#commercial cleansers

[elitessentialcleaning19]

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[akkivee]

i tried out the hypmic teas!!!!!! i’m not a reputable tea drinker, since my preferred method of making tea is to pour boiling water on my tea bag and let it stew in liquid flames for minutes i’m sure feels like hours for the bag (i like my tea strong, scalded leaves be damned lmao) but i prepared it according to the directions and tasted it for there so it should be true to flavour lol

so the instructions for brewing the tea were as follows: 1️⃣ prepare a cup of 150ml (~2/3c) hot water 2️⃣ let it cool a bit and add the tea bag 3️⃣ let it steep for 3-4 minutes!!! so what i did was boil water and after adding the amount to my tea cup, i let it cool for 4 minutes and then steeped the bag for 4 minutes (…..and some change for the photos LOL)

❤️☕️: bb had a strawberry rooibos tea!!!! the tea had a very overpowering scent the moment i took it out and that was basically my warning LOL i wound up sipping that tea first and almost immediately sipped mtc’s, except that strawberry flavour lingers fr, so i almost did mtc a disservice. what was really neat about the tea tho is that for every moment the tea lingered on the tongue, the flavour changed and became bolder!!!!! i assume that was the strawberry notes changing to the rooibos notes but it was sick to experience lol!!!!

💙☕️: mtc’s flavour was yokohama afternoon tea!!!! it was an english black tea blend essentially lol but the downside of this is that, since it’s a tea i drink regularly and therefore over brew for my preferred tastes, it tasted weak to me lol, but that’s not the tea’s fault. i think it needed the boiling water personally!!!!! other than that tho, it was a lovely blend 😃

💛☕️: posse had a caramel and chestnut tea!!!!! it was a black tea blend tho, so again, it felt a little weak to me in the beginning. i wound up taking multiple sips to try and discern where the caramel and chestnut was coming from but when i could, i found it was similar to the bb tea where the flavours shifted over time. i wasn’t nearly as powerful as bb’s but i think that was again bc it was a black tea and needed hotter water to brew in. i added about 1/2tbs of sugar to each of these cups after my initial sips (i also like sugar in my tea lol i think it enhances flavour) and felt the flavours jumped more after that addition!!

🩶☕️: mtr had a jasmine tea and i’m not gonna lie lmao!!!!! after drinking this tea, it made me realise i had never had a jasmine tea that wasn’t over brewed LOL and i presume it’s bc cafes over brew for additives, but the astringency in those jasmine teas has always been off putting, even as someone who prefers astringency in black tea. now tho lol!!!!! it’s such a pleasantly flavourful tea i’m sorry we do your tea dirty lol!!!!!! thank you mtr for always guiding us to the light and showing me the error of my ways LOL

🧡☕️: dh had an apricot black tea!!!! and similar to all the other black teas before it, it needed a longer brew time or initial hotter water lol. like it came out of the bag smelling very strong so i had high expectations but was let down initially. but i was sipping on this tea as i typed this out lol with the bag still in the cup and MAN it’s such a nice flavour, especially with that added sugar!!! hotter water and a 7 minute steeping would absolutely do this tea justice 👌

💜☕️: bat’s flavour was kyouhou grape iirc???? and it’s the tea i’ve had the most trepidation about trying lol since jp grape tastes like medicine to me. i did have the bat grape candy tho and it tasted closer to grape jolly rancher that the medicinal taste i remember so i came in with a bit more hope lol!!!!! the bag had a very strong scent (it overpowered dh’s actually and dh’s was strong lol) but it’s a black tea so the flavour wasn’t as strong as it could have been. maybe that was in its favour tho bc the grape taste still shone thru even tho it probably could’ve used better brewing conditions!!!! and sugar definitely complimented that!!!! i also sipped this tea as i typed this out and tbh, that medicinal flavour became more pronounced as time went on, and it lingers lol, so i’d actually brew this as intended lol, maybe a bit longer to hit a stronger grape sweet spot

my favourite of the bunch just might be bb!!!!!

[seireiteihellbutterfly]

Bleach Headcanons: Skincare

Who’s the skincare expert and who uses just soap and water?

Jushiro Ukitake:

He doesn’t believe in flashy skincare, thinking it needs to be convenient, gentle and affordable. Think of brands like Cerave, Cetaphil, and La Roche Posay. He’ll probably have a trusted cleanser he’s been using for years (centuries?), a reliable serum, maybe retinoid based (gotta use something anti-aging at this stage) and a good, hydrating moisturizer (illness makes his skin dry and he hates looking that way). 

Byakuya Kuchiki:

Can and will only buy the best of the best. A skincare snob. Even if there’s an amazing drugstore brand, he refuses to use it. SK II, Tatcha, and La Mer are all you’ll find in his bathroom cabinet. Of course he follows the 7 step Korean skincare routine. Cleanse twice, toner, essence, serum, moisturizer eye cream. Adds a sunscreen if he plans on going out. He will not compromise his routine for anything, so be prepared to wait for him as he goes through this process everyday, twice.

Renji Abarai:

He’ll pretend like he doesn’t do any skincare but he has his little stash of items he uses for self-indulgence. He enjoys wearing face masks (thanks to Rukia), which he applies after using a cleanser that’s trending, like from Tula or Drunk Elephant. The man somehow has balanced skin so he’ll use an everyday moisturizer like the Clinique Moisture Surge. 

Kensei Muguruma:

He uses his body wash as face wash, and whatever body moisturizer he has on hand he uses on his face too. What’s the point after all? It’s skin. As long as it’s clean and not cracking, there isn’t a problem. 

