Every time I wash my face, I become hyper-aware of every imperfection. Discoloration, acne scars, pores, and the scariest one of all: wrinkles. I’m in my mid-twenties, and I can not stop thinking about the wrinkles on my forehead. Wrinkles prove that my body is aging, time is passing, and I am no longer the 17-year-old I once was. As if worrying about the number on the scale, my undereye circles, and if I need to shave more wasn’t enough, I now also have to ensure that when people hear my age, they act surprised.
The truth is every woman is born with a secret. We show the world that we do not grow hair and never get older because the laws of nature do not apply to us. We will do a “no-makeup makeup look,” put harsh chemicals in our hair, and starve ourselves before we show the world we are human. We will spend our entire lives keeping this secret because once you’re no longer seen as beautiful, you are worthless. Life as a woman means accepting that your beauty is your currency.
According to Elite Tampa, Botox injections have increased by 459% between 2000 and 2020. That equates to about 3.6 million people a year. It’s quickly become the most popular nonsurgical cosmetic procedure. But why are we so afraid to show the world we are aging?
The fear of growing old is everywhere we look. On TV, there’s a commercial advertising anti-wrinkle creams and undereye treatments. Jennifer Aniston goes on a press tour, and the first thing she gets asked is, “What’s your secret to looking young?” You open TikTok, and it’s filled with 12-year-olds talking about the health benefits of adding some new product to their already 8-step skincare routine to avoid signs of aging. Or worse, you come across a snippet of an alpha-male podcast telling their audience full of young, impressionable men that women lose their value after 24. The inevitable truth that we will one day be old becomes more real with every video we consume. As easy as it would be to blame one podcast, app, or trend, the anti-aging movement has dug its claws into society decades ago with no sign of letting up.
Are we contributing to the anti-aging rhetoric by having these procedures done? The answer is complicated. Botox and lip fillers have become as routine as getting your hair done. There’s nothing inherently wrong about caring about your appearance, including rejuvenating your skin. However, What is intrinsically evil is convincing young women and girls to follow a particular set of guidelines to be considered desirable. Because when does it stop?
During the Renaissance, a woman’s best attributes were rosy cheeks, a plump bust, pale skin, and dimples like a child. The 18th century was full of makeup experimentation and would eventually cause the death of Maria Coventry, a London society hostess and famous Irish beauty. Makeup as a beauty standard in the 19th century was seen as a spectacle, used explicitly for impressing potential suiters. Fast forward 50 years, women had an obligation to have the sex appeal of prostitutes, with the conservation and innocence of a child. Marilyn Monroe’s bright, platinum hair inspired others to follow suit, and the expectations for women continued to grow. Today, if we do not look like porcelain dolls with plump lips and airbrushed skin well into our forties, it must be because we didn’t wear enough sunscreen, not because we opted out of Botox.
It’s a vicious cycle. Our insecurities are what drives consumerism. Millennials hold first place for the most significant consumer demographic, according to Enterprise Apps Today, with Gen Z expected to surpass them by 2026. The more insecure you are, the more money you will spend to fix it. Our girls are learning at a very young age that if you want to be beautiful, you must buy specific products to care for your skin, hair, and nails. Many products cost anywhere from $22 to $45 apiece. An 8-step skincare routine will cost you over $175, assuming the products are cheaper. Botox ranges from $300 to $500 and lasts three months on average. If you replenish your skincare products twice in one year and receive Botox injections three times a year, you will have spent somewhere between $1300 and $2200. The media will always tell you that you’re too ugly without the help of these procedures, creams, and exfoliants.
The last thing a 14-year-old girl should be worried about is how her skin will look ten years from now. I’m not advocating skipping your skincare routine, but it’s important to remember that women are human, skin is skin, and we will age. Nothing is more beautiful than the aged face created by living a life overflowing with wisdom, love, and acceptance. Your grandchildren will see a face full of wrinkles, discoloration, and eye bags and still think you are absolutely divine.
You should still wear sunscreen, though.