My Current Everyday Makeup Routine/Favorites Vol.2 (eyes and Lips)

(Full face makeup products. Please refer to Vol.1 from yesterday's post for details of face products)

Now let's move on to eyes. For eyes I've been keeping it very simple just stick to my Urban Decay Smoked Palette which is my HG eyeshadow palette. I gave the full deets in my Z Palette blogpost so make sure to check it out . 

I've been using Barlust which is a copper bronzy shade on my lids and Freestyle which is the perfect blending shade to blend out the shape edges. I told you, pretty simple right?! Urban Decay does the best eyeshadows in my opinion, buttery soft, pigmented and easy to blend. Can't go wrong with it!

FYI: I do use Mac Paint Pot in Groundwork as my eyeshadow primer before applying the Urban Decay shadows. It just lasts longer and Groundwork is very flattering under Barlust, and my eyeshadows stick to my eyes better. Have a look at my Top 5 Fav Cream Eyeshadows post for details of this paint pot. 

Eyeliner: I've been loving dark blue eyeliner for the past month and I am still enjoying it. It makes my dark brown eyes pop. I am sick of black and need a pop of colour. The one I am currently using is the 24 Hour Waterproof Eye Pencil from Deborah which is an Italian drug store makeup brand. I gotta say I am pretty impressed with it. It's the twist up pencil so no sharpener required.

It's easy to smudge thanks to the smudger sponge it comes with, and it lasts pretty well on me. I can't say 24 hours but it lasts decent amount of hours. I just apply it on my waterline, and both upper and lower lash lines then smudge it with the sponge. That's it. Easy breezy! 

As far as Mascara goes I don't use it on a daily basis because I have stubborn straight eye lashes it takes me ages to apply mascara then curl them so can't be bothered to be honest with ya. I would if I go out in the evening or on a special occasion. 

Eye brows: on a day to day basis I just use this Gimme Brow from Benefit Cosmetics. It's quick and easy great for when I'm in a rush. It tints my brow, sets them in place and it lasts all day. Definitely a must have. I have the shade in light/medium. Have a look at my HG Brow Products and Tools blogpost for my brow routine if you are interested. 

Last step to complete my daily look is lipstick. I don't wear bright lip colours on a daily basis. I go for nude, and by "nude" I mean nude lipstick colours not that I go out NUDE. Lol! Sorry about the cold joke. Moving on... ... 

As I was saying... I love nude lipsticks. They're very low-key, comfortable and flattering for daily use. My fav nude lipstick at the moment is the Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo in No.5 Nude. Beautiful on me and would be beautiful on you as well if you and I have the same or similar skintone. It's so smooth on the lip and the golden shimmer is gorg. It's matte so lasts pretty well during the day. Full detail of this lipstick is featured on my Perfect Nudes and My All Time Fav Lipsticks blogposts, give them a read! 

Ok so there you have it, my current everyday eye and lip routine/favs and I hope you have enjoyed it as well as the Vol.1 from yesterday's post. Let me know your makeup favs at the moment and as always please follow me on tweeter @eflicciardello that would make me fly... High... Lol

(Completed everyday look. Please refer to Vol.1 for Foundation Routine)

Thank you for your time and until next time. Stay gorgeous girls! Muahh! 

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Battle of Sunscreens

Sunscreens. How so important for protecting our skin from the harsh sun light which will give us rough skin texture, wrinkles, skin pigmentation and possibly the worst: skin cancer. 

Sunscreens are essential when it comes to skincare and it should be the last step of your skincare routine and before your makeup. You should wear it every single day even it's not sunny outside, because the UV rays can still get through the clouds get you eventually. 

If you are someone, and by someone I mean myself who uses chemical exfoliating mask/treatment or toner at night then it is a crucial in terms of putting on sunscreen everyday before stepping out the door because chemical exfoliating treatments e.g Alpha H Liquid Gold can make our skin super sensitive to the sun. 

Now let's talk about my choice of sunscreens. I have 6 here to show you today, 5 of them I like and 1 disappointment. I should let you know that all of my face and body sunscreens are above SPF 30 because of where I live. I live in Sicily Italy, and for those of who doesn't know it gets super duper hot here in the summer, if I leave the house without sunscreens on then I. AM. SCREWED! I mean I get burnt here, literally! And I never burn even when I went to Hawaii. Let's just say the Sicilian sun is poison. Ok that might be over exaggerated but the sun here is pretty harsh. 

