Now available at Cult Beauty and Boots, it was founder Enrico Frezza’s own struggles with severe adult acne that inspired the brand. Frustrated by the lack of fast-acting, easy-to-use solutions, an experiment led to a prototype: Acne Dots, the brand’s first product. This concern-first approach underpins the entire brand, which is all about simplifying beauty routines with easy, one-step solutions for common skin gripes.
Like other cult brands The Ordinary and The Inkey List, Peace Out is hot on transparency and accessibility – two things the skincare industry isn’t often known for. As an ethos, this has earned the brand (which went viral on TikTok in 2020) a dedicated following, with the #peaceoutskincare tag currently boasting a staggering 10 million views.
Personally, my relationship with my skin is love/hate at best, especially after a year of staring at it for too long: popping spots I know I shouldn’t, anxiously charting new fine lines and worry wrinkles. This, coupled with the fact that I am a certified Lazy Girl™ when it comes to skincare, Peace Out’s promise to do it all with one product really appeals. Extra points: all Peace Out products are PETA-certified, cruelty-free and clean, meaning they’re free from sulphates, parabens and other toxic ingredients.
The range is simple. Users start with an exfoliating, cleansing balm and daily serum to prep skin for the day and help prevent acne. Then there’s a range of patches, strips and pads, depending on what you want to target. A retinol eye stick completes the lineup. I like that every Peace Out product is suitable for all skin types and inclusive of all ages. It may not be the cheapest (rivals The Ordinary and The Inkey List have the lower end of the market cornered) but with prices ranging from £17 to £31, it’s definitely not the most expensive either.
So, is Peace Out Skincare worth all the hype? Keen to find out whether it truly will help me be “at peace” with my skin, I tried out £216 worth of products. As a beauty writer still trying to figure out my skin, here are my honest thoughts.
Peace Out Blemish Balm, £20
As someone with normal-to-dry skin that can get very sensitive, I was pretty apprehensive about trying this thick, exfoliating cleanser as I feel like I’ve just found my groove with light, gel-like formulas.
I was pleasantly surprised by the Blemish Balm, though. A small amount massaged into damp skin forms a lather and I really did feel like the little exfoliating particles were doing their job, gently breaking down and washing away excess oil and dirt. Afterwards, my skin felt refreshed but not tight and uncomfortable (often the case with dry skin). A few days of use even smoothed the stubborn texture on my jaw and chin. Come evening though, it did nothing to dislodge my makeup, even after a good few minutes of massaging it in.
I’ll definitely continue using the Blemish Balm a few days a week in the morning to wake up my skin and prep it for the day. By night, I’ll be sticking to my double cleanse, oil and gel combination (Pai’s Light Work Rosehip Cleansing Oil, £18, and CeraVe’s Hydrating Cleanser, £7.10 in case you were wondering). But for those with oilier, more acne-prone complexions, I imagine this could prove a real hero product.
Peace Out Skincare Blemish Balm, $, available at Cult Beauty
Peace Out Acne Serum, £31
At £31, the Acne Serum is Peace Out’s most expensive product. I was especially excited to try it after seeing it pop up again and again on my TikTok For You page. I don’t consistently suffer with acne – a few pimples and whiteheads here and there when my period is due or when I’m stressed – but, as a nervous picker, I do have plenty of acne scars. Within a few days, this noticeably brightened my skin, evening out dark spots and redness. It’s super lightweight and absorbs instantly, making it a firm favourite in my lazy girl morning routine. In the evenings, though, I’ll stick to my Hyaluronic Serum, £29 from Evolve Beauty for an extra dose of hydration.
Peace Out Skincare Acne Serum, $, available at Cult Beauty
Peace Out Retinol Eye Stick, £25
2020: the year of the pandemic. Also the year I turned 26 and the year I learned what retinol is. As a relative newbie to this wonder ingredient, Peace Out’s Eye Stick is a comfortable introduction. Like a big chapstick for your under eyes (it’s nicer than it sounds), it’s super quick and easy to use: great for travelling or last-minute bedside skincare.
I have heard that retinol can dry out or irritate your skin if you don’t get the percentage right and it must be noted that Peace Out doesn’t specify how much of the stuff is in the Eye Stick, just that it’s ‘encapsulated’. It’s mixed in with nourishing squalane though. Novice or not, I would always recommend trying out new products on your hand before applying to your face and for those with sensitive skin, limiting use to one to three times a week.
