So, I looked in the mirror today and saw this ferociously knackered ugly bag...

[JoyceDivision]

... staring back at me

I am 38. I feel 22 in my head, but look prehistoric.

My skin is so so, no acne as such apart from chin / jawline spots when period due...

Beenon hol a week and started the double cleansing again with clearasil pads for the acid thingy.

I havebeen using aclinique eye cream butrond my eyyes looks knackered!

What eye cream and serum / moisturiser can anyone recommend? (normal / combination skin) pref under £20 as on a bit of a budget...

I am also starting to grow out a crop and have stopped dyeing my hair so am really not in a good starting position at the mo!!!

I do dress casual so its not as though I amin frumpy or fussy clothes thatdate me...

Drink lots of water, 8 hrs sleep, gently exercise in fresh air, decent haircut and try Dr Organics skincare. Cut down on sugar and processed products, Wash face twice before bed.

Take a picture tomorrow of your face, then 1 in a week or 2's time after the above and I bet you see a big difference.

La roche posay redermic R eye cream has, to my surprise, made a big difference to my saggy forty something eyes.

thanks

Tomorrow is a new day (It has been a hectic halloween eve so I am glugging some wine) then the water, sleep and cutting down on sugar etc will commence!

Hair cut in 4 weeks as want growth to get restyle so am happy to sit on my hands and wait...

will check out la roche posay thanks

Bad hair is always a nightmare to get past. You could try texturising it with spray wax..although it will flatten quickly..
A volume boost with a thickening gel, then something like fudge junk could give you a great slightly wild look on cropped hair going into Autumn..nice with a scarf / jumper look and a popping lipstick to detract from wan skin..just to keep you going to restyle day.

Okay regenerist luminous serum
Kiehls avocado eye cream

Look for offers in Boots/online, can usually get them half price somewhere.

Thought you'd been watching me looking in the mirror OP!
Could you colour your hair with a semi permanent to tide you over until you get your done?

Can I join you in an attempted revamp? I'm 41, have a 22 month old and a five week old. I can't get a long enough window to get to the hairdressers for the foreseeable (breastfeeding). I went shopping for clothes and caught my reflection - I look bulky, totally lacking in fashion (I blame breastfeeding clothes) and just all round disappointment to myself.

My skin went very dry after the baby sobiniused la Roche post lipikar balm to rectify. I'm not back on a normal moisturiser. I might try the eye cream another poster recommended.

But I'm just at a loss how to get out of the I just had a baby look!

Havalina1 come join in!

I am determined to keep away from the dye as grey is coming through as if I dye I am terrified of having the really obvious growing out line of dye! Plus I think steely grey hair looks cool!

Will look at the olay serum and khiels, thanks

Knocking off the wine for a bit seems to make a big difference, as does going to bed earlier.

I too looked in the mirror last week and was horrified, but unusually for me took a glass half full view. I celebrated the fact I would never look this awful in the mirror again. Have done baby steps and am making sure they stick - hand cream, more water, eyebrows etc. So far am keeping it up - I'll add new stuff /take it out as in wine every day but I'm not rushing myself. I have painted nails, a Clarins-y mildly tanned face, smooth legs, soft heels and a more positive attitude. At nearly 52 (arghhh) I need all the help I can get! I am so not ready for middle age and have been trying to ignore it. Cheating it is the way to go!

I am 33 and know I look so much older. I look at pictures from before I had children and know that a lot of it is down to lack of sleep. I go to bed far too late and I don't drink nearly enough water.

I am also overweight but working on that.

I usually get my hair cut/coloured every 7 weeks but missed my last appointment so that hasn't helped
And to be honest I am sick of the same old crappy hair style and colour. But change scares me. I hate people noticing that I am different and passing comment.

It's the children that do it, and the accompanying stress, hard work and sleep deprivation!

It's the stresses of children and work if you ask me.

My child free and/or retired friends look amazing compared to the rest of us.

I think I am going to crumble and dye my hair.... even though I am starting to grow out a pixie andthere is no dye on it, my hair is not trendy grey, just a dirtydishwater meh colour with a few strands of grey.. I hoped I would look young with trendy grey hair, instead I just look oldand worn out...

i have the nice n easy specialist grey hair life sorter outer kit upstairs....

On my 49th birthday, I got DD to take a picture of me on her iPad.
Just out the shower, hair in a wrap. No make-up.

It is weird to see my face in a photo not a reflection.
I always think I look like my Mother in a mirror (not a bad thing, but a bit of a scare)
In the photo, I see my wonky eyebrows and all the asymmetry in reverse.

I wanted to see how my skin was after using my Philosophy cream (Birthday present from my DC) then a photo every month .
Answer was- okay but no better results than Aldi serum (at 10% of the price)

I try to make my face smile a bit rather than my Bitchy Resting Face
And a 'frame' of eyebrows and some lipcolour to add focus?

haha I get the bitchy resting face!!

The school secretary said she could tell a diff just when I slapped some BB cream on and mascara so I MUST look wrecked!!!

Tried to get teh Aldi new caviar face set but none in out store.. pah!

I had a photo taken today and was horrified at the fat middle aged woman I saw.

I did think I was doing ok age wise, but now accepting my middle age at 44.

I've been looking a bit knackered recently, half term madness, so after cleansing, I'm back onto my clearasil pads followed by my freebie trial clinique custom serum. Which is working amazingly well.

I had written off the serum when I first got it but that was at the start of my new facial regime a few months back. Turns out the serum is actually quite amazing and seems to work really well straight after using the pads.

Waitrose do a really good eye serum as part of their own pure range.

If you would like to go grey, but hate the in between part, find the Facebook group 'Going Gorgeously Gray'. I'm 44, have a grey pixie crop and I love it. I've never in my life had so many compliments and its wonderful being free from dyeing!

I shall have to bob into a department store and see if I canget a serum freebie!

I am persevering with the grey... in the work toilets it looks nice as the lighting is warm and makes the grey bits look a bit sparkly... i will see if I can view the facebook group...

In your 40s you can make so many changes to look better- losing weight, drinking lots of water, good haircut and makeup. Losing weight in particular can take years and years off a person.. I've had to do double takes with some people. This thread is quite depressing in that so many feel this bad in their 40s and even 30s.. You just need to make some time to look after yourself, which I know can be hard with little ones.. I looked older after babies but then reverted back once I was sleeping again.