Everything you need to know about patches

Face patches are a relatively recent invention on the beauty cosmetics market, but have already won fans around the world. Convenient plasters with a variety of impregnations successfully cope with wrinkles, swelling, dark circles under the eyes and other skin problems.

In English, the word patch refers to a patch or plaster. Therefore, the patches themselves look like ordinary plasters, but are miniature face masks. As a rule, they are applied to a certain area, and after a while they are simply removed without requiring additional rinsing. That's why The main advantage of this type of cosmetics is the ease of use.

If the classic mask must first be distributed over the face, sometimes mixing the components on their own, then wait for the solidification or the end of the time period, and then rinse thoroughly with water, then it is enough to fix the patches on the skin for about a quarter of an hour.

Cosmetic patches usually have either a cotton or hydrogel base, impregnated with various useful substances - serums or creams with active action. The range of their application is very wide - the patches help smooth out wrinkles, cope with edema, reduce dark circles under the eyes, dry pimples or get rid of blackheads. They are antibacterial, anti-aging, or simply moisturizing. Currently, even microcurrent masks are sold, which promote the penetration of components into the deep layers of the skin.

The benefits of using patches are vast.They contain a sufficient amount of active ingredients that improve the condition of the skin. In this case, we are talking about collagen or glycerin, peptides, plant extracts, natural preparations with botox effect, anti-aging ingredients and others. Miniature masks work very quickly, providing the skin with the necessary hydration. Depending on the variety you choose, you can expect wrinkles to be smoothed, swelling and dark circles can be fought, or even redness and irritation can disappear.

You can use patches at any age, since you should always focus not on the number of years lived, but on the condition of the skin. However, most often, the use of plasters becomes relevant closer to the age of 30, when the face begins to be covered with the first wrinkles, and the swelling after a sleepless night turns out to be quite noticeable.

Cosmetic patches are both disposable and reusable, which is determined by the material of manufacture and the combination of impregnation.

Eye patches are the most popular type of cloth mask. They are usually categorized as moisturizers, wrinkle-smoothing, and puffiness and dark circles relief. Moisturizing patches contain hyaluronic acid, aloe extracts, vitamins E and a variety of herbal ingredients. Covering the thin skin of the sensitive area, they nourish the dermis with active substances, normalize the hydrobalance and help "retain" moisture inside. Anti-aging patches contain collagen, colloidal gold or peptides that are responsible for tightening the skin and smoothing its surface.

The patches to deal with dark circles and swelling work with ingredients that speed up the movement of blood and have a beneficial effect on drainage. The composition is usually dominated by hyaluronic acid along with peptides or collagen. Dark circles are effectively dealt with by caffeine, which contributes to vasoconstriction.

While most often the patches are applied under the eyes, there are also variations applied to the eyelids. The hydrogel base is suitable for all skin types and can be impregnated with algae, hyaluronic acid or herbal extracts. The plasters are glued to the moving eyelid for only 30 minutes, and after removing the mask, you can immediately start applying makeup.

A number of patches allow you to cope with deep cleansing of the skin, including the nose and chin from blackheads. Unlike eye patches, they are shaped to fit the T-zone and chin. The adhesive base is usually impregnated with hazelnut extract, activated carbon or fruit acids, that is, components with an antibacterial effect. Strips must be applied on cleansed and ideally steamed skin, and left to dry completely for 15-20 minutes. In order to cleanse the pores, you need to remove the patches with a rather sharp but gentle movement.

However, no adhesive is considered more effective than mechanical or ultrasonic cleaning. Moreover, such patches are rather considered an additional care tool, the use of which does not negate the daily procedure of cleansing, moisturizing and nourishing. Basically, the strips have a good antibacterial effect and have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin.

There are also a number of plasters that can provide emergency relief to the skin of the face, for example, dry out inflammation. The surface is pre-cleaned, the required area is covered with a plaster for about 8-10 hours.Since the thin medical plate looks almost invisible, it can be glued at any time of the day and even masked with cosmetics. The composition of healing patches for the face is quite rich: it includes components such as salicylic acid, tea tree oil, grape seed extract and others. Active substances accelerate the regeneration process, reduce redness and eliminate inflammation.

Separate masks are available for the mouth area. Their main purpose is to eliminate wrinkles in the corners of the mouth, as well as to reduce the existing nasolabial folds. The composition of the plasters must include elastin with collagen, which can fill wrinkles and smooth the surface.

Some experts refer to patches and some types of face masks. First of all, we are talking about cloth masks that look like a wet wipe with slits. The mask impregnated with active ingredients is applied to the face for a certain period of time. The impregnation composition can include various herbal ingredients, extracts, natural ingredients or synthetic substances.

The second type of masks is plasticizing, often used against forehead wrinkles and other age-related changes. They are based on either collagen or hydrogel, and are composed of numerous vitamins, vegetable oils, acids and other active substances.

Today, some brands are starting to produce body patches, which have mainly anti-cellulite effect. For example, Collistar brand plasters aimed at transforming the abdomen and waist. They are composed of thermoactive components that stimulate circulation in skin cells, caffeine and garcinia cambogia. In addition, ginkgo biloba helps to strengthen the problem area and increase its tone.

The brand Tony Moly The range includes cooling body patches that are suitable for the legs, abdomen and buttocks. The sticker helps to get rid of cellulite, improve the relief and tighten the skin.

All released patches can be divided into several categories depending on the components used in their composition.

