Clinique Touch Stick

I bought two Clinique Touch Sticks a few years ago now when I first began to use Clinique products. When I try a new brand, if I am impressed, I tend to go overboard and buy several different products whether I really need them or not. This was a case of `do I really need it?` but `I must try it`. Clinique Touch Stick is not what the name suggests in my opinion, it is not a concealer, it is formulated to remove blemishes.

What is it?.
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Clinique Touch Stick comes in a long tube which is slightly white but it is still possible to see the contents which are a clear, white fluid which appears to be about the same consistency as water. It contains 15ml. The silver lid is unscrewed at the end to reveal a small blue sponge with a slightly poinited end which is used to aim the contents directly on to the spot or blemish. A small amount of pressure is all that is required to dispense a tiny bit of the liquid. It is simple to use and that is really all that is required, they advise that it can be used on spots or blemishes.

Whilst I have thrown away the box so I don`t have the ingredients, from what I remember, it is essentiallly alcohol.

Does it work?
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I found it really good for spots. The first time it worked, I was amazed. I had a spot, the usual type that some people like squeezing, though I don`t. I applied the touch stick which takes seconds. It really needs to be applied frequently when using it on a spot. If you at work you need to keep it in your pocket and apply it every half hour or so. When I was applying it frequently, The spot appeared to dry (this took a few hours) and eventually it had disappeared, just leaving a dry area, which could be peeled off, leaving the remaining skin in perfect condition. It was at this moment that I decided to buy another one, it seemed so good.

Disadvantages.
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Yes there are some. It is only on the odd occassion that I can remember it woking so well. Other times that I have used it on my spots, it had not really worked. The reason for this is that I have not applied it frequently enough. It is no good using it every couple of hours as it will not work.

As my tube (tubes) have got older, it is not as easy to apply directly to the spot. It drips down your face. When I opened the tube this morning, just to have a look at it, it dripped on to the floor. Not good.

Another time when I used the touch stick, it left a blemish far bigger and unsightly than the original spot. I think this is because I got it around the spot as well as on it. The spot did disappear, but the remaining skin and around it was left red and dry and this lasted for a few days. I think it was there for longer than the spot would have been.

Will I buy again?
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No, apart from the fact that I have two (both half used), it is an expensive product, especially as it doesn`t always work.

It is suposed to cost £10 but can be bought for £8.50 or cheaper if you look around.

I can remember someone at work once walking around touching her spot constantly with an alcohol wipe. She swore that it got rid of her spots, possibly a cheaper way.

I don`t get many spots so it possibly was not the ideal product for me. For someone who suffers with them regularly, it may be worth investing in. I do think that the problem with the sponge becoming loose and the contents dripping is a disadvantage though. I am reluctant to use it now as I think it caused more damage to my skin when it dripped on to the healthy skin. As I bought 2 and the same happened with both, it is obviously a problem in the design, which is a shame as the idea is good.

Also you need to be thinking about the spot almost constantly to apply it as frequently as necessary and I have better things to do.

I really can`t see how it would work on a blemish.

It doesn`t cover anything up. I think in future, I would rather use a concealer stick.

For these reasons I don`t recommend it, even though it does work when used frequently and applied only to the spot.