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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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!!

This is true, speaking as a mid 50s woman

But some women, especially those who would have been considered dorky or plain or whatever terms were used back in my teen days (mid 80s) do look a lot better when they are older and have figured out personal style, better eyeglasses, more flattering haircut, subtle makeup, so on. I am not one of these women, I peaked in my early 20s 😂.

[Anonymous]

I definitely look better now because I know how to dress for my body instead of trying to make my body fit whatever style was going on.

[Anonymous]

OP - I actually have longer hair now than I did many of those younger years when I had shoulder length hair. My face was very round and now I have cheekbones, and paired with the long hair I look more feminine. I also do my eyebrows now, whereas back then plucking was the rage and having darker/thicker eyebrows in their natural shape define my face better.

I can see men turning their heads to look at me, at all ages. I am *not* saying I look younger. I am saying I look better and prettier.

[Anonymous]

Those of you who are insisting OP looked better in her twenties might be underestimating how much bad skin can affect one's overall appearance. If someone has bad acne it can be all you see when looking at their face. It actually tends to look worse when covered with makeup.

My best friend in high school went on Accutane and went from looking like a bookish nerd to hottie in a few short months. It was wild seeing how differently she was treated by guys, other girls, and even teachers.

[Anonymous]

I felt this way in my early forties. Well, I felt the way someone upthread does - I looked better than my peers. Like the 26 year old me was better looking than the 42 year old me, but the 42 year old ranked higher compared to peers than the 26 year old me.

Then I started going through peri. All downhill! And my peers started taking ozempic etc so started becoming thinner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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!

Did you have a very round/chubby face and chubby cheeks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who are insisting OP looked better in her twenties might be underestimating how much bad skin can affect one's overall appearance. If someone has bad acne it can be all you see when looking at their face. It actually tends to look worse when covered with makeup.

My best friend in high school went on Accutane and went from looking like a bookish nerd to hottie in a few short months. It was wild seeing how differently she was treated by guys, other girls, and even teachers.

Acne can also make your face really puffy if it flares up. So not having acne can also mean your face looks much thinner.

[Anonymous]

Aw, bless your heart, OP. Glad you’re happy with how you look at this age.

[Anonymous]

You look amazing and always have OP. No part of life is wasted on anyone.

[Anonymous]

Mid 40s here. I don't look better than I did in my 20s. I am decent looking for my age, but I look slightly worse AND, in the interest of full disclosure, i have to do a lot more work in the gym and spend more money (medspa and hair salon) to not slide further.

[Anonymous]

My almost 19 year old is my clone and looks exactly like me, and of course looks 100x better than me now, no doubts about that, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My almost 19 year old is my clone and looks exactly like me, and of course looks 100x better than me now, no doubts about that, OP.

This is the real test--compare yourself to the daughter (or niece or little cousin or whatever) that looks like a younger version of you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My almost 19 year old is my clone and looks exactly like me, and of course looks 100x better than me now, no doubts about that, OP.

This is the real test--compare yourself to the daughter (or niece or little cousin or whatever) that looks like a younger version of you.

Another person with teenage daughters, and I agree. I think people are discussing different things though - the presentation versus just face/body. So my face looked better in the olden days. The quality of my hair was better in the olden days. But I have more money and knowledge to dress better, use all the great hair products/tools. And many people in society respond to dressing, makeup, etc, and not just the beauty of youth. Though, they absolutely respond to that! It’s the basis of all these YouTube/Instagram reels on how to look hot.

[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!!

There’s some space between what you said and OP shared.

I remember my elderly father talking about how the good looking women at his HS reunion were not the same women who looked good in HS.

[Anonymous]

I’ve seen celebrities who I think look better older than they did when younger.
My suspicion is that it’s because they have had more invasive work done that have just made their faces more attractive overall.