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. 😩

Stop smoking. Assuming you don’t smoke! – next best things I’ve done –

– exercise – not for the weight loss but for the skin. I sometimes look 5 years younger after a long, brisk walk. There’s also research evidence that within 6 months you can change your skin structure and thicken your skin with regular vigorous exercise. Also toned muscles make a huge difference to appearance and how you carry yourself

– Break from alcohol

– sounds improbable, but having a raw veg / fruit smoothie of a morning. Me and my partner tried it once (for a few weeks) a few years ago, and were shocked at how glowing and sparkling and deeply radiant we looked. It was honestly striking! (And we eat a lot of veg anyway.) We didn’t keep it up (think not long after covid hit and we could barely be arsed to wash) – we should prob start again!

– drinking water

– Skin & Me subscription. My skin looks better (doesn’t include tret – just azaleic acid & niacinimide). They also have a nice vitamin E thing which also left my skin looking noticeably nicer, every time I used it

@WayOutOfLine and got anyone else taking collagen .. any brands that you would recommend? Thanks

And "for"not "got" sorry typo**

Just make sure it’s hydrolysed, don’t worry about getting expensive little capsules from some heavily promoted anti-aging brand, they’ll barely make a difference. You can get big tubs of it and should be adding it in scoops to your coffee (or whatever preferred) to see a difference. It’ll get used in the body first where you need it most – joints will improve before skin. There was a brand a nutrition academic used, I’ll see if I can find it

Hiya,

long post as I think youre asking about whole body.

First things first, get a good bra and good underwear. Make sure your posture is good and mental attitude - think like Gen Xer - f everything and everyones opinion cos it doesnt matter.

onto invasive stuff. I've tried fillers, botox and fat reduction freezing/injections. Forget fillers they look completely false. If you want your lips to look bigger get them tattooed and blushed.
Botox works but less is more natural looking, so you'd need to go at least quarterly.

Freezing fat I saw no changes from but injections, I have for stubborn fat on my neck are working.

Ive recently found a new beautician and she is awesome.The salon is called Dermaskinology and is in Coventry.

I had a cup facial, she used it on my eyelids and I saw the effect immediately. How long it lasts, who knows, but i can still see the difference 24 hours later! The beautician uses medical grade korean products and yesterday, I had a microneedling (0.5mm) facial with the tightening serum. I go for that length needle cos it doesnt hurt at all, deeper and I can feel it (blooming sensitive skin). My skin was feels tighter and the same today and I look more lifted - reduced lines and brow furrow, so Im really happy. I am scheduled to go every 4 weeks.

I'd also recommend a trip to Vidal Sassoons Academy in London for a good hair cut if you dont have a great hairdresser.

For clothes, try everything on in a shop even if you feel you cant be bothered do it cos then youll know if the clothes work.

After no 2 child in 2002, I was a still a size bigger and feeling down, so bought some clothes from M&S. The fake leather jeans were the biz and made me feel a lot less frumpy!!!

Good luck most of us mums have been there...

Wearing makeup makes the biggest difference for me. Also, tooth whitening. Crest white strips (from America!). And highlights. A bit of blonde around the face seems to make me look younger and fresher.

@LaBelleEtLeBadBoy brilliant thank you so much for the collagen info I'm going to get some

I’ve found that it’s not that that makes the difference so don’t worry if not able to take it. It’s the other things that age you most, like alcohol, poor diet, poor hydration,too much stress, not using spf. I know people who take it and don’t take it and I‘ve not seen any difference.

Thank you! What brand are the syringes?

Some great tips! I find it hard to get enough sleep as I get kids to bed at 8 and this is my time to clean, wash up, get school bags ready and then sit down and relax. If I went to sleep at a good time how would I do all this? Don’t get home till 6pm once I e finished work and picked kids up.

They are Philips ones - you can get them from the dentists there are day wear or night wear ones that are different strengths. They can be also bought online but make sure reputable website.

Oh God, I'm so bad with most of these. Have an spf 50 face cream. Forget to use it, forget to drink, rubbish at sleep, skincare routine?

I'm going to look like a ball bag as I age.

Acceptance and studying, learning something new particularly something academic was so stimulating.

Embracing that older part of me prevented me from fighting back myself and becoming desperate to stay young, when actually I am perfectly happy to age, I have had an amazing time and now something new awaits me. Writing a book, launching a business or learning to sail.
I look beautiful because I am beautiful with my new creases and lines. With my history and life experience etched on my body, it is an achievement not something to erase. In my view, I have faced death more than once, and every day you are here is a blessing after a certain age that should not be wasted on an impossible pursuit.

Profhilo
High protein diet
Tretinoin
Skilfully placed facial fillers

@Meetingofminds I have a very interesting job so I do get what you are saying. It seems to me that much of what is being suggested here is having a sensible lifestyle for bodies as we age. There's nothing fun about obese, having your joints go, and not being able to do even simple tasks because you are too unfit, I know because this happened to me! I think mid-fifties you do have a bit of a cross-roads on that front. I'm not going to pretend that I don't also value looking good as well as I do, it makes me feel more like me and puts a spring in my step, but even if all you do is stay hydrated, exercise or move more, and eat a little better and drink less, this pays off immeasurably as you age, and then you get to do more fun stuff like study new and interesting things or meet new people.

I did a few months ago, husband said last week it’s knocked 5 years off me.

Had botox and cut my hair

Lose weight

I look at least five years younger

Oil - on face, body & in food!
Facial Oil at least twice week at bed time.
Dry oil on body after shower or bath.
I always remember something the actor Anna Chancellor said about looking younger: that skin is basically leather & you keep leather shiny & supple by oiling & moisturising it so oil your skin!
Food: cook with olive oil, take an Omega 3 or Omega 3,6,9 supplement & eat good fats e.g avocado, nuts, oily fish.

Smile lots even when you are not feeling it & have a good laugh.

Also plenty of sleep, water, & spf even if it's just in your make up or face moisturiser as it's better than nothing!

The biggest thing which has made the quickest difference to how I feel and look has been doing the Caroline Girvan programmes on YouTube. My body no longer feels weak (which comes from losing muscle mass as you age). It is also helping my reactions to stressful situations. I really recommend!

Morpheus8 treatments 2/3 times a year. Completely transformed my skin.

Just following for the tios!

*tips

Teeth whitening a almost zero alcohol

I lost weight and now I look older! Only lost about a stone and half 😆