Is it worth getting up earlier to look more presentable?

[LegoTherapy]

I spend a good portion of my day outside in all weathers walking. My hair is long and naturally wavy and frizzy no matter what I do with it. I look windswept daily. Straightened hair doesn’t stay straight for long. My daily make up is light coverage foundation (Loreal true match), powder for my shiny nose, mascara, and beauty pie under eye genius that’s not a genius at all. I have hollows under my eyes that won’t go. I’m fair skinned and have reddish blonde hair and matching eyebrows. Making my eyebrows darker looks weird. I look fucking awful in photos. I’m all eye crinkles and look possessed. I’m not photogenic at all for general snaps taken by anyone passing. I went to a gig that was very hot and sweaty and look awful in all the photos. I’m 48 and a healthy bmi. Is it a matter of taking more time and effort? The gig was a rush job after 2 hours travelling and a day of being outside so was never going to be great. I’ve never worn much make up and feel too obvious wearing it. I do not like the current big brow look but want them to be more present on my face without taking over.
I have good skin with rosy cheeks and a few freckles. Blue eyes.
How can a give my looks a good boost without being too obvious? Do I need to accept I need to get up earlier and make more of an effort?

Well the first point is that no one cares about how you look the way you do yourself - odds are that all these terrible things you see, no one else sees. Photos are more a gauge of how photogenic you are than how you actually look. If you go through the day feeling self conscious and lacking in confidence because you are continually worried about how you look, then sure do something. But I doubt it’s getting up earlier and plastering more makeup on. It might be getting a professional eyebrow wax, or applying some artificial tan, or trying different hairdresser for a new cut.

Tbh, if you are outside walking in all weathers for large parts of the day, your choices are limited, as most make up would not withstand that, and it’s going to play havoc with your hair.
Id go for tinted brows and lashes, for a bit of definition ( it doesn’t have to be heavy black) and maybe a waterproof eyeliner, if you can find one. Then tinted sunscreen if you feel your skin needs a bit of colour.
For your hair, some sort of serum and then a bun or plait.

I had expected to say yes but I think you do enough to look presentable for what you do.

I spend a lot of time outdoirs and gave good skin routine plus enough makeup to stop people telling me I look ill but that's it.

I advise avoiding mirrors.

What about one of those long-term "conditioning treatments" that smooth your hair and take the frizz out? They work in all weathers, I can't recommend one highly enough, well worth the effort at the salon every 3 months. Much less hassle than the hours I was spending straightening my long hair every week!

Getting your eyebrows done always looks weird for the first couple of days - then it's normal and you can see the improvement/it automatically looks like you've done more every day, even though you've actually just spent 30 mins sitting back waiting for the tint to develop once somebody's whisked off the ones that mess with the shape). Get them shaped and tinted in a suitable colour.

If you're like my DD1, your almost invisible brows are matched by almost white eyelashes - get them tinted brown as well.

Then you're down to skin care (ie, sunblock, mostly) to reduce the likelihood of red patches and roughness and skin cancer and a bit of gloss or stain, along with a decent cut to make more of the natural waves rather than fighting them.

I look fine in the mirror but photos are awful.
My hair being straightened helps the hair aspects but it doesn’t stay straight for long. I am guilty of the wet hair tied back in a bun on a lot of days because it’s good when gardening and windy but I end up with mad fluffy bits around my face 😩

@JaneWithTheUntidyHouse please tell me more about these miracle workers!

Tell me more.. I think I need this! My hair is straight with an annoying messy wave and always feel like it just frizzes out at the ends 🫣

This is my hair as best as I can get it when wavy although this was a sweltering hot day.

Your hair looks gorgeous op! How about a few 'project me' things over the next year, more for self care rather than straight appearance reasons? So maybe a keratase straightening treatment, it relaxes waves, bit like the opposit of a perm, weekly hair mask, you can sleep with it in, silk pillowcase, bi monthly or monthly facials, taking some beuty supplements, face masks, session at a make up counter, pampering in general?

You have great texture in your hair. Embrace it and it will look so much better than fighting it to be straight Wash. boatloads of conditioner - don’t rinse it all out! Scrunch in a hold product - gel is good but if it scares you start with curl cream or mousse. Wrap in a t-shirt on top of your head while you do your morning routine.

You've got lovely hair OP. Embrace the curl, don't fight it!
I don't think you need more make up or a longer routine but it might be worth tweaking the routine. I wouldn't go for a stronger eyebrow look with your colouring. Keep it natural. Have you tried skipping the foundation? Maybe some concealer and a tinted moisturiser or BB cream instead?

