Acne is making a comeback. Pimple patch companies like Starface and Mighty Patch are piloting an era of embracing imperfections and normalizing dermatological issues. With them, they bring questions about the relationship between bodily imperfections and fashion and beauty.
Acne Through Time
Acne has always been an issue, whatever your gender, age, or socioeconomic status. The condition of acne vulgaris has been documented since ancient Greek and Egyptian civilizations.
The ancient Greeks believed that four bodily humors made up the constitution of the body: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. This theory was popularized between around 460-377 B.C.E. and was closely tied to the philosophical and spiritual thinking of the time. Each humor roughly corresponded to an element: fire, earth, air, and water. It was believed then that an imbalance of humors in the body caused all ailments, both physical and psychological. The Greeks viewed facial pores as holes for humors to pass through, acting as a regulatory system to prevent imbalances. It is from the ancient Greek word aku-t that it is believed we derived the word acne, a disruption of the humors.
In 16th-century England, acne was thought to be associated with “melancholy blood,” a term coined by Sir Thomas Elyot. It was also hypothesized skin conditions were connected to menstrual disorders, and associated with a wider system of endocrine problems. Around this time, things took a turn. In 1648, the cause of acne was proposed to be linked to “heterosexual behaviors,” and to prevent it, it was recommended that “masturbation and sexual excess must be avoided,” according to the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. Jonston, as translated by Culpepper, wrote that acne-associated pustules “infect young people that are inclined to [be] venery and fruitful.”
Treatment of acne wasn’t actually effective until well into the 20th century. Ancient Egyptians used honey baths to combat blemishes, but the National Institute of Health hypothesizes that since honey was such a widespread medical treatment, it is unlikely the use of honey was intentional and moreover, effective.
Since the 1970s, retinol and topical opioids have been successfully used for acne treatment. Benzoyl peroxide was approved by the Federal Drug Administration in 1960 for acne treatment and has since popularized the shelves of drug stores as an accessible and effective salve. Today, benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are the two most utilized ingredients in acne products, and are definitely yielding better results than celibacy.
Acne in Business
The emergence of skincare companies at the forefront of retail is a relatively recent development. This may or may not be tied to the growth of the “Sephora Kid” stereotype and its impacts on social media, bringing skincare to the forefront of everyone’s minds, whether they need it or not. The “Sephora Kid” ideal depicts young, Gen Alpha girls, around the ages of 8-13, going gangbusters for expensive skin salves from upscale companies like Drunk Elephant and Glow Recipe. In 2023, Drunk Elephant experienced a 77% year-over-year increase in revenue, and Glow Recipe has a 300 million dollar net worth as of 2024. The beauty industry is notoriously lucrative, and it’s only growing.
In a recent interview with Vogue Business, Kara Brothers, president of the popular pimple patch company Starface, revealed how successful the company had been made by its prevalence in user-generated content on social media.
“We’re really, really lucky because I feel like it’s one of the only skincare brands that you can tell people are wearing,” Brothers tells Vogue.
Often, the younger generations attach themselves to brands of their own volition motivated by consumer culture and the draw of brand loyalty, effectively marketing products and services for companies on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Starface began as a popular product on TikTok, appearing in many different videos as nighttime acne wear (notably in a clip posted by Kim Kardashian and her daughter, North West) before shifting into the spotlight of the day after growing in popularity. According to Vogue, Starface sells around 200 packages of acne stickers every minute.
Gen Alpha’s adoption of pimple patches inevitably curated the specific products into a status symbol. Starface’s trademark yellow stickers speckle middle and high schools across the country, creating a sky full of stars and hydrocolloids. Whenever a brand gains universal clout with generations like Gen Alpha, Gen Z, or Millennials, their sales skyrocket and that company often tries to profit off of that popularity as much as possible before the masses eventually move on to another fad. Starface has since released pore patches, face masks, and lip balms, hoping to prolong their inertia of favor in trendsetting circles.
Gen Alpha’s adoption of pimple products, specifically, has raised concerns among the dermatology community. The issue of younger shoppers patronizing products with active ingredients is that those ingredients are often meant to target dermatological issues that aren’t present at such a young age. In those cases, “Sephora Kids” are spending $38-62 on facial creams that will benefit them in no way, and could instead cause other skin problems like rashes or burns.
