#i used to use the Pond's one but it makes me more oily and its too fragrant

[skincare-surveyor]

Grandma’s 2-Step Skincare Regimen

Yes, I’m serious, it’s only two steps.

My grandmother had the nicest skin I’ve seen. In her 80s, she was commonly mistaken for someone 20 years younger. These are the two products she swore by.

1. Witch Hazel - Toner - AM

If you’ve read my other posts where I talk about toners, this is the reason why I think most toners are overrated. Everything they’re trying to do, witch hazel already does, and it does it for a fraction of the price. And unlike those new products, where I feel like I don’t know if they really work, witch hazel has been around long enough that its results are proven. 

Witch hazel is a small tree/large shrub bush. We distill the leaves, bark, and twigs to make the liquid we see sold in stores. It is used as a toner and astringent, and has a whole ton of uses you can read about here. As a toner, it is great for oily, acne-prone, and combination skin. It removes dirt and impurities, brightens and tightens, helps with texture and the appearance of pores and skin redness, has a mild antibacterial effect, and rebalances skin’s pH.

Use this in the AM. Put a small amount on a cotton ball or pad and gently wipe over the face, avoiding the eyes. My grandma always said you do this twice. Once to open the pores up and a second time to really get in there and pull out dirt and bacteria. Then splash your face with cool water to rinse and close the pores.

Witch hazel is sold at pharmacies. There’s witch hazel that’s mostly used for first aid and tends to be sold in generic bottles. These tend to be higher in alcohol content because they are intended to be used as an astringent or wound wash. If you pay a little more though, there are brands like T.N. Dickinson’s or Thayers, who have a higher quality product suitable to use on the face. 

If you want your toner to do a little bit more, try using a Witch Hazel + Rosewater blend. Thayer’s also has a few other witch hazel blends you can look into. I recently tried Thayers Witch Hazel + Cucumber blend. (Honestly, it’s not for me. The smell bothered me a lot. But it’s not a bad product; I just didn’t like the smell.)

If you are worried about the natural alcohol content in witch hazel, some brands have released alcohol-free versions of their original formulations just for the beauty connoisseur. 

2. Cold Cream - Makeup Remover, Cleanser, & Moisturizer - PM

If step one blew your mind, you’re really gonna lose it now. 

Cold creams are a very old school beauty product that have been around for ages. They are emollient-rich, waterless cream cleansers that take the place of at least three products in your skincare regimen. Whoa, I know it’s crazy, right? But seriously, a good cold cream is worth its weight in gold. You smooth it on the face and neck at night, and it takes off all your makeup, gives your skin a deep, non-drying, non-stripping cleanse, and re-moisturizes it. Depending on the ingredients in the cold cream, it might also take the place of a treatment. These guys are multitasking powerhouses! They’re a skincare staple in places like France.

I know what you’re thinking. Okay, so why aren’t cold creams more popular? 

I think the first reason is pretty simple. It’s because companies want you to buy more stuff. They don’t want you to have one product that does almost everything you could want. They want you to buy into the idea that you need a 6-step skincare regimen. But you don’t. A lot of my favorite products are ones that multitask. 

The second reason you don’t hear much about cold creams anymore is that the skincare industry has changed, but a lot of the traditional cold cream producers haven’t. They’ve got ingredients in their products that aren’t good for your skin. Take a look at the ingredient list for Pond’s Cold Cream, which is a classic cold cream in the U.S. Even though they’ve revamped the formula, the base ingredients still aren’t great for your skin. 

Third, the wording has changed. I have seen a resurgence of this type of product over the last decade or so, but they’re being called things like ‘facial balms’ or ‘melting cleansers.’ I guess to distance them from the reputation cold creams have developed or try to distinguish them as something ‘new.’ Here’s a few keywords to look for:

Cleansing Balm

Facial Balm

Melting Cleanser

Cream Cleanser

Cleansing Cream

Cold Cleansing Cream

Cold Cream

The idea is that you’re looking for a multitasking, emollient-rich product that’s going to remove makeup, cleanse, and moisturize in one step.

That being said, I do have some good Clean Beauty options for you, organized on this handy-dandy table from least to most expensive. 

If none of these offerings are doing it for you, it’s also easy enough to make your own cold cream. There are plenty of DIY recipes out there. I’ve made one with vegetable shortening, jojoba oil, and ylang-ylang. Works great, although some may want to avoid it because vegetable shortening has a high soy content. And, if you haven’t heard the news, we just found out through longitudinal study that soybean oil damages DNA & causes permanent changes in the brain. Given this new information, I’m now doing my best to avoid it. You could easily sub any DIY recipe that calls for vegetable shortening with coconut oil, as it has a very similar texture.

Anyway, that’s Grandma’s 2-Step Skincare Regimen for those of you who are interested in paring down your products and simplifying your routine.

[nyelaexe]

ALSO if you have problems with whiteheads and/or cystic acne PLS buy the COSRX acne pimple patches. ive been having a bad hormonal acne outbreak for like 2 months now since my cycles started acting up again. they're like $5 on Amazon for a sheet of 24 patches. i just got them on Thursday and every one of my pimples is fucking gone. I had like 7 whiteheads and now I don't have any. for the first time in 2 months I don't have any acne and I'm LIVING. I wish I took before n after pics but all that's left is acne scars. i put a patch on and left it for a few hours while I napped and when I woke up the entire whitehead popped on its own. like when you take them off you can see all the gross oil and dirt and sebum and stuff that was on your skin. like the entire pimple will come off on the patch if you let it sit for long enough and it doesn't even hurt. also for deep rooted cystic acne that doesn't come to a head, it works too. i always get painful bumps on my cheeks that never actually turn into real pimples so I put one of the big ones on the side of my face and it stopped hurting in 2 hours and all that's left it a little scar. ALSO the Nature Republic 92% aloe gel is great for acne scars. I just don't recommend using it as a standalone moisturizer, as it's really thin and kinda watery even though it's a gel. also it has some alcohol in it so it works great for burns and scars but not so much as a moisturizer. but it's like $7 or $8 on Amazon and you get the biggest fuckin jar of it and you only need the tiniest little bit. I've used it twice a day everyday since Thursday and you can't even tell I used it at all. it DOES give moisture though, just not enough to keep you hydrated on it's own. i had two pimples on my chin and I used the patches to get rid of them then the aloe gel and the COSRX salicylic acid wash took the scars away. you can't even tell I ever had a pimple there. ALSO ALSO the Esfolio Volcanic Ash mask is great for acne prone skin.

[twilights-800-cats]

<< Allegiances || Chapter 24 || Chapter 25 || Chapter 26 || From the Beginning >>

Chapter 25

Shadepaw was prodded awake as red light filtered through the gaps in the abandoned nest’s walls. She thanked Feathertail for waking her before getting to her paws to tend her patients, chewing on a leftover shrew as she worked.

Nightpaw’s leg was healing well, but Shadepaw still feared infection. Her connection to her brother told her that he was feeling minor soreness, and not much else. Stoneheart was more concerning, however; the wound wasn’t red or angry but it needed more time than the traveling cats had to heal. Shadepaw nosed the cobwebs, worry prickling her pelt.

“I’ll be fine,” the warrior insisted. “It’s just stiff.”

Shadepaw frowned. Warriors always say that, she thought. It was one of her first lessons – that warriors were always too stubborn for their own good, and always more eager to rush off before they were actually safe to do so.

Her heart ached, thinking of that lesson. Brackenfur had been so patient and kind… she missed him, now. She recalled her conversation with Mistyfoot hours before, and her Clanmate’s question burned in her mind.

Why did I come, really? She thought. Spottedleaf told me to follow my heart… but that could mean anything. Did I run away just because I was upset at Brackenfur? Was I really so petty?

Shadepaw chewed up the last of the burdock, her stomach clenching. She applied the poultice to Stoneheart’s shoulder, then covered it again with cobwebs. It would have to do – no matter how Shadepaw was feeling, they needed to get out of this Twolegplace. StarClan was waiting.

Stoneheart got to his paws immediately, hiding a wince as he tested his weight on his injured limb. Shadepaw had a feeling that some cat was going to end up supporting him before the night was through.

“I’m ready,” he insisted.

Mistyfoot’s eyes flashed to Shadepaw, then back to her brother. “Are you sure?”

“We’ll need to take it slow,” Shadepaw pointed out.

Crowpaw bristled beside her. “We need to get out of here,” he snapped, glaring at Purdy. “This old bag’s been leading us in circles! The Father is behind us, not ahead!”

Stormfur frowned skeptically. “I get you’re impatient, Crowpaw, but Purdy is the only cat who knows how to get around a Twolegplace.”

Purdy nodded. “Stars don’ mean much ‘round here,” he huffed. “Neighorhoods like this aren’t like a path through the woods, y’hear? Things don’ go in straight lines like y’think they should.”

Crowpaw muttered, “I think your brain isn’t in a straight line…”

Shadepaw nudged him, hissing, “Stop it!”

Crowpaw lowered his hackles, grumbling under his breath. Shadepaw lashed her tail. StarClan save me from bratty toms! She cursed inwardly. She remembered her promise not to yell at Crowpaw again, and part of her regretted making it – sometimes it was all too tempting to scream in the WindClan cat’s ear, even if it only made him more obstinate.

Still, his comments didn’t seem to be helping the group’s confidence in their guide. Purdy looked unaffected by the uncomfortable shifting or skeptical looks of the journeying cats. Part of Shadepaw feared that Purdy really didn’t know where he was going, and they’d end up running in circles around this Twolegplace forever.

She felt bad for the old cat, too; he was clearly very lonely, and even though he didn’t understand Clan ways it didn’t stop him from helping. If he were a Clan cat, he would be another chatty elder – Shadepaw wondered how many stories he had that would drive kits wild with wanderlust.

“Let’s move out,” Stormfur decided, raising his tail. “Lead the way, Purdy.”

“Gotcha,” the old tabby rumbled. “Keep close now, youngins; we’re almost through!”

Purdy led the way out of the nest and into the backyard, pushing through a gap in the fence and into another empty yard. Shadepaw’s ears pricked, picking up the sounds of monsters rumbling to and fro across the nearby Thunderpaths, and even heard the sounds of some Twolegs chattering somewhere out of sight. Her anxiety spiked.

“Don’ worry none,” insisted Purdy. “The Twolegs’re just headin’ home to their nests! They’ll all be gone real soon.”

He was right – as the sun slid into darkness, the noises quieted to only the occasional monster or stumbling Twoleg. Purdy wove through a thicket of abandoned nests, all of them in various degrees of disrepair, to avoid the stragglers. He explained that some Twolegs get funny at night, and could often throw something called ‘bottles’ at cats.

“That sounds awful!” Feathertail fretted as Purdy described how bottles exploded on impact. Shadepaw’s pelt prickled coldly, thinking of the wounds it might inflict.

“They got bad aim,” assured Purdy. “ ‘N I don’ think most all Twolegs mean it, y’know.”

“Still,” Mistyfoot murmured, “to think they might treat their kittypets like that… How could any creature want to be beholden to them?”

“They ain’t all bad,” Purdy insisted. “Jus’ like not all cats’re good, y’know?”

Shadepaw frowned. Were my father’s owners good to him? She glanced at Nightpaw, who seemed to be having a similar thought. Their father had left his nest of his own accord, according to the stories. Tinystar barely remembered his Twolegs. Would they have been good to him, had he stayed?

Purdy led the journeying cats out into the open as their surroundings improved. No longer were they ducking through dilapidated structures or splashing through puddles gathered in huge pits in the ground. Now they were in an area similar to the houses they started in, which didn’t help Shadepaw’s sense of direction.

“See? Circles,” grunted Crowpaw.

“Almost through,” Purdy told them. “Jus’ a lil more.”

The journeying cats followed the old tabby as he padded along the base of a see-through fence. He veered off, squeezing through a gap in the mesh and encouraged the cats to follow. Stormfur squeezed through first, then Shadepaw followed Stoneheart. The big gray tom winced, but after a check on the other side Shadepaw determined he hadn’t reopened his injury.

“What’re we doing here?” Feathertail asked, bringing up the rear.

“Takin’ a lil’ break,” Purdy explained. He flicked his tail around the yard – it was big and expansive, the Twoleg nest many lengths away, with all its lights out. The old tabby tom led the way across the yard to a grove of strong-smelling plants that made Shadepaw’s nose tingle. Mistyfoot sneezed.

“Fish!” Stormfur exclaimed.

“What?!” Feathertail pushed herself up front.

The journeying cats clamored around the little garden, staring down into a wide, stone-lined pool of water. Shadepaw saw big, colorful shapes flitting through the water, unsettled from their sleep by the cats. They were unlike any fish Shadepaw had seen in the forest, with scales splashed like a calico cat.

“Hungry?” Purdy asked.

“Now I am!” Stormfur purred, positioning himself by the water. Feathertail followed, her eyes bright.

Shadepaw purred – trust the RiverClan cats to get excited over fish! She looked down into the water, feeling her own curiosity mingling with Nightpaw’s. “Think we can try?” her brother asked.

“Of course!” Stormfur mewed. “It’s easier than anything, c’mon; we’ll show you!”

“We’re not RiverClan!” Crowpaw insisted. “That’s…”

“Oh, come on,” Shadepaw mewed, nudging the WindClan tom with her muzzle. Crowpaw stalled, his blue eyes clouded as he looked at her – then he grumbled under his breath and followed Shadepaw over to Feathertail.

