#honestly the most important part here is the sunscreen

[siglati]

For asks to know you better! 1, 2, 9, 27

1. Chipotle order?

There's no Chipotle location where I live (the maritimes isn't really "with it" sadly. We only just got a Popeyes and a Sephora very recently). The closest Chipotle would be somewhere in Ontario, so about a 2 hour plane ride from where I am. The menu looks pretty good though, I'd try the chicken quesadilla with a side of red chili salsa!

2. Thoughts on veganism?

There's quite a few! Vegan food tastes pretty good if it's made by someone who knows how to cook or if it came from a good restaurant. Having friends or co-workers who are vegan can be a great way to encourage yourself to eat more veggies too if you struggle with it (I do). Lots of people turn to it because they don't like the thought of killing and eating animals, especially because there's a lot of workplace and animal welfare issues with factory farming. I get where they're coming from, but food solidarity is more productive in the grand scheme of things because in reality, veganism was only made possible relatively recently and in places where there's dependable/affordable food imports all year around (and there's issues with that too, farmers aren't treated very well, especially in the global south. Over worked, underpaid...). Canada is a pretty good example of this. If you go waaay way up north, fruits and veggies are insanely pricey, so what makes more sense? Buying a single box of strawberries for 25$ or hunting a seal or whale to feed tons of people for a good amount of time? My own family in remote Newfoundland lives by the ocean and about an hour away from the nearest grocery store, so it makes sense to catch your own seafood and have a moose for the family to last the winter.

The vegans I know in person are thankfully civil about it. They don't talk down on "carnists" (idk why vegans online use that as an insult sometimes because honestly it sounds both funny and cool at the same time), or insist on feeding vegan diets to cats. Thank goodness

So basically: food is food. Eat what makes the most sense for you and your family to eat and whatever that is, never stop practicing gratitude towards your farmers and butchers or family members who can hunt. We'd all be worse off without them

9. Do you have a skincare routine (and how many steps is it)?

It's very, VERY diligent. I used to have pretty bad acne and I was on accutane for about a year after university 6 years ago. It's great stuff, but it can be hard on your body. To this day, sunscreen is still the first thing I put on when I wake up (although skin cancer alone should be your reason to wear it everyday no matter what. Especially if you live somewhere where healthcare isn't timely or affordable). Right now I use these to keep breakouts at bay. My skin is the best it's been in years.

27. What’s your favorite or go-to outfit?

Right now, it's a bright pink and gold silk robe with a hood. I have good pictures of it from the designer here:

And here's me with it on!

The designer repurposed the fabric from an old wedding dress, and it makes me feel all rosy and happy everytime I wear it. As if I was made part of an old love story

Although you know what, a friend of mine did tell me once that it reminded her of Homestuck. I don't know how I feel about that ☠

[stephhere]

5 Most Common Sunscreen Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Hi, gorgeous people!

Today I talk about something close to my heart: sunscreen. We all know how important it is, but honestly, we all screw up in our approach to sunscreen at some point. Trust me, I did. Okay, a few years back, I thought I was pretty good with sunscreen, but here are some major mistakes I almost did to ruin my skin. So, today, I am going to share the five biggest sunscreen mistakes that I've made-and learned from-so that you can avoid them too!

Not Applying Enough Sunscreen I just thought a quick squirt of sunscreen was enough…but spoiler: it wasn't. I had no idea how much you were actually supposed to put on to properly protect your skin. You actually want about the amount of a shot glass for the entire body. For your face, use one nickel-sized puddle.

How to Avoid It: Slather on that sunscreen! Don't be stingy. I love using SolBrush SPF 50, which makes it easy to apply without overdoing it. The brush applicator is perfect for even coverage and quick reapplications!

Thinking SPF in Makeup is Enough I used to think my foundation with SPF was enough to protect my skin. Nope! SPF in makeup might be better than nothing, but it doesn’t offer the full protection your skin needs throughout the day.

How to Avoid It: Layer a separate sunscreen under your makeup, and reapply it every two hours. My go-to sunscreen is EltaMD UV Clear-it's so light, doesn't mess with makeup, and amazing for sensitive skin!

Only Wearing Sunscreen on Sunny Days I thought sunscreen was only for super sunny days. Big mistake! Even on cloudy days, up to 80% of UV rays can reach your skin.

How to Avoid It: Wear sunscreen every day, no matter the weather. I make it a non-negotiable part of my morning routine. I love Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen for everyday use—it's clear, weightless, and perfect under makeup.

Not Reapplying Sunscreen I thought one application in the morning would keep me protected all day. Guess what? It doesn't. Sunscreen wears off; especially when I'm sweating, touching my face, or even just living my life!

The Fix: Reapply every two hours! SolBrush SPF 50 is a lifesaver for this – the right amount of sweeps and I'm good to go without messing up my makeup. Super easy and portable!

Using Expired Sunscreen Raise your hand if you ever used sunscreen past its shelf life. Guilty! I just thought that once sunscreen has become "expired" its use effectiveness was lost. That leaves your skin relatively defenseless to some sun damage!

The Way to Avoid It: Check the shelf life, replace sunscreen every season so you're getting the best protection possible. Not to mention buying fresh sunscreen is an ideal excuse to try new formulas!

So, that's a wrap! I've learned a thing or two about sunscreen over the years, and now I'm all about protecting my skin the proper way. Trust me-your future self will thank you. So what sunscreen mistakes have you made? Let me know in the comments, and let's chat!

Until next time,

[theindieearth]

What is the USP of Vitamin C serum – How to use it?

Ever wondered why Vitamin C is now the main ingredient in every skincare product? It’s one of the holy grails you can literally see anywhere. And the major reason behind this is the antioxidants it is power packed with. From slowing down an individual’s aging process to adding instant glow to any skin type, Vitamin C truly can do wonders if applied topically every day.

Let’s not forget the options you get here – Vitamin C face creams, sheet masks, and serum. But why is just Vitamin C serum so popular, and not the other products?

Honestly, the best way to ensure that a skincare product will live up to its promise is by looking at its USP. Hence, in this blog post, we will be mentioning just the 5 USPs of Vitamin C serum that would give you the best reasons why you should incorporate it into your skincare routine:

Fights free radicals

Stress, pollution, and harmful sun rays are a few environmental aggressors causing skin damage. All of this basically creates free radicals in the skin that damages the moisture barrier, texture, and color of the skin.

But since Vitamin C serum is loaded with antioxidants, it neutralizes free radicals before they can damage cells. However, do note that Vitamin C is not an alternative to sunscreens, you should apply it before sunscreen to get better results.

High concentration of active ingredients

Yet another unique selling point of Vitamin C Serums is the active ingredients it comes with. It’s important to note that when compared to traditional moisturizers, Vitamin C serum is power packed with a much higher concentration of antioxidants and vitamins.

Hence, the ingredients penetrate deeper and quicker into the skin giving users more visible and long-lasting results.

Quenches dehydrated skin

Did you know that Vitamin C is a popular skin brightening and hydrator? Yes, you heard that right, the serum stimulates collagen production, a protein that makes skin firmer and more elastic. Moreover, it even decreases water loss near the trans epidermal area by strengthening your skin barrier.

All of this all together gives users a more soft, smooth, and more youthful appearance.

Works with every skin type

Probably the most popular USP of Vitamin C serum is it works impeccably with every skin type. Traditionally, skincare products are formulated for different skin types and concerns, but this is not the case with the serum. It’s beneficial for all skin types – oily, dry, and even combination skin.

Moreover, it even addresses multiple skin concerns like dullness, inflammation, wrinkles, and fine lines.

Reduces dark spots and pigmentation

As mentioned previously, Vitamin C comes with brightening properties which can lighten dark spots and pigmentation marks. The serum also minimizes the appearance of pores on the upper layer of the skin. It heals the layer and effectively shrinks enlarged pores which on the other hand is the major reason behind one suffering from acne issues.

Additionally, the serum also blocks the pathway of abnormal melanin production and thus can be used for spot treatment as well for lightening dark spots.

The best part about including Vitamin C in your skincare regime is it comes with no hard and fast rules. You can apply it at any hour of the day, and it will definitely show the best results. But to make the most out of the USP of the serum it is recommended to apply it right after the toner. Just a few drops on the face, give slow pats and massage till the serum gets absorbed in the skin completely.

Closing Words

Vitamin C serum is a powerful skincare product that almost every individual must include in their regime, no matter what their skin type is. Above we have stated a few USPs of the serum, but the list of benefits the serum provides is endless. To add up, consistent usage of serum can even help you with delaying early signs of aging and treating uneven skin tone. So, what are you waiting for? Give your skin the protection against environmental stressors it truly deserves, with Vitamin C Serum!

The Indie Earth Vitamin C Serum is a natural formulation that can give you youthful, clear, and glowing skin without any side effects. This serum also contains natural ingredients such as Vitamin E, Vegan Hyaluronic Acid, Ferulic Acid, And Vegan Glutathione Acid Serum, which boosts your skin health and brings out the radiance in you.

Get more information - https://theindieearth.in/what-is-the-usp-of-vitamin-c-serum/

[marbleheavy]

I did Nico so here are some Will Solace headcanons that have bouncing around my brain for a while now

He goes through a sweater phase where he wears almost exclusively slightly too big, brightly colored, knit sweaters with thick collars and cinched sleeves

He read that fact about how if your tongue sticks to a rock it’s actually a bone, and now he licks every rock he finds because “What if it’s the bone of a dinosaur? What if I’m licking part of a T-Rex right now?” (and Nico just lets him do it even though he knows they aren’t bones)

REALLY into pinkie promises. Like, he takes them so seriously. Pinkie promise > swearing on the Styx

He takes a lot of chaotic self timer pictures and always ropes everyone else into them. They always end up looking like an album cover and he looks like he’s the lead singer. It’s not even that he’s always front and center, it’s just the way that he’s holding himself in every picture. When he gets his own apartment or house or whatever, he makes a collage of them all and he has every one of his friends choose a picture and write what the name of the album would be on it.

Going off of that, he is really into crafts but specifically memory crafts (does that make sense???). He makes keepsake boxes and friendship bracelets and so many things because he feels like it doesn’t matter if those things actually look good because the most important part of them is the memory attached.

He uses either 🤠 or ✨ (sometimes 🤪) in almost every text and uses them to convey any emotion. Rachel is the only one who ever understands exactly what he means.

A million friendship and bead bracelets just all the way up his arms. Probably some silly bands too.

He carries a backpack with him almost all the time and it somehow holds every possible necessity but always looks nearly empty. Obviously a first aid kit, but also like snacks and a hat and sunscreen and a million pens and the list goes on and on. It’s kind of in a mom friend way but more of a thing where someone sees “i need x item” and Will just hands it to them wordlessly without even stopping his sentence.

He adores the face masks that are supposed to make you look like an animal but they’re mostly just scary. They make him giggle like a toddler. (Imagine him and Nico with the fluffy headbands with the ears and then the face masks and Will just absolutely losing his shit)

Hozier!! Will loves Hozier!! Also country music (but he has a whole spiel about new age, american exceptionalist pop country because he h a t e s that). Also, and this is the really important one, 80s music but the really synth-y stuff (see my 80s cover band au for more details)

His ideal outfit is a chunky sweater, a jean jacket, jeans that don’t match the jacket, and rain boots. He loves rain boots. He’s got multiple pairs and at least one of them have frogs on them. If he can’t wear rain boots, flip flops in the summer and vans in the other seasons (He’s definitely got a pair of these yellow Vans)

He dresses like a dad but a dad that was born in the 80s and is also three years old

Will has at least three flavors of chapstick on him at any given time

Will Solace with a gun is wonderful, truly. I would like to add to this by introducing the concept of him wearing the side holsters on either this legs or his arms. He wants to go on quests so he can live his dreams of being a cowboy with thigh gun holsters and a hat and boots and all of it. (Also, Nico with knives strapped to his thighs and Will with guns) (Also, also, there’s a Cards Against Humanity card that says “Shooting a wizard with a gun” and that screams Will Solace)

Will is very much a “Let’s not resort to violence” person but in a way where like, Person A tries to punch B and Will is like “hey, we can talk this out” but then B doubles down and says something really out of line and Will just backs up and is like “You know what? Never mind, you do what you need to do” (And also in a “Let’s not fight… except for Nico because isn’t he so pretty with his sword?)

speaking of pretty, Will l o v e s to be called pretty. It makes his sweet summer child heart go brrr

He is obviously very into nicknames and terms of endearment but calling someone “Hon” or “Sweet pea” is always passive aggressive (that’s less of a Will thing and more of a Southern thing)

I would like to bring up the licking rocks thing again because I really do just believe it with my whole heart

For a while, the idea of Will’s grandparents (obviously Naomi’s side) being French has been bouncing around my head and I really do love the idea of Will speaking French fluently but not at all formally. It’s a lot of slang and has a Texas drawl mixed in with it but it’s definitely French (and it definitely makes Nico melt). He will just deadpan look at someone and go “Quoi?” and he counts the infirmary inventory stock in French but only up until sixty, then he switches to English (soixante-dix can suck it, sorry if you’re french but like, just make a new word. there’s no need for me to have to do math while already counting. don’t even get me started on anything in the 90s. quatre-vingt-dix-sept?? excuse me??)

