Spot-picking is a guilty pleasure many of us can admit to, including beauty trendsetter Hayley Bieber. In a recent interview with Cosmopolitan UK, the founder of Rhode admitted a bad habit of hers was picking at pimples. However, this satisfying habit can wreak havoc on your skin.
Now, beauty retailer Justmylook’s in-house Skincare Expert Hayley Walker has explained why we should avoid spot-picking, and suggested a much better alternative in the form of pimple patches. She said: "Spot picking is a notoriously satisfying habit that many of us are guilty of, however, this is a habit that needs to be broken sooner rather than later.
“The short-term dopamine fix of spot picking and pimple popping can lead to long-term consequences such as scarring. Squeezing a spot also further pushes bacteria deeper into the skin and can lead to more swelling and redness. Spot picking also leaves you vulnerable to contracting nasty skin infections such as staph infections, with popped pimples exposed to bacteria."
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Hayley says the best way to deal with a spot is to leave it alone, as a blemish will typically heal itself 'in three to seven days', however, if the urge to pick is too strong, opt for a pimple patch. She added: "These act as a bandage to prevent you from touching the spot and offer a faster, more effective healing process as the patch absorbs the fluid in the pimple."
Hydrocolloid and patches can improve the appearance of pimples over night but there are so many on the market it can be hard to know where to start. Our Beauty team has rounded up some of the most popular options, as well as some tried-and-tested picks to give you a helping hand.
Glacia
One of the most affordable options available comes from Glacia, where you can get 24 of their pimple-busting patches for £4.99 at Amazon, meaning that if you’re also a Prime member, they could be with you the same, if not the very next day. You can also pick up a larger pack of 72 for £9.99 if you’d prefer to stock up so as to ensure they’re always on hand when you need one.
Formulated with tea tree oil to help minimise the appearance of redness and active breakouts, they act as a barrier to shield spots from further irritation, as they prevent picking, touching or popping. Best of all, they are ultra-thin and translucent, meaning they’re practically undetectable on the skin.
Designed for all skin types, tones and textures, the hydrocolloid spot patches are free from harsh chemicals, fragrance, alcohol, paraben, and phthalate, ensuring a gentle yet effective treatment suitable for even the most sensitive skin.
The product has received rave reviews on the Amazon website, earning it an average rating of 4.2 out of five. One person called the patches a "date night miracle" explaining how she applied the patch in the morning and ‘3 hours later I can already see that the skin on my nose is flat again’.
Another added: "These spot patches banished my blemishes overnight", with a third commenting: “These patches are good, but if the plastic allowed for a way to remove the patches without them creasing, this would be a 5 star product.”
The Glacia patches can be found at Amazon with a pack of 24 priced at £4.99 and a pack of 72 costing £9.99.
RESTORED
Reporter Jada Jones tried out the RESTORED patches, and said: "While dealing with some breakouts over the span of a week I gave RESTORED: a try. I wasn't expecting much based on the limited reviews on the website and I found that initially they didn't really do a lot - but it's worth noting I was putting them on spots that hadn't fully come to the surface yet. It uses hydrocolloid and 1% salicylic acid to work on spots.
"Once I started putting them on pimples that really needed attention I couldn't have been more impressed. I've found with some small spot patches that they have an okay grip for a short while but they may come off while you're sleeping and you'll wake up with them on your pillow. I wore these for a yoga class where I had to rest my face, where the patch was, on the floor multiple times and I worked up a sweat but they didn't budge once.
"I will say I prefer the yellow and pink toned patches more than the green and blue as they can be a little jarring but I was really impressed with how well they actually work. After a particularly tough break out that I should have left alone they had my skin looking back smooth and scar free within just a couple of days.
"Unlike some of my other patches I don't mind wearing these out in public as they cover up your pimple with a cute design and you can't see through it - which is often the case if you use a hydrocolloid plaster. They're £9 for 20 patches which isn't the cheapest but they are good value for money."
Some By Mi
JustMyLook's expert Hayley rates the Some By Mi 30 Days Miracle Intensive Clear Spot Patches for preventing spot-picking. She said: “The Some By Mi 30 Days Miracle Intensive Clear Spot Patches provide intensive care to affected areas, promoting healing and offering natural protection that eliminates the need for concealer, preventing spot pickers from touching the affected area. These hydrocolloid patches are designed to accelerate the healing process of acne by absorbing pus and shielding the wound from bacterial infection.
