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Original poster

Easter renovators! Come one, come all

711 replies

HelgatheHairy · 29/12/2013 14:11

After the brilliant success of our Christmas Countdown Princessing thread I'm starting a new thread to take us to Easter. From 1st Jan it's 108 days so there will be a countdown to this days.

This idea stems from the original princessing threads but has evolved to accommodate all aspects of beautifying, beauty, clothes, diet, exercise etc.

What we like to do is a list of what your planning on doing and working through it.

Links to follow.

OP posts:
vvviola · 20/01/2014 10:12

Sending you lots of luck for the next month Control - and nice work on all that water drinking Grin

I have officially given up on my hair. The repair cream that I thought was helping appears to have caused a massive flare up in my psoriasis - so now as well as having frizzy hair, I've got red scaly itchy patches all over my scalp, plus big dandruffy flakes that get caught in the frizzy bit. It's a nightmare. Sad

But... I sorted out my clothes today. I only have about 5 outfits I actually fit into right now, but at least I can actually find them now. I've started 5:2 diet last week, so am hoping to fit into a few more things - hopefully before the fingers crossed they even happen job interviews start.

I'm also being really good with my water drinking and my skincare.

Tomorrow's job is to sort through my jewellery box and put out a few piece to wear with my outfits. I wonder whether I can still wear any of my earrings... It must be 4 years since I last wore some, but the holes never closed up before.

(Did I bore you all about my dissertation results already? I can't remember)

ControlGeek · 20/01/2014 12:50

Thanks vvv! Arrrghh to the psoriasis, especially when your hair was starting to show the benefits. Could you maybe just put the repair cream on the ends (depending on how long your hair is, of course)? Alternatively, can you move back to Ireland Wink How are you finding the 5:2? I rather enjoy it - I don't feel like I'm on a diet because I can eat what I fancy on non-fasting days, and I found my appetite reduced really quickly so I wasn't that hungry. I hadn't worn earrings regularly for a few years either. I found the holes hadn't closed up, but after a couple of hours the lobes got all red and itchy. I had to spend a couple of weeks in my old piercing studs to get them to settle down and take my fashion earrings properly.

I have decided to go cold turkey on beauty products for the next month. I don't want to look back and wonder if I did anything that had a bad effect. I'll still wear minimal makeup, but no perfume/nail varnish/hair dye/creams/lotions etc.

Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 21/01/2014 09:58

88 days to go

OP posts:
Wolfcub · 21/01/2014 19:15

Evening everyone, this thread has gone very quiet. The planning has fallen off the habit list but the cleansing, make up wearing and hair oiling is still going. I've got my outfits out the night before and the diet is going well, 8 pounds gone so far

ControlGeek · 21/01/2014 20:16

Not a great day for me today. Ate myself stupid (who the heck thought it was safe leaving me with an entire bag of pistachio nuts???) but I did have a lovely long hot shower and dried and oiled my hair afterwards. Minimal makeup but that can't be helped at the moment. Did absolutely nothing about the house, though had a half hour walk into town and back at lunchtime.

Will try to do better tomorrow Grin

Pollywallywinkles · 21/01/2014 20:47

I'm still doing ok other than the exercise. Really do have to do something about that. Have no excuse really. How long does it take to plank, use the gym ball, or do a few weights? Less than 15 mins. Have got to motivate myself.

lucysmam · 21/01/2014 21:10

Good evening Smile

wolf it is very quiet in here Confused

Control it sounds like you had a relaxing day doing not much Grin I couldn't not eat an entire bag of pistachio nuts either! Keep having to force myself to walk past them in Poundland atm...they have bags in our local one.

Polly I'm useless with motivation for exercise too...although I have been walking a fair bit lately. Even walked the four miles to town and back with dp yesterday!

Not much to report here...dp started his new job today...I'm knackered! It's so easy to get into the habit of being used to him being here & just being able to mooch about Confused

My hair's behaving nicely so have left straightening it for the past two nights, still oiled and dried though. Nails are a mess so will have to sit and sort those at some point this week.

It's dd1's seventh birthday on Saturday,plan to bake six layers of rainbow cake tomorrow, will have to find some way of tying my hair up that looks decent Confused

Not much else to report, house princessing is on hold until wages start coming in again. Will have to tidy the toys though tomorrow that are in the garden, they're a mess & all over the place.

Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 22/01/2014 09:50

87 days to go

OP posts:
vvviola · 22/01/2014 10:21

Life (aka DH wanting to be all sociable and take me out for lunch) is scuppering 5:2 a bit for me, Control. Only managed 1 successful fast so far, and 2 semi-fasts. Hopefully once DD1 is back in school the week after next it should be a little easier as we'll all be back in to our routines.

The annoying thing about my hair is that the frizzy bits are closest to some of my worst psoraisis. So while I could put stuff on them, I won't risk a leave-in product for now. (And we're planning to move back next year if I can survive that long with crap hair Wink)

Dug out some of my costume jewellery today that I know will go with some of the outfits I have. Now just to remember to wear it.

And I was about to leave the house this morning without doing my moisturiser/sun screen/lip gloss combination, but it didn't feel right, so I actually went back into the house to do it!

ControlGeek · 23/01/2014 18:00

86 days to go (though at the time of posting this, it's nearer 85!!!)

ControlGeek · 24/01/2014 08:59

85 days to go

ControlGeek · 24/01/2014 09:00

I'm doing really badly at the moment, far too distracted by things. So far this week I've not earned a penny from my efforts!

