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.)

Nothing to add re hair as there's lots of good advice here, but re clothes and sweating, I would say buy looser fitting clothes in light fabrics such as cotton lawn.

Layer with a vest top or a cotton slip underneath, M&S and John Lewis have lots of underdresses and tops.

Steer clear of the smart casual fitted jumpers/t's/tops, they only tend to look good with slim-fit jeans anyway. They can look odd and/or "mumsy" with skirts.

I look out for good dresses and tunics during every shop, I rarely wear trousers either as I find them hot and uncomfortable and dresses v easy and comfortable to wear. Also they are one-piece so less co-ordination needed except for decent shoes/bag which go with everything (tan sandals and bag are a good bet).

Macs are great for light weight "instant smart" as I call it. Have a few different colours eg beige, black and a bright colour eg green or pink. These also help with avoiding the sweats.

For tunics, there is nowt wrong with leggings but they must be full length to look suitable and/or glamourous. No calf-length ones, they are too sporty and make your legs look chunky...

I agree with lissa. Don't worry about jeans and start embracing the dress look. Loose style tunic dresses are everywhere and look great with sandals and bare legs as well as being very cool. Go to asos.com for ideas and cheap experiments.

As for shiny face - I did too until I got a big pot of mac blot powder (loose) and kept it in my bag...

Fellow sweaty women, I have found something better than mitchum and triple x. The new Dove one, it's the sort you put on at night. I never remember I just use it in the morning. It's brilliant and around £4.99.

Message withdrawn

I'm there with you.
Frizzy over-highlighted hair, shiny nose, self-conscious as anything today as I'm showing my legs. Petite (in places...) so can't find jeans that fit well. Solution? Give up caring?

christiana - spill hairdresser details please?

Message withdrawn

I sweat alot on my face very quickly. Don't go heavy on makeup - I go foundation free as much as possible. Don't use magicool on the face as it tastes like soap - you can still buy Evian spray for £3 something. Maybe a little battery fan for your handbag also?

Frizzy, wavy, bushy hair (if it wasn't going to be straight, why at least couldn't it have been perfect curls?) was the bain of my life UNTIL I discovered Yuko straightening!

I've done it a few times (it lasts around 9 months each time) and yes it's expensive at around £300 quid a go but:

• I go to a mobile hairdresser the rest of the time, which is only £16 for a cut (in London);
• It saves hours in blow-drying / styling as it looks great even if you let it dry naturally and saves pounds on styling products;
• I have a few layers so it has some movement and doesn't look poker straight.

Elasticizer is the biz for soft shiney hair, especially if you have thick hair. You apply it before you shampoo.

I'm taking notes on the anti-perspirant as I still haven't found one that I'm happy with since Original Source stopped making their. I may need to start my own thread on effective anti-perspirants for sensitive skin.

I've noticed this summer that my face is quite a lot less sweaty than it used to be, I'm not sure if that's linked to having changed to the oil cleansing method or not.