If you met a woman in her 50s without many wrinkles or "11s"....

[CaliforniaDrumming]

.... would you assume she had had Botox? This isn't a stealth brag btw, I am not referring to myself (though I have not had Botox). Just a general and random question.

Also, would it make a difference if the woman was Asian or black?

I think some people kid themselves. “Oh, I’m 58 and have no wrinkles and neither does my 88-year-old mother!” Hmmmm….

I look marvellous when I look in the mirror without my glasses. If I dare to look in a brightly-lit hotel bathroom magnifying mirror i’m a flippin’ horror show.

@Womenandwomenfirst I do agree and I've seen it myself and I am aware of deluding myself in some way. Also I'd never say I looked younger as thats not for me to decide. I do think that very objectively I don't have lines you would expect at age 44 due to long term, 20 + years prescription strength tretinoin use and high spf every day for even longer. It makes a huge difference to lines and skin texture and spf even pervents to some degree facial volume loss. I'd never say am wrinkle free naturally due to these products but they do really stop you getting lines if you start young enough and will help even if you start older?

Yes, @Womenandwomenfirst, I also look particularly gorgeous before I put my contact lenses in.🤣🤣

I’m not kidding myself that I don’t have any fine lines at 48, of course I do. But, some people do seem to have fewer lines than others of a similar age. My SIL (55) is an example of this. She is young-looking compared with other people in their mid-50’s. Her DH (54) actually looks several years older than her!

But she doesn’t look 30, of course, that’s ridiculous.

I’ve noticed within my friendship group it’s the people that continually touch their face and rub under their eyes a lot that have the most wrinkles. That and those that are runners.

@OompaLoompaa Yes, a couple of my friends are runners, very slim and muscular, with no fat to plump up their faces. They’re quite lined.

That’s one excuse for me not to take up running ( aside from not enjoying it). 😂

Well, they do say it’s your face or your figure after a certain age

I don't agree with that. There's a sweet spot between slim enough for a youthful body but with enough padding not to appear guant. I know a few women who have hit it. They tend to be around mid or upper healthy BMI.

We have to be more careful with sunscreen that's for sure. I use a factor 50 base then top it up with a 30 spray.

Otherwise I've never had such lovely skin since I started running. I run with someone else a lot and they've found the same. We decided it was increased blood circulation, but whether that's accurate I don't know!

I haven't noticed fellow runners looking more lined than anybody else. Though quite a few have ruddy cheeks! No bad thing

I definitely eat more as a runner! Need to really, unless that's just me.
I'm slim, but quite muscular and toned. My thighs (glutes etc) are probably bigger than they were as are calves, but they're all very defined.

Don't be put off running is what I think I'm trying to say.

My core is stronger and slimmer (though I do other exercise I should add) but I haven't actually lost weight.

Would be interested to hear from other runners about this.

@SwanAnn of course not all runners are lined, he ones I know could be considered gaunt, they probably don’t eat enough.

I’m a swimmer and for me, that keeps everything supple and fairly well pulled in. 😂I’m a slim, but not a thin, size 10.

I'd love to swim for exercise but my technique is terrible. Horrible doggy-paddle/crawl cross. The old threads here, people arguing about slow lanes or something like that, scared me off

White or Asian: I probably wouldn't think about it at all, but if forced to guess, would assume they hadn't been in the sun much. This might extend to believing they weren't very into fitness or ever going outdoors.

Black: just very helpful skin type !!

ps: my cousin is 63. She started taking Retin-A for acne problems in her 20s and never stopped taking it. Because of that she has long had to keep out of direct sun, is strawberry blonde anyway.

omg, she has amazing skin !! 40+ years of little sun sure helped. Deffo no botox, she wouldn't care. Come to think of it, her sisters look pretty good, too. Maybe genetics helped.

I was a weak swimmer until I had some lessons a few years ago. That’s made a huge difference, I needed to learn the proper techniques, especially the breathing. We all have our preferred form of exercise….I’d like to come back as something aquatic if I’m reincarnated. 😂

Many long-term tretinoin users have beautifully smooth skin and no fine lines at all in their 40s and 50s, provided they started use early enough. It's amazing for prevention and for maintaining collagen levels through peri and beyond.

From my experience its the reverse. Women are exceptionally hard on themselves. Perhaps these deluded women who can't see their own wrinkles exist somewhere, but I've genuinely never met one. Without exception all my friends are far more lovely and have far fewer 'faults' than they believe they do. So, given this, if an older woman says she looks younger, on balance of probability I'd say she really does.

It’s the neck /décolletage that gives the biggest clue as to age IMVHO.
Marionette lines around the mouth too, like Angela Merkel’s jowls
That and hands.

I also have a genetic collagen syndrome Ehlers Danlos syndrome, so have fantastic skin.... but my joints are constantly subluxating, and the collagen in my hip socket on the tops of my femur bones has broken up like shrapnel and will have to be hoovered out.

It’s swings and roundabouts I think.

I try not to grimace when working....I find it’s easy to do if I get a lot of emails in the day!

I'm looking at Glastonbury on TV and Paul McCartney really does not look like or move like an 80 year old. Could easily pass for mid to late 60s.

I like Paul McCartney, but come on, mid 60s, absolutely not.

okay, I haven't got my glasses on admittedly but his movement is so much more youthful than most 80 yr olds. posture is one of those things that can really alter perception of a person's age.

I was thinking that too. He looks really youthful in the way he moves. His voice however, is not what it was. Vegetarians tend to look a lot younger than they are in my experience.
A masseuse once told me she can tell if someone is vegetarian because their bodies feel very different. Meat creates an acidic system which promotes ageing.

The Dalai Lama was in his early 80s when I attended his public talk, and he stood for hours speaking, and had the posture, complexion, and energy of a very youthful man... I can't put an age to it. Ageless.

Mi mil is late 70s. She was a ballet dancer and from the me. She looks early 60s. Her ‘attitude’ is good too. She is very active, always has ‘projects’ and keeps busy.

She must have amazing posture! No hunched over neck for her I bet.