50 Senior Ways to Look Younger: How to Take Years Off of Your Appearance (and Boost Your Well-Being)

As you grow older, the effects of aging may become more noticeable to you. They’re probably less noticeable to those around you, but still, we all want to look as young as we feel, right? Looking youthful has a lot to do with taking care of your skin, but that’s not the only thing that matters. It turns out that there are many things that can impact how young you look, from your posture to whether you get regular exercise, how well you take care of your physical health and well-being, and more.

If you’re looking for some simple steps or some lifestyle changes that can help you look (and feel) younger than you really are, read on to learn about 50 senior ways to look younger. These tips are grouped by category, so if you’re looking for diet tips, beauty tips, or healthy habits and lifestyle changes, you can easily find the advice you’re looking for.

• Healthy Habits to Look Younger
• Nutrition Tips to Look Younger
• Skin Care & Beauty Tips to Look Younger

Healthy Habits to Look Younger

1. Give meditation a try. Hormones fluctuate as you age, and outside stressors can also impact the hormone levels in your body and can accelerate aging. To combat stress and mitigate these negative effects, try meditating each day. As little as 10 minutes of meditation and relaxation each day can have a significant positive effect on your stress levels — and as a result, your body’s aging processes.
2. Get adequate, quality sleep each night. When you sleep, your body releases hormones that promote cell turnover and renewal. Catching enough Zzzs is a must for giving your body that all-important time for rejuvenation.
3. Exercise four or more times per week. According to Reader’s Digest, studies have found that regular exercise can slow the aging process. Plus, it will help you get better quality sleep (another important healthy habit mentioned above) and will prevent muscle loss as you age.
4. Drink enough water. Hydration is vital to health and well-being, but drinking enough water can also help to give you a more youthful appearance. Drinking two cups of water increases blood flow, resulting in a rosier hue, according to Beliefnet. Your skin consists of about 64% water, so staying hydrated keeps your skin plumper and prevents dryness and cracking. Dehydrated skin, on the other hand, appears thinner and can exacerbate the appearance of blemishes and wrinkles.
5. Unplug from time to time. According to The Active Times, your cell phone can negatively impact your health in several ways, including by increasing stress and anxiety. And because stress and anxiety are linked to premature aging, spending more time unplugged can help you maintain your youthful appearance.
6. Abstain from alcohol or drink only in moderation. Alcohol has a dehydrating effect on the body, which can accelerate skin aging and make fine lines and wrinkles more prominent and visible.
7. Develop a consistent nighttime routine. A daily routine before you turn in for the night signals to your body that it’s time for bed, which can help stimulate the release of melatonin and help you get to sleep faster.
8. Skip the electronics before bed. Electronics like smartphones and tablets expose you to blue light, making your brain think it’s daytime rather than bedtime. It also suppresses the release of melatonin, making it more difficult to fall asleep.
9. Don’t slouch. Maintaining good posture helps you look taller, thinner, and younger — a trifecta of benefits! When you spend a lot of time hunched over a desk, you’re actually training your body to slouch, Gbolahan Okubadejo, MD, a New York City Area Spinal and Orthopedic Surgeon, tells Eat This, Not That! Plus, having good posture helps you exude self-confidence, which also helps you project youthfulness.
10. Avoid squinting. If you don’t wear sunglasses outdoors, you probably find yourself squinting frequently. Doing so, however, crinkles the skin on your face and over time can lead to fine lines and wrinkles like crow’s feet.
11. Smiling makes you look younger. According to Reader’s Digest, people in one study rated photographs of happy faces as younger than the models’ actual ages. Fearful expressions, on the other hand, were rated as older, while neutral expressions resulted in the most accurate age ratings.
12. Engage in a creative hobby. Working your creative muscles helps to build up the white matter in your brain, which can contribute to a mental feeling of youth. And you know what they say – when you feel good about yourself, you look good, too!
13. Don’t smoke. Smoking can lead to premature skin aging by breaking down collagen and elasticity. As a result, lines and wrinkles start to appear sooner and may be more noticeable.
14. Combat stress. Easier said than done, we know. But stress can impact your gut health. About 70% of your immune system lies just beneath your gut lining, so impacts on gut health can increase your risk of autoimmune conditions and increase your susceptibility to common colds and viruses. And that’s not all; stress can hinder your ability to absorb nutrients that are vital to staying healthy and looking as young as you feel. So, find some activities and stress-busting techniques you can use to keep stress to a minimum.
15. Wear a hat and long sleeves outdoors. Keeping your skin shielded from the sun’s harmful rays will help to prevent premature signs of aging, such as rough, thick skin and age spots. A loose long-sleeved shirt will help you stay cool while protecting your skin from UV rays.
16. Socialize with your friends – and open yourself to making new friends. It turns out that having strong social connections has a number of positive effects, including lower measures of obesity, high blood pressure, and inflammation, all of which can impact health and aging. Plus, people with strong friendships tend to feel more youthful, and that means you’ll look more youthful, too. (There are plenty of opportunities for socialization at retirement communities like Arbors of Hop Brook, making this a great option for older adults who are looking to maintain an active social lifestyle.)
17. Embrace your age. Maintaining a positive outlook and viewing aging in a positive way can help you live longer. It also makes you feel more confident, which can actually result in others perceiving you as younger than you really are.
18. Do strength training exercises regularly. Strength training exercises keep your muscles strong, which help you to maintain that confident posture, plus it will give you muscle tone, which can make you look younger. As a plus, strong muscles will help you maintain balance and mobility as you age, lessening your risk of falls and injuries.

