The Beauty of Aging.

Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.” — Samuel Ullman

Influence. 

Today this word has a very different connotation than it did at the turn of the century when the beauty market was considerably smaller — $669 billion less, give or take a moisturizer. Having worked in and around this industry for decades, I often long for the era when brands led the charge in empowering women, tapping into our emotions and bolstering our spirit.  Brands had the power of persuasion; influence was simply the byproduct of what was transpiring in our lives (and our dogeared pages of Mademoiselle or Vogue), never by individuals en masse.

In the early days, I was too young to realize “anti-aging” was pervasive — I was having too much fun experimenting with cool brands like Nars, Urban Decay and Hard Candy to care about how to cleanse it all off.  Ad messages have been on the rise; we saw 500 daily in the 70’s, 5K by 2007 and our views have skyrocketed to 6-10K today.  Between influencer marketing and social media, it’s a litany of pointing out shortcomings, reinforcing insecurities and promising peace through purchasing.

At 55, I am eager to examine the relics that shaped us pre-influencer, to determine how the brands have pivoted and where they might change course to better reinforce — rather than relegate — the beauty of aging.  As I strive to changing the narrative of aging, chipping away at conventional thinking, what a thrill to reflect on where it all began.

Because I’m Worth It.

The longest campaign running to date made an indelible impression on me in my youth — I have written about it previously here. What began as a feminist rallying cry when it was created in 1971 by Ilon Specht (check out the original ad) empowered women globally.  She told The New Yorker in 1999, “My feeling was that I’m not writing another ad about looking good for men. I sat down and did it. It was very personal. I can recite to you the whole commercial, because I was so angry when I wrote it…Because I’m worth it’ made it about me, my choice and myself.”

Joanne Dusseau, the first model to say the line amid the feminist movement, asserted on the brand’s 50^th anniversary that the message continued to have staying power: “I took the tag line seriously. I felt it all those thousands of times I said it. I never took it for granted. Over time, it changed me for the better.”

While the tagline evolved to “You’re Worth it” over time, L’Oreal believes it is a valuable reminder to consumers as well as the company itself, as employees expand territories and create products that live up to the mantra.

Last year Andi MacDowell, who struggled with the original line, changed her perspective after viewing the short film — The Final Copy of Ilon Specht — at Cannes.  “I have said this line so many times, and I didn’t want people to think I was vain saying it – I was really comfortable saying ‘You’re worth it’ or ‘We’re worth it’, but to feel empowered enough to say, ‘I’m worth it’, I had something in my mind that that would be vanity, or something.

But we are worth it.  And should not have shame in feeling it — or saying it aloud.  For this reason, I am a huge fan of the latest pivot the brand has taken with its legacy language.  The latest media with Kate Winslet reinforces the depth of this message and how it truly applies to us as we age.  Whether its Winslet’s aged wisdom advancing this relatable agenda or the leadership of Delphine Viguier-Hovasse (the first woman to lead L’Oreal’s brand globally) I am here for it.  The portfolio will always feature anti-aging products, but that doesn’t have to extinguish the power behind the sentiment. “I’m not just managing a beauty brand, Viguier-Hovasse has said.  I’m managing a brand that supports women to be confident in their self-worth.  We are a transformative brand for women who create change.  We want women to have a seat at the negotiating table in every field: economic, artistic, educational, scientific, political...Because we are all worth it.” 

Yes, we are. 

Maybe It’s Maybelline.

The ever-memorable slogan that launched in 1991 is making a comeback after nearly a decade’s departure.  Accompanied by the previous global brand ambassadors, Gigi Hadid among them, will be new faces including 37-year-old Shay Mitchell. 

While the brand believes in “the power of expressing your authentic self” I am not sold that the campaign communicates this concept; it’s feels fun and cheeky but void of depth.  And we deserve more.  Then again, I’ve likely just aged out of the brand and want Maybelline off my lawn.  With the recovered tagline’s strong recall, the brand’s coy and feminine sensibility and products that allow for creative expression (not to mention a tube Great Lash Mascara is sold every 5 seconds if rumor is reliable) Maybelline may be just what its intended audience — Gen Z — needs to step into (or explore) themselves, with (of course) heavy reliance on TikTok and other outlets showcasing makeup transformations to get them there.

But for me?  Superficial beauty is not the best end goal, whether it’s innate or not.  Maybe that’s the wisdom of aging, or maybe I have just seen too many Dove ads lately.  Likely both.  And I am better for it.

Love The Skin You’re In.

In 2001, Olay sought to unify its brand name — it was splintered globally with monikers Olay, Ulan, Olaz — and engage women with a message of empowerment.  As part of the ad agency team working on the brand, I spent countless months traveling with the Olay brand team talking to women in various countries about how they felt about themselves.  Beauty regimens were only part of the conversation.  The “Love The Skin You’re In” campaign reflected this comprehensive learning.  And I, having just entered my thirties, recognized that we are all the same. We are all insecure.  We are all driven.  We all want to find comfort in ourselves.  And in our skin.

While the campaign sold new products, developed with technology advances and laborious research (every bathroom I entered had Daily Facials, Total Effects and/or Regenerist in that era, which made me proud), the bigger picture of the mission was about “inviting women to move from just liking their skin to loving it.”  The emotional transformation was the result of products but affected women around the clock — not just in the bathroom mirror.

While subsequent campaigns “Your Best Beautiful” (about not settling) and more recently “Face Anything” (inspiring women to be “unapologetically” bold, confident and true to themselves) were developed with the same ethos, I will forever have a soft spot for the original.

Beauty Burnout.

While influencing, sadly, does not seem to be going anywhere (despite Vogue Business among others teasing for the past few years that it’s on the decline) we can take a stand.  Ignore the products — and brands — du jour that make us feel less than or are just ridiculous trends. 

Buy brands that speak to, or even better feature, women over 40.  Bobbie Brown’s Jones Road Beauty does this brilliantly — alongside her usual diversity of models (many with gorgeous grey locks), the “I am Me” campaign this Spring struck a chord. It was “a constant reminder to own who you are and be proud of it. It’s about being comfortable in your skin and loving what makes you special and unique. Embrace every freckle, every fine line, and every scar… Wear it all proudly and know that it makes you, you.”  Oh, and the Miracle Balm is killer.

In that same spirit, the newly launched Sarah Creal Beauty is luxury beauty’s answer to aging.  Developed for, and featuring, women over 40.  Having just interviewed Sarah, a storied product developer responsible for every luxury product you likely love, for her new namesake brand, I can’t recommend it enough. Want the product deets?  Check out my article in The Quality Edit.

Fashion For The Win

Lest beauty have the corner on empowering women, fashion can be so engaging — although the industry has a long way to go to make women over 45 feel seen.

The recent Stuart Weitzman campaign — “How to be a lovely woman” — is magnificent; featuring five women of substance, Aly Raisman, Christy Turlington, Issa Rae, Lucy Liu and Ming Xi, all of whom are making a unique mark on the world with their talents and initiatives.

Utilizing a remake of "How Lovely to be a Woman" from the soundtrack of Ann-Margret’s 1963 musical film "Bye Bye Birdie," the campaign illuminates each woman’s approach to empowerment, strength and confidence.  And we gain a larger perspective of modern womanhood as the campaign “is a celebration of the triumph of simply being a woman today. When faced with pressures and expectations, women time and time again choose to step into their confidence and stand strong. They keep moving forward, powering through the many roles they traverse each day.”

If you are influenced by anything today, let it be this — You are amazing.