In the spirit of #UNBOTOXED. First naturalness, then youth”.

 

 

 

 

"#UNBOTOXED is the freedom to be yourself," say Klaudia Witczak, owner of Smart Aging Clinic, and Angelika Wierzbicka, a model, friend of the brand. Will there be a breakthrough in aesthetic medicine, and will botox and fillers become passé, like tanning from a solarium? What is #UNBOTOXED?

Klaudia Witczak: The idea of #UNBOTOXED has its roots in the philosophy of smart aging – thoughtful and regular self-care – which forms the foundation of my Smart Aging Clinic (SAC). However, I still felt unsatisfied. I sensed that my DNA wasn't fully resonating. Believing that, as a privileged brand creator, I could change something, revolutionize, I had to loudly manifest, as Coco Chanel once said: let's cast off the corset. Today, that corset is the pressure to be perfect. #UNBOTOXED is a space where I encourage women to have the courage to shed some expectations – both their own and those imposed by the surrounding world.

#UNBOTOXED is a trend that advocates: be authentic, guard your boundaries, right?

K.W.: Yesterday, I spoke with two women of different ages. Both shared their experiences in aesthetic medicine clinics. The first received a piece of paper from the doctor on which he drew what – in his opinion – she should change about herself. His opinion! The second, even though she came in with something entirely different, was told she had a wrinkle on her chin that needed to be addressed because it's masculine, and it can't be left like that. Each was being stripped of a part of their autonomous SELF, the belief that they are okay just as they are. There are more stories like this. I do not agree with such behaviors, which is why I decided to speak out about it.

Sometimes someone's opinion sounds like a spell.

K.W.: Exactly! That's why #UNBOTOXED is an invitation to set boundaries when making decisions about your own appearance. Because only I have the right to decide whether I want my face to express emotions or freeze them. It's as if someone drew a new identity on that piece of paper for me. I rebel against that. And I say loudly to other women: decide for yourselves. Do you want to go for Botox, fillers? If so – okay, but let it be your autonomous decision. Someone might say: you're going to war with the industry. And I respond: no. I simply notice that doctors carry a great responsibility – with what self-esteem women, often very young, will leave their clinics.

Angelika Wierzbicka: As a model, I've been working for 25 years. Fast-food solutions were often suggested to me, Botox or fillers were regularly proposed. Because here's a wrinkle, there's a wrinkle. But I am interested in facial care. I want to have healthy and beautiful skin. A well-maintained face is appreciated in my job, but it should be natural.

And that's a new approach to beauty.

A.W.: I started working in 1998. I remember what was happening then: a focus on the youngest girls, 13-15-year-olds, children! At that age, I was advertising products for cellulite, creams, and lingerie for women. I had to somehow find myself, pretend to be a woman because I certainly wasn't one! This morning I returned from Mallorca, where I was preparing a session for Harrods. I worked with a model 15 years younger than me. It shows that a revolutionary change is happening in the industry. Today, maturity is cool, interesting. No one asks how old I am. And I turn 40 in a month.

You don't look your age!

A.W.: Because I know how to take care of myself. The philosophy of systematic care that works in the long run suits me. For me, that's the most important. My doctor says, 'Great results take time; you have to be patient.' Botox, fillers provide an immediate effect, but briefly. And they devastate the face in the process.

K.W.: Scientific studies show that due to multiple injections of botulinum toxin, poisoning can occur, and in extreme cases, even anaphylactic shock. Because the body has had enough and says 'stop.' For example, if we create an artificial scaffold in the skin with calcium hydroxyapatite, we hang the skin on it. When it starts to lack, it begins to sag, and it's very difficult to change because tissues get used to this pseudo-foundation. If we regularly stimulate and nourish the skin, it strengthens, just like muscles after systematic exercises.

So, what do you propose instead of Botox?

