How High Maintenance are you?

[BanoffeeCheesecake]

In terms of clothes/beauty/hair/looks of course!

I used to be higher maintenance when I was younger but I'm in my early forties now and I just can't be arsed. I always end up wearing jeans/shorts and vest tops or sports wear if I'm going running or to the gym.

I don't have my nails done anymore nor do I paint them myself - fingers or toes - as it always chips and looks worse. Hair is highlighted and cut every 6-8 weeks but just worn loose after being blasted with the dryer or worn in a messy bun. I do wear a bit of make up but only concealer, a bit of eye pencil, mascara and lip colour when I can be bothered to put it on.

I do exercise and try to eat healthily and so am slim and fairly toned but that's my only regular thing towards my looks that I do really apart from getting my hair done.

I hardly ever buy clothes anymore either as I can never find anything I like!

Am hour minimum of exercise each day, split down to kick boxing 3.5 hours a week, walk or run everyday and a hike at the weekend of minimum 5 miles.

Clothing, I buy second hand and sew or alter as needed. Some of my clothes I have had since I was 15 (now 44).

Grooming, well I cut my own hair about 3 times a year, do not henna it anymore, it is now gold/silver/grey at the front, darker at the back. I epilqlate once a fortnight, am not really hairy. I moisturize every day, followed by minimal make up, mascara and bit of lipstick. My skin is in good condition as I don't usually sit out in the direct sunlight and have moisturized since I was 13.

I also meditate for an hour every day.

I have never been high maintenance, I'm very lucky to have olive toned skin and my eyelids look almost like I'm wearing eyeshadow. I was/am just naturally in to sport and love walking so that never felt like an effort. I have some health issues now so can't do high impact stuff anymore unfortunately which I miss.

The only time I was ever made up a lot was by others when I was a teenager as I did some modelling.

My mantra is that everything I do that might make me look high maintenance, has to actually save me time in looking well groomed each day:

• eyelash extensions every 3 weeks (no need for mascara, and usually no need for eyeshadow or eyeliner either)
• manicure and nail colour every 3 weeks, pedicure and colour every 6 weeks
• facial and eyebrow waxing every 4 weeks
• hair cut and colour every 4-6 weeks
• shoes re-heeled every month
• wardrobe edit every month (aka mend button/seams/rips, throw out tired clothes, plan to replace or buy more)
• meditate daily (well....that’s the aim)
• exercise daily (again - that’s the plan)
• massage when I remember to book it in!

Clothes I get mostly from supermarkets or some from high street shops (primark, new look. Nowhere too expensive). And I only get them when I need to, I don't follow new seasons or trends at all.
Hair, I haven't had my hair done since August 2012, the day before my mums wedding. I was meant to be having it done on my own wedding day, but the hairdresser never turned up and gave no warning that she wasn't coming, so obviously it wasn't done.
I had it permanently straightened as a teenager, I then had highlights, and then I bleached it blonde when I was 16. I had my roots done a few times but in the end I let it grow out naturally, and now it's my natural brunette colour. If I had the money I'd have it permanently straightened again, but I'd never ever put colour in it again.
Beauty, I never ever wear any makeup at all, not even on my wedding day. And I never have tans or eyelashes.
I used to have my eyebrows threaded until my wonderful new nail lady suggested I try waxing. I have very sensitive skin, and threading used to make my eyes water like mad. So I assumed waxing would be worse. I was so wrong. It's quick, virtually pain free and I love it. I have them done when they need doing, the results last much longer than threading.
The one thing I spend money on is my acrylics. I have my nails done every 2 weeks by my wonderful lady.
I don't spend money on clothes unless I need new ones, I never have my hair done, and I never wear makeup or have a tan, so I don't mind spending money on having my nails and eyebrows done by my angel beautician as it's all I really have
(I call her my angel because she really is amazing).

I wear make up every day but just foundation, mascara and eyeliner - takes all of 2 mins.

Wash my hair every day because I swim but don't dry it or style it, just let it dry naturally.

Shave my legs and underarms every other day - takes 30 seconds. Sort out my bush once a week in the bath- again 30 secs.

Eyebrows get professionally waxed once a month, hair cut every 3 months.

Never done anything to my nails or had a tan or anything like that.

