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How Not to F*ck Up Your Face

A beauty-advice column from former O, The Oprah Magazine beauty director Valerie Monroe. Her goal: to shift our thinking around beauty and aging from self-criticism to self-compassion and to learn how to be loving witnesses to ourselves and one another as we age.

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In Defense of Annette Bening’s Face

 We need to re-evaluate our relationship with aging. By Valerie Monroe

More From 'How Not to F*ck Up Your Face'

  1. One Hairstylist’s Method for Frizzy HairA reader’s question about frizz is answered by an expert hairstylist.
    By Valerie Monroe
  2. I Hate My Dimply Chin. Help!A dermatologist offers her best advice for dealing with an unfavorite feature.
    By Valerie Monroe
  3. My Makeup Smudges. Tips to Help It Last?Try using a tubing mascara or powder.
    By Valerie Monroe
  4. My Scalp is Pink and It’s Showing Through My Hairline. Help!How to avoid that pink-scalp-through-the-snowy-hair look.
    By Valerie Monroe
  5. I’m in My Mid-40s and Got Dysport. Can It Age You?Absolutely, says a dermatologist, but here’s how to avoid it.
    By Valerie Monroe
  6. Can Your Sleep Habits Give You Wrinkles?Smooshing your face into a pillow for eight hours can give you wrinkles. Here is what to do.
    By Valerie Monroe
  7. The Under-Eye-Bag DilemmaWhat kind of works, and what really works.
    By Valerie Monroe
  8. How Do I Keep My Makeup on All Day?Plus: a question about the best eyeliner for those with allergies.
    By Valerie Monroe
  9. My Experience Using Lasers for Skin LesionsMy dermatologist Orit Markowitz, M.D., recommended FDA-approved photodynamic therapy, which, according to studies, is highly efficient.
    By Valerie Monroe
  10. I’m Almost 60. What Can I Do About Marionette Lines?A reader question prompts this 73-year-old former beauty editor to give advice about being too self-critical.
    By Valerie Monroe
  11. I’m 33 and Botox Messed Up My Face. Help!What to do when you think your treatments have gone awry.
    By Valerie Monroe
  12. Why Are We So Susceptible to Beauty Marketing?Here are the things that work and don’t.
    By Valerie Monroe
  13. What’s This Bag Under My Under Eye?A dermatologist and plastic surgeon weigh in on treatments for festoons.
    By Valerie Monroe
  14. I’m 30 Years Old. Should I Get ‘Baby Botox’?I’m a 73-year-old former beauty editor, here is my advice.
    By Valerie Monroe
  15. A Laser Expert Shares Solutions for Facial BirthmarksA laser expert and a makeup artist offer their best advice.
    By Valerie Monroe
  16. Dealing With Dermatitis? A Dermatologist Weighs In.A dermatologist explains how to solve a mysterious skin-care issue.
    By Valerie Monroe
  17. Dermatologists Evaluate the Accuracy of TikTok’s Age-Progression FilterPure entertainment or valuable tool? Doctors weigh in.
    By Valerie Monroe
  18. Unsexy Question: How Do I Protect My Skin From Bug Bites?A reader anticipating a Caribbean cruise wonders how she should apply sunscreen when moisturizer and insect repellent are also on the program.
    By Valerie Monroe
  19. TikTok Is Taking Over My Teen’s Multistep Skin-Care RoutineWhat’s the harm in an elaborate skin-care routine for young girls? Dermatologists weigh in.
    By Valerie Monroe
  20. What Can I Do About My Dandruff Problem?An expert explains how to properly care for flaky scalps, clinically known as seborrheic dermatitis.
    By Valerie Monroe
  21. Are Veneers the New Boobs?The smiles of the contestants on The Golden Bachelor deserve their own show.
    By Valerie Monroe
  22. How Do I Choose the Right In-Office Treatment for Tightening Lax Skin? A dermatologist offers her best advice about getting the most bang for your buck.
    By Valerie Monroe
  23. I’ve Gone Gray! But What About My Brows?There’s a color-coordinating trick to it: A makeup artist explains, inside.
    By Valerie Monroe
  24. Is There a Way to Actually Hide Under-Eye Shadows and Hollows?A couple of pro makeup artists weigh in on the best way to conceal them.
