#this Wednesday was my only holy grail I will never be normal about them again

[curi0uscreature]

* Gary. You better call an astronomer. Because this yaoi supported by the creators is OUTTA THIS WORL💥💥

[monicawoe]

12, 16, 21, 25

for the fanfic end of the year asks meme (thanks @slytherkins !)

12. favorite character to write about this year: It’s a tie between Eddie Brock/Venom and Sam Winchester. Venom fics have been incredibly fun to write and I’ve really been enjoying writing more humorous fics which is something I used to struggle with. But with Supernatural in its last season I also had a serious resurgence of need to write all the Sam fics!

21. most memorable comment/review:  “M A X I M U M T O A S T BABYBOI NO.”…which totally makes sense in context. Venom had some difficulties operating the toaster.

25. a fic you read this year you would recommend everyone read: Definitely The Holy Grail Bird by @denugis  Not just because she wrote this as a gift fic to me, but because it’s easily one of my favorite fics of all times. This is such an insightful look into Sam and addresses the Winchester’s Chuck Problem so cleverly, but more than that it brought me to tears in the best kind of way, the kind of tears that happen when somebody just gets it so spot on and so beautifully that your heart leaps and aches all at the same time.  If you are a Sam Winchester fan, do yourself a favor and read this immediately if you haven’t yet, and if you’ve already read it, then go read it again

16 fic(s) you completed this year (*saving this one for last since it’s a long response!) I completed 17 fics this year, of which 16 were posted–mainly Supernatural, Venom and MCU. This was such an awesome year for collaborations, big-bangs and fic exchanges. I had the opportunity to work with some truly stellar artists who are all total sweethearts, so thanks again to @sketchydean, @sdeeys, @vebirascanvasand of course @quickreaver for bringing my fics to life so beautifully. Thanks also to everybody whose prompts I filled for various events, and big thanks to my amazing betas for saving me from my own bad writing habits

Links, fic summaries, and gorgeous art banners below the cut!

Supernatural:

Lakeside Fishing - After defeating Famine, after days of suffering through demon blood withdrawal in the panic room, Sam needs time to clear his head. Early in the morning, he heads to a small lake seeking solitude, but instead finds an unexpected ally. (Sam/Patrick(S5ep7), 4k words)

His Soul to Keep - art by @sketchydean - written for the SPN Eldritch Bang horror event - Dean’s deal is coming due soon. When he finds out from Ruby that Hell will turn him into a demon, he refuses to accept it, even though he can already feel pieces of his soul starting to crumble away. Sam is his only anchor to the world, and Dean finds it harder and harder to leave his side.   After Broward County, after watching Dean die a thousand deaths, Sam decides he’s not going to let Dean go to Hell. He’ll do whatever it takes, even if that means allying himself with Ruby and using the darkness inside of him. Sam casts a soul-binding spell on Dean; they might not be able to break the deal, but they can change who Dean’s soul belongs to. (13k, Sam/Dean, hard-gen, AU of season 3))

Thirteen Taps of The Ivory Beak - Death is a transient thing. The bird knows this, because she herself is both alive and not. Her creator made her this way, not by choice but because of who he is. (a companion piece to de_nugis’ The Holy Grail Bird, 900 words)

Whosoever Holds - Just when Sam Winchester needs it most, Mjölnir returns to him. But is he really worthy? (2k, gen Sam Winchester, Steve Rogers; MCU/SPN crossover)

The Devil You Knew - Brady, not Azazel, had killed Jessica, all those years ago. And now he was sitting across from Sam, bound. Trapped. (1k; an alternate version of Sam’s confrontation with Brady in 5x20)

Wednesday - It’s Wednesday. It’s always Wednesday, he thinks, as he stands up and leaves the motel room, not sparing a glance at the other bed. (2k, Mystery Spot boyKing!Sam AU)

Last Drop - art by @quickreaver -written for the Twisted Tropes event - Sam/Brady AU set while Sam’s at Stanford:  Sam is slowly adjusting to his new life at Stanford University. He’s left his life of hunting behind, and traded it for endless studying and tests, but he’s plagued by dreams of Dean and Dad in danger, dreams of blood and violence. Then he meets Tyson Brady, who’s always there with a smile and a cup of coffee to get Sam through all-nighters. Sam’s dreams start to fade, but just as he’s getting used to a nice normal life, he starts to develop abilities—powers he can’t control. Brady thinks they’re great, but Sam knows power never comes without a cost. (14k, Sam/Brady)

