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We did it. We’ve nearly made it through 2026. If you’ve been following along, then you know I’ve interviewed a variety of doctors, nurses, surgeons, and estheticians to get expert insights on how to get that “best self” glow over the course of 12 months. It’s been enlightening, even for a professional beauty editor. I’ve tried biostimulatory filler and various forms of microneedling. I’ve put my physical fitness to the test and I’ve boosted my daily healthy habits to see if one can, in fact, get to a “new you” in 12 months. Am I a different person? Not entirely, but I feel great about the Me I am today.
I wanted to write this year-long series because the business of beauty can be deceiving. We’re all bombarded with so many options, influencers, and opinions. But the reality is that there’s no quick fix, no magic solution or set of treatments that can do it all. I’ve been a beauty writer, off and on, for nearly 20 years, and that’s one thing I know to be true. “Your best you” is made up of a million choices––some big, some small, some boring, some exciting––that help you achieve your desired aesthetic, whatever that looks like for you. And it’s not all external.
So what are the things––little, big, and everything in between––that make the full picture?
First, Tackle Daily Habits for Major Change
“Daily habits matter as much as treatments,” says Marlee Bruno, M.M.S. PA-C. “Consistent SPF, seasonal adjustments and routines that are barrier-safe ensure your treatments work harder and last longer. Breaking your year into these natural phases makes a new you realistic, sustainable and achievable, because lasting results come from smart, steady progress, not overnight fixes.”
But to achieve long-lasting glow the most efficient (and affordable) way, you’re gonna need to dig a little deeper. Keisha Saunders-Waldron, LCMHCS, puts it perfectly: “People spend thousands on facials, LED therapy, and procedures to look better, but if they're anxious, burned out, or dealing with unresolved trauma, that glow doesn't last,” she says. “Stress causes breakouts, poor sleep creates dark circles, anxiety affects skin elasticity—it's all connected.”
Start by drinking more water, moving your body, and finding purpose. Saunders-Waldron even recommends taking on relationship audits to evaluate which relationships energize you and which ones deplete you. She recommends a digital detox and habits that create boundaries around phone usage, as well as mastering one evidence-based stress reduction technique—mindfulness, breathwork, progressive muscle relaxation, or meditation. (And actually practice it daily, not just when you're in a crisis.)
Even still, this work goes deeper. She recommends having self-compassion because self-criticism creates stress hormones that age us. She suggests grief processing because unprocessed grief weighs on us physically and emotionally. Finally, she says to adopt a gratitude and joy practice. “This isn't just journaling platitudes. Work with a therapist to genuinely reconnect with what brings you joy and build it into your life intentionally,” she says.
TLDR: A mental health practice enhances every other investment you make in yourself. “When you feel better emotionally, you sleep better, make healthier choices, show up differently in relationships, and yes, you literally look better,” says Saunders-Waldron. Treatments and products can be easy ways to bandage the bigger issues. But incorporating both for that inner and outer glow? That’s what I’m talking about.
Next, Level Up
Ok, so we’re working on our inner selves. Great. But maybe you’re ready for the next step. Perhaps you’re beauty-tech curious. In our beauty-consumed culture, there are a jillion ways we can up the ante on our routines––and skin care is getting smarter than ever to help with that. Board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Kimberly Lee, brings up the topic of AI-powered skin tools. “Devices like smart mirrors or apps with AR overlay can scan your face and recommend dynamic routines,” she says. I personally tried the SWAN Beauty Smart Mirror, and while I wasn’t impressed enough to drop $700 on it, I could see the allure of having access to this technology for a more personalized beauty experience.
Not ready for a robot to read your face texture? Dr. Lee also recommends barrier-first skin care, which is an easy way to bolster skin health. Think SPF, peptides, hyaluronic acid, and calming botanicals, plus popular ingredients like ceramides, beta-glucan, panthenol, and microbiome-friendly formulas that avoid stripping the skin. This level-up category is also great for at-home devices like LED red light masks and microcurrent devices like NuFace and Ziip (if used with consistency).
Want more intensity but not ready for intense treatments? Dr. Stephen Bracci suggests chemical peels to reset the skin’s surface. “These help improve dullness, pigmentation, and fine lines. They work especially well as part of integration with microneedling and Retin-A. The surface of the skin is peeled away – triggering a cascade of new skin replacement.” Of course, he suggests doing this during non-summer months, which is why fall is a perfect time for a reset.
Lastly, Dr. Lee shares that minimalist, lightweight makeup with niacinamide, SPF, and peptides is a good way to work skin-loving ingredients into your daily routine. I’m a huge fan of ciele, Carte Blanche, Tower 28, and Solara Suncare, to name a few.
