Is Taping, the New TikTok Beauty Trend, Worth a Try?

It’s no secret that TikTok is a big player in the beauty industry. Every week a new hack shows up on feeds across the globe, promising to elevate any number of routines, from makeup to skincare. We’ve seen people put live snails on their faces, place blush on the end of their noses and even define their under eye bags to look ‘cute’. The latest trend taking the social media platform by storm is taping.

“Taping is a beauty trend that has been used by makeup artists for many years. It offers short-term lifting for the face that uplifts the eyes, cheekbones and jawline,” explains celebrity makeup artist Vimi Joshi. For this trick, a piece of tape with a string attached is placed on each temple and pulled upwards and tied behind the back of the head. “A quick pull and tug of the tape can create magic in minutes,” says Joshi.

The latest take on taping across TikTok sees users place medical-grade tape on their foreheads overnight to prevent wrinkles from forming and to offer a lifting effect. One 25-year-old user called Valerie from Canada has gone viral, stating in her caption, “Botox? We don’t know her.” Going on to explain that she’s been taping her face ‘for a while now,’ she explains how to do it and shows us the results.

Initially seeking to achieve a brow lift, she goes on to state that it helps to avoid wrinkles created from “scrunching” when she sleeps. She also places tape on her nose to lift the tip and reduce puffiness and on her lips to minimize smile lines. She ends the video by saying, “Love it. It really works, guys.” With 3.7 million views and over 450,000 likes, including a comment from actress Julia Fox stating, “Omggg I thought I was the only person that did this”. So, does taping actually work?

“Yes, but only a short time. We use the same tape and methods after certain treatments like brow lifts, rhinoplasties or threads. Without the actual treatment, the effect is short-lived,” says Dr Timm Wolter, an expert and leading plastic surgeon at Nova Clinic in Dubai. Dr Marwa Ali, an aesthetic doctor at the Wellness Clinic in Harrods UK, agrees, adding, “It’s a bit like the face massages for lifting. It creates a temporary lift, but will not last at all.”

For those willing to tape up their face every evening, the side effects are minimal, with Dr Wolter noting only possible skin irritation. Dr Wolter also adds, “Sleep wrinkles can be prevented only in the taped area and will form next to the tape,” so you have to be precise when taping. If you want long-term help with age management, Dr Ali says, “You need to look for treatments that boost collagen. Energy-based devices, micro-needling, Hifu and radio frequency are a few examples. Then there are the skincare treatments like using vitamin A (retinol) or trying injectables, like Botox.”

As with every trend on social media, it’s essential to seek the advice of specialists. “There are many examples of harmful tips by unlicensed professionals. These people often look for short-term gain and disappear if there is any problem. We, as professionals, watch the market closely and listen to customer demand, so we always try to offer new, innovative, safe solutions. Your health and safety are definitely worth the extra money you need to spend,” explains Dr Wolter.