How to Give Yourself a Makeover

Finding Your New Look

Assess what you think needs to change. Take a look at yourself and decide what you want to change. What do you like about your look? What do you want to change?

Search for pictures of looks that you like. Look online (Pinterest is a good site) or in magazines to find pictures of people that you like. Compile a folder of pictures. Look for certain elements that you like. Maybe you like the shoes in one picture and skirt in another picture. Cut them both out or save them to your computer. Websites like Pinterest and Who What Wear are great places to get inspiration for outfits. You can also pay attention to Fashion Week to see what trends will be big in the upcoming Fall or Spring/Summer season. Organize your pictures into different batches. Have a “makeup” batch, a “hairstyle” batch, a “clothes” batch and an “accessories” batch. Look for recurring themes in the pictures you gather. As you assemble pictures, you’ll find that you keep centering around certain aspects or looks.

Ask a trusted friend what she thinks. Have a heart-to-heart with your best friend and ask for honest feedback about your look. Don’t make it seem like you’re fishing around for compliments, but that you honestly want to dress more smartly or wear your hair more stylishly. If you ask for honest feedback, then expect honest feedback. Don’t take it personally or get offended if your friend tells you something you don’t like to hear.

Be brave. A new look might be quite a bit different than what people expect you to look like. Be brave about trying out a new look. It might suit you really well and you might feel more comfortable in your new look. If you are concerned about trying out a wild look, try dressing up in that style for Halloween. Then, after the holiday, keep dressing like that, saying that you loved it so much you wanted to keep wearing that style.

Take a before picture. Get a photo of yourself in your “before” state, so that you can compare yourself to how you look after your makeover.

Makeup

Try a new makeup look. Get some new eye shadow, a new lipstick or new mascara. Try a different color combination, but make sure you choose colors that still complement your skin tones. Go for an entire new look, such as punk, pin-up or glamorous, or natural. Be adventurous! Even opting for a new lip color can make a huge difference, amping up your whole look. Search online for makeup tutorials if you’re unsure how to achieve a certain look.

Host a facials and makeup party. Invite a few friends over and ask everyone to bring their makeup. Give each other facials or mud masks and then do each other’s makeup. Experiment with different looks, using eyeshadows and lipsticks that your friends brought. Try wild styles and looks, such as styles from “The Hunger Games” or other movies. Be sure to have clean, unused makeup brushes, cotton balls and cotton swabs so that you don’t swap bacteria among makeup.

Go to a department store makeup counter. Professional makeup artists at department stores like Macy’s will do your makeup for you at the makeup counter. This is a great way to test a new look without buying a whole bunch of new makeup. It’s technically free to get a makeover here, although you should think about buying something. Usually, lip color is a good product to buy, since you’ll probably want to reapply it throughout the day.

Trim and polish your nails. Remove any old nail polish. Carefully trim, buff and file your fingernails. Gently push back your cuticle on your nails with a cuticle pushing tool. Moisturize your hands and paint your nails. Choose a color that complements your outfit or choose something really wild.

Shape your eyebrows. Find the best eyebrow shape for your face and shape your eyebrows to match. For example, square faces look good with soft, rounded eyebrows, while rounded faces look good with high angled eyebrows. Only pluck eyebrow hairs from underneath your brow, and avoid plucking too much. Fill in your eyebrows with an eyebrow pencil.

Don’t go overboard with your daily makeup. If you are looking to give yourself a makeover that you can use on a daily basis, go for a more natural look. Limit the amount of foundation you use. Opt instead for a light powder to tame oily skin. Try more subtle shades of eye shadow that are appropriate for your everyday life. A night on the town might call for more dramatic makeup, especially if your outfit is dramatic.

Hairstyles

Find a hairstyle you like. Search online or in magazines for pictures of hairstyles you like. Don’t worry about whether you can pull off the hairstyle or not. Just save the picture. When you have a collection of pictures, look at all of them to see what they have in common. What styles do you keep coming back to?

Ask your hairstylist for suggestions. Bring your ideas to your hairstylist and ask her what she thinks. She has a good idea about how your hair will respond to different cuts. It might take time to achieve the look you want, especially if your hair is short and you want to grow it out. Your hairdresser can give you a cut that looks good while you grow out your hair.

