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Whats your secret if you regularly get told you look younger than your age

457 replies

AnandaKonda · 24/11/2019 15:05

I think it is largely genetics .. do things like sun screen, water, diet, yoga etc really help?

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MilliiMoo · 01/12/2019 01:07

Northendgal I like your attitude 😊

NorthEndGal · 01/12/2019 01:35

Thank you! Grin
I get it from my Mama

notnowmaybelater · 01/12/2019 10:19

QueenofPain why are people guessing your age? I never go around guessing people's ages unless they corner me into it, in which case etiquette dictates mentally guessing (or often already actually knowing) the person's age and then knocking 10 years off before speaking. People who demand others guess their ages are always mortified and deeply offended and inclined to hold a grudge if the guesser guesses correctly...

I've never been in any group or community or situation where people guess one another's ages unless there's one person who demands to have their age guessed by every new colleague/ friend/ aquaintance...

sundaypaperstoday · 01/12/2019 10:22

Genetics
Lots of moisturiser
Not smoking and rarely drinking
Drinking lots of water
Avoiding sun burn

dontgobaconmyheart · 01/12/2019 10:53

I do but it's just genetic lottery at work really isn't it, and no sun.Nobody who's not had work done actually looks significantly younger than their age let's face it. When I get told I look young people assume I'm in my 20's rather than 30's. People assume my mother is in her late 50's not approaching 70.

I don't think anyone is so fooled they regularly believe 30 year olds are 18 or 50 year olds are 30, I really don't. I also don't think looking younger in and of itself is a good thing, it's often annoying professionally and you can still look young and look unattractive.

MilliiMoo · 01/12/2019 11:02

It's not staying out if the sun. We need some sun for a variety of reasons.

NorthEndGal · 01/12/2019 11:18

@MilliiMoo I agree, I am outside everyday, bare faced. my skin needs sun or I get run down and grumpy too, both of which can make you look okder

Joeler · 01/12/2019 12:39

Whenever I wear this navy blue long puffa type coat in Winter (looks a bit like a school coat) I get asked for I.D,referred to as a girl instead of lady. I think strangers just give you a quick glance and don't study the face too much. Nobody asks for ID in Summer when the puffa is back in the wardrobe!

HorridHamble · 01/12/2019 12:58

I’m sometimes mistaken for being in my early to mid 30s. I’m 42. I’d love to say it’s solely down to a healthy lifestyle, but I’d be lying. It’s Botox. Just a little bit done right. I’ve still got my laughter lines and expressions, just less crinkly crows feet. Probably helps that my face is on the chubby side too. I don’t know why I care that much tbh. I don’t judge other people’s appearance but I’m very self-critical.

Delatron · 01/12/2019 13:09

You can put your body in the sun and not your face! I do for vitamin D. And yes I’ll accept the trade off as sunshine has so many benefits other than vitamin D. I don’t lie in the sun for hours but 20 mins without cream is enough for the hit you need. Face covered in SPF 50 and a hat.

MilliiMoo · 01/12/2019 13:34

I disagree about the spf. So much research is now pointing towards most spf seeping into our systems and causing issues. Putting spf repeatedly on our bodies doesn't protect them . Keeping out of the sun at the worst times does. Also holidays in hot countries where people keep reapplying sun cream thinking they are protecting themselves. Keep out of it at its hottest . Wear a hat and top when walking. Get some sun as it's good for us and can prevent illness .

Gwenhwyfar · 01/12/2019 14:07

"QueenofPain why are people guessing your age?"

It happens in many circumstances e.g. someone younger or older than you will say 'they're about our age' and you have to correct them.
It can go either way of course. I was talking recently about my 40th birthday (2 years ago). The person seemed surprised and said he didn't think I was that age. I asked what age he thought I was. 38 he said! So just two years' younger, but he said there was something psychologically different about 40.
On the other hand, when I'd just turned 30, someone mentioned I'd had a big birthday and a woman asked 'oh, 40th?' and explained it away with the excuse that her friends were around that ago so that's what she expected from a friend of a friend.
It's definitely not true that people take as much as 10 years' off when they estimate. That could backfire anyway - a 27 year old probably wouldn't want people thinking she's 17.

