by Heather Cone

Created on: April 20, 2009

I scoured the internet for answers, I read the reviews and finally I bought a box of Frownies. Botox on a budget? Or a complete waste of money? I had to know, and the only sure way to know was to try. Sure, I had my doubts, but the promise and the price were so tempting, that I took a leap of faith and purchased the little white box.

I was so excited when the little box came in the mail, I couldn't wait to try this long established product "the secret of the entertainment world since 1889. (I even ordered a second box to "surprise" my mom with)And the concept actually made sense, train your facial muscles to regain strength and tone by applying these facial pads in problem areas.( On second thought, maybe I wanted the concept to make sense.) Anyway, I was eager to try.

That night I opened my little box and fumbled with the facial pads for several minutes. Absolutely unable to figure it out on my own, I looked for the instructions. This shouldn't be so complicated right?It was. I continued for the next several minutes trying to determine which side I was supposed to stick to my face. Strike one.

Once I figured out how to smooth out my skin with one hand and stick the pad to it with the other, I looked in the mirror and realized that now I looked like I had two enormous bandages on my forehead. The sticky "tape" is a light brown color, not clear as I had hoped. Strike two. But what is beauty with out the effort, right? So I turned off the light and jumped in bed before my guy could comment, only to find that the adhesive was stinging my skin and causing it to really itch! But I was committed to this test, so I just laid back down and desperately tried to fall asleep. Strike three!

I could not even make it through one night. I removed the ugly, itchy facial pads after only two hours and still woke up the next morning with red splotches where the tape had once been.

I felt defeated and tried to imagine all of the "celebrities" that have used this product, and their commitment to anti-aging. Maybe, I just don't have what it takes. But I can absolutely understand that in 1889, before masking tape was even invented, this would be a very popular treatment. There were such limited options back then, that Frownies probably seemed like a miracle cure. But this is 2009 not 1889 and if I were you I would not waste the money, just buy some tape. We now have several types to choose from.

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