#madam mina is dear to me okay

[freuleinanna]

KEEP OUR WIFE'S NAME OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!!! (c) Dracula Daily people, probably

[forthegothicheroine]

February 2022 Reading Report

Read:

Nobody’s Perfect: Writings from the New Yorker by Anthony Lane

The Many Faces of Van Helsing (anthology)

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Gwen, in Green by Hugh Zachary

Princess Pamela by Ray Russell

Sea Star by Pamela Jekel (DNF)

Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman and Colleen Doran

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale

Taiping Tales of Terror by Julya Oui

Welcome to Hard Times by E. L. Doctorow

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire

Goth: Undead Subculture (essay anthology) (DNF)

Still Reading:

Poe: 19 New Tales of Suspense, Dark Fantasy and Horror Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe (anthology)

Does this month have a theme? Let’s call it Deadly Women. Most of these books have some kind of femme fatale or dark heroine in them. Femme Fatale February!

I finished Nobody’s Perfect, of which I’d previously read many reviews and essays but never the whole thing straight through. I love Anthony Lane so much. He’s arch and witty and perceptive, and though he’s known for his caustic reviews (of which Indecent Proposal was my favorite), he has the ability to be bitingly funny when he loves a movie, too (of which his Speed review was my favorite.) His essays enlightened me as to how Nabokov constructed sentences and how high fashion brands really make their money (perfume and accessories.) His short reviews of the bestseller lists in the 90s and 40s may be my favorite of all the essays in book, where he tackles everyone from Ayn Rand to Sue Grafton. His writing is a very good example of how intelligent criticism can be.

I’ve been meaning to read The Many Faces of Van Helsing for a while now, and I finally did! None of the stories blew me away, but there were a few good ones (my favorite being The Infestation at Ralls by Thomas Tessier, a slightly gross story about Van Helsing dealing with an incubus with some great characterization for our favorite doctor.) On the whole I didn’t care for the stories where Van Helsing was evil, but at least My Dear Madame Mina by Lois Tilton gave a believable reason in his obsessive love for poor Mina Harker. With all the stories about his wife ending up in an asylum, I was grateful that in Kim Newman’s Diogenes Club continuity she ended up okay!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has said she makes it a point to vary up her book subjects and styles, and Certain Dark Things is a fun urban fantasy about vampires in a futuristic Mexico City. I’ve grown bored with a lot of urban fantasy conventions in the last several years, but this one captured me by keeping its vampiric antiheroine mysterious for a good portion of the book and inventing some genuinely creative vampire biology. This would be a good book for people who like spooky monsters and hardboiled crime but aren’t big horror fans- it’s tense without being very gory. And the introduction gave me a bunch of classic Mexican vampire movies I now have to see!

Gwen, in Green was described in Paperbacks from Hell as one of the strangest and most unusual books Grady Hendrix had ever read, and I can certainly see why! It’s the story of a housewife’s descent into a combination of madness and possession as she drifts away from her clueless husband and towards the lure of nature- especially whatever’s in the pond near her new home. It’s partly erotic horror, partly nature’s revenge on developers and polluters, and partly a tale of sexual politics that I’m still trying to untangle. (Misogynist? Misandrist? Both? Neither?) I picked it partly as my Novella choice for the Books in the Freezer challenge, and as it is in fact short and zippy, you may as well check it out if the description I gave interests you.

Ray Russell is a beloved short story author of mine (author of the brilliant novella Sardonicus, and screenwriter of the goofy movie adaptation) so I was very excited to find out he’d written a full length Victorian gothic novel, Princess Pamela! It turned out to be tongue in cheek but also genuinely depraved (more modern gothics need to be genuinely depraved!) There’s some bodice ripping and political murder, and it moves into alternate history in the latter third, which was an exciting surprise. My only real disappointment was the copout ending, but it didn’t completely spoil the fun.

I was excited to read Sea Star, which was supposed to be a bodice ripper about Anne Bonny, and had a wonderful cover! Sadly, the backstory they gave her kind of ruined it for me. Sure, we don’t know a lot about Anne Bonny so I guess she could have been a southern belle with slaves, but did they really have to choose that backstory? I guess it’s a fantasy, like Elizabeth Swan starting out as a fine lady in fancy clothes, but it’s a distinctly unpleasant fantasy. (Am I a hypocrite for being happy about piracy but unhappy about plantations? I don’t know?) Once I saw how long it would take for her to actually get to pirating, I decided it wasn’t worth the wait; a shame, because she had sex with Hornigold and I wanted to see have many other Black Sails characters she would sleep with.

I’d already read the short story Snow Glass Apples (and heard an audio play adaptation!) but the graphic novel version was absolutely worth the read for its stunning artwork. It reminded me of some of the gorgeous illustrated fairy tale books I had as a kid, though they did say in the section with sketches that they tried not to make the art too kid-friendly for fear of giving the wrong impression. If you haven’t read the story already you absolutely should, and this is a perfectly good way to read it. Do you like Snow White and witchcraft and vampires? Of course you do.

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher was a bit of a let-down, though it isn’t exactly bad or anything. It’s an historical true crime book about the murder of young Francis Saville Kent by- maybe- his sister Constance, the detective who first took on the case, and how it influenced contemporary detective and sensation fiction like The Moonstone and The Woman in White. I understand that author Kate  Summerscale wanted to stick purely to the facts, but the Road Hill House case is so strange and interesting that I wanted something much more in depth. Did Constance commit the murder or was she covering for someone with her sudden, strangely-worded confession? Couldn’t Summerscale have at least discussed the question, even if she didn’t want to make her own conclusion? Someone on goodreads said it read more like a thesis paper than a book, and I can see that.

Taiping Tales of Terror is a decent collection of local monster and ghost stories, with a look at small town Malaysian culture, which I knew very little about. I chose it as the Monsters entry in the Books in the Freezer challenge, though it could also fill the Translated entry- maybe I should rework my potential list? It reads a bit more like a YA book than adult horror, but the lines between YA and adult are plenty blurry as it is. I was fascinated to see hw many different cultures have variations on the ‘dismembered woman’s head dragging its entrails’ monster; maybe, as with vampires, it ties back to the way bodies decompose? The ending twist was a good one, well-suited to campfire stories.

I haven't read many western novels, despite having watched plenty of western movies, and it was good to get to one of the classics with Welcome to Hard Times. The title gives a good indication of the central theme- it’s not completely Deadwood-style lurid crime, but it’s a story of the trauma that comes after an outlaw attack, and the efforts to rebuild a town, and the question of whether it will protect the citizens in the future or all be for nothing. Jack Torrence is mentioned reading it in the book version of The Shining, and I imagine it was chosen thematically because it features the disintegration of a family into madness and violence.

