anti-aging. (good for big beauty. bad for the rest of us.)
Times they are a changin and it's waaay overdue. Women are now showing up and speaking out against the inane concept of “anti-aging”; against the very expensive, time consuming, and exhausting pursuit of endless youth; and against unattainable physical standards we’ve accepted as “achievable” when they’re absolutely not and should never have been considered to be so.
We, at relativskin, loathe the notion of anti-aging - a concept designed to cultivate only negative emotions, from self-doubt to self-hatred. We're also not crazy about the new, slightly less offensive term, “pro-aging”. Each of us will age whether Big Beauty takes a pro or anti stance. It’s time the industry remove the word “age”, and all the nuanced variations of it, from the entire conversation.
What would we like to see replace all references to age and aging in the industry? Health. References to healthy skin that reflects your joie de vivre. A healthy, strong body that supports you in all you want to achieve. Healthy, safe, empowering relationships that encourage self-acceptance and emotional growth. And prevention. Prevention is always the best cure, whether it’s your skin health, your overall physical health, or your emotional health.
Objectifying ourselves and living in a state of Gerascophobia (fear of aging) is anything but healthy. Let's stop letting our faces take up so much space in our heads.
xo
