Anti-ageing stickers are beauty’s latest fad and in fact some actually WORK

Does your beauty routine consist of rubbing on a moisturising cream and slicking on some lip balm? Oh dear, how very 2015.

Today, stickers impregnated with active skincare ingredients are an increasingly popular way to ensure that vitamins and minerals are absorbed into the skin.

What’s more, you can get on with your day-to-day business while they work their magic. Here, Alice Smellie tries the most extra-ordinary of these patches – and aesthetic expert Dr David Jack gives his opinion.

Patched up: Alice Smellie tries out the latest skincare stickers to hit the market

JELLY LIPS

Etude House Cherry Lip Gel Patch (£4.99, amazon.co.uk)

A pale pink gel patch that looks like a large, flat jelly sweet, this contains cherry extract, witch hazel and liquorice and promises to remove dead skin and hydrate lips. Smooth it over lips and leave for ten minutes, then massage in any remaining product.

DOES IT WORK? With this, I can see how I’d look if I had too much lip filler. Scary. It feels slimy, and you can’t talk while it’s in place. But once it’s peeled off, my mouth looks smoother and feels beautifully moisturised. I need less lip balm than usual during the day.

EXPERT VERDICT: The skin of the lips is very thin and there are no oil glands, so it often needs extra moisturising. Liquorice soothes and is an antioxidant, while witch hazel kills bacteria. The patch contains moisturising glycerin. If there’s any irritation, then remove it quickly. 8/10

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BANISH FROWN

Realine Beauty Frown Line Patches (£28, amazon.co.uk)

Diamond-shaped hypoallergenic patches which you apply to the forehead to restrict movement and ‘re-educate’ a frown. Peel patch from backing paper, then, with one hand, hold skin taut on frown line area, while placing the centre of the patch over frown lines and flattening the long ends above eyebrows. Ideally, leave on overnight.

DOES IT WORK?: I was expecting something a bit more dramatic than a bit of clear sticky tape. Once it’s on, from a distance I look normal; close up, it’s as though I have a large, flat blister.

In spite of my scepticism, my forehead does look a little less furious in the morning. I ask a couple of friends to give the patches a go. One is impressed and wants to try them for longer.

EXPERT VERDICT: Stickers are not going to permanently hold back the wrinkles. There is no solid evidence that these work. 6/10

Instant eye lift: Bioeffect EGF Eye Mask Treatment (£75, bioeffect.co.uk)

UNCLOG PORES

Purederm Deep Cleansing Nose Strips (£3.49, beautybase.com)

Cleverly shaped paper strips that curve over your nose to unclog blocked pores and remove blackheads. Simply clean you nose, wet the sticker and put it on. The strips remove the dirt and oil that clog pores, leaving skin clear and smooth.

DOES IT WORK?: I have a few blackheads around the base of my nostrils. When I peel the sticker away, it has a murky-looking residue of dots, which I assume to be bits of dirt or dead skin. Very satisfying, and my nose looks fresh and clean.

EXPERT VERDICT: These appear to have an exfoliating effect and are manually unclogging pores. I’m impressed. 8/10

SMILE SOLUTION

Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Face Gels for Smile Lines (£30 for four smile and four frown line patches, marksandspencer.com)

L-shaped sticker impregnated with ginseng stem cell extract, a chemical to relax facial muscles, as well as a protein derived from carrots that locks in moisture.

You peel away the backing and stick directly onto the lines running down the cheek. It’s such a good ‘stick’ that you could even wear them for a brisk dog walk — as long as you have a low embarrassment threshold.

DOES IT WORK?: The grooves that are starting to form either side of my mouth really bother me! Perhaps I am just too happy. I first try these on just one side of my face to see whether there’s any difference. I feel a faint burning sensation and, after ten minutes, the lines have genuinely become plumped up and have almost vanished.

EXPERT VERDICT: While plumping ingredients may fill in lines, there won’t be a lasting effect. 9/10

Jelly lips: Etude House Cherry Lip Gel Patch (£4.99, amazon.co.uk)

MAGIC MASK

Yes To Coconut Ultra Hydrating Paper Mask (£3.49, feelunique.com)

A Face-shaped paper mask impregnated with coconut oil, with cut-out slots for eyes, nose and mouth. Simply unfold, put on your face and leave for ten minutes.

DOES IT WORK?: It feels very comfortable and my skin is left feeling beautifully supple.

EXPERT VERDICT: Coconut oil contains numerous antioxidant molecules and has anti-fungal effects, though I am not sure how effective these can be after just a few minutes on the skin. 8/10

INSTANT EYE LIFT

Bioeffect EGF Eye Mask Treatment (£75, bioeffect.co.uk)

Icelandic skincare brand Bioeffect has just launched the EGF Eye Mask Treatment to give an instantly lifting effect. EGF stands for Epidermal Growth Factor, which is derived from Icelandic barley. It sits on the outer layer of skin and is said to speed up cell renewal. Treatment consists of a tiny bottle of highly concentrated EGF serum and six pairs of Hydrogel eye masks.

DOES IT WORK?: I apply a few drops of serum to my sagging under-eye area and carefully lie the gel pads on top. There is a faint tingling feeling, and when I peel away the pads, my skin looks tighter and fresher.

EXPERT VERDICT: EGF is an emerging and exciting topic, with some interesting results. They’re likely to have benefits, and the gel pads may help absorption. 7/10

Revitale Collagen and Q-10 Neck Mask (£1.99, beautybase.co.uk)

GOING FOR GOLD

Jamela Crystal Collection 24K Gold Eye Circle Masks (£30.50, jamelaskincare.co.uk)

Each moist mask (they are packed in pairs) is a golden oval with a hole in the middle through which you can peer (pictured left).

The skin around the eyes is up to ten times thinner than the skin on the face and these apparently increase the moisture saturation level by up to 92 per cent.

The mask contains gold, plant collagen and rose water, as well as Irish moss and rose oils. To use, you cleanse your skin, apply the mask and wear it for at least 30 minutes, ideally two to three times a week.

DOES IT WORK?: The problem here is the 30-minute minimum. But I am dedicated to my job, so I pour a glass of wine and lie in the bath for half an hour, ignoring cries and pleas from the children for help with homework, dirty games kit and food. And yes, the skin around my eyes looks softer. The problem is the time it takes. I just don’t have an hour-and-a-half a week.

EXPERT VERDICT: In my opinion, there is little point in using gold with the hope of stimulating collagen deposition. But you may get moisturisation from the other ingredients. 6/10

NECK COLLAR

Revitale Collagen and Q-10 Neck Mask (£1.99, beautybase.co.uk)

Collar-shaped, slimy, white mask, which is enriched with collagen and the antioxidant Q10. It’s formulated to smooth skin texture and improve the appearance of any fine lines and wrinkles. Wash and dry your neck, apply and leave for 20 minutes.

DOES IT WORK?: The only problem with this is that it falls straight off when I walk around. The mask also feels rather clammy. My skin feels softer afterwards, but it’s just too much effort for me.

EXPERT VERDICT: There is unlikely to be absorption of collagen through the skin, but the cooling may tighten skin and collagen will give a softening effect. 5/10