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

[Phoenix]

@LLJsmom, I've been meaning to tell you again that I'm super super proud of you!! I know how difficult it is to give up your indulgences. As mentioned, I've struggled with giving up alcohol and carbs. So kudos to you!!

You'll notice a remarkable improvement in your body and your complexion, especially your complexion. Sugar is soooo bad for you. I knew this girl who used to/ prob still does eat desserts in place of proper food. She couldn't go one day without eating at least a couple of desserts. Her skin suffered terribly, she's got terrible acne, she's got more wrinkles than she should at her age, her teeth are poor and her hair is visibly thinning. I guess we all have our vices. It's knowing what's bad for you and doing something about it that matter.

I've actually been taking biotin. It does help. I'm also going to try biosil too. Your body fat is super low, I'd def be interested in hearing more about that. I wonder if there's really a correlation between lower body fat level and hair loss. It seems to kind of make sense, bc it's all about hormones, right?

Small cheats are allowed btw...And baby steps...baby steps..

 

[jaaron]

Ha! Turned out not to be D-day after all! I saw the endocrinologist today and he says that everything is within normal range, except for elevated antibodies levels which I already knew about and slightly higher cholesterol which I also knew about (thanks, mum and dad!).

@jaaron, he refused to prescribe me meds that also contain T3, on the basis that "it'd affect my heart negatively" (not that there's anything wrong with my heart). And as all the thyroid indicators, except the antibodies, are within their normal ranges, he didn't think I needed to switch meds. He also didn't think there was any correlation between carb intake and hair loss. He simply attributed my hair loss to age! I must say I don't agree with him on this last bit. Sure, as you age, your hair becomes thinner and thinner, but my hair loss happened almost like overnight!! and I'm having similar symptoms as what I experienced 8 yrs ago, ie. hair loss, constipation etc. And how is it possible that the hair loss just happened all of a sudden like that??!!

The only changes I've made recently in my diet & lifestyle are my carb intake (lower) and protein (higher). I doubt if a higher protein intake is causation. He also said last week that sometimes, when your body fat is lowered, your thyroxine intake should be lowered too. So, i'm trying to up my carbs a little (and doing more intense cardio to burn it off) and 2) lessen my Euthyrox a little too. Let's see if there's any improvement!!

Ok, fair warning - this is a bit of a hobbyhorse for me, so I'll try to avoid a rant.

Your endocrinologist sounds like a bit of an 'old school' type, which I say based on my own experience-- it's very hard to find someone with a forward thinking approach to thyroid issues in the UK-- and if that is the case, what he considers fine/normal may be considerably lower than is ideal. Did you see your levels and their reference ranges? Because unless you're like 80, I don't think you should accept that a somewhat sudden onset of these symptoms is age-related. Raised cholesterol can also be a sign of not enough thyroid hormone, by the way. And the thing about T3 affecting your heart negatively is just plain old outdated BS- only true if you have excess T3. Did he test your iron levels- low levels and stores of that can also cause hair loss. Upping your carbs slightly sounds good, as does more cardio.

Sorry for the rant - I now return you to your conversation.

 

[Phoenix]

Ok, fair warning - this is a bit of a hobbyhorse for me, so I'll try to avoid a rant.

Your endocrinologist sounds like a bit of an 'old school' type, which I say based on my own experience-- it's very hard to find someone with a forward thinking approach to thyroid issues in the UK-- and if that is the case, what he considers fine/normal may be considerably lower than is ideal. Did you see your levels and their reference ranges? Because unless you're like 80, I don't think you should accept that a somewhat sudden onset of these symptoms is age-related. Raised cholesterol can also be a sign of not enough thyroid hormone, by the way. And the thing about T3 affecting your heart negatively is just plain old outdated BS- only true if you have excess T3. Did he test your iron levels- low levels and stores of that can also cause hair loss. Upping your carbs slightly sounds good, as does more cardio.

Sorry for the rant - I now return you to your conversation.

@jaaron, I thank you very much for responding again, so promptly. I absolutely agree that the age thing is BS. This recent hair loss and other issues mentioned just do not tie in - at all!! It just happened almost overnight, like I said. And the only changes are the ones I mentioned. So, either the carbs or the meds must be the cause(s). I know that correlation and causation are two different things. This endocrinologist refuses to acknowledge even any correlation.

I did see the reference ranges and my own levels. And yes, I did have my iron level tested and that's fine. I'm slightly Vit D deficient and he's prescribed Vit D supplement to me, "just for general nutrition purposes". Heck, I'll take it. Np!

