Latest news with #KetutSubiyanto
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
New mortgage rules explained, including how much you can now borrow and will house prices rise
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. The change could enable house buyers to borrow an extra £26,000, but it's likely to push up prices From gorgeous Georgian town houses to jaw-dropping penthouses, converted campervans to bargain boltholes. Take a peek at the finest homes across the UK. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Changes to mortgage affordability rules mean house buyers can now borrow around 13 per cent more This could help up to 80,000 more first-time buyers get on the property ladder, analysis suggests But it could push up house prices by as much as £19,000 New mortgage rules could help first-time buyers borrow up to £26,000 more, but they are expected to increase house prices | Photo by Ketut Subiyanto: New mortgage rules could help up to 80,000 first-time buyers take their first step on the property ladder, analysis suggests. But they could also push up the average house price by as much as £19,000, research by Savills shows. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What are the new mortgage rules, and why have they changed? Mortgage lenders are required to carry out affordability checks on borrowers to ensure they can cope with interest rate rises or changes in their circumstances. But concerns were raised that the restrictions in place were unduly limiting the ability of some borrowers - especially first-time buyers - to secure loans even when the repayments were affordable. The Bank of England changed its guidance in March, meaning lenders are no longer required to 'stress test' borrowers at the Standard Variable Rate plus one per cent, if borrowers take on a fix of less than five years. The Financial Conduct Authority advised the same month that firms had the 'flexibility to design their test 'in a way that is appropriate for the customer's mortgage'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Many firms add a margin to the lender's current reversion rate,' it added. 'With interest rates currently falling this may be unnecessarily restricting access to otherwise affordable mortgages.' How have lenders reacted? A number of mortgage providers have already changed the way they apply the affordability test, increasing the amount buyers can borrow. Santander was the first to do so, at the end of March, reducing affordability rates by up to 0.75 per cent, which it said meant customers could borrow between £10,000 and £35,000 more than before. That meant first-time buyers with a joint income of £49,500 could now borrow up to £210,000, rather than £197,000, based on a two or three-year fixed mortgage, while existing homeowners earning a combined £63,500 could borrow up to £278,000, up from £260,000. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Lloyds Banking Group, which owns Halifax, followed suit in mid-April, saying the changes meant typical customers could now borrow around 13 per cent more, which worked out at roughly £38,000 extra for a family with a household income of £75,000. HSBC said later that month that its own changes meant a first-time buyer would be able to borrow up to £39,000 more, while NatWest said a typical family would now be able to borrow up to £33,000 more. In May, Nationwide announced its own changes, which it said meant applicants could borrow on average £28,000 more. How much more can house buyers borrow? As you can see from above, how much more house buyers can borrow depends on the lender and their own circumstances. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But Savills worked out that first-time buyers with a household income of £62,000 would be able to borrow an extra £25,900, which is 12.8 per cent more than before, if stress tested affordability is reduced from 8.25 per cent to 7 per cent. It said the relaxed lending rules were expected to increase the number of first-time buyer transactions by between 47,000 and 80,000, or 14-24 per cent. What impact will changes have on house prices? Savills has calculated that the new mortgage rules could cause house prices to rise by an extra 5 to 7.5 per cent over the next five years, on top of the increase already forecast for this period. 'Relaxed lending rules will certainly change the course of travel for the housing market in the medium to long term, but there will be a strong interplay between the extent to which house prices and first-time buyer transactions increase,' said Lucian Cook, head of residential research at Savills. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The more increased borrowing capacity impacts prices, the less impact there will be on transactions.' He added that the impact would not be felt immediately but over the course of the next five years. The current uncertain economic outlook would likely make buyers less willing to take on substantially more debt in the short term, he said. Based on mortgage changes increasing borrowing capacity by £25,900 for first-time buyers with a joint income of £62,000, Savills said this could increase house prices by between 5 per cent and 7.5 per cent, or £12,950 to £19,425. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Do you have a house hunting story or tips to share? You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers. 🏠 Whether you're planning to move or just curious what your home is worth, Purplebricks offers free valuations and fixed-fee selling support from local experts. 👉 Request a valuation or browse current listings in your area.
