For the longest time I was convinced that I probably wouldn’t look old until I was really ancient thanks to that young person’s sense of being exempt from time’s relentless march across every face. Now I’m 33, it seems I was wrong. Soft little lines frame my eyes – a fallout from laughing, can’t complain about those – and the cleft between my eyebrows is now deep enough to store a credit card on its side – a fallout of frowning, less nice.

But still when people raise the topic of Botox – something I’ve been assured by several professionals would erase the few signs of age I do have – I balk. I’m not against it at all and I’ve seen it do brilliant things, but I’m simply a wimp and convinced I am the one it would go wrong for, the one who would end up with a sloping eyebrow or worse. I’m not yet bothered about those lines enough to take the plunge.

However, it has lead me to investigate other, less invasive routes to a smoother face. There are plenty of natural alternatives out there, but can a neuro toxin-free, non-invasive treatment come close to sorting out wrinkles? Here are three such treatments that make a genuine difference without having to deploy the big guns of cosmetic procedures.

Facial Acupuncture

Acupuncturists can perform facial rejuvenation treatments, according to Tracy Saraduke, an acupuncturist in Colorado. During a facial acupuncture treatment, the acupuncturist will insert tiny needles into the skin on your face. Acupuncture treatments can reduce the appearance of under-eye bags and lessen sagging in the neck area.

Facial rejuvenation acupuncture reduces the appearance of aging by tightening your pores and improving blood flow to your skin. Saraduke recommends 12 weekly facial acupuncture treatments to experience the best anti-aging results. Find a licensed acupuncturist who specializes in facial rejuvenation to discuss your treatment options and costs.

VTOX

In an age where ‘organic’ is the buzz word everyone is looking for – it’s becoming more and more disconcerting to regularly inject a toxin into one’s face. Indeed, despite the push for youthful looking skin, good alternatives to everyone’s favourite Botulism Toxin, are most certainly on the rise.

Along those lines, celebrity facialist and skincare expert Linda Meredith has created something rather extraordinary. Voted ‘the best alternative to Botox’ by Tatler Magazine, VTOX is quite simply, the Queen of No-Tox Botox.

Effectively using neuro-peptides and natural algae to surround the muscles with proteins and to block the skin contracting, VTOX is a complete game changer. Linda told me:

“Researching through the thousands of ingredients available, I found that the most effective botanical was Algae Extract. Combined with other natural ingredients, the skin will appear more youthful and relaxing without looking frozen in time.”

A toxin-free treatment with staying power, VTOX works by gently helping the skin avoid conforming to expression lines when the muscles contract. The key words here are ‘gently’’ and ‘natural’. It’s like Botox without the poison or freeze.

Sold online as a stand alone lotion, or as part of a professional facial treatment, VTOX is hugely popular amongst the women who frequent Linda’s luxurious Knightsbridge salon – whether pregnant, breast feeding, or just looking for smoother skin in a natural way.

A skin care expert for more than 40 years, Linda developed VTOX after a storied career of taking care of some of the world’s most beautiful and famous faces. Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Moss, Stella McCartney, Kate Beckinsale and Sienna Miller have all been clients.

Linda said: “Unsurprisingly, staying young and beautiful for as long as possible is on every woman’s wish list. Medical professionals continue to develop treatments deemed ‘cosmetic’, some of which are certainly beneficial, but others put pressure on women to have procedures they are not totally comfortable with. The first buzz word was of course ‘BOTOX’ but not all women want to be injected with a poisonous toxin.”

She added: “When developing my own range of skin care products one of my priorities was to have an effective option for those women looking for a Botox alternative including those pregnant or breast feeling who had to refrain from their usual Botox fix.”

The VTOX Oxygen facial begins with a deep cleaning, steaming and intense hydration followed by a generous amount of the VTOX cream. It feels tingly but not unpleasant. This is followed up by more gentle blasts of pure Oxygen, layered on to plump up what is now, rather smooth skin. The end result promises to leave you with skin as smooth as the bottom of the baby in your arms.

Natural Topical Treatments

You can use natural products topically to reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles. Apply Castor Oil

To reduce the appearance of wrinkles, cut a grape in half and rub the grape on your wrinkles. Let the grape juice sit on your face for 30 minutes, then rinse off. You can also apply fresh juice from apples and green pineapples to your face to combat wrinkles. Let the juices sit for 10 minutes before rinsing.