To ask what your daily routine is to maintain yourself?

[inneedofaglowup]

Straight into it. If you're well invested in your self care routine and you do it consistently, what do you do? What's your skincare, workout, body, health, hair, food routine?

I want to push myself and be high maintenance. Yes it sounds a bit full of yourself but I have never pushed myself to be the absolute best version of me and I feel everyone should get that feeling at least once in their life and now after 3 kids, a great husband, getting to a great point in my career, I feel it's my time!

I wouldn't say I was too high maintenance but I defenatly take time in myself to feel an look good... Albeit a little superficial because at time my mental health isn't great!
Daily routine would be the obvious shower/bath an wash my hair, then use an electric blow dry brush to give my hair the salon blow out look,
Cleanse, tone, moisturize my face an neck, my favourite for my skin is the no7 range, a micro dermabrasion exfoliation scrub to remove dry skin... Protect an perfect intence day/night cream, Loreal revitalift syrum for neck an face, Botox in 3 areas - forehead lines, frown lines in btwn eyebrows an crows feet.
Maybelline peel off tattoo gel for long lasting perfect eyebrows, I use cluster lashes for a salon look as strip lashs can lift at either side an hard to apply if Ur a beginner, try different foundations an blushs to see what looks best on your skin....
A staple wardrobe, consisting of nude/black/white t-shirt, blazer, denim/black jeans, over sized sweatshirt, white trainers/ black boots, belt, sunglasses to accessorize, everything should be able to mix an match,simple necklace an bracelet an small hoop earrings...
If U can't get to the gym U can always do little workouts at home, if Ur not into exercise try an ear healthier an cut out one or two things ie crisps/biscuits...
Nails done every two weeks, many options, acrylic tips, shellac on your own nails, or biab which is a gel builder if U don't have long nails...
Teeth whitener U can get a tooth guard for best whitening results or use a really good toothpaste with whitener depending on your budget ..
Spray tan or tan out of the bottle or a gradual tanner, I honestly don't feel good in myself if Im pale an ghostly looking....
All this may make me sound high maintenance but it is the question U asked xxx

I have a shower, chuck on SPF moisturiser and go for long walks to keep fit and have started with some tiddly hand weights. I also do a dance class once a week. When I was working I spent 50 minutes of my lunch break walking. Now I’m retired I walk for a minimum of an hour a day often two. I do live in a place with nice walks plus appreciate I have the time.

Food is eat everything but smaller amounts and a lot of veg but minimal fruit. I don’t like the sweetness of it. I have never liked sweet stuff ever even as a child my Easter eggs would go off so have had a lifetime of very little sugar. I have olive toned skin so look sort of tanned a bit all year round. I’m a very light social drinker.

This is exactly the type of conversation I'm trying to get at! I mean yes it sounds a lot but once you do this consistently it becomes normal and you look and feel great! Prior to children I was very on the ball but it has been a 10 year slump and I absolutely want to be the best version of myself. Your tips are great thank you

Running three times a week. None of that other stuff beyond good hygiene habits and keeping my nails short and clean.

I'm not high maintenance but I do have some set things

Health

I always have a protein smoothie for breakfast so if everything else goes to shit I've had fruit and protein!
Multivitamin and extra vitamin D daily
6 monthly dentist appointments for check up and hygienist, electric toothbrush, floss, interdental brushes and a water flosser

Hair

Cut every 9 months, it's long and wavy so doesn't need much maintenance that way

Skincare

Cleanse, retinol, moisturise at night
I've got lazy with my am routine and need to step it up
Eyebrows are micropigmentation

Body

Peloton - I do spin and weights classes as often as I can but have to balance it with health issues which cause fatigue

My shower routine is probably high maintenance but oh well
Wash under arms, belly button, ears and feet with bar soap and exfoliating gloves
Wash entire body with a shower gel or oil
Body lotion mixed with an oil
Every night before I turn off the light I apply hand and foot cream and a lip mask
Use a foot file on dry skin twice a week
Perfume every single day and often before bed too

Sorry mine is a long one. Its worked for me. But might not for other people. I really ignored looking after myself when my mum died a few years ago. For about 2 years I had enough energy to maintain my job, look after the kids and keep up to the house (ish). I just kept getting more and more depressed. Then, last autumn I had enough. I felt like my body was slowly shutting down. Nothing made me happy. So I decided to start with one thing at a time. I just added things that brought me joy.

The first thing I did was decorate my living room to make it feel cosy and somewhere I felt relaxed and happy.

Then I set myself a bedtime routine. Which including tidying the kitchen so it was nice in the morning, getting clothes out for the next day, having a shower etc. I wfh and I was so bad at some points I couldn’t face showering even though I felt better afterwards. I promised myself I would do that for a minimum of a month. I had to be really disciplined and force myself to do it. I started feeling better. Then I worked on getting better quality sleep.

So I started taking care of myself by doing things that brought me joy. Since this I have implemented a proper morning and night skin care routine. Got a dressing table that looks pretty. Got myself nice, matching pjs, bought myself clothes I enjoy wearing and made me feel dressed up. I started getting my hair done again.

