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 will say I got the opposite too. When I was a young teen mum picking my child up from preschool people were generally shocked to find out I was a teen. Not because I looked incredibly old but because they saw a 4 year old calling me mummy and usually that’s not associated with teenagers.

Same at uni. Because most students are young people expect you will be.

I'm almost fifty and I'm sometimes mistaken for younger. I put this down to 1) not having grey hair/dyed hair and 2) a lot of youngsters thinking that 50 is ancient 😆

I do think a lot of it’s politeness. i also notice people saying they still get ID’d as evidence they look younger - young bar staff ID everyone. I don’t think anyone looks more than 7 years younger than they actually are.

However - good skin, good teeth, a good bone structure so your face shape holds up as your skin de-puffs, not too many wrinkles, a general air of energy, clothes / make up / hair that is up to date or at least not dated / an forehead not frozen by Botox (get a fringe). HRT.

Flattery.

I always take off at least 5-10 years when people ask me how old I think they look.

I think there is a huge difference in looking well groomed as opposed to looking younger.
The examples I gave of women who genuinely could pass for children do not look well groomed. A well groomed woman does not look half her age. I have never, ever seen a well groomed woman who could pass for being a child. They just look…..well groomed!
Most people I know look far younger when they are not wearing make up, in casual clothing (usually active wear and low heels), don’t have their hair done , it’s a natural colour not bleached etc.
Take Amanda Holden she does not look half her age. She is an example of someone who had spent £££££ trying to eradicate the signs of aging. Fat lips, thin, bleached hair, Botox, ironed out skin, teeth fixed etc etc.
Nobdy in their right light believes she is in her 30s or even early 40s. She looks exactly what she is a 50plus woman trying to look younger.

Melanin.

Amanda Holden has a fantastic figure though which makes her look younger .

a lot of youngsters thinking that 50 is ancient 😆

that is very true. Not looking like your Granny did when she was your age, still doesn’t make you look ten years younger.

Slim and fit with no middle aged spread helps. I dress light, bright and cute. I’m quite short too and have long hair. I keep up with current music, tech and have young kids so all of this helps with the overall package in terms of how my age is perceived. Not that I care but I’m often placed much younger and I’m 44.

Haha. This is me and I am constantly being told I look 20 years younger than I am. Also genetics...

I am 33 so I know I still have fresh skin but compared to others my age i look a lot younger (people are always shocked when I tell them my age). I have no wrinkles but I have noticed I am not as plump in the face as my early 20s.

I think what’s helped is…..

• I had 3 babies by the time I was 25, and they were all good sleepers and obviously now at 12,10 and 7 I sleep very well every night.

• I haven’t been abroad since I was 19 and I get terrible prickly heat so I always avoid the sun/wear SPF/sit in the shade

• I don’t smoke or drink alcohol (but do eat too much sugar which I am trying to limit)

• I cleanse and moisturise twice daily

• I have a platinum blonde balayage softened with some low lights. Plus my hair is very thick.

• I am a size 12 so have some padding on the face

My mums 60 and still looks fresh so also genetics play a part

I'm late 40s and have recently had a few surprised reactions to my age from younger women at work (I don't go around telling ppl how old I am but it has cropped up in conversation occasionally.)
I do have pretty good skin (thanks genes) and have never smoked.
I work out a few times a week, eat (mostly) healthily, am taller than average and slimmish and don't have much grey hair yet.
I use a basic serum and Aldi moisturisers and always use sunscreen these days. I don't wear a lot of make up and my hair is curly. I think it's mostly down to genes.

@Penguinsaregreat

Yes I agree, she looks her age through the lens of the TV and up close she would look every bit her age.

That’s why I won’t bother with Botox etc, it doesn’t make you look any younger.

When I went for my Covid booster the man giving the injection asked if there was any chance of me being pregnant. I am 60. I did not take his asking me as meaning I look 20 years younger, he was just going through his spiel and quite possibly being a bit cheeky as well. I’m quite sure people who ask for ID from people who are obviously not under 18 do it to see the person’s reaction.

Genetics chiefly I think. My DM had just a few grey hairs when she died at 72. In my 60s my hair is the same. Both parents had pretty smooth skin with few wrinkles. Mine is the same and one of my DBs is also similar. I know people my age who look much older but have far healthier lifestyles than me. I think it’s just good luck mainly.

