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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Do you feel pressure to look younger or not aged?

177 replies

ChangerMeNamer · 29/09/2025 07:57

Not a TAAT, but inspired by a recent thread about Botox and beauty standards.

I’m particularly interested to hear from others who have felt this pressure either quite early on (under 30) or at any age due to their career situation. When did this happen for you?

I started to feel pressure to look younger or at least not aged by 29/30, pretty much as soon as I’d had my first child it started. Initially the needing to shift the baby weight and then the tired face from sleepless nights etc. But I felt that was really amplified by the industry I work in, which is media adjacent (not TV/film) but an industry that has a lot of younger trendy people. I have a very senior role and manage a mixed team of people who are all younger than me (except 1 older lady, who shares my concerns).

I’m on the fence about cosmetic procedures, partly due to finances and not being sure I’d be able to maintain it and then being gutted if I had to stop!! But also as I have two young DD’s now and already worry that they see me slapping on a lot of make-up each morning. I try to distract from it and do believe my body/my choice, but it leaves me with a niggling feeling that I am doing them harm tbh.

Be interested to hear what others think🙂

OP posts:
DisplayPurposesOnly · 29/09/2025 08:11

No (now aged 57). I'm aghast that people in their 30s are into botox etc as that seems so young to me. I was aware of "aging" then (my skin definitely healed from cuts etc more slowly from my mid 30s) but not in a worried or pressured way.

ladybirdsanchez · 29/09/2025 08:07

I've always felt this pressure, because I live in an area where women take good care of themselves and have the money to do so. I also work in a company where I am one of the older ones and most of my colleagues are in their 20s, which doesn't help!

I've been using Botox since my late 20s and I have injectables once or twice a year and for now those two things are sufficient, along with good skincare, plenty of fruit and veg, regular exercise, HRT and as much sleep as I can get.