Hero Rescue Patch: A Contextual Review and Comparison to High-End Peptide Moisturizers

Hero Rescue Patch

Published on September 22, 2024

By Terry

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Quick Summary

The Hero Rescue Patch from Hero Cosmetics is a cream-based skincare patch designed to hydrate and repair post-blemish skin with key ingredients like peptides and ceramide NP. This review compares the patch to high-end peptide moisturizers, highlighting how it straddles the categories of patch skincare and cream-based masks. Offering targeted post-blemish treatment and skin barrier repair, it presents an interesting and affordable option for those seeking the benefits of both product types.

Exploring the Hero Cosmetics Rescue Patch

Rescue Patch is a product that just dropped from popular brand Hero Cosmetics. It’s a creamy skincare patch, a format that we haven’t seen much of before. It sells for $17.99 for 6 patches (3 pairs). We did an in-depth comparative analysis to see if we could uncover hidden value in this interesting new product with a feel-good price point.

Hero Rescue Patch

Context and Value: The Keys to Our Analysis

As with most of our comparative analyses, we evaluate products through the lenses of context and value. Context refers to where a product fits within the market, while value assesses its relative value for money. Importantly, value can be found at any price point—even expensive products may offer great value if our data shows that comparable items cost more. Value is always relative. Ultimately, value provides for the 'feel-good' factor—we want to feel confident and satisfied with our purchases!

The Journey to Hero Rescue Patch

We first discovered Hero Cosmetics when researching alternatives to the Dr. Jart Cicapair Color Correcting Cream. Inundated with inquiries about that, we did a deep dive on possible dupes which can be found here. In our search for budget-friendly options with similar skin-soothing and redness-correcting properties, Hero’s Rescue Balm & Red Correct stood out as an effective, more affordable option. We also uncovered that their Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser is one of the closest things to Rhode Pineapple Cleanser here. Given those successes, we are intrigued by the other products from Hero including today’s look at the new Hero Rescue Patch, which targets post-blemish skin dryness.

A New Category is Born: Cream-Based Patches

From what we gather, the Hero Rescue Patch is the meeting of 2 trends – patch skincare and cream-based sheet masks (creamy sheet masks).

Skincare patches have grown in popularity in recent years, offering an easy and effective way to deliver active ingredients directly to problem areas. Whether it’s acne treatment, brightening, hydration, or targeted repair, patches have become a staple in many routines. I read somewhere that Hero sells one of the most popular hydrocolloid patches for acne on the market.

Traditionally, sheet masks have been soaked in serums or essences, delivering hydration, nutrients, and various skincare actives through a water or gel-based medium. However, cream-based masks represent an evolution, designed to offer richer and more occlusive formulations, providing deeper nourishment and longer-lasting hydration.

What does the Rescue Patch purport to do?

While hydrocolloid patches are great for absorbing impurities and healing active breakouts, the Hero Rescue Patch is designed to address the next phase of skincare—hydrating and repairing dry, post-blemish skin.

Unlike full-face cream-based sheet masks common in K-beauty, the Hero Rescue Patch is for localized application, making it suitable for treating small areas of the skin that need extra moisture and care after breakouts. This targeted approach is supposed to allow for a more precise and efficient use of active ingredients, focusing treatment where it’s most needed.

What's in it?

The Hero Rescue Patch contains a range of skin-nourishing ingredients, including a variety of peptides and hydrating agents. Let’s take a look at the key players:

  • Key Peptides: Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 (Matrixyl), Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Nonapeptide-1.
  • Other Hydrating Ingredients: Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Ceramide NP, Beta-Glucan, Tremella Fuciformis Extract.
  • Skin Barrier Support: Ceramides, panthenol, and beta-glucan help maintain and reinforce the skin’s barrier, while shea butter provides deep hydration.

That's A Lot of Peptides

One of the first things we noticed about the Hero Rescue Patch is its array of peptides. Peptides are well-known in skincare for their ability to stimulate collagen production, repair the skin, and strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier. In our work we see that these properties are highly sought after, particularly in anti-aging and recovery products, which makes the use of peptides in an affordable patch especially appealing.

The Hero Rescue Patch features a broad range of peptides, including acetyl hexapeptide-8, copper tripeptide-1, and palmitoyl pentapeptide-4. These peptides are claimed to help with everything from smoothing fine lines to wound healing. For instance, acetyl hexapeptide-8 is often referred to as a “Botox alternative” for its supposed wrinkle-relaxing properties, while copper tripeptide-1 is known for its anti-inflammatory and healing effects.

We did a search for all of the peptides that Rescue Patch contains to see if it exists in any other another product and couldn’t find any. In fact, after reviewing our product database, we found that the only product that comes close with a similar selection of peptides is the prestige Peach & Lily Peptide Pro Firming Moisturizer, which retails for $45 albeit in a jar moisturizer format.

Peach & Lily Peptide Pro Firming Moisturizer

Comparing to Other Cream-Based Masks

Cream-based skincare patches are relatively new to the market, with few direct competitors to the Hero Rescue Patch specifically targeting post-blemish skin. However, there are some creamy sheet masks that cater to skin barrier repair and hydration especially focussing on ceramides. None of these creamy sheet masks contain the peptide selection that the Rescue Patch does but the Rescue Patch does contain ceramide NP.

Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream-Infused Sheet Mask

This product focuses on hydrating and repairing the skin’s barrier with ingredients like ceramides and panthenol. While effective, it doesn’t contain the range of peptides found in the Rescue Patch and is more pricey costing around $16 per mask.

Ceramidin Cream-Infused Mask

CosRx Balancium Comfort Ceramide Creamy Sheet Mask

Another alternative is the CosRx Balancium Comfort Ceramide Creamy Sheet Mask, which is designed for sensitive or damaged skin. It features ceramides and beta-glucan, but again, lacks the peptide complexity of the Rescue Patch. It retails for $6 per mask, making it similarly priced.

CosRx Balancium Ceramide Cream Mask

Final Thoughts: Evaluating the Rescue Patch's Place in Skincare

After comparing the Hero Rescue Patch against more than 50,000 products across all categories in our database, we have come to the conclusion that its uniqueness lies in combining the best of both worlds—hydration and repair—in a creamy, peptide-rich patch. Its focus specifically on post-blemish care, offers a unique angle that stands out in the growing trend of skincare patches.

Considering its format and prolific ingredient list, including a variety of peptides that are usually only found in higher-priced products, the Rescue Patch seems to offer a degree of value for money. It looks to be an affordable option for someone looking to address dry, damaged skin after breakouts, making it a strong contender in both the patch and moisturizing categories. If this sounds like it applies to you, the only thing left to do would be to give it a try in a real life. There is nothing like IRL trial to confirm our ingredient analyses and the product's repairing and hydrating claims.

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Terry

Co-Founder of SKINSKOOL, the world’s first & only IP-protected, tech-driven beauty marketplace dedicated to empowering consumer discovery, comparison and purchasing based on objective ingredient and pricing information.