Have you noticed your hair thinning or more strands left behind after brushing? Hair loss is a common issue for both men and women, often leading to frustration and self-consciousness. However, the solution to restoring your hair’s thickness and vitality might lie in something as simple as proper nutrition. Specifically, essential vitamins can play a pivotal role in hair health, encouraging growth and combating hair loss.
We will explore how vitamins are crucial for healthy hair and the prevention of hair loss.
The Role of Vitamins in Promoting Hair Growth
While various factors, such as genetics, stress, and hormonal changes, contribute to hair loss, essential vitamins can nourish hair follicles, promoting natural growth and preventing further hair thinning. A balanced intake of these nutrients provides the building blocks needed for strong, healthy hair.
Vitamin A: Nourishing Scalp and Hair Follicles
Vitamin A is a key nutrient that plays an essential role in the production of sebum, an oily substance that helps moisturise the scalp and keep hair follicles healthy. Without sufficient sebum, your scalp can become dry and irritated, potentially leading to hair thinning and breakage.
However, there’s a fine line when it comes to Vitamin A levels. Excess Vitamin A can lead to hair loss, highlighting the importance of maintaining the right balance. Foods rich in Vitamin A, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and spinach, provide a natural source of this vital nutrient.
Biotin (Vitamin B7): Strengthening Hair Structure
Biotin, also known as Vitamin B7, is widely recognised for its role in promoting hair growth and strengthening hair structure. Biotin is essential for keratin production, a protein that forms the foundation of hair strands. Keratin not only gives hair its strength but also enhances its thickness and texture.
Research has shown that Biotin deficiency can lead to hair thinning and loss. Many hair care products and supplements now include Biotin to help improve hair health, but it’s also available in foods like eggs, almonds, and whole grains. For individuals dealing with hair breakage and thinning, Biotin supplements can be a game changer.
Vitamin D: Stimulating Hair Follicles
Often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin,” Vitamin D is crucial for creating new hair follicles, which are the tiny pores from which new hairs grow. A Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to alopecia, a condition that causes bald patches on the scalp and other areas of the body.
Most of us get some Vitamin D from sunlight, but it’s also present in fortified foods like milk, orange juice, and fatty fish such as salmon. If you’re looking to boost hair growth, ensuring you have adequate Vitamin D levels can be a good starting point.
Essential Vitamins for Preventing Hair Loss
Hair loss can result from a lack of vital nutrients in your diet. Certain vitamins to increase hair growth not only stimulate new growth but also help prevent hair loss by protecting hair follicles and enhancing blood circulation to the scalp. Ensuring a steady intake of these essential vitamins supports overall hair health and reduces the risk of thinning or shedding.
Vitamin E: Protecting Against Oxidative Stress
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects hair follicles from oxidative stress caused by free radicals. These unstable molecules can damage hair cells, leading to premature ageing and hair loss. By reducing oxidative stress, Vitamin E supports a healthy scalp environment, which is critical for hair growth.
Vitamin C: Supporting Collagen and Hair Strength
Vitamin C plays a vital role in collagen production, a protein that is essential for the structure of your hair. Collagen not only supports the health of hair follicles but also strengthens the hair shaft, reducing breakage. Additionally, Vitamin C’s antioxidant properties help protect the hair from damage caused by free radicals, which can lead to thinning and loss over time.
Fruits like oranges, strawberries, and bell peppers are rich in Vitamin C, making them excellent dietary choices for maintaining hair health.
How to Incorporate Essential Vitamins into Your Hair Care Routine
While supplements like best hair growth vitamins can help boost vitamin intake, the best results often come from combining a balanced diet, topical applications, and proper hair care routines.
Diet vs. Supplements: What’s More Effective?
When it comes to nourishing your hair, whole foods are often more effective than supplements. Vitamins from food sources are more readily absorbed by the body and provide a range of additional nutrients that work together to support overall health. For example, leafy greens like spinach and kale are high in both Vitamin A and Vitamin C, while fish and eggs provide Vitamin D and Biotin.
Supplements can be beneficial if you have a specific deficiency, but they should complement, not replace a balanced diet.
Topical Applications: Do Vitamin-Infused Hair Products Work?
Vitamin-enriched shampoos, conditioners, and serums have become popular in the market. While these products can provide external nourishment to your hair and scalp, their effects are often limited compared to the internal benefits of consuming vitamins. For example, Vitamin E oils can help improve scalp health, but they won’t compensate for a poor diet lacking essential nutrients.
Other Nutrients and Lifestyle Factors That Support Hair Health
While vitamins are critical, other nutrients and lifestyle factors also play a significant role in maintaining healthy hair and preventing hair loss.
Zinc and Iron: Essential Minerals for Hair Growth
Both zinc and iron are crucial for hair follicle health. Zinc helps repair hair tissue and keeps oil glands around the follicles functioning properly. Iron, on the other hand, is necessary for healthy blood flow, ensuring that your hair follicles receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to grow. A deficiency in either of these minerals can lead to thinning hair or even complete hair loss.
Foods like oysters, red meat, and lentils are excellent sources of zinc and iron, making them important additions to a hair-friendly diet.
Stress Management and Healthy Scalp Care
Stress is a major factor that can disrupt hair growth cycles, leading to temporary hair loss conditions such as telogen effluvium. Managing stress through relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, or regular physical exercise can improve not only your overall well-being but also your hair health. Additionally, maintaining a clean and well-moisturized scalp with gentle products can promote an optimal environment for hair growth.
Conclusion
Essential vitamins play an integral role in promoting healthy hair growth and preventing hair loss. By ensuring you’re getting enough of these key nutrients—Vitamin A, Biotin, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Vitamin C—you can give your hair the support it needs to grow thicker and stronger over time.
While natural hair regrowth requires patience, incorporating these vitamins into your daily routine, whether through a balanced diet or supplements, can lead to noticeable improvements in hair health. Taking the time to nourish your hair from within will pay off in the long run with fuller, healthier locks.
Assess your current nutrient intake and consider making dietary adjustments or adding supplements to ensure you’re getting the vitamins your hair needs to thrive.
