LET'S TALK LUPUS || Because Lupus Sucks And Everyone Gets It Wrong || Rivet Licker

In July 2021, I posted a four part series about Lupus on my Instagram grid. Lupus is one of the conditions I have that affects my day-to-day living, and pretty much everything I do, right down to the most mundane tasks!

Image description: Collage on a white background. An askew Polaroid frame with a Bitmoji of Lara sitting on a red couch, gesturing for the reader to sit down with dark blue text above that reads "We need to talk. This is serious.". At the bottom of the frame is black text that reads “let’s talk lupus in detail” in all caps. In the corners of the frame are clip arts; clockwise from top left; an illustration of a medical doctor who is a woman with long black hair and brown skin, wearing a lab coat and stethoscope; a purple butterfly; an illustration of a character crying in pain and resembling Lara, wearing all black and has pink hair, pale skin, and red shadows to represent rashes around the cheeks, neck & arms; a purple lupus awareness ribbon.

This blog post is a collation of those four posts (copypasta), edited for the blog, with added extras I couldn't fit in Instagram captions!

TW: Medical Talk, Disability, Mental Health, Menstruation, Pets with Lupus, Medical Transphobia, etc

10 More Shitty Things Nobody Tells You About Life With Chronic Illness || #RivetRant

Here we are, back again, with a chronic illness post on a platform independent to a problematic website whose name rhymes with 'She Fighty'. Last year, I brought you 10 Shitty Things Nobody Tells You About Life With Chronic Illness, now here are another 10 things that are just as shitty as the last! 

Cartoon depiction of Rivet Licker, the author of this blog. She is a tired looking woman with short purple/pink hair and has thermometer in her mouth. She is wearing a bath robe and holding a mug of coffee in one hand, and the other is placed on her face. Text reads "Chronic Illness Is Shitty". An additional purple box is superimposed over the bottom of the image that reads 'now with even more shit! poo emoji'.

This post contains many trigger warnings, including, but not limited to discussion of mental health, dismissive doctors, financial woes, ableism, quackery, bodily functions, hormones, flashy GIFs, and a shitload of swearing.

FIRST TIMER! || Rivet Gets A Fake Tan With MineTan 1 Hour Express Tans || #RivetReview

I don't buy or use fake tan at all. I'm okay with being all various shades of pale, where my darkest is lighter than most peoples' lightest. I'm not this pale by choice - my childhood days were filled with golden olive skin that disappeared as I got older and started developing rashes upon sun exposure, rather than producing a tan.

MineTan was a brand featured at the TVSN Beauty Bazaar this year, where we were told about its humble beginnings by its founder, Kristie Kirkham, and its rapid expansion into the professional and consumer beauty worlds.

10 Shitty Things Nobody Tells You About Life With Chronic Illness || #RivetRant

Everyone thinks that chronic illness is a one way ticket to Lazy Town (not to be confused with the children's television series that appealed to creepers on the internet), but it's no cakewalk. Most chronically ill people are working harder to achieve the same results with half the resources, and that's just to survive the day.

Image Description: Cartoon depiction of Rivet Licker, the author of this blog. She is a tired looking woman with short purple/pink hair and has thermometer in her mouth. She is wearing a bath robe and holding a mug of coffee in one hand, and the other is placed on her face. Text reads "Chronic Illness Is Shitty".

I know it's not beauty related, but I don't really want to publish a story with a well known chronic illness website that is pretty crappy to neurodivergent people and rhymes with 'She Fighty'. Better published on an independent platform!

This post comes with a massive trigger warning for lots of swearing, mental health, suicidal ideation, drugs, bodily functions, dismissive doctors, ableism (naturally), financial woes, inspiration porn, flashy GIFs, etc.

What happens when life ruins your skincare routine. And Malar Rash.

Things have been really unorganized and not so great lately, so my skincare routine has really suffered. Between all the practical exams, practical lessons and Lupus flare ups, my skin has gone from OMG WOW! to OMG HOW?!

My neck is normal... My cheeks are extremely red.

I'd like to welcome you to the last few months of my life; stress, illness, and an "I don't care" attitude.