Does anyone who really cares about appearance NOT use Botox?

[Anonymous]

I'm 48 and haven't used Botox. I care about and invest a lot in my health and appearance - gym membership, regular hair cut and highlights + extensions sometimes, regular mani/pedi, skin care routine, get professional make up lessons annually and wear make up every day, microdosing a GLP-1 to get back down to pre-perimenopausal slenderness (so, I'm definitely not anti-vanity meds), wear great clothes.

But, I've never done Botox. I was at a party last night when a 35-year-old mom was telling a 27-year-old mom about her Botox routine and the 27-year-old was saying she knows she should start because it's preventative but it's too expensive. And the majority of friends my age do it. I don't plan to. I like my face, I've always avoided the sun, and while I definitely have some crows feet and 11s, they don't really bother me. Of course, a piece of me wonders if I'm missing the boat. Like, if I did it, would I be transformed and love it?

Anyone else feel like I do? If so, what are your reasons?

[Anonymous]

I'm 52 and I do not. I have literally no forehead wrinkles or 11s. I have slight crows feet, but they do not bother me. If I did have 11s or bad forehead wrinkles I would get them. It's really hard for me to wrinkle my brows actually.

I have worn sunscreen every day since I was 16 and have always used AHAs/sheet masks/RetinA, and I did a few chem peels when I was younger. I stopped the chem peels in my 40s.

[Anonymous]

I think botox makes your face look strange when you talk and especially try to smile.

[Anonymous]

I’m 54 and haven’t used it, but may finally start doing so in the year. My friends from law school, the ones who care about appearance anyway, were all using it by their late 20s; it did not make them look weird or anything, I wouldn’t have known if they hadn’t told me.

[Anonymous]

I very much dislike your framing, and hate the mindset it represents. Diane Keaton, Phoebe Philo, Tracy Ellis Ross, Keri Russell, and plenty of other women who have been in the world of high fashion, have had beauty contracts with cosmetic giants, and are each renowned for their aesthetic sense, do not appear to be Botoxed. They each clearly care about how they present themselves.

You can be focused on beauty or style or taking care of yourself and reject surgery or injections. They don’t produce beauty or hold back time. I hope the next trend is to look like less of a freak show and to not fight age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 48 and haven't used Botox. I care about and invest a lot in my health and appearance - gym membership, regular hair cut and highlights + extensions sometimes, regular mani/pedi, skin care routine, get professional make up lessons annually and wear make up every day, microdosing a GLP-1 to get back down to pre-perimenopausal slenderness (so, I'm definitely not anti-vanity meds), wear great clothes.

But, I've never done Botox. I was at a party last night when a 35-year-old mom was telling a 27-year-old mom about her Botox routine and the 27-year-old was saying she knows she should start because it's preventative but it's too expensive. And the majority of friends my age do it. I don't plan to. I like my face, I've always avoided the sun, and while I definitely have some crows feet and 11s, they don't really bother me. Of course, a piece of me wonders if I'm missing the boat. Like, if I did it, would I be transformed and love it?

Anyone else feel like I do? If so, what are your reasons?

Ok this is just weird.

[Anonymous]

I'm 53 and have fair skin and freckles. And yes, lines, esp. on my forehead and upper lip. I did a few rounds of Botox and didn't really notice a difference, so I have stopped.

I see women older than me who have clearly done something, if not a lot of things, and they look great. But I still know they are 65...So, I have also concluded that it doesn't fool anyone and even if it does, so what?

[Anonymous]

I’m afraid of doing it and looking like a weird alien like so many do. My mom looks fantastic and never did it, my mil too. I feel like in a way it’s better to look great with no work even if you look older.

[Anonymous]

I’m 45 and have been using Botox for a few years but it started giving me terrible brain fog for about 2 weeks post injection earlier this year (and that’s not uncommon, per Reddit), so I’m not sure if I will keep getting it in the future.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you do want to try Botox and there's nothing wrong with that.

[Anonymous]

My 11s really bug me and I did do Botox a few times but I did not like it. So now what I do is put moisturizer and a piece of paper tape on my 11s before I go to bed and this keeps my face from smushing at night and has taken care of the problem about 80%. I learned about this on skincare reddit. Not as effective as Botox but good enough and no weird spock eyebrows. I might do botox the next time I go to the derm.

[Anonymous]

I don’t do it because the thought of inserting toxins into my skin to smooth out wrinkles freaks me out. I’d rather battle aging by eating, exercising, and sleeping right. I’m 49 and don’t have any wrinkles yet.

[Anonymous]

I'm turning 50 and don't feel like I need it, but couldn't afford it anyway. I don't think I could do it even if I did have the $ though. Like, who am I trying to impress with fake smooth skin in 10 years?

[Anonymous]

There is nothing wrong with getting Botox but rest assured you will look Botoxed. No way around it and I know there is always someone who chimes in and says their's is so subtle but you are not fooling anyone. You like nice. But you also look Botoxed.

[Anonymous]

53, no Botox, I don’t like how it makes the face look.