Fashion and beauty mysteries- what are you too afraid to ask?

[AlwaysSleepingBeauty]

I hope that someone might help with mine... how on earth does one pronounce Space NK please? I was going to ask in the shop, but the man in the blue eyeshadow is too scary

I have fine, blond downy hair on my face - catches the light. I have it threaded on my chin and upper lip every few weeks. Love it.

Also love having my lady bits and bum crack waxed - not at the time but after. Makes me feel clean and tidy.

...hubbie says I have control issues about body hair...

Fuzzypicklehead - I have that same problem - I go to Sally's, ask for the wax you can microwave its in a tub lasts AGES - buy some of the wooden Popsicle type sticks and some of the paper wax strips (the fabric ones just make a mess) - its so easy just get the cheapest sticks (get the big and small ones so you can use different ones for different areas) and strips (cut the strips to whatever size you need) they are perfectly fine! Also not sure how much itd cost to get all this in one go as mine has lasted me forever (over a year) and havent needed to buy more but just the fact it lasts so long makes it worth it (and the privacy of your own home part) but it's not over £20 pretty sure! Do it at night it'll not be red in the morning - it isn't for me anyway!

Marriednotdead - primers sort of like a base coat - it's quite good if you get a tinted one - e.g. A green one if you want to minimise pinky tones - my mum uses it and it works a treat for her rosacea!

Oh and fuzzypicklehead - I don't do all over my face but I do neck, sides by my sideburns, around the top of my head by hairline to eyebrows, mono brow/eyebrow stuff, lip and chin - maybe best not to do entire face haha but it'd great for those areas!

Onehundred - have you tried using eyeliner on the inside of your eye - like the bit you put it on on the bottom (the instep thingy) but on the upper lash line and then pushed it up to the lashes from the inside - that's how I usually do it sorta fill it in from that way up instead of down - tell me if I make no sense as aware I'm rambling!

Re eyeliner q, Clarins & Bourjois do a felt-tip liner that has 3 little points. As in a 3-pronged liner. You can really get in between lashes (from top & underneath). This will solve problem of not getting liner close enough to lashes.

I get these spots, normally along my hairline but sometimes on my chin and forehead too, not sure if it's hormonal but they are sooooo painful, and don't come to a head. That doesn't stop me picking at them til they bleed though, and they normally go after they've scabbed and then the scab has been duly picked fallen off. Is this acne? I've been getting these since puberty. What can I do about them? I might have mentioned they really hurt.

Spooky, see on youtube, 25 Ways to Wear a Scarf in 4.5 Minutes by wendylooksbook. She is great.

Instead of eyeliner I use eyeshadows which make smoky eyes. So much better than cole but of course some people look great with cole.

I also hate washing my hair in the morning before taking kids to school. So I wash it in the evening (not all the time though), put some hairgel then dry it with my head down. When I go to bed I make sure the crown of my hair is lifted up otherwise in the morning one side is going to be as flat as pancake. I do move in bed but somehow the hair is not completely flat in the morning.

Luckily my husband is not bothered about the hair bits. I shave it for myself.
Do male partners do it as well, the waxing?

After seeing some men with builder's cleavage, I think some of them should wax their bottoms before wearing low waist trousers.

This has all been really helpful - am the world's biggest scruff, only happy in merino fleece & nylon & goretex trekking gear - and about to move to Paris.

I want to know if anyone has ever found bunion-friendly shoes that looked good?

I love things like ballet flats and nice little court shoes... but can't walk in them anymore. Spent the last few years at work in trouser suits hiding comfy walking shoes, and outside work only ever wearing trainers or hiking boots. One of these years I'm going to have to get my feet rebuilt I think

Anna, how exciting moving to Paris! Shoes- sketchers might be ok, I have had to go down this road ( there is another thread in s&b) sorry cant link on iPad.
Or m&s foot glove do ballet pumps which are supportive to a point.

I would be a wreck if moving to Paris:) essential items would be fabulous scarf, dark glasses, black trousers/ skirt ( pencil) and a t shirt plus nipped in jacket. I would have to lose my scuffy jeans, messy hair and token make up:)

thanks Lavenderhoney

yes I'm enjoying having an excuse to go jacket shopping!

