The Beauty Maintenance Edit

Beauty treatments I’ve tried, what I keep coming back to + what I’ve learned along the way.

I’ve been into beauty treatments for a while. I started getting lip flips in 2022, tried filler for the first time in 2023, saw a few different people along the way, and in 2025, I found Kara Mineo, PA, who is now at SkinSpirit - Roslyn Heights. We’ve been together ever since.

After having my son, beauty became something I started prioritizing a little more. Postpartum, I really just wanted to feel like myself again, and making room for treatments I genuinely enjoyed was one of the things that helped me do that. I wasn’t trying to look different, I just missed feeling like me.

Since then, I’ve tried, well, a lot. Some things have become regular parts of my maintenance budget, some I do occasionally, and some are just nice extras when I feel like it. So, consider this my treatment history.

Microneedling

If I had to pick a favorite treatment for my skin, it’s probably microneedling.

I’ve done traditional microneedling and with PDRN, and I genuinely love what it does for my skin. Texture, pores, collagen, just overall skin quality. It’s not the most glamorous treatment and the results aren’t necessarily instant, but this is one I keep coming back to because I actually notice the difference.

The older I get, the more I’d rather put my money into making my actual skin look good, and microneedling is probably at the top of that list.

BBL + Moxi

I also really like BBL + Moxi, especially for brightness, pigmentation and making everything look a little more even.

For me, this is more of an occasional skin reset than something I feel like I constantly need in my routine. I love the results, but if you made me choose between this and microneedling, I’m choosing microneedling.

Daxxify

I love a smooth forehead.

I’ve tried basically all of them at this point, Botox, Dysport, Xeomin and Daxxify, and Daxxify has been my favorite. I like how it looks on me, I like how long it lasts for me, and I like treating my face as a whole so everything still feels balanced.

This will probably always be something I consider part of my maintenance budget.

Sculptra

I love Sculptra. I’ve done it in my temples, jaw and other areas where I just want a little something without necessarily adding filler. The results are subtle, which is exactly what I want. I don’t want to look different, I just want things to look a little better.

This has definitely become one of my favorite treatments and something I’ll continue making room for in my beauty budget.

Skinvive

Skinvive got me with the promise of hydrated, glowy skin because, obviously.

I liked it and would do it again, but I definitely consider this one more of an extra. If I’m choosing where to spend my beauty budget, Sculptra wins for me every time.

Filler

This is where having someone I trust matters most.

I’ve had filler in my lips, chin, cheeks and jaw over the years, but I’ve never wanted to look filled. I want to enhance what I already have, keep everything natural and, more than anything, have my face feel balanced.

I originally went to Kara for lip filler, and this is where I learned that she is the facial balancing queen. She basically told me she wasn’t touching my lips without giving my chin a little support first. It wasn’t what I went in asking for, but it made such a difference in how everything worked together.

That’s really been our approach ever since. Sometimes I go in thinking I want one thing and she tells me I should do something completely different, or nothing at all. She’s even made me dissolve my lips and start fresh.

I don’t want someone who will just keep adding more because I ask. I want someone who understands my face, knows I want to look natural, and will tell me no when I need to hear it.

And, obviously, skincare

None of this replaces taking care of my skin every day. I use a mix of medical-grade skincare and things you can grab at Sephora or Target. I’ll spend where I think it makes a difference and happily save everywhere else.

The point of all of this:

I’m not trying to chase a different face. I like my face. I’m much more interested in good skin, subtle maintenance and doing things that make me feel a little more polished.

Also, none of this is necessary. I just genuinely love beauty treatments. I like trying them, learning about them and, apparently, spending my money on them.

The biggest thing I’ve learned is that who touches your face matters more than whatever treatment is trending. I trust Kara because she knows my face, knows my taste and, as established, will literally refuse to give me what I ask for when necessary.

If you’re interested in seeing Kara at SkinSpirit, I have a referral link here that you can use for $100 off your first treatment.