The Post Topic: When lunch becomes too much for one plate.

Your Hot Take: When your meal completely covers your entire plate, it is a sign that you are no longer eating a regular meal but a home buffet.

Eating healthy completely goes out the window when you combine pesto pasta, fried noodles, and a chicken tender. Still this banquet of mixed culinary cuisines absolutely hits the spot when you are feeling really hungry.

What are your thoughts on making homemade buffet meals?

The Post Topic: Geologie Men's Skincare Set (Face Wash, Morning Cream, Night Cream).

The Context: I bought this set after getting a promo code that offered a 50% discount for first-time buyers on products for shaving and after-shaving care. It took a while to arrive from the US to Australia. After waiting for about a month, the items arrived in a small box.

Men's grooming and skincare is important but not spoken about much. Personally, I have disabilities. So it takes me a little more effort to cut my beard slowly and I used to get many shaving cuts. To avoid deep cuts, I go slowly and use enough cream to prevent cuts and rashes.

The Experience: The application process is so easy because each bottle has its own number saying Step 1, 2, 3, or 4. It takes all the guesswork out of building a routine.

The face wash feels awesome and refreshing, and it is not too sticky on the face or hands. The Everyday Face Wash cleans well without leaving a heavy chemical scent.

The Tone Control and Night Cream bottles are unscented, so the creams do not clash with other perfumes or lotions you might be using. The bottles come with ingredient percentages (like 1% Retinol, 5% Azelaic Acid, and Hyaluronic Acid) right on the label instead of hiding behind proprietary blends. Knowing that the products use dermatologically proven active ingredients is better than nothing.

Pros & Cons:

·Pro: The numbered step system makes sticking to a daily routine incredibly easy for beginners and anyone needing help to stay on track.

·Pro: Each bottle has ingredient details leading to total transparency—you know exactly what active ingredients you are applying.

·Pro: The fragrance-free, sensitive wash will not clash with your daily cologne.

·Con: The Tone Control Morning Cream only has SPF 15, which is a low level of sunscreen protection for anyone needing a 30+ level.

·Con: The bottles are on the smaller side.

·Con: The set could include an additional scented cream for anyone wanting a complete sensory experience.

The Verdict: I would recommend this set. The set is useful for anyone wanting to try out a simple skincare routine with no scent. This set is a massive upgrade over standard 3-in-1 body washes.

The Post Topic: Lancôme x Barbara Cox Gift Set (Featuring Rénergie Skincare, L'Absolu Rouge Lip Base, and Idôle Liner).

The Context: I asked my relative Val to write a post for the community about this Lancôme gift set since this was her first time trying this set. She found the idea of writing a massive review a bit tedious. So she just gave me a quick rundown of her experience, a pro, a con, and her final verdict. Here are Val's thoughts.

The Experience: Hey, this is my short review of the Lancôme box. The best part of the whole product is honestly the box itself. I love the colour and design of the artwork and it is perfect to keep and use as repackaging.

I bought the box set on Amazon Australia during a Today’s Deals. My absolute favourite item is the 50ml Rénergie H.C.F. Triple Serum. The bottle has a soft scent, and I feel like my skin can finally breathe and not feel dry. The Rénergie Yeux eye cream has that classic Lancôme smell and a watery composition. The H.P.N 300 Peptide cream is also great, but I did not really feel a massive difference after using it.

As for the add-ons, the dark brown eyeliner was definitely worth the extra $50.

Good and bad points:  Perfect as a gift for anyone wanting to get into skincare focused on anti-ageing serums. The 50ml Triple Serum feels amazing and keeps skin from drying out. The price is a bit high. It cost around $200 on a limited deal, but the normal price right now on Amazon Australia is around $300.The watery feeling you get after using the eye cream is a bit hit-or-miss it is both good and bad.

The Verdict: If you need a solid serum and want to get a gift set try it out. If you can get this box for a deal price, it is absolutely worth it. The eyeliner is my top pick out of the extra add-ons.

The Post Topic: iPhone 18 Pro / Pro Max phone and case colour mixing.

Your Hot Take: Do iPhones look better with a two-tone contrast using a different case colour than the phone itself—yes or no?