Linxi Liu, widely recognized in fashion circles as Minrisot, has swiftly distinguished herself by masterfully blending traditional Chinese artistry with contemporary design elements. Her education spans a BA from Shanghai SIVA, a Fashion Graduate Diploma from Central Saint Martins, and an MA in Fashion (Womenswear) from the Royal College of Art. Liu’s comprehensive and diverse training has given her a unique East-meets-West perspective reflected in her design sensibility, meticulous craftsmanship, and storytelling.
Career Highlights
Liu’s career took off with an internship at Angel Chen Studio in 2018, followed by a role at the Autumn Sonata buyer’s shop in 2019. Her trajectory in the industry has been marked by a series of significant accomplishments. In 2019, she won the FashionTech competition, Visionary, held by FashionXT in Portland, Oregon, where her innovative designs captured attention for their fusion of technical expertise and creative innovation. That same year, her Cheongsam won first place at the “2019 Hangzhou Global Cheongsam Day,” earning a place in the China National Silk Museum’s permanent collection—an honor reflecting her dedication to blending Chinese cultural heritage with modern fashion.
Since launching her brand Minrisot Official in 2020, Liu’s work has expanded to collaborations with brands like Vianlin and Empress47, where she explored natural dyeing techniques in her plant-dye series. Appearances on popular Chinese television shows such as Heart Signal 3 and China Trend Show have further broadened her audience, building her reputation among both fashion enthusiasts and general audiences. Most recently, she earned top honors at the Labelhood Youtopia Youth Art Achievement Show in 2023, with additional features in high-profile fashion magazines like PAP and Selin, solidifying her influence in the industry.
Artistic Vision
Among Liu’s most celebrated pieces is her Qipao titled Flowers Bloom, Sufferings Disappear, crafted during her mother’s illness. This piece weaves personal meaning with cultural symbolism. Using red thread to signify familial bonds, she employed traditional Chinese embroidery techniques, including locked stitch and Panjin stitch, around vessel-like shapes. The piece also integrates heart-shaped floral patterns through paper engraving, an ancient Chinese art, evoking themes of resilience and the delicate nature of life. The silk fabric, chosen for its resemblance to human skin tones, represents vulnerability and strength, while her intricate embroidery serves as a “medal” of courage for those facing hardship. This Qipao exemplifies Liu’s talent for transforming personal experiences into universal stories that resonate with a wide audience.
Industry Impact and Recognition
Liu’s participation in Shanghai Fashion Week in 2021, followed by the prestigious Youtopia Grand Gala and Don’t Walk catwalk in 2024, underscore her rising prominence in fashion. Her collections, recognized for their depth, sustainability, and emotional resonance, have drawn a devoted following. Through partnerships with other brands and her dedication to eco-conscious practices, particularly her work with plant-based dyes, Liu continues to innovate, balancing respect for tradition with forward-thinking design.
Final Thoughts
Linxi Liu, known as Minrisot, has carved out a significant space in the fashion world by harmonizing heritage with modernity. Her designs, deeply rooted in Chinese culture yet reaching a global audience, showcase her technical skill, aesthetic vision, and dedication to storytelling. As she advances in her career, Liu stands poised to leave an even larger mark on the fashion landscape. Her focus on culturally meaningful design places her among the most promising designers of her generation, and her work is sure to continue inspiring both the industry and cultural conversations worldwide.
Casino gaming has never been more popular. It’s something almost everybody does or has done. The rise of internet gaming has made it easier than ever for people to gamble. In the past, players had to visit brick-and-mortar casinos and betting shops to play. Now, all they need is an internet connection, a mobile device, and proof of their identity. If you are somebody who has recently taken casino gaming up, this post has you covered. Here’s everything you need to know to play more intelligently and maximize your winnings at the casino.
Casino Types
Did you know that you don’t have to gamble with fiat money? Crypto gambling is more popular than ever. Finding the best crypto casino is essential if you want to adopt this gaming style. Something worth noting about crypto casinos is that many of them host live games, which means you can play with other real people and build relationships. If you do plan on adopting crypto gaming, take time to find the best cryptocurrencies you can to invest in. Remember that if the crypto you gamble with increases in price while you are playing with it, your profits could increase exponentially if you win.
Live Gaming
In the previous section, reference was made to the fact that many crypto casinos make it possible for players to play live against each other. Traditional online casinos host live games, too. One of the most popular live games of all is poker. Poker is a game of skill and chance, which means you can become better at it and increase your chances of winning simply by researching it. If you do plan on playing poker, you need to learn as much about it as you can. Don’t attempt to play against other people until you are confident in your abilities as a poker player.
Responsible Gaming
If you want to win when you play casino games, you need to learn to gamble responsibly. A lot of people make the mistake of getting carried away when they gamble. Getting carried away in the context of gambling means overspending. If you spend more than you can afford to lose, you could suffer financially. Fortunately, casinos allow you to set limits for yourself, which means you can restrict the amount of money you are able to play with. Limiting yourself is the most effective way to avoid going broke due to excessive gambling.
Using Bonuses
Finally, make sure that you get into the habit of using bonuses. Casino bonuses are monetary gifts given to the players of gambling sites to encourage them to spend their own money. In the last decade, a style of betting called matched betting has emerged, and it involves the exclusive use of bonuses. This style of betting is not allowed in most casinos because it prevents them from making money. Still, it can be very profitable. Consider reading a guide or tutorial about matched betting if you want to adopt it.
Casino gaming can earn gamblers a lot of money. If it’s something that interests you, consider the tips made here. Each one will help you to become a better gambler and maximize your winnings.
Bohan Crystal Yang is a distinguished producer in the film and television industry, known for her impactful work across both independent and commercial projects. Based in Los Angeles, she holds a BFA in Film & TV Production from Savannah College of Art and Design and an MFA in Producing from the American Film Institute. Her projects have garnered attention at renowned festivals like the Cairo International Film Festival, Atlanta TV Festival, and the Southeast Regional Emmy Awards, positioning her as a versatile and influential figure in the industry.