Will and Persephone being buddies!! They just get along well and very much understand being summer people in love with anti-sun people and just, ugh, family dinners in the Underworld and Will always, always brings a gift for her. Will and Nico come in and anyone can hear Persephone yell “Is that Will? Is Will here?” and Will just grins and calls back “Yes ma’am, and I brought you some brownies from my Mama and some of the flowers from her garden”

Also, Nico knows all the deities and Will brings them cookies because they’re a team like that

He either plays soccer or lacrosse but either way he’s very good at it and it’s honestly intimidating (jock will solace <3)

Not to say Will isn’t his fair share of chaotic, but he’s friends with a lot of very chaotic or at the least eccentric people (Cecil and his pranks, Lou Ellen and her pig balls, Rachel and herself, Nico and himself, etc.) so he’s very good at turning on the Southern charm and just smiling his way out of any situation so he can get himself and everyone else away without any consequences

I think that’s all for now!! If you have any additions, please feel free to add them on, I love seeing other people’s ideas!

[rilakiwii]

- cute dates with nct

part2; nct dream version

(this is a second part to this post which contains nct127 members; I decided to include Mark and Haechan in this post too despite them being in the last one!)

- - - - ——— jeno

꒰ long biking trip

꒰ you two would pack lots of snacks but mainly drinks! after all, staying hydrated is super important while biking

꒰ you'd also prepare spotify playlist together just for this occasion and listen to it during the trip

꒰ the route you took was also thought of before with lots of beautiful views

꒰ although Jeno would argue you were the most beautiful one...

꒰ ANYWAY, your calm trip was interrupted by rock that 'attacked' you and made you fall off your your bike

꒰ your scrapped knee almost gave Jeno a heart attack; he immediately told you to sit somewhere safe while he quickly found a store and bought cute band aids

꒰ 'okay, so which one would you like more? the one with dinosaurs or the one with hello kitty?'

'both are okay with me if you kiss it better after'

'oh... sure hah'

꒰ despite the small accident, you finished the trip with big smiles and hot cheeks

- - - - ——— chenle

꒰ discovering street food together

꒰ having light breakfast so you'll have lots of appetite later

꒰ definitely holding hands for 'safety reasons' but let's be honest, you guys just wanted to do that

꒰ I feel like he'd be good at getting discounts/bonuses from sellers

꒰ he's just so cute; all he need is to show his puppy eyes once and everyone is swooing over him (you included!)

꒰ 'is it spicy?'

'I tried it and I don't think so honestly, it's not that spicy'

'...oh my, it's super spicy!'

'I'm sorry! here, have a drink!'

꒰ you two also take notes in your head to try and later remake the dishes

꒰ taking some takeout as well to leave for later/give to your friends

꒰ you two would also have a little map with your favorite food stalls marked

- - - - ——— mark

꒰ chill, beach day

꒰ getting big and soft blanket to sit on; it probably has a cute print too

꒰ also, our man would never judge you in a swimsuit; he would do quite the contrary, extremely hype you up whatever you choose to wear

꒰ you'd have timer set up to make sure you always have good amount of sunscreen

꒰ he'd buy you as much ice cream as you'd like (and other snacks too)

꒰ having fights in water as if your life depends on it

꒰ sand castle competition is a must!

꒰ 'come on, my castle has a moat!'

'so what? mine has bascule bridge'

'are you kidding me? the bridge isn't even moving'

'I'm still working on it...'

꒰ the prize is... a kiss- which is basically a reward for both of you!

- - - - ——— jaemin

꒰ spa day at home

꒰ suddenly, your home changes into an oasis of calmness and relaxation

꒰ you can definitely expect a nice bath with roses to chill out in (or just a sweet bouquet of roses if you don't like long baths)

꒰ you'd try homemade face masks but end up messing something up-

꒰ so in the end, you'd use sheet masks with adorable animal print on it

꒰ 'I want the cat one!'

'oh no, I wanted this one...'

'mhh okay, I'll take the bunny one then'

꒰ he'd also get you some cucumber slices for your eyes

꒰ snacking on tasty strawberries while waiting to take off face masks

꒰ he'd probably give you awesome massage later too

- - - - ——— haechan

꒰ board/card game night

꒰ the competitive genes in you both would 100% wake up that night

꒰ chaotic play fights are normal for you two while playing

꒰ 'don't even try to take that spot-'

'ha, too late, this one is mine now!'

'you little, mean fox!'

'uuu are you going to cry?'

'I'm going to kick your ass in the next round!'

꒰ no one wants to play Monopoly with you anymore; y'all are too good! (or way too competitive...)

꒰ the moment cards get pulled up, you two instantly change into professional players

꒰ lowkey gambling but instead of money, you two gamble kisses-

꒰ so despite all the fighting, it ends up sweet

꒰ and you both always know when it's 'too much', never going overboard and saying sorry as soon as someone's get really upset

- - - - ——— renjun

꒰ grocery shopping together

꒰ making a list before the little trip

꒰ he'd probably let you ride in the cart and push you around the store

꒰ playing 'rock, paper, scissors' everytime you can't decide on a flavor/a variant of something

꒰ 'oh my, I want the cereal box with Cinnamoroll on it!'

'Chococat is so much cuter though'

'whaaat? let's play and whoever wins gets to pick the box'

'I'll definitely win so yeah, sure!'

꒰ spending way too long in the fruit aisle picking perfect ones

꒰ you'd take cute photos of tv's with live feed of security cameras (the ones that sometimes are next to the entrance/exit)

꒰ you'd probably use coupons if possible; I mean, who doesn't like to save some money here and there?

꒰ he'd have a perfect and 'rehearsed' of packing (drinks first, then boxes, veggies at the top etc.)

- - - - ——— jisung

꒰ apple-picking date (or pumpkin-picking, or cherry-picking, basically whatever you like)

꒰ having at least two photo sessions (one at the start and one during golden hour)

꒰ 'sneaking' in a bottle of warm tea/coffee in case it gets colder outside; you'd probably have a small blanket there too

꒰ taking small breaks and snacking on the fruits you picked

꒰ also, if it gets cold, you two would hug while being surrounded by your blanket

꒰ Jisung would be super scared whenever you'd climb the ladder

꒰ 'are you sure you want to do this?'

'hey, I'm careful! also, if you are that worried, you can hold the ladder and make sure it's secure'

'...okay, I promise to keep you safe'

꒰ after coming back home, you two would bake a tasty cake with everything you picked up earlier

꒰ it's even tastier after all the hard work you both did!

lots of love, rosie ♡

[lyrabythelake]

Warriors and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad HAIR Day

I love Warriors really lol.

The day started like any other.

Warriors rose before any of the other Links to account for his lengthy – but highly important – morning routine. 

He washed in the river that flowed alongside their camp, dried himself and dressed in his tunic, chainmail, trousers and scarf, all of which had been washed the evening before.

Next, he brought out his large collection of beauty products. 

Some may say it was ridiculous to carry around a sack of products large enough to take up just under half the space in his travel satchel. That the space could be used for more important things like, for instance, food, water or medical supplies. But Warriors had to disagree.

There was nothing more important than looking presentable while slaying enemies and saving the kingdom.

No one else had even stirred as he began his skincare routine. First was the toner, then the two different types of eye cream – he did not want to be getting wrinkles anytime soon – three different moisturisers, and finally the layer of sunscreen, also doubling as a moisturiser, because the last thing a hero could want was red, peeling skin.

Once his skin was smooth and radiant in the early morning light, he moved onto arguably the most important part of his routine.

Haircare.

Contrary to popular belief, Warriors didn’t just wake up looking perfect. He would be the first to admit his biggest flaw in life was the way his hair tended to frizz. And not the good type of frizz, either. Before he put any product in it, his hair looked like he had been struck by lightning and then dragged half a mile through dense underbrush.

Thank the Goddess for ‘Rev’s Rigorous Avian Styling Gel.’

Yes, technically it was intended for Rito to tame their feathers, but it worked perfectly well on Hylian hair too. In fact, it was the only product Warriors had found that tamed his own disastrous locks. He didn’t know who ‘Rev’ was, but honestly, he owed them his life.

He pulled the pot from his bag, twisted the lid open and—

Oh no.

Of all Hylia’s cruel tricks, this – this - was by far the worst yet.

The pot – the container that held all his pride and dignity within its neatly labelled packaging – was utterly, dismally, empty.

Warriors’ heart started to pound. He started to sweat, the products that had only half sunk into his skin smearing and dripping to the floor.

Someone stirred within the camp, the steadily growing light rousing them.

Was this a nightmare? No, this situation was horror beyond anything his mind could have conjured up itself.

But he was a trained army captain. He could, if nothing else, remain calm and dignified in the face of crisis.

As the other Link stirred all the more, entering the land of the living, Warriors snatched the scarf from around his neck and wrapped it around his head. Was it stylish? No, but it was infinitely better than the monstrosity that lay beneath.

“Warriors?” came a sleepy voice. The world must have been particularly cruel today, because it was, of course, Legend. The one person who, without a doubt, would give him the most grief. “Why are you wearing your scarf on your head?”

But wait… perhaps this was a gift in disguise.

“Legend,” he hissed urgently, “I need to borrow your hat.”

Legend crinkled his nose, his eyes bleary having still not woken completely.

“What? No way, why would I give you my hat?”

He hesitated. Perhaps honesty was the best policy here. As long as he didn’t see the mess of straw-like hair on his head, he would never know the extent of his problem.

“Listen, don’t tell anyone,” he whispered, desperate not to wake the others and add to the issue, “but I ran out of hair gel this morning. I need to hide my hair until I get some more.”

Legend slumped and rolled his eyes.

“For Hylia’s sake, Wars, no one cares if you walk around with a bedhead. Half of us do anyway.”

“You don’t understand,” Warriors pleaded, “I need your hat.”

“No.”

“Please!”

“It wouldn’t fit on your massive head anyway.”

Damn it all, this really was the worst of all bad days.

“How bad can it be, anyway?” Legend asked curiously, and before Warriors could so much as react, the scarf was pulled off his head.

For a moment, the two Links only stared at one another, Warriors in horror and Legend in shock. Then Legend’s eyes widened in sudden glee.

“Holy shit!” he exclaimed with a wide grin, “that’s the worst hair I’ve ever seen. And mine’s pink!”

He hadn’t tried to lower his volume, and soon enough the entire camp was stirring. One by one the seven other Links woke, their faces bleary and confused. But when they saw Warriors, their reactions turned to anywhere between audible gasps and sudden, raucous laughter.

“By the Goddesses, Wars, what animal died on your head?”

“Is this what it always looks like before you put that product in it?”

“I feel better about my own hair now!”

Warriors felt his face grow redder and redder, and eventually he sunk to the floor, hiding his face in his hands.

He was ready to sink below the earth, succumb to misery and fatal humiliation. But then he felt a small pair of arms wrap around him.

“Aw, Wars, we’re sorry,” said Wind, “you’re beautiful really, even though your hair looks like a bush.”

“Yeah,” he heard Hyrule add, “I’m frankly impressed you manage to tame that every morning. Maybe you could teach me how you do it?”

Gradually, he emerged from the shield of his hands to see the eight of them looking down with half-guilty, half-amused expressions.

“And I guess you can borrow my hat,” said Legend, still grinning, “I didn’t know how bad it was.”

Warriors let out a groan that turned into a light chuckle. This might have been the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he supposed he could see the humour in it.

Twilight clapped him on the shoulder good-naturedly.

“I’m sure we can find you some hair gel in the next village.”

[cherriesink]

Kurusu Shuutarou - Murmurs

Murmurs are snippets of character reflection earned by increasing Explore Points during Exploration. They usually include 6-7 monologues about other characters and 3-4 monologues about things important to the specific character. 

These lines are taken straight from the English translation of the game, so fair warning of bad grammar.

About Yatsufusa “Yatsufusa is like a younger brother to me so I’m always curious with him. I was just like him when I became a vampire myself.

