Yves Rocher Yves Rocher Clear Skin Neutralizer Patch

***Why I want the product?***
I have seen a lot of good reviews on Yves Rocher, who I had never heard of before. As always I was eager to look into this new brand to me and see what they have on offer.
Yves Rocher has loads of products you can imagine, the company reminds me a lot of Avon and another catalogue company called Oriflame.

*** About the product***
I came across a product called Clear Skin Neutralizer Patch 8H. This product's statement on Yves Rocher website in bold is a pretty big claim, 'One night to neutralize pimples from forming'.
They also say this product helps to dry out spots, reduce the size of the spot and redness associated with spots.
Unfortunately the website doesn't actually tell you it is a patch you apply to the skin, but this has hints within the name and the fact Yves Rocher claim it is so discreet it can be worn through the day.

Yves Rocher also says this product is recommended by dermatologists and formulated and tested under medical supervision.

Another unfortunately moment there doesn't seem to be an ingredient list anywhere for this product. All I am told is it contains salicylic acid and organic aloe vera pulp. The salicylic acid ingredient is what made me purchase as it is such a pore unblocking ingredient.
I do not even know how many patches I am going to receive for my money.

***Packaging***
Patch Neutraliser comes in a thin rectangle shaped cardboard packaging that tells you the name of the product on the front. The design is eye catching with blue at the top with Yves Rocher's logo that has been faded out, the bottom half is white that contracts well making the packing simple yet effective.
The back tells me about the product, what the patch contains and another list of ingredients at the bottom. I have 24 patches and an expiry of three months.

In a red stripe I see the words 'PROVEN RESULT: After just one night, spots are reduced in size by 88%, tested by 26 women).

Opening the packing I am greeted with two sealed foil wrapped pouches with 12 patches to each one.

***What is the product like?***
Cutting open the silver foil taking care not to cut into another patch by accident revealed a clear plastic sheet with a circle where the patch should be. Unfortunately (there is a lot of unfortunately's in this review) for me it looks like I am three patches missing as there is nothing there until I peel the foil down some more, which reveals a transparent patch. So not a very good start and one I am annoyed about to say how much the product costs.

Taking the patch from the foil I notice it is very sticky and applies to bare skin smoothly. The circular patch measures 1.5cms. Although Yves Rocher state the patch is so discreet it can be worn throughout the day, this is a statement I have to disagree with. Although on the skin the patch blends into the skin ok, you can still see it. You can see the outline of the edges, you can see the raised patch on my skin and it looks a different shade to my skin tone even though it looks almost transparent. It would be a lot better if the patch was completely clear instead of a little but more on the off white colour.

***How does the product hold up in the day and night?***
I applied the patch first at night on a hormonal spot on my chin making sure the patch would be on for more than the recommended eight hours. On my skin the patch did not look that invisible as the product was made out to be.

Before I went to bed I tried pulling the patch off just to see how it would hold up in the night, it was either going to be still be on my face in the morning or half way down the bed.

Waking up in the morning and expecting miracles I was actually very surprised to see the patch still where I left it, although it was not as sticky. Gently removing the patch I was annoyed to see the patch had done nothing at all. My spot was still raised, red, no reduction in size, nothing. I may as well not have bothered for what good it did.

As the product states you can also wear it through the day and thankfully I was not going anywhere that day I decided to try again and leave it on for most of the day. Again on the same spot I applied the patch and carried on with my day. Yves Rocher stay you can apply makeup over this patch, which I find hard to believe as the patch has such a soft, smooth surface any liquid/mineral foundations would not stick to it and when I did try to apply some concealer over the top it balled up and slid off.
Yes the patch stayed on all day with no problems, I also would not have gone out with it on as to me it was very visible.
Literally with the patch on all day it was time to remove the patch, there was no ta dar moment the spot was still the same. A very disappointing result at its worst.

***Price and availability***
I found this product very expensive for what it is and to say I had patches missing. I purchased it for £9.03 and that was with 30% off. Yves Rocher normal retail price comes in at 12.90 from www.yves-rocher.co.uk

***What I think about it/do I like it?***
I like the concept but I hate that this simple product does not work, I have had cheaper none branded spot treatments that have done better.

In all I have used six patches but with the claims saying it will reduce spots by the first use is not true, not for me anyway. I honestly found the patches to do nothing, well unless you apply them for three nights in a row and then I cannot say it was the patch that worked or the spot clearing itself, which seems more logical.

Because of the design of this product it is difficult to put this patch on any folds of skin where your spot may sit like you're nose, around your chin etc.
This is a product from Yves Rocher I will not be purchasing again.