Ladies, We Need To Talk

Botox, vampire facials, bone smashing and now cadaver fat fillers: the beauty industry is expert in selling extreme (and painful) treatments in our endless pursuit of perfection and eternal youth.For years, Jess DeFino worked at the heart of this machine as an assistant editor for the Kardashian family. She saw firsthand how the goalposts of beauty are constantly shifting, making it out of reach, no matter how much time, money and energy we pour in.Now Jess is calling bullsh*t on the beauty industrial complex and the ever more bonkers methods being employed.This episode will answer questions like: What is looksmaxxing? How do beauty standards change over time? Do children need skincare? Is the beauty industry growing? What’s it like to work with the Kardashian-Jenner’s Why is skin care so expensive? Is the beauty industry designed to make you buy more? Can you trust skincare reviews? Is the beauty industry built on insecurity? What to listen to next:Botox and fillers – facing up to the new normal How pop culture messed us up, with Sophie GilbertIs your attachment style messing with your love life?One true love or many: Monogamy vs. open relationships What to read next: Why these women have never had a partner The joys of having babies in your 40sThis episode contains references to beauty, looksmaxxing, beauty industry, Kardashian, Jenner, Clavicular.

What happens when your husband suddenly becomes someone you don’t recognise? One cold day in 2020, Belle Burden’s partner of 20 years told her he was leaving her. There were was no warning, no chance to talk. Before her relationship collapsed, Belle’s life looked enviable. Heiress to a wealthy New York family empire, she had the kids, the job, the holiday house and a committed marriage. But overnight, everything Belle thought she knew about her husband changed, and he became a stranger to her. Despite the pain of separation, Belle came to know herself again and rebuilt her life stronger than before. This episode will answer questions like: What does it feel like to be cheated on? Can you tell if your husband is having an affair? Do people suddenly fall out of love? Who is Belle Burden? Is Gwneth Paltrow Playing Belle Burden in the movie adaptation for Netflix? How can women protect themselves financially in a marriage? What lessons are there to be learnt after going through divorce? What to listen to next:I love you but go away: Women taking marriage sabbaticalsHow swapping a husband for a wife made this economist better offTuria Pitt is a selfish womanPaying for sex at 70You can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. What to read next:Why these women took marriage sabbaticals — and how it wentBuilding a village means showing up even when it feels hard, says Esther PerelWhy Kate chose to 'stay flat' after breast cancer surgeryWhy genital herpes does not mean the end of your sex lifeThis episode contains references to divorce, separation, affair, cheating, heartbreak, money, settlement, parenting, re-invention, self-discovery, gender, mothering, independent, finance.

Marriage sabbaticals aren't a divorce, or an excuse for guilt-free frotting but a chance to reset priorities. But do they work?It can be hard to figure out how to fix a relationship in need of repair when you're in the grind of the day-to-day. Living separately for a while or even taking a solo holiday can be a chance for a jump-start, but it comes with risks.Yumi Stynes meets women who've hit pause on their partnerships in the hopes of coming back together stronger than before.This episode will answer questions like: What is a marriage sabbatical? Why do women feel like they need a break from their marriage? Why do some women feel like they care for their husbands like children? How can you ask for a break from your relationship? How do you know you’re happy in a relationship? What does an equal partnership look like? How do relationship preferences change over time? Can having a break save your marriage? What to listen to next: Women who cheatIs everyone having better sex than me?The new way to dateHow pop culture f*cked us up, with Sophie GilbertYou can binge more episodes of Ladies, We Need to Talk on the ABC listen app (in Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. What to read next: How pop culture messed us up, with Sophie GilbertHow swapping a husband for a wife made this economist better offPaying for sex at 70Life without boobs: Meet the women staying flat after breast cancerThis episode contains references to sex, marriage, family, parenting, mental load, emotional labour, domestic labour, inequality, chores, perimenopause, break-ups, relationship, love, psychology, attachment.