We don’t have to dread getting older anymore, we have so many tools and so much education at our disposal these days to help us feel youthful and confident after turning 40. In my tips on how to look younger at 40 and beyond I will not only share my personal tips with you that relate to looks, but more importantly about how you feel from inside out.
It all starts with your mindset first an foremost!
Table of Contents
1. Firstly, practice a youthful mindset and change your attitude.
If you don’t convince yourself that you are young or doing the exact opposite by constantly telling yourself that you are getting old, then nothing will help you. So start by catching yourself when you say negative and aging things about yourself. Start working on your brain first, the rest will follow.
Avoid phrases like;
- I feel old or I’m getting old.
- My body isn’t the same anymore.
- It’s too hard to lose weight at my age.
- I used to be so fit.
- I can’t eat this at my age.
- I can’t ware short shorts like that at my age.
- I have to be careful with my back, knees, etc.
- I use to be able to do ….
Start saying things like;
- I can’t wait to see what I can achieve this time next year.
- I’m only getting started.
- I know what I need to do to feel great I just need to commit.
- I look forward to learning how to feel my best self in my 40s, 50s or whatever age you might be.
- I never used to be able to do …., now I can.
- With experience and knowledge that I gained over the years I can now do these things better than ever.
- I’m a badass and I can do anything.
- I’m tougher and stronger than I think.
You see how I flipped the script from negative to self-belief. If you practice this consistently your mindset will start shifting and with that, all your actions will follow naturally to fit your new mindset.
2. Posture - has a lot to do with how to look younger at 40 and beyond.
How you stand, walk, sit, and pose for photos makes a huge difference. Incorporate some exercises to strengthen your core and back muscles to improve your posture. Try to be aware of slouching.
You can also appear taller and thinner with just one small adjustment of posture. Shoulders back, slightly engage core muscles and lift your chin up for an instant youthful appearance. Start practicing it daily so you can get used to standing tall and confident.
Slouching and rolling shoulders forward is often a sign of back problems and weak core which can make you look older. Strong back and core = good posture.
Anyone can strengthen their back and core with correct exercises at any age and even after injuries. As a strength and fitness coach, I have worked with women who had metal plates in their spines and are in their 50s and can do things now that they couldn’t before they had the injury.
With proper rehab and coaching, you can fix or improve a lot of problems, you will be surprised. So don’t give up just because you have back pain. Most back pain and back issues are due to neglect rather than age.
3. Hydrate your body.
Your body needs H20, keep it up daily. Your skin, muscle tissue, and connective tissue need to stay hydrated to be plump and healthy. You may often find that being well-hydrated can help you reduce dark circles under the eyes.
Hack: buy 2 or even 3 cute drink bottles. Fill them up in the morning and place them in places of your house, office, or car where you go to often. Leave one in the kitchen, every time you go there, take a sip. In cooker months if you prefer a warm beverage, find some herbal teas that you enjoy and keep refilling that mug all day long.
4. Take Collagen & Glucosamine for skin & joint support.
Now, supplementation is something I have gotten into in my late 30s to support my active lifestyle and my love for the outdoors which can cause sun damage. I work out frequently and spend time in the sun so my skin needs help.
Collagen supplements can help you rebuild lost collagen with age and support skin, connective tissue, cartilage and hair.
Glucosamine is a great aid for your joints so you can move smoother and with more ease like the young person that you are. Check out my latest articles on the above supplements to find out more about them and which one might be best for your needs
5. Get the right skincare and protect yourself from the sun.
This goes without saying, we need to hone in on our skincare. Dry skin, dark spots, dead skin cells, and overall skin tone changes as we get older. But it can be improved if you take care of your skin.
A healthy-looking skin is the result of many things, not just topical skin care. But, this part does make a difference.
First, keep your skin out of the sun in the middle of the day, the harsh sun’s UV rays can cause wrinkles and brown spots as well as skin cancer. A little vitamin D is great but in the morning and late afternoon. Sun between 9am-4pm can be very harsh and damaging, especially in sunny Australia.
Using a good 50+ sunscreen for the face is important as well as wearing a wide breamed hat. This alone can significantly reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Make sure to wear sunscreen every day even if it’s not very sunny outside. Make it a habit.
