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samwisethewitch · 4 years ago

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Working with Spirits

In my last post, I talked about different types of spirits that witches may work with. Today, we’re going to discuss how to approach spirits and establish a working relationship.

Keep in mind that these are general guidelines, and every spirit is different. I encourage you to do your own research beyond this post, especially if you plan to work with powerful entities like deities, angels, or fairies.

Remember the Four R’s

It’s important to keep these things in mind when working with spirits:

Respect. The spirits are powerful, and you need to have a healthy respect for that power when working with them. It’s also important to respect them as individual, autonomous beings.

I’m not saying that every interaction you have with the spirits needs to be a full blown ritual with incense and chanting. (In fact, some spirits don’t care for those types of rituals.) But every interaction you have with them should be conducted with an air of respect and reverence.

What this mostly boils down to is good manners. Being polite will get you better results — and it will also keep you from being on the receiving end of spirit mischief. Proper etiquette depends on the type of spirit you’re working with, which is one reason it’s important to do your research. In general, it’s polite to make an offering, use respectful language, and thank the spirits before you leave (unless you’re dealing with fairies — some traditions say you should never thank the fae).

Respecting spirits also means respecting their desires — even if that means respecting their wish not to work with you. Not every spirit you reach out to will want to form a relationship with you, just like not every person you meet in your life will want to be your friend. When a spirit turns you down, respect their decision, politely bid them farewell, and move on.

Reciprocity. The goal of spirit work is to establish a mutually-beneficial partnership — not for one partner to serve the other. On one hand, this means that you can’t just command spirits to do your bidding without giving anything in return. On the other hand, it also means that you won’t be worshiping/honoring them without receiving some kind of boon.

This is why it’s important to make offerings to the spirits you work with. These offerings “feed” the spirits by giving them power, and a good offering will likely make a spirit more willing to work with you. Offerings are not payment for favors from spirits (it’s not quite that simple), but they are a sign that you intent to practice reciprocity in your relationship.

In general, it’s important to make an offering when you first introduce yourself to a spirit and again before you ask them for anything. But you shouldn’t only make offerings when you’re about to ask for something! How would you feel if you had a friend who only did nice things for you when they were about to ask for a favor? You’d probably start avoiding them, right? You might even get angry. To avoid this kind of dynamic in your spirit work, make regular offerings to the spirits you work with. If you’re especially close with a spirit, you may want to offer to them every day.

Relationship. The spirits are not vending machines where you put offerings in and blessings fall out. They are living, sentient beings with feelings, and deserve to be treated as such. Your relationship with the spirits you choose to work with is just that: a relationship. And like any relationship, it requires time, energy, and emotional labor.

If that sounds like more effort than you want to make, there are plenty of ways to do magic without ever working with spirits. You don’t need to do spirit work to be a witch. It may not be your thing, and that’s okay!

But if you choose to work with spirits, it’s important to remember that you are working with them as an equal partner — you’re not their boss, and they are not obligated to like you, help you, or even tolerate you. Relationships with spirits are built over time, through mutual respect and trust.

You wouldn’t drive up to your friend’s house, throw a fast-food burger at them, and then demand a special favor. Likewise, you shouldn’t just dump an offering on your altar and demand something of the spirits. Take the time to sit down with them. Talk to them. Get to know them. Put some thought into your offerings, instead of just offering the same thing every time. Spirit work is, at its core, about building an authentic relationship with the spirits we choose to include in our practice. Enjoy it.

Research. When it comes to spirits, it’s important to know exactly who (and what) you’re dealing with. As previously mentioned, the etiquette for dealing with fairies is very different from other land spirits. Different deities have different standards for their worshipers, which vary from one pantheon to the next. The way you interact with your ancestors will probably be shaped by their personalities, cultures, and values. All this is to say it’s important to know who you’re reaching out to, preferably before you reach out to them.

With deities, this is easy. Most witches who choose to work with deities will feel drawn to a certain pantheon, or even a specific god or goddess. There’s a lot of information out there about most historical pantheons, so researching them is easy. The same goes for angels, saints, demons, and even fairies.

It can be a little more difficult to do your research when you’re dealing with land spirits, spirits of place, or other less well-known figures. In these cases, it’s best to take three steps: 1.) figure out what type of spirit you’re dealing with (land spirit, animal spirit, ancestor, etc.), 2.) find out what this type of spirit is like generally, and 3.) find out how that applies to your specific spirit.

For example: you want to connect with your local land spirits. You do some research to find out how land spirits have been treated in various cultures — you find out that they’re typically benevolent, are closely tied to the natural landscape, and were often given food offerings. Then, you do some research into your local plants and animals — what form might a nature spirit take in your local environment? Would it be a huge moose with snow-covered antlers, or a magnolia tree in full bloom? Is there any local folklore in your area that could be describing a land spirit? Once you have answers to these questions, you’ll have a much better idea of how to approach the spirits and start up a relationship.

Initiating a Relationship with a Spirit

Begin by identifying who this spirit is. For example, let’s say you choose to reach out to a specific ancestor spirit — maybe a deceased grandparent. Make sure you’re familiar with the etiquette for interacting with this type of spirit so you don’t accidentally do something disrespectful. (If your Grandma hated cussing, try not to drop any f-bombs while communing with her.)

Create a special space to communicate with the spirit. This can be as simple as lighting a candle or as elaborate as setting up a special altar. If you’re reaching out to a grandparent, you might set up a small ritual space with a photo of them, any of their belongings that you have access to, and some things that they enjoyed while they were alive. These items may make the connection easier, but you don’t need them to communicate. What matters is that you’ve taken the time to create a special space for this moment. (Like all ritual spaces, it should be clean and tidy, and it’s a good idea to do an energetic cleanse beforehand.)

Make an offering. Make sure your offering is appropriate for the spirit you’re connecting to. Offerings should be made with an air of reverence — don’t just toss a bag of Doritos on your altar and expect it to be well-received.

Introduce yourself. Speak out loud. State your intention and who you are hoping to connect with.

Wait and listen. You may feel a presence or receive some kind of sign — or you may not. Just because you didn’t get a sign doesn’t mean that your offering wasn’t noticed or that you’re being ignored. You may also receive a sign several hours, days, or weeks after you first reach out. Be patient.

Say your farewells. Express your gratitude for the spirit’s presence, and let them know that you are ending your little ritual. It’s up to you whether to invite them to stick around or politely tell them to leave, but if you’re going to give a spirit permission to linger in your home you better be 1000% sure you know who they are and what their intentions with you are.

Moving Forward

As you work with this spirit, it is important to establish clear boundaries for the relationship. Be clear about what you want to accomplish by working with them, and make sure you understand what they expect from you in return.

You might want to establish a time limit: for example, maybe you’re choosing to work closely with the goddess Brigid from Imbolc to Samhain, at which point you can choose to continue the relationship or to take a step back. Or, you may choose to work with a spirit on a specific task — for example, working with the goddess Aphrodite to get back on your feet and rebuild your self esteem after a breakup. Once this task is accomplished, you may choose to form a more long-term relationship or to take a step back.

Forming a permanent or long-term working relationship with a spirit is a very big, very serious commitment, and should not be taken lightly. This goes double for anything involving a ritual commitment, such as dedication to a deity. When you make these commitments, you are choosing to make a spirit and their energy a permanent part of your life. This decision requires some very serious introspection and consideration, and should not be made impulsively.

