What is the most impactful thing you've done to turn back the clock (non surgical)

[PassportPhotosAreHorrific]

Tldr version: What's the most powerful way you've found to turn back the clock sans surgery (I'm not getting a face-lift)? Creams, pills, those weird light masks, massage?

Longer version (an SOS): my work was in the public eye until about seven years ago, and since then, I've had children and moved to the country. All good, v happy.

However! I have some new projects in the pipeline and need to make myself look a lot better by next summer. I thought I was doing okay but recent passport renewal photos showed me that I'm looking HORRIFICALLY mumsy. 😬

Really don't want people to die of shock when I emerge from my bucolic chrysalis next year, so please, please help. 😩

Weights. Sleep. Walking. No ultra processed food/unnecessary sugars. Proper tea (green, white). Believing in myself finally, after years of not. Sunglasses, suncream. Keeping life simple where I can. Protein and vegetables. Magnesium and vitamin D! Dropping emotional vampires.

And no alcohol... And one of those ultrasonic tooth descalers.

No alcohol
A good night's sleep (the no alcohol helps)
Weight training
Sunscreen

I’m heartened by the sensible responses on here. Not especially easy fixes but will make you feel as well as look better. Good luck

For those that have given up alcohol, genuine question - how much were you drinking before?

I have probably 3-4 glasses of something (wine or a cocktail) over the course of the weekend, which I really enjoy. Nothing during the week. When I've gone no alcohol for Dry January I haven't felt any different at all, in looks, weight, overall quality of sleep or energy.

Wondering if at that rate it's worth giving up?

For me, dropping from 2 or 3 units most days to 1 or 2 once or twice a week made a difference, I think my body doesn’t mind it at that level but all through the week is too much.

Weirdly growing my hair. I had short and what I thought was trendy hair in my 40s and now I realise I just looked mumsy. Now it’s longer I wear younger clothes and have a younger style. Long earrings, less formal style, lighter make up ~ I look years younger.

Tretinoin
Sleep
Exercise

Vaseline over creams and serums around the eyes and lips every night.

Sunglasses every day when outside.

Stay slim or lose weight if your overweight.

A bit of colour with gradual tan drops.

Look after your teeth.

No alcohol, clean fresh diet, plenty of water, sleep and exercise

Watching for inspo

No alcohol, no smoking, hrt if you are perimenopause, daily broadspectrum SPF of at least 50, reapplied if more than 2 hours in the sun. Not just a moisturiser or makeup or bb or cc cream with spf in it as you won't use a thick enough layer.

Retinol or tretinoin (prescription only but there are online dermatology services dermatica and skin+me). Medik8 crystal retinal is good for sensitive skin. Retinol can be very irritating and drying. Tret can too. Skin can get used to them though.

Exfoliating acids (AHA, BHA, PHA), be careful if your skin is sensitive. Paula's choice are probably the best to try, you can buy travel sizes. Biologique Recherche is the expensive but amazing brand. So many cheaper options out there too, can't vouch for any of them. Glycolic acid is harshest I think, lactic and salicylic and mandelic are more gentle and can be moisturising/hydrating.

Tranexamic acid for evening skin tone and marks from break outs. Not an exfoliating acid.

Hydrating your skin as well as moistruing it, vichy mineral 89 is popular but I find cosrx snail mucin essence stuff a lot better, obviously weird and problematic if you are vegan.

Vitamin C but has to be a good one especially if you have sensitive skin, Skinceuticals C E F is the most expensive and best, geek and gorgeous is meant to be good. Vitamin C can be irritating too but gives a great glow. Can help fade dark spots.

Non irritating options are peptides, you'd have to look to see what companies offer them in anti ageing formulas. Matrixyl is the most common as far as I know. I used The Ordinary peptides and they were fine. Boots no 7 not as effective.

Foreo Bear electric device thing. I use mine with the Cosrx stuff. Makes me look less tired and fresher I suppose. Gives a slight lift around the eyes and provides glow. It's probably the easiest, cheapest (after initial purchase) and laziest thing to do as it doesn't require any great routine or layers of serums and so on. Clean face, slap on gel, massage face for 3-5 minutes, moisturiser, spf if morning time. Two or 3 times a week.

