Acne Serum Reviews

Clinique Acne Solutions Spot Healing Gel is a leave-on, use-it-as-you-need-it acne treatment which gives offers a pretty solid formula for a low price.  Is it strong enough for your acne?

Clinique Acne Solutions Spot Healing Gel Ingredient analysis

• Salicylic acid 1.0%
• Alcohol
• Witch hazel
• Acrylates/c10-30
• Alkyl acrylate crosspolymer
• Benzalkonium chloride
• Farnesyl acetate
• Panthenyl triacetate
• Farnesol

An ingredient here that you may not see all too often is benzalkonium chloride, which is a fairly effective skin antiseptic that avoids burning when applied to sensitive pimples.   Aside from this, the formula is essentially reliant on salicylic acid to help your skin slough off the dead cells that provide a place for bacteria to develop.  The witch hazel and alcohol will also dry out the skin and shrink the skin cells. The rest of the ingredients are basic perfume components and synthetic moisturizers.

Clinique Acne Solutions Spot Healing Gel Effectiveness

Generally this formula is a standard cleansing/drying solution that aims to keep excess oil from building up and to kill bacteria in the pores.  The 1% salicylic acid formula combined with alcohol and witch hazel is know to be considerably effective.  Users report fairly good results, but relatively low satisfaction oddly enough.

Clinique Acne Solutions Spot Healing Gel Safety Concerns

The main explanation for the lower user satisfaction ratings most likely has to do with this product’s tendency to over-dry the skin and to cause some redness, itching and irritation. Generally we recommend products without alcohol to avoid this, but there aren’t any other serious side effects  to watch out for here.

Clinique Acne Solutions Spot Healing Gel Value Rating

As mentioned, this product is offered at a pretty low price. In most places you can buy it for $14.  Now, in sheer dollar amount this is lower than most designer acne treatments,  but when you consider that one bottle contains only 1/2 ounce, it’s a different story.  That’s $28 an ounce, which actually puts this product in the range of the most expensive spot treatments out there. Considering that the ingredients are very basic and often cause irritation, you’re really not getting that much for your money.