Botox is about as routine as brushing your teeth these days, but it’s not for everyone. While I’m still holding out on injecting a few cc’s into my face, that doesn’t mean the lines gradually surfacing on my forehead don’t bother me. I’ve tried retinoids, microneedling, and lasers to try and diminish them, but my beauty budget only runs so deep. So when I kept seeing ads for silicone wrinkle patches — which claim to have a Botox-esque effect for less than a tenth of the cost — I knew I had to test them out.
Most facial wrinkles form due to repetitive muscle contraction like smiling, squinting, or furrowing your brow. Wrinkle patches don’t contain any active ingredients to diminish wrinkles — instead, they act like a brace to limit facial muscle movement, thus preventing those pesky lines from forming in the first place.
Both Frownies and SiO Beauty offer different patches for various parts of the face, depending on your areas of concern. Generally, you’re recommended to use them nightly at first in order to train your facial muscles to relax, and then just as needed — say two to three times a week.
Admittedly, I was pretty skeptical that this less expensive, non-invasive alternative to Botox could actually have an effect on my wrinkles. So, can wrinkle patches really deliver in-office-level results? Read on for my unfiltered review.
1. Frownies Forehead Wrinkle Patches
Fast Facts
- What we like: Silicone- and latex-free, hypoallergenic, and non-irritating for sensitive skin. Natural weighted unbleached Kraft paper allows skin to breathe.
- What we don’t like: Not reusable, can be time-consuming to remove, semi-uncomfortable to sleep in.
- Rating: 4/5
First Impression
Frownies are somewhat easy to apply — you simply dampen the shiny side of the patch and place it onto dry skin — but still took me a bit of trial and error. I must’ve applied too much water the first time or didn’t wait long enough for the adhesive to get tacky, because when I stuck them on my skin they wouldn’t stay in place and started curling up around the edges. My second attempt was far more successful.
The patches aren’t painful in any way, but they aren’t necessarily comfortable either. When they dried on my skin, they had a very similar texture to pore strips — dry, stiff, and almost paper mache-like. The stiffness is exactly why they seem to work, though. I definitely couldn’t raise my eyebrows with the Frownies on, which is precisely the facial movement that makes my unwanted forehead wrinkles appear.
On another note, I think my husband jumped two feet in the air when I entered the bedroom with my Frownies on. “What on earth do you have on your face?” he nearly shrieked. I explained the purported benefits of wrinkle patches. “Is it really worth it?” he asked.
I wasn’t quite sure yet. (The things we do for perfect skin, amiright?)
The Frownies Results
As it turns out, my terrifying appearance was not in vain: The next morning, my forehead lines were nowhere to be found.
Still, by the end of the day, I did start to notice them reappear again. They weren’t nearly as exaggerated, but they were still visible. Obviously, it’s impractical to wear Frownies 24 hours a day — but the idea is that the more you wear them, the more you train those facial muscles not to move, even when you don’t have them on.
I did find that to be the case. After a week of using the Frownies patches, my lines certainly weren’t permanently gone — but they were significantly less visible, even hours after I removed them.
2. SiO Beauty Wrinkle-Smoothing Patches
- What we like: Reusable, extremely comfortable to wear, hypoallergenic, cruelty-free, dermatologist-approved.
- What we don’t like: They don’t always stay put overnight.
- Rating: 4.5/5
First Impression
The first thing I noticed about the SiO Beauty BrowLift is that it’s a lot more comfortable than Frownies. That’s because silicone is a noticeably more flexible material than paper. While it still prevented my facial muscles from moving, the compression was so gentle that I honestly forgot it was even there after a little time went by.
These patches are made of medical-grade silicone — and when this particular material is placed on your face, it protects your skin and traps in moisture. Because of this, my skin felt plumper and more hydrated after I took off the patch than it did post-Frownies.
Another advantage to the BrowLift is that, unlike Frownies, the patch is already in one piece, which meant less effort on my part trying to make sure all my forehead lines were covered. I just slapped it on and crawled into bed. And for some reason — maybe because it’s translucent? — my husband seemed to find the appearance of the BrowLift to be less offensive.
The only downside? On two nights out of seven, the BrowLift did shift around as I slept, peeling up around the edges and getting a little stuck in my hair. I suspect this is probably because I have a tendency to sweat in my sleep, especially around my forehead.
The SiO Beauty Results
Morning after morning, I peeled off my SiO Beauty BrowLift to find a smooth, wrinkle-free forehead.
As was the case with Frownies, I did find that my lines sometimes reappeared as the day went on. However, since I work from home and the SiO Beauty BrowLift was so comfortable to wear, I sometimes kept it on throughout the afternoon to maximize the benefits.
Final Verdict
To say that wrinkle patches are equivalent to getting injections isn’t exactly accurate. After all, Botox blocks signals from the nerves to the muscles so that it’s impossible for them to contract, and it lasts for three to six months. Plus, it actually smooths topical fine lines. Wrinkle patches, on the other hand, physically constrict your muscles from moving — but only as long as you’re wearing them.
All that said, products like the SiO Beauty BrowLift and Frownies offer a stellar alternative for people like me who are seeking a non-invasive and budget-friendly alternative to Botox. They definitely do work, but it’s important to keep in mind that the wrinkle-reducing benefits only last if you’re willing to wear them consistently.
While I was impressed with the results with both of these products, I think I’m more likely to make the SiO Beauty BrowLift a regular part of my routine solely because they feel less scratchy and more flexible. As my husband can attest, I may be willing to sacrifice my appearance while I sleep for the sake of youthful skin — but I’m definitely not willing to sacrifice my comfort.
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