What's Age Got To Do With It?

There’s no point in fighting off wrinkles and spots, is there? Rituparna Som discovers we need a little more than lotions and potions to have our best skin ever

Lately I’ve been referring to myself as someone in their 40s, although I’m a good eight months away from hitting the decade. Like a lot of people, I’m afraid of ageing, physically and mentally. I’m happy to welcome the emotional process, but the rest I want to keep at bay. This seems to have triggered a drive to want to be the ‘best snowflake version of my xellennial self ’. I want to be healthy. All of me, inside out. Especially out. Feeling and being healthy shows up magnified in every aspect of your life—and if my skin is glowing because of it, excellent!

Women around me (online and offline) are becoming more and more self-assured, and less anxious about ageing, and I’m only too pleased to be easily influenced by their wholesome approach. Anti-ageing is out. Instead, it’s hopefully turning out to be a real embrace of what it means to grow older—become more confident, more positive, healthier, better equipped to deal with everything that life throws at us, and therefore indefatigably happy. And where does beauty fit in? Sure, brands are substituting ‘anti-ageing’ with synonyms (like regeneration, renewal, radiance) where the message still declares war against wrinkles. But as someone stepping over the threshold of what is traditionally considered ageing skin, I’m very optimistic of how the beauty industry can also be equally supportive and empowering. I spoke to a few campaigners, doctors, nutritionists and product developers to help me figure out my way in this journey. Take a cue?

ON THE BEAUTY SHELF