'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*

These are great - following for ideas

Pleased to have found this thread!

I'm trying not to crash and burn by trying to do too much, so here's my shorter than I'd like list

1. Get back to planning my weeks a month ahead so I know when to say no because it will push me into bad habits / skipping things that are good for me

1. 3 x exercise each week - strength not cardio until the medics find out why I am suddenly so wheezy!

1. Plan a healthy lunch for each day ( this is when bad stuff creeps in if I don't)

1. Skincare routine every evening. I am good at morning skincare just lose it at night!

1. Get back to planning 5 work outfits on Sunday evenings so I don't just grab the same few things as I can't find the right tights, shoes or accessories

I've just ordered some eyelash and eyebrow serum (for DD and me)
I did toy with the idea of microblading or tattoo brows but if it goes wrong , it'll look shit . So growth serum is the way forward .

Moroccon Oil is fabulous , I might start applying some and plaiting my hair - I wear ot off my face so I can get away with it looking a bit oily if I overdo it .

I really need to get my hair in good condition before I go to the hairdressers .

does anyone do ice bathing their face? Saw someone on instagram recommend this and wondered if it’s common and what the benefits are?

Happy New Year all! @Fortyin24 ice face contraption things are all over Tik Tok. I've only ever seen young women using them as part of their morning routine (which also involves tapping bottles of Skincare with long nails and drinking green juice through a glass straw).

I do get dark circles and wonder if a couple of ice cubes each morning might help!

I've not been able to start my jelly cube research project ... as I ordered the powdered variety from Tesco by mistake.

I love a princessing thread!

My list:

1. body brushing
2. exercise
3. more fruit and veg
4. a few weeks off alcohol between now and the 24th Jan (immediate family birthday) and then no weekday drinking
5. no weekday takeaways
6. work on my wardrobe - save for the perfect item instead of buying whatever is on sale
7. less screen time

I want to book some short holidays this year so want to be able to enjoy them without feeling like a big puffy, tired thing! Like you op, I'm trying to be a lot kinder to myself - no mad diets or self flagelation! But I do want to feel better

Happy New Year!
Can I join you all?
My main focus is

1. Lose half a stone by June (easier said than done!)
2. No snacking after dinner
3. More water
4. Keep up with my current exercise routine and add to it by completing C25K (I’m waiting until around Easter for this as the evenings will be lighter)
5. Cut down on screen time

I'm in!

I'm going to try to concentrate on a couple of things at a time, so as not to get overwhelmed.

This week I'm focusing on getting back into the saddle with good food and exercise - my usual gym classes don't start again next week so this week I will take it easy on the exercise front but focus on good food, hydration and sleep.

✔️ Done today:

• weight training and 1hr walk. It was so nice enjoying the sun listening to a self help audiobook.
• morning skincare: cleanse, tone, serum, eye cream and moisturiser
• body scrub with shiny new fancy soap and body moisture with wet body jelly. I have to use quick easy body moisturisers like wet jelly or spray oil otherwise it doesn't get done.
• light makeup and chanel perfume (going out later).
• lots of water and healthy lunch.

Feeling good inside and out. Happy NY 🥳

I am really up for this. My list may be a bit conservative as I have a toddler and a two month old but I'm determined to get my body back on track. Like other posters have said I also have a lot of nice stuff - creams and cosmetics - that I need to use. I also want to get back into my old clothes (I didn't manage after my first pregnancy so may be a challenge) as I really love them. I am a bad skin picker so I hope that moisturising more will address this.

A couple of things in my list are more about me time or mental health.

Yoga three times a week
An hour of reading with a candle lit every day
A face mask a week
A foot and hand mask every two weeks
Start using facial sunscreen every day
Paint nails once a week
Moisturise all over every day
Take a longer walk every week (60-90 mins)
Trip to a garden/national trust property once a week
2 litres of water a day
2 portions of fruit a day
Use salux cloth (never heard of this before, thanks!)
Limit processed/ready made meals and takeaways if any to a total of twice a week max

@Squirre I use a tracking app called Habit, the icon is a tick in a pink box

I have a jade roller and an ice roller that I use as part of my spa night routine. I have no idea of the benefits? It does feel nice after the mask/ steam/ pluck/ microneedling to use the ice roller with vit E oil at the end to calm everything down and feel refreshed.