Ok ok enough rambling, the first one I am going to show you today is the Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50 PA+++ UVA. Wow that's a long name. I bought it after reading the blogpost of Anna from Viviannadoesmakeup which I'll link it here so do give it a read. Seriously she is fabulous and you all know how much I love her by the times of her name showing up on my blog. 

Anyway... I love this sunscreen. It's SPF 50 which is really high in terms of protecting the skin. By the way SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor in case you are wondering. This sunscreen helps protect against pigmentation, irregularities and premature skin aging, which is why this one is more of an UVA protection sunscreen. However the the Kiehl's website says it has UVB protection as well so I guess I am covered. Ohh just so you know, UVA rays can age us and UVB rays can burn us so make sure to chose one that can protect your skin against both rays. 

This is a creamy physical sunscreen but very light in texture. It's not sticky, doesn't give you a nasty white-cast like some other high SPFs can do. It has no smell to it, also dermatologist tested so suitable for sensitive skin. It's very moisturizing but not thick so it feels very comfortable to wear it even under makeup. Ohh I should tell you that it's also a great base before my foundation because once it dries it sets so my foundation don't slide around which it's just what I need for summer. 

It comes in a tube (60ml 2.0 fl. Oz) which is very hygienic as I don't have to dip my fingers in a pot you know, and the packaging is very clean and sleek in my opinion. 

Just a little pointer: I don't suggest you tan too much under the sun although I know some of you are addict to tanning, just remember NEVER EVER go tanning between 11am and 3pm. It's really bad for your skin and you'll look older faster, sorry but it's true! 

Moving on to the next sunscreen which I also really really like. It's the Clarins UV PLUS HP Multi-Protection SPF 40 UVA-UVB/PA+++/Oil-Free/Anti-Pollution. OK now this name is even longer than the Kiehl's one. Mann! 

Unlike the Kiehl's one this is a fluid sunscreen. It's fairly watery and you do need to shake it up before applying to your face. It's a physical sunscreen same as the Kiehl's one which I like. Don't buy chemical sunscreens guys because they are never good for your skin. It is very light and it sinks into my skin very quickly and it's a matte finish so great base before foundation. It does have a smell to it but nothing crazy. It doesn't leave the unattractive white-cast same as the Kiehl's one. It comes in a little squeezable bottle (30ml 1 fl. Oz) and I really like the dispeanser as you can easily control how much you wanna squeeze out. All in all I really do like it.

If you have oily skin then I recommend the clarins one but if you have drier skin the Kiehl's one is the way to go. Price wise they are both around 37€ but with the Kiehl's one you do get doubled the size, so you do the math! 

Next up is the Extra Smooth Sun Protection Lotion SPF 30 from Shiseido. Shiseido does some really good sunscreens. They have a huge range of sunscreens and the one I have here it's a sun protection lotion for both face and body. It contains 100ml of product and it costs around 27€. 

Now I don't use this one on a daily basis only when I go to the beach. You should also know that I rarely use it on my face, it's more of a body sun lotion for me. I'll tell why. It's very rich so feels kinda greasy but not too much. It does leave a white-cast but once dries you can't really tell. I think this one is a bit too rich for face but nice and moisturizing for body. It's water resistant which makes it perfect for the beach. Just remember shake well before use. 

Moving on... Let's talk about this bareMinerals Natural Sunscreen UVA/UVB Protection for Face and Body. This is a powder sunscreen and apparently it's beneficial for our skin because it's made of natural minerals. I featured it in my Disappointing Products blogpost and if you are interested in what I had to say just .  

I like the concept of this sunscreen, you know how you can take it on the go, great for touchup which is the main reason why I got it. Honestly guys sunscreens do wear off as the day progresses and we can't take our makeup off when we are out and about so this is ideal for applying on the go for the loss of sunscreen without taking off our makeup. Am I right? 

