At first glance, they look just like a regular under-eye or acne patch might—biocellulose or hydrocolloid strips shaped in swishes or dots—but upon closer inspection, you’ll see these are thicker and feel distinctly different. (The only way to describe it is almost something like the spiky side of Velcro.) If they sound scary due to the “needling” language, rest assured the little pins are not actually needles but instead little pricks of skin care ingredients, like hyaluronic acid or even crystals, that dissolve with time. They’re called microneedling because they are thought to encourage the same skin-enhancing response as microneedling itself (without the scary tool and potentially damaging side effects.) The masks come with a variety of ingredients, depending on your needs: Under-eye masks tend to focus on hydration; acne patches focus on anti-inflammation and oil control. (See the ingredient specifics in the roundup below.) And here’s the thing: These provide a more direct penetration than a sheet mask, which generally just sits on the skin. They’re also thought to provide slight collagen stimulation in the affected area, in the same way that a microneedling tool will—as gentle prickling can encourage your body’s healing response, encouraging circulation and spurring collagen production. The research is there to show this, too: One study, published earlier this month, showed that under-eye microneedling patches infused with hyaluronic acid and bioactive collagen peptides acted synergistically for the improvement of skin structure, function, and appearance1. Another, smaller, study showed that they could be beneficial for brightening skin as well2. Here, a few of the new, clean ones on the market for you to test out. Vegan Collagen Microcrystal Eye Patch, Boscia (2 for $28) Acne Patch Bundle, Rael ($16) Trouble Cure Patches, Acropass ($18) Amuse Dissolvable Microneedles Patches, Shiffa (8 for $75)
