Botox alternatives? - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Botox alternatives?

Becky

Veteran

Shiny's post on the drug which results in longer, thicker eyelashes but has unintended side effects prompted me to ask you knowledgable ladies about something I've been mulling over. I am beginning to develop the dreaded "11" (frown lines between the eyes). I am actually not averse to wrinkles/lines (I think crows' feet are quite attractive), but I don't like the frown lines because they make me look angry when I'm not. (I tend to frown when I think.) I am *very* leery of Botox, though I'm sure it works! I'd like to know if there are safe alternatives out there to reduce and/or prevent further development of frown lines. Any ideas?

General

15 replies

Latest reply was from Becky

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Thank you for asking this Becky. I'm not quite there yet, but I frown when I think too (people think I'm angry but I'm really just thinking). I've got very faint 11s, and am worried about the same thing happening. I'd hate to look angry all the time, because I think I generally try to be a friendly, cheerful person. Botox scares me though, and I don't like the idea of not being able to make a certain face or something. I haven't done much research since it's a few years off, but I am curious. I'd love to hear if any other ladies on the forum deal with this, and how they've managed it.

dee2do

I had the 11 due to anger that I carried from my childhood which I learned from my dad and he carried it to his death. There was no reason for the anger it was just learned and I carried it with me despite how well my life was going. Once I worked with the anger and truly let it go and learned to approach everything differently my face truly changed and the 11 from the anger disappeared.
I do get it now when I'm getting stressed driving, late for an appointment or stuck in bad traffic. The way to get rid of it is apply mild pressure to the area with one or two finger(s) and breath until you feel the area relaxing. Hold that relaxation as long as you can. Do it again every time you catch/see yourself. You can train yourself to be aware and to hold a relaxed face. Better to do that for permanent change rather than a temporary treatment. I just googled it to see if anyone has written anything on the subject (natural remedies) but no luck other than acupressure treatments at a spa. I hope it helps.

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

I realized last year that I have been developing the "11s" because when people near me say something stupid, I make a face where I scrunch my eyebrows and cause those lines. So now when I hear a stupid thing, I say to myself, "Don't react or you'll give yourself wrinkles!" LOL!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Oh Becky, you make me smile I’m 38 and have had those “frown lines” for years. I also have prominent laughter lines. I am known for pulling faces so it pretty much is what it is!

I would personally never have Botox (I am not criticizing anyone who has so don’t get me wrong). But I wholeheartedly believe in taking extra special care of your skin. I’ve had this drummed into me at a very early age. From what I’ve read and heard, this is how I action my skin aging process:

o Never, NEVER go into the sun
o Apply SP factor 40 daily
o Go for regular facials – once a month is good.
o Be anal about how you take care of your skin - cleanse, moisturize and exfoliate religiously. Make a concerted effort to find the right products and do not be lazy about it.
o Get enough sleep

I don’t get enough sleep, but other than that, I action the above as if my life depended on it. So far so good. I really believe it helps.

shiny

Veteran

When it comes to wrinkles, a lot of it is pure genetics. Have you heard the saying, "you either save your face or your fanny"?

As for Botox alternatives, I really love dee2do's suggestions!! Anything that leaves you calmer and reduces stress has to be a good approach. Stress can really do a number on your health - and your skin.

I'd also add in there: diet. A diet rich in fruits & veggies and omega 3 fats can help reduce stress and wrinkles, from the inside out.

Otherwise, I can say that as you get older it's a really good idea to change your skin care routine to something deeper, richer and more moisturizing. What worked in your 20s is not ideal for your 30s and 40s, and I'm sure what works in your 40s probably isn't ideal for your 50s and 60s either.

Once I hit my 40s, I found I needed a much richer moisturizer. I also started exfoliating around then - which does make a big difference, maybe not so much with fine lines and wrinkles but with all over appearance and your "glow."

For laugh lines, I'm lately experimenting with serums, though I am not sure I have the hang of it quite yet - I've been getting break-outs around my chin since I started experimenting, so I'm thinking the serums are best in small doses in small areas, like eye area or 11 area only.

You don't necessarily need expensive department brand stuff, but I did splurge on Chanel Hydromax moisturizer this summer when in Paris, and have grown to really love it, and just bought a second bottle. It is rich and ultra-moisturizing, but doesn't clog pores or irritate sensitive skin.

On the drug-store end of the spectrum, I would also highly recommend trying any of the Oil of Olay product lines. I have been using OoO daily moisturizer with SPF since my 20s, and that is the brand exfoliator I use too. Also, they have a 12-day program (I think it's 12 days? Don't know the name, but it comes in separate, tiny vials). According to my completely unbiased, objective DH, it did miracles (ahem), so is definetly worth a try. (Okay so he is NOT unbiased but, I don't think he was merely flattering me, since now he wants to try it himself too).

