I once made my whole body change from dumpy and blah to fit and fabulous in nine months with a self-directed weight watchers plan (someone photocopied all the materials for me and gave them to me) and lots of low-impact aerobics. I even (gasp) became a fitness instructor! So, I'm familiar with Big Change and I like to feel like I'm actually doing something and not just poking about. But, life has changed. I'm not sure I can handle "everything-all-at-once" anymore.
And we're focusing on being pretty--not a major lifestyle change, at least not at this moment.
So:
1) Take a shower or bath at least every other day. I'm not sure how often I should wash my hair. Isn't that awful? It's so long --it comes down to about the bottom of the wide band on the bra at the back. (Pssst Beth--that's where the support ought to come from). It is impractical to wash it every day. I've never had hair this long before (and I'm not sure how long it will last--I really don't like it much). Question: Can a greying 40ish something with a high forehead, thick (but shaped) eyebrows and glasses wear bangs (tyhat would be a "fringe" to you, Zooza)? A forehead like this? (Might hide the wrinkles starting--or it may look foolish or too top-heavy.)
(yep, that's me, or rather, my forehead.)
2) Wear lipstick instead of chapstick. I have become bad at this since the the company I bought it from discontinued my perfect--where--have--you--been--all--my--life shade. As good lipstick is pricey (and it's false economy to buy this cheaply) I haven't taken the time to find another "perfect" shade.
3) Spritz on my body splash when I get dressed--every morning. Maybe some day I can move up to toilet water (perfumes are too heavy for me). For now, my "Cassis Rose" body mist from the Body Shop will do just fine!
What will you do to feel pretty?
Oh, I think you can definitely wear bangs! You can wear them better than I can, because I have such a short forehead. [ Mine's really a threehead, not a fore-head... ;) ]
ReplyDeleteAnd you mentioned getting a friend to blunt cut your hair to just below your shoulders -- does this friend have experience doing this sort of thing? I had a friend who always cut her own hair, and her hair always looked gorgeous. I'm not sure I could do a straight line, even on someone else (it has been proven that I can't do a straight line on my own hair...) even in something "simple" like a blunt all-one-length cut. But I think it would give you a great lift to do the haircut thing, if you can.
I've just posted a bunch of links that are really and for true "I feel pretty" routines. Beauty routines. Skin care routines. What I really need to do routines.
(I feel your pain on the discontinued lipstick. I used to love Clinique's "Almost Kissed". So of course, after years and years of being able to buy it, they no longer make it, and none of their new shades do what I want. So I've gone to a Revlon shade, which I hope looks better in real life than it does in the link I put on my blog. I need red, not pink!
Well, with a blunt cut at my shoulders and bangs, my daughter and I will have matching hair cuts. (Hers is at her jawline though.) And I have never had bangs in my life! When I wore my hair short, the hair in front was always combed to the side. (It waves and curls nicely when it's short. Not so when it's long.)
ReplyDeleteI think bangs would suit you. But (why is there always a but?!), in my experience, a fringe can be more hassle than it's worth. You say that when your hair is short, it waves and curls - this may not be a good thing when it comes to an easy-to-maintain fringe. When I have had a fringe, I have spent more time wetting and combing and pleading with it to stay where it is meant to (instead of parting like curtains either side of my forehead).
ReplyDeleteI think cutting your hair a bit shorter would make you feel great, though. Perhaps put some shorter layers around the face and chopped in here and there to make it feel lighter? In fact, could you afford to have one fabulous cut and then get your friend to maintain it? When I had long hair, that's what I did. It's easier to maintain on a DIY basis if it's a bit layered.
Also - how about a tinted chapstick instead of lipstick? You don't have to go the whole hog all at once.
ReplyDeleteI sympathize. About three weeks ago, I got my very long hair cut to shoulder length with some long layers (but I didn't do bangs). I had been wearing my long straight as a board hair pulled back in a ponytail day after day after day for probably six years. (Don't even ask me how often I washed it.) I was afraid to get it cut, fearing that a shorter style would require significant amount of time styling it--which is what I used to do when I was on a career-track. At this point in my life when taking a shower feels like a luxury, I did not want to commit to having to spend time on my hair. The stylist convinced me that a really good cut would do wonders and would not require a lot of work. She was right! I can blow my hair dry and rub a little styling goop in it and it looks great. (at least that's what people say) I still don't have to wash it every day...I wash it every other day now. On days when feel like it, I still can pull it back into a ponytail. I honestly can say that I feel better about myself to break out of that rut a bit.
ReplyDeleteAlso, may I recommend Almay lipstick...they have a nice range of "neutrals" that look good with most skin types and seem to me to be comparable in quality to Clinique (which is what I have used for 20 years--I worked at a Clinique counter when I was 20) I am a lipstick maven, and I still ocassionaly buy a tube of Clinique, but mostly I stick with my drugstore Almay.
Aha! "Start I Feel Pretty Routines" will now officially be part of Week 3's tasks, as it's clearly the moment. (See, this is why I didn't have a full plan in advance -- the wisdom of the group is superior to the cleverness of any single individual.)
ReplyDeleteAnother feel-your-pain on discontinued lipstick... I keep reverting to the same color I wore in 1991... at least it's not something weirdly dated like dark purple or age-tied like pale pink... but still...
No useful insight into hair, as this is my bete noire. I was very proud of myself for getting it cut this past week, as I always put that off far too long.
I think you can wear bangs, but as someone who just got them after about 20 years of not having them, it takes a while to get used to seeing hair abover your eyes. I got tired of seeing my brown spot on my forhead about a month ago and went to the bathroom and cut bangs in. This week when I had the rest of my hair cut (mine too was at my bra strap) my bangs were trimmed up and shaped. I really like my shorter hair (above shoulders) it is easier to care for it's not in a ponytail anymore.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement! We shall have to see...
ReplyDeleteI saw a wonderful greeting card in Safeway today. I was drawn to it because it was a picture of two little girls, one getting her hair done by the other. The one doing the styling has a look of fierce concentration on her face as she divides the other's long hair into sections and clamps the sections together with about 10 plastic barrettes each. The girl whose hair is being "styled" has a look of resignation (mixed with slight consternation) on her face. The inside of the card says "I trust you with my hair. You're that kind of friend".
ReplyDeleteOh that's sweet.
ReplyDeleteI've decided to get my hair trimmed first. That may remind me how much it does curl when not weighted down. I have a feeling that creating bangs may cause untold problems in the curly vs straight department--and I do NOT want to add "fussing with bangs" to my daily pretty routines.