The Cat Who Saved Books is a Japanese YA novel that’s definitely on the more unambiguous kid side of YA, a fantasy of metaphorical lessons translated into concrete characters and places ala The Phantom Tollbooth. I would have liked it a lot more as a child, but I still appreciated it. I would certainly follow a mysterious cat that asked me to help save books! Reading it right before Where the Drowned Girls Go was appropriate, as I could imagine it being one of those ‘child goes through a magic door’ settings. (Also, if any Japanese readers can tell me whether it was realistic/legal for an underage kid to just live and work at a bookstore on his own with his aunt sometimes checking up on him, please let me know!)

As mentioned already, my next book was Where the Drowned Girls Go! This entry in the Wayward Children series, about what happens to children who return from portal fantasy adventures, was much darker and more horror-focused, placing its characters in a dystopian school that’s meant to make them forget they ever encountered magic. I was a little disappointed that the school was so purely evil, as I had thought it would be nice to have a counterbalance to the main school where the kids want nothing more than to go back to their fantasy worlds, but that wasn’t where the plot wanted to go. It was still enjoyable, and at least we did meet kids who had good reasons for not wanting to return, and there was at last sympathy for parents who had no idea where their kids went when they fucked off to fairyland. The cliffhanger ending definitely worked in getting me hyped up for the next entry!

Goth: Undead Subculture was the book unread on my shelf for the longest time, and now I feel a bit guilty that I ended up putting it aside. It was a lot more academic than I’d expected, which is not normally a problem for me to read, but it turned into a slog and I finally decided not to force myself to finish something I wasn’t enjoying. I did like the points it made about goth (and subcultures in general) existing in this weird liminal area where it’s partly rebelling against mainstream conformity but also creating its own things to conform to and buy. I’ll keep it around in case I want to try again, or at least try specific essays.

I’m trying to catch up on a bunch of Ellen Datlow’s fantasy and horror anthologies, and  Poe: 19 New Tales of Suspense, Dark Fantasy and Horror Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe is a good one so far! I loved Kim Newman’s take on the Corman/Poe/Price movies starting a literal curse where they can only remake Usher over and over again, though the next story about creepy homeless people was less to my taste. The introduction mentioned the rule that none of these stories could be pastiches, which I think is for the best. Let’s see if anyone does a take on Hop-Frog, my favorite Poe story!

[mizunetzu]

Hi!! Can I make a request were the reader is Aiwaza's children and they had behaved bad or anything like that and Shouta made they stayed on his class as punishment, were he can keep an eye on them (like sitting on his desk doing homework), but 1A doesn't know that the reader are Aiwaza's kid and the reader flirt whit someone in 1A (can be anyone that you want) an then they discover the truth. Sorry if it's confuse and for my bad english!!

It’s alright!! English is a hard language lmaooo

——————

Platonic! Aizawas kid meets 1-A

⚠️warnings - no relationship, platonic

Pronouns - genderneutral, they/them

——————

Boom.

“Ah, shit” the person cursed, as they eyed the now shattered 8 dollar lamp on the ground, the light flickering on and off until it fizzled out. Shinsou snickered and looked up from the couch.

“Dads gonna kill you,”

“Shut up, dude-help me-“

The door to the bedroom opened, making (y/n) and Shinsou flinch. Aizawa stepped out menacingly, with his hair floating past his ears. The red glow of his eyes shut up Shinsou and (y/n) quickly, permitting him to speak.

“Who-“

“Before you say anything, (y/n) did it.”

“SHINSOU YOU SIDE FUCKER YOU-“

“LANGUAGE!” Aizawa butt in, eyes flashing a brighter shade of red, before fading out to black. He rubbed his temple harshly. “Okay, I’m not mad, but this is the third time I had to replace that lamp, (y/n).”

“But-I-“

“And don’t say it’s because of your quirk, that you ‘can’t help it’. I’m helping you and Shinsou transfer out of General studies, you should have your quick under control by now.” (Y/n) opened their mouth to speak, but closed it silently.

“Tomorrow, you’re doing your work in my class. I’m having your teacher send the work into my class in advance so you can do the work on my desk.”

“Wait-but Madam movement-sensei would never let you do that!”

Aizawa pulled out his phone from the back pocket of his neko sweatpants, holding it up to show a string of emails from the 1-C teacher herself.

“Actually, we’ve been discussing it for a while. You’ve been lacking in participation in your class, but it seems like you know your subjects and pass them easily. Therefore, you’ll be spending time in my classroom where I can make sure you aren’t cheating or anything.”

Shinsou stifled a snicker in between his sleeves, earning a side glare from (y/n). “But-I’m not cheating!”

“Then there should be no problem, then.”

——————

(Y/n) grumbled angrily as they walked side by side their unofficial brother, Shinsou. “Dude, it’s just one day in another class-how hard can it be?”

“Have you seen the mess of the hero department? I don’t wanna be a part of that! Not yet at least!” (Y/n) piped up, louder than they meant to. A girl with pink skin, and a boy with yellow hair, perked their ears up. “I can’t believe I’m leaving General Studies for this...” (y/n) rubbed at their temples, a trait they picked up from Aizawa, while the two eavesdroppers looked at eachother.

“K-Kaminari...are you thinking what I’m thinking?” The girl said, grabbing onto the boys shoulders and shaking him around. The boy ‘Kaminari’ smirked and cupped his chin.

“I think I do, my dear friend~”

They chuckled and sped their way to their class, ready to spill their guts out. They passed the person in question as they walked, sending (y/n) a subtle wink and thumbs up before turning a corner.

“Huh.” Shinsou huffed. “Well-this is my stop.” He turned to (y/n) and slapped the door leading to 1-C. (Y/n) puffed out their cheeks. “Have fun playing heroes with 1-A, (N/n)”

“Yeah right. I’m just doing work there. I’ll be back before you miss me~” (y/n) made a kissy face before turning on their heel and walking past 1-C.

——————

“Guys guys guys!” Mina burst through the door, slamming her hands down on the podium at the front of the class. Kaminari jogged up behind her and crossed his arms. Iida stood up abruptly and made his way towards the two students.

“Ashido-kun, please refrain from running in the hallways-“

“WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE A NEW STUDENT!”

The class went silent. Even Iida stopped in his tracks. “How...how’d you find out?!” Kirishima mused. Just as Mina opened her mouth, the door opened and everyone scrambled to their seats. In entered Aizawa, holding his clipboard full of morning announcements for home room.

