1. You never leave the house without:
a. a face full of makeup.
b. some lipstick and mascara.
c. a clean face.
2. Your closet:
a. should be photographed for a magazine.
b. is due for its seasonal cleanout.
c. still holds your cat suit.
3. On a rare day off, you:
a. schedule an appointment with your dermatologist, hair colorist, manicurist or personal shopper.
b. meet a friend at the mall.
c. sleep.
4. If you could be locked in a store all night, you would want it to be:
a. Neiman Marcus.
b. Sephora.
c. Williams-Sonoma.
5. If you can't read the tiny type on the back of the tube of self-tanner, you:
a. slip on a pair of cool readers.
b. grab your drugstore readers.
c. squint and hope for the best.
6. You wash your face with:
a. whatever your dermatologist prescribes.
b. a prestige brand cleanser.
c. whatever's in the soap dish.
7. You received a last-minute invite to a dressy cocktail party. You:
a. wear the new dress hanging in your closet.
b. make do with your standby black skirt and sparkly sweater.
c. don't go because you have nothing to wear and no time to shop.
8. If you had a party, would your hair colorist and stylist be invited?
a. Of course, they're friends.
b. Yes, but they're the same person.
c. What colorist?
9. Your handbag that you tote day in, day out::
a. is one of several must-have bags of the moment.
b. is the one new bag you buy every season.
c. is the same one you've used for years.
10. Your crow's-feet:
a. are gone.
b. are a constant source of worry.
c. never cross your mind.
YOUR RATING Obviously, the "a" answers are high maintenance, the "b's" medium, and the "c's" low. If you're like most women, your answers are a mix of all three letters. I think we all know the following stereotypes.
HIGH: You're doing every single thing you know to look great - whatever the time, whatever the cost. And, chances are, you're always hearing how fantastic you look. The downside here (if there is a downside) is that 1) it's exhausting, 2) it's expensive, and 3) there is definitely a point of no return. Being high maintenance is one thing; looking it is another. To look Y&H, you might find that sometimes less equals more.
MEDIUM: You aspire to look as great as someone who is high maintenance, but you can't imagine devoting that many hours and burning through that much cash. You're more likely to cherry-pick, spending time and money on things that give you the most bang for your buck. You feel good about yourself and confident about your choices.
LOW: You don't invest a lot of time and money in yourself because it hasn't been a big priority in your life. But now you're at the point where you look in the mirror and ask, "What else can I do?" But no one is a pure stereotype; we're always mixing our maintenance options, trading up and trading down, spending our time and money where we need it and where it feels right. Welcome to the way in which real women live!