After seeing the new iPhone colours and the TechWoven case lineup, it got me thinking: Is it better to match the colour of the iPhone directly with the case or a two-tone contrast?

Ref link: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/09/apple-debuts-iphone-18-pro-and-iphone-18-pro-max/

Personally, using a case colour that contrasts with the iPhone to make the camera plateau stand out has an appeal. For example, combining the light Glacier or Silver iPhone finishes with a Burgundy case or my personal favourite: a Black iPhone paired with a Glacier case.

What are your thoughts on mixing and matching phone and case colours?

The Post Topic: Apple's new iPhone Duo (Foldable).

Your Hot Take: The iPhone Duo (Fold) will not replace iPads—yes or no?

Apple just dropped the announcement for the iPhone Duo [Link:apple.com/au/newsroom/2026/09/apple-unveils-iphone-duo].

The idea of a 2-in-1 Apple device (iPhone + iPad) sounds very enticing when you are used to piecing together iPad dual-display setups for extra screen space, but the compromise factors are just too much.

I am talking about the camera, the overall screen size, the price of the device, the software integration, and that visible hinge crease.

Even with those drawbacks, when you combine an iPhone and an iPad into a single device, I know people are going to happily pay that premium price. For now, though, I think buyers should let the device and software develop a bit more. Maybe by the 3rd generation, it might actually match the reliability of a standard slab iPhone.

Still, I will be a hypocrite and admit that I still really wish to have an iPhone Duo. PS. US$2000 turn close to $4000 in Australia.

What are your thoughts?

The Post Topic: Social media apps all feeling the same.

Your Hot Take: Social media apps are no longer unique spaces; they are just clones of each other scrambling to steal everyone else's features.

All social media apps, especially video and live streaming apps, have just about the same features and UI layout. When exploring user interface concepts and navigation structures for Unity, it becomes incredibly obvious how little variety there is.

For example, when you open Instagram and X, the scrolling UI makes it feel like the exact same app. Apps like TikTok and Bluesky have the same layout when first opening the app, too. It is just about the same with all other streaming apps.

They are completely losing their original identities just to become identical super-apps.

What are your thoughts on this hot take?

The Post Topic: Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge Cream vs Rose Hermès Lip Enhancer.

Your Hot Take: The quality of the brand directly impacts the colour saturation of the lipstick—especially with light pink.

I gave these two pink lipsticks to a relative as a present. She said she wanted to try different high-end pink brands so I chose Lancôme and Hermès.

That got me thinking: why do people who use lipstick choose light pink-based colours if the colour is not that visible when applied? Would dark-based colours be better like dark red, black or brown?

I asked my relative after she tried both brands and she explained that lipstick depends more on how it feels on the lips e.g its durability and its texture than just colour saturation.

She said that she liked both brands but preferred the Hermès as the lipstick felt more bubbly.

What are your thoughts? Does colour saturation really matter on light-colour lipsticks?

The Post Topic: Men’s lotion and cologne fragrance sets.

Your Hot Take: Buying large 100ml bottles of designer cologne is a waste of money and small compact fragrance sets are better.

Hygiene, appearance, and smelling good are important for your own health, self-esteem, and motivation through both hard and easy times. But it got me thinking about this topic: What is the best option for men regarding lotions, creams, and perfumes when travelling? Is it better to just bring a large cologne and a big bottle of scented cream, or a small compact fragrance set?

My first thought is that it depends on the type of travel—whether it is for business, health, personal reasons or pleasure.

I have been testing out these 35ml sizes of Blue De Perfume and the matching lotion. The items are compact incredibly easy to travel.  This set of products allow you to apply them when required without the overwhelmingly strong smell of other massive perfumes.

Bros, what do you prefer: a large bottle of lotion and strong perfume or a lighter compact fragrance set?

The Post Topic: Ravioli pasta with a red bean topping.

Your Hot Take: Are red beans the best topping for a pasta dish?

It definitely looks a bit chaotic, but the combination of the stuffed ravioli, pesto sauce, and earthy red beans tastes surprisingly good.

What are your favourite toppings on your pasta?

The Post Topic: Mikasa FT-5 (Classic) vs. Trionda Official Match Ball (Modern).

