Would a 50yo really want to look like a 20yo? (girl, stylist)

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by JustJulia

That's easy for you to say--you're a man. Age and wisdom are not valued in women to the extent that beauty and sexuality are.

Yeah I hate that double-standard. I definitely value experience and wisdom in both men and women equally, love talking to older women about their lives, 'back in the day.' Some of them seem so wise, good-humoured and easy going!

[jerseygal4u]

I wnant to know this:
Why do people give someone compliments for looking younger than their age?
Why is it seen as a good thing?

Some people I know don't exercise and eat right,and then I know people who do,and the people who eat right and exercise still look older than the other group. I think it is genetics.
So,why or why not praise someone over nothing they have control over?
Some people actually look older due to genetics,and nothing they did would have stopped it.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by JustJulia

Being carded at the grocery store does not mean that everybody thinks you might be underage.

The signs clearly state "we card everybody (who looks?) under 40" anyway (I don't think it was around in the past, but it has been for quite a few years), so it's not any compliment really...

And yeah... some are quite delusional...

[WyoNewk]

Genetics plays a HUGE roll in how gracefully one ages. My wife's dad died well into his 70s and still had a head of thick, dark hair. She's now 56 and hardly has any grey hair and still has pretty youthful skin, even though she smokes and, until the past couple years, always had a deep tan.

We were having a drink with a gal who she worked with about 10 years ago, and the gal said she was 37 or 38 -- something like that. We were both floored because she looked like she was in her 60s. Honestly, I thought she must have been 20 years older than my wife, not almost 10 years younger!

I had some skin cancer removed from just under one of my eyes a few years ago by a plastic surgeon. He had to take a huge chunk of skin and initially it deformed my face. He said not to worry, it would stretch into place in a few months and hardly be noticeable. Yeah, he was sort of right. It's hard to see the scar, but now that side of my face still has no wrinkles under the eye, but the wrinkles under the other eye are obvious. LOL Maybe I'll get some skin cancer there soon and look young again!

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by WyoNewk

Genetics plays a HUGE roll in how gracefully one ages. My wife's dad died well into his 70s and still had a head of thick, dark hair. She's now 56 and hardly has any grey hair and still has pretty youthful skin, even though she smokes and, until the past couple years, always had a deep tan.

We were having a drink with a gal who she worked with about 10 years ago, and the gal said she was 37 or 38 -- something like that. We were both floored because she looked like she was in her 60s. Honestly, I thought she must have been 20 years older than my wife, not almost 10 years younger!

I had some skin cancer removed from just under one of my eyes a few years ago by a plastic surgeon. He had to take a huge chunk of skin and initially it deformed my face. He said not to worry, it would stretch into place in a few months and hardly be noticeable. Yeah, he was sort of right. It's hard to see the scar, but now that side of my face still has no wrinkles under the eye, but the wrinkles under the other eye are obvious. LOL Maybe I'll get some skin cancer there soon and look young again!

Do you know what makes me feel old? I've mistaken a few women now who were my age for being in their mid-30s! It doesn't happen often, but now and then. I'm sometimes mistaken for being 18 or even 16 so it shows you how much more youthful some look.

[LibraGirl123]

Originally Posted by JustJulia

I fully admit that I scrutinize the lines on my face and use special moisturizers; I want to look younger and have a healthy appearance. However, I think some women are not realistic about what a 20- or 30-year-old looks like. I've heard women in their 40s say how people think they are in their early 20s. They do not. That's delusional. Emma Watson just turned 21. Jamie Lynn Spears, Britney's little sister, is 20. Hayden Panettiere is like 22. You cannot be 45 and look like Emma Watson. Being carded at the grocery store does not mean that everybody thinks you might be underage.

Totally agree. I see women saying this all the time in online forums (including City-Data)...I would REALLY like to see what they look like in person. I've known a few people who looked maybe 10 years younger than their actual age (and this was NOT due to plastic surgery), but I've never known anyone who naturally looked 20 or 30 years younger. No way!

Originally Posted by JustJulia

Botox scares the bejeezus out of me, haha. I think the best things you can do for your face are to drink plenty of water, wear a hat, moisturize, eat decent food, get lots of sleep, and not smoke. Some women are blessed with great skin, though, and that's just luck. You've got to do the best with what you have.

One of the BEST things you can do for your skin, especially your face, is to protect it from the sun.

[LibraGirl123]

Originally Posted by WyoNewk

Genetics plays a HUGE roll in how gracefully one ages. My wife's dad died well into his 70s and still had a head of thick, dark hair. She's now 56 and hardly has any grey hair and still has pretty youthful skin, even though she smokes and, until the past couple years, always had a deep tan.

This amazes me. Smoking and deep tanning are known factors in face wrinkling, despite good genetics.

[Voyageuse]

I'm middle-age and I wouldn't mind going back to age 20, but only if I could take my 44 year-old brain with me. God, I was such an idiot at 20! And, oh the bad hair, makeup and wardrobe sins I committed!

There's a big difference between looking young and youthful. Trying to look young is sorry and pathetic, but youthful is fun, age-appropriate, energized and stylish. I color my hair, try to stay fit, and yes, I use fillers (but not in the lips). I don't think the fillers make me appear much younger per se, but they definitely make me look better for my age.

BTW, it's Restylane (or similar fillers) that is used in the hands. It restores the lost volume in the hands, much like it does to fill in marionette lines around the mouth. My esthetician does it and her hands looks great.

[Ringo1]

I agree with everyone who says they just want to look the best they can for their age. When you are 50 trying to look 20 . . it never ends well.

I was blessed with good skin (from my Mother and my Grandmother) and started using sunscreen early. Wish I had started even earlier now! Try and keep fit and with current hair. (The minute you start looking old, your employer starts thinking about how to get rid of you!)

I'm just now starting to consider . . something. I'm not sure what. Not surgery but fillers can be overdone as well. I can't stand those aging Hollywood stars who look like a blowfish or totally unrecognizeable. Ugh.

But I would like to give my chin a helping hand!

[Trimac20]

I don't think there's anything wrong with looking youthful, but actually seriously trying to match up to a 20 year old is fighting a losing battle...unless you want to be some sort of half-plastic mutant lol.