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I always look scruffy! Help!

152 replies

justascruffbag · 10/12/2025 14:30

I am admittedly time poor with two small children, who are at preschool 3 mornings a week which is when I do housework, sit down, and do a lot of cooking.

In the winter I wear jeans, white t shirt, cashmere jumper and trainers. I have a wax barbour coat which gets used for almost every occasion.

In the summer it's white t shirt and linen wide leg trousers in various shades. I have birkenstocks and a pair of Hermes Oran's.

That all sounds fine on paper but no matter what I always look scruffy. I hate it. I feel like it's all lipstick on a pig if you know what I mean.

My hair never looks right, I'm a really chronic nail biter and this is never going to change, I used to have my nails done religiously (acrylics just short and a nice colour) but I'm trying to reduce my toxic load and that was an easy cut.

I do look better when my hair is blow dried but it always ends up in a ponytail anyway.

Anyway, if you're one of those people who always looks polished - what do you prioritise and how do you fit it in your day?

Its rarely practical for me to shower in the morning which doesn't help either!

Do you have any skin products/make up that make you glow with one all over application? Am I asking for the moon on a stick? 😂

OP posts:
JeannieJo · 12/12/2025 14:53

I always feel the same. My answer would be well-fitting and good quality clothes, shoes/pumps/boots rather than trainers and when my DC were little I would get up and shower, dress and do hair and make up every morning before my husband left for work whether I was at work or home. I would never be able to get myself organised otherwise. However you already sound effortlessly cool so I’m sure you’re not as scruffy as you think 😊 I used to be a nail biter too - stopped biting my nails one hand at a time and it worked - even try one nail at a time. I haven’t bitten my nails in years now but I still keep them super short and don’t like them long. I read once that nail biters are often perfectionists (which I can understand as I used to bite my nails when there was a rough bit and I would bite them to try and even them out - the only thing that happened was that I would keep biting them till there was nothing left so I started to keep a nail file in my bag for rough edges - once they start growing, you won’t want to bite them so much!). Good luck 😊

GMHE · 13/12/2025 20:13

Just an idea but some low maintenance things you could try? Sleep in heat less rollers. I often use it to give my hair a bit of a boost without doing anything and it also makes it feel less greasy too. Things like microblading eyebrows one every 2 ish years? Helps to keep the face looking a bit fresh with no make up?

im sure you

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