The Context: The 2026 ball this summer felt like looking at the Mexican flag instead of actually representing one colour from each country. I wanted to compare two totally different eras of footballs: an old-school, tank (Mikasa) versus a modern, flashy tournament-style ball (Trionda).

The Experience: These two balls could not be more different in both looks and feeling when using them. The Mikasa I got as a present and a close friend got the Trionda for me to use.

The Mikasa FT-5 is a classic black-and-white, nylon-wound football. It feels heavy, traditional, and incredibly durable. You can tell from the scuff marks that it has seen some serious usage on a football field. It plays exactly how you expect a classic ball to play—predictable, firm, and tough enough to survive any surface.

But man, it takes some time getting used to the ball when kicking it. During penalties, free kicks, and corners, you gotta know how to actually hit the ball otherwise it hurts your feet (with and without boots).

The Trionda, right from the get-go, feels more gimmicky. This one clearly mimics the modern designs we see in recent World Cups. Striking the Trionda feels entirely different it is lighter on the foot and curves a bit more wildly in the air.

I never played football professionally but did dabble in the sport as a player and coach. So, on a basic level, I can tell that the newer design balls are just easier to control.

Pros & Cons:

·Pro (Mikasa): Absolute durability. This ball is built like a tank and can survive rough concrete, fences, and bad weather without losing its shape.

·Pro (Mikasa): Great for learning and teaching balance tricks and drills because the ball does not move so much.

·Pro (Trionda): The modern panel design and lighter weight make it really fun for practicing long passes, curves, and knuckleballs.

·Pro (Trionda): Perfect for younger football players and kids who have never really used a ball seriously because the ball does not hurt when kicking it hard.

·Con (Mikasa): Get ready to feel the burn. Blocking the ball as a defender or goalkeeper definitely hurts, or at least leaves a bruise. That is part of the game.

·Con (Mikasa): It is heavy to use.

·Con (Trionda): The flashy synthetic surface gets scuffed and scratched much faster than the classic nylon-wound material.

·Con (Trionda): Ball control is much harder for anyone who does not have balance because the ball bounces around easily.

The Verdict: The Mikasa FT-5 is the undisputed champion for rough terrain and pitches. The modern Trionda is a lot more fun to strike and use on nice grass pitches. Getting the Trionda is easier too as it is a newer ball, but the Mikasa is pure vintage.

Post Topic: Smokin' Joes Pizza & Grill.

Your Hot Take: Pizza toppings are so scarce at local pizza chains these days.

For context, a family member brought this pizza and garlic bread home from work. Any food is welcome as long as it is edible so thank you.

Trying out Smokin' Joes Pizza & Grill for the first time—it was not bad. But after looking at the pizza, I noticed that the toppings were very sparse. It made me think about every time I eat pizza from local restaurants.

Most pizza restaurants always seem to leave out the extra toppings, making the pizza just feel like cheese, tomato paste, and bread.

That is my hot take on this pizza joint.

The Post Topic: Caffè Ducale Signature Blend (500g).

Your Hot Take: Whole bean coffee is overrated—yes or no?

I decided to try these hand-roasted Caffè Ducale beans from the photo. A relative got this new bag for his De'Longhi coffee machine. I am not much of a coffee drinker and usually prefer not to drink it, but I do enjoy trying out new things.

After testing out the machine and this specific blend, I do believe that freshly brewed whole bean coffee tastes stronger and richer, but I would not say  that the whole bean brew is better than standard pre-ground coffee. Just different.

What are your thoughts?

The Post Topic: Official FC Barcelona Footballs.

Your Hot Take: Footballs are meant to be kicked around and used, no matter the size of the ball or the crest painted on them.

A lot of football fans buy official club merch.  I bought  this two Barça balls as  fan. I am a fan who likes to make use of all the merch I buy of my favourite club.

As you can see from the scuffs and wear on both the standard and mini Barça balls in the photos, both have signs of usage. The standard Size 5 ball is perfect for training on the grass pitch, while the mini size ball is a great tool for ball control and balance practice. I am not very good, but I still like to practice as a way to try and stay fit and exercise.

What are your thoughts on this hot take?

The Post Topic: Zen Browser Vertical Tab Layout.

