Help me be less ugly after swimming!

[impossibleimposter]

Off to Center Parcs in Half Term. I haven’t been for ages and haven’t nailed the post swim routine so I don’t look hideous. My skin isn’t looking good at the moment with some rosacea so I don’t feel comfortable going completely bare faced day to day.

Any recommendations for a decent, genuinely waterproof mascara please?

And afterwards, what do you do with your face and hair to look as half decent as possible? My hair is shoulder length, thick and frizzy/course. Looks fine in a messy bun or pony when dry but takes an age to dry and pool hair dryers don’t touch it! The chlorine will make my skin tight but I don’t think the quick pool side showers will mean I can do a full cleanse etc! But equally can’t just leave it.

Finally what kind of clothes for active hols like CP? We will be biking everywhere.

I do this - Wash your hair in the pool shower, squeeze it with a towel and put a leave in conditioner in. Put it in a low pony or bun.

Wash chlorine off your face either with a balm cleanser if you can or just with clean water (pref not the hot shower water). Moisturise.

Then use this - www.boots.com/dr-jart-cicapair-tiger-grass-colour-correcting-treatment-15ml-10292010?srsltid=AfmBOor5HvYR1KfbWj-0OGH2g7or3bIgvvtZs_DefrhBI00-cfqBvIox

It all takes ten mins and once you've been out in the fresh air for ten mins you feel a lot less pickled.

Why do you care what you look like at center parcs? The only people who are going to see you are the people you go with (who presumably already know what you look like 1st thing in the morning?) and strangers who have also just got out of a pool or off a bike.

I kinda agree with it. It seems like a bit of a silly thing to worry about. However, chlorine probably doesn't do your hair and skin any favours so I always use shampoo and body wash designed to neutralize chlorine.

Dr Jart recommendation above is good

If you can stretch the budget Sweaty Betty leggings (only in sale) good

https://www.sweatybetty.com/archive-sale/power-gym-leggings--SB5400_GreyDapplePrint_FullLength.html

Wear with any colour sweatshirt

Some fake tan (you dont have to go super dark) the St Tropez express one is good.

Fake lashes? Only if you're not planning to put your head under the water though.

Eyelash tint as an alternative...

Because she wants to look and feel nice on holiday?

I don’t think any mascara is fully waterproof they just flake off rather than smudge. If you can I’d suggest getting them dyed. No smudges, no runs and less stress.

Center parcs may not be the holiday for someone who wants to spend their holiday looking 'nice'!

It's quite sad to see the OP describing herself as ugly, hideous, and needing to do stuff to look 'half decent'. Everyone at center parcs looks au naturel, it's not the kind of holiday where people generally wear makeup 24/7 or dress to impress. I'd bet good money that no one is going to care what you look like, and that's a positive imho, you don't need to do stuff to look 'half decent', just enjoy the swimming, biking etc.

Just bring a hat to wear after your swim and wash your hair when you get back.

I wear maybelline waterproof mascara when I swim and it doesn’t run . I swim three times a week.
i shower at the pool and take my normal shampoo and shower gel . Then a quick moisturise .
When you have finished swimming why can’t you go back to your lodge to dry your hair properly ?

For avoiding the chlorine sticking in your hair, thoroughly wet it in the shower before you go in the pool.

The pool showers are shite so you’ll need to go back to your hut to have a proper clean after anyway, especially with sensitive skin. It might be my interpretation but I didn’t think the ones I’ve been to are that big you can’t just walk/cycle back to your chalet between activities. If you are going to a uk one get used to cooking as the food was some of the worst I’ve ever bought. I’m sure you’ll look fabulous please don’t put yourself down 😊

I braid my hair, wet it well, put a little bit of leave in conditioner on, then my swim cap. No mascara, it doesn't survive the pool. After my swim, I shower and either leave my braids down or wrap around my head and pin. I use aquaphor on my lashes and brows, aloe vera gel on my skin, and a tinted lip balm or one with sunscreen.

I’ve been to CP many times @Namechangetry and I always try and look my best. I don’t give a stuff what anyone else looks like or whether they are au natural or not. Maybe the op feels the same. Just a thought.

I would suggest an eyebrow and eyelash tint before you go. Wash your hair and leave-in conditioner is a good shout. Then I also use a CC cream with spf when I've had a swim - chlorine water dries my skin and hair out massively.

I was also going to suggest lash and brow tint plus Erborian CC colour corrector!

@impossibleimposter
Perhaps you can swim with your hair in a messy bun? If you like the look of a messy bun? Or a braid/plait. Very practical, and cute.

I would skip the mascara, waterproof or non-waterproof, when swimming.

Have fun! Sounds like a lovely time, with swimming and biking!

Kiss Me Heroine Make Mascara is so waterproof and budge proof that you need their special remover.

I have worn it for a week before and it only finally came off when I found the remover (I was travelling).
During that time I washed my face every night with foaming cleanser and it didn't budge lol.

I don't use it everyday because it's a pain to remove, but it you want something that is going nowhere, no matter what you do, then it's the one for you.

Leave in Conditioner after washing hair in pool showers is great. I like to French braid my hair when it is damp and then a few hours later I take it out to lovely waves.

The Dr Jart recommended above it good for redness. La Roche Posay have one too, which I prefer.

A swim hat. No expert but I'm guessing a good one might protect your hair to the point you don't need to wash it at the swimming pool.

Maybelline have a long lasting 24 hr (two step) lip colour out at the moment that does not budge at all.

And I don't want to sound ridiculously cheesy... But confidence and a huge smile. I truly mean it when I've never seen a happy smiley person and thought isn't their face red/hair a mess/aren't they ugly! Only ever they look happy and like they are enjoying life ♥️

Love this!

I agree, wet hair with leave in conditioner or plait. Also a mircofibre hair towel for when you get out to help with drying and frizz control.

Charlotte tilbury has a lovely tinted moisturiser I love. Eyelash and eyebrow tint as recommended and a peel off lip tint prior to swimming. A nice body butter after showering off chlorine.

When I went to CP, I pretty much only wore Next active wear leggings and crop tops/crop jumpers and at night I’d get dressed up.

Have the best time!

Before I started getting lash extensions I used this:

https://a.co/d/ftBN4JM

You're not ugly, hideous, or any of the words you've used to describe yourself. Be kinder to yourself.

Soak your hair in the shower then wear a swim cap to avoid chlorine build up. I swim several times a week, don't like the swim shampoos and this avoids getting sticky sparkly hair. But if you're only at centre parcs for a few days it won't be that bad.

If you've got thick frizzy hair is it actually curly? Maybe try some products for curly hair.

You'll be glowing from all the activities you do so give your skin a rest from makeup, put on some moisturiser after your swim, and enjoy looking marvellous after your holiday.

Op I always used to look hideous after swimming - very frizzy hair and very pale so I basically look like the living dead. I like to think I look a lot better these days but I had to throw some money at it..:

1. Keratin treatment on my hair - life changing. I can now wash and go and not look like Worzel Gummage. I do the strongest one possible

1. Tom Ford waterproof mascara - expensive but doesn't smudge

1. Because I'm pale I use the benefit cheek stain - doesn't budge in the water. If you have rosacea you have the opposite problem I guess but maybe look into make up that has more staying power

1. Ambre Solaire fake tan spray for the face - I've used loads of diff tans over the years and this is by far the easiest, quickest and most natural looking one.

But agree with PP above that a big friendly smile always makes someone more attractive!

Hope some of this helps - enjoy CP!