Facial every month and eyebrow tidy, plus Hollywood.
Hair cut and colour every 6 weeks.
Jessica gel nails every 2 weeks and pedicure every 6 weeks.
Never have fake tans.
I buy clothes when I see them...I don't have a budget. It might be £700 one month and £100 the next.

Meh.

Hair cut once a year which usually coincides with a job interview. No highlights as hair is still decent colour, no grey yet.

Skincare is cheap : Nivea moisturiser, bit of fake tan, Rimmel/Maybeline make up, clinique soap in shower. Crabtree and Evelyn soaps, shower gels etc, for a treat. I find cheap shampoo is better for my hair.

I have a pedicure every month. Hate manicures.

Priority for me is eating well and drinking loads of water. I find if I stay a healthy weight it's easier to look good, clothes fit better etc.

More than I used to be but well below average!

Haircut 2-3 times a year, daily style ponytail
LRP skincare
Eyeliner every day
If going out, foundation, cheek tint, eyeshadow, mascara, lippy (I NEVER used to wear lipstick), also earrings, maybe statement necklace
Shave pits and legs if they're on show
Toenails painted in the summer

That's it!

Soap and water, and shampoo, though I use natural gentle products not the cheapest. Don't moisturise or use serums or whatever.
Shave legs and pits.
Mobile hairdresser 2 to 3 times a year.
Makeup, a touch once in a blue moon.
Live in jeans/leggins and nice t shirts. Like to knit my own sweaters or have nice ones that ppl have bought me mostly. Love Xmas jumpers, have too many - have to wear them from Dec1 to Min Jan to justify them.
Like to knit socks too, love nice knitted socks.
Have one or two posh frocks and nice items in the wardrobe to dig out for special occasions.

Thanks for the replies! 👍🏻👍🏻 it's good to hear what others do

I have my hair done ever 8 - 10 weeks. Highlights and lowlights with a trim. Don’t “do” nails at all. Love makeup and wear it daily. Hate buying clothes as my figure’s changed drastically since menopause (am 55).

I'm naturally very blonde so all I do to my hair is trim it every few months. It's wavy and bouncy so doesn't need a lot doing to it.

I do my own CND nails every 3 weeks or so, do my own toes every 8 weeks.

I shower and moisturise with cocoa butter daily, use Clarins tan drops in it every few days so my skin isn't deathly white, and use ELDW, Mac blush and mascara daily. I never leave the house without a Palmers lip balm in my bag.

I go to the gym every day because it makes me feel good and I sleep far better for it.

Overall I'd say low maintenance. If I add it up it's probably far more time and effort than I think, but it doesn't feel like I'm high maintenance.

Somewhere in the middle I’d say. I’m 41:
Hair cut every 8 - 10 weeks (usually every 6 weeks but growing it a little)
I colour it myself every 4 weeks
Eyebrows threaded every 4 weeks
Paint my own finger & toe nails weekly
Have AM and PM skin care routines using products from Liz Earle, Clinique, La Roche-Posay and The Ordinary
I wear a little make up everyday

Clothes wise, I’m a high street shopper in places like Topshop, Jigsaw, M&S, Whistles, Gap, Clarks, Dune, Next, Boden, ASOS etc...
I’m not high fashion but I like to be well presented.

What is the ratio of time people spend on exercise vs concentrating on the surface stuff. I'm very struck by the PP who lists in detail their facials/pedicures/manicures then says 'the plan is to exercise every day'. How often is that plan followed?

I exercise every day and for me that is far more important for my health, wellbeing (and appearance) than manicures etc. Some people on this thread have mentioned exercise but not everyone but I don't know if that's because people are not including it (but are doing it) or not doing it at all.

It strikes me as a bit daft that some of us are potentially spending a lot of time and money on shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted (dying hair) when really we'd do better appearance wise long term if we concentrated on maintaining fitness rather than colouring ourselves. Our culture has it quite wrong at times don't we!

I do 4 hours of exercise a week. The beauty stuff rolls around less often

I used to be lower-maintenance when I was younger, however with age (and now that I'm almost newly single) I am trying to look nice. so, manicure once every fortnight or three weeks; haircut - once in two-three months (I've got curly hair and I don't use straightener, so most of the time I've got the "trendy" messy look), dying usually at home. Pedicure in summer only. Eyebrows are naturally well-defined so no need to waste money on them :)
Facial once a week or fortnight at the dermatologist's.
Clothes are my bane! I am very picky about cuts and fits and I usualy don't like what's in vogue.