Hmm. I shall try these solutions one by one. Then maybe I can namechange to hairlesspicklehead.

for very dry hands, apply a small dollop of olive oil and then some granulated sugar and massage. a bit messy so best done at night. Fab results.

also, get to Holland and Barrett (other retailers are available) and buy a big tub of coconut oil. Absolutely the best moisturiser for absolutely everywhere. Can't believe how different my face feels in the mornings after I rub a bit in at night!

Eyeliner - use liquid (rimmel or Bourgois I find easiest/best value) with a brush. Can't do a smudgy line but gives great coverage and doesn't disappear. Mac is brilliant but is almost impossible to remove.
Hair loss (Uggs?) - I had this too now 18 months after my last child it is starting to grow back in around the hairline - so don't give up yet.

Am I the only one who thinks all this sounds exhausting?

Sunshineandfreedom- yes!!!

I think it helps if it's a routine from when you were a teen to do all this maintenance, otherwise it's easy to forget and not be able to squash it on anyway. This is the case for me anyway. I wasn't that interested as a teenager and my mum certainly wasn't one for all that:) if she did it was behind the bathroom door as she always said she liked an air of mystery- no one was allowed in or to look at her cupboard.

The older I get the less I care. I don't shave because I don't like it, and my hair is in dreadlocks so I don't have to brush it, I barely wear any make up... I can't imagine having the time for everything you lot all seem to do!

(And I'm only 23, that comment made me sound ancient!)

Onehundred and thenightsky
You could try the new 3 dot eyeliner pens. I've just ordered mine and am v excited about using it.

It has a kind of little forked tip which you use to dot along in between your eyelashes.

like this one

Bourjois do one too.

Primer is great, I've discovered Benefit That Gal which just sort of smoothes things out and gives a hint of colour/brightness but without looking "made up". I often use it on its own without foundation, to just look a bit better without too much effort (I'm really not big on heavy makeup!), but for special occasions when I DO wear foundation, it seems to help it go on better and not look so mask-like. Like "real me but improved"!

For spots that don't want to come out, I use Witch Doctor stick! It's good for irritation too, though if you have broken skin it stings a bit (but then helps it heal). They used to do a gel that was even better, but think it's discontinued now.

Lipstick - I can't wear it either without looking strange, I have an odd lipline at the sides so wherever I put it, it either looks as though I've gone over the edges or missed a bit. My solution was to just invest in fab lip glosses instead and tbh I think they look better on me anyway!

Now my questions:

Why can't I wear eyeliner? EVERY time I've tried it just looks crap, am I just not made for that as well?

Also, I seem to have ended up with a number of tops/jumpers that need something underneath (meshy jumpers, or things with sheer/mesh panels), but I can never find anything to wear under them that doesn't look crap -wrong necklines or whatever. How do you do the layering thing? I'm sick of buying things that look great in the shop, but which I can't then actually wear for real!

False eyelashes...are you meant to use your own eyelashes in the corner nearest to your nose iyswim? I've never trimmed them, and they look fine on, but if you look closely, they stop a bit early and I match with liquid eyeliner and mascara.

Is that normal or are my eyes a bit weird? I've always been complimented when I wear them, so I don't really like to ask...

So does primer go on after moisturising? How long after? Don't all the layers of products feel "heavy"?

And do people actually have capsule wardrobes?

Agree with the witch stick for spots! Also toothpaste... It actually works surprisingly - wait til it tries to go to bed though haha and it just sort of peels off! Boots also do a tea tree and witch hazel range which is really good - particularly the night treatment gel (also generally on offer and is quite cheap anyway).

PopMusic - primer can go on after moisturising - I tend to just put it on a few minutes after when the moisturiser has seeped in a bit - you should generally get one without silicone if you can - they don't feel heavy if you get the right one as it'll feel like a light moisturiser. Laura mercier and make up for ever primer is great but I've just stuck to those because they were the first I've come across - I imagine there's loads of good ones now that aren't so overpriced but I'm stuck in my ways haha!

Oh and PopMusic - if you don't like the feel of makeup being heavy you could always do primer first and mix foundation with a moisturiser to make it less 'concentrated' - blends better too!