I’m 39 and couldn’t afford to keep up my Botox habit – a £9 alternative for banishing forehead lines has worked a treat
A 39-YEAR-OLD has claimed that a £9.20 product is working just as well on her wrinkles as Botox.
She had two rounds of anti-wrinkle injections on her forehead but found it’s “frankly cost-prohibitive” to keep the habit up.
The cost of Botox can vary in the UK, but the NHS website estimates treating one area can cost anywhere from £100 and £350.
However, figures can vary depending on the size of the area being treated and how many units you need to freeze the muscles in your chosen area.
And with the muscle paralysis often wearing off after three to six months, it can be a pricey habit to keep up.
That’s why one woman decided to experiment with skincare instead.
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The 39-year-old, who chose to remain anonymous, used The Ordinary’s Argireline Solution 10% to combat her deep forehead wrinkles.
A 30ml bottle of the non-injective solution will set you back £9.20.
“I apply it liberally twice a day and I am extremely stoked at these results,” she said on Reddit.
“But I do believe there’s some beginner gains happening here.
“So, I don’t think this product will make my lines completely disappear, but I’m definitely going to try.”
The Ordinary bosses have also dubbed the product a “non-injective solution for dynamic lines”.
It has been especially formulated to fight the physical signs of ageing and crow’s feet, with Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 being the active ingredient that makes the magic happen.
The trade name for this chemical is Argireline, hence the product’s name.
It is a synthetic peptide that reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines by inhibiting the release of neurotransmitters.
In less scientific terms, it relaxes your facial muscles and stops them from contracting - the exact same thing that Botox does.
The importance of sun cream in your skincare routine
Dermatologist and skincare enthusiast Andrea Suarez - known as Dr Dray - revealed why you should wear suncream.
The one thing you can do that will make the biggest difference - and this matters for all ages - is protecting your skin from the sun, Andrea stressed.
"The vast majority of external aging is due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation," she continued, not because you're "not using some jazzy serum or layering 90 different things on your face everyday".
"If you're not doing in your 20s, get on that now."
But she said the use of sun cream alone doesn't go far enough. Andrea urged that you also wear sun-protective clothing like broad-brimmed hats and long sleeves, on top of not staying out too long in the sun.
Doing this over your lifetime - and all year, not just during the summer or on sunny days - "will reduce the visible signs of photoageing", Andrea said.
Those are wrinkles, muddled pigmentation and sagging skin.
If a muscle is contracted over time, it creates a dynamic line - A.K.A, a wrinkle.
“Argireline Solution 10% offers an advanced formula targeting dynamic forehead, ‘eleven eye’, and smile lines in an effective, ‘non-injective’ way,” The Ordinary bosses said.
“By incorporating a high concentration of Argireline, this lightweight serum improves the appearance of facial areas prone to deep-set lines, resulting in smoother, more relaxed skin.”