Small things that help make you always look polished?

[MeIAm]

It takes a lot of effort and time (both of which are in short supply at the moment) for me to even look presentable enough to leave the house.

I'd love some quick, easy tips and tricks to make me look even slightly 'done'. Right now if someone knocked on my door I wouldn't answer it just because I look a state, my hair is fuzzy and everywhere, skin is not looking it's best, eyes are dark, body is dry and flaky, nails are long but discoloured, toenails have chipped, week old polish on them - you get the idea!

I'll go to work tomorrow looking presentable but as soon as the make up comes off it just seems to highlight how bad other parts are!

I have a busy month ahead so will be doing the bare minimum but after that will be able to invest more time in myself. What things do you do to make walking past a mirror first thing in the morning more bearable?

Good jewellery always helps me feel put together. I have diamond studs and a little pendant that I wear 99% of the time. They are small, simple and go with everything.

Ironed clothes and pefume are my other musts. I find if you smell good you feel much better.

I have a slightly eccentric style but still polished according to others.

Toe nails always neat and painted. Feet buffed every shower

Hair neat. Mine is mega short so DH often clippers it for me

Basic make up...skin tone evened, eye brows neat and a little blush as bare minimum.

Smelling clean and nice

No visible underwear.

Working hard to keep face/skin moisturised etc.

Simple jewellery. I do sometimes venture into a large, funky necklace but normally just wedding rings, small studs and a decent watch.

Decent quality bag.

Understated colours.

No obvious fake tan.

Hair 'styled' in some way whether that be a full on straighten or curl or just pinned up well.

Hair glossy using a tiny tiny dab of coconut oil into very wet hair or Bed Head shine serum on to damp hair.

Nails short and clean. Painted well or not at all. I cannot bear to see chipped nail varnish.

Nice perfume. I like Body Shop mango body spritz. It doesn't smell like perfume but just fresh and clean.

The biggest thing for me in the last couple of years has been to calm the fuck down though. I used to watch other women who looked so 'together' and 'polished' and wonder how they did it. Then I realised it was actually very little to do with their appearance, clothes or accessories and much more the fact that they didn't rush around everywhere (thus not getting sweaty and unkempt) and spoke in a calm and collected way. I've been making real efforts to do this and, I think, doing quite well so far

A neat top line of eyeliner always makes my eyes look complete and not so bare faced.

Any lipstick matching the season, but not too heavy makes me feel ready for the day. I need to top up later on in the day .

Freshly conditioned hair in the summer makes my hair less dry

It's exhausting looking polished isn't it.
For me it's my nails and toe nails done.
All hairy bits shaved
Skin exfoliated and moisturised and fake tanned
( only use a gradual tan for a light glow not orange)
Hair washed and curled
I'm tired just thinking that tonight I need to wash my hair and scrub my fan off and start again

Ooh don't scrub your fan off user that sounds painful

Ha ha ha ha ha that should of said tan

I agree with lots of these things - freshly washed hair, light tan, brows plucked, and definitely the calm, graceful thing, I need to practice that!

Brows, blusher and mascara. That's my bare minimum for just looking a bit tidier. Also, be clean - washed hair that isn't styled is still much better than dirty hair.

I do:

• Fort nightly manicures and pedicures with shellac nails (no chips)
• 6 weekly hair cuts, use Moroccan oil after washing and don't over use the straighteners
• gradual tanner every 3 days
• semi permanent eyelashes topped up every three weeks
• good quality make up, not using too much of it
• regular new clothes, work style dresses and ALWAYS heels unless in jeans/walking somewhere
• regular teeth whitening/Botox/fillers

I appreciate I am high maintenance though

Oh and weekly eyebrow/face waxing along with other bits waxed as needed

Fake tan
Good haircut
Pay to. Get eyebrows done
I also get my eyelashes dyed.
Nice perfume.

Shower every morning; if I feel clean I feel good.

Shiny, swingy hair. I've had long, long hair for years. Chopped it to my shoulders and it bounces when I walk and feels so much better.

Neat, short and clean nails; I keep a nail brush in every bathroom (and an orange stick in my bag to pick at my nails with every now and then).

No cracked heels; use the cheap amazon version of footner and keep your toenails painted a pretty colour.