Maeda, Yamagami, Suwa, and Takeuchi... I finally got used to my new body with their support. I was caught up with negative thoughts about our eternal life. But now, I just look what’s ahead of me and move onward. If that gives me another 100 years to live, so be it- That’s how my mind has shifted. 

...Honestly, there is not a single good thing about being a vampire. But I started seeing things positively after finding out that even I could be useful. Yatsufusa hasn’t realized that just yet. I can tell from his eyes.

But nothing will change even if I try to convince him. In the end, he has to accept it himself. Of the abursdity of becoming a vampire and this entire world... 

After all, none of us know the correct way to live as a vampire.”

About Maeda “Colonel Maeda is my boss... who leads Code Zero and is VERY intimidating... I’m stronger than him for sure, but I always shrink away from him when seeing his toughness. 

I know he’s from Saga- and the master of Taisha, but Yamagami told me that it’s his original since he made “improvements” with his own techniques. Besides, he’s a monster since he can slash in the speed of light when his left arm is a prosthetic. He can defeat an unranked vampire, so it’s as if he’s a vampire himself. A vampire that doesn’t need to drink blood...

There’s Suwa, Takeuchi, and Yamagami...

After all, Colonel Maeda is the only person who can lead such a unit filled with vampires that are quite the character. 

But I wish he can do something about bickering with Yamagami every single time. It stops our strategy meetings creating this awkward atmosphere... not to mention, it’s simply horrifying.”

About Yamagami “Yamagami is always agitated but he’s a nice person. He told me that he fell in love with his wife and got married. AND Yamagami was the one head over heels in love with her. In the end, he finally got her to date him after countless turndowns. That’s why he’s a devoted husband while being a vampire.

I know that he goes around to his wife’s house in the spare time of being on patrol. I’m sure it’s his routine until she passes away... Even if he can’t see her in person since she thinks he died with honor in service to the country...

We don’t get old. That’s why we cannot live in the same timeline as ordinary people. They are apart and we’ll never be able to see each other again, but Yamagami will continue to protect his wife. They live in a different timeline, but their bond as husband and wife will not change. That’s what I believe.”

About Takeuchi “When I first met Takeuchi, I thought he was the kindest person. He speaks politely too. Only... the things he talks about is way too terrifying! He makes tools and weapons that helps our weaknesses as a vampire. So it really helps and we appreciate him. 

...But his eyes look scary. The way his mind works is scary, and what he says is scary. He always wants to test his new invention on Yamagami too...

He told me that the fund provided by the military is hardly anything at all, so he sells his his inventions at department stores. He said the sunscreen that protects us vampires from the sunlight is the most popular item. Apparently, it also brightens up the human skin and is making him a fortune. It’s amazing that he has the talent for making money too...

The only thing is, is that he’ll ask you to assist his experiment the moment you show any kind of interest...” 

About Suwa “Apparently, Suwa joined Code Zero so he can kill vampires. A vampire that despises vampires... He said he was attacked by vampires that came along with the missionary during the Azuchi-Momoyama period...

His body contains a high concentration of vampire poison from numerous vampires. Takeuchi believes that his hair probably turned white because of the side effect. I guess that’s where his grudge towards vampires comes from...

I wonder how he managed to survive on his own for hundreads of years? Is he with us because he wants to kill vampires and that’s all...?

I hope he’s able to find peace even for a little bit by spending time with us since he’s lived in solitude for a very long time.”

About Defrott “Just like they say “Let sleeping dogs lie,” Defrott is harmless as long as you do not violate his territory. It seems he’s not interested in conflict between vampires. He’s like a little boy who’s a bystander of a play, waiting for the ending to come. Although... he is a few hundred years older than me, so he isn’t really a “boy.”

...But when he pretends to be one, I almost forget he is the strongest and most dangerous vampire in the world. I sometimes wonder if I can protect Code Zero- if Defrott challenges us to a serious battle. I doubt that I can... because I can tell Defrott has powers that even Takeuchi’s inventions and Colonel Maeda’s brain cannot withstand.

But i think a part of him is still human deep inside... He is a very interesting man.”

About Shinnosuke “I’m worried how lonely Shinnosuke looks sometimes. Boys his age probably go out with their friends but... I guess it’s hard for him since he’s busy working. Didn’t he say he was raised by vampires...? 

I don’t have much to if he’s living a happy life... but I think it’s important to have a human friend around the same age as him. Because he’ll grow older than Ishikawa at this rate. 

But he probably knows that- Vampires and humans can only spend a short amount of time together... more than me, a newbie vampire... I guess there isn’t anything I can say.

A human that despises his own kind and adores vampires instead- I hope he will learn to love humans one day. Although, who am I to say when I’m neither?”

About Family “I wonder how my friends and family are doing... They think I died in honor like Yamagami. I actually have my own grave and mortuary tablet too...

I want to come out and tell them that I’m fine whenever I see my childhood friend praying for me in front of my grave... But how can I come out to them that I’ve turned into a vampire? Besides, I’ll be breaking the rules of Code Zero.

I feel bad for making many people sad... How ironic- everyone thinks I’m dead but here I am with a never-ending life... 

But I can’t be near them. I’ll watch over them just like how Yamagami is watching over his wife. I’ll watch over my friends and family... walking under the bright sun. Till the day comes they are filled with joy and happiness.”

About Drinking Blood “Yamagami and the others all tell me that I have to drink blood. But... I can’t.

They say that other animals’ blood- like mice will also do but tastes bad. That human blood tastes the best. But... I just don’t like the idea of drinking blood because I don’t think I can stay human once I do.

I know that I can’t keep this up forever. I know that... but it’s blood we’re talking about. I just can’t drink it no matter how much I’m told that it’s good... I mean, how can people bite into other people’s necks just like that just because they were told “You’re a vampire starting from today”!? I simply don’t get it.

I tried getting my nutrients through other things but Blood Candies have a weird smell... It would be a lie to say that I don’t have any thirst for blood. However, my desire for staying human is much stronger... 

There are people who don’t like to eat meat. So why can’t there be a vampire that doesn’t like to drink blood...?”

About Vampires “I’ve met many vampires ever since I’ve joined Code Zero. Vampires that indiscriminately attack people like monsters. Vampires that find pleasure in killing people like psycho killers. Vampires that fall into despair and self-destruct...

But there are ones that can live with no problem just like Defrott. Some vampires work hard like a decent person and pay for blood. And then there’s us... those employed by the government hunting down our own kind.

There is no right answer to being a vampire, just like how there’s no right answer to being a human. There is no right or wrong. Still, we fear death while we live our never-ending lives...

This may last forever. Who knows what awaits in the future. I don’t even know how long I can keep up my human spirit... Perhaps it’s the end of me when one day I lose my humanness.”

[willa-marino]

It takes a moment for her knees to stop shaking. 

Willa dislikes heights, dislikes even more that Damon and Bianca - for all intents and purposes - shoved both herself and Sutton out of Damon’s helicopter. She’s pretty sure they laughed after the fact, and it makes her grit her teeth. Willa gives herself two seconds to be mad, two seconds for true, hot anger that rings her scalp and the back of her neck, and then she releases it with a deep breath in and then an even longer breath out. Frankly, it’s too fucking hot to be mad. 

The point of this exercise, she knows, is control. Patience. Like her morning runs, this is a lesson in endurance. How to keep moving, pushing forward. How to survive. Damon had told her they were about eighteen miles from the next town over, so Willa figures it will take them most of the day to get there, though she knows she needs to facture in the desert itself; the heat, the sun, the lack of water or any type of true terrain. Just baked earth, and her hair already heavy on the back of her neck. 

Well, first things first. Willa digs into her bag until she finds a rubber band and snaps her hair into a high ponytail, the ends brushing her shoulders. Feeling marginally better already, Willa offers Sutton a grin the moment the other girl touches down beside her. They each take a moment to check their packs - there’s water for them, and two small meals packed in neatly, as well as a compass, map, a very meager first-aid kit, several knives and even, they’re both surprised to see, a small handgun. 

Sutton says the thought that Willa has out loud. “Maybe they think we’ll just end up shooting each other in the head if we can’t make it.” 

Something about her tone strikes Willa as hilarious and she laughs, hand to her stomach, open-mouthed, deep from her belly. “They probably wish we would,” Willa replies, still laughing. She’s still searching around in her own pack and her fingertips brush past the edge of something - a little folded piece of paper. She wraps her fingers around it and pulls it out, unfolding it twice. Instantly, she recognizes Damon’s handwriting. You’re not thirsty yet. Start moving. 

“Bossy even when he’s not around,” Willa mutters under her breath. She pauses, and then shows Sutton the note. The brunette wrinkles her nose and turns away, ready to start. Willa thinks about tearing the paper up, stomping on it, even setting it on fire - there are matches in her pack - but something stays her hands. She ends up tucking the note back into her pack, and takes out the map and compass, the latter of which she presses into Sutton’s hand. 

Teamwork, too, is the other part of this. Willa glances up at the sun, which has not quite reached its highest point in the sky. Knowing it will get even hotter than it is now - and fuck, is it hot - Willa and Sutton begin. 

It’s alright, really, for the first two hours. Almost half-way through, but Willa can feel them slowing, can feel the sun dry them out, their mouths and skin, their hair. The trek across the desert is hot, yes, the sun sears into them both, sure, and Willa wishes she had a fucking IV drip of water pumping into her, but it’s not horrible. Not yet. She doesn’t let herself or Sutton touch their bottles of water until they’re forty-five minutes in or so, and she times them both on the amount of time they take a sip. Because it’s sips of water out here, not gulps. 

“We want this to last,” Willa says as kindly as she can when Sutton’s about to go in for another drink. “I know you’re hot, but it’s only going to get worse.” 

Hm, probably the wrong thing to say based on Sutton’s reaction, but Willa merely shrugs. She won’t claim she knows what the fuck she’s doing out here, which again, is also the point, but she does know the importance of conserving water, especially in a climate like this. Sweat lines her brow and she feels it between her breasts, the backs of her knees. Sutton is beginning to look miserable, and despite the twinge of annoyance Willa feels in response to her counterpart out here, she can’t say she doesn’t understand or, honestly, doesn’t feel the same way. 

“Look, there’s some brush up ahead. Maybe even some shade. We can rest there for a few, okay?” 

Sutton nods in response, looking a little more hopeful. Willa gives her a grin and they set off, map and compass in their hands, sun bearing down on their backs. Sunscreen, Willa thinks wistfully some time later, as they finally near the tangle of brambles. There’s no shade, unfortunately, but there are a couple big rocks and each girl claims one, dumping their bags and leaning forward, heads between their knees. 

“I feel a little nauseous,” Sutton murmurs somewhere to Willa’s left, and she closes her eyes in response. There’s a bit of a dry patch on the center of her tongue. Water, she tells herself, and then opens her eyes abruptly, reaching for her pack. It’s in this moment that several things happen at once: Sutton makes a startled gasping sound, there’s a loud hissing noise to Willa’s right and then, just a second after, a searing, brutal pain tears itself into her leg and does not let go. 

Despite her training, her compartmentalizing of the discomfort and the godforsaken heat and the rationing of water, her annoyance with their barren surroundings and Bianca and Damon’s humor over the whole situation, Willa cannot help or stop the scream that rips itself out of her lungs. She can’t help what happens next, either, and she feels herself fold over at the waist, falling forward off of the rock and towards the cracked earth at her feet. Her cheek hits it first and it burns. Dirt fills her mouth. Choking, Willa immediately rolls over and covers her face with both arms, protecting her eyes and cheeks from the relentless glare of the sun. 

She hears Sutton scramble up and the sounds of the other girl tearing through her own pack. Willa feels dizzied, dazed, and the pain, fuck, oh god, the pain in her leg slowly emanates outward, throbs with the uneven pounding of her heart. What the fuck? She thinks, and abruptly, her scream cuts off. What the fuck. Willa opens her eyes and moves her arms from her face, her gaze immediately locking on Sutton, who seems to have found what she was looking for: the shiny silver handgun. Despite herself, Willa scrambles around behind her, her fingertips trying but failing to find purchase on the hard, dead earth that surrounds them. She hears herself make a pitiful sound as Sutton trains the revolver somewhere to her left. Her leg is screaming. She closes her eyes, tries to reach out to the pain with her mind, probes it. She makes the mistake of flexing the muscles in her calf and almost screams again. Moments later, a shot rings out, echoing through her brain, her spine, right through her teeth. Sutton looks victorious as she nears Willa, and it takes everything in her not to flinch away from her. She hears a scuffling, and then Sutton appears in her line of vision again, holding up something. Something. Some thing. 

