Countdown to a Frugal Christmas, The Friendly Frugaleers still knitting,nattering and money saving!

[QuiteFabULousDahling]

New Fred

I need to go and buy sunblock actually. My dm says Nivea sunblock is the one magic kind of moisturiser that I will be able to use without a reaction, so I've to go and get that to put on the sun damaged bit on my neck to make it vanish. Must actually do that.

Em is there any way that you could teach me to care more about my appearance? As long as I have clothes on I generally consider that I'm good to go.

In fairness, I think I do look okay.

15spf isn’t enough really, 30 minimum. I use Superdrug sunblocks but I’m waiting for the ordinary to launch their spf 50 for oily skin.

You can’t get enough uvb to make vit d in this country Oct-March anyway but uva will always get through. I do face, neck, chest daily.

It’s all about trying to preserve the collagen and elastin in your skin because 25% of your collagen fucks off at menopause. That’s when the damage really shows.

That certainly explains a lot Fluffy. I didn't know the collagen just went away like that.

Does anybody know if it's possible to freeze whole, uncooked jacket potatoes, just like people freeze uncooked oven chips?

Thanks fluffy, I will have a proper look at the ordinary, I was too tired last night.

I use body shop chamomile oil on my oily skin.
Going to look back at the radiance range though as I'm looking quite tired.
Sunblock I don't wear in winter tbh. Superdrug face or not frugal but ultra sun face.
I use a BB cream everyday and nothing else but have mascara et Al for when I need it

Nursie sorry about your dad

I think a lot of it is down to luck. I have always had good skin on my face - not many spots as a teenager and not may wrinkles now I’m 46 and post menopausal. I have had lots of very expensive moisturisers as gifts and find that they don’t work any better, for me, than the cheaper ones. At the moment I am using oil of Olay as I love the smell and because it’s cheap I can use plenty of it. My neck is the area I would often forget so I try to treat it a bit better as I can see it sagging a bit.

It’s swings and roundabouts though as I have always, even when I was thin, had cellulite on my legs that no amount of creams every got rid of.

Nursie

I have shocking oily skin as well and often don’t tolerate moisturiser at all. I’m getting on quite well with la Roche posay effaclar duo at the moment. I use balance me micellar water to cleanse and I’m afraid I can’t be arsed with make up. I get my lashes tinted every six weeks as mascara makes my eyes sore now (doesn’t matter what type, I used to love Dior) and if I’m going out or going to some important work meeting I use clarins pore et matique which has no tint at all just keeps the shine at bay

Yeah I don’t moisturise either. I would if I was outdoors a lot like Jam is.

Oh no, skincare. I am at the back of the bus. I use deodorant, a suirt of perfume. Done. Most moisturisers give me spots, ditto facewashes. I'm the village jester in any kind of makeup. So bare, old, and haggard is the look I'm rocking.

I just booked 10 pin bowling for CP £38. Round here for a lane for an hour it would be £60 minimum, so it will be a real treat. Plus all the local reviews are dire.

Finishing a bit early at work today. No childcare cover after school. I'll take the 3 I'll have for a macdonalds tea as well.

born that's really interesting that you are already past the menopause at 46. I keep wondering if that is what is going on with me as two GPs told me that I have exactly the symptoms that they had in the menopause. I was only 39 when it started though, and I suppose there's no way to know if a person is in the menopause young until it's finished is there? How did you know?

I have a thread in Chat atm about feeling ugly so this discussion of beauty stuff is funny timing! Em How do you have time to do all that with the baby? Is my baby just ridicuslouly demanding? Honestly all I manage to get done with DD is, bring her upstairs and plonk her on the carpet outside the bathroom on a blanket with some toys, with the bathroom door open so she can still see me, shower - I wash my hair every 3rd day so if I'm washing it I use a 2--in-1 shampoo & conditioner as I need to condition or my hair gets awfully dry and I have to rush my whole shower etc so don't have time to do it separately, not ideal but all I have time for - dry myself, by this time she's already whinging. Brush my teeth which she shuts up for to watch. Go in her bedroom to put perfume and deoderant one whilst she cries cos I am out of sight. Put my clothes on, take her into my bedroom, put her in her crib where she cries, roughly blow-dry my hair which she is usually quiet for as she likes the hairdryer. Thats it. Because if I try and put any more steps in it - eyebrow stray hair plucking, moisturising my face, or my body, or anything, she just cries and cries because she's bored by that point. I just brush my hair after I've dried it - again while she cries cos I'm out sight. It's really stressful and I have to rush the whole thing as well.

Meadow my guy was like yours or more so. I think babies are all just really different, in the same way that adults are all different. I think Em's is very chilled, but I don't know really as I've only had one. You are getting a lot more self-care done than I was, so you're definitely within normal range I'd say, or at least normal for me. LOL!

Meadow when ds could sit up unassisted I sat him in the shower while I showered. Two for the price of one wash. Before that he would be in his cradle-chair thing on the bathroom floor while I showered. Before crawling I used to plonk him in the middle of the bed while I got dressed etc (then usually had to start all over again because he’d pee of vom on my work clothes). Once crawling it had to be the cot or the baby pen.
Perhaps have the radio on when she’s in her cot if you haven’t already tried and see if that alleviates the boredom. Terry Wogan was a god send when ds was young

Forgot to add, off to Ikea shortly. Could be spendy!

