What's the best bit of style and beauty advice you've ever been given?

[FullFatGrump]

Use hand cream, your hands will age a long time before your face

What's yours?

Buy the best coat you can afford.

Don't wear cheap or uncomfortable shoes.

My advice would be go to a good dental hygienist as often as you can (within reason obviously).

I also get my eyebrows shaped regularly and both brows and lashes dyed (brown not black for older paleskins like me ) these days ..

Yes to good clean trimmed fingernails, mine are very small and fan shaped ( I small hands also , like they never grew up!) , so i just leave them natural

Exercise.

Any dress will look amazing on a toned body. Eyebrows are a tiny fraction of your appearance and much less noticed than a pot belly.

Any dress will look amazing on a toned body. Eyebrows are a tiny fraction of your appearance and much less noticed than a pot belly.

Completely disagree with this. Pot belly can be disguised with well chosen clothes. Eyebrows are there for the whole world to see and well groomed eyebrows can change the way your face looks.

Also anyone who is paying more attention to my belly than my face isn't worth my time anyway.

I'd rather have a toned body than groomed eyebrows.

Not saying I disagree with exercise and getting a toned body. Just that actually to the outside world the pot belly (which many people, especially woman who've had children may have regardless of how much excercies they do) can be well hidden whereas eyebrows can't.

Also anyone who is paying more attention to my belly than my face isn't worth my time anyway

Yet you don't mind being judged on your eyebrows?

Don't do any of it for other people, just do what makes you feel happy, confident, groomed.

I like to consider my posture, for me when I stand or sit tall, I'm still me, but the best me I can be.

Yes, to looking after your curls! Use the curly girl method, no-poo method and def no brushing.

'There are no ugly women, only lazy ones'.

I prefer 'There are no ugly women, only broke ones.' Still disconcerting from a feminist view but it points to the idea that you should buy as good quality clothes and face cream that you can afford.

Any dress will look amazing on a toned body.

Any dress?

Trying not to take it personally as I am in need of a little toning atm (sniff ), but I do honestly think people pay more attention to your face than the rest of you, unless you are wearing something extremely revealing, (which I don't and didn't, even in the pre-baby years, when I was rather toned and slim). I do prefer to be a bit more toned than I am though as it improves my posture, how I carry myself and if I'm fitter I just feel lighter on my feet and happier. I've been doing lots of yoga recently which I love for this.

Also "toned" to me doesn't have to equate to thin. There are some gorgeous plus size models who are fit and toned. They are a bigger dress size than I am, but they look much better.

Treat your eyebrows as if they are sisters not twins.

Loving the other advice on here. I also agree totally with the advice re a decent bra!

Never use soap on your face and always use a face cream. Any face cream will do, just slap it on twice a day. Thanks mum.

You will DEFINITELY be noticed more for your body than your face/eyebrows. Your body is your entire being! Your eyebrows are under 2%.

Plus, nobody sees your eyebrows from the back or sides.

My best advice was: never wear a dress that's longer than your coat.

Don't fuck about with your eyebrows.

Your body is your entire being! Your eyebrows are under 2%.

No, I definitely notice people's faces more than the rest of them. Maybe if I was looking at someone walk away from me down the street I'd look at their body, but when I'm talking to someone I look at their face. That's not to say I look at their eyebrows or anything, but my focus would definitely be on their face.

Your "entire being" (not to sound cheesy) is more than your body (sorry I know that sounds like I should be looking into your eyes, head tilting and patting your shoulder - bleurgh). Eyes are the window to the soul etc and your face gives away what you're thinking and expressing more obviously than your body. You don't cry with your bum (sound horrible) or smile with your tummy (sorry I know - head tilt, HEAD TILT). I'll shut up now before I burst into song!

Don't put pattern on your fat bits.
Read this ages ago on MN. Sound advice.

Get your colours done! Revolutionised my wardrobe as I wore black all the time and it really didn't suit me. Also wear clothes for your body shape and avoid clothes that don't suit it even if they are the height of fashion ( esp if you've got big boobs...) 😀

Any "beauty" tip that basically consists of "conform to my standards of beauty" isn't advice, it's an order. And one you can choose to ignore!

Once heard that the single most effective thing you can do to improve your appearance is to smile - and it's free =)

Second the milk of magnesia as a base for oily skin - keeps the shine away all day and hold foundation on fast.

Soak nails in olive oil for 5 minutes a day - strengthens them better than nail hardeners which can make them brittle.

Ooh yeah, get your colours done! Had that recently and it's changed how I buy clothes and I feel good in many more colours than I thought I would.

If you want your daughters to believe they have value other than the value of their appearance, don't let them see you spending time or money on cosmetics.

icebeing, have you no interest in your appearance at all?

'Why don't you try teaching a class yourself?'

This was about a fitness class, said by my instructor. I did. I loved it, got qualified as a group fitness instructor. Only do it as a hobby, as I also have a full time job and family - but that's enough to keep me in better shape than I was 20 years ago. And I agree that if you're in shape, you can throw on any old thing and it will look great -no 'oh but this clings to every roll' and 'this makes my hips look massive'.

Another was a beautician who said that I have sensitive skin. I thought the opposite, that it was as tough as an old boot and I needed a lot of scrubbing, cleaning and peeling. Once I started using gentle, sensitive skin stuff, my skin is so great I constantly get compliments. Who would have though. '

pearly Of course I do. I was brought up as a girl in a society that values women primarily for their beauty. I would have to be entirely divorced from reality to not have angst about how I look, to feel shame about my body etc. I just dare to hope life will be better for the next generation.

My tip is to inspire body confidence in your children you have to show them just how little stock you put in looks, appearance and products of any description. How can you sell 'you should never be ashamed of your body or appearance'' and 'you are more than your looks' while piling on the makeup and signing yourself up for cosmetic surgery? Children learn from what you do and how you behave, not what you tell them.