While I love a little Botox, the best wrinkle patches can be a surprisingly effective tool in your antiaging skin care routine, whether you're needle-averse or just looking to make those injections last longer. Think of them like a temporary iron for your face: They work by flattening and holding the skin in place—kind of like taping your expression into submission—which helps soften the appearance of fine lines.
You simply pop them onto clean skin, leave them on for a set period (anywhere from 15 minutes to overnight), then peel off to reveal smoother-looking skin. Some are reusable and made of medical-grade silicone, or even unbleached kraft paper, and don’t contain any actives. Instead they work to minimize muscle movement. Disposable patches often contain skin care ingredients like retinol, peptides, or hyaluronic acid to help with collagen production, skin repair, and hydration, says David Johnson, MD, a board-certified dermatologist.
To figure out which of these wrinkle treatments are truly effective, I teamed up with other Glamour editors and testers—all over age 30—to try the most popular options on the market. We assessed how well each stayed put, how comfortable they felt, the immediate look of skin after removal, and any visible improvements in texture or fine lines with ongoing use. Peace Out Wrinkles Microneedling Patches were our best overall pick for their ease of application and ability to deliver retinol, vitamin C, and peptides into skin thanks to 450 dissolving microneedles. These are the other options that stood out.
The best wrinkle patches, at a glance
- Best Overall: Peace Out Wrinkles Microneedling Patches, $28
- Best Reusable: Wrinkles Schminkles Forehead Wrinkle Patches, $21
- Best Silicone: SiO Beauty FaceLift, $44
- Best With Retinol: 111Skin Wrinkle Erasing Retinol Patches, $190
- Best Anti-Aging: Peter Thomas Roth Peptide Skinjection Hydra-Gel Patches, $46
- Best Trending: Frownies Facial Patches, $26
Best Overall: Peace Out Wrinkles Microneedling Patches
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- What we love: Easy to apply; stays put all night without sliding; contains a range of antiaging ingredients
- What could improve: Some users report minor irritation at first.
Don’t let the youthful branding fool you—these retinol patches are designed with mature skin in mind. Each box includes six oblong patches packed with 450 dissolving microneedles that deliver a concentrated blend of retinol, vitamin C, and peptides deep into the skin over several hours. They’re ideal for targeting crow’s feet, forehead lines, and the frown lines or elevens.
The brand recommends using two patches per week for two consecutive weeks. Application is simple: Peel off the backing, press onto clean skin, and wear for at least six hours (though overnight is ideal). The adhesive keeps them firmly in place—no sliding or peeling—and you can actually feel them working almost immediately.
What our tester says: “A few minutes after I applied the patches, I saw a little redness along the perimeter of one of my patches, so I was worried that I may wake up with red rectangles on my face,” says Glamour tester Helen Bonzulak, age 56, of New Jersey. “But to my pleasant surprise, there was no redness or irritation at all. And while I didn’t see a noticeable change in my skin after one use, it does seem like a great way to apply retinol, vitamin C, and peptides to a targeted zone.”
Best Reusable: Wrinkles Schminkles Forehead Wrinkle Patches
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- What we love: Easy to apply; lightweight and comfortable but stays in place; reusable up to 10 times; suitable for sensitive skin and those who are pregnant or nursing
- What could improve: Requires cleaning between uses
Wrinkles Schminkles makes medical-grade silicone patches for just about every area prone to wrinkles: forehead, eyes, lips, chest, neck, and even hands. The forehead patch—the one I tested—is one of the brand’s bestsellers and is meant to be worn overnight. The brand claims it helps soften the look of fine lines by creating a “microclimate of hydration” that has a plumping and firming effect. Like Frownies, it has no active ingredients at work—just pure silicone—making it a great option for sensitive skin or for those who are pregnant or nursing.
What our tester says: I tested these myself and found that application is simpler than with other similar patches: You just peel off the plastic backing to reveal the adhesive side, then stick it on. There’s no mess, no pieces to puzzle together, and once in place, the patch stayed all night without slipping. It felt lightweight and surprisingly comfortable, even for me as a stomach sleeper. In the morning it peeled off easily and left my forehead looking just a little bit smoother and softer. I also love that each patch can be reused 8 to 10 times—though ideally, you should wash it after every use, which does add a bit of upkeep.
Best Silicone Patches: SiO Beauty FaceLift
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- What we love: Reusable up to 10 times; suitable for sensitive skin and those who are pregnant or nursing
- What could improve: Adhesive could be stronger
SiO’s wrinkle-smoothing patches are made from medical-grade silicone and come in a four-piece set designed to target multiple areas: forehead, eyes, smile lines, and neck. The reusable patches—each good for up to 10 wears—form a gentle occlusive seal that locks in moisture and holds skin in place overnight.
