AIBU to not be high maintenance beauty wise?

[Passmethebotox]

Quite light hearted I think!
I was at a friend’s birthday last weekend. He works “in finance “ and there was a mixture of friends, colleagues, old friends, etc.
There was an obvious group of beautiful people. Tall, great hair, immaculate nails and make up and definite suggestions that some of them had some aesthetic improvements made. The all seemed to gravitate to one another even though they were from different groups and hang out taking selfies most of the night.
I’m not a slob. I see my hairdresser regularly and have my eye brows and lashes tinted monthly. I pass for pretty (although can sometimes look like a llama if I get unlucky in photos )
I’m not jealous of their gorgeousness but I am pondering why there is such a jump to their level.
Am I not trying hard enough?
Yes = Up your game girl!
No= Beauty is only skin peel deep!

My eye brows are definitely for me not anyone else!
I earn enough to do what ever I fancy to my face, hair and body. As, I am sure, do the women and men that inspired my pondering.
I see myself as confident in my own skin but just a bit bemused at how others value their beauty.

I take the point that my selfie comment may seem judgmental but I believe a relevant part of the experience. They are simply capturing evidence of the effort that they have put into their appearance at that very time.

You get more done than I do. And I thought I was high maintenance, with my Beauty hauls .

Its just a different set of priorities... different people need different levels of grooming to feel a certain level of confidence.

For some people that means being very groomed and "done", for others its a less is more approach.

The trick is to find what level of grooming most brings out your optimal confidence. It can take years to do this.

I think there are unhelpful stereotypes at both ends of this discussion tbh and this thread is a perfect example, with cattiness directed at the people who are into grooming and those who don't prioritise it.

Find out what works for you, learn not to give a fuck about what other people think about it and don't waste valuable headspace on over-analysing others for their grooming choices.

Eurgh I hate how it becomes a competition for who is the most groomed or ungroomed! And I don't like the term "high maintenance" what does that even mean?

I have a busy day looking after my baby, I work too and look after the house as many others do... At the end of the day I like a bath and i have an "elaborate" skincare routine that I find relaxing and rewarding before bed. I also get natural eye lash extensions, and I have pedicures and wax. I don't care if that makes me high maintenance. I love having nice skin and smelling lovely before bed.

If you choose to buy 20p soap and cut your hair every ten years with a pair of kitchen scissors making you "low maintenance" good for you, it's nothing to do with me.

The connotations about high maintenance vs low maintenance need to stop.

A lot of men these days are visiting beauty salons to have their eyebrows and eyelashes tinted, their eyebrows waxed so they are "on point" is the quote I've heard. They also want full arm waxes, so their sleeve tattoos aren't obstructed at all, their "hairy backs and chests" absolutely repulse them? They tend not to go for spray tanning, because apparently the smell of "biscuits"? gives it away, and isn't attractive to the opposite sex, but they regularly use tanning beds and stands? And some I know have also went down the protein shakes (and steroid use) to help them build muscle mass at the gym... Not to mention the facials and botox... To say its only women is naive, but yes, they do all seem to gravitate towards each other, as though they've found "their people"

If I had more money, time and inclination I’d love to be getting weekly manicures, massages, bimonthly hair cuts, blow dries etc... but I don’t. In fact I’m probably too lazy to do any of that bar the twice yearly mani/pedi.

Perhaps because I grew up with a mother who had to look just so and critiqued herself and others constantly that I just can’t be bothered with it all. But I look at people who do look polished and have nothing but admiration

Ah i forgot brows, they really need attention but I guess I get those done every 2 years . If it’s not in front of me I don’t really think of it tbh. Same applies in the other areas of my life

Ooooh I love the biscuit smell! I am trying to put the effort in to be more “high maintenance”, I don’t look particularly different but feel much better when I haven’t cack handily done everything myself and it feels like a treat. I’ve started having my nails done every few weeks and my hands just look a bit better, very subtle highlights rarely as they done so they can grow out and I can’t afford the upkeep and I like how they look, and had my eyebrows threaded for the first time a few months ago and it made a huge difference. And I won’t be dying them myself again after the last time however much I like Groucho Marx.

Personally, I always cringe a little bit at stuff like this. I have a few friends who fit your description (and I love them) but I always think - life is too short for posing in endless selfies and pouting... just enjoy the party. I am pretty high maintenance, but I like to look like me, and I think others look their best when they look like themselves too.

Too much in the way of eyelashes/eyebrows/nails/botox/fillers... everyone starts to look the same. No doubt really well polished and well groomed - and I really do hope they feel really confident and happy, because that's what matters - but selfishly, I just wish we'd all look a bit more like ourselves.

I aspire to looking natural yet well groomed. Not fussed about false eyelashes/nails/tan and can rarely be bothered with make up.

I think there is pressure in many jobs to look good though and have no doubt that it can help your career.

Definitely low maintenance lol I'm a don't wear make up loads don't do nails don't go hair dressers often and don't go to a salon 🤣🤣

I'm way to lazy and poor to keep it up with those kind of people. I also find no joy in getting nails done so never had it and I go to the hairdresser just wanting him to get on with it. It's just so boring I can't be bothered. I think I probably got lucky in the genetics lottery because I think I look ok without artifice but maybe that's just me being an optimist:).

Me too. Can't remember when I was last in a salon - many years ago. My eyebrow and eyeashes remain untinted. I seldom wear make up. I cut my fringe, and DH or DD trim the back of my hair. I trim my nails with nail clippers. A Lebanese family member, uetterly beautiful herself, once famously said, "You know, Zimunya, you would be quite attractive if you only made an effort."