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Women Peak at 31 - Most Beautiful and Confident Age, Study Says

by Erin Donnelly (Subscribe to Erin Donnelly's posts)
Posted Jul 19th 2010 at 12:47PM  
68 Comments
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Katie Holmes Kate Hudson Jennifer Love Hewitt

Is 31 the new 21? Katie Holmes (left), Kate Hudson (center), and Jennifer Love Hewitt (right) are all the "magical" age. Photos: Getty Images (2) | Jordan Strauss, WireImage.com

Warning: Anyone aged 32 and up should stop reading now. Seriously.

As for the rest of you, congratulations! According to a new poll from QVC, a woman hits her beauty and confidence peak at age 31, the Daily Mail reports.

That means while 31-year-olds Katie Holmes, Kate Hudson, and Jennifer Love Hewitt -- silly us, we thought for sure it was her Vajazzle -- are supposedly looking and feeling their best, it's all downhill for bombshells like Angelina Jolie and Christina Hendricks, who are both 35. (We find that hard to believe!)

The survey of more than 2,000 men and women also ranked confidence as the most important trait in making a woman attractive, with 70 percent of the vote compared to 67 percent for physical beauty and 47 percent for good style, according to the paper.

And while nearly two-thirds of women agreed that "with age comes beauty," more than half reportedly claimed that they felt less insecure and more attractive as they aged.

"This research shows what many have always suspected -- real beauty is about more than just good looks but a combination of confidence, style and personality too," QVC marketing director Sue Leeson told the paper.

And, you know, a birth certificate that doesn't date back any further than Fall 1978!

Now excuse us while we go slip inside the cyro-chamber.

Meanwhile, 49-year-old Julianne Moore doesn't seem to have lost her looks or confidence (um, she's naked!) in these racy Bulgari ads.

Read All Comments
Filed under: Beauty, News, Celebrity Beauty
Tags: 31, 31 years old, age, celebs in their 30s, confidence, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Kate Hudson, Katie Holmes, most beautiful age, peaks, qvc, surveys
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READER COMMENTS

(68)Add A Comment

dmpickett, 7-20-2010, 3:06PM

2 stars vote downvote upReport
dmpickett

If 31 is the new "stunning" age, why does Jennifer L Hewitt's neck look 10 years older, at least, than her face?

Reply »

Melody Lesser, 7-19-2010, 1:53PM

3 stars vote downvote upReport
Melody Lesser

This infuriates me and I blogged about it this morning on http://EverBeautiful.com. There's hope for women, ages 31 and younger who, if one was to believe this survey, have their peak beauty days to look forward to. But woe to those ages 33 and above because, again, according to this survey, their beauty has reached its peak and it's all downhill from here. What a load of crap! I know women in their 40s and 50s who look - and feel - more beautiful at those ages than they did in their 20s and 30s. Plus, the survey equates beauty with confidence. Well, confidence grows with experience and, yes, age. I wonder how QVC is going to spin the results of this survey so as not to alienate the majority of their audience who, I'd bet, is not 32.

Reply »

zjenn2lynn8, 7-19-2010, 8:29PM

3 stars vote downvote upReport
zjenn2lynn8

I am not sure why why would you let a survey "infuriate" you unless you are uncomfortable with who you are. I can remember being slightly bummed when I left my 20's, but then I was much more comfortable with my 30's when I turned 31. I'm now 34 and sure, I'd love to be 31 again. But I never will be, so I'll be comfortable in my own skin each and every year ahead of me. I'll take care of myself and be the exception to the "Women peak at 31" rule. It's all about being confident and comfortable with who you are, at any age. If this survey's poll results upset you, prove 'em wrong!

»

Andrea, 7-19-2010, 8:09PM

3 stars vote downvote upReport
Andrea

Raquel Welch, Sophia Loren, and Tina Turner just negated the entire premise of this story.

Reply »

Dewey Compost, 7-19-2010, 8:21PM

3 stars vote downvote upReport
Dewey Compost

Hummm. From this males perspective I've seen many beautiful women well into their 50s and beyond. To say they are at their best at 31 is pushing it a bit. Sexy is another matter entirely. There are a lot of beautiful women that aren't sexy. Give me sexy at any legal age every time!

Reply »

Heather, 7-21-2010, 8:25PM

3 stars vote downvote upReport
Heather

I just commented on a very similar article earlier today.
"Warning: Anyone aged 32 and up should stop reading now. Seriously." What an immature statement. Was this article written by a 16 year old?

As I said on the other article:
I think I'll hit my "prime" a lot later than 31. I'm currently 19 years old, but I look years younger, which I'm told is going to suit me as I age. I think we can remain beautiful at all ages! If we just keep up on ourselves and take good care of our bodies. How you treat yourself (food, exercise, ect.) is what you'll get on the outside. So you could still have that 22 year old skin at 40.

