Taking silly pre-Botox photos of myself in Dr. Jessica Wu's office

Longtime Jolie readers know that I’m honest about my love for Botox. I completely get that it’s not for everybody…but it’s definitely for me.

People get weird and judge-y when it comes to cosmetic enhancements, and I must admit that I sometimes feel a little confused about why. Nobody wants to look like Joan Rivers (well, except for Joan Rivers, apparently), but even in the case of celebrities who are often name-checked as being frozen–your Nicole Kidmans and Renée Zellwegers–you have to try to look like that. A little Botox will no more make you look like a wax mummy than a highlight or ten will turn you into a Gwen Stefani-style peroxide blonde. As with so many things in life, it’s all about moderation.

But Jolie! (one might say). We should all accept aging gracefully! We must love ourselves as we are! Botox (and the like) are just society’s way of telling women they’re not good enough!

Somebody take this camera away from me!

Eh. I’m over that argument. I, like most women I know, shave my armpits, groom my down-there, wear contacts, highlight my dishwater brown hair, use (and LOVE) makeup, and wear high-heels. (That last one is new for me!)  None of that is natural, but it certainly all makes me look–and, as a result, feel–better.

Apologies to Sheryl Crow, but if it makes you happy, it can’t be that bad.

Here’s what Botox does do for me: it gets rid of the increasingly deep frown-line between my eyebrows. My mom had it, and I’ve had it myself since I was about 20 because I frown in my sleep. Most people, however, can’t see my deep frown line. Porque? Because I get Botox!

I don’t care about looking “younger.” I just want to look my personal best (and not like I’ve had anything “done”), and Botox does exactly that. It doesn’t make me feel bad or shameful or like I’m clinging to my youth. It simply makes my frown lines look much less pronounced and my face look fresher and happier, and for that, I am very grateful.

Phew! Sorry for the semi-rant – I’m just a big believer in “to each her own,” and I currently have 92 “You get Botox and so you suck!” comments going on an old video I made…which now has over half a million views and is the 6th most popular Botox video on YouTube. (So, clearly, there are a lot of people out there in YouTube land searching for Botox videos…because they don’t want Botox and simply want to make fun of somebody who does? Or perhaps thou doth protest too much…)

Anyhow, at an Aveeno event in February, I ran into celebrity dermatologist Dr. Jessica Wu, author of the great book Feed Your Face. I was due for a Botox touch-up, so I scheduled a visit for this past Friday and also interviewed Dr. Wu about common Botox misconceptions while there. Enjoy!

PS: Most celebrities in Hollywood do, indeed, get Botox. I respect the ones who don’t lie about it.