Peace Out’s Transparent, Concealer-Friendly Acne Day Dots Are A Game Changer
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Peace Out Skincare’s blissed-out branding caught my eye years ago. Rather than embracing the toned-down beige-osity of the rest of the skincare industry, Peace Out carved out a niche with pop art branding and stickers designed to treat first and conceal second. As a hard-working acne-prone individual susceptible to breakouts of stress pimples and cystic acne, I appreciated the direct approach. Peace Out’s tiny pimple stickers helped me manage oily insurgencies.
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The first generation of Peace Out stickers had (and still have) a slightly yellowish hue; they are skin colored, but only for the overtly jaundiced or Simpsonian. This is clever. Better color matching would provoke a double-take. But the cleverness of Peace Out’s original patches has always been that they understand the problem posed by angry red blemishes. It’s not that they exist. It’s that people have to look at them. By covering them with a sticker, I acknowledge that I’m concealing something gnarly while also concealing the gnarly thing.
I wear these stickers during the day – switching them out after they absorb too much skin oil and begin to look inflated – but others are reluctant to stick things to their face in public. That left Peace Out room to market an explicit daytime option. Those new transparent patches render the blemish visible and the sticker imperceptible. Essentially, Peace Out has given its fans a choice. They get to choose their own kinda crappy adventure.
Smartly, the patch is designed so that makeup, notably concealer, can go over it. I’ve used the new patches with concealer and found that solution ideal for smaller blemishes in the early or late stages of development (standalone hydrocolloid acne patches (sans salicylic acid) are still a better bet for freshly popped whiteheads). The only real limitation is that it’s still best not to keep the stickers on too long; if worn for more than 8 hours, the stickers’ hydrocolloid technology can inflame and irritate the skin.
The hydrocolloid bandage is designed to decrease swelling at the site of the blemish caused by the Salicylic acid, which breaks down dead skin cells trapped inside open pores. Retinol promotes cellular turnover to expedite healing.
Peace Out Salicylic Acid Acne Day Dots
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Peace Out’s Salicylic Acid Acne Day Dots are 61% thinner and sheerer than previous models. They can be worn on their own, underneath makeup and contain acne-fighting ingredients for helping to resolve breakouts while covering them up.
Peace Out Salicylic Acid Acne Day Dots Review: At A Glance
Pros
Salicylic acid helps dissolve sebum and dead cells trapped inside the pore.
Hydrocolloid technology neutralizes inflammation while aloe soothes skin.
Large surface area beats out many other salicylic acid patches.
Cons
If you don’t get a clean, consistent peel on the sticker when removing it from its strip, then the edges of the patch won’t stick down on the skin.
My impression is that they are slightly less effective than the original dots—but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
I recently applied the Salicylic Acid Acne Day Dots during a sunny beach vacation as a handsome blemish was budding above my eyebrows while I lounged in a hammock. Say what you will about acne, but it has a work ethic.
I put on one of the Day Dots and was happy to see that while the reddened skin remained, the sticker itself was close to invisible; something that only I would notice. Had I been in a big work meeting, I would’ve probably tried to cover it up with concealer, cleanse after and reapplied a new patch. But I was in a hammock. I was just happy to outsource the treatment to the sticker. I didn’t have to overthink it or go through a painterly ointment application process.
What I like best about these dots is that they provide one more weapon in the war on blemishes, which has always been a sort of guerilla campaign. And though that metaphor may seem at odds with the Peace Out ethos, it ultimately is not. Saint Augustine said quite rightly that the “Purpose of all war is peace.” That peace is only attained in victory.
Peace Out Day Dots FAQ
How Do You Use Peace Out Day Dots?
Starting with freshly- cleansed skin, make sure to pat the skin dry (gently!) before applying the acne patch. Carefully and slowly peel the sticker away from its plastic strip and place the sticker over the cleansed area so that the blemish is in the center of the sticker.
You can then continue with your regular skincare and makeup regimen. The patch should seal off the area, while also allowing you to apply makeup products over top.
Wear the patch for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. If the area covering the patch begins to look puffy and discolored (that is, if you aren’t otherwise concealing it with makeup), then it is soon time to remove and replace the patch. Cleanse the area again before applying a new one.
What Should I Use the Peace Out Day Dots For?
While they work effectively on all types of pimples, salicylic acid patches should be reserved for those deep-seated cystic breakouts or stress acne (where sebum and cells might be trapped beneath the skin.
Can Peace Out Day Dots Prevent Acne?
Acne dots like these are meant to treat blemishes once they happen rather than prevent them. For preventing blemishes in the first place, a well-curated skincare regimen of a cleanser, exfoliator, moisturizer and SPF is a great place to start.
Does it Hurt to Pull Off Peace Out Day Dots?
Nope, it shouldn’t. The adhesive is pretty gentle and you should pull them off slowly (not like a Band-Aid).
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How We Test Grooming Products At SPY.com
SPY introduced new product testing guidelines in 2022, and you can read our in-depth article about our new product testing and review process. When testing grooming products, we first come up with objective criteria based on the product category. For instance, when testing the best smart light bulbs, we came up with criteria such as brightness/illumination, ease of use and connectivity. When testing the best body wash, our testing categories included fragrance, cleaning abilities and ingredients.
When I tested the best acne patches, I focused on the best options for day and night wear, alongside those with and without salicylic acid—largely since all acne patches deploy hydrocolloid technology but not all of them use salicylic acid. I found that these Day Dots are the best (and most innovative) option for daytime wear with salicylic acid. (Though as I mentioned above, I love the original Peace Out salicylic acid patches for both day and night wear, still.)
About The Author
Adam Hurly has been covering the grooming industry for a decade, having gotten his start at Birchbox in 2013. Since becoming a freelance journalist in 2016, he has written for nearly every men’s title. In addition to SPY, Adam’s frequent clients include GQ, Men’s Journal, Robb Report, Forbes and more. He is a South Dakota native, a University of Kansas graduate, a New Yorker at heart, and has resided in Berlin for 5 years.
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