Help me eye bags and looking old!

[onwardsand]

I'm only 38!
Rarely wear makeup
Look so haggard!
Any quick fixes?

Quickest fix: smile all the time - smiling always makes your face look better and more lifted and detracts from any dodgy bits. (Not meaning to sound trite, genuinely it would help & is quick and cheap!).
Could you try a little make up too? Maybe some tinted moisturiser, some blush, lip balm and some mascara?

Smile, get your sleep, exfoliate and moisturise, lip balm, try a smear of BB cream and mascara?

If you are a smoker, quit.

Thank you
Yes I smoke 😞 will try and quit again.
Smiling brings out all the wrinkles! I do smile quite a lot generally

I think a little make up would really help. As you don't wear it often I'd suggest a light foundation (try Bobbi brown counter to get the right colour). Brown mascara and brown eyeliner using the tightline method. And eyebrow brush and a very faint peach blusher and a nude/pink lipstick. All very subtle but would just brighten you up a bit. 5 mins max.

Give up smoking. (I went into e cigs) my skin improved massively.

Also there are some good tutorials on how to cover up eye bags on YouTube, I have dark circles and got some great tips.

Decent eye serum and face products from Medik 8 helped my skin too. I use a few of their things but I would say critical is hyaluronic twice a day and retinol at night but my skin is dry and I'm older than you 47. (Don't look it though )

To tell you the truth, I knew you smoked from the first photo. That's your problem in a nutshell.

I think this is the kick up the arse I need to give up

So along with that I'll get some magic potions too. I have always been cynical about them... do they really work? Or just play on our insecurities?!

I haven't got tons of spare cash but what I save in cigs can only help!

Tell me it's not too late?? 😭

Quit smoking. Lots of water. What’s your diet like?
SPF and retinol are the two most important things.
A vitamin c cream would brighten the face.

You could try a caffeine eye cream, tap on with ring finger along the bone under the eye.

Do you exercise? I find that helps with puffiness.

Unfortunately there’s no magic cream but lifestyle changes should help.

Bit of mascara and a good under eye concealer would help too.

Do you work nights?

I think that sleeping on a couple of pillows makes eye bags worse, lying on one may help.

Yes, days and nights unfortunately. Plus 3 kids 2,4 and 13.
Diet is probably pretty shit and I did get into running but have let it slip last couple of months.
Will dig out the trainers again!

Look with 3 kids and working hard if you do nothing else do drink a lot more water and give up smoking. It's a bloody good start.

Regular facials should help your skin and give you a nice glow. I don’t think you’re too late to get into skincare so try and look at YouTube videos they will help massively. Go on Caroline Hirons blog and she has skincare cheat sheets.

Water I can do!
I live on tea by the bucketload
Thank you all for being helpful and not saying I look like an old hag and may as well just put a bag on my head

You are beautiful and look kind (and I do like the current shape of your eyebrows sans make up). My make up suggestions below are to help enhance your beauty, not to cause any distress.

I would definitely add a nice pop of colour (pink or red, nothing with shimmer/glitter though) to your lips and use an eyebrow pencil to create slightly thicker at the ends and defined brows. Mascara would help to open up your eyes and blusher is always great for a more youthful glow. I always think a pink/reddish lip and cheek thing is rather young looking.

My make up choices for you (high street brands chosen on purpose as they're easy to get) :

1. www.superdrug.com/Revlon/Revlon-Coloburst-Matte-Balm-Stain-Sultry/p/458011 if you're looking for something classic and fun but not too out there.
2. www.boots.com/rimmel-london-moisture-renew-lipstick the colour Red Mayfair is lovely. It's a nice medium red which you apply normally for a bright pop of colour or apply sparingly for a subtle red tint to your lips.
3. Any lip balm.
4. www.superdrug.com/Rimmel/Rimmel-100%25-Waterproof-Mascara-Black-1/p/786855 this mascara lasts for ages, doesn't clump or look spidery. It's good value and I've found this to be better than Benefit and Clinique mascaras.
5. www.boots.com/revlon-colorstay-lipliner-10178389 in shade red, this could be used with a red lipstick on top or alone with a lip balm.
6. www.superdrug.com/B-/B-Blusher-I-Like-to-Mauve-it/p/717725?gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvKzhBRC1ARIsANEXdgwSiTxHZy9v-5WLzuYnyWpCsfsYBX7ukNrPr9So1nXwtC8ZwM2jROMaAgbhEALw_wcB in shade I like to mauve it.

Skin care:

1. www.superdrug.com/Save-up-to-1-2-price-across-Skincare/Superdrug-Naturally-Radiant-Glycolic-Overnight-Peel-30ml/p/953857 apply at night once or twice a week and wash off in the morning.
2. Suncream. This is where a BB cream comes in handy.
3. Lots of moisturiser. Loreal do a nice day cream (including one with SPF 30) and night cream range. Make sure to apply religiously everyday.
4. Drink water regularly.

You have a good (genuine) smile. I’d say, in addition to what others have said, maybe something softer with your hair? I have mine tied up in a loose bun, all the time. I have to review it, as it’s doing me no favours.

Can you get something like a Fereo Luna? It’s made a big difference to my skin. My circulation has been gee’d up and I don’t look so deathly pale.

Blusher is necessary for me and eyeliner with mascara. Otherwise I look like the undead.

You have really nice eyes. Aldi do concealer for £3 and cheap moisturiser. They get very good comments online and I use them. Definitely stop smoking.

Wow, thank you so much 😊
No one tells me IRL that I'm lovely (to look at ) I am quite kind and friendly though ha ha.
Thank you so much also for the links, I am starting a new job (more nights but also more money!) later this month so will start to look after myself. A medium I saw at a Christmas fair told me I need to so I'd best crack on!
To the poster who mentioned lipstick, I've NEVER found a lipstick that suited me, all shades and textures just look plain odd on me, even when I've been in a big department store to get the free makeover!

I was told haemorrhoid cream worked on eye bags. I think you just need to draw attention away from the bags and towards your pretty blue eyes.

Just go for a nice lipgloss. I don't use lipstick either. I would perhaps consider a fringe as well as it will soften your face a bit? I went down the fringe path early 40's because I prefer that than getting my lined forehead botoxed

You have a lovely smile and really kind/pretty eyes by the way.

Well, you do look lovely. Especially when you smile, as those lines instantly turn into laughter lines.

I think a pale-mid pink (not glittery, more on the reddy pink than orangey or bluey pink) lipgloss or lip crayon would work very well.

Quick sweep of a light brown eyeshadow, a darker/chocolately one close to your outer corners if you have time/the inclination + a bit of brown/black mascara would give you a lift. A light/blonde eyebrow kit (the type with a wax and a powder, rather than the scary as hell looking pencils at first) would also make a noticeable difference; yours are a good shape, but a tiny bit of thickening the outer winged part wouldn't hurt.

It's all very well suggesting foundations/BB creams and eyeliners (chocolately brown would work, but not essential), but if you don't normally wear anything, it could become too much of a faff after the first couple of times. With one shadow, mascara, a quick dab of eyebrow pomade (yes, I have just remembered what the stuff tends to be called) and a dab of lippie would take roughly 240 seconds - 4 minutes - and would make you feel good.

Other than that, the money you save from not smoking would soon pay for you to play about and find what makes you feel your best (even if that's actually a new mattress - my current #1 wish in the world - rather than a fancy haircut or facial - but, if you don't need a new mattress, I'd suggest having your hair done so that it feels good to have it loose when you're not at work.

Keep smiling though - you look exactly the type of person I'd want to see if I were at what appears to be your place of work!