#this is post shower damp hair with my conditioner spray in

[chocobothis]

Look at these curls!!!

[purinflora]

self care ᵔᴗᵔ

pampering yourself in steps

— ✦ O1. : start a skincare routine

think about your needs. what are you struggling with? acne, clogged pores, hyperpigmentation / post acne marks, dryness / itching, oiliness, or rosacea? specialize and find products & treatments that can benefit your skin specifically. consult a dermatologist to help you navigate your journey. please do research! know your skin. not everybody needs 12 step routines, just find what you need, keep clean and consistent, and layer products properly! i have sensitive / oily combination skin, so i use a foam water cleanser, tumeric cleansing pads, brightening exfoliant (3x a week), moisturizer, and sunscreen in the mornings. occasionally i do a sheet or clay mask.

— ✦ O2. : hair care

again, your hair care routine will vary wildly depending on both your hair length and type. but there are general rule of thumb practices such as keeping your hair trimmed and neat (to your preferred length ofc, keep free of dead ends for those with longer hair). invest in a scalp scrubber for hair wash days, a bamboo brush for grooming / combing, and products such as detangler spray and heat protectants. my hair wash routine consists of a dove scalp food scrub, two rounds of regular shampoo, one round of my medicated ketoconazole leave-in shampoo, and conditioner. i leave hair oil in pre wash on a bi-weekly basis and i mostly air dry.

— ✦ O3. : body care

pre shower, dry brushing can drain the lymphatic system and soften skin. keeping your skin smooth is key, so while in the shower be sure to exfoliate by using a body scrub. after that, soap up. i use a benzoyl peroxide cleanser for my back and upper / under arms because it kills bacteria that causes odor and can help with body acne. out of shower, glycolic toner to the under arms and legs can aid in getting rid of discoloration from shaving. apply lotion while skin is still damp to lock in moisture. dab body oil on wrists, sides of neck, and ankles. for nails, make sure to cut cuticles, apply vaseline, and keep hands moisturized. for soft lips, you can brush them with a toothbrush or use a peel off / leave on lip mask. find your signature scent, and center your bath products around it.

✷ heαder creds @ unknown !

[aknosde]

in the wake

// Nikolai Lantsov & Genya Safin // Alternate Universe - Modern Setting // Implied/Referenced Character Death (dominik’s)  // Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-Con (very very faint ref to Genya’s past) // Late Night Conversation (in cars!) // 1k

im working on a modern zoyali au but rn all you get is nikolai’s backstory rip

ao3

—————

Nikolai dreams of Dominik again.

They’re a tricky thing, dreams. Malleable to the touch; a moment away from becoming safe haven or nightmare. Nikolai has dreamt of Dominik seemingly thousands of times in the past months—of passing notes in class; hugging after races; chasing each other through the fields between their houses. The image always falls on its side, though, and in the end Nikolai is left on the sidewalk, his best friend’s blood sprayed across his cheek.

He wakes up in the back of Genya’s beat-up Lada Granta, scrubbing at his face.

“Oh,” she says, voice soft, when he sits up, making eye contact with him through the rearview mirror. “Come on up here.”

It’s all Nikolai can do to nod. He’s unbuckled, curled up in her back seat in a nest of his rowing gear, only partially changed out of his uniform. His shoulders and legs ache with it, but he pushes through the gap between the driver’s and passenger’s seats to drop himself next to her. She reaches over to comb back his river-damp hair with one hand, eyes still on the road.

“I wonder what would happen if we diffused that,” she says, absently rubbing a curl between her fingers before returning her hand to the wheel.

Genya Safin is Nikolai’s Eighth Wonder of the World. He regrets not a second of their friendship, except perhaps the fact that it was catalyzed by Dominik’s death. Sitting on the Vertov's back steps, Genya holding an ice pack to Nikoali’s fractured cheekbone, their voices hoarse from their screaming match in Dominik’s bedroom, Dominik’s wake in full swing inside, will go down as one of the best and worst nights in Nikolai’s life. If he’s not to be blessed with another miracle for the rest of his days he’ll die a happy man.

He attempts to picture his hair in the days before morning showers and mousse. “My mother would hate you forever.”

Genya laughs. “Doesn’t she all ready?”

They are a pair beyond anyone’s logic or expectations. He’d be lying if that wasn’t something he liked about them.

Genya’s got the windows down and the air conditioner blasting, an obsolete combination that Nikolai can just barely trace back to his post-regatta self, collapsing dramatically in her back seat and kicking his shoes off. The river was cold and he was hot with the adrenaline of it. Now, he finishes tugging on a clean sweatshirt and tries, again, to wipe Dominik’s blood off his jaw. He can feel it in his ear, in his hair, turning tacky and antiseptic in the emergency room.

“You’re crying, Nikolai,” Genya tells him as he swipes at his face.

He looks down; his hand is clean. He tastes salt.

Genya passes him a face wipe and gives him a moment to gather his bearings. She’s odd like that; as much as she relishes needling his façades away, she always allows him the time to put them back up.

“Gross,” she says when he blows his nose into the wipe. He chucks it at her in revenge but she ducks and it lands on her window with a damp thump before sliding to the ground. Genya cusses him out and makes the next left much harder than it has to be. They lapse into an amused silence, her with her eyes trained carefully on the tail lights ahead of them and him slumping against the passenger seat, giving sleep his next-best go.

It’s not a good one. He rests an arm on the open window, hand hanging out and fingers moving through the cool night air. Cars race by in a red-white blur of head and tail lights, and Nikolai looks out in the distance to dimly lit neighborhoods and their sparsely-dotted farming neighbors. The drive to the regatta was excruciatingly long but he finds himself appreciating it on the way back; the thought of being home is exhausting.

“I should be over this, right?” he asks as they pass a gas station.

Genya nearly jumps. “I thought you were asleep.”

He ignores her. “The forty days have passed, I should be over this right?” Nikolai isn’t a superstitious person, but that doesn’t mean he can’t find merit in tradition.

“He was your best friend,” Genya says, flicking on her turn signal.

“I killed him.”

“Stop saying that.”

She had been stunned silent the first time he told her, chest heaving and only an arm’s length away from Dominik’s track trophies. They had both been crying in his bedroom and though it was still full of his things it had felt inexplicably empty, the life of it absent.

“There’s a world where we never met and he’s still alive,” Nikolai tells her now. He can feel the dried tears on his cheeks like a stain.

“And there’s a world where he died sooner,” Genya snaps. Sometimes they’re still fighting in Dominik’s bedroom. A beat. “You're too pretty for self-pity, Nik. There’s nothing you can do to change the past. I know you don’t believe me now, but I promise you: none of this is your fault. No one else thinks so.”

He must be quiet a moment too long, because Genya’s expression turns to one of rage, gloriously incongruous on her flawless face. “I’m going to castrate your father,” she says, teeth gritted.

“And you’d have every right to.” They’re talking about different things.

“Fuck your parents. You’re coming home with me tonight.”

“Genya–” he starts.

“No.” She holds a hand up. “Nikolai, you've bought me coffee every morning for the past two months, you drove me to school and work when this hunk of junk was under repair, you fixed my grandfather’s watch. You can crash at mine.”

“Okay.”

Genya must be expecting him to put up more of a fight because she turns to him with an arched brow. “Okay?”

“Okay.”

Genya leans back in her seat, giving the road a self-satisfied smile. Her mascara is coming off and her eyeliner is smudging, perfume fading behind the smell of the riverbank and her car. Homework is falling out of her purse in the back seat and she’s tapped one of the rearview mirrors into place. Nikolai thinks she may be one of the most perfect people in the world.

“Good,” she says.

[demilypyro]

If you won't share ur routine, do you at least have resources for curly girls? My sister has type 3a or b and none of the women in our family have had anything tighter than 2b so she never learned how to take good care of her curls

I'll share my routine, that other post was just getting too long

The biggest deals are hydration and detangling. If your curls get too dry and/or tangled up you'll get knots in your hair and you can seriously damage your hair when trying to get those out again

While showering, use an oily conditioner (mine has buriti oil) and use your fingers to comb through your hair. Detangle your curls this way whenever you shower, daily is best. Using your fingers lets you feel and undo the tangles without applying too much force.

Dry your hair by pressing a cotton t-shirt on it. Rubbing a towel will tangle and damage your curls. By pressing, you get the moisture out with minimal damage. Hairdryers are a no-go, leads to frizz. Supposedly cotton is good because it's absorbent.

Optional: to be extra sure, apply a leave-in detangler when your hair is damp

Optional: apply a curl hydration spray when you leave the house. Mostly important during hot/dry months

Once a week, untangle thoroughly with a tangle comb (I use a Tangle Teezer). This is mostly just in case you missed something with your fingers or if you missed a day of finger-detangling. Ideally, you find no knots at all. Don't comb this way too often or your hair will get frizzy.

Shampoo about once a week. Shampooing too often will dry out your hair and again lead to frizziness

Optional: Ideally, your pillowcase should be silk. This material avoids tangling while you sleep. But that's more of a "go hard" option

For most of these products, your best bet is usually stuff marketed around countries where this hair type is common. Otherwise you might grab something meant for straight or wavy hair. Ask a store clerk to be sure, or just ask them for recommendations.

[h2bakugou]

Hello! Could I please get a soft shiggy x fem!reader? Basically the reader is like god dammit why aren’t u taking care of urself? And basically gives him a lil homemade spa day! I think it’d be really cute! It can be fluff or smut, whatever you prefer!

a/n: hii!! of course!! i kept this kinda fluffy, posting a day later but happy birthday shiggy baby

summary: the constant state that shigaraki stays in while running the league is certainly an interesting one, but you can’t bear watching him not take care of himself. so you arrange a day to do just that

key: (y/n) - your name / (f/n) - first name / (l/n) - last name / (e/c) - eye color / (h/c) - hair color / (y/q) - your quirk

warnings: swearing, fluff, mentions of not eating, mentions of anxiety, a few mentions of nudity but nothing sexual

word count: 2.2k (okay pop awf-)

;cut for length;

»»————-　★　————-««

»»————-　★　————-««

The prominent dark circles under Shigaraki’s eyes were a clear indication that he had been up all night again. Even while he sat in the bed beside you, playing a game on some handheld console, you could tell he hadn’t been to sleep at all in the past twenty-four hours.

Trying to ignore the soft sounds coming from his game, you cuddled up to him anyway, slinging an arm under on of his, resting your hand back up on his shoulder, your grasp resembling that of a backpack strap.

“What are you playing?” You mumbled quietly, your eyes just barely peeking over his arm, the screen illuminated a little too brightly for your comfort.

“Some weird RPG I downloaded from a forum. It’s stupid.” Shigaraki quickly turned the game console off and set it on the night stand, turning over to look at you.

“You look tired, did you not sleep good last night?” You ask, reaching a delicate hand up to caress his cheek, thumb carefully grazing over the top his cheek. You pull him in for a delicate kiss, just barely touching his lips.

You were still half-asleep, but you could tell Shigaraki wasn’t taking care of himself again. He had these spells, usually around the time when the League wasn’t doing much, plotting or just moving around, he wouldn’t sleep, he’d barely eat-his excuse would be he forgot, but you knew he was anxious.