The others distributed themselves similarly between the two RiverClan cats, until the whole pond was surrounded by hungry jaws. Purdy stretched off to the side, lying down for a moment, watching with half-closed eyes.

“Now, this is a small pond so it’ll be easier,” Stormfur began, “but the general rule is to keep your reflection off of the water.”

Mistyfoot shifted on her paws, muzzle screwed up in concentration. “This is… harder than it seems,” she admitted.

“Didn’t Silverstream teach any of you how to fish?” Feathertail wondered. She had her paws on Nightpaw’s shoulders, adjusting him so that his eyes didn’t scare the fish.

Mistyfoot shook her head. “She wanted to, but Tinystar worried it might cause trouble with RiverClan,” she explained.

“She still brings back a minnow sometimes,” Nightpaw pointed out. “She catches them special for the kits and elders, says the oil’s good for their bellies.”

“It is!” Shadepaw confirmed. She was still trying to get her own positioning correct, finding it awkward to place her paws. “A few trout and Frostfur’s fur grew back all silky-smooth from a bad hot spot she had.”

“Alright, now concentrate,” Stormfur mewed. “Keep still and most importantly, keep quiet – even your breath can spook a fish.”

Shadepaw clamped her jaws shut. The air went still and quiet around the pond, and Shadepaw’s muscles ached from trying to maintain this awkward position for what seemed like ages. Pudy snored behind them, but the colorful fish didn’t seem to care.

Suddenly a paw shot out, and Feathertail had hooked one of the big fish onto land. “Kill it!” she called.

Stoneheart lunged forward and snapped its spine with a massive bite. Shadepaw’s eyes went round – the fish was twice as big as it had seemed in the water a moment ago. No wonder RiverClan cats ate so well!

Feathertail nudged the massive fish towards him. “Go on; you and Nightpaw share that.”

Stoneheart seemed about to object, but he dipped his head in thanks. He and Nightpaw carried their catch away from the pond so that the others could fish undisturbed.

It didn’t take long before each cat had a big fish to share. Shadepaw had nearly hooked one herself, but her clumsy paws had sent it flopping back into the water. Mistyfoot had managed her own, with Stormfur’s help – the two shared it side by side. Feathertail had caught two more and, with her claws, had split the flesh evenly so that each cat could have a share, even Purdy.

The fish flesh was soft and oily, with a watery flavor that Shadepaw was unsure of. It filled her belly, though, and Shadepaw imagined that she could get used to the flavor, especially if it made her pelt shine like Feathertail’s.

“Do you think the lake will have fish?” Nightpaw wondered, drawing his paw over his whiskers.

“It looked big enough,” Feathertail mewed. “I don’t think a Clan could live out of it, though. Fish like hiding at the very bottom if they feel too hunted. I don’t think any RiverClan cat could make it that far down.”

“I wonder why we’re going there…” Stoneheart sighed. He looked down at the stone-lined pool, looking thoughtful. His whiskers twitched, his eyes brightening. Shadepaw tilted her head – was he okay?

The fur along the big gray tom’s shoulders bristled. “Mosspaw?” he murmured.

“Mosspaw?” Mistyfoot’s ears pricked. She turned to look at her brother, eyes wide. “Where?”

“I-In the pool,” Stoneheart breathed, looking up from the water. “I could’ve sworn I saw her…”

“Was it a sign?” Feathertail wondered.

Stoneheart blinked, looking up at the night sky. “I… I think so,” he mewed. “The sky is clear. It wasn’t clouds on the water… it was Mosspaw.”

“So we’re heading the right way?” Crowpaw guessed.

Shadepaw looked up at the stars. They blinked above, unmoving. She wished StarClan were speaking to her – she might know better how to read their signs. At least, I think I would, she told herself, recalling the vision of mist back in the forest. She looked at the others, feeling somewhat useless as a medicine cat – how could she not, when others were the ones receiving the signs?

That’s not fair, she told herself. StarClan chose them for something beyond a medicine cat’s skills. What needs to be done is something they need to do… and I know I have to help.

Mistyfoot was close to Stormfur, their pelts brushing. Shadepaw watched their tails twine together. A prickle of discomfort traveled up her spine. Did they even realize that they were so close their whiskers were touching? Did no one else notice?

Her heart ached. The entire group was sitting together, like Clanmates at suppertime, sharing tongues and joking and laughing. Affection gleamed in even Crowpaw’s eye as he washed behind Nightpaw’s ear.

Shadepaw swallowed, suddenly finding the fish hard to manage. Their journey was nearing its end – what would happen to this closeness when they had to go back to their Clans?

———————————————————-

Dawn broke as Purdy led them out of the Twolegplace. Shadepaw stretched and purred, grateful for grass beneath her paws again. The entire world felt open and wide again, stretching before them into rolling plains and forests. Each cat took a deep breath of the clear air, and Shadepaw sent a prayer of thanks to StarClan for their relatively safe journey.

“Here y’are,” Purdy offered, his purr rusty. “Toldja I’d git y’all out safe!”

“I’m sorry we doubted you,” Stormfur meowed, touching his nose to Purdy’s head. “We’re in your debt, Purdy.”

“Oh, don’ go fluffin’ m’fur,” the old tom chuckled. “Jus’ bein’ neighborly.” He ducked away from Stormfur and pointed ahead with his tail towards a nearby clump of woodland. “You’ll wanna head there first, I reckon; a nice lil’ place. There’s a stream there that’ll take y’to yer lake if y’follow it up a ways, y’hear?”

Shadepaw’s heart beat in her ears. Feathertail’s eyes lit up, and she purred, “We’re so close!”

“Let’s go, then,” Stoneheart insisted. His eyes were glazed with pain, and Shadepaw frowned. The last burst through the Twolegplace had taken its toll, and his wound was oozing slightly. He needed more rest before he went on – they all did. Stormfur pressed his body against Stoneheart’s, subtly supporting the proud ShadowClan warrior.

Shadepaw looked back to Purdy. The old tom’s eyes glamed wistfully, and Shadepaw’s heart twisted. She blurted, “Come with us, Purdy! At least to the woods.”

Purdy’s eyes widened. “Oh, y’all don’ need to--”

“We insist,” Mistyfoot meowed, stepping forward. She nudged Purdy with her shoulder. “We need to thank you properly for your help.”

“Yeah!” Nightpaw purred. “And you promised us you’d tell the story about how you fought off three Twolegs!”

“Please,” even Crowpaw meowed, coming to stand beside Shadepaw. “You helped us so much.”

Shadepaw felt a prickle of affection for the WindClan tom that startled her. Each time Shadepaw thought that Crowpaw was just a prickly blockhead he proved that beneath it all he did have a soft heart. She touched her nose to his shoulder gratefully.

“Well, I ah…” Purdy’s whiskers twitched in consternation. “Don’ look like I got much choice, eh? Well, c’mon then youngsters! Let old Purdy show the way…”

The old tabby charged forward, suddenly full of energy. Shadepaw purred in amusement as he began to boisterously talk, his voice carrying in the open breeze. Stormfur let him lead the way, the journeying cats falling step behind him as Purdy began to talk at length about a time he’d saved a Twoleg kit from a fox single-pawed…

———————————————————-

They reached the woods by midday. They made camp in a small clearing beside the stream Purdy had pointed out before – he insisted that following it would take them to the lake.

“Where does it go otherwise?” Mistyfoot wondered, staring downstream.

“A real nice place,” Purdy purred. “Good hunting; real pretty sunset.”

“Let’s go then,” Stormfur insisted, nudging Mistyfoot along. “We’ll be back before dark!”

“Bring lots of prey!” Feathertail called as the two disappeared downstream.

Shadepaw made up a nest amid a tangle of roots right by the stream. To her joy, there was a small burdock plant growing just nearby. Using it she had been able to make another poultice for Stoneheart’s shoulder, and set the ShadowClan tom to rest. Nightpaw’s leg needed only rest, so she ordered him to listen to Purdy’s stories for as long as he could.

“No problem,” Nightpaw agreed, yawning.

“Crowpaw,” Shadepaw mewed, “would you mind going over Purdy for ticks?”

Crowpaw’s eyes flashed. He looked like he might refuse – until his eyes softened on her and he nodded. “Sure.”

Shadepaw curled her tail self-consciously around her paws, watching Crowpaw nestle himself beside the old loner and set to work. Nightpaw helped, too, grooming down Purdy’s tangled mats while he listened intently.

“You’ve got that Crowpaw wrapped around your tail!” Feathertail purred, sitting beside Shadepaw.

Shadepaw’s pelt felt hot. “I do not!” she insisted. “He’s not hard to work with if you don’t assume he’ll fight you on everything.”

Feathertail flicked her tail. “I don’t know what we’d do without you, Shadepaw,” she went on. “You’ve been such a help.”

“Thanks.” Shadepaw lowered her head, hoping she looked humbler than she felt. It was so nice to be able to use her skills without Brackenfur hovering over her, and she’d learned a lot just from the journey. Feathertail’s words made her feel better after her troubled thoughts the night before.

Shadepaw glanced up at the others. Stoneheart was asleep now, with Crowpaw and Nightpaw both tending to Purdy as if he were an elder from their Clan. Nightpaw paused to yawn, and Crowpaw pushed him to the side so that he could rest. Shadepaw felt the unity in the air like she had the night before, stronger this time.

She looked downstream and felt her pelt prickle with worry. Stormfur and Mistyfoot’s closeness last night, and now they were hunting alone together… “Stormfur and Mistyfoot have gotten so close,” she commented.

Feathertail stiffened. “He has a huge crush on her,” she admitted. “It was only inevitable.”

“I think it goes both ways,” Shadepaw pointed out, recalling the conversation she had eavesdropped on in Purdy’s old home.

Feathertail’s eyes clouded with worry. Shadepaw shifted on her paws – so she wasn’t the only one that noticed, and she wasn’t the only one worried. Did the others know? Did Nightpaw?

“They should be careful,” Feathertail whispered, looking down at her paws. “A broken heart is so painful a thing… I don’t want to see either of them suffer that.”

Shadepaw touched her nose to Feathertail’s shoulder. The emotion on the she-cat’s face was so raw that it made Shadepaw’s own heart ache. Oh, Feathertail, Shadepaw thought sympathetically, I can’t imagine who would ever break your heart…

Feathertail gave no more details, and Shadepaw wasn’t going to force her. This was the saddest she had ever seen the bubbly RiverClan warrior, and Shadepaw knew now that StarClan’s message wasn’t the only reason she’d been so eager to leave home.

I just hope this journey doesn’t end with more broken hearts…

[corvus-coraxs]

Hello!! I was wanting to get into the whole collecting bones and things community 🙋 I was wondering what products you use for everything cuz all your work and bones is so pretty! So like. . . what do I need to complete the whole process (maceration,de greasing, bleaching etc.) and where can I buy those things!? Thanks 😊

hello! of course the obligatory: CHECK YOUR COUNTRY/STATE’S LAWS! in regards to both animals and products! 

MACERATION: requires AIR-TIGHT CONTAINERS, WATER. i macerate most things which consists of leaving a head or bodypart in a jar of tap water and leaving it. i store these on top of the boiler as the airing cabinet is in my room, this keeps the water very warm consistently which speeds up the process. i always skin and occasionally deflesh whatever is going in to macerate as skin can be quite tough and the more defleshing, the less time it’ll take. the jars i use are food jars, like the ones you get pasta sauce or pickles in, as they tend to have a very airtight seal. you can probably ask around your family and friends to keep these jars around, or buy a jar of pickled onions and eat them all lol. theyll need a good rinse of course. you can heat maceration by leaving things next to a radiator as well, which i used to do a year ago, or changing a third of the water with hot water daily. another thing is apparently rain or pond water works better with maceration if you cant heat as theyre rife with bacteria already VS tap water which is sterilized. maceration also STINKS. it beats maggot smell but still! it also doubles as degreasing if heated for me,. i leave greasy parts i.e. wings and legs in maceration longer than i would typically need to to degrease as well. 

DEGREASING: requires CONTAINER, WATER, WASHING-UP LIQUID or ACETONE. i actually dont degrease nearly as much as i should! but it consists leaving a flesh-free skull post maceration in a container with warm water and either washing up liquid or acetone. the best brand here in the UK is fairy, i use the green stuff. avoid anything with citrus because the acid apparently can damage bone. ive never worked with acetone but its more heavy duty, i believe it can be bought on ebay. a greasey skull will have yellow or even orange patches that feel oily to the touch. it doesnt affect the integrity of the bone but it just kinda looks ugly lol. degreasing can take a long time as well, heating it can cut the time but for especially greasy creatures like domestics can take months. all you do is put the skull in the soapy water and forget about it, you only really need to change the water when it gets super cloudy. of course if you take it out to dry and it isnt actually done you can just put it back in! this also isnt as smelly as maceration by a mile but it does have a weird smell.

