'Glow Up'/ "Princessing" 2024 Thread 1

[Chaiselongueallday]

I've had some success with these in the past. Have realised that over the years I've picked little habits from these that I've been able to sustain so I thought ahead of the new year I would start a thread for 2024...anyone else want to join me?
I'm 46 this year and want to focus on being healthy, happy with my style and attuned to my body and skin. I don't want to waste time worrying about not being good enough. I am including a bit of health and fitness on my list as I feel better in my clothes when I'm toned and generally healthy in body and mind. I'll be doing yoga, walking and mad living room dancing. I'll not be bothering with foundation (unless a very special occasion) this year fed up of wearing a mask..so looking after my skin will be important. I won't be spending on fast fashion ...I've done quite well on this in the past, inspired by this board and capsule wardrobe threads.

I'll think about a more detailed list and post it later.

I've copied some useful info from a previous 'Princessing thread' below for anyone that fancies it and needs inspiration.

*The term "Princessing" was invented back in 2011 by a poster called Blackswan. It was the year of the royal wedding and she proposed that every year you should get ready for a wedding you were attending as if it were your own.

I took that idea and ran with it!

The general idea behind that original thread and all the "Princessing" "Grooming" "Operation Revnovation" threads since has been to make small sustainable changes that help make you feel better. To make this measurable, most people finds it helps to make a list - not too long, no more than 20 items really of the changes you want to make. The original thread had one general list but as no two people have the same priorities I think it's better for everyone to have their own individual list. To anyone in need of inspiration the original list was:

1. 8 glasses of water a day

1. Exfoliating
2. Using some kind of teeth whitener
3. Using some kind of regenerative face cream
4. Intensive nail care (feet and hands)
5. Some kind of eyelash growth serum
6. The Shred / other intensive exercise
7. At least 2 extra fruit & veg
8. Healthy breakfast daily.

10. Hair oil (moroccan hair oil for eg, or kerastase etc) 11. No alcohol during the week 12. Daily vitamins 13. Body brushing 14. At least 2 servings of salmon or other fatty fish per week. 15. One early night once a week. Suggest 9PM. 16. Regular hair removal 17. Give up one naughty favourite item e.g. chocolate/crisps 18. No more fizzy drinks 19. DAILY body moisturising. 20. Warm water with lemon first thing in the a.m.

You don't have to post your list but I would recommend you write it down somewhere for yourself.

Original Princessing thread*

Going on holiday next week so I have a hair appointment, a nail appointment and I’m going to give myself a pedicure before I go. Hoping to feel like a new woman! I’ve had a broken wrist and the cast is coming off next week. I can’t wait to have a long soak in the bath and then put body lotion on all over my whole body. It’s been six weeks!!!!

Right, something has clicked this morning and I finally feel like I DESERVE to not be a scruffy fat mess. I deserve to be bloody gorgeous.

Have got my skincare and hair pretty much perfected and I’m taking my meds/vitamins every day. Still not really exercising but getting outside lots with my DS. I’m going to Lanzarote for a week at the end of August and I’ve decided I’m going to do One Meal a Day until then to see if I can shift a couple of stone.

New targets are to wear spf on sunny days (I already wear it on my face everyday but I’ve gone very dark on my arms already so need to stay protected), stay on top of shaving my legs, fake tan my legs and face catch up with my arms (using a gradual tanner) and stick to OMAD. Not tackling it all in one go seems to be working.

Recommitted to exercise plan and healthy eating about 6 weeks ago, feeling much better in myself and slowly seeing results.

Got my hair cut today, toner on colour and had eyebrows shaped and tinted.

Checking in. Doing all these things and have been for some time. They have genuinely become habits, whoop! Just as well as am getting married soon and it would be nice to look like myself but a bit better on the day 😀

Well done! Its great you have formed healthy habits.

I need to get back to exercise 3 times a week and really need to work on my water intake.

Just booked to have my brows done and coloured my hair this evening.

Struggling with my skin possibly because of sunscreen, they all seem to make me break out!

Marking at 3 months PP and a stone overweight!

