Small details that make a person seem more youthful

[Anonymous]

I have a friend who constantly gives off this effortless, youthful vibe. She may do Botox, who knows, but I keep trying to figure out what exactly she does. I few things I think help:

- White teeth
-Non fussy bag/wallet without logos
-Updated basics-Ts and tanks gave all been bought in the last years
- Denim is current

[Anonymous]

Thin. Hot.

That’s it.

[Anonymous]

Thin. Current jeans and shoes. Clothes are current lines but not too form fitting. So today, that would mean high waisted jeans and a shorter, looser top. Minimal makeup. Minimal accessories.

Like, the woman this weekend who asked what belt to wear with jeans.... when you start trying to over accessorize to try and make yourself look more pulled together because you think that's what middle aged women do.

[Anonymous]

I think thin can actually make a woman (or a man, for that matter), look older at a certain point agewise & depending on how thin. I'd say looking fit is more like it.

[Anonymous]

Minimal make-up. Tinted moisturizer, lip gloss, blush.
Few age spots on face.
Non-scraggly hair.
Clothes that fit and aren't too tight.
Good posture.
Stylish eye-glasses (if worn).
Modern accessories.

Agree with PP that being too thin can make a woman look gaunt and older than she probably is. You need a little fullness in your cheeks to look youthful.

[Anonymous]

It's all in the skin. I've seen some very, er, dessicated older people who are thin and well-dressed.

Skin is largely genetically inherited, but you can of course take care of it by avoiding the sun, sleeping enough, exercising lightly (no jogging for miles in all weather!), hydrating and getting the full complement of vitamins and minerals. Some facials with acids also work. Retinol is a very powerful tool, but some people can't tolerate it, and it increases sun damage, so you need to stay out of the sun even more.

There is nothing like dewy skin to make you look youthful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think thin can actually make a woman (or a man, for that matter), look older at a certain point agewise & depending on how thin. I'd say looking fit is more like it.

Thin people look younger from 6 feet away
Chubbier people look younger up close

There are always exceptions but I think the above is true 9/10 times

But being thin isn't really a "small" detail in my opinion - it's a very big detail. A small detail would be on trend shoes and bag.

[Anonymous]

The way you move and carry yourself also makes a difference.

[Anonymous]

Good posture. Rounded shoulders and moving like a walrus helps no one.

[Anonymous]

I regularly get mistaken for someone 10 years younger than I am (I am 42, often get mistaken for early 30s). Here's what I think does it:

- Athletic. I used to be a personal trainer and still work out daily. I also walk almost everywhere I go and have lots of active hobbies (biking, hiking, rock climbing). This should be obvious, but the more active you are, the younger you will appear. It's not just that it makes your body look better (though it does), it also give you more energy, keeps you more flexible, helps maintain balance, etc. These feel like intangibles but spend some time watching how people move through the world. Exercising and feeling fit will make you appear younger without having to do anything to your clothes or hair.

- Minimal makeup. Granted, I think I have some good skin genes and my skin still looks pretty good despite not always being religious about skincare (I am now, but wasn't always when I was younger). But even if I had more wrinkles, I think a good quality CC cream plus some mascara and maaaaaybe a sheer cheek tint is plenty for most women. I went through a lipstick phase but stopped it specifically because I think it makes me look older (emphasizes thinning lips and tiny lines around my mouth that you didn't notice if I just wear a lip balm). I also think eye makeup is especially aging on older skin because it settles into all the fine lines. If you have the time to really make it look right, it works, but for every day? You will look more youthful with just a swipe of mascara and a relatively clean face. I have started to do my brows daily though, but that has to do with having light hair and needing some definition. I don't think it's necessary if your brows are already darker -- just tidy them up a bit.

- Keep clothes simple. Nothing too trendy, but I also keep things fairly streamlined. Agree that updated denim is key. So many women my age are afraid of higher rises and non-skinny jeans. I get it, but once you take the plunge, you can see it looks better. My favorite jeans right now are a highish rise with a straight leg in a mid-blue. Classic and easy. With a tee or tank tucked in, a hip-length blazer, and a pair of flats, it's such an easy look that doesn't make me look like I'm trying to be a teenager, but is in style in a way that won't date me. And it's easy and the pants are comfy! There's really no downside.

