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.

I’ve joined a gym and signed up for small group classes with a PT. I was absolutely clueless about what to do and learning has been so great, I could never have done it on my own.

I supplement my two weekly classes with sessions I do on my own in the gym but without the trainer to show me what to do and explain why it would have been a complete waste of time and I’m sure I would have stopped by now

Reformer pilates
Strength training
Haircut every 12 weeks into low maintenance/easy to do style
BIAB every 3 weeks (always neutral)
Properly fitting bras
Getting back to a 10/12 so simple clothes fit and look better

How did you do this Green Sauna?

When I stopped dyeing my hair and went to full grey - my hair started to go grey in my 20s and it's 99% now - for the first time in my life i have really good hair, a bit of a Helen Mirren vibe, which i love, and has been admired.

Natural hair dye, such as khadi. Covers greys for a few weeks and gives hair colour back. It is weird, mine has colour close up but from a distance looks drab.

Me too. My hair and scalp have never been so healthy. Mine is long and curly, I actually trim it myself since my hairdresser closed. I focus on keeping it healthy and let it dry naturally.

For me, it’s blonde highlights (I’m naturally mousy), tooth whitening, and always having my nails painted (I just do it myself with normal polish. No salon nails).

Quitting alcohol and processed carbs have really helped my skin.
I invested in my hair and it has made a difference. Every 6 weeks I get it cut and coloured and it looks and feels much better. I am repurposing the money I saved on wine!
I have completely switched up to a Mediterranean diet. I eat lots of olives, sardines, tuna, eggs, tomatoes, feta and cucumber. As a result, my nails are long for the first time ever and strong. I just file them and do a couple of coats of nail glow and they look great.
Well groomed eyebrows - I always focus the pencil on the arch and use a setting gel.
Brown liquid liner on top lid - not as harsh as black, and makes me lookore awake and lashes look fuller.
Decent bronzer on the face - no 7 is lovely and makes me looks a bit more alive.
Huda beauty under eye colour corrector. I apply concealer on top; it really wakes my eyes up.
My next step is my wardrobe. I want to look polished (I always look like I've crawled through a hedge) and buy some expensive timeless pieces, but I don't know where to start currently!
My weight is the bane of my life and no advice there. I just carry it differently post-40 and baby and although my diet is slowly improving things, I need to accept I'll never be the 8.5 stone waif of my 20s/30s ever again

Followed AIP diet.

Oats and barley. Great for your gut, cholesterol, satiety and nutrician. Cheap and magic stuff.

BBcream.

Doing something you love and makes you feel alive.

Lost 2.5 stone. I’m now 8 stone and it’s changed everything about me, the confidence is unreal.

Eyebrows shaped and tinted regularly.
Yoga studio membership
Simple skincare routine - cerave skin wash and moisturiser with an oil cleanse first.
Trinny foundation is worth it.
Caffeine eye cream - cheap superdrug one.
I haven't had my haircut in ages though and it looks great -long and natural.

No man no children just a lovely little dog and an active social life.
And loads of sleep.

Always at home as I hate gyms.

I have 3 sets of dumbbells (5, 8 and 10 kg), a strong resistance band and yoga blocks, plus a mat. That’s it.

Check out Growingannanas, Heather Robertson and Caroline Girvan. All free on YouTube.

And the Bowflex 3-minute plank which I do almost every day. A strong core is life changing.

I also go for regular walks with my weighted (5 kg) vest. Great for improving posture and strengthening shoulders.

I would be happy at 10.5 stone!

I’ve slowly added to my routine over the years:

glass of water with any alcoholic drink
moisturise with SPF
whiten teeth (over 2 week period then top up weekly)
eyebrows shaped and tinted
eyelashes tinted
nails manicured weekly, cut short, cuticles neatened
toenails manicured every 2-3 weeks
unwanted hair removal as needed don’t leave it
shower daily or twice daily if hot/exercising/hot tub
hair wash twice weekly and serum applied
always take the stairs and on tiptoe to enhance calves
dumbbells each morning for a few minutes (different exercise each day) and some sit ups
squats whilst the kettle boils
walk for at least 20 minutes every day come rain or shine

Just at home with a few dumb bells and youtube videos, it’s cost me a grand total of £10 to transform my figure and confidence!

"whiten teeth (over 2 week period then top up weekly)"

What do you use?

Yes all of this ^ too
if you’re feeling stressed then immediately recognise it and do some meditation type breathing
sleep too

I had a deep clean then Smile product - it’s a powder in a pink jar and you dip your toothpaste (on your brush) into it. My teeth are already white really because I had them bleached in my late teens and have always kept up to it with various strips or gels you pop into a mouth guard etc. I think teeth make a difference - mine are straight and white and I aren’t self conscious of a big laugh. If they weren’t I would have a brace and whiten them.

Home is fine to start with, I use progressive overload (which is accepted as the best method for building muscle mass) so quickly moved to the gym for the heavier weights I needed.

If you have no idea where to start it should be with a personal trainer so you can have your form supervised and prevent injury.

It's not any particular one that's superior, most dermatologists operate commercially these days, i.e. they have their own clinic or one they consult in, often alongside NHS work. While clinics are often better known for Botox etc, you can actually go to the dermatologist with any skin concern and there are usually various ways to address it.

Personally I have found that small affluent villages have very good doctor-led skin clinics (bear in mind many of these places are just aestician's, which is a little different). They'll do a skin scan and recommend options that may suit.

Tretinoin is often prescribed, as it helps with a multitude of concerns from adult acne to fine lines. Also other active ingredients not available over the counter.

However, I hear that online services can be very good as well and often much much cheaper for a similar result. Skin & Me seems to get a lot of positive mentions.

Personally I'm a huge fan of personalised Dr-assessed skincare, as going to a good doctor saved my skin from further acne damage aged 13, and also from going down the endless product experimentation route in my teens and 20s. IMHO products and lines that doctors recommend alongside any prescriptions are gentle, effective and also cheaper than brands with big marketing spend.

Great thread.
As.with many, mine was weight loss. I've yoyo'd up and down for years but got quite seriously overweight a few years ago. Last year i reduced what I ate and ate mostly healthy food, added in walks and some home weights/yoga/body-weight exercises and I lost 4 stone and seriously toned up.
My face shape completely changed with this and I get told.all the time how much younger I look than years ago...people assume its my cheekbones but they've always been prominent, it's actually that I kept my apple cheeks despite the weight loss so have quite a baby face.
My skin is ultra sensitive so I just cleanse with cotton wool and water (vaseline to melt eye makeup first), and slather wit LRP Ciclaplast Baume. If I'm going on a night out etc, I will rub vaseline on my crows feet and 11s, in the day and wipe off before I do my face...it really seems to plump out my skin something lovely.
I am amazed at the compliments I've been receiving and also overwhelmed at the attention I'm getting from men at 50yo, when I had felt (made myself) invisible for a long time before that.

Forgot to add, for anyone with hooded eyes, I found some videos on Halo Eye makeup techniques an absolute game changer, it's amazing how it appears to transform the eyelid shape. I found one tutorial in particular super, but I'm not sure if leaving a YouTube link will link to my account 🤔
Also BPerfect liquid Blush on outside high side of apple of cheek. Basically having hid away and aged unhealthily for 7+ years, I've found putting the effort in to weight loss and fitness, and updating my makeup to better suit my face, to have made such a massive improvement in my appearance.

Those of you talking about weights, do you go to the gym, do this at home or a mix? I wouldn't know where to start.

@EverythingGolden Just edited as I saw your post!