Page 2 | To find beauty treatments a bit cringe now

SueSuddio · 2025-05-13T10:52:25+00:00

For years I've seen the beauty standard rise and rise, do you think we've reached peak? I don't understand how and why people have the time and money to pay for it all - Botox and fillers are now mainstream, eyebrows now need laminating or tinting, nails are now expensive gels, lashes need extending, blah blah blah, all on top of necessaries like hair cuts / dye. Now we've kind of peaked & it's got a bit excessive, does anyone else find these looks a bit cringe now? It's not my money or my life, but I can't help but think what a waste of time and money. I know live and let live but I can't help to take an interest because as a woman I'm a target for these treatments too.

andthat · 13/05/2025 17:13

frozendaisy · 13/05/2025 13:17

Society is utterly fucked up at the moment.
Young people in particular, are living a lot of their young adult lives through phones, sending their pictures to groups online which will rate your looks only out of 10 or whatever and give "advice" on what work you need doing.

Doing dating apps and pictures with filters and people getting the hump their date looks very different in real life.

There is a disconnect with actual humans and a pursuit to look like your filtered phone camera version.

I think it's dangerous.

We have teen boys and the conversations we have had with them are nothing like our parents had with us.

Hopefully there will be a backlash against this because it seems that more, males at least, are not even joining social media, and the ones who are are a bit of a novelty within their peer groups. We have groups of mid-teen boys hanging out here a fair bit and the ones we see have moved away from gaming and are playing cards, darts and ball games together. They meet up and go out and the idea of "selfies" is "what would you do that for?" - they don't mind a group-ie or will have a selfie in front of somewhere impressive but just as a day to day thing, it feels like the trend is passing.

Our teen boys are also "terrified" of the made up girls, they seem to be veering towards girls whom are, more gentle, have things to talk about rather than it all being about looks. Saying this ours are not roadmen types in the slightest! Neither are their friends, they seem to be hanging out with the ambitious, top maths set types and whilst they might rib and swear a bit they are very polite and sweet, in fact the "coolest" looking one, and looks can be deceiving, wants to perform in musicals and "is very good at ballet" nope wasn't expecting that! And he's the coolest looking one, so gives you some idea of how far from gansta and influencer they really are. It's a relief in many ways to be fair.

@frozendaisy your son and his friends sound great. Hope mine goes in that direction!

OurManyEnds · 13/05/2025 17:13

My mother holds nothing back, and had to be told that I have Botox, after she sat in front of me slagging it off and saying people who have it don’t look natural and have no expressions 😆

Mikart · 13/05/2025 17:12

I spend a lot on my health and well being... gym, PT , pilates, physio....plus hair cut and colour every 5 weeks, nails twice a month, podiatrist every 6 weeks, hydrafacial every 6 weeks .
I'm worth it at 66 😀

CertainUncertain · 13/05/2025 17:12

andtheworldrollson · 13/05/2025 17:08

one final observation- if someone mentioned that they had work done I would say “oh I would never have guessed “ because it’s politer than anything else - so don’t trust the feedback people give you

Edited

Well perhaps that observation is based more on knowing what friends have had done? Quite a few of mine have very subtle treatments that I never would have guessed.

@uncomfortablydumb60 Are you really patting yourself on the back for never having used tretinoin? I mean, it's face cream, not a facelift.

TonyChocolony · 13/05/2025 17:09

andtheworldrollson · 13/05/2025 17:08

one final observation- if someone mentioned that they had work done I would say “oh I would never have guessed “ because it’s politer than anything else - so don’t trust the feedback people give you

Edited

Not everyone is that polite, you obviously haven’t met my mother 😂

andtheworldrollson · 13/05/2025 17:08

one final observation- if someone mentioned that they had work done I would say “oh I would never have guessed “ because it’s politer than anything else - so don’t trust the feedback people give you

Daisiesanddaffodils24 · 13/05/2025 17:08

ThePoshUns · 13/05/2025 12:47

I think we are starting to see a backlash to this fake beauty standard. Lots of attendees at the recent met gala were going for a more natural look. Even natural teeth are starting to make a comeback, the young actress from White Lotus for instance. I hope so.