Oh well I've started ok with a 6km run today, skincare routine done and taken vitamins. Might add in face mask once a week thanks to this thread too. Need to start flossing tonight!! Also think I might limit chocolate days too... so far, none this year 😂

Happy New Year!
Recapping my list - peloton every week day - starting this tomorrow as today is about rehydration!
Lift weights - done for today. Short session but having read atomic habits I really just want to be in the habit of doing it rather than beat myself up about whether it's proper or not yet.
Retinol body cream will go on tonight and I'm buying a big bottle from Amazon. For the moment just using up a beauty pie serum that I didn't like to use on my face.
Iron my clothes - haven't left the house so no need
Only buy second hand clothes unless underwear and socks - I don't actually need anything yet but looking forward to this one. I'd like to have some really good quality clothes from now on so I want to spend good money on it but just buy less.

Well done @sinesperanza . My heart rate is going max just walking up the stairs today I'm so hungover. So looking forward to a good break from alcohol.

Hello all, please can I join? I overhauled a lot in 2023 that I've managed to stick to but I still have 4 stone to lose (yikes.)

Things I already do and to continue:

Upstairs at 10pm and read for 30 minutes before bed every evening.

Prioritise good sleep. Including eye mask, lavender essential oil, guided meditation.

Cleanse and moisturise every day.

Body lotion after every shower or bath.

Regularly apply hand cream, foot cream and lip balm.

Daily foot massage.

Daily vitamins (multivitamin, collagen, turmeric, collagen).

Gym twice a week.

Things I want to start:

Upping fruit and veg intake.

Upping water intake.

Chocolate after dinner limited to once per week and no snacking apart from that.

Two alcoholic drinks per week.

Daily pelvic floor exercises.

More yoga.

Hi everyone - happy new year! Placemarked a few days ago but never came back with my list.

Improve sleep - lights out by 11pm at the absolute latest, and 30 mins to an hour of reading before then.

Daily yoga - starting tomorrow with new 30 day Yoga with Adriene on YouTube.

Floss every night before bed.

Stick to healthy foods and lose weight gradually - 2st to lose until I’m at a healthy BMI.

Improve skincare routine - cleanse and moisturise, with glycolic/retinol a few times a week.

There are more things I would like to improve upon but that’s a start!

I've seen these threads but joining for the first time as have a big holiday coming up this year. Been inspired by others and come up with these. There's a lot here but I am already doing some of them - just re-committing by writing them down iyswim.

Daily

1. Drink two bottles of water
2. Take my HRT and Vit D. I'm going to add magnesium to this. Any others you think I should be adding as post menopausal 49 year old?
3. Floss teeth
4. Nightly skincare routine. I've just ordered some fancy new stuff from Wild Mint which was in the sales as an upgrade from my Aldi stuff!
5. Have lemon and hot water as well as a shot of apple cider vinegar (The Glucose Goddess plan which I started last year and has finally helped me to cut our day time snacking)
6. Log my food on MFP
7. Use body moisturiser / tinted moisturiser after showering
8. Use hand cream

Weekly

This is a new thing for me but I'm going to take a couple of hours each Sunday to plan meals for the week, batch cook lunches, book in gym sessions and classes as well as prepare work outfits for the week. I'll also do a bit of self care in terms of nails, hair removal and face mask. I'm hoping that having an allotted time of the week to get myself organised, I can stay on top of things despite all the usual curve balls that life throws!

Good luck everyone

✅Went outside for a family walk (in the rain) and another walk to the playground.
✅Breathing exercise.
✅Plenty of water
✅Journalling
✅Shaved my legs for the first time in 8 months 😂

Starting YWA again tomorrow and must remember to get my mini strength workout in and do my foot and face pamper. Putting in leave in conditioner spray tonight.

Put a tan on today ready for the week ✅️
Meal planned and shopped ✅️
Put cracked heal cream on last night ✅️

Gym tomorrow at 6am.. hoping that I get there!

Got a few big events this year and definitely not feeling my best self so going to make a huge effort this year.
My list:
1 Cut down on soft drinks and increase water intake
2 Lose some weight
3 Use my nuface 2-3 x a week
4 Skin brushing twice weekly
5 Daily body moisturising
6 30 minutes of exercise at least 3 x a week
7 Sort out skin care routine
8 Weekly face mask

Updated makeup after getting my colours done and first day back at work wearing it.

Today I got outside for a walk with DH and DDs down by the river for an hour or so. The fresh air was lovely (before the rain came!)

Just going to bed but will do my skincare routine , use my water flosser and read for half an hour before lights out.

Placemarking for now as I need my sleep!

But I will be back.

Identify a lot with @Desperatelyseekingme and in particular regaining my personal style and have a few more in progress ones to add and some new ones too.

This is very motivating. Thanks OP!

I’ve booked Pilates for tomorrow night and been trying to up my water intake. Also did run 2 of week 1. Hoping I can stick to this when I go back to work/kids at school.