No. Never. The pink sediment settling at the bottom isn't a fault, it's the product. Shaking mixes it into a cloudy suspension that won't work properly and can take days to separate again. Dip the swab straight down through the clear layer into the pink sediment, lift it out, apply. If you've already shaken it, stand it upright and leave it alone until the top layer runs clear again.

Honestly, not well. This works on surface spots whiteheads, small inflamed pimples, the ones that come up overnight before something you care about. Deep cystic bumps sit too far under the skin for a topical drying agent to reach, and no spot treatment in this category handles them properly, whatever the packaging says. If you're getting recurring deep cysts along your jaw, that's a conversation with a GP or a dermatologist, not a bottle.

You'll feel it on an open or picked spot. On intact skin, most people feel a mild tightening as it dries and nothing more. It's a drying lotion, so it's meant to feel like something is happening.

It's designed for overnight. It dries to a visible pale pink film that doesn't sit under foundation well. Rinse it off in the morning and put your makeup on over clean skin.