To feel a bit of sadness to see looks gradually fading

[Maisyblue]

Just that really, I wonder if we all take it for granted when we have young fresh faces. I can remember when looking in the mirror first thing in the morning before putting makeup on wasn't an unpleasant sight. Now it's a bit of a scary sight. Also it gets longer to get ready now to look half decent. Isn't it a bit sad to see the face that was once young and glowing slowly start to fade.

MIL's always had a granny perm, LaQueen. She also had all her teeth removed at a young age, which did nothing to make her not look old.

And I am embracing the grey, but I have dark hair with a well executed short, textured cut, so it sparkles in the sunlight. I like the contrast. I try not to go too long between cuts because, when it grows to a certain length, it does age me by about a decade.

I do not feel like the person I see in the mirror in the mornings. I can scrub up quite well, but have to admit, I'm really too much overweight.

I'm beginning to feel that people view me differently though, compared with 10/20 years ago. I still feel 30, and have the confidence in my appearance I had then. It's just the blasted mirror and camera that let me down.

Dh told his work colleagues recently that "yeah, clam used to be stunning." Stupid arse forgot they were all assertive feminist types. They nearly lynched him. As did I when it got back to me!

If you hare overweight you face tends to look more youthful but you are carrying the weight. If you go for a slim frame, your face looks more drawn.

Can't win really. Guess that's where botox comes in. All these skinny women with plump faces.

My mum asked the dentist to remove all of her teeth when she was 20 and pregnant. Gumsy from 20 by choice - yikes!

I have a couple of close female relatives (not related to each other) who are in their 70s. I don't think of them as being old ladies. I see them as being youthful, based on their personalities, attidudes to life, what they do with their lives, the way they laugh, walk, move. With the ageing process, I think it's a mistake to focus on superficial things like wrinkles, sagging etc which are inevitable. I think having a sense of vitality, exercising, challenging yourself etc are all doable things that help maintain quality of life and a youthful outlook.

That's right Bam. I think my chubby chops make me look younger. But I can't getting jeans past my knees.
They say it's your figure or your face. Nigella said saggy-face was her number one weight-loss fear.

LaQueen everything you say is just making me feel worse about myself!

I had to have a premolar removed and couldn't afford an implant so have a gap that's probably visible when I laugh.

The general concept of 'beauty' is to have regular, symmetrical features, clear complexion, well shaped lips, good teeth and good hair.

I'm quite asymmetrical, my skin is crap - have never grown out of spots, my teeth are rubbish and always have been and my hair's thinnish and tends to frizz. Oh and my posture's crap due to a chronic back problem.

Good job I've got nice eyes. I look ok as long as I don't smile a lot.

I am 45.

I looked good til I was 42.

Thought 'why's everyone stressing at this ageing lark?". No wrinkles, slim, good hair.

43 struck - OMFG. Grey hair, wrinkles, middle aged spread. SHIT.

I still make an effort, still look 'nice' but it ain't the same.

OP you are not being unreasonable I'm afraid.

LaQueen I also have a phobia about dentists, so the thought of letting a dentistry student loose in my mouth would be just about my worst nightmare!

It's not so bad - spots can be covered, hair can be straightened/curled. Most bits can be enhanced or camouflaged - my teeth and upper arms bother me the most as they're not so easy to disguise.

I've just hennaed my hair (for the first time since my twenties) to cover up the grey (why are they the texture of pubes? Whyyyyyyyy????). Big improvement I think.

Oh and if anyone wants to see how symmetrical their face is, this site it brilliant. We've all been marvelling at how different our 'right face' looks to our 'left face' - you upload a picture of your face, taken straight on, then bring the slider to the centre of your face (quite hard if you're as asymmetrical as me). It mirrors each side to make a whole face.
www.pichacks.com/

I think it's very reasonable to mourn the changes to your looks as you age. It's not just a vanity thing either, it's symbolic of moving beyond your youth really, too. I'll be fifty in a few weeks, and I think (hope) I'm looking reasonable for it. Deeply freaky though is that the older I get, the more I am looking like my mother. This is not necessarily bad, just strange! Until a few years back, I'd have said I look more like Dad. Without the beard, obviously. Life deals us odd hands sometimes.

Ah, now see, I have the beard Foxglove.

You look gorgeous in that pic Crabby. Lovely eyes!

You have lovely eyes Crabby

Aw thanks! Not beautiful though, not by a long shot. Quite pretty from the right angle, in the right light, with a bit of slap on.

Look... one side of my face is quite pretty (that's the mirrored image of my right side), whilst the left would curdle milk and scare the horses. Even my mouth is lopsided - my 'right face' mouth is a little smiley, the left one... really not!

So thank you LaQueen for making me think about symmetry. We (DP, DD and I) whiled away an hour laughing at our different faces this afternoon!

who is fading? With the invention of hair straightening products, I am now really happy with how I look (swish...)

ok, so there are some wrinkles and facial sagging. The knees hurt - but that's because I've used them a lot. So what?

haven't read whole thread, but what I see is that those of who don't wear make up regularly seem a lot happier in our skins. Perhaps because we don't scrutinise them so much?

am also happy to be here and healthy.

50 next year, asymmetrical and proud of it.

That means you're perfect symmetrical then LaQueen. I think it's more amusing for the wonky-faced amongst us. And thank you!

Crabby, I'm sure you're a lovely person, but you're utterly, completely insane. You look fantastic, from every side.

You don't have to be prissy pretty/symmetrical to be beautiful, of course you don't. Those are the meh women in middle age, the junior Sophia Loren's, Mrs Le Bons just rock. Far more interesting than twee symmetry! Jeez, please be kind to yourselves, I never have but am starting too and it's rather good.