future FACING

You demanded a more positive take on getting older, and the beauty industry is taking note

“THERE HAS BEEN A MOVE AWAY FROM YOUTHFUL PERFECTION TO A SPIRIT OF POSITIVITY”

Here’s the problem: the term “anti-ageing” first took off in the ’80s, presenting the passing of time as a bad thing and assuming we’d agree – that we are, and should be, against it. But there’s a seismic shift going on, rebelling against this outdated way of thinking.

Last year, according to Google, none of the UK’S most-searched beauty questions featured the perennial tag-line term “anti-ageing”. And marketresearch company Mintel reported that the US market for facial anti-ageing products has been declining for five years. So what did those Google searches reveal? That people are instead looking for answers to skin issues that impact our here and now. “How to get rid of acne” topped the list of queries, followed by “How to get clear skin” and “How to get rid of bags under your eyes”. We’re going to hazard a guess this is to do with our unwavering social media obsession. As Estée Lauder CEO Fabrizio Freda explained in an interview: “The 30-year-old today gets more photographs of themselves [taken] in a day than their mother did in a year, so they care what their skin looks like now, not when they are 40.” So while sales of facial anti-ageing products are down, the makeup market is up, as is sales of face masks, which give a gratifyingly speedy result.

There’s a demographic shift at work here, too. According to research, in 2015, millennials – generally those aged 20 to 36 – surpassed baby boomers (ages 53 to 71) as the largest living generation in the US. So while they might be ages away from a deep-set wrinkle, they’re now the most important demographic for the retail industry – the ones spending the money and paving the way for the future of the entire beauty business. The problem is, because millennials have to constantly adapt in a rapidly changing world, they’re tricky to figure out. “Everything is more temporary for millennials; they’re showing less interest in future-proofing their skin than their mothers did,” says Alexia Inge, co-founder of shopping website Cult Beauty. “‘Anti-ageing’ is less of a trigger term.”

“The anti-ageing message that’s been peddled by the beauty industry for years is losing relevance,” says Victoria Buchanan, a strategic researcher at consumer-insight company The Future Laboratory. “Women are growing more self-assured and are becoming less anxious about the signs of ageing.” Inge agrees: “Traditional ways of marketing – specifically around age, gender and ethnicity – are becoming less relevant. There has been a move in focus away from eternal, youthful perfection to a spirit of positivity, confidence and psychological