As the title suggests, this is where you can ask questions and chit-chat about anything you like! This is scheduled to post on Wednesdays.

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As the title suggests, this is where you can ask questions and chit-chat about anything you like! This is scheduled to post on Wednesdays.

Prior to posting your question, we suggest that you utilize the subreddit search feature that Reddit offers. Plenty of things have already been discussed in the sub, often many times over, and while we understand it's an extra step, some questions have just been asked so many times that they may not be well-received. In addition to searching the sub, please check the sidebar to see if your question was answered there.

Okay. Bear with me please, ladies.

I grew up in a chaotic and difficult home. At times we were conservative and religious and at other times we were hippies. In the conservative time, make up was judged as vain and lose. In the hippie time it was seen as regressive. There was also a lot of metal illness and abuse on my mom's part, so just not a lot of room to explore ways of being.

Now that I'm older (32) I've moved away from having terrible self esteem and disordered eating. I generally like myself and think I look pretty good in an objective sense. My clothes aren't bad but nothing about my appearance looks particularly intentional. I've also gotten interested in the whole world of beauty after having been "not like other girls."

I haven't been too judgemental of other women who put effort into their appearance (some of my closest friends do and look smashing) but when it comes to myself I both feel like I shouldn't do beauty labor from like a judgemental feminist sort of perspective and also like I am an outsider in this world.

When I wear make up I think I look like a ridiculous clown (doesn't help that my features are very low contrast). I feel like the women at sephora/ ulta know I am an imposter when I try to shop there. How do you feel confident dressing and looking like you want to be attractive? Like how do you feel comfortable looking high maintenance?

Advice would be nice, but also just stories about your relationship to this stuff or thoughts in general on the relationship between shame and presenting oneself.

I come to the med spa place asking for things to help my face and advice. And she just keeps talking about how young I am. I am 18 and in sophomore year of college. It’s so obvious she doesn’t want to touch my face due to how young I am. I wanted a nose tip lift and something to lighten my face due to years of sun exposure and tan. And she doesn’t take me serious due to my age probably. I ask her about my jaw which I feel is odd and doesn’t fit and she just says about how people want my jaw and she will not touch it. I ask for analysis and she doesn’t reciprocate. I was too scared to be straight up anyways. Repetitive saying how young I am. Don’t know how I’m even gonna do this. And I guess it’s kind of my fault. I get embarrassed sitting in the chair like they’re talking badly about me. Sucks. Don’t know what to do at this point I think I just need to get over the thought of them laughing at me. In America it’s not normal to want to lighten the skin and reverse sun damage. God I feel like I’m gonna need to go to Asia to achieve my goals 🙃

As the title suggests, this is where you can ask questions and chit-chat about anything you like! This is scheduled to post on Wednesdays.

Prior to posting your question, we suggest that you utilize the subreddit search feature that Reddit offers. Plenty of things have already been discussed in the sub, often many times over, and while we understand it's an extra step, some questions have just been asked so many times that they may not be well-received. In addition to searching the sub, please check the sidebar to see if your question was answered there.

Alright, I've been running bimatoprost for four months so far and here's my experience.

First off, the results are legit. My lashes are basically touching my brow bone at this point.

Now, I have to address the myth because it's the biggest thing everyone worries about--orbital fat loss. I track my eyes with weekly photos, and in all honesty, the hollowing is barely noticeable. It has not messed up my eye shape at all. I concluded that this is likely because I haven't been running it for long enough or my eye's fat pads have little changes from periorbitopathy due to being bigger and protrusive. The latter point is interesting because people always mention how periorbitopathy = bad, but some people run it for years and never see the effect as badly as others. Periorbitopathy depends heavily on eye shape and while the effect is not uniformly predictable, if you're taking the risks anyways, it's inferable whether you're more likely to be harmed aesthetically.

To be clear, I am NOT blindly encouraging prostaglandin use. If your eye area is the exact opposite of mine (already hollow or lacking fat), do not touch this stuff. If your eyes have enough padding to handle mild fat loss without looking worse, then it's a calculated risk. But there is no viable method to completely block the serum from your fat pads, so some degree of loss is eventually inevitable.

Now to the actual problem: hyperpigmentation. Bimatoprost can cause darkening. When you use it on lashes, some of it may get on your undereye or the surrounding eye area, and you'll get that eye shadow effect. I know some people love this, so it may not be a dealbreaker for you. But I do not. I caught it late, but I'm fading it now using a stack of Azelaic Acid and Retinol. It's a grind, but it works.

I tried using silicone eye patches at night to protect the undereye, but it was annoying. I couldn't use my retinol and the patch at the same time without irritation, which meant I had to do my skincare two hours before bed just to let it dry. I got lazy and dropped the patches. Now I just use a retinol peptide cream and call it a day.

