I’ve never felt more beautiful than I do now at 32 – age is not the end-all-be-all but learn from my makeup swaps
SOMETIMES confidence comes with age — and sometimes it comes with good makeup.
A woman opened up about how she figured out the true meaning of beauty and discovered a few tricks to rewind the clock.
Redditor Strikes-twice shared how she came to looking — and feeling — like the best version of myself.
“I’m only 32, but I’ve noticed my skin changing over the past few years,” she said.
Aside from a drier skin texture, she noticed fine lines and thinner skin around the eye area in the form of “very, very slight drooping.”
She noted that this could have been caused by the weight gain she experienced during the pandemic.
Still, equipped with a few anti-aging tips, she had never felt better.
“Honestly, when I was younger I would think my makeup looked good, and now I think my face looks good,” she said.
“I don’t think I’ve ever felt more beautiful than I do now, having found the hair color and makeup that really suits me.”
She now liked what she saw in the mirror and in her photos.
“Remember, there is nothing wrong with aging and looking up to beautiful women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, and trying to fight your internalized bias against older women,” she said.
In fact, whenever she feels “anxious” about the aging process, she thinks of an older woman whom she admires.
“It helps to remind myself there are many sixty-year-olds out there who are hotter, cooler, and more fashionable than I am at 32 and age is not the end-all-be-all,” she said.
She might have known what mattered most, but she also attributed her now fresh-faced complexion to some simple swaps.
If she had learned anything about aging, it was that less is more.
“Too much makeup is hard to pull off at any age, but even harder with textured/dry skin,” she said.
“You can’t get away with caking on makeup as easily. You have a better eye for aesthetics the older you get, and notice it more, too. Heavy-handed makeup is aging.”
Anti-aging tips
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- Keep your skin hydrated internally by drinking water and externally with moisturizer.
- Always use sunscreen, even if you’re not in direct sunlight.
- Use Vitamin C to brighten the skin and don’t forget to apply to your neck.
- Argireline Solution 10%, $9.70, The Ordinary
- The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Face Serum, $10, Sephora
- The Inkey List Caffeine De-puffing + Dark Circle Eye Cream, $11, Sephora
- CeraVe Anti Aging Retinol Serum, $12, Walmart
- CeraVe Vitamin C Serum with Hyaluronic Acid, $14.58, Amazon
- Boost Lab Neck Firming Serum, $29.99, Amazon
- Sea Cucumber Collagen Anti-Aging Cream,
$88$70, Bescher
She advised avoiding heavy foundation and concealer that can “crack,” as well as heavy eye makeup.
“[It] travels, can settle into fine lines, makes the eye area look darker, and hard on the surrounding tissues,” she said.
She was also a fan of makeup that could withstand the test of time.
“I think the important part to remember with super dated looking makeup is those looks were trendy looks that went out of style quickly, not classic looks, and classic looks beautiful forever,” she said.
Some other techniques have also helped her to reimagine her routine.
“When I was in my early 20s I was all about the more is more, heaping on as much color as I could, always following the latest craze,” she said.
“Now there’s nothing I love more than a flawless base, bright, beautiful eye, and an elegant or polished look,” she added.
She also appreciated that her more “minimal” and “classic” look could go from day to night and took less time.
If there was one tip she believed in more than anything else it was to “moisturize the f**k out of your face pre-makeup.”
“Wear hydrating products whenever possible, because they’re less likely to dry out and settle into fine lines or get that dull look, she said.
She believed in an age-old adage when it came to her anti-aging tips.
“Quality over quantity,” she said.
It was all about using less product but with better pigment.
Rather than trying to hide any problem areas, she recommends highlighting your favorite features.
“Instead of trying to cover my dark circles, I focus on my eyebrows and lashes which makes my eyes pop,” she said.
She also suggested paying attention to your strands.
“Make sure your hair color is flattering to your face — if more flattering is your goal,” she said.
“Avoid trendy makeup styles that look good on camera and rough in real life,” she added.
“Looking better in person makes you feel more confident and translates to looking better in photos.”