Hmm...I'd always thought that my cholesterol issue was hereditary, as is my Hashimotos. I believe my
mother suffered from Hashimotos, though it was never diagnosed. She had all the symptoms - to a much much worse extent - that I now have. And because her Hashimotos was never diagnosed & treated, she suffered from complications and eventually died of a heart attack, which was preceded by a stroke. I just googled hypothyroidism and LDL and there's definitely a linkage! ha! I'll read up more on this linkage. I currently have the Hashimoto's disease and am not yet (hopefully never!) having the hypothyroidism condition. Does that make a difference?

Would you be able to recommend a good endocrinologist in the UK/ London area? I doubt that there are forward-thinking endocrinologists in this tiny country Singapore. I go back to London at least once a year and am supposed to go there again next month or so. I'd def be prepared to go see someone else. If changing the meds is the answer to my hair loss (and possibly other complications which might otherwise arise), it'd be remiss of me to not consider it. You could please PM me (via LT) if you feel more comfortable.

Thank you again. I really really appreciate your helping.

 

[valeria101]

Of course the way to try a new kind of medication is by changing doctors

Sad to hear of such things ...

 

[Phoenix]

@Akalahab,

You look AMAZING!!! and the log-rolling looks so fun too!!

I think you active lifestyle has helped build up your metabolism to a very high level which has stayed with you. You do not look skinny at all at 91lbs, but very fit and muscular. I wouldn't worry about it then. At the end of the day, it's not about the numbers on the scale, it's about how you look and feel that matter. Re the salty potatoes, I'd keep an eye on your blood pressure, just to be on the safe side. Water retention may be another issue, so look out if you're feeling and looking puffy. It's really more the chemical additives that I'd be concerned with. But hey, you know your body best.

 

[Phoenix]

I don't really consider myself an ultra runner - I've done some marathons and a 29 miler for my 29th bday but never an ultra marathon. In grad school, I started running and I just found myself running that much! I took one of those DNA tests and I have the athletic gene that allows me to build muscle and I actually have fast twitch muscles - more conducive to sprinting than distance running. I think it is a bit of both muscle loss in certain places - not much since I'm still somewhere under 18% body fat and I have actually done more weight training since running those miles - I've always been more muscular. And also just some reason I'm not exactly sure of that eating more actually is better for my metabolism.

I'm sooo jealous!! I have to work so bloody hard, both in terms of lifting very heavy weights and stuffing more protein into my face, to build muscles!

 

[Phoenix]

@dizzyakira,

I'm afraid there's no easy peasy way to looking and feeling healthy; though as I've mentioned elsewhere on this thread, after you've built a routine, it does become easier and more like second-nature. I find for things to work, you need to LOVE what you're doing. For me, eating healthy (given my poor health genes/ family history), HAS to be my number 1 priority and I do in fact love healthy food. I grew up on a high-starch, high-sugar diet. Mum had an incredible sweet tooth. I just learned over the years to not like sugar and exclude it from my diet. Actually, cheeses are another weakness of mine. I still have a small "treat" now and then, be it 1/2 a scoop of my fave ice-cream or a sliver of my fave cheese; that way I don't feel deprived and then give in to temptation.

It's good that you recognise that sugar is bad for you and that it feeds the cancer. So happy to hear that you're in remission and taking positive steps to making sure you STAY in remission. I can share what works for me in terms of abstaining from alcohol, hopefully that'll help you also. I happen to actually love the taste of champagne and wine-pairing with food for me is just heaven! Up til recently, taking a sip or having a glass would mean I'd end up having 2 or 3. Instead, I opted out totally. Nowadays, I know I have it truly beaten bc I could have a sip of a glass of wine and not be tempted to go further. Or if the occasion calls for it, I will have a glass and not feel guilty. It's the thinking about it and obsessing about whether I should or should not, for me is a true sign of addiction. I could now be in a room full of drinkers and yummy champagne and/ or wines and not think twice about not joining them. Does that make sense?

And yes, regular exercise along with a healthy diet would definitely improve your quality of life. Cutting out sugar and drinking more water would definitely improve your skin. As will exercise bc, amongst other things, exercises increases blood circulation and helps sweat out the impurities. You will see.

The hair thing though is another thing altogether. I will get to the bottom of it, I promise you! I'm not giving up hope!! I've ordered biosil and re-ordering Latisse. I've used Latisse in the past and have found it to be very effective, but alas the cost!

