The anti-aging market is expected to reach $78.34 billion globally in 2030, a $26.02 billion increase from the market size in 2024.
From baby botox to face masks marketed toward kids, anti-aging has started to reach people before they even get their first wrinkle.
How does this affect college-aged women?
Sophomore Sylvie Mogul thinks about aging at least a few times a week. “This morning, I noticed a smile line,” she said.
Mogul, a bioengineering major, said she sees TikToks about aging once a week at most.
Reena Alattar, a sophomore psychology major, sees anti-aging content on social media often. “There’s a lot of ads, especially,” she said. She has seen ads for retinol, face masks and lotions lately.
On TikTok, the hashtag antiaging has 2.1 million posts. Many of the posts are of young people advertising products.
User, livvycreatess, posted a video claiming that taking NAD supplements reversed her aging and made her feel younger. According to one of her other posts, she is in her 20s.
Another creator, Jordan Hutton, 35, posts content about different anti-aging products. Her bio states, “Skin hacking your 30s skin through biotech, not Botox.”
Many of Hutton’s posts advertise a Korean anti-aging balm, which she claims is the reason she has no wrinkles.
These types of videos make Alattar feel awkward, and she questions why they exist at all.
“Especially when I see teenagers marketing it or people below the age of, like, 60. It just seems very unnecessary,” she said.
Another popular product, baby Botox, is marketed toward young people and has become popular relatively recently.
Baby Botox injects fewer units into a person’s face than regular Botox and is usually for younger, first-time users. People who receive baby Botox typically do not have many existing wrinkles, but are trying to prevent aging.
Alattar said she had not heard of baby Botox, but was not surprised it existed because the whole beauty industry is glorifying looking younger.
The only reason Alattar could see herself getting Botox would be for medical reasons, but she tries not to judge those who do.
“I understand how difficult it is managing body image,” said Alattar.