Written & Photography By Sarah Harbaugh
In modern media, fashion, and beauty content, it is rare to see diversity in age. Unless it is an advertisement for makeup that will make you look younger or take away wrinkles, older people show up less in beauty-related media. This diminishes representation for a large portion of the population. There is so much beauty in the aging process, and this photoshoot was designed to show this beauty in a raw, unfiltered way.
Ageism is the discrimination or mistreatment of someone based on their age. Ageism can be reflected in everyday life as well as in popular media. This discrimination can be subtle or direct, but it is not hard to spot in the fashion and beauty industries. These industries are notorious for making people want what they don’t or can’t have. They are also known to picture typically young, able-bodied, models with flawless features, excluding a large amount of the population. These audiences and demographics are left out of the advertisements but are still customers of many beauty products.
According to the US Census Bureau, nearly 1 in 6 people were 65 or older in the United States in 2020. That is over 55.8 million people. The population of older people has only been growing and, according to recent population trends, will continue to grow. In popular beauty advertising, older people are often portrayed only when they look younger than they are or when the product they are selling intends to make them look younger.
This media type is harmful and misrepresentative to nearly a sixth of our population. Proper representation is extremely important and gives people a sense of belonging. This does not even account for the rest of the underrepresented people in the media and beauty industries. People of all ages deal with misrepresentation in the media, creating a “grass is always greener” perspective. At any and all ages, there is an age or look that is unachievable but highly desirable. Fashion industries have often disregarded the demographic of older people unless they are health and wellness-focused. This lack of positive representation also highlights our society's obsession with looking and staying young. We focus on the young, fit people, assuming they have the most desirable life. However, being older does not, in any way, mean being lesser. This is a hurtful and stereotypical misconception about the older population. Brands such as L’Oreal Paris and Saint Laurent have had campaigns in recent years that highlight and showcase older adults. These companies have taken a step towards age diversity that many beauty and fashion brands are unwilling to take. This small but impactful change is helping the media more effectively represent older people. Older people are as beautiful and important as younger people. This must be represented properly in all media, especially those with as much outreach and influence as the beauty and fashion industries.
