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.

FFS, why don't the QVC links work?

Balance & Brighten info

Eyebrow Tamer wand thingy info

Like I said, you can buy thr products from QVC.co.uk

treadmill has just arrived!!!, although im doing a big mad cleaning blitz today and then at mums for tea so mightnt have the energy to fit any running in. actually forget that, I WILL do some running even if its only ten minutes.

now that ive been wearing fake tan again i was able to dig out my darker (more flattering) make up yesterday and made a ral effort with it, best friend noticed and said i was looking really well. so thats officially my first compliment!

busy day tomorrow so you mightnt hearfrom me but i'll be stickig to the plan and will update as soon as i get a chance.

has anyone else got a big long list of new beauty products to buy since starting this makeover? i'll be broke after this, but at least i'll be beautiful.

and i think i'm going to learn how to spell too!! - 'ral'?? 'stickig'??

Hi hows everyone doing, have been away overnight, so only beauty thing i've done is walking (at least 10 miles in one day) with inappropriate footwear so have ordered a pair of 'walking trainers' and should receive them tommorow hopefully, have aching feet at the mo.
Gutted the full house today top to bottom so hoping that counts as my exercise, generally totally knackered from being away, so will be getting loads of sleep tonight, hair freshly washed and teeth whitener on.
Working all weekend, so won't be much happening there, oh and still not drinking.

Hi everyone, check you lot out, looking good!

Beautiful - glad it made you smile, heartfelt and true

Madwoman, you are on, tell me what night we are donning our lycra and count me in!

I had my eyebrows threaded for first time today, wow it looks good - have lovely dark lashes to flutter too. WHilst there I decided to tackle the thorny issue of my tache (its blonde but rather too luxuriant to be ignored for a moment longer) and she whipped that off with her magic threads too. My upper lip is a smooth as a baby's bum - hurrah! Highly recommended if any of you lot are unfortunate enough to be similarly afflicated!

Had my first compliment today from a lady at the gym, 'Oooh you look nice' - and id just come out of the swimming baths so had mad hair going on. Not had compliment from DH yet but he hasn't seen my new pants yet so there is still hope!!

AHave a gorgeous weekend everyone, keep drinking that water between your other weekend drinks

I couldn't post much yesterday, was in a real slump. Don't know why. But today I'm BACK, cheerier than ever!

I'm so impressed with all of you.

Booyhoo, get YOU with your TREADMILL. That is professionally sporty and beautifying! And yes, I have spent a fortune on all of this.

An you, lilacclaire - 10 miles walking?! BTW, what teeth-whitening stuff do you use?

Philo -- I love your compliment! And am v much looking forward to hearing what your DH says.

I'm up, showered, made-up, hair done, dressed, teeth-whitened, had a fruit smoothie & all my vitamins, and it's 10am on a Saturday. This never happens.

Let's have a proper big catch-up on Monday, as it'll be a week into our makeover. Like Philo says, I can really hear the tone of your voices lifting & sounding positive!

Yay you lot!

i spent yesterday furious, as a couple of things meant our move was in jeopardy (and given that our belongings have already been shipped i was apoplectic lol)

so beauty went to the wall in favour of mute rage and stress.

i have a lot of relaxing and de-stressing to do this weekend

will try and get back on the wagon before monday lol!

Hi, my teeth whitening stuff is the stuff from the dentist, custom moulds etc, peroxide gel.
Not much beauty for me this weekend as working, just plenty of sleep and healthy nosh.

Starting the weekend early here I know, but I have had a hectic few days and a cold, so I haven't been able to post.

BUT I have been shaving legs/pits every day (nb this used to be a given before I had DC, but these days it is an extra big effort) and wearing makeup (and taking it off again at the end of the day) and choosing the nice things in my wardrobe every day rather than just grabbing jeans and a top. I have worn body lotion every day too. I can honestly feel and see a difference in my appearance and it is all because every morning I imagine us all doing our best despite snotty children harassing us etc. I hope everyone else has been finding it motivating too.

Today my model/actress SIL, who is staying overnight, said that my hair looked really nice so that is my compliment of the week

Provincial --
"it is all because every morning I imagine us all doing our best despite snotty children harassing us etc. I hope everyone else has been finding it motivating too."

