These Patches Smooth Fine Lines Overnight (& They're Only $25)

We've said this before, but sleeping is not just idle time. In skin care, it's arguably the most important time to encourage healthy aging. See, your skin kicks into repair mode while you sleep, releasing a surge of human growth hormone to rebuild body tissues1 and spur increased cell production to invigorate and rejuvenate the dermis. 

Translation: Your skin is hard at work while you snooze. So why not do everything you can to help it perform at its best? 

A little context about wrinkles: There are actually multiple types of fine lines, some of the most common being compression and expression lines. 

The former occurs when you squish your face into your pillow while you sleep (they're also called sleep wrinkles or pillow lines), while the latter happens when you make facial expressions—think laughing, smiling, frowning. It's not necessarily the movement itself that poses the problem, but as you lose vital skin components like collagen, your skin isn't as able to bounce back from those movements. Over time, those expression lines start to settle in. 

That's not to say you should never raise your eyebrows ever again. Just be mindful of how your face rests when you're not actively engaging—like, say, when you're asleep. Yep, your face unconsciously crinkles up while you sleep, but applying a silicone patch over those places can encourage those muscles to rest. 

The new Mighty Patch for Fine Lines features thin, flexible silicone to keep tiny facial muscles in place, but they take it to the next level by featuring 1,390 micro-points in every patch. These microneedling darts actually puncture the top layer of skin and infuse it with potent ingredients, as opposed to just sitting on top of it overnight. 

Now, the terms "microneedling" and "puncture" might sound scary, but all it entails is a mild prickling sensation when you press on the patches; after the micro-darts dissolve, it functions just like your regular silicone patch. 

After cleansing and drying the area of skin you'd like to target, place the patch on your fine lines and press lightly for 20 seconds. The patches aren't huge, so feel free to use multiple on precise areas (like the 11s on the forehead, the nasolabial folds, crow's feet, etc.). To prevent any bubbles from forming, the brand recommends starting at one end of the patch and smoothing it down onto the skin rather than pressing it directly on top of the area. 

These patches work best when you leave them on for six to eight hours, which is why you might want to apply them as an overnight treatment. It also features retinol, which experts generally recommend using at night as it makes your skin more photosensitive. 

Because it includes the beloved vitamin A derivative, you might not even need to layer your regular retinol serum underneath—especially if your skin runs sensitive. Try swapping in these patches two to three times a week as a special targeted treatment.

Given their delicate nature, fine lines can be pretty difficult to treat. The Mighty Patch for Fine Lines expertly targets each etch and fold by depositing powerful, wrinkle-smoothing ingredients into the skin and keeping those facial muscles from bunching up while you snooze.