hi, I saw your primal chic beauty post and want to recommend a deodorant that goes with all the values you speak to and is actually better for your skin and environment and so insanely simple: potassium alum salt!!! I buy mine from Holland and Barret and it is just a rock that I use after the shower and makes my sweat odourless (good thing is that I still sweat so it means it doesn’t block my sweat glands/not antiperspirant)! No harsh chemicals, pure natural source and dare I say economically very friendly. Wanted to contribute to you just like you’re generous with us with your knowledge/advice!
Hi Nonnie! I love this! And for people who sweat lightly potassium alum salt is a wonderful alternative, I enjoyed crystal and Thai 100% Crystal however, with my job I wear very light blue scrubs (Ciel blue, the same color as the residents in Greys Anatomy) day in and day out and I sweat heavily, so for those like me looking to avoid visible sweat marks, I reccommend switching to a non-aersolized solid antiperspirant stick from aersolized products like dry sprays. My Dove 72-hour stick is cruelty free, alcohol free, and PETA approved, and it is gentler but similarly effective to the clinical strength sprays I used to use without the propelants and air pollutants.
For our comfort and our ability to stick with a more sustainable option, we sometimes have to take smaller steps, like eliminating aersols. Let's use sunscreen as an example: I could switch to an unscented zinc mineral sunscreen rather than my current titanium oxide fragranced sunscreen, but I'd be less likely to bother wearing sunscreen if I didn't like the feel of the sunscreen product I use, so I switched to the lotion formula from the aersolized one, and when I switched to Sun Bums aersolized formula it was because they lacked certain chemicals that cause damage to reefs that my Neutrogena spray had.
If we dive straight into the most ecologically gentle option and most minimalist skincare, we may become discouraged because of negative results we have and then decide to go back to our least ecologically friendly option, vs if we balance sustainability with personal comfort, we're more likely to stick with those more eco-friendly options and gradually continue our journey to even more sustainable options.
(This light blue, and trust me, it shows ALL the moisture)
And the sudoku and the little sweet treat just before bed. And actually turning down the bed. And closing down the house at the end of the day, and also soup.
you can make fun of old people all you want but then you'll be knitting with a good album on and a cup of tea and you'll be like this is excellent actually. the old ladies were right about this one. about the crosswords too, by the way
It has been a fucking day
Weekly Date Night
I'm pet sitting for my "Bonus Parents" (the parents of one of my oldest friends) this week in a lovely 1700s farm house and had permission from them to bring BoyToy over for date night this week. We cuddled into the couch after chatting about the features of the house we'd like in our own future farmette and watched the Lord of The Rings extended editions. As it got colder in the evening, we snuggled in with my dogs and the dog I'm dog sitting and built a fire in the great room. It was absolutely lovely. We got takeout barbecue from the honkytonk we met at and just generally had a great time having a lazy night in with the dogs.
Journaling prompts to find your identity when you're drowning in labels and subcultures
Let me be real with you. I'm a teenager, as I assume most of you reading this are (And if you're not, that's totally OK), and trying to find your identity often means trying on persona after persona, hoping that someday something will fit. Which, yes, it will, but I personally believe writing it out and exploring is so much more rewarding (and so much less embarrassing).
This is like writing a discord intro. Include your (Actual, chosen) name, gender identity, and so on, if you would like, but the most important part isn't that obvious.
How do I feel about my nationality? Am I proud of where I live? If I had to choose somewhere, anywhere to live, where would I choose?
What are my feelings towards my assigned gender? Where do I fall on the spectrum? Is my energy more masculine or feminine, or completely neutral?
What is my body image like? What do I like about the way I look, and what do I don't?
Do I actually feel like my bodily age? Younger, older?
Am I aligned with 'Human nature'? Do I enjoy being human, or would I rather be something else?
By taking these traits you were born with and evaluating, you start to get an idea of what you identify with, and what you don't. This is very important, but people often don't question things like this, as they seem a given (But end up unhappy with their view of themselves).
Divide your page into a left side and a right side. On the left, write down your real-life answers to these questions. On the right, write what your 100% ideal version of yourself would say. Then compare.
How do I feel about going to school / university / my job?
How do I wake up feeling in the morning?
How do I express myself? (Clothing, makeup, art, music)
What does my friendship circle / lack thereof look like?
How does my brain think people see me? Do I care?
What does my living space look like?
How do I treat myself? Is it fair?
What goes on daily inside my head?
What are my goals in life?
How do I react to failure / disappointment?
What is my main coping mechanism?
What is the strongest opinion I have about myself?
How do my hobbies / activities contribute to my life?
What is my biggest vice?
What am I proud of, relating to my identity?
If it doesn't match up at all, no worries. The most important step to creating an identity for yourself is knowing who you want to be. For a long time I had no idea, and ended up becoming someone I strongly disliked, which is counterintuitive and mentally draining.
