Caroline Flack's death prompts hair and beauty salons to boycott gossip magazines

'Pages of fat shaming, slut shaming, celebs without make up, the list goes on and on!' writes one salon owner

Hair and beauty salons across the UK have announced they will no longer be providing their customers with gossip magazines to read.

The move comes after it was reported that Caroline Flack had passed away at the age of 40, having taken her own life.

The former Love Island host’s death has since sparked debate about the relationship between the media and celebrity privacy with The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) confirming is has received a number of complaints regarding headlines about the star.

Now, salons up and down the country have decided to take a stand against magazines that breed negativity by banning them from their establishments.

One of the first salons to boycott celebrity magazines was the Boutique Hair and Beauty Salon in Cullompton, Devon.

On Wednesday, the company shared its decision to ban gossip publications on Facebook alongside a photograph of the late TV presenter.

“We have decided as a salon to bin the gossip magazines and will no longer be offering you these whilst you're at the salon,” the post reads.

“With the devastating news about Caroline Flack we will not be promoting these magazines that slate people, put people down, advertise peoples personal problems, disrespect peoples outfits.....the list goes on.”

The salon also included the hashtag #bekind and said it would instead be offering customers “good old-fashioned books” educational magazines and colouring books.

The Hair Café Salon in Dublin also joined the movement, with owner Anita Donoghue sharing a powerful Facebook post in which she called upon other companies to do the same.

“I had a sleepless night, like many of us thinking about Caroline Flack,” she wrote.

“I thought about the magazines we provide our guests at Hair Café Salon Smithfield while having their hair done. Pages of fat shaming, slut shaming, celebs without make up.

“We have decided to look for magazines made up of decor, personal growth, health, food, fashion and wellbeing.

“If you are a place of business that provides your guests with ‘rag mags’ join me and replace them with reading material that adds value to your guests lives and stop fuelling toxic publications.”

The heartwarming posts have since received overwhelming support from followers on social media, with many garnering thousands of likes.

On Thursday, mental health advocate and author Matt Haig also praised business for taking a stand against gossip magazines on Twitter.

“Have seen and heard from some beauty salons/ hairdressers/dentists who say they are banning magazines that contain the mental abuse of celebrities/women/anyone,” he wrote.

“Magazines like this. I think we should get this to become a thing #magazinesformentalhealth.”

Earlier this week, Paloma Faith published a powerful statement about the representation of women in the media following Flack’s death.

In a short letter that she titled “Shut up and look Pretty”, the singer urged people to “stop judging others” and compared the media’s treatment of Flack to that received by rapper Chris Brown.

“Every relationship is scrutinised, every outfit, every big night, every foot wrong (and yes she did put some feet wrong but I am of the opinion she had a bigger undiagnosed illness going on behind the scenes),” Faith wrote.

“Let us not forget that Chris Brown still managed to have a career after brutally attacking Rihanna but we don't allow our women and girls this freedom.

“No, if you are a woman with a successful career, with or without children, we expect you to suffer, to beg forgiveness for what you have achieved with your every move, not to have an opinion, not to show weakness or rage and to stay in your box.”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

For services local to you, the national mental health database – Hub of Hope – allows you to enter your postcode to search for organisations and charities who offer mental health advice and support in your area.