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The Secret to Looking Expensive
We all know that ONE person. That ONE person who no matter how cheap their outfit is... they always look luxurious. This person looks like it took them a full 3 hours to get ready, yet they've somehow also managed to make it look like they didn't even try. I used to think these people put in blood sweat and tears into their appearance but I was so wrong.
Their secret was quite simple...
they didn't look trendy or sexy... They simply looked: put together.
Looking put together, makes you look elegant, expensive, and successful. It makes you look like you have mastered the art of taking care of yourself and how you present yourself to the world. Essentially, it makes you look like you've got your life under control (Even when you don't)
What does it take to look put together? I've realized it just comes down to mastering 5 main things:
Habits: Personal and Self Care Routines (Covered in this first chapter)
Attention to Detail
Timeless Personal Style
Quality-looking Accessories
Simplified and Balanced Life
Sounds like a whole lot...
But there is a secret to easily achieving everything on this list, a rule I live my life by:
Keep it easy to maintain.
Work Smarter not Harder.
Being low-maintenance is the ultimate key to looking put-together. I based this entire website on this philosophy.
What if it's impossible for you to do everything I recommend?
That's ok! Changing a few little things can add up and have a dramatic effect on your overall appearance and confidence. So try one or try all, because anything you change for your self-improvement is a change worth making. I've split my master list into 5 posts that I update with new ideas as I continue my own journey and receive feedback from all of you.
There are 5 reasons Personal Care is the first chapter in what has become this 5 post (soon to be 6*) series.
Taking care of yourself is transformative and has both physical and mental benefits.
Looking expensive is less about what you're wearing but rather how you present yourself.
It's cheap. Mastering personal care is a lot cheaper and more effective than upgrading your entire wardrobe.
It's easy. This means you are more likely to try the recommendations on this post while you work your way through the other steps.
So without further ado here are my 15 Personal Care tips to take you from frumpy to polished.
01. Opt for natural, neutral or nude nails and toenails
Keep your nails clean and filed. If you have the time to go to the nail salon every two weeks for a professional quality manicure and pedicure, then, by all means, go crazy with your nail colors.
BUT!
The guiding principle here is: Keep things low maintenance because the only thing worse than un-manicured nails is noticeably overgrown and chipped nail polish.
If you lead a busy life and can't keep up with salon appointments, keep them nude, clear, or as close to your natural nail tone as possible.
Why?
Because that line of demarcation between the nail polish and the new nail growth will not be noticeable and neither will chips in the polish. This extends the life of your manicure and helps your hands LOOK taken care of even when they're not.
Links to my favorite Nearly Nude Nail Polishes for extra-long lasting Manicures: here.
02. Pay attention to your feet
You can have the most luxurious Hermes sandals on the planet but if your feet are dry, crusty, and dirty you will still look cheaper than the woman with clean, well kept feet wearing Amazon Hermes Dupe Sandals.
03. Tame your fly-aways, edges, and baby hairs
No matter what your hair type. We all have fly-aways and baby hairs.
Why are they so important?
These frame your face so taking care of these will make it look like your hair is done up, even when it's not.
For example:
A simple ponytail with a thousand fly-aways will look casual and like you rushed out of your home.
A simple ponytail with no fly-aways looks sleek and intentional. If you're using the right products this doesn't take long at all, especially if you're using a balm that you can apply without getting your hands all waxy and sticky.
Master your edges and your hair will always look polished and elegant.
Links to noteworthy affordable products to tame your fly-aways, edges and baby hairs:
**Pin for later**
04. Keep your hair close to your natural shade
Like everything else I've mentioned so far, if you have the time and money to dye your hair and also maintain it then go wild with your hair color.
If you DON'T have the time/money to keep up with your hair you will inevitably start showing roots, your color will become dull, dry and ashy and you'll start to look like you don't have your life together.
The easiest way to keep your hair color fresh and vibrant and not have to worry about colorist appointments is keeping it as close to your natural tones as possible.
But if you really don't like your natural hair color try these longer-lasting-low maintenance options:
Color depositing shampoos and conditioners - like John Frieda's color depositing line.It doesn't get any easier than this.
Gloss - Enhances hair color and tone, boosts shine and deep conditions. The best at-home line out there today is L'oreal Le Color Gloss. Named one of Allure's best of beauty in 2022 it is yet to be dethroned as one of the easiest at home systems with verified results.
If you don't have the time to leave a gloss in your hair, then opt for Lamellar Waters. A few brands carry these now, they're like liquid conditioners that don't really deep condition but rather coat the hair and boost shine. It's like a lipgloss for your hair. I am absolutely obsessed with Garnier's 10 second Glass Hair Water, it's fast, cheap and the shine is unreal. Perfect for low maintenance lifestyles **Fine haired people beware: a little goes a very long way.
