11 Natural Alternatives to Botox

As we get older many people want to reduce the signs of aging, and botox is a common treatment that is used to prevent the development of wrinkles, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

But there are pros and cons to botox. Botox is expensive, invasive, and can have health risks, and unwanted side effects. Botox can also be painful and make you look unnatural, and one study found that people who used Botox report a decrease in their range of emotions, because emotions are tied to the brain through facial expressions. As well, some people need to avoid getting Botox if they have certain underlying health conditions.

I have personally never gotten botox, and hate that everyone has gotten so afraid of aging. Society, and social media have taught us that aging is ugly and something to be feared, when it really should be thought of as a blessing. Not everyone has the privilege to age and grow old. I am on a mission to age naturally and gracefully, without using botox or fillers, and if you are like me and want to avoid botox you are in the right place. This post shares a number of natural alternatives to Botox that are generally less expensive, less invasive, and safe for everyone to use.

1. Cosmetic Acupuncture

Cosmetic acupuncture, also known as facial acupuncture, is a type of acupuncture that is done on the face. It can help improve facial elasticity and skin hydration, both of which can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and reduce the signs of aging.

I have tried cosmetic acupuncture a few times and did find that the wrinkles around my mouth were less noticeable, and my sister has noticed a decrease in her forehead wrinkles with it as well.

2. Red light therapy

Red light has been shown to help reverse the signs of aging and improve skin quality and texture. Red LED light not only has anti-aging effects on the skin but it can also accelerate skin healing. In addition to reducing wrinkles, it stimulates skin fibroblasts to increase the production of collagen and elastin in the skin which helps the skin look younger.

Luckily you can now get many at home red light therapy devices to help improve the look of your skin including red light face masks, red light neck & décolleté devices, infrared panels, and red light therapy face wands. I bought a red light face mask last year and LOVE it! I use three times a week and it has made my skin look brighter, evened the texture, and reduced my acne.

3. Facial yoga

Face yoga involves doing facial exercises and massage that stimulate the muscles, skin, and lymphatic system in and around the face. It is meant to soften and relax your facial muscles to help alleviate tension and stress. People who practice facial yoga also say it can also reduce the signs of aging, and promote healthy glowing skin.

One study found that a 20-week facial exercise program lead to an improvement in upper cheek fullness and lower cheek fullness. However a larger review of facial yoga found that the evidence to date is insufficient to determine whether facial exercises are effective for facial rejuvenation, so the jury is still out on how effective it is, but there are basically no risks to face yoga so it is a safe, natural option if you do want to try it. The one thing to consider is that to do a full facial yoga routine takes about 30 minutes, so it is a bit of a time commitment.

4. Facial Patches

Face patches, the most well known brand being Frownies, are sticky patches that you place on the areas of your face, neck and chest where you’re prone to wrinkles. You sleep with the patches and they are supposed to help smooth out wrinkles by limiting the movement of your facial muscles.

The nice thing about facial patches is that they are natural, inexpensive, are a treatment that you can do in your own home. So far there haven't been any studies to determine the effectiveness of facial patches, but there are many anecdotal reports of people seeing benefits with using them (I personally use them and find them effective).

And if you are worried about the waste produced by traditional face patches (you have to throw them out after each use), the good news is that you can now get reusable silicone wrinkle patches which are a more environmentally friendly option.

5. Microneedling

Microneedling involves the puncturing of skin with very tiny needles. It is usually done in a medical spa or aestheticians office, but you can also buy at home micro needling rollers that do not penetrate the skin as deeply, so aren't as effective, but are more affordable and is something you can do at home.

Microneedling uses the body’s own healing mechanisms by stimulating collagen production and elastin within the skin to help the skin heal after it has been punctured. This helps smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and can support your skin’s elasticity.

Microneedling can decrease the appearance of sun damage, scarring, pores, lines and wrinkles, and can also increase the effectiveness of the topical products used on your skin.

I personally love how microneedling makes my skin look. It has decreased my acne scars, brightened my skin, decreased my forehead wrinkles, and makes my skin look healthier.

6. Anti-aging Skincare Products

High quality anti-aging skin care products can help prevent the signs of aging as well as help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. There are many ingredients that can be used to help improve the appearance of the skin including hyaluronic acid, vitamin C serums, retinol, and bakuchiol (a natural alternative to retinol which is safe in pregnancy and breast feeding).

