To think it's hard to look good if you don't have much money

[sallychadband]

Just this really.

Few clothes = frequent washing = looking shabby.

No make up

Infrequent hair appointments

No beauty appointments

Overworked - long hours = look exhausted, plus little time to spend on / think about appearance

I actually just commented in another thread that I think looking good is expensive. I’m interested to see if anyone comes up with cheap/free ways to look good!

I've got no money and look fucking fantastic...

... with the lights off

I know exactly what you mean OP. There will be some who can pull it off, but generally they're people with bloody good genes to start off with and a bucketload of confidence.

Have a look at The Ordinary skincare range. Not expensive and very effective. Actually keep an eye on the Style and Beauty board for ideas on how to look expensive cheaply, there was a thread on it. I feel your pain.

Our local college has a salon for their hairdressing and beauty students to give treatments under supervision which is extremely cheap.

Look out for recommendations for good value budget skincare brands and makeup, they really do exist.

I’m a charity shop addict but do live in an area with some amazing donations. Search for an area you can access with similar stock. And take good care of clothes by only washing when necessary, pressing carefully and Debobbling jumpers. Polish shoes and accessories carefully.

It’s very possible I think but does take time.

The thing is there are plenty of loaded people who look terrible, fillers, face lifts, over tanned. And there are plenty of people who don't prioritise their appearance but have a good diet, exercise and keep themselves well who look great.

I don't think you need make up and expensive clothes to look well. I think people who look after their bodies tend to look well especially as they age.

Look in the charity shops for clothes, and Superdrug do good make up at tiny prices.

Superdrugs own skincare - the brightening one is reallt good as even if i had lots of money dont think i could pay ££ for creams and things,but this range seems to give me clear/glowing skin.

I think as you get older (40+) it gets difficult, especially if you aren't good at doing, hair colouring/nails/eyebrows/lashes.

But Women who go out drinking a lot, lack sleep because of that and who don't look after their diet, are on a par, if not worse, complexion wise.

I don't agree. Toni and Guy charge me £10 for a cut and blow dry by one of their juniors.
When i was really poor i would shop at charity shops in affluent areas - a silk Monsoon dress, a Jaeger suit each £10. Youtube tutorials on styling hair.
Cheap makeup from superdrug - Mua range is cheap.
Buy cheap skincare products but be consistent and use them morning and night - don't go to bed with a dirty face.
As you are time poor, experiment with a messy bun and always carry lipstick and powder with you.

The things is though, time = money. The frustrating thing is I find that if you have money you can buy shortcuts - whereas if you have no money IME you often have very little time to invest in doing things which cost less but take longer, if that makes sense?

It's true the advice about caring for clothes & charity shopping but in reality it takes time to do that and to hunt for the bargains (amidst a majority of tat).

Also true about eating well etc, but again, given little time the tempting option is to eat an unhealthy option / junk food.

Its really difficult OP. Unless you are blessed with being naturally beautiful, a cracking figure and really good skinand hair.

I spend no money on clothes. I do have good haor when I style it thanks to my amazing hairdresser and spending about £80 every 8 weeks. But that is unaffordable for lots of people.

I have.always thought make up was 'easy'and my make up bag was high street mascara, eye shadow and a bb cream with a sweep of bronzer. I got married in May and instead of a MUA I had a.lesson at Bobby Browns and spent £200 on make up.

When I do my make up with all the products I look a million dollars. My No 7 and body shop and rimmel stuff doesn't come close.

I don't tend to spend a lot on clothes. But if I do, and do my make up and hair I look expensive and groomed. Even though I am fat and forty.

In my leggings and long vest top or harem trousers I look about 13 quids worth .

If I were skinny I might look effortlessly chic but I doubt it.

It costs money to look good. I can usually see the difference between brands and sulermarket or primarni. Even just the difference between say Next and Tesco. Or Next basics and Next expensive.

Yanbu.