Her vision swims, blinks out and comes roaring back. Willa blinks rapidly up at Sutton and realizes what has happened. 

“Motherfucker!” Sutton yells proudly, swinging the dead body of the snake around her head. Willa feels hot drops of blood touch her face. She licks her cracked lips. 

“Sutton,” Willa says in a voice she does not immediately recognize. It is small and contained, like flame. A second later, she realizes she is furious. But she must remain calm. The snake, the pain, the bullet, it all makes sense now to her. But the pain. Dehydration is a soft kiss, Willa thinks to herself, her fingertips digging into the earth. Being hot is laying on a cloud, compared to the raging fire that flushes through her leg, her veins, beating in time with her heart. 

The brunette pauses to look at Willa, and her clear eyes settle on her leg. Her mouth forms into a small ‘o’. It would be hilarious, actually, if it didn’t fucking hurt so bad. 

“It bit you,” Sutton says, thunderstruck, and she drops the dead snake and the gun at the same time, falling to her knees and crawling over to where Willa sits upright, panting heavily. 

“Yeah, I know,” Willa bites back in frustration and pain. Part of her wants to apologize, but she can’t see through the fire. Can’t reach out to take it back. She feels Sutton reach for her, her leg, and Willa really has to focus on not screaming now, because Sutton’s hands feel like knives burrowing down, and when she rips open the leg of her pants, they still. Willa counts the silence in her head, but it takes too long. 

“Well?” She grounds out, squeezing her eyes closed. For some reason, she can’t bear to look at it. Cannot look at the source of the pain directly in the face, and it is her deepest shame. Willa: 0, Desert: 1. 

“It - I think it was poisonous, Willa. Oh my god. Fuck.” Sutton sounds almost scared, and this simply will not do. 

“You think?” Willa asks, and somehow, miraculously, her voice sounds steady. Smaller, but steady. 

“Definitely poisonous,” Sutton amends, and Willa sees her look closer at the wound. “Two puncture marks, fuck.” 

She does not count. She does not scream, though she wants to, thinks part of herself would be freed from it if she does, but she doesn’t. Sutton sounds scared, and fuck, Willa is definitely afraid, but she knows she has to remain calm. To stall the venom from reaching itself even further into her system, yes, but also to keep Sutton calm. Focused. Because what she has to do next requires it of her, requires it of them both. 

“Okay. Well, it hurts like a bitch,” Willa says matter-of-factly, like one would say, “Oh, look, it’s going to rain.”

Sutton starts to shake, and it takes Willa a moment to realize the other woman is trying not to laugh. 

“What do we do?” Sutton asks, the corners of her mouth trembling. Willa takes a deep breath, knowing that this, right here, is the moment. Another flare of pain lances through her, but Sutton said we, and that has her feeling hopeful. A little. 

“You’re going to have to suck it out. The poison. To the absolute best of your abilities. It’s going to deplete our water supplies by a lot, but we can worry about that later. Go into my pack and get the first aid kit, and both bottles of water in there. You won’t need to cut anything, just apply firm pressure to the wounds and squeeze. Wash your mouth out with water each time you get a mouthful of blood and venom. Spit it out immediately. Do not swallow. Repeat until I tell you to stop.” Willa closes her eyes, and her body feels incendiary. It takes Sutton less than thirty seconds to gather what she needs. She also ends up bringing Willa’s pack to her and propping her back up against it so that she doesn’t have to keep laying on the hot earth. She’s thankful for this, but can’t manage to speak her gratitude. She does, however, reach out for Sutton’s wrist as the brunette turns to her leg to begin. Willa knows this is important. “You can do this, Sutton. I’m right here. Steady, okay?” 

Something seems to clear itself in Sutton’s expression, and the woman nods her head at Willa once, the line of her shoulders strengthening. 

After that, Willa isn’t really sure what happens. She goes in and out of focus, like the pain in her leg, like the dry patch on her tongue. The sun feels like hell on her skin but she very nearly welcomes it, because as long as she can still feel anything, she’s still closer to the living than to death. She can’t claim expertise on snakes; doesn’t know how poisonous its bite was, doesn’t even know what kind of snake it was that bit her. She thinks of her morning runs and coffee, thinks of a particular mouth and a specific laugh, thinks of the opera ticket she bought for herself, thinks of her brother and mother and father, thinks of heat and oasis and the desert all around them. She thinks of other things that feel like dreams, but aren’t. And then she feels Sutton pull away, sees her sit up, wipe her mouth with the back of her hand and spit it out. Watches her swish a small mouthful of water and spit again. She tries to brush away Sutton’s hand when she holds the bottle of water out to her, but Sutton is having none of this and tips some into her mouth, and she could almost cry because it tastes so sweet, almost like liquid sugar. Willa lies very still for a moment, longer, and then she hears Sutton speak. 

“How do you feel?” 

“Help me up.” 

“I don’t think -”

“Sutton. Help me up.” 

Sutton grumbles about it, but they both know it’s necessary. This has already taken too much time and they need to get moving. The pain isn’t gone when she’s on her feet, and she has to steady herself in Sutton’s hands before she motions to her that she’s fine, she can do this, she’s got this. While Willa tests out her leg - Sutton has wrapped it in gauze - Sutton packs up both of their bags and helps Willa get hers onto her shoulders. She’s definitely weaker, but the pain is manageable, almost tolerable. It’ll have to do. Their pace is slower than it was before, but they’re moving at least. Following instructions. 

Start moving, she hears Damon say, like he did on the note at the bottom of her bag. Willa lifts her chin. Gives him a little salute in her mind. Throws him the finger, too, for good measure. 

[cichocicho]

Okay so here is a short list of some considerations before going to a race:

- Where is the track located? Is it a city race or is it located in a forrest in the middle of nowhere? This can make a big difference in getting back and forth to the track and how expensive the accommodation is gonna be.

- How do you get to the track? The f1 tracks are huge and it takes a while to walk from the entrance to your seats. How far you have to walk also depends on your seats, and their pricelevel. If you come by car there can also be significant walking from the parking area to just the main entrance. Some people suggest bringing a small scooter to get around faster, but in my experience there are too many people for that.

- What to bring to a race? Everything! Snacks, water, umbrellas, sunscreen, headphones, lunch, pillows to sit on, some people bring camping chairs to sit elsewhere, binoculars, games etc. Pack a big bag and bring everything. You can get a lot in the stands of course, but it is expensive and you are probably gonna spend a lot of hours there (the long trek walking back).

- How long are you staying in the host town? When planing the trip it's important to consider for how long you will stay after the race. I recommend a buffer of arriving at your accommodation a day before the weekend (Thursday) and staying until a day after (Monday) to not end up in the massive traffic and stress that happens after a race. Like 100.000 people trying to go home at once is not fun.

- What seats to buy? So I just did a lot of research before buying my seats to make sure that it was worth it. There are usually recommendations and reports on sections of a track that you can find online. The most important is that there is a screen close by. That way you can still follow the race quite well, since even the most expensive seats still only gives you a view of part of the track.

A quick comparison, I think going to a race is closer in experience to going to a music festival, than it is going to see a football match.

I hope this makes sense, and tell me if you want more 🤷‍♀️😊

Nice that you support so many drivers, it's good to have lots of options, I feel like it's less heartbreak that way. And probably also more fun to watch, since you can cheer for multiple people 😊

I'm honestly still vibe checking for football teams, so I'm unsure. I've just watched a few at random, when I see it on TV. Mostly in the Danish league though, and there I of course have to support my dads favorite team. For the nt I really like Scotland, Italy and Switzerland for some reason (I'm still learning, so I don't know much about it yet). Looking forward to nations league thus summer 😊

heeey hi hello! i am so sorry for replying so late but i didn’t have the time when i first read it and layer i just forgot

thank you so so much for all the tips!!! some of them are so eye opening, for example i had no idea that you can bring your own stuff to the race, like food and drinks, i assumed it’s more like a festival where they don’t let you bring liquids & you have to buy all of the stuff

for now i don’t really have any questions, you’ve covered all the important points it seems but if i decide to go then i will let you know and ask (assuming you would still be following me then lol)

i like italy & switzerland nts too! also belgium, croatia, sweden ��� i don’t know much about them though, mainly basing it on the vibes skajsjka i also obviously like ukrainian nt and honestly was so happy to see them do good at euros (and that heartbreaking faul that resulted in a broken leg was so hard to watch!! they lost but won in my heart)

also, who’s your favorite danish player?

okay, best wishes & i hope you’re well 💓

[purplesurveys]

1274

Department One: Apparel And Jewelry

What are you wearing today?  Just a white duster dress. Very loungewear-y, hahaha. I didn’t feel like wearing shorts today.

What does your favorite shirt look like?  At the moment I’m obsessed with my Vante shirt. It’s fanmade but it was made tastefully; the designs aren’t too loud and I love the cute little shoutouts and tributes to his past paintings, so it had been a ridiculously easy decision for me to want to buy it.

What kind of underwear do you prefer wearing?  Eh I don’t really have a preference as long as I don’t find them uncomfy.

What are your favorite kind of jeans?  I’m definitely still stuck in my mom jeans phase. Idk man, I just love how they match nearly all kinds of tops.

What do the last pair of shoes you wore look like?  They were adidas sneakers. Not a big fan of chunky shoes but it’s an Ivy Park and it was on a big discount HAHAHA so I didn’t hesitate to get them.

How many shoes do you own?  A little more than 10. I love shoes and wanna collect them someday...just not today, hahaha.

How much jewelry do you own?  Not too big on jewelry; most, if not all the ones I wear are just borrowed from my mom since we share the same style anyway.

Do you own any real diamonds or other expensive jewelry?  Yeah, the ones I would borrow from my mom are pretty pricey.

Has anyone ever gave you jewelry as a present?  Yes, I received rings and necklaces from my ex. One of my aunts also gave me a necklace when I turned 7.

Do you like diamonds or gemstones better?  I just stick with diamonds...which is...also a gemstone too, if I’m not mistaken.

Silver or gold?  Silver.

Department Two: Electronics

Do you have a DVD player in your car?  Not in mine, but we do have one in the family car. I used to watch movies on there often but after one grueling road trip where my motion sickness acted up, I haven’t wanted to use it since.

If you have one, what does your camera/camcorder look like?  I just use the camera in my phone but back in the day I used to have a DSLR; that was when I thought I wanted to take up photography, heh. It was a Nikon D3100.

How much did it cost?  I’m not sure since my dad gave it to me as a present, but a quick search told me it would’ve cost him around P20,000 which issssss wow more expensive than I thought.

What kind of cellphone do you have?  I have an iPhone 8 with an LCD screen that’s deteriorating by the day HAHA. I really need to get a new phone.

How often do you send texts?  I text just for work purposes now, so it really depends on how busy my accounts are. Some days would require me to send out more texts than usual.

Do you have your own computer or does your family share?  I have my own laptop. My workplace also provided me with what’s supposed to be my work laptop, but they had it sent to me when I was already a couple of months into my job and all my needed files and programs were already in my personal laptop. Since I was too lazy to start everything all over again, I’ve never actually used the work laptop haha.

How many computers are in your house?  We have three laptops in total - my siblings and I each have our own. Kind of a necessity these days.

Do you still have a VCR?  I don’t think so.

How many DVDs do you own?  We probably have around 30-50 but most of them are movies from like the 2000s that we just haven’t thrown out. Personally, I have about five DVDs of old films like Gone with the Wind, Rebel Without A Cause, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, etc, and recently I’ve been buying BTS merch so DVDs are part of that mix too.

Does your car have a GPS?  No. I use Waze on my phone instead.

What kind of iPod/MP3 player do you have? Haven’t used an iPod in like a literal decade. I use Spotify for my music.

How many songs are on it?  Spotify doesn’t work that way since it’s technically a database of songs.

What size is your TV?  Never bothered to ask/check.

How many TVs are in your house?  Four. Living room, dining room, master bedroom, my brother’s room.

What video game systems do you have?  We have a PS3 and PS4. 

What about handhelds?  Switch. I believe my sister also still has her DSi stored somewhere.

How many video games do you have?  Probably somewhere around 50-60. My dad and brother are content with repeating their games lol.

Department Three: Home

What kind of shampoo do you use?  It’s a Dove variant but I’m just blanking out on the specific name/what it does.

Soap or shower gel?  Shower gel.

What does your comforter look like?  It’s pretty colorful and has geometric shapes and lines.

Does it match your pillows?  Yep, they come in a set.

What size is your bed?  Twin.

