Just wondering, what's the maximum number of years younger you think it's possible to look in real life?

[HepburnKNotA]

I'm just pondering this in my idle moments (clearly I have too many!!)

Without actual 'work', obviously.

It's just that I often see people claiming (and I have no basis to disbelieve them!!) they are eg 35 but look 25.

HONESTLY, if I think about my very lovely and gorgeous friends, all roughly aged 35-50 and all very different women, NONE of us look any more than roughly 5 years younger than our actual ages.

I'm 43, and I take very VERY good care of my skin inside and out, and I think probably most people take me for about 38/39, no younger.

One stunning friend who is 50 and looks absolutely amazing, and does a lot of non-surgical stuff - honestly she still looks about 45, no younger.

This is absolutely not a criticism of ANYONE for getting older (I mean, what the fuck else are we meant to do) or of anyone for doing whatever they can/want to look younger. I'm just ever so intrigued as here I am eating avocado and using retinol and sunscreen and never smoking and never sunbathing... and I hear people saying they look a good 10 years younger than they really are.

SHOULD I BE DOING MORE???!!!

Really I just want to look well, and rested, and not puffy and grey. I see no way I could look 33 right now. Apart from literal time-travel.

My cat is 1 year old and not happy about being in the picture!

Lambikinis I couldn’t possibly say 😉

I agree with you *Lambkins” baggy clothes, trainers, simple ponytail and no make up takes years off (until you look properly) but put people in proper grown up clothes and more groomed hair and make up makes them look more their age, for example Meghan out walking her dogs she looks almost teenage, but in her more sophisticated clothes she looks what she is, a women in her mid thirties, a very beautiful one mind.

@PeachMelba78

you look everyone of your 78 years but your cat is ace!

I know someone who is mid-late 50's and looks about 38/39.

She doesn't wear makeup or smoke; she has a big, beautiful smile and amazing teeth, petite but curvy, natural curly hair.

She's VERY low-maintenance, just exceptionally attractive and young looking!

PeachMelba78 I think you look mid 40s. Very attractive. Look a bit like Nigella!

Apparently l look about 10/12 years younger. People in their 20’s put me at even younger
But... l can see all this bits that come with being 48.
Most people just don’t know what to look out for!

I look a lot younger than I am. I got asked id for a pritt stick the other day and I'm 36. When I had ds I was 30 and the health vistor asked me when I was going back to school. I'm starting to get some wrinkles and grey hair so hopefully thats going to add a fair few years on me sooner rather than later. My style is quite causal, I don't normally wear make up other than a bit of mascara during the day but when I do put make up on and dress up it makes me appear older.

I look a lot younger than I am. I got asked id for a pritt stick the other day and I'm 36.

I got asked for ID for wine last week. I'm 39 and look every single day of my age. It's frightening how deluded people are. Your health visitor did not think you were a school girl. People in shops have to ask for ID.

Ok how old do you think I am? No filters, no surgery or procedures

@PeachMelba78 Judging by your nickname 41/42! Otherwise, in terms of your eyes (lines) and hair (combined texture, condition, colour and thickness), 36-39. By the rest of your face, 32-34. You look good!

@thisenglishlife thanks!
It’s been a tough year for me and I agree that my hair isn’t the best - I gave birth a year ago and dealing with the regrowth post pumping has been interesting!
My eyes are definitely showing more than they used to.
I am almost 42, most people guess at 36, probably as I don’t have many other wrinkles and I am short and petite.

@damnthatanxiety wow mid 40s! I am 41, almost 42. Generally happy with my looks, I like to look good and not silly when out with friends that are a lot younger than me (10 years younger). Happy to be my age.

Your cats beautiful peach

I’m 43 in the summer & got asked for id buying fils Xmas alcohol. The downside is dh was mistaken for my dad twice last summer & is now a touch sensitive.

I am short & have a petite frame BUT I think the post inflammatory acne scarring from getting cystic acne at 40 is what makes people think I’m young because 42 year olds don’t normally get acne 😔. It’s slowly fading. Very slowly.

PeachMelba78 It is really hard to tell from photos tbh. You look very attractive. I doubt anyone would be complaining about looking as pretty as you in their 40s!

This is very silly, I'll be 47 in April and I think I look every one of my years, do I look good? Yes, I think I do. Do I look my age? YES, I think I do. It's OK to look your age, I've earned every one of my years. I don't want to look younger. I just want to look good.

And alive.

You look stunning.

I never plucked my eyebrows in the 90s!

I did. I regret it 😂

Bugger Misery, I always knew eyebrow silliness was a bad idea. My sister is beautiful but has no eyebrows. As do many women born in the 70s.

I didn't pluck my brows until about five years ago, when I just got the stragglers.

C'mon. Side view. Grey hair.

And Headphones.

I’m very petite and was one of those women harangued by strangers on the bus for being a teenage mum when I was 30. Like someone upthread said, a lot of it was to do with being fairly ungroomed and dressing like a student.

At 54 I’d say it has definitely caught up with me and even though I have pretty good skin and scrub up well, I look my age.

My friend who has aged the best suffered all through her youth with greasy skin and hair. She’s getting some compensation for it now though. She looks about 10 years younger. The HRT probably helps too.

That's a 47 year old Jaw. It does get a bit wobbly round the chin.