Courteney Cox, Before and After
This story has a happy ending. It's also a cautionary tale about the over-use of injectables—which is why I've received multiple requests to do a Before & After on Courteney Cox.
Although the 51-year-old Friends star and former model has been in the public eye for more than 30 years now, the Daily Mail noticed something different about her face recently. Something that rendered her "unrecognizable."
When did things go wrong? Let's take a look at her beauty evolution over the years:
Courteney in 1984
Fun fact: Courteney's first big break was appearing in this Bruce Springsteen video at age 20. (No, she wasn't just a random "adoring fan" plucked from the audience.)
Courteney in 1994
Courteney Cox at the 1994 Los Angeles premiere of ‘Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.’
Michael Ferguson/Globe Photos
Ten years later, Courteney was 30 years old—and suddenly became famous with the debut of 'Friends'. It’s hard to tell what exactly is happening with her hair, but the curls are definitely not a youthful look! I’m also pretty sure she was dyeing her hair darker, almost black. Judging from her features here, I think she's one of the few celebs who hasn't touched her nose.
Courteney in 1995
Courteney Cox at the 1995 MTV Movie Awards.
Lisa Rose/Globe Photos
In 1995, she rocked another strange hairstyle—I think it’s an updo with some kind of spiky detail on the bun. Oh, the ‘90s! Precise brows and mocha lipstick completed the look.
Courteney in 2002
Courteney Cox at the 2002 Los Angeles premiere of ‘The Good Girl.’
Tom Lau/Loud & Clear Media/Star Max
And now for a complete palette cleanse! Courteney was 38 here, and this look is so classic that it's still perfect now, 14 years later. I love the softer brown hair on her; it's less harsh than the jet black. She looks perfectly understated in fresh skin and berry lipstick.
Courteney in 2006
Courteney Cox at the 2006 Fox Summer TCA Party.
Galactic/Star Max
The first sign that Courteney was dabbling with fillers came in 2006. Suddenly, her cheeks look super plumped and projected, in a very unnatural way. But she really has the most amazing blue eyes, doesn’t she?
Courteney in 2008
Courteney Cox at the 2008 Elle Women in Hollywood event.
S. Bukley/ImageCollect
Courteney was 44 by this time, and in a way, she looks softer here because her cheeks don’t seem as angular. However, they’re still extra plump and her lips look done now, too. (But at least the lips are subtle!) She also returned to all-over, solid-colour black hair. Unfortunately, it has no dimension, so it can look a bit wig-like.
Courteney in 2011
Courteney Cox at the 2011 Los Angeles premiere of ‘Scream 4.’
RE/Westcom/Star Max
She was 47 here, and we can all agree she is S-T-U-N-N-I-N-G. Her hair is so shiny, and she wears cool-toned makeup—grey eyeshadow and baby pink lipstick—like nobody else.
Courteney in 2012
Courteney Cox at the 2012 EBMRF and PlayStation Epic Halloween Bash.
Carrie Nelson/ImageCollect
The following year, she stepped out with barely-there makeup and this amazing air-dried hair texture—those things alone give her such a relaxed, youthful appearance. Sure, her cheeks may be over-filled, but her skin is in great condition.
Courteney in 2015
Courteney Cox at the 2015 Los Angeles premiere of ‘Just Before I Go.’
Byron Purvis/AdMedia
It was in 2015 that Courteney’s interventions suddenly attracted public attention. To me, it looks like she got a top-up of cheek filler, but it was too much. See how it’s creating a ridge underneath her eyes?
Courteney in 2016
Courteney Cox at the 2016 UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability Gala.
Byron Purvis/AdMedia
In 2016, the same problem was still apparent—there’s a distinct ridge along the upper edge of each cheek. But at least her cheeks were starting to deflate....
Courteney Cox at the 2016 BMI Pop Awards.
Sammi/AdMedia
This is our happy ending. A few months later, Courteney was looking better than ever. Likely, she was mortified by her previous red carpet appearances, so may have had the fillers dissolved and re-done in a more natural way. If there are also Botox and lip injections, they're soft, not overdone. Her skin seems a bit red and maybe that's because she's opting for skin resurfacing procedures instead of the needle—a decision I fully support!
Conclusion
In my opinion, Courteney is one of the most naturally beautiful actresses in Hollywood. Her delicate features and thin lips might not be "on trend" in 2016, but they're still gorgeous at any age (at least when she leaves them alone!).
I think the lesson here is that injectables, done right, can definitely stall the aging process—Courteney's 2016 photo at age 51 is amazing evidence of that. But put too much in, and the filler becomes aging instead of age-preventive. When you use injections to add more volume to features than was ever there to start with, it's a recipe for disaster. Courteney is far from the only one to get that telltale puffy feline face... but you'd think a celeb would know better!
Now, I know some people (even doctors) will say these filler mistakes only appear that way because the injections are too fresh and haven't had enough time to "settle" yet. I give that a big NOPE. To me, it makes no sense to have to live with a puffy face for a month or two before you start to look normal. Better to just get less filler put in, and go back for maintenance more often. Do you agree?
