I get asked this a lot...
"Do you think I should start with Botox?"
"When should you start having Botox?"
"Do you have Botox?"
"Have you tried Botox?"
"What are your thoughts on Botox?"
Simple answer...? It's entirely up to you. Everyone thinks I have some major problem with Botox. To be honest, I don't. Is it something I have? No, no it's not. Will I ever have it? I don't know... but I doubt it.
I think Botox is a great anti-ageing tool and it can really help brighten and lift the eyes and face and make you look like you've had twelve hours sleep... when it's done right. Unfortunately, we just don't often see it done right. Then again though, what is right?
'Right' for me is when it's almost undetectable. I love the face to move and to see expression as sometimes that's what keeps us looking so young. I have so many beautiful clients who exude this radiant energy. When they smile their eyes twinkle, it lights up their face and everything just glows. This wonderful energy keeps them looking so youthful and vibrant. Are there fine lines there? Yes there are, but what's wrong with that? Radiance and youth doesn't come from a wrinkle free face, it comes from within - no matter what anybody says. You can have the smoothest face in all the land, but if you lack life behind the eyes, you will still not look youthful - in my opinion anyway.
HOW ABOUT 'PREVENTATIVE BOTOX' THOUGH?
So you can have what some people call 'baby Botox' where it's just a teeny amount of Botox sprinkled around the face to reduce movement of the muscles slightly. The idea behind this is that if your face moves less then there is less chance for wrinkles. Sure... I get it that.
My only concern is that the more you have, the more you might need. If you're starting very young (let's say early to mid twenties) having baby Botox, if you decide to have it twice a year say, over time you will need more and more to keep the muscle lifted. At the end of the day it's stopping the muscle moving, therefore it can become heavier and heavier as it's not getting used. Think of how other muscles look on the body when they've not been worked out for a while.
When we have more and more our brows can begin to look heavy and we start to have an uber smooth forehead which can begin to look unnatural. Then as more time passes, if you decide to stop having it, it can look like your face has been dropped from a great height... not a great look.
SO HOW DO I PREVENT WRINKLES?
Firstly, can we please stop being so scared of movement and wrinkles on the face. It's like we've all been brainwashed to be so afraid of getting our first wrinkle. We need to get around this thought as we all will inevitably age I'm afraid. The main thing we need to focus on is youthful and radiant skin that is plump and hydrated. Also a healthy and happy lifestyle with plenty of movement, a balanced diet and minimal stress.
If your skin is looking dull, dehydrated and grey, Botox will not necessarily make you look younger, but instead different.
SO WHAT DO I DO THEN?
Before you go straight for the needle, why not work on some other aspects of yourself and boost your skincare routine.
Focus on great, results driven skincare. A little bit of face oil in an evening and a bit of face cream during the day just won't cut it I'm afraid. We need peptides, hyaluronic acid, some gentle acids and ceramides to keep the skin plump and hydrated, Don't know where to start? Book in a consultation with me here to create your new anti-ageing skincare routine.
Sun protection is your best friend. I'm not just talking about SPF cream here, I mean big glasses, wide brimmed hats and avoiding sitting directly in the sun too. Contact me for the best SPF for your skin.
Avoid processed foods and sugars. Glycation is a real thing where glucose molecules bind to our collagen and elastin fibres causing them to become brittle and snap - directly leading to wrinkles and collagen and elastin breakdown.
Regular orgasms. Yes I've said it before and I will say it again. Orgasms are amazing for the skin. They increase the blood flow, bring oxygen and nutrients to the cells, release endorphins and just generally make you feel good. Plus before you say "pfft, easy for you to say" or "I can't be bothered with all that", I'm not talking about hours and hours of passionate love making (although I'm not saying no to that either!) but regular orgasms with or without a partner will do wonders for your skin, your body and your mental health. I did a full post here if you want to learn more about the benefits of orgasms for the skin.
At home facials weekly will keep on top of your skin health. Just a simple face mask once a week even can give your skin a boost. Short on time? Why not try my Exfoliating Face Mask as it's a two in one mask which exfoliates and hydrates at the same time... all in five minutes too!
Skin supplements that help to boost collagen and inner beauty. Probiotics will do wonders for your gut health and a collagen supplement will keep your skin looking young, plump and youthful too. Why not try Skinade and see the results for yourself.
Get your body moving. Exercise is key to a healthy body and gentle movement such as yoga and pilates can also improve your skin no end. I practice yoga as often as I can in the week as the movement and twists really help to release a build up of toxins in the body, increase the blood flow and improve the digestion - which will all have a positive impact on the skin.
Get plenty of sleep. Ensure you're getting as close to eight hours of rest each night if you can and do all that you can to hit that target. I've done a full post on sleep here if you want to learn any more.
Manage your stress levels. What can be done to improve them and how can you reduce your stress? Speak to somebody if you need to and put plans in place to get it down as low as possible.
Above are only a few suggestions that you could incorporate into your lifestyle to improve your skin health. I find a lot of clients tend to have injectables when they are feeling stressed or are unhappy with their lives. It's like they look different in the mirror when actually they don't, it's the way they are looking at themselves.
Get your lifestyle and diet on track, move your body, get some sleep and reduce your stress levels and you might just feel even better when you look in the mirror.
Thank you so much for reading,
Lots of love,
Emmaline
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