Collagen patches were the first on the beauty care market. These patches are based on water-soluble collagen, which helps to smooth fine wrinkles and create a lifting effect. With regular use of the product, the natural regeneration process of the dermis improves, in addition, metabolic processes are normalized.

Hydrogel patches have a very unusual system of use. The patch is first kept in water for a while and then fixed under the eyes or on the upper eyelid. After some time, the substance will be absorbed into the skin, so there is no need to remove the pads. The rest of the product is spread over the skin with your fingers to fill in any existing wrinkles. After the procedure, the skin relief is significantly smoothed out. Hydrogel patches contain a large amount of hyaluronic acid, which explains their impressive effect.

Microneedle patches are a relatively recent development. Their difference from other varieties lies in the presence of hundreds of tiny needles that are immersed in the skin and thereby allow the active substances to be transported deeper. Otherwise, the composition of the product can be very classic - for example, hyaluronic acid will be used as the main component.

The basis of silicone patches, as the name suggests, is one of the varieties of silicone, which forms a thin film on the surface and thereby visually smoothes the skin. Silicone patches are reusable. In this case, they are used to temporarily protect certain areas, for example, the lower eyelid when applying makeup.

Fabric patches resemble cotton pads in appearance and are used in most cases to combat dark circles and puffiness in the lower eyelid. The patches themselves are formed from cotton cloth soaked in a variety of active substances, for example, green tea, algae, chamomile or sea cucumber extract.

Liquid eye patches can either smooth out fine lines or dark circles and puffiness under the eyes. The gel substance is located in a convenient bottle, and usually one press on the dispenser allows you to receive an amount equivalent to one patch. It is applied under the eyes, left on for 10 minutes, and then washed off.

The best manufacturers of cosmetic patches are still Japanese and Korean brands. The various ratings often include companies Tony Moly, Skinfood, Shary and Misoli. Products are especially popular Secret Key, most of which contains gold ions. Interesting variations are found at the Petitfree brand, which offers patches with snail slime, black pearls, gold and other exotic ingredients. Microneedle receives numerous reviews patch filler Libredermcreated in Korea. More than 130 hyaluronic acid needles maximize the hydration of the under-eye area, significantly reducing even deep wrinkles.

Hydrogels should also be mentioned. Koelf Ruby & Bulgarian Rose patches, made on the basis of rose extract. Many bloggers and just makeup lovers often review the ginseng patch. Shangpree Ginseng Berry Eye Maskrich in natural ingredients, including raspberry, cherry and cranberry fruit extract.

Before purchasing cosmetic patches, you need to study all the possible variations on the market, and also think about what you expect to get the result. For example, for young skin it will be enough to moisturize the delicate area under the eyes, and for older women, products with an anti-aging effect should already be purchased. You should focus on proven manufacturers from Korea. Patches are sold either in sealed bags or in jars. Naturally, the number of patches in the first case will be much smaller. For regular use, it is convenient to buy products from the Secret Key brand, one jar of which contains 90 discs.

Some patches are applied for just a few minutes, so it is more convenient to use them during the daytime, and some are left on overnight, so this aspect should also be taken into account. Plasters should be purchased either in specialized cosmetics stores, or in online stores. As a rule, such products of Japanese and European manufacturers are presented in large chains, and you will have to look for more exotic variations on your own and, possibly, order abroad.

Manufacturers themselves, as a rule, recommend applying patches every day, although a couple of times a week will be sufficient. Previously, the face needs to be cleaned of cosmetics and washed. In the morning, it will be enough to use a simple gel for washing, but in the evening more serious measures will still be required. The classic under-eye patch is glued to the lower eyelids so as to follow the lash line. After waiting 15-20 minutes, it is necessary to remove the plasters with a smooth movement going to the temples.

Disposable pads must be thrown away immediately, and reusable pads must be returned to storage in an airtight box. The substance remaining on the skin is gently hammered in with your fingertips. Some girls prefer to apply patches immediately on top of a serum or cream, believing that this only enhances the effect of the components. You can leave masks overnight only if such an option is indicated on the package. Otherwise, for many hours the patches will dry out and form a hard border, which negatively affects the sensitive area.

Usually, cosmetic patches are recommended to be applied for only 15-20 minutes. Nevertheless, if after this period they look "like new" and remain the same soaked as before, then it is quite possible to put them in a suitable container and put them in the refrigerator for reuse. The optimal time for curing the patches is from 30 minutes to an hour.

The patches do well at room temperature, but direct sunlight or excessive humidity in the bathroom can be detrimental to them. Moreover, in the second case, the multiplication of bacteria is quite likely, leading to unpleasant consequences. It is best to store patches in the refrigerator.... Firstly, this guarantees their safety, and secondly, it provides the treated area with an additional cooling effect.

If the patches are not stored in a separate bag, but in a twisted jar, then it is important to ensure that their lid is always tightly sealed. Otherwise, the useful hydrogel substance will dry out, which means that the use of patches will lose any sense.

The reviews of cosmetologists with regards to a variety of patches are quite neutral. The fact is that most of these products do not do any harm, but they have a very short-term effect, which means that they are not considered serious. Of all the existing varieties of cosmetic plasters, only microneedles have a real opportunity to deliver beneficial substances deep into the skin.

As for ordinary users, they either praise the use of a particular product or remain neutral. Negative reviews are found only when the desired result and reality do not match, or when a cosmetic product is used incorrectly.