Resources:

Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South by Aaron Oberon

A Practical Heathen’s Guide to Asatru by Patricia M. Lafayllve

Where the Hawthorn Grows and The Morrigan: Meeting the Great Queens by Morgan Daimler

Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin

Azrael Loves Chocolate, Michael’s A Jock: An Insider’s Guide to What Your Angels Are Really Like and The Angel Code by Chantel Lysette

New World Witchery podcast (several episodes, including “Episode 164 — Irish Folklore and Magic,” “Episode 161 — Practicing Safe Hex,” and “Episode 152 — Honoring Ancestors”)

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frenchtipacrylics · 4 years ago

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My Routine for Doll Skin✨

i absolutely love having a thorough skincare routine. it makes me feel like a scientist, haha. i unfortunately have bad genetics when it comes to skin, so no amount of “drink water”, “cut out dairy and sugar”, or “manage what you eat” will ever help improve my skin. i simply need an effective routine, and here’s what works best for me.

the morning

in the mornings, i usually prep my skin for the day. this means i use products that protect my skin from the UV rays, pollution, makeup, and other nasty stuff that it’ll come in contact with.

cleansing: in the morning, i do not use a cleanser. i just rinse my face with warm water.

toner: i don’t use witch hazel or any other astringents; instead, i use toners that hydrate my skin instead of drying it out. i love the kikumasamune sake high moisture toner and the pyukang yul essence toner.

serums: during the day i need serums that will adequately prepare my skin for makeup. because i’m oily, i use the ordinary’s niacinamide + zinc serum since it is great at oil control. i also have a 1% salicylic acid serum that helps with oil control as well as lightly exfoliates my skin, making it smooth and clearing my pores so my makeup has a great base. if i have recently had any acne, i use either a vitamin c serum or an alpha arbutin serum to clear up any dark spots. for those, i like the ordinary and the inkey list.

moisturizer: finally, to lock in everything i put on my face i like to use a moisturizer. even if i have oily skin, i use a moisturizer or else i’m just drying out my skin. i use light creams or gels. my favorites are the ordinary’s natural moisturizing factors, the primera watery cream, and the iunik centella gel cream.

spf: every morning, my skincare routine ends with me putting on sunscreen. when using chemical exfoliation, it’s pertinent that you use an spf afterwards because if not then it undoes all your hard work; however, even when you aren’t using chemical exfoliants you always need to wear spf because sun damage makes your skin tone uneven and you obviously don’t want skin cancer. yes, even if you are darkskinned, when you’re inside if you have sun coming in through your windows, during the winter, when it’s raining. it’s also important to use spf 30 or above and be sure to reapply every two hours. for the initial application, my favorite sunscreen is the purito green level if i’m not going to be in the sun all day. for reapplication over my makeup, i use the supergoop spf spray.

at night

my skincare routine for the nighttime is focused on barrier repair and hydration. this is when i use products like chemical exfoliants because using them makes the skin more sensitive to harmful uv rays from the sun. i like to layer hydration here in order to balance out my morning routine which isn’t very hydrating.

oil cleansing: i make sure to double cleanse by using an oil cleanser first and then following up with a traditional cleanser. if you wear makeup, have oily skin, or wear spf (and you’re supposed to wear spf every single day!!!), you need to double cleanse or you’re still leaving some makeup and spf on your face, which can cause acne. i like to use the farmacy cherry balm, but i also like the oat balm from inkey list.

traditional cleansing: for my traditional cleanser, i use gel cleansers because i have really oily skin. i like to dry cleanse, which is basically rubbing the cleanser onto your skin without water for about 30 seconds before wetting my hands and continuing to cleanse my face with water for the remaining 30 seconds. yes, i wash my face for 60 seconds and so should you. we’re supposed to wash our hands for at least 30 seconds to truly clean them, so why should our faces be any different? my favorite is the glow recipe blueberry bounce gentle cleanser, but i also like the simple micellar gel wash. i remove all my cleansers with a warm, wet cloth.

chemical exfoliation: this is truly how i get my skin together. i’m a bit advanced when it comes to chemical exfoliation, so unless you’re used to it do not copy me. your skin will hate you. bha 2 days a week, retinol/differin once a week, and azelaic acid on alternating days = doll skin, period. this combo gets rid of my skin congestion, clears my pores, smooths out my skin, and gets rid of any pimples with the quickness. i use the paula’s choice 2% bha, differin, and the ordinary’s azelaic acid (or paula’s choice if i want to splurge a little).

toner: again! i’ll admit it, i put my skin through a lot as someone who wears a full face of makeup everyday and has oily skin. however, it’s important to not be constantly stripping your skin of moisture. every other product in my nighttime routine is focused on keeping my skin barrier in tact and healthy. some people like putting their toner on a cotton round and wiping it over their face to get off excess dirt, but i cleanse my skin thoroughly so that isn’t needed. i always pour a bit of toner into my hands and press it into my damp skin like a serum.

essences: this is literally just for extra hydration. essences are like toners, but they can be thicker and are always hydrating, so they feel more luxurious. my favorites are the hadalabo premium hyaluronic solution and the cosrx snail mucin essence.

serums: at night, i only use hydrating serums. i love the ordinary’s niacinamide + zinc serum at night because niacinamide not only helps with oil control but it also helps with barrier repair. i also like to use their marine hyaluronics serum. my favorite barrier repair serum is the purito centella buffet serum; as soon as i put that on, any irritation is immediately soothed. krave’s great barrier relief and paula’s choice omega complex serum are both great if you’re willing to spend a little more.

moisturizer: because i don’t have to worry about keeping my makeup on all day, i tend to go for heavier moisturizers at night. during this time, i only use moisturizers that have ingredients formulated for barrier repair, such as ceramides, centella extract, and squalane oil. i use the one kind dream cream and the cerave moisturizer in a tub.

occlusive: an occlusive is what i put on my face during the night so i wake up with soft, plump skin and don’t suffer from tewl, or trans-epidermic water loss. if you wake up with skin on the dry side, you should probably put on an occlusive at night. i used to use a facial oil, but i found that it wasn’t occlusive enough for me. now i use the cerave healing ointment, but plain vaseline works well, too.

weekly

here are the things that aren’t needed more than once a week for me. these are all either addressing issues that i don’t have as often, for special occasions, or could even be detrimental if done too often.

face shaving: i do not do at-home dermaplaning, but i do use an eyebrow razor to tackle my mustache area and in-between my brows. i also shape/tweeze my eyebrows and tweeze wherever else needed at this step.

masks: depending on where i’m going or what my goal is, i usually use either a sheet mask, a hydrogel mask, or a clay mask. sheet masks are honestly just hydrating serums, and i like to do these in the winter when i’m feeling especially dry. i use hydrogel masks tend to target certain areas such as the under eyes or lips. when i need my makeup to last a very long time or i’m about to go on a really important event, i use clay masks to completely mattify my face. when removing clay masks, i like to use a hydrating spray (my toner in a spray bottle) to make the mask wet again so i don’t tug on my skin as much during the removal process.

spot treating: i don’t get pimples often anymore, but when i do i like to get rid of them asap. i don’t pop my pimples because it’s unsanitary for a number of reasons, but i do understand the urge to pick at them. that’s why i put a spot treatment on them. i use zapzyt which is a 10% benzoyl peroxide acne treatment gel or the sulfur spot treatment from face reality. if my pimple accidentally does “pop”, i clean the area and quickly put an acne patch on it. i love the peace out acne dots with salicylic acid and the hydro-stars from star-face.

lip care: especially now that winter is coming up, it is important to not have dry, nasty, cracked lips. i use a lip scrub to exfoliate all the dead skin off, then apply an overnight lip mask. the lip scrub i use is the seraphine botanicals orange + cream lip polish. my favorite lip masks are the tarte sea jelly glaze lip masks and the laneige lip sleeping masks. obviously, throughout the day i wear lip balm and while i really love the jack black intense therapy lip balm and the dior lip glow balm, i only use vaseline now for medical reasons.

#i have to post this bc tumblr keeps messing up the format like always #anyways like i said i do a LOT when it comes to maintenance #skincare #skincare routine #if anyone wants any clarification on any of these steps or products just send an ask lmfao

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wistfulrat · 4 years ago

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it is once again time to be emo abt angry sad lost boys—first, a dark!harry double feature: as bloodlust vigilante and haunted assassin. second, it’s two of my favorite GallaPlacidia dracos: an eccentric, burlesque dancer draco (feelings avoider) and an anxious, charity worker draco (feelings declarer). this week’s characterization said contrast, intrigue, range!

The Placebo Sequence by Snegurochka - 6k, M Harry Potter has only ever had two goals in life: to defeat Voldemort and to bring his followers to justice. One, he's done. The other is in progress. It should be simple, except there's one former Death Eater who doesn't meet the right criteria.

harry’s anger has always been the most interesting and cathartic part of his character for me. i love it when fic writers choose to explore the extent of that justified rage. this post-war harry wants a clean slate and he wants to do the violent cleansing. there’s this exchange: "Does that hurt? "No." Malfoy was watching him intently, his jaw tight. "Maybe it should.” "Maybe it's not up to you to decide." but this harry wants to decide. and for two boys who have never had much autonomy, there is an allure in choice even when it’s a horrifying one. this time draco is the rational one, the just one. i think harry is enraged and absolved by that. goD all those layers and tension in 6k words? lazywonderland recc’d this one to me and she said Taste.