Mayuri Kurotsuchi:

He creates his own skincare but it’s kind of questionable. He claims his skin can tolerate quite a lot, so his skincare always has heavy amounts of acids in it; glycolic acid, salicylic acid, ascorbic acid. Top this off with a heavy dosage retinol. Does it work? We may never know from all the makeup he uses on his face. At least he removes all of it before sleeping (?). 

Kisuke Urahara:

He also makes his own concoctions, but in a much less dramatic way than Mayuri. Grows his own ingredients, like oranges for vitamin C, mint for salicylic acid, and carrots for retinol. Think of his products like a  clean, organic skincare line that he wouldn’t sell to anyone unless he’s happy with it himself. He rarely buys commercially available products but the one thing he will spend his money on is sheet masks, they’re convenient and he honestly finds them tedious to make on his own.

Shinji Hirako:

He may not show it, but this man is very self conscious about his appearance. He has a mix of both popular and indie skin care brands. Think Belif, Youth to the People and Drunk Elephant. He probably regularly cleanses and uses a moisturizer, maybe something with vitamin C in it, since he can’t have people seeing the dark circles under his eyes.

Ichigo Kurosaki:

Essence? Toner? Serums? Isn’t a cleanser just soap? Give him some bar soap and a CeraVe moisturizer. He doesn’t have time to figure this shit out. There’s people that need to be saved and stuff. 

Rose Otoribashi:

Yes, he knows the difference between a toner and an essence. He also thinks essences are a gimmick. Give him a balancing cleanser for his oily skin, and a toner with some salicylic acid in it to further help the oil. Add a vitamin C serum and a lightweight moisturizer and he’s ready to rock. 

[sidewalkchemistry]

simple skincare tips!

🌼eat the foods that love you back. your skin is a direct mirror of your internal situation. if your digestive system is being bombarded often by foods that create a lot of wastes and residues, that does more harm than good. and so, the struggle to eliminate them will be reflected in your skin. your diet constitutes the vast majority of your skin health. change your meals to be whole food plant based (still delicious, satisfying, and exciting) & watch your skin glow and your skincare routine simplify.

🌼be conscious of what's going on your skin. the skin layers can be over-cleansed, imbalanced, and aggravated when the skin microbiome and pH are disrupted. if you wipe out the beneficial bacterial populations with harshly formulated products, you may find that you break out (i.e. harmful bacterial populations begin to thrive). use gentle, simple skin formulas such as castile soaps, natural oils & butters (i recommend jojoba oil for mostly everyone), natural soap bars, and clays. most commercial skin care products disturb the skin cells (introduce too much foreign material to the body, unsuitable pH ranges, imbalance the microbiome, etc). they sell because it's convention to buy them, the brands are well-known, and their sales pitches are enticing. but really, no cream or serum will ever be the magic potion your skin was asking for. it will only be a band-aid, at best. truly healthy skin comes from diet, and the products are just for any other necessary maintenance. if you get a pimple, you should look first to why the pimple emerged, not what treatment will remove it.

🌼keep your lymph flowing. simple ways to do this are through good lifestyle habits. things like doing exercise & sports you find fun, breathwork, dry brushing, eating lots of fruit, avoiding wearing bras & other tight clothing items, lymphatic massage/gua sha can all be helpful.

🌼focus on hydration via fresh fruits and veggies. the water within plant foods is more useable to your cells, and your skin will cease being overly oily or dry overtime (especially if you reduce/eliminate your salt & oil intake). it will also help to encourage lymphatic flow, so you can see problems like blemishes, cellulite, old scars diminish after great consistency.

🌼allow your skin to breathe. this is especially good if you spend time in stuffy (poorly ventilated) indoor environments, like offices, hospitals, planes, etc. one great way is via herbal facial steaming (i recommend it 3x a week or so). make a hot infusion of an aromatic tea, cover it and allow it to cool a few minutes, and, with closed eyes, allow the pores to open and receive the herbal medicine (this is a great time to meditate, manifest, and just feel pampered). getting more fresh air, working up a sweat, and going to a sauna are also ways to allow your skin to breathe.

🌼avoid steroid prescriptions creams at all costs. they are very deleterious to health in the long term, and they can be very painful to come off of. it's not a real fix. it's not worth hurting your kidneys & adrenals for. evaluate your diet instead. do you eat dairy? choose plant-based dairy options instead (they're simple to make yourself too). do you eat a lot of fats? try oil-free cooking methods instead (opt for sautéing with a bit of water, baking, steaming, air frying, etc). avoiding eating out as much.

🌼be aware of what you're putting in your hair as well. your shampoos, conditioner, leave-ins, gels, moisturizers, oils, serums, etc all tend to touch your face too, when your hair touches your face. if they wouldn't be good enough to put on your face, don't put them in your hair. a lot of the best skin cleansers are also suitable as shampoos. a lot of oils and butters can be used for both. plant-based gels like aloe vera or flax seed are simple to DIY, and are dual-use once again. basically, this will simplify your life.

🌼understand the water that runs through your pipes. if your shower and tap water are like most people's around the world, they aren't optimal for our skin. for example, they contain added chemicals to sanitize the water but that can prevent the proper microbiomes from developing on your skin. a weak skin microbiome is prone to skin issues. so, try to use distilled water on your face (if you're not able to get a water filter, a gallon jug at a store is affordable. they're about $1.30 USD in my area).

[chaifootsteps]

taking a commercial break from predicting what the next episode will be like, what do you think the fandom's reaction will be?

