Serums, moisturizers, gua-shas… These are all terms we have seen all over our social media, convincing us that it is “the next big thing in skincare”, and filled with promises of improving blood circulation or stimulating the production of collagen. All of them, however, have one more thing in common: a vow to slow down aging. Anti-aging skincare is not new in the dermatological market – which is always on the lookout for new solutions, commonly filled with empty promises – however, it has had a big growth in the last few years, for instance, according to the retail intelligence platform Trendalytics, searches around botox, dermal fillers and retinol increased 63% in 2023.
Although the search for “eternal youth” is not recent, Gen Z and Gen Alpha have become rapidly obsessed with aging at a much younger age – leading to phenomenons like Sephora Kids, that become rapidly enthusiastic about makeup even as toddlers – and seaming quite more concerned with the natural evolution of the skin. Wrinkles, dark spots and flaccidity are all common aspects of the passage of time, they are unstoppable, however, we still seem scared of what we know it’s coming. In 2023, TikTok was taken by what seemed to be a silly trend: a filter that gave users a glimpse into their future selves – you might even remember celebrities like Kylie Jenner playing into the trend. The result? Faces of horror and despair.
From senior women lacking confidence in their own skin to children applying retinol to their perfectly youthful skin, it seems like the anti-aging market has gotten into everyone’s routines, one way or another. However, where do we draw the line from skincare and self-care from the obsession for “not aging”?
Gen Z’s fear of aging
The hashtag #SephoraKids has over 8K posts on TikTok, showcasing the growth of interest in makeup and skincare in young kids. Although many factors come into play when analyzing such interest, one is undeniable: the early presence of social media. “In the internet age, children tend to copy what they see. Many of them also observe obsessive habits related to perfection and beauty on social media. The skincare culture, which has increasingly spread, involves the promotion of routines that include the application of several products – that, with lack of information, may be used on skins that are not right for them. The unachievable beauty standards promoted by this obsession with skin, combined with social pressure to maintain an impeccable image, have given rise to a disorder known as cosmeticorexia, characterized by excessive purchasing and use of skincare”, explains Larissa Fonseca, psychologist and Member of the Brazilian Psychology Society.
No matter which social platform is your favorite, it’s practically impossible to escape from skincare tips or Sephora hauls that tend to make us believe we are in urgent need of the new Drunk Elephant serum, while knowing absolutely nothing about the product except that it keeps your skin youthful and it having a colorful package that looks desirable in any cabinet. “The obsession with anti-aging skincare also comes from the dermatological business’s idea of making playful and very colorful packages, which attract the attention of teenagers and young adults, but which often contain active ingredients in their compositions that should not be used during adolescence without, in fact, the issue of dermatological monitoring”, points Claudia Marçal, dermatologist and Member of the Brazilian Society of Dermatology.
However, what’s behind the constant need to take care of our skin at such a young age? The hashtag #antiageing has over 26K posts on TikTok, and it’s filled with “Anti-aging secrets you MUST know” and products that will keep your skin youthful. The danger behind those ‘tips’ doesn’t begin with the lack of confidence propaganda that it stimulates of the brain – which is now programmed to think it must stop aging at all costs – it begins with the fact that most of the videos that make it into peoples For You’s are not from licensed dermatologists, they are made by normal people that simply tested a product and liked, without knowing what components are in the bottle and how it may affect different skin types.
Claudia even explains that, with the rise of social media, we have always been seen – it may be in a selfie or an online meeting – and, as we know, we must always look perfect: “That creates the constant sensation of having to have perfect skin all the time, with no acne or wrinkles. Teenagers start using these skincare products because of pressure from society because they have to hide imperfections, like acne. They see influencers, bloggers, idols, models, important people, who have beautiful, luminous skin, so they use concealer on the dark circles to illuminate the area under the eyes, they use mascara, they use skincare, because they don’t want to grow old. They want to keep that babyface face forever”.
The growth of the anti-aging business
Whether it’s skincare or facial procedures, the anti-aging business has made a boom in the past years, due to demand. Although the market’s strategies to sell the products have a whole lot of logistics, it is important to understand the growth within the market, becoming an interest not only for those that are already in middle age, but also for those that haven’t shown any sign of aging.
“The increase in the need to use anti-aging products can be attributed to various factors, including social pressure, idealized beauty standards and concerns about aging-related appearance. Society frequently places a high value on youthful appearances, leading many adults to experience a sense of compulsion to maintain a younger appearance and to pursue products that claim to postpone the onset of aging signs”, explains the psychologist.