K.W.: At Smart Aging Clinic, we primarily believe in laser therapy. We combine it with other treatments and bio-compatible products. In essence, we're not a clinic for aesthetic medicine, but regenerative. We don't change facial features; we stimulate the skin to self-renewal. Our #skinworkout is based on various laser technologies – properly composed and selected according to the needs of the specific skin. Beyond all, we've created a pleasant place where you can drop by during your lunch break to take care of yourself; where there's excellent equipment, and the entire idea is driven by concern for safety.

 

Angelika, do you often use treatments?

A.W.: I drop by for an hour once a month. In addition, minimal at-home care, a simple cream, and filters. The less, the better. I prefer to invest in treatments here. After half a year of #skinworkout at Smart Aging Clinic, I notice minimized pores, tight and radiant skin, perfectly cleansed, without blemishes. I don't wear makeup on a daily basis. I was recently in a boutique in Milan, wearing a T-shirt with the #UNBOTOXED print. The shop assistant immediately gave a thumbs up and said, 'What a great T-shirt you have!' #UNBOTOXED is a statement I am proud of.

Enlarged lips or emphasized cheeks in some circles are a sign of wealth, like visible logos of expensive brands. You go against the grain. Klaudia, in the podcast with journalist Ania Jurgaś, you said: smooth foreheads and lack of wrinkles are losing value today.

K.W.: Everyone has the right to choose what they like. I also don't want to divide people into those with logos or without, those with Botox or without. I just hope that the mission of SAC will resonate more and more, and Botox and fillers will be replaced by intelligent self-regeneration. A.W.: I recently worked with a 55-year-old model; she looked phenomenal. I travel a lot, and I see that this change is happening in the world. More and more brands accept women as they are: plus size, with cellulite, spots, wrinkles. It's becoming the norm. Because there's no ideal beauty. Every woman is different, unique. Although you can still come across excessively done-up girls. I get the impression that young Polish women are becoming similar to French women, who are well-groomed, not 'done up.' Poland is an excellent place for treatments in the spirit of SAC.

What do you think will continue to revolutionize the attractiveness model?

K.W.: In the future, in my opinion, symbols of femininity won't be a trivial, short skirt and high heels. We will begin to define ourselves through personality, individuality, authenticity. Through that 'something' that makes people remember you – not because you're perfectly ‚wrapped’, but because you're unique.

 

Angelika, do models succumb to the pressure of enhancing their beauty?

A.W.: I couldn't, for example, get my lips done. K.W.: Do you think you would get fewer assignments? A.W.: Maybe not immediately, but it would affect how people perceive me. However, that's in bad taste. Artificial nails or eyelashes would be unprofessional.

Why do we feel the need to enhance our beauty? Because others expect it?

A.W.: Not everyone, fortunately. K.W.: I think a woman who diligently fulfills a man's needs loses part of her personality. If my partner wanted me to get lip or breast augmentation, I would say, 'Honey, then you probably need to change your partner.' But I have acquaintances who entered relationships with someone who demanded, 'Get your lips done, get breast implants.' And they did it for them. A.W.: Which is probably evidence of low self-esteem... K.W.: That's why #UNBOTOXED is such an inflammatory word; it extends to other areas. It's a pretext for discussing important issues, an appeal not to paralyze not only the face but also life. It encourages resisting societal pressure.

Notice how reluctantly we talk about injections. How much hate is poured on celebrities who have undergone procedures. Why do you think that is? My theory is that artificiality arouses anger because we interpret it as an attempt to deceive us, to outsmart us.

K.W.: There's something to it. I have a friend who exercises regularly, takes care of herself, doesn't drink alcohol, likes to say she's naturally beautiful. Yet she injects her face with fillers and Botox. How does that align? You won't find pretending or artificiality in my DNA. That's why Angelika is a friend of SAC – because she is authentic, doesn't pretend anything. And she believes in my brand and its message. I appreciate that a lot.

 

Klaudia, can one veer off the path of artificiality and transition to self-care using your methods?

K.W.: Always! What we offer is like good organic fish with spinach, olive oil, and salt. A simple dish with the best ingredients. The minimum base, but repeated regularly. Very good technology in small doses. Let's leave the skin alone. Let it breathe.