Women's magazines cast adolescent models in full makeup as adult women. Bridget Hall, a child born in Arkansas 16 years ago, flaunts her fresh face and disquieting innocence across the pages of almost every women's magazine. True prettiness is a fleeting quality of youth. More than ever, women now wish they could simply look pretty. Aging is the enemy.
Cosmetics are the weapons.
Looking 20 years younger than your age is the only acceptable way to get old. Grooming is replacing fashion as readers' favorite obsession. But cosmetics are still considered a woman's best-kept secret. Fashion editors pay the price for this little white lie. They would rather be blamed for the sluggish sales of magazines than admit that fashion, the subject of their expertise, has lost its relevance.