The reason Gen Z is so obsessed with ageing

For older generations, their 20s consisted of a daily moisturiser and SPF on a sunny day. Gen Z, however, is preoccupied with anti-ageing long before they need it.

And yet it’s hardly surprising that a generation of young women raised on social media, which has ingrained users with a hyper-awareness of appearance and unrealistic beauty standards, is so anxious about looking old.

Earlier this year viral anti-wrinkle straws, promoted on TikTok, were slated by skin experts for lacking any scientific evidence that the devices actually slowed down the ageing process. The straws, which have a differently shaped mouthpiece to the traditional drinking utensil, avoid users having to purse their lips, supposedly preventing wrinkles.

Then there’s Frownies, the anti-wrinkle patches (strategically boxed in bubblegum pink) that act like “a splint or cast to help hold the skin relaxed and flat” according to the brand’s website. On the other hand, pricey LED face masks that wouldn’t look out of place in a Doctor Who episode have become the norm.

Social media, in particular TikTok, is a hotbed of anti-ageing sentiments – from realistic filters that smooth users’ faces and fine lines, to botox “progress” videos that use short clips to portray the procedure as easy, painless and effective.

Emma Chamberlain, the 23-year-old media personality, shared on her podcast her desire to age naturally but also her temptation to turn to botox and fillers that are so readily available.

“[If] this is something that’s available and if it’s going to make you feel better about yourself, should you not do it for the sake of rejecting the beauty standard?” she said.

Those who do choose to undergo procedures are in turn shunned for their attempts to avoid ageing. Earlier this year Kylie Jenner, 27, was trolled on social media for her use of fillers which supposedly made her look far older than her age.

The baby botox generation

An estimated 900,000 Botox injections are carried out in the UK each year, a growing number of these given to 20-somethings. Whereas, according to a University College London study, the dermal filler market is projected to reach a value of £11.7 billion by 2026.

The language used to describe certain injectables makes them appealing to a younger audience. Baby Botox, which has accrued more than 189 million views on TikTok, involves injecting the muscle-relaxing toxin in smaller doses, the intention being to prevent wrinkles from forming in the first place. Whereas the name implies starting young.

Holly-Marie Van Krinks, a 27-year-old working in PR, started getting facial treatments with Dr David Jack’s clinic a few years ago. Graduating from facials and hyaluronic acid injectables, last year she progressed to botox to smooth out fine lines around her eyes.

Holly says she was somewhat inspired by her friendship group to begin preventative treatments.

“All of my friends are about five years older than me - they’ve all started doing bits and bobs here and there, so I thought, ‘maybe I’ll try it as well’.

“Lots of the influencers that I was following as a much younger person are obviously now older and they are starting to do those [treatments]. It’s more in your periphery,” she adds.

Unrealistic expectations for perfect skin

Another viral trend is “glass skin”, where users aim for clear, glowy skin without any pigmentation or fine lines.

“Everyone’s got glowy, dewy and fresh faces,” said Holly. “When I was 18, 19, everyone wore loads of makeup whereas now it’s more popular to look bare-faced but flawless. The clean-girl aesthetic is something I’m more influenced by.”

One ingredient appearing more frequently in social media posts is retinol – the derivative of Vitamin A that is used to reduce lines and minimise pores, pigmentation and acne blemishes. Dr Emma Wedgeworth, consultant dermatologist, explains how retinoids – an umbrella term for vitamin A-based products, including retinol - enable our skin cells to work more efficiently.

“As we age, and with more damage to the skin, we find that skin cells become less efficient which is why we tend to find that the skin loses plumpness, lines and wrinkles and uneven skin tone develop.”

Starting retinoids too young

She advises people to only begin using retinoids when they first show signs of ageing, adding: “It’s really important that before you start using these products, that you are adequately protecting the skin. There are no anti-ageing creams strong enough to completely reverse all the visible signs of sun damage – prevention is so important.”

While retinoid products have previously been praised by users in their 40s and above for reversing the signs of ageing, young women on social media are increasingly using them for preventative purposes.

Natalie O’Neill, a 29-year-old influencer with over 620k followers on TikTok and 230k on Instagram, is an example of how millennials too have increased awareness of skin ageing compared to the generations before them. Having built a career out of the popularity of skincare on social media, she provides her young audience, largely between the ages of 18 and 30, with tips on the best skin products and routines.

“I definitely think the younger generation takes skincare more seriously. I think everyone’s standards are really high for themselves - in everything, not just skincare.”

At nearly 30 years old, Natalie says she uses retinoids and daily SPF to slow down the signs of ageing.

“I think premature ageing is my concern. No one can avoid ageing but I think it’s fair to not want to age prematurely.”

While in recent years it could be argued that more women are embracing the ageing process - such as by refusing to dye grey hairs – Natalie thinks it’s still good to talk about the best skin care practices for ageing skin.

