Resurfacing & Semi-Permanent Makeup: My Honest Verdicts

What it does: Intense pulsed light that targets pigmentation, sun damage, redness, and fine vessels. Often called a "photo facial." One of the best bang-for-buck treatments for skin clarity.

My experience: Consistent improvement in skin tone and texture over a series of treatments. The darkening of spots before they flake off can look alarming ("coffee grounds") — this is normal and means it's working. Downtime is minimal; a little red for a day or two.

Worth knowing: Maintenance treatments keep the results. Not a one-and-done.

What it does: A gentle fractional laser that improves texture, tone, and early sun damage. Often paired with BBL. More comfortable than ablative lasers with minimal downtime.

My experience: Great intro laser if you're nervous. Results are more gradual than aggressive treatments but the skin-quality improvement is real — glow, smoothness, even tone.

What it does: Microneedling with radiofrequency energy delivered into the deeper layers of skin, stimulating collagen and remodelling tissue. Effective for skin laxity, texture, and jawline definition.

My experience (before my contraindication): Real results on skin tightening, particularly around the lower face and neck. Downtime is several days of redness and swelling. The improvement builds over 3–6 months as collagen remodels.

What it does: Surgical removal of excess skin and fat from the upper and/or lower eyelids. One of the most impactful facial procedures for women over 45 — addresses the hooding that no skincare can fix.

My experience: Transformative. The change in how rested and alert I looked was immediate and lasting. Recovery takes about two weeks for the bruising and swelling to resolve, but you can be presentable in about 10 days with concealer. I would do this again without hesitation.

Worth knowing: Results are permanent (though the skin continues to age). Choose a board-certified oculoplastic or plastic surgeon with a strong portfolio of this specific procedure.

What it does: Semi-permanent tattooing of hair strokes into the brow to fill gaps, define shape, and create fullness. Lasts 12–18 months before fading and needing a touch-up.

My experience: Changed my morning routine. Particularly valuable as brows thin with age — the difference between sparse brows and defined ones is significant. Go to someone who works a lot with mature skin, which has different texture and heals differently than younger skin.

What it does: Tattooed eyeliner applied very close to or on the lash line.

Please read this before you book: There is documented evidence linking permanent eyeliner — particularly when applied to the waterline or very close to the eye — to damage of the meibomian glands. These glands produce the oil layer of your tears. When they're damaged, they don't regenerate. The result is chronic dry eye disease that can be painful, affect vision, and is very difficult to treat.

I am not telling you never to do this. I am telling you to research meibomian gland dysfunction, ask your practitioner directly about the placement, and make an informed decision. This is one where I want you to have the information I wish more people shared.