What our tester says: “They were easy to apply and surprisingly unobtrusive, but I did have some trouble keeping a couple of them on through the night, especially the neck,” says Glamour tester Gwenn Hauck, age 65, of New Jersey. “That said, the forehead and eye patches stayed put, and I thought my undereye area particularly benefited. The area looked ever so slightly smoother and more refreshed in the morning. I also appreciated how easy they were to remove—no tugging or irritation, even on my redness-prone skin.”
Best With Retinol: 111Skin Wrinkle Erasing Retinol Patches
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- What we love: Targets multiple wrinkle-prone areas with custom-shape patches; flexible wear time
- What could improve: Very expensive
The wrinkle patch kit from 111Skin includes 15 patches designed for targeted zones: crow’s feet, nasolabial folds, forehead lines, and the eleven lines between the brows. The brand recommends wearing the patches overnight or for at least two hours, once a week. While Glamour tester Bonzulak found the instructions a bit confusing at first, she ultimately found the patches easy to apply and said they adhered well—aside from one that didn’t quite stick on the bridge of her nose.
What our tester says: “I didn’t notice any major change immediately, but upon close inspection of the before and after photos, I do think I see softening of the appearance of wrinkles between my eyebrows and on the bridge of my nose,” says Bonzulak. “With continued use, I can imagine it may really make a noticeable improvement.”
Best Anti-Aging: Peter Thomas Roth Peptide Skinjection Hydra-Gel Patches
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- What we like: Ingredient-rich formula; versatile patch shapes; cooling effect; quick treatment time
- What could improve: Patches are a bit slippery due to their gel base.
The Peter Thomas Roth Peptide Skinjection Hydra-Gel Patches come in a jar of 60 serum-soaked patches in two different shapes (there’s a little spatula to help you separate each patch without using your fingers). Use the larger patch to target the crow’s feet and the smaller for the eleven lines between the eyes. Many reviewers (myself included) also note these patches are the perfect shape for targeting smile lines.
What our tester says: Each patch contains a powerhouse lineup of antiaging ingredients, including 2% Uplevity, a peptide that helps reduce the look of expression lines; niacinamide for brightening power; and hyaluronic acid, squalane, and cactus flower extract for skin-firming hydration. Since they’re gel-based, I did find them a bit more slippery than other options, but you only have to use them for 10 to 15 minutes, and I really liked the cooling, spa-like feel. I find myself reaching for these in the mornings when my face looks especially tired or dull. They make my skin look noticeably dewier and more refreshed, though I haven’t seen dramatic changes in my fine lines just yet.
Best Trending: Frownies Facial Patches
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- What we love: Suitable for sensitive skin and pregnant individuals; easy to use; box contains a lot of strips that can be used all over the face
- What could improve: Can be uncomfortable to sleep in; some users complain about the smell
Frownies, which are made from unbleached kraft paper and a water-activated adhesive, are the OG wrinkle patch—the brand’s been around since 1889—and the brand is currently blowing up on TikTok. Once wet and applied to the face, the patches harden into a stiff cast that physically holds your facial muscles in place overnight, theoretically preventing expressions (and the lines that come with them) while you sleep. They’re completely ingredient-free and instead rely entirely on mechanical action to help soften existing lines and train your facial muscles over time. In the morning you rehydrate the patches to gently peel them off without tugging the skin.
What our tester says: I tested them for two weeks, using about 10 patches per night to target multiple areas (laugh lines, forehead, the elevens). As a stomach sleeper, I didn’t find them especially comfortable, but I managed without much sleep disruption. And while the results weren’t dramatic, I did notice my laugh lines looked slightly softer in the morning—a win for a non-injectable option that doesn’t contain any actives like retinol, especially if you can stick with it consistently.
Best Drugstore: RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Targeted Patches
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- What we love: Easy to apply; contains a variety of active ingredients; flexible wear time
- What could improve: Feels a little prickly going on; may not be suitable for sensitive skin
Despite the fact that you can find them in the aisles of your local drugstore, these retinol patches from RoC are designed to target deep-set wrinkles with a little extra intensity. Each one is covered in 80 tiny dissolving micro-cones that press a blend of retinol and hyaluronic acid into the skin. You can wear them for just two hours or, ideally, six hours or overnight.
What our tester says: “I went all in and slept in six of these retinol-soaked patches overnight,” says Glamour contributor Charlotte Twine. “When I peeled them off in the morning—it looked like my skin had been ironed!” Just know that they’re not the most gentle option. “The micro-cones feel a little like having Velcro pushed into your skin,” she says. And while the smoothing effect was real, it wasn’t exactly permanent: “The ironed-out effect went away a little as soon as I smiled—but I’ll take a smile over a wrinkle any day.”
