For some reason, women "of a certain age" remain an enigma in the beauty industry, where chasing youth remains the focus of most brands. Gen X has begun to make some progress redefining what aging looks like. However, millennials are entering this stage of their lives, so watch out as the "Glossier" generation begins to push the envelope on the topic.

Avon charged its team of scientists and experts to discover what it really means to age in 2022.

Avon conducted a global study of 7,000 women across seven countries and three continents for a new report called “The Power in Aging” that reveals turning 40 brings a freeing sense of relief, self-assurance, and self-contentment.

Angela Cretu, Avon CEO, comments, "We've been reclaiming our power and taking control over the narrative of aging and making it fit with who we really are and how we really feel. Now, more than ever, what it means to be 40 and over is changing, and we're finding the confidence we need to harness our power. And if you ask me, it's about time."

• 67% women globally feel their confidence is improving as they age, and 63% agree that aging is not something to fear.
• In a post-pandemic world, women link feeling powerful more with self-confidence (54%) than being financially stable (49%). 
• 75% of women in their forties said they don't care about being at the top, but instead define success as being able to create a balance that works for them and their lifestyle.
• 62% of women globally agree that in their forties, what ambition meant for them changed from having it all to having “enough.” This feeling is even stronger amongst women in the Philippines (76%), South Africa (70%), and Turkey (69%). 
• Only 35% of women in their forties and above said they prioritize their career.
• Post-pandemic, 72% now want to focus on looking healthy rather than looking young.
• 51% want to use multipurpose skincare products that deliver more than one benefit in their routine. 45% of women globally believe ageism is still an issue in the workplace and 58% think women experience workplace ageism more than men.
• 72% of women feel intimidated by perimenopause. Of those surveyed, women in Europe feel the most intimidated by this life stage, as the numbers soar to 86% in the UK and 83% in Italy, compared to 65% in the Philippines and 64% in South Africa.
• 43% of women over 40 say they know where to find information about perimenopause, with only a third, 34%, saying they know where to seek help. Italian women seem to struggle the most with this globally, with only 16% feeling knowledgeable about this life stage.

Louise Scott, Avon Chief Scientific Officer, explains how the beauty industry is responding to this shift: "The terminology our industry uses to speak to women about their skin needs to evolve from 'anti-aging' to 'authentic-aging.' Our ambition at Avon is to give every woman of every age the opportunity to have the best, healthiest skin she can have, without having to spend their hard-earned income on expensive products or cosmetic treatments."