#i swear they have been filling my regular mascara not as full as they used too

[unityrain24]

it's days like this (wearing my only boob-accentuating top) that i wish i had some brown mascara (to turn my peachfuzz into a beard for gender-presentation fuckery)

[garbagevanfleet]

Learn To Leave A Room (series)

PART TWO 

Pairing: Jake & female!Reader Warnings: general sexiness, but nothing too risque yet Summary: Balancing relationships is hard work - God forbid someone throw a wrench into it. Notes:  oh my god, im sorry guys. sexual tension is my favorite thing in the whole world. 

MASTERLIST

“I am not ashamed, the story goes. I swear I will learn to leave a room without touching every part of your face.” — Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, “How to Grow the Brightest Geranium,” published in Breakwater Review

“Obviously you have to talk to him.” 

Despite being nearly noon, it’s still too early for this conversation. Lucy has dragged you back to the diner, hoping to nurse your collective hangovers with some coffee and a greasy breakfast, but all you had really wanted to do was crawl into your own bed.

“You can’t just leave things like they are. I mean, he is still your boyfriend until you actually break up with him, right?” she tries again. You know she’s right. She’s always so insightful about these kinds of things, and hung-over you is a little annoyed by her sound logic. 

You had told her a very selective recounting of what had happened last night, leaving out anything to do with Jake. You weren’t ever planning on telling her the rest.

You and Lucy had stayed over at the Kiszka residence, cuddled up together on the couch, but you - very luckily - did not have to see anyone else before you had left. 

“I know. I will eventually,” you assure, staring down at the half-eaten cheeseburger you ordered and wondering if you can take another bite. You opt instead to pick at it with your fork. “Mostly I want him to have to think about it all for a while. Get in his own head.”

She giggles at you. “Mind games,” she says in the way of agreement. She’s silent for a moment as you watch her stir her milkshake with her straw. “I’m sorry he did that to you. I could tell that you didn’t want to invite him; I shouldn’t have pushed you.”

You shake your head at her. “It’s so not your fault. I think it’s good that I figured out who he really is early on. You know, before I actually got to like him.”

“You didn’t really like him?” Her tone is sheepish. 

You shake your head. “It was fun at first, but no. I will miss the regular sex though,” you add, making her laugh. 

“Well, I guess you’ll have to just kick him to the curb and get back out there. You’re going to find someone that’s going to treat you right.”

You nod in agreement and give her a thankful smile, but somehow you feel that you won’t be joining the dating scene for a while. 

+++

Mitch never does text you, so you decide you won’t either. It feels a little unresolved, but you’re honestly grateful to not have to deal with the confrontation. He had never left anything at your house, and you hadn’t taken more than one or two pictures together, so you forget about him pretty easily.

You do feel anxious off and on, but you don’t think it’s from the breakup. You can’t quite put your finger on it, but you pick up an extra-long shift at the cafe to fill your time. Fall is the start of the busy season for baristas, so you very infrequently have a moment to dwell on anything at work. 

After a long day of steaming and steeping, you cannot wait to get home and wash off. The most you ever feel like yourself is in the shower - it’s always a mental cleansing process just as much as a physical one. Soft music starts to play from the speaker on the bathroom counter as you connect your phone. 

You turn the water to the perfect temperature to warm you up from the walk home, and it feels borderline euphoric as you step under the spray. You let the water wash over you, but the second you close your eyes, you snap them back open with an anxious feeling. 

You try it again. You lean back, close your eyes... but to the same result. 

You stand and stare blankly at the shower wall. 

“Fuck,” you breathe. Every time you close your eyes, all you can see is Jake looking back at you from across the living room. 

The lights on his face, the contrast of his dark hair against the white door frame - you can even hear the music that was playing. All of it. It’s haunting you.

You rub the heels of your palms into your eyes, trying to will it away, but you can’t stop your brain from playing the image back to you. 

“Fuck,” you whisper again, a bit more desperately this time and slump against the cold shower wall. You stay there, staring at the tile in front of you until you realize that the issue isn’t going to go away. 

You give up and wash your hair, absent of the task. A slight annoyance slips over you because you can’t even enjoy the ritual with your mind so preoccupied. You take a deep breath and let your eyes slip closed as the warm water rinses the soap away. 

He’s waiting for you in the black, but this time you’re on the patio with him, watching him smoke his cigarette down to the filter. It’s only for a moment, but in that moment you can smell the smoke. Feel the leather of his jacket. Taste his skin. 

You remember the intensity in his eyes as you sucked his thumb into your mouth and you try to recall every little thing about how he looked at that moment. You groan at yourself, realizing just how stupid you are for ever letting yourself feel like this. 

When you step out of the shower, you promise yourself that you won’t think about it anymore, but you still do. You try to bargain with yourself. 

You won’t think about it again after tonight, you think, but you know it’s a lie.

You blow dry your hair in the mirror and stare at the spot on your neck that Mitch had left you with. It’s faded to the point that it’s nearly undetectable, but you can see it. You want to hate Mitch for it, but somewhere in the back of your mind, you’re acutely aware that if he hadn’t done that, you would have never had the time you did with Jake. The party would have just been normal and you would still have Mitch’s number saved in your phone. Jake was right, who knows how long you would have kept dating him, despite the lack of interest on your part. 

You lay down in bed with your warm pajamas on, your feet dangling off the side and your cell in your hands. Jake’s contact information is pulled up and you flip to the Messages tab. You’ve only ever messaged him a couple of times; once when he asked you about a song you had been playing that he wanted to know the name of, and once when Josh and him were coming to pick you and Lucy up and he was messaging that they were waiting outside. 

You lay the phone face down on your chest and stare up at your ceiling. Your heart is fluttering as you think about what would happen if you called him. Right now. 

It’s just a reckless idea - you’d never do it - but that doesn’t stop your eyes from flicking to the clock on your nightstand. 

It’s 11 pm. Would he even answer? What would you say if he did?

You roll your eyes at yourself, suddenly embarrassed at how stupid you’re being. The covers are chilly as you slip into them, but thankfully, they warm up quickly. You fall into a pleasant sleep, and even though you had sworn you wouldn’t dream about it, you still do. 

+++

You wake up to your phone notifying you of a message, but you ignore it for a few minutes, trying to force yourself back to sleep. It’s five minutes later that you realize it’s not happening, so you reach a hand over for your phone. 

Lucy   10:23 am

What are you up to tonight?

A smile finds your lips. She’s always had an uncanny way of knowing when you needed her, and some girl time was exactly what the doctor ordered, you think.

Absolutely nothing. Wanna hang? you reply. You crawl out of bed and allow yourself some time to stretch your muscles before you head for the bathroom. You’re brushing your teeth when you hear a new message come in. 

Lucy   10:41 am 

For sure

Movie at Josh’s. Pick you up around 5.  

Your heart jumps.

“Fuck,” you rasp, but your mouth is still full of toothpaste, and now your mirror is dotted with white speckles. You finish brushing frantically before texting back.

Maybe just a girl night?

Because your life is currently such a mess, you’re not at all surprised that Lucy takes nearly half an hour to respond.

You lunge for the phone the second you hear the notification sound, nearly dropping the Poptart that you’ve just finished toasting. 

 Lucy  11:10 am

Don’t be silly, I already got the movie 

You have no idea how that prevents you from just watching it alone with her, but you don’t want to make her suspicious, so you don’t press any further. 

The rest of your day is spent acting like a middle schooler. You are not ready to see Jake Kiszka again. What if he says something to you in front of Lucy? Explaining it to her would be a nightmare. What if he was just drunk and doesn’t actually have any interest at all?

You’re not positive you’ll see him, so you try to convince yourself that you probably won’t. It decidedly does not work.  

You pointedly try not to think about what you’re going to wear, but despite yourself, you already have an outfit picked out by the time 4 pm rolls around. You try to reason with yourself as you eye your makeup bag.

“It’s a movie,” you remind yourself into the mirror. “We are just watching a movie in the dark and you are not putting on makeup.”

You try to be firm, but you’re weak and you end up glaring at your reflection as you apply mascara. 

Lucy is late when she arrives to get you, but it doesn’t matter, because you still feel like you haven’t had enough time to worry about everything thoroughly. Feeling unprepared, you climb into her car. 

You try to calm yourself by listening to everything Lucy is going on about as she tells you about her week. You know that she can tell that you’re nervous because she starts talking about her cat - a subject that always makes you feel better.

She’s so used to being at the Kiszka house that when you get there, she doesn’t bother knocking. She just lets herself in and hangs her coat and scarf on a hook by the door.

“Babe,” she calls out into the house, and Josh emerges from the kitchen and sweeps her into an embrace. You try not to listen to their loved up talk, you don’t feel like you have the stomach for it with the state you’re in.   

Josh greets you with a polite hug. You smile back genuinely until you realize that you have no idea if Jake told him anything, and suddenly you have a whole new nightmare to explore in your head. You try to talk yourself through it as you follow them through the hall to the living room.

He didn’t give you the shit-eating grin that you would expect to receive if he did know something. You’re also pretty sure that he would tell Lucy, and Lucy would absolutely ask you about it. You breathe a relieved sigh as you settle in on the couch.

Sam is sitting the wrong way in a reclining chair, his long legs hanging off one of the arms. He looks so gangly that you can’t help but laugh at him and he gives you a cheesy smile back. 

Since the recliner is taken, you get cozy with Lucy sandwiched between you and Josh, and a fuzzy blanket across all your laps. You want to ask if Jake is going to be joining you guys, but you chicken out. What if Josh does know about what happened at the party, and by some miracle, he just didn’t tell Lucy? You don’t want to seem like you’re thinking about Jake - even though you absolutely are - so you just stay silent. 

You try to get into the movie. You and Lucy both love anything in the horror genre, but you’d already seen this one in theaters with her, and you try not to be annoyed that she’d pick a movie you’ve both already seen, presumably just so Josh could see it as well.

It’s considerably less scary the second time around, so about halfway through, you find yourself bored. You excuse yourself to use the restroom, mostly just so you can stretch your legs, as the couch isn’t that big and fitting three people on it is a squeeze. Lucy asks if you want them to pause the movie, but you wave her off, telling her you’ll be right back.

You head up the stairs and down the hallway, and you’re just about to turn the corner to the bathroom when the breath gets knocked out of you with a thump. It doesn’t hurt, but a shocked noise escapes your lips before you can stop it. A pair of hands find your hips instantly to help steady you. It takes you a second to realize that you’ve just slammed into Jake - face first - but as soon as you do, you hold your breath. You must have a horrified look on your face because he breathes a laugh.

“Fuck, I’m so sorry,” you squeak. “What are you doing here?”

Deliberately slow - like he’s trying to make sure you’ve got your balance back - he pulls his hands away. Through a disbelieving grin, he says, “Well, I live here. It’s more like ‘what are you doing here?’.”

You can feel your face turning pink. “Right. Lucy and I are here for a movie,” you explain. You haven’t made an effort to step back away from him, and you can’t bring yourself to yet. His hair is wet and slicked back, and you’re annoyed it looks so good on him - you always look like a drowned cat when you get out of the shower. 

He hums in understanding but doesn’t say anything else. He just raises his eyebrows at you expectantly. 

Just above a whisper, you chance, “Are we going to talk about it?”

He feigns consideration. 

“We could,” he says with a nod, his lips stretching out into a mischievous smirk. “Or we could pick up where we left off.”

You subtly pull the sleeves on your sweater down to your wrists in an effort to hide the goosebumps that are rising on your skin. You open your mouth, but you’re truly at a loss for words. You had a full week to think about this, but you realize you never got around to allowing yourself to figure out what you’d say to him. He gives you an ample amount of time to think of a response, but the only thing you can do is stare at his lips.

“What’s the matter?” he asks, his voice is like silk. It’s quiet, but commanding. A tone you’d use if you had someone's wrists cuffed to your headboard. “Where did all that confidence go?”

He didn’t have as much control the last time you were this close to him, but he definitely does now, and you can tell that this is exactly how he’s comfortable.

“Pretty sure my liver cleared it all out Saturday morning,” you reply, swallowing hard. The words had come out softer than you’d intended. He’s smug as he seems to give you a once over, and your chest tightens under his gaze. 

“That’s a shame.” 

You can smell his shampoo as he brushes past you - something minty and pleasant. The sharpness of it helps ground you a little, but as soon as he disappears down the stairs, you slip into the bathroom and slump against the closed door. The whole exchange only lasted a couple of minutes, but you’re left feeling exhausted. You consider staying in the bathroom forever - maybe setting up a nice nest of towels so you never have to see anyone for the rest of your life, but then you remember that you have your favorite kind of yogurt in your fridge at home, so you’ll have to come out eventually. Instead, you just stand in front of the sink and splash cold water against your face as you try to collect your thoughts. 

You don’t see him the rest of the evening, and for that, you’re simultaneously grateful and annoyed. Multiple times you think about marching back up to his room, but that's as far as you get. You still have no idea what you’d say or do once you got up there. 