Nutrition Tips to Look Younger

19. Consume ample omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids help to reduce inflammation in the body, which helps to prevent visible signs of aging. In addition, they help to maintain bone strength and can even help stabilize your mood! Foods like walnuts, salmon and other types of fish and seafood, seeds like flax seeds and chia seeds, and soybeans are rich in omega-3s.
20. Consume antioxidant-rich foods. Antioxidants help fight free radicals, which can lead to cell damage, in the body. They’re also thought to have some anti-aging benefits. A variety of fruits and vegetables, such as dark leafy greens, cranberries, and blueberries, are high in antioxidants, as well as beans like kidney beans and pinto beans.
21. Enjoy a cup of green tea. Green tea is high in those beneficial antioxidants mentioned above, including polyphenols, a particular type of antioxidant that helps to prevent heart disease, neurological decline, other chronic diseases, and premature aging.
22. Skip the junk foods and processed foods. While it’s okay to treat yourself now and then, these foods lead to increased free radicals in the body as well as oxidative stress (or cell damage) that speeds the aging process.
23. Enjoy two handfuls of almonds daily. According to Love Food, a study conducted in 2021 found that eating two handfuls of almonds daily for six months reduced pigmentation and wrinkle appearance among postmenopausal women. Almonds are rich in essential fatty acids and vitamin E, an antioxidant.
24. Eat red and orange fruits and veggies for a natural sun-kissed look (yes, really!). According to Eat This, Not That!, studies have found that eating a diet rich in orange and red fruits and vegetables creates a healthy, attractive, and glowing complexion. This is believed to be due to the carotenoids found in these foods, such as beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A. Carotenoids are also responsible for giving those fruits and vegetables their red and orange colors.
25. Consider an anti-inflammatory diet. An anti-inflammatory diet is designed to prevent that damaging inflammation that can be caused by processed foods and sugar. The great thing about an anti-inflammatory diet (which is a plant-based diet) is that it also happens to be an anti-aging diet!
26. Boost skin cell regeneration by adding maca root to your diet. Maca root is rich in riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin B6, which give it its skin-cell-regenerating powers. It comes in powder form that you can mix into smoothies or as supplements. You can also bake your own pastries containing maca root, or you might be lucky enough to find them in your local health food store.
27. Eat a protein-rich diet. Protein is essential for building collagen and elastin, those substances that give your skin its plump, supple, smooth and youthful look. To get your recommended daily protein, include protein in every meal. That can take the form of lean meat, beans or peas, Greek yogurt, or even as a protein shake.
28. But be mindful what sources you’re getting that protein from. Meats are rich in protein, for example, but a diet that includes too many red meat products like bacon and hot dogs can increase your risk of heart disease, cancer, and other health concerns. Instead, vary your sources of protein, such as protein-rich lean meats and fish, rather than getting all your protein from red meats.
29. Get more vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that can help fight free radicals in the body, but it’s also a required ingredient for enzymes to make collagen. There are many fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamin C, so there are lots of options for ensuring you hit your recommended daily value.
30. Make sure you get some linoleic acid. Unlike many of the other macronutrients, micronutrients, and other compounds we’ve talked about in this post, linoleic acid isn’t made by the body. That means you have to consume it in the foods you eat. Why should you? According to U.S. News, women who ate linoleic acid-rich diets in one study were less likely to have thinning skin. And, a lack of linoleic acid in the diet (along with vitamin C) was associated with dryer skin, particularly among older women in the study.
31. Have some kale or avocado. Kale and avocado are rich in the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which have several anti-aging benefits. Specifically, they can improve the skin’s hydration and boost elasticity, as well as the fat under the skin (which gives it that plump, smooth appearance). Lutein has the added benefit of protecting against harmful blue light.
32. Ensure that you’re getting enough calcium. Calcium is vital for maintaining bone health and preventing osteoporosis. Osteoporosis can negatively impact your posture by causing spinal fractures or collapsed vertebrae that cause you to hunch or stoop over. Stronger bones mean a lower risk of fractures, which can keep you off your feet for a while and prevent you from staying active and exercising regularly. You can get your daily calcium from leafy green vegetables, dairy products, and from calcium-fortified foods, among others.
33. Get more fiber. Fiber keeps your digestive system healthy and functioning well, but it has a whole host of other anti-aging benefits that can keep you looking younger, too. To name a few, fiber helps you maintain a healthy weight, reduce cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and boost those good bacteria in the gut that support your immune system. You’ll find fiber in foods like whole grains, vegetables, and the skin of many fruits.
34. Cut back on salt. Many, many foods contain salt, meaning you’re probably already getting more than your recommended daily value of sodium without ever touching the salt shaker. The bad thing about salt is that it leads to fluid retention, giving you a puffy appearance. That’s not to mention that too much sodium increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.

