Wonk Jr's Ultimate Skincare

Why was I appointed to the SOMC? Well, others will tell you it was CSS, but the TRUE reason the deep state saw my necessity was because when the inevitable neoliberal renaissance happens, y'all better be pretty for it. Our most beloved leaders are often the most prettiest, have you seen Macron, Trudeau, and Obama. Hot damn, but it's not as if their skin is good by itself.

Skincare is a long-term investment. Although the initial costs are high, a well-crafted routine can lead to high returns in life. Why? Better skin gives you a renewed sense of confidence, leads to better judgement from others, and generally allows you to look better.

Skincare does not care about your gender, anyone can use the tips in this post to improve their look.

The Stuff

Here, I'm using an American approach to skincare with high usage of acids and liquids, while a more Asian approach would be with heavy amounts of cream. Check out /r/SkincareAddiction for the former and /r/AsianBeauty (or maybe not? I heard there was some drama) for the latter.

I have dry skin that is relatively acne-free, so my requirements may differ from yours. I highly recommend you read the FAQs in your subreddit of choice, this post is intended to be a tl;dr.

Core

Moisturizer: Moisturizer is the fundamental pair of skincare. If there's only one thing you get out of this post, it's that one must Moisturize. Moisturizing gets your skin plump and nice, and is overall the best thing you can do for the lowest cost that is guaranteed for good returns. All skin is different and different moisturizers work for different people, but I recommend CeraVe Mousterizing Cream; it's generally regarded as one of the best choices you can make with a high success rate.

Cleanser: Cleanser cleans your skin, and is the other half of fundamental pair of skincare. Although cleansing can be down with just water, I highly recommend you use a specialized cleanser. There are multiple types of cleansers that work differently, but I'm just going to stick to the basics. I highly CeraVe Foaming Cleanser; however, it can be a bit rough on some skin, so some people may benefit from the Hydrating Cleanser.

Sunscreen: Sunscreen is very important for skincare. As Bill Wurtz said it, the sun is a deadly laser. Exposure to the sun, no matter how minimal, can leave permanent effects on the skin such as hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin) and skin cancer. A good sunscreen is always in your best interests; I recommend Paula's Choice 50 SPF. Anything under 50SPF is worthless, and anything over ~80SPF is a scam. Even if you have brown skin like myself that doesn't burn, you should still use sunscreen; in an older age, your skin will remain fresh.

Exfoliation

Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin on your face, which can lead to a renewed "glow". There are two times of exfoliation: physical and chemical. Physical is highly discouraged for two main reasons: physical exfoliation is rough on the skin and can cause more problems than they fix, and they often employ microbeads which is harmful to the environment. Chemical Exfoliation is the better by a large margin, although there are some outliers.

BHA: BHAs are used to tackle Acne. BHAs penetrate deep into the skin, dissolving all the gunk that lies under the pores. There are several forms of BHAs, but Salicylic Acid is the most common. I recommend Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA. Note that if you use a BHA, you must use Sunscreen; BHAs increase sensitivity to the Sun.

AHA: AHAs help repair hyperpigmentation on the surface of the skin by tackling the top layer of the skin. I recommend Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA, an universally loved option.

Note: AHAs and BHAs are not mutually exclusive, they can be used together. Some recommend you use a BHA in the morning followed by an AHA at night. Personally, I use a BHA followed by an AHA; the BHA loosens the skin, thus increasing the efficiency of the AHA.

Aztec Face Mask: This is a personal favorite, and a good example of why Physical Exfoliation can be beneficial. Aztec Clay has amazing properties, when it comes in contact with bacteria it literally rips it apart. To make the skin mask, you want to use a 1:1 Ratio of Apple Cider Vinegar and Aztec Healing Clay. I will explain how to use this later.

Extras

Niacinamide: Niacinamide is a so-called "miracle vitamin", it benefits the skin in so many ways that its quality cannot be overstated. I reccomend The Ordinary.

Caffeine: For all the students out there or people with persistent black bags under their eyes, topical caffeine can have huge benefits in reducing their appearance. I recommend The Ordinary.

