I got an anon about the topic but wanted to make a masterpost since I would be able to add a readmore to it. I’ll touch on every possible topic about looking polished that I know of, sorry it’s so long!

FACE

I keep makeup simple but it can be extravagant, whatever you wish. As long as it’s something you can stick to everyday, you’ll be fine. I would suggest having a signature look, like red lips, good lip gloss (which is one of mine), or a certain blush. I keep my makeup simple because I’m not a fan of beating my face. The Chante Caille Future Skin foundation has such a natural look with great coverage, it’s crazy. I use their concealer as well. I use Tarte’s Amazonian Clay blush, Diorshow Blackout mascara, and I switch up everything in between. I’m not a big fan of eyeshadow unless I’m going somewhere important. I think it is important to note that you don’t need a beat face to look polished, a good tinted moisturizer can take you places. I wear Chante Caille’s! (I love them)

As for skincare, do it RELIGIOUSLY! Keep your face looking rejuvenated, moisturized, exfoliated, and healthy. You don’t have to follow any sort of special regime (i.e. the Korean skincare laws), just make sure it works for you. Don’t listen to those Twitter threads on how to get rid of skin issues because none of them know your skin personally. Try things out and see what works for you! The more natural a product, the better. If you have acne or any major skin issue don’t worry about people judging you for it, because no one honestly does. I’m a big advocate for making the natural face look as good as the beat face. If you want longer eyebrows, get a product that’ll grow your eyebrows (I’ve used Revitabrow in the past). If you want longer lashes, do something to make them longer. When I neglected to do this, I began to prefer my beat face and became very insecure without makeup on. Find what you like in your beat face and try to make it your natural face :)

HAIR

As a Black girl, hair to me means my natural hair and my weave, but something to note for both is that you should have it perfectly cut, no uneven or split ends, and know how to keep your hair in place. Also, make sure that whatever texture you want is the texture you have in your hair. For example, if you want curly hair for the week, keep it curly and try not to let it frizz. If you want it straight, keep it straight and try not to let it frizz. Don’t leave an amateur look. I don’t care about hair color or keeping it a natural color, I personally have to because of my clients but I’ve gone rainbow in the past. If everything else is together who the fuck cares about hair color! Keep it fun!

Haircare is really important for me and it’s something people don’t care about as much compared to skincare which really baffles me. I use Briogeo’s kale shampoos and conditioners which is god tier, and occassionally Functionofbeauty’s handmade shampoos and conditioners that’re tailored to your hair. Make sure you’re not using any bad gels in the hair, no relaxers, nothing with sulfates or preservatives or dyes. The more natural a product is the better your hair will look! Do hair masques to restore the hair if you’re dyeing or using heat often.

CLOTHES

BUY QUALITY CLOTHES, STEAM THEM, TAILOR THEM TO YOUR BODY! Fuck Fashionnova, seriously. Looking polished is all about the details. Quality clothes don’t have to be expensive, it is simply a matter of material. It’s better to invest in a few quality stores than a bunch of cheap shit that’ll fall apart very fast. Read the labels of the clothes you buy. You want clothes that are made of natural fibers, like cashmere, wool, 100% cotton, and silk. When I say that it doesn’t have to be expensive, I mean it. A lot of these high fashion companies source their material from lower-end companies, meaning they use the same high-end fabrics but for less.

Tailoring is very important. If you have the range, go for it. Nothing looks worse than a fit that doesn’t look good on your body at all. This goes for slouchy clothes too. No sweatpants all of the time when you’re going out if you want to look polished. This was the hardest thing for me to do honestly because I love to feel comfortable but it don’t look good. Steaming is needed! Crinkled and messy looking clothes will never look polished or put together. I’m not good with the iron so I steam and it works the same, lol.

Now I’m about to get technical with it (if I could put a readmore inside of a readmore I would):

1) Statement pieces are a MUST. I swear by understated jewelry pieces.

2) Pay attention to things like your bag matching your shoes/belt/jewelry. It’s something that you won’t overly notice but it makes all the difference. Keep the metals of your bags and jewelry match. I hate a silver/gold clash.

3) Buy classic, staple pieces in neutral colors. I hate my closet being boring though so I rarely follow this rule myself. I’m a very vibrant dresser. 

4) Be fitted for your bra somewhere besides Victoria’s Secret. Trust me on this. Also invest in your underwear. You can have lazewear, just make sure it’s like…silk robes, not old ass t-shirts that make you feel lazy as hell in them. Something about the difference of material changes my mood!

5) Lint rollers are NEEDED. I hate them but you NEED one. Especially if you have animals.

SHOES

Keep your shoes clean! Take them to the cobbler if you must to fix them up. No scuffs, no worn places. Also, I watch the types of shoes I buy & wear. I only wear athletic sneakers if I’m about to work out, casual sneakers for when I feel chill, and all else for different moods and weathers. Don’t just wear athletic sneakers everywhere if you can help it. I’m not saying to wear heels, flats are just fine.

PERFUME

The thing about perfume is that it depends on your personal scent and how it meshes with you. Try a sample and wait about 30 minutes for it to mesh with your scent, and then you’ll know if it works for you. Do anything that makes you feel good, but don’t overdo it unless you want to give people headaches. Put some behind the ears, the wrists, the neck, and your clothes (if it’s not oil based). That’s all. Just make sure the scent isn’t too overpowering, that’s the difference between a cheap and expensive perfume.

PURSES

Your purses don’t have to be expensive. There is a difference between a quality purse and a cheap purse, and the main difference is material and structure. Slouchy bags never look good. Get a good leather (or any other material if you’re looking to be fun) bag that’s classic and can match everything. You don’t want to have only one staple bag that might not match everything you wear. A good example of an everyday bag is the YSL Sac du Jour. You can find plenty of purses around the $50-$100 range that have the same structural set up!

NAILS

I prefer to keep my nails low and clean because I’ve never liked acrylics. I get gel, and get very fun designs in them sometimes, but I stay away from acrylics. It doesn’t matter though lol. Just make sure that you toes and your nails match! That’s all.

JEWELRY

Keep nothing that looks cheaply made (as if I haven’t said that 500 times already lol). Don’t overdo pieces, keep a watch on ya wrist and earrings on your ears and you’re good. Necklaces here and there if you’re feeling them; they irritate me so I only put them on when I know it’ll absolutely elevate your outfit. I like to keep prosperity jewelry on me, like certain stones to boost my luck & such. You don’t have to though, just something I do.

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