I find this liquid kind of harsh, so I'm afraid to use it on my face, but I am getting good results from sweeping the liquid over my back with a cotton pad. It seems very effective for clearing out clogged pores to minimize breakouts on my back/neck during the sweaty summer months. There is definitely a tingling feeling when you apply it - not painful, but noticeable! If your skin is really sensitive to salicylic acid and similar products, you might want to be cautious with this, and in general I find this too powerful to use more than once a week. But it does the job, and it doesn't seem to dry the skin like some products.