I really loved watching her on screen. She was beautiful and really stood out because she didn't look identical to everyone else and her facial expressions were so authentic because she wasn't botoxed to the max.

FedupofArsenalgame · 13/05/2025 17:05

GarlicPile · 13/05/2025 16:44

I dunno, between the ages of 16 and 25 I spent huge amounts of time, effort and most of money on looking like this (variously) with further iterations in between. Wasn't paying anyone to inject stuff into my face but, oh my god, the plucking!

My parents used to say I was trying so hard to be different exactly the same as my friends. Sums it up!

Wow reminds me of my teens I had dark lip liner and purple eyeshadow as well as dodge cheap dangky earrings

Someone2025 · 13/05/2025 17:04

MereNoelle · 13/05/2025 13:17

I live in London and any tweaks are subtle and make up is more natural

I don’t think that’s any better though to be honest. If anything, it’s even more damaging, because that ‘subtle’ and ‘natural’ look still costs a lot of money and is still an unrealistic beauty standard for the majority.
I’m 40 and haven’t had anything ‘done’. I have my hair cut every 3 months, and that’s it. No hair colour, no Botox, no nails, no eye lashes etc. And that’s not because I don’t care about my appearance, it’s because I think I look absolutely fine as I am. Yes I’m ageing… so what? Getting older is a privilege.
I agree with the poster above who said a lot of it is about consumption. It’s just another way of parting people from their money. And on the other side, a way for people to demonstrate to others that they have money.

And on the other side, a way for people to demonstrate to others that they have money

A lot of the time though it the women who have the least amount of money that get the most stuff done

uncomfortablydumb60 · 13/05/2025 17:01

I find it surprising that so many twenty something women are having lip fillers and other “ tweakments”
Either this generation have self esteem issues fuelled by SM or too much disposable income, I’ve no idea
I think Au naturel looks far more beautiful.
i’m 60, with decent skin im happy in
Never used tretinoin, retinol etc
Less is more.

FedupofArsenalgame · 13/05/2025 17:01

Ph2028 · 13/05/2025 16:18

I have never done tattooed eyebrows or eyelash extensions but I always make sure I take my usual makeup with me on holiday and that they are relatively full so there isn't any danger they would run out half way during the holiday (as I may not be able to replenish easily).. I would squash everything in the clear airport makeup bags and use dh's allowance ad well. Would pay for check in luggage too if it's not too expensive so I don't need to worry

I dunno about you but my dh takes a lot of pictures of me on holiday. I want to look my best or at least not worse than my usual self. I imagine eyebrows and lash extensions would make you look your best without doing makeup (a lot of
women don't want to do makeup while on holiday or perhaps they don't have much luggage allowance or they are going out for dinner somewhere lovely). My makeup routine is 7 minutes so it doesn't take much time and we rarely go to very fancy restaurants on holiday that need dressing up..

I often look back on photos from my holidays and I don't want to think- oh I don't look so nice in that photo. Eyebrows and lash extensions is just like permament brow powder and mascara..I don't much care for brows and lashes tbh, my focus is skin so I wear highlighter and blush and full base, and my eyes are just a simple line and lid tint with subtle mascara. Plus a shit load of primer and setting spray and powder cos my face eats makeup lol..

