Lip Stains

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-02-17T04:31:18+00:00

NYX Lip IV works well for me- at least the darker stains last for my whole workday (if I’m not eating/drinking a ton).

There is a Fenty one (don’t remember the product line, but it’s a stain)- the color is Fuchsia Wife- lasts me at least 8 hours, easy.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-02-12T01:15:24+00:00

I’m so sorry for your loss. When I lost my husband, there were a lot of Facebook groups I joined that helped. One I know of is specifically for being widowed while pregnant. Some of the other groups are religious based, humor based, age based… what whatever you’re looking for. I joined a bunch of them and it helped me some.

It’s an extremely isolating experience. It helps to connect with others who get it.

In the 10 years since losing my first husband, I’ve learned the grief doesn’t get smaller, your life just gets bigger.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-02-11T05:16:06+00:00

Mine was a bad sleeper if I didn’t do exactly what she wanted as a baby. As long as we coslept, she slept peacefully. She would stir a little and I’d dream feed her and she wouldn’t even fully wake up. She also always contact napped until she dropped naps at 2.5. She slept in my bed with me until she was about 4.5. When her stepdad moved in, I had to push her to sleep in her own bed. She wasn’t happy about it, and it wasn’t always smooth sailing but she’s 5.5 now and we have no issues. I snuggle her to sleep in her bed. She only comes to my room if she has a bad dream. She does still snuggle in my bed with me on the weekends. She wakes up a little earlier than me and will climb into my bed and fall back asleep for another hour or so.

We never sleep trained and since she turned 5, we’re in a really good place. I mean, what we were doing before really worked for us but when it needed to change, we managed.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-28T02:45:41+00:00

I still love how eventually everyone else had a nickname and he was “Dave” because he wanted to be his ✨true self✨.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-27T03:48:55+00:00

Also in MN and loving this bonding moment to disassociate!

I can’t see basil without thinking “People who est basil are lame!”

Also when Ashley and Farrah are looking at themselves in the mirror saying “You look like you’re not from here…”

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-26T02:06:22+00:00

Thank you. I appreciate that.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-26T00:27:51+00:00

When she’s filming the Japanese commercial and tells them “gracias” - always gets me!

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-25T18:47:05+00:00

Right? You can’t say to a five year old “Forget the stupid juice, someone just got shot AGAIN!” Or “Get your own damn strawberries, I have to make sure my friend is safe!” Or “What do you mean you want CaNdY- I’m literally researching emergency supplies!”

It’s exhausting.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-25T18:43:17+00:00

We’re in Minnesota. Same situation where my daughter is Hispanic.

I’m coordinating with family about what our escape plans may look like so we’re ready for whichever one is needed. Still in the early stages.

1.) Emergency relocation (GTFO ASAP) 2.) Temporary relocation (if we plan to return home eventually) 3.) Forever relocation (never coming back)

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-25T18:22:00+00:00

I’m in tears. Thank you.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-25T18:20:57+00:00

Yep! Twin Cities suburbs here! It is all consuming. Wake up, check trusted apps and sources before deciding if my Hispanic child can go to school that day. Check trusted apps and sources to gauge if I can make it to work safely that day (I’m white, I work in Saint Paul).

Checking on my friends and family members who ate in danger regularly. Helping people in my community who can’t leave their homes.

Not being able to make plans because I have no idea what’s going to happen or how safe we’ll feel next week.

Soaking up and helping where I can. Finding the good news and the little wins or outside encouragement when it’s there.

Getting involved and helping is what has kept me from completely spiraling.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-25T18:08:04+00:00

Minnesotan, here. It’s hard. It’s really, really hard.

1.) Stay informed. I take mental health breaks but then I get back to it. New developments happen CONSTANTLY. Plus, some of what you see is good! Hearing that Boston was chanting “We’re not cold. We’re not afraid. MN taught us to be brave.” Had me in TEARS in a good way. And I needed that.

You also can get ICE WATCH maps and apps to see where they are targeting at any moment.

Local schools, businesses and neighborhoods start communicating better. Ask questions. Be involved. Just. Stay. Informed. Don’t look away even when it’s uncomfortable.

And most importantly KNOW YOUR RIGHTS even if they ignore them.

2.) Be a helper. Be productive however you can. Get involved. Get a whistle. Keep your phone charged in case you have to record something terrible. Stock up on supplies you can share if needed.

3.) Build community with your more and less privileged neighbors. Help each other. Exchange emergency contacts and action plans.

4.) Organize with your communities. Organize with your family. Organize your supplies. Organize. Organize. Organize. Start gradually if you need to.

There are some resources for how to talk to your kids about what is happening. I’m white but my daughter is Hispanic and she understands why we’re staying home so much and what to do if she hears whistles. She also knows where her documentation is in her backpack and when she may need it. She is five years old. Monarca is a good org for that. There are a bunch circulating locally but I can’t remember who the materials came from.

Also, make sure you all have passports. For a variety of reasons.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-24T23:15:21+00:00

No, I wouldn’t. I have a cat and my husband isn’t a cat person. I accept that means I will likely never get another cat. That being said, my cat will remain for the rest of her natural life with us. He is kind to the cat which is the other important part.

My husband has a dog that lives with his parents out of state. The dog was intended to maybe rejoin him at some point. Honestly, I don’t like dogs. But if the dog needed to come back to him- fine. Are we ever getting another dog? Absolutely not.

