The Beauty Brief: Volume 3
What I’m noticing in cosmetics right now - from viral injectables to influencer skincare to the new wave of “regenerative” treatments.
THE CLINICAL CORNER
“Backyard Botox” is the latest beauty trend
Instead of visiting a medical office, people are getting injectables at private homes, hotel rooms, or pop up events arranged through Instagram or TikTok.
The selling point is usually the price. Treatments are often advertised for significantly less than what you’d pay in a clinic.
The problem is that botox is a prescription medication and a medical procedure! When injections happen outside of a proper clinical setting, there’s a much higher risk of counterfeit products, incorrect dosing, contamination, or someone who simply doesn’t know facial anatomy well enough to inject safely.
My take: botox has become so normalized that people forget it’s still medicine. If your injector can’t manage a complication, you’re not in a beauty appointment…you’re in a risky one.
TREND WATCH
This week, Alix Earle launched her new skincare line, Reale Actives
A few things stood out to me:
First, Alix has been very open about being on Accutane and now spironolactone, both prescription acne treatments that significantly change the biology of your skin. Accutane reduces sebaceous gland activity long term, and spironolactone suppresses androgen driven oil production. So when the brand is framed as “this cleared my skin,” it’s not really the full picture.
Realistically, products like these are supportive. They can help maintain the skin barrier, reduce irritation, and maybe help mild breakouts, but they are not doing what prescription medications are doing.
Second, the marketing leans heavily on before and afters, but there’s no clear timeline showing when she was on Accutane, when spironolactone started, and when these products entered the routine. As a consumer, it becomes difficult to tell what actually improved her skin.
And third, the non-comedogenic positioning. For an acne focused line, it’s interesting to see fragrant plant extracts like peppermint, ginger, citrus, and lavender. None are inherently pore-clogging, but they can be irritating - and irritation can absolutely worsen acne in reactive skin.
My take: the products themselves may be perfectly fine. But the conversation around them should be a little clearer about what skincare can do and what prescription treatments are actually responsible for.
THE LAB REPORT
Regenerative injectables have arrived
We are seeing the rise of biostimulators aka injectables designed not just to fill lines but to stimulate the body’s own collagen production.
Products like Radiesse are part of this category. Instead of acting just as a filler, they work by encouraging the skin to produce new collagen over time, which can gradually improve texture and firmness.
The appeal is obvious: results that develop slowly and look more natural than traditional volume focused filler.
My take: we’re seeing a shift in aesthetics from “add volume everywhere” to “stimulate healthier skin over time.” It’s a much more subtle philosophy and honestly a much more interesting one.
THE QUICK FIX
How to think about cosmetic treatments in 2026:
If you’re curious about injectables or aesthetic treatments, the best approach is still very simple:
Choose a qualified injector first, not a trend
Be skeptical of treatments that promise dramatic overnight changes
Understand that subtle, gradual improvements almost always look better than aggressive ones
Cosmetic treatments are becoming more accessible and more normalized every year. That’s not inherently a bad thing, but it does mean people need to be more informed than ever.
OFF THE RECORD
One thing I wish more people understood about cosmetic work: the best results are the ones you don’t immediately notice. You shouldn’t look like a different person. You should look like yourself! Just slightly more rested, slightly smoother, slightly less stressed. Which is also why the idea of getting botox in someone’s living room because it’s cheaper feels like completely missing the point.