful boy.”

They added: “As a family we would like to say a massive thank you to all that helped in finding Layton.”

Drone view showing the aftermath of a fire at Fairfield industrial park at Bill Quay, Gateshead
Image:
The aftermath of the fire at Fairfield industrial park in Bill Quay, Gateshead

Read more from Sky News:
Royal Family watch VE Day flypast
Eight arrests in two separate terror investigations

Detective Chief Inspector Louise Jenkins, from Northumbria Police, urged people not to use social media to speculate on the incident or name any of those arrested.

“Circulation of malicious communications is classed as a criminal offence and those who choose to be involved could face prosecution,” she warned.

“It’s also important to note that anyone suspected of a crime must not be named publicly for legal reasons and those who are under 18 have anonymity.

Anyone with information is asked to get in touch with Northumbria Police online or via 101.

Continue Reading

UK

Trump plan for tariff on non-US movies could deal knock-out blow to UK film industry, union says

Published

on

By

Trump plan for tariff on non-US movies could deal knock-out blow to UK film industry, union says

Donald Trump’s plan to put a 100% tariff on films made outside the US could be “a knock-out blow” to the sector in the UK, a broadcasting union has said.

The president has said he will target films made elsewhere as part of his ongoing tariff war, to save what he has called the “dying” movie industry in the US.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Mr Trump said he had authorised government departments to put a 100% tariff “on any and all movies coming into our country that are produced in foreign lands”, and described the issue as a “national security threat”.

The Hollywood Sign is seen in Los Angeles. Pic: AP
Image:
Donald Trump says the film industry in the US is ‘dying’. Pic: AP

Responding to his post, Philippa Childs, head of the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union (BECTU), said such a move could seriously damage the UK film sector – which is “only just recovering” from the impact of the pandemic, when many productions were delayed or cancelled.

“The UK is a world leader in film and TV production, employing thousands of talented workers, and this is a key growth sector in the government’s industrial strategy,” she said.

“These tariffs, coming after COVID and the recent slowdown, could deal a knock-out blow to an industry that is only just recovering and will be really worrying news for tens of thousands of skilled freelancers who make films in the UK.”

Ms Childs called on the government to “move swiftly to defend this vital sector, and support the freelancers who power it, as a matter of essential national economic interest”.

Photo by: gotpap/STAR MAX/IPx 2023 9/13/23 Atmosphere at the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike on September 13, 2023 at the Netflix to Paramount SAG Aftra Solidarity March in Hollywood, California.
Image:
The industry has been hit by the Hollywood strikes in 2023, as well as the pandemic. Pic: gotpap/STAR MAX/IPx 2023/ AP

It is unclear how the tariff scheme would affect international productions, such as the upcoming Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which is filmed in the US as well as other countries around the world.

Much of the 2023 box office smash Barbie was filmed at the Warner Bros Leavesden studios, in Hertfordshire, as was Wonka and 2022 hit The Batman, while the vast majority of James Bond films were shot at Pinewood Studios, in Berkshire.

It was also unclear whether the duties will apply to films on streaming platforms as well as those that are released in cinemas.

Netflix shares were down 2.5% in early trading and Disney, Warner Bros Discovery and Universal-owner Comcast (which owns Sky News) fell between 0.7% and 1.7%.

The share prices of theatre operators Cinemark and IMAX were down 5.4% and 5.9%, respectively.

Kirsty Bell, chief executive of production company Goldfinch, said Mr Trump was “right to address the fact that there’s a decline in the entertainment sector” – but the issue is not foreign films taking precedence over domestic films.

“It’s that, firstly, films are cheaper to make overseas, because of lack of tax credits in certain places… the unions, the lower cost of labour, and buying budgets have been drastically reduced over two years, all driven by the change in viewing habits.”

She also highlighted that people aren’t going to the cinema as much and that the industry is “entirely changed” due to the rise of social media platforms and content creators.

“The answer is not tariffs if he’s trying to kick-start the industry in Hollywood,” she said. “It’s developing an ecosystem for film-making that is entirely different to what has been before. There’s seismic changes in how the entertainment industry is structured needing to happen.”

A government spokesperson said talks on an economic deal between the US and the UK were ongoing – “but we are not going to provide a running commentary on the details of live discussions or set any timelines because it is not in the national interest”.

The latest tariff announcement from Mr Trump is part of a wider crackdown on US imports.

In a news conference outside the White House in April, he outlined a 10% baseline tariff on goods from other countries, with varying levies allocated – later increasing the tariff on Chinese goods to 145%.

US film and television production has been hampered in recent years, with setbacks from the Hollywood strikes of 2023 and the recent wildfires in the Los Angeles area, as well as the pandemic.

Last year, the UK government introduced the Independent Film Tax Credit, which allows productions costing up to £15m to benefit from an increased tax relief of 53%.

Continue Reading

Trending