Courteney Cox said aging is “hard in general.” Her appearance-focused upbringing led her to fillers. Her style has changed throughout time.
The “Friends” star has discussed meeting beauty standards. She’s improved her appearance and considered her beauty regrets.
The actress’s upbringing and early life shaped her new beauty perception. Growing up in Alabama as the youngest of four in an image-conscious family was memorable.
When she was 10, her part-time shop worker mother and businessman father split. Cox said, “I didn’t realize how much that probably had an impact on me — it just was what it was.”
She remembered visiting her father in Florida alone as a child. Her mother, a “sweet, beautiful woman,” inspired the actress to leave small-town.
Courteney Cox in “Family Ties,” 1987 | Getty Images
Cox went to New York in the mid-1980s and lost her southern accent through voice coaching to find her own way.
She became famous worldwide as Monica Geller on “Friends” in 1994, earning $1 million per episode during the show’s ninth season after playing minor roles to pay the bills.
Courteney Cox on “Friends,” 1994 | Getty Images
Since appearing on “Friends” at 30, Cox has grown. She discussed her evolving beauty standards and aging concerns at 60.
At 57, the actress frankly discussed becoming 60. “Oh God, hearing and speaking are so hard. Not believing it. It’s fine to be 60, I simply can’t believe it. Time flies.”
In another interview, Cox said, “I think getting older is just hard in general,” referring to the pressure to look good throughout her life.
Getty Images Courteney Cox attends the 54th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills on January 19, 1997.
In addition to societal ideals, she said, “I grew up thinking that appearance was the most important thing. What a shame because it landed me in trouble.”
“Cougar Town” star ascribed this to her upbringing, where both parents valued attractiveness.
Courteney Cox at the 10th Annual Fire & Ice Ball in Beverly Hills, California, on December 11, 2000.
She developed her self-image by hearing her family talk about beauty and everyday rituals, according to the filmmaker.
Cox used cosmetic treatments to look younger, but she later realized they had side effects.
Getty Images Courteney Cox during the 2nd Annual Painted Turtle Bingo Night Benefit in West Hollywood, California, on February 16, 2005.
Getty Images Courteney Cox during the 2nd Annual Painted Turtle Bingo Night Benefit in West Hollywood, California, on February 16, 2005.
The public figure said doctors recommended harmless procedures to start.
Courteney Cox at Olympus Fashion Week in Bryant Park on September 8, 2005. | Getty Images
These layers of treatments built until she recognized they no longer looked appropriate. “I didn’t realize I looked really strange with injections and doing stuff to my face that I would never do now,” she said.
She joked that a side-by-side photo would record “the day you realize what your friends were talking about.”
Courteney Cox at the 2011 “Scream 4” premiere | Getty Images
This self-awareness made Cox rethink her decisions, saying, “There was a period where I went, ‘I’ve got to stop. That’s insane.”
Cox is refreshingly honest and unmoved by Hollywood’s personal challenges and pressures of aging. “The scrutiny is intense, but I don’t know if it could be more intense than what I put on myself,” she said.
The TV personality, who loves skincare, tries almost any product she sees. Due to her early concern on looks, Cox now has a well-planned skincare routine. After a Clarisonic and heated cloth, she uses Mila Moursi items she’s used for years.
Getty Images Courteney Cox attends the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on February 8, 2015.
The celebrity alters her peptides, serums, and creams everyday based on her skin. She said it takes three minutes despite the extensive processes.
The actress’s devotion on beauty also includes her everyday makeup procedure. She microblades her eyebrows, uses Stila fine point products, curls her lashes, applies copious mascara, and clings to the same lipstick she’s used for years.
She recommends against overplucking, citing her actress daughter Coco Arquette’s “beautiful arched eyebrows” and to avoid tweezing.
Cox acknowledged her past beauty errors, including fillers. She explained her decision to dissolve them in a separate interview.
Cox agreed that Hollywood pressure to look young is frequent. “You have to accept getting older, and that’s something I had a hard time doing,” she said.
Getty Images Courteney Cox attends The Last Ship Opening Night Performance in Los Angeles on January 22, 2020.
She chose injectable fillers after being unhappy with her appearance. However, over time, Cox recognized that her attempts to prevent aging had transformed her look in unrecognizable ways.
She felt her best after removing her fillings. She feels more confident than ever, embracing herself while still improving herself.
Cox embraces non-invasive treatments including lasers, microneedling, and microcurrent technologies but prioritizes naturalness. She believes true beauty is confidence and authenticity—being comfortable in oneself.
Courteney Cox attends the US Open in NYC on September 8, 2024.
She knows confidence can come and go, but she feels best when calm and joyful. The Hollywood diva has learned about herself through heartbreak and joy as she ages.
She regretted not having received these insights sooner, since they could have prevented many of her journey’s problems. Many have commented online on Cox’s natural look after these discoveries.
One social media user said, “You look much better and more youthful without all that filler. Your job’s demand to look younger is unavoidable. Definitely a slippery slope.”
Another wrote, “You’re right! I noticed and thought. Oh. Stop. You look great without it. Occasionally, you’re lovely. I appreciate your candor.” One user said, “You’re a beautiful woman. Not everything is necessary.”
“I’m grateful that I’ve survived this long and that people still care. “I want to keep reinventing myself,” she stated in another interview.
Courteney Cox’s story shows the significance of accepting change and being true. She inspires people and grows personally and professionally by prioritizing self-acceptance over society.