How To Look Pretty When Life Gets Ugly

July 30, 2011 by Amy 33 Comments

I’ve been a bit stressed lately and have had some stuff on my mind (more on that later), and it’s taken a bit of a toll on my appearance. Unfortunately, I wear my emotions on my face, my hips, my skin, my everything. I’m not one of those lucky people who lose loads of weight when they’re in the midst of a crisis, or who make some major change in their appearance and look like the glowing “after” picture of a makeover. Nope, when I get stressed, I get ugly.

Life is a bit of a whirlwind these days, and I’m caught in the middle.

 

So I actually took a few moments today to stop and jot down some ways I’m going to take better care of myself. I’d thought I’d share them with you. Mind you, these aren’t tips about how to relieve stress or cheer up. There are thousands of posts out there about how to relieve stress. Plus, sometimes stress is just very situational, and we just have to deal with it for a bit. But there’s no excuse for looking hideous just because things aren’t going our way!

1. Exercise — We all know exercise helps relieve stress, but for me, the endorphin rush is only a secondary benefit. Rather, getting up and moving as much as possible keeps you from getting fat if you’re a stress-eater. It also keeps fluids moving throughout your body, which will help if your face is puffy from crying or lack of sleep.
2. Sleep — Yep, lack of sleep can ruin your mood, but it can also ruin your lovely visage. So if you find your mind racing all night or worries keeping you from getting shut eye, do something about it. Lavender, tea, Ambien — whatever floats your boat. Don’t let insomnia become a bad habit.
3. Eat well – Yes, a bag of dill pickle potato chips tastes delicious and takes your mind off your troubles, but it makes you feel terrible later. Like, can’t put on your rings or zip your pants terrible. And that only makes you more stressed out. This is the hardest thing for me, as I’m most definitely a stress eater. But it’s no secret that when we put good food in our body, it performs and looks better than when we fill it with junk.
4. Nix the vices — Stress makes many people want to down a pitcher of margaritas, smoke a pack of cigarettes, or chew off their fingernails. But these — and other even worse — bad habits are just crutches and poor coping skills. Even worse, they drastically affect your appearance in a bad way. If habits or ritualistic behaviors comfort you, choose something like journaling, sewing or gardening instead.
5. Baby your skin — It’s very easy to skip washing your face at night or to zone out in the mirror as you pop pimples. Don’t do it. Instead, give extra attention to your largest organ during tough times. Remove all makeup before you go to sleep, and apply a pampering and tightening night cream. Two I like are RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream and Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate (which has a bonus lavender scent). Keep something on hand to spot-treat those pesky pimples that erupt when you’re stressed. My fave is Mario Badescu’s Drying Lotion. If you look terrible because you’ve been crying a bunch, there are plenty of things you can do to freshen your face. And take the time to do things like shave your legs and apply lotion. Little things matter, too.
6. Care for your hair — First of all, wash it regularly. I’m always amazed at how many people brag “Oh, I only have to wash my hair every few days!” but who really can’t get away with it as well as they think they can. When we’re preoccupied with troubles, we often slack in the personal grooming arena, but our hair shouldn’t look lousy. It’s one of the first things people see, front and center, when they look at you. But on the other hand, don’t over-style. Be gentle with your locks. When you get stressed, they do too. So be nice to your hair. Brush lightly. Back off on the heat styling. Use a deep conditioner. Besides preventing potential hair loss, these things will make your mane look especially pretty.
7. Dress appropriately — Looking like a slob just screams “I’m a hot mess.” Get out of the pajamas and yoga pants. Wear attractive, well-fitting outfits that have been properly laundered and ironed. Doing so may take a little more effort than you feel like expending, but I promise it will make you feel better. If you get up and get dressed each day, you’ll feel more like heading out the door and tackling everything you need to do.
8. Smile — A grin always brightens both your face and your mood. Even supermodels look yuckier when they pout and mope. So turn that frown upside down!

I hope these tips help! Do you have any of your own to share?