Lucy takes you home after the movie, and she offers to stay the night, but you tell her you’re wiped and that you’re headed right to bed. You go to get out of her car, but she places her hand on yours where it’s rested on the center console. 

“Hey, so Josh and I were talking,” she starts, and your stomach tightens. You’re suddenly positive that she’s about to tell you that she knows everything, so you hold your breath. 

“About birthday plans. So he was thinking that since I’m going to be leaving in a week, he’s going to throw me a party at his house next Saturday,” she finishes excitedly. You smile at her, trying not to look scared. 

Lucy’s birthday is in early November, and every single year since you met, you’ve spent it together. This year, however, her parents surprised her with a trip abroad. You had been planning on having a nice dinner together just before she left, but you suppose that it is more efficient to just have a party with everyone.

 “That’s great,” you agree, squeezing her hand. 

“I’m so excited, I’m just hoping you can help us plan it all?” She gives you her best puppy eyes. “Since I’m going to be so busy packing and making sure I have everything together.”

You take a deep breath and nod in agreement. “Of course. You can count on me, Lu.”

She beams at you and leans in to give you a cramped car hug.

When you’re back in your room, you shoot Josh a message asking what he’d like you to be in charge of. Your body feels tight, so you head to the bathroom and draw yourself a bath, setting the water as hot as it will go. 

Josh K    9:38 pm

thinking probably cake 

You frown at your phone and shoot back,  just cake?

Josh K    9:41 pm

yah 

You set your phone down on the tile by the bathtub and roll your eyes. “Idiot,” you say out loud through a smile. You undress and sink into the water slowly, and it’s so hot that it turns your skin pink, but the slight pain is grounding. A message notification sounds from beside you, so you extend a wet hand to grab it.

Josh K    9:48 pm 

Lucy wants to do decorations herself n sam threatened suicide if he cant dj

You huff a laugh. What are you getting her for a present?, you send back.

Josh K    9:51 pm

secret :)

Josh K    9:52 pm

maybe just birthday sex 

You leave it at that, grateful that Lucy has someone so loving in her life. You think she deserves it, even if it does gross you out now and again. 

You spend the rest of your time in the bath willing yourself to relax and trying to figure out why the last three words Jake said to you upset you more than the entirety of your last interaction with Mitch.

PART THREE

Taglist: @myownparadise96   (message me to add yourself if you want!)

[ghostsray]

You are my brother (boogie woogie)

(my first @phicphight 2020 fic! based on @dp-marvel94‘s prompt: “Vlad successfully clones Danny again. When Danny meets this new clone, the boy is nothing like he expects.”)

(word count: 2625) (AO3)

Danny sunk onto his bed, the soft matress feeling like heaven after a long day of school and ghost-fighting. He was so exhausted that he wished nothing would interrupt his brief moment of respite. Thus he released a deep groan when he heard his bedroom door creak open.

"Oh, don't groan at me," his sister said. She entered the room and sat next to him on the bed.

"What do you want, Jazz?" Danny's voice came muffled from where it was buried face down on his bedsheet.

He lifted his head high enough from the bed to see Jazz staring at him with crossed arms. "You could have told me you went to Vlad's," Jazz said.

Danny scowled. "What are you talking about?"

Jazz faltered. "You mean...you didn't?"

"No, of course not. Why the hell would I go to that froot loop's place?" He sat up beside Jazz, who was busy fidgeting.

"I thought he looked like--nevermind. It was probably someone else."

"Who looked like me?"

Jazz pulled out her phone and opened it to a photograph. There was Vlad Masters standing in front of his mansion. By his side was a teenage boy who looked an awful lot like Danny.

"Someone took a photo of the mayor in front of his house with a child," she explained, then hesitated and added, "When someone asked him who it was, he said it was his son."

Danny's face darkened. He took the phone from Jazz and observed the boy in the picture. Although he was dressed more smartly than Danny normally would, there was no denying that they were related. On first glance, he looked identical to Danny: everything from his pale skin and short stature to the way his mouth sloped when he smiled. But after looking at him more closely, he could make out a few minor differences: his black hair was streaked with messy white stripes, his eyes were a shade darker blue than Danny's, and his face was just slightly slimmer. None of that fooled Danny, though. Danielle also looked somewhat different from him, and she was still his genetic clone.

Danny stood up, the day's exhaustion from a minute ago completely forgotten. "I think I need to pay our Uncle Vlad a little visit," he said grimly.

"Wait, now?" Jazz asked just as Danny transformed before her in a flash of light. She shielded her eyes as he changed into ghost form, and when she looked up again, he was already gone.

.

The way to the mayor's mansion was quick. As he flew in Phantom form, Danny kept thinking up insults he would throw at Vlad once he saw him. He slipped intangibly into the building and began to search for the man.

He didn't find Vlad, but he did run into his son.

He was sitting in the library, reading a copy of Dracula. On a regular occasion, Danny would have found it hilarious that the vampire-looking ghost would own the book in his library, but he wasn't feeling very festive at that moment. As he stared invisibly at the boy, Danny couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in his stomach from looking at him. He had spent lots of time with his other clone, Danielle, but she was younger than him, so it didn't bother him that much. This clone in the library was much closer to Danny's age, and therefore, much more similar in appearance. Even with the darker eyes and streaked hair, Danny felt like he was looking in a mirror.

As similar as the clone was in physical appearance, though, Danny would never be caught dead(er) in his clothes. The dude reeked of Vlad's ill-gotten wealth. He wore the kind of polo shirt that only snobby rich kids wore, and his feet were in loafers that Danny could never afford. It was clear that the clone had tried to comb his hair into an orderly position, but just like Danny's hair, it was impossible to tame and was sticking out in various places. Danny thought he even saw him wearing some of Vlad's mascara, but that might have been his imagination.

Once he got over the shock of seeing a wealthier copy of him in person, Danny toughened his expression, floated in front of the clone, and dropped his invisibility. The clone jumped in his chair and nearly dropped his book in surprise.

"Let me guess," Danny drawled. "Daniel Masters?"

There were many different outcomes that Danny could have expected. The clone could have been like Danielle, held under Vlad's control against his will, and begged Danny to help him. Or he could have been the opposite, completely under his evil influence, and released an evil laugh and said something like Yes, it is I, now prepare to die and let me replace you. Or maybe Vlad could have decided not to risk another Danielle incident and hid the fact that he was a clone from him, thus making him deeply confused by the similar-looking ghost in front of him.

What happened was none of the above.

The teenager's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed in a voice full of excitement, "You're Danny! The original!"

Danny faltered for a moment, put off by the sudden admiration in the clone's voice and the smile that had plastered itself onto his face. "Um, yeah," he replied. "And you--"

The clone extended a hand and said, "I'm Daniel--but you already knew that. I also go by the name Niel!"

Danny was so flabbergasted that he shook the hand without thought. "Niel?" he asked.

"N-I-E-L. Daniel, Niel. It's a different pronunciation, but close enough to my written name. Plus, it's not like I want to go around using your name. Well, even though Dad still insists on calling me Daniel because he's boring like that."

"Dad," Danny echoed. "You mean Vlad."

That stupid grin was still on Niel's face as he said, "Yep. He created me, didn't he? By combining your DNA with some of his. Mostly yours, but he said he couldn't get your mid-morph DNA and had to use his own, which was hard because you two are really different and it took him a while to make me, but now I'm here. It makes sense for me to call him Dad. Or Father, but that's boring. I mean, who even uses that word anymore? Fa-ther."

He giggled, and Danny stared. The Fenton struggled to make sense of this clone. He was so...childish. Unlike neither Vlad nor Danny, except maybe for when Danny was six years old and still filled with childish glee. Now that he thought about it, he supposed Niel was technically even younger than that.

As soon as Danny remembered how to speak again, he said, "You're awfully calm about being a clone."

Niel shrugged. "Sure, I was cloned from you, but I like to think I'm still my own person. I mean, I know Dad probably made me to replace you, but that's dumb." His eyes sparkled, and he concluded, "I think we should be brothers."

"Brothers?" Danny asked, then a gear clicked in his brain and he responded, "Hold up, I am not going to live with you and Vlad. We're not brothers."

Niel seemed a little disappointed, but he pressed on. "Why not? We are brothers; our DNA is close enough. Unless you want to call me your son, but that's too weird." (Danny had to agree.) "Anyway, I know you're okay with calling your clones family because you call Danielle your cousin, even though she should be our sister. We should all live together--me, you, Dad, and Danielle, even though I don't know why she ran away exactly, but I'm sure she and Dad can make up."

He seemed so passionate about the idea of living as a family that Danny almost felt bad for bursting his bubble. "Sorry, but my answer is still no," he stated. "I don't know how nice Vlad is to you, but from my experience, he's a terrible dad. You were right about me calling Danielle my cousin, but that's because she didn't have a family after Vlad refused to accept her."

Niel's face scrunched up in confusion. "But...Dad said she left by herself because she was confused about being your clone."

"You must have mixed up confused with abused," Danny replied dryly. "Vlad tried to kill her. He wanted to melt her down to make you."

Niel looked like he was either constipated or in pain. "But--That's not--I mean, he wouldn't--" he stammered. "He's a good father to me!" He finally exclaimed, forgetting his previous statement that no one used the word father. "I'm sure he's changed!"

"Yeah, right," Danny said with a roll of his eyes. "That's about as likely as Mr. Lancer saying a real swear word."

"Who's Mr. Lancer?"

"Unimportant. What I'm saying is, your "Dad" majorly sucks. I'd say no offense, but I mean full offense to Vlad."

Niel gripped the copy of Dracula in his hands until his knuckles turned white. Danny half expected him to either start attacking Danny or to break down crying. However, after a few seconds passed, Niel took a deep breath until he calmed down, then he said, "He'd still be a better parent to you than those Fentons."

Danny snorted. "No doubt. Did Vlad tell you that? I bet he had a lot of words to say about my dad."

"He did," Niel confirmed, "but I don't really care about his petty grudge with Jack. I could tell the portal thing was an accident. It's silly to still hate him for something that happened twenty years ago."

Danny faltered. That wasn't what he expected Niel to say. "Then why..."

"Why?" Niel's dark blue eyes bore into Danny's light blue ones, and he said simply, "They hunt you."

Danny felt like he had been sucker punched in the gut. He swallowed down the lump that had formed in his throat. "Ah. That..."

"I watch the news," Niel pressed on, digging the metaphorical dagger deeper into Danny's hide. "They go after you every day. They want to kill you. They say they're going to tear Phantom apart molecule by molecule."

"That's because they don't know it's me," Danny argued weakly.

"Then why don't you tell them?" Before Danny could respond, Niel held up a hand and interrupted, "That was rhetorical. I know why you keep your ghost half a secret. You're scared of them."

Danny balled his hands into fists. "I'm not scared," he growled.

"Really? You seem pretty scared to me."

It was true. Sweat was pouring from his forehead. Danny wiped it away and pressed his lips into a thin line. "I'm not scared," he continued to lie, "and I know they're better parents than Vlad. They may hate Phantom now, but I'll get them to change their minds."

Niel laughed--a villainous laugh that reminded Danny heavily of Vlad. "Yeah, right. The Fentons becoming buddies with Danny Phantom?" He grinned at Danny and added, "What was it you said? That's about as likely as Mr. Lance saying fuck."

"Lancer," Danny corrected.

"Whatever."

Danny glared at Niel, who smiled pleasantly in return. "Join Vlad," Niel told him. "Be my brother. We can keep you away from them, and then you won't have to be scared anymore." Niel frowned slightly and amended, "Well...we'll keep you away from Jack, at least. Dad still has this dumb infatuation with Maddie...but I think he can be content with letting her go if he got you."

Danny's glare melted into something sadder. "Do you really believe that?"

"Yes," Niel answered with conviction. "I'll get Dad to take you away from them. We'll be brothers, and maybe Jazz and Danielle can be our sisters. We'll be a happy family."

Danny's gaze lingered on him a moment longer, then it wandered down to the book he still held with an iron grip. "Niel," Danny called the clone's name hesitantly, then he sighed. "You're too young."

Niel was puzzled by the sudden change in subject, but he told him, "Dad said I'm fourteen. The same age he got the DNA sample from you, even though you're sixteen now."

"Yes, but your literal age is, what, one?" Danny lifted his eyes again to look at Niel as he spoke. "You don't have a lot of experience."

"I have knowledge. I read."

"It's not enough. You haven't spent a lot of time with Vlad; you don't know him like I do. He'll never let go of my mom. Danielle and him will never make up. And I--and Jazz--will never join him because he's a horrible person."

Niel looked like he was one tick away from bursting. "Why not?" he challenged, but he sounded more desperate than mad. "What's so bad about him?"

"Let's see...he's a cheater, a liar, super creepy, and a huge jerk," Danny listed on his fingers. "He kidnapped me, like, twenty times, and he always sends deadly ghosts after me to either kidnap me again, or kill my dad. That's not someone I would ever want to be family with."

Niel's jaw was taut. "So you won't change your mind."

Danny shook his head.

