For those of us who have followed the series seven of Love Island from the very start, it’s been a rollercoaster couple of months. From the mind-numbing boredom of the first two weeks (thankfully Brad from Amble feels like a distant memory now), to the breathtaking savagery of Casa Amor (Jake, Liam and Tyler, you know what you did), to witnessing Hugo utter the Alan Partridge-esque words, ‘Job done’ after finally getting his first kiss, we really have seen it all. Sceptics might say that after six years, Love Island is past its prime but who’d begrudge a show that’s dragged many of us through a particularly sorry summer. And taught us some key life lessons:
1. Faye’s brown lipstick deserves respect.
Whatever you think of Faye, the potty-mouthed Tasmanian Devil from Devon, surely we can all agree thather commitment to that brown lipstick is to be applauded. Just as Madonna had her beauty spot, so Faye’s aggressively overlined brown lip liner and glossy brown ombre lip is the trademark that’ll make sure she’ll go down in Love Island history Plus, it’s giving us early Halloween inspo.
2. Redemption is possible.
If a male contestant wrongs our favourite female, it can look like it’s game over for them - they’re dead to us. But the beautiful thing about Love Island is just how quickly we can forget. Just look at Millie and Liam: who’d have thought he was once the most hated man in Britain after he kissed Lillie in Casa Amor? And Toby’s redemption arc is pure poetry.
3. Iced Coffees.
Rather than committing to actually being someone’s boyfriend, this series proved that all the boys really had to do to melt a girl’s heart was freeze some water and pop it in a plastic cup of Kenco.
4. Gaslighting comes in many forms.
Jake never called Liberty crazy, but after she found out that he had told the boys he didn’t want to ‘rip her clothes off’, his handling of the situation was a red flag which cost them their initial popularity. Laughing, scoffing, declaring she had to get over it because he had ‘made [her] his girlfriend’. It was tough to watch.
5. Sleepwear ain't what it was.
Why go to bed in a thong? We’d love to see just one girl flop onto her bed in a faded XXL T-shirt from their holiday in 1999.
6. Everyone's experienced The Ick.
Ever had a sudden feeling of repulsion towards a person you’re romantically interested in? That’s the ick and it was rampant in the villa this summer. It could be triggered by their mannerisms, or the fact they wear white jeans. Or, in Priya and Brett’s case, the fact he said brie was his favourite cheese.
7. Teddy should be protected at all costs.
How do we love Teddy? Let us count the ways. The shining star of series seven, a whole nation fell for his softly spoken charm, his inviting laugh and the way he could calmly sit by while Faye bellowed that she didn’t find him funny. A true gent.
8. Casa Amor will always be the best week of the year.
The thrill a Love Island fan gets when they know that Casa Amor season is due to start can only be compared to the countdown to Christmas, or a big ASOS delivery arriving. Sure, it’s not great for the relationships but it’s great for our group chats.