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.

Heel exfoliating with a foot file. Never bothered before but the difference it makes makes me wonder why I never bothered!

I'm 47 this weekend and can confirm my face resembles a melted welly/willy

I started strength training at home this year with Hasfit workouts on YouTube and love it. I can see my body starting to change and can feel myself getting stronger, I've got so much better so quickly- I could hardly plank at all to begin with. After reading this thread I've bought a kettlebell from Aldi!

Could someone tell me where they get Crest Whitestrips from and how much please? I've used them before with great success- have to get the gentle ones though as sensitivity is terrible for me.

Curly girl method

Cutting my own hair (spent £££ on increasingly expensive disappointing haircuts over the years until I realised I could get the best results by learning to do it myself)

That pretty much every expensive beauty product is a waste of money (though I did have fun (and spend lots of money) finding this out)

That my hair, too, looks rubbish long! (I have thick hair, but it's also quite dry, and just ... the wrong shape. Looks terrible long.)

That soap beats shower gel - found this out on Mumsnet :)

I nearly bought a kettle bell from Aldi but I didn’t know what weight to buy?!

I started with 6kg as I'm a bit of a wimp

I'd also like to know where to get the crest strips from too please ?

I gave up dairy. Well, mostly. I still have dairy cheese on pizzas but have these far less often. I've completely given up dairy milk for oat milk.

My skin has never looked so great. It's smooth, shiny, and even-toned. I still get hormonal break-outs but much much smaller and they disappear really quickly.

Another one - getting my hair cut blunt rather than layers. I have thin wispy hair and getting a solid blunt cut makes it look way thicker.

another thing i now do - getting a spray tan if feeling fat.
takes half a stone off. without the need to take half a stone off. and i need the padding to stop me looking old.
sheshootssheimplores
i think the rec starting weight is 8kg. i am tempted to get one too.
do you think it's ok to use weights if you have childbirth damage?

Sheshoots I got 6kg because it's better to start lighter and work up rather than injure yourself. And anyway when I put it in the trolley it felt pretty heavy to me!

Ok thanks to this thread I've just bought myself an 8kg kettle bell from Aldi! Can anyone recommend good routine for a beginner (used to exercise generally but not used to weight training!). Any YouTube videos or easy circuits to follow please?

Take a look at fitness blender. There’s a beginners work out on there.

I'm going to start doing Hasfit's beginner kettlebell routine,I do their hand weights and body weight routines now.

For everyone asking about the Crest strips... if you can afford to spend a little more it is better to go to your dentist and ask them about whitening.

Crest are banned I believe in Europe because getting the bleach strength right is important and should be done under the care of a dentist.

Dentists have stuff that will work just as well and it’s not too expensive!

Fab thread

Kettlebells! I love working out at home with them. Bought a 12kg, found it too heavy so got an 8kg, then added 16kg and 20kg. I use different weights for different exercises, but always try out a new move with my lightest weight.
Prescription sunglasses - game changer for me!
The Ordinary Buffet serum - totally cleared up my awful spotty skin
Nip and Fab glycolic body cream - brilliant for keratosis pilaris and fairly cheap
Silk’n micro pedi for my hooves

Here’s a linky to a YouTube kettlebell vid: I find Kitty8Tim’s demos really good.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=lnO0w6QuK-A&t=169s

• surgery - sounds extreme but sometimes there is no other way around changing things about yourself you don’t like. I’m not 30 yet but had some very subtle corrective surgery done to my face last year and it made a massive difference to how I felt about myself. I can look people in the eye now. Couldn’t do that before due to feeling self conscious. Finding a good surgeon is KEY.

• good brows make the difference. Get them shaped and go from there.

• neutrogena hydroboost hydrogel recovery mask - not a fan of most sheet masks, but this isn’t a sheet as such - it’s not thin. Try it and tell me you don’t love it. They say wearing it for 30 mins is the same as a month’s worth of serum and I can kind of believe them actually. They are on offer at Tesco at the moment.

• working on self-confidence and self-image etc - sounds a bit fluffy but you can buy all the nicest clothes and luxurious make up, but if you don’t have confidence in carrying yourself, you might as well be wearing a bin bag. You don’t have to be the prettiest or funniest in the room, but your confidence is your currency

Thanks for this thread!

Things that I now adore, found on here are:

Cocochoco Keratin treatments to do at home. Much better than salon and my hair has never been so luscious. I get told my hair is fabulous all the time. People use to ask me if I had had a perm that went wrong

Dior Lip glow and Nail glow

Philips Lumea - so far so fabulous on the hair removal in all areas.

Getting the correct bra fitting

Not S&B but I always check or ask on MN for a code before buying something

Footner - miracle foot dead skin remover

Silk pillowcase

Trilogy oil - I use this as a serum between toner and moisturiser and my face goes all day

Things I am now considering:

Vaseline on my face

I am also seriously considering buying a NuFace. I am giving it a few weeks to see if the need wears off and so far it is not!

@NasiGoreng - I have a Nuface Trinity and I love it. I've been using it almost every morning for around 7 months and I wouldn't be without it - it really 'lifts' my face . I know that others have not been impressed though.

@chaosisaladder

I’d welcome any advice you have on finding a good surgeon.

It’s definitely something I need to do, but have always been put off by not knowing where to find someone good.

Thanks in advance!

Where are you Space? I can recommend someone In Cambridge.

@SpacePlusTime what surgery do you want? My surgery was on my eyelid. I searched and searched on Real Self and Google reviews etc and then picked a surgeon who really impressed me with his knowledge. That was the key thing - that you’re not necessarily just looking for a plastic surgeons, but someone who specialises in a particular area (so for me it was an Ophthalmologist) and also does the surgery.

I’m London based and looking at lip filler to correct a wonky bit of scar tissue, and some rhinoplasty and Botox purely for vanity!

Longer term I’d love a breast reduction, but I think I’ll have to get pregnancy over first...

Eyelash perm and tint means I never need to wear mascara and my eyes look brighter. Has helped enormously when it comes to hay fever and allergies.

Gel nails stop my weak nails from breaking.

Vitamin C eye cream covered in Vaseline at night has really helped with dark circles.

Italy Korean Towels have made my sandpaper skin baby soft.

Inspired by this thread, I got my long hair chopped off, about jaw length now. Never had it this short but wow - it looks so healthy and thick now, instead of laying there all thin and flat.

Vaseline on my face has seriously changed my life! I wake up refreshed and not with dry skin.