Project Princess

[BlackSwan]

I have a theory that every year you should treat one wedding you're attending as though it were your own.

Not that you're the bride, or as important as the bride...that's not the idea. I mean that for many women your wedding day is the one day when you try to pull it all together to look and feel your best, best figure, best skin, best hair. You get the picture. So if you do this once a year...perhaps with less of the stress that goes along with preparing for your own wedding day...then you'll look and feel amazing.

Last year I gave birth to my first child, so getting my figure etc back on track before a wedding I attended some months later was a huge challenge. I think I succeeded pretty well - I felt great at the wedding, not like the frumpy mummy I thought I might turn up as!

So now we have the Royal Wedding to look forward to I think we have the perfect opportunity to set that as a collective project due date. 29 April.

If any of you are inclined to give this a go - I thought it might be fun to do this with other like minded (crazy?) women.

The way it would work is like this - anyone involved can add a preparation ritual to the list. Let's not make this expensive. Don't we all have a bunch of unused exfoliant, teeth whitening paste, cuticle creams, waxes and potions at our disposal in our medicine cabinet?

Get the idea? Anyone interested?

Ooooo that Swan is harsh !

I don't normally drink that much but we had friends over...yadda yah yadda yah

Sorry Miss

I still have a headache. Had lunch at the golfclub and instead of my usual wine and full English..I had two large bottles of sparkling water and a chopped salad.

Pork chops and salad for dinner tonight and no alcohol.
Have got PT coming at 7.30 am tomorrow (eeeek)and have told her its hardcore so show me no mercy (if I cannot walk the next day it shall be my pennance for the evil drink)

RoyalBling - I think you have redeemed yourself!

can I just check a few things...

the hot water and lemon, do you have to drink that before you have anything else? i have been having it with my porridge.

eyelash serum, checked this out in boots, the only one they had was £40.......... no way could i justify that.

teeth whitening, i have a slight prob with this in that my front tooth is a porcelain cap so obviously won't whiten would like the others to be a bit whiter so just use whitening toothpaste, what are these strips everyone is using?

vitamins, why are these necessary if eating a good diet....and which ones are people taking.

sorry one more thing. those of you using gradual tanners, what do you do about your face and neck, do you use a face one too as otherwise don't you end up with tanned body and pale face?

thks.

I've not done teeth whitening I have very sensitive teeth.
Eyelashes are very long and dark anyway so a dab of vaseline is my take on this
Supplements: have started taking kelp (it seems to rev up my metabolism) but as I'm eating better multi vits seem a bit of a belt and braces
Gradual tanners : have a year round tan so concentrating on moisturising and remembering to put on SPF (irrc back in England I used an Olay daily moisturiser which had a little bit of fake tan in it was V good and natural)

HTH (and Swan doesn't kick me out)

Oh and hot water and lemon I think is best drunk first thing.

those of you using gradual tanners, what do you do about your face and neck

Hi whoneedssleep.

I use the St Tropez self tan spray (white aerosol can with greeny-turquoise lid) on my face/ neck/ decolletage and Johnsons Holiday Skin (medium dark) on the rest of my body.

The St Tropez product is just fab. It delivers a fine mist which ensures even and natural looking results. Don't use moisturiser before it though - just spray it onto a clean dry face.

I do this (St Tropez spray/ Johnson's) about three times a week to maintain a healthy-looking level of colour (as Billy Connolly once said - "my natural shade is blue - it takes me a fortnight in the sun to turn white").

When I spray it, I spray over my face for about two seconds, pause then repeat (don't ask me why - it's just what I do and I know that this delivers a healthy glowy beige not a full on Tantastic Kat Slater/ Jordan orange.

I always do this after a bath/ shower and before bed. It does leave a suggestion of a colour on my white pilliwcases but nothing too terrible and it washes out completely.

It's oil-free too by the way. Swear by this product. It's about £20 and I buy it in Boots to get the points. Really can't recommend this approach highly enough.

Go buy!

Have tried having hot water and lemon but i hated it, made me gag.

I take a multivitamin because although my diet isn't too bad I am always anemic. If you feel you don't need them then don't waste your money. Mine are cheapish a-z vitamins and minerals from wilkos.

I've not done teeth whitening I have very sensitive teeth

Hi RoyalBling..

Re: sensitive teeth. I have had the weirdest thing happen.

A few of years ago I had trays made up using "The Smile Place" (ordered via the internet).

I tried my best to persevere but the sensitivity and pain was unbelievable and unbearable so I had to stop. It was also a nuisance trying to find two hours in a day when it was convenient to have the trays in.

Some time later, I decided to pay for "Zoom" whitening at the dentist. It was horrendously expensive. It was immediately effective but, again, I had the most excruciating pain and sensitivity. It was utterly miserable.

