Amman — "Are you aging or getting younger?" "You look younger than your age." These are just some of the many comments people born between 1985 and 1995 hear, as if getting older simply doesn't apply to their features, making them look younger; their age climbs, but their looks don't.
اضافة اعلان
"The generation that doesn't age" this is what's being said today about those born between 1985 and 1995, who look younger than Gen Z, despite being in their late thirties, with their outward appearance saying otherwise, making them look younger compared to people who are actually younger than them.
Recent studies indicate this phenomenon is real, and attribute it to differences in lifestyle between generations, with experts summarizing the reasons this generation seems to have broken the rules of aging into three factors.
The first is the "trap of early enhancements," as the younger generation's, Gen Z's, pursuit of perfection is precisely what makes them look older, alongside the massive spread of filler and Botox injections at an early age, between 18 and 20, which in turn alters the face's natural balance.
Second is smoking and stress, "collagen's hidden enemy." While the 90s generation grew up playing outside, the younger generation faces unprecedented levels of digital stress and sleep deprivation, in addition to the spread of vaping.
Scientifically, nicotine and stress raise cortisol levels, which breaks down collagen and elastin in the skin, accelerating the appearance of sagging and premature signs of fatigue.
Third is care rather than change, the golden formula. Those born between 1985 and 1995 caught onto the skincare revolution and regular sunscreen use in their youth, but didn't fall into the trap of surgically altering their features, the trap Gen Z has fallen victim to.
As a result, they preserved the natural facial fat that gives a youthful look, sticking to moisturizing and protection, without indulging in surgical interventions, which gave them lasting youthfulness.
The truth is, this isn't an attempt by the 90s generation to stop time, but rather a lifestyle and pattern they grew up with, away from screens and their pressures, amid family and psychological stability, with a natural, unhurried pace of life, and a calmer relationship with themselves.
The Impact of Psychological, Family, and Upbringing Factors
For her part, family and educational psychology consultant Haneen Al-Batoush explains that youthful features in our modern era are no longer tied to the number of years we've lived, but have become a direct reflection of lifestyle, upbringing, and accumulated psychological state over time; youth today is no longer a matter of chronological age, but the result of a long psychological, familial, and upbringing journey.
Al-Batoush clarifies that what we clearly see in the features of those born between 1985 and 1995 cannot be reduced to "genetic luck" or an aesthetic coincidence, but is the result of an environment they grew up in differently, one that left a deep mark on their psychological health, and consequently on their physical presence and outward appearance.
Al-Batoush notes that the 90s generation grew up in a family and upbringing environment less preoccupied with "image" and more focused on experience; childhood was a space for free play, mistakes, discovery, and direct human relationships, not a stage for constant display and evaluation.
She explains that this style of upbringing contributed to building a more stable nervous system, and limited chronic stress during the early formative years, which was later reflected in the balance of hormones tied to psychological pressure, particularly those that accelerate cell damage and skin aging.
Al-Batoush notes that, at the level of family and self, this generation did not need to define its worth through others' opinions or the number of likes, allowing their sense of self to form in a safer space, which strengthened inner contentment and reduced the need for external compensation.
Early, Intensive Exposure to Idealized Standards
From a psychological standpoint, self-contentment reduces deep-seated stress and limits behaviors that are harsh on the body, so inner calm is reflected in one's features, radiance, and even facial expressions.
By contrast, Gen Z grew up inside the screen rather than beside it, from early childhood, according to Al-Batoush, with their sense of self-worth tied to visibility, comparison, and instant evaluation. This early, intensive exposure to idealized, unrealistic standards has contributed to the emergence of what's psychologically known as "premature psychological aging."
Al-Batoush explains that there's a constant feeling among them that time is chasing them, and that they must rush to alter themselves before "missing the train." This ongoing pressure keeps the body in a constant state of nervous alertness, raises anxiety and cortisol levels, and pushes toward rapid change instead of gradual care, turning the body from a space for care into a project for modification, making features appear more strained despite the young age.
Al-Batoush affirms that the relative psychological stability the 90s generation experienced in childhood and adolescence gave them room to grow without a constant struggle with themselves, and that the absence of continuous digital comparisons allowed the body to grow naturally, without forced interventions or a constant feeling of inadequacy.
Body psychology confirms that the body retains an emotional memory, according to Al-Batoush, as every calm, balanced psychological experience leaves its mark on skin elasticity, facial expressions, and even the way one moves and looks. Therefore, this generation's youthfulness isn't a defiance of time, but the result of a calmer relationship with the self, the body, and the concept of age.
Shifts in Concepts of Beauty
Al-Batoush adds that the 90s generation grew up in a time when time itself had a natural human rhythm; waiting was part of life, and achievement was a gradual process, not an instant one. This balanced psychological rhythm eased the sense of inner urgency that often manifests as physical tension and strained features.
