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Helen Mirren has declared the ‘anti-ageing’ era over, so what’s next for skincare?
Putting ‘anti’ in front of any word instantly gives it a negative connotation. Yet ‘anti-ageing’ has been the byword of the beauty world for almost 40 years. Since the Eighties, creams, serums, body lotions, you name it, have been proudly labelled with the phrase and a loose promise to stop the effect of time on our skin.
The tide is turning though. In an age where few of us want to look ten years younger, or even have the time to fret about it, ‘anti-ageing’ seems out-of-date. Instead, it’s relatively safe to say, we want honest, hard-working, affordable products that are quick and easy to use, and make us look healthy, radiant and less tired. “A new focus on natural radiance has distracted women from other concerns such as ageing,” confirms Alex Fisher, senior analyst at Mintel.
"We are making a resolution to stop using the term “anti-ageing”,” Allure’s editor Michelle Lee boldly wrote in the magazine’s September issue. “Whether we know it or not, we’re subtly reinforcing the message that ageing is a condition we need to battle - this anti-anxiety meds, anti-virus software or anti-fungal spray.”
Her point with highlighted further in the issue with the help of its coverstar Helen Mirren, who recounted a conversation she had with L’Oreal Paris when the brand first appointed her as an ambassador: “I said, ‘This word “anti-ageing” - we know we’re getting older. You just want to look and feel as great as you can on a daily basis.’”
It’s not the first time that Mirren as made the headlines recently for taking a frank and honest approach to the beauty industry. A couple of weeks ago, the 72 year old said, “I’m an eternal optimist - I know that when I put moisturiser on it probably does f--- all, but it just makes me feel better.”
While some brands might have been appalled by Mirren’s comments, L’Oreal Paris took it on the chin. No doubt, it’s predicting sales of Age Perfect, the line that the actress is the face of, will rocket as a result as a result of her remark that it made her feel better.
Over the past year or so, renowned luxury brands, including Chanel and Dior have subtly minimised their usage of ‘anti-ageing’. Chanel’s Blue Serum promises smooth and firm, while Dior’s Capture Totale range coined the phrase ‘Dreamskin’ - who wouldn’t want that? Vichy’s Slow Age serum, which launched earlier this year, took it one step further by promising to strengthen your skin’s ability to protect against ageing rather than battling lines and wrinkles solely.
“Women’s expectation of how they want to look as they age have changed. They’re no longer fixated with wrinkles and firmness,” Vichy’s global scientific director Elisa Simonpietri told The Telegraph at the time it launched. “Our research found that a healthy skin texture is the new measure of youth: reduced pore size and natural radiance are what women want today.”
‘Anti-ageing’ is one of the main pillars for skincare though and with the media turning its back on the term ‘anti-ageing’ and brands taking a more positive approach to product labelling, something will need to fill its place. ‘Radiance’ and ‘healthy’ are two words that are more encouraging, but it’s unlikely that either will evolve into fully fledged skincare categories.
The natural beauty sector has been steadily growing over the past few years. Mintel has predicted it will be a key beauty trend until at least 2020, if not beyond. It's unsurprising that big brands, including Garnier, Kerastase and Herbal Essences are making a conscious effort to clean up their formulas. However, niche brands such as Drunk Elephant and Ren are leading this genre and have consistently provided a positive mantra towards skin and ageing with ‘free-from’ formulas. Could this be the future? Only time will tell.