The main thing to youth is how you maintain your figure. Someone can look quite old in the face but overall youthful if they are slim and toned. Someone up thread hit the nail on the head when they said specifically weight training, it makes a huge huge difference - the main difference to youth IMO

I also think drinking eating healthily shows through to the surface so just generally taking care of yourself drinking water etc all helps.

Also fashions, what you wear - if you're still wearing trends from the 90s then a big giveaway. I also find older women tend to wear a lot of jewellery and diamonds, younger women don't do that so diamond jewellery or lots of it makes you look old.

@Sortilege yes! That's what I think too. I think we all make assessments about people within seconds based on their looks/demeanour/style/attitude and "code" them into boxes. Obviously fantastic skin helps but I think it's more than that. I think that's why pictures don't tell anywhere near a full story when you're ageing people.

I have seen those articles in the press with mother and daughter claiming to look the same age. I have never been duped for a second. I think that checkout workers, peers, colleagues, college kids etc. are hardly the height of discernment in general. It is a minor nuisance requirement of their job and they aren't well trained to do it. Many choose to not wear their (low prescription) glasses on vanity grounds so they can't even see the finer details. I would not especially take it as a confirmation of looking young if they ID you. They don't properly look at people as you would if you were looking at a photograph in a newspaper. It would be embarrassing all round.

The only incident I experienced which I feel was legitimate was UK passport control when coming back into the UK. She was properly trained to analyse facial characteristics and spent a long time staring at me and deliberating because she said that she could not understand why I looked so much younger. I was just relieved that she finally let me in!

As for all the other incidents I would not even give them a second thought.

Various things.

ID for buying alcohol.

Being told I was too young to be in the HA bungalow I occupy - by another tenant.

A letter in reply to a complaint I made to the uni, it stated that I would find things different in, "the real world" - who says that to someone approaching 40?

A Dr in A and E who checked my age and then said, "wow".

An optician whofitted some contact lenses, I'd gone out of town to a wedding, forgotten my contacts and asked if they could supply some. Opticians get up close and personal.

Mentioning that I'd gone somewhere for my 50th and the other person saying they thought I was early 40s.

Sorry I'm skim reading the thread- stretched ears literally mean I have two big holes in my ears instead of a normal tiny hole for standard pierced ears.

11 lines are the lines/wrinkles between your eyebrows. Some people are lucky enough not to have them.

My age crops up at work when I'm meeting new stakeholders/colleagues and in the sector I'm in it's common to chat about work history. I have almost 18 years service in my sector which surprises people. I also have a late teenage son which crops up in conversation and again people express surprise at. I went for a facial yesterday and fill in forms etc with my date of birth on. I don't go around telling people my age but it just naturally seems to crop up in conversation or is relevant.

Definitely this. Moving energetically, not groaning as you move, oh no 🙈

@Penguinsaregreat I totally agree. I am definitely not glamorous or well groomed. I probably looked quite scruffy sometimes, especially when not in work clothes.

Most people are crap at guessing other people’s age though..

I’m not sure I agree with the slim argument. I’m a size 8 and I don’t think that makes me youthful, especially as I’ve lost quite a bit of fat and padding from my face. I used to be slim with full cheeks, that is youthful but when that goes...

I think people who have a bit of extra weight often look better in the face and younger. Strength training gives you a good body but not a youthful face.

I disagree entirely about weight training keeping you young looking and I say this as an avid gym going/weight user!
The people who look much younger are naturally thin. Dh's relative who looks like a child, does not stay thin by weight training. She has been asked by medical professionals many many times if she has a problem with food, i.e. She could pass for anorexic she is that thin. She is naturally an extremely thin body type. There is a world of difference in a gym toned body and an inherent body type which means so long as you watch what you eat you will not have to train. Dh's relative is also naturally flexible was asked many times to join competitive gynnastics. The type who can pull their leg over their head without warning up and wrap in behind their ear.
These types of people look like they could snap in half.
Regarding being mistaken as younger I'm in my 50s I went for the coil removing and the nurse would not stop asking what contraception I would be using, could I be pregnant etc etc etc. I really wasn't flattered that she thought I was younger, just annoyed. I've been told I'm in the wrong age group at racers when I've joined the over 45years group.
I still don't think I look remarkably young for my age.
like I said the only people who really do are vert few and far between and it's not because they are stunningly attractive it is down to looking quite plain and again natural.