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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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This Beauty-Pageant Winner Is Not Real. That’s a Good Thing.

 Unrealistic ideals, simplistic thinking, misogyny, and objectification have always belonged — at best — in the world of make-believe. By Valerie Monroe

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

  1. What to Do About Spider Veins on Your FaceElectrodessication and lasers could help. Here are some solutions.
    By Valerie Monroe
  2. A Plastic Surgeon Clears Up 10 Beauty MythsNew York City plastic surgeon Gerald Imber, M.D., is down-to-earth and honest about the effectiveness of various skin-care treatments.
    By Valerie Monroe
  3. Would a Face-lift Make You Happy?A 73-year-old beauty editor weighs the pros and cons.
    By Valerie Monroe
  4. ‘Help! My Under-eye Makeup Is Peeling Off!Layering products with different formulas can cause that. Here’s what to use instead — and how to apply. (Hint: Use your finger!)
    By Valerie Monroe
  5. “If You Take All Your Wrinkles Away, the Map of Your Life Is Different.”A new documentary about Diane von Furstenberg makes us think differently about aging.
    By Valerie Monroe
  6. The Joys of Jowls (and What You Can Do About Them)Sofwave, Ulthera, and Radio Frequency (RF) microneedling can reduce the appearance of jowling. But read this before you consider.
    By Valerie Monroe
  7. I’m 52. Will Hyaluronic Acid Supplements Help My Skin?Probably not. But read here to see other solutions which will help your skin.
    By Valerie Monroe
  8. The Power of Discretion After 60Sometimes, less really is more.
    By Valerie Monroe
  9. I’m 66 and Have Dry Skin Around My Eyes. Will Concealer Help?A 73-year-old beauty expert answers a question dear to her.
    By Valerie Monroe
  10. The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" - Arrivals
    Pamela Anderson Looks Great With or Without MakeupThe choices she makes are less consequential than the fact that she has freed herself to make them.
    By Valerie Monroe
  11. I Want to Buy Embryolisse in the U.S. How Do I Avoid Fakes?Plus: Is steaming good for my face?
    By Valerie Monroe
  12. Do Copper Pillowcases Help With Wrinkles?Can a pillowcase save your face?
    By Valerie Monroe
  13. In Defense of Annette Bening’s FaceWe need to re-evaluate our relationship with aging.
    By Valerie Monroe
  14. One Hairstylist’s Method for Frizzy HairA reader’s question about frizz is answered by an expert hairstylist.
    By Valerie Monroe
  15. I Hate My Dimply Chin. Help!A dermatologist offers her best advice for dealing with an unfavorite feature.
    By Valerie Monroe
  16. My Makeup Smudges. Tips to Help It Last?Try using a tubing mascara or powder.
    By Valerie Monroe
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. The Under-Eye-Bag DilemmaWhat kind of works, and what really works.
    By Valerie Monroe
  21. How Do I Keep My Makeup on All Day?Plus: a question about the best eyeliner for those with allergies.
    By Valerie Monroe
  22. 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
  23. 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
  24. I’m 33 and Botox Messed Up My Face. Help!What to do when you think your treatments have gone awry.
    By Valerie Monroe
  25. Why Are We So Susceptible to Beauty Marketing?Here are the things that work and don’t.
    By Valerie Monroe
  26. What’s This Bag Under My Under Eye?A dermatologist and plastic surgeon weigh in on treatments for festoons.
    By Valerie Monroe
  27. 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
  28. A Laser Expert Shares Solutions for Facial BirthmarksA laser expert and a makeup artist offer their best advice.
    By Valerie Monroe
  29. Dealing With Dermatitis? A Dermatologist Weighs In.A dermatologist explains how to solve a mysterious skin-care issue.
    By Valerie Monroe
  30. Dermatologists Evaluate the Accuracy of TikTok’s Age-Progression FilterPure entertainment or valuable tool? Doctors weigh in.
    By Valerie Monroe
  31. 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
  32. 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
  33. 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
  34. Are Veneers the New Boobs?The smiles of the contestants on The Golden Bachelor deserve their own show.
    By Valerie Monroe
  35. 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
  36. 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
  37. 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
  38. 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
  39. How Much Facial Filler Is Too Much?A dermatologist on what it really takes to get the best results.
    By Valerie Monroe
  40. 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
  41. 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
  42. Are Expensive Vitamin-C Serums Actually Worth It?A dermatologist weighs in on the value of the popular skin-care ingredient.
    By Valerie Monroe
  43. Can Skin-Care Products Lose Their Effectiveness Long Term?A dermatologist explains why the answer is “Yes and no.”
    By Valerie Monroe
  44. I Tried a Hemp-Infused Gummy for Better Sleep, and Here’s How It WentAdventures in chasing the elusive snooze.
    By Valerie Monroe
  45. 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
  46. Does the NuFace Device Work on Aging Skin?A dermatologist on the pros and cons of a microcurrent device.
    By Valerie Monroe
  47. 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
  48. 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
  49. What Is the Most Effective Alternative to Retinoids?A dermatologist advises what to use instead of the powerful vitamin-A derivative.
    By Valerie Monroe
  50. 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
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