Let’s talk about clear skin struggles! Even if you never really struggled with acne, especially during those over-dramatic teenage years, we all still deal with keeping our skin clear. We all know the challenges of that stubborn monthly pimple...that will be bright red...pop up the night before your best friend’s wedding...on the tip of your nose...giving you a very unflattering resemblance to a certain Christmas reindeer :( oh the struggle!
No matter how many acne-free skin cleansers I use, this is like a monthly rerun of skincare nightmare. In these situations, I just want to make this pimple go away as cleanly and quickly as possible, especially when there are special events coming up. So I heavily rely on acne spot patches. I have been using them for so many years and have experimented with a few different ones. And so I thought I would save you the trouble and give my run-down on some of the common and easily available acne patches on the market.
1. Clearasil Ultra Overnight Spot Patches
This is the first one I started using many years ago. I will say that, I think it was more readily available before. I could easily find it at almost at every large grocery and department store such as Walmart. However, recently, it has been a little more difficult to get my hands on it. But it’s still available at places like Target and CVS. You can also purchase it online at Amazon. It costs between $8-$15, depending on where you purchase it.
Even after trying a few different brands, this one has been my favorite! It has been the most reliable and most effective one for me. The patches are all the same size and you get 18 patches in a packet. You simply stick a patch on top of the pimple and leave it on overnight for about 6-8 hrs. Please ensure that you wash and clean your face before putting on a patch to clear the skin of dirt and debris before you try to heal this area.
These patches work by hydrocolloid technology, helping to seal the area of the pimple and prevent dirt and bacteria from getting in. It also reduces redness and inflammation and absorbs secretions without drying out your skin. It also results in minimal scarring which makes it an ideal choice for me!
2. Cosrx Acne Pimple Patch
These are so popular and becoming so much more easily available! And as a K-beauty addict, I had to give it a try! I purchased my first packet on my own and then received a second one as a sample gift with my other Korean beauty products.
These are available at Ulta, Walmart, Soko Glam, and of course on Amazon as well. They are a little less expensive, about $5 a packet. One packet contains 24 patches and they come in different sizes, which is a plus!
Similar to the Clearasil patches, make sure you wash your face before placing a patch on and leave it on overnight. The patch turns white when it absorbs the secretions letting you know that it’s time to change the patch. These work with the similar hydrocolloid technology creating a seal.
Just like the Clearasil patches, these also did a great job of decreasing redness, swelling, and inflammation. However, I felt that they were a little slower to heal compared to the Clearasil ones. Also, when peeling it off, I felt that it was a little more prone to leaving a scar.
However, overall, I felt that these were very similar to the Clearasil ones and if the Clearasil ones aren’t doing the job for you, your skin may just respond better to these!
3. Hanhoo Blemish Patches
I had just picked these up at Walmart on a whim and they are so cheap, only $2.50 for a packet containing 36 patches! These also come in different sizes which is very convenient!
They have a similar mechanism of action by creating a seal via hydrocolloid technology.
Process is the same as well. You apply a single patch over the pimple on clean skin and leave it on for 6-8 hrs
To be honest, I didn’t feel like these worked as well. I was having to use a patch every single day for multiple days without much change.
Although these got you the most patches for the price, and I really wanted them to work, I was a little disappointed.
Since I still have some left, I will probably try them again and give it another shot
And there you go! I hope you are now more prepared for these random pimples. I would recommend just keeping a packet in the drawer so you’re ready to tackle that pimple as soon as it pops up and you can look your gorgeous self everyday!