For over a decade, Botox was part of my beauty routine. In principle—and on the surface (pun intended)—I was a clean beauty junkie. I swapped toxic cosmetics for safer ones, ate whole foods, explored holistic remedies for migraines, and even switched out our laundry detergent.

But my holdout? Botox.

I told myself, Nothing works as well. This is my one little vice in a sea of healthy choices. Millions of women get Botox—it can’t be that bad. So every 4–6 months I booked my appointments and enjoyed a "smooth" forehead—though it was never totally wrinkle-free and smooth—until the lines crept back in. On autopilot, I repeated the cycle for years.

In 2022, even with 40 units of Botox every 4 months, I still had forehead wrinkles.

Then one day, just as I’d made my latest appointment, my husband stopped me. “Jules, you’re a clean beauty freak about everything. And you do Botox? Isn’t it time to kick the habit?”

There it was. The truth, staring me in the face. It was ridiculous. And there had to be a better way.

That moment sent me down a rabbit hole of research on Botox alternatives—and what I learned changed everything for me.

The Hidden Costs of Botox

Botox has been marketed as a quick fix: a few injections and suddenly the lines are gone. What’s rarely discussed are the tradeoffs.

• It’s a neurotoxin. Botox is derived from botulinum toxin, one of the most potent known to science. It works by blocking signals between nerves and muscles, essentially paralyzing them. Smooth at first, yes—but you’re freezing your face.

• Cumulative exposure. While injected locally, Botox doesn’t always stay put. Small amounts can migrate into nearby tissues, even cross into the brain. We don’t fully understand the long-term consequences of repeated exposure over decades.

• Resistance. Over time, the immune system may recognize Botox as a foreign substance, reducing its effectiveness and requiring higher doses—upping exposure even further.

• Neurological risks. Headaches, fatigue, mood changes, and dizziness have all been reported. Rare? Yes. But they remind us this isn’t “just cosmetic.”

• Muscle atrophy. Muscles weaken when they’re not used. Botox may erase wrinkles now, but long term it can lead to sagging and loss of facial structure.

• Permanent changes. While marketed as temporary, repeated use has sometimes resulted in uneven expressions or drooping that linger.

• Masking, not healing. Botox hides the symptom—a wrinkle—without addressing the cause: muscle imbalance, collagen loss, repetitive habits, or declining tone.

The bottom line? Botox buys temporary smoothness at the expense of muscle health, natural structure, and possibly neurological well-being. And as women in midlife, already managing hormonal shifts and changes in bone and muscle density, adding regular neurotoxin exposure felt like the exact opposite of supporting my health.

What I’m Doing Instead

With my husband's comment ringing in my ears, I opened my laptop and began exploring alternatives that restore and rebuild, rather than paralyze. Three practices now form the core of my routine: holistic aging, Frownies, and facial exercise.

Holistic Aging: The Real Secret to Glowing Skin

Here’s the thing: no cream, patch, or injection will ever replace the basics. If you really want to look radiant at 45, 55, or 65, it starts with how you care for your whole body.

• Nutrition. I always say, beauty starts in the kitchen. Your skin is a reflection of what you eat. Protein builds collagen, antioxidants from colorful plants protect against free radical damage, and healthy fats keep your skin supple and hydrated. When you feed your body nutrient-dense, real foods, you’re feeding your skin from the inside out. If you need ideas for how to eat to glow, check out these blog posts on nutrition. 
• Hydration. Dehydrated skin looks dull, creased, and tired. Drinking enough water — and eating water-rich foods like cucumbers, leafy greens, and berries — helps plump skin cells and keep everything functioning smoothly. Before you reach for filler, why not bump up your hydration? I drink between 1/2 - 1 gallon of water / day (between 64 - 128 oz).  Do that for 1 month and let's check in on your skin.
• Strength training. One of the most underrated beauty tools! Lifting weights doesn’t just keep your bones and muscles strong or improve your posture; it triggers fibroblasts which cause collagen and elastin growth -- so your skin glows more and gets firmer. Plus, the benefits of better posture from strong muscles lifts your face and stops neck sagging as much as any injectable. I've talked about it before and will continue to yell from the mountain tops about how weight lifting is the key to longevity and aging optimally. 

• Sleep. Beauty sleep is real. At night your body repairs, detoxifies, and creates growth hormones that support collagen and elastin. Chronic sleep debt shows up as fine lines, papery skin, sagging, and dullness — no serum can outdo a good night’s sleep. If your issue is waking up in the middle of the night, this post can help you get back to sleep fast. If you didn't sleep well last night, here's what to do to save the day and get a great night's sleep tonight. 
• Stress reduction. High cortisol breaks down collagen, spikes inflammation, and throws hormones off balance — all of which accelerate aging. Especially in midlife with dropping estrogen levels (estrogen is anti-inflammatory) and spiking cortisol levels, some form of stress reduction —  meditation, yoga, walking in nature, journaling — whatever lowers your stress — is one of the best anti-aging tools you can practice daily.