I;m sure I was on this thread earlier but it slipped off my Threads I'm On

I'm counting down now to going on holiday /
I have clothes and shoes

I need to increase my hair conditioning as I've noticed more hairloss this last couple of weeks it;s been going on a while , off./on. Improves a bit then starts . I think my hair is getting too long and the weight pulls on my fragile scalp .

I have a nice new tub of wax ( though I did my pits mid May and there's very sparse regrowth, one advantage of age )

Plan is -
water , lots of water
wax underarms and legs (and bikini line)
haircut
exfoliate face 2xweek
I have bodyscrub things like Korean Italy Cloths much much bigger . Easier to do my back

I'm sitting with MorocconOil in my hair under a sweaty little plastic cap . In the next four weeks I;ll do an Olaplex treatment at the weekend and Moroccon OIl in the midweek ( its quicker)

I have always wanted to join a thread like this, I desperately need to make some changes but keep putting things off. I'm not sure why though, I just seem to be in a permanent state of self sabotage. Maybe if I keep adding to this thread with my thoughts and actions I'll find the motivation to make the changes.

The biggest change I need to make is about my diet and exercise. I am currently about 10 stone overweight and it is affecting everything. Tonight I have ordered Mounjaro weight loss injections. They're not for everyone but I'm going to give them ago.

Tomorrow I'm going to sit down and come up with a realistic plan of how I'm going to "glow up".

Exciting times ahead!

@sortmyselfoutagain#

start with your list 10/15/20 things .
You don;t do them all at once , maybe pick three . do these for a week. add another three and go on. Once you do something for 21 days it becomes a habit

Could be something simple and free like "Drink Water"
Double Cleanse using a muslin cloth ( baby dept sells them cheap) and your regular cleanser
Keep an emery board in your bag/car/desk . I keep nail buffers as I cannot wear varnish so if I'm at my computer or traffic lights I can buff 1-2 nails

Sort your wardrobe and declutter . Work out what gaps you need to fill.

Something that needs more input like brow serum, Couch to 5k , weekly hair mask .

You can do it !

Just found this thread. Love it.

Here's my DAILY starter list:

✅ 30 mins exercise

✅ keep cold water bottle in fridge

✅ clear car of crap/ clutter

✅ 30 mins housework

✅ read in bed (not scroll)

✅ hair oil in

✅ Floss teeth

Got my haircut last week (really needed it!).

Currently I already:
-Do a walk everyday (around 3.5km). I started going before breakfast about 3 weeks ago with no phone/podcast and I'm really enjoying it. A moment of solitude, getting steps in early, seeing lots of nature. On summer holidays already so more like 7am than 6am.
-read before bed
-journal morning and evening
-lots of whole foods/cooking from scratch
-no booze (18 months already!)
-no caffeine after breakfast (I sleep better).
-bedroom is a phone-free zone

My goals for the summer/next 5 weeks
-make sure I get my 10,000 steps in everyday (have managed this for the last 4 weeks - need to keep up on holiday)
-yoga everyday (have made a much better effort on this the last week). I a m doing YWA True series and also bought the Core Play to work on.
-stop eating in the evening. keep a 12 hour eating window. The evenings are my danger time and I cannot lose weight if eating after dinner.
-resistance band exercises for my arms in front of the TV in the evening.
-more regular conditioning of my hair
-weekly pamper for feet and face
-drink enough water

Well done everyone its great to hear your progress!

I've got a haircut booked for next week which I am really looking forward to and looking to get my eyelashes done before holidays.

Exercise has been going really well and I feel great but its not translating to weight loss which is frustrating. I'm going to try and get back to logging my food on my fitness pal for a bit to see where I am going wrong.

I've also just started skin+me to see if it can help my redness and pimples.

Well done everyone!

My year is going very well. I've lost 45lbs and reached my goal weight. I've had to completely overhaul my wardrobe. I've bought some decent skin care products and have been using them daily.

Next up, I've just purchased some hand weights and am starting a weights program tomorrow.

Well done!

I keep taking a step forward and ten steps back. I do my nails, but then get distracted with other things and my nails end up looking worse than before I started.

