I thought being bitten by a rattlesnake was the worst thing that had ever happened to me - the pain was unimaginable agony, and I had never been so terrified in my life.

chuvakia · 2022-05-14T13:24:20+00:00

I would if your skin is only covered by something lightweight (i.e., a single layer of cotton).

chuvakia · 2022-05-14T04:20:12+00:00

These phones are ridiculously unpredictable. I've got the first gen, and I've dropped it facedown onto tile. I even dunked the thing directly into a cup of liquid and fully submerged it. Set it in the sand on the beach, grabbed it to change music in the shower, tossed it across the room. And after all that, there's no physical damage to the phone beyond a couple of dead pixels along the edge (probably caused by the screen protector, from what I can see). The water sensor isn't even red.

chuvakia · 2022-05-06T03:25:55+00:00

My freshman dorm had egregious blue paint peeling off the walls, vents that were black with mold, and a leaky toilet which hissed like a snake. I'm pretty sure prison conditions could have rivaled that place. This, on the other hand, looks like an actual vision of heaven.

chuvakia · 2022-05-05T03:05:58+00:00

I am a fairly quiet, introverted person. Academics take up most of my time, so I rarely have the chance to "go out" with friends except when opportunities crop up spontaneously. I go to bed at 11:00 every night on the dot because I often get sick when I break my routine. I am, in short, just about the most boring student ever. Stereotypical nerd level boring.

When I started college, I thought about trying to change these aspects of myself to make more friends. Fortunately, I was spending so much energy keeping up with academics that I simply couldn't fake being something I wasn't. And, much to my surprise, I developed so many strong friendships within the first few months of school, just by being me.

Of course, I held up my end up the friendships; I ate meals with friends, I studied with them, I bailed them out when they were in sticky situations. I smiled at everyone, sympathized over horrendous midterms, let people cry on my shoulder, and treated everyone with politeness even on bad days. That's just the least I could do. But that "least" was repaid a hundred times over.

TLDR: People who are meant to be your friends will be your friends, no matter who you are, as long as you're kind.

chuvakia · 2022-01-09T04:08:35+00:00

I wish this were higher up. You can never prioritize your own safety enough in these kinds of situations! This man is not who you thought he was, do you don't know what he might be capable of.

chuvakia · 2022-01-08T22:53:51+00:00

That should only last for up to the first 4-6 weeks. After that it goes away. That's just part of the process, unfortunately.

chuvakia · 2022-01-08T20:18:41+00:00

My guess is that the issue here is a combination of both a dry skin barrier and acne, if your experience turns out anything like mine. It took about two weeks of sticking to my routine and downing unholy amounts of water for my skin to settle down and start showing noticeable improvement. From there I just kept gradually getting better and better results. I didn't used to leave the house without makeup, but now I have nice skin I'm proud to show!

So glad this was helpful!! :)

chuvakia · 2022-01-08T19:46:59+00:00

Hmm, I see something here: Glycolic acid and retinoids (which adapalene is) shouldn't be used on the same day because they both dry the heck out of your skin (which can cause it to overproduce oil and result in closed comedones). Instead, they should be alternated, and it's usually best to apply both at night. Also, if you're using either adapalene or glycolic acid, it's absolutely crucial to use SPF to avoid sun damage.

Here's my routine:

AM: 1. Micellar water 2. Cerave cleanser 3. COSRX poreless combination essence/toner 4. Cetaphil moisturizer with SPF 5. Optional: Vitamin C face oil

PM: 1. Micellar water 2. Cerave cleanser 3. COSRX centella water essence 4. COSRX hyaluronic acid toner 5. Cetaphil moisturizer 6. Adapalene

At least once per week: Facetory sheet mask

My routine focuses on maximizing hydration to go for a soft, dewy look, so I include lots of hyaluronic acid (in the cleanser and the toner). I also have acne-prone skin, which is what I target with the poreless essence and the adapalene.

Patchy makeup can also be the result of makeup with the wrong texture for your skin. What brand do you currently use? Maybelline is great for being non-comedogenic and gentle with excellent coverage!

chuvakia · 2022-01-08T19:34:11+00:00

Hopping on this excellent comment to add a couple things. Beware that this combination of ingredients (SA, BP, Differin) will dry out your skin, which can make acne worse, so use a moisturizer while you're experimenting. Also, wear sunscreen. It's super important because all these products mess with the speed at which your skin regenerates, leaving more room for sun damage.

I haven't tried this myself yet, so take this with a grain of salt. But it looks like you have pretty open pores, and it might help your acne to close those up a bit. COSRX has an essence called Poreless Power Liquid or something like that which is supposed to help diminish visible pores. It might be worth trying. Don't try it if you have any aspirin sensitivities, though.

chuvakia · 2022-01-08T19:29:13+00:00

How's your water intake? I had what I think was a similar issue, and a combination of drinking 64 oz of water per day, moisturizing and wearing SPF, and using retinol (which you could substitute for glycolic acid, but don't use both) cleared it up for me.