As well, there are now products that advertise themselves as "botox in a bottle." These serums and creams are made with peptides, mainly a peptide called Argireline, or acetyl hexapeptide-8. When applied topically, Argireline mimics the effects of Botox. A couple peptide containing products include SkinCeuticals P-TIOX Anti-Wrinkle Peptide Serum and Peter Thomas Roth Peptide Skinjection Moisture Infusion Cream.

Vitamin C serums are great for decreasing dark spots, improving skin texture, preventing sun damage by neutralizing free radicals, helping replenish the skin's vitamin E levels and acting as an anti-oxidant which helps protect the skin from oxidative stress and environmental damage. My all time favourite vitamin C serum is the Counter All Bright Vitamin C Serum.

Plumping creams can also help your skin look fuller and hydrated, which helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles. There are many plumping creams on the market, and my favourite is the Weleda Organic Plumping Day Cream.

Just be sure that the skincare products you are choosing are safe and non-toxic. Many skincare products on the market contain ingredients that can be harmful to health including endocrine disruptors, allergens, respiratory irritants, carcinogens and more.

If you want more details on how to choose safe personal care products I have other posts on the topic including how to choose a non-toxic deodorant.

7. Chemical Peels

Chemical peels are a cosmetic procedure used to treat acne, reduce hyperpigmentation, and reduce the signs of aging. They usually require some down time, ranging from 24 hours to 3 weeks, depending on the type of peel you get.

The benefits of chemical peels are that they are safe and effective, and you tend to see results very quickly. The negatives are that you will need to see a skincare specialist for the procedure, they can be expensive, and depending on the type of peel that you get, you can temporally experience redness, facial swelling, and skin peeling after the treatment.

If you are looking for a less invasive option, there are gentler, home based overnight peels that you can do at home that are great for resurfacing the skin, but have no down time. My personal favourite at home peel is the Counter Overnight Resurfacing Peel.

8. Taking collagen

Taking collagen has been shown in many studies to be beneficial for the skin. Collagen supplements can improve skin hydration, elasticity, roughness and density and taking collagen can reduce wrinkles (by 35%), improve skin elasticity, improve overall skin score, hydration, radiance, and firmness compared to people not taking collagen.

I simply add a scoop of collagen peptides to my morning coffee or smoothies. You can't taste it and it's also a nice way to get a little extra protein in your diet.

My favourite collagen is the Perfect Supplements collagen because they test it for contaminants and ensure it is also glyphosate free (shop for Perfect Supplements collagen and use the code SIMPLE10 to get 10% off).

9. Don't Drink or Smoke

Drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes are two of the worst things you can do for your skin.

Smoking increases lines and wrinkles on the forehead, around the eyes, and around the mouth, worsen under-eye puffiness, and reduces lip fullness. Alcohol also increases lines and wrinkles on the forehead and around the mouth, increases under-eye puffiness, worsens volume loss in the cheeks, and increases the appearance of visible blood vessels on the face.

In other words, avoiding alcohol and cigarettes are two of the best natural ways to help prevent the signs of aging in your skin.

10. Prevent Sun Damage

Sun damage is one of the most common causes of signs of aging in the skin. One study estimated that UV exposure is responsible for 80% of the visible signs of aging on the face including wrinkles, sagging, pigmentation, and decreased elasticity. This is the reason that sun exposed skin shows signs of aging more quickly compared to areas of the body that are not exposed to UV rays.

To help prevent sun damage it is important to keep your skin covered including methods like wearing hats with wide brims, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Now, just be aware that when choosing sunscreen it is important to choose one made with safe ingredients. Many sunscreens on the market are made with ingredients that can have health risks so make sure you do your research before shopping. If you are looking for safe, non-toxic sunscreen options I have a review of the best safe sunscreens you can read.

11. Gua Sha and Face Rollers

Gua sha can help target fine lines, sagging skin, and wrinkles. This practice uses flat or fan-shaped jade or quartz stones to manipulate and massage the facial muscles and tissue around the face, jawline and neck.

Gua Sha has been shown to increase blood flow to the targeted areas. It is also known as scraping therapy and traditionally aimed to create petechiae on the skin, using the body's natural processes to stimulate a healing process in the skin, which was felt to lead to the therapeutic benefits including anti aging effects. However, facial gua sha is often much gentler, and doesn't leave any marks on the skin but can still provide benefits.

There are a variety of tools you can use to do Gua Sha and facial rolling at home. My favourite face rollers and gua sha stones are the ones from Primally Pure (shop Primally Pure and use code PUREANDSIMPLE to get 10% off).