People who look so polished ... How???

[birthdaymayhem]

Posting for traffic and maybe in the hopes of finding a wizard who can tell me how to achieve this.

So in my immediate circle of friends I know 2 couples who always look so polished and put together they could've jumped out of a Next catalogue!
For me it's like dark magic. They always have clean, ironed and up to date clothes.
Especially the ladies, hair always blow dried or very neat, ridiculously smooth skin even up close, and clothes which must've come out of the brand new next collection (they all dress in a very similar way).
None of them are "would look good in a bin bag and a pair of crocs" type of beautiful but they are just so well put together they always look amazing!

But how can you look so good, fresh and put together all the time with 2 or 3 small DCs in tow, a house and job and all the stuff that comes along with that?

My put together is clothes that passed the sniff test and makeup hastily slapped on whilst DCs are having breakfast before we are out of the door.

See I am with the Op..... it amazes me how people do it.

I just can't imagine being polished on daily basis, I can just about manage it for one offs like weddings but not every day.

Take today for example, I've got a baby so was up half the night due to teething so already look shit due to dark circles under eyes. Should've got up early to shower and preen but so knackered that hit the snooze and lost 15mins of my getting ready time. 6:30 am Had a shower (have thick curly long hair so takes forever to wash) another 20 minutes gone. Getting dressed involved trying on about 6 different top and cardi combinations to go with my black skinny jeans but not of it fits right so clothes flung all over bed and ended up with last badly fitting top that was a 'that'll do' type scenario. So already looking a bit crap. Ok so 7.30 quick break from getting ready to feed baby. 7.45 Hair started to dry whilst feeding baby so starting to go all frizzy. Cue me trying to save my curls with lashings of mousse, end up with ok hair. Brush teeth. Throw coat and shoes on. No time to do make up. Leave house at 8am but the minute I leave house the rain and humidity mean hair is all frizzed up again. Drop off baby at childminder. Get on bus, realise shoes all scuffed (too late as on bus), do make up on bus (light foundation, mascara And eyeliner). Look like I've done my make up on the bus... walk from
Bus to work. Hair now completely frizzed. Scuffed shoes and ill fitting top. But this is me most days!!

You may wonder why don't put clothes out night before but I literally get back from work and it's the whole kids bedtime thing (I have a 4yr and a 1yr old) and my youngest is still in our bedroom so can't be getting put clothes while she's trying to sleep. My wardrobe is full of things that don't fit as my weight is up and down like yo-yo since having kids. Also have separated abs from pregnancy so I've got a big tummy (even though a size 12)so tops don't often flatter! I can't afford to buy a whole new wardrobe.

I literally don't understand how people do it.

I think being super organised must help because I'm not!

Not sure if someone has already said it as not RTFT, but I always think having good teeth can be the difference between looking good and not. I’ve had mine whitened before and felt great afterward.

I think I am polished maybe, I'm always told I look nice. I work in the NHS and have a few digs here and there from colleagues about how I must have to get up an hour early to go in with my hair and makeup done as I have 3 toddlers, when I explain it takes me about 20 minutes they don't believe me.
I don't sacrifice any time with my children, I do it while they're in the room and they like to play with my brushes.
I think my clothes could be better, I'm stuck somewhere between baggy mum clothes and my pre baby clothes, none of it looks right. I'm going to look up this capsule wardrobe.
For my hair, I have wavy hair and I've found the biggest difference between being able to style it and looking nice is if I use a good heat protection spray and serum and blow dry it. If I let it dry naturally and then straighten it later it does not look anywhere near as good.

Also, I've started having fillers for the areas that are losing their youth. I'm only late 20s but everyone's cheeks and pre jowls start to slip around now. You'd never know I had anything done but it helped with the unflattering angles that I noticed.

Lenny they last me about 2 weeks before I need to top them up, so not as long as a salon, but the glue is literally £5 and the lashes I get range from £2.99 off eBay to £5.99 in boots, and they will do 2 applications.

@Twirlypoo

Do they not come off when washing etc?

I don't look polished all the time, especially if at home and not leaving the house but I think the foundations reduce the time it takes to look 'naturally' groomed.

Shower daily and shave arm pits, feeling clean is key for me to feel right.

Eyebrows - I used to get HD brows done but now plug twice a week and trim the tops of them every 1 - 2 weeks, don't underestimate the importance of cutting the tops!

Lashes- I put on my own volume/Russian/extension lashes instead of paying £25-40 for a set. I get the glue and lashes off Amazon and cost per set lasting 2-3 weeks is around £2!

