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 🤓

Silk pillowcase - keeps my skin and hair looking less crumpled!
Overnight hair serum, works miracles on my frizz prone hair
Light fake tan applied with a brush -especially good on hands and feet
Curled lashes really open up the eye, use a good curler though, they are not all made equal
Liners - lip, eyebrow and eye, as you get older the definition helps
Primer whether I use foundation over the top or not
Eborian CC cream
Hotbrush to smooth hair between washes, straighteners leave my hair too flat

jade.coyne on Instagram, she has an app called Fresh Face Formula

Thaa a nks for this (although I disagree about retinol, for people with dry and sensitive skin it’s an unnecessary torture treatment and I’ve seen a lot online telling people to stop trying with it if you’ve tried it for a while and you’re finding your skin is reacting badly).

Mine is with dry hair eat a lot oily and hydrating foods and drink a lot of water and you’ll start feeling it’s in better condition

cerave eye cream. Stumbled on it last month and it’s the most hydrating non reactive one out there

NeededANameChangeAnyway
Hypothetically if I literally do nothing.....where should I start?! I used to wear eye make up & mascara, do my hair, look together. But now I'm a bit of a shambles tbh.....

Face wash/ cleanser, spf, primer and a bb cream, eye cream and concealer (maybelline/ rimmel or collection from boots if you can’t spend, somethig like Nars if you can). Drink lots of water, get sleep if at all possible! Hair I’m not good on!!

I'm not a fan of it either. I like the colour but it lasts about two minutes on me before it disappears. I know it's a lip tint but Laura Geller Very Black Cherry is similar on my lips and lasts so much longer.....and is cheaper.

I think about my blind spots a lot, also never really known why and still cant think of a reason but i always use bar soap for that, and that only...🤔😅
Agree with OP on the fine hair being kept short and blunt..... hard to do though personally.
Oh and @HildegardVonBingham no one has mentioned yet so a Margaret Dabbs foot file and Clarins foot lotion would sort out an elephants hoof 😉

I really rate the Nivea Cellular Bakuchiol serum which is a natural alternative to retinol. My skin tolerates it far better and I've had no redness or peeling with using it every night.

Great suggestions, completely forgot about the green towel!

I use Glossier balm dotcom for a bit of colour and to keep my lips hydrated.

Got a quite active job and cycling a lot so use bar soaps instead of shower gels, Mitchum unscented deo and always moisturise after shower, normally with Garnier body superfood avocado.

A lot of beauty products you can get a lot cheaper on Vinted, just discovered K18 Biomimetic Hairscience Leave-in Molecular Repair Hair mask and got 50ml on there for £15 instead of £70… Early days but my hair seems smoother and a bit thicker. Boots online £10 Tuesdays are great for picking up serums and face creams etc and I always use a serum under moisturiser.

Tint my own eyebrows as they are naturally light as I’m light blonde and a good fitting bra is essential.

It depends what doing nothing means.

Are you washing every day, are your hair, face and teeth clean, hair brushed, deodorant applied etc? They are the absolute non negotiables for me.

For a very basic routine I'd start with splashing your face with water and applying a moisturising SPF in the morning and then washing with a flannel and a face cleaner in the evening and applying a moisturising product of some sort. Anything else can come later when you're in the habit of a consistent daily routine.

If I really CBA I brush my hair and put it up in a claw clip which takes no effort but feels more intentional than just shoving it into a ponytail and then I apply Erborian CC cream on my face, Elf tubing mascara and a tinted lip balm. Plus a spritz of perfume. It takes two minutes but makes me feel better.

I totally agree with the PP that said get some good quality jewellery and never take it off. I've slowly built up my collection but now have earrings, a bracelet and a necklace on permanently whether I'm asleep, in the shower, swimming or whatever. Just simple pieces, studs or huggie hoops, snake chain necklaces etc that I forget I even have on but am permanently accessorised with no effort. I swap them over every week or two.

Sleeping in a silk bonnet - I look ridiculous while it’s on but it keeps my frizzy hair smooth and brings out its natural wave.

This is a great thread! I’m interested in ‘colours’ and was thinking about getting mine done, but ive obviously triggered a fb algorithm. I keep getting posts of women holding cloths in front of women and there seems to be no difference at all between them or slightly worse in the one they choose! Maybe they are purposely doing it wrong for comments?

