Phoenix's makeup, skincare, weight, health etc...

[valeria101]

@Dancing Fire - 'Mind Clean' as your current tagline reads ...

 

[Phoenix]

Yay ! I wouldn't ask for pictures of you ! I can't imagine myself doing this either ... 1000XThx. for such a thought !

[I am also trying to find examples of what I do rarely do - could be fun]

@valeria101, thank you for your sweet thank you. I wasn't planning on posting my whole face! lol. Not on a public forum.

It'd be fun to see what you do too.

 

[Phoenix]

Phoenix
Will you marry me??...
old chinese wives tale ...if you wanted to stay young looking then you must consume a lot of bird's nest soup...

@Dancing Fire, no way!! That'd mean you'd be near to my bling!! No way Jose!! I prefer the many thousands of miles between you and I.

 

[PierreBear]

@PierreBear, here's my skincare routine:

My skincare routine is actually not complicated at all. I'm too lazy to bother with regular facials, masks etc..

- Basics: I drink lots of water (yes, back to that again), as it helps to hydrate my skin from within. And regular exercise helps boost blood circulation and sweat out all the impurities - or so I believe, lol. Also important is a healthy diet, like you've pointed out, @PierreBear . I eat lots of green vegetables, at least one fruit per day (Kiwi, 1/2 grapefruit, berries, etc) and about 10-15 nuts (almonds, walnuts etc.. but NO peanuts). I believe also protein is essential, bc after all your face is made up mainly of protein. If you or anyone reading else this is a vegetarian or vegan, I'd highly recommend incorporating non-meat proteins into their diet on a daily basis, as I've seen vegetarian/ vegan friends age faster due to a lack of protein.

- Cleansing: I only cleanse once a day. I have combo to very dry skin, cheeks are super dry. I use an oil cleanser, like the Clinique Take the Day off Cleansing Oil or Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil. Basically, I put on the oil, massage it a bit, wipe it all off with a large-ish cotton pad, dampened with a little water (I find with dry cotton pads, the makeup doesn't come off so easily). Then I wipe again with another damp pad. Then I apply more oil and this time, I massage it in a bit more and leave it on for a few minutes. I go to the shower and wash my hair and rinse off all the oil.

- Toner: I do not use any kind of toner, as I find double cleansing sufficient. Toners would just dry my skin out and are unnecessary, IMO.

- Serum: I use a serum before moisturiser. I tend to alternate between the Obagi Vit C serum and Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair. I use one for the eyes and another for the rest of the face.

- Moisturiser: then I put on my moisturiser. My go-to is the Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Lift Age-Correcting Creme (Riche). I've been using this for the last 10 years and find it rich enough for my very dry skin. I've in the past tried La Mer but it made me break out. I've also used Obagi and have now stopped, as they've changed the formula and their Obagi moisturisers make me itch, break out in a rash! So Estee Lauder has been my faithful companion for years and years now. @PierreBear, I've tried using the high-street/ drugstore brands too, but don't find them rich enough for my skin. I think there's a reason why expensive brands continue to prosper. They have extra and better ingredients, or so I believe - maybe it's the placebo effect! lol. I moisturise both my entire face and the neck and upper chest area/ decolletage.

- Oil: Lately, I've added one extra step in my skincare routine. Up to this year, I stopped at the last step. But my skin is getting dry and drier, due to age I expect. So, I put on a few drops of oil on top of the moisturiser, all over my face & neck, skipping only my nose which is slightly more oily.

In the morning, my routine is the same, except I do not cleanse. And I religiously apply sunscreen after my moisturiser and before any makeup. I use the same moisturiser, day and night.

Oh once a week or once every two weeks, I exfoliate. I don't know if it's done me any good. I just do it every so often, just bc I feel like I should! lol Re face masks, facial massages etc. I have a friend who swears by masks and regular massages. I'm too lazy to do either. But apparently, there's a benefit. It they work for you, then by all means...Incidentally, always remove all your makeup and cleanse & moisturise your face before you go to bed....soooo important!!

Needless to say, no smoking!! No drugs of any kind!!

LOL about your skin and Asia. I honestly don't know. Yeah, maybe it's the Universe's way of telling you to come home to Motherland!. All I know is that a cold, dry, non-humid climate dries out my skin and makes me age 10 years!