Get your hair colored. Try a new color of hair. If you have dark hair, try going lighter. If you have light hair, try going darker. If you feel really adventurous, you can get a wild color like purple or blue. Even highlights can change your look. Subtle changes can be really uplifting, especially if you’re feeling less than impressed with your current look. You can either get your hair colored professionally or you can do it at home. Ask a friend to help you.

Get hair extensions. Add instant length to your hair by adding hair extensions. Temporary extensions are available online, and these clip easily into your hair. Try out how you like the look of longer hair before springing for professional hair extensions.

Curl or straighten your hair. Changing your look doesn’t mean you need to get a cut or color. You can change your look by simply changing your hairstyle at home. Use a curling iron to add curls, or use a flat iron to straighten your hair. These techniques will take time, however, so if you are planning to integrate them into your morning routine, make sure you leave time for them.

Wardrobe Updates

Pull your clothes out of your closet. Bring all your clothes out into the open so you can take stock of what you own. Mix and match pieces together in combinations that you don’t normally do. Take pictures of combinations that you like so that you can recreate them later. Get rid of clothes that don’t fit or that you never wear. Look for the colors, patterns, and fits that you notice most often in your closet. This can help you figure out what your personal style is.

Do a clothing swap with friends. A clothing swap is a party where everyone brings a few items of clothing and accessories to give away. Invite several friends to bring clothes that they’d like to get rid of. This is a good way to freshen up your wardrobe and to mix-and-match your friends’ different styles.

Shop at new places. If you are finding yourself buying the same types of clothes all the time, think about where you’re getting your clothes. If you always frequent the same store, then your style won’t necessarily change. Visit a few new shops to check out other styles.

Go a week without wearing jeans. Most people wear jeans at least some of the time. They’re comfortable and easy and they match just about everything. But they can also get you into a slump with your overall look. Try going a week without wearing jeans. Try skirts, sundresses, or slacks instead to dress up your look.

Get fitted properly for a bra. Many people wear the wrong size of bra, and consequently, clothes don’t always fit or look the way they should. Go to a department store or lingerie store and ask the sales clerk to measure you for a bra. You might find that you are more comfortable and confident when you wear the correct size.

Accessories

Wear new or different glasses. If you wear glasses, try a different style of frame. If you don’t wear glasses, you can buy cheap reading glasses at the drugstore with the lowest level of prescription. Then you can still get the look but without the glasses affecting your vision much. Alternately, you can switch to contact lenses if you typically wear glasses. People might not even recognize you.

Try on different scarves. Go to a clothing store and select several scarves of different colors, textures and lengths. Try them on to see which ones you like. Try different ways of wearing a scarf, such as making it looser or tighter around your neck.

Wear jewelry. Try new earrings or a bracelet to match your outfit. If you are feeling bold, try some large, chunky jewelry as a statement piece. It helps to know what jewelry you have. Organize it in a way that makes it easy to find. Use a jewelry box or stand to store your jewelry. Then it will be ready to wear at a moment’s notice.

Try on a hat. Hats can instantly change your look and add an element of class. If it’s winter, opt for a cute beret or beanie. In the summertime, try a sunhat or a light-weight beret. You could also try a vintage or retro looking hat to match your look.

Changing Your Habits

Exercise regularly. If you’d like to makeover your body, start with treating your body well. Start an exercise program and aim to work out about 4 times a week. Take a Pilates class or get a personal trainer to help you along. Go jogging or hit the gym with a friend. You can encourage each other to keep working out and to improve your health.

Eat nutrient-rich foods. Giving your body the nutrition it deserves will go a long way to making yourself feel better, which will, in turn, make you look better. Eat plenty of nutrient-rich foods, like vegetables and fruits. Cut down on refined carbohydrates and refined sugars.

Get lots of sleep. Getting plenty of sleep will reduce your stress levels, which can in turn make you look and feel better. Aim to get about 7-8 hours of sleep every night.

Drink lots of water. Keep your skin looking fresh and your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. You will get the added benefit of having more energy. Get about 6-8 eight-ounce glasses of water every day.