Does anyone want to join me in giving themselves a DIY extreme makeover?

[BEAUTlFUL]

No, not literally, we won't be doing our own liposuction with straws, or posting messages like, "Keen sewers: I was trying to give myself a lower-body lift but can't reach to sew up the back", or anything.

But does anyone else feel hideous? I do and I'm sure it's at the root of almost all my problems (low self-esteem being the main one).

I need to diet, get hair cut, sort out flattering clothes and ditch fugly stuff, stop biting my nails!, get pedicure, keep up to date on fake-tanning... all that.

Does anyone want to join in? If we were very brave we could post "Before" photos in our profiles then invent a month-long makeover plan, then do "After" pictures, but that might be a bit scary.

We need to ge up earlier and prioritise doing our make-up! And do a beauty treatment three times a week (body scrub, face pack, hair conditioning treatment, etc) just to nourish our Inner Temptresses.

I know it's non-PC to long to look gorgeous, but I'm fed up looking fat and frumpy and desperately need to reinvent myself! am i alone in feeling like this?

I know the awful irony of having a vain log-in name and posting this message, btw.

I have no idea if we're doing week 2 skin, or 3x week skin! I have lost track and need managing. What would be best - weekly "target zones" like flyLady?

I was just thinking, as I did 15-minute blitz on kitchen, that it would be great if we did one 15-minute "beauty chore" every day. For example, a facepack, or an all-over exfoliation, or washing make-up brushes, hair-conditioner, blitzing make-up bag, skin-treatment (pore strip, etc).

As long as you spend 15 minutes a day doing something to improve how you look (and thereore, how you feel).

i'd like

a 15 minute task each day i think... but 3xweek skin (body) would help set up a sort of regime that i could keep to... focus on one area a week might mean i'd lose impetus on that area the next week... but a sort of 'theme' a week would be ok...

so, sort of both lol - a target zone for the week, but with a 15 minute task a day, but with 3 of those a week being skin based... for example?

am i making any sense at all?

oh, oh, like doesn't flylady (it scares me so i don't) have a 'routine' thing running alongside the 'this week's specials' thingy?

OK, here are thoughts on finalized beauty plan.

BEAUTlFUL'S MONTH OF BEAUTY MAKEOVER REGIME

Every day:

• Get 8 hours' sleep (if at all possible)
• Get 60 minutes' exercise
• Cleanse/tone/moisturize morning & evening
• Drink 4 glasses water
• Eat healthily with view to losing weight: IE, no snacks, lots of fruit/veg, nothing naughty like pastry, butter, crisps.
• Every day, do one 15-minute "beauty chore" from that week's list

WEEK ONE: HAIR

15-minute Beauty chore list:

• Book cut/colour/consultation
• Deep-condition hair with special goop, or olive oil
• Wash brushes
• Buy new hair products, like mousse, Frizz-Ease, etc
• Look up hair-styling tips to suit your chosen style and try to do them (ie, using hot rollers, using straighteners to make curls, creating heavy fringe, etc)
• Set up hair-station in bedroom, so that you can do your hair easily without having to drag dryers out of attic, etc
• Ask friends' advice on new style
• Take vitamin B complex or eat Marmite to get added shine in hair
• Do cold-water rinse at end of wash, to flatten hair-cuticles and get added shine
• Try new style, for example put hair up in chignon

OK, will just do lists of daily chores and you can pick/choose what you want to do when!

