Parents' Guide to

10 Years Younger

By Sierra Filucci, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Makeovers plus therapy-lite help people feel good.

TV TLC Reality TV 2004
10 Years Younger Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

Wideyes
Wideyes Adult
April 9, 2020
age 18+

Very poor advice

Having been 35 years in the beauty industry working on media celebrity women , I can honestly say the treatments offered in their programmes are seriously compromising ! For the lay person let’s start with intralace is the worst hair system around !! They show you applying lace then weaving your own hair through the lace . What they do not tell you is your weak thin hair will be ruined and fall out underneath ! The method they use is a sales pitch to get people to invest in a hair system that does nothing to restore hair underneath yet cost you the customer a fortune !!! I mean a fortune !! Many women who have had this system done have been caught out by having to go cave and spend money ongoing . What are you actually getting for your money ?? Well what the tv programme does NOT tell you is this ; They offered this hair system to one lady who had skin cancer That poor woman will find whatever hair she had grown back after Chemo will be ruined by this system permanently . I am furious the programme researchers demonstrated this aggressive system . As for the injections fillers : All very well for the makeover but what they do not tell you is how much it costs to maintain !!! Filler is restoring volume but with risks ! This programme is nothing more then a sales pitch and it would not surprise me if the plastic surgeon has paid to be on this show !! Two injections Botox and filler can set you back £300 plus ! But in order to maintain the look it costs !!! Terrible advice
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In 10 YEARS YOUNGER, participants learn that a few simple changes to their appearance can greatly improve their looks. Participants begin by standing in a soundproof glass box on a busy street in Los Angeles while the show's host asks passersby to guess the person's age. Next comes an in-studio segment that's part interview and part therapy session, in which participants talk about how divorce, career, kids, and more have affected their lives and their appearance. They listen to some of the comments from the public (which can be harsh, but usually aren't cruel), and then the host reveals the average age guessed by those who were polled. Next, participants are turned over to the "Glam Squad," who take care of skin, makeup, hair, and wardrobe, before they go for another round in the soundproof box; the average age guess usually drops significantly in the second round.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Unlike Extreme Makeover, in which participants endure surgery, this show focuses on simple, relatively straightforward techniques. The results are sometimes dramatic and sometimes modest -- but participants uniformly express delight with the changes. The show's host (Mark Montano in early seasons, followed by Kyan Douglas of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy) takes a delicate approach to dealing with folks who, for one reason or another, have put their appearance on hold. Some -- like one 42-year-old participant named Dwayne, struggle with self-esteem -- which is reflected in their "cover up" clothing and grooming choices (loose, shapeless clothing, facial hair, etc.).

Teens might find this makeover show appealing, though its focus on older participants might temper the allure. The host and experts aren't as snippy and charismatic as those on What Not to Wear, which may make 10 Years Younger seem like the boring sibling, but with its emphasis on helping people feel better about themselves -- as opposed to criticizing them -- it's the better choice for younger viewers from a message standpoint. That said, the show doesn't go far beyond the surface. Guests receive superficial help with their emotional issues, but the emphasis is largely on their physical ones, leaving viewers wondering how long they'll feel the effect of the changes before reverting to their old ways.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the messages sent by makeover shows. What implications do they tend to make about age and beauty? Does this show do that? How does that make you feel? What's beautiful about age? What tends to make people look older than their real age? Teens: Do you ever try to look older? How and why?

TV Details

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