Can You Love Beauty in 2025 If You Hate Needles?

I love beauty. Or, at least, I love the idea of it. It's been said that "beauty is pain," and though it's not necessarily a construct I've subscribed to in the past, I'm starting to feel like there's a grain of truth in that sentiment, one injected into our skin in the form of filler and Botox.

Now, Botox has been around for years and years. Fans of Jennifer Coolidge in A Cinderella Story know this to be true. But in the last year, it feels like more and more injectable treatments are infiltrating the skincare and beauty industry, and as a result, it's seemingly redefining what it means to be beautiful today.

What it feels like it means – judging by these recent innovations – is to have plump under-eyes, perfectly symmetrical or "flipped" lips, slimmed-down masseters, buccal fat removal and filled chins. Coralie Fargeat's The Substance may just have been a body horror film, but at times, it does feel like there's no way to enjoy beauty without partaking in some form of… substance.

If you're not a big fan of needles, it is a tough pill to swallow. For the needle-phobic among us, the thought of regular injectables -- in your face skin -- is far from an appealing one, but in the Venn diagram of TikTok and today's beauty trends, needles seem to be becoming more and more necessary.

As a beauty lover, if you scroll through your FYP today, you'd be hard-pressed to find a video that doesn't show you a before and after transformation, some extreme lip filler swelling, or a monologue about the benefits of masseter botox. As a result, it can feel a little bit like beauty in 2025 is just not for people who don't like needles. However, there are a few experts in the space who are trying to change exactly that.

Enter Inge Theron, founder of FaceGym. "I hate pain and I hate needles, but there are ways around it," she tells Hypebae, citing numbing creams and cannulas as a solution. "There is no denying that getting deeper into the dermis with needles really does give faster and stronger results – when done by the right person – but to that last point, there are so many bad actors in our unregulated industry that many choose to take the slow and steady approach," Theron continues.

With FaceGym, it's all about "sculpting smarter," looking at alternative methods like radio frequency, electrical muscle stimulation and Cryo Oxygen Guns. With these treatments, it seems that it is actually possible to achieve similar results without needles, and Theron has the data to back it up, too. "In clinical studies, RF has shown a 20–25% increase in skin firmness over 8 weeks," she adds.

While injectables have their own proven results, brands in the space need to offer tangible alternatives. At least, that’s the belief of Lisa Schweighoffer, co-founder of BOOST Labs. The skincare brand recently introduced its own range of skincare patches designed to target fine lines and wrinkles, a much-needed alternative to Botox and filler. Patches, silicone scar tape and retinol boosters are becoming more and more commonplace, so it's safe to assume there are more of us who aren't as keen on injectables as the main method of self-improvement.

"The BOOST LAB range is about giving people options, with products that are designed to work as a complete skincare routine or complement someone's existing favourite products and treatments. As a brand, we've always focused on creating scientifically backed formulas that are accessible, effective, and affordable," Schweighoffer tells us.

"With the right percentage of active ingredients and balance of natural ingredients, our formulas are designed to deliver targeted results without the need for invasive treatments, with powerful ingredients like vitamin c, retinol and peptides. We want our community to feel confident in their skin, and that means providing innovative, effortless alternatives that seamlessly fit into their daily routines," she adds.

In terms of their effectiveness, the founder notes that "BOOST's silicone patches for the face, neck and décolletage are a great way to visibly flatten and smooth wrinkles, boost hydration for firmer, plumper skin and can be reused up to 20 times. That's not to say they're designed to mimic the results of injectables, because each is designed to serve a different purpose, however, silicone patches are great for those looking for an alternative or something to enhance their routine without the use of injectables."

Outside of the skincare realm, beauty products like lip stains and plumping glosses are quickly becoming powerful alternatives to painful procedures like lip-blushing and filler. Elsewhere, beauty "hacks" like mouth-taping to achieve a slimmer jawline and face-taping a la Doechii are also becoming somewhat viable alternatives.

Along with that, beauty brands are becoming increasingly aware of the rise of injectables and, as a result, are seemingly creating products that either replicate their effects or negate the need for them altogether.

ISAMAYA's newest range of products also come to mind here, particularly the Sculpting Stick and 5 Point Lift, which are designed to sculpt, illuminate and lift. Just last year, the renowned makeup artist also partnered with FaceGym, creating a 5-point gua sha tool that also promised to support sculpting. Recently, her tool was utilized as part of its new "scalp lift" treatment that helps to support healthy and strong hair.

So, while the future of beauty does seem to involve injectables for the foreseeable, it's important to remember that they're one of many options and rarely are they the only option. As Schweighoffer puts it, "While injectables are becoming more accessible, we hope for a future where skincare isn’t driven by unrealistic beauty standards but by confidence, education, and products that genuinely support skin health."

Whether you're pro-patches or in the needles-are-necessary camp, one thing's for certain: if it's your face, it's your choice.

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