My Hands Are Of Your Colour by @ohdrarry - 8k, M Sometimes spilled blood lingers on guilty hands. Draco sees red and Harry washes it clean.

harry, killer for hire. ministry-employed murderer. he has long moved past the shock of his job. until he sees himself through untainted eyes and all the humanity he thought he’d lost is forced to surface. it’s this part for me: “I’m glad you found it horrifying.” Draco stares. Harry shrugs. “It means you won’t become like me.” “I don’t find being you undesirable,” Draco says after a second. His eyes are brimming with something Harry can name easily. the empathy, the tenderness, the good in the grotesque! another short story banger.

Can I tell you something? by GallaPlacidia - 33k, M It's not a party unless Draco Malfoy is there. He's so fun! So wild! So crazy! So many drugs! So many drugs. Too many drugs? Harry's starting to think it's probably a lot too many drugs. This is not a drug addiction recovery fic, although there is a drug addiction recovery. Feat. character development through wide-eyed MDMA trips and Draco Malfoy finding peace as a burlesque dancer.

u read galla for her dracos—sad, eccentric, sharp, avoidant, hilarious. a little mean, a little lovely. this one is in the mess of post-war kids coping however they can via sex, drugs, euphoria, etc. but then, the inevitable come-down. draco flails. draco copes. harry is always somewhere in the periphery, watching. always earnest and falling in love with unattainable, devastatingly beautiful things. never letting himself become an emotional burden. they text, they banter, they confess by skirting around the confession. “I like that you always let me change the conversation when I want,” said Draco, à propos nothing. Harry quietly took another bite of his salad. Draco frowned at the table. “It makes it easier to bring things up,” he said, after a moment. there are a few scenes where draco breaks his theatric persona to say the truth plainly and you realize that the reader and draco are both watching harry learn to love from a distance. it’s a relationship of equals, of restraint. when they finally collide and settle, it feels inevitable and earned.

GOODNIGHT FROM YOUR FUTURE HUSBAND by GallaPlacidia - 13k, M Draco accidentally sends Harry a drunken letter proposing marriage. Harry responds.

ok besides the bucket list i rly think this is galla’s funniest. draco’s unhinged epistolary confessional is so so correct in its dramatics, earnestness disguised as humor, etc. draco choosing to be a data analyst for a muggle charity in spite of its colonialist tendencies bc the job is morally complex. harry sort of being obsessed with this rambling, anxious draco. and then galla just Knowing how to write the draco and slytherin friends dynamic. god they are all a Mess. all varying degrees of hot, cutting, maladjusted, secretly lonely, and ridiculous. they make this fic happy-sad in that there are lots of different kinds of love happening here. it’s a story of old friendships and new partners. loyal, contradictory, tainted love. eager, fumbling, honest love. it gives 13k words a whole lotta depth. a complicated addition of joy and trouble to Harry’s life — i love that. this fic is exactly that.

#weekly drarrys #drarry fic rec #drarry as fugitive vigilantes is Hot actually #galla said lemme write some dialogue that will make you laugh and cry real quick

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uncloseted · 3 years ago

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Hey I've been following your blog for awhile and I know we're both in our late 20's. I only unfortunately recently started getting into skincare and actually wearing SPF so my skin has suffered :( Are there any skincare products to fight aging that you swear by? You have such lovely skin. Like..It's perfect. I use Aveeno SPF 30 lotion, vitamin C serum, retinol, and Cetaphil moisturizer at night. What else do you suggest, if anything? Unless you're just blessed.

First of all, thank you, that's so nice! I will say that my skin probably isn't as good as you're imagining, because when you see me I'm almost always in front of a window or a ring light and because I color filter my videos for aesthetic consistency. That said, I am into skincare and I'm totally happy to give some advice.

In general, the first thing I would say is to know your skin type and identify your skin concerns. If your skin is dry (like mine), you'll need different products from someone who's skin is oily. If your skin is sensitive, there will be products that people swear by that won't work for you. If you're looking to prevent wrinkles or treat acne, there are specific ingredients to look for in your skincare products.

Once you know your skin type, you can put together a skincare routine with your particular concerns in mind. Generally, you want a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen to start with. The cleanser and moisturizer you can use in the morning and at night (unless you have dry skin, in which case, only use it at night), and sunscreen just in the morning.

SPF is the most important product for anti-aging, since a lot of visible aging is due to UV damage. Retinoids (retinol, adapalene, tretinoin) are the other ingredient family that have a lot of research backing them as anti-aging products. You have to use them consistently for 3-6 months before you'll see results. If you're going to use retinoids, sunscreen becomes doubly important because they increase your sensitivity to sun. Vitamin C has less evidence to support it as an anti-aging skincare product, but if it works for you, there's no harm in using it.

In terms of specific products, here are some things to look for and products that people typically like. If you love the products you're already using and they work for you, I wouldn't make any changes.

Cleansers:

Basically for cleansers, you're just looking for something that takes off all of the product or buildup on your face, and that doesn't make your skin feel irritated, tight, dry, or ‘squeaky clean'.

Cleansers that people typically like include: CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, CeraVe Foaming Cleanser, Bioderma Micellar Water, e.l.f Holy hydration! Makeup melting cleansing balm, Simple Micellar Water.

Sunscreens:

Look for a sunscreen that is SPF 30+ for UVB. There are a few different ways of measuring UVA protection, but generally you want something that's labeled PPD 8+ or PA+++, PPD of 8, UVA Seal, or a Boots star rating of at least 3. If you're in the US, products labeled "broad spectrum" provide some UVA protection, but it doesn't tell you how much protection you're getting.

If you're lazy (like me), you can find a sunscreen that's also a moisturizer. Make sure that you put a lot of product on, because if you don't use enough sunscreen, you won't get the benefits.

Sunscreens that people typically like include: Nivea Sun Protect Super Water Gel, Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence, Neutrogena Clear Face Break-Out Free Liquid Lotion Sunscreen, Etude House Sunprise Mild Watery Light, and Eucerin Sun Fluid Sensitive Protect.

Good sunscreens that double as moisturizers include: CeraVe Ultra Light Moisturizer, Cetaphil PRO Oil Absorbing Moisturizer, Olay Total Effects Anti-Aging Moisturizer, Olay Complete Defence Daily UV Moisturising Lotion, and CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion AM.

Moisturizers:

Look for products with occlusives, which seal in water, humectants, which attract water to the skin, and emollients, which smooth rough skin and make it flexible and soft.

Moisturizers people typically like are: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel, CosRx Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream, CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM, Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion, Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream, Bioderma Sensibio Light, and the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream.

Retinoids:

Start by using a retinoid 1-2 times a week. You can increase it gradually if your skin tolerates it well, but you don't necessarily need to use it every day. Typically, retinol is a good place to start, since it's gentler than other retinoid options.

Retinols that people typically like include: Superfacialist Anti-Aging Serum (0.01%), Paula’s Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle Repair Serum (0.1%), Paula’s Choice Resist Skin Smoothing Body Treatment (0.1%), Alpha Skincare Deep Wrinkle Repair (0.15%), SkinPrep 0.5% Retinol (0.5%), The Ordinary 0.2% Retinol, 0.5% Retinol, & 1% Retinol.

Last but not least, here are the products that I use. Like I said before, my skin is dry, and it's prone to redness if I'm not hydrating it frequently enough.

Cleanser: Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water

Moisturizer: CosRx Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream

SPF: CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion with Sunscreen

I'm planning on switching out my sunscreen to the No Megumi Morning UV Protection Cream, which has higher protection (SPF 50 + / PA ++++). It's supposed to be a 5-in-1 anti-aging cream that replaces toner, serum, cream, hydrating mask, sunscreen and makeup primer, and that has 50 types of moisturizing ingredients for dry skin. I have absolutely no idea if it actually does any of those things, but I've heard great things about it as a product, so I'm excited to try it out.

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sw124 · 3 years ago

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BonelyHearts Inferno! Reader insert2

{Goddess!ReaderXSkeleton Reaper household}

Part 2: Ten kings, One goddess

You knew hell to have flames, you were told in your youth that hell was a place of unending fire and suffering. So it came no surprise to you when you felt warmth around you…an yet this warmth did not turn into the sharp sensation of serpent flames that scorched ones skin. It was far too gentle to be anything related to such a horrible place, your eyes fluttered open…you found yourself surrounded by the most beautiful shade of purple.

You never seen such a sight before, like an arrow you shot up and looked around, the color was dyed into sheer bed curtains that surrounded you. The blankets that covered you shared the same color, not just that but just how soft these fabrics felt to you. They made silk seem like untreated flax in comparison, you shook your head and focused your mind back on where you were. You noticed a dark shadow just outside the curtain, fear came back in waves. With trembling hands you pushed back the curtains.

