I've done everything possible and still aged

[Cheeeeeeese]

I don't drink, never smoked, wear spf50 every day, moisturiser every day, use retinol, tretinoin, and so on. I sleep well 90% of the time, no children etc.
My diet isn't perfect, but this is all I can think of.
Despite this, I've still got crows feet, lines under my eyes and dark circles.
I am only 31 but presume the worst is yet to come. It's frustrating to already feel that I'm looking 'tired' at this age.
I've always looked after my skin well, yet I've still got these signs around my eyes already.

All I can think of is that they don't actually work? I'm using prescription strength products too. Does anyone else feel like this?

🥳

I think genetics have a very good say in it , I’m 10 years older than you and I smoked all my life , I’m still to see those crows feet and barcode lines around my mouth ( not that I’m boasting)

All I can think of is that they don't actually work?

All skin products can do is cleanse, moisturise or dry the skin; or act as a barrier, as in UV protection.

They can't stop or reverse ageing. You are wasting money if you buy anything more than basic moisturiser or sun cream. Of course if you like the fragrance, packaging or kudos of an expensive product, fair enough, but it won't do any more than a tub of Nivea.

I think people who have smoked for years but say they don't look it might be a bit deluded. I can always tell someone who's smoked for years.

It's genetic. I am older, I will be 36 in February. I have no crows feet and no wrinkles. I have 2 kids, a lack of sleep and not the best diet. I've had dark circles since my early 20s though.

Summymumma
what collagen would you recommend please? Thanks .

I saw a dermatologist state that a cream is for moisture and a cheap one will do the job. Spf is good to protect and retinol, Botox or surgery is the only thing that can reverse damage.

I can guarantee you can’t

Downhill from here my friend.

I have lines that rival Gordon Ramsey.

I've been very good with SPF, sleep, good diet but meh, there's more important things to worry about.

I'm more worried about my 23andMe (DNA testing website) saying I might go blind as I age.

My dad does. He's 72 and easily looks 60
However he washes his face with anything that foams I've seen him use fairy liquid and last wore SPF in "that summer in the 70s when it was boiling" so I have no anti ageing tips from him!

I use tret which has helped a lot and my skin looks a lot better, I started it for acne originally

As everyone else has said, it's largely down to genetics, and there's nothing you do about that. Try to stop inspecting yourself for signs of aging. You're probably our own harshest critic, anyway. A little makeup hides the dark circles, and you're good to go.

Last I checked, I don't have much in the way of wrinkles (yet), but I do still suffer from the occasional spot or two and "have" to pluck stray hairs daily. We all have something, and eventually it catches up to all of us.

Honestly, just enjoy your life and be happy and be a good person. That will make you far more an attractive person than any cream or diet.

Worrying about this inconsequential crap will age you! Some is genetics, some is luck, some is lifestyle and the rest isn’t worth worrying about. I’m 45 and I can tell you that it gets way bloody worse in your 40’s and is not worth a second of your worrying.

White bread and too much sugar arent great.I am a great lover of white crusty bread.I have recently taken Brown bread instead. Waitrose do a lovely baguette .Also a choccie lover too but small oranges ,pink lady apples and raspberries make a healthy option as well (Obv choccie for a treat!) If you are only 31 you will benefit from a good moisturiser ,and giving the sun a miss as well.Also try to sleep well if you can and not too much of the hard stuff! I am sure you look fine ATM but these tips will all help

@Cheeeeeeese

Try this
laurenconrad.com/blog/2017/04/beauty-diary-how-i-got-rid-of-my-under-eye-dark-circles-in-one-week/

Water plus a decrease in caffeine has helped me a lot

I don't want to discount your feelings, BUT you probably don't look as old as you think you do. No one is looking at you as closely as you look at yourself.

Keep up the healthy lifestyle and the spf. Otherwise, I don’t think the rest makes a huge difference to the natural ageing process and our genes.

At 46, I’m starting to look my age - and I’m ok with it. Honestly, most people do look about their age whatever they think or whatever they do.

I have friends who use hardcore retinol type stuff, friends who get Botox and fillers etc. Does it improve some ‘imperfections’? Sure. Does it make them feel more confident and happier with how they look? Yes. Do they look younger than their actual age? No.

In my forties now, when I look at people my age and older I see ‘youthfulness’ in people who are fairly fit and healthy, take care of themselves and have a bit of spark and joy in their lives. I see Botox in people who use Botox, not necessarily ‘youth’. (That’s not a criticism, btw) and I don’t believe the hype about prescription skincare unless you have specific issues like acne, rosacea etc. Trust me, tret etc will be replaced with some other miracle ingredient pushed by dermatologists and the beauty industry in 5,4,3,2,1…

😂 I genuinely still get asked for ID and I’m at least double the age limit
Everyone said a good 15-20 years ago that I wouldn’t mind it one day.. they were right

I think it's mostly genetics tbh.

I'd say go on fb and really look at the pictures of the people you know who are your age. I expect a good proportion of them are similarly aged!

You can get laser treatment for this. No idea how much it costs.

Live fast: leave a good looking corpse, as they say!

Just to add, over Christmas I saw one of my cousins for the first time since pre-covid. He's just turned 35, and has always been a good looking guy, but I really noticed the aging on him. He wasn't the good looking young chap I'd always seen him as, and suddenly he was a very average looking bloke in his mid-30s.

There’s nothing wrong with looking 36 if you’re 36, or 58 if you’re 58. There is nothing wrong with being or looking older, except that the beauty industry has brainwashed us into thinking it’s possible and desirable to look 25 forever

You made the mistake of posting on MN which consistently seems to have an extraordinarily high number of posters constantly mistaken for being 10 years younger than they are

I know right? What are the odds...

I was told keeping hydrated helped with dark circles under the eyes.

I had to ask for ID for people of all different ages - it was just a requirement of the system. It didn't mean I thought the OAPs were actually teenagers trying to buy a bottle of wine with a fake ID.

Oddly enough, one of the biggest age giveaways when asking for ID was the people who expected me to be shocked by their age (the 'go on! you'll never guess how old I really am!' types). I never was.