Beauty SOS - ill health has wrecked me

[EggWhiteOmelette]

I have recently been quite ill and had to undergo surgery. I am housebound (ish - can pop to shops etc, but not back at work yet, cant drive, no social life at the moment). I am also about a stone heavier than I want to be, un-toned and flabby (a lot to do with my health condition, which is now resolved) and feeling like absolute shit looks-wise.

I cant start exercising for another 4 weeks, but am thinking maybe I'll start swimming and yoga to ease back into it then.

I have booked in for manicure and pedicure next week. I am going to sort my gorilla eyebrows out myself tomorrow and de-fuzz generally. Maybe slap on some fake tan.

I have some dye to colour my hair.

What else can I do, cheaply, to spruce myself up a bit? I feel haggard, tired and old.

Sorry to hear about the illness, but glad you're on the mend. Just before the fake tan addition how about an at home olive or almond oil with sea salt scrub - very easy to do and should leave your skin nice and glowing (you scrape it off by the way rather than washing it off so it takes all the dead skin with it).

Start using as correct a posture when sitting or walking as you can now, before starting yoga - good posture removes about 8lbs visually (so no exercise required ). It's amazing the difference that makes when you inadvertently catch sight of yourself in the mirror .

Go for a facial if you can afford it. Makes a huge difference.

Look for the 'princess 2012' thread on this forum (can't link at the moment). It should be a great help.

Hi eggwhite I had surgery 12 days ago and wanted to send empathy about how it makes you feel mirror avoidant. I also have shock horror brows and am feeling pasty as I would normally have a spray tan in sunny times. I don't have the energy to blow dry so look like a frizzy monster. Luckily I'm still housebound so it isn't a huge worry. My mum shaved my legs a few days ago and painted my toenails and nails and it did make me feel better so a manicure/pedi is a good plan. I always find Lisa Eldridge make up vids make me feel inspired to put some on. I have also found meditations (sounds woo but the ones I have are honestly good!) are helpful too for breathing and feeling a bit better, the Stin Hansen ones online are really nice. I'm itching to be able to:
do my hair
Get an eyebrow wax
Give myself a good scrub/moisturise
Have a spray tan
Get exercising. Yoga will be good but I'm banned for another 6 weeks. Weep.

I've found perfume throughout the day gives me a bit of a lift. Hope you're all mended soon. I will follow this thread with interest!

Take a multivitamin.

I have patients who are fed directly into the stomach via a tube and they all look peachy with health as the drinks are packed with viatamins.

They have fab nails. Which is a shame as alot of them are contracted up and their toe nails dig in and go septic .

I second the home hairdresser thing. If your hair looks great it's amazing how little the rest matters.