This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
We are all, it goes without saying, naturally beautiful. Whatever our size, shape, height or style, we are gorgeous creatures. Especially when we flash a lovely big genuine smile. However, there are a quite a few beauty secrets that we spend time on that most of our partners know nothing about. Turns out that quite a few women believe their boyfriend/husband/partner would be completely turned off if they saw them doing their intimate grooming. Especially at the beginning of a relationship!
Many of our partners are blissfully unaware of the extent of our maintenance regimes. I knew a woman who used to get up before her husband, apply full make up and then return to bed just before he woke up. So he, as far as I know, never saw her naked face. However comfortable we get with a partner, most of us will never let on know how much effort goes into looking good. To say nothing of how much we spend on upkeep rituals. I may be generalising but most men seem to have very little interest in the boring details of our beauty routines. And, of course, we should primarily be keeping up appearances for our own pride and pleasure, not anyone else’s.
So, what are the beauty secrets we most commonly hide?
HAIR REMOVAL Remember when Jamie Lee Curtis was bleaching her upper lip in a Fish Called Wanda? Who can forget it! Getting rid of our moustaches is essential work, especially as we get older (and hairier in all the wrong places!) I prefer hair remover and my fave product for this job is Nair Upper Lip Kit. It used to come in a pot with a brush to apply the hair removal cream. But I was delighted to see that they have improved the product by putting the cream into a tube with an integral (and much better) plastic applicator. You also get a tube of fragrance-free moisturiser which is soothing and, in my case, seems to prevent any redness.
Then there’s having to shave or pluck hair from our underarms, legs, arms, eyebrows, body, face and bikini line. And, if like me, you get the odd hair escaping from your nostril, check out my recent post on how to tackle stragglers.
We’ve also written some great tips on facial hair removal although, since that was published, things have changed somewhat. In particular, I’m thinking of shaving faces. 16th century Japanese prints show women shaving, Queen Elizabeth I shaved all her facial hair, including her eyebrows and Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor were thought to be keen on razors. And now the practice has a trendy new name – dermaplaning – and is promoted widely on social media. It’s a way to get rid of unwanted facial hair (including peach fuzz) and is basically an updated razor.
REMOVAL OF HARD SKIN FROM OUR FEET Is the Bio Sana Pedi-File Foot Dresser the best in the world for this inelegant job? I think so!
FACE PACKS Looking like the monster from the black lagoon for a few minutes while locked in the bathroom is often a worthwhile exercise as a regular face pack (or if you can afford it, a monthly facial) can really help illuminate your skin.
FAKE TAN Not wanting to look pasty when the sun starts shining means many of us want to fake a golden glow rather than having pasty white skin. But rather than suddenly turning a deep (and possibly streaky) orange while you partner is out, might be a better idea to use a gradual tanning moisturiser like St Tropez.
CUTTING TOE NAILS Got to be done of course, clean short nails being the aim.
COLOURING OUR HAIR Gosh, we seem to dye everything these days… eyelashes, eyebrows (I even got mine semi permanently tattooed a few years ago), highlighting or low lighting to glam up our locks or hide grey hairs.
BODY SLIMMING UNDERWEAR I wear a body every single day – come rain or shine. It makes me feel more confident having my muffin top smoothed out a bit. Personally I find the more structured shapewear too restrictive but love this one from good old M&S.
CHICKEN FILLETS My bust is rather matronly and so I can only wish I needed to use chicken fillets in my bra. But I have always wondered why women bother with them. Surely the game will be well and truly up when it comes to bedtime? I do remember when I was a teenager and had a flat chest, that I rather naively filled my bikini top with loo paper to make it look as if I had bosoms. Worked brilliantly until I finished swimming and saw the paper trailing behind me in the water!
SECRET SQUIRTS OF BREATH FRESHENER Essential after garlic munching or a long day out without recourse to a toothbrush. Naturally none of us want to admit we might need it. Check out our tips on how to prevent bad breath.
FALSE EYELASHES Another secret beauty indulgence involves our lashes. Either glueing on false lashes or treating ourselves to extensions.
NON INVASIVE SURGERY I have been known to use Botox and/or filler (such as Restylane) or CACI to smooth out my old face. I got away with the CACI and the Botox but have always had temporary tiny bruises/swelling from the filler. And paying for these expensive treatments can be an issue if you have a joint bank account.
So, what do you think? Are you so comfortable with your partner that you divulge all or some aspects of your beauty regime? Or do you think it’s important to preserve the mystique and keep the preening a secret affair?