What Are Liquid Pimple Patches?

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When the pimple patch came onto the scene from Korea in 2012, there hadn’t been anything else like it in the Western market. To kill a pimple at the time, most Americans reached for tubes of salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide, the iconic Mario Badescu drying lotion, or, in the Pinterest era, even toothpaste. Sometimes these solutions worked, and sometimes they were just irritating.

Instead of attacking a blemish with actives, hydrocolloid pimple patches are all about leaving a pimple alone in an optimal environment. Used in hospitals since the 1980s, hydrocolloid bandages work by physically protecting skin from infection, absorbing any drainage, and retaining moisture for more effective healing. Oh, and they’re waterproof.

With the introduction of pimple patches in shapes like star, heart, and rhinestone flower—meant to be seen and not concealed—has come a greater acceptance of acne. But the latest innovation sees pimple patches evolving in a new gel form, seamlessly bridging the gap between skincare and makeup: Topicals Sealed Active Scar Primer, Kiehl’s Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Pimple Patch With Salicylic Acid, Fenty Skin Blemish Defeat’r BHA Spot-Targeting Gel, and Violette_FR Invisible Bandage all recently launched within the same three months. Here, we break down everything you need to know about these new liquid pimple patches.

What is a liquid pimple patch?

The liquid pimple patch, despite its namesake, is not a liquefied version of a hydrocolloid bandage. It would be hard for a liquid to replicate the absorbent properties of a hydrocolloid bandage’s multiple layers, cosmetic chemist Michelle Wong says.

Instead, a liquid pimple patch is a gel made of gums and polymers. As they dry down after application, a seal is created—and voilà! A barrier is born.

A key distinction between pimple patches and the liquid formula is that the latter can deliver active skincare ingredients. “I think it gives anonymity for people who still need it, while simultaneously giving protection and treating the spot,” says aesthetician and makeup artist Dihan FC.

Liquid pimple patches are best used on emerging pimples (i.e., not on a whitehead or pustule). When things come to the surface, hydrocolloid patches are the best way to extract them, Kim says. And while you can wear makeup over a traditional patch, the new liquid versions are designed to be truly invisible under foundation or concealer.

“You can apply the liquid patch and put makeup on top, but you're not suffocating the acne with more makeup. You’re actually treating it with a skincare product, so pimples will heal quicker and you won’t scar as badly either,” says Kim.

Ahead, our favorite new launches.

Shop our favorite new liquid pimple patches

Kiehl’s Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Pimple Patch With Salicylic Acid is particularly formulated to reduce a pimple’s size, color, and scarring. The formula includes medicated 2 percent salicylic acid (the highest concentration allowed for over-the-counter products), 4 percent niacinamide, and 0.2 percent licorice root.

“[Kiehl’s] combination of niacinamide and licorice root extract are also brightening. So that’s great, because you’re treating the acne but also preventing hyperpigmentation from acne scarring,” Kim says.

The formula uses hydroxyethyl cellulose to create a seal, but cosmetic chemist Javon Ford says he considers this specific Kiehl’s formula more like a film than a patch, due to its thin and permeable nature. He recommends it if you want a truly lightweight finish.

Fenty Skin Blemish Defeat’r BHA Spot-Targeting Gel is designed to wear under makeup, with its thicker formulation. It’s formulated with BHA (a.k.a. salicylic acid) to target pimples (the percentage is unknown), along with willow bark, boldo (wild Chilean mint), rhubarb, licorice, and ginger extracts. And the star ingredient that gives the liquid patch its seal has other, more unexpected uses, as well.

“Sodium polyalkylene is a polymer that’s great at finding water and absorbing water,” Ford says. “That’s why it’s used in diapers; that’s why it was used in tampons to control flow—it just did it too well. And it’s also how Orbeez works.”

However, multiple TikTok reviews of the Fenty Defeat’r gel have mentioned peeling as an issue—not a surprise to Ford, due to the product’s formulation. When the polymer dries down, he says, what is left is a flexible film that shields pimples. But the water base of the solution makes it difficult to cover later with most skincare products, which are often oil-based. Ford recommends using a water-based primer such as Milk Makeup’s Hydro Grip Hydrating Makeup Primer on slightly damp skin before applying the Fenty gel, to give the solution something to grip on and reduce the risk of peeling.

“To get best results, it’s important to allow the product to fully dry down before applying any makeup or any additional skincare products,” Fenty Skin vice president of global marketing Janelle Hailey says. “We recommend using the applicator to directly smooth out and flatten the product before the dry-down and makeup application. Only a thin layer is needed to put in work!”

Seven years ago, makeup artist Violette Serrat got a laser treatment before a major event. In a Samantha Jones–esque turn of events, the treatment left Serrat with mild facial burns. To hide the burns, she applied a foundation that only further irritated them. “At the time, there was nothing on the market that would provide me with an immediate solution,” she says. “I started to dream of a product that would help heal and reduce skin wounds and blemishes, act like a protective barrier, and prime skin for makeup.”

Serrat and head chemist Luc Jugla spent four years perfecting the Violette_FR Invisible Bandage. The formula uses acacia gum, xanthan gum, and glycerin (which layer nicely together, says Ford).

The real healing power, Serrat says, is in the formula’s CM-glucan granules, which can accelerate the skin’s natural healing process. To minimize contamination, the Invisible Bandage brush applicator can be removed to wipe or wash clean with water.

While other liquid pimple patches tackle raised pimples, Topicals Sealed Active Scar Primer helps fill in pitted acne scars, large pores, or textured skin. Medical-grade silicone, which is scientifically proven to reduce scars, is the key ingredient at play here. The primer also tackles texture, with resurfacing ingredients like retinol, papain, and biomimetic peptides.

“Topicals’ product shares an ingredient list with most makeup printers. It uses a silicone primer to fill in scars,” Ford says. “Silicones, in general, can fill in skin texture, as they’re too large to be absorbed by skin and just create a permeable seal outside of it.” Just note: Sunscreen application is critical after applying the primer, because ingredients like retinol make the skin UV-sensitive.

Should you try a liquid pimple patch?

If you pick your skin, have an emergency pimple, wear foundation and concealer daily, and already use pimple patches but want something more invisible—this product is for you.

“I think these products could be really helpful for people who have special occasions or important meetings, where they have a huge zit that they want to cover up and treat at the same time,” says board-certified dermatologist David Kim.

Cosmetic chemist Ford, however, is a bit of a nonbeliever when it comes to the liquid pimple patch. For him, the standard pimple patch wins about every round, especially when it comes to physically protecting a pimple from the elements.

While pimple patches are a great way to manage zits, they should not be the treatment for acne. The most optimal treatment for acne is usually seeing a dermatologist for a full skin consultation. However, multiple doctor visits are not accessible for all of the estimated 50 million Americans affected by acne each year, and this is where over-the-counter products can fill in some of the gaps.

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