I’ve noticed rumblings in recent times that older women are feeling left out or sidelined by the beauty industry, despite having money to spend. These are women who are in their late 30’s and up. I actually do feel that way as well. When I hit my 30’s and now in my 40’s I might as well have one foot in the grave and walk out without a scrap of makeup, and clad in a burlap sack, as far as the fashion and beauty scene is concerned, because that seems to be the perception.
But we know that isn’t true is it? I love my skincare, and I still love my blush and my lipstick and foundations. I love my makeup and I love my beauty. But the industry doesn’t love me back does it?
Instead, it targets new launches at the young. Anti-aging serums and creams bear the faces of 20-somethings, and are promoted by young girls who don’t need them yet, and who won’t use them. Lipstick caters for their preferences – matte for now, or metallic – leaving those of us who prefer cream or satin textures a little out in the cold.
Yet, I understand the push to market to the young. They are at an impressionable age and ready to experiment, and may not yet know what they want. Also, when you’re young, there is a desire to fit in and maybe to embrace a trend. By the time you reach my age, you’d (hopefully) have more or less figured out what you like, and are more secure and more confident in your choices. I’m told women in their late 30’s and up are less likely to experiment very widely, which is why beauty marketing targets the younger crowd and uses faces the young can relate to.
So, what is a 40-something blogger or consumer to do?
