Calling all you fashionistas/style gurus! We need your style-and-beauty tips

[HelenMumsnet]

Hello.

We're thinking of doing an MN Guide to Style and Beauty - but we can't do it without you!

We'd love you to post bestest, wittiest, most practical style/hair/beauty tips, secrets, rules, dos and don'ts on this thread.

Obviously, we're thinking "this will make you look good in the 13 seconds you have between getting up and getting the kids up", rather than "this will make you look good but takes six hours and £3000 to achieve".

Right, over to you. And thank you!

Yes, with a sort of cotton backing on the rubber. Much nicer .

Save enthusiastic plucking for your chin. And use eyebrow gel.

ignore 90% of style and beauty advice

Except mine.

and mine

read the beauty myth

lol dittany do you think we'll get in the guide?

naw it's tricky cos i love dressing up and stuff and i like the idea that women can feel better about themselves by finding clothes that they feel comfortable in but i hate the whole rules thing and the bloody knots they'd have us tying ourselves in given half a chance.

we can outrun you in our sensible shoes :P

...

save yourself tons of money on all of this stuff by doing as little of it as possible?

apart from plucking your chin. that only takes time and a pair of tweezers.

if you want nice skin: eat fruit and cut the grease, booze and choclate.

if your hair is long, putting your hair back in a chignon or bun instantly makes you look neater.

If you have small kids - don't put your slap on until they've been dropped off/ gone to bed, it inevitably gets all over them if you do it earlier.

i have just eaten a cream cake, am about to commence an evening of cider & pizza, and have never been to the hairdressers (my hair is in a chignon!). My kids aren't in bed yet, but when they are, i won't be wasting time putting make-up on before reachin for the fizzy apple.

I have plucked my chin though.

Wear black.

Wear a good quality man's car coat throughout the winter months. It will help you feel in control, even when you've completely lost control -- of your waist, your boobs, your children, your husband, your house, your garden, your career (r.i.p.), everything really.

If all else fails, shoes....you can always fit into them

Give up wearing black. My mother was right.

Never wear sportswear unless you are actually doing sports.

Don't wear foundation unless you are going to be on tv. People can always tell and you will just look orange.

groomed eyebrows make all the difference in the world

once my dennis healy's were in hand and penciled in I looked like a totally different person

Reading the brief again:

A plain top with jeans looks fine, but flinging on a necklace will make you look much more 'together' and take seconds.

Never leave the house in the morning without applying mascara first.

I think that I have turned into Joanie.

I'm getting mine threaded Ron.

wear jackets to fit your shoulders and not your girth...
you are not being fitted for a school blazer.
This is incredibly slimming and not to be underestimated, especially if you are a little roundy.

raises groomed eyebrows to cornsilk and waggles them around

Very nice

• wear clothes that fit
• wear things you are comfortable in - for me that includes heels
• have fun with clothes - its just fashion
• and use blusher - nars orgasm is fab