Oil: An Oil can have crazy good effects on the skin (and elsewhere), but everyone has a different type of oil that works best. It can be used to cleanse, or to add a lot of good stuff to your skin. Personally, I use Almond Oil.

Toner: Toner is a catch-all term referring to a generic item applied to the skin with some property that is beneficial. There are many toners that do many different things, but I use Thayers Witch Hazel with great success; it "tightens" the skin and provides a fresh look (and smells amazing!)

The Routine

Ideally, skincare is done in both the AM and PM. The time commitment at first can be hard, but as you settle into your routine the time commitment will decrease.

Example Routine (mine)

Note: Most of the stuff detailed requires gradual buildup. If you try everything here at once, you'll push your skin into overtime and cause acne outbreaks. Ideally, just start with a moisturizer and cleanser and work your way up in the process of ~2 - 4 weeks.

AM:

1. Brush your teeth. If you invest in your skin, invest in your teeth too. In addition, toothpaste can actually cause pimples around your mouth, which is why I recommend you do it before you cleanse.
   
   
2. Cleanse. Apply your cleanser. Either you can just apply it and wash it off, but I just hop into the shower to wake me up as well.
   
   
3. Niacinamide. Apply a little bit on your face everywhere.
   
   
4. Caffeine. Close your an eye, and apply a drop directly under. Rub it in, and don't get it in your eyes (it hurts like a bitch).
   
   
5. Toner. I pour a bit of mine on a cotton pad, and dab liberally.
   
   
6. Moisturizer. I tend to apply my moisturizer very liberally, there isn't any harm in your skin looking plump and having a nice glow.
   
   
7. Sunscreen. If you're sitting in an office all day with no window and you have max 30 mins of sun exposure (without a BHA, if you are then it is a must!), then you're okay without applying sunscreen. Otherwise, apply your sunscreen liberally.
   
   

   PM:
   

   
   

8. Cleanser. Your second cleanse removes all the crap on your face you accumulated on your face throughout the day, as well as prepare your skin for new stuff.
   
   
9. Oil Cleanse. If wearing Sunscreen, an oil cleanse can remove the remnants of the sunscreen of the sunscreen. It's also well-loved in Asian Beauty circles, as oil can pull wonders.
   
   
10. BHA. Apply the BHA (different BHAs have different application methods, read the back) and wait 5 mins.
    
    
11. AHA. Apply the AHA and wait for 5 mins.
    
    
12. Moisturize. Before you go to bed, moisturizing just keeps your skin nice throughout the nice. This is not for beauty reasons; dry skin can be a mess to deal with (flaking).
    
    

    Subroutines
    

    
    These are some skin-care routines I do weekly.
    
    

    Weekly Clay Mask
    

    
    This process takes 30 minutes and can completely refresh your skin.
    
    

13. Apply BHA.
    
    
14. After BHA, apply the clay mask. I recommend you use a plastic (not steel) spoon to slather it over your face. You'll feel it start to harden, and you'll want to remove it when you feel a satisfying "pulsing effect". Overdoing it can damage your skin.
    
    
15. Remove the Mask. This can be done in two ways; either peel it off with your hands and throw it in the trash, or take a shower. Important if you're taking a shower; make sure the water is constantly running, the clay mask can clog the drains.
    
    
16. Perform an OCM (Oil Cleansing Massage). You want to apply oil on your face, let it set for a few minutes, and start to lightly rub your face in circles. If you do it for too long, you can damage your skin capillaries, so be very conservative about its use. Around your nose, if you feel like grains of sand in your fingers, you have done something impressive; you've gotten rid of grits. Grits are the little pieces of stuff on your nose that look like pimples but cannot be removed. Although this process removes grits, they will eventually fill in (they're dirt), but it removes it for now.
    
    Also, why this post came up late

/u/JetJaguar124 /u/Integralds

So first thing's first, Windows: ~$130 for Home Edition.

Okay, so things to keep in mind:

1. If you go Intel, overclocking isn't too great on 9th gen intel, especially if you don't have a beefy aftermarket cpu cooler. So if you don't plan on doing that at some point then you don't need a K series CPU and an overclocking motherboard. So your motherboard should primarily focus on giving you decent I/O options.
   
