8 Simple Tips to Look Your Best Every Day

Alyssa is a wife, mom, and coffee enthusiast who loves sharing her favorite lifestyle tips with the world.

Some days are completely frustrating. You're getting ready for an event or just to run a few errands, and nothing seems to be working. No matter how you style your hair or fix your make-up, it just doesn't look right—everything you put on to wear looks terrible. You start getting annoyed and frustrated. It's a scene straight out of The Grinch. This is what we call an "ugly day." It happens to all of us from time to time, but it can really put a damper on your mood.

Don't let this temporary setback ruin your morning or afternoon. I've compiled my favorite tips and tricks to turn an ugly day around and have you looking your best!

1. Add a Sun-Kissed Glow

This is my favorite trick. Just add a little bronzer to your cheeks, over the bridge of your nose, along your temples, around your jawline, down your neck, and a touch along your collarbone. This warms up the face and will make you look radiant. It also gives the illusion that you've spent a little time soaking up the sunshine, even if you've stayed inside, laid on the couch, and binged Netflix all weekend.

Apply bronzer over your foundation or to a bare face for a cute, no make-up look. My favorite is Warmth from Bare Minerals. It gives your face a gorgeous, healthy glow, it's made from natural minerals, and looks beautiful on all skin tones.

2. Natural Make-Up

Now is not the time to experiment with a new look. You should do your favorite version of a classic, timeless look. The simpler, the better. I love a light, natural look. The idea is to make you look well-rested, your skin flawless, and your eyes sparkly and bright. You should look like you aren't wearing make-up at all. To achieve that, brighten your eyes with a white or cream-colored gel, shadow, or highlighter.

My favorite is Bare Minerals Stroke of Light eye brightener. Apply your favorite product in the corner of each eye and about a quarter of the way onto your eyelid, blending with the pad of your ring finger. Use just a little foundation, if any at all. Add a pretty pink gloss for a pop of color, if desired.

3. Accessories Are a Girl's Best Friend

When you aren't feeling great about your outfit or your overall look, spruce it up with a few accessories. Put on your favorite necklace, some funky earrings, or cute bangles. Maybe you decide to put on an heirloom piece that makes you think of a beloved family member. Bringing fond memories into mind will help lift your spirits. You might decide on a statement piece that always captures attention and brings compliments.

I have a beautiful rose quartz pendant that I put on when I'm feeling a little low. It helps remind me that I am loved and always brings a smile to my face. When I want to make a statement or radiate confidence, I wear my gorgeous black obsidian pendant. If I'm looking for something feminine and soft, I opt for a stunning pearl pendant my husband bought me our first Christmas together. If I'm pulling my hair back or I want something fun, I like to wear a pair of dangly earrings and a set of pearl studs.

Jewelry can help tie an outfit together or set a vibe. You don't have to choose a piece of jewelry, though. You might opt for a beautiful scarf or a fun belt. Accessories can help transform your day and your mood.

4. Scent

The sense of smell is so powerful that it can transport us back in time. Certain scents can bring about memories decades past that you thought you had forgotten. The next tip is to spritz yourself with your favorite scent, whether it's a perfume, a body spray, or even putting on a scented lotion. It might not make you look better, but it will lift your mood, make you smile, and give you an air of confidence. Be sure to spritz your scent on the inside of your wrists, on the back of your neck, and behind each knee.

5. Sunglasses

Sunglasses make you look like you have it all together, even if you don't. They add a dash of style and flair to any outfit. It's so simple and easy to put on a pair before you leave the house. Throwing on a pair of sunglasses is sometimes the only make-up I need!

Not only do they look cool, but sunglasses also help protect your eyes from the sun's harmful rays, and they can even help block allergens from getting into your eyes, making them itchy, watery, or red. I never go outside without my shades.