Anxious for what was to come. He was a good leader, and he was strong, probably stronger than you were, but that didn’t matter. You were worried about him.

You couldn’t stand seeing those dark circles under his eyes, of hearing his tummy rumble when you lay next to him. It seemed the scratching on his neck would worsen as well, raw skin peeking through under the already cracked and dry skin he itched at for what felt like hours.

“Didn’t sleep.” He replied quietly. He knew you were about to scold him. He could read it all over your face as you pouted, pulling him into you.

“You could’ve woke me up, and we could’ve done something to help you fall asleep.” You sit up, ushering him to lay in your lap. As he does so, you take one look at his hair and inwardly cringe.

It’s a knotted mess, and no matter how much you wanted to run your fingers through it, you probably wouldn’t even get halfway before having to brush your fingers out of there with a hair brush. Or worse, cut them out.

“Didn’t wanna bug you.” Shigaraki seemed cold. His responses were dry. You heaved a sigh and pushed him up by his shoulders. Slinking out of the bed, you walked around to his side and tugged him out, pulling him over to the bathroom by his arms.

“How many times have I told you I don’t mind.” You sigh as you set him down on he toilet lid, watching as he just nods, hanging his head as you turn on the water for the bath.

Allowing it to warm up, you turn back to him and tug at his shirt.

“Arms up.” You speak softly, proceeding to take his shirt off as he lifts his arms up.

“When did you get this!?” You’re visibly and audibly worried as you spot a rather large bruise on his side. It looked like it hurt.

“Last fight.” Shigaraki sighed and glanced up at you.

“What are you doing?” His lips were fitted in a thin line, his eyelids were barely open, probably to heavy to even try.

“I’m going to help you relax. Look, your shoulders are so tense you can’t even relax them!” You went to touch his shoulders and just as you had stated, the muscles felt locked and telling by the hissing from Shigaraki, they were painful to move and touch.

“Alright alright! Just, am I taking a bath?” He questioned. You nodded and stepped aside, allowing him to undress the rest of the way before getting into the tub, his lips parting as he sat down, the warm water already making him feel slightly better.

Taking a cup you’d left in the bathroom from dumping out some soda, you rinsed it quickly under the sink, making sure it wasn’t sticky, and then brought it over to the tub where you scooped up some water and poured it over Shigaraki’s hair.

Once it was wet enough to lather some shampoo in, you allowed him to lean back as you worked your fingers through his locks. Unknotting his hair and washing it was a bit difficult, but taking your time, you made sure every strand of his hair was clean.

Your fingers worked their way back up to his scalp where you massaged for quite a few minutes, both to try and remove any built up dirt and dandruff and to give him a bit of a massage.

Shigaraki was almost purring in satisfaction as you finally dragged your hands away, reaching for the cup to rinse his hair. It didn’t take you long to rinse out all the suds before getting started on the conditioner.

“Thank you.” Shigaraki mumbled, holding his knees to his chest, his head dipped back so you could wash his hair easier.

“Of course. I know you haven’t been taking care of yourself again, I know you don’t mean too, but I can’t help but notice.” You sigh, running the pleasant-smelling conditioner through his white locks.

“You have these weird spells. I understand though, how you feel. It’s not easy being the leader, I can’t imagine the stress you feel, but you’ve got to take care of yourself. It’s important. You gotta be strong for the league, and for yourself.” You know Shigaraki, a little more than everyone else in the league does.

You’re dating him for peat’s sake. But Shigaraki became standoffish, grumpy, and even distant during these spells. There was nothing to do. Besides maybe make up a plan for a little something just to do something.

He was anxious about the little things. About how the league looked to the public. About how long they had stayed in one location. About how long it had been since their last big attack.

He needed to get back to league business, but there needed to be time, a good plan, an opening, the forces to attack, all of it needed to be planned with pinpoint accuracy, and those things took time.

“I love you, a whole bunch.” You lean over and kiss his cheek, smiling as his cheeks burn red.

You lather up a loofa with some nice scented soap and begin to wash his back and shoulders, down his arms and a little on his neck.

You’re extra careful around his neck and try not to get any of the scented soap on his raw skin. You know it hurts, and it’ll sting when water washes over it, but you’ll have to take extra good care of that spot later.

When you’re finished washing him, you drain the water and let him stand up, switching the bath to a shower and you begin to rinse him off.

It feels so domestic, these few minutes. The way you laugh and giggle when you tell him to lift his arms and spin and then call yourself some sort of car wash as you spray the warm water over him.

“You’re making a mess.” Shigaraki states at the various puddles of water on the bathroom floor. You sigh and finally help him rinse his conditioned hair out, asking him to hold the shower head for you while you run your fingers through his hair and ring out all the suds.

After the shower, you let him stand and air dry why you go and retrieve a towel. Upon walking in, he’s turned away from you, so you decide to pinch his butt, playfully of course.

Shigaraki just turns and glares at you, taking the towel from you as you giggle.

“I touched the butt.” You laugh as you leave the bathroom, letting him dry off. While he does so, you search around for a pair of boxers to hand him as well as a comfy t-shirt to put on after you give him a nice back massage.

Handing him his underwear, you look away and decide to make the bed quickly while he gets partially dressed.

“Where’s my shirt?” He questions. You turn and for a few seconds, you’re flustered. There’s Shigaraki, hair dripping wet and running down his toned chest, right down to the waist band of his black boxers. The towel you’d given him is lazily tossed over one shoulder, and he looks like some sort of actor out of a terrible romance movie.

Too entranced by his looks, you quickly shake your head, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks. You pat the freshly made bed.

“Back massage.” You blurt out kneeling on the bed, waiting for him to lay down.

“Flustered?” Shigaraki stands beside the bed, a finger under your chin as you look up at him. You lean up and kiss his lips, smiling as you pull away.

“Well when you look that good can you blame me?” You tease, waiting as he lays down on the bed like you had motioned for.

“I guess not.” He replies.

Laying his head over his folded arms, his chest is against the bed. You move to sit over his butt as you look at his back. Still a little damp from the shower, you take the towel that had been tossed on the bed and dry it off, running it through his wet locks a bit.

Tossing it down onto the floor, too unbothered about it leaving a wet-mark on the carpet, You squirt some lotion into your hand and delicately begin to rub it into his back, carefully drawing your fingers across his skin, massaging it up over his shoulders.

Your fingers work magic as you relieve his tension, working at his shoulders carefully and strategically, undoing any knots that had formed.

Shigaraki’s eyes are closed, and small hums of satisfaction spill from his mouth as you do so.

You spend minutes massaging his back, quietly and gently working lotion into his skin. And when you’re finished, you ask him to sit up and face you. He puts on a shirt and you ask for his hands.

He’s skeptical but allows you to see one. You carefully apply some lotion to your hand and begin to massage it in, working down each one of his fingers before gently massaging his palm.

He stares at you in admiration as you seem un-phased by his hands, or the fact that he could kill you with them if you messed up. You don’t even look anxious, or worried about them.

And when you switch to his other hand, you continue, even when his fingers twitch. You just smile and kiss the back of his hand when you’re done, complementing the way he looks.

Interlocking your hands with his, Shigaraki’s eyes go wide.

“Careful!” He speaks up, falling into you as you tug him back.

He’s laying on top of you as you lay under him, smiling up at him.

“I can handle myself, don’t worry. Now come here.” You wrap your arms and legs around him, clinging to him like a sloth. You can’t help but giggle as he turns over, allowing you to be on top of him.

“You’re so stupid.” Shigaraki sighs, closing his eyes. You brush your nose against his, kissing the tip of his nose before burying your head into the crook of his neck.

“But you love me. And I love you too.” You kiss his neck gently, closing your eyes as you rest against him.

“I do love you.” Shigaraki’s arms are wrapped over your back, holding you down on top of him. He smiles and finally feels how tired he was.

“I’m gonna go make breakfast soon, so take a little nap okay?” You sit up and kiss his forehead.

“I can’t fall asleep without you.” Shigaraki mumbles, holding you tighter.

“This is a bad idea. I’m gonna fall back asleep too.” You mumble reaching for a blanket. Shigaraki helps cover the both of you.

“Guess we’re napping then.” Shigaraki kisses your cheek, nuzzling his head against yours.

“Guess so.” Your words are quiet as you slip back to sleep, peacefully dozing off as Shigaraki does the same.

It’s a bit of a long nap, a couple hours pass. And when you wake up, you make some food for the both of you, eating a big meal while watching a show on Netflix. The day is all about Shigaraki and so cuddles are a must when you’re finished eating.

You switch from basic cuddling to sitting in his lap, to even under his baggy t-shirt, your head poking through the head-hole, your back against his chest.

It’s a long day, but it’s spent with Shigaraki, taking care of him and showing him how much you truly adore him. And he loves it.

And at the end of the night, when you go to bed for real after gaming for an unreal amount of time, he holds you close and kisses the top of your head. You’re tuckered out completely sound asleep as he begins to doze off himself.

He loves you. He really does.

»»————-　★　————-««

masterlist

[thelovelymrsc]

sorry if you’ve already been asked this question before, but what does your hair care routine look like? I love curling my hair and doing cute different styles to it but I feel like I’m slowly killing it

Aw thanks for the question babe ❤️

I’m still working on building up the best routine, but I do get compliments on my hair and my hair stylist always talks about how much it’s grown!

I get my hair done every few months. I get layers, long curtain bangs to frame my face, and balayage with olaplex deep conditioning treatment. I believe the olaplex added to my color, and the extra conditioning treatment, helps maintain the integrity of my hair.

I don’t wash my hair every day. I feel like most people don’t anymore, but I definitely don’t! I probably wash every 4 days depending on my activity level and how my hair looks. I use Not Your Mother’s tapioca dry shampoo, but I have heard some new things about I’m dry shampoo not being the best for you so I try to use it less often.

Whenever I wash my hair, I use a prescription shampoo on my scalp from my dermatologist. Then every other wash I use purple shampoo as well from Joico to brighten up my blonde.

My conditioner is also the purple one from Joico, but every other wash I use the Briogeo deep conditioning mask which I find has helped my hair a lot!

Out of the shower, I only use 100% cotton t shirts to dry my hair, and I try to let my hair air dry most of the way before blow drying it. Less heat on my hair.

I use a Kirsten Ess spray on my hair while it’s damp. Then I take my blow drier and dry my hair! It’s just a basic blow drier. I don’t brush my hair while it’s wet at all.

I brush it out post-dry to detangle before using a round brush or the revlon blow dry brush.

Then I’ll give myself a blow out with the revlon brush or my round brush, but sometimes I honestly just smooth out my curtain bangs and call it done!

I’m still hunting for the best heat protectant, but definitely that’s essential to use as well!

I curl my hair usually once a wash cycle with a flat iron, and my curls last forever so I can curl and use that style a few different ways.

An example of my hair “week”:

Day 1: Wash+ blow out

2: Brush out hair, go for straight hair that day

3: curl hair with flat iron

4: brush out + style

5: style again: ponytail, hat, half pony etc

Start over.

I hope this was helpful! It was probably excessive, but I like to give too much info rather than too little!

