The Impossible Math of Aging: Round 17 in My Fight With the Mirror

An Audio Spells episode about beauty standards, aging anxiety, and the capitalism that profits from our insecurities

What happens when you're 37 and already exhausted by beauty standards? When you're putting seven different serums on your face while simultaneously knowing it's all bullshit?

In this raw, unfiltered Audio Spell, I'm processing the impossible math of aging in a world that treats your face like a problem to be solved. From analyzing my top lip for ten minutes because of some TikTok theory to finally stopping hair dye after 24 years of pretending I'm still blonde.

In this episode:

• Why "anti-aging" is actually anti-living
• The beauty icons who taught me that lines tell stories
• How I'm rewiring my brain to see dark circles as rock-chic instead of flaws
• The capitalism shapeshifter that keeps moving beauty goalposts
• Why the most rebellious thing you can do is exist in your changing body without apology
• 
  

This isn't about shaming anyone's choices with Botox or fillers. This is about the system that profits from our insecurities and the daily practice of trying to see beauty where we've been trained to see problems.

Perfect for: Anyone who's ever stood in front of a mirror counting flaws, spent too much on skincare while knowing it's mostly marketing, or felt exhausted by the impossible standards we're supposed to meet just to exist in our own bodies.

Content warning: Frank discussion of beauty industry pressures, aging anxiety, and the intersection of capitalism and self-worth.

This is an audio version of content from The Blue Algorithm newsletter. Subscribe for more honest conversations about the gap between knowing better and actually living better.

Listen if: You're tired of "embrace your age gracefully" advice and want someone to rage about beauty standards with you instead.

Topics discussed: aging anxiety, beauty standards, anti-aging industry, self-acceptance, body image, skincare obsession, gray hair journey, beauty capitalism, aging gracefully, women and aging, thin white lip theory, preventative Botox, natural hair color, skincare routine, beauty industry criticism, anti-consumption beauty, aging phobia, ageism, beauty culture, cosmetic industry, appearance anxiety, face aging, skin aging, hair aging, makeup pressure, beauty spending, skincare marketing, anti-aging products, wrinkle anxiety, gray hair acceptance, hair dye addiction, beauty perfectionism, appearance standards, feminine aging, midlife beauty, aging shame, beauty rebellion, body acceptance, self-image issues, mirror anxiety, photo anxiety, aging insecurity, beauty industry manipulation, cosmetic pressure, aesthetic anxiety, appearance obsession, vanity culture, youth obsession, aging stigma, beauty myths, skincare myths, anti-aging lies, beauty marketing, cosmetic marketing, appearance pressure, aging fear, beauty exhaustion, skincare fatigue, beauty overwhelm, aging depression, appearance depression, beauty stress, skincare stress, aging trauma, beauty trauma, mirror trauma, photo trauma, appearance trauma, self-worth beauty, beauty identity, aging identity, feminine identity, beauty confidence, aging confidence, self-esteem aging, beauty self-esteem, aging self-love, beauty self-love, aging acceptance, beauty acceptance

Read the full essay that inspired this episode⁠.⁠

Song featured: "safety scissors" by @melissageurts

Created by ⁠⁠⁠Melissa Geurts⁠⁠⁠⁠, Group Executive Creative Director at Good Housekeeping and founder of The Blue Algorithm.

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