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
New mortgage rules explained, including how much you can now borrow and will house prices rise
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. The change could enable house buyers to borrow an extra £26,000, but it's likely to push up prices From gorgeous Georgian town houses to jaw-dropping penthouses, converted campervans to bargain boltholes. Take a peek at the finest homes across the UK. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Changes to mortgage affordability rules mean house buyers can now borrow around 13 per cent more This could help up to 80,000 more first-time buyers get on the property ladder, analysis suggests But it could push up house prices by as much as £19,000 New mortgage rules could help first-time buyers borrow up to £26,000 more, but they are expected to increase house prices | Photo by Ketut Subiyanto: New mortgage rules could help up to 80,000 first-time buyers take their first step on the property ladder, analysis suggests. But they could also push up the average house price by as much as £19,000, research by Savills shows. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What are the new mortgage rules, and why have they changed? Mortgage lenders are required to carry out affordability checks on borrowers to ensure they can cope with interest rate rises or changes in their circumstances. But concerns were raised that the restrictions in place were unduly limiting the ability of some borrowers - especially first-time buyers - to secure loans even when the repayments were affordable. The Bank of England changed its guidance in March, meaning lenders are no longer required to 'stress test' borrowers at the Standard Variable Rate plus one per cent, if borrowers take on a fix of less than five years. The Financial Conduct Authority advised the same month that firms had the 'flexibility to design their test 'in a way that is appropriate for the customer's mortgage'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Many firms add a margin to the lender's current reversion rate,' it added. 'With interest rates currently falling this may be unnecessarily restricting access to otherwise affordable mortgages.' How have lenders reacted? A number of mortgage providers have already changed the way they apply the affordability test, increasing the amount buyers can borrow. Santander was the first to do so, at the end of March, reducing affordability rates by up to 0.75 per cent, which it said meant customers could borrow between £10,000 and £35,000 more than before. That meant first-time buyers with a joint income of £49,500 could now borrow up to £210,000, rather than £197,000, based on a two or three-year fixed mortgage, while existing homeowners earning a combined £63,500 could borrow up to £278,000, up from £260,000. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Lloyds Banking Group, which owns Halifax, followed suit in mid-April, saying the changes meant typical customers could now borrow around 13 per cent more, which worked out at roughly £38,000 extra for a family with a household income of £75,000. HSBC said later that month that its own changes meant a first-time buyer would be able to borrow up to £39,000 more, while NatWest said a typical family would now be able to borrow up to £33,000 more. In May, Nationwide announced its own changes, which it said meant applicants could borrow on average £28,000 more. How much more can house buyers borrow? As you can see from above, how much more house buyers can borrow depends on the lender and their own circumstances. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But Savills worked out that first-time buyers with a household income of £62,000 would be able to borrow an extra £25,900, which is 12.8 per cent more than before, if stress tested affordability is reduced from 8.25 per cent to 7 per cent. It said the relaxed lending rules were expected to increase the number of first-time buyer transactions by between 47,000 and 80,000, or 14-24 per cent. What impact will changes have on house prices? Savills has calculated that the new mortgage rules could cause house prices to rise by an extra 5 to 7.5 per cent over the next five years, on top of the increase already forecast for this period. 'Relaxed lending rules will certainly change the course of travel for the housing market in the medium to long term, but there will be a strong interplay between the extent to which house prices and first-time buyer transactions increase,' said Lucian Cook, head of residential research at Savills. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The more increased borrowing capacity impacts prices, the less impact there will be on transactions.' He added that the impact would not be felt immediately but over the course of the next five years. The current uncertain economic outlook would likely make buyers less willing to take on substantially more debt in the short term, he said. Based on mortgage changes increasing borrowing capacity by £25,900 for first-time buyers with a joint income of £62,000, Savills said this could increase house prices by between 5 per cent and 7.5 per cent, or £12,950 to £19,425. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Do you have a house hunting story or tips to share? You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers. 🏠 Whether you're planning to move or just curious what your home is worth, Purplebricks offers free valuations and fixed-fee selling support from local experts.
