What thing (style or beauty) do you wish you’d done or discovered sooner?

[Del1lahdaydream]

I always insisted on having long hair, even though my hair is fine and gets really straggly, thin and lank once it gets to shoulder length. Although I’d love the kind of thick hair that looks good long, I definitely don’t have it!

Anyway, after over 30 years of wearing my hair in a rubbish looking ponytail because it looked crap down and I refused to go short, I finally took the plunge and got my hair cut to chin length. It looks so much better. For the first time ever my hair looks thick and healthy, and it actually suits me so much more than longer hair, to my surprise.

The other thing is getting a few really dark, sticky out moles removed. I had them done privately and it cost quite a lot but really improved my confidence and I wish I’d spent the money and done it years ago.

I recently got a voucher for a make up lesson and the stuff I learned amazed me.

Like i rarely wear make up, or very basic all time. And when have a big event I always pay to get my make up done and I have always said I want to learn to do my own make up properly.

So went to the lesson and found out what all the different make up brushes do and how to blend out eyeshadow properly and where to apply foundation and highlighter to catch light properly. Might sound stupid but it has honestly made such a difference to me doing my own make up.

Oh I really need a make up lesson. I can’t do anything beyond the basics. I tried highlighter once and my mum asked why I had shiny stripes on my face

I wish I had started to fake tan sooner.
I just look healthier with a bit of colour.

I also have the same hair as you op and have to have it at chin length or shorter.

Retinol

Wasting money on rather expensive shampoos convincing myself my hair wasn't really scraggy looking using it, when I can pick up VO5 shampoo which is cheap and amazing!

Bio oil on crow's feet at night

(Crow's feet as in the lines round my eyes, not crow's feet as in the bird, that would make me a bit witchy)

Cleansing properly. I spent years not bothering or using wipes. Using a hot cloth cream or oil cleanser has changed my skin. I always thought I was stuck forever with massive pores, turns out I just wasn't washing my face well enough!

I always used Pantene shampoo until someone told me it was really bad for your hair. My hair was always in great condition, but I changed shampoo and eventually realised it was in such crap condition no matter which shampoo I tried so I've went back to my old faithful Pantene and my hair is shining again.

Covering my face in Vaseline every night before bed. I read loads about it on the reddit skincare addiction threads but kept putting off trying it as couldn't get over the fear I'd turn I to a giant walking zit.
Its amazing though, its absolutely revolutionary and my skin is now perfect when its never even been close to good in my life before.

Having a good skincare routine has helped but nothing has made the shocking difference that the vaseline has, even if it means I look a bit like a slug at night

@JoyceDivision could you tell me more about the bio oil on crows feet if you don't mind? Has it made a noticeable difference?

Thought of a couple more

Dry shampoo at night before bed rather than in the morning.
Adds volume and isn't talc like when I'm getting ready.

Knickers over tights 😀 stops my tights falling down.

Blister plasters in the back of new shoes
Stops blisters when breaking in shoes

Newton sponges are feet game changers.
My feet are always sandal ready.

@EatenByDinosaurs I just massage a liberal dose underneath my eyes and round the sides towards my temples...don't get me wrong, I'm mid 40s and have fine lines but certainly not noticeable ones,my siblings comment that my lines look good. If reading in bed best do it after reading or makes me want to blink lots!!! It absorbs in during the night so nothing to remove the next morning.

What is the theory for vaseline? What is your skin type? How do you take it off in the morning? Does it really cause no breakouts?

Soolantra for rosacea - life changing and could weep at my lost life before it.
African black soap for acne
DIM supplement for acne and perimenopause symptoms
Shorter hair too - wore it long for so long - now collar length and super flattering
My Perfect Facial - lifts cheeks, jaw and eye bags
Yoga and Pilates
Vegetables, vegetables and more vegetables
LED mask
Sheet masks
Skinsense retinol serum - finally a retinol product I can tolerate.

The Curly Girl Method, definitely! I started it in March & am so pleased with the results so far

EatenByDinosaurs

^^

Can I ask why you started this? Did you have ezxema?

Also, does it not make your pillow and hair greasy?

Mine's pretty simple : I lost 3 stone and can now wear all the lovely clothes I like

God yes southernbelles, curly girl definitely - it has transformed my hair into gorgeous spirals.

I wish I’d discovered my sense of confidence and self assurance sooner. It’s had a transformative effect on how people seem to see me.

Sounds trite but it’s true!

hippo I swear by Pantene!

Silk pillowcases. They're utterly amazing. If I sleep without one, my face is veh creased

darwinloves please can you tell me what you do with your hot cloth cleansing please? Thank you

How did you lose 3 stone manage?

Scalp exfoliating. I always thought it sounded weird or would damage my hair, but my patchy scalp was driving me crazy when I came across a recommendation that seemed easy enough with what I already had on hand and seemed unlikely to leave me with bald patches (a hand full of granulated sugar and enough oil to cover - I used sweet almond oil just because that's what I had) roughly mixed together in a tiny container with a finger and then rubbed onto the scalp while in the shower before wetting hair. I was so skeptical but frustrated enough to try it and it was like magic - all the worst patches I focused on were gone. I now do it once a week or so just in case, but other than a bit of flaky patches near my temples and at the back of my head, I've seen no sign of most of the patches coming back.

Lower carbing, smiled.

Made a massive difference. Still eat some carbs, but lots less. Had to totally re-educate my eating but its been worth it.

Everything is better : health, the way I look, feel etc. Skin looks better, nails are nice, hair thicker etc etc.

Definitely having my very long hair cut into a bob! Have had it down to my waist for as long as I can remember, far too long to cope with it being down so nearly always up in a bobble. Had it cut to just above shoulders just after Christmas and people say it's transformed me! Chuffed to bits!

An undercut. Unnoticeable as I never wear hair up but has received reduced hair bulk and saved loads of trying time! If you have too much bulky thick, frizzy hair it's fab.