Yes! Me too! You lot are the only thing keeping me back from the brink of the Abyss of Hideousness.

I'm doing brilliantly, I am really am. I know that's horribly vain, but I'm amazed at myself. Have lost 5lbs so far on Scarsdale, teeth are DAZZLING white. Fake-tan is up to date, I'm all body-lotioned. Last night I gave myself a full-on, big bastard pedicure, complete with soaking feet in washing-up bowl and scrubbing eight years' of old varnish off. Have painted toenails Slut Red.

Today I'm wearing flip-flops specifically to display gorgeous Slutty feet.

No compliments! Except DH said my teeth look "bluey white" and wanted to borrow one of the strips, and DS1 said "Mummy, I really like your hairstyle at the moment."

This is all affecting every area of my life: I'm going out more, cleaning the house, taking vitamins and generally being sick-makingly smug and sorted.

Tonight sometime I have to get up the courage to use my Epi-lady on my legs. Then there's not that much more to do, except keep on with the diet, get a manicure, finish teeth-whitening course, and keep it all up.

Can't wait to start getting back into my foxy thin clothes, which are in a box under the bed.

Paging MadWoman!! When is your hair consultation today? please come and reveal all here. are you having it cut, or just a chat?

chat today, cut next monday semi permanent in own shade to cover white grey and some highlights just a couple of shades lighter to add some interest. haven't been able to change colour of my hair since 1991 lol, so am unnecessarily over-excited
she too said longer layers, shaped around face, couple of inches off, but essentially long is probably the way to stay for a while
(and, compliment alert) she said my hair was lovely (except for the frizz, grey and alarming abundance, natch, but she seemed genuine, so i'm counting it!)

and a free manicure whilst the colour's done haven't had a manicure since i got married lol - 11 years ago
i'm hoping they do it for all new customers, rather than she took one look at me thought, bless, let's help her along the way a bit...

make-up lesson (inc 'make-over' lol - that won't be hard considering it's a pretty blank canvas) booked for next tues.
and as i had to send the silver wedges back i got a new pair today whilst i was out... but this week i need to focus on feet i think... so it's pedicure tonight, or i won't wear them...

that would be after davina though, philo!! are you joining me?

oh, and i bought some of those bodyshop blotting papers too

so i think this week my priorities will be exercise (am so stressed i need to get my body active to get rid of it), water (tons of it), and feeeeeeeet! i will of course remember to slather on the moisturiser and exfoliate a couple of times, but this week is mostly prep before 'beauty school' phase 2 starts next week, with professional help lol!

i'm quite pleased with myself

Madwoman, i am yoga-ing at 2.30 and jogging at 6.30 so fear Davina is one step too far for me today, can do it on Weds with you though if that sounds OK for you?

The hair consultation sounds v thorough, have a good feeling you are gonna get a wonderful new look by this time next week. I am off for a cut on Weds and have 2 girly nights out next week so lots of chances to collect a compliment or two!
where are you moving to that requires shipping your things by the way? hope it is all going smoothly again now.

Beautiful - you are gonna graduate from beauty school with flying colours by the sound of it, good on you! Need to check out this diet of yours - 5lb is amazing, you must be feeling very smug and very svelte and so you should!

I had a bit of a naughty weekend, too much wine and catching up with friends, good for the soul but not so good for the skin! AM trying to rectify things today hence yoga AND jogging (madness!) Need to drink some water. But have got shaved legs and pits and a bit of Dove fake tan stuff on so not too bad. And painted toenails which look so much prettier

No compliments from my DH this weekend even though I have had lenses in (no glasses on) and make up on both days and definitely look at least a bit better than usual - harumph! Don't ever marry a yorkshire man if you thrive on charm and flattery!

Oh madwoman you are going to look like a beauty queen after all that lot! (I'm guessing you won't be parading about in a bikini though?) I might join you on focussing on feet this week. Mine are OK but I have quite pretty feet if I make a bit of effort and I am going to be baring them on holiday in 3 weeks time.

Ladies I must share with you - I just went on one of those body monitoring machines and got the new results. The last time I did it was at Easter and since then I have....wait for it....lost 10lbs, dropped blood pressure and heart rate substantially and best of all, lost 6% of my body fat Woo hoo! I think it is running and breast feeding that is doing it as I still eat like a pig horse. Only half a stone to go and I will be back to my pre pregnancy weight. I am so pleased.

