There’s also the factor of the instagrammification of motherhood, where every part is supposed to look polished and adorable. This contrasts hard with the fact that infants are frequently, normally, completely gross. They are splotchy, scabby, snotty, exploding with poop. And if you you’ve lived your life watching airbrushed motherhood online, you will be very anxious about the appearance and apparent “health” of an actual baby.
(Yes, I’m a parent. I like my kid. Babies are gross, tho.)
Ahhh, Jessica. This column today is the reason I subscribe. I'm a sociologist and I teach about beauty and the body...and silly me thinks I know one or two things about the social construction of beauty. And then -splat-. You reveal to me the contours of your cogent insights AND yet another aspect of the atrociousness of capitalism, misogyny, and super-commodified self-hatred. In other words, thank you. And, I'm gobsmacked.
Alas, I've only published on sexualities/gender; my most recent 'blah blah blah' on beauty (elective genital cosmetic surgery globally) is not yet published.
This type of product and marketing also suggests that people are ignoring and/or have been let down by the medical professionals in their lives, experts who are supposed to be there to advise them about such matters. Or the marketers are just way better at getting into people's faces. Or both. I don't know. Scientists and health professionals are notoriously bad at communicating. My brain is swirling. I'm so disturbed that this is a real thing.
ETA: I think you've really made an excellent point with these baby beauty products. The anxiety induced by beauty culture cannot be overridden by appealing to people's logic. Thank you for the education!
Yeah, I didn’t think of it this way. These brands are capitalizing on and exploiting the low health and media literacy. It’s very easy to take this for granted. As you astutely pointed out, having a scientific or medical background does not make a person immune to beauty culture or the patriarchy!
I'm curious how many healthcare providers, especially primary care, are proactively talking to patients about beauty products and its impacts on the body. I've only talked about it with my doctor because I have eczema.
Probably not a lot. It's important to note though that doctors are people and are very, very susceptible to beauty culture too. Most US dermatology offices offer Botox, fillers, etc alongside annual skin cancer screenings. Derms the ones prescribing retinoids for non-medical issues (i.e., aging). Derms are starting their own skincare lines. Healthcare providers are *also* part of the problem.
Yeah, I go regularly to a dermatologist to get my moles checked. The first time I went to one of these “boutique” style derm offices I was really put off by the tv showing ads for all kinds of treatments to fix my problem areas. Every time I walked into a medical office I was bombarded with all the things that are wrong with me.
Ugh I hate that! It's like how Dr. Oz is actually a really good heart surgeon while being a terrible salesperson for all kinds of medical quacks. Competency in one area boosts profit in another, even though only one part of the business is actually providing health care!
I put sunscreen on my kids from six months and I kind of regret it? I wish I’d just bought long sleeve and long pants along with their big sun hats for the summer and avoided it - it definitely gave my kids rashes. I’d reapply on their sandy, dirty skin and my oldest hates baths. It was so misguided but I felt like I’d be a bad mom if I didn’t put on sunscreen. But why isn’t sunscreen recommended under the age of six months? I’d guess it has to do with the studies you cite - that ‘skincare’ on skin has adverse effects!
This piece just made me so sad and mad and left me feeling helpless. Does anyone here have any advice on how to start a conversation with friends who are bought in to all the anti-aging, "beautification" products/procedures? I am so against it, I realize I come at the subject with judgment and I also know the best way to bridge differences is to understand, but I don't know where to start a conversation.
I send people Jessica's work and frame it as sharing an exciting revelation rather than an I told you so or a judgement. A "this is blowing my mind" goes a long way towards making someone feel that you are sharing rather than lecturing.
Aisha, thank you! This is a great idea. I'd thought of sharing, but hadn't worked out how to do so without sounding like a lecture. This is a perfect way to do so.
glad you asked this. I'm very judgey on the subject as well and don't know where to begin with people. It's not dissimilar to talking to someone who may be in a cult or is dating someone who's bad news: approaching the subject is more than likely going to get your head bitten off.
With this rise in baby skincare, is it adding to the overall consumption and plastic footprint of the beauty industry? Or are we seeing people spend less in other areas to afford an anti acne serum for their infant? My latest horror is understanding how much plastic and thus fossil fuels are used in the beauty industry and how that ties into over consumption and waste across a lot of other consumer products!
Another stellar piece — I loved reading it in The Guardian but the edited out tidbits clinch it for me. (Don't get me started on how "Dr" Barbara Sturm just sold her less than $100MM in sales company to Puig)
I am referencing this brilliant piece in my substack this am, as these "serum moms" are creating a generation so afraid of aging. I write a lot about beauty/fashion/wellness through the lens of aging as I (nearing 55) cannot help but take it hard that women feel the need to "fight" through this life, which is a privilege. It's a sad state we find ourselves in that so much self-worth is tied to smooth skin vs. courage, intelligence, health and more.
How can we become any more pathetic than we are right now.. between skin care, cosmetics and surgery we will be unrecognizable as individuals. Masses of the same brows, noses, lips, butts, cheeks, and delusions of beauty. Sadness.. all the way around
There’s also the factor of the instagrammification of motherhood, where every part is supposed to look polished and adorable. This contrasts hard with the fact that infants are frequently, normally, completely gross. They are splotchy, scabby, snotty, exploding with poop. And if you you’ve lived your life watching airbrushed motherhood online, you will be very anxious about the appearance and apparent “health” of an actual baby.
(Yes, I’m a parent. I like my kid. Babies are gross, tho.)
100%!
