Everyone remembers the feeling of starting to have acne. The embarrassment, sadness, and insecurity made going to school or even being seen outside of your bedroom the end of the world.
Many of us still deal with acne, just a short jump away from the ‘real world.’ Didn’t our middle school health teachers say this was supposed to clear up after puberty?
Mascne, cystic bumps and breakouts may be the bane of our existence. However, brands like Good Light Skincare, Truly Beauty and Starface have turned these flaws into fashion statements.
First hitting the streets in the beauty capital of the world, South Korea, ten years ago, Soko Glam co-founder Charlotte Cho noticed that “co-workers dressed in suits and heels arrive at work and attend important meetings with little round stickers on their faces.”
Cho became fascinated by pimple patches and was one of the pioneers in introducing them to the beauty world, specifically the U.S. market, making them one of the leading products of her brand’s inaugural product launch in 2012.
In the nine years that have passed since Cho’s product debut, pimple patches have swept Gen-Z off their feet, finally giving us a cute way to bear blemishes. Ranging from colorful shapes to clear stamps of all sizes that minimize the appearance while simultaneously healing your spots.
Everyone from the internet’s favorite cool girl Devon Lee Carlson to model Hailey Bieber, even rapper 24kGoldn, are known to wear patches with pride, not shying away from admitting to having troubling skin.
I personally have lost every care in the world as to sporting patches in public, routinely applying them before class or a day full of errands. Whenever I gain a compliment for the sparkly patch on my cheek or if someone asks where I got them, I think back to all of the times I was embarrassed about my acne. Now, I’m a trendsetter, up to date on one of the largest products sweeping the beauty industry, all thanks to those spots on my face.
Words and Creative Direction by Olivia Hawkins.
Photography by Joe Tankersley.
Models: Chloe Hill and Josh Stoker.
Special thanks to Megan Powell and Good Light Skincare for providing samples for us!