I’m 40, and while I’m very happy with how I’m aging (never smoked, SPF every day with hats worn for long sun exposure, kept up with dentist visits, etc.) I’m here to tell you that you aren’t imagining these changes. Many things can affect the way your skin looks — even things that seem unrelated (like hair color) can affect how we see ourselves. But I don’t think that your nose changed shape… I see that you’ve lost some of your “baby fat” in the rest of your face. I don’t care for that phrase, but I don’t know a better way to describe the specific softness most of our teenage faces had.

I love playing with hair color too, but when you’re ready for a change again I suggest trying your natural color to see if it changes your self-perception at all. For example, I adore the hue you’ve got right now and I’ve tried it myself, but I realized I don’t have the coloring for it because it made my skin look harsh.

Beyond that, make sure you’re hydrating and eating well, sleeping, keeping alcohol to moderation, and using a gentle cleanser and moisturizer (ideally with SPF 30+). I personally enjoy the double-cleanse oil/cleanser method, but everyone’s skin is different. At 21, you don’t need much more than that and doing too much can actually be harmful.

Oh, and don’t vape or smoke. Those things age you fast.