#i treat pimple problems seriously)

[diehard-spongebob-kinnie]

didnt even realize my matpat game theory clout post had over 4.4k notes. ive truly popped off as the kids say

the only thing you've popped off are your pimples sorry bud <3

[tacky-jack-with-a-hat]

May we have some Loui hc’s 👁️👁️

Of course, but I don't know what the eyes mean so I'll do hc from my list

🫂Comforting others

•Hugs. This man will cuddle others so tight that the stress pops out like a pimple. (Sorry for the imagery)

•For each state he has a different trick: for Florida gator walks, for Texas competitive bull riding (which he let's texas win most of the time), or for Tennessee he'll ask to see Dollywood and talk it out over there.

•Loui is the best state to talk things out with. He listens and keeps secrets, it's only a shame that no one can do the same for him as Florida and the other states have the loudest mouths when it comes to secrets.

•When a state is sick Loui stays with them, and makes sure they're comfortable. Bringing soup, hot water bottles, and a little bit of home remedies and spells, and making sure that they didn't feel alone.

Comforting them

•Loui hallucinates but isn't diagnosed because he believes he's been cursed or is being haunted by ghosts because what other explanation could someone born in 1682 possibly have for the things he sees that cannot be explained.

•The other states tried to help him but originally most of them lacked the understanding of how the brain works for centuries, believing either he was possessed or lying for attention. The worst part is that a lot of them blamed him for his episodes, delusions, depression and paranoia.

•Nowadays, the states try their best to undo the damage they had done and try to comfort Loui.

•In contrast, Florida never treated Loui differently for his mental health issues because after everything Florida has seen, he just assumed what Loui was talking about was real from the get go. Which comforted Loui, as someone else was treating his experiences just as seriously as he was.

•When Loui is really stressed, the states take it in turns watching him and providing comfort so he knows he isn't alone.

💔 Breakups

• Loui is a great boyfriend, but is closer to Florida than any of his partners. This creates confusion when his partners ask why Florida doesn't join their date nights and why Loui spends more time with Florida and not them. In contrast, some states think Loui is a serial dater who's just Florida's friend. The truth is Florida and Loui aren't defined which confuses everyone even more.

•Loui was once added to a groupchat of Florida's exes by accident (the chat was made by Florida)

•Regardless of the reason, his partners are all aware that Loui would do anything for his best friend including getting hurt, getting arrested, driving drunk because Florida was drunker, and at one point cuddling Florida on the couch because his "sha" had a stomach issues.

•After a while, Loui's partners get disillusioned to the others shenanigans and watching Loui get hurt over and over again whilst refusing to label his feelings for his friend. Often they'd even outwardly accuse Loui of cheating with Florida.

• Loui is pretty chill about his breakups, usually as a cover up to not alarm Florida. No matter how broken and angry he feels he rather not tell it to Florida knowing fully how his friend would react.

•Meanwhile Florida treats Loui's break ups with as much grace as a alligator-slinging-hurricane crackhead can. He will fight them with every inch of his life for making Loui sad. He'll commit vandalism and theft in Loui's honour. Loui doesn't like this gesture as it speaks to a louder problem with their relationship.

•Florida unintentionally sabotages Loui's relationship. He'll bring up every embarrassing and problematic story of their friendship. Accuse Loui's partners of not being good enough, or just call them evil and cruel. He'll argue with most of his partners about cultural differences and tease them until they break.

•Florida overheard a convo Loui and Texas had about him, with Loui stating that Florida is keeping him alone. Feeling bad, Florida tried his best to keep out of Loui's relationships but went to the other extreme of avoiding Loui which made them both depressed. It was only for a few months and the two slowly reverted into old patterns.

☠️ Random hc

•His favourite alligator isn't even his. Loui looked after Darth Gator for Florida when he moved to SoCal and Cali wouldn't let Florida keep a gator in the bathtub.

•Loui also taught him commands in french, but this is now a problem for Florida bc he never taught any rules to his gators-so now he just has a french gator.

•Somehow darth gator is now attracted to jazz music, and will bite people until he hears jazz music.

•Darth Gator is allowed in the house and at BBQs, louisiana used cook an entire state for him until a documentary said raw meat is better for a gator's diet.

•Louisiana doesn't let people know if he dislikes them, but if they're harassed by Darth Gator and Loui just watches- you would know.

•When Florida took Darth Gator back, he felt bad and now Loui and him co parent.

•A month later they found out Darth Gator was pregnant and both were confused.

[tsumune]

haikyuu boys get glasses

features: atsumu, osamu

tags: fluff, ᵖᵉʳʰᵃᵖˢ ᵗʰᵉ ˢˡⁱᵍʰᵗᵉˢᵗ ᵃⁿᵍˢᵗ

a/n: atsumu’s part is inspired by @/zan_miya’s art on ig!

miya atsumu

atsumu is stubborn

he often stays up watching volleyball matches on his phone in the dark

you and osamu have both warned him about his habits before, but he just brushes it off

finally, it’s time for his yearly eye checkup

“this isn’t fair! why doesn’t ‘samu need glasses too!” atsumu complains while seated in the black leather chair of the optometrist’s office.

“because i don’t spend all day and night glued to my phone watching volleyball matches,” osamu replies with an exasperated side eye to his brother.

atsumu groans and slumps further down his chair. the optometrist, bless him for putting up with the miya twins, tells him he can go and pick out a pair of glasses when he’s ready.

“help me pick a good pair, ‘samu.”

osamu snickers to himself as he picks out the tackiest pair he can find: thick, bright orange frames.

“wow, these aren’t bad,” atsumu says as he takes and examines them. osamu is about to shoot his brother a disgusted look when atsumu whacks him over the head.

“take this seriously! this has to fit well with my public image. i’ll treat ya to a meal if you find a better pair than me.”

of course atsumu finds a way to make this into a competition, but osamu knows he’s just as competitive and they begin searching the racks in earnest. finally, osamu comes across a pair that are genuinely pretty good.

“those don’t look half bad on ya, ‘tsumu.”

“really? then ya should wear a pair with me!”

“no.”

“aw come on-“ osamu walks off in the middle of atsumu’s unconvincing whining and starts heading for the front desk, atsumu trailing behind dejectedly.

-

“babe! what’s taking you so long to get ready?” you call out to your boyfriend in the bathroom. atsumu gives a muffled “i’ll be done soon!”, but he doesn’t move just yet. he stares at his reflection, black frames sitting comfortably on his face. atsumu has always cared about his appearance, so while he doesn’t love the idea of having to wear something he didn’t choose to willingly, he admits the pair osamu chose isn’t all that bad. now he’s just worried about whether you’ll like it or not. he thinks the glasses make him look more dorky. are you into that? well, only one way to find. atsumu gives one last sigh and lightly slaps both sides of his cheeks.

“took you long enoug-“ your words are cut off as you stare at the blonde in front of you, eyes shyly cast downward and a faint pink blush dusting his cheeks. neither of you move nor speak for what seems like minutes. atsumu shifts uncomfortably in his spot, too intimidated by the silence to look for your reaction. but he can feel your stare boring into him, and it withers his confidence more and more, until eventually he can’t stand it anymore.

“does it look that bad!”

“you look so adorable!”

the two of you yell at each other at the same time, and are both taken aback by the other’s exclamation.

“you think so?”

“what, why would it look bad!”

atsumu’s blush deepens as you suddenly move up flush against him, your head tilted up to look into his eyes.

“‘tsumu, you really look so cute, they suit you so much.”

no way. how can you be so cute and sincere while saying that? atsumu feels like he can melt into a puddle, but he doesn’t want to let you realize your effect on him, so he feigns confidence.

“yeah, i knew they’d look good on me.”

you snicker softly at your boyfriend’s pride, and pretend as if you didn’t just hear his insecure words or see his clearly nervous stance as he waited for your approval. you grin.

“well then, why don’t we go see a movie after dinner tonight? you’ll actually be able to see the screen this time.” you tease.

“hey, i could see the screen perfectly fine last time.”

“really? then tell me, what was the demon slayer movie about?”

“...a slayer...slaying demons.”

“you were blind as a bat.”

miya osamu

osamu is often staring at bills and budgets all day for his restaurant

you have a feeling his eyesight is worsening because he always asks you for help finding things

he wonders where his calculator is when it’s right next to him, or drops a pen and loses it forever

one time as you walked towards the meeting place for a date he didn’t wave until you were a few feet away from him because he didn’t recognize you

so you finally force him to go to the eye doctor and he gets a pair of glasses

“hey osamu- woah.” a regular enters onigiri miya and is stunned for a few moments as he looks at the shop owner.

osamu glances up at him and smiles. “the regular?”

“yeah. when’d you get glasses? it doesn’t really suit you,” the customer says as he sits himself down. osamu furrows his brows but decides to brush off the comment.

“just a few days ago, i’ve been having vision problems for a while.” the customer hums in response and osamu gets to work on his order.

for the rest of the day, more regulars filter in and out, some seeing osamu since he got his new glasses for the first time. some of them make comments, such as ‘well that’s new’ or ‘you look different’, and osamu can’t help but think on the negative side. sure, they probably didn’t mean anything bad, and osamu didn’t think he’d be one to care so much about others’ opinions, but for some reason they got to him more than usual. he stares at his reflection in the bathroom mirror on his break, and slowly removes his glasses.

-

that night, you hear yelling from osamu’s home office again.

“y/n, have you seen my calculator?”

that’s a question you haven’t heard in a while. you walk in to find osamu bent under his desk, looking around and feeling the ground. when he comes back up, you realize why he couldn’t find it.

“baby, why did you take your glasses off?”

“they were giving me a headache. just help me find my calculator,” osamu says quickly, but you don’t buy his lie. the glasses fit perfectly fine before, and he even mused about how it’s amazing he can see every little detail now (he pointed out a pimple on your face and you wanted to smack him).

“no. i’m not helping you until you tell me why you took your glasses off. or you can just put them back on and find it yourself.”

osamu sighs in defeat, and a small pout paints his face.

“some of the regulars said they don’t suit me...”

you stare at osamu, and then spot his glasses on the table beside him. you pick them up and slowly slip them over his eyes.

osamu looks up at you like a hurt puppy, and you feel your heart melt.

“don’t listen to them. you’re the prettiest boy in the world, glasses or not.” you place small kisses all over osamu’s face, watching as his expression brightens. he laughs when you don’t stop, complaining that it tickles, and you take in osamu’s face, the way his smile lifts his cheekbones and his eyes twinkle in laughter.

“there’s my pretty boy,” you say solemnly, hand patting osamu’s head. before he can react, you pull out your phone and take a picture, turning it around to show him. you zoom into his face and point out everything you love about it while osamu feigns protest.

“i love the way your lips sit in a small cute pout, but curl up when you’re happy. i love your nose, and how it scrunches up when you get cold. i love your well-kempt eyebrows, and how you pretend you hate me plucking them but you really love it,” osamu shakes his head playfully, but a smile is playing on his lips as he pulls you down to sit on his lap.

“but most of all, i love your eyes. i love how i can clearly see them through your glasses, how the silver frames highlight their colour even more, and how i know that you can clearly see the world and all it has to offer through them too. i hope you can see how truly beautiful you are.”

osamu stares into your eyes and feels like he’s drowning in their sincerity. he can feel tears threaten to come up, and he blinks quickly to get rid of them. looking at the picture of himself on your phone, he decides he does look pretty good.

“ah, i found my calculator,” he says as he reaches behind you. “thanks for helping me,” his eyes shift to the side, and you understand what he means.

“anytime,” you reply with another kiss to his cheek.

[dani-of-the-cosmos]

~what bothers the signs~

<3 use your dominant sign, sun, moon, rising, mercury, mars, or venus <3

aries

trump supporters. ants in their bedroom. people who cling onto the past and don’t give them the chance to change. when guys comb their hair too neatly and end up looking awkwardly posh. teenage boys in general. their mom. “because i said so”. fake-humble people (fishing for compliments). when people harshly insult themselves in hopes that someone will say “aww no you’re not!” possessive friends who get mad when they spend time with anyone else.  

taurus

when the shower water turns cold because they’ve been in there too long. being told to hurry up. teachers who try too hard to be friends with their students. when astrology posts act like their only personality trait is eating a lot. carelessly flirty people. when people romanticize recklessness. “idk, just because”. when their friends cancel plans at the last minute. flaky people in general. people who change their mind every day. unreliable people who act in unpredictable ways (taureans need to be able to fully trust you). shitty service at a restaurant  

gemini

“ok then”. math. passive-aggressive people who remind them of their past mistakes, and force them to re-state their apologies. being left on read. feeling a mix of guilt and indignation when someone isn’t treating them right. being so self-aware that it turns into frantic defensiveness. strict routine. dry texters. “umm i don’t know how to respond to that.” feeling controlled by an outside force or person. relentless creepy men who repeatedly dm them after being told to stop 3 times. slow walkers.  

cancer

attention whores. “get over it”. “life isn’t fair.” “tough shit.” people who don’t remember the pain they caused them in the past; who expect them to just move on. people who leave in the middle of a texting conversation. loud, spitty chewing. awkward butt-touching. when people question their motives and intentions (this will make a cancer extremely stressed). when their friends are too busy to make time to listen to them vent. when people try to act “alpha” and make a big deal about themselves. people who are able to switch off their emotions and freeze them out 

leo

when someone tells the same story over and over again. pimples. when people don’t point out how particularly hot they look that day. that sickly cold feeling on a cloudy early morning. one-uppers. people who raise their hand in class to read from the textbook and then speak at the speed of a snail. people who act weirded-out when they compliment them. fake baby-voice. when people step on their white shoes. “you have so much potential, if only you’d apply yourself”. repetitive throat clearing. “you’re so annoying”

virgo

feeling like an afterthought. people who don’t practice proper oral hygiene. when people talk too close to their face (if you want a virgo to hate you in .02 seconds, just start whispering directly into their face without having brushed your teeth that morning). when they can’t tell if their crush’s personality is just flirty, or if they’re interested in them back. being sweaty. girls who wear too much perfume. sleeping in the same room as someone who constantly shuffles the blanket around with their legs. “it was a joke, chill” 

libra

people who think it’s cute to constantly point out “well this is awkward”. self-proclaimed “brutally honest” people who put on their dating profile that they’re “fluent in sarcasm” (basically unresolved feelings of aggression showcased as a “bad bitch” persona). people who don’t wear deodorant. super loud people who need to make every situation about them. when a person never initiates a conversation, so they have to always do it. the inner conflict of not wanting to put up with people’s toxicity any longer but also not wanting to piss people off by saying anything. online shopping sites that load too slowly  

scorpio

straight tiktok. fake people who smile to your face and then shit on you behind your back. people who try to be funny by doing things like tapping them on the shoulder and pretending it wasn’t them, or having an unannounced staring contest. catcalls. people who get super uncomfortable really easily. when someone makes a superficial judgement about them without getting to know them first. self-pitying people who try to guilt them into dating them. 