Aizawa glanced around the classroom, before settling down infront of his podium. “Morning. So, we’re gonna have someone join us today. I expect you all to not be a distraction to them or your fellow classmates.”

Whispers and excited smiles broke out subtly between the class. Mina leaned back in her chair, facing Asui and whispering “the new kid~!!”

Aizawas eyes flashed a ruby red, quieting down the class. “Alright. (Y/n), you may step in.”

The door slid open once more, as a pair of feet stepped into the class. The person gave a very reserved greeting, before stepping off to the corner of the classroom, near bakugo.

“That’s (y/n). Anyway, I need to step out for a bit, Mic is on sick leave and I need to run the lesson plan to the substitute English teacher.”

Aizawa tiredly trudged to the door, before looking back. “I expect you to be on your best behavior, (y/n).”

Once the door slid closed, some of the students scrambled out of their seats to greet the newcomer. “Hi (y/n)! I’m Mina Ashido!”

“Hi..?”

“What’s you’re full name? I found it sort of odd that Aizawa-sensei only addressed you as (y/n), kero-kero. Is that your last name or first name?” A girl with green hair piped up. “I’m tsuyu asui, by the way. Call me tsu.”

“Well, hi,” (y/n) leaned against the wall as people swarmed over them. “It’s just (y/n). It’s nothing important, really.”

The students gathered around them decided not push it, instead asking icebreaker questions like “what’s your favorite food?” Or “what’s your quirk, (y/n)-San?”

Footsteps grew outside of the classroom, causing everyone to scurry back to their seats like mice. (Y/n) stood there, dumbfounded, as Aizawa returned, holding what seems to be a lesson plan, and a chair.

“I got you a chair, you can sit in the corner there.” He walked up to where (y/n) was standing, and placed the chair beside them.

“That’s all, be nice to the sub or you’ll have to face to me.”

“Yes, Aizawa sensei!”

——————

The day ended pretty quickly, (y/n) grumbling quietly in the corner, doing their work, while the teachers filed in and out, teaching them their respective subjects.

The students talked amongst themselves, talking about what they want to eat after school or just straight up leaving. (Y/n) stood up from their chair and stretched, a yawn escaping their throat. They rubbed at their eyes while scanning the rowdy classroom. Their eyes landed on a blond boy, and a girl with a pinkish skin tone. Hm. They were both kinda cute. Might as well shoot their shot, they thought.

They walked up to the two, who was having a very animated conversation. They stopped, mid sentence, when (y/n) put their arms around the both of them.

“Heyyyy, you two are kinda cute~ Sorry, I kind forgot so-what’s your names?”

The blond boy blushed heavily, attempting to regain his composure but failing, while the pink girl smiled widely. She wrestled her way out of (y/n’s) arm and stood in front of them. The blond boy shook off (y/n’s) arm aswell, when the girl with horn patted at her chest.

“I’m Mina! That’s Kaminari, and we would LOVE to get to know our new classmate!”

(Y/n) grin contorted into an expression of confusion. “New...classmate?” They cocked their head to the side.

“Well-yea! You are in our class, after all..?” The boy, Kaminari, piped up.

“Whaddya mean? I’m in general studies. I’m only here because my stupid dad wanted to watch me work.”

Nearby ears started to perk up. Dad? Kaminari and Mina held semi shocked, semi confused expressions. A boy with greenish black hair whipped his head up from his hunched position from his desk, wobbled out from his chair and speedwalked over to (y/n).

“U-uhm! I couldn’t help but overhear-sorry by the way-but, It’s been on my mind for this whole time-“

“What is it?” (Y/n) swooped in before the boy started to drown in his stutters and ramblings. The boy cleared his throat and scratched at the back of his head.

“Are you related to Ai-“

The door slid open, revealing Aizawa, with Shinsou trailing behind him.

“(Y/n)-there you are. Stop causing my class trouble and let’s go home. You still need to drop off your work to the general studies classroom.”

“Okay dad, hold on though. this guy said he wanted to ask me something.”

When (y/n) turned back around, everyone’s mouth was agape. Especially Mina and Kaminari, who looked like they’ve seen a ghost. The green haired boy opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again.

“A-are you-“

“ARE YOU AIZAWA-SENSEIS KID?!”

Kaminari finished Minas sentence, tangling his fingers into his blond hair. (Y/n), and Aizawa, nodded, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. The frog girl, Tsuyu, if (y/n) remembered correctly, brought a finger to her chin.

“What’s your full name?”

“Aizawa (y/n).”

The girl seemed content with her answer, and sunk back in her seat. Aizawa tapped on (y/n’s) shoulder, and gestured towards the door. (Y/n) waved goodbye to the class, mouthing a ‘call me’ to Mina and Kaminari, and walked out the door. The whole class sat in silence, before Mina cried out glumly.

“Ehhh?! So we don’t have a new classmate, do we?!”

——————

[oforoddette]

Gogo’s Curse

This is my first commission in a while. The extremely awesome and wonderful @mansionofindulgence wanted me to write a story featuring Gogo Tomago from Big Hero 6 getting cursed and getting fat. Enjoy everyone. 

   Gogo wasn’t a fan of carnivals. They were a waste of time and filled with con artists. She honestly had no idea how Honey Lemon had talked her into this. The two of them had spent the whole entire day at the carnival grounds, and Gogo’s patience was running thin. She was tired, hungry and really was ready to head on home. But no, Honey just had to talk to the fortune teller! How could a scientist even believe in something so stupid?

   “Madame Mina sees a good future for you,” The woman said. “You’ll be successful with a good husband and a lovely house.”

   “Really?” Honey Lemon’s eyes shined with wonder.

   “Oh please.” Gogo rolled her eyes.

   “And, you will have,” Mina paused dramatically. “Two---no---three children! You will also have a dog!”

   “What kind of dog? Can you see?” Honey Lemon asked.

   “Honey, really?” Gogo said. “She can’t see the future, you do realize that right?”

   “Gogo!” Honey turned to look at her friend. “Don’t say that!”

   “It’s true! She’s a fraud!” Gogo continued. “No one can see the future. Can we leave now?”

   “Non-believer, do not test me,” Madame Mina glared at Gogo. “Or you will incur my wrath.”

   “Yeah right,” Gogo sneered. “By the way, your wig is crooked.”

   At that, Madame Mina stood up from her table. She started chanting something, but Gogo didn’t listen. This was all for show. Fortunes weren’t really. They only told people what they wanted to hear. It was a complete and total scam. How Honey had fallen for this woman act was beyond her. When the chanting was finished, Gogo just stared at the woman.

   “Wow, really scary,” Gogo looked at Honey. “Can we go now? I’m hungry!”

