Hey friends,

Monica here, founder of Berlin Skin. I've been wanting to make this post for some time now on the topic of aging without the pressure of getting injectables. I want to start off with the upmost sensitivity on the subject by saying that the last thing I want is for anyone to feel any shame around this conversation. Many of my friends and people in my life are getting botox and filler regularly, they are people that I love, and there is zero judgement coming from me on this. Even I got botox one time in my mid-20's (more on that below). However, I do want to offer an alternative opinion, one that seems to be more and more counter-cultural as the years go on.

First off, I feel that aging gracefully is a deeper systemic issue in our culture: we idolize youth and treat aging as something to be avoided at all costs. However, I see aging as a gift and each year that passes I am even more grateful for it than the last. I just turned 37 and love this stage of life - so much more than the decades before!

In ancient cultures, gray hair was considered the "arrival" or crown of praise and glory and respect. It's only recently that culture has become obsessed with youth and looking forever young.

An actor may turn to plastic surgery/injectables to play a part in a movie to look younger - yet here we are in the real world, doing the exact same thing: playing a character that's no longer who we are. I'm not a teenager anymore, I'm not in my 20's anymore - and in the future I'll have different, new roles; hopefully those include being an older, wise mentor or grandmother. 

When I look at my mom, I see her for who she is inside, and her character. She just turned 60! I see the life she's lived so far. She is beautiful inside and out! But when we hang out, I'm not hyper-analyzing her skin texture, fine lines or how attractive she is - I'm taking in her personality and virtue. I'm sure you've heard the quote that goes something like "buying things you don't need to impress people you don't know." Well in the case of trying to freeze our faces in time, that quote could read something like "doing things to my body to impress people who don't know me deep down for who I really am." Something to think about.

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I won't lie, it's hard to see your face change and get older! I really started seeing changes in my skin at around the age of 34 (where did my perfect neck skin go, ahh?!) which is typical for most as loss of collagen really starts to digress around the mid-30's. And I absolutely understand the pressure to want to freeze/fill your face and try to keep it looking like it did when you were in your so called physical "prime." 

Most people, as they see their faces aging, are automatically turning to (and are advised to) injectables: neurotoxins and fillers, but there are SO many other great, more natural alternatives that you can do (more on that below).

My personal goal as I get older is to have the healthiest, glowy-est skin that I can, without intense interventions that may dramatically alter my appearance or affect my overall health. Again, this is just where I am at personally.

Side note but important note: please look into the ingredients and potential side effects in these injectables - they are scary. When I was 26 and modeling was my job, I felt pressured into getting "preventative botox" (cause "everyone" was doing it, like it still is today) and I did one round which immediately gave me a horrific adverse reaction where I felt like I was going to pass out at the med spa, and it was followed by weeks of daily panic attacks - which I had never experienced before and never have since (thank God). This was enough to never, ever touch that stuff again, and I try to gently spread the word to my friends on the risks of this product that is so widely accepted and used. BTW, I am not the only person this has happened to, and there are many other stories of women who have been poisoned much worse than me. 

Okay, so what are some of my favorite alternatives to injectables and getting your best skin in your 30's and beyond? Let's get into it:

1. Consistent, quality skincare. At the top of my list will always be a solid skincare routine that you can stick to each day: one that focuses on nourishing the skin barrier rather than over-exfoliating or stripping the skin. I love layering the Prickly Pear Face Oil underneath one of our face creams for the "slugging" effect both day and night. P.S. we are launching a new Barrier Repair Cream soon and it's heavenly and leaves the skin sooo dewy - I can't wait for you to try it. :)
2. Hydration and a healthy diet. Caffeine and alcohol can really dehydrate your skin, so limit both of these as much as possible - plus drinking a lot of water throughout the day will really show on your skin. Everyone is different, so I'm not going to tell you to stick to a specific diet, but what works best for my body is a "keto-vore" style which is very meat heavy and low carb. The collagen in meat is incredible for your skin (and hair!) and you will absolutely see a difference by adding more meat in. P.S. these are my favorite go-to grass-fed meat sticks for an on-the-go snack. Not wrapped in plastic + they have organ meats in them. Sponsor me, Lineage! Haha.
3. Face taping and Frownies. Okay, I must admit that I've tried both of these but I'm not consistent with either (mostly because I'm too tired/lazy before bed), but I've heard that consistency can equal great results for people who have fine lines/wrinkles on their forehead.
4. Get a silk pillowcase. This one is pretty self-explanatory, but if you're a side sleeper like me, it will help prevent wrinkles as you sleep.
5. Red light therapy. I love my red light - this is the one I have. There are so many benefits to red light: for the skin, it can help to reduce fine lines, acne, and age spots - and boosts collagen production. In addition, it can help to improve sleep, reduce pain, accelerate wound healing, and boost mitochondrial health. Again, consistency is also key with this one.
6. Gentle peels. I love a good skin boost that doesn't compromise the skin barrier with no downtime, and right now I am loving the Bio Repeel - the glow is insane!
7. Manual facial massage/gua sha. There are tons of free tutorials online and on social media on how to manually massage your face and use a gua sha tool. If you really want to get into it, explore facial exercises as well - but stay realistic and try to commit to something you can actually stick to.
8. Regular facials. Find an esthetician you love, and then stay consistent with them! Someone who really knows what they are doing will be able to help you achieve your skin goals.

Phew, I made it to the end and finally posted this thing, thanks to the encouragement of people in my life who have previously loved having this open dialogue with me. 10 years in, I'm still learning so much about skincare, running a business, and helping people. These posts are challenging for me because I want to be everyone's BFF and not offend anyone. I hope you can always hear my tone of grace and humility through my writing, and I'm always down for feedback on what has and is currently working for your skin. Appreciate you for following along.  

Cheers to your best, healthiest skin, whatever stage of life you're in!

- Monica Watson