Photos of an Australian influencer at Sydney airport sporting pimple patches all over her face prove the once “embarrassing” acne treatment is now a bona fide Gen Z trend.
TikTok star Anna Paul landed with an array of heart-shaped stickers on her face after flying in from her hometown on the Gold Coast on Monday.
The 25-year-old, who launched her own beauty brand Paullie Skin after finding online fame, didn’t shy away from cameras as she left the airport, posing for snaps and waving to fans before jumping into a waiting car.
Paul’s proud display of her pimple patches, which contain active ingredients to help treat the spot underneath, show that the younger generation are determined to turn an angry red blemish into a “cute” style statement.
Aussie brand TBH Skincare co-founder Rachael Wilde said it was refreshing to see high-profile people wear a product that highlights the struggles of living with acne.
“Acne has always been something that people feel they need to hide, so to see the biggest influencers in Australia now sporting decorative pimple patches is pretty epic,” Ms Wilde told news.com.au.
“It’s definitely turning that entire narrative on its head… we no longer need to hide our blemishes. Could we even push it so far to say it is becoming cool?
“Whilst it might seem like a small detail, having people like Anna sporting pimple patches is making an incredible difference to how we consider acne and how we talk about it and treat it in our everyday lives.”
Ms Wilde, who launched TBH Skincare in 2020 after her own acne struggles, stressed that research shows that people with acne can also develop mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.
“This is something that I lived out first hand and I think that it is amazing for young people to see their favourite celebs sporting these decorative patches because it definitely makes people feel less alone when dealing with misbehaving skin,” she added.
“For a long time, the acne category has been super clinical, with a lot of white bottles, jargon and negative self talk. It is great to see so many brands now challenging that and making it ‘cool’.”
Paul is a long-time fan of trendy spot treatment, often sharing videos to her 7.2 million followers filmed with the stickers on her face, though interestingly, her Paullie Skin line doesn’t (yet) sell the popular product.
Many fans have praised her for wearing the acne-treatment in public, telling the star – who amassed her fortune by selling explicit content on a popular adult subscription site – it “meant the world” to see her in such a relatable state.
“You’ve given me the confidence to go outside with my spots,” one said.
“It’s so amazing to see you be so open about your acne,” another agreed.
Other celebrities that have been spotted wearing the zit-zappers include Hailey and Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian and Aussie musician Kid Laroi.
Most pimple patches are medicated with hydrocolloid or salicylic acid to help clear the zit while also protecting the outbreak site from bacteria as well as working as a barrier to reduce the temptation to squeeze.
As the product has boomed in popularity, so has its number of variations, Ms Wilde explained.
“We recently released Matildas x TBH Skincare co-branded pimple patches as a way of promoting the positive message of ‘embracing our imperfections,” she said.
“When young girls and boys see their sporting icons wearing these decorative pimple patches, it is sending the message to them that firstly, it is 100 per cent normal to get breakouts, and secondly it is not something to be embarrassed about.
“We saw players like Kyra Cooney Cross and Charli Grant wearing them on TikTok, which was super exciting, and it showed that people were no longer afraid to hide their imperfections, but embrace them.
“Dressing our pimples up is cute, and this new ‘trend’ is really changing the notion that acne isn’t something to be ashamed of and it’s definitely here to stay.”