Sunday, January 22, 2012

MAINTENANCE: High? or Low?


SWEATER:  H&M, SKIRT:  Thrifted, BOOTS:  Bandolino, SHIRT:  Thrifted, NECKLACE:  Inherited from my mom



When it comes to appearance maintenance, I think the only way I could be lower maintenance is if I were a construction worker.  Here is my regular maintenance:


  • Haircut about once a year
  • No hair color 
  • Wash and go hair with occasional rolling
  • Eyebrows waxed (threaded) about every 6 weeks
  • Manicure maybe once a year
  • Pedicure once a year
  • Make up from drug store....new stuff about once every 6 months.  I probably replace my mascara the most.  Then experiment with a new lip color about once every 3 months
  • Generic moisturizer
  • Aveeno face wash
This is all that comes to mind at the moment.  As I'm looking at this, I'm thinking on the 1-10 maintenance scale, this would probably land me on a 4 or 5.  However, lately, I've been thinking I probably need to step up my game some.  Fact is, I'm not as young as I used to be.  Midlife hormones  make hair grow in the strangest facial areas.  Wrinkles and creases grow faster than hair (and in my case, that's sonic speed right there!)  My long hair quickly goes from elegant to earth mother in a matter of a couple of inches.  And honestly, with just one little chickie left in the nest (our youngest is a HS freshman), I actually have more time on my hands to take  care of myself than when I had 4 young ones at home.

On Saturday, after about a year without a professional trim (I've had my husband lop off dead ends from time to time), I broke down and got my hair cut.  I also treated myself to a new red lip color.  My previous red was far too bright.  After reading what Shey uses, I looked for the same shade, but opted for one shade deeper.  

What do you do for maintenance?  How often do you get your hair cut?  Waxing?  Dye jobs?  Manis?  Pedis?  Do you find that you allow for more maintenance as you age or less?  My next post, I'll tell you what my revised maintenance will look like.  I think I need to crank it up to at least a 7!

By the way, guess what tomorrow is?  VISIBLE MONDAY!!!  So mosey on over to Patti's neck of the woods and check out all the visiblooms and be sure to link up as well!


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19 comments:

  1. hhehehe
    Pedicures? mmh I think the last one I got was a year ago =P although I do scrub my feet and keep them clean!
    Manicure? 10 years ago?
    Haircut: every 3 months?
    Eyebrows: every month
    Makeup: bare minerals takes about 5 minutes
    I do like doing my hair so I spend a few more minutes there and also choosing clothes.
    I work out 5 times a week and eat healthy.
    Neutrogena soap bar for my face and Purpose moisturizer.
    Lipstick is my new thing and as far as mascara it can last me for about a year.
    I love cream and black, it's so classy. =)

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    1. Shey, don't manis and pedis seem like SUCH an indulgence?!?

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  2. First off, you look amazing and that is so funny that you almost posted a trench!! Great minds, you know.... Maintenance depends on money...right now the only thing i know for sure is that I will get my hair cut and colored once a month. When I have extra, I might throw in a mani or pedi! I have to have to have my face creams...etc. i dream of the extra money for more maintenance...maybe as I gradually get kids out on their own..one down, two to go!!

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    Replies
    1. Pam, you're right! Maintenance often means money. I think I would be the most willing to spend money on good face creams. But for now, I'm happy with what I'm using.

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  3. I'm fairly low maintenance even though I have an empty nest. I think it is because I primarily teach online, but on the days I drive to campus, the commute is over an hour! I had not realized until we were preparing for the wedding in September all of the things I could be spending my money on. I don't color my hair, but that is the step that seems to make the most sense. I want some shine back in it. I am envious of that mane of hair you've got!

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  4. I'm pretty low maintenance too. I think I have had two manicures. I watched and learned and figured out that I could go to the beauty supply store buy good items and still do it myself for a fraction of the cost.
    As far as face creams. I probably should go more high end. For now I use olive oil soap and moisturizer from Aldi. Seems to work for me.

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  5. hi serene! this is kind of a two-fer comment because this also kind of pertains to your last post "i'm just a girl". your posts are always SO interesting! i love that reading your blog makes me feel like a woman. you are always posting about issues/thoughts for women that go beyond what i expect. i also love that even though you enjoy feeling like a woman (last post), you remain love maintenace and simple (this post).

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  6. This is a fun topic! I think I am mostly LM, but I do go to the salon for hair color every 8 weeks, so that's a bit HM : > But I mostly do my own nails, never had a facial, buy my cosmetics online and wash my hair with conditioner. I *never* tan, is that high-maintenance?

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  7. I'm kinda low maintenance. I color and hi-lite my own hair. Since I keep it shortish it gets cut every 2 months at Hair Cuttery. No mani's...but I get a couple of pedi's during sandal season altho I do my own in between. No facials, no tanning, makeup and face cream from the drugstore.

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  8. You are a lucky girl to only go to the hairdresser once a year! Coloring is a maintenance KILLER and if it wasnt for coloring the grey, it'd be a breeze for me!

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  9. This is great look and you are not old,not yet !!! I always think old is 10 years older than you are and that forever!!!

    Annie v.

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  10. I do get my hair cut about every 6 weeks and colored every 3 months. I do my own manicures and get a pedicure a couple of times a year. I don't wear makeup often although I do have a ton of it in the house. So, I guess I am about a 5 or 6.

    And you look positively radiant in the last photo.

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  11. I've always thought of myself as fairly low-maintenance, but that's changed a lot in the past 5 years. While I see no need for salon manicures, pedicures, or waxing (and am lucky to not yet need hair color), I MUST get my hair cut every 8 weeks. And I MUST have my hair products. I love my hair products. And my skin products (drugstore, but still). And my makeup (natural look, but still). And.... and.... and.....

    And I promise not to hate you for looking SO beautiful, so easily!!!

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  12. Haha, it DOES get harder to maintain as you get older. I have grey hair that gets colored every 8 weeks of so...that is a MUST! I don't do nails, mine are cut short and clean. Skin care is the tricky one...I'm always trying new things that will make me younger! LOL!
    I wish I had you hair...mine's getting so thin!
    Btw, you're wearing my fav colors!!

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  13. I'm pretty low maintenance, but I chalk that up to my extreme cheapness (and indecisiveness about my hair length/cut/style!)
    I only get my nails done if I'm in someone's wedding or on vacation.

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  14. You are such a good wife and mother, you deserve a frugal award. I use a lot of simple household products like Sodium Bicarbonate as a facial scrub, believe me it works wonders. And diluted hydrogen peroxide as a facial spray to keep my face black heads free. My indulgence are organic skin care products and hair products. But I try to use very sparingly. Since I don't work. I like your new hair style, and thrifted outfit. Those boots are gorgeous. And nice blog banner too!

    mongs
    mythriftycloset.blogspot.com

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  15. High maintenance here! Manicures, pedicures, facials, massages and short hair requires more frequent cuts. These rituals are meditative for me. But most of my clothes are from estate sales or consignment stores. Love the boots!

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  16. When I was in Prague, I saw someone getting a pedicure by having little fish nibble away the dead skin on her feet. Didn't appeal to me. I'd rather spend my maintance money on travel.

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  17. It took me a couple of hours before I came across your site.Well, this post would be of great help to anyone who would come to read this one. Thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts. herbal incense

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! ~Serene