Nails - short and often painted, nudes more classy but enjoy seasonal colours. Fast dry nail polish is great as you can reapply every couple of days to keep it fresh.

Toe nails - Prefer French on toes and generally lasts very well on toes.

Nail Bonus - go on YouTube and learn how to do your own gel nails, initial outlay can be as little as £20-£30 for bits you need on Amazon. Don't keep doing gel nails back to back though as they get very weak

Complexion - Clear skin obviously. I love Elemis however my skin has never been terrible so I don't know if its a magic fix for skin problems.

Skin - I use Garnier 7 day moisturiser on dry areas, then Garnier Summer body in DARK for my pale skin approx. 1- 2x a week. Also sometimes use St Tropez shower instead. I forgot about Sally Hansen Airbrush legs, amazing just don't spill your drink!!

TAN TIP I have pale skin. I read that pale skin tones should use DARK tans as they contain more olive notes whereas light tans are more suited to olive skin due to their yellow tones! So if tan goes yellow on you, try tanning less of it but in a darker shade, it seems the wrong way round but makes sense!!

Teeth - I always use whitening Colgate/Oral B lines and add whitening strips every few months. Crest White Strips are the best but are not sold in UK so again Amazon or eBay, beware of fakes and check out the crest website to find the strength of strip you want.

Also, when I do my lashes I wear contact lenses as the glue is so fumey for open eyes!!

I’ve just had my eyebrows microbladed. They’ve made such a difference to my face.
I was In 2 minds and was going to cancel but I decided to do it.
I am really really happy with them.

@twirlypoo I'm interested in this too. Do you use semi permanent glue? If so what glue do you use? I used to do individuals every morning with ardell individual cluster lashes and duo glue which took ages but didn't know you could do them with semi perm glue?

@LetGuardDown do you mean you do eyelash extensions by yourself? With your eyes open? Please teach me your ways

Yes, beauty professionals are horrified when I tell them! I have a ring for the glue, put my contacts in to reduce eye watering from fumes (and leave in for half hour afterwards) then place them on with tweezers with my eyes open. YouTube tutorials are your friend! Find a semi permanent glue and read the reviews for one that's long-lasting (avoid Ardell!!!)

My glue

This is the glue I use, and some of the lashes - I tend to go for short individuals as I think they look classier than the super long ones.

You can see the blobs of dried glue on the packet on the right - I use tweezers to take the lashes out and put them on the back of my hand, about 5-10 at a time. Put a blob of glue on the packet, and using the tweezers pick up a lash and dip the very end of the lash into it. I close my eye and start at the outer edge place it as close to the eyelid line as possible. I then open my eye and check it’s in the right position. I work outside in, and keep opening my eye in between to check the positioning.

I probably don’t follow the “proper” rules at all, but it works for me! Oh! And same as with when you have lashes done, don’t wash them or get them wet.

Letguarddown i would love to know what lashes and glue you use too?

Cross posts!! I wear my contacts too!

I like 3 fan volume lashes (NOT CLUSTER LASHES, they are different!) and I stick with 11mm so not OTT. You could (should but I don't!) mix lengths. I also do individual lash extensions, depends on how I feel but the volume lashes are super fast.

Twirlypoo that glue you have was the first I used, lasted a few days bit not great. The stuff above is amazing.

Ooh thank you - I just had a look at those, which curl do you go for? I’m going to order some and give them a go!

I’ve just ordered the glue! I can get 2 weeks out of the salon selectives stuff, but it starts to look ropey after about 10 days!

As well as the great advice from pps, pay attention to hemlines/sleeves etc and your proportions.
E.g. I’m short bodied and long legged with norkage. I’m size 10 but after 4DC, my middle is not my best feature so:
Sleeves which end by my nipples or waist (with arms hanging naturally) draw more attention to my wibblier bits and make me look much wibblier.
Tops which stop too short make me look out of proportion and inelegant.
A couple of inches longer and I’m transformed.
Basically, wherever the hem of something hits draws attention to that area.

Haha I'd struggle without my contact lense shields!! A ring makes it easier for me too.

@twirlypoo i go for a D curl now as they are straighter so look longer than a C curl which effectly shortens itself with its tighter curl.

@SleightOfMind which expmain why i suit 3/4 sleeves.

This reminds me of another tip people aren't always aware of - if you have big arms, don't wear skinny tight bangles and watches. Chunky, looser accessories on your wrist will balance out a bigger upper arm.