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This Will Forever Change How We Talk About Aging In The Beauty Industry
The last several years have ushered in a tidal-wave-sized shift in how health enthusiasts approach aging. That’s all thanks to the longevity sciences. We now understand that with the right proactive steps, aging doesn’t have to be a time of decline. We can live longer, healthier, and stronger for decades to come.
It’s an approach we have championed at mindbodygreen since our inception. Aging is a privilege, something we embrace with responsibility and excitement. It’s something we look forward to—emboldened with the confidence that we can continue to look and feel our best as long as we care for our bodies inside and out.
It turns out, younger generations are particularly interested in a more holistic and proactive approach. Just scroll through social media and you’ll see videos of teens and young adults waxing poetic about their routines, which involve everything from strength training to skin care.
With their enthusiasm for a full-body approach to aging, the beauty industry is changing, too.
Meet the experts:
Esthetician and beauty curator Natasha Glasgow
Esthetician Natasha Glasgow is a beauty curator and skin care expert. She’s the founder of The NVG and an Advisory Board member at Elle Magazine.
Holistic plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, M.D.
Holistic plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, M.D. is a mindbodygreen collective member and author of Younger For Life: Feel Great and Look Your Best with the New Science of Autojuvenation.
Licensed clinical psychologist Chloe Carmichael, Ph.D.
Licensed clinical psychologist Chloe Carmichael, Ph.D. graduated from Columbia University with departmental honors in Psychology, and earned her Ph.D. from Long Island University’s program in Clinical Psychology, which is accredited by the American Psychological Association.
Board-certified dermatologist and psychologist Amy Wechsler, M.D.
Board-certified dermatologist and psychologist Amy Wechsler, M.D. is a skin care and mental health expert. She graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from Duke University, completed her medical school training at Weill Cornell Medical College, and did her residency in psychiatry at Payne Whitney Clinic – New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
Gen Alpha & Gen Z think about aging (a lot)
Aging is a real concern for young folks. This we know to be true, not just anecdotally from social media but from surveys and reports.
It’s true: young generations are interested in beauty & aging
Gen Z is “terrified of aging” and fears of “aging like milk,” according to reports. Surveys even show that 15% of the Gen Alpha kids feel “depressed” when they think about aging. The skin care market is following suit: The number of beauty products referencing “aging” increased 10% over the past two years, according to Trendalytics. And the aging skin care market is estimated to see a compound annual growth rate of nearly 7% between 2022 and 2027.
A recent survey of Gen Alpha Americans found that these young folks are buying into these products en masse: one out of three respondents said they had a "multi-step skin care routine to combat aging," which was more than their adult counterparts—both millennials and Gen X.
On top of that, 51% said they would spend $100 per month, which is more than double the number of millennials who said the same thing. And 58% of teens consider skincare to be an important part of their self-care routine.
Skin health is only one sliver of the wellness pie
While younger folks are clearly thinking about aging through the lens of skin health, it isn’t exactly in the ways we expected: That same survey dove deeper into the minds of these young folks—and one thing is clear: It's not just about the skin.
According to responders, the top two worst effects of aging have to do with the body and brain. In fact, 42% of respondents said that “physical limitations and lack of strength” was their biggest concern, followed by “memory loss” with 38%. Only then did responders report they had concerns about physical appearance: 31% said they were concerned about wrinkles, and 20% said they were concerned about “being perceived as less attractive to others.”
“My 11-year-old meditates and she also wants Sephora skin care. It's ‘both/and’ right now, and I think we are all feeling it,” says top esthetician and beauty curator Natasha Glasgow.
My 11-year-old meditates and she also wants Sephora skin care. It's ‘both/and’ right now and I think we are all feeling it.
Emotional health finally gets its dues
Researchers note that Gen Zers are open-minded consumers who want their healthcare to be holistic and nurturing. In fact, 4 in 10 said they have already experimented with at least one form of alternative treatment.