There sitting on a small chair was a skeleton, he appeared to be sleeping. Wrapped in a cloak that almost seemed to be cut from night itself. He wore a smile akin to childlike mischief where there is no malice in their actions, just jovial fun. Pushing the curtain back more you noticed the room was….bathed in the same light that gave the beast you saw before of the mighty ship its demonic glare. A cerulean flame on each torch housed in a floral glass shade.

The room seemed carved of out of marble formed by smoke, whips of white swirled in the stone itself. Slowly you sat up, your legs swung over the side of the bed. You saw a beautiful vanity with a neatly folded gown, it looked like it was woven from emeralds.

“Good to see your awake.” Came a voice, you jumped and turned to the skeleton…who was now looking at you.

You shivered and backed up into the safety of the bed again, perhaps you thought the curtains would protect you, that was wishful thinking. You watched as he gently pulled the bed curtains all to one side, then sat back down and smiled.

“Guess thats to be expected, names Sans, king, judge of hell and fairer of the departed souls….an lover of puns.” The skeleton named Sans gave a playful wave as if brushing away a bug.

“I….” The words caught in your throat, Sans looked at you and gave a gentle but impish smile.

“Yeah its true I look scary, don’t worry though it takes a lot to get ‘under my skin’ as they say.”

Did…did he just make a pun? You didn’t know if it was the confusion or shock but…you started having a giggle fit. You had a slight weakness for puns at times, an you just couldn’t help yourself.

“Well Mr.Pun-lover if I’m ‘tibia’ honest I do find your jokes quite ‘humerus’ heh oh I hope I haven’t ‘tickled your funny bone’ have I now?” You giggled out.

Looking up you saw his impish grin turn into what you could only describe as pure glee. He looked like a child who was just given an entire serving of honey-cakes all to himself. For a little moment you two punned back and forth before you both were interrupted by your growling stomach. Your face went red with embarrassment.

“Heh, figured as much. You’ve been out for almost a whole day, well anyway now that yer awake I can take you to the bath chamber so you can cleaned up then we can meet the other kings. My brother and a few of the kings found you something suitable to wear when your done.”

He extended his hand to you, hesitant at first but you slid your hand into his. Grabbing the emerald toga from the vanity he escorted you from the room, past the heavy oak door of the room was a long yet spacious atrium. You notated more doors of similar wood but all seemed to be decorated or carved with specific symbols and designs.

It was past this room you walked along an open area…there you looked out over a landscape that almost froze you to the spot if not for Sans gentle encouraging hand. You expected a world of never ending despair and anguish…an yet here you were looking out at a vast garden of utter beauty. Tree’s filled with green foliage, flowers of the most unearthly beauty with colors never found in the mortal world.

“You’ll get to see more of the garden later, best not to keep the baths waiting unless you don’t mind bathing in cold water.” Sans chuckled, gently guiding you to a large pair of double doors. Pushing them open, clouds of steam billowed out around you leaving diamond-beads of sweat on your skin.

“Here we are, one of my cousin-kings will be here waiting for you when your done. They’ll take you to the dining hall, there you can meet the rest of’em.”

You blinked an looked at him. “Cousin-kings?”

Sans shrugged. “Yeah, all my cousins are kings down here so to speak but we’ll explain that when your cleaned and fed. Take as long as you need.”

In one blink he was gone, left with more questions then answers you decided to think about while soaking. You closed the doors behind you and looked out…before you was a large pool of water with ghostly wisps of steam rising up. Such a sight never filled you with such relief before, without hesitating you quickly stripped yourself of your old toga. Along the sides of the large bath chamber you found bottles of fragrant oils and cream for your skin.

Walking over to the selection of bottles you picked out three, you pulled the cork on one and inhaled the sweet aroma of fresh milk. You lifted the bottle and bowed your head, letting the white liquid pour over your hair and skin. Just enough to cleanse your scalp, you massaged the milk in before taking a bottle of the cream and repeating the process. Then you doused yourself with a pitcher of water, shivering a bit as the cold water trialed down your back.

But it would be worth it, covering your chest with your arms you slowly walked to the edge of the mighty pool. Dipping just your toes in you felt your body just melt, before you knew it your entire being was submerged into the water minus your head.

Ooh~ it felt so nice, for a moment you forgot where you were. Your mind drifted to the hot springs you bathed in as a child. Splashing about and in the process making flower petals out of the water droplets. Sadly that image in your mind was disrupted by the recollection of the river….the river you sailed on with your tiny boat….

You stood up, feeling tears retuning….but before you could start crying again…you found the pool was filled with flowers. You must’ve created them without knowing..

Hopefully your hosts won’t be mad about it…after you dried off and dabbed a little perfume on your neck you walked out back into the hall. You tied up your hair with both wisteria flowers and vines. You just stepped outside when you were suddenly accosted at the door, a much taller skeleton clad in bright red with armor stood beside you.

“Hello there! I am the Great King Papyrus, guardian of limbo it is an honor to meet you!”

You didn’t get a chance to speak before he whisked you into his arms into a princess carry. You felt your cheeks grow hot as he whisked within seconds to another set of large doors.

“Forgive the sudden rush but…my cousins have been rather impatient to meet you Goddess.”

You were still in a bit of shocked surprise and it only grew when the doors opened. Before you now was a large marble table filled to the brim of food of every kind. However you noticed very little animal meat, but that did not bother you too much since you rather feast upon fish instead. Animals were precious to you and you only ate their flesh when you either had no choice or were told to in the presence of other gods.

But food was not the only thing you found at this large table, you found five short skeletons among them was Sans now in a dark blue toga instead of his black cloak an five tall skeletons…all strangely baring a resemblance to both Sans and Papyrus.

Sans stood up from his seat and smiled.

“Welcome Goddess, care to join us?”

End part 2

[all the characters minus the reader are inspired from the @bonelyheartsclub ]

#fanfic #undertale #bonely hearts club

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honeytonedhottie · 1 year ago

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quality of life‧₊˚✩彡🎐

this post is a collaboration with @prettieinpink my lovely mutual <3 so make sure to check out ur page for the continuation of this post and it has been a PLEASURE to work with her! go and follow her <3

HEALTH : ur health is easily the most important of these categories and ur own health must be prioritized in every thing that u do. health is wealth, and without health, ur quality of life will be very low.

eat foods that are good for u and that nourish you, pay close attention to ur body and how it reacts to certain foods cuz everyones body is different and u should have a vast knowledge on your own body and how it works. eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. a helpful ratio in eating that i like to use as a basic guideline is (80% of the time, eat healthier foods and 20% of the time eat what u crave)

stay hydrated and drink between 1-3 liters of water a day, about 15 minutes before u go to sleep drink a couple glasses of water, drinking water before bed literally CLEANSES you, it improves ur skin, helps ur heart pump blood more efficiently, and improves blood pressure and heart rate, which affects ur quality of sleep in a positive way

to continue on the note of ur sleep u should be sleeping 8-10 hours of sleep a night. sleep deprivation is NOT cute, so please opt to sleep at an earlier time and rise at an earlier time as well

aside from what u consume, take care of ur health by taking supplements, drinking lots of teas, sleeping enough, stretching ur body, dry brushing, lymphatic drainage massage etc

MENTAL WELL BEING : september is suicide prevention month so i feel like now is an AMAZING time to bring up mental health and ways that u can improve ur mental state of being.

i always talk about self concept and i always will because self concept truly is the foundation of everything. ur whole entire life is literally ur mindset. keeping a positive outlook, meditating and practicing gratitude sounds cliche but it does wonders for ur happiness.

understand that its okay to NOT feel happy 24/7 because happiness is simply a feeling, and feelings are fleeting. they dont stay forever. i talked about the science of dopamine and what it does to ur brain in a previous post but some things that u can do to improve ur happiness levels are :

cutting back on social media and screen time in order to experience the world around you

surrounding urself with people who build you up

consuming social media that impacts ur mental health in a positive way

if u can, invest in therapy and if u can't do some shadow work, and based on ur discoveries with shadow work use the resources that u have (like youtube) to learn how to heal from ur trauma properly. healing isn't an overnight process, its a journey but it will DRASTICALLY improve ur quality of life.

find ways to cope and deal with ur emotions in a healthy way if ur going through a hard time, if ur going thru a REALLY hard time please go and seek help bcuz u dont deserve to live in a constant state of sadness, and if u ever need encouragement my inbox is always open 💗

