I don't really look after myself, what do you do to take care of your body/skin etc?

[GalaxyChocolateLover]

I think I need to take better care of myself and take the time to look after me. I've started to make the effort to dress better and have had lots of compliments on how I'm looking good but I think I'm still letting myself down.

At the moment I just wash and dress and put on enough makeup to not frighten the kids I get my hair cut every 4 months or so, but not really styled as such just cut, its straight and shoulder length.

What do you do? What should I be doing? Assume I am clueless - I need to be told what to do and how to do it!!!

I epilate my legs when they get really bad but I get bad ingrown hairs. I know people say 'exfoliate' but I don't even really know what they mean, with what? How often? In the shower?

I spend a lot of time on the floor playing with the DC and my knees have gone horrible with dry thicker skin, its mummy knees I've been told. What do I do?

I don't do anything other than wash my face morning and night with soap, what quick and not-too-expensive things should I be doing to look after myself more?

Thanks for reading my long post, advice would be really, really appreciated!

Just chucking on moisturiser on your body - especially dry areas and feet will make a big difference and cost you about 2 minutes. Use a shower puff thing and you are exfoliating as you go.

I consider myself fairly low maintenance - hair cut and colour every 6 weeks and eyebrow shape every 4 weeks. I do OCM at night - super cheap & quick so just splash face with warm water in the morning followed by toner, moisturiser.

Just discovered Estee Lauder BB cream - a miracle I tell you. That, mascara & brow mascara and I'm good to go. I don't feel finished without a squirt of nice perfume!

I did try to just moisturise my legs each day but it didn't make any difference. Maybe exfoliating and moisturising together is the answer? Is one of those plastic puff things the best thing? Would I be better with a brush thingy?

Also, what is OCM? I don't know what it is but pretty sure whatever it is I don't do it!

Plastic puff works for but yes a brush would also be good if you can be bothered! Moisturising works but you have to keep at it - and use a rich formula - Aveeno, eucerin and Oilatum all good, non scented and not too e expensive.

OCM is oil cleansing method. There is loads on MN about it if you do a search. This is where I discovered it!

Will go and have a look thanks. I think I have some BodyShop body butter somewhere so I might start with that and see how I go.

I can't wear skirts or shorts at the moment because my legs are just awful looking. To be honest my whole body could do with some TLC really.

I shave legs/pits/bikini every day in the shower and I use one of those shower puff things to wash.

Moisturise all over every day. Spf one for my face.

Fake tan 2x per week.

Nails minimum once per week, inc toes.

Eyebrows waxed every 3/4 weeks.

Hair is naturally curly so low maintenence.

Minimal make up everyday, brozing stuff, blusher, brows and mascara.

Thanks ENorma that gives me a good idea of what to work towards.

I shower almost daily, and keep on top of armpits with a razor, never bother with bikini line unless I'm swimming . I will get a puff thingy or a brush this weekend to start exfoliating.
I'll start moisturising my body, haven't got a face once though, spf or otherwise. I'm a bit nervous of moisturising my face in case it goes all oily and spotty to be honest.
I don't want to fake tan so I'll leave that, I'm very pale and it looks daft on me even when I had it done properly once.

I can start doing my nail, I used to all the time. Is just clear varnish, short and neat best? I used to do bright and funky when I was younger but I'm in my 30s now.

I do pluck my brows to keep them from going feral. Maybe I should go and get them waxed to see how that looks.

I do foundation and blush each day but thats all. I don't really know how to do much more. I do own mascara but never use it.

I feel your pain with the ingrown hairs. If there is any way you can afford it then laser hair removal on your legs is the way to go - it's brilliant for dealing with ingrown hairs and gets rid of the hair so you don't get more through shaving etc but it is £££££. Other things for ingrown hairs are to scrub your legs with one of those plastic puff things, moisturise them loads and NEVER use a razor with more than one blade. I swear that my ingrown hair probs started when I started using those Venus three/four blade razors - seemingly they dig under the level of the skin which causes ingrown hairs. I now use a simple bic razor on the bits of my legs that are still hairy (ran out of money for laser treatment half way through). Depending on the extent of the problem it might also be worth trying skintend (or is it tendskin??) that helps with ingrown hairs. Google it.