Breathing, Talking, Dead Man Walking   -  John Doe, male, approximately thirty-seven years old. Subject was found by EMTs in close proximity to the site of a sizable explosion in Lebanon, Kansas. (2k, gen, Sam & Dean)

Venom:

Costume Party - Eddie and Venom are invited to a costume party at the museum. While there, they find a mad scientist in the dinosaur wing who is up to no good. (Symbrock, 5k words)

Reckoning Tartare with a Side of Tater Tots - Eddie Brock is writing a story about Will Graham, a man accused of horrific serial murders. But Eddie’s got a feeling Will is innocent, and somebody else is to blame. When Hannibal Lecter invites Eddie to dinner, Venom is surprised by the menu. (2k words; Venom | Hannibal crossover)

The End Times Are Here (But So Are We) - Eddie Brock crashes his motorcycle near Anathema Device’s Jasmine Cottage. She was expecting him, of course. Agnes Nutter’s prophecy had foretold his coming, just in time for the End of Days. (2k words; Venom | Good Omens crossover)

Asunder - (bigbang featuring art by @sdeeys and @vebirascanvas !) Eddie and Venom have grown accustomed to their new life together. They patrol every night, keeping San Francisco just a little safer, and keeping Venom fed. But one night, they’re captured, and separated. Eddie wakes up to find himself imprisoned in a glass cell and, for the first time in six months, completely alone.  (Symbrock, PG-13, 12k words; written for the @symbrockbigbang)

Midnight Snack - Eight hours is way too long to wait until breakfast. Venom makes snacks while Eddie is sleeping. Unfortunately the toaster gives them some issues. (3k words)

They Say It’s Your Birthday - Venom asks Dan to help throw a surprise birthday party for Eddie. (3k words | written for the chocolate box gift exchange)

Marvel/Captain America

Interstitial Light - After Thanos wiped half of life off the planet, the remaining Avengers find a way to reach out to those they lost, using a combination of Stark-Tech, magic and their own memories. Steve makes contact with Bucky, but they spent too many decades apart when Steve was on ice. But there was somebody else who knew Bucky during that time—who trained with him, who knew both the Winter Soldier and James Barnes: Natasha. | 6k, Natasha, Bucky

Stumble and Fall Into You   -   Three months ago, Steve’s world shattered. SHIELD had been infiltrated by Hydra, people he trusted turned out to be enemies, and Bucky, who he thought he’d lost in 1944, had been alive this whole time. Steve tries to get back to some kind of normalcy, but Bucky is always on his mind, and lately he’s been seeing him everywhere. | 5k, Steve/Bucky

—

The 17th fic I completed this year is my Sam Winchester Big Bang fic, which will be posting early next year. I’ve gotten paired with yet another wonderful artist (I think it’s still supposed to be a secret, but it won’t be for long) and am very excited about this collaboration too!

Might as well make this my end of year stats post as well while I’m at it.

Words so far: 247,305 as of end of November, I’ll probably come in close to 280k by end of year. About a third of these words were posted as fics, the rest were prior drafts and a handful of short stories.

Thematically this was a very cathartic and iddy year for me in fic. Venom fandom gave me the opportunity to tackle things in a totally different way which has been incredibly freeing and fun to write, and returning to Supernatural fic had me writing out ideas I’d had on the backburner for years, like with Wednesday and my aforementioned SWBB. Nearly every Sam Winchester fic I write is about autonomy (loss of or reclaiming of) in one way or another but I’d say the two iddiest ones by far from this year were His Soul to Keep and Last Drop. 

I’ve got four WIPs heading into 2020, so here’s to another year of writing!