- Don't overdo technical fabrics and athleisure. I have and wear leggings. I own a fleece jacket. But I do not do head-to-toe athleisure very often. I think actual young people can pull this off and still look young. But once you're in your 40s, you just look like somebody's mom (full disclosure: I am somebody's mom). But a 40+ woman wearing black leggings/joggers, sports bra with athletic top, and a fleece jacket, plus sneakers, every day? It's not that it makes you look super old, it just pegs you to a certain stage of life -- school drop off, soccer practice, Saturdays at the playground, etc. Yes, it's plenty of women in their 30s doing this too. But the point is that it wears different once you're over 40. Putting in a smidge more effort will help a lot.

[Anonymous]

No foundation makeup. Sheer lip and cheek color. Good hair color for their skin tone

[Anonymous]

Definitely go light with the makeup. As I get older I found that dark lipstick really age my face. Soft pink is more youthful.

[Anonymous]

I think it's more about attitude than appearance. People who do the following seem old:

- groan when standing up or sigh when sitting down
- talk about napping all the time
- express surprise about friends staying out "late"
- people who seem lazy or don't want to do anything that involves physical effort (like walking from the far end of a parking lot, or going for a walk, etc.

In terms of appearance, don't shop at places like the old lady clothing stores suggested here.

[Anonymous]

Some good responses here. I think the updated lines is key - for tshirts, jeans, etc. Just keep things simple and I also agree about not over accessorizing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I regularly get mistaken for someone 10 years younger than I am (I am 42, often get mistaken for early 30s). Here's what I think does it:

- Athletic. I used to be a personal trainer and still work out daily. I also walk almost everywhere I go and have lots of active hobbies (biking, hiking, rock climbing). This should be obvious, but the more active you are, the younger you will appear. It's not just that it makes your body look better (though it does), it also give you more energy, keeps you more flexible, helps maintain balance, etc. These feel like intangibles but spend some time watching how people move through the world. Exercising and feeling fit will make you appear younger without having to do anything to your clothes or hair.

- Minimal makeup. Granted, I think I have some good skin genes and my skin still looks pretty good despite not always being religious about skincare (I am now, but wasn't always when I was younger). But even if I had more wrinkles, I think a good quality CC cream plus some mascara and maaaaaybe a sheer cheek tint is plenty for most women. I went through a lipstick phase but stopped it specifically because I think it makes me look older (emphasizes thinning lips and tiny lines around my mouth that you didn't notice if I just wear a lip balm). I also think eye makeup is especially aging on older skin because it settles into all the fine lines. If you have the time to really make it look right, it works, but for every day? You will look more youthful with just a swipe of mascara and a relatively clean face. I have started to do my brows daily though, but that has to do with having light hair and needing some definition. I don't think it's necessary if your brows are already darker -- just tidy them up a bit.

- Keep clothes simple. Nothing too trendy, but I also keep things fairly streamlined. Agree that updated denim is key. So many women my age are afraid of higher rises and non-skinny jeans. I get it, but once you take the plunge, you can see it looks better. My favorite jeans right now are a highish rise with a straight leg in a mid-blue. Classic and easy. With a tee or tank tucked in, a hip-length blazer, and a pair of flats, it's such an easy look that doesn't make me look like I'm trying to be a teenager, but is in style in a way that won't date me. And it's easy and the pants are comfy! There's really no downside.

- Don't overdo technical fabrics and athleisure. I have and wear leggings. I own a fleece jacket. But I do not do head-to-toe athleisure very often. I think actual young people can pull this off and still look young. But once you're in your 40s, you just look like somebody's mom (full disclosure: I am somebody's mom). But a 40+ woman wearing black leggings/joggers, sports bra with athletic top, and a fleece jacket, plus sneakers, every day? It's not that it makes you look super old, it just pegs you to a certain stage of life -- school drop off, soccer practice, Saturdays at the playground, etc. Yes, it's plenty of women in their 30s doing this too. But the point is that it wears different once you're over 40. Putting in a smidge more effort will help a lot.

Genuine question: what are the circumstances under which people are guessing your age? It truly does not come up in conversation and I’m quite confident that it’s not because I look uncommonly old or young for my age.