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This is not-a-professional review #1 - Cozy Grove

Cozy Grove

After around 10 hours of playing this game (in about 15 days), I thought it was the right moment to release my opinion on the internet. 

Cozy Grove is a life-sim game; your character, which you can customise at the very beginning of the game, lost his/her boat and ended up on this haunted island/forest. It’s not as spooky as it sounds, as a matter of fact this is a family-friendly game and everything is extremely cute. Nevertheless, in the game you’ll have to deal with themes such as death, regret, depression, abandonment and loneliness - but still…in a “cute”, slightly sugar-coated way. 

The gameplay itself is pretty smooth, as simple as it is, and it’s all about crafting and finding items that will allow the ghosts to “enlight” themselves, adding colour to the area around them in the island. 

The character lives in a tent, built in a small camp in the south of the island. There is the possibility to customize the tent and enlarge it, similarly to animal crossing, paying with old coins. You can basically place animals (yes, animals) and items, including trees and bushes, everywhere around the island. 

PRO

Compared to animal crossing, the story has a stronger impact and the daily tasks you have to accomplish will keep you hooked and interested in the game 

Graphics: adorable

Price: pretty cheap

CONS

It gets repetitive and redundant, but the amount of items you can craft and find will kind of make up for this inconvenient 

Villagers themselves are kind of repetitive in their dialogues

The possibility of customizing the environment, however large, is limited by the reduced space, in the face of a considerable quantity of items

FINAL VERDICT

Personally, I find it a relaxing and cozy game, designed for those rainy days (or sunny days, I don’t really mind the weather outside) that I will probably continue to play, although not as diligently as in the early days.

My rating: 3/5 

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10/10/19 🍁🍂 Studying for my ear-nose-throat anatomy exam AND decorating my apartment in a more autumn-ish style. Halloween decorations coming soon. I moved about 5 months ago and this new place feels more like home now. (Moving is so stressful, isn’t it?)

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Me, my terrarium and a cat.

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Edited this Nietzsche’s quote because it’s literally what I’ve always thought of myself. It truly speaks to my soul on a higher level.

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sending “I hope you get that job” vibes to the people out here tryna get jobs

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Faeries, come take me out of this dull world, For I would ride with you upon the wind, Run on the top of the dishevelled tide, And dance upon the mountains like a flame. - Yeats

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And since there’s no place to go… Let me take some pics xD Instagram: inky_harvest_moon

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The purpose of literature is to turn blood into ink ~ T.S. Eliot.

Instagram: inky_harvest_moon

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Diy mask: 1 tea spoon charcoal powder 1 tablespoon coconut oil Apply to yo face, massage gently. Keep it on yo face for about 20 minutes Gently wash it away while massaging the skin in circular motion Voilà. Instagram: inky_harvest_moon

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The purpose of literature is to turn blood into ink ~ T.S. Eliot. Instagram: inky_harvest_moon

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ft. Secret Key Snow White Milky Pack and Cream

my Instagram: inky_harvest_moon

// This has been such a life changer for me. I really had bad skin. And for bad I mean bad, even if NOT too bad. Sometime hormonal acne, lots and lots of blackheads and sometimes whiteheads around my cheeks and chin. Anyway, I tried everything but I could not keep the right motivation to start and follow a consistent routine since nothing seemed to work for me and the ingredients in the products I used were too aggressive for my sensitive skin. Then I found out about korean skincare and since korean-japanese stuff always intrigues me, I decided to give it a try and now I’ll never go back. The korean beauty products are so HIGH quality and low cost!! My skin has improved so much, the texture, the appearance, the pigmentation…now it’s just a fun part of my daily routine, I like it, it’s not hard nor boring for me. Hope you find the right motivation to follow a good routine and feel confident in your own skin :)

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These shades are amazing!

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“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream” C.S. Lewis My Instagram: inky_harvest_moon

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Lance: if you’re all right then say something Mia: something. - Pulp Fiction Instagram: inky_harvest_moon

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Skincare tips + some myth busting (acne edition) -pt1.

These are not your usual “drink water, moisturize, get plenty of sleep” shit. These are real stuff that worked for me, and they could work for you too. Keep in mind that everyone is different tho. Ur skin might not react as well as mine did.

1. It does not matter which cleanser you use

As long as it doesn’t irritate you and isn’t overly drying, it ok. Don’t bother investing in cleansers with active substances such as benzoyl peroxide or glycolic/salicylic acid, cleanesers simply do not sit on your skin for long enough for those to work. Save that money.

2. You don’t really have to change your pillowcase everyday, ya kno.

Acne bacteria are anaerobic. They won’t survive on your pillowcase anyway. Same goes for your pijamas, bra etc. if you have back acne.

3. Speaking of back acne, wear cotton and try not to carry too heavy rucksacks.

And for the love of god, don’t wear synthetic clothes AND carry heavy luggage at the same time. Will irritate you af. Synthetics do not absorb sweat so it just accumulates on your skin the whole day. Icky.

4. EXFOLIATION

But not the mechanical kind. Damages skin. Get yourself a good enzyme or acid peel, or a cream that contains them. Makes your skin so soft and nice and really helps with getting rid of blackheads and preventing blocked pores. As a bonus, gets rid of flaky skin, if you have it. There are many kinds of acids used for chemical exfoliation, mainly categorized as alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids. They say alphas are gentler, and therefore better for sensitive skin, but also less effective for acne. I’ve tried and liked both, since I don’t have sensitive skin. Both worked for me. Do some research on this to find the best acid to use on your skin. Very important: exfoliate at night and use sunscreens!!! Exfoliating substances make your skin more sensitive to sunlight!