sagittarius

“shhh!” feeling like a nuisance. people who get offended when they curse. people who are overly secretive and protective of their phones. youtuber apology videos. when someone thinks their interests are “cringey”. when someone spoils the end of a movie, book or tv series. when their family leaves balled-up hair on the shower wall. people who don’t take them seriously. old people with superiority complexes. their dysfunctional family dynamic. mockers 

capricorn

people who purposefully fart near them and think of it as a joke. april fool’s day. their uncle. fake-deep quotes. edgy posts (like “at the end of the day nothing matters” and other stuff like that). when people invalidate their problems by quoting vague, condescendingly positive philosophies. when they can’t find a misplaced belonging (capricorns FREAK OUT when this happens; it’s intense). waking up late and not having enough time to complete their perfectly crafted routines. 

aquarius

people who attach emotions to every little situation. people who don’t straight-up state how they’re feeling, and passive-aggressively expect them to just “get it”. when people guilt them for not hanging out with them every waking second. people who don’t honor their need for independence and individuality. clingy people. close-minded bigots. people who are so self-centered that they’re unable to see the magnitude of others’ suffering. when someone is blissfully unaware of the world. people who complain and wallow in their sadness yet who do nothing to change their situation. people who overreact to trivial things. highly reactive people. judgmental stares. 

pisces

“are you seriously crying about that?” coarseness meant to be perceived as “cool”. people who are so sarcastic to the point of it being offensive. when people think of animals as less valuable than people. spiritual superiority (”my beliefs are the only right ones”). perfectionists. timed tests. trying to do push-ups. when someone invalidates their emotions because they’re “not logical”

[wantaichi]

haikyuu + skincare hcs

ever think abt how they treat their skin? probably not. but like. do they wash their face like a normal person? have a 32 step skincare routine maybe??

msg me for any character who’s not here and i’ll drop their routine for u

masterlist.

karasuno

sugawara. lives up to his title as mr. refreshing. cleanses, tones, and moisturizes. !chefs kiss! keeps a jar of aloe vera face gel in his fridge, his mom had a spare. carries around a 100-sheet pack of oil film, more out of habit than of need. good skincare just makes him feel in control of his life, ok

ennoshita. fuckin’ spotless. part of the 0.0001% who don’t sweat easily. doesn’t have a complete regimen but never skips out on cleansing and toning before bed. actually reads the product ingredients and googles the benefits before buying. neutrogena type of guy. 

asahi. facial scrubs are his holy grail. like. dead skin? stubborn hair follicles? haha not on his watch ヾ( ･`⌓´･)ﾉﾞ trims his goatee every 3-4 week bc a well-groomed beard goes hand in hand with proper skincare. a sucker for aromatic products. lavender? shea butter? SOLD.

daichi. “healthy lifestyle is key to healthy skin“ typa dude. rly just thinks natural is the way to go. drinks 8 glasses of water, eats his veggies, exercises regularly, gets 8 hours of sleep. sounds like smth off wikihow if u ask me. probably is.

tsukishima. cetaphil hoe. brand loyalty embodied. on it for 5++ years, and never once considered switching. BUT. his routine ends at step 1. cleanse. and that’s it. the fuck he need a 32 step skincare routine for? long as he gets a day’s worth of grime and dirt off his face, he gucci

yamaguchi. sensitive skin’s got him constantly changing/exploring different products. rode on tsukki’s cetaphil agenda for the first few years of puberty (rly just out of curiousity) but dropped out when his skin got used to it. thinks pimple patches are a blessing to mankind.

tanaka. fuck. chaotic greasy. asks for oil film from suga just to stick it on his forehead, lets it stay there. uses whatever’s in the bathroom to wash off, aka majority of saeko’s products. got yelled at once to “get his greasy ass over here” and got slabbed with aztec healing clay mask. converted to clay mask hoe after 20 minutes. “mm this shit’s dope!”

nishinoya. fuck. chaotic greasy part ii. but make it baby face. only does skincare when chillin at the tanakas. homie got him to try the clay mask bc chick’s dig that. “bro, u mean the mask or boys who do the mask?” “both bro” “awshit bro gimme that” thinks splashing some water twice a week is enough

kageyama. ? this yalls mans? oblivious to the whole concept of skincare, only acknowledges general hygiene. uses whatever’s on the soap holder to wash his face. probably dove. doesnt really have much skin problems to begin with, only breaks out once a year. living proof that god has favorites.

hinata. only started taking skincare seriously that time a huge ass zit grew on his chin. yachi offered him her unfinished bottle of cosrx (she’s a hoarder and u kno it), and has since been giving him all her leftover bottles. basically gets to use good quality products for free smh

nekoma

kuroo. not very big on the idea of skincare per se, but supports any brand on that cruelty-free and vegan agenda. reads the product ingredients like a children’s book. “mm phenoxyethanol and retinyl palmitate.. i’ll take it.” always leaves the saleslady stunned.

kenma. too lazy to adopt a routine. but regularly uses his mom’s facial wash. you know. those mom brands. has a stash of facemasks from lev’s trip to korea —> only form of skincare he actually appreciates bc he can simultaneously play his games and be all bout dat self care 

lev. abuses his perks of having a sister. casually uses all alisa’s imported, high end stuff. la prairie. estee lauder. la mer. and she doesn’t mind bc her “levochka deserves all the finest things”. boujee ass russians

yaku. baby face. when god made it rain collagen, he was freestylin in a pool full of it while we was all sleepin. doesn’t exert much effort, just cleanses and tones bc it’s part of proper hygiene. girls envy him. parents in their 40s wanna be him. 

seijoh

oikawa. SKINCARE HOE KING. fuckin high maintenance. goes to the derma for his monthly laser facial treatment. on broke days, he settles for a diamond peel. skin so smooth it puts the entire female population to shame. spends his savings on those clinique eye creams. probably modeled for the face shop once

iwaizumi. homie reeks of male cleanser. might either dove men or nivea men. there’s no in between. oikawa internally screams everytime he witnesses his bff wash his face. two words. aggressive. rubbing. bordering on hostile he might actually skin his face off

mattsun and makki. fuck. drugstore cleansers. the ones that come in sachets. agreed to take turns in buying bundles for sharing. sometimes sneaks a pinch from oikawa’s clinique products when he’s not looking. haha dumb hoe. may have an addiction to charcoal nose pore strips just so they can compare blackheads

fukurodani

bokuto. buys whatever’s on sale idfk. genuinely wants to get on kuroo’s go green agenda but too lazy to look around the store. normally just uses the bubbles from his soap or shampoo. his belief: if it cleans his hands and his ass, then it can fuckin clean his face too

akaashi. healthy lifestyle + decent regimen = pretty skin. cleanses and tones. tried his mom’s aloe vera face gel once and got hooked. shit’s relaxing as hell. owns a bunch of facemasks, sometimes uses but keeps forgetting to take them off before falling asleep. uwu af

dateko

futakuchi. doesn’t have a routine cause “who tf needs that” and “obviously not me.” or so he says. secretly the biggest spender on skincare in all of dateko. owns a bunch of anti wrinkle products and probably one of those jade rollers. but no one needs to know that. just wants everyone to think he’s naturally pretty

aone. told by futakuchi that “knitting your brows too much causes premature wrinkles, but not like i’m an expert on that hhhahaha dont get me wrong.” can’t rly do anything bout it. he was born with that face. also buys whatever’s on sale

shiratorizawa

ushijima. surprisingly blemish free? but not entirely smooth? just spotless? basically a rock? never went past step 1: cleanse. never realized he’s been skipping out the 31 next steps. cetaphil hoe.

tendou. dry. crusty. compensates by sweating a lot through practice. might be effective if he’d stop leaving the foam on longer than recommended, thus leaving his skin dryer than his love life. yeah, i went there.

shirabu. flawless at first glance. until you lift those uneven ass bangs. tbh its nothing serious except “are we gonna ignore the fact that his whiteheads follow the shape of his bangs” as pointed out by tendou. uses whatever cleanser his mom buys for him

semi. decent skin care routine. a big boy who’s fairly knowledgeable on other brands outside cetaphil and dove/garnier/nivea men. takes him less than 5 minutes to pick a product bc he’s tried them all, knows what works, knows his skin type in and out. stan semi for clear skin.

see inarizaki + sakusa here

[matt0044]

“Now I’ll show you furry power!”

Anyways, our episode begins properly with in media res with the Dino Fury Megazord‘s Blade Formation against one Doomsnake. It’s a story structure rarely seen these days but one that I welcome since it breaks up the usual “slice-of-life antics interrupted by monsters” routine that tends to be the norm.

Add to that, it gives us the sense that this is just yet another day in the life of the Rangers as they fight the usual Sporix after but a few episodes in. It also leads to a pretty effective introduction to the next beast. Wolfgang uses his sonic bombardment as a means to disassemble the Megazord without even going big. This allows Mucus to go off and collect Doomsnake in his dormancy.

The Rangers bail in order to assess the situation when a poorly CGI bird flutters in and reveals himself to be... Mic Kanic. Yep, the objectively best character of Ninja Steel next to Victor and Monty has graced us with his eccentricity once again with Kelson Henderson going full ham. As the only person on Earth who liked Ninja Steel, I feel validated like nobody’s business.

It seems that Mic’s been quite the busy bee during Beast Morphers as he’s been getting selfies with over forty Rangers from all over the universe. I’m guessing some of them had “new powers” so to speak but it’s a damn shame we didn’t see if Kelson Henderson did get selfies with past actors for his return.

However, Mic’s also been on the lookout for the Ninja Nexus Prism’s current whereabouts and tracking it back to Earth. I love that they’re following Beast Morphers’ lead by casually reintroducing concepts from past seasons to tie them into the here and now. It’s still self-contained enough to not need to’ve seen Ninja Steel but might give some who missed out a moment to consider it.

Seriously, I feel like that season deserves a bit more of a reevaluation.

Needless to say, Zayto is quick to dismiss the idea of a semi-sentient floating piece of pressurized rock as an ancient alien warrior who fought on dinosaurs. Then again, he’s still pretty miffed that the zords got taken apart like Legos. It doesn’t get much better when Mucus overhears their little chat about the prism.

Later at BuzzBlast, Jane is hosting a baking stream with a totally real cake that’s totally not a prop when Mic sneaks in a delivered package to use their computers. I loved that Dino Fury is getting a lot more millage out of his shapeshifting compared to Ninja Steel where they wouldn’t “forget” but never really utilize since he and Redbot were the Alphas, forging up stars in the base.

J-Borg exposes Mic before he can use their database for any Ninja Nexus Prism sightings but he shape-shifts into a ball and bounces all over the place. Three guesses at to what he knocks right into Jane. It seems she choose the wrong day to make one of Chase’s exploding cakes from New Zealand. Way too bold. He makes a clean getaway from BuzzBlast only for one Wolfgang to corner him.

The Rangers assemble in time and give Mic a chance to become a toy race car. Methinks they were using old stuff they found in the garage for filming. It turns out the Wolfgang’s sonic bombardment can neutralize the Boost Key armaments the girls use. They decide to soon retreat with Mic back to HQ fast.

While Void Knight channels his inner Lord Zedd, Mic gives a rundown on the Ninja Nexus Prism itself with a data pack filled to the brim with Power Rangers history. I’m guessing that either he compiled it from Grid Battleforce’s archives or he’s the one who helped them with Ranger history. I sort of wish they used more clips of Ninja Steel to tease new viewers of past teams and their battles.

Solon helps to locate the prism’s location on their mapping system and sends the Rangers out to confirm its location. All the while, Mic decides to plan ahead by going into the kitchen. Kelson Henderson is clearly having a blast with the character’s constant gesticulations like he’s a YouTuber doing his DIY videos. :)

The Rangers find the Ninja Nexus Prism seemingly scanning the lake for something. Zayto decides to step up and engage his Rafkonian antennae in order to probe the prism’s memories. It’s hear where we get the origins of the Ninja Steel powers... two seasons after its finale. Better late than never I guess.

I kid though. I love that we’re getting new details of a past season by way of Zayto learning that the Morphin’ Masters of old created the Ninja Nexus Prism. In fact, they forged the Energems of Dino Charge as well as the Dino Gems from Dino Thunder from the visuals given. Now that’s good diagetic fanservice.

We even get brief clips of Ninja Steel’s Levi getting his Power Star followed up by Beast Morpher’s Steel in his final moments trying to stop Evox. I guess this means that the Masters brought him back to life as human when the Morph-X returned to the Grid. Previous plot contrivance now solved or more convoluted?

You make the call!

Boomtower and Wolfgang crash the party only for the Prism to NOPE right into the water. The Rangers find themselves pinned under barrels and boxes while Wolfgang’s sonic attack threatens to bring down the cliff on them. Thankfully, Mic’s Ninja Power Star throw hasn’t gotten rusty as he arrives and throws a treat into the mouth, making their foe sound like Eddy after Rolf’s pimple cure.

With no other option, Wolfgang grows before Boomtower taps into his residual Sporix power-up to gain a few inches himself. The Rangers pull out their Megazord’s Warrior Formation where all of their Zords combine. We even get a cool finisher that finishes off Boomtower where holograms of the other formations get a hit in. Are we sure that Judd Lynn isn’t still on the writing team?

Bye-Bye, Boomer. Hope you get rebuilt as another Ryusoulger villain soon.

