We know that for years, many corporations have preyed on the insecurities of their customers in the name of profit. These types of advertising and marketing campaigns appeal to our perceived (and socially constructed) inadequacies to strategically tap into our wallets. It’s simple: Make your audience feel inadequate, and sell them a quick solution to their “issue.” We are all familiar with advertisers preying on women’s insecurities about weight, relationships, and beauty, often under the guise of feminism and empowerment.
A fear of aging has been so ingrained in our society that it is perpetuated through generations. One of my childhood friends has been using Olay’s “anti-aging” cream from the age of 10 under advice from her parents to avoid wrinkles. This goes to show how deep our fear of visibly aging runs. But why? The beauty industry has been birthing and incubating our collective discomfort with the idea of getting older for decades. “Age Rewind,” “Regenerist,” “Age Defense,” “rejuvenating,” “Wrinkle Defense,” “Age Control,” “Youth Preserve,” “age-defying,” and of course, “anti-aging” are all familiar terms used by beauty and skincare companies to appeal to our subconscious apprehension towards getting older.
I once heard a quote: “Everyone wants to live a long life, but nobody wants to get old.” In popular culture, there is a clear dichotomy of how older female celebrities are presented in the media: either “she is ageless and beautiful!” or “she has let herself go.” This effect is compounded in the era of plastic surgery among celebrities. I will contest that no matter how a woman looks as she ages, she is beautiful no matter what; beauty should not be defined in terms of folds in your skin or pigment in your hair.
The reality is, aging is beautiful.
Experiencing all that your life offers you is beautiful. Loving your family and friends is beautiful. Trying new things is beautiful.
Rather than worrying about grey hair and wrinkles, we should be putting that energy towards creating meaningful memories and cultivating positive relationships.
If you are a University of Ottawa student and are interested, I highly recommend taking the course Introduction to Aging Studies (GRT 1101) to learn more about the social and physical aspects of aging through a holistic lens.