Bonkers wrinkle busters that really work (Just make sure you take them off before you leave the house) 

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Slathering green gunk onto your face is so last century. In the quest for a peachy complexion, wearable anti-ageing masks are where it’s at.

Self-adhering, peel-off or actual helmets that beam wrinkle-busting rays of light, these new beauty must-haves won’t set like cement, require ten minutes to scrub off, or migrate into your hair.

Better still, you don’t have to leave your home to try them. The future of beauty is upon us. Here is our pick of the best...

Slathering green gunk onto your face is so last century. In the quest for a peachy complexion, wearable anti-ageing masks are where it’s at (above: Anna Maxted)

SPACE-AGE SMOOTHING

Like Dorian Gray, I want to stay youthful, but the iDerma Youth Restoring Masque — which claims to reduce wrinkles by way of low-level light therapy — makes me wonder if I’m trying too hard.

It’s a serious full-face white plastic mask, the inside of which is studded with rows of LEDs. You attach it to a padded plastic headband, and pull it down like a visor. There’s not so much as an eye-slit.

‘You look like a fencer,’ says my 12-year-old son. His little brother asks: ‘Are they making you do this? Do you want to?’

I do, thanks — my last light therapy facial (which cost £65 at the London branch of the Courthouse Clinics) seemed to work wonders. The iDerma (£349, available early spring from idermaskincare.com) however, for home use, demands longer-term commitment: a ten-minute session, once every other day, for six weeks.

I want to stay youthful, but the iDerma Youth Restoring Masque — which claims to reduce wrinkles by way of low-level light therapy — makes me wonder if I’m trying too hard

It also advises continued use — but not more often than once every other day — and ‘typical users will start to see facial rejuvenation within 4-6 months’.

To be honest, after three ‘sessions’ I wasn’t inclined to persevere for that long. I put on the eye protection goggles — the manual warns not to look directly at the LEDs — and pull the mask into position.

The lights turn on (and off after the session) automatically. A fierce red glow emanates from the unit, and while the manual states: ‘You should feel no heat,’ there’s a slight warmth.

Afterwards, my skin is a little tight, and I feel headachey. In my quest to banish wrinkles, I’d rather stick a portrait of my ageing self in the attic. 5/10

ON WITH THE WARPAINT

These shimmery under-eye masks — available on Amazon as Crystal Gold Collagen Eye Mask (£4.99 for a pack of 10) — are reminiscent of war paint.

These shimmery under-eye masks — available on Amazon as Crystal Gold Collagen Eye Mask (£4.99 for a pack of 10) — are reminiscent of war paint

I am a beauty warrior (fighting her age) but as I press the patches on to the delicate skin under my eyes, my son exclaims: ‘They look like burger cheese!’ They do have the same rubbery feel.

They’re soothing and cooling, however, and after 20 minutes, when I remove them and rinse my face with water, I’m hoping that my purplish pouchy eye bags will have shrunk and faded.

No such luck, although the skin does appear a little smoother. When I check again after half an hour, the tiny criss-cross lines beneath my eyes are less visible. A good, quick pre-party fix. 7/10

GET LUSCIOUS LIPS

My lips are as dry and cracked as an autumn leaf. My solution, to lick them, doesn’t help.

Perhaps the Starskin Dreamkiss (£8.50 for two masks, Selfridges), a plumping and hydrating bio-cellulose second skin lip mask, is the answer.

I smear on the serum from the packet, then press on the mask (it’s paper-thin and has the white, dead look of a blister after a bath). But who gives a hoot, when Dreamkiss contains vitamin-rich coconut juice, sea fern, plus old favourites collagen and hyaluronic acid to plump the lips, and decrease the look of fine lines.

I am a beauty warrior (fighting her age) but as I press the patches on to the delicate skin under my eyes, my son exclaims: ‘They look like burger cheese!’ They do have the same rubbery feel

Its moisturising ingredients include cupuacu butter (from the Amazonian cupuacu fruit tree), which contains high levels of essential fatty acids to help your skin appear more elastic and smooth).

I tested the results with — gasp — a smooch. My husband cries: ‘Very kissable lips, much smoother, amazing, tangible difference!’

It’s true. They’re super-soft and hydrated. The surrounding skin feels fabulous. The amazing effects are short-term, but impressive. 9/10

WAKE UP FRESH

The Wrinkles Schminkles forehead and eye-smoothing kit (£21, VictoriaHealth.com) consists of ‘medical grade’ silicone pads, which can be used for wrinkles, stretch marks and scarring.

You stick them on before bed — and they can be trimmed with scissors. They’re also reusable (between 20 and 40 times, though I managed four). I can’t wait to wake up looking ‘refreshed and confident’ instead of exhausted.

In the morning, I peel off the silicone patch and underneath it, my skin is noticeably less arid, and so much smoother.

It’s the most dramatic difference, but it only lasts around 30 minutes! To be fair, this result is from a single use, so I’m going to stick at it. 7/10

This treatment mask (MZ Skin, £85 for a pack of five, Harrods) consists of two shimmering parts, for the upper and lower face. It’s similar in look and feel to my gold collagen under-eye masks

A GOLDEN MASK

This treatment mask (MZ Skin, £85 for a pack of five, Harrods) consists of two shimmering parts, for the upper and lower face. It’s similar in look and feel to my gold collagen under-eye masks.

It’s also quite delicate, but I plaster it on, and look as if I am convalescing from serious injury.

My T–zone is feeling dry, so I’m pleased that the Hydra-Lift Golden Facial Treatment Mask is saturated with gel, containing collagen, and hyaluronic acid which — if we needed reminding — hydrates, firms, protects collagen and helps boost elastin production.

Our natural production of all these skin-plumping goodies diminishes as we get older, known as ‘adding insult to injury’.

The mask, it’s claimed, helps to reduce the appearance of pigmentation, even skin tone, and lift areas prone to sagging. It contains Vitamin C, and those fancy nano-gold particles to help penetrate the skin and intensify the moisturising process.

Indeed, when I peel it off after the recommended 15 minutes and beeline to the mirror, there are rather fetching tiny flecks of gold particles on my cheeks — which feel and look smoother.

Thrillingly, my red, flaky complexion remains calmed and hydrated for several days. 8/10

‘You look like a fencer,’ says my 12-year-old son. His little brother asks: ‘Are they making you do this? Do you want to?’

TAKE IT ON THE CHIN

This mask promises a ‘non-surgical facelift’ — a loss of up to 2cm from your chin and lower cheeks, and a more chiselled jawline. When it arrives from chin upmask.com (£29.95 for a trial pack of two masks), it unhappily reminds me of a wet wipe.

It’s impregnated with four ‘key active ingredients’ to lift and firm in 30 minutes. I measure my chin (21cm ear to ear) with the tape measure provided.

A head strap that makes me look like a rugby prop keeps the Chin-Up Mask in place.

The collagen-boosting serum gets to work, not to mention the Q10 Co-enzyme (an antioxidant that relieves dry skin and stimulates cell renewal). Then there’s the Vitamin E, to moisturise and improve elasticity, and the Corum 9235, also known as Vanillyl Butyl Ether — a warming agent with a vanilla scent and ‘low irritation profile’ — which ‘stimulates the circulation of blood capillaries’, according to my online research.

Hence, the unnerving burning sensation I experience.

When I finally remove the mask, I can’t see a great difference in the look of my skin, but when I measure my chin — Guide’s Honour — it has magically lost a centimetre of wobble, possibly two.

My chin is up! 8/10