People are Ditching the Term Anti-Aging: Here’s Why

In a 2017 Editor’s Letter, Allure’s Michelle Lee announced that the magazine would no longer be using the term “anti-aging” in its publication. This move, noted Lee, had less to do with women wanting to look and feel their best and more about making a change in “the way we talk about aging.”

In making bold moves like this one, Allure magazine is actively standing up against the idea that the aging process is the enemy in our pursuit of beauty. By phasing out this term in print, we are beginning to take away the power that it holds in negatively reinforcing this misconception, and instead forces us to find better, more positively-charged language to describe the physical effects of aging.

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The Royal Society for Public Health, based in Great Britain, published a report examining the way attitudes toward aging have on societal mental health and welfare. In their list of suggested actions, the RSPH notes “an end to the use of the term 'anti-aging' in the cosmetics and beauty industries.” Reports like these signal a growing awareness and concern for the way common terms like “anti-aging” may be adversely affecting us as we internalize them, often without even consciously realizing it.

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Supermodel, wife and mother of two, 52-year old Cindy Crawford is all about embracing life – and that includes the aging process. “I don’t have to try to feel young," Crawford said in a 2009 article for Vanity Fair. "It’s only when you start thinking about the number that you don’t feel that way, so I don’t dwell on the number. I just embrace where I am today.”

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Neutrogena is selecting their words carefully when it comes to where they stand on the “anti-aging” discussion. Just check out their website where the first thing you’ll see is the tagline: “We're not anti-aging, we're anti-wrinkles.” The tagline is followed by “we're about celebrating the beauty of aging with healthy, hydrated, even-looking skin.”

The brand refers to their line of age-related products as “aging solutions,” targeting common concerns with science and ingredient-based solutions. The result? A website that feels welcoming and informative versus judgmental and intimidating for those looking to address skin concerns specific to their age group.

We’re not surprised that our favourite modern-day flower child Drew Barrymore is all in when it comes to finding the positive in aging. In a July 2017 article for Allure, Berrymore said “I love the grace and the story that women are telling by aging naturally. I would rather live my life accepting what comes.”

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When it comes down to dollars and cents, the business of “anti-aging” is on track to reach over $300 billion globally by the year 2021, as noted in this report by Orbis Research. As technology and innovations continue to boom, it seems the market for anti-aging products and treatments continues to be a lucrative one – but at what cost?

The problem behind the business of anti-aging, it seems, is not so much rooted in the products themselves, but moreover in the way we promote and market them. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to get ahead of some of those pesky signs of aging, the danger lies in our attitude toward the very process of getting older. In moving away from terms like “anti-aging” which harbour negative undertones and working to implement more positively-charged language, we can begin to steer our conversations – and in turn our mindset – about aging to a better place.

In a 2017 The New York Times article, Amanda Hess examines the many sides to this movement, notably pointing out that “The only real solution to aging is, of course, death, but our central mode of dealing with that inevitability is to delay and deny it.” This continues to be the issue at the center of this charge against the term: not the products, but our attitudes.

Articles in many media outlets reveal a common theme in how many women today perceive aging: something to be feared and delayed at all costs. As The New York Times article notes, we seem to be at conflict with our desire to embrace aging gracefully, while also hoping to be spared from the physical indicators that are a part of the aging process.

Not surprisingly, a major aid in the crusade against the term “anti-aging” has been social media. Instagram and Twitter have been instrumental in keeping this movement relevant. Case in point: Covergirl’s very own Maye Musk, whose Instagram profile proudly displays the hashtag #itsgreattobe70 and offers followers glimpses into her thriving career and illuminating attitude towards beauty at any age.

In her 2016 release, The Body Book, Cameron Diaz gets candid about all things health and beauty. On aging, Diaz writes: “A lot of us fear the idea of aging – getting older, being less mobile, having less energy, and being less of ourselves. But I look at aging like this: getting older is a blessing and a privilege…”

When we discuss the process of getting older from a place of gratitude and optimism, we can begin to understand the way in which terms like “anti-aging” might reinforce a more negative mindset. Once we acknowledge the power of the language we use, we can take steps toward putting more empowering messages in place.

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With over 50,000 followers on Instagram, and a press page that boasts features from outlets like Elle Canada and WWD, @Chemist.Confessions is everything you never knew you needed in a beauty resource. Basing their reviews in the science behind the products, skincare chemists (formerly at L’Oreal) Gloria Lu and Victoria Fu are all about a no-bs approach to beauty.

On the subject of anti-aging: “it’s great to see that there is a growth in healthier communication in the beauty industry in regards to aging. Traditionally, the category of anti-aging comes with ridiculous and often false marketing lingo that can be a cross of both science fiction and fantasy.” The pair note that, fortunately, and as a credit to “growing consumer awareness”, brands are starting to market their products based on results and ingredients. This, believes Gloria and Victoria, equals “A much more realistic, healthier, and wholesome mindset all around!”

Before it was even a movement, supermodel Christy Turlington shared her thoughts in a 2014 interview with Elle: "Everybody is so anti-aging, but I don't want to look younger than I am. Our face is a map of our life; the more that's there, the better."

While the desire for products formerly referred to as “anti-aging” are still very much in demand, the industry and consumers alike are beginning to adopt new ways in describing these products. Makeup brand Glossier, for example, prefers to use phrases like “tired skin” in place of “wrinkles” – you won’t find any references to “anti-aging” here. Innovative skincare brand Drunk Elephant avoids referencing age altogether, choosing instead to describe their products in a more scientific sense, keeping the spotlight on quality ingredients – not the age bracket of their consumers. Take their latest retinol-based cream, described on their website as “a comforting, silicone-free formulation that I think skin of any age can benefit from and fall in love with.”

You may wonder – what now? It’s important to remember that dialogue and action are the ultimate catalysts for change. If you feel strongly that a new attitude towards aging in the beauty industry is everything we need in 2019, then support the brands that you feel reflect that change. Take note of how you internalize the messages being presented to you and hold yourself accountable for how you allow those messages to shape your mindset. Take control of your perception of beauty and age, because ultimately, how you see yourself at any age is entirely up to you.

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