CLINIQUE HAUL

03/07/2010

So, as I've said before, I've always really wanted to love Clinique, due to the raves I've read specifically about their skin care, but I've really never had luck myself. I have .... difficult skin, to say the least. It's very sensitive, and when it reacts with something it doesn't like, it breaks out AND gets dry. I've tried the 3-step system for dry skin, but that broke me out for almost a solid month before I ditched it. So, I tried the acne 3-step, which made my skin dry and patchy. UGH!

Well, Dillard's is currently having one of their Gift With Purchase promos, so I decided to stop in for a quick skin consultation and give things another shot. Now, I'm not actually 100% pleased with that process, as it took an unrealistically long time to actually get anyone's assistance, and the first gal to become free was snippy and abrupt and obviously didn't enjoy her job in the least. (Don't ya hate that?) Anyways, I explained to her that I have dry, sensitive, acne prone skin, and she wanted to argue that if I'm acne prone, I can't have dry skin. Okay, well, I do. I also stated I wanted a medium-to-full coverage foundation that wouldn't exacerbate the dry places on my face. Then, she immediately went into a mini-lecture on matte finishes, and by this time if I hadn't wanted this little free gift, I would have left.

But, I didn't. And here's what I ended up with:

1.
Acne Solutions Cleansing Foam
4.2 oz/ $18.00
So, she assured me that taking one step from the acne system, one step from the "regular" system, and then ditching the 2nd step (toner) all together, would make a great personalized system for my skin. According to her, toner can be too harsh for sensitive skin, as can an overkill of acne products, so we went just with the cleansing foam.
I've tried this one before, and I generally do like foaming cleansers because they're somehow more.. fun.. in application. This one claims to calm redness and heal acne, so we'll see.

2.
Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel
1.7 oz/$12.50
The Dramatically Different lotion seemed to be heaven-sent at first, as it softened my dry spots within about 2-3 days when all other moisturizers failed to make a difference. However, it soon gave me the worst breakouts I've ever experienced in adult life, which never stopped over time, so it had to go! Instead, I'm now trying the gel formulation instead. Although it's intended for oilier skins, supposedly it's less likely to cause acne. So far, it doesn't feel quite as moisturizing, which is to be expected, but I'll update in a few weeks after I see how it works for me in the long run.

3.
Perfectly Real Foundation
$23.00
I think she recommended this one solely because it is indeed oil free. The coverage is listed as "moderate" and the formulation is pretty light for a foundation, without being greasy. This foundation, according to the consultant, is intended to be non-irritating to both sensitive and acne-prone skin.
One good thing about this foundation is that it does come in a nice range of shades. The first foundation I had considered, the Continuous Coverage, came in only 3 shades... which is sure to work for only a small percentage of users. I was able to get a really close match to my skin color pretty easily (and I'm very fair right now, given that I haven't touched a self-tanner in months!)
I'm not 100% sure I'm crazy about the finish of this one, though. It's very matte, which makes my skin look a little dry. However, my skin feels nice and natural, like I'm not wearing makeup at all, and I don't look overly made up. This does a nice job evening out my skin, however if you have acne or scarring or redness, you'll probably want a concealer too. The coverage is definitely buildable. I'd think that anyone with oilier skin would probably want to finish this one off with a translucent powder.
I don't know that I would repurchase this one, though, as it does make my face look dry.

4.
Advanced Concealer
$14.00
This concealer claims to have "Full" Coverage. I really do agree with that, as it did a nice job covering any redness. There are only two shades with this concealer, matte late and matte medium, so I'm not sure the range will be enough for many users, unfortunately. Also, the finish here IS very matte, so this was probably not the best pick for my dry skin, as it actually seems to exacerbate the look of larger pores and dry patches. It's a little more blendable than I expected, but not at all creamy like most concealers.
Again, I don't know that I would repurchase this one, because while it does offer awesome coverage, it just makes my skin look dry and dull.

FREE GIFT WITH PURCHASE (see your local Dillards!)

- Purchase anything $21.50 or more from Clinique and you get:
1. 1 oz Dramatically Different Moisturizer
I've already stated how I feel about this one, so I gave it away immediately. However, if you have dry skin that's not acne prone, seriously, this is an amazing moisturizer!!
2. Different Lipstick in Think Bronze
This is actually the first Clinique lipstick I haven't liked, but mostly because it was not the right shade for me. It's a reddish bronze that just looks dull on my lips. However, lipstick colors are highly personal, and that doesn't mean it won't be perfect for someone else!
3. .4 oz Lash Doubling Mascara in Black
This is actually the only product I haven't tried yet. I tend to love Clinique mascaras, and I'm pretty sure this will be no different. I'll do a separate review once I give it a try!
4. .40 ml Self Sun Body Moisturizer in Light Medium
This is a light lotion which obviously doubles as a self tanner, although it must be extremely subtle, as I've tried it twice and see no self-tanning effects yet! I love that it doesn't have that sunless tanner odor!
5. 0.5-oz. Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief
This moisturizer is very light and is highly concentrated, so a little definitely goes a long way. The consultant advised me to use this on top of the dramatically different gel, and I'm definitely glad I have it as it eased that "tight" feeling of my skin after using the cleanser/gel duo.
6. 10-ml. Up-Lighting Liquid Illuminator in your choice of Natural or Bronze
This is my favorite product of the freebie. I got the "natural" and it just gives you a very nice shimmery glow wherever it's applied. It's actually very comparable to the Liquid Veil makeup by Napoleon Perdis (which I will review in an upcoming entry!)
and of course you get the floral makeup bag as well!

Anyways, I'll be trying out this Clinique skin care and foundation for the new few weeks, so we'll see how it goes! Updates later, and thanks so much for reading!