How TikTok Transformed Starface’s PimplePatches into a Beauty Craze

Five years after the debut of its iconic neon yellow pimple patches, the company continues to see online influencers discovering fresh, innovative ways to style them.

In June, Eva Maguire shared a TikTok video showcasing her creative use of star-shaped pimple patches. She first applied them to several blemishes on her cheeks and forehead, then added two patches to the outer corners of each eye, accentuating them with silver eyeshadow along with her eyelids. The result was a shimmering, galaxy-inspired look.

“Acne should never stop you from slaying,” she captioned the video, tagging Starface World Inc., the brand behind the patches. Within two days, the video amassed over 100,000 views, and it exceeded one million views a little over a month later. “I love how you incorporated them into your makeup so it’s intentional,” commented one viewer. “Living for this look,” wrote another.

Maguire’s video is just one among over 27,000 TikTok posts featuring Starface’s distinctive hydrocolloid pimple patches, available in various shapes and colors. While it may seem unusual to older generations, many of these posts come from Gen Z and Gen Alpha creators who use the patches as fashion and makeup accessories, marking a significant shift from the stigma traditionally associated with acne products. This embrace of pimple pride has been instrumental in Starface’s success. Launched in 2019 with its yellow Hydro-Stars priced at $14.99 for a pack of 32, the company recently sold its billionth Hydro-Star patch and is projected to generate $90 million in revenue this year.

Not long ago, pimple patches were primarily used by those with acne to treat blemishes discreetly at home, while concealers and other cosmetics were relied upon for public appearances. However, the rise of the “skin positivity” movement in the late 2010s—where social media influencers began sharing unfiltered images of their pimples and scars—paved the way for a new type of skincare product. According to Kara Brothers, president of Starface, the company capitalized on this trend by creating pimple patches that were bold and colorful, diverging from the clear or flesh-toned options offered by competitors like Neutrogena LLC and Hero Cosmetics Inc. “We wanted to completely flip the narrative,” Brothers explains.

The brand’s significant breakthrough occurred in 2020 when model Hailey Bieber shared a selfie on Instagram featuring two yellow star-shaped patches on her otherwise minimal makeup look. The brand’s visibility was further boosted in 2022 when her husband, Justin Bieber, was photographed by paparazzi wearing black star-shaped patches while running errands.

For many, the patches have become a stylish accessory rather than just a skincare product. “I don’t get pimples very often, but they’re great for adding a fun touch to a makeup look,” says Anya Tisdale, a recent Tufts University graduate who regularly features Starface in her beauty videos on Instagram, where she has 140,000 followers. Additionally, a growing number of social media users, both with and without blemishes, have been sporting the patches as a tribute to pop star Olivia Rodrigo’s star-themed Guts world tour.