There are a lot of ways to treat visible signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles, from over-the-counter creams and serums to in-office treatments like Botox and even face taping.
While the latter has had its fair share of viral moments this year, it's actually a pretty storied anti-aging procedure. In fact, Frownies (originally called "Wrinkle Eradicators"), one of the more popular brands of face tape, has existed since 1889. According to family members in the know, I actually have a great-great aunt who swore by these patches to keep her own face smooth and wrinkle-free.
What are Frownies?
Frownies are non-invasive wrinkle-reducing patches made from unbleached, kraft paper and a water-activated starch-based adhesive. When applied, these patches form a cast, holding the facial muscles flat, and thus preventing the expressions that cause wrinkles. They also claim to reduce muscle tension to help smooth existing lines, according to the brand. They're meant to be worn while you sleep or for a minimum of three hours.
Frownies come in various shapes and sizes for different parts of the face — forehead, crow's feet, laugh lines and more — but each product is essentially the same adhesive cut into different shapes and sizes to better suit specific areas.
Frownies before and after
To find out how Frownies would work on my own skin, I put the facial patches to the test for two weeks. (The brand says you're supposed to wear them for a full 30 days for best results, but I ran out of my box of 144 after about 14 days.) I needed 10 patches per day to cover various areas of concern, and Frownies are not reusable.
Application: The application process was surprisingly simple, with plenty of helpful videos available if needed. Start by carefully tearing the adhesive sheets along the perforated lines into smaller triangles — going slow helps prevent unwanted ripping. Next, spray the shiny side with the brand's rosewater spray to activate the adhesive, then apply the pieces in an overlapping pattern until the area of concern is completely covered.
Wear: The patches do slip and slide a little bit at first, but dry within about five minutes, so you won't have to wait too long before calling it a night. Some reviewers complain about a certain stink, but I didn't notice any smells — pleasant or rank.
Comfort: I was able to fall asleep quickly, but did wake once or twice during the night and notice the dried corners of the Frownies poking at me uncomfortably, especially when sleeping on my stomach, as preferred.
Results: Upon waking, I easily and painlessly removed the patches by rehydrating them — simply apply a little bit of water to activate the adhesive again — and peeked in the mirror. I didn't notice much of a difference in my forehead, but did think my laugh lines looked slightly smoother. I'll take it, since this area can't really be treated with Botox, but the results were, overall, very marginal — even after two weeks.
Do Frownies actually work?
Was my great-great aunt onto something all of those years ago? "In the short term, products like Frownies can help by reducing swelling and smoothing out the skin overnight," says Diana Ponsky, M.D., a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon based in Cleveland, Ohio. "However, they do not paralyze the muscles, so they don’t have a long-term corrective effect."
Do you have to wear Frownies every night?
The brand recommends using Frownies every night for 30 days. After this period of time, they say you may be able to wear the patches less often for maintenance, though this is dependent on both your initial results and your preferences.
Bottom line: Are Frownies worth it?
I wish I could say I found my new go-to wrinkle treatment, but I can't imagine taping my face every night before I go to bed, especially since I experienced some sleep disruption and the results were so minimal. I found the whole process to be very laborious and, frankly, rather uncomfortable.
After I ran out, I decided not to continue with the exercise because I really wasn't seeing measurable results. I saw very little improvement in existing lines, and any results only lingered for a few hours, max. I could, however, see Frownies being a decent option for anyone who is anti-injections or those who want to temporarily smooth out their skin prior to a big event. For the time being, though, I think I'll stick to what was already working for me: Botox and a small arsenal of anti-aging creams.
Brigitt Earley
Contributing Writer
Brigitt is a writer, editor and craft stylist with nearly 15 years of experience. She specializes in lifestyle topics, including home, health, parenting, beauty, style, food, entertaining, travel and weddings. She has written for Glamour, People, Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, Real Simple, Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, and more.
