Anti-Aging is dead
WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE WE SLATHER OURSELVES IN MORE ANTI-AGING CREAMS THAN A BAKER SLATHERS CROISSANTS WITH BUTTER! It’s both hilarious and absurd to think we can outsmart "father time".
We juggle yoga classes, kale smoothies and the latest in “miracle” serums and treatments while desperately Googling “how to reverse the aging process” as if the fountain of youth is just a click away. Spoiler alert: it’s not.
At the end of the day, we’re all just aging like fine wine-getting a bit corked, maybe a little fruity but ultimately heading towards vintage status where hopefully we can finally accept that a good laugh line is just a sign of a life well lived.
But how did we get here? When did we begin to fear aging? Culturally, we have always had an obsession with youth and beauty. Influenced by societal standards that equate youthfulness with attractiveness and desirability, cosmetic companies have always in some way marketed products promising to make you more beautiful and desirable. But was it always so blatant?
✺ THE START: ATTRACTING THE OPPOSITE SEX
In 1948, Helena Rubenstein launched the first hormone anti-aging skincare cream with an ad that said ” How long has it been since he said I love you?” This led women to believe that if your husband isn’t interested, you must certainly try this face cream to get his attention back in your direction. This type of marketing reflected the times when most women were homemakers.
✺ WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
With the boom of women’s liberation in the 1970s, there was big backlash on this type of marketing and brands switched their marketing to reflect the times and showed images of women in business suits and boardroom CEO vibes. The perfume Enjoli featured a strong independent woman who could bring home the bacon and fry it up in pan! Women empowerment was the way advertisers sold beauty products in the 1970s.
✺ THE FIGHT AGAINST AGING
The term anti-aging really took off in the late 1980s and early 90s, as baby boomers began showing signs of aging. You began to see major brands use big name celebrities to market their age-defying creams and wrinkle prevention serums. This generation of women wanted to “fight” aging every step of the way, and day spas became big business as women would spend the whole day indulging in facials and body treatments to rejuvenate and turn back time. Big brands took notice and began the anti-aging fear mongering marketing empire as we know it today. It was in the early 2000’s when the med-spa industry began to really take off as well. The anti-aging global market accounted for 73 Billion this year alone and is expected to reach 140.9 Billion by 2034. But there is a change on the horizon believe it or not. “
✺ HELLO PRO AGING
To age is to live! Women of today are demanding changes and have begun petitioning big brands to remove the term ANTI-AGING from their marketing. We are beginning to see older women featured in beauty advertisements more than ever before. Women are looking for transparency in skin care and makeup brands, and there is a growing awareness and acceptance of aging as a natural process. Allure magazine has made a commitment to not use that term, which was a huge milestone.
✺ AGING IN ESTHETICS
What does the professional skin care industry focus on? For estheticians and spa professionals, they need to be ahead of the curve and leading the way. Skincare should always be about skin health first. Licensed professionals, should be the ones leading this charge. They hold the power in their hands...literally.
They must take a step back and think of the psychological effects the terms anti-aging has on their clients. It can evoke feelings of inadequacy, and it reinforces the ageism and beauty norms that prioritize youth over health.
BY SHIFTING YOUR MINDSET, YOU CAN BEGIN TO MAKE AN IMPACTFUL CHANGE FOR THE PLANET, AND YOUR WALLET!
✺ BOOK A FREE CALL WITH ME to get to check on your skin health condition and receive personalized advice on your beauty routine.
Love is all, Valentine.
