What changes made the biggest difference to your overall appearance?

[AtLeastInHeavenICanSkate]

Inspired by some other threads (NC alert) I’ve decided the time is ripe for an overhaul/glow up. My plan is to make significant changes over a period of time and do a new one each month whilst keeping the old changes- nothing revolutionary but needed and I hope to get long term benefits/results.

at the moment my diet is pretty crap-which will be my next focus - the first was a new hairdo (which is a change and growing on me!), then multi vitamins, then 2L of water each day then a form of exercise each week.

In the short term before as I’m making bigger adjustments I’m hoping to get some advice on what are the likely to be the most significant gains to look like me but better.
I don’t like the feel of acrylics and currently don’t wear any make up.

A well fitting bra

Seasonal colour analysis and only buying clothing in my season or sister season and definitely avoiding my worst colours

invisalign and regular whitening

lash lift every 8 weeks

Good regular skincare and spf

strength training

Good bra and knickers for various outfits so it all
sits seamlessly.

Skincare all day long.
Serum and a good moisturiser with spf in the morning, a hydrating cleanser and night serum and cream before bed. Everything just looks more glowy and makeup looks more polished as my skin isn't dry

I get my nails done every 3 weeks and an eyebrow wax and tint with an eyelash tint too.

sunscreen. I am nearly 60 but people think i'm in my 40s. factor 50 on face, neck and backs of hands.

Giving up booze

Exercise

A decent and not too high maintenance hairstyle.

Teeth whitening

(in that order)

Losing weight

I literally look like a different person

Quitting alcohol
Mounjaro
Strength training and weights etc
personal training 2 x a week
ordering beauty boxes/advent calendars
giving up leggings (except for gym)
Giving up foundation

Water. I only drink water, probably 2+ litres a day. My skin is great for my age.
Not boasting (well I am really) but people ask what my skincare regime is - I use ELF face wash and Cera V moisturiser (Always with SPF). Nothing else.

Have also lost 6.5 stones which helped a lot! Even at my fattest I drank lots of water and my skin was great.

@ElleintheWoods thanks, skins pretty rubbish dry but spotty and dull. I tried teeth whitening professionally years back and was in the fre % that it had no impact on.

@Stoicandhappy pretty much a teetotaller- it hurts too much as I get older😆

@LondonPapa I thibk this is the hardest non cosmetic thing for me - at the moment it seems overwhelming

Three things that are all virtually instant:

Good hair cut and maintain it with regular trims

Get a bra fitting

Bright lipstick

My teeth are hideous. I can't afford to do anything about it.

I am in a similar position and need to do things slowly to improve my appearance and well being. I had braces and composites and also sadly I am having one implant ( poor 1970s dentistry).

My current step is to swap breakfast croissant for Greek yoghurt, seeds, walnuts, blueberries and kefir etc. I’m actually lov8gnthst and it keeps me going easily to lunch.

I have also completely given up alcohol.

My next step is to swap couscous for quinoa and try to have that as my ‘carb’ a few times per week. I already have an evening meals of lots of beans, tofu, vegetables etc.

So the next step thereafter is to work on lunch and take out the sandwich and crisps and swap it to healthier cottage cheese/ chickpea/ avocado combination

Once I have embedded that as a routine I will try to fast for 16 hours once per week and then extend that.

I need to work on my exercise regime as going swimming twice or three times per week is simply not enough. I have bought 2 kg weights and leave those downstairs and do them whenever I go downstairs. I download videos of TikTok. I will use the trainer at the gym to sort out a programme for em that I feel comfortable with. As part of that I will buy new gym clothes so I feel more confident.

if I feel th need to self destruct I will try to take myself out for a walk and get in some steps.

My plan to tackle my dismal appearance is to take one step at a time, embed it and not be too harsh on myself. I don’t check my weight or look in the mirror to often as aging gets me down. As my appearance improves I will reward myself with a few new clothes to make it feel worthwhile.

At the end of the day, I largely have my health and that is the main thing.

Well done, on the weight loss. People ask me similar about my skincare - I, too, have a simple regime. For a long time, I used to wash with gentle face wash and spf. Now I use almond oil to oil cleanse, rosehip oil and spf - at night I currently use almond oil, sea buckthorn oil and tallow. I drink lots of water or herbal tea, eat lots of healthy fats, protein and plants. (I'm not perfect, I do drink a little alcohol, dark chocolate and other things).

4 months teetotal now - it’s tough but I hope that it’s worthwhile. I wish that there were better nonalcoholic drinks available in bars and pubs. I buy a certain drink with apple cider vinegar and ginger for home but it’s not avoidable in bars.

I also wish that more eating places did complete heath food options eg lots of delicious salads or vegetable stews and less highly processed foods.

The other thing I do is start my day with lemon or apple cider vinegar water with a turmeric/ pepper pill as well as Omega 3 tablet.i then leave it at least 30 minutes to an hour plus for breakfast.

I also sleep with an eye mask that can play sounds to drown out DH snoring. I am conscious of my circadian rhythm and need to have good sleep to restore my metabolism and nurture my liver.

@Noras that's a great plan! That's what I did about 15 yrs ago. I found slow, gradual change was more effective and embeds it as an established habit.

@Noras, Makes sense. Something achievable.

I’m 47 and people always comment that I look much younger. This is what I do:
run 3 x week
weight training 2 x week
log all food in Nutricheck app
nails every 3 weeks
hair colour every month
hair cut every other month
Minimal makeup and skincare

I think keeping the weight off makes a big difference. But despite doing a lot of exercise and watching calories it is still very hard to lose weight

Why breath through the nose? Genuine question!

Yes, I think that unless you're extremely overweight or underweight hair is the only thing that makes a real difference. It totally changes what you look like in a way that nails just don't.

"Hair is everything" as Fleabag said.

The nasal hair and mucus filters dust and dirt from the air.

https://www.boredpanda.com/hair-styling-before-after-women-jurgita-malakauskaite-self-station-part-2/

here are some examples of how much hair can change how you look

Im Sur being teetotal and flushing your skin with water, eating a decent dit will help you radiate, weights in the gym will keep you trim etc and all worth while doing but the big impact will alway be your hair or a large weight loss

Losing weight , feeling happier , smiling more
Wore nicer clothes , better posture , more positivity , a tiny bit of make up , even just a mascara made me feel so much better about myself
None of these would have happened if I’d stayed 14 stone - felt old fat , frumpy
Now 10 stone , size 10 and feel so much happier in myself

@MikeRafone it's not just hair in those images, it's hair, make up amd wearing the right colour.

Very interesting though.