No fussy prints, no frills on your clothes, no cut-out-shoulder nonsense, just clean and tidy clothes that fit well.

(Also I'm currently wearing Toy Story pyjamas from Primark so am embracing roughly 57% of my own rules, don't follow the rules so blindly that you forget to have fun).

-Manicure & pedicure always done nicely & not chipped (shellac for me)
-Neat eyebrows
-Nice haircut 6 weekly & nice colour (if you have your hair coloured)
-Quality bags & watches (if you wear a watch)
-New clothes quite often
-Facials

I think I (now) look reasonably polished (but not full on glamour).

Agree with great haircut.

I've now got a reasonably decent wardrobe of clothes I love e, that fit, and cover occasions I need things for. This is a massive help, although it took time to pull together.

I do my own pedicure once every 4 weeks (relaxing half hour).

I've got simple makeup that sorts out my skin.

On top of this there are loads of things that I can do that help, brows, fake tan, eyelash tint but these are optional extras, not the basis.

Good luck
Katy

It's a drag, looking good. This stuff speeds things up and takes less than a minute:

• facemask and deep conditioner while doing housework as bath runs
• exfoliating sponge rather than sodding scrub that goes everywhere
• body cream applied while still dripping in bath, works better
• epilate, don't shave, lasts longer
• flexitol feet every night, you'll never scrape again
• dye eyebrows at home, 20p, 1 min
• scent daily

my fave:

• shameless make-up application on bus. They can laugh, but 5 days at 10 min a go gives you a real hour of blissful leisure time.

Eyeliner and nails done and nice shoes

I'm failing at two of these but mastering eyeliner !

Lard. In fact, Im not sure I need it because even normal moisturiser makes my face gleam for hours. Lucky me

Definitely sleep! I am 51 & most of the time I don't look my age but lately I've been going to bed at silly o'clock & oh boy does it show! Also definitely a good haircut. I recently found a stylist that really listened to what I wanted & I am so pleased with the results. I think a smart handbag is good. I have a bad habit of hanging on to the same scruffy old bag for ages & using a winter one when the summer comes.

What's the best product for dying your eyebrows? How do I pick the right colour?

I am often described as "immaculate" and "polished", despite the fact I don't wear particularly "classic" or smart clothes (today's outfit was black dungarees, Stan Smiths and a Breton top). My things are:

Nails always painted - I do my own, takes about 30 minutes in front of the TV.
Lipstick - I always wear red lipstick, even if no other makeup. I know it's not everyone's thing, but it makes me look and feel together.
Hair cut every five/six weeks, washed and styled every day.
Lay out clothes the night before. Make sure everything is ironed (another unpopular thing here, I know) and sew any buttons, loose hems etc immediately they need done, otherwise that item will probably never be seen again. Dry clean coats regularly. Polish shoes/boots when they come off if they look scruffy.
Eyebrows threaded once a fortnight. Tint brows and lashes at home.
No fussy prints - I do stripes, polka dots or leopard print only.

I think, as with everything, YMMV, these are just the things that work for me.

I don't think it's about constantly fiddling with things (fluffing and exfoliating and whatnot) but being rigorous about basic maintenance, and not letting anything look past its best.

So:

-Very good haircut, maintained every six weeks
-Bag in good condition - not nec expensive but should look newish
-Shoes should be maintained - reheeled and polished, and replaced when they start to look worn
-Clothes maintained as PP said - buttons, hems, ironing, and replaced regularly (better to have a few outfits that look good and newish)
-Tights especially should look new
-Clean, filed nails
-Watches and glasses if worn should also be current and replaced when they start to look scratched

That's it really. I don't think a full face of makeup is necessary. Eyebrows can be neatened, and moisturizer is good but nothing else needed (unless you work somewhere like an airline, where it's compulsory).

Disclaimer: I am not polished myself.

No reason at all why you should know the answers. Any decent beautician will be happy to answer your questions.

I wouldn't get eyelashes done. They can and do take your natural ones with them and they're expensive to maintain.

Spend the money on gel nails, hands and feet. Rub nail oil in every day.

Also there's nothing like a fresh cut and colour with threaded and tinted brows. Tinted lashes too.