How Malaysian beauty startup Dododots became the pimple patch brand Gen Z can’t get enough of

In 2023, Malaysian pimple patch brand Dododots co-founders Esther Erin, 29, and Ethan Wong, 27, posted a TikTok of themselves restocking a vending machine after hours at Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall, one of Malaysia’s most popular malls.

“The mall is closed and guess what we’re doing here,” Erin chirped, panning to a yawning Wong. Once they finished filling the machine, Wong did a goofy victory dance and they showed off their latest fruit-themed pimple patches. The video blew up – racking up 4.5 million views and cementing the brand’s irreverent, unfiltered identity.

Since launching, the brand has built a cult following, particularly among Gen Zs. Ironically, the founders don’t consider themselves part of this demographic. Erin, born in 1996, is technically a Zillennial, while Wong insisted he just doesn’t feel like one. Still, the duo clearly know how to speak the language – they estimate that over a million packs have been sold worldwide.

WHERE IT ALL STARTED

Given their marketing prowess, it’s no surprise the pair first met as fresh graduates at a creative agency. “Ethan joined about six months after me. I thought he was older because he seemed very serious and mature,” recalled Erin.

“He’d just come in, put on his headphones and work. I thought, whoa why is this guy so arrogant?” She later discovered he was “very nice to work with – just scary when he’s serious”.

Meanwhile, Wong described Erin as “happy-go-lucky”. “She’s the kind of person who can just form a bond with everyone,” he said. “I think people’s impression of us is still the same now. She’s the friendly, outgoing one and I’m more of the serious, behind-the-scenes guy.”

Their jobs involved building campaigns for luxury property clients, which got Erin thinking: If they could grow brands for others, why not start one of their own?

Her mind returned to an old idea: Decorative pimple patches. As a teenager with acne-prone skin, she used to stick cute stickers over plain patches to feel better about her breakouts.

Back then, the Malaysian market offered little beyond plain hydrocolloid options, which often turned white after absorbing pus.

Though Wong joked that he wasn’t Erin’s "first pick" as co-founder, he was the first to get genuinely excited about the idea. He, too, had dealt with breakouts growing up, and understood how much it could affect your self-esteem and social life.

In late 2021, while still holding down their full-time jobs, they pooled together RM15,000 (S$4,467) of their savings to launch Dododots, with Erin leading the brand’s marketing and Wong overseeing operations. Strategic decisions, to this day, are made as a team.

ALMOST GAVE UP SIX MONTHS IN

“Honestly speaking, six months later, we thought of calling it quits,” said Erin. “We were so busy with our full-time jobs – there was no way we could juggle both. We were burning out. At midnight, we’d be packing orders. It just didn’t feel sustainable.”

What kept them going was remembering the excitement they felt at the very beginning. “Quitting our jobs to give it a real shot felt like the right move,” shared Wong.

To ease the pressure, they sat down with their boss and asked if they could return to their agency roles if the business didn’t work out in six months. He agreed. That safety net gave them the courage to go all in – both left their jobs in March 2022.

TURNING POINT

A major breakthrough came in April 2023 with the launch of Dododots' first vending machine at Sunway Pyramid. “It was our first step into retail, and one of the best business decisions we’ve ever made,” said Wong. The eye-catching machines quickly drove awareness and sales, turning profitable within just three months.

Dododots made its official debut in Singapore in March 2024, stocked at Guardian and Miniso stores, as well as a vending machine in Plaza Singapura. Coinciding with Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, Swifties snapped them up as decorative face stickers – a surprise use case that revealed an entirely new audience.

Different countries have different favourite designs. “Singaporeans tend to prefer subtle designs like Dodobear or Star-Kissed, while Malaysians love Pastel Petals and Butterflies. In Vietnam, Fruit Partay is their top pick,” shared Wong.

Today, Dododots is stocked in retail outlets across ten countries and ships to over 40 worldwide. Its coloured hydrocolloid patches are manufactured in China. In Singapore, a pack of 20 patches retails for S$9.

ON CRITICISM AND STAYING THE COURSE

As Dododots gained traction, comparisons with US brand Starface – known for its yellow star patches and celebrity fans like Justin Bieber – became inevitable. Starface launched in 2019, two years before Dododots.

"I didn’t even know Starface existed when I first came up with the idea,” said Erin, who had been decorating her acne patches since she was 16. “Even now, people attack me when I say this idea was original to me. They’ll say, 'This isn’t new'. When we realised there was a brand already doing this in the US, it made me feel like, oh no, we need to go faster.”

While competitors moved into other skincare categories, Dododots stayed in their lane. “We’ve stuck to just pimple patches,” explained Wong. “We’re not riding trends or chasing easy revenue. We’ve focused on innovating within the patch space.”

“Our patches are multifunctional – they heal without harsh chemicals and help cover redness, while making you feel good emotionally,” added Erin.

This focus led to the Dodoskin range in 2023 – a skin-tone matching series that doubles as spot concealers, launching with five shades and five more coming soon. “We started ideating this back in 2021, before others followed suit,” noted Wong.

They've also evolved their formulations based on customer feedback, adding tea tree oil–infused versions and are in the midst of developing new actives.

EYES ON THE UNICORN

"People think we’re successful, but to us, this is just the beginning,” said Erin. “We want to be Southeast Asia’s first beauty unicorn (a startup company valued at over US$1 billion/S$1.32 billion).”

Even with investors circling, they’ve stayed self-funded. “We’re not ready for it yet,” she said. “Once you take on investment, the pressure changes. There are rules, expectations, and everything becomes about profit.”

That freedom has allowed them to move forward at their own pace. Within four years, Dododots has grown from two friends packing orders into a 24-person team. Their product output has skyrocketed – from eight designs during the first year to a projected 70 this year.

“We’re gradually filling the gaps and tapping into different segments,” said Wong, who teased upcoming collaborations with two of Malaysia’s biggest influencers. The brand is also exploring more licensed IPs following the success of its limited edition The Powerpuff Girls collection.

Wong believes their generational perspective gives them a unique advantage. “Being on the borderline (between Gen Z and millennial generations) means we get to see it from both sides. The older generation emphasises survival and standards, while many Gen Zs value quality of life, good culture, and meaningful work. These different traits can be advantages if you create the right environment,” he explained.

"That's why we're open to ideas like cockroach patches and being unserious – there's a brand voice that both generations can appreciate.”

But don’t expect a flagship store just yet. “If we do it, it has to be bombastic,” he joked.

For now, their sights are set firmly on international growth. “We’re working on entering more countries this year," he continued. "If all goes well, Dododots will be in 18 countries by the end of 2025.”