“Be the change you wish to see.”
This quote, attributed (apparently incorrectly) to Gandhi, probably wasn’t referring to anti-ageing. And yet, we feel it couldn’t be more relevant when it comes to addressing the beauty industry’s continuing message of beauty = youth.
So much of our lives as women and our value in society is tied to the way we look. We are reminded of this numerous times a day in myriad ways from the blatant to the almost imperceptible.
Pretty enough? Thin enough? Young enough?
Enough.
Teaching self-acceptance
Studies have shown that while boys and girls display similar levels of self-esteem in early childhood, girls’ self-esteem starts to falter in adolescence. This is a complex issue with many layers but it can’t be denied that being judged on how we look plays a large part.
Greater understanding now surrounds this area and more is being done to try to redress the balance. So what can we do ourselves? Perhaps one of the greatest gifts women can pass down to girls is to teach them to accept themselves as they are. Even going beyond that, to appreciate and cherish their bodies and faces.
Age with pride
Girls emerge from the maelstrom of teenage-hood, hopefully pretty much intact, only to move into adulthood where messages of anti-ageing abound. How can we boost our girls’ confidence when we are continually being told ourselves that we should be putting our time, energy and money into making sure we look younger? That we need to do all we can to preserve our youthful looks in a way that goes against nature?
As we age we carry our experiences, our triumphs and our tragedies written on our bodies and faces. Rather than slinking away when the lines and wrinkles appear, we should be making the most of life without having to take into consideration every line that appears on our faces.
How our daughters see us seeing ourselves is so important. When you look in the mirror, try to refrain from saying, ‘Oh no, I look old today’. Don’t point out the lines on your face as marks of failure. Hold yourself with pride. Accept that age does make its mark on our physical selves (if we’re lucky, that is). Little ears are listening. What we do and say will be absorbed sometimes openly, sometimes subconsciously. The younger generation will copy our attitudes. Change can happen, so let’s make the change.
Our values value you
Willowberry is a change maker, redefining the parameters around skincare and self-acceptance. We pride ourselves on the values that we hold as a brand: refusing to sell ‘anti-ageing’ hope-in-a-jar claims. Our aim is to change the language and perception of age in beauty, to help women feel good in their skin with age, because healthy skin is beautiful with or without wrinkles.
We have the power
The good news is that we all have the individual power to help change the narrative around us.
We can choose not to reinforce the idea that ageing is to be feared.
Think about how you would want your daughter/niece/friend/little sister/your own younger self to feel about ageing; worried about looking older, or content to just be herself? And then work towards being that change yourself.
Willowberry is nutritious natural skincare for grown-ups, for your best skin.
A favourite with top make-up artists, Willowberry's luxurious award-winning products protect skin’s natural barrier function, to nourish and revive grown-up skin without telling women to be 'anti-ageing'.
As seen in Vogue, Independent, The Telegraph, This Morning and more.