Niel's hands shook as he breathed, but he was eerily calm as he placed his book on a table by his chair and stood up. "Dad told me you wouldn't listen, that you're too stubborn. I guess I should have believed him."

"Niel..."

Niel's face was relaxed as he looked at him, but his eyes burned with dark fire. Suddenly, twin rings of light flashed across his body, transforming him into a ghost.

Though Danny knew that Niel had some of Vlad's genes, that fact was made more obvious in his ghost form. He still looked like Danny and even wore the same black-and-white jumpsuit, but he had blue skin and red eyes like Plasmius. Streaks of black ran across his white hair where the opposite color had been in his human form. He must have inherited his dad's dramatic sense of fashion, because a high-collared, Dracula-esque cape draped over his jumpsuit, similar to the one Vlad wore.

As Danny stared at the ghost before him, he felt a cold spread through his body, and it wasn't his ice core. Niel's form reminded him too much of another ghost who was mostly Danny and a little Vlad. Suddenly, Danny felt less like he was looking in a mirror, and more like he was looking at a younger version of the alternate future self of his that killed his friends.

No, Danny sternly told himself, forcing the panic back down. Niel wasn't Dan. He wasn't a genocidal adult ghost with fiery hair and an icy heart. Niel was just a snobby little rich kid who thought Vlad was the balls and didn't know much about the world. He felt himself relax a bit as he successfully kept himself together, but his hands were still in fists by his sides in case Niel attacked.

"Calm down, brother. I'm not going to fight you," Niel assured him calmly. "At least, not today. Knowing Dad, he'll inevitably make us fight each other someday, unless you change your mind about joining him."

"In his dreams," Danny spat. "Tell him to shove a froot loop up his ass."

Niel sighed, like he was disappointed but not surprised. "Goodbye, Danny," Niel said, and he floated off the floor as he said it. "I'll see you soon."

He abruptly dropped through the floor below and out of sight. Danny turned intangible and followed him, but when he emerged in the mansion's lower floor, Niel was nowhere to be seen.

[redrosella]

Muliebrity

The long awaited sequel to Femininity! This time posted on my writing tumblr! That’s right, I finally made one!

Summary:  Dark doesn't care what the others think. She doesn't. She doesn't want to have to deal with the idiocy of Jack's egos when she comes out in a dress either, but sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.

Warnings: Slight misgendering.

AO3 Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/12787944

“Wilford, do my makeup,” Dark commanded suddenly as she entered the room without warning, staring intently at the pink ego.

Wilford perked up from his seat, a smile crossing his face. “Sure! My room or yours?”

“My room.” Dark rolled her eyes. “I’m never going back in your room since the last time.”

“Oh come on, it was an accident, I swear! I didn’t mean for-”

Dark held her hand up, stopping him. “We’re not getting into this again, Wil. Just do my eyeliner.”

“Alright,” Wilford said, quickly running towards Dark’s room, not even bothering to wait for her to catch up before he pulled out her makeup kit. It was filled to the brim with all different types of makeup instruments, mostly in the color black. There were a few outliers, but he’d never seen them used before and probably never would.

He had finished his once over of the kit when Dark came up behind him, sitting a chair placed next to a mirror.

“What do you want me to do this time, Darkie?”

“Just the usual,” she replied.

“Aw, nothing special? Come on, it’s the first time you’ve been female with the Jack egos around! Don’t you wanna make a good first female impression?”

Dark levelled him with an unimpressed stare. “I’m not doing anything special for those pathetic egos.”

Wilford shrugged, picking up the regular black eyeliner. He began to steadily outline the tops of her lids, adding a slight wing off the side. He then picked up some eyeshadow, lightly applying it. It was a brown color instead of a black, as Wilford knew too much black would just look tacky. He’d had to pester her about that many times in the past before she finally conceded.

He quickly added some light mascara to finish it off before asking, “Any blush this time?”

“No.”

“Aw, come on Darkie. You never let me use the blush,” he whined. “Come on, if you put it on, I’ll put some on myself.” Wilford nudged her.

Dark rolled her eyes, letting out a sigh. “Fine. Just don’t go overboard on my cheeks.”

“Got it!”

Wilford quickly applied a light coat to her cheekbones, then roughly shoved the brush into the remaining blush, making sure it was thoroughly coated, and liberally applied it to his own face.

Dark deadpanned. “I thought I said don’t go overboard.”

“You only said not to go overboard on yourself.” Wilford winked, pointing at her with the thoroughly pink brush, little flecks of powder dropping to the floor.

She rolled her eyes, but Will could see the hint of an exasperated smile on her face.

She stood up, looking herself over in the mirror quickly before nodding and walking over to her closet, pulling it open and looking over what was inside. She contemplated for a few seconds, then pushed aside the collection suits that resided in there, revealing the collection of black feminine clothes hidden in the corner.

Wilford gasped. “Are you going to wear a dress today?!”

“Yes,” she replied succinctly, not bothering to look back and see Wilford almost jumping with joy.

She pulled out a simple long maxi dress with long sleeves, examining it for a few seconds before nodding.

“Get out of my room, Wilford.”

“What, why?” He whined.

“I’m not getting dressed while you’re in here. Go. I’ll be out in a bit.”

Wilford nodded, heading towards the door, but paused as his hand grasped the knob.

“Dark… Are you just gonna let the Jack egos figure it out on their own, or will you tell them?” His voice was twinged with worry.

Dark was silent for a few seconds, before saying stiffly, “I don’t have to explain myself to them.”

Wilford nodded. “Alright. If they’re rude in any way, tell me and I’ll stab ‘em.”

“You don’t have to do that, Wilford. I can deal with it myself. You’ve already done enough for me.” In any other tone of voice that would have sounded rude, but Dark truly meant it with all the sincerity she could muster.

“Okay. I’ll be in the foyer with everyone if you need me,” he said before slipping out.

Dark let out a sigh, walking to the door and locking it just so he couldn’t pop back in- although with the teleporting that didn’t mean much. She pulled off her top, fingers brushing over the bullet wound above her left breast. It was just as fresh as the day Wilford had made it. There wasn’t any way in hell she’d let him know it was still there. She pulled the dress over herself quickly, covering the scar up as fast as she could. She had enough to worry about without dwelling on that.

The dress fit snugly, accentuating her curves and hiding some of the more masculine features she possessed. She didn’t get too much dysphoria from her appearance, it was mostly just the pronouns that people used that really irked her, but it was still nice to look more feminine. It just felt familiar on these days.

She did one last check in the mirror, making sure she hadn’t smudged her makeup at all, then walked out of her room, following the path to the foyer. She strolled in, taking count of everyone that was in the room. It was almost everyone, minus the Googles, Bing, King, Anti, and, surprisingly, Wilford.

Dark narrowed her eyes. “Host, where’s Wilford gone to? He was supposed to be here.”

“Wilford told The Host to tell Dark that he had to go grab something from his room, but he did not expect that she would be out so soon.”

A few Mark egos looked up at The Host’s words, checking to make sure that it was indeed a feminine day. No one really doubted The Host, but they were always a bit wary that one day he’d be wrong and earn the full extent of Dark’s wrath simply because he couldn’t see what the non-binary ego was wearing on a day to day basis. It was a pretty normal reaction from them, and once they confirmed that everything was good, they resumed whatever they were doing before.

What wasn’t a normal reaction, however, were the Jack egos. They stared at her in poorly concealed shock, unsure of what to say or do at seeing Dark, one of the most intimidating egos in the headquarters, wearing a dress and makeup. She was about to snap at them when she was preemptively cut off by Anti walking into the room, his obnoxious presence drawing all the attention to him.

Anti took one look at Dark, and then immediately burst out laughing, glitching slightly as he struggled to reign himself in. “What’d you do, lose a bet? Jesus Christ.”

Dark flinched back minutely at his words, just barely noticeable. What was noticeable was her shell cracking, red echoes surrounding her form sharply.

The room went tense. Dark tried to regain her composure and was about to say something to Anti, but was once again stopped before she could do anything.

“The Host warns Anti that it is not wise to insult Darkiplier. Whether she’s wearing a dress matters not.”

“Yeah, there are plenty of reasons to insult her, but this isn’t one of them.” Dark whipped around, trying to see who said that, but it was impossible to figure out given they all pretty much had the same voice and all of them were acting innocent. She resorted to giving everyone a glare, folding her arms. She’d let it go just this once only because they were backing her.

As she looked back, Anti was holding his hands up limply, glitching slightly. “Jesus. Sorry.” He at least had the decency to look embarrassed. That was actually pretty surprising to Dark, as she was certain when she woke up this morning that he was going to be the one she’d have to knock some sense into.

Before she could reply to him, though, Anti had quickly glitched out of existance, off to wherever he spent most of his time.

Dark sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose in annoyance, taking care not to smudge any of her makeup.

Behind her back the other egos all looked at each other, making a silent agreement not to bother her. Even the Jack egos looked at each other in understanding, all coming to the same conclusion about Dark and accepting it in an instant.

“If anyone needs me, I’ll be in the kitchen,” Dark said sharply, quickly stalking out of the foyer to get away from the awkward atmosphere that descended upon the room.

When in the kitchen, she started a pot of coffee, glaring at the machine like that could make it go any faster. She jolted slightly as she heard footsteps coming up behind her, looking over her shoulder.

Jackieboy Man was walking over to her, smiling. Instead of seeming to fear her presence like he usually did, he was surprisingly calm, a sense of contentment surrounding him. Dark raised an eyebrow.

“I thought I made it clear not to bother me,” she said roughly.

“I know, but… I just wanted to say you look beautiful today,” he said, a light blush decorating his cheeks.

Dark blinked in surprise. She opened her mouth, then closed it, not quite sure what to say. The others willingly complimenting her was extremely rare, let alone a Jack ego doing it.

Jackie noticed her staring uncomfortably, then expanded on it quickly. “I just… It’s… it’s nice to not be the only ego here with some, uh, gender issues.” He rubbed his arm awkwardly. “Only the Jack egos know, but uh, I’m actually transgender.” Jackie bit his lip as he stared at her intently, trying to judge her reaction to that bombshell.

Dark just nodded, keeping her expression neutral. There was no way in hell she’d ever judge him for that, but she still had a reputation to uphold.

“Female to male?” She questioned.

“Yeah. Schneep was kind enough to, uh, help with my transition. I didn’t think anyone else would feel the same as me, though. Or, well, at least be under the same umbrella as me, since you’d be bigender.”

“What?”

“Bigender. That’s… that’s what you are, right? I’m really sorry if I got it wrong, I just assumed with the female sometimes and male sometimes thing that’s what you identified as. I’m sorry...”

“Bigender.” Dark repeated. “I like it.”

“Oh, good,” Jackie said sheepishly before coughing and perking up slightly, puffing out his chest. “I mean, of course I was right. I’m JACKIEBOY MAN!”

“Of course,” Dark replied dryly.

“Oh, by the way, Wilford came back to the foyer. No one wants to tell him what happened.” Dark shot him a questioning look. “He’s got a gun,” Jackie explained. “That’s what he was fetching from his room.”

She sighed. “Alright, I’ll deal with him.”

“Okay. Thank you. And… I know you don’t like ‘feelings’, but… If you ever want to talk to anyone, I’m always here. I know what it’s like.”

“...Go back to the foyer,” Dark replied, shooting him a half hearted glare.

Jackie nodded. “Alright. See you, Dark.”

Dark didn’t reply. She turned back to the coffee maker, where the heavenly concoction she needed was finally poured into her mug. She took it out, taking a small sip and sighing in contentment.

That was not the turn of events she had expected when waking up that day with Celine’s influence hanging over her but she wasn’t complaining. Not in the slightest.

There was no way she was ever going to talk to Jackieboy, but the idea that someone else understood what she felt was nice to hear. It took a weight off her shoulders that she hadn’t even realized was there.

Not that she’d ever admit that.

She was Darkiplier. She was strong and powerful whether or not she was male or female. She would make sure no one would ever dare to think otherwise.

People who wanted to be tagged: @the-asexual-reaper​ @niluith-moonlady​ @dontmakemecomeupwithausername​ 

[sadwritingtrash]

Poems ; j.j. x reader

summary: basically, reader writes poems about Jughead, and gets drunk one day and he reads them and yep.

warnings: might be like a swear or two? like underage drinking and stuff , my writing in general.

a.n: you guys should tell me if I should write this as a series, because I didn’t go too much into detail with stuff and that irks me honestly.

words; 2,510

It all began with Y/n’s best friend Jughead telling her that he was going to go on a date with his girlfriend. She shouldn’t get this sad over him so she decided to do something she thought she would end up regretting the day after. She called up the clubbing gang, as she’d dubbed them to do exactly that, go clubbing.

“Any reason as to why you want to go clubbing? Perhaps it has to do with a certain gloomy beanie wearing boy?” Veronica asked her.

“Nope,” y/n said shaking her head despite knowing Veronica couldn’t see her. “But, yeah. Let’s get the gang and head to the club. And by gang i mean your usual buddies.” She finished.

“Alright, i’ll call them but, are you sure?”

“Definitely V, anyways i’m going to head over to your place in about an hour after getting ready and everything so that we can head out alright?”

