What Is ‘Eye Patch Gate’? Why Fenty, Huda Beauty & Glow Recipe Look So Similar — Plus 3 Eye Masks Worth Trying
‘Eye Patch Gate’ is the internet’s nickname for a surprisingly entertaining beauty controversy: Fenty Skin, Glow Recipe and Huda Beauty all revealed eye patches with remarkably similar sliced shapes and twist-up dispensing formats, while Korean brand Wonder Bath had already shown a comparable concept earlier in the year.
The launches landed close enough together that beauty TikTok did what beauty TikTok does best — zoomed in on every similarity and demanded an explanation.
What actually happened in Eye Patch Gate?
Wonder Bath debuted sliced serum eye patches in July. Fenty then teased its Dew N Plump Fresh Sliced Hydrogel Eye Patches in September, followed by attention around Glow Recipe’s Exopeptide Caffeine Brighten & Depuff Fresh Slices Eye Mask and Huda Beauty’s Undereye Jelly Patches. The products are not identical in formula or branding, but the visual language — curved ‘slices’ stacked in a canister-style dispenser — is similar enough to be instantly noticeable.
Did one beauty brand copy another?
There is no public evidence that establishes copying, and similarity is not proof of it. Beauty brands frequently work with overlapping manufacturers, component suppliers and packaging formats, while product development timelines can run for months or years.
Several companies can therefore arrive at the same trend at roughly the same time without one having seen another’s finished launch.
Why can beauty packaging look so similar?
The beauty industry is far more interconnected behind the scenes than the glossy campaigns suggest. Brands may select from supplier-developed components or customise an existing mechanism, which means the same broad packaging idea can appear across different labels. Add trend forecasting, viral K-beauty formats and an industry watching the same social platforms, and convergence becomes less mysterious.
How did the brands respond?
Rather than escalating the situation into a public feud, much of the response has leaned into humour — which is probably wise. ‘Eye Patch Gate’ has become as much a meme as a product story, giving all of the brands involved a burst of attention that a conventional launch campaign would struggle to manufacture.
Does beauty have an innovation problem?
That is the more interesting question. Consumers are increasingly good at spotting when a ‘new’ product is really a new presentation of something familiar. There is nothing wrong with improving an existing format, but packaging theatre can only do so much if the formula, fit and results do not justify the hype.
Which eye patches are actually worth buying?
The answer should have very little to do with the drama.
Look at the ingredients, the amount of serum, how securely the patches sit under the eyes, price per use and whether the product addresses your concern — hydration, puffiness or brightness. The prettiest dispenser in the bathroom cabinet is only a bonus.
If anything, Eye Patch Gate is a useful reminder that in beauty, originality is rarely just about what something looks like on launch day. The real test starts once the lid is open.
The eye patches actually worth trying...
The drama is entertaining, but the product still has to earn its place in your skincare routine. If you want to try the eye-mask trend rather than simply watch it unfold on TikTok, these are the ones we would actually put on the shortlist — and, importantly, they’re options UK shoppers can get their hands on.
rhode Peptide Eye Prep
Hailey Bieber’s rhode has naturally joined the under-eye conversation with Peptide Eye Prep, designed as a cooling, hydrating step before skincare or makeup.
The curved patches have the polished, minimal aesthetic rhode has become known for, while the formula focuses on plumping and refreshing tired-looking under-eyes. These are the pair we’d reach for before makeup or when you want that particularly glossy, well-rested Hailey Bieber effect.
111SKIN Rose Gold Illuminating Eye Mask
For something decidedly more indulgent, 111SKIN’s Rose Gold masks are designed around radiance, hydration and smoothing.
With ingredients including niacinamide, rose extract, sodium hyaluronate and pomegranate, these are the ones we’d save for before an event, dinner or shoot rather than treating as an everyday essential.
Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Pure Luxury Lift & Firm Hydra-Gel Eye Patches
A long-standing favourite in the category, Peter Thomas Roth’s gold patches combine caffeine, hyaluronic acid and hydrolysed collagen to target the appearance of puffiness, fine lines and dullness.
If you would rather go for something tried-and-tested than chase the newest viral launch, this is one of the classic jars to know.
Whichever pair you choose, eye patches are best thought of as a quick treatment rather than a miracle cure. Keep them chilled if you like the extra cooling effect, apply them to clean skin and pat any remaining serum around the eye area once you remove them.
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