Grooming: Picture perfect from head to toe

[thefrancofille]

How do some people look PERFECT everytime they walk out of their door? Do you have a grooming schedule (i.e. manicure every thurs, etc) that you adhere to to look flawless? I guess I'm trying to look more put together and look picture perfect from head to toe: hair done, clothes neat and pressed, manicure, pedicure, legs shaved, jewelry, soft skin, the whole nine.

How long does it take you to get ready every day? What does your weekly grooming schedule look like?

 

[Diorling]

Grooming is a huge priority for me, I really don't do much, though. I have such an easy haircut and my hair naturally falls into it, sometimes I slap a little Kiehls something or another (smoothing serum, I think) in it when it's unruly. OH, the clothes neat and pressed never happens, I have a little bottle of wrinkle releaser spray that I put in my bags, I also have a bottle in my closet. I do get manicures, I get no polish b/c I think polish (even clear) is tacky on men. I dont shave my legs or wear jewelry, so Im set there. I moisturize at night, I use Bliss something or another (smells like bergamot), I love it.

It takes me literally 20 minutes to get ready in the mornings...Including getting dressed. Unless I shave, which is such a fricken chore, I go for that 5 o'clock shadow look w/ just clippers on the closest setting.

 

[thefrancofille]

I have to look into that wrinkle releaser! 20 minutes is good time. I've never been one of those girls that took 2 hours to get ready but I'm starting to think I should spend more time.

 

[Whitelinen]

Interesting thread! I have noticed that keeping yourself groomed and making it a routine is more relaxing than a chore.

 

[tifa]

It takes me very little time to get ready because I put no effort in. Clothes out the wardrobe/floor/wherever, I iron nothing unless it is really needed. I can't be bothered shaving my legs everyday. I never look so messy as to be mistaken for a tramp or worse, an Olsen twin. I don't like looking 'perfect' and 'done'. I admire when people can do it well but slightly ungroomed is realistic to me, it's just the kind of person I am. To some people all the hassle to look good simply is a chore, to others it's necessary.

 

[fashionista-ta]

I actually think there's something wrong with people who look perfect ... I don't want to look like I just stepped out of Stepford I do have standards though ... like my pedicure must be pretty close to perfect or it can't show.

 

[Whitelinen]

I actually think there's something wrong with people who look perfect ... I don't want to look like I just stepped out of Stepford I do have standards though ... like my pedicure must be pretty close to perfect or it can't show.

I'm a little bit worried as the Stepford-look is just what I am after

 

[Alejandro]

I always have in mind what im wearing, and most of the time I pick it out beforehand, so I take about 10 to tops 30 minutes to get ready. I do my makeup as I walk to work cause I walk everywhere and take buses, so its not a necessity for me to do it at home.

But when I go out I take my time fixing up and my hair is not a big chore, its super short and I just slick it to the side and run out of the house. Shaving is a big problem because my skin is very sensitive so if I have to shave, I have to prep and warm up my face with a wet towel and shave slowly otherwise I'll bleed or burn all day. So most of the time I shave before I go to bed so in the morning im all healed and whatever. I dont use a lot of night time skincare other than eye cream and face serum because it makes my skin very oily in the morning. In the morning its just a matter of spf and eye cream, and out the door in 10 minutes.

I am naturally blessed with great hands n feet so I barely get a manicure or pedicure, and if I do I do it myself, which saves time cause I can just do it in the shower with a scrub and some oil. Every three nights I balm my feet with a thick moisturizer ( I actually use Dior's Capture Totale face cream I have too many testers at home ) and socks so while im working all day, my feet are getting pampered and im ready to wear flip flops when im done with work.

 

[The_Ida]

I have to put concealer on every day as I have really bad dark circles. Curl eyelashes, a bit of mascara, braid my hair and then out the door. I don't want to look like I'm wearing any makeup. Oh, and lots of moisturizer. I can't stand dry powdery skin.

I can't be bothered with ironing my clothes (which always have dog hair all over them anyway, I don't know where it comes from). I look like a mess

And why the manicures? I don't know anyone who does it.