Do you or your parents like to decorate the house with various things or is it plain?  My mom puts considerable effort in decorating the house but it’s nothing overboard that it feels tacky. There’s enough decor in enough spaces.

Does the furniture in your house match?  Sure. I imagine my mom would be very irritated if she felt something was uncoordinated at home.

What does your couch look like?  It’s a gray L-shaped couch. Gabie broke a portion of the couch’s springs when it had only spent its like first two weeks at home but surprisingly my mom has not noticed it yet; probably because she barely sits on that side.

How many does your dining room/kitchen table seat?  It has six chairs, though since we’re five one of the chairs is almost always unoccupied.

Do you have any fancy china?  No, my mom isn’t the type to collect those.

Do you have outside furniture?  Yeah we have a table and chairs up on the rooftop, if they count.

What do your curtains look like?  My siblings and I have pull-down blinds. The other rooms have these pulled-back gold curtains that’s accompanied by white sheers.

Department Four: Grocery

What kind of bread do you get?  Sliced white bread, always. Sometimes my mom will pick up pan de sal, but she gets those from a certain bakery and no longer the grocery.

What is your favorite kind of cake?  CHEEEEEEEEEESECAAAAAAAKE.

Do you get a lot of sweets from the grocery store?  Eh, nah. Not a big fan of sweets.

What kind of soda is your favorite?  Don’t like soda.

Do you drink juice? What kind?  I can take it or leave it. I wouldn’t buy it for myself.

What is your favorite chewing gum?  Doesn’t matter to me. The flavors last for only like a minute anyway.

Do you usually get candy from the check-out aisle?  Nah. Those are far more accessible so who knows who could’ve touched or tampered with them. Plus, I mentioned I don’t like sweets.

What is your favorite soup?  Miso or cream of mushroom.

Have you ever had soup when you were sick?  No. I don’t enjoy hot beverages/liquids very much so I doubt I would feel comfort from soup when I’m sick.

What are your favorite canned vegetables?  Not sure if it’s a cultural difference thing but canned vegetables kind of sound gross and I don’t think I’ve encountered those (I actually had to look it up lol). My parents always buy fruits and veggies as is.

What do you eat for breakfast?  Fried rice is a constant but my mom switches up the set of viands every time. Some of the meals she serves would be hotdogs, eggs (either scrambled, omelette, fried, or sunny-side up), corned beef, dried fish, hashbrowns, luncheon meat, tapa, and Vienna sausages. Poptarts or toaster strudels?  Poptarts. I’ve never had toaster strudel and I’m honestly not sure what that is.

What salad dressing do you prefer?  Spicy mayo.

Ketchup, mayonnaise, or mustard?  MAYONNAISE. I can live without the other two.

What kind of cookie do you like best?  I only ever eat chocolate chip.

What kind of snacks do you get at the grocery store?  Salted egg chips or Pringles. Not a big fan of snacks either. This survey is making me realize I’m way more into full meals than anything else.

Do you get the meat from the deli?  Er, we don’t have delis here. Too fancy a concept lmao. If we have them, they are most likely in those extremely upscale, boujee neighborhoods.

What is your favorite frozen dinner?  I mean my dad buys frozen meat, fish, etc, but the frozen dinner sets that I see in American culture, which I’m guessing is what’s being referred to in this question, are not common here.

Do you prefer frozen dinners to actual cooking?  I honestly can’t imagine how it’s filling, but then again I’ve never tried it. Personally, food made from scratch is still the best.

What is your favorite kind of pasta?  Fettuccine.

Do you eat meat? And if not, do you eat vegetarian meat?  Yes, I eat meat. I get vegan options if they’re accessible and affordable, but those choices are hard to come by here.

What is your favorite fruit?  Avocado is really the only one I’ll give a pass to. Everything else tastes horrible.

What about vegetable?  Broccoli, bell peppers, green beans.

Department Five: Health And Beauty

What kind of makeup do you normally use?  None. If I absolutely have to put on makeup, I will begrudgingly put on foundation, maybe some eyeliner, and lip gloss. And they will all most likely be borrowed from my sister.

Do you wear more makeup on special events?  Not necessarily.

What is your favorite makeup brand?  I wouldn’t be the right person to ask because I would just say none of them.

Do you use any acne products?  Mmm no, I just splash water on my face, really. I actually got into a conversation about skincare with my co-workers yesterday and besides the usual shocked experessions I get when people find out I don’t use products, they recommended I at least get moisturizer and sunscreen. Idk, let’s see but historically it’s been hard to convince me to invest in skincare haha.

What kind of perfume do you use?  I have one of Beyoncé’s perfumes, Heat Rush. I don’t actually know if that’s still in production but it’s been my staple for like a decade or so now.

Have you ever been on a diet?  No. I never really had to be on one.

What products do you use in your hair?  Shampoo and conditioner.

How often do you brush your hair?  Only when I have to leave the house or have an important virtual work meeting.

What do you take when you have an upset stomach?  Nothing. The toilet usually solves that for me lol.

Do you take any prescription medicine? Nope.

Department Six: Movies, Music, And Books

What is your favorite movie of all time?  It’s been Two for the Road for a solid nine years and it doesn’t look like anything’s on its way to dethroning it anytime soon.

What genre of movie do like best?  Drama. The more realistic it is, the better.

What was the last movie you watched?  It’s a Korean film called Be With You. I liked it and I cried waterfalls, but the ending was so rushed it was kind of disappointing.

What was the last movie you purchased?  I don’t buy movies. If I wanted to see a film I’ll check if Netflix has it, then if they don’t I just try to scour one of those illegal movie streaming sites that always happen to have thousands of pornographic ads hahaha.

What is your all time favorite band? Paramore. Do you still buy CDs?  Only from artists I’m an extremely huge fan of. Right now that would be BTS, so I’m catching up on all the albums they’ve released in the last eight years.

What was the last CD you bought?  I got the Butter album set, if that counts. If it doesn’t, the last full-length album I purchased was Dark & Wild.

What was the last song you listened to?  I think it was Permission To Dance.

What is your favorite book?  I haven’t found it yet.

Do you even like reading?  I used to love it a lot more, to the point that back in grade school I was known as always having a book in my hand. I just don’t know where that passion went.

How often do you read?  Nearly never. I mean...I do read fanfics, I guess; but I won’t count those.

Department Seven: Sports And Fitness

Do you own a bike/scooter/skateboard/etc.?  We do have a bike at home, but that doesn’t mean I know how to ride it. We don’t have the other two.

How old were you when you learned to ride a bike w/o training wheels?  I still don’t know how to last on a bike without training wheels heheh.

Have you ever been camping?  Nah.

How often do you work out?  Nope but at work my boss just started another fitness challenge, so I’ll probably have to get back on working out soon just because I would want to accomplish the challenge.

Are you in good shape?  Sure, I think so. I’m not like fit fit because I neveeer exercise haha, but I also don’t make it a point to constantly eat unhealthy foods or have an unhealthy lifestyle to the point that it affects my body.

Do you go to a gym?  I do not. I thought of getting a membership at the start of the year but I’m glad I didn’t push through with it because all the gyms are still closed anyway.

Have you ever been fishing?  No. Idk if it’s my kind of pastime or not.

Have you ever been on a boat?  Yeah. My country has like 7000 islands so I was bound to get on a boat at some point in my life haha.

Can you play golf?  Never seemed interesting to me so no. Even on Wii Sports I barely picked golf.

Ever rode on a golf cart?  Yeah, in resorts where we had to ride them to be taken to our room.

Would you ever go hunting?  That’s an easy no.

What is your favorite sport?  Pro wrestling or table tennis.

Ever played on a sports team?  No, my school didn’t have a table tennis varsity.

Department Eight: Toys

What was your favorite toy as a child?  Cash registers because I liked the buttons. Also Play-Doh sets that had those contraptions that would squirt out the clay in various shapes.

Do you still play with toys?  Well, no.

Do you collect any toys?  I don’t, but I’m not opposed to start buying Funko Pop figurines of people or characters I’m interested in.

Did you ever have building blocks?  Sure, but I was never creative enough for them.

Did you play with dolls?  No.

Barbies or Bratz? Which were better?  BRATZZZZZZ

What is your favorite board game?  Scrabble.

Do you like to do arts and crafts?  Hell no.

Do you think that kids now have it better than when you were young? For sure, but isn’t that kind of the goal?

[theindieearth]

What is the USP of Vitamin C serum – How to use it?

Ever wondered why Vitamin C is now the main ingredient in every skincare product? It’s one of the holy grails you can literally see anywhere. And the major reason behind this is the antioxidants it is power packed with. From slowing down an individual’s aging process to adding instant glow to any skin type, Vitamin C truly can do wonders if applied topically every day.

Let’s not forget the options you get here – Vitamin C face creams, sheet masks, and serum. But why is just Vitamin C serum so popular, and not the other products?

Honestly, the best way to ensure that a skincare product will live up to its promise is by looking at its USP. Hence, in this blog post, we will be mentioning just the 5 USPs of Vitamin C serum that would give you the best reasons why you should incorporate it into your skincare routine:

Fights free radicals

Stress, pollution, and harmful sun rays are a few environmental aggressors causing skin damage. All of this basically creates free radicals in the skin that damages the moisture barrier, texture, and color of the skin.

But since Vitamin C serum is loaded with antioxidants, it neutralizes free radicals before they can damage cells. However, do note that Vitamin C is not an alternative to sunscreens, you should apply it before sunscreen to get better results.

High concentration of active ingredients

Yet another unique selling point of Vitamin C Serums is the active ingredients it comes with. It’s important to note that when compared to traditional moisturizers, Vitamin C serum is power packed with a much higher concentration of antioxidants and vitamins.

Hence, the ingredients penetrate deeper and quicker into the skin giving users more visible and long-lasting results.

Quenches dehydrated skin

Did you know that Vitamin C is a popular skin brightening and hydrator? Yes, you heard that right, the serum stimulates collagen production, a protein that makes skin firmer and more elastic. Moreover, it even decreases water loss near the trans epidermal area by strengthening your skin barrier.

All of this all together gives users a more soft, smooth, and more youthful appearance.

Works with every skin type

Probably the most popular USP of Vitamin C serum is it works impeccably with every skin type. Traditionally, skincare products are formulated for different skin types and concerns, but this is not the case with the serum. It’s beneficial for all skin types – oily, dry, and even combination skin.

Moreover, it even addresses multiple skin concerns like dullness, inflammation, wrinkles, and fine lines.

Reduces dark spots and pigmentation

As mentioned previously, Vitamin C comes with brightening properties which can lighten dark spots and pigmentation marks. The serum also minimizes the appearance of pores on the upper layer of the skin. It heals the layer and effectively shrinks enlarged pores which on the other hand is the major reason behind one suffering from acne issues.

Additionally, the serum also blocks the pathway of abnormal melanin production and thus can be used for spot treatment as well for lightening dark spots.

The best part about including Vitamin C in your skincare regime is it comes with no hard and fast rules. You can apply it at any hour of the day, and it will definitely show the best results. But to make the most out of the USP of the serum it is recommended to apply it right after the toner. Just a few drops on the face, give slow pats and massage till the serum gets absorbed in the skin completely.

Closing Words

Vitamin C serum is a powerful skincare product that almost every individual must include in their regime, no matter what their skin type is. Above we have stated a few USPs of the serum, but the list of benefits the serum provides is endless. To add up, consistent usage of serum can even help you with delaying early signs of aging and treating uneven skin tone. So, what are you waiting for? Give your skin the protection against environmental stressors it truly deserves, with Vitamin C Serum!

The Indie Earth Vitamin C Serum is a natural formulation that can give you youthful, clear, and glowing skin without any side effects. This serum also contains natural ingredients such as Vitamin E, Vegan Hyaluronic Acid, Ferulic Acid, And Vegan Glutathione Acid Serum, which boosts your skin health and brings out the radiance in you.

Get more information - https://www.theindieearth.com/what-is-the-usp-of-vitamin-c-serum-how-to-use-it/

[seravph]

What is your skincare routine that managed cleared up your face so much? How do you have seven steps; mine has like, two, what seven things can a person do to their face?

Okay so like. I have had really bad skin ever since I hit puberty in like fourth grade, and then June of last year my skin was the worst it had ever been, with itchy bumps and cystic acne and it was super inflamed. I have a lot to say about skincare as someone who has spent the last 5-6 years perfecting their skincare routine!! I’ll put all of my thoughts under the cut. Also CW I’ll add pics of my skin from last fall, which is kind of gross lol

The first two pictures are from the first day I visited a general doctor in august, and the last picture was taken today (3/13) with no filters or makeup on.