While Mucus catches Boomtower’s Sporix, the Rangers manage to finish off Wolfgang with a weird edit of what was obviously an impalement. That Sporix Izzy catches by cutting off Mucus. Void Knight is temperamental over such a mixed bag of a day until he goes into his secret chamber and reveals to us his long lost love stuck in stasis. It’s clear that the Sporix’re all meant to revive her.

Hang on a second.

A villain with a violet color scheme utilizing a hero’s power and initially working alone in seeking out a specific source of power that can revive his love. Why’s it that I feel that Keith Silverstein would be voicing this guy if production still outsourced voice over to Los Angeles? Hell, I would be shocked if the Gold Ranger was his secret son and loved cheese a lot. *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*

Back at the base, the Rangers fill in for the Jays by ending the episode with some of Mic’s initial prototypes for his No Howl Treats. Either that or the ADR director forgot everybody’s recordings and had to resort to random noise in their sound library. Solon fixes it by bursting everybody’s eardrums. As you do.

Sadly, Mr. Kanic has Prisms to pursue and catches his Space Taxi back to the Lion Galaxy where he might open a steakhouse. I really hope they can adapt next Kyuranger if only to see the team stop by for a meal. Then again, Hasbro needs to sort out their Super Sentai problem before things get a little bit uglier.

[offspring-of-calliope]

Oneshot #2: Three times someone checked out Darcy’s ass and the one time he didn’t mind it

Description: A crackfic based on this post I made a few days ago. Basically what it says in the title and it plays during the canon era. The main pairing is BillDarcy.

words: 1645

A/N: To be honest, I don’t even know what this is, I just suddenly had this idea yesterday when I originally wanted to write the little idea for a Jojo/Elmer-Oneshot I have in my head. But hey, if there are things I’m good at, it’s procrastinating and doing things wrong, so here we are. As always, it’s possible that there are mistakes regarding grammar and spelling (I checked for them but since English isn’t my first language I might have forgotten something). It would be nice if you left a comment.

I hope you enjoy,

Sincerely, me,

Lélodie

—–

I.

Darcy hated puberty. Pimples were scattered all over his face and a few days ago, his mother had helped him trying to figure out how to shave his face without cutting himself. Still, there were some leftovers of an incision on one of his cheeks.

The worst thing was that he hadn’t even had something that he could have called a ‘beard’. But he had overheard some of his classmates talking about the positive effect of having a beard – looking more mature and therefore having a better chance with the ladies they wanted to court. Darcy himself didn’t want to court a lady, yet he always wanted to look more mature so that his father might stop treating him a like little child. So, after a lot of insistence on his part, his mother had helped him with the soft hairs over his upper lip and on the sides of his face and he regretted it.

He was attending some important event, where all the influential persons in the world of newspapers were gathered. And he was there with a bright red face, full of signs of imperfections.

“Look at that fancy new suit! Darcy, puberty’s starting to grow on you.”

Startled, Darcy turned around and was promptly hugged by one of his best childhood friends, Katherine Pulitzer. “Kathy, I’m glad you could make it,” he said, quickly hugging her back.

Katherine freed herself from the embrace. “I couldn’t leave you guys alone with all these people now, could I? But back to what I said, when did your ass get this gorgeous? Or is it just the suit?”

Darcy choked on his own spit. He was always surprised by Katherine’s bluntness. A blush spread out over his whole face as he truly realised what she had said and he made an embarrassed sound. “My ass is the same as always, thank you very much. The only thing that’s changing is the constellations of pimples on my face.” He grimaced.

“Uh, how poetic. Maybe you want to write my next article, then I’ll have a lot more free time.”

“Kathy, I’m having a serious problem here.” Darcy threw a glance at the people surrounding them, making sure they were out of earshot. Then, he whispered, “How can I face Bill when my face looks like I’ve been burned by the sun, over and over again?”

Katherine was the only one who knew of his infatuation with Bill – his other childhood friend. She had also been the one who had helped him overcoming his long phase of self-hatred because he was falling in love with another boy. At first, there had been all these thoughts like: “It’s wrong. Two boys can’t love each other.” But when Katherine had told him that she as well did like people the same gender as hers, he had felt a lot better. He wasn’t the only one. He wasn’t hurting anyone. So why should he be ashamed of who he loved?

“Don’t worry, Darce. I think it looks cute. And if he doesn’t like it, you can always show him your ass.” Katherine winked.

Again, Darcy blushed. “What’s it with you and my… butt?”

Katherine just shrugged inscrutably and led him to the buffet.

When they met Bill, he didn’t mention the pimples. He also didn’t mention that Darcy’s suit was apparently too tight around his ass. He had only brought life to the butterflies in Darcy’s stomach when he had constantly readjusted Darcy’s glasses and therefore brushed his skin from time to time.

II.

A soft breeze was caressing Darcy’s hair as he and Katherine wandered along the streets of New York, arm in arm. Katherine was going on about some vaudeville show she had to review that night, until they came across the Newsboys’ lodging house. A smile appeared on her face as they watched some kids dancing around, presumably on their way to the circulation gate. Darcy knew how she admired these kids that had nothing and still seemed to be so happy to at least have each other.

Since the kids weren’t walking really fast, Katherine and Darcy caught up with them and Darcy rolled his eyes as one of the boys started flirting with Katherine. It was always like this. Katherine was a beautiful girl and therefore, she caught the attention of many boys on the street. But only some of them mustered up the courage to actually speak to her.

Trying to suppress a sigh, Darcy let his gaze wander and couldn’t help but notice some boys passing them while the presumable leader flirted with Katherine. He blinked. Had he just imagined it or were two of the boys checking him out? He lowered his head, not daring to look back at them and not really listening to Katherine’s conversation.

He took a deep breath, fiddled with his hands and eventually glanced back at the two boys he had noticed. He nearly let out a surprised gasp as he caught one of the boys checking out his ass once again. A blush crept up his neck. The boy noticed him looking back and winked.

Darcy had never been more glad of Katherine taking control than in this moment. Oblivious to Darcy’s own problem, she grabbed his arm tighter and led him away from the newsies.

He took another deep breath. Had the boy been flirting with him? Darcy couldn’t handle people flirting with him. The only exception was Bill but that didn’t really count, considering that Bill was his lover. Which Darcy still couldn’t quite believe. He and Bill were a thing. Bill had been the one to take the first step, turning a little moment of them cuddling into a sweet, intoxicating kiss.

Darcy smiled and it didn’t take long for him to forget the incident with the newsies.

III.

Apparently, people did have a thing for his butt. That was the conclusion Darcy came to when he was ready cleaning the printing press and went to put on his coat. Bill had already left the cellar, presumably talking with Katherine and Jack outside.

He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop but he couldn’t help but hear two voices, a few feet away, seemingly not noticing his presence.

“… yeah, but one of 'em definitely had a stick up his ass.” The heavy Brooklyn accent in this voice was obvious and Darcy suspected that the boy talking was that Spot Conlon that every single newsie seemed to either fear or respect.

“Obviously. He’s refused ta shake Jack’s hand when he’d spit on it,” the other person laughed. It was also a boy but Darcy couldn’t quite place who the voice belonged to.

Was he talking about Darcy? It would make sense, considering that Spot had talked about two people specifically and he and Bill were the odd ones out (Katherine didn’t count since she had already been involved in the strike before they had been printing the banner tonight). Suddenly, Darcy felt offended. Just because he had manners didn’t mean that he was uptight.

“But you have to admit, it’s a pretty nice ass,” the person whose voice Darcy didn’t recognize answered.

It took Darcy all strength he could muster up not to cough and make his presence known. That would be even weirder than only hearing people talk about his ass. He hurried with putting on his coat, while contemplating listening a little more. Of course he was embarrassed but he kind of wanted to know what else the boys had to say.

“You’s right, Race.” A pause. “But do ya know who also has a great ass?”

Alright, that was Darcy’s cue to leave.

+ IV.

“I can’t believe you!” Darcy exclaimed while Bill only laughed more and more. He sighed. “I shouldn’t have told you, I knew it.”

“I am sorry, I did not mean to offend you, Darce, but that’s just too funny,” Bill said, letting his fingers run over Darcy’s arm, yet not even trying to suppress his laughter. “Why did I never notice that your butt is apparently so interesting?”

“I hate you,” Darcy retorted, crossing his arms in front of his chest, all the while trying to come up with a convincing pout.

Bill stopped laughing at that but the smirk didn’t leave his face. “No, you don’t.” His voice was soft and he moved closer to his lover. “Do you want to know what makes you the most handsome in my opinion?”

Darcy threw him a sceptical glance and let his arms fall to his side again. “What is it?”

“Your nose.”

“My nose?” Darcy let out a small laugh. “Seriously?”

“Well, it is,” Bill replied and shoved him lightly. “Especially when you’re wearing your glasses.” He raised his hand and started to trace the rim of Darcy’s glasses, gently, as if he was afraid of breaking them. Darcy’s breath hitched. “Shoving your smartness in everyone’s faces.”

“Glasses don’t make people smart.” Darcy remembered the time he thought that he would seem more mature when he acted as if he indeed had a real beard. In retrospect, he nearly laughed at that.

“But they make people look smart. And smart people are very, very attractive.” To prove his former point, Bill planted a short kiss on Darcy’s nose.

Darcy smiled. Then he leaned back a bit and took off his glasses. “But what happens when I stop wearing my glasses and don’t look smart any more?” He teased.

Bill made a face like he was thinking about something real intensely. Eventually, he embraced Darcy and smirked. “Then you still got your ass to show off,” he whispered, letting his hands wander lower and lower over Darcy’s back.

For once, Darcy didn’t mind someone paying attention to his butt.

[sundayskin]

The Basic Steps of Skincare (What to Use & When) ✨👏🏻

Hello skincare friends!! It’s been some time since I last made an actually informative (useful?) post. I’ve been really busy with, well, life, as most of you are too! And so many new people have joined our chill & fun skincare community—welcome newcomers! This post is going to be a longer one because there’s a lot to talk about. If you want a condensed version—there’s no condensed version, lol. So grab your coffee or your tea and some snacks and get comfy! FYI, instead of going by product type like cleanser, toner, cream, etc., like most step-by-step guides do, I’m going to go more by skin needs. Okay, you ready? Let’s go!

So, in my opinion, the two most basic steps of a skincare routine that everyone should start with are cleansing & moisturizing (+ SPF). That being the case, the sections below are going to be broken down into the basic “musts” when it comes to skincare and then the “extra” skincare steps that are optional, and for those wanting advice, I’ll put my personal tips below each step:

⭐ STEP 1: CLEANSE. The cleansing step is pretty straightforward. You can use a cleanser (or two) and, if you want, a toner, which is often the second and last step in the typical (Korean/Asian) cleansing routine. Toners are put onto a cotton pad and used to wipe your face. 

🗸 Tip! “Double cleansing” is typically recommend if you need an extra, deeper cleanse. This is often the case if you (1) wear makeup, (2) wear heavier SPF, or (3) your skin gets very dirty/congested by the end of the day. Double cleansing can be using an oil cleanser + a water based cleanser, makeup wipes + a water based cleanser, a cleansing water + a water based cleanser, and so on—basically it’s cleansing twice people. The method you use is totally up to you, like everything in your routine is! 

🗸 Tip! Opt for lighter cleansing in the morning and deeper cleansing at night. In the morning, your skin shouldn’t need a deep cleanse & you don’t want to strip your skin of its nutrients by over-cleansing. I only rinse my face with water and use a cleansing water/toner in the morning and it’s helped my skin so much!

🗸 Tip! Remember, cleansing doesn’t literally have to be limited to a “cleanser;” try using cleansing waters or an oil or a powdered cleanser etc. There are so many cleansing options out there so find one that works for you. Don’t feel pressured to get one of those tube shaped bottles with “cleanser” written in the title, lol. 

🗸 Tip! Keep your face semi-wet after cleansing because it helps your skin retain moisture. Pat dry instead of rubbing. Have a designated face towel or use something less bacteria-harboring like tissues, a facial sponge, or just your hands! Likewise, don’t wait a long time after cleansing to follow up with your moisturizer/other products. 

⭐ STEP 2: MOISTURIZE. Aka the “giving back” part of your routine. There are seriously so many ways to moisturize and whatever skin type you have it’s a must in some form or another. If we’re talking about the most basic routine for beginners or those wanting a simple routine, this step entails simply using one or more moisturizers for, you guessed it, moisture. 

🗸 Tip! You can use just about any product meant to go on after cleansing as a moisturizer—essences (some “toners” are really essences; they just had to make skincare more confusing), serums, ampoules (why is this even a separate category from serums/essences?), oils, mists, creams, gels, you name it. Just like cleansing, as long as you’re moisturizing enough, whatever way you do it is up to you. 

🗸 Tip! For oily skin types, I recommend trying a mist, essence, or gel-textured moisturizer. For drier skin types, I’d choose something heavier or layer lighter options—but it’s best to skip out on the “7 skin method”—that’s old news and it’s really, really, way too many layers. We ain’t got money to be using 7 layers a day! And likewise, go for lighter options in the warmer months and heavier options in the colder months. And, FYI, by “heavier” I mean more hydrating/moisturizing, which isn’t always literally a heavier product!

🗸 Tip! If you find your skin feeling “dehydrated,” a heavier cream isn’t always the best option. Often thicker moisturizers won’t go “deep” within the skin but they’ll just create a layer on the surface. So, if you’re feeling your skin is really thirsty, the best option is layering something thin like an essence or serum—something that will absorb into your skin—then topping it off with a moisturizer to lock in that hydration. 

🗸 Tip! Your “giving back,” after-cleansing products can also double to treat your problem areas. For instance, you can use a brightening serum or a soothing cream or an acne-fighting essence, the list goes on—basically, I’m clumping everything into this broad category of “moisturizing” for simplicity’s sake, so go wild and be as basic or as complex in this step as you want. If you want to stay basic, just go for something that moisturizes, don’t worry too much about getting all the other 100 possible benefits products can give you—besides, odds are, any moisturizer you use has skin benefits beyond moisturization. Really, moisturization itself leads to other skin benefits. You don’t want to see me in my Skin Theory 101 mode—I can go on for days. 