WHITENING: requires NON-AIRTIGHT CONTAINER, HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, and WATER. a lot of the community say ‘whitening’ instead of bleaching because using actual bleach will indeed whiten a skull, but it will also completely ruin it! never ever use bleach on anything organic. hydrogen peroxide is safe on bone and organics - hell, its used in hair bleach! this is where you'll wanna check laws because some countries like the UK ban percentages over a limit, i.e. we need a strict license over here to have percentages over 12%. peroxide can be bought on ebay here, i get lucemill brand and it costs 8 pounds to get a litre that lasts a month or two. you can use it as is or dilute it further, the latter is marginally safer though theres not much risk, and saves peroxide. i usually use a quarter peroxide to three quarters water. you can tell its working if when you put a bone in it starts ‘fizzing’! leave the container somewhere away from direct sunlight too, if possible. for me it only takes overnight to whiten most bones. peroxiding straight after degreasing is also a good way to see if theres more grease or if its just discolouration. this stuff is also an irritant! it causes your skin to go a weird white for a while and feel uncomfortably tingly. personally i dont get anything unless i touch the undiluted full 12%, i can dunk my whole hand in my whitening batches just fine. its worth wearing gloves if you have sensitive skin. learn from my mistake as well and rinse bones before moving them into whitening batches, youll want to keep debris out of it! its just a pain otherwise. one batch can last a long time, i dont dump one until it takes a substantial time to whiten or its gone very cloudy. it can just be flushed down toilets as far as i know.every time you take bones out of one mixture dont flush anything away until youre confident you have every piece. ive cleaned skulls for so long i have a pretty solid mental map of every piece of a skull or skeleton, this can vary between species. youll have to get hands on with your grosswater lol, sieves can be a lifesaver as well. this’ll make any inevitable puzzle so much easier. empty into another container through a sieve in case anything is too small.i hope that wasnt too longwinded? when i first got into cleaning bones i struggled a bit because i find i need thorough guides for stuff lol. if you have anymore questions dont be afraid to ask!

[beckiboos]

Seasonal Acne

Ok I’m making this post because literally there’s barely any info for this type of acne (the one I had) and of this post just helps one person go

“Oh that’s me!”

Then I figure it’s worth it.

This is going to be a long post so I’ll post the rest under the cut. 

So what is seasonal acne? Well as the title suggests it’s acne that only appears in winter or summer the rest of the year your skin is relatively normal and then there’s THAT season where your skin goes INSANE. It’s bumpy, red, sore and THE ITCHING. Oh god THE ITCHING. I have had acne in winter, EVERY WINTER for I dunno... 6 years or so? Every October/ November it would flare up and wouldn’t calm down again until April/May. I would do what every person does, I went to the doctor (who didn’t listen when I said its only in winter) they prescribe shit, it doesn’t work, in fact it gets WORSE, but then it goes away on its own, so you figure it EVENTUALLY worked right? They say it gets worse before it gets better? You try every cream, supplement under the sun and nothing seems to make a difference.

Except this year. It’s currently February normally I would be in hell right now, this would normally be the worse part of winter for me but my skin is looking clearer than It has since I was a teenager. (Ironically when my skin was at its best)

So here I’m going to tell you how I cleared my winter acne. (Sorry if yours is the summer one but I think it’s the opposite of the winter one and more similar to regular acne skin) but luckily seasonal acne is the easiest to treat and there’s no worse before it gets better, it will just start healing so that’s good right? No horrible PURGE. (Gah I hate that)

Luckily for you I’m not going to suggest any over the top expenditure (ok there’s one but it’s NOT essential), in fact the most expensive item that’s essential, you may already have.

So why am I getting acne in winter?

Ok despite everything you have ever read about acne, winter acnes MAIN problem is... your skin is dry. You heard me, DRY. In fact it’s PARCHED. In winter the central heating kicks in, harsh weather attacks your face and you start taking hotter baths and showers. Not good for your skin! So all those drying acne products? Ain’t gonna work for you, it’s going to make IT WORSE. Seriously, even if your doctor prescribed it, don’t use the drying creams (I wouldn’t normally recommend NOT listening to your doctor, but in this instance I would, doctors just hear ACNE and prescribe these drying, peeling creams and acids and it’s WAY too harsh for seasonal acne, I’m not sure most GP’s are even aware of seasonal acne, they won’t know the difference, the stuff my doctor prescribed literally burned my skin) so back away from those drying and harsh chemicals. I’m going to tell you the things you DO need.

Vitamins

Specifically the most important for seasonal acne is vitamin D, in winter you may live in a place (like me) that doesn’t get enough sunlight in winter so you won’t absorb any vitamin D in the winter months from being outdoors, even if you don’t have seasonal acne I would recommend everyone take a vitamin D tablet in winter months if you live in a sunless country. I suggest a good D3 vitamin. A good multivitamin and zinc tablets are a must for any acne prone skin too as acne prone skin lacks zinc and other vitamins, chances are if you’ve been trying to help your acne you’re already doing this. 

A humidifier

I’m afraid this is one of those “must haves” for seasonal acne, one for your bedroom and have it running at night while you sleep, your skin WILL THANK YOU for the extra moisture, I use a essential oil diffuser and just run water through it, they are about £22 on Amazon, silent and if I forget to run it at night, I can literally see it on my skin the next day, it will look dull and dry. If you already have one I suggest you go and get this plugged in and start pumping out that much needed moisture! 

Ponds cold cream

Omg THIS STUFF is AMAZING. Make sure you get this green one NOT the pink one. I can’t get over this product it’s SO GOOD. This cleanser I can’t live without I will use it FOREVER. It’s about £9 for a giant tub (I get 3 for £20 on Amazon, sorry you can’t get it in stores in the UK, Amazon is your best bet) and it’s an incredibly moisturising cleanser, for parched skin this is a MUST. I got my sisters onto it too because it’s so gentle as well you can put this on your eyes to take off makeup and it doesn’t sting your eyes at all. It’s also good to use as a mask and hand cream... honestly for people with dry skin this is a holy grail item.

A good moisturiser

This is just the one I use, I love The Ordinary products they are so cheap! But really any good moisturiser that your skin likes will do, try and get one with HA (hydrochloric acid) for deep moisture. (Remember your skin is DRY, stay AWAY, from acne moisturisers I’m telling you)

Extra moisture

Amino acids + B5 £5.90

Another The Ordinary product for you this is just an extra boost of moisture for my skin, I really like it, this has really helped speed up the healing of my skin (and has been great for hyperpigmentation too) I wouldn’t say this is an essential product but I really like it.

A good exfoliant

Gotta slip off those dead skin cells!

Dry skin = flakey skin = blocked pores = acne

Try and get one without those plastic beads though, they are bad for the environment. I use this apricot scrub once a week. (Don’t use more than twice a week, you’re just going to hurt your skin)

Acne dots

This is the only spot treatment I actually DO recommend, especially in the beginning when you change your skincare routine (I used these in the beginning for a few weeks but I don’t need them anymore) see I don’t like the gels and spot treatments because it seemed to cause more spots around the ones I was trying to heal, so I liked these little overnight patches so then you ONLY target the spot (and not attacking all your skin) your spots reduce in size by the morning and they aren’t super drying, there’s lots of different brands out there, but they‘re basically all the same.

The luxury item (it’s gonna get weird)

Now this is a light therapy machine, I bought this a few years ago in an attempt to cure my acne and found it... lacking. See my skin was still super dry so when I used to use this on my sore and bumpy skin it seems to aggravate my acne and I would have fresh spots every morning so I stopped using it (after being £250 out of pocket I was disappointed) my problem as well I couldn’t find anything to USE with it, moisturisers absorbed too fast, I tried to use oil and my skin HATED THAT. But I have had it a couple years now and I thought I should try and give it a whirl again now I figured out my acne... but I didnt want to order the companies “special” gel, it’s expensive and takes a while to arrive from Singapore and then I had a thought... a WEIRD thought admittedly but what I needed was lube. You heard me. LUBE. You need something on your face there’s going to keep the machine gliding over it, it needs to be water based... so I ordered my first bottle of lube (called Lubido if you can believe😂) and tried it... it was amazing. I’m not kidding you my skin GLOWS the next day after lubing my face and using this in the blue light (acne light for killing bacteria) the machine seems to drive the moisture deep in the skin, I try and do this every night but it’s helped my skin sooooo much and now I can use the yellow light to help the scarring. So this item I wouldn’t say is essential for seasonal acne as it’s very expensive but it’s helped my skin a lot (now I’m using it correctly) have a look around I’m sure there’s cheaper ones now than when I ordered mine.

Love and Affection 

Well maybe not literally but this is just a reminder that you are looking after your skin not punishing it. I can't tell you how many set backs I had in figuring out seasonal acne because an “expert” or some spa lady told me. “No, stop moisturising your skin so much you need tea tree oil” or that I need to “dry out” the acne. NO. thats not how seasonal acne works. Its not a one acne fits all. Dry skin can cause acne just like oily skin can. In fact your skin may become oily because its dry. So put down the tea tree oil, go get a moisturising mask, and treat your skin kindly. PAMPER THY SELF BITCH. 

So there you have it, my little guide to saving winter seasonal acne skin (and my little reminder of what I use for when next winter comes around) it will take a few weeks for you to really start seeing the results (remember it takes 4 weeks for any skin care change to start taking affect and also it takes this long for the vitamins to start taking real effect too) honestly you will feel it befor you see it, because your skin will be super soft (and it was all rough, clogged and bumpy and sore before) I hope this helps someone, wish I had seen a post like this years ago so I would have figured out my acne wasn’t like ordinary acne and saved myself a lot of pain but hopefully I can help someone else who was wondering why their acne seems to flare up over and over again.

[page-of-tales]

Frontier Medicine III

1.8k words

Final part to Frontier Medicine

Tara glanced at the flight controls. But for some reason the readings she was looking at didn’t make sense. She tried to reexamine the data but she couldn’t understand what she was looking at. She turned to talk to her co-pilot only to see the entire fighter was filled with smoke. The thick oily smoke filled her lungs and she struggled to breath. Desperately she tried to call for help, for her crew to evacuate. Despite her growing panic her body seemed to refuse to listen. The smoke soon enveloped her and she started to choke. This was wrong. With a willful movement she thrust herself forward out of her chair as the fighter disintegrated around her.

When she blinked above her was a darkened ceiling. Underneath she could feel a mattress on her back, sheets soaked in sweat. Confused she sat up. Unfamiliar furnishings surrounded her, but after a moment the events of the past week caught up to her. As her racing heart slowed back down, and her gasping breaths stopped. Her chest ached and she reached over to uncap a pill. As she swallowed the medication Tara looked at the window. The frame just barely lit by the moonlight. A nightmare she thought to herself, the room echoed with silence as her mind fought with itself. Finding a balance point she laid back on the bed to try and go back to sleep.

Outside the door a figure slowly crept away as the breathing in the room returned to an even pace.

--

It was on the 7th day that Clark proposed a suggestion. At first Tara hadn’t understood, but after some clarification things became clearer. Clark was proposing a camping trip for the three of them. Nothing too wild, in fact they would be traveling just a couple hours to the nearby lake just out of town. Technically Tara had no choice in the matter as a prisoner of war, but Clark insisted on getting her to agree to the matter. He explained a change in scenery and a chance to relax would be good for her.

The young boy, Zeke was quite excited. Even though they weren’t traveling far he eagerly rushed about the house throwing items into the truck. Tara found herself caught up in the boy’s enthusiasm, untangling the fishing line at a remarkable speed with her four arms. By noon they were driving down the road.

--

To give a bit of background about OJ-332. The star system is located some distance within the borders of Federation space, and quite a distance from the warp points in the region. Various spatial bodies nearby made it difficult for hyperspace travel. Because of these factors OJ-332 would historically be largely ignored by all the government and major corporations. LEaving the colonization of OJ-332 up to the venturous independent settlers to move into. Within OJ-223 itself the only habitable and populated planet is called Naranja by the local populace. Naranja is classified as a desert planet with just enough of an atmosphere and water content to be colonized by humans. With a caveat of the atmosphere being a little thinner than standard. Like living at high altitude, without the actual altitude. From space the yellow orange terrain is wrinkled by mountain ridges and valleys, and its most notable feature is a large crater in the north-west hemisphere. Indicative of a long ago impact by a significant massive object.

Geological studies of the planet had determined that the impact had wiped out a thriving primitive biosystem present on the planet. All of that organic matter had been subsequently transformed into prime farmland. Human settlers had capitalized on this fact, with the primary economy of the planet supported by its agricultural industry. The viable and weakened biosystem providing an ideal base for growing food. All of its exports are directed to the overflowing interior Sector systems. Despite its potential for productivity, most of the planet is undeveloped because of how remote the region is.

Spotted Eagle was the first settlement on the planet, and in order to ease the process of terraforming, had been located by the largest body of freshwater on the planet. Development of irrigation and other projects had drained the lake somewhat. A decrease which made it the third largest body of freshwater on the planet.

--

Their destination was this small unnamed lake, and they arrived sometime just before the sunset. It didn’t take them long to find a camping spot and set up their campsite. Clark told the two should explore the lake while he prepared food. Tara took a walk to a small pier jutting into the lake to rest while Zeke ran up and down the gravel beach. The lake was for lack of better words, modest. You simply don’t get magnificent lakes on a desert planet. “Then again a lake is just a body of water and all bodies of water are the same in appearance.” Zeke had said after Tara scoffed at the lake as a tiny pond. The lake was of a moderate size, surrounded by tree covered hills. The water was largely undisturbed, and clear to the bottom. Tara could watch fish swimming around the legs of the pier. Laying on her stomach she ran her hands in the water. The cold sensation soothing to the touch. It was incredibly pleasant.

