My new hairdresser is 20, and a super pretty young woman. Strikingly so, and in the chitter chatter and busyness of my first couple appointments, I didn’t really focus too much on her. My most recent visit, I found myself watching her more in the mirror and it suddenly hit me… she’s had work done…at TWENTY. Veneers, some sort of lift/pinning around her eyes (I’m not versed in procedure lingo), and I’m pretty sure a nose job. And it’s clear that she’s naturally good looking, but now she has this walking photo quality to her, so perfected. It’s both fascinating and sad to me. And then I look at myself in the mirror comparatively - 34, nine months postpartum, I don’t even wear foundation or cover up and the extent of my cosmetic procedures is my braces in my preteen years 😅. I’m happy with the way I look, but you can’t help but see how naturally “flawed” we are - freckles, red spots, errant hairs, creases and lines, a little yellowing from coffee or tea, etc, etc. Personally, I love seeing the story of someone’s life written on their face and hands. We will lose much of the human spirit when we become comfortable with all this costly “perfection”.
Honestly really glad for this take, I agree that these new faces that aspire feel wrong somehow. So many more people are now opting to make their flaws invisible under extensions and fillers and surgery and I don’t fault them, but it scares me to think that this is what is expected of us now rather than to just exist as human beings.
It’s definitely got to be hard to be on screen and to have so many people look at you and compare you to yourself ‘before’.
That third photo - Lindsay Lohan? Ivanka Trump? Cannot tell.
I’m going to confess that I’ve had a facelift but from a practice whose work is subtle; people thought I looked ‘rested’ but didn’t know why. I still looked like myself and I’m glad I did it. But that’s it now - I’ve had a little reset and aside from skincare, exercise, etc., I’m done.
It is easy to understand why these celebrity women have cosmetic work done, but I don’t understand the Hollywood plastic surgery aesthetic that makes them all look the same. Or the whole filter thing. Unfortunately it seems to be a value shared by a lot of famous people in the US (also there is the “I lost 50 pounds in a month by eating healthy” Ozempic denial thing, too). Celebrity women have to look good for a living, it’s hard work, let us know that!
Yeah, when I first saw that pic of Lohan immediately I knew it was faked and photoshopped and/or filtered. She’s a party girl and lived life on the fast lane.
I think she looks fantastic! She’s always been beautiful and personally I’m very happy to see that she is healthy and in a good place in life. Obviously in Hollywood we see extremes but they are under a lot of pressure and in high def on screens. It’s not a crime to want to look your best. Everyone is working with a different budget but at the end of the day people should do whatever they want to feel good. An explanation is not owed to anyone, it's really no one’s business.
The part about Lindsay, Christina, and Demi really stayed with me. It’s wild how they’ve each followed such different paths, and yet somehow ended up with the same face. There’s something deeply unsettling about that kind of aesthetic convergence. It’s like we’ve traded individuality for safety.
It reminded me of an episode from the original Twilight Zone that I watched recently. If you want to check it out, it’s Season 5, Episode 17 and it’s called “Number 12 Looks Just Like You.” No spoilers but if you haven’t seen it, I think you’d really appreciate how prescient it is.
Very nicely articulated! We need to wake up and realize that beauty evolves, not fades.
Thank you! 💖
My new hairdresser is 20, and a super pretty young woman. Strikingly so, and in the chitter chatter and busyness of my first couple appointments, I didn’t really focus too much on her. My most recent visit, I found myself watching her more in the mirror and it suddenly hit me… she’s had work done…at TWENTY. Veneers, some sort of lift/pinning around her eyes (I’m not versed in procedure lingo), and I’m pretty sure a nose job. And it’s clear that she’s naturally good looking, but now she has this walking photo quality to her, so perfected. It’s both fascinating and sad to me. And then I look at myself in the mirror comparatively - 34, nine months postpartum, I don’t even wear foundation or cover up and the extent of my cosmetic procedures is my braces in my preteen years 😅. I’m happy with the way I look, but you can’t help but see how naturally “flawed” we are - freckles, red spots, errant hairs, creases and lines, a little yellowing from coffee or tea, etc, etc. Personally, I love seeing the story of someone’s life written on their face and hands. We will lose much of the human spirit when we become comfortable with all this costly “perfection”.
Ugh this last line got me: “We will lose much of the human spirit when we become comfortable with all this costly perfection.” So well said!!!
Honestly really glad for this take, I agree that these new faces that aspire feel wrong somehow. So many more people are now opting to make their flaws invisible under extensions and fillers and surgery and I don’t fault them, but it scares me to think that this is what is expected of us now rather than to just exist as human beings.
It’s definitely got to be hard to be on screen and to have so many people look at you and compare you to yourself ‘before’.
That third photo - Lindsay Lohan? Ivanka Trump? Cannot tell.
I’m going to confess that I’ve had a facelift but from a practice whose work is subtle; people thought I looked ‘rested’ but didn’t know why. I still looked like myself and I’m glad I did it. But that’s it now - I’ve had a little reset and aside from skincare, exercise, etc., I’m done.
It is easy to understand why these celebrity women have cosmetic work done, but I don’t understand the Hollywood plastic surgery aesthetic that makes them all look the same. Or the whole filter thing. Unfortunately it seems to be a value shared by a lot of famous people in the US (also there is the “I lost 50 pounds in a month by eating healthy” Ozempic denial thing, too). Celebrity women have to look good for a living, it’s hard work, let us know that!
This was so interesting. I think a lot about what is the right way to demonstrate healthy aging to my daughters.
Yeah, when I first saw that pic of Lohan immediately I knew it was faked and photoshopped and/or filtered. She’s a party girl and lived life on the fast lane.
That Paris selfie looks like she’s literally put someone else’s face on her own
I think she looks fantastic! She’s always been beautiful and personally I’m very happy to see that she is healthy and in a good place in life. Obviously in Hollywood we see extremes but they are under a lot of pressure and in high def on screens. It’s not a crime to want to look your best. Everyone is working with a different budget but at the end of the day people should do whatever they want to feel good. An explanation is not owed to anyone, it's really no one’s business.
S/he looks like a male in an expanded version of her “unretouched” photo.
Oh c’mon- that’s not Lindsay Lohan! Is it?
These women are addicts and there’s a whole industry of enablers. It’s called image management and it’ll kill you like any unchecked addiction
I love your work
The part about Lindsay, Christina, and Demi really stayed with me. It’s wild how they’ve each followed such different paths, and yet somehow ended up with the same face. There’s something deeply unsettling about that kind of aesthetic convergence. It’s like we’ve traded individuality for safety.
It reminded me of an episode from the original Twilight Zone that I watched recently. If you want to check it out, it’s Season 5, Episode 17 and it’s called “Number 12 Looks Just Like You.” No spoilers but if you haven’t seen it, I think you’d really appreciate how prescient it is.
I'm so confused. That person is very pretty but it doesn't look like Lindsay lohan. I guess that's when you know you've gone too far.
🤡