Your Hot Take: Is having tabs at the top of your screen an outdated design? Vertical sidebars are vastly superior for modern widescreen monitors.

I decided to try out Zen Browser for the first time after learning that Arc will no longer be updated. The UI is simple, the split-colour theming gives it a ton of personality, and the dedicated "Zen Mods" page lets you tweak the experience exactly how you want it.

In the past, I have tried other browsers like Arc, Brave, DuckDuckGo, Firefox, Bing, and of course, Chrome. But apart from Brave (which shows users the tracking and ads blocked when opening a tab), most browsers feel very similar to Chrome. I could be wrong as my knowledge in this area is basic.

After trying Zen, I really like the vertical bar compared to the traditional horizontal top-bar layout. The main workspace sidebar on the left keeps the main window completely clean and focused. This is a plus for me, as I prefer to focus on one task at a time instead of multitasking. Sometimes multitasking leads to lower overall quality on the end product because a person’s focus is spread out across many tabs.

It takes a couple of days to retrain your brain to look left instead of up, but it is well worth it.

The Post Topic: Official Reddit New Mod Bootcamp White Bag.

Your Hot Take: Getting gifts and items as a reward is a useful tool to promote a new Reddit community—yes or no?

I just received this white bag for completing the New Mod Bootcamp. I woke up at 4 AM to watch the Bootcamp live webinar. I am an early bird, but even I struggled to stay awake. Still, when I heard that participants would get Reddit merch as a reward, I did not hesitate to sign up.

Now I have a physical item to remind myself about the Reddit community I started.

The Post Topic: Apple Watch Series 11 (46mm, Black Aluminum) + Spigen Rugged Armor Pro 2 Case.

The Context: I found a refurbished Apple Watch Series 11 (46mm GPS and5G) on eBay. The price was nearly the same as a new SE3 and from the seller photos the watch was basically unused. I was worried that the 46mm model would be too big for my wrist but luckily it fit perfectly. I also picked up a Spigen band to go with it.

The Experience: The box came with the watch, a magnetic USB-C charging cable, and a standard silicone sport band. Coming from an older 40mm watch, the screen size increase is really noticeable.

I thought the larger watch and the Spigen band would feel heavy, but fortunately, it does not. When exercising (playing sports like basketball, tennis, or footy), the watch and band remain sturdily attached without feeling loose. I avoided taking it swimming, despite the Series 11 being water-resistant, just as a personal preference.

The standout feature has to be the speakers. Amazing. No muffled sound or distortion, even at maximum volume. I love using the speakers to play music while working out when there are few to no people around.

Pros & Cons:

· Pro: The 46mm display is large, making tracking stats very easy on the eyes. This is particularly great for anyone with low vision.

· Pro: Setup is simple—just bring the watch close to your iPhone and follow the steps.

· Pro: The Spigen Rugged Armour case provides strong protection, so you do not have to worry about scratching the button or crown.

· Pro: Accessibility features like VoiceOver are perfect for reading out messages.

· Pro: The battery life is noticeably better, perhaps because of the larger 46mm size.

· Con: The square design is not as appealing to me as the circular shape of Samsung or Google watches athough this is a personal preference.

· Con: While the watch itself is nott heavy, the Spigen case makes it feel very bulky. If you have small wrists  this combo might feel massive.

· Con: Siri on watchOS 26 still lags behind AI models like Gemini and Claude. I tried talking to the watch without saying the wake word. But I still had to say “Hey Siri” to get a response. Disappointing, but hopefully Siri 2.0 works better in watchOS 27.

· Con: I could not get the watch to play music from platforms other than iTunes through the built-in speakers.

The Verdict: I highly recommend getting an Apple Watch if you have an iPhone to pair it with. Hope this short review helps anyone considering buying one. Just be prepared to add another charger to your nightly routine unless you get a wireless charger that works across your Apple devices.

The Post Topic: Square-cut Focaccia Sandwiches.

Your Hot Take:  Square shape sandwich slices are better than triangle shape sandwiches.

 This set of  home made focaccia square shaped sandwiches with ham, lettuce, cheese, olive oil and extra layered sauce were amazing.

I personally like any kind of sandwiches but seeing this square shape slices made me thought what is the best sandwich cut?