Some time later Clark called them in for dinner and they sat around a campfire eating their meal. Zeke eagerly showed some colorful rocks he had picked off from the beach, while Tara focused on the crackle and pop of the campfire. After the meal Clark pulled out a few more bags of foodstuffs. The two of them demonstrated an old human tradition. Smores as they called it. A melted over sugary dessert that repulsed Tara. Though she still ate eight of the monstrosities. Using her two pairs of hands to rotate the sugar balls on their spits to get an even brown appearance. Afterwards the fire was doused and the two split up to rest in the two tents they had set up. From her tent Tara could hear the sound of the water nearby, and the chirp of insects. She wondered how she would sleep with all the noise.

--

The next morning Clark rose early. The sun was breaking the horizon. Surprisingly Tara was still asleep. Usually she would be up with the sun, doing her grooming. Clark let her rest. Moving to sit by the pier and look at the sun reflecting off the water as it slowly rose over the horizon. Blazing reds flashing off the waves, the light glimmering in a mesmerizing chaos. Absentmindedly Clark felt the old scars on his side. Old wounds from an old war. Though the pain had faded there were still something there. It was largely why he had left the interior for the frontier.

Behind him he heard the footsteps and turned to see Zeke had woken up. He held two fishing poles in his hands, a box of bait precariously balanced. Clark rose to help his son, the sun continuing to rise higher and higher.

--

Tara stumbled out of the narrow tent opening and blinked in the sudden light. She had overslept. Walking over to the cooler she grabbed one of the food bars they had brought along and scarfed it down. Looking for the others she saw them on the pier. She approached them and saw the two had fishing poles extended into the water. The father turned to greet her and hand her a pole. She handed it back to him and explained she didn’t know how to use it. He quickly showed her how to use it, it wasn’t a complicated device. A spool of line, and a handle. He baited the hook for her with a native worm, and then cast it into the water. She took the pole and sat on the pier. Dangling her feet into the water.

After a long while, the sun having noticeably changed position in the sky, Tara spoke up. “I don’t think this is working”

Clark reeled back in his line, examined the worm which was still intact on the hook and cast his line back into the water. “It’s called fishing not catching.”

Zeke groaned.

--

After some time the three of them had managed to catch 4 fish. Zeke and Tara had each caught two. Clark went about showing Zeke how to prepare one of the fishes, and then Tara took an opportunity to show how her people prepared fish. Sticking the fish on sticks they roasted them over a fire. Some tubers were wrapped in foil and placed in the fire to cook as well. The savory smell was even more gratifying when the three of them thought of the struggle it had been catching them. As they ate Clark perked his head up, hearing something on the wind. Following his eyes Tara saw a vehicle approaching the campsite. Clark rose as the vehicle pulled up to them. For a moment he conversed with the driver. Then he gestured for Tara to come join them.

“Tara there is news about the war.”

“The war?” Tara had almost forgotten.

“Yes, the Ents and Zygaroons are currently in negotiations for a peace treaty. We have a shuttle to take you home. You can go home.”

For some reason Tara hesitated. Here was the opportunity to return home, and she was hesitating. The moment stretched with an undisturbed silence begging to be broken. Tara’s hands fluttered by her sides as she struggled with her indecisiveness. Clark held up his wrist to his face even though there was nothing there.

“You know Tara I had planned to a vacation for three people for three days. That’s a lot of food that would otherwise be wasted.”

He glanced above his wrist to look her in the eye.

“If you wanted to stick around a few more days I’m sure the embassy gentleman wouldn’t mind.”

After a moment Tara found her voice.

“I’m going to need a moment.”

She turned and walked away from them, heading back to the pier where Zeke was skipping stones into the water. Clark turned to the man who seemed perplexed by the alien behavior.

“It won’t be a problem if she decides to stay right?”

“No sir, this is our only assigned task. There is another team going to handle the mediation.”

“I’m not a sir anymore.” Clark chided gently.

“Of course… sir.” The man said, muttering the last word despite himself.

Clark turned to look at Tara who was sat in a meditative pose behind Zeke.

“I think she needs this.”

“Sir?”

“I said to stop calling me sir, my name is Clark.”

“...sorry.”

Fin

[keenregine]

It's only fitting to play the song Here Comes the Sun Quite recently, I spoke at length about my weight issues that have been dragging me down for the longest time in my life. And now, I want to move on into a more specific part of my body which is my face. Oh, the journey I had to endure to achieve the skin I have today was brutal, but the lessons I learned was somehow worthwhile. Not that I would consider my skin today to be in its ‘perfect’ state, that idea is kinda absurd. But I still try to learn everyday. As a teenager growing up in a tropical country, it’s inevitable to have a certain issue in regards to facial area. Especially at such age, little Regine (who never grew taller way past 5’, why is that?) is too conscious about her entire image. A single spot of pimple is already an immediate call for emergency. I was lucky my mom was always around to give me tons of unconventional advice that actually works every single time. From then on, I devoted myself on following her teachings until this very day, no questions asked. Even if I have an access with a much bigger source such as the internet, and the ever evolving industry towards skin care, I still look back from what my mom have taught throughout those years. Many thanks to her. As I’ve said, a pimple is a major catastrophe during my budding stage, so my mom’s solution? Dabbing a red lipstick on it overnight and watch it dry the next morning or the next after that. She’s very specific that it’s red and has a matte finish ergo fast drying effect, even when I look like a small pox victim when I’m sleeping but I don’t mind, the only down side are the stains on the pillow case, oops. I continue on to have a normal day at school of course without the lipstick on my face, not even on my actual ‘lips’, like hello obviously. I don’t know why I needed to say that, just trying to make this longer and conversational lol. So on the second day of doing the ‘lipstick’ routine voila! The pimple is gone. It was easy when I was younger because the skin’s elasticity was working at its finest, rejuvenating and ever resilient, so there’s very little to no scar left behind unlike when I grew older, but apparently not smarter. That’s where we discover the wonder of collagen supplement. Wait! Wait, not just yet. Gladly, I had no massive acne breakouts when I was in high school. Especially I have come across tons of different kinds of junk foods oily, salty, greasy, sweets or any other unhealthy options for that matter, because the top most priority is the ease of access and affordability, plus let’s just say I’m ‘allergic’ to vegetables (I believe we already covered that). But I have learned that I should at least wash my face using a proper facial cleanser, into which I saw on tv ads the one and only ever nostalgic brand, Pond’s. I remember buying it on a small budget size sachet, no moisturizing properties but it does at it claims, cleans your skin of any impurities. Never knew that a single product is all I needed to get through my growing up phase. Remembering it now makes me miss the older version of myself, very basic and more contented with life, always appreciating the small things. Before we make this more sentimental let’s move along with my skin care journey. We’re still at the beginning. . . I have brought my trusty and consistent routine until I went to college. YouTube started booming like a massive wild fire. It became my best friend, my everyday companion who entertains and answers to my questions in life. That’s where I discovered the art of makeup. I didn’t know what I was doing half of the time, all I believed was whatever they’re using I should also have it, or close. I dwell for so long in that whirlpool of unnecessary obsession, ignorant with a much realistic surrounding for example my studies. I can’t help but tell myself I could’ve done better with my grades if only I have focused more. I didn’t fail any subjects at that time (utterly passing), but increasing my grades higher would’ve been nicer. Everything happens for a reason, all the phases we went through was there for a great cause. I think? Starting to work as a nurse also comes with doing night shifts. Meaning, the body has the need to adjust entirely with the sleeping cycle. Pimples come and go at some certain moments, maybe a couple or a trio but it wasn’t quite a major issue for me. I just continue on with my unhealthy eating, staying up late and my precarious skincare. Until. . . In 2015, I had the opportunity to work abroad in a place where I’m still sitting right now. I’m about to leave Saudi for good, but I’ll share that thrilling journey another time, and it’s gonna be a long one. Going back, having no research about the weather of the place where I’m moving into was a great failure, I was so unprepared. I underestimated the high temperatures and low humidity of the new environment. Therefore, my skin was trying its best to adapt and protect until it no longer survived and eventually had the worst acne breakout in the history. At first I thought it was just a ‘seasonal’ change. But winter came until the next summer arrived again and I’m left with the same situation. I still kept pictures of me with a large group of acne happily dancing in my face, it’s depressing tis one of the darkest moments. Since, a lot of informative sources are available online, I went and dig into those. I started with home remedies, *Disclaimer, if you are a certified skincare expert reading this, I will you give all the right to judge my previous acne solutions. Yeah, home remedies, I tried lemon, slicing it in half and then dragging and spreading that lemon juice into my face until it dries. Slightly crying from the acidity when it accidentally hits one of my eye, or both. What a genius. I might have included some drops of honey in there if I’m not mistaken, I mean what am I making? an anti oxidant drink but for face. Anyway, it didn’t went well so I stopped. I realized that I’m earning more than I used to, so I have come up with a ridiculous idea of spending money on heavily advertised acne treatment. Enter pro-activ, As claimed, it has a promising effect of clearing up the skin in span of one month I think. I went ahead and purchase a second time, I used it consecutively for two months, no fail. After those few months, I didn’t notice any difference at all. My acne never stopped growing in scattered places, one gone and then came another, it was dreadful. I gave up and eventually think of another solution. I told myself, maybe I should stop stressing too much about this, probably another major reason that led me to that breakout. Supermarkets in Saudi really lives up to the definition ‘super’. It’s always enormous and so are the shopping carts, totally unrelated forgive me but I’m in the verge of falling asleep now. However, I want to finish this in one sitting, but also it’s six am now. Lame excuse. Okay, so. As I was saying, formulating your own perfect skincare routine might be one of the most difficult task in the world. I’m not claiming to be an expert yet again, this is gathered from my own experience. I failed a lot of times mind you. I strongly believe that it’s important that you know your ‘exact’ skin type. Only then you can select what is suitable and might work well for you. Sometimes or maybe most of the time, putting less on your face is actually quite helpful than using a product your skin doesn’t really need, which brings far more negative effects. I learned it all in the hardest ways one could ever imagine. I mentioned supermarkets earlier because it is the reason I find Neutrogena facial scrub, that green colored one with a smell of lime. Worked moderately for a reasonable amount of time, mainly stabilized my unsettling acnes. But never completely gone. Much like my acne I was also unsettled, never giving up with the clearing up project. Then I heard about the Indian healing clay, the one where you mix the cement-looking powder to a certain number of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, apply to your face like a mask, leave for a few minutes, the pulsating feeling is quite worrying but tolerable, then ‘apparently’ your skin will clear up after one week of continuous use. I never got the intended result, I only used it because it trending lol. Bandwagon gaming, big mistake. There are massive claims now that it’s harmful to your skin, and also extremely drying. I still have a long way to go but it’s getting really late now, the sun is already shining. I hope I could interest you with the continuation even if no one asked. If you feel like there’s no single chance of hope left, a change of perspective might help. Hehe anudaw until next time bye

[cyriloh]

My 10-Step Nighttime Skincare Routine

I can’t quite recall when I got into skincare. I was into makeup more. It was all of a sudden when I realized that being confident with your ‘first skin’ is better than always relying on your ‘second skin.’  

Although I already constantly washed my face every night with facial cleanser and hardly get acne, I was not very happy with my bare skin. I had oily skin and my nose had whiteheads. I also didn’t take care much of my skin overall. I would ride a motorbike under the sun without sunblock thinking that, “I won’t get sunburnt anyway – my skin is too brown for it.” But then I’d still have burnt skin by the end of the day.  

I learned about 10-step Korean skincare by watching too much YouTube. At first, I thought it was ridiculous, I mean, ain’t nobody got time for that!  Until I tried it. I only perform this routine at nighttime, before bed, in front of the computer, so that I won’t get bored waiting for each product to set in. Now, I want to share it with you. 

Disclaimer: Not all products I use are from Korean brands. Also, there are many variations of the 10-step skincare routine, this is my own version.

1. Oil Cleanser

Product: Pond’s Age Beauty Cream Cleansing

This is my alternative to more expensive Banila Co Clean It Zero and Heimish All Clean Balm cleansing balms. It does the job! I don’t wear makeup every day (perks of not going out a lot) so, I don’t get to use this every day. 

Anyway, the main purpose of this is to remove makeup. The good thing about this is that you don’t have to rinse it off – removing it from your face with wet wipes will do (it is oil-based, duh.) It’s good for days I get home late or I’m traveling and I don’t have the time or motivation to do this entire routine but still want to get rid of the makeup on my face.

2. Water-Based Cleanser

Product:  Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

Who says one-time cleansing is enough?! Sometimes, no matter how much you rub your face (please don’t rub your skin too hard oh my God! StOP!) with wet wipes, there are still some gunk or makeup residue left behind. So, most of the time, double cleansing is necessary.

For this, I am using Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser. I normally use Pond’s Antibacterial Facial Scrub, but I wanted to try this Korean product for its interesting formula. It claims to be “A super gentle cleanser that’s great for your everyday wash, this low pH formula gel cleanser doesn’t strip your skin of its natural oils and contains purifying botanical ingredients and mild acids to gently cleanse your skin to its most supple and clear texture. It's also formulated to remove makeup and other oil-based residues with a skin-happy pH of 5!” And oh, don’t let its name fool you; you can use it even at night or anytime of the day actually!

