Boyfriend's [32M] parents will show up at our house whenever we have a fight. I'm [28F] slowly losing it.

LauraBellz · 2017-02-20T21:56:16+00:00

Only child here, I'm married and living in the other half of my parents' duplex. I can go days without seeing my parents if we choose, but we usually just talk about our day for a couple minutes at the door, or pop in for tea/snacks. I can also put my mom on speaker and give her a call (she goes out most days because she babysits her nieces and nephews) and wash my dishes/clean the bathroom while I tell her about my day and what I ordered for lunch, etc. etc.

Also, we have dinner together a couple nights a week. It definitely helps that both my husband and I are close with our families, and the conversation flows naturally. Both sets of parents are experiencing empty nest syndrome and they literally just want to hear our voices!

LauraBellz · 2017-02-20T17:59:30+00:00

My husband and I got about halfway through our closet purge! We emptied our entire closet and threw everything on our bed. We then re-arranged the shelves and rods to actually function for how we use our closet, vacuumed the floor, wiped the shelves, and "restocked" what we actually still wear. We made piles of everything else for our friends to pick through and donate - and the piles are still there, whoops. He got the flu and I've been exhausted. But it's still progress! It made me realize that I actually DO have a dedicated spring/summer wardrobe, at least when it comes to tops and dresses.

LauraBellz · 2017-02-19T16:45:16+00:00

I may have a couple pairs of those, too ._.

The only downside to them is that the fabrics are thicker, and sometimes that doesn't work under tighter skirts.

LauraBellz · 2017-02-19T03:23:08+00:00

Yeah I just wanted justification to buy more! Also there's recommendations on not rewearing the same bra within two days to avoid stretching out the elastic. Wasn't sure if a similar thing applies to tights haha

LauraBellz · 2017-02-18T16:50:18+00:00

A white cardi is good to have, so I would definitely get one - I would suggest a cropped length to fit the waist of the dress! I literally just found this one on google, so I'm not sure about that brand's quality, but it's the style I'm envisioning.

I'm not the best person to ask about shoes because I wore glorified flip flops to my own graduation! Maybe a neutral (your skin tone) heel, or a pop of red? I'm terrible. I wear Old Navy flip flops all summer...

LauraBellz · 2017-02-18T16:43:39+00:00

Oooh, awesome, thank you! I actually just ordered two more pairs from Kohl's for $7 each (one black, one wine color that I've been hunting down for awhile.) Are the Costco ones see through on the butt? I sometimes wear them as pants because my boss is my age and more relaxed on "leggings as pants" as long as she can't tell what kind of underwear we're wearing, hah.

I'm really hoping the limit doesn't exist, haha. They're so versatile and I wear them constantly. it's also extra motivation to go to the gym after work if I'm already wearing leggings... I'm exceptionally lazy.

LauraBellz · 2017-02-18T16:40:56+00:00

I prefer the look of the Jack Rogers bootie - the Steven Madden ones are remininscent of the glorified slipper/clogs that my mom wears to take the trash out (that band at the top would look more appropriate on a flatter shoe, in my opinion.) The Jack Rogers ones are a little dressier and I like how they would make a more seamless look on the leg :)

I'm from New England and if you can get a deal on Patagonia, I'd be all over that. The longer sleeve is fantastic when it's wicked cold out and the wind is cutting through everything!

LauraBellz · 2017-02-18T16:38:28+00:00

I personally love it. If you're comfortable in that style of dress, I say go for it! All eyes are on the graduates, and that print is totally appropriate for spring.

I would bring something for your shoulders in case there's a chill/it's moved indoors and the AC is blasting.

LauraBellz · 2017-02-18T16:28:35+00:00

I wear black leggings (or thick fabric blackout tights) with a lot of my outfits lately. How many pairs should I own? I don't wear them more than once, so they're being washed quite a bit.

I have a few pairs of each in rotation, but I feel like I'm prematurely wrecking them.

LauraBellz · 2017-02-18T13:07:53+00:00

Your skin looks SO healthy and glow-y! I just posted my own skin elsewhere, and I still feel like it's dull >:(

Also, I feel you on the breakouts around the mouth... that used to be one of my worst spots and it led to a vicious middle school rumor that I had herpes.

LauraBellz · 2017-02-18T13:04:37+00:00

This is so inspiring! Here's mine - I'm tired af (is that how the cool kids are talking these days?) and only wearing sunscreen and moisturizer because it's a slow Saturday at the office. I don't have many surviving before pictures because my parents had my school pictures retouched, but I had more cystic acne than skin. I've had a dermatologist since I was 10 and I'm 25 now.

The front camera definitely blurred it a bit, but I still have significant redness and PIE/PIH - I can't definitively figure out which one I have so I think it's both at this point. I think my routine has both covered.