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE : ur physical appearance can greatly impact ur quality of life also so here's some way to maximize ur looks:

sleep, drink water, and walk everyday - the best way to be pretty is to be healthy so make sure ur taking care of ur nutrition and ur sleep schedule

skincare - build a solid skincare routine and be consistent with it, do ur skincare RELIGIOUSLY 2x a day and dont touch ur face with ur hands unless ur washing ur face. double cleanse and dont forget to apply spf <33

haircare - learn what ur hair texture is and watch influencers or people who share the same hair texture as u and watch how they take care of their hair. once u know ur hair type then ur hair will thrive and be healthy

clean nails, long or short its all a matter of preference but keep ur nails clean and done nicely

wearing clothes that fit and complement ur body nicely, get ur clothes tailored to fit ur body comfortably

take good care of ur hair to keep it healthy, and learn how to do ur hair in cute hairstyles.

lastly POSTURE will tie all of this together, ofc these categories were rly broad but u can totally look into them more to maximize ur own looks and beauty

i know dear peachie on youtube has AMAZING makeup tips especially if ur a beginner she can teach u a lot

GENERAL : this is just a broad category of helpful things that u can do to improve the quality of ur life.

manifestation : when u learn about the way that the world works and operates and how ur mind creates ur own reality u will literally step into the power of knowing that you create. start committing to ur dream life and learning about law of assumption

finding little things to be happy about : i feel my happiest when im consciously living. and what i mean about this most of us just live our lives on autopilot out of necessity or habit, but paying closer attention to our lives and our experiences and romanticizing our lives will improve the quality of ur life

decision making : make decisions that will give the quality of life that u wanna live. for the future, make decisions that are good for ur future self instead of just focusing on making decisions that only look good in that one moment. ofc this differs depending on the situation but make an effort to make smart decisions that'll set the foundation for ur future

go check out @prettieinpink for the next part of this post <;3

#law of assumption #self care #self concept #it girl #becoming that girl #manifesting #self love #loa tumblr #that girl #neville goddard #it girl energy #dream girl #lifestyle #self improvement

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thegardenofbae · 4 years ago

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I feel like I am finally on the right track of becoming a healthier me in many ways. I amd almost 18 months sober and finally starting to love and respect myself. I want to start treating my body better by being conscientious of what I put into it but I am obsessed with sugar!! Any suggestions on how to break this habit in a healthy way?

Hello doll 💌

(I’m answering this publicly, I hope that’s ok)

First let me say how very proud I am of you for staying sober almost 18 mos. I know you don’t need my validation, but I’m happy to celebrate with you!

To help break yourself out of the stronghold of sugar, I would first start off by saying it’s not overnight that you just leave that lifestyle.

First, be cognizant of what is being brought into your home. If you live alone, double down on yourself and DO NOT buy sugary foods and drinks. If you live with others, let them know of your goals so they can be cognizant not to eat sugary things in front of you.

Secondly, start retraining your body and tastebuds to want healthier alternatives. When I decided to change my lifestyle from one filled with super processed foods to one of more whole and clean foods, I did a juice cleanse of fruits and vegetables for 7 days to cleanse my palette and my body of my old cravings. When I broke my cleanse, I started introducing clean foods and tried my best not to integrate processed foods back into my diet unless absolutely necessary. Try doing that if you are able.

I’m not claiming to be a licensed medical professional, so if absolutely anything doesn’t feel right, contact a health professional ASAP. I can only speak on that which has worked for me.

Good luck on your journey 🤍

#romanichel #answered

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atinybitofau · 5 years ago

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[PART 1] S A N ⇲ royal series au

RECAP: san is king of eden, seonghwa is king of serene, you’re queen of elos under one nation and now you’re forced to go on a bonding retreat with san cause seonghwa told you to. enjoy boys and girls.

• series masterlist •

⇩ PART ONE ⇩, click here to read the prologue

It was weird in the silence. The carriage cabin’s actually quite roomy for the confinement you assumed it to would be. King San was minding his own business, sleeping on his side as you stare out at the pitch dark skies you crossed. Mingi now lead with his troop of horses outside the carriage with you and San’s respectable parties too. But it was just you two in the shelter from the cold. Occasionally you would pitch in concern for the other king on a horse, though he seemed unharmed with eagerness. The only thing you really had besides your frustration was the view of the other king peacefully sleeping across from you.

“They say a face will still the longer you tarry, Princess.”

You roll your eyes facing away again as he obnoxiously spoke the first words of the already 4 hour trip. “Feeling awake, King San?”

“After having some beauty rest, yes. You need some too it seems.” he displays a cocky smirk after he speaks before you lay at rest on your own bed only feet away from his. “And must I say, the geisha look on you is quite subtle when you are in this state.”

“A state of displeasure?”

you triggered his eye roll. “Women are such burdens.”

“So are vain imbeciles.”

“You’ll never be fit to be a queen.”

“Correction, King San.” You sneer. “I am one.”

“Not in my eyes.” He taunts ever so easily. “You are still a princess with many faults.”

“Says the King who has many enemies.”

“You don’t know a thing.”

“I don’t need to know much than what I already do, Choi San.” Your habit of dropping honorifics doesn’t leave you as you ask. Especially when tempted too. “I’m going to sleep. Wake me up when we come to a halt.”

He retorts with a scoff, “I’ll do what I please.”

You think it’s only an hour more until you’re abruptly shaken awake by Mingi who was now in the cabin where San was surprisingly not. You sigh sitting up and rub at your bare face until Mingi assists you in moving up.

“We’ve arrived at a small canteen.” Mingi explains amidst San’s absence. “In case you wanted to see the sights.”

You raise an eyebrow at the armored king who smirks in your direction. “And what sights might that be?”

“San-ssi looks quite dashing by the pond where he’s washing up.” He hints with a playful tone. “Maybe you should join him. That sight never easy to come by.”

“Always a greater nuisance, King Song.” You glare and nudge at the taller’s stature, hoping he’d topple over into mud.

Laughing at your reaction, he reminds you, “I know you don’t like the arrangement but it’s better to get to know your enemies than fight them so I heard. Go on.”

“You can eat grass.” You bite back with a hmpf. “I’d rather put myself on a pedestal and say stupid things.”

“Your highness, it’ll be fun.”

“Don’t—“ You stop him with a taunting finger. “Lie to me. We both know interacting with that son of a bitch is just going to end up in trouble.”

“But you still need to wash and we’re only stopping for 20 minutes.”

“You’re despicable.”

“Don’t forget a wash cloth!”

You grumble wordless nothings, trudging your heavy feet towards the pond. It was eerily quiet after walking over a couple rocks and towering bushes, the night sky not helping the fact that you already couldn’t see well. You notice a higher ground and made my your way there until a large head appeared at your feet, bulbous and round and terrifyingly ugly.

“Is that..” of course it is. “OH MY FUCKING GOD, A FROG!!”

You squeal losing balance on both your two light feet, the air time you catch causing yout heart to drop from your chest. You gasp when you fall blindly into thin air, only to be caught into a warm embrace beneath you. You huddled into it finding sole comfort after your horrifying encounter with a small monster only to be faced with something even bigger.

“San?” You mumble awkwardly staring into his gleaming eyes in the moonlight.. whose body was also completely naked. “Put me down this instant or I’m going to cut your royal balls off!”

You’re dropped abruptly into a cold pond of water screaming and flailing even worse than you did with the frog. Obviously amused, San laughs hiding his lower body into the pond. You sink in your soaking wet gown that weighed down your light slim body, glaring at him and spitting musky water out of your shivering lips. Your whole body twitches almost from fury and annoyance.

“How can you find this funny right now?” You ask in horror splashing water at his unruly attractive face.

“Because you’re afraid of frogs AND I dropped you in cold water. How could this not be funny?” He explains with a curt nod. “By the way, your perky doubles are staring right at me through your night gown. Might want to keep those confidential, Princess.”

“CHOI SAN!” You yell again frantically throwing water at his laughing face.

“Queen y/n! Are you alright?”

You two are bombarded by your kingdom’s knights, San’s concerned one’s following suit with curiousity and caution. Hands on their swords, you bow them away hiding behind the unintentional bathing partner you had. San alone was enough to see your slightly naked form.. you didn’t need soldiers of your kingdom seeing it either. Call it a sense of pride but you think it’s more on the lines of embarrassment.

San weirdly stood his place in front of you, hands protectively holding at your waist shielding your naked body from sight.

“Everything’s alright. You may be dismissed.”

Your knights glance at each other before peering to you. “We only take orders from the Queen.”

You sigh smiling in genuine remorse before bowing your head by San’s shoulder. “I’m alright, boys. Just a little slip by my feet is all.”

