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Nancy Griffin Launches #ExposeAgeism Movement

12 Skincare and beauty companies take the pledge to promote positive aging and eliminate the phrase anti-aging from product descriptions and marketing by 2025.
Julie Keller Callaghan

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Nancy Griffin, principal of Contento Marketing and host of the Glowing Older podcast, has launched #ExposeAgeism, a movement to create awareness about ageism in the spa, wellness, and beauty industries. Since the movement’s introduction at the beginning of March 2023, 12 companies from the across the globe have taken the pledge to promote positive aging. Efforts include representation of older adults in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and eliminating the phrase “anti-aging” in product descriptions and marketing by 2025.

“As host of the Glowing Older podcast, I have interviewed 130 experts who agree ageism is one of the biggest issues standing in the way of aging well,” says Griffin. The founding companies immediately resonated with #ExposeAgeism’s mission, responding with comments like, ‘It’s about time,’ and ‘We can do better’.”

The movement’s founding companies include:

“This is a cause that my company has been committed to since inception,” says Pietro Simone, founder of Pietro Simone Skincare. “We’re very happy to be part of the #ExposeAgeism movement and look forward to disrupting the conversation around this important topic.”

Research by Yale University found older individuals with more positive self-perceptions of aging lived 7.5 years longer and experienced higher quality of life than those with less positive self-perceptions of aging. #ExposeAgeism targets the phrase “anti-aging” for its contribution to negative perceptions of growing older.

“We’ve all, especially women, been conditioned by traditional beauty marketing to believe that we aren’t enough as we are, and we must do all we can to prevent looking ‘old,’ says Leslie Munsell, president of Beauty for Real. “Let’s take good care of ourselves and embrace aging. Let’s be proud of our long lives and see aging as the blessing that it is.” 

With that in mind, many companies are jumping on board and flipping the script when it comes to how we talk about aging.

“We couldn’t be more excited to be a founding partner,” says Shelby Isaacson, director of marketing and brand development for LaFlore Live Probiotic Skincare. “The mission to honor every stage of life is not only empowering, but necessary. As a society we get caught up with false narratives of perfectionism; joining hands with like-minded companies to change that narrative is not only our honor as a beauty brand, but also our responsibility.”

With the goal of eliminating the phrase anti-aging by 2025, companies can take steps to change packaging and marketing materials in stages. The “anti anti-aging” movement is gaining momentum as people of all ages and gender identities realize the futility of seeking the fountain of youth.

“Anti-aging is an antiquated phrase that marginalizes women and creates a fear mentality of getting older,” says wellness and beauty influencer Jennifer Walsh. “Women should not be taught to fear aging, as it is a gift to do so. If beauty and wellness is all about embracing life and living life to the fullest, that does not equate to anti-aging, which is no longer living.”

Spa, wellness, and beauty companies can join the movement at ExposeAgeism.com.

About The Author
julieKeller_author-1

Julie is the co-founder of Well Defined and a longtime influencer and advocate in the wellness world. Along with her work at Well Defined, she is an executive recruiter and marketing specialist for Hutchinson Consulting. She is also a consultant and content strategist for numerous wellness brands. She is the former editor-in-chief and publisher of American Spa and was named a 2019 Folio Top Woman in Media in the Industry Trailblazers category and a 2018 winner of ISPA’s Innovate Award. She is also a seasoned journalist, specializing in spa, travel, health, fitness, wellness, sustainability, and beauty. She has been published in Departures, ForbesTraveler.com, E! Online, Gayot.com, Insider’s Guide to Spas, Luxury Travel Advisor, Marin Magazine, Ocean Home, Smart Meetings, Spa Asia, and Travel Agent.