   “Okay,” Honey Lemon picked up her purse. “I’m so sorry Madame Mina.”

   “It’s alright child. Your friend will learn her lesson.”

   Gogo rolled her eyes again before heading out of the tent. As the two of them walked, Gogo spied a hotdog stand. As soon as they passed it, Gogo’s stomach growled. It was rather loud, and Gogo was sure people had heard it. But Gogo didn’t really care. She was starving! And while carnivals was a place where con artists were rampant, they had good food. Turning around, she marched back to the hot dog stand.

   “Two hot dogs,” Gogo said. “And a side of fries with a large coke.”

   “Wow, you really are hungry.” Honey said.

   “Yeah, I wonder why that is?” Gogo asked.

   When her food was ready, Gogo and Honey sat down at one of the tables. Honey watched as Gogo slathered her hot dogs with ketchup, mustard, relish and more. Since they were friends, Honey didn’t say anything out loud about Gogo’s eating. Honey Lemon wasn’t a person to judge women for eating what they wanted. She did it all the time. It was just odd to see Gogo chowing down like she did. Gogo was acting as if she had never eaten in her life. She polished off the hot dog, fries, and coke in almost no time.

   “Man, those hot dogs were good,” Gogo licked her fingers. “Urp! Excuse me.”

   “Well, I guess we should head home.”

   “Right. Right after funnel cake.”

   Funnel cake? Gogo had just eaten two hotdogs and french fries. Plus there was the large coke she had drank. But again, Honey said nothing. Besides, who could say no to funnel cakes?

   Apparently, Gogo couldn’t.

   She got five orders of funnel cake and a large lemonade. Biting her tongue, Honey said nothing. It was just honestly odd. Gogo didn’t eat this much, and she didn’t eat with such gusto. As Gogo ate the cakes, her focus solely seemed to be on the food. What was also surprising was how fast Gogo ate. It was like she barely chewed!

   “Ah, much better!” Gogo burped again. “Alright, we can leave.”

   Honey smiled, saying nothing. Gogo seemed fine. As they headed back to campus, the two of them went their separate ways. Gogo reached her dorm room. Once she was alone, her stomach growled again. She looked down at her thin tummy, wondering where this hunger was coming from. After two hot dogs, fries and funnel cake, she still wanted something to eat. No, no more food! She had eaten enough, her belly would just have to deal. Besides, she had a chemistry test coming up soon. Gogo had to study.

   Or, you could eat.

   “No, I need to study,” Gogo said aloud.

   Why study when there are so many goods that need to be eaten? Like cake and pizza and burgers!

   “And---ramen?”

   Of yes ramen. What about fried chicken and pork?

   “And cookies? And--” Gogo began to drool. “And onion rings? And cupcakes?”

   What else would you like to eat?

   “Steak---and---patty melts! And---macaroni and milkshakes.”

   Eat my dear. You deserve it. It’ll feel so good.

   “But my studies---”

   Can wait. Enjoy yourself, my dear.

   Gogo looked over at her textbook then looked at her phone. She could have some food delivered. Maybe just a few snacks to tide her over. Or a pizza. Or maybe two pizzas with extra cheese. Licking her lips, Gogo grabbed her phone and fired up UberEats. So placed an order at Paula’s Pizza for three large pizzas, two mediums pizzas, a pan pizza, two orders of garlic friend and a cannoli. Once that was done, she stared at her phone.

   And then placed an order for Chinese food.

   Then she placed an order for sushi.

   She ordered vast amounts of food and didn’t stop until her first order came. When her pizza came, began to devour it. She had no idea why but food tasted so delicious! Never in her life had food tasted this good before. Everything she ate was like a slice of heaven! She didn’t want to stop, and there was a chance she couldn’t stop herself. She just wanted to stuff her face all night.

   Which is exactly what she did.

   Gogo ate and ate and ate some more. Food containers covered the ground along with paper bags and empty soda cans. The night dragged on, but Gogo didn’t stop. She continued to stuff herself silly. The idea of stopping never entered her mind. It was like there was some unknown force driving her to gorge herself.

Gogo didn’t stop until she had devoured the last bit of food she had ordered. She popped the remaining sushi roll into her mouth and then belched. Groaning, she started rubbing her gut. It felt bloated. Glancing down, she blushed when she saw it. It was peeking out of her shirt, round and distended. Her pants also felt a bit tighter, and there seemed to be a few more rips.

   Yet she wanted more. Licking her lips, Gogo rubbed her gurgling stomach.

   “I need more,” She grabbed the phone. “There has to be someplace that is still opened!”

   Lucky for Gogo, Lucky J’s Wild Wings was opened 24/7. After ordering two of everything on the menu, she waited patiently by the door. While she did, her stomach growled. It wasn’t huge, but it was no longer slim. It looked nice, round and plump. If someone didn’t know better, they would mistake Gogo for a pregnant woman. Gogo hadn’t taken notice of this yet. Her thoughts were consumed with the idea of eating.

   When the delivery boy arrived, Gogo almost tackled him. He looked shocked, but she didn’t care. After throwing him a $20 tip, she slammed the door shut and resumed feasting. She picked the bones clean of meat, sucking the juices off her finger so she wouldn’t waste a drop of it. Once more, her stomach began to grow. Each bit of food added a small inch to her waistline, making it expand. When all her wings had been finished, Gogo burped.

   Very loudly.

   So loud, the floor rumbled, a vase toppled over, and a few books fell from her bookshelf.

   “Huh,” Gogo looked around. “Must have been an Earthquake or something.”

   And despite her massive gorge fest, Gogo was STILL hungry. But by now, it was extremely late. While the wings had been filling, Gogo didn’t want more. She needed variety. Yawning, she headed to her bedroom. Her stomach wobbled with each step she took.

   “I wonder what I’ll have for breakfast,” Gogo asked herself as she grabbed her pajamas. “Maybe biscuits and gravy?”

   She pulled her shirt over her head. It felt a bit snug, but Gogo ignored it as she slipped on her shorts. Absentmindedly, she patted her gut as she headed to the bathroom.

   “Or maybe bacon and eggs.” She continued to muse.

   Thinking about food made her stomach rumble softly.

   “Maybe pancakes or waffles or both,” Gogo considered after brushing her teeth. “Oh, maybe I could just have a bunch of different foods for breakfast.”

   She yawned again before lying down on her bed and closing her eyes. While she slept, she dreamed about food.

   The next morning, Gogo didn’t show up for biology class. When second period rolled around, Gogo still was a no-show. At third period, Honey Lemon texted Gogo. When she didn’t get an answer, Honey’s worries got worse. She remembered yesterday and what Madame Mina had said. While Gogo didn’t believe in curses, Honey certainly did. So when fourth period was over, Honey decided to check on her friend. She knocked on the door and waited.