Stay strong, be positive. Please keep me updated if you'd like. I'm also open to PM if you'd prefer. Wd be happy to be part of your support system. We all need help, in one way or another. Please don't hesitate to reach out. {{HUGS}}

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

Phoenix I'm about to undergo gastric sleeve surgery, one of the most complained about side effects of weight loss surgery is hair loss. It's from the low calorie diet and lack of carbs. I'm taking Biotin now as a pre-cursor to help my hair as much as possible but I'm expecting a large loss. You are basically on a very similar diet and I would agree with your suspicions that it is the culprit. There's a reason so many female builders wear extensions! The only other time in my life I lost a lot of hair was the post giving birth hormone crash.

 

[jaaron]

@jaaron, I thank you very much for responding again, so promptly. I absolutely agree that the age thing is BS. This recent hair loss and other issues mentioned just do not tie in - at all!! It just happened almost overnight, like I said. And the only changes are the ones I mentioned. So, either the carbs or the meds must be the cause(s). I know that correlation and causation are two different things. This endocrinologist refuses to acknowledge even any correlation.

I did see the reference ranges and my own levels. And yes, I did have my iron level tested and that's fine. I'm slightly Vit D deficient and he's prescribed Vit D supplement to me, "just for general nutrition purposes". Heck, I'll take it. Np!

Hmm...I'd always thought that my cholesterol issue was hereditary, as is my Hashimotos. I believe my
mother suffered from Hashimotos, though it was never diagnosed. She had all the symptoms - to a much much worse extent - that I now have. And because her Hashimotos was never diagnosed & treated, she suffered from complications and eventually died of a heart attack, which was preceded by a stroke. I just googled hypothyroidism and LDL and there's definitely a linkage! ha! I'll read up more on this linkage. I currently have the Hashimoto's disease and am not yet (hopefully never!) having the hypothyroidism condition. Does that make a difference?

Would you be able to recommend a good endocrinologist in the UK/ London area? I doubt that there are forward-thinking endocrinologists in this tiny country Singapore. I go back to London at least once a year and am supposed to go there again next month or so. I'd def be prepared to go see someone else. If changing the meds is the answer to my hair loss (and possibly other complications which might otherwise arise), it'd be remiss of me to not consider it. You could please PM me (via LT) if you feel more comfortable.

Thank you again. I really really appreciate your helping.

Hi Phoenix,

I'd be happy to recommend an endo here - I just need a quick primer on how to use Loupe Troop to contact you. Loupe Troop virgin here.

 

[Phoenix]

Phoenix I'm about to undergo gastric sleeve surgery, one of the most complained about side effects of weight loss surgery is hair loss. It's from the low calorie diet and lack of carbs. I'm taking Biotin now as a pre-cursor to help my hair as much as possible but I'm expecting a large loss. You are basically on a very similar diet and I would agree with your suspicions that it is the culprit. There's a reason so many female builders wear extensions! The only other time in my life I lost a lot of hair was the post giving birth hormone crash.

Thank you for this information. I've also been reading up on the linkage between low calorie/ low cab diets and hair loss. It seems that there may be some evidence supporting this. I'm now upping my carbs a little. Here's to hoping!

Good luck with your surgery. Hope all goes well. x

 

[Phoenix]

Hi Phoenix,

I'd be happy to recommend an endo here - I just need a quick primer on how to use Loupe Troop to contact you. Loupe Troop virgin here.

Lol. Thank you so much @jaaron . Speak soon. x

 

[Phoenix]

I've never been a fan of toners until this one. I got a facial once and the facialist sold it to me. It looks like you can find this under various distributors / rebranding. After I shower I spray it into my palm, rub both palms together and tap it into my face and neck. My saturate a cotton pad and create more waste lololol?

The toner keeps my face from feeling tight and dry after my nightly shower. I don't moisturizer right away bc I like doing my teeth first and don't want to deal with lubed up face and hands as I floss and brush lol. After I'm done with my teeth, then I apply moisturizer. I'm a strange creature of habit...

@PintoBean, it's strange. Toners are supposed to be wiped off with a cotton pad. Its purpose
is to take off any remaining traces of makeup & dirt etc that the cleanser does not remove. Well, if it works for you, fabulous!

I usually moisturise right after my shower. They say it's best to moisturise when your pores are open from the hot water/ steam. It's funny, we all have our habits/ ritual. Mine is to always brush my teeth first, floss them. Cleanse my face. Jump into the shower. Moisturise immediately afterwards. Makeup + hair + finish makeup. Get dressed. Put BLING on last!! I wonder what everyone's ritual is?

 

[valeria101]

@PintoBean, it's strange. Toners ...

Like guys do ! 'Guess that's where I got the habit ...

 

[Phoenix]

@valeria101 ,

Would you still like me to talk about my make-up? How's that going for you btw?

