Let me say something that might surprise you: As much as I love the beauty world, I’ve seen it ruin people.
Not because procedures go “wrong,” but because expectations do.
In our Party’s Over conversation with Dr. Ali C., I realized how deeply celebrity culture has warped the way everyday people see their own faces. I've watched friends come into consultations clutching a photo of a star half their age — or with bone structure they were never born with.
And I get it. Celebrities look incredible. But here’s the truth no one wants to say out loud:Their:
Trying to graft that look onto yourself? It’s a recipe for disappointment — and sometimes heartbreak.
One thing I respect most about Dr. C. is his willingness to turn people away. He rejects around 30% of consultations.
Why? Because sometimes the goal is unachievable, or unnatural, or rooted in something emotional rather than aesthetic.
And honestly? That line between self-improvement and self-erasure is thinner than we admit.
People ask for surgeries hoping to:
Surgery can enhance what’s there. It cannot replace what’s missing.
Here’s what the best surgeons know:A procedure should help you look more like yourself — not someone else.
The goal isn’t transformation. The goal is recognition.
You should look in the mirror afterward and think, “Oh, there I am.”
Not, “Who is she?”
If this resonates, watch the full episode of Party’s Over for more honesty on cosmetic expectations. And grab my book From BS to Botox to hear the stories and lessons I’ve collected along the way.