What's your best make-up / hair tip?

[L8rAllig8r]

I need to freshen up my look, am stuck in a rut with hairstyle and make up. But I don't really know where to start!

Anyone got any styling tips to share?

[c0rrnsilk]

babyliss big hair. That's all you need to know

[AnyoneForPimms]

Watching with interest. Need all the help I can get!!

[Frizzbonce]

Makeup: Go to a MAC counter and look helpless. Their people are professionally trained and will give you a new look in twenty minutes.

A good place to start with freshening up your general look is to bring a bit of colour into your wardrobe. I found Trinny and Susannah's What you Wear can Change your Life - very helpful because it has a comprehensive section on colour - what suits you and what colours go with what other colours. Took me away from black and now I feel far more confident about using 'pops' of colour.

Another suggestion. Go through your wardrobe and get rid of anything you haven't worn for six months (except evening stuff) - or have a swap evening with friends. Apparently we wear 30% of our wardrobe 70% of the time. Then write a list of what you need and stick it in your purse and another copy inside your wardrobe (I'm not anal - honest) But it focuses your mind on what you need and stops those impulse buys. When you do buy something - ask yourself what it goes with - it should go with at least two other things in your wardrobe.

Personally and depending on your hair type of course, I think it's worth asking round and on recommendation - getting a new cut and colour. Nothing va vooms up your look more than a new hairstyle. I've got quite thick hair and personally don't think it's worth spending a fortune on shampoo and conditioner or products in general. Others may violently disagree but it's more for me about getting a good cut that suits your natural hair rather than using expensive products to force your hair into a style it's not naturally happy with ie if you've got thick curly hair - like me - learn to like it and make the most of it instead of forcing it into Footballer's Wife Poker style with various serums and straighteners. Having said THAT - I do love Moroccan Oil and think it makes a difference to my hair.

Good luck!

[PinotGrigiosKittens]

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick - sweep over your temples, cheeks etc - makes you glow.

[Gillybobs]

Liquid eyeliner on top lids and coral blusher. Wouldnt leave home without them.

[chipstick10]

A good face primer (laura mercier or mac). An eyeshadow primer (laura mercier) Invest in some good make up brushes.

[Mamaz0n]

Blast your hairdryer across your Eyelash curler. it warms it up and gives your eyelashes a semi perm.

I can be seen squealing with delight at this tip on the MNTV clips somewhere.

I absolutly agree with the laura mercier face primer.

When buying foundation i always find that one shade lighter than you think you need then the very swiftest of touches with a bronzing powder.
It means i am les likely to look like the umpa lumpa of my youth.

Where colour is concerned go either eyes or lips. If you use heavy colour on both you look like a clown. so dark eys, nude lips. bright lippy nude eyes. IYSWIM

[TattyDevine]

Makeup tip - learn to use liquid highlighter and learn to do some basic contouring.

Hair tip - this is not for everybody but if you lack body and texture to your hair, and want to "get away" with longer layered hair into your late 30s and 40's rather than getting a middle aged bob (I'm not saying all bobs are middle aged but a lot of people run to them before they "need" to) then learn to do loose waves with GHD's.

[chipstick10]

Ive got a bob TattyDevine and i feel and look very middleaged.

[msbunbury]

Get your eyelashes tinted - you eyes will no longer look like boiled eggs.

[TattyDevine]

I've been toying with one for ages Chipstick. But I'm not gonna. Not just yet. There will come a time where I really have to though. But not yet.

When I do it will be a funky one. A lot of people who I've seen get bobs because they "have to" do it halfheartedly, go into their hairdresser and say "gimme a bob, I'm old" and come out with a middle-aged-bob.

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01442/ann-widdecombe_1442489c.jpg&imgrefurl=www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/6055173/Ann-Widdecombe-Vatican-ambassador-David-Cameron.html&usg=__pp25nrz5WJ3nnbLMhk4ubp1bwoY=&h=288&w=460&sz=16&hl=en&start=20&zoom=1&tbnid=KIvebh7nRP-t_M:&tbnh=155&tbnw=186&ei=dnj3TezRGdOSgQecybjgCw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dann%2Bwiddecombe%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1093%26bih%3D491%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=117&vpy=234&dur=181&hovh=178&hovw=284&tx=188&ty=118&page=3&ndsp=9&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:20&biw=1093&bih=491" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">Middle Aged Bob

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=www.hellomagazine.com/imagenes/healthandbeauty/hair/200903161119/dannii/minogue/bob/0-1-83/1083-b.jpg&imgrefurl=www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/hair/200903161119/dannii/minogue/bob/&usg=__jFzwiFeJQhnY4v_HbQqAoxuk2LI=&h=240&w=200&sz=33&hl=en&start=12&zoom=1&tbnid=oQTLDIGkC8DhbM:&tbnh=152&tbnw=119&ei=R3n3Tce3C4XYgQe11cSODA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dchic%2Bbob%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1093%26bih%3D491%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&page=2&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:12&tx=73&ty=61&biw=1093&bih=491" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">Faborama bob

[chipstick10]

Ann Widdy . My bob is a bit more like Alex Jones used to have (the one show). Its more layered though and so i can tamper with it a bit more if that makes sense. More like the one posh had when she was blonde but not so severe. I dont blame you holding off Tatty. Fly in the face of convention. Love Miss Minogues btw.