Every Sunday I have a routine of doing things that help me during the week. Make sure all the clothes are washed and accessible so no rushed mornings. Give the kitchen a deeper clean, do the bathroom, I have a long shower, do a full body scrub, shave my armpits and legs, do my eyebrows, blow dry my hair, catch up on work email and set any replies to go out Monday morning (that way I am going into Monday morning calmer, but no one who works for me will feel compelled to answer while they are on a day off), put a face mask on and pamper myself and watch something in TV. The kids join in if they are there. Dd is 19 and at uni and the ‘do things that bring you joy’ has helped her, she struggled with my mum death and juggling uni and work and was neglecting herself. Ds is 13 and he loves our Sunday evening pamper and TV.

I added some supplements in as I know I wasn’t eating well. But I am dropping them off as I start to eat better.

The latest thing I have done is started getting hello fresh. It’s actually working out cheaper than the whole food shop. I get it for the days I am in the office and left overs are for my lunch in the office the next day.

I have lost 2 stone in 3 months. I did this as I found the weekly shop and meal planning quite overwhelming. I would cook ds something, but would snack on crap for myself instead. With Hello fresh ds and I cook together, he is trying more foods, but the portion control has really helped. Because I am having a good meal I don’t feel the need to snack on crap.

I am slowly getting better, not quite there yet. But lots better. At some point I will stop hello fresh, when I feel I can meal plan properly. Right now it’s not where my focus is.

I am still devastated by losing my mum. But I am also living rather than existing. It’s actually helped in other areas. Since I started looking after myself my career has come in leaps and bounds. I have had 2 pay rises and one promotion. I plan to use some of the excess money to keep bringing joy to our lives.

In comparison to some of the ladies commenting I do sound high maintenance, I defenatly get a lot of comments on how young I look, how trendy my style is an how I always look well put together altho it may be a mask because as a 36 yr old single mum of a 15 year old an a 9year old I do sometimes feel like I'm struggling but to the world I must look like IV got it tgther !!
I just like to look an feel nice, I like my clothes to be on trend an my face an hair to be perfect - I no that alot of women hate that in other women but that's just the way I am.... Also cannot stress enough that if U are going to be doing the makeup thing a setting spray is a must becuz your face will look like you've just had your makeup done all day long, some people don't like the doll look but thats the look I go for, have tried over the years the fillers etc an I personally would only recommend Botox but my god your face glows an you feel fresh an youthful an dewy xx

I wash my hair three times a week. One of those times afterwards when my hair is about 75% air dry I put it in tight plaits to give me wavy/curly hair - takes 2 minutes to do but the results are so good. Sometimes I switch it up and use my heat less curler but I find the plaits much easier to sleep in. One time I’ll straightener it once it’s dry and the other time I tend to leave it. Less heat on my hair has definitely improved its look.

Pint of water as soon as I’m downstairs in the morning. Multivitamin.

I have an “everything” shower once a week where I scrub my body with exfoliation, shave from head to toe. My other daily showers are a full body wash and maybe a quick shave if needed for certain outfits lol.

Slather myself in coca butter after every shower. I also use lash syrum.

Once a week/10 days ish I use a home tint eyebrow and lash kit. So quick and easy. Also pluck any stray hairs.

face cream I use a day and night cream every day and an under eye cream both times.

I do my nails in bed twice a week while I’m watching a bit of tv. I make sure to cut my cuticles and apply a cuticle oil. It’s quite time consuming but I find it quite a therapeutic process. I can’t have gels or acrylics due to allergies.

Monthly pedicures really help.

Daily without fail
Shower: wash, shave bits, facial exfoliation, body exfoliation, shampoo + condition.
Teeth with whitening toothpaste.
Moisturise body.
Eyelash treatment.
££ facial moisturiser.
make up.
perfume

Check nails (i do my own gel)

30 mins of yoga

If it's summer i'll add in a tan routine. Spray for face and cream for body.

Evening: take make up off and apply a facial oil like Nuxe.
File feet and moisturise with a mixture of Flexitol and body lotion. I'm very fussy about having perfectly soft feet!

Monthly
Tone hair (pale blonde)
Total nail re-do - hands and feet (99% of the time french on both)
Coconut treatment on hair.

Can't think of anything else purely body related.

Oh god i forgot the loads of water and the handful of vitamins and the collagen powder in the evening 😊

Dear Lord! Each to their own, but that's high maintenance to me.
Shower daily, shave pits as needed, hair washed M/W/F/S/S. Foaming face wash with face cloth. Brush teeth
Serum, moisturiser, eye cream, generally no makeup if not going anywhere particular. Tinted moisturiser, mascara, lippy, and blusher for work or out.
Exercise class 2-3 per week. Try to walk daily
Clean clothes, uniform for work
Done

I swim every morning before work and do yoga at the weekend. I eat a wide variety of fruit and veg every day, I don't smoke, I drink moderately. I go to bed at a regular time every day. I don't wear makeup and my skincare routine consists of using a cheap emollient on my skin after swimming. I don't sunbathe.