04. Tweeze every day
I've made a habit of tweezing my eyebrows every. single. day. I keep my tweezers next to my facewash, so every day after I wash my face I tweeze the area below my eyebrows and unibrow. I definitely don't shape them, I just clean them. This allows me to extend the time between threading appointments.
While you're at it, invest in good tweezers. I'm usually cheap when buying beauty tools since I loose them so often. But IYKYK... a good tweezer makes tweezing such a breeze. It's a one-time purchase so definitely splurge on the tweezers. (Especially if your hair is very fine or if you're not very good at it)
Related Read:
Everything you need to know to jumpstart your journey towards dressing better and feeling more like yourself through style confidence.
05. Sweat Stains are NOT your friend
If you're a sweaty betty you know that underarm sweat stains (aka pit stains) can ruin your entire outfit and make you feel extremely self-conscious and uncomfortable.
Nowadays, there are SO many solutions for hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) that you don't have to live with embarrassing wet armpits.
Check out my post on Sweat Solutions for a more comprehensive guide on antiperspirants, prescriptions, and procedures you can get to reduce underarm sweat.
06. Cleanliness is next to Godliness
This goes for your hair, your body, your teeth, your home, your makeup brushes... I can keep going...
The way you care for yourself speaks volumes on how you feel about yourself and in this day and age you don't have to wash your hair every single day (In fact you shouldn't). We have options available now that keep our hair fresh and cleaner for longer!
Hair is oily? Dry Shampoo
Hair is very dry? Dry Conditioner, Hair oil, Leave-In Conditioner
Scalp is dry? Scalp treatment
Related post
07. Visit your Dentist
Your smile is your BEST feature. All you need to do to look ten times better than you do right now is SMILE. That being said you need to take care of that smile.
So make time see your Dentist and address your concerns.
If you are thinking about whitening, but you think you're teeth are too sensitive for it, try Crest Whitening emulsions. I recently received this as a gift, I added it to my routine and I have had NO SENSITIVITY at all and the formulation works very well.
This is the first whitening treatment that has not caused me any sensitivity!
08. Visit your Dermatologist
We have a bad habit of just trusting what other people have to say about skincare products. Keep in mind that the $80 product an influencer is recommending may work wonders for them but that doesn't mean it will work wonders for you.
So why not splurge and get a custom recommendation based on your specific needs by a licensed professional in that field?
I thank my Dermatologist for getting me out of over-spending on beauty products. Finding the RIGHT Dermatologist is everything. Just like making friends, it's very important to feel comfortable discussing your concerns and insecurities with your Dermatologist.
A good Dermatologist can also help you save money by recommending specific OTC brands that work and by prescribing certain medications that are more powerful than anything you could ever find at Sephora.
If you can't visit your Derm, follow an expert on Instagram, like @ShereeneIdriss; A Board Certified Dermatologist who gives educated skincare advice on Instagram.
09. Fill in your hairline
A quick and easy way to elevate your look is to fill in the gaps in your hairline. These are a little more noticeable if you have light skin and dark hair. Use hairline powder to slightly make those gaps darker. Your face will look more symmetrical and your hairline will look sleeker.
10. Posture
I'm sure you've been scolded before but stand up straight and carry yourself with confidence. Bettering your posture is not only great for your back but it can even make you look taller, slimmer, and make double chins less noticeable. So make an effort and work on that posture.
If you find you are struggling with keeping your posture using a posture brace can help you further develop this habit.
Check out our How to look taller series for more tips!
11. Do your Make Up in the right light
Try to do your makeup using natural light whenever possible, If like me, you have to do your makeup in a windowless bathroom with poor lighting everyday, try to invest in a light-up mirror with natural settings.
12. Work with your Undertone
Choose colors that will complement your undertone. Don't know your undertone? Find out here.
13. Have a Signature Scent
Having a signature scent and making sure you always smell good is one of the most important details in your journey to always looking put together.
Scent adds that touch of femininity to your look even if you're not wearing anything particularly feminine.
If you don't have one already, start by adding a perfume with mass appeal like YSL: Libre and Marc Jacobs: Daisy.
14. Choose a Haircut that's compatible with Your Hair Type
I once made the mistake of getting a LOB (long bob) with bangs. I have very frizzy and textured hair so my LOB turned into a mushroom cap and I looked less Kourtney Kardashian and more Dora the Explorer.
I don't think I have ever regretted something MORE in my entire life.
If you know you're not going to get up and put time and effort into styling your hair then opt for haircuts that work with your natural texture for low-maintenance mornings.
15. Moisturize
This is self-explanatory. Ashy elbows and skin look like you didn't put much effort in. Get a bit of color while you're at it and opt for a moisturizer that gradually tans as well to give you a lovely sun-kissed glow.
The takeaway from all of these? Keep it simple, Keep it easy and you will always look your best!
Continue reading How to look put together Chapter II: Undergarments
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