If you are one of those shiny haired mums who always looks better than me, tell me how.

[MrsSeanBean]

'They' always look more put together than me.

• Why didn't I think of that colour combination, (eg pink and green atop 'nice' jeans) so 'fresh' and uncontrived?

• Oh, what a great way to wear last years's Monsoon shrug. So fresh so new, and yet no hours spent wrestling in sweaty changing cublicle with this year's offering, trying in vain to look good (like muppet yours truly).

• I spend hours on the straighteners and am trumped yet again with natural (NB: no frizz) waves, while I resemble straw thatch. Grrr.

• 'They' look great with brunette while I look like ugly sister in a fine shade of mmouse.

I also sweat profusely when battling with DS in public. No -one else does.

Why, why, why? (an eternal, unsolvable question I fear.)

Other people do sweat whilst battling with DCs - I think the key is to wear something that you can sweat into and nobody will notice. My DH only wears white shirts to work - sweat is far less obvious than say a blue shirt. A simple white T shirt from M&S or somewhere will take sweat nicely .

My friend says the way to get shiny hair is to dye your hair the same colour as it is now. My friend has long straight black hair and one day I saw her it was really shiny - I asked her how it got shiny and she said she dyed it black even though her hair was already black. It did look extremely nice.

Now does it count as alpha mummy if I look good but the urchins are filthy?

MorrisZapp, i've been wondering about the trendy haircut thing too.... i do hope someone comes along and enlightens us. Every haircut i have seems to add about 5 years to my face!

Well, my tip for the straighteners would be to make sure that they are the ghd brand. After using these you will never go back. They are the king and queen of the straightening scene.

On the haircut front, ikewym re requesting the edgy stle and the hairdresser not delivering.

I think it is hit and miss whether they stylist is up to it or not and whether your hair type is capable of 'holding' the look. Many, many times i have wanted cutting edge and not got it! Only once have i thought 'fuck me that is smoking!'. I left the salon looking like ROD STEWART! I was achingly cool. I didn't go for it again though as felt that lush as it was that look had been done and wanted to grow it anyway.

yep, I'm starting to get a bit anxious now about the straighteners. I've straightened my naturally wavy hair for years, but now I keep asking myself what if I look like Caroline Flint?

I'm with you 100% Mrs SB. Popped out t'other day, passing the mirror as I left, thinking 'you'll do'. While I was out, got a bit thirsty and had a swig on a smoothie. It was only when I got home I realised I had been walking round with a big blueberry moustache. I'd even been to bloody mother and baby group with it and not one bugger had told me

And my dd had been sick on my shoulder and I hadn't noticed

I have similar hair ishoos - I use john frieda brilliant brunette products, shampoo, conditioner and finishing creme after the ghds, with frizz ease on your wet hair = shiny and sleak brunette

Someone mentioned 'oil slick face' syndrome; the oil cleansing method has been discussed at length on several threads.

I've never had particularly oily skin so can't comment on that aspect, but when I clean my face using this method I feel as if I've had a facial the next morning. {www.oilcleansingmethod.com}}.

Sorry www.theoilcleansingmethod.com.

sweaty face - papier poudre for soaking up sweat.

boots make up matte thingy here

To enhance your natural shine I'd ask the hairdresser to put through something like PM Shines in the same colour as your natural hair colour, but will be gentler than home-dye jobs.

If you blow dry, dry down the hair shaft. Use a product like 'Seal and shine' and to tame the frizz without straightening use a very small amount of gloss drops once you've finished.

MrsSB - You do sound as though you are being hard on yourself. Is it possible you are wearing the wrong colours? If I wear brown, beige or camel I look absolutely dreadful and lacklustre, and it even deadens my hair.

I know how the alpha Mummy at school does it (she's an ait hostess so extra points fordedication)

After leaving school she goes to the gym, and the salon.

I go to the bakers, and to watch jeremy Kyle

I can do it- did an ITEC in make up once upon a time (when bored, accumulate qualifications should be my motto) but i don't care enough.

My hair just ashed is kind to me as it looks like I spent hours with rollers, the wave is thick and in just the right movie star place (I always wash and go, no fuss) BUT I rarely remember to wash at the right time or brush more than once so by pickup it's frightful

Though I do despair at the fact I can't get past the door in the morning without staining my top. And I know that in reality I look a mess but the funny thing is alpha mummy is always envying me for being relaxed PMSL. It works both ways

I agree with the colour issue; see an image consultant and find out which colours suit you best - saves loads of time shopping.

you sound very well groomed imo

i wonder if one day in the autumn you should go to a big john lewis and try on loads of jeans - they do 7 for all mankind etc and its not a scary place to do it - just by one pair of very expensive well fitting jeans as a kind of therapy

MrsSeanBean - I had the facial perspirations issue after my last baby. I'm sure it was hormonal, but then I worried about it so much it became psychosomatic. I tried just putting powder blush, no foundation or powder onto non-moisturised skin. It felt horrible in the mornings as my skin is dry, but it stopped the problem and I relaxed about it.

'perspiration'

MrsSB - just wanted to sympathise with you on the "not allowed" thing. I can wear jeans, but my thing is I can't go out in the morning with my hair down - it has to be put up. I feel naked, or like I've forgotten any undies if I leave it down.

at Peachy's air hostess comparison (they have an unfair advantage as are perma made-up and glossed somehow, even after 11 hr flight). You have to suffer to look good as the saying goes!

I am pleased to report my straighteners are GHD, but am worried about the fact that I thought Caroline Flint (who I had never even heard of until a couple of weeks ago) looked quite good and did in fact have shiny hair. Was this just a 'good' one-off picture I wonder?

at Peachy's air hostess comparison (they have an unfair advantage as are perma made-up and glossed somehow, even after 11 hr flight). You have to suffer to look good as the saying goes!

I am pleased to report my straighteners are GHD, but am worried about the fact that I thought Caroline Flint (who I had never even heard of until a couple of weeks ago) looked quite good and did in fact have shiny hair. Was this just a 'good' one-off picture I wonder?

Caroline Flint shiny?

Re. shiny face issues - clarins do a face powder called something like "shine stopper" (sorry, too heavy and pregnant to be trecking back upstairs to check) can't say it's changed my life...but certainly given me one less thing to worry about as it seems to work all day