Help a low maintenance girl out please!

[Yogamummy23]

Hi all

I know this board is great for advice. I’m a mum of a toddler and got a new baby on the way. I’m almost 30 and I fancy a change up.

I’m always going to be fairly ‘natural’ in my beauty style it’s just my personality but I’m looking for recommendations for products/ things I can do to sort out my appearance ! I just feel I look a bit ‘not put together’ all the time.

Specifically: any ‘natural’ and quick makeup bits you wouldn’t live without.
I leave my hair to dry naturally and it’s wavy. I like it but it’s always got a bit of a frizz. Not a fan of salt spray, more of a serum type thing?! Anything I can put in it to make it most glossy looking?
Any tips to help me look less tired ! 😂

Extra points for budget as I can’t break the bank!

Thanks!!

I have zero advice but following - I could have written your post pretty much word for word!

Naturals a hard look to pull off isn’t it 😃

I was going to suggest Aveda shampoos etc, I always do because they make hair look great & last for a long time. I use the glossing straightener from smooth control. It’s £23 but a tube lasts me 5 years & I use it every other day.

To look put together you need tidy hair, a bit of mascara, tidy brows and a lip colour that suits you. Keep it simple and you see the features not the make up, I know someone who does full on smoky eye for daytime and it looks all wrong & is very harsh at 9am.

They sell pan stick style foundations again now in superdrug which would give decent coverage quickly, bit of powder & mascara and lip colour and your done. I got a clear mascara in there for my brows to keep them tidy all day.

If you don't actually need foundation then a pan stick might not be for you!

I have curly/wavy hair and to be honest, once you accept that it's less likely to look groomed/tidy, it becomes a lot easier. Very few people have sleek curly/wavy hair, and IME the people you see on Instagram/Pinterest etc like that have straight hair that's been tonged!

I think you need to assess what you need - if you have fair hair, maybe an eyebrow/eyelash tint and shape would work for you? I do my own brows and it's v easy, but it doesn't cost much at local beauty places every few months. Do you get your hair trimmed regularly? I think that always makes a difference. If it's frizzy/fly-away then maybe some deep conditioning treatments for your hair type.

Make-up wise you might like a CC cream/tinted moisturiser? I love Erborian CC cream but it's not cheap - there are loads of well-rated alternatives out there though. (The Garnier BB cream generally gets good reviews.)

A lot of people will say you need short, neat, groomed nails in a neutral colour but it's personal pref really - I can never be bothered to paint them so I just use nail oil and keep them neat-ish. (I always paint my toenails though, not sure why!)#

Do you wear SPF every day/when you go out? That's a long-term skin protecting measure that you could be taking now.

What's your clothing style? You could consider a personal shopping session at John Lewis to get some ideas - you don't usually have to spend anything.

(But really I think I want to say that however groomed/put-together you feel as a woman, there's always something you wish you'd done differently...you'll always see someone else that you think has done it better than you 😁 so at some point I think it's just a case of self-acceptance!)

Look after your skin and for your hair, don't towel dry (or use one of those microfiber ones) and apparently a silk pillowcase is good for frizz!

I highly recommend Origins SPF40 tinted moisturiser. I get endless compliments on my fresh skin and how well I look when I wear it but you can't tell it's make up. Glossier Boy Brow is also good to groom the brows without looking overdone.

I really like that bare minerals complexion rescue. It really even puts skin tone but looks natural.

Glossier cloud paint is also very good. Gives me a hint of colour but as it's liquid looks very natural.

Nars tinted lip balms are also lovely. Make my lips looks pink and healthy but don't look like lipstick.

I've got frizzy hair too and use Moroccan oil treatment oil. You can buy a travel version to try. I put it on damp hair. You can also use on dry hair.

I have frizzy wavy hair which got progressively dryer in my 30s. It only improved when I embraced curly girl, chucked out all silicone containing products and started washing with conditioner. I must say that this very wet weather has been challenging though!

Thank you for all your messages! A lot to look through here.

I use bare minerals mineral foundation at the moment for going out. Do you prefer the liquid version @Girlintheframe? Might give it a try.

My hair is a challenge. I keep it trimmed and use argon oil but it still frizzes up. Especially after being slept on, perhaps the silk pillow is worth a try!!

@Laquila my clothing style probably doesn’t help! I would say my style is kind of boho ish - definitely not smart. And as I’m 6 months pregnant at the mo it’s mainly baggy stuff! I much prefer a summer wardrobe as I have some lovely things that suit me. My cold weather stuff is mainly jeans and baggy jumpers which I don’t really like.

I'm not keen on powder based products mainly because I'm 40s and they sit in my fine lines.
I think liquid/cream products give a more natural finish too.

Look after your skin, spf is a must and so is a really good cleanser to remove it and any make up at the end of the day. From there you should be able to find a moisturiser that works for you and if you want add in serums to treat any particular concerns (vit c is a good all rounder).
maybe think about lash and brow tinting and shaping it only costs around £20 ish and makes a huge difference. If you are confident you can do this at home but lashes in particular would be difficult for a novice.
For your hair if you explain to a hairdresser that you don’t want to spend time styling they should be able to find a style that will suit your hair and requires minimal effort it might not be the style you want but if it actually works for your lifestyle and hair type it will always look better.

As for clothes.......umm you’ve lost me I’ve spent a year wearing joggers or pyjamas and am struggling to find any half decent trousers to wear right now so I won’t even try to help!

I know pan stick style foundations are heavier coverage but if you want speed it’s dab dab dab, blend and powder. Done.

Basic BB cream with SPF 30 built in. Or, if your color tone is good, just day moisturizer with sun coverage. Clear eyebrow gel and a little mascara. Concealer under eyes if you need it.

For hair, once a week do a deep conditioner. If it's actually curly, avoid shampoo unless your hair is actually dirty. A little leave-in product while wet. And if you're air drying, which I do, use a special, super-absorbent towel. Dries your hair in less than half the time, which keeps it from weakening.

You said your style is slightly boho. Same here.
Stick a blazer with whatever you are wearing.

Make up wise I just go for a bit of lip stain, tiny bit of blush and sometimes a clear mascara. My fringe hides my brows

For me to feel good I have to have good hair, neat nails, nice teeth and good shoes! Without these I don’t think it matters what you wear or what amount of make up you put on!

Someone on here has posted a couple of times recently about spritzing her curly/wavy hair with water to perk it up and actually, this has worked better for me than any hair oil or curl creme. I do still use some after washing, but in the mornings now I damp my hair slightly and let it air-dry again and it looks much less bushy.

Thank you, whoever that poster was!