Kissing cousins with Botox/Latisse

May 26, 2022 10:43 AM

So. I just got Botox for the first time and it was surprisingly awesome. I'm curious about other procedures or products that bridge that gap of highly effective, not-quite-cosmetic surgery. (If you think this kinds of procedures and products are a bad ideas, I get it. But it's not what I'm looking for in this question.)

I always assumed that cosmetic procedures meant liposuction or facelifts and that that the alternative were skin creams of dubious value. But! I used Latisse and I now have nice long eye lashes. And I tried Botox and I can still use my eyebrows but I look so much calmer. I'm wondering what else like that is out there.

Specifically I'm looking for things that 1) really work 2) are not major surgery 3) look fairly 'natural' however you interpret that word 4) cost less than 2K

Thanks!

posted by jeszac to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (11 answers total)

Best answer: For things like spots and complexion, dermatology lasers are highly effective and not extremely costly.
posted by bbqturtle at 10:47 AM on May 26, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Lasers are great. I had some sun spots and melasma lightened with a laser at my MD dermatologist's office.
posted by MadMadam at 10:52 AM on May 26, 2022

Best answer: Filler! Specifically juvederm as it’s soft and temporary. We’ve all seen overfilled lips and cheeks, but you’d be amazed how natural and game-changing subtle filler is, especially if you’re lacking volume due to aging, and not just looking to get the plumped instagram look.

Prescription retin a is miles better than over the counter strengths.
posted by kapers at 10:53 AM on May 26, 2022 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I am in love with fillers - lips, cheeks, chin, under eyes - it’s a dramatic and comparatively inexpensive (like Botox) procedure. Lips last 3-10 months, face lasts up to a year. I’ve gone two years in a row and they needed less this time around.

I don’t think I will ever stop hahahaha I absolutely love looking well-slept and hydrated and luscious even when I’m not wearing makeup.
posted by Dressed to Kill at 10:58 AM on May 26, 2022 [3 favorites]

Best answer: I had Halo about two months ago and it was AWESOME. Very little downtime (really like a scaly, peel-y sunburn kind of thing) and the texture of my skin is really improved. I'd highly recommend it.
posted by ersatzkat at 11:10 AM on May 26, 2022 [2 favorites]

Best answer: High-strength lactic acid facial peels, done at home! I expected downtime and a serious risk of burning/harming my skin. So I did a lot of research and approached it very cautiously. Like, I had baking soda paste at the ready, timer set, and all that stuff.

But it is actually super-easy to do, and dare I say foolproof? And it's cheap. And it WORKS.

I aim to do it every 10 days, but in practice it's more like every 3-4 weeks. It takes about 10 minutes. I just wash my face, put it on with my fingertips, wait until I feel like my face is stinging enough (lol) and then rinse with water. Since I started doing it, my skin has been consistently great.

This one is my favourite, but I think the company is defunct. I've also used this and this, and they were not quite as good, but fine.

It is not a dramatic change, but I would say it makes me look roughly 15% better (healthier, better-slept, etc.), all the time :)
posted by Susan PG at 1:56 PM on May 26, 2022

Best answer: Fillers for sure! And if you do any resurfacing treatments (lasers), I strongly recommend the Alastin post-procedure stuff - it accelerates healing and also seems to really amplify the results.
posted by amelioration at 3:48 PM on May 26, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Laser hair removal - if you have dark hair and medium to light skin, and shave parts of your body, you may have a dark shadow area from the under-skin stubble. Laser not only removes the hairs but also, with the roots gone, that shadow area goes back to its proper colour, which is awesome.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 4:14 PM on May 26, 2022 [6 favorites]

Best answer: Thread lifts give a tempory (about 1 year) facelift-like results. It's a quick procedure with minimal downtime.

Fraxel laser treatment does incredible things for fine lines, pores, uneven skin tone, and sun damage. It firms up your skin as well. It's not super fun, and it can take a week or so to heal. But you will look 10 years younger!
posted by ananci at 7:32 PM on May 26, 2022

Best answer: I also like thread lifts, fillers for my cheeks (I have very low volume) and marionette lines, occasional peels, light facials, teeth whitening, laser hair removal, Botox for the crows feet, dying your eyebrows or having those done somehow (I’m not sure about microblading, I think the jury is out on that) but I think those things have serious BANG for your buck. Check out tweakments on Instagram, there is a lady who does these for her job and reviews everything meticulously.
posted by pairofshades at 11:40 PM on May 26, 2022

Tinting pale eyebrows is a massive looks upgrade. Microblading is kinda sketchy on some people though - often the colour never quite looks right.

Subtle lash extensions (not the muppet length, not inky black in colour, and not super thickly applied) are beautiful and super flattering. Usually called “natural” or “classic” style. Make sure all the lashes they apply aren’t the same length- you want the tips to be uneven so it looks natural, not all the same length like a little broom!
posted by nouvelle-personne at 11:52 AM on May 28, 2022 [1 favorite]