   
2. You also probably want to aim for 1080p or 1440p tops, given your price range.
   
   
3. Related to #1: If you don't plan on overclocking then a basic-ish mobo will do fine, and you mainly want to focus on I/O and other features. If you are getting Intel doubly so, as, as I mentioned before, intel 9th gen doesn't overclock well due to relatively low headroom to begin with. For intel overclocking boards are "Z" while non-overclocking boards are "B". For AMD they are "X" and "B" respectively.
   
   The GPU you should be seeking to use is the 1660 Ti, which is basically a slightly gimped RTX 2060 but without the raytracing stuff. If you are willing to spend a bit more then you could get an RX 5700 instead, which is nearly ~30% faster on average.
   
   That'll put you at $270 - $360 depending on the model you pick. Yes, it's a third of your budget, but the GPU is the single most important part of your build.
   
   Secondly you'll want a decent CPU to go with that.
   
   The Ryzen 5 3600 looks like a pretty good CPU, its a bit under $200, its fairly beefy and extendable so it's somewhat "future-proof" - in that it shouldn't cause much bottlenecking and you could upgrade your GPU past a 2080 Ti before needing to change the processor.
   
   This MSI Tomohawk Mobo looks good for the 3600.
   
   So we're at ~$320 for that, or about $640 total. Plus windows that is ~$730.
   
   The RAM Inty recommended before should be fine. You only really need 16 GB. This will set you back ~$80. If you find yourself wanting more RAM later down the line you can always add another pair of sticks later and double up your RAM.
   
   That puts us at around ~$800.
   
   $80 for a 750W Fully Modular Corsair PSU is basically a steal. It's refurbished though, although that shouldn't be a problem - especially with a PSU.
   
   We're at ~$880.
   
   Some good thermal paste for your CPU.
   
   We're now at ~$890.
   
   Storage depends on what you want to do. Do you install a lot of stuff and files at once? In which case you might want to get a nice sized SSD plus a big HDD.
   
   For your system drive. Plenty of space, good price, AND its an nvme SSD.
   
   That makes for ~$990.
   
   If you need lots of extra space
   
   If you need extreme extra space
   
   Keyboard and case are up to you, decide as you please. For the case just make sure that it can support an ATX mobo, as the mobo listed here is full ATX. Mechanical keyboards are crack, but they tend to be more expensive so they're probably out of range. This will be another $100 to $150 depending on what you pick.
   
   Something to keep in mind though: Your case and your monitors are basically "future proof". In other words, they won't really get "worse" with time or cause future performance issues. So monitors and case are things where you want to consider what you'll eventually want and buy ahead, even if you have to stretch a bit.
   
   This just leaves your monitor. I would NOT recommend a 1080p monitor above 24 in. Honestly, if you can go for a 1440p monitor then do it. I'm a bit of a resolution whore tho, so if 1080p works for you then that's fine. I would also avoid TN panels - they tend to look more washed out, tinny, and have worse viewing angles . . . although they also tend to be a fair bit cheaper than the good panels (namely IPS panels).
   
   I used to own one of these . . . it was vvy vvy gud. This is a relatively artsy monitor, so if color gamut correctness or whatever is important for you for photo or video editing or whatever, then this is a good pick. It's a bit expensive, yeah, but also super gorgeous. It also goes up to 75 Hz. Conversely, get a freesync monitor, and this one is probably good - haven't done much research on it, but Dells are generally pretty good in my experience (my current 4K monitor is a Dell too). Freesync will allow you to basically eliminate screen tearing and will provide a smoother feeling experience because it will even out frame rates better.
   
   One last thing to keep in mind: Shopping around on ebay and other sites can save you a fair bit. My rule of thumb is to never, ever buy sensitive parts like hard-drives, cpus, or motherboards second hand or refurbished. But everything else is fair game. So refurbished GPUs, Monitors, PSUs, Cases, etc. should be fine. Pre-owned? Ehhh . . . that I'm much, much more sketchy on - personally I wouldn't, but that's just me.
   
   So in total it'd be somewhere in the range of $1500 including monitor, OS, case, and keyboard. The system itself is around $1000. But you can perhaps knock off a hundred bucks or two by shopping around and looking for where you can buy these parts cheaper than Amazon.
   