   When the door opened up, Honey almost fainted from shock.

   Gogo had gotten fat. Honey had no idea how but Gogo had changed overnight. Her slim figure was gone, and she was sporting a large stomach. Gogo was wearing sweatpants, but they looked ready to burst. Honey could see rips already forming in them. Even Gogo’s breasts had changed. Her tits were now double their original size, and they barely fit into her tank top. The most shocking thing of all was that Gogo seemed completely oblivious to the changes.

   “Oh, hi Honey,” Gogo said, chewing on a cookie. “What’s up?”

   “You--you haven’t shown up to any of your classes,” Honey managed to say. “Is everything okay?”

   Honey stepped into Gogo’s dorm room and almost gagged. The place was filthy! She couldn’t see the floor because it was covered with food containers. There were empty plates everywhere! And the stench was unbearable! Gasping, Honey quickly opened up a nearby window. Yet Gogo didn’t seem to care. She was too focused on eating. Honey watched as Gogo picked up a box of cookies and just ate them. Once it was empty, Gogo just tossed it on the ground. Honey wanted to say something. She really did. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

   “I’m fine,” Gogo suddenly said. “I’ll go to my afternoon classes. I wasn’t feeling all that good, so I just decided to sleep in.”

   “Oh,” Honey paused. “Um--I have some time before my next class--want me to clean up a bit?”

   “Would you? I'm too busy to clean. Don’t know how this place got so dirty.”

   Honey just smiled weakly. Gogo was acting weird, but Honey couldn’t just leave the dorm room like this. It was disgusting! Yet Honey still didn’t say a thing. Something was going on with Gogo, that much was obvious, but Honey didn’t want to press. Maybe Gogo was stress eating or doing an experiment!

Or it was the curse.

Honey Lemon was certain it had to be the curse. It just had to be. But if it wasn’t, Honey didn’t want to say anything. Who was she to judge Gogo?  So wanting to spare her friend’s feelings, Honey was silent as she cleaned up Gogo’s mess.

   As Honey cleaned, she kept an eye on Gogo. While she would focus on things like reading her textbook or checking her email, she was always eating. Whenever she finished her food, Gogo would grab another bag or box of junk food. It was like she was trying to fatten herself up.

   “Um---Gogo you should make sure you clean up after yourself,” Honey Lemon suddenly said. “Just because---you wouldn't want to eat around in garbage you know. Might attract bugs.”

   “Oh, you’re right,” Gogo said. “Don’t want bugs.”

   Honey nodded but internally, she was kicking herself. That was what she was bringing up? Why didn’t you mention her abnormal weight gain?  Why didn’t you say something about the curse? No, it’s none of your business. Just clean up. Everything is fine.

   Gogo did seem to take Honey’s words to heart, and she did throw away her trash after she was done eating. That was something. Honey sighed as she put the very last of the garbage into the can. Gogo tied up the bag and grabbed it.

   “Thanks, Honey. I’m going to take this to the incinerator,” Gogo said. “Catch you later.”

   “Yeah,” Honey fiddled with her glasses. “Bye Gogo.”

   Honey Lemon left Gogo’s dorm while Gogo went to throw away her trash. Before she headed back to classes, she stole one last look at Gogo. The other woman whistled a tune as she threw away her trash, still completely unaware of her body’s changes. Honey stalled for a moment before heading back to her classes.

   Gogo didn’t show up for classes for two days.

   Honey had been texting Gogo for two days, and Gogo had stopped replying. After staring at her phone all night, Honey decided it was time to act. Gogo’s friends were worried, and Honey was tired of lying to the others. She was done being passive. Something was wrong with Gogo. When she got to Gogo’s dorm room, she knocked on the door.

   “Gogo, open up!” Honey demanded. “Open up right now!”

   There was no reply. Honey tapped her foot before knocking on the door again. When she didn’t get an answer, Honey decided to take matters into her own hands.She reached into her hair and pulled out a bobby pin. It took only a few minutes to pick the lock. Once the door was unlocked, she threw it open. To her surprise, the floor was clean. There was no food or trash anywhere to be seen. Well, that was one good thing.

   But the issue was Gogo herself.

   Gogo looked up from her Chinese food. She seemed shocked to see Honey. She slurped up the rest of her noodles and burped.

   “Gogo!” Honey put her hands on her hips.

   “Sorry,” Gogo blushed a bit. “You don’t have my order of fried chicken do you?”

   “No, and you’re not getting any fried chicken! Gogo, look at you!”

   Gogo did. For the past two days, she had been lying to herself. No, she wasn’t fat. No, she shouldn’t stop eating. No, there was nothing wrong with her at all. But Gogo couldn’t lie anymore. Yes, she was extremely fat, and there was something wrong. Ever since the carnival, she couldn’t stop eating. She could focus on other things, but she had to be eating as well. Gogo had kept her dorm room clean, but that didn’t stop her eating.

   “I can’t stop,” Gogo rubbed her belly. “I tried, I really did try. No matter how much I told myself to stop eating, I just kept going!”

   “I should have said something earlier,” Honey sighed. “Gogo, I know you don’t believe in magic and the supernatural but remember what happened at the carnival?”

   “Yes,” Gogo looked at her gut. “I shouldn’t have made fun of that fortune teller. This is my punishment.”

   “Alright,” Honey exhaled. “I’m going to go talk to Madame Mina so she can fix this. You stay here. And no fried chicken.”

   “Okay.”

   Gogo did feel a bit embarrassed. She really couldn’t deny how fat she was now. None of her regular clothes fit anymore. She only had one pair of sweatpants that still fit her, but right now, they were barely holding on. They were ripped, and Gogo was sure that if she got any bigger, they would be destroyed. Her belly didn’t fit under any of her shirts anymore. It was the largest part of her body. It was rather shocking that her couch was still holding her. Sighing, Gogo grabbed a handful of her stomach.

   “Well, on the bright side, the curse could have been worse,” Gogo looked at her remaining Chinese food. “Since I’m not getting that chicken, I guess I’ll finish the rest of this.”

   Madame Mina looked a bit shocked when she arrived.

   “Hm. I didn’t realize the curse would take this form,” Mina said, inspecting Gogo. “Huh.”

   She poked Gogo’s stomach, and Gogo burped.

   “Ah, please don’t do that!” Gogo begged. “I’m afraid I’ll burst. Also, excuse me. Didn’t mean to burp out loud.”

   “Well at least you’ve gotten more polite,” Mina smiled, rubbing Gogo’s bloated gut. “Alright, I’ll lift the curse under one condition.”