My doctor prescribed me a topical medication that has adapalene and benzoyl peroxide, which I’m still using. When I picked up my prescription, I went to target and completely changed my skincare routine to make it much simpler.

I’ll preface this by saying that so much of skincare marketing is a complete gimmick. And a lot of people don’t actually need a whole regime!!! There are tons of people who have flawless skin without so much as washing it; the idea that everyone on earth needs a 12 step process is just not true. Again, I have had moderate to severe acne for a really long time and I went through several years where nothing would work!!! I tried every product everyone raved about to no affect. I have spent so much money of skincare products, most of which were mediocre at best. All of the products i use now are under $20 (with two exceptions which I will talk about). Expensive skincare is mostly marketing and packaging and honestly a $100 fancy moisturizer is probably not significantly better than one you can get from a reputable drugstore brand.

My skincare routine will not be applicable to everyone because everyone has different skin; like I said, if you’re happy with your skin, there is literally no reason to buy a bunch of products that will throw off the balance you already have.

I have 5 steps in the morning, which include cleansing my face with the La Roche-Posay medicated gel cleanser (it has 2% salisylic acid). I use it because my doctor specifically recommended I buy a MEDICATED cleanser. After that I use the Versed clarifying serum and brightening serum. The clarifying serum has zinc in it which is anti-inflammatory and the brightening serum is a vitamin c serum that helps to ‘brighten’ my skin (as I have lots of scarring, uneven texture, and dark spots). After that I moisturize with the Cerave daily moisturizing lotion and then put on sunscreen. I put on sunscreen everyday, but skincare brands exaggerate the dangers of the sun. You should not avoid the sun at all costs!!! You need vitamin D and supplements are not enough!!!! There’s a very interesting article about sunscreen and the importance of sunshine here

At night, I precleanse with the Clinique Take the Day Off oil cleanser. This is 1 of the more expensive products, it being $29, but an straightforward oil cleanser could probably replace it (the DHC one is $20 and is fairly good, although a little too thick for my liking. Still just as good and effective though!) then i cleanse with the medicated cleanser I use in the morning. I often get a bunch of little bumps all over my skin (similar to milia) that are primarily caused by an excess of sebum, so double cleansing at night helps with this. After that I use khiel’s calendula face mask. This is also expensive, being $45 but I use it every night. Yes, every night. It is genuinely one of the things that I can tell makes a huge difference in my skin. This mask does NOT exfoliate or cleanse my skin - it only calms and soothes it, helping to calm down my skin as it can get easily irritated. It’s kind of like conditioning your face like you do your hair??? I usually leave this mask on for upwards of 3 hours if we’re being honest, but since it’s ‘nourishing’ face mask I haven’t seen any problems with this (and I’ve been doing it for over a year now). In the past I used origins mega mushroom relief mask which is also good, and cheaper. After I wash it off I put on my acne medication, and then my serums. At night I use the ordinary’s alpha arbutin serum and their niacinamide and zinc serum. I think these are probably more effective than the ones by Versed I use in the morning, but I don’t use them in the day because the ingredients are more active and because the texture is not as wearable as the Versed serums. They could replace each other if i needed them to, though. I do NOT use vitamin c at night because my medication has benzoyl peroxide and you should not mix vitamin C with benzoyl peroxide. My final step is using moisturizer.

That is the BASIC night routine, and the one I use most often. If I’m wearing makeup, I’ll remove it with a makeup remover before starting my nighttime skincare routine. If I feel my skin needs a pick me up I might use the ordinary’s BHA/AHA chemical peel, but that is few and far between as it is a very harsh chemical and I don’t need it very often. I also do not use my acne medication if I do this because you should never mix AHA/BHAs with benzoyl peroxide. If I have a pimple or a cyst I use hydrocolloid patches, which are the ONLY spot treatments I have ever used that are effective. If I have a flare up in a specific part of my face, I use a tube of 10% benzoyl peroxide.

But like I said, I have really whack skin. My skin is super sensitive to breakouts and has uneven texture and skin tone as a result of years of picking at it. Many people have great skin without doing anything to it, and if that’s you, that’s great! Don’t feel like you need to buy a cleanser or a serum just because everyone on Instagram is telling you to. And oh my god I would advise you to never spend more than $35 on something as basic as a cleanser or a moisturizer. Your skincare routine should be straightforward and basic - I’ve used rose water sprays, witch hazel, tea tree oil, argon oil, $80 serums, $50 moisturizers, and none of them did anything but worsen my skin. Brands like Cerave, La Roche-Posay, Cetaphil, the ordinary, and the only list all have pretty affordable products that you can order online for cheap or find at target. I’ve used brands like Origins and Fresh and Tatcha that are all name brand, expensive, highly rated brands that I thought were completely overrated and did nothing to help my skin.

[docholligay]

Follow Water Down

I have been wandering around in the woods since I was a small child. My family was not particularly well off, and from the ages of probably 3 to 16, the only vacations we ever took were camping trips. We left the house for the woods nearly every weekend. I live in Montana, and so when I say camping trips, I don’t mean we headed off to the KOA with a pool, I mean if I walked away from the campsite I was in the goddamn National Forest. I was genuinely happy with this arrangement, as I was a strange child who grew up to be a strange adult, and I enjoyed the quiet, the sense of exploration, the smell of the trees. 

I began leaving the campsite nearly from the word go, and by the time I was about 8 or so, I was very much off by myself in the woods for the majority of the day, which leads us to our post today. There are people who would call my mom grossly neglectful for having allowed me to do so much on my own at such a young age, and even she gets bashful when she talks about it, but I credit it with a lot of positives: 

I have an extremely good sense of direction

I have a strong core of self-sufficiency and am not easily overwhelmed by anxiety

I can be alone in the quiet with my thoughts

I am rough and tumble as HELL, owing to many many many falls down the sides of mountains, huge gashes in my legs, being stalked by a mountain lion, and one very memorable miscalculation that ended in me falling off a (small) waterfall

When I meet my fear, I can master it*

So what I am here to present to you today are very basic survival skills such as I would teach my own child, such as I was taught as a child. This is by no means comprehensive, and if you intend to get seriously into outdoor life, I recommend both doing far more research, and taking a a Wilderness First Aid class, which are frequently offered when it’s NOT Covid, and which I take about once every 3-5 years (I am due). This is a primer for those who are young, or new, or mostly want to experience the wilderness by reading about me doing it. 

Follow Water Down. 

I cannot remember how old I was when I learned this. It’s the sort of thing that is a part of my makeup, my mother must have told me when I was only a toddler and its stuck with me so hard that it’s one of the first things I tell people. 

If you are lost: 

Water will always lead you back to civilization eventually. Join up with the stream. See which way its going. Go that way. This is obviously not significantly helpful if you are lost in a flat desert plain but then again, I did start this by saying I was a child of the woods and not the desert. This seems like such an easy trick that people often ignore me when I say it, but it is the simplest thing for a child to remember. 

I can’t remember how old I was when I got lost in a tangle of hills and mountains in the Little Belts, where the trail faded but I kept going in my normal bullheaded way. But I was well and truly lost by the time it was about 3 pm, and in some ways I wish I had worn a step tracker back in those days because I am extremely certain I went miles and miles, as one does when they leave immediately after breakfast and don’t come back till dinner. I had no idea where I was, where the campsite was, or what direction I should be going. 

I was not thrilled. 

But I was not a kid who sat down and cried, in that I had smaller concerns before, and so could easily grow to meet the larger ones. I simply walked down the mountain, knowing a valley was more likely to have a stream I could easily join. Lo and behold, there in that little valley was a snowmelt creek, and I followed it downstream, knowing eventually there would be a house, or a campground, or something. In a twist of glorious good luck, it actually led me back toward where the campsite was, and as I began to recognize things, I easily clipped into our campsite long before any sign of trouble. 

Follow Water Down. If you aren’t near a stream, head for the nearest valley, and follow the valley. This will generally lead you to water. People will tell you to stay put and that is WAY smarter than wandering aimlessly in circles, which is why I say to follow something. You think you won’t go in circles, but you will. By following a streambed, not only are you doubtlessly heading back to civilization on a long enough timeline, but you keep yourself from doing that. 

Your Pack: 

Before you go out for the day, you should have a simple day pack. Mine is an Osprey Hikelite 18, but I hike all the time, and you don’t need something that technical. A plain ol Jansport will work as long as it fits you well. I do however, really approve of and recommend a waist clip. I also think a pocket for a water bottle on the outside is really useful, but you’re not going to fucking die if you have to take off your pack to get to your water bottle. I just find it takes up space I don’t want. 

Gear:

More important than your pack itself is what you have in it. Again, this is according to people named Doc, who are me. This is stuff I always take with me when I am by myself, on a trail where it would be realistic to assume I would not see someone else for hours. This is like 95% of Montana trails, or any time that I am off trail. 

Compass. You can get fancy, pretty compasses, but a lot of times they lack the actual essentials you need. I like this guy, which is well made, can be clipped to you backpack easily, and is inexpensive. I don’t have the time or space to really try to teach you how to use a compass, but here’s a really good simple primer from the American Hiking Society. 

Paper Map. I sometimes break this one, admittedly, but I shouldn’t. Having a paper map of the area is always a really smart practice, and used in combination with the compass, can help you get unlost quickly, or at the very least give you an idea of how close to any given outpost you are. 

Water Bottle. Please don’t tell me you were going to attempt to leave without this. I have no preferences on one, shockingly, and I’m being serious. I’ve been given to use an old disposable one, who gives a shit. 

Water Filter. Now THIS I did not have as a child, because my parents didn’t know any better, but if I follow in the grand tradition of my people and release my child into the mountains, I will give them one for certain. I knew what kind of water to look for if one was going to drink from a stream, and I did so, which probably explains why I am not susceptible to ~tummy upsets~ to this day. However, it would have been smarter for me to have one of these. I like LifeStraw but Sawyer makes a perfectly good one. Look for lightweight, it’s a day pack, kids. 

Knife. I have many many feelings about knives, which would require its own post, but this is fairly essential for being out and about. This is not a thing I would necessarily cheap out on, though there are fine options at most price points. This is my knife:

The Gerber Propel AO. The serrated and straight blade edge means there’s a lot of options for use as a tool, I find the blade to be strong and hold an edge well. Most American-made Gerbers (be sure and check, as they have a much shittier Chinese-made division) are incredibly well made knives. Leatherman multi-tools and Swiss Army Knives are, if you ask people named Doc who are me, a waste of weight and size, but if I were to buy a Leatherman, it would be a Free K2X. I would not buy a Swiss Army Knife. 

A jacket/fleece/pullover. Listen, i am the last one who wants to carry this shit but if you get lost overnight (as has never happened to me, kinehara.) you are going to want it. Read up on what the lowest temperatures are, and rate it to that. Depending on what mountain you are in, this is going to vary widely. And for the love of god, wear pants. I know, I know, it’s in the 70s and you’re hoooooooot but seriously, you’ll be less likely to injure yourself and you won’t fucking freeze. 

Flashlight/headlamp. 

There are fancy firestarters, but honestly I just throw in a bic. 

Food! Clif bars are great for this, lightweight, high calorie, keep well. this is in addition to your sandwich or whatever you’re packing for planned eating. 

Sunscreen/bug spray. Don’t be stupid. 

Whistle. Three sharp shot blasts is the easy and international sign for help. 

FIRST AID KIT this has its own thing. A first aid kit can be very basic to very intense. Our group first aid kit is more intense, but when I’m stuffing a day pack, I want stuff that’s light. 

Ibuprofen

Bandages

Gauze

Leukotape

wound wipes/antibac

Imodium, benedryl, caffeine

Oxycontin. This is leftover from long ago and basically exists in case I break my leg and have to drag myself out of there, or, as we like to say, a Worst Case Scenario. 

That’s it! It essentially fits in a bento box. 

You will want to be wearing a sunhat of some sort, sunglasses at hand, and a watch. Not a smart watch, a watch watch. It’s good to know what time it is, better to know that after your phone dies. Attach bear bells to your pack, or your shoe, or something. You do not want to surprise a bear, that is how people die. 

You may notice that I do not have a phone, external battery, GPS tracker or anything like that listed. GPS trackers are not a bad idea if you want to invest the money in backcountry--my wife has one--but I never have and I do not consider them essential. Phones and external batteries are not useful to me, and in the places I go there’s often not service. If there IS service, I find I’m more irritated than not by the people with me, who often can’t pull their faces out of telling their audience how much of a life they have to actually have one. Be alone with your fucking thoughts for once. 

