Peace Out's New Acne Day Dots Are Completely Invisible Under Makeup

Peace Out knows a thing or two about acne. The skincare brand's CEO & Founder, Enrico Frezza, personally dealt with years of breakouts, which inspired him to create Peace Out. The brand specializes in all things acne, from serums to moisturizers, and possibly their most popular item, the Acne Dot hydrocolloid pimple patches. Since the Acne Dot's launch, Peace Out has created all different kinds of patches to help heal acne at every stage, including blackheads and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Part of the appeal of acne patches is they claim to be translucent enough to wear during the day to both conceal and heal active acne. Today, Peace Out takes things further with the launch of Acne Day Dot ($19), a hydrocolloid patch so thin and translucent you can wear it under makeup. 

The Inspiration

The main downfall of most pimple patches is that, although they're translucent (or at least claim to be) they're still visible during the day thanks to thick edges that can't be hidden under makeup—until now. Frezza reveals to Byrdie exclusively that the brand's first-ever makeup-friendly Acne Day Dot was actually inspired by Peace Out's customers.

"Since the launch of our OG Acne Dot pimple patch, our community has voiced the need for a thinner, invisible patch for daytime wear that could be worn with makeup," says Frezza. Of course, if you want to heal your acne on a no-makeup day, Frezza explains that Peace Out spent years formulating this patch to ensure they were virtually invisible for daytime wear—with or without makeup on top.

The Innovation

Frezza and the team not only wanted the patches to perform better, but be better for the environment as well. "Previously, hydrocolloid was not available in 'clean' form as it is made with cosmetic grade versions of mineral oil, which are safe to use but derived from non-renewable resources," says Frezza. The team spent years developing a "clean" hydrocolloid polymer technology that's not only more sustainable, but 62% thinner than their original Acne Dots. Despite their size, the dots still contain encapsulated salicylic acid, retinol, and aloe vera to exfoliate the skin and soothe redness in one fell swoop.

But it was no easy feat, says Frezza. "The most challenging part was designing a new top layer for our pimple patch that was not only thin, but that could be used with makeup without [it] soaking through the patch," he says. "We didn't want the thickness of the patch to sacrifice the healing efficacy underneath while worn throughout the day. The goal was to both heal and conceal pimples."

How to Wear Acne Day Dot

Much like other pimple patches, you'll first want to remove any skin care or oil where you have active acne. Then using a tweezer, remove a patch from its protective film and lay it over your breakouts. Et voila, you're now protecting your acne against unconscious picking and environmental stressors while soothing and healing it with active ingredients.

Under Makeup

The Acne Day Dot was formulated specifically for use under makeup, but some products simply won't stick to the patch. The dots can grab onto oil- and water-based formulas easily, meaning it'll work well under cream and liquid products. Unfortunately, there isn't enough grab in the patch's construction to hold onto powder products if used alone. If you want to use this patch with a powder, simply prime the patch with a makeup primer or concealer and apply the powder on top. (Peace Out has some 'how-to' videos on YouTube if you need even more guidance.) 

In an Acne Care Routine

The beauty of a pimple patch is that it heals active acne in all its stages, whether a pimple is sitting under the skin or ready to pop. When dealing with active acne, Frezza recommends using a 24/7 application approach. "Our community has expressed that having the ability to heal and conceal 24/7 is magic for pimple care," says Frezza. "For maximum pimple protection, we recommend using Day Dot to heal during the day. After washing and cleansing your face at night, apply an OG Acne Dot to boost healing powers while you sleep.

Our Review

"Plenty of brands claim that their pimple patches are invisible, but this is the first one I've tried that I would be comfortable enough wearing to the office. Of course, nothing is going to be 100% invisible—there is still a bandage on your face, after all—but this is pretty darn close. It has a matte finish so it's undetectable even without makeup on, and it really does grip makeup easily—though I noticed that it looked even more natural when I patted a little powder overtop the foundation. I was worried that adding makeup would loosen the grip, but the patch stayed put all day with no issues. It also kept me from picking while drying out a pimple, so in my book it's a win." —Bella Cacciatore, news editor

The Acne Day dots are available on Sephora App today, December 5, or  Sephora.com and PeaceOutSkincare.com on December 6.