Aged 31, I now I actually have some beauty secrets - what are yours?

[newbabyinthestow]

I have realised that I have a few great things I use and do that it has taken me ages to work out what works best. Just wondering if anyone else has a few of these to share? Here are mine, I'll pre-fix this with the fact that everyone's skin/hair etc is different, but these are a few basic things that really work for me and are simple and cheap.

1. FACE: Sebamed soap. I was taken in by the cleanse/tone/moisturiser thing until about 1999, and then I realised that they are just making you buy 3 products not one - clever business. I had some spots at the time and had previously had lovely clear skin so started a striped back regime to balance my skin and not overload it. I now religiously use simply this Sebamed balancing soap (I have combination skin/oily T-Zone), just wash it off with water and I don't moisturise at night as I find it makes my skin flare up. In the morning I wash with the soap and warm flannel and use Garnier Nutrinionalist moisturiser for combination skin (I used Chanel Hydramax for ages when I was feeling flush and this is actually better I think). In the day I add bare Minerals brightening primer to smooth everything, as a base, and then Neutrogena oil control make up - it has been discontinued in the UK so I get it when I go to America in any pharmacy or get my friend who lives there to send it - it is really quite cheap. That's my routine and my skin is really at it's best when I do this. It's fairly simple and cheap. I also swear by Benetint - it is the most lovely natural looking blush and damn stuff stays on all day. Good on lips too.
   
   
2. HAIR: I use GHD straighteners (best thing I ever brought, they have lasted over 10 years and still going strong!) to curl my hair, or at least put waves into it or else it is poker straight. I add a little spray dry shampoo to the roots to add volume and make it easier to style (particularly good if you are doing an up-do or more messy look) as my hair has a tendency to be to silky to really style easily. Add some Ellnett hairspray (quite good tip is to add it to your fingers and scrunch them into your roots for more volume) and I can usually make it do what I want (which is of course glamorous tumbling locks or ponytail with 60's volume or centre parted waves for a more understated but polished look!)

[mrsmartin]

Hmmmm....

Face:I'm a double cleanse, tone, oil, moisturise girl...have the best skin of anyone I know. I always use a primer on my face (seperate one for my eyes if wearing shadow), always curl my lashes, always wear blusher and ALWAYS do my brows. I buy good quality tools and look after them.

Hair: I always do a conditioning treatment and a detox treatment once a week...have the shiniest hair of anyone I know though if I didn't use anything on it it would be very flat on day two.

Nails: I do a manicure once a week that lasts the week and always use nail envy and my LD file...if I could only use two products to do my nails those would be my pics (so long as cuticle oil comes under skincare .

Body: I bodybrush and exfoliate everyday and use prolagene gel on my legs and arms to keep chicken skin away.

[MissFoodie]

god mrsm you are good!!!!

I'm good about my face: water based serum am and pm, cleanse and oil at night and use a decent eye cream

Agree on the eye brows and make up brushes, I shampoo mine once a week.

Don't own an eyelash curler....

You can def get away with just mascara and blusher

Aside from this: drink lots of water, juicing, no smoking, take omega (fish and veg source) oil supplements

[musttidyupmusttidyup]

Ok. What oil should I be using and when? I cleanse with Clinique soap, use Clinique clarifying lotion then shove on some Olay.
I've also noticed my skin is spottier than when u just take my make up off with a baby wipe and put Olay on. Any ideas?

[ruddynorah]

I'm 31. My best are oil cleansing my face. I use olive oil from Tesco. Also moroccan oil for my hair.

[AbsofCroissant]

Decleor neroli oil. I bought some aaaaaaaaaages ago, and then this winter with all the heating and what not, my skin was getting dry and I was looking like death, so I found it and started using it again, and it's great. My skin is not as dry and I look perky. In fact, despite spending a large proportion of last night drinking whiskey and then sleeping badly, my colleague asked if I'd been to a spa yesterday.

[MissFoodie]

musttidyup am coming out in a rash just reading your post :(
don't you find those products really harsh?????????

re oil, at night, if you're on a budget then just sweet almond or jojoba (online or from Holland & Barrett), otherwise a face oil, most online retailers have them (Naturisimo, etc)

[lemonmuffin]

what conditioning and detox treatments do you use mrsmartin? nothing seems to make my hair shiny.

[formerdiva]

MrsM - I know you've said this on other threads and I'm v sorry to ask you to repeat yourself, but could you tell me again which face products you use.