[Gillybobs]

Dont agree at all that a bob is something we should give in to????

I have a sharp little dark brown bob with a heavy fringe and guarantee you it looks younger and fresher than loads of girls I know who keep it in a nondescript long "style" and end up pulling it into a ponytail 90% of the time. Long hair can look AMAZING but requires mucho effort, not great for a busy life imo.

I think short hair/long hair/bobs can all look middle age if the cut is wrong and the effort isnt made

And breathe.....

[TattyDevine]

Ah I knew that would end up coming out wrong and have me saying something I didn't actually say!

I don't think a bob is something we should give in to. That being, I don't believe people should feel they have to have one just because they are a certain age. NOR do I feel it is only something someone does because they feel they should.

Having said that, there are a LOT of people who get a bob because they catch sight of themselves with that nondescript long hair you mention and realise its not doing them any favours.

But they don't really research their bob, there's no passion or excitement behind the decision, and they end up with a generic middle aged bob.

And when I say I'll do it when I "really have to" - there will probably come a time where the long style that might suit me due to age is more effort than I'm willing to make, not that no long style suits an older person.

But I will try and not do it halfheartedly but really research what I think will work on me. And it won't be Widdy's...

[LadyWithNoManors]

Well groomed eyebrows make all the difference to a face.

[TracyK]

I've swapped black eyeliner in the daytime to a deep navy. It does make my eyes look whiter (I think!)

Am trying to do nails with polish most of the time - makes me feel more ladylike and groomed. Got a really shiny, healthy pink coloured one from Monsoon the other day - £4 - and you can't really notice as it grows out as its just the colour your nails SHOULD be.

[TattyDevine]

Just to add, I have done the bob thing - and I did love it - and it was nothing to do with age, it was in my twenties. I grew it out when I had children, because it needed blowdrying into place to have it how I wanted it, whereas my longer hair now doesn't (though it needs styling, it doesn't have to be with a blowdryer for 20-30 minutes and it doesn't have to be when the hair is wet and therefore a certain time after its washed etc etc)

If I was a working woman with no children as I used to be I think I'd still have a bob as there's something really polished about a properly blow dried definite "style" if that makes sense...

[superjobeespecs]

tinted mousturiser is a godsend :) i get mine from boots. ittakes the look of death off my face :)

[GetOrf]

I had a bob two years ago - I never felt frumpier in my entire life. It seemed such a sensible mumsy haircut.

I have long hair now. But I prefer it - feel a lot better. I blow dry it and babyliss big hair it to death every morning, so takes ages. I feel less like a PTA stalwart, and look a lot better.

My tips

Get your eyebrows threaded and colour them in.

Lilac eyeshadow when you are tired.

Bronzer to conrour and blusher on apples of cheeks.

By Terry.

SPF 50 every day.

[TracyK]

Oh yes Getorf - I swapped my silvery eyeshadow to a lilac and is more flattering.

[chipstick10]

Swap black mascara for brown, its more forgiving and flattering.

[HettyAmaretti]

My top tip is to trim your eyebrows before you pluck, rather than after. It makes it so much easier to shape them properly. First brush all the hairs upwards and trim away what comes above you brow line, them brush downwards and trim what comes below the line of the brow.

I spent years doing it afterward, daft bint that I am.

IME long hair is much easier to manage than short / bobbed hair, they need proper attention and styling to look good. I have fine, straight hair cut with plenty of layers and a fringe. It's no work at all, when I can be arsed I roughly blow dry it and stick it up in a bun to finish drying to give some movement. Even if I leave it to dry naturally or blow dry fully it looks good, the layers mean it looks fab on the rare occasions that I put it up.

I aspire to have a sleek, short, silver bob when I'm properly old. Not that I think one needs to old to have one, I just like the idea for myself.

[alemci]

also Clarins beauty flash is great and their facial tanner. I am pale but tend to mix it with some moisturiser so it is subtle.

[HettyAmaretti]

I have a nudeish/peachy colour for when I'm tired, it works wonders. Will try lilac too.