Anyone else feel that they have seen the light with regard to aesthetics and beauty ideals

[Letmetakeaselfie]

Maybe not fully seen the light, but I'm getting there.

I saw a promotion for heavily discounted lip filler near me, I've never had it before and thought I would give it a try.
I got to the clinic and saw the women who worked there.. it sounds horrible to say but they all seemed to have duck lips. In any case it was various obvious that their lips were false, they were protruding from the side.
Just said I couldn't do the appointment anymore and left, I understand they weren't happy.
I suppose I just had a what am I doing moment, and I bet if I had them and liked them I'd want to keep having it, then it'd be something else.
Looking on Instagram and such, there are so many women with very full lips, heavy microbladed eyebrows, heavily contoured face and a nose ring, and overall doll-like features.
I've spent a lot of time wondering if I'd look better if I had xyz aesthetics treatment but I'm staring to see it's not worth it, has anyone else felt like this and maybe stopped having fillers and other treatments?

I voted YABU because I've never been tempted to try any of these procedures. Maybe it's my age (mid 40s) but none of my friends or work colleagues have either.

People are not stupid, they know what they look like.

I don’t think they do. Tweakments are addictive and people lose sight of what their own face is like. I could cry when I see Reese Witherspoon, she doesn’t look like herself at all any more.

This look is glass skin for those asking.

Intense hydration look. No pores. Like you're glowing.

Agree it's unobtainable for most... So though on the surface seems more natural it actually is probably much harder to achieve than the heavily contoured look.

@doadeer

This look is glass skin for those asking.

Intense hydration look. No pores. Like you're glowing.

Agree it's unobtainable for most... So though on the surface seems more natural it actually is probably much harder to achieve than the heavily contoured look.

Looks shiny and sweaty to me?

On the surface I agree with you but I also think yabu with that example. “Discounted” filler is always going to look shit, no decent doctor would find it necessary to reduce the price of their most popular treatments. Highly skilled work is expensive but will prevent the duck lip look.

But shiny is seen as youthful. Looking too matte is seen as aging. It's a trend just like anything else 🤷‍♀️

It's a disgusting porn inspired look. You don't really see runway models or most current A listers looking like that, I have no idea why the blow-up doll look is so pervasive.

I wouldn't say the Kim K trend is porn inspired - I'd say there's a big move towards "ethnically ambiguous" - lots of young people want to look light mixed race. There's a hairdressers near me that does tons of perms to give a totally different hair type. Again looking mixed race.

@Jonny1265

Usually it doesn’t look that dramatic but I think it’s supposed to be ‘dewy’ or glowy rather than outright wet. It’s one of those looks that (if I’m honest) I don’t fully believe exists outside of photographs. I guess that’s part of the problem too, if you hold yourself up to a photo of course you’ll never look like that because the person in that photo probably doesn’t look like that!

There was a photo set recently of one of the Kardashians (can’t recall which one) and it was the same day, one photo that she shared on Instagram and one taken by a fan/passer by, exact same outfit, area etc. Of course the professionally taken and edited photo of her looked almost like a different person! But if you decided your goal was to look like the first photo you’d be disappointed because she doesn’t even look like the first photo.

Being old and out of date I find teh masses of tumbling tresses that is required today (been watching teh apprentice) a bit meh....
Can't people just look smart rather than sexy - and the heels - men just don't have this pressure

@Itsnotover if people aren't bothered about whether you can tell, why are some people in this thread at great pains to insist that if you spend loads it's not noticeable? Do they want people to notice or not? I don't care what they do with their money, I'm just saying they're kidding themselves if they think it's invisible.

When people say none of their friends have tried Botox etc how do you know? I've never discussed it with anyone so none of my friends know, as far as I know. I only have a small amount around the eyes, and to be honest, now that I'm in my 50s it doesn't make a huge difference. I think I'm actually wasting my money!

One example of cosmetic work that I think does look good is Nigella Lawson. She looks amazing, and although she must have had work it's not obvious.

I've just had a quick squizz at Reese Witherspoon's insta page. I don't think she looks obviously tweaked or overdone. Positively natural looking for LA!

