Logoed Under-Eye Patches Are Beauty's New Status Handbag

Topicals launched its $22 under-eye masks in November 2022. Founder and CEO Olamide Olowe said she wanted customers to feel they were wearing something cultural, not just another skincare product. "We were really inspired by streetwear and the way that clothing and accessories can become signals of identity and community. We wanted to bring that same energy into skincare," Olowe told Business Insider.

Other independents sell the same kind of product. Hailey Bieber's Rhode and Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty offer logoed patches, and Dieux Skin makes a reusable version. Sephora lists those products as bestsellers, Business Insider reported. Starface, known for its bright star-shaped pimple patches, is an earlier example of a graphic beauty product that took off on social media, Bosco said.

The patches still claim a functional benefit. Rhode's peptides plump away the appearance of fine lines, and Dior's hyaluronic acid hydrates. Topicals uses niacinamide to lessen the look of hyperpigmentation, Topicals says.

Alo entered the category this summer with its Bio NAD+ Recovery Eye Masks, printing the company's lowercase wordmark on each patch. Summer Nacewicz, Alo's executive vice president of marketing and creative, said the decision followed a simple observation: people were arriving at Alo Wellness Clubs in the morning already wearing eye masks. "There was a time when these rituals were very private," Nacewicz told Business Insider. "Wearing an eye mask out is a little signal that says, 'I'm taking care of myself, and I'm not hiding it.'"

Nacewicz added that people now wear eye masks to coffee and on planes, and post them online. Bosco said the visual appeal of graphic eye masks makes them highly shareable on social media, which pushes the products further into public view.

Olowe framed the category's appeal as a shift in values. "There's something powerful about being seen trying... whether that's trying a new product, taking care of your skin, or simply expressing yourself," she said.