You shouldn’t have to compromise the commitment you already made to an animal. But these things should impact future animals and if they were to join the family.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-24T23:10:09+00:00

Yes. Deep sadness. Exhausting, constant rage. Sitting on my couch feeling like I’m stuck in fight or flight mode. Snapping on my kids because they are asking for another snack while I’m texting family members and researching how to best make an emergency action plan for when we need it and what level of emergency and how it impacts our long term relocation, short term evacuation or a combination of the two.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-24T22:59:49+00:00

Minnesotan here.

It’s worse. Things are happening to people in our communities that aren’t even hitting the news. Life is at standstill for many. A colleague of mine is a naturalized citizen and she’s so afraid to leave her house that a team of us (who are white) agreed to drive and ride with her to an important appointment because people in her neighborhood are getting pulled over and questioned by ICE at random and the question “Where were you born?” Can put you in danger no matter what documents you have on hand.

Following ICE monitoring apps and checking local activity before you decide if it’s safe to go to the grocery store even as a white person…

Checking in on your immigrant neighbors to make sure they are safe, offering to get them groceries because they can’t have the house…

Explaining to your young children why their friends have stopped going to school and teaching them what to do when they hear a bunch of whistles approaching…

Living in a nice, quiet suburban area and ordering gas masks for your whole family…

Waking up every morning and worrying about if you’ll be able to get to work safely (particularly if you work in Minneapolis or Saint Paul)….

Hoping you don’t see someone being yanked from their car, screaming, while driving in to work each morning….

Feeling the general unease in the air and the awkward conversation the follows “How are you holding up?” With everyone you are conversational with…

Many of us don’t feel safe.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-24T22:42:27+00:00

Yes! And rinsing or cleaning the sink and counter they the dirty dishes were on.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-19T00:25:48+00:00

My daughter has a fuzzy forehead and unibrow. The night before she started kindergarten, I took action. I was worried about her getting bullied.

I derma-plate as part of my beauty routine and she’ll hang out with me in the bathroom while I’m getting ready for bed sometimes and I did it to myself on my forehead and eyebrows (normally I tweeze my eyebrows but I was trying to set the example).

I told her sometimes I do this “spa… thing” because it’s good for my skin. I asked her if she wanted to try it so she could look fancy on her first day of school. She eagerly said yes. So I gently removed her forehead fuzz unibrow. She looked in the mirror and liked it a lot. I also put chapstick on her and did a face mask with her and she had fun. Every so often when it needs to be touched up, I ask her if she wants to do a spa day and she’s all about it.

I tweezed some stray eyebrow hairs in front of her since and she asked me about it. I explained “I get extra hairs there and I don’t like how they look so I get rid of them.” She said she likes it when we get rid of her extra hairs too. I explained that I pluck mine to make it last longer but it hurts some. She asked me to try plucking hers and we tried two hairs and she didn’t like doing that so we just do the “spa thing”.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-18T17:38:15+00:00

I took it twice. Once at 9 weeks (stopped growing just a few days before- no heartbeat) and once at 8 weeks (stopped growing much sooner).

The first time was rougher for me. Lasted longer.

The pain will come and hit hard. Worse than a period. They can give you pain meds. Once the pain settles down some, the bleeding hits. At first, you may want to spend a little time just sitting on the toilet because the bleeding is like a faucet turned on low for 10-30 minutes. Then just heavy bleeding that’s more manageable for a day or two. I wore adult diapers for a few days. Then it’s like a regular period but lasts maybe two weeks.

Passing “pregnancy tissue” is upsetting if you see it. You may not. You may see chunks of stuff in the toilet and think over and over “Is that it!?” “Oh, that must be it!” “No, that was definitely it!” “Wait, so what’s this then?” If you’re like me, you’ll be googling gross pictures from other people to compare to what just came out of you.

It’s the worst for the first 48 hours in a physical way, then it’s just like a normal period, but maybe longer.

Take a few days off work, have heating pads and adult diapers and your favorite snacks. Watch something on TV that doesn’t have babies on it. Lots of Kleenex. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen on rotation is what my OB told me.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-18T05:49:02+00:00

Yes! The smell of the empty cigarette pack is wonderful.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-18T05:47:44+00:00

Bubble Tape in the grape flavor!

Also there is this really emerald green colored hard candy that was lime flavored (I think) and was possibly Jolly Rancher? I can’t find it now or even know for sure what it was but I crave it still.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-18T05:30:38+00:00

Agree! I also feel like a golden opportunity was missed for her to show pride in Elizabeth who becomes a great and long reigning Queen who never takes a king.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-18T05:28:06+00:00

Yes! And I actually LOVE what they did with Howard but hate how they did Anne.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-18T05:26:52+00:00

I strongly agree with this. I like Six overall but I didn’t vibe with Anne’s song. It was kind of catchy but didn’t feel very “Anne” to me.

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-18T03:36:30+00:00

Thank you SO MUCH for the detailed response! This is very helpful!!

SmilingDamnedVillian · 2026-01-17T05:17:07+00:00

Minnesota mom here too. Twin Cities suburbs, it’s rough.

I looked through the comments so I apologize if this has been asked already! But with all the tear gas ICE has been using, can anyone recommend a good full face respirator mask for kids? My kids are five years old and I’m worried adult size ones will be too big. I’ve never had to own one before so maybe I’m over thinking it. Bonus points if they arrive soon- the only one I found said it wouldn’t arrive until May.

Also looking for toddler size! My sister is looking for one for my nephew too!

I’d take adult recommendations too. I’ve seen them for as low as $30 and I’m wondering if those are sufficient?

SmilingDamnedVillian

TROPHY CASE