Since then, I've let me teeth slip back a bit but since starting Project Princess have decided to get the trays out again. I needed to buy some more gel so did a bit of research and found an online Daily Mail article which seemed to favour a company called "Whiter than White" - google it and you'll find the article quite easily.

I decided to order the strong 16% gel that you only need to leave in for 40 minutes rather than the 11% stuff for sensitive teeth that you're supposed to leave on for 2 hours simply because I knew it was going to hideous whatever I did and 40 minutes is more bearable than two hours.

I started last Sunday and have had the trays in for 40 minutes a day. My teeth are visibly whiter and I have hardly any sensitivity at all and no pain to speak of...!?!?

I really don't understand any of this but I'm thrilled, as you can imagine. I's just going to keep going (for another week or whatever?) until I'm happy with the shade of my teeth.

Hurrah!

Apologies for the long waffly post but thought I'd share the story in case it helps anyone who's had the same experience as me.

That's excellent news cyrilsneer, tooth sensitivity is excruciating & always blindsides you when you least expect it.

Royalblingthing I am so jealous of your long dark lashes!

Must go - DS just took his first steps!

Blackswan - how hold is your DS? My DS2 is 1 next Friday. Not walking yet but not far off i'm sure ;))

I did the warm water and lemon today for the first time - first thing in the morning - and it made me feel quite queasy (too acidic?) I think I'll stick with big glass of plain water as usual.

I take LOTS of vitamins, but this is because I'm breastfeeding an egg and dairy intolerant DS so my diet is limited until I wean him (probably quite soon). After I stop bf I'll probably take a multivitamin/mineral, evening primrose and acidophillus but I'll stop the iron and calcium. My diet is pretty good but I suffer from terrible PMS so I figure it's worth taking supplements to make sure I get enough minerals esp magnesium, iron and a couple of others. The evening primrose is for that too - and is allegedly good for skin.

PS last night's glass of wine gave me a headache too - only one glass! I am so out of practice. I actually think I will stop drinking completely - the gain:pain ratio is not worth it.

Catinboots - he's 13mo. He makes a big song and dance of standing on cue... but wasn't keen on a repeat performance of his initial steps. Too much performance pressure! Happy birthday to your DS for next week.

Naturelover - lemon juice takes a bit of getting used to. I'm beginning to like it. Am putting a dose of Spa Tone iron in mine.

So you're going to be a tee-totaler? Very well done.

Rememeber last week I attempted to introduce some of you to the Dettol bath?

Did anyone even try it??

I had another one tonight and it was heaven.

Afterwards, I am indulging in another of my favourite beauty treats (which DH pointed out as weird tonight)

I've had my Dettol bath, defuzzed, moisturised etc.

Now I've applied a Sudocream facemask which I will wear overnight. Not to thin, not to thick. Just enough to make me look like Caspar! I'll wake up in the morning with soft, silky skin. Any blemishes/dry bits seem to disappear too.

I know these two things are plain weird. But can I persuade any of you potential princesses to experiment in my sworn-beauty-rituals!?

Just for the record - I am open to trying anything weirs and wondeful in an attempt to beautify myself....

Cat

shit typing

sorry

Update here:

1.8 glasses of water.
2.Nutrogena facial wash at night.
3.Less alcohol.
4.Less chocolate.
5.Dove gradual tanner 3 times a week
6.Eye cream at night.
7.Failing on exercise front though
8.Babyliss big hair-ing

Ruby - are you having a big wedding?? What is your dress like? My dress is amazing and I am so excited to wear it

I'm getting married on AUgust 27th and I can't believe how quick it's coming round....

Yes - I need evidence of eyelash serum-success too...

catinboots -the smell of dettol reminds me of childhood illnesses! My mother would sit our mercury thermometer in a glass of diluted dettol. I remember rinsing my mouth out with it too...have you ever done that?? It's revolting! Makes your tongue feel bizzarely furry.

Am willing to try the facemask though!

Blackswan - I've accidently swilled some during a detol bath! You're right it does feel yuk. But blimey it sorts out an ulcers you may have

Ruby - show me (a pic) of yours and I'll shoe you (a pic) of mine....

agggh twatty typing sorry.

an *any

shoe *show

Am looking very Doris Day-esque as we speak.

(if you ignore the hair-pineapple and Primarni PJ

AAAGHHHHH

PJ *PJs)

My lashes are growing - but takes a few weeks for it to work - not sure it's worth trying with only a month to go before your wedding Ruby!

Have only used the lash serum once a day so far, but now I know it's working I'm using it twice a day. Oh for naturally long thick lashes.

Ruby & Catinboots - I miss the thrill of wedding dress shopping. Walked past a boutique today and wished I could go in and try a few gowns on!!