Do Frownies Make Wrinkles Worse? -

This post is about whether or not Frownies make wrinkles worse than your wrinkles were before you started using Frownies.

This post about whether or not frownies make wrinkles worse may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

What Are Frownies?

We will talk in a bit about if Frownies make wrinkles worse but first, what are Frownies? Frownies have become a buzzword in the life of a beauty lover, especially in the age of TikTok and social media where viral beauty finds like these have gained fame.

Known as the original wrinkle patch, Frownies offer a holistic approach to smoothing wrinkles and reducing the appearance of fine lines.

Frownies are adhesive patches made of unbleached brown paper, backed with a natural water-activated adhesive. They are a favorite product among those who prefer a botox alternative.

Frownies patches work by holding the skin in a smooth, flat position, preventing facial movements and expressions that lead to frown lines and forehead wrinkles. Over time, they retrain the muscles of the face, offering long-term benefits.

We all do weird things with our faces without knowing it and those expressions lead to wrinkles.

They are made of unbleached brown paper and backed with a natural water-activated adhesive. Imagine smoothing out the area you have wrinkles then placing a big piece of duct tape on the area so that you couldn’t tense your muscles under that area or make wrinkles/expression lines if you tried.

Obviously duct tape would be horrible for your skin and likely wouldn’t even stick well but you get the point. Frownies do stick well if applied correctly. In fact, they stay much better than the silicon patches you see on the market that are copying the concept of Frownies.

How do I know they are copying Frownies and not the other way around? Frownies is a female-owned business that has existed since 1889! How incredible is that? They were originally invented by the founder Margaret Krosen to help her daughter, who was a concert pianist improve her countenance as a performer.

Since then, they have been used throughout history by countless Hollywood starlets like Raquel Welch and Marlene Dietrich and now they’re available to average people seeking non-invasive wrinkle treatments.

They really were the original Botox! The company today is still owned and operated by the descendants of Margaret Krosen. Read here if you want more of the story.

How Do You Apply Frownies?

When using Frownies for the first time, it’s essential to follow the right steps for the best results. After your nightly skincare routine, break the frownies into pieces (come in perforated sheets that you tear apart).

You’ll need about 5-10 pieces. Dampen the back of each Frownies patch with Frownies Rose Water Hydrator Spray, enriched with hyaluronic acid and vitamin C. This not only activates the adhesive but also adds a little bit of skincare to your routine.

Wait until the backing becomes tacky and then gently smooth out the skin (so you aren’t trapping a wrinkle under the Frownies cast) and apply the patches to different areas of the face, such as the forehead lines or eyes wrinkle patches, ensuring the overlying skin is in a smooth, flat position.

You’ll start with one piece and then keep adding on and on until you have full, overlapping coverage of the area with the Frownie pieces. You’re basically forming a “cast” over the area you want to immobilize.

If you apply and they start to flip up a bit at the edges you can just spray with some of their Rosewater spray or use regular water to dab and tap so it molds to your face more. You can also fold and crinkle up the Frownies pieces a bit before getting them wet so the paper is more moldable.

Most people choose to apply Frownies at night and then sleep with them. Avid users often wear them as long as they can into the day if they are at home or doing carpool drop-off to speed up the long-lasting effects you’ll see over time.

How Long Does it Take for Frownies to Work?

While there’s no shortage of Frownies reviews on social media platforms like TikTok, some users may wonder about the scientific research behind these viral beauty finds. Frownies work based on the principle of limiting repetitive motions that cause deep wrinkles, much like the concept behind botox injections.

Though they may not offer crazy fast results like some invasive treatments, many loyal customers report seeing smoother skin and a reduction in the appearance of wrinkles at the end of their first month of continuous use.

If you apply Frownies correctly then you will see a glimpse of the type of long-term results you will end up with after the first night you wear them. You’ll remove the Frownies and see a smooth forehead.

The exception to this would be if you did not apply them correctly. Frownies are not at all hard to apply but there is a bit of a learning curve where it really helps to listen to some tips and tricks for application. instead of just winging it.

How long it takes to see lasting effects from Frownies totally depends on your skin, your muscle tone, and how deep your wrinkles are.

Younger people with less deep lines might start seeing last effects after a few weeks while those (raises hand) with very expressive faces and deeper wrinkles might need 2-4 months of nightly wearing to see results that last throughout the day and that are noticeably improved.

For me, it was right at the 3-month mark where one night I fell asleep without putting them on and I woke up the next day and my forehead was super smooth- just as if I had worn them all night! Woohoo! Was it fun waiting for 3 months to see the lasting results?