[tumblunni]

Okay the BIG TODAY THING

It seems i might possibly be gone for six months

I've been talking with my support worker about taking a course at this place thats uhh apparantly gonna help me get better with the depressions and stuff. And we had a meeting to go look around the place and make introductions and stuff but i had NO IDEA it would be all such short notice! I might have to move in IN TWO DAYS FROM NOW, what the fuck!!! And like if its not that its gonna be at the end of the week or next tuesday at the latest. Im so fuckin unprepared and im really freakin out!!

..uhh...how to describe it..well i guess its literally a mental asylum? But it's absolutely NOTHING like the horror movie stereotype! Its not a hospital with cages or locked rooms, its just like a big comfy cute shared house. Like a bunch of completely normal small apartment rooms but they just happen to be all connected to a shared kitchen and stuff and have on site nurses and a big schedule of therapy sessions and group activities like pottery class or bowling. You have the freedom to come and go as you please if you're on "voluntarily admitted" status (that's me!) and even if you're on what they call "sectioned" its still not scary loss of all your freedom. The highest level of sectioning is just like "requires an escort"? You're still allowed to go outside but you have a higher level of supervision from your key worker because you could potentially be a danger to yourself. But that's very rare and most people are only on maximum sectioning for a few weeks at the start of their treatment, if they've come straight from a situation of self harm or other concern factors. Most of the "sectioned" patients just have a time limit on how long they can spend on unsupervised outside activity. It's a pretty generous 8 hours apparantly!

So yeah i was getting worried about nothing, thinking i was gonna be in big scary solitary confinement and locked inside a tiny broom closet or jabbed with brain lazers. It honestly just seems like a summer camp resort for adults! And everyone there seems very nice, and im excited for being able to learn life skills like cooking and potential steps towards getting educational qualifications someday. And to have the help of a more specialist support worker who can assist me with even the smallest little problems. Like this nice lady Tazmin (who might be the one i get?) was saying how they've had other people with social anxiety before, and how we could plan "gradual exposure" to all the things that scare me. Like she said she'd be able to come with me and we'd take the bus and them get off at the next stop. That'd honestly be really helpful to help me get over being scared of the crowded spaces on buses, but i'd never be able to do it normally cos i'd be too embarassed taking such a short bus ride. Plus well itd be a waste of money,but if i'm a patient here i would get a free bus pass so it wouldnt be a problem.

Oh and the area seems really nice! Its so different from my stupid house right now in a crowded neighbourhood with NOTHING but houses everywhere for a mile! Its seriously almost a mile's walk to the ONE SINGULAR SHOP IN THE AREA and they close on sundays and dont sell vegetarian food. :( This area around the shared house thingie is a really nice bustling shops place but not super shops? Like i mean its a lovely village that has all the small shops you need, not a huge skyscrapers busy tourist place. The perfect balance of conveinient and not scary! They have a library and a park so close to the place, and a bazillion charity shops holy FUCK im so excited to have charity shops again!! I think you call them thrift shops in america? But i just always really love bargain hunting and finding nice surprises in places like that! And there's places to do pottery classes and group trips sometimes to do stuff like cinema or bowling or just having your big ol scary therapy meeting at the nice coffee shop at the end ot the road.

So yeah dont worry about me guys, im not trapped in some horribke hell place! I'm sure it'll be as non threatening as an Intensive Therapy Boot Camp can possibly be, im just still nervous as hell cos well yeah I Have Social Anxiety And That Is Why I Am Here In The First Place. Im scared im not gonna be able to succeed at this. I really wanna leave at the end and be all mentally buffed up and ready to make all these nice nurses proud!

Oh and man Richard has been so nice about this?? He was super freaked out and apologetic about it being Scary Short Notice, we had a bit of a dumb misunderstanding where he clearly told me and i clearly said yes but i somehow completely misunderstood what he was saying and thought i was saying yes to something else??? So im so fuckin glad that at the very end of the appointment right when i was gonna get out the car he was like 'oh so remember your suitcase on wednesday' and i was like WHAT. Like man can you imagine how much more terrifying it would have been if i just turned up on wednesday with no supplies but the shirt off my back and was like 'wtf where is he driving me OH GOD NO'. Bunni why you so bad at the good of talking!! Seriously richard thanks so much for clearing it up but also AAAAA i accidentally agreed to the shortest of short notice and i dont know if he's gonna be able to reschedule it!!!