"Cleanse your face thoroughly before applying the patch to dry skin. Apply a patch over the affected area once or multiple times a day as needed. Remember to replace the patch once it swells and turns white due to fluid absorption. To keep your skin clean and clear, wash your face twice a day and incorporate a salicylic acid serum into your skincare routine to prevent spots and improve the pimple healing process.”
Hey Bud
Hey Bud is an Australian brand that uses hemp seed oil in all of their products, this is because it's naturally high in essential fatty acids to repair the skin for long-term healing. The Blemish Buds also use Salicylic Acid to keep pores clean from excess oil while exfoliating dead skin cells and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier by promoting elastin and ceramide production.
These patches come in two different sizes and each pack has 48 patches. I found the smaller patches to be slightly too small while the larger ones were great. These do exactly what they're supposed to although they don't have a cute design as you'd find with some other brands.
You can get 48 patches for £10 or 96 patches for £16 when ordering directly from Hey Bud and they offer a 90 day money back guarantee if you don't like them.
Starface
Starface Hydro Stars are probably the best recognised spot patches on the market, loved by a long list of celebrities including Hailey Bieber and Nicola Peltz. The Mirror's Jada Jones added: "They're definitely handy for when you're on the move since you can get this easy carry case that comes with a mirror and space for many patches so if you find yourself out and about while needing a patch you can easily add one to your face.
"The design is cute and many people are comfortable wearing them in public but thanks to the star shape I personally find they don't have as good a grip as some of the others in this round up. It's £11.99 for the kit and then just £8.99 for 32 patches in a refill which isn't too bad - although you do have to pay a little extra if you want to include salicylic acid or the black design."
Zitsticka
Shopping writer Lucy Addicot swears by Zitsticka for banishing pesky pimples. She said: "They are certainly not the cheapest brand in our round-up, with a pack of four costing £12, but if you feel a spot forming under your skin, popping one of these deep access stickers over it will, in my experience, nine times out of ten stop it from turning into a fully formed spot.
"Each patch has tiny 'micro-darts' on the surface which are packed full of spot-busting ingredients including hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and salicylic acid, to target deep beneath the skin. When you stick them on you can feel the micro-needles going to work, and the patches have impressive sticking power so they won't budge even when worn overnight.
"The kit also contains four cleansing patches infused with tea tree oil to clean the area before applying the patches and although I don't find these a must, they are a nice addition. I save mine for important occasions and use them sparely but think they are well worth it for peace of mind that when a spot starts to brew it can be dealt with quickly."
You can also nab them on Amazon where a pack of 20 is £55 which is the most cost-effective method of stocking up and Prime members can get free next-day delivery for any breakout emergencies.
COSRX
Cosrx offer a range of Pimple Patches that can suit different spots, including whiteheads, pustules, cystic acne and blackheads, so they’re great to have in your skincare stash for any emergencies. Julia Marinkovich, who works at skincare brand, said: "Pimple Patches are a great way to not only prevent yourself from picking those pesky pimples, but to also reduce the spot size and provide a healthy environment to help them heal. They’re typically made from a substance called “hydrocolloid”, which is gum-like gel that is well known for wound healing. "
The Master Patch Intensive is the perfect tool to get rid of your spots quick and fast. Each thin, clear hydrocolloid, tea tree oil infused patch adheres to the skin’s surface to heal spots and protect them from any additional bacteria and dirt that can make the spot worse.
Even better is the wearability of these pimple patches: ultra-thin and with an invisible finish to seamlessly blend into skin, they can easily be camouflaged under make up, discretely worn alone or overnight to heal that zip in no time. They start at £14.99 for a pack of 36 at Cult Beauty, where they've earned a four-star rating from shoppers.
One shopper said: "They work really good, they are almost invisible and I'll definitely repurchase," while another added: "So perfect for helping to cover an angry spot, definitely helps to minimise the spot and doesn't move once on the skin.." But others have said: "They’re good for smaller spots but don’t work as well on bigger and more aggressive spots. "
After you remove your Pimple Patches, it's recommended to clean the area, and avoid picking or squeezing the pimple. The skincare expert continued: "Keep up regular skin practices, such as washing your face daily, removing make-up and SPF properly by double cleansing, and using a BHA a few times a week to help unclog your pores and reduce the chances of further spots. If you’re feeling really tempted to pick your spot, pop on another pimplepatch - picking at the spot can lead to further irritation, and possible scarring."
