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Starface Hydro-Star + Salicylic Acid Pimple Patches for oily skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Starface Hydro-Star + Salicylic Acid Pimple Patches

High

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

A great choice for oily skin; a few serums fit it even better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.

Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works

Lovi Assistant explains

  • Highly suitable for oily skin as salicylic acid offers excellent blemish reduction by exfoliating and cleansing pores, while hydrocolloid absorbs excess sebum.
  • The absence of harsh ingredients ensures no risks of irritation for your oily skin.
  • This formulation is safe for your skin.

How to apply

  • Use this serum in your PM routine. Start by applying it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
  • Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but right before your moisturizer for the best results.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin. Let it absorb ⏱ for a minute before applying the next product.
  • Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive and you want to target oily shine. This helps control excess oil throughout the night.
  • Avoid the delicate eye area and do a patch test before using the serum for the very first time.

People Say

★4.6Overall rating based on 3.0k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, these patches are highly effective for surface blemishes and clogged pores, reducing redness and healing spots overnight. Users appreciate the cute design and the barrier it creates to prevent picking. However, some find them expensive compared to alternatives and less effective on deep cystic acne.

Highlights

  • Shrinks spots quickly Mostly Mentioned
    • “They shrink down pimples faster than any other patches I've tried.”
    • “After using I notice the pimples are shrunken and semi-drained or fully drained.”
    • “Reduces redness and flattens raised spots quickly.”
    • “Often bring a pimple down in size overnight.”
  • Cute star design Often Mentioned
    • “The pimple patches are so cute and nobody ever thinks they're pimple patches.”
    • “I feel adorable to have those little stars of my face.”
    • “The cute star design makes them appealing for younger users.”
    • “They also look super adorable... I can't go back to other brands!”
  • Prevents skin picking Often Mentioned
    • “These little stars put a protective cover over them and give them a chance to heal without facing the wrath of my long nails.”
    • “It keeps me from picking... I feel like the longer you leave them on, the more effective they are.”
    • “It's so comforting not to pick at my skin anymore, as the patches create a protective barrier.”
    • “I've even managed to resist the urge to pop pimples!”
  • Stays on well Sometimes Noted
    • “They stick super well... and I try to leave them on all day and night.”
    • “The adhesive stayed on well, and I appreciated the added salicylic acid.”
    • “Perfectly shaped to grip the contours of the face, Hydro-Stars are designed to really stick.”
    • “They will STAY as long as you apply them over clean skin (EVEN WHEN SHOWERING AND SWEATING)!!!”
  • Premium price Sometimes Noted
    • “They were for sure over priced for what they are.”
    • “Expensive compared to generic hydrocolloid patches.”
    • “The premium price means you are paying for branding as much as for blemish-fighting.”
    • “Even though Starface is a little pricier than other pimple patches...”
  • Ineffective on cystic acne Rarely Noted
    • “They are largely ineffective on deep cystic acne, closed comedones, or blackheads.”
    • “For deeper, cystic acne, they might not make it vanish completely.”
    • “Does not work well on deep cystic acne.”
    • “I can see it working on smaller pimples as opposed to the big hormonal ones.”
  • Poor adhesion sometimes Rarely Noted
    • “They slide right off when you apply any product to your face.”
    • “I kept finding the patches in my hair throughout the day.”
    • “The only downside is that these patches don't adhere as strongly as others.”
    • “I don't understand why they can't be thicker/sturdier/stickier.”

Sources: lovi.care, target.com, ulta.com, walmart.com, meijer.com, boots.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Starface Hydro-Star + Salicylic Acid Pimple Patches a great fit for oily skin?

Starface Hydro-Star + Salicylic Acid Pimple Patches are a great fit because salicylic acid clears out pores while hydrocolloid soaks up excess oil. The gentle formula also helps prevent irritation on oily skin.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

Which ingredients make this treatment a good fit for oily skin?

Salicylic acid and hydrocolloid make this treatment a great fit for oily skin because salicylic acid clears out pores and reduces blemishes, while hydrocolloid soaks up extra oil without causing irritation.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

What does Salicylic Acid do for oily skin?

Salicylic acid helps oily skin by reducing excess oil and keeping pores clear. It may also improve overall skin hydration while managing breakouts.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Experimental Dermatology, 2019

What does Hydrocolloid do for oily skin?

Hydrocolloid helps absorb excess oil and calms redness in oily skin. It creates a protective environment that manages breakouts and supports the skin as it heals.

Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2006Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025

Where does this treatment go in a skincare routine for oily skin?

This treatment goes in the evening routine for your oily skin, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. The absence of harsh ingredients helps ensure this product is safe to use without causing irritation.

Can I use this treatment with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this treatment alongside retinol, but apply your retinol first and let it absorb completely before placing the patch over the blemish to avoid extra irritation. Salicylic acid and hydrocolloid help clear pores and soak up excess oil, and the gentle formula is unlikely to cause discomfort on your oily skin.

How often should I use this treatment?

You can use this treatment in the evening as part of your routine. Lovi routines start exfoliating steps once a week, and people who tolerate them well and see good results may carefully use them more often.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

Can this treatment clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?

This treatment is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily skin because it contains salicylic acid and hydrocolloid to clear out pores and absorb excess oil. The absence of harsh ingredients also helps keep the skin calm without irritation.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

What the research says

  • Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

  • The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

  • A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.

    BioMed Research International, 2020

  • Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.

    CMAJ, 2010

  • Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

  • Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.

    Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010

  • Daily application of hydrocolloid dressing completely prevented nasogastric tube-related pressure injuries, whereas skin care interventions showed no significant preventive effect compared to the control group in intensive care unit patients.

    Journal of Tissue Viability, 2024

  • Hydration of scars for 2 months resulted in significantly reduced itching, somewhat reduced pain, and increased pliability by 10% for both hydrocolloid dressing and moisturizer treatments in patients with keloids or hypertrophic scars, with no change in physical parameters.

    Dermatologic Surgery, 1996

  • Adjunctive hydrocolloid dressing with 0.1% mometasone furoate cream significantly increased treatment efficacy and cost-effectiveness compared to topical steroid alone in patients with moderate to severe lichen simplex chronicus.

    Skin Health and Disease, 2023

Ingredients

Hydrocolloid, Salicylic Acid

Behind this fit score

Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

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How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play