The first step for me in my new year’s resolution of
creating a slightly over the top, any girls dream make up and beauty
collection, is starting from the beginning and most importantly – my skin!!
Personally,
I decided no more
Johnsons and Johnsons and no to the other mediocre cleansing products I have
used over the years. Yes they managed to get the makeup off my skin – but a
makeup wipe could do the same- but I still had the same problems of dry patches
and break outs that were not going anywhere any time soon.
Yes I’ve tried the bottled soap cleansers, the micro-bead
daily washes and the intense once a week “face scrubs” from all sorts of the brands
packed on our local stores’ shelves.
Nothing has worked. And I thought that was it, get used to
it because this skin isn’t going to get any better. After a little chat with my
mom, a light bulb went on in my head –maybe
my skin just needs a little extra
TLC.
A brand my mom trusted and only used in her young twenties,
she suggested, was Clinique. Hmmm and
the judgement began!! This is a brand that’s been in the market for years and
years. Yes that brand with the stiff and incredibly boring ad campaigns. Oh and
the colour scheme of white and dull pastel colours. Not to forget FRANGRANCE
FREE!! It’s always fragrance free!! (not a bad thing, but just another thing to
bitch about) A brand I’ve never used before gets destroyed within the first 5
seconds of their name being echoed by my mothers voice.
Their prices have always been in the high region, my opinion
was simply- they are overpriced because they been around for so many decades
but their products are certainly not worth
the buck!!
Just give them a try!!
3 weeks later I went to the Clinique counter in the Edgars in
Tygervalley, Cape Town.
Before I continue
I must complement the two ladies that helped me!! They were the most wonderful
two girls I have ever had help me at ANY cosmetics counter. No rushing. No
huffing and puffing. No rolling of the eyes to my 101 questions.
They told me it looks like I have skin type #2 ie Dry
Combination skin
One of the first products I purchased was their 3-step Skin Care System.
And I’m in love!!! Step 1- The Facial Soap bar really makes my skin feel clean but my skin feels dry, as it’s supposed to. More than that as
a consumer I see it will last me a fair amount of time; a lot longer than if I purchased
the Liquid Facial Soap.
Step 2 – is the Toner called Clarifying Lotion (I use number
2). Wow wow wow. As silly as this is I’ve probably only bought 4 or 5 toners in
my life and I have never ever reached the half-way point before it disappeared
to the back of my cupboard and shelves, they did nothing, my skin didn’t feel
or look any different so what was the point of using a toner. Well after using Clinique’s
toner I now know for the first time what a toner really is, and there is no encouragement
needed to use this product –
you want to
use it no matter how tired you are in the evenings!!
The Clinique step 2 Clarifying Lotion has an intense smell which
over whelmed me at first, but it felt amazing on my skin!!! This is a product I
think I will buy forever!! 5 stars for this one.
Step 3 Dramatically different moisturizing Lotion +. I would
describe this as more of a thicker-milk than creamy texture lotion. This is a
plus, as it adds back the moisture to your skin after steps 1 and 2 but isn’t too
over whelming. Something important to remember as well is that after this step
you can and probably should apply another cream as your own step 4.
With the 3 step set I purchased the Lotion is a smaller
bottle and doesn’t have a pump- this is a no no for most consumers (definitely
including me) however this lotion is so thin you find with a good shake the
product comes out easily and you done have half the product stuck at the bottom
where you can to it. But no pump loses a star for me.
Final conclusion, I won’t be judging a brand so harshly and
so quickly until I try their products next time for sure, Right now though I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
I decided if I was going to try Clinique, I would go all in
so I purchased a bunch of their other products I will be talking about them in
my next few posts and what I think about them.
Lets get specific:
I purchased the 3-step Skin Care System set for R565-
Step 1- Mild Soap 150g
Step 2- Clarifying Lotion 2 200ml
Step 3- Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ 50ml
