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During WWII, beauty was propaganda, but it might’ve helped win the war.

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Maybelline New York Beauty & Beyond

Today, it might seem like people wouldn't have time to think about makeup during wartime — but during World War II, it was a priority.

It was the 1940s and a difficult time for Americans to keep their spirits up. After all, fascism was rising as a global threat, troops were shipping off for dangerous battles, and everyday life at home was completely disrupted.

With so many men leaving, the country had a lot of work left behind. Someone on the home front had to keep manufacturing weapons, distributing food, and completing other tasks critical to a nation’s survival. Eventually, that had to include women.


But even in harrowing times, one surprising thing didn’t get sacrificed: makeup.

[rebelmouse-image 19346207 dam="1" original_size="904x674" caption="Women working during World War II. Image via Republic Drill and Tool Company/Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division/Wikimedia Commons." expand=1]Women working during World War II. Image via Republic Drill and Tool Company/Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division/Wikimedia Commons.

In fact, makeup and beauty were seen as an important part of winning the war.

At the time, society had pretty rigid ideas about gender roles, so makeup wasn’t just about looking good — it was at the core of what it meant to be a woman at the time.

Many women took pride in keeping themselves and their homes looking put together, and a woman putting effort into her looks was seen as a sign of a happy, healthy society. Her efforts helped reassure people that they hadn’t lost everything. If women gave up their beauty habits at wartime, that would have been interpreted as a disturbing sign that life was not as it should be.

If women looked tired or worn down by the war, it might be seen — both at home and abroad — like we were losing the war. And that couldn’t be, so beauty became a crucial part of the propaganda movement.

That’s why the government encouraged women to continue putting effort into their appearance during the war. It was believed that their smiles could boost morale, brightening up soldiers' attitudes as well as their own during this difficult time. And with good morale, maybe we would win after all.

So while men shipped off to perform their duties in battle, many women considered it their patriotic duty to be beautiful. And they stepped up to the task.

What’s more impressive was the fact that these gals often didn’t even have real makeup to work with.

With so many resources going to the war effort, every industry, including fashion and beauty industries, faced material shortages. But some women took their morale-boosting duties seriously and got creative. They used beetroot to stain their lips red and used vegetable dye for hair color. Popular hairstyles like Victory Rolls — banana curls that you pin up and away from your face — were both fashionable and functional.

Soon, beauty companies began selling red lipstick with names like Victory Red and Fighting Red, to inspire women with a fighting spirit. It set the stage for today, when major beauty companies like Maybelline declare that "red lipstick never goes out of style."

[rebelmouse-image 19346208 dam="1" original_size="1948x3000" caption="A government poster encouraging women's work during WII. Image via National Archives and Records Administration/Wikimedia Commons." expand=1]A government poster encouraging women's work during WII. Image via National Archives and Records Administration/Wikimedia Commons.

Before long, makeup and beauty played big roles in propaganda imagery, too.

Pictures of pin-up girls became staples for military men, who had photos of glamorous models and actresses sent to them to boost morale and remind them of what they were fighting for.

And of course, there’s the iconic poster of Rosie the Riveter. Created in 1942 by Pittsburg artist J. Howard Miller, the poster depicts a woman wearing a polka dot bandana, a button-up blue shirt, and bright red lipstick. She flexes her arm below the words "We Can Do It!"

[rebelmouse-image 19346209 dam="1" original_size="1000x1294" caption="The "We Can Do It!" poster. Image by J. Howard Miller/ Wikimedia Commons." expand=1]The "We Can Do It!" poster. Image by J. Howard Miller/ Wikimedia Commons.

This image has since become a feminist icon because it represents a time when many American women were entering the workplace for the first time. She has come to evoke women’s determination to fight for gender equality.

But there’s a big reason why you can’t accurately represent Rosie without including her long eyelashes, pink cheeks, and bright red lips.

That’s because at first, it wasn’t easy for people to accept the idea of women performing manual labor.

Before the war, the idea of women in the workplace was uncommon, especially for middle- and upper-class women who stayed home as housewives while their husbands went to work. While some women — particularly low-income women — had already been working for decades and even centuries, others had never worked as anything other than a housewife. The home was considered a woman’s "proper" place.

