Why ‘notox’ is taking centre stage in line-fighting skincare
After decades of anti-wrinkle injections being normalised, the ‘notox’ movement is gaining traction as people ditch injectables in favour of line-fighting skincare.
Just a few years ago, the “Instagram face” was everywhere on our feeds and IRL (in real life), but there has been a recent shift back to less enhanced, heavily contoured, filled and frozen beauty standards.
Stigmas attached to cosmetic injectables might be long gone, but not everyone is keen to inject things into their face in the name of beauty.
And while the notox route supports more realistic beauty ideals, people are still actively fighting the signs of ageing, albeit more holistically.
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What is considered notox?
Notox is used as an umbrella term that extends to forgoing an array of cosmetic injectables in order to achieve a more natural appearance.
With growing evidence suggesting fillers are prone to migration over time in addition to potential complications from filler dissolvents, going the natural route might ironically result in more youthful-looking skin.
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What are the benefits of notox?
In addition to avoiding the costs and downtime spent on injectables, notox promotes a holistic approach to skincare.
For naturopath, corneotherapist and owner of Solstice Skin, Hayley Fogarty, notox principles line up with her own philosophy towards ageing.
“I’m a big believer that the most important way to slow down ageing is by feeding your skin proper nutrition via topicals and leading a happy, healthy life,” Hayley says.
“I prefer to use the term ‘healthy ageing’ as unfortunately we technically can’t anti-age, but that doesn’t mean you can’t feel good about your skin as you get older.”
Is skincare ever comparable to anti-wrinkle injectables?
Although there’s no skincare ingredient comparable to the muscle-freezing ability of anti-wrinkle injections, some popular ingredients in skincare are believed to have line-fighting properties, and are often paired with non-invasive skin treatments such as LED masks, facial cupping, gua sha and skin needling.
“Skin needling is an excellent alternative for those wanting a more natural, holistic approach to fighting fine lines, and it helps regenerate the skin by optimising it’s function and improving tone, texture and the skin’s structural integrity as well as increasing collagen and elastin,” Hayley says.
Hayley recommends avoiding known irritants in skincare that can aggravate the skin barrier while factoring in daily SPF, antioxidants and cofactors for collagen synthesis.
According to Hayley, natural ingredients like kangaroo paw and snowflake flower are increasing in popularity due to their lifting, smoothing and filler-like properties.
The basic foundation of support for mature skin
For those wanting to ditch the ‘tox in favour of line-fighting skincare, Hayley recommends starting from the ground up in a slow and steady approach in order to achieve healthy, long-term results rather than the instant results associated with injectables.
“Firstly, ensure you’re getting key foundational ingredients that are going to promote cell renewal that supports the skin barrier,” Hayley says.
“Look for products containing ceramides, triglycerides, squalene, phosphatidylcholine and fatty acids.”
According to Advanced Cosmetic Medicine and Laser clinic dermatologist Dr Rahma Targett, antioxidants are really important to protect the skin from oxidative stress, such as UV, pollution and toxins, which can lead to the breakdown of collagen and elastin.
“Vitamin A, C and zinc are cofactors for collagen production, so these are a must,” Dr Targett says.
“I also love recommending hyaluronan nag, which increases hyaluronic acid in the skin to give that lovely plump, hydrated look.”
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More on natural ways to fight-lines:
- Wrinkle warriors: tips for smoother skin
- Best ways to lose the wrinkles without surgery
- Reduce eye wrinkles: Easy ways that actually work
Written by Charlotte Brundrett, Beauty Editor
