news & events

By this headline I mean that skin care—the idea that taking care of your skin will make it healthier, and impact the way in which it ages—is not a bizarre subculture which requires belief, the ingestion of mind-altering substances, secret handshakes, the recitation of oaths or the droning of mantras. We don’t even award merit badges for not flinching during extractions.

So my professionally-arched brows went sky-high recently during the HBO debut of the documentary, “Youth Knows No Pain.” Created by the daughter of a cosmetic surgeon, this program was compelling and disturbing on a couple of levels. But I was most struck by the comment from a prominent magazine editor on the subject. Allure Editor-in-chief Linda Wells says it’s okay that women waste their money on anti-aging skin care products that don’t really work, since just slathering that stuff on makes them feel better about getting older. Not to mention that those products buy the ads that keeps Allure in business. And you wonder why Dermalogica doesn’t buy ads in magazines?

As for your money. Spend it however you want. Just remember that some products do work—no belief-system required– and you don’t have to drink the Kool-Aid.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 5th, 2009 at 9:56 am and is filed under under my skin with jane wurwand.