[captaincravatthecapricious]

You’re Scaring Me- Prompt Fill

Jon is out of town somewhere in the nebulous future of a happy ending, and Martin is having a rough time.

cw isolation, guilt, references to child abuse, negative self talk, mentions of the Lonely, panic attacks

I am still accepting bingo prompts! Still have a couple outlined but not written/posted, and a few that still need requests (send me a character and let me know if you want a drawing or a fic (drawings happen much faster)). Have a lovely day!!!!!

Alone.  

Martin knows that isn’t true.  Not really.  He could be talking to Jon in a matter of seconds.  He knows.  He does.  That Jon would pick up the phone without hesitation no matter where he is.  Jon is just gone for a few days.  Taking in a few museums and bookshops during a short university break.  Well deserved, because Jon has been working his ass off, trying to keep up with grading and coaxing students to turn things in on time.  

Martin would have gone if he didn’t still have work.  

In any case.  

Technically Martin is alone.  And that should be fine.  It is fine.  

It’s been years since the Lonely.

He shouldn’t be feeling like this.  He shouldn’t need someone with him to feel like a person.  He shouldn’t need Tim to drop in and check on him.  And, yes he does want to see Tim, but... this feels more like he needs a babysitter.  And he doesn’t want to put Tim out.  

Martin presses himself into the couch.  He should get a blanket.  Preferably his heated blanket.  But.  That feels like cheating.  

He closes his eyes as he exhales, afraid of the puff of fog that might escape him.  Better he doesn’t see.  

He doesn’t really want to see anyone right now.  It sounds like a lot more effort than he has energy.  Numb limbs heavy on a faded couch.  

Faded?  Is it really that dull a color?  Or has the brightness gone with Jon?  

Heh.  Jon really is the light of his life, he supposes.  What a stupid sappy stereotype.  

He disgusts himself.  

Why would Jon want to come back to this flat?  It’s too cold, anyways.  

He doesn’t want Tim to come to dinner.  He doesn’t have the energy to shower.  He should shower before he goes out.  He knows he isn’t smelling the freshest.  Is the salt on his skin and his lips from the clammy sweat that clings to him as his anxious thoughts writhe, or is it the salt spray of the Lonely?   Either way.  He is sticky and salty.  And not fit for dinner.  Not alone and certainly not with anyone else.  

He’ll pull the life out of Tim.  The warmth.  He shouldn’t subject Tim to his mood and what his mood can do when he’s like this.  

He shifts on the warn fabric of the couch.  Drawing himself inwards.  

Trying to find warmth in his core but just making himself a small, cold lump.  

Pluto, abandoned, and frozen, and ignored.  

With icy fingers that his phone hardly recognizes, he texts Tim to cancel.  

Tim curses when he gets the text.  He isn’t surprised to get it.  But that doesn’t stop his heart from juddering.  

“Sash, I’m going over.  You coming?”

“Hurry up, Stoker, I’m already out the door.”

She is, and Tim scrambles to catch up.  

He doesn’t want to admit how tightly he holds her hand on the tube.

The apartment door is cool to the touch.  

As it should be, Tim’s fire-fighter brain supplies.  But this is a little too cold.

A little frosty.  The door knob mottled by the cold.  

He knocks.  Loudly.  Shave-and-a-haircut.  “Martin?”

Martin knows it’s Tim.  Intellectually, he knows it has to be.  That’s how Tim always knocks.  But it jolts Martin out of the cold ball he has made himself into, and …nowhere.  

Part of him is shoved against a wall with Jane Prentiss banging on the door.  Part of him is pierced by the guilt that Tim has come all this way just for him and that he is stupid and needy and worthless for needing looking after, just a parade of guilt and isolation because he never learned how to grow up.  Part of him is back in his closet hands over his ears as his parents fought, then barged in to give him an apology that never really apologized, just made him feel like he’d done wrong or that no matter how tidy and quiet he was he would never be worthy or clean.  And part of him is still on a distant beach.  Distant in distance and emotion.  

And he can’t breathe.  

Memories in his lungs.  

Guilt in his throat.  

Coughing and choking on the chilly air, too busy drowning to even call out to the Tim shaped life preserver banging on his door.  His hands going numb and his muscles spasming.  

Useless.  Can’t go a weekend without Jon without a panic attack.  Stupid.  Codependent.  Needy.  Clingy.  Worthless excuse for an adult.  Can’t be a person for a single weekend.  

Tim unlocks the door without getting a response.  Of course he has a key.    

He can’t say he’s surprised to find Martin hyperventilating and crying silently on the couch in a slightly foggy flat.  He would like to have been surprised by this… but he isn’t.  

Martin’s been having a rough go of it recently.  Becoming and EMT means less time at home and with Jon.  Less time to see his therapist.  And Tim knows Martin has talked to Jon about this, and to his therapist, and to Tim and to Sasha, but that doesn’t help the reality of this.  Martin is worn thin, and he knows it too, which is why Tim and Sasha were going to visit with him anyhow.  

“Hey, buddy?”  Tim eases himself closer to Martin.  

Sasha is… not the most comfortable getting cried on.  She prefers doing things to provide comfort not actually physically being there.  She’s done it for Tim a few times, but she prefers showing her love in other ways.  Like with a favorite meal.  Or pirating a favorite movie.  Or buying interesting rocks.  Little ways to show love without… getting damp or snotty.  Tim knows this, and figures she has slipped off to fetch Martin’s electric blanket, and start the kettle on the hob, and send a text to Jon, saying something to the effect of: please call.  

Tim is all for damp hugs.  He is all for clinging to someone like they are the last hope in the world, or as if he can hold that person together as the world tries to shake them to pieces.  He’s done that with Jon in the distant past… and the very recent past.  He’s done that with Sasha a few times, but not as often.  And he has done that with Martin… just as he does this time.  

Asking permission, of course.  

Getting a jerky nod in answer to ‘is touch okay?’  

He gathers Martin into his arms.  He knows how much pressure Martin likes.  He might not be as good a hugger as Martin, but he likes to think he’s a close second (with Sasha coming in third, and Jon in last place.  Those noodle arms of his docking points).  

“Buddy, can you breathe for me?”

Martin shakes his head, gasping some things that certainly don’t quite count as breaths.  

“Martin, you’re scaring me, please take a breath?”  Tim keeps murmuring to him for several minutes before it seems like Martin is getting any oxygen to his brain.  But, Tim supposes, since he hasn’t passed out, he’s probably managing.  “That’s really, really good, bud.  Think you can manage some grounding exercises?  Either that or I tell Sash to find you a lemon.  Not the old school name for sexy time fan fiction, but an actual lemon.  I read somewhere that biting one can help stop a panic attack, but I keep forgetting to try it.  Do you wanna try that?  Or should we stick with the more conventional?”  

Martin signs he wants the grounding exercises.  

Tim huffs a laugh.  Martin isn’t the biggest fan of lemon.  “We can try that one another time.  Can you name five things you can see?”

Martin signs “Couch, you, my hands, the ceiling, the coffee table.”

Tim presses a kiss to the top of his head.  “Good.  Now four things you can feel?  Or is it four you can hear and three you can feel?  Fucked if I know.  You’d think I would know this after doing it every few weeks.  You’d have to ask Sash or Jon.  Just… uh go with the first one.  I guess.  Buddy, you are doing great.”

Martin’s hands are clumsy and shaky and never were the best at BSL, but Tim can understand him well enough.  He names four of each just to be safe.  And it does help calm him down…. but Tim is pretty sure he loses Martin to his mind not long after.  

Martin staring blankly at the ceiling as Tim runs a hand through his hair.  He isn’t as into it as Jon is, but Martin seems to like it.  

He’s warmed up enough to start shivering, which Tim is pretty sure is a good thing.  Right?  When you stop shivering is when you should worry about hypothermia.  Plus, he has the electric blanket that Sasha found, and some tea, so he’s probably doing better.  

And Sash convinced Jon to start back home.  Yeah Martin will probably feel guilty about it, but Jon wouldn’t forgive them if they didn’t keep him posted about Martin’s wellbeing.  

Martin must have fallen asleep.  Or… did he just go all space cadet on Tim and Sasha?  …He shouldn’t have done that.  If he hadn’t canceled their plans, they would have all had a nice evening even if they were babysitting a grown man….

Shut up Martin inner monologue!  

He takes a few deep breaths before he can spiral again.  

He opens his eyes to see Jon curled against his chest.  And Martin half on top of Tim, and Sasha curled up against Jon.  

Martin is exhausted.  Panicking having sucked any life in him away hours ago.  He can’t bring himself to move.  He can’t even bring himself to pay attention to the movie that he is sure is his favorite that is playing quietly on the television.  He breathes deep the smell of Jon’s conditioner.  The smell of Tim’s deodorant.  The softest hint of Sasha’s lip balm.  And he tucks the electric blanket a little tighter around himself, and lets himself rest.  

[addercharmer]

Izumi had slept next to Keigo again, he had woken just after midnight with a scream and both Izumi and Nezu had raced their way into his room to find the boy curling up as small as possible under the desk in his room. 

It took half an hour for the stoat to coax Keigo out and back into his bed, where the elder had shuffled around blankets and pillows until it felt more like a true nest. 

Nezu then had Izumi climb into the base of the bed, Keigo had quickly snuggled into her side, Nezu then climbed into the nest and settled above their heads. They had all fallen back asleep and no other nightmares had woken them. 

Izumi's inner alarm woke her and she groaned a little at the weight that was sprawled on her chest. A squeaking laugh from near her head had Izumi sighing at the fact that Nezu now would have photo evidence of them sleeping together. 

"Morning dad." Izumi croaked out, then she started to wiggle her way out from the nestling. 

"Bathroom, then we gotta talk." She tells him, there hadn't been any time the night before. Nezu had gotten an emergency call to do some analysis on a well known villain group of this time. 

Izumi stumbled to the bathroom, she emptied her bladder and washed her hands, before making the snap decision to take a shower. 

She didn't let herself linger under the spray no matter how much she wanted to, she washed her hair and put in the conditioner to soak in as she washed her body, then rinsed out the creamy substance. 

Wrapping her hair and body in towels she then scurried to her room. Izumi had no plans to do anything today unless it involved her rosefinch so she pulled on a pair of black leggings and a lightweight sweater dress. She stopped in the bathroom long enough to grab a brush and hair ties, and hang her towels up to dry. 

Skipping down the stairs Izumi was greeted with the mingling smell of coffee and tea, in the kitchen there were cereal boxes and a half liter of milk already on the table, along with bowls and spoons. 

Izumi sat quickly and combined the cereal and milk into a bowl, she dug in with a hum of enjoyment at the sugary meal. Nezu slipped a large cup of coffee on the table by her elbow before taking his own seat. 

"I didn't get to tell you, but some stuff happened at the mall." Izumi started the conversation after they had both finished their food. 

"When we got the preening brushes I suggested we look at the ones for hawks and Keigo flinched pretty hard." Nezu's eyebrows scrunched a little and he let out a hum. 