Arrrghhh for all the ‘no alcohol’. I lovw drinking, tho at 48 it is affecting my sleep.

People often think I am much younger, so mine would be -

sleep
water
no upfs
face yoga on YouTube while using a micro nuface. I do ‘Pilate by Lisa ‘ anti aging facial yoga.
Exercise. Skipping rowing weights yoga. Can all be done at home (well if you buy a rower).

a lot of how people perceive you is about posture. So get fit and strong. Plus your clothes will fit better.

smile a lot.

SPF 50 all year round.

Really good facial every 4 weeks.

Botox every 9 months or so (or is that classes as surgical?). I have it between my eyebrows and where crows feet would be, and a tiny bit at the corners of my mouth to stop the droop.

Caster oil on my face at night. I swear it makes my eyebrows and eyelashes grow and my skin looks great.

Staying slim and keeping your teeth in good order. Whitening helps.

Oh, and HRT. I’m 52. My friends that are on HRT are definitely less wrinkly than the few that aren’t.

Try a gua sha. It has made such a difference to my skin. There are loads of tutorials on line, five minutes before bed has vastly improved my skin.

Water and lots of it.

A great fitting bra makes such a difference to your overall figure.

Moisturise...hands, chest and face especially, I exfoliate regularly and my skin is feeling the benefit.

Walking 10000 steps (especially outside) as a minimum each day helps me with fitness, mental clarity and sleep.

Am fitter and slimmer and more energetic at 52 than ever before. As others have said: no alcohol it fucks with your sleep; sleep more; clean up your diet (less sugar, no UPF, protein and lots of fruit and veggies); exercise (I run and have a PT so I lift weights; stretch every day). All of those will help with making you sleep better. Reduce caffeine. Sun cream. Haircut, makeup and clothes that fit properly and suit you and make you feel good.

Have to concur with Sleep, sleep ,sleep!

I mean proper deep healthy sleep not passing out dehydrated ...

It's when our cells get a chance to regenerate, beauty sleep = not a myth.

Agree with most of these. I've had a gradual make-over the past year, and the things that have worked for me are:

-no alcohol (especially if you are a heavy drinker, that alters the skin texture hugely but can be reversed)
-a little exercise (whatever you like to do)
-collagen tablets (could be hype but my hair and nails are fantastic)
-check you are not iron-deficient, thyroid, all the usual middle-aged problems
-moisturise everything all the time, especially neck and bust
-lose weight but not too much (need to plump out wrinkles)
-very light fake tan
-braces
-light bright make-up copied off YouTube

I see it more as shoring up the future than anything drastic, no interest in injectables, surgery, complex skin routines, although I can see they might work, I just look fitter and move more like a younger person, many people have commented on it.

@sunshinechaser and others who recommend SPF and Tretinoin - what order do you put your products on in?

I'm afraid I've just been a moisturise and go girl for a long time. I would like to try Tret though. Is it SPF and then moisturiser and then Tret?

I like the tips here marking place

why? Water sleep no alcohol. Hardly revolutionary 🤔

Thanks for all other recommendations. All sounds really accessible and sensible, nothing outlandish.

I only have a few glasses of wine on the weekend but judging from these comments, I'll cut that out. And also I'll establish an exercise routine. Since having babies, all of that has gone out of the window.

And sleep! I do stay up until about 1am every night so I'll try to be better on that front. Plus I'll invest in some new skin care and maybe some botox.

I've got a year to go so hoping the above will give me some decent changes.

Tret at night under moisturiser. I like Vintner's Daughter oil patted over the moisturiser at night. SPF during the day.

I turned 50 last year and wanted to do something just for me. So I got a lip blush (looks great but was bloody painful) and microblading on my eyebrows. Both subtly make me look a bit more youthful and fresh faced without veneers needing any makeup. I also have t section highlights that work brilliantly at hiding the greys