They also say that emotional health “is at the core of their identity.” It is such a pivotal belief that it has fundamentally shifted how they think about health as a whole. Emotional and physical health are no longer separate concepts for them but rather part of a whole view of health.
They’re more tech-savvy, too
Given these young generations have grown up with phones in their hands and screens at their disposal, it’s no wonder that technology has become ingrained in their health.
“Young people have more access to information than other generations before them, so they are able to be proactive in dealing with aging in a healthy, holistic fashion,” says holistic plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, M.D. He’s a mindbodygreen collective member and author of Younger For Life: Feel Great and Look Your Best with the New Science of Autojuvenation.
Tracking, step counting, and monitoring aren’t just an extension of their wellness routines—they are the foundation of it.
Indeed, surveys also show that Gen Z is far more proactive and tech-savvy about their health than previous gens: 66% of Gen Z use digital tools, such as wellness apps and trackers, to monitor their health—compared to only 40% of older generations.
This means they can stay informed about how their actions affect their bodies, make more educated choices, and ultimately live healthier lives. It’s also how they’ve become so skilled at being proactive about their aging: Reports indicate that Gen Zers are spending more time and money on preventative health.
How much is too much?
While we’re encouraged to hear that younger generations are taking a more holistic approach to aging—addressing muscle loss, cognitive decline, and well-being before dark spots and wrinkles—at what point does this interest become concerning? Being proactive about your health is good. Being obsessed about it is not.
The fear is real—whether through social media or IRL
Social media has changed our realities. That’s not a revolutionary statement at this point; it’s just a fact. What we see online influences our behavior and worldview—in ways big and small. And perceptions of aging are not immune to this influence.
“Not surprisingly, young folks get their information on TikTok. Some people might scoff at that, but you can actually deliver some pretty interesting and complex scientific information over a snappy video better than you can in longform,” says licensed clinical psychologist Chloe Carmichael, Ph.D.
And while that ocean of information can be profoundly helpful, it can also mean that young folk can become obsessed, notes Youn. When asked about why this trend was happening, he pointed directly at apps like TikTok and Instagram: “It appears to be a result of seeing so much of it on social media,” he says.
Interestingly, though, it may not just be from social influence. Sometimes, this fear might be coming from areas close to home.
“Often we have a prototype in our mind of what aging is—and that’s usually the first few elderly people that we know. Maybe it’s the way you saw your grandma age, and she had a loss of mobility,” says Carmichael.
She explains that these examples of aging may prompt fear about our own futures—even if times have changed and we have more control than previous generations. “To a certain degree, these changes are inevitable. But it’s really important to understand the habits we build for ourselves matters.”
The good news:
These thoughts can lead to self-loathing
Building good habits should be applauded. But as habits become obsessions, they may lead to self-doubts.
“The problem comes when it becomes too aggressive. Young people should also enjoy being young and not having to deal with some of the perceived negative changes that can occur with aging,” says Youn.
Caring about aging—especially as it relates to appearance—can lead to the same trappings and downfalls as we’ve seen in other areas of cultural obsession. For example, notes Glasgow, weight used to be what was top-of-mind for folks. This often leads to unhealthy behaviors in young women.
Now, that focus is shifting to skin.
“There was a survey of teens about body image. And the highest ranked “problem area”—what teens said they don't like about themselves—is now their skin. And the weight was ranked underneath the skin,” says Glasgow. “It is no mystery that the more and more we're focusing on our skin, the more it's becoming a source of self-loathing, hypervigilance, and unrealistic expectations, particularly for teen girls.”
Young people should also enjoy being young and not having to deal with some of the perceived negative changes that can occur with aging.
Importantly: Many aging solutions are not made for young bodies
Some preventative aging skin care is good. Sunscreen, for example, is a life-saving product that can be used by folks of all ages to help avoid damage, such as fine lines, dark spots, and worse.
But, many aging-focused products and treatments can be downright harmful for young, developing skin. Think: In-office treatments, professional peels, and harsh acids and retinoids.
“Anti-aging treatments, and even skin care, can backfire on someone who is so young they don't need it. Skin irritation, breakouts, and even complications like scarring could be the result of young people being too proactive with preventing the aging process,” says Youn.