"The specialty stores for physical mutations had hardly anything for winged people, but when I was little originality my mom was friends with fashion designers...if you were okay with it I could try to make contact, they were family friends and I could maybe tell them that Inko is my sister, aunt Mitsuki never had the best memory, and if we could find and doctor some photos it would work as evidence." Izumi rambled, she was a little nervous about suggesting this, but at the same time she believed it could be good for the future if she could put herself in an older sibling or aunt role for some of her friends. 

"Good idea, what would you say about wanting to get back in contact?" Nezu asked her. 

Clearing her throat a little, Izumi thought carefully as she sipped her coffee. 

"Aunt Mitsuki has always had a huge soft spot for kids, not that anyone could tell. Inko from what her medical history says had been in and out of rehab for the last four years, it's caused a lot of problems with her mental health. It would make sense to say that you adopted me after you found me bleeding from being bullied at a foster home, and not in Inko's care." 

Izumi sighed deeply. "But that's more the in depth story, in reality I could simply explain I am Inko's sister trying to get in contact with Mitsuki because I remember she was into fashion and I need help with my newly adopted siblings wing mutation." 

"Hmmm, good good." Nezu's tea cup clacks when it's put back on the table. "Let's go braid your hair and we can work more on the back story and get those photos ready." The stoat directs already moving to the living room.

Izumi followers close on his tail, sitting in front of him after putting the hair brush and ties on the couch. She's also pulling the coffee table and her laptop closer so she can find pictures as her dad works his magic on her hair. 

"Lay out your life as Inko's sister." Nezu tells her as he starts running the brush through her hair. 

"Well, I was a sickly child, I spent most of my early life in hospital. It wasn't until I was ten that I got better, I was back in my parents care for a year and a half before the accident that took their lives happened. I was quickly placed into foster care when Inko refused to take me in, five months later you found me and adopted me. Then we can just say the truth from there. My quirk developed under extreme stress, I had a lot of healing, I finished school within six months of living with you, I have several degrees, I am a fashion disaster, and now you are adopting a severely abused boy." As Izumi speaks she's hacking through Inko's computer, phone and cloud account for photos.

Nezu is finished braiding her hair into twin tails when there are feet thumping their way down the stairs. Nezu gets up and goes to help Keigo in the kitchen as Izumi starts doctoring the photos to include her. 

She can hears dishes flatted as Nezu loads them into the dishwasher, then he's dragging a box into the kitchen, it's one of his case file boxes that he gets from the police force to help solve crimes. 

 

It takes two hours for Izumi to doctor the photos, replace the originals with hers in both Mitsuki and Inko's devices and cloud account. When she's done Keigo is just sitting down next to her with his hair and wings still wet and a towel in his hand. 

"Let me help rosefinch." She laughs lightly. 

Gently she rubs the towel through her hair, it's not as thick as her own so it takes less time to get it only damp, with his wings she carefully runs it down in the same direction that his feather go, it takes time but soon they are only slightly damp as well. 

"Give them a fluff and a shake for me." Izumi tell Keigo, she had looked up some care tips before she first went to bed last night. 

Keigo follows her direction without any hesitation, when he's done he looks like a fluffy baby bird and Izumi falls a little more in love. 

"Go get your oil and comb, I'll give you a preen before we figure out what to do today." Izumi drops the towel she had been using over Keigo's head and it earns her a laugh before the boy is sprinting away.

He's back faster than Izumi thought he would be, just before he sits again Keigo fluffs his wings and Izumi spots his hair fluffing up with the feathers, Izumi has to work hard to stop herself from laughing. 

Once the oil is in her hands and the comb is sitting on the couch between them Keigo stretches his left wing out, Izumi opens the bottle noticing it's a light vanilla scent as she posts some out into a cupped hand. 

Snapping the bottle shut again she puts it beside the comb and then runs her hands together. 

Making her hands into loose claws she starts at the joint where wing meets skin, she takes her fingers through the feathers twice just to be sure she has them all coated before moving on to the rest with the same care. Izumi needs to recoat her hands with oil three more times before the whole wing is finished. 

Next she picks up a wide toothed wooden comb and starts to drag it through the feathers again, realigning any with her free hand as she goes. Izumi does this twice before she and Keigo switch sides to do the right wing. 

The longer Izumi presents Keigo's feathers the more relaxed he becomes, little chirps and coos leaving him. 

"All done." Izumi tells Keigo, she hands him back the preening items and gets up herself to clean off her hands. 

"Nee-chan, what are we going to do today?" Keigo asked Izumi from the stairs. 

"What do you want to do?" Izumi asks right back, as she starts pulling out things to make sandwiches. "Lunch first though. You too dad." 

Izumi quickly puts the sandwiches together and on one big plate. Keigo had come and grabbed smaller plates for each of them to use. 

"Can we play a game after?" Keigo asks as he grabs a sandwich. 

"What kind of game? I know my friends picked a few out, those should be in your room. But we can go outside too." Izumi eyes Nezu who still hadn't taken a sandwich, as he hits to reach for another paper Izumi taps his paw and pointed looks at the food. 

"Really?" Keigo asks, sounding more excited about being outside than he had about playing a game. 

"Mmmyep, I even know where the park is." Izumi tries to sweeten the deal, and with all the cyber stalking she has done on Endeavour she knows that Rei takes the kids there every Sunday afternoon. 

Nezu must hear something in her voice that has his head snapping towards her, she lets her grin turn a little feral. 

"Mmm dad will even come, I saw a family there, two children had ice quirks and one had a really powerful fire quirk, the fire user looks about your age." Nezu's answering toothy grin is enough for Izumi to know she was understood. 

"I haven't been to the park since I was taken." Keigo says with a sad sniffle. 

"Why don't we make it even better and I can invite my friends too, then you can meet Oboro and Nemuri." Izumi offers, she knows that it's going to be hard, Keigo had been deprived of so much that everything was going to be a new experience again. 

"Shō-nii and Zashi-nii?" Keigo perks up a little, and Izumi is so happy that her little rosefinch liked them. 

"Yep!" Izumi says back just as chipper. "I just have to message them and ask, dad has to clean up his papers and the dishes."

Mouse?Bear?Human?: My rosefinch hasn't been to the park since the commission took him, he would like to play with you all. 

IBreakGlass: be there in under 2 hours gotta finish my chores ಥﭛಥ

FemFatale: shō and I will be there in 30

LoudAssCloud: u sure? 

                           : I just mean what if were 2 much?

Mouse?Bear?Human?: He will be fine, he loves Zashi and Shō. 

                                        : He's already dubbed them Zashi-nii and Shō-nii, and I'm sure you will be Obo-nii soon enough. 

LoudAssCloud: (　-_･) ︻デ═一 ▸

                           : (*ฅ́˘ฅ̀*) .｡.:*♡

                           : be there when I can

LoudAssCloud is offline.

[uncloseted]

Hi so I have thick hair and the problem is when I wash it it dries very frizzy and um fluffy? and I know that's gonna get worse during the summer it always does. However it's very unmanageable while it's like this I literally can't do anything with it. I don't like straightening it down or blowing it out because it caused heat damage a few years ago and it seems to only make it worse than air drying. I can't just accept it like this because it looks awful and I don't want anyone to see me (cont)

I usually only wash my hair once a week because my hair honestly looks and feels better the more oil it has. I'm serious I'm tired of my hair feeling dried out and damaged after I wash it (last time I got it cut the person said it wasn't damaged anymore...) Now I've been going two weeks between washes and I can actually get away with it but it's like I never want to wash my hair again because of this. I finally found a shampoo and conditioner that I can get through my hair (cont again)

and I use the smaller amount of shampoo to get it clean. I've also started using a deep conditioner and a detangler that seems to offset it a bit but not enough. I stopped brushing it and finger through the knots but still have to use a shower comb when I first get out. I've tried several oil products and sprays but they don't do anything. Eventually when the pandemic lifts I need to get the ends trimmed again and I was gonna ask them about it but I don't know if I even can (cont last time)

It's really upsetting me and I'm already insecure. My hair feels very soft underneath and looks healthy underneath it's the top layer (layers?) that get fucked up. I even tried using a co wash but nope that didn't work out either (and apparently the brand I was using can cause long term damage which is not a risk I want to take). Do you or anyone on here have any advice or know any products I should use? Ideally shit that's affordable but I'm open to anything now. Sorry this was so long.

Obligatory not a hair stylist BUT to me it sounds like your hair is dry, and that’s why it’s frizzing.  I would try using all moisturizing products (shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, leave in conditioner) and see if that helps.  You might also try combing your hair in the shower after putting conditioner in- sometimes that’s easier than doing it when your hair is damp or dry.

You might try the L'Oréal Paris Everpure Moisture Shampoo, John Frieda Extra Strength 6 Effects Serum, and Moroccanoil Frizz Control.  There are also some good recommendations here.  You might also want to post on a hair advice forum to see if there’s a stylist that can give you more tailored recommendations. 

[austarus]

Harry Wells x Reader Bulletproof In The Shower

**A/N: The picture/edit/gif does not belong to me. It belongs to its rightful owner(s).

You let out a little hum as you fully undressed yourself, setting your clothes down and moving your things to the side counter near the sink. Fresh clothes reside in your backpack while your phone is on the sink counter of the locker room bathroom. You took in a little breath, the smell of cranberries emitting from the built-in air freshener that hung above the sink. Crouching down, you double check that you have everything like deodorant, body spray, and so on, before zipping up your backpack.

“7 a.m. No one is here or awake,” you mumble to yourself, shivering a bit at the slight airy draft as you fold the clothes that you just took off. Picking up your kiwi-berry scented shampoo and conditioner, you place them inside the shower then turn on the water to get it all running and warmed up. “Just me, myself, and I.”

Unfortunately, your own bathroom has been having some plumbing issues and leaky water problems, so you opted to shower here while a plumber comes in later today. And of course, with all the metas running around, you’re sure there will be some sort of delay. You’ve used Caitlin’s shower a twice already, with her assuring that it’s no problem at all. But you didn’t want to impose anymore, so the STAR Labs locker room seemed like best option at the moment.

You let your hair down from its bun and grab your phone, flicking to YouTube and starting up your playlist at a low volume as to not attract unwanted attention. You’re aware Harry’s in his room, but because of how late you and the team know he stays up you’re sure he wouldn’t be awake this early in the morning. Your heart skips a beat at the thought of the grumpy scientist. He’s come a long way with us since the Zoom incident. Setting your phone back on the counter, the soft beat of Titanium plays before you step under the warm water. You wet your hair as the water continuously cascades down.

“You shout it out… But I can't hear a word you say,” You lowly sing along, allowing your body to relax with a sigh. “I'm talking loud not saying much.”

.:.:.

Harry raked a hand through his dark and chaotic hair, which can never stay tame for too long. He was rudely awoken in his workshop by the sound of some tools falling off the desk. Yes, he passed out late last night working on the Thinking Cap, so he can finally outsmart Devoe. Apparently Ramon can’t even keep the place tidy, Harry thinks bitterly, rubbing the back of his neck as he sluggishly strolls to the break room to make some much needed coffee. Another long day with Team Flash, more like a team of hyper puppies.