[jan2011]

i have very good skin and use a basic face wash then oil as a moisturiser every night. i also use oil on my hands as a hand cream often, and over my whole body once a week after exfoliation. the oils i have and use are almond oil and olive oil, i sometimes blend a few drops of essential oils in as well. when cleanse and oil face at night, i just leave it in the morning.

i always use eyeliner, mascara and blusher.

i steer away from processed foods , and i do some yoga type stretches now and again it helps energise and clear toxins out, i just feel better.

for my hair i use a deep conditioning treatment once a week, only wash it twice a week, and use elixior oil, its really improved the condition of my hair. sometimes i use straighteners.

i would like to improve on my nail care :)

[musttidyupmusttidyup]

musttidyup am coming out in a rash just reading your post don't you find those products really harsh
Erm... Not sure really maybe thats what makes me a bit spotty around the mouth /bottom of cheeks? It's never really occurred to me that it might not be right. Educate me. Please.

[CarpeJugulum]

I have started religiously following the advice of the wonderful mrsmartin.

I now have glowy skin and the icky blackheads that hide round my nose are starting to shift.

[musttidyupmusttidyup]

Mrsmartin woo hoo!
Pleeeease share your secrets in a bit more detail I want to glow.

[izzybizzybuzzybees]

I'm sure its decleor that mrsmartin uses...forgive me if i've got that wrong tho!

I bought some last week...got a super size (400ml) cleanser and toner and a 15ml hydrafloral moisturiser for £30!

[willybreeder]

Musttidyup you need to ditch your Clinique skincare and wipes, they strip your skin of its natural oil so it pumps out more to compensate. There's been some good threads and a link about the OCM cleansing so have a snoop, everyone's raving about it (I'm going to give it a go, having tried everything else)

[EllenParsons]

Not sure why so many people slag off Clinique. I am a big fan of their products, use loads of their stuff all the time and have good skin... it has never broken me out in a rash or made my skin produce extra oil Maybe it doesn't suit everyone, but it is certainly not the shock horror skincare that people are making out

[BearlyThere]

God I do masses.
Brows tinted and shaped.
Weekly manicure
Exfoliate abd self tan twice a week
excercise twice a week
Hair oil every day
Full make up every day
Hsir colour every 6 weeks
Love it

[HazleNutt]

My beauty discovery was that you should not use all those harsh supercleaners and oil-free mattifying creams if you have oily skin. They just dry the top layer our and skin will start producing more oil. I now use face oils instead and my skin is shine-free. And moisturized. Brilliant.

[bronze]

hemp oil is a good oil as is doesnt make you greasy and is very good for you

[Scarlettno1]

I am 42 years old and my beauty tips are as follows:-
Hair - Amargan Oil Gives great volume and shine
Face - Clarins night cream and various day creams
Hand - Clarins hand cream i use regularly day and night
Body - Amargan Shine and Protect spray, also when i travel i take this with me
Nails - Always painted (used to be a beautician)

[LiliPinkiePie]

The best thing I ever did was start threading and tinting my eyebrows. I swear it's changed my whole face for the better.
Other than that I don't do much for my face as I have good skin - I buy a decentish moisturiser. (Wish Upon A Jar at the moment, sometimes Creme De La Mer, sometimes Kiehls)
I take my make up off with wipes, and get Botox about once a year.
GHDs are by far the best thing for hair as you can create any style with them, and I use Kiehls olive fruit oil shampoo and conditioner which are amazing. I get a lot of compliments on my hair and it's definitely due the the shampoo.

Other than that, I shred every weekday, but that's about it! My number one 'beauty secret' is definitely the eyebrows thing!

[QuinnFabray]

Glycolic Acid, and Tua Trend.

[MrsCampbellBlack]

Pretty much the same as bearlythere.

Agree with TSC that a lot is down to genetics and also not smoking though.

My skin is quite dry but the biggest difference has been botox

My hair is reasonable but not ultra shiney but then I'm blonde [bottle] and darker hair shines more I believe.

Am loving my clarins facial oil and you can't beat st tropez bronzing mousse.

[Gillybobs]

Bobbi Brown blushers and lipglosses. Have tried every premium brand but she definitely does make you look "like you only prettier"

Eyebrow tinting (do mine at home using "30 day Mascara" from boots.) Takes 3 mins and makes an unbelievable difference

St Tropez Everyday gradual tanning spray. Subtle and natural

[BearlyThere]

Lol st mrs Martin and her survey of shiny hair. ;)

That's a novel way to make friends.