Thanks for sharing all the details, including the brands to try out. I felt like I was getting a spa treatment just reading through all the steps to care for the body! My routine was similar with an oil based cleanser but using an electric face brush. I used to religiously apply toner but thought it did more damage than good and skipped it. Then it was a serum before a layer of moisturizer. Perhaps I have age on my side being in my 30s, but when I stopped using some of the more expensive products and skipped on the serum as well, my skin looked the same. The only skin care treatment that has a significant impact on me is an exfoliator, which I try to use 2 to 3 times a week. No matter what I do though, there is still the occasional breakout or bumpiness on the acne prone areas of the face. haha I thought was too old for such things but guess not or I need to keep trying different products.

Thanks for the motivation to care for the skin and body! Once so run out of some of my products, I'll give the ones you mentioned a try.

Follow up question - Do you have a summer moisturizer versus a winter moisturizer? Something lighter in the hotter months but creamy and heavier for the drier and cold months? Thanks in advance! Have a great week!

 

[Akalahab]

Thanks for posting - I really should start going back to the gym again...maybe this will inspire me.

I found actually though that I lost weight (at my peak fitness, running 70 miles a week, and watching what I ate I was 103 lbs or more) when I ate more...now I just eat what I feel like and am 90 lbs (I'm only 5 ft tall). Granted, I don't like sugary and processed foods anyway - they make me feel tired and lightheaded! My weakness is salty foods - I will eat an entire bag of chips in a few hours of snacking. I also play violin all day, and I stand to do my practicing so I guess this makes it hard to keep the lbs on. And I've possibly lost some muscle - my abs were definitely more rock hard when I weighed more!

 

[PintoBean]

@PierreBear I met this very youthful 50 year old who said she kept her acne at bay with once a month microdermabrasion.

 

[Jambalaya]

OMG, I love this girly thread!

Phoenix, you look a.m.a.z.i.n.g. Thanks for sharing all your tips with us.

I've also been converted to weights. You're right, when women lift weights they get slender, tight, toned curves. I look forward to that. I found it's hard to eat enough protein to build muscles given that I need to watch calories in order lose quite a bit of weight. So, in addition to eating fish and chicken, I have one whey protein shake a day. I found a really good one at Wholefoods made with whey from grass-fed cows, all organic, etc.

I also ADORE make-up and skincare. I try to do cleanse, tone, brightener serum, anti-ageing serum, moisturizer, plus eye serum and eye cream. I also do scrubs and masks. I mainly use Lauder, Clarins, Shiseido, Lancôme, Origins, and L'Occitane. I never took much notice of the latter for skincare, but their Comfort line smells beautiful...I love their facial oil cleanser.

One of the latest things in beauty is masks that can be left on your skin overnight. The Lancome Hydra overnight mask one is great, and may I just say how much I love Shieseido? Their Beauty Sleeping mask is fab. I also have the Lancôme Energie overnight mask.

I just bought a new hair mask from Benefit...you put it on dry hair, and sleep in it. Must try it this weekend.

God knows what I look like, sleeping in my hair mask and face mask. Good thing I'm not getting any action. I'm carefully constructed at bedtime and must not be disturbed!

Soaking your nails in olive oil for ten mins or so is a great moisturizing treatment.

I've started doing home workout DVDs and some of them are amazing. Some are a waste of money. I should start a review thread...

 

[PintoBean]

Hi Phoenix - what is the attitude in Asia towards fillers and Botox? For a while there in the US, it seemed like overly frozen faces were a badge of honor akin to being a real housewife on tv. Maybe it still is and I don't pay attention lolol.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I'm wondering about coffee,do you drink coffee Phoenix and if so how much daily?

 

[Phoenix]

@LLJsmom,

- You eat a huge amount of carbs, woman!! Far too much!! I guess if your goal is continue running, then you need the energy (do you run 15-20 miles each time, and not per week?). I must say I don't know how much a runner would need to eat (congrats on doing 8 marathons btw. WOWZA!! What an incredible achievement!!) . But if your goal is to shed some pounds, you'd need to eat less carbs, and NO snacking!! Those snacks are full of salt, fat and artificial "stuff"...not good. I suspect you already know this yourself, lol.

