Frugal Frump to Fab - The Journey Continues

lessonlearned

pirateyqueen wrote: »

Please, please use products that are made specifically for use on skin -- your face is not a toilet bowl or a sink. They are balanced by cosmetic chemists and generally use tried-and-true ingredients for cleansing or moisturizing."

Have you read the ingredient labels on some beauty preparations …

Just because something has been passed as suitable for use in cosmetics or bath products does not mean it is necessarily safe for long term use, especially with some of the new "wonder anti ageing creams". We just don't know enough about the long term effects.

I was horrified recently when I discovered that both my parents who are in their 80's have been prescribed "Cetraban" by their GP for dry skin. Cetraban contains ingredients which if used in the long term actually cause the skin to become thinner. Aged skin becomes thinner anyway so the last thing you need to do is to accelerate the process.

My father now has leg ulcers and the skin breaks down at the lightest touch, my mother's skin just comes off in flakes. Both refuse to stop using Cetraban because they are following their GP's instructions to the letter.

A GP is not a skin specialist!!!!

As well as being a trained therapist I learned all about complimentary therapies from my grandmother who was a herbalist. My other grandmother was a midwife so again I learned from her.

Both my grandmothers had wonderful skin, especially my Belgian grandmother (the midwife). Like many European women her most prized beauty ingredient was olive oil - both in her diet and on her skin. The olive oil tradition is still used in most mediterranean countries.

(I actually find that olive oil smells a bit strong for my tastes so I use Grapeseed Oil instead because it has no smell and works just as well).

I've just finished reading "French Women Don't Get Facelifts" by Mireille Guiliano -very good - lots of tips, ideas and recipes. Nothing fancy or expensive - just a lot of good old common sense.

PQ - you are entitled to your opinion and we shall just have to agree to differ. I do however think you are being a tad alarmist in your interpretation of the facts.

You plainly misread my instructions on how to use Bi-carb. Nowhere have I ever suggested scrubbing the skin with neat bicarb.

Reminds me of a true story.

A young man came to see me about his Acne. His skin was red raw. I asked him what he had tried. He told me he had been scrubbing it with a Brillo pad. :eek::eek: Poor boy.

Right I'm all bathed and fragrant and off to help my dad start his packing ready for his move on Saturday. :eek::eek:

Rummer

Off to a great start this morning by rising early and having a very healthy breakfast fruit for snack and fennel tea for me too. Lunch will be soup and a bagel and there will be something suitably healthy for dinner too

Today I am starting to get baby and I into a better routine (not a schedule) to try and get a bit more out of our day as he has started to turn day into night and it is not working for me. Baby steps though!

pirateyqueen

LL I agree, we are both entitled to our own opinion

I love natural products and cleanse with castor and jojoba oil, I just don't agree with the as long as it's natural then it's fine for the face theories. I agree that there are a lot of things in produced skincare that can be very harsh, but I also believe that those things can also be found in household items too.

Rummer

Well I was running late today and left the house looking like a very tired yeti :rotfl: Just as well my son adores me regardless of how I look!

sweaty_betty

I have a new haircut and love it! I reckon I can get away without styling it to as it seems to naturally just sit in my shoulders . They also out a conditioning treatment in (cost extra £10 :eek:) which made it feel great well past the usual 1-2 days - going to have to find out what it was...

Away for the weekend so packed the full skin care routine - will need it to sort out the sandblasting it'll get from the beach

lessonlearned

Betty - have a lovely weekend.

Rummer - loving the "Tired Yetti" description - that sums me up today although I did try hard for Fab Friday. Like you I just feel and look knackered!!!

Pilates was a killer today:o So - it must be doing me good……

Big day tomorrow - helping dad move into his apartment. I spent most of yesterday helping him pack - he has waaaaay too much stuff I can't get him to do much decluttering.

He is moving from a large two bedroomed cottage down to a one bedroomed apartment with no real storage facilities - should be interesting.

Ah well, time for a quick coffee and then off to see OH.

maman

Just found you all!!:D
Today I was getting ready to go out and realised it was Fab Friday.




As I was off to a meeting dress had to be fairly formal. I wore a pencil skirt, heels and a jacket. I'm in an excellent routine with regular hairdresser visits, light make up and my nails are always manicured and polished. Then my 'client' got me a coffee from a vending machine and said she hadn't asked if I wanted sugar as I looked so slim she couldn't believe I took it! That made me feel so good.


When I started here I was feeling like a horrible, invisible, overweight bag lady!


I have so much to thank this thread for.:A


Back soon.

Kiwisaver_2

It's lovely that you enjoyed it also Maman and I get the sense that you felt really comfortable and confident about your look without having had to overthink or stress about it. That's something we can all aspire to, so well done!


I had a couple of compliments also yesterday as I wore a new combo from my minimalistic wardrobe - just jeans with a top and shoes that I normally would not have worn together before. Although I wasn't entirely happy with the look, I did feel more youthful and more like I was 33 rather than 53 - which inspired me then to go for a quick look around a couple of higher end more fashionable shops than my normal go to places. I bought a couple of tops - a 'dippy hem' t-shirt in soft grey and a salmon pink vest top that would go well with many things. I might have bought more if it had not been for a hoard of screaming kids running riot in the shop. :mad:

whichwhydoIturn

Can I join please ?
I'm 4 stone over what I should , I have depression .
Currently having counselling though today I couldn't face
Never really bothered with myself , so just bout starting now .
Need a bit of direction to lift myself .
I live alone , work full time
I joined a gym , until the last month been going irregularly now I've all but given up

Kiwisaver_2

Welcome whichwhydoIturn; you have come to a great place for a start and will get lots of support and encouragement. I think just being around people (albeit virtual and online) who talk about such matters as caring for ourselves and appearances will spur you on. It's baby steps for most of us and we can't change what's already done overnight, which is why sometimes rushing off to the gym can be demoralising because you expect to feel instantly great and for the weight to fall off.


If I were you I would vow to do just one small thing for yourself every day, if you then want to do more then you go for it. Depending on what your starting point is; it might even be just be to wear clean and ironed clothes every day. It could be just washing and blow drying your hair, filing your nails, having a healthier lunch or going for a walk. Just take one day at a time and don't commit yourself to doing anything too difficult or costly.


If you can afford it perhaps get a new hair cut, a new lipstick, some nail varnish or a new top; anything that might give you a little lift to get you on your way. You might find for example that doing one small routine like painting your nails on a Thursday night or putting some nice lotion on your legs makes you feel good and will lead to other little things that you can add to the routine.


We like Fab Fridays for this reason, just a day to make a little bit more effort that can often carry you through a few days; people do notice the little details and this helps boost your confidence too.


For most of my life I left the house with barely a cats lick of a face wash in the mornings and now it simply doesn't feel right to leave without having done my proper facial routine, cleanse tone and moisturise. I doubt anyone else would notice though but it makes me feel better.


I once couldn't bear to be near those beauty counters in the shops; feeling like I was not worthy or that all those polished and fragrant girls looked down their powdered noses at me - but not anymore and not because I'm anywhere near beautifully polished or fragrant either.