Six easy ways for men to look younger

Check your smile

Nothing says ‘old age’ more like a set of teeth that look as though they’ve been through a war. Stained teeth caused by the foods you eat, or smoking, as well as wear and tear can add years to your face.

What’s more, as you age, you lose bone mass in your jaw and that can gradually cause teeth to crowd together, leaving you with crooked and uneven rows. 

That unevenness can also increase your likelihood of gum disease and tooth decay because parts of the tooth are more difficult to clean, which may also trigger receding gums. 

Use a gentle whitening toothpaste or invest in a whitening session with your nearest dental practice. 

Teeth-whitening foods

Avoid staining drinks such as red wine and tea, and quit cigarettes, which not only stain but dry out your mouth, making you more prone to gum disease. 

If you’re keen, ask your dentist about options to straighten your teeth, too. Many offer braces that can be worn at night, or are afixed behind the tooth to gently put your teeth back in order. 

The bonus: Not only will you look younger, you’ll instantly look more kissable.

Find out more about caring for your teeth

Buy a new pair of jeans 

Older men tend to avoid denim, perhaps because of an association with work clothes, but a well-fitting pair of jeans will instantly knock 10 years off you.

While suit trousers may be what you’re used to, they’re intended to be worn – and look best as – part of a suit, something you probably don’t put on every day. 

The fact that your shoulders may not be quite as square as they were and that your middle may have extended over the years also means that it’s more difficult to carry off a pair of suit trousers with style. 

Jeans can be smart or casual, depending on the colour of the denim, the cut and the stitching. 

Opt for darker colours and straight leg if you’re going for a smarter look but above all, get a good fit. That means not too tight around your middle (you want to avoid strapping your belly in with your belt and having it hang over the top) but also not saggy around the bottom. 

The bonus: Jeans last for years so if you invest in a pair (or two) that you like, you can enjoy looking younger for years to come.   

Trim your hair

Your bushy brows may have come across as sexy when they were dark and you had hair on your head, but you need to tame those wild things if you want to look younger. 

As you age your hair growth changes, which can mean getting hair in places you’d rather not (ears, nose, for example) and losing it in places you’d like to keep it (head). 

Invest in a nose and ear hair trimmer and keep hair at a length that means it’s not visible outside your nose. 

You need the hairs inside your nostrils to help keep you healthy by trapping dirt and even filtering out viruses. 

Regularly trim any excessively long eyebrow hairs too. 

The bonus: Your nose hairs won’t freeze in winter. 

Scrub your face

It may have been more than half a century since the last time your mother told you to wash your face properly but it’s time to take her advice on board! 

Splashing your face with soap and water won’t remove the dead skin cells that make your skin look dull and lifeless; you need to exfoliate. 

That’s something you can do with a special exfoliating wash or you can simply use a good quality sponge or even a flannel. 

Be sure to moisturise afterwards, too. This will help keep your skin supple and less prone to wrinkles. 

The bonus: Your skin will feel softer and infinitely more strokable. 

Slap on the sunscreen

The sun’s rays cause wrinkles and dry out your skin, as well as trigger age spots, but more importantly, if you don’t take care you might get skin cancer. 

Men are far less likely to use sunscreen than women, but they are just as likely to get skin cancer and, in fact, because men are generally less observant when it comes to their own skin, they’re more likely not to notice a growth until it has progressed.

You don’t need to give up a tan completely but use a good-level sunscreen (30 SPF for example) to protect yourself from the most harmful rays and stay out of the sun when it’s at its hottest. 

The bonus: Sunscreens usually contain moisturising agents too, so you’ll get softer, smoother skin at the same time. 

Adjust your view

Your glasses may have given you an intellectual look when you were younger but now they might be making you look older than your years. 

Maybe it’s the way you tend to peer over the top of them or the fact you haven’t changed the design in years, but generally glasses don’t help you look any younger. 

This is especially true if you’re short-sighted as the lenses can make your eyes seem smaller, and big eyes (think Disney characters!) suggest youth. 

Try contact lenses if you can. Not only will they help make you look younger, you’ll also save time as you won’t leave them in odd places where you can’t find them. 

If your glasses are for specific activities only, invest in a new pair and choose a style that will help make you look younger. 

Choose styles with thin frames and softer edges, to reduce their impact on your face (look at Richard Gere or Kenneth Branagh for inspiration) and avoid lenses that are too big as these will overpower your face. 

The bonus: A new pair of glasses means you can use the old pair as spares, so you’ll always have some to hand when you need them. 

Do you need an eye test? Spot the signs

Subscribe today for just £34.95 for 12 issues...

Subscribe today and save 51%