Author: Leo Goh

Being globally hailed as the poster child on how Singapore’s dealing with the COVID-19 situation fills me with great pride. I am thankful for the infrastructures placed by the government but these infrastructures and protocols would mean nothing without those who actually enact them—our frontline healthcare heroes. I hold the utmost admiration for the men, women and non-binary people who selflessly serve the nation in this time of need. The least we can do is give back, a sentiment a colleague from CraveFX shared. She is currently raising funds to bring cold brew coffee and tea to our healthcare front…

Picture this—you’ve had a long day at work, got yelled at by your boss for submitting something late, had an argument with your partner and this is the third day in the row you’ve had to stay late at work. You’re tired and all you want is a nice hot shower. It’s the least you can do for yourself. You’re finally home and you head to the common bathroom in the house—you groan. It’s occupied. You bang on the door, urging the occupant to hurry up. Finally, it’s your turn. You have the bathroom to yourself, you quickly disrobe and…

Honestly, what better time to experience a pandemic than in the times of the internet. Yes, the internet did exist during the SARS outbreak of 2003 but thanks to the advancements of the world wide web in the last 17 years, we have better ways of entertaining ourselves now should we be quarantined. As much as introverts would thrive off being isolated, I can imagine that us extroverts would be absolutely miserable from the lack of human interaction. But in the name of being socially responsible, we should adhere to all recommendations and mandates from health authorities should the COVID-19…

To all you makeup junkies out there, this one’s for you. If you didn’t know about them already, Cute Press Cosmetics hails from Bangkok and recently made its debut in Watsons Singapore in late 2019. Cute Press is an indie Thai makeup brand that prides themselves on products that are great quality, affordable and most importantly—freaking adorably cute. You may recognise this brand from their previous collaboration with Disney for the Beauty and the Beast makeup collection, timed to the release of the Beauty and the Beast movie in Thai cinemas last year. They’ve even released limited-edition Frozen and The Little…

Have you ever lost something on a Grab ride home before? I’ve lost a pack of cigarettes—losing something as trivial as that still hurts, so I can’t imagine when people actually lose substantial items such as phones, wallets and house keys. Now, speaking of lost items, Uber USA’s Head of Lost & Found, Nicole Siefert released an index on the different things riders leave behind in their ride. Of course, we have the classic water bottle, headphones and bags, but what’s most interesting about this index is that a list of 50 most unique lost items was shared as well. Here…

Given the current awareness of how harmful plastic is, more and more people are looking for plastic alternatives instead. Of course, the best course of action is to use long-lasting, sustainable products instead of disposable ones. But there are occasions that call for single-use products for convenience, such as large scale gatherings and food markets. The word plastic originally meant “pliable and easily shaped” and was only recently used as a name for a category of materials called polymers. Polymer means “of many parts” as they are made with a long chain of molecules. The first synthetic plastic was created…

Sustainability, like courtesy, begins at home. The core principle of sustainability is to reduce waste. Don’t buy that new coffee cup, you don’t need a new bag made out of recycled water bottles just because it’s sustainable. And you most definitely don’t need a pair of collapsible utensils. Given the seemingly sudden trend of forgoing plastics and disposables, you might feel compelled to buy new sustainable items. If you find yourself doing that, stop. You don’t have to buy new things to reduce waste. Instead, start leading a waste-less life by making an effort to use things you already have…

Watching industry giants take steps to make their businesses more environmentally friendly and sustainable gives me hope. It shows that conglomerates are acknowledging the influence that they have over the consumer market and are taking responsibility for the products that they produce. As part of its sustainability efforts, Nike has launched the Space Hippie Collection. Consisting of four existing shoe silhouettes, these shoes will be made from scrap material reclaimed from factory floors and “Space Waste Yarn”, a 100% recycled material comprising of scrap yarn, plastic water bottles and discarded t-shirts. The inspiration behind the concept of this sustainable shoe…

What better way is there to spend your Sunday than to laze around in your most comfortable PJs and indulging in your favourite comfort food? Speaking of PJs, maybe it’s time for you to upgrade your getup. Enough with the five-year-old paper-thin cotton shirt that’s been in the wash way too many times. Say goodbye to that yellowish shirt that was once an eggshell white. It’s time for an upgrade. If you don’t want to leave your house this Sunday just to get a new set of sleepwear, that’s fine. Because, for one day only, on Sunday 15 March 2020,…

It is undeniable that due to pollution, our Earth is dying at an exponential rate. We often assume that this is due to big corporations that continue to trawl the Earth’s finite resources when there’s nothing left to trawl. But a significant contributor to the environmental problems we face now is our everyday decisions as a consumer—we play a vital role in climate change as well. With an increased consciousness for the environment, companies are creating products to encourage us to live more sustainably. Revolutionary products include the metal straw, freedom cup and, 100% compostable dog waste bags. Although on…

Happy International Women’s Day! This month, we raise awareness for gender equality and celebrate the achievements of womankind. In this week’s Netflix recommendations, I thought it fitting to share six shows with strong female characters that exude tenacious personalities as we take in their varied plot lines and absorb lessons on how they fight patriarchy in inspiring ways. Regardless whether you are a housewife, stay-at-home-mom or someone battling a debilitating illness, remember, like the women in these shows, you too can be a superhero. 1. Jessica Jones Jessica Jones first came to reality from Marvel Comics’ Alias, a comic book…

If you’re one to champion ‘Say YES to Waste Less!’ and have too much money to spare, here are some luxury water bottles and accessories to represent your dedication to saving Mother Earth. Who said you can’t bask in opulence whilst being sustainable? What’s the point of getting a beautiful water bottle if you can’t show it off? Get the Chanel Flask Bag and show off in the most elegant way possible. Going for a cool S$7,500, carry your gold bottle in style with the instantly recognisable black leather and gold chained water bottle holder. Just in case no one notices,…

We truly are living in the future. From Nokia brick phones to colour screens, flip phones, touch screens, and now touch screen folding phones. I don’t know about you but at the current rate of technological advancement, I feel both fascinated and terrified. We must acknowledge what led us to these beautiful large foldable screens—the OG large-screen smartphone that disrupted the market, the Samsung Galaxy Note. Back in 2011, when the 5.3-inch tall screen was unveiled, many felt that the phone was way too big. Now, we don’t even bat an eye when it comes to eight-inch tall screens. This year…

Remember when Ikea ‘branded’ accessories and apparel first made its appearance on mainstream culture? Was that an art-imitates-life-moment or a life-imitates-art-moment? From concept art to an eventual furniture collaboration with Virgil Abloh, it’s always fascinating to observe how fashion reflects culture. Other than Ikea motif fashion, other major fashion brands such as Vetements, Balenciaga and Moschino all have their own take on mixing fashion with brands that you would not typically imagine on apparel. Vetement’s DHL line made its debut in Paris four years ago. Balenciaga had their own take on the iconic blue Ikea bag, and Moschino is arguably…

Growing up, I had an atypical childhood. Like most, it had its ups and downs and in some ways, though debatable, my parents raised me well. But, anyone can see that my parents do not have the healthiest of relationships. There is always constant miscommunication, drunken yelling, corporal punishments—the whole nine yards. To wit, I’ve always wondered how much my view on love has been shaped by the way I see my parents’ love. In retrospect, I realised that it has influenced my approach to relationships and the way I communicate with others. This Valentine’s month, I examine the many…