While pimple patches may not be the most glamorous of beauty products, they're an absolute essential to keep on-hand. As long as you've got a pack of the best acne patches at your disposal, you’ll be able to eliminate blemishes that are just budding, ones that have come to a head, and even those deeply-clogged blackheads that are so difficult to extract.
Most commonly made of hydrocolloid, a substance renowned for its use in medical dressings for the way it absorbs any excess fluid associated with healing, these patches are placed on top of blemishes to suck out all the makeup, dirt, and impurities, not to mention pus, that could be making your pimple appear so prominent. They then turn those impurities into a gel-like form that adheres to the sticker, which stays tightly sealed beneath the patch's protective barrier to keep it out of your pores and off your face. The result? An almost-instant solution for curing your very worst breakouts.
Since these patches (which, like almost every other innovative beauty product, originated in Asia) have become so popular, many brands have come out with their own variation — so it’s important to know which ones actually work, and which ones will be best for your skin. To not make your breakouts worsen, you want to look for hydrocolloid patches that are non-irritating, anti-bacterial, and contain acne-fighting ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.
To help make your search easier, I've done the research and rounded up four of the best pimple patches on the market; Whether you need ones that are non-drying, vegan-friendly, or deep-reaching, you'll find the best in each category, below.