How to Look Younger at 30

Last Updated: March 9, 2023 References

Turning 30 can feel like a big deal—but don’t worry, you can still look and feel great as you enter this new decade! There are some practical steps, like updating your skin care routine and keeping your teeth white, that you can take to help your skin, body, and attitude look and feel younger than your actual age.

1

Develop a thorough skin care routine.

Establishing a skin care routine can help your skin look radiate as you age. Depending on your skin type, you may want to wash your face twice a day to help prevent adult-acne, or you may want to preserve your natural oils and only wash when you have dirt, makeup, or sunscreen on. If you wear makeup, don’t forget to remove your eyeliner and mascara at the end of every day.^{[1]
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Research source} Invest in quality products and use a moisturizer after you cleanse your face to help prevent wrinkles.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Heather Richmond, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist
Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.}
- If you can, visit a dermatologist for a recommendation on what kind of skincare products would be best for your skin type.
- Try exfoliating your skin 2-3 times a week to remove dead skin cells and brighten your skin.

2

Update your makeup routine.

Focus on softer styles and looks to match your age. You may start to develop smile lines or wrinkles around your eyes, and your skin tone may become more uneven as you get older. To even out your skin tone and draw attention to your best features, like your eyes and lips, rather than your wrinkles, try making a few of these changes:^{[3]
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- Wear lip gloss rather than lipstick. Lipstick can make your lips look more dried out and can settle into the cracks, making you look more aged. A gloss will make your lips look more supple.
- Use navy blue eyeliner rather than black or brown. As you age, the whites of your eyes get less white. Using navy blue eyeliner can help make the whites of your eyes look even whiter.
- Try out some neutral eyeshadows, like bronze, copper, and cocoa. Bright colors can draw attention to the wrinkles around your eyes, whereas neutral tones will make your skin look more even.
- Apply liquid foundation rather than powder. Powder can make your skin look drier and more cakey. A liquid foundation will provide your skin with a smooth, even look. If possible, look for a foundation that includes sunscreen for even more skin protection.

3

Start using retinoid creams.

Retinoid creams can help you disguise wrinkles. You can get a prescription from your dermatologist, buy them at makeup counters, or even find them at your local drugstore.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Heather Richmond, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist
Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.} You can also use oils, like jojoba or rose-hip, to boost your skin’s collagen production.^{[5]
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- There is a myriad of age-defying products available for you to purchase. Do some online research or ask an associate at the store for help picking out a product that will be right for you.

4

Wear sunscreen daily.

Protect your skin from the sun's aging rays by using sunscreen. Apply sunscreen to your face, neck, shoulders, hands, legs, arms, and any other area that isn’t covered by clothing when you leave the house.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Heather Richmond, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist
Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.} You can also find body moisturizers than have SPF ratings to address two things at once: moisturizing your skin and protecting it from the sun. For your face, look for a combination moisturizer/sunscreen or foundation/sunscreen. ^{[7]
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- Aim for a sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 15. If you’re going to be outdoors for a long time, remember to reapply your sunscreen every 2 hours.

5

Drinks lots of water.

Hydrate your skin by drinking 2 litres (0.53 US gal) of water every day. You could also talk to your doctor about your specific needs, or use this formula to find out a more accurate water consumption goal: divide your weight by 2.2, multiply that number by 35 if you’re between the ages of 30 and 55, then divide that number by 28.3. The answer is how many ounces of water you should aim to drink every day. Skin that is hydrated properly will look younger than dehydrated skin.^{[8]
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- Try to bring a bottle of water with you everywhere you go to encourage yourself to stay hydrated.
- Try to limit substances with caffeine and alcohol in them, as they tend to dehydrate your body more quickly.

6

Wear flattering clothing.

Opt for clothes that flatter the best parts of your body. Go through your closet and get rid of clothes that don’t fit you well anymore or that you don’t like. Find clothing items you feel comfortable in and that match your personal style.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Alice Wu
Image Consultant
Expert Interview. 12 June 2020.} For example:
- If you have a nice waist line, accentuate it with belts or clothing that gathers at the waist.
- If you have long legs, wear skinny jeans or skirts and dresses to accentuate them.
- If you have a nice collarbone or chest area, wear boatneck tops or shirts with lower necklines.
- If you prefer to wear athletic clothes, invest in pieces that are high quality and that will last a long time and retire any torn, dingy, or stretched out pieces.
- If you want to add more youthful pieces to your closet, try incorporating some colorful prints.^{[10]
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  Expert Source
  
  Alice Wu
  Image Consultant
  Expert Interview. 12 June 2020.}

7

Keep your hair style and color simple.

If you experiment with your color a lot, try cutting back on the bleaching and highlighting. As you get older, your hair because more dry and brittle and gets damaged much more easily. A medium- to long-length cut for women will help you look younger, whereas for men, a neatly trimmed haircut and beard will help make you look more put-together.^{[11]
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- Address your gray hairs by coloring them rather than plucking them out. Light highlights can hide gray hair well, or you may want to look into dying all of your hair a darker shade.

8

Use hair treatments regularly.

Give your locks a little extra moisture with at-home spa treatments. Everyone’s hair can benefit from moisturizing and conditioning treatments, so set a time on your calendar every week to apply one to your locks. You can buy treatments at the store, or you could even make your own at home.^{[12]
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- For example, combine a few tablespoons each of coconut oil, honey, and brown sugar for a simple at-home mask that cleans out oil and dead skin cells and rejuvenates your hair.

9

Brighten your teeth.