In June 2023, Yang co-founded 24K Onions, a Hollywood-based production company, and was appointed as Chief Producer. In a remarkably short period, 24K Onions has rapidly established itself as a strong competitor in the North American mini-series market, showcasing innovative and creative storytelling. Under Yang’s leadership, the company has distinguished itself for producing high-quality content, contributing significantly to the evolving landscape of mini-series production by producing over 25 successful shows, including Perfect Love, Bring It On, My Mafia Life, Found by Lycan King, and Billionaire CEO’s Obsession. With a combined audience of over 150 million, these productions demonstrate the company’s ability to deliver diverse and compelling content, reflecting Yang’s keen production skills and vision. “ We hope to introduce this new type of content to a wider audience” Yang said.
Yang’s recent short film, Dad’s Journal, has further showcased her expertise, earning multiple nominations at respected festivals such as the SIMI Film Fest, Independent Shorts Awards, and Oniros Film Awards® – New York. Dad’s Journal, which explores the emotional impact of family dynamics on mental health, was recognized for its innovation in categories such as Best Experimental, Best Sound, and Best Cinematography. These nominations highlight both the film’s artistic merit and Yang’s capability to helm thought-provoking, visually striking projects.
The recognition of Dad’s Journal at the SIMI Film Fest, a festival known for highlighting the distinctive creativity and cinematic contributions of filmmakers from across the globe, speaks to Yang’s talent for bringing powerful, resonant stories to the screen.
The move to online play has seen many classic casino games turned into digital versions, with players able to access them from devices like their laptop, smartphone or tablet. Thanks to technology behind the scenes, these games can replicate the random chance of using physical playing cards, dice or Roulette wheels.
If you’re wondering quite how online casino games work, then read on, as this guide sets out the tech driving these games and how they maintain principles of fair play as well as data security.
The random number generator
If there’s only one thing to understand about online casino games, it’s the random number generator (RNG). These are the computer algorithms that drive most of the events of the games, ensuring that all outcomes are entirely random and impossible to predict.
But how do RNGs work? Well, in any given second, the algorithm generates a random sequence of potentially thousands of numbers, with each of those corresponding to a different playing card, dice face, pocket on the Roulette wheel or symbol on the slot reels.
When the player initiates a game action the RNG will use the sequence of numbers from that particular instance to determine the outcome. This way nobody knows what the outcome is going to be and all players have the same odds at all times – keeping the game entirely fair and the playing field level. Whether you’re spinning the reels or playing a hand of Baccarat, the result is determined the moment you make your move, not by anything you or anyone else can influence.
Before any RNG can go into use it needs to be audited and tested by an independent authority, who will then regularly check to ensure that it continues to perform as intended. So, all players can rest assured that online casino games are transparent and fair with their odds.
Data security
Another important aspect of online casino platforms is the matter of data security, especially with sensitive financial data. Any sites regulated by recognised authorities – such as the UK Gambling Commission or Gibraltar Regulatory Authority – must comply with strict guidelines on security and data handling.
In practice, online casinos utilise advanced encryption technology to ensure that data is transmitted securely and cannot be intercepted or accessed without authorisation. The level of encryption used is on par with that used by banks and other financial institutions, so players can rest assured that their data is being handled with care.
Return to player and house edge
For a slightly less technical perspective, it’s also good to understand how the house edge and return to player (RTP) percentage work.
The house edge is present in every casino game, representing the built-in advantage that the platform has over players. It doesn’t make the games unfair – it just makes sure that they are slightly more weighted in the casino’s direction on the whole.
RTP is essentially the opposite. It represents the percentage of wagers that a given game is expected to return to players over time, such as 97 out of every 100. But this figure is worked out over very long terms, so it is more of a guide than any guarantee of short-term outcomes.
With a combination of advanced technology and strict regulation, online casinos ensure that all their games remain both fair and balanced for all players.
In recent years, peptides have emerged as critical players in various fields of biological and molecular research. Among these, SNAP-8 peptide, an octapeptide, has garnered significant attention for its unique biochemical properties and promising research implications. This peptide, also referred to as acetyl glutamyl heptapeptide-3, is a shorter chain of amino acids derived from SNAP-25, a key protein involved in neurotransmission. SNAP-8 has been extensively studied in the context of skin cell aging and dermatological science; however, its potential implications are believed to extend far beyond dermatological research, warranting deeper exploration into other scientific domains.
Structural Characteristics of SNAP-8 Peptide
SNAP-8 is a short-chain peptide composed of eight amino acids: acetyl-glutamyl-methionyl-glutaminyl-lysyl-seryl-glutamyl-lysyl-glutamyl-amide. Its structure closely mimics that of SNAP-25, a protein involved in the regulation of neurotransmitter release at neuronal synapses. SNAP-25 is a part of the SNARE (Soluble NSF Attachment Protein Receptor) complex, which plays a crucial role in synaptic vesicle fusion and release of neurotransmitters, making it an essential factor in neural communication.
SNAP-8 Peptide: Cellular Aging Research
One of the primary areas where SNAP-8 has garnered attention is aging, particularly its possible impacts on cellular and tissue processes. Cellular aging is associated with a decline in cellular functions, accumulation of oxidative damage, and alterations in gene expression. Peptides, including SNAP-8, have been hypothesized to interfere with some of these age-related changes through their regulatory roles in molecular signaling and cellular communication.
Studies suggest that SNAP-8 may modulate pathways related to collagen degradation, a key hallmark of cellular aging in tissues such as the stratum corneum and other connective tissues. Collagen is an essential structural protein, and its breakdown has been linked to aging. It is theorized that SNAP-8 may influence the enzymes responsible for collagen catabolism by regulating signaling cascades within cells. Although this concept has predominantly been studied in dermatological contexts, it might be relevant to broader research exploring connective tissue degeneration in aging.