And man i was there crying in his car about how i dont wanna be in hospital on my birthday, and babbling all the different things i had planned fot the next few months. And GOD DAMN MY DUMB BRAIN i ended up blurting out that i had a preorder of a videogame that i was gonna miss. And i straight up started explaining pokemon to my mental health counseller who is also a dj, how damn fake does my life sound?? Anyway he said that i'll still be able to keep him as my support worker when i get back out of this, and we'll still have weekly or monthly meetings while i'm in there. And he keeps reminding me that i'm free to leave if i feel uncomfortable, but i know that i'd feel like a failure if i did! So he legit fuckin goddamn said (THIS SOUNDS SO FAKE) that i could take a day off when the dumb game comes out, and he'd play co op pokemon with me. HOLY GEEZUS RICHARD YOU'RE LIKE THAT HOLY GRAIL OF THERAPISTS! And man he even said it wasnt embarassing for me to sleep with a teddy bear and he'd help me pack it up safe and ensure nobody saw it while we move my bags into my new room. And then i was like "uhh but also the teddy bear is a giant lifesize embarassing pokemon merchandise" and he was like "okay so we need DOUBLE STEALTH". Apparantly the new sequel to Pokemon Go is Pokemon Sneak! God he helped calm me down from this freakout so much, he's always great with lil jokes and motivational sayings. And i talked about how i first started being interested in Obscure Deep Sea Slug Facts because pokemon has some characters based on weird real life animals, and like its Very Educational Honest, And Has Appeal For Both Kids And Adults. How on earth did this turn into Motovational Pokemon Blabber Time??? Anyway thats how i ended up texting a professional psychologist pictures of gastrodon at 7.30pm.

SO

Yeah

In summary

I'm mostly just worried cos this is short notice! And cos its such a big commitment that being short notice is Super Bad. I need to friggin clean the whole house top to bottom in two days, so it doesnt get all gross and attract flies while im gone. And i need to toss out like a hundred bucks worth of frozen food that aint gonna keep for 6 months. And i need to wash all my damn clothes. And i dont even have a suitcase and this is at a terrible time where i dont get paid for a week so i cant buy a new one right now!! And damn i DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT TO TAKE AAAAAA

And the BIGGEST PROBLEM

Is that i wont be able to talk to you guys for half a year!!!

They dont have wifi and im not allowed to take my computer anyway. They only allow laptops and all i have is a desktop and AAAA its too short notice to save up enough to get a laptop mannnnn! Fuck man i didnt even think about that, i need to go pause my broadband internet for six months, do they even allow you to come back after that long?? And man part of me wants to ask to borrow money from friends to get a laptop but i know this time i cant promise to pay you back within the month cos AAAGH ALL OF THIS SHIT!! Like damn man if anyone is willing to let me pay back a hundred and fifty quid in 6 months??not bloody likely!! And man the only place to get a laptop in TWO GODDAMN DAYS is stupid fuckin Amazon :( but god im gonna go stir crazy being unable to do art or gamemaking or friggin anything to occupy myself!! I can bring my 3ds but i barely have any games for it and ive already finished all of them except harvest moon a new beginning which i quit cos it was bad. And the screen is broken anyway gahhh. SO MANY THINGS I NEED MONEY FOR IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IS NON CONDUCTIVE TO MONEYING

So anyway GAHH i wont have an internet connection in the house, and i'll be able to walk down the hill and use the library computers hopefully at least weekly, but they forbid all social media sites. So like can i get the emails of everyone who wants to keep in contact? Man i dont know how im gonna manage this AAAAA!!! i will send u loads of pics of scenic asylum beauty and dumb updates on my stupid life of probably very little progress.

And AGGGHHH i dont even have the time to plan a blog queue or anything fuck man geez aaaaaaaa

I NEED TO BUY A NEW PAIR OF TROUSERS WITHOUT HOLES IN THE KNEES man i cant live on singular pantage in a shared house

[rolypolywl]

Welcome to day 9!

Today I wanted to talk to you about metabolism. We always hear about metabolism, and that seems to be the big weight loss holy grail. “How to speed up your metabolism!” “I don’t lose weight because of my slow metabolism!” etc. etc.