Meanwhile, the younger generation lives under the pressure of "now," creating a constant psychological urgency that shows on the face before it shows in age.
Al-Batoush notes that the 90s generation's concept of beauty was tied to natural features and individuality, not sameness, and that this early acceptance of appearance contributed to building a healthy relationship with the body, free of internal conflict.
Meanwhile, the culture of constant correction that the younger generation grew up with has reinforced the feeling that the body is "not enough," which raises psychological tension and deepens internal conflict, leaving a clear mark on features despite the young age, according to Al-Batoush.
Al-Batoush says: "The 90s generation lived their life to experience it, not to display it," explaining that the experience was internal, human, and emotional, and that this way of living reduces psychological depletion.
Meanwhile, the younger generation lives under the pressure of constant documentation, creating a gap between real experience and outward appearance, leading to early psychological exhaustion reflected on the body and face.
Accordingly, Al-Batoush notes that the 90s generation's relationship with the body was shaped as a means for living, not a constant subject of evaluation, while for the younger generation, the body has become an arena for comparison and conflict, and every prolonged internal conflict leaves its biological mark on cells, skin radiance, and facial expressions.
Gradual and Balanced Self-Reliance
Al-Batoush adds that the 90s generation learned self-reliance gradually and in a balanced way, without being burdened early beyond their psychological capacity, and this balanced independence strengthened their sense of competence and eased premature existential anxiety.
Meanwhile, the younger generation lives a contradiction between enormous psychological responsibilities and a young chronological reality, accelerating a harsh maturity that resembles an "internal aging."
Al-Batoush affirms that the factor of sleep and daily lifestyle cannot be overlooked, as the 90s generation's sleep rhythm was closer to the natural biological clock, away from blue light and constant notifications, while the younger generation's chronic sleep deprivation doesn't just affect concentration, but accelerates cell deterioration, weakens skin regeneration, and brings on early signs of fatigue.
From a psychological standpoint, Al-Batoush notes that the psychological resilience built by the 90s generation through real-world experiences and direct human interaction made them more adaptable and less prone to breaking under pressure, while the emotional fragility resulting from constant evaluation among the younger generation keeps the nervous system in a state of ongoing exhaustion, and exhaustion doesn't just age the spirit, but the face too.
Al-Batoush mentions that the 90s generation grew up amid gradual economic and social changes, carrying early responsibilities related to self-reliance and building a future through slow but steady steps.
She explains that these challenges, despite their difficulty, were more realistic and had less psychological impact, which helped build patience, resilience, and adaptability, psychological factors that ease chronic stress and reflect, over the long term, as inner stability.
By contrast, the younger generation faces more complex and rapid challenges, according to Al-Batoush, from successive global crises, an uncertain future, pressure to achieve early, and unending digital comparisons.
Psychological Depletion and Emotional Exhaustion
Al-Batoush notes that this rapid accumulation of challenges, without adequate psychological breaks, creates a constant feeling of insecurity and psychological depletion, reflected as inner anxiety and emotional exhaustion whose effects show on mental health and the body, even on facial features, despite the young chronological age.
On another note, Al-Batoush affirms that family plays a fundamental role in shaping children's psychological balance, regardless of the generation they belong to.
She explains that the 90s generation grew up, for the most part, in homes that gave their children room for mistakes and experimentation, with clear boundaries and direct emotional support. This balance between containment and responsibility helped children build a sense of inner security, and learn to handle pressure calmly, without needing to prove their worth through appearance or constant comparison.
Meanwhile, today's parents face greater challenges in raising the younger generation, according to Al-Batoush, noting that they live in an open digital world, with unrealistic standards and accelerating social pressure. Faced with this reality, some parents may lean toward excessive protection and control out of fear, or toward preoccupation and withdrawal, leaving children to screens, and both choices, despite good intentions, can weaken children's sense of security and increase their inner anxiety.
Al-Batoush affirms that what's needed in upbringing isn't perfection, but conscious presence, meaning open dialogue and containment without excessive indulgence, monitoring without suffocating surveillance, and valuing a person for who they are, not how they appear.
Also, when a child feels that home is a space of safety rather than an arena of evaluation, this is reflected in psychological balance, inner comfort, and physical health whose effects extend for many years.
Al-Batoush believes the story isn't about a "better" or "worse" generation, but about a different upbringing and life pattern; the generation that doesn't age hasn't defied time, but made peace with it, and hasn't frozen its features, but let them mature calmly.
The most important message, according to Al-Batoush, is that youthfulness isn't a cosmetic decision, but the result of psychological balance, compassionate upbringing, and conscious, not obsessive, care, and that real youthfulness isn't manufactured by force or excessive change, nor does it come from trying to escape or fight age. Sometimes, a person's acceptance of themselves, their stage of life, and their natural features gives them psychological comfort and inner calm that are automatically reflected in their face, health, and radiance.
Resource: Al-Ghad. Reporting: Rasha Kannakriyah
