What are your NO-NONSENSE style and grooming tips? With products, if poss...

[HildegardVonBingham]

I'll start:

• If you have fine hair it is often best to get it cut shorter. If it's long it can look straggly and wispy. I have accepted my fate, and my hair looks much fuller and healthier now it's all cut to one blunt length.
• The idea that you have to have your nails 'done' all the time is insane and costly. Just keep them clean, filed, and use cuticle oil. In my view a grown-out manicure or acrylics looks bad.
• This is the most hydrating and natural-looking lip tint on the market. It's sooooo good - you can apply it without looking: https://www.clinique.co.uk/product/1605/4772/makeup/lipsticks/almost-lipstick-in-black-honey-pink-honey-and-nude-honey
• If you use a retinol (and you should), use it in conjunction with a serum and moisturiser so that the skin barrier repairs, and you avoid flakey bits of skin round your nose. Naturally wear SPF!!!
• Better to get clothes a size up and have them tailored and taken in. Even a woman with an amazing body looks like a sausage bursting its casing in too-small clothes.
• Colour theory is real. If you have 'high contrast' you can get away with wearing a lot of make-up. I think that a 'full glam' looks amazing on women with darker skin tones, but as I'm pale and blonde I can't really carry a lot of make-up. The 'bold lip' is a massive scam!
• Gradual tan on the body and tanning drops in your moisturiser can make you look slimmer and better-rested with minimal effort if you are pale.
• Your trousers should be almost too long - this makes your legs look longer.

Would be interested to hear any other NO NONSENSE advice you may have.... for instance I would love to know the best exfoliant to use on the body, and how I can avoid getting disgusting calloused hobbit feet from exercise 🤓

I do a natural look but the best way for my makeup to stay on is to use primer, setting powder and setting spray with my bb cream, and layer my highlighter and blush (liquid blush followed by powder blush and highlighter and then a dab of radiance stick balm). I keep it light as well in terms of skincare, just an essence, facial oil and spf serum. My creme eyeshadow, liquid liner and mascara are all waterproof as well. Dab on a bit of lipstain over vaseline.

I have a 6 month old, 5 to 7 mins to do my makeup and don't really get the time to Reapply. I read years ago that you should get good at applying makeup fast so you can do it with a toddler. As I didn't get pregnant for about 9 years, I had plenty of time to train up for it lol.

@goody2shooz oh yikes, busted! I don’t know, I just see it in the many nail bars around. Help, poster! What counts as false?

So I would say a gel overlay on your own natural nails is not false. It’s just a hard polish. I keep my colours either pinkish French or natural and occasionally a classy red. My own nails are so brittle and weak so I have to have a gel overlay (always have had very poor nail strength despite collagen and every supplement under the sun).

No rhinestones, tips, multiple colours or weird shapes or claw like length.

Which radiance stick balm do you use? X

I counted 16 products in that list - my version of natural is very different to yours!

Hince radiance balm

It looks natural. Au natural makeup requires more products than striking makeup though I think striking makeup takes more time and more layers. My makeup is just a few slicks and dabs and then set

I just use tinted moisturiser, blusher and lipstick or tinted lip balm.

Yep my natural look is: Vit C serum, SPF moisturiser, lip balm, a smudge of concealer anywhere it's needed.

My 'pretty but pretend it's natural' look: as above but swap the moisturiser and lip balm for tinted. Plus mascara, sweep of blush/bronzer depending on season.

So, 4-6 products in total.

To be fair, I find it takes a lot of products to look natural these days

When i was at uni, my makeup look was bb cream, revlon balm stain and brown pencil eyeliner I blended out on my eyelids. I didnt look too different.

But now I am in my 30s, I feel I need highlighter and blusher to have the same complexion I did at 21. And it slides off if I dont use primer setting spray and powder. And layering the highlighter and blush helps it last longer too..

Wait till you get to my age!

On the plus side, my eyesight's worse too and I don't often put on my specs to look in the mirror.

At my age (67) less is more. It took me a long time to find a tinted moisturiser that didn't turn me orange. I use Laura Mercier in Cameo and it just makes me look like a better version of me.

Thanks to whoever recommended the red dahlia Burt's Bees lip balm - really a lovely colour on me, I'm very pale-skinned and cool-toned. I've also had very dry lips and it feels great.

I'm 55 and use a lot less makeup! I've had a lot of dry eye issues, so have stopped with eyeliner for a while, as the drops just make it run. I use kiko brow pencil, Roche-Posay Toleraine waterproof mascara, pink Elf cream blush and now the tinted Burt's Bees lip balm, I've just mentioned.

I bought the red dahlia lip balm too off the back of this thread. It's perfect! Thank you to whoever suggested it

I did this last week, highly recommend. Expensive but I adore the lipstick that was made for me. Fascinating to see it done as well.

I also bought it and love it! Also bought the Boots 17 one which is a bit more drying

I've now bought a second one as a spare 😊

When I find my Holy Grail Product , stick with it , don't bother going Off Piste .

Aveda Shampure
Rituals Sakura ( I bought an advent calendar to try new scents but will stick with Sakura)
Molton Brown Orange&Bergamot

For everyday , Faith in Nature Grapefruit&Orange ( I bought 5 litres )

Prai Gold face cream

Morrocon Oil

I might buy a few add ons but these are my staples , they work , I like them.

I found it was a very dark red that did nothing for me, but I'm glad it suits you.😊

Thank you @Niminy I’m so looking forward to it! I think I’ll want more than one lipstick though, I’ll want to create my perfect pink, coral, red and nude! I’d also like a nice raspberry colour too 😂

Tinted eyelashes and brows, then a lip and cheek tint is all I need if I’m pushed for time.
The Revolution jelly blush lasts all day on me so I always have that healthy back from a walk glow.

I prefer the Nivea Cherry Shine.

Clinique used to do a gorgeous raspberry one in a ridged silver holder. I lived in it but when I went to replace it....gone, just like that! I now stockpile anything I can't live without.

Just had a formaldehyde free keratin treatment. Have wash and ready hair. No need to style or blow dry. Just glossy swishy hair.