3. Exfoliate

Products: Skin Food Black Sugar Mask Off / Mizon  Vita Lemon Sparkling Peeling Gel

Who says we’re done with cleansing? Hah! The third step is to exfoliate. Okay, you don’t have to should not do this every day – too much exfoliation may harm your skin. That’s why I only exfoliate twice a week; using two different products.

The first product is Skin Food Black Sugar Mask. This is probably my most favorite Korean skincare product. After using it, you’ll instantly have porcelain-like complexion. No kidding! Okay, perhaps a little exaggeration, but it really does leave your skin tighter after rinsing.

The second one is a milder exfoliator – Mizon Vita Lemon Sparkling Peeling Gel. For some reason, I really find this really fun to use. It gives relaxing sensation as you massage it on your face and slowly dissolves into little wet tissue-like texture residues.

4. Toner

Product: Thayers Witch Hazel Alcohol-Free Toner

Another non-Korean brand product I use is Thayers Witch Hazel Alcohol-Free Toner. Not only because all Buzzfeed skincare-related posts promotes this product, but also because of the Witch Hazel in it which is known as a good skin astringent. It’s known to shrink pores as well.

5. Masks

Products: Skin Food Apple Fresh Pore Pack /  Face Mask Sheet /  Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Color Clay Mask /  Innisfree Super Volcanic Clay Mask

This is another step that I don’t do every day. For this, I have four different products I use alternatively.

Skin Food Apple Fresh Pore Pack: A wash off mask pack that effectively shrinks pores for a smooth, clear complexion.

Face Mask Sheet: I use this twice a week. I don’t have one particular product I use, but my favorite is Rorec Korean Reservoir Facial Mask – I like how thin the sheet is, so you know that it doesn’t absorb all the products and instead, transfer it onto your face. My least favorite and won’t use again is Ekel masks – it’s too thick for my liking and so sticky.

Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Color Clay Mask (Yellow Brightening): This one, I use once a week. This mask comes in 7 different colors and each color is particularly made to target specific skin issues. I’m all for brightly sparkling skin so I use this yellow one. When I put this on my face, I feel like a Burmese girl wearing Thanaka.

Innisfree Super Volcanic Clay Mask: Another mask that I use once a week is pore clay mask, also from Innisfree. This contains super volcanic cluster to effectively absorb sebum and cleanse pores. Like the Black Sugar, this gives me tight effect after rinsing.

here is the schedule I follow for what product to use on a particular day ;)

6. Essence

Product: Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence (Intensive ~*Moist*~)

If I’m being totally honest, I’d say that I don’t really know what’s the purpose of an essence, but because I’m a pretentious piece of work and want to give you an impression that I know everything about Korean skincare, I did a little research: It says that “The essence is really the heart of Korean skincare, a step that is credited to their culture.” It says to balances pH once you've stripped the skin of oils, which also has an anti-aging element to an essence.

7. Serums and Ampoule

Products: It’s Skin 10 Formula VB Effector & VC Effector /  Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule

Let me start by saying I LOVE IT’S SKIN 10 FORMULA EFFECTOR SERUMS! Well, not all of them. But I believe that this green bottle of unicorn tears is the reason why I magically wake up every morning not looking like a greasy fried egg. I have used four different types of this serum (the two other being PO for big pores and CO which contains collagen,) but my two favorites and will keep buying are VB Effector (for oily skin) and VC Effector (for brightening and removing dark spots)

For the ampoule, I use Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule. It claims to help in giving you a dewy, supple, and clear complexion.

8. Eye Cream

Product: Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream 

This is the first product that truly made me hooked on Korean skincare brands as it really made a difference. It really brightens my dark circles and removes the highly visible fine lines, although it didn’t really make them go away completely, hah!

9. Moisturizer

This is the only moisturizer I've found that sinks in and actually moisturizes my skin. I’ve tried many products that leave me greasy all day (or night) long. By using this, my skin kept hydrated and healthy looking. I think this is perfect for those who have oily skin.

10. Face Cream

Product: Vaseline 100% Pure Petroleum Jelly

Okay, I know, I know… this is NOT a face cream. I used to use Pond’s Flawless White Brightening Night Cream. In this routine, the face cream is supposed to “lock in” all the products on your face and for some who would rather perform their routine in the morning, to protect their skin from the sun (thus using creams with SPF.) 

But when I traveled to Indonesia, I met this Korean girl who had really nice skin. I expressed how pretty her skin was and how it looked like a lightbulb for being so bright and healthy (yes, I am creepy, shut up!) She told me that she thinks what makes her skin “sparkling” is Vaseline Petroleum Jelly. I really wanted to have that trendy glass-like skin, so I incorporated this in my routine, and so far, it is effective in making my skin bright and moisturized without being greasy.

This is an actual footage of me when I talk to people about how I love petroleum jelly.  

I’ve been doing this routine for months now and I have to say, it’s only intimidating at first. The following days would be easy. Most nights, my body reflexes do the job for me. For me, it’s all about pampering and taking care of myself.

My skin improved significantly. The red, blotches around my nose calmed down and my dark eyebags were almost nonexistent. I don’t wear as much makeup as I used to as I’m more confident with my bare skin now. :)

[trulymadlysydney]

Clean and Clear's morning burst moisturizer is super good (the one that smells like cucumbers)!! Also Glossier's priming moisturizer is my holy grail but it's $25... :( if you want a cheap alternative to the Glossier moisturizer, PONS' face cream is super close in formula and results. It's not super oily but it will leave your skin hydrated and not dry

——@ skin anon: I also have sensitive skin & I recommend using either the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser OR a Cetaphil Facial Cleanser (I use the CeraVe one and it doesn’t dry your skin out at all. When using a facial cleanser, use one that doesn’t foam up because it dries tf out of your skin). For a moisturizer, I recommend the Klairs rich moist soothing cream (you can get it off of soko glam). it works for all skin types.——USE Belief’s Aqua Bomb moisturizer it’ll increase your skin’s water retention by 70% and Koreans love it, and the Koreans take their skincare routine religiously seriously. DON’T use clinique! It’s targeted for more older audiences and tbh they suck for dry skin people, also I got an allergic reaction from them and I’m not allergic to anything nor do I have sensitive skin so it says a lot.——For the moisturizing anon, I’ve used Clinique’s dramatically different moisturizing gel for years now and I love it. I don’t think it feels as heavy on my face as creams do, and it keeps my skin hydrated all day. It’s a little more pricey than what you get at a drug store but I think it’s worth it!——For the dry skin anon- to exfoliate use something very gentle or get off the dry skin with an at home peel kinda thing-I do this and use the body shops vitamin c one and it works great-leaves my skin not feeling tight or dry st all. To moisturize, I highly recommend coconut oil-it will make your skin sooo soft and is my go to whenever my skin gets super dry. Hope this helps! :)——I use Burt’s bees face wash & Aveeno moisturizer for sensitive skin! both work well for me. just make sure you get a moisturizer that’s oil free :)——anon with dry skin, try Ponds dry skin cream, I put a lot on at night and I LOVE it, and CeraVe hydrating cream cleanser is great for the morning. Aveeno clear completion cream cleanser is really nice too! and as far as the dry skin coming off on your nail have you tried exfoliating, if you’re sensitive and dry making one from sugar and oil is good, or maybe look into St. Ives green tea scrub, I use the apricot one but it can be a but abrasive, I like that tho, its definitely a personal thing!!——

I figured I would just post all of these in one message, but @ anon looking for  tips! 

[9beautyfashion]

10 Best Body Lotions For Summer

Moisturize and express love to your body with best body lotions for summer! As summers are hitting, let’s start taking care of our skin as we take care of our bodies. How about to start pampering our skin this summer? Moreover, in our busy lives maybe we neglect our skin the most resultant to dull, dry skins, cracks, infections. Well, knowing the fact of why we need to moisturize our skin with the best body lotions for summer is very important.

Reasons To Use Body Lotions In Summers

There are various reasons why you should indulge in more self-caring for your skin. Hence, to ease up your work, here’s the list of reasons you need to moisturize daily. 1) Hydrates Dry Skin Skin which gets chapped from extreme weather conditions can be hard to treat with regular cosmetics. No matter which type of climate you live in, your skin can become dry and irritated easily. Quality body lotion, applied post-shower or bath, can help to seal moisture deep in the skin and keeps hydrated and supple. 2) Replenish Rough Spots On The Skin Either your skin type is oily or normal, you might have rough areas on your body, like around the elbows or knees that could be moisturizing from body lotion post-shower. 3) Feels And Smells Good People love the feel of creamy lotion on their tired limbs and enjoy the relaxing sensation of lotion applied to the feet, legs, or arms. Their varieties in body lotion, so take advantage of the wealth of scents and textures to find one that suits your skin type. 4) Gives You Glowing Skin Nourishment and moisturizer give you a rosy glowing skin and intense care routine. So, climbing to the bed in the night from waking up in the morning giving you rejoice and a great delight skin.

Best Body Lotions For Summers

But what comes up next is how to choose the right body lotion? Which products to rely on? Or spending penny on them is even worth it or not? These things just frame up your mind and often confuse to decide what is best for you. Choosing becomes difficult when there are so many choices are available in the market. So, here’s the list of best body lotions for summer to pamper your skin. 1) Nivea Nourishing Lotion Body Milk The Long-lasting Nivea nourishing lotion body milk moisturizes the skin up to 12 hours. The rice and creamy texture help to reduce the roughness of the skin and balances the required moisture. This unisex body milk nourishes the dead skin and keeps it further hydrated. It makes my skin smooth as I love to feel my skin.  To see the results, moisturize evenly and massage it on your body part daily. 2) Vaseline Intensive Care Deep Restore Body Lotion Now, there’s something unique about Vaseline as it got a subtle smell, absorbs well and skin looks hydrated. It isn’t greasy and the one’s looking for a pocket-friendly body lotion, it's best. It makes your skin looks healthier while moisturizing it deeply. Apply it daily post-shower to glow up. 3) Dove Purely Pampering Nourishing Body Lotion From the new range of Dove, Dove purely pampering body lotion is the attention seeker. It extremely moisturizes, leaves the skin so soft, supple, and totally hydrates it. Best suits all skin type and are quite lightweight. Glides smoothly on the skin and is easily absorbed by the skin. This is the perfect must-have to keep in the summer kit. Shea butter, a trending ingredient to gives you a scented and natural feel. 4) Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion Easiest to carry, this travel-friendly Cetaphil moisturizing lotion is suitable for all skin types; be it dry, combination, or oily, and can also be used for infants and people with sensitive skin. With qualities like non-sticky, paraben-free, lanolins free, and scent-free, it provides reliefs to irritated skin from issues like psoriasis and eczema. 5) Parachute Advanced Summer Fresh Body Lotion With the refreshing fragrance and light texture formula, the Parachute advanced summer fresh body lotion has stolen my heart. It gets absorbs quickly into my skin like it is specially made for me. It doesn’t make me feel sticky or greasy. It makes sure to keep your skin moisturized for a long time and gives you a cool feeling after applying. 6) Biotique Bio Wintercherry Rejuvenating Body Nourisher Very natural and organic brand, Biotique Bio winter cherry rejuvenating body nourisher has grabbed everyone’s attention, post it’s launched. It’s chemical and preservatives free qualities make it unique and in demand. With the herbal fragrance, it is non-greasy and suitable for oily and sensitive skin. It soothes, ease, and cools off the skin as it promotes freshness and moisture balance. Apply it evenly on the body and nourish your skin. 7) Pond’s Triple Vitamin Moisturising Body Lotion The Pond’s Triple Vitamin Moisturising Body Lotion holds few best qualities. It doesn’t make you feel greasy or oily. It doesn’t make you sweat during summers. Enriched with the triple vitamins B3, C & E. Nourishes and moisturizes the dry skin. Improves the texture of the skin by softening it. Imparts a natural glow to the skin. Apply daily to see results. 8) Himalaya Herbals Aloe And Cucumber Refreshing Body Lotion Pretty affordable, Himalaya Herbals Aloe and cucumber refreshing body lotion are filled up with herbal ingredients to moisturize your skin naturally. Its soothing cucumber smell and bracing ingredients give you organic touch. It does not make your skin look greasy or oily. Its light texture attracts the vibe to nourish your summer skin. So, it’s definitely a must-buy girl. 9) WOW Aloe Vera Body Lotion, Ultra Light Hydration Next comes up the WOW aloe Vera body lotion in the list. It is one of the best body lotions for summer. This natural ingredient body lotion is best for all skin types. Essentials like Paraben-free, silicone-free and mineral oil makes skin glow naturally and balance the moisture level as needed. It’s non-greasy and aloe extract scents maintain the skin texture so perfectly. Apply it twice a day to see hydrating effects.  10) Yardley London English Lavender Hand and Body Lotion With the light texture and quick-absorbing traits, Yardley London lavender body lotion is definitely a must buy. It has a lovely fragrance that lingers. Once a day used make your skin moisturize and keeps it hydrated for hours. I love stocking it up this amazing body lotion every summer. Do you? Recommended articles: 5 Best Herbal Body Soaps For Summer Season In IndiaBest Pre-shave gel with aloe vera to protect your sensitive skin10 best cocoa butter body lotions of 2020 Read the full article

[blognimica]

SKIN CARE!

This is such a dream, ‘yung aktwal na may magtanong ng skin care routine ko HAHAHA. Pero eto na, I will share the things I do to my fezlak hoping they would help you too.