Whitening your teeth can keep them looking young and clean. Use whitening strips every week or once a month, depending on how yellow your teeth are to begin with. Make flossing a regular habit to help clean out plaque, and use a whitening toothpaste twice a day to help maintain your pearly smile.^{[13]
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- If you don’t want to spend money on whitening strips, consider making your own whitening solution at home.

10

Exercise regularly.

Moving your body every day keeps you looking fit and toned. As your body ages and things start to change, establishing a regular exercise routine will help you combat some of those signs of aging. Aim to workout 4-5 times per week, for 30-60 minutes at a time. Mix in cardio and weight exercises for optimal benefits. You could join a gym, participate in sports, take up running or biking, or start swimming laps.^{[14]
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- Try taking a few yoga classes or doing yoga at home a few times a week to help keep your body lithe and stretched. Especially if you work a desk job, stretching regularly and practicing yoga can really help keep your body in shape.

11

Practice good posture.

Improve your posture to help prevent injuries as you age. When you walk, keep your shoulders up and don’t slouch forward. When you’re sitting, keep your back at a right angle to your legs, and try to keep your feet flat on the floor. If you work at a computer, keep your screen directly in front of your face so you don’t have to put your head down to see it.^{[15]
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- If you sit a lot throughout the day, try to take a break for a few minutes every hour to get up and walk around.
- Having good posture helps keep your body from developing issues at a later age.

12

Avoid eating sugar.

Stick to a healthy diet as you get older. Excess sugar can dehydrate your body and cause skin issues, like acne, and it can speed up the aging process. Try to eat more green vegetables and whole grains, and avoid eating processed foods when you can, as the chemicals and preservatives can negatively affect your body.^{[16]
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- Add in more healthy fats to your diet to combat pallid skin and muscle loss as you get older.

13

Have a regular sleep schedule.

Start getting more sleep. If you don’t already, set a regular bedtime and wake-time, regardless of whether it’s a weekday or weekend. Aim for a minimum of 8 hours of sleep every night. Being well rested has tons of benefits: you will look better, you’ll handle stress better, and getting enough sleep has been proven to help prevent health problems like obesity and diabetes.^{[17]
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- Try turning off your phone and cellphone 1 hour before you want to go to bed, and do something relaxing instead, like reading a book or meditating.

14

Cut back on cigarettes and alcohol.

Quit smoking and cut back on alcohol and drug use. Apart from being bad for your health, smoking also ages your skin really quickly and can make you look much older than you really are. The same goes for heavy alcohol or drug usage. If you have an unhealthy habit, now is the time to cut back and help your body age more gracefully.^{[18]
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- Try drinking alcohol in moderation—there is nothing wrong with enjoying a few drinks! But be careful to hydrate your body and to not over-do it.

15

Have a positive attitude.

Smile more and develop a positive outlook. Smiling helps people appear more youthful, and it can also help you feel more positive naturally. Try keeping a gratitude list where you write down several things every day that you are thankful for. Combatting negativity will help you appear younger, and you will have fewer worry lines.^{[19]
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- If you regularly struggle with anxiety and depression, it’s okay to seek professional help!

16

Manage your stress.

Learn to deal with stress to be more rested and enjoy life more. A big part of appearing youthful is being worry-free, and while you will probably never be completely worry-free, you can definitely learn to handle stress more effectively so it doesn’t age you more quickly and negatively affect your health. Figure out what things in your life trigger stress, and then come up with solutions for how you can healthily deal with those things.^{[20]
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- For example, if you often procrastinate your work and then get stressed and overworked when deadlines come around, try to institute a schedule for yourself that helps you get work done in a timely manner.
- Learning how to say “no” to things is also a great way to combat stress and take control of your time.

17

Schedule regular doctors appointments.

Visiting the doctor regularly is an important part of taking care of your health. Visit your doctor for an annual checkup at the same time every year, and make appointments for the dermatologist, dentist, optometrist, and gynecologist (for women). Preventative care is super important for your general health, and it’ll also help you maintain a youthful appearance by continually striving to take better care of yourself.
- You may also need to visit an allergist, endocrinologist, or chiropractor on a regular basis, too.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can you avoid getting wrinkles?

Heather Richmond, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist
Dr. Heather Richmond, MD is a board certified Dermatologist at Dermatology and Laser Surgery Center in Houston, Texas. With over nine years of experience, Dr. Richmond specializes in comprehensive dermatology including medical, surgical, and cosmetic procedures. She graduated cum laude from Yale University with a BA in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. She earned her MD from the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, where she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. She completed her Internal Medicine internship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and her Dermatology residency at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Dr. Richmond is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and is a member of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, and the Texas and Houston Dermatological Societies.

Heather Richmond, MD

Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Answer

Take good care of your skin. Use retinol, a C serum, and sunscreen to avoid getting wrinkles.
Question

How do you choose skincare products?

Heather Richmond, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist
Dr. Heather Richmond, MD is a board certified Dermatologist at Dermatology and Laser Surgery Center in Houston, Texas. With over nine years of experience, Dr. Richmond specializes in comprehensive dermatology including medical, surgical, and cosmetic procedures. She graduated cum laude from Yale University with a BA in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. She earned her MD from the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, where she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. She completed her Internal Medicine internship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and her Dermatology residency at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Dr. Richmond is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and is a member of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, and the Texas and Houston Dermatological Societies.

Heather Richmond, MD

Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Answer

Consider your age and skin type while choosing a skincare product. See how oily, dry, or dark your skin is and whether there is any discoloration. If it is dry, use products that are thicker or more oil-based. Use light oil-free products for oily or acne-prone skin.