This woman’s age might shock you

Social media is flooded with young women worrying that they look older than they are.

The trend has paved the way for a new online existential crisis, called ‘how old do I look?’ which exploded on TikTok, with the original video reaching more than 14 million views.

TikTok creator Chelsalay posted the video that started it all, asking the internet ‘how old do I look?’

“Somebody recently told me that they thought I was 36 years old,” she said on TikTok.

“And I’m not [36], I’m not even close.”

Chelsalay, or Chelsea, was 29 when she posted her original video in late 2023, making her a millennial.

In March, she made a follow up video as the hashtag “how old do I look?” reached more than one million posts.

“Back in December I asked, ‘do I look 36 years old’,” she said on TikTok.

“Upon inspecting the video, it was just not a very flattering video.”

Chelsea said on TikTok that her hair was “pulled back” and “there were a lot of things working against me.”

“But I see a lot of Gen Z out here asking how old I look and it’s really trendy right now,” she added.

“You know I’ve got some wrinkles, I have smile lines and I’m ok with that.

“I’m ok with looking 36, that wasn’t the point of the original video anyway.”

Commenters on both videos started to hand out free anti-ageing advice to Chelsea and anyone else who might be wondering, ‘do I look older than I actually am?’

Others assured Chelsea that she is “beautiful” and that “age is relative,” saying it is very difficult to guess a person’s age.

One commenter wrote, “it’s definitely the smile lines.

“I’ve learned that’s the first thing that ages you besides wrinkles and sun spots.”

Another said, “there’s nothing wrong with looking 36.”

Dermatologist Dr. Shreya Andric says there is nothing wrong with looking older, but said skin care plays an important role in keeping your face looking young.

“We do know that skin quality can influence the perception of age, health and youth,” she said.

“[But] there is no rule on what you should look like at what age.

“One concern clinic patients have is skin quality.”

Dr. Andric defines ‘skin quality’ by the skin’s firmness, tone, surface evenness and glow.

She shared with news.com.au her top three anti-ageing tips to take care of your skin as you age.

“Wear SPF every day and don’t forget to reapply particularly if you are out and about,” she said.

“Double cleanse at night to remove your sunscreen and makeup, ideally use an oil cleanser first.

“Ingredients such as sunflower, macadamia and avocado oil are great on the skin and will remove impurities while keeping the skin nourished.

She added that double cleansing allows active ingredient used after showering to penetrate more deeply.

Her third tip is to “alter your skincare with the seasons,” for example, using more hydrating products in the winter.

“We should focus on skin quality rather than how young or old we’re perceived to look,” Dr Andric said.

“That can be achieved through looking after your skin with a simple skincare routine that you can do every day and night, remembering consistency is key.”