- You're also eating too many fruits, too many apples. As a general rule, you're (the proverbial you) supposed to alternate between different kinds of food and not eat the same thing over and over again. Try to eat other fruits, like a handful of berries (full of antioxidants), citrus fruit (you get a good dose of vit C), dragon fruit (the red one, full of antioxidants and a lot lower in sugar content), papaya...you see a pattern? Fruit that are colourful and / or lower in sugar content. Also, if you're trying to lose weight, restrict yourself to 1 fruit per day. When I first started my "cut", Satan didn't allow me any fruit whatsoever.

- There's a conflict between cardio and weights, like I mentioned before. Cardio allows you to lose weight and lower yr body fat but at this is at the expense of bulking. I'm trying to go down to 18% body fat by this year-end, but at the same time I'm trying to build muscles. So, it's a juggling act for me. If I were you, I'd focus on losing the 5lbs or so that you desire to lose but at the same time do more, heavier weights too. You may see your mass go down at the same time as losing weight and fat, but it's ok, you can bulk up later.

_ Isometric exercises: these are primarily stationery exercises, right? You just hold weights while standing still, or make very few very small movements? I'd say this is incomplete training. It targets some muscles and serves some purpose, but is not as complete as weight-training. The latter does incorporate an element of isometric exercises; but I do a lot more, I move a lot, lift heavy weights, do circuit training with weights, run short distances but at a fast intense pace or do ropes, cables etc etc... all within just one session (but of course each session varies), with very little rest in-between exercises. Weights allow me to tone, build muscles, build strength, build endurance, raise my heart rate etc. And I can target specific muscle groups to build them up more, like my butt - I have never had what's called a "typical Asian butt" (aka a tiny little cute butt). I've always had a larger butt, but I want to bulk it out more and make it more round/ perky and more pronounced but very very firm/ toned (like that Nikky B's butt shown in the video on the previous page).

_ What do I consider heavy weights, for me? Deadlift = 45kg (stuck at 35kg at the moment due to said injury), squats = 20kg bar, biceps = 8-10kg dumbbell each, chest press or bench press = 20-25kg bar etc....My aim is to double these numbers by the end of next year. Oh, btw, if anyone is interested, just multiple those numbers by 2.2 for lbs.

 

[Phoenix]

Here's what I eat on a typical day, in case anyone is interested:

- Breakfast: one plain slice of bread/ or one boiled egg (Satan would like me to give up the bread entirely and eat 2 eggs for b/fast), one cup of Milo (another no-no, as far as Satan is concerned)/ or cup of Earl Grey tea, decaff cappuccino. @StephanieLynn, I LOVE coffee but suffer from insomnia due to my Hashimoto's so I avoid too much caffeine. Why do you ask?.

- Lunch: half a bowl of brown rice/ noodles/ pasta + 1 protein (salmon, chicken, other fish, lean pork or lean beef= cooked with a little olive oil, or steamed or grilled) + a 1 bowl of veggies (stir-fried with a little olive oil & garlic).

- Dinner: same concept as lunch, ie. a little amount of carbs + protein + veggies. If I go out to dinner or cook something more fancy, I try not to each too much and exercise more the next day or so.

- Supper: same as dinner but a smaller amount. Or if I eat less at dinner then I'd eat more at supper. If i'm lazy, I'd just eat 2 boiled eggs, but I discard one egg yolk.

Snacking in btw meals: 1 or 2 fruits, nuts etc. Sometimes, I indulge and have a little French bread or a couple of crackers with a teeny tiny amount of cheese and/ or a glass of milk (love fresh milk). I almost never eat sweets or desserts - don't have a sweet tooth. I don't drink anymore. My diet is almost salt-free. I hate salt or salty food! I take a protein shake on the day I train, just 1 scoop each time.

At the moment, since I'm doing a "cut", Satan only allows me 1100-1200 kcal a day which consists of = 40g of fat, 90-100g of carbs and a 100g of protein. Note that these grams are actual carb/ protein grams, and NOT the weight of the food item itself. So for example, a 200g of grilled fillet mignon = 34g of fat, 52g of protein and 534 Calories. (FYI btw, kcal = Cal, the former with a small "c" and the latter big "C").

Oh, I take supplements everyday = a multi-vit for women, glucosamine for my joints, biotin for my hair and nails. 2 or 3 times a week, I also add a vit E and a fish oil.

