In a survey described in Psychology Today, women across generations agreed that age should not equate with beauty. The survey reports that 61% of respondents believed “beauty” can be present at any age, and 75% of respondents were frustrated with the images of women presented in the media and marketing campaigns, wishing that instead of air-brushed young women, a more diverse array of women should be presented to the public in celebratory ad and marketing campaigns. This reflects comfort and self-acceptance by older women, believing their internal lives are every bit as important as their physical appearance.  In a recent post in Upworthy, women who were previously considered to have “youthful beauty” were asked to explain what it feels like once that physical appearance of beauty has faded. Their responses reflected a sense of liberation and freedom, with an understanding that external judgments of beauty pale in comparison to internal maturity and self-acceptance, along with an appreciation for the values, intelligence, and personality traits that continue on well beyond the “beauty” of youth.

Another recent survey attested to the intergenerational wisdom about beauty and self-care that older women pass on to younger women. In this survey of 2000 women, 68% said they swear by the advice they received from older friends or relatives. What kind of beauty advice was passed down? Everything from a philosophy of “less is more” when it comes to skincare and makeup, to drinking enough water to keep yourself hydrated. The long list of 40 beauty tips handed down contains everything from cucumbers to deflate puffy eyes to the benefits of petroleum jelly as a moisturizer. Take a look at the list here. Perhaps the best advice bestowed? “True beauty is more than skin deep and starts with looking after your health and wellbeing from the inside out.

It’s no surprise then that Dove Beauty Bar is launching a new ad campaign entitled “Beauty Never Gets Old” in celebration of the 67th anniversary of the Dove Beauty Bar (how many of you started using this as a younger person and continue today?). The company’s advertising and marketing campaign features only women aged 60 and above. None of the women are models or actresses and the ads include a diverse array of “older” women doing everything from playing the guitar to doing headstands and taking a bubble bath. In essence, the goal is to redefine both what aging looks like today and to portray mature women as both glamorous, joyous, and aging at the same time. 

This is smart marketing on the part of Dove and a smart campaign for older women to welcome. Dove reports that there is a Dove beauty bar in 1 out of every 4 households. Furthermore, according to a report from the website Cosmetics Business, women over 55 were the only demographic increasing their use of beauty products from 2019-2023. So it makes sense to target older women in a campaign celebrating beauty, and it makes sense to make older women feel good about themselves and to amplify the diverse and interesting lives that older women lead today. As one woman appearing in the campaign stated, “Featuring mature women in beauty campaigns expands our traditionally narrow view of youthful beauty and supports women of all ages to celebrate aging, rather than fearing it.” So get ready to grab your Dove, prepare your bath, and watch the ad here.