How to be groomed?

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Basically I look like a scruff! I don't have any set routine so forget sometimes to do my eyebrows until the are hideous werewolflike messy and my nails are ignored. My skin is atrocious too. I just never seem to be able to look groomed and pretty!!

Do you have a daily / weekly / monthly grooming routine?

How much time do you spend on your looks?

I am thinking that professional help might be needed! Tempted by HD Brows but they would look wrong if the rest of me is well a mess.

I have just never been organised about all this beauty stuff. It is like everyone else was taken into a secret "how to be groomed" lesson that I missed out on. Come to think of it, I missed the "how to style your hair" and "how to dress so you don't look like you got dressed in the dark.... in your Nan's wardrobe" lessons too!

I will be following this thread. Def need my beauty routine sorted out as well.

Start with one or two simple things at a time, and build from there. Maybe start with your 'worst' thing, nails, hair or whatever and try to spend five minutes on that every weekend, then once tht's a habit, add something else.

Frankly, if you didn't spend 3 hours a day grooming before, you're unlikely to now. I know that I just can't be bothered with intensive grooming, but have managed to force myself into the habit of body lotion after showering, face mask once a week, exfoliating all over once or twice a week, hand cream after washing hands and a quick bit of make up while getting dressed every day.

I think I missed those classes too blob so I am marking my place

I spend a total of 15mins a day to look groomed - and an extra hour once a week on top.

So a normal day is as follows

Shower, put hair in microfiber turban (get them from poundland - really helps to dry hair quicker)
Fill sink with hot water.
Wash face with Elemis Tri Enzyme Wash = 2mins
pluck any eyebrow hairs that need pulling out
Tone with Decleor toner = 20 secs
Decleor arromessence Neroli = 20 secs
Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream = 1min
Put primer on = 20 secs

I then brush through my hair with my tangle teezer before blasting upside down with the hairdryer until dry - takes about 4mins due to the turban drying hair. i then run Loreal mythic oil through my hair before brushing again - hair is now done.

now primer has had time to settle so on goes make-up = 5mins

throughout the day I do cuticle oil and handcream whenever I wash my hands and while watching eastenders etc - I have oil and cream in every handbag, by every sink and by the tv &bed.

At night I cleanse with Elemis Pro Radience cream cleanser, then elemis tri enzyme wash again, tone, arromessence iris and then either a decleor night balm or elemis tri enzyme night cream = another 4mins

Once a week I do a manicure with a crystal nail file, a nail buffer, opi nail envy, a nail polish and Seche Vite top coat (takes 10 mins tops and lasts a full week without chipping).

I do a philip kingsley elasticizer hair treatment - 5mins to apply and then sleep in it.

I do a hairfix hair treatment once a week - just use it instead of regular shampoo and conditioner so no extra time

And finally I give myself a facial once a week with a deep exfoliator and a mask = aboutt 35mins.

All of that gives me glossy neat hair, clear, smooth skin and freshly manicured nails (and my makeup lasts all day without budging).

It is all very easy (and no-one taught me as such - I learnt from watching qvc and reading magazines) and takes no more than 15 mins on a daily basis and then an hour for yourself once a week.

Also - stop thinking it isn't worth doing your brows if you don't do the rest - they will always make you look better when done properly.

bump.....

A hopeful bump

I get my brows done every 2-3 months, I find it's then easy for me to keep them in shape in the meantime.

Other than that, I cleanse/tone/moisturise. And at this time of year I slap on loads of hand cream before I go to bed.

Brows are hugely important.

Go through your wardrobe and be ruthless. If it's old and tatty, doesn't fit or makes you look like a frump get rid.

But 2 or 3 cheapish statement accessories - chunky bracelet, long necklace - and wear them. If you have pierced ears wear studs at all times.

I think the bit I struggle with is making it a routine. I do it now and again but not at a regular time or day!

force yourself to make the effort - after a couple of days you will notice the results and begin to become addicted....

Also, multi task by putting your cleanser in the shower - you'll be more likely to use it properly as you have to leave conditioner in your hair etc.

And put whatever can be done sitting down next to wear you sit to watch the news/eastenders/scary gypsy wedding rituals - I have no excuse not to oil my cuticles if all I'm doing is sitting down.

where not wear - i'm not a doof my iphone is - sorry!!

I get my eyebrows threaded and bikini line waxed about every 3-4 weeks.

Hair cut and coloured every 8 weeks.

Apply fake tan about every 4-5 days - just to take blue tinge from my skin as am so pale - I don't look orange honestly

Wear make up every day - and do all usual cleansing/moisturising etc.

Bath, hairwash and blowdry hair and either BBH or GHD it depending on mood.

Do nails about every 4 days as always seem to chip by then - toenails last longer.

Most of it I don't even think about really - just habit

A tip I gleaned from an glam flat mate once- always have your clothes washed and ironed and ready to go! Don't let them fester in the wash basket (unless you have loads of clothes.)

I also try to buy clothes within the same colour palette so most things go with each other.

I Ebay lots of clothes when they are out of fashion, don't fit or whatever, so I only keep clothes I love and wear often. Which means there is not a lot in the cupboard!

Shoes and boots etc I try to clean & polish when I have a spare moment, and I have about 3 nice handbags.