One of the more popular ingredients used by pre-teens from brands like Drunk Elephant and The Ordinary is retinol, primarily used today in anti-aging creams and serums. Retinol, derived from retinoic acid, began as an acne treatment, but in the early 2000s, took off as an anti-aging device. Another issue with younger customers using ingredients like retinol for everyday wear is that there isn’t enough retinoic acid present in anti-aging products to properly treat acne, according to a report by CNN. The report urges any young teens interested in acne prevention or treatments to consult a physician or dermatologist before purchasing heavy-duty acidic additives.
Unfortunately, the rise of makeup and skincare in the minds of adolescents is redolent of insecurity. The potential harm of the success of companies advertising flawless skin is that the foundation of skincare conglomerates relies on the connection between outward appearance and self-esteem in their clientele. It’s easy to market something to a population that believes they desperately need it and will face being a pariah if they can’t obtain it.
I find this crazy, because acne is unavoidable. Hormones activated during puberty stimulate oil glands that clog and produce blemishes, and it happens to everyone because everyone goes through puberty. Our teenage years aren’t supposed to be flawless and aesthetically pleasing— we’re fighting for our lives over here. Adolescence is a time of trial, error, and a lot of learning curves to get used to. The concept that perfection can be achieved during that period is harmful because it is not only impossible for the majority of people who can’t afford expensive treatments, but further pushes the expectation of immaculateness that no one should be held to.
While Gen Alpha popularized a potentially harmful culture of skincare, it also created a push in the opposite direction: pimple patches.
Full-coverage, affordable, and widely available pimple patches have been seen worn in public for the first time in the last two years, and while older generations might sneer at such a blatant acknowledgment of blemishes, I believe it represents progress in a positive direction. And a stylish one at that.
Acne in Fashion
The emergence of colorful colors and interesting shapes has changed the game for skincare companies. Starface, a company easily recognizable by bright yellow or blue stars peppering the faces of Gen Alpha, was the first pimple patch producer to see their product on the runway. In 2022, models on the catwalk for Paris Fashion Week with brand Kiko Kostadinov sported Starface as artistic additions to makeup, albeit not their intended use. The fashion brand Puppets and Puppets also debuted pimple-patch clad models during their runway shows, with patches in more ubiquitous places.
Starface on the runway is only a continuation of pimple patches becoming a stylistic statement. After all, doesn’t it make sense that facial adornment is the next step in accessorizing? The unconquered landscape of the visage is already making makeup and skincare companies billions of dollars a year, so it’s high time the fashion industry joined in.
So what’s the next step? We might start to see pimple patches diversify even more in style and design, and more companies trying to mimic Starface’s success. The pendulum could also swing the other way entirely, with the next generations veering back to undetectability and disguise.
Either way, the pimple patch is here to stay, whether or not it will stay in the spotlight. Personally, I hope it does, because it represents an important step in embracing our imperfections and learning to live with acne.
Acne in our Lives
So far, the Gen Z reception of the pimple patch in public trend is overwhelmingly positive. I see it as a merciful tool in concealing the major blemishes I wince at slathering concealer on. Jessie Ginsberg, junior at Ida B. Wells says “colored pimple patches are cute, and a good way to encourage people to take care of their acne.” Ginsburg says his go-to pimple product is Starface stickers
“I think it’s a cute way to address and combat the stigma surrounding/notion that acne is bad.” Another IBW student adds. They prefer Neutrogena On The Spot treatment, which is a benzoyl peroxide formula.
“The pimple patch in public trend is dope,” says Beckett Lundgren, an IBW junior whose product of choice is also pimple patches.
I believe pimple patches provide a way for us to deal with our acne by more dignified means. Covering acne with makeup often worsens the effects and whenever I try to hide something, I feel it takes away from my agency in a small way. Acknowledging that yes, I have acne, and I’m trying to fix it in a healthy way, sends a better message in my mind than a face full of foundation.
The trend of Gen Z and Gen Alpha being more open with topics deemed taboo by our predecessors is nothing new. But some of these subjects, when out in the open, are helping dissolve stigma and creating more ways for people to relate. It only makes sense that an experience that’s been here for thousands of years gets talked about and expressed across platforms like fashion and lifestyle.
As I’m currently sporting a pimple patch of my own, I’m grateful for the protection pimple patches provide. They both hide our insecurities and acknowledge that we have them, which is something I’d expect to see more of in products moving forward. This is a period of transition, and the rethinking of marketing universal experiences like acne is happening across brands and social media platforms. A time of innovation tied closely with shifting social values will no doubt result in new technologies looking to bridge the gap, and I’m here for it, face full of constellations.