PIX I
Pixi is perhaps best known for their iconic Glow Tonic, but now, shoppers have been raving about their Clarity Blemish Stickers. These barely-there pimple patches are said to instantly minimise the appearance of blemishes while treating for balanced, clear and happy skin.
Costing £12.99 for a pack of 24, the translucent, barely noticeable biodegradable stickers perfect for on-the-go or can be used as an overnight treatment. The stickers are infused with Salicylic Acid to instantly target and purify blemishes, while Cantella Asiatica helps clarify and Green Tea Leaf Extract to calm the skin.
Available from Boots, one review on the site read: "These are the best ones I've used - work really quickly."
"I put them on before bed and the blemishes are so much better by morning! Great to use early to stop blemishes in their tracks," said another - but not everyone was thrilled with the results, as one commented: "Sidn’t work for me but did take out the white heads but left a hole and a new spot comes back right next to it."
Mario Badescu
Spot sufferers can soothe the appearance of blemishes with Mario Badescu’s Drying Patches, which, alongside the skincare brand's legendary Drying Lotion, is a pimple busting powerhouse duo. The lightweight, ultra-thin stickers are designed to camouflage with the skin, perfect for covering blemishes while on the go.
Each patch is enriched with salicylic acid, niacinamide and tea tree extract which work to reduce the appearance of breakouts and visibly minimise redness. Those with already dry skin may worry about drying patches leaving their skin even more parched, but a blend of sodium hyaluronate and phytosphingosine helps to hydrate the skin to avoid this.
You can buy a pack of 60 patches for £17 here on the LookFantastic website.
Florence by Mills
Millie Bobby Brown hit the headlines earlier this year when she appeared on Drew Barrymore's show wearing a purple butterfly-shaped pimple patch - and it probably comes as no surprise that it was one from her own beauty brand, Florence by Mills.
Perfect for keeping pesky spots and pimples protected from bacteria, the handy stickers help to reduce the appearance of blemishes thanks to a blend of spot-fighting ingredients. With salicylic acid to exfoliate the skin and keep pores clear, peppermint and tea tree oil to calm inflamed skin, and hydrocolloid to seals each spot from bacteria and help to remove dirt, oils, and impurities.
They cost £12 for 36 cute purple stickers which can be worn overnight or during the day - because a purple butterfly sticker is way better than an angry red pimple.
The Inkey List
Popular (and affordable) skincare brand The INKEY List has just dropped its Hydrocolloid Invisible Pimple Patches, priced at £9 and available to buy from The INKEY List's website as well as other retailers such as LookFantastic and Cult Beauty. Transparent and sticking smoothly onto the skin, they're formulated with a host of spot-shrinking and skin-healing ingredients.
These INKEY List patches, which come in two sizes, are made using hydrocolloid, a material used to speed up wound healing, as well as salicylic acid to unclog pores, succinic acid to calm redness and ectoin to hydrate. The brand says that they're clinically proven to visibly reduce breakouts in as little as four hours, and reduce redness in eight hours. The INKEY List website says that this type of pimple patch are 'best for blemishes with a head and visible gunk'.
These £9 spot stickers may have only just launched but they're already racking up dozens of five-star reviews from shoppers thrilled by their results.
SkinChoice XL Breakout Patches
The SkinChoice XL Breakout Patches and Xtra Breakout Patches are designed to cover larger areas of the body measuring in at 50mmX50mm and 60mmX70mm respectively with a flexible design to follow body contours with ease. Seamlessly gliding onto the body, SkinChoice Breakout Patches provide effective, non-drying healing and relief for everything from pimples to pesky insect bites.
Formulated with premium hydrocolloid technology, SkinChoice Breakout patches act as a shield for breakout zones against bacteria (as well as picking and itching), while absorbing impurities and delivering on non-drying, soothing skin relief. You can currently get a pack of 10 XL patches for £13.99 on Amazon here.