I'm thinking it'll be another split like The Circus, a basic split between people who love the episode and have basically loved all of HB and Stol/tz so far, people who like it but are using headcanons to fix all the issues everyone else points out & believe the One Great Episode is coming that will fix all the problems with the series now and people who hate it, jumping ship from this episode the way a lot of fans did during season 2

(I'm pretty sure there will be critical vids made about it by youtubers still brave enough to touch HB, though Hezu said she was saving her thoughts to review the whole of season 2 and Arteice covered the victim blaming already, so this episode might have to be extraordinarily bad for them to cover it early. The Diregentlemen backed off from the HB fandom but I'm hopeful they might come back for this - their autopsies of s2 were a real palette cleanser after seeing how the lack of discernmen from the fanbase sometimes)

I think the latter camp is only going to get larger, tbh - the next two episodes look like they're basically a fandom acid test for 'How much Stolas apologia are you willing to watch to keep calling yourself a fan?'

I'd be curious to see how the next ep is received, but tbh I think the chance is very high that Viv's writing just aims more and more towards pleasing the Stol/tz and Stolas stans who love the soppy, ill plotted melodrama

They're going to blame Blitz, to coddle Stolas, and to do everything in their power to harass anyone who criticizes it into silence. Same program as usual.

[harvestmoss]

☀️🌷 Florida Water

I see a lot of witches, more so the new ones, get confused as to what Florida Water is and if it's water from the beaches of the state, Florida. I can assure you, you do not have to travel all the way to Florida and fight crocodiles to get some water.

What is Florida Water?

Florida Water came into the world in the start of the 19th century as a cologne for both women and men. It was a highly popular cologne in the late 19th century for it's rich and strong smell. It has a light flora scent with citrus overtones.

It became synonymes with spirituality when African-Americans in the Hoodoo sphere used it as a powerful spiritual cleanser, and because of it's pleasant smell, was also associated with appeasing the dead.

Generally, Florida Water is a spiritual cleanser, protective agent, and draws in luck, fantastic energy, and happiness.

Why is it called Florida Water?

Well, the word "Florida" is actually a Spanish word. Which roughly translates* to "Flower" or "Abundance of flowers" or "Flowery". Another way of saying Florida Water, in Spanish, is "Agua de flores".

How Do you make Florida Water?

Florida Water is still sold commercially with it's original formula from the 19th century, however, you can still make your own Florida Water at home. Recipes often change but have similar overlaps. Here's some ingredients to consider when making it, there's no need to use all of them, but it's always good to use most.

Citrus fruits -- Lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime.

Herbs and Flowers -- Rose, lavender, rosemary, mint, calendula, sage, thyme, jasmine, bergamot, violet, chamomile, basil. lemon balm, eucalyptus.

Spices -- Cloves, cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, anise.

An alcohol like Vodka** and distilled water.

Place ingredients into a large jar with a tight lid. Fill it half with vodka and then half with distilled water. Let it sit in a dark place, shaking it often, for at least 2 weeks to up to a month (you could make it during the new moon and complete it during the full moon). Then strain it using a sive and cloth and place into an airtight bottle.

The mixture should last you 6 months, keep out of direct sunlight, it's a good idea to write down when you made it and what ingredients it contains on a piece of paper and stick it to bottom of the bottle.

You may add essential oils to it as well or only use essential oils of the ingredients. You may also use fresh or dried ingredients. I prefer fresh. I also recommend using organic, so make sure your roses are not sprayed with pesticides and such.

Where do I use it?

Cleansing a space, yourself as a bodyspray, in rituals, to cleanse objects and charge them, offerings, warding off bad luck, to a bath, to be rid of bugs, your laundry, floor wash, to shine your iron tools, etc. Get creative!

(* Please note, Spanish is not my native language nor a language I study, takes these translations with a grain of salt.)

(** You may use grain alcohol as well, but do not use common household alcohol.)

My personal mix includes lemon, orange, lime, rose petals, mint leaves, rosemary, lavender, thyme, cinnamon sticks, garden sage, and mugwort. As well as vodka and distilled water.

[red-pill-to-swallow]

How to skin

Hey babes,

today I want to talk about skin. Our skin – especially the skin in our face – is one of the first things that we recognize in another person.

This is the reason why it is so important to have clean and vibrant looking skin. Your skin color doesn’t matter as long as it is healthy looking and free of pimples.

Clear skin is a universal sign for good health and it can elevate the look of a person completely.

Us humans tend to find other people more attractive if they have good skin – it’s something in our genes.

Personally, I’m blessed with good skin – I never had acne as a teenager, only some lonely pimples right before my period would start.

However, when my gynecologist put me on the pill when I was around 19 years old I suddenly developed acne and it was horrible. That’s when I started to take my skincare very serious and made a ton of research that I want to share with you.

Disclaimer: I am not a dermatologist. Those are simply my experiences and what I’ve learned over the years.

Why do we even get pimples?

A very short summary: we get pimples, because sebum is clogging our pores and bacteria starts to grow in the pore which makes it inflamed.

Is it my fault that I get pimples? Am I not clean enough?

Yes and no.

Yes – there might be people who are experiencing acne just because they don’t cleanse their face good enough. However that’s something that happens very rarely.

Most people with acne wash and clean their face more often and more thoroughly than the average person.

If you experience heavy acne, don’t try to treat it at home. Instead, seek out a dermatologist to see if the acne is fungal.

I would also recommend getting blood-work done to see if the acne is hormonal.

If you never had acne and suddenly get pimples all over your face it could also be because of your birth control, especially if your birth control is hormonal.

Like I said before, I suddenly developed acne after my gynecologist put me on the pill. The reason for that was that the pill had gestagen in it which is similar to progesterone.

Progesterone is basically stimulating the skin to produce more oils and sebum – pores get clogged more easily and pimples form.

Diet also plays a big part in acne. Personally, I don’t see a difference if I leave out dairy or gluten but some people almost see an immediate effect.

I wouldn’t recommend just stopping consuming gluten and dairy one day, please speak to your doctor beforehand.