    By Valerie Monroe
  25. Was Pamela Anderson’s Makeup-Free Fashion Week Just a Stunt?“I feel like it’s just freedom; it’s a relief,” Anderson said about going without makeup.
    By Valerie Monroe
  26. How Much Facial Filler Is Too Much?A dermatologist on what it really takes to get the best results.
    By Valerie Monroe
  27. How Do I Maintain Healthy and Strong Lashes As I Age?Experts explain eye care for the aged … and for you, too.
    By Valerie Monroe
  28. Why Does My Neck Change So Drastically As I Age?A plastic surgeon offers his best advice for caring for the neck.
    By Valerie Monroe
  29. Are Expensive Vitamin-C Serums Actually Worth It?A dermatologist weighs in on the value of the popular skin-care ingredient.
    By Valerie Monroe
  30. Can Skin-Care Products Lose Their Effectiveness Long Term?A dermatologist explains why the answer is “Yes and no.”
    By Valerie Monroe
  31. I Tried a Hemp-Infused Gummy for Better Sleep, and Here’s How It WentAdventures in chasing the elusive snooze.
    By Valerie Monroe
  32. I Feel Like My Botox Stopped Working. Is This a Real Thing?Yes, it’s possible to become immune to Botox. A dermatologist explains.
    By Valerie Monroe
  33. Does the NuFace Device Work on Aging Skin?A dermatologist on the pros and cons of a microcurrent device.
    By Valerie Monroe
  34. Is a Medical Pedicure Worth the Money?Here’s what happened when I treated my feet to a medi-pedi for the first time, along with advice from a board-certified podiatric surgeon.
    By Valerie Monroe
  35. Are Cosmetic Facial Threads Actually a Quick Fix?A dermatologist explains the ins and outs of surgical facial tailoring and the factors to consider before trying this treatment.
    By Valerie Monroe
  36. What Is the Most Effective Alternative to Retinoids?A dermatologist advises what to use instead of the powerful vitamin-A derivative.
    By Valerie Monroe
  37. Do Facial Exercises Actually Do Anything?Can working out the muscles in your face prevent signs of aging? A plastic surgeon weighs in.
    By Valerie Monroe
  38. Are Phenol Peels Safe for My Skin?We asked a dermatologist about one of the strongest chemical peels available on the aesthetic market.
    By Valerie Monroe
  39. Is a Fat Transfer the Best Facial Filler?The pros and cons of harvesting your excess padding to volumize your face, according to experts.
    By Valerie Monroe
  40. What Happens to Your Skin on Booze?What research shows about drinking and your complexion.
    By Valerie Monroe
  41. Are Expensive Skin-Tightening Laser Treatments Actually Worth It?A dermatologist offers the pros and cons of one very popular in-office skin-tightening treatment.
    By Valerie Monroe
  42. Dealing With Thinning Hair? Science-Backed Solutions for Hair LossEverything you need to know about thinning hair and how to grow it back.
    By Valerie Monroe
  43. Are You Really Getting the Sun Protection You Need?Probably not, says a dermatologist, especially if you’re mixing products.
    By Valerie Monroe
  44. Emface, Self-Tanner, Oral Care, and More Explained by a DermatologistDoes washing with face oil remove self tanner? Is rapamycin the new fountain of youth? Will Emface work for you?
    By Valerie Monroe
  45. Is Toner Really Necessary?As HNTFUYF DermDiva Heidi Waldorf said, getting right to the bottom-line, “Using a toner is unnecessary.”
    By Valerie Monroe
  46. How to Heal Melasma, According to a DermatologistAdvice on how to get rid of a particularly intractable spot.
    By Valerie Monroe
  47. Is There a Legitimate Way to Get Rid of Cellulite?A dermatologist cuts through the costly options.
    By Valerie Monroe
  48. Why Do I Get Purple Blotches on My Skin Out of Nowhere?They can actually be explained.
    By Valerie Monroe
  49. Can Your Hair Turn Gray Overnight?A hair expert explains why hair loses pigment and whether stress is the cause.
    By Valerie Monroe
  50. Is Matrixyl the Magic Ingredient for Younger-Looking Skin?Why some things work better when they have less to do.
    By Valerie Monroe
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