‘Face taping’ or why you shouldn’t join the trend of using glue on the face

You come on TikTok, you are doing role and the contents of the same theme begin to appear. A clear example of this are the videos that explain how to position the blush so that it flatters more according to your features. These trends are fueling the flame of creativity and leading to increasingly original proposals, such as the face tape golf heat therapywho uses tape on his face to reduce wrinkles and firm. Some influencers they use them under makeup to provide effect lift and, others, during the night at try to treat the skin in this way.

The reality is that it is not something unique to Generation Z, which reminds us of the famous sayings of the great Carmen Sevilla when she said she avoided the signs of aging by putting tape on her face and neck, strategically placed with the purpose of reconfirmation. Likewise, tapes to “stretch” the face have been a staple of Hollywood makeup since ancient times, with characters like Raquel Welch being the maximum ambassador of its use. Finally, it is a should of every routine beauty of a drag queensomething that we have been able to see in feature films or in iconic programs such as drag racing. In short: it is not a novelty, but they are back in fashion, no one disputes that.

‘Face Taping’: what is it and what is the new trend on TikTok

The face tape literally translated from English means “glue your face with glue” and, not to fall into metaphors and other tropes, it is essentially exactly what it seems. It is a technique aimed at combating and prevent wrinkles and sagging facial treatment, using adhesive tape strategically placed in different areas of the face. If the tape is applied at night, the tape should support the muscles and limit their movement, as if it were a DIY botox, avoiding gestures such as frowning or line-inducing expressions that can occur during dreaming. The theory is that it reduces and prevents lines caused by sleeping on your side and stomach. On the other hand, the face tape can also be used for effect lift immediately, as if it were a facial “girdle”. In this sense, it is usually located from the cheeks to the temples or from the chin to the lower part of the ear, later hiding them with the respective makeup. However, there is a lot of freedom and everyone uses it according to what they want to hide.

There is an obvious problem: the face looks firmer when you wear a good one face tape. However, David Deibis, makeup artist at Perricone MD, questions the technique. “It takes a lot of makeup to cover the tapes, making the final look too busy and unnatural,” she says. On the other hand, the benefits of using it while we sleep are somewhat debatable. Raquel González, a cosmetologist and director of education for the same company, Perricone MD, notes that “The tape won’t reduce wrinkles or work on firmness because it needs to be treated from the inside with facial machine stimulation or through the daily use of cosmetics that promote the production of collagen and elastin or with principles that emphasize muscle firmness, as happens with DMAE”. For Elisabeth San Gregorio, technical director of the company Medik8, it is a plaster: “They provide an immediate lifting effect, but not a long-term solution,” she says.

One of the main drawbacks is the inconvenience of using them, because they are usually not very pleasant, they require too much makeup and it is easy for us to have to constantly touch up to avoid getting them over the hours. seen. In addition, “they can cause irritation, especially in the most sensitive skin, something that usually happens when we take them off. The glue they contain also does not benefit the skin, “explains Estefanía Nieto, technical director of the company Omorovicza. .

In short, it can show a harmonious sight to the eye, but will never provide long-term treatment. In addition, using the tapes is uncomfortable and you will be forced to use excessive makeup to hide them, which is usually difficult to achieve. “We might be able to get the effect in a photo, but it’s probably easily noticeable in real life,” Deibis added. Finally, it can irritate the skin by peeling off the glue. Now, with its pros and cons, everyone decides whether it’s worth it or not.

The main alternatives are facial machines in beauty centers or medical-aesthetic centers, as well as anti-aging cosmetics that promote firmness and reduce wrinkles. Some effective options are:

the mask X Lifting mask, the Butijour, which is intended to be treated in the same way as the face tape but much more effective. On the one hand, the cotton texture provides that firming effect, but it also contains a hydrogel that penetrates all night and works by reducing wrinkles, firming the facial oval and acting on the double chin. It works with Korean plant extracts such as the lotus flower, as well as a patented anti-aging complex called VolufilineTM. The price? 12 euros at Purenichelab.com (1 piece).

Eyelid Lift Serum, from Perricone MD, provides effect lift immediately in the eye area by raising the eyebrow, an area that tends to lose firmness over the years, giving the impression of a sad look. It is worked with the fingers following the top arc making a massage with the ends from the bottom up. We’ll see how the eyebrow immediately seems raised. It works with principles such as Vitamin F or Acyl Glutathione. The price? 94.05 euros, in Galileo 61.

Last we have liquid peptides, from Medik8, a day and night serum that works with a very potent complex of three types of peptide combinations. In addition, it works with a revolutionary technology: cosmetic drones that deliver the active ingredient to each cell as needed, in order to optimize the product and get the most out of it. Less wrinkles will be seen immediately, the skin will look juicier and plumper and in the long run it will improve the results. It also has other allies such as hyaluronic acid. The price? 64 euros, at Mumona.com.