Instead, try to limit your sugar and fat intake first before you start to take drastic actions.

My acne is neither hormonal nor fungal, what can I do?

Having a healthy skin-barrier is the key to having clean and vibrant looking skin!

Most of us fell victim to Clearasil and other harsh drugstore products in our youth. I remember slathering my face with a 3 in 1 face wash, face mask and peeling once and my skin was red for days. At that time I didn’t know that the products were simply way to harsh for the skin on my face and wondered why it didn’t work as good as in the commercials.

If you’re just starting out with your skincare journey, here are a few tips that you should consider when you pick out products and a routine:

- a healthy skin-barrier should be your first priority. Everything else can be addressed later on.

- all the products for your face should be fragrance free or contain very little fragrance.

- stick to your routine for at least one month before changing it

- introduce new products one after one and take your time to do so

How does a good basic skincare routine look like?

You don’t need thousands of products in the beginning, keep it simple and gentle.

A good routine could look like this:

am

Step 1: use a gentle cleanser to wash your face in the morning. Nothing too heavy. I like to use a foam cleanser for this.

Step 2: use a hydrating toner and apply it with your hands, so you get the most out of your product.

Step 3: while your face is still damp with the toner, apply a hyaluronic acid serum. Never put hyaluronic acid on dry skin, it won’t do anything.

Step 4: wait for the hyaluronic acid to sink into your skin and apply a hydrating face cream all over your face. Do this even if your skin is oily – it still needs moisture.

Step 5: apply sunscreen all over your face and neck. Sunscreen is essential, especially if you use exfoliants.

pm

Step 1: use a cleansing oil or cleansing balm in the evening. This is to remove your makeup and sunscreen from your face.

Step 2: use a gel cleanser and massage your skin for at least one minute. It’s important that you cleanse every small part of your face. Especially tricky is the skin around your nostrils and on your chin.

Step 3: again, use a hydrating toner and apply it with your hands.

Step 4: apply a thick face cream all over your face, best is something with panthenol.

What are the things that I should avoid?

- touching your face with dirty hands. Always wash your hands before you cleanse in the morning and in the evening. Avoid touching your face with your hands during the day.

- stop picking at pimples. I know – it’s frustrating, but the more you pick on your spots, the more inflamed they get. There also is a danger of you spreading around all that bacteria with your hands and possibly getting scars.

- Never ever use physical exfoliators in the face. They damage your skin with micro cuts that you can’t see with your eyes and damage more than they help. Always look for chemical exfoliators!

See you soon!

[arminizewithme]

✨️🧡 orange dress post! 🧡✨️

I needed a sewing palate cleanser after working on several cosplays simultaneously for a long time. So I made this cute orange dress! I had picked up this fabric, a cool iridescent orange-yellow taffeta, a while ago but didn't really have a use in mind. So I decided it was time to use it. I bought some lining for this project, but the rest of the notions & the pattern were from my stash.

I'm really happy with how it came out! The zipper install is really neat and the shoulder seam/strap came out really crisp. There's a little bit of gapping at the neckline but I'm ok with that- I didn't want to deconstruct this commercial pattern too much.

Lmk if you have any questions!

[justsome-di]

I saw lip masks and eyeshadow palettes in the toy section the other day while looking for Christmas gifts for my honorary niece and nephew

And it's a little hard to place my outrage because "play makeup has always existed." Yes, me, it has. But this Bratz eyeshadow palette with an actual color scheme for a smoky eye is a lot different than the tub of glitter and basically crayon lipstick I got when I was 7.

And then "a lip mask literally just hydrates your lips. You want kids to have dry lips in winter?" If kids' lips get that dry, then yes they should be treated. But to put it in the toy aisle? For kids to grab and show to their parents? imo that should be something you find in body care with all the other kid-safe moisturizers and cleansers.

I think we're really fucking up kids right now. Seeing 9-year-olds ask for Stanley cups and Drunk Elephant from Santa--we need to get the kids off social media so they aren't getting tricked into buying into online trends.

It's no longer kids seeing toy commercials on TV and begging their parents for whatever action figure or game. It's now kids scrolling through social media, not knowing they're watching an ad, and begging their parents for expensive skincare that they don't need or makeup they shouldn't be using.

[dalliansss]

lol please this one my fren

of all the idiots in the world, i'm stuck with you.

I could see popstar au or bitm au

&. 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐬 (𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬?) 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.

Mairon Aulëndil cannot believe this is happening.

The one time he and his sugar baby boyfriend took a commercial flight, first class, because the private jet wasn't available for repairs, and they get beset by disaster of epic proportions. He stands there, by the airport, growing red all the way to his ears, arms crossed, and he is tapping his shoe tak -tak -tak, louder and louder, as he waits and waits (he despises waiting. Has despised waiting, unless it will bring him billions in profit that will enable him to buy another island, auction-buy more artwork, buy more jewelry, buy Finrod jewelry and bags and property and cars).

But what is the problem?

The problem is that his precious, his sugarbaby boyfriend, his gorgeous blonde of a pretty thing, Finrod Felagund, has been held up by security. For what reason? He doesn't damn well know. First, Mairon was going through security no problem, Finrod closely at his heels with his cabin-luggage, and then something beeped, and then the security were all over Finrod, and Finrod was now sitting on the floor opening his luggage and unpacking every damn--

Mairon feels the vein throbbing somewhere by his left temple growing by the minute. Will the aneurysm develop right then and there and explode? Maybe they'll find out.

Security has apparently taken issue with many of Finrod's electric things. For one, his high-tech toothbrush. Even his toothbrush is expensive, that iO10 thing from B-oral that had a built-in color display, timer and a sensor magnetic charging stand that amused Finrod to no end because it made sure he brushed his teeth for the dentist-recommended two minutes.

