To find it nearly impossible to look polished

[Ceci03]

So I have been making a big effort with my hair and makeup and doing my nails and fake tan on my legs. Just trying to look a bit more polished.

Was at a work meeting with some colleagues I hadn't met before and couldn't stop admiring the woman beside me. Her hair was beautifully highlighted and smooth. He nails were perfect. I nearly felt embarrassed when I looked at my efforts. Her clothes were beautifully cut. Sparkly white teeth. Lovely jewellry.

I came away feeling very scruffy and wondering if I will ever get the look I want of being put together and I suppose polished. I guess it takes money too to look that good. I highlighted my hair at home and it looks nice but not as good as a hairdressers colour. My nails were scruffy round the edges. I dunno I just felt a bit shabby.

Any tips for looking more polished on a budget!

Oh now I'm confused, race doesn't come into it for me. I just personally don't feel my curly hair will ever lend itself to a polished look.

Still waiting <drums fingers>

One of the wisest things I ever read online was you can practice an instrument every day and pour your heart and soul into it and there will still be some six year old in China who can outplay you. Doing your best is all you can do.

Stop comparing yourself to others, you’re making a real effort and I’m sure you look great.

Whilst waiting for the hair plumper I shall offer my meagre tips for looking polished.

Microbladed eyebrows and semi-permanent eyeliner.

My eyebrows have faded with age so look like Voldermort these days unless I draw them in with eyebrow pencil. Also have oily eyelids and eye makeup never stayed on and with no eyebrows, look like a ghost and every bit my age.

So I have basically tattoo-ed my eye brow and eyeliner in. When I wake up, I am ready to go. Don't need to put on any make up at all and still look decent for the delivery man. With a bit of foundation and lippy, I am ready to go out of the house.

Better than Homer Simpson's make up gun.

@Damnyouautocorrect1 pleeeeeeeeze come back with the name of the hair plumper. I have very thin hair, it needs all the help it can get .

While we're waiting for @Damnyouautocorrect1 to come back with the hair plumper, I can absolutely recommend this one:

uk.colorwowhair.com/products/flat-hair-volumizer-extra-large

Have you tried a Brazilian blow dry?

Curly girl method! My girl is mixed race and when I do her hair for special occasions like weddings or parties using the curly girl method she looks super polished. She has a lovely (and expensive) cut though so her hair still looks nice even when it’s more free range.

I have indeed Mumsanetta… it doesn’t work for me for two reasons, mainly it’s because I look very odd indeed when I have so little oomph to my hair (every time I had the Brazilian blow dry done it made my hair very flat, plus took out ALL the curl/wave which, and I know I’m being contradictory here, isn’t what I want) but also I can’t possibly justify the cost. I live in London and even a fairly cheap Brazilian blow dry just blows my budget.

But mainly it was just that I didn’t like the effect… I had them done regularly for a couple of years pre-kids, and I look back at the photos of me with flat, straight hair and I just look odd!

This thread is reminding me of the old adage…

” A slight disorder in the dress
Kindles in clothes a wantoness”. 😀

unfortunately my life of windy moors working with animals means polished & me are aliens so suppose I’ll have to make do with the wantoness, ah well. 🙄

Ooooh , thanks for the recommendation. It gets good reviews. Does it weigh the hair down
with loss of shine ? I’ve found this with other products

@Noodle421

It doesn't leave your hair glossy but I wouldn't say it leaves mine dull. It does give a ridiculous amount of volume, however.

Oh gosh. Ridiculous amount of volume comment is making me quite excited. I might give it a go. 20% off first order too …

@Damnyouautocorrect1 What's the hair plumper you use? Still looking for my holy grail one.

I could have written this! I look so bad with straight hair. The hair looks great but not with my face. It goes so flat and adds years to me. Big curly hair is the only way for me !

i can’t do poker straight hair either! Straight hair with volume is fine, but poker straight makes me look like a rodent

@WhatWillIWear you make an interesting point. Many of us ladies with curly,frizzy hair think of it as unruly, uncivilised, needs taming etc etc