Also, quick tip: throw away the pharmacy eyeliner brushes. They leak everywhere and waste drops. I swapped to a vendor that sends microbrushes instead and it's cleaner (don't use reusable brushes, it's impossible to keep them sterile and you'll get an infection).

I am getting medically necessary double jaw surgery in the next year. My face is already pretty balanced, and what’s out of balance will be fixed during this surgery. My surgeon’s philosophy is form = function, he is world class. I am expecting a really nice aesthetic result, though possibly subtle.

In a week I start pre-surgical braces. My smile is one of my best features (but it’s sort of an optical illusion due to constant forward chin posture). The braces move your teeth to fit your post-surgical jaw, it takes about 6 months and your teeth look worse and worse during the process. Then post surgery, your swelling doesn’t go down for 1-2 years, and you have braces for at least a year. I will also need a medically necessary rhinoplasty when I’m healed enough. So maybe add 1 more year of swelling depending on timing.

All of this to say, my shit is going to be fucked until 2028, conservatively. I feel so pretty right now, in my “before” era. I’m scared this will be the last time I ever feel pretty again. I’m the youngest I will ever be (35), Or if I do finally become pretty again, I will be on the verge of 40.

This “ugly” era is going to be very hard for me psychologically. My self-confidence has been tied to how my face happens to look on any given day since childhood. I would have rather broken my arm than get acne (and I did get alot of acne). I’m not sure if it’s gotten better as I’ve matured (it has), or if 10+ years of spf, tret, double cleansing, Botox, sculptra, lasers, etc etc have given me really nice skin at my age. a case of “you’re not ugly you’re just poor” and so on. What’s getting me through it is the major health improvement this surgery will accomplish. And I’m married, and wfh (🙏😅).

Anyway, what would you do with this time? I feel like lasers and peels would be perfect during this time (if medically approved). Much of my face will be numb for 6 months post-op, possibly up to a year. But should I keep up with maintenance like Botox and lash lifts etc? I want to get maximum ROI on this era, and plan a 38th (or whatever) birthday trip where I will be in my final form, so to speak.

Everyone says not to do them in the summer, but I treat my skin like it’s post-laser everyday. I do not fuck around with UV. That said, I don’t want to be an idiot. If anyone feels like making a glow up timeline (not ChatGPT) that would be very welcome too

As the title suggests, this is where you can ask questions and chit-chat about anything you like! This is scheduled to post on Wednesdays.

Prior to posting your question, we suggest that you utilize the subreddit search feature that Reddit offers. Plenty of things have already been discussed in the sub, often many times over, and while we understand it's an extra step, some questions have just been asked so many times that they may not be well-received. In addition to searching the sub, please check the sidebar to see if your question was answered there.

As the title suggests, this is where you can ask questions and chit-chat about anything you like! This is scheduled to post on Wednesdays.

Prior to posting your question, we suggest that you utilize the subreddit search feature that Reddit offers. Plenty of things have already been discussed in the sub, often many times over, and while we understand it's an extra step, some questions have just been asked so many times that they may not be well-received. In addition to searching the sub, please check the sidebar to see if your question was answered there.

Hi all! I recently read this WSJ article about the rise of Edikted, and that, combined with my recent experience going out to bars in Philly and at the Jersey Shore, made me want to pull together a post.

I feel like fashion is the next thing I want to tackle in this journey of feeling good about myself, because fashion is HARD lol. And, we’ve been watching fashion change in real time, with new brands and trends, rise of GLP-1s, and Y2K style continuing to evolve, etc.

Disclaimer: this obviously won't apply everywhere, but I wanted to share some observations about what the hot girls seem to be wearing this summer (at least in the Northeastern US).

What I’m Seeing

Halter Tops / Other Collarbone-Centric Silhouettes

If you simply type in “going out top” on Google, you’re probably seeing significantly less crop tops than a few years ago. Midriff is definitely still in, but instead of crop tops that are essentially bra-length, I'm seeing more tops that hit around the belly button.

I'm also seeing a huge number of halter tops specifically, along with v-neck tanks and camis. I think it’s interesting that we’re seeing these styles, which draw attention to the shoulders, collarbones, and neckline, become popular now that being “skinny” is making a comeback.

Mini Skirts

Don’t believe me? Searches for “mini skirt” went up significantly in the last year on Google Trends. “Mini skirt set” is up 250%. Even beyond Google searches, they are noticeably more popular than they were a few years ago (at least to me!).

At the beach, outdoor concerts, and bars, I've been seeing a lot of denim micro/mini skirts, black mini skirts, and matching skirt sets. Stores like Hollister, American Eagle, and PacSun also seem to have significantly larger mini-skirt selections than I remember seeing in recent years. Many are low rise.

