You’re really never too young to wear sunscreen and moisturize the skin on your face, but Origins, a “natural” skin care brand owned by Estee Lauder, is trying something interesting. They’re advertising anti-aging skin care products to women in their twenties, apparently hoping to tie the quarter-life crisis phenomenon to our natural fears about mortality and aging.

Women in their twenties aren’t normally all that concerned about the elasticity of their facial skin, but that’s why the beauty industry exists: to create an insecurity, then offer to solve it.

The photo above actually shows a different “youth-renewing” moisturizer aimed at younger women. Before launching their Original Skin Renewal serum, which costs only $39, the company conducted market research that to learn about what women in their twenties want out of their skincare.

You can tell that Original Skin Renewal is meant for people under 30. Unlike all of those old-lady skin creams, there’s a hashtag right there in the ad copy.

Skin having a #QuarterLifeCrisis?
What’s the deal with your skin lately? No glow? And those pores… Not OK. Sounds like you’re facing quarter-life skin. But don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.

It’s true that women are expected to look flawless yet often deal with simultaneous wrinkles, oil, and acne, and human skin does change as we age, but is the #QuarterLifeSkin something invented just to sell more pricey serum? No, it couldn’t be!

Personally, I can’t wait for Origins’ future line of products aimed at 8-year-olds, with ads meant to make them feel inadequate for losing their toddler glow.

Origins Embraces ‘Quarter-Life Crisis’ to Sell Anti-Aging Cream to Twentysomethings [AdAge] (via Gawker)

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