SNAP-8 Peptide: Neurobiological Research
Given its structural similarity to SNAP-25, the SNAP-8 peptide is believed to hold potential in the field of neurobiological research. SNAP-25 is integral to synaptic vesicle fusion, a process that is disrupted in several neurological conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The peptide’s possible impact on neurotransmitter release raises the possibility that it may be explored as a tool for understanding synaptic dysfunction in these diseases.
It has been hypothesized that SNAP-8 might interfere with excessive synaptic activity, which has been linked to excitotoxicity in neurodegenerative conditions. Excitotoxicity refers to the overactivation of neurons due to an excess of neurotransmitter release, particularly glutamate, which may lead to neuronal damage and death. Research indicates that by modulating neurotransmitter release, SNAP-8 may present a novel approach for investigating how synaptic dysregulation contributes to neuronal death in these conditions.
SNAP-8 Peptide: Inflammatory Pathways
Emerging research suggests that SNAP-8 might also modulate inflammatory pathways, making it relevant to fields investigating chronic inflammation and related diseases. Inflammation is a crucial component of many pathological processes, including aging, autoimmune disorders, and cancer. Peptides, due to their potential to interact with cell receptors and intracellular signaling pathways, have been of interest as modulators of inflammation.
Investigations purport that the SNAP-8 peptide may impact the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines by influencing vesicle fusion in immune cells. It has been hypothesized that SNAP-8 might attenuate the release of these molecules, thus modulating the inflammatory response. While direct data regarding SNAP-8’s possible role in inflammation is limited, its structural analogy to SNAP-25, which is involved in cellular exocytosis, supports the potential for such an impact. Findings imply that this peptide may, therefore, serve as a starting point for further research into its possible role in inflammatory modulation and immune system regulation.
SNAP-8 Peptide: Cellular Communication and Exocytosis Research
Beyond its alleged role in cellular aging and neurobiology, SNAP-8 has been hypothesized to have implications in broader research concerning cellular communication and exocytosis. Exocytosis is the process by which cells secrete molecules, including neurotransmitters, hormones, and enzymes. The SNARE complex, which includes SNAP-25, is essential for this process, as it mediates the fusion of vesicles with the cell membrane. SNAP-8’s potential to interfere with SNARE complex formation suggests that it might impact vesicle-mediated secretion in various cell types.
SNAP-8 Peptide: Conclusion
While originally studied in dermatology, the SNAP-8 peptide is thought to hold significant promise for a variety of scientific research fields. Its structural similarities to SNAP-25 and potential impact on cellular processes, such as synaptic vesicle fusion, neurotransmitter release, collagen degradation, and inflammation, position it as a valuable tool for investigating complex biological processes.
Studies have postulated that from cellular aging research to neurobiology and cellular communication studies, SNAP-8 may offer unique insights into the maintenance of cellular homeostasis under stress and how disruptions in these processes lead to disease. Future research on this peptide might uncover novel implications across different fields of science, contributing to a deeper understanding of cellular and molecular biology. Researchers can buy peptides online from Biotech Peptides.
References
[i] Blanes-Mira, C., Clemente, J., Jodas, G., Gil, A., Fernández-Ballester, G., Ponsati, B., … & Pérez-Payá, E. (2002). A synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) with antiwrinkle activity. International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 24(5), 303-310. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1467-2494.2002.00153.x
[ii] Mochida, S., & Yamamoto, H. (2021). SNAP-25: A significant player in synaptic vesicle exocytosis and plasticity. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, 14, 721667. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2021.721667
[iii] Lee, K. M., Lee, M. E., Kim, H. J., & Chung, B. H. (2019). Role of neuroinflammation in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. BMB Reports, 52(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.5483/BMBRep.2019.52.1.293
[iv] Montalban, E., López de la Torre, M., Soler, C., Beltrán, L., & Navarro, A. (2014). Cellular homeostasis and aging: The role of collagen and peptides in tissue integrity. Biogerontology, 15(4), 403-419. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10522-014-9517-9
[v] Zhou, Q., & Zhou, Z. (2018). Mechanisms of neurotransmitter release: Focus on the role of the SNARE complex. Acta Physiologica, 222(1), e12851. https://doi.org/10.1111/apha.12851
Your kitchen is more than just a place for cooking—it’s a space where family and friends gather, making it one of the most lived-in rooms of your home. So why not reflect that warmth and personality by giving your walls a creative boost? If you’re looking to refresh your kitchen without the hassle of painting, wall art is a fantastic way to make a statement. From framed prints to plate collections, here’s how to bring life and style to your kitchen walls with wall art.
Install a Stylish Backsplash
The backsplash is often the unsung hero of kitchen wall art design, and upgrading yours can completely change the room’s vibe. Peel-and-stick backsplash options have come a long way and are available in a range of designs, including subway tile, marble, mosaic, and even mirrored finishes. They’re affordable, easy to install, and non-permanent, making them an excellent option for renters or anyone who wants a quick transformation without the mess of grout and tiles. Choose a design that complements your existing kitchen colour scheme for a cohesive look.
Framed Artwork
Framed artwork instantly elevates any space and is perfect for kitchen walls. Choose pieces that reflect your personal style—whether that’s food-inspired prints, abstract artwork, or charming vintage posters. You can even mix and match frames for an eclectic gallery wall. For a more cohesive look, opt for a theme such as black-and-white photography, botanical prints, or colourful food illustrations. The key is to create a balance between aesthetics and the existing colour scheme of your kitchen.
Pro tip: Hang your framed pieces at eye level and consider spacing them evenly for a polished look.
Floating Shelves with Art Displays
Combine functionality with style by installing floating shelves to display both art and practical kitchen items. Use the shelves to showcase framed prints, small sculptures, and decorative kitchenware that can double as wall art. Consider pairing the art with practical items like cookbooks or attractive jars to create a visually appealing and organised display. This approach allows you to easily switch up your decor whenever you feel like refreshing the look.
Pro tip: Keep the shelves uncluttered by sticking to a colour scheme or specific style, such as modern or farmhouse.