It's a cool product but I don't like the brush that it comes with. It's too dense, it doesn't distribute the powder evenly and it looks kinda cakey sometimes. I tried it with my own brush which is rather lovely but the bad news is I have to depot the powder so makes it impossible to take it on the go. The powder is itself is quite soft and finely milled but i guess I just wish it came with a softer fluffy brush. What can I say, we can't have everything I guess! 

The skin around the eye area are most delicate, it needs special care, and I am not just talking about our normal eye creams also sunscreens for eyes. That's right. You heard me, which brings you my next product. It is the Shiseido Sun Protection Eye Cream SPF 25. 

This is a lovely product that you use around the eyes before going out in the sun. It protects against sun damage around the delicate eye area and moisturizes at the same time. I also found it brightens my under eye area which I am really happy about. It's moisturizing like I said before but light enough so my concealer don't slide around. I'm almost done with this tube (15ml) and really need to get myself another one. I like the fact that it's SPF 25 which is quite a high protection as far as eye cream goes. I really do like it. I recommend! 

Last but not least is the Shiseido Sun Protection Lip Treatment SPF 20. I swear I am not being paid to make this post, just a little disclaimer here for ya. I know I have quite a few of the Shiseido products, that's because they are really that good, and they do have a lot of choices when it comes to sunblocks. 

As I was saying, this is an average stick lip balm that moisturizes like normal lip balms do, but the difference is that it also protects our lips from the effects of UVA and UVB rays. It is SPF 20 which is awesome for protecting against the sun so that our lips won't feel dry, rough nor darken from the sun. I should mention that this is not a replacement for your normal lip balm because all sunblock products contain Zinc Oxide or/and Titanium Dioxide which make them ultimately drying. It does leave a little white-cast on the lip but I honestly don't mind because I do put lipstick on top. It smells pretty good too. I finished mine ages ago so really need to get another one. 

There you have it. I hope this is helpful. I know it's kinda boring and common sense but someone has to do it, and I can't stress enough how important sunscreens are to us especially when summer's coming. So guys again do wear sunscreens not just for the face but wherever it's exposed to the sun when you are out and about. A few tips for you: avoid going out from 11am to 3pm unless you have to; wear sunglasses and hats; apply sunscreen every 2 to 3 hours especially on the beach; and lastly avoid walking around near cars too often as car windows can reflect the sun then UV rays could land on your face, seriously. I know you might think it's ridiculous but it's true.

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Living proof Hair Styling Products

Living proof is a highend haircare brand and a lot of beauty gurus are talking their products and loving them apparently. I bought 2 of their star products because I've read so many wonderful reviews and also I just wanna see if they are really worth all that hype. 

"Friends" star Jennifer Aniston is now the co-owner of Living proof and she did a whole series on how to achieve the perfect hair day by using some of the Living proof hair products which made me really wanna try this brand because I love Jennifer Aniston and "Friends" of course. So I did. I bought a couple of their hair styling products and I am going to tell you now how I get on with them. 

I purchased the ever so famous Prime Style Extender which is a hair primer (interesting) and also the amp2 Instant Texture Volumizer, both are from spacenk. 

Let's talk about the hair primer first. I thought it was quite interesting that there's also a primer for our hair, and that made me buy it really. I mean I've tried primers for face and eyes and never even heard of hair primers before. But basically this primer will extend your hair style, Living proof claims that it will keep your hair clean for a lot longer than it would do without it. Now, I am not really sure about this one because I haven't seen anything on keeping my hair clean longer nor extend the wear of my hair style to be honest. I mean I've had it for like a month already and I seriously can't tell if it's working. But that being said I do like it in terms of applying it after shampooing because it makes my hair silky smooth and very soft. It's more like a non-rinse-off hair conditioner for me. 

It says it's weightless which I totally agree. I can't feel a thing after applying it. I also like the fact that it is non sticky and it doesn't weigh down my hair. Just remember apply this product when your hair's  still damp, never on dry hair.

I will keep using it until this finishes but I am not sure if I would buy it again. There are other nice hair conditioners out there in the market, and to be honest this is not a cheap product and as far as primer goes it just doesn't deliver. 

Moving on to the Texture Volumizer. Now this one I do like. It does what it says on the tin which is super. It gives a nice texture, like a second day hair which I like. It doesn't feel tacky on the hair although it does feel quite sticky on my hands, but that's not problem as I can wash it right off afterwards. 

