Former ELLE Magazine Beauty Director Tries SiO Beauty Patches

Julie Schott, former Beauty Director for ELLE Magazine, tried SiO Beauty’s Super EyeLift patches. Here’s what she had to say...

Until recently, my seemingly thorough nighttime skincare routine actually lacked a crucial step.

Before bed, I would clean my face with a foaming wash followed by micellar water, apply a vitamin C serum, and finish with a light moisturizer.

A few times a week, I added an extra step or two — a glycolic peel or a clay mask — but the skin under my eyes rarely received any special treatment, when in fact delicate under-eyes need the most time, love, and care.

Here’s why: Skin beneath the eyes is especially thin and essentially transparent, which means it’s more susceptible to sun damage/routine wear and tear than the skin on your forehead, for example.

I learned this the hard way when the dark circles I’ve had since childhood deepened, and no amount of sleep or water made a difference. To top it off, my previously smooth under-eye skin began to look like blotting paper — sheer and crinkled.

Rather than pile on extra concealer, I decided to try something new specifically for the peri-orbital area. SiO Super EyeLift Overnight Wrinkle Smoothing Patches are made to improve the look of neglected eyes while you sleep.

Part of what sets SiO patches apart is that everyone can wear them — even pregnant women. And unlike most under-eye patches that lose efficacy after 15-20 minutes, SiO’s medical-grade silicone patches are made to be worn overnight for six to eight hours, or you can wear them while you’re getting ready for a hydrating boost. They’re also reusable — a.k.a. less waste.

A quick science lesson for those who don’t know — and I didn’t — when silicone is placed on the skin, it creates what’s known as a micro-climate, or occlusion, which draws moisture to the skin’s surface and also encourages collagen production — a.k.a. the building blocks of smooth skin.

Sometimes adding a new skincare step can be daunting, but it was easy to work SiO Super EyeLift Overnight Wrinkle Smoothing Patches into my bedtime routine.

After washing and drying my face, I smoothed on my normal serum and moisturizer, leaving out the under-eye area where the patches would be applied. To finish, I stuck a smoothing patch under each eye and was surprisingly able to forget about them within minutes.

If you’re worried about waking up with an eye patch smashed into your check, don’t be. There’s no need to sleep on your back to keep these patches in place — the self-adhering silicone stays in place all night, even if you toss and turn a lot (which I do).

In the morning, I gently peeled off each patch and rinsed them under running water (for next time).

While it’s hard to detect changes in your own skin, I swear some of the previous crepiness had plumped. My skin felt undeniably softer. I even skipped concealer, which never happens. Later that evening, I went to a party wearing just mascara and lipstick — I repeat: NO CONCEALER!

“What’s going on with your skin?” a friend asked, in the best way possible. And I was happy to share my secret — better skin can happen overnight.