I have a reasonable routine.
I always cleanse my face, use make up every day, in the house or not, wash my hair every 3rd day, and keep on top of haircuts ( every 12 weeks or so as I am growing it) and colour as and when needed. I use a hair mask about every 4th wash.

I do my nails roughly once a week- but this takes no time at all- quick file and nude polish takes me 10 minutes. Ditto toe nails.

Body care- shower in the morning, bath in the evening- use an exfoliator in shower every week and body lotion most days.

My downfall is my legs- I am lazy about shaving them in winter/

I go get "beautified" every 4 weeks. I alternate hair cut/color & facial, but get my eyelashes tinted & legs waxed every time. Get my brows done every 2-3 months.

Definitely agree with the poster who said don't think that not doing your eyebrows doesn't matter because you don't look after the rest of you- they are tres important in the art of looking half-decent! Nothing worse than hairy, scary eyebrows (although over-plucked isn't great either).

My beauty routine is as follows:

Cleanse, tone and moisturise every night after taking make up off. Also moisturise face in the morning after shower, before the war paint goes on.

I wear make up pretty much every day, although don't trowl on- Benefit tinted moisturiser or Lancome foundation, YSL touche eclat, bit of Nars blusher stick, then neutral/tawny eye shadow, mascara and eye pencil, followed by lip balm and good to go- all takes 10 minutes. Once face is on, feel set up for the day.

Eyebrows check daily for stray hairs when doing make up.

Hair is washed, conditioned and blow dryed and straightened every 2-3 days, if I leave til 3rd day then hair will have been tied up most probably. For beauty slatterns, Baptiste dry shampoo is great for refreshing hair between washes.

Nails filed, buffed and painted once or twice a week in front of telly in evening, usually a light pinky colour or chocolate brown gloss. Keep nails short so easy to maintain and don't catch. Find nail polish lasts longer this way.

Use body lotion if showering in evening, should probably get in the habit of using it every morning. Exfoliate body with mitts and face with scrub once a week.

Shave legs, pit and bits most days, or when stubble starts making an appearance.

Like using face masks/ hair masks but don't actually get round to using them very often.

Use Dove tinted body lotion once a week after exfoliating so skin doesn't look like corned beef, really perks up skin tone on face too!

Erm think that's it... gosh that looks like a lot! However it's easy to maintain as has become so ingrained and is just a part of day-to-day life.

OP, you're probably best making small steps i.e. start with a little make up routine you can stick to, make sure you take off make up and moisturise face every day.

Agree with everyone else who says brows are important - except I have a fringe now so I don't bother any more. When I did, though, I just plucked any strays and brushed them into place with Clarins double fix. Awesome stuff, your brows don't budge all day, and it doubles as a waterproofer for your mascara.

Next most important is nails, imo. I always feel groomed if I am wearing nail polish. But don't wear it until it's chipped - use a good top coat (Nails Inc Kensington caviar is the best, way better than Seche Vite. So, I do my nails on a Friday, when I'm working from home and can keep typing while they dry, and they last all week.

Sorry, that wasn't explained very well - I meant 'don't go around wearing chipped nail polish, take it off and start again once it's chipped'. Or, if it's just a little chip you can put a tiny dab of nail polish on top of the chip, then do another coat of Nails Inc top coat on the top, and it smooths everything out again.

Also, I do another layer of top coat a couple of days after I've painted my nails, and I keep my nails short. Short nails look good with colour and don't chip as easily.

Another thing that will help you look groomed - get regular haircuts.

I think I am going to try to do a version of the Princessing thing for Lent! I will give up my slobbiness for 40 days to start with. Hopefully it will create new good habits.

I started a diet 3 weeks ago and have only lost 7 pounds so far - need to step it up!

What's the "Princessing thing" ?

Marking my place.

My sisters talk about body brushing in glowing terms, does anybody do that?

I was wondering about princessing but maybe doing a different thing each of the 40days of lent, figured I might keep it up if I do one thing at a time and build it up.

used to have a routine,now that Im 22 weeks pregnant I have gave it up,I so need to get back to it,Il start tomorrow.I looked in the mirror today and thought I looked abit ropey.

Hello everyone, can i join your thread please.
Recently lost my first baby quite late in the PG and i've just given up on being bothered about anything, but looking a state is not making me feel any better about myself...
Gosh MrsMartin can you be my beauty guru please?
What is primer and what is cuticle oil and how do you use them?

Can i also ask, to those who say their nails last all week- what am i doing wrong? Mine only last a day, two at most. Do i need base coat/top coat that i don't usually bother with?

boris - yes, base and top coat make a massive difference, as does how you paint your nails (make sure each layer is dry before applying the next and always paint the free edge of the nail). Mine never lasted past 2 hours before I started using a good top coat.

Cuticle oil is used to stop your cuticles drying out and looking ragged. Only apply it after your manicure is complete and dry (you need to push your cuticles back with a hoof stick, file your nails and then wash your hands before you start with the polish as that will ensure your nails are completely oil free).

Primer acts as a seal on your skincare and a base for your make up. It will stop your make up from sinking into the pores - which can cause conjestion etc. It also means your make up will stay on longer and go on more evenly. If you don't wear make up they can still be worth wearing as most even out skin tone and improve skin texture.