What the-? Roughly sighing, Harry narrows his eyes as a certain noise… well, a steady beat actually, catches his attention as he walks by the locker room bathrooms. Back tracking in his steps, Harry gets close to the door and strains his ear to find some indication on if its an intruder or something through the slight drum of water hitting the tiles. I swear, if its Ralph again I’m banning him from using my locker room. He has his own bathroom to use!

“Stone-hard, machine gun, firing at the ones who run. Stone-hard, thus bulletproof glass” You, on the other hand, swayed your hips to the music as you sing a little louder while washing the shampoo bubbles from your hair, completely unaware that Harry was listening in. Too pre-occupied with getting clean to even consider the fact that he might even be awake or if anyone else from the team decided to come in early today.

Harry’s cheeks flush, his mind becoming a jumbled mess when he recognizes your voice. Realization hits him hard in his heart. The mental image of you wet and naked pops into the very front of his genius mind that he has to speed-walk away from the locker room and to the break room. I’m going to need one hell of a strong coffee to survive today, he shoves his hands in his pockets, knowing today will be hell when he must face you with everyone.

Mug filled with rich, black coffee in hand, Harry legit takes quick strides past the locker room bathroom to the Cortex, where at least he knows he’s safe there to calm down. He sits down at the main monitors and attempts to distract himself with whatever Devoe-related thing he can think of. Totally not thinking about how you sing or anything else about you. I swear she’s going to be the death of me even before I get the chance to confess to her…

.:.:.

After 10 minutes or so, you saunter into the Cortex with a refreshed casual look and your bag, which you set off to the side. Your damp hair is braided into a gorgeously done French braid, cascading over your shoulder. A little hum of content leaves your lips.

“Oh, hey Harry,” you beam a smile at him right as you saw him, your happy-go-lucky disposition never faltering.

“Hey,” he nods his head at you, not really making eye contact in hopes that you miss how his cheeks tint the slightest bit of pink. Harry’s trying to rid his mind of your silky singing voice, your sarcastic remarks, and the determination that sparkles in your eyes. That he really doesn’t need his mind to conjure up your during-shower look and post-shower look.

“You’re awake early.”

“I slept in the workshop, so not really all that comfortable.”

“You know you need proper sleep on a proper bed, right?” You start as you walk past him, he can smell your fruity shampoo, but… something else along with it. “You’re a human being too.”

“…What is that smell?” He changes the subject.

“Oh, it’s probably the coconut oil,” you nonchalantly respond, looking through some of Barry’s case files and anything that can be a lead to helping him out of prison. You glance at the dark-haired genius over your shoulder, “I heard that it can make my skin softer and smoother, so I applied it everywhere.”

God damn it… why do you have to be so adorable and confident and sunshine-y and oblivious as fuck. Harry rubs his face with his two hands when you look away just cursing you in his mind because he’s a victim to your ‘treachery’. This new information just adding fuel to the fire within him. Today is going to be hell.

You look to him with a bright smile, “Are you okay?”

“…Yes,” Harry answers and returns your infectious smile with a little one of his own, before turning back around. His smile slowly falls off his face as he tries to keep his feelings at bay until this Flash crisis is over.  No…

[our-smooty]

Making Showers Fun

Fandom: Gorillaz

Rating: Explicit

Relationships: AceDoc

Tags: shower sex, referenced abuse/homelessness, stinky bois being in love

Summary: It was no secret that both Murdoc and Ace hated bathing. It first it was a bit of a game between them, how long they could actually go without a shower, at least until the rest of the band started commenting. Russel was first to say something, wrinkling his noise one morning as they wandered into the kitchen and telling them plainly that they were getting a little pungent. Next came Noodle, who refused to pose for a selfie with the two bassist’s citing her bromidrophobia, though she mostly just thought they were nasty. Even 2D eventually spoke up, though it took him much, much, longer than any normal person.

It was no secret that both Murdoc and Ace hated bathing. It first it was a bit of a game between them, how long they could actually go without a shower, at least until the rest of the band started commenting. Russel was first to say something, wrinkling his noise one morning as they wandered into the kitchen and telling them plainly that they were getting a little pungent. Next came Noodle, who refused to pose for a selfie with the two bassist’s citing her bromidrophobia, though she mostly just thought they were nasty. Even 2D eventually spoke up, though it took him much, much, longer than any normal person.

So they had to figure something out. Murdoc had always avoided showers, a habit from growing up in a household where warm water was a distant luxury, and parental oversight nonexistent. For Ace it was a little less clear. He had distant memories of cold, rainy nights spent on the streets that slowly piled up into a hatred of anything wet. Even though he’d been off the streets for a while now, the idea of purposefully getting damp and cold turned his stomach. But the situation was getting pretty dire, even by their standards, so they decided to try something new this time.

“Shit…” The water was warm and the bathroom was cloudy with steam. They’d let the water run until it was good and hot to avoid any unpleasantness, and now both bassists were under the stream. Ace was directly under the spray with Murdoc behind him leaving hickies over any inch of skin he could reach. It was a good distraction from the creeping uneasiness he felt over even being in the shower. “Murdoc…”

“Yes?” the Satanist drawled, stepping closer to grind against Ace’s ass. “D’you need something?” Murdoc’s voice was a little more subdued than his normal lecherous tone, but Ace understood. He leaned back into the other and out of the spray for a moment to feel more skin on skin.

“You’re such a fucking tease,” Ace answered, turning around to pull Murdoc under the water. The older bassist squawked as his fringe got wet and fell over his eyes. Ace thought it was kind of cute, but rather than say anything he grabbed the 2-in-1 from the bathtub edge. “Lean your head back.”

Murdoc glared at him but listened, letting Ace squirt the soap onto his hair and begin to lather it in. It felt good, really good, and Murdoc let out a soft sigh at the way Ace’s long, nimble fingers made quick work of all his knots and snags.

“You’re good at this,” Murdoc hummed, placing his hands around Ace’s waist. “Had some practice, have we?”

Ace rolled his eyes. “Washing my own hair, maybe.”

“Not like you do that often though,” Murdoc pointed out with a smirk. Ace yanked slightly on the other’s hair, causing Murdoc to stumble forward into him.

“Like you can talk, you’re way more nasty than I am.” Murdoc just moaned and tilted his head, connecting their lips. It was warm and slippery from the water, but still just as satisfying as usual. Kissing Murdoc was an experience, something completely different every time. Ace loved it. The younger bassist felt himself melting into Murdoc’s embrace, relaxing despite the constant unease he felt over their watery location.

“Your turn,” Murdoc hummed, shuffling back to pull Ace more fully under the showerhead. He tried not to flinch as the water ran down his back. Instead, he focused on the fantastic view of Murdoc’s ass as he turned around to get Ace’s specialty shampoo and conditioner, squeezing out a dollop of each and mixing them together.

“That’s not how you’re supposed to do it, Doc,” he laughed, leaning down so Murdoc didn’t have to stretch up to reach his head. The older bassist was a little bit rough and a little bit hasty, but Ace didn’t mind too much. Especially when Murdoc leaned in and began kissing Ace’s collarbone as he rinsed out the suds.

“You still wanna…” Murdoc rudely gestured to their cocks, just beginning to get hard. That’d been the deal, hadn’t it? Take the shower together, get a little frisky. Ace watched as Murdoc trailed his hand down, gently taking Ace’s member in his hand. “Your finger’s in my hair… fuck.”

Ace slipped closer, leaning his head on Murdoc’s shoulder. “Mmm, you seem to want to.” He rocked his hips forward into Murdoc’s hand, staring down between them. Murdoch breath hitched on a growl at the friction, and he walked Ace backward, pressing him into the cold tile.

“I always want to fuck you, to be touching you,” Murdoc hissed into Ace’s ear, his free hand wandering to grab at the younger’s ass. “You know I’m crazy about you.”

Ace laughed lightly, hitching a leg around the other’s hips. “Not as c-crazy as I am about y-you.” Smooth. Murdoc seemed to think so because his hand sped up, jerking them both off at a firm pace. Their lips met again, their teeth clicked. The sounds of the shower drowned out their moans and gasps.

“I’m c-close,” Ace breathed, turning his head away from Murdoc to catch his breath. The Satanist immediately began nibbling along Ace’s jaw, all the way up to his ear and back. The steam was making it too hot to think, and his head was foggy with lust. Muscles tense, Ace’s legs began to shake as he neared his peak, feeling sparks of pleasure ignite in his core.

“You’re so easy to rile up,” Murdoc chastised, slowing his hand’s movements. Ace groaned and bucked his hips, trying to get Murdoc to keep going. He opened his eyes to see why Murdoc stopped and was met with the bassist’s trademark grin.

“It’s rude to leave a man hanging, Doc,” Ace whined, knowing that Murdoc wanted him to beg for it. Over the past few months Ace had learned that Murdoc loved making him beg. The Satanist liked nothing better than a little powerplay during their daily dalliances and Ace didn’t really mind. On the contrary, he loved it too, sometimes complying, sometimes switching things up and taking over. This time he decided to play the submissive, especially with the anxiety from the shower still buzzing at the edges of his brain. So he lowered his eyes to the tub floor and bit his lip, reaching for Murdoc. “Come on Doc, finish me off, will ya?”

Murdoc’s grin only widened. “But Ace, we’ll get all dirty again and have to wash off.” He sure wasn’t making this easy. Ace sighed and brushed his dripping hair out of his face.

“Please?” He put on his best imploring look, resting his hands on Murdoc’s chest. Murdoc, despite his insistence on teasing, could never resist that look. He quickly yanked Ace close again, taking his cock in hand and teasing his fingers over the head. Ace sighed in relief, leaning his head back against the tile. “Ah--”

Murdoc chuckled, though the sound was a little breathless. “I might have to start takin’ more showers if it means I get to see you like this more often…” Ace smiled slightly, knowing that without a doubt he wad flushed and sweaty.

“D-don’t push your luck. You aren’t that good.” It was a lie, and Murdoc knew it. Ace could never say no to Murdoc and was always down for some fun between the sheets. Or in the shower, as it was.

“Mmhmm, you keep thinkin’ that Copular,” Murdoc laughed, once again stopping to readjust, taking both of them in hand again. He was less teasing now, and a bit more desperate. As much as he liked to tease, Ace knew Murdoc was just as needy as he was and it showed in the breathless panting and small sounds the older bassist made as they both neared their ends together.

“Don’t stop!” Ace gasped, his nails digging into Murdoc’s shoulders as he tensed, the released. His orgasm was sharp and biting, a contrast to the muggy bathroom atmosphere. Murdoc came soon after, sinking his teeth into Ace’s neck to muffle his own shout. The pain made Ace tremble, and only made his orgasm sweeter. When they both finished they looked between them at the mess of come over their bellies. “I told you!”

“S’fine, we’ll jus’ rinse it off,” Murdoc said, still caught up in the post-orgasmic glow. He reached around Ace for the loofa hanging around the tap and a bar of soap.

“Isn’t that 2D’s loofa?” Ace asked, grimacing as Murdoc scrubbed them down. Murdoc held the come and soap covered sponge up and shrugged.

“I’ll get him a new one.”