Get yourself a blank piece of paper, and write down as many things as you can that interest you, describe you, or that you love. It doesn't have to be cohesive, follow a theme or anything like that, just words on a page. I'll do an example here:
Boba tea, meditation, blogging, Laufey, Cinnamoroll, studying, wonyoungism, skincare, medical dramas, Murakami, dusty pink, journaling, aquarium, cats, that girl/boy, Turkish delight, vanilla
As a highly visual person, I make collages from Pinterest all the time, and making one or a couple for yourself, or who you want to be, is a great exercise for identity and manifestation. Ideas for what to put on:
Photos related to your aesthetic
Indoor design that speaks to you
Photos of your hobbies
Items you would love to own, or already do
'Goals': photos of good grades, your desired appearance, money etc.
Fashion styles that you wear, or wish you could
Your future occupation
Photos conveying your mood lately
Media (Games, books, movies, shows) that you really enjoy
Your favourite album
An example:
Feel free to reply to this post with your answers!
𓂃˖ ࣪⊹ Kakao
Local Feminist gun owner here: another important thing to consider is the fact that the police may be less likely to believe you acted in self defense, particularly if you are a woman of color or lower socioeconomic status or if your attacker is a white male. This makes it doubly important to have a self-defense lawyer on retainer and self-defense liability insurance on hand. I achieve both and have additional training aids by having membership with USCCA/Delta Defense. I have the top tier for $49 a month. They cover firearms related to self-defense incidents, tasers, pepper spray, and even justified dog bites. Every legally justifiable act of self-defense and justified use of force. They have free events for members, a network of lawyers on retainer, and a post-incident hot-line available 24/7 as well as maps of where you have reciprocity on your license to carry, and detailed breakdowns of each state's laws, which is particularly vital if you travel for work, school, or hobbies. I've linked my referral code as well. It's absolutely something I encourage every gun owner in America to have, but particularly gun owners who may be at a disadvantage with police and the judicial process in the event they have to defend themselves.
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/referral?id=MDAxNWIwMDAwMkRpMGVYQUFS&tID=5bf43111b0cd6
Also, for a primary side arm, I wouldn't go any smaller than 9mm. A compact frame size is also your best bet as a beginner, subcompacts have more felt recoil at the same load weight and caliber, and full sizes have the least but they're also significantly more difficult to on body carry. I also suggest on body carry rather than purse or off body carry for a multitude of reasons. If you have questions about gun ownership, tactics, law, resources, and training my DMs are always open. Stay Strapped Ladies
I'm seeing a ton of Feminists urging eachother to get a gun due to the election results, which is fantastic news imo American women please please please assert your 2nd amendment rights and get a gun if you're able to <3
You can start by looking into the gun laws in your state: https://everytownresearch.org/rankings/compare/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_in_the_United_States_by_state Gun safety: https://www.agirlandagun.org/how-to-shoot/4-rules-of-gun-safety/ Youtube has thousands of gun related videos, it's a male dominated culture but there are absolutely a ton of resources for female shooters and beginners. Reddit has a handful of firearm related subs, included r/firearms(skews conservative/rightwing) and r/liberalgunowners and r/concealedcarrywomen Facebook has women's gun groups also, many of them skew conservative but can still be a valuable resource for beginners Check out your local area for self defense firearm classes, some will have classes geared specifically to women. Check out your local gun stores, or sporting goods stores, some will have a range in which you can rent a firearm before purchasing but many don't have this feature, so it's important to do product research before buying. https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-handguns-women/ https://tombstonetactical.com/blog/best-guns-for-women (Most guns range from $400 to $700 btw) Gun store employees are overwhelmingly male (and in my experience, old) and might try to steer you towards the tiny pink pistol, or a .22, or something else equally impractical for self defense. It's important to be assertive and clear in what you're looking for!
Night Train (1959), dir. Jerzy Kawalerowicz
Pay as you can Plan C Pill Protocols from $5, with future use pill protocols for $250. It's election season in the Post-Roe era. Pass it on for your sisters.
Before we begin, let's talk about the basic tennants before I explain the swaps I made and the products I love:
Less is More: The biggest part of the Primal Chic beauty routine is it's simplicity and minimalism. I don't want you to read this post, dump all of your current skincare and makeup into the garbage just to go out and buy the things I talk about here. Use up what you already have and make the switch gradual.
Clean Clean Clean: We want to be utilizing products without harsh chemicals & unethically sourced components. The easiest way to tell if something is on or off the list is their ingredient transparency. Especially with cosmetics. Avoid unneccessary fragrances, dyes, colorants, and preservatives, and aim for things like Cruelty Free, Paraben Free, Sulfate Free, and Triclosan free. Aim for companies that are transparent about their supply chains, both for the labor in creating them, and in their ingredient sourcing. I also prefer women owned and family owned brands rather than the "clean" lines of bigger companies.
