
Lush Cosmetics, the brand known for its colorful, luxurious bath bombs and handmade organic soaps, is taking a stand against the growing harm that various social media platforms have on the mental health of young adults, particularly, but not limited to young girls.
On November 16, Lush released a statement on its website announcing that it would be signing off of Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat, and going "anti-social."
The statement reads:
"In the same way that evidence against climate change was ignored and belittled for decades, concerns about the serious effects of social media are going largely ignored now. Lush is taking matters into its own hands and addressing the issues now, not waiting around until others believe in the problem before changing its own behavior.
Like so many teenagers have experienced before us, Lush has tried to come off social media, but our FOMO is vast, and our compulsion to use the various platforms means we find ourselves back on there, despite our best intentions.
So here we are again, trying to go cold (plant-based) turkey.
Having previously attempted this in 2019, our resolve has been strengthened by all the latest information from courageous whistleblowers, which clearly lays out the known harms that young people are exposed to because of the current algorithms and loose regulation of this new area of our lives."
That statement comes at the start of the holiday season, a time when social media is most definitely a key tool used to boost sales. But Lush seems to have a stronger loyalty to its consumers, rather than the revenue they help generate.
"We wouldn't ask our customers to meet us down a dark and dangerous alleyway – but some social media platforms are beginning to feel like places no one should be encouraged to go. Something has to change. We hope that platforms will introduce strong best practice guidelines, and we hope that international regulation will be passed into law. But we can't wait. We feel forced to take our own action to shield our customers from the harm and manipulation they may experience whilst trying to connect with us on social media.
When it gets to a point that our customers' wellbeing is being put in jeopardy because of the channels on which we are trying to connect with them, then something doesn't sit right for us. We believe that tech should be built for the greater good and impact positive social change, and have campaigned for this over the years."
This is not the first time Lush has advocated for a more ethical digital environment. For example, in 2016 Lush worked with AccessNow to create a #Error404 bath bomb in an effort to raise money to fight sanctioned internet shutdowns. And in 2020, it partnered with IAMWHOLE and Zoe Snugg for Digital Detox Day, a hugely successful campaign where thousands of people all over the world did the impossible—they shut off their devices for one whole day.
Jack Constantine, Lush's Chief Digital Officer and Product Inventor, added "As an inventor of bath bombs, I pour all my efforts into creating products that help people switch off, relax and pay attention to their wellbeing. Social media platforms have become the antithesis of this aim, with algorithms designed to keep people scrolling and stop them from switching off and relaxing."
“Facebook's own research says, as these young women begin to consume this eating disorder content, they get more and more depressed. And it actually makes them use [Instagram] more,” says a Facebook whistleblower about Instagram’s impact on teen girls. https://t.co/t5FKY2OtLi pic.twitter.com/yQCuEjDFzs
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) October 3, 2021
It's common knowledge at this point that social media—most notably Instagram—can have seriously negative effects on a teenager's self esteem and body image. Even the platforms are aware of it. The real head-scratcher is why certain companies that seem to have wellness weaved into their mission statements haven't taken formidable steps to change this.
Other than the fact that they can profit off the insecurities of their customer base, that is.
In this unprecedented move, the company that has provided us with romantic candlelit baths and opulent aromas for years is actually walking the talk.
While we wait for other brands to follow suit, Lush says that there are still multiple ways to connect. You can check out the full list of options here.- This teacher's viral 'check-in' board is a beautiful example of mental ... ›
- Research on screen time and mental health is fatally flawed ... ›
- Lush to shut down all stores and operations, asking 5000+ ... ›
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."