But on the positive side, I have improved my wardrobe, including accessories and jewellery. I also have a decent foundation and some nice make up.

I need to get on to this next week- euros and summer fun means I’ve been eating and drinking far too much and exercise has been minimal so posting here to hold myself accountable. Pretty sure I’m made of lager and pizza right now. It’s been a laugh but i am very tired so a few weeks of taking care of myself is in order!

on the other hand - been having fun with make up and clothes again as I’ve been out and about so much.

30 mins exercise ❌

keep cold water bottle in fridge ✅

clear car of crap/ clutter ✅

30 mins housework ✅

read in bed (not scroll) ❌

hair oil in ✅

Floss teeth ❌

How's everyone doing?
I never even added.my list! After a really rough few years I've decided to really look after myself this year.

I was already doing:
Skincare every day am & pm
Tret
Spf everyday

I've added:
Daily vitamins
Managed to get back into reading rather than scrolling
Consistent early bed time
Started mounjaro early June and almost a stone down. 3 and half to go
Body lotion/butter every day

Would like to add:
Body pump (at home) ideally 3 times a week but will be happy with once and build up
Restart couch to 5k
Polish nails weekly at least
Stop dying my own hair and get an actual hairdresser to colour and cut
Botox

Fabulous

I bought some Pai rosehip cleansing oil to use in the shower on the days I;m not exfoliating. It;s lovely , not at all drying . It can take make-up off for when I wear it .

Ages ago I bought some Rituals moisturising foam for after showering but as I haven't used it that;ll go on holiday with me . I don;t wear perfume so a nice smelling foam will do the trick .

Bumping this - I have not done anything colour wise to my hair for over 6 years , I tried some purple shampoo but it did nothing and its messy

I bought some Bleach London , I was put off by the colours but there's a new one called Instant Coffee which has no red.
It has given a wash of colour , not drastic , not "Ooh she's dyed her hair"
Smells lovely .
I'm quite pleased and I'll do a 2nd layer before going on holiday I reckon.

Back again ( I'm sort of Keeping Up The Good Work )

Hair toner re-applied tonight
Eyebrows dyed
Body Scrub
Exfoliated face
Might epilate my legs tonight but need to wax my armpits ( the thought of putting an epilator near my armpits makes me wince )

Holiday clothes are washed .
Packed my toiletries and make-up
Need to decide on jewellry and shoes
I go through my collection and take any samples or nearly finished things that I can use up. I;ll have time to do face masks and hair masks which is nice .

Have been getting in daily steps and yoga outside.
More disciplined with skincare routine.
Taking better care of my hair - conditioner, protective serum, oil. Also using hair clips instead of ties and my hair looks so much better when down.
Weekly face mask.
Drinking water only (except coffee with breakfast).

Diet can still be better.
Need to give my feet a pamper.

End of 6 weeks holiday and my hair is looking really good! Must make sure I get my next appointment booked in for October half term.

Not posted in a while, my weight loss has stalled since Peri appeared in March. I've maintained really well but loss isn't forthcoming.
I'm on a healthy eating diet to small meals of whole foods only throughout the day. No sugar or food made with flour or alcohol.

Still at the gym 4x a week.

Drinking lots of water, I have a fake Stanley cup with me at all times to continually sip. Generally refill twice a day.

Hair, I put a treatment on weekly and make sure I style my hair after washing. It's time consuming with my thick hair but it lasts for days once done so worth making the time. Still going to the hairdressers every 3 weeks to erase the silver sparkly roots.

Skincare I'm finally using up all the beauty hoard stash. I may not need anything for Xmas this year. I've had to buy spot cream as my skin is being hormonally ridiculous. I'm wearing a bit of light makeup most days. I leave it on Sundays to rest my skin. I'm applying body lotion or oil after every shower, this has transformed my skin.

I had a luxury pedicure with the chiropodist yesterday and my feet are beautiful and soft. This is a regular treatment now, along with nails, massage, Brazilian wax, lash lift and HD brows. It's expensive getting older but I'm trying to stem the tide.

I need to set a Lumea schedule to finally be hair free, currently light patches of hair all over.