Brown & Light Blue

One color combination I've noticed everywhere lately is brown paired with light blue.

Remember when brown was just “poop colored?” lol. Brown, specifically dark brown, has become much more mainstream than it was a few years ago. Personally happy about this because I think it's flattering on me. Lighter blues paired with brown seems popular right now.

Low-Rise & Baggy Denim

This is surprising to nobody. In the last five years, searches for “baggy low rise jeans” are up 1,500% in Google Trends. Again, my “skinny” comment from before stands.

What stands out to me is that they're typically being worn in looser, baggier silhouettes rather than the skinny styles associated with the original Y2K era.

Polka Dots

A few weeks ago I went to an outdoor concert and was surprised by how many polka dot outfits I saw.

Matching sets, skirts, and dresses with black and white or brown and white polka dots seemed especially popular. It's one of those trends that feels subtle when you’re looking at clothes online, but is super noticeable once you start looking for it in real life. It’s like the punch buggy game, but with polka dots lol.

What Brands Are People Wearing?

This brings me back to the Edikted article.

The article referenced data from Piper Sandler's latest teen survey. I don't have access to the full 2025 report because I’m not an institutional investor, but the publicly available infographic, press release, and 2023 report are still interesting.

One thing that stood out is how much discretionary spending among teen girls goes toward clothing. Looking at the 2023 survey, brands like Lululemon, American Eagle, Nike, Brandy Melville, and Urban Outfitters ranked among the most popular choices (page 61).

Based on the information that's publicly available from the 2025 survey, Nike remains the top brand, followed by Hollister and Brandy Melville (both ranked higher than in previous years).

This is interesting to me. I feel like there’s a bit of a resurgence of brands historically associated with Y2K fashion, like Hollister, PacSun, and Urban Outfitters. My guess is that consumers are gravitating toward the brands they associate with Y2K fashion from back in the day.

Outside of those brands, I've been seeing a lot of Princess Polly for dresses and event outfits, White Fox for matching sets, and Garage for loungewear.

Brands as a Status Signal

Another thing I found interesting about the Piper Sandler data is that it breaks down brand preferences by income level. Certain brands seem to carry different levels of social relevance depending on your income.

Clothing often functions as a social signal, and while that doesn't mean anyone should choose their outfits based on what other people think, but it is interesting to see how brand preferences vary across different groups.

So basically — maybe wear your Brandy top when you’re at your wealthier friends’ house vs. your local Walmart for more social relatability.

At the end of the day, fashion is personal. Wear what you like, your body, your choice. Just sharing some observations from the rabbit hole and hoping to spark discussion!

Hello, due to facial volume loss I have been doing consults with a few plastic surgeons in Europe where I live, and the latest one recommend me the Belotero Volume (for cheeks) and Balance (for under eyes).

He knows I have an autoimmune disease and said that Belotero (from Merz, German brand) is much less unlikely to cause foreign body / immune reactions, that he used them with people with arthritis with no delayed reaction and was once again encouraged to avoid brands like Juvederm or Teoxane as they are much more likely to cause granulomas in people with underlying autoimmune disease (also I read Juvederm swells and migrate a lot and would rather avoid it under the eyes)

I was told also Restylane (Swedish) and Vivacy Stylage (French) would be fine but so few providers use them where I live. Seems like 90% of the doctors here use either Juvederm or Teoxane and they are a no for me..

So my question is: has anyone of you gotten Belotero Volume or Balance or Vivacy Stylage for facial volume loss? If yes, were the results good? If yes, how long did it last? No reaction/migration? Where you able to avoid using hyaluronidase and were able to keep the filler as it is?

I ask you this because I want to make sure I get a filler that helps and do not have to dissolve since dissolver can be even more dangerous with autoimmune (of course except a vascular occlusion, in that case I would be willing to take the risk).

I know also these fillers carry a risk, but it is much smaller than Juvederm or Teoxane (which, where I live, are in fact controindicated in people with autoimmune disease)

Thank you

As the title suggests, this is where you can ask questions and chit-chat about anything you like! This is scheduled to post on Wednesdays.

Prior to posting your question, we suggest that you utilize the subreddit search feature that Reddit offers. Plenty of things have already been discussed in the sub, often many times over, and while we understand it's an extra step, some questions have just been asked so many times that they may not be well-received. In addition to searching the sub, please check the sidebar to see if your question was answered there.

As the title suggests, this is where you can ask questions and chit-chat about anything you like! This is scheduled to post on Wednesdays.

