The best word to describe acne: annoying. It’s as if my skin knows my schedule, and chooses to attack when it knows I have an important event coming up. Unfortunately, I have a proclivity for picking — the worst thing you can do when you experience breakouts. This, along with popping, can lead to infections, scarring, and discoloration. If nothing else, picking at your acne will prolong the healing process. My top hack to avoid further irritation and eliminate spots is slapping on some pimple patches.
I mostly deal with acne on and around my chin, either the hormonal cystic variety or on-the-surface whiteheads. Thankfully, there are pimple patches designed specifically with all sorts of acne in mind. For surface-level pimples, I look for hydrocolloid products to clear out the gunk and reduce redness. For the deeper spots, I go for micro-dart patches with salicylic acid to attack the source of the blemish. My other criteria for a good pimple patch is that it actually stays stuck to my face. Whether I’m wearing one while I work from home or overnight, I don’t want to have to keep pressing the product onto my face or worse, wake up with it on my pillow.
Besides fighting acne with patches, I’ve made some adjustments to my daily routine to heal my skin. My biggest realization was that I’ve been using far too many products and too harsh of ingredients. By paring back my skin care lineup, I’ve noticed fewer breakouts. TZR’s 2024 Beauty Groundbreakers Awards has led to many changes in my beauty routine, but mostly in the skin care department. Fenty Beauty’s Melt Awf Jelly Oil Makeup-Melting Cleanser helps me ensure I’m removing all of my makeup at the end of the day to fight clogged pores, while Rhode’s Glazing Milk supports my skin barrier, hydrates, and reduces redness.
If you’re ready to tackle your acne, keep scrolling for my top pimple patch recommendations along with the skin care products and tools I rely on to keep my skin glowy and spot-free.