Security has also flagged down his Oreo Eye Massager, and his Oreo Facial Cleaning Tool that Finrod swears works like magic and loves using it with that La Mer cleanser that Mairon always buys for him. He can't take those, security is saying. He should've put them in his check-in luggage, blah blah blah. Also now he can't take his ridiculous amounts of La Mer cosmetics and skin care products, that is just beyond the allowable limits, you should've taken it into your checked in baggage, so sorry Mister Felagund, my daughter is a fan of your music but security is serious business, you know--

Mairon's patience snaps. This is why he despises flying commercial. He steps forward, snarl on his beautiful face.

"Get off him!" He snarls toward one of the security trying to get the toiletry bag Finrod is hugging to his chest. "Don't touch him or I'll make sure you will lose your job!"

Finrod turns to him with those hard-to-refuse-beautiful-blue eyes, his lower lip quivering pathetically, but Mairon grabs the toiletry bag from his hand and throws it on the floor, scattering the jars of cream and eye serum and whatnot-- and he grabs the high-tech toothbrush too and the Oreo face tools, throwing them at the security staff.

Then Mairon grabs Finrod by the hands and pulls him by his feet. "If we can't bring them then take them, eat them, and shove them up your--!"

He herds Finrod with him, keeping an arm around his sweetheart's waist. Finrod is already crying pathetically into a kerchief.

"Hush," Mairon half-snarls. "I'll buy you new ones when we get back to Korea. Hush, I said. It doesn't matter. Come on. I'll buy the company that makes La Mer if it pleases you. Hush now, precious. Hush."

Long story short, they manage to board their flight, and are soon settled in their first class accommodations. Finrod is hugging into his side, still sniffling a little. Mairon pets his golden blond hair.

"This is why I keep telling you not to overpack things," Mairon says. "You will get harassed everytime. You see?! You don't listen to me! Fuck's sake. You can always buy stuff you need when you get to where you're going. Stop now. Stop crying. You'll puff up your nose and you'll look like a stupid tomato. Of all the idiots in the world, I'm stuck with you. Hush. Hush."

Finrod takes one last big sniffle and quiets down. "But you gave me all those as gifts. Of course I'll take them with me. I just..."

Mairon could roll his eyes to the next planet. How he despises this about Finrod, yet also loves it all the same. He kisses his sugarbaby boyfriend's swollen eyelids.

"Quiet down. Look, let's just watch Lord of the Rings, all the extended editions, ok? Go check the food menu and order their chocolate cake. Stop crying. You'll ruin your pretty face. Stop it. I love you. It doesn't matter. I'll buy you more and I'll buy you the entirety of La Mer too. Hush now, my darling."

Mairon fumbles for the remote and selects the first movie they'll watch: The Hobbit, an Unexpected Adventure, extended edition. Finrod stops sniffling completely as the opening credits begin.

@skaelds

[madiwadikinz]

SKINCARE MASTERLIST

HITS

drugstore

la roche posay

micellar water

neutrogena face wipes (should NOT be your only cleanser)

cetaphil

cerave

ELF (BUT ONLY the lip balms/scrubs/masks)

aveeno (iffy, but she’s cute)

byoma is OKAY, but packaging gives childish/overcompensating

a gua sha is key

affordable

inkey

the ordinary

french pharmacy

RHODE by hailey bieber

saltair lip balm

TULA (really only things i have used myself were the lil stick balms for ur face,,, they were GREAT)

SNAIL MUCIN!!!! (don’t knock it b4 u try it!!!)

OMG KOSAS!!!!! YES

DRMTLGY

peach & lily

luxury

drunken elephant

elemis

fenty beauty

r.e.m. beauty (most of the makeup is genuinely garbage cuz miss grande is on meth & dating spongebob BUT her skin card does NOT decline REGARDLESS 💜)

LANIEGE LIP PRODUCTS ARE GOD

summer fridays lip balm 🤪

ILIA IS INCREDIBLE

RED LIGHT THERAPY MASK!!!! when i say this, i mean the mask that covers all of ur face bc red light therapy is ineffective unless it is on your face for a prolonged period of time

MISSES

drugstore

ANY MICROBEAD OR WALNUT SCRUBS/FACE WASHES DO NOT BE DOING THAT

neutrogena face cleanser (YUCK)

honestly anything neutrogena besides the damn makeup wipes

OLAY more like oNAUR

No7!!! (number 7) too expensive to be in the drug store & too inneffective for pricepoint

PACIFICA OMG NOOOO

PIXI!!!! this brand surfaced when i was in MIDDLE SCHOOL & i was obsessed… notice how i said middle school bc it actually sucks donkey ASS

affordable

medicube: gimmicky; anyone u’ve ever seen speak positive words is getting paid by tiktok shop creator fund 🤪

pretty much any television commercial advertised acne brand… they will fuk ur shit up frrrrrrr

PROACTIV cuz NAURRR

OMG YALL IM SO SERIOUS DO NOTTTTT BUY MARIO BADESCU

truly beauty 🫣😣

tower 28 👎👎👎

luxury

la mer: WAYYYY TOO EXPENSIVE

glow recipe: gimmicky; for children

glamglow: fell off GOD KNOWS how long ago but history repeats itself

farmacy (specifically the halo cream that the tiktok shop creator tab is paying people to promote on a commission basis)

murad (was relevant too long ago & rightfully fell off)

OGEE: ‘skincare makeup’ fluke ahhh brand; if u like feeling like a tube of grease that is also solid is ur makeup be my guest (NOTE: some ogee products aren’t terrible but overall not worth pricepoint considering their makeup SUCKS)

kylie skin: ur telling me a billionaire made a walnut scrub… i’m sick

call me controversial,,, but the SUNDAY RILEY alien ceo oil or whatever u wanna call it smelled so fucking bad that i could hardly apply it

CLINIQUEEEEE nope

estee lauder 🫣🫣🫣

controversial, but MEDICUBE DEVICE IS A NO

[goblininawig]

Red Dwarfcember: Presents

Summary: Lister scavenges gifts for his crewmates.