🗸 Tip! Your day-time moisturizer should have SPF or you should apply SPF at the end of your routine after moisturizing. If you want to keep your routine simple, get a moisturizer that’s going to give you sun protection too. SPF can be annoying sometimes, but it’s an absolute must, unless, you know, you want things like premature aging, wrinkles, dark spots, loss of elasticity, and so on, but no, yah, totally up to you. 

🗸 Tip! Oftentimes, your oils, serums, or your essences can double as lip-care—say what?? Yep, it’s true. Just be aware of the ingredients, like strong exfoliants, that aren’t really meant for lips. But generally, what you put on your face is also safe (and beneficial) for your lips. 

Read on for extra steps beyond the basic cleanser + moisturizer (+SPF) routine.

EXTRAS (Depending on your skin needs.)

Spot treatments. For those with acne or other spot-related issues. 

🕒 When: Typically last, though this isn’t exclusive. For one, pimple patches should go after the cleansing step: less between the pimple patch and your skin the better it’ll work.

🗸 Tip! Drying spot treatments (like drying lotions) are great, particularly for oily skin types. If you don’t want to break the bank for that Mario Badescu drying lotion, try using a clay mask you have instead, leaving it overnight on small target areas just as you would a typical drying lotion! For dry skin types, tea tree oil is a personal favorite all-natural spot treatment of mine.

🗸 Tip! If you have a bad habit, like me, of itching, popping, and messing with your blemishes, use pimple patches to not only treat those blemishes, but to keep your hands off of them!

Targeted Treatment Products/Masks. This is again a super diverse section that overlaps others. You can use any sort of mask, leave-on treatment, or even a treatment tool, it’s up to you. You can even, you know, be like me and buy a $500 LED mask (or, better, DON’T be like me). 

🕒 When: Wash-offs are usually after or before cleansing (read the package) and leave-ons (serums, ampoules, sleeping packs, sheet masks, etc.) usually depend on how thick they are (thin > thick), and, of course, their instructions. Always check the fine print people. 

🗸 Tip! Clay masks are great for people with acne, pore problems, and excess sebum—shout out to my oily skin types, I see you! Sheet masks are cute and fun, but really sheets masks are like glorified single uses of an essence or serum, so I prefer using an actual essence or serum over spending $3-$5 on a single use version. Sorry sheet mask fanatics, the secret’s out. That $3 to $5 can, like, buy me a coffee at Starbucks, okay. 

Exfoliation. Basically, exfoliating helps your skin shed it’s dead skin cells so that your skin cells can renew themselves. It helps all sorts of skin issues from acne to scarring to signs of aging. 

🕒When: Almost always on a cleansed face before moisturizing. Use one to three times a week, depending on how sensitive your skin is and how “harsh” the product is. I tend to exfoliate once to twice a week because my skin is pretty sensitive right now and I’m using a lot of other strong ingredients/products. There are exfoliators that are said to be for everyday use, which some people swear by, but I personally don’t think I need to exfoliate daily.

🗸 Tip! Opt for chemical exfoliation (product key words: “peeling” “aha” “bha” “pha” etc.) over physical—no matter how good that apricot seed scrub feels when you use it, scrubs are almost always irritating to your skin, whether you can see it or not. Plus, they can create micro tears in your skin, especially the ones containing bigger granules—yikes! Exfoliants are sometimes in a wash-off mask form or can be left on the skin. They range from gentle to mild to so strong it feels like your skin is falling off—I don’t recommend the latter. 

🗸 Tip! There are a whole bunch of ingredients and things you should avoid when exfoliating, which are typically said to be vitamin c, exposure to the sun without high SPF, retinol/retinoids, other exfoliants, etc. If you aren’t sure, feel free to ask me or, better, Google it. 

P.S. You’ve probably realized this already but I should point out that these “different” steps or product types can, and often do, overlap each other. Like an exfoliant can be a treatment mask and a mask can also be a moisturizer and a cleanser can have ingredients that are exfoliating. It’s all too much, I know. Just start with the basics and gradually try more, if you want. 

Overwhelmed? Are you currently like that dog just sitting in the kitchen saying “this is fine” while everything’s on fire? If you’re overwhelmed, that’s absolutely okay and normal! Start by getting products that meet the absolute basic needs of you skin—cleansing and moisturization (+ SPF). What I like to do when trying to find new products is (1) read a lot of reviews, (2) watch YouTube videos featuring the product to see it in real time, and (3) always search the ingredients on a website like CosDNA that tells you what each ingredient is. After you’ve got the basics down, I’d start with a gentle exfoliating product—no scrubs people, just don’t do it. Then, once you’re comfortable with skincare, consider if you want to incorporate other products or steps or tools depending on your skin needs. Never start using all kinds of different products at once; start simply and slowly. In any case, my ask is open, so let me know if you want any advice, but remember that I’m not an expert, I just love skincare and I’ve been doing it for a long time (just ask my very disappointed bank account if you want proof). Good luck guys and gals, catch ya later!

— sundayskin ❤️

[etlunainmorte]

🏝 I See My Future Before Me 🏝

***

"Ahem!" Patty cleared her throat, making the two of you look at her. "Get a room, whatever?"

V chuckled as he let you go for a while. With a sheepish smile, he, then helped you sit and wrapped his arms around you once more. He was really glad with how things turned out. He couldn't explain it, himself, but, who cares about it now?! What's important was that -

All of a sudden, you heard some strange noises just outside the door.

V let you go and nodded at Patty as he stood up, his eyes darting cautiously on the door. He slowly walked towards it, grabbed the brass door knob, and flung open the door - !

"WHAT THE F - ?!"

You heard a voice as V drew back, wide - eyed, from the door.

And lo and behold, Nico, and a strange - looking boy with sharp features came scrambling on the floor at the poet's feet!

"Who are you, people?!" Patty demanded, unable to believe that some strangers managed to infiltrate the villa, yet again. Well, V was one thing but, these people?

"I can explain,... everything!" Nico retorted as she stood up, rubbing her hip. "Oh, and I was definitely not listening,..." She, then, looked at the mystery boy, who was still on the floor, and practically smacked him on the head with much force. "Hey! About time you get up!"

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR?!" The boy screamed as he scrambled to his feet and hid behind V, completely frightened of the crazy Artisan. "I can't believe this woman, V! She dragged me and the housecat out of the house all of a sudden! She even blackmailed that pimple kid Nero and the others to come with her here!"

"Nero,... and the others?" The poet asked, and even before he, or the strange boy, could say or do anything else, all of you heard an impatient tapping on the glass door. All of you turned and saw none other than Nero, himself, wearing nothing but his navy - blue swimming trunks. He was carrying a surf board, and gesturing something really weird at you. Other than that, he looked really annoyed, or pissed, that you almost felt relieved that you couldn't hear him or understand what he's saying through that thick glass door.

"Where is the bathroom here, anyway? This place is humongous!" You heard a distinct and familiar voice from the doorway, and, surely enough, when you turned back, you saw the Legendary Devil Hunter wandering about the hallway like he was lost. And what's more, he was carrying a huge hiking bag on his back and at least two bulky luggage on each hand, like he was going on a vacation or something.

"DANTE?!" Patty practically screamed at the top of her lungs as she angrily strode towards him. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE AFTER GHOSTING ON ME FOR THREE MONTHS?! I INVITED YOU FOR MY BIRTHDAY PARTY BUT, YOU DIDN'T COME! AND NOW, YOU HAVE THE GUTS TO SHOW UP HERE?! WHAT THE HELL, DANTE?!"

"WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! Wait a second here, señorita!" Dante drew back in terror upon witnessing the girl's pure and utter rage. "I can explain! A lot of things happened, and - "

"SHUT UP! YOU'RE IN MY HOUSE! YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK UNTIL I SAY SO! AARRGGHH!"

You were trying to suppress your laughter at Patty's outrage ( no one could blame her, after all, he did ditch her on her birthday party ) when something suddenly threw itself at you and hugged you tightly. You looked down and to your surprise, you saw a pale, little girl with long, black hair that seemed sentient. She was even giving you a weird look with her pair of huge, red eyes, like a lost child who just found her mother.

"Oh, ah,... hello!" You awkwardly greeted but, she didn't say anything. She just went on staring at you with those huge eyes of hers, and that weird, and yet funny, expression that made her look like she has committed some kind of unspeakable crime.

You looked up at V and noticed his features clearly contorting with stress due to the sudden visitors around him. And who could blame him? You totally had no idea how much he wanted to be by your side. He wanted to be alone with you for a change! And if he's being honest with himself, he wanted to do more than just talk with you!

But, now, it seemed that his plans, and his patience, were really getting pushed to their utmost limit,...

You gulped nervously as you saw the poet knitting his eyebrows in suppressed anger, bowing down low and reaching for his nose bridge to pinch it.

***

♡♡♡

***

" ... it was like I was dreaming. Like, I was drowning, and suddenly, someone took my hand and pulled me out of the water!"

" ... uhu,..."

"And when I was back on the surface, I heard his voice. He said, my love."

" ... yeah, and,... ?"

"You see, I thought Dracula was playing on the background, so I answered, and my life, always! And when I opened my eyes, I saw him! And he's looking down at me!"

" ... okay."

"And when we kissed and embraced, I felt this kind of energy surging throughout my body! It's like,... AARRGGHH! It's really hard to explain! Like, I was this,... are you even listening to me?!"

"GOD, SWEET PEA! CAN'T YOU SEE I'M TRYIN' TO COOK THIS THING?!" Griffon howled as he pointed at the raw chicken on the grill before him. "I'VE BEEN STARIN' AT THIS CHICKEN FOR THIRTY FUCKIN' MINUTES, AND NOTHIN'S HAPPENIN', AT ALL!"

"Stupid!" Nico, who was already wearing a yellow two - piece bikini, mocked as she placed her hands on her hips. "Ye're supposed to set the charcoal on fire! And fan the flames! God!"

And with a shrug of her shoulders and a shake of her head, the Artisan walked away from them and joined the others for a game of beach volleyball.

You stared at the familiar, whose bald head began sweating hard, if it's even possible.

"Err, is that right? Y - ya set the charcoal on fire?" He stuttered as he stared at the weird cooking device.

"Well, yeah." You answered as the side of your lips went up in a visible smirk. "You know, you might be bipedal right now, but - "

"DON'T ya dare say I'm still a fuckin' BIRD BRAIN!" The familiar yelled at your face as he accidentally burned and almost reduced the raw chicken to ashes with the power of electricity that came out of his fingers. Startled and shocked upon realizing and seeing what he's done to the whole crew's lunch, he quickly took the grill grates, threw the burnt chicken, and buried it beneath the sand underneath his feet. He slowly and nervously looked at you with huge eyes and raised eyebrows. Then, he gulped. "Umm,... you didn't see anythin', 'kay?"

You covered your mouth to suppress the laughter.

Ever since waking up in V's arms three days ago, you've been thrown to such unexpected experiences that you honestly never imagined yourself being a part of. For one, you were so surprised upon seeing Griffon's new and cleansed form ( according to him ) after his supposed demise at Shadow's hands. You even had to admit to yourself that you're still having a hard time adjusting to him looking as normal as any human can be. You also found out that, during those three days of adjustment, his wings occasionally sprout from his back from time to time, and his striking golden eyes looked clearly sharper than ever before when he was still a demonic bird, not to mention those pointed ears that caught your attention the moment he finally re - introduced himself to you. But, what caught your attention the most was the fact that you were, somehow, no longer contracted to him in any way, shape, or form. It must be because you no longer hold the authority to command the Sisters of Fate, thus, making you a simple and ordinary human being without the power to command a demonic familiar.

You could say the same thing for Shadow. Well, who could blame you, anyway? Not now when she looked like someone's adorable little sister. That very obvious fact aside, those familiar streaks of red light still manifested on her skin when she's startled. That long, dark hair of hers took on a life of its own when someone angered her. She even hissed at anyone who made the huge mistake of taking away her toys ( the Elmo plushie in particular ). Other than that, she still hasn't outgrown her habit of purring and rubbing against you occasionally. You found this very endearing, actually, despite the fact that this female familiar gave you a lot of problems three months ago. She was, in fact, very guilty and apologetic and sweet that you forgave her quite easily. Well, she did nothing wrong in the first place. She only did those horrible things because she was only commanded to do so. She has nothing to apologize for in the first place. And now, Shadow refused to leave your side, she even has this habit of climbing on the bed with you in the middle of the night for some snuggles.

Those two familiars aside, you were very surprised upon hearing the good news from Nero, himself. Who would've guessed that he and his lady love, Kyrie, were eagerly awaiting their own bundle of joy? Nico was the same as ever. If anything, she bullied Griffon even more now that the familiar has turned into a human. She dotes on Shadow a lot, she even provided the familiar a closet - full of clothes for her to wear. She was also spoiling her rotten with treats. And Dante? Seriously, the poor guy, you decided, was a real masochist, letting himself be completely bossed around by both Lady and Trish, who made him carry their things around the beach. You were not sure whether this was the result of him being deeply indebted to these two ladies but, the sight of him going after them like a scruffy - looking butler in red leather really put a smile on your face.

All of these changes and familiar faces you embraced so well. However, there was one particular face that changed a lot within those three months of your absence.

Jet black hair now as white as snow, dark, swirling demonic contract tattoos now barely visible on pale skin, and soft, emerald eyes gentler than ever before, you never expected V to look so,... changed,... after those past three months that you didn't see him. It was like,... he went through a lot, suffering, trials, growth,...

But, whatever happened to him during those days, it surely changed him a lot as a person. He has,... somehow become even more thoughtful, and careful,... he has become even more caring and protective towards you if that's even possible. The way he moved changed a lot, as well. Before, nothing could make him move even a single finger unless he has deduced it was safe to do so. Now, he seemed more,... careless,... towards you and only you. Open, even. Like, he was totally letting his guard down for you to let you in on his thoughts, and his heart.

And not only that. He seemed,... closer,... towards you. Like, not even a few feet away. He was really close. You sit, he will sit. You stand, he will stand. You walk, he will most definitely walk, too. There were even times when you accidentally bumped into him when you turned too quickly. When you wake up in the morning, you would find yourself completely surprised to see not only Shadow sleeping next to you but, the poet, as well. Heck, you even have a hard time shooing the guy off whenever you need to go to the bathroom! He always seemed to follow you wherever you go. And him being so attached to you like that? Of course, you honestly felt both shy, confused, and really bashful at the same time!

