How I Became a Botox Babe
one local mom’s first experience going under needle
I stood expectantly in the checkout line at Trader Joe’s with my I.D. in hand, ready to show the cashier as he rang up three bottles of rosé, and WOULD YOU EVEN BELIEVE he did not ask for it?! The audacity! After my initial guffaw, I gathered my wine and bruised ego and walked to my car. Why the hell didn’t he card me? Did he catch a glimpse of an errant gray hair springing away from my scalp? Did he notice the wrinkles crowding around my furrowed brow? Perhaps it was the Peppa Pig sticker stuck to the hem of my shirt that was practically screaming “I AM SOMEONE’S MOTHER AND THEREFORE OLD ENOUGH FOR WINE, DON’T YOU DARE ASK FOR MY I.D.!” It was a total gut-punch that I didn't see coming.
Aging Gracefully in 2022
Whatever the reason, my Trader Joe’s Trauma got me thinking about aging gracefully and what that means in the time of tight smiles and unmoving faces. The global pandemic allowed (forced?) many women to embrace their gray hair with a renewed sense of self. I have many friends that fall into this group, but where do I sit? How do I want to age? What’s going to make me feel beautiful? Was it time to add some workouts to my routine? More veggies and water in my diet? Adding more lotions and potions to my skincare regimen? The more I explored my options, the more I knew I didn’t want plastic surgery. But maybe, just maybe, it was time for a lil baby bit of Botox.
Social Media and Botox
Listen, I’m not a Kardashian or an influencer; I’m just a regular person! A quick descent down an Instagram rabbithole produces accounts boasting shining foreheads and fake, overfilled faces. A Google search of Botox shows a bevy of swollen lips and nary a wrinkle in sight; faces that look like they have been ironed. (Insert husband looking over shoulder: “Whoa! No! Don’t do that, it’s scary. You don’t need Botox, you look great!” Thanks for the unsolicited input, babe.) But I could see where he was coming from. It seems like there are plenty of images of Botox gone wrong, but where were the pics of Botox done right? If I was going to get injectables, I still wanted to look like me. Only, you know, better.
Botox or Au Naturale?
I found myself bouncing from desperately wanting Botox to accepting the wrinkles that Father Time brings me. I went on a particularly tumultuous roller coaster of thought that went a little like this:
8:21 am: *puts on makeup* OK, yeah these 11s are extra angry today, I’ve gotta get rid of those.
8:22 am: No. Nope. No way, no Botox for me. Botox is for women in Hollywood! (And my great uncle who gets it for his migraines.)
8:25 am: *Googles “Botox,” sees photos of needles* YIKES! NO. I’m going to learn to love my 11s.
8:26 am: But the 11s make me look mad! Botox is a quick fix to the 11s.
8:27 am: Wait! No! I don’t want to look like a scary glamazon lady; I want to look like me.
8:28 am: *Googles “is Botox safe?”* (spoiler alert, it is safe, when performed by an experienced professional.)
8:30 am: *texts BFF* “When are you planning on getting Botox? I think I’m ready, but I’m nervous!”
Botox is Popular
The demand for injectables is increasing and becoming more popular each year. The global aesthetic medicine market size was valued at USD 63.5 billion in 2021, and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.6% from 2022 to 2030. During the pandemic, the Botox biz saw a crazy boom. Botox was the most popular non-invasive cosmetic procedure in 2020, according to a study from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. So basically, Botox is QUEEN.
Botox and Self-Esteem
After agonizing about the decision to get Botox for months, I landed on this: you do you, boo. We all want to feel our best, and it doesn’t look the same for everyone. I have plenty of girlfriends who are welcoming their wrinkles in stride, and just as many who are microblading/Botoxing/lash extension-ing their way through their 30s. Whatever the hell makes you feel good. Hashtag YOLO.
In the same way my dog prances around the house like a showpony after her haircut, I too wanted to feel fancy and fierce– I wanted to restore the vibrance and freshness of my youth. And for about the cost of a latte a day, I could smooth out the two pesky lines between my eyebrows that made me look perpetually grumpy. It was settled. I was getting the Botox. Sayonara 11s, get the eff out!
Botox is an Art Form
All Botox injectors are not created equal! Heed my words, dear reader. Aesthetic trends may come and go, but honestly “the best injectable is undetectable.” As a newbie, finding an injector that produced natural and subtle results that highlight and celebrate my unique features was of the utmost importance. Erin at Lux Aesthetics listened to my concerns and took the time to educate me on how the whole process works. I was immediately at ease and confident that she knew what I was hoping for. Her professionalism and ability to relate to me and my busy schedule did not go unnoticed. She is afterall, a busy mother herself.
My Botox treatment was ridiculously quick and relatively painless. I considered it to be an investment in my overall well-being. Best of all, when I look in the mirror now, I see myself reflected in a way that matches exactly to how I feel! And do you know what? I got carded at Trader Joe’s just yesterday. Cheers!