With the growth of anti-aging propaganda by our favorite self-care influencers, society – with a prime focus on women – has gained a constant concern with their appearance and eternal youth. Is my skin glowy enough? No, I should buy Drunk Elephant’s Golden Drops. My family has a close history of wrinkles? I should start using retinol as soon as possible. Those are the kind of thoughts that go through many people’s minds, and eventually lead them to buy every product possible, as long as it promises to keep them youthful.
The search for eternal youth can affect self-esteem, since eventually, the skin will show signs of aging – and, when using a skincare regimen that doesn’t align with your age’s needs and skin type, can potentially lead to the opposite outcome – and may create unrealistic expectations and perpetuate the idea that aging is something ugly and to be avoided at all costs. “This can make individuals feel inadequate or dissatisfied with themselves as they grow older, resulting in a negative impact on self-esteem and self-confidence. Additionally, constant concern with appearance can lead to an obsession with aging and a decrease in self-acceptance, negatively affecting emotional and psychological well-being in the long term”, adds Larissa.
The beauty industry still pumps unrealistic ideals and promises that are exaggerated and continue to come at a cost to women. The concept of beauty is displayed to us by models who are mostly under the age of 30 and positioned in the most flattering way, and the pictures are then touched up to remove any imperfections or flaws. Therefore, we are led to believe that youth is beauty, and anything else is something to abominate. That is not beauty.
The skincare industry is expected to grow by $63 billion by 2024, and companies benefit from pushing more products that they argue can do even more for your skin, despite a lack of scientific evidence. Thus, it is important to remember that the fetishization of youth is made by the dermatologic and makeup industry to feed people’s insecurities.
Who should use anti-aging products?
Nowadays, any skincare product is available at the snap of a finger – or at your closest Sephora – and although it makes access to skincare far more easy, it also tends to lead us into buying things by the packaging, without actually analyzing the possible impacts it may have on our skin. “The skin is made up of several layers and different components. Its outermost layer is the skin barrier. This barrier becomes mature over the years and is responsible for protecting the skin from pollution, dirt, microorganisms and also responsible for maintaining skin hydration. However, the skin barrier is not fully developed as a child, let’s say around 9 or ten years old, and can be easily damaged by active anti-aging ingredients, like vitamin C”, points Paola Pomerantzeff, dermatologist and Member of the Brazilian Society of Dermatology.
Therefore, the dermatologist still points out that anti-aging products, like vitamin C or soft acids, should only start being used by the age of 20, and more potent components, like retinol, can only be used by 30 – so bye bye Drunk Elephant! “The skin aging process begins between 28-30 years old and varies from person to person. Dermatological examination defines the ideal age of onset. Therefore, it is best for people to consult a dermatologist to have their skin examined and start the ideal skincare regimen for their skin type and specific needs”, adds.
“These products will be used to hydrate through the substance that we use most today, which is actually hyaluronic acid, an established molecule with several different molecular weights so that this hydration is in different layers of the skin from the dermis, to avoid transepidermal water loss, keeping the skin luminous, reflective”, explains Claudia.
The dangers
One of the main concerns related to the use of anti-aging skincare is the side effects that can be achieved when used poorly or far too early: “If I start using all of this on young skin, as already said, in addition to not having any benefit, I may have a complication, because I am using creams that are very concentrated, with often inadequate active ingredients, which can lead to allergies, irritation, redness, peeling and, in addition, the production of acne-like eruptions on the skin, because these are products that should not and should not, in fact, be used at this type of age”, explains the dermatologist Claudia.
Paola even adds that, when used in young skin, it can actually create the opposite effect, and accelerate the aging process, due to breakage in the dermis and loss of elasticity. “Moreover, the incessant quest for a youthful and impeccable appearance can exacerbate anxiety concerning aging and self-image, especially when individuals incessantly measure themselves against the unattainable and unrealistic beauty standards promoted by media and social norms”, reflects Larissa.
Has beauty become scary?
Has beauty become scary? That is the main question I aimed to answer in this article, and my answer is no. The reality is, beauty has never been scary or even aimed to attack people’s insecurities and profit from them. That is simply not beauty. What has become “scary”, if I may say, is the dermatologic industry, which continues to feed illusions of eternal youth, paired with happiness and social acceptance.
There’s a scene – which I’m quite sure we all remember – in Barbie (2023) that really resonated with the true concept of beauty. In the clip, Margot Robbie sits at a bus stop in the real world and then sees an old woman next to her. Barbie says that she is beautiful and the old lady replies: “I know.” That is beauty, true acceptance of time. The truth is, we can’t stop time’s reflection in our skin, but isn’t that actually beautiful? It is the world’s way of portraying you, your victories and successes, your love and your family. So, this is to throwing our Vitamin C serums into the back of the cabinets, it is not our time to use it yet.
—————————————————————–
The article above was edited by Duda Kabzas.
Liked this type of content? Check Her Campus Cásper Líbero home page for more!