Our tips on how to look more groomed, glamorous or polished
A collection of all tips and recommendation from this thread
this page is a WIP.
Recommendations are listed in no particular order. Please do further research to ensure any recommendations suit what you’re after.
General wellbeing tips
Suggestions for when you're feeling a little bit blah:
- Do your hair nicely
- At home mani/pedi or get one done professionally
- or don't need to necessarily paint them, just file all the same length and give them a buff to feel more polished
- Lash lift/tint etc.
- Sometimes just one long 'everything' shower with hair removal, body scrubs, hair masks, face masks etc.
- Little things to make you feel good - e.g.:
- Go on a walk and listen to a good podcast and get fresh air really helpful. Maybe get a takeaway coffee too. It's a real mood booster for me generally, which then helps with the self-confidence stuff
- Wander around a department store sniffing perfumes for half an hour, then went for a coffee in the fancy instore café.
It's the little things that make you feel good
When you're feeling full of cold or run down before a big event:
- Berocca, every day (get those vitamins IN)
- Daily antihistamine
- Vaseline the **** out of your lips
- Plenty of water
- Under eye gel patches (test them now so you know you won’t react to them - they were really nice to keep in the fridge and make me feel a lot less puffy)
High maintenance things to be low maintenance
Skincare
SPF
- La Roche Posay - Anthelios
- La Roche Posay - Anthelios (oily skin)
- Avene - Clenance spf50 (oily/combo skin)
- RoC - Soleil anti-wrinkle fluid spf50
- easy to apply and makes a great makeup base
Chemical exfoliator
- The Ordinary - 5% lactic acid (sensitive skin)
- very gentle and restores the skins natural moisture barrier. Start gentle with 5% and use it twice a week to see how your skin reacts to it.
Spots
- La Roche Posay - Effeclar range
Skin + Me
- Mixed experiences (will update with details but best to search or ask in the thread)
Hair removal
- Face hair - Epiwand (https://amzn.eu/d/j55Xbid)
- Hot wax for eyebrows - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09V1PZDDM/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=limego-21&linkCode=w00&linkId=&creativeASIN=B09V1PZDDM
- I don't have a wax melter pot so just popped the little saucepan onto an old frying pan to heat. Used a small angled wooden stick to apply. Easy and not painful.
- The oil that came with mine over the years was blue and it was fantastic - I notice the oil with this one is a different colour but presumably just as effective. (If you get the wax in your brows you can use the oil to remove it without pulling the hair out)
Toner
- Dr Jart+ - Ceramidin toner
Undereye circles / eye cream
- Inkylist - Caffeine eye cream
- Helps temporarily brighten
- Superfacialist - Vitamin C
To help reduce puffy eyes:
- Apply a cold compress or chilled cucumber slices to your closed eyelids for 10-15 minutes. Cold helps constrict blood vessels and reduce puffiness.
- Use eye creams containing ingredients like caffeine, hyaluronic acid, or peptides, which can help reduce puffiness and hydrate the skin.
- Sleeping with your head slightly elevated can prevent fluid buildup around your eyes.
- Allergies can cause eye puffiness. Identify and avoid allergens, and consider over-the-counter antihistamines if needed. High salt intake can lead to water retention, so reduce your sodium intake.
- Use your ring finger to gently massage the area around your eyes in a circular motion to encourage lymphatic drainage.
- Apply cool, used tea bags (chamomile or green tea) to your closed eyes for a few minutes. The tannins can help reduce puffiness.
Creams
- Dr jart + - Cicapair tiger grass colour correcting treatment (for rosacea and covering up redness)
- Can be worn on it's own or as a base for foundation
Body care
Body oil
- Nuxe oil (shimmery)
- Boots glow illuminating mist
- Aveeno body oil (smells similar to Sol de Janeiro)
Foot peel masks
Warning.. shredding can last up to 4 weeks! To speed it up, soak your feet every night for 5-10 mins (or if you shower, keep the plugin to give your feet a soak while you shower) then rinse off with clean water afterward. Don’t use any cream and try to wear socks.
Cheap ones from Poundland seem to give the best results.
Ingrown hairs
- Fûr oil
- DIY/cheaper: mix 30ml of cold press sunflower oil with 12 drops of tea tree oil ; massage a few droppers morning and night, it works great against ingrown hair and redness (but be careful with essential oil, you always need to test that you're not allergic). Scrub every other day, gently.
Make up
Eyes
Eyebrow/Eyelash Serum
- The Ordinary - Multi-peptide lash and brow serum
Mascara
- Boots 17 - Another Level Volume Mascara
- Boots 17 - Extreme Extension Lengthening Mascara
- Maybelline - Lash Sensational Sky High mascara
- Would recommend over Two Faced - BTS mascara
- No7 - Full 360 (for brown mascara)
- Essence - Lash Princess (buy from justmylook.co.uk)
- Aldi - Too legit (dupe for Benefit)
Eyeliner
Eyebrows
- Tinting can help look fuller and fill the gaps. If you're precise you can use the tint in a certain shape to reshape your brows as it temporarily colours the skin underneath
- Maybelline - Eyebrow tattoo
Foundation
Full coverage
- Estée Lauder - Double wear
- Mac - Studio fix
To lighten/darken your foundation:
e.g. after holiday
- Revolution - foundation-altering drops
Cheeks
Lips
Hair
Hair mask
- K18 leave in mask
- Rub in palms first before applying. Don't use conditioner.
Purple shampoo
- For blonde hair too brighten and remove brassy tones: apply to dry hair for 5 minutes max and shampoo with another shampoo. Don't leave it on too long or it will stain purple.
- Bleach London
- Olaplex
- Kevin Murphy
Hair oil
- OGX - damage remedy coconut miracle oil
- The tiniest bit goes a long way. Also can use it as a pre-treatment shampoo.
- Wella - reflections luminous smoothing oi
- Slightly lighter than the OGX one so also works on dry hair to smooth down without being too heavy.
- Kérastase - Elixir Ultime L'Original Oil
- Can weigh very fine hair down if used after hair has been curled but works nicely on damp hair before drying or on naturally straight hair
- Pantene - miracles rose biotin oil
- Light spray, not very scented
- L'Oréal Elvive Extraordinary Oil
- More suitable for fine hair
Sun protection
- Calypso - sun protection spray
Tanning
Remember to always use SPF when lying in the sun and please, please don’t use sunbeds - they're not worth the cancer risk
Boost your tan before a holiday:
- Gatineau - Tan accelerating lotion
Nails
For short and weak nails
- Use oil on them every night for healthier nails and cuticles
- CND - solar oil by
- Boots - 8 in 1 recovery oil
- Jojoba oil
Perfume
- Zara - Violet Blossom (dupe for Alien)
- Superdrug - Blossom (dupe for Alien)
- Next - Aura (dupe for Alien)
- Anna Sui - Sundae Violet Vibe (similar to Baccarat Rouge)
Clothes
Dressing for your shape
- MM Personal Styling on YouTube
Bras
- Figuring out your size - Boob or bust (https://www.booborbust.com/)
- If you're finding it too tight try going for the 'sister' size
- Bra fit - https://www.braforme.com/pages/primadonna-sizing-and-fitting (scroll down)
- Bravissimo
- Panache Evie (for strapless)
Jeans
- Pull and Bear (skinny)
- River Island - Molly (skinny)
- New Look (skinny)
Leggings
Activewear
- Sisters and seekers
- Adanola
Jewellery
- Abbot Lyon (dainty)
- Swarovski (check the sale and outlets)
- Pilgrim
- Etsy
- Joma jewellery
Currently up to - top of #7 pg 7
