Kmpzzz/Shutterstock
It goes without saying that we all want to look our best on the biggest love holiday of the year. We treat ourselves to swoon-worthy manicures for Valentine’s Day so our nails look their best, and we pick out our outfits with careful precision. But all of that preparation can go out the window if you get certain beauty treatments in the days leading up to the holiday.
We at Glam have tried many different beauty treatments over the years, so we’ve handled our fair share of inconvenient side effects. This is why our team came together to create a list of treatments you should avoid the week of Valentine’s Day if you don’t want to look red, have bumps on your face, or experience borderline incapacitating itching or burning on your date night. To be clear, we’re not saying you should never try these treatments, but you should definitely plan them intentionally if you want your V-Day to go off without a hitch.
Jessica Choi: Botox around the eyes and mouth can make you look like a pincushion
Anatoliy Cherkas/Shutterstock
You may be tempted to get Botox right before Valentine’s Day to get rid of any fine lines or create a snatched, lifted look, but I’m here to tell you that’s a bad idea. I made an appointment on the day of my date like a total injectable newbie and didn’t account for the swelling to last for the whole day. I had wanted to get rid of my frown lines and have my eyes look more awake, so there were injection sites all over my forehead. By the time I met my date, it had only been a few hours, and I had pinprick marks that were red and raised.
The swelling didn’t go down completely that night, as it can take up to a week for your skin to look normal. In my case, the bumps went away the next day, but I sat through the night looking like a pincushion. Thankfully, the person I was meeting had a great sense of humor about it, and we laughed at my appearance. Additionally, the results don’t show up right away, and it can take about a week until the treatment takes effect. So, if you want to look refreshed for your V-Day date, plan ahead and make sure you fully understand Botox aftercare. If you’re getting injectables for the first time, you won’t know how you’ll react to the neurotoxins, and some patients experience headaches and facial droopiness, which you definitely don’t want on such a special night.
Meg Hemphill: Brazilian waxes can leave you incredibly uncomfortable
Image Source/Getty
Many moons ago when I was starting my career as a journalist in New York City, the Brazilian wax had recently shed its whispered-about status and become a mainstream ritual for those looking to be completely hair-free downstairs. This was at a time when Botox was just becoming popular and no one was confessing to it except to admit they’d tried it for migraines or profuse sweating, with a wink to let you know they were also treating their 11s. I was ready to join the throngs of waxed New Yorkers, so I headed to the it-girl SOHO destination Haven Spa, which was rumored to be the place celebs went for their beauty needs.
This is where I’ll add that I have incredibly sensitive skin. After all the hair was ripped from my nether regions, I was incredibly inflamed. Fire-engine red feels like an apt color description, and the swelling looked like someone had pumped air into the area. I skipped underwear (elastic was too much), paid for my treatment, though I’m not sure there was any “treat” involved, and slowly climbed the stairs, wincing in pain with each step. I hobbled down the road toward the subway and limped down each step to the station. It took more than a day before the swelling went down. Needless to say, if you’re unsure of how you might react to waxing, take it from me and don’t try it for the first time right before Valentine’s Day.
Jelena Aska: TMJ Botox can cause a jaw muscle to bulge
Utoimage/Shutterstock
As someone who’s been struggling with teeth clenching for years, TMJ Botox seemed like the perfect answer: It’s easy, requires no downtime, and comes with a face-slimming bonus. Because it was my first time, my injector suggested 15 units on each side, but about a week after my first injection, I noticed a muscle was popping out on one of my cheeks when I chewed.
Before I committed to getting TMJ Botox, I did my research. I knew that injecting in the right area is crucial, as hitting the wrong muscle can result in a lopsided smile. I even thoroughly discussed this with my injector, ensuring they keep the injection spot low and close to my ear on my jawline. A bulging muscle, though? Somehow, this never came up in my TikTok deep dive of people’s experiences.
Luckily, after a quick TikTok search, I learned that I wasn’t alone in experiencing this side effect. It turned out that all I needed was a tad more Botox injected on that side, as the initial injection missed a muscle that was now overworking. My injector suggested I wait 14 days, as some muscles take longer to relax, but the bulge was still visible two weeks later, so I ended up getting five more units on that side. I’ve been getting TMJ Botox every six months or so since, and I haven’t had this happen to me again. Still, I wouldn’t recommend getting it done right before Valentine’s Day since the results are unpredictable. A cheek bulge while chewing food during your fancy dinner date? No, thank you!
Gem Adeyinka: Microneedling can leave your face very red
Peakstock/Getty Images
If your dream Valentine’s Day look includes glowing skin catching the sunlight while your date looks at you in awe, you might be tempted to try microneedling. Here’s my advice: Don’t. Microneedling is a controlled but minimally invasive beauty treatment that basically involves having small needles pierce your skin to cause mild injuries, forcing collagen production. Did it reduce my acne scars? Absolutely! Did it improve my skin tone and give me that natural collagen-induced glow? It most certainly did, but not until I went through days of intense redness, flakiness, and total inability to see the sunlight.
Besides having to live like a vampire, I didn’t get the full benefits of the procedure until a full week later. Don’t get me wrong — it was totally worth it, but I definitely wasn’t able to go on dates until I was fully healed.
If you get this treatment for the first time before Valentine’s Day, there’s no telling how your skin will react. Plus, using makeup after microneedling can cause stinging and slow the healing process, so you should avoid cosmetics for a few days, leaving no way to cover up your redness. Take it from a skin therapist and a huge fan of the procedure: Schedule it after Valentine’s Day, plan to give yourself tons of time to heal, and take time to research what to expect after microneedling.
Dami Kim: Rejuran can leave behind many red bumps
Arisara_tongdonnoi/Getty Images
For quite some time now, I’ve been visiting South Korea and Japan twice a year to learn about and try the latest skincare treatments and beauty innovations that my friends recommend to me. After my first successful TMJ Botox injection, I was eager to branch out, which led me to Rejuran. For anyone unfamiliar, Rejuran is a minimally invasive skin booster made from salmon DNA that aims to enhance collagen production, improve elasticity, and support overall skin repair. The only downside? Rejuran is injected into dozens of tiny points across the face, which can be painful.
While the results were astounding and the injections were bearable as someone with a high pain tolerance, this is one skincare treatment I’d recommend anyone avoid trying for the first time before a special occasion like Valentine’s Day. As soon as the injections were done, countless tiny red bumps and visible redness formed on my face. As someone with trypophobia, I didn’t even want to look at my own face until the bumps resided. It took more than three days for my bumps to fully heal, which is why I’ll never recommend this treatment right before Valentine’s Day.
