Long Live The Pro-Age Era

My most heard beauty buzzword so far this year has to be ‘longevity’. Swiftly surpassing the ‘anti’ in ageing dialogue, the sentiment resonates positively, emphasising health and vitality. It also feels like a proactive approach to ageing, rather than framing the privilege as something to be feared or fought.

Many beauty brands (and their PRs, of course) have got the memo. It no longer only feels like L’Oréal Paris and Helen Mirren serving the pro-age narrative, or those speaking specifically to the menopause market. Other beauty giants and indie brands alike are on the same page – take Estée Lauder’s recent #BecauseOfMyAge push celebrating the power of getting older, or Herbar’s campaign starring its founder’s granny (the vibe would appeal as much to her elderly peers as it would Gen Zers). All of a sudden, being age positive feels fairly mainstream.

It’s a reflection of the fashion landscape too: WSJ just published an article on ‘Why Older Women Ruled New York Fashion Week’, while the Financial Times also reported on ‘The Women Getting into Modelling in Their 50s and 60s’. This time last fashion month, 56-year-old Pamela Anderson and her make-up free appearances stole the shows – fuelling chat around representation of beauty and ageing in the media.

Longevity transcends being a trend – it’s rooted in cultural and demographic shifts as much as scientific progress, but it is trending (see the views of TikToks tagged #longevity with 794.2M views and counting…). Those beauty and wellness brands who aren’t already speaking to the term’s zest for life should catch up.