Prompt: Presents

Rating: T (no warnings)

Words: 1,239

A03 link or keep reading below.

Lister wanders through the refuse of ghosts long gone, scavenging another derelict vessel. This one, though, stands out from most he’s seen. Usually space vessels had seen commercial use of some sort, but this one was a billionaire’s private pleasure vessel. 

Unfortunately, he and his many companions seemed to prefer silk, so all of the beddings and clothing had fallen apart over time. The once-fresh food, neither canned nor irradiated, had long since rotted, even what had been in refrigeration units. There were no large stockpiles of supplies, either mechanical or medical. 

It seems that there isn’t actually much of anything worth salvaging. But Lister is going through all the rooms and storage spaces just once more. In case he missed something worthwhile. He doesn’t want to go back empty handed, especially since Rimmer and Holly’d already told him it was a waste of time. 

In the expansive kitchen, he paws through the objects beneath the sink. He’d ignored most of them before, after seeing that none of it was edible. But now, he looks more carefully, and selects a few likely-looking cleaning products and an unopened packet of sponges. He shoves them all in a duffel, and moves on.

In the master bedroom, he steps into the spacious closet, and sorts through the scraps of clothes, plucking ornate buttons off their rotting threads, and shoving them in his pockets. By the time he’s gone through all the piles, he’s got enough that they clink against each other as he walks.

At the back of the closet, he stands, swinging the duffel up on his shoulder. It hits the wall panel, knocking it loose. Curious, Lister peers into the dimly lit space. It seems to be a secret compartment. Putting his duffel back down, he pries the loose panel away. Lister kneels, and peers at the object inside what appears to be a hermetically sealed plexiglass display box.

“Oh, no smeggin’ way!” he exclaims to himself. 

Sat inside the box, on a plush crimson pillow, is a bicorne black beaver felt hat. A faded red, white, and blue cockade is affixed to the top right. It’s Napoleon Bonaparte’s hat. Right there for the taking. So take it, he does.

Back on Red Dwarf, Lister finds Kryten in the Drive Room. “Hey there, Krytes. Found ya somethin’.”

He unzips the duffel and pours out the cleaning products. They fall in a heap on the carpet. Lister drops the bag and scoops the bottles and packet of sponges up in his arms. Clumsily, he passes them over to Kryten. The mechanoid’s lipless mouth turned up into a smile.

“Oh, Mr. Lister, sir! I haven’t seen this brand of cleanser since I was on the Nova 5. This does bring back memories. Oh, thank you, sir!”

“No prob, Kryters,” Lister grins. “Enjoy.”

He leaves the duffel on the floor for Kryten to pick up, and returns to the trolley he left in the corridor. Lister pushes the trolley with the hermetically sealed box to the service lift. 

On the way, he spots the Cat, curled up on top of a vending machine, napping. He pulls the handfuls of buttons from his pockets and leaves them in a heap beside the Cat, for him to find when he wakes. Then he keeps on towards the lift.

Lister stops the trolley outside his sleeping quarters and enters to find Rimmer sat at the table with a magazine in front of him, a skutter beside him.

“No, no, no, you moronic mess of metal! Turn the other page! I’ve already read this one.”

Rimmer’s nostrils flare as the skutter makes a rude gesture with his clawed head. He kicks at it in frustration, but his projection, of course, phases right through the skutter, who takes this as its exit cue.

“Sorry to interrupt your fascinating day, Arnie,” Lister smirks, drawing Rimmer’s glare to him. He holds up his hands, placatingly, “I got something to show ya from that ship.”

“Why did you even bother, Listy?” Rimmer tuts, standing and striding closer. “The scans showed there wasn’t a smegging thing worth salvaging.”

“Yeah, well, it wouldn’t be the first time Holly made a mistake, would it?” Lister returns cheerfully. “C’mon, this might make up for your toy soldiers.”

“I hardly think bringing that up will put you on my good side, squire…. Oh, my god,” Rimmer stops just outside the bunkroom, eyes locked on the tricorn hat in its case. “You didn’t – that couldn’t be – it isn’t –”

“Napoleon’s hat, yeah,” Lister taps the small museum-like information card affixed to the front of the case, which identifies the hat’s original owner, and dates the relic to 1815. 

Rimmer takes a knee. He shoves his fist into his mouth to muffle a whine of overwhelming fanboy glee. Then he gets up, jogs down to the end of the corridor and back again. He stops in front of the trolley, trembling with excitement. He phases one hand through the case, and mimics touching the black beaver felt. “I’m touching Napoleon’s tricorne!” he whispered. 

Lister rolls his eyes but doesn’t argue. The poor smegger hasn’t been this excited since he mistook a garbage pod for an alien vessel.

Lister is starting to regret giving Rimmer the stupid hat. He’s become obsessed. He whined and fussed until Holly gave him the white and blue uniform worn to command the Grande Armée, complete with knee-high boots, golden epaulets and white waistcoat. He won’t let anyone else use the cinema, insisting that he’s got weeks worth of Napoleonic War documentaries to binge. And now, he’s found the git trying to actually put the thing on.

Of course, there’s no way for Rimmer to wear it, but he’s got four skutters holding the case above the chair he’s sat in. When they hold it steady, it looks, for a moment, as if the hat is actually on Rimmer’s head…above a pillow, surrounded by a large case, and likely not the grand effect the hologram had been hoping for.