After hanging up you decided to wear a black dress that complemented your figure and some black flats. Throwing your hair up into a messy ponytail and pulling out strand to frame your face you thought it looks pretty good overall. Quickly adding some mascara onto your curled eyelashes, you add some eyeliner on your water line and admire yourself in your mirror. Deciding that your look is simple enough you head to V’s place.

At Pop’s, Jughead sat in his regular booth with his girlfriend Betty. They were having a nice conversation that was interrupted due to his phone ringing. He looked at Betty for a second, and pulled his phone out.

“It’s a call from Veronica…?” he told her.

“Huh, that’s weird. She told me she was going to go clubbing with Y/n, Kevin, Josie, and Reggie.”

Y/n clubbing…? That didn’t seem like you.

“Hey Juggie, so uh we have a situation?” Veronica awkwardly stated into the phone. “So … your best friend, is currently drunk out of her damn mind, and she keeps-”

“But … Ronnie! He’s so dumb, i’ve like been infatuated with him for soooo long, but he loves her and i keep writing about him and i just love him.” he hears you say.

“Reggie! Can you get her off the table!?” She yells.

Jughead winces at the yelling and sighs shaking his head softly due to his best friend’s drunken state.

“Y/n! Don’t kiss him! Reggie! Stop her for fucks sake!” he hears Kevin yell in the background.

“Damn, that girl sure knows how to have fun!” Josie, he thinks that’s her name, yells.

“Shit, okay wooh, we got her to sit down, i think she calmed down? Anyways, juggie dear, we need you to either come get her and take her home, or tell us her address.” Veronica states loudly due to the music getting louder and louder.

Shit, he had to take her home, but could he leave Betty? Talking about Betty he looked across the booth towards her and saw that she was smiling slightly.

“Juggie, she’s your best friend.Go. she’s going to need you. Go, get her home safely okay?” She nods at him as he quickly gathers his stuff and runs to the club where Ronnie said they would be at. Gasping slightly out of breath he reached the club, and saw the group of his friends standing there.

He saw y/n had Reggie’s arm around her waist, and felt, angry and uncomfortable seeing his best friend with him. In her intoxicated state, y/n was whispering to Reggie and giggled. She took notice of Jughead and smiled widely, her smile so bright and carefree unlike her normal gloomy mood.

“Juggie! Hi! Wait…” she paused and thought for a second, “ you're supposed to be with your girlfriend right now,” she said, while a look, that Jughead couldn’t understand, came on her face, and disappeared.

“She’s a little bit more… intoxicated, than any of us.” Ronnie stated, a little bit surprised that the quiet girl would drink as much as that.

“Honestly, that girl is so wild.” Josie states.

“And her dress, is gorgeous. I never thought i’d willingly see her out of her normal clothes.” Kevin says while admiring her dress, which ended above her knee and fit her perfectly. “Anyways, besides to let loose, she kinda wanted to see if in her drunken state she could get inspiration to write another poem, and i think she might have? But i’m not very sure.” he finishes while handing me her phone and a napkin with writing on it., which he takes and puts in his pocket. “I don’t know what the napkin says she didn’t want to throw it out.”

“Reggie! That would be so bad! I can’t do that!” y/n yelled shocked at what Reggie had whispered to her.

“C’mon, we gotta get you home.” Jughead said while grabbing your cold arm. Sighing he took off his jacket and wrapped it around your shoulders.

Your house was about a 15 minute walk, and after 5 minutes of silence you asked him a question.

“Juggie? If you liked one of your friends would you tell them? If you liked someone but they like someone else would you do something about it?” ” she asked, her brow creasing due to her being deep in thought. “Wait, no don’t answer that because i will follow your advice. I like this boy,” she says and glances at me. I nod slightly telling her to continue. Taking a deep breath she continues, “ but i don’t know what to do. He’s just this amazing guy who whenever i talk to he just brightens my whole day. His smile is the most beautiful thing and i wish that i was a better writer to just be able to describe how breathtaking he is. He’s like… a thunderstorm. He’s beautiful, and dangerous. If i get to close i’d get hurt. Loving him is like, being a museum of art and he has his eyes closed. His eyes are like the color of the ocean, and i drown in them every time. He looks happier with her, and i keep smiling to hide that it kills me.”

As we arrive to her house she smiles and thanks me.

I assure her that it’s fine, she’s my best friend and i’d always be there for her. I turn around and start heading down the street to Archie’s house.

It wasn’t until i was going to bed that i realize i still have her phone and the napkin in my pocket. I carefully unfold the napkin and see that it’s one of her poems. Her handwriting is messy and there’s a little reminder saying to write it in her phone’s notes, and then to copy it into her notebook.

You're with Betty her and everythings reminding me of you

i wish that you had chosen me but

Without even trying, you managed to snatch my heart

Your smile has been so bright and it's making me

fall in love with you more and more

If she breaks your heart, like lovers do

Just know i'll be waiting here for you

I know you can be happier with me

I'll always love you even if you don't love me

After reading the poem i contemplate on whether i should go through her notes and check if perhaps she has anything else written inside. Turning her phone on, i see that her lockscreen is a picture of her and Reggie, grimacing slightly, i try to remind myself that reggie and Y/n have been close friends to one another for years and that he shouldn't even be surprised.

I think for a second on what her passcode could be, and I insert her birthday and it works. Snorting i think of how she never was good at keeping her stuff hidden and locked away. Her lockscreen is a picture of the group in Pop’s. Y/n is sitting next to the window, typing away on her laptop, Archie is making a silly face, V and B are both smiling, Jughead is sat across from Y/n also typing on his laptop, he seems really focused, the last person in the picture is Kevin, who’s the one taking the picture. Everyone seems happy.

Going to her notes i see, that she has two folders, one titled ; ♡ and the other one titled ; shitty poems.

Clicking the one with the heart i see that there are five poems.

I met a boy who wears a crown

He always seems to frown

He speaks few words

Yet he speaks wonderful words that go unheard

He seems to carry many secrets

The dark sad boy ...

He wears a crown upon his head

Always full of dread

And his walls built high

I always try to pry

He's in my head

My love for him is spread

Always in my heart

He looks like beautiful art

I fell in love with a boy

And i want him to love me like he loves her,

He’s so beautiful and so out of my reach

Like a beautiful night sky i want to see him,

Yet obstacles will always been in my way

When he looks at her with that loved filled look

I feel as if i’m breathing underwater and my lungs are screaming for oxygen

He is the oxygen i want so badly yet cannot seem to get

I just wanna hold him, but like a hurricane

He will just destroy me and leave me broken

I knew he didn't love me back but like a fool i thought otherwise

Realization finally hit me like a truck when i saw how happy he was when he kissed her

The walls he had built highly around himself all came down

He was the romeo, and she was the juliet, but their story didn’t tragically end

They loved one another that was clear,

But me? I didn't fit into their tale, that was clear.

Perhaps drowning my sorrows in liquor will be better

The alcohol running through my system will numb the pain

As i write this i realize that he is happy, and no matter what that is what i want for him

Happiness will always be what i want for him despite that it’s not with me

I love a boy who doesn't love me

He loves the girl next door

He’s finally going a long way with her

He’s finally teared down the walls surrounding him

He’s happier than i've ever seen him

He still wears his crown proudly upon his head and a smile adorning his face

His eyes shine happily and brightly

You love her and i love you.  

Going clubbing on a school night was okay, you thought. But getting drunk on a school night was something you regretted. You didn’t have a hangover but you were just kinda tired as hell. Through all of your classes you were spacing out trying to remember if what you’d done. You knew you had to go see Juggie because he was the only one who would have your phone as he was the only one who took you home, you aso had to give him his jacket back which you were wearing over your hoodie.

You were currently sat in your biology class, and although all of your friends were in there you hadn’t had the chance to talk to anyone but Reggie, who was your lab partner.

“Y/n, do you remember anything of what happened yesterday?” he asked smiling slightly, knowing how you most likely didn’t.

“Honestly, i remember bits of it. I remember that i like… wrote a poem? And then Juggie took me home.” Stretching your arms as you yawn, you ask him, “What happened?”

Before he can tell you the bell rings, dismissing you to lunch.

“I guess you’ll find out right now, it wasn’t bad at all.” he says smirking, and pats your y/c/h hair. “See you later,” he says and runs off to his friends.

Stretching again you sluggishly walk towards the door, before Ronnie stops you. You stare at her smirking face questioningly.

“Y/n/n you were dancing your night away last night, and kept talking about how beautiful Juggie was.”  

“Is that it? Alright that’s fine, as long as no one goes blabbing about it.” You murmur.

“Betty called me last night,” she starts, pulling me along to the table, “they broke up… Well, she broke up with him actually, she knew he was in love with someone else.” V tells me quickly as we finally reach our group.

“Hey y/n, nice outfit.” Kevin winks.

“Hey! Don’t make fun of my outfit. I rock this jacket better than Juggie.!”Turning to look at Jughead you notice him already looking at you and you smile,  “Anyways,” you say taking the jacket off, “here you go, thanks for it.” You hold the jacket out for him, and your smile slowly falls off your face as he doesn’t move to grab it.

“Can we talk y/n” he says, and stands from the table. You follow his retreating form, and look back at the group. They’re all telling you to follow him quickly, and so you do.

Putting his jacket back on, you run after him, until you arrive into the blue and gold room.

“Y/n, i uh, might have read your poems?” he says and glances at you quickly. He stops you from speaking as he continues quickly. “ I uh, i just want you to know… that i uhm, i like you too. I have since a while. The only reason i dated Betty, bless her, is that i thought i liked her, but i realized after seeing you with Reggie that i like you, and not her. I’ve liked you for a while…” he mumbles.

His confession leaves you speechless, staring at the ground you think of one of two choices you have. You hug him, and sigh happily.

“I’m so glad,” you mumble into his neck, “Juggie… can i, can i kiss you?”

He pulls away from the hug, and looks into your eyes, and glances at your lips. He kisses you, and it’s not perfect, but it’s your first kiss with Juggie, and it’s special. He pulls away and sighs happily.

“I’ve wanted that for so long,” you murmur, and kiss him again.

I can finally hold the crown wearing boy and call you mine

your smile is even more beautiful up close than i ever thought it possible to be

Nothing makes me happier than you juggie,

You’re imperfect and flawed, but i couldn’t love you more

You’re the better half of me, and i love you.

There’s nothing i wouldn’t do for you,

We’re so in love, we can fight all these odds

You’re the perfect one for me, and i know i don’t deserve you

You’re a masterpiece, your brilliant mind is so beautiful

You make me so happy.

y/n

[ellayvonne]

My Monolid Lash Extension Experience [Updated]

Hello, friends! I've shared my lash extension review in the past and thought I'd share a little update since my first review post. Since then, I've had many (maybe too many!) more lash extension experiences and thought I'd share an updated version of my lash extension shenanigans. It's been a love/hate relationship and with all the new lash-related services out there it is so, so difficult to figure out which one is better for your eye shape and frankly your lifestyle!

If you want to read more about the whole lash extension process, check out my first post ( Something New: Eyelash Extensions). This one will be a bit of a rambly add-on that extends on my experiences after that!

A Little Preamble.

I started experimenting with lash extensions in 2017 but really didn't dive headfirst into my lash extension obsession until last year. I think I got lash extensions maybe 2-3 (?) times in 2017 but never thought it was worth doing regularly because of the cost and how uncomfortable they could be at times. I also never thought they were worth the cost because while they did make my eyelashes look longer, the difference wasn't as dramatic as I'd hoped it would be - given the price point. This is largely because with monolids, your eyelids push down your lashes so that no matter how long your extensions, they're still not as noticeable as they would be on someone with a different eye shape.

Lash Obsessed.

Last year, I started getting lash extensions regularly because I received a set of lashes that were super long and beautiful. I could tell that they were actually noticeable (even with my heavy monolids) and absolutely loved how low maintenance my makeup routine became after getting a fresh set of lash extensions. Although at times they were a little uncomfortable and they were still pricey - I felt like I was getting more out of my money when you could actually see them when my eyes were open.

Things Get Icky.

During these 8 months, I got my lashes filled every 2-3 weeks and usually paid somewhere between $55-$80 to get them filled. From what I can tell, that's not too bad of a price point for lash fills, but I started to run across more and more issues as time went on.

It started with minor things. I couldn't really wear my glasses or sunglasses properly because the lashes were so long that they'd interfere with my ability to push my glasses up. I was always wearing my glasses at the very tip of my nose - and as someone who is nearly legally blind, this was an issue.

With all lash extensions, you're also told you can't rub your eyes. Don't get me wrong, I know that you shouldn't rub your eyes all the time but there are certainly times where you really just want to get in there and make sure you've got all your makeup off!

After having these super heavy lash extensions for months, I realized that the glue that was holding them onto my lashes was starting to clump together which (a) looked awful and (b) was painful at times if the glue was angled in a way that caused it to irritate my eye. Having all of that glue stuck up there also started to obstruct my vision so I had the whole lot of them removed to give my eyes a break.