WEEK TWO: SKIN

15-minute Beauty Chore list:

• Pore-strip on nose and chin
• Face pack
• Wash make-up brushes
• Skin scrub -- mix handful of sugar with 1 tablespoon olive oil, scrub gently over face in circular motions. Apply hand-hot water to muslin cloth and place over face for 10 seconds, three times (like Eve Lom). Wash off oil, soak muslin cloth in cold water place over face for 10 seconds, pat dry
• Rub Vaseline into eyelashes before bed (to encourage growth)
• Exfoliate ENTIRE body
• Slather all of body in body-lotion, concentrating on elbows, knees and feet
• Apply fake tan
• Shave/wax/Epilate/whatever all hairy areas
• Trim lady-garden area!
• Book pedicure, or give self one
• Soak feet in warm water, then scrub heels and hard bits
• Give self manicure
• Put hand-cream on hands and feet, then go to bed wearing cotton gloves and socks
• Bleach or somehow remove/disguise facial hair (Note: Shit, should all hair-based things go in Week one? Arghhhh)

School run now, but will come back to do Week 3 and 4 lists.

if anyone has ideas for Beauty chores, please post them and we can collaberate into final, final Makeover plan!

lol. i think if we're trying to remove/ bleach it, it can stay in week 2....

i'm not planning on getting a consultation for moustache or ladygarden... despite the fact that the salon also advertises 'creative brazilian' on a 'price to be agreed' basis...

this is really interesting stuff, i think I might have a go at joining you, the 15 minutes a day thing sounds achievable even for me!

And the hair station idea, i would love to do that but my bedroom is the size of a cupboard unfortunately.

that tip you mentioned about rinsing hair in cold water for shine, do you find that works for you, i've tried it before and it didn't seem to do anything, how long do you need to rinse for?

Welcome, lemonmuffin, to the Glamourtron.

I think it did make my hair shinier, yes. I know what you mean, it's not dazzling, but anything that makes us focus on our looks is worth a go! This month is really just retraining ourselves to prioritize beauty again, after years of burying it under family responsiblities, or mild depression, or procrastination.

Where do you dry your hair?

Right, I got my hair done a couple of weeks ago, but am not good at washing it regularly (there is a reason for this) but will up it to twice a week, have lots of lovely products to put on hair.

I've booked my nails to be done tommorow, not everyones cup of tea (acrylics).

Will exfoliate and fake tan tonight.

Will go walk tonight after dinner (approx 3 miles).

Will set clothes out for tommorow.

Can't use face mask just now as am in the middle of ipl treatment to get rid of red thread veins (next treatment in a couple of weeks).

I usually buy fresh fruit/veg/salad every day but have been slipping lately, so will get back to that.

I have cut out alcohol and already my skin is improving through that (a couple of weeks teetotal now).

Phew!

Oh and have the stuff from dentist to whiten teeth already, haven't used for ages, will use tonight.

And have a twirly thing you stand on and twist to whittle your waist that I haven't used for ages, will do every night also.

Oh and I tint my eyelashes at home as well, will up this to once a week/fortnight and keep on top of eyebrows!

I tend to dry it perched on the end of the bed in front of the full length mirror. (no room for a dressing table even

How long do you rinse in cold water for? i've been doing about half a minute but maybe that's not enough, i don't know.

i don't dry my hair

but i will make an effort this week and see what happens lol...

OK girls, are you around? I hope you are all doing something Beautifying!

Lilacclaire - I am VERY impressed! Don't burn out though, will you? I'm picturing you dyeing your eyebrows while twirling around on your waist-whittler thing, bleach on your teeth, then trekking off on a five-mile hike, coming home, collapsing and saying, "Fook dat."

I think it all sounds fabulous though, and I'm delighted you're inspired. Heck, you are inspiring me!

No way, I love stuff like this.
I've been my walk, just off to buy some salad!

Can I join too please? Lord knows I could do with some beauty in my life at the moment. I have to go on holiday with my SIL in 3 weeks and she is a professional actress and a model Of course she doesn't have my personality disorder but I would like to look at least presentable by the time I go.

DS1 is in bed and DS2 (5m) will be asleep for half an hour before he wants feeding, so am off to do much needed toning exercises.

