Help! The years have suddenly caught up with me and I look so wrinkly and old.

[Cinnabunbun]

I use sunscreen every day in summer but at 39 all of a sudden I look really old. I've gone from always being told I look young for my age to looking much older than I am just within the space of a year really. Not sure if it's the impact of the latest baby or the lack of sleep or what but it isn't pretty.

Is it too late? Is there any kind of miracle cream to undo them? Clever blurring foundation or tinted moisturiser out there?

Retin a (tretinoin) might be worth looking into. Supposedly the only thing that really works. Can't get in the uk without a prescription. Need to order online. There's loads of threads about it. A quick google will point you in the right direction.

Yep it was 39 for me too - maybe that's the magic aging number which is wierd given that 36 is touted as being the age that a woman is most beautiful.
No magic answers I'm afraid - Botox and fillers are the only real tangible solution. Topical your mile may vary but retinol, acids for exfoliation, vit A for brightening, hyaluronic acid for plumping and sunscreen. Don't get sucked into stem cell tech - that stuffs not proven and usually spendy. And biggest tip is healthy lifestyle and if you're under/normal weight, put on half a stone - plumps up face nicely.

Also you should be wearing a minimum of factor 25 every day not just in the summer. Try having it in everything: eye cream ( people always forget about spf in eye cream), moisturiser, foundation, finishing powder etc.

I'm 38, and I suddenly went from being called "miss" or "young lady" to "mam."

And I notice I aged suddenly too.

I use sunblock (religiously) since my 20s - I should have started sooner.

Wait til you get to 45

I want to cry! Despite having pale, freckly skin, I never bothered with sunscreen really except for on holidays until my mid 30s. I think it's that and smoking in my 20s that have caused the hidden damage that is just surfacing now.

I would still get IDed occasionally right up til 35ish but now I'm definitely a "madam". Sob!

I've been using lots of rosehip oil this last year as it has sorted out my rosascea nicely but maybe this is the payoff. Bug* as I thought it was pretty magic stuff but it's doing nothing for my newly forming wrinkles at all.

Frownies are actually pretty good at keeping the horizontal and vertical forehead lines in check. And if done regularly, the Caci facials are good.

Definitely plump for Retin-A. I did try the prescription stuff, but even using the lowest strength once or twice a week left my skin red and flaky. Skinceuticals 1.0 retinol and Sunday Riley's Lunar Oil are two, over-the-counter retinols that pack practically the same punch, but without the flaking and redness.

YSL's BB cream is very good--subtle coverage but gives you a nice glow.

At 45 I think I've managed to turn it around a bit. About 3 years ago, in desperation, I decided to start taking my skincare seriously. I now read the ingredients on everything and know what I'm looking for. I've read threads on here and followed advice from Caroline Hirons blog. While I don't necessarily look younger than I did 5 years ago, I certainly look fresher and I don't think I look much older. The real turnaround started with Retinol, from which I eventually moved to Tretinoin.

This is a good starting point
www.carolinehirons.com/2013/06/routines-cheat-sheet.html

i feel your pain - i recently turned 40 and made the mistake of not applying any sunscreen this summer, a few weeks ago i panicked and looked up Caroline's Hirons blog and had a flick through here on s&b and went out and bought the body shop vit e cream cleanser, some nib/fab pads and a La Roche Posay serum - the redermic R one with 0.3% retinol (I alternated) and a superdrug brightening moisturiser with spf for during the day.

My skin was left red and sore and the fine lines around my eyes worse than ever.

Two days ago i had a dermologica facial and my skin looked fab afterwards, i came away with some samples so if it stays this good then i will probably invest in those products. Last stop before botox/fillers.

I'm 47 and don't have many lines, my problem is my jawline although I think this would be improved with weight loss. I use Retin A, I worked up from 0.25 and am now using 0.1 every other day on the other days I use Nip and Fab glycolic pads. I use a cream cleanser, Simple nothing expensive and a Lidl moisturiser. My skin is the best it's been since my 20's.

Where do you get your retin a slinky?

My skin was going gradually down hill over the years. On mumsnet someone suggested serum. I bought whatever was on special at boots, Nivea maybe? About a fiver. It's really improved my skin without giving me spots. I also got a free garnier misellar? Bottle of liquid, wipe on with cotton wool. Can't you tell I'm really into my beauty products! Results have been good though - best fiver I spent!

Peels are the best thing or microdermabrasion. If you don't get the dead skin cells off the top of your face they will stay there and make you look dull. If you have lines on your forehead or between eyebrows then Botox is the only way to address that and can also stop it from becoming worse.

I would not recommend using Retin A without some advice / analysis from a specialist beauty therapist. The practionier I see is also a dermatologist and she gives client specific advice.