And that,... was only two days ago.

Because now, V seemed,... different. Well, not the scary or the off type of different, no. It seemed like there was a sense of,... urgency,... with the way he moved. The way he looked at you, the way he reached for your hand, the way he touched you, the way he whispered to your ear, not to mention that spine - tingling effect his low and deep voice has on you,...

You knew he was up to something! You knew,... you felt it. And honestly? You felt a mixture of both fright and excitement with the way he's acting towards you lately. You were fully aware of where you stand with regards to things such as intimacy in a relationship. And you being, well,... you? You couldn't help but be both scared and giddy. A lot of things were going through your mind: how would it feel like? Would it hurt? Would there be a lot of blood, like what they said? Would you get sick the next day? But most important of all, would he really be gentle towards you?

These thoughts were still on your mind when you walked out of the villa to join the others on the beach, and when he saw you, he almost immediately dropped whatever he's doing to rush over to your side, only to be stopped by both Dante and Nero.

"Hey, man, we need another one for the team." Dante told him, grabbing the poor poet by the shoulder.

"Come on, V. They're gonna destroy us!" Nero pleaded as he pointed at the three women, Nico, Lady, and Trish, all in their swim suits, waiting for the men to join them for another round of beach volleyball.

You smiled and nodded at V, who glanced helplessly at you as the men dragged him. You were about to watch the spectacle when someone tapped you on the shoulder. You turned around and noticed it was Patty, together with Kyrie, who chose to stay out of the beach due to her delicate state. And both women were smiling mischievously at you.

V and the others were still playing ( albeit it with much difficulty on the poet's part ) a few moments later when you, Patty, and Kyrie came out of the house. And when V saw you, he -

"V, WATCH OUT!" The warning from Nero and Dante came too late as the ball that was hit by Lady came speeding towards him and hit him in the face.

"Youch! That must really hurt!" Griffon, who was still roasting another batch of almost burnt chicken for lunch, flinched as he watched you run towards V, now with a bleeding nose.

Everything went peaceful for a while after that: Shadow, who was really not fond of swimming or getting wet entirely, minding her own business as she built her own sand castle, Kyrie and Nero playing with the orphans on the shore, Nico appraising Griffon's grilled chicken with a keen eye, Griffon hiding several burnt chicken on the sand beneath his feet with a nervous smile, Trish, Lady, and now Patty, bullying Dante to buy ice cream for them,...

... and you taking care of V as you two sat on a towel he borrowed from Patty a while ago.

"You should have been more careful." You told him as you gently wiped the blood off his face.

"I'm fine." He answered quietly as he let himself be pampered by you. "Don't think too much about it."

"Are you sure nothing's broken?"

"I' am perfectly sure."

V glanced at you with such gentle and thoughtful eyes.

For three days since being back together again, V has tried multiple ways of getting close to you, with each attempt ending in miserable failure due to the interference of the people around him. And it has led to him feeling both annoyed and frustrated. While you were absolutely correct that he, indeed, wanted to be intimate with you, he also had another, more vital, reason behind his actions for the last few days. He has found out the reason you were brought back ( or, one might even argue that you really didn't die back then ), and that was partly due to you finally accepting that you need him, and mostly because V practically, and unknowingly, shared his energy, or life force, with you. He couldn't really explain how this happened ( or maybe Cassandra or Andromeda knew, he just didn't bother to ask any of them ), but when he touched, embraced, and kissed you ( albeit briefly due to those interfering people ), he knew that some form of power left his body, surging through every fiber, every nerve, and every vein in his body, and made its way towards you, giving you strength, health, vitality,...

... giving you life.

He was fully aware of what he has done to you in the past - of robbing you of your only life source - that has led to him regaining what he almost lost - life. And him giving back to you that power of life and vitality in some other form or way by being as close to you as he can,...

... it was the ultimate equivalent exchange.

He wanted to share every last bit, every last drop, and every last ounce of this unknown and unexplored power with you by being close, by always being there for you, and by always being with you in every sense of the word.

And he's more than willing to do this for the rest of his life.

And now, as his gaze landed once more on the scars on your stomach and on your thighs, he couldn't help but feel guilty and hurt all over again. You noticed how this made him uneasy and immediately zipped the pink hoodie ( that was given to you by Sister Christina for your birthday ) close so that he would not be able to see the scars, even by accident.

"Patty and Kyrie thought I would look, ah, you know, hot, by wearing this two - piece bikini they lent me but," You lamely made an excuse as you laughed nervously, hoping to get the poet's attention away from your ugly scars. " ... I look dreadful in it, after all. I mean! My feet aren't the only things that are ugly in me. Now, I look like an overused pin cushion, or some - "

"Don't!" V cut you off as both of his hands flew to your face to gently cup your cheeks. And right then and there, he immediately felt that same power leaving his fingers and making its way towards your skin, giving you a noticeable glow that made his heart do multiple flips. "Say such things, my love. You are beautiful, and perfect."

You smiled nervously as you felt your skin getting warmer and warmer by the second under his loving gaze. It really did feel both scary and exciting being with him in this kind of situation.

And then, you felt it: your breathing getting heavier and heavier with his caress, your heartbeat frantically rising with the way he looked at you, and your thighs instinctively rubbing against each other as you felt the warmth of his skin.

For a few seconds, you remained like this, looking into each other's eyes as if nothing else in the world mattered. And when his face inched closer to yours, feeling his hot breath fan your already radiant and sensitive skin, you -

"Hey, want some?"

You were sure you heard V let out a curse in utter frustration as he slowly looked at Dante, who was offering the two of you some strawberry - flavored popsicles. Your eyes widened in fear as you noticed the poet clearly giving Dante a glare that sent shivers down your spine.

"Oh! Thanks, Dante, but - " you stuttered as you tried to break through the tense atmosphere but, you were interrupted as Patty, who seemingly appeared out of nowhere, practically jumped at the tall Devil Hunter, hugging him from behind and startling him, effectively breaking the already heavy situation between the two men.

"Dante!" Patty literally screamed at him, looking very excited.

"Damn, woman!" Dante turned, still unable to believe that the once little girl, who used to pester him only a few years ago, has now fully grown into a very matured and attractive lady. "What is it now? I have bought you your ice cream already, didn't I?"

"Hey! We're still celebrating my birthday!"

"Am I still not forgiven?"

"Of course, not! Unless,..."

"Unless what?"

Patty let go of Dante as she gave him a truly mischievous smirk, one that made you smile inwardly. She truly is making her move,...

"Unless you go on an overnight cruise with me."

"Are you joking?! Only the two of us?!" Dante panicked, clearly picking up on what he thought Patty was planning. And he was definitely not ready and not up for that. "Are you out of - ?!"

"Are you silly?! Of course, the others are invited!" Patty laughed as she turned and waved at Nero, Kyrie, and the orphans, who were excitedly boarding the yacht she rented for the special overnight cruise.

"Come on, Dante! We'll have so much fun!" Patty lured the Devil Hunter once more.

"Y - you don't understand! You and I - "

"Are what?" Trish, who also seemingly came out of nowhere, cut him off as she grabbed his arm and began leading him towards the yacht. "Are you thinking something dirty in there, Dante?"

"How inappropriate!" Lady butted in as she also took the man's arm. "How naughty could you really get, hmm?"

You stifled your laughter as you watched the three women drag the unwilling Dante towards the yacht like a human sacrifice of some sort. Then, you noticed Lady as she turned towards you for the last time before leaving, mouthing something like, good luck, cherry pie with a wink and a wide smile. Patty also turned, but she didn't look at you. She deliberately looked at V and gave him a wink and a thumbs up for a reason you still don’t know.

"How annoyingly human is that?" Griffon, who somehow made his way towards you without being seen or heard, spoke upon watching the said humans get on the yacht. "Hey, V, why don't we - ?”

"Didn't ya hear what the girls said?!" Nico, who was pulling along Shadow, who clearly looked annoyed for being disturbed, interrupted. She, then, took Griffon's arm and started dragging him towards the yacht. "Move yer ass!"

V couldn't help but smirk as he watched Griffon being helplessly dragged by the woman, leaving only the two of you alone on the beach.

Leaving you two alone until the next morning,...

Did Patty read his mind? After all, it was she who made a move to basically get rid of the others for him,...

If so, then,...

"They're just leaving us here?" V heard you next to him.

"Seems like it." He answered, listening to Griffon and Dante's screams in the distance until he could no longer hear them.

"Where are they going?"

"I,... don’t know."

"Oh."

"Hmm."

You two looked at each other, both realizing what the others' absence meant for the two of you.

"Want to go for a dive?" V politely and graciously offered.

"Not really,..." you hesitated, feeling hot, excited and nervous all at the same time at the prospect of spending time alone with your lover. V smiled. Of course, he knew you wouldn't agree to - "O - on second thought, sure! Why not?" You stuttered awkwardly as you finally agreed, making the poet’s lips curl up in a smile.

It could simply be described as the most relaxing day you've had in many years. You and him diving in the ocean and swimming towards that beautiful rock formation, the two of you walking hand in hand as you picked up pretty sea shells in the sand along the way, you describing the lovely things you've seen in your travels, and him tenderly telling you that he wanted to see such things with you,...

It was,... so beautiful, and perfect. In fact, the two of enjoyed this alone time too much that you didn't even notice the setting sun. It was then that he suggested to take a rest for a while and watch the breathtaking sunset with you, making sure you still have that towel to sit on for later. And as you watched the soft glow of the twilight sky with him, you couldn't help but sigh in relief and contentment. The poet raised an eyebrow, urging you to tell him whatever made you react in such a way. You smiled and simply shook your head.

"Thank you so much, V." You whispered, making the poet hum in question. "You were giving me life, weren't you?"

V smiled as he wrapped an arm around your waist and kissed your temple. "And what made you say that, my love?"

"It's exactly that. Your gentle touch, your tender kisses, your warm embrace. Every time you do this, I feel this strange kind of power coming from you, and this gives me energy, somehow. Like, ah, how do I even explain this? Hmm,..."

"Like,... this?" V whispered in that low, almost moan - like, voice as he held you even closer, wrapping both of his arms around you, giving you no chance to think of a proper explanation. You were drowned in his overwhelming presence even more as he began kissing you, letting his lips move against yours in an intoxicating manner, letting your own passion guide you as you shyly reciprocated,...

... and even before you could go any further, he broke the kiss, smiling bashfully as he heard you whimper with disappointment.

"Tell me, darling," V whispered once more, sending your senses straight to Heaven. " ... did you feel,... something?"

You pouted, feeling a bit embarrassed that he was teasing you now of all times when you suddenly realized that you desperately needed him now. But, yes! You did feel something!

You nodded, simply because you couldn't trust your own voice. This scenery, the atmosphere, the man you loved above all else,...

Everything was just too perfect, and you were afraid that this was only like one of those vivid dreams you don't want to wake up from,...

"But, you're not dreaming. I'm here. With you."

You bit your lip, realizing that you've said your thoughts out loud, and looked up at him, only to see tenderness, and warmth, and something else in those beautiful green eyes of his.

"And I want to give you more." He said as his face went down close to yours again. "I need to give you more. More and everything you deserved. I need you,..." You closed your eyes, feeling his lips descend upon yours once more,...

***

🏝 A huge surprise is coming your way, courtesy of @bettybattaglia and @la-vita . Please, look forward to it. 🏝

🏝 @micaelagua , @vergils-daughter , @shadowrosess , @gothghoulfrend , @beyond-the-mirror , @cantcopewithlosingv , @lessy86 , @ceruleanworld , @yepps , @heaven-on-a-landslide , and @krazy06 . 🏝

***

🏝🏝🏝

***

[boyswanna-be-her]

I have a crush on you but also LEAK THE SKIN CARE ROUTINE

I really hope you were serious, because this is something I’ve thought a lot about and I am absolutely going to use this ask as an excuse to go into a skin care deep dive.

Here’s a big-ol high-res picture of my mug for you to inspect.

I pay less than $15 for products that must last at least 3-4 months because I just… don’t have more money than that to throw at this hobby. I’ll link to everything I use and show you the price under the cut.

I only use four of these things below every day–but when I have time, I use as many of them as my skin calls for. I just wanted to show you the whole of my skincare arsenal so as not to be coy about it taking up space and time in my life and routine. It does, and I do work on it.

I’m 33, white with combination skin, lots of prior scarring from picking, lots of sun exposure (Florida!), and several minor autoimmune issues that impact my skin when my health is poor or stress is high. I am prone to whiteheads and inflamed pimples the week of my period. 

You cannot buy, wash, treat, or hide your way to “perfect” skin. Airbrushed, poreless, whitewashed, glowing, moist, unwrinkled skin is a lie sold to us by makeup and skincare companies. There is no perfect skin–there is only skin. 

But if you personally are unhappy with some aspect of your skin, you can develop habits that make you more comfortable with/proud of/happy with your skin, and that’s what I want to focus on here.

Though good health =/= clear and smooth skin in all cases, I am lucky to report that my skin looks clearer, smoother, and younger now that I’m not just generally near death all the time. The story would be very different if I struggled with, say, lifelong acne, or if I had a chronic health problem that I was not able to manage. 

Skincare is a luxury of time, money, physical storage space, and mental space.

“Good” skin is a myth. Everyone’s skin is good skin. I started doing all of this stuff to my skin because I was dissatisfied with how much it HURT all of the time, and how flaky it was. Acne, scars, “discoloration,” different coloration, birthmarks, big pores, “craters,” uneven textures, dark hairs, thick hairs, skin tags, milia, blackheads, wrinkles, keratosis pilaris, freckles, and moles are all NORMAL skin types/features and don’t need to be “solved” if the possessor is unbothered by them. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO LOOK HOWEVER YOU WANT. 

I do this stuff because I like it, it helps my mental health to take care of myself with a routine, and it improves my physical quality of life. It helps me with some insecurities, but if that was the only thing it did for me, I don’t think I’d mess with it this much. When I’m not healthy, my skin is prone to deep cracking and flaking. I have always been self-conscious about redness in my T-zone and yellowness around my eyes (dear god, my poor, poor liver).