“Hold it steady, you worthless mechanicals,” Rimmer snips, adjusting his white sash. “It was working there for a moment.

Lister draws a hand down his face. “Rimmer, this is low, even for you. You’re being ridiculous. It’s just a hat.”

Rimmer makes eye contact with him in the mirror. “I’ll have you know, miladdo –” he begins.

But then he stops, as one of the skutters loses hold of the case, causing it to swing wildly through Rimmer’s projection. Everything seems to move in slow-motion, but even still, Lister can’t get to the case before it crashes to the metal deck, breaking off a large corner. He watches, horrified, as the hermetic seal breaks, the felt is exposed to air for the first time in millions of years, and it disintegrates. Rimmer staggers to his feet. There’s a moment of utter silence, and then Rimmer starts to scream.

“You utterly smegging worthless skutters!” he hollers, face turning red. “I’ll see you all disassembled for this! You’ll be used for parts! You’ll never work on this ship again!”

Taking advantage of his frothing tirade, the skutters head for the door. Rimmer growls and rushes after them.

Left alone with the remains of the hat and case, Lister kicks it out of his way, and shrugs. “At least he  can’t blame this one on me.” He climbs up into his bunk, and settles in for a nice, quiet smoke.

[craacked-splatters]

FUN FACT!!

Did you know that commercially made icecream🍨 (aka most brands in stores & or served at restaurants) most likely contains a nontoxic antifreeze called propylene glycol? It is supposed to help preserve it and also keep it smooth without any ice crystals forming.

Most homemade or naturally made ice creams turn rockhard after u stick it in a freezer for a while, these suckers stay softer in comparison to them for "customer's satisfaction✨"

Propylene glycol is NOT listed in the ingredient labels or anywhere else and its all thanks to this USDA regulation. It covers all incidental food additive labelling which this ingredient happens 2 falls under, giving any and all manufacturers the chance to like not say anything about it in their products.

Guess what else?

It's not only used in ice cream.

It's also found in other foods (such as dairy products, soft drinks, teas, desserts, alcohol,etc), cosmetics(makeup, lipgloss,facial cleansers, etc) skin & hair care(such as lotions & conditioners) and pharmaceuticals(medicine)

There's a shitton of other things it's also used in that I didn't bother to type here(I'd be here all day & I only have a 5 min break im at work) and even if I did it still wouldn't cover all the other stuff that contains it that we don't know of bcuz it's not ever mentioned or labeled at all

Which i think is evil, bcuz there r ppl who are highly sensitive to it especially ppl who have vulvodynia or interstitial cystitis. This chemical has been known to cause skin problems, asthma, and cause depressive effects on the central nervous system, hypoglycemia, increased risk of seizures & heart attacks, low blood pressure, etc etc

I don't know the amount used for each product (hopefully it's small dosage) but it's hard to avoid propylene glycol when ur exposed to it like this at all times.

I'm not a scientist obviously I won't pretend to act like I know everything on this, and I didn't sit down for hours at 3am searching about this like I usually would, but personally I think they should add this thing and any other ingredients not commonly known to the avg person to the labels or mention somewhere on it.

Treat all these weird ingredients the same way one would with ppl with nut allergies yk? I think it'd help narrow down the exposure to the affected ppl at least.

Anyways yeah 👍 that's my fun fact

[elizatronicwarfare]

listen it's like day three of Witch From Mercury brain poisioning and i am still not over it so I'm gonna go over why I think this gundam series specifically is a big deal.

1. THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

obviously the most prominent feature of this series is the female protagonist, and the precisely-delivered normalisation of queerness in this gundam timeline. lots of people have already said lots of words about it, so we'll yadda yadda here.

2. WAR NEVER CHANGES

Gundam, as has been pointed out again and again, is a very politically-charged anime franchise. The original was a critique of imperialist japan dressed up as a critique of nazi germany, and pulled no punches when it depicted war as a horrific and brutal practice. Subsequent seasons have been just as unflinching and not shyed away from showing human conflict as cruel, wasteful, and pointless. Yes, the robots ARE cool, but not when they are used as tools of brutal oppression and ethnic cleansing by a totalitarian state.

This is important to do, but it has gone on for so long that a sort of outrage fatigue has been engendered in Gundam viewers. The constant parade of warcrimes, state-sanctioned atrocities, and brutal murders of beloved characters have achieved meme status among fans, and people aren't taking the biting political commentary as seriously. People need a break, and it's my understanding that Build Divers was an attempt to provide that with harmless Angelic Layer-style fun (more on Build Divers later).

While Witch From Mercury's prologue has shown us that this series will not be shying away from the traditional depictions of war as an atrocity, it looks to be focusing on a more low-stakes school life plot that borrows elements and pacing from shoujo anime - especially with so many female cast members. There is definitely an over-arching anticapitalist aesop looming in the background, but the moment-to-moment action is mostly low stakes highschool drama about the new girl and her attempts to fit in (and why the Cool Robots are part of it). This is a refreshing change of pace for Gundam.

3. THE THREE MAGIC NUMBERS ON THE BACK OF YOUR PARENTS' CREDIT CARD

Back to Build Divers. The reason why Witch From Mercury is notable as a palate-cleanser over Build Divers (which as far as I know contains 100% less attempted shuttle bombings) is that it is not selling gunpla as aggressively.

Yes, I know. Gundam exists to sell the toys, and the robots look Like That because it's easier to make little plastic figurines for them. Merchandising is baked into this franchise at the deepest levels, regardless of how important the anti-war political commentary is, and there is no getting away from it. However! That does not stop Build Divers being a shamlessly naked cash grab that attempts to drum up demand for mass re-releases of older kits. Build Divers is literally about buying and playing with gunpla in a way that makes it clear to customers (including kids) that this is a pastime they should pick up in real life.

