I want all your advice on what a 26-year-old girl can do for her future and beauty.

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I need the advice of every woman who is older than me. If you were 26 years old, what would you do for your career, your beauty, your relationships, and your health?

Wear sunscreen every day. Get a pension. Don’t date wastemen. Go out dancing as much as possible. Have adventures. Travel with your friends. Don’t attach your entire self worth to work or men. Follow your dreams, but think about what career you could do when you’re 50/60 years old.

Go to therapy. Emotional regulation traps huge dividends.

SPF50 every day, multiple times a day.
Retinol.

Look after your teeth. Pay into a pension. Don't accept a partner who is less than kind. Don't get into a habit of drinking alcohol at home.

SPF and look after your teeth

I would start by referring to myself as a woman rather than a girl.

I've always taken a 'live now' approach to life, you never know how long you've got. I have drunk, smoked, suntanned, abused drugs and had a few hairy adventures. I'm 71 and I look it - all the same, I'm quite surprised I'm still here!

What I did very, very wrong: Followed my libido in matters of love. In my defence, I had a bad relationship model - if that applies to you, I recommend doing the therapy now. I started in my forties; doing it 20 years earlier would certainly have changed my life for the better.

In fact, do therapy now whether you think you 'need' it or not. It costs the same as a full massage or facial, and gives more lasting benefits.

What I did right: Took my career very seriously, sought recognition, pushed for promotions and pay rises, networked. Chose an industry I find interesting and enjoyable. I had a great time and was paid very well.

Facials. You can do it at home on a Sunday, or pay a professional if you've got money to burn. Either way, once a week. It does make a difference.

Nutrition. Never diet. Always keep nutrition in mind. Learn about it from boringly authoritative sources, not influencers or organisations wanting to sell you something. Take a daily multivitamin & mineral. Do not get obsessed with supplements and micro-nutrients, it makes you boring and can be harmful.

Anti-ageing. You have to choose between sunshine and smooth skin, I'm afraid. I figured it wasn't the end of the world if I looked 60 at 60 and I love sunshine, so had a perma-tan and got wrinkles. My sister never puts her face in the sun and looks 20 years younger than me. Make your choice now.

Creams and lotions work, but you pay an extraordinary amount for the special ingredients. There's hardly any difference between their effects and basic £5 products. Make your choices, but do always moisturise.

Look after your teeth.

Money. Make your pension, savings and investments a priority. Always have your own money. Never hand over control, never confuse love with money. Never make yourself financially dependent on another person.

Always look for the beautiful, the interesting, the challenging and the fun. Expect the best of people. Give of your best. In difficult times, look for the helpers; they are always there. Be one of the helpers.

Learn to fight. Seriously! You'll be amazed at the self-assurance it gives you, plus it's great for your fitness. Any discipline will do.

Maintain your friendships, even when it feels a bit one-sided. But ditch users straight away. They don't improve with second chances.

Have a nice time 😎 26 is a fabulous age.

Think of yourself as a woman, not a girl.
Take up weightlifting.
Dont take it for granted that you want a relationship & children just because most people do. Only have them if you know you actively want them, & as a pp said, don’t ever settle.
Think about savings & pensions now.

Save money.
Invest in a pension.
Be financially independent from any partner.
Progress in your career and continue to study and improve your qualifications.
Take care of your health.
Beauty is far less important than you think it is.

Spf
Never settle for shit sex
Start a pension
Never rely on a man for ANYTHING financially.

Pay pension
Open Lisa
Wear spf 50
Only have a baby with him once your married

Oh yeah, and don't go chasing after men twice your age.

Wear 30spf sunscreen or moisturizer with 30spf every single day. Take vitamin D daily (it's fat soluble so you'll need a piece of cheese or nut butter or other fat with it for absorption).

Wear sunglasses daily to protect your eyes if they're blue, green, or gray.

Tale care of your teeth. If they're discolored, get them lightened, and straightened if needed too.

Avoid smoking and only drink in moderation.
Veggies and legumes should be your primary food groups. Keep added sugar to a minimum.
Do not fall into the Diet soda trap.

Learn self promotion jargon and don't be afraid to use it in interviews and with managers. Get qualifications for your field and keep your CV constantly updated and polished. Interview a few times a year for new jobs.

Look for kindness in a man, and generosity of spirit. Run from men who scoff at others or don't see the need for politeness toward people who are not useful to them. Run from men who have overbearing mothers. Avoid liars.

Have I missed something ?
Whats with the age thing!

Grow up and stop claiming to be dating every man you talk to.

Don't try to borrow money from men you barely know.

Get a job in the industry you have two degrees in.

Leave the 47 year old man alone.

I seem to have missed a very informative previous thread!

Another vote for seeing a decent dentist, following their advice and looking after your gums. At 57 I have really longstanding gum disease and will probably lose some teeth to it. It’s bad for your health overall (including your heart), painful, expensive and embarrassing.

Eat in a way that suits you, not a way that suits your partner. I might not have gained weight so hugely around the age of 30 if I hadn’t thought that I ‘should’ eat big meals whenever my partner wanted to eat with me.

Women are allowed to prioritise sleep. If you have kids, you may have times when sleep is really, really difficult, and that’s just how it is. It is precious. Don’t accept any other routine disrespect to your rest.

I’d say look after your teeth well.

Accept that you haven’t been a girl for 8 years.

This thread's like the Mumsnet Desiderata 😃 Regardless of this particular OP, it's turning into a brilliant guide to life!

She literally started the age gap one at the same time as this one. Recognised the username from the doing the same thing before, 3 threads immediately after each other.

Impressive for a 25 year old to have 2 University degrees but not work in their industry.

Value yourself

Ah ... Thanks!

Baz Luhrmann - Sunscreen. Every teenager should know it.

Start a pension
Don’t Let anyone treat you as an option. Bin any man who isn’t thrilled to be with you and think you’re the best thing on the planet. Marry an engineer. They are always very keen to learn how things work if you know what I mean 😜 and they’re also practical.
Marry a man with a good job - I don’t necessarily mean he earns a lot of money, but a job he is proud of, and one that’s meaningful to him. He will be happier and have higher self esteem. He will also be your greatest cheerleader.
Keep up to date with your work and skills. Join professional bodies and play an active role in them.
Your looks will fade - be more than your looks so it won’t matter when they do
If you have children you have them for 18 years or so. Don’t become a person who focuses only on them - maintain your own interests. If you don’t you’ll be completely lost when they leave.
Your job as a parent is to turn your children into competent adults - don’t mollycoddle them. Teach them how to do their own laundry from about the age of 10, how to make a basic pasta dish, and how to load and unload the dishwasher.

Don’t get fat. Do things - even by yourself. Don’t wait for other people.

Why is this unfeminist? Common sense surely?