San’s soldiers seemed off by the comment one of your own men had made and looked to their King for a certain command. Only to be beckoned away with a simple wave of disinterest. You push at him when you two are finally left alone still annoyed by the events that just took place.

“Take a bath, he said.” You mocked Mingi while stripping out of your dress. “It’ll be fun he said.”

“What was that?”

Sighing you answer, “Nothing.”

You throw your now damp dress at the rocks and sunk into the cold pond to cleanse. San, on the other hand, is leaning against a large boulder keeping the waters calm watching you as you scrub dirt off your body. You kept it so nothing else would be in his line of vision, only your bare shoulders and clean face left to show over the water. His own though seemed divine under the starlight, jaw line carved through his shadow. His narrow tiger shaped eyes gazed with interest and you find yourself gazing in his.

“And can I help you?” You interrupt the odd silence between the both of you, his flirtatious reputation being the better of him.

“By straightening your knees in the water a little more if you want.” His teeth were too white for you to not miss that smile.

And wow.

you couldn’t help but tell him. “You should smile more. It makes me want to strangle you less.”

“Very princessy of you, y/n.” He chuckles widening his arms to swim closer. You take a careful swim back as his eyes never leave yours. “First lesson you should take to being a proper queen— womanry.”

A wordplay on weaponry. “How cunning.”

He swims past you brushing slightly against your shoulder leaving more of a coldness than the night breeze. He walks against the land after ascending from the water to dry up with a cloth. You watch him completely— observing honest how his back muscles move so well with everything else.

You want to say your crazy but he was an attractive King. But still an A class asshole.

He wraps himself up and readies to leave till you stop him in realization.

“Wait!” You call out making him halt.

“I’m not going to throw a frog on you, princess, don’t fret.”

“No I was going to say— wait WERE YOU THINKING OF GOING TO?!”

He chuckles echoing the empty land surrounding him. “Absolutely not. That’s ridiculous.. maybe.”

Ignoring that, you sigh. “Can you stay a little longer? I’m afraid of the dark.”

You’re already starting to regret asking when the egotist King stops to bask. You roll your eyes sinking into the water and readying yourself for his next sadistic comment.

“Is stuck-up little miss princess asking me to accompany her as she washes?”

You breath in harshly turning your back towards him. “If you want to leave, go ahead. I won’t force you to stay.”

Asshole.

“I’ll stay. Don’t worry.” He rubs casually at his damp hair with a towel not feeling even a little bit modest about his sex god body.. and it’s important parts that were on full display. “But you’ll owe me.”

“I’ll owe you nothing.”

“Then you can stay with your frog friends.”

“San.” you warn shakily.

“That’s King San to you.”

Considering your circumstances, y/n, you don’t have a choice. You inhale sharply holding back your also never ending pride and cave.

“King San.” you unwillingly correct through gritted teeth.

“Excellent. Now do you promise to do me a solid and honorable favor when requested so?”

“Can I really object the conditions?”

“Not unless you want to play with frogs.” He truly was a childish fiend.

“Fine.”

“You have to say it.”

“No.”

“Princess, the frogs~” he sing songs making you groan in defeat.

“I promise to do you a solid and honorable favor when requested so, there,” you throw your hands up in a fit. “Satisfied?”

Smirking, he sits back with a victorious look on his face that just wanted to get slapped off.

If you won’t kill him any time soon, you might to yourself.

“Very.”

@atinybitofau

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igotthesmellofbooks · 4 years ago

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YAY! I used the same ops. That first one that I posted with eva and alex was actually supposed to be this but then I changed the plot

JUST SO YOU KNOW I DIDN’T READ OR EDIT IT ‘COZ I WAS FEELING LAZY

Like I said before, PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS ANYWHERE SINCE THIS IS PURELY FOR READING PURPOSES:

CHAPTER 1

Trekking through the dusty and dark tunnels of underground metro trains were Scarlet and Alex, MMP’s (Ministry of Magical Protection) best. They were both 16, going 17. The Ministry of Magical Artifacts had reported an artifact missing; The Mirror of Memories. It was supposed to be a shield but no-one used it. It showed the opponent’s worst memories, disabling him/her long enough to kill. They got a lead the day before, regarding where the Mirror might be. That day, a blast was reported at the same coordinates. Scarlet and Alex had been walking through the wreckage since dawn stopping only to rest and see to their needs and now it was nightfall with a full moon in the sky.

Scarlet stifled a cough and complained for the sixth time,” Your jokes are so lame! Why can’t you just memorize some from a book and not make them up on your own?”

Alex gave her a wicked grin that told her she wasn’t going to like the answer to that question and said, ”Do you actually mean that?”

She stopped and said,” Kind of.” Then said teasingly,” Do you want me not to mean it?” He stopped a few feet away and for a split second almost looked flustered. He hesitated and blurted,” Yeah…” Scarlet tried not to blush but failed and was thankful that he couldn’t see her in the dim lighting so she said,” Then just keep quiet and try to think of better ways to charm me with your humour.” and averted her eyes. She found him staring at her with a faint smile on his lips. She punched him on the shoulder and he yelped in surprise. He glared at her and she said,” Let’s get going, troublemaker.” Ignoring his glare, she picked her way through the debris until she reached the main site of the blast. She started and Alex came to stand beside her. He exhaled sharply.

There was a circle where no debris had fallen. And in the middle of the circle lay shattered the Mirror.

“You got to be kidding me…Do you know about any defensive spell that could cause a blast?” Scarlet asked, turning to Alex. “Nope.” “Come on, Alex, be serious.” “Well…. I might have seen one in an advanced spell book, but I don’t remember the book’s name…” “Alex! You have to remember!” She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “Unless… There’s something you want from me.” He spread his hands as she glared at him.” Of course. I shouldn’t have expected anything else.” She muttered under her breath as she dug into her backpack and threw him his silver sword. He caught it elegantly by the hilt and grinned as it shrunk into a silver ring. He pocketed it and said,” The book’s name is ‘Advanced Wizard’s Spells- Sequel 2’ spell 253.” Biting her lip, she said, “I didn’t know the Mirror could be destroyed.” Her stomach twisted into a knot and she felt something coil in her gut, a sense of danger.

She slammed into Alex but a second too late. An arrow, meant for his neck, sprouted from her left shoulder as she pushed him to the ground. Scarlet screamed in agony as red-hot pain snaked from her shoulder to her brain. The thing wrapped in shadowy robes tried to approach them but when it Reaching into her pocket, she took a gun out and fired a red flare into the air to call for help, but the assailant was already gone.

A few minutes later, after their brief and murderous encounter, she was sitting propped up against a wall, when a still shaken Alex, kneeling beside her, said quietly,” Thank you. For saving my life.” She frowned and said,” You would have done the same for me. We still have to find that boo-“ But she was rudely interrupted by Alex clamping a hand over her mouth. ”Whoa, whoa. Take it easy for now, Scarlet. You’re hurt and so you have to rest for a few days. You’ve lost a lot of blood.” Suddenly, the spinning of chopper blades sounded and they looked to the brightening sky. He rose and helped her up. She winced as pain splintered her vision and he caught her grimacing. “Just don’t say ‘told you so’.” She said and he smirked. “Actually, that was just what I was about to say.” he shrugged,” Guess you beat me to it.” They climbed into the chopper and he sat down beside her. In twenty minutes, they were dropped off to the headquarters. Scarlet trudged up the stairs to the medicinal section to get her wound cleaned and bandaged and Alex trailed after her.

Chapter 2

Alex could see Scarlet was trying hard not to scream, the way she bit down on her lip, hard enough to draw blood when the healer snapped the shaft and extracted the rest of the arrow from her shoulder. She caught him staring and stuck out her tongue at him. He grinned sheepishly but wasn’t able to look away. The scraps on his knees and hands had already been taken care of. She winced as the healer tightly wrapped the bandage around her injured shoulder. He fought down the urge to yell,” Treat her gently!”.

Gods, she was beautiful, with her rich dark brown hair, teal green eyes and red lips. She was smart. And funny too. He enjoyed spending time with her.

Snapping out of his thoughts, he felt Scarlet nudging him with her shoe and realised he had been gawking. “What?” he asked.” Did you ask me a question?” Scarlet nodded. ”Uh huh. Dan just told you to get up ‘cause others are waiting for their turn.” She slid off the metal table with feline grace and gestured for him to join her. She strode down the hallway, stopped at a door, opened it, revealing a balcony with a bench, overlooking the mountains, peaked with snow. They closed the door and sat down on the bench. She rubbed her temples and her shoulders slumped. “You okay?” she asked, casting a sidelong glance at him. “I should be asking you that. How’s your shoulder?” he enquired. She sighed.” Getting worse every minute.” She rested her head on his shoulder and he slid an arm around her, mindful of her wound.