You can get one like Natio Ageless 50+ that feels light on the skin and doesn’t have a greasy residue.
Other great skin products that have personally helped me in my 40s to improve my skin texture and plumpness are Vitamin C, Hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and Retinol.
I was a little skeptical at first, but after my beauty therapist suggested to try these, I am glad I did. I am definitely noticing the difference. Mainly in the plumpness and brightness of my skin. My skin also feels very hydrated since I started using the right skin care products that contained the above vitamins.
Before I started using these I had flaky dry skin all over my face with oily areas in between. So they really do help.
6. Strength train, for longevity and improved bone density.
Lifting weights will help you rebuild vanishing muscle tissue, which unfortunately is the natural aging process unless you do something about it. It will help you improve that posture I talked earlier about and lift your confidence as you will love seeing a toned physique in the mirror.
Did you know we lose about 1% of muscle mass per year starting from the age of 30? That can add up to 10% of muscle mass by the time we turn 40. 10% of muscle loss means saggy arms, bums, and thighs. Saggy muscles is a dead giveaway when it comes to age.
If you are toned, you will look more uplifted and tight. Your metabolism will work for you rather than against you because muscles help burn fat at rest. Exercise in general can help blood flow and improve circulation.
By the way, you can download my free Strength Training Guide if you are just getting started and need some tips.
7. Improve your cardiovascular health and fitness.
Combining a good strength training program with some daily steps or short cardio workouts outdoors can be amazing for your overall health, fitness, well-being, and mental health. We need some daily sunshine whenever possible, even if it’s just for 20-30 minutes a day.
Let’s move on to all things style, hair and make-up.
8. Revamp your hair.
Is your hairstyle aging you? Does it suit you? Is it time to change things up, may be get a new haircut?
I get it, gray hair is a choice and lately, it has been trendy, however, remember that young people don’t get gray hair, so if your goal is to look younger, grey hair might not be the best way to go about it. If you choose to embrace it, then at least make sure to see a good hair stylist who can give you a modern shape this is suitable for your face and hair structure.
For example, people who have thicker hair can rock an awesome short style, but if you have finer hair it may not look the way you imagined or the way it looks on that model in the magazine.
If you have a longish face or tall forehead a fringe or multiple layers might be nice for you. However, if you have a round face with low jowls and bigger cheeks then a fringe might make your face look even chubbier and wider. In this case, opt for elongating styles like an asymmetrical long bob or longer hairstyles with long-side asymmetrical fringe.
Your hair stylist has more experience than you matching styles to face shape so talk to them first, don’t be stuck on a style you saw in a magazine on Jennifer Aniston, it might not suit you.
By the way, collagen also helps with improving hair growth and thickness.
9. Update your wardrobe.
Is it time to revamp your wardrobe to achieve a more modern look?
Here are a few must-haves in a youthful woman’s collection;
- Jeans that fit your style, not just trends.
- White casual sneakers that go with everything.
- Denim skirt.
- Nicely fitted smart-casual blazer.
- Up to date plain colored activewear (a few sets if you workout regularly).
In 2023 patterns are often a giveaway of the age. Not always, but multi-colored gym leggings are not a thing at the moment, sorry. Unless it’s a subtle pattern.
I have about 12 pairs in my wardrobe and they are all having a good rest till they come back in trend. Trends always do, don’t they? Just like wide jeans did.
Pastels and monotones will give you a more on-trend look. It doesn’t mean you have to dress like everyone else, you can tweak your style and find what works for you, but keep that in mind.
Regarding activewear; a few pairs of well-fitted plain-coloured leggings that fit your shape well are a must. And it might motivate you to work out more.
Don’t listen to judgemental people who point fingers at those of us who choose to wear leggings to the shops or grab a coffee with a friend, it’s how we do it in 2020s.
Most activewear brands are well ahead of the game already creating designs and styles that look smart casual that can be worn out and look good. So long as you don’t have a big sweat patch down your crotch area if you plan to head off for a coffee. It’s an active busy multi-tasking mum look. And you can rock it if it fits well.
Whilst dark shades of clothes can be slimming and flattering on most figures, it’s not always ideal for women with dark hair especially when it comes to tops and blouses.
