What makes someone look 20, 30 or 40? (I always get mistaken for younger.)

[roselune]

I'm 40 and really fed up of getting mistaken for younger, especially in a work context. I recently had someone ask if I was under 30. 🙁 I work in a profession (self-employed) where people are more likely to choose someone around their own age or older (because of life experience as well as work experience) so it's actually affecting me professionally.

I've read all the usual articles with tips from how to do your make up to what to wear but I think in my case it comes down to my facial features and I just can't change that. I already wear glasses, keep my make up quite natural, dress smart-casual as appropriate for my job, wear my hair up (and have an increasing amount of grey hairs that should make it obvious I'm not 25!). Looking at people my age on social media for example I can see how my face looks much younger though. I'm nearly the same age as Kate Middleton for example and even with her generally amazing skin and all the money she can spend on her looks no one would mistake her for being in her 20s because of her features.

What do you think is the difference between how most women look in their 20s, 30s and 40s? What makes you think "she's about 40" compared to thinking "she's in her late 20s". 🤔

The filter situation is crazy. Aside from the Bold Glamour one there's another that makes people look like their teen self.

Yes she looks much younger than her age . I’m mixed race and wonder if that’s another factor in why people think I’m younger than I am ? But then I’m also carrying a little extra weight too so maybe that’s plumping out where the wrinkles would be 😂

The most ageing clothes ever !

Enjoy it while it lasts op. I looked very young til I hit 45, from then on I slowly began to look my age, and now in my late 50s I would probably pass for early 50s on my very best day.

Floella looks early 60s at most! I'd love to hear her skincare regime.

I assumed they were joking?

Wow that is crazy

No, mine's fine, thanks. But let me know where you got your magic mirror from. I'd be interested in buying one.

Until very recently I looked young for my age (I'm 46). I'm also in a profession where being older is an advantage (possibly the same as the OP as I'm guessing jobs like that are rare). The things that contributed to my youthful appearance were a small frame, 5ft 2 height, sleek hair, oily skin (few wrinkles), slim, a large head in comparison to overall build, a round face.

I have now hit perimenopause, my chubby cheeks are sagging, I've let my hair go grey, it's also gone weirdly frizzy/wavy, I have a small pot belly and I can't be arsed to put together lovely outfits anymore. All these things have solved the problem!

I think when people approach old age you can really see that some people look way younger, and others look way younger, than their peers. I know two sisters in their 70s, couple of years age difference, but one looks a good 15 years older.

*others look way older

I should have realised they were joking when they said 'teeny tiny' though that's come up on threads before, so maybe not. 😀

A lot of the celebs people are saying look young clearly have a lot of Botox/fillers. They don’t have all the lines but they still don’t look 20 years younger. I don’t know anyone who looks that much younger in reality. People don’t stare at strangers long enough when out and about, a lot is to do with posture/ dress/ build etc

🤣🤣🤣

Illustrates the point nicely, none of those women look 20 years younger.

They mostly look their age but well groomed. If guessing their ages I might have gone five years younger but probably not more.

Generally they are deluded and taking throw away comments way out of context.

People sometimes tell me I look young for my age and I assume (no doubt correctly) that they are just being friendly/polite.

The only women I know who genuinely look much younger than their age are those who are at least 2 stone overweight. Botox etc doesn’t make you look younger - just like a smoother, better preserved version of your natural age.

The most ageing clothes ever !
It seems my sarcasm is not understood on this thread. Maybe young looking women are not sarcastic and that Roald Dahl thing is true after all.

Those women in the Daily Mail article all look their ages and frumpy.
They do look healthy but not young.

OMG, you beat me to this - I concur absolutely. The actress was 50 once, just not when the advert was made, or for at least a decade, if not longer.

I think this is why many think they look younger than their age when they really just look their age.

That insurance ad with the alleged 50 year old is hilarious. Everyone on the team, aside from her, must have been in their 20s. It's the only explanation!

Until about my late 30s people tended to assume I was on early 20s, in 45 now and I think most people would clock I'm over 35, but probably still think I'm younger than I am. I wear fairly colourful, loud clothes, I'm not elegant or well groomed.

I think being short helps (I'm only just over 5ft) , I don't think anyone notices 'fine lines' unless they are literally staring hard at your face from a few inches away, which no one does, but in the last few years I have developed stronger lines either side of my mouth and under my eyes which I why I'm pretty sure I would'nt pass for under 35 any more. And I'm fine with that, I don't feel any need to look young at all.

I think Vera Wang is the only celeb who genuinely looks a lot younger than her age.

I think everyone notices fine lines, whether consciously or unconsciously - it’s one of the ways we tell if we’re talking to someone younger/older.

I would say crows feet, frown lines, lines around the mouth are very noticeable. Same with hands, neck and chest if one takes their attention away from the face, which is why there is an increase in the popularity of anti-ageing treatments targeting these areas.

Um .... I think I was agreeing with you.

I think they are look good for their age. But not anything like 20 years younger, maybe 5 years.

I suspect they were told to wear these clothes by the newspaper stylist . I’m in my 60s and if I posted on Mn asking what to wear to a wedding, this is the kind of dresses that people would link to. It’s what unimaginative 35 year olds imagine their Nan wants to wear.