My skin has objectively cleared and smoothed and plumped up a lot because I smoke less, drink less, stay in mostly humid environments (because, again, Florida!), and have been managing my stress and autoimmune issues. These are all changes made in the last six months. 

On top of those changes, on an average day when I’m actually taking care of myself, I use the following four steps in the order listed, once a day in the morning. I’m realistic that I’ll only do this once a day in the morning and anything more than that is just a boring time suck for me as a person.

1. COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser - 5 oz for $10.70 - one tube lasts me about 6 months. I use this in the morning and just thoroughly wash my face. It’s very mild and has a fresh citrus scent that doesn’t linger.

2. Kikumasamune Skincare Lotion - 17 oz $12.10 - one bottle lasts me 8-10 months. This is a fermented, watery product unlike anything I’d used before. It smells faintly like sake, bananas, and bubblegum (seriously). I decant it out of the big pump bottle into a little travel bottle. I shake a little in my hand and rub it gently over my whole face and eye area. Probably not supposed to do that, but I’m a rebel. It leaves my skin a little tacky.

3. Hada Labo Rohto Hadalabo Gokujun Hyaluronic Lotion Moist - 5.7 oz for $12.99 bottle, then 6.4 oz for $10.90 refill packages - 5 oz lasts me 3-4 months. I’ve honestly forgotten what this even does but it’s a nice, thick liquid, colorless and scentless, and I put it all over my face. Leaves my skin a little less tacky but still not slick/neutral.

4. Ladykin Fresh Strawberry Icing Gel Bar - 6.7 oz for $7.99 - one bottle lasts me about 5-6 months. Someone literally bought this for me as a gag gift because they knew I liked skincare and the bottle is… weirdly obscene. But it turns out that it makes a great moisturizer for me and it’s cheap as hell and smells like fresh strawberries so what’s the down side? 

When I have time or when my skin really needs it, I also use the following products:

SHEETMASKS - Stop buying overpriced sheetmasks one at a time!!!! Leave that aisle at Target alone!!! I know they’re at the dollar store too–leave them alone!!! Those are cool if you’re treating yourself for special occasions, but I try to think of sheet masks as a normal part of my week. That means I’m not going to shell out $3-4 PER MASK if I’m using one or two every week! 

The thing with sheetmasks is, in my totally nonscientific opinion, it doesn’t really matter what kind you use. The value is in plopping a bunch of moisture on your face along with cloth that simply forces that product into your skin. It’s the skin force-feeding concept that works more than the product itself. I think. I have no proof. I have made really moronic assumptions before.

That said, you’ll find ones that you prefer over others. Snail mucin ones don’t absorb nicely for me. Exotic animal-sourced ingredients (bee pollen, royal jelly, donkey milk, goat milk, snake venom, bee venom….) sometimes irritate my skin. Other people LOVE them. 

I get sheetmasks in packages online, at TJ Maxx, and at Marshalls. I try to pay under 75 cents per mask, but lean more towards the 50 cent mark. TJ Maxx and Marshalls are great places to try out new masks–just look at the prices and the mask count and do a little mental math to make sure you’re not getting gouged.

A good place to start if you want to try sheetmasking is with the Dermal brand of sheetmasks (16 masks for $11 (68c/per), 24 masks for $14 (58c/per), 39 masks for $21 (54c/per). They’re basic and generally non-irritating with no scent and a thin formula that feels nice and leaves skin smooth and untacky. This is what I generally keep on hand. 

I have a weird sense-memory thing with ginseng, so I also look out for Esfolio Pure Skin Red Ginseng Essence Mask Sheets. I don’t recommend buying from Amazon, as I am able to find these 10-pack boxes cheaper in person.

If I’m going to use a sheetmask, I put it on after I brush my teeth, wash my face, and put in contact lenses (doing them with glasses isn’t impossible–just messier). Then I make tea and just… do stuff with the dumb sheet mask on until it’s pretty dry (20-30 minutes). Then I take it off and rub the leftover mask on my arms and legs and chest like a weirdo, because it’s still full of product, and then I squeeze the leftover product out of the package and apply it to my face. Because I have the luxury of time but not money, I do NOT waste product.

AQUAPHOR - ~$14 for 14 oz - one tub lasts me through 18 months of travel, winters, and tattoos. Apparently everyone who lives somewhere cold already knows that you need to smother your face in petrolatum when it starts acting up or the weather is cold and dry, but this was shocking news to someone like me who was raised in Southern mall culture skincare routines. When my skin is cracked and bad, Aquaphor legit helps more than my prescription steroid creams. I put as much of it on my face as I can tolerate (it doesn’t smell like anything, but it does make you damned greasy) and then go to bed. Waking up with post-Aquaphor skin is like a miracle sometimes.

MISSHA M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 - $7.20 for 0.2 oz -  This is a new purchase for me, as my favorite sheer, tinted one-tone-fits-all BB cream has been discontinued. This only comes in six colors, and most of those look like they flatter white and yellow skin–so this option won’t be perfect for everyone. I’m still in search of the perfect replacement BB, but this one works for now. In the picture at the top of this post, I’ve just done my normal 4-step thing and applied about a pump and a half of this BB cream all over my face.

***If you have actively flakey skin, I don’t recommend the MISSHA product as it does emphasize flakes and dry patches. Try COVERGIRL Smoothers Lightweight BB Cream (1.35 oz for $6.19) It won’t discolor and emphasize your flakes, if you get dried out during the day.*** 

I fell into the Korean beauty rabbit hole several years ago with @shrimoishere​ –who has been more consistent about these things and as a result has AMAZING SKIN. If you want to learn more about why this stuff works, and how it could work for your specific skin type, I highly recommend poking around r/AsianBeauty. I spent a ton of time researching products and about two years trying different things to figure out what would work for me. This has been a passive, slow journey, so I don’t think anyone who can afford it and would like to pursue it should feel intimidated by the perceived time suck. It’s just something cool to do in the background.

[grafted]

No Rest for the Wicked

Merry Christmas to @little-red-alchemist-of-doom ! I had a blast with this years @mlsecretsanta exchange and I hope you did too! 

After last year’s fiasco with "Santa Claws", she wondered if she would actually get to have a break on Christmas Eve. When a young girl was akumatized to bring toys to life to take over Paris? She couldn't believe it. Hundreds of dolls had roamed the streets, quickly attacking anyone who stood in their way. The young girl had stood atop of a large stuffed bear, holding her scepter high as she commanded her armies to scour Paris for the one toy she really wanted. Toy Monarch had cackled wickedly, exclaiming that all toys were under her command and, until she got what she wanted (or well, until Hawkmoth got ahold of their Miraculous), all of Paris would suffer. 

It was a miracle that both she and Chat Noir managed to subdue her and free the butterfly. Each new Akuma was becoming more cunning, more difficult to manage as they continued their fight with Hawkmoth. Not that it was surprising, just frustrating when they weren't any closer to finding out who he was. Exhausted, Marinette stood on her balcony, blanket wrapped around her shoulders and hot cocoa in her hands. It was somber, her parents had managed to go to bed early, and she couldn't shake the fact that days off were non-existent. Would it always be this way until they finally defeated Hawkmoth? Even with the other heroes, Ladybug was the only person who could purify the akumas. She inhaled deeply, looking out on a sleeping Paris with wonder. Hawkmoth must sleep sometimes, right? Does he rouse from his sleep when negative emotions arise? His targets always seem to be random, no rhyme or reason that she could find -- not that she thought too hard about it. She wished she could talk to Alya or Nino about it, bounce ideas and theories off of them while proudly claiming she was Ladybug but... she made a promise to keep her identity a secret. Something she was wondering would even be worth it at this rate. "Hey Princess, what are you doing up so late?" The familiar voice called from her rooftop, before sliding down to join her. "Oh. Chat-- I could ask you the same thing." She hardly reacted but offered him a weak smile. Which concerned him. "What's on your mind? You look worried." Could she honestly admit her fears to him? "It's nothing." She stopped herself, fingers tapping against her mug. "Actually...do you ever get a day off?" Marinette watched as he tapped his chin, taking the question into consideration before he found himself sitting next to her. Cold leather brushed against her arm as he scooted closer in an attempt to share her blanket for the moment. He was quiet, contemplative, and she couldn’t help but watch as he searched for an answer. Silence settled between them like an old friend, before he finally spoke up. "No." He practically whispered. "I don't think I do. Between my civilian identity and this? Never." He laughed, and it was almost hollow. "I considered asking Ladybug if we could rotate days off until I realized that she'd never have one." "That's surprisingly thoughtful of you." She teased, nudging at his side. "You know me, Princess. I'm always thoughtful." He grinned, leaning close to her face. "But seriously-" he pulled back quickly, an attempt to hide the blush on his cheeks. "It wouldn't be fair to take the day off if Ladybug can't. So I'll always fight by her side." "Always?" Marinette smiled, leaning up against him, finally offering him the other side of her blanket. "Always. What sort of hero would I be if I let her do all the work? She's strong, resilient, but not infallible. Eventually, she will burn out, and I'll be there to help her push through it. I worry about her, about this fight against Hawkmoth and now Mayura." "Mayura?" She had to play dumb, glancing up at him slowly. "Hawkmoth's new partner in crime." Chat scowled a bit, his arm moving to wrap around her shoulder and pull her close. "It's going to take a lot more than just me and her to take Hawkmoth down." That she could agree with. Hawkmoth having a partner in this mess means another person actively working against them for a goal they didn't understand. They, the guardians of Paris, had a common goal: Stop Hawkmoth at any cost, keep Paris safe, and be good. Except Chloe is Queen Bee, so much for being good. "What does Hawkmoth even want the Miraculous for?" "What?" Marinette flushed, stuttering as she continued. "I-I mean, does anyone know what he wants the Miraculous for? He seems only keen on getting Ladybug's and yours." "Huh." It seemed he hasn't thought of that before. Or at the very least not too deeply. "I'm not actually sure." Silence fell between them once more, thoughts heavy with questions neither of them had answers to. Why <i>did</i> Hawkmoth need the Miraculous? Was it for ultimate power? Master Fu once said that it could grant any wish, but what would he give in return? Was there anything Hawkmoth wouldn't do to achieve his goals? There were so many unanswered questions that she needed to start really thinking about. She needed to rely on her team, her friends in order to learn the truth. "Hey, Chat?" She started, her train of thought abruptly changing. "Yeah?" "Do you think Paris can ever go back to being normal when this is all over?" She changed the subject, finding herself slowly nodding off against his chest. "No. I don't think it will." He spoke so quietly, barely above a whisper. "They're used to superheroes being the norm. If anything, I think the status quo has changed. People will get bolder, think they're above the law-- people who just want the attention will come out of the woodwork just to get the attention of Ladybug. If Hawkmoth no longer remains the enemy, then who do we protect Paris from?" Wise words. Marinette nodded, finding herself agreeing with him. -------- It wasn't much longer until Marinette was fast asleep at his side. Snow started to fall, carefully sticking to the shingles on the roof and the streets before. Chat heaved out a heavy sigh before he moved to lift her into his arms. He cradled her head close, taking care to not jostle her as he climbed the steps down into her bedroom. He hoped whatever worries at least were eased, but he had a feeling that the stress to be miraculous would pressure her for as long as she lived. He carefully settled her into her bed, tucking her in with care, then folded the blanket to leave on her chair. Chat ran his fingers through his hair, admiring her room, her sleeping form for a little longer then he should have. "Good night, Princess." His smile was sweet, genuinely glad to spend time with Marinette who treated him as an equal partner in their conversations. Not that Ladybug didn't, but he felt he could just tell her everything. She inspired him, lifting her friends up around her and encouraging them to do good. It was hard not to fall for a girl like her. Which brought him to his recent conundrum. Could he be in love with Marinette? What about his love for Ladybug? <i>It would be much easier if they were the same person</i>, he thought, climbing the ladder back up to her balcony and shutting the hatch. He wouldn't feel as guilty, that he was betraying Ladybug despite her insistence that they would never be a romantic couple. He honestly understood, taking a step back and reflecting on his advances in a new light. Yet, on the same hand, first loves were difficult to move forward from. He leaned against the balcony railing, enjoying the quiet night, relaxing for the first time after dealing with the Toy Monarch. His heart was torn between hoping that one day, Ladybug might feel the same, and his new found feelings for Marinette. He's seen her grow. Watched as she stood up to Chloe, encouraged her classmates to never give up in the face of adversity. While he knows that she has her own flaws (her jealousy, her sometimes quick assumptions about people), she trusted her instincts and usually they were right. His heart raced as he thought about her, fluttering in his chest the same way it did when he first saw Ladybug in action. Things to think about, he supposed, is what does he want more? No-- No, what do they want is the better question. And if Marinette wanted to choose him as a romantic partner, could he tell her who he really was? Chat raced across rooftops, making his way back to his home to get some rest. He hadn't meant to drop in on Marinette but getting rid of his excess nervousness meant he had stumbled upon her solitude. He could feel it hum in his veins, the jittery edge he was on as he slid down his own roof and climbed carefully through the window, certain to not draw attention from the security cameras on the property. "Claws in." He yawned, stretching his arms as Plagg floated beside him. "Thanks, for understanding." "No problem," Plagg waved one of his paws at him before he flew over to the dresser. "You want to talk about it?" "Are you actually asking me if I want to talk?" He chuckled, walking over to the dresser with a smile. "I think I'm okay for now but... thank you. I'll let you know if I need to." "Good." Plagg shoved the largest piece of Camembert into his mouth, continuing to talk. "I haf 'alkin bout lobe stuff anyway." Adrien couldn’t help but laugh, watching as Plagg inhaled his cheese with pure glee. He patted Plagg on the head, grateful that he was always (always? He hoped always.) going to be there for him. He dressed for bed, brushed his teeth -- followed his nightly routine as instructed to keep his skin healthy and clear of blemishes. Would it be so bad for him to get one pimple? The world may never know. He slowly settled into bed, taking a quick glance at his phone to make sure he didn't miss any messages. Nino Dude. I think I'm afraid of toys now. Who knew dolls could be so terrifying? If I have nightmares you'll be the first person I tell.

