Lianna Albrizio, Assistant Editor09.29.22
Bioré—Kao Corporation’s line of anti-acne products that includes its best-selling, two-decades-old pore strip which removes a week’s worth of clogged pores and blackheads—has followed up that innovation with pimple patches.
The patches, called Cover & Conquer, are pimple-sized dots that blend in with skin. Unwrapped like an adhesive bandage, the discrete patches are placed cover the circumference of the pimple and worn six to eight hours in the daytime or overnight. Unlike pore strips— that contain witch hazel and tea tree oil to unclog problem pores—the new pimple patches use hydrocolloid, which works like a sponge to suck out oil and pus, according to the skincare company.
Hydrocolloid is a moisture-retentive transparent dressing. Unlike similar offerings on the market which use a pectin or gelatin, Biore uses plant-based hydrocolloid, which is 100% cruelty-free, said the company.
“The hydrocolloid literally works in the whole patch itself,” said Brittany Cook Konen, assistant brand manager at Kao Corporation. “It seals over to protect your area from any gunk, pollution from the day, dirt and oil, and it sucks out all the pus the gunk, anything that’s living in that patch.”
She continued, “After 6-8 hours, it’ll turn white, and even after you pull it off, and you notice there’s still a lingering a bit, maybe it was a really big zit, you can put another one right away.”
Cover & Conquer can be placed on unsightly existing or newly-emerging pimples that a teenaged-consumer or bride-to-be may awaken to two days before picture day or their big day and wish to stop the zit in its tracks and prevent it from ballooning into a larger problem.
“It defeats the pimple before it even gets to a full head,” noted Konen.
The acne patch has been growing in popularity in this year's skincare market.
Church & Dwight, which made Happi's Top 50 Companies Report for 2022, this month signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Hero Mighty Patch brand and Hero's other acne treatment products in a $630 million deal. The move was aimed to leverage US retailer relationships and international footprint to expand the fast-growing brand.
In June, Band-Aid Brand entered the acne care category with its Blemish Patch. Johnson & Johnson’s R&D team createed specialized hydrocolloid bandages to treat pimples on the heels of a viral TikTok trend that involved consumers videoing their usage of Band-Aid Brand Hydro Seal bandages off-label to manage and calm acne and sharing results on social media channels.
The acne patch has been growing in popularity in this year's skincare market.
Church & Dwight, which made Happi's Top 50 Companies Report for 2022, this month signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Hero Mighty Patch brand and Hero's other acne treatment products in a $630 million deal. The move was aimed to leverage US retailer relationships and international footprint to expand the fast-growing brand.
In June, Band-Aid Brand entered the acne care category with its Blemish Patch. Johnson & Johnson’s R&D team createed specialized hydrocolloid bandages to treat pimples on the heels of a viral TikTok trend that involved consumers videoing their usage of Band-Aid Brand Hydro Seal bandages off-label to manage and calm acne and sharing results on social media channels.
Bioré Promotional Event in NYC
During a daylong promotional event held at Washington Square Park in New York City on Wednesday, Sept. 28, Bioré pulled its powder blue-colored mobile truck festooned with blue and white balloons to encourage consumers to pop this (the balloons), not that (their zits).
While pimple-popping has long been an irresistibly tempting act which may help relieve the pore from the impurities and size, doing so can damage the skin and lead to permanent scarring. Energetic Biore representatives educated consumers about the acne patches and how they work, and most importantly, prevent consumers from picking at it, while giving passersby a chance to try their hand at a game of darts to pop the balloons and win products, an Amazon gift card and a Levi’s denim jacket.
“It’s great,” said a consumer. “I get pimples all the time. I would love to try it.”
“It’s epic!” interjected another, who loved the idea of acne patch. “We should do a video!”