Syempre, I just need to put some disclaimers here like: I’m not a skin care professional, I don’t even think I’m an enthusiast. So try these out at your own risk! 

Also, I guess it’s important to note that I have a combination skin type. I have a mix of dry and oily areas. That said, everyone has a different skin type and what works for me might work differently for you. 

GETTING RID OF PIMPLE MARKS 

I feel like this needs its own segment because a huge chunk of my glow up owes to my perseverance to get rid of my pimple marks. 

I had bad acne throughout high school, so naturally, the aftermath was a constellation of dark marks. They were such a big nuisance because they’re so ugly and rough hahaha.

What helped me get rid of them was consistent exfoliation. I have to emphasize consistency because you wouldn’t get rid of them in one try. I had to get the hang of exfoliating 1-2 times a week for a couple of months before they vanished.

Products I use to get rid of my pimple marks:

St. Ives Scrub

Anyone who has ever talked to me about skin care must know how much I love this product. St. Ives is my holy grail facial scrub because it doesn’t disappoint. It always leaves my face soft as a baby’s butt cheek.

I exfoliate 1-2 times a week, and then I moisturize heavily afterwards, because exfoliating can be very drying.

Kojic

I also sought Kojic’s help to lighten my pimple marks. But here’s a very important reminder: Use this sparingly! 1-2 times a week is enough.

I actually tried using Kojic as a facial soap and it resulted in a burnt face with painful peeling. You’ve been warned.

MY CURRENT, 4-STEP SKIN CARE ROUTINE

My current skin care is actually very simple (and affordable, if that matters).

I limited it to 4 steps because I care more about consistency over the grandeur of having so many products and steps. I do this routine at night. Before I succumb to hours of Mobile Legends.

1. CLEANSING 

Do I have to expound on this? HAHA. 

Water + Your Cleanser of Choice = Cleansing! 

My current cleanser is The Face Shop’s 365 Herb Day Cleansing Foam. It’s mild, smells great, doesn’t dry the skin, and actually lasts for a long time. The tube I’m using is still the one I bought last Christmas. A pea-sized portion is good enough to cover your entire face.

I also used Myra’s Facial Wash for a long while. I loved this cleanser too because it’s mild and not drying. I switch between these two cleansers, whichever is available. 

Double Cleansing

A lot of people recommend doing a double cleanse, pero tamad ako for this tbh. So, I only do this when I wear heavy makeup. On regular days, I ditch this step (I don’t wear heavy makeup).

Double cleansing is basically using an oil-based cleanser or makeup remover to swipe away all the makeup before you wash your face (you must not skip this step if you wore a makeup base!).

I use Pond’s cold cream when I double cleanse. A lot of titas can testify to how good it is. Alam niyo sa Mulan, nung tinanggal ni Mulan yung makeup niya in one swipe? Pond’s Cold Cream gamit niya ‘don.

2. TONING 

Using a toner really brightened up my face. Prior to learning about this skin care step, my face was so dark and ashy from all the impacted oil and sebum. You’d be surprised at the amount of dirt your toner can unearth from your face. Even after cleansing. 

My current toner is *drum roll* Eskinol!

Although you’re most welcome to go for fancier alternatives like Celeteque, Witch Hazel, Kiehl’s and the likes.

How I apply my toner is another thing. I actually learned this technique from Korean beauty vloggers, and even saw some EXO members do it hahaha. 

I like to soak 2 cotton pads with toner and just leave them on my face like this. 

This technique helps with minimizing my pores. After 2 minutes, I take them off and just swipe them across my face down to my neck like I normally would.

3. MOISTURIZING 

Moisturizing is my favorite skin care step because it’s the secret to my glass skin haha. A lot of people take this step for granted but it’s actually very important. 

I learned that keeping your face well-moisturized is key to having lesser breakouts and blackheads! It makes perfect sense because if your face feels dry then it would feel more compelled to produce oil which results in pimples, sebum, and blackheads. 

I actually saw it for myself. When I began moisturizing everyday, I had lesser breakouts and close to zero blackheads.

My current moisturizer is The Face Shop’s Jeju Aloe Ice. I use this in rotation with Myra’s Smooth Glow moisturizer. I have two moisturizers because I think my face has different needs depending on the weather and what time of the month it is. But it’s fine to have just one.

4. EXFOLIATING AND PIMPLE CONTROL 

I love exfoliating because I love having my face feel soft as a baby’s butt. It’s also an essential step in keeping the skin smooth and bright. I’ve already talked about my exfoliation regimen with St. Ives’ Apricot Scrub above. So just scroll up. 

For pimple control, I use: Defensil.

I still get pimples. Especially when it’s that time of the month, when I’m puyat, or after a Samgyup dinner hahaha. I count on Defensil to help stop a breakout in its tracks. It’s an antibacterial soap that can deal with pimples before they even erupt. It also helps with pimple marks!

I use Defensil very sparingly though--only when I have to. Because this soap can be very drying.

OTHER TIPS/STEPS

I wash my face with water in the morning. No soaps and cleansers, just water. 

I stopped wearing foundation in 2018. And mind you, my skin was still whack during this time. It was a sacrifice I did for the greater good haha. 

2 years later, my little sacrifice paid off because I no longer get blackheads as bad as I used to.

I throw in a face mask every once in a while. But I’m honestly too tamad for this skin care step.

I know it sounds pathetic to hear people say that drinking lots of water is their skin care secret. But it actually works.

Don’t touch your face with dirty hands! Even before COVID, I already made it a habit to sanitize my hands regularly because I feel iffy about touching my face with dirty hands (arte?!)

Powder (especially talc!) + sweat = blackheads. I stopped using talc on my face for a couple of years now. When I do use powder, I make sure to cleanse my face very very well.

THE GLOW UP

[themsgdiaries]

Coloring my dreams is not defined by you coloring my skin.

I'm supposed to be "studying" but here I am #yesshewrites again 😅

2 years ago, I read an article discussing about how Filipinos are the "Black" of the Asians. (not only they viewed and looked us down about our educational degrees but ultimately the fact that we are the dark-skinned of the Asia).

When I was little, I do not care about my skin color. The only moment I get to experience and became aware of it and became an issue was when I transferred into a public school. At such a young age, like 2nd grade or 3rd my classmates and all other sections called me Ms. Maputi (for they do not know my name) and the little boy whom I remember who was nice to me, his name is Aldrin was called "guruto" for being dark- skinned. It was the time where the teleserye Marina was everyone's favorite. I was complimented a lot for having fairer skin than anyone else and I was not really aware how it impacted anybody else for I was a privileged one.

Entering adolescence, everyone's finding the best version of themselves. At 6th grade, my Mom gifted me an Allue coral blush on as a graduation gift. It was my first set of make up and my love of it grew. I was consistently envied and judged. I don't know if it was because I apply make up or just because others wanted too but they couldn't afford one. Make up and shower gels from balikbayan boxes helped me to embrace and find myself, yet others judged and others praised me. 

Growing up, all our hormones were developing and as we face another chapter of being highschool, my classmates faced the problem of suffering from breakouts, oily faces, and clogged pores resulting white heads and black heads, and that popular skin deceased called "an-an". On top of that, we learned about face washes and perfumes. The boys discovered hair gels, body sprays, and how to act cool. The girls were all spraying colognes, fixing their hairs, and felt confident with the floral baby bras they're wearing though nobody really sees it. Some were starting to bloom, so they explored and used red lollipop to stain their lips to validate the strict rules in our school that they are not wearing makeup. One thing were common to both the girls and the boys, that like their teachers and tbeir parents everyone were obsessed of skin whitening soaps and staying out of the sun. My generation were the days where everyone says, "Maganda sana , kaso maitim" or "Maputi lang yan, pero hindi maganda". In my teenage years, there was never really anyone who fit the fixated standard of what was deemed perfection so we were all doomed.

Going back with my friends, I was never aware of how hard their struggles were for though we live in an all-summer-year-round- weather my skin seems abnormal for not producing much oil. Then, there I gained another name as Ms. No sweat glands. It was just okay. I do not care about it. But as I looked back today, I was also brought to the days how my adolescence was always me carrying that J&J talcum powder on my purse and that precious mirror. lol. lol. When I saved money from my allowance or momma will do our grocery shopping, I will upgrade my powder into that pink Pond's pinkish white glow powder sometimes sponsoring my whole clique. I cannot remember if I ever desired to be lighter when I was younger for outside the circle of my family I am just OK. But inside, I was often decribed as maitim or dark compared to my siblings and parents.

One particular moment I can remember was when I went to ibayo, a place where you get to cross a river to get to the countryside.I usually spend my summer there. A typical summer there would be chilling and eating magoes under its tree and playing endlessly until the sun goes down. My cousins, younger sisters and I were pretending we were hunters, pirates, geographers, and paleontologists digging fossils, catching any insects, and looking for fruits to eat. We found shells, bones, coins. We dig on mountains, caves , and farms. When we're lucky we will find a peso coins, or dug a "kamote" or a "singkamas" out of nowhere. We're happy though we never really tasted one because we are afraid to eat it because we might die from being poisoned. Unfortunately, most of our days were us being scolded for digging up my Tatay's bed of pumpkins or the newly transferred tomatoes, okra, eggplant seedlings which he grew from his green thumb and hardwork. That's not the worst part, wait for this one: the worst we would dig is a fresh manure of a person or an animal. We would vomit as if our intestines wanted to leave our little mouth swearing we will never hunt again-- which never happened. We would then ran as if we saw a ghost and as if the "deadly golden treasure" has its own feet chasing us to touch our skins and invade us. When the sun is out, that's also the time where my skin will transform as black as the night and the only fair skin left in me was my legs. So I was proud of my legs lol. I am as black as our Philippine tamaraw/carabao, My arms were as dark as a burnt coconut shell. My face is as red as my father's tomatoes surviving our violent hands of dig and tug. It was fun being under the sun though my cheeks were rosy, burning as is chilis were applied on my skin. The rashes and sunburns where just normal for me, but me being darker and darker each day was what I disliked the most.

One day, I complained to my Dad and said, "Ang itim ko na". My Dad replied "Hindi ka naman maputi". I do not know why he told me that. I do not know if he wanted me to not feel bad for being"darker" or he just consistently sees me darker than anyone else in our family. Everytime I will tell my Tatay I am maitim "na" he would say "hindi ka naman maputi" I never knew the reason behind it: If he wanted me to accept who I am or to break my little privilege I believed which my classmates praised me for. (My Tatay always taught me to accept myself and how God made me for who I am. I remember I was totally upset with tears welling up on my eyes for being bullied when I was 7, my classmates told me I was "salot" for being "kulot". They would chant "kulot- salot" throughout the school year. My Dad told me, "Alam mo kung anong ginawa sa'yo ng Diyos nung pinganak ka yun ang bagay sa'yo. Yun ang mas maganda sa'yo". From then, I was proud of my locks and my Mon maintained, caref, and made me the most beautiful curly girl. But not later on as I undergo adoslecence, I was swayed. I conformed to the idea that the starigthter, the better . I was in love of it. I regret though , I would trade my expensive hair brush just to get those curls back) Sorry for that long segway, my memories were just right here right now lol.

So,

After every summer vacation, I would enjoy a shower in our home. My showers were like hours and hours of ritual any Filipina women, especially young people would have probabally done in their life. Our shower room is like a spa. My mom has more than 5 body scrubs. From back scrub, body scrub, loofah, stone, towels, etc. I would lather myself with safe guard to kill the bacteria, then the essential soap in our home, Dr.Kaufman which makes me feel I am the most bacteria-free person in the world. The I would lather myself with papaya soap, bearing in mind that the longer I soak on it the lighter I will be. Feeling triumphant, I will rinse myself then a salt scrub and a coffee ground scrub would finish and seal all the ritual I have done.

I was not "much" discriminated on my skin color. But I have witnessed the worst. I have seen some of my friends and classmates feeling completely confident for being lighter (a lot of times a "little" lighter) making them a snob and a total jerk. While they were proud of being lighter, their hearts became darker for others. On the other hand, I have also seen those who were darker, those were the broken hearted young people who were called monkeys, "uling", "ulikba", "maitim", "itim", "anino"/shadow, "anak ng lagim", "banaks", and many many discriminative names.

Up to now, there are about 2 million skin ligthening soaps which are sold in the Philippines. Skind toners, injections, pills, and any other means for a "lighter and better" skin were not included yet. The truth is I WAS one of them. I thought it must be. I should be and that I need to be.

The media told me to. The people I idolized both I know personally and not made me believe. The education I had told me to. Calling Ifugaos "Aetas" (taga bundok) with their curly hairs and darkest skin I have ever seen.

Day by day I was whispered and molded with their colonized mentality.

And when I grow older, I was shocked that the nightmare has just began. Graduating from Highschool, I found some of my friends being scared in what future awaits them.

"kulang ako sa height"

"hindi kasi ako magaling sa English"

"pag tumanda ka na, wala ng mag ha'hire sa'yo"

"dapat kasi dun maputi, matangos ang ilong"

"sayang. kung pwede lang sana"

These were just some of the phrases I can recall to the extent.

And now I am telling you, it doesn't matter.

"kulang ako sa height"

"hindi kasi ako magaling sa English"

"pag tumanda ka na, wala ng mag ha'hire sa'yo"

"dapat kasi dun maputi, matangos ang ilong"

"sayang. kung pwede lang sana"

chuck all these mentality.