I think this is a great styling product for short or medium length hair as it really does give this nice texture and volume. All you have to do is dry your hair first then scoop out a penny size amount on your hands (a little goes a long way with this product), warm the product between your hands till it turns clear (very important) then just rub it on the roots of your hair and whatever it's left apply on the ends of the hair.  

I actually got this Volumizer after watching the video from Amelia Liana where she talked about this product and how she liked it. I'll link it  if you fancy watching it. 

(With both products on but really like the Texture Volumizer. It gives volume and the texture of second-day hair and non sticky)

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Brand Review on theBalm Cosmetics

Well hello my lovely beauty junkies. How are we?! I am SO excited about today's post. I am going to talk about the brand called theBalm Cosmetics. I don't have ALL of their products but I do have some of their classics, so let's get to work!

theBalm and I go way back. I got my first theBalm product like 2 or maybe 3 years ago and I am still using and loving their makeup products. theBalm cosmetics does not only makeup but skincare and haircare products as well. Founder/CEO Marissa Shipman started theBalm in 2004 and it has been very successful since. theBalm cosmetics are known of their cute and sweet packaging, and their makeup are highly pigmented, nice colour range and most importantly for us is that their makeup are inexpensive. I'll link their website right  so you can check it out for more details.

You can purchase theBalm products on their official website if you are from the US, just click the link above or you can buy them from feelunique.com if you are based in the UK and the rest of the world.

I am now gonna show you some of theBalm makeup that I have and love. I guess I'll start with this beautiful eyeshadow palette called Meet Matt(e). I mean how cute is the name?!, and look at this packaging, so cute and sweet!

This is a matte eyeshadow palette and it contains 9 different colored eyeshadows. They are all pretty wearable. There's no shimmers or glitters, they're all matte, which I think are perfect for matte eyeshadow lovers like myself, suitable for older women because matte colors will not bring the eyelids down and forward like shimmery shadows do. And they are definitely office appropriate. I mean I do like shimmery eyeshadows as well but I tend to go for matte shades a bit more. I go through phases, sometimes I wear matte shades more and sometimes I tend to reach for shimmery ones. You know, women! We need our choices. Hah!

There we go, the swatches. Sorry about the dirty palette, I've used it quite a lot. It is well loved. One thing I like about this palette is that the names of the shadows. They are all guys' names. How cool is that! The eyeshadows themselves are very soft (not like Urban Decay buttery soft but very easy to apply), last pretty long on my lids with a primer underneath of course cuz I have the world oiliest eyelids. They are not very patchy like some of the matte eyeshadows. Very pleasant to use. Small and compact, also comes with a decent sized mirror so great for travel.

I tend to go for some of the darker shades in here and let me tell ya, they are very pigmented. Ohh and by the way, Matt Gallagher is a great crease/blending shade. I love it. It comes with a little double-ended brush but I threw it away like always because let's face it brushes that come with palettes are never good even with the most highend makeup brand.

Next up is this blusher that I have from theBalm, and it's called CabanaBoy. Ahh I just love the name and the packaging. So cute. I know I say that a lot, but come on. Isn't that cute?!

It contains 8.5g (0.3 Oz) of product and let me tell you, it lasts AGES. I mean I've used it quite a lot but it looks like I barely made a dent. This is a pinky mauve shade which I think is good on any skintones. However pale skins have to use a very light hand with this, because it is very, I repeat, very pigmented. It doesn't have any shimmers or sparkles but it leaves a nice luminous sheen on the cheeks. If you don't like shimmery blushes but still want a little glow then this one is for you.

Bahama Mama Bronzer is the first bronzer that I've bought. Unfortunately it doesn't work for my skintone.

It looks very muddy and dirty on me , I guess this shade is too dark for me and that's why. But that being said the bronzer itself is rather lovely. It has no smell to it and it's buttery soft. It's matte so great for contouring. Have a look at my Disappointing Products blogpost if you wanna know more.

I picked up this little blush/contour kabuki brush from theBalm whilst I bought the blusher and bronzer. Like the BahamaMama Bronzer this brush is kinda disappointing as well.