“No, you won’t,” Ace sighed as Murdoc turned off the water and pulled back the curtain. Now that everything was said and done he was actually feeling really drained. Facing your fears while simultaneously having sex with someone like Murdoc could really wear you out.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Murdoc agreed, tossing the loofa into the trash. Ace watched him dry off while doing the same. Usually, he’d have to spend a while doing his hair and making sure it was straight instead of curly, but Ace really didn’t feel like putting in the effort. Instead, he dropped the towel and walked through the door back into Murdoc’s bedroom and flopped down on the bed, hating the way his wet hair felt against the pillows. Murdoc followed, apparently feeling the same.

“People do that every day?” Ace whined into the sheets, burrowing into their softness. Murdoc scoffed and pulled the blankets up over both of them, settling against the headboard with a cigaret.

“Apparently. S’not so bad, is it?” Ace shrugged and pressed his face further into the pillows. “I mean, the water’s hot, and the house isn’t fuckin’ freezing.”

“I just…” He wasn’t exactly sure how to explain it. “I really hate gettin’ wet. It’s always been awful and…”

Murdoc tapped his shoulder, motioning for Ace to snuggle into his side. The younger bassist did, ignoring the way Murdoc’s wet hair tickled his face. The Satanist offered him a smoke and Ace took it more for the sake of having something to do with his hands than actually smoking.

“I get you, Copular. S’not like we’re gonna be doin’ this every day, or even every few days anyway.”

“We’re gross,” Ace laughed, looking up at Murdoc who was smiling down at him. Not for the first time Ace thanked whatever being was out there that he had the opportunity to be with someone who understood those kinds of things. They weren’t that different, he and Murdoc.

“I prefer ‘well seasoned’, thank you very much!” Murdoc cackled making Ace laugh as well. Yeah, maybe he could get into the habit of cleaning up more often if this was the aftermath. This wasn’t so bad.

[hairbynicole-blog1]

Best Hair Products for Dry, Overprocessed & Damaged Hair

KMS Moist Repair Revival Creme

This leave-in product is really great for dry and damaged hair. Leaves hair feeling smooth and hydrated, I use this product on nearly all my clients. Squeeze a coin sized portion of the product and spread through the mid-sections and ends of damp hair before blowdrying. It smells nice too!

Joico K-PAK Smoothing Balm

This product is almost the same as the KMS revival creme, except this one is a little pricier and more effective on chemically damaged hair, as apposed to naturally dry hair. Spread through the lengths of towel-dried hair before blowdrying for softer, smoother feeling hair. Most importantly, this series of products from Joico contains both a balanced ratio of moisture and proteins which is excellent for repairing chemical damage.

Redken Extreme Anti-Snap Leave-in Treatment

Yet another leave in treatment. This one from Redken helps smoothen the cuticle, prevents split ends and provides the necessary proteins to help repair damage. This whole series is supposed to smell like blueberries, but it smells somehow delightfully like Christmas to me. Anyways, it smells great and it leaves your hair feeling silky smooth. I swear by this stuff. Apply this gel-like substance too the lengths before blowdrying. The best thing is it doesn’t leave a film-like substance on the cuticle. 

Wella Fusion Intense Repair Mask

This is an amazing rinse out mask from Wella! This is always in my shower, and its not too pricey either. After using shampoo, cover your lengths with this buttery, creamy mask and let sit for 5-10 minutes while you think about something beautiful. Rinse out and condition afterwards. Your hair should be feeling silky smooth both wet and once its dry. It also helps with combing through long, tangle-prone hair too. The smell is nice but very subdued. 

Sebastian Professional Penetraitt Repair Mask

Another rinse out hair mask, I find this one works best with the shampoo and conditioner that follow. (Sebastian Professional Penetraitt series) This mask is targeted for damaged hair. It penetrates the cuticle (outer layer of the hair) and helps to strengthen the cortex. It doesn’t really smell like anything. Also, it makes your hair look super shiny and feel like silk. Use after shampooing and ringing out excess water. Leave in 5-10 minutes.

Wella Professionals Wellaplex No3 Hair Stabilizer Home Treatment

This is a more expensive hair mask that really works and helps repair damage! This is the home treatment version of the in salon bond-maker and stabiliizer. Use this in freshly washed hair with the excess water squeezed out. Leave in for 5-10 minutes while you take care of your other shower duties. Be careful to completely rinse to avoid that sticky, film like feeling after it dries. If rinsed out properly, this product can completely revive damaged hair.

KMS Tame Frizz De-frizz Oil

We all know that dry, damaged and split hair strands can get frizzy. This oil makes hair silky smooth. Now, this doesn’t repair damage but it definitely helps the appearance of dry hair and helps keep hair protected and moisturised. 

Sebastian Professional Dark Oil

This has to be my all-time favourite hair oil. This really helps hydrate dry ends, and disguises the appearance of split ends. It smells AMAZING and leaves your hair feeling super silky smooth and shiny looking. I swear by this hair-oil. 

KMS Moist Repair Leave-in Conditioner

This is another great product from the KMS Moist Repair series to help hydrate dry hair.  This is my favourite leave in conditioner, it has a spray pump and is very light but still deeply conditioning. This is a great product to use with the KMS Revival creme. Both of these combined leave dry hair feeling brand new! This is also great for protecting dry hair from the elements during the colder months.

Redken Extreme Conditoner

This is my go-to conditioner for my dry, bleached hair. It smells wonderful and has a high protein complex for repairing damage and sealing the cuticle for a smoother feeling. Can be used in combination with the Redken Extreme Shampoo, or other shampoos depending on your preferences and hair-care needs.

System Professional S3 Smoothen Mask

This is another mask thats great for frizzy, curly or unruly hair that can be caused by dryness and damage. It really gives your hair that smooth, silk feeling, but isn’t necessarily repairing. I like to use this mask from time to time to get more of that smooth feeling. Use AFTER shampoo AND conditioner in damp hair. Leave for 5-10 minutes.

These are just a few of my favourite hair products for my dry, bleached and damaged hair personally. I would recommend these products to anyone who has a similar hair type. 

Post script: Just a reminder that there is no way to repair split ends other than chopping them off, but there are products (such as these) that can help temporarily heal split ends and disguise them. They will however come back after you’ve stopped using the products for some time. 

[mapleleafstrash]

New Years - Frederik Andersen (SMUT)

A/N: Hey guys! So I didn’t really do much last night and I’ve been having major Freddie Andersen feels lately so I decided to write a one-shot. This is my fist time posting like “descriptive/graphic” smut, so I hope you enjoy it! I tried my best and hopefully it makes sense / sounds good! Let me know if you think I should write like this more!

Requested: Yes/No

Characters: Frederik Andersen

Words: 3,145

Warnings: Language, Mention of Alcohol, Sexual Content

Flicking off the television, you sighed in slight aggravation, your disappointment swirling within you.

“Ah well, they tried,”

Flicking your eyes towards Sydney, you grimaced inwardly when the sounds of agreement echoed from the other Leafs girlfriends littered around the room. Rather than agree, you just shifted in your seat and crossed your arms.

“Cold Y/N?” Alannah, Zach’s girlfriend, asked you from her spot next to you.

You shook your head, but sighed, “Freddie’s going to be so upset,”

“He played well though, most of those goals weren’t even his fault,” Alannah tried, but you brushed her off.

Frederik Andersen was never happy. Well, with his play at least. He always had something to critique about his game, regardless of the outcome. You knew after tonight’s game he’d be livid. You’d tried to be supportive towards your boyfriend countless times, but he’d always just brush your sentiments away, often saying you were biased in your opinion. Those comments would hurt sometimes, but you knew it was best just to leave Freddie alone, especially after loses like this one. His teammates were also slowly learning to follow your lead and needless to say, it was going be a long, silent plane ride home for the Leafs.

Staring out the large bay window, small white snowflakes began to make their way down from the dark, cloud covered sky. You could see the New Years festivities the city of Toronto was putting on due to the loud crowds in the streets below. It made your heart whimper slightly, as you had hoped to one day be able to participate in those activities with Freddie as well. It was weird not being able to ring in the New Year with him.

You were pulled from your thoughts once you began to hear the girls all around you chatting happily to one another. But rather than join in, you couldn’t shake your feelings of concern for your boyfriend. You knew Freddie took losses like this very seriously, and you couldn’t help but think he’d been beyond angry.

The blonde sat next to you however, knew exactly what you were thinking. Alannah had been one of the few Lady Leafs you’d learned to confide in. You both often vented your grievances about being in a relationship with a professional athlete to one another, and had become quite close over the last year.

“Maybe text him Y/N?”

Pursing your lips, you then nodded, realizing you’d feel better if you at least tried to communicate with your boyfriend. Pulling out your phone, you sent Freddie a simple text, one that he’d hopefully see before they boarded.

Stay positive Freddie, I love you.

Your phone quickly buzzed afterwards, as Freddie was obviously looking through his phone.

I love you too, see you soon princess.

Your lips curved upwards slightly from his message. Alannah sent you a knowing look before she elbowed you playfully.

“Well, who wants some champagne?!"’

Looking up, you and Alannah both laughed once Sydney enthusiastically popped open the first of many champagne bottles for the night, causing everyone in the room to cheer.

A few hours later, and after you’d watched the ball drop in New York and had celebrated the beginning of the New Year, you made sure to say your goodbyes to everyone before you made your way back to Freddie’s apartment, as you’d both previously agreed you’d be staying the night to spend New Year’s Day together.

Making sure to leave the front foyer’s lights on for Freddie’s incoming arrival once you walked in, you took your boots off and hung your coat before you padded your way down to his bedroom.

Pulling out a nightie you’d kept stashed away in Freddie’s dresser’s top drawer, you quickly got changed before heading into his large bathroom. Washing off the nights makeup and making sure to brush your teeth for twice as long as normal, you finally tied your long hair back up into a messy bun before you headed back into the large master bedroom

.Slipping underneath the warm duvet, you snuggled into the large king size mattress. You turned on Freddie’s mounted flat screen television that faced you from across the room and turned it to the local twenty-four hour news channel. After turning the volume down to its lowest possible setting before it was muted, you kept your eye on the constantly moving clock in the top right corner of the screen before you slowly began to fall asleep.

In what felt like your dream, you swore to yourself that you could hear Freddie walking around the apartment. The sound of the front door slamming shut, the noise of him padding down the hardwood floor, and you even thought you felt him enter the bedroom, with the feeling of his lips leaving a lasting sensation on your forehead.

The sound of the shower suddenly running from the next room over then finally snapped your eyes open. Looking up, you realized it was now quarter past three. Since the guys had left Vegas close to nine, it made sense that Freddie would be home now.

Noticing Freddie’s duffle bag now on his dresser, and his suit jacket hanging off the far chair, your vision followed the strewn away clothing of his white dress shirt and dark dress pants on the hardwood floor leading towards the closed bathroom door.

Pursing your lips in thought, the idea of joining the Danish goaltender suddenly popped into your head. You honestly felt like you needed a quick rinse, as you could smell the lingering scent of alcohol on you, and you felt that the warm spray could heat up your cold bones. You also figured joining Freddie would lighten his spirit. After all, it had been over a week since you last saw one another.

Deciding to go through with your quickly hatched plan, you stumbled out of bed and made you way towards the steamy bathroom. Quietly opening the door, you immediately spotted your broad boyfriend, his back turned to you while the water sprayed his nude form. His pale skin contrasted brightly from the dark charcoal marble that decorated the elaborate glass-enclosed shower.

