What is your favourite change as you have aged?

What a lovely refreshing question! It made me take a moment, and suddenly feel a little better about myself. Physically I like my smile much more than I did when I was younger. I used to think I was too gummy so would often try and hide this when I smiled, but now I actually love the look of myself when I'm beaming in photographs.

I also just like the person I am much more nowadays, which I'm sure also reflects on the outside. Beauty shines from within they always say.

That being said, I know I still judge myself too harshly. I was reading up on anti-wrinkle treatments when I stumbled across your question here. Time for me to take time away from the screen and keep being kind to myself I think!

My skin is a lot clearer now at 32, so I no longer feel the need to use a whole face of makeup every day. I’m not sure if that’s due to aging or because I’ve found a skincare routine that works for me. Maybe a little of both.

Love this question! I'm getting gray hairs aka free highlights 😁💕

Great question! I’ll give you two 😀

1. my dark circles. This does not make me prettier, they age me, but my father passed away a few years ago and I look at my face and my dark circles are his. It’s a reminder of him that becomes more visible with age.

2. my drop in estrogen as a 43 year old means IDGAF and losing body fat is easy, putting on muscle is a breeze. And my baby face was a lovely phase of my past.

I’m 23 so I can’t answer this question but thank you for spreading positivity about aging. All this anti aging propaganda made me not look forward to it because I believed people would see me as uglier or less valuable just because I’m old/have older features. I hope that one day society can outgrow the ageism so we can all age in peace and not feel self conscious about it.

My cheekbones. I always had a round face as a kid and teen. At some point in my late 20s (like 28+) my facial fat finally started disappearing and now in my 30s I have visible cheekbones to the point where I’ve had a couple friends ask what I’m using to contour (nothing!!). My eyes are suffering from the loss of fat but the rest of my face looks amazing so it’s a fair trade lol.

I'm enjoying watching my smile crinkles come in around the sides of my eyes. I've always found these attractive on other people and am pumped to get mine!

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Not necessarily beauty. But in my 30’s I take zero shit. From anyone. It’s the most beautiful part of my aging journey so far.

I don’t know how vain this sounds, but every year I think “this is literally as good as it’s ever going to get” and the next year I look even MORE grown into my body and more like I belong in it. Every picture from a previous year shows me that, no actually, this is not as good as it is going to get. I am 36 so…. But I try very hard to take care of myself!!

My HIPS! After having a child they are even more refined 👌🏾

I'm much much more happier in my own skin.

My skin looks so much better in my 50's than it did in my youth. Clearer. More refined.

I don't have any wrinkles but I do have sagging around my jowls. I don't care, I'm happy inside and it shows on the outside!

I would be lying if I said I hadn't considered surgery for the sagging but I'm fed up of operations so I'll stick with it for now.

It's a pity I didn't feel this confident in my youth. Nowadays I'm happy but make groaning noises getting out of a chair 😂

I think I’m 10x more stylish at 31 than 21! I love putting an outfit together, I’m really confident wearing what I love and knowing what looks good. I’m also so much more mentally stable and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

My mom almost died when she was 39 and when she turned 40 and bought some champagne to celebrate the lady at the counter told her, "you can be 39 as long as you like dear." And my mom was so excited to tell her, "But now I get to finish seeing my grays come in!"

I don't talk to my mom anymore unfortunately but I am very excited to see how my hair changes as it gets older.

I just wanted to put this out here to tell and remind you all that aging is BEAUTIFUL. Like, not in a way where I am just saying “everyone is beautiful” (which that is also still true). As a woman who is attracted to women my eyes will always land on your face that shows life before the women with “smooth skin” that you may envy. Those fine lines around your eyes? I love the way they crinkle when you laugh. The wrinkles on your neck that you may stress about the deeper they get? They are like a delicate decoration that shows what a vibrant life you have lived. Your hands that you maybe obsessively moisturize to try to hide your age? Those are the hands that have held loved ones when they needed them the most. I always feel like I should’t compliment women on how beautiful I think their crows feet, smile lines, etc. are because I don’t want them to feel like I am pointing out their insecurities. But I am here to remind you that you that you are not beautiful despite your insecurities; you are beautiful BECAUSE of them 🩷 It is easier said than done but I wish every woman could truly embrace the appearance of life and wisdom in their face and body and I love this thread of women doing exactly that.

The wisdom and maturity that can come with it. Being able to see clearer on what is important and what is not. Getting to a point of complete peace and realizing chaos never had to be a part of things, and how much my outlook/mindset affects this, and those around me. Learning that I can effectively communicate with respect, towards others and myself. And learning that I do not need to always prove my worth to others, it’s okay to walk away having proven absolutely nothing. From a physical stand point……lol that’s a little harder but I suppose the closest would be, enjoying fashion so much more when it isn’t so tied up into trends or what others are wearing. I dress for me now and what makes me happy to wear/look at. :)

My skin is actually softer 💜💜💜

You dress to please yourself, not others. You're more self confident & more forgiving of yourself, so you don't get hung up on what other people think of you. You may choose to take care of yourself, & to look your best, but it's OK that you're not perfect, & really, who cares. It's actually very liberating.