Things Get Ickier

After giving my lashes a bit of a break, I visited a different place to try out a new set of lash extensions (they're addicting - eek!) and learned that my lashes were horribly weak and short, so they were only able to put very short, light extensions on my lashes. I totally understand the need for keeping your lashes healthy, but for me, these short extensions were not worth it at all - frankly, you couldn't even tell that they were even there.

Things get worse though! After a couple of weeks of having lighter extensions on, my eyes started to have a massive allergic reaction. I ended up removing all of the extensions on my own because my eyelids were puffing up in response to the lashes? the glue? who knows?! After removing the extensions, my eyelids continued to puff and also started to peel and pus (yikes). This continued for months. Months y'all. It may be hard to tell that my eyes are puffy in the photos below, but given that I have monolids normally and some of these photos make it look like I have double eyelids....? It's pretty clear that there was some crazy puffing going on.

The Pros.

I'm not going to lie, when I wasn't busy having an allergic reaction to the extensions, I really loved the long wispy lash look. It made getting ready in the morning pretty damn easy and if I ever had to stumble out of the house, I already felt like I was halfway done with the get ready process. I loved them enough to overlook a lot of irritating things about them.

The Cons.

It's expensive, y'all. I've paid somewhere between $80-$150 for a full set of lashes and anywhere between $40-$80 for a fill.

For my monolidded asian friends out there: if you live in a predominantly white area, be aware that lash places may not have the right lash extensions for you. Extensions are available in a lot of different types of curls but most places I went to in my super white midwestern city only carry a limited number of curl types that are not necessarily suited to monolid eye shapes. I'm convinced that if I had received eyelash extensions with a different curl shape (e.g., more of a J shape than a C shape) I wouldn't have had as many issues with obstructed vision and extensions hitting my glasses.

A lot of small nuisances like not being able to use mascara, having the lashes hit my glasses, getting lashes stuck in towels, lashes obstructing my vision.

Obviously the less than ideal allergic reaction that caused my eyelids to peel for nearly 2 months straight. 😝

If you have naturally short lashes and you want your lashes to remain healthy, you're not going to be able to get the same drama out of your lashes that you could out of false lashes or even lots of mascara & curling. You could, of course, destroy your lashes (like I did) but clearly that's unsustainable 😅

The lash extensions never lasted as long as the lash places said they would. They are supposed to last 4-6 weeks with the appropriate care but I swear that most of the time mine were 50% gone by week 2 - even with the appropriate care.

Final Verdict.

Alright, I know I've said a lot of bad things about my lash extension experience, but I haven't sworn off of them entirely. I still think they're a great option for special occasions like going on vacation, a wedding, etc - but it'll no longer be a regular part of my routine. In my experience, it wasn't the best fit for my monolids and they were more of a hassle and more expensive than they're really worth.

Buuuuuuuuut.... part of the reason I'm no longer regularly getting lash extensions is because I've found a new lash routine that I love love love even more and will be sharing soon - so, stay tuned! 🙂

[rachelvalente]

The Big Beauty Sale

Over the last year, I employed a new method of purchasing beauty products & it’s ended up saving me so much money in the long run.  I used to just wait until I ran out of something & then have to run over to Sephora or ULTA at the last minute in a frenzy to buy more.  I knew there had to be a better way to plan ahead, so I decided to start buying the things I use regularly when they’re on sale (whether or not I currently need them).

In some cases, this means that I will have 3-4 of the same pencil in my drawer just waiting to be used (and I do have to take shelf life into consideration).  But, this not only ensures that I have backups to use when I run out of my current products, but it also means that I never have to pay full price!  Because a lot of the brands that I wear end up being excluded from usual promos & coupons, I’ve gotten pretty good at learning when the big sales are and stocking up.

Right now, one of those sales is happening that I will personally be taking advantage of, so I decided to do a round-up of my top picks so you can also shop & save!  I’m only sharing the products that I use on a regular basis & love, so these all have been tested by me, purchased with my own money (read: not sponsored) & have my full endorsement!  Everything is on sale now (15-20% off) with code VIP + you’ll get free shipping when you spend $49.

FACE I recently discovered this enzyme peel & I fell in love with the way it made my skin feel! This is a gentle peel, which makes it perfect for my sensitive skin – I noticed a marked improvement in softness & radiance after using regularly once a week. I’m a big fan of the Elemis brand, but I don’t own a lot of their products because they are a little pricey – so this is a great time to grab some skincare from their line for less.

Before applying makeup, I always prep my skin with primer – I’ve used this one for years because it creates a smooth base & helps everything stay put. It’s worth noting that there are several different formulations of this primer & they also come in travel sizes, so you can test them out first & find your favorite – see them all here.

I’ve been wearing this CC Cream since it first hit the market & it’s still my favorite for everyday wear.  I wear Light or Light Medium during most of the year, but switch to Medium in the summer months.  I love that it gives me a natural look with buildable coverage & that it has the SPF50 built-in.  This also comes in a travel size, which I took with me when I went to India. I apply mine with this beautyblender & finish it off with this setting spray – this is a game-changer for those hot summer days or events when I need my makeup to stay put (travel size here).

I’m one of those people who doesn’t go “all out” with my makeup every day, but I have started adding in a little contouring & it makes such a big difference!  I have tested lots of products & this palette gives the most natural effect of all the ones I’ve tried.  I use the Soft Contour color in the hollows of my cheeks and just under my jawline/chin & then I apply the Radiance Highlight on my cheekbones.  You want to blend it really well so the definition is subtle and not too severe – I use this brush to smooth everything out & I use this one to apply the highlighter.  Once I’m done, I’ll add a little blush to the apples of my cheeks (because otherwise I look too pale!) – this one is a cult favorite for a reason…the color looks good on every skin tone.  Also highly recommend this brush cleaner if you don’t already have one – it’s great to use in between deep cleans & it dries really fast!

EYES After a significant amount of trial & error, I’ve finally come up with a 3-step process for effectively covering my dark undereye circles without looking like I’ve caked a bunch of product on.  I start with this magic wand (in Radiant Light), which has a creamy consistency & gives an illuminated look.  After blending it in well, I warm up a small dab of this full coverage concealer (in Light Amber) between my fingertips and apply conservatively (a little goes a long way).  Then I set it all with this brightening powder (in Shade 1). But, for what it’s worth, I also have some friends who found the It Cosmetics concealer wasn’t moisturizing enough – I’ve heard from makeup artists & beauty influencers that this one is a better option for those with dry or aging skin.

There’s nothing worse than spending a ton of money on an eyeshadow palette to only end up using a few of the colors.  And while I do own both of the popular Urban Decay palettes (here & here), I actually found that this one has all the pretty neutral shades I want and it’s so much cheaper!  These blend like a dream with very minimal fallout – this is a $61 value for only $20!

If you’ve never tried this volumizing mascara, this is the perfect time to order!  I suggest getting the travel size first to test it out, but I know you’ll love it because everyone who I’ve recommended it to has converted for life!  I’m ordering more while it’s on sale, because this brand is usually excluded from promos.  And I’m also stocking up on my favorite brow pencil (I wear Soft Brown) – even though my brows are microbladed, I’m long overdue for a touch-up so they’ve faded quite a bit.  This pencil has a super-fine tip that allows me to create tiny strokes that mimic the look of real hairs to fill in any sparse areas & give more definition.

LIPS You’ve heard me rave about this lip overnight treatment before & it really is magical – I actually prefer it over the Laneige lip mask that everyone swears by!  I love the smell & appreciate that it’s 100% natural and uses fair trade coconut oil as one of the main ingredients.  After falling in love with it, I decided to also order their tinted lip treatment to use during the day – this has SPF30 & keeps my lips baby soft all day long.  I wore the Naturally Nude all summer long, so now I plan on ordering Touch of Berry, which looks like it will be the perfect hue for fall & winter.

HAIR This seems random, but a question I frequently get asked is what type of hairspray I use.  Truth be told, on most days, I don’t use any at all – I think the overuse of AquaNet in my teen years has me a little gun-shy.  But, there are times when I do need it like when we’re shooting photos for the blog & it’s windy out; when we’re headed to a special event or when I create an updo that I need to stay put.  This one has been my go-to for years because it has great hold, but doesn’t leave a sticky residue or make my hair feel stiff.  My husband actually uses this more than I do (ha!) and he loves it too.

I can’t remember where I first read about this hair treatment, but the before & after pictures were so amazing that I felt compelled to give it a try.  Let’s just say, there’s a reason why it’s won so many beauty awards – I’ve only used it once & I couldn’t believe how it completely transformed my naturally curly hair to be so sleek & shiny.  I applied it to my towel-dried hair, combed through & then blew-dry as usual – not only was my hair softer than ever before, but it didn’t get frizzy after walking my dog in the afternoon heat & humidity.  This is definitely going to be a new staple product for me!

NAILS As most of you know, I’m pretty neurotic when it comes to my nails looking nice.  Growing up, my mom had the most beautiful long almond-shaped nails – she always did her own manicures at home and taught me from a very young age how to care for & paint my nails like a pro.  I like to change my color weekly, although I can get my polish to last for 10-14 days if I’m careful.  Essie is usually my brand of choice because I prefer their brush, plus they have every color under the rainbow.  This is a great time to scoop up a new polish (or two) for the coming season – my fall favorites are Angora Cardi, Merino Cool & Bordeaux.  If you have a harder time making your manicures last, I recommend trying out their Gel Couture line – it doesn’t require a special light to cure, but you will need this top coat (colors I love: Spiked With Style, Bubbles Only & Caviar Bar).

The post The Big Beauty Sale appeared first on Penny Pincher Fashion.

The Big Beauty Sale published first on https://skinalleyupdates.tumblr.com/

[leadvan2012]

New Post has been published on MICROBLADING Tools Supplies,Permanent Makeup Kit,LIP/EyeBrow Tattoo Machines,Microneeding Therapy Devices

New Post has been published on https://www.lovbeauty.net/ture-microblading-training.html

About ture microblading training

Today we are chatting allll about microblading. Is it worth it? How much does it cost? Does it hurt? In all honesty I wasn’t planning on doing a full blog post about it so I’m sorry that the pictures are mostly random selfies I found on my phone. I’ve been asked by so many of you though to dish all the details so I thought it’d be easier to just come here and share my experience.

The good the bad and the ugly!!

  What is Microblading? It’s basically a tattoo for your eyebrows. While it falls under the permanent makeup category it’s much less invasive than getting an actual tattoo and it’s only semi-permanent. It can last anywhere from 1-3 years depending on various factors.

Who was your artist? Her name is Kristi Christensen (@kristi.christensen) and she’s literally the best in the biz. I’m just gonna full on brag about her for a split second — she has people fly in to get their brows micro-bladed from all over the country and she actually teaches other professional microbladers. Not newbie microbladers but professional microbladers. She’s amazing. I dare say the best. When you’re trusting someone with your FACE, you get the best! Plus she’s hilarious and has the cutest southern accent you’ve ever heard. So she comes highly recommended from me.

If you can’t go to Kristi, just make sure you do your research. I had picked out two different microbladers at one point before I found Kristi and I loved most of their work. Most of it. I loved certain brows but I was just so nervous committing to them because I felt like I needed to tell them the shape I wanted… like I couldn’t trust their opinion because I didn’t want them to give me those brows they gave that person or whatever. Does that make sense? When I was looking through Kristi’s instagram feed it was literally every. single. brow was amazing. She had this gift to transform peoples shapes and I loved that she was an artist first. I feel like it’s important to have some sort of creative talent to start with. So do your homework. You want to be full on obsessed with your artist and their work before committing to them. Shop around! Make sure they have experience and that they are licensed. You also want to see how their clients brows are holding up. I have a lot of friends who after a few months have brows that have totally greyed out, they’ve lost their strokes or the color has faded. Ask lots of questions before committing to your artist.

Did it hurt? LIKE HELL. And I never swear so that’s a big deal ha ha!!! I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that I wasn’t prepared for it. I was told by a friend that she was numbed for the whole thing and that it didn’t hurt at all. But one of the amazing things about Kristi is her color stays brown and amazing, it doesn’t grey out like a lot of other artists color. And it’s because of the techniques she uses and her post op care. She doesn’t numb on the first pass… it has something to do with blood flow? Either way haha she didn’t numb me on that first pass. AND IT HURT!!!! It only took about five-ten minutes though and then she was able to numb me for the second pass so it was fine. Put on your big girl pants, you can do this!!!

How long did it take to heal? So what happens is your artist will cut strokes into your skin with a scary knife like tool haaha and you’re gonna bleed. The strokes will scab and it’ll take up to two weeks for them to fall off and heal. When your strokes turn into scabs your brows are CRAZY dark. This picture below is the day after I got them microbladed and the scabs turned jet black.

    If we are being totally honest I hated the shape for a handful of weeks. I thought I had ruined my face. I’ll do a comparison further down but she actually shaved off my tails and lifted my brow arch so that I had more eyelid to play around with. I have very hooded eyes and my brows came super close to my eyes. I knew it, but I was used to seeing myself a certain way and brows can change the way a person looks dramatically!! I felt like I didn’t look like me anymore!!! Obviously I was being ridiculous. More on that soon.

