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Botox and cosmetic injectables were once seen as something people turned to later in life, but that’s changing fast. 

 More and more people in their 20s are now booking treatments - often influenced by social media, preventative beauty trends, and discounted deals advertised online.   

At the same time, there are growing concerns about safety, particularly when treatments are carried out by unregulated or under-qualified providers.  

 Botox might be seen as “just cosmetic”, but it’s still a medical procedure - and when things go wrong, the consequences can be serious.   

To help us understand what’s driving this trend, and how people can make safer, more informed choices, we’re joined by Dr. Brian Higgins from Galway Primary Care and the Galway Skin Clinic who specialises in medical dermatology and aesthetic medicine. 

A young man from Belfast is challenging the way young people socialise - by taking alcohol out of the equation.   

 After trying a sober challenge himself, personal trainer and psychology graduate Eamon Swail spotted a gap: plenty of people wanted to meet new friends and connect, without the pressure to drink.   

 What started as a simple Instagram post has grown into Sober Social - now with over 6,500 followers, a thriving community, and multiple sold-out alcohol-free events.    

Today on our Business Spotlight, we’re shining a light on an Irish start-up that’s been two years in the making. Rogue & Clover is a brand new ladies clothing business founded by Lauren Brazill from Limerick, focusing on cosy, elevated basics designed for everyday wear.   

 Lauren has spent the past two years building the brand from the ground up from the first idea right through to launch, and she’s joining me now to talk about the journey so far, the challenges she’s faced, and her hopes for the future.   

January can be a tough month when it comes to food and nutrition - there’s a lot of pressure to start fresh, try new diets, and do everything perfectly from day one. To help cut through the noise, Valerie is joined by Davey Nutrition, who’s here to chat about simple, realistic nutrition improvements and how to avoid feeling overwhelmed by all the New Year New Me advice … 

An extreme fitness and mindset challenge called 75 Hard is taking over social media right now. One Irish content creator became recognised for it a couple of years ago when he shared every step of the 75-day challenge online, gaining huge attention for his discipline, consistency, and commitment.   

 But now, with a bit of distance from it, Lucas Donlon has been reflecting on what that experience actually did - not just to his body, but to his mindset, his relationship with routine, and the pressure of doing something like that in public.   

 So today, we’re taking a step back from the viral posts to talk honestly about what 75 Hard was really like, what he’s learned since, and what he’d say now to anyone considering a similar challenge.    

Artificial intelligence tools are becoming more advanced and more accessible - but for some people, they’re being used in deeply harmful ways. Today we’re joined by Erica Corcoran, who was the victim of a deepfake AI image scheme where her photos were manipulated, sexualised, and shared on a sex site without her consent. 

Men began interacting with her in a sexual manner, believing they were speaking directly to her. This happened two years ago, and now similar cases are rising again as AI image tools surge in popularity. Erica is speaking out about the impact this kind of abuse has on victims...

In the new year, there does be a lot of conversations about life plans. Schedules. What your goals are for the year. For the next 5 years. But for those people in relationships, planning a life can sound lovely in theory - but in reality, it can bring up a lot of questions. Where you want to live, what you want from your career, whether you want kids, or even just what kind of life you imagine for yourself. And sometimes, you realise that the person you love doesn’t see things the same way.   

To talk through all of that, we’re joined by phsycotherapist Chloe Callanan.

The Mercosur trade agreement – its probably something you’ve been seeing on the news and on social media and thinking what the hell is that. It's been all over the news today because Ireland is voting against it. EU member states will decide whether or not to accept the deal with South American countries at a vote tomorrow. It's been causing serious concern across rural Ireland and for farmers in particular.   

Joining Valerie is content creator and veterinary student Katie Larkin, also known as The Abbey Cowgirl, who’s been using her platform to explain the issue   

January is when a lot of us think about getting our finances back on track, but it can be hard to know where to start. So today we’re focusing on two areas that could make a real difference this year - understanding the new auto-enrolment pension scheme, and checking if you’re owed a tax refund.  

 To break it all down simply, Valerie is joined by Deirdre O’Keefe, founder of Burdy.ie.

As the sun sets in Hawkins for the final time, the final episode of Stranger Things on Netflix has left fans reeling. Dropping on New Years Day, we finally learnt the fate of the core six Will, Mike, Lucas and Dustin, Max and Eleven. Joining Valerie to unpack that AND the conspiracy theories around an alternative ending, is iRadio's Matthew Matthews AKA Stranger Things superfan ...