Ahhh Clinique...you dependable old cow you. I came to you because I thought you could never let me down, but you did let me down. You let me down and you burned me.
Hello everyone! Welcome to my first post, and thank you for reading. :) First, before I begin the review part, let me tell you why I decided to start a beauty blog. Well, my skin has always been at the bottom of my self-care list. From my very first zits to my very first wrinkle, I have always chosen to just hurry up cover it with makeup, and wait for it to solve itself instead of just addressing the problem. Recently, I decided that I really needed to start working on my skin, to start taking skincare more seriously in general. It's been a long time since I've gone into public without makeup (years) and quite frankly, I'm tired of seeing foundation always on the top my necessities list, right alongside deodorant, toothpaste, and tampons. My goal is to get my skin in good condition so that I feel comfortable going without foundation most of the time. I wanted to address my skin conditions one at a time, starting with acne breakouts, and being familiar with Clinique's 3-step skincare routine, I decided to begin my journey at their counter....
Ok, first. I got absolutely no help from the person working the counter, but I wasn't bothered by it I because just wanted to clear up my pores and a few pimples so I asked for the Acne Solutions starter kit and a makeup remover and kept it moving. That was probably not the best idea.
This comes with a Foaming Cleanser (50ml), a Clarify Lotion/toner (100ml), and a Clearing Moisterizer (30ml)
Product claims:
Begin to see results within days with the Acne Solutions Clear Skin System Starter Kit. You're guaranteed to see clearer, smoother skin. Midday shine will be pretty much history. Those supersized pores? Less noticeable. It works fast. We're sure: In a two-week clinical test the results were nearly unanimous-96% of participants showed a reduction in active blemishes. Why not get started now? Convenient kit contains everything you need.
My initial impressions:
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| The first step in Clinique's Acne Solutions Clear Skin System. Mild, medicated cleansing foam helps clear and prevent acne. Removes dirt and excess oil. Unclogs pores. Calms, soothes, visibly reduces redness. Skin feels soft, smooth, comfortable. |
The
Foaming Cleanser was very thin and watery, but did a pretty good job at cleaning my face without drying it out. I used a makeup remover before cleansing so I didn't get a chance to see how it worked on removing makeup, but due to it's consistency I would conclude that it would not do well at that. Overall, this cleanser is pretty good, but I wasn't impressed. I continued to use it only because it was apart of the Clear Skin System. As to the claims that it can unclog pores...I highly doubt it.
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| Step 2 in Clinique's Acne Solutions Clear Skin System. Gentle, medicated formula exfoliates to clear dead surface cells, reduces excess oil that can lead to breakouts. Unclogs pores. Oil-absorbing powders eliminate shine. Soothes irritation, visible redness. |
The
Clarifying Lotion was some very powerful stuff! It actually felt really good to use, my face felt clean and smooth after swiping it on with a cotton ball. Unfortunately, my cheeks started to dry out on the the second day of use. While I was using it, I saw a dramatic decrease in pore size and skin clarity. I also experienced dramatic improvement in my acne scaring and hyper pigmentation, I attribute that to this toner's exfoliating properties. This toner performs exactly how it is described and would be great for people with oily skin. I do not recommend it for dry, dry combination, or sensitive skin. Combination oily skin can take their chance. :)
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| Step 3 in Clinique's Acne Solutions Clear Skin System. Lightweight, medicated formula helps treat existing acne and prevent future breakouts. Creates a barrier against acne-causing agents. Helps control excess oil. Calms, soothes, visibly reduces redness. Lightly hydrates to minimize dryness and peeling. |
Finally, the
Oil-Free Clearing Moisturizer and this is where it all started to go down hill for me. This should not be called a moisturizer at all. Nothing about it is moisturizing. It goes on thin and a little grainy due to the medication, and dries so tight almost like a tight mask. If you have anything other than oily skin you will want to mix another moisturizer with it, or apply a layer over top of it. Other than that this stuff WORKS! And it works well, very well. As for me, however, it worked a little too well. As for the maybe 5 or six pimples I had they were pretty much zapped starting on day 1 and completely obliterated by day 3. But then my progressively drying skin started to burn, then it started to itch, finally my whole face broke out in a itchy, burning rash that made my skin look and feel like the surface of a basketball. The lighting in the picture below is way too kind, the actual irritation looked much worse. I was asked if I had hives by a few people. *womp* Anyway, I was very disappointed because I really wanted to be able to stick with this system.
Recap/Conclusion:
My overall impression of this system is that it is VERY effective for treating acne due to improper care, and I highly recommend it for that. The results I experienced while using it for three days are:
- Clear/invisible pores
- Smoother skin
- Pimples eradicated
- Acne scarring greatly reduced
However, the toner is very drying for anything other than oily skin, and the medicated "moisturizer" does nothing to alleviate this and actually makes it worse. In addition, the Benzoyl Peroxide concentration in the moisturizer may be too aggressive for some people's skin and may cause a reaction or chemical burn. Because of that, I DO NOT recommend it for anyone with sensitive skin. For those without sensitive skin, I just advise that you be careful with how you use it.
Grade: A for general effectiveness + F for my personal experience = C
Soulflwr (♥)
Acne Solutions Clear Skin Starter Kit
Retail $36.00