   But again: investing in a good monitor and case can be worth it. It means you won't have to replace it if/when you do upgrade. And worst case scenario you can offload your monitor as a side/secondary monitor when you upgrade your monitor to a new one.

But it probably is a union hack think tank. I don't see why highlighting the partisan motivation of a group means I'm automatically backing another group.

I can post something more holistic if you want me to. Maybe someone will wander through the wasteland of this comment chain and learn something from it:

1.
> More than a dozen prominent Washington research groups have received tens of millions of dollars from foreign governments in recent years while pushing United States government officials to adopt policies that often reflect the donors’ priorities, an investigation by The New York Times has found.

2.
> Even putting aside the legal issue, though, the article does an effective job of calling into question the idea that think tanks operate in an environment of scholarly independence. Through good old-fashioned detective work, the authors trace $92 million in donations from 64 foreign governments to 28 think tanks. The real total, they say, “is certainly more” — and I would add that if the discussion were expanded to include money from foreign industries as well, the picture would become even more spectacular. Consider just one example: the Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center, a division started in 1983, thanks in part to what Heritage’s then-president Edwin Feulner, Jr. called “substantial support from the private sector in both Korea and Taiwan.” Internal records from the period show that Heritage executives made fundraising trips to Asia, accepted donations from trade associations like the Far Eastern Textile Group and the Federation of Korean Industries, and attended a private dinner party at the home of Korean Prime Minister Shin-yong Lho (who gave a speech at Heritage in 1986).

3.
> There are close to 1,800 think tanks in the United States that employ over 20,000 scholars and executives who are dedicated to independent analysis of the major policy challenges facing the country. They do this, day in and day out, to help policymakers and the public make informed decisions on a wide range of policy problems. Sure there are those advocacy-oriented think tanks that engage in opinion mongering and advocacy, but the vast majority of the think tanks in the United States are committed to producing evidence-based, policy-relevant research. Moreover, they are the envy of the world – and other countries are constantly trying to learn from the American experience. I know because I have been approached numerous times by foreign countries seeking advice on establishing and growing think tanks.

4.
> These days, Heritage has a different crusade. The foundation’s president, the confrontational former Senator Jim DeMint, spent the last month touring the country, drawing cheering crowds as he demanded that Republican politicians insist that Obamacare be defunded—and denouncing those who wouldn’t go along. “Republicans are afraid,” DeMint told NPR. “And if they are, they need to be replaced.” The foundation’s three-year-old activism arm, Heritage Action, spent half a million dollars on online ads targeting 100 Republican House members who didn’t sign on to the defund crusade (“Tell Representative Tom Cole to Stop Funding Obamacare”).

5.
> We found at least 49 people who have simultaneously worked as lobbyists for outside entities while serving as top staff, directors or trustees of 20 of the 25 most influential think tanks in the United States, as ranked by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program at the University of Pennsylvania.

6.
> Corporate lobbyists are everywhere in Washington. Of the 100 organizations that spend the most on lobbying, 95 represent business. The largest companies now have upwards of 100 lobbyists representing them. How did American businesses become so invested in politics? And what does all their money buy? Drawing on extensive data and original interviews with corporate lobbyists, The Business of America is Lobbying provides a fascinating and detailed picture of what corporations do in Washington, why they do it, and why it matters. Since the 1970s, a wave of new government regulations and declining economic conditions has mobilized business leaders, and companies have developed new political capacities. Managers soon began to see public policy as an opportunity, not just a threat. Ever since, corporate lobbying has become more pervasive, more proactive, and more particularistic. Lee Drutman argues that lobbyists drove this development by helping managers see the importance of politics and how proactive and aggressive engagement could help companies' bottom lines. Politics is messy, unpredictable, and more competitive than ever, but the growth of lobbying has driven several important changes that have increased the power of business in American politics. And now, the costs of effective lobbying have risen to a level that only larger businesses can typically afford.

Hi,

(I'm in the EU, lived in the states when I served in the military)

So from a personal level; I like the guy. He seems a decent human being and has been a useful tool in demolishing people like Trump & Cruz (not difficult tbh) on matters like the wall etc.