I would like to clarify that I am not running whilst breast feeding.

...just me and davina tonight then, but i'll let you off as you appear to be paying your penance lol. wednesday sounds good

we're moving to canada in 6 weeksish, as long as i manage to get everything sorted... still a few issues that are driving me mad (der) but tbh with most of our stuff gone i've just got to get it fixed really! clock ticking and all that (takes 12 weeks as the container goes by sea... so the kids have had no toys for over a month... ) is it any wonder i look like one of the wild women of borneo? not sure what my excuse has been for the last ten years, but...
anyone. help is at hand via the keyboard of beautiful, whipping us all into shape!

provinciallady - 10lbs! that's brilliant! is that just one of the machines in boots or wherever? and since easter!
breast feeding did nothing for me in the weight loss department lol. (and have no intention of taking it up again therefore...) but might give the running a go again. i have (as it 'appens, sounding a bit like jimmy saville) accidentally put myself in for the 2010 london marathon online ballot, so it's probably time i started again...

are you on that running thread that i keep meaning to read, but never getting round to?

bikini?

madwoman - no I'm not on the thread. I am just a couch potato to 5k-er, not a proper runner at all. I would join a thread but all I would have to say would be "Just about managed to do the run. Didn't enjoy it, wished I wasn't doing it whilst doing it but glad I did afterwards."

The machine was at my local museum, which is having an interactive sports exhibition at the moment.

I am seriously impressed that you could run a marathon. I am just about able to run 5 minutes and then walk 3 minutes three times! I was quite ill and lost a lot of fitness whilst pg with DS2 and the couch potato programme is helping to build up my fitness and strength again.

no, that's my point really. i could run a marathon - about ten years ago , but for some reason decided that entering the online ballot for 2010 would somehow transform me into being able to do it, erm, again.
currently? still on the couch. could probably do a 5k sloooowly.

so i do need to get off the couch at some point, just in case i do come up with a place in the ballot...

i think i'm sort of assuming i won't... i'd have to fly back for it, for a start

At no point in my life could I have run a marathon so I am still impressed.

You could always arrange to fly over the marathon?

am liking that.
but less endorphins i suspect...

Beautiful, tell me about these teeth whitening strips would you? they sound fab, where do you get them from? Am in dire need of something to lift my teeth from their current pale yellow colour!

I AM SO PROUD OF YOU LOT! We are really creating a pack of foxes here. 10lbs off and 6% fat-loss is amazing, Provincial Lady! You must have noticed that - are your clothes falling off you? If so, does your DH like this new development? I'm so thrilled. You must feel amazing!

Philopastry -- I completely empathise on the lack of DH compliments. I felt stunning today, so was at DH for failing to say anything nice when he came home for lunch. In the end, I just went for the shameless approach: "Do I look hideous?", He replied, "No, no, you look lovely!"

And you, Madwoman, getting the Total Body Transformation Experience next week - woohoo! Make-up, manicure, hair cut and colour - that's more than the Bionic Woman went through! Can't wait till next week to hear all about it. And yay! on your compliment! It means even more when it comes from a professional.

This thread is utterly fab, isn't it?! I'm not blowing my own trumpet (this time) -- I mean it, you lot are being so fab at throwing yourselves in to it, body & soul.

Lemonmuffin -- Crest Whitestrips, from America, but you can buy them on eBay, as in this link

Beautiful I have just read the last few posts more carefully and see that I missed your 5lb weight loss. Well done! Your achievement is greater than mine because mine is just baby weight and would have come off eventually anyway. My clothes aren't exactly falling off, but they are fitting me like they used to rather than having to squeeze into them in a rather unattractive manner. I bought a pair of jeans before Easter and had to wear them with Spanx underneath and much sucking in of stomach fat to even get them on. Now they are loose on me.

DH is not bothered whether I lose the weight or not, he is such a gem he loves my body no matter how it looks to me. In fact he has expressed a preference for my BFtastic norks (30G[shocked][shocked]) and hopes that further weight loss does not make them smaller.

Lemonmuffin I might join you with the tooth strips. Mine are ok but could be brighter.