No, I questioned at times if they would ever really work for me. Is it so exciting now to think that with continued use my results will just keep getting better- YASSSSS!

Do Frownies Make Wrinkles Worse?

I hate when people gaslight people so if someone out there says that they wore Frownies and it made their wrinkles worse then their personal experience is valid. Perhaps that did happen for them, HOWEVER… I can’t imagine, after using these facial patches nightly for the last 3 months how that could happen UNLESS:

The user did not smooth out the muscle before application and applied it to a scrunched area.
The user did not make sure the patches were all properly stuck to the skin so basically they aren’t working because they aren’t sticking. The tip that helped me to prevent this is to wet the patches I will be using and then wait for them to start to curl. Then hold them to my skin for maybe 5-10 seconds to give them a good seal. Once I get all the patches on, I usually add a little more water to the top around the edges. I was a ballerina (long ago) and this process reminds me of breaking in new pointe shoes; we would wet them and then let them mold to our feet as the wet canvas dried.
The user applied correctly at first but then scrunched his/her face to check to see if they were working/dry before they were dry this would basically break the cast and adhesion you had placed and make it so you were either trapping your skin in a contracted/scrunched state or just broken the adhesion seal. Once they are on- don’t contract or try to check if they are “working”… assume that unless they are visibly not sticking all is well.
The user purchased Frownies from a fraudulent source on Amazon (there are lots of places on Amazon copying the look of Frownies but producing patches that do not stick well enough to properly hold the muscle and skin in place to prevent movement) and those fake Frownies basically didn’t do what real Frownies do. I always purchase directly from Frownies to ensure I’m getting the real thing and also to take advantage of their rewards program.
User has not used Frownies for at least 2-4 months and is dehydrated or not moisturizing their skin so on any given day, they look in the mirror and think their wrinkles look worse and blame it on frownies. This actually did happen to me. The first two months there were days where I felt like my wrinkles looked worse but that was because 1. I hadn’t used Frownies long enough to get the all-day effect and 2. My skin just was not looking great that day- maybe I was dehydrated, maybe I was wearing foundation that day that settled into my lines and made them look worse… Who knows but my point is there are lots of things that cause our lines to look more pronounced on any given day and you’re not going to see the long-lasting effects of Frownies for an average of 2-4 months of nightly use. It’s like starting a diet and exercise routine then eating a pint of ice cream during your period 3 weeks into the routine and saying exercise and a healthy diet don’t work to lose weight…

Integrating Frownies into Your Skincare Routine

For the best results, incorporate Frownies into your regular skincare routine. After cleansing and applying your favorite serums or eye cream, position Frownies in areas prone to wrinkles, like around the eyes or forehead.

If you use a facial oil or your skincare is a little oily or slick then you’ll want to wait until it soaks in before putting the Frownies on. I usually do my full routine, concluding with castor oil, which is thick and slimy and then I wait 30ish minutes until it has soaked in.

They’re an excellent addition to your holistic skincare approach, working alongside other products like regular sheet masks or your line of skincare products.

That’s about every scenario I can imagine where Frownies might make wrinkles worse and in each of these scenarios it wouldn’t be the Frownies making the wrinkles worse, it would be user error.

I’ve never seen anyone in the Frownies VIP Facebook or elsewhere claim they made their wrinkles worse. I’m telling you, if you watch Helen’s application videos and join the VIP Facebook group then you shouldn’t have a problem and if you do, you can ask questions in the Facebook group or send a direct message to Frownies on their Instagram. Their customer service is amazing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you are wondering if Frownies make wrinkles worse I would have to say… no. No, they 100% don’t make wrinkles worse- unless you apply them incorrectly, and then, I don’t know… maybe? It’s really not hard at all. If there’s a rumor out there that they make wrinkles worse I’d like to talk to that person because honestly, I don’t get it.

I recommend starting with your forehead area because those are the easiest area (in my opinion) to apply. Once you’ve mastered application on the forehead area and are seeing the results you want then maybe move on to placing them around the eyes or mouth. They definitely work the best on the forehead but I have also definitely seen a positive change in my nasal labial fold area.

This post was about whether or not Frownies make wrinkles worse.

I’ll cut to the chase- they don’t unless you apply them incorrectly and even then, you’d have to almost deliberately apply them incorrectly for months. Although it did take me 3 months of nightly wear to see all day results, I am so glad I stuck it out.

My forehead has always been where I have the most wrinkles and now it’s not. That’s pretty amazing.