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There’s nothing worse than waking up to an angry-looking spot that your concealer just won’t cover. Total disaster… or perhaps not! What if there was a way to not only fashionably hide those pesky breakouts, but also treat them at the same time?
Enter Starface.
Starface’s little spot stickers have become the ultimate skincare accessory. Instead of hiding away from the world when a pimple appears, Starface encourages its wearers to pop on a pimple patch and go about their day. Yes, that includes wearing it outside (if you’re brave enough)!
I love this idea, and was considerably intrigued by these star-shaped patches, so naturally I added a couple of packs to my basket.
Were they really worth the hype, or were they just another gimmicky trend? I had to find out!
In this review, I put the Starface Pimple Patches to the test, taking notes on everything from packaging and design, to effectiveness and results. If you want to find out whether these spot patches actually work, keep reading!
What are Starface Pimple Patches?
Starface Pimple Patches, as the name suggests, are star-shaped stickers made of hydrocolloid (the same material as blister plasters). They’re designed to absorb fluid from the pimple and aid in the healing process, not least by preventing roaming fingers from introducing more bacteria!
Many brands that create hydrocolloid pimple patches strive to make their stickers as invisible as possible. The less obvious, the better.
Starface has gone in the complete opposite direction, in a ‘if you can’t conceal it, then celebrate it’ sort of fashion. The whole ethos behind Starface’s Pimple Patches is to destigmatise acne, which is why they’ve made them as fun and eye-catching as possible.
First impressions: Packaging & application
There’s no doubt that Starface’s cute designs are its biggest appeal. When you’re buying from Starface, you’re doing so because either the cases or the stickers (or both!) have drawn you in. That’s what sets the brand apart from other pimple patch manufacturers out there.
That’s also what Starface does well. I have to say that the packaging is really good quality. The case feels really sturdy and it has a secure magnetic closure which ensures that it doesn’t pop open in your bag. There’s a also a small mirror in the lid of the compact so you can apply your patches on the go.
The stickers themselves feel pretty substantial too. They’re thin enough to feel weightless on the face (after a while I tend to forget they’re there), but not so thin that they feel flimsy or that they easily tear.
I will say that the star-shaped stickers can be a little tricky to apply. It’s hard not to bend one of the points when you’re trying to lift the patch from the plastic. But with the other Starface shapes, like the Hello Kitty ones, I don’t find them to be any more fiddly than a circular hydrocolloid patch.
When it comes to adhesiveness, the patches are decently sticky but aren’t as firmly anchored as other spot stickers I’ve tried. You can easily peel them off to reposition them and they don’t tug at or stretch your skin when you do, which is actually a plus!
Review & results: Do Starface Pimple Patches really work?
I do find the Starface Hydro-Star Pimple Patches to be effective but only on certain types of spots.
If the pimple is very superficial, and has already come to a head, sticking on a Starface patch will help reduce redness and draw any fluid out.
With deeper, under-the-surface spots though, the Starface patches aren’t going to do much apart from stop you touching it. In this instance, you’re better off going for a microdart patch, like the ZitSticka Killa or Carbon Theory Supacylic Hypa Dart patches.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
– Super cute design
– Patches are opaque enough to hide the spot underneath
– The compact is refillable and has a little mirror
Cons:
– Adhesive isn’t as strong as pimple patches from other brands
– Only works on surface-level spots
Where to buy Starface Pimple Patches (+ best deals)
Starface Pimple Patches are available to buy pretty widely. Some of the new launches and limited edition sets tend to be exclusive to the Starface website, in which case you may want to order directly, but a lot of the classics (like the yellow Hydro-Stars) can be found in places like Boots, Superdrug and Beauty Bay.
When it comes to pricing, a set of 32 Hydro-Star pimple patches with the Big Yellow compact is £11.99. The refill is £8.99, which works out at about 28p per spot patch. Not bad!
Some of the other Starface spot patches, like the Clear, Salicylic Acid and Tea Tree ones, are a bit more expensive. But the price only tends to vary by a couple of £s.
Plus, you can often get the cases and patches on offer – the classic Starface Hydro-Stars + Big Yellow set is currently £7.98 in Superdrug for example.
Final verdict: Are Starface Pimple Patches worth it?
While I don’t think that the Starface Pimple Patches are as effective as other spot patches on the market, there’s something about them that keeps me going back and repurchasing.
I tend to use pimple patches, first and foremost, to stop myself from reaching for any bumps that appear on my skin, and in this sense the Starface patches work. They protect the spots from external bacteria, stopping them from getting more infected.
They’re also great a way to ‘drain’ pimples that are ready to pop without having to get your fingers involved. This means less damage to the skin and less chance of scarring.
Results aside, I really like that Starface have taken some of the embarrassment away from 1) having a pimple and 2) having to cover it up. The Hydro-Star Pimple Patches have almost become a bit of a fashion statement and I love that.
What are your thoughts on the Starface Pimple Patches? Are they something you’d wear? Let me know in the comments!
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