How much do you care about your appearance?

[confessyourlove]

Like do you have a skincare routine? Pluck your eyebrows? Style your hair?

I think I’m medium. Sometimes I don’t bother doing anything with my hair and I’ll go weeks without doing my eyebrows. My nails are clean and short - whereas my friend gets hers done every 2 weeks.

I've always had very low self confidence and more so in the last few years after my partner left me for another woman. I've always tried to have eyebrows tinted as I have fair hair and the odd manicure, however after this I tried to put more effort in. I had gel nails every month, got fake eyelashes put in monthly and tried to keep on top of haircuts and expensive dyes. I also got a boob job, which has been great for making me less worried about my weight. I've gradually stopped with the fake eyelashes (weirdly addictive and hard to stop!) and gel nails as my confidence has started to grow, largely thanks to the boob job if I think about it. However a friend who I thought understood my issues suddenly turned on me a few weeks ago and said that because I "conform" to beauty standards (by which she was clear she meant shaving my legs, wearing makeup and having surgery) and spend time and money doing so, I don't have a right to comment on anything to do with personal preference in men. I never thought she would be so cruel about another woman, let alone her friend but it has made me realise, no matter what you do or don't do, someone will always do more or less and judge you for it.

A lot , I spend a huge amount of time. Meal planning and planning exercise for each week (walks or Pilates usually) as I try to stay a certain size where I look and feel my best (size 8-10) I have a tendency to lose too much weight as have a fast metabolism so weigh myself daily to make sure of I need to eat more I do or it makes my face look bad and I don’t want to have Botox yet.

Skincare routine , I do my own eyebrows. Plus I do laser hair removal at home every 2 weeks. Hair mask every 2 days , a hair trim once or twice a year .

Pedicure weekly, I do my own hands though. Every evening I have 4 hours as dh puts the dc to bed so I can have a bath and do my routine and not rush.

I wear light make up each day , tiny bit of concealer, powder, mascara blush and lip gloss.

see a hygienist every 6 months to keep teeth clean, i whitened them years ago so they look ok still it seems to have lasted .

each week 2 mornings I have a treatment of some sort usually something relaxing as I feel that makes me look better , so a massage or a facial or exfoliation or similar

I couldn't care less how I look. I'm clean and tidy and that's about it.

I think I’m very low maintenance as in I have never plucked or done anything with my eye brows, I’ve never had my nails done. I go to the hair dressers maybe once a year. I’ve never had a facial. I don’t wear much make up but I do care about my appearance. I think I look nice and natural. I do like the way I look and I’m confident. I think a lot of women would look better natural.

I am 49 and wear makeup up most days - eyeshadow, mascara, foundation highlighter. I dress well I think usually high street shops ie Zara ,Next or River Island. I like to follow the trends and do sometimes wonder if I dress a bit young. I have my nails done every 3 weeks and my hair is long and straight so doesn't take much effort. My DD is 17 and never wears make up or has a skin routine she literally wears joggers oversized t shirts and air forces or vans but spends a fortune on acrylic nails. I actually think she is quite lazy re: her appearance and she should make more of an effort. My mum on the other hand is almost 80 and looks half her age she wears designer clothes and wears high end make up and has her hair coloured every 6 weeks. She has always looked immaculate abd has always been a fashionata since I was little.

Honestly, I brush my hair and tie it back into a ponytail.
That’s it.
I haven’t won make up in maybe 20 years. I have never had false nails – can’t remember the last time I had a manicure 20 years ish?
I won’t have cosmetic surgery - all those people who think they look “natural“ with lip fillers, silly eyelashes etc really don’t!

I wouldn’t consider myself high maintenance. But I do have a strict regime!
I weightlift / resistance train 3-4 times a week.
Wash my hair 3 times a week, straighten or curl it most days, and have it bleached and cut 3-4 times a year.
I wear light makeup every day - CC cream, brows filled in, eyeliner, mascara, blush, bronzer, mascara, and lipstick.
Always wear a light dusting of perfume.
I tend to wear classic neutral coloured clothes.
I have a morning routine for skincare - niacinamide, argerline, and matryxal (not sure how you spell these!), and moisturiser.
An evening routine: collagen, retinol and moisturiser.
I fake tan 1-2 times a week if I can be bothered!
I do my own gel nails at least once per week.

