Are you looking better or worse in lockdown?

[HappyGowerGirl]

At the start of lockdown I was definitely looking worse! Just generally knackered, wearing tatty clothes and probably a bit fatter😳

But now that we’re about 6 weeks in I definitely think I look better! I’ve stopped wearing make up but have gotten used to the sight of my bare face. Been running and cycling lots so feel quite fit. I mean, I don’t look amazing (I still looo knackered😂 and I probably should make more effort with my hair etc😂) but on the whole I am surprised I don’t look worse!

Do you feel you look better or worse in lockdown? And is anyone else enjoying looking more natural?

I've been able to maintain my weight better so coming out at my good weight, going for longer walks, I dye my hair at home so have been able to keep that up, still been wearing makeup.
I feel like I look more tired and aged though because of having two little ones at home all day!

It's up nd down here. I'm still wearing makeup daily and because I have more time I'm practiing getting it right so my makeup is looking better.

Hairdressers not open and my hair hasn't been cut or coloured in over a year, so looking a mess, but was an issue before lockdown.

I'm currently wearing my jeans most days as overeating makes me feel to uncomfortable in them so works as a weight control device, I've put on 3lbs, but still happy with my weight for now.

I'm attempting to dye my hair later, bit of grooming and redoing my nails so it is entirely possible that I will be changing my mind if it all goes horribly wrong today!

The good - skin is better as no makeup for work and been very good with the serums and some sunshine. Do my own nails so they look good. Got some colour on my arms and shins from mopping up the Vit D.
The bad - am a bit fat from too much scoffing. Working on that with exercise and dropping the biccies.
The ugly - medication and 90s teenagerdom stole my eyebrows and they look awful.

Ok I think. About the same. Dont wear much makeup anyway, usually go for lots of walks as we are doing now with the kids.
Looking forward to having hair done at some point.

Considerably worse, face fat and puffy from too much wine and crap, gained 3kg, skin dreadful and hair and eyebrows indescribable. I am not coping well with lockdown!

Worse. My hair is a disaster

About the same, though fatter and my Botox has worn off

The one thing I take from this time is that I dress for other people. I don't mean for my DH, or to look sexy or stylish, but just I make more of an effort in "normal times".

That's interesting as I know I dress for myself. I've been wearing work clothes and doing make up while I'm WFH. I had a bit of a spree pre-lockdown and I'm even wearing my new stuff even though no one else has seen any of it (not even DH as I get changed as soon as I finish work).

I think I'm looking a bit better as I'm getting more sleep and I'm eating better. Not heaps and heaps of fresh veg etc. but barely any sugar these days.

Definitely worse 😩 no desire to wear nice clothes as nowhere to go, hair and eyebrows looks horrendous and can’t go much longer 😩 I usually take such pride in my appearance

@Sooverthemill

I don't understand what would be different just because you can only leave the house nice a day? Do you mean because ( for example) you can't buy fancy snacks daily? Because you are exercising less? Or maybe you are not bothering to dress up? I'm intrigued by the idea that your face and body will have changed. I guess hair is longer but it would be anyway.

You only have to see people's replies to see how/if things might have changed. Whether it be better skin, losing/gaining weight, etc. etc. No need to be quite so dismissive

I'm so much fatter so probably worse. And I've been living in leggings and lounge wear.

But I have spent more time on my skin and hair. I've had the time to research what products would be best for my skin and have ordered a lot from lush

I look weirdly about 100% better.

Weird because I WFH, wear little make up and walk miles and miles with the dogs pand ride 3-4 times a week.

I'm now wearing no make up and not riding - what's changed is:

I've got a tan. I've got dark eyes and hair and I tan well. Everyone looks better with a tan, I look about, well 100% better
I'm still walking, probably a bit less but am now on week 7 of couch to 5k which as a smoker of 30 years I never thought I'd manage, but I'm almost starting to enjoy it
I've lost the 4-5kg of winter weight, mostly by being reasonably strict about no carbs and no sugar (I'm not a saint by any means)
Started doing proper yoga every day, not just to odd half-hearted stretch
And this is possibly the main one, I have been lifting lots of very light weights for about 2 months and my arms are now really toned, it makes such a difference to how clothes hang (which is a bit odd but true)
Oh and I've actually done proper stomach exercises rather than hoping riding will magically remove my mum tum/EMCS overhang and it's on it's way out after ohhhh...8 years.

