Widely considered one of the most beautiful women in the world, Elizabeth Hurley celebrated her 60th birthday recently by sharing a nude portrait of herself on Instagram. Sitting in a lush green field in warm light from the sun, she’s as stunning as ever and she shows us what aging fearlessly can look like.
For a long time, women over 60 were encouraged to cover and conceal, with longer sleeves, flowing fabrics, and scarcely a leg to be seen. Today, however, women are enacting their own decisions of which social conventions work for them and which don't. One of these people, of course, is Elizabeth Hurley. Being 60+ used to look a certain way, but it doesn’t have to anymore. Hurley becomes one example of this in action with her latest nude portrait, which shows us just how fearless and fabulous a person can be over 60.
Aging used to be an all-consuming fear for many women, but Hurley and people like her are showing us it doesn’t have to be. In fact, there’s been a wealth of love given to women over 60 in the fashion world recently, whether it’s on the runway, in ad campaigns, on social media, in books, and more. It’s an exciting, yet still newer, phenomenon that expands the possibilities of how we understand beauty. Designer Batsheva Hay said as much to Vogue in 2024, celebrating the models over 50 she sent down her runway. “Getting older is actually amazing,” Hay told the publication. “There is a completely different type of vitality. There’s a completely different sense of stability and comfort and play and freedom and all of that stuff that no one gets to express. I want to express it.”
Similarly, Hurley herself is thriving. In nearly 40 years in the entertainment and fashion industries, Hurley has been a face of cosmetics company Estée Lauder, had her own swimsuit collection, and appeared in countless films and fashion campaigns. Her nude portrait is a celebration of life, as are recent photoshoots for her swimwear brand Elizabeth Hurley Beach, and her editorial with lauded fashion photographer Ellen von Unwerth.
The latter photoshoot, a glamorous birthday party featuring the cast of London’s Magic Mike Live show, features Hurley in a sinewy gown and dressed up as a showgirl popping out of a cake. And why not? It’s long been a part of Hurley’s experience to live exactly as she pleases.
“Women should do whatever the hell they want to do,” Hurley told the magazine SheKnows in 2022. “And damn anybody criticizing them.” Still, Hurley has not always wanted to be the poster child for “aging gracefully,” SheKnows shares–so much of how women age has to do with facets of life beyond their control–genetics, environment, and so on. There’s no singular way to do it right. What matters is what’s within.
“In the ‘90s I felt very confident because I was young and at the beginning of my career, but I think now I really have so much experience and knowledge to pull on that I feel more comfortable in myself; I’ve learnt so much over the years that I try to put into practise,” Hurley told the English fashion brand Karen Millen. “In my opinion, as long as you’re feeling healthy and looking vital, I think that goes a long way.”
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21 products that are gaslighting us into thinking they’re essential when they’re not
Some things in life are actually necessary—clean water, decent healthcare, basic human decency. But then there are the things that feel like they’re gaslighting us. The things we’re told we can’t live without, even though we survived just fine before they existed. Things like "smart" fridges, lawn fertilizer services, and yes—whole body deodorant.
Recently, our sister-site Upworthy asked their Facebook audience the question: What's a product or service that feels like it's gaslighting all of us into thinking it's necessary? More than 8,000 responses poured in. The answers were passionate, funny, and surprisingly unified.
Here are 21 products, services, and systems people called out for pretending to be essential—when they might actually be optional, overpriced, or flat-out invented.
1. Whole body deodorant
"Take a shower," said Shannon H.
“How did we ever manage all those years without it!! 😂😵💫” added Karen R.
Others noted it may help people with medical conditions—but for the average person, it's definitely a marketing creation.
2. Health insurance
It topped the list. Erica L. explained: “My doctor prescribes, the pharmacist issues meds, nurses care for people, surgeons do surgery—Health Insurance stands between health care and patients and says no, exclusively on whether they think it’s financially effective to treat you.”
Important note: Health insurance can provide life-saving access for many—but what people are frustrated by here is the profit-first system, not care itself.
