The placebo-effect?

As mentioned before, I don't use anti-aging products.
It's not just because I think they're doing more damage than good (mentally, fucking with our perception of who we are and what we should be like), but because I am of the opinion that aging isn't a bad thing. I think of the body as a mindmap. Maybe even a scrapbook if you will.

But as Lipglossiping wrote in a recent post,

"The problem with being a total beauty nut is that I find myself noticing flaws in my appearance that I’m sure wouldn’t really bother the average woman my age."

the more I get hooked on beauty-products, the more I start to question my standpoint.
It's almost as if reading about certain items gives birth to a craving. Alters my perception of what it's like to grow old(er), to age and to feel confident in my own skin. Makes me think that confidence could and should be bought.

But then again, I am starting to think that maybe this is all about the placebo-effect? These products don't do much but we think that if we didn’t use them, we’d be way worse off?!

I am trying to stick to my opinion that cosmetics and so-called beauty-products should be about having fun and not hiding who you are and what you look like, but every now and then, I must confess that it's not written in stone.

What's your take on it all?