Is anti-aging out? I started my career in beauty in my early 20s, but way before that I was obsessed with makeup, skin care and hair. While I was in high school in the 80s, I had no idea I would have a lustrous career in beauty, although my first clue should have been that I got a "D" in physical education class. I mean, who could be bothered by those ugly scratchy gym uniforms and who wants to sweat when you’ve spent the whole morning meticulously styling your big, permed hair and the skill it took to create the perfect cat eye?
“Your issues are in your tissues.” Facial rejuvenation is happening without Botox and anti-wrinkle creams."
"Our faces are art and as we age they simply shift into another beautiful form of art."
Log in to view the full article
Is anti-aging out? I started my career in beauty in my early 20s, but way before that I was obsessed with makeup, skin care and hair. While I was in high school in the 80s, I had no idea I would have a lustrous career in beauty, although my first clue should have been that I got a "D" in physical education class. I mean, who could be bothered by those ugly scratchy gym uniforms and who wants to sweat when you’ve spent the whole morning meticulously styling your big, permed hair and the skill it took to create the perfect cat eye?
I used every excuse to sit out of P.E class; no regrets. I was destined for a life in beauty. I have the pleasure now of looking back on my careers so far, and all the changes that have occurred in the beauty industry over the last 30 years. As a young woman, you may not even be thinking about aging or what effect your own aging may have on how you view the industry that you love so much. Let me share my experience as an esthetician who is over 50.
For years I promoted and sold “anti-aging” creams, lotions and potions. As estheticians, we are taught to promote this philosophy without even thinking of the deeper message behind most skin care marketing. Brands base their whole marketing on the “fear of aging”. Curated ads telling women to halt aging or any signs of aging at all costs. When I was young, I didn’t give this any thought, now as a woman in midlife, I’ve begun to ask. "Hey, wait a minute, are we less valuable with wrinkles? Are we less valuable with grey hair?”
I look at skin care brands and ads very differently, now that I’m more than halfway through my life. Skin care ads promoting anti-wrinkle cream with a smooth skinned 30-year-old as the model. Hmm. No thanks. Do I want my skin to glow? Yes. Do I want to look my best as I age? Yes. But I’m not at the risk of falling into self-loathing of my aging skin. I get it, the beauty industry’s message is loud and clear, “wrinkles are ugly.” But are they?
When did my mind shift happen? I am not exactly sure, I just started noticing the language brands use to coax us into the latest laser, injectable and serum. And it started to rub me the wrong way. The beauty industry has always been about selling the dream. The dream of what you can become if you use this cream, get this treatment, or wear this lip color. We live in a youth obsessed culture, a culture that says wrinkles are bad. Smooth skin is good. This hasn’t changed since the dawn of skin care. Just because something has always been one way, what’s to say we can’t change it?
I love the new pro-aging message that skin care should be about skin health and radiance at any age. We as estheticians can change the trajectory on how we view aging and how we talk about it with our clients. We have the power to uplift our clients and our language in how we speak about creams, serums is so important.
Related: Anti-Aging Products' Effects on Self-Esteem
As an esthetician and as a Gen X’er, I am happy to get this conversation started. Pro aging isn’t about avoiding skin care treatments and skin care it’s more about viewing beauty procedures more selectively in a mission to be sure it isn’t harmful to your self-esteem as an aging woman. Pro-aging is about choosing how you want to age. It’s about being comfortable with the age that you are. Embracing your wrinkles and changes that happen without feeling the need to erase it all. It’s self-love and acceptance 2.0! WE can speak with our wallets and not buy into the anti-aging message.
I have had the pleasure of working in many facets of the industry, I have worked as an esthetician in a high-end day spas, luxury resort spas and medical spas. I’ve done it all, what always resonated with me was the art of the facial massage. The magic happens through your hands alone can’t be denied. It’s an art, it’s a dance and it’s a connection to your client a skin device can never give.