Sorry to make this a bit sad, but I’m 38, and in the last few years, there’s been several people around my age from high school/university/my early professional life who are no longer with us. I look at my crows feet and my forehead lines and I am so thankful for them, my gift of nearly reaching 4 decades. Life goes fast, it’s precious, and whilst it’s absolutely fine to care about your appearance (I certainly do), no one is going to give a shit about the wrinkles on your face or the pounds on your hips when you’re gone.

I smile a lot easier now, the little things that I used to fret over (did I say something stupid, why doesn’t he like me, is she avoiding me) are now laughable gnats.

Aging has given me perspective and allowed me to calm the self absorption, I think this shows in my face. It sounds trite, but there is nothing more beautiful than serenity shining through.

My eyes look bigger now for some reason. I prefer my smile now as my face has lost some puppy fat. My eyes used to almost disappear when I smiled and the lower half of my face looked disproportionately big.

I have the grey streak at the front of my hair that I always loved on other women.

I love crows feet. It’s so bloody cute.

I’ve always had a wise child/babyface so it’s nice to be looking a bit more like a grown up now to match my cranky old soul.

I’m getting there with loving the new grey hairs because they are very pretty and glittery, even if I do feel a bit snuck-up-on by them at times!

I’m enjoying looking like my mother more and more every year :-)

Not having a period! Not having a uterus! Menopause is worse than puberty but once it’s over, not having to have a period every month is delightful.

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I love my natural, platinum hair!

I love it that I am/look healthier at 56 ( clear skin, sparkling, clear eyes, etc.) than I did 3.5 years ago.

At 34, I used to have really hooded eyelid to where it was hard to see eyeshadow or mascara on me. I also had a really round chubby face. I have more of a jawline than I used to and I’ve lost my hooded eyes. I am sure one day it will swing in the opposite direction, but it literally looks like I had one of those eyelid surgeries. I really like my eyes now and my bone structure overall. I used to always wear make up but now I feel like I don’t even really need much at all to look attractive. It’s just such a strange shift but I love it.

My face is more chiseled. My hips are fuller and I feel more womanly. The best part about aging has been the non-physical, though - I'm much more confident, and I'm being taken more seriously at work, which is a huge plus. I feel like I have something to offer the world besides my physical appearance, and that feels amazing.

I’m enjoying having a baby face more and more. Occasionally, it feels like I’m enjoying my childhood but have the privilege to grow older without questioning if I’d make it past the next two years. It swells my heart up with gratitude. I also love the fine lines I have in the ‘aegyo-sal’, I’d like to believe they’re because I smile more :) 

I like not hating everything about myself anymore. I take better care of myself and it shows. I’m peaceful and confident, inside and out. 😌

This sounds weird but right now, my curves are in the right place. I think when I was younger, they were higher on my body. And as someone who has pronounced hips, my “love handles” looked weird when they were a bit higher than the top of my butt. It looked like an inner tube of fat around my midsection, and my hips/butt tapered in from there. there was a decisive “down” slope from my hips/love handles to my butt….the. ANOTHER curve created by my hip bones and butt. Think muffin top

Now, time has pulled that section down a little…and perfectly into place. It’s a beautiful, gradual sloped curve that peaks out at my widest hip/buttock area and tapes down into my thighs legs, so my lower body is one smooth out than in instead of 2 awkwards ones. I used to really hate my hips/love section but now they are the key to my pretty well defined hour glass. Before I looked kinda…lumpy?

I also think my breasts look a little nicer and have more of a shape now that they aren’t quite so high on my chest.

I can’t say I aged that much but I mentally aged and realized that I LOVE MY BODY and I don’t have to change it

My hips. I’ve gotten substantially curvier the older I’ve gotten, and I love it.

My hair has gotten curlier like my mother's did. She's beautiful. I've always loved her hair.

One of my fav features about myself is the dimples I have had my whole life. I'm glad that feature stays with me.

No more acne, and having cheekbones

I feel so much more comfortable in my skin. I'm 41 now and often look in the mirror and feel quite happy with what I see.

Plus, I look a lot better now than in my 20s and early 30s, I had quite an extreme look then, and looking at photos, it did not suit me. I went a bit more natural and it looks so much better

When I stopped coloring my hair during covid-my natural color turned out to be a silvery shiny white and I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I like it and how many compliments I receive. Also my skin has never looked better.

Like many others here I feel privileged for having made it this far.

I’m less oily overall. My hair can go longer without needing a wash, I have maybe 1 pimple a year. I have not had a blackhead in years.

Better self acceptance also, and maybe more education on potential side effects on procedures. I used to want a boob job, now I think they(my boobs) are fine. My mom had a several year battle with her implants due to a chest infection, had to have one out with a drain for a long time, and several operations. Another friend had hers removed due to implant illness. I have no interest in implants now.

It's my 32 birthday today!! Taking a minute to read through this; it is invaluable to show our wonderfully aging selves some extra love, today and always.

I am just so happy to be aging. I have some grey hairs, the corners of my eyes crinkle when I smile, and I am definitely not as thin as I used to be. But as someone who had a sibling pass away in their early 20s, I am so immensely thankful for every year of life I have lived and all the changes that come with it. 