MONTH OF BEAUTY - WEEK THREE: BODY

Every day do your usual stuff:

• Get 8 hours' sleep (if at all possible)
• Get 60 minutes' exercise
• Cleanse/tone/moisturize morning & evening
• Drink 4 glasses water
• Eat healthily with view to losing weight: IE, no snacks, lots of fruit/veg, nothing naughty like pastry, butter, crisps.
• Every day, do one 15-minute "beauty chore" from that week's list

WEEK THREE'S BODY BEAUTY CHORES:

• Do 15 minutes' sit-ups
• Arrange something sporty, like regular swimming, tennis lessons, restarting gym membership, vowing to walk to school every day forever...
• Find exercises that target your problem area (Bingo Wings, double chin, saggy bum) and do them. Find relatively uncomplicated ones that you could do easily, nothing too hard-core. Or...
• ...buy a new (or dust off an old) exercise DVD and do it, promising faithfully to try to do it regularly
• Decide a way to lose weight long-term, whether that's a slimming class or doing a diet at home. see if any friends want to do it with you (without opening the conversation with, "Hey lardy!" naturally)
• Buy (or reclaim from loft) nice exercise clothes and trainers. Sports bras are vital
• Take DC out for bike ride, or for run around the park
• Anyone think of any others?

Yes, ProvincialLady! Hello! How terrifying to go on holiday with a model. Jesus.

MONTH OF BEAUTY MAKEOVER - WEEK 4: CLOTHES

Beauty Chores

• Go through underwear drawer as if you were the person who had the tragic job of dressing you when you're dead. Chuck away any undies that you'd be ashamed to wear in your coffin
• Sort the remaining underwear into neat matching sets, tidied away properly
• Sort out your nightwear so you have nice things to wear in bed
• Go through your wardrobe ruthlessly. Sort into 5 piles: Sell; Give away; Mend; Store; Wear
• Then do what the labels say, and try to do it within a day or two or else you'll start putting it all back into your wardrobe
• Ask for one of those Colour Consultations for an upcoming birthday
• Sort accessories into easy storage - for example, belts coiled up in a basket, scarves hanging up in wardrobe, or whatever
• Organise your jewellery
• Ask close friends/DH what you look nicest in, and why
• eBay old stuff, and don't buy anything new until you have enough money to be able to book personal shopper at department store. everyone I know who's had this done says it's wonderful

I'm not qualified to advise on this stuff, I'm just trying to think of any beauty tip I've ever read and compile them in one place. Do feel free, please!, to add your own makeover-suggestions.

Right! I've booked haircut, so I'm officially off-th-hook today, beauty-wise. I'm going to follow a tip I read on MN and take make-up off now so I'm not too tired to do it later. Then I'm going to plan tomorrow's tea so it's not last-minute lard, choose clothes for tomorrow and get to bed by 10pm.

Dear God, please let me grow out my fringe so I can have this haircut

DIET

If anyone wants to lose quite a lot of weight in a short time, I can recommend The Scarsdale Diet. I did it for 3 months and lost almost 3 stone which stayed off till I got pregnant.

I'd be so up for trying this again. I was just thinking about ways we could really transform ourselves in a month, and I think we have to go for "wow" changes. losing weight is obviously the biggest.

Also, has anyone (apart from Lilacclaire) tried dyeing their eyelashes at home? I am going to start doing this again. it's fantastic.

Eeek... Haven't moved from computer all evening. this is not beautifing!

beautiful have you been living in my head for the past few weeks?? i posted just the other day about how old and frumpy im feeling after giving birth at the end of may. OH is away with work til Noember and i was giving myself til the to totally revamp and start looking after myself. your 30 day plan is exactly what i need plus the knowledge that others are doing it too helps so much. I'M IN i bought a hair dye a few days ago as havent done it since last november, so am going now to do that. and then will come back and read properly your week by week plan. thank you thank you thank you!!!

Apparently, as well as being minging, yellowy teeth are very ageing. I've tried Crest whitestrips before and they were good, so have just ordered another load from eBay. You just put the film over your teeth for 20 minutes, twice a day. V easy.