And here is not even a stealth boast...in my extremely limited interactions with people - zoom calls, clapping NHS, passing neighbours on dog walks every single person has commented on how well I look 😀

This time last year I was recovering from nearly 4 months in hospital on and off, culminating in 2/12 weeks in ICU where they knocked out my teeth while incutubating me and cut my ponytail off - so the entire back of my hair because it was so matted. So to be fair anything is probably an improvement to what I looked like for the first 6 months after that!

Nice. Teeth are still a temporary fix, was halfway through full implants just before lockdown and hair is finally growing back into something that looks OK on a zoom meeting but in real life still needs to be bunged in a bun.

But basically it's coming from a low base, the suntan and the arms!

Much worse! I was in a routine of highlights/lash extensions/acrylic nails/brow tint and wax/lowish calories throughout the day. All gone out of the window!

I'm half a stone heavier, roots look awful, I had to get the acrylics off with acetone so the natural ones keep snapping off and worst of all are my lashes which are a total state, and I have to wear strip lashes otherwise I look like a little baby pig.

Hair - much worse - awful roots and badly in need of a trim. Weight - much better - I finally decided to lose the 3-4 stone I have piled on over the last five years and have already lost a stone in two weeks 😁

Worse for sure! My hair was due to be highlighted and cut around the time we went into lockdown so my roots look very dark, with the odd white hair visible (I'm only 32 FFS!) and needs a cut too.

I'm also definitely fatter as I've been eating more chocolate, biscuits etc. And drinking more (still only a couple of drinks on a Friday and Saturday but pre lockdown I would often only have 1-2 in a whole weekend maximum and some weekends go without altogether).

I'm working out still but you can't outrun your fork!

Oh and my eyebrows are a disaster, haven’t had them waxed since February!

@StCharlotte that's why I asked. I couldn't work out what was different. Reasonably near the beginning of the thread. You don't need to be quite so aggressive.

Worse. Baked and cooked more, eaten more from boredom, always exercised but now I don’t leave the house in addition to exercise which I did before.

No clothes suitable for the current season and my hair looks a bugger. It was due the Saturday before lockdown and the hairdresser closed the day before my appointment. My roots are now on week 14.

Interesting that someone has said, how could we look different.
My face and body change by the day dependent upon what I've eaten, drank, what skincare and tools I've used, exercise I've done.
I feel like I wake up to a different face every day - do I have a double eye bag, how are my jowls doing, is my tummy flat etc.

On a day where I've eaten no sugar, drank my water, done yoga/pilates, done a sheet mask and used my RF wand and LED mask, I can wake up transformed.
A day, looking at you last Friday, when I ate cake and biscuits, drank wine, did no exercise nor high tech skincare, I woke up on Saturday morning visibly aged - jowls and eyes baggy, skin cross hatched with dehydration, tummy bloated. I was in a very bad mood on Saturday!!;

My hair is in much better condition. I only wash it once a week and haven't blow dried or straightened it in weeks. It was highlighted mid Feb but I'm going to string it out rather than DIY it.
Weight wise - I do loads of exercise normally.
I've toned up but lost muscle mass as I'm using lighter weights and a resistance band now. I feel I'm doing more functional exercise in addition to running and cycling. Doing more yoga too.
I've been drinking more water but more coffee which has irritated my tummy. My skin is good.
I want yo give up booze though. I've been gojng through 2 bottles of wine a week (Cava - fizzy stuff) and thinking it makes me feel awful the next day...

Worse, but I’m on mat leave with a three month old. If we were going out to meet friends, I would look better as I would be making more effort.

Quite enjoying the hibernation though as my hair is coming out in clumps I know it’s natural after pregnancy but it’s depressing.

Bad roots but curious to see the grey and how much is there. Not going to dye .

Hair is tatty at the back and needs a trim

I wfh but do some yoga videos. I did some fitness but it gave me hip ache. Yoga is kinder.

Skin is clear but I am baking and some clothes are tight

Definitely better.
Lost 9 kg so feeling slimmer but thought that would be enough to rediscover my waist. It isn't. No takeaways, booze and canteen food, gained about 20 hours a week by no longer commuting and WFH has helped me do this.

Hadn't realised how overweight I had become. Do feel much better though. Another 6 kg to go to get waist down to sub 30 inches I hope.

Hair stripey but I've done a purple shampoo which seems to have lessened the stripe between bottle blonde and grey. feeling rested and not exhausted for first time in years. I want to go part time but can't afford it.

I thought miles better until I Zoomed.
Goodness, what a comedown that was.

Look better as I have put on a few pounds ( had lost weight in a stressy time and my face was very drawn). Hair is too long and needs colour - just wearing it up. Otherwise not too different, tbh.