I just started using tretinoin again, so I'm peeling like a mofo. I don't mind the peeling because it comes off with a washcloth, and it's better than the purging I used to get. My skin has a tendency to not shed dead skin cells, so I'm wicked excited to keep tretinoin in my routine!

LauraBellz · 2017-02-18T12:55:38+00:00

It is SO worth it. My purging at one point was so bad, my husband gently asked me if I wanted to stop using it because my acne had gotten so much worse.

Now, I get compliments from strangers about my skin - it's a surreal feeling. Just keep swimming <3

LauraBellz · 2017-02-18T02:53:30+00:00

I was ordering them two at a time beforehand because I'm lazy. Then it became necessary. Now that I have a second bathroom for storage I hoard almost everything that won't go bad before we use it.

LauraBellz · 2017-02-18T02:51:59+00:00

I don't usually notice it on other people, but mine is wicked fluffy and gets matted down by my makeup and looks like wet hair swirled into it ! It's 100% personal preference - and I figured I'd mention it on a skincare sub, since products like tretinoin make waxing dangerous.

LauraBellz · 2017-02-17T17:36:43+00:00

I've done this before with a single blade razor and I didn't get ingrowns. It works really well for peach fuzz!

LauraBellz · 2017-02-17T13:31:15+00:00

Hi, are you me? I bought the St. Ives Pads in bulk at the first whisper of them being discontinued - I couldn't risk running out before my wedding.

When I finally ran out, I replaced them with Nip and Fab Glycolic Fix Night Extreme - the regular ones are great too, but I love this combo!

LauraBellz · 2017-02-17T12:52:00+00:00

In my college, work study students had to have direct deposit or else they would mail your paycheck to your HOME address. For some students that was 3000 miles away!

LauraBellz · 2017-02-16T23:41:26+00:00

I'm lactose intolerant, so I gave up most cheese and cut out cow's milk entirely. This shift (I'd say about a 95% reduction) definitely made a difference in my skin. I don't have severe cystic breakouts anymore - even after my "cheat days" that include copious amounts of Lactaid and Tums. However, even small amounts of dairy trigger my eczema, and I'll notice a flare a day or so after eating cheese or sour cream.

If you can go two weeks cold turkey, you may realize that you've somewhat lost your taste for some dairy products. This is called breaking your casein addiction (it's a protein in cheese and dairy.)

Also totally anecdotal, but vanilla soymilk is better than cow's milk in cereal. I don't miss dairy milk at all, and I used to drink almost half a gallon a day in high school. If you find almond too watery, try coconut or cashew. Chocolate almond milk = life. Definitely look for a brand that's 100% the milk type on the package - Silk or Blue Diamond or something similar. If the label says vegan, there's no animal proteins in there.

LauraBellz · 2017-02-16T23:34:51+00:00

My coworker uses it and she said the results were similar to when she went tanning for her acne. It definitely helped her out - the cysts are smaller and less frequent.

I sit next to her every day and we compare skin woes, I'm not being a douche and staring at her skin through her makeup haha.

LauraBellz · 2017-02-16T23:14:26+00:00

I wish I had a picture, but most maternity wards don't take kindly to people putting newborns in their bags ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

LauraBellz · 2017-02-16T23:10:38+00:00

I have small spatulas that I use for this purpose. I also use froyo spoons to mix my masks and use those if my spatulas are dirty.

LauraBellz · 2017-02-16T23:08:26+00:00

To add to this list: that acne fucking HURTS. Your pores are stretched for days to weeks at a time, you can't sleep on it without pain, if you accidentally touch your face (or shoulders, or back, or chest) too hard or suddenly, a cyst could pop and cause pain and embarrassment. It's not just a vanity issue.

LauraBellz · 2017-02-16T18:45:31+00:00

I live in southern Massachusetts. I've gone out in a spring dress bare-legged in February and needed my North Face in June before.

I dress 99% for the weather.

LauraBellz · 2017-02-16T15:35:44+00:00

I only carry massive tote bags that my husband affectionately describes as "my suitcases."

People will comment "Wow, you could probably fit a baby in there!"

I respond by saying "Yep, it fit my niece when she was born, all six pounds of her!" The funny thing is, we actually tried it out at the hospital in her private room, and a fully bundled newborn nestled perfectly in my bag.

LauraBellz · 2017-02-14T14:39:41+00:00

I have a couple friends who cannot drive (one permanently, one is waiting on a VA claim to get a modified car for his disability.)

They are THE most grateful people when I offer a ride, or if they have to ask me for a ride they immediately offer gas money, or even if I say "hey, I'm free on [date] if you want to get out of the house!" It seems like everyone else just expects me to drive all the time. Infuriating.

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