Right now, we’re bearing witness to one of the biggest shifts in women’s health, wellness, and beauty; three industries that once remained siloed are converging. This convergence not only speaks to product and service innovations but also to the ways in which these innovations, and, fundamentally, the categories themselves, are defined and experienced. It is no coincidence that such an extreme change is happening in tandem with the much-discussed rewrite of female midlife.
As we speak, women in their 40s and 50s are disrupting the concept of middle age. In our report called The Shift to Self, we found that women in these age categories are ambitious, confident, and much happier than you would think. In midlife they are gaining their greatest strength and, instead of slowing down, they are gearing up. Backed by their rejection of aging stereotypes, they are demanding products that are equally efficacious, healing, and reflective of their own cultural relevance.
Menopause and other biological effects of aging are very real, yet 40+ women believe they do not have to be, and should not be, lifestyle-limiting or packaged as an aesthetic afterthought. Women want the benefits of proven science and research to help address their individual signs and symptoms of aging or menopause but without foregoing their own sense of chic, beauty, and staying power. They want to look and feel fabulous and they want products that are designed to reflect that, medicinal or not. Historically, however, this has not been the case and addressing health, wellness and beauty always felt mutually exclusive of each other. Today, the greatest opportunities for brands are based on this convergence.
So now, female entrepreneurs are innovating in this white space opportunity. They are filling in the gaps with products that converge health, wellness and beauty, and delivering against the changing needs of 40+ women as they age in a way that truly represents them. Female entrepreneurs are the renegades and they are developing products and services that women actually want and need and, until very recently, did not previously exist. What’s more — and integral to this shift — their products are packaged and marketed in a chic way that is reflective of what a modern 40+ woman desires.
Naomi Watts’ Stripes, Alicia Jackson’s Evernow, and Colette Courtion’s Joylux are just a few of the many women-helmed businesses that are driving sector disruption with goods that respond directly to women in midlife. Stripes’ “Vag of Honor” is a perfect example of what this design-conscious product communication looks like in practice. It is a hydration-loaded, lab-tested, hypoallergenic gel that tackles vaginal dryness, a common menopausal symptom often omitted from cultural conversations. This product is an example of the integration of health, wellness and beauty including packaging that is sleek and attractive.
Brands taking note of this movement will address a historically neglected void with a massive upside. The convergence of health, wellness and beauty will disrupt industry silos and leave a vast landscape ripe for those attuned to this emerging trend.
Serena Saitas is a multidisciplinary researcher, an award-winning global strategist and the founder of REAL Brand Strategy. A pioneer in the study of the modern woman, Serena has personally interviewed thousands of women, developing a distinctive point of view on how modern women think, spend, live, and influence markets. Over two decades, she has anticipated inflection points, influenced innovation, and shifted billions of dollars for her Fortune 100 clients. She intimately understands how women are reshaping wellness, beauty, and longevity. With The Age of You, she’s giving the power of this knowledge back to her peers.