Closing the door silently, you leaned up against the wooden door while you watched Freddie scrub his hair, his back muscles contorting with every move. The steam had enveloped the room, leaving a misty haze and a warm presence. Biting your lip, your body suddenly ached with need. You had missed Freddie, in more ways than one, and you couldn’t wait to get your hands on him.

While keeping a close eye on your boyfriend, you carefully made your way towards the shower, while allowing your thin nightie to slip away from your figure. Taking a quick breath, you slowly opened the glass door, the heat hitting you immediately. Hearing the door open, Freddie turned slightly, his eyebrow raised, until his lips curved upwards upon seeing you.

"Hi,” you mumbled, as you wrapped your arms around his middle, and you pressed your body up against your boyfriends back.

Freddie immediately melted into you, as he turned around fully to engulf you in his arms. You smiled as you felt him press his lips against the top of your head.

“Did I wake you?” He then asked, a hint of concern evident in his voice.

You shook your head, “I just missed you,”

He hummed in response. Looking up into his brown eyes, you quickly popped up onto your tippy toes before you latched your lips onto his.

Pulling away gently, Freddie moved a side to let you enjoy some of the warm spray, effectively wetting your hair and warming your body up

.“Wash me?” You then suddenly asked, as you held up the bottle of your shampoo. Freddie smiled lazily, before he took the bottle from you and coaxed you into turning around for him.

He’d never fully admit it, but your boyfriend truly enjoyed washing your hair and cleaning you up. He enjoyed the feeling of taking care of you and also would never complain about having you naked and getting to scrub you down with his own hands.

Feeling Freddie begin to gently massage your scalp put you at ease. You knew he was probably still sour from his recent loss, but you hoped this was at least soothing him. Turning around and staring at Freddie while the shower spray washed away the remnants of your shampoo, you decided to ask him about his flight.

“How was the plane ride home?”

He shrugged before reaching out to help scrub out the fizzy bubbles from your damp hair. “Most of the guys just slept or kept to themselves,”

“Did you?” You then asked. Freddie nodded, “just listened to music, couldn’t sleep,”

Turning you back around, Freddie then applied your conditioner, and took his time while he combed his fingers through your hair, making sure not to leave any knots behind. You jumped slightly when Freddie peppered a few kisses onto your shoulder blade, causing your much taller boyfriend to smirk to himself.

"I just kept thinking about coming home to you,”

Feeling your cheeks heat up slightly, you bit your lip while Freddie continued to knead through your hair. Finally happy with his work, the Dane then spun you back around, staring deep into your eyes while the water rinsed you off.

“Happy New Year Freddie,” you then said, mentioning the fact that it was now technically 2018.

He smirked, before leaning down towards you, “Happy New Year Y/N,”

Hopping up, you pressed your lips against his and Freddie immediately circled your wet, naked frame into his arms. Kissing him slowly at first, you took your time as your hands began to wander the Dane’s toned body. You could feel how tense Freddie was, his muscles no doubt still tight from his game. Freddie’s hands then gripped your hips tight, as he tried to intensify the kiss, but you refused, trying to tease your boyfriend. Smirking as you felt him get frustrated with your antics, you giggled when he pulled away slightly.

Giving you a look, Freddie then growled low before you heard him mutter, “okay, enough of this,”

You were then caught off guard when Freddie suddenly bit your bottom lip and pushed you up against the cold marble wall. As you gasped, he took the opportunity to deepen your kiss, his hot tongue meeting yours. Quickly responding, you did your best to follow his pace, and you smirked inwardly once you felt something hard press against your lower stomach.

“Y/N,” Freddie moaned as he pulled away, his eyes staring into yours when you suddenly gripped his hard length.

Pumping your hand slowly, you could feel Freddie’s body begin to convulse in pleasure. Using your thumb, you stroked the top of his shaft, easily wiping away the pre-cum that had already formed, and using your other hand to begin massaging his balls. Hearing him grunt and moan out of pure ecstasy was turning you on beyond belief, and you quickly tightened your thighs up against one another to try and soothe your aching core. Taking a quick peak back upwards, you noticed Freddie had closed his eyes and was biting his lip.

Taking this as the perfect opportunity, you fell to your knees and took him into your mouth. Bobbing your head, Freddie groaned out once again as you continuously pumped up and down his shaft with your hands, and you sucked on his swelling tip. Freddie’s hands then found your damp hair, and he tightened his grip, trying to lead you and urge you on. Placing your one hand back down to his balls, you began to once again play with his most sensitive area, and then used your tongue to swirl around Freddie’s length, making sure to lick the juices clean from his tip.

“Fuck,” he groaned out, his brown eyes looking skyward, while you continued to pleasure him.

Moaning out as your boyfriend began to thrust upwards, you placed both your hands down onto Freddie’s large thighs, and opened your mouth as wide as you could while he began to shove himself as deep into your mouth as possible. Freddie loved to face fuck you, and you’d become accustomed to his long, thick cock. Trying your best not to gag, Freddie quickly began to thrust in and out of your mouth, with his hands tightening more and more within your hair. You hoped this would alleviate some of his lingering stress and pent up anger from his game. Sounds of pleasure and explicit words fell from Freddie’s lips as your hot mouth continued to edge him on.

“Baby I’m close,” he rasped out, letting you know his end was near. Hearing this, you purposely placed your tongue upwards, so that Freddie would feel it’s pressure each time he’d thrust back into your mouth. Feeling this, Freddie groaned out again, and quickened his pace one last time. Making sure to look up at him, your Y/E/C coloured eyes met his and helped to finally send him over the edge.

As Freddie moaned out, your mouth was suddenly filled with a sticky, salt-tasting substance. Waiting until he was finished, you continuously licked up and down his cock, making sure to get every last drop of your boyfriends cum.

Hearing Freddie breathing in and out raggedly, you pulled away from his length before standing back up. You were caught off guard once again when Freddie pinned you up against the black-marbled wall and pressed his lips up against you hard. You gasped in surprise when you felt two of Freddie’s fingers swiftly enter you. Looking up at him in shock, Freddie just smirked, “oh we’re far from finished princess, you know I was always take care of my girl,”

Taking a deep breath, you shuddered as your boyfriend trailed his fingers up and down your slick slit, before once again entering your core with his two fingers. “You’re soaked for me baby,” he proudly stated, as he began to pump in and out of you, causing you to mew out.

“What do you want princess? Do you want me to take you right here, or do I take you back to fuck you on my bed?” He asked, while not only pleasuring you, but using his other hand to begin pumping his cock again, getting ready for you.

You opened your mouth to answer, put the feeling of Freddie’s skilled fingers pleasuring you caused you to cry out instead, as his ministrations quickened within you. “Freddie,” you moaned out.

“You have to tell me what you want baby girl,” Freddie replied, his cock quickly hardening from the sight and sounds coming from you.

“Fuck me Freddie, please,” you were then finally able to get out, as your body shook with pleasure from getting fingered.

“That’s my girl,” he then uttered before he bent down to kiss you deeply, his tongue swiftly entering your mouth.Rather than turn you around and bend you over like normal, you were surprised when Freddie pulled his hand away from you and instead gripped your hips tightly, effectively lifting you up.

 Kicking the shower door open, Freddie took you to the large bathroom vanity and placed you down onto the counter. Pressing his lips against yours once more, Freddie lifted your left leg into the air and placed your calf down onto his broad shoulder. Using his finger to slide down your slit, Freddie then guided his hard cock into your entrance, causing the both of you to moan out in sync.

As he began thrusting, Freddie placed his skilled fingers down onto your clit, causing you to cry out. Your breathing became heavy as Freddie fucked you hard, his thrusts becoming sloppy as his body enveloped yours. Leaning down, Freddie encircled your right nipple with his lips, sucking hard and nibbling gently onto your sensitive bud while he continued to thrust into you.

“Fuck Freddie, fuck,” you cried out, as you body once again began to shake in pleasure. God you’d missed him.

He groaned out himself as you placed your hands into his red-coloured hair and tugged and pulled, urging him on. You knew he wouldn’t last as long as normal, but that didn’t matter. Freddie would have you undone in moments.

“Oh my god,” you cried out, your hands trailing down to scratch your boyfriends shoulder blades as he continued to thrust into you, fucking you as hard as he could. You could feel the bubble within you growing, knowing how close you were.

“Baby I’m gonna cum,” you whined out, causing Freddie to pull away from your breast and instead lean up to press his lips against yours. Kissing you passionately as he administered his final thrusts, you pulled away to cry out as you finally came, the waves of pleasure hitting your body as you felt Freddie twitch within you, with his warm, thick cum filling you.

Taking a deep breath, you lulled your head back, while Freddie’s forehead landed on your shoulder, the both of you now exhausted. Letting your leg fall, Freddie then reached over to grab a face cloth that had been sitting on the bathroom counter and kindly cleaned you up. After wiping himself down as well, Freddie kissed you gently before lifting you back up and walking you out and towards his bedroom.

Taking you to the far side of the bed, Freddie placed you down onto the plush mattress delicately, and reached across to pull his sheets and duvet up and over your tired body. Leaning back down to kiss your forehead, Freddie then made his way around to his side of the mattress, before following suit.

Pulling you tightly into him, Freddie held you close and placed his chin down onto the top of your head while he soothingly stroked your back. You curled into your boyfriend’s embrace and snuggled yourself into his hard chest, feeling the warmth from his body surround you. You were finally content. You had your boyfriend laying next to you, and you knew he was okay. You’d also been able to have some extra fun, which was always a bonus, and you felt as close to Freddie as ever. It was the perfect way to start the new year off right.

But as you laid in bed with Freddie, his warmth and your previous activity was finally starting to catch up to you. Your eyes began to flutter as your exhaustion was finally settling in. Sensing this, Freddie pulled you in closer, wanting nothing more than to spend the rest of this day in bed beside the woman he loved.

“I love you Y/N,” Freddie whispered to you, as he kissed the top of your head once more. “Happy New Year,”

“Happy New Year Freddie,” you mumbled out as sleep finally overtook you.

[elizas-writing]

One of the biggest struggles in starting a whole new curly hair care routine is figuring out how to maintain it without washing it every other day or so. It takes a lot of patience to get used to your hair feeling oilier than usual and figuring out what methods work best for your hair type. So I’m sharing how I care for my hair during the week in between washes to help y’all get a few ideas how to care for your hair without over-washing.

Sunday: Full Wash Day

Sunday

I usually do my wash days on the weekend since I have more time to do the full routine and allow it to air dry. I also updated my routine since my first posts!

Before stepping into the shower, I do a pre-poo treatment. What is this silly phrase you may ask? A pre-poo treatment is when you apply oils to your hair before shampooing and/or conditioning to help moisturize and avoid stripping out too much of your natural sebum. This treatment can also be yogurt, honey, bananas, or whatever home remedy works best for your hair type. The treatment I personally grew to love is aloe vera gel.

