Does anyone really look younger than their age?

[smoleyjolie]

Online on forums, social media, on dating profiles and even in real life people claim to look younger than their age, they are X age but don't look it. They get ID's in the supermarket buying wine.

I am always highly sceptical because I've know people who say to my face how they look like they are 25 when they are actually 38 because they have no lines or wrinkles when I am looking at them and thought they were actually in their 40's and they have obvious wrinkles and grey hair, people are delusional! Honestly the capacity people have to delude themselves about anything is quite staggering and I have never met someone who claims to look younger and it actually turn out to be true.

When I was younger I thought some older people looked younger so I once thought a woman when she was 49 was closer to 30 but that was because I assumed all people of 49 looked "old" which isn't the case at all and looking back she looked great but she also looked her age which is fine.

Going back to the first case where the women was convinced she looked over 10 years younger, what could I say I just said yeah you look great and its the same anytime anyone makes that claim. People aren't going to dispute it.

I don’t look any younger than any of the other kind I know and I have a 13 year old. How on Earth do I look in my 20s 🤣 but people are weird.

Mums not kind

I don't think anyone is being mean.

It's actually a really funny wake up call for me because what I didn't say earlier was that I always (and I mean always) looked a decade younger than my age til perimenopause

When I was 47 I was constantly believed to be 37. I was asked for ID often until I was 40.

In the last 4 years my face has changed radically but in my head I still think 'I look younger than my age'

And now I really don't - and that's so WEIRD after 40 years of being taken for a teenager or having my opinion diminished at work because I'm 'just a girl'

I've name changed but I could actually have proven what I said as I posted my 40th birthday photo 11 years ago (back when it wasn't actually seen as attention seeking and it was just fun) - and the average of responses was 31

So it's an interesting exercise 🤷‍♀️ but weird for me all the same

Honestly, some people are being a bit mean. That's why I wince whenever anyone posts a photo and asks people to guess their age. Because I know they're going to get some responses from people who just want to stick the boot in a bit.

The neck photo. These threads are funny. 🤣

Omg I found it (here's my 40th birthday photo) - god bless IPhones!

This is the photo that the average was 31

I always think ageing is an interesting discussion

I would never have thought you could age a decade during 3 or 4 years !

The collagen drops, the scaffolding of your face sinks. I'm not massively wrinkled but the quality of the skin is much different, the bloom has gone.

And yes obviously I'm heavier in that photo. I'm all yoga and exercise now as I coincidentally fight off the ageing process 🤦‍♀️

In real life, people always shave a few years off so as not to offend.

But on here people seem to delight in sticking the boot in, so add years on.

So take any replies with a (huge!) pinch of salt!

I am 62 and people generally take me for mid 50s. More to do with attitude, job, way I move and dress and do not talk about health at all as have no joint issues or other ailments.

It's definitely genetic, I have two very youthful parents. My favourite was when I got ID'd by the Ocado man delivering to my own home, aged 41....

It’s interesting to me that several PPs have mentioned their small size as making them look younger. I do understand what they’re saying, but as a fellow small person, I find that not having much body fat makes my face more gaunt. Some of my friends who are carrying more fat and have rounder faces have smoother skin!

I did until I hit around 43 and now I’m making up for it. I’ve aged twenty years in the last 2 years! (I don’t mind it tbh).

It difficult as the light is darker in that image, you do look a lot younger than you do now in that photo but its not unreasonable to say you look around 40 in it either. I think you look about your age in both those images.

If have said lates 30s in the 40th birthday image and 50 ish in the first one which I don’t know if she’s said how old she is in.

@HeavenCANTwait

And yes obviously I'm heavier in that photo. I'm all yoga and exercise now as I coincidentally fight off the ageing process 🤦‍♀️

Have you heard of the saying, it’s either your face or your ass after 40.
If you want a nice pert trim ass, your face will more than likely look haggard and if you want a nice full fresh face then you have to accept that your ass will more than likely be quite large, choices choices
I lost the weight I put during Covid recently and I definitely notice my face looking a bit haggard and my neck bands are more visible……at least my ass looks ok though….I have decided to stop the dieting and may even consider putting on a couple of pounds

Through my work I meet many many many people and I happen to know their birth dates.

I have never seen anyone, anyone at all, who looks more than a few years younger than their actual age.

Whenever people tell me I look much younger I assume they are being polite. Why would I look ten years younger? Nobody does. It fascinates me that there are people who actually believe that when other politely say ‘oh I thought you were younger’ they mean it. Hahahahhaha.

The thing is, when I see photos and try and guess someone's age I often think "Oh they could be 30, they could 45!".
In this photo you do look young. I wouldn't have been surprised if you were late 20s. Having said that I also wouldn't have been surprised if you were 40 - because I know lots of 40 year olds who look young.

@HeavenCANTwait.

What do you want everyone to say?

What is it that you want??

It means fuck-all.

Don't be silly.

You are being silly. As I said earlier, if you have soft features and blondish hair, you will be perceived to be younger. As others see you.

And...

What?

So?

@HeavenCANTwait You do have a v. youthful neck!

Some people do seem to get lined necks on the early side, even in their 30’s. No idea why, must be genetic bad luck, I suppose.

People always assume I'm in my 20's and I'm in my 40's. I've heard women with ASD tend to look and seem much younger and I'm pretty sure I'm ASD. But other women in my family also looked younger so it's probly just a combination of that and genetics. Black women also tend to look young because their skin glows and rarely wrinkles.

Yeah @flowerchild2000?

Show us then. I'm absolutely ready to believe you look in your 20s whilst being in your 40s.

You may look amazing. But I bet you look like an amazing 40-odd year old. And that's ok. It's brilliant.

I would put lots of money on you not looking in your 20s though.

@HeavenCANTwait, great photo of your neck!!

What is your point?

In your 40 photo, you could easily look like a baby-faced 40 year old.

Which you were. And? You look 40 because you were 40 when that photo was taken.

No, I'm not going to post a photo of my face here. I don't want to look younger, nor am I bragging. I have for years done my makeup and hair in a way to try to look older. My voice is also ridiculously young sounding, so I get treated like I'm a young girl which I hate. None of this is my opinion, it all comes from the shock other people show and when they tell me they refuse to believe my age. It's become a game for me, guess my age! When I'm out with my kids people ask where our mother is. Honestly you sound jealous or bitter. Why ask a question just to disbelieve the answer? I didn't need this negativity, I had a hard day. So thanks for that.

Hey @flowerchild2000, I'm not jealous or bitter.

That is a bit of a MN trope.

It must be quite annoying to be seen as younger constantly. Sorry, I absolutely didn't mean to make you feel bad.

Apologies.