Then, I came to see the dark world of being hired and employed . The gas-gas na statement in each bio data and that line under every (job) wanted sign:

"With pleasing personality"

When I was 8, while waiting for our buko juice at the jeep terminal. I asked my Mom one time about what it means. I was just learning how to read that time. I enjoy practicing and reading each sign I see everywhere. My Mom was the proudest because she will caught me speaking and reading as she drives.

I can still remember, the sign was on white font on a red board of a (job) wanted sign. When my Mom explained it to me I have understood that a person should have a good understanding heart, and a good attitude in dealing with people. That is the desirable personality that they are looking for. It remained true to me. Until I really got curious if anybody wonder or ask what does it really mean as I enter college. Because it seems that the English as a second language speaker in my hometown does not translate "personality" with the same meaning my Mom taught me when I was younger.

My awareness of the career to take must be a security of my future.

Your skin-color, your looks, your ability to speak English, your education, your power were ingredients you need to have. If you can have it all on the same time. Malakas ang baraha mo of gettung hired. You need to have "good looks" to be desirable and most of all this good looks is mostly founded in who is the lighter skin? The lighter, the better. What is important for us to ask is how far we will let this happen? Until when we will allow this notion on "lighter, the better" box our wonderful future and the beauty we keep on ourselves? Do we just keep the discrimination happen or we will say it's time to end it and we're in it to end.

When one stand for another, the other can have courage to keep going.

Today, may you embrace yourself with your own beauty. May your dreams and potentials carry you above and beyond!

Always remember that itim man o puti ang kulay natin. H'wag naging kakalimutang maging tao at maging kapwa para sa iba.

May you receive your freedom today and may you celebrate your color with happiness on your face and an overwhelming pride for being perfectly made by God for who you are.

Cheers and Cheers!

Always,

TheMsgDiaries 💕

proofreading needed.

[ripplestitchskein]

Hi sorry to bother you but recently you have mentioned that you are finally happy with your skin after years of problem skin. I was just curious what u did to get results? I've suffered forever and nothing I do and I swear I've tried it all has helped. Did u try something new, change some things any information u feel like passing on would be appreciated. Thanks so much love your blog your so real and refreshing I love that u just do you with pride its inspiring.

First of all, NEVER A BOTHER. I love helping people and discussing skin and hair and makeup. I love it and feel like it is so important to helping people with self esteem and confidence and just feeling okay in their own bodies. It really carries over to all aspects of your life, success at work and school and relationships. Self love is SO important and one of the ways I love myself is taking care of my skin and taking time for makeup and hair I love.

Secondly, before I get to specifics, thank you so so much. I’ve said before that being real on here regardless of consequences or how people see me is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING and it makes my heart melt that someone admires that. Like you seriously could not pay me a greater compliment than that Nonnie dear.

Okay now to the details. This is LONG so buckle up, I’ll get on my computer and add a read more.

I’ve had bad skin since I was like 11 years old. I actually scrubbed my chin so hard one time in frustration I caused a terrible wound that ended up getting infected and required medical intervention. Things were serious.

I tried EVERYTHING. Prescriptions, expensive skin care systems, oil based cleansing methods, home folk remedies that were probably terribly damaging. Everything.

I also pick at my face. I don’t have dermotillomania or anything that severe but any non smooth area gets picked and prodded until it’s just a mess and scabs. Those take forever to clear up and most of my concerns now are hyperpigmentation from old marks. Actually, a lot of “bad skin” I see on people, especially over 20, isn’t a lot of new blemishes but old stuff that hasn’t faded. Which I’ll address below.

What really changed for me was behavior modification, mindfulness, and just getting educated about what these products I was putting on my skin did, how my skin functions, really paying attention to MY skin and ignoring advertisements and hype.

I can’t tell you what products to use because that’s completely dependent on your skin type and sensitivity, but r/skincareaddiction on Reddit has great holy grail product recs and I tailored them to my needs. Reddit is a cesspool a lot of the time but that sub is full of wonderful scientifically minded people who want to help.

The first thing I recommend is stop touching your face. It’s super hard, like ridiculously so, but I try to only touch my face when I’m doing my makeup or when I’m actually cleansing and even then I keep it brief. If I catch myself touching my face I actually will reprimand myself, sometimes out loud. It took me months to stop.

Use a clean pillow case. Like seriously, life changing. I put a soft t-shirt on mine and I get four days with that (front, back, inside front, inside back) and two more days of front and back of the pillowcase itself, wash on Sundays start all over. It’s part of my bedtime routine. I use an old shirt and marked it with the days of the week because I like systems.

Drink lots of water. A ton. I’m chronically bad about hydration, and I’ve taken steps to make sure I keep this up. This helps with everything not just skin. I carry my water with me everywhere in a Tervis Tumblr and sip at it all day through a straw. I have one (sometimes two) cup of coffee a day now and only water after that.

Stop physically exfoliating and scrubbing. Anything with harsh scrubs, microbeads, abrasive qualities etc is tearing up your skin even though you can’t see it. I know people swear by that spinny brush thing but I’m terrified of it now.Same thing with abrasive makeup remover wipes. I use micellar water and Ponds Cream to remove makeup.

The abrasive stuff allows bacteria and nastiness to get into these little microtears and make things way worse. It can also mess with your skin’s moisture barrier which sends oil production into overdrive and also makes things worse. When I wash my face I use the very tips of my fingers only, I don’t scrub and I use cool water never hot. I actually stopped using really hot water in the shower for hair and skin. If your interested I use the Cetaphil Gentle Skin cleanser.

Chemical exfoliants, though they have a scary name, are much better and can address issues like hyperpigmentation from left over acne, blackheads and sebaceous filaments (those black dots on your chin and nose that aren’t actually black heads). You have to find what works for you but I use Stridex Pads for a BHA and a glycolic acid for an AHA. I’m also on week 3 of a Lactic Acid chemical peel. The chemical exfoliation and the peel has done wonders to fade the hyperpigmentation from my acne and clear up those stubborn red marks from old breakouts. It’s now a critical step in my routine.

Listen to YOUR skin. My routine requires I only use the Stridex pads every third day or so, my skin is really sensitive and anything more is too much. I also don’t use any other acid for two days before my chemical peel day. These are just examples, your routine depends on your skin, but introduce products slowly, see how they react to your skin, patch test, look for problems like dryness or breakouts and adjust accordingly.

I assess my skin everyday because it changes with the weather and other factors. If I have dryness I back off on harsher things like the chemical exfoliants and up the moisturizer. If it’s oily I go lighter in the moisture and blot or switch to a matte primer. If it’s irritated or super red I remove anything new I’ve introduced and go back to just gentle cleansing and moisturizer.

Just take a few minutes everyday to really look at your skin and see what’s up.

It’s a marathon not a sprint and it can take months and months.

Sometimes changing your routine can cause your skin to “purge” and go into overdrive. This is hard because you don’t know if it’s the product or not, my advice is don’t introduce too many things at once and give each product a few weeks to settle in before giving up on it unless it hurts/burns/causes an allergic reaction.

Check out ingredients and labels. Stay away from alcohols and fragrances, look for products that are non-comodegenic though that’s not a regulated term and even really terrible products can be labeled that. Read reviews and look at recs. Try not to get hair product that have alcohols in them like hairspray on your face.

Sometimes it’s dietary. It wasn’t for me, but some people swear when they cut out dairy or went vegan their skin cleared up. I personally try to eat whole, homemade non processed foods when I’m really sticking to my guns. Today I had a cheeseburger and a bunch of fried things at a restaurant. Sometimes you get off track or want a treat, it’s cool.

Take off all your makeup. Every night. I used to be really bad about this but I now do it religiously. It’s actually a very calming part of my day my skin care routine. I mentioned before but I use Micellar water or Ponds Cold Cream so I’m not rubbing and tugging. If I have really stubborn makeup I’ll use a soft microfiber cloth but I try to be as gentle as possible when I do. I use a new cloth each day

I don’t touch my face with my phone. Phones are gross. I rarely talk on the phone but when I do I use headphones, my car speakers, or speaker, it does not touch my face ever.

Moisturize! Omg. Washing your face and using products messes with your skin’s natural moisture so you have to replace it, otherwise your skin will go into oil over drive and you start all over. You can cleanse your face with any product in the world but if you don’t moisturize you probably won’t get any results. I use the Cerave in the white and blue tub and I also have a serum from Silk Naturals (the super serum).

Sunscreen is your friend. It’s hard to find one though that works with your skin and your makeup so be open to trying a few. It essential though especially if you are using retinoids or chemical exfoliants, or topicals like benzoyl peroxide (which I use for spot treatments). I tried the Cerave one last week and personally didn’t like it, I’m trying a Neutrogena next. Sun can also increase hyperpigmentation and make it stick around because it’s caused by melanin, so even if you are chemically exfoliating if you expose your skin to the sun you won’t do any good.

My routine goes something like this if you want specifics:

Remove makeup using Ponds or Micellar water.

Wash face with gentle cleanser, fingertips only, less than 30 seconds of touching for my whole face (cannot stress enough how little I touch my face).

Let that dry naturally. I don’t use a towel per face touching. (I usually do this whole routine shirtless cause water everywhere).

Then I use one of my chemical exfoliants (Stridex or Glycolic) depending on the day. I let this dry on my face and like marinate for at least 5 minutes but I’m doing other stuff so it can be awhile. Some days I don’t do this depending on what’s going on with my skin.

Spot treat with benzoyl peroxide. I try to use a lower percentage but most are 10%. It stains clothes, so again with the shirtless. I put it on problem spots only because it’s super drying.

Then I use my serum. Again let this kinda hang out to absorb into the skin.

Then moisturizer.

That’s nighttime. Morning is much less involved. Wash face in shower, spot treat, moisturize, sunscreen.

Do what works for YOU though, you really have to learn your skin and be mindful of it. Treat it gently, be nice to it, don’t slather it with things that make it mad, don’t scrub it with things that tear it, hydrate it and protect it.

Also, be diligent. It seems like a lot of work but it’s really not when you do it everyday, it’s just a part of your day and I do other things while I do it.

I really feel like it’s been life changing getting this under control and when your face is like 90+% awesome you don’t mind new blemishes as much. I have two spots on my face right now and I’m totally chill about them because the rest of it looks so fabulous they aren’t as noticeable. When your entire face is covered in marks though new stuff just adds to the noise and seems way worse. Individual spots are also a lot easier to conceal.

Please let me know if this was helpful and keep me updated. If you have more questions don’t hesitate to ask.

[july-19th-club]

Century 12

aka, My Very New Very Unfinished Immortal People Short Story, bc some of you asked for it and let’s be honest, I wanted to share it anyway

read ON

One of us has died.

          The strangest part about it is that the dead woman—she was a woman, from Argentina, short and stout and always wore her hair in a thick bun and sold handknit products online—was one of our youngest. Only on Century 3, she’d been doing well. That we knew of. She kept in touch, had been saying on the forum that she was going to bring treats to the meet, something homemade. And then three weeks before, when most of us were planning or packing or already en route, we all got notices on our group messages—she was dead.

         Suicide, of course. It’s all my seat partner on the plane talks about on our way over. He’s a long-legged guy from New York—long enough for it to give him an accent, anyway. He’s businesslike and well-dressed, but looks cramped and crumpled in the airplane seating. He’s doing good right now, he says. He’s in a stable relationship; they just adopted a new cat. He shows me pictures—a young, impossibly handsome blue-eyed man proudly holding up a disgruntled orange tabby. 

          “Found him in an alley. His name’s Mewcutio,” says my seat partner—and then he cracks a grin. “The cat, not my boyfriend,” he amends.

          “It’s so good right now,” he adds, looking at me earnestly. But I don’t know whether he’s trying to convince himself or what. Relationships—I gave up on those a long time ago. And this guy looks like maybe he did too, for a while. His face, when he talks about his blue-eyed boy, is a mixture of adoration and mourning.

          It’s not hard to guess why.

At the meet, we don’t sit down and break out a session immediately. That’s what local groups and semilocals are for. The coping, the therapy. This is a celebration for us—the precious few, to gather every ten years and remind each other that we’re still here, that we can and will and must by nature endure. For some of us it’s the thing that saves us. For others, it’s a reminder of how unsavable we really are.

          Upon arrival, we split up in the entrance to the hotel—we’ve booked over half of it for the occasion, as we do every ten years in a different venue in a different country—and we look for old friends. My seat partner and I walk in opposite directions, and in my head I wish him a good fifty-sixty-seventy with his blue-eyes. It’s the best they’re gonna get. I watch him jog down the steps and I take the elevator upstairs. Julie and Kim Mbege are already in the room they’re sharing. They’re sisters, which is rare. It’s not like anyone picks this—it just…happens. Family members who both get it are as rare as…well, as rare as the Argentinian doing what she did. As awful as it is, who we are, what we have to look forward to—it’s rare that we let go of it.

          Except…as the Mbege sisters and I sit on the made-up beds and chat and drink ice water from the minifridge, we can all taste it. The atmosphere has changed this meet. What normally feels like a giant, strange, supportive family reunion has taken on the tone of a tense political summit. Whispers are everywhere. Julie and Kim tell me that on their flight over—from Johannesburg; I can’t imagine the layovers—they were joined by the groups from Lesotho and Botswana. It’s all anyone talked about there, too. When we head downstairs we’re interrupted by Brazil and Chile, which is uncomfortable mostly because the Argentinian was apparently the only one of us from her country. That meant that these people were her semilocals; they actually knew her. In the crush of gossip and discussion, they’re subdued. They don’t know how she did it, they say, and they don’t want to know. It must have taken an enormous effort. They don’t think she left a note of explanation, or if something in particular in her recent life drove her to it.