Be Smart About Animal Products: Personally, as someone with a soy allergy, I'm a big fan of certain animal products in my skin and beauty rituals, Goat's Milk Soaps, Beef Tallow hair masks, Honey & Yogurt face masks, etc. However, while I am a proponent of using the entire animal, make sure you're checking the sourcing of these products as some companies are more ethical than others. I'm lucky in that I live fairly close to the Amish and therefore have access to a certain amount of local agriculture that others may not have access to. If you're buying from an unknown company or farm, drop them a line to see where they're sourcing their animal products from. The more ethical companies rarely have an issue explaining (and bragging) about the welfare of their source animals. Things we definately want to avoid though are things like Shark Liver Oil (certain Squalene), Ambergis (whale stomach lining), and Castoreum (artificial vanilla flavor/scent produced from the castor sacs of beavers located near the anal glands). If you want to save yourself the hassle, Vegan skincare is an option, just be sure to keep an eye out for allergens like Soy or Mushroom Enzymes.
Now, let's talk about some of the Primal Chic changes in my own beauty routine:
Old Face Routine:
Oil Cleanser
Regular Cleanser
Scrub
Toner
Oil
Eye Cream
Targeted Treatments
retnoids
Moisturizer
Neck and Chest Cream
Sunscreen
Foundation
Concealer
Blush
Highlight
Contour
Bronzer
Eyeshadow
Eyebrow Gel
Eyeliner Pen & Pencil
Mascara
finishing powder
finishing spray
New Face Routine:
Castile Soap
Miracle Balm
Almond Oil as needed for dry-flaky patches
Sunscreen
Pink Color Balm/ Multistick (Eyes, Cheeks, Lips)
Mascara
Eyeliner Pencil if I'm feeling fancy
That's it. The really crazy thing about it too? I had more acne, dryness, irritation, and inflamation with the old routine. I did have about 2 weeks of acne after making the switch as my skin adjusted but I haven't struggled with major skin issues since. Part of it was cutting back on the amount of makeup I was wearing, as a full beat vs a little blush and eyemakeup with a lip is a lot less product on the skin. Part of it was not creating new issues for myself by trying to treat the old issues with harsh chemicals. I also cut out a lot of fragrances from my skincare, with my only scented skincare product left being my sunscreen since I don't seem to have any reactions to Sun Bum's products. My used up makeup containers I take to my local health foods store to be recycled by Terracycle.
Old Shower Routine:
Pre-wash oil
Shampoo
Scalp Scrub
Conditioning Mask
Conditioner
Soap on the body
Body Gel
Body Scrub
Body Oil
Shaving cream
Lotion
Body Mist
Perfume
Deoderant
New Shower Routine:
Castile Soap for hair, body, & shaving
Occassional Home Made Sugar Scrub
Almond Oil (2 drops worked through the ends of my hair, then worked across the body)
Occassional use of cocoa butter on knees, hands, feet, & ankles
Deoderant (I still use a conventional Dove deoderant)
I save so much time, my showers are maybe 10 minutes long if I'm not shaving that day, and 20 minutes tops when I do a little trimming. I also switched from disposable heads to an old-school single blade safety razor. Also, rather than investing in chemical exfoliants I switched to dry brushing and body scrapers/ gua shas to exfoliate and massage.
Most of the products I use I can buy in bulk from my local low/zero waste store and simply store in mason jars rather than continually add to plastic production and disposal which is hard on the environment. Dr Bronner's soaps come in paper refill cartons as well for your original plastic bottle, or, if you have a dry shelf in your shower, you can simply buy the paper carton and skip most of the plastic all together.
We're also in an era where there are more resources than ever on creating your own, at home, grooming and hygiene products where you have complete control over the ingredients that go into them. I used to be super into soap making however as I went back into school and started my full time job, I found I didn't have time for all of my hobbies and it became one of the ones on the chopping block. You could also use shampoo & conditioner bars packaged in paper. A growing number of regular grocery stores such as Giant, Wegmans, or Shoprite have a natural hygiene care section near their pharmacies or other hygiene sections, and there's usually atleast one soap maker at arts fairs and farmers markets in more metropolitian areas.
I think, as part of our respect for Earth & our environment it's worth asking what we can do to limit our harm to the planet in pursuit of vanity.
Plan C Pills, Pay as you can for as little as $5 if you're currently pregnant, $250 for future use pills being mailed to you.
Stock up on Plan B, Birth Control if you're on the Pill, personally I opted for Paraguard 10 years no hormones. Just... stay safe ladies.
This is a reminder to:
Never mention a possible pregnancy/abortion to anyone, especially not through a social media app messaging service such as messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram DMs, Snapchat, etc.
Delete all period tracking apps and to start tracking using a planner or physical calendar
Book appointments for a form of birth control if possible, or to always carry condoms for yourself and other
Look into sterilization options if that is the route you want to go down (here is a list of 1000 doctors willing to sterilize you without a fight)
Protect your fellow person, protect the women in your life, the queer people, the disabled people, everyone will be affected by this
Form communities. Tell your people that you love them. Protect one another. Check in on one another. None of us are alone.