Are You Anti The Idea Of “Anti-Ageing” Skincare? - The Gloss Magazine

Are You Anti The Idea Of “Anti-Ageing” Skincare?

Why The Body Shop has renamed their bestselling line …

Just try to look at this new collection from The Body Shop without a certain tune coming into your head … The fact is, it isn’t a new collection – it’s just a new name. The name Edelweiss replaces “Drops of Youth” as the title of the company’s bestselling skincare line. So why change something that works? They decided to rebrand “to help stamp out unrealistic expectations and promote self confidence”.

It’s an interesting move. It was apparently prompted by a survey they carried out a few years ago, which found that many people see the beauty industry as having a negative impact on self-confidence. I remember when my daughter was very young and visiting a department store with her granny, a lady on a beauty counter showed her a woman on an advertising poster, saying “Isn’t she pretty?” – to which my daughter replied, dismissively, “She’s totally airbrushed”. I always tried to make her aware of how such images take hours to create, can be manipulated, and are often not realistic.

I do think there’s a bit more care now around terms used – far fewer describe themselves as “anti-ageing”, for example, though a few continue to cling to the term. I still get numerous press releases with “tips on preventing signs of ageing”; brands like Nivea talk of a “new generation of anti-age care.” Anita Roddick, who founded The Body Shop in the 1970s, was against the negative connotations of “anti-ageing” from the start; she started the company in the 1970s. “If you didn’t want to get wrinkles you should have stopped smiling years ago,” she said.

Skin specialists, such as Corinna Tolan, use more positive language: “I am pro ageing and shy away from the term anti-ageing. If you want your skin to age well, then I suggest you incorporate a synergy of antioxidants into your skincare including vitamins A, C and E, and sun protection.” Nuala Woulfe, of Nu Aesthetics in Glasthule, Co Dublin, says it’s about a 360 approach to looking after your skin. “Skincare has improved so much and, when combined with good diet and lifestyle, people can age looking really well.”

The Body Shop Edelweiss features newly concentrated formulas and an extended range, from a sheet mask with Serum Concentrate (€9) up to the Legendary Concentrate (€42.50). I’d pick the Edelweiss day cream, a lightly fragranced buttery moisturiser. The company has been a certified BCorp since 2019, with best sustainable practices.

Dr Alia Ahmed photographed by Abi Moore

Psychodermatologist Dr Alia Ahmed, who is working with the company, suppports the stance. “Very few beauty brands respect the relationship between emotional health and the health of our skin. The natural process of ageing can induce fear and anxiety, especially for women. We must change the narrative. Skincare shouldn’t fill anyone with dread, it should support self-empowerment and help us feel confident.”

www.thebodyshop.com 

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