6. Wear Your Favorites

This is perhaps the most frustrating part of having an ugly day. You go to your closet, spend five to ten minutes deciding on which pieces you want to wear, pull them out, and put them on. Maybe you struggle while putting them on. You go to the mirror and take a look. Yikes. All of a sudden, you are racking your brain trying to figure out when you turned into a toad. You go back to the closet and repeat this process several times. At some point, your room looks like an F5 tornado ran through it, and you are lying on your bed trying to figure out how you can survive without ever leaving the house again.

Nothing is going to look right at this point. Here's what to do. Find your favorite outfit to fit whatever the occasion. For example, if you're running errands, pick out your favorite comfy shirt and your favorite pair of jeans. If you're off to work, pick out your favorite blouse and dress pants. You want the pieces that you know you always look good in, no matter what. Put them on and take a deep breath. Go the mirror, double-check that everything is in place, and be done. Grab yourself a cup of coffee or tea and head out.

When you have your favorite pieces on, deep down, you know you look good. You can safely leave the house and tackle your day without stressing too much about your clothes. Chances are, within ten minutes of leaving, you will feel better.

7. Rough It Up

Messy hair is gorgeous. What better time for a messy top knot or funky side braid than on a day when your hair is not cooperating? These are also great styles when it's raining or super humid out. I love a low, messy side braid.

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I switch it up, starting with roughing up my part. Then I sweep my hair to one side, separating it into two chunky sections. Twist the sections of hair simultaneously toward the middle. Bunch them together, poke your pointer finger through the middle, and create two new sections. Repeat that one more time. From there, create three sections of hair and begin to braid as normal. Stop halfway down and split the middle section into two more sections. Add each section to the other two sections of hair so that you only have two sections of hair to braid. Begin creating a fishtail braid all the way to the end. Secure with an elastic. Gently pull on the sides of the braid to make it a little bigger and a little messier. Spritz with hairspray, and you are good to go.

I love doing different combinations of those three braids. It's a perfect summery mermaid look. Wear it to the beach, while running errands, or, depending on your job, to work.

If your roots are greasy or just growing in and you want to hide them, try throwing on a hat. Combine with the messy side braid, a simple ponytail, or leave it down, and you are ready to go.

8. Fake It 'Til You Make It

All the tips above can help your outward appearance, but being attractive and looking good is more about your attitude, confidence, and how you treat others. If you're still in a bad mood, try this:

Take a deep breath.

Hold for a slow count of 8.

Exhale slowly.

Repeat three to five times.

Then think of something you're grateful for, such as the warm weather, the sunshine, a hot cup of coffee, or just the simple fact that you have this day to spend with the people you love.

Smile, even if you don't feel like it.

Put on your favorite song as you travel to your destination.

Be kind and courteous to everyone you come into contact with during your day.

Doing those things will help transform your mood and your day. In the grand scheme of life, no one really cares what you look like. Most people are too busy focusing on themselves to notice that you don't like your outfit, or your hair is a little off today. What they will remember is how you've treated them, and that is the most important thing.

© 2018 Alyssa

Comments

Alyssa (author) from Ohio on June 16, 2018:

Great tip, Nilza! Thank you for sharing! :)

Alyssa (author) from Ohio on June 16, 2018:

Thank you so much, Geri!

Geri McClymont on June 16, 2018:

These are all great tips, Alyssa, and I thank God for hats and sunglasses! I agree that most people won't notice how we look, but as you say, they'll remember how we treated them. So important and so true. Thank you for a great post.

Nilza Marie Santana-Castillo from Atlanta on May 22, 2018:

I recently learned to use darker bronzer shades to double as contour along the line of the cheekbone! Very easy to do!

Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on May 16, 2018:

Oh Alyssa, pleeeeeeeze! There is no hope for this old man. :)

Alyssa (author) from Ohio on May 16, 2018:

Great tips, Larry! Thank you for stopping by! :)

Larry W Fish from Raleigh on May 16, 2018:

Us men have those ugly days to, Alyssa, but I refuse to use makeup, LOL. What I like to do is take a nice long walk by myself, enjoy the birds, the squirrels, and appreciate what Mother Nature has to offer.