Why does the beauty industry hate aging?

No matter the circumstance, women are always being scrutinized. It doesn’t matter the wisdom that she has, the grace she has, nor the intelligence, and for some reason, she is often scrutinized over her looks or style more than anything else, especially when it comes to aging. There is no denying that there lies a persistent and insidious issue that is very prominent in the fashion and beauty industry: ageism and sexism.

Ageism can be seen everywhere in many different ways, and especially towards women, but I want to specifically discuss how the fashion and beauty industry play a role in it. With new trends constantly taking over, but commonly only for the youth, the fashion and beauty industry often perpetuates the myth that youth equals beauty. Most models that dominate the scene are the same demographic: young, thin, and white- all while older women are relegated to the sidelines or, worse, airbrushed into obscurity. This is especially the case for women of color. This fixation on youthfulness not only excludes older women but also sends a damaging message to society about the limited definition of beauty.

The beauty industry thrives on perfectionism, which, especially now, makes older women (and younger women) face the immense pressure to defy the natural aging process. We see girls as young as ten years old buying luxury anti-aging products, many women getting cosmetic procedures and fillers to keep their skin wrinkle free, as well as many other things that are promoted as the solutions to combat wrinkles, gray hair, and other signs of aging. I am not bashing those that choose to have these things done, but the industry that promotes it, as they market it in a way that makes it seem as if aging is an embarrassing thing and should be avoided at all cost.

The challenge extends beyond the beauty and skincare industries and to the fashion industry as well. Older women often feel constrained by societal expectations regarding their attire, lacking the freedom to express themselves as freely as younger counterparts, and it doesn’t help that most trends are marketed towards young thin women. Current fashion trends predominantly target younger demographics, leaving older women feeling overlooked. They can’t dress too young, because they’ll be seen as trying too hard to be something that they are not; or attempting to embody an age that no longer aligns with reality, but are also seen as boring if they adhere to the usual attire marketed at older women. So there the dilemma keeps persisting on: striking a balance between avoiding the label of “too matronly” while simultaneously steering clear of being deemed “too young.” Being perceived as older is equated with being out of touch with current trends, reinforcing the pressure to conform to ageist standards. Why must women adhere to such rigid dress codes?