Botox: Why It’s Not the Answer to Aging Gracefully – And What To Do Instead

Every person who owns a phone and calls themselves an influencer can use a filter, so it’s no surprise that Botox has become increasingly popular these past few years. Our expectations of “beauty” are simply unrealistic.

Influencers and beauty editors alike are justifying their use of it with lines like (and I’m actually quoting a well-known beauty editor here): “I make no secret of the fact that I have Botox; why wouldn’t I want to age gracefully if I can?”

And that is potentially one of the most irresponsible things I’ve ever come across.

Because, as a woman in a position of power, who has millions of women of all ages listening to her advice, she’s just convinced a bunch of them to trust her, because, you know, she’s a beauty editor so she must know what she’s talking about and why would anyone with her profile promote something that’s dangerous?

Well, anyone who has ever remotely researched health knows that most of the things readily available to us that claim to help our health are not, in fact, always that good for us.

And Botox is up there with the worst of them.

If you’ve read this far and can sense this article going in the direction it’s going, hoping I was going to give you an unbiased view of it so that you can make an “informed choice” … I am, but know that all the research points to Botox being one of the most harmful things a woman can do to herself.

That’s not my “biased opinion”. It’s fact, and, if you’re going to inject something into your body, it’s pretty darn important you know the facts. So, keep reading, and then make your choice.

Especially because we live in an age where anyone and their wife can call themselves an influencer and market something just because it “works for them” (or, most likely, because someone is paying them good dollar to say it).

Why am I going to the effort of sharing this? What do I have to gain here?

The knowledge that I may have prevented even one woman from injecting a known neurotoxin that will come back to bite her later into her body in the name of “beauty”, because society and social media and the people around her made her feel like her aging was offensive to them.

I want to help women make decisions from a place of deep inner guidance - not because I’ve told them what to do, but because they have learnt what feels right for them.

It should not be ok that something that is quite literally a poison is being promoted by influencers so that it becomes normalised and women start thinking it must be ok.

And in response to those influencers promoting the clinics that pay them to promote by saying things like, “We only get Baby Botox which is harmless and preventative”…

It’s not; harmless, nor preventative.

Botox is not just a beauty treatment. It’s a neurotoxin. And it’s not the answer to vibrant, healthy aging.

I am a holistic health coach and holistic health has been my entire life these past few decades. If I didn’t take it as seriously as I do and research as much as I have, I wouldn’t have been able to heal from lifelong disability and autoimmunity, nor would I be able to maintain my remission.

So when I speak about anything like this, it comes from a place of understanding what really creates vibrant health, and what prevents or harms it.

What Botox Really Is

Botox is short for botulinum toxin - yes, the same bacteria responsible for botulism, a rare but serious illness that attacks the body’s nervous system and the reason we don’t give honey to babies under one year old. It works by paralysing muscles to smooth out wrinkles, essentially freezing parts of your face. While it may provide temporary aesthetic results, the reality is that you are injecting a highly potent neurotoxin into your body, one that was originally developed for medical conditions involving muscle spasms, not cosmetic enhancement.

Even the plant where it’s manufactured in Ireland filters the air over 200 times per hour because of its extreme toxicity. That alone should make us pause.

Baby Botox? It’s the same toxin guys, just in smaller doses. Lower dose doesn’t mean no risk. Cutsie name for clever marketing doesn’t mean no risk. You’re still introducing a synthetic, nerve-disrupting chemical into your body, and the long-term effects - especially with regular use - are only just beginning to be understood.

The Hidden Risks of Botox

Botox also thins the skin over time, reduces facial expressiveness, and ironically, can result in an aged, unnatural appearance when used frequently. The very thing women are trying to avoid becomes more pronounced in the long run.

You see your lines and think, well, there’s a quick fix to this, but do you ever notice the women who have been doing it for years and are in their late 40s or 50s and now look haggard, aged and like anything but a youthful version of themselves?

So what’s the alternative?

Aging isn’t something to “fix”, it’s a sacred, powerful journey and an initiation for every woman through the feminine cycle of Maiden, Mother & Crone (a word we fear but is simply the phase in our lives where we are the wisdom holders - I say this with compassion, but would any of us trust a woman with a plastic, leathery face and ballooned lips to hold all the wisdom?).

If you’ve started getting Botox, you can stop, you don’t have to be that woman. you can come back to yourself and your Truth, and your innate beauty - the part of you that people won’t be able to access if you continue hiding behind something that isn’t yours. You can come back to a place where you build on your feminine wisdom and be that wisdom holder.

And from a holistic perspective, when we support the body holistically, the skin reflects that inner vibrancy and vitality.

I’m often asked on my videos to prove that I don’t use Botox because my skin is pretty good for 42. I’ve never once used an injectable and never will, but perhaps the terrain of my body based on what I offer it daily, is reflected not just through strength and good health, but through my skin. That doesn’t mean I don’t have any lines - I do, because I’m 42. I’m meant to.

Non-toxic ways to keep your skin glowing, youthful, and full of life, without compromising your health or integrity:

Choose natural skincare products that are free from parabens, synthetic fragrances, PEGs, and hormone-disrupting chemicals. Ingredients like:

Check ingredient lists like you would your food. If you can’t pronounce it or wouldn’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin.

I love Evolve Natural Beauty, By Sarah, Froya and Living Libations - I’m not linking them because I don’t want this post to seem like it’s me trying to make money from this info - I want you to WANT to seek out this way of living and use cleaner brands, even if it doesn’t come with a discount code :)

I also often post homemade skincare product recipes on my Instagram.

Red and near-infrared light therapy promotes collagen production, reduces inflammation, improves skin tone and elasticity, and enhances cellular repair - all without toxicity. Just a few minutes a day can create real, lasting change in skin health. You can read my full article on red light therapy and how it works here.

I sit in front of my red light at least 4 times a week - not just for skin, but it helps!

And this is my recommendation for red light therapy machines, because you do need to get the right ones that actually work, not the cheap versions that a lot of influencers are promoting as they simply don’t have the right bulbs for the red and near-infrared.

Facial muscles, just like body muscles, need movement and circulation. Face yoga strengthens and tones, while gua sha and facial massage stimulate lymphatic drainage and release tension, promoting a naturally lifted, glowing look over time.

I recommend Firefly Facelift membership with Carelle Rose. I’ve been doing this with her for about 2 years and I do it for about 7 mins every night, and I feel those 7 mins make a huge difference. Genuinely my face has never been more sculpted.

Skin is a reflection of your internal health. A diet rich in whole, organic foods, especially healthy fats, wild-caught fish, bone broth, leafy greens, and colourful vegetables, will flood your body with the nutrients it needs for optimal skin health.

Cellular hydration is crucial for glowing skin. Invest in a high-quality water filter, drink mineral-rich water, and stay consistent. Your skin cells will thank you.

Chronic stress is a major contributor to aging. Practices like breathwork, meditation, grounding, and quality sleep all help regulate cortisol, reduce inflammation, and improve overall skin radiance.

My RISE Membership is there to help women find this place of balance in all areas of their life. (Subscribers can use code RISEIS60 for a discount!).

Final thoughts: honour your body

The pressure to look a certain way is real, but so is your power to choose differently and model wholeness and authenticity to the children around us, as well as other women around you - be the pioneer.

Instead of silencing the body’s wisdom with toxins, we can return to a place of deep nourishment and self-respect.

You don’t need Botox to be beautiful. You need wholeness. And from that place, your radiance becomes unmistakable.

In love & health,

Lauren