Autumn I had an ovary removed at 40 and although technically it shouldn’t have made any difference It definitely made me peri menopausal. I started to get the flushes and over the next couple of years my periods became less frequent. Twice I went about 9 months period free and then had one period so had to go back to the start. I think I’ve been about two years without a period now so I am considered post menopausal. I still have the flushing and sweating but my main concern is brain fog. I was always quite a sharp person and now I feel like I struggle to retain important information 🙁

Meadow I was exactly like that with Ds1 he would cry whenever he couldn’t see me so I did the basics and that was it. It won’t last forever and you will get more time to yourself, but I could never really be bothered much with the beauty regime after that. I used to look at beautifully presented people with small children and think how the hell do they do that??

meadow it’s much easier now ds is older. When he was little I used to shower when he was sleeping. Or would get up and do it before dh went to work while I was on mat leave.

Now I get up at 6. Ds usually wakes up at 630. So I’ve got time to shower etc. Dh gets him up and starts in breakfast while I’m showering dressing. We then switch. I get ds ready and then finish my face. Ds “helps” I have to pop him on the floor, shut the bedroom door so he doesn’t escape and then give him a make up brush or my hairbrush to hold. He loves “helping”. We also then do his eyebrows (I use the smudger on the other end of my eyeliner pencil and poof his eyebrows, use a clean brush to poof his face and make a squirt noise (“psssssst”) and do his “perfume” (lid on...).

The nighttime stuff I can do once he’s asleep.

It’s the same with teeth cleaning. We do out teeth together. Ds sits on the bath mat and lets me brush his teeth and then he chews his toothbrush while I do mine.

autumn I’m not sure it can be taught. I think you just have to do it until you get it if you know what I mean. I’m not saying you need to use all the make up or anything. But if you wanted to, just start small. I’ve recently added eyebrow pencil to my list. It does make a difference to my face. I want to add lipstick. But will start this once I’m comfortable with the routine as is.

I’d maybe just go to a counter and ask for help. They will try to sell you loads. But ask for samples. Clarins and Clinique are my faves for skincare. Pricey but a little goes a long way.

For make up I rate Bobbi Brown and urban decay. Also I use a bare minerals powder foundation. I really rate bourjois stuff too.

Em I think I need to video myself to see what I look like. I've never really thought about it before, but hearing you talk and seeing occasional photos of you makes me wonder.

I think, if anything, I would like to see how I move and what my facial expression is like. From the very occasional bits of video I have seen of myself, I think I have very self-conscious body language, and I think that, of all things, that is the one thing that I would like to change.

It's funny to reach this age and see things differently suddenly. I think before, I was very driven by trying to get to the point of having children and now that I have ds, I feel as though I have time to stop and things things through properly.

I have no idea whether make-up would be a thing for me.

born that makes a lot of sense, certainly. Thanks for explaining.

Morning !
Leave day today -hurrah !
Last few days have really kicked my butt life/work wise but I really am feeling the benefit of the increased exercise mood wise .
Today is shopping/laundry (mine)
DH did his and the cleaning yesterday.

CBA to read back but I hope everyone having a rough time is ok

Skincare chat is interesting -I like SD but also Nspa (Asda) Vegan/NAT
I avoid sun,use Spf 50 and vit D spray daily.
Smoking ,drinking,poor diet, sun and stress are the biggies.
I include lack of sleep under stress .
I looked worse in my 30s than I do now and I had fairly good sleepers !
I had very oily skin with sensitivity and teeny non visible pores -not a good combination !
I would get those big painful under the skin spots like a big bump and using Lush Ultrabland religiously for 3 months finally sorted it out.
Im very sensitive to any type of stimulation (stimulates oil and small pores get clogged )and facials particularly.
I use Ultrabland with a warm flannel followed by Nspa Day cream (Hyaluronic) and SPF in the morning.
As soon as I get through the door,bath is run and I use Superfacialist Oil to remove make up and double cleanse with Ultrabland .Serum -SD
Moisturiser only if I feel I need it .
SD brightening tonic ?AHA I cant remember but once a week
Will swop to Lush 9-5 and avoid water when it gets colder .
I did follow the skincare thread in S&B and they are pulling away from using too many products .
TO -I last read that Deciem had ceased trading ?(loadsa drama sadly).

em your routine with DS has made me smile .
I always bathed and washed my hair at night and had a quick rinse in the morning when they were little .
They "helped" in the morning and I did punky hair when I did my hair and make up .
DH showered in the morning and would blow them with the hairdryer -squeals of joy !

Thanks everyone, you're all so lovely

Nothing found in the charity shops today but I have finally started my Christmas shopping by purchasing an Echo Dot for £24.99 for DS2.

Meadow your DD sounds just like my DS3 he never wanted to be put down and needed to see me at all times, it does get easier I promise. He is 7 now and very independent, although still loves his mummy cuddles.

I just went to the health food shop and asked for ultra-bland moisturiser and they have given me £6.99 worth of coconut gunk in a jar. Interesting! I'm not going to try it today because I have to be human tomorrow, but maybe sometime soon. Possibly.

Still no exam results.

That's cause you keep checking!

Yeah, I know. I used to go and check exam results boards every day at University and it was always when I'd finally given up that the list went up.

I do like checking though.