I cannot buy into any of the current trends. I'm 40 and I try to make the best of myself, look after my skin and always wear makeup but only basic, bb cream, fill brows in, bit of mascara and lip balm or gloss. I keep my hair long and it's always freshly washed. I run to keep fit and I feel good.
I look at the young girls with the thick brows and false lashes and plumped up lips and feel sad that they don't feel beautiful without that. Youth in itself is beauty and we need to bring out daughters up telling them this. Confidence in your own skin is more attractive than any cosmetic procedure.

But those who look like they have had treatments want that look. You can have treatments and look like you, but an enhanced/fresher version, all the A list celebs have done that and rarely do they have that duck lip kardashian vibe.
I just watched Nigella on bbc2, she had had tweakments and looks wonderful.
Follow lots of aestheticians on insta and see what shapes they produce, there's huge varition in skill and eye for detail.

Thing is, the girl advertising the glass skin look (upthread pic) is probably about 17. In fact, all pics of girls advertising most beauty products or treatments are really young. No matter how much Botox/fillers/skincare regimes a 40+ ur old tries, she’s never going to replicate the skin of a 20 yr old. Just won’t happen.

There’s a different kind of beauty anyway in a mature woman’s face. I am nearly 40 & have some smile-lines appearing at the corners of my eyes, my lips are noticeably thinner than they used to be & my face is undeniably older. But I don’t wear make-up, & I can’t be bothered to have anything done to my face. I don’t think it would add anything to my life TBH. Faces in my view tell stories & I love a natural face. I actually think most women look far far more beautiful (& interesting) without all that tinkering. Attractive women do not have plastic faces & all look identical. It’s a horrid look. No character going on in the face, you can clearly tell they’ve had work done & it’s just so so boring & fake

@hannahmontana00

On the surface I agree with you but I also think yabu with that example. “Discounted” filler is always going to look shit, no decent doctor would find it necessary to reduce the price of their most popular treatments. Highly skilled work is expensive but will prevent the duck lip look.

Highly skilled work isn’t necessarily expensive- you just need a decent practitioner. At the moment russian lips technique is popular which gives a flat side profile. But if people want a high profile look that’s up to them.

It’s quite sad how women are so competitive that they feel the need to bitch and put each other down.

@StrychnineInTheSandwiches

I've just had a quick squizz at Reese Witherspoon's insta page. I don't think she looks obviously tweaked or overdone. Positively natural looking for LA!

Compare her face now to ten years ago. She’s had so much work she’s unrecognisable.

@OfstedOffred

Frances Mcdormand looks old and hasn’t really aged well, though to be fair she always looked similar. I really don’t think most people are trying to look like a homeless Frances Mcdormand in Nomadland.

@OldWivesTale

How is that any different from any other time though? Boob jobs and plastic surgery have been happening in Hollywood for a long time. Marilyn Monroe literally changed her name and her whole personality and voice, her hair colour and had a nose job, to become Marilyn Monroe. Essentially transforming into a totally different person. She may have had less surgery but she was just as or perhaps more fake than than the Kardashians. And she’s not the only old starlet like that either.

[quote BigOlDingleSlinger69]@OfstedOffred

Frances Mcdormand looks old and hasn’t really aged well, though to be fair she always looked similar. I really don’t think most people are trying to look like a homeless Frances Mcdormand in Nomadland.[/quote]
Does she look ‘old’ though? I mean she’s 64. I don’t think she looks bad at all for 64, she just doesn’t look 30. I certainly won’t be sad if I look like her at 64! And anyway, are you supposed to look young at 64? She looks pretty pleasant in my opinion.

@Kanaloa

She’s fine looking for her age and I like her as an actress. I’m just saying most people even if older aren’t going to be trying to emulate her Nomadland look or thinking of her as any great beauty, natural or otherwise.
Of course all this could be said at any time about her even when she was younger so it’s not exactly her age that makes her that way.

@PersephonePomegranate

Are runway models really any better or more normal than the porn inspired look though? At least the more sensual look doesn’t require women to be starving if they’re not naturally very skinny. Also the dead eyed staring of cat walk models is just weird and has been for a long time.

That shiny look girl, she must be all of 14

I was called fat lip in school, so was always self conscious about my fat lips. Which aren’t even fat, they’re just full!

Now so many people ask where I get my lips done and assumes they’re fake. Can’t win!