The forever young look

Alphaville, the German music trio, could not have foreseen in 1984 the enduring impact of the phrase in their song “Forever Young.” Though its meaning reflected the concerns of a different era, its relevance today is undeniable. The world’s unrelenting desire to remain youthful resembles an unquenchable thirst—driving society to its knees in the pursuit of surgical procedures and the booming market for beauty products.

History

This obsession is far from new. Stories from antiquity recount the beauty rituals of Cleopatra, the Egyptian queen born in 70/69 BCE (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2025). She is said to have bathed in milk “to improve the appearance of her skin by reducing wrinkles.” It is also recorded that “she used powdered excrement from crocodiles to embellish her complexion, although this was in all likelihood fruitless” (Schwarcz, 2017).

Baldness and the use of toupees are not modern phenomena either—Cleopatra is said to have attempted to restore her lover’s hair with a concoction of ground horse teeth and deer marrow. When this failed, she famously traded Julius Caesar for Mark Antony (Schwarcz, 2017). In Greek and Roman mythology—the roots of Western cultural ideals—ambrosia, a mythical food, drink, or perfume, was believed to grant youth and immortality to the gods.

Psychology and beauty: the social media effect and the star effect

This desire for eternal youth has only intensified in the age of social media. According to a 2024 study by the University of California, Davis, “social media heavily focuses on physical appearance.” Platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok offer filters that allow users to alter their looks. While filters may seem harmless or even fun, “the ability to easily alter physical appearance and hide imperfections can create false illusions. Constant exposure to altered images can also lead you to feel self-conscious and dislike the way you look.”

Another driving force behind this obsession is the star effect. Regardless of age or gender, many people are influenced by the glow and glamor of celebrities—actors, musicians, influencers—whose appearances are often the result of cosmetic procedures, extensive grooming, and digital enhancement.

Together, social media and celebrity culture deeply affect ordinary people, encouraging the use of beauty products and plastic surgery to correct perceived flaws.

The business of youth: selling the “Forever Young” ideal

Beauty products remain the go-to solution for achieving a youthful look. The result is a multi-billion-dollar industry.

The world’s leading beauty companies earn staggering profits: L’Oréal ($44.53 billion), Unilever ($26.15 billion), Estée Lauder ($15.2 billion), P&G ($15 billion), LVMH ($8.94 billion), Chanel ($8.32 billion), Beiersdorf ($8.14 billion), Shiseido ($6.94 billion), Natura & Co ($6.39 billion), and Coty ($6 billion) (Howarth, 2025).

The cost of staying young: investment and side effects

The pursuit of a youthful appearance cuts across race, gender, and age. In contrast to the past—when body types could mark one’s ethnicity, as in the case of Saartjie (Sara) Bartman (c. 1788–1814/16), the South African woman displayed in European exhibitions for her physique—today, women of all backgrounds often strive to replicate her curves. Procedures like the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) have become widespread, often at significant health and financial risk.

Surgical side effects

Aesthetic or cosmetic plastic surgery, as defined by Hopkins Medicine (2025), is “done to repair or reshape otherwise normal structures of the body, generally to improve appearance”—in contrast to reconstructive surgery, which addresses abnormalities due to trauma, disease, or congenital conditions.

Aesthetic surgery is now widely practiced, but its high cost has led many to seek cheaper alternatives abroad—often with dangerous consequences. Recent BBC reports include: “Ms. Kerr, from Gorleston, in Norfolk, died at a private hospital in Istanbul in November 2019 while undergoing the procedure. She handed over £3,200 in cash for the surgery…” (Applegate & Burchell, 2023)

“Leah Cambridge, 29, from Leeds, died at a private hospital in Turkey in 2018. Her partner, Scott Franks, said she had been ‘paranoid’ about her body…” (22 November 2019)

In addition to risks, aesthetic procedures often require continual “updates” as the body ages or changes with weight gain (Cleveland Clinic, 2025).

The male perspective: steroids and enhancement

Men are not exempt from the beauty obsession. Many aspire to resemble Michelangelo’s David—but more muscular, and with genital enhancement. Steroid use and surgical procedures to achieve these ideals are increasingly common among men as well.

Conclusion

The modern world is a massive marketplace where “forever young” products—cosmetics and surgeries—are traded at the cost of people’s health and well-being. In contrast, simple practices like eating well, staying hydrated, getting adequate sleep, and embracing the inevitability of aging are far more likely to bring peace—and perhaps, ironically, help maintain a youthful appearance.