Anyway, it took about 5-6 days before the scabs started falling off… exhibit A

  She used a shadowing technique because she’d taken off my entire tail and strokes weren’t going to be enough to make my brows look natural. Because of that, and I’m not a microblader so I’m just assuming here, but the eyebrow turned into one huge scab. About 8 days after I had my brows microbladed the scabs started peeling off. Kinda gross. Don’t plan on any photoshoots or blind dates while this is going on. It’s honestly not that bad, you can easily fill them in. The color lightened immensely, almost too much and I was still on the fence about my brows at this point. Kristi warned me though. She drummed into my head before I left her house that I wouldn’t be thrilled with my brows until the six week touchup. So I was prepared. Thank goodness!!!

They basically turned into this picture below. The strokes disappeared and the color went a grey color. You can see pretty well here where my brows were shaved off! I was filling them in like normal, which was fine, not ideal, but it was fine because at least I had a shape to draw over. And I was hopeful it’d get better at my six week touchup.

  So here is a comparison on how she transformed my brow shape. Do you see on the right how my tail angles steeper down? It sits right on my brow bone instead of right on top of it like it does on the left.

  And a little bit closer up!! Disclaimer: I filled that selfie in on the left using photoshop. I wanted you guys to have a good side by side to comparison and the scabs were falling off in that picture!

  To me the shape was so dramatically different and it took me several weeks to finally see that it was better than my original shape. If I had not trusted Kristi completely and valued her expert opinion, I would have been so nervous. I knew all along though that I loved her work, I’d not seen one brow that I wasn’t obsessed with and I was confident I’d come around to loving the shape she thought was best for me. I LOVE the shape now. I’ve had so much fun playing with my eyeshadow palettes because I can actually fit shadow on my lids! Before I had zero space to work with!

What is post op care like? No showers. No exercising. A lot of microbladers recommend putting creams on the scabs, Kristi recommends using nothing. She also had me put bandaids on the tails at night to protect them because I’m a side sleeper. I’m trying to think if there was anything else? Once the scabs fall off your free to resume you’re regular routine.

Six weeks after my initial appointment I was finally ready for my 6 week touchup. I was so excited because she told me this was where the dream brows were made!

      She was totally right. I told her how the strokes had fallen off, that the color went a little bit grey and that I felt like you could see where my natural brows ended. She did her magic, added warmth to the color, made more strokes in the arch area to help blend the natural brow and microbladed brows and refined the shape. “Recovery” was much better with the 6 week touch up and the appointment only lasted an hour. I actually didn’t even notice the scabs this second time around, I kept waiting for them to fall off like they did the first time and they were just unnoticeable. The color was darker but I actually really loved that the second time around! I’ve had them done new for a few weeks and the color hasn’t faded to grey like they did with the first appointment and I’m just in love with them. If things change I will definitely give you an update.

So here are a few comparisons:

  Here’s what my brows looked like filled in. See how they go a tiny bit grey? It’s always bothered me and despite using the best products I knew of I couldn’t figure out how to avoid it.

  They just look SO much better! I finally have room to play around with eyeshadows!!! It actually took me a couple weeks to adjust how I applied my makeup! I finally have a brow bone to highlight! It’s literally the best. No, the best is waking up with my brows totally done! I can literally get ready in five minutes now, a little bit of HACing, some lipstick and mascara. Done.

  I’m wearing Bella on the left, which we just ordered 30 of so email me at twistmeprettylips@gmail.com to pre-order it. It’s gonna go dang fast!!! And then on the right I’m wearing sheer berry which is still out of stock :(. Sorry, back to the brows haha! Do you see the shape difference? And the color? The microbladed brows are so warm and totally symmetrical. The minutes in my day I’d spend trying to get my brows symmetrical guys… you don’t even wanna know!

    Was it worth it? Yes. 100x yes. It was annoying to go through the whole scabs falling off process, not being able to workout and shower (I bathed sillies) but it was totally worth it. It’s shaved off a good five minutes of my routine every morning, which is a big deal considering I only have a few minutes to get ready as it is! I don’t look like I’m dead when I wake up, swimming this summer will be amazing and just over all I’ve really enjoyed my new shape!!

How much does it cost? It’s a two hour appointment and Kristi charges $399 – $499 if you need a microblading + shading combo. And then the touch-up is an hour long appointment and it’s $150. So it’s definitely not cheap. But the things people will do to have the perfect brows!!

If you have any other questions, if I missed something please ask me in the comments below!! Have you had your brows microbladed? Did you have a different experience? I’d love to open up the comments below for people to go through and read different peoples experiences, so please comment and share!!!

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[wellmeaningshutin]

Short Story #39: Traffic.

Written: 2/7/2017

The problem with his car’s air conditioner was that when it was at a full stop, even if the engine was running, it hardly even worked, so longer stops would let the car fill up with heat. If he was driving, it would blast cool air and he would be in heaven, even on the hottest days of the year. He could be driving around in Death Valley in the middle of the day and he would have to wear a jacket. However, days like these when he became stuck in a static river of cars, only moving an inch every minute, unable to see what’s causing the jam, unable to back out because there’s another endless line of cars behind him, well, its like sitting in hell.

Most of the time he was a well tempered man, and even though his inner monologue might be labeled-by some-as psychotic, he was able to keep it away from his surface, buried under layers and layers of manners, smiles, and a general, faked attitude of a boy scout. There were only two conditions where his-

Honking his horn several times, he yelled at the cars in front of him, “What the fuck is the hold up? Get moving or I’ll go up there and make you move myself!” Rubbing his temple with his right hand, he could feel sweat starting to form a thick layer on his forehead. It felt disgusting, it made him feel disgusting, and it made him start to hate himself for being so disgusting, then he started to hate the traffic jam for putting him in this heat, then he hated his car for not working in this one scenario, and he hated himself for never getting this fixed, etc. This flowing of shifting hate happened within the first  three seconds after he felt the cold sweat on his hand, and started to feel his hair getting wet. Clenching the sweaty hand into a fist, he started to punch the horn repeatedly, to vent his anger and to make that anger audible enough for the people in traffic to hear. “God fucking damn it.”

He wasn’t very eloquent, but he spoke from the heart.

“Sons of bitches making me wait in this god damned heat, I’m going to melt before we go anywhere. Motherfucking lousy pieces of human-”

There were only two conditions where his outer self would reflect the inner, and these were: liquor and heat. Liquor straight up made him stop caring about putting on any heirs, and he just became an aggressive asshole, which has cost him two marriages, three promising careers, $17,867 in legal fees, the tip of his left pinkie, and his prized firebird that he bought with saved up paychecks from his first job. After all this, he had decided to quit drinking, and became a regular in AA. It has also given him a reason, on the inside, to feel moral superiority towards people, because he had overcome the obstacles in his life, paid the price, and was now a well-functioning and well-meaning member of society who often helped the commun-

"-foot down your lousy throats until all that’s left is the dust from your fucking teeth.” A small gap formed in front of him and he inched forwards, but it wasn’t enough to cool him down a little bit. Beads of sweat were now starting to drip down his face, his underwear was soaked and mushy enough to make him fell like he shit himself, his hands got to the point of shaking but he couldn’t grip the steering wheel to calm them since it had become way too hot, and his tongue became dry enough for him to routinely lick the sweat from his upper lips. More than anything, he needed a distraction from the heat to keep himself in check, a lot of people in nearby cars were either shooting him worried looks or refusing to look at him, and having to keep his windows rolled down didn’t help muffle the sounds of his outbursts. Figuring it was the best he could do, he switched the radio on, closed his eyes, and tried to get lost in the sound of the music. Normally he hated the song that was playing, it was just some mass manufactured song about an image of love that didn’t exist (in reality it was a very realistic and honest song, he just had very little understanding of what love actually was, and was like this with basically every human feeling other than anger), but on that day it was a life saver.

-community by organizing and helping fund raisers, community projects, volunteering at old folks homes, clinics, pounds, etc. Most people, due not only to his charitable spirit and refusal to drink or swear, but also to his looks, would often mistake him as being Mormon. He would have to correct them a lot, but even family members and close friends would often forget that he wasn’t. If you saw him on the street, and somebody pointed at you, asked you to describe him, there is a 95% chance that you would, at some point in the description, use the word Mormon. He only started to give off that vibe after his 10 year drinking binge, after he cut off most of his hair, adopting a clean shaven face and a short, neat hairstyle, and mainly wore short sleeved button ups. It never really bothered him, though, because people just naturally thought that he would be a good person, and it made pretending even easier.

The song slowly faded out, and then several air horns blasted, ushering in the arrival of the radio’s DJ, some guy with a forgettable name and a voice that sounded like every other radio DJ out there. “Man, its a hot one out there isn’t it folks? I swear, we haven’t had heat like this since our basketball team played Miami.” He quickly switched the radio off, not just because the mention of heat had brought him out of his neutral state, but because of that lazy joke. He was too on edge to have to suffer through bullshit like that.

He could feel his hairline start to feel very damp, beads of sweat started to roll down his face, he ran his left hand through his hair and it was all soaking wet. Traffic had still not done very much to move, and he started to get a headache. “The fucks going on, get moving you god damned retards!” His whole body shook as he said that, and it may have been a little excessive, could’ve been described as a tantrum, but it was tranquil compared to what was happening on the inside, which was starting to work its way up and out.

On the inside, he was thinking: I should just fucking gas it and hit this mother fucker in front of me, and if I drive over his car good, hopefully the fucker gets crushed, but if I can’t then its good to fuck up his bumper anyhow. I should just fuckin keep driving back and forth, fuck everyone’s cars up. Why is that kid fucking staring at me? I should give that cock sucker something to stare at, punch through the window and drag him out of that shit heap, bash his face into the asphalt until all that’s left is a pool of blood, teeth, and whatever used to be his face. Tell his parents over there, “Looks like your going to have to get a new one. Next time get one that will actually become an adult instead of dying like a fucking pussy.” You know who the real pussy is, that husband with his fucking glasses, the way he keeps trying to tell his kid to not stare back at me. I should pull him out, put his head under the tire of my car, then drive baby drive, show him the weight of a real man. Show his wife the weight of a real man, I’d show her- (here it gets really disgusting, so lets skip ahead a bit) -and after her her mascara is running, and she can’t talk with all of that glass in her mouth, but she keeps trying to beg to let her go, I’ll drag her over to that puddle of her kids face and force her head down, let that bitch drown- Oh, we’re moving again, about fucking time. Its so fucking hot in here I need to take this piece of shit to the mechanic, tell that motherfucker- and so on.

His clothes started to cling to him, they were way too damp, and he wanted to strip out of those disgusting clothes when he got home, but he didn’t know when that would be. The worst part about all of the sweat was it made him focus on the heat, every move, or even just when he sat still, there was now no way to ignore it. There was still no sign of an end to the traffic jam, and plenty of cars were beginning to rapidly honk their horns, showing a communal anger. It was hard for him to not join in on this, and when he finally gave in he was pissed by how hot the wheel had been, the metal logo on the center almost burned him.

Since he couldn’t stop wondering what the cause of the jam was, and he couldn’t stop saying random swear words every 3 seconds, leaving him to sit in the car, twitching, saying “Piss. Fuck. Ass. Bitch. Fuck. Fuck. Shit. Damn”, etc, he finally got the bright idea to check his phone, see what the cause was, and hopefully clear his mind. The best facial expression he could maintain was a scowl, and not one that said “I’m reasonably annoyed at these circumstances”, instead it said something along the lines of “Make eye contact with me and I’ll snap”. This expression only got worse when a news feed finally showed him the source of the hold up: a celebrity, some actor he never heard about, signing autographs in front of the mall, causing some drivers to leave their cars so they could score quick signatures. He couldn’t believe it. It didn’t make any sense. It was irrational.

Since it was an irrational situation, he could find no reason to maintain any sense of faked rationality.

Three images flashed in his mind:

1. The view he had when his firebird was overturned, and he was sitting upside down, belted in, with one eye unable to open. At this moment he was close to being black out drunk, but since he was still conscious he considered himself in the “safe zone”. He was looking at the passenger seat, and could see his wife (now ex-wife) grabbing at her throat, frantic, trying to stop the bleeding caused by, what he later found out to be, a beer bottle that had smashed when they fell into the ditch. The moonlight that poured in was actually beautiful, and gave an unreal quality to the scene.

2. Him standing in front of the AA, all of the alcoholics watching him, accepting his two-year chip, even though he had relapsed three times within that timespan. Lies aside, that moment gave him the most confidence he ever had.

3. A dog he had, golden retriever, running through a sunny field, chasing after a stick he had thrown for it. He wasn’t aware that this was actually a scene from a movie that he saw, years ago, and confused this as a moment of his childhood innocence, a simpler world that didn’t exist anymore, and was the opposite of this hellish place he currently inhabited.

