Celebrities and individuals are looking clear-skinned and wrinkle-free well into old age.
And somehow, we’ve bought into the idea that aging is a problem rather than a privilege.
Before delving deeper into the quest for youthful skin, allow us to share a gentle reminder:
The delicate lines around your eyes are a testament to a life filled with laughter and joy.
Forehead creases tell stories of sleepless nights, tender moments with loved ones, and the beautiful chaos of life.
The lines around your mouth are markers of growth, resilience, and the courage to speak your authentic truth.
At Toups and Co, we believe in celebrating your natural beauty.
However, if you choose to enhance your appearance, we're here to support you.
We're committed to providing alternatives that prioritize your skin's health, steering clear of harmful injectables like Botox and chemical-laden topicals.
We want to empower you with knowledge about the ingredients that nourish your skin, the body's largest organ.
Moreover, we offer a myriad of Botox alternatives crafted to enhance your holistic well-being, free from any adverse effects.
Understanding the Effects of Botox on Your Skin and Health
Botox, derived from botulinum toxin, a potent neurotoxin, raises concerns about its safety. Naturally occurring in certain bacterial strains, botulinum toxin is infamous for its paralytic properties, deemed one of the most lethal substances to humans.
The paradox arises: why do we subject our skin to this potentially hazardous toxin?
In cosmetic applications, Botox is carefully administered into specific facial muscles to mitigate wrinkles, aiming for localized effects. Cosmetic formulations undergo rigorous processing, dilution, and filtration, and are solely administered by licensed professionals.
However, despite these precautions, concerns persist regarding the safety of Botox and similar neurotoxin injectables.
Here are some reasons why we question the safety of Botox:
Botox Could Impact the Lymphatic System
Studies that look into botulinum toxin poisoning document that the neurotoxin moves through the body via the lymphatic system. There are quite a few essential lymph nodes in the face—and since their job is to reduce toxin overload and maintain fluid balance, it’s important to protect them (i.e., not inject them with neurotoxins).
The lymphatic system is part of the immune system—and it flows throughout the entire body. It’s especially vital in our modern-day world, where toxins and environmental pollutants exist at overwhelming levels. Due to its nature, we can assume that anything that enters the lymphatic system flows throughout the entire body, not just a localized area (as Botox suggests).
Long-Term Side Effects Aren’t Entirely Understood
The cosmetic use of Botox was only approved in the United States in 2002. We simply don’t have time on our side when it comes to understanding the safety of Botox injections and their long-term side effects. We do know that immediately after treatment, Botox can cause droopy eyes, fever-like symptoms, and swelling—which all point to an immune system and lymphatic reaction.
It’s Processed by the Liver and Kidneys
After a few months, Botox “wears off”—in other words, it’s metabolized. Even Botox professionals admit that the neurotoxin is processed through the liver and kidneys, which means it’s moving through the body at some level. While it’s said to be harmless by this point, we’re not so sure. Plus, protecting the liver is crucial in a world full of excess toxins. The more we can do to support and flush our liver, the better.
It Might Be Problematic for the Nervous System
Since Botox is a neurotoxin, its main objective is to paralyze or disrupt nerve communication—or in other words, the basis of the nervous system. Modern science is only just beginning to understand the role of the nervous system—and its widespread impact.
The nervous system helps us feel calm and grounded. But it also helps us respond to stimuli and stress, protecting us against disease. When constantly stressed, we can enter a fight, flight, or freeze state where our bodies are constantly on edge. Since Botox is a toxin, we can’t be sure the nervous system won’t recognize it as a threat and respond with underlying stress.
It’s our job to protect our bodies and our nervous systems against unnecessary threats—so we can stay calm and react sensibly to real threats.
Botox Isn’t a Holistic Solution
Holistic medicine used to be an abstract idea—only used by ancient cultures and communities that didn’t understand “real science.” But in recent years, the holistic perspective has become impossible to deny.
We can’t compartmentalize symptoms and diseases anymore. Something that affects a part of the body impacts the whole body.
Whether it’s the gut-brain axis, the nervous system’s impact on chronic disease, or the lymph and fascia that travel through the whole body, we know that optimal health involves the whole body—and Botox simply doesn’t operate on that idea.
Holistic Botox Alternatives
These Botox alternatives take the whole body into account. Not only can they help plump and revive the skin, but they can nourish the systems and structures of the body, too.
Facial Massage
While Botox aims to paralyze the muscles, facial massage works to strengthen them—which should be more effective over time. The muscle paralysis caused by injections may eventually lead you to fillers, since weak muscles struggle to hold themselves up.
On the other hand, facial massage tones your facial muscles (similar to the effect you get at the gym). Not only can this help smooth wrinkles, but it can plump the cheeks and promote better facial structure.
Topical Antioxidants
Vitamin C, seabuckthorn oil, Bakuchiol, and AHA fruit acids are all rich sources of antioxidants that can promote fast cellular turnover and, as a result, graceful aging. It’s helpful to both apply antioxidants topically and make sure you get plenty in your diet.
A Diet of Skin-Building Nutrients
So many of us are missing the tools it takes to build healthy skin. This includes fatty acids, gelatin, collagen, fat-soluble vitamins, and minerals. When comparing ancestral diets against modern day processed foods, we’re only getting a fraction of the nutrients our ancestors did.
No wonder we’re aging rapidly and experiencing more diseases.
If you’re missing nutrients, it should show up on your skin before reaching other organs. The skin is lower on the hierarchy than essential organs like the heart and liver—plus skin symptoms can serve as a warning sign, alerting your body to eat more nutrient-dense meals.
Calm Your Nervous System
When the body is under chronic emotional stress, it may try to eliminate physical stress as a coping mechanism. Systems and functions of the body that aren’t necessary for survival may be temporarily abandoned, so your body can focus on more important things. This is why you may experience seemingly random symptoms when you’re worried about an upcoming event or struggling with burnout.
Skin health isn’t essential for survival, so nutrients that would normally go to the skin may be redirected to other essential organs. This is why it’s important to maintain low stress: for the benefit of your nervous system and skin health.
Face Taping and Wrinkle Patches
Similar to a facial massage, wearing face tape or wrinkle patches overnight can also help reduce fine lines. They work by retraining your muscles—freezing them in a smoother and tighter position. With regular use, you may notice that you wrinkle your brow less frequently and even hold less tension in your face.
Infrared Light
Not only can red light powerfully rejuvenate and plump the skin, it’s also great for whole-body wellness. The wavelengths of red light allow it to penetrate deep into the skin, helping to boost collagen production and even balance out sebum.
While red light masks are often sold for the face, we recommend buying a full red light panel and sitting in front of it during a yoga or workout session.
Foster Connection with the Person You’re Becoming
Don’t let the world sell you the idea that toxins are better than wrinkles.
Botox is marketed as the easy way out. Just a few injections and you won’t have to build a skincare routine or think about the fact that you’re growing older.
But Botox isn’t the easy way out. It’s an expensive and unnecessary procedure that disconnects you from the person you’re becoming while adding to your toxic burden.
We recommend that you embrace your skin and face at every stage—and build a sustainable routine that allows you to love and care for your skin as it grows older alongside you.