   “Name it.”

   “You have to let me read your palm.”

   “Can I offer up my potential first born child?”

   “Gogo, are you being serious right now?” Honey admonished.

   Gogo winced and glanced at her belly. It growled, signaling it’s need for food. Gogo had two options at this point. Either keep being a glutton or let Madame Mina read her palm. With a sigh, Gogo offered up her hand.

   “You win,” Gogo said in defeat.

   “Splendid!” Madame Mina grinned. “Now let’s see. Alright, you’ll meet a talk, dark, handsome stranger who will inspire you in ways you never thought possible.”

   After all, was said and done, Gogo’s body returned to normal over the past few days. It took at least two days for her stomach to go down to a normal size as well as her ass and breasts to revert back to their normal shape. Honey swore she wouldn’t tell anyone else about the whole incident, wanting to spare Gogo’s bruised ego. Not to mention who would believe them? Curses in the modern century?

   If Gogo had learned anything from this, it was not too bad mouth people and question their talents.

   Also, if you were hungry in the middle of the night, Lucky J’s Wild Wings was the best place to go.

[sittingoverheredreaming]

Sparkle Sparkle It’s a Fic!

My sparklee this year is @tallangrycockatiel, who asked for Mina “helping” Haruka propose. I hope you enjoy it!

It’s Very You ~2K words AO3 Link

There were times Haruka almost felt smart, or at least knowledgeable. At the shop, finding the problem with an engine. Fixing a kid’s bike chain. When she found the best deal at the supermarket, she felt almost academic, math fell into place and numbers made sense.

But she’d never felt more stupid than in this moment. Numbers and cuts and prices swam around in the jewelry cases, the over-bright lighting making everything sparkle, even the price plaques. The salesman looked down his nose at her. “What is it that you’re looking for?” he asked, as though she had no business being there. She ought to have cleaned up more, not come straight from work. She’d changed her shirt, made sure there were no oil stains on her pants, but the smell gas and smoke clung to her skin and uncombed hair. But the second the week’s paycheck had landed in her account she’d needed to come. She couldn’t wait any longer.

“Well, a ring. An engagement ring.”

“Let me know if you have any questions.” He moved away, keeping his eyes on her until another customer got his attention.

Haruka had a thousand questions, none of which she could ask him. What is the difference between white gold and silver and platinum? Why do all the diamonds look so gaudy? What is a princess cut? Will Michiru like what I get? Will she say yes? Why won’t anything stay still?

There was only one person she trusted to give her at least mostly honest answers. She slipped outside to make a call and not fifteen minutes later, Minako rolled up. She kicked out the stand on her bike and slid her sunglasses up over her hair and she had never looked more like a hero.

“Trying to save the environment?” Haruka asked with a weak chuckle.

Mina grinned. “If Rei is gonna chew my ear off all the time about it, I just have to outdo her. But now buddy, I’m saving so much more than the ozone layer.” She slung one arm around Haruka’s shoulders. “I’m here to save you from yourself.” She swung her other arm wide and stared into the distance.

“Mina.”

“Please. Your dramatic lesbian ass has no room to talk,” she said with an eyeroll, but then she gave her hand a squeeze.

The nice thing was, Haruka supposed, Mina looked like someone you’d expect to see in a jewelry shop. Maybe not for nice reasons, and certainly not for true reasons— Mina’s money was all her own, however little she had—but she looked the part. Her hair was long and silky, her clothes looked straight out of next month’s magazines. The man behind the counter gave her a very different look until she looped her arm into Haruka’s.

“So what’s your budget?”

“Well.” Haruka felt her cheeks warm. “Just about two thousand.”

“Ah just—“ Mina stopped. “Just two thousand?”

“It’s below the average, but—“

“Where did you get two thousand dollars? I know your butch pride won’t let you touch a cent of the Kaioh millions.”

“I saved. For a while. A couple years.”

Mina let out a low whistle. “Christ. Every time I think you’ve reached peak sap, there you go, sailing to new heights.”

“It’s important.”

“Oh Haruka.” She rubbed her back between her shoulders. “I know. We’ll find you a good ring.”

 It wasn’t, at the end of the day, the fanciest ring. It hadn’t even reached the top of Haruka’s budget; prices jumped instead of increasing gradually. But she’d been able to insure it, and Mina assured her it was nice. A simple silver band with a single small diamond, set off by two smaller sapphires.

“She’ll love it, buddy,” Mina assured her in the car after they’d strapped her bike to the back. “You did good.”

“Yeah?” Haruka let herself relax into her steering wheel, but the weight of it all still consumed her.

Mina smiled and patted her shoulder. “Yeah. When are you popping the question?”

Warmth crept up under Haruka’s collar. “Well. I don’t… I’m not quite sure.”

“You bought the ring without a plan?”

“Not without a plan, I have lots of plans. I just… I just don’t know what one is right.” Haruka swallowed hard. She’d been trying to plan for months, but everything felt subpar. “I want it to be perfect.”

Mina snorted. “You’re ridiculous. She’s saying yes no matter how you ask.”

“That’s not the point!” Haruka glanced over. “Do you really think so?”

Mina looked up a raised her hands in plea. “God save the lesbians from themselves. I’m sure the only reason Michiru hasn’t asked you to just get hitched already is she knows it would wound your fragile butch sensibilities.”

“You think I waited too long?”

“Christ, Haruka, not the point I’m making. I’m trying to say she’d marry you in a heartbeat. You’re soulmates or whatever sappy thing you want to call it. You’re going to ask in some amazing way, and she’s going to say yes.” She pulled the lever to recline her chair. “And if you’re nervous, you’re lucky enough to have me here to help.”

“Would you?”

“I’m not about to spend the next sixty years of my life listening to you brood about how your proposal wasn’t good enough.”

“That’s an exaggeration.”

“Buddy, I’ve known you too long to believe that. Now—“ She sat up and folded her hands over her knees. “Pretend I’m Michiru and we’ve just sat down after a beautiful moonlight walk on the beach.”

Haruka could picture it—the salt smell of the sea spray dancing with Michiru’s perfume, the wind floating through Michiru’s hair and dress. The waves crashing in time with the thump thump thump of Haruka’s racing heart, Michiru turning to Haruka expectantly and every word, every breath catching in Haruka’s throat and—

Haruka pulled the car to the side of the road. “I can’t do this. Nothing I say can be good enough.”

“So we’ll work on it.” Minako tossed her hair. “I have a plan.”

 The shrill of a whistle cut through Minako’s apartment. “Alright soldiers. Welcome to proposal camp day one.”

