28/04/2026
I shared this on my stories a few days ago and the response was huge.
Not because everyone related to my forehead specifically… but because so many of us are carrying the same pressure.
Different feature, same pattern.
Your mind picks something, zooms all the way in, and suddenly it feels like it needs fixing.
For me right now, it’s my forehead.
For years, it was my legs.
Before that, something else.
And if I’m honest, it’ll probably be something else again.
The more I thought about it, the more I realised this was never really about one feature.
And to be clear, I’m not against cosmetic work at all. A lot of my friends have had things done and look amazing, and honestly, I still might one day.
This isn’t judgement. It’s reflection.
Because I don’t think I would’ve ever looked at my forehead this closely, or seen it as something to “fix”, if I hadn’t been conditioned to.
If I hadn’t seen the conversations online, the endless before-and-afters, and the messaging that ageing is something to manage early.
We’re seeing it younger too.
Children with full skincare routines… layering on retinol 🥴 Prevention being sold before there’s even anything to prevent.
That has to shape how we see ourselves.
When things become this normalised, they stop feeling like choices and start feeling like expectations.
And that’s where it gets complicated for me.
Because then I have to ask myself…
is this something I actually want because it would make me feel good and confident?
Or is it just pressure I’ve absorbed without even realising?
On one hand, we’re encouraged to stay youthful, polished, ahead.
On the other, if we respond to that pressure, we’re criticised for being unnatural or insecure.
So which is it?
We’re sold the pressure, then judged for reacting to it.
That contradiction deserves more conversation.
Because this isn’t just about Botox, filler, or one insecurity.
It’s about the impossible standards we’re expected to navigate.
I’m still figuring out what I want for myself.
But I do know I want any decision I make to come from me… not comparison, not fear, and not the feeling that I’m falling behind. 🤍
