Woman, 59, Goes Botox-Free After Decades—Then Reveals Her Face

Newsweek

2 days ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
A 59-year-old woman has gone viral after revealing her completely natural face—free of Botox—for the first time in years. She then faced backlash for sharing her decision to return to injections.
Eloise Anderson (@eloiseanderson4), a content creator based in Atlanta, opened up about her cosmetic journey on TikTok, where she received 3.7 million views and 40,200 likes. Anderson, who has been getting Botox injections since her 30s, shared that her use of the treatment varied over time—especially during the seven years she lived in the Virgin Islands, where access was limited. Botox is a neurotoxin that temporarily paralyzes muscles to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
"It was rather spur of the moment; I'd just showered and knowing I was getting Botox the next day, had the idea to talk about why I was going back to Botox. I just thought it'd be an interesting thing to document at my age," she told Newsweek.
A split image of Eloise Anderson sharing her natural face after letting years of botox injections dissolve.
A split image of Eloise Anderson sharing her natural face after letting years of botox injections dissolve.
@eloiseanderson4/@eloiseanderson4
In the candid video, Anderson explained that she wanted to document how her face looked after so many years of the treatment. She described the differences she noticed in her face, like more prominent wrinkles around her eyes, "bunny lines" on her nose, and the return of her "elevens"—vertical lines between the eyebrows that initially led her to seek treatment. Ultimately, she shared she was booked in to have Botox again, since she prefers what her face looks like with it.
"I thought that was the best way to do it! I wasn't trying to look worse on purpose. People said it was brave, but I just don't have any hangups about filming without makeup, I do it all the time. It's real life in an industry full of trickery, and the #over50club demographic needs to see themselves represented honestly more often in social media," Anderson told Newsweek.
She said she initially stopped using Botox because she didn't think it was making as much of a difference anymore, and instead focused on consistent skincare. But after eight months, she still wasn't happy with the condition of her skin.
"Just didn't like the way my starbursts made my under eyes look. The skin was getting crepey, makeup was caking. So I reupped!" she explained.
She went back to treating the same areas as before: the "elevens," around her eyes, above the brow, and this time, a new area—her chin—to help relax a muscle contributing to early signs of jowling. In total, she received 48 units: six of Botox and 42 of Dysport—another nonsurgical form of wrinkle treatment, applied to the area between the eyebrows.
"I felt fine about my face minus Botox. But the option was there to make my skin smoother, so that's what I did. It was also somewhat of a business decision; I am a fulltime content creator with a fashion/skincare niche and it behooves me to look my best. Let me be clear though, I'm not trying to stop the aging process! For one, it's not possible. I don't fear aging, and I don't want to look 25 again, but why not look better if I have the means to do so," she said.
Anderson emphasized that she sees cosmetic decisions as deeply personal.
"I would NEVER tell another person how to feel about their own face. My mom had upper eye surgery in her 50s and it looked very natural. I don't fear plastic surgery, I just don't think I need it right now. In 15 years I'm sure they'll have good alternatives to plastic surgery, I'll wait!" she said.
Despite her honesty, the video drew a wave of negative comments. Anderson said she was surprised by the backlash and judgment she received online over her appearance and decision to not age naturally.
"I didn't expect the storm of opinions on TikTok. I was making a video statement, I was NOT asking for anyone to help me make decisions!
"I think it's sad when women bully other women, especially around the rather sensitive topic of aging. This isn't my first rodeo, I had another viral video where the pile-on was over my weight. So I know all of the negative comments really have nothing to do with me. It's just unhappy insecure people hiding behind the anonymity of the internet. It's still ugly. And as with making a decision NOT to get procedures done isn't a sign of virtue, the decision to get cosmetic procedures shouldn't be equated with vanity or low self-esteem! It's a personal choice, nothing more," she said.
Many TikTokers, however, came to her defense and shared their own thoughts on cosmetic procedures.
"As an injector, your forehead and '11' lines do NOT look like what a 59 yr old would look like without it. You look good, it has worked for you," said Ashley Walker.
"I couldn't live without my Botox every three months, I will grow old disgracefully thanks," shared another user.
"I'm 59 turning 60 in July but I don't have nearly as much wrinkles an I never used Botox. Your skin is nice an clear with no age spots but yeah a lot of wrinkles. We age differently," added another viewer.
"I started Botox in my 50s cuz it helps me feel good about myself. At this point it's about aging gracefully. Girls these days start so young and end up looking older so young!," one person wrote.
"You look pretty naturally. The lines around your eyes are pretty too. They really are," commented another.
"Get the Botox and don't worry about it," one viewer encouraged.
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