I could also suggest some videos for you to watch. I've learned so much from these.

 

[Phoenix]

Wow, tons of great info in this thread. @Phoenix, thanks for starting this!

I am curious as to Satan's perspective on joint stability and heavy weightlifting. Is this something that tends to be more individual? I used to be of similar body type (5.xft, 95lbs) before having a baby but now am trying to get rid of more stubborn baby weight... and also have elevated stress levels and insomnia since being widowed so that has not helped with weight loss. I am trying to get my sleep under control.

I had used kettlebells in the past but then it took a toll on my wrists particularly. Do you think heavier weights are more joint friendly because of how they are used? (Lifting vs swinging, etc)

This is getting me really inspired to focus more on my personal fitness journey, thanks again!

@tand*m , just to let you know I haven't forgotten about you!

Will come back with a detailed reply soon.

 

[valeria101]

Of course ! I have not forgotten the make-up matters.

[starting the day - will catch up !]

 

[valeria101]

I am expecting a few eerily tight & taxing days ! Today included !

Let me start somewhere on the makeup front: I had started this post with an attempt to describe my usual colour style - rare as it might ever get out of the box (a very natural face with some brightest eyeliner achievable in not very great quantity, used on a white background - same effect as if writing on white rather than tan paper ! & with white highlights; the scheme originates with some fashion shows of a couple of years back (likely Noten - no time to ckeck), but I have not looked back to the source ever since ... I do what I do.) Only to realize that something fundamental has changed this year: I got a tan ! Seriously, I don't think I have been this dark-skinned since ... who knows ... I can't even recall when last I bought anythign but the lightest shades of foundation, concealer etc. Now, these look like chalk on blackboard on me ,-) I am ... amused ! Life has been such, that I have not even noticed This Change ! Of course, the colour side of makeup works even better on my new skin colour. For the rest, I need a new round of everything.

Ps. Re. Tan ... I had gotten blanched for years from spending all of my time in ... basements (labs with vibration controll structure !) when not reading (dark stacks ... ) until past sundown [quite depressing & unavoidable] ... Since April, when this dark run stopped, I let my skin do its thing with the sun as it came from as much outdoors as I could muster, with no more than moisturising & light abrasion ... and it seems to have remembered how to tan fast & sans complaint. Not looking back.

I am quite looking forward to trying new things !

 

[PierreBear]

@Phoenix - Hey beautiful! I hope your diamond upgrading adventures are going well but also wanted to check in on the health side. I just had an annual physical completed this morning. Still such a baby and had to look away when my blood was being drawn.... anyhow, I was wondering if you and your personal trainer monitor body mass index? I was comparing my numbers last year to this year. Even though I weighed less last year, my body mass index was better this year. My weight is pretty stable and it's within 1 to 2 lbs but was just curious if you use this as a tracker? I'm at 19.73 but I suppose would have to drop it to see actual definitions like those women in the magazines? Is it actually healthy to drop into the 17 to 18% level even though that range is classified as "underweight?" Appreciate any thoughts you have on this! Hope you are doing well and taking care of yourself!

 

[valeria101]

@PierreBear @Phoenix
Once upon a time I had to know when BMI is thought to be dangerously low in a medical context - the threshold was 15, used to decide when weight loss requires treatment on its own [definition - of bones, with or without muscle for decoration]. This may vary in different medical systems, somewhat. The debate beyond medical concerns, does look like 'fashion' ...

2c

[ I had opened this thread for such a different reason ! ]

 

[valeria101]

ctd. to the mkeup line ,

I have certainly dealt with the tan - defecting to some YSL foundation & concealer; also, defecting from sun exposure, now that the chieldish glee of 'goodby darkness' wore off.

Then, I happened to come accross the makeup model that inspired my current style - where 'current' stands for some years-worth of variations...

WWW

Perhaps what I fell for is the look of a relatively narrow, bright strip of colours on the upper-lid; where colourS is always plural, mostly blues & over a crucial white crayon primmer which insures brighteness - to a degree that would be OTT on a larger surface. [I do not usually go beyond the lid, as shown]. I am usually the only exibit of the genre around & getting away with it - perhaps a little better than 'gettign away with it', hence no great incentive to change ...

Certainly open to other ways of doing things.

