Fenty, Glow Recipe & Huda Launched the Same Eye-Patch Jar. Does It Actually Work?

5 October 2026

In September, Fenty Skin, Glow Recipe and Huda Beauty all teased the same twist-to-slice eye-patch jar within days of each other, and the internet called it #EyePatchGate. We traced where the jar came from, read the ingredient lists and checked what studies say about eye patches, caffeine and cold. The short answer: the cold, wet gel does most of the work, and a small 2011 trial found caffeine added little on top.

What we checked

What the label said

Where the jar came from. On 17 September, Fenty Skin teased a “first-of-its-kind” patch: twist the jar and it slices off a fresh piece of jelly. Glow Recipe revealed its version the next day, and a Huda Beauty box then leaked [7, 9, 10]. Industry reporting traces the packaging to a Korean supplier, and a Korean brand, Wonder Bath, was already selling sliced serum in July [8, 9]. Huda Kattan said publicly that the brands were told the packaging was exclusive, and it was not [11]. A source close to Fenty’s owner told Marie Claire it was not a custom Fenty mould [7]. The formulas differ; the box is shared.

None of the three was on sale when we checked. Fenty’s patches are reported for November, and Glow Recipe’s page was hidden with no price [7, 10].

What a hydrogel patch is. Water held in a gel. On any ingredient list the top lines look alike: water, glycerin and seaweed gums such as carrageenan, which let the jelly set [12]. Actives come later, usually in small amounts. So the first thing a patch does is simple: it is wet and it is cold.

grace & stella Gold. The box calls it “an energy drink for your eyes”, but the gold version’s ingredient list contains no caffeine. The brand’s FAQ says gold relies on a vegetable protein, and caffeine is in the bronze version. No fragrance is listed [12]. It averages 4.5 stars from about 6,600 reviews on its own site.

Patchology FlashPatch. Caffeine, hydrolysed collagen and hyaluronic acid, and the list includes fragrance. It sits above four stars at Ulta from roughly 1,000 reviews. The brand says nearly every tester looked more awake after five minutes; that is people rating their own faces, with no comparison patch [12].

111SKIN Cryo. A peptide, seaweed extract, vitamin E and no fragrance. It shows 4.9 stars on the brand site and 4.1 from 65 reviews at Bloomingdale’s. The badge says “clinically tested formulas”, but we could not find a published study for this mask [12].

Glow Recipe Fresh Slices. Peptides, collagen and caffeine are named on the label. The page went live on 21 September but, when we checked, was hidden, with no price and no full ingredient list [12].

What the evidence shows

Cold works. In a randomised trial of 97 patients recovering from brain surgery in Seoul, cold gel packs around the eyes cut eyelid swelling scores from about 2.3 to under 0.6 [2]. That is not a beauty trial, but it is good evidence that cooling can reduce swelling around the eyes.

Caffeine, less clear. In 2011, researchers in Thailand kept 34 volunteers awake all night. Next morning, one eye got a 3% caffeine gel and the other the same gel without caffeine. Both eyes became less puffy, and the caffeine gel did not beat the plain one; the authors credited the cooling gel itself [1]. It was small and lasted one night, and it did not test one branded patch against another.

A caffeine pad trial did report a positive result: 11 women over four weeks, dark circles down 16%. But that pad also contained vitamin K, so caffeine alone cannot take the credit [3].

Dark circles are rarely one thing. In a clinic study of 65 people, 78% had a mixed type: pigment, visible blood vessels and shadows from structure together [4]. For structural causes such as hollows, a 2026 review describes very different treatments, from fillers to surgery [5]. A five-minute patch can calm puffiness; it cannot move a shadow.

Fragrance and eyelids. A 25-year study from an Italian allergy clinic found the triggers behind eyelid rashes included fragrances and preservatives [6]. That does not mean a fragranced patch will irritate you, but it is worth knowing if your lids are reactive.

The verdict

None of these patches has evidence that its own formula is dramatically better than a basic chilled patch. For temporary puffiness, cooling has the clearest evidence, and the case for added actives is much thinner. That makes grace & stella Gold the best value (bronze if you want caffeine) and Patchology the caffeine pick if fragrance suits you. 111SKIN is a splurge for a fragrance-free, luxury feel, not extra evidence. Glow Recipe is a wait until its price and full ingredient list are published.

Buy cheap, keep it in the fridge: cold does most of the work.

Worth knowing

• Store patches in the fridge; the cooling is the part with evidence.
• “Clinically tested” on a badge is not the same as a published study.
• If your eyelids react easily, check for fragrance on the list.
• Persistent swelling or eye irritation is worth seeing a clinician about.

Watch the video

The full story of #EyePatchGate and the four patches is in the video: Fenty, Glow Recipe & Huda Launched the Same Eye-Patch Jar.

Sources

1. Amnuaikit T, Maneenuan D, Boonme P, Evaluation of caffeine gels on physicochemical characteristics and in vivo efficacy in reducing puffy eyes, Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 2011, https://www.japsonline.com/admin/php/uploads/20_pdf.pdf
2. Shin et al., Cryotherapy and eyelid oedema, randomised controlled trial, Journal of Clinical Nursing, 2009, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2008.02652.x
3. Ahmadraji F, Shatalebi MA, Caffeine and vitamin K eye pad, Advanced Biomedical Research, 2015, https://doi.org/10.4103/2277-9175.148292
4. Huang et al., Classification of dark eye circles, International Journal of Dermatology, 2014, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-4632.2012.05701.x
5. Beer et al., Under-eye treatments: systematic review, Dermatologic Surgery, 2026, https://doi.org/10.1097/DSS.0000000000004964
6. Rubegni et al., Eyelid contact dermatitis, 25-year study, Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025, https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14030823
7. Marie Claire, sliced hydrogel eye patch drama explained, 2026, https://www.marieclaire.com/beauty/skincare/sliced-hydrogel-eye-patch-drama-explained/
8. Forbes India, Eye-Patch Gate: what a viral beauty industry mess reveals about innovation, 2026, https://www.forbesindia.com/article/news/deep-dive/eye-patch-gate-what-a-viral-beauty-industry-mess-reveals-about-innovation-today/2998694/1
9. Cosmetics Business, Fenty Skin response to surprise eye patch, 2026, https://cosmeticsbusiness.com/fenty-skin-response-surprise-eyepatch-kbeauty-innovation-glow-recipe-huda-beauty
10. Vita Daily, Eye-Patch Gate explained, 2 October 2026, https://vitamagazine.com/2026/10/02/eye-patch-gate-explained-why-fenty-huda-beauty-and-glow-recipe-all-launched-the-same-looking-product/
11. Express Tribune / ELLE, beauty brands face eye-patch moment, 2026, https://tribune.com.pk/story/2631194/beauty-brands-face-eye-patch-moment-as-fenty-huda-beauty-and-glow-recipe-unveil-similar-products
12. Brand product pages and ingredient lists: grace & stella, Patchology, 111SKIN, Glow Recipe, 5 October 2026

Every claim above is sourced in the text. Prices are what we paid, on the date shown. We buy what we test; nothing is gifted, and nothing is sponsored.