Launching today, the new brand is putting the fun back in acne
“Pimples are in” declared Justin Bieber to his 118 million Instagram followers last year, ushering in a new age of acne representation.
We all know it’s not that fun having spots, but recently we seem to have reached a general consensus that it’s time to start normalising them and slowly the stigma surrounding acne has begun to dissipate. Films such as Ladybird and Eighth Grade have brought much-needed visibility to the hormonal breakouts typical of all teens but so rarely seen on screen, while activist and model Louisa Northcote’s #freethepimple movement champions positive acne representation on social media.
In fact, it’s become almost fashionable to post your acne treatment pictures, with everyone from Lili Reinhart to Love Island winner Amber Gill showing off their blemish cream-dotted faces on Instagram.
And now it has just become even easier to flaunt your fight against acne. Launching today (September 5), Starface is here to bring some much-needed fun and glamour to acne treatments. In the past, pimple patches have been transparent, designed to be invisible and draw as little attention as possible. Starface has taken the opposite approach – these gold stars are loud, proud and begging to be shown off – truly pimple patches for the Instagram age. The hydrocolloid pimple patches work by absorbing fluid, keeping out bacteria, speeding up recovery and, the brand says, offer “endless opportunities to turn your face into a constellation.” To prove the point, Starface launches with a campaign which sees models including Princess Gollum proudly show off their starred-up faces.
The brainchild of co-founders Julie Schott and Brian Bordainick, Schott took her years of experience as a beauty editor into this project. “As a beauty editor, I tried everything from Reddit remedies, prescriptions, elimination diets – I even saw an acne psychologist!! For me, doing less works best. And no DIY pimple popping!” she says. Schott and Bordainick believe that we need to do away with the ideas that acne should be hidden, especially considering 50 million people in the US alone have acne and 95 per cent of adults will experience acne at some point in their lives.
“Acne is the most common skin condition in America, but pimples are still largely stigmatised. They’re completely hidden in most advertising, pop culture and mainstream media,” Schott says. “Studies show that having acne, especially as a teenager can cause lasting psychological distress. It certainly doesn’t help when you’re faced with treatment products that use language like ‘blemish’ and ‘imperfection’. Starface is here to normalise pimples, show acneic skin some love. Ultimately skincare is supposed to make you feel good.”
Starface is available from today and retails at $22 for a pack of 32 stars.