Last But Not Least, Go All In
Ok, so maybe you want the full monty without going under a knife. After 12 months of testing all varieties of treatments, from radiofrequency to lasers and chemical peels, I can attest: Treatments are fun. Even the ones that don’t deliver immediate results do deliver a dopamine hit––and three months later when skin is plump and jawlines are snatched, the wait feels worth it.
While I used Q1, Q2, and Q3 to focus on new-year treatments like biostimulatory filler, microneedling, and holistic wellness, this fall I focused on radiofrequency treatments because I’m intrigued by the advancements that are giving clients great results with little-too-no downtime and––even better––little-to-no pain. Plus, with research pointing to skin issues that arise in menopause (that women lose 30% of dermal collagen during the first five years of “the pause”), I wanted to know about these non-invasive ways to help with skin laxity.
The first radiofrequency (RF) treatment I tried was Everesse, a monopolar RF skin-tightening device that pairs a single pulse of RF energy with continuous water cooling (versus the pulsed cryogen spray used by older systems), so the skin’s surface stays protected and comfortable throughout treatments with no numbing required.
I couldn’t believe how quick, easy, and painless it was. Unlike radiofrequency microneedling, like Morpheus 8, Everesse has no puncture. The energy is delivered from a smooth tip that glides across the skin. It has continuous cooling, and by bypassing the epidermis and driving radiofrequency into the dermis, it creates tissue coagulation to boost collagen and elastin. My practitioner, Samantha Caraway of Prime MD, likened it to the feeling of getting a hot stone massage. The end result? Firmer, plumper, bouncier skin. If you’re looking to solve textural issues, this is not your guy. However, it can be paired with a Co2 laser or IPL, even on the same day.
Next I tried Density, an FDA-cleared, non-invasive radiofrequency treatment that uniquely combines sequential monopolar and bipolar RF energy in a single treatment. The dual-mode technology is designed to deliver energy to both superficial and deeper layers of the skin, where collagen remodeling matters most—supporting immediate tightening while stimulating longer-term collagen remodeling. I saw a Dr. Addison Zhang at Dr. Addison Aesthetics, who gave me an extremely thorough consultation and even mapped out a long term plan for me based on my goals to soften the appearance of melasma and enhance skin firming over time. This treatment did not require numbing and, while it had slightly more pizazz than Everesse, it was absolutely manageable and well worth it.
For those interested in radiofrequency but aren’t sure about the price, consider the Glo2 Facial, a clinically proven, non-invasive facial treatment that combines oxygenation, exfoliation, ultrasound, lymphatic massage, and radio frequency technology to deliver healthier, firmer, and more radiant-looking skin, with zero downtime. At Refinery Aesthetics and Wellness, my local provider, Holly Tabor, FNP, explained that, while it’s not necessary to get recurring facials to see results, that often clients come in regularly because the entire experience is relaxing and results-driven (I agree). This was the most reasonably priced of the RF treatments I received (though slightly less intense) and still gives a full in-spa experience for those who want the whole shebang.
Last but certainly not least, I started getting MOXI Laser at my local Skin Pharm and wow, I’m in love. I have raging melasma and hyperpigmentation when flared up, and MOXI is one of the few treatments I’ve tried that helps minimize its appearance. (For those who don’t know: Melasma has a hormonal component, making it nearly impossible to eradicate; it’s simply managed by avoiding heat, using high-powered ingredients like hydroquinone, and opting into treatments like MOXI.)
Dr. Robert Schwarcz, MD, FACS, shares that this is the most effective in-office treatment to improve skin tone, texture and pigmentation. “This gentle, non-ablative laser treatment uses short-pulsed laser energy to heat the deeper layers of the skin. It’s ideal for all skin types with minimal downtime. This can easily be incorporated into anyone’s routine for a highly effective way to address skin rejuvenation, improve pigmentation, promote collagen production and help to preventatively address signs of aging.”
And Scene!
And that’s it. In addition to trying to be a good person, employee, friend, and family member, remember to drink water, eat whole foods, move your body, go to therapy, work hard, play hard but not too hard, save the whales, end world hunger, help cure cancer, and look immaculate while you do it.
In all seriousness, though, all this talk can be overwhelming. There’s a lot of noise out there. But the good news is that you get to pick and choose. And if you choose nothing, that’s OK, too. If you choose your mental health over MOXI, that’s a priority worth applauding. You’ve got options, and there’s no timeline of months, years, or decades that says you have to achieve them. Go out into the world and glow––on your terms. We’re just here to guide you through.
Thanks for following along on this year-long series. Making a beauty plan for 2027 yet?
