Why We Can't Stand the Idea of Aging

I follow my skincare routine religiously. There’s not a day I don’t double cleanse, use my gua sha, and moisturize. I started incorporating retinol into my routine because I learned it helps combat wrinkles and fine lines. Sunscreen has become an essential item in my life. I apply and reapply regularly and avoid the sun as much as possible. I’ve also changed and continue to change my diet to maintain a healthy figure. I try very hard to not eat sweets since I read sugar can speed up aging, and I limit alcohol to special occasions. Other than that, I strictly stick to water.

Recently, I have learned that fillers aren't the best option to slow down aging. Instead, celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone use collagen modulators. I can’t help but to want to learn more about them. Maybe even start using them when I turn 25, since that’s when collage reproduction starts to decline. 

I often wonder do I do these things in hopes of aging more gracefully or because I’m willing to do whatever it takes to look younger in the future.  

There’s this underlying fear many women have about aging. As a woman in my 20s, I wonder when I’ll start noticing a shift in how people treat me as I get older and “lose” that youthful appearance. Even though aging is different experience for women and men, aging isn't gender-based.

It seems like aging comes with these invisible deadlines, and the quickest way people judge whether you have meet them is by how you look. Maybe its not aging itself we’re afraid of, but the fear of not meeting the timelines society had laid out for us. 

The “deadlines” society sets for us feel different now. On TikTok, more young adults are embracing things like Sonny Angels, and living with your parents is more common than ever. We’re also seeing a future where more women are choosing to stay single. The expectations are shifting and leaving an unclear “timeline” to follow.

So we’re embracing new social norms that extend young adulthood. Additionally, possibly even removing milestones like marriage and parenthood, which traditionally marked growing older. Lastly, we are all aware that time can’t be stopped. The one thing we can control is how youthful we look, especially with the resources available today such as following a healthy diet, using skin care products, and having the option to undergo surgical procedures.

I think this is more evident in influential figures like Jennifer Lopez, a well known singer and actress. At 55, everyone agrees they’d love to age as well as she has. It’s not just women either, Poncho de Nigris, a 48 year old Mexican television presenter, has been opened about his fear of aging. Society admires how these celebrities have maintained their youth, almost giving them a pass to continue being part of the entertainment industry. But, if they looked older I don’t think the public would be as supportive. We’ve seen this with Madonna, at 65, with a 42 year career, shes’s still breaking record, drawing millions to her show, but people on social media criticize her for continuing to perform because of her age.

Even though not all of us can prove age doesn’t define our potential like Madonna, and celebrities have the luxury of affording ways to look younger, it still doesn’t hurt to care about our health. But honestly, I’m still unsure when will I be too old to collect Sonny Angels? Too old to wear my mini skirts and crop tops? Too old to go clubbing? When will I be too old to give up on those wild dreams and settle for a stable job? Too old to live with my parents? When will I be too old to say, ‘I’m just a girl’?

Maybe I should stop overthinking it all and just enjoy life, because no matter what deadlines or timelines I’ve imagined, I haven’t met them yet.