 

[Phoenix]

@valeria101
I've finally found some time to post! Re the tan, I think that's a very nice thing, as long as 1) you don't over-expose to the sun (we all know about how bad the UV rays are), always always use sunscreen; and 2) you adjust your makeup and clothing accordingly. Makeup when you have a tan should be as natural as possible, so NO bright colours unless you have blue or green or bluish green/ greenish blue eyes and you want to bring out the colour. If you'd like to share the colour of your eyes, I could give you some pointers. Any bright eyeliner and/ or eyeshadow should be as muted as possible, eye makeup should enhance your eyes and not make them look completely different and it should not look *obvious*, if that makes sense. There are a few exceptions though, for example I have dark brown eyes and black eyelash extensions, so they actually look quite "made-up" already. But sometimes, I'll go a bit dramatic and do some fun things...more later.

So step-by-step makeup for tanned skin:

Skin/ foundation:

Okie, so starting from very "bottom", ie. your skin, it should be thoroughly moisturised and exfoliation is of paramount importance when you have a tan, bc the last thing you'd want is a streaky or patchy tan. But be careful not to over-exfoliate. Once a week gentle exfoliation should suffice. I normally just use coarse sugar with some olive oil.

Primer: I use Bare Minerals. I've tried many and found this to be the best. It helps your foundation or BB cream or CC cream to just glide on...absolutely essential.

Foundation or BB cream: I'm now using Makeup Forever, or Bare Minerals - no fixed rule really, just whatever takes my fancy. The Makeup Forever is very watery and nice for light coverage. the BB cream gives a bit more coverage.

Concealer:

I tend not to use one, but in the past I've found the Bobbi Brown one to be quite good. The orange shade helps to counteract the undereye blue / dark circles.

Highlighter:

I actually *dislike* this seemingly popular look whereby the highlighter is a white strip across the upper part of the cheekbone. Highlighter should be subtle and slightly shimmering, like this one for instance:

 

[valeria101]

Thx !

Will take up the idea for sugar & olive oil ... - I might as well be the last on Earth to hear of this ! [used to use clay - impossible to find similar locally]. The primer looks interesting - I am quite sure I have not tried it & will.

Eyes: brown ... darkish.

It seems that you do great something I do not know how to handle: a subtle day makeup. I can do nothing & go fairly far off the beaten track for evenings ... but have not thought much of the in-between at all !

[got to go]

 

[Phoenix]

Eeeks!! I just spent the last 30 minutes editing and adding onto my last post and the changes wouldn't post bc apparently I went over the time limit allowed!!

 

[Scandinavian]

Hi girls,
Please forgive me for jumping on the wagon here! Just wanted a bit of inspiration and @Phoenix, just seeing your first (?) post weeks (?) ago has made me realise that a PT would be a good idea, so had my first appointment today! Thanks!

 

[metall]

This post is great! Just writing so i get updates

@Phoenix, 4-5 Liters of water is insane...I usually take about 3 a day (mostly at home) cuz I already feel insanely self conscious about going to the bathroom every hour at my very corporate office.

 

[Phoenix]

Hi girls,
Please forgive me for jumping on the wagon here! Just wanted a bit of inspiration and @Phoenix, just seeing your first (?) post weeks (?) ago has made me realise that a PT would be a good idea, so had my first appointment today! Thanks!

How did it go?

I'm actually looking for another one. Mine has left for a 3-month vacation. I'd like to do body-building now, but I don't want to compete - I don't want to look like a man but I'd like to be more muscular and have a Brazilian butt and more muscular legs, bigger shoulders and a 4-pack....not asking for much, lol.

 

[Phoenix]

This post is great! Just writing so i get updates

@Phoenix, 4-5 Liters of water is insane...I usually take about 3 a day (mostly at home) cuz I already feel insanely self conscious about going to the bathroom every hour at my very corporate office.

Thank you

Yeah, it is a lot of water. I'm constantly going to the bathroom, lol. People have commented but I really don't care!

 

[Scandinavian]

How did it go?

I'm actually looking for another one. Mine has left for a 3-month vacation. I'd like to do body-building now, but I don't want to compete - I don't want to look like a man but I'd like to be more muscular and have a Brazilian butt and more muscular legs, bigger shoulders and a 4-pack....not asking for much, lol.

LOL very well! Told mine I want to look like Jessica Alba (film ready, mind..) and have the fitness level of a professional athelete - before Christmas please So he has his work cut out for him LOL But I was not as bad as I thought, body fat percentage of 18.7. So will make an effort to reach 16 without losing muscles.

 

[Scandinavian]

@Phoenix, I have been meaning to ask you which sunscreen you prefer? Based on some of your comments, I think you might be as fanatic about sun protection as I am LOL - I'm very Scandinavian, so my skin really needs a high SPF at all times, and I hate to get "shiny"..

 

[valeria101]

You are ambitious !