At what age do your looks fade?

[Katie901]

I am coming up to 30 and really worried about this

I'm 37 and men still turn around to look at me in the street, especially if I'm wearing anything nicer than jeans and a hoodie so I can't look too bad

I'm sure you're lovely, but some men check everyone out.

I didn’t start out looking good, so I don’t think I’ve changed much over the years. I went back to my hometown after 20+ years and was recognized by someone I didn’t recognize, so I can’t have changed that much.

I look haggared at 36 🤷‍♀️🥺 I never used any anti ageing lotions and potions or spf regularly, so am now reaping the rewards. It does suck, but when I see gorgeous celebs who have ruined their looks with cosmetic surgery, I remember time waits for no man. Nobody but nobody can look young forever. I’m trying to embrace it 🤷‍♀️

I agree with this. I know several women in their 60s, even 80s, who are absolutely stunning. So striking and distinguished. Looks change. There’s no reason you need to think of them as fading.

I personally think a happy smiley face is always beautiful 😊

I'm 43 and very (tired!), on the upside I've dabbled in online dating, and probably never had so much attention?... I don't dye my greys, nor worn makeup the past decade. I definitely look my age! But I also don't post any filtered pics... Folk seem to find all of the above refreshing to be honest? I get lots of interest and feedback. So surely I'm not horrifying anyone?... I'm way happier in my skin these days, and I think it shines out in both my personality/confidence?... I was a wreck in my 20s.... Yet thin/kinda pretty ☺️

I'm early 50's and look early 40's - I can't 'better' looking a decade younger than my actual age

But I definitely look middle aged, no one would mistake me for being in my 30's anymore

I looked freshest/best at 35

I’m 48.

I feel better about my looks than I ever have. In my 20s and 30s, I wouldn’t leave the house without makeup, not even to pop for a pint of milk.

Now, after losing weight, giving up alcohol, getting fitter, having a touch of Botox and some subtle filler (thanks to weight loss, my face fell off), I feel great. Eyelashes and eyebrows are dyed, I have a good skincare routine. I actually travelled to London the other week with no makeup on. Unheard of.

So, yes, I have to put the groundwork in more than ever before, and I’m not going to say it’s cheap. But there are things you can do to feel good about your looks at any age.

I mean, I wish I didn’t give a fuck, and could just accept the ageing process, but I’m afraid I do. I’m going down fighting.

Its quite gradual but mainly in your 50s so you have a way to go yet OP

I think there are "stages" I don't look bad now (see user name).

I became a junior doctor at 24 and the long hours and night shifts stole that "youthful glow". However I then had 2 lots of maternity leave (my skin loves pregnancy) and went part time, my looks pretty much stood still for 10 years (27-37). Then there was another change and at 42 I couldn't have passed for 29/30 anymore, however I haven't changed much since then (no more night shifts retinol 3X a week since then, plant based diet, hardly drink). The menopause is on the horizon and I am expecting another change tbh.

I reckon 70

Agree with @CaptainTroy op, think about the parts of your identity that aren't YOUTH

I'm 52 and don't feel I've faded. I'm still me. I am allowed to age. I know I'm older, but I actually like myself more now than I did.

I prefer how I look at 37 to when I was 21, I just like my lived in face more. My confidence is higher. I've have really strong features and people have always assumed I'm older because of them so I think I've maybe finally grown into my face.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall is mid 70s. I genuinely think she looks better now than she did in her youth. She’s stunning.

I think people mean youth when they say looks. I mean, at what age did I lose my youthful glow, probably mid 30s.

Lol. Sheathe your claws. It's not a competition.

Lol?

Is that to me? Competition isn't the motive on an anonymous thread. I just don't think validation about your appearance from random men is worth much.

The fact you're worried about turning 30 (!!) OP is quite sad.

To be fair, I was more concerned about aging when I turned 30 than when I was 40 (and had 2 under 3 and was considering a third) or 50 (when I was mainly pissed off about having a lockdown big birthday). 60 is going to be mega!

I’m 45 and my neck is so wrinkled now especially since I lost weight. Thinking of having some Botox in it. I never thought I’d do that as I’m not vain, hardly wear makeup but it’s so noticeable and gets me down. I’ve definitely noticed my female school friends are getting wrinkles too so but I do think most look great. Found a photo of me 18yrs ago yesterday and my fresh looked so fresh!

@Darbs76 botox won’t do anything for your neck, the only answer to that is surgery. That’s why so many actresses and other women in the public eye have faces and necks that don’t match. Nobody will notice except you. I look at photos of me and my friends when we were young and think what blank pages our faces were. Life has given them character.

I reckon I looked pretty much the same from about 18-32. When I was younger people always thought I was older and then when I hit my mid-20s people always thought I was way younger than I was, which lasted up to my early 30s. It was around my mid-30s that I started to notice the ‘oh my god, no way, I thought you were much younger!’ comments started to stop and now I’m 37 and think I pretty much look my age. I don’t personally believe that looking young is the be-all and end-all of looking good but it’s probably what most people mean when they talk about looks fading.

Nowadays I feel like I need to make a bit more effort if I want to look good - I think I still scrub up well but I can no longer get away with a cheap haircut and a home dye job, I have to splash the cash at an avrjsl
hairdresser, and a decent tinted moisturiser works wonders for giving me a nice glow when I could have got away with a bare face before.

I don’t drink and I take good care of my skin and I’ve noticed that also makes a huge difference to how I look. I compare photos of my face now with photos from when I used to drink a lot (and hadn’t yet discovered skincare) and the difference is actually shocking.

You can take care of yourself and look after your appearance but ultimately aging is something that you literally cannot stop and being ‘so worried’ about it is a complete waste of energy. Try to learn to embrace the changes as they happen, they’re all part of who you are!

Menopause. Up till then, many women still look great. After that it’s mainly personality…

30? Long way to go!

I look noticeably older and just generally shit since I had my kids. I had my first at 35 and I'm now 38. Before then I'd say my looks were already fading from hitting 30 ish. I was very good looking up to my mid twenties then they started to fade as I got fatter.

Yes it was to you. Whenever a woman refers to her attractiveness someone pops up with tiresome predictability to put her in her place.

I love how some women just can't stand another woman getting any attention.

I'm not talking about builders, I'm talking about normal men walking along holding their partners' hand etc. Or rushing in front of me so they can open a door. It happens a lot less than it did in my twenties but the point is I'm quite surprised it happens at all. I'm sure there's definitely an age where it stops happening and you become invisible.

You're jealous and it's obvious.

I don't need 'validation' from men. I know I'm attractive. I was pretty forthright about feeling I'd lost my looks quite a bit over the past few years, so not sure why you feel the need to be so catty. It's very sad.