In the last couple of decades, we have gotten so far removed from the power we hold in our hands as estheticians. Instead, our industry has shifted to modalities, lasers, and what I call a “wipe on wipe off approach.” I never felt good about this method as a stand-alone, I always believe a facial massage should be part of every service. Try saying that to medical estheticians, they look at you like you have two heads.
Okay, maybe I’m an O.G., but a facial massage done correctly can-do wonders, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. Maybe that’s why when I worked as an esthetician in a med spa I had the busiest schedule, highest sales and loyal customers, it was all do to the facial massage. My years of mastering the art of massage made me stand out from the med-spa status quo.
However, I’m happy to see a new emerging breed of estheticians that have arrived on the scene. These estheticians are all about facial massage, in fact they go beyond effleurage and petrissage. They are sculpting faces beyond what a device can do. Buccal massage and other lifting sculptural massage techniques done all with their hands. I discovered this phenomenon a few years ago, and this wave is expanding and is truly the future of skin care and beauty.
These estheticians are growing in numbers. Their methods shift clients into the parasympathetic nervous system where you can then truly begin to heal. When we tap into the parasympathetic nervous system, it slows our heart rate and breathing rates and lowers blood pressure, as well as aiding in digestion which is the distinct link between skin health and gut health. This just doesn’t happen in a modality only facial.
“Your issues are in your tissues.” Facial rejuvenation is happening without Botox and anti-wrinkle creams."
Inspired by these new breeds of estheticians, I’ve taken a few classes in the last year. I took a five-day intensive Buccal Massage course that reignited the passion I have for facial massage, and I took a gua sha class that reminded me of the power we have to sculpt with intention. I also tapped back into lymphatic drainage, a phenomenal skill to use in treatment. While taking these classes, I have connected with many young and older estheticians leading the way in this old yet new approach to skin care. Each of them standing out in their communities as offering something different from the norm of modality based services with the "wipe on, wipe off” philosophy.
With the return of facial massage and the new pro-aging movement started by my generation of Gen X women, I stumbled upon the Slow Beauty Movement. This to me, is the prefect trifecta: facial massage, pro-aging and slow beauty. Slow Beauty is a more thoughtful and aligned approach to producing and consuming cosmetics and skin care. It means taking time to evaluate our beauty products impact on the planet, people and animals. With 4,254 Cosmetic and beauty products manufacturing business in the US. The holistic skin care market is the fastest growing market expected to grow to $21.16 billion by 2023.
Where do cosmeceuticals sit in this scenario? That will be up to those brands to catch up and begin to shift their messaging on how they speak to women about aging. It will take brands to be more environmentally aware as well. Will there still be anti-aging skin care? Of course, Rome wasn’t built in a day. This message is so ingrained in our psyche that it isn’t going away that fast. But I do believe that the antiquated way of looking at skin will soon be over-shadowed by the new “cool girl” messaging of slow beauty and the movement of embracing your age with focus on radiance and skin health.
What I have loved and continue to love about the beauty industry is that it has great power. This can’t be denied. Let’s use this power to uplift rather than target aging women for simply existing and for having the audacity to age. You do not have to give up your devices or machines, but for a moment, consider what the word esthetician means.
"Our faces are art and as we age they simply shift into another beautiful form of art."
I now call myself an "Integrative Esthetician." I like to merge science of professional skin care, with thoughtfully chosen brands that promote skin health over wrinkle prevention. I believe in the power of facial massage first and foremost with devices only as enhancements not as the star of the show. My hope is that estheticians will stop to look at what message they want to send to other women. What legacy do they want to leave behind? We hold the power in our hands.
Claudia Fabian is a 30-year beauty industry expert. Her career as a makeup artist, esthetician and Instagram beauty influencer has really given her a deeper understanding of industry trends. Claudia has been an esthetician for many high-profile salons and spas throughout her career, as well as serving in executive positions with many skin care brands. Most recently, she's serving as Director of Sales and Education with Edgeless Beauty Pro, who is launching Ultraceuticals in the United States.
