These Face Patches Promise an Overnight Face Lift—and They Really Work
Ben Ritter
I do plenty to keep my skin firm, healthy, and to, yes, delay the signs of premature aging. I slather on antioxidant-rich moisturizer all over my face, arms, and legs, and religiously apply SPF. But one thing I won't do to delay fine lines and wrinkles is stop smiling. Sorry, Kim K.W. I get it, but I'm not about giving up giggling. So, yeah, I do have some expression lines around my face.
While I'm truly accepting, and even grateful, for the marks on my face, I am generally curious about products and treatments that have used advanced science and powerhouse ingredients to reduce their appearance—or get rid of them entirely. How do they work?! So when new facial patches that promised an overnight "face lift" landed on my desk, I was in. Could it be that easy?
SiO, a beauty brand that came onto the scene with a revolutionary cleavage wrinkle reducing patch, expanded its line with facial patches that address a few different issues, including a brow lifting patch, a smile and eye lifting patch, and a neck lift. They can also all be worn at the same time for the full "face lift" effect. I opted for the SiO "Eye and Smile" Lifting Patches ($15 for two pad pack; siobeauty.com) because I felt like that's where I could see the most change.
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The patches are made out of medical grade silicone and are meant to hug and tighten the skin and smooth out any lines while you sleep, while also supposedly supporting natural collagen production. They claim to work in just eight hours, or the amount of time we're all supposed to be sleeping at night. While you'll see a result the next morning, they are meant to provide lasting benefits if used continuously over time.
Because we wanted to document the results, I tested them at work and applied them shortly after I got into the office. For the record, walking past coworkers with face masks on and swatching new and upcoming lipsticks is very common, so it strangely wasn't awkward to have see-through clear patches stuck to my eyes.
They stick to your skin like any other face patch, but there is a noticeable difference in their smooth silicone texture and weight. They don't feel heavy, but more like they're slightly tightening that area of your face. Full disclosure: I didn't have a full eight hours to test them out, so I settled for four hours and hoped there would be some sort of change. After I peeled them off, I was shocked to see that my defined lines around the corners of my mouth were smoothed out and far less visible than they were before, and my skin felt tight and plump.
Ben Ritter
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By the end of the day, my wrinkles had returned, and I was expecting that—though again, over time they're meant to have lasting benefits.
I can't say they'd be anywhere as effective as a surgical face lift, obviously, but I'd say it's a option for anyone who's scared of needles, going under the knife, or who just isn't into or ready for that step.
You can check out the full range at siobeauty.com—and my results in the pics above.