If nothing else, all the self-pampering of trial and error will reduce stress and relax you!!

Becky

Veteran

I think you all are on the right track about your recommendations regarding stress. I do have a lot of muscle tension; maybe I need to invest in more regular massages!! I've never had a facial; here in the middle of nowhere I'm not sure if they are readily available. I am very conscientious about limiting sun exposure and daily use of sunscreen. The difficulty with moisturizers is that the 11 area is also a place I am prone to breakouts, so I have to balance the moisturizing and the acne treatment!

shiny

Veteran

I've never had an official facial... I just do them at home myself!! I buy this inexpensive drug-store stuff that comes in single-serving size, or use DHC facial samples that often come in their catalog.

Here is the OoO stuff DH wants to try now - it is 14-day Regenerist. I don't know why I was thinking 12-day (makes no sense!):

http://www.olay.com/boutique/r.....cts/re1019

I like the whole Regenerist line. This is what I use to exfoliate:

http://www.olay.com/boutique/r.....cts/re1021

I hear you about the breakouts. The frown lines aren't so much my worry at the moment - I'm more concerned over fine laugh lines not turning into anything deeper. It's hard to find an eye cream that doesn't sting the eyes. I've tried 4 or 5 now; the Chanel serum doesn't sting... but does cause breakouts if I use it in other areas.

Meanwhile, I was just thinking that when I watch those plastic surgery and other reality shows, I never really notice a person's perceived imperfection - until it's pointed out!!!

So do try to keep that in mind: you notice your frown lines; that doesn't mean any of the rest of us are noticing them!!! I think the rest of the world takes in the entire picture at once, and doesn't hyperfocus like we are prone to do.

My particular hyperfocus is on the fine laugh lines and - even worse - the saggy chin line and the turkey skin on my neck and chest... the areas I didn't start using sunscreen on until my mid-30s. However when I see a full-length photo of myself, I am much less apt to zero in on these areas. Probably the rest of the world doesn't notice them either.

I have seen lots of pics of you, and I am trying to imagine you with 11's and I just can't! So there you go!

Alecia

Veteran

I think I've got to be careful about this area, too. I love dee2do's suggestion. Thanks!

Lena

Becky and Ana, I also tend to frown when I think. I've been told that I look angry when I mean nothing of the sort. I don't have lines in that specific place yet, but I do notice how the facial muscles in that area are more visible. I also frown when there's bright light. I wear sunglasses even in winter because I feel very tense if I don't.

I do like to pull faces and I smile a great deal. And for some weird reason, I had horizontal lines on my forehead since I was a teen. I blame childhood sun exposure when I didn't know about sunscreen (actually it wasn't even known in my country).

There's a face in yoga, called "roaring lion" or something like that, it helps me to release tension in this area. Or just pulling a crazy face of some sort (best done privately ) Or pressing my palms to my face.

Inge

(website)

I agree with Shiny and Angie: a lot depends on genetics and how good you take care of your skin. Having said that, muscle tension does play a role as well. My forehead tends to tense up about an inch above my eyebrows, and after years of doing this, two small horizontal lines are starting to appear. I'm not sure creams will help here;-)

A while back I bought a book that explains a similar 'pressure and relaxation/exercise concept' as the one's Dee is talking about:
http://www.thorsons.com/books/.....x?id=26927

I haven't had time yet to read it thoroughly, but I got it off the bookshelf again last night after reading Becky's question. I don't know if it actually works, but I might give it a try. (the relaxing effect alone, would be great;-)

Nicole

Veteran

Very interesting discussion going on here. I've tried being mindful of my facial expressions (I tend to raise my eye brows and have forehead wrinkles), but I got so stressed out worrying about whether or not I was raising my eye brows, I think I created worry lines!

I also think it's very important to drink a lot of water.

shiny

Veteran

Lena's suggestion about sunglasses is a good one! I didn't even think of it because I can't leave the house without sunglasses - I sneeze horribly (over and over and over again) the minute I see sunshine. The darker, the better. Eliminates squinting!

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Wow, thanks for all the advice! I'll see if I can get in the habit of not making faces (I know this makes it worse). I use sunscreen, but I really should be way more religious about using a high SPF all over my body (I mostly just try to stay out of the sun). I have been meaning to pick up some sunglasses since my old ones are....somewhere, I don't even know. They are needed year round here. I actually had a dream last night that I was sunglasses shopping and tried on some Wayfarers! So I had to try them on at Saks today. I felt so 80s.

Becky

Veteran

I have to have sunglasses, too, year-round. I really suffer if I don't have them. The woman at my eye doctor's office who helped me select my specs says it's quite common for people with light eyes to be very sun sensitive. Wonder if that's really true?

I think my main contributing factor to unlucky number 11 is muscle tension. I need a massage...and to break out my relaxation CDs.

Becky

Veteran

Also love dee2do's suggestion and have been trying it. It does seem to help!