Cleansing sticks aren’t new, but they seem to have had a resurgence. You can find them in a slew of price points from drugstore (St Ives, $7) to prestige (Milk, $26; Origins, $28)
In short, I don’t get cleansing sticks. They seem gimmicky to me, and they present a sanitary/hygiene conundrum.
But, Beauty Skeptic, why do bar cleansers not offput you in the very same fashion?
Well, Dear Reader, the answer is twofold.
- The housing of the cleansing stick doesn’t allow you to rinse it clean. It seems to me that it’s a, “come hither,” invitation for ilk to gather. Not hanks.
- Personally, I would not use a bar cleanser directly on my skin. I’d suds it up on a clean cloth or already-clean hands. Then, the bar gets rinsed and dried.
With a cleansing stick, you’re intended to apply it directly onto your wet face. Cringe! I’m far from a germophobe, but I can’t turn off my revulsion to this! Furthermore, they seem like they’d tug on your skin. Just doesn’t seem great to me.
The Bottom Line
In my opinion, washing your face is a non-negotiable like brushing your teeth. I don’t view it as a chore (in part because I’m using products that work for me). Some consumers, however, struggle with that. I imagine a cleansing stick might seem more, “fun,” or engaging than a conventional cleanser.
Better, I guess, to cleanse with a format I don’t get and that may not be as sanitary as other methods than not at all. What do you think?
I’m not really a cleansing stick kind of person either, but I can see how they might be useful for, say, folks who travel a lot — there’s less of a chance that they’ll make a mess in your bag, and they can help get around liquid limitations in carry-ons. Just, y’know, for whatever that’s worth!