I get my hair highlighted 6 weekly & cut 12 weekly as I'm growing it.

I paint my toenails but fingernails have to be unpainted for work.

Shower daily & wash hair every 1-2 days.

Cleanse, tone, serum & moisturiser twice a day for face, body lotion once a day & footcream.

Shave underarms daily, shave legs & bikini line every 2-3 days, more in summer.

I wear makeup daily (I like Clinique) - foundation or B.B. cream, pressed powder, under eye concealer, eyeshadow, liner, mascara, blusher, lipstick.

Gym twice a week but I want to go more often.

I like buying clothes from: River Island, Monsoon/ Accessorize, Zara, Topshop, New Look, Dorothy Perkins, Primark, Miss Selfridge.

I don't go to beauty salons can't really afford to.

I'm 41.

CountFosco personally I'd like to do more gym sessions but I'm anaemic still plus take lots of sedating medications that make me too tired to go to the gym on work days.

But I'm trying my best, when I do get to go to the gym I do weights, rowing & walking uphill on the treadmill (I get very out of breath walking up hills so trying to improve this).
The rowing helps my upper back pain & the weights burn fat & calories as well as being toning.

I do walk a lot as I don't drive & my job involves over 7 hours on my feet so that's exercise too.

count I don’t do exercise as in the gym, but I walk 30 minutes each way to/from work, and am on my feet and up and down stairs all day when there. I average about 18,000 steps a day Monday to Friday, usually aim for 10,000 at the weekend but don’t always manage. Sometimes the urge for a pyjama day is too strong.

I’m mid-30s. Medium maintenance.

• Haircut once every 4/6 months.
• Dye hair at home when I notice greys
• day to day I run straighteners / Babyliss Big Hair through hair and normally tie it up

• wear basic make up (tinted moisturiser, mascara, blush) if going to work/out. Don’t bother if slobbing around the house or going to gym/supermarket.

-pluck eyebrows

• whiten teeth from time to time, not to make them super-white, just to keep them normal white
• will use (very subtle) fake tan in summer, just to take edge of my whiteness
• don’t do much with finger nails other than keep them tidy. Occasionally paint them but it always chips.

• always have painted toe nails (do them myself)

• I do shop semi-regularly for clothes and try to put thought into what I’m wearing

• I exercise but mainly because I like sport rather than through vanity

Oh and no regular salon treatments. Only been to spas / beauty salons if I get vouchers for my birthday / it’s a hen do etc

Pretty low maintenance.
I cut my hair about once a year and dye it myself every couple of weeks at home. I dye my eyebrows and eyelashes at home too. That’s it really.

Hair coloured, cut and conditioned ever three weeks
Pedicure and manicure every 4-6 weeks. Weekly filing and care
Monthly spa day with massage and facial
Mostly rolling visits to nutritionist, teeth whitening etc
Deep conditioning and mask every week at home
Monthly visit to chiropodist
Meditation and mindfulness minimum 20 mins a day
Clothes I buy when i see something special
Every day clothes I buy seasonally. I buy classic clothes that last a longtime
I am vegetarian and eat well
I sleep well and for 8 hours every day
I make time for quiet

Low maintenance for this topic I suppose.

Use body lotion every day, but wash my face in the shower so I don't cleanse properly and don't usually cleanse in the evening either.
Use moisturiser on face every day and have recently started using SPF every day.
Bit of makeup every day, but I don't top it up throughout the day and I don't have a heavier evening look.
Hairdresser every 8 weeks for colour and cut
Never been for a manicure, don't go for pedicure, facials or any other treatment
Hair defuzzing of legs and armpits only, every few weeks in winter, only do it regularly when it's very hot, pluck my eyebrows occasionally
I wear mascara, but am afraid of eye lash curlers
Don't go to the gym
Don't drink plain water and don't eat healthily
I like reading about clothes on here, but don't buy that much and seem to get it wrong very often anyway.

summer - I hadn't seen your post when I wrote mine. I wasn't trying on purpose to be the exact opposite of you!