4. Invest in a chemical peel.

Get it performed by a dermatologist. For me, doing it once a month for three or four months saved my skin FOREVER.

5. Ditch lemon on your face…

…and apple cider vinegar. And baking soda. And sugar scrubs. And olive oil. The first two are too acidic. Baking soda is too basic. Sugar scrubs are too abrasive. Olive oil’s chemical composture isn’t suitable for acne prone skin (too much oleic acid. Ur oily skin already has enough of it. Search for oils high in linoleic acid if you want to use oils as moisturizers). Raw honey is good, apparently. Cinnamon and turmeric too. Stay vary with turmeric because according to some studies it makes skin more sensitive to sunlight.

6. You don’t really have to use toner. Invest in some hyaluronic acid serum if you want a middle step between cleansing and moisturizing.

Hyaluronic acid is an amazing humectant, and makes skin sooo well hydrated. I prefer to first apply hyaluronic to hydrate and then seal that water in with some oil-based moisturizer. That + regular exfoliation = soft skin!!!!

7. Retinoids

I used Differin on my back and it cleared me up sooo well and also got rid of my hyperkeratosis pilaris. I had quite bad bacne, and after three months they are pretty much gone. Unfortunately I’m still waiting for post-inflammatory erithema (red marks) to fade buuuut hey, I have no more acne! You should also probably go to your dermatologists to get more information on which retionid you need. Don'tforget to wear sunscreen while you’re on it. Also: you don’t have to exfoliate while on retinoid. You can, if your skin is not sensitive, but it’s not particularly necessery.

8. Topical antioxidants

Literally the most important and least known thing on this list. Lemme get a bit scienc-y.

All acne begin their journey as blocked pores. Blocked pores are those white, bumpy, skin-colored little shits below the skin surface. The most important thing you can do to prevent your acne is to prevent blocked pores. Pores are blocked as a result of sebum oxidation and consequent formation of squalene peroxide, the most comedogenic substance on earth. Bam. You have clogged pore, the perfect breeding ground for acne bacteria, which then triggers inflammatory response by your body and you get a red zit.

But this red zit would’ve never happened if your sebum never oxidized. Substances that prevent oxidation are - you guess it - antioxidants. So get yourself a good product with vitamin c, vitamin e, niacin(b3), or green tea (green tea is especially good, because it also reduces sebum output. It’s not enough to just place teabag on your skin, it wil just sit on your skin and won’t penetrate. Buy a cream). This is where you splurge, ladies. Antioxidants are also good as an anti-aging agent and serve as a protection from envirotmental pollution. Pays to invest in them.

Bonus tip

Sudocrem + tea tree oil = spot treatment!!!

Ok so this is it for now. I hope some of you will find this advice useful. I wanted to include diet/supplement tips in this post too but since this text turned out to be hella long I decided to leave it for another time. Stay happy pals!

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think twice before trusting“hoe tip” and “glo up” posts!

Listen, I’m not calling out all of these posts, because some have amazing tips… But some have absolutely APPALLING skincare advice. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when reading those posts:

Don’t use lemon on your face! It’s irritating and makes your skin photosensitive.

Don’t use bicarb soda on your face! It ruins the pH of your skin, which is there to protect it from bacteria.

If you want to use Apple Cider Vinegar, please for the love of god dilute it a LOT

Witch hazel can seriously dry out your skin.

Essential oils like tea tree oil need to be diluted.

Don’t use things like salt, sugar, etc. to exfoliate your face. Don’t use anything natural to exfoliate your face. It’s harsh and causes micro-tears in your skin, which causes a lot of damage in the long run.

On that note, do NOT use the St Ives Apricot Scrub, there is a literal lawsuit because of how bad it is. I don’t care if it’s helping your skin now, there are alternatives in the same price range that won’t cause long-term damage.

You have to moisturise. Even if you have oily skin. If you don’t, your skin will over-compensate with MORE oil. There are oil-free moisturises at every price point, guys.

A lot of products from Lush are very harsh. So be careful and check the ingredients.

A lot of people will make these posts and tell you their magical “cures” that helped their acne, and act like other people are idiots for using other things. That’s also bullshit, because everyone is different and will have different things work for them.

Coconut oil clogs pores, be careful.

Coconut oil may also make your hair brittle and dry, do your research before using it to make sure it’s appropriate for your hair type.

Cinnamon and other spices may burn your skin. You probably shouldn’t use them. But, they may not, so if you want to try them, make sure you patch test to make sure it doesn’t burn you.

Turmeric is good for your skin, but make sure you use good quality stuff. Some of it is dyed, which will in turn dye your skin. And nobody wants a bright yellow face.

When using any oil (coconut, olive, rosehip, etc) and things like honey, make sure it’s 100% pure, raw, and as unrefined as possible.

A lot of the tips are usually for the OP’s skin type. You probably have completely different skin. Remember that.

Okay that’s all I can think of right now. I love the girls who make these posts - like I said, they usually have a lot of great tips - but we need to remember that there is a lot of misleading information parading as scientific fact on the internet.