Does anyone have a homemade version of the Frownies product?
Cleo from Elizabethtown, KY
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As I understand it, Frownies and Wrinkies are simply paper strips which help "re-educate" the face by making it uncomfortable to scrunch up the skin in a frown or furrow. The paper reminds you to relax your expressions which produce the wrinkles. Try plain old Scotch tape!
Scotch tape or any kind of soft tape (Nexcare, Leucoplast) will not work because there can still be movement. Frownies are stiff, that is why they work.
I use clear "Surgical" tape (you can get at the drugstore) - and use a square and another one -This has the added benefit of being able to wear when driving a car & no one will notice.
I think just regular tape is not the best because the actual "frownie" gets really stiff once it dries up on your face. In order to sort of pull the fold/bend out of your skin for the 3 hrs it is to be applied. In other words it dries hard. Just regular surgical tape would be to pliable and hence defeat the purpose!
I have brought frownies but with Morden economy found them expensive at £20 a pop including p&p just for the forehead. I googled and researched and now I make my own.
All you need it Brown parcel paper and Arabic gum. The aerobic gum not only helps stick the paper but is also used in wrinkle cream.
I tried tape...it worked ok, but I found after 4 days the results with my own was much better.
I put the gum crystals in boiling water. Left them over night to create a syrup constancy. I cut strips of parcel paper for forehead, eyes n mouth then put on the gum. I left these to dry (for 5 hrs). When I go to use them just like frownies I apply water and they stick. Only issue is storage. But being a cheap skate... I'm so happy with results and all natural.
Could you tell me where you buy your gum crystals to use for this?
@FrankS: What do you mean you left it overnight? Boiled it, cooled it down and let it sit, or actually kept it boiling overnight (I'm expecting not this, since it sounds dangerous)? How much gum arabic powder do you use in how much water? Sorry, I can't find directions anywhere!
p.s. Medical tape doesn't work as well because it is too pliable.
I've tried Transpore and ended up with what looked like huge wrinkles on my forehead all day because the tape wrinkled up around the edges after it was on my face. It also didn't stop my muscles from moving so I had these lovely impressions where I had furled my brow and caused ridges in the tape - and anything not straight and flat will mould your skin overnight and you'll be left with a reminder of it for hours after you take the tape off.
Also tried athletic tape - it's more rigid but the adhesive was too strong and left welts on my skin from taking it off.
I'm honestly about to give up on my thrifty approach to Frownies, because I'll probably have spent more on things that don't work than I would have just caving and paying the $20 for ones that do.
I use silicone patches instead of kraft paper when making my own frownies so I dont have to keep buying the karft paper. Silicone patches are reusable
You can easily make your own version of Frownies with gum arabic powder and butcher paper. Check out my article detailing the process here:
Yes, it's super easy to make your own version of Frownies. You can make them using gum arabic powder and butcher paper. Here's my article with a detailed tutorial including tips and tricks:
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Does anyone know how to make home made "Frownies"? I read that they are either look like kraft paper or really are made from kraft paper.
By Joyce from Saint Clair, PA
What are Frownies? I am intrigued!
Hello, medical tape works just the same, buy from any chemist. x
Why not just buy gummed Kraft paper tape, such that use for shipping. After all that what Frownies and Wrinkies are, but are merely perforated.
