After reading this piece, my 21-year-old self considered buying an anti-age cream or a retinol serum. However, I wondered what I would get from this purchase: “Why do I want to buy an anti-age cream?” Suddenly, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to let the opinion of experts dictate how I should look.
Unrealistic beauty standards dominate modern-day media and our society. From placing objectively beautiful celebrities in the limelight to advertising the newest beauty technologies, desirable looks run the world. Unsurprisingly, physical changes that come with age are not particularly welcomed by the Western perspective.
The term “anti-age” was coined in the early 19th century. With the launch of the first-ever facelift in 1916, the industry has grown exponentially ever since. Nonetheless, attempts to turn back the clock can be traced back to Elizabethan times when women placed slices of raw meat onto their faces to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. The lingering threat of age has almost been cemented in the human consciousness within various eras.
Social factors evidently contribute to the prevalence of anti-age rhetoric, but the economy reinstates support given the lucrative nature of the anti-aging industry.
In the 21st century, the anti-age market produces some of the most exclusive and expensive products: researchers predict that the anti-age market will be worth $119.6 billion by 2030. This would mark a 7.9% increase from its worth of $60.42 billion in 2020. Whether we are talking about vampire facials or thread lifts, these treatments generate big bucks; these celebrity-tested treatments are reserved for those who can afford them. Thus, many anti-age products are exclusionary on a socio-economic basis, restricting access to most ordinary individuals.
The anti-age industry produces a beauty standard that evaluates beauty through an objective lens: no wrinkles, no problem! However, the self-confidence that we derive from our appearance stems beyond the physical medium.
There is no problem with indulging in your looks and changing your appearance; whether you choose to invest in anti-age skincare or not give your wrinkles the time of day, it is your choice. The problem arises when society tries to dictate what is deemed desirable. The anti-age industry has challenged the freedom of finding beauty and self-love on your own terms.
Perhaps it is time to eliminate the term “anti-age” from everyday rhetoric. Some media outlets are taking this step already. One of America’s biggest beauty magazines, Allure, recently banned the use of the word “anti-age” on their platform, taking a step in the right direction.
We must remember that self-love manifests differently for every person. The connotation behind anti-age rhetoric presumes that age is a disease that we need to fight. Instead, we should focus on embracing the individuality of beauty, no matter the age.