Skin Care & Beauty Tips to Look Younger

35. Add facial massage to your daily routine. Facial massage helps to stimulate blood flow, supplying more oxygen to the tissue. Concentrating on the cheek muscles can help to lift the jawline, Joanna Czech, a celebrity skincare expert and aesthetician, tells Town & Country magazine.
36. Treat your hands with the same care as your face. Your hands can give away your age, but if you treat them with the same care as you do your face, you can keep your hands looking youthful. You can actually use the same retinoid cream you use on your face on your hands and just apply a thin layer of Vaseline over it to keep your skin supple and your cuticles healthy.
37. Don’t neglect your neck in your skin care routine. Your neck loses elasticity faster than any other area of the body, so don’t neglect keeping your skin moisturized and protected. Exfoliating regularly can help to keep your neck looking healthy and younger, too.
38. Color your hair wisely. Hair color that makes your hair look significantly darker can accentuate fine lines and wrinkles on the face. Lighter hair shades, on the other hand, can help to offset changes in your skin’s pigmentation. It also blends more naturally with gray or white hair, so you won’t need to touch up your roots as frequently.
39. Use an extra pillow or the cold spoon trick to get rid of undereye bags. When you sleep, gravity leads to a pooling of fluids in your lower eyelids, which leads to that puffiness and undereye bags that tend to make you look older and tired. Propping your head up with an extra pillow can combat this effect, or you can place cold spoons over your eyelids for about 10 minutes to get rid of undereye puffiness for a more refreshed, vibrant look.
40. Exfoliate once a week. Exfoliation removes dead and dull skin cells and stimulates blood circulation at the surface of the skin, creating a healthier, more youthful appearance.
41. Wear sunscreen daily, particularly in the eye area. The sun’s UV rays are damaging to the skin, even if that damage isn’t immediately visible. The skin around the eyes is thinner than anywhere else on the body, so it’s particularly susceptible to damage.
42. Curl your eyelashes. Curled lashes have the effect of making the eyes appear more open and lifted, which can make you look younger.
43. Choose the right clothes for your body type. Add a few quality staple pieces to your wardrobe. And if it’s within your budget, have them tailored for a perfect, polished fit.
44. Steer clear of glittery or sparkly makeup. These products can draw more attention to fine lines and wrinkles. Dewey or satin finishes are a better choice for a polished effect.
45. Keep your lips hydrated. Dry, chapped lips can crack and, in addition to their undesirable appearance, can also be painful. A lip balm that contains sunscreen as well as some combination of petroleum jelly, vitamin E, and shea butter applied daily will help keep your lips supple and healthy.
46. Whiten your teeth. There are many types of teeth whitening products you can find at your local drugstore or order online. Or, you can have your teeth professionally whitened at the dentist if you can afford it. In either case, whitening your teeth by a shade or two can give you a more youthful appearance (and a boost of confidence, too).
47. Keep your skin moisturized. Dehydrated skin isn’t as plump, meaning wrinkles are often more prominent if your skin lacks moisture. Combat this by using a daily moisturizer on your face and body.
48. Use tinted moisturizer instead of foundation. Foundation can make you look too heavily made up, and it can settle into lines and wrinkles, making them more visible. Tinted moisturizer is lighter and can look more natural, while also keeping your skin hydrated as a bonus.
49. Use a body moisturizing cream that has self-tanning effects. By using a self-tanning moisturizer, you’ll be hydrating your skin while also giving it a sun-kissed glow — without exposing it to harmful UV rays from the sun (or worse, a tanning bed).
50. Keep your brows tidy and shapely. Fuller brows can help you look younger (that includes both men and women), but your eyebrows may get thin or even turn gray or white as you age. Consult your stylist to recommend the ideal brow shape for your face, and then keep your brows maintained. To add some color back to gray or white brows, use a brow pencil (or opt for a longer-lasting solution like microblading, which will need to be touched up every few months).