If its high maintenance it is but I'd say out of my group of friends I'm the least high maintenance, but I'm not hurting anybody an each to there own, it's important to me to look an feel my best... Some people are into sports some are into beauty an I am defenatly into beauty an fashion

I'm loving the responses. Everyone has a different way to maintain themselves. I know being high maintenance is hard work at the beginning but once you're in that routine and you look and feel great it's an addictive feeling. Personally I like that but a simple effective routine can be just as invigorating. Please keep them coming!

Skincare - moisturiser and SPF every morning before my make-up. PM routine - double cleanse, AHA exfoliant alternate nights, night cream. I'll sometimes add an oil either AM or PM if my skin is dry. Tried retinol and didn't get on with it. I get my lashes and brows done (brows waxed and tinted, lashes tinted and lifted) 6 weekly. Should probably get my brows done 3 weekly, but I don't bother.

Hair - cut and coloured every 8 weeks (ish).

Workout - I'm not where I want to be with this. I do a weights class once a week. I'm aiming to up this to twice a week with three times a week cardio (treadmill probably).

Food - we do HelloFresh too, it saves the mental energy of meal planning. Since we started doing it we've eaten a lot less processed food. Lunches, I sometimes buy a meal deal in work but again am aiming to cut down on this. I try to make lunches with a few of my 5 a day (hummus bowls etc).

Body and soul - nobody has really mentioned what they do for their mental health, but for me that's one of the most important things. Far more important than being 'on trend' or getting my nails done. I take the dog long walks over the fields a few times a week and this really helps. I also practise mindfulness, this should be part of my daily routine but in reality I manage a few times a week.

Totally agree with the mental health, sorry I thought OP was talking about appearance but yes your mind is so important, OP I try to meditate - even if it's only with a YouTube video getting my daughter involved at least twice a week, and a yoga class :)

I don’t think people are ignoring mental health. It’s a perspective thing. Improving mental health can come from improving your self care and surroundings.

I am not saying self care can fix your mental health on its own. But it can definitely help.

All the things I listed, did improve my mental health. I know I still have to deal with the issues around my mums death. But I am not there yet. But I am a million miles from where I was. And every time, I make a step forward my confidence builds.

100% alot of the way I am with my appearance comes from my mental health an masking :) it's a journey, Resenate with your last paragraph fully

Agreed. I think everyone has a different way of what can help their mental health. I know some people don't like to admit it but when you physically look better and mentally feel better with physical activity it can snowball your thinking and mental well being towards other things. I know for me when I am in a routine of walking/working out and eating better it affects other areas of my life positively.

I don’t think I’m particularly high maintenance (always associate that with people who expect others to look after them, not people who take care of themselves).

I do the following-
— run 3-4 times a week
-hot yoga twice a week
-yin class once a week and I’m trying to do a bit before bed every day as well
-weights class once or twice a week
All of this is good for mental health as well as physical.

Grooming wise I am fairly standard- cleanse and moisturise twice a day, spf every day. Make up if I’m going to work or an evening out, otherwise not.

Used to do my nails regularly but at the moment I’m into buffed unpolished nails. I get a medical pedicure at Margaret Dabbs every so often and use their foot cream every day.

Hair cut maybe only every three months. My hair is long so I can get away with it.

I am very conscientious about teeth and floss every day plus regular hygienist (as well as dental check ups obv).

Also a daily spiritual practice- reading the gospels and spending time in nature. Don’t manage it every day actually but that’s the aim.

Also hate to say it but the thing that’s made the biggest difference for me is giving up alcohol.

Daily routine consists of washing, cleanse and moisturise, minimal makeup (5 mins max) do hair, a little perfume - I wear a uniform for work so don’t need to choose an outfit!
I work out 5 times a week so shower and wash hair after I’ve been to the gym. Always try and put some body moisturizer on.

weekly I exercise 5 times a week (evenings after work) usually so shower and wash hair after. For me my mental health is definitely better when I exercise

i do the essential grooming eg pluck eyebrows once a week. Shave legs etc a couple of times a week - probably more often in summer!!! Hair is usually a trim and roots every 8 weeks with occasional highlights.

I can’t have painted nails for work so that’s a rare treat when I have some time off. Have got a kit so I can do gel nails myself.

I have a sports massage every 4 weeks or so as suffer from stress and tight shoulders and prone to injury as a result.

im not vain, I prefer to wear lightweight makeup but the things above are what help to make me feel more confident

I do nothing.

Haven't washed hair since September 2023.

Haven't had a haircut in 4 years

Never eat fruit or veg.

But I wash my hands after the toilet.

Never shower but strip wash body with cloth once a month ,then apply Lynx dry stick.

Never moisturise.

I wear clean clothes though, jeans,leather jacket, boots,

I wear perfume daily.

People say I look 20 years younger than I am

Thats lovely 🙂. Well done on coping with a difficult situation and turning things around.

That's a real long time to go without washing.