Quickly, he reached to the side of his seat and pulled a lever to pop open his trunk. He quickly his car, walked around to the back, and found the little league equipment that he had stored in there. Before he grabbed anything, he had to peel his shirt off of him, he couldn’t stand the feel of sweat any longer, and he threw it behind him, directed at the long line of traffic, no specific car in mind. His phone started to vibrate, he was getting a call, and he disposed of it in the same fashion. Looking at the equipment in front of him, he decided to pull out an aluminum bat, didn’t bother to close the trunk, and then started to wander around the rows of cars, daring somebody to piss him off.

First, he went to the car of that family that he fantasized about, but none of them would even look in his direction. He deemed them too boring to rough up. This became a pattern with any of the cars that he approached, and he realized that these people had all seen his furious outbursts, and were probably already scared of him, none of them daring to pick a fight or cause trouble. So, naturally, he stepped onto the car in front of him, walked over it, and kept walking down the endless line of cars, hoping that somebody would make the mistake of yelling at him, honking their horns, or even making eye contact. It was a long walk before anybody gave him a reason, and he had almost gotten until the mall, seeing the end of traffic ahead of him.

He started to believe that nobody was going to bother to make trouble with him, their cars were all probably air conditioned and some didn’t notice. His main plan, after two miles, was to just fuck up the celebrity who was causing this situation in the first place, but as he was about to step onto the roof of a navy blue convertible a man quickly got out of the car, some older guy wearing a polo that matched the car’s color, black slacks, sunglasses, and had short and well groomed, salt and pepper hair, tried to convince him not to step on the roof of his car, since it wouldn’t hold up under his weight. This guy wasn’t able to talk for long until before the bat was able to shut him up, and his attacker almost felt bad for the old guy, almost, because of how easily it was to break his glasses, have the man fall to the ground, a couple teeth landing before him, and to send him into unconsciousness.

It was also a little disappointing because he wanted the guy to put up a fight, he wanted to give a couple more swings, but it was over so quickly.

In search of a better way to vent his anger, he continued down the line of cars, or at least that was his plan. When he stepped onto the roof of the convertible his legs almost immediately fell through, and he was stuck. No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t get himself free, so he stood there, wiggling, screaming, baking in the sun, for almost an hour. Somebody tried to help the unconscious man, but when they approached they were almost hit by the bat, so they decided it wasn’t worth it, went back to their car, and decided to call an ambulance, which was unable to arrive due to the traffic. Most people didn’t know how to react to the situation, so they just ignored it, didn’t look at it, and continued to go on with their little activities they did to stave off the boredom of waiting in traffic.

“Fucking god.. Mother. AHAH. NO NO AHAAAHAH… GOD FUCKING PANSY AHHAHA!!” This was the basic gist of what the man screamed as he tried to break free, his skin slowly burning, turning a dark red that started to enhance his anger, both inside and out.

A couple cars down, a college aged kid got onto the roof of his car and started to mimic the trapped man, successfully getting a couple of laughs, and this only further enraged the burning Mormon. Not only because he was being mocked while in an enraged state, but also because he couldn’t attack the guy, or even turn around to see him. He wanted to throw his bat, but he decided to clutch onto it just in case anybody decided to come by, so he could take a swing at him.

At one point the guy was able to find the steering wheel with his right foot, and was able to honk the horn by kicking it, trying to use this to enhance his cries, hoping it would make him more intimidating. Nobody cared, the guy mimicking him eventually got bored and ceased, and his foot became tired from repeated kicking and heat exhaustion. He started to cry from the anger. As the tears kept coming, he stopped thrashing, relaxed, and just became a sobbing mess. He was so focused on crying that he didn’t even notice when he started to pass out.

Waking up in a hospital bed, handcuffed to the metal railing at the side, was confusing for him, but even though it hurt like hell to move an inch, he now felt pretty relaxed. He tried turning his head to look around the room, but it hurt too much, so he just stared at the wall in front of him. Since the pain forced him to stay still, he was able to remain calm and force his inner thoughts back to where they belonged, and by the time a nurse came in to check on him he was his old, fake, smiling self.

The nurse explained that the handcuffs were just a safety precaution, since he’d gone mad from the heat, and she asked if he could remember anything before leaving his car.

He wasn’t aware until much later of the officer in the room, who was the actual person talking, the nurse was just the only person he could see.

He lied and said he didn’t.

Somebody put his bat on his lap, and he put enough effort to look down at it to see that somebody had autographed it, but he didn’t know who.

[atypical60]

CAVEAT:  This post would have been published last night. But my &*()&*(&* damn laptop stinks.  My finger touched a certain key and everything disappeared. I’m writing this on the PC instead!

And away. We. Go…

My morning routine is very important to me. While I wait for my day cream and serum and primers to dry upon my visage, I enjoy sipping upon the coffee that Bonaparte makes and serves me—princess that I am.  It is also time for me to read one of my favorite blogs, “That’s Not My Age”, by Alyson Walsh. She’s a spunky Brit with tons of style and panache.  She actually qualifies as one of my delusional best friends forever. I’m sure she would call Scotland Yard if I ever showed up within two feet of her, but that’s the way it goes!

This morning I read a post referencing the new “No Makeup Movement”.  Have you heard of this or seen any of the photographs of the many celebrities posing *cough* *ahem* makeup free?

Most of those who have freed their pusses of cosmetics are under 30 and they are wrinkle and rosacea free as well.  They are also lady whisker free.  You know where this is going don’t you?

Yeah.  Harper’s Bazaar glorified quite a few celebrities who snapped “No Makeup Selfies” and I question the “no makeup” part.  Shall we?

Look closely at Heidi Klum’s cheeks.  She’s wearing contour.  Her bottom lip is also a brighter shade of pink than her top lip and that pink isn’t even.  She’s wearing a minimal amount of makeup.  I’m more impressed with that beautiful wrinkle-free neck.  I want Heidi Klum’s neck.

Salma Hayek thinks that snapping a photo of herself with wet hair means no makeup.  Look at her eyes.  She’s wearing a very, very light brown shadow on her lids.  And look at the bottom lids..I detect a bit of liner and mascara.  WTF has cheeks that are naturally illuminated?  Nobody. That’s who!  She’s wearing some sort of highlighter.  Nobody’s hair looks that good wet.  The lighting is also a factor in a softer look.

Lady Gaga is so incredibly pretty. But I am deeply confused.  Either she has a killer spray tan and didn’t want her face tanned, or she applied a ton of powder on her face before this “no makeup” selfie was snapped.  If that is her natural hair, she’s even more gorgeous than I imagined.

I’m having a hard time with this one because it looks like Cindy Crawford has foundation or concealer on that sexy mole of hers. She lined the bottom of her eyes too!  I’m wondering if I’m a freak of nature because MY lips are naturally much darker. I need lip color to get MY lips that Cindy light color.  I think Cindy does too!  Cindy is also very aware of lighting. That’s why she took the photo under the covers.  I love my Cindy Crawford sofa. It’s held up so much better than my overpriced Ethan Allen one.  Cindy is NOT makeup free in this selfie.

Diane Kruger IS gorgeous.  But This is not a completely no-makeup selfie. She’s got lip balm or a very light gloss on.  I detect a bit of a line of demarcation above her upper eyelid.  But the BEST thing about this selfie is that she has the very beginning of fuzz on her chin. Welcome to the world of lady whiskers my pretty!  Soon you will have a tweezer in every purse!

I swear to goddess.  Bazaar had the balls to add this pic of Kylie Jenner in the “no makeup” selfie.  Oh. Wait. This look IS what no makeup means to the Jenner/Kardashian clan!

Alright.  Bar Refaeli is makeup free.  And if I looked like her, I would not have the need to wear cosmetics.  And SHE is one in a hundred million who could carry this off on a daily basis.  She is a freak of nature!   Nobody is that naturally beautiful!

Megan Fox has watermarked her top inner eyelids.  I know this. I do it all the time.  She filled in her brows.  She also filled in her face. She admitted to it in an interview.  So basically, her makeup is internal. 

Now THIS is what I’m talking about. THIS is a true no-makeup photo. It isn’t a selfie. It isn’t from Bazaar.  But it’s a bonafide photo of a woman who is in her late sixties, photographed in natural lighting, without filters.  THANK YOU SAINT HELEN MIRREN!!  Look at the photo after she’s been made up.  The cosmetics that have been applied to her face are not a mask. The cosmetics are enhancing the beautiful features she has.  She looks a good 15 years younger.  I’m very jealous of Mirren. Look at her neck!!!  She’s no turkey!

Now take a look at me without makeup. In one photo the lighting is more natural. In the other, the lighting is more subdued and my hair—or the hair that’s left on my head is cascading over my face to hide some of the many flaws.

Both photos, no makeup. Actually the photo in the subdued light looks much worse than the one of me in regular light.  My lips need some toning down. I have a bit of rosacea. Look. One nostril is larger than the other. That’s because I had a serious Afrin addiction when I was in my thirties.  Back then I didn’t need tweezers in every purse. I carried nasal spray in every purse instead! I was trying to look like Salma Hayek in that other pic –I couldn’t get my hair wet!

I got something to tell youse.  I ain’t getting rid of my makeup. I ain’t leavin’ my house makeup free either! Not now. Not ever. Never!

The only place these eye shadows are going are on my eye lids!

I keep my beauty assistants close by…

I have trunks full of stuff I’ve never even used!

My new brushes now have a special place on my vanity. They are for MY vanity!

The last time I left the house makeup free, with my hair in a bun, I was referred to as “sir”.  My bun must have looked like one of those man buns—or “muns” because of my receding hairline and I’m sure I needed a lip and chin wax.  I rest my case!

Yeah.  Hair back. No makeup.  A bit late to wax the lip and chin. And I”m called “sir”!  Hmmm.. Just like “Sir” Ray Davie and “Sir” Paul McCartney.  I would rather be called Her Highness!

Those crazy celebrities.  Yeah—you can go makeup free when you are younger.  Hell, when I was young I never needed foundation.  I didn’t even wear eyeliner until I reached my thirties!

When I was young it was lip gloss, blush and mascara.  I always had Angel Face pressed powder in my purse because of my then oily “T” zone.  Which I now wish would return!

As a teen, I was never without my Pond’s Angel Face pressed powder. I can still remember the lovely scent it had!

And as I aged—cosmetics became my new best friend.   My once peaches and cream complexion turned into one of dried fruit and sour milk—but sour milk that has been in the fridge that there is a dry-cracked coating. (Yes. This happens. Trust me.  I’ve left milk in the fridge that long).

Foundation brings a new glow to my skin and evens the tone out.

See what I mean. I’m NOT wearing a ton of makeup in this pic.  Just enough to enhance my bone structure and features.  And to NOT make me look like a “sir”!

  And all the products that I very carefully apply, some days more carefully than others, I think of as my little assistants.  Because they assist in enhancing the features that I have to bring life back into them.

And I’m not fond of an overly made up look anyway.  I did an experiment a while back. If you may or may not recall–I decided to make myself up like a Kardashian (click the Kardashian name to read the post)

This was my homage to Khloe–when she wore her hair back.  Now you know why I love to dye my hair–those gray roots look horrific!

This look scared me because Bonaparte liked it so much! Jesus!  Look at my crepey neck!  

It took me forever to slop all those cosmetics upon my face. I needed a nap after I was done.  It’s too much work. I’ll settle for less makeup and more enhancing!  But my point IS cosmetics are a good thing–even better if they make you feel confident!  Right??

So please. I don’t want to be a part of any  movement that feels women should free themselves of cosmetics.

I’m still trying to deal with the militant group who feel women should go gray!  You want to sport gray hair, go do it. But don’t tell me that I should follow suit!  I’m quite comfortable in my naturally dyed jet black #1 hair.

In the end, no matter whether or not we wear makeup. Or whether or not we let our tresses go gray, we are all beautiful people.

Melanie knows that–she sang a beautiful song about it!