Chalkboard Walls or Frames
A fun and interactive way to bring art into your kitchen is by using chalkboard surfaces. You can either hang a framed chalkboard or use chalkboard decals for a more versatile option. Write inspiring quotes, recipes, or even daily menus that match the kitchen’s vibe. If you’re feeling artistic, you can draw designs, doodles, or seasonal decorations that change throughout the year. This adds a personalised and ever-changing creative touch to the room.
Pro tip: Place your chalkboard near high-traffic areas like the fridge or kitchen island so everyone can enjoy or contribute to the artwork.
Add Open Shelving
Open shelving is both trendy and practical, offering a great way to display your favourite kitchenware or decorative pieces. You don’t have to overhaul your entire kitchen to add them; replacing just a few upper cabinets can open up the space and make it feel airier. Use the shelves to display attractive dishware, vintage glassware, cookbooks, or even a collection of small plants. Just make sure to keep the shelves neat, as clutter can quickly diminish the stylish appeal.
Use Removable Wallpaper
Removable wallpaper is a game-changer when it comes to non-permanent design. You can apply it to an accent wall, the insides of cabinets, or even the breakfast bar for a fresh, updated look. Wallpaper options range from bold, modern patterns to subtle textures, so you can find something that matches your personal style. The best part? You can change it up whenever you want without damaging your walls.
Add Greenery
Bring life into your kitchen with the addition of plants. A kitchen herb garden, hanging plants, or potted succulents can add freshness and a pop of colour to the space. Not only do they look great, but herbs like basil, mint, and rosemary are practical and can be used in your cooking. Place plants on windowsills, countertops, or open shelves to create a more inviting, natural environment.
Wall-Mounted Plate Collections
For a more classic yet elegant option, consider creating a wall-mounted plate display. Choose decorative plates that match your kitchen’s theme, whether that’s delicate floral patterns, bold modern designs, or traditional blue-and-white china. Mount the plates in a symmetrical pattern, or get creative with an asymmetrical arrangement for a more artistic look. This adds both a touch of sophistication and a dash of personal flair.
Pro tip: Use wall plate hangers to safely display your plates without damaging the surfaces.
Revamping your kitchen doesn’t require a can of paint to make a bold statement. By incorporating creative wall art, you can instantly add personality, warmth, and style to your space. Whether you choose to display vintage signs, install floating shelves, or get creative with chalkboard art, the possibilities are endless. Wall art not only beautifies your kitchen but also reflects your unique taste and makes the space feel more inviting.
With the right mix of art pieces, your kitchen will become a vibrant and personalised hub of the home—no paintbrush needed!
On ‘Tarot Interlude’, the penultimate track on Pom Pom Squad‘s sophomore album, Mia Berrin’s best friend spells out the definition of the Tower Card: “It’s unsettling because it shows that no matter our plans for ourselves, a divine act can completely uproot everything.” Berrin has only pulled the card once, and it did, in fact, turn out to be a sign of significant upheaval, which the musician then stares right into on Mirror Starts Moving Without Me‘s momentous closer. But the journey of tearing through the looking glass, cathartic as it may be, is disheveled and disorienting. Following the acclaim of 2021’s Death of a Cheerleader, Berrin found pieces of herself fragmented and refracted as if through a hall of mirrors, though not beyond repair. Working with co-producer Cody Fitzgerald, she sought to shake off the expectations set around the Brooklyn band’s debut by leaning into her love of pop and singer-songwriter music as much as she tumbles through a dark, grungy chaos. “You must abandon what you’ve known before,” the tarot reading instructs, but in a way, Berrin responds by going further back to a knowledge of self that is formative, pure, and essential: Alice in Wonderland, horror movies, songs that shape you in ways new ones can’t. It’s as much a process of rediscovery as it is recovery: turning hell into an endless void, then through your honest reflection, back into wonderland.
We caught up with Pom Pom Squad’s Mia Berrin to talk about how Alice in Wonderland, disco, Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue, Prince, and more inspired Mirror Starts Moving Without Me.
A Spotify playlist
I was in a bit of a writer’s block going into the album. And then also on the very tail end of the album, I had to write two more songs and was really having trouble accessing the part of myself that could come up with two new songs. [laughs] I don’t know what exactly spurred the idea, but I was like, I’m going to make a playlist of every song I can remember from childhood to adulthood that really informed the way I hear and write music. Not just like, “Oh, I really loved this song,” or “I had a big phase with this song,” but songs that really changed something for me. I made this playlist and just listened to it over and over, and it was the thing that helped me finish the album and allowed us to finally go into the studio. As we were going into the studio, I told everyone how inspired I was and how excited I was about this idea, and I basically assigned everyone to make their playlist. We all had to listen to each other’s playlists and pick songs from each other’s playlists that we’d never heard before and be like, “What did you learn about the person from listening to their playlist?” or, “What’s a song that you’ve never heard before?” I got really extra with it.
I was so excited about the findings of all our shared playlists that I ended up making a Venn diagram of everyone’s songs in common, because we had a lot. And it was surprising – I’ve been in a band with Shelby [Keller] and Alex [Mercuri] for six years, Lauren [Marquez] has been in the band for I think two years now, and Cody [Fitzgerald] and I had been working together for a year before we went into the studio. Lauren and Cody had never met before the sessions – they had the most songs in common! Cody, Lauren, and I had a ton in common; all of us had at least two or three artists or songs in common, and that’s pretty incredible. Or we were going through each other’s playlists and going, like, “I should have put that one, I totally forgot about that song!” But it really showed me that I have a really good group of collaborators in that we value a lot of the same things about music. And then, as we were in the studio, we were pulling references from our playlists as opposed to being like, “Well, what are our contemporaries doing?” I still reference that playlist a lot when I’m going back to write.
Why was it important to you to choose formative rather than contemporary influences?
That’s a good question. I think being an independent musician now is very mentally challenging. This is going to sound so boring, but if you’re someone with any aspiration for commercial success, it’s so easy to have your creativity completely zapped from you. And that’s kind of what I was feeling. I think there’s a lot of pressure as an artist to be the artist, the advertiser, the marketer, and to be thinking about TikTok trends. To me, it’s all detrimental to the music and to any kind of true creative expression, because I found myself thinking, “What does my label want? What do fans want? What does press want? What will I get criticized for the least? How do I just avoid any negative feeling? How do I maximize my commercial potential?” That’s not the type of artist that I am, and it’s not the type of artist I want to be. There’s nothing wrong with being that type of artist, but for me, it completely eats away at the creative side.