The bristles are very dense so it doesn't distribute the blusher nice and evenly on the cheek. It's rather odd looking afterwards. However I do like the small packaging, it will be ideal for traveling I supposed. I, in fact tried this brush with my other bronzers to contour my face and it surprisingly is quite good for that purpose because of the dense bristles. So I guess it's up to you what you want to use it for, but don't apply your blusher with it. Believe me!

This May-Lou Manizer aka The Luminizer is by far the best highlighter I have ever tried. Full stop. It is so gorgeous on the cheekbone. Very soft in texture and you do get a lot of product which is awesome, great value for money.

Please do check out my Top Rated Highlighters blogpost for details of this one by clicking . I love it, love it, love it!

Lastly I have 2 of theBalm lip and cheek stains called Stainiac. One is in the shade Beauty Queen which is a cherry colour, and the other is called Homecoming Queen which is a straight up orange colour. I like them both, they remind me of the Benefit Benetint but a lot cheaper.

As you can see here they do stain which is awesome. If you want your blusher to last the whole day without touching up, apply this stain on the cheek first then your blusher. Trust me, the Stainiac is a great base. I of course also use it as a lip stain, and it works pretty well, but like other lip stains they do tend to dry the lips out so make sure you apply a lip balm or a moisturizing lip stick afterwards so your lips feel more comfortable. These 2 stains are more gel like in texture unlike the Benetint from Benefit which is more watery. I prefer the Stainiac to be honest because of the packaging which is like a lip gloss packaging with a normal doe foot applicator, really easy to use, and it takes no effort to blend out. 

All in all I give a 4 out of 5 on theBalm products that I have tried. They are inexpensive, pigmented and love the beautiful packaging. I can't speak for other products of theBalm because I haven't tried them all, but I will be picking up more of their makeup in the future and report back to you guys of course.

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My Nighttime Skincare Routine!

A couple months back, I shared with you my morning skincare routine. It's quick and simple as I only use three products in the morning (four, if I'd use a sunscreen that day): 1. Facial Cleanser; 2. Moisturizer; and 3. Lip balm!

Today, I'll share with you my nighttime skincare routine. You'll see in the video that I use more products at night compared to my morning routine but that's because all these products are essential to keep my skin clear, healthy and at a manageable state.

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What's your nighttime skincare routine like? Share it with me!

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Lip Product Addict TAG

Hey guys. I am SO excited about today's post. It's a TAG (video) which is created by the lovely Amelia Liana and Estée. I am obsessed with these 2 beautiful ladies that sometimes makes me wanna go and live in London so maybe I could bump into them on the street and meet them. Lol! Anyway as I was saying I love watching their videos and reading their blogposts. They have great tastes when it comes to makeup and skincare. I'll link their original video  so you can check it out if you haven't already. 

Well as I mentioned above this is a TAG VIDEO but since I don't do YouTube videos, I thought I could write a post about it because I love this TAG, it's right up my alley! So without further ado let's hop to it! 

1. Favorite balm/treatment?

I'm gonna cheat a little on this one because I have 2 and it's hard to choose just one to be honest so there we go. The first one is an oldie but a goodie. It's such a cult lip product. I mean everybody and their mother rave about it. It's the Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm. It is so moisturizing. It locks in the moisture so that your lips never feel dry. It lasts absolute hours on the lip, and it's matte which means a great base before lipsticks. 

I have mentioned this lip balm in my morning skincare routine post so if you are interested just . 

My second lip balm/treatment is the Replenishing Lip Balm by Clarins. I love this I mean I can't even remember how many tubes I had gone through. Unlike the Nuxe one this is a shiny finish lip balm but not like Vaseline kinda feeling. I don't like Vaseline sorry. This lip balm is very moisturizing and I like to use it in the evening before bed, and when I wake up in the morning the lip balm is still there on my lips. So good! Ohh I have to mention that both lip balms smell lovely! 

2. Best eye-catching red?

This one I have to give it to my Rouge Dior Lipstick in the shade 999. Perfect red in my opinion, not too warm nor blue toned. Very eye-catching of course. Satin finish and so comfortable on the lip. And I love the packaging so simply yet elegant. I had raved all about it on my "Top 5 Favorite Lipsticks of All Time" blogpost  so make sure you check it out by clicking . I absolutely love it! It smells lovely too. 

