What makes people look/appear younger?

[SmellyWellyWoo]

This is not a stealth boast! Ive been musing on this today. I'm in my early 40s and sometimes people think I am younger when they meet me. I've got forehead and 11 lines as well as crow's feet. I'm very average in looks. Don't wear a lot of make up. Not polished or overly groomed.

I do have brightly coloured hair and stretched ears (had them for years). I also have naturally very thick dark eyebrows which are in fashion at the moment. I wonder if these help?

I also wonder if it's down to a perception of women in their 40s looking a certain way? I didn't used to get as many people thinking I was younger in my late 30s.

Or maybe it's something that everyone days out of politeness? 🤷🏼‍♀️

I think even if you have lines or wrinkles, having glowy, even-toned skin counts for a lot.

Good trendy hair style! Minimal make up! Good skin and right attutude

An attitude or spirit. My friend’s gran is 90 and she’s always curious about everything and goes to a lot of community type things. I look young and old at the same time, I have good skin no greys and slim but I think there’s something aging about me as I’ve lived with the stress of a cardiac issue that can cause sudden death. The worry of it gives me a haunted look.

I eat horribly, drink too much alcohol and smoke too many cigarettes, don't gym very often at all.
I also never have a proper nights sleep.

I'm 32 but look about 21. I get comments all the time about it and constantly ID'd in shops. Even got ID'd for scissors.
I have cold callers knocking at my door asking if my parents are home sometimes.

I think it's genetics. I have a very petite frame with a round face and tiny nose. Makes me look very young and innocent.

Two people that really stand out as defying the aging process are Elizabeth Hurley and Jane Seymour - though I read somewhere that Liz Hurley moisturises her face about 6 times a day, don't know if that's true though. I imagine you have the put the effort in with diet, exercise and a stellar skincare routine to look as good as they do.

Well I’m sorry but I won’t believe any of you until you post pictures.

Liz Hurley clearly had Botox and fillers. Plus incredible genes

Agree with a pp, it all deteriorates at 43!

Constantly id'd until 41. Not so much anymore!

Stress has played a part due to life but its so commonly mentioned on threads like these, it can't be coincidence.

I do feel more confident in myself however, and avoiding the male gaze is somewhat liberating...

Being agile.

On the whole, being under 50.

60, with no lines? Bullshit

Indeed! So many people on Mumsnet who look 10-15 years younger than their age. It always happens on these threads 😉

Also, iron discipline!

Don’t necessarily agree with being slim, I’m not slim, actually very overweight but regularly get told people think I’m a lot younger than I am. I also don’t think they are being polite, most seem genuinely shocked at my age, 47 this year. I’ve had this for years and I’ve been overweight for years.

I’ve never been big into make up, when I do it’s light natural look, not heavy makeup looks. I’ve never smoked, I definitely think this is a big reason I’ve maintained some of my youthful looks. I also avoid the sun, factor 50th all the way and always wear an spf moisturiser. I think having kids at 36 has had some influence, I’m fully expecting my looks to go down hill as soon as my DCs reach puberty.

I’m 57 and people think I’m ten years younger, I think it’s because of my long curly hair, still mainly brown. I also don’t have many wrinkles, but neither does my mum and she’s 83!

Sorry, meant to add, I don’t wear make up either.

I don't spend much money on my "looks"
My main exercise is running and while I do a couple of classes, the same effect can be achieved with you tube videos and a couple of weights.

I've cut my own hair for years and it's a natural colour. There are a few silvery hairs, but they're still hiding.

I don't spend much on clothes and tend to go for simple styles that don't date heavily.

I have a decent diet, but more that I don't drink much, never smoked, and eat sensibly rather than eating lots of expensive "super foods".

While the stress and practicalities of poverty are deeply unhelpful, it doesn't take a lot of spare money to live healthily either.

I have good genes. My family tend to age well. Good skin (I also spend very little on skincare/ cosmetics), a helpful face shape. I'm a healthy weight and pear shaped so my top half looks slimmer which deceives people. My bust is faring well against gravity which is more luck than bras.

I agree that posture is important (I'm short and walk tall; the confusion upthread amused me!) I'm fit and walk quickly and energetically. If I go "oof" when I move, it's time to check my weight/ flexibility.

I think being IDed has passed by now, but I did accidentally get a child bus fare at 29 and gin confiscated at the till at 37. I'm probably looking more early 30s now, but a decade younger is fine by me. People look surprised when I mention having an 11 yo, and I was 30 when he was born so could have had him much younger!

Having enough money helps, but because I have decent health/ genes/ build, I can look after what I have fairly cheaply.

I have been looking at the next age group up wondering about this. I think a lot of the answer lies in very expensive and clever haircuts and colouring. Not your bog standard down-the-high-street hairdresser but almost an illusion piece created by an artist. It usually involves some blonde streaks among darker streaks. I haven't quite worked it out precisely.

The other things are (doctor supervised) non surgical procedures (but not those which balloon up/contort the face like fillers or botulism - although I know that some people do get a good result - sadly a minority). I am thinking along the lines of thermage and mini face lifts. When the time comes, I will definitely be exploring seriously!

bone structure and face shape - I know women who have looked exactly the same from age 19 to about 40 but some of them have looked 27 that whole time!

This is my trajectory, hopefully.

I was frequently taken for at least 25 from 17 onwards, and I'm now 33 without looking much discernably different. I do wear plenty of sun cream, but otherwise I don't really have a skincare regime.

Women look younger now too, I was looking at photos of my aunt back in the 1980s, I kid you not she was only early 40s but she looked at least 75! She had short hair with a really tight perm and wore pleated skirts and hand knitted cardigans, bless her!

I'm nearly 50 and get told I look a good decade younger a lot. Personally I think my neck and hands are now starting to give the game away but my skin on my face is good (with make up anyway!) and I don't have many wrinkles on my actual face luckily and I think that's down to genetics and luck. I have chubby cheeks too which I think helps. I also dress younger than some women my age and dye my grey roots blonde.

That may be the case for some, but I’m 57, have long hair and only occasionally colour the few greys coming through, I do it myself and cut my own hair. I smoked until I was 40, but don’t have many wrinkles. I’m often mistaken for ten years younger than my age. I used to be ID’d into my late twenties. My daughter is 34 and was ID’d recently 😆 I’ve never looked after my skin particularly well and don’t wear make up. I’m just lucky, my mum is 83 and doesn’t have wrinkles either, nor did her mum have any.

A smile. Especially when it’s a smile that sparkles in the eyes too.

Whilst not an expert, it would seem that if you have a Tardis you can regenerate yourself when you get old and come back younger, AND a different sex if you want.

People say this a lot on mumsnet but I generally think it’s nonsense. You’re 32 and people are knocking at the door and saying ‘is mum or daddy home? You must just be a likkle girl, you only look like a child!’ It’s more likely you opened the door and someone said ‘can I speak to the home owner’ because that’s the standard opener.

I think almost all people look around their age, and if anyone ever guesses they’ll guess low for politeness. Personally I’ve never seen anyone (in real life or on tv etc) who is 32 and could be mistaken for a child.