Chloé 🐝 Adrien don't forget we have plans tomorrow! You promised. "Get some rest." Plagg moved to push his phone back down. "At this rate, you're only going to get a few hours of sleep." "Yeah, yeah I know. Good night, Plagg."

[ourrightside]

5 Beauty Products You Need To Try Based On Your Zodiac Sign Pt. 1

Okay, okay before you click off because you think horoscopes are not real (which they totally are), promise me you’ve never checked the horoscopes page in a magazine or blog out of sheer curiosity. Yeah, I thought so too.  

Personally, I’m kind of what you call a “Horoscope Snob”. I’m not an Astrologer but I do believe in Zodiac Signs. I’m not here to impose my beliefs just check your sign based on your birthday and consider the products I recommend below based on the alignment of the stars!

 If you’re born between March 21- 20 April, you’re an Aries...

(I’m an Aries stellium) If so, you are blessed with energy, optimism and independence. Hands down, Ella Woods (portrayed by Reese Witherspoon) is the queen of all Aries Women. Other Aries women include Sarah Jessica Parker, Maraiah Carey (skinny), and Lady Gaga.

You guys are extremely enterprising and maybe a little vain, but wouldn’t you be too if you got accepted to Harvard Law School? 

These products will keep you energized and reflect your true colors

1. Balls in the Air - Goop

To maintain energy in the long run, subscribe to keep your lively attitude and fitness levels in check! Make sure to use your energy towards things or people who improve your life and bring you joy even if it seems more fascinating to start fights for banter.

2. First Aid Beauty Body Scrub

The most athletic people I know are Aries Women. Their energy is so divine and super fiery. If you don’t exercise regularly I highly encourage you to do so, Aries, because it’s going to keep you from combusting. Instead of starting fights, get that endorphin rush from exercising!

That being said, I highly recommend you keep your skin looking great in between those workout sessions. This product contains 10% AHA which means it’s great for exfoliating and shedding off dead skin.

3. Yves Saint Laurent Water Stain Lip Stain 

The color that symbolises an Aries is red. This newly launched product is easy to use and you can throw it in your purse for a light touch up whenever you want. I think all red undertones suit Aries women, but I recommend mostly the “Vague de Rouge” color 602 - a popping strawberry red one.

4. Hair Oil - Ouai

Aries Women are not afraid to take risks, they are tomboys at heart and don't shy away from doing crazy experiments with their hair. Every Aries woman is different when it comes to this but we can all agree that their hair needs to be tamed by this hair oil! A lot of times you just need to wear your hair untamed and completely wild. 

5. Dr. Barbara Strum: Anti-aging Primer 

Your impulsive nature is charming - but it may be what's destroying you. To keep yourself from running thin, use this product as a part of both your skin care and makeup routine. Doubling up as a primer and day cream, investing in this will not only keep your skin looking as young as your spirit but also gets rid of any uneven texture or dullness!

 If you’re born between 21 April - 21 May, you’re a Taurus…

(My Moon Sign and Midheaven) You guys are your own best friends, like seriously, I get you. You’re ambitious, stubborn and you take your pleasure seriously. You’re a boujee bitch, treating yourself is a lifestyle, not a hobby. But you deserve it, you work hard and play hard. Ruled by Venus, you tend to be either attractive or extremely charming, Taurus women also include Gigi Hadid, Megan Fox and Audrey Hepburn. 

1. Gimme Brow Kit 

If Taurus women have one thing in common, and we all know what it is - eyebrows. Brows are so important to them, I mean they either make you or break you right Taurus? I recommend any Benefit Cosmetic Brow product when it comes to this field. These women knew about this secret before “ fleek” was even a thing - and their secret is finally out! 

2. Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette 

I’ve personally purchased this twice. I feel like every Taurus woman would love this product! Dior is such a signature brand that hits every Taurus’ sweet spot when it comes through with their products. The bronze, color and glow you get in one palette is insanely luminous!

3. Slip Silk Pillow Case

Most Taurus people I know can take a nap anywhere however if it was their way they would be sleeping in gold-made cloth, let’s be real. Is Silk a close second, Taurus? Hear me out, Slip Silk Pillow case brings so many benefits for your skin and hair, so no more bedhead and irritated skin for you! I just believe there is no sign that deserves this more than you - no shade but invest in your bed, Taurus! You’re always in it. 

4. Sunday Riley Auto Correct Brightening and DE puffing Eye Contour Cream

Kind on the pricey side, but is that really a problem for you? Use this product to depuff your under eyes after all that sodium you consumed last night. Instead of feeling bad, you’ll be waking up as beautiful as ever - NO REGRETS. 

And what you truly need is....

5. Amika Polished Perfect Straightening Brush 2.0 

I don’t get why you guys get a bad rep for being lazy - you’re just selectively active! This hair tool would help make your hair look amazing and sleek in just 7 minutes. All you have to do is brush your hair and watch it de-frizz. This was made for you, you’re welcome.

If you were born between May 22 - June 21 you’re a Gemini…

Honestly you guys scare, but in a good way. Every Gemini I know has the facial expression of someone that’s about to bite you, but again in a good way. Seriously jokes aside, you guys are a blast to be around. You are adaptable, outgoing and extremely intelligent. Although you guys have a male spirit, you also have a flirtatious provocative side – I mean Naomi Campbell and Marilyn Monroe are the queens of Geminis! They love being different and challenging - keep reading! 

1. Flaunt it Butt Sheet

You guys have a hard time sticking to anything unless it’s super interesting or eye grabbing. I gotchu, here’s a sheet mask, not for your face, but for your butt. I know you’re intrigued, go ahead and purchase it.

2. Kiehl’s Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil Herbal Concentrate

So you’re ranting to everyone about how the world is ending soon due to pollution and our lack of care towards mother earth while chugging down water from a plastic bottle. I mean it’s outrageous to you! Here is a gift from Mother Nature, go ahead and use this CBD oil to calm down your worries and pimples.

3. Winky Lux Confetti Lip Balm

This lip balm is the perfect one for you, Gemini! No seriously, it swipe this clear balm on your lips to get the perfect shade of pink depending on your PH, it’s just for you. It’s your shade. 

4. Dr Jart Shake & Shot Rubber Masks 

Okay so maybe you’re over the whole over-socializing lifestyle, maybe for two days you want to convince yourself that you want to be tamed, so here’s a cool milkshake face mask to get you going. (don’t let it explode)

5. Eyeliner Brown Marc Jacobs

Hands down the best eyeliner. If you’re tired of your look, go ahead and do a small brown eyeliner for a small change. And if we’re being honest, whenever you’re really tired of your look dare to create fake freckles all over your face with this product and pretend that they’ve always been there.

 If you’re born between June 22 - July 22 you’re a Cancer…

Sigh, the mother of the zodiac signs. My sister is a Cancer and the rumors are true – I have two moms. You rock the girl-next-door look but you tend to be more reserved or cold at first. When you guys are not hiding in your shell, you’re emotional, sensitive and caring. And if anyone were to glance at your loved ones the wrong way, let’s just say your mama bear claws come out to play.

And sometimes you might feel like you’re so alone on this earth because you’re overwhelmed by your emotions, but it’s okay Margot Robbie and Ariana Grande can relate! Finding products for you may be hard due to your already built in routine but here are some suggestions:

1. Kat Von D Tattoo Liner

Okay so secret’s out: you guys cry a lot. Go ahead and deny it profusely as you purchase this eyeliner – it seriously does not want to come off, even if you want it to.

2. Diptyque Baies Candle

Cancers LOVE home décor. You guys stay at home often which is why you want your space to always be the best it can be. This candle may be pricey but it’s definitely an investment, it can change the smell of your room that kinda stinks due to the lack of circulation in there.

3. Biologique Rechere p50

Now, I know you guys have a hard time switching products especially skincare because you think you found what already works and I totally respect that, but if your routine does not include this then please reconsider. It’s so good that it kinda has its own cult and it’s kinda weird. 

4. SUPERGOOP Unseen Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40

Hold on to your hats Cancers, here is another thing you have to worry about: protecting your skin due to the blue light that’s emitted from our phones and computers. No worries though, use this product that helps protect your skin from these lights! After applying the velvety material go ahead and enjoy your faboulous day of screen watching! 

5.  Lancôme Doll Lashes

I really don’t want to make a joke about crybabies anymore so I’ll stop. But seriously, this is hands down one of the best mascaras ever (it’s not waterproof though sorry) and this is coming from someone with very short straight eyelashes. It’s made for you Cancers and it’s the ultimate mascara to complete the Girl Next Door Look. 

 If you’re born between July 23 - August 22 you’re a Leo…

We get it, you’re a Leo!! I’ve never met a Leo who did not miss a chance to say they are a Leo. I understand why though, these creatures are charismatic, honest, generous and honestly boastful! Queens of this sign include Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Kylie Jenner and Selena Gomez. Now, I know this thread is for suggesting products based on people’s signs, but I know for a fact most Leos scrolled down to this section to read whatever compliments I have to say about them. 

Now before you click off read a few SUGGESTIONS that may improve your already extraordinarily beautiful self.

1. Gisou Hair Oil

The ultimate Leo stereotype is that their hair generally matches their ego – they’re both big. Tame your hair and make sure it’s healthy with this golden honey infused serum.

2. Salted Caramel Kylighter

A highlighter approved by King Kylie. This highlighter won’t let your face go missing in the crowd. It will surely make you glow between your friends. Super attention grabbing, this highlighter is strong but not enough to let anyone think you’re a greasy chicken. (if you know you know)

3. Radiance Plus Golden Flow Booster Clarins

To protect that precious skin of yours while still maintaining your after-vacation bronze, use some of this product to make sure there is still warmth in your face all year round.

4. Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser 

After using so many products on your face to look glowing and bronzed all the time, let’s talk about unclogging those pores! To be used only a few times a week, this exfoliating cleanser works like a charm in revitalizing skin.

5. Tom Ford Perfume

I just feel like Leos need a perfume that is attention seeking, and we all know Tom Ford’s perfumes can be smelled a mile away. Leos please use this scent in order for the crowd to genuinely prepare itself for whatever performance you have in mind.

 If you’re born between August 23 - September 23 you’re a Virgo…

I attract a lot of Virgos in my life and thank god for that! You guys can get a bad rep due to your detail oriented vision and anal uptight attitude. However, ruled by Mercury you are extremely in-tune with your body and feel bad when things aren’t physically your way, which isn’t good but I think the world would collapse without you. Your vibe is standoff-ish but honestly, I would be too if I had this much of my shit together. Critical but honest, you’re not alone – Queen Bee herself is a Virgo and we adore her! Virgo women tend to be perfectionists and harsh on the way they look but honestly it pays off. I loved following up other Virgos including Blake Lively and Lea Michele. Take a few steps back and look over the suggestions:

1. Spirit Dust

Okay so it’s time for your post workout breakfast and you have no idea what to eat, right? Add this to your smoothie to help you destress and enjoy your endorphins all day. You really need this.

2. Tarte Concealer

How many times have you asked a Virgo for advice and didn’t take it? Always. And how many times have you went back to a Virgo and apologized for not taking the advice? Again, always. Virgos are just known to be the helpers of the zodiac sign, and I’m not saying that they’re perfect (they are) but sometimes they need to hide their shit up due to this reputation, that’s why they need this concealer!

3. Dyson Hair Dryer

You need something fast but also extremely effective to make sure you look effortlessly flawless. I know you can’t stand anything less than perfect, so here is to blow-drying your hair in less than 10 minutes and looking better than everybody else.

4.  Ilia Multi Stick Cheek and Lip

Because Virgos have a practical vibe to them, they love using multi-functioning products. This product can be used on your lips, cheeks, or eyelids! Did I mention it’s certified as “Clean” at Sephora?

5. JO Malone London Diffuser

Super practical and amazing to put around the house. Virgos love practicality and this is the perfect product to get, you don’t need to worry about a candle burning your house down or refilling your machine with batteries when you have this! You don’t need to think twice!

That’s it for the first half of the zodiac signs, enjoy.

xx Nina​

[darkmoon-makeup]

Acne and Beauty - A Ramble About Having Bad Acne and Trying To Be A  Beauty Guru

DISCLAIMER: This is just my experience, and my views/story/etc. This is not fact, and should only be taken as, at most, advice. My skin is unique to me - yours may be similar, but they are not the same.

So, acne - for some, it’s a neutral thing. You have it, and it’s there, but you don’t mind. Or maybe you don’t have acne at all, but instead have dry or irritated skin. Or maybe you fall closer to where I do - you have acne, and you hate it. For me, my acne is mainly genetic: my skin is oily, sensitive, and acne-prone, and the dry, hot climate I call home does nothing but make my face produce enough oil to fuel a fast food joint for weeks. Because of this, I’ve always had issues with makeup - foundations not working, primers failing, breakouts, dry patches, allergic reactions, and most of all: horrible, and dropping, self confidence. 

You may ask yourself “Why?” How does acne affect someone’s self confidence as severely as it does mine? Well, my issues are that I, no matter what I do to myself, cannot achieve the same results as the beautiful, talented people online, whose foundations cover their every flaw and their skin is perfect, smooth, and even - no redness to be seen, not a pimple in sight, and no pores to be had. My foundations have never, ever been full coverage, even when I watched beauty gurus online apply it and look like they had a whole new face, and nothing has ever been the same for me - it made me doubt my skills as a makeup artist, and it made me despise the skin I have, that I /should/ be grateful for because its oily nature will aide me in my older years.

Very rarely do I see anyone with acne treat it as if it’s okay to have - so, so many beauty gurus treat pimples and acne like a horrible affliction, as if having it means you’re disgusting and cannot be beautiful. And it doesn’t help that the secret behind their perfect skin is several, several hundred dollars worth of expensive skincare that you don’t know will work for you. The rare beauty gurus I see who do have acne still manage to pull off perfect looks, and while wonderful to see them showing their acne as a natural thing, I still doubted my skills.