For a second, I was having a lot of trouble writing because I was lost in thinking about everything except my creative instincts. I think that’s part of the pressure of a second album. If people like your first album, you’re like, “Well, I want them to keep liking me.” And the fact is that nobody wants to listen to something that feels rote or mechanical. I feel like people can tell when you’re doing something that’s not true to you. Early in the writing stages of this album, I found myself pushing back my creative instincts because I was thinking about what other people would want. That’s not fair to me, and that’s also not fair to the people who actually like my music and this project. I was also at a spot in my life where I felt like I needed to start peeling back the layers and getting back in touch with who I am. That really became the impetus for the album – trying to carve away anything that is not authentic to me or pure creative impulse.
You mentioned asking everyone what they learned about each other through their picks. What’s something you learned about yourself?
In terms of what I learned about my taste, I think there was a lot of pressure at the beginning of this album to stay in a more rock-focused zone. And I just found that rock music and indie rock are part of my larger sonic palette, but they’re not the things I value most in a song. I think part of the reason I was having so much trouble writing was that I was really trying to pressure myself to stay in this one particular box. When I first started playing music, it was a big part of my induction into music, like riot grrrl and the DIY punk scene and grunge music. It’s always going to be a part of the tapestry of what I do. But I found that a lot of the things on my playlist were very songwriting-focused, lyrics-focused. For me, I can’t get into a song if I can’t get into the lyrics. I found myself really wanting to explore my voice more – literally as a vocalist, as a lyricist – and lean more into myself as a producer this time around. The playlist kind of helped me reverse-engineer the type of songs I want to write and what makes the most sense for these lyrics.
Alice in Wonderland
What brought you back to that book as a reference point?
When I’m conceptualizing stuff, Death of a Cheerleader really started with color and texture – that kind of cherry red, red latex texture, which is a weird starting place. This one really started with mood, feeling, and color. The formative place that ‘Downhill’ came out of, and that served as a reference point for the album generally – this is so abstract, but I wanted it to sound like you’re at the bottom of a well. I wanted it to be a deep, dark place that blooms out into something. But I kept going back to this well feeling, and I think the sense of loss, confusion, fear, and disorientation brought me back to Alice in Wonderland.
Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite stories ever. I love the 1951 Disney film, and there have been a lot of great adaptations that are really sick as well. But I always come back to that character. I was very stuck on the concept of trying to figure out what I like without any pretense, detached from any sense of cool, just gut reactions to things that I loved. And one of those things was Alice in Wonderland. I even had an Alice in Wonderland-themed Bar Mitzvah, it was really fucking funny. It just feels like it came back to me at the perfect time when I was exploring this story about a kind of loss of my sense of self. It felt like a very apt character to play with and explore for this album cycle, and also to get back in touch with my childhood self.
There’s that famous quote from the book: “Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle.” That question obviously marks a lot of coming-of-age stories, and Death of a Cheerleader fit into that category. But I feel like Mirror Starts Moving Without Me tackles this loss of self from a different perspective, one that’s tied to the disorientation following the success of your debut album. Did you feel like your sense of identity was upended, or that it became a different sort of puzzle, in a way?
Yeah, definitely. I do feel like my sense of self was really upended in the aftermath of Death of a Cheerleader. They say you have your whole life to write your first album, and then you have a year to write your second, and it’s kind of true. The oldest songs on Death of a Cheerleader I wrote when I was 16 or 17. For this album, there’s only one song that’s “old”; everything else was written after Death of a Cheerleader. It was a really confusing time. Obviously, I’m not a big artist, but any kind of analysis you see other people make about you or your art – online, in person, or at a merch table – is slightly disorienting. You write this thing that’s so personal to you, and then it becomes everyone else’s. And everyone else’ take on it is fair – positive, negative, that’s fair. There’s no objective truth about music. But it’s also very disorienting to then analyze yourself as an outside party, looking at this thing you made – that you’ve loved to do since you were a kid – and be like, “Now I have to reverse-engineer what people like about it if I want to succeed a second time.” I felt lost in the sauce in that way.
Were you inspired by the sequel, Through the Looking Glass, as well, given the mirror symbolism?
Yeah, absolutely. I knew that the album was going to be called Mirror Starts Moving Without Me for a while. That mirror idea was something that just kept coming back to me. I think it all became this big blanket of the mirror concept informing me coming back to a lot these references. Obviously, the cover art is very much inspired by Through the Looking Glass. That whole imagery definitely comes from that story.
Prince
I read that your mother introduced you to his music.
Yeah, technically both my parents, but a lot of my music taste is from my mom. My first memory of music is Prince. When I was like really little, my family was on a road trip, and I remember that when my parents thought that me and my siblings were asleep, that’s when they would listen to, you know, the good music, the adult music. [laughs] So I would pretend to be asleep and listen to whatever they were listening to. They started listening to Prince, and it was a really formative moment in my life. It was just so electric and incredible. He’s just an amazing, genre-defying artist, and I take a lot of inspiration from him and his creative practice.
Was he one of those artists you went back to around the recording?
Yeah, absolutely. I was reading a book about Prince while we were in the studio. And ‘Lolita’ is the first song on my playlist of songs that I can remember from my childhood. Something that I love about Prince is how much vision he had for his project. Kind of similarly, he produced, he conceptualized the visuals, he was an instrumentalist; he just was a workhorse, and that’s just the kind of artist I am. I also love how identity-defying he was. I think about him a lot when I work, and I was listening to a lot of Prince while I was working on the production of the album.
Disco
We mentioned ‘Downhill’, and you can really hear the disco influence on that song. What took you in that direction?