I don’t do anything with my eyebrows. They are fair and barely there. I tried filling them in once and I look ridiculous. I don’t exercise as much as I should, currently working 60hr weeks and have a toddler, so I try and spend as much time with them as possible when they’re awake and catch up with work in the evening.

I wear mascara and eyeliner most days. Moisturise every day. I get gel nails for special occasions like weddings etc.

From some of the posters, it seems that some self care is mutually exclusive. I don’t understand that. You can wear a face full of make up, and still meditate, do yoga, etc.

"I won’t have cosmetic surgery - all those people who think they look “natural“ with lip fillers, silly eyelashes etc really don’t!"

I don't think most people think they look natural when they do them, they do it because they weren't born with thick lips, dark eyelashes etc. Just because people have low self esteem when they look in the mirror and feel the need to change something, shouldn't mean people get to poke fun at them more.

I do:

My own facials
My own IPL
Get nails done, or do myself or just leave short and shaped
I’m obsessive about foot care, and always have a pedicure done
Get my eyebrows done
Remove upper lip hair
Obsessive with skincare: tret, toner, serum, moisturiser, spf, eye cream. Plus other stuff
Obsessive to the point of madness about my hair: deep conditioners, avoid putting heat on it, keratin treatments, expensive shampoo and serums, cut n colours. Obsessive about condition. TBH I get loads of compliments about my hair
I go down the gym 5 times a week
I wear a bit of makeup, but not much

I’m not really into clothes, jewellery and accessories. Probably as I’m too knackered after the above.

I don’t think I take good care of myself. Would you say that was a low, medium or high amount?

Im 51 and have turned into a bit of a hag in the last few years. I’ve also put on a lot of peri weight. I’m trying come to terms with the fact that what beauty I had has long gone but society is so incredibly looks focused it’s not always easy.

I do a little bit of maintenance- pluck eye brows, moisturise, trim nails, condition hair and wear a bit of make up occasionally but to be honest I’m way past my prime and I don’t think everyday beauty treatments or potions are going to do much to reverse that now .. the only option if I wanted to change things would be the big guns like fillers / Botox and face lifts, jowel removal if that’s a thing but I don’t want to go there / couldn’t afford to anyway.

One thing is that makes me sad is that i can no longer wear contacts- middle aged sight issues have kicked in but they don’t make effective varifocals in my prescription (I have severe astigmatism). My glasses make my eyes look small and piggy. My mum always made me take my glasses off for photos when I was younger and that made me a bit self conscious about them. However on balance I’d rather wear my bottle glass lenses than not be able to read things in my contacts.

Makeup most days, but just the basics - foundation, concealer and mascara. Hair has a mind of it's own and I can't be arsed to spend time on it. It either dries naturally( into a bird's nest) or I tie it back. My clothes aren't particularly stylish or interesting, but they are fairly up to date - mostly casual. Never had my nails done. My eyebrows are mostly hidden behind my specs, so they can do what they like. I plucked most of them out in the 80s and 90s, so there's not much left to fret over!

In answer to your question, I think I do care about my appearance, but just enough to look presentable.

I focus on being healthy rather than being well groomed. DH is the same.

I have my hair coloured every couple of months (otherwise it's grey), wear a full face of make-up if I go anywhere - no eyebrows, so I draw them on , and keep my nails short but polished.

@dontforgettofloss
** Do it for yourself not for what anyone else thinks, I feel having your hair done and a nice outfit on really boosts your day.

I’m always clean and tidy but I wfh 4 days a week and generally Do so in very slobby clothes (leggings and a sweatshirt at the moment!). Works for me as I swim before work and can dress for the day after I’ve showered at the gym, easy to pull on and go!
rarely wear makeup, tidy my brows once a month or so and do my nails once a week.
its important to me that I look and feel clean and tidy but im not into fashion and when I wear makeup it’s very simple.

Same here.
No make up. I don't pluck anything.

I think I’m a bit weird about appearance- I have acrylic nails every 2 weeks,

eyebrow wax and tint at the same time,

pedicure with gel polish once a month.

balayage and cut every 12 weeks

retinol cream twice a day and eye cream the same

wash and style my hair every 3 days (it’s short).

i whiten my teeth at home.

BUT- I’m happy to go out without makeup/in my scruffy clothes/without bothering if stuff is ironed etc. so day to day I spend a lot less time on my appearance than all my friends who would never leave the house without looking perfect.

I feel very confident and comfortable with myself and feel like the stuff I do is a nice extra I enjoy rather than something I need to do to look ok.

