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.

Mo’s hair could look like Anna Wintour’s if she used the Babyliss!

Time, effort, and a little bit of money (not necessarily loads). I plan my outfit for the day the night before including jewellery and shoes. Walk Tall, Wear Lipstick/Gloss! Act confident, even if you are not feeling it! I havent bought one myself (yet) but a friend has the Dyson hairdryer, which is ridiculously expensive but her hair looks amazing!

I am often told I look polished, but this only really happened since I gave up straightening my thick curly hair and let it go wild

I now use loads of John Frieda product and it looks fabulous. I am so cross with myself for all those years I didn't appreciate what I had

Even as a single parent to two DC I would put the time in. Are you a SP OP or is there a DP in the picture who can step up a bit more so you have time to look after yourself a bit better than "the sniff test?"

Number 1 piece of advice is go to bed early. Most of the time you are just sitting there watching shit TV and anything you really want to watch can be recorded/Sky+

No alcohol. It makes your skin look like shit and adds pounds to your figure.

Agree with PP re capsule wardrobe. Mine is black/blue/grey with a few white pieces and a few camel. This makes life so much easier. Also, wear dresses more often as then you don't have to worry about things looking like they match or go together. Only buy clothes you absolutely love

Nails are dipped every 2/3 weeks and eyebrows done at salon.

Massage once a month. Do face masks at home and also deep hair treatments which is simply a matter of plonking stuff on face/hair whilst you do the washing up.

Always wear rubber gloves when hands are in water and moisturise several times a day. Treat feet this time of year - Newtons chiropody sponge or Footner. Then pop heel cream on once a week before bed.

Dove tanning moisturiser twice a week.

Eye cream and neck cream morning and night.

Honestly, it sounds like a lot but I can be ready to leave house 15 minutes after getting out of the shower on a day to day basis. A lot of this you can do at other times/in the evening.

Good luck OP.

Yes to everything you've said @IDontMindAnythingWillDo ! I had a similar journey too. Skincare routine is a game changer. I thought I had it down then watched kourtney kardashians skincare routine on Vogue's YouTube channel and her skincare/ make-up routine is perfection. It's expensive to experiment with products but it's worth it to find what works for your skin.

I also used to only buy Mac make-up but realised that while they're good for some things, there are better brands our their for others. So I use Fenty beauty for my foundations, lipstick and concealer, Anastacia Beverly Hill for all things eyebrow and contour, Mac for powder, lip liners and lipsticks, Sasha for setting powder and then I buy all my non essentials cheap (I.e. eyeshadow, eyeliners, blushes, highlighter, bronzer).

It's definitely harder for bigger people to look neat imo. But I still know people who manage it. I'm a healthy weight, but I still look like an unmade bed! Watching with interest.

I really don't understand why people come on a thread like this and go oh I don't care how I look.

The OP has asked for advice, the OP clearly cares how she looks. Also, those of us who replied also care how we look. I don't go on to advise people how to maintain their garden, or do DIY as these are not my strengths or interests. But I would never go onto a gardening or DIY thread and say, oh I don't care about the state of my garden and neither should you.

Also, this is not a feminist argument as men and women can both be interested in how they look (my dad was still vain at aged 95!!!).

@GabrielleNelson

Ha! So true. My DH looks like an unmade bed (very, very slim fwiw) and I've never seen him concerned about it.

Men who work in certain industries such as marketing, finance and investment, law, broadcasting, and where they are senior management all care how they look. I've worked with enough of them over the years to know they spend as much if not more time on their grooming.

I think the bottom line is that you have to care enough to build it into your life, in snatched moments. Some people don't find doing their nails relaxing and others do.

Gabriell my dh makes just as much effort as Me. He goes for regular haircuts, even facials, gyms, gets the face combo wax too, puts effort in how he dresses etc.
I think it's more common than you think, it's just that men rarely talk about it.

Some people just dont care about it.
Some people do. Nobody is better than the other.

Hmmm I was planning on picking up some tips off this thread, but then I get a shot of reality - I look more like Mo off EastEnders than Anna Wintour so there is no hope for me :0

My experience working in the City. Despite well cut Hobbs dresses and shoes, expensive make up, nice shoes and straightened hair - by the time I get into the office from the train / tube I am dripping in sweat and my hair is frizzy!

I use primer, hair serum and a high quality antiperspirant. Still makes no difference.

People do tell me that I’m “glamorous” though. No idea why!