 

[Alejandro]

^some people need to, I've seen horrible feet on the nicest open shoes. Same with beautiful rings and watches on nasty *** hands

 

[PerfectPerfect]

I find that doing most of the work the night before saves a lot of time getting ready and looking good and done. I never dilly daddle though. I get started and I have to finish. So bathing and grooming gets done the night before. I go to bed with damp hair so that it's wavy when I get up. Luckily for me thats when it looks the best. Or if I want to straighten it, I do that the night before to. So that in sleep, the flyaways and the fluffiness settles down.

I don't get tans or manicures. So it's a lot of self work. I think the best look is to have even a little bit unwinding. Like perfect wardrobe and messy hair. There is a certain beauty in imperfections.

 

[Diorling]

^ I agree with that, I hate that barbie look, it's so fake, and unreal. I think it's a little sexy to have mad man hair (which I had yesterday, head to toe in couture w/ really insane hair). On that note, I think Im going to grow my hair out, I want a pony tail...

Anyway, I think imperfections are sexier which is why I tend to not do a full face of makeup (unless I NEED to be perfect). Ok, I admit it, sometimes I slap on some Touche Eclat...Im too lazy to do the whole face, too much work, eff that...

 

[fashionista-ta]

There is a certain beauty in imperfections.

Exactly ... I want to look human.

 

[thefrancofille]

For the record, I wasn't taking about looking like a Barbie doll. I'm talking about the kind of perfection that Jackie O and Audrey Hepburn exuded: simple flawless put togeter simple chic. I despise the bleac blond Pam Anderson big breasted look. That's not what I call perfection.

 

[strawberry daiquiri]

I'm definitely not one of those perfectly groomed individuals. I sometimes wonder how they manage it, too. A bit more preparation in the morning would probably help me on my way, but I still don't think I'd ever get there. vague...

 

[jennifer~]

When someone looks as though any movement which might disrupt the perfectly calibrated drape of their hair, clothes, etc. would send their world into chaos, it unnerves me somewhat. It's far more appealing when slight messiness remains an oversight, rather than a crisis, in my opinion...

 

[LaurieAnn]

This is a good thread as I've been thinking about what constitutes "good grooming" for women. Please let me know if you have any feedback for me on my questions. To be considered well groomed must a woman:

1) have polished toe nails? or is it enough to have natural nails with feet in smooth condition
2) have polished finger nails? or is it enough to have short, well filed, non-bitten fingernails
3) have every hair in place? My hair is fine, wavy and generally unrully. In the absence of a visit to the salon, the best I can do is keep it clean, conditioned and tangle free. It's usually hanging limp or frizzy.

Those are my main concerns. I do well with make-up every day since I switched to a mineral foundation. It's much easier for me to get a polished looking face quickly.

 

[Trista]

For me, I always wear something on the toes, it just looks better that way. For the fingers, if the nails are neat you can go without polish. While I would love to be able to get manicures I see it as being a waste of my money so I do my nails myself, and take it off when they get really chipped.

I will be the first to admit I'm not perfect. I don't touch my hair except to brush it (and sometimes I can get away with not brushing it) or put it back somehow. I've become one of those people who cannot leave the house without having some sort of makeup on, but I'll put the rest on when I get to work. But I feel that for my job it's going to become more of a chore, even though I can't do much with my hair because it's so thick.

 

[Bel]

I say neither fingers nor toes need polish. Especially if your style of polish is going to be a French manicure because those make me hurl. I also think clear alone looks dumb; if you're going to use polish use a color.

For frizzy hair a shine serum or something might help. I'm not even talking about frizz serum, just something to make it shiny so it doesn't look like its frizzy because it's dry and unhealthy.

 

[Alejandro]

as long as your nails and toenails look good with nothing on it, its perfect, I actually prefer that look, unless the nailpolish suits the look.

same thing with hair, if it suits the look, which is according to the standard of effortless perfection, then yes, wear it messy or perfectly done.