Anyone with acne-prone skin knows that dreaded feeling of a new breakout coming on. I have oily skin and break out quite often, especially around my period. Combating small whiteheads and blackheads is easy, but when I get those large hormonal-cyst blemishes, they make me feel horrible. I've tried numerous spot treatments but found that acne sticker patches have been the most effective. I've tested a few brands, but my current favourite is the Rael Invisible Spot Dot [1] ($12).
While these patches don't make my breakouts magically disappear, I have noticed they go away so much faster. I sleep with one on at the first sight of a bump, and sometimes the blemish will be flat the next day with a small dark spot that fades within days. Other times, with more cyst-like blemishes, I've found they've come to a head and were able to be popped and healed much faster [2]. Either way, these have become my new holy-grail product that I see results with every time I use them.
Especially now that I'm wearing face masks [3] every time I leave the house, these have been great to combat my maskne [4] on my cheeks and chin. Keep reading to check out my before-and-after pictures and shop all the brand's acne-fighting patches.
Before: Day 1
I've been experiencing these large pimples on my cheeks lately, maybe from wearing masks. At the first sign of this one, I wore the invisible patch two nights in a row.
After: Day 3
In addition to using the patches, I made sure to keep the area moisturised. By day three, the area was almost completely flat, and I had a small dark spot where the blemish was. These spots will often fade away completely in a week or two for me.
Invisible Spot Dot
The Invisible Spot Dot [6] ($12) is the one I always use. It's strong enough to help reduce my breakout overnight. This is my personal favourite because you can barely see it on.
Rael Spot Control Cover
Sometimes when I have larger breakouts in clusters, this Rael Spot Control Cover [7] ($12) is a great way to combat them.
Rael Microcrystal Spot Dot
This Rael Microcrystal Spot Dot [8] ($12) is great to use when you first spot a breakout. The microcrystals help penetrate the blemish to clear it out quickly.
Rael Spotless Skin Kit
If you want them all, get the Rael Spotless Skin Kit [9] ($50, originally $56). It comes with all three patches and a dark-spot corrector.