IOL News
6 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
Are your workouts killing the mood? Unpacking the fitness vs intimacy debate
For many, sexual wellbeing isn't just about intimacy it's tied to quality of life, confidence, and even relationships. Image: Ketut Subiyanto/pexels From viral TikTok fitness challenges to gym class staples, we're constantly encouraged to try the latest and greatest ways to 'get in shape'. But what if some of these trendy exercises are doing more harm than good, especially when it comes to your sex life? Certain popular workouts may be silently undermining your intimacy, according to Anita Fletcher, a sex and relationship expert at Fantasy Co., a brand known for its innovative approach to pleasure. These exercises, often hailed as beneficial, could be causing tension, discomfort, or even long-term issues in the bedroom. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading So, which workouts are the culprits, and how can you protect your sexual well-being without sacrificing your fitness goals? Fletcher unpacks the surprising risks of four common exercises and offers simple fixes to ensure your workouts support, rather than sabotage your sex life. 1. Kegels Kegels are often celebrated as a miracle exercise for pelvic floor health, promising better orgasms and improved bladder control. But Fletcher warns that overdoing Kegels can lead to serious problems. 'There's a widespread myth that more Kegels equal better sex, but that's not true, Fletcher explains. "An overly tight pelvic floor can cause pain during intercourse, make orgasms harder to achieve, and even trigger muscle spasms that completely shut down arousal.' Many people unknowingly start Kegels with already tense pelvic floors due to stress, prolonged sitting, or past injuries. Adding even more tension through excessive Kegel exercises can exacerbate these issues. She recommends learning to relax your pelvic floor before doing Kegels.'Alternate tensing for 5 seconds and releasing completely for 10 seconds, she advises. Limit sessions to 5 minutes, three times a week, avoid the 'hundreds of reps daily' advice circulating online.' Cycling is a fantastic cardio workout, but long hours on a bike seat could be affecting more than your legs. Image: Nubia Navarro (nubikini)/pexels 2. Cycling Cycling is a fantastic cardio workout, but long hours on a bike seat could be affecting more than your legs. Extended time on hard, narrow saddles often compresses nerves and blood vessels in the genital area, leading to numbness or reduced sensation. 'Regular cyclists frequently report tingling, numbness, or even decreased sensitivity in their genital region. For men, this can contribute to erectile difficulties. For women, it might mean less arousal or trouble reaching orgasm.' To protect yourself, invest in a padded, wider saddle to reduce pressure on sensitive areas. Stand periodically during rides, shift your position often, and take breaks between intense cycling sessions. If you notice numbness, don't ignore it; that's your body signalling a problem. 3. Traditional Ab workouts tension in all the wrong places Crunches and sit-ups might promise six-pack abs, but they often come with an unexpected cost: excessive tension in your lower abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. 'When you're repeatedly tightening these muscles through aggressive ab exercises, you're training your body to hold tension in areas that need to move freely during arousal and orgasm, Fletcher explains. This can lead to sexual difficulties, including pain and reduced pleasure.' Balance your routine by incorporating exercises that release tension. 'Yoga poses like happy baby or child's pose are great for countering tightness. Also, focus on engaging your deep transverse abdominals, which strengthen your core without straining your pelvic floor. Fitness should make you feel strong, energised, and ready to take on life – both in the gym and in the bedroom. Image: Ahmet Kurt/pexels
IOL News
13-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Strategic partnerships are the secret to scaling African innovation
Two businessmen shaking hands. The writer askes, Five years into leading PAWA Africa, I'm forced to ask hard questions that make many in the ecosystem uncomfortable: Are we chasing the right kind of capital? Image: Ketut Subiyanto/Pexels As Japanese investment in Africa quietly doubles from 520 companies in 2010 to 972 by 2022, profound questions emerge about which African innovations successfully transcend borders and why others, equally promising, remain stubbornly local. The answers point not to technological superiority or funding rounds, but to something far more fundamental. Meet Alesimo Mwanga From private sector to ecosystem builder and researcher, Johannesburg-based Tanzanian-Nigerian Alesimo Mwanga's trajectory through Africa's development landscape reflects a deep commitment to bridging innovation with tangible economic impact. During our deep, in-trench collaboration on ecosystem engagement strategy and execution at 54 Collective, I witnessed firsthand her singular ability to distil complex innovation dynamics into actionable insight and delivery. Fittingly, this column arrives on PAWA Africa's fifth anniversary - a milestone worth celebrating. Those familiar with her previous work at organisations like 22 ON SLOANE and her current role as chair of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology's Advisory Board will appreciate that in this Tech Tides Africa column hijack, she brings years of pattern recognition to bear on why certain African innovations find fertile ground abroad while others struggle to transcend geographical constraints. Mwanga's insights. In her words: Why do some African innovations successfully cross borders while others equally promising remain local? The answer lies not in technological superiority or funding size, but in something far more fundamental – strategic partnerships. In my recent research with the Japanese External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Johannesburg, a striking pattern emerged: companies like VitruvianMD (expanding AI fertility diagnostics to the Middle East) and FloatPays (following TymeBank into the Philippines) share a common success factor. Meanwhile, innovative solutions like StokFella (digitalising South Africa's R50 billion stokvel economy) remain geographically constrained despite solving critical local problems. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading What separates these groups isn't just superior technology or deeper funding pockets. It's their integration with institutional partners who smooth entry into new markets. VitruvianMD forged partnerships with global fertility networks while FloatPays integrated with TymeBank's infrastructure, riding established rails into new territories. By contrast, StokFella and Spaza Eats serve informal economic systems that are inherently local and fragmented, requiring painstaking market-by-market partnership building. I've come to believe their path to international scale may ultimately depend less on additional venture funding and more on access to deals with institutions who already have multi-market presence. It's a connectivity gap that most founders underestimate until they hit the scaling wall. Beyond digital hype For too long, discussions about Africa's digital economy have been mired in the tired "Africa rising" narrative – a simplistic framing that obscures the complex intersection where digital innovation meets tangible economic impact. Five years into leading PAWA Africa, I'm forced to ask hard questions that make many in the ecosystem uncomfortable: Are we chasing the right kind of capital? Have we been seduced by venture capital's siren song while neglecting more sustainable funding structures? The current African tech funding landscape is dramatically imbalanced. Venture capital dominates at 68% of total funding, while patient capital (12%), grants (15%), and revenue-based financing (5%) play smaller roles. Based on our analysis at PAWA Africa—examining funding data from 2018-2023 and interviewing over 30 founders—a healthier mix would reduce VC dependency to 40% whilst increasing patient capital to 25%, grants to 20%, and revenue-based financing to 15%. The evidence is compelling: startups with this balanced approach demonstrated greater resilience during market volatility. I've watched too many promising ventures collapse when venture funding retreated during economic downturns – casualties of a funding model ill-suited to our continent's realities. Let's be honest: we can't sustain an innovation ecosystem on hype-fuelled venture capital alone—especially if that capital retreats at the first sign of global turbulence. We need outcome-based thinking that celebrates revenue earned or communities served rather than glorifying fundraising announcements. I've grown weary of celebrating oversubscribed funding rounds for startups that may never achieve profitability. Success through partnerships: TymeBank (South Africa) partnered with Pick n Pay and Boxer to host banking kiosks in stores, giving nationwide reach without costly branches. When expanding to the Philippines, they entered through a joint venture with the local Gokongwei Group, navigating regulatory hurdles and gaining trust. Twiga Foods (Kenya) connected farmers to vendors, but their breakthrough came when partnering with IBM Research to add a fintech layer to their platform, transforming from a supply chain company into a fintech enabler. 54gene's (Nigeria) instructive journey provides both lessons and cautionary insights. They built Africa's first significant biobank by partnering with hospitals across Nigeria and repurposed their labs for COVID-19 testing. Despite these strategic alliances, 54gene ceased operations in 2023, demonstrating that even well-partnered ventures require sustainable business models. In my conversations with founders across the continent, I've found a growing appetite for co-development partnerships—pairing with large corporates to co-create solutions and instantly access ready markets. This is a smarter play than simply banking a VC cheque and then struggling solo to acquire customers. A partnership can mean distribution networks, regulatory support, technical know-how, or an existing user base—all the things you can't buy off-the-shelf with funding. I've seen firsthand how partnerships help startups scale beyond home borders in ways solo efforts cannot. Africa's markets are so fragmented that expanding from Nigeria to Kenya can be as challenging as entering South America. But with the right partner—a multinational with regional presence or a development agency with cross-border programmes—startups can leapfrog these barriers. What fascinates me is that TymeBank's founders found it easier to expand into emerging Asian markets than into neighbouring African countries. It's a provocative truth: an African startup might find Vietnam more accessible than adjacent African countries due to regulatory complexity and fragmented markets. For investors, I challenge you: don't just ask founders "How will you scale 10x?"