All of a sudden I look old!

[Samb79]

I’m 38,and have twin 8 year olds.
I’ve just spent an absolute fortune on make up after seeing an ad for beauty and the boutique on fb, and fully expected a miracle to take place after application.

But I still look oooooooold!

Have you got any beauty secrets? Tips to hide saggy skin, enlarged pores, uneven skin tone?

Hahaha I clicked on this thread to see how old you are as I have the same problem... I am also 38!! Maybe there is something that happens at this age (I also have 2 DC).

I don't have any secrets sorry. I am planning to go blonder and get teeth whitened as those seem like easier "look younger" fixes than trying to sort the skin.

TBH I think the only things that work for skin are quite major (semi surgical) treatments. For example I am wondering about getting laser treatment in the future as that does actually seem to work (unlike most of the creams) but it's a pretty major procedure. I'm a bit scared of botox and fillers...

Do you think it’s a hormonal thing?

I’m starting to look like my mum - I don’t want jowls!

I’ve got combination skin and hormonal spots, so not that many wrinkles due to the oily skin, but I look hideous, and no amount of make up is making me look any better!

I haven’t got the funds for laser/Botox/ fillers, so going to go down the diet route and give up chocolate/sugar and drink more water - can you halt time that way do you think?

Have you tried retinol/exfoliating treatments? Beaury pie gave some good but cheap stuff.

Yes, just cut down on sugar and alcohol and get a proper skin care routine going.

Have a read of Caroline Hirons skincare advice which most of us have at some point. She is imho responsible for a skin care revolution in how we are starting to look after our skin better these days. No need for expensive products just find what suits your skin. Check out her cheat sheets on the right of her web page.

www.carolinehirons.com/2013/06/routines-cheat-sheet.html

I’ll have a look, thanks. Also considering collagen drinks. What has happened to me?

You're 38. That's what's happened.

I discovered how old I look when I started wearing contact lenses; the greatest improvement I see is when I take them out!

Begins with a b
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Cut out refined carbs and alcohol, drink a lot of water, eat a lot of colorful vegetables, use a face mask. I think this is part of ageing, as I get these "gosh I look old" days more often in my 30s now, but it is easy to correct them. Probably a different story in my 40s and 50s.

What's your diet like?

It's definitely a 38 thing. I'm the same and grey hairs are appearing at an alarming rate.

Water and a proper skincare routine is helping me. The Ordinary has great reviews and well priced.

My diet is pretty poor at the moment but I’m on the case. I did bodycoach about a year ago so need to get back to eating how I was back then, lots of protein and veg and drinking lots of water. Just joined the gym too. I know what I’m supposed to do, but have spent the last few weeks hoovering up the kids Easter eggs!

It is reversible - I look younger now at 45 than I did at 40 - you just need to get out the big guns! No sugar or dairy, water, exercise, retinol, spf50, acids (lactic better than glycolic imho, radiofrequency skin tightening, dermawand, facial massage, hyaluronic acid serums, IPL skin rejuvenation. It's like painting the forth bridge and is exhausting but it works. On the plus side, your twins are older now so you should be getting more sleep!

41 yrs old, 2 DC (6 months and 2 yrs) I most definitely feel your pain

If you sort out your diet - I know you know what that means! - you will look better within a few weeks. But you have to keep going indefinitely with the low sugar, lots of water, vegetables etc because as soon as you stop things slide very quickly. I'm now late 40s and found they same from around your age that a week or two of eating rubbish made me look older. I'm now convinced that what you put in your body has far more effect than anything you but on your skin, sunblock being the exception. Plenty of sleep also helps.

37, I am the fattest I have ever been, but I have no wrinkles. I got my first grey hair before I turned 20 (genetics) so I don't see them as the sign of my age.
My diet is sugar and then sugar washed down with some Vitaminwater - I am eating my feelings. I will change it one day.
Babyface from Maybeline will sort your pores, Estée Lauder Double Wear will give you even skin colour, MAC powder will Matt you down. Blusher and eye makeup and you're ready to rock and roll.
Takes lots of time but I have a long commute so have the time to make myself presentable before I arrive at work.
Not giving a damn what people think of me helps too.
I find that good hair and good nails make the difference to how I feel about myself (my hands definitely show my age). I am saving Botox for my 40s.
I am looking into teeth whitening though.

So true 7year - if I slip up with diet, it shows in my face the next day. It's so not fair but how I try to stick to good diet is to imagine if my skin looks worse so quickly, what effect is poor diet having on the rest of my organs? That way, it doesn't just make it all about appearence which means I'm more likely to stick to it during times when social events are far on the horizon.

I was 38 with 5 yr old twins when I realised I needed to take action, lost 2 stone and invested in some decent skincare (I went for Elemis, but it was 9 yrs ago, so things have moved on a bit since then!) and have spent most of my 40s feeling far far better about myself than I ever did in my 30s, however I now need to lose a bit of weight again and it is proving so much harder than it was then - so whatever you need to do, do it now!

Does diet honestly work? I'm 46 and eat the most shocking diet ever - chocolate and sweets are 90% of my diet. I'm a few pounds overweight but not much. A friend is 40. She treats her body like a temple and her livelihood is dependent on her healthy eating regime. I have much better skin than her.

No sugar or dairy, water, exercise, retinol, spf50, acids (lactic better than glycolic imho, radiofrequency skin tightening, dermawand, facial massage, hyaluronic acid serums, IPL skin rejuvenation.

I have to admit posts like this make me think "sod that, I'd rather look old" .

Make uo won’t help if you don’t clean out your pores - I second acids.

upper that’s the thing - one person can eat anything they want and slep zilch and they’re fine. Others will need more effort invested.

I’ve never had a good skincare routine, opting for cheap everything, so guess now I need to invest.
But what is dermawand? Acids? Retinol? IPL what what?
I looked at that link earlier in the post and it was all just so confusing! A cleansing routine for me is just remembering to take off my make up before bed!

Watching with interest, also 38 but my twins are 3! Permanently knackered is the look I’m going for!

Oh i need to put in a lot of effort for sure. I look oooooold suddenly but in terms of quality of skin, mine is better and our diets and lifestyle are like night and day. My skin has only recently cleared up too after years of hormonal spots. What I will say however is that she does way too much exercise and doesn't have a pick of fat on her. She eats incredibly healthily but is about a stone underweight.