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There has been such a great reaction from people about starting Better Not Younger. Never in my wildest dreams did I anticipate such a response. One of the best outcomes has been that I’ve had friends get in touch that I hadn’t spoken to in years. That wasn’t something I ever considered happening and I feel enormously grateful.
People have been asking about the brand and why I started it. So, I thought I would write about what led me here. In many ways, this has been and will continue to be an incredible journey.
I certainly never expected to be doing what I am doing now so I will try and document it here on this blog and hopefully it can inspire people to take a risk on something they believe in as well.
I have worked in beauty for decades. Pantene, Herbal Essences, L’Oreal Paris, Maybelline. I’ve led innovations, I traveled the world and I’ve loved every minute of it. I met great people and made lifelong friends.
After 25 years in the beauty industry in P&G and L’Oreal. In Spain, the US and Latin America, and with my family settled and my children no longer at home.
Anyone close to me would have said that I should stay in my comfortable well-paid job and close out my career.
I’m doing things that I’ve never done before. I’m taking financial risks. I’m putting pressure on my home life and my relationships. I’m working day and night.
From the outside, I might sound like I am having a mid-life crisis - but I prefer to call it a mid-life renaissance! And I know it is the right thing to do because I haven’t been this excited about something for a long time.
Growing up in the beauty industry, you do start becoming much more aware of your age. Every target audience reads 15-44 and in the last few years, I realized how I was, for the most part, working on products and brands that didn’t reflect my values.
Once you peel back the layers, you start to see clearly the ageism that permeates the industry.
The myopic narrative about aging and beauty.
The obsession with youth and the damage that this does to women.
You also notice the effort that goes into creating products for younger women vs older women.
Trust me, to the R&D departments at the big brands, older women are an afterthought.
When I started struggling to find products that could work with my changing hair, the idea for Better Not Younger really came to fruition. I wanted to create a brand for women who believe that beauty is not defined by age. A brand that would address the changes that women’s hair face as they age.
I’ve drawn on all my experience, all my contacts. I’ve taken the best of what the industry has, in order to try and counter the worst of it.
We’re on a mission to change the industry. It feels so good to be excited again!
Get in touch if you are excited by this mission. You can reach me at sonsoles@better-notyounger.com
The name of your company alone has me insterested. I am not trying to look young, I want to be the best I can be at the age of 66. I hope you go into the skin products too!
Can’t wait to try your products!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
At 51/52 I was going through an adventure with Stage 4 Melanoma (lung & brain). The treatment was successful. Yeah! Of course there are side effects to the immunotherapy, some lifelong.
At this time I noticed my hair becoming flat, thin, and just not as beautiful as it once was. Everyone said it was “chemo hair”. Well, I thought about this, sometimes constantly. I realized this started before my cancer journey. I just didn’t care about it during that time. So, not being the cancer, what else changed? Hmmm, eureka! I aged. I hit 50. I made it past half a century.
So, why was I being strapped with the “chemo hair” logo? And is that just an excuse because aging hair is not considered in the mass market, or anywhere?
I felt tingles when I saw your ad and began reading. What a gift you’re giving. Us renaissance women!
Cheers to you!
Debi
Thank you for sharing your story.
I love forward to trying the products.
I too work for P&G in the fragrance division. I quit after 25 years and I was 52 and TIRED !
Thank you for thinking of the ladies who are doing what we can to stay healthy, active and looking our best!
Gods blessing
JILL
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Masheley Thomas
May 01, 2020
I just ordered from your product line, I have a few strans of gray and have been coloring them. My gray has a mind of its own. Looking forward to the improvements to my unruly gray hair Thanks to you!