Anonymous wrote:46 for me.

+1


Its seems like this winter not only took a toll on my mental outlook, I'm looking older all of the sudden. What I'm doing is I'm trying to exercise harder to sweat more so that I can look better. Also, I know I could be a prime candidate for Botox between the eyebrows, but I simply can't afford it right now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Genes play a huge role. Just look at my DH and I. He is Scottish and NEVER goes in the sun. He cannot can and he slathers himself with block and hats. The poor guy's thin, fair skin is just starting to melt at age 38.

I'm the complete opposite. I'm European, but must have some Southern European in me because I can get a deep tan and have very oily skin and seemingly thick skin. At 37, I'm yet to have a wrinkle, stretch mark, or inch of saggy skin. It completely boils down to genetics from what I have seen in my house. I'm kinda sad to see that my kids got my DHs skin, just because it seems to delicate.

And I might add, that even though I have good skin, I still look 37. No matter how great you look for your age, you still look your age. Some women just look older than their age, but the clock does not roll back. Sorry.

OP here. I agree with this. I may have told someone "omg I thought you were in you 20s" but what I mean is "you look great for 38". Love the responses on this thread, very interesting!

Anonymous wrote:Give up alcohol. It ages people even if they are social drinkers or the "a glass of wine a night" kind. And focus on getting a good nights sleep as often as you can. Lack of sleep and alcohol age people on the inside and the outside.

Female, mother of three, age 45, fair/dry skinned, teetotaler here. Proud to say that I have pretty skin, but it's work.

Agree with PP who said it's your lifestyle choices of your early twenties that come home to roost and show up on your face in your mid 30s. See Robert Plant, Lindsey Lohan for examples of hard living = aging or, attend your 25 high school reunion. The then-gorgeous, perpetually tanned, skinny girls are now, middle-aged women who have leathery, crepey skin and could be described as "time worn" or "hard."

I'm convinced that for women, taking good care of your skin (avoiding the sun, wearing sunblock/hats/sunglasses as a matter of habit, NOT sleeping in makeup, daily moisturizer and even not drinking alcohol help) but so too does not being too thin and maintaining your weight.

Yes, genetics plays a role, but ever seen those photos of identical twins where one's a smoker/sun worshiper/drinker and the other is not? That's telling. I see this with my years younger sister - she had a misspent youth, lots of drinking, time outside in the sun and it all shows on her face and she's 38. Most everyone assumes she's older than I am, and that's sad.

No alcohol, stay out of the sun, no processed food (avoid sugar like the poison it is), no smoking.

Do: moisturize, seek shade, drink water or green tea, eat lean fish/meat, legumes, vegetables (green leafy), low sugar fruits. Exercise at least 1 hour cardio every day, strength train every other day. Yoga, pilates. Early to bed every day get enough sleep.

If you only do that, you will age much more gracefully.

Give up alcohol. It ages people even if they are social drinkers or the "a glass of wine a night" kind. And focus on getting a good nights sleep as often as you can. Lack of sleep and alcohol age people on the inside and the outside.

You can watch your diet and exercise every day and still not get the results you want...trust me, I know. If I put in X amount of effort, I expect Y results. If I put in the effort and don't see the results that I want, I get frustrated. I can choose to beat myself up for not looking a particular way or I can accept my looks and work on doing what makes ME feel good..

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Genes play a huge role. Just look at my DH and I. He is Scottish and NEVER goes in the sun. He cannot can and he slathers himself with block and hats. The poor guy's thin, fair skin is just starting to melt at age 38.

I'm the complete opposite. I'm European, but must have some Southern European in me because I can get a deep tan and have very oily skin and seemingly thick skin. At 37, I'm yet to have a wrinkle, stretch mark, or inch of saggy skin. It completely boils down to genetics from what I have seen in my house. I'm kinda sad to see that my kids got my DHs skin, just because it seems to delicate.

And I might add, that even though I have good skin, I still look 37. No matter how great you look for your age, you still look your age. Some women just look older than their age, but the clock does not roll back. Sorry.

