Beauty Review - Clinique Skincare

L-R Rinse off foaming cleanser £15.50, 7 day scrub cream £17.50, Liquid facial soap £14, Clarifying lotion £15, Dramatically different moisturising gel £29.

 I first started using Clinique skincare in January. I was after a new routine that didn't cost the earth as my skin had broken out massively, and just wasn't getting better. I wrote a first impressions post about Clinique here.

The first things I bought from Clinique were the Liquid Facial Soap and the Clarifying Lotion as I couldn't justify spending the £29 on the moisturiser. The facial soap is lovely and foams up a lot; after cleansing, I rub it between my fingers and then in a circular motion on my face and then buff it away with a face cloth. 
I follow up with the Clarifying Lotion. I pour a tiny amount onto a cotton pad and sweep it all over my face. I've seen it described as a toner, but when I had my skin consultation, the lady at the counter described it as a very mild liquid exfoliant. If it comes into contact with broken skin, it does sting, so avoid any blemish areas etc. 
I bought the moisturiser on the ferry when I went to Berlin, as I got it in duty free (a.k.a. cheaper). It's a light oil-free moisturiser which sinks in really quickly. It's just a nice moisturiser, and I've had this bottle about 3 months and have barely made a dent in it.

When I bought the Facial Soap and the Clarifying Lotion I got a free little goody bag, which included the cleanser (below), the All About Eyes eye cream, and a few other samples. I don't know about reducing dark circles, but when I used this is definitely felt like my eyes were refreshed and less puff, especially on a morning. I am thinking about splurging on the full size (which is about £25-30 I believe *gulp*) but I'm not so sure yet. 

The Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser does exactly what it says on the bottle. I use a pea sized amount, rub it all over dry skin, rub in a bit of warm water and then buff off with a face cloth. It takes off all face make-up really easily and quickly, in a similar way to the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. The only downside to this is that you can't use it on your eyes, so you need a separate eye make-up remover. I'm not sure I'd buy this myself as it's just a make-up remover for me. I always use the Liquid Facial Soap afterwards, so I may just buy a cheaper alternative.


The 7 Day Scrub Cream was another duty free purchase and cost me £14.50. I don't mind spending that on an exfoliator, as I use them at most two times a week, so I know it's going to last. It's a very creamy exfoliator with tiny beads in it. I don't find it abrasive and it rinses off easily, leaving my skin baby soft.


I am really enjoying using the products I have from Clinique. I know it is often a company that receives mixed reviews, but it has worked wonders for my skin. It doesn't prevent me from breaking out, but when I do, the spots very rarely come to a head and clear up quickly.
My skin type is oily/combination with dry patches in between my eyebrows sometimes. 


If you were considering Clinique I would definitely recommend getting a consultation and asking for samples, as the products aren't the cheapest, being, on average, £15 a pop. Saying that, I have only just repurchased the Liquid Facial Soap and Clarifying Lotion, so they have lasted about 4 months. The Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish (which I still love) costs about the same, but lasts me, at most, 2 months. For me it's a no-brainer.


Have you tried products from Clinique? What did you think?


Thanks for reading x


p.s. Sorry about the ropey photography!

Clinique 3 Step Skincare System - Life Saver

Just a note to say: I know nothing about skin care. I have tried quite a few skin care products, from the cheapy bits in Boots and Superdrug (Neutrogena is a firm favourite) to the more expensive (Liz Earle, I'm looking at you).
Personally, I much prefer to splurge my (not so hard earned) cash on skincare than make-up, because, lets be honest, if your skin isn't looking its best, your make-up is going to look a bit crap whether you've spent a fiver or £30 on foundation. My skin has been a complete bitch since about August last year. I had at least one spot on my face constantly, whereas before my skin had always been relatively clear with just the odd spot here and there.

As a student living on a budget, I couldn't justify spending £13.50 on a Liz Earle cleanser for me to use it up within 6 weeks - even though it is amazing, so I went looking for other products and ended up at the Clinique counter in Harvey Nichols.

The lady at the counter sat me down and talked me through each of the products in the 3 step range, demonstrating them on my hand. During my skin consultation, we determined my problem areas and I was recommended the products for combination/oily skin (skin type 3). I had never thought of my skin as oily, apart from during summer where my nose and chin can get a bit greasy, if anything it has been slightly dry - but I had been getting blemishes regularly around my chin and nose.
I was a bit dubious about spending so much money on products which hasn't had the greatest reviews in the past, but I was seriously impressed with the service by the staff and the products.

I decided to try the liquid facial soap (£14) and the clarifying lotion (£15). I've heard the clarifying lotion being referred to as a toner, but the lady at the counter described it as a liquid mild exfoliant - basically doing the same task as the muslin cloth used with the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish.
At the time I bought the products, Clinique were running an offer where if you bought two products, one of them being skin care, you received a gift of products worth between £30-£40 (including samples of the eye cream and moisture surge, and a full size make-up remover), so I got a great deal.

I have been using the facial soap and the clarifying lotion for about 6 weeks now and my skin has seriously never been better! These products work so well, bringing out all the existing spots and getting rid of them quickly without any new blemishes surfacing. My skin is the clearest it has been since about August last year. Insane. I recently bought the moisturising gel and am extremely pleased with it so far. It leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth, sinking in quickly without leaving a greasy feeling on my face. So far, so good. I am amazed!

Clinique is definitely well worth the investment, my skin has never looked better. Make-up looks great, goes on smoother; I look more awake and fresh-faced. I think I may have actually found something to stick with for good!

What do you guys think of the 3-step system? Did it work for you?