SCIENTISTS believe they have identified a group of genes that allow some people to look far younger than their true age.

A project involving almost 1m people led by scientists at Harvard University and 23andMe, a private genetic database, found that 10% of white and 20% of black Americans carry the “genetic recipe” for youthful skin.

The researchers believe its presence can result in people looking up to 10 years younger than they really are, potentially explaining the youthful appearance of celebrities such as the actress Halle Berry, 48, and the model Iman, 59, the wife of the musician David Bowie.

Some of the findings are being presented this week at the World Congress of Dermatology in Vancouver, Canada. More details will appear in a