MTV booty-shaking minx or Catherine Deneuve? In a recent Synovate survey of
seniors aged 55 or older, there is no contest – nearly 40 per cent of men in
12 key markets said older women were just as attractive as their younger counterparts.
And in a day and age when Hollywood roles for older actresses are in rapid decline
and Botox use starts in the teenage years, this is refreshing news.
The study was conducted among 3,481 seniors in France, Germany, the US, Japan, Greece,
Hungary, South Africa, Slovakia, Italy, Romania, Hong Kong and Korea. Questions asked of
respondents ranged from their perceptions of beauty vis-a-vis age, the age they think a
woman’s beauty peaks and the least beautiful thing about men and women as they age.
Apart from the 50 per cent of Greek men and 33 per cent of Italian men who point out
weight gain as the least attractive aspect of women getting older, a flattering majority
of men in most markets surveyed find mature women every bit as attractive –
wrinkles, grey hair and all. Still feeling ancient? Book a ticket to Germany, where six
out of 10 older men think older women are simply gorgeous.
The least beautiful thing about women as they get older, according to men aged 55 or older
Interestingly, both men and women held fairly the same opinions on when a woman’s beauty
peaks. For the French and Americans, the 40s are the golden age. Not so for South Africa,
Hong Kong and Korea, who say a woman’s looks peak in her 20s. Youth equals beauty for
11 per cent of South Africa respondents, the highest among all markets surveyed, who agreed
with the statement ‘Beauty is for young people’.
Is an ageist frame of mind behind this? It’s more of regret, says Synovate's Jon Salters,
managing director for Sub-Saharan Africa. “South Africans do not age well! We live in a
sun-drenched climate where the impact of UV rays has only been taken seriously by some of
the population in the past two decades. Hence over 50 per cent of both senior men and women
see beauty peak in the 20s and 30s. It appears that seniors wish they had looked after their
skin better in the past, which explains their dislike for wrinkles.”
Age a woman's beauty peaks, according to women aged 55 or older
Age a woman's beauty peaks, according to men aged 55 or older
In general, about three in 10 women claim to spend just as much money on cosmetics as they
used to when they were younger. About 20 per cent spend more money now that they’re older –
40 per cent in France. About a quarter of women over 55 do not buy makeup anymore, with Greece
leading the way at 68 per cent.
Is the loss of beauty something to be mourned? Not really, respondents chorused. For 57 per cent,
beauty "is part external appearance and part how a person is on the inside", a
statement even 63 per cent of Hong Kong seniors – who said beauty was in the first flush
of youth – believed in.
The French have the last, encouraging word on beauty in the golden years. "French people
consider beauty a complex issue," says Stephane Courqueux, Synovate's managing director
in France. "Beauty comes from within and is a process that can only be achieved through
taking care of oneself and taking full advantage of life's positive experiences. As a
consequence, mature men and women can be as attractive as younger people, with beauty
peaking at around the age of 40."
"The outside of the body reflects what is going on inside. A loss of control in the figure
is more of an issue in France than an aged face. These high standards can only equate to good
news for marketers who have a pliable market willing to buy their products."