They stayed like that for a few moments until she said,” It’s already 2 a.m., so I gotta go now. I need a bath and nap so, don’t call me before 12 p.m.” She got up and saying good bye, went on her way. Alex was about to get up when he realised she had forgotten her pendant on the bench. He turned to look at her retreating form a last time but she was gone.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alex flopped onto his bed, and set Scarlet’s pendant on his nightstand, before draping the blankets over himself. Tucking his hands under his head, he thought about Scarlet. He liked her. A lot. He paused. What were her feelings? Did she think he was a bit stupid? What did she actually like about him? He sighed. He’ll never know.

He was just drifting off to sleep when he spotted a lithe cloaked figure dropping off onto the balcony just outside his window. He pretended to be asleep as the cloaked figure slid open the window and swung himself inside. He stalked towards Alex’s bed and snatched up Scarlet’s pendent. Alex suddenly swung his fist into the stranger’s stomach and he dropped like a stone. Alex was already there, pinning the stranger’s thighs with his knees and his arms with his hands. “You better start talking now.” He growled.

A low laugh sounded from the hood. ”Oh, gods, Alex. Don’t give me that attitude.” ”Wait… Scarlet?!” “Get off me, Alex. Also, you have a hand of my injury and hurts.” He let go and offered a hand. She knocked it away and got up on her own. “Why are you here?” he asked. She grinned mischievously and said,” Thought you’d be happy to see me.” “I… I am... you know…happy now that you’re here...” he stammered. Oh, why did he always act like an idiot around her? Scarlet’s grin grew. She sat on the bed, removed her shoes and crossed her legs. She patted the space beside her. “Sit down.” She smirked and said,” Don’t worry, I won’t bite.” He gulped and sat. “Do you want to go?” she asked. He frowned and said,” Go where?” She rolled her eyes. ”The Ministry’s Founder, James Bidman, is throwing a charity party tomorrow night because a representative from the Russian branch, called Jason Hoover, asked him to do so as they are in a financial crunch, ” She sighed dramatically, and said,” Unfortunately, people below 17 are not allowed inside. Fortunately, I can sneak us in.”

Grinning widely, he said, ”Why not? Let’s go!” “Yay!” She gave him a bear hug. He blushed. She said, “You look so cute when you have no idea what to say.” And with that, she put her shoes on, jumped out of the window, mock saluted him and leapt over the low railing of the balcony. She probably thought he was going back to sleep. But he had other things on his mind. He put out the lights, changed and prepared to sneak into Scarlet’s room.

Chapter 3

Scarlet had known that there was no way Alex would refuse a place where he wasn’t allowed to be. Although she felt bad for playing with him like that, she was more concerned about what she was going to wear for the party. She bounded up the stairs, moving with renewed energy and popped her head into her mom and dad’s room. Dad was already up, changed out of his nightclothes and into his smart pilot’s uniform. His face brightened when he spotted her peering from the door. ”Hey, honey. Already back from the headquarters?” Dad was the only one so far who knew about her double life. She groaned. ”Someone shot me through my shoulder with an arrow.” His eyes narrowed and filled with anger. “Who dared harm my little girl?” But his anger soon melted and gave way to concern. “Did you get your wound cleansed?” “Yeah, Dad. Shouldn’t you get going? You’ll get late.” He kissed the top of her head and said, “I have to go for a test flight today. Then I have to pilot an aeroplane for a 12 hour flight so I won’t be back until the day after tomorrow. Then when I come back,” His lips stretched towards a grin. “We’ll make s’mores and watch movies late into the night!” Dad adjusted the cap on his head and went down the stairs and a few seconds later, she heard the click of the front door shutting quietly.

She heard the whisper of the blankets and knew her mom was awake. She walked towards the bed and found her mom already standing up and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Mom saw her and hugged her good morning. “Just wake your elder brother up, will you?” “We’ll be down for breakfast before you know it.” “Good. I’ll be downstairs.” said Mom, and patting Scarlet’s cheek, headed downstairs to the kitchen. Scarlet threw open the door to the room she shared with her brother and strode inside. The room had two separate beds- hers and Adam’s. It had a window through which some sunlight filtered in. Shrugging off her backpack, she glanced to her brother, Adam, snoring to the fullest with one arm dangling off the side of his bed and a blanket over his head. She wondered how he was breathing.

Nudging him awake, she said in a singsong voice she knew he hated, ”Hey, sleepy head. Early bird gets the pancakes, late bird gets the leftovers…” He didn’t budge. She began shaking him. ”Wake up! Adam! I’m hungry!” After much coaxing, he decided to get up. Or so she thought. No, he only decided to change his position. Suddenly, she ripped the blankets off him and reeled back in surprise. It wasn’t Adam! It was- “Alex?!” “Thought you’d be happy to see me.” She cocked an eyebrow. ”Throwing my own words back at me?” ”Yep.” Get up.” He pouted like a spoilt kid. “B-but I was hoping you would play with me.” “Did you even ask mom and Adam and dad?” He frowned. ”Of course I did.” “Where is my brother?” Adam appeared in the doorway. ”Hey Scarlet.” Scarlet stepped closer saying, ”Mom’s calling you down for breakfast. And you’d better hurry or she’ll scold me.” Adam paused on the first step. ”That would be great.” “Shut up and get your butt downstairs.” Behind her, Alex burst out laughing and almost choked. Not finding anything funny at the moment, she glared at him. He stopped and gulped. “What do you plan on wearing tonight?” she asked, still glowering. “It’s a surprise.” She rolled her eyes at him. “Oh, please. I know you. You have no idea what to wear.” “What are you wearing?” he retorted. She smirked. ”It’s a surprise. I do know what I am going to wear. And I’m giving you what to wear too.” ”What-“started Alex, but she cut him off by saying, ”That is also a surprise.” He sighed through his nose. ”Ugh. Fine. You win. Like always.” “Good to know.” He imitated her voice. “‘Wake up! Adam! I’m hungry!’” He shook his head and grinned. ”Let’s go downstairs, shall we?” She stepped in front of him and pointed at the bed. “Make that unless you want me to lock you in the room and, you had better believe me, I will.” “It’s not fair; Adam told me to do it!” he whined. “Alex, it’s just going to take a minute. Do it.” Rolling his eyes, he straightened the covers and folded the blankets. Neatly. She pretended to be staring at him, wide eyed. “How did you do that?” He straightened. “Do what?” “Not be messy.” She extended her arms skywards and exclaimed, ”Finally! Thank you, God!” He snorted. “Don’t be so dramatic, Scarlet.” “Why not? I enjoy it. Let me remind you, you’re just as dramatic as me.” He took a step towards her. ”Am I?” She felt her cheeks flush. Clearing her throat, and trying not to stammer, she asked, “If you’re done, can we go downstairs?”

