How Not To F*ck Up Your Face - The Cut
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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.

beauty

I’m 60 and My Retinol-Based Routine Stopped Working. What Do I Do?

 A reader asks our columnist what to do when your routine stops working. By Valerie Monroe

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

  1. I Can’t Take My Eyes Off Donatella Versace’s New LookI think it’s partly that her face has always been interesting, in that it reflected her uniqueness; her latest transformation reaffirms that.
    By Valerie Monroe
  2. What to Do When When Eyeglasses Leave Their MarkDermatologist Heidi Waldorf has some suggestions, ranking from least to most invasive solutions.
    By Valerie Monroe
  3. I’m 39 But My Décolletage is Already Aging. Help!Dermatologist Tina Alster has a protocol for helping the aging of the décolletage.
    By Valerie Monroe
  4. Should I Take a Growth Hormone Supplement for My Skin?Probably not but you might want to read this.
    By Valerie Monroe
  5. Do I Need a Facial Cleansing Brush?A question from a 61-year-old reader prompted a decisive response from a dermatologist.
    By Valerie Monroe
  6. I’m Postmenopausal: Will Vaginal Estrogen Cream Work on … My Face?If estrogen can make vaginal skin healthier, why wouldn’t it do something similar for the face?
    By Valerie Monroe
  7. Want to Know Martha Stewart’s Secret to Staying ‘Young’?While watching the Netflix documentary Martha, I realized the answer has nothing to do with her skin.
    By Valerie Monroe
  8. How to Find the Dermatologist of Your DreamsStart by asking any friends (or strangers with a healthy-looking complexion) for recommendations. Then ask every question you can think of.
    By Valerie Monroe
  9. DNA Repair Enzymes: Gold or Fool’s Gold?We asked two dermatologists for their opinions and product recommendations.
    By Valerie Monroe
  10. I’m in My 60s. Should I Get a Chemical Peel?Here are the questions to consider beforehand.
    By Valerie Monroe
  11. Is 45 Years Old Too Young (or Old) for a Face-lift?The sweet spot’s when you first start to see the signs of aging, like jowling and sagging, but the skin hasn’t yet lost a lot of collagen and elastin.
    By Valerie Monroe
  12. I’m 69 and Have the World’s Most Brittle Nails. Help?A dermatologist weighs in on the treatment.
    By Valerie Monroe
  13. How Do I Reduce the Appearance of a Scar?A question from a reader, answered by a dermatologist in four steps.
    By Valerie Monroe
  14. A Fix for Blotchy UnderarmsA reader’s question prompts a solution from a doctor.
    By Valerie Monroe
  15. The Refreshing Ease of Gwen Walz’s Public StyleThere is a refreshing ease to the style of Tim Walz’s wife, Gwen, who showed up with untidy hair, a frumpy cardigan, and comfortable shoes.
    By Valerie Monroe
  16. Can a Supplement Supplant Your Sunscreen?We asked skin-cancer specialist Dr. Orit Markowitz about taking niacinamide as a preventative for non-melanoma skin cancer.
    By Valerie Monroe
  17. I’m 69. Does Double Cleansing Work?Our beauty editor answers a reader’s question about the value of two-step cleansing.
    By Valerie Monroe
  18. I’m 66. Would Dermaplaning Work for Me?A question from a reader prompts us to fact-check whether you should shave your face or not.
    By Valerie Monroe
  19. 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
  20. What to Do About Spider Veins on Your FaceElectrodessication and lasers could help. Here are some solutions.
    By Valerie Monroe
  21. 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
  22. Would a Face-lift Make You Happy?A 73-year-old beauty editor weighs the pros and cons.
    By Valerie Monroe
  23. ‘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
  24. “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
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. The Power of Discretion After 60Sometimes, less really is more.
    By Valerie Monroe
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. I Want to Buy Embryolisse in the U.S. How Do I Avoid Fakes?Plus: Is steaming good for my face?
    By Valerie Monroe
  31. Do Copper Pillowcases Help With Wrinkles?Can a pillowcase save your face?
    By Valerie Monroe
  32. In Defense of Annette Bening’s FaceWe need to re-evaluate our relationship with aging.
    By Valerie Monroe
  33. One Hairstylist’s Method for Frizzy HairA reader’s question about frizz is answered by an expert hairstylist.
    By Valerie Monroe
  34. I Hate My Dimply Chin. Help!A dermatologist offers her best advice for dealing with an unfavorite feature.
    By Valerie Monroe
  35. My Makeup Smudges. Tips to Help It Last?Try using a tubing mascara or powder.
    By Valerie Monroe
  36. 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
  37. 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
  38. 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
  39. The Under-Eye-Bag DilemmaWhat kind of works, and what really works.
    By Valerie Monroe
  40. How Do I Keep My Makeup on All Day?Plus: a question about the best eyeliner for those with allergies.
    By Valerie Monroe
  41. 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
  42. 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
  43. I’m 33 and Botox Messed Up My Face. Help!What to do when you think your treatments have gone awry.
    By Valerie Monroe
  44. Why Are We So Susceptible to Beauty Marketing?Here are the things that work and don’t.
    By Valerie Monroe
  45. What’s This Bag Under My Under Eye?A dermatologist and plastic surgeon weigh in on treatments for festoons.
    By Valerie Monroe
  46. 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
  47. A Laser Expert Shares Solutions for Facial BirthmarksA laser expert and a makeup artist offer their best advice.
    By Valerie Monroe
  48. Dealing With Dermatitis? A Dermatologist Weighs In.A dermatologist explains how to solve a mysterious skin-care issue.
    By Valerie Monroe
  49. Dermatologists Evaluate the Accuracy of TikTok’s Age-Progression FilterPure entertainment or valuable tool? Doctors weigh in.
    By Valerie Monroe
  50. 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
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