From the Death of a Cheerleader headline tour onward, I had a little mental disco revival. I really started falling in love with pop music around that time. This is not disco, but I’m going to mention it anyway – I was listening to CAPRISONGS by FKA twigs, which is one of my favorite albums of the last few years, if not my favorite. I think I listened to it literally every single day for the whole entire tour. I would just sit in the back of the van and listen to it, and I just loved it so much. I love twigs as an artist, so hearing her do something a little bit different and have fun with her project was kind of the first inclination for me.
I was talking to my mom about this new discovery of loving pop, and she sent me a long playlist of things that she thought I would like, and there was a lot of Donna Summer on it. So I started listening to a lot of Donna Summer, and then Beyoncé’s Renaissance came out, and I was listening to it a lot. Seeing Beyoncé and twigs, these two artists that are clearly perfectionists about their craft, just have a lot of fun with it was really transformative for me, because I tend to be a little bit more nose-to-the grindstone, serious, and perfectionistic about my project.
I’m a little bit of a music history nerd, and the rock versus disco dichotomy really was fascinating to me as someone who people associate with the rock world more. The whole “disco sucks” movement – rock was very white, male-dominated; it was not started by white males, but it became very white, male-dominated. When white men took over rock and roll, all of the people of color and the queers went to disco. Rock became this place for men to express sexual frustration, aggression, desire, or whatever, and disco became this place where the queers and the people of color could escape from a world that was otherwise didn’t care or wasn’t accepting of them. I think that we still kind of see the rock versus pop face-off in the modern era more than even we would like to believe. I think there are more people who listen to both than ever, but being an artist who’s more associated with the rock side, but also being queer and being a person of color, I still think the rock world is severely missing some fun and queer POC energy.
Disco just became this escape for me, too. I think ‘Downhill’ came out of that place – it literally starts as a rock song and becomes a dance song, so it felt like this very literal exploration of, how do I marry these two sides of myself? How do I take this darker, moodier part of my persona and still try to have a lot of fun with it?
Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue
How did the film or the main character’s journey resonate with you around the making of the album?
I love that movie. I have trouble recommending it because obviously it is so disturbing, but it’s just such a special film. For me, watching it helped me start to hone in on the language I wanted to use to talk about the subject matter of this album. Sometimes you get faced with a piece of art that helps you put a feeling into words, or something that you felt but never knew was, like, real. That’s what that movie was for me. I was already kind of playing with the concept of dissociation. Obviously, the title, Mirror Starts Moving Without Me, is very much inspired by the horror movie trope, where your main character is looking in a mirror, and the mirror does something that the main character doesn’t do and it reveals some kind of hidden desire or ulterior ambition. That image felt like something extremely relevant to my life.
The nature of being a performer and wanting to be a public person – there’s a version of you that you can’t entirely control that exists for other people. And it’s disconcerting, especially as someone whose sense of identity can already be a bit tenuous, to feel like there’s another version of you out there that is up for interpretation or up for grabs, so to speak, that other people can latch on to and make into whatever they want. It’s like your avatar in a way. Seeing that journey externalized through film was really important for me because it was a feeling I didn’t understand. It came to me at a time in my life where I really needed to see it, and it definitely helped inform the subject matter and the imagery of the album.
How do you work towards drawing a line, mentally, between your personal life and your persona as Pom Pom Squad? Is that a question you find yourself wrestling with?
Yeah, a bit. I mean, I love doing this, and I want to do this for a long time. I think that it is a good question to start asking myself now: how do I make it sustainable for myself? Because it is getting very mentally taxing, trying to think in character all the time. And it’s very easy for me to slip into an identity or a character and not think about my own instincts or wants and needs. I’ve had to really find ways to separate, just on a personal level. I think it’s always gonna be ongoing, but I think when I was writing Mirror, it was finally starting to get to a place where I was like, “I need to create some kind of separation for myself.” It’s weird, because it’s not something that’s easy to explain, and it’s not something that’s necessarily intuitive to make someone else understand. I think that’s also kind of why art exists, though. Art exists for the feelings that are hard to explain and are hard to make someone understand.
Tarot Readings
This ties into the final two tracks, the interlude and the closer. Tell me about the symbolism of the Tower and how it figured into the resolution of the album.
I started messing around with tarot cards in high school. My best friend is amazing at reading tarot and reading people’s charts. It’s her voice in the interlude, it’s her reading the definition. It’s something she and I bond over and talk about a lot, and if I’m really going through it, I’ll call her, and I’ll ask her to pull a card for me. I’m not a religious person necessarily; I am a spiritual person, and I think that going through life unmoored to any kind of system of belief is treacherous. I think people who are confused by religion as a concept – I don’t think it’s all that difficult to understand, in that everyone just wants to feel like what we’re doing has purpose and reason. I was walking through life for a while really in the day-to-day, and with no real thought towards greater purpose or ambition. I just felt completely unmoored and horrid.
Getting back in touch with a more spiritual side of myself started with reading tarot again and pulling my cards. If there’s a big crossroads in my life, I’ll always pull cards. I’ve only ever pulled the Tower card once, and it predicted this huge upheaval in my life that I never saw coming. I think that the past few years of my life, after Death of a Cheerleader, have been defined by that upheaval and personal chaos. That is the big piece that I’m attacking in the album generally, but also specifically with the song ‘Tower’. It feels like the natural end of a moment. The other thing about being an artist and releasing albums is it’s very ceremonious, in the way that people who don’t have music careers or whatever have birthday parties or weddings or anniversaries. An album is a personal anniversary in a weird way, for me at least. It marks a phase of my life, and it essentially commemorates that moment. This time period of my life, the Mirror time period, was marked by a lot of disorientation and confusion and chaos and upheaval, and that all felt very encompassed in pulling this card.
I had the lyrics for ‘Tower’ sitting around for a long time. When I started writing that song, I sang a little bit of it, I just started crying, and then I didn’t touch the song for like a year. It just felt like I came upon something that was a little bit too hot to touch then. But in coming back to it, it felt like the close of this moment. For me, Tarot marks just putting belief in something in that there’s a purpose beyond what I can see. It helped me find my way back to some kind of groundedness and sense of self. And it’s also something that helps me connect with my best friend.