Until, that is, I found someone who had so many of the same reactions I did. Nadi, from the channel PopLuxe, is a man I hold near and dear to my heart. His skin is beautiful: but his reactions are genuine and so is his criticism. When I saw him review the Fenty foundation, I almost cried - I wasn’t alone, my skills aren’t the problem, and this lovely, oily man had the exact same reaction I did and wasn’t afraid to voice it and tell the world that the FENTY BEAUTY FOUNDATION did not work for him. 

This is getting heavily off topic, so I’ll cut myself short: Having acne is okay, and it’s fine to not cover it all. Just because everyone else can do or use a product doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong because it won’t work for you. Don’t be afraid of cheap skincare, and don’t treat your acne like a life-defining trait. And if you’re like me, and you really cannot live with acne, learn your skin. Experiment. Perfect skin takes /time/ - months, seriously. Be patient and make sure to stop using a product if it becomes painful. 

[artemisiaposts]

In the storyline, the protagonist can alternate their hope and will. But, in the process of doing so, their idea of having the ultimate opportunity to live in peace forever; is not so achievable. The story will consist of a girl who faces a lot of average problems that construct her and led her to believe that maybe. Just maybe, that if she lives now. She would not have to worry about the future so much.

Thank you for reading.

Please enjoy.

-

In society terms, she is quite an average-looking person. And for a girl who carries a lot of her friend's weight, it's not surprising that she living her life the way she believed it to be.

Stale.

And

Tiresome.

In other words, she expected a lot when she moved out of state for her studies. Which presented itself in a variety of surprises and depressing moments. What made her believe things will essentially change once she was out? Is a question she does not know the answer to. Nor, does she want to find out once her loans begin to haunt her for the rest of her life.

Despite all the problems that presented themselves to her, she slowly begins to dig herself up into some unwanted pains. She even lost feeling in parts of her mind and soul due to the fact of always being disappointed with the outcome that has bared its teeth the moment she tried changing it.

It would almost seem as if she was doomed to live an unhappy life. She understands that she cannot find the answer within others. Nor, can she bring herself to find the answer. Meaning, she was stuck in the middle.  Now, being stuck in the middle does not sound too bad if you are okay with it.

However, in her opinion, being stuck in a rut is a scenario she lived her whole life. That, even she, forgot who she was. It only seemed like the other day she lost one of her best friends that she knew from a young age. Or, living in a scene where she's not even second best.

She's just there.

Always being picked as the last person on the team,

Always being forgotten that she exists,

Always watching from afar as her friends go out and live their life.

She understands the concept of why she is here.

Watching instead of being the player on the field.

It's because no one wants someone who is the following,

Her ability to underperform in school.

Her speech impediment seems to deter her peers.

Her clothes practically drape her body in all the wrong ways.

Her facial structures struggle to smile.

And lastly but not least,

Her attitude.

Of course, she received compliments. Like,

"You know I inspired to be as confident as you,"

To which she was surprised to hear when a girl who was the same age as she said. Considering their base in status. The tall blonde gorgeous girl complimenting her? She was about to say thank you.

Until

"Your skin is covered in pimples, and yet you walk around school like you don't care.”

Yes! The backhand complimented that wins the game. The game that she didn't even know she was in; the game in which she lost.

Or the problem where she's too ugly for others to care about because they don't want to get their hands dirty. Especially when she is being sexually harassed.

"Damn girl, I didn't know your ass was that fat."

To which the crowd of people would laugh at his explicit joke.

But yes, don't take it too seriously because if she does. She will get reminded that it's just a joke, that what he just said was a compliment.

Not. A. Problem.

Of course, she can't always complain about her life. Right? There's has to be something that keeps her from losing it.

Right?

People care for her, right?

They didn't start caring about her until she left.

And even then, it was only the select few. She was surprised when her best friend she knew from a young age tried getting back to her.

But she knew better.

Through the fake tears and eyes that meant nothing but, "I am better than you in every way." Told her otherwise.

At first, she was extremely bitter about how her best friend treated her. But then she realized something. She probably wouldn't be alive, had she not met her.

And for that reason alone.

The bitterness disintegrated; into a more grateful attitude.

After all,

Her best friend was there for it all.

Even to the birthday parties that not even her parents were there to celebrate.

It's okay.

She understood that they were tired and they weren't the best parents. But she was grateful to even have parents.

In her twisted mind,

She was okay.

Being stuck in the middle.

Does her life get any better?

With everything, she has faced?

She does not know.

So why does she keep going on?

Why does she still have hope?

After, facing her fears.

Living in a friend group that turned their backs on her and stabbed her right through her heart, the minute she left.

She wants to know, is that normal?

Is it normal to be in constant fear that she won't be accepted for who she was?

She does not know the answer.

And even if she was accepted.

Who is she?

What does she even mean?

So, she faced a couple of bumps in the road.

Surely, something good will happen.

Right?

Maybe what her dad told her,

Was right.

She is the definition of self-pity.

It's okay.

She knows her answer;

She knew it for a long time.

She feared that if she continued her action;

She would miss out on being happy.

But quite frankly, the only thing she didn't miss out on,

Seeing her friends grow apart from her.

And surely, she was happy for them.

But it sure did burn like hell.

Thank you.

Thank you for nothing and everything.

[zachgook]

dandruff sores

There are several ways that a scalp blister can develop, and when I say several, I do mean several. In my case, the scalp blisters I use to have on my head started a little over three years ago. I was clueless as to what caused them. The scalp blisters were viciously itchy and bled with the slightest irritation. For a while, it was indeed a mystery to me how I got these blisters on my scalp. But after giving it a lot of thought and after retracing my steps, I was able to isolate what caused them.

Prior to three years ago, I had no issues with my scalp. There were no scalp blisters, sores, pimples or anything of the sort. My scalp was fine. However, it was a little over three years ago that I started working two full time jobs which totaled about 85+ hours per week. This period of my life was very difficult.

Obviously, the burden of a second job, especially a full time one, added a lot of stress to my life, the kind of stress I had never experienced before. I wasn't getting enough sleep at all and was only operating on 4 hours of sleep each day. And those four hours weren't even all at once. I had to spread them out, sleeping an hour here and there. It was a horrendous experience that went on for about ten straight months.

One of the causes or triggers of scalp problems can be stress. In my case, it was surely a contributing factor that eventually led to the scalp blisters that developed on my scalp. However, it wasn't the only factor.

On top of the stress that I was feeling while working those two jobs, I wasn't able to shower or shampoo my hair regularly (everyday) as I've always done since I was a kid. As a result, scabs on scalp treatment  my scalp became unclean. At the time, I didn't care too much. I'd go days without washing my hair but little did I know of the price I would be paying in the near future for this hygienic negligence.

After about 3 months of this naive disregard to the cleanliness of my scalp, I started to feel a persistent itch on my head. I decided to ignore this itch because at the time, it wasn't frequent. It was only happening sporadically. But as time went on, the sporadic nature of the scalp itch became consistently frequent.

It turns out, the longer I waited to begin treating my scalp itch, the more severe it got. And it took three years before I was able to find a solution that undid the damaged caused by the blisters on my scalp.

You see, the point here is very simple. Your current scalp condition right now may seem like a "mild scalp blister" to you, but if left alone, it'll mature into Scalp Sores, Scalp Bleeding, Extreme Itching, and Scalp Scabies, which is what happened to me. But don't panic yet. You can actually put a STOP to all this by immediately taking your scalp condition very seriously and STOP thinking or hoping it'll go away on its own. It won't. I can guarantee you that!

For the proven information you're going to need to cure your scalp issue and to stop it from evolving into a more serious problem, visit the page below. On this page, you'll find a downloadable guide that contains information, pictures, and strict straightforward directions on what you MUST do to successfully isolate, attack and destroy the root causes of your scalp disorder.

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How to Get Rid of Your Acne For Good

Although many people view acne as merely a part of life, it is definitely a health problem. In simplistic terms, it’s caused by too much toxicity in the body.

It’s estimated that nearly 85% of Americans have dealt with acne at one time or another. The good news is that with proper diet and time you should be able to completely eliminate acne.

The pores in our skin produce sebum, a waxy substance that coats the skin. Sebum that gets clogged inside the pores forms whiteheads or blackheads. When the pores become infected, they form pimples. Infection in the body is caused by poor diet and poor nutrition, an abundance of candida, and toxicity in the body.

The Acne Diet Connection

Many studies have shown a connection between acne and diet. Certain foods have been shown to help with acne whereas other foods, and food groups, have been shown to trigger outbreaks or make acne worse.

Gluten, dairy, refined sugars, and other refined foods have all been shown to play a significant role in worsening or prompting breakouts.

Studies have found that low-glycemic diets (diets rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes) can help prevent acne. One study found that after patients followed a low-glycemic diet, almost all of them improved.

USA: 2,258 patients were placed on a low-glycemic diet so that they could lose weight. This diet also reduced their acne, with 87% of patients saying they had less acne and 91% saying they needed less acne medication.1

Australia: 43 males with acne (aged 15 to 25 years of age) ate either their normal diet or switched to a low-glycemic diet for 12 weeks. At the end of 12 weeks, those who followed the low-glycemic diet had significantly less acne than those who ate their normal diet.2

Korea: 32 patients with acne (aged 20 to 27 years old) ate either their normal diet or a low-glycemic diet for 10 weeks. Those following the low-glycemic diet had significantly less acne at the end of 10 weeks than the patients who ate their normal diet.3

Turkey: 86 patients (50 with acne) kept food logs for 7 days. Those with the most severe acne consumed a high-glycemic diet.4

CAN THE RIGHT DIET GET RID OF ACNE?

Studies have also found a correlation between gut health and acne, and improvements in the skin were seen after fixing the gut. People with gastrointestinal illnesses often have skin problems, showing just how connected our gut and skin can be. Inflammation can also be a key contributor to acne, in addition to creating problems in the gut.

Through complex immune mechanisms, the influence of the gut microbiome extends to involve distant organ systems including the skin. With intentional modulation of the microbiome, probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics have proven beneficial in the prevention and/or treatment of inflammatory skin diseases including acne vulgaris, AD, and psoriasis.

The Gut Microbiome as a Major Regulator of the Gut-Skin Axis

You are what you eat. If you live off greasy fast food and refined sugar, it shows in your skin, hair, eyes, and teeth. The same can be said for when you eat fresh whole foods. If you want to truly fix the root of your skin problems, you need to fix your gut first, as opposed to treating the problem topically. This article goes into how to fix the gut. It’s not complicated. Cut out refined sugar and other refined foods, start eating salads every day, and always cook at home from scratch.

Every morning I start off the day with a salad and drink lots of cranberry lemonade (click here for recipes for both). For lunch, I’ll have a scramble with eggs lots of vegetables, or maybe a smoothie. For dinner, I’ll have grains and legumes with lots of vegetables.

The Problem with Your Face Wash

Topical acne treatments are not going to fix the root of your problem, and in many cases it can be difficult or impossible to treat the problem entirely without fixing the root cause.

Chemically laden conventional skin care can seriously age the skin. And the skin can become dependent on its use. For instance, oily skin seems to be controlled by the chemical cocktail that causes the sebaceous glands to produce more oil. Or dry skin feels better for an hour or two, but the sebaceous glands don’t produce more oil.

NATURAL REMEDIES FOR ACNE

Chances are, your face wash has all the same problems your regular soap does. You can read more about the problems with your soap and over showering in this article. Many face washes can strip your skin of its natural oil and cause irritation. Often times your facial cleansers are full of harsh chemicals and toxins that are counterproductive to what your skin actually needs.

Parabens, fragrances, Propylene Glycol, petroleum, and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate are all among the harsh chemicals you find in your face wash that you do not want to use on your skin.

If you’ve ever turned over the packaging of your favorite facial cleanser, you noticed a long list of ingredients you didn’t recognize. From sulfates to parabens, the cosmetic industry uses all kinds of chemicals in its products.

5 Ingredients to Avoid in Your Face Wash

While you’re detoxing the body from the inside, you can treat topically to speed the process along with natural products. When my skin does start to break out, I use coconut oil and apple cider vinegar on my whole face. This is good to do on a regular basis while you’re fixing your skin.

Coconut oil acts as a mild antimicrobial and helps coat the skin as a lube to help the sebum escape without clogging the pores. Apple cider vinegar is antibacterial and it helps balance the pH of the skin, allowing the skin to maintain a healthy microbiome. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and it is also known to help with sunburn and wrinkles.

I don’t use soap on my face, and I rarely shower. You can read more about that in this article. I also don’t wear makeup, ever. I view it as a credit card. The more you use it now, the more you’ll pay for it later. Makeup is not good for you or your skin and makes it much harder to give it up later on. The reason I’m able to do these things is due to my diet. Eating a salad every day and cutting out refined sugars and other refined food has given me a balanced microbiome that keeps my skin clean all on its own.

If you’re searching for skincare products, stick to products that are organic, and have minimal ingredients. I don’t have many personal recommendations. The only soap I’ve used on my skin in the last year and a half is Moon Valley Organics bar soap.

Conclusion

When you begin detoxing through a healthy diet you may notice your skin break out even more than before. Although this isn’t fun, it’s normal and part of the detoxification process. I often find that if I’m traveling and not taking great care of myself, my skin doesn’t break out until I get home and start eating properly again. As frustrating as this can be, don’t give up!

My skin isn’t perfect. Up close, you can still see blackheads and other problem spots. My diet isn’t perfect either. I’ve also lost lots of weight throughout the process of fixing my skin. If you are trying to lose weight, fixing your skin will likely take longer as the fat cells in your body continue to release toxins. Additionally, if you’re young (18-24) you are more prone to breakouts than those who are older.

My advice is to stay diligent. Keep with the diet and know that fixing problems like this takes time when you’re doing it right. Remember, as slow as the process may be to fix all the problems on the outside, you’ll feel radically better in just a short amount of time.

Sources:

5 Ingredients to Avoid in Your Face Wash

Effects of soap and detergents on skin surface pH, stratum corneum hydration and fat content in infants

What *Really* Happens to Your Skin When You Are Not Washing Your Face

NATURAL REMEDIES FOR ACNE

The Gut Microbiome as a Major Regulator of the Gut-Skin Axis

CAN THE RIGHT DIET GET RID OF ACNE?

How to Get Rid of Your Acne For Good was originally published on Organic Lifestyle Magazine