When you put all of these together, you create the perfect environment for your skin to thrive. Your face looks more alive, more lifted, more you. That’s the power of holistic aging — not chasing quick fixes, but investing in the true foundations of health that naturally bring out your glow.

Another Amazing Anti-Wrinkle Aid: Frownies. Training, Not Toxins

If Botox works by paralyzing your muscles, Frownies work by training them not to crease in the first place. These little patches — which have actually been around since 1889! — are designed to physically hold the skin smooth while you sleep. When applied to areas like the forehead or between the brows, they act as a gentle barrier that prevents you from unconsciously contracting those muscles overnight. I’ve been using Frownies for close to 2 years now, and they are literally one of my favorite products of all time.

Here’s the magic:

• Muscle relaxation through feedback. Most frown lines form because the underlying muscles are firing on autopilot — squinting, furrowing, tightening without you even realizing it. Frownies stop the crease from happening. Over time, your brain starts to “unlearn” those patterns, and the muscles naturally relax.
• Building awareness. I love that Frownies don’t just soften the line — they remind you of your habits. After using them consistently, I find myself repeatedly catching daytime furrows I didn’t even know I was making. It’s like posture training, but for your face.
• Softening lines without weakening structure. Botox weakens and atrophies muscles, which can eventually lead to sagging. Frownies allow your muscles to stay strong and toned, but retrained to relax when they’re not needed. That means smoother skin without sacrificing lift or expression. When you combine Frownies with Facial Exercise, it’s a powerful combination that helps you build facial muscle where you need it, and relax tight muscles from creasing where you don’t.

I can say from experience: when I ditched Botox, Frownies became one of my go-to tools. I swear by them. At 54, they’ve helped me keep my forehead smooth while still looking like me — expressive, natural, unfrozen (!!!) and vibrant. They are nontoxic, environmentally safe and extremely affordable in comparison to injectables. If you want to give Frownies a try, use code BeautyGoals for 10% off.

Facial Exercise as a Botox Alternative

When most people think of Botox, they think of “freezing” muscles to prevent wrinkles. The problem is, that approach doesn’t address the root cause of why those lines appear in the first place. Botox simply paralyzes — it doesn’t restore balance or strengthen the foundation of your face.

Facial exercises take the opposite approach: they help you retrain and rebalance your muscles so they work for you instead of against you.

Here’s how:

• Relaxing overactive muscles: Many wrinkles form because certain muscles are stuck in contraction. Think of the “11s” between the brows or clenched jaws — those lines deepen over time because the muscles never fully release. Facial exercises teach your brain to let go of unnecessary tension. When those tight muscles finally relax, the lines soften naturally.
• Strengthening weaker areas: As we age, we lose collagen, elastin, and muscle tone, which causes the cheeks, jawline, and neck to sag. Facial exercise builds muscle volume underneath the skin, creating a natural “plumping” effect — almost like resistance training at the gym, but for your face. Stronger muscles provide lift and structure, reducing jowls and drooping without fillers.

• Improving circulation & lymphatic flow: Each exercise stimulates blood flow and encourages lymphatic drainage. This not only delivers oxygen and nutrients for a fresh glow, but it also reduces puffiness and fluid retention (the same effects people chase with Gua Sha or lymphatic massage).
• Retraining expressions: So much of how we age comes from habits — squinting, frowning, pursing the lips. Facial exercise brings awareness to these unconscious movements and teaches you to replace them with neutral, relaxed expressions, preventing further lines from etching in.

The result? A face that looks not “frozen” but alive, lifted, and authentically you. Women who practice consistently often notice subtle changes within weeks: brighter eyes, smoother brows, and cheeks that sit a little higher.

Over months, the cumulative effect is a naturally youthful, confident look — no needles required.

A New Philosophy on Aging

Here’s the bigger truth: aging is a privilege. Not everyone gets the gift of growing older. Yes, the reality is -- unless you're doing a Kris Jenner $300K Facelift -- the fine lines and age spots will come. But erasing them isn’t my goal. My goal is to look and feel my very optimal best for my age.

Two years after breaking up with Botox, I'm delighted that my forehead moves, my emotions can show, and my skin looks smoother because I’ve cared for it consistently. I think I *do* look my age; but I look like me (and not some plastic surgery accident) AND I look like the best version of me for my age.

And that’s why I created my Facial Exercise Program for Women 45+. It's specifically designed for women over 45, who are facing (ha!) fat loss and facial muscle sagging. With just 10–15 minutes a day, you can learn to relax the muscles that are creasing and giving you lines, while strengthening the weaker muscles to lift and tone your face. Result: a face that looks alive, expressive, and authentically you—not frozen or puffy from over-injections and plastic surgery mishaps. You don't need surgery to look your absolute radiant best. I can help you with diet & nutrition, movement & sleep strategies, and facial exercises to help you look amazing as you age. 

✨ Let’s age well, naturally. Together.

x
Juliana

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