Acne is a common issue among teenagers and adults – whether you get the odd pesky spot or hormonal breakout, we can all agree it’s something we’d rather do without. If, like us, you’ve tried every method under the sun to get rid of whiteheads, blackheads and everything in between, from toothpaste and Sudocrem to targeted treatments and facials, you’ll know how difficult it can be to achieve clear skin.

In recent years, a new way of treating spots has emerged, in the form of spot stickers. These are small, often mostly clear patches that can be applied before bed or onto a make-up-free face, then left for hours to get to work. Once the sticker has been removed, you should see improvements to the spot it was covering.

Part of these stickers’ appeal is they’re discreet – being barely noticeable if you want to wear them during the day. However, one brand, Starface, has gone for a different, louder approach to spot stickers. The vegan and Leaping Bunny-certified skincare brand launched in 2019, and aims to bring a bit of fun to acne treatments, with its star-shaped spot patches that are so Instagram-friendly that it’s hard to resist a selfie while you’re wearing them. The brand aims to help users embrace blemishes via the fun design, rather than hide their spots.

The patches count a number of celebrities as fans, including Hailey Bieber and other digital trendsetters in the beauty and skincare space. We got our hands on the hydro-star kit to see if it really lives up to the hype.

How we tested the Starface hydro-stars

It’s recommended to leave the stickers on for six hours or overnight, so we tried both options. Applying them to a clean face, we used the stickers to cover some hormonal spots. We looked at how easy the stickers were to apply, how well they stayed put and, of course, how much they improved the appearance of spots. Keep reading for our full review and verdict.

Starface hydro-stars

Quantity: 32 stickers

When to use: Overnight or for at least six hours

Why we love it

Good adhesion

Reduced redness and improved appearance of spots

Take note

Fiddly to remove the stars from the sticker sheets

First up is the super cute packaging: a hard, yellow, square pod containing 32 sheets, with four bright yellow star-shaped stickers on each.

Each star is filled with hydrocolloid, which draws out pus from the area (a lovely image, we know), blocks bacteria from getting in and prevents you from picking and popping inflamed skin.

In an ideal world, you shouldn’t be squeezing spots at all, as, while the pressure forces pus out, it can also push pus further into the skin, rendering you with breakouts for even longer. Leaving spots alone is easier said than done, however. So, anything that can help us avoid the dreaded pick gets our attention.

It’s recommended to leave the stickers on for six hours or overnight, so we tried both. Removing them from the film can be a little fiddly, but the sticky side features a very good adhesive.

Applying them to a clean face, we used three stickers to cover some hormonal spots that just wouldn’t budge, then jumped into bed. The next morning, the stickers hadn’t moved – they are so weightless, we forget we were wearing them.

We also wore them during the day. While they aren’t quite suitable for the office, the patches were great to use while working from home. Again, we loved how they stayed put, even on our jawline and around the nose, looking like playful face decorations rather than a skincare treatment.

While they won’t do much for blackheads – you’ll have to rely on exfoliating acid toners and extraction facials for that – when applied to whiteheads we were dying to pop, we noticed a significant reduction in redness and they were almost completely gone after one use.

These stickers work fast, while you feel nothing at all, and they do a superb job of preventing you from picking or squeezing spots.

The self-consciousness that comes with a smattering of spots quickly disappears, too – a liberating feeling if you find being make-up free in public a challenge.

While we’ve become firm fans of the product, it is important to note it’s not always a quick fix. Spots can take weeks to fully go away and there are many other factors to consider, such as hormones, stress, age, lifestyle and diet, which can all play a part in your skin health.

Instead, think of these stickers as an aid to reduce redness and minimise the size of the odd spot, while being so bright and colourful that they distract you from squeezing and picking at every chance you get.

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The verdict: Starface hydro-stars

Starface’s hydro star spot patches are an affordable, effective product to slot into your skincare routine. They are easy to use and deliver results when battling a bugbear almost everyone experiences.

We love how quickly we saw a difference in the size and appearance of our spots, and will definitely be going back for more stickers. These stars are a handy companion to keep close when a pesky blemish appears.

For more beauty must-haves, read our guide to the best vitamin C skincare products for a brighter and clearer complexion