Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss (10/10)

Summary

Cons

• Color payoff
• Messy application

Pros

• Long lasting
• Moisturizing
• Good value
• High shine

In-Depth Review

I got a mini version of Clinique's Superbalm in Passion Fruit a while back when I purchased one of their Moisture Surge Kits. On it's own, it retails for about $17 CAD for a full-sized tube but you get a relatively large amount of product compared to other brands.

On to the gloss! I use this product more as a lip balm than a gloss - I don't care much for glossy lips. The reason for this is because it's super moisturizing, more so than my MAC lip conditioner. It's quite tacky/sticky so if you don't like those kinds of glosses, don't bother with this one. Personally, I like sticky glosses because they last for ages, and this one is no exception. I can expect this product to last for 4 to 6 hours depending on the amount I eat/drink/talk/etc. The color payoff on this product isn't great. It's quite sheer, which is what I prefer. The passion fruit color does contain small glitter particles visible in the tube but on the lips it's undetectable. There is quite a lot of shine with this product and since I don't like that, I apply very little to my lips. I still have about half of my mini tube remaining and I've probably been using this gloss for about a year (granted i'm not a gloss addict - I use it when my lips are dry)!

When I run of of this product, I will most definitely be purchasing a full-sized product of Clinique's Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss (probably in Ginger).

Acne Solutions Clear Skin System Starter Kit (2/10)

Summary

Cons

• Drying
• Caused breakouts

Pros

• Reduces blackheads
• Affordable

In-depth Review

The starter kit from Clinique was perfect for me to try out their skincare line designed for acne prone skin. This kit is affordable and comes with 3 travel-sized products: cleansing foam, clarifying lotion, and clearing moisturizer. If I remember correctly, the lotion and moisturizer contain benzoyl peroxide while the cleanser contains salicylic acid.

My skin is combination oily in the cooler months and oily during the warmer ones. I bought and used the products in this kit during the winter. I had pretty bad acne at the time (combination of stress, not enough sleep, and hormones) however the use of this kit made my face much worse. My breakouts were more frequent and intense and my skin had become very dry. I tried using these products less frequently such as using the lotion every other day and the moisturizer only during the day however no combination of these products ultimately worked to better my skin.

I went so far as to try these products individually to see if there was a specific one that was reacting badly with my skin. Through my efforts, I found that the cleanser would occasionally break me out but it was the lotion that was causing the majority of my problems. The moisturizer didn’t do very much and it especially didn’t moisturize very well. I would very often have to apply another moisturizer on my face or would combine MAC fix+ with the lotion to avoid dry patches.

The entire kit lasted me 3 months and I was breaking out the entire time (I really wanted these products to work for my skin). I can’t remember why but I bought a full sized bottle of the cleansing foam again and used that for a couple of months. On it’s own, I didn’t break out nearly as much however it still wasn’t a better cleanser than the one I had been previously using (Aveeno Skin Clarifying Cleanser). I stopped using it a month after and it’s been untouched ever since.

As bad as my experience with Clinique’s Acne Solutions Starter Kit has been, these products (I can’t remember which one) did clean out my pores well and reduced my blackheads significantly. So in exchange for daily breakouts my pores were a little cleaner. Also, the cleanser did do a decent job of keeping my oil controlled throughout the day as I did mention that the acne line is very drying.

I will definitely not be repurchasing this kit or any product from Clinique’s acne line in the foreseeable future. Remember that the rating that I give this kit is based on how the products worked for my skin and not how they perform in general. Of course there are favourable reviews out there on these products or I wouldn’t have bought them in the first place. Hopefully, by providing some details on my skin, that will help you determine whether or not this kit is worth trying out.

Clinique Non-Streak Bronzer (9/10)

Summary

Cons

• Smell
• No SPF

Pros

• Non-streaky/even coverage
• Little to no transfer
• Price
• Very buildable
• Very natural looking – doesn’t turn orange or ashy
• Multi-use

In-depth Review

The Clinique Non-Streak Bronzer is an affordable option for people looking for a more tan complexion without exposing themselves to harmful UV rays. I was looking for a matte bronzer for months however I was never satisfied with the finish (shimmer) or the color that many powdered bronzers gave. It’s very important to find a bronzer that matches the tone of your skin when you actually tan – not just buy into a product which is receiving rave reviews or is high-end. In my case, many of the bronzers I tried were either too harsh of a brown (not warm enough) or were unnoticeable on my face. I ended up purchasing Clinique’s Non-streak Bronzer ($18.50 CAD) because it had received positive reviews and because I was quite tired of looking for a bronzer.

The bronzer itself is packaged in a convenient squeeze tube and the formula of the product is perfect – not too runny, not too thick. It is important to mention that this bronzer is concentrated and should be mixed with your everyday moisturizer. It is because of this that a wide range of skin tones can use the bronzer as you can dilute the intensity of the bronzer with moisturizer. I used my Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel with this bronzer and the two mixed perfectly in a 2:3 ratio (I have a medium skin tone close to NC35). The product itself has a scent similar to suntan lotion – not the nicer smelling ones we have today – which is only bothersome when applying around the nose area, and even then, if you dislike that smell. Also if your moisturizer does have a scent, unlike mine, this will no doubt change your experience. The application of the bronzer is made easy as you can definitely see the places you have covered. Similar to applying foundation, I apply this product (with moisturizer) over my entire face, neck, and ears so that there are no distinctive lines. This product stains ever so slightly so using fingers to apply this product may not be the best choice (I don’t mind).

The staying power of this bronzer is remarkable. I rarely use this with a primer or powder because the product does stay on my face very well. It does not make my face any more oily than normal but it also doesn’t reduce oil. All in all, this product deepens the color of your skin as naturally as possible without changing any of your skin’s other attributes.

Because of the liquid nature of this bronzer – there are a multitude of ways this product can be used. For example, if you have a lighter liquid foundation that you may have bought in the winter season, you can use this bronzer to darken the tone. Also (I have yet to try this), you can use the concentrated product, without dilution, for contouring areas around the face for a more pronounced look – you will probably want to blend a small amount of this product in with a dense bronzer or kabuki brush.

I am very satisfied with this bronzer and will most likely be purchasing it again - unless I come across something even better. I’ve used this plenty of times this summer and I’m sure I’ll depend on this even more in the winter season.