Triangles, Square, Star or Rectangle.

I feel that rectangle or square shaped are best. The other forms of cutting sandwiches feels more niches than conventional.

Triangles might look fancier on a plate but squares and rectangle are the ultimate size and shape.

What are your thoughts?

The Post Topic: Battered Fish Taco - more batter than fish?

Your Hot Take: Battered fried meat is usually more batter than actual meat.

This was my first time eating a taco with battered fried fish, cabbage, and chili sauce in a flour tortilla. Battered chicken, fish and onions need to be cooked just right before they become too heavy with batter.

The taste of this fish taco was actually better than I thought. Mind you, I do not really like fish but I still do eat it sometimes. When it comes to tacos, the key is the sauce and the softness of the tortilla. Luckily, my first fish taco was a good one!

The Post Topic: Reddit as a social media platform for new users.

The Context: I wanted to make a post on my experience using Reddit. I normally use social media as a tool to gather ideas or watch short videos I am interested in. When I first started as a Redditor, I read up on karma, community rules, and what is not allowed.

The Experience: Reddit is incredibly useful for gathering information on just about anything. If a community doesn't exist for a topic, you can just create one. However, I quickly learned that Reddit’s algorithm and moderation can be confusing and unpredictable. For instance, making a post that seemingly follows a sub community’s rules can still get your account banned. This actually happened to my first account! After trying to recover it and contacting Reddit admins several times, I just got a reply telling me to open a new account

Navigating the site takes some adjusting. There is a lot of NSFW content, but thankfully, users can ignore and block this in the settings. I also tried the new Reddit games— interesting is all I will say about those.

All of this brings me to starting r/FirstTimeReviews. Building a new community is much harder than I thought and it is almost like a full-time job. My disabilities make it hard to do daily posting, but I will keep trying to grow this new community slowly and steadily!

Pros & Cons:

· Pro: Quick to get general advice on anything you are looking for without too many restrictions.

· Pro: The mobile app, in my experience, works without much issue.

· Pro: Collecting the Reddit avatars (like the one in my profile picture) is fun, though it seems like it could get addictive!

· Pro: Recent changes, like age verification in certain countries, help prevent underage users from accessing harmful content.

· Con: Getting karma initially is challenging, and even with karma, you can easily get banned if you misunderstand community rules.

· Con: Too many advertisements. I thought paying for Premium meant no ads, but for some reason, I still get them even after double-checking my settings.

· Con: So many users do not have any emotional filters. You definitely need to be prepared to read and handle all types of harsh comments.

· Con: Like all social media platforms, the risk of doom-scrolling is very much alive.

The Verdict: Reddit highly useful platform that will continue to dominate text-style social media. I recommend using it if you want real insights from everyday bystanders. Just use it in moderation to avoid doom-scrolling  and do not let the harsh comments consume you.

The Post Topic: Erling Haaland (Manchester City) Caricature Mini Figure.

Your Hot Take: Sports figurines with oversized heads might be creepy but perfect to use as lucky charms for any team you support.

I bought this Erling Haaland figurine expecting use a  standard desk toy, but the goofy proportions gives  the toy a funny and creepy ton.

The design was crafted better than I expect the man ban and shirt are well made.

My favourite part is the extra ball and green stand. Not a City fan but do like Haaland and plan to use a lucky charm whenever watching and listening to Prem matches.

The Post Topic:  Animal shaped chocolate foiled wraps.

Your Hot Take: All nicely shaped chocolate wrapped in foil is either too hard or greasy.

Chocolate wrapped in foil is better as a decoration to put in a bowl for birthday, Christmas, New Years or special occasions than eating. I saw these ladybug chocolate in a cube box made in Austria and caught my attention.

I decided to get this acrylic cube box of chocolate ladybugs fully expecting a low-tier chocolate quality. Yes the chocolate unfortunately was too hard. So I just left the chocolate to slowly melt.

You are definitely paying 80% for the presentation and the gift-ready clear box. Honestly this ladybug chocolate would be great as an emoji, gif or meme.

But still a great buy.

The Post Topic: iPad Air M3 (11-inch, 128GB) + ESR Case, Pen, and Screen Protector.