Zippy I am adding single blade razors to my list to buy in town this weekend, def worth a try. Plus they are nice and cheap!

I'm pale skinned but I still use fake tan on my legs to wear skirts in Summer - avoid any thicker skinned knee parts or go very carefully.
Or you can get stuff thats like foundation for legs_ I've used the Avon one and I found it good.

I don't polish fingernails but keep them mid length and clean,but I do my toenails.

I use a face wash,moisturise face twice a day,pluck eyebrows,and obviously the usual shaving and bathing.

I don't dye my hair yet and I've taken to the MN haircut.

I exfoliate with an exfoliating body wash,but I pay a lot of attention to making sure I don't get hard skin on my feet.

Also good dental hygiene.

I buff my nails with a buffer and keep them short - low maintenance and shiny. Hair cut & colour every 2 months. I tint my eyelashes when I can be bothered - this is brilliant if you aren't sure about mascara or, like me, can't put mascara on bottom lashes without ending up looking like a panda. I use Liz Earle cleanse & polish and bio oil on my face and bod which is actually non greasy and no shine later in the day. Legs shave every other day, bikini wax when I'm feeling brave. I also was my own upper lip and try to zhoozsh everything up with accessories (scarves, sparkly hair clips etc) and expensive perfume (Narcisso Rodriguez is lovely). Also, I try not to buy black tops any more if I can help it. Good luck!

wax my upper lip!

Thanks guys, that gives me something to work on. I think I need to drink more water and look after my face more and then maybe my skin tone will improve too.

Really need to get my legs and knees sorted ASAP for summer. I just don't know how/why they got this bad????

My knees are the same Galaxy,if that helps,and I've tried most things.

If there is a small miracle that would help,I'd also be glad to hear it!!

You can get lotions for ingrown hairs. Have heard this or this are good, but there are quite a few available.

I also use this everyday in the shower with a moisturising shower gel. DD1 uses this and it helps her dry skin immensely. Always moisturise after showering.

I use this on my feet and legs twice daily, i find it amazingly good and theres usually a big difference after a week if I haven't used it for a while. I just use a general moisturiser on the rest of me.

I've had laser hair removal, but I used to epilate and would usually have a hot bath once a week and really get to work with it. Use the mitt before and after and once again moisturise.

I do pedicure, manicure, hair removal cream on any dodgy hairy patches you discover and hair mask once a week.

Then face mask, and fake tan twice a week.

Perhaps consider getting a new hairstyle, so collect pictures of what you like and make sure its low maintenance for your hair. Stick with what make up you like but imagine all you really need is brows, mascara, bb cream, concealer and bronzer.

To get rid of dry patches, give them a good scrub and then rub in plenty of Elizabeth Arden eight hour cream and leave overnight. Might take two or three nights but works like a dream.

Googie I never thought of 8hr cream, will give that a go.

Thanks for all the suggestion, off to town to buy a few things to get me started.

What I have found good for knees is a pair of exfoliating gloves. Very cheap, can get them in Boots or Superdrug, and I put them in with a normal wash in the machine, which you can't do with sisal type mits.

Mix table salt with glycerine (you get it in the pharmacy, ask for the clear one) untill it is nice and thick and then massage it onto your knees before you shower not after.

Massage it in and give it a bit of welly. Then rinse away and shower as normal. You can do the same with the tops of feet and hands prior to fake tanning too. You need to do this every coulple of days and moisturise morning and night.

I use Aldis bodylotion in the blue bottle with the white cap as it has no mineral oil (which is difficult for the skin to absorb) but almond oil insted which is easily absorbed.

Get your eyebrows threaded, more beauty salons do it now and it gives a much cleaner line.

Whatever you use to wash your face use a muslin cloth to remove it, it's exfoliating. I use boots ones cut up into four pieces.