 

[Hayley87]

Fun post! You look incredible, Phoenix.

For what it's worth for those who may not have time to get to a gym, I've been having excellent success with Kayla Itsines' "Sweat" app; it's also available as PDFs to purchase, but I'm a visual learner who appreciates the gifs of how each move should be done. It's 3 resistance workouts per week (plus 3 cardio sessions per week), and each one is "28 minutes" (in quotation marks because if you can actually get it done in 28 minutes without pausing to catch your breath, you're in great shape!) of 2 circuits of 4 exercises, twice each. 100% of the exercises can be done at home with very minimal equipment. Meal plans and shopping lists are also included, but I have Celiac Disease, so I have to do my own meal planning.

I'm with you on the importance of weight/resistance training, Phoenix! I'm 5'9" and was always "skinny fat" in the 123-134 lb range by just watching calories and doing cardio. But since starting resistance training and increasing my protein intake, I've seen an incredible change in my body composition. I'm still losing some baby weight, having just had my second in May, so I'm not sure where my weight will end up, but I'm more focused on strength and how clothes fit than a number on the scale anymore.

Side note re: face oils. I'd definitely recommend organic rosehips oil as a moisturizer either on its own or under a lotion. It helps my very dry skin, and I've heard it can be a miracle worker for adult acne!

 

[Phoenix]

Hi Phoenix - what is the attitude in Asia towards fillers and Botox? For a while there in the US, it seemed like overly frozen faces were a badge of honor akin to being a real housewife on tv. Maybe it still is and I don't pay attention lolol.

Botox and fillers are definitely popular here too, but they go for a subtle effect, no frozen faces, lol.

Nobody talks about these treatments here, not openly anyway. But such beauty treatments and cosmetic / plastic surgery are super popular here, esp in Korea. I think Korea may possibly have more plastic surgeons per head than any other country in the world. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, lol.

 

[Phoenix]

Oh, just a clarification re carbs: I eat more carbs at lunch than at dinner; and if I have carbs at dinner, I will not have carbs at supper. I aim to not eat more than 100g of carbs a day during my "cut".

Also @LLJsmom, you raised this point specifically (and I wanted to edit my post above but have gone past the time limit): When I say water, I mean just water, not the water in coffee or tea. I literally do drink 4-5 litres of just filtered and/ or mineral water everyday. I limit myself to 1 cup of either weak Milo or tea + 1 cup of coffee per day.

 

[kenny]

Phoenix
Will you marry me??...

Hey Phoenix.
I don't want to marry you, but unlike DF I'll just come out and admit I want your diamonds.

Oh, and you're a gorgeous babe!

 

[Phoenix]

Hey Phoenix.
I don't want to marry you, but unlike DF I'll just come out and admit I want your diamonds.

Right back atcha, Kenny!

Welcome back btw. We've missed you!

 

[PintoBean]

Hey Phoenix.
I don't want to marry you, but unlike DF I'll just come out and admit I want your diamonds.

Oh, and you're a gorgeous babe!

Hahahahaha what is @jordyonbass ?

 

[Dancing Fire]

@Dancing Fire, no way!! That'd mean you'd be near to my bling!! No way Jose!! I prefer the many thousands of miles between you and I.

 

[kenny]

Hahahahaha what is @jordyonbass ?

He's my secret fling.
Don't tell Mrs. Jordy.

 

[lissyflo]

Phoenix, I'd love to know how you view your diet and exercise plan: do you see it as a short to medium plan to get your body fat down to your target, or do you view it as the way you plan to eat/exercise for life?

I ask because I exercised and ate healthily for years and thought it was just part of who I am - my dad always exercised, so I had that imprint growing up that it's just part of how you live. But I had to have a few small operations on my legs a couple of years ago and I couldn't exercise for a while as a result. I just couldn't get my motivation back once I was able to get fit again. Maybe it was the lifestyle change of not having the habit of making time for it? And then, once I put on a bit of weight, my diet got worse - the old "I'm heavier than I'd like to be anyway, so I may as well have the chocolate bar" mentality - and things snowball. I put on a stone over the course of a couple of years, which is a lot on my frame.

It's taken me two years to finally get my motivation back, so I'm really interested to understand what drives other people, in the hope that I can discover a range of ways to keep myself motivated!

