If you've spotted someone wearing a bright yellow, star-shaped sticker on their face and wondered if it's a new makeup trend or avant-garde accessory, guess again — it's actually an acne product.

Welcome to the age of pimple patches, where treating breakouts is no longer a behind-closed-doors affair. 

These dime-sized stickers are trending. On TikTok, there are more than 500 million videos that mention the query "best pimple patch," and more than 60 million posts that mention "Starface pimple patch" specifically. 

The market valuation of pimple patches is expected to grow from about $500 million to nearly $1 billion by 2033, according to recent research from Spherical Insights. 

Much of that momentum has been driven by Starface World, whose best-selling product is a star-shaped sticker containing hydrocolloid. This gentle, active ingredient has historically been used to speed up the healing of skin wounds. Some of the patches, called "Hydro-Stars," have additional ingredients, like tea tree oil and salicylic acid. 

Since its founding in 2019, Starface World says it has sold over a billion individual Hydro-Stars. The stars are typically sold in packs of 32 and cost between $10.99 and $16.99, depending on the ingredients and if the patches come with a matching compact case.

In 2024, Starface is on track to bring in about $90 million in revenue.  

Disrupting the pimple patch market

Starface World — or "Starface" for short — was launched by former Elle beauty editor Julie Schott and her business partner, entrepreneur Brian Bordainick, back in 2019. 

Schott and Bordainick felt that the messaging around acne products were "designed to hide pimples," Kara Brothers, president of Starface, tells CNBC Make It. "Starface aimed to flip that concept on its head, and make pimples, which affect almost everyone at different stages in their life, a more fun and joyful experience."

The first generation of pimple patches arrived in the late 2010s, when skincare brands Hero and Peace Out began offering flesh-toned and translucent versions of the same concept. Hydrocolloid bandages, however, aren't a new skin care innovation; they were first patented and introduced in hospitals, doctor's offices and more during the 1970s, according to the National Institute of Health.

Then, in 2019, came Starface, whose pentagram-shaped Hydro-Stars "disrupted the pimple patch market" with vibrant hues such as bright yellow, jet black, magenta and even rainbow and fun designs, Claire McCormack, a senior editor at Beauty Independent, says.

Starface products are sold in the U.S., Canada and the UK both direct to consumer (DTC) on Starface's website and through retailers like Target, Walmart and CVS. Retail sales have "tremendously outpaced DTC," says Brothers, who adds that Starface has been focused on growing that revenue stream across the three countries it sells products in.

A Gen Z status symbol

Decorative and fun, the patches quickly became a fashion trend for Gen Z and Gen Alpha. 

Soon, Gen Z and millennial celebrities like Millie Bobbie Brown and Justin Bieber were photographed wearing the patches while running errands, and teenagers posted vlogs on TikTok and YouTube sporting the patches to school.

Brothers says about 60% of Starface's customers are Gen Z and Gen Alpha. 

"I wanted something that would treat my acne and also be a cute accessory so that I'm not afraid to go out and be myself, and to not feel horrible about my appearance," Shahzaib Sultan, a 25-year-old in Montreal, Canada, says. "That was what inspired me to get the Starface products."

The brand "really took off" during the Covid-19 pandemic, Brothers shares, when more people were inside and embraced wearing the colorful pimple patches on video calls. 

"We knew we were onto something when we resumed going outside and saw people of all kinds wearing Starface products out in public, showcasing pride about having something like acne," she adds.

Starface has continued to capitalize on Gen Z consumers' interest with its marketing scheme.

The brand maintains a youthful, lighthearted tone on its social media channels, riffing on memes and popular culture, which Brothers believes gives Starface an edge over the aspirational or scientific tone of other acne brands. Take, for example, its limited-edition product collaborations with cartoon characters like SpongeBob SquarePants and Hello Kitty.

To further connect with younger customers, Starface even introduced a mascot in 2019: "Big Yellow," a personification of the brand's yellow star patch. 

"Big Yellow came from outer space and doesn't understand why people on Earth are so hard on people who have acne and who have pimples," Brothers explains. 

Do Starface's pimple patches work?

The jury is still out as to whether or not Starface's Hydro-Stars — and pimple patches, more broadly — can help pimples heal faster.

Customer reviews are mixed; some say the Hydro-Stars help remove the gunk and excess oil from a zit, while others say the patches work better as a fashion accessory. 

"I think there is a role to be played with pimple patches, more so as a barrier to protect a healing pimple or a wounded pimple specifically," Dr. Jeremy Brauer, a New York-based dermatologist, says.

"They could minimize the risk of inflammation and infection, but I wouldn't say pimple patches are for everyone," Brauer adds, noting that the patches could be less effective for people with sensitive skin or cystic acne. 

Although pimple patches remain the core of its business, Starface is exploring new categories, selling pore strips and lip balm. 

"I think Starface can continue to innovate by making sure that they're on top of whatever other ways that spot treatments can be used as part of skincare," says McCormack. "One of the biggest challenges the brand might face is if these patches somehow become not cool anymore … but people are always going to have pimples."

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