As Lara stated in her answer, much of this difference is overstated. But inasmuch as women do age more noticeably than men, it’s attributable to two factors.
First, males tend to have thicker, more durable skin than females. Testosterone’s influence also means their skin is oilier on average. The net effect is better resistance to sun damage, better elasticity, and fewer wrinkles appearing than would occur in women with similar genes.
Women with oilier skin tend to age less obviously than women with drier skin for the same basic reason. This is also why black doesn’t crack—sun damage causes a huge chunk of visible aging, and anything that lets you resist that will create an appearance of youth.
Old Woman Selling Eggs by Hendrick Bloemaert. Public domain.
Second, men tend to have sharper, stronger, more angular facial features thanks to the effects of male puberty. These features age better on men and women alike because they reduce the visible impact of loose, sagging skin by propping up the skin even when it’s lost some of its elasticity.
Men and women with softer, sweeter features tend to age more noticeably than people with strong chins and chiselled jawlines. Given the physical features prioritized in and more common in each sex, the men who get a lot of romantic interest in youth often appear to age less swiftly than the women who gain the most romantic interest early in life.
Women with stronger features often appear a bit coarse and less attractive in youth, frequently being accused of having horsey features, but they routinely age beautifully. Similarly, men who are prettyboys can age remarkably swiftly compared to other men.
If we’re discussing natural aging, these are the fundamental traits that predict an individual aging well or poorly without cosmetic interventions. Of course, cosmetic surgery is a game changer for those who choose it.
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