3. Best luxury & best drugstore?

Best luxury has to be my Dior lipsticks, doesn't matter which one or which line, I mean they are all good. I love them all! Let's just put it like that! They are just so light and so comfortable on the lip. The most important factor for me is that Dior lipsticks don't create this nasty line in between my lips like others do. I don't know how to explain it but it's very important to me. 

Make sure you check out my "Top 5 Favorite Lipsticks of All Time" blogpost for reviews and swatches of some of my Dior lipsticks if you are interested. 

Best drugstore... ... Emm... ... To be honest with you I haven't found the "best" one yet. I am still in search. I have tried some but almost all of them are disappointing. I am not being snobby here I am just being honest. But if I have to choose one then it will be these Lipstick Pencils from Wjcon. Wjcon is an Italian drugstore cosmetic brand and it's the equivalent of KIKO. I know that a lot of you know KIKO, but they are pretty much the same in my opinion.

I have 2 of their lipstick pencils here, one is this orange color called Fluo Geranium 04 and the other one is this cherry red color called Passion Rose 09. They remind me of the Nars Satin Lip Pencils but obviously a lot cheaper. I mean they are pretty good for the price and really pretty colors, so if you are in Italy and want to try some affordable and pretty lipsticks then they are the one to go. 

4. Best Mac lipstick?

I am not a Mac girl. Yes Mac does some really nice lip colors but the texture is not my cup of tea. I like the smell of Mac lipsticks but that's about it. 

If I have to choose one then it has to be my Mac Beach Blossom. It's a cream sheen. It's pretty moisturizing but I found Mac lipsticks are quite waxy which I don't care for. This is actually my first ever Mac lipstick and I adore the color. It's the perfect peachy pink nude for my complexion. Anna from Viviannadoesmakeup went on about this lipstick so if you want to hear what she had to say then click right . 

5. The most disappointing?

When I tell you my disappointing lip product you will be shocked. Get ready! It's the Glossy Stain from YSL. That's right. I have to be honest here I really don't like it. I know that a lot of beauty gurus and beauty junkies love this product but it drys out my lips so bad I just can't wear it anymore. I do like the light texture and the bright orange color but drying out my lips is something I can't bear. I got it from my local makeup store and I have the shade #8.

6. Liner - yes or no?

No. Because lipsticks don't really feather on my lips even with the most intensive colors, so I feel it's unnecessary to line my lips. Also I can achieve a bigger fuller looking lip with just lipstick so why liner?! 

7. Best gloss?

I am not a gloss girl really. I don't buy lip glosses like ever. I used to wear a lot though when I was at school but now, nah. I just found them to be sticky and too shiny. And to be honest there are loads lipsticks in the market can achieve the same shiny and glossy result but not sticky. So sorry guys I can't answer this one. 

8. Something extra

I think I am gonna talk about this lip combo I have been loving lately. It's a combination of the Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in the shade Empress and the Revolution Lipstick from Urban Decay in the shade Venom. 

Check out my "Top 5 favorite Lipsticks of All Time" blogpost for details of the Hourglass Opaque Rouge. This is hands down the best liquid lipstick/lip stain I have ever tried. It dries down to matte and lasts absolute hours, and it's not drying. So good. And this shade is so flattering for all skin tones I think. It's this deep purple, aubergine color, simply gorgeous and comfortable to wear. 

(Left: Hourglass right: Urban Decay) 

The Revolution Lipstick by Urban Decay is a recent purchase. I think I have had it probably for only a week and I am obsessed, I repeat, obsessed with it. It's so lovely, so comfortable and so beautiful. This color is in the same color family as the Hourglass one, but more berry toned. I paired them together for a night out and those 2 together lasted the whole night without touching up. Absolutely top notch! #inlove

(Layered together)

So there you have it. My version of the Lip Product Addict TAG. It is so fun to write this post and I am so glad Amelia and Estée came up with this fun TAG. I hope you guys have enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. If you have your own version of this TAG then please let me know so I can read all about it. Until next time bye. Muah! 

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