Maybe a curl cream to get more hair definition and smoothness rather than trying to straighten? Gently tinted eyebrows and lashes?

Your hair looks amazing and I bet it glimmers gold in the sunshine. How lucky you are.

My hair is a wee bit frizzy, and I am also out in all weather's. I def suggest using a good moisturiser and spf day cream on your face, neck and hands, especially the backs. Keep your nails short, a weekly home mani and a whisk of clear polish will deal with them.

For hair, I use a serum to keep frizz down, avoid blow drying my hair, and use a curling cream on the ends. Sometimes I rub garnier banana hair stuff through it and plait it loosely overnight which it seems to like.

Agree good skin care and eyebrow/ upper lip wax- your could use a brow pencil and then smudge same under your eyes- A nice coloured lip balm, and waft of perfume:)

Your hair is beautiful, as blondie sort of sang. Pl don’t be so hard on yourself.

Your hair is beautiful. You’re looking at the frizz, everyone else is admiring the waves and colour.

We have the same colouring near enough. I find defined brows (not big or scary, just shaped and tinted) makes a big difference. I do it myself with beard dye in dark blond. You could also tint your lashes (Swiss o Par brand is good).
Your hair is fab. You could run through some styling product and loosely twist it into a bun, for soft waves later, possibly?

I love your hair, it's beautiful. I suspect your face is too, just not conventionally beautiful according to current trends. Enjoy your unconventional beauty OP, the world will survive without another identikit eyebrow.

Ha! You’re all very kind and I wasn’t fishing for compliments but rather pointing out my birds nest hair. I do use serum on it and that photo had curl cream or similar in use. Too much product makes my hair very dark and crunchy despite scrunching away the crunch. Diffusing it makes it look like I stick my finger in a plug socket 🤣 it often looks best when it’s been drowned in the rain them dried naturally 🤷🏼‍♀️
I’m told I’m pretty and get told by teenage DDs that I’m being chatted up and in the past when I had a male friend (I’m autistic though so don’t realise I’m being chatted up) but I look awful in photos. Ah well, I’ll just embrace the rugged outdoorsy look! Thank you for all the suggestions. I’ll have a look at tinting my eyebrows. They are neat but a shape might be a good idea too. Salons put me off with their fake face staff and I worry I’ll come out looking ridiculous. My fingernails are always short due to really taking on board infection control when nursing. Sometimes I paint them with nail strengthened and do the cuticles.
Maybe it’s worse now I’m fast approaching 50 and my feelings about that are affecting how I view myself.

Your hair is gorgeous OP 😍

Your hair is lovely. I’d suggest working with the wave/curl rather than trying to straighten it.

For eyebrows you need to use the right colour. With your colouring, that will be quite light.

My hair is very like yours. I started using the L'oreal steampod a few years ago and it's been a godsend. However, it probably does do a bit of damage to the hair. I think your hair is beautiful as it is so maybe go to a hairdresser or salon supplies store and find a really good haircare routine or even a serum that can keep it from going frizzy. Kerastase I find good (pricey) but I also love Pantene Intensive Mask (the one with yellow beads).
Yes to getting tinted eyebrows and having them shaped will help. It's finding someone who will do a very natural look that you like is the problem.
I find using castor oil on my lashes/brows makes them look thicker and there's also a light serum by Mavala that is not too expensive and works well. Regarding being photogenic, I look awful in most photos (always have) and yet people often compliment me in person. So the camera is just not a friend to some of us!

Do hats suit you?

am guilty of the wet hair tied back in a bun on a lot of days because it’s good when gardening and windy but I end up with mad fluffy bits

it’s your use of the word “guilty” that stands out to me

you are gardening , so a wet hair bun is totally sensible and nothing to feel guilty about ? I’d add a sweat band / ear muffler thingy for the tickling bits of hair

why do you feel the need to look better ?
why do you need to look photogenic in photos?( btw I know no one who thinks they look good in photos )

why do you feel guilty or bad or pressured into looking more “ presentable “ presentable to whom? For what purpose ?

Jeeze ! I’ve just seen your pic ! You are beautiful I was picturing a slim ann Widdecome with hermione granger hair ! Ha! Be wild and free my Scottish / irish lass and please don’t give two Fanny farts for improving yourself you don’t need it

(50) is a funny turning point I personally got very age empowered and lent into old age ungracefully