A relatively new addition to the cosmetic market is eye patches. If earlier we used slices of fresh cucumber to eliminate dark circles and puffiness under the eyes, today there is a much more modern and more effective solution - patches. What are they, what are they, and how to use them correctly? mystylex.techinfus.com/en/ provides a complete guide to patches for any purpose.

What are patches?

Patches are special appliques for the eyelids that are impregnated with an active substance. They can quickly deal with swelling, remove redness and swelling around the eyes. With prolonged use, the patches can also remove dark circles and spider veins, reduce the appearance of early expression wrinkles. Someone cannot imagine their morning without patches, someone uses them exclusively as an SOS remedy, and someone even thinks that they are harmful to our skin, especially with long-term and constant use.

The patches came to us from Korea. Due to the fact that Korean cosmetics quickly gained momentum all over the world, the patches also "stuck" and became one of the favorite products of women all over the planet. Many European and American cosmetic brands have also started to produce patches alongside Korean brands.

In addition to caring for the skin around the eyes and solving some problems, patches are used in medicine and cosmetology. For example, when extending eyelashes to separate the lower row of eyelashes from the upper one, or for makeup artists - to protect the area around the eyes when applying complex artistic make-up.

What materials are patches made of?

If we talk about care options for patches, they are:

• cloth - cotton cloth, like wet wipes, impregnated with an active substance;
  
• hydrogel - made of a special polymer like silicone, which is also impregnated with an active substance or is in a container with this substance.
  

Hydrogel patches have a more pronounced smoothing effect, as they put sufficient pressure on the skin around the eyes. They are good for getting rid of expression lines. At the same time, it is recommended to apply them regularly: in this way, a kind of massage with a pressure-compress on the skin around the eyes will be carried out.

Fabric patches work well with puffiness and can help against dark circles under the eyes - also with regular use. The cotton fabric is impregnated with the active substance and does not allow it to evaporate quickly. Thus, an eye mask is obtained, which will act in the same way as an eye cream, but much longer and, accordingly, more effective.

Patches for special procedures that we mentioned above (for example, eyelash extensions, etc.) can be made like an adhesive plaster, which is securely attached to the skin in order to perform certain functions.

How to choose patches for different cosmetic purposes?

Depending on what problem you need to deal with, you need to choose eye patches. According to this criterion, several types of them are also distinguished.

1. Edema patches (draining)

Cloth patches work best for swelling - they are often used as an SOS remedy after a sleepless night or a stormy party. Here, the active substance penetrates the skin better than in the case of hydrogels. Be sure to choose exactly specialized products that indicate that they are from edema. Look for caffeine or green tea extract (they perfectly remove excess fluid from the tissues), as well as peptides.

2. Patches for dark circles under the eyes

In order to get rid of dark circles under the eyes, you need to use patches at least 2-3 times a week, and make a course for 1-2 months. It is good if the composition contains active whitening components - lactic or fruit acids, or niacinamide (this is the most common whitening component in the cosmetics of most Korean brands), and panthenol, which strengthens the skin.

3. Patches for mimic wrinkles

Such patches must be hydrogel. As we said above, due to the pressure on the skin around the eyes, they have a clear smoothing effect. Also, the composition should contain a lot of moisturizing and nourishing components. First of all, it is hyaluronic acid, then the secretion of the snail also moisturizes well. With natural oils, you need to be careful so that an allergic reaction does not appear.

4. Patches with lifting effect

The lifting effect also means the fight against edema. But patches with a lifting effect are no less effective for mimic wrinkles and for sagging skin of the lower (and upper) eyelids. It is also better to choose such patches as hydrogel patches, and look for gold, pearls and even snake venom in the composition - it does an excellent job of tightening the skin and eliminating wrinkles in the corners of the eyes.

How often should you use patches?

Depending on your goals, you need to understand how often to use patches. If it is necessary to get rid of puffiness and swelling of the eyelids once or twice a week, then when dealing with dark circles or mimic wrinkles, you can use patches 3-4 times. It is worth noting that most cosmetologists still consider patches to be an express or SOS agent, which is not recommended to be used often in order to avoid addiction and further lack of effect.

It is also believed that patches, despite their clear moisturizing effect, with constant daily application, can dry the skin over time. This is manifested due to the presence in the composition of petrochemical products, which are designed to accelerate blood circulation (but not for all brands, and possibly only in budget options). Sometimes preservatives or bleaching agents in the composition can cause dryness. In any case, look at your personal reaction to this or that remedy.

How to apply the patches correctly?

First of all, remember: never take patches out of the jar with your fingers. No matter how clean your hands may seem to you, there is still a high risk of bringing bacteria into the jar, and the moist environment inside will facilitate their rapid reproduction. A special spatula is always attached to the package (if it is not disposable), as for applying the cream, use it to take out the patch. Already on the face, it is allowed to smooth it slightly with the pads of the fingers.

When it comes to care, it is recommended to apply the patches with the wider side to the inner corner of the eye to more quickly eliminate edema and reduce dark circles under the eyes. For a lifting effect and fight against mimic wrinkles, on the contrary, apply patches with the wide side to the outer corner of the eye, exactly where there is a cluster of wrinkles, the so-called "crow's feet".

Makeup artists advise using the patches before applying bright and long-lasting evening makeup as a mask to moisturize and smooth the skin under the eyes. So the make-up base, as well as foundation, concealer, powder, highlighter, shadows and other decorative cosmetics used will lie much smoother and last longer on the skin.

Apply the patches to the skin in the way you want. By the way, there are also patches for nasolabial folds, glabellar vertical wrinkles, for the forehead. But if there are no such at hand, eye patches can also be used on different zones. Let the patches sit for about 15-20 minutes or until dry. Then they need to be removed, and in most cases, the active substance does not need to be washed off.

How and where to store patches?

Store patches in a dry, dark place. If you are used to using the patches on a daily basis, you can store them in the bathroom, but put them away from hot water, for example, in a closet, and screw the jar very tightly after use.

Ideally, it is best to keep the patches in the refrigerator. This is especially true for those that are designed to relieve swelling or have a lifting effect - they will cool and narrow blood vessels well, reducing swelling and tightening the skin.

Don't forget to check the manufacturing date and expiration dates! If you rarely use patches and only in exceptional cases, it makes sense to purchase not large jars, but disposable packs with one pair of patches.