I definitely noticed that the puffiness and darkness around my eyes reduced and my skin looked plumper with use, though I’ll need longer to determine whether it really softens my fine lines. Top tip: I find that warming the product up on the back of my hand stops the stick from pulling at my delicate under eye skin.
Peace Out Skincare Retinol Eye Stick, $, available at Cult Beauty
Peace Out Acne Dots, £17 for 20; £28 for 40
Plenty of brands have their own iteration of the acne sticker now and I’ve tried a fair few. They’re brilliant for stopping picking and are a quick treatment. What I like about Peace Out’s Acne Dots is that they’re packed not only with acne-destroying salicylic acid, which noticeably reduces hormonal, angry red spots and small whiteheads, but also with soothing vitamin A and aloe vera leaf extract. This meant that my skin wasn’t left feeling dried out after use. I also like the packaging – a pack of 10 dots comes in a resealable pouch which is handy for on-the-go treatments.
Peace Out Skincare Acne Healing Dots, $, available at Cult Beauty
Peace Out Dark Spots, £25
Peace Out’s Dark Spots are covered with “430 dissolving microneedling brightening dots” – basically lots of tiny plastic needles that ‘inject’ brightening niacinamide, liquorice extract and tranexamic and ferulic acids. Putting one of these on feels weird at first, especially as you have to press it gently into the skin for five to 10 seconds to help it release its goodness.
I was excited to see whether these would brighten my acne scars but didn’t notice much difference after a night with them on. Since you’re directed to use these only twice a week, I reckon I would need longer to trial them. As an alternative, try a serum or mask that you can use every day for a gradual treatment, like The Inkey List’s Tranexamic Acid Overnight Treatment, £14.99.
Peace Out Skincare Peace Out Dark Spots, $, available at Cult Beauty
Peace Out Dullness, £22
When these facial pads say that they’re fast-acting, they mean it. Packed with powerful AHA, BHA and PHA acid exfoliators, fruit antioxidants and plankton extract (which supposedly includes microalgae molecules that hydrate and plump skin), you’re only meant to use them twice-weekly. You sweep the white, cotton side over the face first and then the yellow, mesh side. After using it for the first time, my skin had an instant glow – so much so I was complimented over my morning cereal by a housemate. I’m planning my next use ahead of a friend’s birthday drinks and I’m eager to see how it improves my skin for makeup.
Peace Out Skincare Peace Out Dullness, $, available at Cult Beauty
Peace Out Pores, £17
It takes a lot for TikTok to latch onto a beauty product – it needs to give standout or surprising results. Peace Out Pores does both. Unlike the traditional charcoal strips that you’re probably well accustomed to – and which feel like you’re ripping off your skin when you remove them – Peace Out’s are gentle. Made with the brand’s polymer technology, they stick fast to skin (I had no issues with patches slipping overnight) but they’re easy and painless to take off. TikTok loves them for their wow-and-yuck factor of showing all the gunk hiding in your pores, which I admit is very satisfying. I was both horrified and intrigued by how much oil, dirt and dead skin cells were in mine! I like how they provide two strips too, one shaped for your nose and another larger one for your chin or forehead. The second time I used them, I cut down the larger strip to use on my cheeks.
Peace Out Skincare Peace Out Pores, $, available at Cult Beauty
Peace Out Puffy Eyes, £23
I’m a sucker for a good eye de-puffer, especially as my sleep schedule is definitely not eight hours (lockdown insomnia hit me hard). Peace Out’s Puffy Eyes patches are much like others I’ve used before – they do slide around a lot and aren’t the best for glasses-wearers like me. I didn’t notice any major differences to my under-eyes after use but they do feel refreshing and are a nice way to wake up tired eyes in the morning. Also in Peace Out’s favour is the price: £23 for 12 patches or six days’ worth is a lot better than other brands I’ve tried. For example, SKIN111’s Sub-Zero De-puffing Eye Mask is £65 for eight and skyn ICELAND Dissolving Microneedle Eye Patches come in at £14 for just one pair.
Peace Out Skincare Peace Out Puffy Eyes, $, available at Cult Beauty
Peace Out Wrinkles, £25
At 26, I’m not the really the target for anti-ageing products but I was intrigued to see if these would do anything to the fine lines on my forehead. The patches are pretty small compared to the pore strips, designed to fit down the centre of the forehead and along the sides of lips and eyes. I didn’t notice any changes but they did make my forehead feel smoother and the skin tighter.
Peace Out Skincare Peace Out Wrinkles, $, available at Cult Beauty
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