Do you see your diet as necessary to get to your target body fat %, or as the healthiest way to live your life, or as both? For instance, I know the guidelines are 8-10 portions of fruit and veg a day skewed towards a majority of veg (because of the high sugar level of fruit), but only one portion of fruit a day seems really low to me for long-term health purposes? I do steer my fruit choices to lower GI options most of the time, but would feel I was missing out if I only ate one portion a day. Do you plan to relax your diet once you hit target? I ask because it's quite a low % for a woman, and I wondered whether that was your goal focused on aesthetics, or whether you were just using the figure as something to target towards and keep motivation?

I'm intrigued because I've always thought there's a difference between being fit and being healthy, to the extent that I'd question whether it's even possible to be super fit (like Olympic athlete type fit) without being actively unhealthy (causing damage to bones/muscles/tendons, compromised immune system because of extreme workouts, etc).

I'm trying to find a way that will be sustainable for me for years, now that I'm back on the bandwagon! You're obviously motivated and commited and, as I say, I'd love to understand how you view your targets to help me get ways to think about keeping myself on track moving forward!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I was just asking about the coffee because it can be a bit controversial for health (yes you can have up to five cups, no you shouldn't have that much etc.). So I was really just curious if coffee has a place in your diet. Sorry to hear about the Hashimotos but it looks like you are keeping that in check, you look fabulous.

 

[Phoenix]

@lissyflo,
First, sorry you lost your motivation, but more importantly happy to hear that you're beginning to gain it back!

You've asked some excellent questions!! I'll try to answer them as best as I can.

Like you, I've been into exercise for most of my adult life...well, since I was in my teens. I, however, understand how difficult it is to get motivated again after a period of inactivity. I went through a period of time where I went up to 55kg and it was very hard getting back on track. But I did it!! And, I've always wanted to be super fit and looking super fabulous!! hahaha. All joking aside, I've always admired the athletic body shape, preferring that to being super skinny (no offence to anyone who's skinny, it's just not my personal preference). And as I said earlier in my thread, being fit and healthy is of paramount importance to me, given my family's poor health "heritage".

The reasons I'm working towards 18% body fat are:

1) it's low enough for me to reach my athletic goal and hopefully enable me get rid of pockets of fat. esp on my lower abdomen (my goal is to get a 4-pack); and

2) yet at the same time, it's not so low that I'd end up looking gaunt. I believe when you're ...ahem...older, you have to choose between the face and the body. I believe dropping below 18% would make my cheeks look too sunken. I should be at 20% now and while I know it's very good already, I'd love to be just a little more athletic, without going let's say overboard.

Yes, I am aware that 1-2 fruit per day are quite low. Trust me, when I first started my "cut", it was extremely hard for to abstain from eating (too many) fruit. I love love fruit (and carbs)!! It is possible that I'm depriving myself of essential vitamins and minerals. Believe you me, I'd like to go back to eating 3-4 fruits a day....But TBH, I don't know for certain if I am actually depriving myself of the required daily nutrients. I eat a lot of other foods, particularly vegetables, that are plentiful in vitamins, minerals etc that should make up for the reduction in my fruit intake. I'd have to do more research and double check with my trainer to work out a lifelong diet that ensures I stay healthy. I have until the year-end, and if necessary a few more months, to reach this 18% body fat target and have quite a bit of time to figure out how/ what are the best to eat.

So, to answer your Q, it's more a lifestyle I'm after. The goal of 18% body fat is short-medium term. Long term is to stay healthy and eat healthy. The 1,110-1,200 calories a day regimen that Satan is imposing on me now is neither desirable nor sustainable, long term. I fully intend to go up by a few hundred calories a day, but maintain my current body weight and 18% body fat. Maintaining or increasing my body mass will certainly be my long term goal too, and eating a few hundred more calories should help to facilitate that.

I actually do love exercising very much and I love healthy foods; and looking muscular & fit is the visible tangible reward. I get such a "high" after a grueling session with Satan (LOVE that woman!!). I'd say I'm addicted to exercise! lol I certainly do not intend to be actively unhealthy. My healthy eating habits, to which I'm accustomed, should help to ensure that. Also, my body is so used to exercising and while lifting much heavier weights and working much more intensely are fairly new to me, it's been 1.5 yrs since I started engaging Satan, so it's not like it's an overnight change. My body has had time to adjust and is continually adjusting, slowly. What's more, I'm feeling much better than I ever have!!