Best for Sensitive Skin: Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch for Fine Lines Patches
- What we love: Easy to apply and wear overnight; gentler than other microneedle options; contains a number of skin-smoothing ingredients; can be used in multiple areas
- What could improve: May take some time to really improve the look of deeper wrinkles
Hero Cosmetics may be best known for pimple patches, but these wrinkle patches are definitely worth a look. Each patch is infused with tiny dissolving micropoints packed with a cocktail of smoothing ingredients—retinol, adenosine, sodium hyaluronate, and niacinamide—to deliver targeted results overnight.
What our tester says: Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary was skeptical at first. “I was never one to really believe in wrinkle patches—that is, until I gave these ones a go,” she says. She used them to target fine lines on her forehead and found the application easy: “You simply stick the patch right on and let the micro darts dissolve overnight.” While the patches didn’t erase the lines completely, the area looked noticeably plumper by morning. “They were slightly less apparent, and I also found that my makeup clung to the area quite well—no creasing or smudging throughout the day. If anything, they made my forehead look smoother and more even textured. I can’t wait to see what a few more treatments can do.”
Best for Neck and Chest: Patchology Firm Believer Neck & Décolleté Smoothing Hydrogel Mask
- Courtesy of brand
- Original photo from Charlotte Twine testing Patchology Firm Believer Neck & Décolleté Smoothing Hydrogel Mask
- Original photo from Charlotte Twine testing Patchology Firm Believer Neck & Décolleté Smoothing Hydrogel Mask
- What we love: Specially designed for neck and chest wrinkles; cooling gel-like texture; visible results after one use
- What could improve: A little bit slippery
The neck and chest often get overlooked in daily skin care, but Patchology’s Firm Believer Hydrogel Mask makes it easy to show those areas some love. Designed to smooth and hydrate the delicate skin on your neck and décolleté, this two-piece mask is soaked in peptides, adenosine, and vegan collagen.
What our tester says: “I have a bit of sun damage on my chest and décolleté from all my years of living here in subtropical Florida, so I was game to give this one a shot,” says Twine. The hydrogel texture took a little getting used to: “Unreeling the sheet from the envelope reminded me of awkwardly unfolding sticky sheets of lasagna.” But once applied, the cooling sensation was immediate. “They feel so cool, soft and buttery. And the difference in my skin was immediate—much smoother and more firm, and the lines were a little less visible. I even saw a healthy-looking gleam on my skin the next day.”
Best Mask: Primera PRMR Vitanol Serum Gel Mask
- What we love: Noticeably brightens, hydrates, and plumps skin overnight; budget-friendly
- What could improve: Can slip around if you don’t give it time to settle before bed
I’m not usually a big fan of face masks, but this one genuinely surprised me. The mask combines retinol and vitamin C—what the brand calls Vitanol—in a hydrogel sheet infused with a full bottle’s worth of the brand’s highly rated serum. It’s designed to plump, brighten, and firm skin overnight (or, at minimum, three hours), and comes in a set of six for just $25.
What our tester says: I wore mine overnight (I recommend applying it about 30 minutes before bed to let it settle—otherwise, it can slide around a bit) and woke up with skin that looked visibly fresher and more hydrated. My typically dull, dry complexion had a dewy glow that lasted well into the next day, and the fine lines on my forehead were basically invisible. My skin looked bouncier, smoother, and all-around healthier. I was genuinely impressed with the results, and will continue to use this mask regularly.
Frequently asked questions
Do wrinkle patches really work?
“Wrinkle patches can offer temporary improvements in the appearance of fine lines, particularly when used overnight,” says Kristina Collins, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Austin. “They work primarily by physically smoothing the skin and preventing muscle movement that causes expression lines.” Occlusive materials like silicone also help trap moisture and improve skin hydration, which can make wrinkles appear less pronounced, while any added ingredients like retinol or vitamin C offer even more antiaging benefits, she says. “However, results are short-term and not a substitute for long-term antiaging treatments like retinoids, antioxidants, or in-office procedures.”
Are there any drawbacks to using wrinkle patches?
While wrinkle patches can be a convenient and noninvasive way to target fine lines and wrinkles, there are a few potential drawbacks to keep in mind. Some users may experience skin irritation or redness, especially if they have sensitive skin or allergies to adhesive ingredients. (If you have particularly sensitive skin or underlying skin conditions, it’s a good idea to do a patch test first or consult with a dermatologist before use.)
The patches also typically need to be worn for several hours or overnight, which might be uncomfortable or inconvenient for some. And results tend to be subtle and temporary. Think of wrinkle patches as more of a complementary treatment rather than a replacement for consistent skin care routines and professional procedures.
