How do you handle your appearance asyou age?

My wife bore six children and had the stretch marks to show them. She considered them her badges of honor!
I am now 84 with some wrinkles and spots and marks. I have scars from both medical procedures and from stupid actions. They are survival badges and some make good stories.
The most positive action is to always wear a smile. Smiles are infectious! Sometimes they make people wonder if you know what is really happening and when you prove that you do; your smile blows them away!

@galere One thing I’m grateful for is that as I’ve got older I’ve got far less judgmental of people who do undergo cosmetic surgery to feel better about themselves. I used to be so judgy. Just because I don’t lean that way doesn’t mean others should also abstain.

If that’s what you’re thinking of doing and can afford it, there’s no harm in looking into it to see what’s available and if there’s something you might like to do!

Boy do I relate to this. I just noticed everything overnight. I thought it was me.

@szucker99 It happened to me after I had cataract surgery and could really see myself in the mirror. For years, I saw my mother looking back at me; now it’s my grandmother. Fortunately I can laugh about it but I have increased the use of moisturizers and serums these days, to plump up the skin in between the wrinkles. I’m 75. I love how well I see though, so seeing my wrinkles is a small price to pay for that.

@kildaren96 We “earned” every wrinkle!

Changed my makeup according to my lighter facial skin tone. Stopped mascara use.
Love my white/silver hair and keep it cut short and stylish. Use a little eyebrow shadow with eyebrow brush not a definite pencil mark . Use white or gray scalp powder to hide the pink scalp color in my hair parts. Works like a charm. Dress comfortably according to my body shape now (chubby) and wear bright colors that complement my skin tone. 😊 I’m trying to age gracefully and love the body I have now. Laugh a lot is good too!

I wear bright colors, orange, red, no neon stuff. Don’t wear any makeup. There was a series of books in 1980’s, one of which called “When I’m Old I’m Going to Wear Purple “. It certainly became my mantra. My bright lavender slip ons still get attention after 4 years. And I don’t spend much time looking in the mirror!

@kildaren96 szucker: I had cataract surgery two days ago, and hate not being able to wear makeup for two weeks! In the meantime, cream, blush and lipstick….
And, like you, I love being able to see without glasses now!

@ginger123 I wasn’t restricted from wearing makeup (and sunblock especially where I live), aside from eye makeup which I had to give up years ago because I have those eyelids that are “hooded” à la Charlotte Rampling. When wearing mascara started turning my eyelids black because the ends of my eyelashes kept hitting them, I gave up eye makeup.
I use several serums and moisturizers, a layer of EltaMD UV AOX Elements Broad-Spectrum SPF 50 sunscreen on my face (plain old Coppertone Sport 50 on my neck, ears and arms), and then lightly pat one of three makeups that I like, from low cost Selena Gomez, to Estée Lauder Futurist to expensive (buy it when it goes on sale 25% off) but the lightest, most forgiving of wrinkles Koh Gen Doh on top.
I would love to go makeup free but I spent my youth sunbathing on the beaches of Southern California and was outdoors all the time and my fair skin now has discolorations and lots of little broken blood vessels and I just look better and feel better, with a little something to even out my complexion. I will say, that many times, the tinted sunblock is just fine. It’s pricy but worth it and I reserve it for my face. I’ve had a lot of those actinic keratosis things removed from my face and even now, I’ve just had my ears blasted a second time with that frozen nitrogen to take off pre-cancerous spots. I now put sunblock on my ears as well. I live in the Southwest, high altitude and our sun here is intense. I wish that I had taken better care of my skin when I was young, but I started early enough I guess that my dermatologist is happy with how much damage I’ve managed to avoid. I like The Ordinary products for low cost serums and stock up when they have their annual 23% off sale. I also like CeraVe products which are low cost, found in my supermarket and seem to work just as well as more expensive brands. I also like La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer which is moderately priced and Trader Joe’s moisturizer. I often mix all three in my palm and apply to my face and neck, as they range from thin to thick and have different ingredients in them. I wait to buy the Estée Lauder makeup that I like, until they offer their free gifts with purchase and then I get their lovely moisturizers for free.
I understand that Trader Joe’s has a really good vitamin C and a good Retin A product as well, but I haven’t found them in our Trader Joe’s yet, but I don’t get there very often. They are highly rated and inexpensive.

For some years, my wrinkles bothered me a great deal. At some point, maybe when my hormones quit ruling my life, wrinkles and old age quit bothering me. I feel kind of proud to be 75. I don't dress fancy and rarely wear makeup. I do love my showers though. I love my straight, long hair. But a good hair cut/style can knock 10 years off a person.
I just don't care to impress others, especially men, these days. The best thing in my life was raising my kids, and now, the three grandbabies are the most important thing in my life. I stay busy collecting pictures, genealogy information, and old coins for the grandbabies. Encouraging them and helping them with their craft projects. If you don't have your own, you can always "adopt." Helping others makes you feel amazing!
And I agree, the best thing to wear is a smile!