So I wanted to know, is metabolism really such a big deal? And is “fixing it” really a thing?

Well… seems like the answer is yes and no?

So, I was easily able to find information on boosting your metabolism.

HealthLine suggests eating protein, drinking cold water, doing hiit workouts and strength training, standing more, drinking green or oolong tea, eating spicy foods, sleeping enough, drinking coffee, and cooking with coconut oil.

Active recommends eating breakfast, including protein, coffee, and cold water; more protein, calcium-rich snacks, green tea, spicy food, interval workouts, fish oil supplements, and sleep.

Even Harvard Medical School gets on board, suggesting protein, green tea, hiit, and weight training.

So experts seem to agree on how to “boost” your metabolism, but does it really work?

Weeelllll…….

Maybe not?

So first, let’s look at what metabolism really is.

The Mayo Clinic explains it this way: “Even when you're at rest, your body needs energy for all its "hidden" functions, such as breathing, circulating blood, adjusting hormone levels, and growing and repairing cells. The number of calories your body uses to carry out these basic functions is known as your basal metabolic rate — what you might call metabolism.”

They go on to explain that metabolism can be affected by factors like your body size and composition, your sex, your age, your food processing, and your physical activity.

So knowing that, is it really our metabolism that is sabotaging our weight loss plans?

Weeeelllllll….

Probably not.

The Mayo Clinic continues, “It may be tempting to blame your metabolism for weight gain. But because metabolism is a natural process, your body has many mechanisms that regulate it to meet your individual needs. Only in rare cases do you get excessive weight gain from a medical problem that slows metabolism, such as Cushing's syndrome or having an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Unfortunately, weight gain is a complicated process. It's likely a combination of genetic makeup, hormonal controls, diet composition and the impact of environment on your lifestyle, including sleep, physical activity and stress.”

So, yes, you might have a medical condition that slows your metabolism, but that isn’t likely the actual reason.

Endocrinologist  Mahtab Sohrevardi with Rush Medical Center is also pretty clear on this. She says,

“"Every day I see patients who say, 'I can't lose weight. My metabolism must be slow,' " [...] It almost never is. Factors such as age, sex and body size cause natural variation in resting metabolic rate — the amount of calories, or units of energy, that we burn just by being alive. But those differences are normal, and they are not usually the root cause of obesity or inability to lose weight. The real problem is almost always consuming too many calories and not getting enough exercise, which leaves us with excess energy that we store as fat.”

And Dr Chih-Hao Lee told Harvard Health, “You can't entirely blame a sluggish metabolism for weight gain [...] The reality is that metabolism often plays a minor role. The greatest factors as you age are often poor diet and inactivity."

So, our metabolism isn’t necessarily “slow”, but can we really “hack” our it to make it super fast?

Weelllll… probably not.

Eat Right discusses 4 metabolism myths, including this one. Their answer? “No magic food will speed up metabolism. Some studies have shown that green tea and hot chilies temporarily boost metabolic rates, but the lift isn't very significant. The path to a healthy lifestyle includes a balanced eating pattern filled with nutrient-rich foods, not a diet doused in chili peppers.”

The Mayo Clinic agrees, “Don't look to dietary supplements for help in burning calories or weight loss. Products that claim to speed up your metabolism are often more hype than help, and some may cause undesirable or even dangerous side effects.”

So are we just stuck then? Nothing we can do?

Well, no, actually. Another “myth” they busted was that we can’t change our metabolism at all. Eat Right said, “While it's true that genetics help determine our metabolic rates, we can boost metabolism by increasing lean muscle mass. Muscle is metabolically active, which means that people with lean, muscular bodies need more energy to function than people with a higher percentage of body fat.”

So it isn’t that boosting our metabolism will help us lose weight, but gaining muscles will boost our metabolism (and lose weight too!)

The Mayo Clinic backs this one up too. “While you don't have much control over the speed of your basal metabolism, you can control how many calories you burn through your level of physical activity. The more active you are, the more calories you burn. In fact, some people who are said to have a fast metabolism are probably just more active — and maybe fidget more — than others.”

They suggest adding 30 minutes of physical (aerobic) activity into your day, doing strength training twice a week, and having a more active lifestyle.