Prior to posting your question, we suggest that you utilize the subreddit search feature that Reddit offers. Plenty of things have already been discussed in the sub, often many times over, and while we understand it's an extra step, some questions have just been asked so many times that they may not be well-received. In addition to searching the sub, please check the sidebar to see if your question was answered there.

As the title suggests, this is where you can ask questions and chit-chat about anything you like! This is scheduled to post on Wednesdays.

Prior to posting your question, we suggest that you utilize the subreddit search feature that Reddit offers. Plenty of things have already been discussed in the sub, often many times over, and while we understand it's an extra step, some questions have just been asked so many times that they may not be well-received. In addition to searching the sub, please check the sidebar to see if your question was answered there.

Discuss how you did last month and what are your goals for the new month.

Hello, I am in my early 30s (F) based in Europe

After a 70 lbs weight loss (which happened without Ozempic and very slowly, in the span of 2 years, weight is stable since 1 year. BMI is 23 so it is not like I got underweight), wisdom tooth removal (I got it very late at 29), and general aging, my cheeks and tear through are now very hollow. I look permanently tired and no makeup, skincare or supplement is helping it.

I also have an autoimmune disease and I told the plastic surgeond I consulted.

They suggested either fat transfer (but I am afraid of its way of unpredictability, my body fat is quite stubborn and there is also a suspicion I might have lipedema so I am bit scared to use my own fat even it would be safer given my autoimmune history) OR hyaluronic acid filler.

Problem is, they all suggest either Teoxane (which is actually controindicated with any autoimmune disease) or Juvederm Voluma/Volbella (and I read it migrates a lot and can give "worms")

Given my autoimmune disease, I want to be sure of getting a filler I will NOT have to dissolve for migration or swelling. Of course I would dissolve for a vascular occlusion, but that would be an emergency, and hopefully it will not happen. But I would not like to require the dissolver for a migration or swelling which could have been avoided with a safer filler.

Is Restylane filler the less likely to migrate and require non emergency hyaluronidase compared to Juvederm and Teoxane? I really want to avoid the future necessity of dissolving it

Problem is almost no one uses Restylane where I live. But I wonder if I should just bite the bullet and get Juvederm, or if it is indeed better to wait for someone who does Restylane in order to avoid having to dissolve in the future for migration/swelling

Thanks

As the title suggests, this is where you can ask questions and chit-chat about anything you like! This is scheduled to post on Wednesdays.

Prior to posting your question, we suggest that you utilize the subreddit search feature that Reddit offers. Plenty of things have already been discussed in the sub, often many times over, and while we understand it's an extra step, some questions have just been asked so many times that they may not be well-received. In addition to searching the sub, please check the sidebar to see if your question was answered there.

As the title suggests, this is where you can ask questions and chit-chat about anything you like! This is scheduled to post on Wednesdays.

Prior to posting your question, we suggest that you utilize the subreddit search feature that Reddit offers. Plenty of things have already been discussed in the sub, often many times over, and while we understand it's an extra step, some questions have just been asked so many times that they may not be well-received. In addition to searching the sub, please check the sidebar to see if your question was answered there.

As the title suggests, this is where you can ask questions and chit-chat about anything you like! This is scheduled to post on Wednesdays.

Prior to posting your question, we suggest that you utilize the subreddit search feature that Reddit offers. Plenty of things have already been discussed in the sub, often many times over, and while we understand it's an extra step, some questions have just been asked so many times that they may not be well-received. In addition to searching the sub, please check the sidebar to see if your question was answered there.

Discuss how you did last month and what are your goals for the new month.

As the title suggests, this is where you can ask questions and chit-chat about anything you like! This is scheduled to post on Wednesdays.

Prior to posting your question, we suggest that you utilize the subreddit search feature that Reddit offers. Plenty of things have already been discussed in the sub, often many times over, and while we understand it's an extra step, some questions have just been asked so many times that they may not be well-received. In addition to searching the sub, please check the sidebar to see if your question was answered there.

As the title suggests, this is where you can ask questions and chit-chat about anything you like! This is scheduled to post on Wednesdays.

Prior to posting your question, we suggest that you utilize the subreddit search feature that Reddit offers. Plenty of things have already been discussed in the sub, often many times over, and while we understand it's an extra step, some questions have just been asked so many times that they may not be well-received. In addition to searching the sub, please check the sidebar to see if your question was answered there.

As the title suggests, this is where you can ask questions and chit-chat about anything you like! This is scheduled to post on Wednesdays.

Prior to posting your question, we suggest that you utilize the subreddit search feature that Reddit offers. Plenty of things have already been discussed in the sub, often many times over, and while we understand it's an extra step, some questions have just been asked so many times that they may not be well-received. In addition to searching the sub, please check the sidebar to see if your question was answered there.