Doesn’t matter the brand or color, it all works the same. Since starting a curly hair routine, my scalp gets really itchy in between washes, and it doesn’t help that it’s naturally dry to begin with. Aloe vera gel is my savior from scratching at my head too much, because it’s so cool and refreshing. And some vitamin E is always a plus. I’ll massage about a couple handfuls into my scalp and let it sit for a few minutes while I brush my teeth, feed the cats, and set up everything for my mask (hair cap, dryer, etc).

For this wash day, I used the following:

Shampoo and Conditioner: Shea Moisture Peace Rose Oil Complex (yes, the one I had a breakdown about)

Deep Conditioning Mask: Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque

Leave-In Conditioner and Styling Gel: Curls Blueberry Bliss

Styling Mist: OGX Hydrate + Defrizz Kukuí Oil Anti-Frizz Hydrating Oil

My hair has a fresh start with soft, defined curls and minimal frizz. The rat’s nest is detangled, and my scalp is clean and not itchy. Sometimes the curls take a while to bounce back, but usually day 2 or 3 hair looks best once you allow enough time for the sebum to set in.

I used to use one of the Maui Moisture masks as a leave-in conditioner, but because of the thick consistency, it’s too easy to accidentally use too much, thus weighing down your hair over time. The Blueberry Bliss leave-in conditioner is much lighter and gets the job done splendidly without build up.

I love the OGX oil sprays as they saved my frizzy hair many times before. It’s the perfect last minute touch to help keep in all the moisture. However, like any hair oil, it’ll weigh your curls down if you overdo it. Just 4-5 sprays combed through is perfect.

Monday and Tuesday

Monday

Tuesday

  As you can see, I have some more curl definition, but the frizz is quickly setting back in. These days, I’ll just use the leave-in conditioner and oil spray to tame it all. I usually use a small palmful of leave-in conditioner after washing my hair, but for the in-between days, I just use about a nickle-sized amount, give or take. Since I don’t always feel like going into the shower to wet my hair for this process, I made a DIY refreshing spray.

Aloe vera gel is also a great add in for your skin routine (especially if you have eczema flare ups!)

All it has is water, aloe vera gel, and argan oil– I just eyeball the measurements and use my best judgement on if I need more of one ingredient over another and shake it up until it’s all mixed together. I’ll spray it through my hair until it’s lightly damp before working in any product, and it works wonderfully. If my scalp is feeling especially thirsty, I’ll spray directly on and massage the mixture in, so it feels rejuvenated without even trying to gamble with dry shampoo.

Wednesday: Co-Wash Day

Wednesday

Usually at this point, just those three products won’t cut it to manage the increasing tangles. Depending how the rest of the week is, I might start feeling just a tad greasy too. So it’s time to pop back in the shower for a co-wash, which is where you just wash your hair with conditioner.

I pretty much do the same routine as I would a full wash day, but only cut out the shampoo and mask.

God, I just wanna drink it…

For this co-wash, I used the Maui Moisture Curl Quench conditioner. It contains aloe leaf juice, coconut water, coconut oil, papaya extract, and plumeria extract. As expected of this brand, it smells like a tropical paradise tempting to eat right out of the bottle. It’s only about a few degrees less thick than their masks, and it just melts right through the tangles for those days you need a moisturizing pick-me-up. I usually only need one palmful to get the job done. I definitely recommend this brand of conditioner if you’re struggling with tangles.

After that, I’ll finger comb and scrunch in my leave-ins and stylers like normal, and my hair is ready to take on the world again. This is the best my hair looked and felt this whole week once it got that extra moisture boost and delayed the onslaught of disaster. I actually had more curls than my full wash day which was pretty impressive.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

After my co-wash day, I’ll repeat the same routine as Monday and Tuesday until it’s time for another full wash. As you can see, my hair gets frizzier no matter how much product I’ll put in, and it’s much less fluffy and curly than it was on Sunday. By Saturday, there’s almost no curls left, and that’s when I notice how oily my hair feels as it almost lies flat on my head.

Come Sunday, I start it all over again!

And that’s my week with my hair routine! It took quite a bit of trial and error to figure out how long I could go without washing my hair and how to best maintain it in between washes. It’s a hell of an adjustment to get used to certain practices and working in new products, and your hair might be mad at you at first for not washing it every other day.

Here’s a few tips to get you started on a new curly hair routine:

Wash your hair less little by little. Start with every other day, then every three days and so on until you can go a week without a full wash. By then you’ll figure out what you’ll need for those in-between days.

If you must use any spray to make your hair feel clean, invest in a refresher spray with natural ingredients (whether you buy a name-brand or make your own at home). Avoid dry shampoos if at all possible since they mainly contain alcohol which can lead to product build up if overused.

Replace anything with sulfates and silicones ASAP. You can’t get moisture in if you’re using products which are either stripping the sebum or blocking anything from penetrating the strands. Your hair will thank you in the long run.

Start with a little product at first and then increase as to your hair’s needs. Everyone’s hair works differently, and certain products won’t make the cut. Sometimes just one styler will be enough; other times you might need two or three to get your hair to calm the fuck down. You’ll figure out quick at what point it builds up.

A Week in Curly Hair Care One of the biggest struggles in starting a whole new curly hair care routine is figuring out how to maintain it without washing it every other day or so.

[diana-justice]

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Why Should You Detox Your Home? 20 Tips For A Healthy Life

Why Should You Detox Your Home?

There comes a time in your life that you start catching diseases and feeling tired all the time, not knowing the reason or how to improve your health. Eating healthy and exercising will not always protect you, especially if you are living in a toxic environment. And I don’t mean only the pollution that surrounds us from transportation, factories and other human violations against nature. I mean the place you are living in; your home and everything inside it… the things that you touch, use and sleep on.

How to detox your home? It is a question I have been asking myself since the beginning of coronavirus pandemic, when we all were forced to use chlorine and wash everything with soap and detergents. I started first by asking myself about detoxing my body, and if that was beneficial in preventing coronavirus infection. I tried to eat healthy and exercise, and I admit I felt great, but every time I had to use bleach/chlorine I got terrible feeling in my lungs. It happened also with using soap;frequent hand washing and cleaning the house affected my skin on different levels. In addition to all that, I thought of my cats and thought if I had children or babies, they all surely would be harmed.

That moment I stood in front of the bathroom looking at all the cleaning products in my sink, asking myself “how to detox your home?”. After thinking of cleaners and chemicals, I remembered what we studied in early school years about the many forms of pollution in soil, air, food, water, noise, gas, plastic, littering, heat and radiation. Lets view these creative ways to detox your home and enjoy a healthy life:

1- Stop using chemical cleaners.

2- Use green or nature-friendly cleaning products.

3- Stop eating outside and start cooking clean, healthy meals. – Green Juice For Detox. – Apple & Kale Juice For Detox. – Delicious Creamy Cucumber Soup. – Green Goddess Soup. – Immunity Boosting Juice. – Tropical Green Smoothie. – 2 Day Detox Plan.

4- Make simple cleaning solutions.

5- Start adding plants to your home. Populating with plants is the best way to purify your surrounding air and detox your home. They don’t just absorb carbon dioxide, they also absorb ammonia and formaldehyde, which are both found in cleaning products.

6- Make your own air Freshener. Air fresheners are the worst thing for our lungs. They are full of chemical compounds that are responsible to give the nice smell. Use small baking soda bowls around your home to absorb the unpleasant scents, and spray essential oils in the corners to give a nice smell. Use orange peel, lemon peel, vanilla, clove, anise, peppermint leaves, basil leaves/seeds, or any other natural stuff to make your home smell fresh and beautiful.

7- Try baking soda instead of shampoo. Many kinds of shampoos include harmful products, not only to your hair or the environment, but also to your own body. If you want a simple change, make shampoo by mixing baking soda with water in a small cup. It cleans the scalp well, and you can use apple cider vinegar with water as a conditioner. Then apply a layer of natural oil on your wet hair.

8- Make your own masks and conditioner. Use egg yolk, avocados, yogurt, banana, butter, mayonnaise, aloe vera gel, coconut oil, olive oil, flax seed oil, argan oil, and almond oil to make nutritious masks for hair and skin, instead of artificial products. Rinse with baking soda to clean your scalp and body.

9- Buy fragrance-free products. Fragranced home cleaners, shampoos, body lotions and other stuff, specially those we use for babies, are kind of harmful for the lungs and the body. So, if possible, try homemade shampoos and lotions or buy natural products to help detox your home as much as possible.

10- Try natural pest control. Pest sprays and traps are very harmful for the lungs and eyes. They are also lethal, if you have kids/babies and pets. Instead of those toxic chemicals, use homemade recipes for pest control, or plant flowers and pest-repellent plants around your house.

11- Use baking soda for cleaning. Baking soda is used in cleaning, showering, and washing fresh produce. So, why use harmful chemicals when you have all these amazing benefits? Baking soda removes dust and odors from carpets and furniture, they can clean dishes, stains, stove, cabinets and bathroom when mixed with white vinegar.

12- Use glass instead of plastic. Some types of plastic containers contain a harmful compound BpA, that is added while manufacturing. Bisphenol A is a very toxic material, and through food/water contact, you are prone to ingesting it.

13- Install a water filter. A good water filter should be an essential part of your health improving plan. Tap water may contain heavy metals, harmful materials and sometimes dust. The heavy metal may exist because the water is not well-treated, or due to the lead pipes or brass faucets. Lead is very toxic and also harmful for the brain, kidneys and other organs. Make sure to buy a good filter, and read the label, ensuring that it removes heavy metal and lead.

14- Test for Radon. Radon is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless radioactive gas. It is one of the radioactive components resulting from the natural decay of radium ‘radiating material’. It can enter your home through cracks in the walls, pipes, water tap, or any other openings. It is very toxic and causes lung cancer. You may buy a testing kit or hire a professional, and if you have elevated radon levels, consider installing a radon reduction system. That will be a very crucial step to detox your home.

15- Buy untreated furniture. Wood, especially pressed-wood, can be treated with toxic materials while manufacturing, like formaldehyde and some carcinogenic compounds that are found in cigarette smoke and car fumes. If you are not sure which kind of furniture you have, or you don’t know the nature-friendly brands, add more plants to your home, make sure to circulate the air always in your house, use baking soda bowl near your furniture, and use protective covering for the furniture, if possible.

16- Use organic mattresses and natural fabrics, like cotton and silk.

17- Keep your shoes outside. Make a cabinet or closet for the shoes outside your home, because shoes usually bring all dirt, bacteria and harmful things from outside. It is better to make a cabinet or closet for the shoes and place it in the entry or on the porch. Use baking soda to deodorize it and clean it from dust.

18- Air-dry your clothes. Instead of the dryer, let your clothes outside in the air and sun for a few hours. That will help reducing the odor of detergent and also sunlight has a sanitizing effect.

19- Avoid non-stick pans. Use cast iron or stainless steel pans as both are healthier. Clean them with baking soda and vinegar.

20- Beware of the mold. Having mold in your house or around it, in your yard or outside pipes, can cause you different diseases starting from eye and lung problems, to kidney infection. Make sure that every place in or around your house is dry, and clean damp places if you have rainy climate. Clean the pipes and drains and buy a dehumidifier, if you can’t solve the problem.

Sources: Happy Healthy Mama. What To Expect.