Endocrinologist Mahtab Sohrevardi concures, saying "The best ways to lose weight are staying active and eating a healthy diet — not trying to change the speed of your metabolism.”

And being overweight doesn’t help. Rush explains, “The process of metabolism has two main parts. Anabolism helps you grow new cells, store energy and maintain your body tissues. Catabolism breaks down fat and carbohydrate molecules to release energy that fuels anabolism, keeps you warm and enables your muscles to contract. Insulin is one of the many hormones that help regulate this cycle, by triggering anabolism after you eat. If you're significantly overweight, there's a high risk that your body will stop responding to insulin. As a result, sugar stays in your blood instead of being stored as energy.” This is essentially type 2 diabetes. Doing anything that messes with your hormone levels, especially insulin, can slow your metabolism. As we learned last time, a lack of sleep can cause your insulin to be thrown out of whack.

And even losing the weight might not help. “Having been overweight can continue to affect your metabolism even after you've lost the weight. That's one reason maintaining weight loss is much harder than keeping weight off in the first place.  "Take two people who weigh the same: one who's been at a normal weight all their life, and one who has struggled with obesity," Sohrevardi explains. "The first person can get an average amount of activity and eat an average amount of food, and nothing will happen to them. But often the second person, if they go from a restricted diet back to an average one, will have a high risk of putting a lot of the weight back on."”

That said, starvation is not the answer; that can actually hurt your metabolism. This is the last myth that Eat Right busts. They said, “Creating a large calorie deficit in attempts to lose weight can backfire. Our bodies are smart and programmed for survival. Severely limiting calories can make your body think it's entering a famine, and that it needs to do more with fewer calories. Your body adapts to the restricted caloric intake, and uses fewer calories to perform the same tasks.”

And some of the other suggestions might also be hurtful, not just over-reducing intake and potentially dangerous unregulated supplements.

Rush Medical Center elaborates on some of these risks. “In reality, the speed of your metabolism remains roughly the same no matter when or what you eat. The few exceptions to this rule are not good weight loss strategies. For example, studies have shown that caffeine slightly increases the rate at which you burn calories in the short term. But your body becomes used to caffeine over time, so the effect doesn't last if you're a regular coffee or tea drinker. Products promoted as metabolism boosters tend to be similarly ineffective, and some have dangerous side effects.”

They recommend eating healthier foods instead, which just metabolize better.

So what are we to do? Eating chili peppers chased by cold green tea all day won’t really help, and losing weight won’t even completely solve it. We can’t even blame a medical condition, as it statistically isn’t likely that we have one that affects our metabolism.

So what can we do?

Actually, here Rush Medical Center touches on something that I just learned and shared on Wednesday. Remember that “thinning” brown fat thing? Hey, here it is again!

Though pointing out that muscle burns more than fat, which is why muscle-building exercises can help, Rush suggests something else.

“While building strength can boost your resting metabolism, getting more aerobic activity is the most efficient way to burn more calories. "Even walking 25 or 30 minutes a day, five days a week, is helpful," Sohrevardi says. And more intense exercise — running or aerobics, for example — burns even more calories. In addition to burning calories and building muscle, exercise has been linked to increased amounts of brown fat. The vast majority of our fat is white fat, the kind that stores energy. But we also have a few ounces of brown fat, often around our neck or shoulders, which actually uses energy to help keep us warm.”

There’s that brown fat again! Turns out it can help with our metabolism!

So, unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a magic way to bump our metabolism a meaningful amount. All we can do is eat right and exercise, and we’ll still be at a disadvantage because we were once overweight.

That’s, actually, a little depressing. I much prefer the fantasy that I just had to drink more green tea and I would magically lose more weight.

Not all of my research will have exciting or happy endings, I suppose.

And with that, we are done for today!

This has been Roly Poly Weight loss. As always, I am your host, Roly Poly! You can find out more from this great source:

https://www.sf.mpg.de/research/groups

So please, share your struggles and successes with the hashtag #Metabolism.

And please join me next time!