StyleOverSubstance · 24/01/2014 11:55

I am going to have to restart my challenge at the beginning of February - it has been a disastrous month so far as everyone has been ill with various bugs doing the rounds, so just not felt up to doing as much or just not had the time. Managed to do a few things I had on my plan, but not keeping up with enough of it at the moment to stay motivated and get the results I was aiming for so am resetting my challenge to start at the beginning of next month and starting my prep this week for it.

How is everyone else doing - keep checking in on the thread, but it seems to have gone very quiet, so am wondering if other people have been in the same situation where life has got in the way!

ControlGeek · 24/01/2014 18:06

That's definitely the case for me style, hoping to be back in full swing in a couple of weeks though. Actually, I'm hoping I'm not, but that's a whole other fred!

CallingAllEngels · 24/01/2014 18:16

I def need a kick up the bum too! I started so well but have eaten too much, exercise has fallen by the wayside and my waistband is straining!

tomorrow is another day!

StyleOverSubstance · 24/01/2014 18:45

Glad to hear I am not the only one, was starting to feel a bit down as earlier on upthread there seemed to be lots of people doing really well. Control - really hope all goes well for you next month, would be lovely if you couldn't carry on part of the challenge for all the right reasons.

Have seen a few people mention this 5:2 diet, so may look into that, but suspect it may not be for me as I don't do well if I don't eat regularly, so SW or WW may be a better option.

Am hoping that current round of bugs and stuff from school have worn themselves out now, should have as they have visited us twice now!! I have barely had a day without one or all of the kids or DH off sick since beginning of month and unusually I have felt ill enough to have a duvet day or two on the settee, so must have been ill as us mums don't usually have time to be ill even when we are! Wink

lucysmam · 24/01/2014 20:09

Evening all Smile

I'm on strike! Have come up in some sort of bizzarre, itchy rash on my scalp & a couple of splotches of it on my face Sad I itched my head & made it bleed in three places so now have scabs I keep forgetting about & scratching & making bleed Hmm Hats are the way forward atm 'cos bits of my hair are ending up all matted together Confused Dr's can't fit me in for two weeks because it isn't urgent Hmm

I haven't really done much apart from keep up the walking tbh, feel pretty yukky.

Plan to diy a haircut I think until we can loosen our belts slightly...just need to dry and straighten to do that but will probably wait until I stop itching.

I think I might concentrate on my nails/hands for now...they could do with some tlc & aren't splotchy or itchy!

Control How long until you know if you're successful? (v. nosey, don't feel like you have to tell!). Are you still managing the 3L water a day? I could do with getting back on the water wagon!

I think rl has got in the way for many of us this time around. Then again, even just doing the basics is better than nothing!

Right...off to finish birthday preparations for tomorrow. Have a good weekend everyone Smile

ControlGeek · 24/01/2014 20:17

Thanks style, t'would indeed!

lucysmam two weeks tomorrow will give me an accurate answer, though tomorrow I will find out if we're even past the first hurdle. There are lots of things between now and Thursday that could put an end to the dream, before I even get to the testing stage!

ControlGeek · 24/01/2014 20:19

Posted too soon - meant to say sorry about the scratchy scalp lucysmam I get that from time to time but don't tend to worry about it until it becomes visible at the hairline How's DH getting on with his new job? Did he get his holiday pay sorted from the old one?

lucysmam · 24/01/2014 21:25

It all sounds very timetabled Control! I'd be marking days off on the calendar Grin I hope it works for you.

Do you have any magical miracle cures for the scratchy scalp? It's driving me up the walls it's that bad. Dp's new job's going well thanks, although he's started right in the middle of a stocktake so there's not much being done other than counting! His old one haven't sorted holiday pay...they did ring today to ask him to come back though Shock cheeky fuckers

Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 24/01/2014 22:09

creeps quietly back onto thread

Anyone remember me?? Sorry I've been rubbish, things got kind of on top of me for a while (nothing serious, just need sleep) but I'm back.

control in the nicest possible way I hope so much that you can't continue parts of the challenge! Still expect to see you round here though!

lucysmam can you get hold of L'Oreal men's anti-dandruff shampoo? I have seb dermatitis and this is the only thing that keeps it in check. Or apple cider vinegar diluted but I found that makes my hair smell a bit funny!

OP posts:
vvviola · 24/01/2014 22:27

Lucysmam - have you a Lush shop near you?

They have two products that I swear by when my psoraisis is bad but I can't use the steroid type treatments (preg/bf etc) and they are really good for general itchy/flakiness.

Dream Cream is one - and it's a very good general moisturiser.
The other is called "Superbalm" and it's specifically for itchy flaky scalps.

Dilidali · 25/01/2014 09:51

Hello all :)

It's a beautiful morning here :) we're going out tonight, so I shall be pampering a bit this afternoon, once the chores etc are done.
Been keeping up with my challenges and classes, all good there. Need to moisturise hands more!!!!

lucysmam · 25/01/2014 10:16

Thanks Helga and vvv, I'll see if I can find the shampoo locally first as Lush is in town so would have to spend bus fare to get there. Have put some Clotrimazol cream on for the minute, on my face anyway, have been in the shower to rinse my hair & am just off to blow dry then see if dp will hunt through my hair for the scabby bits to put some on them too.

It's dd1's birthday today so she's all beautified Grin ...made more of an effort than me this morning! She's in a dress, with her jewellery on, just waiting on me doing her hair.

Wolfcub · 25/01/2014 11:16

Lucysmam I'd recommend Nizoral (buy the over the counter one from the chemist) until it improves and then tgel to stop it coming back. When I was very run down and stressed in the autumn the same thing happened to me.