Skinned.

"There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love." — Sophia Loren

While the rallying cry around opposition to “anti-aging” heightens — and cheers to this — media and brands continue to launch missives hoping to rope us back in.

Most recently, the Prada Augmented Skin launch — which went exclusive with Nordstrom on January 16th and includes cleanser, moisturizer, serum and skin essence (a micro-peel) ranging from $95 to $410 — vows to “augment skin’s resistance/skin qualities in the face of daily challenges.”

In December, Estee Lauder announced their Skin Longevity Initiative.  Despite coining it “the next frontier of beauty,” the innovation is “powered cutting-edge age reversal technology.”  As a proponent of longevity research and incorporating elements into my own life (saunas, cold plunge, micro greens and more), it’s disheartening that this research has bestowed us with the hollow promise of visibly reversing skin aging.

Dior’s longevity efforts are comparable. Their mid-2023 formation of the International Reverse Aging Scientific Advisory Board formed to help their mission — “The victory of science over time, A new era to celebrate the beauty of women” — and products that work on the “visible consequences of aging.”

And that’s just the beginning.

Inflammaging, the 2023 TikTok sensation with over 1MM videos, may connect aging skin to legit evidence — “Mild chronic inflammation is generally considered to be a biomarker of accelerated biological ageing,” says the NIH — but it remains to be seen how this is aided by skincare. Deinde, a L’Oreal-backed brand (which in Latin means then/next/after) is hoping to discover it’s lucrative having launched a cleanser, moisturizer and serum based on the premise (and promise) of resolving inflammaging and the breakdown of collagen and elastin.

My bet is on the sunscreen you currently have in your arsenal; derms (and the NIH) will tell you this is the product that lives up to hype, reducing inflammation-causing damage.

It’s no wonder that “skinned” (in slang today) means to defeat completely. Yet while it would be easy to blame brands — who claim they love women, while backhandedly fighting for us to remain youthful rather than nurturing our evolution — we propel the category by investing in their products. We allow self-talk that says we must reclaim our youth.

But I know we want better. 

The groundswell for Pamela Anderson’s makeup-free face at age 52 says it all. Then again, we are hoping the freedom and glory she showcased was not for her next venture. She acquired a skincare line this week.