Reply »

kay, 7-19-2010, 8:18PM

3 stars vote downvote upReport
kay

More garbage in an attempt to intimidate women and instill fear. Fear that they are not good enough, fear that they should be scrambling to find a man, any man. I didn't feel like I hit my peak until (and this is just a start since I am still at my peak) about 45. Kids independent, style under control, more physically fit than I've been since 19, and the heads keep turning. Do not fall for these lies ladies, be your best and chances are you won't head down hill until you are being lowered there.

Reply »

kittylit, 7-19-2010, 8:29PM

3 stars vote downvote upReport
kittylit

Wow! I guess all of us over 50's should just kill ourselves. It's all over for us anyway!

Reply »

Angela, 7-19-2010, 8:34PM

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Angela

That's a bunch of B.S. Women are better and better a they age. 31 is just a baby and doesn't know much. The writer must be 31.

Reply »

lisa, 7-19-2010, 8:38PM

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lisa

A woman that takes care of herself is beautiful at any age. I am 43 and am happier at this age than in my 20's. I'm kinder to myself. I could care less if others like me at 43. I I have more money, I take better care of myself now because I really do love myself, finally! I could have never done this in my 20's or 30's I don't feel that I have even come close to my peak yet.

Reply »

Karen, 7-19-2010, 8:42PM

3 stars vote downvote upReport
Karen

"Most beautiful at 31?" The article must have been written by a 30 1/2 year old...I am in my 50s and proud of my looks, but most importantly, of my confidence and ability to de-dramatize what goes on around me, daily, by the 30 somethings. Am I jealous?? Oh, hell no! I love where I am, in life...and the men in my life are absolutely amazing...!

Reply »

Lloyd, 7-19-2010, 8:43PM

3 stars vote downvote upReport
Lloyd

Oh please. 31 is just the beginning of true beauty. But Sophia Loren, Liz Taylor were sexy and beautiful into their sixties. At 31, women are not girls anymore. They are mature and fully developed. But its not downhill from there. It only gets better. I'll take experience over youth any day, particularly in the bedroom.

Reply »

Walker, 7-19-2010, 8:52PM

3 stars vote downvote upReport
Walker

The truth is a woman's true beauty begins at 31. Take it from a 62 year old man, women just start to begin to be fun at 40. Don't worry about a stupid survey. Let you hair down and have fun. Life is good. ENJOY

Reply »

Adam, 7-20-2010, 4:41AM

2 stars vote downvote upReport
Adam

WALKER, you SAID it! I'M with YOU!

»

Victor, 7-20-2010, 5:27AM

2 stars vote downvote upReport
Victor

Give me an old broad anytime!

»

Heather, 7-19-2010, 8:52PM

2.5 stars vote downvote upReport
Heather

Nope. It has been scientifically proven that women reach their peak at 37, both physically AND sexually. This has been known for years. Where did the folks conducting this so-called "study" get 31 from, a Cracker Jack box?

Reply »

tyrebitre, 7-19-2010, 9:49PM

2.5 stars vote downvote upReport
tyrebitre

But the premise of this story isn't the physical and sexual prime ( or peak ): it is a mix of beauty and confidence, and is therefore fatally flawed. While beauty may impart confidence ( and most assuredly it does ), confidence doesn't impart beauty ( though it may impart sexuality ). Unfortunately, confidence and beauty are separate entities ( and beauty and attractiveness are NOT the same thing). While a woman's confidence may peak at 31, her beauty seldom does - her bloom is usually past at 31. This is not to say that a lot of women aren't beautiful at 31: just that they are NOT the majority: the fact that so many who have commented have to predicate their statements about knowing women who are still beautiful at 40 - 50 - etc. proves my point that these are the exceptions that proves the rule. Women are at their peak in beauty from age 18 through mid-20s: these ages are where one will find the highest concentration of pretty girls. Wishing it were otherwise or failure to accept the truth will NOT change this fact. ( However, the same thing applies to men - by 31 men are past their "sell-by" date as surely as women are. Fortunately for men, men go into a longer period in their deterioration cycle ( from early 30s to early 50s ) where the incline is less sharp than women ( and then men fall off the cliff about 55 ).

»

morgen28, 7-19-2010, 8:53PM

3 stars vote downvote upReport
morgen28

I thought that 40 was the new 30??? That means I still have a few years to go :)

Reply »

Melisa, 7-19-2010, 9:03PM

3 stars vote downvote upReport
Melisa

Speaking from my own experience, I guess I was 10 years late, b/c my peak was at 41. Just goes to show you can't group everyone into one category on anything. And I have to say, this really is a childish article, (even though I did read it out of curiosity). Power to all the women out there, no matter what your age is!

Reply »

doris, 7-19-2010, 9:04PM

3 stars vote downvote upReport
doris

i have a 46 year old daughter and people are always asking me if i am her sister and when i say no her mom they ar shocked so i say forget this stupid study and look in the real world

Reply »

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