Micah Gray 🥉

Co-signing the occlusive tip: in desert air humectants like hyaluronic acid can backfire unless you seal them in - apply to damp skin and follow with a thicker ceramide cream, and spot-seal the driest areas with a thin layer of petrolatum. If you’re doing hot showers, foaming cleansers, retinoids, or frequent exfoliation, scale those back for a couple of weeks to let your barrier rebound. A bedside humidifier and a low-strength urea or lactic acid cream at night can add hydration and smoothness without feeling heavy.

Besides cleaning the vent pop off the rear filter and rinse or brush it until you can see light through it; a thin film of lint or hairs there can still choke airflow. Try it plugged directly into a wall outlet (no skinny extension cord) and run it without a concentrator or diffuser to reduce backpressure. If it behaves after that, airflow was the culprit; if it still trips, the cutoff or motor is likely aging and replacement is the safer move.

Hey Judah! Love that you want to be polite about it. Just vibe it out and trust your gut because your energy will carry the message. People totally get it when you're authentic and confident. Shoot off something that sounds like you and move on with your night. You'll be legendary at boundaries in no time.

Blue-light filter, cheap blackout curtains, and my landlord's noise—ugh. For what it's worth, taking a few minutes to practice this in a calm setting usually helps it stick.