16 Ways To Look Instantly Younger And More Refreshed Without A Lick Of Makeup
You don’t have to “accept” wrinkles just because social media tells you to.
by The Candidly Team
We always have to say this disclaimer whenever we write about looking “young” in any context:
Aging is fine. Aging is normal. Younger isn’t better. Youth isn’t the ideal.
Ok. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get back to it!
Of course we want to look younger. It’s obvious. We can both accept the process and fight it at the same time. We can come to terms with grey hair and dye it at the same time. Human beings are allowed to hold two opposing ideas in one hand, and while maybe in 100 years, all of this acceptance talk will mean women have dug themselves out of the youth = desirability hole, but we’re not there yet. And as such, we like ways to feel fresher and more awake on the outside. Who the hell wants to be a dried up prune when there are manifold tricks to looking more awake, more dewy, more wide eyed, more gorgeous?
But so many of us also don’t really have the time, inclination, or ability to deal with makeup on a daily basis. But we do want to look in the mirror and feel vivacious and bushy tailed. So how do we square this?
Well, we gathered 16 of our favorite non-makeup tricks and products together in one master list, for you to pick and choose what works for you.
1. Peach & Lily Lazy Day All-In-One Moisture Pads
Happy healthy skin is, without question, the number one way to look refreshed as we age. And skincare is the cornerstone to happy skin. Sometimes we get sort of overwhelmed by all the steps and serums and creams when we’ve had a partic long day or when we haven’t slept enough and are dragging in the morning. These all-in-one pads are what allow us to have glowing, gorgeous skin even when we have zero energy. They’re like a cleanser/toner/moisturizer in one. And they take 7 seconds to use.
Price: $43
2. Vegamour GRO Hair Serum
Our thinning, limp, post-40 hair was doing zero for our self-confidence, so we tried every tincture and supplement we could get our hands on, and this hair serum blew us away. We saw (and felt) noticeably thicker hair in about 2 months, and we are now converts. So are the 4,000+ glowing reviews on their site.
Price: $64
3. Crest 3D Whitestrips, Radiant Express with LED Accelerator Light
Bright, white teeth are a little “youth hack,” and we swear by Crest. We’ve tried so many different fancier brands, but we always come back to this kit. It works the best, and we don’t have any teeth sensitivity.
Price: $60
4. Nécessaire The Body Peel
A HUGE part of how we started to feel old, was in our body skin. Crepey armpits, crusty elbows, saggy necks. We dutifully slathered moisturizer on every night and after every shower, but once we started using this body peel, we could see an actual, visual change in our body skin. It looked more smooth overall and feels like a baby’s bum.
Get 10% off using our code CANDIDLY10.
Price: $55
5. Trinny London Miracle blur
We’ve written about this product zillions of times (SEE HERE) but we truly could not function without this pot-of-magic putty. We smear it on after makeup (or in lieu of), and it blurs our pores, wrinks, and especially helps all those vertical lines sprouting up over our lips.
Price: $34
6. Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2 BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Use this ONCE and you will see a huge difference in your skin. Use it 2-3 times a week and pores are smaller, lines are lessened, and makeup goes on more smoothly.
Get 15% off using the code CANDIDLY.
Price: $35
7. EltaMD UV Lip Balm BroadSpectrum SPF 36
Sun exposure is responsible for 90% of visible age-related changes to our skin. Isn’t that a shocking number? It took that number for us to now use SPF religiously, and especially on our lips. This SPF balm is our favorite because it’s so soft and deeply hydrating. And we noticed once we started using it daily, our lips felt more juicy and plump, just in general.
Get 15% off using the code CANDIDLY.
Price: $17
8. Furtuna Skin Due Alberi Biphase Moisturizing Oil
We write extensively about this oil, and while its main function is as a finishing oil on the face as the last step of your skincare, we have been wowed at its abilities to lessen our newly acquired vertical chest wrinkles. See the astonishing results HERE.
Use the code CANDIDLY25 to get 25% off.
Price: Starting at $100
9. Shiseido Eyelash Curler
Nothing makes our eyes look brighter and more awake than a curled lash— even if we’re not wearing any mascara. And this curler is our favorite.
Pro tip: We also use THIS natural remedy as a super cheap lash conditioner every night.
Price: $24
10. NuFACE Trinity+ Starter Kit
Welp, we know it’s an investment, but it absolutely works. Look at THESE before and after photos of our editor’s jawline. Unlike most skincare products, you buy this once and that’s it.
Get 15% off using the code CANDIDLY.
Price: $350
11. Solawave 4-in-1 Advanced Skincare Wand
Similar in that it’s a daily device you have to commit to, we saw an incredible improvement in our skin’s texture after using this red light wand for about 30 days. We set a nightly calendar invite for ourselves for 7 minutes and bring it into the living room to watch some trash on TV so that we actually do it. In our minds, it’s more like exercise where we have to force ourselves to make it a habit as opposed to thinking of it as our fun, pampering skincare routine. And it works.
Get 15% off using the code CANDIDLY15.
Price: $169
12. Wrinkles Schminkles Forehead Wrinkle Patches
We admit that we are afraid of toxins and needles, so a huge part of our anti-aging quest is in finding products that have similar effects to Botox, without the needle. We can honestly say these have astounding results for forehead wrinkles in particular—see the results HERE.
Price: $30
13. NB Pure Daily Multi-Fiber
Does a fiber supp belong on an anti-aging list? It sure as hell does. Post 40, our digestion slows to a halt, our metabolism is sluggish, we can’t poop like the good ol’ days, and we just look at a donut and gain 7 pounds. We are now MANIACAL about eating fiber-rich foods and getting our full 25 grams of fiber a day for the happiest digestion of our lives. A mere bonus is that this one tastes delish. We throw the coconut lime flavor into smoothies or into yogurt, adding fruit like pineapple and mango, and it’s basically a refreshing pina colada but for HEALTH.
Price: $29
14. Brow Lamination
A gorgeous, thick brow frames the face, and our brows tend to get sparse as we get older. This service has been a total revelation for us.
See the before and after photos HERE.
15. Brow microblading
Ditto microblading, though a much more costly investment. See every detail you could possibly imagine, and before and after photos HERE.
16. Supergoop city serum SPF 30
We already bored you with our treatise on SPF for the lips above, so we won’t do it again. But for us, finding a face SPF that didn’t have a white cast, felt serumy not oily, and that we wanted to use every day, even in winter, was a tall order. We use this one AS our moisturizer in the hot months, and on top of our moisturizer in the cold months. It leaves the skin glossy, not sticky, and feels like unbelievably luxe skincare.
Price: $48
This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be used in place of professional advice, medical treatment, or professional care in any way. This article is not intended to be and should not be a substitute for professional care, advice or treatment. Please consult with your physician or healthcare provider before changing any health regimen. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent disease of any kind. Read our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
We have to eat.
