-::- CutePhantasm -::-

YAY! So today is my first day posting...this probably will not become a daily thing but it will help me to keep track of my progress, plus I get a lot of PM's from you guys about my fitness routine so I decided to share here

ABOUT MY HAIR:
I am almost done installing some single braid extensions in my hair. This has been a LIFESAVER this winter!! I HATE styling my hair lol...this is perfect because in the winter I get to sleep late, go to the gym, and not worry about what my hair looks like because it always looks great!

The first time I installed extensions was around Thanksgiving when I got back from my trip to Israel. I put a cream that I got from Israel on my scalp daily (its almost done so I need more!!) it is from the SeboCalm line and its REALLY good..my husband uses it as well to combat his Sebborhea Dermatitis...it has excellent antifungal properties! Every 2-3 weeks, I touch up the edges of my extensions and redo them...then every 1.5-2 months I take out the whole thing, do a deep treatment, let it dry naturally and re do them.

This one is my 3rd install. I took out the braids, my roots were VERY tangled since I had the braids in for 2 months this time and there was a lot of build up. So I co-washed with Suave Coconut Conditioner & HEHH (in order to get out the tangles) before I shampooed with Nexxus Therappe. After which, I conditioned my hair again and did a Henna Treatment (I make my mix the same way CurlyNikki makes hers). I put the henna in while I was in the shower with my hair in the wet-damp state. I covered my head with 2 shower caps, continued showering, and when I got out I put cotton around the edges (to prevent spills) and tied my hair in a hair scarf AND a stocking cap...I then slept in a hoodie as well (the last time I did Henna overnight, it smelled soo bad that I couldnt sleep! with all of these things on, I didnt smell it at all). In the morning, I washed it out, and then I used the Pantene Relaxed and Natural deep conditioner, left if on for about 1.5 hours with a shower cap and then rinsed it.

I then sprayed my hair with my cocktail (Water, GLycerin, HEHH, Olive Oil, & Giovanni direct leave in), and twisted my hair in 2 strand twists/flat twists sealing with Shea Butter as I went along. I also applied my SeboCalm cocktail to the scalp. I let my hair air dry, and then I started putting in the extensions.

Extensions really help my hair grow and retain length. I wash my scalp at least once a week with Shampoo while they are in extensions, apply the Sebocalm cream to my scalp bi weekly and coconut oil, and use my spray bottle to thoroughly saturate my extensions almost daily.

ABOUT MY SKIN
I have REALLY dry skin...I dont have eczema, or get rough patches, but my skin gets really dry really easily and ashy looking if I dont use the right moisturizer. I am using again, from the Sebocalm line products on my face that I got from Israel, and on my body I need something very thick. The one thing that kept my skin hydrated until the next time I showered was a combo of coconut oil and cetaphil lotion. I would put it on at night after my shower, and the next day my skin would be hydrated all day.

Now, I am using a mix of EVOO, EVCO, and Unrefined SHea butter, and it is AH-MAAAA-ZING!! I can even use it on my face!! I use it also to take off make up. I haven't tried it on my body yet so we will see...

Oh another thin that makes my skin Uber Smooth is the Neutrogena Body Oil. It doesnt keep it hydrated for too long, but my skin is like BUTTER! Again, I apply moisturizer on my body while still damp from the shower...

This post is getting rather long, so I will save some for later!! UNtil then, happy growing!!

Later I will talk about fitness and fashion....

Welcome!!! I just want to know right now, is that you in the avatar?

Intelligentbeauty wrote:Welcome!!! I just want to know right now, is that you in the avatar?

LOL I was gonna ask the same thing!!!

lol....yes it is ladies

I could definitely use some fitness tips/motivation and your avatar is definitely motivation!

Welcome to the challenge!!

WOW is all I can say!! Can I hire you to be my personal trainer? lol you are inspiring me already

Welcome!!

!

Well honey, I will be following your thread for fitness tips/routine. I haven't been at the gym all week either, but I am trying to look like you, so I need to work that out....lol.

Welcome to the challenge...

I like your hair regiment you have for the winter. I look forward to reading about your fitness regiment.

Hello and welcome...

welcome!!

Welcome and I totally love your avatar. I will definitely be following your post on here :-)

thanks ladies...I finally finished my extensions yesterday!! I am still sick, so I havent been to the gym yet (no energy!!!) I'm going to try and go tonight...

I want to do a bit more strength training so I'm thinking of going 3-5 days a week instead of 2-3 days a week...alternate between cardio and strength training. I lost about 10 lbs (due to being sick) so I am trying to gain it back as well...


As for my hair, it came out great! Woo hoo...I dont know about u guys, but I hate combing my hair esp when its cold out!! In the summer I love my WNG and twist outs but in the winter, I try to lessen the amount of time I wet my hair.

hair still in braids....Im loving them right now...get up and go!!

have any of you noticed that shea butter really helps even out skintone? It really is working wonders for mine!

cutephantasm wrote:hair still in braids....Im loving them right now...get up and go!!

have any of you noticed that shea butter really helps even out skintone? It really is working wonders for mine!

Are you using it on your body or face? I'm kinda scared to use it on my face because I tend to be oily in the T-zone.

im using it on both...Im noticing it on my face though (the skin on my body is already pretty even)

its just giving me an insane glow!

looking forward to seeing those pictures of your finished braids...

Hey Lady!! How are you feeling? I hope you are feeling better!!

THanks for the get well wishes! Im feeling great now...(lots of water & vitamin c!) I've managed to gain back a bit of the weight that I lost (about 3 lbs...yay!)

Here is a pic of my hair in braids a few days before I redid them...these were in for about 2.5 months...I dont have pics of my recent install but the hair is a bit thicker as I did smaller, neater braids

I dont think i have any up close pictures though....they arent perfect but they have gotten a lot better from when I first installed Braid extensions back in November. Whats great about it too is no stress on my edges!

You are one FLYY chick!!! I love the last braids so I'm sure you look fab now too

thanks girl! I got a ton of growth from it too....I didnt notice until i put my hair in twists after I treated it but it probably retained about 2-3 inches

You are fierce, lady! Oh I use to have a body like that (before kids)...

aww thanks ladies!! I guess I got lucky genetically...as long as i dont have kids, I will most likely stay like this for the rest of my life without too much working out needed lol

let me update you guys on my fitness reggie

I am trying not to eat TOO much or unhealthy foods, so I am trying to eat things that are high in protein and (healthy) fats...i've gained about 3 lbs so far...I really do need to cut out process sugars though (i have a killer sweet tooth!)

I went to the gym today (for the first time in ages) but i couldnt stay for long, so I just did about 15mins cardio, reverse & side crunches, and worked on my lower back.

Lately daily, I try to incorporate a few sets of squats/crunches/lunges/whatever whenever I have 5 or more minutes to spare. I find it especially helpful when there is that lull in the day to go to the bathroom/close your office door and do a few squats/lunges/stretches/anything to get the blood flowing. It is healthier and more effective (for me anyway) than drinking an energy drink or coffee...

I am trying to get into interval training so that I can have shorter workouts with maximum pay off (30-45minutes daily) and also, I have been doing a lot of workouts at home (in NYC, it is nasty outside, so I get kind of lazy to actually go to the gym a lot of times!.) I follow a fitness guru by the name of Zuzana's blog (its on www.BodyRock.tv) and get a few pointers from there. She LOVES interval training and has my goal body! lol

What also helps is sometimes I like to take the stairs...I live on the 12th floor and whenever I have enough time to stairs, I take the stairs rather than the elevator. [your butt will LOVE you for this!!]