Botox & What’s Happening Beneath the Skin

Botox has become a common part of modern beauty routines. For many, it’s simply a way to soften expression lines and create a smoother appearance.
But beyond what we see on the surface, it’s helpful to understand what’s happening underneath the skin — especially if long-term skin health and vitality matter to you.

What Botox Does in the Face
Cosmetic Botox works by relaxing specific facial muscles. It temporarily blocks the nerve signals that tell those muscles to contract, allowing the skin above them to rest and appear smoother.
This effect is targeted and temporary. However, when certain muscles are relaxed for extended periods of time, changes can occur in how the face functions as a whole.
Over time:

• Muscles that are used less may weaken slightly
• Nearby muscles often compensate by working harder
• Tension can build in surrounding areas
  

This is why some people notice tightness in unexpected places, or new lines forming in areas that weren’t previously a concern.

Why Movement Matters
Facial movement plays an important role in circulation. In both modern physiology and Traditional Chinese Medicine, healthy skin depends on the flow of blood, lymph, and connective tissue fluids between muscles and fascia.
When movement is reduced, this natural flow can slow. Over time, this may contribute to:

• Puffiness or fluid retention
• Dull or uneven skin tone
• A feeling of tightness beneath the surface
  

Healthy skin isn’t only about smoothness. It’s about circulation, responsiveness, and balance.

Supporting the Face — With or Without Injectables
Whether you use Botox or not, the face still benefits from regular movement and circulation support. These practices don’t work against injectables — they support the skin and tissues around them.
Gentle tools and rituals can help:

• Facial cupping to encourage lymphatic drainage
• Gua sha to support circulation and soften stagnant tension
• Facial massage to relax overworked muscles
• Whole-body lymphatic care to support skin health systemically
  

These practices focus less on forcing results, and more on maintaining healthy flow.

A More Complete View of Beauty
Beauty isn’t only what you see in the mirror.
It’s how the skin feels under your fingertips — soft, lifted, responsive, awake.
With or without injectables, your face deserves care that supports circulation, movement, and time.
This is where slō. begins.