Chapter 4

Alex was enjoying this far too much. Scarlet looked so cute when she was flustered. As they went down the stairs, he saw her cheeks were red. “Good morning, Mrs Courtney.” Scarlet’s mom looked up from the pan where she was making the pancakes and smiled. “Hello, Alex. Could you pass me the maple syrup?” He slid the tall bottle across the marble counter towards her then made himself comfortable on the chair, beside Adam. He looked at Scarlet, who was still standing, frowning at Adam. “You dare not eat too much maple syrup. Last time, you finished the entire bottle in three days.” He stifled a laugh and failed- horribly. Adam thumped him on the back. “You sound like you’re choking, even though you haven’t eaten anything. What happened?” “I don’t think he was choking, Adam. Rather, laughing.” Chuckling herself, she took her seat on his other side. His heart started pounding faster, harder. It was a relief she couldn’t hear it hammering away in his ribcage. Breathing became a tad difficult. Suddenly, she touched his shoulder, a worried look on her face. “Hey, Alex. You okay? You’re looking a bit nauseated.” Okay, maybe it wasn’t his heart pounding, but his head. It probably had to do with a sleepless night. But he didn’t want to ruin the day for her, so he just grinned and shook his head. “Nah, I’m fine.” Although she was still looking suspicious, she pulled her hand away. Then rose from her seat to help her mom in bringing the breakfast to the table. She handed out the plates laden with pancakes. Alex had just dug into his batch when he remembered the maple syrup. He was about to get up but then Adam slid it towards him. He said his thanks and set about drizzling it on the pancakes. Scarlet nudged him with a grin. “Hungry?” Trying not to look too sheepish, he said, “Very.” “You won’t be able to breathe after you eat mom’s pancakes.” Scarlet’s mom mock scolded her. “Now, hush, Scarlet. Otherwise he won’t come anymore. And you know how you miss him.” Scarlet stilled and turned redder and redder. “What?” He asked, leaning forward. She just gave Adam a desperate ‘help me’ look. The colour was still on her cheeks. “Nothing.” Suddenly, it hit him. She liked him too! The thought was so funny that he almost choked on his pancakes. Again Coughing, he took a sip of water to avoid looking her in the eye. She was not big on eye contact at that point. The rest of the breakfast passed in awkward silence. Finally, when he got up to wash his plate, Scarlet snatched it out of his hand and Adam got the same treatment. She picked up her mom’s plate and stacked the plates neatly. ”Thanks, honey.” Alex was so startled by that, that he started out of his chair and bumped into Scarlet who was carrying the plates to the dishwasher. “Sorry.um….” “Just sit down, Alex. Please.” Shoving the plates into the dishwasher, she stormed up the stairs to her room. He stared after her. “I don’t know what has gotten into her. Whatever it is, I don’t like it.” murmured Adam. “She’s probably tired or something.” Alex said. He wanted to follow her, but something told him that she would want to be alone for now. A few minutes later, he went up the stairs with Adam. He peeked inside but Scarlet was not there. ”She’s probably gone to bathe.” Adam supplied. “Good choice. She was real filthy.” “Look whose talking. You’re so filthy that I can’t even see your skin.” ,said a voice flatly from the hallway. He groaned softly, not loud enough to be heard, before turning. Scarlet had already bathed, brushed and changed into clean clothes. She was wearing an olive green tank top with camo pants and army boots which suited her well. Her dark, chocolate brown hair were pulled into a pony tail.

#wee #fantasy #alexXscarlet #as always please do not repost but you are allowed to reblog

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electricprincess96 · 4 years ago

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Do you have to double cleanse even when you aren't wearing makeup?

OK so the answer to this depends on who you ask and whichever one you'll believe reallt depends on what you want to be true.

So Beauty and Skincare Influencers love to tell you you have to double cleanse even when not wearing makeup cause it gets residual sunscreen off (and they'll show you scary before and after images of people who didn't wash off their sunscreen) but the fact is every Dermatologist I've seen talk about this, every Dermatologist I've spoken to personally has said there is zero evidence to prove cleansing once doesn't remove all excess sunscreen, in fact unless it's a water proof sunscreen one cleanser should be sufficient and double cleansing too much can strip the skin of its natural oils, if you've got dry skin this can actually be very painful and if you've got oily skin like me it can force your skin to think it has to produce even more oil to compensate for the oil lost making your face more oily and prone to break outs.

Now everyone's skin is different, I've seen many people claim double cleansing even when they weren't wearing makeup resulted in them having less break outs but me personally double cleansing every single day when I didn't need to absolutely wrecked my skin barrier, my face was producing even more oil than usual and it was just not a fun experience my skin was very tender to touch and I know this wasn't any other products I was using cause I had used those products before I started double cleansing and after and they haven't irritated my skin then so it was the double cleansing.

Like I was using the gentlest of gentle cleansers and it was still just not working for me.

So what I'd say is, is it absolutely necessary if you've wore sunscreen but not makeup to double cleanse? No. I'm going to believe Dermatologists over Estheticians (people who specialise in a branch of Cosmetology, they care about the appearance of your skin, a Dermatologist is a Licensed Doctor, an Esthetician isn't) and I will especially take the word of a Dermatologist over a Beauty Influencers because at the end of the day their job is to sell a product, this isn't isn't knock them, many of them have good information to share and can provide good information in an easy to understand way compared to a Dermatologist BUT if their recommended goes against a Dermatologist (I've seen this from both American and British Derms too) I'm going to go with what the Dermatologist says.

But again everyone's skin is different if you feel like you don't get sufficiently clean with one cleanse then do what you think is right, all I know is I won't double cleanse now unless I've been wearing makeup.

#princess answers asks #anon #i have opinions about skincare #skincare blogging

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lizzibennet · 5 years ago

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I have a skincare question if you don't mind. I don't wear makeup but I figure I should have some sort of skincare routine? I'm pretty clueless when it comes to this stuff and wanted to see your thoughts about what I should be using. I am 23F with what I think is normal to maybe dry skin. I have little to no acne, mostly a white head a handful of times a month. What should I be doing to my face? Morning? Night? I appreciate your advice!

ok so there are four steps to a basic skincare routine: cleanse, treat, hydrate and protect. spoiler alert: you’ve lucked out in the sense you currently don’t need to treat! i’m gonna break it down so it’s simple for you to understand, since i know the sheer amount of products people use can be really scary lol

cleanse: pretty self explanatory. you do need to clean your face everyday because technically, you should be wearing sunscreen everyday. (more on that in a bit!) also, every single day your skin goes through one little step of its natural renewing process, meaning everyday there will be dead skin on the outermost layer of your face. that dead skin mixes with the natural sebum your skin produces + the dirt that gets deposited from the environment ur in + whatever it is you put on your face everyday, be it makeup or sunscreen or other forms of product. when that’s all mixed it can clog up ur pores and oxidize inside and that’s when acne is formed, which is why it’s important to be consistent with cleansing. consistent doesn’t mean aggressive, though - it’s really important that you find a cleanser that is as gentle as possible, since you’re gonna be doing it everyday. it should have a pH of between 5 and 6.5 because your skin is in that pH range - if you google “pH balanced cleanser” there should be lists upon lists of appropriate gentle cleansers, they’re actually quite easy to find when you know what you’re looking for. then there’s also oil-based cleansing but that’s honestly a step i believe is not entirely necessary unless you suffer from blackheads, which you said you do not, so for a start i don’t think you need to bother. you can google double cleansing if it interests you tho!!

treat: this is usually where you’d use a product to treat whatever your biggest skin concern is, be it acne, pigmentation, redness, anti-aging, etc. since from what you described i understand you don’t actually have a big issue you need to tackle, you can comfortably breeze past this step. i think everyone could potentially benefit from a chemical exfoliator or some antioxidants in their routine and this is where they’d usually come in, but i believe having solid products in the other three categories is more important. if you want to add something in this category, you can do it once you’ve got everything else figured out.

hydrate: again, pretty self explanatory! but maybe not. there are basically two kinds of moisturizers: hydrators and occlusives. hydrators, like hyaluronic acid, actually hydrate your skin, which means they attract water to it. (hyaluronic acid can attract up to 1000x its weight in water, which is pretty freaking bonkers if u ask me!) these tend to be lighter in texture. occlusives, like oils or oil-based creams or butters, act like sort of a barrier which traps water inside your skin. they tend to be pretty thick in texture (best example is vaseline). it follows that you should have both in ur moisturizer, especially us dry skin folk who have less oil, therefore less occlusives, on our skin, which leads to more transepidermal water loss, which is fancy talk for “water evaporates more from our skin.” these are how moisturizers are classified but they’re actually not usually separate like this - most products have a mix of both types, which makes sense! depending on what texture you look for you can look for specific components in ur moisturizer - if you don’t like the sticky feeling of creams you should start with something lighter and less occlusive, or if ur like me and ur skin is like the sahara and you want to bathe in vaseline, look for more occlusive-based products. actual straight up vegetal oils, like rosehip or grapeseed, work wonders in this sense too!!

protect: arguably the most important step in my opinion. imagine u paint this great masterpiece but don’t use sealant - everything’s gonna rub off! it’s the same idea with sunscreen. i’m constantly going around giving sunscreen to my friends bc that’s how passionate i am about it lol. uv light exposure can lead to premature aging, inflammation that leads to redness and possible aggravation of acne, not to mention frickin cancer! it’s important to wear it everyday, even if it’s not sunny - uv light is still there, no matter if cloudy or not, and in fact, snow reflects sunlight even more than normal soil, so even if it’s snowing you gotta have sunscreen on!! if you’ve ever felt like you’re allergic to sunscreen, you might have gotten acne from it before, you sincerely just haven’t found one that works yet, but i promise it’s out there. once you find one that’s comfortable just stick to it and as long as it works, it doesn’t matter the fps or the components, just as long as you feel inclined to use it and do so consistently!

PHEW that was long but i hope i helped!! feel free to ask if u have any questions bc this is straight up my fav subject to talk about (clearly lol)

#long post #lori gives skincare advice #Anonymous #what is my ask tag again

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