Not sure if I'm princessing or trying to look expensive or "sorting my life out" and it's really long so can I start a new thread?

[user1471456822]

Good morning!

I've been avidly following the threads mentioned in my title and have now compiled my own "masterlist" of stuff I need to do.

I'm 33. About 3/4 stone over my max healthy weight and only 5'1 so a lot of work to be done. Have spent an absolute fortune recently getting new products etc so hopefully will all be worth it.

Any suggestions welcome! It looks like a hell of a lot written down! Plus some of it is quite grim (toe-hair plucking)

Thanks all and good luck on your own journeys!!

Ideas:
Pinterest
Mumsnet
Youtube tutorials – what colours suit/smoky eye

Wellbeing
Get enough sleep
Get outside/use sad lamp (go out at least every 2nd day)
Shower every day even if not going out
Use massager
Read books, listen to music, do colouring in

Body
Eat Paleo – unprocessed protein, fruit, veg, nuts, limit dairy
Drink water
Tone up – resistance bands/thighmaster/stepmachine
(youtube: instructional videos and music videos)
Wear fitbit

Hair Removal
Threading – lip, chin, sideburns (superdrug)
Eyebrows – trim and pluck, including surrounding area
IPL on hairline, underarms and forearms
Epilate – legs & feet (!) (use body brush first)
Hair-removal cream – nostrils
Bikini – combo of hair removal cream, epilating, trimming and plucking

Face
Alternate AHA/BHA and finacea/isotrex ie whenever you go to use one, just use the one you didn’t use last time
Don’t forget to use toner after shower
After BHA use facemask
Also treat chest & hands but gently
Use serum
Makeup: use the things you often skip eg foundation, bronzer, brow pencil
Also: use “going out” make-up

Body skincare
Use bodyscrub & shower-oil
Use up body lotion then decide whether to replace

Hands & Feet
Use cuticle cream/handcream throughout day
Manicure: one coat of polish then another coat a couple of days later
Pedicure: Include soaking feet and plucking toes

Hair
Coloured 6-weekly
Trimmed regularly
Use silver, clarifying shampoo, nizoral & conditioner (combed through)
Treatment: put oil in before washing
Dried straight
Use finishing serum
Use hair accessories

Style
Go with nature, not against it ie pale skin, long straight/wavy hair
Be the best version of you
Lay everything out the night before
Clean hair & teeth, good shoes, make-up, jewellery, perfume, scarves, belts, coats/jackets
Iron clothes (& use this opportunity to snip loose threads, redo hems, decide re chucking out)
Nothing stained/old/ill-fitting (esp tops that are too short)
Use full length mirror in spare room
Buy fewer clothes but better quality
Not everything you wear has to BE expensive, it just has to look as if it MIGHT be.
Aim for elegant and feminine
Think capsule wardrobe - Have a uniform of your own. Wear simple basics and brighten up with accessories
Avoid patterns or very bright colours as they look cheap
Navy rather than black esp near face
Buy natural fibres – check the label – cashmere, silk, cotton.

Shoes: (Schuh) Check shoes are leather. Keep them polished.
Boden, Cos, Uniqlo, Gap (tshirts, hoodies), Asda, Sainsburys, John Lewis, monsoon, oliver bonas, JCrew, joules, whistles, hobbs, tk maxx, brora, jigsaw, reiss, white company, mint velvet, joseph, jaegar, seasalt

Teeth
Brush before breakfast, even on weekend
Brush for longer & include back of bottom teeth
Use toothpick and waterpik
Chew gum
Bleaching

Lips
Rub with flannel/toothbrush

I've been doing something similar, my list is also scarily long. I have a lot of the same things you do, and also

Wear 'mountain' wear only when I'm in the sodding mountains, or it's pouring down. So no regularly wearing gortex every day for easiness. Also no more trousers from mountain warehouse (I have enough for serious walking to last me even if I live to 120)

If trainers are essential (and they pretty much are for me because of a long and boring surgical history), then don't just have one pair of boring trainers that you wear to death. I now have several pairs that I alternate, including a pair of Liberty Nikes and silver reeboks.

Let go of all guilt about previous less-than-ideal purchases and get them sold or recycled so I can see what I actually have, and everything I have is wearable. Include in this things that I'm waiting to lose weight to wear - accept that by then I will be sick of the sight of them and will feel I deserve new things.

Wax eyebrows regularly - honestly, why did I wait so long, it's amazing!

Stop letting my hair air dry and then do nothing with it - bought a straigtening brush which is like magic!

Never leave the house - even to walk the dog - without mascara, perfume and earrings.

Cherries - you and I must be secret twins! I was in trespass yesterday buying new waterproofs! And I bought a new pair of "elegant" (converse, leather) type trainers so that at least I'm not wearing battered old things on the days when only trainers will do!

I was actually starting to think that i should embrace my hoody and trainers style and just make sure they're decent quality, clean and ironed where appropriate! I can still look expensive if my hair is done, make up and jewellery on?!

Ah thanks for this, am currently trying to do the same after the previous threads! Getting there, but I need to get out of the habit of leaving my hair just one day too long to re-wash. Realistically I can get three, maybe four days of it being bouncy, but I always let it have a fifth day where it looks crap before I wash again.

What do you mean by hair accessories though? I think they are one thing that takes your hair from being naturally polished, to looking a bit try-hard. That might just be opinion though - I never see Kate Middleton with fancy hair clips!

DP's family are quite wealthy and all naturally beautiful, always look really nicely turned out, but in a subtle way. I've just been sat in the mirror wondering how to style hair and makeup for a wedding next week that won't make me stand out as the commoner - I tried curls, half up-do, plaits, all sorts, then realised everyone is just going to have blow-dried, bouncy hair with no gimmicks, so I'm going to do the same. Also with make-up, none of them wear very much and definitely very minimal eye make-up. Have just tried a bold lip and wonder if even that might be a bit over the top!

I wrote on the other thread that I didn't like the idea of looking the same for every-day and for special events, but now I'm kind of coming round to the idea of low maintenance and subtle beauty.

Hey Gin! Yeah, I'm guilty of letting my hair go as long as possible without washing.

Re hair accessories - that's just a simple clip to hold hair in a half up/half down style (like Kate middleton's actually). I have a neutral one that blends in with my hair colour, a pearl one and a slim, sparkly one. Very useful for the week before I get my roots done! I also think I have a lot of hair and it should be pulled back at least partly at work.

If I'm going out, or in the summer, I often tie a single flower accessory to the side of my ponytail, spanish-style!

Ah okay, yes those accessories sound nice. I was envisaging things a lot less subtle than that!

I need to change my glasses too I think. I think the ones I have now are a little quirky rather than classic, but I'm not sure what style to get next.

Thanks Gin! Yeah, I used to wear all sorts of crazy pleats and bobbles but one is sophisticated these days [preens]

Re glasses - defo avoid bright colours or brand names stamped on the legs. Go with plain black/metal or even those invisible frame ones. So people see you and not the glasses.

I quite fancy a pair with a plain brown frame - black would be too harsh on my blonde colouring, and I've no idea why, but I associate those rimless ones with 40 year old bald men

Maybe I could get contacts for special occasions, and that could be the thing that makes me feel a bit different to every day.

Yes, a neutral frame would work. Brown/blonde sort of colour. Whatever suits your skintone.

I'm blonde (with a little help!!) and wear glasses with black rims but they only look good when I'm wearing a black suit with them.