What do you do to make yourself feel attractive?

[Fruby]

I’ve not had much time or money since getting pregnant with my first.

I’ve realised I need to schedule time in to look after myself & do things to make me fe el attractive. Any tips?

My key things are hair dye, paint toe nails, keep up with leg shaving etc (if that's your thing) and eating well. Things that cost money are good skin care (but cheaper rich creams work for me too) and regular hair cuts. I'm falling behind with many of these but I try my best.

And all over body moisturizing and hand cream. Cheap creams work well but my favourite is Palmers cocoa butter.

I enjoy a face mask after a hair wash where I get time to lay on the bed and relax for 10 mins. I bought Phat glow facial mask in a Boots £10 Tuesday deal.
I also use a bit of fake tan on my face to make me look more human and wear a CC cream and a bright lip when going out.
I do have a good skincare regime and start the day with Elemis cleansing balm ( bought on ebay as cleaper ) and a hot cloth. I like Beauty Pie products and also buy them on ebay.

Simple things which are effective and sustainable: Keeping myself hydrated, exercising regularly and moisturising my skin every day. A little spray of perfume. Doesn’t sound like much, but I neglected myself when my kids were tiny, and these things made a difference.

Just taking a moment before I leave the house to do my eyebrows- mascara occasionally and lipstick- all makes a massive difference.

I also do regular hair cut and colour and cleanse and moisturise etc. but when I'm wanting to feel a bit better I do eyebrows and lipstick etc

Little bit of highlighter on my cheek bones adds abit of glow to my face and I feel better.

manicure (no polish for me due to job but keeping nails neat)

hair mask and face mask

eye brow tint because me eyebrows are disappearing (can be done at home)

Bath salts and a good book in the bath make me feel good!

my favourite perfume and body moisturiser plus skincare.

Have my eyebrows threaded. Two painful minutes that opens up your whole face.

A good hair day makes me feel great so I use silicone-free products which work for me & my routine, as I don't like to wash my hair more than twice a week. Some times I wear my hair straight, other days I use CurlFormers to get fab curls & waves. I love the variety and feeling my hair bouncing as I walk along is lovely.

I also take good care of my skin as feeling that my complexion is nice & clear is a real boost. A mask once every week or two is a good excuse for a few minutes relaxation if you have a busy life.

I don't wear much make up, but I find that filling in my increasingly sparse brows, using eyeliner and a coat of mascara stops my face 50+ looking, as another MNer so well put it, like a potato! Middle age has left my features less defined and I need a bit of help, but it makes me feel less invisible.

Keeping your nails painted, I think, always makes you look well groomed.

Lots of little things, I guess, add up to helping us feel attractive. And these things will change with age or our lifestyles, too.

I haven’t used powder in years but recently bought a No7 powder just to set my makeup (am menopausal 😐). However, the effect isn’t great. I have a dewy foundation and it just “flattens” it.

Is there such a think as a light dusting of powder which doesn’t add to wrinkles? I don’t like setting sprays.

Thanks

I’m so sorry OP. I thought I’d started a new thread with my powder question. Ignore me!

Keep my weight under control and my body properly nourished with clean eating. (Costs nothing and is the single biggest game changer in how I feel about myself.)
Look after my skin with a rigorous care routine.
Give my hair as much attention as I can to get and keep it in good condition and spend time curling it.
All the other beauty things are nice to have, and I do them if I have time, but without the holy trinity of body, skin and hair, I feel like I'm putting lipstick on a pig.

I used fake tan (moisturiser type) a few times a week, and wear heels most days at work.
Plus face or hair masks now and again.
I have a few days a month where I don't put much effort in for work and then the day after I put effort in again it makes me feel better 😅
Other than that eating well and being active makes me feel better, this is something I definitely don't enough for myself.

@TheRussianDoll Glossier wowder is lovely and works well on more mature skin

Definitely a light facial tanner

I've just written myself a to-do list to look more attractive (to me, DH probably wouldn't agree with it all but I'm not asking him). Some of it is free, such as drinking more water and eating better and eating less sugar. Some of it is already in my budget like exercise; I have a gym membership so I need to go more often.

Fingers crossed that a few months of that and I'll have better skin and be less flabby and saggy; I'm bound to look better like that?

Some of it costs more and needs to be done in stages. I reckon I can reduce the frequency of haircuts and use the money instead to get my brows tinted and shaped regularly if not often, and do upkeep myself in between. I'm doing a really ruthless look at my wardrobe and only keeping things that suit me, and only adding things that really look good as well as being comfortable. There's plenty more on the list, those are just a few examples.

It's a long list and will hopefully leave me looking less peri bag lady and more groomed femme d'une certain age!

Can you share your list?
I love the princessing threads!

@TabithaTittlemouse I'll start my own thread, I don't want to hijack OP's! I'll try and tag you on it and please do come and join me.

Thank you

I’m mid fifties and dyeing my eyebrows ( I recommend refectocil and noticed they use it at the posh salon I attend once a year- that’s £15 saved) really makes a difference. With age eyebrows get muted, not grey exactly but less defined. Eyeliner also helps. For powder I use Bobbi Brown compact powder and it evens out my complexion without looking chalky.

A manicure will help grow your nails. A brow wax will sort your eyebrows.

I only do 'little' cheap things at the minute:
Keep my nails tidy and clean
Shave my legs etc
Get rid of facial hair
Wear nice jewellery. Not expensive but jewellery that I really like
Straighten my hair
Makeup: eyebrows, lips and mascara really.

And outfits that I feel nice in.

Brows & lashes every 4-6 weeks at the salon! Look ok even with no make up!