I agree with this. And I think the pressure is really to look the best for your age. And sadly, our best, is sometimes still shitty.
I wish I didn't give a f but the older I get the more vain I become.

This is really the way to look at it. (If you even care) you should just strive to look the best you can for your age. This means eating well, exercise, sleep, and keeping moisturized. That's all you can do. If you keep your body healthy through diet and exercise you will feel good and will radiate that confidence and well being.

Anonymous wrote:Depends. This oily elastic skin of mine was the bane of my existence when I was teen/early 20s. All I wanted was the smooth, non-oily, lighter-complected skin of my friends.

All those friends now have aged about 5-7 years past me and are continuing so. Their skin shows more wrinkles and skin discoloration than mine. I'm aging, but it seems the difference in our genetic make-up is benefiting me FINALLY. lol

Yes, and we HAAAATTTEEE you for it. (just kidding). But, yes, I've noticed that, too. I'm fair skinned during the winter but have always tanned easily in the summer, my face has always been combination skin (dry/flaky, oily/acne). Today I still tan easily but I have sun damage and my complexion is more ruddy now. And I have wrinkles.

My mom who has very fair skin/burns easily, has always made it a point to stay out of the sun and seeks shade at every opportunity, has very little sun damage. Women with more olive skin tones tend to be able to endure the sun much more readily, without showing signs of aging.

Anonymous wrote:Genes play a huge role. Just look at my DH and I. He is Scottish and NEVER goes in the sun. He cannot can and he slathers himself with block and hats. The poor guy's thin, fair skin is just starting to melt at age 38.

Sadly, I'm like your DH. I'm very fair-skinned, spend as little time in the sun as possible, always slather on SPF 50+, but this year, at the ripe old age of 34, my face really changed. My crow's feet are very pronounced, and my face skin is just sagging in general. I don't have kids and I'm well-rested, so I'll just blame genetics.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Genes play a huge role. Just look at my DH and I. He is Scottish and NEVER goes in the sun. He cannot can and he slathers himself with block and hats. The poor guy's thin, fair skin is just starting to melt at age 38.

I'm the complete opposite. I'm European, but must have some Southern European in me because I can get a deep tan and have very oily skin and seemingly thick skin. At 37, I'm yet to have a wrinkle, stretch mark, or inch of saggy skin. It completely boils down to genetics from what I have seen in my house. I'm kinda sad to see that my kids got my DHs skin, just because it seems to delicate.

And I might add, that even though I have good skin, I still look 37. No matter how great you look for your age, you still look your age. Some women just look older than their age, but the clock does not roll back. Sorry.

I agree with this. And I think the pressure is really to look the best for your age. And sadly, our best, is sometimes still shitty.
I wish I didn't give a f but the older I get the more vain I become.

Depends. This oily elastic skin of mine was the bane of my existence when I was teen/early 20s. All I wanted was the smooth, non-oily, lighter-complected skin of my friends.

All those friends now have aged about 5-7 years past me and are continuing so. Their skin shows more wrinkles and skin discoloration than mine. I'm aging, but it seems the difference in our genetic make-up is benefiting me FINALLY. lol

Anonymous wrote:46 for me.

agree, that is the start of it

Anonymous wrote:Genes play a huge role. Just look at my DH and I. He is Scottish and NEVER goes in the sun. He cannot can and he slathers himself with block and hats. The poor guy's thin, fair skin is just starting to melt at age 38.

I'm the complete opposite. I'm European, but must have some Southern European in me because I can get a deep tan and have very oily skin and seemingly thick skin. At 37, I'm yet to have a wrinkle, stretch mark, or inch of saggy skin. It completely boils down to genetics from what I have seen in my house. I'm kinda sad to see that my kids got my DHs skin, just because it seems to delicate.

And I might add, that even though I have good skin, I still look 37. No matter how great you look for your age, you still look your age. Some women just look older than their age, but the clock does not roll back. Sorry.

Anonymous wrote:I am 38 but everyone says I look 20ish. I was thinking of joining the police department and doing undercover work in college.

LOL! You and every other middle aged mom on here. A bunch of unicorns running around!

Start to show about 30's ( look at the hands), start to break down 45-50.