Did it help you see a sense of purpose beyond or within the upheaval?
People always tell me, “Well, maybe you haven’t resolved it because you haven’t learned a lesson from it.” And I really resented that. I still resent it in a way, like, “Well, you don’t feel better because you haven’t learned from it”. I think there’s truth to that; there were definitely some really hard lessons that I had to learn over the last few years. I’m grateful that I did, because I feel like I’ve come out on the other side more emotionally capable than I was a few years ago. The interesting thing about Mirror is that it’s a part of my life that really needs to end and needed to end. It almost feels like this long-delayed gratification because the songs were so difficult to write, and it was such a difficult time that now what I’m left with is just the fun part, which is performing these fun songs. It does feel like a reward at the end of a very, very long few years, in a weird way. It’s going to be interesting recontextualizing them in a live space, and I think that’s the positive spin of “The songs aren’t yours anymore.” I get to stop singing about what they meant to me and start singing to what they mean to someone else.
EMDR therapy
I only did it a little bit, but it’s this type of therapy where you hold these two little things in your hands, and they’re lights, and the lights flip back and forth. You’re supposed to keep moving your eyes from light to light, and they ask you a bunch of questions. For whatever reason, I was having the most vivid, visual memories or images that I’ve ever had while I was doing this EMDR therapy, and that’s where a lot of the imagery came from. There’s a visual for ‘Doll Song’ that, when I was doing EMDR therapy, I had this vision of myself as a doll, and I just kept shrinking, and I was falling through this completely dark, void space. The therapist asks you questions like, “You come upon a picture frame in a long hall, what’s in the frame?” It’s very fucking weird. But it was, without me realizing, the impetus for the visuals of this era, of being this figure alone in this completely dark void. And that imagery feels very representative of starting over. Death of a Cheerleader being so colorful and so bright and Mirror being nearly devoid of color – it literally feels like wiping the slate clean. That was scary to start, but I’m proud of it.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
Denison Witmer has teamed up with Sufjan Stevens for a new single, ‘Older and Free’. Stevens produced the track, which you can hear below.
“One of the benefits of getting older and knowing yourself is being able to seek out the things that reset you in times when things feel off balance,” Witmer said in a statement. “For me, alone time is very important. Nature is very important. Moving my body and getting lost in my thoughts has become a must – whether it be running or, in the case of this song, hiking. I wrote this song when I was solo camping for a night at French Creek State Park not far from my home in PA.”
“During Covid lockdown, my wife and I realized that we would burn out in the responsibilities of our day-to-day life if we didn’t take time to ourselves,” he continued. “The melody and lyrics came to me as I was hiking the Lenape Trail back to my campsite. I have a little classical guitar that goes with me most places, and I wrote the song in completion that evening. I got so attached to the sound that the little guitar ended up being the instrument we recorded the basic tracks with.”
Phil Lesh, the co-founder and bassist of Grateful Dead, has died. According to a statement on his official social media accounts, Lesh “passed peacefully” on Friday, October 25. “He was surrounded by his family and full of love,” the statement read. “Phil brought immense joy to everyone around him and leaves behind a legacy of music and love. We request that you respect the Lesh family’s privacy at this time.” Lesh was 84.
Born in Berkeley, California, on March 15, 1940, Lesh started out as a violinist before switching to trumpet while enrolled at Berkeley High School. Having developed an interest in avant-garde classical music and free jazz, he went on to become the first trumpet chair at the University of California, where he studied under Italian composer Luciano Berio. He was also a classmate of Steve Reich. After meeting Jerry Garcia at Berkeley’s KPFA radio station, Lesh became the bassist for Garcia’s then-band, the Warlocks, in 1964 alongside guitarist Bob Weir, keyboardist Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, and drummer Bill Kreutzmann.
By late 1965, the group rebranded as the Grateful Dead, soon becoming a staple in San Francisco’s counterculture and psychedelic rock scene. They released their first album, also named Grateful Dead, in March 1967. Between 1967 and 1990, Lesh played on all 13 of the Dead’s studio releases and 10 official live albums. He provided harmony vocals until vocal cord damage in the 1970s, later returning as a baritone. He also co-wrote some of the band’s most iconic songs, including the opening and closing tracks on 1970’s American Beauty, ‘Box of Rain’ and ‘Truckin’’.
Following Garcia’s death in 1995, Lesh led his own band, Phil Lesh and Friends, and continued to perform with various Grateful Dead offshoots such as the Other Ones and the Dead. In 2009, Lesh and Weir formed the band Furthur. In 2012, he opened a popular venue called Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, California, where he often performed with his sons Grahame and Brian until its closure in 2021. Though he took part in the Dead’s Fare Thee Well concerts in 2015, Lesh was not a member of Dead & Company, the offshoot band started by Weir, Kreutzmann, and Mickey Hart.
“I would have to say that music and performing are as essential as food and drink to me, but even more so as I get older,” Lesh told The Marin Independent Journal earlier this year. “While it can sometimes be more of a challenge physically than it was when I was a young whippersnapper, I’ve found that age brings wisdom, and with that comes musical experience and knowledge that I didn’t have when I was younger.”
Lesh battled multiple health challenges over his life, including a liver transplant in 1998. He underwent surgery for prostate cancer in 2016 and later bladder cancer in 2015 before needing back surgery in 2019. Just two days before Lesh’s death, MusiCares named the Grateful Dead its 2025 Persons of the Year.
Surviving Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann have penned a lengthy tribute to Lesh, which you can read below.
Today we lost a brother. Our hearts and love go out to Jill Lesh, Brian and Grahame. Phil Lesh was irreplaceable. In one note from the Phil Zone, you could hear and feel the world being born. His bass flowed like a river would flow. It went where the muse took it. He was an… pic.twitter.com/3u5lOomXxi
Phil Lesh was my brother. Not by blood but still by family. I’ve heard so many of you tell me that the Grateful Dead changed your life. Yeah, well… Phil Lesh changed mine.
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