Liquid Pimple Patches Make Concealing Breakouts a Breeze

Acne patches have made their way into the skin-care routines of beauty fanatics everywhere, and it's not hard to see why. Whether you experience an occasional zit or routine breakouts, the fun-shaped stickers in various colors call back to childhood, when grade-school teachers would hand out stars to mark achievements. Now, the adult version helps diminish the appearance of pesky acne, while also allowing you to wear them as a badge of honor in the interim.

If you're not sure what a pimple patch is, allow us to explain. It's a special bandage made of a medical-grade, gel-like material called hydrocolloid, which creates a protective seal over the skin, helping pimples heal faster. While these patches provide an easy fix, if you don't want noticeable stickers on your face, they can be difficult to wear during the day, especially under makeup. The perfect solution? Liquid pimple patches. This up-and-coming category is the perfect solution to healing your pimples while wearing makeup — no sticker necessary.

Keep reading to learn what liquid pimple patches are, how to use them, and even shop for some product recommendations.

Pimple patches help heal pimples fast while also keeping you from picking at them. "Now, there are liquid pimple patches that are medicated liquid bandages, which act similarly to the sticker patches but are easier to wear under makeup," dermatologist Emily Wood, MD, from Westlake Dermatology, tells POPSUGAR. When using a liquid pimple patch, you can apply it to the affected area in the morning or evening and leave it on for six to eight hours. After cleansing your skin, place the liquid pimple patch on the blemish and allow it to dry before applying your makeup or the rest of your skin care. At the end of the day (or when you wake up), your breakout should be noticeably smaller.

As mentioned before, liquid pimple patches are a discreet treatment option for pimples, as they dry clear on the skin rather than sit on the surface as stickers do.

Liquid pimple patches and traditional acne stickers are similar in that they both contain some type of anti-inflammatory ingredient to treat the skin, such as salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid. "Patches containing salicylic acid can help penetrate your pores to heal a painful red pimple," says Dr. Wood. In some products, you may notice niacinamide, which can help soothe red and irritated skin, while others are made with tea-tree oil and considered antimicrobial, or witch hazel to help calm irritation.

Ahead, shop some of the best liquid pimple patches on the market to add to your skin-care collection.