Pimple patches – small in size but a huge help when breakouts pop up. When pimple picking can be controlled, when scarring can be avoided (if not at least lessened), when healing can be faster, when dealing with bad skin days can be as easy as sticking one of these patches on overnight.
If, like me, who’s almost in her 30s and still suffering from hormonal breakouts, discovering pimple patches is a life saver. Probably for teens, you have an upcoming prom, and to make your day extra special, dear zits decided to have the first dance with you.
So today, we’ll be comparing the two famous pimple patches from COSRX and Some By Mi, so you can decide at the end of the article which one suits your need. Will it be COSRX who started the pimple patch craze or the famous brand of acne-fighting products, SOME By Mi?
Packaging
As you might guess, they’re both weightless and paper-thin. They are also in resealable packaging, so you can store the remaining unused patches.
COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch
There are overall 24 patches inside with 3 different sizes. The biggest size is 12mm (9 pieces), medium size of 10mm (5 pieces), and small 7mm (10 pieces). They designed this way to address different pimple sizes. You need to choose a size bigger than the problem spot to cover the concerned area.
Some By Mi Clear Spot Patch
There are 18 patches inside with 2 size options – big and medium. The bigger size is 12mm, and the other one is 10mm, 9 pieces each.
Which is More Effective?
My skin type – Combination. Oily on the T-zone and normal for the rest of the face. I have occasional breakouts whenever it’s almost the time of the month, I lack sleep, I eat too much oily food, and the list goes on.
Now, fairly speaking, these two brands market these patches differently. So I will discuss each claim – reducing pimple size, redness, healing, and all the smallest features and benefits you can find. The results are based solely on my experience; these products are neither sponsored nor gifted.
Let’s start!
Protection – The points go to both parties as they are equally good as a protective cover. It sticks to the skin for long hours. These patches also keep me from the temptation of picking my pimple. And if you accidentally touched it, the pain is lesser than brushing it bare. So 100% it works as a great shield, I must say.
Transparency – This category has a clear winner for me. Some By Mi surprisingly is so natural looking than COSRX. It lives up to its promise of giving us a natural thin layer of patches. Some By Mi has a more sleek design than the Acne Pimple Master Patch.
The picture on the left is an acne patch in my forehead from Some By Mi, while the picture on the right is from COSRX, covering a zit on my left cheek.
It’s clear that SOME By Mi’s pimple patch is natural-looking and quite close to being transparent. It’s super thin, and you won’t notice it’s even there.
On the other hand, I find COSRX to be a little thicker, and the color is quite obvious, especially if you’re using the bigger patches. I also would not recommend these patches if you plan to apply makeup since they will be visible.
Absorbs impurities – When it comes to sucking out impurities, I’ll give it to COSRX! When I remove it, I’ve seen much more visible pimple pus on the patch.
Fast healing – Healing, on the other hand, is a different story. COSRX may drain the impurities faster, but it doesn’t heal my pimple not as much as with Some By Mi. The healing time with SOME By Mi is much faster, and the inflammation or redness is also reduced faster.
Waterproof – To test these pimple patches to their limit, thinking that probably some users would like to use it under the heat of the sun, sweating, or even swimming (which is perhaps exaggerating). But yes, I did all the funny ways of testing these patches.
I did an exercise to test if it’s sweatproof; I showered, and I washed them with not just water but soap as well. To my surprise, both passed the test! None of them was removed after all the crazy things I’ve done to them!
Long-lasting – It is advised to change pimple patches every 8 hours or whenever the patch turns cloudy. Both brands have no problem, and they stick on you longer if you prefer.
But a crazy tester like me who’s dying of curiosity, I also tried if these two are sweatproof. As I said, I exercise (Zumba session) for 40 minutes to an hour. I’m the kind to sweat easily, and I sweat a lot. You can imagine a t-shirt heavy with sweat like working out with a strict trainer in a gym.
But as you can see in the photos above, they survived!
Another crazy experiment I did was trying to complete my skincare regimen while the patches were on my face. There are cleansers, toners, moisturizers, serums, and sunscreen. And the best part? They did not only survive but sticks to my face until I decided to remove them.
Price
COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch costs around $5-$6, while Some By Mi Clear Spot Patch is $8-$9. The price might be cheap for some but expensive for others, depending on the budget.
Yes, one pack may not cover the entire face (though this is not its purpose), but the small and limited number of patches in each packaging may make it look expensive. But remember that these are spot treatments, and for me, the value it serves justifies the price.
How to Use
For first-timers, these are easy-to-use patches to cover pimples from irritants while helping the process of healing faster. These simple patches have simple rules.
Step 1: Cleanse your face
Step 2: Wait for your skin to dry
Step 3: Remove the patch from the film and stick it on the targeted area
Step 4: Change it every 8-12 hours or whenever it turns cloudy. Do not remove it for under 6 hours as it needs time to suck out the moisture and gunk of the pimple.
Reminder: Do not use them over other skincare or beauty products, or they will not stick and adhere correctly. Use them after the pimple patches stick to your skin.
Conclusion
Is it worth it? From someone with pimples as monthly uninvited visitors, you get a resounding YES! They are super useful, easy-to-use spot treatments on the go.
But if you ask me which one I prefer from these two patches I’ve tried, I honestly ended up loving SOME BY MI’s Clear Spot Patch. This is simply because it addresses my specific needs. My pimples heal faster with these natural-looking patches, and I’m more confident going out. In addition to protecting from irritants and possible infections, they are great under makeup too.
However, I think I compared the wrong patches since they have different strengths. Some By Mi leans on a more natural-looking effect while healing your pimple, while COSRX’s Master Patch (original version) strengths tend to be more on protection and draining pimple pus.
I also discovered that COSRX has a transparent version of the pimple patch for daytime use – the COSRX Clear Fit Master Patch. This is a better competition to SOME By Mi’s Clear Patch for sure.
So if you’re having a bigger pimple, use COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch overnight and COSRX Clear Fit Master Patch in the morning!
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