Is face tape the new botox?
A little poke here, a little poke there. Sometimes it seems like everyone suddenly gets a panic attack at thirty and tries everything to avoid getting older. Whether it's about fillers in your jawline, in your bags, or in your forehead – it's done a lot. But what if you really don't want to start with botox? Or what if you're terrified of needles? Then you really don't want that. You can try the newest (and painless!) botox alternative: face tape.
Is this really the miracle cure against aging? Of course, there's nothing wrong with a few wrinkles, but if you don't want this, it's tempting to try botox. Getting rid of those fine lines, or botox in your jaw muscles to make your jawline slimmer. I'm not even 25 yet, but I also think about later. Would I want that? It's all just a bit... scary. That's why I decided to look into this new magic remedy. Face tape should do the same as botox, without all those nasty side effects. But does it really work? I wonder, so I'm going to find out for you (and myself).
@itzamelika Face taping is working and you can’t change my mind 🫶🏼 #facetape #facetaping #foreheadwrinkles #preventwrinkles #beautyhacks #facetapes #siliconetape
How does that tape work?
This trick isn't actually modern at all. Joan Crawford used this in the 60s under her wig to pull her face tight. Nowadays, you still see this facelift taping in the entertainment world: secretly hidden under their hair or under a wig, but there are also celebs who come out with it: Rapper Doechii wears it openly on stage and Charli XCX wore it on the red carpet. But today we're not talking about that quick fix, but a tape that you put on every night to prevent wrinkles. You get a tighter forehead, cheekbones, and a lifted eyebrow. As soon as the tape is off, your face springs back.
Facetaping is when you place tape on areas of the skin that often move. This stretches and loosens due to this movement. When you relax, you see wrinkles and lines from the stretching. By taping your face at night, the muscles would be prevented from moving. This should help you develop fewer wrinkles and reduce existing wrinkles.
How do you apply that face tape?
- First of all, it's important that you really use face tape. You need that brown face tape, not that blue tape you use to tape your ankle or wrist. You have also tape that is already cut out. This is specially made for your face and won't damage your skin. That blue one is for the rest of your body. That means it can hurt or cause irritation when you pull it off.
- Next, you do all your skincare first. Your skin needs to be hydrated anyway, otherwise that tape is useless. Do this 10 to 20 minutes before you start taping, so your skin has absorbed all the goodness and your tape doesn't slip off. After all, you need a good grip to lift your skin or hold it ‘in place’.
- Then you cut the corners of the tape in circles. This ensures that your tape doesn't just peel off while you sleep.
- Stick the top part of the tape in the direction you want to lift your face.
- Never pull your tape off your face like a band-aid. This can cause so much irritation and damage in the long run. Roll it off gently as if you're rolling up a piece of paper. This keeps your skin nice, firm, and stronger. If it doesn't come off easily and/or painlessly? Then you can use some (baby) oil to soften it.
- Where do you stick it? Actually on any area where you want to reduce wrinkles and/or lift your face. On your forehead, along your eyes, on your laugh lines, on your chin.
@thewellnessprocess discussing all things botox illness & natural alternatives on our recent episode with @Arielle Lorre #botox #facetaping #cleanliving #skincare
@devonkelley_ Replying to @Pols how I tape my face #facetaping #skincaretips #skincareroutine
But does it really work?
Okay, let me be honest: there has been no research done on this technique, so we don't know if it really works. Dermatologist Jetske Ultee thinks this is a temporary solution: “The facial muscles contribute only a limited amount to skin sagging and wrinkles. It's mainly facial expressions that make this visible. Furthermore, wearing this tape only slightly hinders your facial movement. Your wrinkles are therefore less visible, but yes, that's at night. The next morning you let your facial muscles ‘loose‘ again and then this effect disappears.’
So is face tape the new botox? I don't think so. This is something very handy, but it seems to only be a quick fix. According to many influencers and people online, this works for them, so you can always try it. Stick those things on every night and see if you notice anything. But, I warn you: there can be risks involved. In the long run, those glue residues can irritate your skin. And removing that tape? It can remove the protective layer of your skin. Especially if you have acne, this is not a good idea, because that tape can accumulate dead skin cells, sebum, and sweat and cause more inflammation. Now I'm not saying you should run to some clinic to inject botox everywhere, but this tape isn't going to make you 30 years younger. Trust me.
Image: aishapotter