If you don’t mind try to brighten things up near your face if you have dark hair. Alternatively, break a black top and black hair with a nice modern style necklace or bright lip colour.
10. Learn simple makeup application skills that are right for your age.
Wearing heavy makeup can also make some look a little older than they need to. Master the art of no-makeup, makeup look.
Also wearing thick layers of foundation can end up getting into fine lines, especially around the eye area and creases, and make the texture of the skin look uneven and aged. Get the right products for your skin and learn to create a light healthy glow without packing it on heavily.
Rather than trying to change your features, enhance what mother nature gave you by focusing on creating a youthful glow and defining those brows to suit your face shape.
Thin eyebrows are long long gone, well, at least for now, maybe they will be back one day.
I look back at my old photos and laugh (what was I thinking?), when did it ever look good? So unless you are absolutely in love with stick-thin brows then learn to add some volume, choose the correct shade to fill it in, and don’t go overboard with the dark color. You should aim for a shade lighter than your hair for darker hair tones or a shade darker for blonde or red hair.
I do see some people get a little carried away with brushing the hairs upwards, which kind of makes them look like a scared cat in my opinion, but each to their own. Although I can see what it does, it’s meant to make your outer corners look more uplifted, and of course anything pointing up helps us look youthful right? lol
Without going to the extreme you can just brush it up a little and sideways, so it looks natural. One of my beauty tips is, I use an old clean mascara brush and a little dab of my husband’s hair gel. Nope, you don’t need fancy brow gel. Getting natural-looking brow lamination is another option to get them looking the way you want without daily effort.
There are tons of makeup tips from professional makeup artists and beauty gurus on Youtube specifically for women in 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond just search them up and practice a few that make sense.
11. Moisturise your body daily.
Dry flaky skin on legs, arms, and all over isn’t a desired look and often can be a sign of poor hydration, too many hot showers and not using a good moisturizer.
Make it a habit to use a good quality natural body butter or moisturizer after shower on a regular basis, it really isn’t that hard. It only takes 3 mins to slap it all over your body and makes a huge difference in how your skin looks and feels instantly. 100% worth the effort.
Having a good diet that is rich in good fatty acids can also help overall skin health, eating fish, seeds, avocado, and good quality oil in moderation can help with many aspects of health and it becomes even more important if we hit perimenopause and menopause. Fatty acids help you battle some symptoms that come with that time.
12. Improve your immune system.
Getting sick often can leave you feeling drained and aged, so taking care of your overall health is important. This is of course done through good diet, minimizing alcohol intake, regular exercise, and taking some good quality immune support, especially during flu seasons.
Vitamin C, Echinacea and Zinc combo are my go-to, especially in winter months. If you are a busy mum then you definitely want to shorten your cold and flu symptoms, I know I do.
13. Get mobile and flexy.
Learn how to improve your mobility in your joints. How you move and how you physically feel about your body has a lot to do with your range of motion.
If you feel like you are getting more restricted in your daily movements than you used to be, this is not irreversible. Most of the time it’s due to neglected mobility. If you don’t use it, you lose it.
Start incorporating some mobility movements before your strength or cardio workouts to get more flexible and agile or on its own. Ideally, 10-15 minutes a day at least 4 times per week or daily if possible.
If you constantly injure yourself doing basic tasks this may mean that you have gotten stiff over the years and you can start making changes today.
Don’t wait till it gets even harder, start with the basic exercises and then push to progress.
14. Stimulate your brain and challenge yourself.
Set a challenging goal that requires you to learn something. Especially if your job isn’t very stimulating.
Find something that scares you, but you really wish you could conquer and embrace the journey. Even if you don’t get there, the journey alone will make you feel young and empowered, because everything we try can be a lesson.
Even if it’s a lesson that whatever it was, actually wasn’t what you wanted after all. Still a lesson. Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is learning. If you don’t fail you never move forward. Be brave!
15. Hang out with the right crowd.
Don’t hang out with people that make you feel old or make you feel like you have to downplay your personality. If you can’t be youthful self around them then they are not the right fit for you.
Let them go and find new cheerleaders that will motivate inspire and push you to be your best self.
I’d love it if you dropped a comment below to let me know if you have learnt anything new today or were reminded of a good but forgotten tip that you will implement in the next week or so. I would love to know.
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