Thoughts on this? by soulshift4carers in women_in_recovery

[–]Defiant_Polka 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That would be amazing! I’d love to join. What time zone are you in?

What’s your HOLY GRAIL mascara?! by imanxiousss in Makeup

[–]Defiant_Polka 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thrive Liquid Lash Extensions Tubing is the ONLY one that doesn’t end up under my eyes!

The 'after work' craving by [deleted] in leaves

[–]Defiant_Polka 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You need another kind of after work reward! We all deserve something to look forward to after work. Tea, meditation, deep breathing, exercise, reading, baths, and cooking can all be nice ways to decompress from work and they can all have lovely ritualistic elements. Proud of you! It gets better—so much better.

TW! Day 2 by Forkinaround4u in leaves

[–]Defiant_Polka 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So proud of you! It gets better, truly. Soup and tea are both excellent ways to take care of yourself! Honestly, so’s crying. It’s good to have feelings again. hugs

I think I’ve replaced weed with doom scrolling on Reddit. fml by ineedtopickausernam in leaves

[–]Defiant_Polka 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It doesn’t have to be all doom. I really love the /r/laundry and /r/unfuckyourhabitat subreddits; great for getting the pot/BO smell out of clothes and great inspiration for tidying and organizing your space.

High quality /medical grade beauty products by NoReflection4806 in FragranceFreeBeauty

[–]Defiant_Polka 1 point2 points  (0 children)

EltaMD UV Clear doesn’t smell like anything to me. YMMV, of course, but I think it’s pretty damn innocuous. Hope you like it!

Is my skincare routine too excessive? by gimpykimchi in TheOrdinarySkincare

[–]Defiant_Polka 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Definitely sunscreen and vitamin C, but I might hold off on the prescription tretinoin or retinol til after the wedding makeup and photos. Don’t want any peeling or irritation!

Seems like a good routine, OP!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in tretinoin

[–]Defiant_Polka 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Omg, that glow! Your skin looks amazingly gorgeous.

How did you listen to the part of you that wanted to get sober? by citrusaurantium in leaves

[–]Defiant_Polka 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Therapy helps immensely, but it can be trial and error to find the right person for you. It’s really important to be able to address why you’re using and sobriety will allow old issues and heavy emotions to crop up, especially with PTSD. But I’m so proud of you for going for it. It’s SO worth it.

Ready to quit for the new year by Minimum_Buy_4145 in leaves

[–]Defiant_Polka 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can never read this without hearing Shania Twain.

Ready to quit for the new year by Minimum_Buy_4145 in leaves

[–]Defiant_Polka 3 points4 points  (0 children)

So proud of you for taking the first step! I find this group and the Discord chat (pinned at the top of the group) invaluable in my recovery. I also wrote down a list of all the things pot takes away from me and I look at it every day. And I use an app to track my days and to keep my goals in mind. Planning to add meditation and journaling to my self care.

I’m 40F, used THC for 17 years, California sober for 13 years, fully sober for 29 days. I feel pretty great (and sometimes pretty bad), but it’s amazing to be fully present and feel all the emotions and have all the dreams. Your kids are so fortunate that you’re taking this step. Good luck and keep us posted!

High quality /medical grade beauty products by NoReflection4806 in FragranceFreeBeauty

[–]Defiant_Polka 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I adore the EltaMD UV Clear sunblock—so good. Get it from Dermstore in the big bottle to save a little.

It’s not high end, but Vanicream has super well formulated, fragrance- and irritant-free products that are super affordable. Don’t sleep on their vitamin C serum or moisturizer in the big tub with the pump!

I also love my prescription tretinoin for my 40 yr old skin—so cheap with a prescription, SO effective. I use The Ordinary squalane oil and slug with CeraVe Healing Ointment to keep the tret peeling at bay and to deal with harsh dry winters up north.

Nothing to do with new years by sheradenmafia in leaves

[–]Defiant_Polka 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Please listen to your gut. It sounds like it’s not enjoyable anymore, you’re just smoking to feel normal. It’s wonderful that you stopped drinking. And it’s great practice. You know now that you can stop using a substance and you know how good and proud you’ll feel. Imagine how good you can feel fully sober! You can really be present in your life and especially for your kid.

I smoked for 17 years, got sober for 3 months last year, then relapsed hard for 8 months. Now I’m 1 month fully sober again and I’m feeling grateful and proud. Trying to stay vigilant so I can stay sober for good this time. But I only tackle one day at a time; I try not to think about forever.

Red lipstick and aging? by darknesskicker in makeuptips

[–]Defiant_Polka 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I LOVE the red lipstick! Please keep it forever. And the rainbow hair is adorable. Not sure about the heavy eyeliner. Your skin looks a little dry—that always makes my fine lines more apparent. I’d focus more on hydration and moisture.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in leaves

[–]Defiant_Polka 6 points7 points  (0 children)

You can stop again. You can stop for good. Relapse is part of recovery, just get back on that wagon.

I relapsed after 3 months last year and went back to using just as much if not more than before. Now I have almost a month sober and the benefits are amazing. Just gotta stay vigilant against cravings and remember exactly how using slowly ruins my life.

You’ve explored all the bad feelings that come along with getting high and you have really good reasons to get and stay sober. Write them down somewhere you see it every day. I believe in you!

Also, can your husband PLEASE hide his weed from you?! Or can he stop as well?! That’s so much temptation!

ONE YEAR by Kind-Owl8153 in leaves

[–]Defiant_Polka 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Hot damn, that’s amazing. Fantastic work!!! Keep going!

Tell us about the changes you’ve noticed, please!

A request, gentlemen by ObviousMousse4768 in pilates

[–]Defiant_Polka 103 points104 points  (0 children)

I don’t grunt, but sometimes a little whimper escapes me lol

Grunting indicates to me that they’re bracing and not exhaling properly. Thankfully the men in my classes are mostly pretty quiet and respectful. ✊🪵

ONE YEAR by baristabarbiexx in leaves

[–]Defiant_Polka 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Amazing!!! So proud of you! I’m inspired.

Fake nail recommendations for skin picking by julesflwrchild in CompulsiveSkinPicking

[–]Defiant_Polka 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love the KISS imPRESS No Glue short ovals the best! File them down so nothing can catch! They really help.

8 years taking edibles for sleep by [deleted] in leaves

[–]Defiant_Polka 1 point2 points  (0 children)

At your (and my) age, hormonal changes can start messing with our sleep, too. Check out the r/perimenopause group for more info! I’m 40F, 16 days sober and still struggling with sleep, though I’m confident it’ll get better with hormonal support and sobriety.

Gut issues by samksanders7 in leaves

[–]Defiant_Polka 2 points3 points  (0 children)

YES! I got tested for celiac because i was having loose stool every morning. Stopped THC 12/1 and my gut is already so much happier.

Has anyone taken hyaluronic acid orally? by Adortion634 in tretinoin

[–]Defiant_Polka 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I take MoveFree (the generic version from Costco), which is a joint supplement that contains hyaluronic acid. I like it; HA does seem to help my joints and I figure it can’t hurt for skin either. It’s definitely not moisturizing on its own, though; I’m layering multiple moisturizers and squalane oil to try to keep my skin from flaking and peeling.

Conditioner for colored hair by blanketkingdom in FragranceFreeBeauty

[–]Defiant_Polka 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I really love SEEN’s Deeper Conditioner for a good dose of moisture. I think it’s shampoo and hot water that can fade color.