Instant Temporary Facelift
Required:
(1) Transparent Tape – 3M Micropore or Nexcare Flexible Clean First Aid Tape.
(2) Alcohol Swabs
Need not necessarily be of Rite Aid – in the US all the major Drugstore chains like Walgreens, CVS, Eckerds etc have equivalents which are less pricey. If you don’t get such swabs, as might be the case in India, then you can buy some cotton and a bottle of de-infecting alcohol like denatured Spirit. Excuse to be used – “Grandmother has Diabetes. I need it to sterilize her arm before giving her, her Insulin Injection.”
(3) Elastic Thread – Black
I could not find a picture of it on line. I would describe it as an elastic which has the width of a thread and in black color. In the US, you can find it in any Arts and Craft Store – Michaels is one chain in Eastern US. Ask the helpers there. It costs no more than a dollar or two and one roll will last you for years as it is reused.
(4) U Clips
Take care to use small sized clips. You will need only a few – you can borrow it from your office. If you plan to attach 3 elastic bands (typical number), then you will need at least 6 clips (twice the number of elastic bands) and maybe one or two spare.
(5) Wig cap
Use only the black colored one.
Method:
The method for attachment is the same for all locations. You have to choose the locations based on the effect you desire.
You can do the following:
1) Raise your eyebrows to get that arch similar to Raquel Welch.
2) Thin your large sized eyes to get a slightly oriental look – good for a proper disguise to make you look completely different from your real male looks.
3) Reduce your double chin, especially under the outer jaws.
4) Get a seeming High Cheek bone with a reduction in the puffing up of your cheeks.
This part is common for all locations:
The principle is that when loose skin on your face is pulled back, you get a different appearance. Please do try this – while standing in front of a mirror, place your index finger on the skin between the outer tip of each of your eyes and pull your eyes backward slightly – you will see that your eyes thin out and you look a little Oriental – we did this in our childhood!
Similarly try each of the following – note you must try it on both sides of the face to achieve the symmetry:
1) Place your fingers on your forehead above the highest point on your eyebrows and pull the loose skin (not very loose) towards the center parting on your head. (gets you that Arch.)
2) You already tried this above.
3) Place your fingers under the outer jaw bone on your neck and pull the loose skin towards your earlobe. You will see a dramatic reduction in your “Double Chin”.
4) Place your fingers under your cheekbones and pull up the skin towards where your Sideburns should start.
Experiment by pulling the loose skin in different directions – you will achieve different results.
Do this only AFTER YOU HAVE COMPLETED APPLYING ALL YOUR MAKEUP but before attaching your nails.
Steps:
1) If you apply any makeup with your fingers, wash your hands very clean with soap and water.
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Right Side --------------------------------------------------------------Left Side |
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4B |
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2B |
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3B |
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1B |
2) For each spot that you want to “face-lift”, pull out two pieces, each about 3 to 4 inches length of the transparent tape from the roll. After cutting each piece from the roll, on one end of the tape, fold back the tape and stick on to itself so that you have a double layer of the tape at that end.
3) Take a clip and open it so that one of the pointed ends is not collinear with the clip.
4) Using the pointed end of the clip make a puncture in the double layered part somewhat in the middle and away from the edges – the intention being that the tape does not get ripped once the clip is inserted. See illustration Below.
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Puncture on the double layer |
5) To decide which part of the face you want to facelift you have to choose the appropriate pairs of spots where you want to attach the tape.
See table below for reference:
Effect to Achieve |
Spots to Tape |
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Raise Right Eyebrow |
1A and 1B |
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Raise Left Eyebrow |
4A and 4B |
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Get thinner eyes |
2A and 2B |
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Get less chubby cheeks |
3A and 3B |
6) Using the Alcohol Swabs, remove all traces of make-up in the areas indicated in the picture above.
7) Wear your Wig Cap.
8) Attach the tape firmly on your face so that the punctured double layer end is towards the wig cap. Blend the tape’s appearance with your skin so that it is not easily visible. The double layer by virtue of the adhesive being used will be dangling loosely – it is intended to be so.
9) Now, take one clip and insert it into the puncture of one tape.
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Clip opened slightly and inserted into the puncture. |
10) Measure the distance around the back of your head between the ends of one pair of spots where you want to attach the tapes. For example, if you want raise your left eyebrow only (LOL!), attach the two tapes at spots 4B and 4A. Holding one end of the roll of the elastic where the puncture on the forehead tape is (4B), measure the distance along the surface of your wig cap, around the back of your head to spot 4A. Cut an elastic of that length. Do not worry even if the elastic is a little loose – you can tighten it by tying a knot in the middle.
11) Tie the other end to another clip (see picture below.)
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Knot Loose clip at the other end. Clip inside the Tape at this end Separated Ends |
12) Insert the separated end of one clip into the puncture of one attached tape and the other into the other corresponding attached tape taking care to see that the elastic is a little pulled and stretched so that the tape which is attached to your skin effectively pulls back the skin to tighten it giving you your instant facelift.
13) Repeat for other locations taking care to see to it that the elastic is measured from behind your head, over your black wig cap and that the elastic is a little stretched and pulled and tight
With repeated practice you should be able to determine how much your brand of elastic can be pulled. Also the tape should not get detached from where it is stuck on your skin.
To hide the tape more effectively, if at all you feel it may be visible in the pictures, lightly dust on top of the tape, either transparent powder or a powder, which is the same color as the powder you originally dusted on the area surrounding the area.
I learnt this from Jamie Austin (http://www.austinsangels.com )during my makeover. One thing I want to quote from that session – Remember you will be taking pics with a camera not with a microscope. If you find that in some places the surface of the saree is not smooth and that bath towel outline is somewhat visible – don’t worry – it will not be visible in the photographs.
Have fun!