[rebelmouse-image 19346210 dam="1" original_size="4036x3224" caption="A "Rosie" working on a bomber aircraft in 1943. Image by Alfred T. Palmer/U.S. Office of War Information/Wikimedia Commons." expand=1]A "Rosie" working on a bomber aircraft in 1943. Image by Alfred T. Palmer/U.S. Office of War Information/Wikimedia Commons.

But traditional gender roles began to shift when labor shortages required women to go to work. World wars demand entire countries’ resources, and with far fewer men around to do what was once considered "men’s work," it simply wouldn’t have been possible to maintain the country without women filling in.

Of course, that didn’t mean that people were happy about it.

They worried that women would have to give up their femininity to work "men’s jobs" because they didn’t yet see physical strength and beauty as compatible. Some married men even outright opposed the idea that their wives should go to work.

People needed some assurance that women’s strength didn’t have to mean compromising beauty — and that’s exactly what Rosie the Riveter’s poster tried to accomplish.

Her look was similar to that of many working women of the time. They aimed to strike a balance between practicality and beauty — to get important tasks done and demonstrate that they didn’t have to take off their makeup to do it.

In fact, Miller is said to have based Rosie the Riveter’s image on a real photo. The identity of the woman who inspired him has been the subject of some debate, but it’s widely believed that he based his illustration on a photograph of Naomi Parker Fraley.

In 1942, a photographer for the Acme Photo Agency happened to snap a photo of Fraley peering over a machine at the Naval Air Station in Alameda, California. Like many women workers, she wore long sleeves, a polka dot bandana, and neatly applied makeup — embodying beauty and strength all at once.

[rebelmouse-image 19346211 dam="1" original_size="1024x683" caption="A photo op at Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park. Image via National Park Service/Flickr." expand=1]A photo op at Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park. Image via National Park Service/Flickr.

These women redefined what it means to be feminine, knowing that you can rock sexy red lips and still be a powerhouse of a woman.

When you see Rosie the Riveter now, remember the badass women who survived a horrific era by finding strength in simple acts like applying makeup. It’s why she came to symbolize millions women whose communities wouldn’t have survived without their labor.

These days, it can still be a challenge for a woman to balance society’s expectations of strength and beauty — and the false impression that she has to choose between them. People expect women to be pretty but then judge them as vain and superficial if they appear to care "too much" about their looks.

But the Rosies of the world have proved it’s possible to break through that stereotype. A woman can perform so-called "men’s work" while sporting a look that makes her feel feminine, confident, and capable all at once.

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Making new friends as an adult is challenging. While people crave meaningful IRL connections, it can be hard to know where to find them. But thanks to one Facebook Group, meeting your new best friends is easier than ever.

Founded in 2018, NYC Brunch Squad brings together hundreds of people who come as strangers and leave as friends through its in-person events.

“Witnessing the transformative impact our community has on the lives of our members is truly remarkable. We provide the essential support and connections needed to thrive amid the city's chaos,” shares Liza Rubin, the group’s founder.

Despite its name, the group doesn’t just do brunch. They also have book clubs, seasonal parties, and picnics, among other activities.

NYC Brunch Squad curates up to 10 monthly events tailored to the specific interests of its members. Liza handles all the details, taking into account different budgets and event sizes – all people have to do is show up.

“We have members who met at our events and became friends and went on to embark on international journeys to celebrate birthdays together. We have had members get married with bridesmaids by their sides who were women they first connected with at our events. We’ve had members decide to live together and become roommates,” Liza says.

Members also bond over their passion for giving back to their community. The group has hosted many impact-driven events, including a “Picnic with Purpose” to create self-care packages for homeless shelters and recently participated in the #SquadSpreadsJoy challenge. Each day, the 100 members participating receive random acts of kindness to complete. They can also share their stories on the group page to earn extra points. The member with the most points at the end wins a free seat at the group's Friendsgiving event.

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Terrified, emaciated dog comes to life as volunteer sits with him for human connection

He tries making himself so small in the kennel until he realizes he's safe.

Terrified dog transforms after human sits with him.

There's something about dogs that makes people just want to cuddle them. They have some of the sweetest faces with big curious eyes that make them almost look cartoonish at times. But not all dogs get humans that want to snuggle up with them on cold nights; some dogs are neglected or abandoned. That's where animal shelters come in, and they work diligently to take care of any medical needs and find these animals loving homes.