HTH.

 

[lissyflo]

Thanks, @Phoenix, for the really helpful insight into your thought processes and approach to getting where you want to be! It's clear from how you talk about it that you love being fit and exercising and it's that sheer enjoyment of it, and having it as something that I don't even think about doing, that I want to get back to.

I think your approach of setting a fairly medium/long term goal (something that will take a year or so to achieve) is probably a good way to go for me too. I've had a few false starts because I focussed on getting fit for, say, a wedding or special event - but then my motivation became tied up with that, rather than being driven by the desire to get healthy for its own sake. Hence the interest in how you view your routine and how you think about 'staging' targets and what your objectives are. So thanks again - you've given me lots to think about in terms of keeping my motivation going permanently again!

 

[Phoenix]

@PierreBear, skincare is, to a large extent, dependent on your own skin type as well as your genetics & diet etc...It's best that you find out what works for you (the proverbial you) and stick to it. My preferred routine & products are for myself and what work for me. While my recommendations and what I share may work for someone with similar skin type, ie. very dry to combo, they may not work for others with say oily skin or those who don't eat a healthy diet or who smoke, let's say. They may not see any or much of an improvement. However, certain things remain true, always always = cleanse, prep (with serum), moisturise, being religious with sunscreen.

I'll share another couple of anecdotes. A friend (the one who always suns herself without sunscreen) only uses high-street/ drugstore products and I don't know if that's the main or one of the reason(s), but her skin is sooo dry, full of black spots (this one from too much sun) and looks dull and lifeless. Now, she's got genetics on her side and her face is pretty young looking (she's a couple of years younger than I am). But her skin could certainly do with some rejuvenation treatments (which I'll share later and would actually like to hear from others too), and she could start using some richer products which are unfortunately only available at the luxury end. I'd also LOVE to tell her to go for a laser or chemical peel, but I don't dare opening my mouth!! lol

My oldest niece has pretty poor skin too, even though she's quite a few years younger than I am. Now, this one is interesting. She uses high end products, BUT she smokes and does not drink anywhere near enough water nor eat a healthy diet (she has a sweet tooth) and she never exercises. She says she wants my skin, but she won't change her lifestyle!

My point is that you need to do as much as you can if you want to have healthy looking skin. Whilst expensive brand-name skincare may not be desirable or possible for whatever reasons (cost being one, I'd imagine. I wasn't able to afford such skincare when I was younger), I'll do whatever I can - within reasons of course - to give my skin the best treatments and care I can afford, cost and time-wise.

The electric exfoliator sounds interesting. I've always been tempted to use one myself. But I don't have breakouts and as mentioned, have super dry cheeks. Would it still benefit me? Could you share with me some tips and how useful you've found it, ie. when/ why did you start using it etc. Also, you mentioned using an electric brush with an oil cleanser. May I ask why you use the brush?

Re my moisturiser: the weather is the same here all year round, ie. hot and humid. The rainy season is roughly Nov-Jan, but it still stays hot and humid pretty much all the time. As a result, I use the same day and night. I used to use a lighter moisturiser but am too lazy now; plus my cheeks are so dry, the same rich moisturiser actually benefits me for day time too.

 

[PintoBean]

It seems that you use different brands. When I enter a department store each counter tries to sell an entire brand line. What's your strategy for targeting the best products for your skin needs?

 

[Phoenix]

It seems that you use different brands. When I enter a department store each counter tries to sell an entire brand line. What's your strategy for targeting the best products for your skin needs?

@PintoBean, yeah they always do that!

I don't have a "strategy" per se, lol. It's been very much trial & error and sticking to what I know best. Skincare-wise, fortunately Estee Lauder has worked pretty well for me, so that's the one I stick to. I've tried, as mentioned, La Mer but found it much much too rich and oily for me and made me break out. Obagi did wonders for my skin at one point but now no longer do, which is just as well bc it's sooooo darn expensive!!! Oil cleansers are available in different brands but i find the Clinique one work the best for me. Sunscreen-wise, I've tried sooo many different types and finally found one that doesn't make me look like a Chinese opera singer!!

