I look better in my 40s than my teens and 20s

[Anonymous]

I am cleaning out my old photos and wow, in college and my 20s I don’t look that good. Or at least not very photogenic. I remember always having decent attention from men but my skin was bad, I had awful haircuts and bleached hair, I didn’t know how to dress or my best colors.

Now in my 40s, I look a million times better even though my body is a bit older and maybe 10 lbs more. My skin is better, my face is thinner, I know how to wear makeup and clothes that flatter me.

I know everyone think youth is wasted on the young but I actually am enjoying my looks now!

[Anonymous]

I don’t think it’s true, sorry, unless you were really hideous when young. But I am glad you are enjoying your present looks!!

[Anonymous]

I think this could be true. My husband’s aunt is a stunning older woman. She is athletic, very tall, strong, an avid horsewoman. She also wears no makeup but has the best understated style. She gives serious je ne sais quoi vibes and I probably have a slight crush on her! But if you see pictures of her when she was younger, she really didn’t look as good. She was never what you’d consider a great beauty. I think her face really did age like a fine wine. Maybe some faces come into their own with age. Does anyone else know of someone like this?

[Anonymous]

Me too OP!
I grew up smack dab in the 80’s when hair/makeup/fashion was a neon nightmare!!?
Lol.

When I look at my helmet hair, my frosted highlights or my rainbow 🌈 colored makeup I cannot help but cringe.

I look so much simpler now, and natural.

[Anonymous]

A little money can go a long way. It wasn’t until my 30s that I could afford nice-ish clothes, a good dermatologist, and a great haircut. I am an elegant 40-something, but I was a hottie at 20-26 years old.

[Anonymous]

I understand what you mean.

I feel more confident now and have more money to throw at my appearance, but I will admit I am a conventionally attractive person and looked more youthful and "prettier" in my 20s. But I feel better and enjoy my looks now!

[Anonymous]

Well, every time I have said this, my DD17 corrects me and says it nicely, but that I was prettier in my 20s. Aack. I feel prettier now.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s also sort of comparing to your peers. I was prettier as a teen/20 year old but many other woman were prettier than me. Now, so many women do not keep up their appearances or do not have the money/time to do so so I feel like my percentile attractiveness has gone up if that makes sense? Also I had a very round face and as part of ages I now have defined cheekbones which is fun. But younger women are more attractive. It’s fine! We have wisdom or something to make up for it

[Anonymous]

I believe you because I experienced the same from around mid-thirties to mid/late forties. Sometime after that it all went rapidly downhill so enjoy it while it lasts!!

[Anonymous]

I believe it. I’m mid 30s and I definitely know a handful of women who in college/their 20s were pretty but just hadn’t found their style, or hadn’t gotten into a fitness routine (usually partying more than exercising), and after changing that as they got older they’ve had major glow ups. Of course they look older but they still look better.

[Anonymous]

At 49, Im more fit and toned than in my 20s, but have thinning hair that is now curly and gray that I dye. I never wore much makeup, so I think I looked better naturally then. I have some dark spots now and more pronounced under eye dark circles. I still resist makeup and I don’t know what to do with my hair except cut it very short. All in all I could look much bettter if I knew what to do with myself.

[Anonymous]

I think I am going through the more common experience of having looked better in my twenties.

When people say I look good now, I think, yay, I am presentable. This is because I remember what I looked like in my twenties, and you can't tell me I look better now with wrinkles and twenty additional pounds. I went from smoke show to friendly mom.

I definitely look (and am) happier now, though. I think it can be hard to have genuine relationships when everyone around you is obsessed with appearances, which my twenties crowd was.

[Anonymous]

Yes I am 52 and the most attractive I've ever been. Also grew up in 80s with terrible hair/makeup styles. Lifelong friends ask me about my "glowup" and ageing well tips, but it's really just staying in shape, taking care of skin and hair, etc. I don't do botox and still love thrifting clothes. So nothing extreme, just finally came into myself and am loving it. Self-confidence is attractive too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think it’s true, sorry, unless you were really hideous when young. But I am glad you are enjoying your present looks!!

This is so rude in addition to being a stupid take.

I also look better in my 40s. I don’t look younger, obviously. But I look better.

I think so many of you equate looking young with looking good, and that’s how we end up with unmoving foreheads, duck lips, and full on Mar-a-Lago face.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s also sort of comparing to your peers. I was prettier as a teen/20 year old but many other woman were prettier than me. Now, so many women do not keep up their appearances or do not have the money/time to do so so I feel like my percentile attractiveness has gone up if that makes sense? Also I had a very round face and as part of ages I now have defined cheekbones which is fun. But younger women are more attractive. It’s fine! We have wisdom or something to make up for it

I do think that's part of it but there are women at work that I knew in their 20s and they definitely look better now in their 40s and even early 50s as compared to themselves. It's probably a sense of style and being in better shape than in their 20s.