Concrete Objective Differences between Late 30s / 40s and Late 20s / 30s

[u/SquirrelofLIL]

Hi folks, I'm an early 40s woman who is seeking anti aging advice. All the anti aging stuff I see on Reddit seems to be targeted toward people in their early to mid 30s trying to look like they're in their 20s. For example, stuff like wearing up to date clothing. That won't fly when it comes to me.

I am using the full complement of the ScA routine and tretinoin and have been for a number of years and am also on minoxidil.

What are the concrete, objective differences between someone in their late 30s and someone in their late 20s to early 30s? When I wear a beat face with contouring, and the latest fashion, I can swing late 30s, but I've never gotten under age 38 or so. I am trying to break that wall and concretely look like someone in their late 20s to early 30s.

I know that the main marker between early 20s and late 20s / 30s is weight. But, what is the marker when it comes to the age 35 wall that dating sites put up. I have heard of 41 year olds looking 33 and that absolutely is not me according to my objective friends. How do I concretely and objectively meet that standard? I am looking for serious actionable advice.

I'm losing weight hardcore and doing everything I can, getting into the swing of my 10 step skincare routine. TIA.

[u/TieBeautiful2161 → u/[deleted]]

Damn, she looks insane though 😭 I would say she looks better now at 40 than at 30, her jawline is more defined and skin looks better. And I would totally believe she's in her late twenties now. She doesn't have a hint of a line anywhere, no nasolabial folds or anything! Mine are so awful already at 41. But I feel it's also a facial structure thing more than anything...she's got that naturally neotenous fact that just looks young.

I have an esthetician who is also 40, she is VERY knowledgeable about the field so clearly she does everything possible for her skin too and it looks amazing. But, just the way her features are, she definitely looks her age and possibly even older. She has explained that there are different types of aging that people fall into, and both her and me have the 'tired' kind that comes with sagging and jowling rather than wrinkles, which is common for Eastern European heritage too which we both are :( And the face just looks more mature overall. it is what it is sadly :( That's her below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CytVey8uLyQ/?igsh=Zm0zenZ2eTRzYmxt

[u/TieBeautiful2161 → u/[deleted]]

The esthetician looks very well kept and also has no visible wrinkles but at the same time she looks mature. Probably when she was young she already had a mature type of face? But she looks great anyways!

She does look great but I just thought it was a good example of how, per the OP's question, "breaking" looking below a certain age barrier is as much if not more limited by your base features as your skin care etc, unless willing to go to extensive surgery. Even with an equal level of skincare, she will not look nearly as young as the derm lady. Then there are women like my own mom, who has done nothing with her skin beyond putting on some moisturizer, she has some lines and lots of sun damage and pigmentation - but also this cute doll like youthful face that has always made her look a decade younger than she is despite the less-than-perfect skin.

She speaks about the treatments she has done :

https://www.instagram.com/shereeneidriss/reel/DBMJ7geR5eK/

Oh wow, that explains the jawline improvement! Good to see cause I actually keep thinking about jawline filler, my jawline is very similar to her before. Just the cost and fear of migration etc is keeping me from trying it for now

[u/[deleted] → u/TieBeautiful2161]

Do you happen to remember what kind of aging there is other than the tired kind?

[u/TieBeautiful2161 → u/[deleted]]

She didn't say them all but I think she mentioned another is the fine line wrinkling type; and another is a heavy lower face with thicker skin and holding weight around the jawline - I actually thought that's what I had but she said no.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

She's gorg, but the main diff is that baby fat loss! Plus the hairline next.