Rei crossed her arms. “I didn’t agree to this.”

“And I’m pulling rank as your commander so you don’t have to.” Mina grinned. “I needed a stand in snooty lesbian, and you fit the bill.”

“I’m not—“

“Michiru isn’t—“

Mina blew her whistle again. “No sass. I trained you better than this.” She pointed at Haruka. “You need to find the right way to propose. We’re going to roleplay scenarios until you find the right one.”

“I’m not sure—“

Mina blew the whistle.

“Okay.”

“Scenario one. Dinner.” Mina shuffled them into chairs on either side of a TV tray. “Now. I know my dear butch puddle, and I’m vetoing any ring-in-a-drink or food thing. It would go to the wrong table, and you would cry for a month.”

Haruka’s stomach sank as she realized the logic. It had been an idea, a leading idea, and it was bad. Were all her ideas wrong?

“Now. Imagine. You’ve just finished eating. The waiter has not yet brought the check—“

“That’s important,” Rei cut in, “because they may waive the bill for the occasion.”

“Thank you Madame Cheapskate. Now. You’re in candlelight, you’ve just eaten a nice meal, the ring is in your pocket. Go.”

Haruka looked across the tiny table at Rei. Her heart raced even as she tried to focus on how different she was from Michiru. “I... I um. I have something to ask you.”

“Shoot.”

Mina cleared her throat.

Rei huffed. “Fine. What is it, love?”

“Well. There’s something important I want to ask.”

“Yes, you said.” Rei crossed her arms. “What is it? …Dear. What is it, dear?”

“I… I love you very much. And I will love you forever. So what I want to say is—what I want to ask is...” Haruka swallowed hard. “Will you marry me?”

“No.”

Tears welled up in Haruka’s eyes. “No?” It was Rei, but Rei knew Michiru. Rei knew what Michiru would want, probably, and it wasn’t this.

Mina blew the whistle. “Penalty to the snooty lesbian. Unrealistic answer.”

“Oh please. I’m not saying yes to anything less than perfect.”

“Not you. Michiru.”

Rei tapped her fingers on the table. “If the point is to teach her how to propose, then she’s not going to learn unless we’re hard on her.”

“That is not the point.” Mina put her face in her hands. “You’re dismissed. I have a better idea.”

 By the time Haruka had dried her eyes, Rei was curled on the couch and Mina had changed outfits. It took Haruka a moment to process the pants, the button-down, the way her hair was pinned up…

“Oh no. Mina…”

“No no.” Mina gestured widely. “Right now, I am Haruka. And you—“ She hooked a string of fake pearls around Haruka’s neck—“are Michiru. And I, Haruka Tennoh, most romantic of noodles, have just taken you out to a nice dinner, and now am inviting you on a walk about town.” She offered Haruka her elbow. Haruka took it in her best attempt at a lady-like fashion.

Mina led her around the couch. “Did you enjoy dinner, my love?”

“Um. Yes.”

“Good good. The moon is beautiful, just like you.” Mina touched Haruka’s nose. Haruka grimaced. “There’s been something on my mind lately, you know.��

“Oh yeah?”

“Indeed, my beautiful mermaid flower. I think we’re ready to take the next step in our lives.” Mina threw herself down on one knee. Haruka tried to remember if she every called Michiru a beautiful mermaid flower. It sounded ridiculous. Maybe she was ridiculous, maybe the whole thing was ridiculous.

“Will you marry me?”

Rei snorted from the couch.

“What now, flame brains?”

“It all seems very unromantic. Stiff.”

Mina stood up. “And how would you do it?”

Rei snatched up the ring box and dragged Minako by the wrist over to the TV stand. She slammed the box down. “Well?”

Mina burst out laughing. “It’s very you, for sure.”

“You’d marry me if I asked.” Rei’s face flushed red.

“Then I’m lucky you’ll never ask, aren’t I?”

“Guys.” Haruka grabbed the ring and stuffed it back in her pocket. “I think I’m good. I’m going home.”

“You got a plan, buddy?”

“Yeah,” Haruka lied. “I got a plan.”

She got in her car feeling even less sure than she had at the beginning. Rei had been right; everything was artificial. Haruka couldn’t propose the way Rei had, but something in it rang truer than the rest. It wasn’t fireworks spelling out the question and it wasn’t a band swelling at the perfect moment, it wasn’t even a planned evening. It had been Rei, pure and simple. And right.

Haruka mulled it over on the drive. There had to be a right way. Not asking wasn’t an option. Waiting didn’t even feel like an option. She’d waited for the ring. She could wait for a thousand other things, or she could be through with waiting. She could do it now. She could. She would.

She stopped at a corner store for some roses. When she got home, Michiru was already there, reading on the couch with her legs curled under her. She rose an eyebrow and smiled over her book at the flowers. “What occasion have you found today?”

Haruka smiled back. The words caught in her throat, again, but she’d push through this time. She snuggled into Michiru and let her look at the flowers. “Do you like them?”

“They’re lovely, Haruka.”

“And this?” She pulled the ring box from her pocket to open before Michiru’s eyes. “Do you like it?”

“Haruka,” Michiru said in a gasp. She reached up to the ring, her hand stopping just short.

“Michiru.” Haruka’s heart raced. “Will you marry me?”

“Oh Haruka. Yes.” Michiru pulled her in to kiss.

Haruka broke into tears the moment their lips touched. “Do you mean it?”

“Nothing would make me so happy as having you as my wife.”

“I want to be your wife.” Haruka pulled her close. “I’m going to be your wife.” She slipped the ring onto Michiru’s finger. It slipped around, a little too big. Haruka had not thought to check Michiru’s size.

“It’s perfect.”

Haruka looked down. “I tried.”

Michiru pulled her face back up and wiped her tears. “Haruka, love, I couldn’t be happier.”

[lenaglittleus]

MUST-BUY Green Beauty Items (20% off!)

My deep love for Credo Beauty is known to most of you guys at this point. I’m incapable of going into their store without buying something and by now all their sales associates know me by name. They geek out with me over Lily Lolo Mascara and Gressa Foundation and humor me for a hot minute by giving me the pleasure of feeling like I work there. It’s glorious.

Photo by Rae Surbaugh photography

For those of you unfamiliar with Credo Beauty, it’s a huge green beauty store only selling body, skincare and makeup products made from clean ingredients. Think Sephora, but natural. It is mecca for all things green beauty and if you have the chance to go into one of their storefronts, I encourage you to run not walk. BUT if you can’t make it to one of their stores, everything can be purchased online! They offer free shipping (on orders over $50) and an equally large stockpile of merchandise so fear not if you don’t live in LA, SF, NYC or Chicago.