I actually really love the way my face is becoming more structured. I had an extremely round face when I was younger, but now I've got some cheekbone definition that really compliments me I think. So far I've loved aging and think I look more beautiful now than I did at 20.

Appearance wise, I get more beautiful each year. Ugly duckling through highschool, as an adult I get more and more beautiful.

Internally, I do not care about really anything I cared about when I was younger. I am much more confident. Sex also gets better with age as you become more accepting of your body and what you like in bed.

I'm 48 and over the past few years I have been using a lot less powder on my face as it accentuates fine lines. My skincare and makeup has my face looking glowy and healthy. When I was younger I was obsessed with powder and eliminating any bit of shine on my face, and I think that look aged my face.

Finding skincare and a “diet as medicine” approach, no fillers/Botox etc

I love my crows feet - they make me look happier! I also am stoked to have some greys finally coming through - I truly think they look beautiful and I can’t wait for more. Finally - confidence. It was just something that happened overnight all of a sudden I love my body and my face even though I suppose you might say I have lost beauty in my age

Frown lines make me look more thoughtful/distinguished

Thicker hips and thighs

I didn't enjoy the disrespect that came with looking young so even though some of the effects of ageing aren't so welcome, overall I appreciate being taken more seriously!

I'm aging like milk lol. But, I'm a better person. I'm happier. I love myself more. I love people more. I know how to forgive. I respect my body for what it does for me, not what it looks like. My wrinkles and grays are from a life that I fought hard for. I know that every pain is temporary. I'm more willing to fail. I'm more willing to take risks. I know how incredibly painful and fragile life is, but we can choose when it hurts. I know that I can make myself happy. I can turn happiness on with a deep breath.

I am 45 years old and I have never felt as confident and beautiful as I do now. In my earlier years, I wasted time thinking I was unattractive and stressing over the opinions of others. Surprisingly, as I have grown older - a time when things are expected to decline - I have found the opposite to be true. I attribute this newfound confidence and beauty to consistently working out and lifting heavy weights since I was 19, as well as adjusting my diet along the years . So, if you prioritize discipline, your body can improve over time, and you will also become wiser and appreciate yourself even more.

At 39, my confidence!

Maybe this is cliche and too generic, but my favorite change is probably how much more comfortable I feel in my own skin.

I don't feel as pressured to wear as much makeup as I did when I was younger. My skin and face are maturing, but I still feel beautiful!

❤️

No specific physical attribute necessarily but whittling down my makeup products to only a few standard, solid, holy grail items and being able to do my makeup in like 5 minutes is a very welcome change. It used to be an hour and I had like bucketfuls of makeup. Also waxing has been a game changer I wish I knew about earlier. I do like my greys too, I haven't colored my hair in probably 10-15 years.

I like having grey hairs. I didn’t think I’d live this long. I had mental health issues when I was young and really didn’t think I would get to 32. I have a baby face too so I like having my grey hairs because I don’t get carded as much anymore or people thinking I just graduated high school lol

My silver-grey head of hair is genuinely awesome and suits me much better than any colour I’ve ever dyed it. It’s a really flattering colour! Also, my skin is much clearer and brighter than it ever was in my 20s (I’m early 40s now).

I have some grey at my temples now and I'm so excited about it. I have a fantasy that I will have two distinct grey streaks there at least for a little while. I don't think that's very likely. Probably the rest will start to grey and I won't get distinct streaks, but a girl can dream. I think grey hair is so beautiful.

That being said, there's a distinct chance that in the future I'll cover up my grey if I'm applying for a new job or something, because ageism is real. But I won't be happy about it.

Confidence, and ability to just not care about other’s opinions.

I have great cheekbones now.

I love my crows feet. I have small ones that really help my eyes pop and my acne has been a lot less. I look more mature and a lot more attractive in my opinion plus I love how I am more calm.

my curvier body! i have never felt sexier

Losing baby fat in my face so my cheekbones are much more pronounced. I stopped drinking/partying several years ago and I care more about my health now, so my body and face look more defined and glowy. I’m also more comfortable with how I naturally look, so I wear less makeup and don’t use heat tools on my hair. My skin and hair look much better these days

As I have gotten older I have developed a better sense of style and can style my make up and hair in different ways allowing me to really look pulled together head to toe. I love it.

I’m 25 and have forehead wrinkles forming. And I don’t like them. But I’m also an educator who’s worked with young kids for over a decade, so I know those wrinkles were formed over years of shocked facial expressions because of all the silly wonderful things my students did. When I weigh it out, I’d rather have more of those moments than less of these wrinkles.

I didn’t know how to smile for pictures when I was younger, so I looked awkward. As I got older I realised that my pictures became less awkward as I naturally began to smile with more confidence.

I feel the same way. In my mid-30s, my jawline got really defined and it seemed that my body and face finally shed the lingering baby fat from my 20s and my skin was always glowing. Now, i'm older and I still love my skin and i'm blessed to have had a mother that pushed wearing SPF daily and keeping hydrated, so i'm reaping those rewards now it would seem lol