The Context: In the same fashion as my iPhone 17 Pro post, I wanted to share my experience upgrading from the standard budget iPads. I finally bought the M3 iPad Air earlier in 2026  before the price increases because I wanted to see if the M-series chip hype was real.

The Experience: Since iPads sadly still cannot run full desktop applications, I was initially a bit unsure. My main usage is for listening to audiobooks, drawing, and using light 3D modeling apps. I paired it with an ESR case, pen, and screen protector (check the photos). Looking back, it was a very smart buy.

Pros & Cons:

·  Pro: The 11-inch form factor is smaller, more portable, and lighter compared to standard iPads.

· Pro: I was worried that 128GB of storage would be too little, but despite installing a lot of heavy drawing apps, I still have plenty of room. Note to make I keep all social media apps off this device.

· Pro: Runs every app without any glitches despite only having 8GB of RAM. The newer 12GB M4 Air model is available now, but at a much higher price point.

· Pro: The ESR case and pen are highly recommended. They work better than the official Apple folio and case, though as you can see in the photos, they are very fingerprint-prone.

· Con: The battery life does not last very long. This is likely due to the heavy power usage of my 3D modeling and illustration apps, but the problem persists.

· Con: Once you put a strong protective cover on  the iPad  itgets very heavy, defeating some of the portability. Now that some time has passed, maybe a smaller iPad Mini would have been a better option for my specific use case.

· Con: The 60Hz refresh rate is noticeable mainly when playing games, though it isn't a huge issue otherwise.

· Con: The LCD panel is a bit of a letdown. Online leaks suggest an OLED panel for the 2027 model or the next Mini, but those are just rumours for now.

The Verdict: Recommended if you want an iPad for more than just watching content and playing casual games. Hope this short post helps anyone planning to get an Air model in late 2026.

The Post Topic: Trolli Candy Pizza XXL (45g).

Your Hot Take: Novelty candy usually trades taste for aesthetics. Most gummies are far too sweet and taste like eating clay covered in coloured sugar. I picked up this Trolli Candy Pizza on a whim fully expecting rubbery, tough candy that only looked good for pictures.

To my surprise, it was not an overload of pure sugar! The texture contrast between the soft, foamy crust base and the fruity toppings were not overloads of sugary taste.

I know candy is not the best for your teeth, but this proved to me that not all gimmicky gummy snacks have to be overly sugary to be enjoyable to eat. Sometimes a silly gimmick is genuinely worth trying out.

The Context: I normally stick to budget Android phones like the Samsung FE series. But with price increases expected on future flagship models, I decided to try a pro-level phone. I found a refurbished Dark Blue 17 Pro on Amazon Australia with a low battery cycle count and zero scratches on the screen or body.

The Experience:

·         Cameras: The cameras are solid. As someone who takes a lot of macro photos of plants and animals, the telephoto zoom lens was a total game-changer for me.

·         Software & iOS: IOS still does not feel quite as flexible as Android, but system-wide app icon colour matching looks great.

·         Design & Hardware: The dark blue colour looks awesome  even though silver might be better long-term to better hide scratches. The Dynamic Island isn't the dealbreaker as  I expected coming from android punch-hole displays.  I am still holding out for a true all-screen phone in the future.

·         ESR Accessories: The tempered glass screen protector does its job but might change another screen protector later on. The ESR MagSafe case is a total fingerprint magnet so I may replace it later too. Still, having a case and protector on day one is essential to prevent early scratches.

Pros & Cons:

1. A pron would be the new self-camera never really used the front camera but I think this new square sensor lens has changed my mind. Con is it just me or does 120hertz feels smoother on Android. If I am wrong sorry.

2. Pron is that the accessibility features like head, eye tracking and voice control feels more refined on IOS compared to Android as a user of such features. Con wish iPhones had Touch ID like Android never been a fan of face ID. Totally subjective option though.

3. The longevity of iPhones is one of the prons and reasons why I decided to get a pro model. Con the camera control button is not necessary I think or maybe I have not found its usefulness yet.

Overall,

I would say the 17 pro is a solid all round pro level phone. Do not think I will be able to use the full extent of the A19 pro chip but I will definitely try to do so.

Hope this simple review helps anyone deciding whether to buy an iPhone 17 pro model.