If I had the money I would get braces and whiten my teeth. They're not too bad but top teeth have gaps (prolonged dummy use as a kid - thanks mum), I would love a nicer smile. It would be a HUGE confidence boost. I would get laser hair removal all ovet and also treatment for acne scar removal on my cheeks.

I manage to make a pretty good effort on a modest budget with makeup and clothes. But it's shit to never have the money to buy decent stuff.

Superdrug often do 3 for 2. And Wilko have their own brand essence if your skin isn't sensitive you could have a look at that range perhaps? I don't advise maybeline though. Foundation was yuk on my skin

I think your right. No way would I look this acceptable if I didn’t have the money for the up keep it costs £££!

Of course people with little money can and do look fab but I reckon it would be harder.

However with makeup I don’t think you need much to “Improve” your look a bit of mascara and lipstick can make a huge difference imo, and you can pick up these items at reasonable prices.

Clothing better quality does look and wash better compared to low end stores like Primark. Charity shops & eBay bargains can be had I imagine, not all the time but often. I think also if you live in a good area you’d be surprised what you can find in a charity shop.

Drinking a lot of water can help skin, most people can manage that. Not too much alcohol, being careful in the sun, not smoking again help the look of skin.

Also think keeping yourself on the healthy weight side helps hugely.

I think young and no money it’s possible to look good - as you get older it’s harder to wing it. Also things like a good diet are more expensive - carbs are cheap and filling.

I think people who are physically fit can look good regardless of finances (though, again, need the luxury of time to exercise). A beautifully toned body will look good in anything!

It depends on what you mean by looking good really. If you think it involves wearing makeup and having beauty treatments or using expensive products then you're probably right.
I don't agree. I think being fit and healthy, getting enough sleep and being clean and tidy are more important.

Generally, I don’t agree. Depends if we’re taking about NO spare cash at all for new clothes/makeup or just a lesser amount. It’s easy for women to look good in cheaper/non designer clothes. Primark, new look, boohoo all pretty cheap and have nice clothes. You can get good drugstore makeup cheaply if you know which ones to get.

Running is free and use body weight to tone up...therefore normally no excuse to look good physically if that’s what you want.

Obviously natural looks and genes play a part. But make the most of what you have!

I won't claim to know if I look good but i feel good and I'm not well off. I have nice shampoo and conditioner that my sister gets for me because she lives near Waitrose but its 80p a bottle.

I have perfume from Avon that was on offer around Christmas time that nice.

My make up is never the same kind as I get what's on offer/reduced to clear. I got a ridiculous haul the other month from boots for a tenner.

Most of my clothes are in sales at super markets. I bought a couple of new t-shirts in the next sale yesterday for £2.50 each.

I like skin care from Aldi which is cheap but it's doing little things that make me leave the house with a spring in my step and hopefully I look half decent.

Being permanently exhausted leaves opportunities for exercise - even free ones like walking etc.

Am almost 50 so not young.

Also I'm not thin so I don't have that going for me haha.

Completely agree with you.

Super easy to look good if you have time and money.

Perfectly do-able to look good if you have either time or money.

Much harder to look good if have neither time nor money.

In the main I think you're right.

Of course, there will always be people who look fab in anything, are great at sourcing bargains, or have a knack with clothes/hair/makeup.

But for most of us, quality clothes, expensive hair dos, premium makeup, regular treatments, good food all make a big difference.

I think hair in particular is worth spending money on. A good i.e. expensive cut/colour can really lift someone.

Rommel makeup is very cheap and cheerful. Keep hair clean at all times, and see if a friend can give you a trim ? Clothes, scour the charity shops in affluent areas, they often have great clothes compared to a local store.
And stick to classics. Scour ebay too, lots of people I know by their named clothes this way, whereas Im happy with supermarket stuff in general (Sainsbury being better than Tesco in general) And they are quite hardwearing, thinking of t shirts for example. Their jeans are cheap, and they have lots of sales

Rimmel