Nancy Griffin, founder of podcast Glowing Older and principal of Contento Marketing, has launched an initiative to create awareness about ageism in the spa, wellness and beauty industries.

Called #ExposeAgeism, the movement encourages beauty, spa and wellness companies to promote positive ageing, include representation of older adults in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and eliminate the term ‘anti-ageing’ in product descriptions and marketing by 2025.

“As host of the Glowing Older podcast, I’ve interviewed 130 experts who agree ageism is one of the biggest issues standing in the way of ageing well,” said Griffin, who has 30 years of experience in spa and wellness.

Research by Yale University found older individuals with more positive self-perceptions of ageing lived 7.5 years longer and experienced a higher quality of life than those with less positive self-perceptions of ageing.

Since the movement’s introduction at the beginning of March 2023, a dozen companies from across the globe have taken the pledge. These include:

• Ayuna.
• Beauty for Real.
• Beauty Heroes.
• Beekman 1802.
• Better Not Younger.
• Body Bliss.
• Brand Uncover.
• LaFlore Live Probiotic Skincare.
• Pietro Simone Skincare.
• Skin Authority.
• Spa Technologies.
• Stemulation.

“We’ve all – especially women – been conditioned by traditional beauty marketing to believe that we aren’t enough as we are, and we must do all we can to prevent looking ‘old’,” said Leslie Munsell, president of Beauty for Real.

“Let’s take good care of ourselves and embrace ageing. Let’s be proud of our long lives and see ageing as the blessing that it is.”

Shelby Isaacson, director of marketing and brand development for LaFlore added: “The mission to honour every stage of life is not only empowering, but necessary. As a society we get caught up with false narratives of perfectionism; joining hands with like-minded companies to change that narrative is not only our honour as a beauty brand, but also our responsibility.”

Spa, wellness, and beauty companies can find out more and join the movement at the movement’s official website.