I dig him on women's rights, I dig him on legalisation, ending private prisons, education etc.

I don't like his rather arbitrary, impotently centrist views on National Security & the military, nor am I sure of his stances on foreign policy.

"We’re at war in six countries right now and fighting enemies that didn’t exist when Congress authorised the global war on terrorism following 9/11. We need to support our service members by ensuring this country has defined victory; has adopted a comprehensive strategy to achieve it; and is willing to commit the resources and leadership to see it through." -- so basically; keep military funding at a ridiculous amount, keep intervening where we aren't needed nor wanted. Although, his first line here is important, he at least acknowledges that the US has created enemies that weren't there prior to the Bush era.

I don't like deregulation, we've seen where it's gone in the past in the UK under Thatcher & the US under Reagan. I've heard the free markets argument before and just don't buy it. (This is worth a read, a critique of capitalism BY a capitalist.) Also - (this is from a while back but interesting when it comes to the current issue of climate vs capitaklism.)

I'd like to see him commit to abolish ICE alongside knocking down the wall & open borders.

Bottom line, O' Rourke is a centrist, the centre has slid right further than ever before in my life time, we need someone a touch more progressive even than Beto, to take it back to "true north". IMOHO.

So, I don't dislike the guy, but he has aligned with the republicans in the past, that's a big alarm bell for me.

Also O' Rourke is not pro medicare for all. (O'Rourke policies.) That'd be a BIG, BIG no-no for me if I was still in the states.

Majority report on Beto

Beto is also a lot like Obama, who was ok but not the saviour that everyone hoped for.

P.s. I mention I'm in the EU to note my first hand experience with open borders, I'm pro open borders but also know that as a policy/law that open borders can be problematic.

This one. Good breakdown of the history of the state, structure of the houses of Government, the voting system, and some of the ... difficulties ... that the state has had to deal with over the years. It's a dry read, I'm sorry, but it's about as good a start as you'll get. If I remember correctly, it also has an extensive bibliography that you can use to find fuller sources.

Re: Pence, I think he took it on the chin and in good humour. I don't mind the guy myself, really.

Here's the thing, International Relations is all about figuring out why states act as they do, using culture as the metric misses a lot of motivation for how states interact as logical players in a somewhat anarchistic game of survival as a state.

I haven't read this book, but I've read Joesph Nye and he's also one of the standards that most IR students will end up reading.
https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Global-Conflict-Cooperation-Introduction/dp/0205851630/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

I also mention Mearsheimer's Tragedy of Great Power Politics in another comment. It's heavily assigned and great if you loved playing Risk as a kid.
https://www.amazon.com/Tragedy-Great-Power-Politics-Updated/dp/0393349276

>He said he would do that and added, “Because I have been very loyal to
you, very loyal; we had that thing you know.” I did not reply or ask him what he
meant by “that thing.”

CONFIRMED

https://www.amazon.com/Barbarians-Boomers-Immigrants-Screwed-Generation/dp/1541136942

gotta hand it to her, she definitely used all the buzzwords

Pounded By The Pound: Turned Gay By The Socioeconomic Implications Of Britain Leaving The European Union is honestly one of the most insightful books on the subject. Truly a tingle-worthy essential.

https://www.amazon.com/Behave-Biology-Humans-Best-Worst/dp/1594205078 probably best nonfiction book ever.

I read this variant, which (translation aside) is usefully augmented by copious maps and side notes. I am not good enough to be able to judge various translations.

(Where do I recommend Thucydides? I don't doubt that I do, I just don't remember doing so.)

This is a version that includes copious explanatory notes and maps to help you along. Each paragraph is summarized in the margins, even.

Any translation of Thucydides is going to have readability issues; he's tough to get through even in the original language and the process of translation only exacerbates that issue.

You: reading peer-reviewed economic papers about Brexit.

Me, an intellectual: reading this.

Pounded By The Pound: Turned Gay By The Socioeconomic Implications Of Britain Leaving The European Union

Sapolsky discusses it extensively in the relevant chapters of this book. All the studies referred to are cited.

speaking of brexxxit

Can't wait to read this