Makeup-wise, and yes, I know I owe you Part Two, which I'd be MORE than happy to go into later: again, it's trial & error. To a large extent, it depends on 1) what's available here (and now that we have Sephora, the choices are plentiful but still not as prolific as say in the UK and certainly not the US); and 2) what works for me and my purposes. W.r.t the latter, I want makeup that's as natural for daytime and make my skin look as dewy as possible; and for parties, I want things that are showy and give me that "party look", IYKWIM. I prefer makeup that's highly pigmented and longer lasting. More about makeup later, a LOT more!! lol

 

[GreenPapaya]

Wow, you look fantastic! Definitely body and skin goals. I feel really bad for just finishing half a pan of brownies. How do you stay motivated to eat so healthy/ clean? I love salt, carbs and sweets. I didn't think i need to change my eating habits until a few years ago when i noticed i no longer have a flat stomach and that i was slowly but consistently putting on weight. Of course the weight gain is only in my stomach.
Thankfully I'm still slim (5' and 107) but 5 years ago I was 95 lbs (even after 2 kids) and had a flat, firm stomach. But I was diagnosed with cancer and the chemo, steroids and radiation treatment have destroyed my hair, skin and metabolism (or maybe it's age?? I will be 39 in a few weeks. I hope it's not age).
I'm really struggling with diet and maintaining stress levels. Do you practice yoga or meditation? I'm overwhelmed just reading some of the exercise regiments posted. I walk at least a mile everyday. That is all I can manage. I think I'll start by not buying any more sweets and drinking more water. It's so hard, I think I have a sugar addiction, but, I do want to look fit too and I hope that would be enough of a motivation.
But wow, it's going to be hard to limit jasmine rice, sticky rice, black sesame ice cream and sticky rice with beans, coconut and mango.

 

[Phoenix]

@Jambalaya, thank you! And I LOVE what you've shared!!

I agree with you re exercising and protein! It was hard for me intially to up my protein intake, bc although I love meats I was so conditioned into thinking meats are bad for you and naturally I'm addicted to carbs, lol. Now, it's no longer an issue, I happily chow down my meats like a starving tiger!! lol. And yeah, the conflicting goals of losing b.f. and gaining muscles make it such a juggling act!! What is this protein shake you speak of? Would you be able to share a link and/ or a pic please? Sounds amazing!

RE scrubs and masks: I swear, I need to start using them more regularly! Will definitely check out the names you've mentioned. Please feel free to share more. Ditto the hair mask - hair is an area I need to improve on, hugely! lollolol (@PintoBean, haha) re your overnight hair & face masks. I'd totally do the same if I find something or some things that I like and that work for me.

L'Occitane oil cleanser, huh? I never think of them in terms of facial skincare, only hand moisturisers, haha. Will check that out also.

Thanks also for the tip re soaking your nails in olive oil. I ADORE olive oil and use it for almost everthing. Will start doing the same! My cuticles get so hard, so fast!

Please do share the home fitness DVDs and start a new thread! Sounds super fun. I'd LOVE to see!!

 

[Phoenix]

@PierreBear , I just realised I started answering your Q re winter vs summer moisturiser correctly and then answered it wrongly towards the end, lol!

I just use the same all yr round. I'd imagine, though, if you live in different weather environments then you'd need a richer heavier moisturiser for the cold, dry winter months and a lighter one for the hot summer months.

 

[Sparkly2017]

Hey @Phoenix ,

loving this thread! This is a lot of work and clearly pays off for you! Although you don't feel you've reached your goals, I think 99% of the worlds population would be ecstatic to be in the shape you're in and have the complexion you have!

I have 2 questions if you don't mind:

1) Eyelash extensions - I've tried Russian volume extensions (so they attach 2-3 lashes to your 1 lash) and I found them SOOOOO heavy. First week I had them on, I looked like a doll and people really noticed! Wasn't until 2 weeks later when they calmed down that it all started looking OK but then this only lasted for 1 week before I let them all drop off. I didn't find success here. Do you have any tips?

2) Brow Embroidery - We call this Microblading in the UK. I have family members who have tattooed brows which have moved so I'm reluctant to do anything permanent. This is semi perm right? How long have you had it for and how are you finding it?

Thanks!!!