Which leads me to my next thing: DO NOT WEAR HEADPHONES TO HIKE OH MY GOD. Being able to hear what’s going on around you is key to safety, and also to allowing you to get your bearings. If you are listening to music or something, you are far more likely to sneak up on something, or allow it to sneak up on you. Don’t do it. It’s a terrible idea. 

Should I bring bear spray? This is an excellent question! We have ample bear spray, and I often wear it but I just as often wear Montana Bear Spray (a gun). It’s easier to practice with a gun, I feel more sure of how to use it, and I’m comfortable around it. That being said, this is not the story for most of America, and I understand that. So make sure you are VERY familiar with how to use your bear spray. 

I suppose this went off the rails into supplies more than “tips for survival” but honestly I would rather help you all AVOID trouble than help you out of it. It’s easier to pack clif bars than set a rabbit snare, and its easier to not get lost than it is to build shelter. Also, this is already at 2,000 words, so if you have a SPECIFIC question, let me know! 

*Apologies to Phillip Pullman, but if I were going to get anything from HDM tattooed on me, this sentiment would be it, the only problem being the actual line is “You ent afraid are you?” “Not yet. When I am, I shall master the fear.” which doesn’t look as good but damn has that resonated with me since I read it.

[hcielh]

2021 First Quarter Sunscreen Round Up

NOTE: all non-Asian sunscreens mentioned are the versions sold in the EU/UK. if a brand sells a product with the same name in the US/Canada, the ingredients will be different! ALSO, the links are for your convenience/reference, I don’t make anything from them.

What's the most important step in your skincare routine? It'd be difficult to narrow this down to just one step, but it'd be easy to make an argument for it being sunscreen. Although I'm staunchly against 'sunscreen shaming' I tell everyone the same thing: there's no point using anti-aging or anti-oxidant products if you're not topping it off with a solid sunscreen. Many of the heavy hitting anti-acne ingredients (retinoids, AHAs) make your skin more sensitive to the sun as well, so if you use either of those it's even more important.

To make sure I get proper protection, I use 2 finger lengths of sunscreen for my face, and the same again for my neck + ears. I also reapply throughout the day (every two hours isn't realistic, but I generally do it at least twice). This means I get through SPF quickly; a 50ml tube lasts me ~2.5 weeks. With that out of the way, here’s the list in no particular order!

Skinnies Conquer SPF50+ PA++++

Filters: Uvinal A Plus, Bemotrizional, Octocrylene, Zinc oxide

✔️ No white cast*

✔️ No skin irritation

✔️ No eye irritation

Contains a fragrant EO (manuka oil)

(*although I sincerely doubt this would leave a white cast on anyone, it should be noted that I have pale-ass skin and zinc oxide is known for leaving a cast, which means it could be problematic for darker tones and it's just subtle enough that I didn't notice. proceed with caution)

Skinnies is a little controversial, because of their 'a little goes a long way' claim. I suggest watching this video from Lab Muffin Beauty Science (if you haven't already) to learn more about that. I experimented with using both a pea sized amount as suggested by the brand, and a normal amount for safety's sake.

It has a balm-like texture that you have to heat up in your hands to make spreadable, and because of its waterless formula it doesn't 'dry down' at all- so if you feel greasy putting it on at first, you'll pretty much stay greasy. I found it manageable, and if you want to trust the pea sized amount it works well at being moisturising without being too much. It may have clogged my pores, although that was definitely made worse by wearing a mask

For some reason, I really like skinnies, and if I'm wearing my normal 2 finger amount I feel very much protected because it's very water resistant - a double cleanse is entirely necessary with this one. I'm gonna wear this some more in the summer, and come back to it then

Verdict: TBD

Garnier Ambre Solaire sensitive face fluid SPF50 UVA★★★ 

Filters: Octisalate, Uvinal T 150, Tinosorb S, Avobenzone, Mexoryl XL, Mexoryl SX

✔️ No white cast

✔️ No skin irritation

✔️ No eye irritation

Unscented

I wanted to try this one because it was all over my instagram feed for a while, but it does NOT live up to the hype. Firstly, 40ml is tiny, and 3 stars for UVA isn't enough for me personally. I'd forgive this if it had a wonderful texture, but it felt strangely harsh on my skin (almost gritty... although there's nothing gritty in it), and left me looking dull, as if I didn't have a million layers of toner and serums on. But, still, props for being an affordable, white-cast free sunscreen that didn't sting my eyes.

Verdict: would not repurchase

Garnier Ambre Solaire Anti Age Super UV SPF50 UVA ★ ★ ★ ★  ★

Filters: Octocrylene, Avobenzone, Uvinal T 150, Mexoryl SX, Mexoryl XL

✔️ No white cast

❌ Minor skin irritation

❌ Stings my eyes

Unscented

I got this at the same time as the other Garnier one, kinda Just Because. This one is nicer to apply and it doesn't have that 'gritty' feeling to it. However, it irritates my skin (a tiny bit), stings my eyes after a while, and... it pills. a lot. My partner kept pointing out my neck, saying it looked like I had blobs of dead skin rolling around... not a choice look, honestly (and knowing the protection has been made patchy is even worse)

Verdict: would not repurchase

Ultrasun Extreme SPF50+ PA++++

Filters: tTnosorb M (nano), Titanium dioxide (nano), Octisalate, Tinosorb S, Uvinal A Plus, Uvinal T 150

❌ White cast ✔️ No skin irritation ❌ Eye irritation Fragrance free (but smells of sunscreen)

Sooooooooo, when it comes to cosmetic elegance, I expect less from 'extreme' sunscreens. If I'm at the beach, or running, or doing something else where getting burnt is a serious concern, I can manage a white cast or a sticky texture. But both of those, on top of stinging my eyes, and (I think) clogging my pores... nah. I don't want to say this is a bad sunscreen, I just don't think something like this is necessary in today's age. I did not feel comfortable applying the right amount of this. In a world where there are SPF50 products that won't hurt me, why settle for one that does? That's where I'm at with this

Verdict: would not repurchase

Avène Solaire Anti-Aging SPF50+

Filters: Iscotrizinol, Avobenzone, Tinosorb M, Tinosorb S

❌ Slight white cast (would be worse on dark skin)

✔️ No skin irritation

✔️ No eye irritation

Unscented

You know, when a sunscreen is just terrible, I can deal with that. It's to be expected. But when a sunscreen is this close to being flawless, the one or two minor things holding it back just sting even more. This is a wonderful sunscreen for sensitive skin, with a natural/skin-like finish that is neither drying nor greasy, is water resistant (!), and fantastic for acne - it's been my go-to for wearing under a mask for long periods. The filters used are also incredible, with the single exception of Tinosorb M, which is the cause of its fatal flaw...

It has a white cast. It isn't the worst I’ve seen, in fact on my pale skin tone it's almost unnoticeable. But it is there (of course it’d be worse on darker skin tones) and it's the only thing keeping this off of my 'favourite ever sunscreens' list, which is such. a. shame.

Verdict: may repurchase, begrudgingly

Evy Daily Defense Face Mousse SPF50+ PA++++

Filters: Octocrylene, Avobenzone, Uvinal A Plus, Tinosorb S

✔️ No white cast

✔️ No skin irritation

❌ Slight eye irritation (just be careful putting it on)

Unscented

I've been walking past Evy sunscreens for ages. something about the packaging made me assume it would be one of those nasty, sticky/pasty things. Evy, I'm so sorry! this applies like a dream, has a satin finish (i.e. neither dead- nor sweaty-looking), can be used in place of moisturiser, didn't break me out, and didn't irritate my skin. It's also sweat/water resistant. If it gets right in my eyes it stings, but it's easy enough to just avoid sticking my fingers in my eyeballs. If you're asking 'what's the catch?' well, if you're in Europe: there isn't one.

If you're in the US/Canada: it's hard af to get your hands on

If you're anywhere else: search to see if you can get it. Right now. Please!

Verdict: will repurchase, recommend to everyone, never shut up about, cry if it ever gets discontinued

Neogen Dermalogy Probiotics Sun Cream SPF50 PA++++

Filters: Octocrylene, Octinoxate, Octisalate, Avobenzone, Tinosorb S

✔️ No white cast

✔️ No skin irritation

❌ Irritated eyes

Strong, sweet fragrance

This is a decent, basic sunscreen. On the heavier/moisturising side, so only suitable for winter on my oilier skin. Made with probiotic ingredients (because what isn't nowadays), but nothing particularly stand-out (I'd rec probiotics in an earlier step such as an essence). Has a strong, sweet fragrance, which might be a pro if you hate 'sunscreen smell' or a con if you have sensitive skin. If you find this for cheap and want something for daily/mostly indoor use, this is totally worth a try- especially if you have dry skin. But for oily skin or the summer, I’d definitely say there are better ones out there.

For those who are concerned about Korean sunscreen ratings: this was NOT one which failed independent SPF testing. The ones that were, as far as I know, were all formulated by the same 2 companies. From my understanding, Neogen's products are formulated in-house, so there's no reason to avoid this one on that basis. In fact, I’d consider it a relatively trustworthy one

Verdict: would repurchase, on sale in the winter

No.7 Protect & Perfect Intense advanced SPF50+

Filters: Octocrylene, Avobenzone, Tinosorb M, Tinosorb S, Octisalate, Iscotrizinol

❌ Slight white cast (could be worse on darker skin tones)

✔️ No skin irritation

✔️ No eye irritation

Fragranced

There are a few things I like about this: it’s sold as part of a skincare line, rather than a whole like of suncare (i.e. Boots’ soltan), and it’s clearly intended for daily use. It even tells you that the 50ml pack contains 20 applications, to give users a better understanding of how much to apply (though I got through it in fewer because I also used it on my neck and hands). The texture isn’t bad—especially by western standards—it doesn’t pill, and it hasn’t irritated my eyes at all. It’s a little tacky to the touch, and leaves a slight cast that could be problematic for darker skin, but on my pale skin it disappears pretty quickly and just makes my skin look ‘glowy’ according to my partner. It’s on the shiny side, but not too much. Overall, a very ‘okay’ product that I’m not gonna run back to, but would be fine with using again

Verdict: would repurchase 

From the sunscreens I’ve tried so far this year, my favourites are the Evy Daily Defense Face Mousse and the No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Facial Sun Protection (even if it does have an unnecessarily long name). Weirdly, this list only has the one Korean sunscreen on it, when normally that’s what I use the most of! I think I’ve been influenced a little too much by what I’ve seen on IG, but going forward I’ll be sticking more to Asian sunscreens again

[softjaspers]

Heart And Soul | Edward X Reader

Request here | Masterlist

Paring: Edward and reader

Length: Medium

Warnings: None

Request: 21 from the prompt list with Edward please

Note: First of all, I hope that POV change was smooth. Second, I hope you like this <3

You were part of the Denali coven, or now at least. At first, around twenty years ago, you were with the Cullen’s. There, you found your mate. His name was Edward, everything was perfect until that fateful day. Alice had a vision on that morning, Edward left to the other room with her to ask what was wrong, after he got back he didn’t seem the same. 

But now, here you were. You and Kate sat together in a large pine tree, just outside your house. You legs dangled off the long branch as Kate sat with her legs crossed. You took in the view from up there as you watched the snow flakes descend from the sky, they looked so clear and beautiful in your golden eyes. 

“We have company,” Irina suddenly spoke from below, her volume as if we were beside her. 

I jumped down, landing gracefully on my feet. Then, Kate landed next to me. 

“Who’s the company?” I asked, tilting my head only slightly.

Irina hesitated for a moment. “Family, dear.”

I raised a brow in question. “Be specific.”

Kate sighed, shaking her head at me. “You know who it is,”

“The Cullen’s.” Irina finished for her.

I let out a deep sigh, turning my back to them. I liked the Cullen’s, of course, they were my family. I just didn’t know how this was gonna go, I hadn’t seen them for awhile aside from Emmett and Alice. I especially haven’t seen Edward, quite honestly, it hurts to speak his name sometimes. 

Imagine having a soulmate, a mate, someone who you’re bound to be with by an uncontrollable force. They’re your true love, you only get that once. Then, imagine them leaving you, acting cold around you and not knowing why they are acting like that. Imagine yourself having to leave your family because of a broken heart, a heart that felt like it could beat around that person who is the cause of it being broken. Make sense? 

I walked back into the forest, my silhouette blending in with the shadows the tree’s casted. My sisters didn’t say anything, knowing I needed time. 

I had been in that forest for possibly an hour now, I thought about going back but decided against it. I suddenly heard a tree branch crunch behind me, and I smiled. 

“Do I hear a little pixie?” I asked, a smile on my face.

