How much effort do you make to look nice each day

[imnothavingagoodtime]

As the tittle says really. I currently exclusively wfh, but normally I’d be in the office 2 days a week. I never wear make up if I’m wfh unless I have a really important external meeting. I also mainly wear smartish lounge wear, rather than smarter work type stuff. I do straighten my hair daily as it takes on a life of its own!

I popped out to drop something to a friend yesterday, she was wfh and looked so lovely and glam - I felt like a troll in my gym leggings and oversized jumper!

And now I’m wondering if I should start making more of an effort, would I feel better about myself? I do hate looking at myself on team, I look old and tired when bare faced. But can I be bothered?

Keen to know what others do day to day? Tips for quick make up too please!

I try and look OK most days. I go into the office 5 days a week, and I always put on makeup, but its a casual environment, so I live in leggings and oversized jumpers.

I live alone, but I still find myself applying makeup on a weekend (just not as much) as it gives me a boost and makes me feel good about myself. I even squirt on perfume, even though no one will be smelling me!

Same, I wfh with no cameras ever, and this is all I do. To make myself feel happy I go for a walk in the countryside at lunchtime most days...

I always use moisturiser and sometimes cc cream
At home, I put lipstick on for calls
Wash and brush hair everyday
Mascara when leaving house
Always wear perfume
Always have acrilyic nails
Always wear a few rings, usually a necklace in office

Very little day to day. Always freshly washed and clean, hygiene is important to me but beyond that I don’t really care. I wear clean clothes and smell fresh!
Had my works Christmas do and tidied my hair and put on a nice dress, it’s nice to make an effort sometimes but on the regular I just cba.

Do you have a skin care regime? You need to sort out your skin if you want make up to look good.

None. Only if i go into the office which is once a month.

I don’t own makeup apart for special occasions.

And what I do wear gets dirty from having 2 young kids.

I will treat myself when they are a bit older.

My minimum is a tiny bit of glowy foundation mixed in with my spf moisturizer. Bit of cream blush on the cheeks. One minute and done.

Where do I find the soft focus setting for real life??

I always make an effort. For me, it's part of self care. I always wash and style my hair, apply makeup and wear good clothes.

I dont do it for others, I do it because it makes me feel great. There have been times when I am not even going out that day and have still done those things.

Fenty does a very, very extensive range of shades and their concealer is very good, not cakey.

All makeup will look better and less cakey if your skin's hydrated and moisturised, so bear that in mind too.

If I'm working from home and have no video meetings in my calendar, I just do my usual skincare (cleanse, serum, SPF moisturiser) and that's it.

When I'm working from home and have video meetings planned, I touch up my face a bit with a light 'complexion stick' where I feel it needs it, then fill in my brows a bit and add mascara and maybe a bronzer or a sheer cream blusher type product. Sometimes I might define my eyes a bit with an eye crayon. Takes me about five minutes in total.

Clothes-wise, very casual. Jeans and t-shirts / hoodies / oversize cardigans, or maybe an oversize jumper dress over leggings.

Daily shower, makeup on work days (even when I was WFH), decent clothes unless doing dirty physical jobs, hair kept clean and neat and well trimmed. Nails are filed to good shape but not painted. Hair not coloured. Fitness and size could be (a lot) better.

Zero effort if I’m at home, unless I have an external meeting. Sometimes I’m still in my robe until lunchtime. My own team are cameras off, we’re usually screen sharing so I don’t see the point. I do a bit of skin care at home, tinting my eyebrows, a sheet mask, slugging.

I once had an unexpected call from my boss while I was still in my bathrobe. He said ‘Are you wearing….a..’. I answered ‘it’s a cardigan James, a shawl necked cardigan’

In the office though I am always impeccably dressed and groomed.

I don’t work from home but even on days I’m just popping to the shops, nipping to see DP, family etc my hair is done and make up on. Basically I look like a troll if I don’t so it’s just my routine to look presentable and “done”
the only time I don’t is if I’m having a day where I don’t leave the house and won’t be seeing anyone.
even just nipping out for milk I put makeup on.

I spend about 20-30 mins getting ready in a morning, but I do spend a fair amount of time/money throughout the month doing ‘maintenance’ e.g. eyebrows done, eyelashes done, mani/pedi, hair done etc so that if I do just roll out of bed I do look decent. I enjoy looking nice and making an effort though.

Completely understand this from your perspective. I don’t have young kids anymore! I tend to use the spare time in the morning to browse mumsnet, catch up on housework or even prep dinner to save time later. But I think my NY goal is to make more effort, for myself, not anyone else, (although my OH will appreciate me not daily looking like something the cat threw up)!

Or the ‘camera off’ button for real life 😂

I wish you could do a laughing face!

Also what is slugging?!

@isitmytime ive never been one to wear make up everyday. Especially as I don’t have great skin. I did when I worked 5 days in an office and my skin was at its worst as a result, despite specialist products. But I admire anyone who does, must be nice to always feel put together.

Very little but I don't think I need much to look nice. By which I don't by any means think I have amazing natural skin or look anything other than the middle-aged a bit knackered woman I am or anything like that. I just think that despite all of that I look fine and my make-up free face with all its wrinkles, rosacea and bags looks perfectly "nice" and normal.

@BauhausOfEliott I spend a lot of time and money on skin care as I’ve never had great skin. However, my skin is drier since menopause and this has been exacerbated by recent health issues and awful medication side effects.

I’ve recently lost a couple of stone which has reignited my interest in my overall appearance, so light makeup and smart casual clothes.

Zero. But I wish I had the arse about me to make an effort. I’m inherently lazy

I’ve recently started to make more of an effort and it has definitely improved my mood.

I've went back to having my brows and lashes tinted monthly (although I’m hoping to start doing this myself to cut costs)
I use three products from Charlotte Tilbury ,the foundation stick, the blush stick and a quick dusting of the pressed powder over my t-zone.

Have also got back into looking after my skin, swear by the medicube pore pads.

That’s my recommendations so far in terms of products.

I brush my hair a couple of times a week.
I think my natural face is perfectly acceptable and pleasant to look at.

I am so much happier and confident now I no longer spend any time in front of the mirror covering up ‘flaws’ with makeup.

I make lots of effort, full make up, hair styled, try to find nice clothes, but it makes no difference. I still look old and knackered. 😭