Volunteers are essential to animal shelters running effectively to fill in the gaps employees may not have time for. Rocky Kanaka has been volunteering to sit with dogs to provide comfort. Recently he uploaded a video of an extremely emaciated Vizsla mix that was doing his best to make himself as small as possible in the corner of the kennel.

Kanaka immediately wanted to help him adjust so he would feel comfortable enough to eat and eventually get adopted. The dog appeared scared of his new location and had actually rubbed his nose raw from anxiety, but everything changed when Kanaka came along.

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Woman's felony charge for 'abuse of a corpse' sheds light on the realities of miscarriage

Let's start with the unspoken and uncomfortable fact that miscarriages at home usually happen in a toilet.

Woman's felony charge after miscarriage highlights need for education.

Content Warning: This story discusses pregnancy loss details that may be uncomfortable for some readers.

Losing a pregnancy is not something anyone can prepare for. There's no course you can take to tell you what to expect, how you'll feel or what to do after the miscarriage occurs. It's not something that's widely talked about, even in conversations about miscarriage.

About 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage in the first trimester and 1 in 5 in the second, according to the March of Dimes. Many women who reveal they've lost a pregnancy talk about how difficult it was emotionally, but they rarely talk about the lack of information from medical professionals or the details of the process of miscarrying. It makes sense because it's hard enough to discuss pregnancy loss, and to go into detail may be much worse on their mental health.

There also may be a level of shame attached to the process, partly because the topic of miscarriage is still taboo but also because many at-home miscarriages happen in the toilet. It's an uncomfortable truth that haunts people who have experienced the process. But the truth of the matter is, hospitals don't usually admit you for a miscarriage; they send you home with little to no instructions on what to do after it happens. So to people who have experienced the pain of a miscarriage at home, it makes sense that a woman in Ohio, currently on trial for "abuse of a corpse" would have no idea what to do after miscarrying.

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3,700-year-old Babylonian stone tablet gets translated, changes history

They were doing trigonometry 1500 years before the Greeks.

via UNSW

Dr. Daniel Mansfield and his team at the University of New South Wales in Australia have just made an incredible discovery. While studying a 3,700-year-old tablet from the ancient civilization of Babylon, they found evidence that the Babylonians were doing something astounding: trigonometry!

Most historians have credited the Greeks with creating the study of triangles' sides and angles, but this tablet presents indisputable evidence that the Babylonians were using the technique 1,500 years before the Greeks ever were.

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Woman's wild story of surviving 14,500 ft skydive fall because of fire ants is a must read

It's usually a bad thing to land in a mound of fire ants at 80 mph. But not if you're Joan Murray.

Canva

Picture of a fire ant. Eek.

You have a 50% chance of surviving a fall of 48 feet, roughly equaling a 4-story building. The mortality rate rushes all the way up to 90% when you fall 84 feet, the distance of a 7-story building.

So if you’re falling from a whopping 14,500 feet, just over two-and-a-half miles, you can safely bet that you’re most definitely not getting out alive.

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This company lets children transform ordinary backpacks into creative masterpieces

Dommei’s innovative designs are empowering children to unleash their artistic potential.

Imagine a world where a simple backpack becomes a canvas for imagination and a tool for learning. That's the world Dommei has created.

Born out of a desire to blend creativity with everyday utility, Dommei is not just another company; it's a hub of innovation. In a time when screens often dominate our children's attention, Dommei brings back the joy of tangible, hands-on creativity.

@dommei_inc Play in different! Dommei DIY Backpack combine the functionality of display board, toys, and tools.
♬ 原聲 - Dommei Inc

Each backpack from Dommei is more than a bag; it's a gateway to worlds of space, oceans, dinosaurs, and more. It's where art meets education, and ordinary backpacks transform into extraordinary masterpieces, empowering children to unleash their artistic potential and explore new horizons.

1. The Concept Behind Dommei

During the 2020 pandemic, when the world seemed to pause, Dommei hit the play button on creativity and innovation. The company's journey began with a question: How can we turn everyday objects into something extraordinary? Inspired by the grandeur and innovation symbolized by the Crystal Palace of the first World Expo, Dommei decided to reinvent something as simple as a backpack into a canvas of imagination and learning.