For hard callus on the feet use a Boots callus remover, it's a white block of a rough material similar to pumice but pumice stones are often re-constituted these days so are not as rough. Hold the part you want to work on taught and buff back and forth. You can give it a bit of pressure. Dont go nuts though or you will risk a sore patch. Cream feet with doublebase gel daily. You dont need to rub it in (it wont work properly if you do) but it wont mark the sheets if you put it on late at night. You dont need socks and definitely not clingfilm to make it soak in. If you use a urea based foot cream instead always apply after bathing. Urea attracts water in the skin and holds onto it but it doesnt attract atmospheric moisture like glycerine will, if my memory serves me.

Went into town today and bought this BodyShop body brush and some Shea body butter. Just need to work out how to do the brush now!

Also bought some No.7 day cream with an SPF 15 factor and some night cream too.

When do I put the day cream on? Immediately before I do my make up or do I need to put it on and leave it a while before I put my foundation on? Will my foundation still go on ok?

If you like the Body Shop,try the hemp foot cream and hand cream.They're very good and I love the smell!

I would let the moisturiser soak in a bit before doing make up.

How old are you OP? different products suit different age skins. Also, now I'm 35 I have to work at it a bit more than I did at 25

current routine - morning
Clinique liquid facial soap, Simple toner, simple age resist moisturiser
use shower puff thing with Clinique skin sparkle, shave unwanted hair,
Clinique body butter only where really needed
clean teeth with whitening toothpaste
apply day make up - Clinique super double face powder, Bourjois blush, Clinique lip gloss, Clinique mascara
Perfume - chanel chance atm

Current routine - evening
Simple age resist foaming facial wash - then as per morning facial routine but finishing with Clinique super rescue night moisturiser
Teeth

I use a exfoliating facial scrub 2x weekly
I wash my hair every other day and use deep moisturising hair mask thing weekly. I either straighten my hair or blow dry for my natural messy wavy look. Get it cut every couple of months and highlighted - don't start this unless like me you have too may greys!! I'm planning on growing my bob in the hope that I won't need it cut so often and can save some pennies!
do my nails weekly - keep toe nails painted and looking neat. Keep finger nails clean, short and painted
Pluck my eyebrows weekly and also have them threaded occasionally

OP, with those body brushes I think you are supposed to work in circular motions, upwards and towards the heart? (someone feel free to correct me if wrong!) I never use them but they are supposed to get the circulation going and apparently reduce cellulite. To exfoliate I just use a scrub in the shower.

My routine is

• Shower, wash hair and shave every day, exfoliate with a scrub every couple of days

• Cleanse (I usually use Clinique facial soap but most posters on here will probably say soap is too harsh!), exfoliate my face with Clinique clarifying lotion, occasionally use a face scrub like St Ives or a No 7 one which I love, moisturise (also Clinique moisturiser)
• Eye cream, lip cream

- Towel dry my hair, use a defrizzing, smoothing serum while damp, comb it through then blow dry. This makes a massive difference to my appearance and makes me look so much neater. Hair is v unruly otherwise.

• Moisturise whole body
• Get dressed and try to wear something reasonably okay looking even if just at home
• Makeup: Primer, wait 5-10 min, undereye concealer, foundation, blusher, bit of eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara (occasionally eyelash curl first but usually don't bother), lipgloss or lipstick
• Take makeup off properly every night with makeup remover, then cleanse, exfoliate, moisturise, eye cream, lip cream as in the morning
• Moisturise body again
• Every few days use a foot cream, put loads on then cover with cotton socks and leave all night
• Bit of handcream throughout the day

Oh and I get my eyebrows threaded every 4 weeks - it is quick, cheap and makes a big difference IMO

Retin A thins the skin out on the face and that's due to the tretinoin gel containing undiluted Vitamin A. See if you can get your GP to prescribe you Retin A gel or cream specifically for the reasons you posted here. If your GP doesn't prescribe it, you can hunt for online distributors. Oh, and before I forget, if you use Retin A you absolutely, positively, patently HAVE to use a sunblock if you plan on exposing the skin to the elements, because the thinned skin will be extremely susceptible to photosensitivity. how to get rid of ingrown hairs

I am at all those who get their eyebrows done every 4 weeks...

I only get to 10 days in and need to do them again!