Quick answer: The "unusual facelift" isn't surgery at all—it's a set of temporary, at-home tricks I demonstrate here: invisible face and eyelid tape, overnight facial patches, and lift serums that all come off at night. They're a fun, reversible way to see a lifted look for an event or a confidence boost. They're cosmetic and temporary, not a medical treatment or a replacement for one.
Key takeaways
- You have options. Tape, patches and lift serums are a temporary, reversible way to tweak your look—no knife required.
- No judgment either way. I've done Botox and filler myself; whatever you choose should be your own informed decision.
- Think before you travel for surgery. I urge real caution about cheap or overseas procedures and about basing them on price or viral trends.
- It's cosmetic and temporary. These tricks come off at night, so you can experiment freely.
- You can wear makeup over it. I layer my everyday makeup right on top, and I'll walk you through exactly how.
Hey ladies! With those overseas "facelift trip" videos going viral on TikTok, I wanted to sit down—bare-faced—and do a little show-and-tell. This isn't me telling you what to do with your face. It's about knowing your options and feeling like you have the control as you age. So let's have some fun with a few temporary tricks, and I'll share an honest word of caution along the way.
What is this "no-surgery facelift" everyone's talking about?
It's not one product—it's a handful of temporary, non-surgical tools that lift and smooth the appearance of your skin for a few hours or overnight, then come right off. I honestly think if more women practiced these, it could become the new "facelift" of pro-aging. The whole point is that it's reversible: if you try the eyelid tape and don't love the look, you simply take it off—no surgery, no regret, no long recovery.
Why I want you to be cautious about the viral "facelift trip" trend
A big part of this video is a genuine safety message. I keep seeing women treat flying abroad for a discount facelift like a Botox party, and surgery—elective or not—is serious. I've been told that some surgeons here won't revise another doctor's overseas work, and permanent choices like permanent makeup can't simply be undone. Please don't base a serious procedure on price or social-media hype. Research thoroughly, and for anything involving your health, a qualified, board-certified professional is the right resource.
The temporary lift tools I demonstrate
Everything below is a third-party product I bought myself—most on Amazon or at the drugstore. I'm showing them so you can see what's out there; results vary from person to person, so patch-test first and skip anything that irritates your skin or eyes.
- Fine lines: Frownies facial patches, dampened and worn overnight to help the forehead relax.
- Under-eye bags: Peter Thomas Roth Instant Eye Firm, applied in a very thin layer and fanned dry.
- Whole face & jaw: a temporary face tightener, invisible double-eyelid lifter tape, and face-lift tape you can pull back at the jaw or brow.
- Neck: invisible neck-lift strips you smooth on after cleansing the skin.
- Eyelids: a Dr. Perricone eyelid lift serum made specifically for the lids (not your regular eye cream).
A quick note: I found the invisible, transparent lid tapes work far better than the thick, opaque ones, and you'll want the little plastic tweezer that comes in the pack—never metal near your eyes.
How do I do my makeup over the tape?
Once the eyelid and face tape are on, I build my everyday face right on top. Here's the order I use in the video:
- Curl the lashes, then line the eyes with my waterproof Dark Chocolate eyeliner. With the lid tape on, I have more lid space, so I can actually wing it out.
- Add my Volume Up Mascara from the base up for lift and fringe—those lashes help hide the tape completely.
- Groom the brows with clear brow mascara, fill any gaps with the Skinny Brow Pencil, and use my Brow Stencils if you need help with placement.
- Bring down my Just Peachy color corrector to cancel discoloration, and work it in with the Foundation Buffing Brush—a smarter first step than piling on concealer.
- Buff BB Cream in Light/Medium over the whole face, right across the tape; it doesn't highlight it at all.
- Sculpt with a little Creme Brulee bronzer to add natural shadow and contour.
- Finish the lips with my Cameo waterproof lip liner, a touch of St. Barths cream blush, and my Coco 13 gloss on top.
- To wake up the eyes, dab on the Eye Brightener—its pink tone helps counter shadows in that hard-to-brighten inner corner.
One tip: I skip heavy eye primer over lid tape so nothing loosens the edges, and I let any lift serum dry fully before I start.
The bottom line
These little tweaks are about confidence and control—you can put them on for an event, layer your makeup on top, and take it all off at night with zero recovery. If you do choose Botox, filler or surgery, I hope you feel good about it and have done your research. Either way, it's your call. Want to recreate the look? Explore my face and eye makeup, or browse my best-sellers to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this unusual facelift a real facelift?
No. Everything I show here is temporary, non-surgical and comes off at night—invisible face and eyelid tape, overnight facial patches, and lift serums. They can give a lifted, refreshed look for a few hours or overnight, but they don't change your face permanently and are not a medical procedure or a substitute for one. Think of them as reversible cosmetic tricks.
Is Nikol against Botox, filler, or cosmetic surgery?
Not at all. I've done Botox and filler myself and I don't judge anyone who chooses surgery. My only ask is that it be your own well-researched choice, done for you—not because of price or social-media hype. Plastic surgeons do incredible, sometimes essential work; the temporary tools here are simply another option to have in your back pocket.
Can you wear makeup over face tape and eyelid tape?
Yes, with a little practice. In the video I apply my everyday makeup right over invisible eyelid and face tape and honestly can't see the tape once I'm done. Results depend on placement and your application, so experiment first. I skip heavy eye primer over lid tape so nothing lifts the edges, and I let any lift serum dry fully before makeup.
What should I consider before traveling abroad for a discount facelift?
Please slow down. Surgery—elective or not—is serious, and I've heard of complications that were hard to reverse, plus surgeons at home who won't revise another doctor's overseas work. Never base a permanent procedure on price or a viral trend. Research thoroughly, and talk with a qualified, board-certified professional so you're fully informed before making any decision about your health.
Which temporary lift tools does Nikol demonstrate?
I show overnight facial patches for the forehead area, an instant eye-firm serum for under-eye bags, a temporary face tightener, invisible eyelid and double-eyelid tape, face-lift tape for the jaw, neck-lift strips, and an eyelid serum made specifically for the lids. Most are drugstore or online finds. These are third-party products I bought myself, and results vary from person to person.
Is face tape right for everyone?
Not necessarily. Everyone has different skin, so I choose a larger tape where there's more hooding and a smaller one where there's less. If you have oily or sensitive skin, cleanse first and patch-test any tape or serum before a big event. If you have any eye or skin condition, check with a professional before trying these tricks.