          I tell them about my new pal from the flight over. “He’s dating,” I say. I suddenly feel worried for a near stranger. “But his partner, he’s not one of us. He says he’s so happy. Do you think that’s what happened to the Argentinian? She got too happy?”

          Getting too happy is a real concern for us. It leads to all sorts of shitty things, like engaging in relationships that are headed for the cliff edge. I haven’t dated seriously since…has to be…who was on the throne then? George II? I want to say it was. I was in Scotland, then. After that time I swore off closeness to people who weren’t us, very deliberately. We discussed it in my local group. And I realized that the only way to survive—the only way to not pull an Argentinian—was to swear off things that brought me to that place of sharp darkness, the pit you can’t claw out of. I spent a long time in that place. I know how bad it is to be there and have no discernible way out. I know how to avoid it, how it’s the worst feeling in the world, as easy to enter and hard to leave as quicksand, which I was once ensnared in and which is the only natural, physical thing that has ever really made me scared for my life.

          So now I avoid it, and I spend most of my time with others of us or with people who won’t worry if I don’t stick around. I’ve gotten close a few times to missing them after I’ve gone—but that’s how it works. It’ll always be like that. And I’m lucky in that I have a fairly big local and semilocal, and that I have friends out elsewhere in the world. We keep each other together. We call each other at four in the morning when we’re having a bad one, and somehow, we make it work. Even if we’re missing something all the time—faith, like Julie’s friend Clark—love, like…well, me—a sense of reality, like my new buddy on the plane—we find ways to fill that gap, for long enough that we can survive it.

          That’s what it’s really about.

Julie and Kim and I take on the bar downstairs dressed up, and we mingle with the non-meet guests at the hotel. They look breakable to me, always have. There’s a—speed—to them. Like hummingbirds or the clear, slender bugs you can find skating on the surface of a pond. Across the room, there’s a lot of whooping and hollering and synthesizer, someone’s trying to start a party—Kim points, and we all stop and stare, right in the middle of a tourist gang also staring. 

         “I think it’s The Stuntman,” Kim says.

          I’ve never met The Stuntman in person, but I know him by sight. He’s somewhat famous, not just among us but in the rest of the world too. He’s not much to look at—a tall, scrawny Irish teenager with wild hair and a frail figure—but when you get a close-up, you see big mournful eyes and delicate facial structure, boyish and brittle, like an early Bob Dylan. He’s really quite attractive then, mostly because he looks so mortal.

          That couldn’t be further from the truth. The Stuntman is one of our newest, and everybody knows who he is by reputation. His personality is said to be infections—filled with manic, hyperactive energy. He’s vulgar, unflappable, loud, YOUTHFUL, arrogant. It’s understandable. The first ten or twenty years are always like that. You’re drunk on the future because you don’t yet fully grasp exactly how heavy that future will settle on your bones. But The Stuntman has another gift that contributes to his particular reckless abandon—not only can he not age, he cannot die period. It’s a rarity so extreme that some people refuse to believe it’s actually possible. Some people even say that Jesus himself had that ability—regenerative immortality. Of course, since nobody’s seen Him for two thousand years and only a handful of us are old enough to have lived parallel to Him, it’s likely that the Jesus thing is faker than The Stuntman.

          The Stuntman is nothing if not visible. He blared onto the sensation-TV scene eight and a half years ago, hailing from a tiny factory town and quickly rising in international notice. Now he’s got this show, Live to Die, in which he tests rumored ‘killer acts’ and then, if it turns out they’re actually fatal, resurrecting himself over and over and over and over again. He doesn’t seem to care if most of his viewers think it’s an elaborate magician’s act. He knows that some of us see everything he does.

          The rumors are that he’ll probably stage something this week. It’s his first international meet, and he won’t be able to resist the attention. And before the Argentinian, we were looking forward to it, everyone talking about how he’d try to top his biggest tricks.

          But this is after the Argentinian. And watching him downing inhuman amounts of booze, the alcohol poisoning negligible when you know for a fact that you’ll wake up eventually, I think that he’s dancing a fine line between performance and something far more dangerous.

          The girls and I make our way through the buffet-style dinner spread, and bring canapes and drinks out to the poolside. I set a little plate of lemon-scented mussels and a glass of champagne in the special holders on my deck chair, and we stick our legs out long and coconut-oily to bask in the evening. Julie tosses us pairs of neon-rimmed sunglasses, and we lounge. The pool gradually empties while guests go back inside for food, then fills up again as they come outside for drunken games of chicken in the water. The smell of chlorine rises up past the bubbly and anchors me down, its sharpness clearing my head.

          There’s another commotion around 8:30, as the sun starts to sink past the bluffs beyond the resort. “He’s here,” somebody says, and Kim waves across the pool to the speaker.

          “Who?”

          “HIM.”

          “Oh,” says Kim, raising her sunglasses onto her forehead, and flips a few stray twists of hair back over her shoulder.

          I don’t need to know what they mean by HIM. Rembrandt – sorry, Mounet – sorry, Reeves – is the rarest of birds. Despite being Century 7-plus, he actively relishes his eternity, not in the brash, destructive way the Stuntman does, but in the way that you’d think we all would. He puts himself in the spotlight – as an artist, usually – never enough to be overwhelmed with celebrity, but enough to be memorable. There are even rumors out there: he’s a vampire, he’s immortal, he’s a time traveler. They’re idle rumors, the kind of thing people create conspiracy photosets of when they’re bored on the internet – but they’re rumors anyway. It’s not about vanity, I think, for him: just proof. I exist in a way that I should not. I have been and am still here.

          The downside, I’d imagine, is that to be visibly immortal, one must be constantly reinventing oneself – not just moving to new locations with slightly new papers, but changing identities entirely, complete with fake deaths and paper trails that aren’t just ruined, but burnt away completely. That’s got to be harder now than ever before, and soon enough, the man will have to come up with a public ending for himself. A plane crash, maybe, or a mysterious accident. In the Victorian times, if one of us got too heard-of and had to disappear, then illnesses used to be popular. Tuberculosis. Cholera. The ever-ubiquitous Brain Fever.

          In the meantime, he’s the closest thing we’ve got to a unanimous leader. Generous, tall, striking, adjacent to universally handsome, friendly to all – the kind of person you’d put your trust into in a crisis, believing that they could, if not fix the situation themselves, at least make you feel better about it until the proper authorities saved the day. As he enters the deck, long-haired, neatly bearded, holding a wine glass, we all turn, consciously and subconsciously. The atmosphere quiets down a little, the desperate fun-having slowing its pace. Tension dissipates. It’s all right, the new mood says, to mourn or be afraid. You don’t have to put on a brave face. The One Who Is Comfortable Enough For All Of Us is here.

Author’s Notes: ayyyyyyy hope you liked it don’t be dicks and repost this shit it’s original content right here 

[violenceinherent-blog]

@barbedtongue hi hello motherfucker it ME.

            Dread’s a pit in his stomach. He’s waking up to a body leaden by it and something more ( something worse— ) but panic... panic is a distant memory. Jude is sorely out - of - practice when it comes to hysteria, and sees no use for it when he can barely open his eyes... shutter— SHUT, shutter— SHUT. Various points on his body throb: head. Shoulders. Wrists. There’s a grating tingle against his bones and of his flesh, nerves no doubt compromised by lack of circulation. 

            Fingers wiggle, curl, slipping against and fumbling over a shitty knot tied with what feels like an extension cord. They must have been banking on whatever they shot him up with keeping him submissive. Feet aren’t deftly tied, either, and first assumption that this was a job not thought through. These are not professionals. These are small pond thugs who don’t know what they’re doing. Who they’re pissing off.

            Sight is forfeited when it fails to focus, lashes surrendering to cheeks’ high arches and bodyguard struggling through his stupor just to untie himself and LISTEN, because remembering how he came to be in such a pathetic position will come on its own. Distantly — he would guess across the room from him, if not opposing wall — there’s a muffled thud and a LAUGH. Voices don’t carry, making them out to be low and troubling ( sounding farther away than they actually are. ) 

            Wakefulness is truly hard - coming, and whatever his situation is, it’s still not good despite this gang’s lack of experience, but it has to be worse for—

            ...Halloway? 

            Fuck.

            “  ...bet that fag thought it was fucking funny... “            “ ...don’t know if you two were stupid or smart to keep Kenny alive...  “      “ ...go wake him up. “      

            Snatches of conversation weave in and out of his burdened consciousness. Jude knows what the thuds are now: they’re beating Halloway, and as his bodyguard, the blond is at once indignant to have been jumped by anyone related or in association with that trembling, grueling man who he’d had packed up in a trunk and sent far, far out of Burbank with no money or phone on his person and infuriated that they’re directing their ire at the man too weak - stomached to commit any cruelties himself. 

            He gives opening his eyes another go, glassy blues zeroing in on the punk approaching but refusing to linger. They slide over the interior of where they are: it’s nowhere inescapable. It’s an apartment, actually, though one more likely to belong to squatters than tenants with jobs to their names. Doesn’t look like there’s too much of a difference between that description and the three men who’ve a bone to pick with them, either. His forefront concern is how many people there may be in the building that he doesn’t immediately see.

            Another THUD and Jude’s lip curls, an expression exaggerated when the man coming closer grabs him by the jaw. The smack oily palm delivers thereafter isn’t powerful enough to rock the chair or surprising enough to turn his head, but god fucking, does it sting. Skin is split by the two rings worn closely together, something Jude notices when his new pal withdraws to wipe his hands off on the thigh of his jeans like his blood is something disgusting to have on him. 

            In his own palm he clutches the extension cord, undone, and wishes he could shake himself out and think a little more clearly.      “ Wake the fuck up, princess. “      Spit hits his face but he doesn’t cringe or recoil the bit he could, Jude only staring back. Eerie - eyed and unflinching as he soaks in a face pock - marked and dark, but teeth surprisingly even and clean; none missing. His lack of response silently wills the man closer, baiting him into reacting, and when he does stoop down to get in his face, Jude strikes out.  

            They topple to the floor, impact rattling through smaller form, but Jude perseveres — extension cord is now makeshift garotte around the throat of man thrashing, throwing his body away from Jude while also beating the shit out of him throughout his struggle. The other two are yelling, one bounding away from turning Halloway’s paper - white skin black and blue with bruises to try and assist his friend.      

            “ Come any closer and I kill him, “      the threat’s rasped out from underneath hair loose from its tie and standing up off his head in a wild tizzy. Assailant - turned - hostage has gone slack on top of him ( crushing him into hard - backed chair and making it hard to breathe. ) Not only that, but Jude’s mouth is bloody, his one eye sealed closed by a heavy fist, and numerous scratches searing across his face and over his skull to show for his efforts. Half - blind and heart beat deceptively steady in his chest, he issues his second command,      “ your bullshit vendetta is with me. Let Halloway go and we’ll settle this. “ 

[bestskincareroutine]

best skin care routine

India's best skincare brand for oily and dry skin So for today's post, I started listing some of the easiest natual skin care brands available in India and similar to of my lists I started listing by price range viz. Pharmacies, middle income and high end. So let's proceed to the best brands for many skin types like oily, acne-prone, dry and sensitive skin, or let's see why they cut it. Including their utmost products so you can get them easily. List of the finest natual skin care brands in the pharmacy lineup: 1. Himalayan Herbals: Ah! starting with Himalayas, thanks to a remarkably popular selection of dumbbells for oily, acne-prone skin. The face area wash, and therefore the packaging, is quite effective in both cost and yield. Your scrub is okay, but this face pack worked effectively in my own teenage years. They were recently sold as a 3-step kit which was also a big hit. Another great natual skin care product being offered that specializes in whitening, brightening, decolorizing, detoxifying and acne solutions is washed and packaged turmeric. This can be a very gentle and soothing product for everyone who would like to even out complexion but has sensitive skin and is on a budget. 2. poonds: Pond's is an old school brand in India. they should improve on their basics and have progressed to much more complex areas using their newer range. Their centuries-old cold creams and lotions remain an all-time hit, and their new products, including beautiful and bright whitening and face creams, are exciting novelties whose results are to die for! Especially this charcoal face wash for baby discoloration is amazing for oily skin in summers and after washing you'll visually notice the lightening effect on your skin. My not-so-popular favorite from this skincare brand is their daily regenerating cream with Spf and PA+++ because it works so well to improve the evenness of my skin tone. It's one of many world's leading natual skin care brands.

Get all these best skin care brands at RIVOSKIN 3. Lakme: This leading beauty brand is mentioned for its array of pore cleansing products, namely face washes, masks and exfoliants. This skincare range does wonders for my skin texture, which makes it smoother and more radiant. Moreover, the instant finish gives skin after the entire treatment quite clean, refreshed and uplifting. The brand really has nothing to offer, but their fruity face wash smells delicious and is a summer favorite. There is even a tester size for this range at my local drugstore, which I noticed when I introduced the range. This is perfect for someone like me whose hobby is offering new and different products. Again, this is one of many easiest natual skin care brands to use.