[fashiontrendin-blog]

Team Man Repeller’s All-Time Favorite Face Masks

https://fashion-trendin.com/team-man-repellers-all-time-favorite-face-masks/

Team Man Repeller’s All-Time Favorite Face Masks

When it comes to skincare, I find that I’m constantly getting lost in the sauce (or in this case, the moisturizer). It seems like beauty fads fade at the same rapid rate at which I discover them; once I wrap my mind around things like beauty foods and face oils, Manuka honey pops up on my Instagram feed and I feel like I’m back at square one.

Still, I have yet to call off my search for products that make my skin sing like Beyoncé in “Love on Top.” I decided to consult the MR team to gain some vital intel on the “It” girl of skincare: masks. Although masks come in a parade of endlessly alluring colors, textures and packages, I quickly learned that finding the one feels like going on a really good date — the kind that keeps you coming back in spite of other appealing options.

If you’re still on the hunt like me, continue below to peruse my findings vis-à-vis Team Man Repeller’s all-time favorite masks.

Recommended by: Crystal, Operations Manager

How she found out about the mask and what it’s good for: I have incredibly dry skin and the Drunk Elephant Baby Facial followed by Drunk Elephant Marula oil is my Holy Grail. I do this mask twice a week: Wednesday and Sunday. I’ve tried a million products and this stuff is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God/Sephora!

Why she loves it: It really does give me the softest, most radiant glow. I love the way it makes my skin look and feel so much that I haven’t even been wearing foundation lately.

Recommended by: Emily, Visual Manager

How she found out about the mask and what it’s good for: I was in Sephora one day, specifically seeking a mask that I could physically peel off. I struggle with acne, blackheads and oily skin (a fantastic combo), so I wanted that satisfaction of peeling it all away. The sales associate recommended this product to me.

Why she loves it: I haven’t been able to find many masks (charcoal specifically) with a satisfactory peel. This one always seems to do the trick! I use it once a month.

Recommended by: Matt, Head of Operations

How he found out about the mask and what it’s good for: I have combination skin, which tends to fluctuate between oily and dry (and double fun: at different times, in different areas). This mask has done wonders in minimizing the appearance of my pores and evening out my skin in general. I use it once per week (as part of my Sunday night routine — one of my favorite parts of the night, second only to Seamless) and I love that you can actually feel it working. There’s something very satisfying about the feeling of mud drying on your face and the subsequent invigoration of washing it off.

Why he loves it: It makes me feel ready to face (get it?) the week ahead and makes my face feel so fresh and so clean, clean.

Recommended by: Leandra, Founder

How she found out about the mask and what it’s good for: I have only had three facials in my life and the feedback at each one has been singular: “Damn girl, your skin is dehydrated as fuq.” Recently, I was recommended Dr. Sturm’s face mask as a way to hydrate my face and initially, I was dubious because I hate masks (they are messy, require that you set aside ~20 minutes at night to do nothing but let your face be covered by what at first feels like goop and then turns to, essentially, chalk, and don’t get me started on the wash-off process), but when I took this one off, I felt like Venus (the Gillette razor, not the mythological goddess).

Why she loves it: Remember what I was saying about not getting me started about the wash-off process with face masks? This one doesn’t have to be washed off! After about 30 minutes, all you have to do is peel it off then sink your cheek into your pillow. I do it twice a week. The one thing I’ll say is that it’s really stupid expensive.

Recommended by: Ashley, Social Media Editor

How she found out about the mask and what it’s good for: I feel like I’ve seen this mask pop up in recommendations and stories for ages now and it has a ton of Amazon reviews. When I was walking past a Ricky’s and saw it in the window, I decided to just pop in and grab a tank of it (it comes in large quantities). It’s a great overall cleansing mask and I love using it on Sundays to round out my week.

Why she loves it: I’ve always bounced around different masks and had yet to find one that I use consistently, until this one. You can truly feel it working; your face gets all stiff like you’re a statue and so not only are you cleaning your skin, but you can take tons of gross clumpy-faced selfies and send them to your friends.