3. The wedding industry
Multiple people slammed the high cost of modern weddings.
JoElla B. put it plainly: “We spend too much time and money planning one day, and not enough thought on how to blend two lives in a mutually beneficial one.”
Others called out expensive dresses, venues, and pressure to perform for social media.
4. Bottled water
Carole D. said: “Water in plastic bottles! Get a cup!”
While bottled water has value in emergencies, it’s often just filtered tap water—sold for profit in plastic.
5. Baby product overload
“Most baby products,” wrote Kelli O. “They really aren’t as needy and complicated as companies want us to think.”
6. Fabric softener
“It’s bad for clothes, bad for the Earth, bad for the wallet, and totally unnecessary,” said Gail H.
Some experts agree—many softeners contain chemicals that can reduce fabric lifespan and irritate skin.
7. Smart appliances
“Adding ‘phone controls’ to every appliance instead of making them last as long as they used to,” wrote Sherry S.
When your fridge needs a software update, something’s gone off the rails.
8. Makeup and anti-aging products
“Anything anti-aging,” said Melissa T., “Please just let me age into the gargoyle I was meant to become.”
Others questioned products designed to “fix” eyelashes, eyebrows, pores, and graying hair.
April S. added, “Products that women are convinced they MUST have in order to be ‘beautiful’ and therefore ‘loved.’”
9. Cosmetic surgery
Ron P. called out the industry as a whole. And while body autonomy matters, many commenters questioned whether insecurities are being commodified and sold back to us.
10. Ticketmaster and “convenience fees”
“Let’s go back to waiting in line at a record store,” wrote Nicole C.
Zaida B. added: “Convenience fee for online purchases—then charging $10 more at the actual event.”
11. Engagement rings
James P. didn’t mince words: “Engagement rings.”
The diamond industry has long been criticized for manufactured scarcity and marketing-fueled necessity.
12. Lawn chemicals and services
“Plant native grasses and you don’t have the pests or need for constant watering,” wrote Jamie B.
Environmental groups have raised similar concerns over runoff and unnecessary pesticide use.
13. AI and generative tech
“This stuff squeezes the lifeblood and individuality out of the human experience,” said Teresa L.
Saskia D. and others echoed skepticism about its necessity, even as many of us are being pushed to use it.
14. Funeral services
Amy W. shared: “My parents both have already paid to have themselves cremated and are very adamant that they do not want anything big done for them. In their words, ‘I won’t care, I’m dead.’”
Of course, some families find comfort in tradition—but the cost and pressure can feel overwhelming and predatory.
15. Rinse and repeat
Amy D. nailed it: “It’s just to sell more. Not even sure you need it at all.”
16. Credit Card Surcharges
Shawn S. took aim at the extra fees popping up at checkout: “That is the cost of doing business and shouldn’t be the burden of the purchaser.”
Many questioned why customers are increasingly being asked to pay extra simply for the convenience of using a card.
17. Constant phone upgrades
“Apple are notorious for releasing the same shit every year,” said Steph S.
Diana H. added, “Needing to upgrade our phones so frequently.”
Built-in obsolescence and marketing cycles drive most of the demand.
18. Vitamins and supplements
“If I took every supplement they say I NEED I wouldn’t need food. Nor could I afford it,” said Tausha L.
19. Fake pockets on women’s pants
Jessica W. said, “I have to buy men’s pants for work because women’s pants would just get torn up too fast!”
Form over function, and then they charge more for it.
20. Disposable everything
“The ‘convenience’ of disposable everything,” said Rick R.
It’s killing the planet—and draining wallets.
21. Tipping
“I’m sick of supplementing for corporations that refuse to pay a living wage,” wrote Susan V.
Tipping culture has evolved into something far removed from its original intent, and for many, it now feels like a burden shifted onto the customer.
The bigger picture
People aren’t saying all these things should vanish tomorrow. But when we start seeing convenience sold as necessity, and insecurity turned into billion-dollar markets, it's worth asking: who benefits from all of this?
And more importantly—who pays?
This article originally appeared earlier this year.