Author: Zahir Latif

One wonders when male skincare and beauty upkeep became mainstream. Was it the rise of K-Pop and Queer Eye? Was it the combined efforts of face-first celebrities such as Jungkook and Jonathan Van Ness? Or is it that in the zeitgeist of mental health awareness, the concepts of ‘skincare’ and ‘self-care’ has become synonymous with allowing men to view beauty as an accessible outlet of self-expression? To wit, men doing things to their faces is nothing new—but its purpose certainly has altered over time. My eyebrows are one component of my face that I felt could use a little oomph…

I couldn’t pass up the chance to review the realme XT when the opportunity arose. Not to say that I’m an uber tech nerd, but I’m in-the-know enough to make an informed purchase when the chance presents itself. Like any other casual smartphone aficionado, the appeal is real. There’s the butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling you get upon receiving a shiny new gadget, ripping off the shrink wrap but ever so so that your experience doesn’t end up like the fail videos you’ve seen online. And then there’s the first whiff of that fresh-out-the-factory smell. The last part might just be me; I’m…

It has been a little over a decade since I have had a job that requires a fair amount of manual labour. From 2007 to 2008, I had the opportunity to work as an art gallery technician; hanging artwork, logistics and delivery, the whole manual labour aspect of the visual arts business. It definitely has its challenges – imagine trying to install a painting as tall as you and as wide as two vans parked end to end by yourself. I am proud to be able to handle tools as well as my father. Being on that side of the…