  Makeup Free Movement? Nope. I’m of the Make Me Up Movement!!! CAVEAT:  This post would have been published last night. But my &*()&*(&* damn laptop stinks.  My finger touched…

[identybeautynet]

10 beauty and wellness tricks

10 beauty and wellness tricks you can learn from Aditi Rao Hydari's Instagram 10 beauty and wellness tricks you can learn from Aditi Rao Hydari's Instagram Aditi Rao Hydari is known for her “peaches-and-cream skin”, that she attributes to her grandmother, and her tousled strands—a result of an indulgent skincare and haircare routine. The actor loves sharing selfies, real beauty moments and photoshoots on her social media, and here are our favourite ones. 1) Prioritising your skincare routine is important “Going au naturel most of the time has definitely worked for me,” shared Hydari back in 2017. The actor likes to use natural products that she can whip up in her own kitchen. “I basically listen to my skin according to the weather and my schedule and put my kitchen on my face. So from fresh aloe to milk, oats to gram flour, tomatoes and papaya; if I'm home and I remember, you'll find it on my face," she shared. Even when it comes to bottled skincare, Hydari prefers lightweight, gel-based products that feel comfortable on the skin. Another important tip? Giving your skin what it wants. “I prefer washing my face with a soap-free face wash or chickpea powder with milk on days my skin feels dry and nourishing yoghurt on days it’s oily.” PUBLICITÉ 2) Never skip sunscreen She likes using clean, natural ingredients and sunscreen (especially chemical-based ones) are not her favourite, but she knows the importance of it so she applies it whenever she is out shooting or in direct sun. “I'm trying to use sunblock more often, I feel it's got too many chemicals but I know it's necessary so I'm trying to make it a habit,” she shared. Physical sunblocks are a safe alternative. 3) Always have a go-to if you have a skin emergency Whether she has a bug bite, zit or rash, Hydari keeps a tube of her favourite skincare product close by. Her pick is Kailas Jeevan, which is a multipurpose Indian ointment which is easily available at drugstores. "I have it in every bag and every drawer, and swear by its miraculous healing powers,” she shared. 4) Eating skin-friendly foods can help with an inside-out glow While a good skincare routine can go far, eating antioxidant and fatty acid-rich foods can really ensure a bright, glowing complexion. “I eat a lot of ghee, to the point of shocking people! I also eat a lot of berries and greens, and I eat rice; rice is good for the skin," she shared. Ghee is chock-full of essential fatty acids that induce hydration in the skin cells, and berries are anti-inflammatory with free radical fighting properties. "Basically, I eat what makes me happy—happy girls are the prettiest.” 5) Care for your hair like you do your skin Just like she puts an effort into taking care of her skin, Hydari takes that same belief to her strands. She likes to massage a mask by Morrocanoil into her hair straight after a wash, and then let it air-dry. “I then hand-twist my hair in a knot—when I untie it I get the tousled texture that I love,” she shared. Oil massages, whether they're at home with coconut oil or as a part of a salon treatment are another favourite. “It must be my South Indian genes,” she confirmed. 6) Embrace hair accessories When her hair isn't in her usual loose waves, Hydari puts them into ponytails or easy updos. She likes wearing barrettes, colourful scrunchies and embellished headbands to keep the hair out of her face while giving her a polished look. 7) Try a completely out-of-the-box workout style "Kicking those blues away while trying to not fall flat on my face #KalariPractice #QuarantineDiaries," shared Hydari in a recent post. Kalaripayattu is a South Indian martial arts practice that not only increases your body strength, but also helps to improve flexibility, posture and muscle tone. 8) Add workouts to your daily routine—wherever you are Even if she's travelling or on a shoot, Hydari makes sure to add in a workout to her schedule. Her routine includes “30 minutes of circuit training thrice a week and yoga on alternate days." Even when she isn't able to be regular, she fits in “a 10-minute routine at least." As for accessories, the actor makes sure that her Thera Band and yoga mat are always with her. Even if it's a quick routine, making sure to keep moving improves the metabolic rate and bolsters muscle health. 9) Bold brows are a game-changer Like everyone in the '90s, Hydari also over-tweezed her eyebrows in her childhood. “Plucking my eyebrows when I was younger despite my mum advising me not to,” is what she considers her biggest beauty blunder. But the actor has been able to re-grow her brows again, and she now has thick, brushed up arches that frame her face. An eyebrow kit is also always on hand, and she fills in any sparse spots with that. 10) Having a signature beauty look you love can get you out of the door faster “I have no idea what's trending; I just do what works. I don't like overdone styles in makeup, hair or dressing... for me it's important to be effortless, however dressed up I may actually be,” is Hydari's major philosophy. When it comes to her makeup, you can predict what you'll see—"I like to keep my eyes clean, just some light mascara, sometimes not even that, flushed cheeks, highlighter and bold lips.” beauty tips: 10 beauty and wellness tricks you can learn from Aditi Rao Hydari's Instagram, beauty tips and tricks Read the full article

[identybeautynet]

10 beauty and wellness tricks

10 beauty and wellness tricks you can learn from Aditi Rao Hydari's Instagram 10 beauty and wellness tricks you can learn from Aditi Rao Hydari's Instagram Aditi Rao Hydari is known for her “peaches-and-cream skin”, that she attributes to her grandmother, and her tousled strands—a result of an indulgent skincare and haircare routine. The actor loves sharing selfies, real beauty moments and photoshoots on her social media, and here are our favourite ones. 1) Prioritising your skincare routine is important “Going au naturel most of the time has definitely worked for me,” shared Hydari back in 2017. The actor likes to use natural products that she can whip up in her own kitchen. “I basically listen to my skin according to the weather and my schedule and put my kitchen on my face. So from fresh aloe to milk, oats to gram flour, tomatoes and papaya; if I'm home and I remember, you'll find it on my face," she shared. Even when it comes to bottled skincare, Hydari prefers lightweight, gel-based products that feel comfortable on the skin. Another important tip? Giving your skin what it wants. “I prefer washing my face with a soap-free face wash or chickpea powder with milk on days my skin feels dry and nourishing yoghurt on days it’s oily.” PUBLICITÉ 2) Never skip sunscreen She likes using clean, natural ingredients and sunscreen (especially chemical-based ones) are not her favourite, but she knows the importance of it so she applies it whenever she is out shooting or in direct sun. “I'm trying to use sunblock more often, I feel it's got too many chemicals but I know it's necessary so I'm trying to make it a habit,” she shared. Physical sunblocks are a safe alternative. 3) Always have a go-to if you have a skin emergency Whether she has a bug bite, zit or rash, Hydari keeps a tube of her favourite skincare product close by. Her pick is Kailas Jeevan, which is a multipurpose Indian ointment which is easily available at drugstores. "I have it in every bag and every drawer, and swear by its miraculous healing powers,” she shared. 4) Eating skin-friendly foods can help with an inside-out glow While a good skincare routine can go far, eating antioxidant and fatty acid-rich foods can really ensure a bright, glowing complexion. “I eat a lot of ghee, to the point of shocking people! I also eat a lot of berries and greens, and I eat rice; rice is good for the skin," she shared. Ghee is chock-full of essential fatty acids that induce hydration in the skin cells, and berries are anti-inflammatory with free radical fighting properties. "Basically, I eat what makes me happy—happy girls are the prettiest.” 5) Care for your hair like you do your skin Just like she puts an effort into taking care of her skin, Hydari takes that same belief to her strands. She likes to massage a mask by Morrocanoil into her hair straight after a wash, and then let it air-dry. “I then hand-twist my hair in a knot—when I untie it I get the tousled texture that I love,” she shared. Oil massages, whether they're at home with coconut oil or as a part of a salon treatment are another favourite. “It must be my South Indian genes,” she confirmed. 6) Embrace hair accessories When her hair isn't in her usual loose waves, Hydari puts them into ponytails or easy updos. She likes wearing barrettes, colourful scrunchies and embellished headbands to keep the hair out of her face while giving her a polished look. 7) Try a completely out-of-the-box workout style "Kicking those blues away while trying to not fall flat on my face #KalariPractice #QuarantineDiaries," shared Hydari in a recent post. Kalaripayattu is a South Indian martial arts practice that not only increases your body strength, but also helps to improve flexibility, posture and muscle tone. 8) Add workouts to your daily routine—wherever you are Even if she's travelling or on a shoot, Hydari makes sure to add in a workout to her schedule. Her routine includes “30 minutes of circuit training thrice a week and yoga on alternate days." Even when she isn't able to be regular, she fits in “a 10-minute routine at least." As for accessories, the actor makes sure that her Thera Band and yoga mat are always with her. Even if it's a quick routine, making sure to keep moving improves the metabolic rate and bolsters muscle health. 9) Bold brows are a game-changer Like everyone in the '90s, Hydari also over-tweezed her eyebrows in her childhood. “Plucking my eyebrows when I was younger despite my mum advising me not to,” is what she considers her biggest beauty blunder. But the actor has been able to re-grow her brows again, and she now has thick, brushed up arches that frame her face. An eyebrow kit is also always on hand, and she fills in any sparse spots with that. 10) Having a signature beauty look you love can get you out of the door faster “I have no idea what's trending; I just do what works. I don't like overdone styles in makeup, hair or dressing... for me it's important to be effortless, however dressed up I may actually be,” is Hydari's major philosophy. When it comes to her makeup, you can predict what you'll see—"I like to keep my eyes clean, just some light mascara, sometimes not even that, flushed cheeks, highlighter and bold lips.” beauty tips: 10 beauty and wellness tricks you can learn from Aditi Rao Hydari's Instagram, beauty tips and tricks Read the full article

[identybeautynet]

10 beauty and wellness tricks

10 beauty and wellness tricks you can learn from Aditi Rao Hydari's Instagram 10 beauty and wellness tricks you can learn from Aditi Rao Hydari's Instagram Aditi Rao Hydari is known for her “peaches-and-cream skin”, that she attributes to her grandmother, and her tousled strands—a result of an indulgent skincare and haircare routine. The actor loves sharing selfies, real beauty moments and photoshoots on her social media, and here are our favourite ones. 1) Prioritising your skincare routine is important “Going au naturel most of the time has definitely worked for me,” shared Hydari back in 2017. The actor likes to use natural products that she can whip up in her own kitchen. “I basically listen to my skin according to the weather and my schedule and put my kitchen on my face. So from fresh aloe to milk, oats to gram flour, tomatoes and papaya; if I'm home and I remember, you'll find it on my face," she shared. Even when it comes to bottled skincare, Hydari prefers lightweight, gel-based products that feel comfortable on the skin. Another important tip? Giving your skin what it wants. “I prefer washing my face with a soap-free face wash or chickpea powder with milk on days my skin feels dry and nourishing yoghurt on days it’s oily.” PUBLICITÉ 2) Never skip sunscreen She likes using clean, natural ingredients and sunscreen (especially chemical-based ones) are not her favourite, but she knows the importance of it so she applies it whenever she is out shooting or in direct sun. “I'm trying to use sunblock more often, I feel it's got too many chemicals but I know it's necessary so I'm trying to make it a habit,” she shared. Physical sunblocks are a safe alternative. 3) Always have a go-to if you have a skin emergency Whether she has a bug bite, zit or rash, Hydari keeps a tube of her favourite skincare product close by. Her pick is Kailas Jeevan, which is a multipurpose Indian ointment which is easily available at drugstores. "I have it in every bag and every drawer, and swear by its miraculous healing powers,” she shared. 4) Eating skin-friendly foods can help with an inside-out glow While a good skincare routine can go far, eating antioxidant and fatty acid-rich foods can really ensure a bright, glowing complexion. “I eat a lot of ghee, to the point of shocking people! I also eat a lot of berries and greens, and I eat rice; rice is good for the skin," she shared. Ghee is chock-full of essential fatty acids that induce hydration in the skin cells, and berries are anti-inflammatory with free radical fighting properties. "Basically, I eat what makes me happy—happy girls are the prettiest.” 5) Care for your hair like you do your skin Just like she puts an effort into taking care of her skin, Hydari takes that same belief to her strands. She likes to massage a mask by Morrocanoil into her hair straight after a wash, and then let it air-dry. “I then hand-twist my hair in a knot—when I untie it I get the tousled texture that I love,” she shared. Oil massages, whether they're at home with coconut oil or as a part of a salon treatment are another favourite. “It must be my South Indian genes,” she confirmed. 6) Embrace hair accessories When her hair isn't in her usual loose waves, Hydari puts them into ponytails or easy updos. She likes wearing barrettes, colourful scrunchies and embellished headbands to keep the hair out of her face while giving her a polished look. 7) Try a completely out-of-the-box workout style "Kicking those blues away while trying to not fall flat on my face #KalariPractice #QuarantineDiaries," shared Hydari in a recent post. Kalaripayattu is a South Indian martial arts practice that not only increases your body strength, but also helps to improve flexibility, posture and muscle tone. 8) Add workouts to your daily routine—wherever you are Even if she's travelling or on a shoot, Hydari makes sure to add in a workout to her schedule. Her routine includes “30 minutes of circuit training thrice a week and yoga on alternate days." Even when she isn't able to be regular, she fits in “a 10-minute routine at least." As for accessories, the actor makes sure that her Thera Band and yoga mat are always with her. Even if it's a quick routine, making sure to keep moving improves the metabolic rate and bolsters muscle health. 9) Bold brows are a game-changer Like everyone in the '90s, Hydari also over-tweezed her eyebrows in her childhood. “Plucking my eyebrows when I was younger despite my mum advising me not to,” is what she considers her biggest beauty blunder. But the actor has been able to re-grow her brows again, and she now has thick, brushed up arches that frame her face. An eyebrow kit is also always on hand, and she fills in any sparse spots with that. 10) Having a signature beauty look you love can get you out of the door faster “I have no idea what's trending; I just do what works. I don't like overdone styles in makeup, hair or dressing... for me it's important to be effortless, however dressed up I may actually be,” is Hydari's major philosophy. When it comes to her makeup, you can predict what you'll see—"I like to keep my eyes clean, just some light mascara, sometimes not even that, flushed cheeks, highlighter and bold lips.” beauty tips: 10 beauty and wellness tricks you can learn from Aditi Rao Hydari's Instagram, beauty tips and tricks Read the full article