The Next Big Thing in Facials?

gifts from the delivery room

Welcome readers, old and new!

Please tap the ❤️ above for a timely reminder about why snow might not be great for your complexion.

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Having lived through the 1960s—when the length of my boyfriend’s hair rivaled my own Godiva cascade and my underarm hair nearly rivaled the shag of his—the idea of taking to the streets today might carry resonance for me. But 2025 feels very different. I’m not sure whether that’s due to my advanced age, the circumstances, or both.

The Washington Post’s tagline, “Democracy Dies in Darkness” has prompted me to consider what happens when what the light reveals is so blindingly incomprehensible that all we can do is stare into it in grieving, aggrieved astonishment. At some point, I hope I’ll feel called to increased action, but at the moment the only thing that drops a seed of hope into the cold, hard geography of my current landscape is being kind whenever the option presents itself.

Being kind: It feels like an act of rebellion.

How about this tagline: “HNTFUYF Is For Lovers.” T-shirts and bumper stickers, anyone?

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And speaking of lovers, you might indulge in the mood-lightening new Bridget Jones adventure, Mad About the Boy, with a sprightly Renée Zellweger. I wrote about it here.

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A reader curious about a new kind of facial wonders if it’s the next big thing in rejuvenation.

Q: I just got an email from a good, well-informed friend; she’s recommending a facial using a product infused with stem cells from human placentas. It’s supposedly developed from a revolutionary technology that restores youthfulness. What do you think?

After the paywall, a considered response.

HNTFUYF is a payola-free, reader-supported zone. I get no cut from sales when I mention a product. My recommendations are offered without obligation, making HNTFUYF one of the very few places where you can get unadulterated beauty advice.

The answer to this Q&A sits quivering with excitement behind a paywall. For full access to all posts and the archives, please become a paid subscriber at the current rate of $40/year. Can’t afford a subscription? Write to me at valeriemonroe@substack.com and I’ll give you a comp. 🙏