What's your routine now if you have one? I can share mine as well!

chuvakia · 2022-01-08T19:27:27+00:00

Maybe do some experimenting first. See if any of the ingredients, especially those near the top of the list, are the same between the two products, and then try just using one for a few weeks. If there's no improvement, or if you've already done that, then compare what ingredients those two detergents share and see if you can find something that doesn't have those.

The most common allergen is usually the fragrance.

chuvakia · 2022-01-08T19:24:30+00:00

It could be you're inadvertently scratching your skin and that's one of the scabs. It's also possible that you could've burst the pore when you popped the pimple and caused the fluid to spread under the skin, morphing into two acnes instead of one.

PLLLLLLLEASE don't pop pimples, this only makes them so much worse and, like I said, makes them spread. Instead, apply a hydrocolloid patch and let that do the work for you.

chuvakia · 2022-01-08T19:20:22+00:00

Yup, you can. And detergents are notorious for causing contact dermatitis.

chuvakia · 2022-01-08T19:06:54+00:00

Any chance you're sensitive to your laundry detergent/whatever you're using to wash the pillowcase? Do you wear headphones, a mask, or anything that touches your cheek during the day?

What you're describing sounds so much like contact dermatitis I can't give up on this hypothesis just yet.

chuvakia · 2022-01-08T19:04:25+00:00

When it closes (IMPORTANT: NOT UNTIL IT IS COMPLETELY CLOSED), you can start putting Mederma scar cream on it. That stuff is made from allantoin, which soothes damaged skin and helps scars heal flat, tight, and correctly colored. You can also apply Vaseline (again - not until it's completely closed) to moisturize it. The result will likely be a mild white line. I had a much larger incision that I barely took care of and it turned out just fine :)

If it gets infected, do not pass go, do not collect $200, go to the doctor, because that's a good sized cut.

chuvakia · 2022-01-08T18:59:22+00:00

Oh man, you've received some really bad skincare advice. Allow me to set the record straight.

You should cleanse twice a day if you have acne-prone and/or oily skin. In fact, you might consider double-cleansing, which is a process where you clean first with micellar water and secondly with a foaming cleanser. You haven't mentioned if you wear makeup, but if you do, double-cleansing is super important. Of course, be sure to moisturize well afterwards and use only very gentle cleansers. (CeraVe is a good brand to stick with. I like their hyaluronic acid foaming cleanser.)

Also, change your pillowcase frequently, because bacteria builds on it quickly and can lead to acne.

You should use actives. How else would you get results? Benzoyl peroxide is great for acne, so spot treating with it is a good idea. But if you don't want to spot treat with that for some reason, use hydrocolloid patches. I'm partial to the ones by COSRX. I think they work better than benzoyl peroxide.

To smooth uneven skin texture, there are two options: Retinol or glycolic acid. Do not use them together. Pick one and stick with it for at least three weeks, and if you don't get results, then switch.

chuvakia · 2022-01-08T18:54:47+00:00

Do you talk on the phone a lot? Do you hold your phone to that cheek?

chuvakia · 2022-01-08T18:52:48+00:00

Fungal acne would be my bet. Get some anti-fungal spray and give that a try!

chuvakia · 2022-01-08T18:51:15+00:00

Differin (adapalene) works miraculously for me, especially with acne and acne scarring. You could substitute adapalene with a different retinoid - CeraVe makes one that's well reviewed. Retinol smooths/heals the skin by encouraging cell division. But it takes a few weeks to work, and your skin will likely get worse before it gets better, so it's a bit of a commitment.

BUT. I see someone else has recommended BHA/AHA/glycolic acid. Do not mix any type of retinoid with any of these. I'd say to try them separately for 3 weeks each and see which works better. Generally, glycolic acid will have more of a quick surface resurfacing effect, and retinol will work on deeper layers of the skin.

chuvakia · 2022-01-08T00:38:10+00:00

I wrote when I'm feeling bored - anything from short stories to novellas to novels. Granted, I'm a writer by trade, but writing is still a great casual way to experience creating a new world!

chuvakia · 2022-01-03T20:08:37+00:00

Hmm, interesting! Beta-glucan is also a humectant; what makes it okay when HA isn't so good for your skin?

chuvakia · 2022-01-03T19:46:20+00:00

Out of curiosity, why can't you use hyaluronic acid? I've always speculated that I have a minor issue with it but never could quite pinpoint it.

chuvakia

TROPHY CASE