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Has ‘Anti-Aging’ Aged Out? By Ashley Milne-Tyte
During the pandemic Nancy Griffin was stuck at home like so many others. A 30-year veteran of the spa industry, she was eager to explore what it means to age well. She began a podcast where she interviewed experts in aging. As the months ticked by, one topic came up over and over again: ageism, and how many of her guests were feeling it in their daily lives. Griffin began to ponder the part her industry played in the problem. "The spa industry became hijacked by beauty in a big way," she says. "Beauty, skincare and procedures became a huge part of it."
"Companies are doing this because that's what customers want. They are catering to the desire to look youthful," says Hyder. When Next Avenue readers were invited to weigh in on this topic via the newsletter, most respondents said they were “anti anti-aging.” "I believe in being proactive with regard to my health and wellness in a holistic manner but have no interest in worrying about a few wrinkles or denying my true age," wrote one. "I openly share my age because I want people to know what 73 looks like … trying to look younger than you are is prejudice against your future self." Another reader wrote: "I do not buy anti-aging products because I want to continue aging as long as possible."
"The spa industry became hijacked by beauty in a big way."
The underlying message, she says, was that you're not aging well if you don't slather on a slew of products or start injecting yourself with fillers. She says for an industry that was supposed to be about wellness and helping people, there was a lot of shaming going on. Last year she launched the website Expose Ageism to encourage spa and beauty companies "to eliminate ageist stereotypes in their marketing and operations," beginning with the words "anti-aging." According to data website Statista, the anti- aging market for beauty products is worth over $60 billion a year worldwide. Shama Hyder, CEO of marketing company Zen Media, says nixing the term "anti-aging" is a lofty goal, but it's not realistic.
Read more of this story on NextAvenue.org
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