And once a year, my dear friends at Credo spread their green beauty angel wings and offer a 20% discount on ALL merchandise online and in-store until November 5th. It’s my chance to stock up on all of my favorites and splurge on all those items I’ve been wanting to try. And it’s your chance to do the same. All you have to do is use the code CREDOFAM at checkout. This is the only time of year they have sales so now is the time. I went a little overboard yesterday…

WHY GREEN BEAUTY?

I feel like this conversation is old news to me, but I’m consistently brought back to reality that the majority of people have no clue what green beauty is and why they should begin switching over their products.

I’ve written a whole post about it HERE, but to keep things brief, most conventional bath and beauty products are unregulated and full of harsh and harmful chemicals that are known to have a negative affect on our bodies. Parabens and phalates are known endocrine disruptors that can rue havoc on your hormones. Certain chemicals have been linked to increased cancer occurrence and other chronic illnesses. Once you get to reading what’s in your favorite hair oil or face wash you will know what I’m talking about. If the majority of the ingredients are things you can’t pronounce, it might be worth investigating.

Now, as with anything, I say this: You do You. I have friends and family-members who use conventional body care, home and makeup products. That is totally fine. I’m just here to try out some cleaner options and share them with you. I will never force you to switch, I simply want to try things out, give an honest review and remind you that you always have options. This is a judgement-free zone.

But with hundreds of products available, it’s hard to know where to start. So many people reach out to me asking about green beauty products and what’s good vs. what’s bad; what is okay vs. what to avoid. It’s confusing, I get it. And honestly, I’ve spent the last 3.5 years experimenting and I’m only just feeling like I know what’s going on. My hope is that THM can be a resource for green beauty favorites (in addition to healthy food and lifestyle tips!) so this world can be a little less confusing for you. And in this case, more affordable…because 20% off people!!! Let’s jump in…

MUST-BUY GREEN BEAUTY – MAKEUP

1. Lily Lolo Mascara – all praise this mascara! It’s extremely lengthening and you’d never know it was natural.

2. Gressa Corrective Serum Foundation – if I could dream up the perfect foundation it would be this one. Perfect for full coverage, but if light coverage is your thing I’d recommend the Vapour Soft Focus Foundation, which also gives a flawless dewey glow.

3. Rituel du Fille Creme Pigment – I never understood contouring…until I started contouring. I’ve been pairing this with my Beautycounter Matte Bronzer, and together they give me the cheekbones I wish I actually had.

4. RMS Living Luminizer – there is a reason this has a cult following. One word: highlighter. Don’t you ever forget that.

5. Lily Lolo Eyeshadow Palette – perfect introductory eyeshadow palette for anyone just getting into green beauty. I love the array in the Laid Bare Palette and the Smoke and Mirrors palette.

6. Ilia Lipstick– Hallelujah! If you haven’t heard me declare my love for Ilia lipstick, then you clearly don’t follow me on Instagram…or you unfollowed me lol. I am obsessed with this lipstick, but especially: Madam Mina, Perfect Day and Lucy’s Party.

7. EcoBrow Eyebrow Wax– I’m a total eyebrow geek and to me if there is one step every makeup routine needs, it’s to fill in those brows. I’ve used this stuff for years in both Sharon and Penelope. Truly the best out there.

MUST-BUY GREEN BEAUTY – SKINCARE

1. Josh Rosebrook Nutrient Day Cream –if I could write a love note to this product, I would. I have been using this for years as my morning moisturizer and sunscreen (it’s 15 SPF) and it’s incredible. It has a cult following and it definitely deserves it!

2. Marie Veronique Makeup Removing Oil Cleanser – This is one of my newer products (it’s in my October favorites!) that I’ve incorporated on days when I’m wearing makeup. It’s an oil-based cleanser that also foams and removes makeup flawlessly!

3. Herbivore Blue Tansy Mask – I consider this one of my luxury masks and I absolute adore putting this on, sipping some tea and reading a book. It leaves my skin glowing and visibly less red!

4. Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel – I love this mask when I’m looking for a fast-acting, exfoliating mask. I only have to leave it on for 5-10 minutes so you could easily do it in the shower before heading out for the day for a quick-acting mask.

5. One Love Konjac Sponge – I use this every single day with my Luminance Skincare Cleanser (unfortunately not at Credo!) and it’s so soft on my skin and helps exfoliate without harshness.

6. Kahina Argan Oil – Okay admittedly I actually use this on my hair, but people swear by argan oil for their skin. It just doesn’t work for me! But it legit makes my hair shine and I love it.

MUST-BUY GREEN BEAUTY – BODYCARE + HAIRCARE

1. Herbivore Jasmine Body Oil – if the fact that I’m on my third bottle of this in 6 months isn’t any indication, I adore this body oil! If you love the smell of jasmine, you need this in your life. Also it makes my skin literally glow!

2. Vapour AER Deodorant – after my homemade deodorant got taken by airport security THREE times, it was time to invest in a store-bought. This is the only one I’ve tried that works and doesn’t give me a rash!

3. Coola Sunscreen  (30 SPF)– a natural sunscreen that doesn’t turn me as white as a ghost! Admittedly I’m still on the lookout for one that is more affordable, but if you’re going on a fancy vacation and don’t want to burn, you can count on Coola.

4. Evolvh Wonderbalm – this is every curly girl’s dream! All-natural gel that doesn’t make your hair feel like straw and controls frizz. I’m told it works really well with straight hair too!

5. Priti NYC Nail Polish Remover – It requires a little bit of elbow grease, but this natural nail polish remover takes off the old nail polish without taking off all your skin with it!

6. Evolvh Ultra Repair Reconstructing Hair Masque – This stuff hands-down has saved my hair. It’s why it’s in my October favorites and is definitely the reason I’ve been getting compliments on my hair lately.

* * * * *

Totally new to green beauty? Check out the Credo Clean Makeup Kit. It’s a pre-assembled kit full of different makeup products at a discount. It’s $103 worth of product for $59 and with a 20% discount it comes out to $47 which is insane deal. If I didn’t already own it, I’d buy it!

Again – don’t forget to use the code CREDOFAM at checkout in order to save 20% off your whole order! Remember, you only have until November 5th to save 20%!

Disclaimer: This post is NOT sponsored; however it does contain some affiliate links. I receive a small commission from these sales but all opinions are 100% my own.

Are you into green beauty? Are there any products you want to see reviewed???

The post MUST-BUY Green Beauty Items (20% off!) appeared first on The Healthy Maven.

from News About Health https://www.thehealthymaven.com/2017/11/must-buy-green-beauty.html