Calling all you got it together stylish well groomed Mums.

[seb1]

How do you guys, find the time and motivation etc, I think need help. For example how do you ever find time to let your nails dry, shop without kids, hide the grey, know what products are not shite. I think what I am looking for is "flylady" for style and beauty. So is it time, money, organisation, the will to live I am missing, and have been. it takes me a while to get my arse in gear, for the last 42 years. Ideally you are all going to tell me 5 mins morning and night and an sorted. .

By the way I don't think I'm stylish as such, just well groomed. I'm getting there with the style thing but I think I have much to learn oh wise ones.

Not sure I am exactly a "together stylish well groomed Mum" but things that help me:

• dry shampoo, I can only get 2 days out of my hair but 2nd day is possible thanks to Batiste and a pony tail.

• I have also been using a donut bit.ly/pCNqGW on my shoulder length hair which makes a neat bun in 5 secs if you put another hair band over the top. Am a bit about buns, but think it works with make up, nice dress, earings etc.

• I have a very small make up bag & generally apply foundation, blusher & power at home then the rest on the tube if I am running late.

• I'd agree with the dress thing, but maybe more suitable for work, I personally like to dress down when not at work.

OP what would your perfect look be? Can you achieve some of it or rather a harrassed busy mum version?

Shop on my own max twice a year but research on line-decide what I need every season write a list and stick to it.
Tweeze every evening once I have taken makeup off
Paint toe nails once a week
Deep condition hair once a week
Only wax in summer- shave legs and pits in winter-do an epi cream for bikini line
Put face mask on while I iron and watch news at the same time(ironing board in bedroom)-then lay out next days clothes
Hair appointment every 5 weeks this can be tricky to schedule so rope in in laws to do child care if necessary
Look at what your peers are wearing if nothing else it will give you an idea of what you don't like.
I work f/t
Never feel I am up to speed with grooming or fashion but I reckon I scrub up ok

Professional blow dry takes an hour but means I don't have to wash my hair for 5 or sometimes 6 days still looking good. I have Full leg, underarm, bikini wax and a pedicure once a month. It takes 2 hours but I don't have to bother with the faff of hair removal in the shower. I use a Dermalogica face wash in the shower followed by moisturiser and a body lotion. (I blade down the shower while moisturiser is sinking in). I use hand cream and nail oil before bed. I keep tweezers in 3 bathrooms. I get my eyebrows threaded every three weeks ditto my upper lip. I wax my own fanjo (all off) once a month (tmi?) it takes an empty house and half an hour.

I don't have small children but when I did I had a mobile beautician to do waxing and pedi.

watersign76, but how do you use the doughnut to make a bun? I'm thinking ponytail, then doughnut, then...pin the hair around the doughnut? I don't quite get it . Why is the doughnut necessary? My hair is a bit longer than shoulder length, is it too long?

I got my eyebrows threaded the other day on the way to the Post Office in one of those booth places. DC2 was asleep in his pram and it took 5 minutes. Eyebrows make a huge difference.

If you have problem skin, make time to see a dermatologist and get it sorted, then you can wear less make up (time saving).

I wear eye liner and mascara but don't bother with eye shadow - too fiddly, too much blending and it might crease later in the day.

Wash hair before the school run, bung it in a ponytail, use Babyliss Big Hair to dry it later in the morning.

Keep finger nails short, dark colour polish, use quick-drying polish.

Gel toenails, last ages.

Shave armpits and legs in the shower daily. Bikini line using hair removal cream once a week, also in the shower, takes five minutes.

I scour eBay for nice designer shoes and handbags. Someone else has worn them in already but other women really notice these details.

Oh yes to dry shampoo. Especially the one that makes your roots blonder too.

Those razors with built in soap are good - Venus something? Saves a few minutes for pits and pins.
This stuff is good for a quick fix: www.superdrug.com/moisturiser/natural-high-radiance-balm-50ml/invt/379719/

I am not remotely groomed but trying

www.superdrug.com/moisturiser/natural-high-radiance-balm-50ml/invt/379719/

Wardrobe overhaul with a good friend whom you respect and admire their "look" get them to help you edit what you have. Charity shop/ebay the rest.

Look at what you have and try and make outfits, then make a list to fill in the blanks and online shop for it.

This winter it is all about wooly tights, shift/tea dresses, blouses with shorts and ankle or mid calf boots for me.Ankle boots are wedge heel, biker boots for calf. I have a couple of big cable knit cardis, and a couple of fine gauge knits to work with all of the above and a selection of scraves, beads, bangles etc to change it up.

Almond or Olive oil in the bath x2 a week. E45 cream on face, hands, neck, feet (with socks) at bedtime. I like soap and glory in the day time on my face and is usually on a deal at Boots. I also OCM x1/week

Keep tweezers and a magnifying mirror handy when you are watching TV and get tweezing. Ditto with nail file and clear polish.

Online shop-
Zara
H and M
ASOS
Cos
Gap

Oh and NEVER buy anything full price from the GAP as they always have deals/sales on!

AchtungBaby not used it with longer hair but it makes a neatish bun which doesn't require the use of lots of pins.