It's something other anime franchises like Beyblades and B-Daman have also done, yes, but in these other cases there was not already a large and established industry to provide complimentary marketing and worm their fingers into peoples' brains until their wallets opened. Build Divers was on the nose, and was uncomfortably close to being a 30-minute commercial for gunpla. Witch From Mercury's primary focus is back on the plot, the characters, and the storytelling, which makes it much more digestible if you are not ten years old.

TL;DR:

WFM gay, novel palate cleanser, less cringe than BD.

viewing is mandatory.

[liroyalty]

The Camellia Seasonal Events Masterpost

Summer - The Summer Solstice Faire

Also just called The Summer Faire. A modern age fun fair, with no small amount of entertainment or commercial activities available for all of the people of Camellia to enjoy. With amusement rides, food vending stalls, merchandise vending stalls, games of chance & skill, thrill acts & animal acts(thought this one is much more rare as of recent years). Hosted in Ying-ling & Kyren, on the main beaches of Luce del Sole & Petalo Bianco Shore. The official week of the faire begins the day of the Summer Solstice(thus why it is names the Summer Solstice Faire), & will end on the final day of the month of June, the faire itself has no dress code, as it is made for a celebration of the people, & paid for with the coin of the royal family. During this time, it is not uncommon for the nobility to host a few summer-based balls rather then attend the faire. Such as the Bexley Family, the wealthy Duchess Margaret has thrown the creative black tie ‘Bellflower Ball’ every year such becoming a duchess.

Spring - Spring Blossom Ball

More popularly know as the Spring Romance Ball. An aristocratic, held in the middle of the social season, on May 15th, at the Camellian Royal Palace, that makes use of both in the ballroom & gardens(if the weather allows it). Attire for this event is typically Black tie or Business formal, & usually coincide with a flower theme; the most popular flowers being the kingdom's name sake bloom(the camellia) or roses. Couples planning to marry often announce their engagements at this ball, or even stage proposals, it’s also very common for people to come to this ball with the intention of finding a partner or lover; hence it's more popular name.

Autumn - The Autumn Grand Feast

Also just called the Grand Feast. An old traditional & high aristocratic event that has been hosted for generations to celebrate the creation & founding of the Kingdom of Camellia, as such it is the 3rd most extravagant event in the kingdom, sitting just behind coronations & royal weddings. Hosted the 24th of November at the Camellian Royal Palace's banquet hall, all of the Camellian aristocrats will be in attendance, all the way from the Royal Family to the none-noble-blooded-but-still-very-wealthy families in the country. Foreign royals & nobles are allowed by invite via-the-Royal-Family only, & will only likely be sent out to close allies or distant relatives. Attire to this event is white tie only, with a white-red-&-purple color scheme(the colors of Camellia), no expectations to where even royals will typically be adored in the crown jewels even if they dislike it. The Grand Feast itself is a 12-to-17 course banquet(on years of good harvest, they’ll eagerly shoot it up to 21-courses), served in this order: hors d'oeuvre, amuse-bouche, soup, appetizer, salad, fish, first main course, palate cleanser, second main course, cheese course, dessert, & mignardise. Everything is of top-tier quality, importing the best from around the world, such as Amaryllis champagne, Nodiba seafood, Dahlia game, Lyttona cheese & various other foods of the best taste, texture & quality.

Winter - Winter Masquerade Ball

Also called the The Masquerade, as it is typically one of the only few masquerade balls that take place in the modern age anymore(of those few, this one being one of two that take place in Camellia). While held in the same manner as other aristocratic events, this ball is actually open to the public. Hosted March 6th, the drawbridge to the Camellian Royal Palace is lowered fully for one night for the general public to flood into the ballroom. Attire is more around business formal, though the wealthier guests will treat it as Black tie, with the added requirement all attendees always be wearing something to cover their faces. Food & drinks are also provided by the royal family for their guests. This seasonal event was the favored seasonal by the late queen, Rosa li Fiorenobila.

Other Notable Yearly Events

Birthdays of the Royal Family

Tradition states that the birthday's of the royal li Fiorenobila family are treated the same as holidays in Camellia, where workers have the day off & schools are closed. Gift sending is an optional thing, but most of the citizens of Camellia do such if they see the li Fiorenobila in a favoring light. The birthday royal in question is also thrown a ball to celebrate their birth, where they are given the freedom to decorate the ballroom however they please. June 11th being the birthday of Crown Princess Ann, & February 12th being the birthday of Princess Suzanne.

Halloween Balls

Thrown by Princess Suzanne during the week of Halloween, her favorite holiday. With a Masquerade Ball(this being the other one of two masquerades that still take place in Camellia) happening 3 days before the holiday & a Costume Ball taking place on Halloween itself. The masquerade ball usually has a Creative Black tie & dark colors dress code, with the usual masquerade requirement of wearing something to cover your face; guests are encouraged to be as creative with their attires as possible. It also usually takes place at the Royal Camellian Palace during the late hours of the day, but this has been subject to change before. The Costume Ball dress code is just as it sounds, to wear costumes of any kind that befit the theme of Halloween, the scarier the better. The person who wears the best & most creative costume, as judged by Suzanne, will win a prize & a donation to a charity of the winner's choice from the princess. The location for the costume ball changes often & the location of it is only revealed to invitees. Both balls are invite-only, though those who receive an invite to the masquerade ball will have a +1 or +2, & may bring an extra guest of choice.

[leohttbriar]

I'm a big fan of this commercial because it fooled me and it's also this palatte cleanser of a "transphobes are wrong and stupid and hateful" bite.