Glenn Close wears a paper patch to bed to keep herself from frowning overnight. The actress, 79, says she swears by Frownies, which cost about $26 a box.
She discussed the habit with Page Six Style at the New York premiere of All’s Fair Season 2. “It works,” she told the outlet in its November 4 report.
Close also acknowledged what happens once the patch comes off. “Of course, you frown when you wake up,” she said.
The standard forehead-and-between-the-eyes box contains 144 single-use patches, according to Frownies. The company also makes a separate version shaped for the corners of the eyes and mouth.
Close Wore a Forehead Patch While Working at Her Desk
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Close had already shown followers the product in an October 20 Instagram video. Sitting at her desk with a patch across her forehead, she explained that she tends to frown while concentrating on her work.
The recording was primarily an update for people who had noticed her using a cane. As Entertainment Weekly reported, she said she had undergone a complete left hip replacement and was preparing for promotional appearances. She reassured viewers that she felt well and had her family’s support.
The patches themselves are paper with a water-activated adhesive, rather than a treatment containing active skincare ingredients. The manufacturer says they sit on the skin’s surface and recommends softening the adhesive with warm water before removal instead of pulling them off dry.
For face taping generally, Cleveland Clinic plastic surgeon Dr. Martin Newman says any smoothing is temporary, rather than a permanent removal of wrinkles. He also cautions that adhesives can cause irritation or allergic reactions.
Her Makeup Artist Uses Augustinus Bader for Press-Tour Skin Prep
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For the All’s Fair press tour, makeup artist Benjamin Puckey used Augustinus Bader products to prepare Close’s skin. He told InStyle he wanted a hydrated base without a heavy finish, so the makeup would “sit beautifully and still look like skin.”
His selection included The Eye Patches, The Rich Eye Cream and The Rich Cream. He also used The Body Cream and applied a few drops of The Face Oil for added radiance.
Prices for those products vary by size and purchase option. Augustinus Bader‘s U.S. store lists the eye patches from $24, The Rich Cream from $99 and The Face Oil from $100.
The Patches Have Appeared in Sunset Boulevard and Close’s Own Films
Frownies traces its origins to 1889, long before skincare routines became a social-media fixture. Close pointed to Gloria Swanson wearing a patch in the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard, in which she plays former silent-screen star Norma Desmond.
Close later took on that same character in the stage musical, winning the 1995 Tony Award for best actress in a musical.
The brand’s screen-history archive also identifies one of its patches on Close herself in Mars Attacks!. Her first lady character is wearing it in bed when the Secret Service arrives to announce that the Martians are attacking.