I care quite a about my appearance but I spend very little time on grooming. I spend a lot of money on clothes and know exactly what suits me, but other than that, I don't spend much on hair, skincare etc. I'm 65, and until last year when I bought my first beauty advent calendar, I had never used anything on my face apart from Neals Yard wild rose beauty balm, which my daughter bought me about five years ago. I've always just used soap and water, and my skin looks years younger than my age. But I've quite enjoyed using some of the potions from the advent calendar this year.

I used to pluck my eyebrows and shave my legs but as I've got older, eyebrows and body hair doesn't really grow back much any more so I only need to pluck an odd stray eyebrow hair (and my chin!). I would hate the idea of anyone else waxing me or doing anything to my eyebrows when I can do things myself. I've also only been to a hairdresser three times that I can remember in the last 20 years. I've got waist length hair which is in very good condition and is going a lovely shade of grey with age. I trim my own fringe and split ends, and wear it loose all the time apart from when I'm gardening or swimming.

If I'm going out then I wear a little make up which I try to keep as subtle as I can - mascara, eyebrow pencil, powder, and lipstick. I paint my toenails but I get an allergic reaction if I wear nail varnish on my fingernails.

I'm very secure in my appearance, despite having put on a bit of weight in the last few years, and I really don't need to plaster myself with makeup or have plastic surgery to boost my self confidence.

Same as you OP. Style my hair once a week, other days it's left as it is when I leave the shower. I wear makeup, remove with make up wipes and whack some moisturiser on when I remember. Nails are plain and bitten most of the time. I pluck my brows regularly and I do care how I look but have never had any procedures done except the odd wax and two manicures.

I'd love to have regular facials and nails but no time at the moment...

I wash daily, clean clothes, pluck the whiskers, trim the nails. Given up on the rest. I can't see myself and have well and truly given up on creating a image for others to look at.

I'm low maintenance. I don't have haircuts, manicures, facials or get brows done. I'm lazy about taking makeup off at night though I clean my face in the morning and out makeup on every day. My nails are short and clean but never have nail varnish. I don't shave my legs, but I do shave armpits. I wash my hair once a week and use deep conditioner, but no styling products. I brush my hair daily, and clip it up so no one can tell if I've had a haircut. I overplucked my eyebrows years ago, and I don't really need to pluck them any more. My clothes are chosen for comfort and I don't care that much about how I look.

I will probably spend a bit more time/effort on my appearance in a few years when DC is in preschool. At the moment it's hard to get out to appointments so I only do essential ones like the dentist. But I'll probably go back to having Botox and maybe do some other treatments as my skin is showing my age. And I keep meaning to dye my hair to cover early grey hair but haven't got around to it.

Skin care routine AM. Face wash. Aloe Vera mixed with day cream and suncream.

Make up- Either a full face (Foundation, Bronzer, Blusher. Highlighter Contour, dramatic Eyeshadow eg glitter or bright colours ect mascara lip stick.

Or. A no make up name up look. Concealer. Subtle highlighter, natural (light brown eye shadow light bronzer, Mascara lip gloss.

Skin care PM. Take make up off with coconut oil. Wash face (Nivea)
Apply toner, Night cream and aloe vera.

Nails. Always painted. (Changed every few days)

Home facial once a week. Face wash, Face stream, Charcoal mask removed with Salt face scrub (Table salt mixed with face wash and mint tea granules. Hydrating mask removed with gentle face wash.
then apply moisturizer and aloe vera.
Once a month will do a dermaplane.

Showered once a day (with lavender shower gel)

Exfoliate every Sunday using lavender shower gel mixed with salt.

Pedicure once a month. Foot Spa with massage. Foot mask, hard skin removed nails cut filed and painted foot cream applied.

My hair ysed to need washing everyday. However since Ive discovered Garnier Oat shampoo and conditioner it only needs doing every 3 days now.

Clothes. I only wear dresses mainly vintage. (I adore Lindy Bop) My go to store is usually Ebay, hardly anything I have is new.😂

I use moisturiser etc and get my hair cut regularly.Stopped colouring it during lockdown. I only wear make up if I’m going ‘out’. I don’t wear it everyday. Pluck my own eyebrows and dye them every six weeks or so. Do my own nails. I get my legs waxed if I’m going on holiday . Shave under arms . That’s it. I would never have Botox or fillers.

Clothes wise I’m pretty low maintenance. Only dress up occasionally for special events.