Perhaps it’s the superior experience of drinking a crispy soda through a straw. Maybe it’s the rise of the Stanley Cup or the superiority of cold brew even in winter.Whatever it is, straws have evolved beyond single-use plastic straw doll The discussion about personal responsibility for the environment has expanded to include much more.
Straws include paper, glass, metal straws, and durable, reusable plastic straws. Many products come with unique silicone accessories, cleaning systems, and personalized carrying cases.
Our never-ending enthusiasm for sipping through thin tubes has led to many innovations in the straw market. I also had a new concern: lip wrinkles.
Many people believe that traditional straws require you to sip around the spout, causing wrinkles called perioral lines to form around your lips over time.
The anti-wrinkle straw is shaped like the number 7 and has a small hole in the top horizontal part, allowing you to drink without pursing your mouth.
Straws can work “in theory,” says Jenny Liu, a board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School. But she said, “There’s no research to support that.”
“The opening design allows you to drink through a straw without having to use the muscles around your lips as much as you would with a traditional straw,” Dr. Liu said. Using “anti-wrinkle” straws reduces the chance of perioral lines forming because there is less repetitive contraction of these muscles.
“But again, this is all theoretical,” Dr. Liu says. “Lip wrinkles aren’t just a result of repetitive movement. Factors like genetics, sun damage, and occupation (such as being a musician who uses your mouth to perform) all influence the likelihood of developing lip wrinkles.” There is a possibility.”
Frequency of use is also factored into the equation
“If you don’t normally drink through a straw, but you have wrinkled lips, using anti-wrinkle straws won’t do much good,” she continued, “so it’s really a misnomer.” Ta.
Despite the lack of peer-reviewed research, that doesn’t stop aesthetically conscious TikToking straw enthusiasts from making new anti-wrinkle straws.
In a video that has more than 1.6 million views on TikTok and even more views on X, esthetician and online influencer Michaela Scott raved about the product.
“This straw is a wrinkle-free straw, so when you drink from it sideways like this, you don’t have to sip as much,” she said in a video posted last week.
Wellness and beauty influencer Lauren Elo claimed that this “might be the best invention for anti-aging ever.”
“They say straws cause wrinkles in your mouth, and this straw is literally trying to prevent that,” she said in a recent TikTok.
Some commenters were less than impressed with this invention.
“This is a very tiring way to live,” declared one commenter.
“Use a straw,” another person replied.
Whether it’s a passing trend or not, straws are part of a budding market of e-commerce sites. Tens of thousands of people have bought Ripji, the most popular anti-wrinkle straw, according to inventor Tim McManaman.
Mr. McManaman, 58, lives in Normal, Illinois, and works in procurement for a large financial services company. In his spare time, he enjoys inventing and patenting original ideas. An avid dieter, he is a Coke drinker and catches a glimpse of himself drinking through a straw, and when he takes a sip he notices how many wrinkles have formed around his lips. I came up with the idea for Ripji.
When he presented the prototype to his wife and four young children, they were uncharacteristically enthusiastic about the invention. “When I brought this straw to the kitchen table, my wife’s first reaction was, ‘Okay, this idea might actually work,'” he said in an interview.
As Lipzi transitioned from a side hustle to a profitable family business, he began supplying wholesale to spas throughout the Midwest. McManaman said the recent patent approval could help minimize counterfeit sellers on Amazon.
Daughter Grace is helping build the brand on social media, and son TJ, a senior in college, hopes to join the business after graduation.
McManaman added that he personally doesn’t worry too much about lip wrinkles.
“But there are a lot of people who do,” he said. “There are a lot of people who take it pretty seriously.”