I create a pony tail, thread donut on, I splay the hair out evenly (well as evenly as you can yourself) and then I sort of sweep the end of hair around the donut, so it neat and then I place another hair band over the bun. It sometimes take a pin to pin an errant end in place, but it doesn't require as many as a normal bun.

It also stays in place all day rather than drooping. I wear my high, as I had a styling session once (got some vouchers) and they suggested wearing my hair high but you could wear low or maybe to the side.

Think ballerina or sumo wrestler!

Thanks watersign76! Is it quite a big bun then? I do quite fancy trying it I think, I tend to like high pony tails, so I think I'd like a high-ish bun.

Sometimes I put in a pony tail, then twist the hair around to make a messy-ish bun, which I quite like. I'm not sure if anyone else in the world likes it though! I like the random bits that stick out for some reason. Maybe I'm not ready for grown-up hair...

I have really long hair and use the doughnut bun method. You can either do as suggested lower down or put the doughnut at the end of the ponytail and roll the hair up in it.

I guess it ends up a bit bigger than an actual donut! It does look a little messy but neat too if that makes sense.

I am actually keen to have a bigger donut (if one exists) to create a do like Carrie had when she was bridesmaid to Charlotte & Trey back in the day in a TV show!

There are lots of people on you tube demonstrating both neat and messy versions, and most have long hair, if that is your ting. Search hair donut and off you go!

I am pretty rubbish at grooming stuff, but one thing I've started doing is using an intensive conditioner/mask on my hair once or twice a week. I just wash my hair at the start of my shower, slap on the conditioner and then get on with showering, leg shaving etc and rinse it off when I've finished everything else, so it doesn't take any longer than using normal conditioner. Even if it's not left on for quite as long as the bottle says, I reckon 3 or 5 minutes has to do some good!

Also keeping nails short and neat but not bothering with polish (except for special occasions) saves me time and suits my life (and my nails).

NB I am confused about all the people saying use dark polish, as I always found this shows the chips more than pale colours (and I always chip it quite quickly...) - please explain?

My pet hate is hair removal, I would LOVE to never have to do my eyebrows again (not to mention other bits)!

I'm avidly watching this thread! Gumps could you link to the ebay scarf? TIA

My life has been transformed by the Babyliss Big Hair brush-dryer thingy. In less than ten minutes (while kids have breakfast, are in bath etc) I can have a salon-like blow-dry and not have spent £35! If my hair is smooth, the rest of the day is going to be ok! I have major frizzies if I don't blow-dry.
Always put clothes out the night before.

Yes for messy updo! Very popular at the moment and takes less than a minute.
Legs pits and bits 'sorted out' in the shower.
Do your eyebrows after you've got out of the shower/bath, hurts less. And investing in a decent pair od tweezers will make all the difference! Have to do mine every time, I'd look like a werewolf in a week else!
Take about 15mins doing make up in the morning, foundation,
liquid liner on top eyelid, mascara and a touch of blusher.
If I ever paint my nails I have to wait until DD is in bed.
Clothes shopping is a bit of a no-go at the minute as I have DD pretty much 24/7, and money is tight, so if I have a little to spend I usually stick to eBay! Bargains galore!

I find a paper bag over the head generally works the best

I do my nails in front of the tv too (and try and do base and topcoats to make it last).

I'm intrigued by the Big Hair thing. Is this the gadget? Can someone explain how to use it to best effect in minimal time pretty please?

blondieminx the Big Hair (yes, that's the one) has had rave reviews on the Style & Beauty threads on Mumsnet, which is why I bought mine. Not everyone agrees, but I've also seen great reviews in magazines and random slebs such as Kirstie Allsopp (she must be a MN'er, right?) also said it was great.

I have long very thick hair and find it works best if my hair is mostly dry before using it, either naturally (see previous post - bung hair in ponytail for the school run) or blasted with a hairdryer.

The BBH twirls each section of hair around the shaft (oo-er) and dries it whilst pulling it, the tension applied being the key to sleek hair like you've just stepped out of a salon.

I've seen bad reviews mostly from people with finer hair where the volume doesn't stay. Personally I lurve mine, have ditched the straighteners since buying it.

HTH.

About once a week I spend exactly 1 hour (and not a second more) plucking my eyebrows, sorting out my bikini line (not sure why) and trimming and painting my nails. Once a month I dye my hair quickly myself and trim it myself in about 1 hour. I spend about 20 minutes a day having a bath, putting on makeup and doing my hair. I don't waste any time thinking about what I wear, my wardrobes are very well-organised so I don't have to. Obviously this lack of effort means I don't look that great, but I find the 'groomed to within an inch of my life' look doesn't really suit me anymore anyway.

Tweeze brows / file nails / remove old polish while supervising DC's in the bath.

Quick dry top coat for nail polish so I don't have to sit still for ages waiting for it to dry.

I recently started having someone come to my house to wax my legs (I am still proper hairy even after 20 years of waxing). As it's far cheaper I can have it done more often, I might even buy a skirt!

My hair is wavy and goes frizzy if I use a blow-dryer on it so I shower in the evening and tie it in bunches or a hairnet to dry.

Frownies on my forehead at weekends to stop my scowl lines.

Lots of walking to keep in shape and save money on petrol.

I want my colors done!

I always look wrong somehow.

Hmmph.