QueenofPain · 01/12/2019 14:22

@notnowmaybelater It’s usually in relation to the “have you got any kids?”, “oh, you’ve got loads of time left for that, you’re only in your twenties” type invasive conversations. Or recently lots of discussion in my work place about who is most deserving of the single but much coveted funded msc uni place, colleagues love to (incorrectly) point out “oh, but you’ve got loads of time left to do that kind of thing, you’re only a baby” as a defence as to why they deserve the place more.

It’s a cesspit.

And I love to tell them “actually no, I’m 33 and I’m the last reliable decade of my fertility, so I’m on a time scale, thank you very much!”.

oohnicevase · 01/12/2019 14:25

That's how my age comes up , people ask if I'm having more kids and I always say god no I'm way too old , them people say oh I thought you were 30 ish ( I'm 45)

Gwenhwyfar · 01/12/2019 15:10

"So much research is now pointing towards most spf seeping into our systems and causing issues."

I'm not convinced by this. I think wearing it is healthier that not wearing it.

Thornhill58 · 01/12/2019 15:11

Drink water, sleep and don't drink.

OrangeSamphire · 01/12/2019 15:14
  • eat lots of veg
  • drink v little alcohol
  • get outside and active every day
  • natural products on skin only. No expensive chemical laden horrors.

That’s it. What goes in shows up on the skin...

Ritascornershop · 01/12/2019 15:37

No smoking, no drinking, long-term vegetarian, hot yoga, facial yoga, Botox for bitch wrinkle. My hair is going grey really late, if it was going grey at the normal age I’d probably dye it, or at least dye most of it and leave a bit of silver.

BlindAssassin1 · 01/12/2019 16:09

A decent diet, lots of fresh fruit and veg, nothing that's too restrictive on the good fats.

I know siblings who have great genetics but one has smoked all through adulthood and now in their late 30s they look older than their older sibling. However, that sibling has never used SPF and loves to sun bath; now their nearly 50 sun damage is showing through.

tigerbear · 01/12/2019 18:27

42 and 59, don’t think we’re doing too bad

Whats your secret if you regularly get told you look younger than your age
tigerbear · 01/12/2019 18:28

49!!! 😂

MilliiMoo · 01/12/2019 20:00

OrangeSamphire agree. I try and get up to 15 varieties fruit and veg a day. I don't drink alcohol. No dairy. Water. Walking and weights. Limited processed food. I only put things on my skin I can eat so coconut oil, Rosehip oil. I stay away from most beauty products as they are full of nasties in my opinion. Face exercises are good.

MilliiMoo · 01/12/2019 20:01

Sorry , I don't eat Rosehip oil but use olive, and almond in my face mix too.

managedmis · 02/12/2019 00:50

Picture was taken ten years ago, right, tigerbear?

Just kidding you guys look fab Grin

notnowmaybelater · 02/12/2019 06:39

Yes most people assume those they see as peers are roughly their own age, and that people have had children at the same age they did.

My boss refered to me as being 35 as though she knew for a fact that was my age when I was actually 44 but not because I look 35 - it was because she knew the ages of my children and unconsciously projected (she'd had hers young, so had young teens and late primary school children by 35, it didn't occur to her I'd started having children at an age when she'd finished and had school children).

Similarly I retrained with people mostly in their 20s and a few in their 30s returning to work with children at school, and a couple in their 50s with grown-up children. I fell between stools in my 40s and the 30s people assumed I was their age because I was at the same life stage (school age children, retraining for a new career), not because of my skin or whatever.

Everyone assumes those they perceive as peers due to shared experiences are their own age, more or less.

It happens in reverse too obviously - assuming that the parents of your children's friends or colleagues at your level at work or whatever are your own age can age them significantly! It doesn't mean they look old, it's projection. Everyone does it though.

But it's all good as long as nobody is trying to corner colleagues and aquaintances into guessing their age! That's one of my pet hates because it's so awkward and puts you in a position where you're expected to lie to flatter, and if you don't you gain an enemy.

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