A small figure then pounced onto me, wrapping their small arms around me from behind. “Y/N!”

I laughed. “Why, hello Alice.”

“I missed you!” She exclaimed, turning me around so I could look at her.

I bit my lip, nodding. “I missed you too.”

She frowned, tilting her head as she looked at me. “You know, he’s missed you too.”

I shook off what she said, taking her hand. “Let’s go see everyone else.”

She nodded in agreement and we ran off. We got to the house in only seconds, there stood Jasper once we got there.

He smiled at me, opening his arms for a hug. “Haven’t seen you in awhile,”

I hugged him tightly, burying my face in his chest as I did so. Before I left, me and Jasper were very close. He was one I regretted leaving a lot. “There’s my favourite cowboy.”

He looked down at me with a grin, but as soon as he felt my emotions he stiffened a little and then sighed. “You don’t have to worry about anything, I promise.”

Alice came up behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “The others want to see you.”

I let go of Jasper, following Alice inside. I was feeling a little tense, but then a calm wave came over me. I turned my head to smile at Jasper, thanking him.

As we walked in, everyone stood there. Once they saw me, they all smiled, aside from Edward. He only frowned, making me turn my gaze away. I noticed Rosalie hitting Edward on the back of the head, and I held back a chuckle. 

The room was quiet, seemingly, no one knew what to say. That is until Jasper coughed, getting attention.

“Hey, Edward, I left my hat in the car can you go get it?” Jasper asked, almost glaring at Edward.

Edward looked at him strangely. “You don’t wear hats,”

Jasper gave him a look. “Will you just go get the hat?”

Edward rolled his eyes, walking out.

Rosalie then suddenly turned to me too, giving me a smile, “Y/N, could you be a dear and grab me my sunscreen, also from the car.” 

I raised a brow and then rolled my eyes, choosing to go along with it. “As a vampire, I must say it is odd you need sunscreen, but okay.”

I walked out, going the same way Edward went. I knew the plan here, but I just needed a moment to yell at Edward with everything I had in me.

He leaned against the car, as soon as he saw me he sighed. “Listen, I know that-”

I then cut him off. “Oh, no. You do not get to try to explain things to me here! Do you have any damn idea what I had to go through when you, the literal half of my heart and soul, suddenly acted like I didn’t exist? You made me leave my family, my home, and because of what? A stupid vision? An impulse? Know what, Ed? screw you.” 

He nodded, putting his head in his hands. “I deserve that, I know, all of it.”

When he lifted his gaze up to meet mine, I noticed it looked like he was about to cry. Of course, he physically can’t, but I could tell that if he could he would.

I grit my teeth, feeling that stingy sensation you get in your eyes when you're about to cry. I got that a lot, but obviously tears never fell. “I’m forced to love you, so, why did you leave me behind when you knew that? When you knew I needed you, not only as my soulmate, but as the most important thing in my life...”

���Alice saw something,” He explained. “If you stayed with me, I’d only lose you forever. I could never let you die because of me, I’d only die too. It would be selfish to keep you around, but now, I notice this was selfish too. I should’ve at least told you.” 

I didn’t speak, so he continued. “I tried moving on, moving on to keep you save.  I knew that it wouldn’t work, as I’ll never love anyone like I love you, but a part of me still hoped. There was this girl, a human, I was intrigued by her. We got close, but then she was killed, fatally hit by a car and I couldn’t save her. I feel like...” He stopped to think and then spoke up again, sighing. “the worst part? I still love you. I always will,”

I thought for awhile. “Why did you come back here if you know that it’ll only hurt me to see you leave?”

He hesitantly reached out for my hand, and I let him take it. “Alice had another vision the other day, it was after I had thought about going back to you, she said everything was okay. The reason we’re here is for you, we all miss you. Of course, you don’t have to come back, I only wish I could make things right with you.”

I grasped his hand, pulling him towards me. I cupped his cheek with my other hand as I looked into his eyes. “Just don't do anything stupid.”

He smiled, melting into my touch. “I’ve learned my lesson.”

“I hate that I still love you,” I smiled, resting my forehead on his own.

He chuckled, but then his mouth curved down slightly. “I will never forgive myself for hurting you.”

I shook my head, moving my thumb over his smooth lips as my hand still cupped his cheek. “A pretty dumb move not explaining to me, yes, but I understand. As mad as I am, I’m just glad things are better now.”

“How do you always see the good in things?” He asked with admiration.

I rolled my eyes and laughed. “Just kiss me.”

“Gladly,” He said before connecting his cold lips with mine.

It as a relief to feel his cold, soft lips on mine again. I never wanted it to end.

He was my heart and soul.

[kindlespice]

ooooh skin stuff?? what products do you use / what's your routine? im super nosy and fascinated about this stuff lol

oof, sorry this took so long to answer, i ended up writing a whole damn novel… my b. Anyway i buy my skin care pretty much exclusively from yesstyle (minus a few exceptions, but i’m always open to new suggestions! i am gonna take a look at jolse soon) so i’ll just link the products from there. Also i have a little dinky code for like 2-5% off if you wanna save like… $1 it’s 5NAYTT

Disclaimers before i start though, I have normal skin (i know i’m so lucky uwu) so i generally don’t stress about whether my products work better or worse for dry/oily skin—but i do tend to favor more hydrating/moisturizing products. Also i’m no esthetician or dermatologist, most of my knowledge comes from product reviews, skin care videos, and my own personal experiences. So basically take everything I say and share with a grain of salt :))

We’ll start out easy with my morning routine:

1.)  Mostly i start by wetting my face with warm water. you can also wet it in the shower if you’re a morning shower-er(?) but i’m not lol. IF my skin is feeling really dirty in the morning for some reason though (like if i sweat real bad on a summer night or drown in a pool of drool x-x) i’ll start with the Perfect Whip foaming cleanser

i find that most mornings, bc of my more extensive night routine, my face isn’t often in need of a cleanser

but i really like this bc you get SO MUCH use out of so little product; i use less than a dime-size amount per wash. but i do use this little foam maker thingy which builds up a better and faster foam than using my hands—not necessary but very convenient. there’s also foaming nets you can try, but i’m not familiar with them.

i don’t completely dry my face after use; i like it damp when i apply the toner

2.)  Apply Klairs Supple Preparation Toner

i personally use the original version as i don’t mind essential oil scents, and my skin doesn’t react negatively to them. If oils bother you for whatever reason though, you might want to try the unscented version!

i also pour this into a spray bottle (you can pick these up pretty much anywhere but these are cute if you wanna order some) and apply via spray. No reason other than I just don’t want to buy cotton pads :)

3.)  Apply Snail Repairing Essence

i use this pretty much as a moisturizer but you might want to use an additional cream or something if your skin is on the drier side?

4.)  Apply SPF

okay so… i don’t actually have a rec for this bc i just use whatever my mom has.  and i haven’t actually gotten a korean sunscreen yet bc i don’t go outside and i’m that person (who is v dumb) and doesn’t apply spf consistently in the winter -.- but rest assured, i’ll get some eventually lololol

Okay like i said, pretty easy in the morning! I don’t use essences, just bc i’m still young and a lot of them seem to be focused on anti-aging things that aren’t my main concern. And I prefer to use my serum at night bc it’s got vitamin C and i just told you i’m bad at sunscreen

But night time is where it gets complicated fun:

1.)  Hop in the shower (but if you’re not a nighttime shower-er then you can just cleanse out of the shower) and go in with the Clean It Zero cleansing balm (this also has other versions: purifying, revitalizing, and nourishing but i’ve only ever used the original)

i usually do double cleansing at night, so this is my oil-based “first cleanser”

but i have been known to um… “gloss over” this step if i’m being lazy….. -.-

i like oil-based cleansers bc they’re a nice, gentle way to remove makeup (as opposed to wipes and stuff) and i do use this to remove eye makeup as it personally doesn’t irritate my eyes; i also prefer balms over straight up oils bc they’re more fun ^-^

anyway, i massage it on, emulsify, and rinse! also, if you’re not in the shower, i would keep my face damp after rinsing.

2.)  Perfect Whip foaming cleanser while still in the shower

pro-tip, if you have a foam maker, i would make the foam BEFORE you start. that way you can just apply it right after the balm!

again, i keep my face damp after rinsing off the foam and hopping out of the shower

3.)  Klairs Supple Preparation Toner returns!

again, i have mine in a spray bottle so i spray it on and tap it in!

4.)  IF IT’S SUNDAY, then i will go in with the Lemon Sparkling Peeling Gel next

this is a chemical exfoliator (i finally ditched my knock-off st. ives XD) and i only use it once a week

5.) IF IT’S SUNDAY, and i have one available, i’ll put on a sheet mask next

sheet masks are… honestly all the same to me lol but i order these innisfree ones all the time; my regulars being green tea, tea tree, and aloe (they’re actually cheaper on their website tho so…).  i also really wanna try the A’PIEU Milk Packs particularly in banana and strawberry, so i’ll probs order and try those out when i can justify spending the money on a whole bunch (knowing me i’ll turn it into a whole $40+ order lol)

i leave these on for 15-20 minutes (usually 20), take it off, and pat the remaining product into my skin

also there’s usually some left over on the other side of the mask and/or in the package that i’ll massage onto my neck and body (we try not to do not waste product in this house!!)

if i’ve done a mask, then i will most likely skip this next step

6.)  Apply Klairs Vitamin C Drop

this is pretty much my daily serum as it helps with improving my dark spots and hyper pigmentation (my main skin concern)

i take 3-5 DROPS in my hand… that’s it, i literally wasted so much before i finally decided to stop dropping it onto my face.

apply and pat that bad boy all over!!

7.)  Snail Repairing Essence  returns!

again this is my probably-not-supposed-to-be-but-idfc moisturizer so i just slap it on!

8.)  Almost done, here’s the Snail Repair Eye Cream

this is actually new, but i bought a smaller tube bc 1. i didn’t want to spend a bunch of money on something that might irritate my eyes. and 2. i didn’t. want. to spend. a bunch. of money. but the little nozzle is actually really helpful for getting a small, good amount of cream actually XD

so i’ll squeeze a little line (more like an oblong dot tho) under each eye and use my ring fingers to glide that up to the lid and pat in the product.

9.)  Last one! Berry Lip Mask

basically…. i even buy korean knock-offs lololol

i just apply this to my bottom lip (my top lip never causes me issues??) and let it sit over night

Anddddd that’s everything! Very nearly got to that 10 step dream but, no essence, no clout i guess. Anyway, i do have some additional pro-tips too:

If you’re buying/trying new skin care products, be patient and introduce them slowly. it’s hard, but this way—if one or more products are causing a reaction—it’s easy to just cut it out of the routine. Also i like to think it gives your skin time to become used to the new ingredients and to “normalize” before piling on new stuff (but that could be total bs lol)

“Listen” to your skin; use products that make YOUR skin feel good, and use products when YOU need them. especially with serums and stuff, invest in products that will help you to address your skin concerns and achieve your skin goals (whatever those may be at the time)—and not someone else’s. Also don’t be afraid to admit if a product’s not working, better to chuck it than ruin your skin you know?

From someone who’s experienced a very unpleasant, burning unibrow :))) don’t remove hair on exfoliation day and avoid putting a lot of product on sensitive areas. Also, doing some sort of cleanse before hair removal helps to reduce the risk of dirt and stuff getting into the exposed skin.

Oh and be gentle with your exfoliators (whether physical or chemical) DON’T SCRUB FOR THE LOVE OF PETE to avoid cuts and burns!

If you have a spot (or feel one coming up) , use some sort of spot treatment. you’re much less likely to pick with something if it’s covered up by a patch (these are my faves) which will reduce irritation and formation of dark spots.

Be as hygienic as possible! There’s no towel drying steps in my routine for two main reasons. 1, i like keeping the moisture and hydration from the water as long as possible. and 2, bacteria. is. everywhere. Towels are pretty gross when you think about it and limiting contact between them and your face will probably greatly improve your skin’s health. Also avoid touching nozzle or dropper applicators directly to your hands or face: that way the applicator won’t come in contact with any bacteria or germs and transfer that gunk onto your face every time you use it. Washing your hands and/or tools that DO touch your face is also important in, again, reducing the spread of random gunk.

Take it slow, relax, and enjoy it! Skin time is my relaxation time (especially sunday nights oml so awesome!!), it’s honestly one of the best parts of my day just being able to kick back and take care of myself. Try not to make it a chore, it isn’t supposed to feel regimented or overwhelming, but relaxing and fun!

Okay that’s really it!! And yeah this got really really long….. sorry if you actually only wanted my yesstyle recs XD