In the quest to look “snatched,” various beauty practices have emerged for lifted and smooth skin. The most obvious options are Botox and face-lifts, which have surged in popularity the past few years thanks to pandemic-induced Zoom dysmorphia and Instagram beauty filters. But for those unwilling to get cosmetic procedures or go under the knife, face tape has become an appealing alternative.
Face tape has recently taken over TikTok for its seemingly easy and effective results. The hashtag #facetaping has racked up more than 472 million views and features two different types of face tape: (1) face taping overnight for wrinkles and (2) face-lift tape, which mimics the effects of a face-lift for a short period of time.
Face taping for wrinkles involves using household scotch tape to smooth fine lines. The practice popped up a few months ago and took off after viral videos showed users literally taping their foreheads to seemingly eliminate wrinkles. After face taping each night for a few days, TikTokers documented the smoothing effects, which are visible and seemingly impressive, leading many to believe that the practice works. But according to board-certified facial plastic surgeon Konstantin Vasyukevich, MD, much of the viral magic is smoke and mirrors.
“Face taping is meant to be a shortcut to medical antiaging techniques,” says Vasyukevich. “The idea behind this is that the tape will be able to constrict the muscles in your face, similarly to how Botox works. Face tape works temporally to reduce the look of wrinkles by strategically placing tape in specific areas of the face. The main aim is to tape the regions of the face that are the most likely to show signs of wrinkles and limit motion, thus preventing wrinkles. However, most of the success with face taping on viral videos is credited to impressive lighting and camera angles and isn’t permanent.”
Not only does face taping not work, but its long-term effects can be damaging. “There are a lot more risks than people consider,” says Dr. Vasyukevick. “Face taping can potentially produce tearing, bleeding, bruising, scarring, and this creates vulnerable skin susceptible to bacteria infections.”
Tangentially, face-lift tape has also been trending on the app. This method aims to create the lifted look seen on the likes of Bella Hadid, Zoë Kravitz, and Hoyeon Jung and is mostly used when applying makeup. Face-lift tape involves sticking tape to the sides of your face and jaw. The tape is then connected by a string that is positioned at the back of your head, pulling on skin to mimic a face-lift.
This is not a novel concept. More often than not, TikTok will resurface old beauty tricks and give them a second life through viral videos. Face-lift tape has been used by makeup artists for decades as a way to create temporary lift and complement makeup looks.
“Face-lift tapes were perfected in 1969 by makeup artist and hairstylist Mark Traynor and have been used ever since,” says celebrity makeup artist Allan Avedaño. “He even has a line of face tapes I’ve used before. Cat eyes and smoky cat eyes look amazing with face tape. You can really achieve a snatched and lifted look with any makeup look, but the emphasis on the tape pulling up your eyes works well with cat-eye shapes.”
TikTok content
TikTok content
TikTok content
According to Norman Rowe, MD, of Rowe Plastic Surgery, face-lift tape is much more effective and generally safe to do in moderation. “Face tape works to create the illusion of a face-lift without an actual face-lift by pulling the skin around the eyes, neck, jawline, and cheekbones to sculpt the face,” he says. “The main aim is to tighten the skin with tape in the areas of the face to get that sharp look similar to celebrities’ and models’. As the effect is temporary, the majority of the success is due to successful placement and makeup.”
Dr. Rowe says he has seen an increasing number of young patients asking for chiseled jaws and angular faces. Face-lift tape has been a longtime Hollywood beauty secret—Hadid admitted to using face tape in an interview with Vogue in March—and TikTok has recently caught on.
You won't find face-lift tape at Sephora or Ulta—until recently it's been a trick used only by professional makeup artists who source from speciality makeup and FX supply stores. But as the practice becomes more mainstream, brands are launching their own face-lift tapes, indicating that it may become its own beauty category in the near future. TheFaceTape and FX Eyes have built their brands entirely around face-lift tape and have found much of their success on TikTok.
Unlike face taping, professional face-lift tape uses thin “medical grade” tape. Rowe cautions against using anything else: “Don't use any additional adhesive besides the tape, as too strong of an adhesive can actually tear the top layer of skin off when removed,” he says.
It's a brief optical illusion and risks are minimal; hence why celebrities use face-lift tape for big events and red carpets. “If you’re using it minimally as a cosmetic or beauty tool, the risks are low,” Vasyukevich says. “Of course, there may be bruising, scarring, or bleeding depending on the length you keep the tape on. This trick has been used in the entertainment industry for a long while, and as far as I know, there’s never been any serious damage as a result of the practice. But I would emphasize always doing so in moderation.”
Of course, another potential risk is the face-lift tape actually falling off your face. According to Avedaño, staying power comes down to proper application. “Start with clean and dry skin,” he says. “I use an alcohol wipe to the area where I will be applying the tape. It’s important to make sure you're applying the tape to the exact area on each side of the face before attaching the cord or band unless you’re correcting an eye that isn’t symmetrical to the other. Then you want to figure out the best position to correct the unevenness.”
Still, Rowe maintains that cosmetic work is the best way to achieve the look and suggests procedures like thread lifts, a laser fat reducer and skin tightener called Trusculpt, and Botox. For long-term results, the most effective is surgical procedures. “I commonly see neck lifts, face-lifts, and brow lifts, to get that 'snatched' appearance,” he says. “Overall, all treatments, nonsurgical or surgical, are extremely effective at achieving a similar look to face tape. It is up to the patient which route they would like to take since surgical is one-and-done, whereas nonsurgical patients can come in as many times as they want within reason to get their desired result.”
Ariana Yaptangco is the senior beauty editor at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @arianayap.
