AIBU to ask at what age did you start to look 'old' and what did you do about it?

[fortunatelynot]

Shamelessly posting her for traffic as I am now fed up of ALWAYS looking tired.

I am 43 and I think I now look 'old'. Of course those little lines have been gradually creeping up over the years and at times I've looked in the mirror and thought I looked a bit haggard, but, with a bit of make up and extra sleep, things have always fallen back into place and/or make up hid them.

Seriously - at what age did you get the crows feet, laughter lines and bags? And what did you do about it?

I have worn sunscreen for a few years but didn't as a youngster. I have never smoked and I don't drink much (although used to). I sleep pretty well and work out regularly. I take my make up off each night and put on moisturiser. My diet is reasonable. I admit I'm not exactly obsessed with maintenance but I don't think I'm neglectful of myself either. I work long hours in a stressful job.

Genuinely interested to hear of anybody who has succeeded in making themselves look less tired or any anti ageing tips I'm missing!

Mild Botox before you get wrinkles, stops them developing

Someone once told me that you look old when you look in the mirror and see your mother look back at you.
That’s what I felt when I looked in the mirror on my 50th birthday.
All the lotions and potions , from cheap, vegan, holistic and high end make absolutely no difference whatsoever.
Embrace your age!

Me - 35.
I partied hard in my 20's, smoked 17-27 and I like wine.

How do I fix it?

Botox.

I’m 50 and can see the jowls and deep lines nose to mouth now. I just look really tired all the time. I’m having some fillers and Botox tomorrow - first time, and I’m looking forward to seeing the results, although I’ve been told not to expect a huge difference as this type of treatment is subtle. Hopefully not too subtle!

Early nights
No cigarettes, no alcohol.
I put coconut oil on my face every night.
Retinol cream.
I have a facial cleansing machine which exfoliates my skin.
Suncream every day.
No sunbathing/sunbeds
Lots of water
Fish oil and biotin supplements
However i have a big sweet tooth and I know sugar is supposed to accelarate ageing.
Also need to work on my stress levels as I have a very anxious personality.

Here is Bloke's 2 step program for the retrieval of youth.
(1) (this is optional): leave your dreadful marriage.
(2) (this is compulsory): find a young lover.

I'm 38 and am starting to look a bit knackered of a morning. Combination of working FT, 2 kids ,commute etc.

I really look like shit if I don't sleep well, am hungover and don't drink water.
5o look younger i:

Drink water like a madman
Wear fake tan
Only wear colours that suit me
Keep below 140 lbs (very hard, but I feel and look older if I gain weight)
Eat really, really well 95% of the time.
Get outside lots
Wear minimal make up.
Sleep as much as possible.
Use nivea blue tub all the time. Reading these comments on here though I obviously need to up my game skin wise!

56 tomorrow and look it! Not many wrinkles at all in my face but the nose to mouth lines are deeper and the mouth to chin ones which make me look permanently grumpy :-(
Hate the crepey neck and old lady hands with some age spots appearing!!

Am trying a Vitamin C oil serum thingy, and an under eye oil to try and lighten the cavernous dark circles..

I look like a zombie.

To look younger I :

🙄

I'm 37 on Friday and I've started to look old in the last year. I got puffy eyes and cheeks are starting to sag and eyebrow creases as I seem to frown accidentally without realising I'm doing it

Oh god yes I have the cavernous dark circles too. Got some under eye concealer, looks slightly better I suppose.

What sunscreens are you all wearing on your face? Most of them are greasy or leave a chalky white film..

I'm a teacher and I had like 9 hours sleep a night over the recent Christmas holidays. My dark circles vanished as well as any eye bags, and I felt like I looked years younger. Back to it now though and the effects haven't lasted. 😂

Fuck this thread is depressing.

I'm 59. Not too many wrinkles and still quite firm. About 30% grey and a good hairdresser is fab.

Have always tanned, drunk too much wine and love food. Also work far too hard 50 to 55 hr weeks, and had dc late.

Am told I pass for 49. Three things help: love, genetics and money. Sorry I know that's not what anyone wants to hear.

I've found changing my skin care routine has helped my sensitive, rosacea prone skin so much, and it looks younger too.

I researched The Ordinary online, their products are great and so reasonable. Boots stock a part range in bigger stores and online or available on Beauty Bay or Cult Beauty. I love Marine Hydraluronics as a moisturising serum, squalane oil is very moisturising and gentler on sensitive skin than rosehip oil, azelaic acid is great for texture and rosacea.

The Inkey List (buy on Cult Beauty) and Garden of Wisdom (buy on Victoria Health are supposed to be good and reasonable too.

The Ordinary have a range of retinols. I'm currently trying The Inkey List's Bakuchiol - it's a natural version of retinol which can be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women.

I am 43 too, worse thing is l am too heavy, losing a few pounds makes me look younger but losing too many makes you look old again! Always bloody something!! I would rather grow old with grace than have work done...know a few who have and honestly l think they look worse for it

Eve Lom factor 50 at all times @dementedma

Oh yes definitely exfoliate if you haven't been up until now, it's important to do your face and neck, with appropriate products for your skin type and areas you want to use them on if course. Also keeping clear if you can of things like soap, products with alcohol in and perfumed items. Though you might like a fragrance to things, I personally don't and notice the difference in terms of reactions, if I do use something perfumed. Even exfoliating once a week will be good, any moisturisers/treatments you put on afterwards will sink in better. I would recommend doing exfoliating at night, therefore your fresh skin is not exposed to external factors. Also making sure you wear a moisturiser they say with an SPF 30. A regular sleep pattern of course helps too, where possible. As you say, you are in a stressful job with long hours, it takes it's toll on the body. So try to rest up when you can.

@princessTiasmum I started off with real hair wigs, which look good but are harder to look after I find. They seemed to go frizzy quite easily. So now I wear synthetic wigs which last quite a while and look realistic too, while being easier to look after.

Real hair wigs can be styled as normal but it's not that easy to do I find due to the wig moving around! Synthetic can't be styled but retain their style as when bought.

Also, using an oil and using a jade gua shua before cleansing helped with skin texture and rosacea (google it, I got them cheaply on amazon, just check they are actually jade and not plastic!). It is the facial gua shua, not the tortuous body one

Give up alcohol! I stopped drinking 6 months ago and it’s made such a difference. My skin is clearer, definitely less wrinkly, my dark circles under my eyes are less noticeable and my hair looks thicker and healthier.

I'm 50 and told I look younger, but frankly I think people say that automatically because they think they ought to. I have been using The Ordinary products for the last 18 months or so and I think my skin is better. If not then psychologically I feel it's better. I've always been a bit underweight and I've put on half a stone which aesthetically is probably better. I wouldn't start having Botox in case I like the effects, as I'm very addictive by nature.

I don't really think I look or feel "old" but I have a youthful 62 year old sister and an incredibly sprightly and elegant nearly 90 year old mother. I certainly don't think either of them look "old".

I probably care a bit less than I used to though, which is quite freeing.

@princessTiasmum I have used wigs from www.hothair.co.uk and can really recommend them. There's a franchise is Selfridges which I went to initially, to check out colour matching and style, then ordered on line.

I have synthetic wigs and find them very easy to look after. I wash them every two to four weeks, depending on the weather. I don't wear them in the house. You mustn't let them come into contact with heat, not only hairdryers but also opening the oven door and things like that.

I do have a reasonable amount of hair that's grown back now, but I suspect that it'll never be as thick as it was, so I'm happy to stick with wigs. It makes getting ready in the mornings an awful lot faster!