For “The Invisible Woman”, a writer who blogs for The Guardian, anti-ageing isn’t so much a matter of your wellness as it is “cobblers”. ‘Admittedly, I wouldn’t mind losing the slightly droopy jawline but y’know, that’s what happens, in real life, when you’re 57,’ she says. ‘I’m basically a pretty typical middle-ager with slightly complicated feelings about getting older and a healthy scepticism about the more extravagant claims beaming in from the Final Frontier of the age and beauty industry.’
So when The Invisible Woman went to Britain’s first ever anti-ageing fair, the Anti-Ageing, Health and Beauty Show, she didn’t hold back on her scepticism as to the efficacy of some of the products. ‘Give snail slime a posh pot, a vaguely scientific name and a hefty price tag and Bob’s your uncle: a new chemical-free all-natural “anti-ageing” wonder product,’ she scoffs. ‘Hah! As if. Do you detect a degree of snook cocking here? Don’t you think somebody needs to?’
She adds, ‘There were quite a few three-figure products in the National Hall at Olympia and yet when you start to ask questions about research and testing and, you know, how the stuff actually works you’re likely to get waffle – waffle and buzz-words. Take bee venom “botox” serum. “Poor bees,” I thought, “are any harmed in the bee-milking process, or whatever indignity is forced upon them?” It’s only what we’re all thinking and bees are a finite resource after all. The response was vague, unsatisfactory and not particularly convincing.’
However, The Invisible Woman was surprised to find that not all of the products were three-figure marketing ploys. She explains that ‘there was, surprisingly (to me anyway) a lot that was good and useful. There were yoga classes, brow bars, cosmetics companies and an interesting schedule of mini-talks on stages at either end of the hall and I enjoyed trying out new stuff, gadgets and gizmos. There was a champagne bar and a chocolate shop (someone’s done their research) and there were collagen shots coming at you from all directions.’
She concludes, ‘In the end I stayed three hours longer than I meant to and spent most of my time discussing diet and supplements and taking good care of our whole selves with a number of very good people who were knowledgeable on their subject and didn’t try to bluff their way through with a load of flannel…The atmosphere at this first “anti-ageing” exhibition (there is another planned) was of lively curiosity and I thoroughly enjoyed talking to the women, and men, who had come along because they were interested in making the best of themselves as they are, not least because they had their BS detectors switched on and in magnificent working order.’