Board-certified dermatologist and psychologist Amy Wechsler, M.D. agrees: “They should absolutely be cautious. A lot of the molecules are not made for young skin. You can irritate the skin, cause rashes, cause contact dermatitis, and even burn the skin.”
Ultimately, this will change how the beauty industry approaches aging
With each new generation comes new perspectives and insights within the beauty space—each unique to the time and events that shaped those in it. Clearly, our youngest generations are influenced by the expansive access to information on the internet, as well as a broader understanding that whole body health is beauty.
And as perceptions of aging shift, so will the beauty and “anti-aging” industries.
A note on “anti-aging”:
We’ll need to seriously think about age appropriateness in beauty
First and foremost, brands should start thinking about products in terms of age appropriateness. Rather than marketing products to anyone who will pick it up (including young folks who don’t need them), brands will need to get smarter about addressing age groups that should and shouldn’t be using specific formulas.
“We need retailers to focus on education and restrict access to potentially harmful products like acids,” says Glasgow. “Companies in the beauty industry also have a responsibility. They need to ensure that their products are safe and age-appropriate.”
And while much of the onus should fall on brands and retailers, Glasgow notes that it’s up to all of us—beauty editors, parents, influencers, and consumers—to encourage healthy beauty habits for people of all ages.
“It's important to encourage developmentally appropriate exploration and healthy hygiene habits. Having open beauty chats about how our skin works, the importance of sunscreen, and embracing our innate beauty can go a long way,” she says. “However, we must also consider the potential emotional and developmental harm of introducing skincare products too early. Even with adult skin, we patch tests to check for sensitivity. Imagine how delicate and sensitive kids' skin can be. We need to be cautious and prioritize their well-being.”
Skin & aging insecurities will need to be taken head-on
But they’re also weighed down by the same insecurities that face all of us at that pivotal and impressionable time. Just because their views on beauty are more holistic in nature doesn’t mean they’re immune to the pressure to be perfect.
“Our goal for healthy skin should not come at the expense of our mental and physical well-being,” says Glasgow. So the beauty industry (as a whole) should be mindful of what it’s encouraging young folks to achieve—both in terms of physical appearance, and in routines.
The “anti-aging” industry will need to embrace balance
For better or worse, anti-aging isn't going anywhere. It’s a part of the beauty industry that will always be with us in some form. But we can certainly push it to be closer to our collective values, especially as younger generations demand a stronger emphasis on whole-body health.
Brands can speak to these younger audiences by not just talking about beauty itself but branching out to mental and physical health. Meet the audience where they’re at.
First and foremost, brands will need to stop focusing solely on fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots—and instead take a more holistic approach to treatment and skin health. (Something we wrote about last year.)
Because of this, I suspect you’ll see more mainstream brands introducing products that address muscle and brain health, as part of a “beauty” routine. For example, neurocosmetics is a growing subcategory in beauty that addresses mental, cognitive, and skin health.
Overall, this will lead to a wider, more inclusive, and more balanced approach—one that addresses signs of aging, yes, but it isn’t necessarily the sole focus.
“I think the emphasis on living a balanced, healthy life is the key, not focusing on preventing or fighting the aging process,” says Youn. “Focus less on the cosmetic changes that occur with aging, and instead on the fact that we are all given one body while we are on this earth and to take care of it, no matter what age you are.”
What’s to come
While there are challenges to be addressed—as there always will be—this new view should be a step in the right direction. As these younger generations get older, we’ll continue to embrace a more well-rounded approach to aging, one that prioritizes all areas of health.
This will push the beauty and wellness markets toward more holistic, full-body solutions. As technology and research advances, we’ll have a more sophisticated approach as well. Given how far the longevity sciences have advanced our understanding of aging as a whole, we’ll be able to utilize cutting-edge research and treatments to achieve better outcomes.
And if we can get the tone right, we’ll do so with excitement and gratitude that we get to experience the privilege of aging.
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