What's your style & beauty "duh!" moment?

[Poughle]

Everywhere I have lived, I've always been cold in the winter. I hate being cold!

It's finally clicked that LAYERS keep you warm. It's only taken me 3 and a half decades to figure this out. I am cold because I wear thin summer clothing with a jacket on top... Not going to cut it!!

I spent ages on pinterest and polyvore looking at how to layer, for some reason I just couldn't grasp it properly until I'd seen loads of examples. But I am proud to announce that I NOW GET IT and all the lovely basic long sleeve tshirts and loose fitting tops I ordered online arrived this afternoon! Several jumpers are on the way too!

This winter I will be warm for the fist time ever. And I will look good as well!!

• tanned skin isn't the be all and end all. Better to enhance pale skin than to spend hours painting it orange

• polo necks do not flatter big boobs

• venture beyond black. red looks amazing on me.

• better to use cheap skin care products consistently than to use expensive products every so often

• a vegetable heavy diet is better than any face cream

• high heels, no matter how gorgeous, look crap if you're hobbling and moaning with the pain

• facial oil is amazing stuff. don't be scared of oil

• it doesn't matter if you don't have a natural eye for what goes with what, lots of people on pinterest do

• the pale of skin and pale of lip look much better with some lipstick on

No layers in my hair, I'm going to mess it up anyway.

Buy stuff for the places I go to - top rule.

Check fabric before pressing buy.

Don't do the things I can't do - burgundy / wine looks gorgeous but not for a blonde.

Which face oils do you like, Squoosh? I want to up-grade from my Superdrug one but not spend a fortune.

My 'duh' moments -

It IS possible to wear lipstick without looking too made up

My hair looks better short

Hands and feet always done, even if not painted nails.

Hair always nice and never look scruffy with horrible clothes! Throw them out! Its allowed to look ok to do anything.. Apart from painting.

That way, I always feel ready for anything. A dash of lipgloss and I can go anywhere:)

Fab bra !

That the difference between people whose clothes look great and good quality compared to those whose clothes look cheap is probably down to ironing...

Doesn't make me want to iron, though...

That my skin and hair has never looked better since using raw coconut oil

I cleanse with it, I moisturise (face AND body) with it, I put it in my baths, I use it as a hair treatment, I also eat it (a teaspoon a day)

I'm 34 and I just wish i'd discovered it earlier, esp as I've just had dc3 and did not get one stretchmark which I'm convinced is cos of the oil as I got loads with the other dcs.

That I look better with bright pink lips rather than a natural coloured lipstick.

Buy clothes for the lifestyle I have.

That anything too 'pretty' (full skirts, cleavage, floral prints, sparkle) looks shit on me - I am far better in 'edgy' (crap word, but ykwim) clothes like leather leggings, asymmetric dresses etc.

That there are many many colours that make me look slimmer, healthier, younger and more attractive, and black is very definitely not one of them.

Oh, and that thermals are your friend if you want to wear stylish clothes in winter.

That buying repeated variations of the same thing is a good idea - not copying stylish people who have a totally different style to me. Takes discipline though.

Remus - Nuxe face oil is lovely and I think reduced at M and S atm.

That long hair made me look older, not younger!

Wear skin coloured underwear under white so it doesn't show up - not white!

God yes. Why did we ever do white?

1/ tailoring makes all the difference. Factor in hemming as part of the "can I afford it" question when buying trousers. If I ever see a 80-90% off ridiculous bargain in a large size, mentally try to calculate how much it would cost to tailor it. I own a beautiful linen coat that was once an xxl and a tenner, originally over 200 quid!)

2/ when buying shoes, factor in cost of putting on rubber soles. Makes the shoes last years and stops you buying "bargains" that aren't.

3/ observing women in high heels on the street- when you can't walk in them properly, it's not sexy/empowering/attractive. No matter how great the shoe might look.

That I am an inherently messy looking person with messy wavy hair and that since I accepted this and stopped trying to look well-groomed and sophisticated I have started getting lots of compliments.

As Brian said up thread you actually have to 'do' your hair to make it look 'done'. Ghd's are my friend.

Also, just because it's fashionable, doesn't mean it looks good. I learnt that one years ago thank goodness!

Lego we did white because tops were made of decent. White t-shirts weren't today's transparent tat.

Also nude underwear only works if it's seamless and a decent colour. In times gone by it was lumpy and a funny shade of peach.

Remus my favourite facial oil is Clarin's Blue Orchid Oil, not the cheapest but lasts for ages. Next I want to try is Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate, even more expensive though.

At the cheaper end I quite liked the Boots Botanic's one and I've heard that the N-spa available in Asda is great for the price.

Thanks for the face oil recs. I can't justify Clarins right now, so will save that for my Christmas list and look at some of the cheaper ones.

Skinny jeans make my legs look like parsnips

A little bit of make up is pretty much essential if you want to feel good

Nobody else cares if you have a bit of a sticky out tummy or slightly wobbly arms - they really don't, they're too busy obsessing about their own 'faults'.

I like face oil too. Have the ? Loreal one. Extraordinary or something

Another who has had the short hair looks better on me realisation.

Me: hair never shorter than shoulders. Plus a fringe = murderer

Don't EVER buy anything with acrylic in it, even if I adore the style, it will look hideous after 2 wears.

Tailored clothes suit me better.

Lip gloss makes me look ill.

I'm not edgy and never will be.

Black near my face makes me look haggard.

Don't waste money on cheaper concealers....just invest in Touch Éclat.

Uniqlo hi tech vests are the best garment ever invented....mine go on in October and come off in May feel the cold too OP