My tip - cheap jewellery can be good if bought carefully. I’ve been a ‘real gold only’ snob my whole life, meaning that I’ve only a small collection of small items. Recently borrowed a bigger necklace from primark from dd - loads of compliments, and dm (proper snob 🤣) admired my new earrings- from Tesco!

Sleeping with earrings on is a bad idea - it drags at night lengthens the whole into a slit, which can go right down and divide the lobe. Lots of 70+ women have to get repierced or wear stickers on the back of the lobe.

I can't stand "too long" trousers. They trail in the dirt and the wearer looks messy and unkempt. (Thinking Megan Markle & Victoria Beckham for instance)

I love Neals Yard Frankincense cleanser, toner and hydrating cream. The wild rose beauty balm is exceptional and so versatile. Have switched all makeup products except liquid eye liner to Tropics Skincare and I love them.
Still on the hunt for the elusive, perfect, organic liquid eyeliner.

I bought a battery run hand held dry skin sander from Lidl, my feet have never looked so good, and as Mrs says cheap cream and socks, cheap and cheerful but so effective.

My no nonsense tip is that many things don’t require as much washing as you might think. That applies to hair as well as clothes.

Obviously if your clothes smell or your hair is greasy, they need a wash. But I used to wash everything after one wear and now I don’t do it automatically unless it’s been a sweaty or unpleasant day (stress causes bad smells). My hair can go over a week without washing (but it’s very dry). Less washing is better for your clothes. Saves water, saves product, saves microplastics going into the water.

Slightly nonsense tips:
I also discovered the silk pillowcase and bonnet for hair- my hair is so dry and it’s curly, and these two items make a huge difference.

Use more moisturiser than you think during the winter. My skin recently started feeling super dry and tight so I started doubling up on the oils and creams, and although I look alarmingly shiny for a while, until it sinks in, my skin is much happier. I also find a bit of foundation is protective against the cold and the drying effects of indoor heating.

Elf products are very impressive, IMO far better than Charlotte Tilbury at a fraction of the price (I don’t have much experience with other premium brands).

D has to do this but it's because her cat chews on her hair at night and then can't bring it up as a hair ball because of gastro problems 😢
I have natural curls after my hair is washed but as soon as I sleep on them they go flat the next day. A bonnet might be they way to go, thanks Lemon

Came on here to recommend Neals Yard wild rose beauty balm. I got it for Christmas and have been blown away by it. I apply it every morning after cleansing, but about 10 minutes before my usual moisturiser, then again early evening after cleansing, then my normal night cream at bedtime. Definitely gives skin a glow and very moisturising.

Love this ^

I'm a great fan of using natural and less products and cleanse my skin with almond oil - when I come to replace my moisturiser, I will look into beef tallow, thanks! I also do face massage and exercises (recently someone thought I was 10 yrs younger than I am, so I must be doing something right).

To shower, I dry brush, turn the water cold at the end and put almond oil (any good quality oil will do) on wet skin and dry off. I've tried lots of different scrubs and lotions, but this works best.

A clothes steamer instead of an iron - easier and less faff.

Oh dear. I’ve used it as concealer for years! Where on earth on your face are you meant to apply it, if not under your eyes?

Ooh, tell me about cleansing with almond oil please? Use like a normal cleanser and wipe off? My skin could do with extra nourishment sometimes and this might do the job.

Unbelievably rude

Meant to say ... I'm 54 and have been using Neals Yard Products (see above) for about 15 years. I don't have a single wrinkle or age spot.

I don't have lots of money so my routines are more of the budget variety.
For me: Moisturizer (just Olay with SPF), a touch of concealer for the (genetic) dark rings (Rimmel), eye liner and lip oil (Elf). Mascara is an occasional thing.

I keep my nails short. I use Essie polish as I find it lasts well on me. I can do gels, but have an at home kit and tend to just do that in December.

I love colour, and colours suit me so I wear lots. No cropped clothes- trousers or tops. I should iron more than I do.

Jewellery wise I have a vast collection, some precious but mostly not. I like big but lightweight earrings. I change it every day to suit what I wear.

It's brilliant isn't it! It's also fab if you use the tiniest amount to smooth hair and eyebrows and it's great on rough skin such as elbows and feet as it can be gently exfoliating. Also a great natural after sun product. I've used it consistently for my décolletage, it seals in moisture and supports the skin barrier.