—ask "Who will help you scale?" For policymakers, we desperately need platforms where startups connect with corporates. I'm calling for industry-specific accelerators and pilot programmes linking tech companies with incumbents in telecom, banking, health, and agriculture. Patient partnership a la Japan and Africa Japan's engagement with Africa exemplifies the patient partnership approach I'm advocating. According to the JETRO Africa Business Survey 2022 and Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs economic reports, their corporate presence has nearly doubled from 520 companies in 2010 to 972 by 2022. What's remarkable isn't just growth but approach—Japanese investors typically prioritise quality, skills transfer and long-term value creation over rapid exits. NTT's $3.2 billion acquisition of South Africa's Dimension Data demonstrates this commitment. Likewise, automotive giants like Toyota and Nissan have established manufacturing partnerships bringing skills transfer and supplier ecosystems. Japanese involvement is expanding into startups, with SoftBank's Vision Fund co-leading a $400M round in Nigeria's OPay and creating Africa-focused funds like Kepple Africa Ventures. This patient capital model allows African startups breathing room to navigate regulatory complexities—precisely what's needed in our fragmented markets. Looking ahead, I believe African tech is at an inflection point. To truly bridge tech innovation with real economic value, we must refocus on balanced funding sources, strategic partnerships, and patient global allies. Success looks like farmers getting fair prices, patients receiving drone-delivered medicine, and young developers finding jobs because local startups grew into multinationals. The next chapter of African innovation must be defined not by unicorn counts, but by value created for our people. That's beyond digital hype—it's the legacy we should all work towards. Andile Masuku is Co-founder and Executive Producer at African Tech Roundup. Connect and engage with Andile on X (@MasukuAndile) and via LinkedIn. Executive director of PAWA Africa Alesimo Mwanga advocates partnerships as key to scaling African innovation globally. Image: supplied. Andile Masuku is Co-founder and Executive Producer at African Tech Roundup. Image: Supplied BUSINESS REPORT
Tatler Asia
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
Foundation for change: Make-up empowers activism and culture in bold brushstrokes
Reclaiming cultural beauty Above Kohl-smeared eyes and bindi are a signature cultural look for many South Asian women (Photo: Ketut Subiyanto / Pexels) For South Asian communities, specific make-up styles have long served as cultural touchstones—winged eyeliner, black kohled eyes, lipstick and a bindi (or dot) on the forehead, the latter signifying one's marital status. Yet these same aesthetics can be stigmatised in mainstream international circles as unsophisticated, parochial and backward. These can lead South Asian women to eschew these traditional make-up for a more 'modern', international look. In response, certain South Asian brands have stepped up to create beauty collections that reclaim these trends, transforming what has been used as a weapon to marginalise communities into symbols of pride and cultural heritage. Some of the pioneering ones are Milagro Beauty, which champions concealers and foundations specifically for brown skin, and Fabindia, which leans into the traditional Indian look with its oil-based kajol pencils that deliberately create a smudged effect around the eyes. Personal empowerment through self-expression Above Shakiira Rahaman is a Los Angeles-based entrepreneur who founded the make-up brand Kira Cosmetics to empower people with physical disabilities (Photo: courtesy of Shakiira Rahaman) Beyond cultural and political statements, make-up can serve as a deeply personal tool of empowerment, particularly for individuals facing unique challenges. Los Angeles-based entrepreneur Shakiira Rahaman, who has muscular dystrophy, founded the make-up brand Kira Cosmetics, after being inspired to start a beauty line through watching a YouTube video on make-up during an extended hospital stay in 2019. Speaking to Tatler , she shares how cosmetics became a source of strength during her recovery. 'Make-up can help an individual feel empowered in various ways. When I take the time to apply make-up, it gives me a sense of control over my appearance and helps me feel put together.' Recognising that many disabled individuals lose strength in their arms, making make-up application difficult, Rahaman has created products specifically tailored for the disabled community. 'By creating products that can help with their bodies, we are helping by giving them their confidence back,' she says. For some men, make-up has evolved a tool of self-expression too. The idea of men wearing make-up is still considered taboo or seen as a threat to the idea of traditional masculinity. But with the boom of social media, we've seen a shift in this mindset, and a rise in male beauty and make-up influencers in the online space. From offering product reviews and beauty tutorials to and showcasing their artistry, these influencers are not only celebrating diversity in beauty but also breaking gender stereotypes. More than cosmetic Above Aditya Madiraju is a beauty influencer, who is steadily normalising and championing the cause of men wearing make-up (Photo: Instagram / @adityamadiraju) What these diverse examples reveal is make-up's remarkable versatility as a medium of expression. Whether applied as a cultural reclamation, personal empowerment or creative outlet, cosmetics can transcend their surface-level purpose. So the next time you see someone applying a bold red lip or perfecting a winged eyeliner, consider that you might be watching more than a beauty routine—it could be an act of resistance, a reclamation of cultural heritage, or a deeply personal ritual of self-empowerment.
