What am Isupposedto look like at my age?
There are a lot of reasons why this is top of mind for people right now.
Aesthetic treatments are becoming more accessible and widespread.
Lucas Michael
Its also impossible to overstate the massive role social media plays in all of this.
You probably know, on some level, that there is no correct answer to that question.
Each individual was captured barefaced and in the same lighting, and the photos are not retouched at all.
Its just a bunch of people showing their faces; thats the whole thing.
Were excited to publish more installments of Group Shot in the coming months, showcasing different ages every time.
It was the culture at the time.
Thats where mymelasmastarted, and then after I had kids it got worse.
And then I got really sick with bronchitis, which turned into pneumonia.
My body just reacted to having a foreign body inside of it and attacked the filler.
So now were just letting time run its course.
Its made me a little more wary of doing filler again in the future.
I went two, three weeks ago for Dysport and it looks great.
I do all the things.
I mean, its an implant.
Everybodys different, but, in general, Im a less-is-more pop in of injectable person.
I always say devices are my vicesI love them.
So when it comes to those, in between patients Im going to do laser hair removal on myself.
Or if Ive got a pimple popping up, Im definitely going to zap that.
The med spa world just attracts insecurity, and I dont want to capitalize on that.
And especially for myselflike I said, it can be a slippery slope.
Everybodys different, but, in general, Im a less-is-more punch in of injectable person.
I sometimes think, Maybe today Ill actually use SPF, but I havent.
And I justify it in a weird way.
Im like, Well, my mom never used it and shes fine.
At every visit, they take a little chunk out of this freckle or that freckle.
Theres not a year that goes by where I dont go for a skin check.
I think men can go really overboard with Botox too quickly.
I would rather have a couple of wrinkles.
My favorite thing about my face is my nose because its fake.
I got a nose job and I thought it was just really well done.
That was me saying, I dont want to live the rest of my life with my grandmothers nose.
My whole family was like, No, you dont need it.
And I was like, Guess what?
Im saving up and Im going to get it, and I know exactly what Im doing.
It was the best thing I ever did.
And my family was all like, Were really glad you did that.
My favorite thing about my face is my nose because its fake.
PM: cleanser, moisturizer, NuFace.
If I have a pimple, theyll give me a shot, and in 24 hours its gone.
If I want a peel, theyll give me a peel.
Ive been taking care of my skin since I was 19 because I had really bad acne.
It went all the way through my 30s.
Just recently my skin got better.
And now that Im a dad, its even more like I have to be positive.
I have to take care of myself, whether its my skin or my health.
So, yeah, I like being 37.
I have some friends who are in their 50s, so theyve been doing some cosmetic stuff.
I dont want to do it too early, but I dont want to do it too late.
I dont know what to do.
I only drink water and green tea and hibiscus tea.
The older that I get, the more cautious Im getting about what I put into my body.
I get facials once a month.
I go to the dermatologist.
They compliment my skin a lotthey say I have good skin.
I do the steam room and sauna, and that helps open up the pores in my skin.
It really just makes the skin pop.
I preferred being 35.
But getting older is good.
Its a blessing, right?
Isnt that the goal, to get older?
I have not done Botox, but for some reason Im considering it.
I went to the dermatologist and he said it was precancerous actinic keratosis.
They removed it, and it was very humbling.
Now Im always pale year-round, but Id rather be healthy.
That was the first time I went to the dermatologist because I always had pretty clear skin.
But now I have to get checked every six months.
I had my first drink at 27 and I dont drink now.
I grew up born-again Christian, so it was more of a religious thing.
Now Im training for my first bikini competition.
So therell be a huge transformation if you see me in 20 weeks.
I drink a gallon of water every day.
Sometimes I get a hormonal pimple, but I havent broken out in over a year.
I also have ovarian cysts and endometriosis.
My doctors wanted me to have a hysterectomy this year, but my insurance actually wouldnt cover it.
They said it was elective because its more preventative.
I had my first drink at 27 and I dont drink now.
I grew up born-again Christian, so it was more of a religious thing.
Now Im training for my first bikini competition.
I highly rely on convenient products like makeup wipes and stuff like that.
Some days I just dont have the energy in me to do anything.
It wasnt until my 30s that I started realizing sunscreen is for all shades.
So for most of my life I had no protection from the sun at all.
I didnt realize how much more squared off my jaw had gotten fromTMJuntil after I got the masseter Botox.
Now when I look at pictures of myself, it looks like me.
I can see how it could be a slippery slope.
Im like, Well, if were putting 50 units here, wha’s 10 units there?
I just make a run at look the best that I can.
Also, when I shave, I use good brands of shaving cream.
I think that helps too.
I havetype 1 diabetes.
Maybe one day but not now.
I use a mixture of jojoba oil, coconut oil, and sometimes castor oil to tan.
Im not one of those people that gets dark quickly.
Itll take me a couple days to get the color that I want.
PM: hyaluronic acid serum, Retin-A.
My nickname was Rudolph.
I had friends, and I knew that they were joking around, but its still not fun.
I wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible.
When it flares up, youll see the nodules, like tiny volcanoes, on my nose.
Its painful in the beginning, but once the pus is formed it’s no longer painful.
But it becomes really disgusting because its like a volcanic eruption.
When I noticed that the wrinkle on my forehead deepened, I thought about cosmetic surgery.
But then I thought, Were all growing old, right?
So why dont I grow old elegantly?
I want to be as natural as possible.
I stopped the thoughts of getting cosmetics.
Of course, Im very happy because I look at my face every day.
I think thats the most important thing for me at this stage.
Im very happy because I look at my face every day.
I think thats the most important thing for me at this stage.
I shower at least five or six times a day.
I always have to keep my body clean because Im always touching different people.
I go to the dermatologist twice a month.
I double-check that they check my skin for ingrowns or if theres anything thats irritating me.
I recently had a shoot for a Mary J. Blige music video.
These kids were like 21, 22 years old, and theyre looking at my physique.
They were like, Man, how old are you?
And I’m like, Im 37.
They’re like, Nah, you look like you’re 26, 27.
Thats a compliment, because I have a go at take care of myself.
I work out every day.
I give a shot to manifest certain things.
I attempt to not stress and just continue to enjoy my life.
Because that ages you quickly, when you stress.
I get acne sometimes, I have a little bit of facial hair.
It wasnt totally shocking to hear; I think a lot more women have it than we realize.
I love being 37 because Im a lot smarter.
Im a lot more secure in myself.
I know what I want, but I still feel youthful.
My kids are great, my partner is great.
Something about going through childbirth really unleashed something within me.
Thats actually when I started my freelance career.
I quit my corporate gig and really started taking risks with my life.
I felt fearless after that.
I love being 37 because Im a lot smarter.
Im a lot more secure in myself.
I know what I want, but I still feel youthful.
My friend just got Botox, so shes my guinea pig.
This might be the year that I get some.
I spent the last four years pregnant or breastfeeding, so thats why I didnt get it sooner.
But I just stopped breastfeeding, so Im like, All rightthat might be my little treat to myself.
My friend just got Botox, so shes my guinea pig.
Interviews have been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