Recommended by: Harling, Fashion Editor

How she found out about the mask and what it’s good for: I received a free sample of this mask, which is how I first got my hands on it. I was already a fan of the brand Consonant beforehand, so I had very high expectations and was not disappointed. I have sensitive, redness-prone skin, and this mask simultaneously hydrates and (ever-so-gently) exfoliates, leaving behind baby-soft smoothness and a subtle glow. I usually avoid clay masks because I’ve often found them to be harsh, but this one is the opposite. I apply it once a week, and my skin is always so happy afterward. I use it for spot treatments sometimes, too.

Why she loves it: I’m really picky about skincare products because my skin is so sensitive but I also like to see RESULTS, which is why this mask has earned a permanent place in my arsenal. It’s gentle and effective at the same time.

Recommended by: Nora Taylor, Managing Editor

How she found out about the mask and what it’s good for: I’ve been using a free sample of this and will be re-upping once it’s all gone. I have sensitive and oily skin. This is great for calming my skin when I feel a breakout coming on.

Why she loves it: I recently switched from treating my skin like it is acne-prone to treating it like it is sensitive and WOW has it made a difference. I’ve read that both Manuka honey and turmeric are good for calming skin and fighting off blemishes, so when I saw this mask I snatched it and it did not disappoint. I used it after a bachelorette weekend where I fully deserved to have my skin freak out on me and this mask helped it keep its cool. Now I use it once a week. It makes my skin feel soft and helps fight redness.

Recommended by: Madeline, Visual Assistant

How she found out about the mask and what it’s good for: My skin type is normal-to-oily and I always love a good charcoal mask to clean out my oily pores. I stumbled upon these cloud masks after seeing internet hype and now I use them once a week (on Wednesdays!) before bed.

Why she loves it: First of all, this mask BUBBLES like a CLOUD. It’s amazing. You can feel it soothing your skin as it cleanses. I feel like a lot of charcoal masks clean my skin but leave it stripped afterward — this one doesn’t!

Recommended by: Starling, Social Media and Editorial Assistant

How she found out about the mask and what it’s good for: My sister Rein, goddess of skincare, recommended these to me. They’re good for grossing yourself out; you see how much gunk is unknowingly in your nose pores, but in a pleasing way. I use them once a month.

Why she loves it: It makes my nose feel squeaky clean!

Recommended by: Amelia Diamond, Head of Creative

How she found out about the mask and what it’s good for: I received this mask (I think it’s considered a mask since you leave it on) as a sample last year. I have dry/sensitive acne-prone skin (the acne is more hormonal than “Oh shit, I slept in my makeup again”) so I almost never use face stuff that comes to the office. I stick to my dermatologist-prescribed routine and rarely stray, but this one got me. My skin was looking super dull last summer for a whole variety of reasons. I wanted to look “bright,” and this one had “bright” in the label (I generally do not advise using this as a decision-making strategy). I started applying the mask a week before a wedding and followed the instructions to use two to three nights in a row. It made my skin GLOW.

Why she loves it: I see immediate results. I put it on at night (it smells really good), fall asleep, and in the mornings, look appreciably more well-rested and taken care of and healthy. It’s very satisfying. Because this product is expensive — I plan to buy it when the sample runs out, but still, I want to conserve the sample I do have — I only use it a few days in a row before special events. This is not my every-Sunday-night-when-I’m-kinda-bored-and-stressed-oh-cool-I’ll-do-a-face-mask face mask. This is a last-minute cram session for my skin, essentially. Also, because I use a prescribed Retinol fairly regularly (and this has AHAs + Retinol in it), I definitely don’t want to combine both products and I don’t want to overdo frequency. Chemistry was never my strongest subject. Since I use this mask sparingly, it’s lasted me the year. I think I can probably use it through the summer at this rate.

Recommended by: Elizabeth Tamkin, Market Assistant and Office Coordinator

How she found out about the mask and what it’s good for: I found out about it through samples we received to the office. I technically have combination skin, but it’s also extremely sensitive and gets very, very dry (mostly in the winter, but all seasons). This face mask instantly hydrates (hence the name) and makes me feel less tight.

Why she loves it: I really wish I had a better way to describe the “after” than: my face feels like a baby’s bottom. I use it two to three times a week and typically leave it on for 15 minutes after I shower. It’s not a scary color and just washes right off. I feel soft for about 24 hours!

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Collages by Madeline Montoya.