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I tend to backpack 2 months at a time in Asia. Don't want to be lugging makeup around ( assume I'm the one who was considered "sad" to my SPM so I didn't need to worry about makeup lo. Have to take moisturizer though as greatest majority of it sold in Asia has whitening agents in it and I'm pale enough lol

andtheworldrollson · 13/05/2025 16:57

And I am from up north - but clearly the wrong part of up north because I don’t recognise the stereotypes being touted here

andtheworldrollson · 13/05/2025 16:56

Although you may know loads of woemn who have Botox it is actually rather rare still across the uk as a whole - just in case anyone thinks “oh it’s normal so there is no reason I should be left out”

OneTaupeTraybake · 13/05/2025 16:52

Ph2028 · 13/05/2025 16:34

We had to save 70k to buy a 2 bed flat.. I was 26 then in 2019 and I remember telling myself I couldn't buy charlotte tilbury makeup which I really wanted until I saved x amount for the deposit.. That particular contour wand I wanted was £29. I bought clothes from Dorothy perkins or monsoon outlet or charity shops and had my hair cut at a salon for £30 once a year. Did all this help me save £70k..no it was having a dh with a london mum who let us live with her..

I am guessing these beauty treatments cost a lot more but probably not 70k. I started to buy expensive makeup during the pandemic cos we couldn't go anywhere and I thought what the hell. Now buying cheaper makeup (Korean and also drugstore favourites from revlon, bourjois and nyx I find on amazon) with only a few premium products (setting spray, powder, charlotte tilbury highlighter and a chanel highlighter stick) cos I am having a baby.. it does help during maternity leave but long term kids cost so much that I am not sure this would make the world of difference.

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You could save around £6k - that's £6k you don't have to ask someone else.

TonyChocolony · 13/05/2025 16:51

YearlySubscriptionRenewal · 13/05/2025 13:58

If it's done right, you won't KNOW the other women is having botox, that's the whole point.

This what I came to say!

I have light Botox every six months. Apart from that, I don’t subscribe to the fashion/look the OP has described. I don’t wear any make up, apart from some mascara and a good moisturiser, on a daily basis. Having Botox is the reason I am happy to do that, as I really like the way my skin looks (plus prescription strength tret that also helps with that).

No-one has noticed, including my own mother, but people often comment that I am “looking well” in the first month or so after it kicks in.

It actually took me years to realise that nearly everyone I am friends with has Botox - it just never came up in conversation and I hadn’t realised, although I did think I seemed to be aging much more noticeably than most of them! None of them have that “look” in the slightest. Another friend has a tiny amount of lip filler, as her top lip was thinning with age - I wouldn’t have known unless she told me, it’s really subtle but she feels good about it so obviously thinks it’s worth it.

I’m completely unapologetic about the Botox, I like the way my skin looks. I am also happy to have a great hairdresser, and I like staying slim as I feel healthy and like the way clothes look on me when I am slimmer.

The young women who are into the lashes and brows presumably feel the same, and that’s fine. It’s not my style, and it’s not my teen DDs, but is certainly isn’t on my list of things to feel judgey about.

GarlicPile · 13/05/2025 16:44

I dunno, between the ages of 16 and 25 I spent huge amounts of time, effort and most of money on looking like this (variously) with further iterations in between. Wasn't paying anyone to inject stuff into my face but, oh my god, the plucking!

My parents used to say I was trying so hard to be different exactly the same as my friends. Sums it up!

To find beauty treatments a bit cringe now

Crushed23 · 13/05/2025 16:44

minnienono · 13/05/2025 13:16

Varies a lot depending on where you are, around my way actually wearing clean clothes and brushing your hair is an achievement, most people go out in whatever they were wearing in the daytime and make up (apart from two resident goths) is minimal, but when I visit friends up north it’s very different, every women has eyebrows and nails done, pristine clothing, heels often and matching bags. I’m happy with my dress down community though

This reminds me of a trip to Liverpool a couple of years ago. I couldn’t believe how dressed up and glam the women were - dresses, heels, clutch bags, hair done, full make-up, tanned etc. and they smelled incredible. I think it’s nice that there’s variety across the country, though I do prefer to dress more casually myself. Least of all because I can’t imagine how costly it is to have a whole separate going out wardrobe of heels, dresses and bags, on top of all the extra grooming, hair extensions etc. I actually don’t know how so many young people seem to afford this? Is it because they live at home?

