Hydrocolloid pimple patches that turned an import from Korean skincare into America's #1 acne patch brand, acquired by Church & Dwight for $630 million.
Mighty Patch is a drug-free hydrocolloid patch that you stick over a pimple overnight; it absorbs fluid and visibly flattens the blemish by morning. The line grew from the Original patch to seven varieties - nose strips, full-face, invisible daytime patches - priced from about $12.99 to $32, alongside a wider acne-care range of about 30 SKUs. Products sell on Amazon, DTC, and in roughly 8,000 US doors including Target, Ulta, CVS, Kohl's, and Urban Outfitters. The key differentiator is positioning: instead of harsh spot treatments with benzoyl peroxide, Mighty Patch is gentle, skin-friendly, and 'problem/solution' - you see the gunk it absorbed, which makes the benefit visible and shareable. About 70% of customers enter the brand through a Mighty Patch purchase, making it a powerful traffic driver.
Ju Rhyu, a former Brownie brand manager at General Mills, discovered pimple patches while working in Korea and was stunned that no major US brand had popularized them. She teamed up with designer Dwight Lee and Andy Lee, and they launched Mighty Patch on Amazon at the end of 2017 as a self-funded side bet, with Rhyu still consulting on the side. The patch took off through Amazon search and word of mouth, then exploded during 2020-2021 as mask-wearing drove 'maskne' and hydrocolloid patches went mainstream on TikTok. Revenue grew from $100 million in 2021 to a trailing-twelve-month $115 million by June 2022 with roughly 40% EBITDA margins - achieved with only a single minority growth investment from Aria Growth Partners in 2021. In October 2022 Church & Dwight agreed to acquire Hero for $630 million (a 5.5x revenue multiple), with the three founders staying on to run the brand. The acquisition validated the founders' belief that a tiny, focused team could beat beauty conglomerates in a single category.
Figures are compiled from public sources and may include estimates. Always verify before making business decisions.
Health & Beauty
2022
Kickstarter (2023)$1,405,886 from ~5,750 backers
Ozlo, founded in 2022 by three former Bose employees, makes tiny Sleepbuds that mask noise for side sleepers. Its Kickstarter raised $1,405,886 from nearly 5,750 backers, an Indiegogo InDemand campaign added several million more, and 200,000+ customers across 40+ countries now use it.
Health & Beauty
2021
Indiegogo launch (2022)~EUR 250,000 raised; funded on day one
Pulsetto, founded in Lithuania in 2021, makes a transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulator worn on the neck for four-minute stress and sleep sessions. An Indiegogo launch funded on day one and raised roughly EUR 250,000, and the brand reports 3x year-over-year growth for three straight years and 100,000+ users.
Health & Beauty
2021
Customer reviews1,300+ reviews averaging 4.9/5
LumeBox was founded by Dr. Vivian Chen, a UK-trained integrative medical doctor who could not find a powerful yet portable red light device for her father's chronic pain, so she built one. The company, started as a tiny unfunded team, sells a handheld FDA-registered Class II medical device with 1,300+ customer reviews averaging 4.9/5 and ships to the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK.