It's easy to look good when you're a teenager or in your 20s. Your metabolism is faster, you can get away with wearing ridiculous fashions and no one bats an eye, and — the least fair fact of all — you can stay up all night and somehow won't look like a ghoul the next day (what's that about anyway)?
Most women accept that they have to work a little harder as they get older. And some are a lot like these 8 female celebrities — they actually look even more gorgeous the older they get.
I know, I know, it doesn't seem possible given how we're constantly told younger = better. Dancing With the Stars' Candace Cameron Bure recently admitted that she likes her body now, at 37, way more than she ever did when she was in her 20s. And it makes sense. The body you have in your 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond is the one you actually work hard to attain. Of course you should be super proud of it!
These 8 celebs are living proof that maturity and far better styling choices can add a certain womanly appeal and charm that isn't commonly found in younger women. Here are our favorite age-defying celebs, most of whom look better now than they did when they were younger with little to no help from plastic surgery. Hurray to that!
Image via Instagram
Kim Kardashian -- Then
Kim Kardashian has, ahem, perhaps had a bit of surgical help in making the leap from young, cute girl with more "typical" (whatever that means) features to the uber glamazon we see today. She hasn't changed so much that she looks unrecognizable, but Mrs. Kanye West sure looks different now…
Kim Kardashian -- Now
…At 33, Kim's features are more defined, her face more angular, and her hair is shiny and exquisite. No doubt she picked up a few makeup tricks over the years, but she also seems to have "grown into" her good looks.
Candace Cameron Bure -- Then
OMG — DJ Tanner was sooo cute on Full House, wasn't she? The chipmunk cheeks, bangs, and spiral curls were perfect — on a tween. But Candace Cameron Bure was a super-sweet kid who aged really, really well…
Candace Cameron Bure -- Now
…Candace is 37 now and looks fit, healthy, and secure. It also doesn't hurt that she found a hairstyle and modern makeup that compliment her natural beauty.
Jennifer Aniston -- Then
It's not easy to find a photo of Jennifer Aniston where she looks anything less than perfect. And, let's face it, she was pretty perfect looking in her twenties. But Jen wouldn't discover the ideal look for her until years later…
Jennifer Aniston -- Now
…One of 45-year-old Jen's biggest beauty secrets is that she finds something that works for her and keeps it. Golden hair and bronzed skin are her trademarks, but the actress is as well known for her healthy lifestyle as she is her good looks, which makes her even more beautiful.
Gwen Stefani -- Then
Do you remember the first time you saw the '90s video for Just a Girl? We all wanted to be Gwen Stefani. The No Doubt singer had the perfect thin eyebrows, bindi, and blinding red lipstick. But her trendy and youthful choices weren't going to age well. No sweat — it turns out she knew exactly how to reinvent herself…
Gwen Stefani -- Now
…Gwen is 44 and proof that time, 3 kids, and a developed sense of style work wonders. I love how she kept her bleached blonde locks throughout the years, but updated her look so that she appears fresh and modern.
Nicole Kidman -- Then
Nicole Kidman was a major star with quite a wild mane for many years before she dyed and straightened her locks and began wearing Gucci. Watch this clip of her chatting about an early film on an Aussie talk show and see for yourself how she was always a pretty girl, but looked very different way back when…
Nicole Kidman -- Now
…This is a photo of Nicole posing for the Jimmy Choo Cruise 2014 campaign. Um, and looking a helluva lot like Brigitte Bardot…at age 46, mind you. Yeah, yeah, she admits she has had botox and maybe it's not all natural, but it's difficult to deny it — she is a stunning woman.
Angelina Jolie -- Then
No, I'm not trying to say Angelina Jolie wasn't insanely hot in her 20s — that would be a pure lie. But she went through a few stages, like this punk platinum blonde one and her goth years — which sometimes made her look like a rebellious, confused child…
Angelina Jolie -- Now
…Fast forward to a 38-year-old Angie. We now see a self-possessed and graceful woman whose humanitarian work gives her a glow that you simply can't create with cosmetics.
Beyonce -- Then
Teen Beyonce was fun, hip — and a little boring when it came to her hair and style. You can't really blame her for not glamming it up at such a young age, which makes it really fun to see Beyonce now…
Beyonce -- Now
…Sha-zam! At 32, Queen Bey is the fiercest style maven in the pop universe. She never looks less than flawless and has proven she doesn't need a stitch of makeup to look so darn good.
Sarah Jessica Parker -- Then
Sarah Jessica Parker started off as a pretty, spunky young actress in Girls Just Want to Have Fun — albeit one with ridiculously unkempt eyebrows and hair. Who would have thought she'd grow up to become one of the most stylish women in Hollywood?
Sarah Jessica Parker -- Now
Sarah Jessica is a style legend whose fresh-faced approach to beauty is an inspiration to women of all ages. She has always — and continues to — seem like the gorgeous woman you'd love to have as your BFF.