BountifulPantry · 13/05/2025 16:35

I dislike the look but people spending their cash keeps the economy going

Ph2028 · 13/05/2025 16:34

OneTaupeTraybake · 13/05/2025 16:11

It looks terrible!
I can't focus on some of the faces at work.
Weird lips, fillers and some look as though they have had some sort of stroke.
So tacky.
They go to the trouble of all this weird and expensive make up enhancing but won't lose weight. That would make a world of difference in looking good.

People have weird priorities.
How much must all this cost?!
Just save it and buy a decent house.

We had to save 70k to buy a 2 bed flat.. I was 26 then in 2019 and I remember telling myself I couldn't buy charlotte tilbury makeup which I really wanted until I saved x amount for the deposit.. That particular contour wand I wanted was £29. I bought clothes from Dorothy perkins or monsoon outlet or charity shops and had my hair cut at a salon for £30 once a year. Did all this help me save £70k..no it was having a dh with a london mum who let us live with her..

I am guessing these beauty treatments cost a lot more but probably not 70k. I started to buy expensive makeup during the pandemic cos we couldn't go anywhere and I thought what the hell. Now buying cheaper makeup (Korean and also drugstore favourites from revlon, bourjois and nyx I find on amazon) with only a few premium products (setting spray, powder, charlotte tilbury highlighter and a chanel highlighter stick) cos I am having a baby.. it does help during maternity leave but long term kids cost so much that I am not sure this would make the world of difference.

OurManyEnds · 13/05/2025 16:32

Exactly @CertainUncertainthese threads so often just become an unpleasant coven of judging - so far, by my reckoning - the young, the thick, the fat, and the poor.

Solid work, ladies! So proud 👌

CertainUncertain · 13/05/2025 16:26

OurManyEnds · 13/05/2025 16:20

I’m in my 40s and have a team of 25-28 year old women at work. Literally none of them have big eyelashes or eyebrows or veneers. I don’t know where you’re all seeing this homogeneity.

Maybe you just want to claim it so you can feel superior. When in reality no generation is that homogeneous.

I have 3 kids in around that age bracket (slightly younger). Over the years, I've had probably thousands of their friends and peers stream through the house, from primary school through now (university and post-grad), not to mention that many of my friends have children around the same age. It's true that the young woman are often less scruffy than we were at that age, and spend more time on skincare, but I can't think of even one that has had any obvious enhancements, beyond orthodontia and maybe hair stuff (both of which we most certainly had done when I was that age).

OurManyEnds · 13/05/2025 16:23

doodleschnoodle · 13/05/2025 16:22

Luckily I am unprofessional and an idiot so can continue getting my nails done 💅

PHEW 😁😁

AngelinaFibres · 13/05/2025 16:22

YearlySubscriptionRenewal · 13/05/2025 14:00

I look at photos of me with and without make-up, and you can see a big difference. It's subtle make-up, I am not into TOWIE looks, but I look older and so much more tired without make-up.

For me, it's worth spending money to look brighter and better.

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Absolutely agree. I wear make up every day unless I'm staying at home. I have my hair trimmed every 4 weeks and professionally coloured every 8 weeks. If I didn't it would be straggly, flat and a combination of mousy brown and grey. Really ageing. I started having BIAB nails in January. They are beautiful and unbreakable and I absolutely love them. I go for short and classy. I'm 60 this year so inch long nails with plastic bits stuck on aren't for me. I keep my eyebrows tidy. I would never ever have anything injected into my face

doodleschnoodle · 13/05/2025 16:22

Luckily I am unprofessional and an idiot so can continue getting my nails done 💅

Crushed23 · 13/05/2025 16:22

I’m live and let live about it as it’s none of my business, but I can’t help but think that, on young women, it doesn’t actually look that good and makes them look older even.

I am willing to accept that it might be a case of confirmation bias and we only see the over-done, ‘bad’ cases of botox and filler on young skin, but i have a feeling it’s more than that and it really is generally an ageing look when you’re young.