You’ll never go broke targeting insecure and isolated middle class moms.
Ahhh, Jessica. This column today is the reason I subscribe. I'm a sociologist and I teach about beauty and the body...and silly me thinks I know one or two things about the social construction of beauty. And then -splat-. You reveal to me the contours of your cogent insights AND yet another aspect of the atrociousness of capitalism, misogyny, and super-commodified self-hatred. In other words, thank you. And, I'm gobsmacked.
ahhh thank you so much!!
Super-commodified self-hatred. That's just it and it makes me so mad, I hardly know what to do.
If I can read more work like Jessica's (beauty x capitalism x misogyny etc.) I will. Where can I find your work/readings?
Alas, I've only published on sexualities/gender; my most recent 'blah blah blah' on beauty (elective genital cosmetic surgery globally) is not yet published.
God please no one let Emily Weiss near a child's skin barrier
“Petite ‘N Pretty”? 🤮
Double 🤮🤮
Better start saving for those children's future therapy bills...
This type of product and marketing also suggests that people are ignoring and/or have been let down by the medical professionals in their lives, experts who are supposed to be there to advise them about such matters. Or the marketers are just way better at getting into people's faces. Or both. I don't know. Scientists and health professionals are notoriously bad at communicating. My brain is swirling. I'm so disturbed that this is a real thing.
ETA: I think you've really made an excellent point with these baby beauty products. The anxiety induced by beauty culture cannot be overridden by appealing to people's logic. Thank you for the education!
Oh for sure! So much of the beauty/wellness industry can be chalked up to subpar healthcare & low health/media literacy.
Yeah, I didn’t think of it this way. These brands are capitalizing on and exploiting the low health and media literacy. It’s very easy to take this for granted. As you astutely pointed out, having a scientific or medical background does not make a person immune to beauty culture or the patriarchy!
I'm curious how many healthcare providers, especially primary care, are proactively talking to patients about beauty products and its impacts on the body. I've only talked about it with my doctor because I have eczema.
Probably not a lot. It's important to note though that doctors are people and are very, very susceptible to beauty culture too. Most US dermatology offices offer Botox, fillers, etc alongside annual skin cancer screenings. Derms the ones prescribing retinoids for non-medical issues (i.e., aging). Derms are starting their own skincare lines. Healthcare providers are *also* part of the problem.
Yeah, I go regularly to a dermatologist to get my moles checked. The first time I went to one of these “boutique” style derm offices I was really put off by the tv showing ads for all kinds of treatments to fix my problem areas. Every time I walked into a medical office I was bombarded with all the things that are wrong with me.
Ugh I hate that! It's like how Dr. Oz is actually a really good heart surgeon while being a terrible salesperson for all kinds of medical quacks. Competency in one area boosts profit in another, even though only one part of the business is actually providing health care!
I’m apoplectic.
I put sunscreen on my kids from six months and I kind of regret it? I wish I’d just bought long sleeve and long pants along with their big sun hats for the summer and avoided it - it definitely gave my kids rashes. I’d reapply on their sandy, dirty skin and my oldest hates baths. It was so misguided but I felt like I’d be a bad mom if I didn’t put on sunscreen. But why isn’t sunscreen recommended under the age of six months? I’d guess it has to do with the studies you cite - that ‘skincare’ on skin has adverse effects!
Leave the baby skin alone nature does wondrous things when left to nature!
Ugh. This is appalling.
This piece just made me so sad and mad and left me feeling helpless. Does anyone here have any advice on how to start a conversation with friends who are bought in to all the anti-aging, "beautification" products/procedures? I am so against it, I realize I come at the subject with judgment and I also know the best way to bridge differences is to understand, but I don't know where to start a conversation.
I send people Jessica's work and frame it as sharing an exciting revelation rather than an I told you so or a judgement. A "this is blowing my mind" goes a long way towards making someone feel that you are sharing rather than lecturing.
Aisha, thank you! This is a great idea. I'd thought of sharing, but hadn't worked out how to do so without sounding like a lecture. This is a perfect way to do so.
glad you asked this. I'm very judgey on the subject as well and don't know where to begin with people. It's not dissimilar to talking to someone who may be in a cult or is dating someone who's bad news: approaching the subject is more than likely going to get your head bitten off.
With this rise in baby skincare, is it adding to the overall consumption and plastic footprint of the beauty industry? Or are we seeing people spend less in other areas to afford an anti acne serum for their infant? My latest horror is understanding how much plastic and thus fossil fuels are used in the beauty industry and how that ties into over consumption and waste across a lot of other consumer products!
Oh, it is 100% adding to the overall consumption and carbon footprint of the beauty industry.
ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Haha I hate it!
Oh sweet lord, no. 💔
Another stellar piece — I loved reading it in The Guardian but the edited out tidbits clinch it for me. (Don't get me started on how "Dr" Barbara Sturm just sold her less than $100MM in sales company to Puig)
I am referencing this brilliant piece in my substack this am, as these "serum moms" are creating a generation so afraid of aging. I write a lot about beauty/fashion/wellness through the lens of aging as I (nearing 55) cannot help but take it hard that women feel the need to "fight" through this life, which is a privilege. It's a sad state we find ourselves in that so much self-worth is tied to smooth skin vs. courage, intelligence, health and more.
How can we become any more pathetic than we are right now.. between skin care, cosmetics and surgery we will be unrecognizable as individuals. Masses of the same brows, noses, lips, butts, cheeks, and delusions of beauty. Sadness.. all the way around