At its core, Dommei stands on three pillars: create, have fun, and share. It's not just about making a product; it's about creating an experience that blends joy with education. The brand encourages children and adults alike to explore their creativity, turning personal expression into an interactive adventure. By marrying practicality with play, Dommei backpacks are more than just storage; they're tools for storytelling, learning, and sharing experiences. Each backpack is a celebration of personal expression, underlining the brand's commitment to making education not only accessible but also enjoyable.

2. The Space Domepak Kit

Blast off into a universe of learning and creativity with the Space Domepak Kit! This isn't just a backpack; it's a launchpad for young astronauts' imaginations. Loaded with a space-themed display board, stellar toys, and tools for connecting, the Space Domepak turns the mystery of the cosmos into an interactive adventure. It’s perfect for those little dreamers who gaze up at the stars and wonder.

By bringing the wonders of the universe to their fingertips, this kit encourages curiosity, learning, and creativity, making the vastness of space feel a little closer and a lot more personal. It’s not just carrying a backpack but a galaxy of possibilities.

3. The Ocean Domepak Kit

Dive into the deep blue with the Ocean Domepak Kit, where every zip opens up a world of underwater exploration. This kit is more than a backpack; it's an oceanic expedition for young explorers! It is packed with marine-themed toys, a vibrant display board, and tools inviting interaction

It's a treasure trove for budding marine biologists. Kids discover and learn about mysterious marine species, fostering a love for our oceans and their creatures. It's a hands-on experience that brings the ocean's wonders to the surface, igniting a wave of curiosity and care for the aquatic world.

4. The Dinosaur Domepak Kit

Step back in time with the Dinosaur Domepak Kit, a prehistoric playground for the little paleontologist in your life. This isn't just any backpack; it's a time machine to when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Loaded with dinosaur-themed toys, a prehistoric display board, and tools for hands-on learning, it brings the ancient world of dinosaurs into the present.

This kit makes learning about these magnificent creatures fun and accessible, sparking a fascination with natural history. It's more than a journey into the past; it’s an exploration of a world that once was, igniting a lifelong passion for discovery and science.

5. The Combo Domepak Kit

Meet the chameleon of backpacks: the Combo Domepak Kit. This ingenious creation adapts to whatever your child’s heart desires, be it the cosmos, the deep sea, or the age of dinosaurs.

Each kit comes with a variety of themes, making it a jack-of-all-trades in the world of creative learning. It's not just versatile; it's a playground for the imagination. Whether your little one is an aspiring astronaut today or a marine biologist tomorrow, this backpack evolves with their changing passions. It's a celebration of their growing interests, offering a canvas that's as dynamic and creative as their young minds.

6. The Plus Domepak Kit

For the little artist with a big imagination, the Plus Domepak Kit is a masterpiece waiting to happen. This isn’t just a backpack; it's an artist's studio on the go. With its comprehensive set, including a DIY painting kit, it turns every outing into an opportunity for artistic expression.

The Plus Domepak isn't just about carrying supplies; it's about carrying ideas and dreams. Whether it's painting a prehistoric landscape or a starry galaxy, this kit combines art, education, and endless fun. It’s perfect for nurturing creativity, blending the joy of making art with the thrill of learning something new every day.

Learn More

Dommei's backpacks are more than just bags; they're windows to worlds of creativity and learning. Each one is a unique adventure, inviting kids to explore, create, and grow.

So, why settle for ordinary when your child can carry a masterpiece? Click here to dive into Dommei's world and see where creativity takes you.

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People kept telling me to watch 'Bluey.' I still was not prepared.

Some adults say it's healing their inner child, but there's something in the popular Australian kids' show for everyone.

"Bluey" is popular with all ages, despite being aimed at kids.

I have a confession to make. I'm 48 years old, my youngest child is in high school and I can't stop watching "Bluey."

For the uninitiated, "Bluey" is a kids' cartoon from Australia aimed at 5 to 7-year-olds. It's been nearly a decade since my household has seen that demographic, so when people kept telling me I should watch "Bluey," my reaction was basically, "Yeah, I've already done my kiddie show time, thankyouverymuch."

Then my almost-15-year-old started watching it just to see what the fuss was about. And as I started tuning in, I saw why people love it so much. I figured it was going to be a wholesome show with some good lessons for kids, and it is.

But it's also laugh-out-loud hilarious.

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