“Now we’ve gone the other way – where people are saying: ‘don’t ever talk about ageing, ageing is a blessing’. I’m in the middle. Everyone knows you’re going to age, there’s no way to stop that, but I think it’s okay to not want to age prematurely by protecting your skin.”

Online advice: a blessing and a curse

The influencer, who has been making TikTok videos for around two years, argues that social media is a great source of education for women who cannot access dermatologists.

“The skincare information that’s online honestly helped me more than professionals helped me,” she said, adding that she often gets people thanking her for helping them with their skin.

Yet Natalie accepts that social platforms are not the perfect place to learn about appropriate skincare and regimens.

Some products, like spray-on SPF, became massively popular on TikTok but aren’t always the most effective, she says. Dr Stefanie Williams, a dermatologist and founder of skin clinic, Eudelo, also warns of bad advice online.

“Countless women end up wasting hundreds, if not thousands of pounds on moisturisers, serums and eye creams which simply do not work.

“Gen Z in particular tend to be very interested and knowledgeable about skincare and prevention, although not all of their knowledge is based on real facts in my experience. Young people may struggle to differentiate between credible advice and marketing hype.”

Dr Wedgeworth notes that online platforms also create unattainable standards.

“I think social media has been a double-edged sword for skin,” she said. “Fundamentally, our skin is an organ – with pores and small hairs and for some people, redness or freckles. We can all optimise our skin and make it look glowy and healthy, but the concepts of “Glass”or “dolphin”’ or “Glazed doughnut skin” are often quite unrealistic. And this can lead to dissatisfaction, with a mismatch between real skin and social media skin.”

The use of social media by tweens has also meant that children as young as eight years old have been persuaded into using products with ingredients such as retinoids, only suitable for much older skin. Natalie says she has seen comments from 12-year-olds on her videos asking for skin advice, to which she tells them to tell a parent and see a GP.

The worrying trend sparked a warning from the British Association for Dermatologists, which warned that potentially harmful active ingredients found in some of these products made for adults, such as exfoliating acids, can provoke allergies or eczema in younger skin.

Yet there are benefits to young women being exposed to skincare content early on – including an awareness of how to protect their skin and prevent the signs of ageing.

“We have so much knowledge about how our skin ages,” says Dr Wedgeworth. “Technology has come on so much and sun protection and antioxidant products are far more sophisticated than previous decades.”

She notes the biggest difference in this generation is the use of cosmetic treatments, such as dermal fillers and Baby Botox, the impact of which we will have to wait to fully realise. Meanwhile, Dr Williams agrees that skincare knowledge is the key: “I see it in my clinic all the time – people who used good skincare early on, tend to age better.”

“The future of Gen Z with regards to skin ageing has the chance to be different from previous generations, as there is much more awareness about prevention.”

However, she warns that the younger generation should avoid excessive skincare routines and stick to ingredients suitable for their age group.

“If they layer rich anti-ageing skincare – most of which is too rich in its base formulation for young people - one of the risks is you’ll end up with congestion and breakouts,” she said.

While today’s access to knowledge means young women are the best-equipped to prevent ageing, it can easily lurch to the obsessive, instilling a fear of the natural ageing process and creating impossible standards.

As to whether Gen Z will wield this knowledge wisely and age better than any generation before them, only time will tell. In the meantime, if you are confused about which skincare routine you should be using – or you’re asking for your daughter, the following routine is recommended by dermatologists.

Morning routine

For a woman in her early 20s, skincare should be all about protection and maintaining skin health – it doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective, says Dr. Emma Wedgeworth. In the morning start with a gentle cleanser, such as Coats’ Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, or Cetaphil’s Hydrating Foaming Cream Cleanser. Then use an antioxidant serum with Vitamin C to protect against free radical damage from Ultraviolet light and pollution, Dr Wedgeworth says. Try Medik8’s C-Tetra Serum or No7’s Derm Solutions Skin Balancing Serum.

Follow with a moisturiser that has skin barrier-boosting ingredients, such as Byoma’s Moisturising Gel Cream or La Roche Posay’s Effaclar Duo+M Anti-Blemish Corrective Gel Moisturiser. Don’t forget SPF - try La Roche Posay’s Anthelios UV MUNE 400 Invisible Fluid. Or make your routine easier with a moisturiser that includes sun protection, such as CeraVe’s AM Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF50.

Evening routine

Cleanse your skin again in the evening and follow with a serum of your choice, such as a gentle anti-pigment product with niacinamide, before your moisturiser. If you have started showing signs of ageing and wish to use retinol, it should be introduced gradually and used as tolerated, Dr Williams says. Apply it in the evening once or twice a week, starting with 0.3 percent retinol. Try The Ordinary’s Retinol 0.2% in Squalane. For a clever two-in-one, No7’s Pure Retinol, Vitamin C & SPF30 Day Cream Duo.