I don't intend to sit on this thread sniping at those who make different choices from me, but I do think there is a legitimate point that those who can't or won't spend all this money and time on their appearance may be hindered in their careers, and I believe this affects women more than men.

There's a separate point that when I was growing up in the 60s and 70s there was no pressure to look good all the time for social media. I worry about the effect on mental health, especially for the very young, of the pressure to look amazing all the time.

That's all, and I'll leave you all to it now.

Placemarking as I either look pristine or a messy state

OP with people like this, the polished look is usually at an expense. They will pay someone to do cleaning, ironing etc. Or they might not spend as much time with their children.

What an awful and utterly ridiculous thing to say.

Yes, but what’s their souls like?

Think it’s classic clothes. Not designer just well made
A good hair cut not necessarily big. But like a well kept bob.
Short and or healthy nails
Regular dental visits
Not over doing jewellery
Some make up but in that way that you can’t immediately tell it’s been worn

@Littlechocola haha I'm defs not that person right now! Newborn life means if I manage to shower each day I'm happy

Am I the only person who would seriously rather look like a bag lady than only wear black, white, navy and camel? I will be the mad old lady in purple with a red hat that doesn't go, or however it goes. Except that I hate hats.

I think looking after your skin makes a big difference... plus sometimes it's worth investing in treatments which make your morning routine super fast. I have eyelash extensions and gel nails so my hands are always neat and my make up routine takes 2 minutes.

Suncream>small amount of foundation>dusting of MAC bronzer>highlighter across cheek bones> sheer gloss on lips or dusty pink lipstick.
And I'm done. Couldn't be quicker.

Re wardrobe - good jeans and tops that are interchangeable. A nice mac coat and a good handbag. Choosing items that are each to mix and match.

Hair - Needs to look healthy, with a nice trim. Shoulder-length or longer. Highlights aren't necessary, but very helpful to fake that naturally elegant style. Straighten it before bed, sleep on it, and you'll wake up with hair that looks naturally sleek but not overly done.

Skin - Again, needs to look clear and healthy. Get any skin problems (acne, etc.) sorted out. Wrinkles and natural signs of ageing are fine, as long as you look fresh and well-rested. Look into Vit C and brightening serums. A light tan is never a bad idea - invest in a gradual tanner and apply it after showering (it's literally moisturiser that tints the skin).

Makeup - Do a bit of bronze, blush and highlight for a glowy, just-back-from-holiday look. Avoid any eye makeup besides mascara, it looks fresher to go without. Pick a lip shade that's glossy and just a few shades darker than your own lips. Make sure your brows are plucked and neat.

Clothes - Many will say simple is more polished, but even if your style is bright and colourful, it can still look polished - the trick is to know how to put an outfit together. Simple is just easier. Go for a browse round the charity shops and trial different outfits for little money, to discover what you like and what suits you.

As you can tell, I am v passionate about this topic. :)

Today 16:13 clairemcnam

How you actually look has some bearing on this as well. Mo from Eastenders is never going to meet this version of polished however good her hair cut or clothes.

^THIS is the unspoken elephant in the room . Some people naturally have a look/ physicality that lends itself to polished and groomed. Some don't, no matter what. Conclusion: just be yourself, it's all you've actually got.

Time and money plus many people have poor posture and wear fitting shoes or heels they can’t walk in well.

My Father moisturised his skin back in the 1960,s and only ever bought few but well fitting good quality clothes. I never saw him in jeans.

OP with people like this, the polished look is usually at an expense. They will pay someone to do cleaning, ironing etc. Or they might not spend as much time with their children

I'm not sure it's that ridiculous. If you spend an hour getting ready every day when the average mum spends 5 minutes, that's 55 minutes a day you can't spend on other things!

I would like to look polished and wear flattering clothes but it's difficult when styles are so similar everywhere and they don't suit you! I can just about find jeans that fit although so many are skinny fit at the moment (will that fashion please just die) and tops appear to be designed for the early stages of pregnancy - why? I end up wearing things I don't really like because I can't find anything else. When I do find something I like I tend to buy two of it.

I'm not sure if I'm polished, but I've been called stylish. I think I spend time choosing clothes that I really like, suit me, good quality and are versatile.

I research hair and skin products and eat healthily. The time spent doing this means I don't actually spend much time getting ready in the morning. I also have rainy/hot and humid day routines, such as putting up my hair, putting on a hat, so I look less bedraggled or frizzy (others with curly hair will understand).